Prologue: One night Jean Shepherd instructed his listeners, "Okay, open the window, put your radio on the window sill and turn the volume way down." Then you could barely hear him whispering, "Now, when I count to three, turn the volume all the way up. One, two, three...". I was a rebellious adolescent, and gleefully followed his instructions. Everything became quiet. Suddenly he shouted at the top of his voice: "YOU FILTHY PRAGMATIST!!!"...