For me, the best part about going out to eat is the opportunity to enjoy food that I wouldn't (or couldn't) prepare for myself at home. I can whip up a decent batch of chicken enchiladas, but they don't compare to what I can get at my favorite Mexican restaurant. And I don't even know how to make anything Chinese. And Indian food tastes best when prepared by an expert who has all those wonderful spices on hand. In other words, when I go out to eat, I enjoy the food because it is usually something I can't get at home.

Which is why I find a new restaurant chain that serves just cereal quite curious. Cereality Cereal Bar and Cafe offers the same cereal you buy at the grocery store - Frosted Flakes, Cheerios and all the rest. The gimmick is the addition of toppings. Just like at some ice cream shops, you choose your toppings and they mix it in. Toppings include malted milk balls, fruit, nuts and all kinds of other things I've never considered putting in cereal. The cereal and toppings are mixed together and served in a Chinese take-out style box. You add your own milk from the milk fountain.

Granted, Cereality does serve a few non-cereal items (smoothies, parfaits, coffee and tea), but the main dish is cereal. And judging by the Web site, it is not geared towards those who love cereal the most - children. The site shows lots of happy adults chowing down on their custom-mixed boxes of cereal. And you know what? After looking at the site and the virtual tour, I am starting to think that I love this idea. What about you? Would you go out for cereal?

Let this be a lesson to us all. If you're going to borrow library books from your local library, please be reminded that "borrow" is the operative word. You get a library card (generally for free) and thereby enter into an agreement wherein said library lends you books for a few weeks...and then you give them BACK. If you don't, you get hit with a meager fine. Last time I borrowed a book, the fine was about five cents a day. Seriously--it's been a LONG TIME since I've borrowed a book. In other words, there's really no incentive to not return the books that were lent to you for free by the very nice people who work at the library. Sometimes, however, when you take those things for granted, things get nasty.

Just ask Heidi Dalibor, who refused to return her copies of White Oleander and Angels and Demons. Nor did Ms. Dalibor remit the fines she owed to the library from which she borrowed the page-turners despite the notices she received in the mail. Furthermore,she declined to take note of the court citation issued to her when she didn't respond to the Grafton Library's calls and letters to her. The result? She was arrested. Cops showed up at her family's house, handcuffed her, and booked her for violating the "overdue library materials" ordinance! Seriously.

My words of advice? Return your library books, people. Or, at the very least, see what policies your town has regarding whether or not you return them.

Pic by jhoweaa.

So this is a weird one. When we travel we always bring along Parmalat for our toddler. It's much easier, obviously to transport and deal with on the road as it's vacuum-sealed and doesn't need to be refrigerated (until it's opened of course). Upon a recent trip to Central Park Zoo, a friend said someone had once told her that Parmalat isn't really milk.

The friend's acquaintance who made this claim was vegetarian (as is our family) and my friend was actually commenting on how people make such strange distinctions. The acquaintance refused to drink Parmalat because it wasn't "real milk." My understanding is that Parmalat is, indeed, real milk, it's just packaged differently, and perhaps treated a little differently to ensure it's safe to be packaged in a way that allows it to not need to be refrigerated (until opened).

So what is the deal? A recent trip to the Parmalat website upped my curiosity factor. They refer to the milk they distribute as "milk products." They also call it "ESL milk" which means Extended Shelf Life--not English as a Second Language. With regard to the whole vegetarian thing, while we don't necessarily eat meat, a good deal of us do drink milk--Parmalat included. Vegans don't do any animal products whatsoever, but quite a few vegetarians do.

So what's the deal? Is Parmalat really milk, or not? To me, if it looks like milk, smells like milk, and tastes like milk, and they call it milk, it's probably milk.

Pic by allanpatrick.

Every state in the U.S. now has what is called a "safe haven" law. Intended to prevent unwanted babies from being abandoned just any old place, the law allows desperate parents to leave their babies at hospitals with no questions asked.

Until recently, Nebraska was the only state without a safe haven law. But about a month ago, they passed their own version and added a unique twist. Unlike other states who are trying to protect newborn babies with the law, Nebraska wants to protect all unwanted children and therefore allows a minor of any age to be abandoned at a safe haven hospital. What's more, the law doesn't even specify that it must be a parent who abandons the child. Which means the babysitter, the neighbor or anyone else can surrender custody of a child.

Adam Pertman, a frequent critic of safe-haven laws is especially critical of this one. "Whether the kid is disabled or unruly or just being a hormonal teenager, the state is saying: 'Hey, we have a really easy option for you,'" he says.

So far, there has been no reports of children of any age being abandoned at Nebraska hospitals since the law went into effect.

Fisherman love to tell tales about the one that got away. But how do you explain to your fishing buddies that the one that didn't get away was caught with a Barbie fishing pole that came with its own hot pink tackle box? Doting grandfather David Hayes isn't embarrassed. In fact, he's having the record-breaking catfish he caught with the pole mounted along with the Barbie fishing rod itself!

It all started when Hayes and his three-year-old granddaughter Alyssa were fishing in his private pond. She ran to the house to use the bathroom, and while she was gone, Hayes got a bite. He hung on until she returned, and they pulled up a 32-inch catfish -- two inches longer than the fishing pole he was using -- that broke the state record.

Hayes isn't just a good grandpa, he's also a doting husband. He and Alyssa were invited to New York City by CBS News, but because his wife just had knee surgery, he figures it's more important to him to stay home. Alyssa's getting a new pole to replace the one that's being mounted, but no word yet on which one she'll choose.

Lots of mothers would enjoy spending their birthday with their children. A nice family lunch, a day at the park, or perhaps driving the getaway car for your son while he commits armed robbery. According to police, that is exactly what 37-year-old Angelia Kelly did on her special day.

The Milwaukee mom has been accused of not only assisting her 17-year-old son, Elmer Taylor, with robbing a gas station in Greenfield, but also of taking her younger kids along for the ride. Surveillance video shows Elmer pointing a gun at the station clerk and taking off with an undisclosed amount of money. Police were alerted and after spotting the getaway car, pulled them over. Imagine their surprise when they found not only Angelia and Elmer in the car, but also a 13-month-old girl and two boys, 10 and 14 years old.

There were a few tense moments before Angelia and Elmer were arrested. "It's a very intense situation. I mean, you have officers with their guns out and they're concerned, with a gun battle out in the street," Greenfield Police Deputy Inspector Bradley Wentlandt said.

Fortunately, nobody got hurt (unless you consider the scars associated with having a mother like that) and Angelia and Elmer were taken into custody. Charges haven't been filed yet, but mother and son are both being held in the county jail. Yes, nothing says 'happy birthday' quite like a long prison sentence.

Fart-lighting has probably been around since early man discovered fire. After all, what could be more entertaining than combining something smelly and gross with something flaming and hot? Whether that first fart ignition was deliberate or unintentional, fart-lighting for fun has stood the test of time and for some kids, become a competitive sport.

But it is a dangerous game and should not be played, as a 12-year-old boy in the UK found out. He may have won the fart-lighting competition with his cousin, but he paid a heavy price for victory. He not only managed to light his toot, but a nearby can of gas as well. The gas ignited in a flash and the boy was burned on the backs of his legs and thumb.

By the time firefighters arrived, the fire had burned itself out, but the kid was hospitalized with burns over 18 percent of his body. Fire commander Paul Harpin says this is the first time he's been on a call for a fart-lighting incident and warns others against trying it themselves. "I think he must have won the competition but he will have some nasty burns now. It is a warning not to mess around with fire," he added.

The town of Yuma, Arizona sits very near the border of Mexico in the southwest part of the state. It sits so close, in fact, that a wrong turn may lead you right out of the country. As will boarding the wrong school bus, which is exactly what a 6-year-old boy did last week.

The boy was supposed to be on his way home from school, but accidentally got on the wrong bus. He got off the bus at an unfamiliar stop and wandered into San Luis Rio Colorado, Mexico. His mother said he was disoriented and thought he might walk to his grandfather's house, which is in Mexico. The boy was rescued by a passerby, who returned him safely to his home.

Officials at Gadsden Elementary School District are looking into the situation and promise to correct any failures they find the school transportation system. I think a small boy being allowed on the wrong bus and ending up in another country where he is picked up by a total stranger pretty much qualifies as a failure of the system.

When the police in Auckland, New Zealand were called to shut down a loud party last Friday, they probably expected that the party-goers would be a bunch of kids. What they probably didn't expect is that the kids would all be about five years old. But that is exactly what they found when they responded to a complaint made by what can only be described as a cranky neighbor.

The One Tree Hill Kindergarten was in the midst of their annual disco party, rocking out to Bob the Builder and the Chicken Dance when noise control officials arrived on the scene around 6:30 pm. Teacher Jenny Skerritt said the officials seemed a bit "red faced" as they ordered them to turn it down or shut it down. "I don't think it was that ragey, but it's all a matter of perspective I guess," she said.

Perspective, indeed. The babies sleeping in the very next room obviously didn't think it was too loud. Nevertheless, they turned the music down and continued with their party. And just for kicks, they plan to frame that noise abatement notice for all to see.

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If you thought 'funny' lady Roseanne Barr had quietly disappeared to wherever it is that loud, opinionated comedians disappear to, you were wrong. She's still out there and she's still making her opinions known. A few days ago, she posted a rather nasty piece on her blog taking aim at actor John Voight, his daughter Angelina Jolie, as well as Brad Pitt and the kids.

Barr appears to be angry that Voight isn't supporting Barack Obama and that Jolie has said she likes McCain but is undecided as to who will get her vote. According to Barr, that makes Voight a "frightened little girl in a pink ballet tutu" and Jolie his "evil spawn." Brad did not escape Barr's wrath either as she refers to him as Jolie's "vacuous husband."

Addressing Jolie, Barr writes: "....it might be good for your Asian and African children's self esteem to know you support a brown man for the leader of the free world. How nice of Barr to be so concerned for the self-esteem of the Jolie-Pitt children. It is unfortunate that she refers to their biological children as "dunces that will consume more than their fair share and wreck the earth even more."

Of course, Barr is entitled to her opinions and her political point of view, but I am just not sure what she was trying to accomplish with this rant. Calling someone an evil spawn and referring to their children as dunces is probably not the best way to bring them around to your way of thinking.

Ghazala Khamis made history last week when she gave birth to seven apparently healthy babies via c-section, making her only the second mother ever to successfully give birth to septuplets. The children, four girls and three boys, all appear to be doing well and range in weight from 2 pounds to 4 pounds. Khamis recently told the media that she has only seen her children via TV, but that she intends to try and breastfeed them all. (Can you even imagine? Newborns feed up to 12 times a day. Twelve multiplied by seven equals... when do you go to the bathroom?)

Khamis and her farmer husband, who earns only £2 a day, one or two days per week, underwent IVF to conceive the children, in a desperate attempt to have a son. The couple are already parents to three daughters. Now that the babies are here, family members are concerned about how they'll care for them. The government has pledged free diapers and milk for two years, but what the family really needs, says Khamis's brother, is a home.

When I was in labor with our second (and last) child, I teased my husband that if he wanted a son, he was on his own, because two times through labor was enough for me. He reassured me that he was perfectly happy with his mini-brood of two girls. The pressure that women must feel in cultures that revere sons over daughters must be extraordinary. Khamis can breathe easy now that she has three sons, but the risks she had to take to get there had to be overwhelming, as their life will likely be from here on out.

Usually a school prank is a harmless trick or a clever gag designed to get attention and hopefully some laughs. But some pranks go way beyond what is considered amusing and venture into the sick and twisted territory. That would be the case with the prank 19-year-old Myles Frost pulled at Glenbard East High School near Chicago last year.

Frost has just been convicted of misdemeanor charges of animal cruelty and criminal defacement after scattering mutilated mice and a decapitated rat around his school campus in 2007. He left the rodent corpses in the stairwell, the bathroom, the drinking fountain and in the slot of a vending machine.

"Even if it's a prank, to say it's in bad taste would be an extraordinary understatement,'' said Judge Robert G. Kleeman. Judge Kleeman ordered Frost to undergo a psychological evaluation and serve two years probation. During the trial, Frost's attorney denied that his client was responsible for the disgusting prank, but a school official and the police say that Frost confessed to them.

According to his lawyer, Frost is continuing his education and has high hopes for his future. "He has dreams of working with animals -- that's really what his dream is," said Frank Fanella. I am sure his court-appointed psychologist will be very interested in hearing about those dreams.

It doesn't take a lot of foresight to realize the list of acceptable words or phrases acceptable to print little girl underpants is very short. But apparently the people involved in the production of Disney High School Musical panties either lack the skill of looking ahead or just aren't very bright when it comes to double entrendre.

A British woman bought a pack of High School Musical underpants for her seven-year-old granddaughter was appalled to find the words "Dive In" on one of pairs.

"I was extremely shocked when I saw what was on them and I don't believe Disney or anyone else is so stupid not to realize the implications of the wording they chose." said Sue Ralph who said she would never have made the purchase if the phrase had been visible through the packaging.

A Disney spokesperson: 'The knickers in question were designed using our High School Musical 2 artwork, which uses the creative theme of a swimming pool, as this is a key part of the film's storyline. Unfortunately a genuine oversight was made and the text on this product was used outside the context of the swimming pool. This product will not be part of any forthcoming collections."

While it's good to hear that the number of High School Musical fans wearing "Dive In!" panties will be limited, I still think it's a bit far-fetched that THAT many people could be that clueless. Sounds like what the Disney product development team really needs is the addition of parents with common sense to help them out.

For a country that seems a tad uptight when it comes to unusual baby names, Sweden sure has a lot of parents pushing the envelope. Elvis, Superman, Google and Lego are just a few examples of parents going for something a little different when choosing a name for their offspring. Until recently, odd names like those stood a good chance of being rejected by the Swedish tax authorities. But maybe they finally realized that banning something makes it even more attractive because they have recently decided to loosen up a little on the baby name ban.

Actually, according to tax authority spokesperson Lars Tegenfeldt, the shift in attitude is a reflection of the changing times. "There is nothing negative about a name like Coca-Cola or McDonald's today. In the 1970s, maybe it was," he says.

Budweiser and Metallica may now have the official seal of approval from the Swedish government, but there are still some names that will not be allowed. There will be no Gods, Allahs or Devils and swear words remain off-limits.

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Jerry Lee Lewis sang the words," There ain't nothing in the world like a big eyed girl to make me act so funny, make me spend my money..." In Japan, young girls are taking that to heart and putting special contact lenses in their eyes to make them appear larger. Available in a rainbow of colors, these lenses differ from ordinary tinted lenses in that they have an extra-wide outer ring that makes the iris of the eye appear much larger.

Of course, this big-eyed look wasn't inspired by Lewis' Chantilly Lace, but by Japanese anime cartoons, which feature characters with abnormally large eyes. And why would a young girl want to look like an anime cartoon? Because with their big eyes and tiny faces, they are adorable. And what young girl doesn't want to look adorable?

I will admit that I was initially creeped out by these photos of girls with anime eyes. But then I remembered that summer when I myself wore contact lenses tinted a most unnatural shade of turquoise blue. I thought I was all kinds of hot in those brightly colored lenses, but in reality I was probably looking a little creepy myself. I suspect it is just a matter of time before this trend makes its way to a young girl - or boy - near you.