Kevin Brockmeier's Memoir of Seventh Grade: A New Young-Adult Classic

Rich Juzwiak · 04/24/14 10:27AM

"He is always amazed by the difference between how he feels and how he appears, the way his single-minded determination can look like the panicky darting motion of a little kid," writes Kevin Brockmeier (The Brief History of the Dead, The Illumination) in his recently released A Few Seconds of Radiant Filmstrip: A Memoir of Seventh Grade. He's talking about his protagonist, 12-year-old Kevin, who's growing up in Little Rock, Arkansas, and attending seventh grade in the years of 1985 and 1986. He's talking about himself.

Hamilton Nolan · 04/24/14 10:25AM

We hear that Ladies Home Journal is folding, or at least vastly reducing its publication schedule. A tipster tells us the New York office was just informed this morning, and that layoffs are involved. Anyone who knows more, please comment below.

Sarah Hedgecock · 04/24/14 10:19AM

A cat and bewildered customer reenact Michelangelo's The Creation of Adam at a pop-up cat cafe in New York on Wednesday. And verily, YouTube incarnate was made manifest. Image via Amy Sussman/Invision for Purina ONE/AP.

Here's the Real Reason Colbert Is Ending His Show

Jay Hathaway · 04/24/14 10:09AM

Last night, Stephen Colbert visited The Daily Show to personally explain to friend and rival Jon Stewart why he's decided to end his show. No, it's not to host Late Night—remember, the in-character version of Colbert won't be making that jump.

Hamilton Nolan · 04/24/14 09:38AM

To counteract America's waning love for frozen food, Stouffer's is launching new ads with the theme, "Made for you to love." In one, "two brothers who have been tussling reach a truce brought about by lasagna."

Taylor Berman · 04/24/14 09:36AM

The FDA proposed new rules today that would regulate e-cigarettes for the first time. Once finalized, the regulations will prevent the sale of e-cigs to minors, prohibit the distribution of free samples, and require warnings that nicotine is addictive.

Taco Bell Spinoff Explicitly Branded With Death Symbols

Hamilton Nolan · 04/24/14 09:03AM

Despite decades of devotion to low-quality garbage food, today's Americans think they're "too good" for a "fast food" restaurant. You wouldn't be caught dead in a "Taco Bell?" How about this rebranded fancy Taco Bell, though?

Gabrielle Bluestone · 04/23/14 09:35PM

Maybe digital money isn't such a bad idea. Researchers recently found more than 3,000 types of bacteria growing on $1 bills, including species that linked to acne, staph infections, and antibiotic resistance. And that's just the tip of the petri dish—only about 20 percent of the bacteria was identifiable.