Germinating Problems

I'm having trouble germinating seeds! Out of about 60 seeds I get about 10 that germinate and it takes up to three weeks or more before the seeds open and start a tail. I use filtered water,seeds are placed in a bowl wrapped in a paper towel and placed on a growing Matt to keep the temperature the same! Right now I've placed some seeds in water on Nov 1st 2010,it is now the 15th and just dark seeds!! I could have plants 50 inches high by the time these little bastards open up!! What gives?

this is what i do, i use room temp water and soak them for 12 hours the take them out, take a plate with toilet paper folded with the seed in them where tissue on bottom and top then use the same water and soak the tissue with the seeds in there put it on top of your refigerator check them after 24hr and 12hr after that till
they pop should get good results doing it that way

U should put them in a shot glass filled with water for 24-48hrs, and then put them in the papertowel.... also some seeds are really tightly closed, my BLZ Bud just wouldnt open so i got tweezers nd put a little pressure on them nd wala theyre growing