- By David Plotz - Slate Magazine

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Blog at Your Own Risk
The Nation on how the military restricts soldiers' Internet activities.
Kara Hadge
posted Sept. 2, 2008
Magicians for Christ
Mother Jones on proselytizing with illusions.
Noreen Malone
posted Aug. 29, 2008
Joe the Turncoat
New York on how Joe Lieberman came to align himself with Republicans.
Noreen Malone
posted Aug. 26, 2008
Obamarama
The press rolls out the red carpet for the DNC.
Kara Hadge
posted Aug. 22, 2008
Burma's Slow Burn
The New Yorker on the decades of struggle of the Burmese.
Kara Hadge
posted Aug. 19, 2008
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other magazines: Summaries of what's in Time, Newsweek, etc.

By David Plotz
Posted Tuesday, Dec. 3, 1996, at 3:30 AM ET

Time, Dec. 9
(posted Tuesday, Dec. 3)
Here's a surprise: The cover story about kids and drugs is almost pro-dope. Targeting baby-boomer parents who smoked pot when they were young, the article concedes that marijuana is less harmful than alcohol and other drugs. Time then cops out by concluding that kids should not use a "dulling" drug: "The young don't need to have their pain dulled. They need to learn from it." An accompanying article describes a rich Chicago high school where pot is epidemic and parents are confused; one girl moved into her own apartment "after her parents forbade her to smoke marijuana at home." Also, a long article examines how funeral-home chains are buying up family mortuaries and gouging customers. And a peculiar, rambling excerpt from the pope's forthcoming autobiography.

Newsweek, Dec. 9
(posted Tuesday, Dec. 3)
The cover story lionizes golfer Tiger Woods. Less a profile than a how-to guide for raising a responsible child prodigy, the article gives much credit to Woods' parents, who made him finish his homework before he could play golf. A sidebar considers child-prodigy flameouts, such as could-have-been NFL superstar Todd Marinovich and drug casualty Jennifer Capriati. A story blames Disney's China mess on Michael Ovitz. A related piece reports on the greedy Western firms that--unlike Disney--have caved in to China's authoritarian demands. And Newsweek pokes fun at "post-sensitive males" (see: Swingers). They're more desperate than macho.

U.S. News & World Report, Dec. 9
(posted Tuesday, Dec. 3)
A muckraking cover story investigates how the Pentagon disposes of surplus weapons (the short answer: badly). The article--a collaboration with 60 Minutes--finds that arms dealers can easily purchase surplus bombs, encryption systems, attack helicopters, stealth fighter parts, etc., that should have been destroyed. China is the most eager customer, buying surplus material through U.S.-based scrap-metal dealers. The issue's 1997 investment guide does not quite predict a bear market, but does suggest that investors "redeploy" out of stocks (in other words, "Sell!"). Also, U.S. News notices the "little-noticed" white urban underclass. They're disaffected, too.

New Republic, Dec. 16, and Weekly Standard, Dec. 9
(posted Tuesday, Dec. 3)
So they do agree on something, publishing nearly identical editorials about Clinton's China policy. Both blast the president for coddling China and ignoring its grotesque human-rights violations. The Standard's headline is "Kowtowing to Beijing." TNR's is "Sell Out."
TNR's cover story wonders why the media ignored the Clinton scandals during the campaign, and reaches familiar conclusions: White House pressure silenced criticism; journalists are liberal; press coverage is driven by candidates; and so on. An article argues that "corporate welfare" is a lot harder to find (and eliminate) than it seems. And "TRB" ridicules secretary of state candidates Richard Holbrooke and George Mitchell as "archetypes of the Washington Male"--self-important, humorless, and not as smart as they think.
Also in the Standard: the holiday book supplement. An article about Claire Bloom and Philip Roth celebrates literary revenge. A review criticizes Samuel Huntington for not appreciating democracy. Another criticizes Max Weber for not understanding democracy.

The New Yorker, Dec. 9
(posted Tuesday, Dec. 3)
An adulatory feature about Woody Allen marvels at his hard work and resilience, gives his side of the Soon-Yi story (her "presence is a reminder of life's bounty"), and hypes his "radiant" new movie, Everyone Says I Love You. His hapless schlub persona is revealed to be mere persona: He's actually full of confidence. A dispatch from the O.J. civil trial reports the defense attorneys' strategy to prove that Nicole was obsessed with O.J., not vice versa. (For SLATE's take, see Harry Shearer's latest "Dispatch.") Also, an appreciation of planets: Thanks to the Mars rock, they're the hottest field in astronomy. And a John Updike short story.

Economist, Nov. 30
(posted Tuesday, Dec. 3)
The Economist worries that a backlash against economic and political reform is in the making in Latin America. The technocratic governments that replaced dictatorships in South and Central America have reduced inflation, increased trade, and lowered deficits, but they have yet to deliver tangible benefits to average citizens. Also, the Economist inaugurates a series that will examine firms (other than Microsoft) that dominate high-tech industries. The first story considers chip-maker Intel. The magazine predicts that Intel will continue to be profitable, but advises that it take more risks.

--Compiled by David Plotz and the editors of SLATE.