Vol. 172 No. 11
COVER
Plucked from obscurity by John McCain, Sarah Palin has scrambled the presidential race. An intimate look at how a frontier mom learned to play the political game
NATION
The city was spared this time. But the hurricane showed that New Orleans is only a bit less vulnerable than before Katrina
ESSAY
What the candidates' running-mate picks say about the kinds of Presidents they would be
Can Palin Escape the Parent Trap?
Sarah Palin's complicated life story speaks to the agonizing choices that women face
WORLD
The US military's air campaign against the Taliban is claiming more and more civilian lives. Can they be avoided?
Postcard: Black Rock Desert (Postcard: Black Rock Desert)
Why an 83-year-old ex--nuclear physicist is drawn to a performance-art festival famed for sex, drugs and self-indulgence. The oldest man at Burning Man
SOCIETY
More cities are using roundabouts to help save drivers time (and gas money)
Getting Strangers to Pay My Tuition (Life / First Person With: A Student Entrepreneur)
Max Stephenson's $25,000 quest via e-mail
Can Slow Food Feed the World? (Life / Food)
Why a movement with a reputation for élitism is adopting a more inclusive agenda
NOTEBOOK
Pop Chart
The Skimmer (Briefing)
The World (Briefing)
10 ESSENTIAL STORIES
The Moment (Briefing)
9|2|08: St. Paul
A Brief History Of: The Humvee (Briefing)
Verbatim
Del Martin (Briefing)
Phil Hill (Briefing)
SCIENCE
So Why Are Millions Of Americans Still Losing Theirs? Despite the advocacy of survivors like Lance Armstrong, cancer deaths are rising. It's time for a smarter approach
A Foe With Many Faces (The Well / Science)
Cancer is not one disease but dozens, all with different therapies and prognoses. Still, scientists are finding common roots that may link them all, which could lead to more powerful treatments
BUSINESS
Robert Shiller is financial forecasting's dean of doom. But he has ideas for fixing markets too
Crowdfunding (Life / Social Norms)
Got $10? Then you too can be a venture capitalist
Thinking Long Term (Right on Your Money)
Insurance for assisted living and other elder care lets boomers start small and add coverage later
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Damien Hirst: Bad Boy Makes Good (The Well / Profile)
Thanks to an unprecedented auction, British artist Damien Hirst is about to have the biggest payday in art history
(Video Games)
The creator of The Sims has turned the creation and evolution of life into the most ambitious game ever
5 Things You Should Know About (Downtime)
Brian Wilson, a B-movie queen and a book of Booneisms
Private History (Books)
A new novel conjures the inner life of a familiar First Lady
PEOPLE
SPECIAL SECTION
A smart new technology may mean hello to the inkless printer — and goodbye to the costly cartridge
Dirty Little Secret (Global Business / Energy)
South Africa's Sasol says synthetic oil can reduce our crude craving. Yes, there's a catch