And it's time to change, it's time to re-arrange....

A new question from a reader for the 'Ask Doc and The Mountain Cat' portion of this program:

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the idea of “Change.” Some of us thrive on it, even seek it out, while others avoid it, and fear it. One thing is for certain, change is inevitable. The Ebb and Flow of life. I read last night the classic, silly, yet important book titled, “Who Moved My Cheese?” In it is asks…”What would you do if you weren’t afraid?” So I send the question out to Mt. Cat and Doc and invite all fellow bloggers to answer. Thanks fellas.

Sincerely,

The Google Doll

Wheres George ??

I have this hobby that I am really interested in and may (or may not) interest you as well. I like to track where my dollar bills go after I spend them. To do this I use a website http://www.wheresgeorge.com/ The basic idea is that I take dollar bills that I receive in change or from a bank and enter the serial numbers into the website at the location I am currently using the zip code. I mark the bills with the website name and then spend them. Others notice the website name on the dollar bills and then "update" their location by entering the zip code where the bill is currently? Its a fun way to track where your money goes after it leaves your hands. There is also a score associated with the number of bills you enter and the number of bills that are found (or hit) and where they are found.

I heard about it on the radio but others usually learn about it by finding a marked bill and entering it's location themselves. I am completely hooked on this little hobby. There is a whole online community of "Georgers" who chat online about "Georging" and even have large gatherings where they swap money to spend in different parts of the country and the world.I have only been doing this less than a year but have had really good results.

So far I have had bills found in 32 of the 50 US states, 2 US territories, the District of Columbia, and Canada. My George Score has me currently ranked 72nd of 3150 in the state of North Carolina rankings with an overall hit rate on my bills of over 18% (the site average is about 10%).

Sometimes people look at me funny when I ask to see their money to see if they happen to have any rare or unique bills and when I ask them to trade money with me if they are going to travel but overall people are very helpful. My in-laws have carried marked bills for me up north and overseas and my parents are doing the same thing next month.

Here is a link to my George profile that includes maps of the states and counties where I have had bills found... Oh yeah btw using the wheresgeorge.com website is free so if anyone wants to check it out please feel free. You do have to register for a profile in order to actually track bills but it's risk free as well. Oh and one more thing. If you ever look down into the bills you received in change and see one that has stamps on it saying wheresgeorge.com please take a moment to enter the serial # and the current zip code into the website and see where that bill has come from. You might be surprised how far George has travelled.


Doc

The origin of The Mountain Cat

Back in 1972 in a small village known as Brooklyn, a baby was born that would usher in a new era and change the evolution of mankind as we know it. Well didn't I? Ok, ok, never mind.

My last name in Italian means Mountain Lion. But I morphed it into The Mountain Cat as my stage name. (And isn't Cat easier to spell than Lion?). Actually to be honest I don't know why I choose Cat over Lion. Personal choose I guess. But I do refer The Mountain Cat's origin from the Jerky Boys 1992 first prank phone call album where Tarbash the Egyptian Magician wanted to bring his mountain cat on stage to 'terrorize people' for his magic act (Listen here).

But I have to admit that I have turned The Mountain Cat persona into a bit of an obsession. I recently had my new iPod engraved ‘The Mountain Cat’s iPod’. Also, I did donate $25 to the Mountain Lion Foundation. (They sent me a thank you certificate which I framed). This organization protects these animals from hunters and poachers so they don’t become endangered. And I was really upset when during a game former Mets pitcher Turk Wendell wore a necklace of teeth from a mountain lion he killed in Colorado. That bastard!

But probably my most over the top moment was when I got a vanity license plate when I lived in North Carolina in the 1990s. To fit on the plate, I had to shorten it to 'Mt. Cat'. But unfortunately too many people were reading it as ‘Empty Cat’. Oh well, I still think it looked cool.








- The Mountain Cat

New Poll 1/21/08

First of all congrats to Soda for dominating the vote from last weeks poll with over 52% of the vote. Soda easily outdistanced Pop in a somewhat surprising vote. Thanks to all who voted.

Thank you also for all the good suggestions in comments and by e-mail for a poll this week. After taking a look at all of them I decided that the poll for this week should come from something that AbsolutGator had me post in response to Grape Nutz' Ask Doc and the Mt. Cat question. It seems that Absolut took issue with Nutz' stance that global warming may exist. There seems to be some bit of controversy surrounding this issue so what better idea for the next poll question?

What do you think about global warming? Please vote on the right hand side of the page for one of the 3 options available. Global warming may be possible, global warming is a hoax, or I don't care screw the environment.

Let's see if this generates a few votes....

-Doc

IT'S RAINING GIANTS!!!

In one of the greatest (and sloppiest) football games I have ever seen, the New York Giants defeated the Green Bay Packers and are going to Super Bowl XLII against the New England Patriots! Wow!!! I was a bar watching the game and completely lost my voice from screaming at the TV for 3 hours.

The Patriots are undefeated and have an 18 and 0 record. So my rally cry for the next two weeks before the Super Bowl will be '18 and 1! 18 and 1!'

If the New York Giants beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl, it will be the greatest victory in the history of mankind! WHOOAAAAHOOO!!!!!!!!

- The Mountain Cat

Next weeks poll...any ideas?

Does anyone have any good ideas for this coming weeks poll? I thought about "Who do you want to win the Superbowl?" but after today that will pretty much be everybody wanting Green Bay or the Giants whoever wins. I thought about another food poll...but figured I would save that for later on this winter because I have a doozy that will stir up some controversy.

But for now... Please give us some ideas. Post what you think would be a good poll for this week starting tomorrow. Something that will move the needle an generate some discussion.

Thanks,

Doc

Ask Doc and the Mt. Cat 1/19

Here is a question recently sent to us:

My tread mill is set in front of of a set of windows so that I can enjoy sunshine and a sense of the outdoors without having to actually subject myself to an environment ravaged by global warming. I have two questions. First, is it still important to wear a sun screen and can you tell me what the S.P.F. is for grape jelly? Secondly, I'm inside the privacy of my own home so what business is it of my neighbors whether I'm wearing pants or not?The jelly pretty much covers up the naughty bits so whats the big deal?

Sincerely,
Grape Nutz


Dear Grape Nutz:

First of all we really appreciate your concern about global warming. Each of us has to do our part to help however we are not sure that exercising in the comfort of your home "either heated or air conditioned" is going to help with that. As for your main question about sunscreen we think that in today's world one can never be too careful. Remember the Boy Scouts motto "Be prepared"? this not only applies to prophylactics but to sunscreen as well. Make sure that you apply liberally to any area that might even have the slightest chance of seeing sunlight. As is in stick it where the sun do shine. As far as the grape jelly goes we are a little perplexed on this one. We always thought that orange marmalade worked better. But what do we know??

Your neighbors are a different matter all together. Unless you live across the street from Ozzy Ozbourne then you are probably what is referred to in the normal world as the "weirdo on the block" and even though you may have embraced this as your community role you have to understand that people will tend to stare and say hurtful things about you behind your back. We suggest more marmalade and a good privacy fence. We hope this has been helpful to you. Best of luck with that exercise plan.

Doc and the Mt Cat

(If you are in need of some advice please e-mail us your question and you may see it answered here. Information is over on the right hand side of the page.)

UPDATE!! - The Absolutgator checked in and also has some advice for our friend in need:

Dear Grape Nutz,

Your going to have to apply something better than jelly to protect yourself from the rays of the sun coming through yonder window. The best way to prevent this is by using some type of window film. However, as the cost of this is not cheap, sunscreen is probably your best bet (remember, the stuff only has a shelf life of a year). As for doing it in the buff, I have two thoughts on this: 1) You are in the privacy of your own home and, unless you have neon signs outside pointing to your window, should be able to do what you want; 2) Why in the hell would you want to? If you are a chick, I'm sure the funbags have got to be a wee bit upset w/ your decision to let them go under that kind stress for 30 minutes or more. If you are a guy, doing cardio commando style is just cruel on the boys.

Unlike my esteemed colleague, I do not appreciate your concern about the global warming hoax. I've never before seen a theory so contested in the science community taken as fact so easily as this hogwash (except the whole world is flat thing). I wouldn't be so upset about it if proponents of the theory didn't keep spewing the same bad science and examples to support their position. Spend your time worrying about real environmental issues like pollution, water contamination, etc.

Keep exercising your body and try to start exercising your brain every once in a while by doing some research.

-The AbsolutGator

Weekly Odd News Roundup 1/18

Hitting the high notes:
-First some sad news, The founder of the company that brought us the hula-hoop and the Frisbee passed away this week.
-According to this article you now know who to blame if you get Syphilis. Blame Christopher Columbus, it's all his fault. But you better not try and tell that to Tony Soprano's gang, they don't like ole Chris' reputation tarnished.
-NORRISTOWN, Pa. - A man who mailed a bloody cow's head to his wife's lover has been sentenced to probation and community service. Jason Michael Fife "understands that in a civilized society a person cannot send a severed cow's head to anybody," said his defense lawyer, Henry Hilles. "My client did step over the line here, but one can certainly understand his frustration, given that the victim was carrying on an affair with my client's wife," Hilles said.Well that pretty much sums it up. I feel safer don't you? YIKES !!
-This story will scare the hell out of you. A construction worker claimed that when he went to a hospital after being hit on the forehead by a falling wooden beam, emergency room staffers forcibly gave him a rectal examination. And this was NY Presbyterian hospital. It appears that this guy REALLY didn't want the exam and ended up assaulting the doctor. It's going to court as a lawsuit. How would you like to be on that jury? If there is something worse than a "forced rectal examination" I certainly can't think of what it is.

-Doc