It’s Monday, May 4. This is The Front Page, your daily window into the world of The Free Press—and our take on the world at large. Today: The Iran-backed group behind attacks on Europe’s Jews. Hollywood doesn’t understand George Orwell. The quest for Viagra for women. And much more.
But first: The civilizational ambition of SpaceX.
This spring or early summer, Elon Musk’s SpaceX is going to go public. It is set to be the biggest IPO in history and, as Patrick McGee writes today, the “most consequential financial event this year.” Already the pundits are pouring cold water on the move. They say only blinkered Musk fanboys would believe that an unwieldy network of satellites, rocket launches, and vague plans to go to Mars could be one of the 10 most valuable companies in the world. One Atlantic story described SpaceX as “a huge meme stock.”
But they said that about Tesla, too, didn’t they? In his lead story today, Patrick examines Musk’s gargantuan SpaceX wager, which is as much a bet on human ambition as it is on any one technology. In fact, it might just be the most audacious bet in business history. But will it pay off? That’s the question on everyone’s lips as SpaceX prepares to go public, and it’s the one at the heart of Patrick’s story.
—Mark Gimein
For years, big pharma often overlooked and neglected women’s health. That is changing, with billions being spent, and made, catering to female customers in new ways. The change brings promise—and peril. Today, two stories about that paradox.
First: perimenopause, a term that is suddenly everywhere on the internet. From celebrity confessions by Drew Barrymore and Katherine Heigl to influencers pushing “Perimenopause Is Hot” merchandise, the hormonal transition into menopause has become a cultural touchstone.
How did perimenopause wind up in the spotlight? Kara Kennedy explores how a once-taboo topic transformed into a highly marketable obsession—and why perimenopause is not the catchall explanation it’s sold as.
Meanwhile, a new documentary is out addressing a different kind of hormonal question: Why isn’t there “Viagra for women”? While The Pink Pill: Sex, Drugs & Who Has Control blames medical sexism for the rocky rollout of the libido pill, Jennifer Block argues that the truth is more complicated. Read her full take on how what really brought down the “female Viagra” was weak data and worrisome side effects.
The Iranian Terror Group Targeting Europe’s Jews |
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A shadowy terror group called HAYI is claiming responsibility for a wave of attacks against Jewish, American, and Israeli targets across Europe—including the stabbing in London last week. U.S. and European officials believe the network, which recruits local operatives online, is under Iran’s control. Jay Solomon investigates this new threat and whether U.S. law enforcement believes it could be bringing its campaign here. | | |
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The Inversion of ‘Animal Farm’ |
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What if Hollywood rewrote George Orwell’s “Animal Farm” to be about the exact opposite of what the author intended? That’s pretty much what Andy Serkis’s new animated adaption of the classic allegory does, yielding a predictably terrible film, writes Nicholas Clairmont. The film swaps Orwell’s searing critique of Soviet communism for cheap shots at capitalism, Tesla-driving CEOs, and of course, Donald Trump. Don’t miss Nick’s full takedown of the movie. | | |
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