Extra Commentary

Daylight "Saving" Time...What Does It Save, Anyway?

I've always liked long summer evenings, so I look forward to springing forward with daylight saving time every year. But not everyone feels the same way, and I recently learned some things about DST that make me wonder if it's a wise policy or an industry scam.

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Does it pay to be a jerk?

Ann Coulter recently managed to remind us that she's still around by saying yet another stupid thing.

Now, I'm not going to defend or attack Coulter. I think what she said was a dumb attempt at a bad joke, but I'm not interested in what Ann believes. I'm interested in how she manages to survive by doing little more than upset people.

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iPhone - More features unveiled

I know we've had a lot of chit-chat back and forth over the past month about the iPhone. Well, it looks like those boffins are giving you even more value for money. I particularly like the sideburns.

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25 tips from the frugally insane.

You know, saving money is a serious business. Sometimes, too serious. So now and then I like to inject a little fun into the proceedings. Back when I was a little younger, I would ocassionally glance at the magazines my mom would read. They were the usual 'mom' magazines, like Good Housekeeping, Bella, that kind of thing. And there was always a spot dedicated to tips sent in from readers. You know the ones..."a little club soda and salt will clean up any stain."

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Celebrating Year of the Pig with life-threatening fireworks

This Sunday (2/18) is the Chinese New Year. What better way to celebrate than with some amazing displays of Chinese ingenuity and life-threatening fireworks?

Sky lanterns

Sky lanterns originated from Pingshi, a village located in a mountainous region outisde of Taipei:

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Weird Things You Didn't Know About Valentine's Day

We've been offering a lot of practical advice about Valentine's Day lately.

Sure, it's nice to know how to save money on flowers, make affordable romantic dinners, and find good excuses not to buy your girlfriend jewelry. But what is the real story behind this expensive holiday?

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The Inanity of my Humanity (and why I choose to share it on Wisebread)

I was researching and writing a "serious" post over the weekend, when I read each of these links. Both times, I immediately thought "Wisebread" and, though the connection between either of them and chic, frugal living wasn't clear from the get-go, I was able to figure it out enough to share with the class. Please save all comments about my craziness until the end of the post.

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Sayulita, baby!

The products of a frugal honeymoon, or proof that frugality doesn't have to be boring...

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5 people you never heard of who rocked your world

The Alchemists is a film about five people who transformed our culture by convincing us to adopt corporate slogans as a way of life. Consider:

• Dan Wieden who, inspired by the last words of executed murderer Gary Gilmore, came up with the little phrase "Just Do It" and revolutionized advertising forever;

• Lee Clow, who created the most-famous commercial in history by introducing Macintosh computers in "1984";

• George Lois who single-handedly saved MTV from extinction with his trademark in-your-face celebrity campaign, "I WANT MY MTV!"

• Phyllis K. Robinson who helped define the entire "me generation" with her liberating spin on selling Clairol ("It let's me be me.");

• Hal Riney who got President Reagan re-elected.

According to the film's sponsors, this film is "not an analysis of the perils of consumerism and thought-control" but rather a documentary about "creative rebellion, and how all-powerful art springs forth from deeply personal, psychological sources and the need for change."

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Jar of Nothing: the perfect present for the picky prick in your life

We all know someone who is incredibly hard to shop for. You know the type. They get that disappointed look on their face even before they open your gift, a look that says, "we both know I'll hate it why do we even go through this charade?"

Now you have the perfect gift for them: The Jar of Nothing!

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