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: April 6, 2011
April 6, 2011 · 35 Comments
The Vine: April 6, 2011

I have a social-media etiquette question. Is it ever okay to tell someone the truth about why you unfollowed them on Twitter?
A little backstory here. “Nina” is a friend of mine from childhood. We were …

Save The Day: April 6
April 6, 2011 · 18 Comments
Save The Day: April 6

8:15 PM update
As of this writing, $61,134. Solid work! And don’t forget, you still have nearly four hours to donate and qualify for a shot at a $100 Zappos gift card! Any project on the …

Save The Day: April 5
April 5, 2011 · 17 Comments
Save The Day: April 5

7: 30 PM update
$56,750. Damn good first five days, Nation. We’ve got a 1K match coming at 66K — but this is sometimes the hard part. This is sometimes where it feels like a boulder …

Return of the Street Fighter: Electric Chiba-loo
April 4, 2011 · No Comment
<I>Return of the Street Fighter</I>: Electric Chiba-loo

Before I get to the review proper, a quick explanation of why, after my recent dreadful trip to the Republic of Chibastan, I watched yet another Sonny Chiba movieā€¦
I have a handful of weird compulsions …

Save The Day: April 4
April 4, 2011 · 24 Comments
Save The Day: April 4

7 PM update
$24,268! Hell of a day at sea, sirs! (And ma’ams!) That means 25K is nigh — and that means another 25K is nigh, compliments of the DonorsChoose.org board of directors! Here’s how it’ll …

Save The Day: April 3
April 3, 2011 · 3 Comments
Save The Day: April 3

noon update
Welcome back, everyone! $17,069 as of this writing, thanks to a fabulous job by the weekend squad. (“Only” had to update that number three times while writing!) I’ll select winners for yesterday’s mini-prize momentarily.
Today’s …

The Entity: Touched By A Demon
April 2, 2011 · 5 Comments
<I>The Entity</I>: Touched By A Demon

Despite a whiffy premise that put me in mind of Christine, and not in a good way, I wanted to like The Entity more than I did. It just isn’t scary enough.
The entity in question …

Save The Day: April 2
April 2, 2011 · 9 Comments
Save The Day: April 2

noon update
$14,412! Good job, super-friends. (Even better? I had to update this total thrice while writing the entry!)
Administrative notes: I’ve updated the site FAQ with contest-specific answers, so please give it a read, especially …

The Vine: April 1, 2011
April 1, 2011 · 8 Comments
The Vine: April 1, 2011

Ask The Readers bookfest today, fittingly. Want to make sure today’s schoolchildren grow up reading beloved YA novels that they need help remembering and write in to The Vine about in 20 years’ time? Me …

Save The Day: April 1
April 1, 2011 · 40 Comments
Save The Day: April 1

No fooling, super-friends: we’re underway! Huzzah!
4:30 PM update
As of this writing: $11,170! Great start, everyone. Please scroll down for information on today’s mini-prizes, and don’t forget, for these, you do have to forward me your …