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!

Introducing “Revolting Snacks of America: A Field Guide”!
April 19, 2011 · 24 Comments
Introducing “Revolting Snacks of America: A Field Guide”!

Above, a clump of Choco Balls. Yes, “really.”
Join the disgusting fun at Bunting Alimentary Research Foundation HQ — bookmark Revolting Snacks of America: A Field Guide today! But…not at lunchtime!

Save The Day: April 19
April 19, 2011 · 21 Comments
Save The Day: April 19

9 PM update
As you’ve probably seen, the DonorsChoose.org site is rolling out a new interface. We might face a bug or two in the next couple of days, but don’t forget that you can always …

Save The Day: April 18
April 18, 2011 · 16 Comments
Save The Day: April 18

1:45 PM update
$101,650 — hang in there!
And I’ve got a $20 Barnes & Noble gift card for one lucky winner — just forward your receipt from any project on the leaderboard by midnight ET tonight …

Save The Day: April 17
April 17, 2011 · 9 Comments
Save The Day: April 17

11 AM update
Thanks in part to our anonymous matching friend — and to you, the mighty Nation — we’ve gotten to $97,807. Breathtakingly close to 100K! Outstanding work, especially over a weekend!
Let’s continue towards 100K: …

Save The Day: April 16
April 16, 2011 · 6 Comments
Save The Day: April 16

11:30 AM update
Happy weekend, my heroic friends. For those of you frantically preparing your tax returns, take heart: we’re at $93,801! We could hit that 95K match today if you can get a friend (or …

The Vine: April 15, 2011
April 15, 2011 · 22 Comments
The Vine: April 15, 2011

My parents are having trouble cleaning their favorite chair. The small dog of the house long ago staked out the top of the headrest (by my dad’s head) as his place of rest, and now …

Save The Day: April 15
April 15, 2011 · 26 Comments
Save The Day: April 15

1:45 PM update
$91,176 — we’ll get to 95K in no time! Please consider celebrating Ukiah’s birthday with a donation today; the link to his Giving Page is below.
And now, a little halfway-mark love…
You guys, I’m …

Squared Up: Case Closed
April 14, 2011 · 7 Comments
Squared Up: Case Closed

It didn’t take long before I started fast-forwarding through the parts of Baseball Tonight that concerned the Bonds trial. The outcome wasn’t entirely without interest for me, but until I heard an actual outcome, knowing …

Save The Day: April 14
April 14, 2011 · 12 Comments
Save The Day: April 14

8:30 PM update
$88,772 — great work! Keep it up — remembering that I’ve got gift codes and a tote bag to give away ’til midnight ET tonight (scroll down for the deets)!
As Mr. Popeil liked …

The Vine: April 13, 2011
April 13, 2011 · 22 Comments
The Vine: April 13, 2011

I’ve been asked to be a bridesmaid in a close friend’s wedding. There are four bridesmaids altogether — the other three are all family members. Bridesmaid dress selection has been difficult — bride-to-be keeps changing …