Vol. 162 No. 19
COVER
Is Russell Crowe, star of Master and Commander and cinema's current hunk in a funk, really a sweetie after all? Nope. But he is full of surprises
Why Russell Ranks High (Movies)
At the Heart Of the Ocean (Movies)
But In The Book ... (Movies)
NATION
HOW A COMBUSTIBLE MIX OF DROUGHT, DEVELOPMENT AND FIERCE DESERT WINDS SPARKED ONE OF CALIFORNIA'S WORST NATURAL DISASTERS
WORLD
For every soldier who dies in Iraq, many more are injured. TIME takes an up-close look at the battle they face after the shooting is over
Where Things Stand (Iraq / The Iraq War: Rebuilding The Country)
Outside the tense Sunni triangle, Iraq is displaying a new dynamism. For a joint report, TIME and ABC News traveled the land to chronicle the changes
Can The Iraqis Police Iraq? (Iraq / The Iraq War: Policing Themselves)
After a wave of mayhem in Baghdad, the Bush White House is banking on it
Is the Red Cross Now a Bull's-Eye? (Iraq / The Iraq: War Policing Themselves)
HEALTH & MEDICINE
Tired of waiting two hours to see the doctor for 10 minutes? Try making your appointments en masse
NOTEBOOK
Verbatim
Revolt on the Front Lines
Performance Of The Week
Notes From The Oval Office
Mutual Funds: A Scandal Grows
Like The Store? Now Read The Mag
Numbers
Milestones
49 Years Ago In TIME
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
The Bush Flight Suit Walks into a Bar ... (Cartoon)
He needs a drink--and the chance to tell his side of the story
Lieberman's Honor System
BUSINESS
The U.S. economy records a red-hot 7.2% growth rate-- fueling hopes for a sustained recovery. But many workers don't see any reason to celebrate. Here's why
Putin vs. the Tycoon
Was Russia's richest man arrested for mounting a political challenge to the country's President?
The Code Warriors (Time Bonus Section December 2003: Inside Business / Security)
Technologists are deputies in the fight against terrorism. How are they protecting us--and what must you do on your own?
Avon's Makeover (Time Bonus Section December 2003: Inside Business / Marketing)
The beauty giant comes calling with a fresh face: a brand called Mark, made for teens to buy--and sell
Newman's Own Story (Time Bonus Section December 2003: Inside Business / Book Excerpt)
In an exclusive excerpt, the actor and his sidekick tell how they cooked up a food empire
Bubbling to Dow 10,000 (Time Bonus Section December 2003: Inside Business / Investing)
Investors are forgetting lessons of the tech crash. How to avoid repeating that history
Inside Table of Contents (Time Bonus Section December 2003: Inside Business / Inside Table of Contents)
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
A new cast, a new voice, a new seriousness. Three established shows are undergoing radical surgery
Damsels Still In Distress (Television)
There's no saving these two opportunistic movies about the year's most famous females in peril
Big Time (Movies)
Will Ferrell takes spastic exuberance to the movies
Frank's Fate (Books)
Yet another look back at an infamous lynching
The Slackers' Hawthorne (Books)
Witch trials and stoners converge in the woods after a girl sees Mary in Our Lady of the Forest
The No-Hit Wonder (Music)
He's a gifted songwriter who refuses to become famous. Who says Ryan Adams needs to grow up?
YOUR TIME
After the California infernos, how can homeowners prepare for disaster?
This Card Is A Great Gift--But Use It Quickly! (Money)
The Pay Map (Money)
"Google" Your Books (Tech)
Amazon's new search engine thumbs through literature at light speed
But Can Your iPod Do This? (Tech)
Listen Up (Tech)
PHONES THAT TAKE ORDERS
Perils Of Pregnancy (Health)
Cautionary news for women who have been trying more than a year to conceive
Cloned T-Bone, Anyone? (Health)
Hazard Pay For Grandma? (Health)
Junk Food Starts Early (Health)
SPECIAL SECTION
As a young photographer, Jacques Lowe was invited into the Kennedys' inner circle. His pictures would help shape the Camelot mythology. From a new collection of his work, we offer a gallery never befo
PEOPLE
Next Time: B.Y.O. Togas
Q & A With Laura Linney
Bod For A Burqa?
10 Questions For John Snow (Interview)