In This Issue:

July-August 2007

FEATURE: The Ugly Americans

Redeeming America
What it will take to win back the world
by Hannah Lobel

The Art of Peace
Veteran negotiator Dennis Ross charts the rocky road to America's redemption
interview by Hannah Lobel

FEATURE: Rock Paper Scissors

The Big Throwdown
Is rock paper scissors the next poker? A writer seeks the truth, and a league championship, in Sin City
by Rod O'Connor, from the Believer

FEATURE: The Commissioners

Big Media Meets Its Match
FCC commissioners Jonathan Adelstein and Michael Copps, two Washington power players you’ve never heard of
by Keith Goetzman

Soy's Secrets

The Dark Side of Soy
Is America’s favorite health food making us sick?
by Mary Vance, from Terrain

How Much Is Too Much?
Clinical nutritionist Kaayla Daniel on the Dos and Don’ts of soy consumption
interview by Mary Vance, from Terrain

Whole New Diet
A health-savvy cookbook shows how to get away from processed foods
by Julie Hanus

Biofuel’s Big Bean
How large-scale soy is threatening the environment and a South American way of life
by April Howard and Benjamin Dangl, from In These Times

Emerging Ideas

Geek Squads
It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s a superhero—in your neighborhood!
by Kristen Mueller

A Patently Simple Idea
Tweaking U.S. law could improve access to medicines in poor countries
by Sebastian Mallaby, from Foreign Policy

Talking Heads
People with auditory hallucinations make friends with their inner voices
by William Lee Adams, from Psychology Today

Molecular Miracle Workers
Green chemist Paul Anastas on making the world less toxic and more convenient
interview by Kevin Krajick, from OnEarth

Mixed Media

The Patient Artist
The natural and spiritual worlds intersect in Wolfgang Laib’s meticulous, contemplative art
by Brenton Good, from Image

Vikings with Amps
Norse mythology meets power chords in Týr’s mighty music
by Amy Reiswig, from the Walrus

Dissent 101
Unsanctioned student guides offer advice on the real college experience
by Anna Clark, from Bitch

Mindful Living

When Nature Calls
Camping with kids takes extra effort—but it’s worth it
by Florence Williams, from Backpacker

Please Mr. Postman
Reclaiming the lost art of letter writing
by Elizabeth Ryan

Frozen Fresh
When the freezer is healthier than the shelf
by David Coop, from POZ

Cool, Clean Air
How to beat the heat without plugging in
by Kim McKay and Jenny Bonnin, from the book True Green

The Unknown Soldier
Brain injuries and unresolved grief
by Joseph Hart

Beans Come Home to Roast
In search of fresh, gourmet brews, coffee connoisseurs do it themselves
by Joseph Hart

Gleanings

Some Kinda Mormon
One woman’s obsession with the Church of Latter-day Saints
by Jennifer Pemberton, from Maisonneuve

Tripping Through Thailand
A traveler’s diary chronicles the rhythms of daily discovery
by Sarah Turner, from Event

A Monster Exits
After Augusto Pinochet’s death, a Chilean unleashes euphoria, rage, and discontent
by Pedro Lemebel, from NACLA Report on the Americas

Editor's Note
by David Schimke
Letters
Shelf Life
by Danielle Maestretti
Heartland
by Nina Utne