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The article argues that U.S. Federal Reserve Board chairman Ben S. Bernanke will preside over a diminished central bank. Bernanke will succeed chairman Alan Greenspan. Global interest rates follow the lead of the Federal Reserve. The U.S. is dependent on foreign investors to fund its trade deficit, so the Federal Reserve will not have as much clout in international financial flows. The article discusses monetary policy decisions that Bernanke will face. INSETS: DOWN FROM MOUNT OLYMPUS;THE BUZZ ABOUT BERNANKE.

Reports on difficulties faced by those who have chosen to live in the fast-growing exurbs that have popped up on the outskirts of established cities and suburbs across America. Impact of rising gasoline and heating fuel prices on consumers who built their lifestyle on cheap energy costs and low mortgage rates; Appeal of the exurbs for conservative young families; Criticism of the exurbs from both conservatives and liberals; Efforts to cut back on expenses; Concerns about personal bankruptcy; expectation that heating fuel costs will increase by as much as 70% this winter.

Describes the increase in security companies and anti-terrorism consultants since the terrorist attack in New York City on September 11, 2001. London, England bombings of July 7, 2005 which have served as a reminder against terrorism complacency; Richard A. Clarke, former White house counterterrorism adviser, and many other Washington, D.C. personalities who have become security consultants; Passage by the United States Congress of the 2002 Terrorism Risk Insurance Act which has increased the need for security companies; How banking and financial services businesses are concerned with terrorism; Former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and others outside Washington, D.C. who are involved in security consulting. INSET: Security Inc..

Examines the global counterfeit business. Perception that the industry is out of control; Examples of counterfeit products on the market; Concerns of multinational companies; Scale of the threat; Efforts by multinationals to stop the spread of counterfeits; Suggestion that China is key to any solution; Difficulties slowing down counterfeiters; How the global counterfeit industry is starting to rival multinationals in speed, reach and sophistication; Diversification of sourcing and manufacturing across borders by counterfeiters; How the goods end up in the legitimate supply chain; Profits; Challenges getting cooperation from China; Legal sanctions; Counterfeiting's connection to organized crime. INSETS: THE GLOBAL COUNTERFEIT INDUSTRY...;...AND THE KEY STEPS TO FAKING IT.

Focuses on the challenges faced by U.S. President George W. Bush in his second term, following his victory in the 2004 election. Discussion of prevalent issues in the 2004 election, including the war in Iraq, and tax cuts; Issues surrounding the appointment of a Supreme Court justice; Importance of Democrats and Republicans working together on major issues; Highlights of Bush's second-term agenda. INSET: BUSH'S BOLD SECOND-TERM AGENDA.

Discusses what companies in the United States should do to ensure security from terrorist attacks. Way that companies are spending less on security; How companies in New York and Washington are increasing security as a result of alerts that terrorists may strike before the presidential elections in November 2004; Issue of cost regarding security measures. INSET: How Safe?.

This article discusses new anti-terror tools under development by the technology industry in the United States. Half a billion foreign visitors cross America's borders, land at her airports, and dock at her harbors each year. Imagine trying to weed out the criminals and terrorists while keeping track of everyone else as they vacation, conduct business, enroll in college--and try to drop out of sight once they've overstayed their visa. The Bermuda technology consulting company, with U.S. headquarters in Reston, Va., will design a system for high-tech passports and visas, plus a database to keep track of when and where travelers cross the border. Tally it all up and government and private-sector security spending will hit $130 billion to $180 billion a year by 2010, up from $65 billion in 2003, calculates consultant Homeland Security Research Corp. in San Jose, Calif. Wall Street is anticipating a flood of business: A 13-stock index of publicly traded homeland-security companies tracked by Memphis brokerage Morgan Keegan & Co. has already risen 20% since the start of the year, vs. The Accenture contract, for a system dubbed U.S.-VISIT, is the biggest issued by the DHS to date.

Profiles Toyota Motor Corp. and its growth within the automobile industry. Number of hours it takes for Toyota workers to manufacture one vehicle, suggesting optimum efficiency of the factory assembly line; Number of automobile lines manufactured at the Nagoya (Japan) factory, indicating flexibility in the manufacturing process; Economic history of Japan since the 1980s; Comparison between Toyota and other automobile manufacturers with respect to certain statistics in the auto industry, implying that Toyota is the best managed company; Potential problems Toyota may be required to face.

Focuses on the campaign of United States President George W. Bush to win support for war with Iraq. Struggle of the administration to round up allies; Estimate of the cost of a military campaign; Likelihood of passing the peacekeeping duties and reconstruction of Iraq to American taxpayers. INSET: WHAT CAN WE DO FOR YOU?.

Reports that money is flowing to fund proposals for U.S. national security. Slowdown in technology spending after the September 11, 2001 attacks; Possible expenditures on homeland security; Companies that may benefit, including producers of specialized gear and traditional defense contractors; Use of technology by the U.S. Customs Service; Problems in the technology war on terrorism; Overview of counter-terrorism technologies.

Argues that the United States government has not demonstrated that it can handle security since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and anthrax cases. Impact of lax airport security on American attitudes; Security proposals of the George W. Bush administration and Washington Democrats; Efforts to increase policing, bioterror defenses, and security of nuclear power plants and urban infrastructures.

Focuses on Paul H. O'Neill, named United States Treasury Secretary by President George W. Bush. Challenges to design policies that keep the 10-year-expansion going, to sell Bush's controversial tax cut and to take charge of a strong-willed economic team; His relationship with Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan; Background on his economic teammates including Larry Lindsey, Mitch Daniels and John B. Taylor.

This article focuses on the problem of product counterfeiting and piracy in China. In 1995, China made promises to protect intellectual-property rights. Since then, authorities have launched numerous raids on illicit producers of software and music CDs. And many of the culprits have been convicted in Chinese courts. But even as U.S. business cheers Congressional approval of permanent normal trade relations with China in 2000, it is becoming increasingly clear that the piracy problem is still bad for software and entertainment companies. And it is spreading through many other industries. Many foreign manufacturers in China estimate that 30% of their products in the mainland are fakes.

Focuses on activist Lori Wallach, director of Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch, and the effect that she has had on businesses. Some of the methods that she has used to focus attention on food safety and international trade agreements; How she is challenging efforts to let China join the World Trade Organization; How she is viewed in Washington D.C.; How the growing political power of the anti-globalists has taken business and government by surprise. INSET: BURNED BY THE WTO, CORPORATE AMERICA IS SCRAMBLING.

This article analyzes the effort of the U.S. to normalize trade ties with China. Most U.S. exporters did not go to such efforts to educate assembly-line workers and small sub-contractors about the importance of international trade. A string of defeats in the U.S. Congress, followed by the trade talks fiasco in Seattle, Washington last December 1999, has finally awakened the business representatives of Washington to the power of grassroots lobbying. The U.S. administration under President Bill Clinton, promised an all-out effort to reprise the 1994 lobbying campaign to secure congressional approval for North American Free Trade Agreement. INSETS: TRADE WITH CHINA: WHAT NOW?;Committed to Normalizing Trade;Caught in the Middle of the Battle;Dead Set Against Normal Trade