Dreaming of a new life

Turns out nearly 50% of us dream of moving to another city or town. There are some differences between young and old, men and women, republican and democrats. The survey of 2,260 people shows that younger people are drawn to cities. Of the top 30 cities, these people prefer Denver, San Diego and Seattle.

How did your city score?

TOP (AND BOTTOM) DRAWS
Percentage of Americans who say they want to live in this city or metropolitan area:

Most popular Least popular
Denver: 43% Detroit: 8%
San Diego: 40% Cleveland: 10%
Seattle: 38% Cincinnati: 13%
Orlando: 34% Kansas City: 15%
Tampa: 34% Minneapolis: 16%
San Francisco: 34% Pittsburgh: 17%

Source: Pew Research Center

How many of us will actually move? And how many will just dream of moving?

How to Choose a Bottle of Wine

For some of us, a wine with an award taste better. Ever wonder how that bottle of wine got the ribbon? Wine judges decide. But how good are those taste buds? More discerning than yours? Maybe not. Here is a something that will leave a bitter taste in your mouth... only "10% judges were able to consistently give the same rating... to the identical wine sampled multiple times in a large blind tasting." That should give you pause the next time you take a sip out of that prize winning bottle of wine.

Slumperson Millionaire II

Follow up:

A person protesting the word "dog" in the movie title "Slumdog Millionaire" has named some stray dogs after the film's directors and stars.

Slumperson Millionaire nominated for ten Oscars

The film Slumdog Millionaire is nominated for an Oscar in ten categories, including Best Picture.

Not everyone is happy about this.

Slum dwellers in India's Bihar state attacked a movie theater that was showing the movie. They were objecting to the word "dog" in the title, saying that equating slum dwellers with dogs was a violation of human rights. Reuters carried the story here.

Other movies with Oscar nominations include "Knight of the Night" (Caballero de la Noche)

Law Breakers: Boys with unusual names

The name alone is not the cause of juvenile crime, but new research show that the difference between Michael and Ernest may be greater than you know. Some suggests adolescents with unusual names are treated differently by their peers. That's a nice way of saying people make fun of them so they misbehave. Researchers also say boys might act out because they dislike their names.

There is a person in the White House with an unusual name. As far as we know, he does not have a juvy record. Maybe this is why Barack Obama was known as "Barry" Obama in high school. Take a look at the label on his high school picture.

White House Assistant Chef

Chicago chef Sam Kass is going to Washington D.C with the Obama's. The chef-owner of Avec and Blackbird in Chicago have been with the Obama's for years. Foodies will probably approve of Kass who is known as a food activist. He likes local and healthy foods. Kass also knows what the Obama's like. Here is m0re on the appointment of Kass as assistant chef.

No More Free Money for Banks

I just about cried when I read this story. Banks are suffering because people are writing fewer bad checks which means they're collecting less cash. People are also not using ATMs as much as they used to so banks are getting less "non-interest income." I feel so sorry for banks. They had counted on this cash and consumers are letting them down. So, the next time you think twice about writing a bad check, think about your bank. Stop your selfishness.

DTV Delay Explained

You've probably been hearing a lot about the DTV transition scheduled for February 17. The Obama Administration is looking to delay the transition until June 12.

Here is an explanation of that delay. This is just priceless. If you missed the original explanation, I have it for you.

Great minds...

...really do think alike, it seems.

The lead photo editors from 3 wire services that follow the US President everywhere have selected some of the photos which they think best capture President Bush and his time in office.

One image that all three editors chose independently of each other: Andrew Card informing President Bush that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center in New York.

The story, with excellent discussion, is here.

(above) Paul J. Richards/Agence France-Presse

(above) Doug Mills / AP

(above) REUTERS/Win McNamee

And you can watch a video of the fateful moment:

Italian Premier in Hot Water for Comments about Women

Italian women are just too beautiful. The country cannot protect them from men. That's essentially what Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi said in relationship to a rape case. Berlusconi in an attempt to explain himself says there are only 100,000 people in law enforcement while there are millions of beautiful women. The Premier was simply trying to pay Italian women a compliment. Poor guy, he says just remember to have a sense of humor when you hear his comments.

Six Degrees of Separation

NNDB's mission is to track the relationships between more than 32,000 people and organizations. Fascinating stuff.

Woman Arrested for Overdue Library Book

How long do you have to keep a library book before police come after you? A woman in Jesup, Iowa found out. Shelly Koontz borrowed the book " The Freedom Writers Diary" in April. Police caught up with her this week.

The library tried to get her to return the book. They made four phone calls, sent three letters, one certified letter and finally in September a police officer went to her home and talked to one of her daughters. By October, the library called police again. What's the value of the book? About $13.95. The police chief said “theft is theft, no matter what it is.”

What do you think it cost the library and the police department to go after Koontz? Was it more than $14? Yes, there is a principle, but I wonder if there are bigger crimes in Jesup. Koontz is out of jail and no longer lives in Jesup. Here are some basic facts about Jesup.

Take a Number Please...

New occupants to the White House bring hope for many. As you can imagine, people are finding ways to make money off of The Obama Presidency.

Hawaii hopes tourists will come in droves to see the Baskin Robbins where the commander-in-chief worked while in high school. Obviously Chicago will cash-in with a package called Presidential Chicago or maybe you want to shop for books for your children... perhaps the same ones Sasha and Malia read. Of course you can dine in Chicago like the Obama's. Speaking of food, foodies hope Obama will revolutionize the way Americans eat. How about appointing a food czar? Talk about having a lot on your plate. As if 2 wars, a slumping economy and a failing health care system is not enough to keep the new president busy, how about the game of golf. Some golfers hope African Americans will take up the game because they see Obama playing. I am starting to feel like I am at the bakery. Take a number and wait your turn. Next...number 102.

President Gets to Keep BlackBerry

Once he got to the White House, President Barack Obama was told he had to give up his BlackBerry, but today the self-confessed BlackBerry addict got the good news. The President will get a super-encrypted version of the smartphone costing $3,350. Apparently the White House is technologically speaking in the dark ages, so Obama will be ecstatic to have a connection to the real world. He had to give up his old e-mail address, but that sounds like a small price to pay.
I am really happy for the President and I am all for transparency in government, but doesn't this information sound like a dare to a hacker?
Wondering if you are (like me) a BlackBerry addict? Don't worry, here is how you self-diagnose yourself. It's the top 10 signs you're addicted to your BlackBerry.

HOW WE SPENT 350 BILLION DOLLARS

The Treasury department has spent 350 billion dollars of the bailout money. How exactly did we spend that? The answers are just coming to the surface. The Wall Street Journal is reporting that some members of Congress took care of banks in their home state. Congressman Barney Frank seems to be one of the worst offenders. The Massachusetts Congressman is the Chairman of the Financial Services Committee. He's not the only one, Ohio benefited quite a bit from the bailout cash. The last chapter is still not written on how this money was spent. So, politicians are motivated by politics. Are we surprised? Are we going to see a real change with Barack Obama's Administration?

"A Technicolor cast"

From an article by Jodi Kantor in the New York Times, Jan 20th, 2009 (emphasis added):

For well over two centuries, the United States has been vastly more diverse than its ruling families. Now the Obama family has flipped that around, with a Technicolor cast that looks almost nothing like their overwhelmingly white, overwhelmingly Protestant predecessors in the role. The family that produced Barack and Michelle Obama is black and white and Asian, Christian, Muslim and Jewish. They speak English; Indonesian; French; Cantonese; German; Hebrew; African languages including Swahili, Luo and Igbo; and even a few phrases of Gullah, the Creole dialect of the South Carolina Lowcountry. Very few are wealthy, and some — like Sarah Obama, the stepgrandmother who only recently got electricity and running water in her metal-roofed shack — are quite poor.

Politician Posts Shower Picture of Herself on Facebook

Posting nude pictures on Facebook is not just for teens with hot bodies. Uruguary's interior minister, Daisy Tourne, posted a picture of herself taking a shower on her Facebook page. In all fairness, it's not full nudity (although I have not seen the picture.) Tourne's hand and face is shown with the water running. As you can imagine, a half naked picture of a national leader is causing quite a bit of controversy. Tourne says the picture was not meant to be erotic. Her picture caption said "there's nothing more natural than a woman in the shower." So there.

Presidential in-laws

When Barack Obama's mother-in-law moves into the White House later today, she'll be joining an elite group of in-laws. Four other presidential-in-laws have lived at the White House: Ulysses S. Grant's father-in-law, Harry S Truman's mother-in-law, Dwight D. Eisenhower's mother-in-law and Benjamin Harrison's father-in-law.

When as if his mother-in-law is moving to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Barack Obama tells 60 Minutes, "Well, I don't tell my mother-in-law what to do." Obama went on to offer 60 minutes correspondent Steve Croft some tips on dealing with mother-in-laws. All joking aside, experts say two things are necessary to keep the peace. The Obama's need to discuss privacy and disciplining the children ahead of time. You can find more information about Michelle's mother here.

FLAME™ Body Spray

The WHOPPER® sandwich is America’s Favorite burger.

FLAME™ by BK® captures the essence of that love and gives it to you. Behold the scent of seduction, with a hint of flame-broiled meat.

A Vote for Good Food

Today, we went to a neighborhood Vietnamese restaurant called Chopsticks. On a cold winter day, it's a great place to get a hot bowl of Pho. The place often has a lot of empty seats, and it makes me wonder if they make enough money to stay in business. We were treated to a new menu today that featured Thai, Sushi and other Japanese dishes like udon noodles in addition to the Vietnamese fare. Apparently, that way the restaurant can appeal to more people. I understand it's for survival, but I am still disappointed. This dinner discussion reminded me of something I read recently about Whole Foods and whether it will make it through a slowing economy. It made me conscious of how I spend my food dollars. I am essentially voting when I shop or eat. Think about who or what you want to vote for.

BEWITCHING

We've all seen enough mob movies to know how the mafia collects money. That plot is so passe. Maybe that's why a Lithuanian firm hired a witch to go after people who fail to pay up. They didn't just get any witch, they got a famous Witch, Vilija Lobaciuviene. I wonder if she stalks you, then at the right moment swoops down and collect. In all seriousness though, what's her rate of return?

Closed Circuit Television!

After closing 155 stores in November 2008, Circuit City announced it's liquidating the rest of its 567 stores.

You know what that means! Yes, it's time for a liquidation sale!

For you, the consumer, doesn't that sound great? Here, let's say it together: LIQUIDATION SALE. Gives you the chills, doesn't it? Makes me think of a 50-in plasma TV on sale for $100, with whipped cream and a cherry on top.

But that could be wrong. If the November '08 closings were any indication, store "liquidation sale" prices could actually be several hundred dollars more expensive than, say, online. Plus, there won't be any refunds or exchanges in case your purchase doesn't work.

SKIN IN THE WORKPLACE

What exactly is appropriate workplace attire? That probably depends on whether you work for Brooks Brothers or Victoria's Secret. Shockingly, a new poll finds that one in four women think there is a correlation between dress and success and they don't mind showing a little bit of skin to get ahead. That gives a whole new meaning to 'dress for success.'
So how much skin is OK at work? And what if you're a guy, do you come in with a muscle shirt?

This raises the question, do attractive people get ahead faster? Here is one answer.