COVER
How AIG Became Too Big to Fail (The Well / Cover Story)
Years of unregulated and risky deals exposed the insurance giant to catastrophic losses. Now it's paying bonuses to the same people who created the mess. With our money. A look at why a dark corner of the global economy is costing taxpayers $170 billion
The Upside of Anger (The Well / The Curious Capitalist)
Let's channel the AIG-bonus outrage into a real fix: a tax code that makes messmakers pay
AIG's Deep Impact (The Well / Cover Story)
ESSAY
Joe Klein: Don't Panic — At Least Not Yet (Commentary / In the Arena)
The Obama agenda is ambitious and complex, but he still deserves time to make it work
A New Era of Service Across America (Commentary / Viewpoint)
During this economic crisis, the President says, the need for an army of volunteers is more urgent than ever
The Lost Art of Saying I'm Sorry
The masters of the universe who caused this money mess can't master a simple skill: apologizing
NATION
How to Bring An End to the War Over Sex Ed (The Well / Society)
Teaching kids just about abstinence won't prevent teen pregnancies — and neither will focusing solely on safe sex. But one county in South Carolina is finding success by doing both
BRIEFING
The Moment
3|17|09: Seattle
The World
10 ESSENTIAL STORIES
Verbatim
A Brief History Of: Ratings Agencies
Pop Chart
Milestones (Milestones)
Richardson: A Star Always Worth Watching (Milestones)
The daughter of a famous actress and a famous director, Richardson had a stage presence all her own
Ron Silver (Milestones)
The Skimmer
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Are 3-D Movies Ready for Their Closeup? (Technology)
For some of the world's top filmmakers, digital 3-D is the future of movies. Adjust your glasses
Is Julia Roberts Still Queen of the Box Office? (Movies)
In the cloak-and-dagger caper Duplicity, Julia Roberts finds mature love. It suits her
Artist William Kentridge: Man of Constant Sorrow (Exhibitions)
Is the sober-minded William Kentridge the perfect artist for a postcrash world?
The Good Soldier (Books)
This French epic of genocide and sodomy is the scandal of the season. Is it as shocking as they say?
Short List
TIME'S PICKS FOR THE WEEK
BUSINESS
Arianna Huffington: The Web's New Oracle (The Well / Media)
How Arianna Huffington beat the media establishment at its own game using nothing but charm, friends, money, the Internet and other people's work
SOCIETY
Strong Suits (Life / Fashion)
Designers bring back sharp shoulders to pad sagging sales figures
Nonprofit Squeeze: Donations Down, Volunteers Up (Life / Cash Crunch)
Volunteers are stepping forward as never before. But can groups afford to train them?
Kindle 2 Will Woo You, Despite its Price (Life / User's Guide)
Amazon's digital-book reader gets a lovely makeover. Too bad no one can afford to buy it
SPECIAL SECTION
The TIME 100
To help select the world's most influential people, four previous honorees offer their nominations when asked, Who should be on this year's list?
The 2009 TIME 100 Finalists
Cast your vote for the leaders, artists, entrepreneurs and thinkers who deserve a spot on this year's TIME 100
WORLD
The Last Shopping Mall? New Jersey Awaits Xanadu (Postcard: East Rutherford)
Amid shopping-center closures across the country, the most expensive mall in U.S. history, New Jersey's Xanadu, plans to open its doors. Is it a shopping palace or a developers' nuthouse?
A Quiet Revolution Grows in the Muslim World (The Well / World)
Across the Muslim world, a new generation of activists, bloggers and preachers is discovering ways to synthesize Islam and modernity
PHOTOS: The New Islamic Revolution
Photographer Olivia Arthur meets the women of Cairo, whose revolution is culturally conservative, but adapted to the 21st century