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Food & Drink > Dining Etiquette How to gracefully pick up the dinner tab: 5 of 15

As a professional waiter, one of the most annoying traits owned by my clientle is the incessant need to be the machismo who always has to pick up the tab. Often times it is in the presence of several businessmen, or a large family gathering that creates the most friction. In my half dozen years or so in the business, I have ...
Politics, News & Issues > Sports Archives NCAA Basketball: Predicting the 2007 Men's Final Four: 4 of 11

With the always entertaining, and sometimes shocking opening weekend of this year's Men's NCAA Tournament in the books, many fans like myself are left with a bitter taste in their mouth. There were no true buzzer beaters, no huge upsets (Wisconsin was a paper tiger), no George Mason reincarnate, and no story lines that left ...
Politics, News & Issues > Baseball News & Opinion Reflections on the Little League World series: 1 of 1

A Cultural Learning Experience Being unemployed and having six weeks to do nothing but dishes, laundry, cat care and cooking, I have found myself intrigued with the fantastic high-definition coverage of the annual Little League World Series. All week, I have put down my dishtowel to watch the journey the Lake Oswego kids hav...
Entertainment > TV Genres & Trends Why there are so many crime shows on television: 8 of 15

It is always the first story at the eleven o'clock news, the headline on the local newspaper and the reason cars slow down on the freeway. Society is a curious creature, and it loves its crimes. Of course, that is, as long as it happens to someone else. The "whodunits" have always been among the top rated programs on televis...
Sports & Recreation > Baseball (Other) The evil empire of baseball: The Yankees: 11 of 15

Today is Sunday, May 20, 2007. The New York Yankees are ten and a half games out of first place after Saturday's loss at Shea Stadium, and are staring up at baseball's best record, which belongs to the nemesis Boston Red Sox. The Yankees are 1-5 against the Red Sox so far this season, including a three game sweep at Fenway P...
Politics, News & Issues > Football News & Opinion Reflections on Michael Vick's alleged involvement with dog fighting: 36 of 47

If someone were to want to know one thing about my beautiful girlfriend, I would always divulge her passion towards animals. I don't mean "Arkansas passion"; I mean a commitment to treating pets as if they were like any other member of the family, and helping those less fortunate animals in need of a safe and happy home. Bec...
Entertainment > TV Genres & Trends TV medical dramas: Comparing House and ER: 7 of 9

House and ER are nothing alike, other than they could be placed under the umbrella of "Medical" shows. ER has worn out its welcome, with its recycled cast, worn-out plot lines, regurgitated faux-romance intrigue and police officer-convict meltdowns. What made ER great at its inception was its novelty of prime-time drama. It ...
Entertainment > Movie Genres Best chick flicks for guys: 18 of 19

I would normally be one to choose Die Hard or Happy Gilmore over any "chick flick," but this is under the assumption that my guy friends are reading this article. The truth is that they aren't, and I actually really enjoy the "chick flick" genre. I am happily living with my girlfriend of 13 months and we own an extensive col...
Hobbies & Games > Card Games Explaining the popularity of Texas holdem poker: 17 of 17

Poker has been around for generations, with many variations becoming popular during different eras of our society. Whether it be five card draw, seven card stud, wild card names or today's hotbed fad: Texas Hold Em. The game itself is simple: you get dealt two cards, and there inevitably will be five community cards face up ...
Politics, News & Issues > Sports Archives Reactions to the 2007 NBA Draft Lottery: 3 of 3

Where were you when? For my parents' generation, there are several incidents in their lifetime that will never be forgotten, especially when it comes to the question: "Where were you when (incident) happened?" There was the JFK assassination, there was the last episode of MASH, the Challenger disaster, and the list goes on. ...