IN CASE YOU DIDN'T KNOW #2

These are from reading a few of the latest TIME magazines:

• This guy named Dave is challenging people to get their material possessions down to 100. He says it's to kick consumerism in the head. Mother Teresa had it down to two. I'm a far cry from both. I want to say I believe in simplicity and I'm trying to fight my own consumerism blood that runs too deep, but maybe I'm just lying to myself..., but this would mean I would have to eat with my hammer and wear nothing but an extension cord. I'm so getting rid of the forks and pants before my tools go.

• It is evidently illegal to use your neighbors unsecured wireless network. I recently rode all the way to LA and back with my kid for a Disneyland trek and sat next to a dad who works for the DMV to catch identity thieves. He says you're an idiot if your wireless network is not password encoded and if someone uses it consistently for illegal stuff, well the feds just might kick down your door and confiscate all your belongings as evidence. So, word to the wise... put a security code on your wireless router.
  

• China is spending 20 billion on Olympic training through 3000 state run boarding schools that have some 400,000 hand picked students based from cities and remote villages. Why? One reason: to beat the US in the Olympics for the most number of Gold medals. How's that for the spirit of competition?
  

• Obama got so annoyed by the rumors about his faith and family and patriotism and stuff that he started his own website to compete against them. www.fightthesmears.com

• If you love almonds. You're supposed to eat 23 at a time. That's evidently the same amount that fits in a shot glass (if you love vodka too) or the amount that covers a classic square yellow sticky note (if you love all things sticky noteish too). This is a website devoted to all things almonds if you want help. Um.. I so just eat them by the handful. Maybe that explains a few things.