Economist, Nov. 7

(posted Saturday, Nov. 7, 1998)

The cover editorial marvels that President Clinton has been shown to be "a liar and a philanderer" yet "still he comes back laughing." But Republicans should pursue impeachment, regardless of the election results: "If they believed that they had grounds for an inquiry, it should be a thorough one, for this election has no effect on those grounds." ... An essay says our two-party system is dissolving, especially at the state level. Republicans and Democrats look more and more like each other. GOP governors such as George W. Bush and Tommy Thompson are the leading edge of this movement. State voters don't care about parties: They just want politicians who get the job done. ... The Economist, marking its "Science and Technology" section's 20^th anniversary, offers a challenging science quiz. Question No. 2: "What is unusual about the sheep on the Scottish island of Foula? a) They eat sea birds. b) They eat seaweed. c) They eat each other." If you are going take the quiz, stop reading now. The answer is a).

New Republic, Nov. 23

(posted Friday, Nov. 6, 1998)

The lead article in the election cover package heralds the onset of "liberal centrism"--cautious reform pegged to New Deal themes. Similarly, the cover editorial attributes the election results to a groundswell of American moderatism: Most people are happy, so why vote for radical changes? ...TNR criticizes pols on both sides of the campaign finance debate. One article warns Democrats (notably soft money spurning Sen. Russell Feingold, the narrow victor in Wisconsin) not to obscure "real" themes by overemphasizing campaign finance reform. Another piece raps Republican National Senatorial Committee Chairman Mitch McConnell for allowing money to substitute for good politics.

New York Times Magazine, Nov. 8

(posted Thursday, Nov. 5, 1998)

The cover story profiles George C. Wolfe, the producer at New York's Joseph Papp Public Theater. Wickedly smart, acid tongued, and black, Wolfe deeply intimidates actors, choreographers, and theater honchos. Last year Wolfe battled kidney failure and won. This year he's stubbornly producing an expensive and risky version of On the Town, despite severe doubts in the industry that the musical could ever be a success. ... A fascinating story describes and denounces solitary confinement, a punishment now inflicted on 8 percent to 10 percent of prison inmates. Out of their cells for just one hour a day, the inmates grow slowly insane and even more violent and unstable than when they entered prison. Many psychologists believe the treatment is inhumane. Wardens disagree. ... A story profiles famous horse race prognosticator Andrew Beyer. Beyer, the racing columnist for the Washington Post, dropped out of Harvard to follow horses and invented a race analysis system that revolutionized horse play.

Time and Newsweek, Nov. 9

(posted Tuesday, Nov. 3, 1998)

Time's cover package attacks corporate welfare: "In some ways, it represents pork-barrel legislation of the worst order. The difference, of course, is that instead of rewarding the poor, it rewards the powerful." In Philadelphia, the government subsidized a shipyard to the tune of $323,000 per job--the jobs themselves will pay about $50,000 each. Corporate welfare lets politicians claim they've created new jobs while wasting your tax money. The package is by populist muckrakers Donald Barlett and James Steele, who won fame and notoriety for their 1996 PhiladelphiaInquirer series "America: Who Stole the Dream?" ...Newsweek's cover package surveys hot new tech towns. New Silicon Valleys have sprouted in places such as Boise, Idaho; Cambridge, England; and Bangalore, India. Keys to tech success: nearby research institutions, an educated talent pool, free-flowing venture capital, and that Valley-style, go-for-broke, entrepreneurial spirit.

Time notes the rising popularity of Web "palaces." Palaces let animated "avatars"--characters Netizens create for themselves--interact in a graphic environment. When you type words, they appear in a thought bubble above your avatar's head. Current popular palaces: The South Park palace and, you guessed it, porn sites.

U.S. News & World Report, Nov. 9

(posted Tuesday, Nov. 3, 1998)

The cover story reports on new DNA tests confirming that Thomas Jefferson fathered at least one child by his slave Sally Hemings. Many Hemings descendants were unaware of any African-American ancestry (Hemings was a mulatto) and equally unaware that they were related to a president. An accompanying article traces the evolving debate among historians, several of whom proclaimed Jefferson's purity and must now admit to grave error. Another piece wonders how the Jefferson legacy might change: "While it will require a rather large stretch to transform Jefferson from a thinking man's racist to a multicultural hero, some commentators are sure to make the leap." ... A story challenges the fairness of the death penalty, noting the significant numbers of death row inmates who have been found innocent before they could be executed. Illinois has executed 11 men, but found nine more on death row innocent. Six of those nine were minorities accused of crimes against white victims.

The New Yorker, Nov. 9

(posted Tuesday, Nov. 3, 1998)

An essay argues that True at First Light, labeled as an Ernest Hemingway novel, should not have been published. The book was winnowed from more than 800 pages to about half that length in a ham-handed editing process that would have horrified Hemingway, who carefully chose every word he wrote. Besides, Papa requested that none of his unfinished work be posthumously published. ... A cautionary tale of the Internet boom chronicles the failure of a tech startup called PointCast. An early "push technology" firm, PointCast was on the verge of being bought out for huge dough. Suddenly, the bottom dropped out when push fell from favor and "portals" became the next big thing.

Weekly Standard, Nov. 9

(posted Tuesday, Nov. 3, 1998)

The cover story praises Benjamin Netanyahu for standing firm in negotiations with the Palestinian Authority. Bibi has savvily refused to concede territory to the Palestinians, knowing that he will need land as a bargaining chip during final settlement talks. (Yasser Arafat controls less than half the land he expected to control by now.) The piece warns that May 4, 1999, when Arafat has vowed to declare an independent Palestinian state, could be the launch date for a brutal war.

--Seth Stevenson