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
