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.

NewRepublic, 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.