Zoe

I have some neat old tin cans lying around (tobacco, cheese, etc). Some of them are rusty. I would like to use them as planters but I do not want to ruin the cans. Is there anything (preferably removable) I could line the cans with to protect them?

I have a memory of my father telling me about a book about half the world being populated by humans, and the other populated by evolved reptiles. I guess a sci-fi sort of thing. He doesn't remember anything about it.

Is this a real thing - if so, what's the book? Or am I just nuts?

When I was a kid I watched a show on tv about a little terrier that went back in time or told stories about historical events to a kid (named Jake, maybe?) Does anyone remember the name of the show?

- Apologies for the two who responded already. I accidentally deleted the question.

I have an uncle (a widower) with two boys, ages 11 and 13 (give or take a year). My uncle is as skinny as a rail but both of the boys are fat (the younger on is obese and the older one is borderline). They don't eat terribly as my uncle is a great cook, but they do eat a lot, and their portions and intake are not controlled. We spent Christmas at my grandparents' with my uncle and cousins and some other family, and comments were made about the boys' weight almost non-stop. It wasn't constructive, it was ridiculing and humiliating, yet nothing is done to help them.

Their Christmas stockings were filled with chocolate and candy and a large bag of chips; cookies and desserts were abundant; and, in true Christmas form, a large turkey with all the fat-laden trimmings were available for the boys to self-serve, and self-serve they did, several times each. When they helped themselves to a late night snack of stocking candy, they were told "You're eating again?" rather than "If you're hungry, have an apple". Not once did anyone say "one serving is enough" or "no candy between breakfast and lunch", and yet comments like "you're well-marbled," and "you need to lose 50 lbs and you're still eating?" were flung out a least once every 10 or 15 minutes for three days straight from my uncle, grand grandfather, and my uncle's sister and her husband.

This really bothered my fiance and me as I'm sure it affects the boys' self esteem. Also, as someone who has never been skinny, I found the running commentary offensive. I'm not fat, but I found I couldn't enjoy my food lest the insults turn to me, next.

I'm really at a loss. I don't feel like it is my place to comment on how the boys are raised but on the other hand I don't think I can handle another family event like this. I also feel terribly for the boys. My family is great, they are just clueless and unsympathetic.

I am not close (geographically or otherwise) to my uncle and his children.

I don't really remember much about it, or who was in it. I think it was a comedy. A dim witted man (the gardened perhaps?) is mistaken for a rich, influential man. The only line I remember from the movie is him saying "I like to walk". It's not much to go on, so my eternal gratitude to anyone who can figure this one out!

I bought half a sheet of 1/2" softwood plywood, finished on one side. It got it cut at the store.

When I get home, I noticed that the wood had a few defects... One of the edges was a tiny bit warped - not really noticeable until you notice the edge isn't flush.

Another one of the corners was very "flakey". I don't know how to describe it, the layers of the plywood are almost flaking apart so it can't be screwed, it just makes the wood split (yes, I drilled pilot holes).

I finished my project, but am really not pleased with it because these defects are obvious, to me anyway. Are these minor flaws enough to have the store replace the piece of wood, or do these little flaws fall under "natural character of wood"?

The sentence is this:

"quicklinks to organizations that can provide support to your day-to-day challenges;"

I feel that "support for" would sound better than "support to", but both may be correct.

I just cut the tip of my thumb on a mandolin. I cut almost all the way through the very tip of my thumb... I'd say 90% through. It didn't bleed much because I didn't open the "flap" of skin... just put some poly on it and bandaged it.

Should I got in to the doc's for a stitch, or will the flap re-attach and heal? I'd rather it not dry out and fall off and for me to have a gross, disfigured thumb.

I'm having a picnic tomorrow, making tuna, egg and ham sandwiches. Can I make the sandwiches tonight and refrigerate them, or should I prepare them tomorrow?

I have some frozen cooked shrimp that I'd like to do something with, like saute it. When I've tried in the past, however, by the time the outside is nicely sauteed and the shrimp is heated through, it seems to be over cooked.

Any ideas?

I have some frozen berries, and some quick oats, and I'm wondering if I can make a berry cobbler.

I don't have any brown sugar, but I have pretty much every other type. I have margarine, not butter. I don't want to add any more sugar, salt or fat than necessary.

Any ideas / recipes that don't call for brown sugar out there?

I have no idea why, but I can't seem to download the Adobe Flash Player. I click the ActiveX control, access the download and click "Install", but then nothing happens. I've tried rebooting and I've tried selection/unselection the google toolbar.

Ideas?

Thanks!

I went to the website: http://www.freshenergy.com/

When it wasn't crashing my browser, it was being difficult to navigate.

I was able to register - but now what? There doesn't seem to be anything to do once you're registered.

I found a link to the "greatest contest on earth" - is that the scrabble contest? I can't tell, because the website is down.

Ack! Help!

I am being offered a new Nikon D40 at a very low price. I currently have a Canon S31S. If I sell the Canon for $150, I will be about $100 out-of-pocket. Is it worth the upgrade?

Which of the following is correct - if any? If not, what is the correct way to say it?

Sgt. John Smith, Ret.

Sgt. John Smith (Ret.)

Sgt. (R) John Smith

Sgt (Ret.) John Smith

etc...

Thanks!

I have shoulder length, slightly wavy (mostly straight), very thick hair. I'd like to try curling it with curlers for fun (not huge curls - somewhere between a wave and ringlets), but I asked one hairdresser what would happen and he said I'd look like a poof ball. One of my coworkers today came with that sort of 'do and I want to try it even more.

Is there a way I can do this, just for fun, without looking like a lunatic?

Oh, I should mention that my hair isn't poofy or frizzy. It is sleek and shiny, but there's a LOT of it.

At any social gathering - Christmas, New Years, Birthdays etc, my grandmother (and aunt, sometimes) always pressure me to drink wine or champagne. It's not that I want to be a party pooper, but I just don't enjoy the flavour or how it makes me feel. Even a sip seems to make my stomach ache, and the taste makes me feel ill - it probably doesn't help that my mom (who I rarely see and doesn't attend these events) is an alcoholic.

Obviously I recover quickly and it's not the end of the world, but I resent being pressured to drink when I really have no desire to.

I have tried politely declining, saying I don't like it, but it doesn't work. It will typically go down like this:

Them: "Do you want some champagne?"

Me: "No thanks, I'm good with my water."

Them: "Just have a little bit!"

Me: "No, really, I'm good, I don't like champagne."

Them: "Well, if you have some, you'll learn to like it. Just have a sip when we toast."

Me: "Thanks anyway, but it would be wasted on me! I'll toast with my water."

Them: "Here just have a sip and I'll drink the rest after."

Me: "No thank you, I don't want any."

Them: "Oh common, it's my birthday, just have a little! Don't ruin the toast, just have a little."

All this while having a glass pushed towards me. Last time I got so irritated that I dumped out the champagne onto the grass after 5 minutes of this back-and-forth, and was told angrilly by others not to waste it.

I really don't want to be a crank, so is there something magical I can say that will cause them to stop asking me right away without them thinking I'm ruining their evening or insulting their champagne? I would like them to respect my wishes.

I'm doing some data entry, and I've come across what I assume is shorthand. I am confused about one symbol that is the letter with C with a horizontal line over top of it.

Anyone know what that means?

It's -14C here these days and Windex freezes within seconds of applying it to a window. Is there something or some trick to cleaning windows in the winter, or do I need to wait for warmer weather?

Yesterday my jaw started to ache on the right side of my face. It isn't tender - there's no where I can "poke" my jaw with my finger to make it hurt. It doesn't hurt when I open my mouth wide or when I bite down very gently. It doesn't hurt when I push on my teeth in any direction. It only hurts when I bite down with some force or if I connect my molars and move my jaw from side to side. I can eat, but can't chew toffee or gum.

I don't think there was any trauma or injury to the jaw, and the pain seems to be getting slowly worse. It sort of feels like my jaw is really, really tired, like I've been trying to chew a huge hunk of asphalt for six hours.

Any ideas? Ice doesn't help.