January 2003

"The Recruit" By Stephanie Zacharek
Nothing is what it seems -- especially Al Pacino's jazzy, freewheeling performance -- in this preposterous CIA thriller. (01/31/2003)

"Blind Spot: Hitler's Secretary" By Charles Taylor
She was in the bunker with you-know-who and can't forgive herself. In this haunting documentary, 81-year-old Traudl Junge faces the truth. (01/31/2003)

"Lost in La Mancha" By Stephanie Zacharek
What went wrong with Terry Gilliam's dream of making a big-budget "Don Quixote" movie? As this documentary makes painfully clear, everything. (01/31/2003)

"Biker Boyz" By Jeff Stark
Badass black bikers, led by an awesome Laurence Fishburne, tear up the L.A. night. But there's not enough fast and even less furious. (01/31/2003)

Yo La Tengo: "Nuclear War" By Ehren Gresehover
The versatile New Jersey indie rockers team up with a varied cast for four enchanting remakes of Sun Ra's antiwar classic. (01/31/2003)

Literary daybook, Jan. 31
Real and imaginary events of interest to readers. (01/31/2003)

Letters
Is it ethically wrong to hire a maid? Readers respond to a review of "Global Woman." (01/31/2003)

O Noraht, Noraht By Anne Lamott
I wanted to love my mom because she did the best that she could do. But her best was terrible. (01/31/2003)

Letters
Readers talk back to stories about "Joe Millionaire" and girl-watching girls. Plus: Responses to Carina Chocano's new book "Do You Love Me, or Am I Just Paranoid?" (01/31/2003)

When teams don't show up By Allen Barra
This year's Super Bowl blowout raises the perennially mysterious question: What makes a team go flat? (01/31/2003)

Splintered, disorganized and incoherent By Eric Boehlert
After a series of compromises and miscalculations, the Democrats find themselves with no influence at all in the war debate. (01/31/2003)

Joe Conason's Journal
Bush media blitz overshadows what Blix really said. Plus: Why are "heartland" newspapers more skeptical of war than big city ones? (01/31/2003)

Bush 2.0 Cartoon by Mark Fiore
It's the new-and-improved State of the Union! Time to reboot. (01/31/2003)

Poisoned fairways By Jake Tapper
Among the big winners in Bush's proposed rollback of pesticide restrictions? The politically untouchable golf industry, where dangerous chemicals are par for the course. (01/31/2003)

Is this karma? By Cary Tennis
I broke up with my girlfriend when our long-distance relationship wasn't working out. Now she won't talk to me at all. What did I do? (01/31/2003)

Seeds of life By David Tuller
A company in California is offering soldiers heading to Iraq free storage of their sperm for a year. (01/31/2003)

Ask the pilot By Patrick Smith
Who are the best writers about airplanes? And can autopilots really land planes by themselves? (01/31/2003)

Rocking for L. Ron By Amy Reiter
Lisa Marie Presley sings the songs of Scientology. Plus: Fred Durst dreams of Angelina. (01/30/2003)

Dark late-night of the soul By Carina Chocano
Helpless, alone, rejected by female guests except Tammy Faye Bakker, Jimmy Kimmel drifts toward the ninth circle of talk-show hell. (01/30/2003)

Literary daybook, Jan. 30
Real and imaginary events of interest to readers. (01/30/2003)

Oldest American author tells all By Mel Fiske
After 70 years of writing books, John Sanford has won little fame and less money, but his commitment to his craft and one great, true love have kept him going. (01/30/2003)

Tom the Dancing Bug By Ruben Bolling
Lucky Ducky always finds a way to come out on top! (01/30/2003)

The female gaze By Eileen Kelly
I am straight, more or less, but I love looking at other women's bodies -- and not in the spirit of competition. (01/30/2003)

Democrats respond to the State of the Union address
In a rebuttal by Gov. Gary Locke of Washington state, the Democratic Party skewers the Bush tax plan as "upside-down economics." (01/30/2003)

The great debate By Gary Kamiya
As President Bush all but declared war on Iraq, journalists Christopher Hitchens and Mark Danner thrashed out the big issues that the country should have months ago. (01/30/2003)

"Horrible" speaker, great speech By Edward W. Lempinen
An expert on great speakers says President Bush is among the worst ever, but on Tuesday night, he tapped into his inner Clinton. (01/30/2003)

Waiting for war By Tina Brown
Karl Rove stuffs himself at a British embassy gala, while the rest of us nervously hunker down at home with the new "Lawrence of Arabia" DVD. (01/30/2003)

Sarandon on Iraq By Kerry Lauerman
Did the latest ad from the peace movement succeed? Watch the ad and read what our experts say. (01/30/2003)

Joe Conason's Journal
Rush Limbaugh loses some support -- while Susan McDougal gains some. (01/30/2003)

Viagra for gals coming soon By Trisha Posner
But what if female "dysfunction" is the result of attempting to couple with an overweight, no-foreplay husband whose breath reeks of beer and pizza? (01/30/2003)

Dragged into the ring By Cary Tennis
My boyfriend promised we'd be engaged by Christmas but we weren't. Should I let it go or move out? (01/30/2003)

Letters
How to beat the market! Readers respond to Andrew Leonard's "Warren Buffett's Revenge." (01/30/2003)

Bush's scorched-earth march through California By Katharine Mieszkowski
The feds are ramping up their assault on the environment -- and the cash-strapped state is finding it hard to fight back. (01/30/2003)

"The Quiet American" By Stephanie Zacharek
A rich adaptation featuring Michael Caine honors Graham Greene's prescient story about a love triangle in '50s Vietnam. (01/29/2003)

"Confessions of a Dangerous Mind" By Andrew O'Hehir
Who knew George Clooney was this good? Sexy, rakish, sure, but nothing prepared us for his directing debut, this astonishing pic about zany Chuck Barris. (01/29/2003)

When supermodels attack! By Amy Reiter
Christie Brinkley takes a few photos of her own. Plus: Angelina Jolie drinks her way back into the news. (01/29/2003)

Literary daybook, Jan. 29
Real and imaginary events of interest to readers. (01/29/2003)

Bestsellers
Mariel Hemingway's ordeals, "The Hours" and more in this week's bestselling books courtesy of Powells.com. (01/29/2003)

Strange fruit By Suzy Hansen
The true story of the last mass lynching in America is a chilling whodunit, but the legacy of vigilante attacks on blacks continues beyond the history books. (01/29/2003)

The K Chronicles By Keith Knight
When all is said and done ... (01/29/2003)

He lost his Mojo By Sheerly Avni
Joe Millionaire says goodbye to the show's biggest psycho -- and only true romantic. (01/29/2003)

Sharon's victory: Now comes the hard part By Aluf Benn
Unless he can lure Labor back into his coalition, the hard-line Israeli leader may find himself at odds with his best friend, George W. Bush. (01/29/2003)

The State of the Union: Frightened By Jake Tapper
President Bush did his best to scare the bejesus out of his audience Tuesday to make his case for war. And afterward, he was probably the only person to get a good night's sleep. (01/29/2003)

Bush's "days of reckoning"
In Tuesday's State of the Union address, President Bush outlines his plan to spur the economy and shackle Saddam. (01/29/2003)

Joe Conason's Journal
Bush's sorry state: He's still spinning those "aluminum tubes," and shamelessly steals a page straight from Al Gore. (01/29/2003)

A lesser woman? By Cary Tennis
The married man I'm sleeping with feels less guilty about it because I'm bisexual! (01/29/2003)

Total Information Awareness: Down, but not out By Farhad Manjoo
Congress may have put the brakes on the most ambitious government surveillance program ever. But for citizens worried about their privacy, TIA still means trouble. (01/29/2003)

Bollywood confidential By Lisa Tsering
Despite a massive international market and a huge impact on pop culture, the outrageous musical eye candy of Bollywood remains almost invisible in America. (01/28/2003)

Top 10 must-see Bollywood marvels By Lisa Tsering
These 10 films will get you up to speed on the amazing all-singing, all-dancing spectacles from the world's No. 1 moviemaking nation. (01/28/2003)

Baby got back By Amy Reiter
Heather Locklear has a few things to say about ass shots. Plus: Jude Law as the man who would be Bond. (01/28/2003)

Literary daybook, Jan. 28
Real and imaginary events of interest to readers. (01/28/2003)

Cuba confidential By Damien Cave
Ann Louise Bardach talks about the fading of Fidel, the end of the embargo, and the drive for democracy -- and why exile leaders aren't happy about any of it. (01/28/2003)

Story Minute By Carol Lay
Let's get personal. (01/28/2003)

"Love manuals are evil" By Heather Havrilesky
Salon columnist Carina Chocano talks about her new book, "Do You Love Me, or Am I Just Paranoid?" (01/28/2003)

Find man, lose him, repeat cycle By Carina Chocano
The thinking girl's guide to serial monogamy. (01/28/2003)

Letters
Readers respond to war-protest numbers, gay statistics and worst-case scenarios. (01/28/2003)

War games By Eric Boehlert
Chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix's nuanced report won't resolve the diplomatic impasse between the U.S. and its European allies. But Bush seems ready to invade anyway. (01/28/2003)

Idiocy of the week By Andrew Sullivan
The New York Times is as incoherent as it is cowardly when it comes to Saddam. (01/28/2003)

Joe Conason's Journal
How will the Bush administration convince the American public that Saddam is an imminent threat -- when even "Stormin' Norman" disagrees? (01/28/2003)

Panty raid By Cary Tennis
My 19-year-old son is wearing my panties. Should I say something? (01/28/2003)

Letters
Stop dissin' Visual Basic! Readers respond to Farhad's Manjoo's "Is There Hope for Java?" (01/28/2003)

The ballad of Paul and Yoko By Gilbert Garcia
Think they buried the hatchet? Think again. The recent skirmish over songwriting credits was just the latest shot in a long-running war over John Lennon's legacy -- and the question of who was the coolest Beatle. (01/27/2003)

He's ba-a-ack! By Amy Reiter
Yeah, that was Puck being lewd, crude and rude at Sundance -- just imagine! Dave Chappelle's smoothest night moves. Plus: Kevin Spacey and Elton John? Russell Crowe and Chrissie Hynde? Yep and yep. (01/27/2003)

Brewskis, butt jokes and reefer madness By Carina Chocano
This year's Super Bowl ads reflect a depressed nation: We need jobs, our animals don't talk anymore and we're terrified of big butts and bad drugs. How 'bout a beer? (01/27/2003)

Talib Kweli: "Quality" By Dan Kois
Kweli's thoughtful rhymes and soulful musicality are a breath of fresh air in a genre dominated by materialistic self-indulgence and uninspired beats. (01/27/2003)

Literary daybook, Jan. 27
Real and imaginary events of interest to readers. (01/27/2003)

"Global Woman" by Barbara Ehrenreich and Arlie Russell Hochschild, eds. By Michelle Goldberg
A new book explores the hard lot of America's domestic workers -- and suggests that it's ethically wrong not to clean your own house. (01/27/2003)

This Modern World By Tom Tomorrow
We'll waste as much gas as we want, thank you very much! (01/27/2003)

The dud and the stud
Her date was boring, broke, and blocking her view. (01/27/2003)

Beaten, battered and sunk By King Kaufman
Quarterbacks win MVP awards, but, as the Buccaneers proved again in the Super Bowl by flogging the Raiders, defense wins the big game. (01/27/2003)

Joe Conason's Journal
Polls showing Bush's dwindling support are a step ahead of the pundits. Plus: The Times' latest Whitewater outrage. (01/27/2003)

A dilemma as old as time By Cary Tennis
I am involved with someone but can't stop thinking about a woman who won't have me. (01/27/2003)

Move over, Dr. Phil! By Susan McCarthy
Dr. Tatiana mostly offers advice on banana slug penis problems and sponge louse jealousy, but we can all gain from her sexual wisdom. (01/27/2003)

Subcontracting the kids By Katharine Mieszkowski
"Global Woman" co-author Arlie Russell Hochschild talks about how middle-class families rely on Third World women -- who often abandon their own children to work in the U.S. (01/27/2003)

Letters
Enemies of copyright are just uncreative people who want good stuff for free: Readers respond to Siva Vaidhyanathan's "After the Copyright Smackdown: What Next?" (01/27/2003)

Of fate and football By Gary Kamiya
Is football more than a game? Two of the best gridiron movies ever made take very different routes to arrive at the same answer. (01/25/2003)

Europe's declaration of independence By Noah Sudarsky
Frustrated with the warmongering and arrogance of the Bush White House, Germany and France are making a historic break with the U.S. Relations may never be the same. (01/25/2003)

The Bucs, baby By King Kaufman
Of fathers and sons, Gruden and Callahan, and why the key to the Super Bowl may be what happens when the NFL's best offense and defense are both on the sidelines. (01/25/2003)

The Silver and Black will torture and keelhaul their enemies! By Allen Barra
And that'll just be in the stands. The Raiders will win on the field, too. (01/25/2003)

My State of the Union delusion By Arianna Huffington
In a fantasy speech, President Bush calls selling your SUV a patriotic gesture. A columnist can dream, can't she? (01/25/2003)

Hart: We are not prepared for war By Gary Hart
Possible presidential candidate Gary Hart delivered a speech Tuesday lambasting the current Bush administration's homeland security policy -- or lack thereof. (01/25/2003)

"The role of art is to be ahead of its time" By Dimitra Kessenides
Film's premier polemicist Costa-Gavras on his new movie "Amen," the responsibility of artists, and waiting around for history to prove you right. (01/24/2003)

"Darkness Falls" By Andrew O'Hehir
How low have horror films sunk? Well, this one stars the Tooth Fairy. Thing is, it's actually kind of scary. (01/24/2003)

The pope, the devil and death By Stephanie Zacharek
In Costa-Gavras' hard-hitting if heavy-handed "Amen," an SS officer with a conscience can't convince the Vatican to care about the fate of Europe's Jews. (01/24/2003)

Gore does the white stuff By Amy Reiter
Former veep canoodles with celebs at Sundance; Jerry Springer to trade chair throwing for a Senate seat? Plus: Nicole spotted snogging amid the sushi; J.Lo to be unhitched. (01/24/2003)

Literary daybook, Jan. 24
Real and imaginary events of interest to readers. (01/24/2003)

Letters
Readers respond to Jake Tapper's review of "Boy Genius: Karl Rove, the Brains Behind the Remarkable Political Triumph of George W. Bush" and Allen Barra's review of a new Miles Davis biography. (01/24/2003)

Lynda Barry
Eulogy (01/24/2003)

Letters
Readers respond to John George's article on his daughter's anorexia with a deluge of mail, some supportive, some scathing. Plus: Bimbo TV and Anne Lamott. (01/24/2003)

The protest-crowd numbers game By Michelle Goldberg
Organizers exaggerate turnout. Police play it down. Last Saturday's antiwar rallies raised the question: Isn't there a way to count crowds? There is, but nobody wants to use it. (01/24/2003)

Sex- and death-crazed gays play viral Russian Roulette! By Andrew Sullivan
Rolling Stone claims that a full quarter of new HIV infections stem from morbid thrill-seeking. Sean Hannity is swallowing the story -- should you? (01/24/2003)

Joe Conason's Journal
Bush hawks begin to circle, prepared for a disappointing report Monday from the U.N. Plus: An illustration of the president's dropping poll numbers. (01/24/2003)

Exile TV Cartoon by Mark Fiore
Rummy on "The Dating Game," Cheney on "Dick Millionaire," and other midseason sneak previews. (01/24/2003)

I'm touch-deficient By Cary Tennis
I declared love too soon to an unhappily married former stripper with two kids, and now she's gone. (01/24/2003)

Warren Buffett's revenge By Andrew Leonard
A timely new book about the Sage of Omaha's management practices shows how, after Enron and the dot-com bubble, the multibillionaire was right about everything. (01/24/2003)

Spy vs. spy (vs. Mom and Dad) By Carina Chocano
ABC's "Alias" features a butt-kicking espionage babe, awesome costumes and settings and possibly the most convoluted family drama in TV history. So why isn't it huge yet? (01/23/2003)

"Abarat" by Clive Barker Read by Richard Ferrone
A bored teenage girl is taken on a fantastical journey through a mysterious archipelago inhabited by ancient evils. (01/23/2003)

Literary daybook, Jan. 23
Real and imaginary events of interest to readers. (01/23/2003)

"So What: The Life of Miles Davis" by John Szwed By Allen Barra
Genius, junkie, wife-beater, demigod -- a new book plumbs the mysteries of the most influential and enigmatic American musician of our time. (01/23/2003)

Tom the Dancing Bug By Ruben Bolling
Even Superman isn't safe in the public domain! (01/23/2003)

The big chill By Phil Jacobsen
I knew that washing dishes in Antarctica would be cold -- but I didn't know it would become a life-or-death version of "Survivor." (01/23/2003)

The INS runaround By Laura McClure
The immigration service's new registration plan is supposed to help fight terrorism. It's also locking people up without explanation. (01/23/2003)

Can Tony Blair stop the war? By Eric Boehlert
To some, he is a skilled power player. Others call him Bush's poodle. In the make-or-break weeks ahead, he could shape history -- or become its victim. (01/23/2003)

Letters
Readers respond to "The 'Closure' Myth" by Michelle Goldberg. (01/23/2003)

The Severance Kings By Tina Brown
Media moguls find life much rosier in the unemployment line. Plus: The Golden Globes at a safe distance. (01/23/2003)

Bush's bogus "reverse racism" charge By Robert Scheer
How does a guy whose pedigree opened doors all the way to the White House get away with pretending to believe in meritocracy? (01/23/2003)

Denny Hastert's wild Washington By Arianna Huffington
Thanks to the House GOP's gutting of ethics rules, the capital is once again the land of free food, junkets and lobbyists galore. (01/23/2003)

Joe Conason's Journal
Conservative crackup on Iraq: Rice and Safire scramble to defend Bush policy. Plus: Almost three out of four voters believe Bush must prove his case against Iraq. (01/23/2003)

Sane yet crazy By Cary Tennis
We are in love, but when we fight, things get out of hand and last week he walked out on me. Is this normal or should I despair? (01/23/2003)

Ask the pilot By Patrick Smith
Two poems about airplanes (and women). Plus: Everything you ever wanted to know about jet fuel. (01/23/2003)

TV's queen bitch By Carina Chocano
Joan Rivers is unbelievably vile and crude -- she and daughter Melissa must get their own reality show! Plus: Kelly Osbourne gives a clinic on dealing with Dad. (01/22/2003)

Letters
Why did he need to know? And can you fight evil with a credit card? Readers face off over Pete Townshend. (01/22/2003)

The importance of being humiliated By Aaron Kinney
"American Idol" is back -- which means more Simon Cowell wisecracks, more tone-deaf Mariah Carey covers, more undermedicated Pacino impressions. (01/22/2003)

Luna: "Close Cover Before Striking" By Murray Jason
Besides outstanding Stones and Kraftwerk remakes, Luna's seven-song CD offers some of their best new material in years. (01/22/2003)

Literary daybook, Jan. 22
Real and imaginary events of interest to readers. (01/22/2003)

"The Time of Our Singing" by Richard Powers By Laura Miller
In his dazzling new novel, America's preeminent novelist of ideas creates characters as compelling as his concepts. (01/22/2003)

The K Chronicles By Keith Knight
San Francisco, Jan. 18, 2003. (01/22/2003)

Salon's New Deal
A letter from the editor (01/22/2003)

Reproductive rights By Sheerly Avni
American women take their right to an abortion for granted. They shouldn't anymore. (01/22/2003)

Iraq By Eric Boehlert
Chemical weapons, civil war and Arab rage could turn an invasion into a disaster. (01/22/2003)

The fiscal crisis By Joan Walsh
While Bush cuts taxes for the rich, states are cutting prosthetics for the poor. (01/22/2003)

The Middle East By Gary Kamiya
The White House's reckless, one-sided policies could lead to a global catastrophe. (01/22/2003)

Worst-case scenarios
The economy is crumbling, the planet is heating up, war with Iraq looms. What if something REALLY goes wrong? Six nightmares for George Bush -- and everyone else. (01/22/2003)

Letters
Wilentz: The leaders of peace-march organizer ANSWER are "weirdos" -- but the marchers weren't. Plus: Readers respond to "Flower Power?" (01/22/2003)

Joe Conason's Journal
Is predicting doomsday scenarios the same as hoping for them? Bush supporters say so. But this administration has given us every reason to fear the worst. (01/22/2003)

Vibrators and the man By Cary Tennis
My husband "goes at it" with porn and sex toys right in front of me! (01/22/2003)

Finally -- a great sex manual! By Charles Taylor
In this era of guilt and bad information "The Good Vibrations Guide to Sex" is an important work of sanity and wisdom. (01/22/2003)

The environment By Katharine Mieszkowski
Bush's pro-industry policies are hastening the end of the polar bears -- and maybe the planet. (01/22/2003)

The economy By Farhad Manjoo
If Bush's radical tax cuts are approved, and spending continues to soar, the U.S. could be headed toward Japanese-style stagnation -- or worse. (01/22/2003)

Ground zero: Where the buffalo roam? By Su Ciampa
A new film from "Slacker" director Richard Linklater offers a daring, crackpot vision for the World Trade Center memorial: A 16-acre park full of free-roaming bison. (01/21/2003)

Hey, Shakira -- pass the Grey Poupon! By Amy Reiter
News flash: Bare-midriff Colombian songstress has brain, loves culture! Renee Zellweger ready to pork out (again). And why not? Manolo likes 'em plump. (01/21/2003)

The brains behind Bush By Jake Tapper
A new book pokes superficially at Karl Rove, the "turd blossom" who orchestrated George W. Bush's presidential campaign and the GOP's November sweep. (01/21/2003)

Literary daybook, Jan. 21
Real and imaginary events of interest to readers. (01/21/2003)

This Modern World By Tom Tomorrow
Another edition of "Just Folks" -- the show where wealthy conservative pundits discuss their deep affinity for ordinary Americans! (01/21/2003)

Story Minute By Carol Lay
Stop the war on women. (01/21/2003)

The "spy" who shagged me
An undercover squeeze returns from the dead with a tale only the CIA could love. (01/21/2003)

The "closure" myth By Michelle Goldberg
Death penalty advocates claim victims' families need it -- and deserve it -- in order to move on. But some of those family members say dealing with death row issues for years only prolongs their pain. (01/21/2003)

Bursting at the themes By King Kaufman
Pirates! Old guys! The ex-coach! There are angles aplenty as the NFL's best offense and defense prepare to meet in the Super Bowl. (01/21/2003)

Joe Conason's Journal
What does Condi Rice really think about affirmative action? It's not clear she herself knows. (01/21/2003)

Did I luck out, or did I settle? By Cary Tennis
My boyfriend is great, but I was never swept off my feet. What is this nagging feeling? (01/21/2003)

Is there hope for Java? By Farhad Manjoo
A judge has ordered Microsoft to make it easy for Sun's popular programming language to work with Windows. But the remedy may be too little, too late. (01/21/2003)

Real Life Rock Top 10 By Greil Marcus
(01/20/2003)

Peace goes mainstream By Michelle Goldberg
In frigid conditions, thousands -- from 30,000 to 200,000, depending on the source -- show up in Washington, and Middle America outnumbers the radical fringe. (01/20/2003)

New Jack City By Heather Havrilesky
From "The Bachelorette" to "documentaries" on the Bunny Ranch, America is wallowing in boobs and butts like never before. But just how nasty do we wanna be? (01/18/2003)

Letters
Readers respond to articles about peace activists in the Middle East, NARAL's name change and American "unmarrieds." (01/18/2003)

Flower power? By Suzy Hansen
Antiwar protesters revive the famous "daisy" ad. We assemble our panel of experts and ask them: Do they love it, or do they not? (01/18/2003)

"A Guy Thing" By Stephanie Zacharek
A bachelor-party indiscretion with Julia Stiles leads to panties in the toilet tank -- but certainly no laughs. (01/17/2003)

For Pete's sake By Joey Sweeney
Pete Townshend has always been a refugee from the sexual fringe, a student of cosmic discomfort and a warrior in the war against unspeakable things. (01/17/2003)

Britney goes Limp By Amy Reiter
Rocker Durst is "like WHOA!!" over pop goddess; Sandra Bullock showers Hugh Grant with condoms -- and chocolates. Plus: Don't, repeat, do not claim you slept with Tom Cruise (unless it's true). (01/17/2003)

The Roots: "Phrenology" By Stephen Weiss
Their 1999 album "Things Fall Apart" ranks as one of the best hip-hop albums ever. With expectations high, the genre's only real "band" sets out in a new direction. (01/17/2003)

"Samaritan" by Richard Price By Charles Taylor
The author of "Clockers" tells the story of a rich guilty white guy who tries to help the kids in the housing project he grew up in, with dire results. (01/17/2003)

"A Box of Matches" by Nicholson Baker By Amy Reiter
From the master of minutiae comes a novel that transforms belly-button lint and bars of soap into touching and hilarious mediations on time and life. (01/17/2003)

"Dancer" by Colum McCann By Suzy Hansen
A novel that captures the wild, glorious life of Rudolf Nureyev -- beautiful, arrogant and brilliant -- and the tragic country he abandoned. (01/17/2003)

Literary daybook, Jan. 17
Real and imaginary events of interest to readers. (01/17/2003)

"I Should Be Extremely Happy in Your Company" by Brian Hall By Laura Miller
In this fictional account of the Lewis and Clark expedition, Meriwether Lewis is a conflicted, haunted man who's half in love with his partner in adventure. (01/17/2003)

"A Memory of War" by Frederick Busch By Suzy Hansen
A troubled psychiatrist sleeps with a young patient, obsesses about his wife and his best friend, and ponders the secret buried in his parents' past. (01/17/2003)

What to read in January By Salon's critics
An adulterous psychiatrist, two legendary American explorers, the metaphysical aspects of navel lint, the new Richard Price and more in the month's best fiction. (01/17/2003)

Sam is 13 By Anne Lamott
I am his mother. We snigger impatiently, we sigh, grip our foreheads, and sometimes we fight. (01/17/2003)

My disappearing daughter By John George
I watched my confident teenager head off to college. A few months later, I greeted a fragile, frightened apparition -- 35 pounds thinner than when she'd left. A story of anorexia, guilt and understanding. (01/17/2003)

Sex and the Selective Service By Tim Grieve
A Boston brother and sister say if he has to register for the draft, so should she. (01/17/2003)

Super Bowl: Raiders vs. Bucs? By King Kaufman
That's how it looks from here, but whoever wins, remember this: Ignore kicker humor. (01/17/2003)

Penalties, Part 2 By Allen Barra
The NFL's dreadful officiating can't be ignored anymore. One solution: Give one ref a TV. (01/17/2003)

Joe Conason's Journal
What is hollower: The missile shells discovered in Iraq, or the rhetoric of the war hawks? (01/17/2003)

I want love By Cary Tennis
All I want is for this last boyfriend to show up and tell me he loves me. Sometimes I feel that love will set me free, but I know it's a fallacy. (01/17/2003)

After the copyright smackdown: What next? By Siva Vaidhyanathan
Don't despair at the Supreme Court's gift to Disney, says one expert. The fight has really only just begun. (01/17/2003)

Letters
"The best essay I've read all year!" "Thumbs down!" Readers sound off on Charles Taylor's "The War Against Movie Critics." (01/16/2003)

Brad needs babies! By Amy Reiter
For Jennifer, does "Friends" come before family? Justin is Kelly Osbourne's knight in shining armor. Plus: It's hobbits vs. humans in the Great Shaving Cream War. (01/16/2003)

The week in dirt By Amy Reiter
Kinky sports: Barely clad Christina Aguilera likes to wrestle. Plus the latest from Joe Millionaire's manservant, Claudia Schiffer's precious jewels and more. (01/16/2003)

Literary daybook, Jan. 16
Real and imaginary events of interest to readers. (01/16/2003)

Letters
Readers respond to an interview with John McWhorter about his new book "Authentically Black" and to a review of Amy Chua's "World On Fire." (01/16/2003)

Tom the Dancing Bug By Ruben Bolling
Super-Fun-Pak Comix: The Foibles, Lucky Ducky and more! (01/16/2003)

The redemption of Gov. Ryan By Patrick Arden
Facing a possible indictment for corruption, the veteran political deal-maker shut down death row in Illinois. Is he trying to save lives -- or his own legacy? (01/16/2003)

Journalism fails its sobriety test By Joan Smith
The release of Diana Ross' drunk-driving videotape, soon to be shown on TV, represents another lurching step in the fourth estate's race to kiss the gutter. (01/16/2003)

Death of a vivacious man of letters By Tina Brown
The death of an intellectual bon vivant draws fans, friends and Tony Blair, who is unafraid to mingle or pick up a lady's purse. (01/16/2003)

Cold feet By Arianna Huffington
Eliot Spitzer caved to Wall Street criminals. Maybe he decided that taking on the most powerful people in the country might not be the best strategy for a man considering a run for governor. (01/16/2003)

Joe Conason's Journal
The president opposes affirmative action. So how does he defend the institutional favoritism that got him into Yale? Plus: More on bad "legacies." (01/16/2003)

Make a killing! Cartoon by Mark Fiore
Why take chances, when you can eliminate criminals you're pretty darn sure are guilty? (01/16/2003)

Passionless in Peoria By Cary Tennis
I'm dull! I have no passions! I'm "The Man Without Qualities"! (01/16/2003)

Liberation spectrum By Cory Doctorow
Wi-Fi radio and Indian sovereignty make for a potent mix -- even without antsy venture capitalists mucking things up. (01/16/2003)

Jilted by J.Lo By Amy Reiter
Ralph Fiennes toyed with and thrown aside on "Maid" set? Estella Warren loves being a hottie; Ozzy and Pat Boone, together at last. Plus: World's wackiest Diana Ross police videos! (01/15/2003)

Scenes from the class struggle on Fox By Carina Chocano
In "Joe Millionaire," with its lumpen-wacky TV vision of the rich, pop culture finally faces inequality in "classless" America. (01/15/2003)

"My Losing Season" by Pat Conroy By Allen Barra
In the best basketball book to come out in years, the author of "The Great Santini" sings the praises of losing, losing and losing again (01/15/2003)

Bestsellers
This week's bestselling books courtesy of Powells.com. (01/15/2003)

foobar foobar
foobar (01/15/2003)

The K Chronicles BY Keith Knight
Comix and the married man. (01/15/2003)

NARAL by any other name By Sheerly Avni
The reproductive rights movement's shift in emphasis from "abortion" to "choice" is a shrewd marketing move, says a top branding expert. (01/15/2003)

Over my dead body By Janelle Brown
Activists are flocking to the West Bank to serve as human shields, protecting Palestinians and protesting the Israeli occupation. Are they part of the solution -- or part of the problem? (01/15/2003)

Will rebel Republicans sink Bush tax plan? By Anthony York
GOP senators aren't happy with the imperious White House, and some might take it out on the budget-busting tax cut. (01/15/2003)

Letter: A question of bias
S. Robert Lichter, president of the Center for Media and Public Affairs, insists that his group doesn't tilt to the right. Joe Conason remains unconvinced. (01/15/2003)

Idiocy of the week By Andrew Sullivan
Sheryl Crow, brain-dead peacenik in sequins. (01/15/2003)

Joe Conason's Journal
The human rights questions the State Department doesn't want asked. (01/15/2003)

Should I stay or should I go? By Cary Tennis
Is it wrong to keep seeing my college girlfriend even though I know she loves me more than I love her? (01/15/2003)

Letters
A dissenting view on AOL's ex-chairman: A reader responds to Andrew Leonard's "Steve Case: Brilliant Visionary or Fumbling Clod." (01/15/2003)

Hollywood and Silicon Valley: Together at last? By Katharine Mieszkowski
A new industry agreement on digital copyright issues says the government should stay out of enforcement. But it's a little late for that, says one expert. (01/15/2003)

Her aim is true By Ken Foster
Despite 20 million records sold, Alison Moyet might be the planet's least famous pop star. Now she's back with a smoldering, bluesy new album -- why hasn't anybody noticed? (01/14/2003)

It's only middle-aged wasteland By Amy Reiter
Jerry Hall: Pete Townshend's not a creep! Joe Millionaire snorkels suds, sez butler. Plus: Did Brad break Jennifer's toe? (01/14/2003)

Keith Fullerton Whitman: "Playthroughs" By Kyle Wills
Leaving behind the rambunctious beats of his electronic music as Hrvatski, Whitman strips, loops and tinkers vibrant guitar sounds into a thing of beauty. (01/14/2003)

Literary daybook, Jan. 14
Real and imaginary events of interest to readers. (01/14/2003)

Another shade of black By Suzy Hansen
John McWhorter talks about the pitfalls of reparations and affirmative action, why Eminem will never be hip-hop's Elvis, and why the N-word doesn't bother him much. (01/14/2003)

Story Minute By Carol Lay
Crotch rocket -- the perfect example of excess capability. (01/14/2003)

All-American soft-porn sweats with a twist By Janelle Brown
The Juicy Couture tracksuit is the height of haute in L.A., a uniform for starlet and wealthy wannabe alike. (01/14/2003)

The death penalty: "Arbitrary and capricious"
Outgoing Illinois Gov. George Ryan provoked bitter controversy Saturday when he commuted the sentences of 157 death row inmates. In a speech, he explains his decision. (01/14/2003)

The Salon Interview: John Edwards By Jake Tapper
The 2004 hopeful tells Salon why he thinks he should be president -- and how George W. Bush is "the opposite of me." (01/14/2003)

The menace and mystery of North Korea By Eric Boehlert
The government of Kim Jong Il is threatening to build more nuclear bombs, and its rhetoric is growing ever more impatient. The problem is that nobody knows what Kim really wants. (01/14/2003)

Joe Conason's Journal
Bush's approval numbers return to pre-9/11 levels. Plus: Al Sharpton, the Republicans' best friend, Part 2. (01/14/2003)

Dying for love By Cary Tennis
Three weeks of delirious rapture, three years of tears. Now he's back, but the divine spark is gone. Time to move on? (01/14/2003)

Steve Case: Brilliant visionary or fumbling clod? By Andrew Leonard
I don't know -- I'll have to check AOL's stock price and get back to you. (01/14/2003)

The war against movie critics By Charles Taylor
So the editor of Variety thinks film criticism is pointless elitism. Does he speak for the moviegoing public -- or the Hollywood studio execs and corporate media bigshots who'd like to ditch the critics? (01/13/2003)

Jewels, fabulous jewels By Amy Reiter
Does Claudia Schiffer deserve 124 wedding rings? Backstreet Boy Nick Carter wants to get dirty and sweaty with you. Plus: Sorry, Darva Conger fans! (01/13/2003)

Nad Navillus: "Iron Night" By B.R. Bickford
Chicago-based guitar virtuoso Dan Sullivan delivers a dark, brooding but ultimately engaging avant-rock record. (01/13/2003)

"World On Fire" by Amy Chua By Michelle Goldberg
A new book argues that when Third World countries embrace democracy and free markets too quickly, ethnic hatred and even genocide can result. (01/13/2003)

Literary daybook, Jan. 13
Real and imaginary events of interest to readers. (01/13/2003)

This Modern World By Tom Tomorrow
The moon could come crashing down on our heads any moment -- let's destroy it now! (01/13/2003)

Double take
He was in love with himself -- both of them. Dr. Jekyll was hot; I had to dump deceitful Mr. Hyde. (01/13/2003)

Lance and Serena: The sequel By King Kaufman
When we disparaged the idea that Lance Armstrong could be named Athlete of the Year, many of you got very, very upset. Well, get over it. (01/13/2003)

Wishing upon a star By Michelle Goldberg
The left looks to Hollywood to help rally antiwar sentiment. Soap Operas United to Win Without War, anyone? (01/13/2003)

Joe Conason's Journal
Lieberman and Sharpton, the favorite Democrats of the Republican Party. (01/13/2003)

What's a girl gotta do? By Cary Tennis
I want a relationship but I hope that gender politics aren't really so crude that I have to act vulnerable, dumb and naive to attract a man. (01/13/2003)

Ask the pilot By Patrick Smith
Can we stop bombs in our baggage? And, how do pilots amuse themselves at 30,000 feet? (01/13/2003)

Reality TV's clone wars By Carina Chocano
Yeah, "The Bachelorette" and the rest of the next-gen reality shows are the mutant offspring of deformed parents. Sometimes that's better. (01/11/2003)

"The Son" By Stephanie Zacharek
This stylish Belgian indie convincingly pits a teacher against a teenager, but all the showy camerawork is a pain in the neck. (01/10/2003)

"Just Married" By Stephanie Zacharek
The groom is a doofus, the bride has genuine screwball talent, but there's nothing funny about a dead dog. (01/10/2003)

Eminem: The new Ralph Lauren? By Amy Reiter
Slim Shady turns Seventh Avenue style maven; can Lisa Marie fill Dad's blue suede shoes? Plus: "The Bachelorette" is heartbroken! And Liza washn't shloshed, sherioushly. (01/10/2003)

"Drumline" By Charles Taylor
The surprise of an overcrowded season, this rousing marching-band drama introduces a talented young director -- and packs a wallop. (01/10/2003)

"The Short Stories (Vol. I)" by Ernest Hemingway
Actor Stacy Keach reads from "Indian Camp," part of a new CD collection of unabridged Hemingway stories. (01/10/2003)

Literary daybook, Jan. 10
Real and imaginary events of interest to readers. (01/10/2003)

Letters
Readers respond to "The Chinese Discovered America!" and a review of "Fat Land: How Americans Became the Fattest People in the World." (01/10/2003)

Unwedded bliss By Sheerly Avni
One of the founders of the Alternatives to Marriage Project talks about the deep-seated American fear that shacking up will lead to the fall of Western civilization. (01/10/2003)

Letters
Readers respond to articles about abuse in the church, children in Israel and wayward psychics. (01/10/2003)

The joy of failure By King Kaufman
To err is human, which explains why the drones who run the NFL can't understand the beauty of an honest mistake. Plus: Divisional round picks. (01/10/2003)

Penalties! By Allen Barra
The visionary interference call that gave Ohio State the championship was an outrage. The noncall that ended the hopes of the N.Y. Giants wasn't. (01/10/2003)

Understanding Kim Jong Il By Laura McClure
He likes fast cars and fast women, he's been implicated in murder and terrorism, and now he's got nuclear weapons. But dismissing the North Korean dictator as crazy plays into his hands. (01/10/2003)

Joe Conason's Journal
A National Review writer journeys to the Midwest -- and gets lost. Plus: A very bad week for Bush foreign policy. (01/10/2003)

Unwanted advances By Cary Tennis
A married man among my tribe of friends is coming on to me. How can I get him to stop without ruining everything? (01/10/2003)

Remembrance of dot-com idiocy past By Andrew Leonard
At least Enron and WorldCom went down because of greed. But as James Ledbetter's "Starving to Death on $200 Million a Year" reveals, the Industry Standard pissed away a fortune out of mere carelessness. (01/10/2003)

Letters
Joe Strummer was a saint! And lots of bands are political, you idiot. Readers respond to John Schacht's "He Fought the Law (and the Law Won)." (01/09/2003)

The love that dare not shut up By Amy Reiter
Britney and Justin play post-breakup kissy-face; Fergie does it for hours with Clooney. Plus: Rock history, Avril style; Goran says no pelts, please. (01/09/2003)

Missy Elliott: "Under Construction" By Stephen Weiss
Missy has become one of the world's preeminent rappers and again scores the highest marks in flow, cleverness and style. (01/09/2003)

"Fat Land" by Greg Critser By Laura Miller
In America, fat and poor go together. A new book looks at why. (01/09/2003)

Literary daybook, Jan. 9
Real and imaginary events of interest to readers. (01/09/2003)

Tom the Dancing Bug By Ruben Bolling
Lucky Ducky continues his lucky streak. (01/09/2003)

Devout and defiled By Mary Papenfuss
While male victims of predatory priests dominate the headlines, abused girls and women suffer in silence. (01/09/2003)

Pickering a new fight By Michelle Goldberg
A defiant Bush renominates two judicial nominees recently rejected by the Senate -- including a Mississippi judge who shares Trent Lott's racial views and a Texas justice so stridently anti-abortion the current White House counsel once blasted her. (01/09/2003)

Republican moderates balk at Bush tax cut By Anthony York
Resistance from McCain, Snowe, Chafee and others could spell trouble for the president's radical proposal. (01/09/2003)

Joe Conason's Journal
The harrowing past of a top Bush judicial nominee: Civil rights opposition, commie hunting and a partner who publicly decried "queers, quacks, quirks, political agitators." (01/09/2003)

Inside the crazy clone cult Cartoon by Mark Fiore
They're nuts. They're rapidly replicating. And they're not at all who you think they are. (01/09/2003)

Letters
Readers respond to Cary Tennis' advice to the man whose girlfriend had an abortion without telling him. (01/09/2003)

Unable to fall By Cary Tennis
I date great women and they say they love me, but I can't love them back. I feel I'm living half a life. (01/09/2003)

Letters
Tax-cut folly: Readers respond to "Bush's Dividend Payoff" by Scott Rosenberg. (01/09/2003)

Fun with pig clones By Katharine Mieszkowski
Every porker is different, even if it shares the same genes with a litter of siblings. So forget about ordering a copy of your favorite faithful companion. (01/09/2003)

"Nicholas Nickleby" By Stephanie Zacharek
The latest Dickens adaptation is a bleak house. (01/08/2003)

"Two Weeks Notice" By Stephanie Zacharek
Even with a tired tycoon character and a lame script, Hugh Grant's wit and charm almost save this hit romantic comedy. But not quite. (01/08/2003)

The bad and the unbeautiful By Amy Reiter
Anna Nicole, fashion boob? Say it ain't so! Gwyneth plays it Cold; Nicole longs to be lured. Plus: Hugh Grant disses ex-Spice Girl. (01/08/2003)

"Love Liza" By Andrew O'Hehir
What do you do when your wife kills herself? Sit around in your underwear and huff gas like Philip Seymour Hoffman. (01/08/2003)

"The Voice of the Poet: John Ashbery"
The award-winning poet reads "Memories of Imperialism" and "The Underwriters." (01/08/2003)

"A Third Face" by Samuel Fuller By Charles Taylor
Director Sam Fuller killed a few men, got hassled by the NAACP and J. Edgar Hoover, and made violent, vulgar, glorious movies that always went straight for the gonads. (01/08/2003)

Literary daybook, Jan. 8
Real and imaginary events of interest to readers. (01/08/2003)

The K Chronicles By Keith Knight
What the auto industry should do. (01/08/2003)

Crystal bawl By Janet McDonald
I blew $700 on a famous psychic whose best talent was predicting my gullibility. (01/08/2003)

Football: America's favorite homoerotic sport By King Kaufman
A tight embrace in the end zone, a gentle head-butt, a slap on the fanny -- it's all just innocent celebration. Isn't it? (01/08/2003)

A note from Arianna Huffington
The Detroit Project, our campaign against SUVs, is big -- and getting bigger. (01/08/2003)

Joe Conason's Journal
The first Bush kiss-and-tell book: Does the president's ex-speechwriter dish dirt, or throw valentines? (01/08/2003)

Road outrage By Arianna Huffington
How corporate greed and political corruption paved the way for the SUV explosion. (01/08/2003)

Between football and war By Robert Scheer
There's something perverse about a nation engrossed in football while the drums of war beat persistently in the background. (01/08/2003)

Thought control By Cary Tennis
My boyfriend is loyal but I can't get over my obsession that he will cheat on me. (01/08/2003)

Voodoo economics: The sequel By Farhad Manjoo
Bush's vast tax cut will fatten the piggies in their starched white shirts and create huge deficits. But the spineless Democrats don't have the will to stop it. (01/08/2003)

"Some of these bootleggers, they make pretty good stuff" By Steven Hart
Bob Dylan's debt to the hidden industry that he (unwittingly) helped create. (01/07/2003)

National critics pick "The Pianist" By Charles Taylor
In a bewildering year that offers no clear Oscar favorites, the National Society of Film Critics spurns Scorsese, Nicole and orchids in favor of Roman Polanski's Holocaust drama. (01/07/2003)

Of bruises, pickles and strokes By Amy Reiter
Christina Aguilera plays rough; Joe Millionaire plays with a big bat. And Drew, well, she plays for keeps. (01/07/2003)

Godspeed You! Black Emperor: "Yanqui U.X.O." By Ross White
The Montreal-based indie rock collective delivers sweet violin sweeps and lilting guitars that give way to disturbing crescendos of feedback and distortion. (01/07/2003)

The Chinese discovered America! By Natalie Danford
Or did they? A dubious new book offers an object lesson in amateurish research, slapdash editing and publishing greed. (01/07/2003)

Literary daybook, Jan. 7
Real and imaginary events of interest to readers. (01/07/2003)

Story Minute By Carol Lay
Rael World: Raelians for the future. (01/07/2003)

Some changes
A letter from the editors (01/07/2003)

Is Israel too dangerous for children? By David Tuller
Robert Silverman wants his young sons returned to Israel. But in a decision with major repercussions for international child-abduction cases, a federal judge rules for his ex-wife, saying the country is unsafe for kids. (01/07/2003)

Bring back the draft? By Anthony York
Rep. Charles Rangel says yes -- the poor, black and brown shouldn't be the only Americans fighting and dying in Iraq. (01/07/2003)

Slouching from Bethlehem By Andrew Sullivan
Joan Didion's essay on 9/11 -- which criticizes Israel and complains that civil liberties are being curtailed -- shows an intellectual left in decline. (01/07/2003)

Joe Conason's Journal
Bush finds a new way to reward his corporate cronies, but even his sometime allies find his economic plan "just weird." (01/07/2003)

Mr. Marriage By Cary Tennis
I'm a 22-year-old virgin and girls tell me that someday I'll make a great husband, but I want a date now! (01/07/2003)

Bush's dividend payoff By Scott Rosenberg
The president's tax plan offers $300 billion for a handful of plutocrats, but pennies for the rest of us. (01/07/2003)

Ordinary people By Carina Chocano
With "Lance Loud! A Death in an American Family," PBS closes the circle on the legendary 1973 series that mesmerized the nation and prefigured reality TV. (01/06/2003)

Lopez denies wedding rumors
(01/06/2003)

"American Normal" by Lawrence Osborne By Stephanie Zacharek
People with the rare condition called Asperger Syndrome can be brilliant, but they're unable to read the human face or the simplest social cue. (01/06/2003)

Literary daybook, Jan. 6
Real and imaginary events of interest to readers. (01/06/2003)

Salon recommends
The Aztec cult of death and more of our favorite books. (01/06/2003)

This Modern World By Tom Tomorrow
The Christian Broadcasting Network meets al-Qaida. (01/06/2003)

Claws for alarm
When she heard his insanely long toenails click on the hardwood floor, she knew the love affair was over. (01/06/2003)

Letters
Readers respond to "Hard Rain" by Anne Lamott and "Through a Glass, Darkly" by Dr. Lynn Ponton. (01/06/2003)

George Bush's war on nature By Glenn Scherer
Republicans are pushing the most radical assault on the environment in modern times. But history warns of catastrophe for leaders who trust ideology over science. (01/06/2003)

Carey worn By Amy Reiter
Mariah sings the blues about her love life; John C. Reilly's a major fem fan; Julianne Moore finally settles down with her babies' pop. Plus: Brooke's pretty baby? (01/06/2003)

Joe Conason's Journal
More Confederate nostalgia from the GOP. Was the Lott scandal the end, or just the beginning? (01/06/2003)

Is it my fault? By Cary Tennis
My girlfriend had an abortion without my knowledge and it's tearing us apart. (01/06/2003)

How the media got the facts about Arctic oil wrong By Katharine Mieszkowski
Politics, media spin and plain old confusion have inflated estimates of the Arctic Wildlife Refuge's petroleum reserves, an expert says. (01/06/2003)

A postseason to remember? By King Kaufman
Will one of the wildest regular seasons in NFL history make for equally entertaining playoffs? Maybe -- but there's still something to be said for dynasties and villains. (01/04/2003)

Letters
Readers respond to "Sports Person of the Year: Serena Williams" by King Kaufman. (01/04/2003)

He fought the law (and the law won) By John Schacht
It was great to have Joe Strummer back, even if he sold "London Calling" to Jaguar. Now he's gone, reminding us that rock doesn't matter anymore. (01/03/2003)

Cody ChesnuTT: "The Headphone Masterpiece" By Dan Kois
L.A. crackpot genius ChesnuTT has created a lo-fi, genre-hopping double album that couldn't be more aptly named. (01/03/2003)

Literary daybook, Jan. 3
Real and imaginary events of interest to readers. (01/03/2003)

Hard rain By Anne Lamott
If you march against war, your shoes might get wet, but maybe fewer people will die in Iraq. (01/03/2003)

Sports Person of the Year: Serena Williams By King Kaufman
Lance Armstrong is racking up awards like this, which is preposterous. Salon sets the record straight. (01/03/2003)

Onward, Christian soldiers By Louise Witt
With its allies now controlling Congress and the White House, the religious right launches a crusade to cleanse America of sin. The first battlefield: Women's bodies. (01/03/2003)

Time magazine loves Dick Cheney. Americans aren't so sure By Eric Boehlert
The newsweekly gushes over the V.P. and the Bush administration in its year-end issue -- ignoring its own poll showing a major erosion in public support for the White House. (01/03/2003)

Hot Tuna By Allen Barra
Control freak Bill Parcells will burn out in his third year at Dallas. Plus: Pennington's the MVP, not Gannon. (01/03/2003)

Phish wraps New York Times By Amy Reiter
Note to paper of record: That wasn't Tom Hanks onstage with Phish; Dr. Melfi loves dropping towel; Maximus returnus? Plus: Eminem pleads, Don't love me to death! (01/03/2003)

Is virginity OK? By Cary Tennis
I'm 22 and wonder if I should wait for the right guy or just grab the next one that comes along. (01/03/2003)

Letters
The horror of seeing a "capital D looming into view," plus other reader responses to Andrew Leonard's "Lord of the Geeks." (01/03/2003)

Real Life Rock Top 10 By Greil Marcus
(01/02/2003)

The critic in winter By Bruce Bauman
The legendary American literary critic Leslie Fiedler talks about his encounters with Hemingway and Faulkner, his falling out with Bellow and which contemporary novelists will last. (01/02/2003)

Literary daybook, Jan. 2
Real and imaginary events of interest to readers. (01/02/2003)

Through a glass, darkly
Are our children destined to repeat the worst of us? Don't be so hard on yourselves, Dr. Ponton tells parents. And work toward change with your child. (01/02/2003)

Bush's illogical foreign policy By Robert Scheer
The nuclear threat from North Korea reveals the limits of the Bush administration's preemption doctrine. (01/02/2003)

Justin time By Amy Reiter
Timberlake finally spills about Britney: She cheated on me; Julianne Moore likes it better with women; Pam Anderson thumps Bible. Plus: Rowling outdoes Material Girl. (01/02/2003)

Sex toys on review By Karen Croft
From the Fukuoku 9000 to a Hello Kitty vibrator, gals test-drive the newest bedroom playthings and report the results. (01/02/2003)

Total Commercialization Awareness! By Katharine Mieszkowski and Farhad Manjoo
Al-Qaida online, Slashdot sells out and Yellowstone National Park gets renamed: Salon's top 10 technology and business predictions for 2003. (01/02/2003)