I can give you several reasons: There is the sheer novelty factor. "Gee, I didn't know you could do that. Let's try it." Related to that is the conversation piece factor. "Look, Susie! Granny is growing tomatoes upside down." Then there is limited space factor. If you live in an apartment and have only a small balcony, the chance to grow a hanging veggie is a plus. I have been in this situation in the past. In most cases though, I think it is the novelty/something-cheap-to-try-for-fun factor. I am starting 55+ items from seed this year. Unfortunately I find it hard to ruthlessly pinch off and compost extra seedlings. So I always run into the question of where to put all these plants. So I always have a shortage of cultivated places to put things. I always grow more tomatoes plants than I am supposed to and so I threw one of these into my cart, thinking I could put one of my extra tomatoes in it. I can't imagine that there would be any horticultural advantage to doing so, but it means I don't have to toss a plant I have fostered into the compost pile.

I found a good "after Christmas diet". The flu! I gained 5.5 pounds over the holidays. DH and I got a really bad case of the flu this week and I lost 4.5 pounds in two days.

Janet, what a story and what a test of tact that must have been. Ann, I love shortbread. If anyone wants to start a fan club, I'm there. I didn't have time earlier to post it, but has anyone tried Regan Daley's Butter-Toffee Crunch Shortbread from "In the Sweet Kitchen"? It is the most incredibly rich brown sugar shortbread variation. I don't make it often; I have to be sure I have lots of recipients lined up first so I don't keep too much in the house. It's deadly to diets. BUTTER-TOFFEE CRUNCH SHORTBREAD Makes 50 3-inch fingers "Awfully impressive, and dead easy, this is just a good basic brown sugar Scottish shortbread recipe, enhanced with butterscotch and toffee bits. As with any shortbread, the quality and freshness of the butter and flour make all the difference in the flavour and texture. Use the best, and make sure they're fresh. This makes a large batch, perfect for giving, and the shortbread keeps very well in airtight tins. If desired, the recipe can be reduced by half." 2-1/3 cups all-purpose flour 2/3 cup rice flour, or substitute cornstarch if rice flour is unavailable 1/2 teaspoon salt 1-1/2 cups (3/4 pound) fresh unsalted butter, at room temperature 6 tablespoons fruit sugar or superfine sugar 6 tablespoons tightly packed light brown sugar 3/4 cup miniature butterscotch chips 2/3 cups English toffee pieces for baking such as Skor Bits (available in the baking sections of most supermarkets) Additional unsalted butter for greasing pan Preheat the oven to 325° F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13-inch metal baking pan. Line the bottom and up the two long sides with a piece of parchment paper. Leave about a 1-inch overhang over the sides to make removing the cooled shortbread easier. Sift the all-purpose and rice flour together with the salt and set aside. In the bowl of an electric or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl with a wooden spoon, beat the butter until very smooth. Gradually add the sugars and cream the mixture until it is very light and fluffy. If using a mixer, transfer the creamed butter-sugar mixture to a large mixing bowl. Add the flour mixture, about 1/2 cup at a time, fully incorporating each addition before adding the next. Use your fingers to knead the final portion of dry ingredients into the dough, keeping your palms off the dough as much as possible, so the warmth doesn't turn the butter oily. When the last of the flour is fully blended, add the butterscotch and toffee bits and knead them into the dough until they are evenly distributed. I should warn you at this point, that this dough now smells better than any cookie dough you have ever experienced. Restrain yourself; you will do yourself no favors devouring the entire mess at this point, and the baking doesn't take that long. Press the dough firmly into the prepared pan and use the back of a metal spoon to smooth the surface. Prick the dough all over with a fork and set the pan in the center of the oven. Bake the shortbread for about 45 minutes, then prick the dough again to release any trapped air. Return the pan to the oven for another 15 to 30 minutes, or until the edges are light golden brown, and the center feels just firm to the touch. The shortbread will set to a very firm biscuit as it cooks, so it must be cut while it is still warm. Cool the pan on a wire rack for 7 to 8 minutes, then run a sharp paring knife around the outside of the dough to loosen the edges. Make two long cuts in the shortbread, dividing it evenly into three rectangles, each cut beginning and ending at a short side of the pan. Cutting from long side to long side, cut the rectangles into about ¾-inch wide fingers, wiping the knife on a clean towel between each cut, as it gets sticky and can pull and tear the cooling shortbread. Leave the fingers to cool completely in the pan, then re-cut and transfer them to airtight tins. This shortbread can be frozen before or after it is baked. Freeze the dough pressed into the prepared pan, well wrapped with plastic and aluminum foil. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, without disturbing the wrapping, and bake directly from the refrigerator. The baking time may have to be increased by a few minutes to compensate for the chilled dough. Freeze the cooled fingers in airtight bags or containers, layering between sheets of waxed or parchment paper and wrapping the whole tin or container with aluminum foil. Thaw the entire package, without removing the wrapping, at room temperature for 6 to 8 hours. I haven't previously frozen the dough, but I do intend to do that this year. Very handy for the holidays. Carol

The ingredients don't look terrible, but not all that wonderful, either: atmeal Ingredients: Enriched wheat flour (niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), rolled oats, vegetable margarine (palm oil, water, soybean oil, salt, natural flavor, soy lecithin, beta carotene [color], vitamin A palmitate), Hollywood Premier Protein Blend (soy protein isolate, whey protein concentrate [milk], wheat protein concentrate, whey powder [milk]), sugar, crystalline fructose, raisins, maltitol syrup, polydextrose, vegetable glycerin, egg whites, powdered cellulose, spices, mono- and diglycerides, natural flavors, baking soda, cream of tartar, soy lecithin, and sucralose (a sugarless sweetener). Vitamin and calcium: (calcium carbonate, ascorbic acid [vitamin C], niacin [niacinamide], vitamin B6 [pyridoxine hydrochloride], riboflavin, thiamine [thiamine mononitrate], vitamin B12 [cyanocobalamin], vitamin A [palmitate], vitamin E, folic acid, vitamin D, pantothenic acid [d-calcium pantothenate], iron [naturally occurring]). Lemon Ingredients: Enriched wheat flour (niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), vegetable margarine (palm oil, water, soybean oil, salt, natural flavor, soy lecithin, beta carotene [color], vitamin A palmitate). Hollywood Premier Protein Blend (soy protein isolate, whey protein concentrate [milk], wheat protein concentrate, whey powder [milk]), sugar, crystalline fructose, rolled barley, maltitol syrup, polydextrose, egg whites, powdered cellulose, vegetable glycerine, natural flavors, lemon zest, mono- and diglycerides, baking soda, citric acid, salt, soy lecithin, and sucralose (a sugarless sweetener). Vitamin and calcium: (calcium carbonate, ascorbic acid [vitamin C], niacin [niacinamide], vitamin B6 [pyridoxine hydrochloride], riboflavin, thiamine [thiamine mononitrate], vitamin B12 [cyanocobalamin], vitamin A [palmitate], vitamin E, folic acid, vitamin D, pantothenic acid [d-calcium pantothenate], iron [naturally occurring]). Chocolate Chip Ingredients: Enriched wheat flour (niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), semi-sweet chocolate chips (sugar, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, vanilla), vegetable margarine (palm oil, water, soybean oil, salt, natural flavor, soy lecithin, beta carotene [color], vitamin A palmitate), Hollywood Premier Protein Blend (soy protein isolate, whey protein concentrate [milk], wheat protein concentrate, whey powder [milk]), sugar, crystalline fructose, maltitol syrup, polydextrose, vegetable glycerine, egg whites, powdered cellulose, natural flavors, mono- and diglycerides, salt, baking soda, cream of tartar, soy lecithin, and sucralose (a sugarless sweetener). Vitamin and calcium: (calcium carbonate, ascorbic acid [vitamin C], niacin [niacinamide], vitamin B6 [pyridoxine hydrochloride], riboflavin, thiamine [thiamine mononitrate], vitamin B12 [cyanocobalamin], vitamin A [palmitate], vitamin E, folic acid, vitamin D, pantothenic acid [d-calcium pantothenate], iron [naturally occurring]). Allergen Information: Contains: Wheat, soy, milk, and eggs. Produced on equipment that is used to produce products that contain: Peanuts and tree nuts. They're basically a lot of soy protein with a good amount of fiber. Each cookie is 150 calories, with 4 grams of fiber and only 8 grams of sugar. They seem pretty expensive to me. Here is a link that might be useful: Hollywood Cookie