Daily Dose of Common Sense

Here are some of our favorite brief Web stories from this week.

Some people had common sense.

• A couple in Washington is collecting aluminum cans in order to pay for their summer wedding. Getting hitched ain’t cheap, so kudos to this enterprising couple. I can’t wait to see how they pay for the honeymoon.
• An interactive media company in NYC developed a video to entice potential interns. When working for peanuts, a quick video of your responsibilities helps–especially if it looks fun. This makes the want ads seem so 1990s.

And, some did not.

• While giving an interview on Good Morning America, Rudy Giuliani, former Mayor of NYC, said there was never a domestic terror attack on G.W. Bush’s watch. Really, Rudy? Did you forget about 9/11, which happened when YOU were mayor? More absurd than this ridiculous partisan sniping, GMA’s correspondent did NOT call Guiliani out on it. Just nod and smile while you’re on camera. No need to actually think.
• A woman in Ohio punched though a McDonald’s drive-thru window because McNuggets weren’t available. Man, what’s in those things?! We know the nuggets are good, but punching the window…wow.
• Some British researchers concluded that the female G-Spot is subjective, so therefore must be a myth. No physical exam was performed. Instead, the women (all twins) were asked whether they believed they had a G-Spot or not. 56% of the women said yes, but no pattern between twins emerged so the researchers concluded those 56% were misinformed about their bodies. The study seems anecdotal and not very thorough. It’s a sad commentary when such shoddy methodology is used, especially on such a delicate subject. If it’s going to be proven or disproven, do it right.

Here are some of our favorite brief Web stories from this week.

Some people had common sense.

• Coming soon to an airport near you: the ability to safely and comfortably nap while waiting for your flight. There have been days where I would have paid a LOT more than the $30/hour these places charge in order to get a few zzzzz’s.
• For you fast-food haters, it turns out that the quality of meat served in most chains is much better than what’s served to children in school cafeterias. It’s easy to see why: schools don’t have to worry about being sued.



























• AT&T has developed an app called “Mark the Spot,” which will allow users to tell the telecomm giant about service problems. No one knows if this will really help improve service. But, sometimes it just makes you feel better to complain.

And, some did not.

• There was an article about how tattoos aren’t acceptable in Washington, D.C and many must go to great lengths to cover up their body ink. So, not only are our politicians inefficient, they’re repressed. Hooray for America!
• There is now a gizmo sold that allows caregivers to text while pushing a stroller. Who needs to watch for other pedestrians or cars?



• A Starbucks barista was written up for chasing after a tip-jar thief. This gets knocks for many reasons. First, the barista should have known better than to chase after a potentially harmful criminal for a few measly dollars. Second, Starbucks actually reprimands the employee, which seems silly. Third, and most important, WHY do baristas need tips? They should be paid more so that we’re not guilted into giving them more money for DOING THEIR JOBS.

Photos: hgmonster.tumblr.com/, flickr.com/photos/taylar/

What do you eat while at the movies? Junior Mints? Raisinettes? Nachos? Well, if it’s popcorn, please CLOSE your mouth while chewing. The sound of people loudly munching on popped kernels of corn smothered in fake butter is one of the most annoying disruptions to the movie-going experience. The rustling of the bag is no picnic, either. But, we’ll put up with that in exchange for quiet chewing.

Why do we encourage everyone to chew with their mouths closed EXCEPT at a movie theatre. Well, we’re starting a revolution, people. Eat quietly. That’s all we ask.

Oh, and if you break a tooth on an unpopped kernel, you won’t be able to sue the theater, genius.

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My grandmother used to admonish me when I took more than I could eat. “Your eyes are bigger than your stomach,” she would say. Apparently, this theory applies to a lot of people in this country. According to a new study, Americans throw out 40% of all food produced in this country. That’s up 50% since 1974.

So, not only do we eat more and weigh more than the rest of the world, we also waste more. Way to aim high, America.

Not everyone can afford to be so cavalier about food, however:

Meanwhile, while some have plenty of food to spare, a recent report by the Department of Agriculture finds the number of U.S. homes lacking “food security,” meaning their eating habits were disrupted for lack of money, rose from 4.7 million in 2007 to 6.7 million last year.

We should all try to do what we can to help those who are hungry, and also attempt to use what we buy. Not novel ideas, but still important ones. For example, do you have a pantry full of canned food you’ll never use? Donate it to a food shelter this holiday season. Always stuck with too many leftovers? Buy a FoodSaver and safely freeze what you don’t eat.

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Turkey gets a bad reputation as the cause of post-Thanksgiving “food comas.” This is where you’re so sleepy that you can barely function once the last bite of pumpkin pie has been swallowed. A myth has long been perpetrated about tryptophan, an enzyme in turkey, as being the cause for sleepiness. Well, that is just plain wrong.

Yes, tryptophan can cause sleepiness. But, here’s how it does it.

Tryptophan also can be metabolized into serotonin and melatonin, neurotransmitters that exert a calming effect and regulates sleep. However, L-tryptophan needs to be taken on an empty stomach and without any other amino acids or protein in order to make you drowsy. There’s lots of protein in a serving of turkey and it’s probably not the only food on the table.

Also, the concentration of tryptophan in turkey is the same as the amount found in beef and chicken, and even more tryptophan is contained in cheese and pork.

So, why are you so sleepy after all that turkey dinner?

Overeating is the culprit in this myth. Ingesting an excess of food can slow blood flow and oxygenation, which makes you feel tired. Many people are led to believe it’s the turkey that specifically makes them long for their pillow, but in reality, it’s just the quantity of dinner.

Don’t blame the turkey if you have to go to bed early tonight.

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Not everyone relishes the quality family time provided by the holidays. If you dread the upcoming moments with your kin like a Michael Jackson seance, here are some tips to get through it all in one sane piece.

At family gatherings, don’t talk about:

• religion
• politics
• the lack of seasoning in the food
• your lesbian experiment in college
• the inheritance

More tips:

Don’t expect to share a bedroom with your boyfriend/girlfriend if your hosts are conservative in this area. Just accept that you’re sleeping apart for a few days in exchange for some free grub. Better yet, offer to stay in a hotel nearby.

Just smile and nod any time your mother picks on comments on your _________________ (insert most sensitive topic here). Because she WILL mention it.

Make sure to keep taking your medication. Whether it’s Prozac, Ambien, Johnny Walker or chocolate cake, don’t try to go cold turkey around Turkey Day.

Pack a bag with snacks. That way, if you don’t like the food, you can sneak away for a Snickers bar later.

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Here are some of our favorite brief Web stories from this week.

Some people had common sense.

• A University of Minnesota professor uses superheroes to teach physics. I never understood physics, but maybe I would have if it had been this exciting.
• There were some big changes in women’s health this week. Recommendations for mammograms and pap smears were adjusted and women everywhere were confused. We thought this write-up from NBC’s Dr. Nancy Snyderman did a nice job of putting it all into perspective.
• Over privacy concerns, the Grinches at the USPS called a halt to the “Dear Santa” letter program with the residents of North Pole, Alaska this week. But, according to one of the Alaska Senators on Friday, the USPS has agreed to resume the program. Some new security measures will be put in place, and Santa’s letters will continue to be opened and responded to by the Alaskan volunteers. Childhood everywhere rejoices!

And, some did not.

• A North Carolina dad packed McDonald’s for his eighth-grade daughter’s lunch in a brown paper bag, and she ended up suspended. My dad used to pack me HoHos, Hostess Fruit Pies, or Hostess Cupcakes in my lunch. Would I be kicked out of school now?
• A 19-year old man was arrested in Texas after selling pot door-to-door. (What, is pot Amway, now?) His luck turned south when he knocked on the door of an off-duty policeman. Dude.
• Kate Moss, a well-known waif model, has become the poster girl for other girls who are trying not to eat. Moss recently said, “nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.” Girls aspiring to be super (dangerously) thin now use this quote on their own web sites as inspiration not to eat. NOT TO EAT. Someone should slap Moss upside the head with a double Quarter Pounder with Cheese for this comment. (To be fair, the model’s rep says the line was taken out of context. Sure, it was.)

Two college students in Pennsylvania experienced terrible service at a local pub. They did what almost anyone who gets bad service would do: they didn’t pay the tip. The problem is the students were with other friends, and the restaurant automatically adds an 18% added to any large party’s tab.

So, the restaurant called the police and the two tip skippers were later arrested. With handcuffs. Court date to come.

So, let’s look at both sides. First, how bad was the service? Here is what the two students told the media.

They had to find their own napkins and cutlery while their waitress caught a smoke, had to ask the bar for soda refills, and had to wait over an hour for salad and wings, they told NBC10.

Sounds pretty lousy. I wouldn’t tip either.

The restaurant, on the other hand, believes this was a violation of their policy.

The menu clearly states, “18 percent gratuity added to check of parties of 6 of more,” and a similar message is printed on receipts, a pub employee said this morning.

So, the police treated this as a theft. A theft of $16.35.

First, if you have ever waited tables, you know when you’re giving lousy service. I waited tables for years, and I knew that I was a horrible server. It’s not hard to figure it out based on your tips, guest comments, and your own common sense. This waitress went out to have smokes and let people wait an hour for food? She KNEW she didn’t deserve the tip, but thought she was entitled to it anyway. Guess what? Gratuities are given for good service.

Second, the restaurant risks bad PR and the ire of every college student in town over a lousy $16? It’s mind-boggling. Seems like these students are their bread and butter (forgive the food pun) and the restaurant should treat them a little better. It’s been a few years since I’ve been on a campus, but if I remember anything, it’s that all college students are just itching for a good protest. I smell a boycott brewing in Bethlehem.

Third, the police have nothing better to do than get involved in this case? What real crimes were being committed while these non-tippers were being booked? You would think one of the officers would show a little common sense, throw down a $20 and call it a day.

If you want to fight an automatic gratuity, talk to the manager. Explain your situation and make your case. Most times (as it happened with me a few times), the manager will remove the automatic gratuity from your bill and instead leave the tip to your discretion. If the manager isn’t there, or doesn’t agree with you, pay the tip and then talk to the owner later. Believe me, these people care about how their customers are treated. You might find a free dinner or gift certificate coming your way.

If that doesn’t work, there’s always the Fox Problem Solvers.

[Via PatsPapers.com]

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“Every meal includes kid sized American fries & choice of kids drink.” Really, Johnny Rockets?

I know the “freedom fries” and “American fries” trend started as a backlash against the French for not supporting us in Iraq. And, we all know how that turned out. We’ve now learned that there were no weapons of mass destruction, despite what we were led to believe by the Bush administration. So, can we drop the xenophobia already?

I know them as French fries. You know them as French fries. “American” fries just sounds silly. And fattening. At least with “French” thrown in there, I forget about the possibility of obesity as I’m cramming them in my pie hole.

Let’s face it: we all want free candy. The only thing better than free candy is free money, and that doesn’t happen very often (like, never). But, there comes a point where it becomes obnoxious to intrude into what is, essentially, an event for littler kids. For example, have you ever had a trick-or-treater with a real five o’clock shadow? Well, the Chicago Tribune has a great piece today on helping us all learn who is too old to trick or treat.

Here are some of the suggested guidelines:

I say that if you’re old enough to shave, you’re too old.

Old enough to drive? Too old.

Are you old enough to have an iPhone? Too old to trick-or-treat.

Old enough to remember life before Google? Too old.

Older than Miley Cyrus? Too old.

Not sure who Miley Cyrus is? Beyond too old.

[via Pat's Papers]

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