Toren Atkinson’s Absolute Blog

Last week I had a dream where tsunamis were battering the coast, so everyone started fleeing inland, and then in front of the panicked crowds a gigantic meteor came down and smashed into the Earth causing a tremendous explosion. It was the end of the world as we know it! Then there were these weird black oozy creatures that were kind of like grim reapers or something, going around and converting others to black oozy creatures. Fun! I would prefer an apocalyptic dream over a high school dream any day of the week.

Email me all of the meme quizzes (what is your favourite food, etc) you’ve done. To thickets@uniserve.com with the subject: Meme’s the Word

When your metabolism is in “rest” mode, you burn mostly glucose, the simple sugar that’s found in your blood. Your fat cells remain untouched, and you don’t lose any weight. But when you engage in sustained, strenuous (i.e., aerobic) exercise, your system shifts gears and you start metabolizing body fat. This typically occurs about 15 or 20 minutes into your workout, when you experience the familiar phenomenon known as “hitting your stride.” Suddenly, things seem easier. That’s because fat is a more efficient fuel–it provides 18 times more energy than glucose.

Your metabolic rate fluctuates during the day, peaking out around midday. Studies indicate that a load of calories taken at night will result in more weight gain than the same amount taken in the morning. So if you must make a pig of yourself, do it before noon. Morning is also the best time to exercise if you want to lose weight. One study indicated that two-thirds of the calories you burn up in the morning come from fat, whereas less than half come from fat in the afternoon. The act of eating itself kicks up your metabolic rate 5 to 30 percent. This has led some nutritionists to suggest that you ought to eat lots of little meals during the day rather than one or two big ones.

Thank you, Cecil at The Straight Dope

Am I the only one who hears “Because of you I never stray too far from the cyborg” in that Kelly Clarkson song?

If you have a poor experience at a business, what do you do? What would you LIKE to do? What do you think you SHOULD do? This has come up in conversation recently. My position is: it’s okay to bring problems to the attention of the business owner (even through his employees), so that the business improves. If the business improves, theoretically, service will be better, more customers will return, and the business will thrive. If the business thrives then, again theoretically, the boss will be happier, the staff will be happier, and maybe they’ll even get paid more or new benefits. Now it could be the business owner doesn’t care, and that’s up to him. It could be the boss is a jerk and he won’t share returns. However, if it’s a business I know nothing about, I give it the benefit of the doubt. My policy on WalMart and Chapters is not a secret – the company has bad business practices and I don’t go there. Likewise, if I find out that the management of a café never gives good employees raises and screws them on their shifts, I have no compunction about boycotting said café. However, I don’t think that a business hands out comment cards as an excuse to fire their wait staff. I don’t have the point of view that every boss is a jerk and exploits his/her workers, although I am sure there are many out there. I base my actions as if I am the business owner. I would want to know what the majority of my customers like and don’t like about my business. I would keep in mind that there are some people that you can never please. I would understand that everyone has bad days. In my world, people who do a good job are rewarded, and people who do poorly are replaced. Is that naïve? If I don’t like an experience in a restaurant or store, should I keep my mouth shut, avoid rocking the boat, and try to find somewhere else to spend my money? What’s your take?

Thank you Bohn Jurton, for bringing this to my attention: http://www.beyondrobson.com/city/2006/02/mutiny_at_the_cafe/