John Cox

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Paul McCartney Is Still Trying to Figure Out Love

During lockdown, McCartney recorded "McCartney III" entirely alone, playing nearly all instruments himself, continuing a pattern established by his solo albums from 1970 and 1980. The interview explores his creative process, his evolving perspective on the Beatles' legacy fifty years after the band's breakup, and how his songwriting has remained remarkably consistent across decades—driven by melody and instinct rather than deliberate attempts at depth or growth. McCartney reflects on his relationships with his bandmates, particularly John Lennon and George Harrison, and discusses specific songs on the new album inspired by everything from Lead Belly to personal grievances with past collaborators.

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www.nytimes.com

What Deathbed Visions Teach Us About Living

Medical researcher Chris Kerr has documented that end-of-life visions—experiences where dying patients see deceased loved ones or meaningful places from their past—are far more common than previously thought, occurring in up to 88 percent of hospice patients, and that these visions provide profound psychological and spiritual comfort rather than representing delusional or drug-induced hallucinations. His studies, which began after Kerr witnessed his own father's death vision as a child and continued through decades at Hospice Buffalo, show that patients who experience these visions report greater emotional growth, reduced fear, and a sense of peace, while relatives find the visions help them grieve and find closure. Though skeptical doctors demand quantifiable evidence, Kerr emphasizes that these experiences represent something deeply spiritual and meaningful that transcends the conventional medical framework's ability to measure or explain.

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www.nytimes.com

Colin Powell Still Wants Answers

Colin Powell privately opposed the 2003 Iraq invasion as foolish and warned President Bush it would end badly, yet he became the war's most persuasive public advocate by delivering the February 2003 U.N. speech presenting allegedly solid intelligence about Iraqi weapons of mass destruction. The article reveals that C.I.A. analysts and other intelligence officials doubted much of the evidence Powell presented—including claims from a dubious source nicknamed Curveball—and that the speech was constructed under pressure to make an unconvincing case more "slam dunk" persuasive for domestic audiences, with dissenters kept out of the preparation process. Powell later acknowledged he could have simply refused the assignment and resigned, which might have created a political domino effect that prevented the war, but he chose not to because "he's the president."

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TASTE

TasteBook

Independent scoop shop owners are elevating ice cream beyond a simple dessert by incorporating regional and international ingredients—from local dairy to exotic spices and cultural staples—to create flavors that reflect and celebrate their communities' heritage and identity. These artisanal producers use ice cream as a medium to tell stories about place, tradition, and culinary pride rather than just churning out standardized products.

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