A new issue of the Cato Institute's Regulation is out. Bookmakers still prove a magnet for punters: Literary festivals are sort of a live porn show for the educated classes. An article on the challenge of writing something funny. Those of the wrong class, gender, colour or sexuality have always been left outside locally defined "humanity" — where does this leave a bill of rights? Zbigniew Brzezinski reviews War of Necessity, War of Choice: A Memoir of Two Iraq Wars by Richard N. Haass (and more and more). War-opoly: How history's most popular board game helped defend the Free World. An excerpt from Craig M. Mullaney's The Unforgiving Minute: A Soldier’s Education. A review of Soft Despotism, Democracy's Drift: Montesquieu, Rousseau, Tocqueville, and the Modern Prospect by Paul Anthony Rahe. A review of Fool’s Gold: How an Ingenious Tribe of Bankers Rewrote the Rules of Finance, Made a Fortune and Survived a Catastrophe by Gillian Tett (and more and more). In most parts of the world, mass unemployment brings the specter of mass social unrest — not in the U.S., though. Who is Spengler? Even to the casual reader it is clear that Rosenzweig was not the major thinker of the 20th century. Who is to blame for the next attack? Frank Rich investigates.

From Blatter fur deutsche und internationale Politik, an article on Battlefield Europe: Transnational memory and European identity. From City Journal, Heirs to Fortuyn: Muslim immigration and sclerotic welfare states push Europe right (sort of); and a modern witch trial: Theodore Dalrymple on racism, the charge against which there is no defense. A Tale of Two Exurbs: Most outer-ring suburbs are being developed into unwalkable sprawl, but it doesn't have to be that way. The downward spiral of progress: Why companies keep ruining your favorite products. Chris Arnot meets Professor Martin Knapp, who aims to give the baby boomer generation a groovy old age. Why are so many female Florida teachers sleeping with male students? The oldest sculpture ever discovered is a 36,000 year old woman with really big boobs — is anyone surprised? A review of Goth Culture: Gender, Sexuality and Style by Dunja Brill. Joseph Epstein reviews The Jewish Odyssey of George Eliot by Gertrude Himmelfarb. A review of Slaves of the Passions by Mark Schroeder. The Gospel of St. Christopher: Hitchens unveils his 11th, 12th and 13th Commandments. The religious right's era of unquestioning Christianity is over; in fact, Americans have incredibly complex feelings about God and country.

From Esquire, a look at why Cheneyism 2.0 undermines democracy. Stephen Holmes reviews Angler: The Cheney Vice Presidency by Barton Gellman. Nicolle Wallace asks, is Bush becoming history's classiest ex-president? (and more by Matthew Yglesias). Does the Internet really change politics? Michael Walzer investigates. An article on The Life and Death of the Social Network: The glory days are over. Amy Rosenberg reviews In the Kitchen by Monica Ali. Broadway’s no-hitter: What’s wrong with the American musical? See Dick Pay Jane: Chaste dating for cash. From Slate, Clarence Thomas is a great justice — Sonia Sotomayor will be, too (and more); and why are we in Puerto Rico? Timothy Noah wants to know. Niall Ferguson on how economists can misunderstand the crisis. Niall Ferguson is flying first class, while Nigel Farndale is in steerage — and they're the same age. What’s the place of Pat Buchanan’s The American Conservative in a post-Bush world? Frail, cowardly Winston saved us: George Orwell got many things wrong in his great novel Nineteen Eighty-Four, but he changed the way we see ourselves. From Animal Farm to Zog, here's an A-Z of Orwell (and more). From Episcopal Life, a look at why Padre Alberto's story resonates worldwide.

From Vision, an interview with Emilio Gentile on the sacralization of politics; an article on Ayn Rand in Fantasyland; and and an essay on capitalism as the unknown ideal? From Reason, a review of The Invisible Hook: The Hidden Economics of Pirates by Peter T. Leeson; and Brink Lindsey on how liberal economists pine for days no liberal should want to revisit. From Wired, Chris Anderson on The New New Economy: More startups, fewer giants, infinite opportunity; Kevin Kelly on The New Socialism: Global Collectivist Society is coming online; Steven Levy on the Secret of Googlenomics: Data-fueled recipe brews profitability; and Charles C. Mann goes Beyond Detroit: On the road to recovery, let the little guys drive. A review of The Only Superpower: Reflections on Strength, Weakness, and Anti-Americanism by Paul Hollander. From TNR, a review of Right is Wrong: How the Lunatic Fringe Hijacked America, Shredded the Constitution, and Made Us All Less Safe (And What You Need To Know To End The Madness) by Arianna Huffington. The Jefferson Lecture in the Humanities was held in Washington last week; Scott McLemee experiences "the wisdom of repugnance". No one much likes Al Sharpton, but should white folks consider rallying behind a paler-skinned version?