Vol. 167 No. 3
NATION
From deep inside the Republican elite, Jack Abramoff brought new excesses to the lobbying game. Who is he, and how did he get away with it for so long?
Never a Texas Two-Step (Bush and DeLay)
The Bush Administration sees the former House majority leader as a necessary burden
How to Raise Cash... Disguise Its Sources... And Buy Influence
Choosing clients unfamiliar with lobbying is one way Abramoff cloaked the dubious machinery of his enterprise
Who Is the Real Arnold?
A chastened Schwarzenegger tries to reboot his reputation by making peace with his enemies
The Cool Fervor of Judge Alito
Is he a conservative activist or a legal scholar not bound by ideology? Now's his chance to argue his case
WORLD
With Sharon off the stage, Israel prepares for life after its iconic leader. Why his successor will find it harder to make peace with the Palestinians
The Lonely Warrior
Sharon spent much of his life stoking the rage of Israel's enemies. So how did he become their best hope for peace?
Ariel Sharon's Contentious Life and Legacy (Forum)
A panel of experts reflect on the Prime Minister's place in history and the prospects for peace when he is gone
BUSINESS
Ready for the next export to challenge Detroit? Low-cost Chinese cars are revving their engines in hopes to become the next automotive upstart that takes the wheel in the U.S.
SCIENCE
A space probe is set to take off for what astronomers used to think was the last unexplored planet
SOCIETY
Born in the U.S.A. to Asian Parents, a Generation of Immigrants' Kids Forges a New Identity
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
They came; we saw them; they conquered. Here are seven people who raise acting to a living art
Gong Li (Movies)
Memoirs of a Geisha, 2046, Eros
Maria Bello (Movies)
A History of Violence
Catherine Keener (Movies)
Capote
(Movies)
The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada
(Movies)
Hustle & Flow, Crash
Scarlett Johansson (Movies)
Match Point
Owen Kline (Movies)
The Squid and the Whale
Why America Goes to War (Movies)
Two provocative documentaries, both from the left, offer their views of motives for the Iraq invasion
Making Monkeys of Men (Television)
Its star charms, but Love slips on a banana peel
You're Sure This Is How Shakespeare Did It? (Viewpoint)
A (recently arrived) insider's look at the working day of a sitcom writer
6 Great Tales of the Past (Books)
Historical novels that take you from Leonardo's Italy to Victoria's England
The Misfits (Art)
Decades later, Rauschenberg's combines are still wonderful oddities
NOTEBOOK
Fighting Fake Flu Pills
A New Old Therapy (Speed Read)
Investigators have found that injecting standard chemotherapy into the abdominal cavity—instead of intravenously alone—increases survival with advanced ovarian cancer by, on average, a remarkable 16 months.
Punchlines
The CIA Says, "Shhh..."
Numbers
Olympic-Size Controversies
Milestones (Milestones)
Iraq: Counting the Costs
Rep with a Wire
Blogwatch
Verbatim
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
HEALTH & MEDICINE
In a special report, TIME explores the latest research on how to stay mentally sharp. In a complex world, it's news we all need
Making the Most of Your Day... And Best Use of the Night (Mind & Body / Staying Sharp)
Whether you tend to work late or wake early, learning to pay attention to your own mental clock can help you make better use of your time
Help! I've Lost My Focus (Mind & Body / Staying Sharp)
take control and get more done
Can You Prevent Alzheimer's Disease? (Mind & Body / Staying Sharp)
The latest research suggests that exercising your brain—and your heart—may help
5 Guilt-Filled Days on the Big R, for Ritalin (Mind & Body / Staying Sharp)
In pursuit of truth and a tidy desk, a TIME senior editor spends a week on a mind-altering stimulant
The Hidden Secrets of the Creative Mind (Staying Sharp)
Innovation requires no special thought processes, says an expert. Creative people just work harder at it
How They Get It All Done (Mind & Body / Staying Sharp)
The Case for Doing One Thing at a Time (Mind & Body / Staying Sharp)
The Surprising Power of the Aging Brain (Mind & Body / Staying Sharp)
Scientists used to think intellectual power peaked at age 40. Now they know better
How to Get Smarter, One Breath at a Time (Mind & Body / Staying Sharp)
Scientists find that meditation not only reduces stress but also reshapes the brain
What's So Great About Acuity? (Mind & Body / Essay)
Getting and Staying in the Zone (Mind & Body / Staying Sharp)
Achieving peak performance depends on controlling the mind that controls your body
Brain Calisthenics (Mind & Body / Staying Sharp)
A 20-minute mental workout
Want a Brainier Baby? (Mind & Body / Getting Sharp)
Loading up on tapes, games and videos may not be a smart move. There are better ways to nurture a young mind
You (and Your Brain) are What You Eat (Mind & Body / Staying Sharp)
One of America's leading proponents of natural healing offers a guide to foods that go straight to your head
Sleeping Your Way to the Top (Mind & Body / Staying Sharp)
Staying up late to get ahead? It might be more productive to get a good night's rest
Measuring IQ Points by the Cupful (Mind & Body / Staying Sharp)
Does it feel as if caffeine makes you more clever, upbeat and alert? Maybe that's because it does
Can You Find Concentration in a Bottle? (Mind & Body / Staying Sharp)
A guide to today's brain-boosting pills and supplements—and what's in the pipeline
A Multitasker's Glossary (Mind & Body / Staying Sharp)
YOUR TIME
A Feast of Diet Books (Food)
Trimming Your Debt (Money)
PEOPLE
10 Questions for Dave Barry (Interview)
LETTERS
ESSAY
The miners' tragedy in Sago, W.Va., struck an ancient vein of dread and hope