Odds and ends

By the way....whenever a word or phrase is highlighted like this, then you can click it as a link to something else.

I posted the other day that microwaving your kitchen sponges can render them bacteria-less and clean. But now of course, there is an opposing viewpoint. It's almost inevitable when something good, easy and helpful is invented or discovered, then someone finds a problem or flaw with it. The only thing to be careful of, is where the motivation of the person telling you the information lies. For example, this opposing viewpoint comes from Good Housekeeping and who knows how much money they get from the various cleaning sprays as advertisement, so hence, they don't recommend you to keep reusing those sponges, saving money, and think it more prudent to use sprays and paper towels.

Just got satellite tv and have one question...why am I addicted to watching channels that are available locally (NBC,CBS,ABC,FOX) but from a different city? I only enjoy seeing commercials that are specific to that area or even watching the local newscast. I have no idea about the areas that they're talking about, but maybe that's the draw. If something bad happened, then I can't see the area in my mind's eye or how close it is to my home. And if something good happened, then I can imagine it being even better than it probably is, since I've never seen it and probably never will. It's like someone from Iowa watching the Los Angeles news and seeing stories on Disneyland or the beach and thinking that those must be the most perfect places in the world. I guess the world is really becoming smaller all the time. (see this book for more on this topic) I'm not sure if that's a good thing though, because if someday in the future, we can just transport anywhere instantly, then all the magic of not really seeing something and filling in the details with your imagination will be gone. Pros and cons, pros and cons.