The Brawn Behind Beauty

Wait, the President Said What?

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From porn to propaganda, artificial intelligence is making it harder to distinguish between the real and unreal  Imagine you’re an acclaimed author of sultry adult contemporary romance novels. Your latest book sits freshly packaged on your editor’s desk, and all you need now is a brilliant cover to bring in the hoards of housewives yearning … Continued

Oh, No, No, Ozempic

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Ever wonder how prescription drugs got such weird names? Well, the explanation feels weirder still.  Cleaning my apartment with the TV on in the background, I’m caught up in a catchy bop sonically streaming into my living room. My hips shimmy as I move my Swiffer in time with the music. I casually sing along, … Continued

Walking Up Thin Ice

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In the Big Sky Country, our correspondent finds the beauty of nature imbues her with a sense of peace no medication can match  If you were to ask my dear mother to recount tales from my youth, she’d wave a handkerchief in the air and say, “Lawd, that child was always runnin’ wild outside.” I … Continued

The Pawn Trade

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Do rich people pawn stuff? California-based Ideal Luxury offers clients private consultations in an office that looks more like an Edward Jones than an EZ Loan.  Orange County, California: Home to smog, pristine beaches, housewives botoxed to within an inch of their life…and pawnshops? I hadn’t been to a pawnshop since I was 15 years … Continued

Forecasts for Farmers

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Long-range weather predictions have helped keep the Old Farmer’s Almanac in business for centuries. The editors must be doing something right.  As I sit down to write in my lavishly appointed solarium, it’s 79 degrees outside and my air conditioner is running like it’s trying to qualify for a marathon … a week before Halloween. … Continued