Vol. 169 No. 6
NATION
A year before the Iowa caucuses, at least 20 candidates are already in the race or mulling it. Is this good for democracy?
(Campaign 2008)
The candidates are starting earlier than ever, but that's not all that is making this Presidential race different
SCIENCE
string theory to explain why Bach and bebop aren't so different
SOCIETY
Maximum-security confinement may be pushing already unstable criminals -- "the worst of the worst" -- toward mental breakdown. And that's not good for any of us
Yep, They're Gay (Behavior)
A study of homosexual sheep has raised the ire of everyone from gay activists to PETA. John Cloud wonders why
SPORT
Love him, hate him--everyone has a take on the Super Bowl--bound quarterback. Here's why we hope he loses
LETTERS
ESSAY
If elected President, I promise not to lead. Please send in your checks
NOTEBOOK
A Prime-Time Greening
In Defense of Partisan Bickering (Viewpoint)
Americans disagree. Politicians shouldn't pretend otherwise
Numbers
A NATO for the Middle East (Global Insider)
Milestones
Confusing Signs
What's Next
There's No Sure Hit Here
A Good Idea Inside a Bad One (State of the Union)
Bush's overall health-care plan is lame. But he's right to fix the tax inequity
Verbatim
WORLD
Nearly 300,000 Israelis live on Arab territory in the West Bank. But with the U.S. pushing for a peace deal, their time may be running out
Boy Wonder (Profile)
Why David Cameron has Britain's Tories dreaming of Downing Street
Where Japanese Women Rule (Letter From Tokyo)
How butler bars became the newest social hot spots for young females
BUSINESS
By putting finances before fashion, the Gap has lost its best customers. Can this company be saved?
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Wildly funny or wildly offensive, Sarah Silverman can joke around like one of the guys
Dreaming of Cherry Blossoms (Fashion)
At Dior, Galliano's geishas have a message
Welcome To The Academy (Movies)
Virgil Goes Viral (Culture)
Everybody loves the classics, especially when they confirm existing prejudices
YOUR TIME
Should Baby Be Scanned? (Health)
A doctor -- and father-to-be -- wrestles with a difficult decision about first-trimester prenatal screening
SPECIAL SECTION
America's conflict in the 1860s says nothing about internal strife in places like Iraq
PEOPLE
10 Questions For William Shatner (Interview)
TO OUR READERS
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
A sprawling new novel, cinematic in its scope, explores life in the underworld of India
Jaguar's Fastest Cat (Pursuits)
Performance meets luxury in the sleek and supercharged XKR, Jag's finest sports car yet
Carving a Niche (Pursuits)
After decades on the sidelines, women are finally taking to the slopes. Now the ski industry is having to slalom to keep up
(Giving Back)
For each pair of Toms sold, the company gives one away to a child in need
The King of Crown Heights (The Power Of One)
A struggling student became a proven principal. Now he's a model for others