Wednesday, September 28, 2011

5 On-the-Go Breakfast Recipes

Breakfast is brain food, but it can be a challenge to feed the kids healthfully and get out the door in time for school. These 5 simple on-the-go breakfasts will give your kids the energy to get through the morning -- without sucking up your time, too.


Dressed-up Yogurt

This is a quick way to add sweetness and crunch to plain yogurt. You'll get the nutritious benefits of yogurt without the excess sugar so often found in flavored yogurts.

Dressed-up Yogurt

What you need:

7 oz container plain yogurt (I recommend Greek yogurt)

1 Tbsp. raspberry jam (or any other favorite - raspberry just happens to be mine)

1 tsp. honey

2 Tbsp. toasted almonds, roughly chopped

Combine all ingredients in the yogurt container. Grab a spoon and go!

Extra: Any jam or nut combination can be added. Pair strawberry jam with pistachios for a colorful alternative.

Kicked-Up Quesadilla

These healthy quesadillas get a bright, fresh kick from the addition of tangy Granny Smith apples. Prepped and ready in less than 5 minutes, it's the perfect meal to munch as you head out to the car.

Kicked-Up Quesadilla

What you need:

2 flour tortillas (regular or whole-wheat)

1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar

several thin slices of a Granny Smith apple

Sprinkle an even layer of cheese over one tortilla. Scatter the apple slices on top of the cheese and top with the remaining tortilla. Microwave for 30 seconds or until the cheese melts. For a crisper tortilla, use a large skillet and crisp for 1-2 minutes on both sides, until the cheese is melted. Cut into 6-8 wedges.

Breakfast Pizza Margherita

Now you can let the kids have pizza for breakfast with this healthy English muffin-version. The tang of the tomatoes, the creaminess from the cheese and the fresh burst of basil are just as delicious in the morning.

Breakfast Pizza Margherita

What you need:

1 whole wheat english muffin

1 large slice of tomato

1/4 cup shredded mozzarella

*optional fried egg

1 tsp fresh basil, finely chopped

Turn on your broiler.

Top one half of the English muffin with the sliced tomato and then shredded mozzarella. Place it on a baking sheet, along with the other half of the English muffin. Slide under the broiler. Broil until the cheese is melted and browned in places. Remove from the oven and add the fried egg, if desired, and the fresh basil. Top with the other half of the English muffin.

Crepes On-the-Run

While crepes may not seem like a quick go-to breakfast, with a little planning you can enjoy homemade crepes any day of the week. Simply make a large batch of crepes, refrigerate or freeze, then enjoy all week long.

Crepes On-the-Run

Makes about 15 crepes

What you need:

2 large eggs

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup water

1 cup flour

1 Tbsp. brown sugar

3 Tbsp. melted butter

1/4 tsp. salt

additional butter, for coating the pan

Blend all of the ingredients until completely incorporated (an immersion or regular blender works well for this). Let batter chill in the fridge for at least one hour. (This allows the bubbles to subside, making your batter nice and smooth.) Your batter can be made up to 48 hours in advance.

Heat an 8"-10" non-stick pan over medium-high. Add butter to coat. Pour a scant 1/4 cup of batter into the center of the pan and swirl to spread evenly (you want a very thin even layer of batter -- adjust amount of batter according to the size of pan you are using). Cook for 45 seconds and flip. Cook for another 20 seconds.

Refrigerate any leftover crepes in a resealable plastic bag with a sheet of wax paper between each crepe to prevent sticking. Well-sealed, they can be frozen for up to one month.

When you are ready for breakfast, kids can help fill their crepes with ham and cheese, fresh fruit and cream cheese, Nutella and bananas, peanut butter and jam or any combination that appeals.

Roll up crepes like a burrito or fold in quarters to make a simple, portable meal.

Frozen Fruit Smoothie

These fruity, creamy shakes are refreshing on a hot day. They come together in minutes, use ingredients that you most likely have on hand, and pack nutrition and energy in every satisfying sip.

Frozen Fruit Smoothie

What you need:

2 cups frozen berries or fruit

2 Tbsp. orange juice concentrate (or 1/2 cup orange juice)

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup yogurt

1 frozen banana

1 Tbsp. honey

Add all ingredients to your blender and blend until completely smooth.

*Optional: Add 1-2 Tbsp. of flax seeds to the blender for even more nutrition.

How not to loose something

We’ve have items forgotten at the hotel all the time. I hope by putting together these brain exercises maybe it can help just one person keep their items. A fair number of people I know have a great deal of trouble keeping track of small personal effects: wallets, sunglasses, keys, and the like. When they encounter someone who does not have this problem, they assume it’s because of some inherent superiority of memory. In my experience, this is not the case. What differs between those who lose things and those who do not is the degree to which they are systematic.


Be systematic

The first vital aspect of being systematic is to maintain consistency in where things are placed. One’s keys should always be in the same pocket when out or at work, and always on the same table of shelf when at home. One’s gloves should likewise always be kept in the same place, at least during seasons when they are required, and moved to a consistent but less accessible place during the summer. All this is made dramatically easier by choosing clothes with a similar array of pockets. Having a single jacket with lots of pockets is an enormous boon: I always know that my wallet is in the right-side breast pocket, while my camera is in the left. The small sub-pocket under that holds a four-color pen. The inside left pocket has a pair of liner gloves, while the inside right pocket has an iPod Shuffle and space for valuable things carried rarely. Having a consistently used bag with lots of pockets is similarly useful.

Trust, but verify

The second vital aspect is frequent auditing. If you have followed the advice of using the same pockets at all times, this will soon become automatic and second nature. You learn to be intuitively aware of the presence or absence of objects from their designated spaces. If they are not there, you know to seek them out immediately and return them to their designated position.

Never trust yourself to remember a deviation from the system. Moving something into the wrong place – perhaps to make it more convenient to carry something else – will only produce anxiety while you are tying to remember the deviation and frustration when it leads to things being misplaced or not immediately accessible.

Fashion is your enemy

The real trouble begins when you have a wardrobe that has dramatically different elements: trousers with no pockets, multiple jackets, purses with differing internal compositions. For those who insist on such variety, I can offer no aid. Unless your memory is much better than mine, you are probably doomed to lose things relatively often.

Some level of variety must certainly be dealt with by anyone, and this can be accomplished by having a number of set collections of gear with defined associated positions. One might have a ‘no jacket because it is sunny out, still carrying photographic gear’ option, as well as an ‘out biking in the countryside, repair tools required’ configuration. In my experience, it is feasible to maintain a good number, provided they are as similar as possible (wallet always on the same side, non-included items left in defined positions at home) and they are always identically configured. Objects only carried rarely are by far the easiest to lose. I virtually never carry an umbrella (preferring to rely on waterproof clothing), so I constantly forget them when I have been carrying one for whatever reason.

Naturally, there are plenty of people for whom the above is too much work for too little value. The point is less to convince people that they should or should not adopt such a system and more to argue that losing or not losing objects is a reflection of planning and habit, rather than inherent cognitive characteristics. That said, a certain fascination with gear and a somewhat compulsive nature certainly help in the initial development and constant refinement of such an order.

One option is to keep related items together by having several pre-packed bags for different activities – for instance I keep all gear needed for snowboarding in the snowboard bag, all gear needed for a day cragging in my climbing backpack, all gear needed for mtbing in my mtb backpack, all my waterproofs together etc. This might mean duplicating some items (sunscreen, energy bars, sunglasses) but it saves considerable time & effort. My problems arises over the items that can’t be easily duplicated like a wallet, cellphone or ipod – I need to transfer those from bag to bag as required and don’t leave the house without checking that I have them all.

Of course, a major reason people lose things is simply because they keep their belongings in a god-almighty mess. Systematic behavior doesn’t help if it means that you put everything ‘important’ on the top drawer but then have to search the whole chaotic, overflowing drawer several times a day. Similarly, my brother’s strategy of keeping everything he owns on the bedroom floor means that he is certain of its approximate location, but it still takes a long time to locate things. Tidiness has many benefits ;0).

Misplacing items is the most common non-event of humans. Have you ever hid something so no one could find it. Your subconscious immediately erases it from your mind so that you can’t find it later. An event or link must be made each time so you can retrieve it later from your mind.

Purposely create an event when you place something somewhere. If you do lose something don’t panic. That emotion will block your mind from logically trying to retrieve the information you need.



Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Seven myths about caffeine

For many of us, a morning without coffee or tea is a like the proverbial day without sunshine. For me, much of it is about the ritual. OK, who am I kidding? It’s about the caffeine. Mmm, I love caffeine -- that naturally occurring alkaloid found in the leaves, seeds, and fruits of more than 63 plant species worldwide. But at what risk do I indulge in my morning coffee and afternoon espresso?


Caffeine is most famous for its role as a stimulant and its ability to delay fatigue. I clearly get a boost of energy and clarity, as had been scientifically proven. But caffeine has also acquired a bad-boy reputation -- an unfair one, perhaps? Extensive studies into its safety show that there are still many misconceptions about caffeine. Allow me to tackle some of the myths surrounding my beloved alkaloid.


Myth No. 1: Caffeine is addictive

Reality: Well, this depends on what you consider “addictive.” Caffeine is a stimulant to the central nervous system, and regular use of caffeine might cause mild physical dependence–but caffeine doesn’t affect your life the way addictive drugs do, and thus most experts don’t consider caffeine dependence an addiction, per se. When regular caffeine consumption is quickly halted, some of us experience symptoms that last from one to several days–this can be avoided if caffeine consumption is reduced slowly.

If you’ve tried to stop cold turkey, you may have experienced one of these symptoms:

•Headache
•Fatigue
•Anxiety
•Irritability
•Depressed mood
•Difficulty concentrating





Myth No. 2: Caffeine causes insomnia

Reality: It depends. The human body absorbs caffeine quickly, but it also flushes it quickly. Processed mainly through the liver, caffeine has a relatively short half-life. On average, it takes four to five hours to rid half of the consumed caffeine from your body -- after another five hours 75 percent of it is eliminated. Unless you are very sensitive, a morning cup or two shouldn’t affect your sleep.

But if you have a quick latte at the 3:00 p.m. slump or an espresso after dinner, you may be counting sheep for a lot longer than you’re comfortable with. Your sleep shouldn’t be affected if you steer clear of caffeine for at least six hours before bedtime. Your sensitivity may vary, though, depending on your metabolism and the amount of caffeine you regularly consume.




Myth No. 3: Caffeine increases risk for osteoporosis, heart disease, and cancer

Reality: Moderate amounts of caffeine -- about 300 milligrams, roughly three cups of coffee -- apparently cause no harm in most healthy adults. Although some people are more sensitive to its effects, including older people and those with high blood pressure. Here are the facts by condition.

Osteoporosis: At high levels (more than 744 milligrams per day, around seven or eight cups of coffee), caffeine may increase calcium and magnesium loss in urine. But recent studies suggest it does not increase your risk for bone loss, especially if you get enough calcium. You can offset the calcium lost from drinking one cup of coffee by adding just two tablespoons of milk. However, research does show some links between caffeine and hip fracture risk in older adults. Older adults may be more sensitive to the effects of caffeine on calcium metabolism. If you’re an older woman, discuss with your doctor whether you should limit your daily caffeine intake to 300 milligrams or less.

Heart disease: According to the Harvard Nurses’ Health Study, caffeine consumption does not increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and does not raise cholesterol levels or cause irregular heartbeat. A slight, temporary rise in heart rate and blood pressure is common in those who are sensitive to caffeine -- but the rise is minimal and comparative to normal activity like walking up stairs. That said, if you have high blood pressure, talk to your doctor about caffeine intake as some people may be more sensitive to its effects. Also, more research is needed to tell whether caffeine increases the risk for stroke in people with high blood pressure.

Cancer: According to The New York Times, scientists conducting an international review of 66 studies found coffee drinking had "little if any effect on the risk of developing pancreatic or kidney cancer. In fact, another review suggested that compared with people who do not drink coffee, those who do have half the risk of developing liver cancer." And a study of 59,000 women in Sweden (the country with the highest coffee consumption per capita in the world) found no connection between caffeine consumption and breast cancer.



Myth No. 4: Pregnant women or those trying to get pregnant should avoid caffeine

Reality: I don’t know -- it seemed natural for me to avoid caffeine both times I was pregnant, but a study conducted at State University of New York and another study published in the journal Epidemiology looked at the effects of caffeine-containing beverages on reproductive factors, and the results suggests that moderate caffeine consumption is safe. However, one study found that women who consumed the caffeine equivalent of five or more cups of coffee per day were more than twice as likely to miscarry as those who consumed less caffeine or no caffeine at all, suggesting that “drinking very large amounts of coffee or other caffeine-containing beverages may increase a pregnant woman’s miscarriage risk,” said Mark Klebanoff, M.D., Director of NICHD’s Division of Epidemiology, Statistics, and Prevention Research. “However, serum levels of paraxanthine that are usually seen among women consuming only about two or three cups of coffee a day do not appear to increase this risk.”

Questions remain about the effects of high doses of caffeine and it is wise for pregnant women to practice moderation (less than 200mg per day). The Food and Drug Administration’s advice? “Pregnant women should avoid caffeine-containing foods and drugs, if possible, or consume them only sparingly.”




Myth No. 5: Caffeine is bad for kids

Reality: Ack -- The Journal of Pediatrics published a survey showing that in the U.S., 5- to 7-year-old children drank approximately 52 mg of caffeine daily and 8- to 12-year-old children drank 109 mg daily. In general, kids have the same ability to process caffeine that adults do. A study by A. Leviton published in Clinical Pediatrics suggests that caffeine-containing drinks and foods -- consumed in moderation -- have no detectable effects on hyperactivity or attention span of children. However, in sensitive children, higher doses of caffeine, may cause temporary effects such as excitability, irritability, reduced sleep, or anxiety.

But really, in my opinion, kids have their entire lives to be (non-) addicted to caffeine. Even if studies do suggest that up to 300mg of caffeine daily is safe for kids, the vehicles by which they are consuming it (sodas and energy drinks) are undeniably unhealthy.




Myth No. 6: Caffeine can knock out the alcohol

Reality: Such a cliche -- a cup of coffee will erase the martini before, wine with, and the cognac after dinner. What research actually suggests is that people only think caffeine will help them sober up. Alcohol can be very clever that way. People who drink caffeine along with alcohol think they’re fine behind the wheel, when actually reaction time and judgment are still impaired. In fact, college kids who drink both alcohol and caffeine are actually more likely to have car accidents. According to Thomas Gould, PhD, of Temple University, ”The myth about coffee’s sobering powers is particularly important to debunk because the co-use of caffeine and alcohol could actually lead to poor decisions with disastrous outcomes.”



Myth No. 7: Caffeine has no health benefits

Reality: I can tell you right now, based on personal experience, that caffeine improves alertness, concentration, energy, clear-headedness, and feelings of sociability. Brain-fog be gone! Scientific research at John Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore and Harvard support these subjective experiences -- and have shown that caffeine may also improve memory and logical reasoning. A French study showed a slower decline in cognitive ability among women who consumed caffeine: “Caffeine is a psychostimulant which appears to reduce cognitive decline in women,” said study author Karen Ritchie, PhD, of INSERM, the French National Institute for Health and Medical Research, in Montpellier, France.

Caffeine-containing beverages have been in the headlines lately for their high level of antioxidants, which appear to promote heart health and cancer prevention. Other recent reports suggest (although not yet conclusively) that caffeine may be useful in treating allergic reactions due to its ability to reduce the concentration of histamines, the substances that cause the body to respond to an allergy-causing substance. More research is need in this area before conclusions can be drawn however. Limited evidence suggests caffeine may also reduce the risk of the following: Parkinson’s disease, liver disease, colorectal cancer, and type 2 diabetes.

Moderation and caffeine levels

As with everything, moderation is the key. But what is a moderate intake of caffeine for an adult? About 300 mg a day.

Instant coffee: 75mg per per 6-ounce cup
Brewed coffee: 80mg-135mg, per 7-ounce cup
Espresso: 100mg per 2 ounces
Brewed tea: 50mg per 6-ounce cup
Energy drinks: 28-87mg per 8-ounce glass
Cola drinks: 8-53 mg per 8-ounce glass
Other soft drinks: 24mg per 8-ounce glass
Chocolate: 5.5-35.5mg per 1.7 ounces

Save a Wet Cell Phone

I’ve been guilty of doing this twice. I’ve had a cell phone in my pocket and jumped in the pool. I had insurance on the phone in that case and had the phone replaced that time but the time before when I wore my phone on a hip holster and was in the airport and had it fall in the toilet… that one hurt. I mean first I had to grab it… ewww! Then it was a company phone and I had to explain it to my boss. Great.


In discussing this I found out that this is fairly common. It happens more often than we want to admit. Some of the more common ways to soak a phone: dropping your cell phone in the sink, or the toilet; leave it in your pocket and run it through the washer; swim with your cell phone in your pocket. Ever have it fall into the pet's water bowl?

Getting your cell phone wet usually means you have to replace it, but sometimes if you're fast enough, you might be able to save the phone! Follow the steps outlined in this article to try and save your wet cell phone.

1) Take the phone out of the water as soon as possible. The plastic covers on cell phones are fairly tight, but water can enter the phone in a short period of time, perhaps only 20 seconds or less. Grab your phone quickly. Don't switch the phone on, or shut it down immediately, as being powered on can cause it to short circuit – if it has been in water, assume it needs drying immediately whether or not it is working.

2) Don't panic. Your phone will probably not be too damaged if you take it out of the water right away. A longer period of immersion, such as being in the washing machine cycle, will be cause for more alarm but it is still worth trying the following steps before giving up completely.

3) Remove the battery. This is one of the most important steps. Don't take time to think about it; electricity and water do not mix. Cutting power to your phone is a crucial first step in saving it. Many circuits inside the phone will survive immersion in water provided they are not attached to a power source when wet.

4) Remove the SIM card if you have a GSM carrier. Some or all of your valuable contacts (along with other data) could be stored on your SIM. For many people, this could be more worth saving than the phone itself. SIM cards survive water damage well, but some of the following steps might damage it, so getting it out immediately makes good sense. Just pat it dry and leave it aside until you need to connect your phone to your cellular network. (This step does not apply to CDMA carriers such as Verizon, Alltel, US Cellular, Sprint, etc.)

5) Remove all other peripherals and covers that can be removed. Remove any covers and external connectors to open up as many gaps, slots, and crevices in the phone as possible.

6) Dry your phone. If there is even one drop of water left inside, it can ruin your phone by corroding it and making the wrong contact. Obviously you need to remove as much of the water as soon as possible, to prevent it from easing its way into the phone:

Note: Gently wipe off as much water as possible without dropping the phone. Avoid shaking or moving the phone excessively, so as to avoid moving water through it.

Note: Wipe down using a towel or paper towel. Ideally, try not to clog the wet paper in the gaps and grooves of the phone. Keep wiping, to gently remove as much of the remaining water as possible.

Note:(Optional): If you pulled the battery out in time, cleaning the inside of your phone with cleaning alcohol (alcohol will displace the water) or distilled water to remove extra corrosives such as salt from the ocean, sugar from soda or juice or soap from the washing machine. Contact spray might work for just water.

7) Use a vacuum cleaner if possible. If you want to try and suck the liquid out of the inner parts of the phone, try using a vacuum cleaner. Remove all residual moisture by drawing it away with a vacuum cleaner held over the affected areas for up to 20 minutes, in each accessible area (take it in turns with a friend). This is the fastest method and can completely dry out your phone and get it working in thirty minutes. However, unless the exposure to water was extremely short, it's not recommended to attempt to turn your phone on this soon. Be careful not to hold the vacuum too close to the phone, as a vacuum can create static electricity, which is even worse for the phone.

Note: Do NOT use a hairdryer! This can push the water into other areas of the phone and the heat could do additional damage.

8) Use a substance with a high affinity for water to help draw out moisture. Leave the phone in a bowl or bag of uncooked rice overnight. The rice would absorb any remaining moisture

Note: If available, it is preferable to use desiccant instead. Desiccant will absorb moisture better than rice. If you use this method, slip the cell phone inside a plastic bag that can be sealed or a plastic container (airtight). Add the desiccant packet (often found with shoes, noodle packets, etc.) in with the cell phone. Leave as long as possible (overnight) to absorb the moisture.

9) Let the phone sit on absorbent towels, napkin, or other paper. After removing the phone from the rice or desiccant (or if you were not able to use either method), place the phone on absorbent material. Remember that the goal is to evacuate all of the moisture and humidity, not to trap it or add even more.

10) Test your phone. After you have waited at least 24 hours, or longer if possible, check to see that everything on and in your cell phone is clean and looks dry. Re-attach the battery to the phone. Try turning it on.

Note: If your phone still does not work, try plugging it into its charger without the battery. If this works, you need a new battery.

Note: If not, try taking your cell phone to an authorized dealer. Sometimes they can fix it. Don't try to hide the fact that it has been wet – there are internal indicators that prove moisture and they're more likely to be able to help you if you explain exactly what has happened.

11) LAST RESORT: Take the phone apart if your phone doesn't turn on at all. If you feel comfortable doing this, try taking it apart. First, make sure that you have all of the right parts and know exactly where they go. Be sure to put everything back in its proper place once finished. As you're disassembling it, pat each individual part dry with a small towel and use the vacuum cleaner once more on the crevices (but be careful not to accidentally suck up any loose parts – keep them well to one side, or stretch a length of old pantyhose over the nozzle). If this doesn't work, or you're too unsure about undoing your phone, get help from cell phone professionals.

Car Duds or Soon-to-be Collectors?

When writing about Nissan's Murano CrossCabriolet recently, I was reminded how difficult it is to create a new automotive concept -- and how harshly the market treats original ideas. The CrossCabrio is the ambitious -- or perhaps foolhardy -- attempt to create a crossover with a convertible top.


Bright ideas are hard to pull off. For every Chrysler minivan or Ford Explorer four-door SUV, there are dozens of one-hit wonders and new concepts that failed to catch on. The Pontiac Aztek, an unholy combination of minivan and SUV, is the classic example, but there have been many others through the years.



Willys Jeepster 1946-1950

A brave attempt by Willys to broaden the Jeep's utilitarian image beyond agriculture and forestry uses, the Jeepster featured a convertible canvas top, flat-topped fenders, and a 62-horsepower engine. But no four-wheel drive was offered, advertising was sparse, and fashion-seeking post-war shoppers with many more choices looked elsewhere. Fewer than 20,000 Jeepsters were built.



AMC Pacer 1975-1980

AMC billed it as the "first wide small car" because the two-door compact Pacer was more than six feet across. Car and Driver called it "the Flying Fishbowl." The Pacer had so much glass that backseat passengers got sunburned. Despite sparkling early-adopter sales, AMC's financial limitations and multiple engineering compromises doomed this original concept as it did earlier ones like the sawed-off Gremlin.



General Motors EV-1 1996-1999

The first modern mass-produced electric vehicle, EV-1 lost its reason for existence shortly after introduction when California loosened its requirements for zero-emission vehicles. Only 800 of the range-limited cars with outdated technology found customers. Losing thousands of dollars on each vehicle produced, GM discontinued the EV-1 and recalled them, suffering a huge public relations embarrassment in the process.



Suzuki X-90 1996-1998

A two-seat SUV with a T-top and four-wheel-drive, the X-90 was known as the "shoe car" to some because of its extreme rounded styling. Its ungainly proportions and limited functionality (it was equipped with a tiny 95 horsepower engine) consigned it to the dustbin of history after three years of production, during which just 7,205 made their way to the U.S.



Plymouth Prowler 1997-2002

A modern interpretation of the classic hot rod, the Prowler was built to capitalize on the success of another retro car, the Dodger Viper. It was undone by a series of engineering compromises deemed "inauthentic," such as a V-6 engine and automatic transmission. Wickedly unstable because of the light front end, only 1,426 cars, priced at $44,625 apiece, were built during its last year of production.



Ford Excursion 2000-2005

All but obsolete upon introduction, the 8,500-lb., three-and-a-half-ton Excursion tested the outer limits of SUV size with its jumbo proportions. The longest and heaviest SUV ever built, it had only three rows of seats but carried quantities of luggage. Capable of just 14-16 miles per gallon in city driving, it received an Exxon Valdez award from the Sierra Club because of its poor fuel economy and sank without a successor five years after launch.



Chevrolet SSR 2003-2006

The world's first hardtop convertible pickup truck -- and, so far, the only one -- the SSR (for Super Sport Roadster) was one of the less-good product ideas General Motors tried before the ascendancy of Bob Lutz. The SSR tried to piggyback on the pickup truck boom with a topless version whose roof folded into the bed when retracted. Built on the Chevy TrailBlazer platform, the SSR was badly overweight and overpriced at $42,000. What seemed cool on an auto show turntable became an overpriced novelty when it went into production, which customers quickly figured out.



Subaru Baja 2003-2006

Combining four-passenger seating and a car-like ride with all-wheel-drive and an open pickup bed, Subaru tried to create the all-purpose utility vehicle, using components from the Legacy and Outback wagons. But in an attempt to liven up the Baja, it ladled on plastic body cladding and painted early models a garish silver and yellow. The 41-inch bed wasn't very useful either, and Subaru sold only one-quarter as many Bajas as planned before ending production.



GMC Envoy XUV 2004-2005

A weird combination of pickup truck and SUV, the Envoy XUV was distinguished by a retractable rear roof section, creating an open-topped load area that could accommodate tall objects. Customers didn't know what to make of the homely, expensive creation, and the market for people carrying small trees and tall case clocks proved small. GM expected to sell 90,000 annually but managed only 12,000 in 2004 and put the XUV out of its misery early in 2005.



Acura ZDX 2010-

Combine the looks of a coupe with the functionality of a sedan and the utility of an SUV, and what do you get? Edmunds.com calls it a head-scratcher -- "a hefty crossover SUV that's about as practical as a compact hatchback with a cramped backseat and compromised cargo capacity." Buyers are staying away in droves; Acura sells only about 150 a month.

Best Travel Books

Whether you're looking for a birthday gift for your favorite traveler or a great read for your next trans-Atlantic flight, we've got you covered! The staff of IndependentTraveler.com has gathered 10 of our favorite travel titles -- including both timeless classics and fresh new releases -- that are sure to please any traveler who loves to escape into the pages of a great book.



Miss New York Has Everything
By Lori Jakiela

A small-town girl wants to get out and leave the suburbs of Pittsburgh, and her family, behind. What's a girl to do? Lori Jakiela became a flight attendant and got ready to see the world. The trouble is, short layovers, even if they are in Paris, do not a world traveler make. Instead of the glamorous life she imagined in New York, she finds herself broke and living in a decidedly unglamorous neighborhood in Queens filled with roommates and roaches. As we follow Ms. Jakiela through her stumbles and struggles, we begin to understand just how strong the ties that bind her to her small-town life are -- particularly to her father, with whom she has a complicated but deeply loving relationship.



This memoir is a sometimes humorous and sometimes painful look back at one young woman's struggle to create a new life and to escape the people and the places that define her -- until she realizes that back in suburban Pittsburgh is exactly where she belongs.



Excerpt:
Not only was I not glamorous. I was also not a German speaker.



This is what I told Sheldon in Scheduling, when he called, for the third time in one month, to give me another twenty-four-hour layover in the industrial wasteland of Frankfurt, Germany.



Lost and Found
Carolyn Parkhurst

"You've lost the game, but what have you found?" That's the question posed by the host of a ficticious "Amazing Race"-type reality show that serves as the backdrop for this new novel, in which teams are eliminated from a worldwide scavenger hunt. Chapters are devoted to individual players and even the show's host as we learn their secrets -- what's behind the mother/daughter team with the strained relationship? What's with the newly married couple who, until just recently, were both leading lives as homosexuals? Why are the two former child actors really on the show?



Fans of "The Amazing Race" will love the moments when we get a glimpse of the show's production team trying to "out" a participant or the contestants' struggle to complete the tasks needed to get ahead. However, the book is much less about the contest than it is about the people who are playing the game -- and in the end, they are all able to answer the question, "What have you found?"



Excerpt:
"I'm just going to the bathroom," I say to him. "You can stay with Abby."



"Sorry," [the cameraman] says. "I've gotten instructions to follow you."



I was going to go around the far side of the column, out of Abby's sight, but I change course and head towards the public restrooms near the steps of the terrace. I hope Ken will follow; I don't know how I am going to manage a private conversation with him, but he clearly has something to say to me, and I can't have him following me and Abby.



Robert and I reach the door of the men's room, and I step inside alone. ... After a moment, Ken walks in. It embarrasses me to look at him directly. I turn on the water and hold my hands under the cold spray. Ken walks over and stands at the sink next to mine.



"Hi there," he says. "Romantic little spot you've chosen."



Traveling While Married
By Mary-Lou Weisman

Though not necessarily a how-to guide on traveling better with your spouse, "Traveling While Married" does provide insights, many of them hilarious, into what it is like to travel with your husband or wife. It's largely an account of the travels of Mary-Lou Weisman and her husband Larry, but any married couple will see themselves in the pages of this book. Weisman touches on topics like traveling with other couples, doing things you hate because the one you love wants to, and "fantasy real estate" -- the compulsion to own property in every wonderful place you visit.



For couples who love each other and love to travel, this is a touching and insightful read. We can all relate to the opening page of the book when the author professes, "I, Mary-Lou, take you Larry, to be my constant traveling companion, to Hong and to Kong, in Cyclades and in Delft, for deck class or deluxe, so long as we both can move."



Excerpt:
Travel can put an extra strain on a marriage. Being the same old couple in a new and different place is a disorienting experience. All too often, when people don't know where they are, have jet lag, don't speak the language and can't figure out the money or maintain intestinal regularity, they get hostile. And since they don't know anyone else in Kyoto to take it out on, they take it out on each other.



Some marriages are saved by going on vacation. While the marriage is at home, the partners may be contemplating divorce, but send the marriage on vacation and they're on a second honeymoon. On the other hand, a marriage that gets along swimmingly at home can be a fish out of water on vacation.



The Singular Pilgrim: Travels on Sacred Ground
By Rosemary Mahoney

Trudging on weary feet along Spain's road to Santiago de Compostela, visiting the holy shrine at Lourdes and rowing down the waters of the Ganges, Rosemary Mahoney is a modern-day pilgrim, traveling to some of the world's holiest sites in search of answers to her own spiritual questions. As a self-described rational person who is predisposed to doubt rather than to believe, she views the passion of true believers with mingled fascination, envy and bemusement. Can she find her own faith by following in the footsteps of the faithful before her?



I was drawn in immediately by Mahoney's compelling, ruminative account of her own pilgrim's path. She describes each stop on her journey with insight and compassion, but the chapter that lingered in my mind was the one about her stay in Varanasi, India. There she meets Jaga, a remarkable 16-year-old boy who is not only her guide to the city but also a kindred spirit: "His faith, I knew, was similar in nature to mine -- faded, worn, resentful, and stubbornly evasive. And yet it was there." By the book's end, Mahoney's faith is not drastically changed; there are no easy answers to the difficult questions she poses here. But her journey leaves both her -- and the reader -- with a measure of peace.



Excerpt:
I was only halfway to Santiago. I folded the map up and threw it across the room so that I couldn't touch it. I fumed a while longer, then went quiet, because I knew that what was really upsetting me was that love was failing in my life. At its core, love, like faith, was not a product of reason. ... Real love required a risk, an act of daring. In my relationship there was not enough trust and too little daring. Walking to Santiago I had tried not to think too much about it, but it was the most important thing in my life at that time, and it kept cropping up in front of me and blocking my path.



Honeymoon with My Brother
By Franz Wisner

What happens when the worst thing that's ever happened to you turns into the best thing? Franz Wisner learns the hard way when his fiancee, whom he'd loved for the better part of a decade, breaks up with him only five days before their wedding. Devastated and confused, he decides to go on his honeymoon anyway -- with his younger brother. The two-week honeymoon proves only a taste of what was to come. Soon after they return home, the brothers do what many of us have only dreamt of: quit their jobs, sell their houses and take a much longer honeymoon, this time around the world.



In this memoir, Wisner captures their two-year, four-continent journey with a keen eye and an appreciation for the little ironies they encounter in their travels -- like the time they show up at a restaurant recommended in their guidebook and find "ten tables, Anglo faces at each one ... Mass at the Church of the Lonely Planet." (It's then that they decide to ditch the guidebooks and rely on the kindness and wisdom of locals, a decision they never regret.) The brothers gradually fall into the rhythm of the road, leaving their past lives and loves behind and developing a deep friendship with each other. Wisner's straightforward, concise writing style isn't always effective; I found myself wanting more detail in some parts of the book and grimacing at a few cute but clunky rhymes ("the tired, hired, and mired trying to replace the fired"). But for the most part I found "Honeymoon with My Brother" a moving, funny account of the best kind of travel: the kind that not only takes you around the world but also changes your life.



Excerpt:
Vietnam today is the young Buddhist monk, draped in orange robes, taking pains to prune a bonsai tree on the grounds of an ancient and decaying temple. ... It's the women in their pencil tip bamboo hats, crouched on the sidewalks, hawking delicious noodle soups piled high with bean sprouts and fresh basil. ... It's the dragon face long boats on brown rivers that shuttle tourists during the day and sleep families of ten at night. It's warm Cokes and bad karaoke (is that redundant?), a new house for every thousand old steel-roof shanties, bicycle rickshaws carrying dead cows, and bootleg everything. It's fishing nets, war trinkets, and warm baguettes.



The Poisonwood Bible
By Barbara Kingsolver

The setting is the Belgian Congo in the 1950's. Fresh off the plane is a fundamentalist Christian preacher from the American South named Nathan Price, who has brought his wife and four daughters with him to spread the Word to what he considers a godless continent. But as Reverend Price aggressively pursues his missionary agenda in the face of increasingly fierce local resistance, it is his family who must suffer the consequences.



"The Poisonwood Bible" is a haunting novel about what happens when cultures collide -- specifically, when an outsider blunders up against the customs and beliefs of a society he doesn't even try to understand. Kingsolver effectively captures that prickly feeling of being outside one's comfort zone, one many will recognize from their own travels. She also writes beautifully about the landscape of Africa, its colors and smells and sounds, in the voices of four very different young women attempting to adapt to their alien surroundings. The novel builds steadily to a devastating climax, but then inexplicably continues for another several hundred pages -- making the last quarter of the book feel a bit directionless. But that's a forgivable flaw in a novel as lush and powerful as this one.



Excerpt:
Imagine a ruin so strange it must never have happened. First, picture the forest. I want you to be its conscience, the eyes in the trees. The trees are columns of slick, brindled bark like muscular animals overgrown beyond all reason. Every space is filled with life: delicate, poisonous frogs war-painted like skeletons, clutched in copulation, secreting their precious eggs onto dripping vines. Vines strangling their own kin in the everlasting wrestle for sunlight. The breathing of monkeys. A glide of snake belly on branch. A single-file army of ants biting a mammoth tree into uniform grains and hauling it down to the dark for their ravenous queen. And, in reply, a choir of seedlings arching their necks out of rotted tree stumps, sucking life out of death. This forest eats itself and lives forever.



Dave Barry Does Japan
By Dave Barry

If you've read too many deep, nuanced, "I went around the world and found myself" travel books, here's your remedy: "Dave Barry Does Japan." The syndicated columnist known for his sophisticated sense of humor (booger jokes, anyone?) hits the road with his wife and 10-year-old son, leaving political correctness and cultural sensitivity back in the U.S. The family spends three weeks bumbling around "in a disoriented, uncomprehending manner" in search of their next train, their next meal (preferably food that isn't still alive) and the secrets of Japanese success in the auto industry (hint: robots). Along the way Barry presents indispensable travel tips such as how to eat with chopsticks: raise them in the air to call your waiter and ask him for a fork.



I found myself laughing helplessly throughout the book, but my favorite part was Barry's description of the Kabuki play he went to see in Tokyo. Here's part of the plot as he understands it: "Everybody is upset and whining. Meanwhile some assassins are lurking around." If you're looking for an in-depth analysis of Japanese culture, look elsewhere. Aside from a chapter on Hiroshima, which not even Barry can joke about, this book unapologetically aims no further than drawing a few laughs -- and he succeeds, effectively skewering not only Japanese culture but also our own.



Excerpt:
One night in Tokyo we watched two Japanese businessmen saying good-night to each other after what had clearly been a long night of drinking, a major participant sport in Japan. These men were totally snockered, having reached the stage of inebriation wherein every air molecule that struck caused them to wobble slightly, but they still managed to behave more formally than Americans do at funerals. They faced each other and bowed deeply, which caused both of them to momentarily lose their balance and start to pitch face-first to the sidewalk. Trying to recover their balance, they both stepped forward, almost banging heads. They managed to get themselves upright again and, with great dignity, weaved off in opposite directions.



"Around the World in 80 Days": A Companion to the BBC Mini-Series of the Same Name
By Michael Palin

In 1989, Michael Palin succeeded in getting someone to cover the necessary expenses to travel around the world. His premise involved following the route -- as precisely as possible -- taken by Phileas Fogg in Jules Verne's "Around the World in 80 Days." Palin would restrict himself to the means of travel available to Fogg -- so boats, trains, horse-drawn coaches, children and camels would all be allowed.



In an effort to squeeze every penny out of Palin, the BBC decided to publish the journals he kept during his trip. And although the book was intended as a companion to the 1989 BBC mini-series of the same name, the journals really do stand alone. The feel of the book is fully informed by a man who took every occasion to dress up in women's clothes for a laugh (stirring conclusion to "The Meaning of Life" for instance). He doesn't take himself very seriously, and yet his intelligence and self-awareness allow him to convey the ridiculous circumstances in which he finds himself. At the Pyramids, a camel renter insists that the camel is named "Michael" and that Palin don a traditional Arab headdress. He dines on salted squid innards -- a dish his guide tells him is literally unpalatable to Europeans -- in Tokyo, before giving a rousing rendition of "You are My Sunshine" at a local karaoke bar. Aboard an L.A.-bound container ship, he takes part in a bizarre ritual involving copious amounts of fake blood (ketchup), break-dancing and King Neptune's blessing as he crosses the International Date Line. But you don't have to take my word for it. Read it yourself.



Excerpt:
I venture into the streets of Bombay in search of someone to remove eight days' growth of beard ... Sandwiched in between a professional letter writer and a man who organizes mongoose and snake fights, I find a barber who shaves me then and there on the grubby pavement with a cut-throat razor. Not something I shall tell my mother about, especially as I'm convinced from the way his fingers rather than his eyes seek out my face that he is blind. By the time he's finished shaving me, a crowd has gathered that would not disgrace a third division football club.



The Monk and the Philosopher: A Father and Son Discuss the Meaning of Life
By Jean-Francois Revel and Matthieu Ricard

Instead of detailing an actual road trip, "The Monk and the Philosopher" is a book about the "spiritual journey." Jean-Francois Revel, a prominent French intellectual entrenched in Western science and thought, meets his son Matthieu Ricard, a Buddhist monk, in Katmandu to discuss both why Ricard decided for a clean break from the West and the difference between Eastern and Western thought in general. Ricard was once a promising young scientist in France, but after successfully defending his doctoral thesis, he shocked his family and friends by moving to Bhutan and becoming a monk. What drew him to the East? What are the points of contention between father and son? How have the ways each has chosen to live affected their relationship? These concerns drive the dialogue.



The book begins with a conversation about how Ricard has evolved from aspiring scientist to ordained Buddhist monk. But after clarifying how and when Ricard abandoned his research career, the men begin to engage in a dialogue informed by pride, bitterness and sincerity. Much of the book is an elucidation of the Buddhist approach to life, and Ricard's insistence that Buddhism is not unflinching dogma, but a living, breathing framework, from which one can arrive at a spiritual destination. Revel seems incapable or unwilling of understanding this key point, and this tension speaks volumes about the differences between East and West, father and son. Even for a Buddhist monk, the very embodiment of serenity, Ricard's patience is repeatedly tried. Both are trying to come to some understanding of what the other holds dear, while also resolutely defending their methods for tackling philosophy's primary quests -- eliminating the fear of death, while living the "good life." Their unique experiences traveling through life are certainly food for thought -- perhaps inspiring enough to start the reader on his or her own quest.



Excerpt:
No dialogue, however enlightening it might be, could ever be a substitute for the silence of personal experience, so indispensable for an understanding of how things really are. Experience, indeed, is the path. And as the Buddha often said, "it is up to you to follow it," so that one day the messenger might become the message.



Travels with Charley in Search of America
By John Steinbeck

As one of the great American authors, Steinbeck has little to prove in terms of writing. But there came a time in his life where he began to get the sense that the America he had written of in his seminal works had morphed into something wholly unfamiliar. To reacquaint himself with a clearer picture of his motherland, he decided to set out on a three-month journey with his friend Charley the standard poodle. The natural beauty he encounters along the way in places like Montana and the redwood forests of California are juxtaposed against the ugly bigotry and closed-mindedness of many Americans he meets. This hatred is certainly very painful for Steinbeck, and the sad realization that his ideal vision of America -- an America where the loss of innocence may open the door for positive growth -- may never materialize makes for a melancholy experience.



Steinbeck is a natural reporter, able to convey scenes, such as his route through the changing New England foliage, with great accuracy. But he also injects his writing with experience and passion, and this is what makes "Travels with Charley" so engaging.



Excerpt:
For many years I have traveled in many parts of the world. In America, I live in New York, or dip into Chicago or San Francisco. But New York is no more America than Paris is France or London is England. Thus, I discovered I did not know my own country.

Beat the post-travel blues

What's wrong with you? You've just had a fabulous holiday and you should be feeling all serene and enriched, right? Instead you're sluggish, cranky, maybe even a little weepy, and everything seems washed-out and no-account. Looks like you've got a case of the post-travel blues. Don't panic! Experienced travelers learn to recognize the symptoms and apply the remedies. Here are a few of our favorite ways to get out of the post-travel doldrums.


Dream big!

Turn your post-holiday depression into pre-holiday anticipation. It may be a little way off, but that only gives you permission to dream it up a storm. Now's the time to be getting all misty-eyed about cruising to Antarctica, basking in the Maldives, eating your way around Paris and other fancypants pleasures. As you get closer to the actual planning stage you might have to bargain yourself down to equally rewarding but more pocket-friendly destinations. In the meantime, let your imagination off the leash!

Start a piggy bank

Every traveler knows the gloom of coming home broke. Perhaps you even have to go through the slog of setting yourself up with a new house and a new job — and all without the spare cash to treat yourself to a mood-lifting splurge. Now's the time to start saving for your next trip. Even if it's just a few coins in a jar each week, at least you'll feel like you're doing something tangible to get back on the road. And if you start thinking laterally about money and possessions, you could be you'll be winging off in less time than you think.

Be a tourist in your own town

The wonderful thing about going to new places is the way it opens your eyes, makes you curious and observant, surprises you, freshens your senses. But there's no reason why your own town can't do exactly the same thing for you. All you have to do is get out of your rut. Take turns you've never taken before, follow the tourists to places you've never been, take photographs, talk to strangers — experiment. Feel better already?

Share the love

You're full of knowledge about, and passion for, the places you've just been — so share it. No, not with your friends — most of them don't care. Find a community of people who are mad about your favorite places and talk them up, learn more about the destinations that thrilled you and come through with some advice for aspiring novices.

Make art

Instead of boring your friends with your travel stories, do something creative with your memories. Make photo books and playlists, turn your journal scribbles into travel writing ... or bore your friends spectacularly, ironically, fantastically by making an old-fashioned slide show, complete with music and snacks that match the destination.

This story, 5 ways to beat the post-travel blues, originally appeared on LonelyPlanet.com.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Shocking Mom Secrets

Moms share all in a new survey from TODAY.com, the online home of America's No. 1 morning program, and Parenting.com, the website of Parenting and Babytalk magazines, who today released the results of a joint "Mom Confessions" study which asked moms to divulge the secrets they definitely wouldn't share on the playground. From why they judge each other to what they would change if they could have a "do-over" and how they really keep their kids in line, more than 26,000 moms got real with their responses.



According to TODAY Moms senior editor Rebecca Dube, "The revelations we uncovered in our survey should put a stake through the heart of the myth of the perfect mother. Moms everywhere are overwhelmed and they often feel like they're the only ones – but our findings show that they're not; everyone shares the same challenges. Whatever your mom confession is, someone out there is in the same boat – and talking about it makes moms feel a lot better!"


NEARLY 3 OUT OF 4 MOMS WANT A DO-OVER:


• If given the chance, 23% of moms would choose a different spouse/partner and 21% would have more children.


• Out of the moms who ever wished their child was the opposite sex, nearly two-thirds are moms of boys.


WOULD YOU RATHER? THE MOMMY VERSION


• Weight versus smarts: 45% of moms would choose to weigh 15 pounds less rather than add 15 points to their child's IQ.


• Money versus time: 42% would prefer to get a 50% raise at work than have 50% more time to spend with their kids.


• Sex versus sleep: 53% would choose a night of uninterrupted sleep over a night of mind-blowing sex.


DESPERATE MOM MEASURES:


• Nearly 1 in 5 moms confessed to medicating their child to calm him/her down before a big trip – and nearly 1 in 12 do so on a regular night just for some peace and quiet.


• 49% have knowingly sent a sick child to daycare or school.


EVERYONE'S A CRITIC: 87% OF MOMS JUDGE EACH OTHER


• More than 1 in 3 admits to judging moms of overweight kids.


• 43% judge moms who still breastfeed their toddlers.


"Moms are so often idealized as superwomen, a role that comes with a tremendous amount of pressure and feelings of 'everyone is getting it right but me,'" said Rachel Fishman Feddersen, director, digital content, strategy, and design for Parenting.com. "The survey provided moms with a private, anonymous forum to tackle these issues, allowing them to dish on what it's really like to raise a family today."


Methodology


This survey was hosted on TODAY Moms and Parenting.com between June 13 and 20, 2011. A total of 26,138 mothers participated in the study.


Cars That Thieves Don't Want

The Highway Loss Data Institute recently released its annual list of the most- and least-stolen vehicles, and a perusal of the top 10 most stolen cars list indicates thieves still favor large pickups and SUVs. The No. 1 stolen car of the year, for instance, was the Cadillac Escalade, a large luxury SUV. Thieves are also going for large cars known for their power (or Hemi) engines, including the Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger and Nissan Maxima.


Conversely, the cars appearing on the least-stolen list tend to be small or midsize vehicles that are more sedate in appearance and, as senior vice president of the Highway Loss Data Institute Kim Hazelbaker says, in some cases just not worth going to jail for.

"It's a mixed bag of vehicles," Hazelbaker says. That mixed bag includes some unexpected vehicles.

Measuring the madness

The Highway Loss Data Institute bases its ranking on data provided by insurers representing about 80% of the market for privately insured vehicles.

That means it doesn't include information on thefts of uninsured vehicles or vehicles insured by non-reporting companies. It also doesn't address whether the theft was of the entire vehicle, vehicle parts or vehicle contents, instead identifying which cars are most often targeted by thieves across the board.

Claim frequencies are determined per 1,000 insured vehicles and form the basis of the ranking. Vehicles are from 2008-10 model years unless otherwise noted.



2011 Mini Cooper Clubman

Mini Cooper Clubman

Claim frequency: 0.7

Average loss payment per claim: $1,883

Vehicle size/type: Mini two-door car



Chevrolet Aveo (2008-2010)

Claim frequency: 0.6

Average loss payment per claim: $7,642

Vehicle size/type: Mini station wagon




BMW 5 series 4WD

Claim frequency: 0.7

Average loss payment per claim: $12,200

Vehicle size/type: Large luxury car

Hazelbacker explains that one of the reasons BMW's 5 series and (spoiler alert!) two other luxury vehicles popped up on the list of least-stolen vehicles is that these types of cars have excellent ignition immobilizers, which prevent vehicles from being hot-wired.

"It's a technical issue," he says, explaining that one of the reasons pickups are popular amongst thieves is that, until recently, they didn't have immobilizers as part of their standard equipment package.



Saturn Vue

Claim frequency: 0.6

Average loss payment per claim: $3,747

Vehicle size/type: Midsize SUV




Lexus RX 350 (2010)

Claim frequency: 0.6

Average loss payment per claim: $6,084

Vehicle size/type: Midsize luxury SUV



Chevrolet Equinox 4WD (2010)

Claim frequency: 0.6

Average loss payment per claim: $4,870

Vehicle size/type: Midsize SUV




Volkswagen CC (2009-10)

Claim frequency: 0.6

Average loss payment per claim: $7,098

Vehicle size/type: Midsize car



Chevrolet Equinox (2010)

Claim frequency: 0.6

Average loss payment per claim: $2,069

Vehicle size/type: Midsize SUV

(The Chevrolet Equinox and the Chevrolet Equinox 4WD are the same car with different features.)



Mercury Mariner

Claim frequency: 0.5

Average loss payment per claim: $1,970

Vehicle size/type: Small SUV



Audi A6

Audi A6 4WD

Claim frequency: 0.5

Average loss payment per claim: $16,882

Vehicle size/type: Large luxury car

In addition to having better immobilizers, Hazelbaker attributed Audi's disfavor to its appearance; along with its luxury counterparts the Lexus RX350 and the BMW 5 series, availability issues also prevent theft. For instance, he says, these cars "are more likely to be spending the night in a suburban garage" than on a city street.

Old Movies Even the Younger Generation can enjoy

I thought I'd put together a list of the movies that have been well received by my younger generation friends in case you're ever looking for a movie everyone can enjoy. Granted, they may still make fun of them and not fully understand their brilliance, but some movies are so good that even the hippest young adults can forgive their corniness.


On to the list ...

• Some Like it Hot - probably our most successful Old Movie Night to date. It's just full of good stuff that will never go out of style: the Mafia, men dressing up as women, hot blond chicks. Plus there are also plenty of dirty innuendos that any young crowd is sure to love.

• Psycho - This movie is so famous that anyone who hasn't seen it will at least know about the shower scene. And while some of it is a little corny and strange, it's still scary enough to creep everyone out.

• Casablanca - A classic that even then youngsters have heard of, and is still good enough to hold everyone's attention. Plus it contains a number of quotes that are commonplace even today.

• The Sting - Paul Newman/ Robert Redford never fails.

• Sunset Blvd. - This movie is insane and who doesn't love insanity? Once Norma buries that monkey, there's no turning back.

• The Philadelphia Story - Everything about this one is great. It's funny and it helps that most people know Katherine Hepburn, Cary Grant, and Jimmy Stewart. It's just a good time.

• The Birds - It's a little corny, but still pretty scary and definitely a favorite amongst my friends.

• Singin' in the Rain - I was hesitant about a musical but this is a CLASSIC. Young people usually just doesn’t understand them. But luckily, Singin' in the Rain is famous and fabulous enough that the crowd dismissed the painful unreality of it and just enjoyed. Plus that Gene Kelly is a dreamboat and everyone knows it.

• Miracle on 34th St. - Really just a classic!

• Goldfinger - Pretty much everyone loves James Bond and gold painted ladies laying in a bed.