COOL

A comprehensive definition of what constitutes cool may be elusive-as Louis Armstrong once said of jazz, Man, if you gotta ask, you'll never know. But in preparing our second annual Cool issue, we came up with this working formula: cool = hot + x - hype, with x being that indefinable something-style, attitude, class-that has the power to swing the thermostat of popular culture. This year's special double issue is divided into three categories: Cool People, Cool Places, and Cool Things. We've identified cool actors and singers, of course, but we also report on Hollywood's coolest corpse. We've scoped out cool from concert stage to discount store. We've spotted it in fashion trends and a secret film project. Once again, we present our Cold Page-a chilling reminder of how easy it is to freeze over. And this year we've identified a new cultural climate zone, wherein roam the Cool Uncool. Finally, a warning: This whole list could blow over by next year, depending on the prevailing winds. So dress appropriately.