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If You're Eating Too Much, It Might Be Because Your Dishes Are the Wrong Color
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The Average American Worker Spends Over $1,000 a Year on Coffee?
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 Photo by Pete Barr-Watson Maybe it's time to wean yourself off Cost-a-lottes and develop a taste for the motor oil-flavored coffee they brew at your office. --According to a new survey by a company called Accounting Principals, the average American worker spends $1,092 every single year on coffee. That's more than $20 a week. --The average worker spends $1,476 on their commute . . . meaning your coffee budget is only slightly lower than your gas budget. --But neither one comes close to what you're spending on lunch every day. The average worker spends an extra $37 a week to eat outside the office, which comes to $1,850 a year. (--Based on working 50 weeks.) --If this seems like a surprise to you, you're not alone. About four times as many people assumed their commute would cost more than their lunches. (The Consumerist)
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Four Ways to Feel Younger
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 Photo by david_shankboneIf you're starting to feel old, check out this list from Health.com. According to them, if you do the four things on this list you'll actually FEEL a lot younger than you are.
#1.) Go to Bed Earlier. Obviously, more sleep equals more energy. But you have to make it a habit. Getting eight hours of sleep doesn't make a huge difference if you go right back to getting SIX hours the next night.
--And since you probably can't wake up any later than you already do, going to bed earlier is the only way to make sure you're always rested.
--After six straight weeks of getting eight hours a night, you'll have more energy, and the dark circles under your eyes will start to fade.
#2.) When You Exercise, Focus More on Your Lower Body and Your Core. Men in particular tend to concentrate on upper-body workouts, which are fine.
--But if you're feeling old, try doing more lower-body exercises . . . like squats, lunges, calf-raises, or just plain old running.
--Stronger legs and a stronger core will make you feel lighter on your feet.
#3.) Break Out of Your Routine. Even if you eat right and exercise every day, you'll start feeling old if you don't mix things up a little.
--According to Caroline Adams Miller, author of the book "Creating Your Best Life", quote, "The brain craves novelty. To feel younger, you have to stimulate it with new associations and new things."
--And those things can be small, like getting your morning cup of coffee from a different place than usual, or trying a new route to work.
#4.) Listen to an Album You Loved 20 Years Ago. Researchers at Harvard University found that when they exposed people to movies, music, and memorabilia from their youth, they were happier and experienced fewer health issues.
--Some of them even saw improvements in their vision and memory.
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The Number of Accidents Involving People Wearing Headphones Has Tripled Since 20
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 Photo by Kevin Lawver According to a new study, the number of injuries and deaths involving vehicles hitting pedestrians wearing headphones has TRIPLED since 2004.
--Now . . . the numbers are still SMALL. But it looks like a growing trend, and that's worth getting a little bit worried about.
--In 2004, there were 16 cases where pedestrians wearing headphones were hit by cars or trains and injured or killed. Last year, there were 47.
--This only counted cases where people were listening to music through headphones, not cases where people were talking on their phones.
--Overall, 68% of the victims were male, 67% were under 30, and 70% died. In 29% of the cases, reports said that the victim didn't hear horns or sirens before the crash.
--So look. Not THAT many pedestrians have been hurt or killed because they're wearing headphones and blasting music. But the numbers are going up, and these are truly AVOIDABLE injuries and deaths. So let's be safe out there, okay?
According to a new study, the number of injuries and deaths involving vehicles hitting pedestrians wearing headphones has TRIPLED since 2004.
--Now . . . the numbers are still SMALL. But it looks like a growing trend, and that's worth getting a little bit worried about.
--In 2004, there were 16 cases where pedestrians wearing headphones were hit by cars or trains and injured or killed. Last year, there were 47.
--This only counted cases where people were listening to music through headphones, not cases where people were talking on their phones.
--Overall, 68% of the victims were male, 67% were under 30, and 70% died. In 29% of the cases, reports said that the victim didn't hear horns or sirens before the crash.
--So look. Not THAT many pedestrians have been hurt or killed because they're wearing headphones and blasting music. But the numbers are going up, and these are truly AVOIDABLE injuries and deaths. So let's be safe out there, okay?
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16% of Us Are Late to Work Once a Week . . . Here Are the Four Most Common Excus
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Photo by nist6ss I thought the economy was bad enough that people were trying NOT to do things that get them fired. NOPE.
--According to a new survey by CareerBuilder.com, 16% of people admit they come into work late at least once a WEEK, up from 15% last year. That's about one out of every six of your coworkers. And 27% of people come in late at least once a month.
--Here are the top excuses people use when they get caught coming in late:
#1.) The most common excuse is . . . Traffic: 31% of us have used that as an excuse.
#2.) Oversleeping is the second biggest excuse, at 18%.
#3.) Bad weather, at 11%.
#4.) Public transportation, and taking the kids to daycare or school tied for fourth, at 8% each.
--One more thing: 34% of bosses . . . that's one in THREE . . . say they've fired someone for being late too often.
Here are the Top 10 Most Ridiculous Excuses for Being Late to Work
CareerBuilder.com just released the results of their annual survey on the most ridiculous excuses for coming in late to work. And good job, America . . . the outrageous excuses from 2011 were WAY less corny than in years past.
--To compile the list, CareerBuilder asked bosses around the country to name the most ridiculous excuse they heard for lateness last year . . . then they picked the top 10. Check 'em out . . .
#10.) I was late because I had to take a personal call from the governor. (--This, apparently, turned out to be TRUE.)
#9.) I was late because I had a job interview with another company.
#8.) I'm not late . . . even though my start time is 8:00 A.M., I had no intention of getting in before 9:00 A.M.
#7.) My leg was trapped between the subway car and the platform. (--This also turned out to be true.)
#6.) A fox stole my keys.
#5.) I'm late because I feel my commute time should count as work hours.
#4.) My roommate was angry and cut the cord to my phone charger, so it didn't charge and my alarm didn't go off.
#3.) I got distracted watching the "Today" show.
#2.) I thought I'd won the lottery. (--She hadn't.)
#1.) My cat had the hiccups.
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For the First Time Since 1965, Murder Isn't One of the Top 15 Causes of Death in
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--The CDC just released its list of the top 15 causes of death in the U.S. for 2010. And for the first time since 1965 . . . that's 45 years . . . homicide did NOT crack the list.
--In fact, you're now more likely to die from choking on your own vomit than from murder.
--Homicide was bumped off the list by pneumonitis. That's a lung sickness that happens when food or vomit goes down your windpipe and causes damage to your lungs. It mostly happens in people 75 and older.
--Heart disease was the number one killer in 2010, claiming more than 595,000 lives. Cancer was second, leading to more than 573,000 deaths. Chronic lower respiratory diseases were in a distant third, with over 137,000 deaths.
--Pneumonitis led to 17,000 deaths, which put it in 15th place. Homicide is the 16th biggest cause of death, with just under 17,000.
--There are a few main reasons for the drop in homicide deaths. One, better police work and public health programs aimed at stopping domestic violence.
--And two, the population is OLDER than ever, and older people are less likely to be murdered. So, since a large segment of the population is now over 50, homicide death rates aren't as significant.
Here are the Top 15 Causes of Death in the U.S.
Based on the latest CDC data, these were the top 15 causes of death in the U.S. in 2010. Overall, these accounted for 98% of deaths . . .
#1.) Heart disease, 595,444 deaths.
#2.) Cancer, 573,855 deaths.
#3.) Chronic lower respiratory diseases, like emphysema, 137,789 deaths.
#4.) Cerebro-vascular diseases, mainly strokes, 129,180 deaths.
#5.) Accidents and unintentional injuries, 118,043 deaths.
#6.) Alzheimer's disease, 83,308 deaths.
#7.) Diabetes, 68,905 deaths.
#8.) Kidney disease, 50,472 deaths.
#9.) Influenza and pneumonia, 50,003 deaths.
#10.) Suicide, 37,793 deaths.
#11.) Infections, 34,843 deaths.
#12.) Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis, 31,802 deaths.
#13.) Essential hypertension and hypertensive renal disease, 26,577 deaths.
#14.) Parkinson's disease, 21,963 deaths.
#15.) Pneumonitis due to solids and liquids . . . a lung sickness caused by food or vomit going down the windpipe . . . 17,001 deaths.
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A Jet Ski Rider is Saved by His SpongeBob SquarePants Bathing Suit
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 We've heard stories before about "SpongeBob SquarePants" saving lives . . . usually from kids learning mouth-to-mouth or how to dial 911 from watching the show. Well here's ANOTHER notch in SpongeBob's belt. --On Monday night, 29-year-old Eric Bettanin of Townsville, Australia was out Jet Skiing when his Jet Ski BROKE DOWN. He was stranded in the middle of the ocean.
--He was stuck there for NINE HOURS until he saw a Coast Guard boat in the distance. He wanted to get their attention . . . and that's when he turned to SPONGEBOB.
--Eric was wearing a bright yellow SpongeBob SquarePants bathing suit. So he took it off and started waving it at them.
--That DID get the Coast Guard's attention, and they came over and rescued him.
--The police say Eric is extremely lucky. Quote, "Given the choppy seas, strong winds, and the man's light clothing, he is extremely fortunate to have survived."
--Eric is alive . . . but IS looking at a $153 fine for going more than two nautical miles from land without an emergency beacon.
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Genius Idea Alert! "The Phone Stack"
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 Photo by Sklathill I think it just looks sad when you see a table of people at dinner, and none of them are talking to each other because they're all texting. So I have to call this idea GENIUS. --It's a new game called "The Phone Stack" . . . and it's a BRILLIANT way to keep everyone from texting, emailing, or staring at their phones during dinner.
--When you get to dinner with your friends or family, everyone puts their phone in a pile in the center of the table, face down. As the phones buzz, beep, and ring throughout the meal, no one's allowed to grab theirs to check on it.
--AND . . . if someone can't resist and grabs their phone, they have to pick up the check. The ENTIRE check.
--A 20-year-old blogger in Ventura, California named Stephie is getting the credit for coming up with the game. She posted about it on her blog six days ago, and it's BLOWING UP.
--She says, quote, "[The] basic premise is to just get people open to the idea of staying active and attentive to one another."
--Elie Ayrouth is a writer at the website Foodbeast.com. She says it's, quote, "one of the coolest pieces of socially engineered live gaming I've ever heard of."
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A Totally Random Comparison Between Apple the Company and Apples the Fruit
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Photo by e.r.w.i.n. Well, just when we thought we'd seen every possible kind of media coverage about Apple, there's this: We've got an article here that compares Apple, the company, to apples, the fruit. No, seriously. Check it out . . .
--China's production. China produces 44% of the world's apples . . . and 100% of the world's Apple devices.
--Who buys the most? Russia buys the most apples in the world, spending $550 MILLION a year . . . the U.S. buys the most Apple stuff, spending $16 BILLION a year.
--How they're sold. 72% of apples are sold fresh, 15% are sold as juice, and 13% are sold as sauce. For Apple, 43% of sales are iPhones, 28% are iPads, 16.7% are iPods, and 12.2% are computers.
--Weight. The average apple weighs five ounces . . . and the average iPhone weighs 4.9 ounces.
--Price. For the price of one iPhone 4S, you could buy almost 2,000 apples.
--So which industry is bigger? In 2009, there were 71 million tons of apples produced, totaling $30 BILLION . . . and there were 138,000 tons of Apple products produced, totaling $32 BILLION.
(Mashable)
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The Top Four Habits That Irritate Your Boss
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Most workers THINK they're great employees. But you might be annoying your boss on a daily basis without even realizing it. Here's a list from AskMen.com of the top four habits that irritate your boss. #1.) Not Showing Initiative . . . Or Showing TOO MUCH Initiative. You shouldn't wait to be told what to do, especially when it's slow. And if you just mess around on Facebook until something comes in, it makes you look unmotivated.
--But you don't want to overdo it either. A lot of people try to impress their boss by going above and beyond on every small task they're asked to do. But instead of making you look like a hard worker, it can make you seem inefficient.
#2.) Making Excuses. When you mess up, just admit it and try to learn from it. Bosses hate it when you attempt to justify something you did wrong, even if you're telling the truth.
--Obviously you have to EXPLAIN yourself. Just don't try to shift the blame. Explain what happened, take any steps you can to fix it, then move on.
#3.) Complaining. Critiquing something about the company is okay . . . as long as you don't step on anyone's toes. But a complaint is different. Critiques are constructive. Complaints aren't, which is why you should save them for happy hour.
#4.) Asking Too Many Questions. If you're new, you'll obviously need to ask more than usual. But if it's a chronic problem, it makes you look like you can't do things by yourself . . . which means you probably won't get promoted.
--Maybe you're just trying to be thorough, but companies generally value the people who are resourceful enough to figure things out on their own.
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75% of People Have Already Broken Their New Year's Resolutions
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--According to a new survey, by today, 10 days into January, 75% of people admit they've broken their resolution.
--And the average person says it's at least the FOURTH time they've made the same resolution . . . and failed.
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Five Things That Will Be Cheaper in 2012, and Five That Won't
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The website DealNews.com has a list of things they expect to be cheaper this year, and a list of things that will be more expensive.
--One major thing you'll be paying more for is gas: The national average is up 12 cents a gallon since the middle of December, and it's expected to keep going up. But first, here are five things that will cost LESS.
#1.) iPads and Android Tablets. The price of refurbished iPads dropped when the iPad 2 came out last year. And the same thing will happen with iPad 2s when the iPad 3 comes out. The cost of NEW iPad 2s might drop as well.
--And now that the $199 Kindle Fire is Amazon's most successful product ever, the prices on ALL tablets are expected to start going down.
#2.) GPS Units. GPS apps for your smartphone are getting better, so not as many people are buying stand-alone units. Last year, you could get a GPS unit that used to cost $150 for about $70. And they're expected to get even cheaper in 2012.
#3.) 3-D TVs. A year ago, you could get a 55-inch 3-D TV for about $1,500. Now, you can get one for under $1,000. And with newer models coming out, the prices on the old models should drop dramatically.
#4.) Car Rentals. Rental companies apparently have a surplus of cars this year. So the website DealNews.com is predicting more deals than there were in 2011.
#5.) Property. Last year, average home prices were down 3.4%. And unless the unemployment rate starts dropping significantly . . . which most experts don't think will happen . . . home prices should keep going down, or at least stay the same.
Here are five things that are expected to be MORE expensive.
#1.) Airline Tickets. According to American Express, the price for a seat in coach will go up 5%, and a seat in business class will cost 7% more than last year.
--And if you're flying to any country in the European Union, you'll pay an extra $15 per passenger because of a new "green tax" that's aimed at reducing emissions.
#2.) Hard Drives. There's a shortage because of all the flooding in Thailand last year. So prices will be up for the next few months, until production catches up with demand.
#3.) Gold. The price of gold is expected to go up for the 11th year in a row. On average, its gone up 17% a year for the past decade. This year, it's supposed to go up 12%.
#3.) Water. Cities all across the country have to increase revenue so they can balance their budgets. And one of the easiest ways to do it is to up everyone's water bill.
--In most areas, it probably won't be that significant. But water bills in the Chicago area are expected to go up by as much as 25%.
#5.) Shipping. Starting January 22nd, the U.S. Postal Service will start charging an average of 4.6% more to send a package. FedEx and UPS are also planning to charge about 5% more for small packages this year.
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The Four Real Reasons Men Are Afraid to Get Married
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 Photo by firemedic58 The general consensus is that guys are afraid to get married because they don't like commitment, and they're scared to death of sleeping with just one woman the rest of their lives.
--But obviously it's more complicated than that, so Cracked.com came up with a list of the REAL reasons guys have a negative view of marriage. Here are the top four.
#1.) Guys Constantly Hear Jokes About How Horrible Married Life Is. You've probably seen a thousand movies and sitcoms where a guy is getting married, and his buddies have to talk him out of it.
--For example, it happens during Will Ferrell's wedding scene in"Old School", and it's the whole plot of the movie "Saving Silverman".
--Plus, just about every stand-up comedian who gets married ends up with an entire routine about how awful it is . . . from Sam Kinison and Richard Pryor, to Ron White and Chris Rock.
--After decades of listening to it, guys end up thinking it's universally true.
#2.) Weddings Have Become Ridiculously Expensive. The average wedding in the U.S. now costs $27,000. And it's not nearly as common for the father of the bride to pay for the whole thing anymore.
--So on top of trying to decide whether he wants to commit for the rest of his life, a guy has to factor in that getting married will probably put him in debt. And throwing down tens of thousands of dollars on a single day seems ridiculous to most men.
#3.) The Thought of Divorce Is Terrifying. 50% of first marriages end in divorce. 60 to 67% of SECOND marriages end in divorce. And 70 to 73% of THIRD marriages don't last.
--When guys hear stats like that, they end up thinking divorce is INEVITABLE. Then they also have to consider that 97% of alimony payments are made by men. And 84% of the time, the woman ends up getting custody of the kids.
--But to be fair, only 33% of men even TRY to get sole custody.
#4.) A Loss of Power. Not being in control is much more terrifying to men than commitment is. And this one's kind of obvious, but the thought of having to check in before you make decisions isn't very appealing.
--Once you're married, a guy can't just stay out without calling, or blow half his paycheck on a TV. He has to check with his wife first . . . which is kind of like having to run everything by your mom when you're a kid.
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Women Tell 474 Lies About Food Every Year . . . Here are the Top 20
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--According to a new survey sponsored by Timex, the average woman tells 474 lies about food and drink EVERY YEAR. That's an average of 1.3 lies per day, and about nine per week.
--CHOCOLATE is the food women are most likely to lie about, followed by potato chips, cake, candy, cheese, bread, and burgers.
--The survey also compiled a list of the top 20 lies that women tell about food. Here they are, from the most common lie to least common . . .
#1.) "It was only a small portion."
#2.) "I had a big lunch because I won't eat much after this."
#3.) "I only treat myself once in a while."
#4.) "I always eat the right number of servings of fruits and vegetables in a day."
#5.) "I didn't touch any of the cookies."
#6.) "I only had one glass of wine."
#7.) "I didn't eat the last one."
#8.) "I won't eat again today after this."
#9.) "I was too busy to have lunch."
#10.) "I figured I had to eat them now or they'd go bad."
#11.) "I had a healthy salad."
#12.) "I never eat fast food."
#13.) "Red wine is good for you."
#14.) "I only added a little sugar."
#15.) "I limit my carb intake."
#16.) "I'm testing the dinner."
#17.) "I only had a drink because we were toasting a special occasion."
#18.) "I only drink diet soda."
#19.) "I just finished off the kids' leftovers."
#20.) "I don't drink coffee or tea after 5:00 P.M."
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The Average Worker Starts at 8:09 A.M., Works a Nine-Hour Day, and Takes a 28-Mi
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--We've got the results here from a new study that figured out the ACTUAL hours and lifestyle of the average worker. Check it out . . .
--The average office worker starts at 8:09 A.M. and leaves at 5:22 P.M.
--That means the average workday is now nine hours, 13 minutes.
--The average person leaves home at 7:49 A.M. and has a commute that lasts 20 minutes and 41 seconds. The commute home takes 33 minutes and 46 seconds.
--It takes 12 minutes before the first conversation with a coworker, at 8:21 A.M.
--The average worker takes a 28-minute lunch break.
--And spends an average of $5 on lunch.
--Only 7% go outside for some fresh air during lunch.
--The average worker drinks three cups of coffee a day.
--We average one argument with a coworker daily.
--The average worker sends 26 emails a day and receives 32.
--And finally, the average worker spends 10 minutes and 15 seconds on Facebook during the workday.
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If You Make Your Own Coffee Instead of Buying Starbucks, You Could Be Half-a-Mil
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Yesterday, Starbucks started raising prices in various stores around the country by 1%. Not a huge jump, but it could add up to around $15 extra per year if you drink there every day. --Well . . . CBS News took that Starbucks math to a whole different level. Here's what they figured out.
--If you buy one $4 latte a day, you're spending $1,460 per year on Starbucks. After five years, that's $7,300.
--Let's say you invested that $4 every day instead, in an account with an average return of 9%. After 10 years, you could have enough to buy a car. And at 40 years, the money you saved from coffee would be worth $634,428.
--But if you don't want to give up Starbucks, here's another alternative. You could buy bags of Starbucks French roast and brew them yourself. You can also add milk to make lattes.
--That will reduce your budget to about $29-a-month . . . saving you $91 over going to an actual Starbucks.
--Over 40 years, if you invested the difference, you'd have $481,108. Even if you don't invest it, just saving the $91-a-month would mean you'll end the year $1,092 richer . . . and have an extra $43,680 when you retire in 40 years.
(CBS News)
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Five Things "Cool" Offices Have . . . That Yours Doesn't
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If you hate your job, this probably won't help. Cracked.com came up with a list of things you'll find at a "COOL" office . . . like the offices of YouTube or Google . . . but probably not at YOUR office. Here are the top five.
#1.) Scooters and Skateboards. Getting around the office on wheels is an option if you work at Pixar, Google, Facebook, PopCap Games, or the website Mashable.com. Some offices even have skateboard RAMPS.
#2.) Foosball Tables. You see this one SOMETIMES. But apparently at a "cool" office it's a must-have. The offices of Google, Apple, Pixar, and Groupon all have them. Ping-pong tables and pool tables are also popular.
#3.) Red Walls. Not all of them, just one or two "accent" walls. Apparently having all white walls is too conventional. And a single bright red wall makes it look like the people who work there think outside the box.
--YouTube, Etsy, and software companies like Autodesk and Valve all have at least one red wall.
#4.) Orange Furniture. This one's even more common than red walls. Orange chairs and couches have been spotted at the offices of Groupon, Google, Twitter, Skype, Digg, Mozilla . . . and basically every other tech company in the world.
#5.) Slides. YouTube has one, and so do Red Bull, Epic Games, and Google. In fact, Google has slides at their offices in New York, San Francisco, Zurich, and their headquarters in Mountain View, California.
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BMW Drivers Most Likely to Use Their Horns . . . and Nissan are Least Likely
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 photo by FotoSleuth --According to a new survey, BMW drivers admit they honk their horns more than any other drivers. --Overall, 18% of drivers say they honk their horn at least once every time they're in the car.
--For BMW drivers, it's almost TRIPLE that, at 53%. More than HALF of BMW drivers honk at someone EVERY TIME they drive.
--Jaguar drivers are second-most likely to use their horns. Fiat drivers are third, Audi drivers are fourth, and Saab drivers are fifth.
--Nissan drivers are the least likely to honk at people. Only 5% use their horns every time they drive.
--The main reason people give for using their horn is when another driver is about to pull in front of them. The second-most common reason is when someone doesn't go at a green light.
(Joe.ie)
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Facebook is Now Involved in One Out of Every Three Divorces
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photo by Max-B One of the underrated side effects of Facebook is that it's a HOMEWRECKER. And its homewrecking powers just keep growing.
--In December of 2010, a study found that Facebook was cited in one out of every FIVE divorces. Now, about a year later, it's increased to one in every THREE divorces.
--There are three main ways Facebook plays into divorce proceedings . . .
#1.) Someone catches their spouse sending inappropriate Facebook messages to someone else.
#2.) One person posts negative comments about their soon-to-be-ex-spouse on Facebook.
#3.) The spouses defriend each other as their divorce is going on . . . and their friends report back to them about their spouse's behavior on Facebook.
(Forbes)
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Mittens For President!?!
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photo by LollyKnit
Apparently, one out of every 50 people in this country thinks MITT ROMNEY is a cat.
--According to a new survey by "Vanity Fair" and "60 Minutes", a full 2% of the U.S. population thinks that "Mitt" is actually short for . . . "Mittens." They believe his full legal name is Mittens Romney.
--Another 2% believe his real first name is Gromit.
--Granted, this was SORT OF a trick question . . . his real first name is Willard. Only 6% of the people surveyed knew that.
--The most popular answer was that Mitt isn't short for anything, at 20%. 18% thought Mitt was short for Mitchell, and 8% thought it was short for Milton. 44% of people admitted they didn't know.
--The survey also found that 23% of Americans wouldn't go back to school for more education even if it was free . . . 28% believe one billion people live in the U.S. (--it's about 313 million) . . . and 11% would kill their pet for $1 MILLION. Good times, man. Good times.
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