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.

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

How do I put a New Doorknob on an Old Door?

Most doors are fitted with hinges that serve a dual purpose of holding the door in place and opening it when needed. They do not undermine the charm of doorknobs. Initially doorknobs were raised mounds that allowed people to open and close doors without any inconvenience. A number of people are opting to replace old doorknobs with modern designs because they are fitted with a latching mechanism as well. [source]

The biggest issue you might encounter is actually removing the old doorknob, depending how old the door is.

Here are some tips for removing the doorknob:

1. The round trim, or plates, are called the Rosettes. It is best to loosen the Rosettes first. Some Rosettes snap into place while other may be screwed into the wood door. To loosen the Rosette plates, simply unscrew them. If they snap in place, you will need to pry the Rosettes from the door mechanism. Take special precaution as to not damage the wood - search around the Rosette and you will find a small indentation where a small screwdriver can be used to pry it from the door.

2. Once the Rosettes are loose, you can then remove the door knobs. The knobs are attached together by a 'Spindle Rod'. Some old-style door knobs have a simple set-screw at the base of the knob. Loosen the set screw and you can then un-screw the door knobs from the spindle. Some other door knobs have a small indentation at the base of the knob - this style is 'spring loaded.' To remove these knobs, simply push in the metal indentation at the base and the knob will easily come off of the spindle rod.

3. Once one knob is removed, you should now be able to pull the knobs apart and out of the door completely. Once the doorknobs are out, you'll note two screws holding the door mechanism in place. Remove both screws and the bolt.

4. You may also wish to replace the strike plate. The strike plate is the small metal plate that catches the bolt or lock and it is located on the door frame opposite to the knob. Note: This is an unnecessary step in most doorknob replacement jobs.

Once the knobs are removed, you are ready to replace the door with the new hardware.

Here are the steps to replace the doorknob from WikiHow:

Step 1: Obtain a replacement doorknob. Besides the style, look for something solid that will hold up to regular use and last a long time. Also, consider whether this will go on a bedroom, bathroom or closet. Should it have a privacy lock? If you have lever-style handles and a locking handle, you will need to get a right- or left-handed handle appropriate to the door direction. Buy a doorknob with a pawl the same length as the one you are replacing.

Step 2: Remove the faceplate screws. Remove the two screws on the face plate. Twist counterclockwise to remove.

Step 3: Remove the screws holding the handle. Remove the two screws on the knob plate. The handles will come loose, so be prepared for both sides to fall.

Step 4: Remove the handles. Pull the handles off both sides.

Step 5: Push out the faceplate and pawl. Push the faceplate and pawl out through the opening.

Step 6: Remove the strike plate. Loosen the two screws on the strike plate and remove the strike plate.

Step 7: Replace the face plate, if needed. Some doorknobs come with a choice of face plates. On this one, you can replace the face plate by prying it off with a flat-blade screwdriver. Select the face plate that matches the opening in your door.

Step 8: Size them up. Size up the new strike plate and pawl mechanisms with the holes in your door and door jamb.

Step 9: Adjust the openings. Use a hammer and chisel to adjust the openings in the door and door jamb, if necessary.

Step 10: Push the new pawl mechanism into the door. Push the new pawl mechanism and face plate into the door. Be sure the pawl faces the way the door will close, so the slanted side will meet the strike plate. Pushing with your hands should work. Otherwise, you may have to drill the hole a bit larger. Alternatively, you can place a block of wood against the face plate and tap on the block of wood with a hammer. The black plastic collar shown in the photo can help to take up extra diameter if the opening is loose

Step 11: Screw it in. Screw down the pawl mechanism, making sure it is as level as possible.

Step 12: Insert the handles. Insert the handles into the door so that the square peg fits through the square opening and the screw holes align with the threaded cylinders on the other side. Check that levers and locks face the right directions.

Step 13: Screw on the handles. Insert and tighten the screws that hold the handle.

Step 14: Install the strike plate. Check that everything fits and closes properly, and make any necessary adjustments.

I also found this video from ExpertVillage:

Free Online Home Improvement & Repair Projects : How to Replace a Doorknob: Free Home Improvement Tips -- powered by ExpertVillage.com

What’s the cheapest way to make it to Super Bowl XLII ?

Well, tomorrow is it! The Super Bowl, the greatest salute to everything American—from chilidog bacon cheeseburgers to advertising assaults on T.V.—will kickoff at 6:20 p.m. EST. Will you be one of the lucky few to watch the Patriots maim the New York Giants in person? Well, if you don’t mind hitchhiking, sleeping in the street, and living on in-flight peanuts, you could see the game live for a measly $2,476!

First, unless you’re planning to crash the gate and spend the night in jail, you’ll need a ticket. The cheapest Super Bowl ticket on Stub Hub was $1620 as of Saturday evening. Here’s the marvelous seating you’ll endure enjoy:


Be sure to bring extra climbing ropes and oxygen tanks on your way up.

Ok, now you have to get to Phoenix ASAP. The cheapest roundtrip flight leaving Boston tonight and arriving in time for kick off is $756 on Delta, according to Orbitz. Eat all the pretzels and peanuts you can on the flight—you’ll need it.

You’ll arrive in Phoenix sometime tomorrow afternoon. You’ll either have to hitchhike the 21.6 miles from Sky Harbor International Airport to the University of Phoenix Stadium, or get a cab. In case you don’t catch a ride, I’ve included $100 dollars in the budget for cab fare. A 21.6 mile cab ride could get pricey, though. You might be better off bribing someone on their way to the game.

Whatever money you have left in your pocket is for food, beer, and finding a ride back to the airport in the morning. If you’ve managed to make it to the game with the $100 still intact you should be able to afford about three beers and four hotdogs. You should try to save one hotdog to eat after the game, when you’re about to go to sleep in a dark alley somewhere. You’ll probably be getting rained on at that point.

Enjoy the game!

What should I do if hijacked or taken hostage by terrorists?

So a friend of mine is going to Morocco in a few months, and she is probably the most curious person I've ever met. Well in her own research she asked this question about what to do in a terrorist situation.

While every hostage situation is different, there are some general considerations to keep in mind:

• U.S. Government policy is firm: we do not make concessions to terrorists. When Americans are abducted overseas, we look to the host government to exercise its responsibility under international law to protect all persons within its territories and to bring about the safe release of hostages. We work closely with these governments from the outset of a hostage-taking incident to ensure that our citizens and other victims are released as quickly and safely as possible.
  
  
• At the outset of a terrorist incident, the terrorists typically are tense, high-strung and may behave irrationally. It is extremely important that you remain calm and alert, and control your own behavior.
  
  
• Avoid resistance and sudden or threatening movements. Do not struggle or try to escape unless you are certain of being successful. Don't try to be a hero, endangering yourself and others.
  
  
• Consciously put yourself in a mode of passive cooperation. Talk normally. Do not complain, avoid belligerency, and comply with all orders and instructions.
  
  
• If questioned, keep your answers short. Don't volunteer information or make unnecessary overtures.
• Make a concerted effort to relax. Prepare yourself mentally, physically and emotionally for the possibility of a long ordeal.
  
  
• Try to remain inconspicuous, avoid direct eye contact and the appearance of observing your captors' actions.
  
  
• Avoid alcoholic beverages. Eat what they give you, even if it does not look or taste appetizing, but keep consumption of food and drink at a moderate level. A loss of appetite and weight is normal.
  
  
• If you are involved in a lengthier, drawn-out situation, try to establish a rapport with your captors, avoiding political discussions or other confrontational subjects.
  
  
• Establish a daily program of mental and physical activity.
  
  
• Think positively and avoid a sense of despair. You are a valuable commodity to your captors, and it is important to them to keep you alive and well.
  

[Source: travel.state.gov]

How Do You Make Gingerale?

Ok, so I have a habit of making things at 2am when there's no food in the apartment and I feel the need to "create". Well, it's often that at 2am, I also have cravings for my super-fave-drink-omg, gingerale. I know a lot of people associate it with feeling sick, but I just love it.

As it turns out, the ingredients to make gingerale aren't really that weird. WAY better than the crazy refrigerator-burning compounds used to make cola.

What you'll need:

• clean 2 liter plastic soft drink bottle with cap
• funnel
• grater (preferably with fine "cutting" teeth)
• 1 cup measuring cup
• 1/4 tsp and 1 Tbl measuring spoons
• cane (table) sugar [sucrose] (1 cup)
• freshly grated ginger root (1 1/2-2 tablespoons)
• use only fresh ginger root (purchasable at most large supermarkets, or Asian food shops)
• juice of one lemon
• fresh granular baker's yeast (1/4 teaspoon)
• cold fresh pure water

Not so bad right? Well this isn't really the most 2am optimized beverage because it needs to sit for 24-48 hours, but my 2am creations don't always need to be instantly edible.

According to WikiHow, here are the steps to some good ol' homemade gingerale:

• Add 1 cup of sugar to the bottle through the dry funnel. Leave the funnel in place until all the steps are complete and you are ready to cap the bottle.
• Measure out 1/4 teaspoon of fresh granular active baker's yeast. Use Fleischmann's or any brand that you might buy in the health food store
• Add the yeast through the funnel into the bottle. Shake it to disperse the yeast grains into the sugar granules.
• Grate the ginger root on a fine "cutting" grater to produce 1 1/2 Tablespoon of grated root. See the Tips below for more information on using the right grater
• Place grated ginger in the cup measure
• Juice a whole lemon. Lemon is optional, giving a little tartness to the ginger ale. Try it both ways to see which you prefer.
• Add the juice of a whole lemon to the grated ginger.
• Stir the lemon juice and grated ginger to form a slurry.
• Add the slurry of lemon juice and grated ginger to the bottle. (It may stick in the funnel. Don't worry, the next step will wash it into the bottle.)
• Rinse the containers that held the lemon juice and grated ginger with fresh clean water. Do not dump the water just yet.
• Add the rinsing water to the bottle.
• Cap and shake the bottle.
• Reopen and fill the bottle to the neck with fresh, cool, clean water, leaving about an inch of head space, then securely screw the cap down to seal. Invert the bottle repeatedly to thoroughly dissolve sugar. Also check the bottom of the bottle because the suger tends to stick in little pockets there. (The ginger root will not dissolve, of course.)
• Place the ginger ale in a warm location for 24 to 48 hours. See the Warnings below.
• Test to see if carbonation is complete by squeezing the bottle forcefully with your thumb. If it dents in as in the picture, it is not ready.
• Once the bottle feels hard to a forceful squeeze, usually only 24-48 hours, place in the refrigerator. Before opening, refrigerate at least overnight to thoroughly chill. Crack the lid off the thoroughly chilled ginger ale just a little to release the pressure slowly. You do not want a ginger ale fountain!

Here are some warnings:

• This recipe will produce alcohol in the finished product
  • The quantity of alcohol in the finished product over a 2-3 day fermentation period is going to be minuscule, however, if left out for several days (see further warnings) it will continue to ferment until all of the sugar and the alcohol content will be considerably higher. It will taste nothing like ginger ale.
• Do not leave the finished ginger ale in a warm place any longer than the time it takes for the bottle to feel hard. Leaving it at room temperature longer than two days, especially in the summer when the temperature is high, can generate enough pressure to explode the bottle! Once it is thoroughly chilled, there is little danger of explosion.
• When purchasing your yeast, do not buy "brewer's yeast", as this is typically inactive yeast left over from the brewing process. It is dead yeast, and will not work. For best results, buy yeast from a beer and wine maker's supply store.

I'm feeling a late night Stop & Shop run...

Here are a few other recipes:

How to make OpenCola - the "open source" cola
How to Make Root Beer
How to Make Cheap Wine
How to Brew your own Beer

How do you prevent cancer?

I recently read this fantastic article on ways to reduce your chances of getting cancer. Obviously people who have the cancer gene (approx. 10 million people diagnosed every year) have the risk, especially in this day and age. However, the way I see it, anything you can do to prevent it is a step in the right direction.

I read quite a few articles, but below is the most comprehensive list.

Here are 18 ways to prevent cancer from WikiHow, that I guarantee you'll learn a thing or two from:

1. Get sunlight. While it may seem like a crazy idea, pure sunlight can actually prevent cancer. It is full of vitamin D that is needed.
   
   
2. Reduce stress. Scientists observe stressed rats are at higher risk for cancer.
   
   
3. Eat a healthy diet. In addition, watch out for heavily processed or artificial foods.
   
   
4. Avoid sugars. Excess sugar and carbs have been linked to breast cancer and all cancer itself ungergoes a fermentation like process that requires excess glucose to thrive.
   
   
5. Drink plenty of water.
   
   
6. Eat lemon daily. Cancer cells are known to grow in an acidic enviroment, although lemons are acidic, lemon causes your body to produce positive ions which make your body enviroment alkaline. Cancer cells cannot grow in an alkaline enviroment.
   
   
7. Eat a diet high in anti-oxidants like beta-carotene, Vitamin C and Vitamin E.
   
   
8. Eliminate hydrogenated fats. Avoid altogether fat that has been chemically altered, giving so-called trans-fat. This type of fat is often found in margarine, cookies, snacks, fast food and other pre-made food.
   
   
9. Make green vegetables part of every meal. Snack on raw vegetables, especially the cruciferous ones (cabbage, broccoli, etc)
   
   
10. Especially include red fruits like strawberries,cherries and tomatoes in your diet, as they contain chemicals brimming with the anti-oxidant Lycopene.
    
    
11. Make sure you get enough calcium.
    
    
12. Start eating flax. Flax seeds contain two cancer-preventative compounds: omega-3 fatty acids, and lingams which may reduce your risk of breast cancer and colon cancer. Add flax seeds to your breakfast cereal. You can also use flaxseed meal, which you can buy or the store or make on your own with a coffee grinder. Flaxseed meal mixes well in smoothies or you can sprinkle it over yogurt and cereal.
    
    
13. Eat other anti-cancer nutrients: Vitamin D, Selenium, Acidophilus, Garlic and Green Tea.
    
    
14. Exercise for at least 30 minutes every day. Physical activity can reduce your chance of getting certain types of cancers by at least 50%. Choose a physical activity that you enjoy.
    
    
15. Maintain a healthy weight.
    
    
16. Cut down on alcohol consumption. Drinking alcohol can lead to changes in your body which can lead to cancer. Discuss how alcohol might affect you with a nurse or doctor.
    
    
17. Don't use any form of tobacco. If you do smoke, try to quit. Keep trying! It is possible. Over 1,000 Americans quit for good each day.
    
    
18. Protect yourself and your partner from STDs. Some sexually transmitted infections lead to changes in the body which can lead to cancer. Use latex condoms. Practice safe sex.

A few other good articles:

• 31 Simple Ways to Prevent Cancer
• Top 10 Ways To Prevent Cancer
• 7 Ways to prevent cancer

How can you tell if a diamond is real?

Not that I'll be getting any diamonds in the anywhere-near future.. but I always heard the only way to tell if a diamond is real, is to try to scratch glass. Well sheesh I wonder if that's the only way?

According to this article, Diamonds do scratch glass, but so do many imitation stones. To boot, it’s possible to injure your rock even if it’s real during your hardness test.

According to WikiHow, these are the best methods for determining if your diamond is real:

1. Look through it. Diamonds have a high "refractive index" (meaning they sharply bend the light that passes through them). Glass and quartz have a lower refractive index, meaning they sparkle less because they bend light less, even when they've been cut nicely (because the refractive index is an inherent physical property ^[2] which is not altered in any way by a nice cut - unless, technically speaking, the cut induced a permanent strain on the crystalline lattice).
   
   
   • If the diamond is not mounted, turn it upside down and place it on a piece of newspaper. If you can read the print through the stone or even see distorted black smudges, then it probably isn't a diamond.^[3]
   • If the stone shows any sign of double refraction, it may be Moissanite (silicon carbide), a gemstone that is so similar to a diamond that even jewelers can have a hard time telling them apart.^[4]
   • If the diamond is mounted, you should not be able to see the bottom of a diamond looking directly from the top.^[5]
     
     
2. Observe the reflections. A real diamond's reflections usually manifest in various shades of gray. If you see rainbow reflections, you're either dealing with a low-quality diamond or a fake.^[6]
3. Take the side view. Most imitation diamonds are crafted to sparkle at the top, but check to see how it sparkles and reflects from a side angle. A real diamond will be just as reflective all around, whereas a fake is more likely to be duller when seen from the side.^[7]
4. Fog it up. Put the stone close to your mouth and breathe on it. If the stone stays "foggy" for 2-4 seconds, then it is definitely not real. Real diamonds will have cleared by the time you look at them. Be warned though - some jewelers cap cubic zirconia bases with real diamond which will, of course, clear.^[8]
5. Drop the stone in water. Many fakes have a real diamond cap but a false base, and under water, it is easier to see a joint if there is one.
6. Weigh the stone. cubic zirconia weighs approximately 55% more than diamonds for the same shape and size.^[9] Use a carat or gram scale to compare the stone in question to a real diamond.
7. Rub the diamond on corundum sandpaper. If you see scratches or it is nicked, then it is not a real diamond (diamonds are harder than sapphire, which is the same stuff as corundum). Keep in mind, however, that some types of sandpaper have diamond in them, and that can ruin a diamond.
8. Test it with a heat probe. Real stones disperse heat quickly and they won't heat up with the probe. This takes about 30 seconds and is often done free of charge. It also doesn't hurt the stone the way some other ways of testing will.

Good to know.. good to know..

How to save a wet cellphone & fix the "red dot of death"?

My life never ceases to give me things to write about, I swear. I guess you can probably determine why it is I need an answer for this one. And PS, if anyone has an old cingular phone with a SIM slot that i can have, give me a holler at: amander(at)thingsiask.com and we'll be BFF.

According to Yahoo! Answers, and About.com, this is what one should do.. luckily I was smart enough to know the basics (aka take out the battery and don't turn it on) before looking it up:

1. Take out the cellphone as soon as quickly as possible
2. Remove the battery
3. Shake it, shake it like a polaroid picture.. c'mon shake it, shake, shake it..
   
4. Absorb excess water with something dry like a paper towel. Keep at it until the paper towels are no longer wet.
   
5. If there's water inside the display, press on it to get it out, then absorb w/ paper towel.
6. Put the cellphone and battery out to dry near a sunny window or something, but not somewhere dumb like the oven or a radiator.
   
7. Let it dry for 24-72 hours. (You can probably determine this by how much water you needed to shake out). If water is still coming out, don't turn it back on.

If you're crafty:

• Get a tiny screwdriver and take the cellphone apart, then wipe down the components with rubbing alcohol (they'll dry faster and it won't damage the phone).
• If the phone was already submerged in water, you can literally submerge it in alcohol without any extra negative effects, just quicker drying
  

Fun tips:

• If your cellphone was off when it happened, it's much more likely to survive
• If it fell in saltwater, rinse it in fresh water first (aka you're probably screwed unless you've got a bottle of poland spring around).

And if you're feeling like hitting up the warranty.. just check for the "red dot of death" and you can be sure it's not going to get covered:


Unless you want to try the advice of some water-damage hackers:

"What most people don’t realize is that the warranty usually covers theft and loss. Get your phone wet? Lose it in a gutter, trash bin, Leave it at a bar, give it to a homeless guy, etc. now they have to replace it." - Isaac

"I recently got screwed by this because there’s a red dot/bar on both my battery and my cell phone. I merely traded my battery for my wife’s and peeled off her Red dot which is a piece of cloth/sticker and pasted it with a little super glue in place of my red dot which I had promptly removed. Worked like a charm." - Josh

"Place a piece of satin finish scotch tape over your water damage sticker to prevent the water damage sticker from voiding your warranty. This sticker can usually be found under your battery. It's a small round white sticker, possibly with dots on it. If this sticker gets wet it changes color and your phone is marked for water damage. Remove the tape if you need to ever bring your cellphone in for repairs." - MobileMistress

"I've had white dots go red. What did I do, I removed the dot. Techs shot me down. So I bought a new battery(which comes with its own new white dot), did a swap put on my phone, and tada replacement phone. Now what I did was not wrong it's my dot and I'll do what I want with it(theres people on ebay who will sell you an entire reel of unpunched limus paper for cheap dollars). Now if a tech would do a half decent job and open up the phone like back in the day, they would probably find that my phones problem was, the effect of verizon screwing with the software and the UI of my phone. But they would never admit that. Just keep telling poeple to *228 send and update your phone(cough CRIPPLE your phone+add banners)." - Jason

If anyone has a cingular phone with a SIM slot that i can have, give me a holler at: amander(at)thingsiask.com

How (long) do you cook hardboiled eggs?

When munchies hit, what's a better idea than making deviled eggs? But how long are you supposed to cook them? And how do you avoid the weird green ring that happens from over-cooking?

AskMrBreakfast.com and WikiHow.com say:

1. Let eggs sit at room temperature for 15 minutes
2. Put eggs in a saucepan, covered with atleast 1 inch of cold water
3. Bring water to a rolling boil
4. Reuce heat to a medium boil and cook uncovered for 11 minutes
5. After this, pour eggs gently into an bowl of ice-cold water to avoid green ring and let sit for 2-5 minutes
6. To peel the easiest: roll egg around on a cutting board and slide the shell off.
   

And just for the record.. in the time it took me to look this up and write it down.. I totally green'd up my eggs. I HOPE YOU'RE HAPPY.

Screw fondue - How to make an Asian Hot Pot??

So a few weeks ago I went to The Melting Pot. It was beyond tasty, and a fully satisfying dining experience. It was even worth the $95 bucks dropped for only two people. However, just watching them prepare the stuff (because they do it right infront of you), you know that you can do this at home.

The dish I particularly wanted to try tonight is the "Asian Hot Pot". Basically, you don't need a fondue set, you don't even need the traditional asian hot pot. Seems like all you need is a pot and some vegetable oil. I don't have a single electric burner that I could use on the table, so we'll likely be dipping from the stove. But it's ok, no need to be classy all the time.

Here's what I learned from the Melting Pot while I was there:

• Cook beef & pork for 2.5 minutes (in boiling broth)
• Cook chicken and duck for 2 minutes (in boiling broth)
• Cook shrimp and other seafood about 1 minute (in boiling broth)
• Cook potstickers, and stuff like that about 30 seconds, just to heat up
• Cook in vegetable broth, you can add any veggies for flavor
• Make sure the broth is boiling before you start, or your food will be sitting for a while!
• Have a good collection of sauces for all your different types of food
  

Here are a few VERY HELPFUL tips from About.com's article, Twenty-Five Tips for Cooking Hot Pot:

• Don’t feel you need to purchase an authentic Asian Hot Pot (also called a firepot) to enjoy this popular dish. Aluminum, stainless steel, and electric fondue pots can all be used for hot pot cooking.
  
  
• Plan on having no more than four diners at an average sized fondue pot, and six for larger Asian hot pots and electric fondue pots. Too many diners sharing one pot leads to spills, crossed dipping forks, and longer cooking times.
  
  
• When preparing Asian fondue, a general rule of thumb is to have bland broth and spicy dips. This allows guests to season the food according to their own tastes.
  
  
• Plan on serving approximately at least four dips, with 1/2 cup of each type of dipping sauce.
  
  
• For easy dipping, keep the fondue pot approximately 2/3 full. (The total amount of broth needed will depend on the size of your fondue pot).

Anyone else hungry?

What's up with Stop & Shop handheld scanners?

Oh.my.gosh.

In an article posted on the 14th of this month, they say that starting this week, shoppers at more than 100 Stop & Shop supermarkets across New England can do their shopping with the help a portable shopping assistant powered by a Quincy company's interactive shopping technology.

This was something I needed to check out for myself, without my best friend Google, so I went grocery shopping last night at my local stop & shop store, and all I can say is WOW.

Basically, here are the steps:

• You walk into the store, scan your Stop & Shop card at a kiosk.
• One of the scanners lights up and you take it.
• You grab some bags (paper or plastic) so that you can bag along the way (awesome).
  
• You walk around scanning everything you want
• To do produce, they have a scale you put your veggies/fruits on, which then weighs it, and prints a sticker with a bar code, which you scan. awesome.
• Everything else has a barcode including meats, etc.
• You can browse store specials directly on the device
• You can see what your total is right on the device (BEST FEATURE EVER)
• You can remove things as you wish once buyers remorse hits.
• When you're done, you scan a "end of order" barcode at the register, hand your device to the cashier along w/ your stop & shop card.
• And pay. Everything is already bagged by you, and you're done.

Even simpler, without all the hubub:
Scan card > Take Scanner > Scan > Pay > Leave > Eat

I totally geeked out during my experience... This lady came up to me asking me how to use it and if i liked it and i was all OMG ITZ LIKYE THE BEST DEVICE EVERRRRRRRRRRR and gave her the best tutorial anyone has ever seen.

The only drawbacks I see (for the store, not us) is that it's likely to increase stealing, so the money they'll save on cashiers will be spent on tightened security. Also, every 10 minutes or so the scanner goes "cha-ching!" to let you know of a sale. It's all good though in my opinion!

I hope everyone gets a chance to try these out soon. Stop & Shop is wayyy expensive, but they just made a frequent shopper out of me.

How do i relax so i can concentrate at work?

I currently have external factors distracting me right now, so I am trying really hard to focus the best I can while I'm at work, but even while I'm working, I'm just ridden with anxiety the past couple of days.. So I wanted to know, how can I just RELAX while I'm at work. I can't take the usual "take a bath" or "meditate" suggestions, obviously.

The following answers I found (in order of how helpful i think they'll be) come from hard@work.com, wikihow.com, lifehacker.com, eHow.com and About.com

1. Listen to some music - This is doable. Throw on the headphone and listen to iTunes.
   
   
2. Breathe - Inhale deeply, counting to five, then exhale slowly, counting to five. Do this ten times.
   
   
3. Rearrange your workspace - If it works within your company policies, light some aromatherapy candles, put out some photos, rid your office/cubicle of ALL JUNK AND CLUTTER (i could use this), and even a water fountain.

4. Bribe Yourself - Promise yourself that as soon as you finish a certain task, you'll
   get a reward--anything from a cup of coffee to the most glamorous prize you can
   afford.  Then make sure you get it when you complete the job.

5. Log your distractions - If you find that your thoughts are wandering more often than
   you'd like, keep a record of where your attention is drifting. Study this log to
   discover what's really making you lose your concentration--and do something to
   eliminate the distraction.. (if i could eliminate the distraction, wouldn't i?)
   

6. Exercise - If I had a gym nearby, this would probably be helpful, but maybe it will be helpful for someone else: On your lunch break, hit the gym for at least twenty minutes (or more, if you like) of moderate activity, like walking or bike-riding, is the best known, scientifically proven way to significantly reduce stress. If you don't have a gym, go for a walk. If you live near a park with a fountain, or near a beach or lake, the calming sound of water will soothe you. Just a regular walk will also relax you. I do work next to the ocean, so there's an idea.
   
   
7. Eat Healthy - Sugar and caffeine are your enemies, as they both cause severe ups and downs, upsetting your body's ability to regulate energy. Instead of sugary, carbohydrate loaded snacks (like cookies or granola bars), eat fresh fruits and whole grain breads or crackers (sugar-free). Make sure you get plenty of low-calorie protein, like that found in chicken, fish, whole grains, beans, dark leafy vegetables, or low-fat dairy.
   
   
8. Make a list - If this was the sort of thing that would help my current situation, I'll probably do it, but again, maybe it'll help someone else. Make a list of tasks you must accomplish that day. Put the most important things at the top and list every task in descending order of importance. Learn to be proactive and take care of things before they become a problem, then your time will be more productive and you will feel less stress.

About.com has an article on "How to Relax at Your Desk", and "How to Reduce Tension with Progresssive Muscle Relaxation" but I'm stressed just reading all of the steps.

Also, apparently many work places have made "de-stress rooms" where people can relax or take a nap and get away from everything, and some places have incorporated a type of "recess" where employees go out and play volleyball or something like that. Man I could use that today.

How can i tell if my milk has gone bad?

When in doubt, throw it out!

According to Everything2.com:

When milk goes bad it's pretty easy to recognise. Several different things may happen to it: it may thicken (very common) and turn sour (just as common); one may occur without the other. Thickening by itself doesn't affect the taste at all, but milk turned sour is usually disgusting (acidity and taste vary widely). Our buttermilk (karnemelk) undergoes both processes in a controlled way, resulting in a much better taste, although opinions vary. Quite unusual is a fermentation process, where the milk will assume a sparkling taste; controlling this process leads to Norwegian kulturmelk, one of my favourite drinks.

As far as your health is concerned: these processes serve as an early warning system: they affect the milk in appearance or taste, but they do not make it unhealthy; milk turned sour is actually better protected against genuine dangers, such as moulds. If milk hasn't turned thick or sour, you can be fairly sure it's safe to drink it, and I always do.

A good indicator is hot and/or acid fluids (tea with lemon); milk will decompose much sooner in them, they can tell you if milk is turning bad before your own taste buds can. If the fluid is sour enough, even perfectly fresh milk will decompose, so use this test with caution.

In my search for the answer to this, I also learned four other things:

• The date on the bottle is the shelf date, you still have a day or two to consume.
• If your fridge is not cool enough, your milk will expire early.
• If you open the milk for the first time ON the expiration date, you will have 3-4 days to drink it.
• A dirty fridge = stinky milk. Clean it w/ bleach and water, then wipe down with water.
• Pasteurized milk lasts longer.

There was also a hilarious page at HalfBakery.com called Bad Milk Indicator.

Why I Googled it: I've got a half gallon of 2% with a January 13th expiration. Nuff said.