Americans have some unusual celebrations – such as “America Saves Week”, which in 2011 occurred February 20-27. According to the America Saves Week website, as well as the U.S. Treasury Department, in 2010 Americans unknowingly saved $15 billion in loose change. That was change left lying around the house or in cars, in purses or pants pockets, on nightstands, in piggy banks or under couch cushions. However, in addition to unexpected savings, there were also unexpected expenditures. The typical amount Americans spent in 2010 on unexpected things was $2,000 – what Charles Dickens might have called “Great Unexpectations”.
Americans also have some unusual laws. For example, California is said to have a 1925 law against wiggling while dancing; and Maine has a 1939 law against putting tomatoes in clam chowder, resulting in the much-disdained Manhattan clam chowder. Wisconsin – the Dairy State – has a law against serving margarine in public places unless requested, Nebraska supposedly has a law against burping or sneezing in church and Arkansas apparently has a law against pronouncing the state Ar-kan-sas. Finally, Floridians seem to believe it’s illegal to imitate animals in Miami. In the 21st century any of these laws would make an ill-fitting “lawsuit”.
Writing about law, Americans’ happiest careers was the subject of a 2011 survey by the job site CareerBliss. Approximately 200,000 employee reviews were conducted from 70,000 jobs nationwide. Happiness levels were based on 9 factors: relationship with boss, co-workers and customers; daily tasks; control over daily tasks; work environment; job resources; compensation; growth opportunities; company culture; and company reputation – with the first 3 being the most important to employees – not compensation. According to the survey, Biotechnology was #1, followed in order by customer service, teaching, administration, purchasing, accounting, finance, nonprofit, health care and law – material obviously for another lawyer joke.
Whatever the career, Americans aren’t late for work as often as they were in the past. According to a 2010 survey by the website CareerBuilder, 15% of employees said they were late at least once a week, but that was down from 16% in 2009 and 20% in 2008. The most common excuses were bad traffic, lack of sleep, inclement weather and delays getting children to school or childcare. However, the 2 most creative excuses were an employee’s karma wasn’t in sync that day and – my favorite – an employee didn’t get enough sleep because her boyfriend’s wife threw them out of the house.
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