What is an "efficiency apartment"?

I've started early on my apartment hunting for November. And it's taken me five years of apartment living to finally google "efficiency apartment".

When you see the words "efficiency", it resembles the same feeling you get when you read the word "charming" or "cute" in an apartment ad. It means SMALL.

But according to the all knowing web:

An efficiency apartment is like a studio, except that is usually a little bigger and sometimes the bedroom is not part of the living room, it has it's own room.

So, eh, wouldn't that be considered a 1 Bedroom apartment (or 1BR in craigslist lingo)?

Well, yeah that's why they came up with a creative word for it "efficiency". AKA, really, really small one bedroom apartment or a big no-bedroom apartment.

So there you have it.

What is the cellphone popcorn trick?

I saw this video on YouTube where people use four cellphones (eight actually) to make the cell phones pop popcorn. The video was used in a headphone commercial for CardoSystems whose website only features a segment of the video.

From About.com: Alex Boese figures there must be a heating element hidden under the table. A physics professor consulted by Wired.com concurs, suggesting there may have been some sneaky editing involved as well.

Louis Bloomfield, a physics professor at the University of Virginia said "In a microwave oven, energy excites the water inside popcorn kernels until it turns into highly pressurized gas, causing the kernels to pop. If mobile phones emitted that much energy, the water in the fingers of people holding them would heat up. It would hurt like crazy," Bloomfield said.

So there's a trick.

The most absolutely absurd explanations (but pretty much ONLY explanations I found) were people who actually hooked up microwaves to their living room tables.

Seriously? Sounds like a good way to grow a third arm.

This is so dumb I can't even keep writing about it.

Does sleeping next to a cell phone cause cancer?

I always wondered this, because I've been using my cellphone as an alarm clock for at least three years if not longer. I heard that sleeping close to an alarm clock itself, or anything electrical is not healthy and should be avoided, so I'm assuming since there's already a scare on the cellphone vs. cancer debate, that there might be some info on how bad it might be sleeping next to one while it's on.

Turns out, there isn't a lot of info on the subject so I'm guessing there's not much to worry about. Even the whole "cellphones will give you cancer" theory is still needing much research and hasn't been proven. Of course I didn't think I'd use the article and now I can't find it, but it said that someone had sued the cellphone companies because his wife had gotten a tumor and he blames cellphones. The charge ended up being dismissed because there wasn't enough evidence. Oh but here's another story, even better...

In the tests, they tested people with cancer and without and noone seemed to get cancer or worsen their cancer by using a cellphone. The article also said that they've been testing rats for a while and the rats got cancer either way since rats are predisposed to getting cancer.

As for sleeping next to your phone...

Many articles have said not to sleep with an electronic device within 3-4 feet of your head. I guess the same goes for a cellphone. Many people in the Yahoo Answers forum say that they've been doing it for years and don't have any issues.

A little experiment at MIT did show however that sleeping next to your cellphone will disrupt your sleep.

Here's some info from a related article by AssociatedContent.com:

"Many phones have 884 MHz wireless signals, which have been linked to affecting one's sleep. In addition those who use their cell phones before sleep have more headaches and are much more tired.

The study further showed that cell phone radiation exposure during the night while reduce one's ability to recuperate from a stressful and difficult day. The study is disturbing that anyone who sleeps remotely close to a cell phone could have many problems during their routine day. The study did not provide the amount of distance the phone has to be by a person while sleeping to have an adverse affect."

So while I found practically nothing about cellphones causing cancer while you sleep (I'm guessing it'll be another 10 or 20 years before they can prove it), I found dozens of articles on cellphones disrupting your sleep. That's enough to atleast put the cellphone across the room at night. The more beauty sleep I get, the better.

why do people get b12 shots?

I'm one of those people who trusts doctors. aside from taking medications (which i rarely follow through on), i'll pretty much do what the doctor tells me to. i recently started getting B12 shots by my doctor monthly after some bloodwork came back saying i was deficient. maybe there's more to it than that, but i don't obsess outwardly about health issues as much as i do internally, so i never questioned why i needed them.

what is b12 good for?

b12 is found in meat, eggs and dairy products. According to this, Vitamin B12 is necessary for the synthesis of red blood cells, the maintenance of the nervous system, and growth and development in children. Deficiency can cause anaemia. Vitamin B12 neuropathy, involving the degeneration of nerve fibres and irreversible neurological damage, can also occur. B12 plays a vital role in the metabolism of fatty acids essential for the maintainence of myelin.

who gets the shot?

now, from what i found, most people don't need the shot. people who are b12 deficient (such as vegans and such) should be taking the oral form of b12. the only people who need the shot are people who can't absorb it.

now from what i've read, the only people who can't absorb it are generally people who don't have stomaches anymore (which i also read is not that uncommon since most nutrients are absorbed in the intestines).

what changes when you get the shot?

i personally get a boost of energy for a day or so when i get the shot. from what i've read, the sort of people who need it tend to have chronic fatigue syndome, muscle aches and things like that so it makes sense.

some people get the shot once a week, or twice a week. i get it once a month so it must not be too detrimental. i read that a lot of people take it for weight loss, so that's a big fat AWESOME on that one.

so in conclusion, i have no idea why i personally have to get the shot instead of taking pills.. as far as i know i still have a stomach, so maybe my stomach just doesn't like b12 very much. or maybe my vegetarian boyfriend and his picky eating preferences has affected my health. sweet... leverage.

What is Reflexology?

Whenever you get a massage, "reflexology" is an add-on. I never knew what it was, but I always wondered "why no foot rub?" when I got my massage.

Hey guess what? Reflexology is the foot rub (and hand rub). Wish I'd known this before now!

According to reflexology-research.com:

Reflexology is the physical act of applying pressure to the feet and hand with specific thumb, finger and hand techniques without the use of oil or lotion. it is based on a system of zones and reflex areas that reflect an image of the body on the feet and hands with a premise that such work effects a physical change to the body.


Yeah, you've seen that chart before. I actually got a foot massage once in San Francisco in chinatown after walking a few miles. I saw a similar chart up on the wall. The guy was all about pushing, squeezing and rubbing all the different "zones" (sounds dirty doesn't it?). The picture on the wall was too far for me to see what was what, but I know I walked out feeling like I was walking on clouds.

What is Burl?

I was watching this episode of Intervention where this meth addict was obsessed with collecting "burl", so I had to ask..

According to Wisegeek.com:

Burl wood is a type of wood used by artists to create sculptures and other items, such as clocks and even some forms of furniture. Burl wood is highly prized by artists because of its unique shapes and ring patterns. Burl wood is a type of fast growing, abnormal growth found on some trees. Burl wood grows because the tree has experienced some sort of environmental stress or damage. This is often caused by either a fungal attack or an attack by insects.

The number of trees that produce burl wood is quite low. In addition, certain areas tend to create more burl wood than others, because all or many of the trees in a particular location are likely to be attacked by the same fungus or insects. Certain species also tend to be more susceptible to attacks and, therefore, more likely to develop burl wood. For this reason, certain types of burl wood are more rare and prized than others.

Often, a tree that has developed burl wood is still quite healthy. In fact, many trees with burl wood can go on to live for many more years. Other trees develop burl wood offshoots that are so large and heavy that they create additional stress on the tree and can cause the tree to die.

When used in woodcrafting, burl wood is removed from the tree, preferably after the tree has already died in order to avoid killing the tree. It is then cut open in order to review the pattern inside. Sometimes, a single burl wood offshoot can produce several different pieces for an artist to work with.

Some burl wood offshoots develop regular growth rings that simply grow at an accelerated rate. This type of burl wood is not as sought after by artists as other forms of burl wood, because the patterns on this wood are not as interesting to look at. The majority of woodworking artists prefer burl wood that grows in irregular patterns that swirl and contain what are referred to as eyes – small spots that develop on the wood. While pieces with unusual patterns are the most desired form of burl wood, they are also the most difficult to work with. This is because the irregular patterns of burl wood make it harder to saw, chisel, and cut without splitting the wood or accidentally cutting it in the wrong direction.

Does the A train of the New York subway run all night?

Yes it does! Unless, according to local folks, there is A) an emergency or B) construction. However, the intervals of pickups spreads to a half hour or longer after 2am and before 5am.

How long can food last in a refrigerator or freezer that without electricity?

Say the electricity goes out for a couple days. How long will your food last if you don't open the door and hope for the electricity to come back on ASAP?

According to a report on Food Poisoning by HealthDept.org:

• A refridgerator can stay safely cold for only 4-6 hours. To keep it colder longer, put some ice in the refrigerator.
• A fully stocked freezer can stay frozen for up to 2 days. A half stocked freezer can stay good for a day.

This WikiAnswers page confirms it.

NESPower.com says to "check the temperature inside your fridge once electricity is restored to determine if the food is safe to eat. It should be at or below 40 degrees with the freezer at or below zero degrees."

According to SPTimes.com:

The following foods spoil quickly: Meat, poultry, fish, eggs and egg substitutes (raw or cooked), milk, cream, yogurt and soft cheese; casseroles, stews or soups, lunch meats and hot dogs; creamy salad dressings; custard, chiffon or cheese pies; refrigerated cookie dough; and open mayonnaise, tartar sauce and horseradish will be spoiled after eight hours without refrigeration. Do not eat anything that smells bad or is an odd color.

The following foods keep at room temperature for a few days: butter or margarine; hard and processed cheese; fresh fruits and vegetables; fruit juices and dried fruit; opened jars of vinegar-based salad dressings; jelly, relish, taco sauce, barbecue sauce, mustard, ketchup, olives; fresh herbs and spices; fruit pies, breads and cakes, except cream cheese-frosted or cream-filled. Discard anything that turns moldy or has an unusual odor.

Well there goes my $200 grocery shopping spree :/

What's the Best Rated (Cheap-ish) Luggage?

I need some good ass luggage. A few weeks ago I got home from Puerto Rico with one broken arm on my suitcase. On Sunday I came home from San Francisco with two broken arms to my luggage bag. It's time for new luggage.

I stopped into Brookstone a while back and they had some good stuff, but I don't buy anything without researching it, so here we go. Oh, also as a note, I'm only doing carry-on luggage because smart people pack light and don't check bags ;) These five had the best overall reviews for under $100.



Olympia 22" 8 Pockets Rolling Duffel - 5 stars on Amazon.com and only $35 on Amazon.com makes this a super buy. Also, the "duffel" is also formed a bit so it's not a flimsy mesh bag. Reviewers on Overstock.com claim it's extremely roomy and virtually weightless. Again, the handles are not attaches to the back, so yay. Plus, you can get it in all kinds of obnoxious colors to that you can find it in baggage claim if you get stuck wanting to check it.

Skyway Sigma 2 - According to consumersearch.com, "The Skyway Sigma 2 receives good reviews from owners posting comments to travel forums. It is one of the least expensive carry-on bags we found in reviews. The Skyway is made of water and tear-resistant polyester fabric. There are two external pockets and it does have inline skate wheels, which are recommended by experts. It also has a fully lined interior and the main compartment has elastic tie-down straps. There is a mesh pocket on the lid to keep packed items secure and organized during transit. This bag will not endure the same air-travel abuse as the Eagle Creek luggage, but for infrequent travelers, it has more features than most."

QuickSilver Accomplice II - If trendy is your game, this is the bag for you. Besides that, it has a zip-off backpack many good reviews, and it won't tip over. Only $99 on eBags.com.

American Tourister iLite XL - This bag has a lot of good reviews on eBag.com (90% positive) and Amazon.com (5 stars). The handles are metal and embedded in the bag which is kind of important if you don't want them to rip off the bag like mine did.

Skyway Decade 22" - 96% positive rate on eBags.com Close-out pricing at only $59.99 makes it a good buy unless you don't like the color Eggplant.

I'll probably get the Olympia, since it's $35, I can get it in bright pink or orange, and

How do you shape your eyebrows?

I was actually looking for how to cut your own bangs (haha), but I found this great video on how to shape your eyebrows with some really neat tricks that I never knew, so I thought I'd share.

>Eyebrows 101: Get the Look



And since this would be a really short entry if I didn't, I decided to find some more how-to's to fluff it up.

EYEBROW SHAPING TIPS

STARTING POINT: Look straight in the mirror. To see where bs should start, hold a pencil vertically against one nostril. Where the pencil meets your brow is a good starting point. Repeat on the other side

RIGHT ENDINGS: Hold a pencil vertically against one nostril. Angle it so that it aligns corner of the eye. Where the pencil hits the brow is where it should end.

Perfectly Shaped Eyebrows: The shape of the eyebrow is correct when the beginning of the brow is aligned with the center of the nostril and the arch falls over the back third of the eye.

RIGHT LENGTH OF THE EYEBROW

Hold a ruler parallel to your nose, and level with the inner corner of the eye, to work out where the brow should begin. If your eyes are close together, make the gap between the brows wider. If your eyes are far apart, don’t wax the start line of the brow too much so that they are closer together. Mark the correct point with a dot.

RIGHT CURVE OF THE EYEBROW

You can work out where the highest point of the curve/ arch should be by holding a ruler from the edge of the nostril past the outer edge of the iris (the colored part of the eye) and up to the eyebrow. Mark the spot with a dot

And some more:

How to Pluck your Eyebrows

How to Wax your Eyebrows

How to Thread your Eyebrows

Is the Darjeeling Limited a real train / railroad?

Why yes it is! Seems that the real name is the " Darjeeling Himilayan Railway" and goes "from Siliguri to Darjeeling in West Bengal, run by the Indian Railways" according to Wikipedia.

Earl of Ronaldshay gave the following description of a journey in the early 1920s:

"Siliguri is palpably a place of meeting.[.....] The discovery that here the metre gauge system ends and the two foot gauge of the Darjeeling-Himalayan railway begins, confirms what all these things hint at.[....]One steps into a railway carriage which might easily be mistaken for a toy, and the whimsical idea seizes hold of one that one has accidentally stumbled into Lilliput. With a noisy fuss out of all proportion to its size the engine gives a jerk - and starts.[....] No special mechanical device such as a rack is employed - unless, indeed, one can so describe the squat and stolid hill-man who sits perched over the forward buffers of the engine and scatters sand on the rails when the wheels of the engine lose their grip of the metals and race, with the noise of a giant spring running down when the control has been removed. Sometimes we cross our own track after completing the circuit of a cone, at others we zigzag backwards and forwards; but always we climb at a steady gradient - so steady that if one embarks in a trolley at Ghum, the highest point on the line, the initial push supplies all the energy necessary to carry one to the bottom."^[5]

Great movie too.

How do you get superglue off your hands?

I should really take warning labels more seriously.

So here I am, not stuck together, but a little, er..rough, shall we say. I don't mind a little mess when it comes to gluing broken items back together, but now my fingers are covered in little plates of armor! Arrr!

This really sucks for me, since I don't have nail polish remover (what kind of girl am i?) but here's what else I found might work:

Here are a bunch of theories I found online for substances that'll get super glue off:

• Nail Polish remover (most common)
• Peanut butter
• Lotion
• Emery Board
• Kerosene and Petrol (Gasoline)

Update: This is what worked for me:

Good old fashioned facial scrub. I have this sweet SeaSalt facial scrub from LUSH that kicked that superglue's ASSSS within 2 minutes.

Here's the classic formula for getting super glue off your hands:

Things You’ll Need:

* Nail-polish remover
* Soap
* Acetone-based nail-polish remover
* Warm water
* Shallow bowl

Step 1:
Do not attempt to tear or force apart the glue. This could rip your skin.

Step 2:
Apply acetone-based nail-polish remover to the area. The acetone breaks down the bond.

Step 3:
If there's a lot of glue on your skin, soak the skin in nail-polish remover to dissolve the bond.

Step 4:
Clean the area with soap and water after removing the glue.

Step 5:
If you don't have nail-polish remover, soak the affected skin in warm, soapy water.

Step 6:
Slowly roll the skin to work the bond apart as the warm water soaks through. Continue doing this until the skin is free of glue.

Source: eHow.com

What are the side-effects of the seasickness patch (scopolamine patch)?

Now, I didn't think the scopolamine patch would give you weird side-effects like compulsive-gambling, anal leakage, or death but it definitely seems to have a few. I must say, I really shouldn't have looked this up before I leave tomorrow.

This site alone would stop someone from using the patch.

The most common side effects:

Dry mouth

Dizziness

Blurred Vision

Drowsiness

Restlessness

Dilated Pupils

Flushing

Dry of Itchy Eyes

More uncommon side effects:

Paranoia and Anxiety

Seeing "ghosts" or hallucinating

Withdrawal symptoms (nausea, dizziness, anxiety, poor coordination, headache)

Other things I learned:

• I learned from several sources that Scopolamine is considered "truth-serum", and was used back in the day to make convicts confess to crimes. It was also used on terrorists after the 9/11 attacks.
• I learned that the chemical formula for Scopolamine is C17H21NO4, which is the same as cocaine. 
• I learned that Scopolamine is now being referred to as a new version of the date-rape drug.
• Mixed with morphine, Scopolamine used to be used during childbirth so that women would "forget the pain", but would sometimes afterwards suffer post-traumatic stress.

Now, a lot of people have no side effects besides a little dry mouth and love the patch, but what is more interesting to me, because I'm a glutton for punishment, are are negative reactions:

Users from this cruise thread had these reactions:

• "really bad blurred vision, dry mouth, extreme dizziness, confusion"
• "on the second day, I 'saw' an elephant on deck! I removed the patch, and tried it again on the fourth day. The fifth day I 'saw' a Goodyear blim hovering over the ship, dropping watermelons onto the deck!"
• " I took mine off when I was sitting on the bed with my husband beside me watching tv and I yelled out "Bryan.. where are you??" And he was right there next to me. I could have sworn he got up and left the cabin and hadn't come back."

I might be over-thinking, but maybe it's better to just stick it out with Dramamine...

Who Won Yesterday's Primaries?

Ohio: Clinton/McCain
Texas: Clinton/McCain
Rhode Island: Clinton/McCain
Vermont: Obama/McCain

Clinton described her Tuesday victories as "a new chapter in this historic campaign," while the Obama campaign sought to downplay her wins by emphasizing his lead in the battle for pledged delegates. - Cnn.com

Oh Obama, grow up already.

Specifically, Clinton carried women by an 11-point margin (55 percent to 44 percent); Latinos supported her by a 36-point margin (67 percent to 31 percent); and voters over 65 backed her by a 37-point margin (67 percent to 30 percent).

In contrast, Obama defeated Clinton among men by 2 points (50 percent to 48 percent); young voters broke in his favor by 16 points (58 percent to 42 percent); and college graduates favored him by 11 points (54 percent to 43 percent).

So.. women, latinos, and retiree's love Hillary, and men, stoners, and smart people like Obama? Something tells me that these kids weren't taught enough in school.

Nice.

As expected, Obama also did very well with African-American voters, but it was not enough to overcome Clinton's strong ties to Texas, which date back to the early 1970s.

Um... "As expected"? You mean... race plays a factor in how people vote for the president of the United States, and isn't based on how a person will actually run our country? Super! Sign me up for that clique!

McCain is now has enough delegates to be on the ballot for President. Clinton is now "back in the game" and has as good of a chance as Obama has of winning the nomination.

Also, Huckabee dropped out of the race. I wouldn't have voted him for president, but I'll sure miss his shiny button eyes.

McCain's last leading rival, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, bowed out of the race after his projected losses in Texas, Ohio, Rhode Island and Vermont and urged his supporters to back the Arizona senator in November. - Cnn.com

What are the Symptoms of Mono?

Mononeucleosis is referred to as the "kissing desease", because it's transmitted through saliva. It's a member of the Epstein-Barr virus, which is part of the herpes family, but I wouldn't go spreading that around if you have it ;)

The initial symptoms of Mono:

• Being tired all the time
• A really bad sore throat
• Loss of appetite
• Chills

Later symptoms of Mono:

• A fever of 102 to 104 degrees F
• Headache
• Muscle aches
• Enlarged/swollen glands or lymph nodes in the neck, armpit and groin
• 1/3 of infectees have a white covering over tonsils
• 50% get an enlarged spleen (think chest pain and loss of breath)
  
• 5% get a red rash that resembles measles

How do you get Mono?

• Sharing drinks, cigarettes, straws, eating utensils, etc.
• Kissing
• Being extraordinarily close to an infected person who coughs or sneezes
• Using the cellphone of someone who has Mono
  

When do you start showing signs of Mono?

• Some people never show signs and are merely an incubator, and can pass it on to others
• Symptoms can star showing up from 14 to 60 days from infection

How do you treat Mono:

• Sleep and wait it out
• Drugs don't work, and Amoxicillan gives 90% of patients a rash
• Since the spleen is bloated and close to rupture, you shouldn't play contact sports for 6-8 weeks

How long are you considered contagious?

• You are infectious for up to 18 months from initial infection
• Like herpes, the virus can be reactivated throughout your life, so there's no way to really know

When does Mono finally go away?

• Sore throat, headaches, and fever will go away within a couple weeks
• Fatigue can last from 6 weeks to 6 months
• If it makes you feel better, most people that get mono won't "get it" again, even though it might be in their system
  

Sources:
http://www.coolnurse.com/mono.htm
http://www.medicinenet.com/infectious_mononucleosis/page3.htm
http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/infections/common/viral/077.html
http://www.jhu.edu/~shcenter/mono.htm
http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/library/DS/00352.html

How Long Do Yankee Candles Last?

Get the most out of your Yankee Candle...

These are for the jars, because that's what I'm interested in, and besides, they're the most popular:

• Small: 25-40 hours
• Medium: 65-90 hours
  
• Large: 110-150 hours
• Large Double Wick: 70-90 hours

Other things I found out:

• Within the last couple of years, Yankee Candle switched from hand-pouring their candles to machine pressing them. This seems to be resulting in less potent scents when burning.
• When asked if someone should buy a Yankee Candle, almost a hundred replied responde "yes". Aka, they're recommended.
• The best way to make the candles last the longest is to trim the wick before lighting and putting the candle out by putting the cover on, instead of blowing them out.
• Candle warmers produce a much stronger scent than burning the candles, but using them once means you need to use it for the life of the candle. Some people use the scraps from old Yankee Candles in warmers.
  
• Soy candles burn cooler, cleaner, and longer
• Many people recommend putting candles in their freezer between uses, making the scent last longer
  

Do Pop Rocks and Coke really make your stomach explode?

The Legend: Mickey from the Life cereal commercials hates everything, except Pop Rocks. He gorges himself with the candy (He's rich from doing the commercials and spends all his money on Pop Rocks) and washes it down with a soda. The chemical reaction in his stomach causes an eruption and he explodes.

Besides the fact that "Little Mikey" (aka John Gilchrist) is still alive... I watched this episode of MythBusters where they actually tested this myth, plus dozens of people on YouTube testing it out for themselves... and the answer was no, actually it just gives you a good case of gas.

Introduced in 1975, Pop Rocks would, as the name suggests, pop in the mouth of anyone who ate them. This popping sensation is caused by highly compressed carbon dioxide bubbles in the candy. The belief in the spread of the rumor is that the carbonation in the candy, when mixed inside the human stomach with a carbonated beverage, would create a lethal reaction where carbon dioxide would be released at such a rapid rate that the stomach would explode, presumably killing the person who ate the candy and drank the soda. It is entirely unknown why Little Mikey was the target of the myth,[8] though some believe that it is because the actor who played Mikey did not appear in any commercials after the legend began to spread.
[source]

The only way that Mythbusters was able to get a stomach to explode was with a few lbs of baking soda + coke.

What is Catnip?

Catnip (aka. Nepeta cataria) is native to North America and Canada, originally from Mediterranean soil. It is a member of the mint herb family.

The reason why it drives cats crazy (according to about.com) is because the active ingredient in catnip is called Nepetalactone. The response to this chemical is mediated through the olfactory system that cats have a special receptor for. This chemical is thought to minic the effects of a pheromone to cause a variety of behaviors.

We as humans, are not affected by catnip, and catnip is not harmful to cats, infact it can aid in digestion if they eat it.

Do all cats like catnip?

It seems that young cats aren't really affected by catnip. As a cat matures (about 2 or 3 years) they start to exhibit reactions. Some cats will never be affected by catnip if they don't have the right genes.

What does catnip do to cats?

Some cats like to eat it (it's not harmful, but if they eat too much they might do a like pukey-pukey later on), some cats like to roll around in it (if it's loose leaf).. some cats go nuts and start bouncing around (usually in younger cats).

Some cats exhibit aggressive behavior like growling. Consider it like cat booze; different cats react different ways. I knew a kid who cried when he drank Gin, and we all know people who start fights when they're loaded. Same variation in response with cats, except they likely won't be hugging the "porcelain god" the next morning.

How can I grow my own catnip?

This baby is like a weed, so you definitely don't want it in your garden. I found with my own cat, though, that she didn't care for the fresh stuff oddly enough.

Anyhow, if you want to grow it, you're going to need a lot of water. Just kidding, but it does need to be watered several times a day, and pruned often. Catnip leaves aren't what the cats like.. if you consult your local pothead, you'll find that they've got some similar interests. It's all about the bud.

Growing Killer Catnip Bud
How to Grow Catnip
Grow Your Own Catnip

Who Sucks the Most Today? 02-28-2008

Greetings friends. I figured I would start a new semi-frequent contribution called, Who Sucks the Most Today? Taking a look at the news we can tell that so many people suck, do deciding who sucks the most can be challenging. Fortunately, I am up to the task. For our first edition we look to the New York Times for some insight:

Jonathan McCullum was in excellent health at 155 pounds when he left last summer to spend the school year as an exchange student in Egypt.

But when he returned home to Maine just four months later, the 5-foot-9 teenager weighed a mere 97 pounds and was so weak that he struggled to carry his baggage or climb a flight of stairs. Doctors said he was at risk of a heart attack.

McCullum says he was denied sufficient food while staying with a family of Coptic Christians, who fast for more than 200 days a year, a regimen unmatched by other Christians.

But he does not view the experience as a culture clash. Rather, he said, it reflected mean and stingy treatment by his host family and a language barrier that made it difficult to communicate.

Wow, that really really sucks. Whose to blame?

After returning to the United States, he was hospitalized for nearly two weeks. The 17-year-old has regained about 20 pounds, but his parents say he's not the same boy he was when he left under the auspices of AFS Intercultural Programs.

"He was outgoing, a straight-A student, very athletic," said his mother, Elizabeth McCullum, who was shocked when she met her son at the airport on Jan. 9 and saw he had lost one-third his weight. "Now, he's less spontaneous and more subdued."

Jonathan McCullum's parents said the exchange program should have warned them that students placed with Coptic families would be subject to dietary restrictions.

Marlene Baker, communications director at AFS headquarters in New York, declined to discuss McCullum's experience.

She referred calls to the program's lawyer in Portland, Patricia Peard, who said she could not comment on McCullum's case because of the potential for a lawsuit.

Potential for a lawsuit? No offense Patricia but I think the word you were looking for was imminent, not potential. I also love that we live in a country where rather than admit fault, we say no comment and leave our lawyers to solve problems.

So, after combing through the news of the morning, I have decided that nobody sucks more than the AFS. These people are trusted with the safety of our children and rather than meet that challenge with honesty they lie by omission. To not tell the families of the children the conditions that their children will be living in must be considered negligence. Perhaps rather than wasting time investigating what asshole athlete decided to forgo a long life by juicing up our government should spend some time investigating student exchange programs. My guess is that McCullum's case is not unique and I just hope that it does not take some young American student dying while on an exchange trip before we do anything about this.

Who Won the Best Motion Picture at the Oscars since 1928?

Surprisingly, this took me a little too long to find (thanks Mahalo.com), but I'm looking to watch all of the Oscar award winning films since the beginning, so it looks like I have mighty long list to get through..

2007	No Country for Old Men	Joel Coen & Ethan Coen	Miramax Films
2006	The Departed	Martin Scorsese	Warner Bros.
2005	Crash	Paul Haggis	Lions Gate Films
2004	Million Dollar Baby	Clint Eastwood	Warner Bros.
2003	The Lord of the Rings	Peter Jackson	New Line Cinema
2002	Chicago	Rob Marshall	Miramax Films
2001	A Beautiful Mind	Ron Howard	Universal Pictures
2000	Gladiator	Ridley Scott	DreamWorks
1999	American Beauty	Sam Mendes	DreamWorks
1998	Shakespeare in Love	John Madden	Miramax Films
1997	Titanic	James Cameron	20th Century Fox
1996	The English Patient	Anthony Minghella	Miramax Films
1995	Braveheart	Mel Gibson	Paramount Pictures
1994	Forrest Gump	Robert Zemeckis	Paramount Pictures
1993	Schindler's List	Steven Spielberg	Universal Pictures
1992	Unforgiven	Clint Eastwood	Warner Bros.
1991	The Silence of the Lambs	Jonathan Demme	Orion Pictures
1990	Dances with Wolves	Kevin Costner	Orion Pictures
1989	Driving Miss Daisy	Bruce Beresford	Warner Bros.
1988	Rain Man	Barry Levinson	United Artists
1987	The Last Emperor	Bernardo Bertolucci	Columbia Pictures
1986	Platoon	Oliver Stone	Orion Pictures
1985	Out of Africa	Sydney Pollack	Universal Pictures
1984	Amadeus	Milos Forman	Orion Pictures
1983	Terms of Endearment	James L. Brooks	Paramount Pictures
1982	Gandhi	Richard Attenborough	Columbia Pictures
1981	Chariots of Fire	Hugh Hudson	Warner Bros.
1980	Ordinary People	Robert Redford	Paramount Pictures
1979	Kramer vs. Kramer	Robert Benton	Columbia Pictures
1978	The Deer Hunter	Michael Cimino	Universal Studios
1977	Annie Hall	Woody Allen	United Artists
1976	Rocky	John G. Avildsen	United Artists
1975	One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest	Milos Forman	United Artists
1974	The Godfather Part II	Francis Ford Coppola	Paramount Pictures
1973	The Sting	George Roy Hill	Universal Pictures
1972	The Godfather	Francis Ford Coppola	Paramount Pictures
1971	The French Connection	William Friedkin	20th Century Fox
1970	Patton	Franklin J. Schaffner	20th Century Fox
1969	Midnight Cowboy	John Schlesinger	United Artists
1968	Oliver!	Carol Reed	Columbia Pictures
1967	In the Heat of the Night	Norman Jewison	United Artists
1966	A Man for All Seasons	Fred Zimmerman	Columbia Pictures
1965	The Sound of Music	Robert Wise	20th Century Fox
1964	My Fair Lady	George Cukor	Warner Bros.
1963	Tom Jones	Tony Richardson	United Artists
1962	Lawrence of Arabia	David Lean	Columbia Pictures
1961	West Side Story	Jerome Robbins	United Artists
1960	The Apartment	Billy Wilder	United Artists
1959	Ben-Hur	William Wyler	MGM
1958	Gigi	Vincente Minnelli	MGM
1957	The Bridge on the River Kwai	David Lean	Columbia Pictures
1956	Around the World in 80 Days	Michael Anderson	United Artists
1955	Marty	Delbert Mann	United Artists
1954	On the Waterfront	Elia Kazan	Columbia Pictures
1953	From Here to Eternity	Fred Zinnemann	Columbia Pictures
1952	The Greatest Show on Earth	Cecil B. DeMille	Paramount Pictures
1951	An American in Paris	An American in Paris	Vincente Minnelli
1950	All About Eve	Joseph L. Mankiewicz	20th Century Fox
1949	All the King's Men	Robert Rossen	COlumbia Pictures
1948	Hamlet	Laurence Olivier	Rank Film Distributors Ltd.
1947	Gentleman's Agreement	Elia Kazan	20th Century Fox
1946	The Best Years of Our Lives	William Wyler	RKO Radio Pictures
1945	The Lost Weekend	Billy Wilder	Paramount Pictures
1944	Going My Way	Leo McCarey	Paramount Pictures
1943	Casablanca	Michael Curtiz	Warner Bros.
1942	Mrs. Miniver	William Wyler	MGM
1941	How Green Was My Valley	John Ford	20th Century Fox
1940	Rebecca	Alfred Hitchcock	United Artists
1939	Gone with the Wind	Victor Fleming	MGM
1938	You Can't Take It with You	Frank Capra	Columbia Pictures
1937	The Life of Emile Zola	William Dieterle	Warner Bros.
1936	The Great Ziegfeld	Robert Z. Leonard	MGM
1935	Mutiny on the Bounty	Frank Lloyd	MGM
1934	It Happened One Night	Frank Capra	Columbia
1933	Cavalcade	Frank Lloyd	FOX
1932	Grand Hotel	Edmund Goulding	MGM
1931	Cimarron	Wesley Ruggles	RKO Radio
1930	All Quiet on the Western Front	Lewis Milestone	Universal
1929	The Broadway Melody	Harry Beaumont	MGM
1928	Wings	William Wellman	Paramount