October 2001

"The Man Who Wasn't There" By Andrew O'Hehir
Another cool, near-perfect puzzler from the Coen Brothers, this time a noir sendup. Ho-hum. (10/31/2001)

Michael Jackson scares me! By Carina Chocano
The wacked-out singer has a Halloween special that's a fright, but not the way he intended. Plus: Emeril loses 10 pounds of scary fat and, on MTV, a crazed fan is allowed to run amok, Mandy Moore style. (10/31/2001)

Embattled Hollywood Reporter columnist forced out By David Robb
George Christy, whose outside work put a trade paper into turmoil, leaving post he held for decades. (10/31/2001)

NBA, here I come Ranted by Cary Tennis
This year, I'm going to watch basketball on television. (10/31/2001)

"Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" Read by Jim Dale
Listen to an excerpt from the third book in the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. (10/31/2001)

Ghost writer By Suzy Hansen
Katherine Ramsland talks about her hair-raising experiences tape-recording the voices of the dead and photographing ectoplasm. (10/31/2001)

The K Chronicles By Keith Knight
They're in New York, fer chrissakes! Where are all the colored people at the firefighter and police benefits? (10/31/2001)

Why no one's going to watch the World Series this year By Allen Barra
Hint: It has nothing to do with the Yankees (who are going to win again). (10/31/2001)

The Muslim population riddle By Eric Boehlert
Hampered by Islam's relative newness in America, as well as political sensitivities, experts struggle and spar over estimates of the number of Muslims practicing here. (10/31/2001)

The sorrow of war By Damien Cave and Max Garrone
With every heartbreaking picture of innocent victims, more of the world turns against the U.S. bombing. But the American military has taken more care to minimize civilian casualties than any other armed force in the world. (10/31/2001)

Postcard from Bethlehem By Flore de Préneuf
After 11 days of siege, the Israelis have left behind ruins and broken families in the Palestinian city. (10/31/2001)

Stop Operation Enduring Avarice! By Arianna Huffington
The Republican "economic stimulus" plan amounts to war profiteering by the wealthy. (10/31/2001)

The coming repression By Robert Scheer
The so-called Patriot Act of 2001 means the end of American due process. (10/31/2001)

Gerson Borrero, freestyle ranter By Rachel Scheier
Politicians, get in line -- the fire-breathing editor of New York's oldest Spanish language newspaper will happily tear you a new one. (10/31/2001)

A man called horse! By Amy Reiter
Richard Harris, a real schwinger; the Paltrow broadcasting system; Kidman: Cruise is supercaliflabbergasting. Plus: Omigawd, Britney cops to cutting the cheese! (10/31/2001)

The rumor busters By Katharine Mieszkowski
At Snopes.com, Barbara and David Mikkelson debunk conspiracies and quash urban legends. Since Sept. 11, they've never been busier. (10/31/2001)

"Stuck in the Gulf"
By Damien Cave (10/31/2001)

"Bones" By Andrew O'Hehir
The hip-hop horror flick you've been waiting for? Nah, just another grotesquely uneven schlockfest. (10/30/2001)

"Donnie Darko" By Andrew O'Hehir
"Rushmore" meets "American Beauty" meets "Back to the Future" in this spectral, funny, amazing first film from writer-director Richard Kelly. (10/30/2001)

A Jew in the mosque By Suzy Hansen
A self-described "average Israeli" talks about his daring journey to pray with the Holy Land's Muslims and Christians -- and why Arafat cannot head a Palestinian state. (10/30/2001)

Story Minute By Carol Lay
New, improved fear! Buy into it today! (10/30/2001)

Lynda Barry
Empathy (10/30/2001)

Are Pakistan's nuclear weapons safe? By Nadeem Iqbal
Gen. Musharraf says yes. Seymour Hersh isn't so sure, and claims U.S. special forces are prepared to go in and take control should the Pakistani leader lose his grip. (10/30/2001)

We scare because we care? By Scott Rosenberg
If all our leaders can do is tell us to expect another terrorist attack, without any further clues or helpful information, maybe they should just shut up instead. (10/30/2001)

Roger Payne By Amy Standen
After fighting to protect whales for 30 years, the biologist who discovered that humpbacks sing still feels nothing but awe for the huge "impossible animals." (10/30/2001)

Big mistake, D-backs By King Kaufman
If you want to beat the Yankees in a World Series, don't win the first two games. (10/30/2001)

Now that's Lo By Amy Reiter
Lopez demanded huge trailer, fancy furnishings at 9/11 charity event; Backstreet's McClean cured of drink, modesty; "Seinfeld" sanitized for new America. (10/30/2001)

Airport security up in the air By Jake Tapper
House Republicans delay vote on bill, but will they keep airport security from being federalized despite the public's strong support? (10/30/2001)

Fooling around or falling in love? By Cary Tennis
Should my husband be grading me on my sexual performance? Should I get braces? Should I trust someone just because he pays his taxes on time? Cary answers all these questions, and more. (10/30/2001)

Search for bombs, not nail clippers By P. Smith
A commercial pilot says that security checks are laughably misdirected (10/30/2001)

Real Life Rock Top 10 By Greil Marcus
(10/29/2001)

Salon wins online journalism award
Investigative reporter Eric Boehlert gets nod for "Radio's Big Bully" series. (10/29/2001)

U2 elevate New York By David Talbot
Bono and his band stage an ecstatic Irish wake for a city that was never more in need of one. (10/29/2001)

An interview with Jim Crace
Books editor Laura Miller speaks with Jim Crace about his new book, "The Devil's Larder," a sumptuous stew of 64 short fictions about food and other objects of desire. (10/29/2001)

Chowing down By Laura Miller
Jim Crace, author of "Being Dead" and literary fiction's most eloquent atheist, talks about his optimistic embrace of the natural world, the art of lying and why half his new book is about food poisoning. (10/29/2001)

This Modern World By Tom Tomorrow
Once again, it's time to check in on... Parallel Earth! (10/29/2001)

Tuition-free, back-to-basics, inner-city private schools By King Kaufman
The new St. Louis Academies seem almost too good to be true. But their founders insist that failure is not an option. (10/29/2001)

The past as prologue By Russ Baker
Ramzi Yousef is in prison for plotting the 1993 World Trade Center bombing -- but we still don't know who he really is, who he might have been working with and what he could tell us about Sept. 11. (10/29/2001)

Getting high with the Sufis By Sean Kenny
A British journalist spends a night in a Pakistani graveyard with the drummers and dancers of Islam's Aquarian branch. (10/29/2001)

Sam Phillips, the Sun king By Alex Halberstadt
The first man to record Elvis talks about rock, racism and all-girl radio. (10/29/2001)

They're rich because they're good
Readers respond to recent articles on hating the Yankees, pet cars and Don DeLillo. (10/29/2001)

Sigh hard By Amy Reiter
Bruce Willis moonlights as a woeful bachelor; Bono and Orrin Hatch are buds! Plus: Nobody wants to dine with Jacko; and Kid Rock and Pamela Anderson with child? (10/29/2001)

Stuck in the Gulf By Damien Cave
Could Central Asian oil, piped through a rebuilt Afghanistan, wean the West from the Mideast? Chances are slim. (10/29/2001)

The loneliness of Russ Feingold By Jake Tapper
As the president signs the anti-terrorism bill, the only senator who voted against it speaks out, calling it "big government taking a big grab of power." (10/27/2001)

"K-PAX" By Charles Taylor
Kevin Spacey rises as an interplanetary messiah in this soggy -- although expertly made -- sci-fi Jesus movie. (10/26/2001)

Whaddaya mean, "We don't know about the box"?
Readers deliver a dizzying spectrum of interpretations of the mysterious goings-on in David Lynch's sexy, scintillating "Mulholland Drive." (10/26/2001)

"Ginger Snaps" By Charles Taylor
Canada. Werewolves. It's the smartest and funniest scary movie in a long time -- and a true feminist horror film. (10/27/2001)

Blue Glow By Joyce Millman
Salon's TV picks for Weekend, Oct. 26-28, 2001 (10/26/2001)

"The Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition" By Douglas Cruickshank
A gripping documentary tells the wrenching story of a 1914 polar expedition that was hell on ice. (10/26/2001)

"Life as a House" By Stephanie Zacharek
Forget about cancer -- it's weepy movies like this that are the real scourge. (10/26/2001)

"Trembling Before G_d" By Stephanie Zacharek
God or gay? The Orthodox Jewish subjects of this documentary want it both ways. (10/26/2001)

Premium for arts' sake
A short message from the Salon arts staff about Salon Premium. (10/26/2001)

"The Chronicles of Narnia"
Kenneth Branagh reads from "The Magician's Nephew," abook in C.S. Lewis' Narnia series. (10/26/2001)

Book lovers' quarrel By Laura Miller
Jonathan Franzen's dustup with Oprah exposes the deep rift between devotees of the "literary" and fans of the "popular." (10/26/2001)

An anniversary in prison and mom's payback
Readers weigh in on recent stories on a strange wedding anniversary, a kid leaving Mom for Dad and "A Memo to American Muslims." (10/26/2001)

Start the World Series without me By David Beers
Baseball's essential equation -- for every winner, there is a heartbroken loser -- is too much for me in these heartbreaking times. (10/26/2001)

Not so fast, Washington Post By Damien Cave
An expert says we really have no idea where those anthrax spores came from. (10/26/2001)

Is there war after bin Laden? By Eric Boehlert
If the al-Qaida leader is killed or captured, experts fear, support for the rest of the U.S. war on terrorism could collapse. (10/26/2001)

Homegrown terror By David Neiwert
Who's sending out anthrax? One possibility is becoming harder to ignore: The U.S.'s own far-right extremists. (10/26/2001)

In Cipro we trust? By Arthur Allen
A pre-Gulf War study showed that a combination treatment of antibiotics and vaccination is the best way to fight anthrax. So why is the government relying on one drug? (10/26/2001)

The high-tech bully By Walter Ellis
By reaching for the remote control instead of sending ground troops into Afghanistan, the U.S. is reinforcing its international image as the schoolyard bully, a British critic argues. (10/26/2001)

The Yankees in six By King Kaufman
There. I said it. The Diamondbacks have a shot, but not really. (10/26/2001)

Will Stone do "Stompanato"? By Amy Reiter
The divine Ms. Sharon is back on track; Geri Halliwell: Proud to be a virgin! Plus: Helena Bonham Carter, all-latex home wrecker? (10/26/2001)

Where was George? By Joan Walsh
Anthrax deaths, straying bombs and squabbling politicians -- every day, things get a bit worse. Meanwhile, the president promotes his pen pal plan. (10/27/2001)

Ripping yarns By David Thomson
If you are intrigued by the Jack the Ripper tale, go ahead and see the film "From Hell." But the book "The Women of Whitechapel" is better. (10/26/2001)

Down and out in San Francisco By Katharine Mieszkowski
The collapse of the travel industry is hammering the Bay Area's working class. But is a reformed welfare system still able to come to the rescue? (10/26/2001)

Is there an anthrax doctor in the house? By Chris Colin
Scoops are few and desperation is catching at the annual conference of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. (10/26/2001)

Through rain, snow ... and anthrax? By Katharine Mieszkowski
A postal worker talks about the realities of sorting mail in the new age of bioterror. (10/26/2001)

Blue Glow By Joyce Millman
Salon's TV picks for Thursday, Oct. 25, 2001 (10/25/2001)

Sex and the single Wolfgirl By Carina Chocano
Hey teens -- you think you have it bad? Here's a girl with real problems. Also: The VH1 Fashion Awards' celeb lineup: Hillary! Zoolander! The Donald! (10/25/2001)

The great benefit brouhaha!
DeRogatis bashes McCartney! Walsh bashes DeRogatis! Lipton bashes Jackson! Readers bash 'em all! (10/25/2001)

Kodak moments! By Bill Wyman
Big Tom barfs. Pam's butt jiggles. Lindsey writhes in pain. Memories are made of this! (10/26/2001)

The week in dirt Read by Amy Reiter
Resurrection of the Fonz? "Happy Days" takes to the musical stage. Plus: Christina Aguilera to show more skin, Bill Gates on "Frasier," Gandolfini's donut and more. (10/25/2001)

Twainmania By King Kaufman
The sleepy town of Hannibal, Mo., braces itself for a deluge of Twain devotees inspired by a forthcoming Ken Burns documentary. (10/25/2001)

Tom the Dancing Bug By Ruben Bolling
From shore to shore, Americans chip in! (10/25/2001)

Crystal is the customary gift. I got dog drool By Susan Musgrave
My husband and I celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary in prison, along with our 12-year-old daughter. (10/25/2001)

Dear Lance Armstrong By Jennifer Foote Sweeney
The U.S. Postal Service, loyal sponsor of your cycling exploits, needs you. And this time, it's not about the bike. (10/25/2001)

Bill Clinton speaks
In a speech made earlier this month at Yale University, the former president reflects on "the first great struggle for the soul of the 21st century." (10/25/2001)

The Taliban's ladies auxiliary By Asra Q. Nomani
A revival of conservative Islam among educated Pakistani women has many doing whatever they can to support the war against America. (10/26/2001)

Patriotic dissent By Robert Scheer
When we question our government, we help it make smart choices -- and show the world the strength of democracy. (10/26/2001)

Is Ariel Sharon on the verge? By Aluf Benn
U.S. support for the Israeli government is waning and the prime minister's strange bedfellows left-right ruling coalition is agitated. Will Sharon become the war against terrorism's first victim? (10/25/2001)

Why does my Yankee loathing run so deep? By Steve Burgess
Is it possible to love New York yet pause a moment to curse the Bronx Bombers and all their works? You bet. (10/25/2001)

He was never really a contender By Amy Reiter
Vince Vaughn spills all about the mysterious brawl; Britney gets grabby with Madonna; Keri Russell denies Red Hot love; and Cruz blubbers about Cruise! (10/25/2001)

The ideal lover By Robert Greene
A chapter from "The Art of Seduction" outlines how we can learn from Casanova how to fulfill another's fantasies. (10/25/2001)

Free drugs from your faucet By Mark D. Uehling
How did tiny amounts of nearly every drug under the sun get into our drinking water -- and what are they doing to us? (10/25/2001)

Blue Glow By Joyce Millman
Salon's TV picks for Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2001 (10/24/2001)

Bass instincts By Paul Lesniak
Photographer Paul Lesniak shoots the low end of the San Francisco jazz scene. (10/24/2001)

Benefit mania!
Readers respond to "Salt of the Earth," "Stop This Benefit" and "The Worst Benefit Concert Ever" (10/24/2001)

Harry Potter Read by Jim Dale
Prepare yourself for the upcoming movie by listening to excerpts from all four books in the series by J.K Rowling. (10/24/2001)

"Political Fictions" by Joan Didion By Charles Taylor
This cool, devastating look at America's empty political spectacles takes apart everything from Reagan's delusions to Clinton's impeachment. (10/24/2001)

The K Chronicles By Keith Knight
Another one of those father-son chats. (10/24/2001)

Lynda Barry
Exposure (10/24/2001)

When it's time to go By Allen Barra
Penn State's Joe Paterno has one more chance to retire gracefully -- even if he doesn't tie Bear Bryant's win record. (10/24/2001)

"Andrew Sullivan's Jihad"
By David Talbot (10/24/2001)

Postal precautions By Arthur Allen
After two post office employees die from anthrax, Cipro is handed out to more than 2,000 D.C. mail workers. (10/24/2001)

All terror, all the time By Arianna Huffington
With breathless reporting, rampant rumors and baseless speculation, the media's terrorism coverage is reminiscent of another absurd chapter in the Gary Condit saga. (10/24/2001)

Biblio-quiz: The Bible, the Quran or "Mein Kampf"? By Tom McNichol
Test your knowledge of three of the world's most influential books. Don't miss the exciting bonus question! (10/24/2001)

A Hello Kitty you can drive By Douglas Cruickshank
The future is pregnant with friendly, mood-sensitive cars. Fasten your seat belt, it's going to be a really, really cute ride. (10/24/2001)

Skin deep By Amy Reiter
Aguilera promises more flesh for her fans; Heche throws a tantrum. Plus: Timberlake's literary future 'N peril; and Bill Gates gets 15 more minutes. (10/24/2001)

Flunking the anthrax test By Jake Tapper
As bad news continues to pile up, Washington can't seem to get its act together. (10/24/2001)

Everything you were afraid to ask about "Mulholland Drive" By Bill Wyman, Max Garrone and Andy Klein
Revised and updated: The scary cowboy! The mysterious box! All that sex! We answer all your questions about David Lynch's latest outrage -- the weirdest movie of the year. (10/24/2001)

Blue Glow By Joyce Millman
Salon's TV picks for Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2001 (10/23/2001)

Salt of the earth By Joan Walsh
New York's finest got the party they deserved on Saturday night -- and if you don't think so, you know what you can kiss. (10/23/2001)

Stormy weather By Suzy Hansen
Floods, droughts, hurricanes and disease outbreaks -- an expert explains why climate changes give us yet another reason to find terror in the skies. (10/23/2001)

Bestsellers
This week's bestselling books courtesy of Powells.com (10/23/2001)

Story Minute By Carol Lay
Tales from the Afghan women's underground. (10/23/2001)

Payback time By Debra Gordon
My son is leaving to live with his dad. It is only fair -- and horrendously painful (10/23/2001)

"Love-bombing bin Laden"
By David Rieff (10/23/2001)

A memo to Americans By M.A. Muqtedar Khan
An Islamic scholar suggests that the roots of Muslim anger against the U.S. lie not in the religion itself, but in the political misery of its believers. (10/23/2001)

Disunited we stand By Richard Rodriguez
The jingoistic cries of unity since Sept. 11 are disturbing -- and fundamentally un-American. (10/23/2001)

Who speaks for African-American Muslims? By Eric Boehlert
Louis Farrakhan's bitter voice may get the most media play, but he represents only a sliver of black Islam -- and after Sept. 11, the more orthodox mainstream wants to be heard. (10/23/2001)

Don DeLillo By Jeffrey MacIntyre
America's premier novelist of ideas has long anticipated a world in which spectacle and terror would achieve totemic significance in our everyday lives. (10/23/2001)

Hail to the chief By Amy Reiter
Rose McGowan pants over Bill Clinton and his big hands; celebs rake it in for America; Molly Ringwald and an aging New Kid come back to the block, Broadway-style! (10/23/2001)

Rumsfeld takes no prisoners By Jake Tapper
The secretary of defense offers no B.S. -- and even less information -- for fact-starved reporters. (10/23/2001)

Boys will be boys By Cary Tennis
Our advice man holds forth on how to get a date before we all die, husbands who chew their tongues, how to put the thrill back in a marriage and why kissing is "yucky." (10/23/2001)

"The Instant Book That Wasn't"
By Elizabeth Manus (10/23/2001)

Blue Glow By Joyce Millman
Salon's TV picks for Monday, Oct. 22, 2001 (10/22/2001)

The worst benefit concert ever! By Eric Lipton
Forget the Paul McCartney show -- Michael Jackson's interminably long, incompetently presented Washington show hit a new low in charity. (10/22/2001)

"Stolen Lives" Read by Edita Brychta
After a fairy-tale upbringing as the adopted daughter of Moroccan King Muhammad V, Malika Oufkir was imprisoned in desert jails for over 20 years after her father's coup against the king's heir failed. (10/22/2001)

Fundamental problems By Max Garrone
Religious writer Karen Armstrong explains why Muslim nations have difficulty with democracy and the qualities that all forms of fundamentalism share. (10/22/2001)

This Modern World By Tom Tomorrow
Are we gonna let a bunch of right-wing fundamentalist wackos tell us how to live our lives? (10/22/2001)

Stand beside her By King Kaufman
Fearing a post-terrorism backlash, many Muslim and Arab-American women are afraid to leave their homes. Volunteers are helping to make them feel safe. (10/22/2001)

Afghanistan's land mine nightmare By Janelle Brown
Mines killed 1,100 Afghans last year, and injured up to 100 more a week. Now American ground troops head to a battlefield littered with 10 million mines -- and the conflict could leave more behind. (10/22/2001)

"Now it's really war" By Flore de Préneuf
With at least 24 Palestinians dead and several West Bank and Gaza cities under Israeli control, the fiercest military assault since 1994 shows no signs of abating. (10/22/2001)

The man with the naked piano By Douglas Wissing
Eric Rosser hit the charts twice -- as a member of John Mellencamp's band and as one of the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives, sought on sex crime charges. (10/22/2001)

Tony Soprano says Redford's a goodfella By Amy Reiter
James Gandolfini admits he's a donut; war with no end: Ono and McCartney. Plus: Drew Barrymore to take direction from George Clooney. (10/22/2001)

The instant book that wasn't By Elizabeth Manus
"9/11 8:48" -- the first book published about the terrorist attacks -- was print-on-demand. So why wasn't it available everywhere, immediately? (10/22/2001)

"Is It Time to Bust the Cipro Patent?"
By Anthony York (10/22/2001)

Stop this benefit! By Jim DeRogatis
McCartney, Jagger, Bowie et al. turn out for a benefit show that was long on schlock and short on facts and truth. (10/21/2001)

Andrew Sullivan's jihad By David Talbot
Since Sept. 11, the British journalist has declared himself the mullah of the media world, sitting in judgment of American writers' patriotism. (10/20/2001)

Memo to America: Get a grip! By Laura Miller
Led by the neurotic teeth-chattering classes, once-brave Americans are in danger of becoming Cipro-hoarding, gas-mask-buying wimps. (10/20/2001)

Can a TV show win the war? By Jake Tapper
The White House has enlisted John Walsh and "America's Most Wanted" to bring the appropriate "scumbags" to justice -- and provide resources the government doesn't have. (10/20/2001)

"From Hell" By Charles Taylor
The Hughes brothers' portrait of Jack the Ripper and Victorian England misses the intricate and disturbing nature of the graphic novel on which their film is based. (10/19/2001)

"Riding in Cars With Boys" By Stephanie Zacharek
Stop, pull over and step away from this Drew Barrymore vehicle. (10/19/2001)

"The Last Castle" By Stephanie Zacharek
Redford and Gandolfini have a battle of wills in this very manly prison movie from the director of "The Contender." (10/19/2001)

Blue Glow By Joyce Millman
Salon's TV picks for Weekend, Oct. 19-21, 2001 (10/19/2001)

Johnny B. Goode turns 75 By King Kaufman
A hometown crowd and some political heavyweights shower Chuck Berry with affection as he shows them what made him a giant of popular music. (10/19/2001)

Balrogs! Cave trolls! Hobbits! By Bill Wyman
Critics get to see a 25-minute preview of December's much-anticipated "Lord of the Rings" movie. (10/19/2001)

Practicing compassion
Nicholas Vreeland, the director of the Tibet Center in New York, reads from the Dalai Lama's book "An Open Heart," and Richard Gere reads his afterword. (10/19/2001)

"Our first line of defense" and "The Devil's playthings"
(10/19/2001)

Optional burqas and mandatory malnutrition By Janelle Brown
After spending 18 months studying Afghanistan, Dr. Lynn Amowitz reports that life under the Taliban is more brutal -- and more complicated -- than we suspected. (10/19/2001)

A would-be martyr By Asra Q. Nomani
Qaiser Nadeem, 20, longs for the day he is called to leave his video store and join the jihad -- fighting the U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan. (10/19/2001)

Journalist or bride? By Asra Q. Nomani
I get a marriage proposal, get compared to "Hanoi Jane" and plan a trip to Afghanistan on a prayer. (10/19/2001)

Bringing the war home By Damien Cave
Antiwar sentiment still runs deep in cities like Berkeley, Madison and Cambridge. But peace activists are being confronted by a strong wave of pro-war patriotism. (10/19/2001)

Love-bombing bin Laden By David Rieff
The peace-loving people of Berkeley believe that fighting evil makes one evil. (10/20/2001)

Terror cleansing By Chris Colin
Since Sept. 11, pop culture has been purging itself of anything potentially insensitive. But who decides what "sensitive" is? (10/19/2001)

Letters: White powder and supervillains
Readers respond to recent articles on anthrax alarms, Rumi translator Coleman Barks and the lighter side of Osama bin Laden. (10/19/2001)

Resurrection of the Fonz By Amy Reiter
"Happy Days" on its way to Broadway? Plus: Larry "J.R." Hagman -- I dropped acid, saw octopus-like creatures, feathered lions and my granny! (10/19/2001)

Love in the time of terrorism By Lillian Ann Slugocki
Please tell me that you were compelled to take a stranger to bed, then tell me that you will never speak of it again. (10/19/2001)

Blue Glow By Joyce Millman
Salon's TV picks for Thursday, Oct. 18, 2001 (10/18/2001)

When "Friends" screw
I mean, are they still "Friends" then? Plus: Back to "Gilligan's Island"; "Crossing Jordan"; "Third Watch"; and more! (10/18/2001)

This blood's for you! By Bill Wyman
Milk, it turns out, isn't the only potable fluid you can get from a cow (10/19/2001)

The week in dirt Read by Amy Reiter
All about Gwyneth Paltrow's naked butt and the "lyin', cheatin' scum bags" she loves. Plus: Eminem's new No. 1 fan and Benjamin Bratt's life without Julia Roberts. (10/18/2001)

Stephen King, go home! By Laura Miller
The master of horror should forget hideous other worlds and stick to refrigerator magnets. (10/18/2001)

Tom the Dancing Bug By Ruben Bolling
"America Back at War," starring Uncle Sam! (10/18/2001)

An end run to marketing victory By Lawrence H. Diller
Drug makers find ways to circumvent an advertising ban and promote psychiatric drugs for children (10/18/2001)

A memo to American Muslims By M. A. Muqtedar Khan
It's time for us to search our souls. How can the message of Muhammad become a source of horror and fear? How can Islam inspire thousands of youth to dedicate their lives to killing others? (10/18/2001)

The Arab baby boom By Eric Boehlert
Idle youth in the Middle East provide easy recruits for extremist groups -- and there are more every year. (10/18/2001)

Yes, they are cowards By Norah Vincent
Every couch potato in America would off himself instantly and painlessly if he thought he'd wake up in a Budweiser commercial on the other side. (10/18/2001)

The agony of American Jews By Anthony York
As conflict in Israel escalates in the wake of Sept. 11, hawks and doves debate whether forcing Sharon to negotiate with Arafat amounts to appeasement. (10/18/2001)

The crossroads By Flore de Préneuf
The murder of an Israeli extremist by Palestinian extremists pushes both Sharon and Arafat to the brink -- and threatens to doom the peace process. (10/18/2001)

Polled over Arianna Huffington
President Bush's 92 percent public approval rating has as much staying power as one of the snack packs dropped on Afghanistan. But the meaningless poll data has cowed the Democrats into silence. (10/19/2001)

White powder in my morning paper By Jessica Branson Oreskovic
What exactly happens when you report a possible anthrax exposure? One woman found out -- the hard way. (10/18/2001)

Loose lips By Amy Reiter
Liz Hurley, Nicole Kidman deny love interests; Puff Daddy keeps it real for plus-sized; 'N Sync's future: More friendship, less dancing. Plus: "Gilligan's" Ginger does complicated art! (10/18/2001)

Panic in the Capitol By Jake Tapper
Thirty-one Hill workers test positive for Anthrax exposure, and a day of conflicting reports ends with only a little reassurance. (10/19/2001)

Two blonds By David Thomson
"Mulholland Drive" will probably never be understood, but it can be experienced for the haunting, sexy dream that it is. (10/18/2001)

The genetically engineered pause that refreshes By Katharine Mieszkowski
Corn chips and sodas are just two examples of today's "Frankenfoods," says the author of "Dinner at the New Gene Café." (10/18/2001)

Is it time to bust the Cipro patent? By Anthony York
Activist Jamie Love accuses the Bush administration of putting corporate profits above public safety. (10/18/2001)

The Grateful Dead, alive again By Will Hermes
In a box set that captures the earliest (and best) of this problematic band, you can find a dark side that meshes perfectly with the times. (10/17/2001)

Blue Glow By Joyce Millman
Salon's TV picks for Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2001 (10/17/2001)

Don't touch that dial!
An overdose of CNN leads to a semipsychotic breakdown. (10/17/2001)

Our first line of defense By Laura Miller
An expert on public health talks about what America needs to fight a bioterrorist attack, why we don't have it and how stocking up on cipro is a danger to everyone. (10/17/2001)

The K Chronicles By Keith Knight
Now more than ever: Celebrate life's little victories! (10/17/2001)

Strength in numbers
A Salon Premium progress report -- and answers to frequent questions. (10/18/2001)

The decline and fall of the Yankees -- I mean, the A's By Allen Barra
Ancient arrogance beats the youthful variety -- this time. (10/17/2001)

The nation's last anthrax scare By Frederick Clarkson
No one paid much attention when abortion providers received letters supposedly tainted with anthrax in 1998 and 1999. Everyone's paying attention now. (10/17/2001)

Who do we bomb next? By Robert Scheer
If the president were serious about fighting terrorism, we would soon be attacking Saudi Arabia. (10/17/2001)

Honey, I blew up bin Laden By Merle Kessler
The U.S. Army has asked Hollywood filmmakers to brainstorm terrorist scenarios. Here's one the olive drabsters will be gung-ho to greenlight. (10/17/2001)

What Benjamin Bratt looks for in a woman By Amy Reiter
Julia's ex discusses earthiness, weightiness and colorblindness; Julia discusses bathroom autographs. Plus: Jane Fonda on acting doggie-style. (10/17/2001)

How did they get in? By Jake Tapper
Of the 19 terrorists implicated in last month's slaughter, 13 were admitted into the U.S. legally. The other six completely escaped the government's detection. Which of these two facts is more alarming? (10/17/2001)

Love among the ruins By Cary Tennis
Salon's new advice columnist addresses the perils of post-Sept. 11 romance, fear of being fat, a best man's toast that went too far and other scenes from the human dramedy. (10/17/2001)

Get rid of first class!
By Dennis Riches (10/17/2001)

The spam spoils of war By Damien Cave
Bin Laden toilet paper! Cipro e-mail! In the great American tradition, an army of entrepreneurs is trying to make hay on horror. (10/17/2001)

Blue Glow By Joyce Millman
Salon's TV picks for Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2001 (10/16/2001)

What's eating Macy Gray? By Joey Sweeney
And why is the stoner soul diva faking the freak? (10/16/2001)

"Sulphur Compound"
Electronic music by Vertical Cat, aka Dan Arthure, from Sulphur Records' new compilation release. (10/16/2001)

The Devil's playthings By Suzy Hansen
An author who traveled across the U.S. observing exorcisms talks about the strange things he's seen and the likelihood of demonic possession. (10/16/2001)

Bestsellers
This week's bestselling books courtesy of Powells.com (10/16/2001)

Story Minute By Carol Lay
A beautiful bottle of booze. (10/16/2001)

Untangling By Susan Hodara
The night of Sept. 11, my daughter approached me with a hairbrush attached to her head. (10/16/2001)

An epidemic of fear hits the E.R. By J.B. Orenstein
All it takes are a couple of news reports and a few spores of panic to contaminate the sick bay. (10/16/2001)

"At home with the Taliban"
By Asra Nomani (10/16/2001)

The "traitor" fires back By David Talbot
Denounced as a fifth columnist by the right, Susan Sontag blasts America's cowlike media and scaremongering leaders -- and says she fears that another terror attack could turn the U.S. into a police state. (10/16/2001)

"Islam: Religion of the Sword?"
By Richard D. Connerney (10/16/2001)

The bipartisanship bust By Joe Conason
It didn't take long after Sept. 11 for the Republican right in Congress to return to the business-as-usual of fattening the rich. (10/17/2001)

Art Howe By Steve Kettmann
The laid-back manager of the hard-charging Oakland A's does it his way, laconically and happily. And that drives his critics crazy. (10/16/2001)

Playoff picking, but not grinning By King Kaufman
Our writer boldly holds forth on the Yankees, the Mariners and the most hideous uniforms in baseball, and asks himself, "How many times can you be wrong about one team?" (10/16/2001)

At least the camera loves him By Amy Reiter
Eminem said to have acting skillz; Hanks digs 'N Sync; DiCaprio's girlfriend gets spooked! Plus: Michael Jackson's dad out to catch terrorists. (10/16/2001)

Get rid of first class! By Dennis Riches
Putting an end to preferential treatment for the jet set will help thwart hijackers and save the environment. (10/16/2001)

Real Life Rock Top 10 By Greil Marcus
(10/15/2001)

Blue Glow By Joyce Millman
Salon's TV picks for Monday, Oct. 15, 2001 (10/15/2001)

The week in dirt Read by Amy Reiter
Billy Bob Thornton keeps on babbling. Plus: Van Damme, Bruce Willis, Whitney Houston, Eminem and more. (10/15/2001)

Salon recommends
A New Yorker writer on militant Islam in Egypt, a sprawling literary science fiction novel and more (10/15/2001)

This Modern World By Tom Tomorrow
You're either with the Republican Party -- or you're with the terrorists! (10/15/2001)

Reckonings
Essays in the aftermath of Sept.11, 2001: Deep doubts, sharp turns in opinion, incredible longing for change. (10/15/2001)

Lynda Barry
Beat Poodle Poem #47,826 (10/15/2001)

"The American Bully Strikes Back"
By David Alford (10/15/2001)

Bin Laden as Lex Luthor By Gale Holland
There's something hauntingly familiar about the world's latest personification of evil, something with deep resonance in U.S. mythology. (10/15/2001)

Gwyneth: Sex, butts and scumbags By Amy Reiter
Her Paltrowness discusses men, her caboose and Affleck; Richard Gere on the terrorists' karma. Plus: Oh, Beyonci, behave! (10/15/2001)

"Why the U.S. Is Losing the Propaganda War"
By Eric Boehlert (10/15/2001)

The bid bombers of eBay By Gretchen Dukowitz
How a group of e-vigilantes, furious at profiteers attempting to cash in on the WTC tragedy, fought back. (10/15/2001)

The black sheep By Gavin McNett
A critic of Islam and the Third World, cranky, controversial and politically incorrect V.S. Naipaul is the most daring choice for the Nobel Prize in literature in years. (10/14/2001)

The anthrax vaccine scandal By Laura Rozen
Why did the Pentagon allow BioPort Corp. to remain the sole U.S. supplier of a crucial weapon against bioterror, despite years of failure to deliver the vaccine? (10/15/2001)

Peshawar protests peacefully By Sean Kenny
Friday, the Muslim holy day, is also a day of testing for Pakistan's Musharraf. (10/13/2001)

"Jihad jive" in Jakarta -- or the real thing? By Joseph Kirschke
As Islamic militants protest the American attacks, Indonesia's new president must decide how hard to crack down on the latest threat to her complex, fragile, far-flung nation. (10/13/2001)

The terrifying skies, continued By Bruce Shapiro
The same day Attorney General John Ashcroft blasts a leading airport security firm for hiring unqualified workers, the GOP insists on the private enterprise status quo. (10/13/2001)

EXTRA! Anthrax in the newsroom By Eric Boehlert
Bioterror dread spreads as the New York Times and NBC grapple with possible contaminations. (10/13/2001)

Anthrax attack -- or panic attack? By Arthur Allen
As suspected bioterror incidents are reported from Oregon to New York, medical experts fear the nation is on the verge of a nervous breakdown. (10/13/2001)

David Lynch's latest tour de force By Stephanie Zacharek
"Mulholland Drive," the ultraweird director's horror-show look at Hollywood, has a malevolent movie industry, debauched actresses and lots and lots of steamy lesbian sex. (10/12/2001)

David Lynch's Hollywood nightmares By Andy Klein
The uncompromising director talks -- a little -- about how ABC balked at his disturbing TV series, "Mulholland Drive," and how he brought it to the big screen. (10/12/2001)

"Bandits" By Charles Taylor
We wuz robbed! Barry Levinson, Bruce Willis and Billy Bob Thornton mix it up in a misfire of a heist film. (10/12/2001)

"Iron Monkey" By Andrew O'Hehir
With one dazzling fight scene after another, this Hong Kong actioner plays like "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" -- without all the wussy art stuff. (10/12/2001)

Blue Glow By Joyce Millman
Salon's TV picks for Weekend, Oct. 12-14, 2001 (10/12/2001)

Letters
Readers respond to Charles Taylor on "Our Monica, Ourselves" and William Ian Miller on cowardice and courage. (10/12/2001)

Letters
Readers respond to recent articles on war obsession, Middle Eastern cinema and the demise of America's invincibility. (10/12/2001)

Gentle epitaphs for lives interrupted By Jennifer Foote Sweeney
The "Portraits of Grief" in the New York Times give us a chance to be loved ones to complete, and wrongfully dead, strangers. (10/12/2001)

Arafat's bin Laden nightmare By Noah Sudarsky
When the Palestinian leader opened fire on his own street protesters, it was the latest volley in his long battle with movement extremists. (10/12/2001)

Bin Laden's creepy charisma By Joan Walsh
The Bush team doesn't want you to see his video. Instead of censoring him, why isn't the administration trying to combat his appeal around the world? (10/12/2001)

Brits love wars -- but ... By Andrew Brown
Support remains high for the war in a nation with a deep militarist strain. But attitudes toward Israel, Muslims and "terrorism" show some key differences with America. (10/12/2001)

Rumi: No. 1 in Afghanistan and the USA By Amy Standen
Translator Coleman Barks discusses the bestselling poet who's loved equally among Yanks and Afghans. (10/12/2001)

Letters: "Really, people, prioritize"
Readers respond to articles on yuppie terrorism anxiety and Rickey Henderson's brilliant baseball career. (10/12/2001)

See no evil By Amy Reiter
Van Damme proceeds with terrorist movie while Willis and Schwarzenegger hoist the white flag; "Survivor's" Rudy defends show. Plus: "E.T." de-terrorizes; and Eminem de-marries! (10/12/2001)

Bin Laden's diary By Tom McNichol
The terror leader reveals his innermost thoughts on his struggle, his mother, and his favorite infidel-produced TV show. (10/12/2001)

Memo to George By Bruce Kluger and David Slavin
Operation Hide Dick is working like a charm. (10/12/2001)

Nader attacks U.S. bombing campaign By Damien Cave
"When are we going to learn from history?" he asks a cheering San Francisco audience. "When are we going to learn that we can't bomb our way to justice?" (10/12/2001)

Love and sex By Karen Croft
Photographer Andrea Blanch asks Italian men to sit still, then asks them the hard questions. (10/12/2001)

A thousand and one e-mails By Katharine Mieszkowski
The Taliban has declared the Internet un-Islamic, but elsewhere in the Muslim world, going online is one way to avoid the censors. (10/12/2001)

Why the U.S. is losing the propaganda war By Eric Boehlert
Foolish decisions, nervous allies and not enough Arabic speakers mean Muslims around the world aren't getting America's side of the story. (10/12/2001)

Nü-metal sprouts a social conscience By Andrew Vontz
Disturbed preach a message of tolerance as their fans chant U-S-A, U-S-A. (10/11/2001)

Get me rewrite -- stat! By Carina Chocano
NBC's "Scrubs" is supposed to be the hot new comedy of the season. Now where did I leave that defibrillator? Plus: "Alias." (10/11/2001)

Blue Glow By Joyce Millman
Salon's TV picks for Thursday, Oct. 11, 2001 (10/11/2001)

Hyenas ripped my flesh!
"Survivor" is back, with Jeff Probst and suspense and very dirty water. Plus: The great cherry caper. (10/12/2001)

"Cuban Welterweight"
Music from Bows, the new project of Luke Sutherland, formerly the front man of indie rockers Long Kin Fillie. (10/11/2001)

Terror and cowardice By Laura Miller
An expert on courage explains why suicide hijackers are not heroic and why those who try too hard to understand them are craven. (10/11/2001)

Tom the Dancing Bug By Ruben Bolling
God-Man strikes back at terror! (10/11/2001)

Drafted into the cult of war By Chris Colin
I am not obsessed with the battle; I am the battle. (10/11/2001)

Can we rebuild Afghanistan? By Damien Cave
There is no Marshall Plan for this tattered nation, and the lessons of trying to fix Cambodia, Bosnia and Somalia aren't inspiring. (10/11/2001)

Islam: Religion of the sword? By Richard D. Connerney
Unlike Christianity or Judaism, Islam's religious history is inseparable from its conquests -- which is why the concept of holy war lives on today. (10/11/2001)

Dread comes to Pottery Barn By Andrew Nelson
As officials tell us to expect more terrorism, the nation's yuppies prepare. (10/11/2001)

Celebrity sex advice By Amy Reiter
Poehler: Never say "nice buns"; Seinfeld fights terror with potty mouth; John Cusack reborn as high roller; Eminem posse rocks bar mitzvah. (10/11/2001)

World's most wanted? By Jake Tapper
Bush and Powell list 22 fugitives -- and hope to give a jump-start to the FBI's program that targets global bad guys. (10/11/2001)

"Late Night Shopping" By David Thomson
Sometimes life is just keeping death at bay. (10/11/2001)

Blue Glow By Joyce Millman
Salon's TV picks for Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2001 (10/10/2001)

"Fat Girl" By Stephanie Zacharek
Two teen sisters seek lovers in Catherine Breillat's sexual -- but not sexy -- shocker. (10/10/2001)

Digging out from the psychic rubble By Cary Tennis
Turning to homeland security -- with the accent on home. (10/10/2001)

The K Chronicles By Keith Knight
Smokin' crack with God. (10/10/2001)

How Americans feel about their flag By Jennifer Foote Sweeney
In her book "Flag: An American Story," photographer Lauri Lyons documents our mixed emotions about the Stars and Stripes. (10/10/2001)

At home with the Taliban By Asra Q. Nomani
While U.S. bombs dropped on his country, a Taliban official and his two wives welcomed me into their living room and talked of marriage, music and his memories of dining in the World Trade Center's starry restaurant. (10/11/2001)

You just missed the best season of all time By Allen Barra
Barry Bonds had the greatest year in the history of baseball, and the media barely noticed. (10/10/2001)

The American bully strikes back
A reader responds to Gary Kamiya's "War Without End" (10/10/2001)

Girls and their gas masks By Arianna Huffington
Fears about biological warfare are breaking along gender lines. (10/10/2001)

Chapter 39: Monday, Jan. 29 By Alfred Alcorn
In which the story concludes, all the loose ends (except some) are tied up in messy, peculiar fashion, and you'll never guess who reappears, though not entirely. (10/10/2001)

James Woods: Soul of good cheer By Amy Reiter
Mr. Scary Guy gets scared; Drew Barrymore says wartime is unsafe. Plus: Leno -- autograph my hog! (10/10/2001)

Couples in crisis By Cole Kazdin
With their last breath people wanted to reach out and say, "I love you." (10/10/2001)

Havana online By David Lipschultz
In Cuba, black market Internet access makes it easier for prostitutes to get connected than doctors. (10/10/2001)

Blue Glow By Joyce Millman
Salon's TV picks for Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2001 (10/09/2001)

"Baran" By Stephanie Zacharek
Iranian boy meets Afghan girl in a Middle Eastern film that might make it out of the art house. (10/09/2001)

The awful truth By Charles Taylor
"Local News," a probing five-part PBS documentary on a Charlotte, N.C., TV station, is a bleak look at a possibly unsalvageable institution. (10/09/2001)

Taking it all off By Suzy Hansen
Lily Burana talks about what makes a great stripper, which men make the best customers and which songs to play when you're getting naked. (10/09/2001)

Bestsellers
This week's bestselling books courtesy of Powells.com (10/09/2001)

Plague fears By Suzy Hansen
A bioterrorism expert talks about the wicked ways of anthrax and the even deadlier potential scourge of smallpox. (10/09/2001)

Story Minute By Carol Lay
In a sea of flags flew a lone white dove. (10/09/2001)

Movies of the Middle East By Janelle Brown
Middle Eastern cinema provides a rich and complex look at a region that has suddenly moved to center stage. (10/09/2001)

Behind Musharraf's military shuffle By Nadeem Iqbal
When Pakistan's leader shoved aside some longtime allies, it signaled a tough new approach to the Taliban and Islamic militants at home. (10/09/2001)

Florida's eerie anthrax scare By Chris Colin
Biowarfare experts say the nation shouldn't worry that two men -- and now possibly a woman -- tested positive for exposure to the mysterious bacteria, but panic is proving contagious. (10/10/2001)

The first casualties By Sean Kenny
A 16-year-old Afghan food vendor whose foot was blown off by a U.S. bomb lies in a decrepit hospital in Pakistan. (10/09/2001)

A double standard on terror? By Robert Scheer
While chasing bin Laden, the U.S. is ignoring Pakistan's nukes, Saudi Arabia's Muslim extremism and its own attacks on civilians in Iraq. (10/09/2001)

Letters: Bring back the draft
Readers respond to Ann Marlowe's article about a compulsory national service that would go beyond legally required enlistment in the military. (10/09/2001)

Rickey Henderson By Allen St. John
Say what you will about his attitude, he walks the walk. And in the last few days he's walked right into the record books -- twice. (10/09/2001)

Playoff predictions By King Kaufman
Our writer bravely looks at the games ahead and calls 'em as he sees 'em (while crossing his fingers). (10/09/2001)

Playoff schedule
Starting times and probable pitchers for the Divisional playoffs. (10/09/2001)

Billy Bob babbles big-time By Amy Reiter
More deep thoughts from Thornton, Jolie and, uh, Alec Baldwin. Plus: Macy Gray gets candid about Jacko's face! (10/09/2001)

Bush scolds Congress By Jake Tapper
The president limits access to classified information in an attempt to plug leaks on Capitol Hill. (10/09/2001)

Saying goodbye By Charles Taylor
A stripper makes a farewell tour of America and says, "Stripping takes out of me things that I didn't even realize I had." (10/09/2001)

Suspicious minds By Eric Boehlert
Many Arab rulers would like to support the Western war on Osama bin Laden. But their subjects disagree, and have a laundry list of reasons why. (10/09/2001)

Blue Glow By Joyce Millman
Salon's TV picks for Monday, Oct. 8, 2001 (10/08/2001)

"Our Monica, Ourselves" By Charles Taylor
Eggheads probe some seldom-explored aspects of Clinton's impeachment -- class-hatred, anti-Semitism, fake prudery -- with insightful results. (10/08/2001)

This Modern World By Tom Tomorrow
An in-depth report from correspondent Wanda McDonald of Action McNews. (10/08/2001)

Why we signed up
Readers who've become Salon Premium subscribers talk about their decision. (10/08/2001)

The one war we can never win By David Alford
We aren't just angry at terrorists; we are furious that we are not immune to death. (10/08/2001)

Lynda Barry
Contemporary problems (10/08/2001)

Refuting Chomsky By David Horowitz
His defenders say I didn't come up with proof that Noam Chomsky distorts the truth. Here it is. (10/08/2001)

Watching the explosions from "Afghan Town" By David Talbot
Afghan-American intellectuals and journalists hope the U.S. is a rescuer, not a destroyer. (10/09/2001)

"Now, jihad has begun" By Asra Q. Nomani
From the living room of a close friend and advisor to Osama bin Laden, Sunday's attack seems like just the beginning of a much greater battle. (10/09/2001)

Palestinian rioters hail bin Laden By Flore de Préneuf
Yasser Arafat's security forces used tear gas, batons and bullets, but they couldn't stop students from welcoming the Saudi terrorist's support. (10/08/2001)

War and peace By Gary Kamiya
Our fight against terrorism gives the U.S. a historic opportunity to become a kinder, gentler force in the world (10/08/2001)

Taking to the streets By Sean Kenny
Protests in the capital of Islamabad are child's play, but it's markedly more violent near the Afghanistan border. (10/08/2001)

Chapter 38: Friday, Jan. 5 By Alfred Alcorn
In which Norman packs his revolver, an ice ax and doped meat and insists, "I'm going in. It's her only chance!" (10/08/2001)

Annals of an L.A. gig, or "job" By Karen Rizzo
I annotate movies. I do this so that "Sugar and Spice" isn't translated into Swahili as "Condiments, the Movie." (10/08/2001)

What cost air safety? By Jake Tapper
Flight attendants demand that flying be made safer, through measures like screening all bags -- but the airlines are resisting. (10/08/2001)

The devil is in Windows' details By Scott Rosenberg
It's the little things, like "registered file types," that allow Microsoft to maintain its monopoly. Will the court tackle them? (10/08/2001)

"The Mall Is No Place to Grieve"
By Margaret Storey (10/08/2001)

All quiet in Islamabad, for now By Sean Kenny
As the bombs fall, even protesters in Rawalpindi are outnumbered by riot police, but the crowds will grow as the day goes on. (10/07/2001)

The new talking World War III blues By Ellen Willis
On Bob Dylan's new "Love and Theft," the topical and the timeless merge with maniacal intensity. (10/06/2001)

"Joy Ride" By Stephanie Zacharek
In a new mordant noir from John Dahl, a terror-filled open highway is the star of the show. (10/05/2001)

Blue Glow By Joyce Millman
Salon's TV picks for Weekend, Oct. 5-7, 2001 (10/05/2001)

"Training Day" By Andrew O'Hehir
Director Antoine Fuqua finds the monster in Denzel Washington -- and in the process makes one of the finest cops-and-robbers thrillers of recent years. (10/05/2001)

"Serendipity" By Charles Taylor
Airy and enchanting, this romantic comedy works overtime to sprinkle moonlight and stardust over itself. (10/05/2001)

Rude awakening
Andrew Leonard, who reported on biological warfare in his article "The Invisible Nightmare," responds to his critics. (10/05/2001)

"Creating 'Many, Many Osamas'" and "The Wrong Man for the Job"
(10/05/2001)

Letters
Readers respond to recent articles on EMDR therapy, emotional damage in New York, alternatives to violence, women under the Taliban and the non-death of irony. (10/05/2001)

The first casualty By Joe Conason
The Bush administration told an outrageous lie that the president was a target of terrorists -- and Americans deserve an explanation. (10/05/2001)

Preparing for the worst By Anthony York
As war looms over Afghanistan, relief agencies are racing to stave off mass starvation -- inside and outside the ravaged country. (10/05/2001)

The unwanted By Sean Kenny
Hundreds of thousands of Afghans already live in squalid Pakistani refugee camps, where freshly made coffins lie outside carpenters' workshops. Can the world handle a million more? (10/05/2001)

Chapter 37: Monday, Jan. 1 By Alfred Alcorn
In which Diantha returns to the Eigermount, Norman follows, and his imagination starts working in feverish double time. (10/05/2001)

Sensationalism and overblown rock stars
Readers respond to recent stories on biological warfare, Bono's humanitarianism and the deeper meanings of "homeland." (10/05/2001)

Bring back the draft By Ann Marlowe
Compulsory, nonmilitary national service would keep our newfound spirit of national unity alive. (10/05/2001)

Why did the media delay its Florida recount study? By Eric Boehlert
The New York Times and other news companies say the Sept. 11 terror attacks made the timing inappropriate. But media experts now say enough time has passed. (10/06/2001)

Desire unbound By Graham Joyce
The surrealists were funny, poetic and deeply transgressional all at the same time. (10/05/2001)

The mall is no place to grieve By Margaret Storey
We are being exhorted to shop our way out of a recession. But to do so would disrespect our dead. (10/05/2001)

The fireball fades By Stephanie Zacharek
More patriots, fewer explosions -- everyone has an idea of how movies will change. What if they got better? (10/04/2001)

Blue Glow By Joyce Millman
Salon's TV picks for Thursday, Oct. 4, 2001 (10/04/2001)

Imagine there's no movie stars By Carina Chocano
David Copperfield and his hot new girlfriend do John Lennon. Plus: "Pasadena," loathsome "Married Man" and the funniest show on TV. (10/04/2001)

Terrorism is unhealthy for children and other living things By Joan Walsh
"The West Wing" preaches the obvious in its "bold" special episode. (10/04/2001)

"The Fourth Hand" Read by Jason Culp
In John Irving's latest novel, a TV reporter loses his left hand to a lion while reporting live from India. (10/04/2001)

The living and the dead By Donna Minkowitz
At 72, Ursula Le Guin returns to Earthsea to mend the wounds that have long divided her fantasy world (10/04/2001)

Tom the Dancing Bug By Ruben Bolling
Join the fun as we use foreigners as a source of amusing trivia! (10/04/2001)

The trauma to come By Lauren Sandler
A city reels -- and braces for the psychic fallout of its monstrous ordeal. (10/04/2001)

Ashes to ashes By Christopher Ketcham
As the Devil's smoke slowly drifts out of New York, fear and rage and madness walk in. (10/04/2001)

The mystery cure By Janelle Brown
A simple approach to treating trauma has had spectacular results in the wake of tragedies in Oklahoma, Bosnia and Littleton. Will EMDR help in New York? (10/04/2001)

More violence in Gaza By Flore de Préneuf
As the Bush administration comes out in favor of a Palestinian state, more violence in the region keeps the Israelis and Palestinians apart. (10/04/2001)

Thugs make unreliable allies By Robert Scheer
The United States should think twice before recruiting "gangsters of our own." (10/04/2001)

The return of Colin Powell? By Ben Barber
Ridiculed as the Bush administration's "odd man out" on the eve of the terror attacks, he has neutralized the hawks -- for now. (10/04/2001)

Airplane safety up in the air By Jake Tapper
A bill that would federalize thousands of airport workers stalls under some GOP and White House opposition. (10/05/2001)

President George W. Gore goes to war By David Talbot
Suddenly, the once-macho Bush White House is feeling everybody's pain. (10/04/2001)

The numbers By David Thomson
We are wise enough to believe in our unstoppable horniness. (10/04/2001)

The war on special interests By Damien Cave
Anti-terrorist fervor has upset the political apple cart: Long-entrenched lobbyists are suddenly being defeated and ignored. But will they soon resurface? (10/04/2001)

"Be Prepared" and "The Invisible Nightmare"
Readers respond to stories on bio-terrorism by Pamela Weintraub and Andrew Leonard. (10/04/2001)

Blue Glow By Joyce Millman
Salon's TV picks for Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2001 (10/03/2001)

Whither reality TV? By Andy Dehnart
So far, "The West Wing" is the only drama directly responding to the attacks. Will TV ever be the same? (10/03/2001)

The aftermath By Cary Tennis
We're filled with the clarity that comes after a punch. And we can't turn the other cheek. (10/03/2001)

"Dancing With Demons" by Penny Valentine and Vicki Wickham By Stephanie Zacharek
She drank, took drugs and walloped her (female) lover with a skillet, but Dusty Springfield was the pure, true voice of British R&B. (10/03/2001)

The K Chronicles By Keith Knight
What a difference a day makes. (10/03/2001)

The myth of Maris' asterisk By Allen Barra
The asterisk some gripers want to put on Barry Bonds is as imaginary as the one they put on Roger Maris. (10/03/2001)

When doubt is a moral responsibility By Norah Vincent
How to respond to bin Laden? Remember that peace won't necessarily save lives -- and war won't either. And don't listen to anyone who says the choices are obvious. (10/03/2001)

Terrorist or dissident? By Sandip Roy
Human rights in China, Chechnya and elsewhere could be a casualty of the global war on terrorism. (10/03/2001)

Chapter 36: Wednesday, Dec. 27 By Alfred Alcorn
In which takeout Chinese is ordered, but what's delivered brings forth a veritable satyr, and a frenzy beyond passion or love. (10/03/2001)

Poison on the mind By Chris Colin
Is panic the right response to the specter of bioterrorism? (10/03/2001)

Squabbling returns By Jake Tapper
Ashcroft seethes over Senate Democrats and the holdup over anti-terrorism legislation. (10/03/2001)

"The thin blonde line" By Anthony York
The online feud over Ann Coulter's firing by the National Review continues. (10/03/2001)

Be prepared? By Pamela Weintraub
Taking precautions against bioterrorism may not be as futile as you think. (10/03/2001)

The invisible nightmare By Andrew Leonard
Biological weapons are not that hard to produce, says a chilling new book written before Sept. 11 -- and they're getting easier all the time. (10/03/2001)

Blue Glow By Joyce Millman
Salon's TV picks for Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2001 (10/02/2001)

"Zoolander" By Stephanie Zacharek
Ben Stiller flashes his Le Tigre smile as a male supermodel gone bad. Silliness ensues. (10/02/2001)

"The Diamond Age" Read by Jennifer Wiltsie
In Neal Stephenson's sci-fi thriller a nanotech supercomputer known as "A Young Lady's Illustrated Primer" falls into the hands of an underprivileged girl whose life is about to change drastically. (10/02/2001)

The wrong man for the job By Laura Miller
John Dean talks about Richard Nixon's backroom maneuverings in the appointment of Chief Justice Rehnquist. (10/02/2001)

Story Minute By Carol Lay
Returning to normal. (10/02/2001)

The Taliban's bravest opponents By Janelle Brown
An underground resistance of Afghan women risks torture and execution to alert the world to the regime's atrocities. One freedom fighter tells Salon her story. (10/02/2001)

A new world order? By Michael Klare
Even former enemies are responding to America's call for a united front against terrorism. (10/02/2001)

The other battle to defend America By Arianna Huffington
While we're busy singing "America the Beautiful," the oil industry and other greedy pillagers are trying to pick our pockets and despoil our purple mountain majesties. (10/02/2001)

Hate -- and love -- for the USA By Asra Q. Nomani
My evening in a roomful of impassioned Muslim men was full of surprises. They looked me directly in the eye, though I am a woman. And they spoke of America as their hell, but also their heaven. (10/02/2001)

Bono By Brian Libby
Over two decades, U2's leader has evolved from heart-on-his-sleeve idealist to irony-drenched rock 'n' roll Liberace to hopeful pragmatist. (10/02/2001)

Politics in a post-Sept. 11 world By Jake Tapper
"Andrew," a Cuomo aide tells the Democratic challenger to New York Governor George Pataki, "what you have to understand is that they're going to run commercials with images of Pataki pulling out bodies." (10/02/2001)

National Review fires Ann Coulter By Anthony York
The conservative magazine says goodbye to the controversial columnist over her piece calling for converting terrorists to Christianity. (10/02/2001)

My date with Suzi Suzuki By Peter Davis
The surprises just kept on coming from the Japanese porn star who loves Navajo rugs, anal sex and her bichon frisé. (10/02/2001)

Wanted: Your name and number By Katharine Mieszkowski
The hijackers in the terrorist attacks were masters of identity theft. Now lawmakers are worried about copycat persona stealing. (10/02/2001)

Mixed messages By Eric Boehlert
Even as the White House urges consumers to start spending confidently again, it is warning that more terror lies in wait. (10/02/2001)

Blue Glow By Joyce Millman
Salon's TV picks for Monday, Oct. 1, 2001 (10/01/2001)

Real Life Rock Top 10 By Greil Marcus
(10/01/2001)

First he takes Manhattan By Charles Taylor
John Simon, Part 2, and other tales from the New York Film Festival. (10/01/2001)

Why America napped By Suzy Hansen
David Halberstam talks about the prosperity of the '90s, when America thought it could afford to ignore the world -- and what we'll do now that we've woken up. (10/01/2001)

This Modern World By Tom Tomorrow
We must dismantle our democracy in order to save it. (10/01/2001)

News coverage worth the price
(10/02/2001)

A plane, an explosion By Gabriel Olds
Flying again is scary and tender and sticky. (10/01/2001)

A farewell to stilettos By Jori Finkel
Gone are the tyranny of heels and the fantasy of women immobilized by fashion. (10/01/2001)

The Iran card? By Max Garrone and Anthony York
The complex nation whose leader once called America "the Great Satan" -- and whose people cheer our soccer teams -- may play an increasingly important role in American strategic planning. (10/02/2001)

Letters: Were we unfair to CAIR?
The Council on American-Islamic Relations calls Jake Tapper's report "shoddy"; Tapper responds. (10/01/2001)

The dangers of silencing disagreement By Tom Gutting
A Texas journalist speaks out after being fired for criticizing President Bush. (10/01/2001)

Chapter 35: Sunday, Dec. 25 By Alfred Alcorn
In which Diantha returns home, gives Norman an earful about Freddie, and a merry little Christmas is had by all. (10/01/2001)

Move over "Heartland," here comes "Homeland" By Leslie Savan
The name of the new Cabinet-level agency sounds old-fashioned and cozy, promising to bring back the life we fear we lost, but it also evokes less comforting images. (10/01/2001)

Hugh can't always get what you want By Amy Reiter
Grant out of "Harry Potter" film. Plus: Every musician who ever played scheduled to do benefits; Shirley MacLaine generous, kooky; Cat Stevens jumps on the donation train. (10/01/2001)

Cybersquatting among the ruins By Bryan Geon
Before the second tower collapsed, the domain name land grab was already underway: From wtccollapse.com to nukeafghanistan.net. (10/01/2001)