New York Times Magazine, March 9 In a special issue on philanthropy, a profile of Herb and Marion Sandler reveals how the Golden West Financial founders exemplify a new breed of philanthropists. They are “philanthrocapitalists”—charitable donors who apply the principles of business to philanthropy. … An article reviews philanthropies’ attempts to evaluate programs’ successes in ways that challenge “the common assumption that creating financial value (as a corporation might) and creating social value (as a philanthropy might) are necessarily different pursuits.” Evaluating impact could force innovation in the field, but such an emphasis on cost-benefit analyses could lead organizations to abandon projects that don’t lend themselves to easily quantifiable results or endanger the “bond of trust” between a foundation and its beneficiary. … A piece explores the symbiotic relationship between celebrities and philanthropic organizations: Stars adopt causes to brand themselves to the public; organizations court stars to broadcast their message on a larger scale.
Economist, March 8 The cover story cautions that India’s economy is “more fragile than it looks.” Despite the government’s attempts to curb the nation’s sprawling bureaucracy (which is the “size of a small country”), its debts and poor infrastructure remain “a huge barrier” to India’s growth and socioeconomic mobility. … In a special technology quarterly, a piece examines Wikipedia’s struggle to define its future. The conflict comes between “inclusionists,” who believe the online encyclopedia should “encompass every aspect of human knowledge, no matter how trivial,” and “deletionists,” who believe it should be more selective in the entries it allows so that it can “enhance its reputation as a trustworthy and credible reference source.” Deciding what to keep and what to delete has become a subject of virulent infighting among the site’s top users. Threatening in the wings is also a competing user-generated encyclopedic site, Google’s Knol.
Time, March 17 A piece in the cover package on Hillary Clinton reviews the Clintons’ political philosophy. According to the article, “Democrats know well how hard a Clinton will fight when everything is on the line and have learned from experience that they have reason to fear the consequences.” … An article on Barack Obama’s strategy for the remaining months of the primary season shows the candidate girding for a fight but finding a way to do it without becoming “just another grubby politician—or angry black man.”… A story investigates a new way to generate energy: through the vibrations produced by movement. The possibilities of small-scale “energy scavenging” practices seem endless: A pacemaker could be fueled by a beating heart; walking around with bracelike devices on your knees could harvest enough energy to charge 10 cell phones.
Texas Monthly, March 2008
A piece looks at the competition between Texas and California, the two most populous states in the United States, for the title of state superpower. It wonders how Texas, which does “marginally better” at educating minorities and low-income students, lags behind California on the “high end of intellectual achievement” (measured by per-capita patents and venture capital resources). … The true-crime cover story luridly profiles “the perfect Baptist couple,” Matt and Kari Baker of Waco, Texas. Kari committed suicide on the anniversary of her young daughter’s death from brain cancer. After her death, authorities began investigating her preacher-husband for murder and charges of sexual assault against the town’s teenage girls.
Must Read
Mother Jones speaks with U.S. soldiers who implemented military interrogation tactics in Iraq and reveals their unsuccessful attempts to report instances of torture.
Must Skip
In Time, a hefty interview with Hillary Clinton fails to crack her usual boilerplate responses.
Best Humor Piece
Erstwhile Texas governor hopeful Kinky Friedman explains why cigars are a political statement as he punches back against anti-smoking laws in Texas Monthly. Yes, there is a (Bill) Clinton reference involving moist cigars.
Best Editorial
In The New Yorker, David Remnick warns against Vladimir Putin’s presumed successor Dmitry Medvedev, observing “it makes no more sense to count on Medvedev’s ‘liberalism’ than it does to be cheered by his affection for tropical fish and ‘Smoke on the Water.’ He was chosen for his loyalty to and compliance with a President who has found a way not to retire.”
