When Columbia University sociologist Peter Bearman dived into the world of the white-gloved workers who open the front doors of expensive New York apartment buildings, he found that most people who applied for jobs as doormen never got one. Most doormen, however, had not applied for their jobs.

What do the war in Iraq, your Christmas shopping and this week's Thanksgiving dinner have in common?

Forget about buying low and selling high. If you are worried about the recent volatility in the stock market, perhaps you should let the weather be your guide.

According to conventional wisdom, front-runners win presidential nominations. Democrats and Republicans who start the race for a presidential nomination with the largest amount of money and the best poll numbers are supposed to be the ones most likely to walk away with victory months later.

Some years ago, a political scientist conducted an interesting experiment that speaks to the fractured race for the Republican presidential nomination, which now has six candidates, five issues, and four potential front-runners.

Through much of the Republican presidential primary, Sen. John McCain and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney could barely restrain their contempt for each other. During one Republican debate in New Hampshire in early January, McCain landed a zinger that summed up Romney's opportunistic...

Put yourself in the shoes of Sen. Barack Obama or Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton. You are widely seen by Democratic voters as a transformational presidential candidate. Democrats are nearly evenly divided between you and your competitor, and you think you are the best candidate for your party -- and...

If American sprinters Tyson Gay and Walter Dix reprise their race in the U.S. Olympic trials at the Olympic finals in Beijing, you will see the athletes crouch low over the starting blocks. Gay's right foot will be in the rear position on the blocks; Dix prefers to have his left foot in the rear ...

Nearly a century ago, American middle-distance runner Abel Kiviat entered the Stockholm Olympics as the odds-on favorite to win the 1,500-meter race, an event in which he held the world record. Kiviat had the lead 1,492 meters into the race but was passed in the final eight meters by Britain's...

After nearly two years of political jockeying for the presidency, hundreds of millions of dollars of advertising and wall-to-wall campaign coverage in the media, nearly half of all Americans eligible to cast ballots in the presidential election may not bother to vote. Turnout for primaries, as well...

When nearly 200 people in India were killed in terrorist attacks late last month, the carnage received saturation media coverage around the globe. When nearly 600 people in Zimbabwe died in a cholera outbreak a week ago, the international response was far more muted.

La migración entre México y Estados Unidos ha cambiado dramáticamente en los últimos años, pero las políticas y la retórica política en ambos países no se han actualizado a este contexto a la misma velocidad. Este reporte explora esta nueva realidad migratoria y cómo los dos gobiernos podrían trabajar juntos para abordar los desafíos de políticas públicas que tienen en común.

Macfarlane begins the book with a brief overview of writers who wrote about walking and a short listing of different types of paths around the world and throughout history. He mentions that some paths, such as those in Ireland left over from the Famine, were created by people who had no choice but to walk, and who ultimately found nothing at the end of their path except death and loss.

After the massive slaughter of British men in World War I and the resulting death of the civilian population from the Spanish flu, there was a renewed interest in 1920's and 1930's Britain in walking the old ways (p. 21). Walking the roads of the past were a way to connect with people and events from the past. The liminal quality of the path, which existed to connect two places and was not of these places, gave it the ability to connect its walkers with other times.

The author himself has had experiences on paths where he has felt close to the past. At one time he had explored the sunken "holloways" of Dorset with Roger Deakin, paths so worn into the soil by time and use that they could be twenty feet below the surface of the land:

"In the dusk of the holloways, these pasts felt excitingly alive and coexistent - as if time had somehow pleated back on itself, bringing discontinuous moments into contact, and creating historical correspondences that survived as a territorial imperative to concealment and escape.

Two years after that visit, Roger died young and unexpectedly. Four years after his death I returned to Dorset to re-walk the same holloways and found myself tracking our own earlier traces...and experiencing startingly clear memory-glimpses of Roger himself, seen at the turn of a corner or ahead of me on the path." (p. 22-23).

My own first exposure to the British belief in the ability of paths to contain past events is one that is familiar to anyone who has read the books of Susan Cooper. In her book The Dark is Rising the child hero, Will Stanton, spends much of the book wandering around the snow-covered landscape of his small English town just around the winter solstice. His local old way, known irreverantly as "Tramps Alley" but truly called "Oldway Lane" saves his life by calling on the power it has stored through its use for centuries by people fighting against the dark. Will is able to move between the present and the past when he walks Oldway Lane albeit in a more concrete fashion (since he is a fictional character) than that of Robert Macfarlane.

Rudyard Kipling also explores the ability of a path to move between time in his poem "The Way through the Woods" from Rewards and Fairies. The poem comes just before "The Marklake Witches" story in the book. The story is a supposedly true historical tale told to Dan and Una, the two main characters based on Kiping's own children, by a teenage girl who had died of consumption over a hundred years earlier. The girl, named Philadelphia, loved to ride and appeared to the children dressed in a riding habit. Just as Puck gives her the ability to move forward in time to talk to the children, the overgrown woodland path contains the sounds of Philadelphia's rides out on her horse.

In his starting section, "Path", Macfarlane admits that not all walkers are benign or appealing. While I think he is a little hard on Morris Dancers and people who walk in sandals (p. 23) he does mention that trampers can have more sinister motives than mere enjoyment of nature and movement. He mentions people who walk because they are delusional or racist.

He also discusses two writers who walked to stave off depression -  19th-century walker George Borrow and poet Edward Thomas, who was killed in World War I. Borrow, who rode around on a black Arab stallion when at home, walked over not only England but also France, Spain, Portugal, Russia, and Morocco. He knew twelve languages and was acquainted with another forty. The activity of walking exposed him to new people and allowed him to exercise his mind as he exercised his body.

Edward Thomas and his poetry had the most influence over Macfarlane. The author admits that Thomas is the guiding spirit of his book (p. 24) and his first walk in The Old Ways is one that Thomas took a hundred years earlier. Macfarlane says that while Thomas

"was drawn to the romantic figure of the self-confident solitary walker, he was more interestingly alert to how we are scattered, as well as affirmed, by the places through which we move" (p. 25).

Thomas appears throughout The Old Ways, and Macfarlane gradually tells the story of Thomas's life in the "Ghost" section of the book. Thomas suffered badly from depression and moved frequently in the hopes that his new house would help him battle it; walking was a similar way to stave it off.

Interestingly enough, American poet Robert Frost knew Thomas. The famous Frost poem, "The Road Not Taken", was inspired by a walk that Frost and Thomas took together. When Frost sent Thomas a draft of the poem, Thomas decided that it was a sign that he should enlist in the British army. He was later killed in France in 1917.

Two weeks ago, some friends and I toured Lucy Boston's house and garden. My friend Val had read Boston's books; her husband Dave hadn't heard of Boston but wanted to see the old house. We took a train from London to the nearby town of Huntington (pop 10,000), then a short taxi ride to Hemingford Grey (pop.230), a quaint small village on the River Ouse.

Here are photos of the town's main or high street:

Since we were early for our 2 PM house tour, we decided to explore the gardens. Lucy talks about designing and building the gardens in her memoir Memory in a House, which also contains some black and white photos of the gardens back when she published the book. However, I did not realize until her daughter-in-law Diana Boston gave us the tour how much of the gardens Lucy build from scratch. Apparently most of the yard was just meadow until she set to work.

What stunned me, Val, and Dave was how large the gardens were in size. We split up in the gardens, and they saw only the more cultivated side:

Recently while listening to WNYC, I heard a segment about the lack of diversity in children's literature. While the US's population is becoming more diverse, it is apparently not reflected in children's books. Lucy Maria Boston was a head of the curve since four of the Green Knowe books could be regarded as multicultural since they contain not only Asian and African main characters but also a physically disabled character and deal with the issues of slavery and exile due to war.

Ping, a young refugee from Burma, is the main human character in A Stranger at Greene Knowe and a supporting character in The River at Green Knowe and An Enemy at Green Knowe. Ping has spent most of his life in a hostel for displaced children and goes to stay at Green Knowe during his summer holiday. He is eventually asked by Mrs. Oldknow to live with her and Tolly at Green Knowe. His experiences as a homeless child trapped in the grey world of the London home cause him to appreciate not only the natural world around the house but also to empathize with the escaped gorilla, Hanno. Boston wanted to dedicate Stranger to a gorilla keeper that she knew but was forbidden to do so by the zoo since it portrayed captivity for animals as cruel and harmful to the animal. When Green Knowe is under siege from evil in Enemy, Ping calls back Hanno with a traditional prayer to help save the house.

Jacob, in Treasure at Green Knowe, is bought as a child in a slave auction by Captain Oldknowe as a companion for the Captain's blind daughter, Susan. Susan's mother is uninterested in Susan since she views her as an unmarriageable burden. Susan's blindness puts her outside of the normal constraints for an upper-class girl so she can spend her time climbing trees with Jacob and learning how to write with him and their tutor Jonathan. Susan's brother Sefton views Jacob as less than human, buying him clothes patterned on those of an organ-grinder's monkey. Both Jacob and Susan rely on each other to navigate the rules of a society that views them as worthless because of their respective race and disability. They work together to educate themselves and lead successful adult lives despite their differences in race, sex, and station.

Despite the fifty or so years since they were written, the books still hold up due to the quality of the writing, the strong characterizations, and the universal themes. They are well-worth being placed on any reading list, multicultural or not. Good children's books should be read whether or not they are written by US authors.

WASHINGTON — Latinos and immigrants are at least twice as likely to lack health insurance coverage as the overall population in three central Kansas City metro counties, a new Migration Policy Institute (MPI) study reveals. In fact, they are four times as likely to be uninsured in Johnson County, Kansas. 

WASHINGTON — A new age of migration has been ushered in by large-scale spontaneous migration flows on both sides of the Atlantic, which have upended asylum adjudications systems and placed enormous stress on reception, housing and social services, particularly in Europe.

WASHINGTON – Even as governments in Latin America and the Caribbean have taken generous and innovative steps to address forced displacement from Venezuela and more recently Nicaragua, the warm welcome has cooled in places amid the vast scale of the inflows, strains on public services and growing public concern.

WASHINGTON – A pesar de que los gobiernos de América Latina y el Caribe han tomado medidas generosas e innovadoras para lidiar con el desplazamiento forzado desde Venezuela y más recientemente desde Nicaragua, la cálida bienvenida se ha enfriado en algunos lugares a medida que el número de entradas, la presión sobre los servicios públicos y la preocupación del público aumenta.

WASHINGTON – Four years since the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) was signed into law, all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have developed accountability plans that include blueprints for serving English Learners (ELs), as well as measuring these students’ progress and being accountable for their outcomes. This marked a significant development, as EL performance was previously not well integrated with factors that determined whether a school was performing well or poorly.

WASHINGTON — The Migration Policy Institute (MPI) today published the annual update to its data-rich article, Frequently Requested Statistics on Immigrants and Immigration in the United States, offering readers a wealth of information that can help inform understanding about an issue that is the subject of much conversation.

WASHINGTON – As more than 33 million U.S. workers have lost their jobs since March amid the pandemic-induced economic crisis, immigrants are among the most vulnerable: They are more likely than the U.S. born to be laid off and to live in communities with high COVID-19 infection rates, and less likely to have health insurance coverage and access to a doctor or other usual source of health care.

This recipe was featured on Foodie Tuesday, a weekly segment with Raf Epstein on Drive, 774 ABC Melbourne, 3:30 PM, courtesy of Phillippa Grogan. Her new book is 'Phillippa's Home Baking.'

Nicky Riemer from Union Dining is one of 20 of Victoria's top chefs who will unite to raise funds for vulnerable children at Gastronomique on November 25. The gala food and wine charity evening will support Anglicare Victoria. Now in its 12th year, Gastronomique includes signature dishes, fine wine and entertainment. www.gastronomique.org.au

This recipe was featured on Foodie Tuesday, a weekly segment with Raf Epstein on Drive, 774 ABC Melbourne, 3:30 PM, courtesy of Julie Goodwin. Julie's new book is "Homemade Takeaway."

Delicious fish dish for a summer night.

This recipe was featured on Foodie Tuesday, a weekly segment with Raf Epstein on Drive, 774 ABC Melbourne, 3:30 PM, courtesy of George Calombaris. George's new book is called "Greek."

A delicious treat for the serious chocolate lover

500g cooked and peeled beetroot (about 900g fresh) 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped 1 cup of Greek yoghurt 5 fresh Medjool dates 3 tbsps. olive oil 1 tbsp. Za'atar Good pinch of Himalayan salt 2 shallots, finely sliced on the diagonal Handful of toasted and crushed hazelnuts 50g goat's cheese, crumbled

I absolutely adore a rich moist fruit cake laced with brandy. We love this cake in our house and will stay fresh in a airtight tin for months.

It's rare for me to cook fresh figs as I think there is little that can better a squishy-ripe, jammy fig eaten just as is. However just sometimes when they are cheap (well, relatively speaking!) and plentiful, I make this dish; it makes a lovely, simple summer dessert. The thing to be mindful of when you're buying figs, is that they're often picked when they're under-ripe as they're easier to handle and store, however if they're like this they're rarely worth eating; look for figs that feel softly squishy when you gently cup them in your hand, and ideally have tiny splits in the tender flesh...your care will pay off in spades.

A good frittata is really simple to make, but it does need a little TLC to make sure that the eggs don't overcook. At its best the eggs are softly set and still really tender and the whole thing is such a pleasure to eat. So do take just a little extra care with this, it's really worth it.

Lorraine Elliott is the author of Not Quite Nigella. You can find her blog at www.notquitenigella.com This recipe was featured on Foodie Tuesday, every 3:30 PM Tuesday, 774 ABC Melbourne Drive show.

Fresh and tasty chicken pot stickers with a delicious Asian slaw.

This recipe features on Foodie Tuesday, a weekly segment with Raf Epstein on Drive , 774, 3.30pm, courtesy of Alice Zaslavsky.

Try your hand at this delicious Golden Chicken Stock creation from Maggie Beer.

This recipe features on Foodie Tuesday, a weekly segment on 774 Drive with Raf Epstein, 3.30PM, courtesy of Alice Zaslavsky aka Alice in Frames. Alice's latest book is "Alice's Food A-Z: Edible Adventures".

Figs are such a versatile fruit, they can be eaten raw, cooked, and sweet or savoury. Here I am baking them with goat's curd which is truly delicious. Wrapping them in prosciutto adds texture and saltiness and the mint salad adds a lovely freshness to the dish.

This recipe features on Foodie Tuesday, a weekly segment on 774 Drive with Raf Epstein, 3.30PM, courtesy of Phillippa Grogan. Phillippa's latest book is "Phillippa's Home Baking".

1/4 small watermelon vegetable oil, for deep-frying 50 g vine leaves in brine 1/3 cup plain flour 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to garnish 500 g calamari, cleaned, scored and cut into bite-sized pieces, tentacles reserved salt flakes and cracked pepper 200 g green olives 200 g goat's curd, broken into small pieces

Our Indian chef whips these delicious naan breads up for us every day to go with her chicken tikka and vegetarian curries Brushed with garlic butter as they come out of the stone oven, they are quite a treat (thats why she has to make so many everyday.....)Thanks Nancylt;i>f

I'm never quite sure what to call this; it's baked in a ceramic pie or gratin dish so it looks a bit like a tart, especially with the glistening pear slices fanned over the top, and yet the moist, satisfyingly crunchy texture is more that of a cake. It doesn't really matter, what does is that it's a breeze to make, has a lovely homely flavour, and is just the sort of thing to whip up when you want a rather fabulous dessert in a hurry.

One of the most popular dishes on our menu at the moment, this curry has so much flavour! Our Nancy is a spice master...the secret is in the cooking of the onions, she almost cooks them to a paste

I have clear memories of being about four year's old standing on a little stool next to my mum while she made batches of these golden scones. I always loved being in the kitchen with her and she was endlessly patient, letting me help mix, stir, roll and shape all manner of things (in this case turning a blind eye when I smuggled little nuggets raw dough and dates into my mouth.) We would chat away as we went and she would explain to me what she was doing. I remember to this day her telling me the secret to making good scones was to use the lightest touch possible when you're mixing the dough together...we had no food processor then so everything was mixed by hand and I loved rubbing the flour and butter together, lifting my hands high as she had taught me to help keep the scones light. Although I whiz these up in a processor now, every so often I make a batch by hand, and am immediately whisked back into that childhood kitchen and can almost feel and see Cooee, my mum, beside me in her wonderful cinch-waisted 60's polka dot dress...it's a wonderful image.

I love a carrot cake . Usually walnuts are used however who doesn't want to take advantage of the local new season pecans at our local markets . Happy baking!

100 ml extra virgin olive oil 1 brown onion, finely sliced 1 garlic clove, finely sliced 500 g basmati or jasmine rice 125 ml (4 fl oz/1/2 cup) dry white wine 1 fresh bay leaf 400 ml (14 fl oz) warm water Sea salt

This recipe features on Foodie Tuesday, a weekly segment on 774 Drive at 3.30PM. It was shared by Phillippa Grogan, adapted from Phillippa's Home Baking written with Richard Cornish.

Love this tasty slice with the combo of coconut and the passion fruit what's there not to like?