Yahoo! Answers

Photo by Betsssssy
I have a confession to make: I’m terrified of the dentist. I know that’s not a terribly original phobia, but it’s very real. It hasn’t always been this way-as a kid, I had no problem going in for regular checkups and the occasional dental procedure. In fact, I almost looked forward to the visit, knowing that I’d be coming home with some cool dental swag like a chintzy plastic toy, a new toothbrush, or those cool tablets that turn your teeth red, illuminating the spots where your brushing missed the mark. Even as a young adult, my dentist visits were frequent and stress-free-that is, until about seven years ago after my regular dentist sent me to an oral surgeon to have a tooth removed.

I, unfortunately, had a somewhat confusing and traumatic experience with this surgeon which has colored my impression of dentists ever since. The procedure required me to be under an anesthetic, and upon waking, I couldn’t shake the feeling that he had been much more aggressive and careless than was called for. I was obviously groggy from the anesthetic, but truly felt as though I had been brutalized or violated somehow.

After leaving his office, I broke down and cried uncontrollably in the elevator, which is fairly out-of-character for me. I tried to convince myself that it was simply an effect of the drugs and had imagined it, but the experience lingered over the next few days. I didn’t have any sort of concrete proof with which to confront the surgeon, but I did call my regular dentist to tell him of the experience. He confessed that two other patients had complained about this oral surgeon in recent weeks and they would no longer be referring patients to his practice. I followed up about a year later and learned that the surgeon was no longer practicing.

I realize that this was not a typical experience for most people and that the majority of dental practitioners operate with skill and integrity, but since then, I’ve shamelessly shirked my dental duties. I’m embarrassed to admit that I’ve only been to the dentist twice since moving to NYC, both for emergencies. I’m seriously overdue for a checkup and a teeth cleaning, but I’m having a hard time taking the next step.

Answers users: I need your help. How do you find a dentist that you trust? I know referral services like 1-800-DENTIST claim to help, but that seems about as reliable as throwing a dart at the phone book. And once I find a dentist, how do I get over the debilitating fear and anxiety of actually making an appointment?

What advice can you share with me and my ailing smile?

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Hey Guys,

Barack Obama’s inauguration inspired a slew of questions within Yahoo! Answers. Many folks sought ideas on what the new president would do in his first 100 days. Those questions got me thinking–how did the concept of a president’s “first 100 days” begin? Who started the tradition of taking 100 days to get stuff done?

I did some research and discovered that the man who started the 100 day obsession was none other than Franklin D. Roosevelt. An article from CNN explains that “the notion of a ‘hundred days’ is an artificial creation of Franklin Roosevelt after he became president in 1932 in the Great Depression.” In the years since, 100 days has become an unofficial benchmark “for evaluating the early success of a president.”

So, what did FDR accomplish during his first 100 days? According to the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum, quite a lot. During this time, FDR met with Congress for 100 days straight. He passed legislation that set up the Agricultural Adjustment Administration and the Civilian Conservation Corps. He also took swift action on unemployment, the stock market, and home foreclosures. According to Wikipedia, “Congress granted every ‘request’ Roosevelt asked” during the time period. That’s not to say he solved these problems in 100 days, but he definitely got the ball rolling and set a can-do tone.

While Mr. Obama doesn’t inherit quite as many problems as President Roosevelt, he does face a staggering number of issues to deal with. What would you like to see our new president tackle in his first 100 days on the job? Please leave a comment below.

Thanks for reading,

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This inauguration is undoubtedly a historic one, but let’s rewind for a moment. On Election Day, an impromptu election party materialized at my house. Friends called, then showed up with meat for the grill, drinks, and an enthusiasm that I have never seen paired with an election. (A Super Bowl, maybe. But an election?) Still, I’m always up for a party, so I just alerted one of the arriving guests that we were going to need more ice.

I’m sure that much of my zeal stems from the fact that many of my friends worked on President-elect Obama’s campaign. I found it extraordinary that a candidate could muster so much enthusiasm from a stereotypically marginalized and “apathetic” demographic (the 18-29 crowd). Part of it, I think, stems from the use of new media during the election. I was stunned to see that the candidates were posting on sites like YouTube, MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter, and were even podcasting! They also made the move to mobile media-have you seen the iPhone app?

Given all the new media, it’s not surprising that our new president-elect is hesitant to give up his BlackBerry. I’ve also heard rumors that he’ll be the first president to have a laptop in the Oval Office. But I’ve gotten ahead of myself-I was talking about the inauguration. I have friends who are lucky enough to be attending, despite the incredible rush on tickets! They’ve had to pass legislation to prohibit scalping tickets-is this an inauguration or a Radiohead concert?

The weather forecast for Tuesday is cloudy and chilly 34 degrees. Since 34 degrees Fahrenheit is officially 16 degrees below what I consider to be “really, really cold,” my plans for inauguration day include a “West Wing” marathon and having a group of our friends over to celebrate. We’ll be pulling out our Fourth of July decorations and getting our patriotic groove on. We’ll watch the (prerecorded) inauguration and pop some celebratory champagne. We’ll also have plenty of ice on hand this time.

What are your plans for Inauguration Day?

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Hey Guys,

There are thousands and thousands of words in the English language, but which ones are the most commonly used? A user named Valde Optiums wanted to know the ten most popular words. I did what I could to find him an answer.

Ask Oxford features a slew of information on the topic. The site explains that just ten base words “account for a remarkable 25%” of all the words used. These ten words are: the, be, to, of, and, a, in, that, have, and I.

The site goes on to rank the most commonly used nouns, verbs, and adjectives. It’s a pretty interesting list, and one that I found to contain a few surprises. For example, the most commonly used noun isn’t “man,” “day,” or “thing.” It’s “time.” As for the top adjective, I was hoping for “funky,” but the number one spot actually goes to the rather boring but dependable “good.”

So that settles that. But there are other aspects of English that people can obsess over. Take favorite words, for example. I am convinced that everyone, whether they know it or not, has a favorite word. After a bit of soul searching, I’ve decided that mine is “fiasco.” Just saying it brings a smile to my face. I don’t get too many opportunities to say it, although, given the definition, maybe that’s a good thing.

What’s your favorite word? My least favorite is and will always be “lozenge.” What about you? What are some of your favorite words? Do they hold special significance to you or do you just like the way they sound? Drop me a note and let me know.

Thanks for reading,

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Starting today, people in Hawaii will need a digital converter to watch television over the airwaves. Concern about an endangered bird is forcing Hawaii to make the digital switch earlier than the mainland, but I suspect that the government is also using Hawaii as a test case to see how smoothly (or not) the transition goes.

The U.S. government has a program to supply all households with a coupon to purchase a digital converter for their televisions. My mom was recently asking me a lot of questions about this digital converter, and although I consider myself a tech-savvy guy, I didn’t have any answers for her. So we turned to Yahoo! Answers.

For a thorough overview of who will be affected and what they need to do, be sure to read mediamanmail’s explanation. You can get a coupon for the digital converter from the government’s website at https://www.dtv2009.gov, but-as many people on Answers have pointed out-the coupon program is out of funds so there’s currently a waitlist. For those of you who already have a coupon or have already purchased a converter, R T suggests checking out http://www.antennaweb.org for antenna recommendations, as well as a list of local stations broadcasting digital signals.

What do you think about the way the government is handling this issue? Are you ready for the digital transition?

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