This column has a soundtrack, and you might know the one. Imagine yourself in the North Woods on a summer night, next to a clear, quiet lake. Now listen for the haunting calls of a common loon ...

"That's it!" I exclaimed, tossing the remote control on the couch. "One more misplaced loon and I'm going to ..." - well, write an article. The straw that broke the camel's back was the movie "Platoon ...

The loon call is a common sound effect. But for me, hearing the loon in the middle of a show is jarring, because it's so distinct and my own memories of it are so clear. No doubt this is a common ...