Thanks Craig, for letting me use your list

That's right, I'm an official craigslister. Money's tight around here these days and there's a couple items I don't need. I'm trying to sell a nice toothbrush and a skateboard.

Google found me!

This is a milestone in the history of the benjiblog. You see, when I first began this blog I felt like I was really out there on the internet for people to find, but was disappointed when my google searches came up empty. I would copy whole paragraphs from this blog, and paste them into the google search box expecting to be the number one result. When this didn't happen I set out to figure out how google worked. Here's a summary of how google works from this source.
They use a top-secret algorithm called page-rank, which incorporates 3 key factors:

• Frequency and location of the key words for which one is searching
• How long the web page has existed
• Number of other web pages that link to the web page in question.

There you have it. I was naively expecting to be found when I had only fulfilled the first requirement. Apparently four months is enough time for google to consider me legit, and there might possibly be a few links to this page floating around out there.

Bonus - when I google "Benji Somebody Else", the first three hits are really referring to me, then there's some unrelated hits, then it cites this blog's first post where I explained the meaning behind the address and happened to write Benji and Somebody Else in the same paragraph.
Note- In a couple weeks I'm expecting this post to be up there on the list because I keep typing Benji Somebody Else (frequency and location people, frequency and location).
Benji Somebody Else.

On a completely unrelated but nonetheless interesting note, I had ants crawling on my ears today. I have no idea how this happened. Around 9:00 this moring I'm sitting there doing dentistry and feel one crawling on my ear. I took off my glove and brushed it away, only to have the same thing happen 10 minutes later. Then around 3:00 this afternoon it happened again! I was in the middle of polishing up a filling I had just placed and really didn't want to take time out of the procedure to take off my gloves, brush the ant away, and re-glove; and I definitely didn't want to touch my own ear with slobbery gloves, (gross!) so I just kept working while the little bugger crawled around for two minutes and bit me three times. I don't think I've ever been so angry at a single ant in my entire life. Maybe someday when I'm working in my own office and have an assistant, I can simply call out "Ant" and she can brush it off of my ear. Someday.

Benji Somebody Else.

New Kid on the Blog

Clever, I know. The newest new kid on the blog is none other than my beautiful wife! Since blogs are basically journals for friends and strangers to read, we decided to both just keep blogging away and try not to be too redundant. Our newest threat to each other is, "oh yeah? I'm going to blog about what you just did!" So, if any embarrassing stories about me show up on her blog, it means I'm in trouble.

Without further ado, her awesome blog!

"It's better to lose a tooth than to lose your life."

That's the quote from the brave 11-year-old Brazilian boy who recently fended off a pit bull attack by sinking his teeth into the dog's neck! How's this for irony - he broke his canine when he sank his teeth into the neck of a canine! Ha! He needed 4 stitches in his arm, and the article says he was freed when bystanders pulled the dog off of him, but I think it was actually the dog who was freed from the vicious boy. Talk about fighting fire with fire!

Movie reviews, just in time for the weekend!

Here's what I've seen lately, and what I thought:

Fools Gold


I reluctantly rented this one because there's not a huge selection in the redbox these days, but it was better than I thought it would be. I worried that with Kate Hudson and Matthew McHandsome back together it would just be an extension of How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. Truth be told, there was a lot more adventure involved. It was more than a cheesy chick flick. I can't really give an accurate re-cap because it was late and I fell asleep somewhere in the middle and missed 10 or 20 minutes, but what I did see I liked.

Recommendation: Not bad, I would recommend it if there's nothing else you'd rather see.


The Great Debaters


The story of a debate team from an all-black college in Texas in the 1920's. I'm torn on this movie. It had an interesting storyline, great acting, and of course those moving dramatic moments that come with movies like this, so I normally would give this one a good recommendation. However, I have two issues with this movie. First, a problem with the plot - as a debate team, they were never asked to debate anything that goes against what they believed. It was always them arguing something they were very passionate about (desegregation, civil disobedience), and that's not what true debating is, although it made for a better story.
Second, and this is the kicker, this movie is available exclusively at blockbuster. Not cool.

Recommendation: If everyone rented this movie, what would we be telling the film industry? That it's ok to make movies available exclusively at certain stores. Picture for a second a world where you have to go to Blockbuster to get a certain movie, and Hollywood Video to get another. For this reason I recommend not renting this movie. But, if you know someone who has it, it's worth watching.


Last of the Mohicans (edited)


Yeah, I know, this is an old one but I'd never seen it. Normally I don't like historical epic movies like this because the people talk differently and sometimes it's hard to follow all the details of the story. I liked this movie though. The thing that tips the scales for a positive recommendation is the music.

Recommendation: I do recommend this movie. Edited. I highly recommend this soundtrack.


The 5th Element


This was available free at hulu.com so I thought I'd check it out. Guess what? It's not worth free. If I got paid for my time watching the movie, it'd maybe be ok. Some Sci-Fi movies are ok but this one was just too weird for me. The opera scene actually made me laugh out loud at how stupid it was.

Recommendation: Are you kidding me? It's a no.


You, Me, and Dupree


You know how some movies have one or two really crass parts, but the rest of the movie is so hilarious that you don't really mind? This wasn't that movie. I really like Owen Wilson, but this was probably the least funny Owen Wilson movie I've ever seen, and that's counting Behind Enemy Lines. (On a related note, for you single guys out there - a wise friend once told me that if you're ever in a situation where you don't know what to say or how to act around a pretty girl, just think to yourself, "What would Owen Wilson do?" and go with it. The characters he plays are always so smooth.)

Recommendation: Definitely no.


The Sentinel


Jack Bauer teams up with a Desperate Housewife to figure out who's trying to kill the President - what's not to like? This movie reminded me of Breach. If you like one, you'll like the other.

Recommendation: I liked it. I would especially recommend it to those of you who are going through withdrawals of the show 24.


and finally,
The Dark Knight



It sort of seems like this movie deserves it's own post, but I have a tribute to Batman in the works for this blog so I'll just go ahead and do my little review here.
I loved it. I've seen it twice now and would have to say I loved it more the second time. The first time through it was difficult to see where the story was going and therefore a little tougher pick up on all the little interweaving themes of the movie. Heath Ledger deserves all the praise he gets - he was amazing at convincing you he was both a genius and a psychopath at the same time. The only negative thing I've heard about this movie is that Batman's voice is annoying, but, (and I've said this over and over again) - Batman is a ninja who was trained by ninjas, and the art of ninjutsu is that of invisibility. If you were a famous billionaire, people would know your voice, so you have to do something to disguise it. I think the director had him do this in the most "Batman-way" possible.
Lastly, this is a disturbing movie. There are a lot of gruesome parts, but they are tastefully left to your imagination. If you don't like scary movies, this isn't for you.

Recommendation: I feel obligated to warn that it will scare you, and there are a number of scenes that could be better described as "twisted" than "enjoyable". That being said, this is one of the best made movies I've ever seen. I'll let you decide on the recommendation.

Making your lawn look like a professional baseball field

I just got back from an unofficial church outing with some buddies. We saw the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim lose to the Cleveland Indians 5-2. Booo.

Anyway, we get to talking and somebody wondered aloud how the elaborate pattern on the field is achieved. Go ahead, think about it. I'll even give you a quiz to see how smart you are.

Is the pattern achieved by

• A) Mowing the lawn in alternating directions
• B) Using some fancy equipment to make the blades point different directions
• C) Cutting the grass to two different levels

Scroll down for the answer, but not until you've thought about it.



After the game I spoke to the man standing on the dugout located on the right side of the above picture, and he claimed that it was all three. Congratulations, you all got it right.

However, if you guessed B, you get it more right that the other two because how stuff works gives most of the credit to what's called a lawn roller - basically a big steam roller for your lawn. If you had a lawn roller, perhaps you could make your lawn look like this:




or this:



or maybe even this:



Lowes.com has lawn rollers for around $150.

Busting a myth that's been bugging me.

Maybe you've heard this before, maybe not, but the myth I'm addressing is this: Dentists have the highest rate of suicide.



This has been brought to my attention a few times since becoming a dental student. It's usually somebody trying to make smalltalk, but many who've brought it up have done so in a way that led me to believe that they really think it's true.

So, I set out to do some investigating today. I had intentions of writing this post with well-referenced credible links but didn't actually find any official list. Upon typing dentists and suicide in the good old google, I found no references to support this claim, although I did learn quite a bit. Here's the summary of today's web surfing:

• The topic is somewhat unclear because suicides usually aren't classified by profession. There is a plethora of data regarding race, age, and gender because those things show up on death certificates and can easily be compiled. Occupation, not so much.
• Also, cause of death for a suicide usually isn't categorized as "suicide" but rather a gunshot wound or a drug overdose (even if they are intentionally self-inflicted).
  
• Consensus is that the rate for health care professionals as a whole is elevated. A possible explanation of this is that health care professionals generally live healthier lifestyles and are less likely to die from other causes. Think about it, if you are a health professional, you are most likely "healthy" and less likely to die of a heart attack or motorcycle accident, thus elevating the relative rate of suicide in your group. Another explanation could be the stress that comes with being a "professional".
  
• Medical Doctors (MD's) have a higher rate of suicide than their Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) counterparts. Most sources credit white male physicians as having the highest suicide rate, although the females in the profession aren't far behind - which is unusual. In most occupations females do themselves in at a much lower rate than the males.
  
• Psychiatrists also have a higher rate of suicide than dentists, although they have their own urban legend to deal with regarding their "highest suicide rate".
• One study had sheepherders and wool workers topping the list.
• Other sources believe that the highest rate is by far among military personal and law enforcement.
  

So there you have it. Don't believe this when you hear it unless they have a source more credible than Benji's Blog©. If they do, please send it my way.

Incidentally, performing dentistry has actually been much more enjoyable than I had anticipated. Before beginning school I had the same thoughts that most people have when they picture themselves putting their fingers in a stranger's mouth - something along the lines of "what about people who have really nasty teeth and bad breath - would I really want to spend all day looking in those mouths? Is that really what I want to do all day every day for the rest of my working life?"

Like I said, it's really not that bad and most days is somewhat enjoyable. (note- I'm referring to the "dentistry" part of dental school and not necessarily the "school" part). Earlier this week I was working and it occurred to me that what I was doing was very similar to pottery, except that people will pay me for it. And sometimes it hurts.

Rather than constantly thinking "Ew gross, I'm working in this old guy's mouth", once I start working my focus is (literally) on a single tooth and I can forget about the rest of the person. Individual teeth rarely have the capacity to gross someone out.

I guess this concludes my suicide note. Ha!