View from the Top
On the Cover: Dowser, a painting and collage by Jordan Isip.
Meditation Moment: An excerpt from Be Generous by David Marell.

Esteemed Reader: Jason Stern reads between the headlines.
Department of Corrections: Our apologies, corrections.
Letters: Readers respond to last month’s interview with Professor Joel Kovel.

Backbone
Lucid Dreaming: Works and Days. Beth E. Wilson on sculptor Pamela Wallace.
Life in the Balance: Buyer, Be (A)ware. Susan Piperato visits Hawthorne Valley Farm.

Frankly Speaking: TAt Your Service. Frank Crocitto agrees to lasso the moon.
Ear Whacks: Soungs in the Round preview. CD Reviews. Nightlife Highlights.
Quarter to Three: Shoemometer. Musings by Sparrow.

Planet Waves: State of Denial. By Eric Francis. Plus Horoscopes.
Poetica: Poems by David F. Van Develder, Atar Hadari, Polly Kalbouss, Will Nixon, and John Sipowicz.

The Book Shelf
One True Sentence Before Lunch: Pauline Uchmanowicz profiles Gail Godwin.
Book Reviews: You Are Here by Wesley Gibson, The Bad Man by Dennis Doherty, Land in the Sky by Ellen Sheedy.

News & Politics
The Battle Over the Pledge: Elisabeth Sifton analyzes the current Supreme Court case concerning whether the phrase “under God” belongs in the Pledge of Allegiance
Serving Up the New Democracy: Lorna Tychostup reports from Iraq.

Feature
Messing With the Masterpiece: Lorrie Klosterman’s report of the state of pollution in the Hudson Valley. Part one of a two-part series.

Community Notebook
Banns & Circuses: Amanda Bader interviews New Paltz Mayor Jason West.

Tastings
From Sap to Syrup: Jennifer Wai-Lan Huang taps into local maple sugaring.

Whole Living Guide
Irresistible Pull: Lorrie Klosterman investigates the attraction to magnet therapy.

The Art of Business
Political Knockout: Mala Hoffman profiles Leslie Gabriel of VoteBushOut.biz.

Parting Shot
Ali: A 4x5 digital image by Theresa Ortolani.