Vol. 168 No. 6

SCIENCE

Stem Cells: The Hope And The Hype
areas of progress and how breakthroughs can be achieved. TIME sorts it out

The Politics of Science
Democrats smell a political winner in stem cells, but both parties are holding their fire. Will the issue count in November?

The Brawl in California (Stem-cell Showdown)

NATION

The McCains and War: Like Father, Like Son
Exclusive: Vietnam hero and Senator John McCain has unyieldingly backed the Iraq war. Now son Jimmy is heading to boot camp and, maybe, to battle

WORLD

It's the Condi Rice Show (White House Memo)
global clout and a high profile. Now she needs some results

"No Light at The End of The Tunnel" (Interview)

Why the Middle East Crisis Isn't Really About Terrorism
do for Israel and what it should do to Iran

Actually, the Middle East Is Our Crisis Too (Counterpoint)
part of the global conflict between the U.S. and radical Islam

Why Hizballah Can't Be Disarmed
The militant Shi'ite group has rallied despite Israel's attacks. But can a negotiated solution tame the state within a state?

NOTEBOOK

The Fast Track
Americans. But should we be opening recruiting stations overseas?

Bethany Hamilton (Milestones)
UPDATE

Punchlines

What's Next

Play It Again, Condi

Even Churchill Couldn't Figure Out Iraq (In the Arena)

Numbers

It's August? Let's Go to Iowa!

Verbatim

The State of Gay Marriage

Milestones

BUSINESS

The Big Deals Wheel Again
The $30 billion takeover of HCA marks the rise of private-equity firms--and a new buyout wave

SOCIETY

Why Teens Are Obsessed With Tanning
young people now

Should We All Run From the Sun? (Tanning Tips)

SPORT

Tour de Testosterone
A failed drug test taints cyclist Floyd Landis' heroic victory. Is he flawed, or is the testing?

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

It's All in the Swoop (Architecture)
Skateboarding, once associated with concrete wastelands and empty parking lots, has inspired a whole new design field. Here's how skate parks became fast, deep, curvaceous and breathtaking

Them's Fighting Words (Books)
The author of Million Dollar Baby saved his knockout first novel for the very last round

One Scoop or Two? None (Movies)
comedy-mystery is missing a couple of key ingredients: comedy and mystery

Fine Movie on a Bad Day (Culture)

Show Biz Without Glamour (Television)
Hollywood

The Impractical Dream (Movies)
Little Miss Sunshine makes fun of self-help gurus, beauty pageants, Proust and other wide targets

5 Marvelous Movies You May Have Missed (Worth Your Time)
From the '60s to early 2006, a quintet of underrated films just out on DVD

The Day That Changed... Very Little (Culture)
we're not as different as we want our 9/11 movies to tell us we are

PEOPLE

10 Questions for Willie Nelson (Interview)

People

LETTERS

Read the story

ESSAY

Where Have All the Cary Grants Gone?
Note to Hollywood: High-powered women deserve lovers, not losers