New
York Times Magazine , July 26
(posted
Thursday, July 23, 1998)
The cover
story identifies a new trend: "Explornography: The vicarious thrill of
exploring when there's nothing left to explore." Our obsession with buying
expensive outdoor gear leads us to find excuses to use it, resulting in utterly
pointless, dangerous journeys. The author, who dogsleds through the Arctic,
decides that the greatest thrill lies in returning home with all his toes.
... An essay argues that Boris Yeltsin is power-hungry, irresponsible,
and unstable and that we should stop cutting him slack. Though he successfully
sucks up to the West, Yeltsin is bad for Russia, because he makes empty
promises to maintain control.
GQ , August 1998
(posted
Thursday, July 23, 1998)
A story
profiles Mark Willes, publisher of the Los Angeles Times . While
journalists detest his eagerness to mix business and editorial (ad guys and
editors work together to plan profitable special sections), this is nothing new
in the newspaper world. The real danger is that Willes will stray too far
toward service journalism, becoming "a promoter of an all-too-familiar kind of
newspaper: one that has increasingly little to do with news." (For
Slate
's take, see David Plotz's "Assessment" of
Willes.) ... A story claims America is woefully unprepared for
biological or chemical weapon attacks. By the time a toxic attack is discovered
and appropriately dealt with, hundreds of thousands of people will be sick or
dying. The government should improve its medical response rather than spend
more on anti-terrorist SWAT teams.
Time and Newsweek , July 27
(posted
Tuesday, July 22, 1998)
Dueling cover lines.
Newsweek : "No Escape." Time : "Outta Here!" The Time cover
package celebrates the resurgence of baseball. Secrets to the game's success:
nicer ballparks with better food; the chase for the home run, RBI, and winning
percentage records; and likable stars such as Mark McGwire and Ken Griffey
Jr.
Newsweek 's cover
story slams modern vacations: All the good spots are swamped with tourists. An
accompanying piece lauds several "unspoiled hideaways"--which will now
undoubtedly be swamped with tourists.
A Newsweek story
distinguishes between "buzz" and "hype": buzz is "genuine, street-level
excitement," while hype is "propaganda" created by PR firms and the media.
Easier definition: pre- Newsweek coverage = buzz; post- Newsweek
coverage = hype.
Time 's trend story: infant massage. Babies, especially preemies, are
more relaxed, have better digestion, and are generally happier when they are
massaged.
U.S.
News & World Report , July 27
(posted
Tuesday, July 22, 1998)
A new
editor (Stephen Smith) but an old U.S. News standby: rankings. America's
hospitals are rated in several specialties and in overall quality. The overall
winners: 1) Johns Hopkins in Baltimore; 2) the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota; and 3)
Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. An accompanying story identifies a new hospital job: "hospitalist." A hospitalist
"oversees the care of people while they are in the hospital," discussing
treatment options, following patients from department to department, and trying
to cut costs.
The
New Yorker , July 27
(posted
Tuesday, July 22, 1998)
Ex-Editor
Tina Brown writes a valedictory, thanking her colleagues, "an extraordinary
group of men and women striving to make and remake America's finest magazine."
New Editor David Remnick's first issue lacks none of Brown's obsession with
entertainment: It includes a profile of a CBS executive and
Newsweek -style hype for Saving Private Ryan (disguised as an
interview with Steven Spielberg). The Spielberg piece gushes: The film's
opening combat footage "may be looked back upon as one of the greatest
sequences in the history of cinema." ... A story exposes Liberia's
ruthless dictator, Charles Taylor. Though elected democratically and supported
by American liberals such as Jesse Jackson, Taylor uses embezzlement, torture,
and murder to subjugate his people and boost his own wealth. ... A
delightful piece reviews a newly published collection of obituaries culled from
the New York Times . The piece argues that reading early 20 th
century obits reminds us how unheroic modern times are, and insists that
British obits are more fun: English wit finds its highest expression in archly
noting others' deaths.
Weekly Standard , July 27
(posted
Tuesday, July 22, 1998)
The cover
story reviews new biographies of Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge.
Conclusions: 1) Harding was the Clinton of his day, plagued by scandals of his
own making, aided by a strong-willed wife who ignored his foibles, ultimately
achieving nothing. 2) Coolidge is underrated: His Yankee reserve hid a sharp
wit and thoughtful personality, and he fought for small government and low
taxes. ... An essay urges Republicans to lighten up. The Clinton years
have seen huge GOP victories on health care, the balanced budget, and welfare
reform. Right-wingers should be proud, not disappointed.
Economist , July 18
(posted
Saturday, July 18, 1998)
The cover
editorial welcomes the resignation of Japanese Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto
but frets that his departure will hurt the Japanese economy. Hashimoto deserved
to go because he failed to reform the banking system or to stop Japan's
financial descent, but it will take time to choose a new prime minister and
even more time for the new leader to push through reforms. ... An
article notes an unpublicized cost of the General Motors strike: It is delaying
the launch of GM's new sport utility vehicle, the GMT800. The new SUV is
expected to be wildly profitable, but a delayed launch will let GM's
competitors get a head start. ... A story says companies now eschew
insurance, favoring predictive models that help manage risk. Sometimes, a
company can foresee insurance will be unnecessary: While an earthquake in
California snapped many telephone poles, the phone company made back its losses
as "worried families started calling relatives"--long distance.
--Seth
Stevenson
