In Case You Ever Wondered

How much soap should you use in your washing machine?

". . . depending on how hard or soft your water is, one-eighth to one-half of what is usually recommended should be adequate."

And your dish washer?

"Too much soap is also a problem in dishwashers and can cause dishes and glasses to look filmy. Again, check the detergent container for recommended amounts — you definitely don’t have to fill up the entire soap container in the dishwasher."

And in an interesting sidelight on what Americans really care about, this has been the most emailed story on the NY Times web site for two days.