Economist , May 3
(posted
Saturday, May 3)
Much news
of the British election. The cover
editorial asserts that Tony Blair's victory is a repudiation of the Tories,
not a victory for Labor policies. It advises Blair to appoint a strong Cabinet,
slow economic growth with higher interest rates, and strike boldly on
government reform, but worries that the new prime minister is more concerned
with symbols than with policy. An Economist poll
concludes that Britons are extremely skeptical of European Currency
Union. An article says that the Labor landslide does not signify the
death of the Conservative Party: Just five years ago, after all, pundits were
administering last rites to Labor. Voters may hate Tory politicians, but they
like Tory policies. And a story
argues that bustling, open-minded Shanghai, rather than stodgy, authoritarian
Beijing, is the future of China.
New
Republic , May 19
(posted
Friday, May 2)
"Gaming
the Poor" condemns state lotteries. They sucker the poor with false
advertising, do a lousy job at raising revenue (only 34 cents of every dollar
spent on lotteries goes to state treasuries), and are magnets for corruption. A
review of Boutros Boutros-Ghali's new memoir berates the former U.N.
secretary-general for his arrogance and condescension. The editorial calls the
Republican attack on federal judges "intellectually incoherent and
constitutionally subversive," maintaining that the nominees opposed by
Republicans are actually moderates who advocate judicial restraint--exactly the
kind of jurists Republicans should support.
New
York Times Magazine , May 4
(posted
Thursday, May 1)
The cover
story endorses the state Legislature's plan to scrap New York City's
rent-control law. A story studies a block in the Lower East Side and concludes
that rent control reduces the number of apartments, encourages landlord
neglect, disproportionately benefits upper-middle-class renters, and dissuades
developers from building new apartments. Economists agree. A story advises
Americans not to take health warnings too seriously. The media exaggerate the
risks and benefits of research findings, and it's only in rare cases (notably
cigarette smoking) that science discovers clear evidence that changing behavior
can improve health. "The Chanel Under the Chador" examines Iran's growing
"Islamic feminist" movement: Women in the elite are battling quietly to secure
a modicum of gender equity--the right to divorce, take maternity leave, win
custody of children, play sports, etc. Surprising fact: The Iranian Parliament
has 13 women members.
Time and Newsweek , May 5
(posted
Tuesday, April 29)
Brain issues. Time 's
cover story attributes all addictions--from alcoholism to
drug addiction to binge eating--to the neurotransmitter dopamine. The addicting
substances are said to raise dopamine levels in the brain, inducing euphoria.
The upshot: Addiction is a disease, not a moral failing. Newsweek 's "The
Brain's Last Stand" ponders the significance of chess champion Garry Kasparov's
rematch with IBM's Deep Blue. The computer, now much faster and smarter, may
triumph, but humans shouldn't fret. A victory by Deep Blue would indicate its
superior computational skills, but not a capacity for conscious thought.
Newsweek , which loves fad therapies, hypes "natural Prozac." An herb
called Saint Johnswort seems to alleviate mild depression with no nasty side
effects.
Also, the Tiger Woods moment
continues, as both magazines use the golfer to celebrate multiracialism. They note that interracial
marriage is increasing, and express the hope that multiracial kids will bridge
America's racial divides.
Time claims that Hong
Kong businessman Ambrous Tung Young bailed out the Republican National
Committee in 1994 and 1996 by sending it more than $2 million through a
complicated series of loans.
Also in
Newsweek , a piece pegged to the movie Volcano says that volcanoes
threaten 500 million people worldwide, but not the citizens of Los Angeles.
U.S.
News & World Report , May 5
(posted
Tuesday, April 29)
On the
cover, a long excerpt from Billy Graham's forthcoming autobiography,
Just As I Am , chronicles the preacher's relationships with 10
presidents. He admits that he "might have exaggerated Nixon's spirituality" in
his own mind; says he prayed with George Bush the eve of the Gulf War and with
Nancy Reagan the day after her husband was shot; and describes chastising Nancy
Reagan for consulting an astrologer: "I urged her to seek guidance from the
Lord instead." An article pegged to the Volunteer Summit contends that America's
kids don't need much help: They read better, take fewer drugs, score better on
tests, and have fewer health problems than their parents did. A story
says personal-computer sales are slow because PCs are too hard to use and
customer service is nonexistent.
Weekly Standard , May 5
(posted
Tuesday, April 29)
The cover
story, "Little Man, What Now?," tweaks Robert Reich for his sanctimonious,
bitter memoir. Reich's liberal vision--a leaner but more activist
government--was abandoned by the president who promised to implement it,
leaving Reich frustrated and powerless. An article urges the Republicans to
start acting like the majority party, principally by uniting around a tax cut.
The editorial endorses a tobacco settlement as a way to reduce both smoking and
"specious" lawsuits.
Mother Jones , June 1997
(posted
Tuesday, April 29)
Mother Jones catalogs
the top 400 individual political contributors of the 1995-96 election
cycle. Topping the list is Bernard Schwartz, CEO of the defense contractor
Loral, who gave a total of $661,000 to both parties. Other high rollers
include: publishing tycoon Dirk Ziff (No. 6), who gave $436,000 to Democrats
and slept in the Lincoln Bedroom; oil baron David Koch (No. 10), who gave
$339,000 to Republicans and Libertarians to advance his anti-regulation agenda;
Gail Zappa (No. 20), widow of Frank, who gave $292,650 to Democrats; and Steve
Jobs (No. 126), who gave $150,000 to Democrats. A sidebar raps Democratic fund-raiser Terry McAuliffe for his
aggressive tactics. Also, a surprisingly favorable article about the Christian Coalition's campaign to recruit blacks
and help rebuild burned black churches: This seems to be a truly sincere effort
to atone for a history of white Christian racism.
--Compiled by David Plotz and the editors of Slate .
