{{Today In Slate#19756}}{{econ#31574}}Economist, July 3

The {{cover story#2:http://www.economist.com/l.cgi?f=/editorial/AC/3-7-99/index_ld1956.html}} predicts excitement from the 2000 presidential race, if not from the selection of the candidates then from their stances on the economy, Medicare, and Social Security. ... The editors {{opine#2:http://www.economist.com/editorial/freeforall/3-7-99/index_us3828.html}} that President Clinton's Medicare plan "does nothing to address the underlying problems of rising health costs" and "is simply endorsing a massive rise in government spending on health care." ... An {{article#2:http://www.economist.com/editorial/freeforall/3-7-99/index_sf8740.html}} debunks the notion that guns have always been a fixture of American life. Before 1850, no more than a 10th of all Americans owned guns. ... Another piece {{attributes#2:http://www.economist.com/editorial/freeforall/3-7-99/index_wb2148.html}} the decline of Rupert Murdoch's media empire to his belated entry into new media and his alienation of the local partners on which his broadcasting deals depend. (For more on Murdoch and new media, see "{{International Papers#31562}}.")

{{tnr#31523}}New Republic, July 19 and 26

The Rev. Al Sharpton {{brags#2:http://www.thenewrepublic.com/magazines/tnr/current/cottle071999.html}} to a reporter that Hillary Clinton will need his blessing to win a New York Senate seat. "How enthusiastic[ally] I would support her would be based on how she respects and regards the new dynamics of New York politics," he hints cagily. ... A {{piece#2:http://www.thenewrepublic.com/magazines/tnr/current/easterbrook071999.html}} reviews growing scientific evidence that the practice of religion promotes good health. Possible explanations: Most religions advocate temperate lifestyles, and prayer encourages mental well-being. The findings amount to "a health boon" and "a new argument for taking faith seriously." ... The "{{TRB#2:http://www.thenewrepublic.com/magazines/tnr/current/trb071999.html}}" column protests the "gross generational inequity" of President Clinton's Medicare plan. Prescription drug coverage for the elderly isn't nearly as pressing a need as education and child nutrition.

{{nytm#31382}}New York Times Magazine, July 4

The cover story is an oral history of Stanley Kubrick told by film types and family members. He comes across as a paranoid perfectionist. He required 80 or more takes on a single scene and once called an employee and demanded help while she was in labor. ... An article explores the Patel Motel phenomenon: More than half of American motels are owned by Indians, and 70 percent of those Indians have the last name Patel, indicating that they belong to the same Hindu merchant subcaste. Why? Motels are fairly easy to run and come with a house, and many were for sale at the time Indians began immigrating to the United States in large numbers. ... A grim piece profiles Chevron's superintendent of operations along Nigeria's Niger River. His job consists of paying off tribal chiefs to prevent them from disrupting pumping operations. He relies heavily on Nigerian military muscle to protect Chevron's interests.

{{vogue#31308}} Vogue, July 1999

An article heralds the return of curvy models. After a decade of fashion androgyny and heroin chic, waifs and weird-looking "girls" are yielding runway space to full-bodied Breckish beauties. Reasons for the zaftig vogue include the mainstreaming of the hip-hop ideal of beauty and the popularity of curvaceous actresses such as Catherine Zeta-Jones. A Manhattan plastic surgeon testifies, "They're no longer asking for stick legs. No one wants their butt removed."

{{bus#31310}} Business Week, July 5

The {{cover story#2:http://www.businessweek.com/datedtoc/1999/9927t.htm#AZCOVSTO}} says that megabillionaire and stock-picking legend Warren Buffett has quietly shifted his focus from buying individual stocks to purchasing companies. Stocks have shrunk from 76 percent of Berkshire Hathaway Inc.'s assets in 1996 to 32 percent currently.