Construction is never a simple thing. The general rule is to expect projects to take thirty percent longer than scheduled and to cost thirty percent more than budgeted. But a building taking more than 200 years to build is considerably…
Shortly before I got married, I entered headlong into a massive controversy brewing among my friends, a number of whom were getting married about the same time as me. The question we grappled with was how to treat our wives…
I’ve never given too much thought to my last name. I know that Burnham isn’t much of a Jewish name; that was by design. My grandfather, whose last name was Berman, couldn’t get into medical school with a Jewish last…
After a raging debate, the Swedish authorities finally agreed to abandon the antiquated rules that had long been causing deep emotional pain to their constituents. The new law gives Swedish parents the rights and freedoms which are granted to almost…
Xi Cheng left home at the age of fourteen in search of bread. A two year drought had killed off all but the hardiest vegetable crops in his farming village of Zihua-Ni (mostly horseradish, potatoes, beets, and other root crops),…
What’s not to love about avocado? Soft and velvety, with a thick rich texture and a flavor that’s a delightful cross of butter, nuts, and fresh earth, avocados are simply awesome. If you don’t believe me, ask the good people…
The history of the Jews in Budapest is a bit complicated and tortuous. Like many places in Europe, the Jews were alternatively invited or banished based on the mood and economic desires of the rulers of the time. In 1279,…
They say, “Iceland is covered in green, Greenland is covered in ice.” But I’ve never been one to trust “they,” I had to go see for myself. So when my 15th anniversary rolled around, and my wife and I needed a…
Nanny Sentenced To 17 Years In Prison For Toddler's Death! Missing 14-year-old girl’s body found in Texas landfill! Teens charged in carjacking of 3 elderly women! Trucker who hit, pushed man in wheelchair won't be charged! Local landscaper Drowns In…
I’ve been to some dark places. I’ve stood at the side of a crematoria in Auschwitz, and next to a mountain of ash and bone at Maidanek. I’ve been to Belzec, the notorious death camp, and to Theresienstadt, the quaint…