Quick studies of what’s on paper

in the world’s leading journals\

Economist, March 3

An editorial assesses the damage of this week's stock market crash, the worst since March 2003. (See True North, Vol.2, No. 41, Monday, February 6—Ed.) It's too early to blame the drop on market fundamentals. But a confluence of circumstances—a decline in orders for durable goods, a slowdown in the housing market, plus Alan Greenspan's mention of a recession early in the week—made volatility possible. Of course, Greenspan "did not say a recession was likely. He merely noted the truth: that corporate America's profit margins 'have begun to stabilise,' a sign that the economic cycle is entering its later stages." … A piece previews President Bush's upcoming trip through Latin America. He should avoid talking too much about Venezuela or its president, Hugo Chávez, the author argues. Instead, Bush should focus on the dual issues of immigration and trade—areas in which the United States might win substantial support. And if he really wants to make a grand gesture, he should move to rescind the antiquated U.S. embargo on Cuba.

Time, March 12

The cover piece wonders whether consumers should buy food grown organically, at the expense of an intercontinental trip's worth of fossil fuels, or from local farmers, who may soak their crops in pesticides. Because of climate variation, "100-mile diets" aren't possible for everyone, and the jury is still out on which style of food is more nutritious. But the author ultimately comes down on the side of neighborly purchasing, realizing that "there's something romantic about the desire to know exactly where your food is from." … An article examines the tension between Chinese national and local governments over coal production. The China Labor Bulletin puts accidental deaths from mining "blood coal" at 20,000 per year. While the State Environmental Protection Administration condemns such calamities, it receives backing from top coal producers. Worse, fueled by "pressing economic needs," county leaders simply ignore SEPA policy, choosing instead to "ramp up production far above sanctioned levels, exceed the regulated number of miners and neglect safety equipment and procedures."

Texas Monthly, March 2007

The cover piece surveys experts' opinions on the legacy of George W. Bush. Some claim history books will label him a failure: Paul Begala asserts that Bush accomplished none of his initial White House agenda, while Douglas Brinkley says Bush's legacy hinges on the Iraq war: "You can have a phony pretext for the war, but you've got to win." Others see innovation. Kathleen Hall Jamieson highlights Bush's use of the signing statement instead of the veto to impose his will on Congress. But some note successes. According to Mark McKinnon, "[T]he facts are the facts: the president protected the homeland." … A feature examines the plight of gay parents in Texas. According to an Urban Institute study of the 2000 census, gay Texan couples are more likely to have children than those in any other state. But "gay parenting in Texas remains in a state of legal limbo," as one parent usually gains initial custody over a child, while the other must seek second-parent adoption status. That is a difficult feat, because the Texas family code has nothing to say on the matter.

n+1, Winter 2007

An article reports on the political scene in South Africa, where street violence and the AIDS crisis threaten social order. One example includes the trial of former anti-apartheid African National Congress leader Jacob Zuma, who was accused of raping an HIV-positive AIDS activist. He secured acquittal by relying on misogynistic tropes ("she'd … worn a skirt above the knee") and the mechanisms of "tribalist politics." The author concludes, "All the things that made the ANC great when it fought apartheid—its militancy, its cultural pride, its ability to keep a secret—make it, in the face of AIDS, ineffectual or worse." … A rant deconstructs the oppressive role of cell phones in modern life. The argument: Endless cell chatter eradicates the "fraternity of solitude" that once united individuals in public places. The public phone conversation is "decivilizing, undoing practices of civilization as fundamental as using silverware to eat.”

New York Times Magazine, March 4

The cover piece examines religion as a product of evolution. Some scientists see religion as an adaptation, like an opposable thumb. For example, "agent detection"—the survivalist assumption that if a leaf rustles, it's because an agent caused it to—may have evolved into a belief in God. But not all evolutionary theorists are religious skeptics: "Suppose science produces a convincing account for why I think my wife loves me — should I then stop believing that she does?" argues Christian psychologist Justin Barrett. … A piece looks at the recent spate of college erotica, in which students riff on sexual themes and, sometimes, pose nude. What was once a career-ending decision is now routine for some students: ''A body is a body is a body, and I'm proud of my body, and why not show my body? It's not going to keep me from having a job," says the founder of one Boston University publication.

New York, March 5

A cover piece assesses Rudy Giuliani's presidential potential. His reputation as a "pro-choice, pro-gun-control, pro-gay-rights, thrice-married Catholic northeastern Republican" with only mayoral experience could crush his nomination chances. But his near-legendary status as one of the heroes of 9/11 gives him an emotional advantage over fellow Republicans John McCain and Mitt Romney. And "if there's another terrorist attack in the summer of 2008, a lot of suburban moms who may lean toward Hillary or Obama or Edwards" will vote for Rudy. Still, his lack of campaigning know-how gives McCain an edge. … A piece explores Barbara Walters' role in the contentious, much-publicized Rosie O'Donnell-Donald Trump spat. Walters, with "the exterior of a debutante … but the heart of an assassin," was a master of "the ins and outs of power, fame, and high society," often using duplicity to maintain her social position. But those tactics became widely known when Trump claimed on television that Walters was admittedly "not a fan of Rosie," her on-screen compatriot on The View.

The New Yorker, March 5

A piece by Seymour Hersh scrutinizes the Bush administration's emerging policy of curtailing Iranian influence in Iraq by clandestinely supporting other governments—a tactic that could dismantle Shiite offensives throughout the Middle East. One U.S.-Israel-Saudi Arabia deal is meant to ensure Israel's safety while "counteract[ing] Shiite ascendance in the region." In Lebanon, U.S. aid to radical Sunni groups counterbalances the Iran-backed Hezbollah. Such tactics, though, could backfire. Much of the aid bolsters "Sunni extremist groups that espouse a militant vision of Islam and are hostile to America and sympathetic to Al Qaeda." … A piece explores Guillermo Arriaga and Alejandro González Iñárritu's introduction of fragmented and out-of-sequence narrative to mainstream cinema with the Oscar-nominated Babel. Disrupted chains of events in movies began with cinema itself, but Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction ushered in a renewal in temporal scrambling that "could not only enlarge your notion of art and entertainment but change your life." But as other Arriaga-González Iñárritu films demonstrate, disorder does not necessarily spawn great art.

Weekly Standard, March 5

A cover piece challenges the House Democrats' proposal to "[d]ouble the size of our Special Forces." According to the author, this would ultimately require lower training standards for Special Operations Forces, "making special ops no longer special." But only airborne-trained soldiers may enter SOF programs, so even "[i]f somehow you were to get every conventional airborne soldier to become SOF you'd still fall dramatically short of the doubling goal." As an alternate plan, the author suggests upping defense spending to remedy armor shortages. … A piece examines the decreased influence of Wahhabism, which the author defines as "a radical system of social control" in Saudi Arabia. King Abdullah announced a review of the mutawwa religious militia, which no longer has as much authority over enforcing face-covering for women and other practices. Scuffles over Valentine's Day illustrate the shift in governance: While a newspaper declared that the mutawwa would disrupt Valentine exchanges among Muslims, "[m]any ordinary Saudi Muslims favored their beloved with Valentine gifts, which were more popular than ever."

Newsweek, March 5

The cover story exposes cracks in the health-care system for the injured returning from Iraq. Problems include long waits for mental-health care, delayed disability payments, and a difficult-to-navigate bureaucracy. Part of the problem is the sheer number of wounded. "In Iraq, 16 soldiers are wounded or get sick for every one who dies." During the Vietnam and Korean wars, that ratio was 3 to 1. "In a broad sense, the situation at the VA seems to mirror the overall lack of planning for the war," the article says. … A piece warns that the Taliban is preparing for "what may be their bloodiest drive yet." Behind the coming attack is Mullah Omar, the Taliban leader who has been in hiding since 2001. "His recent communiqués assert that Afghans have a duty under Islam to fight the foreigner 'invaders' and their 'puppets' in Kabul because they will not leave Afghanistan 'peacefully.' " But coalition forces think that the Taliban has " little to no chance of ever regaining power through force of arms."

New Republic, March 5

Jeffrey Rosen visits Guantanamo Bay, where he witnesses nothing but courtesy and professionalism: "Each cell had a Koran, a green exercise mat, and a black arrow pointing toward Mecca." He had heard rumors that he would see a white-washed version of things: "They'll show you the accused in a La-Z-Boy sharing fries with the investigator," one colonel predicted. On reflection, "it's hard to say whether it was a Potemkin tour," Rosen writes. But the visit convinced him that Guantanamo's most pressing problems involve how prisoners get there in the first place and, potentially, negotiate their own release. … A piece by Slate contributor David Greenberg argues that Scooter Libby should go free. Greenberg acknowledges that "on a cosmic level," the White House deserves punishment for revealing a CIA officer's identity. But liberals are "supposed to be champions of the First Amendment and foes of overzealous prosecutors. … [W]e should have protested this overwrought case from the start."

Radar, March/April 2007

A piece considers the moral and political implications of gay babies. Fetal screening technology may soon let parents detect homosexuality, and scientists predict that within a decade parents will have the option of applying a hormone patch to set a gay fetus straight. But until such a "remedy" exists, pro-life conservatives and gay rights opponents "will have to ask themselves whether the public shame of having a gay child outweighs the private sin of terminating a pregnancy." … A piece probes Jim Carrey's reputation as an on-set nightmare. One director, who collaborated with him on 2005's Fun With Dick and Jane, started calling it "Fun With Jane." … A piece examines how Wesley Snipes fell in with a group of anti-tax activists. Snipes turned himself in to the IRS in December and now faces up to 16 years in prison for tax evasion. "His attitude was: I'm a star and I can't be touched," a friend remembers.

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