Carl Pettit is a writer and editor with interests ranging from international relations and political humor to the arts and modern media.
Carl Pettit
5 Creepy Urban Legends to Spook You This Halloween
Ah, Halloween: the one time of year when it’s completely appropriate to scare the fecal matter out of loved ones and friends. If your goal is to make sure children can’t sleep at night, a disturbing urban legend is just the ammunition you need.
The Spooky Origins of Halloween — 10 Strange, Fun Facts About Witches, Pumpkins, Bonfires & More
The roots of our spookiest holiday's traditions—from pumpkins to trick-or-treating—run deep, their origins reaching back thousands of years to pre-Christian pagan festivals and superstitions.
10 Best Dog Breeds For Single Guys
When you're a single dude -- no matter how popular you are with the ladies -- there will always be downtime. When your female companions are busy with work, need to head home, do some wash, or are just sick of being referred to as “friends with benefits,” you may find yourself a little lonely. If you won’t “put a ring on it” as Beyonce advises, you might want to consider adopting one of man’s truest of friends—a dog.
7 Tips for Driving in Traffic Jams This Spring
The ice and snow may be gone, but there sure are more cars on the road. Here are a few tips to help you stay alert and safe when driving in heavy traffic this spring.
Springtime Means It’s Time to Get Your Car Washed at a Real Carwash
A bucket and hose will help you clean your car and get it ready for spring, but if you really want to protect your automobile, go in for a professional carwash
Potholes Are the Worst — Here’s How to Handle Them This Spring
While the skies might be blue overhead, the newly non-snow-covered roads could very well be full of dangerous potholes.
Basic Tire Maintenance — 3 Important Things to Check This Spring
As winter gradually becomes spring, it’s vital that you check your car's tires. Here are three vital things to examine.
Simple Ways to Lower Your Tax Bill — Part 2
Yesterday we took our first look at some basic, no-nonsense steps you can take to lower your tax bill. Here are a few more tips to help ensure you aren’t overpaying come tax time:
Simple Ways to Lower Your Tax Bill — Part 1
Here’s a look at several simple things you can do to lower your taxes—and avoid getting into hot water with the IRS:
3 Reasons Why You Should Hire an Accountant to Do Your Taxes
As tax season grinds on, here are some important reasons for you to consider hiring a professional to prepare your 2013 return.
End-of-Winter Car Maintenance Tips That Will Save You Lots of Trouble
The long, hard winter can do a number on your poor car. Here are some ways you can get it back in shape for the spring and summer driving seasons.
IRS ‘Dirty Dozen’ Tax Scams for 2014, Part 2 — False Income, Fake Charities & More
Here's round two of the 12 nastiest tax scams out there. Be aware of what the crooks will try to pull over on you!
IRS ‘Dirty Dozen’ Tax Scams for 2014, Part 1 — Phishing, Identity Theft & More
Doing your taxes is unpleasant enough already, but there are also some shifty characters out there who want to make the pain even worse.
5 Ways to Lower Your Taxes You Might Not Know About
The next six weeks are known as Tax Season, and we've come up with a few ways to lower your bill that you might not know about.
5 Ways to Improve Your Car’s Gas Mileage
Nowadays, perhaps more than ever, maximizing your car's gas mileage is vital—practically, economically and environmentally.
Winter Driving Advice — 5 Important Things You Should Know
Do you know how to drive in winter weather?
5 Thanksgiving Myths Debunked — Pilgrims Didn’t Wear Buckles? (And More)
Thanksgiving, which we've been celebrating in America for centuries now, is a time of family, food and, especially, tradition. Even so, many of the stories we take as gospel about this wonderful holiday—wonderful if you’re not endlessly bickering with your relatives, that is—aren’t true at all. Myth, legend and wishful thinking play into a lot of the misconceptions surrounding Turkey Day.
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5 Strange and Colorful Local Thanksgiving Traditions
The holidays can bring out people's stranger sides, and Thanksgiving is no exception.
5 Simple Thanksgiving Decorating Ideas — Pinecones, Pumpkins, Dolls and More
Getting your family in the mood to eat gobs of delicious food on Thanksgiving may not be the toughest task, but you can always make things memorable by sprucing up the house a bit too. It'll enhance everyone's experience, you'll be able to reuse the decorations next year, and best of all, it's fun.
Halloween’s Strange Origins — 5 Things You Might Not Know
These days Halloween is all Naughty This and Sexy That, but the roots of our spookiest holiday's traditions—from pumpkins to trick-or-treating—run deep, their origins reaching back thousands of years to pre-Christian pagan festivals and superstitions. These quirky bits of trivia about the history of Halloween should help you better appreciate all the ghouls and witches wandering about (and your ho