Yahoo! Answers

This year, Yahoo! Answers has seen its fair share of questions and answers—you’ve covered everything under the sun—from questions about current events such as “balloon boy” to Michael Jackson’s death to everyday questions about culture to tackling tough questions about the economy and unemployment.

We’ve gone through some of the best (and quirkiest) content on Answers to create this year’s highlight book. (Review last year’s here) This year’s e-book contains 12 questions from Answers users, just like you, that showcase some of the unique questions and answers you’ll find on Yahoo! Answers- as well as a few outstanding community members you might come across while perusing the site.

So view the book 2009 Highlights (11092) and explore some of the content found on Answers (this will prompt you to download a small PDF file).

Feeling inspired after checking out this year’s e-book and want to share your favorite question with the team? Send it our way! Shoot us an email with a link to your favorite question (and a quick note on why you selected it) to: y_answrs_favorites@yahoo.com

Download the e-book here: 2009 Highlights (11092)

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Photo by JanneM

In the United States, Thanksgiving weekend is known as one of the biggest shopping weekends in the country. But did you also know it’s one of the biggest weekends to watch football, eat leftovers, travel, and see movies?

Thanksgiving weekend (and the weekend before it) typically marks the start of the holiday blockbuster sweeps: Movie studios scramble to squeeze in as many big-ticket movies into the last remaining weekends of the year when they know kids are off from school, parents are overwhelmed with holiday guests, and people are looking for something to do that doesn’t require braving the throngs of people at the mall.

If you plan on visiting the movie theater this weekend, what do you plan on seeing?

Are you going to take in the latest “Twilight” flick, or are you going to see how George Clooney does as an animated character in “Fantastic Mr. Fox”? Or maybe you’re looking for something a bit more serious and will end up watching “Precious” or “The Men Who Stare at Goats.” Whatever you see, enjoy the popcorn, and be sure to check out Yahoo’s Holiday Movie Guide and come back to share your reviews!

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Hey Guys,

Black Friday — that most unholy of shopping days — is just around the corner. The day after Thanksgiving is commonly referred to as the “busiest shopping day of the year,” but is that actually true or just one of those myths that became a fact? And, by the way, who coined the phrase “Black Friday”?

Anyone who has gone to the mall on Black Friday knows that it can be a complete madhouse. Parking is impossible, workers are overwhelmed, and shoppers are cutthroat. But, it could be worse. According to Snopes.com, Black Friday may be the busiest day of the year in terms of foot traffic, but it rarely wins the crown as far as money spent.

Snopes writes that Black Friday usually ends up being in less cash for retailers than the last Saturday before Christmas. For example, in 2002 Black Friday was actually the fourth busiest shopping day of the year. The point: Procrastinators spend more than early birds./p>

As for how the day after Thanksgiving got its name, there are a couple of theories. One states that it’s due to the fact that stores make so much money, they instantly go from being “in the red” to turning a profit or being “in the black.” Another theory — the Philadelphia police gave it day its name in the 1960s because the day after Thanksgiving is full of bad traffic, irritable people, and possible stampedes. Or, maybe, as one site explains, it’s a little bit of both.

What about you guys? Are you planning to risk life and limb to score some deals on Black Friday or will you stay at home in your bunker and wait for the madness to die down? That’s my plan. After all, there’s always Cyber Monday.

Thanks for reading,

Mike

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Hey Guys,

When it comes to home repairs, I’m not the handiest guy around. But I do have one sure-fire tool that fixes just about any problem I come across. Duct tape. I’ve used duct tape to “fix” cupboards, shelves, and even a refrigerator door (one of my finest hours). Who do I have to thank for this awesome invention?

A search on “duct tape inventor” yielded solid results. My first stop was at a blog from Ace Hardware. “The Helpful Hardware Blog” credits Johnson & Johnson with creating duct tape back in 1930. Interestingly, the tape was initially intended for use in hospitals, and due to its waterproof materials, it was dubbed “Drybak.”

Drybak didn’t become duct tape (and its grey color) until after World War II. Apparently, that’s when air conditioning hit the mainstream. Duct tape (as it soon became known) was used by repairmen to seal off drafty ducts.

Over the years, duct tape has acquired an enviable fan base. There are dozens of sites that list all the different uses one can find for the sticky substance. The Duck Tape Club offers contests for the most creative use of the all-purpose tape. But, if you ask me, that honor has to go folks who choose to put duct tape on warts. Though it hasn’t been proven to help, many feel a little duct tape on those unsightly blemishes will make them disappear.

And what about you? What’s your most creative use of duct tape? I’ve seen car bumpers held up with it, wallets made out of it, and even prom dresses and tuxedos reated from it. Please leave a comment below and share the love.

Thanks for reading,

Mike

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Photo by uggboy

As Thanksgiving approaches, stores are beginning to gear up for their big holiday sales and “Black Friday”—one of the biggest (if not the biggest) shopping days of the year. With the economy slowly starting to recover from the recession, retailers are hoping for a prosperous shopping season, and shoppers are looking for a great deal.

If you’re not interested in battling the throngs of shoppers that flock to the stores on Black Friday, perhaps waiting for “Cyber Monday” is more your speed. Similar to Black Friday, Cyber Monday refers to the first Monday following Thanksgiving, when many shoppers return to their offices and click online to continue their holiday shopping. Many e-tailers offer free shipping, online discounts, and other deals on this day to lure shoppers to their websites.

With just 22 days until the start of Hanukkah and 36 days ’til Christmas, the holiday shopping season is nearly here. (Looking for a Black Friday Survival Guide? Stop by Shine for a few tips on how to weather the sales!)

Do you typically go shopping on Black Friday? If so, do you make it out for the early sales or do you visit the stores later in the day? Or, do you avoid the stores altogether and wait for Cyber Monday? Tell us your holiday shopping habits by leaving a comment!

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