I would have posted these earlier, but my dad checks out the site occasionally, and after the mother’s day fiasco _(mom saw what I got her)_, I decided to play it safe. So: _things to keep in mind for next year_ …

Three Great Father’s Day Gifts

*Hip Dad:* Whether he’s into jazz, blues, rock, country…showtunes….he’ll appreciate the thoughtfulness and flexibility of this giftcard. And if you _really_ want to splurge, get him a black iPod nano to go with it!

*Classy Dad:* A classy biography of one of hollywood’s classiest leading men. Now available in paperback, this would be the perfect book for family outings to the beach, business trips, or peaceful afternoons in the backyard hammock.

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*Manyly Dad:* Don’t know how to pamper your guy’s guy dad? Look into grooming services for men in your area. Many new salons, specifically catering to men, are popping up in big cities. The Grooming Lounge in Washington D.C., for example, has flat screen tvs turned to ESPN and serves your pop a cold beer while he gets a hot shave, manicure or even a “foot treatment” _(pedicure)_.

The Origin and Importance of Paperweights and just how useless they are…..

I was in a boutique yesterday and I came _really_ close to paying $40 for a paperweight. Yes it was beautiful. Simply designed with a coral illustration on the bottom of a clear glass blob. But as I approached the cash register to pay for my expensive desk accessory, I had a few questions. Mainly…. _is my home office in a wind tunnel?_ It’s not. *So _why_ do I need a paperweight? What purpose do they serve?*

I got home, _(without the paperweight)_ and googled ‘paperweight’. My search brought me to the page of the International Paperweight Society, a site “dedicated to furthering awareness of the art of the glass paperweight.”

_No kidding._

There, I learned the history of the paperweight. Rare and unique styles…classic architecture….the advent of the glass blob. Why, did you know the most expensive paperweight in the world sold for $258,000 in 1990? I guess $40 isn’t so bad.

*What I _didn’t_ learn from the International Paperweight Society, was why one would ever need a paperweight.* Is it simply an accessory? Maybe people have breezy beach homes? I just don’t understand their purpose. All I know is that I want one. *Kind of like red rain boots*. I don’t need them. I’m not five…I can avoid a puddle. And yet, I want them.

Copying Last Night’s Homework: The New Frontier

_LONDON, England (Reuters) — Cheating students are using outsourcing Web sites where bidders compete to write their coursework for them, researchers have found._

_They have labelled the new twist on Internet plagiarism contract cheating and warn it could jeopardize the value of university degrees._

“Read the Article”://www.cnn.com/2006/EDUCATION/06/13/exam.cheats.reut/index.html