But the political formula perfected by Mr. Clinton and Mr. Blair has one thing in common with that of Mr. Reagan and Mrs. Thatcher, namely its sense of optimism.

Despite Sum 41's tongue-in-cheek obsession with heavy metal imagery, the group's songs hew to the quick-and-bratty formula perfected by the Descendents in 1982.

The exhibition points out: "The literary formulas and publishing strategies perfected in this period still play a role in the business of best sellers."

Mixing travelogue, history, personal essay and social criticism, she follows the loose formula perfected in two previous collections of magazine pieces and adapted versions of her appearances on public radio's "This American Life," where she is a regular.

Most important for the fledgling fiction writer he recommends not trying to imitate the popular formulas perfected by anybody else.

Holding fast to the movie-of-the-week formula perfected by Lifetime Television, the director, Jag Mundhra, leads us daintily through his heroine's arrest, trial and subsequent sentencing to life imprisonment.

While some tracks ("Promised You a Miracle", "Colours Fly and Catherine Wheel") continued the formula perfected on Sons and Fascination, other tracks ("Someone Somewhere in Summertime", "Glittering Prize") were undisguised pop.

Despite a few mocking Judas Priest-style codas, Sum 41's songs hew to the quick-and-bratty formula perfected by the Descendents in 1982.