Nothing says you're working like a 'net-connected laptop, turned on in front of you, right out there in public. It's a totem of your productivity, a sign of your dedication to society's larger goals, a manifestation of your never-ending pursuit of more instant knowledge. In certain circumstances, it's also a powerful counterweight to the impression left by the other items within your reach: a can of Natty Boh, a large shot of Pikesville rye whiskey, and a mug of coffee. At the Mount Royal Tavern on a Sunday afternoon, the laptop unapologetically declares that you work, you party, and today you're doing both.