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Jury duty is your civic duty. But so is paying taxes. The following are 100% legitimate ways to get kicked out of jury duty and move on with the rest of your day:

Before The Trial

You can easily get kicked out of jury duty for not living in the state where you were called for jury duty. Having a profession where people rely on you to save lives such as a doctor or paramedic can also get you a pass. Also, courts in some states have shown leniency towards college students studying for exams so it never hurts to ask.

Make sure to check when was the last time you were asked to come in to jury duty. Many states require at least three years to pass before you can be called in again.

Anything that is going on in your life right now that will inhibit your ability to be a juror—either mentally or physically—is a great thing to mention during your interview.

The Court System

If you or any of your close friends or family members have ever been involved in the court system (with the exception of being jurors), be sure to mention this to the judge when he asks. He will probably exclude you from the pool or jurors. This can include anything from your dad who is a distinguished district attorney to your best friend who works as a janitor in the county jail to you currently being involved in a law suit.

Violent Crimes

Simply having a family member who is involved in crime or is involved in law enforcement will get you a big pass by either lawyer. Lawyers do not want anyone who is bias against them in anyway. If the defense attorney asks you if anyone in your family is a member of a police department, you can easily tell him about your second-uncle Teddy who is a retired NYPD officer.

Vice

Vice crimes are especially touchy. The judge, the defense, and the prosecution will each throw out a good amount of jurors. What is interesting about vice crimes is that no one will ask for too much information. A simple “I was the victim of a vice crime three years ago” referring to the time you got hit on by that sketchy guy named Steve could go miles and get you a pass out of the court room. Any connection you, or friends, or you family have that is even remotely related can be mentioned.

If All Else Fails: Be Opinionated

If you were just not able to get out of jury duty using one of the methods above, you can simply be as opinionated as possible. Saying things like “I would change the age of consent” as two jurors did during the R. Kelly trial are sure fire ways to get you kicked out of that courtroom faster than you can finish your sentence. Just be as opinionated as you possibly can and someone will find a way to get rid of you.

Good luck! If you have successfully (or unsuccessfully) used any of the above methods or you have some of your own, be sure to let us know in the comments.

Image by Kevin Trotman

Soda is probably one of the worst things you can drink. Maybe that is why it is so tasty. Here are some things you can drink that will be ten times more healthy for your body:

Water One of the best things you can drink. Too bad it is so boring. Next.

Sparkling Water + Lime A variation of the above with a little extra zest (literally!). Just get some seltzer and add a little bit of lime. Lime is great for the body and its acidity helps get rid of a lot of bad things in your stomach. Lime also has been shown to help heal scars faster. Just make sure you get real sparkling water and not something like tonic water that has a bunch of sugar in it.

Green Tea Green tea has all sorts of health benefits. It helps you stay hydrated, cures acne, and the Chinese even believe it gives you super powers. It is easy to make, can be consumed hot or icy, and is way cheap. Other teas like white tea are great too, but try to stay away from teas like black tea that have a high dose of caffeine (unless you are studying for an exam).

Soy Milk Not everybody loves it, but it is one of the healthiest and, in my opinion (once I got used to it), tastiest things you can drink. Comes in all sorts of flavors. From chocolate to vanilla to extra calcium (mmm calcium…).

Lemonade and Limeade Just squeeze one lemon or lime into a large glass of water. Add one or two spoons of sugar, but don’t go overboard. Super easy, quick, and healthy.

Fruit Juice Juices are a great way to get a lot of needed vitamins into your body. They taste great too. There is so much variety in fruit juice that you will never get bored. If the super-market just is not doing it for you, try to make some juice at home. Ever tried home-made carrot juice? It is delicious!

Beer or Wine Although both contain some alcohol, they still have many health benefits. Red wine is continuously shown to help with high cholesterol and a bunch of other maladies. Beer has been shown to have similar benefits. Read some of our Booze Reviews for suggestions.

General tips You want to drink something with not too much sugar, alcohol, or caffeine. And, completely stay away from high-fructose corn syrup! Those things dehydrate your body so the more you drink, the more you need to drink.

Giving Up If all else fails, you can still stay away from processed additives like high fructose corn syrup by making your own soda at home. Plus, it’s great fun!

Happy drinking!

Image by Heo2035

The casino… a favorite college pass time. Before heading off to Vegas, Foxwoods, a Native American reservation, international waters, or Canada here are some tips that will ensure you have at least a half chance of doubling your money:

Play Little

The basics behind ever casino is statistics. The more you play, the more your chances of losing money. Casinos will not mind if you win some of their money because on average they will win

Play Smart

Play only games that have high odds. Some games will rape you over in unfair odds. Here is a basic guide:

Blackjack: Every time you play Blackjack you have almost a 50% chance of winning. In Blackjack, you try to add up your card values so they are close to 21, but do not go over. Aces can be worth either 1 or 11 and face cards are worth ten. You play against the dealer and not other players. The way the casino wins is if they tie your score or if you bust (you get more than 21).

Roulette: Roulette gives you a 47.3% chance of doubling your money if you bet on reds, blacks, evens, or odds. It is a much more exciting game than that however. You place bets on any one number (1 in 36 chance of winning); any two, three, or four touching numbers; any column of numbers; and more. There are so many types of bets in roulette that it will be sure to keep your interest up. A ball will land on a random number and if you chose that number or if it is red/black, odd/even, whatever you bet on…you win!

Poker: Any poker game in a casino where you play against other players and not the dealer is generally a good idea. The casino takes in a specific amount of money from every winning hand called a rake and in return you do not have to play against their odds. No Limit Texas Hold ‘Em is my personal favorite, but there are dozens of different types of poker games available so find a table and just ask how to play if you are unsure.

Tips

1. If you are unsure about something, ask the dealer. They are generally very nice people.

2. Tip your dealer. If you tip your dealer they will be more willing to help you. Plus, it is just common courtesy. (Note: Do not expect the dealer to go easy on you or cheat for you. That stuff may only fly in Chinatown)

3. If you go to a big casino-hotel ask for a comp card and use it at every game. What it does is track your wins/losses so just in case you lose a lot or even if you just play a lot, you will probably get a lot of free gifts from the casino.

4. Talk to your fellow gamblers and have a good time.

5. Do not drink too much. It will impede your judgment and you will end the night buying Patron tequila shots for the entire table and out a few thousand dollars.

6. Have fun!

From Wikipedia (in case you seriously have been living in a cave for the last 150 years):

Charles Robert Darwin FRS (12 February 1809 – 19 April 1882) was an English naturalist who realised and demonstrated that all species of life have evolved over time from common ancestors through the process he called natural selection. The fact that evolution occurs became accepted by the scientific community and much of the general public in his lifetime, while his theory of natural selection came to be widely seen as the primary explanation of the process of evolution in the 1930s, and now forms the basis of modern evolutionary theory. In modified form, Darwin’s scientific discovery is the unifying theory of the life sciences, providing logical explanation for the diversity of life.

At Edinburgh University Darwin neglected medical studies to investigate marine invertebrates, then the University of Cambridge encouraged a passion for natural science. His five-year voyage on HMS Beagle established him as an eminent geologist whose observations and theories supported Charles Lyell’s uniformitarian ideas, and publication of his journal of the voyage made him famous as a popular author. Puzzled by the geographical distribution of wildlife and fossils he collected on the voyage, Darwin investigated the transmutation of species and conceived his theory of natural selection in 1838. Although he discussed his ideas with several naturalists, he needed time for extensive research and his geological work had priority. He was writing up his theory in 1858 when Alfred Russel Wallace sent him an essay which described the same idea, prompting immediate joint publication of both of their theories.

His 1859 book On the Origin of Species established evolutionary descent with modification as the dominant scientific explanation of diversification in nature. He examined human evolution and sexual selection in The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex, followed by The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals. His research on plants was published in a series of books, and in his final book, he examined earthworms and their effect on soil.

In recognition of Darwin’s pre-eminence, he was one of only five 19th-century UK non-royal personages to be honoured by a state funeral, and was buried in Westminster Abbey, close to John Herschel and Isaac Newton.

Related: YouTube video of a British man explaining how old the earth is and making fun of creationists. It is related because the man is British.

Image by CraftyGoat

The New Year is coming. I am still thinking of how to improve myself for the first month and then give up. If you are as well, here are some suggestions for New Year’s resolutions:

1. Become Healthier
Instead of making a resolution to lose weight, why not make one to become healthier. Eat right and stay fit and you will get a super-hot body in the process. You can try doing exercises in your room or going to the gym on a regular basis. Eating wise, if you have the willpower, you can try the Master Cleanse or a vegetarian diet.

2. Become a Vegetarian
Vegetarians live longer than the rest of us. Many people see making the switch to vegetarianism or veganism a tough one. It is easier than it seems if you have a few tips: Learning to cook can increase the variety of food you eat. There are tons of foods for vegetarians to eat, but sometimes you just might need to step out of the way and visit a health food store. The most important tip, however, is to stick to it. If you eat meat by mistake once, forgive yourself and move passed it. Just stick to it.

3. Learn to Cook
By learning to cook, you eat less processed foods and generally become healthier. It is also a great way to entertain guests or dates. Plus you will save a bunch of money on food.

4. Saving Money
Saving money is important for your long term goals. It is a great way to develop positive attitudes about improving yourself. The way to save money is simple to make more than you spend. Easy right? Right… Well if you are human and filled with desired to buy useless things, just try to get those under control. Do you really need that bread maker or Prada bag? Two of the best ways I have found to save money: 1) Make a list of things I want to buy and not buy anything until it has been on the list for at least one month. 2) Put money into a savings account every month as if it were a bill you had to pay.

5. Get Your Debt Under Control
Saving money is great, but many of us are still in the red on our credit card statements. The same tips on saving money apply on paying your credit cards. An extra tip: Cancel as many credit cards as you can and/or cut them up. The less credit cards you have the less your desire will be (and the higher your credit score will be).

6. Drink Less Alcohol
Alcohol is also a huge chuck of my biweekly paycheck. Also, unless you are 40 and drinking only a glass or two of red wine a day it is not very health. Alcohol dehydrates you and can cause some other havoc in your life if you go a little overboard that night you were at the club with your girlfriend’s best friend. Try limiting yourself to two drinks per night when you start off. Also, if you are really brave, you can try just giving up alcohol all together, but due to how awesome alcohol is I would advise against it.

7. Quit Smoking
Another vice that takes up a large chuck of one’s paycheck is smoking. Plus it kind of makes you look like a douche… Smoking is something of the last millennium. We all know it is bad for us, but damn that nicotine is addicting. The way I quit smoking was just to go cold turkey. It will be hard at first, but just keep in mind your goals. (And, if your a pansy you can try those patches.)

8. Get a Girlfriend/Boyfriend
Now that you quit smoking you want some hot people to sleep with. The main objective here is not to try to force yourself into anything. You can however try to be more outgoing, meet new people, etc. That way you will have some fun instead of stressing out.

9. Stress Out Less
Classes, work, exams, term papers, girlfriends, pet turtles… we all stress out a lot more than we need to. The best way to get over stressing out is to develop a laissez-faire attitude. Does this mean “Do not study for exams, do not do work, etc.”? Well for me personally, it usually does. But even so, I am much happier than I was before. You should still do all your work, but just keep in mind that when it’s over it’s over and there is nothing you can do about it anymore. Just do your best and remember most of what you do today will have very little impact on how happy you are five or ten years from now.

10. Spend More Time with Friends and Family
Now with all that extra time you have from not stressing out, you can hang out with the people that matter most. Play a board game, watch a movie, or just talk. This time will be some of your most cherished memories when you get older. Believe it or not you will forget about what happened in the season finale of Heroes (though it was amazing). Do the things that matter most.

11. Help Others
Helping others can be extremely rewarding. I have a bunch of positive experiences painting autistic children’s faces for Halloween with the help an old friend, setting up food at a food bank, doing magic for kids in an orphanage, and much more. There are tons of ways you can help others. Charity work is fun and you can do it with friends, but you do not even need to do charity work. You can help others individually like helping a friend move or bringing soup to you sick mom even though you had to drive a couple of hours in the rain. Be creative!

The Best Tip
The best tip for all your New Year’s resolutions however is to stick to it! Do not give up. Tell people about what you are doing so they will help you keep going. Good luck!

Share your own suggestions in the comments below.

Image by CraftyGoat

You should use an “a” before all words that begin with consonants.
* a cat
* a pineapple
* a brown dog
* a popsicle
* a broken crayon

Use “an” before all words that begin with vowels.
* an apple
* an artichoke
* an orangutan
* an iceberg
* an elliptical orbit

There are, of course, a few exceptions to this rule. In American English, for words beginning with an “h,” use “a” if you pronounce the “h” and “an” if you don’t.
* a hotel
* an herbal bouquet
* a honeybee
* an honest reply

For words that begin with “u,” when the “u” sounds like the “y” in “you,” you should use “a” instead of “an.”
* a unicorn
* an umbrella

For words that begin with “o,” when the “o” sounds like the “w” in “won,” you should use “a” instead of “an.”
* a one-hit wonder
* an overbearing boss

Image credited: Gez D

Source: Digg Comment

1. Black Holes
Black holes are stars that have condensed themselves to become super-dense. Due to this, objects are able to get very close to them and be pulled into their event horizons ever to be seen again.

2. The Destruction of the Milky Way Galaxy
The leading theory is that in a few billion years, the Milky Way will crash into our neighboring galaxy, the Andromeda Galaxy. Let’s just say that this will not be pretty if we are still living on Earth at that time.

3. Black Holes, Neutron Stars, and White Dwarfs Crashing into Each Other
Unless you are standing on the two crashing objects, it really is quite a pretty event.

4. Newton vs. Einstein: The Biggest Fight of Two Centuries
Since Newton, many people wondered what caused gravity to exist, but nobody could come up with a valid reason. Until Einstein.

5. Crazy Man Building Time Machine
Seriously, this scientist is building his own time machine and has been featured on numerous television networks and programs. I hope he doesn’t kill us all.

6. Man Actually Travels Forward in Time…?
This man claims that he actually traveled into the future. According to Einstein and many of the most substantial theories of our day, it is impossible to travel into the future. It is only theoretically possibly to travel into the past—if you travel faster than the speed of light. Also, he never tells us how he got back.

What do you think of this? I think it’s rubbish.

Image credit The Eggplant

The following is a guest post by our friend Max Carter from Tales from Your Favorite RA. We personally love his style of a novel-esc writing so be sure to check his blog out!

My name is Max Carter and I am an RA at a small college in Maine. I am often asked by parents what my role is as an RA. What do you do, they ask me. Well, not much. But sometimes I have to clean up messes, break up fights, and even *gasp* write people up for being naughty. (We are not allowed to spank… yet. But I hear that’s one of Obama’s top priorities for 2009. RA spanking: yes we can!) So, how can you make your RA’s life easier? Here are some ways:

Don’t smoke pot…

Don’t smoke pot and try to bunk your beds. If you want to bunk your beds, ask your RA and he or she can get the proper materials for you. In fact, don’t smoke pot in the dorms at all, or the pot-sniffing dogs will sniff you out.

If you are not feeling well…

If you are not feeling well and are able to get to the bathroom, you should be able to make it to the toilet. Seriously. Vomit is one thing; diarrhea is inexcusable.

Don’t try to pick a fight…

Don’t try to pick a fight with anyone within earshot unless you’re really big and strong. Or on PCP. You’re invariably going to get the snot beaten out of you. In fact, don’t try to pick a fight regardless of your size. It just creates a lot of paperwork for your RA and a black eye for you.

Be quiet…

Be quiet after quiet hours start. It’s very simple. If quiet hours start at 10pm on your floor, you probably shouldn’t be banging nails into your walls at 3:30am. And when you’ve waken up all of your neighbors and your RA asks you if it’s you making all the noise, don’t deny it. The hammer in your hand gives you away.

Don’t ask…

Don’t ask your brand new RA if he or she can remind you each morning to take your meds. This is not going to end well for you, your hall mates, or the school. And it puts your RA in an awkward position. And after weeks of not taking said meds, mumbling the phrase “al Queda” while pacing the halls alone is probably going to scare some people.

Keeping your RA is simple. Be respectful of other people and their backgrounds. Colleges – even in Maine – are very diverse. Follow the rules. Clean up after yourself. Break your party up after quiet hours. Seems simple, but a lot of people forget the rules and pay the price. I have two residents right now who are going through AA and doing community service because they got drunk and were too belligerant. Most important rule of all: don’t be stupid.