COVER

The Power of Birth Order (Cover Story / The Well)

Parents insist that how kids turn out depends on when they were born. More and more, science agrees

Photos

Brothers and Sisters

A gallery of famous siblings and their sometimes fractious, sometimes harmonious relationships


NATION

Dana Perino and the Attack Dogs (The Well / Profile)

Upbeat and prepared, Bush's new press secretary could shine in the job. But she's working with an unpopular President and an angry press corps

Unlikely Nominees (Life / History)

When parties are desperate to win, they sometimes turn to the most improbable of standard bearers

Sport: Mile-High Momentum (Sport)

The Rockies, in only their second postseason appearance, have turned a hot streak into a World Series run

ESSAY

McCain Is Back (Commentary)

Not last year's zombie, but the funny, free-range independent unafraid to offend his audience

Libertarians Rising

The party that reels in these voters will dominate the future of American politics

WORLD

America's Other Army (The Well / World)

A furor over the killing of 17 Iraqis by Blackwater contractors puts the spotlight on the little-examined world of private security companies. Who are these guns for hire, and who pays when they mess up?

Saved from the Noose--for Now (The Well / World)

A condemned Iraqi who may have saved American lives gets a reprieve from the hangman. But with his own people demanding his death, can the U.S. save Sultan Hashem?

Postcard: Saudi Arabia (Postcard: Saudi Arabia.)

At a government detention camp an hour outside Riyadh, jihadis are asked to rethink their radicalism. Why rehab for holy warriors involves lots of Ping-Pong and Pepsi

Jihad Rehab Camp

Photographer Kate Brooks visits Riyadh's Care Rehabilitation Center, where the Saudi Arabian government has set up a program to reform terrorists into productive members of society

BRIEFING

Common Cause. (The Moment)

Trying to isolate strongmen sometimes brings them closer together

BUSINESS

Who Really Owns the Roads? (The Well / Business)

Companies are buying leases of public highways, bridges and tunnels from states desperate to improve infrastructure

Tag, You're It (Life / Nerd World)

They're cheap, they're tiny and they're everywhere. But are RFID chips good for humanity?

SOCIETY

You Eat What You Are (Life: Food - Environment - Technology - History / Food)

What would top chefs order for their last meal? Same as the rest of us: they'd opt for comfort food

The Cost of Being Clean (Life / Going Green)

Companies brag about slashing emissions, but we're just now learning how to check their math

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Hurricane Hannah (Show Business)

How Disney created a tween storm with a real fake pop star

Downtime: Oct. 29, 2007 (Downtime)

5 Things That Want Your Attention. Music for the heartstrings, two movies about lies big and small, and a book from the burbs

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

Flight School (Business / Top Business Teams)

The secret to Cathay Pacific's outstanding service? Embrace team-building, no matter how corny, but make it work in the real world

Fruit of the Vine (Business / Real Estate)

The hot play in wine isn't bottles. It's vineyards. The risk: How many Cabernet grapes will we need?

Business Books (Business / Books)

Woo knew? How understanding the power of intelligent persuasion can spark career success. Plus: shirking work; Dilbert's detour

Swami, How They Love Ya (Business / Work Life)

An Indian philosopher teaches CEOs how to focus. Go ahead, call him a business guru

Bloated Dragon (Business / World Economies)

Consumer prices are surging in China. Will inflation be the country's next major export?

TO OUR READERS

A Story of America

A new Time book offers a dazzling visual chronicle of the great sweep and drama of our history

LETTERS