Bostonist tries not to comment on matters with no local connection, but something is bothering us and we have to bring it up. Listening to NPR this morning, all we could hear about is how U.S. forces have killed the leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi. There was endless analysis from all manner of experts on what this will mean for the ongoing conflict in Iraq and for President Bush, but there was one crucial question that no one seemed to be asking: Has anyone seen tenor Luciano Pavarotti lately?

Dead Zarqawi and living Pavarotti. Or is it the other way around?