Societies have often tried to whip their young into adulthood with calculated brutality. Yet even this, intolerable as it is, probably causes less pain — and may even give rise to less brutality in the …

Dear Matthew Alice: This morning I heard a rumbling sound in my unoccupied bathroom and went there to find that the noise emanated from the toilet bowl. The water in the bowl was trembling, the …

Matt: I swore my cat Pete watched the movie Balto with me. My friend denied the possibility, saying, “Cats have only the ability to see three-dimensional images” I've seen lots of dogs watch TV, why …

To: Matmail: I’ve always wondered about those signs you occasionally see on the freeway that say “Landscaping Ahead.” Why does Caltrans feel the need to alert drivers to upcoming ice plant?— Ann, Mission Valley Just …

The crowd, 5000 strong, roared when he was introduced at the Chamber of Commerce rally called to oppose the referendum effort to put the Chargers contract before voters for their approval. Tiaina Baul Seau Jr., …

Ticketmaster's legal problems may have disappeared from the headlines, but they are far from over. The country's biggest sports and entertainment ticket broker is once again facing an antitrust action in court, this one brought …

The Navy is asking 16,000 sailors some intimate questions as part of a detailed survey of pregnancy aboard ship. Called "Navy Survey of Parenthood and Pregnancy" and drafted by the Navy Personnel Research and Development …

Merton and Milosz met face to face twice, once at Merton’s monastery and once over lunch in the Bay Area. “He said that Merton was very pleasant, very down-to-earth, somewhat surprisingly unstuffy for a monk.