Economist , Oct. 24
(posted
Saturday, Oct. 24, 1998)
The
cover editorial argues that we should fear not a strong
China but rather, a weak one. After years of warp-speed growth, China's economy
is slowing down. High unemployment could lead to labor unrest and eventually to
political instability at the top. That would be bad news for the rest of Asia
and the world. ... A story says reliable voice recognition technology will soon
be a reality. A consortium of high-tech companies in Flanders--"one of the most
multilingual places around"--is pioneering voice systems that will make
palm-top computers even more convenient. Microsoft has invested, foreseeing a
voice-capable Windows operating system. ... A story explains why we
can't tickle ourselves. Scientists theorize that our brains anticipate and
discount sensation we cause ourselves. Why? All the better to recognize
sensation caused by other objects, such as, say, poisonous insects crawling up
our arms.
New
Republic , Nov. 9
(posted
Friday, Oct. 23, 1998)
The
too-long but hilarious cover essay exposes the ridiculous academic shenanigans
of "queer theorists." Queer theory luminaries such as Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick and
Michael Moon see sex--preferably unconventional sex--everywhere they look. An
entirely innocent passage from Henry James (reprinted for us to judge for
ourselves) prompts this from Sedgwick: "[The text] shows how in James a greater
self-knowledge and a greater acceptance and specificity of homosexual desire
transform this half-conscious enforcing rhetoric of anality, numbness, and
silence into a much richer, pregnant address to James's male muse, an
invocation to fisting-as-écriture." The essay quotes other superb examples of
horrid academic writing.
New
York Times Magazine , Oct. 25
(posted
Thursday, Oct. 22, 1998)
The cover
story is dubious about genetically altered farm crops. Biotech companies now
inject potato species with genes that make the potato itself pesticidal. But
bugs will eventually get around this advance, just as they've got around
traditional pesticides, so why aren't we embracing more sensible methods? Short
answer: There's more money in the brute-force agriculture of conquering nature
than in the eco-sensitive strategies of organic farming. ... A story
profiles Harold Ford Jr., a young Tennessee congressman who epitomizes modern
black politics. Ford's father was a traditional liberal congressman,
race-conscious and loyal to the party. The younger Ford's New Democrat policies
and less abrasive attitude on race make him more popular with middle-class,
white Tennesseans. ... A story follows pro golfers on the Nike Tour. The
minor league of golf, the Nike Tour features struggling rookies and
over-the-hill dreamers striving to make the PGA Tour but settling for budget
motels and yearly winnings of less than $20,000.
New
York , Oct. 26
(posted
Thursday, Oct. 22, 1998)
The
cover story goes behind the scenes of the World Wrestling
Federation. The WWF now admits that pro wrestling is fake--they call it "sports
entertainment"--but wrestling still packs in the stadium crowds and attracts
cable TV viewers. Key to success: Vince McMahon, WWF president, has made
himself part of the "storyline." The tyrannical president pretends to get beat
up by popular wrestlers chafing under his authority, and WWF fans go wild.
Time and Newsweek , Oct. 26
(posted
Tuesday, Oct. 20, 1998)
Time 's cover package mourns the murder of Matthew Shepard, gay
University of Wyoming student. The main story examines life for homosexuals in
America: Gays and lesbians are more accepted, according to polls, and exercise
more political power, but right-wing opposition has become more focused. An
accompanying essay supports hate-crime legislation, claiming that
"[t]here needs to be a defense against the defense that 'homophobia made me do
it.' " (For more on the martyrdom of Shepard, see
Slate
's
"Frame
Game.") ...
Newsweek 's cover
story fawns over John Glenn, old astronaut. A story praises Glenn as a true
American hero and describes what his life and duties will be aboard the space
shuttle next week. (See also
Slate
's "Assessment" of
Glenn.) A separate piece explains what putting an older person in space will
teach us scientifically--despite efforts to prove the contrary, the answer
seems to be: not much.
Time reports from the
pizza war front. Papa John's is now No. 2 in the pizza industry, behind only
Pizza Hut, and Papa is growing faster than anyone else. Its secret? Rapid store
expansion and "a zeal for perfectionism"--a single air bubble in a pizza's
cheese renders the pie substandard.
Newsweek eulogizes its editor, Maynard Parker, who died last week at 58.
Parker is remembered as "a larger-than-life field general who could wield the
entire arsenal of the magazine to tell a story with power, insight and
drama."
U.S.
News & World Report , Oct. 26
(posted
Tuesday, Oct. 20, 1998)
U.S.
News rates the "Best
Jobs for the Future." Among them: nanny, physical therapist, executive
recruiter, catering director, and Web site developer (no,
Slate
is not currently hiring). An accompanying story reveals how to get what you
want in a job. Hints: Go for the big money, because no one will ever disrespect
you for it; consider trading fringe benefits for vacation time; and beware of
companies who hire you on a contract basis--contractors face tax
disadvantages.
The
Nation , Nov. 2
(posted
Tuesday, Oct. 20, 1998)
A
story claims the real
prize at stake in next month's elections is the power to re-district after the
2000 census. Republicans want to take control of more state legislatures in
hopes of creating a GOP dynasty through gerrymandering. Whichever party
controls redistricting could be in power for a long time.
The
New Yorker , Oct. 26 and Nov. 2
(posted
Tuesday, Oct. 20, 1998)
A special
"Next!" issue on the future of theater, fashion, books, music, et al. A story
explores the privatization of space exploration. SpaceDev, a commercial
spaceship company, wants to mine space for profit--there's gold, platinum, and
other precious metals in dem dar asteroids. SpaceDev can also charge scientists
to carry out experiments, undercutting NASA's hefty fees and bureaucracy. The
commercial space biz looks very promising. ... A story tracks a doctor's
quest to cure his own colon cancer. The doctor implanted extracts of his tumor
in a group of mice, then ran tests on the mice. This specialized treatment
worked for him (he used a Chinese herb to beat back the disease), but it would
be too costly to devote a fleet of mice to each individual cancer patient.
--Seth
Stevenson
More Flytrap
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