Economist , Feb. 8
(posted
Saturday, Feb. 8)
The
cover story deplores the "outrageous" sums spent on U.S.
elections, which are more expensive than any nation's but Japan's. The United
States should consider campaign-spending caps and give the Federal Election
Commission teeth to enforce campaign laws, the Economist writes. The
accompanying editorial scoffs at the First Amendment claim that
campaign spending is speech ("ridiculous") and suggests that the United States
ban political television ads. Also, several Russia articles. One
applauds Al Gore and Prime Minister Chernomyrdin's frequent, unpublicized
summits, which have resulted in 150 small agreements on critical issues such as
nuclear-weapons disposal. Another says Alexander Lebed would win a new
presidential election if Yeltsin died (Lebed is still keeping company with
thugs, warns the magazine). And an article claims that while Britain is more
socially and residentially integrated than the United States, minorities have
fewer economic opportunities there.
New
Republic , Feb. 24
(posted
Friday, Feb. 7)
Last
month, the Standard wondered whether women belong in the military. Now
it's TNR 's turn. The cover story, "Sex and the Soldier," is less polemical than the
Standard 's article, but agrees that women are too weak for many military
jobs, and that pregnancy disrupts training and deployment. TNR also
argues that the military is overdoing gender integration in order to placate
civilian politicians (namely: Pat Schroeder). An article claims that Clinton
"sandbagged" Jesse Jackson in 1995 and 1996 to prevent a primary challenge: The
president courted black mayors, refused a budget deal with the Republicans, and
steered funding to Jesse Jackson Jr.'s congressional campaign in order to
forestall a Jackson Sr. presidential run. Also, a story argues that the
much-touted Religious Freedom Restoration Act is unconstitutional (its
excellent headline: "Anti-antidisestablishmentarianism").
Vanity Fair, March 1997
(posted
Friday, Feb. 7)
A profile
lionizes tycoon/World Jewish Congress President Edgar Bronfman Sr. for his
campaign to recover Holocaust victims' savings from Swiss banks. Bronfman, whom
some consider the "Jewish pope," is portrayed as a relentless crusader who
single-handedly "unhinged" Switzerland. Like Time (see below), Vanity
Fair investigates the truly weird saga of Madalyn Murray O'Hair, America's
most notorious atheist. After 30 years as a troublemaker, bully, and media
hound, O'Hair vanished in late 1995 along with her son and granddaughter. About
$700,000 of her foundation's money, stashed in New Zealand, also seems to have
disappeared. The author claims O'Hair is lying low in New Zealand; others think
she's dead; God has no comment. VF pays tribute (for 25 pages?!) to
"swinging" London, which has recaptured its 1960s hipness: Oasis and Blur are
much admired; so is fashion enfant terrible Alexander McQueen. Also,
Slate is panned: "familiar names like Joe Queenan, Katha Pollitt, Wendy
Kaminer, Louis Menand, Paul Berman, Nicholas Lemann--all-purpose oxygen
depleters who wash up everywhere." (Articles by all these oxygen depleters are
available in Slate's "Compost.")
New
York Times Magazine , Feb. 9
(posted
Thursday, Feb. 6)
Why has
crime plummeted in New York City? The two-story cover package credits the
police. A profile of a rookie cop says police work is improving because street
officers have been given more responsibility. It warns that Mayor Giuliani's
proposed pay freeze could destroy the NYPD's new esprit de corps. A sidebar
attributes the decline to "quality-of-life" policing and a crime-tracking
program called COMPSTAT. An article celebrates the return to favor of jazz
pianist Keith Jarrett, whose sharp tongue is nearly as famous as his music (he
disses Wynton Marsalis as a "talented high-school trumpet player"). And a
bizarre photo essay depicts a husband and wife who have worn matching outfits
every day for the last 17 years.
Time and Newsweek , Feb. 10
(posted
Tuesday, Feb. 4)
Time has more Star
Wars hype on the cover. "The Force Is Back" rehashes recent articles in The
New Yorker and Newsweek , concluding that the movie is mythic and
wholesome but made Hollywood care more about special effects than about acting.
Only new tidbit: Time locates the almost-forgotten Mark Hamill (Luke
Skywalker), who now stars in CD-ROM games. The magazine also chronicles the
Madalyn Murray O'Hair saga (see Vanity Fair above).
And an article on the upcoming trial of Timothy McVeigh says the defense will
emphasize FBI-lab incompetence and witnesses' confusion over John Doe No. 2
(who the FBI now says does not exist).
Newsweek 's cover profile of Secretary of State Madeleine Albright
admires her charm, toughness, and PR skills. Its lone criticism: Albright has
no grand Kissingerian vision. A columnist says that Albright's European-history
background will help her set Asia policy, since 21 st -century East
Asia will resemble 19 th -century Europe: rich, expanding, and
fractious. Also, Newsweek describes the vicious debate about whether
there was life on Mars: Pro-life scientists (many at NASA) are ignoring
extensive evidence that casts doubt on their claims. And a gruesome story about
sexual molestation of boys in Welsh reform schools.
U.S.
News & World Report , Feb. 10
(posted
Tuesday, Feb. 4)
The cover
story, "The Business of Pornography," salutes the hard-working
entrepreneurs of the American sex industry, who gross $8 billion a year--more
than Hollywood does at the domestic box office. There are no salacious photos,
but amazing statistics abound: U.S. producers churn out 150 new porn videos a
year; actresses earn $300 per sex scene and try to shoot two a day; an $8,000
movie can net more than $200,000. The article concludes that porn's popularity
would diminish if it were less illicit. Also, "Harlem's Next
Renaissance" predicts an economic comeback for the New York neighborhood:
Retailers, who have saturated the suburbs, are rushing to Harlem, which is huge
(520,000 people), underserved, and surprisingly prosperous.
The
New Yorker , Feb. 10
(posted
Tuesday, Feb. 4)
Federal
Appeals Court Judge (and former Slate "Diary" author) Alex Kozinski writes about how it feels to
deny a death-penalty appeal. A story examines the anti-government protests in
Serbia. While protestors do seek democracy, they are wildly nationalistic and
refuse to acknowledge Serbia's responsibility for Bosnia's destruction. An
article chronicles the funny conflict between archaeologists and New Agers over
the Sphinx and Pyramids: The New Agers want access to the monuments to test
their woolly theories about Atlantis, secret passageways, and undiscovered
ancient civilizations. The archaeologists despise the New Agers, but need their
money to fund research and preservation.
Weekly Standard , Feb. 10, and The Nation , Feb. 17
(posted
Tuesday, Feb. 4)
The right-wing and left-wing
weeklies both criticize appeasement of China. But the Standard 's target
is the Clinton administration, while The Nation 's target is big
business. A Standard editorial urges the Senate not to ratify an
extradition treaty with Hong Kong. A Nation article exposes how American
corporations are lobbying for China: Boeing, AT&T, the Big Three
automakers, and other megacompanies have hired PR firms and lobbyists to
burnish China's image on Capitol Hill, mostly in hopes of winning it permanent
MFN status.
A Standard cover
profile anoints George Bush (the son) as a presidential prospect for 2000. Why?
The Texas governor has championed favorite conservative issues--welfare reform
and tort reform, to name two--and he's pushing a huge tax cut. He's also more
charismatic than his father. Also, an article endorses the reigning view that
Trent Lott is a compromiser, not an ideologue.
The
Nation , meanwhile, tries to save public education. Eight writers propose their remedies,
which include smaller schools, charter schools, literacy programs, and--of
course--more money. Also, a story on how abortion is fracturing the African
National Congress.
--Compiled by David Plotz and the editors of Slate .
