Yahoo! Answers

Occasionally people from the Answers community suggest questions they think we should highlight, and while we can’t showcase them all, some do stand out. So here we go with another round of “Why was that featured?”

Is it rude to correct people when they write your name wrong? We thought many people could relate to it and would benefit from the answers. Maybe some of the worst offenders (or those who never paid any mind to the topic) will be more attentive once they read the question and answer.

Any tips on how to loosen a tight knot? It might not be the most interesting question, but if you’ve ever had to waste half an hour getting a tight knot out of something, you’ll appreciate the trick to loosening those pesky little annoyances.

Yahoo! Answers editors spend countless hours going through the Q&A on Answers to highlight some of the top stuff, but with the amount of content added every minute, it’s impossible to catch all the great questions and answers that the community comes up with.

If you’ve seen a question that you think should be featured, send it to y_answrs_editors@yahoo.com, and we’ll take a look.

Thanks for all the great suggestions we’ve already received.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Hey Guys,

It’s the most terrible time of the year — tax season. But there’s something unusual about it this year. Some folks are actually looking forward to hearing from the IRS.

Blame the bizarre exuberance on the government’s decision to send checks to taxpayers as a way to jump start the economy. Not surprisingly, news of the “economic stimulus plan” is a hugely popular topic in Yahoo! Answers. People want to know if it’s true that “everybody” is really getting a check.

I went in search of an answer and found that the vast majority of Americans will indeed get some money from Uncle Sam. If you have a valid Social Security Number, can’t be claimed as a dependent on a tax return, and have “either an income tax liability or qualifying income of at least $3,000″ you should get between $300 and $600 by mid-May.

That should cover most Americans, but not everybody. Read the small print and you’ll see that there are limits to Uncle Sam’s generosity. For example, the plan begins to “phase out for individuals with adjusted gross incomes (AGI) over $75,000 and married couples who file a joint return with AGI over $150,000.”

So, what do you think of this as a means to fend off a recession? Are these sorts of packages a good idea or are there better ways to boost a sagging economy? If you get a return, will you spend it, invest it, or pay off debt? Please leave a comment below and share your thoughts.

Thanks for reading,

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Photo by ToastyKen

First and foremost, I want to offer a heartfelt thanks to all of you who left such compassionate and thoughtful comments in response to my last blog entry about my grandfather’s death. I was really overwhelmed and comforted by your kind words, your wise ideas, and of course, your sage advice. Thank you.

Now for something completely random: I’ve been on a movie kick lately, and I’m always surprised by how much the contributions in the Answers Movies category add to my cinematic enjoyment.

For example, last weekend I was watching “When Harry Met Sally” with my roommate (who had, somehow, never seen it.) Toward the end, Billy Crystal comments on the song “Auld Lang Syne,” speculating what it could possibly be about. I’ve always wondered the same thing and immediately figured that Answers could shed some light. Fortunately, that question was expertly answered “When Vookie Met Peta.”

A few days later, I was feeling down so I pulled out one of my favorite DVDs, “Donnie Darko,” to help mollify my mood. I’ve probably watched it a dozen times, but it’s still a challenge to wrap my head around. If you haven’t seen it (and you definitely should), it concerns destiny and time travel, and a rabbit named Frank.

At one point, Donnie (Jake Gyllenhaal) is given a book entitled “The Philosophy of Time Travel,” which I immediately wondered about. Though I learned that the book is a work of fiction, its ideas about wormholes and time travel seem pretty plausible, as explained by anotherguy.

Of course, Answers isn’t only helpful for understanding the movies. There’s also great advice on setting up a home theater system, choosing the right TV for an avid movie watcher, and fantastic tips for making your own movies. It looks like there’s something for every cinephile.

Has Answers ever helped enhance your movie-watching experience?

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Hey Guys,

Back in the day, fantasy baseball was strictly for stat freaks: Guys (like myself) who obsessed over things like Mookie Wilson’s batting average (.274 lifetime, FYI) and how many batters Nolan Ryan would strike out each season (answer: around 245).

Nowadays fantasy baseball is almost as popular as the real thing. And with the season starting up, players are turning to Yahoo! Answers for advice on how to draft a contender. A simple search on “fantasy baseball” brings up nearly 200 open questions on the tricky topic.

Some community members want tips on draft strategy. For example, Johnny731 is looking for all around contributors who dominate in multiple categories a la A-Rod. Another fantasy player wants feedback on the team he’s drafted. He’s already gotten a few responses from folks who suggest he needs a pitcher or two ASAP.

But fantasy baseball is more than the draft. It’s also about trading players throughout the year. I’ve seen more than a few community members ask if a proposed trade is a good deal or a rip off. Not a bad idea, really. An impartial third party on Yahoo! Answers is probably more likely to give you an honest opinion than a rival player.

Of course, like anything, fantasy baseball isn’t for everyone. Still, those who love to play really love to play. I’d like to know why. Is it the stats? The competition? The chance to feel like a real general manager? To all who play, please leave a comment below.

Thanks for reading,

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Photo by Notlob86

Yesterday, we were lucky enough to enjoy a perfect spring day—sunny, clear, warm, and fragrant with blooming flowers. After all the rain we’ve had, it was nice to be able to take a leisurely walk with our golden retriever, Angus.

As he happily trotted along smelling everything in his path, I remembered that around this time last year, he couldn’t walk at all. He had blown one knee out and within days the other one gave out as well. He was too big to carry so I had to help him move around by looping and lifting a towel in front of his hind legs.

After a trip to the veterinarian’s office we got the bad news that both cruciate ligaments were torn. Surgery was recommended because of his size but it wasn’t going to prevent arthritis from setting in down the road. After evaluating the pros and cons of putting an older dog through major invasive surgery, we explored other treatment options.

We knew that with or without surgery, we needed a way to rehabilitate his muscles and provide enough exercise to keep his weight down. After doing some research, we found a great physical therapy clinic with cutting edge equipment and methods. They put Angus on a water treadmill program and we took him in three days a week. Basically, they put him in a tank and filled it with warm water up to his shoulders. That took the weight off his legs and he was able to walk slowly on the treadmill installed in the floor of the tank. His first sessions only lasted about 7 minutes, but over the months, he worked up to 45 minutes. He built the muscles back up in his legs which helped to support the knees, and the warm water helped to alleviate arthritis symptoms. After about four months, he was a new (and very soggy) doggie. Even the doctors were amazed at his progress.

While the water therapy approach alone may not work in all situations, it seemed to work wonders for Angus. If surgery is required after all, water therapy may help with the post-op healing process. And of course, a consultation with your veterinarian should always be your first step in finding the appropriate treatment for your treasured pet.

Angus will never be completely recovered—we will have to keep his weight down, make sure he gets regular exercise, and watch for signs of arthritis. But he is otherwise a happy, healthy, and very mobile dog enjoying walks through the neighborhood once again.

Do you have any stories to share about caring for an injured pet?

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!