Martin Schneider writes:

A new issue of The New Yorker comes out tomorrow. Here is a description of its contents.

Jeffrey Toobin profiles the newly appointed junior senator from Illinois, Roland Burris, and examines the scandal surrounding his appointment to the Senate by disgraced Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich.

Ron Chernow traces the evolution of the Ponzi scheme, from Charles Ponzi's postal-coupon racket to Bernard Madoff's money-management fraud.

Keith Gessen chronicles the trial this winter, in Moscow, of the men accused of organizing and abetting the murder, on October 7, 2006, of the Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya.

Hendrik Hertzberg looks at how eliminating the payroll tax could help to stimulate the economy.

There is a short story by Tessa Hadley.

John McPhee on the history of lacrosse and how it is played today.

Dan Chiasson reviews Daniel Mendelsohn's new translations of C. P. Cavafy's poetry.

Paul Goldberger visits the new stadiums for the Yankees and the Mets.

John Lahr delves into the past with Moisés Kaufman's 33 Variations and Noël Coward's Blithe Spirit.

Joan Acocella observes puppetry onstage in New York.

Anthony Lane reviews Tokyo Sonata and The Great Buck Howard.