@iidebaser: What you do works fine but you will get fewer old maids (kernels that don't pop) if you add the corn only after the oil reaches temperature. That's because some kernels leak and a slow heating means some will lose enough internal water that they lack enough to pop.

@wolfencj: From what I have read, no real difference. But do store it in a jar.

@tchrman35: Yes, but GHDave is right. Stir Crazy makes great popcorn.

The three-kernel test helps with any oil-based popping method (and oil is the way to go!). Reason is that when all the kernels heat slowly, the water inside begins to boil off and some kernels will lose enough that they fail to pop. Hotter and faster heating means more kernels achieve poppage.

A friend wrote a paper in business school in which he surveyed people in line at grocery stores. Their satisfaction level was only loosely correlated with wait time. More than two people in front and irritation escalates. Curiously, having someone get in line behind you makes irritation go down.

@Juker: It's not straightforward. The eye has much higher resolution in the center, falling off at the periphery. Color and black and white resolution varies too. The eye flits around the scene, gathering high resolution samples, then the brain assembles them. So you think you see a high resolution image of the whole…

@John Mars: Yes. In bright sunlight you can see close and far objects both in focus. Hard to tell though, because the brain builds the image. You look from near object to far and focus on each, and the brain takes the in-focus elements. Likewise for light and dark — the brain is doing something akin to HDR (the "new"…

@Archnemesis_Goldenhair: Kitchen and Bath stores have turntables in their organizer department. Hardware stores have ball bearing turntable mechanisms you can top with something round (perhaps a plate you like).

Candlelight dinner. So romantic.

@HunterShoptaw: Unless they're on Real Housewives.

I am frequently critical of Microsoft but have to say they did it right with Office 2011. Substantial improvement over Office 2004 and 2008.

@im2fools: Depends on the concentration but possibly true. Most recent drain systems are all plastic; still, not sure I use HCl.

I stooped doing this I got tired of replacing the envelope marked SHRED.

Sweet!

@jalb: Hate it, hate it, hate it.

@Cyrulean: Yes. I have replaced the cells in an older Dremel.

@witeowl: I agree. Very clever.

You're right, this is much better than the Hello Kitty stickers I was using.

@Kate Mangan: Eye of the beholder, but once you notice it, you'll also note that magazines and books almost all use single space.

@4thletter: Cancer, or its precursor Barrett's disease, is rare but when it happens, it's a horror because there are not many pain receptors there and the cancer goes undetected for a long time.