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All the World's a Stage

Ariel's journey ends with the discovery that Geddy Lee is not the woman he once was.

But it's more than just that. It's life and music and clips of monkeys running around. It's a rock concert!
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The commuter rail rolls away, and finally, I have a chance to rest. But I don't. Instead, I panic even more.

"We missed our stop!" I yell to my companions. We take another look at the commuter rail map and realize I had the map upside down. Right after our realization, the conductor calls out, "Mansfield!"

After hopping off the train, we…

Passchendaele In Color

Everybody knows WWI was in black and white.

The Worst Of The South

The final article of The Oxford American's Best of the South issue is Hal Crowther's splenetic rant about the region's less savory characteristics.

Louis Menand's review of The Myth of the Rational Voter: Why Democracies Choose Bad Politics is an interesting read—possibly more interesting than the book itself. However, back in 2004, Gene Weingarten covered the same questions, getting up close and personal with Ted Prus, a non-voter who "just doesn't give a rat's ass."

It's classic Weingarten, which means he tackles big issues by focusing on details that wouldn't even appear in most writers' copy.

Farewell, Comma, He Said

Robert J. Samuelson laments the lapsing of the comma.

The eBay Voldemort Confesses

Will Collier tells the tale behind that $250 pre-publication sale of the final Harry Potter volume.

Mee-Yow!

Alexis Petridis reviews Paris Hilton's debut record. "She sings like a woman who has heard of something called singing, can't be sure of exactly what it might entail, but is fairly certain you do something a bit like this."

Who Says Jazz Isn't Commercial?

The ad team at Dolce & Gabbana seems to think it can be. Would Charles Mingus’ “Moanin’” become a best-seller if more people knew it sounded so cool—or if the millions who watched this TV commercial knew that’s what they were hearing? Could it be that jazz just needs shrewder marketing? (The whole song can be heard on Mingus’ great 1959 album, Blues & Roots.)

Mmmmmm, Bacon Salt

Because everything should taste like bacon.

Even vodka?

How to Fight Your Father

It's funny: Because I haven't listened to music in days, I feel as though I have nothing to say.

Let me try.

The "Deluxe Edition" of Sonic Youth's Daydream Nation is sitting on my desk, and I haven't opened it yet. I haven't listened to music in days. Something is obviously, plainly, unambiguously wrong. Isn't it? My days go by without hook or melody, verse verse verse and out. I wake, force myself to do a few sit-ups, shit, shower, maybe shave, turn to channel 4 to get the weather from Al Roker, pick out underwear and socks and t-shirt, gather my jeans…