The New York Times reported today that the social security number of 30,000 people "who received loans or other financial assistance from two Agriculture Department programs were disclosed for years in a publicly available database, raising concerns about identity theft and other privacy violations". The first question that comes to mind, is why does this stuff keep happening?
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More Social Security Numbers Publicly Available

Before I can tell my dentist story, I'll have to tell you something personal about myself. I have a gag reflex. It's really bad. Sometimes I gag while brushing my teeth - and I use a Sonicare Electric Toothbrush so I don't even have to move it back and forth (I just hold it in place!). I used to gag while taking pills (not Benadryl, those guys are small), but after a doctor told me to practice by swallowing pieces of scrambled eggs whole while drinking a lot of liquid (apple juice did the trick), I've been able to swallow pills. Anyway, I have this horrendous gag reflex and there's no way those ginormous x-ray plates the dentist sticks in the back of your mouth is going to result in good times. So, I don't go to the dentist - at least not too often.
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Dental Appointments

Sore throats suck. When I get sick, it usually starts with a sore throat. It begins with a slightly uncomfortable ticket in the back of my throat - usually a day before the throat begins to really hurt. This day is filled with worry and anxiety - am I getting sick, or is it a false alarm? For me, the beginnings of a sore throat can mean many different things.
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Sore Throats

The other day I was thinking that so much of my life revolves around food. I mean, there's the obvious - I write a food website, dine out a lot, try tasting new things, am obsessed with the idea of trying every soft drink in the world - but it goes further than that. I realized that my prime motivation for going to the gym three times a week (or trying to) is not actually to lose weight or be healthy. It's so I can build a little more body mass so I'll have a higher resting state metabolism so I'll be able to EAT more (without having to buy new clothes, etc.).