November/December 2008

Features

COVER STORY

646 Very Personal Questions

Poor sanitation and contaminated drinking water cause the deaths of millions of children throughout Africa. Using Tanzania as a test site, assistant professor Jenna Davis is leading an effort to learn what information best helps families stay healthy.

Chance of a Lifetime

Forrest Church, diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer, took stock of his prospects. The Unitarian minister shares his outlook on life and death.

Focus on the Forgotten

In refugee camps and war-torn neighborhoods around the world, documentary filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy finds the people scarred by violence and deprivation, and gives them a voice.

This Is Your Brain on Bargains

Neuroscientists are getting closer to understanding why buying things makes us feel better. This could be a boon for marketers. Could it also be a tool for self-control?

Departments

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Positive Thinking

PRESIDENT'S COLUMN

Why Our Hospitals Need Renewal

1,000 WORDS

In the Sunset Fire

CENTURY AT STANFORD

Seals, Sadie and Socrates

STANFORDIANA

Drawn to the Action

Red All Over

Farm Report

Planet Cardinal

E-MAIL FROM MONGOLIA

Weathering Democracy

PURSUITS

Flippin' Awesome

Competitive at 47

ASKED & ANSWERED

Twilight Rights

Gay and growing old

Showcase

War and Pretense

War or warlike?

A Booster for Melodrama

Villainy! Betrayal! And so on

Class Notes

Profiles

SPOTLIGHT: DORIAN "DOC" PASKOWITZ, '42, MD '46

Extreme Surfing

POSTCARD FROM LUEDINGHAUSEN: EDIE STRAUSS KODMUR, '56

Going Home Again

POSTCARD FROM LUEDINGHAUSEN: JULIE ANN KODMUR, '78

'We Were Ghosts'

SPOTLIGHT: HAAKON LANG-REE, '86, MA '87

Sports for All

SPOTLIGHT: AMANDA WEST, '97, MBA '05

Fresh From the Farm

Farewells

The Designer

Hebert C. "Hobey" DeStaebler

He Warned the World

Michael B. Gregg