You've all seen the New York Times TV spots, where one comely Yuppie after another steps forward to testify to the section of the ever-shrinking Weekend editions of the paper that infuses his or her high-consumption life with a roseate sense of well-being. The refrain of the ad underscores the social utility of this sense of plugged-inness: "Join the conversation," the voiceover coos, even though conversing with these pasteboard ingenues is just about the last thing any sane American would care to do. READ MORE