The Perfect Nazi

In "The Perfect Nazi," BBC commissioning editor Martin Davidson tells the world a dark family secret — that his German grandfather was a dyed-in-the-wool Nazi, an SA Sturmführer, and a captain in Heinrich Himmler’s SS — and finds it a liberating experience. In the following interview, Davidson discusses his memories of his grandfather, his family’s response to the book, and why he characterizes Bruno Langbehn as the Perfect Nazi.

Photos from inside Cheve, the deepest cave in North America

Just released in paperback: James M. Tabor's best-seller "Blind Descent: The Quest to Discover the Deepest Place on Earth." (Special thanks to Mr. Tabor for providing Failure with the photos included here.) For more on the book and the race to discover the Mount Everest of caves, read To the Supercave (Failure magazine, July 2010).

Above: Bart Hogan, 3,000 feet deep in Cheve’s vast Low Rider Parkway. Though impressive, the Parkway is not especially huge by Cheve standards. Photo © 2010 by Kenneth Davis.

Bill Stone, leader of the expeditions into Cheve cave. Photo © 2010 by Bill Stone.

Marcus Preissner rappels a section of Angel Falls, at a depth of 1,100 feet in Cheve Cave. Redirectionals pull the rope away from plunging water. Photo copyright © 2010 by Kenneth Davis.

Photos from inside Krubera cave

Krubera (KRU-bera) cave is located within the Arabika Massif in the western Caucasus Mountains, in a region of Abkhazia in southeastern Republic of Georgia.

The above photo shows Gennady Samokhin (in red) returning from an abortive dive into Krubera’s Siphon 2, August 2004.

To read about Alexander Klimchouk and the race to discover the Mount Everest of caves, see To the Supercave (Failure magazine, July 2010).

Above: Denis Kurta dropping into Krubera’s 500-foot deep Grand Cascade. Photo ©2010 Alexander Klimchouk and the Call of the Abyss Project.

Today: 30th anniversary of the near assassination of Ronald Reagan

Today -- March 30, 2011 -- marks the 30th anniversary of John Hinckley Jr.’s attempt on Ronald Reagan’s life, which, as it turns out, set the stage for a politically successful presidency. In the new book "Rawhide Down," Washington Post reporter Del Quentin Wilber delivers a minute-by-minute account of the events of that memorable day. Failure has just posted a Q&A with Wilber.

The Longevity Project

“The Longevity Project” answers the question of who lives longest — and why. And make no mistake, after you’re through reading the book, you’ll no doubt recognize the “pathways” to a longer, healthier life, even if you’re not on one of those paths.

James S. Robbins on 'This Time We Win: Revisiting the Tet Offensive

James S. Robbins explains why the legacy of the Tet Offensive makes it difficult for the United States to defeat unconventional enemies, and how U.S. leadership can avoid acting in ways our enemies want and expect.

Charlie Sheen always good for a quote at DreamMasheen

Charlie Sheen: In his own words at DreamMasheen.

50 Jobs in 50 States

Failure interviews USC grad Daniel Seddiqui (author of the forthcoming book "50 Jobs in 50 States"), on how he turned a failed job search into opportunity.

Caltech basketball team beats Occidental, breaks 310-game losing streak

Read about the game on the Failure site (with video of the celebration).

Or check out Failure magazine's feature on the history of Caltech's basketball program.

Remote Area Medical in Nashville

This past weekend, Remote Area Medical (a non-profit that offers free medical care at clinics in the Third World and the United States) came to Nashville, Tennessee. Truth be told, the event was a sad commentary on what we value (and don't value) here in the U.S. The school where the clinic was held (McGavock High School in east Nashville) is kinda run-down, and the cinderblock walls give its halls a prison-like feel. (Did I mention that the Nashville Metro Police Department has an office in the school?)

Of course, education isn't the only thing that we fail to make a priority here in the U.S. We don't do enough to make sure our populace has access to affordable health care, hence the desperate need for an organization like Remote Area Medical.

Below are a handful of photographs that Failure magazine took during the Nashville clinic. Pictured above is Stan Brock, founder of RAM. Or read Failure's feature about RAM.

Fire on the Horizon

Curious about the little-understood culture of offshore oil drilling? Read Failure magazine's interview of John Konrad, founder of gCaptain and author of the forthcoming book Fire on the Horizon: The Untold Story of the Gulf Oil Disaster.

Mao's Great Famine - reviewed

The story of the Great Leap Forward, one of the most deadly mass killings in human history, in which an estimated 45 million people perished between 1958 and 1962.

The Abacus and the Cross

The popular perception of the Dark Ages is wrong. Nancy Marie Brown, author of The Abacus and the Cross, explains why in the latest Failure Interview.

Can the lost art of whistling make a comeback?

Failure magazine's latest feature (Whistling Past the Graveyard) explores this subject, and includes interviews with many of the world's most accomplished whistlers.

December 30: Anniversary of the Iroquois Theatre Fire

Billed as “absolutely fireproof,” Chicago's Iroquois Theatre went up in flames less than six weeks after opening. Upwards of 600 people perished in the blaze, and today it remains on the records of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) as the deadliest single-building disaster in U.S. history.

I Love Charleroi, Belgium?

Tour group offers sightseeing tours through Charleroi, Belgium, which has been called "the ugliest city in the world." The so-called “adventure city safari” includes stops at a vandalized, never-used metro station, a giant pile of coal waste, and the former home of a serial killer. Sound like fun?

Beware of the Urkel

Saggy pants are no longer an issue at one Memphis middle school, not since Principal Bobby White started The Urkel Initiative.

Scroogenomics

Failure magazine wishes you a happy -- and efficient -- holiday season!

The Dead Sea is drying up

Every year the shoreline of the Dead Sea retreats a little more. With the region's tourism industry suffering, Israel, Jordan, and the Palestinians are teaming up to try to save it. But will their efforts accelerate the destruction?

Fruitlands

In 1843 a small group of eccentric men and women founded a utopian community in east-central Massachusetts. By January 1844 the community had dissolved. What went wrong?