Pity the poor bore. He stands among us as a creature formidable and fa- miliar yet in essence unknowable. We can read of the ten infallible signs whereby he may be recognized and of the seven tested methods whereby he may be rebuffed. Valu- able monographs exist upon his dress and diet; the study of his mat- ing habits and migrational routes is well past the speculative stage; and statistical studies abound. One out of 312 Americans is a bore, for instance, and a healthy male adult bore consumes...