Smart Guy With A.D.D.

Original Three Wolf Moon T-Shirt Review on Amazon

2012-09-24T21:26:00.000-04:00

I just reviewed this amazing t-shirt that my friend bought me a birthday gift. He did not foresee how it would later change everything...

5.0 out of 5 stars I couldn't ask for MORE MOONS, September 24, 2012

CMC "CMC" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Mountain Three Wolf Moon Short Sleeve Tee (Apparel)

At first I thought to myself, "I definitely need more moons than this" but I was reminded that in real life there is only one moon and that these wolves know that and this fact encourages them so they in turn glorify the moon by howling at it. I decided to do the same and since then have lost 30 pounds (10 pounds for each wolf, which begs the question: if there were more wolves would I lose more weight?), I've written 3 novels (1 novel for each wolf, same question applies), gained 3 million followers on twitter, produced 18 golden records (again do the math), and spent many moons chatting online with babes all day.

It will be interesting what the shirt will continue to reveal about our fragile yet beautiful human existence tomorrow. The thing is, nobody really knows and that's why I would probably think about accepting the mystery and getting one if I were you:

NASA's First Picture from Mars

2012-09-13T10:15:00.000-04:00

Christmas Was Scary in Yugoslavia

2012-08-23T20:49:00.001-04:00

"christmas was scary in yugoslavia"

What You Need to Know About Herbal Supplements BEFORE Buying Them

2012-08-23T08:18:00.000-04:00

www.iherb.com

Echinacea to prevent colds. Ginkgo to improve memory. Flaxseed to lower cholesterol. The list of herbal remedies goes on and on.

(this article taken from GET HERBS! getherbs.blogspot.com)

Herbal supplements, sometimes called botanicals, aren't new. Plants have been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years. However, herbal supplements haven't been subjected to the same scientific scrutiny and aren't as strictly regulated as medications. For example, makers of herbal supplements don't have to get approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) before putting their products on the market.

Yet some herbal supplements — including products labeled as "natural" — have drug-like effects that can be dangerous. So it's important to do your homework and investigate potential benefits and side effects of herbal supplements before you buy. And be sure to talk with your doctor, especially if you take medications, have chronic health problems, or are pregnant or breast-feeding.

Are herbal supplements safe?

Herbal supplements are regulated by the FDA, but not as drugs or as foods. They fall under a category called dietary supplements. The rules for dietary supplements are as follows:

Manufacturers don't have to seek FDA approval before putting dietary supplements on the market. In addition, companies can claim that products address a nutrient deficiency, support health or are linked to body functions — if they have supporting research and they include a disclaimer that the FDA hasn't evaluated the claim.
Manufacturers must follow good manufacturing practices to ensure that supplements are processed consistently and meet quality standards. These regulations are intended to keep the wrong ingredients and contaminants, such as pesticides and lead, out of supplements, as well as make sure that the right ingredients are included in appropriate amounts.
Once a dietary supplement is on the market, the FDA is responsible for monitoring its safety. If the FDA finds a product to be unsafe, it can take action against the manufacturer or distributor or both, and may issue a warning or require that the product be removed from the market.

These regulations provide assurance that herbal supplements meet certain quality standards and that the FDA can intervene to remove dangerous products from the market.

The rules do not, however, guarantee that herbal supplements are safe for anyone to use. Because many supplements contain active ingredients that have strong effects in the body, these products can pose unexpected risks. For example, taking a combination of herbal supplements or using supplements together with prescribed medications could lead to harmful, even life-threatening results. For this reason, it's important to talk with your doctor before using herbal supplements.

How do you know what's in an herbal supplement?

The FDA requires that the following information be included on the labels of all herbal supplements:

The name of the herbal supplement
The name and address of manufacturer or distributor
A complete list of ingredients — either in the Supplement Facts panel or listed beneath it
Serving size, amount and active ingredient

If you don't understand something on an herbal supplement's label, ask your doctor or pharmacist for an explanation.

An easy way to compare ingredients in products is by using the Dietary Supplements Labels Database, which is available on the National Library of Medicine's website. The database has information on the ingredients for thousands of dietary supplements sold in the United States. You can look up products by brand name, uses, active ingredient or manufacturer.

How do you know if herbal supplements' claims are true?

Manufacturers of herbal supplements are responsible for ensuring that the claims they make about their products aren't false or misleading and that they're backed up by adequate evidence. However, they aren't required to submit this evidence to the FDA.

So be a smart consumer and do a little homework. Don't just rely on a product's marketing. Look for objective, research-based information to evaluate a product's claims. To get reliable information about a particular supplement:

Ask your doctor or pharmacist. Even if they don't know about a specific supplement, they may be able to point you to the latest medical guidance about its uses and risks.
Look for scientific research findings. Two good sources include the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and the Office of Dietary Supplements. Both have websites that provide information to help consumers make informed choices about dietary supplements.
Contact the manufacturer. If you have questions about a specific product, call the manufacturer or distributor. Ask to talk with someone who can answer questions, such as what data the company has to substantiate its products' claims.

Who shouldn't use herbal supplements?

If you have health issues, it's essential that you talk with your doctor before trying herbal supplements. In fact, in some high-risk situations, your doctor will likely recommend that you avoid herbal supplements altogether.

It's especially important that you talk to your doctor before using herbal supplements if:

You're taking prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medications. Some herbs can cause serious side effects when mixed with prescription and OTC drugs, such as aspirin, blood thinners or blood pressure medications. Talk to your doctor about possible interactions.
You're pregnant or breast-feeding. Medications that may be safe for you as an adult may be harmful to your fetus or your breast-feeding infant. As a general rule, don't take any medications — prescription, OTC or herbal — when you're pregnant or breast-feeding unless your doctor approves.
You're having surgery. Many herbal supplements can affect the success of surgery. Some may decrease the effectiveness of anesthetics or cause dangerous complications, such as bleeding or high blood pressure. Tell your doctor about any herbs you're taking or considering taking as soon as you know you need surgery.
You're younger than 18 or older than 65. Older adults may metabolize medications differently. And few herbal supplements have been tested on children or have established safe doses for children.

Safety tips for using herbal supplements

If you've done your homework and plan to try an herbal supplement, play it safe with these tips:

Follow supplement instructions. Don't exceed recommended dosages or take the herb for longer than recommended.
Keep track of what you take. Take only one supplement at a time to determine if it's effective. Make a note of what you take — and how much for how long — and how it affects you.
Be cautious about supplements manufactured outside the United States. Herbal products from some European countries are highly regulated and standardized. But toxic ingredients and prescription drugs have been found in supplements manufactured elsewhere, particularly China, India and Mexico.
Check alerts and advisories. The FDA and NCCAM maintain lists of supplements that are under regulatory review or that have been reported to cause adverse effects. Check their websites periodically for updates.

Click here to read this article written by the Mayo Clinic Staff

Grandpa with Kitten on Shoulder and Baby Duck on Kitten

2012-08-15T13:36:00.000-04:00

"old guy with kitten on shoulder and baby duck on kitten"

The Cressening of the Keyboard

2012-08-15T13:34:00.000-04:00

"before the planting of cress in disgustingly gross keyboard"

"after Day 11 of the cressening"

I Wish I Was a Dog Just so I Could Wear This Costume

2012-08-09T21:45:00.000-04:00

Tell Me Your Story and I'll Give You a Dollar

2012-08-08T08:36:00.000-04:00

How To Make a Youtube Video Go Viral

2012-07-31T21:32:00.001-04:00

These days, you need a base of people who will watch your posted video no matter what. If it's good, if it's stupid, if it's boring, if it's sick, if it's exciting, if it's funny...

If it's good, viewers will naturally "like" it and pass it on to others and BOOM - you've got a trending video. Then you show up on trending video websites and the momentum builds to the point where your video goes viral and gets millions of hits. This may sound ridiculously easy or too good to be true if you're just getting started but what's difficult is building your viewer base. For that, you need help or you need to be unemployed and spend 60+ hours per week manually building a viewer base. I would recommend these guys. They offer a platform for easily gathering a viewer base automatically once the software is set up with your Youtube account.

If you have a solid viewer base which this software will enable you to build, you can pull off a viral video. I don't know about 80+ million views but a few million is definitely not out of the question. And, once you upload 100+ videos each with a significant number of hits, you're well on your pay to a decently developed and respectable hobby. Not to mention lucrative.

Yep, it costs money ($20/month?) but if you're hooked up with adsense and you're posting even remotely interesting videos then you can probably bet on getting 1/2 a penny per view. Doesn't sound like much but if you post (5) interesting videos per month and each one gets 800 views then your adsense revenues should be at $20/month and you've broken even. Keep in mind, 5 videos at 800 views each is fairly easy if you're planning on making Youtube video posting a hobby.

If you don't want to mess with software then you can always just guy real, human, adsense approved Youtube views. If you're interested, you can buy 20,000 views for the video of your choice right now. Click here to check it out. It usually only take a couple days for the video of your choice to be climbing to 20,000+ views and then you get more views naturally since your video becomes labeled as a "trending" video and gets listed on all sorts of lists and websites and the momentum continues as more viewers are exposed to your genius.

The first link brings you to a website that offers a free trial of their Youtube viewer base-building software so you don't have much to lose. If you do end up trying it out, please comment below on how it goes! I would recommend committing to it for a few months to really feel the full effectiveness.

Let me know how it goes!

Cheers,

Smart Guy

Teleflora 10% OFF coupon code

2012-07-18T21:55:00.002-04:00

follow this link to get 10% off at Teleflora.com

Create Your Very Own Health Insurance Plan

2012-07-18T21:54:00.000-04:00

follow this link to begin creating your own health insurance plan tailored to your life and needs and lives and needs of your family...

SuppliesOutlet.com 10% coupon code

2012-07-18T21:51:00.002-04:00

follow this link to get 10% off at SuppliesOutlet.com

get your TABC online for $17

2012-07-18T21:48:00.000-04:00

follow this link and sign up to take a simple course and get your TABC for $17. serious.

eFlorist.com 10% off DISCOUNT CODE

2012-07-18T21:42:00.000-04:00

follow this link to get 10% off your order, delivered same day to the UK if ordered by 3PM

Pens.com PROMO CODE: ps65ztt 20% off

2012-07-18T21:37:00.000-04:00

Pens.com PROMO CODE: ps65ztt 20% off

iHerb Coupon Code $5 OFF: OPU856

2012-07-18T16:48:00.001-04:00

what a deal! use the coupon code OPU856 and get $5 OFF your order.

ALSO - overnight shipping is only $8. SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET

Cheers,

Smart Guy With A.D.D.

DEBT SHARK: Be Free From Debt Just Like People Who Don't Have Debt Are

2012-06-12T14:33:00.003-04:00

We smart people are privileged to have the opportunity to hear from a guest blogger today (Connie Solidad) who has offered to fill us in on some of the details involving one of the most exciting subjects I could ever imagine thinking of: DEBT. And really to be precise: out of control debt, the kind of debt that ends up dictating every single one of your decisions throughout your day (and sleepless night).

Take it away Connie...

"If you’re feeling the financial strain of carrying too much credit card debt for your budget to handle, you need to find a solution as quickly as possible. Otherwise, your unsecured debt issue can become a big financial problem. So the real question is can you reduce your debt on your own or do you need to seek help from a debt professional?

The first step in determining if you can find a solution to your debt on your own is to get an accurate picture of where you are financially. The following questions can help get you started:

1 . How much total unsecured debt do you owe?

2 . What are the interest rates being charged on your various accounts?

3 . What is your credit rating?

4 . How much additional money could you allocate each month to apply to paying off your debts as

quickly as possible?

Having a formal household budget in place can be a big advantage in helping you plan out how to pay off your debts. If you don’t already have a budget established, you should take time to get all of the numbers written down in one place. This will make it easier to see how much additional money you could allocate by showing where your money actually goes each month.

In some cases, streamlining your budget to free up as much money as possible can provide a means to pay off debt on your own using a debt reduction strategy. You pay all of your bills as requested, but focus all of your extra money to paying off one debt at a time until you are debt-free. You can start with your highest interest rate debt if you want to pay back your debt in the most efficient way possible, because these debts grow the fastest with interest. However, if your highest interest rate debt is also your biggest debt, you may feel like it’s simply too big to start with; in this case, start with your lowest balance first and work your way up to help gain momentum.

If streamlining your budget won’t work, there are still a few options to reduce your debt on your own if you have a strong enough credit rating. Balance transfers or a personal debt consolidation loan both allow you to roll multiple unsecured debts into a single monthly payment at a much lower interest rate. Since the interest is less, you pay off your debts faster even though you pay less each month. You pay your debts back in a way that’s more affordable within the limitations of your budget and avoid any long-term credit penalties because you pay back what you owe in-full.

These two options however, are only beneficial for improving your situation if you have strong credit. In both cases, you need to qualify for an interest rate that’s low enough to provide a benefit for your finances. You will need to do some calculations to make sure these options actually provide relief, as they can make your situation worse if you are not careful. Even if you want to reduce your debt on your own, it’s always advisable to speak with a trained credit counsellor before you choose a debt relief option to make sure it’s the right choice for you. Find a not-for-profit credit counselling agency to get an assessment of your situation and the advice you need for free; and without any obligation to sign up for a program.

Connie Solidad has been writing about finances and debt consolidation for years. She's an expert in the industry and writes about debt management solutions and credit counseling. When Connie is not working, she loves playing with her two dogs in Tampa, Florida. To learn more about debt management refer to ConsolidatedCredit.ca."

Thanks Connie. And may your (hopefully) smart lives remain (mostly...kind of) debt free (this is America after all).

Groupon Settlement: For All Interested in Pennies

2012-05-25T20:33:00.001-04:00

An Important Notice About a Class Action Settlement Involving Groupon Vouchers

If you purchased a Groupon Voucher Between November 1, 2008 and December 1, 2011
For Redemption in the United States,
You May Be Eligible for Benefits From The Settlement

A proposed settlement has been reached in a class action lawsuit concerning Groupon vouchers. You may be a member of the class whose rights may be affected by this lawsuit. The sole purpose of this notice is to inform you of the lawsuit and the settlement so that you may decide what steps to take in relation to it.

More information regarding the settlement, your rights under the settlement, instructions on how to be excluded from the settlement or object to the settlement, and a form to fill out to obtain settlement benefits are available here: www.grouponvouchersettlement.com

Please visit the website linked above to obtain important information regarding the settlement and your rights.

If the settlement is approved, class members who complete and return a claim form may be eligible to receive a Settlement Voucher entitling them to redeem unused Groupon vouchers purchased between November 1, 2008 and December 1, 2011 for redemption in the United States that are past their stated expiration date. Settlement Vouchers may be redeemed at the location of the merchant identified on the voucher, for goods and/or services equal to the purchase price of the voucher. Rather than seeking a settlement benefit, you may choose to exclude yourself from the settlement. There are deadlines associated with the choices you may make regarding the settlement. The last day to exclude yourself from the settlement or to object to the settlement is July 6, 2012.

Nobody Cares About Your Stick Figure Family

2012-04-27T17:46:00.001-04:00

People Are Important: Continuing the Conversation About Racism and Inter-Racial Relations

2012-04-15T21:27:00.001-04:00

I am not an expert. Who is? I am not the authority but I would like to continue the conversation. However I can suggest the following two guidelines in any sort of reasonable discussion is to be undertaken between parties regarding race, ethnicity, tensions, problems, etc.

1. Do not generalize

Global topics regarding race and ethnicity are particularly difficult because nobody likes to be generalized. My wife and I have a rule we've stuck to in order to keep our relationship in tact. "You always..." and "You never..." are always never true and therefore do not begin to consider saying any statement with either of those phrases. "You never wash the dishes," and "You always interrupt me" are prime examples. The same applies to every person in the universe. Living in downtown Baltimore I have lovely white, black and other-race neighbors. Some of my neighbors want to know me and some don't. Some are responsible hard-working folks and some aren't. Some are nice and friendly and some aren't. The rule we've noticed is there is no racial pattern. I guess jerks and saints will be found in every neighborhood nationwide (oops, that's a generalisation). We all need love (and forgiveness for making generalisations).

Some of our African-American coworkers and friends are offended by the term "African-American" and some are offended by the term "black." We all love patterns and truths that apply to everyone everywhere but when it comes to something as personal as your heritage and ethnicity there can be no generalisations.

2. Do not conclude

Especially for you old timers and type A personalities, I just lost you as a reader probably forever. However, as soon as you conclude anything about anyone regarding race, someone in the conversation will school you with their own personal experiences, someone they knew did something, something happened two weeks ago here, their best friend's father's uncle's cousin's roommate's dog will inevitably prove you wrong. We all know a good program or policy or advocacy group can be a great thing but how does one solve relational problems? They will emerge again and again because we are not perfect nor will we be made so until our day arrives.

These types of discussions are a bit like talking about politics or religion over the dinner table - the generalised (haha) advice is avoid this at all costs. But for you more socially adventurous fellas and gals, proceed with caution knowing this is a touchy subject and you may have to discuss the discussion if things get heated; go around the table with apologies and move on to talking about something a little more upbeat and interesting like this blog or what to do about illegal immigration (if the group can't handle race then don't bother with this one!).

Though I have been involved in my fair share of excellent conversations regarding race relations with various persons of various ethnicities. It's only ever "fun" when a conversation involves folks of different races and we only got anywhere when we talked about our own lives and didn't bother trying to speculate on the opinions and lives of folks not in the room.

People are important. I am going to smartly enjoy that fact.

I Will Be the King of the Forest

2012-04-12T22:43:00.000-04:00

In the final months of my undergraduate degree (in biology), I cannot overstate how many people innocently asked "what I was going to do with my life." Seems like a harmless question, right? They had to assume I was thinking about it and at least thinking about how I'm going to pay down the various forms and fathoms of debt that was either in myself or my wife's name. Ms. Sallie Mae gave me a whole interest-free nine months to design a sophisticated system of shoveling coins into their scorching furnace little by little (not really little per se) throughout the following thirty years of my life. I could have just went onto amazon and bought some books, right? No, that's not how the world works it seems.

I got so tired of trying to think of bold, thoughtful and epiphanic new descriptions of my life's eternal course - the people groups I would defend for free in court against evil conservative or liberal corporate and government regimes - the new inventions I would single handedly design that would heal crippled villages in northeast India - the corrupt media outlets I would reform with a single witty speech upon a stage of undeserved authority presented to me despite my humble request to remain outside the public eye. I ran out of amazing plans and quite pragmatically knew I wouldn't get halfway through any of them considering my steep bills. Clearly, I was going to work my gorgeous little buns off so I could eat. Not exactly reaching for the skies like my first grade teacher told me to but maybe just because she didn't. Or maybe because she did and she knows a secret to life I haven't yet stumbled upon. Maybe.

I finally made a decision. "I'm going to be king of the forest." I seriously told people that. My parents' friends, my friends, my parents, and my friends' parents; anyone who would listen. I would unite the long-estranged animal kingdoms of the forest under a single banner of harmony, cooperation, and a common language. I even wrote about it in my senior year throw-away elective creative writing class. I got a 'B' in that class because my final assignment, a 20 page creative story, lacked "any real connection to reality." I agree, but I disagree with the grade. I thought it was genius, just like my plan to unite all the animal kingdoms of the world. Yes, I just extended this plan to include the entire earth. After that's done, the universe.

In all of this I proved a point. From kindergarten on through college my mind was pounded with "reach for the stars" type quotes from Big Bird to moms to even my own peers. Somewhere along the line I must have subconsciously believed them though I tried to consciously write them off as "cheesy." When it comes down to it I need bread (in my case, gluten free bread), meat and vegetables on my family's table; I need a home; I need strong, raw relationships; I need God. I wasn't going to be an astronaut, I wasn't going to be the president. I was going to be a great friend and a loving neighbor and I was going to defend justice. That's it. Considering all the hype preached to me my whole life it is still difficult to make this admission, but simple truth and the beauty of knowing oneself calls.

I may still endeavor to do amazing (smart!) things but at least I know that's not where my value lies. I am not dependent on success as my teachers may have unknowingly taught me. I'll be proud to teach my kids that lesson.

The Mistakes I've Made

2012-04-10T20:55:00.000-04:00

I can do my best to hide behind a technicality; to intellectually drop a shoulder, bump, spin and hurdle over the fastest slide tackling (true) accusation. I can be professionally subtle and allowing my listener to arrive at a mutual understanding that the other guy messed up. A life application of Inception. Leo would be proud to call me a fan if I was or wasn't one. I can unsheathe a sword of blame and slay my friend or coworker in three seconds flat.

But the rub remains: truth is truth. If it was my fault, I can't fool myself and I probably can't fool those who know me best. I probably can't even fool my coworkers. People see through most things. My hands are deep red and Shakespeare has already made millions off the copy write.

What am I protecting but a false no-mistake-making image anyway? I am always on the look-out for one who will plainly speak his acceptance of a mistake and in the same sentence suggest a solution. He is the man I respect. He is the SMART one. Next time I make a clear mistake (probably later tonight?!) I will quickly and evenly take ownership, apologize, suggest a way to move forward with all parties affected and move on.

Ahhh, yes the guilt. GUILT. Alcohol doesn't make it go away, cocaine doesn't paint over it, time doesn't heal it. I guess in order to feel guilt-free you have to be made guilt free and that's a whole 'nother story.

Thanks for the thought, James Blunt - you're wicked smahhht.

The Prince Of Baltimore, Johns Hopkins University's Careful Dealings With The Greatest City in America

2012-04-07T10:02:00.001-04:00

Without Johns Hopkins, where would Baltimore be? The struggling post-USA industrial city which boldly wrote "The Greatest City in America" on its benches scattered throughout the greater metro area clearly did not foresee the shrewd business sense of the 3rd world in the latter three quarters of the last century when factories and production began to disappear from American soils and from Baltimore pavement. Like Adele and unlike so many other cities in the United States at that time, Baltimore kept chasing pavement after manufacturing; unwilling or unable to cope with the decline of the most prosperous modern era in US history (thus far that is - let's wait and see what happens when AI computers become smart enough to design technologies).

Though manufacturing is attempting to make a comeback in the US as of late with some help from the current pro-jobs, anti-pollution government, the city is not the place for manufacturing anymore for the most part as young folks move in even to Baltimore at astounding rates attracted to the subtle artistic side of the city as well as the "cool factor" of living in cheap old row homes and a town that will let you paint the entire outside wall of an abandoned building with a giant Elvis mural or huge alligator. Without giving too much away, both those murals are near my neighborhood. But that's neither here nor hopkins.

Clearly I got creatively side-tracked as I started my article to say that Hopkins has made some interesting choices when it comes to its powerful yet conditional relationship with Baltimore. Instead of having parents of students come through town from the closest airport, BWI, the university tells them to drive around the beltway and down through Towson, Loyola University and through the rich, sexy neighborhoods to the mostly undergraduate Homewood campus. If parents rebel and follow their GPS, they would drive right through my neighborhood, many abandoned homes and notice the generalised sketchiness characteristic of many Baltimore neighborhoods not well off enough to provide the curb appeal many high-tuition paying parents would be looking for on their way to their payee's establishment.

If you take a look at the current route for the Circulator, it could easily come up north from Penn Station to hit up at least one stop a few blocks north to Homewood campus. This would save students a mile walk to get to the main public transportation hub of Baltimore City. Instead, the prince of Baltimore pioneers its own van system which takes kids wherever they want to go locally whenever they call on it. A sort of free taxi on call. Free after you pay $40K in tuition that is. Unless you've managed to get straight A's growing up in the Baltimore City public school system, in which case Hopkins has generously agreed to pay your way. I'm not sure even a call to Vegas could help you calculate those odds though I do know a few residents with kids currently on their way and looking promising.

A similar situation happened years ago in a small town north west of town called Owings Mills which sported a hip and trendy mall with a subway stop on Baltimore's half-hearted subway system. The result: inner city ruffians hitching rides for $1.60 to the Owings Mills mall to rob well-off suburban consumers. The other result: the mall is now mostly closed and the town suffered for it on all fronts. Is Hopkins learning from the mistake and therefore avoiding a Circulator stop at their Homewood campus just north of the nearest stop by a mile or so? If they are, it sounds wise but unfortunate. After all, it is a central strategy to the success of their business to protect their students and parents and their students' and parents' perception of the Prince of Baltimore and its reputation.

Unfortunate but true as reputation is everything for a university, even more so as tuition prices are rise toward a college bubble which would only burst if student dept finds its way to a nation-wide default and old money from the time when US cities like Baltimore were bubbling over with manufacturing opportunity and small neighborhoods like mine couldn't be filled fast enough with cheap, just-big-enough row homes filled with blue-collar working families dries up.

Whether or not a Circulator stop will be found at Homewood campus, the cracked sidewalks will soon know and if a stop is built. A familiar comfortable bench proudly bearing the slogan, "The Greatest City in America" will surely be placed alongside and local Baltimoreans, tall and short, black and white, rich and happy alike will enjoy the convenience and acceptance of the Baltimore way of life signified by its bold statement, humorously homely and somehow humble.

New Kid on the Middle Eastern Block: ROTI

2012-04-04T21:12:00.001-04:00

If the modern American yuppy-approved now-classic fast food pick-only-what-you-want guacamole-costs-extra west coast success story known as Chipotle packed up, learned arabic and moved to frickin' Iraq then packed up, re-learned english, brushed up on politics and moved to Washington DC then you'd have yourself a ROTI.

I should note that it first had to learn Chicago politics like our dear friend Obama before expanding onto bigger and better and more delicious things in the DC Metro Area but that's neither here nor gluten free. But ROTI does offer gluten free options and even vegan and vegetarian options. I will say that this is an after-thought. Before evening knowing all these options were available, the FOOD IS DELICIOUS. I downed my meal which just so happened to be gluten free in minutes and if not for the social awkwardness was going to walk over and order another just because of how deli-frickin'-licious it was. Not but seriously, it's really good.

The only problem is I have to walk three blocks east, hop on a Baltimore south-bound bus for $1.60 to Penn Station, get on the Marc for $7 to Union Station and then jump on the Metro to Foggy Bottom if I even want to smell the humus in the clean DC air. Dear friends at ROTI, don't forget about Baltimore just like 90% of the world did one year after "The Wire" ended on HBO. If McNulty were still around and Baltimore had a ROTI then he'd eat there - before and/or after he "had a taste."

Current ROTI's:
1501 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA 22209 703-528-7684
1747 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington DC 20006 202-466-7684
955 Lenfant Plaza SW, Washington DC 20024 202-863-3875
1275 1st Street NE, Washington DC 20002 202-289-6556

Tell them the "Smart Guy with ADD" sent you. If you're hungry for awkwardness then tell them that because they definitely won't know who I am. I'm just a digital cyborg but I know these things because I'm wicked smahhht.