Four For Friday - With Video

Q1 - Punch Buggy: About 50 years ago, a single punch launched a game we all know and either love or hate: Punch Buggy (also called punch bug or slug bug). After an exhaustive search, the folks at Volkswagen claim to have found the game's inventor, Sluggy Patterson (see video below). Have you ever played Punch Buggy? Regardless of whether you have or not, do you enjoy car games like Punch Buggy, and if you do, what car game is your favorite?

Q2 - Hometown: On Facebook, all members are asked to list a Hometown. When you're asked online to fill in a location for Hometown, do you put the town where you grew up or where you live? Is your response different if someone asks you in person about your Hometown?

Q3 - State of the Union: According to Article II, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution, the President of the United States "...shall from time to time give to Congress information of the State of the Union and recommend to their Consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient." Nearly every President since Dr. Thomas Woodrow Wilson has made the State of the Union report in the form of a speech delivered personally before a joint session of Congress. Did you watch President Barack Hussein Obama II's speech on Wednesday evening? If so, what did you think?

Q4 - iPad: Apple unveiled the iPad earlier this week, a 0.5 inches thick device for browsing the web, reading and sending email, looking at photos, watching videos, listening to music, playing games, reading e-books and much more. According to Apple co-founder & CEO Steve Jobs, the iPad is the company's "...most advanced technology in a magical and revolutionary device at an unbelievable price." Do you see a "need" for the iPad in your business or personal life? Do you want one?

Four For Friday - The Haiti Edition

Q1 - Tourism: Despite numerous steps to assist with the earthquake relief efforts in Haiti -- including a $1,000,000 donation; donating 100 percent of its net revenue from visits to Haiti; and using its vessels to drop off food, water, lounge chairs and beach furniture -- Royal Caribbean cruise line has come under heavy fire for making a scheduled stop at a private resort in Labadee, Haiti, where it maintains a private beach approximately 60 miles from the earthquake-ravaged city of Port-au-Prince. Do you think Royal Caribbean is right to continue visiting Labadee, Haiti during this period of extreme hardship, or should they divert their ships and go elsewhere?

Image via Wikipedia

Q3 - Volunteers: Thousands of aid workers and volunteers from all over the world have flocked to Haiti to assist with earthquake relief efforts. If you could take a week off from work with pay and travel to Haiti to assist with relief efforts, would you?

Q4 - Descent: Approximately 2,000,000 Haitians currently live in the United States and Canada combined. Do you personally know anyone of Haitian descent?

Four For Friday

Q1 - Neighbor: Zillow.com recently released the results of its 3rd annual Neighbor Survey, and Nadya Suleman, Jon and Kate Gosselin, Sarah Palin, Richard and Mayumi Heene, and Kanye West were voted the least desirable neighbors of 2009. If you could choose to live next door to anyone alive today -- celebrity or otherwise -- who would you choose as your new next door neighbor?

Q2 - Financially Speaking: As we begin 2010, nearly half of Americans (47%) say their financial situation is worse now than it was a year ago, a new Zogby Interactive poll shows. Just 19% say their personal finances are better off now than they were a year ago and 33% say their finances are about the same. Looking ahead to the end of 2010, do you think you'll end the year in the same, better, or worse financially as compared to the end of 2009?

Q3 - Undecorate: When do you think people should take down their Christmas tree and holiday decorations... the day after Christmas, New Years Eve Day, January 2nd, or whenever they darn well feel like it?

Q4 - 2020: Nearly one-half of U.S. adults say it is likely that by 2020 there will be regular use of stem cells and cloning techniques to create human organs for transplant. Also, more than one-third say it is likely by 2020 that computer chips will be implanted in humans, robots will perform manual labor jobs, and virtual reality will be a staple of home entertainment. Only 28% think there will be a cure for cancer. What do you think about these findings?

Four For Friday - The Holiday Edition

Q1 - Location: President Obama and his family celebrated Christmas in Hawaii this year. If you and your family and loved ones could celebrate the holiday anyplace but where you currently live, where would you like to go?

Q2 - Mood: Thirty-nine percent of Americans are less "in the mood" to celebrate the holidays this season than they were last year, nearly twice as many as say they are more in the mood (21%), a new Zogby Interactive poll shows. Another 40% say there is no difference in their mood to celebrate the holidays this year compared to last year. How about you... what's your mood this holiday season?

Q3 - Giving: Nearly 70% of Americans participating in a CNN poll say they give to charities during the holiday season. How about you... do you regularly donate money during the holidays, and if so, do you give to the same group(s) each year or do you change it up from year to year?

Q4 - Tradition: Do you have any holiday traditions, like opening one gift on Christmas Eve, or prolonging the gift opening by having each person take a turn opening one gift at a time while everyone else watches?

Four For Friday

Q1 - Uncommon Names: According to research economists at Shippensburg University, the more uncommon a person's first name, the more likely he is to wind up on the wrong side of the law. When comparing crime statistics against a roster of more than 15,000 first names, researchers David E. Kalist and Daniel Y. Le found a distinct "name-crime link" among American males. Do you experience a certain amount of discomfort with saying someone's name when the name in question is highly uncommon? For example, if you learned someone's first name was Universe, Meadow, or Pacific, would you have a certain amount of discomfort when saying their name?

Image via Wikipedia

Q3 - Medical Records: A judge is set to determine whether to allow an Oklahoma law to go forward that will mandate the posting of information online about women who have abortions in that state. Do you think medical records of private citizens should ever be made available to the public?

Q4 - Winter Movies: Which winter 2009-2010 movies are you most interested in seeing... Armored; Brothers; Everybody's Fine; One Peace at a Time; Serious Moonlight; Transylmania; Up in the Air; A Single Man; Did You Hear About the Morgans?; Invictus; Tenderness; The Lovely Bones; The Princess and the Frog; Crazy Heart; Avatar; Nine; The New Daughter; The Young Victoria; Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakuel; It's Complicated; Sherlock Holmes; The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus; Case 39; Crazy on the Outside; Daybreakers; Leap Year; Wonderful Word; Youth in Revolt; The Book of Eli; The Spy Next Door; Extraordinary Measures; Legion; Tooth Fairy; Edge of Darkness; When in Rome; From Paris with Love; I LOve You Phillip Morris; The Wolfman; Shutter Island; A Couple of Cops; Takers.

Four For Friday

Q1 - Prayer: With the many challenges people experience during the holiday season, The Salvation Army in Spokane, Washington, has decided to give the red kettles an additional role: collecting prayer requests from people in the community. Would you place a prayer request into a Salvation Army kettle, and if so, would you feel compelled to make a donation while doing so?

Q2 - News: Katie Couric anchors the CBS Evening News; Brian Williams anchors the NBC Nightly News; and now, Diane Sawyer will be anchoring ABC's World News Tonight. What role does a national or local news anchor's personality play in your decision to watch a particular news channel or show?

Image via Wikipedia

Q4 - Gift Card: According to a leading research and advisory firm, spending on restaurant, retailer, and other gift cards will fall slightly in 2009, from $91 billion to $87 billion, of which nearly 6% (some $5.75 billion) will go unused by card recipients. When you receive a gift card, do you tend to use it once for a purchase in an amount less than the card's total value and never use the card again, or do you use the card to the fullest extent possible?

Four For Friday

Q1 - Turkey: If you had to pick the biggest business, political, or celebrity turkey of 2009, who would it be and why?

Q2 - Lights: If someone driving toward you has his car's high beam lights on when you feel they shouldn't be on, do you ignore it or do you flash your lights in an attempt to get him to turn them off?

Q3 - Change: When you pay for an item at a store and the amount due comes to something and change (e.g., $5.47), do you attempt to pay the exact amount (i.e. do you dig around in your purse or pockets to find the 47 cents), or do you simply pay with bills and pocket the change for later on? If you're not the kind to pay with exact change, how do you feel about the people in front of you who do?

Q4 - Invention: If you could invent something that hasn't been invented yet, what would you invent?

Four For Friday

Q1 - Sniff & Smell: With so many choices in the shampoo, laundry detergent, deodorant, and soap isles/sections of the grocery store, do you sniff or smell items before buying them, or do you base your purchasing decisions entirely off the name of scent as printed on the packaging?

Q2 - Waiting in Line: A friend recently chose to camp out overnight for a shot at being one of the first patrons at a new In-N-Out Burger near his home in Utah. What store or restaurant opening, sporting event, speech, etc. would you deem worthy enough to camp out overnight for?

Image via Wikipedia

Q3 - Purchase: What's the most recent item you purchased online?

Q4 - Place: If I told you that a recent CNN online headline proclaimed "Right-wing activists storm TV station over 'bias,'" in which city and state would you guess this took place? Related: If you saw this same headline and learned -- by clicking through and reading the opening paragraph of the story -- that the report was out of New Delhi, India, would you feel mislead by CNN?

Four For Friday

Q1 - Trigger: Do you have a trigger or tell-tale sign that you're about to get sick (i.e., that you're about to get the 24-hour flu, a massive headache, a fever, etc.)?

Image via Wikipedia

Q3 - Top Secret: If any of the world's federal governments have evidence of extra-terrestrial visits to Earth, do you feel they have the right to keep it secret?

Q4 - Read: Two books that have already ignited firestorms are set to make their debut this month. Sarah Palin's Going Rogue: An American Life lands on bookstore shelves November 17, while Andre Agassi's Open: An Autobiography was released earlier this week. Do you plan on reading either of these books, and why?

Four For Friday

Q1 - Intervention: If you could single-handedly have stopped one historically or noteworthy tragedy or event, what would you have stopped from happening?

Q2 - Wrong Number, But: If you dialed the wrong number and anyone of your choice answered and spoke with you for 30 interrupted minutes, whom would you choose to answer?

Q3 - Friend: Who is your oldest friend in the world, and how and when did you meet?

Q4 - That's a Relief: Name one thing that would make you sleep better at night (either literally or figuratively)?

Four For Friday - Should death row inmates be offered H1N1 vaccinations?

Q1 - Vaccinations: Do you think H1N1 vaccinations should be offered to Guantanamo Bay detainees or other prisoners serving time in jail for major offenses?

Q2 - You 2.0: How concerned are you about your reputation online... very concerned, somewhat concerned, not concerned at all, I have no idea what you mean by "reputation online."

Q3 - Black Friday: If you don't enjoy the "thrill" of hitting the stores at 4:00 a.m. the day after Thanksgiving (to find the best deals on holiday gifts), some retailers are offering holiday-like deals right now. How likely are you to shop for holiday gifts before Thanksgiving?

Q4 - TV Character: Who is your favorite TV character of all time? Can't name just one... how about your top three, five or 10?

Four For Friday - Solved

Q1 - Solved: Looking back, if you could solve an unsolved caper, murder, theft, political leak, heist or practical joke, which one would you solve and why?

Q3 - Portrait: Set the scene... if you could be photographed anywhere in the world by a world-class photographer, where would you want to be shot and why?

Q4 - Ghosts: Halloween's just around the corner... do you believe in ghosts? (How about goblins, defined as small grotesque supernatural creatures that makes trouble for human beings?)

Four For Friday - The Success Edtion

Q1 - Defined: How do you define success?

Q2 - Yourself: Do you think you're successful?

Q3 - Accomplishment: Name one success in your life most people might not know about.

Q4 - Recipe: Regardless of the endeavor, philosophically speaking, what's your recipe for success?

Four For Friday - Do you think President Obama Deserves the Nobel Peace Prize

Image via Wikipedia

Q2 - Bodyguards: If for some reason you absolutely had to have two bodyguards for your own personal safety and protection, and one had to be someone you personally know, while the other could be anyone dead or alive, who would you choose and why?

Q3 - Airbrushing: Like many nations, France requires health warnings on tobacco and alcohol, as well as similar labels on processed food containing genetically modified ingredients. Now some French legislators want to take consumer protection to an unprecedented level, requiring that advertisements, product labels and even campaign posters carry a warning when they feature a photograph that's been digitally enhanced or airbrushed. Would you be in favor of such a requirement or do you think when it comes to advertising, there's nothing wrong with a little artificial reality?

Q4 - Freedom of Speech: The U.S. Supreme Court voiced deep free speech concerns this week about a law designed to stop the sale and marketing of videos showing dog fights and other acts of animal cruelty. The justices heard an hour of lively debate about the scope and intent of the decade-old statute that supporters say has done much to stop the spread of profiting from the torture and abuse of animals. But media groups and the National Rifle Association were among those who say the law is overly broad. Do you think the current federal law outlawing the sale of graphic videos of animal cruelty amounts to a violation of free speech rights?

Four For Friday

Image via Wikipedia

Q2 - Turn That Down?: A friend asks: "I was waiting in my car for [sic] my daughter's school to let out, had the windows open and was enjoying the breeze. A man pulled up in line and sat in his car playing very loud music with a heavy bass beat. The words to the songs were ugly, and it was bothering my few minutes of solitude. Would you say something?"

Q3 - Earnings: Tiger Woods hit another milestone over the weekend. But his most recent record wasn't set on the golf course but, rather, at the bank. The $10 million bonus Woods received by winning the FedEx Cup golf title makes him the first athlete to earn $1 billion in a career, Forbes.com reported. Woods had earned $895 million going into 2009. Adding his $10.5 million in prize money from this season, the FedEx bonus and more than $100 million in endorsement earnings, Woods has topped the $1,000,000,000.00 mark. Putting aside for a moment that capitalism is alive and well here in the United States and that Woods has done nothing criminal in earning his money, are you okay with the amount of money the 33-year-old golf pro has earned during his professional career, or is there something seriously wrong with the corporations that have collectively chosen to dole out the type of money Woods and others like him are able to earn from playing sports professionally?

Q4 - Tax Returns: H&R Block performed miserably in the 2009 tax season, handling approximately 6 percent fewer in-store, retail tax returns, as consumers sought lower-cost IRS filing alternatives due to difficult economic conditions. Thinking ahead to your 2009 tax filing (which you'll file in early-2010), do you think you'll file your return yourself or seek the help of a professional like the ones at H&R Block?

Four For Friday

Q1 - Moving: Americans have apparently tamed their wanderlust during the recession. According to the latest data released by the U.S. Census Bureau, only 2.4% of Americans moved from one state to another in 2008, down from 2.5% the previous year. Do you know anyone who recently moved from one state to another?

Q2 - Vaccine: A vaccine to prevent HIV infection, the virus that leads to AIDS, has shown modest results for the first time, researchers have found, raising hopes that a disease that kills millions every year may someday be beaten. Do you believe a vaccine to prevent HIV will be developed in the next 10 years?

Q3 - Iran: President Obama said today "Iran is on notice" regarding its nuclear efforts, and that the international community is united in its opposition to the country's nuclear program. Do you think Iran's motives for developing its nuclear facilities are peaceful?

Q4 - Electronic Cigarettes: In the hunt for a safer cigarette, electronic cigarettes, often referred to as ecigarettes, are becoming a popular option among those either trying to quit or who are looking to replace standard tobacco smokes with an alternative that manufacturers claim to be safer. Ecigarettes vaporize a solution often containing nicotine, but there is no smoke, just odorless water vapor, and produce almost no dangerous carcinogens. Have you heard of electronic cigarettes, and do you think electronic cigarettes should be regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in the same way smoking patches, gum and lozenges are regulated?

Four For Friday

Image via Wikipedia

Q2 - 3-D: Three-dimensional images are expected jump out of movie theaters and into living rooms by next year. Sony and Panasonic say they will release home 3-D television systems in 2010; Mitsubishi and JVC are reported to be working on similar products. Do you want your television to be capable of handling 3-D images, or do you feel 3-D is best suited for the big screen (i.e., movie theaters)?

Q3 - Fall Movies: Whiteout; Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs; The Informant; Jennifer's Body; Love Happens; Fame; Surrogates; The Invention of Lying; A Serious Man; Zombieland; Couples Retreat; Where the Wild Things Are; Amelia; Disney's A Christmas Carol; The Box; The Fourth Kind; The Men Who Stare at Goats; 2012; New Moon; The Blind Side; Planet 51; Nine; Ninja Assassin; The Road... which Fall 2009 movies are you most looking forward to seeing?

Q4 - Back Lime Olive: Visit this online Anagram Maker to create an anagram for your name (clicking "Anagram Maker" opens a new page); then, pop back here and share your favorite two or three results.

Four For Friday: Who Would You Like to Trade Places With?

Image via Wikipedia

Q2 - Lunchtime: It's been a staple of lunch for generations. Where do you go to get your favorite sandwich, what is it, and how often to get it?

Q3 - 9/11: What does September 11 mean to you?

Q4 - Song: What one song can you not get enough of right now?

Four For Friday - The Kid Edition

Q2 - Talking to Kids: While the President of the United States prepares to deliver a back-to-school speech to the nation's school children on Tuesday, September 8, some parents are convinced he is going to use the opportunity to advance a partisan political agenda on the nation's young minds, and are threatening to keep their children out of school on that particular day. "At a minimum it's disruptive," says Minnesota's Governor, who is a possible future Presidential candidate himself. "Number two, it's uninvited. And number three, if people would like to hear his message they can, on a voluntary basis, go to YouTube or some other source and get it. I don't think he needs to force it upon the nation's school children," the Governor told reporters this week. Taking the issue a step further, the chairman of the GOP for Florida released a statement this week accusing the President of the United States of using taxpayer money to "indoctrinate" children. Background: President George H.W. Bush delivered a nationally televised speech to students from a Washington D.C., school in the fall of 1991, encouraging them to say no to drugs and work hard. And in November 1988, President Ronald Reagan delivered remarks that were made available to students nationwide. Among other things, President Reagan called taxes "such a penalty on people that there's no incentive for them to prosper ... because they have to give so much to the government." The President's talk next Tuesday... It focuses on encouraging students to study hard and stay in school. How do you feel about the President's upcoming address for the nation's school children?

Q3 - Learned: What's the most valuable thing/lesson you learned as a kid?

Q4 - Cash for Kids: Japan's new ruling party is floating a proposal to pay Japanese parents approximately $3,400 a year per child (until the child reaches high school age) as a way of boosting the country's birth rate, which is one of the lowest on Earth and is said to have future negative ramifications on Japan's economic welfare. How do you feel about 'cash for kids'? If you were on the fence about having a child, would an extra $3,400 per year ($283.00/mo.) sway you one way or another?

Four For Friday

Image via Wikipedia

Q2 - Hypnosis : Experts estimate over 10 million Americans suffer from disabling chronic pain, and there is considerable scientific evidence that practicing self-hypnosis under the guidance of a certified hypnosis professional can quickly help improve the quality of life for these people. According to Michael Ellner, an internationally prominent self-hypnosis educator and co-author of three books on self-empowerment, the recent spate of bad news about possible adverse effects of popular analgesics and concerns about abuse, overdose, and addiction to controlled pain killers are compelling reasons to consider effective complementary and alternative approaches like self-hypnosis. Have you ever been hypnotized? If not, would you consider hypnosis to treat chronic pain?

Q3 - Death of a Kennedy: Two prominent members of the Kennedy family passed away this month. Which do you feel had a greater impact on society... Edward Moore "Ted" Kennedy (born February 22, 1932 - died August 25, 2009) -- a United States Senator and a member of the Democratic Party; or his sister, Eunice Kennedy Shriver (born July 10, 1921 - died August 11, 2009) -- founder of the Special Olympics and founder of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)?

Q4 - Era: If you could choose any era other than the one in which you currently live, what era would you live in? (Think ancient Rome, the middle ages, Gupta Empire, Ottoman Empire, industrial revolution, etc.)

Four For Friday

Image via Wikipedia

Q2 - Wasteful: The United Negro College Fund (UNCF) -- an educational assistance organization with 40 private, historically black, member colleges and universities -- coined the phrase "A mind is a terrible thing to waste" back in the early-1970's (actually, it was Forest Long, an advertising executive with Young and Rubicam, who developed the tagline for UNCF). Aside from money, water, gas, electricity, hot dogs, and pizza, what else do you feel is a terrible thing to waste?

Q3 - Research: According to research conducted by the Pew Internet and American Life Project, nearly 70% of all American adults have used the Internet to get help with personal economic issues related to the recession and to gather information about the origins and solutions to national economic problems. Those hard hit by the recession are among the most avid and wide-ranging Internet users searching for advice and understanding. Some 52% of American adults have either lost their jobs, seen their investments fall by more than half their value, suffered a pay cut, watched their house lose half its value, or lost their job outright during the downturn in the past year. How about you... have you recently gone online to search out information specifically related to an impact brought on by the recession?

Q4 - Performance: Fifty-one percent of likely voters now say they disapprove of the President's job performance, according to the latest Zogby Poll. How would you rate the President's job performance: Excellent, Good, Fair, or Poor?

Four For Friday

Image via Wikipedia

Q2 - Location: What's most important to you when choosing where to live: Proximity to family, good paying jobs, affordable homes and apartments, top-notch schools, low crime, fun things to do, access to the arts, something else?

Q3 - Storage: What if anything is stored under your bed?

Q4 - Taxes: As Americans have continued to eat more and exercise less, health and fitness experts have focused their efforts on inspiring healthful change one individual at a time. Unfortunately, this approach has not improved the nation's obesity crisis, nor has it increased adherence to healthful eating habits and regular physical activity programs. With steps ranging from a trans fat ban in California restaurants to mandatory nutrition labeling in New York, regulators are changing federal and state policies to improve the health of the nation. Do you think its okay to impose higher taxes on calorie-dense and nutrient-poor foods, which some experts say might lower consumption of unhealthy foods and generate revenue to subsidize programs that promote better choices?

Four For Friday

Q2 - Pamper: What do you do to pamper yourself when you're tired, stressed, and worn out? How about when you're feeling on top of the world for having accomplished something you worked really hard to achieve?

Q3 - Deal: What's the best buy or deal -- the biggest bang for the buck -- you recall ever receiving?

Q4 - Trade: The Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS), colloquially known as "Cash for Clunkers," has helped an estimated 250,000 Americans receive a $3,500 or $4,500 voucher toward to the purchase of a new, more fuel efficient vehicle when trading in a less fuel efficient vehicle. Eligibility requirements for vouchers include that your 'clunker' be less than 25-years-old, receive 18 or fewer miles per gallon, be registered and insured continuously for the full year preceding the trade-in, and be in drivable condition. Based on those criteria, do you have a vehicle that qualifies for Cash for Clunkers?

Four For Friday - The Stuart Lisonbee Collection

Q1 - Wearing Your Emotions on Your Bumper: It's been a little over a year since Colorado State University scientists published the results of a study showing a correlation between the number of bumper stickers a driver chooses to display and the likelihood of that driver experiencing road rage. How many bumper stickers do you have on your vehicle(s), and which one is your favorite? If you're not a bumper sticker type of person, which is your favorite of those that you've seen?

Q2 - Secrets: I've long been interested in secret societies. A friend of mine is a Free Mason and a Shriner and has recently been hinting to me that he would like me to join the local lodge (unlike many secret societies, potential members are never invited -- to become a Mason, one must ask to join). Since many of Masonry's secrets aren't so secret anymore, I admit to losing some interest in it, but am still considering joining. Have you ever been "tapped in" or otherwise joined a secret society? If not, would you ever consider it? Why or why not?

Q3 - I Want to Believe: Like the poster hanging in Fox Mulder's office says, I want to believe. I believe there are intelligent beings, much like ourselves, living on other planets. However, as much as I want to believe that one of those alien races has visited and is currently visiting Earth, I don't believe that is the case. Do you believe in space aliens, and if so, do you believe they have ever visited Earth?

Q4 - Politics and Interpretive Dance: My favorite book is "Starship Troopers" by Robert Heinlein, which I first read as a teen back in the late 80's. But it wasn't until recently that I realized there was so much controversy over Heinlein's statements on war, American culture, politics, the military, etc. To me, it was just an enjoyable story. When you read a fictional story or watch a movie, do you simply try and enjoy it, or do you seek some deeper meaning or life's lesson from the author's/director's intended message?

Four For Friday

Q1 - Familiar: If you see someone who looks familiar to you but can't exactly place their face, do you approach the person and strike up a conversation (in an attempt to figure out if and how you know them), or do you simply move on and try not obsess about it?

Q2 - Claim: Direct-response marketers (i.e., infomercials producers) told a Congressional panel this week that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) shouldn't attempt to change advertising rules currently allowing atypical testimonial claims to appear in their ads. As you've likely seen for yourself, infomercial advertisers who cannot substantiate atypical claims made in their own commercials are allowed to "disclaim" the statements in fine print or superscript that appears at the bottom of the screen (e.g., "Results May Vary" and "Results Not Typical"). The FTC has proposed removing the loop hole allowing disclaimers, and making all advertisers responsible for ensuring that consumers are not misled by ads in their entirety. Do you support the FTC's proposed change or is this just another example of government regulation gone wild?

Q3 - Wages: The federal minimum wage on Friday rose to $7.25 from $6.55. Do you think $7.25 is an appropriate amount to mandate for the federal minimum wage? If not, what amount do you think is appropriate and why?

Q4 - Observe: The longest total solar eclipse of the century took place this week, sweeping total darkness east from the Ganges River in India all the way over to southern Japan and then off into the near east reaches of the Pacific Ocean. In some areas, according to published reports, the eclipse lasted as long as six minutes and 39 seconds, the likes of which will not be seen again anywhere on Earth until the year 2132. If you could safely observe one natural phenomenon that you have never seen before in person, what would it be?

Four For Friday

Image via Wikipedia

Q2 - Celebrity Personality: Which famous person's personality do you think most resembles your own?

Q3 - Health Care: Americans are unsure that a healthcare reform bill introduced this week is the solution to problems with the U.S. healthcare system, according to a poll created and commissioned by a public policy expert at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. By a 50-42 margin, Americans oppose H.R. 3200 -- the House of Representatives' bill introduced July 14 to provide "affordable, quality health care for all Americans and reduce the growth in health care spending." Simple question... do you know enough about H.R. 3200 (officially titled "America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009") to say whether you support or oppose it?

Q4 - Age: If you've been telling yourself you're not old yet, you fit right in. No matter what their chronological age, most people say that they aren't yet "old" and that they feel younger than their birthday count, according to a new survey of 3,000 adults by the Pew Research Center. How old do you feel and how does that number stack up against your current age?

Four For Friday

Image via Wikipedia

Q2 - Tasks: Fortune 500 companies have been outsourcing tasks for years, accessing the globe to get their work done, cheaply and effectively. If you could outsource 10 hours of work a week to someone overseas, what would you have them do for you?

Q3 - Travel: "Travel will be down significantly this summer since tourism tends to track with the economy," says Carl Winston, director of San Diego State University's School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. How is the current economy affecting your summer travel?

Q4 - Evening: Plan the perfect evening out... what does it involve?

Four For Friday

Image via Wikipedia

Q2 - Receipts: Do you review the receipt you get at the grocery store? How about the bill at a restaurant before paying?

Q3 - Accomplishment: Answer this: "At the end of my life, I'd love to be able to look back and know I'd done something about..."

Q4 - Deposit: According to a recently published report, the average no-show rate for medical office visits is 7% and growing. As a result, many doctors and dentists now charge a deposit -- payable by credit card or PayPal -- when taking appointments. If you keep the appointment, the deposit is either dropped or applied to the cost of the visit. If you miss misses the appointment, you lose the deposit. The deposit, according to reports, generally will be waived in the event of a true emergency, or if you give ample notice that you cannot make the appointment -- usually 24 to 48 hours. Would you be put off if asked for a deposit for your next visit to the doctor or dentist? Do you think medical professionals should be allowed to charge you a fee for missing an appointment?

Four For Friday

Image via Wikipedia

Q2 - Listening In: On this date in 1963, President Kennedy visited West Berlin, where he made his famous declaration: "Ich bin ein Berliner" (I am a Berliner). If you could have been in the audience for any previous speech, presentation, or performance, which event would you have attended?

Q3 - Health Insurance: If your current employer provided a health insurance plan and you suddenly lost your job, would you make it a priority to find new health insurance?

Q4 - Trust: Most Americans, 75%, don't believe CEO statements surrounding the financial outlook of their companies. What do you think... can CEOs be trusted to tell the truth or are they just as bad as some elected officials who seemingly care more about getting reelected than they do about telling the truth and solving real world problems with workable solutions.

Four For Friday

Image of Goofy via Wikipedia

Q2 - Sense of Humor: How do you think most people would typically describe your sense of humor: Goofy/Silly, Witty/Clever, Humble/Self-Deprecating, Dry/Deadpan?

Q3 - Wedlock or Deadlock: Fox TV stations in New York, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Tampa, Phoenix, Orlando and Memphis are planning a six-week test run of a new show titled "Wedlock or Deadlock," starting late-July. The show, according to published reports, features a well-known psychologist and life coach who each week determines whether struggling engaged couples should marry or split up. The couples reportedly share their hopes and fears with the show's host, who then gives them her blessing for marriage or literally tears up their marriage license. Based on this description of the show, would you take the time to watch an episode if it were playing in your local market?

Q4 - Access Denied: Taking the exact same position as the Bush White House adopted from 2001-2009, the Obama administration this week denied a Freedom of Information Act request seeking access to White House visitor records. According to the American Society of News Editors, disclosing visitor records--which were recently sought by MSNBC--poses no direct harm of any kind. However, according to a White House spokesperson, the administration ought to be able to hold secret meetings in the White House, such as an elected politician interviewing for a Cabinet position or a career diplomat visiting the White House for a discussion on issues that might possibly affect international relations. What do you think... should the White House's visitor logs be made available upon request? Why or why not?

Four For Friday

Image via Wikipedia

Q2 - Pay For Free: Video calls via Skype, NPR, Facebook, Public Television, MySpace, Twitter, the online edition of The New York Times, and millions of other things in this world are available to you for free. What are some things you now use for free that you would gladly pay to use if charged a reasonable fee?

Q3 - Crime: According to the FBI's Preliminary Annual Uniform Crime Report, the U.S. experienced a 2.5 percent decrease in the number of violent crimes and a 1.6 percent decline in the number of property crimes for 2008 compared with data from 2007. The report is based on information that the FBI gathered from 12,750 law enforcement agencies that submitted six to 12 comparable months of data to the FBI for both 2007 and 2008. In 2008, all four of the violent crime offense categories declined nationwide compared with data from 2007. Murder and non-negligent manslaughter declined 4.4 percent, aggravated assault was down 3.2 percent, and robbery decreased 1.1 percent. Does it feel to you as though crime has dropped over the last year, stayed about the same, or gotten worse?

Q4 - Bring It!: If you could will any one thing to fall from the sky and harmlessly land in your lap -- aside from money, jewelry, precious metals, or a winning lottery ticket -- what would it be?

Four For Friday

Image via Wikipedia

Q2 - Uniformly Slippery Slope: The Phoenix Mercury (2007 Champions of the Women's National Basketball Association) and LifeLock (a fledgling identity theft protection company) have entered into a marketing sponsorship agreement that replaces the words "Phoenix" and "Mercury" across the team's road and home uniforms with the word "LifeLock." Under terms of the agreement announced this week, the Mercury's team logo will now appear above the word "LifeLock" on the left side of the uniform. If your favorite sports team chose to enter a deal like the one the Mercury entered--which includes your team's jersey changing so dramatically--do you think your enthusiasm and support for the team would stay the same as it is now or change for the worse? (Note: In the case of the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury, existing fan jerseys with the Mercury's name will continue to be sold at retail outlets, but once they run out, only ones bearing the LifeLock name on the front will be available for purchase.)

Q3 - Ambassadors: President Obama this week announced eight new ambassadorial appointments, including three people with no foreign policy experience but who collectively helped raise more than $1,000,000.00 for the President's campaign and post election inauguration. While U.S. presidents have long rewarded big campaign donors, fundraisers and other supporters with ambassadorships, President Obama himself criticized the practice while campaigning for the Presidency and made the appointments nonetheless. Do you feel it's in the United States' best interests to allow the President to appoint whomever s/he wants to political posts, or should minimum standards be established for certain posts like ambassadorships?

Q4 - Washed Out Doubts: In an online survey conducted this spring, 94 percent of U.S. adults said they always wash their hands after using a restroom. However, when asked what percentage of other people they thought washed their hands each time after using a public restroom, 99 percent of U.S. adults felt that other people don't do so each time, and almost half (48 percent) felt that people wash their hands less than 50 percent of the time after using a restroom. What percentage of people do you think wash their hands each time after using public restrooms?

Four For Friday

Image via Wikipedia

Q2 - Campus Clubs: Liberty University, the evangelical college founded by the late Rev. Jerry Falwell (and now run by his son), recently revoked its recognition of the campus' Democratic Party club, saying "we are unable to lend support to a club whose parent organization stands against the moral principles held by" the university. According to an e-mail message the club said it received from the University's VP of Student Affairs on May 15, the club was told to stop using the university's name, holding meetings on campus, or advertising events. Violators, according to published reports, could incur one or more reprimands under the University's conduct code, and anyone who accumulates 30 reprimands is subject to expulsion. Do you feel it's okay for private colleges and universities to restrict free speech / prohibit students from organizing and engaging with one of the nation's two major political parties?

Q3 - Sales Tax Holiday: In recognition of National Hurricane Preparedness Week, the State of Virginia now offers its residents a tax break on the purchase of items considered useful during and after a hurricane. (Background: A sales tax holiday, according to the State of Virginia, is a temporary period during which purchases of certain items are exempt from the sales and use taxes.) Following legislation enacted by the 2007 Session of the Virginia General Assembly, Virginia now has three annual sales tax holidays (in addition to the one mentioned above, there's a School Supplies and Clothing Tax Holiday in August and a Energy Star Sales Tax Holiday in October. Would you be compelled to shop during such a tax holiday, or is a 5%-7% saving just not worth it to you?

Q4 - Summer Blockbusters: Star Trek, Angels and Demons, The Brothers Bloom, Terminator Salvation, Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, Up, The Hangover, Land of the Lost, My Life in Ruins, Away We Go, Tetro, Imagine That, The Taking of Pelham 123, The Proposal, Year One, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, My Sister's Keeper, Cheri, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, Public Enemies, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, All Good Things, G-Force, Funny People, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, Julie and Julia, Shorts, When In Rome, The Time Traveler's Wife, Inglourious Basterds, Post Grad, The Boat That Rocked, and All About Steve... which Summer 2009 movies are you most excited about and planning to see?

Four For Friday

Q2 - Staying Home: Nearly 350 Boulder, Colo. teachers played hooky this week in protest of that town's school district's latest teacher contract offer. Last week, contract negotiations broke down between the Boulder Valley School District and the local teachers' union, the Boulder Valley Education Association. The union wants a permanent cost-of-living increase to the pay scale, but the school district says it does not have the guaranteed revenue to make that change. Do you think certain 'essential' professionals -- such as teachers, firemen, doctors & nurses -- should be barred by law from walking out and striking, or is going on strike as American as musicals, college football, and apple pie, and therefore should never be viewed as illegal?

Q3 - Turning Around and Going Back: Everyone's done it at some point in their lives... forgotten something at home or work and had no choice but to turn around, go back and retrieve what was forgotten or left behind. When was the last time you had to do this, how long did it take, and what was it that you forgot in the first place?

Q4 - Different Path: Assuming you had never gone into the career you are currently in, what would be doing now professionally?

Four For Friday

Image via Wikipedia

Q2 - Shutter the Impact: General Motors announced today it will shutter more than 1,500 of its U.S. auto dealerships as it continues to struggle in an attempt to slash billions of dollars in debt and operating costs before an anticipated bankruptcy filing by the end of May. When combined with a similar announcement by Chrysler just yesterday, nearly 2,400 U.S. auto retailers have been put on notice that they are being eliminated by the two struggling automakers. Will the closing of so many car dealerships create difficulties for you and your family?

Q3 - Giving Trends: The former CEO of Trammell Crow Residential Company -- J. Ronald Terwilliger of Atlanta, Georgia -- yesterday donated $100,000,000 to Habitat for Humanity International, a nonprofit organization that coordinates the building of simple, decent, affordable housing in partnership with people in need. According to the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University, Terwilliger's gift, which comes at a time when philanthropic giving in the U.S. is expected to drop, is by far one of the largest in recent years to a group devoted to social services. How has your giving been impacted by the presented economy? Do you give more than you normally do, about the same, a little less than normal, or a lot less than normal?

Q4 - Singalong: According to the Guinness Book of World Records, "Happy Birthday to You" is the most well recognized song in the English language, followed by "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow" and "Auld Lang Syne." When you hear the Happy Birthday song being sung in a restaurant to someone who is not sitting at your table, do you sing along?

Four For Friday

Image via Wikipedia - Baggage Claim

Q2 - Foreign Affairs: If you found yourself in a foreign country, would you rather speak the language or have a pocket full of the local currency?

Q3 - Thievery: Sans money, if you could steal any one thing and not get caught, what would you take and what would you do with it?

Q4 - Delivery: If you could have one thing delivered to your home on a consistent basis that just isn't available for delivery, what would you have delivered?

Four For Friday

Image via Wikipedia

Q2 - Expeditions: This past Tuesday marked the 61st anniversary of a six-person expedition that sailed from Peru aboard a wooden raft on a 101-day journey across the Pacific Ocean to Polynesia. If you could go back in time and participate in any previous expedition, in what expedition would you like to participate? If nothing from the past interests you, how about something in the future?

Q3 - Calming Influence: When it comes to testifying in court there can be a lot of stress and anxiety in getting up on the witness stand. However, imagine how difficult it is for kids. Now, thanks to a trained facility dog named Dory, children testifying in sexual abuse and physical assault cases in San Diego, Calif., have a friendly advocate by their sides when taking the witness stand. According to court judges and prosecutors, having Dory the dog available to children before, during, and after testifying in open court is a calming influence in a traumatic time. If you were facing a difficult situation, do you think having a dog by your side would help? If not a dog, what would you like to have with you?

Q4 - Social Distancing: News this week of a human-borne "swine" flu outbreak has given rise to targeted social distancing. Never heard of "social distancing" before? Me either. Apparently, it refers to deliberate steps taken by governments, communities, or businesses to mitigate the spread of potentially pandemic influenza (think high schools canceling athletic competitions or companies postponing annual user conferences). Have you experienced social distancing due to the oink-oink flu outbreak?

Four For Friday

Image by Whirling Phoenix via Flickr

Q2 - Replay: Sixteen years ago on Thanksgiving Day, Phillipsburg High School and Easton Area High School left the football field without a clear winner: a 7-7 tie. That is about to change. The participants, now grown men in their early 30s, will head back onto the field this weekend to settle the score. Are there moments from high school you would like to replay?

Q3 - Lawsuits: Three-quarters of all small business owners in the U.S. say they are concerned they might be the targets of a frivolous or unfair lawsuit. Of those who are most concerned, six in ten say the fear of lawsuits makes them feel more constrained in making business decisions, and 54 percent say lawsuits or the threat of lawsuits forced them to make decisions they otherwise would not have made. If you could have sued any one person from your past, who would you sue, and for what?

Q4 - Licensing: On this day in 1901, the State of New York became the first U.S. state to require automobile license plates. If you could require a person to obtain a license before doing something that currently does not require licensure, what would it be?

Four For Friday

Image via Wikipedia

Q2 - Age: From Satchel Paige... How old would you be if you didn't know how old you are?

Q3 - Reform: Which do you believe poses the greatest threat to true government reform at the federal level in the U.S.: Democrats, Republicans, the two-party political system, all current politicians and elected officials serving at the Congressional level?

Q4 - Cooking: According to my friend Meagen, everyone's really good at cooking one dish or meal in particular. What is the one meal you cook really well?

Four For Friday

Q1 - Pictures: Privacy groups in the United Kingdom want Google's 'Street View' service to go away. In support of the effort, residents of the village of Broughton in Buckinghamshire formed a human barrier to stop Google from photographing their village last week, expressing fears that an online display of the resulting images was an invasion of their privacy and would contribute to the facilitation of future crime. Would you object to Google's Street View vehicles driving through your neighborhood and taking and displaying on-demand pictures that included your home?

Q2 - Assurances: As we worry less about what car we drive to work and more about whether we have a job to drive to, car companies are throwing us a security blanket of sorts. Hyundai offers protection for new buyers who lose a job and can't make their monthly auto payment. General Motors, Ford, and Saturn recently followed with programs that provide varying degrees of protection to distressed customers. If you were in the market for a new car, would you be swayed by one of these assurance programs?

Q3 - Optimism: President Obama said this week that the U.S. economy is showing signs of progress as a series of his administration's policies begin to kick in, despite mounting unemployment and rising foreclosures. In remarks to reporters, the President said: "What you're starting to see is glimmers of hope across the economy," adding that it's too soon to make any firm pronouncements. Do you agree with the President's opinion?

Q4 - Balance: Which of the following best describes how you generally handle your credit card balance at the end of each month: do you pay off the entire balance, make a partial payment, make a minimum payment, or do you not use credit cards?

Four For Friday

Q1 - Cybersecurity: Federal legislation introduced in the U.S. Senate this week would give the President of the United States the power to declare a cybersecurity emergency and then shut down the Internet. The proposed legislation, Senate Bill 773, introduced April 1, is aimed at ensuring the continued free flow of commerce within the United States and with its global trading partners through secure cyber communications, to provide for the continued development and exploitation of the Internet and intranet communications for such purposes, and to provide for the development of a cadre of information technology specialists to improve and maintain effective cybersecurity defenses against disruption. On the first point, the one allowing the President of the United States to shut down the Internet, do you believe the President should have this authority and power or should the Internet remain Wild West territory, so to speak?

Q2 - That Guy: We've all seen him and commented to ourselves, I don't want to be "that guy" -- you know the one I'm talking about... he's the guy talking absurdly loud on his cell phone in a coffee shop or wearing the concert T-shirt while at the concert. Got any good "that guy" stories or experiences (either personal or observed)?

Q3 - Government Intrusion: On March 29, 2009, Rick Wagoner agreed to immediately resign his position as Chairman and CEO of General Motors, as part of an Obama administration automotive restructuring plan. Do you think the Obama administration should be dictating strategy and firing CEOs of the companies to which it offers funding? Arguments for include: "The U.S. government (i.e., the American taxpayer) is a major stockholder in GM; why shouldn't it exert the same influence that any other big investor could wield?"; and, "The precedent is already in place. Just ask the former leaders of AIG, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, all of whom who were forced out after federal bailouts." Arguments against include: "Does the government really know what it's doing? Why fire the CEO but let the Board, which supported Wagoner, stay in place? Moreover, if fundamental change is the prescription of the day, why replace Wagoner with a longtime company exec?"; and "AIG, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae were different. They were federally regulated to varying extents. GM and Chrysler have no such umbilical cords to Washington D.C." What do you think?

Q4 - Change: What would you do if this happened to you? A friend of mine recently went to the bank to make a deposit for her employer. Included in the deposit was six dollars or so in change (i.e., coins). Upon presenting the entire deposit (which included a number of large and small bills in addition to the coins), the teller told my friend, "Sorry, I don't have time to count change today, so either come back with bills or come back some other time when we're not as busy as we are today".

Four For Friday

Q1 - Lost & Found: After three weeks on the run, earlier today a friend's cat finally returned home (much to the delight of their youngest daughter who was very skeptical about Tiger's eventual return). Name one material possession you've lost that you really wish you could find.

Q2 - Discount: In an attempt to increase business and branding, my Mom's bed & breakfast recently began offering a 50% discount on all rooms through April 15 (offer subject to availability and some restrictions do apply). Generally speaking, for any product or service, what 'percentage off' do you consider a good deal or enough of a deal to garner your serious attention and consideration?

Q3 - Groceries: Compared to this time last year, are you buying more, less, or about
the same amount of groceries? Related: What about organic fruits and vegetables?

Q4 - Preparedness : After nearly four years of declining public confidence in the nation's military preparedness, Gallup's annual World Affairs survey documents a sharp reversal. Currently, 54% of Americans say the country's national defense is about right, up from 41% a year ago. What do you think?

Four For Friday

Q1 - Replacement: If you had to choose one item from your home to represent you in a photograph, what would you choose?

Q2 - Banking: Do you bank the old-fashioned way--inside your bank's local branch--or do you conduct your banking online or through an ATM machine? Related: Do you bank with a national banking institution (think: Wells Fargo, J.P. Morgan Chase, etc.) or a locally owned community bank?

Q3 - Global Warming: Historically, support for environmental protection in the United States has been relatively nonpartisan. Republicans pointed with pride to Theodore Roosevelt's crucial role in promoting the conservation of natural resources by establishing national parks and forests, and Democrats applauded Franklin Delano Roosevelt's efforts to include conservation as part of the "New Deal" via the Soil Conservation Service and related programs. Although a majority of Americans believe the seriousness of global warming is either correctly portrayed in the news or underestimated, a record-high 41%, according to new Gallup poll, now say it is exaggerated (and most of those who feel that way are Republicans). The 2009 Gallup Environment survey measured public concern about eight specific environmental issues. Not only does global warming rank last on the basis of the total percentage concerned either a great deal or a fair amount, but it is the only issue for which public concern dropped significantly in the past year (pollution of drinking water and toxic contamination of water and soil ranked highest). Do you believe global warming is a serious problem caused by humans, a natural occurrence, or a bunch of made up hooey?

Q4 - LEGOS: On this date in 1999, LEGOLAND California--the only LEGOLAND outside of Europe--opened in Carlsbad, California. If you could afford to commission (warning: pop-up window ahead) full-time LEGO artist Sean Kenney to make anything for you, what would you ask him to create?

Four For Friday

Q1 - Work it Out: The week-long "feud of the century" reached its climax last night as Jon Stewart welcomed freshly minted nemesis Jim Cramer to "The Daily Show." Cramer, who hosts a CNBC show called "Mad Money" had figured heavily in a "Daily Show" piece highlighting that network's poor track record on the financial apocalypse ("If I only followed CNBC's advice," Stewart said then. "I'd have a million dollars today -- provided I'd started with $100 million.") When Cramer objected publicly to what he considered unfair treatment, Stewart and his writers, smelling comedy blood, turned their sights toward him. Or, as Stewart described it last night, "We threw some Boston Cream pies at CNBC, you got a little shmutz on your jacket from it, you took exception, and then we decided to hit you with more pies." If you could compel two public figures to 'work it out' on live television, who would you put into each of two chairs?

Q2 - Sacred Places: Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in Borrego Springs, California, now offers an AT&T-powered Wi-Fi service enabling park visitors with wireless enabled laptop computers or personal digital assistants (PDAs) to access the Internet. Should Internet access be offered to state and national park visitors, or are some places meant to remain off the grid.

Q3 - Sentencing: Muntadhar al-Zaidi -- the Iraqi broadcast journalist who removed and then threw his shoes at George Bush in mid-December of 2008 -- was sentenced this week to three years of prison for "assaulting a foreign leader." Mr. al-Zaidi, who served as a correspondent for Iraqi-owned, Egyptian-based Al-Baghdadia TV, often reported on the plight of widows, orphans, and children in the Iraq War, and himself was kidnapped and beaten while on his way to work in central Baghdad in 2007. If the shoe was on the other foot, so to speak, and you were the judge in the case, how would you have sentenced al-Zaidi?

Q4 - Building: There's a $28 million home near mine that goes on the auction block tomorrow morning because its owner let it fall into foreclosure. If you could own any building in the world, what building would you choose to own and what would you do with it?

Four For Friday - The Either/Or Edition

Q1 - Homeownership: Burden or Joy?

Q2 - School Year: Make it longer to boost students' academic achievements or shorter or the same so kids can be kids?

Q3 - Weekend: Saturday morning or Sunday morning?

Q4 - Quickly: Instant Messaging or Texting?

Bonus Question:

Q5 - Newspaper: Hardcopy or Online edition?

Four For Friday

Q1 - Foreclosure: Millions of Americans are currently facing home foreclosure. For some, real estate and mortgage fraud is to blame, while for others it is a combination of using their home as an ATM machine and living beyond their means, or job losses or resetting adjustable rate mortgages. If you were in charge, how would you manage the housing crisis in America. Would you simply reset everyone's mortgage to more affordable rates, allow those who bit off more than they can chew to lose their homes, take everyone's situation into account on a case-by-case basis, do nothing, do something else, etc.?

Q2 - Troop Withdrawal: A new poll indicates that a majority of Americans support President Barack Obama's plan to send nearly 20,000 U.S. troops to the conflict in Afghanistan. What do you think of President Obama's recently announced plan to have U.S. combat troops out of Iraq by August 2010?

Q3 - Success: In large numbers, U.S. teens today express a troubling contradiction when it comes to ethical readiness for the workforce. At the same time, they express confidence in their preparedness to make the right choices in the future, they freely admit to unethical behavior today. Those are among the key findings of a new study from Junior Achievement and Deloitte, the results of which reveal considerable ethical confusion among teens regarding what types of behavior are appropriate in order to succeed. Do you think it is possible to be successful beyond even your wildest dreams by playing by the rules, or is some level of unethical behavior required to succeed beyond measure?

Q4 - Picture: According to market research released at the end of 2008, the most lucrative consumer segment within the digital camera market is mothers, defined as females between the ages of 25 and 44 with children under age 12. Mothers exhibit particularly unique preferences and behaviors when it comes to digital photography, the research concluded, and will account for more digital camera sales in 2009 than any previous year. Think for a moment... what were the last three pictures you shot with your camera, and what do you plan on doing with them?

Four For Friday

Q1 - Home Remedies: If it's February and you are sick, chances are it just might be the flu. Whenever he feels like he's getting sick, a friend of mine slathers his chest and the bottom of his feet with Vicks VapoRub, and sweats it out in bed while wearing three T-shirts, sweatpants, two pairs of socks, and a hooded sweatshirt. How about you... do you have any unconventional home remedies for dealing with the flu, common cold, headache, upset stomach, etc.?

Q2 - Give it Up: I've had the same pocket wallet for nearly 25 years, and while I know I should, I absolutely refuse to give it up for a newer one. Have you owned something for far too long... something you know you should get rid of but can't?

Q3 - Blood Banking: For the last 10 years or so, Florida-based Cryo-Cell International has been providing families the opportunity to cryogenically preserve their newborn's umbilical cord blood stem cells in a safe and secure environment. The service, called U-Cord, allows parents to preserve the cells for the potential future medical benefit of the family, or donate the blood for research or use by a third party. Would you consider banking your newborn's umbilical cord blood stem cells?

Q4 - Be Careful!: When a waiter or waitress tells you to be careful because the plate they just placed in front of you is hot, do you touch the plate to see how hot it is?

Four For Friday

Q1 - Stress: According to data from the American Psychological Association, the declining state of the economy is taking a physical and emotional toll on people nationwide, Last year, more people reported physical and emotional symptoms due to stress than they did in 2007, and nearly half of all adults reported that their stress has increased in the past year. Generally speaking, what would you say are the three most stressful things in life?

Q2 - Vitamins: The largest study ever of multivitamin use in older women found the pills did nothing to prevent common cancers or heart disease. The eight-year study in 161,808 postmenopausal women echoes recent disappointing vitamin studies involving men. Do you take vitamins on a daily basis?

Q3 - Trade: If you had no choice but to sell your soul to the Devil--for which you would receive any two things in return--what would take in exchange?

Q4 - Hmm: How do you feel about Valentine's Day?

Four For Friday

Q1 - Hello and Goodbye: Do you wave at people on trains or boats as they pass by?

Q2 - Library Books: Do you think people who fail to return books to public libraries should face criminal charges?

Q3 - Acronyms: If each of the letters in your first name combined to form an acronym, what would your acronym be?

Q4 - Approval: According to a Gallup Poll conducted earlier this week, President Obama's approval rating is 65 percent, which is nearly identical as when he was inaugurated. Do you approve or disapprove of the job the President is doing?

Four For Friday

Q1: - Drugs: Fueled primarily by Internet sales, the International Journal of Clinical Practice recently reported that the counterfeit pharmaceutical market could reach $70 billion dollars by 2010, Alarmingly, the Journal reports, these include fake drugs that could have devastating consequences, like counterfeit medication for potentially fatal conditions like cancer and high blood pressure. Have you ever--or would you consider--purchasing pharmaceutical drugs online from a foreign-based provider or company?

Q2: - Rejuvenile: Rejuvenile's are what marketers are now calling people who cultivate tastes and mindsets traditionally associated with those younger than themselves. For example, the iPhone recognizes and plays to the rejuvenile trend by featuring brightly colored icons and playful features that reflect a kid-like tone, whereas the Mini Cooper lets every boy or girl live out their fantasy of driving a Matchbox/Hot Wheels-like car in real life. Do you consider yourself a rejuvenile?

Q3: - Credit: The credit score--that annoying but all-important numerical expression based on a statistical analysis of a person's credit files that represents your creditworthiness--is getting a lot of play these days. With the availability of credit tightening and more people going into debt because of the state of the economy, many people stand to lose ground over the next few years--not gain it--when it comes to their credit score. How concerned are you with your credit score? Do you, for instance, use a fee-based service to monitor and check your credit score, or could you give a rats-you-know-what about your credit rating?

Q4: - Place: A new national survey by the Pew Research Center's Social & Demographic Trends project finds that nearly half (46%) of Americans would rather live in a different type of community from the one they're living in now. When asked about specific metropolitan areas where they would like to live, respondents rank Denver, San Diego and Seattle at the top of a list of 30 cities, and Detroit, Cleveland and Cincinnati at the bottom. Reasonably speaking, would you like to live somewhere other than where you currently reside?

Four For Friday

Q1 - Salary: Earlier this week, U.S. President Barack Obama issued a Presidential Memorandum revealing his intention to freeze the salaries of approximately 120 senior White House staffers who make more than $100,000 per year, saving the government about $400,000 over the next 12 months. Ironically, President Obama currently earns $400,000 per year, along with a $50,000 expense account, a $100,000 nontaxable travel account, and a $19,000 entertainment allowance (the same as President George W. Bush). Do you think the President of the United States should be paid a salary? Why or why not?

Q2 - Murder: According to CBS News, 13,000 Americans are killed by drunk drivers every year. Authorities call it an epidemic. They say that despite all the publicity, all the education campaigns, and all the advertising over the past decade, the number of drunk-driving fatalities has not gone down. In New York's Nassau County, district attorney Kathleen Rice believes that if you want to stop drunk driving, you have to treat it as a serious crime with serious jail time, which in one recent case means prosecuting a drunk driver for First-Degree Murder. Related: A growing number of states and foreign countries have banned the use of cellular phones while driving automobiles. If an automobile driver kills an innocent person while talking on a cell phone while driving, do you feel they should be prosecuted for murder?

Q3 - Employment: If your employer told you the company was moving to a neighboring state and you had the choice to accept a 25% increase in salary and move with the company at the company's expense or take a severance package equal to 25% of your current salary with no opportunity to file for unemployment, what would you do?

Q4 - Sleep: Studies show most people fall asleep within seven (7) minutes of placing their head to a bedroom pillow. Generally speaking, how long do you think it takes you to fall asleep, and, do you do anything special (e.g., take a pill, listen to the radio, watch television, read a book or magazine) to help you fall asleep?

Four For Friday

Q1 - The American Dream: This question comes courtesy of John Zogby, President of Zogby International and the author of The Way We'll Be: The Zogby Report on the Transformation of the American Dream. Which of the following statements best represents your goals in life?

• A. I believe the American dream means material success. It is possible for my family and me and for most middle-class Americans to achieve.



• B. I believe you can achieve the American dream through spiritual fulfillment rather than material success.



• C. I believe the American dream means material success. It exists but is more likely to be attained by my children and not me.



• D. I believe I cannot achieve the American dream, whether material or spiritual, nor can most middle-class Americans.



• E. None of the above... I have my own view of what the American dream is, and I am capable of achieving it.



• F. None of the above... I have a different view of what the American dream is, and I am not capable of achieving it.

Q2 - Value: It's not just the American dollar that's losing value. A government agency has decided that an American life isn't worth what it used to be. The "value of a statistical life" is $6.9 million in today's dollars, the Environmental Protection Agency reckoned in May _ a drop of nearly $1 million from just five years ago. (The Associated Press discovered the change after a review of cost-benefit analyses over more than a dozen years.) Though it may seem like a harmless bureaucratic recalculation, the devaluation has real consequences. When drawing up regulations, government agencies put a value on human life and then weigh the costs versus the lifesaving benefits of a proposed rule. The less a life is worth to the government, the less the need for a regulation, such as tighter restrictions on pollution. What value do you place on your own life? Does $6.9 million seem high or low to you?

Q3 - Branding the Incident: Quickly after yesterday's crash landing of a US Airways jetliner in New York's Hudson River, television networks began referring to the incident as "Miracle on the Hudson." Do you appreciate that television producers "name" incidents such as these, or do you think its a waste of time and energy to devote critical news gathering and reporting resources to the "branding" of news stories.

Q4 - Decorating: A popular Los Angeles-based interior designer has been chosen to redecorate the White House. Michael Smith was named this week as the Obama's choice to put their mark on the private quarters in the East Wing of the executive mansion, including the bedrooms of their daughters. If you could completely redecorate any room in your house at someone else's expense, what room would you choose and what would have done to it?

Four For Friday

Q1 - Afterwards: If you want to help the Chesapeake Bay in the afterlife, a Georgia company has a burial option you may want to consider. Eternal Reefs, Inc., mixes cremated remains into concrete used to make "reef balls" that it places at sites along the East Coast, a service it markets as an environmentally friendly and less-expensive alternative to traditional burials. In the waters off Miami, the Neptune Memorial Reef offers an underwater burial plot for cremated remains, as well as an attraction for divers who can swim among its gates, paths and statuary. Have you decided yet what should be done with your remains when you die? If so, are you going to be buried or cremated? If not, is the 'cremation and burial at sea' option described above something you'd consider?

Q2 - Mail: Imagine having a mailing address on one of the best-known, most prestigious streets in the world (think Park Avenue in NYC or Market St. in San Francisco), even if you reside in another city or state ― and being able to access, read and manage mail sent to that address online, 24/7, from wherever you are. That's exactly what Earth Class Mail, a Seattle-based start-up, offers its customers. When you sign up for the service, you have you mail routed to one of the company's addresses/locations, where computers scan the outside of envelopes and alert you by email when you've got mail. Then, you log in to your Earth Class Mail account and select which pieces of mail you want opened, scanned and e-mailed to you, and which ones should be left unopened, shredded and recycled. Is Earth Class Mail a service you think you'll ever use? Why or why not?

Q3 - Q&A: If you could receive the answer to any three questions, what questions would you ask and who would answer?

Q4 - Picture This: The Polaroid is back... sort of. Polaroid has unveiled a new digital camera with a built-in printer. The PoGo produces 2 x 3-inch pictures and, just like the original Polaroids, they take about a minute to develop. The $200 camera is slated to go on sale by early April. Think you'll buy a digital camera with a built in printer?

Four For Friday

Q1 - Admission: Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, is considering whether to raise its academic admission requirements so that students earning non-honors high school diplomas wouldn't be accepted. Do you think it's okay for public colleges and universities to require such rigid entrance requirements, or, should public colleges and universities consider each applicant on his or her own merits regardless of whether they graduated high school with honors?

Q2 - Feelings: What matches your mood right now?

Q3 - Co-Workers: If you could choose anyone--dead or alive--as a co-worker, who would you like to work with and what position within your company would that person hold?

Q4 - Ownership: If you are with a small group of people (i.e., in a car or small conference room) and you initiate a silent-but-deadly flatulent emission, do you own up to it or simply ignore it and hope everyone else does the same?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - Notables: Many famous and noteworthy people died this year, including the ones listed here: Alexander Solzhenitsyn, Arthur C. Clarke, Michael Crichton, Beverly Garland, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Yves Saint Laurent, Christopher Bowman, Eartha Kitt, Sir Edmund Hillary, Jeff Healey, Bobby Fischer, Bo Diddley, Jeremy Beadle, Isaac Hayes, Paul Scofield, Heath Ledger, Guillaume Depardieu, Michael Lee, Paul Newman, M.C. Breed, Sydney Pollack, Charlton Heston, Albert Hofmann, W. Mark Felt, Sunny von Bulow, Odetta, Kenny MacLean, Tony Hillerman, Dee Dee Warwick, Don Haskins, Kevin Duckworth, Gene Upshaw, Stephanie Tubbs Jones, Sandy Allen, Bernie Mac, Skip Caray, Estelle Getty, Tony Snow, Bobby Ray Murcer, Michael DeBakey, Jesse Helms, Dody Goodman, George Carlin, Wilbur Hardee, Tim Russert, Charlie Jones, Jim McKay, Harvey Korman, Hamilton Jordan, and Brad Renfro. Which notable person's death affected you most in 2008?

Q2 - Credit: In the midst of the current global recession, credit card companies have cut back on credit lines even to good customers. In addition, according to The Atlanta Journal Constitution, some credit card issuers have gone beyond looking at how much their customers spend or how promptly they pay and are now evaluating where they live and where they shop. In other words, redlining is apparently alive and well, aided and abetted by the very companies which could not restrain themselves from blindly offering credit cards and balance transfers to anyone who opened the mailbox, even if they were underage and without visible means of support. Do you think credit card issuers should be able to adjust credit limits and rates based solely on your zip code or shopping habits?

Q3 - Hot: From California to Florida, an increasing number state departments of transportation are allowing single occupancy vehicles (SOVs) to pay a premium toll to use HOV (high occupancy vehicle) lanes. High-occupancy tolls (HOT) are criticized by some as being nothing more than "Lexus lanes" that allow drivers with deeper pockets to buy special treatment on highways built using fuel taxes collected from everyone. What do you think? Are HOT lanes a good idea?

Q4 - Theatre: When you watch a movie in a movie theatre, do you like the theatre filled to capacity, halfway full, or nearly empty? Does your answer change depending on the type of movie you're seeing or do you feel the same way regardless of the movie or genre?

Four For Friday

Q1 - Names: Here in the U.S., the parents of a three-year-old boy have branded a supermarket "intolerant" after it refused to decorate their son's birthday cake with his name: Adolf Hitler Campbell. The couple, from New Jersey, asked ShopRite staff to decorate little Adolf's cake with his name, which he shares with the deceased Nazi dictator, and were outraged after staff refused to on the grounds that it was inappropriate. Do you think the supermarket's bakery staff made the right decision or does every little boy deserve to have his name on their birthday cake regardless of what their name is?

Q2 - Grumble: What are your top five beefs?

Q3 - Layaway: As everyone knows, it's shopping season once again, but we all know times are a little tough this year. A new ABC News poll this week found that many Americans are feeling the financial strain, resulting in a lot of us spending a lot less on holiday gifts. So perhaps it's not a big surprise that we would see the resurgence of a more conservative way to shop... the layaway. If you could put one item on layaway for up to five years that you absolutely intended to incrementally pay for in full, what would you choose to put on layaway?

Q4 - Memories: How will you remember 2008?

Four For Friday

Q1 - Smokin': What do you think of President-elect Barak Obama's decision to smoke cigarettes... Who cares, it doesn't affect his ability to lead; I care because kids will smoke as a result of his example; it bothers me, but as long as he does it in private, I'm okay with it; something else?

Q2 - Books: Did you read any memorable books this year/books you'd recommend reading?

Q3 - Take Notice: What do you think people tend to notice about you? Related... Is there something else you wish they'd notice instead?

Q4 - Winter 2008/2009 Movies: Australia, Four Christmases, The Transporter 3, Nobel Son, Frost/Nixon, Punisher: War Zone, The Day the Earth Stood Still, Milk, Defiance, The Tale of Despereaux, Yes Man, Bedtime Stories, The Reader, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Hurricane Season, Marley & Me, Will Eisner's The Spirit, Revolutionary Road, Nothing Like the Holidays, Seven Pounds, Valkyrie, Bride Wars, Possession, The Unborn, The Brothers Bloom, Notorious, Paul Blart: Mall Cop, He's Just Not That Into You, Pink Panther 2, Push, Confessions of a Shopaholic, Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience... which movies are you most looking forward to watching this winter?

Four For Friday

Q1 - 180 Degrees: If you could suddenly proclaim that any one work of fiction (be it a movie, novel/book, short story, fable, fairy tale, play, etc.) was actually true, what would you choose?

Q2 - Airline Safety: According to a recent report, approximately 96% of people involved in airplane accidents survive the accident itself and, aside from a fear of flying, experience no long-term health problems. When flying, do you take certain precautions or care to increase your chance of survival in event of a crash (i.e., choosing a certain seat in a specific part of the airplane or counting the number of seats between yourself and exit) or do you not like to think about such things?

Q3 - Citizenship: Have you heard about this one? The latest effort to rewrite the election of 2008... an accusation that that President-elect Barack Obama is not a legitimate natural-born American, and therefore cannot be sworn into office. The argument, which is being taken all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, goes something like this: When Barack Obama was born in 1961, Kenya was still a British colony. Obama's father was from Kenya, and therefore a British citizen. That British citizenship automatically passed onto his son (President-elect Obama), and that means that President-elect Obama--who was born in the U.S.--was born with dual citizenship and should not be allowed to hold the Office of the Presidency. What do you think this? Should the President of the United States be allowed to hold dual citizenship? (By the way, for the record, President-elect Obama's dual citizenship expired when he turned 21.)

Q4 - Overrated: Who do you think is the most overrated (you choose... actor, politician, professional athlete, or musician)?

Four For Friday

Q1 - Art: A woman in the U.K. who was given a painting by Adolf Hitler as a birthday gift from her son in 2006, reportedly sold the painting at auction this week at an $8,900 loss because she disliked it so much. The painting, titled "The Church of Preux-au-Bois," bears the chilling signature 'AH' and dates back to a time when the future Nazi leader was stationed as a foot soldier (sometime between 1915-1918). If you liked this particular painting--which you can see here--and you had the means to own it, would you buy it and put it on display in your home or office, or would you never buy or display anything either created by Adolf Hitler or which came from his regime?

Q2 - Satisfaction: According to the latest figures from the U.S. government, one out of every six U.S. households (15.8%) do not have a landline telephone, but do have at least one wireless telephone. If you have a cell phone, how satisfied are you with your wireless service provider, and are you considering switching providers the next time your current agreement is up for renewal?

Q3 - On This Day: On this day in 1943, Franklin D. President Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Soviet leader Josef Stalin met in Tehran during World War II. If you could put any three world-leaders in the same room and make them talk out their differences, whom would you put into that room? (Extra credit: Have more than three / more than one room? That's fine... do tell!)

Q4 - Open Tryouts: Pick a profession or job that requires extreme skill or training (academic or otherwise). Now read this: "One Day Only... open tryouts for [insert highly skilled job here]!" For what highly skilled job would you stand in line to tryout for?

Four For Friday

Q1 - Holiday Shopping: Where will you be doing the bulk of this year's holiday shopping... from a catalog, online, at the mall, shopping? bah humbug!, somewhere else?

Q2 - I've Had Enough: A few years ago, I could not get enough of a certain sandwich at a little deli near my office. For months, no matter what time of day, if you offered me that one specific sandwich and I was hungry, I gladly would have eaten it and thanked you for making me so happy. Then, out of nowhere, I lost my appetite for that sandwich (I guess I just got "burned out" of it). Has this ever happened to you, and if so, what specific food item was involved?

Q3 - Automobile: Would you consider buying a car from an automobile manufacturer who has declared bankruptcy?

Q4 - Hovering: A growing number of scholars, psychologists, educators and pundits think kids today have lost their resilience due to overly hovering parents. What do you think?

Four For Friday

Q1 - Work: If technology had not advanced to the point to where it is today (e.g. availability of the Internet, air transportation, telephones, satellites, etc.) what would you be doing for a living? Asked another way, you and everyone you know have been transported to the year 1841... what would you be doing for a living (note: you have no recollection of the fact that you were transported from the year 2008).

Q2 - Thank You!: According to its Wikipedia entry, many people inaccurately assume the word "tip" to be an acronym for terms such as "to insure prompt service", "to insure proper service", "to improve performance", and "to insure promptness", when in reality it is derived from the English thieves' (which may be taken to mean "gambler") slang word "tip," meaning to pass from one to another unexpectedly. Do you tip the person who cuts your hair? If so, how do you determine how much to tip (do you base it on the total cost of the haircut, the outcome, a set amount each time, or something else entirely)?

Q3 - Video Conferencing: Forty years ago, about the only way you could witness video conferencing in action was to tune in to an episode of The Jetsons and watch George Jetson and Jane (his wife) converse over their video phones. Today, over 80% of the Fortune 500 uses video conferencing on a daily basis, and consumers regularly use Skype, iChat, AOL IM and other programs to video conference. Earlier this week, the CEO of Cisco Systems, Inc. said his company is about a year away from launching a consumer/home version of a high-definition (HD) video conferencing system. Putting your concerns about system price and subscription plan cost aside for a moment, would you be inclined to use a home-based video conferencing system?

Q4 - Bailing Out: According to media reports, President-elect Obama favors asking Congress to approve as much as $50 billion to save U.S. automakers. If you were a member of Congress, would you vote in favor of a measure that would result in bailing out the U.S. auto industry?

Four For Friday

Q1 - Lost vs. Won: Do you think John McCain lost the 2008 Presidential election, or do you feel Barak Obama won it from him? In other words, was this election John McCain's to win but because of his strategy, he lost; or, did Barak Obama "out perform" John McCain at every turn, thus winning this election all on his own?

Q2 - Church Security: In an era when threats and shootings at schools and churches have made headlines, religious leaders are rethinking their security strategies. Last Saturday, a minister was fatally shot and another man wounded outside of a church in Kentucky where the men went to attend a funeral. Such violence, while extremely rare, has many houses of worship hiring armed guards who keep a watchful eye over worship services. In some cases, churches are even turning to their parishioners to join volunteer security teams by carrying concealed weapons. Would you feel comfortable attending church services that were monitored by armed guards?

Q3 - Put em Together: If you could combine any two states, which two states would you enjoin and what would you name the new state?

Q4 - Extra Money: If you had no choice but to earn extra money in order to survive in this economy and were given the choice of doing any job in order to earn that extra money, what would you do (by the way, it has to be a real job, not some made up one)?

Four For Friday - The Election Edition

Q1 - Talk About It: Many of my friends have commented they cannot discuss politics with co-workers, family, friends and others without conflict rearing its ugly head. Do you feel you can talk with your family and friends about this particularly divisive Presidential election?

Q2 - And The Winner Is: Do you know who you're voting for in next week's Presidential election?

Q3 - Call It: A pollster is a professional whose primary job is conducting private pre-election surveys and advising candidates on election strategy. Put your pollster hat on: Who will win the Presidential election and by what margin (in percentages)?

Q4 - Issues: What do you think is the most important issue in next Tuesday's Presidential election?

Four For Friday

Q1 - Name It: Each of our fingers has unique cultural and functional significance. From right to left -- with the right hand in the "talk to the hand" position -- the fingers are commonly known as: thumb, index finger, middle finger, ring finger, and pinky. If you could rename any one of the fingers, which one would it be and what would you call it?

Q2 - Dress It: Much has been made this week about the Republican National Committee's $150,000-plus expenditure on clothing, hair and makeup, and accessories for Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin and her family. According to financial disclosure records, the accessorizing began in early September and included bills from Saks Fifth Avenue for $49,425.74, a Neiman Marcus bill for more than $75,000, and a $4,700 tab on hair and makeup. In response to the news, the McCain/Palin campaign issued a statement saying "The campaign does not comment on strategic decisions regarding how financial resources available to the campaign are spent." A few hours later, a campaign spokesperson said: "With all of the important issues facing the country right now, it's remarkable that we're spending time talking about pantsuits and blouses. It was always the intent that the clothing go to a charitable purpose after the campaign." Regardless of whether you support McCain/Palin, Obama/Biden, or someone else in the race for the White House, do you think its appropriate for campaigns to spend money like this?

Q3 - Extend It: On October 2, 2008, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced that he would seek to extend the city's term limits law so he could run for a third mayoral term in 2009 (in NYC, two consecutive four-year terms is the limit). Bloomberg's reasoning: a leader of his caliber is needed during the Wall Street financial crisis. Well, the Mayor got his wish yesterday when the City Council voted 29-22 in favor of extending the term limit to three consecutive four-year terms, thus allowing Bloomberg to run for office again (take note: almost two-thirds of the Council's membership is currently in their second term). If you were casting a vote in this matter, how would you have voted: keep the term limits as they are or extend them to three consecutive four-year terms?

Q4 - Medicate It: According to a recent report, about one-half of American doctors in a new survey admitted they regularly give their patients placebo treatments (usually drugs or vitamins that won't really help their condition). If you found out your doctor was doing this to you, what would you do?

Four For Friday

Q1 - Ouch, That Hurts!: Who do you think hurt the United States of America more... Osama bin Laden and Al-Qaeda on 9/11 or the people responsible for the current state of the economy?

Q2 - Advice: If you were asked to deliver the commencement speech at your high school: A) Would you do it? B) What would you talk about?

Q3 - Event: "Hello! Is this [insert your first and last name here]? My name is Peter Gadwa and I'm calling from Ticketmaster. By a strange twist of events (pun intended), your name has been chosen to receive four tickets to any event in the world -- past, present or future. What event would you like to attend and who will be joining you?"

Q4 - Commute: If a high-speed or local rail line was available to take you to and from within seven blocks of your home to work or shopping, would you use it at least four times per week or are you too attached to your automobile?

Four For Friday - The Economy Edition

Q1 - Cutting Back: The rising price of consumer goods is driving shoppers from all lifestyles to use coupons for food, beauty aids and pharmacy products at an increasing rate, according to some of the country's largest purveyors of manufacturers' coupons. Has the current state of the U.S. economy forced you to take a second look at your spending habits? If so, are there any areas in particular where you are consciously cutting back?

Q2 - Installment vs. Lump Sum: A winner of a $42 million lottery in Michigan may do something almost unheard of: receive the money in installments rather than getting smaller, one-time cash payment. The unnamed winner of the October 3 jackpot told state lottery officials she would be taking the annuity (lottery winners typically take a lump-sum payment with plans to invest it, but confidence in the stock market has dropped with the current financial crisis). If you won a $42 million lottery tomorrow, would you take the money in installments or one lump sum?

Q3 - Worries: Just prior to Congress' passing and the president's signing of the Treasury bailout legislation on Oct. 3, the percentage of Americans saying they worried about money the previous day hit a new high for the year at 48%. Since that time, worry has declined, with the percentage of Americans worried about money falling to 39% in Gallup Poll Daily tracking from Oct. 4-6 and 42% from Oct. 5-7. Are you worried about money (asked differently, do your current worries have anything to do with money)?

Q4 - Fund That Cause: Billionaire investor and businessman Warren Buffett is again the richest American, deposing Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, after Forbes magazine recalculated the fortunes of some of the 400 wealthiest Americans. If you could compel Buffett to give away 50% of his $58 Billion net worth for a single cause, to what cause would the money go?

Four For Friday

Q1 - Email: We've all probably done this: Composed what we thought was an innocuous email or instant message, hit the send button and sat back to await a reply. When you finally do hear back, you learn the recipient of your message is upset with you. You thought what you sent was a very clearly worded message that could not possible be misinterpreted, but the recipient completely misunderstood. As a rule, do you read or reread email messages before you send them? Related: When you attach a document or file to an email message, do you open the file after it has been attached (to make sure it is indeed what you want to send)?

Q2 - It's a Dogs World: If you were reincarnated as dog, what breed would you like to be and what one person--either dead or alive--would you choose to be your master?

Q3 - Debates: According to political pollsters, there are very few instances in which Presidential or Vice Presidential debates had a substantive impact on election outcomes. In other words, most voters choose to vote for a candidate regardless of what takes place during a debate. Has either of this year's debates influenced whom you think you will be voting for in November?

Q4 - City Ordinance: Beginning this Wednesday, Los Angeles pet owners must comply with a city ordinance that requires most dogs and cats to be spayed or neutered by the time they are four months old. Dog and cat owners not complying with the law will receive information on subsidized sterilization services. If their pets are not "fixed" within 60 days, they could face a $100 fine or eight hours of community service. A third offense could result in a $500 fine or 40 hours of community service. The ordinance exempts a number of animals, including service dogs and animals that compete in shows or sporting competitions. Do you like this ordinance or do you think the government has no right to legislate whether your cat or dog can have kittens or puppies?

Four For Friday

Q1 - Special: In addition to standard menu items, many restaurants offer one or more specials of the day. If your waiter or waitress describes an appealing special but neglects to mention its price, would you order it without asking about the cost?

Q2 -Enawene: Earlier this year, pictures showing the Enawene Nawe tribe of Amazon indians aiming weapons at an airplane overhead made headlines across the United States. The photos, according to the producers of ABC's Nightline television show, inspired them to travel deep into the Amazon to meet the Enawene Nawe, a tribe that reportedly has never before been filmed for television. Do you think there is something inherently wrong with outsiders interacting with or filming never before seen indigenous tribes, or does studying their way of life outweigh any potential negative side effects caused by such actions?

Q3 - Housing: In describing the recent financial crisis here in the U.S., President Bush said: "Easy credit -- combined with the faulty assumption that home values would continue to rise -- led to excesses and bad decisions. Many mortgage lenders approved loans for borrowers without carefully examining their ability to pay. Many borrowers took out loans larger than they could afford, assuming that they could sell or refinance their homes at a higher price later on. Optimism about housing values also led to a boom in home construction. Eventually the number of new houses exceeded the number of people willing to buy them. And with supply exceeding demand, housing prices fell. And this created a problem: Borrowers with adjustable rate mortgages who had been planning to sell or refinance their homes at a higher price were stuck with homes worth less than expected -- along with mortgage payments they could not afford. As a result, many mortgage holders began to default." Do you believe homeownership is a privilege or a right?

Q4 - Television: What is your current favorite television show -- one that you make a point of watching during its regularly scheduled time as often as humanly possible?

Four For Friday - The Birthday Edition

Q1 - Today: Some people go out of their way to tell everyone they know that today (or pick your day) is their birthday, while others avoid it like a contagious bacterial disease characterized by fever and wicked bad diarrhea (for example, I once spent an entire with someone and never knew it was his birthday because he never told me). Do you tell people when it's your birthday or do you prefer to keep it to yourself?

Q2 - Keeping Track: How do you keep track of birthdays (BirthdayAlarm.com, a little black book, good memory, your computer calendar, Facebook, etc.)?

Q3 - Celebrating: How do you like to celebrate your own birthday? Do you do anything special for yourself, have a tradition you adhere to, take the day off from work and the rest of the world, etc.?

Q4 - Change: Some of the kids I grew up with felt cheated by the fact that their birthday was in late-June, July, or August... meaning, they never got to celebrate their birthday in school like all of the kids whose birthdays fell on a school day. If you could change your birthday, would you, and if so, what date would you move it to and why?

Four For Friday

Q1 - Food in Class: A friend reports that while waiting for his college course on Cross-Cultural Communications to start, a co-ed sat next to him and started eating her lunch (chicken-friend steak and mashed potatoes with a very strong aroma). Do you feel it's appropriate to bring your lunch to a college or university class and eat during the lecture/discussion? Would you personally do this?

Q2 - Publishing: A federal judge this week ruled against Steven Vander Ark, and U.S. author who was seeking to publish an encyclopedia about the Harry Potter series of novels. U.S. District Judge Robert P. Patterson concluded Vander Ark's already drafted "The Harry Potter Lexicon" would cause Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling "irreparable injury," and even went so far as to award Rowling and her publisher $6,750 in statutory damages and permanently blocked Vander Ark's publication from ever seeing the light of day. How do you feel about this? Should anyone be allowed to write a guide or reference book about another author's characters, or should only the original author or their publisher have the rights to publish guides about characters they created themselves?

Q3 - Staying Sharp: Everyone knows exercise helps maintain muscles and keep bones healthy. But can exercising your brain really help you remember and improve the way you think? Paying attention to your cognitive skills and taking steps to ward off Alzheimer's Disease is becoming more popular. Do you do anything in particular to exercise your brain?

Q4 - Retail: If you were forced to work at a retail store for 10 hours every week for the next year, which store would you choose to work for and why?

Four For Friday

Q1 - Delivery: When I lived in Utah, a co-worker told me about a trip he was planning to Boulder, Colorado, to visit family. When I jokingly asked him if he would stop by my favorite Boulder sub shop and bring me back a Garlic-roasted Prime Rib Sub and a Chicken Salad Sub, he said yes. Much to my delight, the following week he walked into my office with a cooler containing ice and both of my sandwiches. Then, when a different friend from Utah told me he was planning a trip to my part of California, I asked him if he could bring me two subs from my favorite Utah restaurant. Like clockwork, he too showed up with a cooler full of goodies. If you could order in from any restaurant on the planet and have your meal delivered to you like my friends delivered mine, what would you order and where would you order it from?

Q2 - Reaching: We've all done it before (dropped something of value in a toilet). In the case of currency, how much money would it have to be in order for you to reach in and pull it out of a toilet. Is a dollar worth it to you? How about $20? More? Do tell!

Q3 - Fighting: Mixed Martial Arts (M.M.A.), which is best described as full-contact hybridized fighting, has made its way from the margins to the mainstream. Twice already, M.M.A. fights have been broadcast in prime time by CBS, and mainstream clothing labels like Ralph Lauren and others are said to be looking into the possibility of developing lines of M.M.A. casual wear. Recently, Mixed Martial Arts has even become popular among children. Kids as young as six-years-old train with instructors in the kicking, punching and pinning that characterize what many say is a violent sport. Do you think participation in Mixed Martial Arts puts children at too much risk, or is M.M.A. training and supervised fighting acceptable for children of all ages?

Q4 - Unemployment: The unemployment rate here in the U.S. inched to a nearly five-year high last month as employers trimmed jobs for the 8th straight month, the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. The unemployment rate rose to 6.1%, its highest level in nearly 5 years. That's up from 5.7% in July and 4.7% from just one year ago. If those figures are correct, around 6 out of every 100 people you know may be unemployed! Do you know anyone who is currently unemployed?

Four For Friday

Q1 - School Bus: In order to meet the demands associated with its $17 million budget deficit, the Humble, Texas, Independent School District is now selling advertising space on their school buses. According to local news reports, auto dealers, hospitals, homebuilders, parking lots, and other businesses are among the first to advertise on the buses. Do you think it's okay for school districts to use their busses as rolling billboards? What if the advertisements appeared inside the bus as well?

Q2 - Sponsorship: Michael Jordan has Nike. Tony Stewart of NASCAR fame has The Home Depot. If any company or brand could sponsor you, whom would you want as your sponsor?

Q3 - Engrish: Professional golfers on the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) tour have been told that by the end of 2009, all players who have been on the tour for two years must pass an oral evaluation of their English skills or face suspension. Do you think it's right for the LPGA to demand that their players speak English?

Q4 - Vice President: Earlier today, John McCain announced Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his vice presidential candidate/running mate, while last week Barack Obama announced Delaware Sen. Joe Biden as the Democratic nominee. Did you follow the vice presidential candidate selection process? How important is the VP candidate when you cast your vote?

Four For Friday - The Health Edition

Q1 - BPA: A chemical commonly found in baby bottles, can linings, and household products does not pose a health hazard when used in food containers, according to a draft assessment released by the Food and Drug Administration. Bisphenol A, commonly abbreviated as BPA, is an organic compound with two phenol functional groups. The FDA report stands in contrast to more than 100 studies performed by government scientists and university laboratories that have found health concerns associated with BPA. Some have linked the chemical to prostate and breast cancers, diabetes, behavioral disorders such as hyperactivity, and even reproductive problems in lab animals. Exposure to the small amounts of BPA that migrate from the containers into the food they hold are not dangerous to infants or adults, the FDA said. Had you heard about the BPA issue before reading this question? If so, is it something you're concerned about?

Q2 - Rub it On: According to a new study by researchers at Rutgers University, several commonly used skin creams may cause skin tumors. Researchers stumbled across the findings after they exposed hairless mice to ultraviolet radiation to mimic sun exposure. Afterward, they applied four popular moisturizers to the mice. What they found was that all four -- Dermabase, Dermavan, Eucerin and Vanicream -- caused tumors to grow on the mice. The cancers were not melanomas, the researchers said in their report, but another type called squamous cell carcinoma. This type of cancer results when cells in the skin start to change, the National Institutes of Health said on its Web site. It's relatively slow-growing and can spread to other locations, including internal organs. Knowing about this research, will you now avoid using Dermabase, Dermavan, Eucerin and Vanicream? If you never use these products, would you take the time to alert your family and friends who do?

Q3 - Drinking: In 1984, Congress passed the National Minimum Drinking Age Act, which imposed a penalty of 10% of a state's federal highway appropriation on any state setting its drinking age lower than 21. Today, nearly 100 chancellors and presidents from colleges and universities across the U.S. are asking lawmakers to consider lowering the federally mandated minimum drinking age to 18, saying the current law encourages dangerous binge drinking on campus. The movement called the Amethyst Initiative began quietly recruiting presidents more than a year ago to provoke national debate about the drinking age, and now includes the leaders of Johns Hopkins University, Syracuse University, University of the Incarnate Word, Tufts, Duke, Colgate, Maine Maritime Academy, Kenyon, Morehouse, Dartmouth, College of Idaho and Ohio State, just to name a few. Do you agree with the Amethyst Initiative? Should the drinking age be lowered to 18 or is the law okay as it current stands?

Q4 - You: Generally speaking, how concerned are you about your own health? Not concerned at all; somewhat/slightly concerned; about average; more than slightly concerned; very concerned; something else entirely?

Four For Friday

Q1 - Military Baggage: Some airlines are now charging U.S. soldiers extra baggage fees to take their military kits with them as they set off for duty. Military personnel carry large, heavy kit bags containing boots, clothing and gear. In the past few months, airlines have instituted fees for all travelers ranging from $15 for one bag to $250 for a third bag. The Veterans of Foreign Wars is asking the trade group representing the nation's major airlines to encourage its members to waive fees for a third piece of luggage checked by servicemen and women. Do you think military personnel should be charged extra baggage fees?

Q2 - Opt Out: When possible, search engines like Google and Yahoo! match your search results with advertisements related to those results. Yahoo! call this "ad matching," (sometimes also called ad customization), and they do this in order to make the ads you see more relevant and useful for you. Recently, Yahoo enacted an opt-out option for users who don't want their searches to be tracked and analyzed for relevant advertisements. While the company has framed this development as a move toward transparency, choice and greater privacy, it also predicts that most users will prefer to remain seeing ads that suit their searches. What do you think? If you saw an opt out button, would you use it to remove advertisements from your search results, or do you like seeing ads alongside your searches.

Q3 - Bigfoot: At a press conference scheduled for later today in Palo Alto, California, two Georgia-based law enforcement officials are set to reveal both photographic and DNA evidence of what they claim is the captured body of Bigfoot, the alleged ape-like creature said to inhabit remote forests throughout the world. Do you believe creatures like Bigfoot exist?

Q4 - Funerals: A funeral home in Idaho is offering funeral webcasts for people who cannot attend a funeral in person. If you could not attend a funeral in person, would you watch it online.

Four For Friday

Q1 - Revive: When you're dragging or lacking energy and on the verge of letting out a succession of yawns and you have work to do, what do you do to snap out of it?

Q2 - Turning: Do you turn your blinker on when you're in a clearly designated and differentiated turning lane?

Q3 - Tracking: BrickHouse Security recently partnered with Duracell batteries for a national advertising campaign to highlight the lifesaving value of child locator devices/beacons. BrickHouse's device is said to helps parents relocate wandering children before the unthinkable can happen. If you have small children, have you ever considered using such a devise? If you don't have children yet, is this something you think you'd use?

Q4 - Olympics: At initial glance, one might think the International Olympic Committee blundered by awarding the 2008 Summer Games to a city in a totalitarian country that aids Darfur's thugs but considers the Dalai Lama a menace, and that censors political debate but can't silence the hacking coughs from some of the planet's most polluted cities. The four other finalists for the 2008 Olympics were all fine and attractive cities that were most certainly less controversial than Beijing (safe to say we wouldn't have seen "Free Saskatchewan" protests leading up to a Toronto version of these Summer Games). And perhaps that's precisely the point: whether it was the IOC's intention or not, due to all the surrounding sagas, Beijing seems to have made the Olympics interesting again. Regardless, with concern for environmental impact and human rights existing across the globe, do you think the U.S. and other countries should have boycotted the 2008 Summer Olympic Games, or do you think having them in a communistic country will eventually lead to democracy for that country?

Four For Friday - The Home Edition

Q1 - Paint: Did you paint the walls in your home or were they painted to your liking before you moved in?

Q2 - Room: What's your favorite room in your house and why?

Q3 - Work: If your employer offered you the opportunity to work from home, would you take it?

Q4 - Houseguests: When was the last time you hosted overnight visitors in your home, and how long did they stay? Option follow-up question: Do you enjoy entertaining/hosting overnight visitors?

Four For Friday

Q1 - Popcorn and Candy: According to the author of "Why Popcorn Costs So Much at the Movies, And Other Pricing Puzzles" (University of California-Irvine Professor Richard McKenzie), buying your movie candy at a local drugstore or Costco can save you as much as 86% from what the theater charges on a price per ounce basis. When you go to the movies, what type of candy and refreshments do you usually buy, or do smuggle yours into the theatre?

Q2 - Then & Now: A recent special issue of People magazine focusing on child actors from the 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s, profiled more than 100 former showbiz kids with an emphasis on where they are in their lives today. Are there any child actors you would like an update on? If so, which one(s)?

Q3 - Pollution: Recent reports indicate that as much as 46,000 pieces of floating plastic can be found per square mile of ocean. If you were enjoying time at the beach by wading in the water, and you noticed garbage floating nearby, would you collect it and throw it away once you were back on shore?

Q4 - Right Now: What is your most pressing concern right now?

Four For Friday

Q1 - Television: In case you've missed the public service announcements in recent months, the federal government here in the United States has set February 17, 2009, as the date by which all television stations must discontinue broadcasting an analog signal. Are you prepared for the switchover? Are any of the televisions in your home currently unable to accept a digital signal?

Q2 - R.S.V.P.: According to The Emily Post Institute, your most important obligation as an invited wedding guest is to respond to the invitation immediately, especially if you are unable to attend. Generally speaking, how long does it take for you to R.S.V.P. to a wedding, dinner party, birthday party, etc? Do you R.S.V.P. right away or do you tend to wait till the last possible moment?

Q3 - Hug it Out: How do you feel about hugging? Do enjoy being hugged or does it make you feel uncomfortable?

Q4 - Stunt: Pick a celebrity, any celebrity. Got one? Good. Now, picture yourself in charge of their next publicity stunt. Do tell... who is your celebrity and what would you have them do?

Four For Friday

Q1 - Can I See?: Almost everywhere I've lived, I've had neighbors close enough to my own home that I've often wondered what the inside of their house or apartment looked like. How well do you know your neighbors floor plans? If not at all, are you curious to see what the inside of their homes look like?

Q2 - Four-day Work Week: Many states now offer a four-day work week option for state employees, but according to published media reports, later this year, Utah will become the first state to switch over to a mandatory four-day work week for its state employees. Utah's Governor says he's making the change to reduce the state's carbon footprint, increase energy efficiency, improve customer service and provide workers more flexibility. How do you feel about state workers moving to a four-day work week (regardless of which state you work in)? Do you think it will help the core metrics Utah's Governor says it will (i.e., carbon footprint, energy efficiency, customer service, and worker flexibility)?

Q3 - Virtual Worlds: During the months of April, May, and June of this year, investors poured an astounding $160 million into 16 different companies that build, manage, and host virtual reality worlds online. Perhaps even more surprising is this: leading research firm Gartner predicts that 80% of all active Internet users will be members of virtual worlds by the year 2011. Have you ever visited or joined a online virtual world (i.e., Second Life, The Sims Online, Disney's Toontown, Habbo Hotel, IMVU, Barbie Girls, Gaia Online, World of Warcraft, Lively by Google, etc.)? If so, how often do you participate? If not, do you think you'll adapt and become part of the 80% of us predicted to be active by 2011?

Q4 - Music: What song or album are you hooked on right now?

Four For Friday - The Early Edition

Note From Mikal: Given that tomorrow is a holiday and today feels like Friday, I'm posting this week's Four For Friday meme today rather than tomorrow. Enjoy and have a safe and happy holiday weekend!

Q1 - Holiday Travel: Retail gas prices rose overnight to a record high for the fourth day in a row, ahead of the July 4 holiday weekend -- one of the nation's busiest weekends for travel. The national average price for a gallon of regular gas rose to an all-time high of $4.098 from $4.092 the day before, a daily survey by motorist group AAA showed. Here in Orange County, Calif., our average prices are $4.559 for a gallon of Regular, $4.853 for a gallon of Mid, $4.933 for a gallon of Premium, and $5.098 for a gallon of Diesel. Have you changed your July Fourth plans because of rising gas prices?

Q2 - Neighbors: On the afternoon of November 14, 2007, 61-year-old Joe Horn shot and killed two men burglarizing his Vietnamese-American neighbor's home in Pasadena, Texas. Published recordings of Horn's exchange with 911 emergency dispatch indicate that he was asked repeatedly not to interfere with the burglary, because the police would soon be on hand. Here's a brief snippet of Horn's 911 conversation:

• 911 Operator: Mr. Horn, do not go out the house.
• Joe Horn: I'm sorry. This ain't right, buddy.
• Operator: You're going to get yourself shot if you go outside that house with that gun. I don't care what you think. Stay in the house.
• Horn: You wanna make a bet? I'm gonna kill 'em.

On the 911 tape, Horn can be heard confronting the suspects, saying, "Move, and you're dead", immediately followed by the sound of a shotgun blast, followed by two more. Following the shootings, Horn told the 911 operator, "They came in the front yard with me, man, I had no choice." The two men Horn shot, Diego Ortiz and Hernando Riascos Torres, happened to be illegal aliens from Columbia, and autopsy results revealed both were fatally shot in the back.

To wrap this question up, after hearing two weeks of testimony from witnesses, earlier this week a Houston grand jury chose not to indict Horn for any wrongdoing. Despite how you feel about Horn's actions, would you choose to defend your neighbor's home in the same way? Would you exit your own home in broad-daylight brandishing a weapon in an attempt to stop burglars or suspected thieves?

Q3 - Gobble Up: Now that the European Large Hadron Collider is completed and ready to fire up in August, a slew of articles have popped up on the Internet and in newspapers around the world quoting doomsayers. An AP article from last weekend was the most recent example of critics warning that the 17-mile, $5.8 billion supercollider--which will slam protons together in an attempt to learn more about the building blocks of the universe--will inadvertently create a black hole that will gobble up planet Earth. Are you worried?

Q4 - You Choose: We all know that there only 12 months in a year. But what if I gave you the ability to add a 13th month to the calendar! What would you call this 13th month and where in the calendar would you place it?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - Leader: Despite perceptions that the nation is losing its competitive edge, the United States remains the dominant leader in science and technology worldwide, according to a RAND Corporation study issued a last week. The United States, says RAND, accounts for 40% of the total world's spending on scientific research and development, employs 70% of the world's Nobel Prize winners, and is home to three-quarters of the world's top 40 universities. Two questions here... 1. Do you care where the U.S. ranks in science and technology; and... 2. Does it feel to you like the U.S. leads the world in these two categories?

Q2 - Advertising: Some of the companies advertising on television encourage viewers to visit a specific website or URL for an extended version of their commercial. When you see such prompts, do you go to the advertiser's website or do you generally ignore such goading?

Q3 - Internet Traffic: Some people use the Internet just to check e-mail and look up phone numbers. Others are online all day, uploading and downloading large files. For years, both kinds of Web surfers have paid the same price for access. But now three of the nation's largest Internet service providers are threatening to clamp down on subscribers by placing limits on their online activity. One of them, Time Warner Cable, began a trial of "Internet metering" in one Texas city early this month, asking customers to select a monthly plan and pay surcharges when they exceed their bandwidth limit. The idea is that those of us who use the Internet more heavily should pay more, the way we do for water or electricity. How do you feel about this? Would you be willing to pay a metered rate for Internet access?

Q4 - Dissection: Like all medical schools, the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine requires its students to study and work on cadavers. In addition, the OU College of Medicine requires its student to attend its annual Anatomical Donor Memorial Luncheon, where they meet in person with family members of the specific donor they're charged with working on. Do you think you could stomach working on a cadaver?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - Rainbow: Rainbows--the optical and meteorological phenomena that cause a spectrum of light to appear in the sky when the Sun shines onto droplets of moisture in the Earth's atmosphere--are a rare sight. When was the last time you saw a rainbow (where was it and what were you doing at the time of the sighting)?

Q2 - Loyalty: Oil giant Exxon Mobil Corp. yesterday revealed plans to sell its 2,200 company-owned gas stations, saying they aren't profitable enough even with gasoline selling at nearly $5.00 per gallon. Are you loyal to a particular brand of gasoline or one specific gas station? If so, what is it about that brand or station that makes you so loyal?

Q3 - Sunday Morning: Tim Russert, NBC News' Washington bureau chief and the moderator of "Meet the Press," died this morning after collapsing while recording voiceovers for Sunday's broadcast. Do you watch any of the Sunday morning interview shows that specialize in interviewing national leaders on issues of state, economics and foreign policy?

Q4 - : The Guinness Book of World Records claims that "My name is Bond, James Bond" is the most famous movie line of all time. What's your favorite line from a movie?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - Help, I'm Stuck: With gas prices hovering at more $4/gallon, motorists are said to be putting less fuel in their tanks, then coming up empty on the highway. Though national statistics on out-of-gas motorists do not exist, there's plenty of anecdotal evidence that drivers unwilling or unable to fill 'er up are gambling by keeping their tanks extremely low on fuel. In the Philadelphia area, where the average price for a gallon of regular broke $4 last Friday, calls from out-of-gas AAA members doubled between May 2007 and May 2008, from 81 to 161, the auto club reported. Have you ever run out of gas? If so, what happened?

Q2 - Summer 2008 Movies: Iron Man, Speed Racer, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Sex and the City: The Movie, Kung Fu Panda, You Don't Mess with the Zohan, The Happening, The Incredible Hulk, Get Smart, Wall-E, Hellboy II: The Golden Army, The Dark Knight, Step Brothers, The X-Files: I Want to Believe, The Mummy 3, The Rocker, Pineapple Express, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and Tropic Thunder... which movies are you most looking forward to watching this summer?

Q3 - Reviews: I recently joined the consumer review website Yelp.com, where I can read, create and post reviews of everything from restaurants to my local cable provider. How likely are you to write, create and post reviews on sites like Yelp or Amazon, and how likely are you to read consumer reviews as a part of your purchasing process?

Q4 - Bookstore: When you visit a bookstore, which sections do you normally gravitate to and which do you avoid at all costs?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - Cookies: The Oreo cookie is an American favorite, whether drenched in milk chocolate, loaded with extra creamy filling or dipped in a glass of milk. Now the Oreo is headed overseas to Britain where it's manufacturer, Nabisco, hopes to please the British palate (can you say "Oreos and Tea"). In any event, what is your favorite type and/or brand of cookie?

Q2 - Music: Helping to alleviate pain and stress in premature babies could be as simple as offering them a few verses of "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" -- at least that's what a new study conducted at Massachusetts General Hospital for Children shows... that music could help premature babies get out of intensive care units sooner. What role or impact if any does music play in your life or in the life of your friends and family?

Q3 - You: What do you think is the biggest misconception about you?

Q4 - Spending Your Own Money: Jared Polis, a 30-something Internet generation entrepreneur--who together with his parents founded and then sold an online greeting card website (bluemountainarts.com) for $780 million back in 1998--is now running for a seat in the United States Congress (2nd Congressional District--Colorado). According to recent reports, Polis, who legally changed his last name in the late-90s from Schutz to Polis, is said to have already self-funded his campaign to the tune of nearly $3.7 Million, which according to the Boulder Daily Camera is three times as much money as he has raised from contributors, and dramatically more than any of his opponents have been able to raise or contribute themselves to their own campaigns. Do you think it's okay for people to self-fund their race for public office in such large amounts--like Jared Polis and other wealthy American politicians have done over the years--or, should limits be placed on the amount of money people are allowed to pour into their own campaigns?

Four For Friday -- The Early Edition

Q1 - Breakfast: If you could have had anything other than what you ate for breakfast this morning, what would you have ordered up?

Q2 - Opinions: A friend of mine recently decided to try online dating, and one site asked the following question: "Imagine that your friends had to choose the best four descriptions of you from the items listed below. Click next to the four items that they would be most likely to pick." My guess is that hardly anyone ever asks his or her friends to supply the answer. If you are/were single, would you [ask a friend to supply the answer]?

Q3 - Trading In: According to a recent CNN.com poll, approximately 50% of Americans say they are seriously thinking of trading in one or more of their cars for a vehicle offering better fuel economy. How about you?

Q4 - Possessions: If you could own one item that a friend of yours currently owns, what possession of his or hers would you make yours?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY -- THE LATE EDITION

Q1 - Manufacturing: If you could manufacture and sell anything, what would you make?

Q2 - Bias: When filling out an online form, do you expect "United States" to appear at the top of an otherwise alphabetically sorted "Country" list?

Q3 - Questions: Generally speaking, do you ask more questions than you answer or answer more questions than you ask?

Q4 - Image: Do you like to have your picture taken?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - Junior: The most common name suffixes are "senior" (Sr.) and "junior" (Jr.), and are far more frequently applied to men than to women. What do you think it says about a person (or a couple) who chooses to name a child after himself or herself?

Q2- Parking Meters: In the state of California, automobile drivers with handicap parking permits are allowed to park anywhere except in private lots and in designated no-parking zones. In addition, drivers with handicap permits do not have to put anything into that device used to collect money in exchange for the right to park a vehicle in a particular place for a limited amount of time. In other words, people with handicap permits get to park for free, even in metered spots. How do you feel about this?

Q3 - Language: How do you feel when you're surrounded by people, all of whom speak a language you do not understand (e.g., in a nail salon, a restaurant, beauty supply store, someone's home, etc.), and there's no one there to translate?

Q4 - Seatbelt: Edward J. Hock invented the seatbelt first used by the Ford Motor Company as standard equipment, while he was on active duty with the military as a flight instructor. In 1955 the U.S. Navy accepted his idea, and Hock was awarded $20.50 for his invention. The original schematic and blueprints shows he utilized scrap parachute strapping to implement his idea. He was never awarded anything other than the $20.50, a letter of recognition, a picture with military brass, and a newspaper article to his credit. When you're driving a car, do you start the car first and then fasten your seatbelt or do you do it other way around?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - Your Job: What's the best thing about your job? If you do not have a job, what's the best thing about not working?

Q2 - Health Insurance: Whirlpool Corporation's refrigerator plant in Indiana has suspended nearly 40 production workers suspected by the company of continuing to smoke despite claiming on health insurance forms they were nonsmokers. Additionally, the company charges smokers an extra fee for health insurance. Do you think companies should be allowed to deduct higher amounts of money from employees paychecks for health insurance if the employee smokes cigarettes?

Q3 - Borders: In its quest to secure the 2,000-mile-long U.S.-Mexico border, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has embarked on a construction project to build a 15- to 18-foot high wall along large swaths of the territory. But a lot of south Texans are mad about the plan. The proposed path of the fence cuts directly through some residents' backyards and even a local golf course. Do you think the United States should be erecting such a wall?

Q4 - Deterrence: A wall-mounted gadget designed to drive away loiterers with a shrill, piercing noise audible only to teens and young adults is infuriating civil liberties groups and tormenting young people. Nearly 1,000 units of the device, called the "Mosquito," have been sold in the United States and Canada, which according to its manufacturer, is a completely harmless solution to the problem of unwanted gatherings of youths and teenagers in shopping malls, around shops and anywhere else they are causing problems. Background: it seems that there is a very real medical phenomenon known as "presbycusis" or age-related hearing loss which, according to The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy, "begins after the age of 20..." It first affects the highest frequencies (18 to 20 kHz ) notably in those who have turned 20 years of age or older, which means, there's real science to this Mosquito gizmo. How would you feel about the Mosquito's use in areas you or children frequent?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - Cell Phone Usage: According to an article I just read, there are two types of public transportation passengers: those who hate it when you whip out your cell phone and start yakking away, and the yakers themselves, who feel freedom to communicate is a natural born right. Some cities have instituted no-cell phone zones on trains and buses while others maintain an honor system. Do you think cell phone usage should be limited or banned on public transportation?

Q2 - Keychain: Are the keys on your keychain ordered in a specific way or are they slapped onto the ring in random order.

Q3 - Couch Potato For a Day: What TV-show marathon would keep you on your couch all day?

Q4 - Happy: Someone asked me the other day, "Are you happy?" (and not as in, are you happy right now but in general). How do you define happiness?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - Moving: If you were forced to leave your home for a location at least 500 miles away for one year, where would you choose to go? Keep in mind that your job would be secure and your financial situation would the same as it is now (mysteriously, your job would follow, and of course, if you're married or have kids or animals, they'd be able to come with you and you'd all live at the same standard as you do now).

Q2 - Recycling: An all-time high of 56% of the paper consumed in the United States in 2007 was recovered for recycling, according to the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA), setting an all-time high and achieving an industry goal five years ahead of schedule. In announcing this news earlier this week, AF&PA also set a new goal of 60% recovery by 2012. Do you recycle paper? If so, what percentage would you say goes into a recycling bin?

Q3 - Crime: The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York announced last week that 63-year-old Louis McGuinn, a/k/a "Lowell Craig McGuinn," was sentenced to one year of probation and one hundred hours of community service for wearing service medals and badges--including the Distinguished Service Cross, a Silver Star, and multiple Purple Heart medals--that he did not earn or have authorization to wear. McGuinn, who was discharged from the Army in 1968 as a private, falsely held himself out as a Lieutenant Colonel. In imposing the sentence, the Judge stated that he took account of the "likely damage the defendant caused to the prestige" of individuals that had legitimately earned the medals, and specifically imposed community service to try to "redress damage to the community because of the defendant's misconduct." Do you think it should be illegal for someone to wear armed service medals and badges they did not earn, and in this case, do you feel the punishment fit the crime?

Q4 - Friends: If you could have prevented one thing from happening between yourself and a family member or a friend, what would that one thing have been?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - Dogs: Downward-facing dog is one of the most widely recognized poses of the ancient art of yoga. Some instructors are taking that pose literally by inviting canines into the yoga studio for classes with their owners. Do you think yoga can provide real health benefits for dogs, and if so, would you be interested in doing yoga with a dog.

Q2 - Money: If I gave you $175.00, what would you do with it?

Q3 - Life: In the United States, life expectancy is just 78 years, which apparently is too short for those of us opting to be cryogenically frozen after death. If having yourself cryogenically frozen gave you a 50/50 chance of being brought back to life at some point in the future, and you had the money to make it happen, would you go for it, or are 50/50 odds not enough for you? If 50/50 doesn't work for you, what if the odds were increased to a 100% probability of success in restoring you back to life?

Q4 - Odors: It's not just the fat and cholesterol in that sizzling bacon that will kill you: The irresistible aroma might too. A recently published study of fruit flies by a University of Houston researcher raises the possibility that even smelling rich foods may reduce the health benefits of dieting. How tempted are you by the smell of food?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - Research: A study published in 2006 in The New England Journal of Medicine, which claimed up to 80% of lung cancer cases could be prevented with CT scans, has been revealed to have been underwritten, in part, by a cigarette company. An investigation uncovered what some say is an undisclosed conflict of interest in the study, which was authored by the Weill Cornell Medical College. Generally speaking, how much stock do you place in research studies, and do you now question the validity of this one because of who paid for it?

Q2 - Airline Safety : In this post- 9/11 world of ours, airline safety is said to be key, but it may not be Federal Air Marshals who are keeping the nation's flights safe. According to news reports earlier this week, Air Marshals themselves say they are only on about 1% of the 28,000 or so flights that take off or land in the U.S. each day. Are you surprised to learn that so few flights are protected by Air Marshals?

Q3 - March Madness: This is the time of the year that college basketball fans and at least some who could care less join in on what is often referred to as a March Madness Basketball Pool. Whether it's for money or just for fun, did you fill out a March Madness Bracket for this year's Men's or Woman's Division I Basketball Tournament, and if you did, how is your bracket fairing?

Q4 - Which Matters More: In an article in today's BBC News, Danish cartoonist Kurt Westergaard, who depicted the Prophet Muhammad with a bomb in his turban, says he will sue the maker of an anti-Islam film for using his cartoon without permission. According to the BBC, Westergaard told Danish TV that his cartoon was a "protest against terrorism, not Islam as a whole." They have "a right to make [sic: a] movie but.. not permission to use my drawing." Based on what I just you, what do you feel is the most important issue at stake in this story... religious intolerance, intellectual property rights, free speech, or zealotry?

Four For Friday

Q1 - Drinking & Fighting: Debate over lowering the national drinking age is heating up in several states, fueled in part by legislators who contend that men and women who are old enough to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan are responsible enough to buy alcohol legally. Legislation introduced in Kentucky, Wisconsin and South Carolina would lower the drinking age for military personnel only. A planned ballot initiative in Missouri would apply to everyone 18 and older. An initiative in the works in South Dakota would allow all 19- and 20-year-olds to buy low-alcohol beer. Earlier in the week, Presidential hopeful Barack Obama made headlines by telling an underage Army veteran in Connecticut that lowering the drinking age would not be something he would support under any circumstances. What do you think... if someone is old enough to enroll in the armed services and participate in acts of war, should they be also be allowed to drink alcohol even if they're underage?

Q2 - Gasoline & Taxes: A recent poll reveled that 48% of U.S. citizens are unwilling to spend even a penny more in gasoline taxes to help reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. According to the poll's sponsor--the National Center for Public Policy Research--18% of Americans are willing to pay 50 cents or more in additional taxes per gallon of gas to reduce greenhouse emissions, which is exactly what U.S. Representative John Dingell (D-MI), chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, has called for--a 50 cent per gallon increase in the gas tax, used to motivate Americans to conserve fuel and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, transportation accounts for 33% of the U.S.'s man-made carbon dioxide emissions. Over 60% of these emissions--or about 20% of all U.S. carbon dioxide emissions--result from burning gasoline in personal automobiles. What amount, if any, would you be willing to pay in gasoline taxes to help reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions?

Q3 - Email & Interruptions: If you use a desktop email program like Outlook, Outlook Express, Eudora, Mail, etc., do you have it set to check for mail automatically or do you manually check for mail? If your primary email account is Web-based--like Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo!, etc.--do you have a desktop "notifier" to alert you to new mail or do you check your account manually for evidence of new messages? In either case, do you think people would be more productive at work if email were only available upon manual checks (as opposed to it automatically showing up in an In box and potentially interrupting real work?

Q4 - Charity & Donations: When was the last time you made a charitable donation to an organization other than one with a religious affiliation? What's the name of the organization and do you think your donation eventually went to a worthy cause?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - Organic: Recent tests of "natural" and "organic" soaps, shampoos and other consumer products show that nearly half of them contain a cancer-causing chemical that is a byproduct of petrochemicals used in manufacturing. Many items that tested positive for the carcinogen are owned by well-known brands, including Kiss My Face, Alba, Seventh Generation and Nature's Gate products, sold in retail stores across the nation. Generally speaking, before you heard this news, did you trust that "organic" products were safer or better for you than non-organic products?

Q2 - Spokesperson: If you could be the spokesperson for any company or organization for one year, what company or organization would you choose?

Q3 - Barack Obama: Results from a national study among Democrats indicated that more than half (53%), do not agree with former vice presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro's comment that "Barack Obama would not have made it this far if he was a white man." What do you think... if Barack Obama were Caucasian, do you think he would be one of two candidates remaining in the race for the Democratic nomination for the Presidency?

Q4 - You Choose: A full-time housekeep to do your laundry and keep your house in tip-top shape five days a week, or a professional chef to cook you three squares a day, five days a week?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - Storage: Do you have a storage unit? If so, what percentage of items that you currently store would you say you could easily live without? If you do not have a storage unit, would you be inclined to pay for one if the price were right?

Q2 - Affirmative Action: Come election time this November, voters in five states might have a decision to make as big as whom to elect president. Ballot initiatives have been proposed in Arizona, Colorado, Missouri, Nebraska and Oklahoma that would give voters the chance to decide whether they want to do away with affirmative action in government-funded projects and public schools. How do you feel about affirmative action?

Q3 - Sign of the Times: Which concerns you more... gas prices or home depreciation?

Q4 - Sick: When you're sick (or suspect that you're sick), how many days will you typically wait before making an appointment to see a doctor?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - You're the Designer: If you had to design a popular mass-market T-shirt, what kind of design/message would you produce?

Q2 - Parlez-vous francais: Without looking it up, how many countries border France? Can you name them? Regardless of whether you can name them, do you think it's important for people to know the answer to this question or questions like this one?

Q3 - What he Said: Yesterday, during a press conference, President Bush fielded the following question from a reporter:

Mr. President, you've stressed over and over in recent days particularly the importance of keeping America safe, and yet you have not yet filled a key national security post--Homeland Security Advisor. Fran Townsend announced her resignation as Homeland Security Advisor months ago, in November. What is the delay there, and what are Americans to make of that delay? Is America less safe because of it?

The President's response:

We got a fine man named Joel Bagnal working that office right now. He's a professional. I trust his judgment. He's a real good guy. And no, they shouldn't worry about Joel. He knows what he's doing. Joel Bagnal has occupied the position. He's doing the job, and I've got confidence in him. And so should the American people have confidence in him. He's a fine professional. He knows what he's doing. And I'm very comfortable in saying, on your cameras, that our staff in the White House, led by Joel Bagnal, knows what they're doing when it comes to advising the President on matters of homeland security.

Apparently, the Homeland Security Advisor position is one that needs to be officially appointed by the President, yet he hasn't done so. Knowing only what you just read, do you find the President's response to the reporter's question (as well as his handling of the matter) acceptable?

Q4 - Cell Phone Plan: Recently, Verizon announced a new cell phone calling plan that allows customers to place an unlimited number of calls anywhere in the U.S. at anytime of the day for $99 per month. Within hours of announcing the new plan, several other cell phone providers matched Verizon's price and terms. Taking into consideration how much you pay for your current cell phone plan (assuming you have one), what do you think of the $99 rate plan?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - Human Nature: The new season of "Big Brother" (a popular reality television show on CBS) already has more than its share of controversies. One guy has been accused of being a racist; one woman has been called a whore; another was called the "c" word, over and over, loudly; one man referred to autistic people as "retards"; one couple is pretending to be lesbians; one woman revealed that her dad committed suicide, only to later have a roommate tell her to "go hang yourself." Regardless of whether you watch the particular television show in question, can all of this be good for the television viewing audience (that these issues are raised)? Or is it just shameless provocation? Is human nature really this bad?

Q2 - Foreign Relations: Three days after stepping down as Cuban leader, Fidel Castro is calling on the United States to change its longtime policy of sanctions toward Cuba. Do you think the United States should lift its embargo on Cuba?

Q3 - Stamp It: Earlier this week, the U.S. Postal Service immortalized novelist Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings (1896-1953), best known for her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Yearling, and her memoir Cross Creek In the foreground of the stamp art is a portrait of Kinnan Rawlings based on an undated photograph. The background depicts a fawn at a watering hole in the Florida scrub, which is consistent with descriptions in The Yearling. Who, if anyone, would you like to see immortalized on a postage stamp, and what imagery would you suggest including on the stamp?

Q4 - Lineage: How far back can you trace your family's lineage?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - Prescription Drugs: Unless you've been living under a rock these past few weeks, you know that actor Heath Ledger tragically died earlier this month of an accidental prescription drug overdose. Despite the fact that doctors and pharmacists are drilled in the art of explaining to their patients and customers exactly how to take prescription drugs, far too many people--a lot of them actors--still get it wrong and accidentally over or wrongly medicate themselves. Have you ever become sick because of drugs your prescribed by a doctor, or have you ever accidentally over medicated yourself?

Q2 - Advice: What advice would you give to a young boy or girl who expresses a sincere interest in becoming President of the United States?

Q3 - The Sky Is Falling: Taking a page from Hollywood science fiction, the U.S. government said yesterday it will try its darnedest to shoot down a broken down, bus-size U.S. spy satellite that's on a collision course with Earth. The Pentagon hopes to smash the satellite as soon as next week--just before it enters Earth's atmosphere--with a single missile fired from a Navy boat in the Pacific Ocean. Do you have faith that the Navy will succeed in hitting the satellite, which will be about 150 to 175 miles above the Earth's surface when the shot is fired?

Q4 - Spam: Which do you find more annoying... email spam or snail mail junk mail?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - Economy: Do you think the U.S. economy will improve, worsen or stay the same upon the election of the next President?

Q2 - Interviewing: Have you ever had a really bad job interview? If so, what happened? If not, can you recall the best or worst interview question you've ever asked or been asked? If not, what's one question you would like to ask a potential employer during a job interview but would not (for fear of not getting the job)?

Q3 - Women: How would you feel if a woman became President of the United States of America?

Q4 - How Long: Give this a try (not to worry, a new window will open and it is work-safe): Click on this link, read the ensuing instructions, try the exercise at least three times, and report back on your best result. Good luck!

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - Crime: Is there a crime, which if it wasn't illegal, you would gladly commit?

Q2 - Immigration: According to recent figures, the conflict in Iraq has forced over 2,000,000 Iraqi citizens to fee the country. Most are stuck in limbo in neighboring countries like Syria and Jordan, while a few (up to 12,000 for the year 2008) are allowed to seek asylum here in the United States. Given our government and military's actions in Iraq, do you think we should open our boarders to more Iraqi refugees or is 12,000 enough?

Q3 - Donations: Have you ever donated money to a presidential candidate? If so, looking back on your donation, do you think it was money well spent? Related: Have you donated--or do you plan on donating--money to someone running for the Presidency this time around?

Q4 - Keys: How many keys are on your keychain, and do you know what all of them are for?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - Crossing: When you arrive at a street corner equipped with a "Cross / Do Not Cross" sign that can be triggered by the push of a button, and you notice someone is already waiting by the button to cross the street in the same or opposite direction as you, do you push the button or simply assume the other person already did?

Q2 - Cash: President Bush and Congressional leaders have reached a tentative agreement on a $150 billion tax relief effort to help stimulate the U.S. economy. Specifically, working Americans who have earned income of $3,000 or more will be eligible for a minimum rebate of $300 for themselves or $600 for a couple filing jointly. Based on the amount of federal income taxes paid, that rebate rises as high as $600 for an individual and $1,200 for a couple filing jointly. In addition to the individual rebate, families will receive an additional $300 per child credit. The individual rebate and the child credit phase out starting at $75,000 in income for individuals or $150,000 in family income. If you were receive a check in the mail tomorrow (as a result of a tax relief effort like this one) what would you do it / how would you spend the money? Additionally, do you welcome such "tax relief" efforts--the ones aimed at stimulating the economy--or do you think the President and Congressional leaders are out of touch with what we want or need with regard to tax relief?

Q3 - Presidential Race: Have you listened to or watched any speeches or debates by presidential candidates? If so, what did you think? If not, will you make it a point to watch any speeches or debates prior to Election Day?

Q4 - Eradication: Every large, mature Lodgepole Pine forest in Colorado will be dead within three to five years, killed in a Mountain Pine Beetle infestation unprecedented in Colorado, forestry officials recently announced. Do you think the Mountain Pine Beetle should be left alone to do its thing, or should the State of Colorado do everything within its power to save its Lodgepole Pine forests?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - National ID Card: In May of 2005, President George W. Bush signed the REAL ID Act of 2005 into law. Last week it was announced that enforcement of the Act--which requires people entering federal buildings, boarding airplanes or opening bank accounts to present identification that has met certain security and authentification standards--would be postponed for three years. In 2011, however, a Federal agency may not accept, for any official purpose, a driver's license or identification card issued by a state to any person unless the state is meeting the requirements specified in the REAL ID Act. According to recent reports, citizens born on or after December 1, 1964 will have to obtain a REAL ID by December 1, 2014, while those born before that date will have until December 1, 2017 to obtain theirs. How do you feel about being required to obtain a national ID card? Do you feel like it's just another hassle to have to deal with--like long lines at the airport and Presidential Addreses which interrupt nighttime television--or do you feel like the time has come for a national ID program and that it will help law enforcement and other others tell the good guys from the bad guys?

Q2 - Comfort and Security: For some people, listening to good Jazz music while sipping a stellar Martini after a long day of work is what it takes to make them feel like they're alive and that everything is going to be okay. For others, that feeling may be found inside a house of worship, on the side of a mountain, near the ocean, or even while vegging out on the couch with a good book or the television on. What does it take for you to feel everything is going to be okay?

Q3 - Disabilities: After scientific analysis conducted in November, the International Association of Athletics Federations (the IAAF is the world governing body for track and field events like the ones which take place at the Olympics) ruled that a double-amputee sprinter named Oscar Pistorius is ineligible to compete in the Beijing Olympics because of his prosthetic racing legs--which are made of carbon-fiber blades--give him a "clear competitive advantage" over his fellow competitors. According to the IAAF, Pistorius' J-shaped blades are a "technical aid" to his running and therefore may not be used in an able-bodied competition. Do you think disabled athletes should be able to compete alongside so-called able-bodied athletes?

Q4 - Telephone Numbers: There once was a time when I had to memorize all of my friends' and family members' telephone numbers or look them up in a telephone book or hardcopy address book. Nowadays, because everything is stored in my cell phone, I couldn't even tell you my best friend's number. Is it the same for you? Do you no longer take the time to memorize telephone numbers (because they're all stored in your cell phone), or are there certain numbers you still commit to memory?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - Pets: In the past decade, the number of U.S. households grew 14%. During that same period, the number of pet owning households grew by nearly twice that number (22%). Owning a pet is now considered one of America's top "hobbies," according to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association. Do you view owning a pet as a "hobby" (like painting, antiquing or photography is a hobby), or to you are pets (yours or other people's pets) considered part of the family?

Q2 - Taking a Stand: Would you be wiling to die for a cause? If so, what cause--aside one related to your children (if you have children, that is)--do you think you would be willing to die for?

Q3 - Promises: If you were running for President in 2008, what kind of campaign promises would you make?

Q4 - Adverse Possession : In common law, "adverse possession" is the process by which title to another person's real property (i.e., real estate) is acquired without compensation, by, as the name suggests, holding the property in a manner that conflicts with the true owner's rights for at least 18 years. Richard McLean and his wife, Edith Stevens, of Boulder, Colorado recently took possession of 34% of a vacant lot owned by their neighbors, Don and Susie Kirlin, who have been paying taxes and homeowners fees on it for 25 years. Using the doctrine of adverse possession, the McLean's convinced a judge to award them the property, which McLean and Stevens have been using openly and continuously for at least the last 18 years. Based on what I just told you about adverse possession and the ruling in Boulder, what do you think about adverse possession?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - Voting & Safety: In the state of California, state law dictates that public schools be available for use as voting locations on electation day, but one California school principal--citing fears that his campus will be wide open on voting day and that that's not good for school safety--doesn't want his school to be used as a polling location. Do you think public schools should continue to be used as polling locations on election day?

Q2 - Executive Compensation: According to numerous news reports, Comcast will pay the beneficiary of co-founder Ralph J. Roberts an amount equal to his 2007 base salary for five years after his death, whenever that occurs. In other words, the publicly traded cable giant company has agreed in writing to pay Roberts for half a decade after he dies. What do you think about this? Should publicly owned and traded companies be allowed to engage in paying their executives after they die?

Q3 - Tripping: Will high gas prices and aggravation at the airport keep you from traveling as much in 2008 as you did in 2007, or will you be taking more trips this year than last?

Q4 - Appearance: Do you think human beings will look the same 500 years from now?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY- THE YEAR-END EDITION

Q1 - Bump That Chest: Looking back on the year that was 2007, what are you most proud of?

Q2 - Moving On : Which famous person's death in 2007 impacted you the most? (Need some help? Here's a short list of some of the famous people--and one horse--who died this year: Kurt Vonnegut, Barbaro, Anna Nicole Smith, Lamar Lundy, Kitty Carlisle Hart, Boris Yeltsin, Art Buchwald, Rev. Jerry Falwell, Robert Goulet, Beverly Sills, Lady Bird Johnson, Tammy Faye (Bakker) Messner, Tom Snyder, Bill Walsh, Luciano Pavoratti, Jane Wyman, Joey Bishop, Mr. Whipple, Brad Delp, Richard Jeni, Bowie Kuhn, James Faust, Eddie Robinson, Don Ho, Liz Clairborne, Joel Siegel, Ingmar Bergman, Merv Griffin, Norman Mailer, Leona Helmsley, Sean Taylor, Evil Knievel, Ike Turner, Marcel Marceau, and Benazir Bhutto.)

Q3 - Bring It!: Looking ahead--toward the year that is still to be (2008)--what are you most looking forward to?

Q4 - Now That's What I'm Talkin' Bout: What was your favorite Holiday / Christmas gift (from either this year or of all time)?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - Notification: Rose Tani, the 90-year-old mother of astronaut Daniel Tani, died this Wednesday in the Chicago suburb of Lombard. Police said Rose Tani stopped behind a school bus at a railroad crossing and then drove around the vehicle, bypassing the lowered crossing gate. A train struck the elder Tani's vehicle on the passenger side and pushed it down the tracks before stopping. Daniel Tani is believed to be the first American astronaut to lose a close family member while in space. If you were on a space mission, would you want to be notified of a death in your family, or would you prefer that you be notified once you returned to Earth?

Q2 - Memory: Can you remember what got for Christmas last year? Well, according to a new survey, half of British men cannot remember what was under their Christmas tree. A 2005 Canadian study was the first to systematically mark the onset of "childhood amnesia" in children rather than adults. The research shows that by our tenth birthday our early pre-school memories have receded into an inaccessible past. What is the earliest verifiable autobiographical memory you can commit to?

Q3 - Strip Clubs: Do you think strip clubs (the ones where the ladies dance for the men) debase women, men, or both?

Q4 - Hold It: This one's an oldie but goodie here on the For For Friday. Right now, from where you're sitting, locate a clock or watch and hold your breath for as long as possible. Okay, now tell the rest of us for how long you were able to hold your breath? (FYI: The last time I asked this question--on May 20, 2004--Kim and Sya held theirs for one (1) minute, Dave and AC went for 45 seconds, I lasted 28, and seven people chose not to even try.)

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - Two Birds with One Stone: What two daily, weekly, monthly, seasonal or annual chores would you like to combine into one chore (for instance, cooking dinner and taking out the garbage would be accomplished by just doing one or the other. Likewise, changing the baby's diapers and doing laundry OR showering and shaving--do one and the other happens without you even lifting a finger)?

Q2 - Squeamish: What is one thing that makes you absolutely squeamish?

Q3 - Effort: Juma Ikangaa, a world-class marathon runner from Tanzania, once said, "The will to win means nothing without the will to prepare." Do you agree?

Q4 - College: If you went to college, which turned out to be more beneficial to you today: the social experiences in which you participated or the academic training?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - Holy Crap!: What would you do if you saw someone who looked exactly like you? Would you approach them and attempt to have a conversation, snap a picture if you could get away with it, or just run like hell?

Q2 - Dreams: According to many sources, with a little training and discipline, it is entirely possible to control your dreams. Would you want to be able to control what you dream about when you are asleep, and if so, what are some of the things you think you'd choose to dream about?

Q3 - Pay Phones: After years of seeing its public pay-phone business migrate to cell phones, AT&T said earlier this week it will phase out its pay phones in 13 states by the end of 2008. While AT&T's decision doesn't mean the end of the pay phone--Verizon, one of the nation's largest pay phone providers says it is still committed to the pay phone business--public phones are becoming more difficult to find. When was the last time you used a public pay phone, and are you concerned that pay phones may eventually disappear altogether?

Q4 - Lingerie-clad Models: In Carmel, Indiana, some residents are demanding City Hall do something about the local Victoria's Secret window display. Parents are concerned that Victoria's Secret goes too far with its public-facing displays, and that local children are being made vulnerable to inappropriate images. Do you feel stores like Victoria's Secret should tone it down a bit, or is how they choose to entice shoppers into their store okay as is?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - Beam Me Up, Scotty: Do you think humans should actively attempt to colonize another planet, or would doing so right now simply be a waste of money?

Q2 - Absurdity: Which do you think is more absurd: That a 54-year-old school teacher in the Sudan was arrested earlier in the week and sentenced to 15 days in prison after she allowed her class of seven-year-olds to name a teddy bear "Mohammed" as part of a school project, or the fact that almost every single late night "talk" show--including The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel Live, and The Late Show with David Letterman--is on hiatus because of a "writers" strike?

Q3 - Spend It All, Now!: On this day in 2004, longtime Jeopardy! champion Ken Jennings finally lost after winning 222 consecutive rounds and netting for himself over $2.5 million in winnings. If you came into 10 times that amount of money ($25,000,000) and were given just 72 hours to spend every last dime, how would you spend it? (Caveat #1: You are limited to investing or trusting only 1% or $250,000. Caveat #2: You may only purchase one piece of real property and its cost may not exceed 4% of the total spend or $1,000,000.)

Q4 - Cars: What is the absolute worst experience you have ever had in an automobile?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY - THE "BETTER LATE IN THE DAY THAN NEVER" EDITION

Q1 - Luggage: You can't stand in an airport for more than a minute or two before hearing: "For security reasons, please do not leave your baggage unattended. Unattended baggage will be confiscated." Keeping that in mind, what would you do if, while waiting to board a plane, a complete stranger asked you to watch their luggage while they head off to the bathroom? If you're reaction to this question is to automatically say: "I wouldn't do it," would your answer be "Yes" if you were physically attracted to the person?

Q2 - Thanksgiving: How would you rate the amount of food you ate on Thanksgiving day -- same amount you eat during an average day, less than you normally eat, more than you normally eat, or a ridiculously large amount of food/you can't believe you ate the whole thing and actually wish you hadn't?

Q3 - Holiday Shopping: According to the National Retail Federation, the average U.S. citizen plans to spend an average of $816.69 on holiday-related shopping. The research also suggests we will spend an additional $106.67 on special "non-gift" purchases for ourselves. Do these numbers ring true for you... will you be spending nearly $925.00 this holiday season? If not, do you think you'll spend more or less?

Q4 - WAKE UP!: When you travel, do you use the hotel's wake-up call system or do you prefer to futz with the hotel's alarm clock or a clock of your own?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - Request: If you opened your email program and found two messages from a friend or co-worker -- one with this subject line: "Something You Should Know!!!", and the other with this subject line: "DO NOT OPEN PREVIOUS MESSAGE, EVER," would you open the first message?

Q2 - Gambling: Earlier this week, a professional tennis player was suspended for nine months and fined $60,000 by the Men's pro tennis tour for betting on tennis matches. Thirty-year-old Alessio Di Mauro, who is ranked 124th in the world rankings, was found to have bet on the matches of other professional players but not his own. Do you think professional athletes should be allowed to bet on sporting events like the rest of us--so long as they do not bet on their own games, matches or results--or should professional athletes never be allowed to bet on the outcome or statistics related to any college or professional sporting match?

Q3 - Secret Societies: If you were offered membership in a highly selective yet secret society--one whose members were rumored or shown to be significantly influential in government, banking, law, international affairs, the arts and entertainment, and more--would you accept?

Q4 - Adoption Records: Most states prohibit adoptees from obtaining birth certificates and other information from their court adoption files unless a judge approves their request. However, a recent study by a Boston-based adoption research institute says open records for adoption after the age of 18 does not result in decreased adoptions or fractured adoptive families. According to the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute, sealing adoption records "is a living symbol of the bad old days, when we hid unwed mothers, and stereotypes about them ruled the day." The Donaldson Institute advocates reshaping public policy to address what it sees as: 1). a basic civil right issue, and 2) a necessary step to provide access to important information about an individual's mental and physical health history. Others, like the National Council for Adoption, advocate a "mutual consent" policy rather than mandated open records. What rights if any do you feel should be extended to people of age when it comes to gaining access to their adoption records?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - Judged by a Supreme Being: If their objective were to judge us, what would the three worst places be for extraterrestrials to land in the U.S. and observe Americans?

Q2 - Changing it Up: After checking into a hotel, have you ever been so disappointed with your accommodations that you asked to be moved to another room? If so, what were the circumstances that led to the request?

Q3 - Wedding Bands: Do you have a system for when you do and do not wear your wedding band/ring? For instance, do you wear yours 24/7/365, remove at night or when participating in strenuous activities, etc.? If you are not married and you wear jewelry on a regular basis, what system do you employ?

Q4 - ???: What's your reaction to this?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

PLEASE READ THIS NOTE BEFORE PROCEEDING ANY FURTHER

This week's Four For Friday is a little different. As you may have noticed from my previous entry, Belicove.com is currently undergoing a server and content management system upgrade. Rather than risk this entry's comment link not working, this week--and for this week only--I kindly ask that you click over to my friend's Stu Lisonbee's, where this week's Four For Friday is posted with commenting enabled and open for your answers.

My apologies for the disruption. We should be back online and better than ever sometime next week.

Q1 - Big Oil, Big Spill: The U.S. Supreme Court agreed earlier this week to decide whether Exxon Mobil Corp. should pay $2.5 billion in punitive damages to fishermen and other victims in connection with the huge Exxon Valdez oil spill that ruined more than 1,200 miles of Alaskan coastline in 1989. Exxon's position on the matter is that a ship's owner should not be "vicariously" liable for the reckless behavior of a captain, and that punitive damages greater than $25 million are not justified because the spill resulted from an accident. Attorneys for the fishermen and other victims contend that Exxon bore responsibility for the accident because the company knowingly put a drunk in charge of an oil tanker. What do you think? Based on what you just read or know from the longstanding case, should Exxon Mobil be made to pay the $2.5 billion in punitive damages?

Q2 - Racism: Do you think you could be friends with a racist?

Q3 - Criminal Background Checks: Most cities and towns have their fair share of controversy, but Eagle Mountain, Utah, seems to be a magnet for suspicious characters. Back in the late 1990's, voters learned that a candidate for Mayor had previously been convicted of tax fraud and served time in a minimum-security prison. In 2003, the town's Mayor told his police and his wife that he had been forced to drive to California at gunpoint. After learning he lied about the incident, police charged the then Mayor with filing a false report to police. Last year, Eagle Mountain's Mayor was charged with seven felony counts of misuse of public funds. Now, someone whose Real Estate license was recently pulled by the State of Utah over allegations of Real Estate Fraud is running for Mayor, and a sitting councilwoman was recently charged with a second-degree felony for apparently accepting a $10,000 gift without reporting it to the city. Do you think candidates for public office should be compelled to submit to criminal background checks, with the results of such checks made publicly available; or is a candidate's previous criminal prosecutions and adjudications no one else's business?

Q4 - Food: Can you eat something with a texture that is visually unappealing. What about food that smells bad but taste good?

Click Here to answer this week's questions!

FOUR FOR FRIDAY - THE 'OTHER PEOPLE'S QUESTIONS' EDITION

Q1 - Jerry Chrisman Asks: What is one of your favorite words?

Q2 - Steve Lindhorst Asks: How do react when you are out in public and approached by someone carrying a clipboard asking for your signature on a petition or requesting that you participate in a survey?

Q3 - Jake Sabey Asks: I have a friend that I have never seen wear blue jeans, a friend who claims to never have tried Ketchup, and yet another friend who cannot help but say "Bless You" immediately upon hearing someone--anyone--sneeze. What do your friends or peers know you for?

Q4 - Katie Hanks Asks: Have you ever met anyone famous? If so who and where?

FOUR FOR FIRDAY

Q1 - I'm Telling!: In many parts of the U.S., drought conditions are so bad that homeowners are banned from watering their lawns. If you lived in a town that temporarily banned outside watering and you noticed a neighbor breaking the rule, would you go out of your way to report them to the local water authority? Would your answer change if the neighbor were someone you absolutely despise or consider a good friend?

Q2 - Now That's Funny!: An unlikely new candidate entered the Presidential race this week, adding his name to an already deep field of candidates: comedian Stephen Colbert. The host of Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report" announced this week that he would enter the primary in his home state of South Carolina. Seriously folks, would you vote for a comedian or another non-traditional candidate, (i.e., someone who is not either a successful business person, legislator, politician, or community leader) for President of the United States?

Q3 - Cafeteria Trays: When you eat at a self-serve or walk-up-and-order and carry-it-to-your-table-yourself style of restaurant, do you use your cafeteria-style tray while you eat or do you immediately remove your food from the tray and turn in all directions to see just how quickly you can get rid of the thing?

Q4 - Media Ownership: The head of the Federal Communications Commission has circulated a plan to relax decades-old media ownership rules, including repealing a rule that forbids a company to own both a newspaper and a television or radio station in the same city. Kevin Martin, chairman of the FCC, wants to repeal the rule in the next two months -- a plan that, if successful, would be a big victory for Samuel Zell, the Chicago investor who is seeking to complete a buyout of the Tribune Company, and Rupert Murdoch, who has lobbied against the rule for years so that he can continue controlling both The New York Post and a Fox television station in New York. Do you think media conglomerates like the ones Martin seeks to exist are okay, or, like church and state, should local newspapers and television and radio stations remain separate entities?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - Death and Taxes: When a successful business or corporation shows an interest in relocating to a new city, town or municipality, if the business in question employs a fair amount of people or generates a significant amount of business or prestige for the local area, city officials will often woo or entice the company by offering significant tax breaks. Similarly, when a successful company indicates that it may move its headquarters or manufacturing facilities to another locale, officials offer the same--tax abatements (a reduction of taxes or an exemption from taxes granted by a local government on a piece of real property for a specified length of time). They say there are two things in life that are certain: Death and Taxes. Do you think businesses should be granted tax breaks by local governments or should they have to pay their property taxes just like everyone else?

Q2 - Politics and Religion: After speaking to an evangelical church last Sunday in a traditionally conservative South Carolina town, U.S. Senator and Democratic Presidential hopeful Barack Obama said that Republicans no longer have a firm grip on religion in political discourse. "I think its important particularly for those of us in the Democratic Party to not cede values and faith to any one party," Obama told reporters outside the Redemption World Outreach Center where he attended church services. As everyone knows, separation of church and state is a political and legal doctrine that basically states that government and religious institutions are to be kept separate and independent of one another. Some would say that the two principles--secularity of government and freedom of religious exercise--are what make the United States the greatest place to live on Earth, while others would argue that secularity is our greatest downfall. What do you think? Should religion play a part in which candidate we elect as the next President of the United States?

Q3 - Home Ownership: Foreclosure filings across the United States nearly doubled last month (compared with those from September of 2006), as financially strapped homeowners already behind on mortgage payments defaulted on their loans or came closer to losing their homes to foreclosure. Without naming names, do you know anyone impacted by or who is facing foreclosure?

Q4 - X-Ray Vision: Earlier this week, at an airport in Phoenix, Arizona, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) launched a pilot program to test a new airline passenger screening system capable of spotting threats hidden underneath clothing. For now, passengers selected for 'secondary screening' can opt to forgo a typical pat-down and instead walk through a device that allows security screeners to view the person without their clothing getting in the way. (In other words, whoever is watching the security scanner gets to see you in the buff.) The TSA insists the machines cannot store images, but some privacy watchdogs are not buying it. Moreover, the TSA says that the people watching the scanner sit in a remote location and are not able to tell the actual identities of the thousands of bodies they'll be look at all day. How do you feel about this? If this screening process became a mandatory condition of boarding an airplane or entering a building, would your protest the process by simply refusing, or, is this just another reasonable measure to protect everyone from those who wish to cause us the greatest amount of harm?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - Stay or Go: Eduardo Gonzalez, a petty officer second class with the U.S. Navy, is about to be deployed to the Persian Gulf for a third time. Making his deployment a little more frustrating this time around is the fact his wife may not be around when he comes back. Gonzalez's wife, Mildred, came to the United States with her mother in 1989 when she was just 5 years old (they were granted political asylum because of their status as war refugees from Guatemala). Fast-forward 11 years to September 2000, when Mildred's mother applied for legalization and included her daughter (Mildred) in that application. Mildred's mother was finally granted legal status in July 2004, however, six weeks earlier, Eduardo and Mildred got married, canceling Mildred's ability to apply for legal status through her mother because she was no longer an unmarried daughter under the age of 21. You with me so far? (If not, read it again.) In June of this year, a judge granted Mildred a one-year extension to remain in the United States. If her legal status does not change by June 2008, she will have to leave the country or face deportation. And of course, all of this would happen while Eduardo is overseas serving in the U.S. Navy. Okay, with all this in mind, do you think Mildred Gonzalez should be allowed to stay in the United States simply because she is the wife of a U.S. soldier, or should she be treated like every other non-citizen who is deemed to be in this country illegally? Oh, by the way, Mildred and Eduardo have a young song, Eduardo Jr., who was born here in the United States.

Q2 - Prove It!: If you could disprove something that many people believe is true, what would you like to disprove?

Q3 - What Matters Most: When it comes to deciding which Presidential candidate you are going to support in 2008, which one of the following areas is most important to you when it comes to the candidates' stances on issues: National defense issues, such as the situation Iraq and terrorism; Domestic issues, such as education and health care; Moral issues, such as abortion and gay rights; Economic issues, such as taxes and trade; None of these issues; or, you're just not sure? (Note: f you are inclined to say more than one or all, then the question becomes... if you had to choose just ONE, which area would you say is MOST important to you personally?)

Q4 - Police Competitions: Reports of on-duty sheriffs deputies in Los Angeles County participating in "enforcement competitions" have watchdog groups in California crying foul. One recent competition -- Operation Any Booking -- challenged deputies to arrest as many people as possible within a specific 24-hour period. Other one-day competitions included "Operation Vehicle Impound," a contest aimed at seizing as many cars as possible, while another challenged deputies to see how many gang members and other suspected criminals could be stopped and questioned. How do you feel about these sorts of "competitions"? So long as the bad guys are rounded up and put into jail, no harm no foul; or, situations such as these encourage bad arrests, distort policing priorities, and encourage police to focus on trivial matters instead of more serious crimes?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - Next Tuesday: Instead of going to work next Tuesday, if you could spend the entire day doing something else--any one or two things that you absolutely love doing--what would you do?

Q2 - Telecommunications & Privacy: Earlier this week, San Jose, California-based Pudding Media announced the availability of a new service that allows anyone to place free telephone calls from the Web or a cell phone. However, as many "free" offers turn out to be, there is a catch. Pudding Media uses voice recognition software to monitor your calls, and when certain keywords are spoken, timely news, entertainment, and other offers are displayed on your computer or cell phone screen. For example, if you were talking with a friend about an upcoming movie, you may see links to trailers, reviews and show times for nearby theaters. A sports fan talking about her favorite team may see commentary and game statistics on a computer or handset screen. How likely are you to use this service? Does the ability to make free telephone calls entice you enough to open up your conversations to a computer generated voice recognition software program, or does privacy dictate that you would never use such a service?

Q3 - Architecture: Back in the late-1960s, construction began on a six-building structure at the Coronado Naval Amphibious Base near San Diego, California. Designed by a respected architect, the original blueprint consisted of two central buildings and a single L-shaped 3-story barracks. Eventually, the plan called for the L-shaped building to be repeated three times at 90-degree angles from the central buildings. That's right, the United States Navy constructed a series of buildings that when viewed from above, appears to look like a giant swastika--the official emblem of the Nazi party and the Third Reich. (Don't believe me on this one? Fair enough. Google the words "Coronado" and "swastika" and see for yourself. Trust me, I could not make this stuff up even if I tried.) Now, some 40 years later, after fielding requests from the Anti-Defamation League and at least one member of Congress, the Navy plans to spend nearly $600,000 for landscaping and architectural modifications to obscure the fact that the complex looks like a swastika when viewed from above. How do you feel about this? Is the $600,000 expenditure an appropriate use of taxpayer dollars or is this not an issue that deserves our time and money?

Q4 - Magna Carta: Later this year, Sothebyís auction house in New York will present for sale The Magna Carta, the royal document revered as the birth certificate of freedom. This iconic manuscript, dated 1297, is the original charter that enshrined the rights of man into English law, and inspired the passion for liberty that flowered in America in the 18th century and continues around the world today. Quite simply, The Magna Carta is widely considered to be the most famous single document in existence. According to Sotheby's, it is estimated to sell for between $20 and $30 million. How do you feel about items such as The Magna Carta being sold? Do you think historical documents of such significance should be banned from ever being bought and sold? If your knee jerk reaction is that there is nothing wrong with the practice, would you change your mind if oh, I don't know, it was the original version of the Declaration of Independence that was up for sale?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - Books and Movies: When a movie that is based on a book is about to be released--like "Into the Wild," which is scheduled to open nationwide in early-October--do you try to read the book first or do you believe in the separation of books and movies?

Q2 - Dancing: Do you feel comfortable dancing in public, like at weddings or holiday parties? If not, would you be willing to take lessons and then try dancing in public, or is the thought of dancing in public just so unappealing that lessons aren't even a possibility?

Q3 - I Want That: If you were able to own or have one thing that a friend, colleague, or neighbor has, what would it be?

Q4 - Public Funds: The senior pastor at an Indianapolis-based Baptist church is publicly objecting the placement of special sinks that would aid Muslims (at the Indianapolis airport) in preparing for prayer because he opposes what he calls "the fraternization with our open enemies during a time of war." The sinks, which are set to be installed near a parking lot where Muslim taxi drivers wait between runs, would aid Muslims in washing their feet in preparation for ritual prayers. Despite what the pastor thinks, do you feel it is appropriate to use taxpayer funds for the support of a single religion?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - What was I thinking?: What is your most regretted impulse purchase of all time?

Q2 - Staying ahead of the curve: DNA mapping has advanced to the point where it now offers strong clues as to the medical conditions you may develop later in life. Given your current age, would you want to know what the DNA map has in store for you? If you have young children, would you want to know what a DNA test reveals about their future health?

Q3 - Pricing: As a consumer, which item that you purchase and use on a regular basis--aside from gasoline--do you find to be the most ridiculously overpriced?

Q4 - Hourly wages: On this day in 1966, the U.S. federal government raised the minimum wage to $1.40 an hour. Today, the federal minimum wage is $5,85 an hour, with the state of Washington registering the highest minimum wage rate for any of the 50 states ($7.93 an hour). Do you think the current federal minimum wage is too low, just right, or too high? If you think it is too low or high, how much do you think it should it be?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - Lying: Are there any circumstances under which you can see yourself lying to law enforcement officials at either the local or national levels?

Q2 - Terrorism: Terrorist monitoring groups here in the U.S. say the al-Qaida terrorist network intends to release a new video recording of Osama bin Muhammad bin 'Awad bin Laden on or before next week's sixth anniversary of the September 11 attacks the Pentagon and World Trade Center. If in fact a recording of bin Laden were made available, would you take the time to watch it?

Q3 - Carded: A few years ago, the state of Maine's Legislature passed a law that requires store clerks to verify the identification of anyone who appears to be under the age of 27 when attempting to purchase tobacco or alcohol. Earlier this week, a 65-year-old woman who went into a Farmington, Maine supermarket to buy wine was turned away because she did not have any ID with her. When the woman asked if her elderly friend could buy the wine for her, she was told no because that would be considered "third-party" purchasing, which is illegal in Maine. If you were working the checkout line when the 65-year-old woman attempted to purchase a bottle of wine, would you have turned her away?

Q4 - Cars: If you could modify one thing about your current car (and no, junking it and starting over would not be an option), how would you make it be different?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - Underwear: Pull up your pants or else! That's the sentiment behind efforts in cities across the U.S. to ban droopy trousers that reveal men's boxer shorts, and baggy sweats that reveal a women's thong. In just the last seven days alone, city councils in Shreveport and Alexandria, Louisiana, and Atlanta, Georgia, have taken up measures in favor of banning fanny-flaunting pants. Do you think it's okay for cities and towns to legislate apparel?

Q2 - Compensation: Richard Jewell--the contract security guard who was falsely accused of planting a bomb at the 1996 Summer Olympics, and who despite never being charged with any crime underwent what was considered by many to be a "trial by media" that took a great toll on his personal and professional life--died earlier this week of what appear to be natural causes. Nearly 10 years after his ordeal, in April of 2005, Jewell was completely exonerated when Eric Rudolph pleaded guilty to carrying out the bombing attack at Centennial Olympic Park, as well as three other attacks across the southeast portion of the United States. Considering Jewell's situation, do you feel people who have falsely been accused of major crimes should be entitled to compensatory reparations, or is having to deal with such situations simply the cost we must pay in order to live in a society that affords us with so many freedoms?

Q3 - Make Room: What particular item of food, regardless of how stuffed you may be, can you always find room for?

Q4 - I Insist: Growing up, I had a neighbor who was rumored to wear a brand new dress shirt each and every time he went to work. Never would he wear the same dress shirt twice. What is one thing that you are absolutely particular about?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - Fighting: A recent poll found that U.S. citizens are now less likely to see the possibility for peace between the believers of Islam and Christianity. Of 1,029 people polled, 53 percent say conflict is inevitable between believers the two religions here in the United States. Regardless of your faith, would you engage in physical fighting on behalf of your religion/religious beliefs?

Q2 - Going: Would you use a public toilet that was entirely encased in one-way glass (it's completely impossible for anyone to see in from the outside, but when you're inside it's like sitting in a clear glass box)?

Q3 - Collecting: Jeremy Mehrle of O'Fallon, MO, recently made news for his pristine collection of Apple computers. The 30-year-old Mehrle has over 100 different models--all in excellent working condition--set up in his basement, and has no immediate plans to stop adding to his growing collection. For special events, like New Year's Eve, he plays videos on several monitors and sets up strobe effects on multiple machines, creating a rave-like atmosphere. If money was not a concern (meaning, you had enough to do it), what would you collect and how and where would you display your collection?

Q4 - Jobbing: If you could have had any job in the history of all mankind, what specific job would you have liked to have had?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - Back Seat Driver: When sitting in the back seat of a car, do you have a preference of which side--passenger or driver--you sit on? What if you were the only passenger sitting in the back... would you have a preference then? Related question: As the driver, do you have a preference of which side a lone back seat passenger sits?

Q2 - Lawsuits: A member of the Rutgers women's basketball team sued Don Imus and CBS on Tuesday, claiming the radio personality's sexist and racist comments about the team damaged her reputation. Kia Vaughn's lawsuit says Imus and his former co-host Bernard McGuirk, along with CBS Corp. and CBS Radio, are legally responsible for damage done to her character and reputation. Do you agree that Vaughn's character and reputation were damaged by Imus' remarks and that she has legitimate cause for action against the caustic radio host?

Q3 - Recall: Toy maker Mattel announced this week that they are voluntarily recalling millions of units of toys because of "impermissible use of lead paint and risks associated with small, high-powered magnets." Have you been affected by Mattel's recall? If not, when was the last time you were directly impacted by a mandatory or voluntary product recall?

Q4 - Impressions: If you could get away with it and do it extremely well, whose voice would you impersonate for an entire workday?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - Can We?: There's a lot of talk these days about ending worldwide hunger and homelessness within the next 10 years. Do you think this can or will happen?

Q2 - I Got It!: Barry Bonds hit his 756th career home run earlier this week, surpassing Hank Aaron and landing himself in the Major League baseball record books for hitting the most homeruns in the history of professional baseball here in the U.S. As for the ball itself, it wound up in the hands of 22-year-old college student Matt Murphy of Queens, N.Y. If you were Murphy, what would you have done / do with the ball... toss it back onto the field, give it to Bonds, sell it to the highest bidder, donate it to Major League baseball's Hall of Fame, keep it on your mantel, throw it away, or something else?

Q3 - Yummy: What is your favorite non-breakfast food to eat for breakfast?

Q4 ñ Missing Children: Nearly 800,000 children are reported missing each year in the U.S., and while most of them are found and returned to their loved ones, not all of them are. With this in mind, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) has developed a new tool for engaging the public in the search for missing children. The ìMissing Kid Saverî is a screensaver that displays important images and information about missing children (downloadable at http://www.missingkidsaver.com). Now that you know about it, how likely are you to install the NCMECís screen saver or your home or office computer?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - Fall: While the Autumnal Equinox is still over a full month away (Sunday, September 23, 2007), what are you most looking forward to about the change in seasons... cooler temperatures, college and pro football, only three months till Christmas, an impending trip, something else, or do you just not care for fall?

Q2 - Bringing it Home: What are some of the very first things you do when you arrive home after work? If you live with someone--roommates, spouse, children, parents, etc.--is there something you'd do different if you lived alone?

Q3 - Ouch!: Physically speaking, what is something you wish you could still do but cannot?

Q4 - Your Bestest Friend: What is your best friend's best quality?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - Safety: When it comes to your own personal safety, where do you feel the safest? In the comfort of your own home, in your office or work environment, while driving a car, when youíre out on a walk or hike close to home, when backpacking in the backcountry, when visiting a relative in their home, when out shopping, at the movie theatre, etc.?

Q2 - Tech Support: Does anyone know where my friend and co-worker Greg can get a TXTSetup.oem file for driver configuration of a Via Technologies SCSI controller and associated hard drive (which as I am told is all part of the Dell Optiplex GX270 system)?

Q3 - Shoelaces: How often do you change your shoelaces? Only when one of them breaks, when they're dirty, never? If you do replace one when it breaks, do you replace both at the same time or just the one that broke?

Q4 - Floral Arrangements: Who was the last person you either sent flowers to or received flowers from, and what was the occasion?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - God's Toys: Starting next month, more than 400 Wal-Mart stores will start stocking their shelves with faith-based toys. The toys will feature figures from biblical stories such as Samson, Goliath and Daniel. There is also a 12-inch-tall talking Jesus. The idea behind the line is to give children a faith alternative to action figures that have been so popular for many years. Would you buy these toys for your children?

Q2 - Bones: How do you feel about eating meat off of a bone, i.e., chicken wings, turkey drumstick, ribs, etc.? Does eating meat directly off a bone gross you out or are you down with the bone?

Q3 - Iraq: While U.S. Senators on Wednesday blocked a bid to force a vote on U.S. troop withdrawals from Iraq, a CBS News/New York Times poll finds 61 percent of Americans think Congress should not continue to fund the situation in Iraq unless a timetable for withdrawal is put in place. Twenty-eight percent say funding should be continued without a timetable, while eight percent think all funding for the conflict should be blocked, no matter what. What do you think?

Q4 - Take 'em Off: Do you wear your shoes in your own house? How do you feel when someone else asks you to take your shoes off before entering theirs?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY - THE FOREIGN EDITION

Q1 - Outsourcing: Just a few years ago, corporate outsourcing was all the rage (and by "rage" I mean "rage"... very few employees supported the trend of sending U.S. jobs--from customer service to computer programming--overseas). Has anything changed over the last five years. Is there still an inherent distaste for the practice or has outsourcing simply become a part of doing business? What do you think?

Q2 - Living in the Third-World: If you were told you would have to live in a third-world country for one year, what would you be most concerned about, e.g., food, sanitary conditions, missing your family, civil war, etc.? Related to this, what do you think would be best part of the experience?

Q3 - Foreign Affairs: Generally speaking, what do you think of the role the United States of America plays on a global scale? Is the U.S. doing an excellent, good, fair, poor, or unconscionable job when it comes to foreign affairs?

Q4 - Working Down Under: If your boss walked into your office on Monday morning and said that she/he wanted you to pick up and move your family to Australia to work in a new division, would you go? If you said no, would you change your mind if the offer included free airfare back to the U.S. for a personal visit twice per year, plus a significant raise in salary?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - Possession: Aside from your home and car, what is the most expensive thing you own?

Q2 - Race: On this day in 1975, Arthur Ashe became the first black man to win a Wimbledon singles title (in tennis) when he defeated Jimmy Connors. Do you think race still plays a role in professional sports or is race no longer an issue?

Q3 - Presidential Power: Earlier this week, in an unprecedented move, Present President Bush commuted the two-and-a-half-year prison sentence for Lewis "Scooter" Libby, the former chief of staff for Vice President Dick Cheney who was convicted of perjury and obstruction of justice in the Valerie Plame CIA leak. Bush's action marked the first time that a President had ever commuted a sentence before the convicted person ever served a day of their sentence. Do you think the President of the United States should continue to have the power to commute and pardon those convicted of a crime? As background, President Bill Clinton handed out 456 clemency actions--which include pardons, conditional pardons, commutations of sentence, remissions, etc.--including one for his own brother, who was arrested for cocaine possession; while his predecessor, President George Herbert Walker Bush issued 77 clemency actions. (President Reagan, in case you're wondering, handed out 406 over eight years, while President Carter distributed 566 during his four years in office.) Again, the question... Do you think the President of the United States should continue to have the power to commute and pardon anyone convicted of a crime?

Q4 -Annoyances: What's the most annoying part of your day (aside from answering Four For Friday :-)?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY - THE SPORTS EDITION

Editor's Note: My apologies for the delay in creating and posting this week's Four For Friday. I've been under the weather for most of the week, and today I chose to spend the day catching up on office work, not blogging. Carry on :-)

Q1 ñ Little League: Citing concerns that orthopedists have been seeing more and more aspiring little league baseball pitchers coming into their offices complaining of arm and shoulder pain, Little League International says it's time to give young arms a rest. These days, when you send a little league pitcher to the pitcher's mound, it's 75 pitches, no more. Good thinking or an overreaching (no pun intended) rule?

Q2 ñ Goiní Pro: If you could turn pro (right now) in any sport and compete with the best of the best in that sport, what sport would you choose?

Q3 ñ Fanís Rights: A Federal appeals recently court paved the way for pat-down searches to resume at Tampa Bay Buccaneers home football games, rejecting a fan's contention that they violate his constitutional protection against unreasonable searches. High school teacher Gordon Johnston successfully challenged the frisking of fans entering Raymond James Stadium in three lower courts, but a three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned those rulings, saying Johnston forfeited his right to challenge the constitutionality of the pat-downs when he consented to them. The court also said Johnston doesn't have a constitutional right to watch a football game, that he was aware of the search policy before entering the stadium, and that the football team can revoke game tickets for any reason. "Being a government teacher and knowing the Constitution," says Johnson, "I think it's the wrong decision." What do you think?

Q1 ñ Pay for Play: Do you think college athletes should be compensated above and beyond their scholarships to attend college?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY - THE EDUCATION EDITION

Q1 - Hands Off: Hugging is now a punishable offense at a Fairfax County, Virginia, school. School children at Kilmer Middle School in suburban Washington, DC, are now under a zero-tolerance touching policy. They're banned from poking, prodding, hugging, and even high-fiving one another. In your opinion, is this a good or bad thing?

Q2 - School Lunch: Did you bring a bag lunch to school or did you buy your lunch in the cafeteria? Did any of the schools you attended--excluding college or prep school--offer breakfast?

Q3 - Paying for Performance: Starting this fall, New York City students and their families could earn as much as $1,000 a year for doing well on standardized tests and showing up for class. As part of the City's new Opportunity NYC program (a conditional cash transfer program aimed at helping New Yorkers break the cycle of poverty), families can earn $25 or $50 per month for 95 percent school attendance for elementary, middle, and high school students; $25 for attending parent-teacher conferences; and $50 for obtaining a library card. An improvement in scores or proficiency on standardized tests at the elementary and middle school levels can earn a family from $300 or $350 per test; while at the high school level, a student can earn $600 for each passing grade on individual Regents exams. Incentives of $25 will be earned for both parental review of the test and discussion with teachers; high school students can earn $50 for taking the PSAT exam, and will share $600 with their parents for annually accumulating 11 credits, and a $400 bonus for graduating. Again, in your opinion, is this a good or bad thing? Should we be offering cash incentives for academic participation and performance?

Q4 - High School Reunions: Have you ever been to a high school reunion (yours or someone else's)? If so, what was it like? If not, is it because you refuse to go to one? If so, why?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - Music: A friend of mine has just over 1,500 songs on his computer that he listens to throughout the workday. Over time, he has become of tired of hearing the same music over and over again. His question is thisÖ how do you branch out and find new music that you'll like?

Q2 - Church: The Church of England believes its Manchester Cathedral is no place for a gun battle, much less a gory one that can be viewed in any living room. Sony's PlayStation 3 release "Resistance: Fall of Man" features a battle among British and American soldiers and aliens inside the cathedral. The Anglicans are demanding an apology and a contribution to the Church's antiviolence education campaign using the game's profits. Sony maintains that it will not alter the game. Do you think the Church is owed an apology and payout?

Q3 - Take it With You: There's an old saying that goes something like this: You can't take it with you when you die! If you had to choose three items to be buried with, what would you choose?

Q4 - Hotels: When you stay at a hotel, do you take the free toiletries home at the end of your stay?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - Customer Service: When was the last time you had to call a customer service department, and how would you rate the experience/service?

Q2 - Selling on eBay: If you were asked to sell one item that you currently own, what would you sell and how much do you think it would fetch on eBay?

Q3 - Take Your Medicine: When was the last time you took over-the-counter or prescription-strength medicine, and would you say it adequately alleviated or treated your symptoms or pain?

Q4 - Evolution: Do you think pigs will ever learn to fly?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - Pictures : How do you feel about having your picture taken without your permission? For instance, if you were in a public settingósay a park or restaurantóand you noticed a stranger taking your picture, would you say something?

Q2 - Conservation: Do you follow municipal requests to conserve water during dry periods?

Q3 - Birthdays: According to the latest figures I could find, there are approximately 6,717,024,080 people living on planet Earth today (give or take a few hundred thousand). [Taking into consideration that there are 365 days in a year] approximately 18 million people share your birthday (I know, statistically speaking, not the best way of calculating the frequency of birthdays, but you get the point). How many people do you know who share your birthday?

Q4 - Kevorkian Schmavorkian?: Jack Kevorkian will be released from jail today after serving more than eight years of a 10- to 25-year sentence in the assisted death of a Michigan man. The only U.S. state that allows physician-assisted suicide is Oregon, where the law allows only terminally ill and mentally competent adults who can self-administer medication to ask a physician to prescribe life-ending drugs. Do you think physician-assisted suicide should be allowed, or did Michigan get it right back in 1999 when they found Kevorkian guilty of second-degree homicide?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY - THE DEATH EDITION

Q1 - Remembrances: Given the choice, what would your headstone look like and what would it say?

Q2 - Your Call: What do you think would be the best and worst ways to die?

Q3 - Better off Dead or Alive: Jerry Falwell?

Q4 - Sphere of Influence: What dead person has influenced your life the most?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - Sleep: Where is the most unusual place youíve fallen asleep?

Q2 - Guns: Do you think blind people should be issued concealed weapons permits or be allowed to own guns?

Q3 - Driving: Taking into consideration errands and the drive to and from work, how many miles do you drive each weekday?

Q4 - Packing: When do you pack for a trip (the day of, the night before, or earlier)?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - Language: Does it bother you that more and more consumer goods contain packaging that is printed in both English and Spanish?

Q2 - Selective Service: Last weekend, the owner of a Louisville, Kentucky, restaurant said he didn't want OJ Simpson in his restaurant. "I said I'm not serving you," said Jeff Ruby, owner of Jeff Ruby's Steakhouse. "And then this blonde comes up to me, I guess it's his date, and says 'It' s a free country, he should be able to eat where he wants!' I said, 'Listen now, you're a blonde. You'd better be careful he doesn't slit your throat.'" What's your take on this? Should the owner of a restaurant be allowed to selectively choose whom he does and does not serve or should everyone be served so long as they are not breaking any laws or reasonable house rules?

Q3 - Standby: Have you ever flown standby? If so, was it a good experience and would you do it again? If you said you'd never fly standby again, would you change your mind if the ticket you were flying on was free?

Q4 - Problems: What do you think is the most important problem facing the United States today? The economy in general, fuel/oil prices, unemployment, federal budget deficit/federal debt, taxes, wage issues, high cost of living/inflation, the gap between rich and poor, foreign trade/trade deficit, corporate corruption, the situation in Iraq, immigration/illegal aliens, terrorism, environment/pollution, crime/violence, drugs, the media, race relations/racism, care for the elderly, or something else entirely?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY--THE SUMMER EDITION

Q1 - Summer Movies: Which movies are you most looking forward to seeing this summer... Lucky You, Spider-Man 3, 28 Weeks Later, Shrek the Third, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, Day Watch, Mr. Brooks, Knocked Up, Ocean's Thirteen, Surf's Up, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, Evan Almighty, A Mighty Heart, Live Free or Die Hard, Evening, Ratatouille, Sicko, Transformers, Rescue Dawn, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, 1408, I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, Hairspray, Goya's Ghosts, The Simpsons Movie, The Bourne Ultimatum, Becoming Jane, Rush Hour 3, Stardust, The Invasion, Good Luck Chuck, or Halloween 9?

Q2 - Summer Vacation: Are you planning to take a summer vacation? If so, where you are going? If not, where would you go if you were taking a summer vacation?

Q3 - Summer Jobs: Growing up, did you ever have a summer job? If so, what were the best and worst summer jobs you had?

Q4 - Summer Travel: Last week, the Denver Post published an article tallying a host of problems that might only worsen by the higher number of airplane travelers this summer, including that the nation's outdated air traffic control system might be overwhelmed; pilots may refuse to work overtime which may cause more cancellations; and, with most flights flying at or near capacity, there might be no open seats on other flights should yours be canceled or delayed. At the same time, some airlines have said that starting this summer they will charge between $15 and $25 extra to air travelers who wish to request aisle or exit-row seats. Are the airlines nickel and dimming you to death or is it about time we started paying extra for better meals and specific seats in coach?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - Life: Earlier this week, European astronomers announced that they had discovered the first potentially habitable Earth-like planet outside of our solar system, where they say conditions are so ideal that oceans, and thus life, may be possible. Do you believe intelligent life currently exists on other planets?

Q2 - Clothes: A co-worker came to work today sporting a new short-sleeved shirt from The North Face. This got me thinking... did he plan to wear that shirt today or was it a choice he made just this morning. Hmmm. Do you know before you go to sleep what you'll be wearing to work the next day, or do you choose your wears on-the-fly the morning of?

Q3 ñ Music: Do you listen to music at work, and if so, do you use an iPod (or similar device), play them through your office computer, or do you just listen to them via a separate radio you keep nearby?

Q4 - Wall Street: The Dow Jones industrial average rose on Thursday as a fresh wave of better-than-expected profits from publicly-held companies propelled the index to its second straight close above 13,000 points (a new record for the blue-chip indicator). Two questions here: 1. Do you even know what that means (that the index hit 13,000 points), and 2. Do you care?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - Your Life: If life were an audition for a movie, what part would you say you were auditioning for, and what part do you think you'd be offered?

Q2 - Food: What is your favorite sandwich?

Q3 - Law: European Union nations agreed yesterday on new laws they say will combat racism and hate crimes across the 27-nation bloc, including setting jail sentences of up to three years for anyone who denies or trivializes the Holocaust. What do you think about that?

Q4 - Dress Code: If you just started working in an office that had a "business casual" dress code, and to the best of your knowledge no one had ever asked the boss (who has an open door policy) if it would be okay to dress down on Friday, would you bring it up or not touch it with a 10-foot pole?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - Child Support: If a parent who is responsible for paying court-ordered child support fails to pay his or her due, do you think that the parent in question should be prohibited from seeing their child?

Q2 - Company Policy: Motivated by the fear of harassment claims, many companies now prohibit men and women from meeting one-on-one inside of offices or conference rooms that do not have a window to an outside hallway or area where others can see into the room. What do you think about that? Good move because it protects everyone involved, or an unwarranted overreaction driven by nothing more than overreaching morals and fear?

Q3 - Annoyances: Which bothers you more: a slow Internet connection or a dropped cell phone call?

Q4 - Travel: Butch Cassidy, the last of the great western train-robbers, was born 141 years ago today. If time weren't an issue, how would you choose to travel from one coast to another: by train, air, auto, RV, motorcycle, bicycle, horseback, or thumb?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - Motivation: Professionally speaking, what motivates you? Is it money, the ability to contribute to the decision-making process, a job well done, perks like a break room stocked with yummy foods and soft drinks, engaging and solving problems with co-workers, or something else?

Q2 - Foreign Affairs: Earlier this week, the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, along with a small Congressional delegation, toured the Middle East, which included a stop in Syria for a face-to-face meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Vice President Dick Cheney, speaking on Thursday with radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh, said Pelosi exhibited "bad behavior" by meeting with the Syrian President, while other critics of the Speaker charge her with undermining Presidential power, freelancing Middle East diplomacy, appeasing a terrorist regime, and even surrendering to Islamist radicalism by donning a head scarf. Even if this is the first you're hearing of Pelosi's visit, do you think the criticism she is receiving is fair? Should the Speaker of the House's role be limited to domestic affairs, or as the Speaker of the House (a body which represents all U.S. Citizens), is it appropriate for her to meet with Foreign dignitaries one-on-one, outside of the White House's oversight?

Q3 - Pets and Recalls: Three weeks after a massive pet food recall began, there's appears to be no end in sight. Pet food processor Menu Foods has expanded its recall to include more varieties of food, while another manufacturer--Sunshine Mills--just issued a recall for more than 20 dog biscuit brands sold by Wal-Mart. As the recall expands, the Food and Drug Administration is reportedly struggling to deal with a growing number of consumer complaints, along with calls to investigate pet food on a national scale. Do you own any pets, and if so, how has your care or feeding of them changed since the recall began?

Q4 - Names: According to the Associated Press, Michael and Karolina Tomaro are locked in a court battle with Swedish authorities, which rejected their application to name their six-month-old child after the legendary rock band Metallica. Although the baby has already been baptized as "Metallica," the Swedish National Tax Board refused to register the name, saying it was associated with both the rock group and the word "metal," and was therefore deemed inappropriate. What are your thoughts on the matter? Should parents be allowed to name a child whatever they choose, or are some name so absurd and inappropriate that government should stand in the way?

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - Education: Across the nation, state legislatures and local school boards are hearing from parents, educators and experts about school vouchers programs--initiatives that give parents vouchers that can be used for paying for the education of their children at a school of their choice rather than at the public school. What's your opinion on school vouchers? Good for kids or bad for communities?

Q2 - Health and Politics: When Presidential hopeful John Edwards and his wife Elizabeth Edwards announced last week that her breast cancer had returned and spread to her bones, and that his presidential campaign would continue, they sparked a national discussion about the choices involved. If you were in Mr. Edwards' shoes, would you continue your run for the White House?

Q3 - Auras: Many people claim to be able to see auras--a subtle field of luminous multicolored radiation surrounding a person or object as a cocoon or halo. Do you think people can really see auras, or as with all paranormal phenomena, seeing auras is just a bunch of phooey?

Q4 - Video: Do you have a webcam? If so, how often do you use it? If not, do you think you're likely to get one sometime before the end of this year?