the simple rules of airplane etiquette

i consider myself to be pretty savvy when it comes to flying. i choose the best available seat when booking my ticket. i check-in online 24 hours prior to takeoff and switch to an even better seat - a window or aisle closer to the front so that i'm one of the last ones on and first ones off the plane. i choose an aisle seat if the flight is short so that i don't have to wait for my entire row to deplane. i choose a window seat if the flight is long and i want to sleep and not be interrupted by my fellow rowmates that need to use the facilities.

if i have a small carry on, i plan on stowing it under the seat in front of me. if i know i'll be traveling with a bigger bag, i will choose a seat in the middle of the plane to assure space in the overhead compartment and avoid having to check my bag last minute.

as you can see, a lot of thought and preparation goes into my seat selection. you will not find me looking to trade my seat at the last minute (there was one time i asked someone to switch with me so i could sit with my special someone. but it was a win-win situation. i gave up a seat in first class. now that's love).

i recently had an experience on a nwa flight that leads me to believe there are people out there that don't know the simple rules of airplane etiquette. these rules apply only to switching seats. don't even get me started on in-flight manners.

i call the first and most obvious rule the "even steven" rule. that means that you can only switch an aisle for an aisle, a window for a window, or a middle for a middle. occasionally, you might be able to get away with an aisle for a window or vice versa. but NEVER ask for an aisle or window for a middle.

the next rule is the "3 row" rule. the seat you want to trade must not be more than 3 rows behind the other. really moving back at all is a big no-no, but within 3 rows is close enough. any more than that and you just added atleast 5 minutes to their deplaning time.

last, but not certainly not least, is the "don't get comfy" rule. you should not be sitting in the seat with your luggage stowed away before you ask. this only causes deep resentment.

on my recent trip, not only did this guy have the nerve to offer me a middle seat one row behind my original AISLE seat, he was already sitting there quite comfortably with seatbelt fastened and luggage stowed, holding hands with his fiancee. i never had a chance.

well played.

just remember - what goes around comes around.

Fifa World Cup 2006

"Every four years during the month of June (when the World Cup is played), sick days increase 300 percent. And yet not one employee is fired. Not one doctor's note is required. Not one important meeting is ruined. Because the bosses are out sick too." - U2

Below are thoughts dedicated to the FIFA World Cup 2006.

• Brasil's 6th World Cup?
• World Cup Player Profile: Ronaldinho Gaucho
• US still alive in the 'Group of Death'!
• Bend It Like Beckham
• Homage to Ronaldo.
• Zizou! What did you do?
  

To view all 4 World Cup commercials featuring the voices of U2, visit ESPN Soccernet.

Lost Season 2 Finale

With Lost's sophomore year coming to a close tonight, producers have promised viewers that many questions will be answered. In what surely will be a dramatic finale, what mysteries will unravel and what will remain unknown?

There are many questions that we hope will be answered, but for now, we will be happy with insight on the following:

[nitty]

• What do the numbers 4 8 15 16 23 42 mean?
• Sawyer was caught saying that Jack is the closest thing he's got to a friend on the island. Will their friendship grow deeper?
• Whose baby is Sun really carrying?

[sharks]

• What did Walt mean when he said, "They're not who they say they are...they're pretenders"?
• Will Hurley remember why Libby looked so familiar?
• Will Kate and Sawyer succumb to temptation?

Calle Ocho

In the heart of Miami, away from the South Beach crowds and parties, is a spot that is from a Cuban storybook known as Little Havana. Here on 8th Street (or Calle Ocho), you can find hand-rolled cigars, fruiterias, meat markets, and authentic cuban restaruants serving traditional Cuban dishes with wonderful atmosphere. Enjoy a slice of flan, and wash it down with a shot of Cuban coffee before you head around the corner, where at Domino Park as the locals call it, you can see the older generation of Cubans meet to play dominoes or chess each day. Also nearby is the Little Havana Paseo de las Estrellas (Walk of the Stars). It is reminiscent of the one in Hollywood, but stars are given to Latin American actors, writers, artists and musicians. Miami is truly a special place, and with all the attention given to its' sandy beaches, it is a gift that Calle Ocho remains untouched.

...here we come

wow. mr. schwartz, you've outdone yourself. what a finale! and let me say - i did NOT see that coming. but i liked it. i liked it a lot. with all the perfectly placed flashbacks and references to holly's party, tj, the model home, and let's not forget "hallelujah", you were obviously trying to remind fans of what was and always will be the oc's best season. and well, it worked.

the tearful goodbyes and reminiscing allowed us to forgive that some things were resolved rather quickly (seth's arrest) and some questions were left unaddressed (sandy and kirsten made up?).

but i must say of all the main characters, i'm glad it's marissa that is gone. i couldn't picture the oc without seth, summer, ryan, or even sandy. marissa's storylines were becoming uninteresting and repetitive. although i would have been happy with her simply leaving to work on her father's yacht, we needed a way to keep ryan, seth, and summer in newport. but i will miss the increasingly rare, but treasured scenes with just the four friends.

so what's in store for season 4? will taylor finally have a shot at the inner circle? will jimmy make it home for marissa's funeral and cause trouble between sandy and kirsten or even julie and doc roberts? will ryan and summer ever hook up? (you can't tell me you haven't noticed there have been more one on one scenes with these two lately, not to mention the random touchy feeliness!)

it's going to be a long summer. well i guess there's only one thing that can fill the void! the oc mix 6. buy it. and might i recommend mix 1, 2, 4, and 5 (in that order). man i'm such a sucker.

until then i'll leave you with this - in memory of the fantastic four:

Marissa: Hey, how come you're the brains? I'm the one who talked us back into that club.
Seth: I'm sorry. I'm the brains.
Ryan: You can be the beauty.
Marissa: Okay, thanks.
Summer: Great, and what am I, Cohen?
Seth: Uh, the boobs?
[Summer hits him]
Seth: Uh, the bitch?
Summer: Okay, I'll take the boobs.
Seth: Hey. So will I.
[Summer laughs]
[Later]
Marissa: See, I think I should be the brains.
Ryan: No, Seth's the brains.
Marissa: Well, you're clearly not the beauty.
Ryan: Ooooh, and now someone's the bitch.
[smiles]

Is Pfizer Phucked?

2005 sales = 51 billion
2005 net income = 12 billion
2005 market cap = 175 billion

Numbers like these make Pfizer Inc the largest pharmaceutical company in the world! So what could possibly be the problem you say? Unfortunately, the future looks bleak and there seems to be no drug available to ease the pain.

Growth rates for big pharma have stagnated as patent expirations are allowing generic drug firms to enter markets that they couldn't before. Blockbusters such as Lipitor (12 billion in sales) and Zoloft (3 billion in sales) are beginning to feel pressure from cheaper competition, which poses a huge problem for Pfizer as it's top 5 selling drugs generate approximately 50% of it's sales.

However, with 2005 as a transition year and with a renewed focus on it's pipeline, Pfizer is hoping to revitalize it's growth by adding 6 new meds to the market this year. Also, The company is determined to getting into biologics, which for the past century, big pharma has relied on chemistry to develop pills as medicines. But since the birth of biotechnology 30 years ago, biologics has come into its own and now account for half the products currently in Phase II and Phase III clinical trials.

In addition, Pfizer is almost done selling it's consumer business which consists of many everyday products such as Listerine and Visine. A deal should be announced by the end of the month, and analysts believe that it could fetch upwards to 15 billion; cash that will most likely be used for biotech acquisitions or to increase its share buyback program and dividend.

With all this said, does Pfizer make a good investment? Possibly, a quality business with a historically low PE ratio, this company could be a solid value play for the long-term if it can keep churning out blockbuster hits. However, my money is on Johnson & Johnson. A household name that faces some of the same pharmaceutical problems as Pfizer, but with 60% of it's revenues being derived from it's growing medical devices and consumer businesses, this diversification coupled with it's consistent shareholder returns (the dividend has risen each year for 43 consecutive years, has increased sales for 72 consecutive years, and has posted double-digit earnings increases for 20 consecutive years), surely makes it the better cure.

california...

every once in awhile, a show comes around that gets you excited, gives you tons of quotables, and fills you with that warm, fuzzy feeling inside. for me and millions of others, it's the o.c. whether it's bad boy ryan, emo loving seth, picture perfect marissa, or any member of the hip parental unit, we all have our favorites. over the last three years, i have grown to adore the fun and feisty summer roberts.

the past few weeks have focused on seth and summer's roller coaster of a relationship. seth lied to summer about being rejected from brown so that she would still attend the prestigious ivy league school. he knew that if he told her he didn't get in, she would stay in california with him and both their lives would be ruined. instead he went to freshman orientation and tried to convince the dean to accept him. not that the show is very realistic in general (um, ever hear of safety schools people?), but if that worked, i would have lost some respect for josh schwartz.

oh sethela...so stupid, yet somehow so sweet.

in the end, he applies to risd. no seriously...who applies to just one school?! or maybe we don't know yet that the fantastic four have applied and been accepted to usc. i mean how else will they all stay in the oc?

we left last week's episode with seth being arrested for setting the newport group's office on fire. he just couldn't say no. could this ruin his chances at risd? will summer attend brown? will marissa revert to her destructive ways? will ryan get into yet another fight? will kirsten and sandy be able to save their marriage? i don't know. but i can guess.

WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD

with mischa barton expressing a desire to leave the show and rumors of a possible death, the gossip mill is working overtime. to prevent any leaks, producers of the show have taped multiple endings to the third season finale, including one in which marissa dies of a drug overdose. i thought it might be fun to share my predictions - some for the finale cliffhanger and some more long-term. these predictions are just my opinions and are based on hearsay.

• marissa will leave the oc, but not to attend berkeley. she will NOT be a regular cast member next season, but will make guest appearances.
• sandy will have a heart attack and will be clinging to life support as the show fades to black, but will be very much alive next season.
• seth will be rejected from risd.
• summer will head off to brown at the end of the finale, but will return to the oc next season to be with seth.

am i right? probably not. tune in to the oc to find out!

thursday, 9pm on fox.

The Office

With season 2 wrapping up, The Office is well on it's way to being a blockbuster television show. If you're looking for a Friends or Seinfeld fix, tune in Thursday nights on NBC. Based on the popular British series, this faster-paced American version follows the daily interactions of a group of office employees with the cameras recording their thoughts and actions Survivor style. If you're still not convinced, atleast check out the opening for the best theme song EVER...but we bet you'll stay to the very end!

[nitty]

My favorite episode so far has to be the "Christmas Special" which aired December 6, 2005. Michael hosts a Christmas party at the office, but somehow manages to damper the holiday spirit when he changes the arranged Secret Santa pairs to a game of "Yankee Swap," where everyone gives their pre-bought presents to a different, random worker. To boost morale, Michael introduces vodka shots while the others compete for an iPod, the gift given by Michael even though he told everyone else the money limit was only 25 bones!

Michael: [asking the cashier (not rhetorically) in his attempt to spruce up the office party] Do you think 15 bottles of Vodka is enough to get 20 people plastered?

[sharks]

My favorite episode is "Performance Review" which aired on November 11, 2005. The best side plot of all time occurs when Pam and Jim try to convince Dwight that the day is Friday instead of Thursday. I can't even do this scene justice. Just read the transcript:

Jim: [to the camera] Dwight thinks it's Friday so that's what I'm going to be doing this afternoon.
Pam: [trying to make Dwight think that it's Friday] Hey, did you watch The Apprentice last night?
Jim: Yeah, I can't believe who they kicked out!
Pam: Oh, I know!
Dwight: Damn it! I missed it! I was out drinking with my Laser Tag Team, I can't believe I did that! I never go out on Thursday nights.
[looks down shaking his head]
Jim: [raises hands in the air whispering] Yes!

Dwight: [running into work the next day after realizing it really was a Friday and not Saturday] I'm here! It's okay!

Must See TV has never been so good.

what do you call a deer with one eye?

if you have lived in the new england area, i'm sure you have noticed the accent. i'm not talking about the bawstin accent, i'm talking about the "adding an 'r' at the end of random words" accent. is that even an accent? i'm not sure if it is a dialect issue, it's really just an issue.

i can barely handle removing the 'r' from words.

i'll go pawk the caw.

makes me cringe. but adding the 'r' is just weird.
and now it's moving to the workplace. it doesn't sound very professional. sounds more like you've had a few sam adams.

can you analyze the datar?
uh, are you asking me to analyze the data later?

or standing in line for lunch: the tunar is really fresh here.
excuse me? the what? i think i just tunared you out.

i'd take the nasal of the midwest over the wicked 'r' of new england any day.

so what DO you call a deer with one eye?
no idear.

Seinfeld joke

On my block, a lot of people walk their dogs, and I always see them walking along with their little poop bags. This, to me, is the lowest activity in human life -- following a dog with a little pooper scooper. Waiting for him to go so you can walk down the street with it in your bag. If aliens are watching this through telescopes, they're going to think the dogs are the leaders of the planet. If you see two life forms, one of them's making a poop, the other one's carrying it for him, who would you assume is in charge?

Oracle of Omaha

Every year the doors open at the Qwest Center in Omaha, Nebraska, welcoming a capacity crowd of about 24,000 from around the world. The people aren't here to witness a sporting event or rock concert, but instead attend an annual investor meeting commonly dubbed as a "Woodstock for Capitalists" by Mr. Warren Buffett himself. The ticket, ownership in Berkshire Hathaway Class A stock. The price, willingness to pony up about $90,000 for 1 share.

Investors from around the world flock to the scene, eagerly waiting to hear what Warren might say this year. Every word is analyzed as investors seek to gather clues of what might happen next in the market hoping to add to their fortunes. The reason, Buffett has consistently outperformed the market by 10% for the past 40 years! From an initial investment of 10 G's in BRK.A in 1965, that amount would have grown to about 30 million today (compared to about 500K if invested in the S&P 500). It is mind-boggling how a single man betting on large, well-known companies such as Coca-Cola, American Express, and Procter & Gamble, can experience those types of returns with very little risk. The secret, investing in strong brands that you believe in and not overpaying for them. Buffett seeks out companies that trade inferior to their intrinsic values, and then never selling his stakes after purchasing. This strategy has made Buffett the #2 wealthiest person in the World, and it is clear that he is on a mission to be #1.

Check out what happened at this year's meeting held this past weekend.

Hatch Lines

Below are some of our favorite quotes from movies, music and television. Over time, we will add to the 'hatch lines' database!

Movies

Casino Dealer: 17.
Number Two: [After scanning the deck with his x-ray eye patch] Hit me.
Casino Dealer: You have 17, sir.
Number Two: I like to live dangerously.
Casino Dealer: [Hit for four] 21. Very good, sir.
Casino Dealer: [To Austin] 5.
Austin Powers: [waves his hands over his cards] I'll stay.
Casino Dealer: I suggest you hit, sir.
Austin Powers: I also like to live dangerously.
Casino Dealer: [flips his cards over] 20 beats your 5 sir. I'm sorry, sir.
Austin Powers: Well I must admit, cards aren't my bag, baby.
Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery

Dr. Emmett Brown: If my calculations are correct, when this baby hits eighty-eight miles per hour... you're gonna see some serious sh*t.
Back to the Future

Lou: You gonna order something, kid?
Marty McFly: Ah, yeah... Give me a Tab
Lou: Tab? I can't give you a tab unless you order something.
Marty McFly: Alright, give me a Pepsi Free.
Lou: You want a Pepsi, PAL, you're gonna pay for it.
Back to the Future

Castor Troy: Wheee. What a predicament.
Face/Off

Mikey: Don't you realize? The next time you see sky, it'll be over another town. The next time you take a test, it'll be in some other school. Our parents, they want the best of stuff for us. But right now, they got to do what's right for them. Because it's their time. Their time! Up there! Down here, it's our time. It's our time down here.
Goonies

Page Conners: You mean you come all the way out here to stare at space and sh*t?
Jack Withrowe: No, I come out here to get away from the lights of the city so I can SEE the
space and sh*t.
Heartbreakers

Bobby: Yeah!! Get him a body bag!!
The Karate Kid

Music

Ohhhhh
It seems like I can finally rest my head on something real
I like the way that feels
Ohhhhh
It's as if you've known me better than I ever knew myself
I love how you can tell
All the pieces, pieces, pieces of me
All the pieces, pieces, pieces of me
"Pieces of Me"
Ashlee Simpson

Everybody in the club gettin tipsy
"Tipsy"
J-Kwon

When I met you I was just a kid
Hadn’t built up my defenses
So I gave my heart completely
Vaseline over the lenses
"Requiem for O.M.M."
Of Montreal

Keep it in your fleece
Don't worry about the custom police
Don't, I'll tell you just how good it can be
"How Good Can it Be"
The 88

Took your stuff and put it in the basement
When i found out what the smile on your face meant
"Losing a Whole Year"
Third Eye Blind

Television

Ross: Pivot! Pivot! PIVOT!
Chandler: Shut up! Shut up! SHUT UP!
"The One with the Cop"
Friends

Rachel: I brought reinforcements!
Ross: You brought Joey?
Rachel: Well, I brought the next best thing.
Ross: Chandler? You brought Chandler? The next best thing would be Monica!
Chandler: Normally, I'd be offended, but she is freakishly strong.
"The One with the Cop"
Friends

Joey: Well…so-so uh, what kind of music does Numb Nuts—Oh forget it! I can’t!
Dina: Joey, I am scared to death about this. But I really think I can do it, I’m just gonna need some help. And Bobby’s gonna be here the whole time.
Bobby: You bet I am! And to answer your earlier question, we’re straight-up gangster rap.
"The One with Monica's Boots"
Friends

Sawyer: Hey, Mr. Clean, slow down.
Locke: Where did you get that name?
Sawyer: Come on! All you need is an earring and a mop
Lost

Sawyer: Who are they?
Michael: Don't worry, they're cool. They believe that we were on the flight too.
Sawyer: Well, now... we can sue Oceanic together, can't we!
Lost

Luke: Welcome to the O.C., b*tch. This is how it’s done in Orange County.
"Pilot"
The O.C.

Marissa: Who are you?
Ryan: Whoever you want me to be.
"Pilot"
The O.C.

Summer: Chino? Ew!
"Pilot"
The O.C.

Ryan: This is a nice car. I didn't know your kind of lawyer made money.
Sandy: No, we don't. My wife does.
"Pilot"
The O.C.

Donny: Yo, check it out! It's Abercrombie. Or, uh, are you Fitch?
"The Outsider"
The O.C.

Rebecca: It's kind of hard to meet people when you can't let anybody know who you really are and can't stay in one place too long.
Sandy: I can see how that might "salt your game".
Rebecca: "Salt your game". Is that how they talk in Orange county?
Sandy: Stick around. You'll be saying "Rad" in no time.
"The Second Chance"
The O.C.

Summer: Remember when the boys made us watch that movie about the gay guys on the mountain?
Marissa: Lord of the Rings
Summer: Yeah
"The Day After Tomorrow"
The O.C.

TIVO-licious

i don't think i'm ready for this tele
i don't think i'm ready for this tele
i don't think i'm ready for this
cause you're just too tivo-licious for me, babe

tivo and i have a great relationship, but for the most part it's one-sided. tivo gives and gives and gives and doesn't ask much in return, besides $12.95/month. so here's my way of saying thank you, tivo!

tivo has tons of cool features. here are some of my favorites:

1. the pause - how many times have you really needed to go to the bathroom but made yourself wait till commercial break, making it impossible to really enjoy what you were watching?

2. the rewind - ever wish you could rewind a scene because SOMEBODY was talking or asking "what did she say"? c'mon...we all have someone like that in our lives.

3. recording any show by time, channel, or name - don't know what time your show is on? or what channel? or exactly what it's called? doesn't matter! tivo knows!

4. recording one channel while watching another - ok i won't lie. i haven't set this function up YET. the truth is i think this function might be TOO good...

if you still aren't convinced about the power of tivo, think about this:
next time you are at a party on thursday night and the clock nears 9pm and someone says, "gotta head out, can't miss the oc"! you can be the one to say, "oh i'm tivo-ing it".

watching tv has never been more fun!

so next time you can't think of the perfect gift, think tivo. the gift of rewind.

Easy Peasy Japanesey

I am expecting a package to be delievered soon, and I am finding it amazingly convenient to track the status of my UPS shipment via Google. All I need to do is throw in my tracking code and hit search (I don't even have to say it is UPS or click to any site. Google figures it out on it's own!)

It's amazing how much stuff you can find by typing in your request in the Google Search box and clicking search. Here are some additional examples that you might find helpful as timesavers:

Calculator
Evaluate mathematical expressions.

Currency Conversion
Easily perform any currency conversion.

Definitions
Get glossary definitions gathered from various online sources.

Movies
Find reviews and showtimes for movies playing near you.

Stocks
Get live stock quotes and information.

Street Maps
Find U.S. street maps.

Travel Info
Check the status of an airline flight in the U.S. or view airport delays and weather conditions.

Weather
Check the current weather conditions and forecast for any location in the U.S.

The full list of quick search options is available on Google's Web Search Features page.

Hatch Lingo

Below is a list of a few words/phrases you may stumble upon as you read our blog. Over time, we will add to the 'hatch lingo' dictionary!

buck (adj.)
crazy, wild

burn (v.)
to annoy, irritate

clipped (adj.)
expendable

dumberer (adj.)
worse than dumber

gas (v.)
to pump up

nast (adj.)
gross, disgusting

nasty (adj.)
opposite of nast

redonkulous (adj.)
amazing, brilliant

so good
the highest compliment

sonofa
a quick way to swear without swearing

what the
state of confusion

no, thank YOU

how do you win an argument? well, it's simple. you don't lose. this is the logic of charming nick naylor, the 'hero' in christopher buckley's "thank you for smoking", a satirical look at the tobacco industry. i highly recommend this book - it is one of the funniest and smartest books i've read in a long time.

nick naylor can walk into any room and make the crowd light up. he is witty, smooth, and compelling, and we can't take our eyes off him. he has a way of making us root for the bad guys. he is a master in the art of spin.

merriam-webster defines spin as:
a special point of view, emphasis, or interpretation (put the most favorable spin on the findings)

while i'm sure mr. o'reilly doesn't approve, naylor does indeed put the most favorable spin on the findings. he still claims that it has not been medically proven that smoking causes lung cancer. you don't know the medical history of all the cases, he argues. he makes good points. and we believe him. where are the data?

my favorite part of the book comes when naylor pays a visit to the original marlboro man. he has to convince the lung cancer ridden man to accept cash money in exchange for silence (to not badmouth the tobacco bigwigs). he amazingly spins the situation so that not only does the marlboro man take the money, but naylor has him believing that it's not a bribe.

i don't want to give too much away because i really want you all to read it. i know what you are thinking - i'll just watch the movie. trust me, i know how that goes (ahem davinci code). but in this case, the movie is just different enough, it's worth reading the book.

that said, i do recommend seeing the movie. it's a laugh-out-loud flick with an amazingly talented cast. if all else fails, it's worth it just to see adam brody steal every scene he's in from his veteran co-stars.

read the book. watch the movie. thank you for listening.

Holy guacamole!

Ever wonder how Chipotle makes that mouthwatering guacamole? If so, then you're in luck because I got the recipe. This stuff is mad good!

Ingredients:
1 Large ripe Hass avocado, peeled, pitted
2 Teaspoons fresh lime juice
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 Cup finely chopped red onions
2 Cloves garlic, finely minced
1 Serrano chili, seeded, chopped
1/4 Teaspoon salt

Directions:
1. Mash up avocado with a fork or electric mixer.
2. Add lime juice.
3. Add all other ingredients and blend well.
4. Serve with warm and salted tortilla chips.

Mmm, gotta love guac...Enjoy!