Is free stuff on the Net really free?

Read the firsthand accounts of those who clicked when their screens popped up offers for free iPods, laptops, trips, tickets and software. Here's what they really got and what they learned.

You've seen the Internet ads: Click here to get your free laptop computer, iPod, trip to Bermuda . . .

Ever wondered what would happen if you tried to claim the freebie?

Generally, you'd end up earning the reward by answering surveys, completing product offers or referring friends.

To find out if the process proved worth the effort, we polled our newsletter readers for a week and asked about their experience with answering ads for free merchandise. Most responded that the freebie turned out to be anything but free.

Here is a sampling of the letters we received.

The free iPod that cost me

"I responded to a free iPod ad. After several requests to sign up for various services, I realized that the free iPod was not free at all. The killing part is, I actually did commit to a few services and have been billed for them, but because I got caught in a loop of pop-up windows and surveys, I became frustrated and did not follow through to get the free iPod.

"I keep saying that I am going contact someone about it, but being the procrastinator that I am, I just haven't gotten around to it yet." – Rhonda

Free cell phone! What free cell phone?

"Free stuff, what a joke.

"After going through 11 questionnaires and saying no to all, you finally get to the last, and they say you must at least pick two items in order to be able to get whatever they are giving away.

"For instance, I answered a free cell phone ad and went through 11-12 questionnaires and at first it says no obligation to buy anything, but when I got to the last I must at least try magazines for 30 days and they're hoping I will forget to cancel before the 30 days. And the kicker was once I agreed to the free trial of magazines, they never ever mentioned the free cell phone again, and I will be watching and waiting to see what they do to my credit card and if I get the phone, and then that's when I will sue the company for 100 times the amount of the phone and the magazines.

"By the way, once you give one company your credit card number you get charged $1 to $4.95 on your card, for other items I never heard of before and have to take the time to call them and get them to remove it.

"There should be a law against this thing." – Bob

Free spam! Act now!

"Yes, they are all scams. There is always a 'short' questionnaire. You always have to answer many, many questions if you want this or that. You always have to give your e-mail address and other information. You always have to check 'yes' for at least one in order to qualify and continue. If you ever get to the end after 45 minutes or so -- yeah, short -- you end up having to buy or sign up for something or your name is put into a lottery for a chance to win. I, in my stupidity, have done this several times. Always thinking maybe this one is legit. Not! I have never gotten the free product or the free gift card, groceries, movie tickets, etc. Then your e-mail is bombarded with hundreds of advertisements that you can never seem to stop unless you change your e-mail address. What a deal. Moral of this story is: Nothing is free." – Jean

"I filled out the questionnaire online for a $50 gift certificate for dinner at a well-known restaurant chain. They ask for your name and the rest of your personal information and e-mail address. Then the questionnaire opens up a new page and asks you if you would be interested in e-mails for specials on items that you could use in your life. You fill that page out then here comes another page with more questions. After about five pages I gave up. It just wouldn't quit. It was like a stupid carrot that they had hanging out there that you could never reach. I turned my computer off and said, 'Forget that!' After that I didn't check my e-mail for about a week and when I did I had over 200 spam messages, even sex ones. I never did get a dinner certificate. I had to close that e-mail account because the spam garbage would not quit. Moral of the story: There is no free lunch on the Internet." -- Sascha

"I have responded twice to freebie ads, using an alternative e-mail address and within 24 hours received hundreds of spam e-mails -- and no free anything. My perception is the purpose is to get folks to reply and then have access to their e-mail addresses." – Bea

"After I gave my e-mail address and answered all the questions, I was informed that I had to order (buy) one item from several areas in order to receive the freebie. I canceled the 'adventure' and have been inundated with junk mail ever since. Never again. Big scam for addresses to sell, etc." – Anita

Complete the never-ending survey

"I tried to win a few of those free products, but I am convinced they are the biggest fraud out there. For example, I spent three hours filling out questionnaires only to find out they never end, and the couple of times I got to the end they wanted me to buy something and you know what that means: They are asking for your credit card information.

"They are scam artists." – Randy

Free (with shipping and handling)

"I purchased some software from a company that advertises if you pay for shipping you get four software titles for free.

"A few weeks later I got a $49 charge on my account. I looked up the company on the Web and none of the links I found went to the company. I tried the phone number that showed up on my statement and they simply tell you they are not available and to try back later before they hang up on you. So dissatisfied, I searched the Internet a little more only to find I wasn't the only one to be scammed. Turns out that they never tell you that you are signing up for a subscription but send you software and you have a short time frame to return it or be charged. Total scam." – Kendal

Free (with Social Security and credit card numbers)

"I was scammed. The 'free' gift required my participation in at least six 'promotions,' each of which required signing up for a trial membership and/or paying shipping and handling fees for the information. Plus I was asked to provide credit card and Social Security numbers -- too much sensitive, private and personal information.

"The 'free' gift was never realized, and I felt scammed." – Edward

Free (with purchase)

"Yes, I've answered ads for 'free' products. Please note the quote marks -- they're intentional. Many of the Internet freebies have extremely long forms to fill out, complete with a host of ads you need to reply 'not interested' to or else you'll receive hundreds of solicitations from various companies.

"The 'gift certificates' offered for sometimes hundreds of dollars almost always involve purchasing something, somewhere along the line or becoming a trial member of something. At which point you need to pay for your subscription or membership upfront, with the caveat it's 'fully refundable' within strict parameters. As the saying goes, there's no such thing as a free lunch!

"I do have to say that once I responded to an ad promising a free, expensive pet product in exchange for a 15-question survey. I was pleasantly surprised in its briefness and the fact that the product arrived in less than two weeks and was truly what had been offered -- an item worth about $100 retail! That was the one and only time I can say I was satisfied, and beyond what I expected!" -- Linda
 

1. "It's more about the sizzle than the steak."

Business is good for the restaurant industry. Americans now spend roughly half their food budget dining out, and restaurants expect revenue of more than $537 billion in 2007. That's a 67% increase since 1997.

But it's not just our collective avoidance of the kitchen that's pumping profits: Restaurants work every angle these days, using marketing psychology to get you to spend more.

At legendary Aureole Las Vegas, spandex-clad "wine angels" retrieve bottles from a 42-foot-tall spirits tower. The thinking behind the spectacle: "Anything that gets patrons' attention will get them to spend," says restaurant designer Mark Stech-Novak.

Fast-food outlets use a high-stimulus environment to maximize the source of their profit: "It encourages faster turnover," says Stephani Robson, a senior lecturer at the Cornell School of Hotel Administration. "Specifically, the use of bright light, bright colors, upbeat music and seating that does not encourage lolling."

Even menus are rigged. "We list the item that makes the most profit first so it catches your eye," says restaurant consultant Linda Lipsky, "and bury the highest-cost item in the middle."

2. "Eating here could make you sick."

The 2006 E. coli outbreak that started at a New Jersey Taco Bell and sickened more than 60 people was traced to green onions. But food-borne illness isn't the only cause for concern: In a separate December incident, 373 people in Indianapolis got sick after eating at an Olive Garden where three employees tested positive for the highly contagious norovirus.

"You don't call out (sick) unless you're on your deathbed," says freelance chef Leah Grossman. Indeed, according to a recent study, 58% of salaried New York City restaurant workers reported going to work when sick; the number is even higher for those without benefits.

"A lot of poor, transient people work in restaurants," says Peter Francis, a co-author of industry exposé "How to Burn Down the House." "They're not giving up the $100 they'd make in a shift because they're sick."

How can you protect yourself? Check inspection results, which are often posted online by local departments of public health. Or just visit the restroom; it "tells you everything you need to know about a restaurant," Francis says.

3. "Our markups are ridiculous."

It's no secret that restaurants enjoy huge markups on certain items: Coffee, tea and sodas, for example, typically cost restaurants 15 to 20 cents per serving, and pasta, which costs pennies, can be dressed up with more expensive fare and sold for $25 a dish or more. At a fine-dining restaurant, the average cost of food is 38% to 42% of the menu price, says Kevin Moll, the CEO and president of National Food Service Advisors. In other words, most restaurants are making roughly 60% on anything they serve.

It's not all gravy though. Restaurants keep only 4 cents of every dollar spent by a customer, says Hudson Riehle, the vice president of research and information services at the National Restaurant Association. The remainder of the money, he says, is divided among food and beverage purchases, payroll, occupancy and other overhead costs.

Given the slim profit margin, many restaurants rely on savvy pricing to create the illusion of value. Putting a chicken dish on the menu for $21 will make a $15 pasta dish, where the restaurant is making a big profit, seem like a bargain, says Gregg Rapp, the owner of consulting firm MenuTechnologies.net.

4. "Big Brother is watching you . . . eat."

No one likes having their every move scrutinized, but that may be just what's happening at your favorite restaurant. Cameras are popping up everywhere, from four-star eateries to the place where you grab your lunchtime sandwich.

At historic Randy's Steakhouse in Frisco, Texas, where checks average $45 to $50, co-owner Don Burks has installed 12 cameras around the premises. Of those, two pick up activity in the dining rooms, and two are aimed at the bar.

"We've had customers stand on chairs to try to take out a camera," Burks says. "But the cameras aren't even pointed at them; they're pointed at the wine rack." Their primary purpose: deterring employee theft.

At some restaurants, however, the cameras are indeed trained on the tables. At New York City's four-star Daniel, for example, four closed-circuit cameras monitor the dining rooms, offering a bird's-eye view of every plate.

"It's about maintaining a quality of service," says Daniel spokeswoman Georgette Farkas. "With the cameras, the chef can tell when each course needs to be plated and served." So much for that romantic dinner for two.

5. "There's something fishy about our seafood."

Even when you pay top dollar for a seafood dish, you might not get what you're expecting. About 70% of the time, for example, those Maryland crab cakes on the menu weren't made using crabs from Chesapeake Bay, says James Anderson, the chairman of the Department of Environmental and Natural Resource Economics at the University of Rhode Island. Because of high demand, crabs are often from other Eastern states or imported from Thailand and Vietnam. (Look closely at the menu: "Maryland-style" crab is the giveaway.)

There's also the problem of outright substitution -- inexpensive fish, such as pollack, getting passed off as something pricier, like cod. How widespread is the problem? In 2006 the Daytona Beach (Fla.) News-Journal sent fish samples to a lab to prove that four out of 10 local restaurants were pawning a cheaper fish as grouper. The same lab also checked seafood from 24 U.S. cities and found that, overall, consumers have less than a 50-50 shot at being served the fish they ordered.

What can you do? Ask where the fish comes from. "If they're not sure if the fish is from Alaska or Asia, I order the beef," Anderson says.

6. "Reservation? What reservation?"

When Timothy Dillon, 34, showed up at new Chicago trattoria Terragusto for his friend's birthday, he wasn't expecting a wait. He'd made a reservation for four, then called the day of to confirm and add one more. The restaurant told him no problem, but when the party showed up, they were met with a long wait.

"After almost an hour of standing by the bar being ignored, we ended up leaving for another restaurant," Dillon says. Terragusto says it was its first week open: "We were probably working out a lot of glitches," a spokesperson says.

As Dillon discovered, a reservation isn't a guarantee. "Overbooking is almost a necessary evil," says John Fischer, associate professor of table service at the Culinary Institute of America. Restaurants calculate their average no-show percentage for any given night, then overbook the restaurant by that much, hoping it will come out even.

How to avoid Dillon's fate? It's considered poor taste to offer a tip before you're seated, Fischer says, so if it's your first time, inquire politely after 15 minutes. But go ahead and slip the manager or maître d' $10 or $20 on the way out; it should ensure you're seated promptly next time.

7. "Our specials are anything but."

"I'm very careful about ordering my food," says Rick Manson, the owner of Chef Rick's restaurant in Santa Maria, Calif. If he orders oysters, Manson says, he'll offer multiple dishes on the menu that use oysters, "to make sure I use every one of them." Nonetheless, countless variables can leave surplus ingredients at the end of the day -- which often become tomorrow's special.

"It could be the chef legitimately wants to try out something new," says Stephen Zagor, the founder of consulting firm Hospitality & Culinary Resources. "But it could also be something nearing the end of its shelf life that needs to get out of the kitchen."

How can you tell a good special from a bad one? Watch out for "an expensive item used in a way that's minimizing its flavor," Zagor says, such as a lamb chop that's been cut, braised and put into a dish where it's a supporting player.

Pastas, stews and soups containing expensive meats are also suspect. "There's an old saying in the restaurant industry," says David A. Holmes, the vice president and director of Out East Restaurant Consultants. "'Sauce and gravy cover up a lot of mistakes.'"

8. "There's no such thing as too much butter."

Think that salmon fillet you ordered for dinner is good for you? Think again. Restaurants load even their healthiest fare with butter and other calorie-heavy add-ons. Restaurant meals average 1,000 to 1,500 calories, says Milton Stokes, a registered dietitian and spokesman for the American Dietetic Association. That's roughly two-thirds of the daily average calories recommended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. And according to a recent study, women who eat out five times a week consume an average of 290 additional calories per day.

Though most Americans assume that fast food is the worst offender, similar fare at casual sit-down restaurants can be even more caloric. The classic burger at Ruby Tuesday, for example, has a whopping 1,013 calories and 71 grams of fat. The McDonald's Big Mac, with its 540 calories and 29 grams of fat, seems downright diet-worthy by comparison.

"We butter our hamburger buns," says Julie Reid, the vice president of culinary for Ruby Tuesday, "so we tell people if they're looking to cut calories, they shouldn't eat the bun." If that sounds less than appetizing, try splitting an entrée with someone, or order an appetizer instead of a main dish.

9. "Nice tip -- too bad your waiter won't get it."Just because you tip your waitress 10 bucks, it doesn't mean she's going home with that money. More than likely, she'll have to pass on some of it to the people who helped her serve you: The bartender might get $2, and the busboy $3 to $5. It's called a tip pool, and it's becoming standard practice in many restaurants. "It happens often that if someone leaves a voluntary tip (for their server), a significant portion of that money is going to other people," Zagor says.

According to federal law, only employees who customarily receive tips -- wait staff, hosts, bartenders and bussers -- can participate in the tip pool. But sometimes management takes a cut. In 2006, waitstaff from the Hilltop Steak House in Saugus, Mass., won $2.5 million in damages after complaining that managers dipped into their tips.

Mandatory gratuities are also divvied up. At high-end restaurants such as New York City's Per Se and Napa Valley's French Laundry, both owned by chef Thomas Keller, the practice is called service compris.

"The 20% service charge is clearly stated on the menu, and it's equally divided among the staff," says a spokesperson for both restaurants. Though the tip pool is designed to foster a team environment among staff, for customers it means something else entirely: that your gratuity isn't specifically rewarding the waiter or sommelier who provided you with exemplary service.

10. "Never go out to eat on a Monday."

If you think that Monday, when restaurants tend not to be crowded, is a great time to eat out, think again. "You're being served all of the weekend's leftovers," says Francis, the exposé co-author. Kitchens prepare food on a first-in, first-out basis, meaning whatever is oldest gets served first. It's a way to ensure that everything on the menu is as fresh as possible.

The system works great most days, but it can run into a little glitch over the weekend. Distributors typically take Sunday off and make their last deliveries Saturday morning, which means that by Monday any food not used over the weekend is at least three to four days old. And it will be served before the same ingredients arriving in Monday's delivery.

What to do if you wish to dine out on a Monday? Ignore your instincts and go to a place that's perpetually crowded. "If you are open 24/7 and busy all the time," says New York chef Lucia Calvete, "all your ingredients are fresh all the time."

CDC aiming for better flu vaccine next year

It's time to write up the recipe for next year's flu vaccine — and the nation's influenza experts are aiming for better protection than this year's shot wound up offering.

The flu vaccine must be reformulated every year to keep up with the fast-evolving influenza virus, and this year the government made a rare wrong bet on which strains would cause the most disease.

The flu season got off to a slow start, but it rocketed in mid-January because of some new strains that are sickening even people who got vaccinated. It seems the vaccine is a good match for only about 40 percent of the virus now spreading in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

On Thursday, the Food and Drug Administration brought together flu specialists for the annual rite of predicting what strains are most likely to strike next winter.

Targeting new strains

On the agenda: A complete overhaul, brewing next year's vaccine to protect against three strains not in this year's inoculation but that are circulating the globe now. They include a strain called Brisbane/10 that's responsible for much of the current U.S. misery — one first spotted in Australia late last February, too late for scientists to include in this year's vaccine recipe even if they had predicted it would gain steam.

"We didn't have enough information to know that this was going to be a serious player," said CDC flu director Dr. Nancy Cox. In fact, "we thought we were going to have a pretty mild season until a few weeks ago."

What virus strains to include in the vaccine is a decision made months in advance to give manufacturers time to brew more than 100 million doses before the next fall, a time crunch that makes keeping a step ahead of influenza difficult.

"Influenza viruses are changing all the time. We're trying to have a window which allows us enough time to manufacture a vaccine. We can't just turn on a dime," said Dr. Norman Baylor, FDA's chief of vaccine review.

Still, the nation has a pretty good track record: 16 of the last 19 flu seasons had well-matched vaccines.

The last time the vaccine didn't provide enough protection was in the 2003-04 season, when the Fujian flu emerged in Asia too late to be included in the vaccine formula. Even then, when researchers analyzed who got sick, the less-than-perfect vaccine worked about 52 percent of the time for healthy adults. Usually, it's about 70 percent to 90 percent effective.

Indeed, the CDC says it's still a good idea for the vulnerable to get vaccinated this year. Because Brisbane/10 is a relative of a strain in the vaccine, the shot should offer some protection, perhaps meaning a milder case, Cox said.

Not a good match

Flu viruses come in different strains that constantly mutate, until one that few people have immunity against emerges and is able to spread widely. Each year's vaccine contains protection against two varieties of the harsher Type A flu — subtypes known as H1N1 and H3N2 — and one from the more benign Type B family.

This year, two vaccine components turned out not to be a good match. That troublesome Brisbane/10 strain is different enough from the vaccine's H3N2 version, named Wisconsin, that it now accounts for most of the nation's laboratory-confirmed flu. A different Type B strain is causing illness, too.

It's too early to tell if this winter's flu will be more deadly than usual. Every year the flu infects up to 20 percent of the population, hospitalizes 200,000 people and kills 36,000.

Last week, the World Health Organization made its own recommendation for the recipe for the Northern Hemisphere's flu vaccine for next year, three strains that weren't in this year's shot: H3N2/Brisbane/10; another new Type A strain called H1N1/Brisbane/59; and Type B/Florida.

The U.S. always follows the health organization's lead.

But Thursday's meeting allows the FDA's scientific advisers to scrutinize the data before the U.S. officially accepts that recipe and manufacturers start the laborious process of growing virus in chicken eggs to brew into vaccine. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23273597/

Adhesive Tape, Chewing Gum, Rubber Cement - Harden surface with ice; scrape with a dull knife. Saturate with a prewash stain remover or cleaning fluid. Rinse, then wash with Country Save Laundry Detergent.

Baby Formula - Pretreat or soak stain using a product containing enzymes; soak for at least 30 minutes or several hours for aged stains. Launder with Country Save Laundry Detergent.

Beverages (coffee, tea, soft drinks, wine, alcoholic drinks) - Soak stain in cool water. Pretreat with prewash stain remover or a paste of Country Save Laundry Detergent powder and water. Launder with Country Save Non-Chlorine Bleach. Note: Older stains might respond to treatment with an enzyme product, then wash with Country Save Laundry Detergent.

Blood - Soak freshly stained garment in cold water for 30 minutes. Rub detergent into any remaining stain. Rinse, then launder with Country Save Laundry Detergent. Dried stains should be pretreated or soaked in tepid water with a product containing enzymes, then laundered. Note: If stain remains, rewash, using a bleach that is safe for that fabric.

Candle Wax - Harden with ice, then remove surface wax with a dull knife. Place wax stain between clean paper towels and press with a warm iron. Replace paper towels regularly to absorb more wax and to prevent transferring the stain. Place stain face down on clean paper towels. Sponge remaining stain with a prewash stain remover or dry-cleaning fluid; blot with paper towels. Let dry, then wash with Country Save Laundry Detergent. Note: If any color remains, relaunder with a bleach that is safe for that fabric such as Country Save Non-Chlorine Bleach.

Catsup/Tomato Sauce - Rinse in cold water, then soak in cool water with 1/4 cup Country Save Laundry Detergent per gallon of water. Spray with a prewash product; launder with a bleach that is safe for that fabric such as Country Save Non-Chlorine Bleach.

Chocolate - Treat the stain with a prewash spray or pretreat with a product containing enzymes. If stain remains, relaunder with bleach that is safe for that fabric such as Country Save Non-Chlorine Bleach.

Collar/Cuff Soils - Rub area with a stain stick product and let remain for 30 minutes, or longer for heavy stains; launder with Country Save Laundry Detergent.

Coffee, Tea (plain or with sugar/sweetener) - Flush stain immediately with cool water if possible; or soak for 30 minutes in cool water. Rub the stain with Country Save Laundry Detergent and launder with bleach that is safe for that fabric such as Country Save Non-Chlorine Bleach.

Coffee, Tea (with cream only) - Sponge stain with a dry-cleaning solvent. Air dry. Rub with Country Save Laundry Detergent, then launder in hottest water safe for that fabric (with bleach that is safe for that fabric). Pretreat or soak older stains with an enzyme product, then launder with Country Save Laundry Detergent.

Cosmetics - Pretreat with stain stick, prewash stain remover or a paste of Country Save Laundry Detergent or laundry additive and water, or rub with bar soap. Work into dampened stain until outline of stain is gone; rinse. If greasy stain remains, soak in an enzyme product. Rinse and launder with Country Save Laundry Detergent.

Crayon (few spots) - Treat the same as for candle wax, or rub dampened stain with bar soap. Launder with hottest water safe for that fabric. Washer load of clothes can be washed in hot water, using a laundry soap (not detergent) plus 1 cup baking soda. If colored stain remains, launder again, using chlorine bleach, if safe for the fabrics. Otherwise, pretreat or soak in a product containing enzyme or Country Save Non-Chlorine Bleach using hottest water safe for fabric, then wash with Country Save Laundry Detergent.

Dairy Products (milk, cream, ice cream, yogurt, sour cream, cheese, cream soup) - Pretreat with stain stick or soak in an enzyme presoak product for 30 minutes if stain is new, or several hours for aged stains; launder with Country Save Laundry Detergent.

Deodorants, Antiperspirants - Treat light stains with a paste of Country Save Laundry Detergent and then wash with same. Pretreat heavy stains with same paste and allow to stand 5 to 10 minutes. Launder with Country Save Laundry Detergent and Country Save Non-Chlorine Bleach.

Dye Transfer (white garment that has picked up bleeding dye from other garment) - Remove stains with a commercial color remover; launder. If stain remains, launder again with chlorine bleach, if safe for that fabric. For colored fabrics and whites that cannot be chlorine bleached, soak in Country Save Non-Chlorine Bleach or an enzyme presoak product, then launder with Country Save Laundry Detergent. Note: Proper sorting before laundering and not allowing wet clothing to stay in washer after cycle is completed helps prevent this type of stain.

Egg - Pretreat with an enzyme product for 30 minutes for new stain, or several hours for aged stains; launder with Country Save Laundry Detergent.

Fabric Softener - Moisten stain and rub with bar soap. Rinse, then launder with Country Save Laundry Detergent. If stain remains, sponge area with rubbing alcohol or dry-cleaning solvent. Rinse thoroughly and relaunder.

Fingernail Polish - Try nail polish remover, but do not use on acetate or triacetate fabrics. Place stain face down on paper towels and flush with remover. Replace paper towels regularly. Repeat until stain disappears; rinse and launder. Some polishes may be impossible to remove.

Fruit Juices - Soak garment in cool water. Wash with bleach that is safe for that fabric.

Grass Stains - Pretreat with stain stick or soak with an enzyme product. If stain remains, and if safe for dye, sponge stain with alcohol (dilute alcohol with 2 parts water for use on acetate). If stain still remains, launder in hottest water safe for fabrics, with bleach that is safe for that fabric.

Grease (motor oil, animal fat, mayonnaise, salad dressing, butter, cooking oil and car grease) - Light stains can be pretreated with a spray stain remover, liquid laundry detergent, or a detergent booster. Launder in hottest water safe for fabric. Place heavy stains face down on clean paper towels. Apply cleaning fluid to the back of stain. Replace towels frequently. Let air dry; rinse. Launder in hottest water safe for that fabric.

Ink - Test stain with water or dry-cleaning solvent by placing a drop of each on stain. Use method that removes more of the ink. Ballpoint ink stains can be placed stain face down on white paper towels. Sponge with rubbing or denatured alcohol or dry-cleaning solvent, or rub detergent into stained area. Repeat if some stain remains. Rinse; launder. Drawing ink usually cannot be removed. Try flushing with cold water until pigments are removed; rub liquid detergent into stain; rinse. Repeat process. Soak in warm sudsy water to which 1 to 4 tablespoons of household ammonia per quart of water have been added. Rinse thoroughly. Launder in hottest water safe for that fabric, with bleach safe for the fabric. Felt Tip or India Ink - Usually cannot be removed. Try pouring water through the stain before it dries, until pigments are removed. Allow to dry. If you notice some reduction in stain, sponge with dry-cleaning solvent. Allow to dry. Rub liquid household cleaner into stain. Rinse. Soak stain (possibly overnight) in warm water to which 1 to 4 tablespoons of household ammonia have been added. Rinse and repeat treatment if necessary; launder.

Iodine - Rinse from back side of stain under cool, running water. Soak in solution of color remover, or sponge with a solution of sodium thiosulfate crystals (available at drug store). Rinse and launder with Country Save Laundry Detergent.

Lipstick - Place face down on paper towels. Sponge area with dry-cleaning solvent, or use a prewash soil and stain remover. Replace towels frequently; rinse. Rub moist paste of Country Save Laundry Detergent into stain until outline is removed; launder with same. Repeat treatment if needed.

Liquid paper - Sponge the stain with amyl acetate (banana oil). Air dry. Repeat treatment if necessary. Rub gently with detergent, then launder with Country Save Laundry Detergent.

Mercurochrome or Methyolate - Rinse out as much of the stain as possible under cool, running water. Soak for 30 minutes in a solution of 1/2 teaspoon ammonia per quart of water. Rinse; if stain remains, soak in a solution of 1 quart warm water and 1 tablespoon vinegar for one hour. Rinse thoroughly and allow to dry. Launder with Country Save Laundry Detergent and Non-Chlorine Bleach. For delicate fabrics, apply alcohol and cover with pad moistened with alcohol. Change pads frequently until stain is removed. Rinse; launder.

Mildew - Launder stained items using chlorine bleach, if safe for that fabric. Otherwise, soak in Country Save Non-Chlorine Bleach and hot water, then launder with Country Save Laundry Detergent. If some stain remains, sponge with hydrogen peroxide. Rinse and relaunder. Dry in sunlight. Badly mildewed fabrics may be damaged beyond repair.

Mud - Let dry, then brush off as much mud as possible; or rinse under running water and let soak overnight. For light stains, pretreat with a paste of Country Save Laundry Detergent and water, launder with same. Pretreat heavy stains by presoaking with Country Save Laundry Detergent; launder with same. Red clay can be rubbed with a paste of vinegar and table salt. Leave for 30 minutes. Launder with hottest water safe for that fabric and Non-Chlorine Bleach. Repeat if needed.

Mustard - Treat with a prewash stain remover, or dampen with water and rub with bar soap. Launder using Country Save Laundry Detergent with Non-Chlorine Bleach.

Paint - Water-based paint, such as latex acrylic stains, should be rinsed in warm water while stain is still wet; launder. This stain usually cannot be removed after it dries. For oil-based paints, including varnish, use the solvent listed on the label as a thinner. If label information is unavailable, use turpentine. Rinse. Pretreat with prewash stain remover, bar soap, or Country Save Laundry Detergent and launder.

Perfume - Treat with prewash stain remover; rinse and launder with Country Save Laundry Detergent.

Perspiration - Treat with prewash stain remover, or dampen stain and rub with bar soap. If the color of the fabric has changed slightly, apply ammonia to fresh stain or white vinegar to old stain; rinse. Launder in hottest water safe for that fabric. Stubborn stains may respond to pretreating with a product containing enzymes, then launder with Country Save Laundry Detergent and Non-Chlorine Bleach.

Pine Resin - Sponge the stain with cleaning fluid; let air dry. Rub with Country Save Laundry Detergent and launder as usual. If stains persist, apply a few drops of household ammonia. Air dry.

Pollen (tree or flower) - Sponge, then flush with dry-cleaning solvent. Let air dry. Rub gently with paste of Country Save Laundry Detergent. Launder as usual, using Country Save Non-Chlorine Bleach.

Rust - Apply a commercial rust remover. Follow manufacturer's instructions. Do not use chlorine bleach on rust. Country Save Non-Chlorine Bleach may be used

Shoe Polish - Pretreat liquid shoe polish with a paste of Country Save Laundry Detergent and water; launder using same. Use a dull knife to scrape residue of paste shoe polish from the fabric. Pretreat with a prewash stain remover or cleaning fluid; rinse. Rub Country Save Laundry Detergent into dampened area. Launder with Country Save Non-Chlorine Bleach.

Tar - Act quickly before stain dries. Use a dull knife to scrape excess tar from the fabric. Place stain face down on paper towels. Sponge with cleaning fluid. Replace towels frequently for better absorption. Launder, using hottest water safe for that fabric.

Tobacco - Moisten stain and rub with bar soap; rinse. Pretreat with stain stick or soak in an enzyme solution; launder with Country Save Laundry Detergent. Note: If stain remains, launder again using Country Save Non-Chlorine Bleach.

Urine, Vomit, Mucous, or Feces - Treat with prewash spray or pretreat with a product containing enzymes. Launder with chlorine bleach that is safe for fabric, or use an all-fabric bleach.

Yellowing of White Cottons or Linens - Fill washer with hot water. Add twice the detergent as normal. Place items in washer and agitate four minutes on regular cycle. Stop washer and soak clothes for 15 minutes. Restart washer and agitate 15 minutes. Complete the wash cycle. Repeat process if needed.

Yellowing of White Nylon - Soak garment overnight in an enzyme presoak or oxygen bleach. Launder, using hot water and twice as much detergent as usual with an oxygen bleach.

General Rules

Treat stains promptly. Fresh stains are easier to remove than old ones. If the stain is on a nonwashable fabric, take it to the dry cleaner as soon as possible. Tell the stain and the fiber content of the garment.

Read and follow package directions when using any stain removal product.

Always test stain removers on an inside seam or other hidden part of garment for color fastness. To test, apply product and let stand 2-5 minutes, then rinse. If color changes, do not use product on garment.

When using a bleach, do not try to bleach just one area of garment; bleach the entire garment to prevent uneven color removal.

When treating, place stained area face down on a clean paper towel or white cloth. Apply stain remover to the underside of the stain, forcing stain off the fabric surface instead of through it.

Never put chemical dry-cleaning solvents directly into washer.

Thoroughly rinse and air dry areas treated with dry-cleaning solvents before placing in washer, to avoid a fire.

Do not mix stain removal products together. Some mixtures, such as ammonia and chlorine bleach, can produce noxious fumes.

Always launder washable items after treating to remove residues of the stain and the stain remover.

Have patience; it takes a little extra time and effort to remove some stains.

Remember, some stains cannot be removed.

Take nonwashable items to dry cleaner as soon as possible; identify stain and fiber content of garment.

Definitions Detergent -- all-purpose synthetic detergent (liquid or powder). Use liquid detergent full strength; mix powder with water to form a paste when working into stain.

Dry-Cleaning Solvent -- stain and spot removers available at grocery and hardware stores. A nonflammable type is safest to use.

Stain Stick -- an enzyme-based cleaner available at grocery and discount stores. Most effective on food, grease, oil, protein, and dirt-based stains and can be used on any fabric and color. It can remain on fabric for up to one week.

Classification of Stains

Wet -- has a water base, such as fruit juice or sodas

Dry -- has an oil base, such as car grease or suntan lotion

Combination -- contains water and grease, such as meat gravy or ice cream

Special -- an unusual substance, such as tar or ink

Unknown -- one you cannot identify

Get the most out of your digital camera with this roundup of online hints, tips, and tutorials.

Just about everyone I know got a digital camera for the holidays this year. For some folks, it was a replacement or even a second camera. For others, it was a first-ever digital camera. For those people, I've been trying to round up some online resources they can use to master their new gadget. But then I got to thinking: Why share these awesome video tutorials, tips and tricks, and Web forums with three or four friends when I can give them to all of you as well?

So this week, please enjoy my roundup of Web sites that I suspect you'll want to return to throughout the year.

Video tutorials
I love video. After all, why read about a technique when you can see it demonstrated? That's why you should make a point of visiting 5minArts Photography. This site is jam-packed with user-submitted videos about everything from cooking to pet training to playing musical instruments. The photography-oriented videos include advice on using Adobe Photoshop, handling your camera settings, and taking portraits and close-ups. Best of all, no video runs more than five minutes, so you can learn in bite-sized chunks.

Get help from the Institute
One of the oldest photo-related sites on the Web is the New York Institute of Photography. Sure, the site's goal is to get you to sign up for photography courses, but you can get tons of free advice by flipping to the NYI Photo eZine. Another cool option: the NYIP Podcast.

Listen to your photo advice
If you are jazzed at the thought of getting your photo info in podcast form, you might like to know that there's more—a lot more—where that came from.

Apple iTunes is packed with digital photo podcasts, like Adobe Photoshop Quicktips, Podango's Digital Photography Podcast, and the LightSource Studio Photography Podcast.

Photography grab bag
Looking for a digital photo project that might be just a little unusual or off the wall? I'm never disappointed by Photojojo, a wonderful online newsletter that rounds up cool photo ideas and projects from around the Net. You can subscribe, or just scour the archives to read past newsletters.

Don't forget about these
Still not satisfied? Then try some of these other sites on for size.

If you're a fan of the free, powerful, open-source photo editing program GIMP, be sure to check out Gimparoo, a blog that specializes in converting Photoshop tutorials into procedures you can perform in GIMP.

Of course, a relatively small number of us use GIMP. For more mainstream photo editing advice, check out sites like Photo.net, Geoff Laurence's Photo Tutorials, and Tutorial Outpost.

And of course, there's this newsletter that you're reading on your very own computer display, right now. If you don't already subscribe, you can do so at PC World. You can also browse old newsletters, a year at a time, going all the way back to the newsletter's first issue in 2001.

Do you have a favorite online source for digital photo tips, tricks, or tutorials? Tell me about it and I'll share it with the world in a future newsletter.

By Dave Johnson, PC World

TV's big switch from analog to digital broadcasts will be complete in just one year, on Feb. 17, 2009, and many consumers are puzzling over how the shift will affect them: Do they need a new converter box, a new TV, a better antenna?

Pedro Lamy, Nic Minassian and Stephane Sarrazin will pilot the diesel-powered Peugeot 908 in the 12 Hours. It was Sarrazin who posted the fastest time in the three-day test at Sebring last month, a blistering 1:42.801 (129.571 mph) that was more than two full seconds better than last year's record-setting qualifying mark turned in by Audi's Marco Werner.

"Peugeot's confirmed entry into the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring sets the stage for one of the most anticipated editions of America's greatest endurance race," said Scott Atherton, President and CEO of the American Le Mans Series. "It is another validation of the importance that manufacturers and teams place on competing at Sebring and in the American Le Mans Series.

"It is no secret that Peugeot's ultimate goal for 2008 is to once again claim victory at Le Mans, and there is no better proving ground than Sebring," Atherton added. "We couldn't think of a more appropriate way to open our 10th season than by welcoming another world-class entry - Peugeot - into the American Le Mans Series. The North American racing debut of Peugeot coupled with all that is already in place within the American Le Mans Series all but assures that this year's race will be a classic."

Peugeot is seeking to become the second manufacturer to win overall at Sebring using diesel power. Audi accomplished the feat first in 2006 with its R10 TDI and repeated in 2007. The two marques also finished 1-2 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2007 with Audi taking a resounding victory.

Sarrazin and Lamy both will race at Sebring for the third time after competing for Aston Martin Racing in 2005 and 2006. Minassian will compete in the 12 Hours for the first time.

As he started scrubbing wine glasses, I glanced over at my guests. Every woman in the room was staring at him with what can only be described as pure, unadulterated lust.

Behold the appeal of the dishy man.

Jennifer Matthewson, a 30-year-old caterer from Portland, Ore., has witnessed this heady phenomenon time and time again.

“My husband is great at cooking and great at cleaning,” says Matthewson, whose spouse handles the kitchen end of their catering company while she takes care of the business and the books. “And every time we would do an event, there would be 10 to 15 starry-eyed women standing around him, asking him all kinds of baking and cooking questions. They’d be like, ‘Wow, does he have any brothers?' Even my mother once joked, ‘Oh, if only he were older.’”

For Heather Peterson, of Cambridge, Mass., the dishy man effect is nothing short of money in the bank.

Part of a tongue-in-cheek organization called the Cambridge Women’s Pornography Cooperative, Peterson and her colleagues recently published a collection of photographs of fully clothed men cooking, cleaning house and offering up comforting cups of tea. The book, entitled “Porn for Women,” has sold more than 140,000 copies after just 11 months and has already spawned both a calendar and the newly released “Porn for New Moms.”

‘That's hot’
“This is a humorous book, but it does manage to convey some of the things that women really do fantasize about,” says Peterson, spokesperson for the group. “When a man is willing to step up to the plate — and wash it for you — you’re going to think about him in a very different way. It’s not just that he’s domesticated. It’s that he recognizes that these things have to get done. That they’re not just automatically going to be done for him. And that’s hot.”

According to a May 2007 in American Journal of Public Health, a guy who pulls his own weight around the house isn’t just hot, he’s a boon for his lady’s health.

Researchers at the American University of Beirut studied 1,652 married couples and found that wives whose husbands were minimally involved in housework were 60 percent more likely to be distressed, three times more likely to be uncomfortable with their husbands, and more than twice as likely to be unhappy.

“Our results showed a significant association between husbands’ involvement in housework and their wives’ psychosocial health,” wrote Marwan Khawaja, author of the study.

Are there any benefits, aside from soulful glances and the satisfaction of a sparkling clean floor, that exist for men who share the load (laundry and otherwise)?

That’s hard to say, although there are some interesting indicators. A recent survey by Parenting Magazine found that “choreplay,” i.e., husbands pitching in around the house, was what put 15 percent of moms in the mood.

Research conducted by Laurie A. Rudman, a psychologist at Rutgers University, also seems to point to a hot soapy love connection. Her study, recently published in the journal Sex Roles, looked at feminism’s impact on romantic relationships. Among other things, she found that men with feminist partners reported both more stable relationships and greater sexual satisfaction.

“We didn’t ask who was doing the dishes or taking care of the kids,” says Rudman. “We asked broadly about the quality of the relationship and about the agreement of gender roles in the relationship. But we did find that if men were with a feminist woman, they had more sexual satisfaction and their relationship was more stable. Men benefit from having a feminist partner. Now the next step is to look at why. What is it about gender equality that brings about more relationship satisfaction?”

Sharing the load (of laundry)
For Maureen Judge, a 44-year-old marketing consultant and divorced mom from Seattle, that’s a no-brainer.

“Women have been out in the workforce for a really long time and it’s staggering how many women still do most of the housework,” she says. “Not sharing the load has got to be one of the biggest things that can negatively impact a relationship. So, yes, men who do their share of household chores are absolutely more attractive as potential partners than traditional guys who won’t even pick up a toilet brush. That’s where the bar should be set.”

Are men working their way towards this bar? Signs seem to indicate the Tide may indeed be turning.

A handful of housecleaning guides — by men, for men — have hit the market in recent years, each with titles that subtly play up the steamier side of the egalitarian household, i.e., “How to Satisfy Your Woman Every Time: A Straight Guy’s Guide to Housework and Good Grooming,” “How to Iron Your Own Damn Shirt: The Perfect Husband Handbook Featuring Over 50 Ways to Win, Woo and Wow Your Wife,” and “Clean Like a Man: Housekeeping for Men (and the Women Who Love Them).”

Single men have even started to fly their helpmate flags in online personal ads. A quick sweep through Craig’s List yields numerous postings where, along with interests in football, fishing, and romantic nights in front of a fire, men are expressing their affinity for household chores.

Tired of Being Alone, a 43-year-old bachelor from Sacramento, Calif., says he will “cook, clean house, do laundry and quite a few other things.” 210 Reasons to Email Me, a 25-year-old single guy from Phoenix, lists as his No. 1 incentive: “I clean and do laundry and I also know how to use an iron.” Educated Guy with a Great Career, a 39-year-old divorced dad from Minneapolis, provides a complete resume of household skills. “In addition to being able to cook all the meals, I am housebroken,” he writes. “I do my own ironing. I do laundry and fold it. I do the dishes and put them away. I make the bed. I keep the kitchen clean.”

Kitchen sink savvy
Are these ads an indication that guys have stumbled onto the dishy man effect and are trying to edge out the competition with kitchen sink savvy? Are stereotypical gender roles truly becoming a thing of the past? Or is it a little bit of both?

“I have no problem doing household chores,” says Travis Letellier, a 24-year-old civil engineer from Boston, whose ad talked up his willingness to do dishes and give foot massages. “It was always the norm growing up and it’s something I do regularly anyway. I wasn’t really trying to impress a woman by mentioning that I do dishes, but I guess I was trying to entice one.”

John McDougall, a 38-year-old medical student from Bozeman, Mont., says that while he’s never formerly advertised his “dishiness,” he has noticed it scores major points.

“When I cook for a woman on a first date, most of the time they’re stunned,” he says. “They’re like, ‘Not only do you keep a decent apartment, you can cook. Holy smoke!’ It’s like the icing on the cake. I suppose there’s probably a positive feedback loop going on that reinforces that behavior on my part. But I also think housework can be therapeutic if you choose to see it that way. Making a clean space out of a disordered space offers an internal sense of satisfaction.”

Move over, June Cleaver. Looks like you’ve finally got some stiff competition.

By Diane Mapes

URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23015839/

Nabila Mango, a therapist and a U.S. citizen who has lived in the country since 1965, had just flown in from Jordan last December when, she said, she was detained at customs and her cellphone was taken from her purse. Her daughter, waiting outside San Francisco International Airport, tried repeatedly to call her during the hour and a half she was questioned. But after her phone was returned, Mango saw that records of her daughter's calls had been erased.

A few months earlier in the same airport, a tech engineer returning from a business trip to London objected when a federal agent asked him to type his password into his laptop computer. "This laptop doesn't belong to me," he remembers protesting. "It belongs to my company." Eventually, he agreed to log on and stood by as the officer copied the Web sites he had visited, said the engineer, a U.S. citizen who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of calling attention to himself.

Maria Udy, a marketing executive with a global travel management firm in Bethesda, said her company laptop was seized by a federal agent as she was flying from Dulles International Airport to London in December 2006. Udy, a British citizen, said the agent told her he had "a security concern" with her. "I was basically given the option of handing over my laptop or not getting on that flight," she said.

The seizure of electronics at U.S. borders has prompted protests from travelers who say they now weigh the risk of traveling with sensitive or personal information on their laptops, cameras or cellphones. In some cases, companies have altered their policies to require employees to safeguard corporate secrets by clearing laptop hard drives before international travel.

Right to search?
Today, the Electronic Frontier Foundation and Asian Law Caucus, two civil liberties groups in San Francisco, are filing a lawsuit to force the government to disclose its policies on border searches, including which rules govern the seizing and copying of the contents of electronic devices. They also want to know the boundaries for asking travelers about their political views, religious practices and other activities potentially protected by the First Amendment. The question of whether border agents have a right to search electronic devices at all without suspicion of a crime is already under review in the federal courts.

The lawsuit was inspired by some two dozen cases, 15 of which involved searches of cellphones, laptops, MP3 players and other electronics. Almost all involved travelers of Muslim, Middle Eastern or South Asian background, many of whom, including Mango and the tech engineer, said they are concerned they were singled out because of racial or religious profiling.

A U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokeswoman, Lynn Hollinger, said officers do not engage in racial profiling "in any way, shape or form." She said that "it is not CBP's intent to subject travelers to unwarranted scrutiny" and that a laptop may be seized if it contains information possibly tied to terrorism, narcotics smuggling, child pornography or other criminal activity.

The reason for a search is not always made clear. The Association of Corporate Travel Executives, which represents 2,500 business executives in the United States and abroad, said it has tracked complaints from several members, including Udy, whose laptops have been seized and their contents copied before usually being returned days later, said Susan Gurley, executive director of ACTE. Gurley said none of the travelers in the ACTE suit raised concerns about racial or ethnic profiling. And Gurley said none of the travelers were charged with a crime.

Copied log-on, password
"I was assured that my laptop would be given back to me in 10 or 15 days," said Udy, who continues to fly into and out of the United States. She said the federal agent copied her log-on and password, and asked her to show him a recent document and how she gains access to Microsoft Word. She was asked to pull up her e-mail but could not because of lack of Internet access. With ACTE's help, she pressed for relief. More than a year later, Udy has received neither her laptop nor an explanation.

ACTE last year filed a Freedom of Information Act request to press the government for information on what happens to data seized from laptops and other electronic devices. "Is it destroyed right then and there if the person is in fact just a regular business traveler?" Gurley asked. "People are quite concerned. They don't want proprietary business information floating, not knowing where it has landed or where it is going. It increases the anxiety level."

Udy has changed all her work passwords and no longer banks online. Her company, Radius, has tightened its data policies so that traveling employees must access company information remotely via an encrypted channel, and their laptops must contain no company information.

At least two major global corporations, one American and one Dutch, have told their executives not to carry confidential business material on laptops on overseas trips, Gurley said. In Canada, one law firm has instructed its lawyers to travel to the United States with "blank laptops" whose hard drives contain no data. "We just access our information through the Internet," said Lou Brzezinski, a partner at Blaney McMurtry, a major Toronto law firm. That approach also holds risks, but "those are hacking risks as opposed to search risks," he said.

The U.S. government has argued in a pending court case that its authority to protect the country's border extends to looking at information stored in electronic devices such as a laptop without any suspicion of a crime. In border searches, it regards a laptop the same as a suitcase.

"It should not matter . . . whether documents and pictures are kept in 'hard copy' form in an executive's briefcase or stored digitally in a computer. The authority of customs officials to search the former should extend equally to searches of the latter," the government argued in the child pornography case being heard by a three-judge panel of the Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit in San Francisco.

As more and more people travel with laptops, BlackBerrys and cellphones, the government's laptop-equals-suitcase position is raising red flags.

"It's one thing to say it's reasonable for government agents to open your luggage," said David D. Cole, a law professor at Georgetown University. "It's another thing to say it's reasonable for them to read your mind and everything you have thought over the last year. What a laptop records is as personal as a diary but much more extensive. It records every Web site you have searched. Every e-mail you have sent. It's as if you're crossing the border with your home in your suitcase."

If the government's position on searches of electronic files is upheld, new risks will confront anyone who crosses the border with a laptop or other device, warned Mark Rasch, a technology security expert with FTI Consulting and a former federal prosecutor. "Your kid can be arrested because they can't prove the songs they downloaded to their iPod were legally downloaded," he said. "Lawyers run the risk of exposing sensitive information about their client. Trade secrets can be exposed to customs agents with no limit on what they can do with it. Journalists can expose sources, all because they have the audacity to cross an invisible line."

Hollinger said customs officers "are trained to protect confidential information."

'Content of people's thoughts'
Shirin Sinnar, a staff attorney with the Asian Law Caucus, said that by scrutinizing the Web sites people search and the phone numbers they've stored on their cellphones, "the government is going well beyond its traditional role of looking for contraband and really is looking into the content of people's thoughts and ideas and their lawful political activities."

If conducted inside the country, such searches would require a warrant and probable cause, legal experts said.

Customs sometimes singles out passengers for extensive questioning and searches based on "information from various systems and specific techniques for selecting passengers," including the Interagency Border Inspection System, according to a Customs statement. "CBP officers may, unfortunately, inconvenience law-abiding citizens in order to detect those involved in illicit activities," the statement said. But the factors agents use to single out passengers are not transparent, and travelers generally have little access to the data to see whether there are errors.

Although Customs said it does not profile by race or ethnicity, an officers' training guide states that "it is permissible and indeed advisable to consider an individual's connections to countries that are associated with significant terrorist activity."

"What's the difference between that and targeting people because they are Arab or Muslim?" Cole said, noting that the countries the government focuses on are generally predominantly Arab or Muslim.

It is the lack of clarity about the rules that has confounded travelers and raised concerns from groups such as the Asian Law Caucus, which said that as a result, their lawyers cannot fully advise people how they may exercise their rights during a border search. The lawsuit says a Freedom of Information Act request was filed with Customs last fall but that no information has been received.

Kamran Habib, a software engineer with Cisco Systems, has had his laptop and cellphone searched three times in the past year. Once, in San Francisco, an officer "went through every number and text message on my cellphone and took out my SIM card in the back," said Habib, a permanent U.S. resident. "So now, every time I travel, I basically clean out my phone. It's better for me to keep my colleagues and friends safe than to get them on the list as well."

Udy's company, Radius, organizes business trips for 100,000 travelers a day, from companies around the world. She says her firm supports strong security measures. "Where we get angry is when we don't know what they're for."

Ellen Nakashima/The Washington Post

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23037049

Weather Global Warming is a myth or reality, the real danger lies in doing nothing.  this video is quite enlightening