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Examines the role of the state of Iowa in the success or failure of American politicians' careers. President George W. Bush's campaign in Des Moines; Senator John Kerry's campaign in Tipton; Votes achieved by George McGovern in 1972; Significance of the view of corn fields in Iowa; Success of several Iowan politicians.

Examines some of popular politicians from Minnesota. Hubert H. Humphrey; Eugene J. McCarthy; Walter F. Mondale.

Describes the city of Berlin in Germany where the author and his wife spent a weekend in May 2004. Changes noted since the author visited the city in 1998; Problems facing the city's arts organizations due to financial stringency; Artists featured in the city's museums; Famous architects represented in the city's buildings.

Focuses on Democratic Party presidential candidate John Kerry's poor standing in a survey in Ohio taken September 3 through 7, 2004, in which he was nine points behind President George W. Bush of the Republican Party. Conditions that should have been favorable for Kerry; Claim of Kerry's aides that the poll had been taken too soon after the Republican convention; Significance of votes from Ohio in the presidential race; Reason behind Kerry's difficulties in Ohio.

Comments on the use of the issue of war in the campaign of United States Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry. Kerry's desire for his military service to be portrayed in an affirmative way; Kerry's being the first combat veteran of the Vietnam War to be nominated for president.

Focuses on the political conventions in the United States in 1964. Barry Goldwater and William Miller at the Republican convention; Democratic convention in Atlantic City; Paucity of broadcast coverage; U.S. politics and government in 1964.

Assesses the impact of the Democratic national convention to be held in Boston, Massachusetts, to the election chances of presidential candidate John F. Kerry. Gains Boston is anticipating from the convention; Reaction of Boston residents to Kerry; Support received by Kerry from his fellow senator from Massachusetts, Edward M. Kennedy; Efforts of Kerry and Kennedy to place Boston in positive light; chances of Democrats of being elected after being nominated in their hometown.

Provides some insights into the historical sites and tourist attractions in Boston, Massachusetts. Public buildings; Universities and campuses; Museums; Parks.

The article focuses on the increasing popularity of Austrian wines, with particular focus on the work of Terry Theise. Comments from Theise regarding his work are included. Statistics related to Austrian wine imports in the United States are reviewed. The history of the Austrian wine industry is also briefly reviewed.

Critiques the Magnolia Grill restaurant in Durham, North Carolina. Quality of cuisine; Description of ambience; Address and contact information.

Features travel attractions and destinations in Kerala, India. Cities and towns; Wildlife attractions; Accommodations; Transportation.

Describes the tourist attractions in Bangkok, Thailand. Mode of transportation; Shopping and market places; Hotels and places of accommodations; Historic places; Handicrafts; Restaurants.

Features the city of Chicago in Illinois. Famous politicians; Architecture and sculpture; Sports; Dance and drama. INSET: You'll Have the Time, the Time of Your Life.

Focuses on the political campaigns of presidential candidates in Detroit, Michigan. Visit of U.S. President George W. Bush in the state; Result of a tracking poll by Steve Mitchell of East Lansing for the "The Detroit News"; Contention of Republicans in the state that Kerry is hostile to the interests of the automobile industry.

Reports that many undecided voters in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, remained still uncommitted after the October 8, 2004 debate between President George W. Bush and Senator John Kerry. Observation that it was not a question of who won or who lost the second presidential debate of the 2004 campaign; Absence of a unanimous position among the younger voters, the women, or the African-Americans.

Provides observations on the history of political conventions in the United States. Suggestion that the conventions are used as a place for candidates to leave impressions of themselves among delegates, party workers, and voters; Increase in the multiculturalism at the conventions; How media coverage by network television stations has allowed the public to experience the speeches of the convention along with the attendees; Reference to speeches of the past made by politicians such as John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, Lyndon B. Johnson, and Richard M. Nixon; Trend for conventions to focus on the same major policy issues including health care, education, and employment.

Reports on the protest against the Missourian delegates of the Republican National Convention at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Number of protesters; Reaction of the delegates to the protesters; Chants of the protesters referring the the constitutional amendments on same-sex marriage.

Focuses on the speech of John McCain, a Senator from Arizona and a former prisoner of war in Vietnam, at the 2004 Republican National Convention in New York. Emphasis of his speech on the present time rather than focusing on the war in Vietnam; Reaction of McCain to advertisements attacking the war record of Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry; Effort of McCain to bring the campaign advertisement issue to President George W. Bush.

Presents a recollection of cook Julia Child, who died in August 2004. How Childs had many dimensions to her personality other than cooking and eating; Her service during World War II in the Office of Strategic Services in Ceylon; Details of her political affiliation as a liberal Democrat; How her political interests were formed during her childhood; Remembrance of dinners with Child and her exuberant nature.

Examines the importance of Ohio's 20 electoral votes in the presidential election. Rewards heaped on Ohio delegates at the Democratic National Convention in Boston, including choice hotel rooms and seats in front of the orator's podium; Vice-presidential nominee Senator John Edwards, who said that he would spend a tremendous amount of time in Ohio in the coming months; Ohio republicans, who are troubled by federal and state investigations of financial irregularities currently under way.

Discusses how Boston, Massachusetts is famous for hosting a variety of restaurants which feature fresh seafood. Consideration of how lobster, scallops, squid, oysters, clams, and mussels are caught off the Maine coast, Cape Cod, Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, and Block Island; List of restaurants such as Legal Sea Foods which are popular for their clams and chowder; Recommendations for sea-food restaurants including B&G Oysters Ltd., Locke-Ober, and Oleana.

Reports on the River Café on the River Thames in London. Replica of Italian home cooking; Profile of owners and chefs, Ruth Rogers and Rose Gray; History of the restaurant; Authors of cookbooks; Examples of items on the menu.

Presents an examination of the political career of Ronald Reagan on the day of his burial. How the ex-president was a master of communication which contributed to his popularity; How the former president shifted the country's political center to the right; Belief of some that he was not a great president but would have made a good king; Evaluation of his term by historians; Where Reagan was weak in his running of the country and where he was strong; Some historians who believe more time must pass before Reagan's contributions can be assessed.

Presents observations about the modern Spanish cuisine served by chef Juan Mari Arzak in San Sebastien, Spain. How Arzak and his wife use only local ingredients to combine innovation and tradition in their food; Popularity of dishes such as foie gras, skewered fruits, and chocolate tortilla desserts; Variety of ways that traditional tapas dishes are served in Spain; Suggestion that incredible detail is paid to Basque cuisine; Eagerness of Spanish chefs to experiment with tastes and recipes.

Discusses the meeting of a group of American and European ranking chefs nearly 30 years ago in Paris. Chefs that were there, such as French chef Pierre Troisgros; Efforts of French-born British chef, Raymond Blanc, to put the conference together; Number of participants at the conference.

Focuses on the popularity of hot dog stands in Chicago Illinois. Story of Doug Sohn, owner of Hot Doug's hot dog stand; Item's on Hot Doug's menu; Other cities that make good hot dogs; Characteristics of a classic, Chicago-style hot dog; Number of hot dog stands in the Chicago area; Details of the work of the author and his wife in sampling a large number of hot dogs from around the city; Difficulty in finding a bad hot dog in the city; Other Chicago dishes.

Reports on the efforts of Cesare Benilli and others to save the fish of the Adriatic through an alliance dedicated to the preservation of local culinary traditions. Toll of pollution and overfishing on the local schools; New threats to the fish with the sinking of Venice and the rising of the high tides; Plans to make a barrier of 79 moveable pieces to seal off the lagoon when surge tides threaten; Different fish available in the waters; Dining around Venice.

Follows the Democratic presidential hopefuls as they try to earn voters in the Midwest. Belief that in the midsection of the country, trade and jobs are the big issues that voters want to hear about; Jobs lost in Ohio over the past decade which has led to the bitterness of the public; Political stance of the two candidates on the issues; How their rhetoric differs; Organized labor which is expected to vote for John Kerry; Importance of Ohio in the November ballot; Results of an Ohio poll on the issues.

Focuses on boiled meat being offered by various restaurants in the U.S. Pot-au-feu prepared by chef Bill Peet at George Lang's Cafe des Artistes; Meats being used for pot-au-feu at Tribute in Farmington Hills, Michigan and Washington Hotel in Washington Island, Wisconsin; Bollito misto at Babbo in Manhattan, New York City and Alice Waters' Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California.

Examines Democratic presidential candidate activity in Missouri days before the Missouri primary. Significance of Missouri as a hard-fought primary; Activity of the various candidates including quotes from John Kerry; Economic concerns of Missouri constituency; Weakness of Howard Dean's campaigning in Missouri.

Reports on the sausage making of Paul Bertolli of the Oliveto restaurant in Oakland, California. Details of cutting the meat; What the different parts are turned into; Examples of other chefs who are butchering meat in-house to create their own specialties; Family history of Bertolli; How Bertolli makes his own sausage.

Discusses the importance of South Carolina for presidential candidate Senator John Kerry in the upcoming Democratic primary there. Advantage in the state which is currently held by John Edwards and General Wesley K. Clark; Impression which might be given that Kerry is making the same mistake Al Gore made and writing off the South in the general election; Suggestion that Kerry rebuild his local organization, run television advertisements, and campaign personally in the state; Perspective in South Carolina on Edwards and Clark.

Reports on the conduct of the presidential primary campaign by Democratic Congressman Richard A. Gephardt in Iowa. Labor supporters of Gephardt; Attempt by labor unions to reassert political influence; Mixed record of unions in Iowa caucuses.

Discusses the Flower Drum restaurant of Melbourne, Australia. Founder and former owner, Gilbert Lau; View that this may be the best Chinese restaurant anywhere; Elaborate Chinese New Year dinners and the standard menu which is fundamentally Cantonese; Some popular dishes which include very fresh fish; Awards of distinction; Description of the restaurant.

Reports that restaurateurs Fabio Granato and Vittorio Assaf have opened the restaurant Geisha along 61st Street in New York City.

Focuses on the prominence of modern architecture in the small city of Columbus, Indiana. First-person account of the author's visit to the city with Nelson A. Rockefeller in the 1960's while covering one of his campaigns for the Republican presidential nomination; Provision of funding for the architecture by the wealthy businessman, J. Irwin Miller; Civic enterprises taken on by his Cummins Foundation.

Presents a feature on the mangosteen, a tropical Asian fruit. The ban on the importation of mangosteens to the United States; Characteristics of the mangosteen; Places where mangosteens are available; Prices; Testimonies about the great taste of the fruit; Possibility that mangosteens may become available in the U.S. as a result of a government ruling that allows all fruits and vegetables that might carry fruit flies to be irradiated for sale in the U.S.

Describes the popularity of food from Singapore. Efforts of Prime Minister Lee Kyan Yew to prohibit open-air food-sellers from doing business on the sidewalks; Consideration of guidebooks for food such as Makansutra; Popularity of dishes such as roasted pig, rib soup, and fish-head curry.

Describes the tourist destinations in the city of Copenhagen, Denmark.

Analyzes the Iraq War from the perspective of its planning and execution. Inability of proponents or critics to predict the outcome accurately; Failure of military planners to predict the large role that Iraqi paramilitary groups would play in combat; Technological adaptability of the U.S.; Importance of air power in winning the war; Aspects which are not resolved, including the location of President Saddam Hussein and the whereabouts of chemical, radiological or biological weapons whose elimination was one of the justifications for war given by the administration of President George W. Bush; Social needs in Iraq, including the restoration of public services; Failure of the U.S. to stop widespread civil disorder.

Discusses American foreign policy and the war with Iraq. United States which has been highly active militarily around the world since 1980; Iraqis who disagree with American foreign policy towards the Middle East; Israeli backing and lack of action to help Palestinians which has tarnished the American image in the Middle East.

Reports on a news conference with United States President George W. Bush. Speech which addressed the issue of what is to be done in Iraq after the war; Bush who is confident in a military victory in Iraq; Statement that the U.S. does not intend on imposing a leader on Iraq; Conflict which exists between the United Nations and Bush.

Focuses on the determination of what, from the point of view of the United States and its allies, constitutes a victory in the Iraqi War. How President George W. Bush and his administration have defined victory; Their suggestion that it does not matter whether or not Iraqi President Saddam Hussein survives the war; efforts to prevent his escape.

Reports on the strategy adopted by United States Lieutenant General Tommy R. Franks to capture the city of Baghdad in Iraq.

Analyzes the potential perils for United States President George W. Bush related to the Iraqi War. Possible mistakes made by his administration, including diplomatic failures over the use of Turkey to open a northern front; Strategic misjudgments of the U.S. military; Possibility that public opinion will change as the war proceeds; Likelihood of street fighting and urban warfare; Possibility that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein could escape; Others.

Evaluates the war on Iraq. Finding that Saddam Hussein has learned to improvise and take advantage of the fighting on his home ground; His campaign of harassment and delay; Iraqis who have forced coalition forces to delay their attack on Baghdad until Basra can be subdued; Lessons that Saddam learned from the Persian Gulf War.

Discusses how United States President George W. Bush is doing as a wartime leader. Bush who the author feels pales in comparison to previous presidents in matters of war; Mention of former U.S. presidents Lyndon B. Johnson and Franklin D. Roosevelt; Bush who has limited his exposure to Americans since the start of the war with Iraq.

Discusses dim sum. Popularity of dim sum in North America, Europe, and Australia; Obsession with dim sum in Hong Kong; Types of dim sum; Restaurants in New York that serve dim sum.

Discusses the inn in Devon, England that was opened by Americans Kay and Paul Henderson. Hotel that is called Gidleigh Park; Awards that the inn has received, including stars in the Michelin red guide; History of the hotel.

Reviews several seafood restaurants in Baltimore, Maryland, including Henninger's Tavern and Blue Moon Cafe.