AIN'T LIFE A KICK IN THE ASS? It's now time for me to pass on a little fact or two which you might just find interesting. . .and might just reinforce the concept of what a wacky world we live in. Ferinstance. . .

1. For the most part, what you're eating that you THINK is cinnamon is in fact cassia. Also, for those cantalope lovers out there -- in this country, it is VERY unlikely you've ever had a cantalope since they aren't sold in this country. What they "call" cantalopes are in actuality musk melons.
2. Do you have E-Z Pass? Well, get ready for a ticket. Because several states use the information about your E-Z Pass use to give out speeding tickets. Here's how it works: If you go through one toll and subsequently go through the next toll in a shorter time than is possible if you are observing the speed limit, the police will mail you a speeding ticket. Nice, huh?
3. If you are being audited, NEVER bring copies of your previous years tax returns. Now, this might sound weird because they TELL you to bring 'em. However, the IRS rules state that you are only required to provide information that relates to the specific tax year listed in the audit notice. You are not required to bring any information other than that specific tax year (unless it relates to the year under audit i.e. carryover items). If the auditor asks you for a previous year's tax return, simply smile and say "I don't believe that this relates to the year or issues being examined." That will usually end things right there.
4. Making a hotel reservation? Well, do it after 6 PM. Why? Because this is when the hotels wipe out all the no-show reservations that were unsecured by a credit card. This means that the rooms will be going for much cheaper.
5. How to make your home less appetizing to burglars. First, don't hide valuables in your bedroom; this is the first place burglars look and the place where they spend the most time looking. Under the mattress. The underwear drawer. Please. You should keep REAL valuables in a safe deposit box. For those you must keep at home, try putting them in the freezer or above a drop ceiling. You can even put them in fake soup cans on your pantry shelf. Also don't hide ALL your valuables in one place. A crook is not likely to find everything if they're spread out all over the place. Also, if you've got one of those "This house if protected by so-and-so security system" signs on your house then you've just told the burglar how to disable your alarm. All they have to do is buy a diagram of how that particular alarm system works and you're out of luck. In addition, big dogs may LOOK scary but they're usually not barkers; get a small "yapping" dog that will make a lot of noise -- and frankly, smaller dogs are nastier. If you're going away on vacation, do not stop your mail and newspaper delivery; crooks can easily find out you're away when you do this. It's better to have a friend come over daily to pick up your mail. Ask them to come at different times of the day as well since activity at your home coupled with unpredicatibility is a deterrent to criminals. Leaving your lights on also clues a burglar in that you're not there. You can buy timers that turn lights on and off at irregular intervals as well as motion detectors which turn on the lights at any sign of movement; these cost about $20.
6. Got one of those supermarket "loyalty cards"? You know, the ones you have on your keychain you swipe each time you buy groceries or stuff at the drug store. Well folks, the cards track every single purchase you make. Not a big deal, right? Until you find out that the stores SELL this information to life insurance and health insurance companies who use this info to determine whether you are a bad risk. In other words, if you buy a lot of junk food and chips they may decide you're a high health risk and deny you life insurance or at least gouge you with the rates. How sweet.
7. Are you impotent? OK, don't answer. There are a lot of people around. But if so, don't buy Viagra when you can get an amino acid called arginine at any health food store. Arginine helps the body produce nitric oxide: a chemical needed to achieve the ole wood. This amino acid relaxes smooth muscle contractions which boosts arterial dilation and results in stronger erections. The typical dose is 1000 - 2000 mg twice daily. Make sure you take it between meals since a lot of foods contain lysine which is another amino acid that counteracts arginine. You're welcome.
8. Your kitchen sponge is gross! Seriously, even if you wash it frequently, the thing has more germs and bacteria than your toilet seat. Here's how to detox that nasty thang: rinse it, wring it out and microwave it for 30-60 seconds. The microwave will kill those yucky bugs dead.
9. E-mailing a resume? NEVER attach it to an email unless you're specifically instructed to do so. Why? Well, most companies don't really like downloading attachments that might carry computer viruses. You should cut and paste your resume and put it into the actual email itself rather than attaching it as a file.
10. Got arthritis? Yeah, Arthur's a bitch! So, drink tea and eat grapes. Green tea contains polyphenols which suppress a gene that causes arthritis inflammation. Drink one or two cups of tea (hot or cold) a day. Also, grape skins contain resveratrol which also suppresses the gene which causes arthritis inflammation. Eat one cup of white or red grapes a day. Happily, purple grape juice and wine both contain resveratrol as well!

So, that's about it for this go 'round. I hope some of this stuff helps you out in the day to day struggle not to get eaten alive. With any luck, maybe I'll have some more choice information to pass along to you later. So until then, don't let the bastards grind you down.