The Economist (13 May, 2006)

The Economist - May 13th, 2006......Page 1
Contents......Page 2
Politics this week......Page 4
Business this week......Page 7
George Bush and Tony Blair: Axis of feeble......Page 9
Information technology: Is Google the new Microsoft?......Page 12
Monetary policy: Imperfect foresight......Page 14
Russia and the West: In search of a Putin policy......Page 16
Darfur: Now seize the moment......Page 18
Poland's new government: The trouble with Poland......Page 20
Letters......Page 22
Special Report - Japan and its neighbours: A giant stirs, a region bridles......Page 25
George Bush: In Carterland......Page 31
The CIA's new boss: The general and the Gosslings......Page 33
The Mississippi Delta: Renaissance deferred......Page 35
Delta irrigation: To save a woodpecker......Page 38
Human rights: Straightening the record......Page 40
Mary Cheney's memoirs: Alternative flack......Page 42
Lexington: In defence of John McCain......Page 43
South America: The diminishing of Brazil......Page 45
Peru's election: With friends like these......Page 48
Mexico's presidential election: Coming from behind......Page 49
Canada: Mutual aid......Page 51
Paraguay: Charity or China?......Page 53
Singapore's election: Ten in a row for the men in white......Page 54
Thailand: If at first you don't succeed......Page 56
Australia's budget: Costello gives something back......Page 58
Japan's succession: After he's gone......Page 60
India's elections: Left turn......Page 62
China and tourism: Golden years......Page 64
Aid to the Palestinians: Seeking a bypass, as the money runs out......Page 65
Iraq's new government: A task for the honest and brave......Page 67
Iraq's Kurds: Brotherly embrace......Page 69
Dubai: Dubai does aid, too......Page 71
Iran and America: Of God and men......Page 72
South Africa: One challenge down, one to go......Page 74
Russian nationalism: Playing a dangerous game......Page 76
France and the environment: Bear necessities......Page 79
Italy's new president: Left forward......Page 80
Germany's labour market: A lesson from Tony Blair......Page 81
Spain and immigration: Still they come......Page 83
The euro: When to join, and when not to......Page 85
Charlemagne: A case of enlargement fatigue......Page 87
Correction: Lithuania......Page 90
Politics: Bloodied and slightly bowed, Tony Blair battles on......Page 91
The British National Party: The new localism......Page 94
Interest rates: They're heading up......Page 96
The July bombings: What the spooks knew......Page 98
Unruly academics: Anarchy in academe......Page 100
Anti-social behaviour: Mad dogs and Englishmen......Page 102
Real-estate investment trusts: Of bricks and tax breaks......Page 104
Bagehot: Prepared to wound but not to strike......Page 106
Cheer up......Page 109
The accidental government......Page 113
Spy games......Page 118
So much to do......Page 120
A country to run from......Page 124
Prickly to a fault......Page 127
Acknowledgments and sources......Page 129
Offer to readers......Page 130
IKEA: Flat-pack accounting......Page 132
Computers: For whom the Dell tolls......Page 135
Video games: Everything to play for......Page 137
Berkshire Hathaway and Iscar: Thank you, O Sage......Page 139
Silicon Valley: Déjà vu 2.0......Page 141
General Motors: Decline and fall, cont'd......Page 143
Face value: Calling Canberra......Page 145
Google: Fuzzy maths......Page 147
Web 2.0: The enzyme that won......Page 152
The Federal Reserve: Between bears and hawks......Page 153
American banks: With open ARMs......Page 156
Stockmarkets: The fear gauge......Page 158
Commodities: King copper......Page 160
Auditors in Japan: Under attack......Page 162
Foreign-exchange trading in Japan: A yen for risk......Page 164
VAT fraud in the European Union: A tax net full of holes......Page 166
Economics focus: Baby boom and bust......Page 168
Private spaceflight: Rocket renaissance......Page 170
Evolutionary psychology: Oochy woochy coochy coo......Page 174
A new type of monkey......Page 176
Iran and the American hostage crisis: Those were the days......Page 177
Caste, creed and community: Name-calling......Page 181
Homer: In loose-limbed English......Page 183
New cinema: The boat is upside down......Page 185
Master of the furies: Thundering ivory......Page 187
Amazon worldwide bestselling gardening books: The big book index......Page 189
Obituary: Jane Jacobs......Page 191
Overview......Page 193
Output, demand and jobs......Page 194
Prices and wages......Page 195
Economic forecasts......Page 196
Money and interest rates......Page 197
The Economist commodity price index......Page 198
Stockmarkets......Page 199
Trade, exchange rates and budgets......Page 200
Foreign-exchange reserves......Page 201
Overview......Page 202
Anti-dumping......Page 203
Economy......Page 204
Financial markets......Page 205