MEDIA
The Story Behind the Story
Much of the news you see on TV is the work of political hit men—not journalists. And it’s only getting worse.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Why I Love Al Jazeera
The Arab TV channel is visually stunning, exudes hustle, and covers the globe like no one else. Just beware of its insidious despotism.
INTERNET
The Moguls’ New Clothes
Don’t blame the Internet for the dismal performance of big media companies. Blame inept executives.
ENERGY
The California Experiment
The state may be a budgetary disaster, but its energy policies are a blueprint for national innovation.
EPISTLE
Dear President Bush,
An open letter to the one man who can repair the moral damage caused by torture
James Fallows visits the Lindens in Xizhou
Rachel Dickinson narrates a photo tour of the Erie Canal
TECHNOLOGY
The Green Case for Cities
Forget the solar panels and the rain barrels—if you want to save energy, leave the suburbs.
EDITOR'S CHOICE
Life In (and After) Our Great Recession
What histories of the Depression era tell us about middle-class families in crisis, then and now
ESSAY
Cheap Laughs
The smug satire of liberal humorists debases our comedy—and our national conversation.
NEW BOOKS
Cover to Cover
A. S. Byatt's latest; fear and loathing of the future; God is still dead; and more
BUSINESS
Why Goldman Always Wins
What do investment bankers, wedding planners, funeral directors, and movie-trailer voice-over artists have in common? High fees for high-stakes, once-in-a-lifetime deals.
James Parker contrasts Russell Brand's lanky sensuality with Ricky Gervais's dumpy materialism
