Economist , June 20
(posted
Saturday, June 20, 1998)
The
cover editorial warns that Japan's economic woes are real
and are not going away. Japan must reform its banks and maintain loose fiscal
and monetary policy (even though that means a cheapened yen), or the rest of
the world will soon feel the aftershocks of its recession. Dilemma for America:
We should be raising interest rates to keep our overheating economy in check,
but a rate hike would worsen Asia's problems by hurting its debtors. ...
A story says company directors' investing habits are a good gauge of where the
market is heading. Lately, directors have been overwhelmingly selling their own
companies' shares. ... An essay urges England to withdraw its soccer
team from the World Cup if it is unable to squelch the violence of hooligan
fans. British thugs have already begun rioting in France this summer.
New
York Times Magazine , June 21
(posted
Friday, June 19, 1998)
The cover
story profiles Steven F. Goldstone, RJR Nabisco chairman and Big Tobacco
defender. Unlike other tobacco VIPs, Goldstone willingly admits the weed is
addictive, carcinogenic, and evil (and that firms may have marketed cigarettes
to kids), yet he's leading the fight against congressional sanctions. Goldstone
finally decided a settlement didn't make fiscal sense and that he'll continue
to manufacture cigarettes until tobacco itself is illegal. ... A story
says exiled Chinese dissident Wei Jingsheng may not be the best activist for
his cause. Wei's a weak political theorist, and his long imprisonment has left
him naive about the workings of the modern world. (He still views China as
Maoist.) Still, Wei's indomitable charm and spirit make him a formidable foe
for Beijing. ... An article traces a promising development in the search
for an AIDS cure. Some HIV patients quit drug regimens and find their immune
systems, having been bolstered by the drugs, are suddenly able to fight the
virus without help. This could lead to a vaccine.
New
York , June 22
(posted
Thursday, June 18, 1998)
The
world's hottest celebrity is exposed. The hilarious cover story chronicles
Leonardo DiCaprio's misadventures in Manhattan. DiCaprio and his misogynist,
potty-mouthed entourage don't tip at restaurants (or strip clubs), brawl with
detractors, throw food at photographers, and ooze sleaze. Sample: Leo's bad
boys phoned actress Elizabeth Berkley ( Showgirls ) at all hours of the
night, hoping she'd leave her boyfriend and join them for drinks. When her
boyfriend finally told them to stop bothering her, one of Leo's posse
sucker-punched him.
Esquire , July 1998
(posted
Thursday, June 18, 1998)
Esquire 's coup: face time with the reclusive Clarence Thomas. The piece
finds the Supreme Court justice bitter at his lot and deeply suspicious of the
white world. Thomas counsels successful young black men that, upon leaving
their neighborhoods, "you won't ever really be able to go back. But you may
find you're never fully accepted up ahead, either, that you've landed between
worlds. That's the way I feel sometimes, even now, and it can make you angry."
... A story says the top five restaurant cities other than New York City
are (in descending order): San Francisco, Chicago, New Orleans, Los Angeles,
and Boston. ... Rick Moody and David Foster Wallace contribute short
fiction to a summer reading package.
Brill's Content , July/August 1998
(posted
Wednesday, June 17, 1998)
The debut
issue of a magazine billing itself the "independent voice of the information
age." Overall tone: sanctimony, exemplified by the series of "lessons" to the
press at the end of the cover story ("no one should read or listen to any media
outlet that consistently shows that it is the lapdog of big, official power
rather than a respectful skeptic"). The much-touted 30 page cover piece
("Pressgate") carefully reconstructs coverage of the Lewinsky scandal,
congratulating a few responsible reporters and tsk-tsking almost everybody else
for uncritically accepting Kenneth Starr's leaks. It blames the scandal on 1)
Linda Tripp's desire for a book contract; 2) Lucianne Goldberg's hatred of the
president and lust for attention; and 3) Starr's self-righteousness. The piece
also breaks the news that Starr admits leaking to the press--something Starr
had previously denied. ... Actor George Clooney pens an editorial urging
the press to be more truthful. Speaking of the Lewinsky scandal, about which
several press outlets tried to interview him, Clooney writes, "I am an actor
(unless you saw Batman ), so how could my thoughts on this subject be
newsworthy?" Exactly. ... Throughout the magazine, short pieces offer
insider looks at the media biz, including a feature listing selected
journalists' salaries.
Time and Newsweek , June 22
(posted
Tuesday, June 16, 1998)
Time 's cover story
celebrates Michael Jordan's reign as the greatest basketball player ever and
weighs the evidence about whether His Airness will retire. (Conclusion: No one
knows for sure whether he'll stay or go.) A sidebar claims Jordan is only the
second greatest athlete in history, behind soccer's Pele. An accompanying piece
doubts we will see another hoopster like Jordan--his dedication to his team and
to improving his game is unmatched by today's young players. ...
Newsweek 's cover piece hypes the new X-Files movie, profiling its
creator and stars--all of whom sound obnoxious. Sidebars explain the show's
alleged symbolism. (Scully's crucifix signifies "her faith in God, vs. Mulder's
paranormal paganism.")
Time says our defense
of Taiwan could lead to a war with China. Tensions are escalating over Taiwan's
independence, and we will be forced to take sides. An interview with Taiwan's
president finds him fiercely pro-independence and fairly confident of American
backing. ...
Time is the latest magazine to discover that "crank"
(smokable methamphetamine) is sweeping the heartland. The speed-like substance
can be cooked up at home and attracts women, who often use it as a diet
aid.
Newsweek charts Viagra's course toward world domination. Single pills
can cost up to $175 on foreign black markets, and Japanese businessmen take
"Viagra Tours" to find the drug legally. The anti-impotence pill will soon be
approved for use on several continents.
U.S.
News & World Report , June 22
(posted
Tuesday, June 16, 1998)
Several
weeks after a New Yorker scare piece on Hepatitis C, U.S. News '
cover story calls the virus the "next epidemic." The disease
infects four times as many Americans as AIDS does, with no visible symptoms and
no effective cure. Hep C is transmitted much like AIDS (blood transfusions,
sharing needles, sex) and silently eats away at the liver. ... An
interesting piece illustrates the utter chaos of Russia's economy.
Companies literally pay their taxes in vodka and do most of their business in
barter. ...
U.S. News finds a new tourist
hot spot: Iran. Beautiful historical sites and friendly locals abound. Just
ignore all the signs reading "Down with U.S.A."--and ladies, don't show too
much ankle.
The
New Yorker , June 22 and 29
(posted
Tuesday, June 16, 1998)
The
summer fiction issue's star attraction: excerpts from Jack Kerouac's journal,
including notes from a cross-country trip with Neal Cassady. (Those travels
helped inspire On the Road .) Kerouac mocks his friend Allen Ginsberg,
honors the "Spirituality of Hashish," and records a "batting average" for
writing. ("After today's work, my 'batting average' rose to .306. The point is,
I've got to hit like a champion.") ... Half a dozen writers offer brief
memoirs of summer: Arthur Miller recalls Manhattan in the '20s, when hundreds
of families slept in Central Park to escape the heat. ... Short story
contributors include Stephen King, Alice Munro, and E. Annie Proulx.
Weekly Standard , June 22
(posted
Tuesday, June 16, 1998)
The cover
story analyzes the split between "Rich Republicans" and conservative activists.
Republicans in wealthy towns like Winnetka, Ill., are pleased that America is
prosperous and peaceful, and appalled by the vitriolic, negative activism of
conservatives. Conservatives resent the passivity and sluggishness of Rich
Republicans. There's no easy way to reunite the two groups. ... An
article wades into the fish car-ornament controversy, making the case that the
ornament showing a fish with legs and the word "Darwin" is a grotesque affront
to Christians. The Darwin ornament offends because it assumes that all
Christians who have a plain fish ornament are know-nothing creationists.
--Seth
Stevenson
