Monthly Archives: August 2010

How to determine the shelf life of foods in your pantry, freezer, or refrigerator


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Mountain House canned food - 25 year long shelf life
Mountain House canned food – 25 year long shelf life

One common food joke is that Hostess Twinkies can survive through almost anything, with an infinite shelf life.  Truth be told, the common Twinkie’s shelf life is a more realistic 25-days.  Seriously – who even keeps Twinkies in the house that long?

Every once in a while, you should take the time to clean out your pantry.  It’s not just a good idea from a re-organizational viewpoint, but also as a way to rotate the older foods you have stacked in the back of the cupboard towards the front so that they can be used in a more timely manner.

Yes, everything in your pantry has a shelf life – except for honey, which can pretty much be stored indefinitely.  Sometimes things will merely go stale, such as crackers or cereals.  Other pantry items will turn rancid and become inedible and should be tossed to prevent anyone from getting sick from eating it. Continue reading HOW TO DETERMINE THE SHELF LIFE OF FOODS IN YOUR PANTRY, FREEZER, OR REFRIGERATOR →

Drink This, Not That: Lose weight through smarter drinking habits


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Drink This, Not That
Drink This, Not That!

Web Watch has always been a fan of the EAT THIS, NOT THAT series of books from Men’s Health, which boil down dieting and weight-loss to one simple task:  you may not be exercising as much as you want to, and you may not be eating as healthy as you would like to — but making the right choices in eating can help offset the lack of exercise.

Remember, gaining and losing weight is paritally to do with the number and type of calories and fat that you take in.  So change your meals, and even if you do nothing else – you should lose some weight simply by eating better.

The premise of their latest book, DRINK THIS, NOT THAT concentrates specifically on beverages, and what you should substitute when you go out for a drink.  Not a lot has changed between the 2009 DRINKS YOU SHOULD DRINK, AND DRINKS THAT YOU SHOULDN’T and the 2010 LIST OF DRINK THIS, NOT THAT CONTENDERS, so let’s take a look at some of what’s listed in their HALL OF SHAME: Continue reading DRINK THIS, NOT THAT: LOSE WEIGHT THROUGH SMARTER DRINKING HABITS →

The 25 Most Common Clown Names are not a laughing matter


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American Clown Names

Considering the topic (CLOWNS!), Web Watch will try to keep this post as non-threatening as possible.  We know that some people suffer from COULROPHOBIA – a FEAR OF CLOWNS, and we want to be sure not to frighten anyone away unnecessarily.

So we’re going to keep it simple, and recommend that you listen to the soothing sounds of TOO MUCH JOY’s CLOWNS while you read this list of the TOP 25 MOST COMMON CLOWN NAMES, based on the International Clown Registry of over 950 unique clown names entered:

Continue reading THE 25 MOST COMMON CLOWN NAMES ARE NOT A LAUGHING MATTER →

Use the Adventure Generator to not make Leeroy Jenkins wait any longer than he has to


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Dungeons and Dragons Players Handbook
Dungeons and Dragons Players Handbook

Web Watch went to school with a bunch of nerds.

Granted, today’s economy is run by nerds – and considering how many people are sucked into wasting their time on Facebook and Twitter, it looks like the nerds did get their revenge.

Except back then, nerds weren’t just computer-oriented folk.  Sometimes, those same kids would wander out of the computer lab and into broad daylight – proudly holding their DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS PLAYERS GUIDE, MONSTERS MANUAL, or 20-SIDED DICE as they shuffled off to their next D&D encounter. Continue reading USE THE ADVENTURE GENERATOR TO NOT MAKE LEEROY JENKINS WAIT ANY LONGER THAN HE HAS TO →

Triskaidekaphobia vs Paraskavedekatriaphobia – learn the difference


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Friday the 13th Camp Crystal Lake sign 

We at Web Watch want to be sure that our Web Watch readers are aware whenever there is a potential of making a grammatical faux pas of grand scale come this week’s FRIDAY THE 13TH.

We wouldn’t want our faithful readers to mistakenly call into work, claiming that they suffer from triskaidekaphobia.

Because the FEAR OF THE NUMBER 13 (which is what triskaidekaphobia is all about) has absolutely nothing to do with Friday the 13th at all.  Calling in sick because you’re scared of a number is just plain stupid.

Calling in sick because you’re SCARED OF FRIDAY THE 13th, that’s a different issue altogether. Continue reading TRISKAIDEKAPHOBIA VS PARASKAVEDEKATRIAPHOBIA — LEARN THE DIFFERENCE →

Flash Fun: Achievement Unlocked 2 (time to kill more elephants!)


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Achievement Unlocked
Achievement Unlocked

While we know that Web Watch proclaimed that THIS IS THE ONLY LEVEL TOO was a sequel to the hit Flash platformer ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED - we admit that we weren’t really being extremely honest with you, the Web Watch reader.

Oh, it was a worthy game in the Achievement Unlocked pantheon, but it wasn’t a sequel in the true sense of the word.

So Web Watch is here with an apology, and a make-good link for you: Continue reading FLASH FUN: ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED 2 (TIME TO KILL MORE ELEPHANTS!) →

Trending: Granny panties are making a comeback (did they ever really go away?)


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Granny Panties
Granny Panties

If you are a fan of 1960′s culture, such as what the TV show Mad Men tries to be, then you should be aware that the dapper 1960′s-era fashion is also making a bit of a comeback – a trend that has been directly attributed to the popularity of the fashion styles shown on that program:

And one item that has been consistently praised across the board is that the Mad Men fashion craze has brought back the Granny Panty.  Continue reading TRENDING: GRANNY PANTIES ARE MAKING A COMEBACK (DID THEY EVER REALLY GO AWAY?) →

Chocolate Oreo ice cream done in 40 seconds – The BlendTec Recipe


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BlendTec Blender

Web Watch enjoys watching the WILL IT BLEND videos on YouTube.  Whether it be a blender full of marbles, a broom handle, or an iPhone — the BlendTec Total Blender makes fast work of turning those items into inedible shrapnel.

As they say – don’t try these experiments at home.

But there’s something about having a blender with over 1600 watts of ice crushing power that makes you say, “we gotta have that”.  In part because we’ve blown through other blenders when trying to go through different food prep over the years, and in part it’s because Web Watch wants to have the option to shred a jar full of marbles. 

We may never do it, but it’s nice to know that we could if we had to. Continue reading CHOCOLATE OREO ICE CREAM DONE IN 40 SECONDS – THE BLENDTEC RECIPE →

Pretty girls don’t always get what they want… but plastic surgery can work wonders for others


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How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying

Web Watch knows that if you really want to get ahead at the office, you have to apply yourself.  This is simply common business sense that everyone in the corporate world should follow.

But some women (and some men, too – don’t think that they’re getting a free pass on this) believe that they can skate by in any situation on their looks alone.

Face it, toots – what may have worked in college at the sorority house when you tried to get the local computer nerd to do your CompSci homework for you simply by batting your eyelashes at him ain’t going to work in the real world.

That’s the gist of a study published in the JOURNAL OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY entitled Physical Attractiveness Biases in Ratings of Employment Suitability: Tracking Down the “Beauty is Beastly” Effect that says that contrary to popular belief, PRETTY PEOPLE DON’T ALWAYS GET WHAT THEY WANT.

Continue reading PRETTY GIRLS DON’T ALWAYS GET WHAT THEY WANT… BUT PLASTIC SURGERY CAN WORK WONDERS FOR OTHERS →

How to potty train a 6-month-old? Just say “pss-wss-wss” and you’ll be diaper-free in no time!


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Potty like a Rock Star bag
Potty like a Rock Star bag

Web Watch has heard horror stories from our parent friends about the difficult times they have toilet training their children.  One couple is still doing the diaper thing with their four-year-old, continuing to take the stance of “when they’re ready to use the potty, they will” rather than trying to force a child to do something that they’re not willing to do on their own.

Hey parents – here’s a hint for you: maybe they are ready, but they really like the attention that they get by you continuing to wipe and diaper them every few hours.  We’ll hazard a guess that once you stop pampering your child with luv (puns intended), then maybe they’ll start taking care of their business on their own.

But let’s harken back a few years ago to a New York Times article entitled A FAST TRACK TO TOILET TRAINING.  The article talks about how parents are trying to get their children to use the potty earlier in life – most often around 6 months old, but with one interviewee claiming that her child was using the potty at 10 weeks old. Continue reading HOW TO POTTY TRAIN A 6-MONTH-OLD? JUST SAY “PSS-WSS-WSS” AND YOU’LL BE DIAPER-FREE IN NO TIME! →

Video Fun: Travelogue Parodies of PURE MICHIGAN tourism campaign


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Backroads and Byways of Michigan

Video and filmmaker John Kerfoot knows funny when he sees it.

And when John first saw the PURE MICHIGAN ads that were put together to promote travel throughout the lovely state of Michigan (as voiced by Tim Allen), it was just a matter of time before John was able to put his own spoof videos together.

NOT SO PURE MICHIGAN is a collection of those parody spots, highlighting… or low-lighting, if you will… some of the not-so-pleasant sides of visiting Michigan’s tourist destinations. Continue reading VIDEO FUN: TRAVELOGUE PARODIES OF PURE MICHIGAN TOURISM CAMPAIGN →

How to take a photograph of a popular location without any people in it


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Photobomb!
Photobomb!

The Photobomb.  It was a great picture… until somebody walked into the shot.

When it comes to vacation pictures at popular tourist destinations, a photobomb is inevitable.  Someone always will get in your way as you try to take that once-in-a-lifetime shot.

Web Watch’s friend Chip recently posted an article entitled HOW TO GET THOSE EMPTY DISNEY PARK PHOTOS where he goes on to describe an elaborate process that many people do in order to get that classic “nobody is in front of the Castle” shot down Main Street USA at the Magic Kingdom.   

While Web Watch was able to get our own photo of the Castle without any people in it by running down Main Street immediately after the rope-drop and taking the picture before the throngs of madly-rushing people behind us got in our way (it’s a great picture, in case you were wondering)  – Chip’s solution is to make an early-morning breakfast reservation in the park, and take your picture while you’re heading over to the restaurant before the park opens for the day.

While Chip’s answer offers a more leisurely method of getting the photo compared to our rope-drop version, there’s still an infinitely easier way to get that same “ghost town” effect on any photo that you want to have of a big, popular tourist destination. Continue reading HOW TO TAKE A PHOTOGRAPH OF A POPULAR LOCATION WITHOUT ANY PEOPLE IN IT →

Bowl for free! Vote for Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift & others during National Bowling Week


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Bowled Over

This week is NATIONAL BOWLING WEEK and that’s why the BOWLING PROPRIETORS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA (BPAA) have decided to let the fans decide who is the BIGGEST CELEBRITY PROMOTER OF THE SPORT OF BOWLING, with the celebrity receiving the most votes being entered into the CELEBRITY HALL OF FAME at the International Bowling Museum.

The celebrity with the most votes on AUGUST 7th (NATIONAL BOWLING DAY) will be the winner, and YOU can vote as many times as you’d like for your favorite celebrity.  What else is special about NATIONAL BOWLING DAY?  You can get a free game of bowling with this coupon!  Use it on August 7th, and help set a world record for the most bowling games played in a 24-hour period.

But more importantly, who are the celebrity nominees and what their vote tallies were as we head into these final few days before voting closes? Continue reading BOWL FOR FREE! VOTE FOR JUSTIN BIEBER, TAYLOR SWIFT & OTHERS DURING NATIONAL BOWLING WEEK →

Do you LOVE to cook? That’s what three in ten people say about themselves


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Kiss the Cook
Kiss the Cook

Web Watch knows our way around a kitchen, even if it is to help someone else prepare a meal.  That’s because we know that people approach the kitchen as one of three groups:

  1. Some people love to cook. It’s in their blood.  These are the people you always are sure to invite to the local potluck dinner or bake sale.
  2. Some people don’t mind cooking – they just know how to make food that is edible enough to survive on.  It won’t be fancy, but don’t expect anything spectacular.  The majority of people out there should fall into this category.
  3. And there’s the third group that doesn’t know their way around a kitchen.  Web Watch knows someone who claims to be so inept in the kitchen that they can burn a pot of water.  (They tend to order out a lot.)

So it should come as no surprise that a recent Harris Poll of over 2000 adults discovered that THREE IN TEN AMERICANS (about a third) LOVE TO COOK. 

Here’s the breakdown of that stat:  79% of adults said they liked cooking, while only 30% said they loved cooking.  49% said that they only enjoy cooking when they have the time.  14% said they did not enjoy cooking at all, and 7% of survey respondents said that they did not cook at all.

Continue reading DO YOU LOVE TO COOK? THAT’S WHAT THREE IN TEN PEOPLE SAY ABOUT THEMSELVES →

The Lindsay Lohan and Shamwow Connection


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Shamwow
Shamwow!

Linsay Lohan and Vince “the Shamwow Guy” Offer have something in common.

No, it’s not being arrested and having their mugshots plastered all over TMZ and other websites (although that is a good guess from any reasonable person).

No, they are appearing together in a new movie called UNDERGROUND COMEDY 2010 to be released later this fall.

Catch the trailer here:

Continue reading THE LINDSAY LOHAN AND SHAMWOW CONNECTION →