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.
Andrew Sullivan asks George W. Bush to apologize for authorizing torture; Mark Bowden says TV journalism is the work of political hitmen—not journalists; Robert D. Kaplan praises Al-Jazeera; Christopher Hitchens decries the smug satire of liberal humorists; Megan McArdle on why Goldman always wins; and much more.
Much of the news you see on TV is the work of political hit men—not journalists. And it’s only getting worse.
The Arab TV channel is visually stunning, exudes hustle, and covers the globe like no one else. Just beware of its insidious despotism.
Don’t blame the Internet for the dismal performance of big media companies. Blame inept executives.
The state may be a budgetary disaster, but its energy policies are a blueprint for national innovation.
An open letter to the one man who can repair the moral damage caused by torture
Civilians face harsh choices at Army field hospitals.
Among the young believers at the new Christian-rock hot spot.
Two Americans try to save a Chinese town from kitsch.
A funeral home’s business is growing, for all the wrong reasons.
Becoming a Canadian has its advantages.
Reinventing old-fashioned candy, naturally
Cruising across upstate New York, at five miles per hour
Forget the solar panels and the rain barrels—if you want to save energy, leave the suburbs.
What histories of the Depression era tell us about middle-class families in crisis, then and now
The smug satire of liberal humorists debases our comedy—and our national conversation.
A. S. Byatt's latest; fear and loathing of the future; God is still dead; and more
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.
The comic invasion of Ricky Gervais and Russell Brand
Don’t smoke pot in the living room, and other advice