Baseball

“I wrote 63 songs this year. They’re all about Jeter.” Just kidding. The game we love, the players we hate, and more.

Culture and Criticism

From Norman Mailer to Wendy Pepper — everything on film, TV, books, music, and snacks (shut up, raisins), plus the Girls’ Bike Club.

Donors Choose and Contests

Helping public schools, winning prizes, sending a crazy lady in a tomato costume out in public.

Stories, True and Otherwise

Monologues, travelogues, fiction, and fart humor. And hens. Don’t forget the hens.

The Vine

The Tomato Nation advice column addresses your questions on etiquette, grammar, romance, and pet misbehavior. Ask The Readers about books or fashion today!

Contest: Tuba-to Nation
October 23, 2009 · 34 Comments

110K is just over that next rise — $107,329 right now. We can make that by Sunday, right?   Hell, we can make that today.   The more we raise by Sunday, the more we …

The End Of Side A = The End Of An Era
October 22, 2009 · 53 Comments
The End Of Side A = The End Of An Era

What ever happened to Toad The Wet Sprocket? You know, the “All I Want” band from the ’90s?
…No? “Walk On The Ocean”? Not ringing a bell?
I’d forgotten I even owned that album until iTunes DJ …

Contest: Mac Attack
October 22, 2009 · 7 Comments

$104,291. What a week — and it’s not even over yet.
And we’ve got what looks like a sizable match on the horizon, too.   Don’t forget: based on what we’ve raised by Sunday 25 October, …

The Vine: October 21, 2009
October 21, 2009 · 87 Comments

Sarah:
I’ve just been referred to you for help.
Can you please help me identify the Woody Allen film in which a particular scene appears? Here goes. In an attempt to become/seem less Jewish, Woody throws bologna …

Contest: Why We Fight
October 21, 2009 · 27 Comments
Contest: Why We Fight

Perhaps you remember Mr. K, who asked donors to give his students the bird — for his hands-on geometric origami unit.   We funded his project on 2 October, so to tell you the truth, …

Contest: Six Figures
October 21, 2009 · 19 Comments

Should happen in just a few minutes; $99,815 as I write this. Congratulations and thanks to all of you (and Asirda, who’s an inspirational strategist as well as a generous matcher).
We’ve still got some work …

Contest: Yippee-Ky-Ay, Awesome Readers
October 21, 2009 · 24 Comments

90K: A Short, Yelly Play by Sarah and Asirda
Asirda: “SERIOUSLY WHAT THE HELL?”
Sarah: “OH MY GOD RIGHT?”
…$90,000.   Shortly: $98,000.   A 6K gap closed in about 6 hours.
Please take a moment to think about …

Contest: Pushing 90
October 20, 2009 · 87 Comments
Contest: Pushing 90

Everybody listen up: I HAVE AWESOME MATCH NEWS.
Bulletin #1: The Great And Powerful Asirda is so impressed (and touched) by your accomplishments thus far that she’s become inspired to increase the amount of her next …

The League Championship Serieseseses: Discuss
October 20, 2009 · 50 Comments
The League Championship Serieseseses: Discuss

1. Jessica thinks Mark Teixeira is kinda fug.   I disagree, but he used to seem a lot cuter; he looks like he gained some weight in the face or something.   Joe R and …

Contest: Boogie Shoes
October 20, 2009 · 19 Comments
Contest: Boogie Shoes

Well, well, well.   $81,274! The thanks of a grateful Nation go to $ and His Mysterians for the 5K match we got at $75,000 — and of course to all 740 of you who …