The weekend is a marvelous social concept, instilling a sense of liberation through the freeing of time. When we actually have a whole one to enjoy, it seems to lie before us as an offering of fresh leaves on a path along which to meander unendingly – no rush.

If, in 1952, Adlai Stevenson supporters used Benny Goodman’s 1921 song “There’ll Be Some Changes Made” without permission in a regional TV ad against Dwight D. Eisenhower, they may have gotten away with it.

Gas prices have declined of late, which is good news for those of us who enjoy having money.

I have a great deal of sympathy for kids going back to school this year who are required to bring their own supplies. In my day, all one needed to tackle the tasks at school was a No. 2 pencil. Today, kids need to bring crayons, pencils, pens, paper, art supplies, rulers, protractors and miscellaneous supplies like glue.

“The new phone books are here. The new phone books are here. This is the kind of spontaneous publicity people dream about.”

Read thoughts on pop culture from Tim Malcolm and John Meo. This week: the Olympics.

As schools begin a new year, students in some communities are excited by new opportunities to pad their wallets as they expand their minds. That's because more and more big-city schools, struggling to get low income students to strive to do their best, are at their wit's end and are willing to try practically anything.

Sex offenders know which states go easy on them, which is why they move to places like Vermont. They know they won’t likely get caught, and even if they do – they’re more likely to get shipped off to a spa than a jail cell.

Candidates have been calling their opponents names throughout history. Here in America, they've been called "a hell-raiser," "a tax-raiser," ""an abolitionist," "a pro-slaver," "a hawk," "a dove," "a communist," "a fascist," "an intellectual" or "an idiot." But lately, there is one charge that is capable of doing in a candidate more than any of the others. It is the accusation that someone is a "flip-flopper."

August just arrived, and I’m ready for the fall. This steamy summer has provided so many global warming glimpses that I wish Al Gore would wave a magic wand, part the climate sea and deliver his people.

Apparently it’s no longer decadent enough to eat a piece of frosted cake. Now you can order plain old frosting by itself.

ABC News’ political blog, The Note, pointed out last week that Paris Hilton was issuing policy statements while John McCain was nominating his wife for a topless beauty contest. The world has turned upside down.

Just wondering if President Bush still thinks Vladimir Putin is someone he “can do business with” and thinking if Bush had read a few more books he might be able to read people a little better.

If you want an honest answer from me, ask the question now. A few of my college friends came to town over the weekend and during our conversations, I ran out of lies.