Now is the time for "Hey, Science"—America's primary source of scientific education—in which we enlist real live scientific experts to answer your most most interesting and/ or inane scientific questions. Today: does snow make a city cleaner, or dirtier?

Writer Dan Kois offers up a short rebuke of multi-use bathroom workhorse the washcloth today on Slate's houseguest vertical, "Entertaining." Kois says it is time for hosts to stop offering guests washcloths. Besides complaints about the washcloth's efficiency, Kois also writes that he finds the small square of fabric used in some American homes just plain "gross" and archaic.

The New York City Health Department recently inspected 30 Rock's Starbucks and discovered it to be teeming with "live mice." Consequently, the Starbucks serving the stars of NBC received a 'C.' Which other Manhattan Starbucks stores are among the impressively filthy elite?

A new system goes into effect today that will have a letter grade — A, B, or C — based on a Department of Health evaluation posted in the window of every New York City restaurant. Prepare to be disappointed/grossed-out.

On Oprah today, former captive journalist Laura Ling said that she confessed to North Korean interrogators that "she was trying to overthrow the government" in a desperate bid for leniency. But that's not the worst part: she was also stank.

Starting in July, all NYC restaurants will have to post the letter grade they receive on their city cleanliness inspection. Note: "C" is a failing grade. It does not stand for "Copacetic," no matter what Taco Bell tells you. [NYT]

Americans: Why are we so nasty? Appliance scientists (appliantists) say that our average countrymen only clean their refrigerators once or twice a year—which is once or twice more than you do. We just don't know what we're doing, fridge-wise.

New Yorkers are prepared to face anything when they step into a public bathroom, except a crapper that cleans itself. That is too bizarre.

A tipster at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia tells us Martha and Co. have a few new rules for staffers in the new offices. Bring nothing! Visual proof included below:

An important ongoing story has come to our attention: the so-called Poopgate scandal of the Cherry Hill, NJ Courier-Post. It seems that newsroom morale has reached such a low level that an anonymous pooper or poopers has purposely pooped in both the men and women's bathroom—not in the actual toilet, so use your imagination. The excrement in the men's room sat for 13 hours before being cleaned up. Employees are using Poopgate as a rallying cry for their righteous indignation; management has sent in investigators to get to the bottom of the case [GannettBlog/ Philadelphia Will Do] Below, the entire protest letter from the newsroom to management, which portrays the errant poop as the embodiment of a "climate of crisis." We will keep you informed of the situation as it develops, obviously. [UPDATE: We hear that Mergermarket may also be experiencing poop issues. Anywhere else? E-mail us.]