This month's featured articles

Features Armed & Dangerous? Pat Jordan, a pistol strapped to his hip, tests the limits of open-carry laws in towns near Atlanta. If a man walked into your workplace, a bar or shop or even strolled down the street packing heat, would you feel more secure or would you run away? The Underground Casinos of Paris Adam Levin explores the discreet gambling parlors of the celebrated city. The playmate as Pop Art Forty-five years ago we asked 11 artists for their takes on the classic Centerfold. Critic Dave Hickey examines the meaning of the works then and now. Thy Neighbor’s Life Philosopher Slavoj Iek questions why so many Americans concern themselves with the “bad” habits of others. Bionic Man Steven Kotler shares an extraordinary story of modern technology. Outlaw Economists The neoclassicists say they have it figured out. But Tim Schultz notes that some rebellious disciples of the dismal science beg to differ. Fiction Vlad An exiled Balkan count asks for assistance in securing a new mansion. The Mexican novelist Carlos Fuentes weaves a horrifying tale of what lies within. Cover Story Our Rabbit is naturally footloose and fancy free, so it’s unusual to see him presenting a knotty problem for a beautiful woman such as newly crowned PMOY Jaclyn Swedberg. We knew our hare was afoot when we saw Jaclyn nearly undressed—and cool Mansion grass between the toes is how he rolls.

Pictorials Desert Fox Photographer Brian Bowen Smith and stunning Danish model Stephanie Corneliussen create dusty, lusty memories on a dry lake bed in the Mojave. Columns Jocks vs. Nerds: A Peace Plan Joel Stein tries to end the conflict between two classic male subsets. Why Your Sex Tape Sucks There’s a reason beautiful people have sex on camera, says Lisa Lampanelli, while you do it in the dark. Playboy Forum Rules of Attraction How much of the way we relate to one another is automatic and how much do we control? That essential question, writes physicist Leonard Mlodinow, is being pursued in the new field of social neuroscience. The Long Arm of Uncle Sam Seventy years ago, the government forced a Dayton farmer to pay a fine for growing too much wheat. Chip Rowe revisits the case, which mirrors the debate over compelling Americans to buy health insurance. News & Notes The World of Playboy Bruno Mars plays the Mansion; Hef is honored for his work saving the famous Hollywood sign; Man + Machine mixes music and fashion at a preshow Grammys party; toasting gods and goddesses. Sex, Sound, Speed Playmates and celebs groove to Cirque du Soleil’s Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour in L.A.; Playboy Mexico circles the competition at the Festival Ferrari in Mexico City; Quincy Jones, Johnny Knoxville, Chris Tucker and other famous faces at the release party for our Sex & Music issue.