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'Wear sunscreen' columns

It all started innocently enough in a June 1, 1997, column: "Wear sunscreen." The column set off an odd swirl of e-mail, confusion and unruly hair all over the country and its esteemed media.

  • Advice, like youth, probably just wasted on the young

    Inside every adult lurks a graduation speaker dying to get out, some world-weary pundit eager to pontificate on life to young people who'd rather be Rollerblading. Most of us, alas, will never be invited to sow our words of wisdom among an audience of caps and gowns, but there's no reason we...

  • From column to song: 'Sunscreen' spreads to Chicago

    In Chicago's rich journalistic history, newspaper columns have nailed corrupt politicians, freed innocent prisoners and won Pulitzer Prizes. Not until this month, however, had one cracked the Billboard Hot 100 pop music charts.