From The New Yorker, Elizabeth Kolbert on Canada’s synthetic-fuels boom; the chameleon: David Grann on the many lives of Frederic Bourdin; serving the Goddess: William Dalrymple on the dangerous life of a sacred sex worker; Jerome Groopman on how the new generation of resistant infections is almost impossible to treat; and does the wrangling of interest groups corrupt politics—or constitute it? Nicholas Lemann investigates. The Innumeracy of Intellectuals: Why is it acceptable for professors outside the sciences to feel no shame or even to take pride in their lack of knowledge of math and science? An interview with Walter Russell Mead on Jacksonian voters. From TNR, Sanskrit comes alive: David Shulman on the wonders of ancient Indian literature. Anne Applebaum on how Alexander Solzhenitsyn's The Gulag Archipelago changed the world; and praise his critique of the Soviet system certainly, but remember that it was informed by a deeply reactionary pan-Slavism. From Wired, a cover story on Julia Allison and the secrets of self-promotion. Goodnight, Sweet Hunks: A former editor offers a Playgirl postmortem. The urge to merge: Cynthia Gorney on what, as a driver, she learned about the war between lineuppers and sidezoomers in the battle for a lane. A review of Waiter Rant: Thanks for the Tip—Confessions of a Cynical Waiter (and an excerpt).

A new issue of Open Letters Monthly is out. A review of The Selected Essays of Gore Vidal. From National Review, David Limbaugh on a brotherly tribute to Rush. Douthat and Salam's Grand New Party wants the GOP to stand up for families; it's a great idea—and Obama's already doing it. Hal Lindsey on how Obama prepped world for the Antichrist. Obama's Racial Catch-22: For Barack Obama, countering racist attacks means acknowledging that racism is alive and well — which poses a threat to his hope-based campaign. The Post-Rove Guru: How the Republican Party stopped dreaming about a permanent majority and learned to think like McCain strategist Steve Schmidt. A Majority Delayed: Behind the scenes, Tom DeLay is still trying to return the Republicans to power. How screwed is the GOP? Meet Allen West, a desperate candidate for desperate times (and a slideshow). From Foreign Policy, meet Fethullah Gulen, the world’s top public intellectual; and a look at the world’s six most wanted war criminals. The fight between the Shiites and the Sunnis in Iraq seems to be quieting down, but the Shiites still have one fight left — among themselves. In a confidential memo, a company tells investors McCain's foreign-policy advisor and consultant Randy Scheunemann can help it win Iraqi oil contracts — because he was a "key player" in getting the US to invade. 

From Critique and Humanism, an interview with Nancy Fraser: "Emancipation is not an all or nothing affair". From Policy Innovations, a look at why a UN Parliamentary Assembly could drive global innovation; and Robert Wright on how cooperation (eventually) trumps conflict. Economist David Galenson goes by the numbers to assess artwork. From Utne, an article on America's 10 most enlightened towns (and one in each state). From Doublethink, an article on Will Wilkinson, liberaltarians and the science of happiness. Exposing secrets of the Catholic Church: How civil lawsuits brought the sex abuse scandal to light. After years as a drama critic, James Woodall decides to go back to first things: a complete Greek drama in a proper ancient theatre. From BBC, the greatest legacy of the Romans is how we use language to persuade; and they claim to believe so, but do they really think the earth is flat? From Scientific American, a special section on China, the Olympics, and the environment. Long-time observers of public debates about environmental threats know that skeptics about matters such as global warming tend to move, over time, through three stages. An interview with Jay Louis, author of Hot Chicks With Douchebags. Why I hate beauty: Men are barraged with images of extraordinarily beautiful and unobtainable women in the media, making it difficult for them to desire the ordinarily beautiful.