Chicken Nuggets or McNuggets?

I just got home from picking up some food at Wendy's. I love Wendy's because they have the 99 cent menu that includes a 5 piece chicken nugget. For some reason though, every time I order the nuggets I say "Chicken Mcnuggets", which we all know is what McDonald's calls them. I stop and try again but I can't not say "MC" in front of the nugget. Am I the only one who does this?

Suitcase on Wheels?

Have you seen the people that take luggage to work with them? You know those suitcases on wheels that you can pull behind you. What are these people bringing to work? Their paperweight collection? What can really be that heavy that you would need a suitcase?
To me this would be too much like going on vacation. I think if I started taking luggage to work it would totally ruin my whole vacation experience. Every time I was pulling my suitcase in the airport it would feel like I am going to work! Who wants that?

Three Sheets to the Wind - What Does this Mean?

Have you ever heard the expression that a person is "Three sheets to the wind"? It means that a person is very drunk. But where did this expression come from and what does it mean? Here's what I found out:

"To understand this phrase we need to enter the arcane world of nautical terminology. Sailors' language is, unsurprisingly, all at sea and many supposed derivations have to go by the board. Don't be taken aback to hear that sheets aren't sails, as landlubbers might expect, but ropes (or occasionally, chains). These are fixed to the lower corners of sails, to hold them in place. If three sheets are loose and blowing about in the wind then the sails will flap and the boat will lurch about like a drunken sailor.

The phrase is these days more often given as 'three sheets to the wind', rather than the original 'three sheets in the wind'.

Sailors at that time had a sliding scale of drunkenness; three sheets was the falling over stage; tipsy was just 'one sheet in the wind', or 'a sheet in the wind's eye'."

So there you have it. Now we have to figure out "What do you do with a Drunken Sailor early in the morning".

Wet Plastic = Anger - From The Archives

(Originally Posted 9/3/06)
I don't ask for too many things in my life. But for once, I would like to open up my dishwasher and see a new sight. All I want is to have my Tupperware and other plastic items to be dry! Everytime, it's the same old thing. I pick up the piece of Tupperware and water dribbles all over. Either that or there is a big puddle on top of my favorite plastic Iowa State mug. What I don't understand is...... It has an option for "Heated Dry". Shouldn't this take care of the problem? I know this isn't an isolated event. I have used over 10 dishwashers, all with the same effect.

If someone knows of a dishwasher that guarantees to dry tupperware please let me know! I am willing to pay large sums of money. Just help me get a piece of dry Tupperware!

Uncomfortable Return - From the Archives

(Originally Posted 6/1/06)
Well, I did it again this morning. I seem to fall into the same trap on a daily basis. A trap set by my self. I opened the door to my car this morning to head for work. Of course I was only half awake (like a zombie pretty much). I slowly put the key in and started the Ion up. Then............... BLAST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No it wasn't a car bomb planted by a member of the Corleone family, it was my radio turned up to a point where it felt like my ears were going to bleed. What was I thinking when I pulled my car into the garage the night before?
Isn't it strange that the music didn't seem so loud the night before, but now it just made me insane in the membrane. Another one of life's mysteries. I guess I could just get in the habit of turning off the radio when I leave the car..... But that would be too easy. :)

The Athena Project - Another Gem from Brad Thor

I just finished reading another great book by Brad Thor today. In Thor’s latest book The Athena Project, four of Delta’s best and brightest women are about to undertake one of the nation’s deadliest assignments. Introduced briefly in a previous Thor book, Foreign Influence, the girls of Athena are back again, kicking butt and protecting the United States. This book has something for both men and women to enjoy and I would recommend this to everyone. I really enjoyed how the book uses bit of WWII history and ties them into modern war on terror. It’s a quick read, and you will find yourself staying up all night to finish it. But don’t despair when you are done. The book sets itself up for a sequel to follow and I’ve seen rumors posted around the web about a possible movie deal!

Breakfast Cereal - From the Archives

(Originally Posted 5/23/05)
I'm curious if I'm the only one who does this? After I pour a bowl of cereal into the bowl, I put the box down next to me at the table. If I have no paper to read, I will read the entire cereal box, from nutritional information to ingredients. I do this every time I eat cereal. I could have the same box of Lucky Charms for a week straight and still read that stupid box every time I eat it. If you ask me to remember what is says......no clue! Somehow when I eat cereal, my brain goes to a far off galaxy where it can't retain information. Does anyone else relate?

I Ordered a Glass of Water..... Not Lemon Water

I don't understand why restaurants insist on putting lemon wedges in my water without me asking. Shouldn't they only put the lemon in my water if I ask. Since when did water just come with lemon in it? Sure, I could fish out the piece of lemon, but by that point the water has been tainted. Not to mention the fact that lemon wedges have a high level of bacteria from being prepared by workers not wearing gloves. Now, if you want to throw a lemon wedge in my Bacardi Limon and Seven go ahead. In that case the alcohol is hopefully killing off all the bacteria. Cheers!

The Colgate Curse - From the Archives

(Originally Posted 11/15/06) If you are like me, you brush your teeth two times a day or maybe even more. The "Colgate Curse" applies to the morning brush. This is the brush before you are exposed to the world, and nobody wants to introduce Mr. Morning Breath to everyone. Keep in mind, this may only happen to me, so I need your feedback.
So there I am, finishing up brushing, spitting out that last mouthful of water and then wiping off my face of any excess toothpaste. I look in the mirror and I think to myself, "There is one good-looking guy, with some minty fresh breath to say the least". But, I have made a fatal error... I have forgotten about......"THE COLGATE CURSE"! It usually doesn't hit you until an hour later. You are sitting at work and notice a white paste on your pants.
What is that? That has to be toothpaste. Right?! What was I doing last in these pants? Hmmm.. Then you try to take some water and rub out the white stain.... IT ONLY MAKES IT WORSE. Now the stain has spread out even more. What will others think? AHHHHH, "The Colgate Curse" has gotten me again!
Did I make you look at your pants for a white stain?

Are Those Real? - From The Archives

(Originally Posted 5/2/05)
I think I know what it feels like to be a woman with fake breasts. How can this be possible? I get asked on a daily basis, "Are those real?" Yes they are and thank you for asking. Of course this comment is being directed towards my eyes, not my breasts. It's nice to be complimented on something, but when that is the only thing you hear, over and over again.....it gets old. I know that there are many others of you out there. You have the perfect hair, the perfect butt, or something that everyone always makes a comment on. It's strange how someone trying to be nice to you can actually annoy you.

Bears at Merle Hay Mall?

Never thought I would see a bear and other wildlife at the mall, but I guess I was wrong. Thanks to the Red Rock Wildlife Education Center at Merle Hay Mall the next time you are shopping for that new outfit, you can also check out some wildlife. Admission is only a $1.00. A good chance to show the kids some animals they don't see everyday.
I know one thing for sure, I would hate to be the one carrying around a pretzel and soda, from the food court, when one of those bears got loose!

The Most Interesting Man in the World eats at Viva La Bamba in Urbandale?

No, I'm talking about me. This past weekend when I walked into Viva La Bamba Mexican restaurant, who did I bump into? None other than the Most Interesting Man in the World. And if that wasn't cool enough, he was wearing a sombrero. Okay, it wasn't the real guy, it was a cardboard cutout, but still pretty awesome. Which gives you just another reason to eat at Viva La Bamba (see earlier review here).
Just for some fun, here are some great quotes from the Most Interesting Man in the World commercials:
"He is the life of parties he never attended."
"He once had an awkward moment, just to see how it feels."
"He's won trophies for his game face alone."
"His words carry weight that would break a less interesting man's jaw."
"If he were to punch you in the face, you would have to fight off the irresistible urge to thank him".
"His mother has a tattoo that reads 'son'".
"At museums he is allowed to touch the art."
"Sharks have a week dedicated to him."
"He can speak French, in Russian."
"He bowls overhand."

Stay thirsty my friends!

Silos and Smokestacks Signs - Say What?

Have you ever seen the Silos and Smokestack signs along the interstate while driving? This sign (see picture) is on northbound I-35 in West Des Moines, approaching I-80 and I-235. I drive by it all the time and always wonder what it means. Are we talking nuclear silos, or corn silos? After a quick search here's what I found out:
Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area preserves and tells the story of American agriculture and its global significance through partnerships and activities that celebrate the land, people, and communities of the area.

Considered yourself enlightened.

Some Bling for Your Belly - From the Archives

(Originally Posted 10/25/06) Much like champagne, Goldschlager has a reputation as a celebration drink. It is touted by style consultants for its ability to increase one's inner bling. Goldschlager actually has little flakes of gold floating around in it. For those of you who don’t know, Goldschlager is hard liquor that has a cinnamon taste.
So one night my friend and I were drinking some Goldschlager with some Bailey’s Irish Crème (Oatmeal Cookie). After a few drinks I noticed that both full bottles were gone. This is when things started to get interesting. My friend began to feel sick to her stomach. She stumbled and fell to the ground. She then proceeded to vomit all over the wall. By this time I was feeling a little gross myself and went to bed. The next morning I woke up and noticed that something shiny was on the wall. The gold flakes had stayed stuck on the wall where the vomit was. Wow. I now had a gold wall. It just goes to show, drinking does pay off sometimes!

3 Things I Would Change About the Des Moines Arts Festival

The Des Moines Arts Festival is just a week away now, June 24th-26th. With it being so close, it got me thinking if I really wanted to attend this year? Then I thought to myself, what were 3 things I would change about the Arts Festival, to make me really want to go. Here’s what I came up with:

1. Plan the Arts Festival in early Spring or Fall. Yep, forget about having it at the end of June, when the average temperatures in Des Moines are in the 80’s. I want to walk around and not have to worry about sweating too much and dehydration.

2. Get more artists from Des Moines and the surrounding areas! Well, it is called the “Des Moines” Arts festival. But it seems like all the artists are from out of state. Why not showcase more of what we have here in the great state of Iowa?

3. No more jewelry, hats and purses. Do we really need to have 50 different venders showcasing this stuff? Let’s see more paintings, mixed media and sculptures.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for events and festivals in the Des Moines area. With just a little tweaking, they could be so much better!

The Red Hat Ladies - From the Archives

(Originally Posted 1/21/07)
Sorry everybody for not writing for awhile. I have a good excuse. Please read the following to hear my story:
(Written December 13th, 2006)
Have you seen these ladies around town? Groups of older women get together wearing these bright red hats. Why you ask... very good question. After looking on their website, here is what I found out:
"The Red Hat Society began as a result of a few women deciding to greet middle age with verve, humor and elan. We believe silliness is the comedy relief of life, and since we are all in it together, we might as well join red-gloved hands and go for the gusto together. Underneath the frivolity, we share a bond of affection, forged by common life experiences and a genuine enthusiasm for wherever life takes us next."
Although some of you might think that the red hat ladies are silly looking, or even "not cool" for wearing these attention getting hats...... I think they are on to something. I think I need to start some sort of organization where men can get together and live life to the fullest! But what?
I know. I will start the Red Ski Mask Society for Men over 25. We will get together and just have fun and not take life seriously. We can go to the bar, go bowling, golf and much much more. We could just even run simple errands together. If brother Bob needed to go to the grocery store we would go. If he needed to go to the bank our group of Red Ski Mask guys would go.

(Written December 16th, 2006)
So, we had our first get together yesterday. It didn't go so well. Brother Hernando needed some gas, so we all went to the local Git and Go. While he was pumping some gas the group of us wearing our ski masks decided to go inside and get some slushies. As soon as we walked in everybody starting screaming. I thought they were just excited that we formed a new club. But then an alarm went off and the teenage boy behind the counter pulled out a shotgun.
(Written Today)
After spending a little over a month in prison, I decided that the Red Ski Mask Society would not work out. For some reason the local police just wouldn't believe our story. But having a month to just think about things I think we would be better off just sticking with our weekly poker games to have fun as men. Hind Sight is 20/20!

You've Really Got a MOLD on Me - From the Archives

(Originally Posted 3/9/06) Yesterday I made myself a nice BLT sandwich (Crisp bacon, crunchy lettuce and garden fresh tomatoes). It tasted great! Today I grabbed the bread from the bread box and what did I see?............ MOLD!!!! Could this mold have been there yesterday when I ate the BLT? Did it just grow overnight? I suddenly started to feel sick to my stomach. The BLT sandwich tasted good enough. Wouldn’t I have noticed if there was mold on the bread?
Isn’t it amazing how our minds work against us? I don’t know for sure if I ate mold or not, but just the thought of it made me want to throw up in my mouth. Have you ever seen something after that the fact with food? Maybe you noticed that the milk was out of date after you drink it. How did you react?

Kids on a Leash - What's Next?

I don’t understand the idea of putting your kid on a leash. If you’re going to put a leash on your kid, why not forget the diaper and just have them go potty in the front yard? Okay, going potty in the front yard might be a extreme, but they actually sell leashes for kids, and people actually use them! No, I’m not making this up. I saw people using these at the zoo the other day.
I appreciate the fact that you don’t want to lose your kid. But, there has to be a better way to watch your child. Right?

Arrested Development Movie? No Joke

One of my favorite short lived television shows is coming to the big screen. An Arrested Development movie has been announced and is scheduled to come out in 2012. One more chance for all of us to see the dysfunctional Bluth family and all their hilarious moments. Who knows we might even see Tobias one more time as Mrs. Featherbottom? I can't wait! If you've never watched Arrested Development, throw it in your Netflix Queue and get ready for some laughs.

Spinach Frittata Recipe - Healthy, Quick and Easy

I made this the other day and it turned out great. Give it a try.

Ingredients
5 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup chopped spinach

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
Lightly coat a 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray and set it aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, half of the shredded cheese, salt and pepper.
3 Now mix in your chopped spinach and pour into prepared pie plate.
4. Bake about 20 minutes or until set.
5. Remove from oven. Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese on top of the Frittata and let stand about 5 minutes.

Tips:
-Serve with Hash browns and fresh fruit
-Add in mushrooms or bacon for some added goodness

Bitchin' Kitchen - Not Your Mother's Cooking Show

If Tim Burton and Todd Phillips came together to make a cooking show you would end probably end up with Bitchin' Kitchen. The new cooking show on the Cooking Channel is both hilarious and strange, in a good way. Host Nadia G. cooks up some wonderful looking food while entertaining you with her own brand of dry humor. The show in general is kind of like something out of a weird dream. I could be watching it at 8pm and it feels like I am drunk at 2am, craving food..... Figure that one out? Anyways, if you like food and want to have a laugh or two, check out this show.

Big City Burgers and Greens - Food Review

I walk by Big City Burgers and Greens all the time on my daily stroll thru downtown Des Moines. But, I had never made time to try some of their food. Which is strange, because I love burgers and I love the fact that they use organic, antibiotic and hormone free beef. So, yesterday for lunch I finally had the chance to eat one of their burgers. My initial thoughts............ This is one of the best burgers I've had in a long time! Why have I waited so long to try this place? The burger was perfectly cooked, had great flavor and made me wish I had another. I went with the regular fries, as opposed to the "Big City" fries and they were great too. They were thin, appeared to be hand cut, and had the perfect amount of seasoning.
I use to say that Maxie's had the best burger in town, but now I would say the Big City Burger is sitting tied at first place with the Maxie Burger. So the next time you are downtown and looking for a great burger, definitely make your way to Big City Burgers and Greens.

Pete Holmes on Comedy Central - Funny Stuff

This Past weekend I caught Pete Holmes on Comedy Central Presents. It made me chuckle, so I thought I would share. Hope you enjoy. This first one is so true!

Jokes.com
Pete Holmes - Privacy Is Uncool
comedians.comedycentral.com
Jokes Joke of the Day Funny Jokes

Jokes.com
Pete Holmes - Really?
comedians.comedycentral.com
Jokes Joke of the Day Funny Jokes

American Alternative Fuels Act - Do Your Part to Get Us Off Foreign Oil!

United States Senators Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) have introduced what they call “commonsense” legislation to ease the pain at the pump and decrease our nation’s dependence on foreign oil. The American Alternative Fuels Act (S.937) breaks down the barriers to alternative fuels—including fuels derived from coal, biomass, algae and waste.
“Our unacceptably high gas prices…underscore a critical need: the federal government needs to be a partner, not an obstacle, for businesses that can transform our domestic energy resources into gas,” Senator Manchin said. “I’m proud to support this legislation with my friend John Barrasso, and continue to push for a national energy plan that will help drive down the price of gas and make us energy independent within this generation.”
“It’s more important than ever that we make it as easy as possible to use all available sources of American energy,” Senator Barrasso added. “Breaking down barriers to alternative fuels is one way we can ease the pain at the pump and decrease our dependence on foreign oil,” The American Alternative Fuels Act is cosponsored by Senators Roy Blunt (R-MO), Dan Coats (R-Ind.), Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska).
The American Alternative Fuels Act repeals barriers to domestic fuel production, in particular Section 526 of the 2007 Energy bill, which greatly restricts the federal government from buying alternative fuels. The new bill allows the Department of Defense to enter into long-term contracts (20 years) for purchasing alternative fuels.
The bill also creates a reporting requirement for domestic fuel-focused Loan Guarantee applications that are facing continued delays at the Department of Energy. Increasing transparency in the Loan Guarantee Program will help speed the process by pinpointing the delays in the bureaucratic process.
Among its provisions, the proposed legislation promotes algae-based fuel: The bill provides incentives under the renewable fuel standard for algae-based fuel that uses carbon capture and sequestrations.

These Senators have introduced this bill, now do your part and help get it passed. Make your voice heard. Contact your State Senator and let them know you want The American Alternative Fuels Act (S.937) bill passed!

Good Bye Macho Man Randy Savage

Growing up I hate to admit it, but I was a huge WWF fan. My favorite wrestler at the time? Macho Man Randy Savage. Oh Yeah! Today he passed away and it made me revisit some old highlights from his career. I still remember how exciting it was to see him wrestle at Vets back in the day. Good times.

Organic Groceries at Walmart? Yep, You Read That Right.

I never really shop for groceries when I stop by Walmart. But, the other day I decided to take a look and see what kind of organic selections they have to offer. I was pleasantly surprised. Not only did they have many of the organic items I buy other places, but they were priced $1.00-$2.00 cheaper! For example, Cascadian Farm granola bars are normally $4.68 at Hyvee Health Market, at Walmart only $2.68. That saves you $2.00 right there! Some of the other cheaper organic items I found there were milk, flour, sugar, cereal and frozen veggies. They also had a good selection of fresh chicken (no antibiotics or hormones) there too. So, before your next shopping trip to your regular supermarket, I would recommend checking out your local Walmart. You might just save yourself some green.
Bonus Tip: Looking for cheaper organic hamburger? Go to Costco. You can get a 3 pack of hamburger for $13.98. If you buy 3 packs of organic hamburger at Trader Joe's, you are looking at spending $17.97! Almost at $4.00 savings.

Organic Milk - What's With the Expiration Date?

Why does organic milk last so long? Shouldn't it expire sooner because it doesn't have any weird preservatives in it? I purchased some Organic Valley brand milk the other day and the expiration date was month and a half way. I took a look at some non-organic A&E Dairy milk and it expired a week later? Does anyone know the answer to this one? Well, according to Scientific American, here's why:

Organic milk lasts longer because producers use a different process to preserve it. According to the Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance, the milk needs to stay fresh longer because organic products often have to travel farther to reach store shelves since it is not produced throughout the country.

The process that gives the milk a longer shelf life is called ultrahigh temperature (UHT) processing or treatment, in which milk is heated to 280 degrees Fahrenheit (138 degrees Celsius) for two to four seconds, killing any bacteria in it.

Read the whole explanation here.

Dramatic Movie Trailer Music - Requiem for a Dream

My theory is that you can set any video to this song from the movie Requiem for a Dream and it will seem dramatic (even if it's clearly not). Countless movie trailers have used the song and now I have added it to a video of me blogging. See what you think.

Renting a Rug Doctor - Does it Clean Your Carpet, Or Make it Worse?

Have you ever rented a Rug Doctor from your local grocery or hardware store? If you have, you may have noticed they aren't exactly the cleanest machines in the world. I almost feel like it's doing more damage to my carpet than good. Who knows who rented the Rug Doctor before me. It could have been a serial killer cleaning up blood from his past victim, or a frat house cleaning up all the puke from the night before. That means that blood and vomit could be getting into my carpet. That doesn't sound like a chance I want to take.

Monday's Word of the Day - Excursus

Your mission: Use this word sometime today. You just might sound smart.

excursus \ik-SKUR-sus\, noun:
1. A dissertation that is appended to a work and that contains a more extended exposition of some important point or topic.
2. A digression.

I always find it fun to work in a word of the day at the office. Another fun game is to play phone roulette. You give a person a random word. Then, the next phone call they get, they must use that word somewhere in the conversation. For example. I could give my co-worker the word cheeseburger. When the next person calls, they have to incorporate that into their conversation. It makes for some fun times at work. I've found the key to doing good at this game is to just say the word really fast, then caller has no idea what you said. But, you did say the word.

The Perfect Way to Make Bacon - In the Oven

There's two reasons I'm not a vegetarian... and one of them is BACON. There's nothing better than a perfect piece of bacon. Not only is it good on it's on, but it enhances any other food you put with it. From bacon wrapped asparagus, to salads everything tastes better with bacon. Before I start salivating too much thinking about it, let me tell you the perfect way to cook bacon. You may be thinking well, you just throw it in the frying pan, don't you? NO. Who wants a greasy soft piece of bacon? NOT ME. The next time you decide to eat some bacon, give this a shot and you will never turn back.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a cooking sheet with parchment paper. Lay out your bacon in strips so that they are close, but not touching. Throw your bacon in the oven and cook for 25-30 minutes. Check your bacon at the 25 minute mark to see if it's at your desired crispiness. The thickness of the bacon will determine exactly how long it needs to cook. When finished take the bacon off the cooking sheet and place on a plate lined with a paper towel. Let sit for a minute or two and get ready to enjoy a tasty piece of bacon!

Tip: Drain off the extra bacon grease from the cooking sheet and use for cooking eggs or anything else you want to add a little flavor to.

Kobayashi vs Giant Bear - Hot Dog Eating Contest

I ran across this video today and I had to share it. It's has to be one of the weirdest things I've seen in a while. Who thinks of this stuff? Definitely don't feel like eating a hot dog after this.

The Binky Chronicles

My wife and I started off with good intentions of never giving our daughter a binky (pacifier) when she was born. That quickly came to an end the first night at the hospital when we realized that she had to be sucking on something or she wasn't going to sleep. Never did I imagine that this little piece of BPA free plastic would become such a central role in our daughter’s life. I joke sometimes with my wife about our daughter having “binky sonar”. It’s almost like a Jedi power that she has the ability to find the binky no matter where it’s at. I have even seen her in bed asleep, in the pitch dark, with her eyes closed, snatch the binky that had fallen out of her mouth up that was sitting a few feet away. No searching….. just a direct hit! It’s amazing.

The binky has become more of a security blanket than anything at this point. She even requests more than one binky at a time. She likes to keep one in her hand and the other in her mouth and then change them out every so often. But, now the problem is, how do we cut the binky out of her life? We don’t want our daughter to be walking around with the binky forever. We can’t have the embarrassment of being “those parents” who still have a kid with the binky. It’s almost like asking a crack addict to stop getting high! Do we call on the “Binky Fairy” that so many parents use? Or maybe use the old “Binky Tree” method? Whichever method we use, I anticipate this being a battle full of crying, tantrums and screaming. And that’s just talking about me. Only time will tell.

Tasty Tacos - A Des Moines Classic

I hadn't been to Tasty Tacos for over a year. I almost forgot what I was missing! Tonight, I had the pleasure of grabbing a bite to eat there with my wife. I feasted on an original flour taco and a steak flour taco. Those would be the 2 menu items that I would recommend trying the next time you eat there. The thing that makes the tacos so good is that flour taco shell. So great! If you're like me and haven't been in a while, what are you waiting for? And for those of you who have never tried it, check out one of the locations closest to you.

An Upbeat Positive Song for Your Saturday Night

I always here this on the radio driving to work in the mornings. It's a great way to start the day and puts me in a good mood. The song is "Something in Your Eyes" by Shonlock ENJOY!

Wizard Showdown

Who would win in a battle between Dumbledore (wizard from Harry Potter movies) and Gandalf (wizard from Lord of the Rings)? They're both pretty old and scrappy looking. My money would have to be on Dumbledore. He seems like he wouldn't mind fighting dirty, and sometimes to take out a fellow wizard you need to hit below the belt. What do you think?

Give Up Gum - Try Altoids

I have been off gum for 2 years now. Before that I could be seen chomping gum around town, pretty much everyday. My new oral fixation of choice? Altoids. Oh yes, the curiously strong mint. It will leave you with some minty fresh breath. I have even heard that it will cover up the smell of alcohol if you happen to pop over the the pub on your lunch break. But, that is neither here nor there. The real reason you should make the switch to Altoids over traditional gum can be found in the ingredients. In this example I compare the ingredients of Altoids to Trident (4 of 5 Dentists recommend it!)

Trident – Original Flavor
Ingredients: Sorbitol, Gum Base, Xylitol, Clycerin, Natural and Artificial Flavoring, Manintol, Acesulfame Potassium, Aspartame, BHT, Soy Lecithin and Suracralose

Altoids:
Ingredients: Sugar, Gum Arabic, Oil of Peppermint, Gelatin

The first thing that should jump out to you is the number of ingredients. Altoids has four, Trident has eleven. Two of the ingredients in Trident raise a red flag right away. Those being Aspartame and BHT. Here's a little about those:

Aspartame: Aspartame accounts for over 75 percent of the adverse reactions to food additives reported to the FDA. Many of these reactions are very serious including seizures and death. To see some of 90 documented symptoms caused by Aspartame, click here.

BHT: BHT is being investigated for it's ability to damage genetic material. In addition, research has shown that this compound can rupture and damage red blood cells as well as stimulate symptoms of chemical sensitivity.

Wow, those sound like some great ingredients I want going in my body. Maybe that one dentist who didn't recommend Trident was on to something? It's not just Trident that has Aspartame, most gums do too, as well as Diet Sodas.

So, the next time you go to reach for the pack of gum at the store, reach for a tin of Altoids instead!

Looking for a Safe Homeopathic Cough and Cold Medicine for Kids? Try This

Unfortunately children seem to pass colds back and forth to each other all year long. This means a lot of long nights for parents and their children. So what can you do to help alleviate some of your children's symptoms and help yourself get some sleep? Well, you could run to the drugstore and pickup one of those bright pink liquids that are full or artificial colors, ingredients you can't pronounce and may have possible side effects. Or you could try a homeopathic, more natural solution.
The good news is that there are many homeopathic solutions to try choose from. I have weeded through and tried various brands out there. Some seem to help a little, some not at all. The one that worked the best for my daughter, on a consistent basis, is Kids Relief™ Cough & Cold. It seems to help the cold symptoms and give her a good night's sleep. By no means is it a cure all, but I would definitely recommend giving it a try the next time your child has a cold.

Missing Football? Get your Football Fix From These Top 10 Football Movies

College and NFL football is now over. For many of us all the only thing to watch until September is some Arena football, and that's just not the same. I would have to say that "Remember the Titans" ranks as my favorite football movie of all time. It has great football action and a moving story line that goes with it. So here are my Top 10 Football Movies that will tide you over for a few months:

10. The Replacements
9. Any Given Sunday
8. Necessary Roughness
7. The Program
6. Rudy
5. Wildcats
4. Invincible
3. Friday Night Lights
2. Varsity Blues
1. Remember the Titans