I am in no way defending white sugar, but this isn't true. If it were true, you'd get drunk on soda and your kids would pass out, drunk on Halloween. Sugar may be addicting and bad for your body, but it has nothing to do with alcohol.

As someone with some experience learning foreign languages, I agree. Rosetta Stone is too expensive for what you get. Learn in Your Car is better for adults, although you do have to listen to them a bunch of times. Our library has Muzzy in French and Spanish and this is good, albeit a bit limited and fairly expensive. If your library has it, however... The learner.org online programs are great, especially the French program. And free. As for why RS is so expensive, what other books or learning programs do you know that have their own kiosks at airports and run numerous ads on television? Or Michael Phelps as a spokesman, for crying out loud. That's what you're paying for, not efficacy as a study tool.

It helps me when I'm writing a long project not to think in terms beyond the present day. Today I have to write 1,000 words, for example. As long as you sent a goal and stick to it each and every day no matter what, you'll be surprised at the progress you make. If you think, "Oh no, I have to write 50,000 words by the 18th," then you'll quickly run into trouble. Courage? I can't answer that one.

No, that's not true. We pay our housekeeper $12.50/hour and she makes about $2-$3 more per hour in tips. It's not an easy job. Most people do not tip.

I can't watch that show for this very reason, but remember that the only thing real about a reality show is the title. The producers can create whatever narrative they want by selective editing. No doubt that this woman does sometimes use this tone of voice with her husband, but I'm also guessing that the producers have pegged her as the shrew and comb through the hundreds of hours of tape in order to find her speaking in the crabbiest voice possible.

Speaking as an agnostic, I hope that you remembered to thank the man who actually loaned you the cow, as well.

They're not safe at all if you're talking about the ease with which someone could track you down if you share too many details of your personal life. Personally, I think fears of internet stalking are probably exaggerated. After all, we meet people constantly in real life and if someone asks our real name, we give it right out. Most people let their names and addresses appear in the phone book and aren't overly concerned if they pop up in the newspaper or some other place. I think these are probably greater risks to our safety. ETA: Not to say you shouldn't be careful, but there's no reason to be overly paranoid.

How we handle it is that I speak only Spanish to our son and he gets English everywhere else. He understands Spanish just fine, but doesn't speak very much. Generally, he'll use a Spanish word only until he gets comfortable with the English equivalent and then he'll use English only. He's almost three.

Whatever your views on the election, this whole thing seems like a very grim development for the conservative movement. On the financial side, we're getting ready to nationalize half the financial system. And for social conservatives, I've got to think issues such as pro-life policies and concerns over gay marriage are going to take a back seat to job losses, foreclosures, and people worrying about how they're going to put food on the table.