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in Time
by
Karen Tumulty, 19 May 2008
How did former front-runner Hillary Clinton wind up the also-ran to fresh-faced underdog Barack Obama? Tumulty identifies the five blunders chiefly responsible for corroding Clinton's aura of inevitability: she packaged herself as the consummate Washington insider when voters wanted change; she bet on big-state victories even though democratic delegates are awarded proportionately; she overlooked the caucus states; she failed to grasp the Internet's power as a fundraising tool; and she didn't have a post-Super-Tuesday strategy. All valid points -- and they've all been made repeatedly. One suspects Tumulty wrote this article in March and then waited for Clinton's doom to be sealed before submitting it.
Posted 11:06, 13 May 2008
This abstract was written by
Bonnie Walker
and edited by Brijit.
in Time
by
Anita Hamilton, 19 May 2008
A reported 30 percent of Americans have changed summer vacation plans thanks to high fuel prices. Some change destinations, while others are replacing driving holidays with cycling trails. Even those already on low budgets are cutting back: Many campers are taking tents rather than RVs. Perhaps the most extreme is a money-saving website's founder who admits using corrugated plastic underneath her car to cut down drag. Hamilton's piece doesn't tell the reader much; it's more of a list than an in-depth report.
Posted 11:05, 13 May 2008
This abstract was written by
John Lister
and edited by Brijit.
in Time
by
Michael Weisskopf, 19 May 2008
Pegging a 2000 Congressional election defeat as the turning point of his career, Weisskopf charts Barack Obama's unlikely return to win a Senate seat in 2004. In a calculated strategy he steered several laws in the state senate that appealed to working class black voters, a base he'd failed to capture in 2000. He spent more time in black churches learning the art of successful public speaking, particularly to an African-American audience. And he tapped donations from every conceivable source to make sure he could finance a strong campaign. Weisskopf's lengthy piece is tremendously effective, reading like a particularly relevant extract from a full-length biography.
Posted 11:05, 13 May 2008
This abstract was written by
John Lister
and edited by Brijit.
In this compact political analysis, Klein confesses he thought Hillary Clinton had the advantage over Barack Obama in Indiana and North Carolina. With the wisdom of hindsight, Klein realizes he and his press colleagues fell for Clinton's "bowling and tamale-eating" and "shameless populism" while Americans focused on substance. Meanwhile, Obama simply seemed more honorable than Clinton, denouncing her proposed gas-tax holiday as pandering and patiently enduring the Jeremiah Wright flap. Klein advises Obama to maintain his reputation for honor by sitting down with John McCain to negotiate sane ground rules for the general election and urges candidates and reporters alike to focus on substance over style.
Posted 9:41, 13 May 2008
This abstract was written by
Bonnie Walker
and edited by Brijit.
in Time
by
Michael Kinsley, 19 May 2008
Congress recently passed a bill forbidding employers and insurers from discriminating against individuals based on genetic test results. Kinsley says the law's a good thing, but worries it could go too far. Some, like musically gifted Yo-Yo Ma, simply have better genes than others. To deny that, Kinsley argues, would smack of communism -- a governmentally enforced equality amounting to oppression. But he misses the point; the new law doesn't champion second-rate cellists gunning for Yo-Yo's orchestra seat. Rather, it protects average workers who have, for instance, a greater chance of developing cancer sometime in the future from being denied insurance or a job.
Posted 9:36, 13 May 2008
This abstract was written by
Bonnie Walker
and edited by Brijit.
in Time
by
Sue Halpern, 19 May 2008
Scientists are learning more about how the brain works, and it turns out memory loss really is a normal part of aging. It's a function of the hippocampus, the part of the brain that physically forms long-term memories by strengthening the synapses; it shrinks gradually from around age 60, or more rapidly in Alzheimer's cases. To make things worse the prefrontal cortex, which controls planning and organization, shrinks throughout life -- and falling attention levels further limit memory formation. Halpern gives a highly readable explanation that helps explain why drugs and diet can each combat memory loss.
Posted 9:22, 13 May 2008
This abstract was written by
John Lister
and edited by Brijit.
in Time
by
Alice Park, 12 May 2008
Despite FDA warnings, raw milk is growing in popularity among health enthusiasts, who are looking to take advantage of bacteria that would otherwise be killed by pasteurization. In the 23 states where the sale of raw milk is illegal, procuring the liquid can look very much like dealing for other illicit substances, meeting a source on a corner at a specified time. Raw milk, the FDA warns, accounts for less than one percent of all milk consumed, but twice as many food-borne illnesses. Park's article is informative, but it's too brief to offer real insight into the rising demand for this black-market milk.
Posted 4:20, 6 May 2008
This abstract was written by
Jonathan Gallaway
and edited by Brijit.
in Time
by
Abigail Hauslohner, 12 May 2008
Iraq’s security forces now number more than 550,000, but a Department of Defense report says it could be years before they can defend the nation without foreign assistance. Sources suggest US military bosses are exaggerating the Iraqi capabilities to boost morale. As well as being too reliant on American logistical help, the forces are plagued by desertions, with an estimated third of all troops failing to report for duty at all. Underpaid and undertrained, many policemen and soldiers are still more committed to their sects than to the country. Hauslohner's claims are particularly worrisome and give fresh insight into the Iraqi quagmire.
Posted 4:17, 6 May 2008
This abstract was written by
John Lister
and edited by Brijit.
in Time
by
Josh Quittner, 12 May 2008
With almost eight million views, a series of spoof image editing tutorials is supposedly the latest Internet craze. You Suck at Photoshop features a loser designer, though he never appears on camera: The viewers simply see his computer screen as he works, for example digitally removing his wife's wedding ring from a picture after she is unfaithful. It's understandable that this article struggles to explain the site's "appeal" in a purely textual description, but if the videos genuinely are the phenomenon described here then anyone who really cares would presumably learn little here.
Posted 1:40, 6 May 2008
This abstract was written by
John Lister
and edited by Brijit.
in Time
by
Alex Perry, 12 May 2008
It's common for resource-rich African nations to descend into corruption and social unrest once foreign firms exploit the natural wealth, but Botswana appears different. That's largely down to Debswana, an equal partnership between the country's government and the mining giant DeBeers, which has helped fund state education and health services. The firm is now transferring its main diamond-sorting facility from London to Botswana's capital, Gabarone. Perry's piece reads pretty close to an infomercial, but he does at least acknowledge DeBeers' extensive public relations efforts.
Posted 11:56, 6 May 2008
This abstract was written by
John Lister
and edited by Brijit.