Economy Keeps Improving, Why Aren't Clinton's Polls? By Walter Russell Mead, \o7 Walter Russell Mead, a contributing editor to Opinion, is the author of "Mortal Splendor: The American Empire in Transition" (Houghton Mifflin)\f7
With Social Insularity, a Sense of Community Is Lost By Guy Molyneux, \o7 Guy Molyneux, a public opinion pollster, is president of Next America Foundation, an educational organization founded by Michael Harrington\f7
The Comeback Dictator Who Has Clinton Reeling By Tad Szulc, \o7 Tad Szulc is the author of "Fidel: A Critical Portrait" (Avon). He is currently working on a biography of Pope John Paul II\f7
Waiting By Edna O'Brien, \o7 Novelist and short story writer Edna O'Brien, whose work appears frequently in New Yorker, lives in Ireland. Her most recent novel is "House of Splendid Isolation," published by Farrar, Straus & Giroux\f7
Carnival's Fascination With Hollywood By Harry Basch and Shirley Slater, \o7 Slater and Basch travel as guests of the cruise lines. Cruise Views appears the first and third week of every month. \f7