Home page Archive: December 2006
Misdiagnosing the Java Jive
By Sally Satel
Calling caffeine "addictive" confuses the issue. It does not belong in the same category as drugs of abuse. READ MORE
Joseph Barbera: An Appreciation
By Shaun K. Chang
The late animator brought a bold approach to cartooning. He proved it is possible to influence kids for the better without being anodyne or politically correct. READ MORETake Two Servings of Paternalism
By David White
Recent bans on smoking and fatty foods reflect a dangerously popular mindset. READ MORE
Searching for Free Markets in Latin America
Leaders may ignore reality, but open trade is both desirable and necessary for the region. READ MORE
Return of the Cowboy
By Pejman Yousefzadeh
The President could act alone to make progress on free trade. READ MORE
Italy in Crisis
Can Prodi surpass Berlusconi when it comes to free-market reforms? Yes, and reforms wouldn’t come a moment too soon. READ MORE
Books for the Turkmen Desert
Packing for a two-year trip to one of the world’s most remote locations, I asked friends to suggest reading material. Their answers changed my life. READ MORE
wednesday's SEC Meeting: what they didn't do. . .
A Costly Delay Keeps Firms in the Dark
By putting off a decision on the court ruling in AFSCME v AIG, the SEC has left corporations in the dark and handed an advantage to shareholder activists. READ MORE
and what they did. . .
The SEC Takes a First Step Toward Reform
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act, particularly the notoriously inefficient implementation of its Section 404, has become a synonym for wasteful expense, bureaucracy and paperwork. On Wednesday, the SEC moved toward a remedy. READ MORE
Three Cheers for High Tuition
By David Robinson
Tuition hikes at public universities aren't necessarily a moral problem. They might be a symptom of progress. READ MORE
From the magazine
The New Economic Map of America
The geography of the U.S. economy is constantly shifting. Now the hinterlands are getting their revenge on the big cities of the East and West Coasts. Towns like Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and St. George, Utah, are the winners. The losers are ‘hip’ cities like Boston and San Francisco, which don’t seem to know it yet. READ MORE
Pew's New Biotech Report Misses the Mark
By Henry I. Miller
The nonprofit asked questions its own research shows the public is unprepared to answer. READ MORE
Patently Ridiculous
By Timothy B. Lee
The patent office has given protection to clever filers who haven't really innovated, creating a huge and expensive mess. Now, the Supreme Court has a chance to clean things up. READ MORE
Cover Story
The Glorious Art of Business
Charles Sheeler, a member in good standing of the New York avant-garde of the early 20th century, came close to perfection in his portrayal of the American industrial landscape. His photographs and paintings gave conveyor belts and stamping machines almost religious qualities. READ MORE
Heirs to Sheeler
Who are the best industrial artists today? We make the introductions. READ MORE Book excerpt
In China's Shadow: The Crisis of American Entrepreneurship
American.com offers a selection from one of the best recent books about China. READ MORE
From the Magazine
Why Do We Underpay Our Best CEOs?
Hungary's Nostalgia for a Revolution
Book Review
The Road to Hell?
The World Bank and IMF, for all their faults, are not that bad. READ MORE
From the Magazine
Mister Powerpoint Goes to Washington
Mitt Romney, Massachusetts governor and Olympics savior, aspires to the White House. What does his background as a Bain consultant and hyper-successful venture capitalist tell us about how he’ll perform? READ MORE
Time for Change in the Capital Markets
Bureaucratic hedging in the new report from a blue-ribbon panel can't hide the need for fundamental reform. READ MORE
The Puzzle of Parisian Partisanship
Of all large European nations, France is the country where political leaders are most vocally opposed to capitalism and globalization--at least in theory. READ MORE
Does Anybody Really Know How to Limit Government?
They said they'd keep the federal government strictly limited—and they failed. No, I don't mean the Republicans in Congress. I’m talking about a far more esteemed group of intellectuals: the Federalists, who urged the ratification of the U.S. Constitution. READ MORE
From the Magazine
Spooky Serendipity
Book Review
Thinking Inside the Box
FROM THE MAGAZINE
The Secret Life of Lou Dobbs
Why did the influential CNN business anchor undergo an abrupt metamorphosis from corporate sycophant to fire-breathing populist? LUKE MULLINS found the surprising answer in Rupert, the hardscrabble Idaho town where Dobbs grew up. READ MORE
What's in a Name?
The Ties That Bind
Neckties are worthwhile precisely because they are superfluous. READ MORE
FROM THE MAGAZINE
The American Interview
Want to Control Spending?
OJ Nearly Makes a Killing
Fox backs away, not a moment too soon. READ MOREPolitical Vertigo in the United Kingdom
What do "Left" and "Right" still mean in British politics? READ MORE
China's New Scramble for Africa
The Chinese are looking at Africa as a business opportunity, not a charity case. America should pay attention. READ MORERemembering Robert Altman
The late director had an unusual gift, maintaining artistic independence inside the studio system. READ MOREFrom the Magazine
Rwanda Redux
A decade after the genocide, Rwanda, with help from two Chicago financiers, has been spreading the idea that it’s a good place to do business, not just a place for do-gooders to come help. Now, it’s the most improved country in Africa. READ MOREbook review
What Are Women Worth?
A new study suggests that Wall Street still has different standards for men and women. READ MOREAn Appreciation
Milton Friedman, 1912-2006. READ MOREThe Class Struggle of Jim Webb
Billed as a moderate, the new Virginia senator sounds more like an old-school leftist. READ MORETwo Cheers for the FDA
The recent decision to allow silicone breast implants was a sadly unusual victory of evidence over fear for the agency. READ MOREFrom Our First Issue:
The Young Economist
Ulrike Malmendier is making sense of our irrationality. READ MORE
Learning to Love Charlie Rangel
Afraid of or dismayed at the new chairman of the Ways and Means Committee? Rangel has hugged Fidel and compared George Bush with notorious racist Bull Connor, but he may have hidden virtues when it comes to free trade. READ MORE
The Greatest Gift
What moved Andrew Mellon to give America the National Gallery? READ MORE
The Economics of Football
The performance gap between the Washington Redskins and the New England Patriots illustrates basic economic principles. READ MORESee the full TABLE OF CONTENTS
Why Zune Won't Play for Sure
Microsoft's new music player shows that we need to reform digital copyright law. READ MORE