The Pew Research Center found that there's been a change in the economics of marriage. A study that compared marriages in 1970 to marriages in 2007 showed that for the first time among people age 44 and younger more women had college degrees. In the last 37 years wives who earn more than their husbands went from 4% to 22%. In 1967 two-thirds of women said they'd marry for money. In 2007 87% said a husband who communicates, is intimate and shares housework is more important than a husband who makes more money than his wife. Maybe the other 13% didn't believe in miracles.
Reverend Canon David Parrott, vicar of London's 17th century St. Lawrence Jewry Church, changed what had been a traditional, back-to-work ceremony. The "Plow Monday" ceremony had blessed a symbolic farming implement, which villagers dragged to their church's door. Because Reverend Parrott's church is in the middle of London's financial district - nowhere near a field - and because he believes technology is today's working tool, Reverend Parrott blessed a symbolic pile of laptops and smart phones placed on the altar, as well as phones held up by parishioners. Perhaps the parishioners can now technologically plow through their work.
"Co-working" is a change for people who work from home, but don't like the isolation. "New Work City" in Manhattan is an example of co-working. It's rented office space, where members can work on their laptops and not be alone. Members chip in for office supplies and snacks, with memberships ranging from $150/month for 2 visits weekly to having your own key. Half way across the country membership at a co-working cottage in East Grand Rapids, Michigan is $100/month, including a cozy fireplace. According to Barbra Streisand these "people who need people are the luckiest people in the world".
Finally, a California legislator wants to change telephone books. More than 804,000 tons of paper are used annually for phone books. That's about 5 pounds for every American - that's millions of trees - that's a negative effect on global warming. The manufacturing, distribution and disposal of phone books also negatively affects global warming. The "Opt In" law affects only white pages and would require Californians to register online or call an 800 number to request white page directories. With over 82% of Americans having cell phones, the days of looking up numbers in telephone books may be "numbered".
Researchers at the University of Georgia found that self-control - or lack of it - is contagious. In one of 5 studies over 2 years, 36 volunteers were asked to think about a friend with good or bad self-control. Those who thought about a friend with good self-control persisted longer on a hand grip test. In another study 42 volunteers participated in a computerized test measuring self-control while names of friends were flashed on the screen long enough to make only subliminal impressions. Those who were subliminally primed by the name of a friend with good self-control tested better. It seems more self-control should be used when choosing friends.
Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin posted a questionnaire online. Approximately 4,500 people answered questions measuring agreeableness, conscientiousness, extroversion, neuroticism and openness - 5 areas that have proven to cover most personality traits. The participants also indicated if they were cat people, dog people, both or neither. According to the research, dog people are more social and outgoing - more agreeable, conscientious and extroverted. Cat people are more neurotic, creative, philosophical and nontraditional. In 2009 37% of American households had dogs, 32% had cats - and 31% probably thought this research was "petty".
Researchers at the University of California at San Diego discovered the "golden ratio" - measurements that supposedly define facial beauty. It seems that the distance between eyes should be 46% of the face's width and the distance from eyes to mouth should be 36% of the face's length. When 126 college students - mostly female - compared pictures of identical faces with different eye-mouth ratios, faces differing from the golden ratio were ranked less attractive. The good news is this ratio applies only to white women. If there's good news for white women, it's in the eyes of the beholder.
Researchers at Ohio State University looked at records of emergency room visits compiled by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. They discovered that more than 1,000 pedestrians went to the ER in 2008 because of tripping, falling or running into something while using a cell phone to talk, text or implement applications. That number was double the number in 2007 and 2007's number was almost double 2006's number. The age breakdown of the distracted cell phone users was about half under 30, a quarter 16-20 and a quarter 41-60. Obviously, we're never too old to know better.
The Healthy People Project was created in the 1970's to set goals for Americans to live longer, healthier lives; and every 10 years the Department of Health and Human Services reports on the progress that was made. In 2010 there are more obese citizens, more citizens with high blood pressure, more children with untreated cavities and more fat and salt being eaten. However, vaccinations are up; most workplace injuries are down; and deaths from cancer, heart disease and stroke have dropped. With only about 20% of the goals being reached, it seems the Healthy People Project needs a "goalkeeper".
New York City is trying to be healthier by reducing salt in many manufactured and packaged foods. Eighty percent of Americans' salt intake is already in food, resulting in Americans eating about twice the recommended amount and increasing risk of high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke. Among other reductions, the city wants a 40% salt reduction in breakfast cereals, 25% in bread and cold cuts and 30% in salad dressings. The goal is to reduce salt intake 20% in 5 years - by 2015; but because the reductions are voluntary, many manufacturers will take them with a grain of salt.
Then there's airplane air, which is healthier than many travelers think. Although colds and flu can be passed by coughs and sneezes, there's little chance of being infected if the sick person is more than 2 rows away and is present less than 8 hours. Also, most planes are divided into seven-row ventilation sections, in which cabin air is completely refreshed about 20 times per hour and is circulated through filters removing 99.97% of bacteria and virus-carrying particles. Touching contaminated surfaces - overhead bins, tray tables, lavatory doors - is usually how air travelers get sick. That's a "plane" fact.
It's also a fact Norway is the world's most infection-free country. A key factor in Norway's public health system accomplishing this was a severe cutback on antibiotic use starting in the 1980's. According to the World Heath Organization, antibiotic resistance is one of the leading threats to public health. Because fewer antibiotics are prescribed in Norway than in other countries, Norwegians aren't as likely to develop resistance to them and thus can fight the staph infection "Methicillin-resistant Staphlococcus aureus" (MRSA). Because learning from Norway's example would save approximately 19,000 U.S. lives yearly, hopefully the U.S. won't be a slow learner.
On November 14, 2009 a slim 22-year-old Romanian man attempted to break into a supermarket in Portugal. He tried to get in through a tiny window. Unfortunately for him, once he got his upper body through the window, he couldn't find anything to hold onto for support while he tried to wiggle his way in. The would-be burglar spent 11 hours stuck in the window, including the 2 hours it took police and firemen to get him out. Considering the man removed his pants while trying to free himself, he definitely exposed himself to the fact crime doesn't pay.
On December 18, 2009 a yet-to-be-apprehended, armed man robbed cash from 3 establishments - a Circle K convenience store, a Mobile gas station and a Shell gas station. Robbing 3 establishments in 1 day is surprising. What is more surprising is the robberies occurred in Southern California - off 3 different freeways exits. In Southern California the traffic-jammed freeways are robbers of time. However, what's most surprising is the man committed all 3 robberies in 30 minutes. Although no one was hurt, the robber obviously didn't know that crime doesn't pay - but giving time management lessons would.
In a sermon during the 2009 Christmas season Reverend Tim Jones, an Anglican priest in Britain, advised his congregation to shoplift. The priest said it was permissible for people in desperate situations to take food. His advice was to shoplift from large, chain stores that would pass the cost on to their customers in the form of higher prices. Amid an uproar of protests from Britons, the Archbishop of York emphatically stated that the Church of England does not advise shoplifting and he summoned Reverend Jones to meet with him - perhaps to suggest sermons about the lifting of spirits only.
In January 2010 Tatiana Khan, a 69-year-old California antiques dealer, sold a Picasso drawing - "The Woman in the Blue Hat" - for $2 million. Khan said she could sell it for less than market value because it came from the Malcolm Forbes family estate. The FBI said Khan could sell the drawing for less because she had paid an artist $1,000 for the copy. The FBI also seized a painting by abstract expressionist Willem de Kooning, which Khan allegedly bought with $720,000 from the drawing deal. Does crime pay? Khan may spend 45 years in prison drawing - her own conclusion.
Bees always make smooth landings. Using a high-speed camera scientists saw bees slow to a stop when they reached their destination and discovered bees hovered at about half an inch before landing. If the surface was flat, bees landed back legs first. If the surface was between vertical and upside-down, they made contact with their antennae first, pulled their front legs up second and then flipped to get their mid and rear legs onto the surface. Supposedly figuring out how bees translate vision into perfect landings could help engineers design better automated aircraft. Obviously, seeing is "beelieving".
Seeing iguanas in Florida isn't believing they're native to Florida. Although hundreds of thousands roam the southern part of the state, they were illegally introduced from South America by pet owners. When pet iguanas escape or are released, they have no natural enemies and can multiply freely. However, when the Sunshine State is hit with unusually cold winter temperatures in the 40's, iguanas fall from trees. Because the cold greatly reduces their blood flow, their bodies become immobilized. If the cold spell is short, the tropics-loving iguanas can recover and resume their normal life - undoubtedly seeking better "treetment".
A rare 1913 U.S. Liberty Head nickel has been treated very well. Known as the "Olsen-Hawn piece", the coin sold at public auction in January 2010 for $3.7 million. It's one of only five 1913 Liberty Head nickels known to exist - 2 in museums and 3 - including the Olsen-Hawn piece - in private collections. Previous owners include Egypt's King Farouk and Los Angeles Lakers owner, Jerry Buss. The coin also appeared in a 1973 episode of "Hawaii Five-0". However, it was used only in close-ups. In other scenes the coin had a stunt double playing a "coin-ciding" role.
Finally, it seems the roles played by many decorative snowflakes are "scientific abominations". According to Thomas Koop, professor of chemistry at Bielefeld University in Germany, snowflakes can assemble ice crystals into many shapes; but the crystals themselves will usually have 6 sides. That's because the molecular building blocks are water molecules and fit together in a certain way. Although water molecules occasionally form ice crystals with 3 or 12 sides - half or double the usual number - snowflakes never have 5 or 8 sides, as often seen on Christmas cards or used as decorations. For Koop this isn't a one-sided argument. It's six-sided.
Starting in 2009 many school districts removed chocolate milk from their school lunch programs. An 8-oz. serving of reduced-fat chocolate milk has almost as many calories and sugar as a 12-oz. can of Coke, contributing to the childhood obesity crisis. Although milk has been an integral part of school lunches since the federally subsidized program was started in 1946, flavored milk has been a concern since the 2006 rule requiring schools to have comprehensive "wellness programs". Because more than half of U.S. flavored milk is sold in schools, the dairy industry is "cow-ering" about the loss of market share.
A 2009 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences showed that exercise improves brain function in children. The study of 1.2 million Swedish males - including 1500 identical twins - found that 18-year-olds in excellent cardiovascular condition did better on cognitive tests than less fit 18-year-olds. Also, those who increased their fitness between ages 15 and 18 got better scores then those who decreased their fitness during those ages. In fact, the fittest 18-year-olds were likelier to achieve higher educational and socioeconomic status later in life. According to this study, exercise provides a stronger future.
However, in 2009 many health experts recommended students who play sports be screened for heart disease. One in 100,000 people ages 12 to 24 dies suddenly from undiagnosed congenital heart problems. Children who play sports are almost 3 times as vulnerable. Death usually occurs when they're in training for or participating in sports - when adrenalin is flowing and the heart is at peak performance. When more than 2,000 high school athletes in Houston were tested, 10% had abnormal EKG's. Nevertheless, giving cardiovascular examinations only to students because of their family history or their school physical was the American Heart Association's heartfelt opinion.
In 2010 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported the first multi-state outbreak of salmonella associated with the African dwarf frog - the cute, little amphibian sold in pet stores. The CDC began investigating after the Utah Health Department reported 5 children infected by salmonella typhimurium. All 5 children had these frogs and all the frogs came from the same California distributor. In 2009 salmonella from African dwarf frogs sickened at least 85 people - most under age 10 - and a third were hospitalized. Supposedly these frogs sing. If so, parents should insist they sing "Far Away".
According to the National Center for Health Statistics, 25 is now the average age for women to marry; and 86% of women are married by age 40. Although there is a 45% divorce rate, Americans marry at a rate of 7.5 per 1,000. The French and German marry at a rate of 4.5 to 4.9 per 1,000, the Swedes at 4.0 to 4.4 and the Belgians at 2.8 to 3.9. Although a 2007 Pew study found that "mutual happiness and fulfillment" was the main reason Americans got married, children ranked eighth on a list of what make a marriage successful - but who defines successful?
According to national surveys, antidepressant drug use in the U.S. doubled between 1996 and 2005. In 1996 6% of Americans - 13 million - used antidepressants. In 2005 use increased to 10% - 27 million. In 2008 more than 164 million prescriptions for antidepressants were written, costing $9.6 billion. Although there has been little change in promotional spending, direct-to-consumer advertising went from 3.3% - $32 million - to 12% - $122 million. However, as antidepressant prescriptions increased, psychotherapy decreased. This decrease is attributed to treatment for depression being more socially acceptable, new drugs and less insurance coverage. It seems talk isn't cheap.
According to a study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society that followed almost 6,000 seniors, women who drank moderately were less likely to experience age-related declines in cognition. Although these researchers found no protective effect for men, another study did. A study published in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry pooled the findings of several studies - including reports with more than 10,000 seniors. This study found that both female and male drinkers were about 50% less likely to develop dementia than non-drinkers. It seems you can have the results you want if you research the research.
Of course, drinking too much and driving drunk is dangerous. Walking drunk is dangerous too. In fact, January 1st consistently averages the highest number of walkers killed in motor vehicle crashes. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 410 pedestrians were killed on New Year's Day between 1986 and 2002 and 107 pedestrians were killed between 2004 and 2008. Nearly 60% of the pedestrians killed were legally drunk. Perhaps March 12th, the day with the lowest average of pedestrian deaths - 11 - should become a U.S. holiday - National Walking Day.
According to the World Alzheimer Report, 35 million people worldwide have Alzheimer's or other types of dementia. This number is 10% higher than predicted a few years ago because the number of cases in developing countries - where people are living longer - was underestimated. Although age is the biggest factor for Alzheimer's, obesity, high cholesterol and diabetes seem to increase risk - problems which are on the rise in many developing countries. Until the cause is found, the number of dementia cases is expected to double every 20 years, reaching 115.4 million by 2050 - but even that number could be forgotten.
However, a study published in the journal "Neurology" found that active brains may delay memory decline in people with dementia. The 5-year study followed 488 dementia-free people ages 75 to 85. The participants reported how often they read, wrote, did crossword puzzles, played board games or card games, had group discussions and played music. Daily participation rated 7 points, several days a week rated 4 and weekly rated 1. The average score for the 101 participants who developed dementia was 7; but when memory loss started accelerating, each additional activity delayed the onset of rapid memory loss 0.18 years - an important fact not to lose.
Nevertheless, a University of Southampton study found that a cold or bruise - anything that causes inflammation - could speed memory loss in people with Alzheimer's. Inflammation increases levels of the protein TNF-alpha. In the 6-month study researchers measured the cognitive abilities and TNF-alpha levels in 222 Alzheimer's patients. Those with low levels of the protein throughout the study showed no memory loss, but memory loss was twice as fast for those whose TNF-alpha spiked because of infection or injury and memory loss was four times as fast for those with high TNF-alpha levels throughout the study. It seems inflammation inflames memory loss.
Unfortunately, according to a federally funded study, taking Ginkgo biloba won't help. More than 3,000 elderly adults - ages 72 to 96 - were given Ginkgo biloba or a placebo twice daily for years and their memory and mental faculties were tested every 6 months for approximately 6 years. Both groups, however, tested a little worse each year. In fact, on some memory tests the group taking the placebo did slightly better. It seems the good news is we'll forget Ginkgo biloba was meant to help us remember.
According to research done in 2009, Americans spend 60% more per person on health care than citizens in any other advanced country. Nevertheless, U.S. life expectancy at 50 ranks 29th in the world. A few explanations for this discrepancy include the facts that one-third of Americans are overweight, one-sixth don't use seatbelts and American children are 9 times more likely to be injured in a gun accident than children in any other developed country. Although cancer and heart disease are the leading causes of death for people 50 and older worldwide, Americans often die from bad choices.
According to a 2008 national survey of 22,000 adults done by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of smokers rose for the first time in 15 years - from 19.8% in 2007 to 21% in 2008. Although people tend to smoke less when they have less money, the tobacco industry discounted cigarettes to offset tax increases. In the mid-1960's 2 out of 5 adults smoked. In 2009 it was 1 out of 5. Federal health goals to have only 1 out of 10 adults smoking by 2010 are in ashes - no "butts" about it.
According to a dermatology professor at Vanderbilt School of Nursing, sleep is good for skin. Hormonal changes boost blood flow to the skin brightening it. Skin temperatures are higher so commercial age-fighting potions go deeper, providing better results. Also studies show cell turnover is 8 times faster at night, increasing wrinkle softening. According to a sleep medicine doctor at Tucson's Canyon Ranch, not getting 8 hours of sleep causes pasty-looking skin and dark circles under eyes. It also increases the stress hormone cortisol, which can slow collagen production and promote wrinkles. This information certainly puts a new wrinkle into not getting enough sleep.
Finally, according to Dr. Alan Hirsch, author of "What Flavor Is Your Personality?", food cravings have physical and personal components. For example, salt cravings are a sign of a mineral deficiency - people who crave salt are easy-going. Chocolate is an antidepressant - dark chocolate lovers are extroverts and milk chocolate lovers are introspective. Many who crave spicy food are addicted to the rush of spiked blood pressure and accelerated heart rate - spicy food cravers are detail-oriented. Those who crave sweets are low on energy - sugar cravers are pleasure seekers. If this is true, we eat what we are.
By 2009 the recession caused 10% unemployment in the U.S. and affected almost every industry. For example, as of 2009's third quarter pilots and flight engineers, because of things like staycations and internet business meetings, experienced the biggest percentage of job losses - 30.4%. Mechanical engineers, largely due to the hard hit car industry, had the second biggest percentage of losses - 18%. Architects, because of the downturn in construction, had the third biggest - 17.8%. The construction industry also negatively affected carpenters. From apprentice to master carpenter there was a 17% loss of jobs. Only the health industry increased jobs in 2009 - but not enough for a sick economy.
In the fiscal year ending September 2009, 193,753 U.S. retailers accepted food stamps - 17% more than in 2007. For some chain stores food stamps comprised 10% to 12% of their revenue. At that time more than 37 million people received food stamps, an increase of almost 35% since the recession began late in 2007. That's 1 out of 8 Americans needing the government program to put food on their table. Considering the government estimated up to 16 million more people could have qualified for food stamps at that time, the situation could have been thought of as an economic "stamp-ede".
In November 2009 Air Tran Airways put 2 1/2 by 9 inch ads on the bottom of seat-back tray tables. The airline estimated passengers would look at the ads for 30 to 60 minutes - including when the tables had to be in their upright, locked position for takeoff and landing. Although US Airways had put ads on top of tray tables on some of its planes years ago, Air Tran planned to put ads on all 138 planes. Dublin-based, budget airline Ryanair, however, has ads on tray tables, overhead bins and planes' exteriors - obviously being more "ad-vanced".
Because of the 2009 financial crisis in Iceland and a contractual agreement with the world's largest hamburger chain to import all franchise goods from Germany, all 3 McDonald's in Iceland were closed. To be profitable the cost of a Big Mac would have had to go up 20% - from $5.29 to $6.36, making it the world's most expensive Big Mac. Currently that record in jointly held by Norway and Switzerland at $5.75. In 2002 McDonald's closed in 7 countries. When McDonald's closes, the beef is with the economy.
