TV really is educational. Here's another article about the influence that TV shows like CSI may be having on real criminals, who may be getting better at getting away with it.
crapbag
Monday, January 30, 2006
Saturday, January 21, 2006
Marketing is about selling the right product to the right customer. And sometimes, this means sabotaging your lower-priced products so they don’t attract customers who are already buying your more expensive products. One restaurant even goes as far as hiring a rude waiter to man the section with a cheaper menu in order to discourage diners from sitting there.
More evidence pointing to the sorry state of higher education in the United States:
More than 50 percent of students at four-year schools and more than 75 percent at two-year colleges lacked the skills to perform complex literacy tasks.
That means they could not interpret a table about exercise and blood pressure, understand the arguments of newspaper editorials, compare credit card offers with different interest rates and annual fees or summarize results of a survey about parental involvement in school.
The results cut across three types of literacy: analyzing news stories and other prose, understanding documents and having math skills needed for checkbooks or restaurant tips.
Why go through the trouble of having prison blueprints tattooed on your body, when you can just go on a diet?
I know why. Losing weight is harder.
I know why. Losing weight is harder.
“Women who take frequent vacations sleep better, are more satisfied in marriage, and are less likely to be tense or depressed.
Problem is, most of them aren’t even getting one vacation a year.”
So, the next time your husband objects to your taking a vacation, let him know that it’ll make for a happier wife, and consequently, a happier husband.
It's okay to dress sexy if you're a receptionist, but if you are higher up the corporate ladder (like a manager), it'll hurt you.
Why is the US not testing all of its cattle for Mad Cow disease? And why do we continue to feed cows to cows, making them into carnivores/cannibals? The US government must think it is an acceptable risk for Americans to take.
Ten years from now, when people begin to die from these practices, there is going to be an uproar. But for now, Americans don’t seem to care enough about this issue to make it a priority. McDonald’s and some scientists are complaining that not enough is being done right now to prevent this disease, when there are still more things that can be done by the government. Unfortunately, the U.S. government doesn’t seem to think that preventing Mad Cow disease is as urgent a priority as Japan does.
We can only hope that the U.S. government gets lucky as it gambles with our lives.
Ten years from now, when people begin to die from these practices, there is going to be an uproar. But for now, Americans don’t seem to care enough about this issue to make it a priority. McDonald’s and some scientists are complaining that not enough is being done right now to prevent this disease, when there are still more things that can be done by the government. Unfortunately, the U.S. government doesn’t seem to think that preventing Mad Cow disease is as urgent a priority as Japan does.
We can only hope that the U.S. government gets lucky as it gambles with our lives.
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
Monday, January 16, 2006
Los Angeles county is "the capital of homelessness in America."
Sunday, January 15, 2006
Read about the beginning of the end for Blockbuster and the dire prospects for the video rental giant.
Thursday, January 12, 2006
All over the world, people are lining up to learn Chinese. The Chinese are supporting the export of their language, hoping it will soften and improve their image and their relations with other countries, and increase their prestige and cultural influence.
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
New guidelines established by chest doctors discourage the use of over-the-counter cough syrups because they don't really help.
Here’s a real life-changing mistake.
On the bright side, at least the kids have only had the wrong parents for ten years.
On the bright side, at least the kids have only had the wrong parents for ten years.
Sunday, January 08, 2006
Researchers found differences in the brain structure and functioning of male and female monkeys that make them prefer different types of toys.
I knew that people liked Hello Kitty, but not this much. Does anybody really need to have Hello-Kitty-themed boarding passes and in-flight meals? But then, who can say no to the opportunity to buy Hello Kitty merchandise duty-free?
Saturday, January 07, 2006
This is funny. A think tank in the Philippines points out that new college graduates in the Philippines need to improve their English so that the growth of the call center industry in the Philippines can continue. It seems to me that it’s not just new college graduates who have to “cure their English”. I think they need to add think tank representatives and newspaper journalists to the list.
Friday, January 06, 2006
From William Saletan’s column, Human Nature, Oral Sects–A new campaign against bloodsucking circumcision:
“Good is bad and bad is good, continued: 1) ‘Heart conditions became worse in male mice carrying a genetic mutation for heart disease when they were fed a soy diet.’ 2) ‘A new study of older men and women shows that … the risk of fatal heart failure decreases with higher LDL cholesterol levels.’ 3) ‘The use of nicotine substitutes (nicotine gum, patches or inhalers) during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy appears to slightly increase the risk of birth defects’ compared to smoking. 4) Moderate alcohol consumption ‘appears to protect older women from developing type 2 or non-insulin-dependent diabetes.’ 5) ‘Giving homeless alcoholics a regular supply of booze may improve their health and their behavior.’”
“Good is bad and bad is good, continued: 1) ‘Heart conditions became worse in male mice carrying a genetic mutation for heart disease when they were fed a soy diet.’ 2) ‘A new study of older men and women shows that … the risk of fatal heart failure decreases with higher LDL cholesterol levels.’ 3) ‘The use of nicotine substitutes (nicotine gum, patches or inhalers) during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy appears to slightly increase the risk of birth defects’ compared to smoking. 4) Moderate alcohol consumption ‘appears to protect older women from developing type 2 or non-insulin-dependent diabetes.’ 5) ‘Giving homeless alcoholics a regular supply of booze may improve their health and their behavior.’”
Thursday, January 05, 2006
I’ve been using Pincity to make domestic and international long distance calls for a few years now. Pincity is like a pre-paid phone card, except that you don’t have a physical card; instead, you create an account on Pincity’s Web site, and then “load” money into your account. Then you dial a toll-free or local number every time you want to make a long-distance call. The calls are charged to your account. When the balance in your account is low or if your account is empty, you just add more money to your account by paying on the Web site, or over the phone, and the credit appears in your account instantly.
Pincity is great because it has good rates (2.9 cents/minute domestic, 16.7 cents/minute to the Philippines), and unlike many phone cards out there, it doesn’t cheat you. You can see each call you make listed on Pincity’s Web site, right after you make it. Aside from that, Pincity has many other great features which I won’t go into here. Suffice it to say, Pincity and other similar services are a step up over traditional phone cards.
Anyway, just a few days ago, I decided to try a similar service from a competing company called TalkLoop. TalkLoop is even better price wise (2 cents/minute domestic, 12.4 cents/minute to the Philippines). I’ve only used it a few times but it seems to work fine. Like Pincity, you can set your account up to not require you to enter your PIN if you’re calling from certain numbers like your home phone number. You can also enter frequently dialed phone numbers on the Web site and assign them a one- or two-digit code. Then when you call, you just enter the code, instead of the full number—kind of like the way memory or speed dial works on your regular phone. And just like Pincity, every call you make is listed on TalkLoop’s Web site as soon as you make it, and it does not cheat you with the minutes. I actually tried TalkLoop out when I was trying to call the Philippines on New Year’s Eve over there, but I couldn’t connect on Pincity. Luckily, I was able to connect using TalkLoop.
If you decide to sign up with TalkLoop, let me know and I can refer you so that you and I will both get a bonus credit. I think it might be bigger than the sign-up bonus you can get from signing up directly on their Web site.
If you want to sign up with Pincity, I can also refer you and we will both get a bonus. Occasionally, Pincity will have a promotion (usually when a holiday is coming up) and offer a coupon code on its site that gives a discount or bonus. I think the discount/bonus from those codes is usually equivalent to or better than the bonus you can get from being referred. So if there’s a code available, you can just use that when you sign up. But if there are no current promotions, then you can get a code by being referred.
Pincity is great because it has good rates (2.9 cents/minute domestic, 16.7 cents/minute to the Philippines), and unlike many phone cards out there, it doesn’t cheat you. You can see each call you make listed on Pincity’s Web site, right after you make it. Aside from that, Pincity has many other great features which I won’t go into here. Suffice it to say, Pincity and other similar services are a step up over traditional phone cards.
Anyway, just a few days ago, I decided to try a similar service from a competing company called TalkLoop. TalkLoop is even better price wise (2 cents/minute domestic, 12.4 cents/minute to the Philippines). I’ve only used it a few times but it seems to work fine. Like Pincity, you can set your account up to not require you to enter your PIN if you’re calling from certain numbers like your home phone number. You can also enter frequently dialed phone numbers on the Web site and assign them a one- or two-digit code. Then when you call, you just enter the code, instead of the full number—kind of like the way memory or speed dial works on your regular phone. And just like Pincity, every call you make is listed on TalkLoop’s Web site as soon as you make it, and it does not cheat you with the minutes. I actually tried TalkLoop out when I was trying to call the Philippines on New Year’s Eve over there, but I couldn’t connect on Pincity. Luckily, I was able to connect using TalkLoop.
If you decide to sign up with TalkLoop, let me know and I can refer you so that you and I will both get a bonus credit. I think it might be bigger than the sign-up bonus you can get from signing up directly on their Web site.
If you want to sign up with Pincity, I can also refer you and we will both get a bonus. Occasionally, Pincity will have a promotion (usually when a holiday is coming up) and offer a coupon code on its site that gives a discount or bonus. I think the discount/bonus from those codes is usually equivalent to or better than the bonus you can get from being referred. So if there’s a code available, you can just use that when you sign up. But if there are no current promotions, then you can get a code by being referred.
When someone stole this woman’s purse, they took something priceless and irreplaceable—the only copy of her thesis. She was going to get it back no matter what it took.
There is a new trend: manufacturer warranties are getting shorter. As warranties get shorter, manufacturers and stores are working harder to sell you extended warranties. These extended warranties are nearly pure profit for them. In most cases, getting an extended warranty is not a good idea.
This article is a year old already, but it's worth reading. Read it for inside information on the kinds of customers companies like Best Buy want and the ones they hope to drive away.
Can you believe that there are some college scholarships out there with such narrow criteria that there are almost no eligible takers? Read this article to find out about the slim pickings for these picky grants.
Why do we all seem to have a weakness for anything that seems cute? This article discusses the compelling appeal of cuteness.
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
Europeans are increasingly turning to stomach surgery to lose weight. Most opt to have balloons placed inside their stomachs, and some have bands placed around the stomach. The balloon procedure is not yet approved in the United States, but it actually sounds a lot safer than stomach stapling.
As we age, we tend to lose muscle, and our metabolism slows down. Here’s what you can do to boost your metabolism and automatically burn more calories all day long.
Sunday, January 01, 2006
The rapid economic development in China has come at the cost of environmental degradation. China needs to be careful or they may be in for major problems down the road.
Different countries celebrated the ushering in of 2006 in their own way and some faced concerns ranging from subway strikes to bombings as they welcomed the New Year.
In the Philippines, New Year celebrations were accompanied by deaths:
“In the Philippines, two people were reported killed by bullets fired during celebratory gunfire and two others died after eating a popular sparkler that looks like candy. Firing guns in the air is a traditional way for Filipinos to welcome the new year.”
In the Philippines, New Year celebrations were accompanied by deaths:
“In the Philippines, two people were reported killed by bullets fired during celebratory gunfire and two others died after eating a popular sparkler that looks like candy. Firing guns in the air is a traditional way for Filipinos to welcome the new year.”
In Colombia, the frequent theft of manhole covers was nothing more than a nuisance and a joke until a death changed people's attitudes.
Read this very interesting article about Venezeluans and how important beauty is to them. Whether rich or poor, everyone in Venezuela aspires to be beautiful, and for many, this means going under the knife.
You may not know this but hospitals are reusing medical equipment that was designed for one-time use in order to cut costs. Hospitals say it is safe and that it saves them and patients money amid skyrocketing medical costs; but some people question the safety of reconditioned medical equipment.
The problem has to do with the reluctance of manufacturers to label their products as appropriate for multiple uses, even when such products could be reused, because of liability concerns. Labeling equipment as one-time use only means that manufacturers do not have to test the equipment as extensively as they would if they product were approved for multiple uses. Unfortunately, using medical equipment only once is often wasteful and unnecessarily expensive, and most of us are all too familiar with the high costs of medical care as it is.
The problem has to do with the reluctance of manufacturers to label their products as appropriate for multiple uses, even when such products could be reused, because of liability concerns. Labeling equipment as one-time use only means that manufacturers do not have to test the equipment as extensively as they would if they product were approved for multiple uses. Unfortunately, using medical equipment only once is often wasteful and unnecessarily expensive, and most of us are all too familiar with the high costs of medical care as it is.