Kristen Meinzer

The Grammy Awards are notorious for being disconnected from what people – critics and listeners alike – actually think about music. Will the awards be any different this year? Caryn Ganz from Rolling Stone magazine shares her predidtions.

On Tuesday, the oft-thanked Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will announce this year's Oscar nominations, and for the first time since 1943 there will be ten nominees for Best Picture, instead of five. How will the increased number of films affect the Best Picture race? And what movies won't be nominated, despite the wider playing field?

After weeks of speculation and hype the Apple iPad was unveiled yesterday. What does it look like? What does it do? And will you want to buy one?

Are you and your family suffering from the winter stir-crazies? Are you hungry? Why not cook together? Romilly Newman, an 11-year-old chef who hosts her own Youtube cooking show, "Little Girl in the Kitchen," insists that it’s easy. And Alyssa Volland, founder and president of the Mini Chef culinary institute for kids, says it can improve everything from your family’s diet to your kids’ math skills.  

I try to teach kids that that feta cheese can taste good. —Romilly Newman

They're calling it a "vocation vacation." It happens when you take time off from your current job to try out working at a new job. But why would anyone want to spend their vacation doing work? Takeaway work contributor Beth Kobliner brings us some reasons why, and she shares her research with those who might want to try taking some time away from their jobs.

Dr. Susan Clancy believes that for young children, sex abuse is oftentimes more confusing than it is traumatic at the moment that it’s happening. In her new book "The Trauma Myth: The Truth About Sexual Abuse of Children — And Its Aftermath," she argues that more victims would come forward if we stopped framing sex abuse as terrifying and violent, and instead acknowledged that child victims often love and want to please their perpetrators.

The Sundance Film Festival kicked off in Park City, Utah, last night. We talk this morning with two directors whose films are featured this year about their big break and about crossing over (both literally and figuratively). 

Rumors have been swirling for weeks about a new Apple product that's scheduled to be unveiled next week. The legions of Apple rumor-mongers suspect the company is about to launch a new tablet device, which Apple fans hope will have the kind of game-changing impact of the iPhone. We try and separate fact from fiction and look at how useful such a device might be.

New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg is cracking down on salt in city restaurants. But is salt really that bad for us? In this week's food segment, Marion Nestle, author of "Safe Food: The Politics of Food Safety," explains the science and politics of salt. And Melissa Clark, food writer for the New York Times, compares her low-sodium homemade breakfast offerings to those sold at fast food restaurants.

There is a specific set of cognitive skills that every successful worker in America has, regardless of whether he or she waits tables or performs heart surgery. Dr. Mike Rose has narrowed down those skills in his book, "The Mind at Work: Valuing the Intelligence of the American Worker."

 

Last night, the TV stars and movie stars mingled and alcohol flowed freely as the Golden Globe Awards were handed out. Our movie contributor Rafer Guzman was watching. What did he think of the big night?

Kids often feel scared and powerless when a disaster – like the Haiti earthquake – hits. But there are constructive ways to talk with them about traumatic world events, and to channel their anxieties into positive outcomes.

Sunday is the night of the happiest awards show in Hollywood -- the Golden Globes -- during which champagne glasses overflow and stars hear their names being called while they're in the bathroom. Who will win this year? Who will be drunk? Will the television and movie stars get along with each other? And what will host Ricky Gervais say that will push the envelope? 

This week’s tech segment looks at innovations that can help Haiti now. We’re not talking about sophisticated computer programs or gadgets, but low-tech, low-cost tools that are easy t...

With so much destroyed in Tuesday’s earthquake, much will need to be rebuilt. The head of Architecture for Humanity looks at the challenges ahead for Port-au-Prince.

As Harry Reid’s comments about Barack Obama’s light complexion remind us, race still plays into people’s perceptions of who can be elected. But there are companies and industries that...

Can parenting responsibilities ever be divided truly equitably? If so, do you have to be well-to-do to make it happen? Takeaway contributor and New York Times 'Motherlode' blogger Lis...

There are plenty of teen and tween movies in theaters these days – from this weekend's Michael Cera vehicle Youth in Revolt [see the trailer above] to the hugely popular Twilight seri...

Can a checklist save a life? Dr. Atul Gawande thinks so. He talks with us about his new book, “The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right,” and about how the simple act of check...

The Christmas Day almost-bomber has left a lot of people scratching their heads and wondering: why didn't the airport in Amsterdam know he was a terrorist, when his father had already...