COVER
How Sarah Palin Mastered Politics (Cover Story)
The frontier mom and former beauty queen shrewdly fought her way upstream in Alaska's rough political waters
NATION
Gustav's Lessons for New Orleans (The Well / Nation)
The city was spared this time. But the hurricane showed that New Orleans is only a bit less vulnerable than before Katrina
ESSAY
How McCain Makes Obama Conservative (Commentary / In the Arena)
What the candidates' choice of running mates says 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
Afghan Civilian Deaths: A Rising Toll
The US military's air campaign against the Taliban is claiming more and more civilian lives. Can they be avoided?
The Oldest Man at Burning Man (Postcard: Black Rock Desert)
Irving Kofsky is 84, an ex-nuclear physicist and current retiree. So what does a Depression-era guy make of the desert festival famed for sex, drugs and self-indulgence?
SOCIETY
You Want a Revolution (Car Culture)
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
BRIEFING
Milestones
Pop Chart
The Skimmer
The World
10 ESSENTIAL STORIES
The Moment
9|2|08: St. Paul
A Brief History Of: The Humvee
Verbatim
Del Martin
Phil Hill
SCIENCE
He Won His Battle With Cancer (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
Crash Master (Commentary / The Curious Capitalist)
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
Undead on Arrival (Television)
Can HBO's drama True Blood reinvent the vampire story? We only wish that we could B-positive
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
Damien Hirst: Rich Artist Gets Richer
Video: Thanks to an unprecedented auction, British artist Damien Hirst is about to have the biggest payday in art history
Spore: The Sims Plays God (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
SPECIAL SECTION
Ink Inc. (Global Business / Small Business)
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