In his early months in office, to please the old-guard rank and file, he made the nearly disastrous, but (in his view) tactically necessary decision to give the finance ministry to a darling of the left, Oskar Lafontaine.

ECONOMIST: Has Gerhard got it?

The answer is Manuel Bartlett, an old-style politico with wide rank-and-file support and open contempt for the road down which technocratic presidents like Mr Zedillo have led Mexico.

ECONOMIST: Mexico

The Obamacons are manifestations of a deeper turmoil in the Republican rank-and-file, as the old coalition of small-government activists, social conservatives and business Republicans falls apart.

ECONOMIST: Lexington

Another finding is that people tend to retain a similar "rank order" in intelligence level between childhood and old age.

WSJ: Intelligence Changes Linked to Genes