September 29, 2008 Issue
Cover Story
The Great Shakeout
James J. Cramer on what Wall Street will look like after the great nationalization; one Lehman trader’s experience with sudden-onset poverty; Henry Blodget
on why Merrill didn’t share Lehman’s fate; Financial Times columnist John Gapper on how the city now compares with London, Dubai, and Hong Kong; how Morgan Stanley suffered such a quick reversal of fortune; and more.
On the Cover:Traders at the New York Mercantile Exchange, Tuesday, September 16, 2008. Photograph by Seth Wenig/AP.
Features
The Catskills Gas Rush
It was a weekend house—until I got a letter from the landman, telling me I was living on a huge, untapped source of natural gas. Riches beckoned. How much were my environmental principles really worth?
How Did Martha Stewart End Up With Howard Stern’s Baby?
Uncensored radio and TV host Alexis Stewart couldn’t be more different in demeanor from her mother. Or maybe she’s just giving us a glimpse of what the matriarch really thinks.
Vu.
How to make the best of a real-estate market whose robustness is, shall we say, tenuous, including the story of 190 Bowery, the greatest steal ever; some handy flowcharts 100 percent guaranteed to solve your home-shopping dilemmas; high-end brokers’ advice on selling in a downturn; a thorough list of bargains in every price range; and a rundown of the Sag Harbor Village fire sale.
Intelligencer
Greenspan Forte: Ducking Big Questions
Panic at the Philharmonic.
Gago a No-Show at Hirst Blowout Sale
Auction a threat to dealer?
Pit Bull Palin Poised to Turn N.Y. Red
Or so S.I. GOPer insists.
Art-World Burka Baffler
Did LaChapelle show?
Belt-Tightening Hits the Menu
Recession specials return.
Eager Ecdysiasts Dance Through Downturn
Plus, call-girl compassion.
It Happened Last Week
As Derek Jeter bade the old Yankee Stadium farewell, Wall Street took a baseball bat to its own.
Shea Stadium Zen
Everybody loves Mets manager Jerry Manuel. But it doesn’t mean he’ll keep his job.
Wall Street, Fla.
Meet the third biggest i-bank left standing.
Beyond the Trouble, More Trouble
Depression in the best of us.
Columns
Obama’s Opening
The first debate is on McCain’s favored ground: foreign affairs—which presents his opponent with a large opportunity.
Bullish for Bloomberg
If the mayor wants to change the term-limits law—and go for a three-peat—the Wall Street crisis provides the perfect opportunity.
Strategist
The Best Bet
Maybe you’ve been working at home for years. Or maybe just since last Monday. Either way, you want a handsome and efficient workspace.
The Look Book
"We sold our cars, quit our jobs, and turned in the keys to our apartments."
Two on the 50
One fan’s attempts to land a pair of tickets to the biggest Giants game of the season.
But Will the Ladies Like It?
The latest crop of men’s fragrances promise machismo, exoticism, and, of course, sex.
The Restaurant Review
Another new chef hasn’t made Sheridan Square any more exciting.
In Season
Stubby pimientos de Padrón are a speciality of Galicia, Spain.
Culture
Living Large
The Food Network OD’d on him. But Mario Batali has moved on, to PBS. And Spain. With Gwyneth.
The Theater Review
A Tale of Two Cities: The Musical isn’t quite what Charles Dickens had in mind.
Long Story Short
Mandy Patinkin’s circuitous, hairy ride back to Shakespeare.
The Art Review
Andres Serrano’s “Shit” is, yes, crap. Skip it in favor of Neil Campbell, who does more with less.
Deserves an Emmy; Won’t Get One
Yes, the Emmy Awards just happened. But they are so last night. We’re already on to next year’s oversights.
Infinite Loss
David Foster Wallace, 1962–2008.
The Pop Review
Falling in love with TV on the Radio.
The Movie Review
Miracle at St. Anna is Spike Lee’s bloody, blunt attack on the whitewashing of WWII.
Creep Show: Sam Rockwell
Sam Rockwell is quickly becoming Hollywood’s go-to for roles that skirt the edge of polite society.
Shades of Brando
Mickey Rourke’s odd career, reborn with The Wrestler, is curiously familiar.
New York Film Festival: Beyond the Oscar Heavies
Wendy and Lucy, Tokyo Sonata, Night and Day, and 'In the Realm of Oshima.'
Original Maverick
Crusading publisher Barney Rosset is Obscene in a good way.
The Approval Matrix: Week of September 29, 2008
Our deliberately oversimplified guide to who falls where on our taste hierarchies.
Agenda
Brooklyn Monopoly
Kings County owns the family fun.
This Little Piggy
In Italy, a juicy hunk of seasoned, slow-roasted pig with cracklings, served on a roll, is considered fast food.
Departments
Comments: Week of September 29, 2008
Readers sound off on the future of book publishing, Sarah Palin, and more.
Artifact: Irony Never Goes Bankrupt
Findings from the streets, files, and hard drives of New York.
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