TIME Magazine -- U.S. Edition -- July 12, 2010 Vol. 176 No. 2

COVER

Government for Sale: How Lobbyists Shaped the Financial Reform Bill (Cover)

Two weeks ago, along a marble corridor in the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, I watched about 40 well-dressed men (and two women) delivering huge value for their employers. Except that we, the taxpayers, weren't employing them

Lobbyists and Their Return on Investment

Lobbyists say legislation would grind to a halt without them and for just a few million, they can make clients billions

NATION

Le Carréd Away (The Well / Espionage)

After a decade-long operation, the FBI rolls up a ring of singularly incompetent Russian secret agents. What on earth was Moscow thinking?

Notorious Russian Spies Throughout History

Photos: Ever since the Soviet era, organized, clandestine agents from the Motherland have operated in the West with daring and ingenuity

How We're Failing Our Female Veterans (The Well / Society)

Women are indispensable to the U.S. military. But when they get home, often suffering from mental or physical injuries, the veterans face a new battle: coping with a medical system still tailored to men

Woman Soldier: June Moss

An Iraq veteran describes her experiences with war and its difficult aftermath

What Lies Beneath (The Well / Assignment Detroit)

Nearly 1,200 ft. below Detroit, workers excavate one of the continent's robust salt reserves

The Salt Mine of Detroit

Nearly 1,200 miles beneath the city, workers excavate one of the continent's robust salt reserves

WORLD

Postcard from New Tripoli

Whether they are going organic or just want a low-maintenance pet, fowl fanciers flock together. Hanging out at a chicken swap

Welcome to the Chicken Swap

Photos: Fowl fanciers gather in New Tripoli, PA to share their enthusiasm for all things chicken

How To Fix Europe (World)

Simply cutting budgets won't get the continent's economies growing again

SOCIETY

Skinbook: Facebook for 21st Century Nudists (Life / Web Watch)

Skinbook began as a random encounter on a clothing-optional beach in Wales and is quickly becoming the bare new face of 21st Century nudism

Heavy Metal (Life / Going Green)

It's not as pervasive as lead. But a study is under way to establish safe levels of cadmium

Taxing Sodas for a Healthier Economy? (Life / Cash Crunch)

Legislators are floating soda taxes to raise revenue and fight obesity. But most of the time, their proposals fall flat

SPECIAL SECTION

Look Who's Leading (Global Business / The World Economy)

To restart their stalled economies, the big powers must tap into the dynamism of the developing world

Adidas: Another Winner at the World Cup? (Global Business / Apparel)

The German giant hopes to leverage its World Cup ubiquity in its battle with Nike

Blowing Hot (Global Business / Small Business)

Green sentiment and tax incentives have lifted sales. But costs remain high, and manufacturers need more help from Washington

BRIEFING

The Moment

6|29|10: Washington

The World

10 ESSENTIAL STORIES

After November's Election: December Crunch Time

Pelosi Faces Off With Obama on National Security

The Democrats do battle

Supreme Court Gun Ruling: More Bark Than Bite? (Supreme Court Memo)

The decision that the Second Amendment applies to state and local gun-control laws is a big deal. But it's not clear how many such laws will be wiped away as a result

Robert Byrd, Longest-Serving Senator, Dies (Milestone)

Byrd died around 3 a.m. Monday morning after being admitted to the hospital last week for dehydration. He was 92

July 12, 2010 | Vol. 176 No. 2

U.S.