I admit that I don’t keep up with current events as much as I should. (I get overwhelmed by the sensationalism in the news, which often presents raw facts without any good analysis or context around them.) I have been reading a magazine called Atlantic Monthly for over a year now, and each issue usually has at least a couple of articles that interest me. They started publishing the articles for free online at the beginning of this year, which has made it easier for me to share them with others.

I have been a little behind, and I just now finished the March 2008 issue (which I think I received early February; does the date refer to when it’s available at the newsstands?). Two articles I found worth mentioning:

• The Next Slum? — After describing the well-known migration of people from living in cities to living in suburbs that started in the 1950s, this article examines the implications of the rising demand for urban living. I think I would love living in a walking city or a town center like those described in this article.
• Marry Him! — This article encourages women for whom motherhood is important not to wait for the perfect guy and the perfect romance but to find a husband who is good enough to get the infrastructure in place for a family. (The author did not settle and later wished she had.) It is definitely thought-provoking.