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!

The Vine: November 3, 2006
November 3, 2006 · No Comment

Dear Sars,
I’m pretty embarrassed to be asking this question, but it’s been on the back of my mind for awhile now.
I think I stink.
Not terribly, I just don’t think I smell particularly nice. I …

The Vine: November 2, 2006
November 2, 2006 · No Comment

Dear Sars:
I love your site and think that you give great practical advice in the
Vine column.I do have some thoughts regarding your response to the woman who wanted
to sell the excess children’s clothing that her …

The Vine: November 1, 2006
November 1, 2006 · No Comment

Hi, Sars —
Actually, germs do rinse off.Studies have shown that
washing with tap water alone is as effective (in terms
of the decrease in bacteria and virus counts) as
washing with soap and water.This review paper
summarizes a number …

The Vine: October 31, 2006
October 31, 2006 · No Comment

Sars,
I used to work for a jewelry company and helped several customers remove
rings that they decided they didn’t want to buy — after trying them on and
finding themselves unable to get them off. Here are …

Last Tango At Netflix
October 30, 2006 · No Comment

Marlon Brando’s Netflix Queue
Alive
Attack of the Killer Tomatoes
Big
Big Night
The Breakfast Club
Chicken Run
Children of the Corn
Chocolat
Cool Hand Luke
Dinner Along The Amazon
Duck Soup
Eating Raoul
Fat Man and Little Boy
Freaks
Hamburger Hill
Heavy Metal
Home Fries
The Hunger
I Am The Cheese
James and the …

The Vine: October 27, 2006
October 27, 2006 · No Comment

Sars,
I feel like I should be coming up with some clever
introduction like most people do, but frankly I just
don’t have the energy.
My mom has cancer and has been told that she has less
than six months …

The Vine: October 26, 2006
October 26, 2006 · No Comment

Dear Sars,
I’m an American who’s been living in Britain for over two years, so I can give a little advice to Goin’ Overseas about CVs. A good website to look at is www.handsoncv.co.uk. The site …

The Vine: October 25, 2006
October 25, 2006 · No Comment

I coach colorguard myself, so I know how hard it is to find music that
works.I have two suggestions. Check out some of Trans-Siberian
Orchestra’s non-Christmas stuff.They have some classical medlies that are
pretty awesome.Personally, I’ve always wanted …

The Vine: October 24, 2006
October 24, 2006 · No Comment
The Vine: October 24, 2006

One more invaluable baseball book that I recommend to people who aren’t diehard fans is Lords of the Realm: The Real History of Baseball by John Helyar.It’s over ten years old now, but it gives …

Three Things I’ll Never Do Again
October 23, 2006 · No Comment

1. Pick up a dreaming cat
You can pick up a sleeping cat, although I would not advise picking up a sleeping cat of mine without memorizing the manual first, specifically the parts which advise you …