pop culture

In an effort to be hip, the College Board asked one-third of SAT-takers this year to write an essay on whether reality TV shows are beneficial or harmful. That was a bad choice on multiple levels, and an excellent metaphor for much of what's wrong with the whole college admissions race.

When I was in the sixth grade was my peer group went through it's Magic 8-Ball craze. In that simpler time, we asked the all-knowing orb simple questions such as if a girl in history class go out with us, or if our brother would find out we ran his bicycle into a tree. We knew even then that the...

With so many constants -- 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year and almost most always 365 days -- it seems surprising that we need to buy a new calendar every year. Even though you can't reuse your 2008 calendar this coming year, thanks to their cyclical nature you can use it again in 2036! More...