The entertainment world and Idol fans were shocked when American Idol's loopy yet lovable judge announced that she was leaving the mega-popular show. Then came the news that funny talk show host Ellen DeGeneres would permanently fill Paula's spot on the judging panel. Is Ellen the best pick for the job? If not, who would be better? Or should the show return to its three-judge maximum for Simon & Co.?

I've never taken the GMAT, but several of my friends have, and it seems to be a toss up between Kaplan and The Princeton Review. Apparently Kaplan offers more difficult exams, which may better prepare students for the exam, but the Princeton Review book often explains certain concepts better. They both offer online and in-person tutoring.

My biggest problem with Wal-Mart has always been the way they treat their employees. Have you ever checked out http://www.wakeupwalmart.com.? After reading some of the reports on that site (and in this conversation), I'd never want to work there. Like others have mentioned, employees get paid next to nothing  - even below poverty level - so the store can continue to keep their low prices; they're forced to work off-the-clock; and many don't receive health insurance at all. No wonder pleasant Wal-Mart employees are hard to find - I'd be a bit grumpy too! Read more here about their labor violations.

@Anonymous #1 and #2 - Ford seems to be popular with both of you - what are you basing your decisions on? Longevity? Design? Gas mileage? Do you think American cars have substantially improved in recent years, or is it just that the quality of Japanese, European and other foreign cars has declined? I'm in the market for a new car, and I just want something safe, reliable and no more than $40K. F-150s scare me... but I can see the appeal.

@Anonymous #3 - what's new and improved with the Chevy Camaro?

Possibly, according to WalletPop, which also says the rechargeable electric Chevy Volt just may pull Detroit and the U.S. auto industry out of its recession. Some quick facts:

-The EPA is still figuring out tests to determine a realistic fuel economy, but GM says the Volt is supposed to get up to 230 mpg in the city.

-No official price set yet, but buying one will probably set you back about $40,000, excluding a $7,500 electric-car tax credit, so a total of about $32,500 or so.

-GM claims the Volt will get 40 miles of city driving per plug-in charge (which apparently exceeds the need of 75% of Americans who travel on average 33 miles per day), and should cost about 40 centsper day to charge.

I'm warming to the idea of a hybrid purchase, but I don't know if I'm completely sold just yet (apologies to the environment).  Even though it's the "green" thing to do, and may save me $ in the long run, the upfront numbers are still kind of daunting. I mean, in this economy, who has $40,000 to shell out? Especially when I can buy a Prius starting at $22K, or a regular gas car starting at $15K?

I've heard reports that the VapoRub doesn't even work - so you all could be wasting your money! Maybe it's like Echinacea - something that people has been passed down for years and years as the cure-all (or in this case, as a preventive), but based on studies, doesn't technically work. According to the Mayo Clinic, the VapoRub's cooling sensation may make it seem as if breathing has improved, but that the ingredients in the rub aren't really effective and "will likely be of little help as a nasal decongestant, especially if your child has severe congestion."

Dear Verizon,

Your service plan is great, but why does your phone selection suck so much? You're always the last to get the best phones (the Pearl, the Curve, etc), if at all. AT&T has the iPhone, T-Mobile has the G1, Sprint has the Palm Pre (and Instinct), and you've got..... the Storm? Need I say more?? That hasn't exactly gotten the best reviews. Your coverage is good and your plans are, for the most part, comparable, but can you please get with the program on the latest phone technology? Thanks.

Sincerely,

Hopeful Customer

No way! I hadn't heard about this until now. And a simple Google search brought up numerous articles about the dangers of using Vicks on children. Apparently, the over-the-counter cold remedy is harmful to infants and toddlers - children under the age of two - and causes airway inflammation, making it difficult for babies to breathe. This Washington Post story says researchers conducted a study and found that Vicks VapoRub increased mucus production by up to 59 percent.  That doesn't sound like something I'd want my child to take! You should let your cousin know about this asap, SparkyMcD. Does anyone else know someone who is putting their young child in danger by rubbing Vicks on them??

Creating clean and efficient energy is one of Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter's biggest initiatives -with a separate Office of Sustainability and a plan called Greenworks Philadelphia, he's hoping to make Philly the "greenest city in America." The city will retrofit homes and add green rooftops and solar panels to many commercial buildings, plant 300,000 trees in the next 10 years, place recycling bins on streets, and teach landscaping skills to inmates, to name a few. The Greenworks site says "Energy savings is the largest potential source of new revenue for city government, businesses and households alike" and Nutter is moving forward with that mindset. He's still in his first term, so he has time to carry out much of that plan, especially if he is reelected.

Speaking of, though, safety is a big issue with public transportation, especially the subways in major cities. You've got independent kids like the one above who couldn't wait to ride home by himself, but there are lots of people - of all ages - who are afraid to ride the sub, day or night, because it's underground and isolated, and not always patrolled by police. Philadelphians are a bit on edge, as there have been several muggings, assaults and even one murder in subway stations in recent months. Not to scare those who are considering public transportation - these aren't everyday occurrences and one's common sense plays a big factor - but it is something that cities should keep in mind if they want to continue attracting riders. SEPTA will be installing cameras in many of its subway cars soon.

No matter what version of the plan ends up passing, it's going to be expensive. In his last press conference, Obama said that two-thirds of the health-care cost can be paid for by reallocating money already being spent - over $100 billion - as unwarranted subsidies. I'm sure this is some form of an exaggeration, so let's go with half. One of the Democrats' proposals for funding the remaining half is to tax individuals earning $280,000 (about 3 percent of the population) and businesses making $350,000 ($500,000 and $1 million suggested, respectively, by Pelosi) - and critics say this will hurt small businesses. The GOP alternative is to expand Medicare and Medicaid, force businesses to offer lower coverage and automatically enroll employees, rather than requiring them to opt in (is there a difference?). But the idea is that employers will be paying less anyway for insurance, either by opting for the government-funded program or with the private insurer who will be forced to lower prices to compete with the public plan. Either way, some people are going to lose money, but more of that money will come from people/businesses that are in a better position to lose it, rather than struggling individuals and families.

It's a drastic move, but an effective one. The fact that people will have to pay for something that used to be free will bother them enough to make them do what they have to do to avoid the 20-cent charges - find reusable bags. Or, it may end up being a policy that people grumble about and protest in the beginning - think cigarette prices, airline luggage fees, etc. - but realize/decide they still need to use them, so they just succumb and pay the fee. At least charities will benefit. I don't buy the argument that this will disproportionately affect low-income families; all it takes is a purchase of a few reusable bags, available at Dollar Stores. And the Seattle program proposes to provide free bags for those who need them - even better.

Maybe.

Andrew Shapiro, founder of GreenOrder, a consulting firm on energy and the environment, wrote a response to a commentary by Samuel Sherraden (discussed in one of quietstorm's posts above). He disagrees with Sherraden, who argued that the green sector won't help to restore the U.S. economy. Instead, he poses the question: How can we make every industry a green industry and every job a green job?

Shapiro challenges some of the Sherraden's statistics (like citing an American Solar Energy Society report that claims there are currently 9 million green jobs in the country, vs. Sherraden's estimate of 750,000), but his main point is that the economy not only depends on the creation of jobs in the green sector, but new jobs in every other sector as well. I don't disagree - having traditional companies adopt green practices, and create jobs while doing it would be ideal - but seeing how many companies are stretched so thinly now, I don't know how realistic it is.