Reporting
"Virtual Berlin - In Two Parts" - The Boston Phoenix, April 17, 2009
When the Berlin Wall fell, in 1989, it fell quickly. Joyful Berliners reduced most of the structure to rubble within months, and 20 years later, little evidence remains. After watching a generation come of age in a united city, American-born engineer and virtual-reality artist Tamiko Thiel of Munich and German architect/artist Teresa Reuter of Berlin (collectively, the T+T artist group) set out to recreate the walled experience.
"The Diary of a Young Girl" - The Boston Phoenix, December 10, 2008
Twenty-two years ago, Jessica Deane Rosner’s car was towed from its parking spot in Providence, but that’s not why she still remembers that night today. After leaving her job as an art model to find her car missing, she headed to a pay phone to call her only friend in town for a ride, and on top of the phone, she left behind her diary. She recovered her car the next morning, but did not see the diary for 14 years.
"Malcolm Gladwell's Success Formulas" - The Boston Phoenix, December 5, 2008
Malcolm Gladwell wants to make a few revisions to the American dream. Success is not the direct byproduct of hard work and dedication, he contends, and not everyone can build himself up from nothing.
"Beach Volleyball in Iran" - Slate, August 20, 2008
Many female Olympians wear athletic clothing that does not cover their bodies; are their events broadcast in conservative countries?
"Crimes and Misdemeanors" - Slate, July 24, 2008
What kind of lawbreaking has happened on President Bush's watch, among his top and mid-level advisers? What hasn't? Who is implicated and who is not?
Commentary
"Bring Public Diplomacy Into the Social Arena" - SmartBlog on Social Media, February 20, 2012
The lure of reaching new audiences around the world is a compelling reason for any organization to start using social media. It’s especially compelling when that lure is already your mission.
“An Engaged Audience Is Key to Hyperlocal Success” - StreetFight, May 17, 2011
The true value of a hyperlocal site is its audience, but eyeballs alone aren’t enough. To create a thriving hyperlocal site today, an editor needs to attract and hold the attention of an engaged readership. Even more importantly, to sustain a hyperlocal site with limited resources, that audience needs to play an active role in providing and responding to its content.
“How Hyperlocal Media Are Taking Urban Planning to the Streets” - Next American City, November 2010
Given the diverse demographics and community needs among Washington’s neighborhoods, it’s not surprising that the District has been a hotbed of growth for hyperlocal news coverage….All these platforms and projects share one thing: a passion for the places where Washingtonians work and play, love and live, vote for their City Council representatives and run for the PTA. And new media are doing things to galvanize community engagement that other media aren’t, especially in urban development processes.
"Save That Pin! Will 2008 Campaign Memorabilia Be Worth Anything?" - Slate, August 21, 2008
If you see McCain drop a handkerchief or Obama lose a flag lapel pin, snag it like it's a home-run ball at the World Series. "The closer it is to the source, the quicker the value will appreciate," said Lambert.
News Aggregation
Today's Papers - Slate, regular contributor
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin capped off a week of bad publicity with a stunning decision: The Republican captured the lead story in all the papers today after announcing Friday afternoon that she will resign her post, effective at the end of the month. Read more in "Mystery, Alaska."
Other Magazines - Slate, regular contributor
New York's cover story on the effect of technology on our attention spans is so engaging, you can make it through all 6,000-plus words without distraction. Read more in "Host to Coast."
Personal Essay
"The Last Book I Loved" - The Rumpus, April 5, 2013
I came across a Facebook post recently in which someone offered W.B. Yeats’s poem “The Second Coming” by way of encouragement to a peer going through a quarter-life crisis. “Things fall apart; the center cannot hold,” Yeats writes. It’s a feeling everyone has at some point, but for a 20-something in the midst of an identity crisis, it sounded especially appropriate.
"Columbia Heights" - District Lines, vol. 2, June 2014
I have a confession to make: I’ve never seen The West Wing. I never pictured myself in the White House or on Capitol Hill. I don’t head down to the Mall to sit at Lincoln’s big bronze feet when I’m looking for inspiration. I don’t feel like an addict in detox if I go a few days without reading Politico. I’m not a political junkie. In fact, I never really wanted to move to Washington. There, I said it. Read more.