Economist , Dec. 13 (posted Saturday, Dec. 13) The cover editorial advises Thabo Mbeki, South Africa's likely next president, to uphold sensible (i.e., free market) economic policies in order to "retain the confidence of outside investors." He must also balance "white fears against black demands for change." Problem: South Africans don't love and respect Mbeki as they do Nelson Mandela. A story explains the success of small businesses in the United States: Despite America's litigiousness, high health-care costs, and excessive regulation (all less pronounced in Europe), American culture encourages risk-taking and backs it with big bucks. An article says monkeys work as coconut pickers in many Thai villages. Monkeys are excellent harvesters and work for peanuts (actually, for eggs, rice, and fruit). They do get sick days off. Also, the makers of the Tamagotchi virtual pet have a new product: a virtual nanny. The motorized nanny presses your Tamagotchi's buttons when you are otherwise occupied. (There is no "shake violently" function yet.) New York Times Magazine , Dec. 14 (posted Thursday, Dec. 11) The cover story pulls back the curtains on Celebration, Fla., the Disney-owned town that opened 18 months ago. Celebration is architecturally impressive and fosters old-time community values, but it's also a miniature Singapore. Residents cede political rights (including voting) to a totalitarian Disney; clashes (mostly over the schools) have already begun. The magazine interviews new Carnegie Corp. head Vartan Gregorian (former president of the New York Public Library and Brown University). He hopes to direct Carnegie money toward some of his interests: campaign-finance reform, immigration, the future of Russia, and the aging of America. Also, a story examines the proliferation of 300-pound players in the NFL. There are now nearly 240 men over 300 pounds in the league, 10 times as many as a decade ago. (Most are offensive linemen.) Surprisingly, very few use steroids. Their secret? A 10,000-calories-per-day diet. Time and Newsweek , Dec. 15 (posted Tuesday, Dec. 9) The Time cover story assesses Al Gore's chances in the 2000 race: He has the right political instincts, but he's still too wooden. He should try to imitate Clinton's rapport with folks on the campaign trail. A Newsweek piece on Gore finds him paranoid about competition for the 2000 nomination. Rivals such as Dick Gephardt will damage Gore by linking him to Clinton, but Gore can't distance himself too much from the president. Newsweek 's cover story looks at interfaith marriages. (Stat: More than 50 percent of Jews marry gentiles.) The predictable conclusion: Some interfaith couples choose one religion and stick to it, others let the kids decide. (See Slate 's "Dialogue" on mixed marriage.) A Time story says the electric-car movement is running out of juice. Rentals of GM's EV1 have been sluggish, and oil companies are funding anti-electric-car groups. Time slams last week's Internet-porn conference for producing platitudes rather than action. Newsweek notes the marketing overkill of the new James Bond movie: Heineken, Smirnoff, BMW, Visa, and Ericsson are running commercials that hawk both their products and the movie. U.S. News & World Report , Dec. 15 (posted Tuesday, Dec. 9) The cover story reports on the apocalypse, collecting popular prophecies on how it will happen. Favorite portents: the formation of the state of Israel, the end of the millennium, the continued reign of Saddam Hussein, and black helicopters ("swarming locusts" to the prophets). U.S. News wonders if the apocalyptic obsession fuels distrust of public officials and institutions. An essay claims the White House wanted Republicans to block Bill Lann Lee's nomination as civil-rights chief. The administration's support of Lee could win Asian-American votes for Democrats. The New Yorker , Dec. 15 (posted Tuesday, Dec. 9) A special "Cartoon Issue" prints dozens of new drawings and old favorites (Businessman talking on the phone: "No, Thursday's out. How about never--is never good for you?"). There are features on "desert island" cartoons, holiday cartoons, and racist (now regretted) cover cartoons. A profile of 19 th -century illustrator Thomas Nast credits him with popularizing Santa Claus, electing Ulysses Grant, and ruining William "Boss" Tweed. Nast had as much cultural influence then as Rush Limbaugh has now. John Updike writes about his aborted cartooning career. An essay notes disapprovingly that adults are behaving more and more like children: They wear childish clothes (jeans and sneakers), watch childish movies ( Jurassic Park ), drive childish cars (sport utility vehicles), and eat childish food (ice cream). And, of course, they read magazines full of cartoons. The Nation , Dec. 22 (posted Tuesday, Dec. 9) An editorial points out that U.S. law lets our president block the United Nations from searching sensitive security sites, just as Saddam Hussein is doing in Iraq. An essay chides Americans for swamping the McCaughey septuplets with gifts while ignoring most needy American children. Also, a piece urges the media to cease their negative portrayal of Asian-Americans. While emphasizing the recent fund-raising scandals involving "mysterious Asian-Americans," reporters are ignoring 1996's record turnout by Asian-American voters. --Seth Stevenson