The Healthy Wage is a company that designs weight-loss challenges and contests for individuals and companies - all having a financial incentive. It’s basically a bookmaker for overweight people. Previous studies have shown people greatly improve their odds of losing weight if money is involved – especially if it is their own money. Only 25% of individual bettors reach the weight they had wagered on within the given time, but all the participants supposedly benefit from being on a weight-loss program for 6 months to a year. It seems “Putting your money where your mouth is” can be a successful weight-loss strategy.
The Los Angeles City Council unanimously approved an ordinance that fines owners of dogs that bark excessively and the ordinance is expected to go into effect by the end of 2011. The fine for the first offense will be $250. It will be $500 for the second offense and $1,000 for the third. Excessive barking is defined as barking that continues for 10 minutes or more or intermittently for 30 minutes or more within a 3-hour time period. Who decides if a dog is barking excessively? The Department of Animal Services has a “hearing”.
Edwards Funeral Service in Columbus, Ohio was supposedly the first funeral home in the U.S. to offer alkaline hydrolysis, a green alternative to cremation. However, in 2011 it’s legal in 7 states. The process involves liquefying human remains with potassium hydroxide and 300-degree heat. The bone residue is then saved for an urn and the liquid remains are released into a water treatment facility – or what opponents refer to as “go down the drain”. Nevertheless, alkaline hydrolysis results in only a fraction of the carbon emissions of a traditional cremation and thus may be the way for those who want to go green “to go”.
Finally, “Movember” is an idea that started in Australia in 2003 and reached the U.S. in 2006. Movember – the combination of mustache and November – is a non-profit organization that encourages men to grow mustaches during the month of November to raise money for men’s health issues. Each registered participant must start clean-shaven. Mustaches can’t touch sideburns because they’d be beards or attach to chins because they’d be goatees. The goal is to have friends donate money, which is given to men’s health research and awareness programs. As of 2011 Americans have donated $7.5 million – giving new meaning to “lip service”.
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