Category: Q & A

Great answers here, just wanted to add a link to Easy-WP, a recently released "admin theme" which makes the entire backend super-simple for your content-focused admins:

http://wordpress.org/extend/plug…

Disclaimer: I'm not an employee or paying client of easy-wp, I've just found it extremely useful in making the WordPress admin interface less scary to CMS newbies, who might otherwise gravitate towards Google Sites or Joomla!.

Is there a way to change the skin/theme of the admin panel of WordPress?

There at least two considerations here – the consumption phase, and the digestive/expressive phase.

Masking smell at ingestion:

• Many herbal cocktails will help mask the scent of alcohol on the breath. Avoid the fruitier combinations.

• Jello shots (done right) pretty much hold onto the alcohol until the digestion phase begins, minimizing the amount that gets "locked in" at the mouth/tongue/throat.

• Beer and straight liquor, of course, are both terrible as far as masking goes, and should be avoided if this is of primary concern.

Masking smell pre and post-consumption:

• Activated charcoal (~$5 http://amzn.to/jEob5F), the type more commonly used and prescribed for reducing body odor, helps a great deal. A lot of what one thinks of as "alcohol breath" actually emanates from every expressive pore in the body, including the lungs, and mouth – but also the sweat glands, and even the skin itself! To oversimplify the science, it's a bit like a bloodstream air filter, or a kitty litter box for your drinking habit – and seeing as both deer hunters and models seem to agree on this one for masking unwanted scents, I'm sold!
• Sodium Bentonite Powder (~$13 http://amzn.to/iDcCkm), used extensively in various skin purification and even some digestive "cleanse" programs. It basically works like the charcoal, absorbing toxins in the bloodstream before they have a chance to exhaust through various organs. For bonus points, also try calcium bentonite powder (also known as 'Psyllium Husks", and see which works best for you personally.

The best bet? Take some activated charcoal before you go out, indulge in a few Mojitos, and arrive home smelling of pure innocence. Even so, best to double-check in the restroom mirror, on the off chance some of that stripper glitter has rubbed off on your face – otherwise it won't really matter how much you had to drink…

Is there any way to consume alcohol without your breath smelling of alcohol?

No.

Beauticians, for example, are in part paid and appreciated for their ability to boost the mood and reinforce the self-esteem of their clients:

Person A "I look terrible!"

Beautician Z "Nonsense! You look very pretty, we just need to adjust your look to transition better from work to play."

A stretch example, maybe, but one which highlights that it isn't the words but rather the context which imply or imbue harassment. Personally, I think harassment occurs at the intersection of three factors:

• Interest, that is
• Expressed, while
• Undesired by the recipient

While it may be hard sometimes to measure all three accurately or objectively, I would submit that a lack of even a single one of these factors would render any interaction free from a reasonable definition of harassment.

Given that the expression is assumed in the question, and the desire on the part of the receiver may well be unknowable, then my advice for those who would like to share their feelings of another's beauty do so in a manner that does not display specific intent, or desperation.

Is Shannon Larson correct that saying "You're really pretty" to a stranger "would be harassment under most circumstances"?

The best way to apologize for talking on the phone during a train ride is simply to nod, mouth the words "I'm sorry" in a pantomime, and then slowly, carefully, turn off your phone, put it in your pocket, and clasp your hands in your lap meditatively for the rest of the ride. Next time, bring a book.

There was a lady in the train that asked me to "shut the fuck up" while I was talking on the phone. What would be a witty way to say sorry to her?

The biggest payoff of "effort versus appreciation" comes down to these three for me:

• Perfectly executed Rice Krispie Treats (under 20 mins)

• Various "exotic" flavors(*) of homemade Ice Cream (20 mins prep, under 1 hr total)

• Crème Brûlée French Toast (20 mins prep, 8 hrs refrigeration, 40 mins bake)

(*Ice cream flavors most requested by tasters include: sakura-zuke – salt-pickled cherry blossom, strong black coffee – French roast whole beans cooked in milk with lots of caffeine, and wasabi)

What is the best dish to bring to a potluck?