How To Understand People

Yep, it's that time of year again!  I can just picture it now -- parents and their kids scrambling to find the perfect costume, houses and schools decorated with everything from ghoulish ghosts to wicked witches, children ambling from home to home trying to fill their jack-o-lantern buckets with as much candy as they can possibly fit in them. And those who don't have kids or decided to leave them with the babysitter are probably planning to attend a Halloween party or other event in town that likely involves costumes, food, and loads of liquor! While most of us are familiar with the kinds of festivities that take place on Halloween, we aren't as well versed in the history of the occasion. How and when did Halloween originate? When was trick-or-treating first referenced in the media? What are some alternative names for the holiday? Do other countries celebrate Halloween? Do stores sell nearly as much Halloween merchandise as they do Christmas items? In this post, I...

I've lost count of the many shows that involve one or more of the central characters engaging in an extramarital affair. Scandal, a wildly popular political thriller TV series starring Kerry Washington, centers on the affair between the President of the United States and a former White House Director of Communications. Then there's Mistresses , a mystery drama and soap opera television series about four female friends involved in affairs. Some of the highest rated TV series of the last few years have featured hot, steamy affairs, from Sex and the City and Homeland to Mad Men and The Good Wife . I'd like to think that the people who produce these shows aren't deliberately condoning having an extramarital affair, but I wouldn't exactly be shocked if viewers made such an inference. It's obvious that affairs keep viewers on the edge of their seats. Sex sells when it comes to advertising, so why should the TV and film industries be any different? Clandest...

There's nothing I find more irritating than opening a bag of chips and finding it nearly as empty as my stomach. I was convinced that companies like Frito Lay were ripping us off, until I dug a bit deeper. As it turns out, the extra space serves a purpose. It acts as a cushion that prevents chips from breaking while being shelved in grocery stores or delivered to grocery stores. What's interesting is that, contrary to popular belief, the air puffing up those bags isn't oxygen -- it's nitrogen. Unlike the former, which makes the chips spoil and oil go rancid, nitrogen helps the snacks remain fresh. Studies show that roughly 80 percent of the air we breathe is made up of nitrogen, so consumers need not worry of any health risks. The Fair Packaging and Label Act (1966) requires manufacturers to indicate the net weight of their products' contents. However, it seems the regulations are seldom enforced. Human beings are notoriously inept at perceiving size. Even...

Halloween is only two days away! The fifth and final hotel in my series of haunted hotels is Omni Park House in Downtown Boston. Founded by Harvey D. Parker in 1855, this historic gem is longest continuously operating hotel in the United States. It was here where such 19th century luminaries as Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow convened in the Saturday Club. Baseball legends met like Babe Ruth and Ted Williams wined and dined at the historic property. What's more, a slew of respected politicians --from Ulysses S. Grant and Franklin Delano Roosevelt to Deval Patrick -- gathered here for press conferences and meetings. Here are some other fun facts: John F. Kennedy proposed to Jackie Onassis at Parker's Restaurant, where Malcolm X once worked as a busboy  With its close proximity to Boston's Theater District, the Omni Parker House played an important role in the careers of a wide range of performers, inclu...

In April, Dan Price, CEO of the of the credit card payment processor Gravity Payments, left employees, customers, and the media dumbfounded when he announced he would raise minimum pay for all employees to at least $70,000 a year. The move drew the ire of his brother Lucas, who claimed that, as co-founder, the pay raise infringed upon his rights as a minority shareholder. But Price's unorthodox strategy has paid huge dividends for the company. Revenue and profits have doubled since, with customer retention rising from 91 to 95 percent. A few weeks after Price made the initial announcement, the company was barraged with over 4,000 resumes and saw a huge surge in customer inquiries. Price began giving out 20 percent annual raises to his staff after in 2011 after an employee complained over low pay. Thanks in part to a productivity increase of 30-40 percent, profit was still comparable to that of the prior year. He handed out the same raised the next year and achieved the same o...

The fourth property in our series of haunted hotels is none other than the renowned Algonquin Hotel . Opened in 1902 and now designated as a New York City Historic Landmark, the New York hotel is conveniently situated in the heart of Manhattan, near Times Square and Fifth Avenue. It boasts The Round Table restaurant, named for literary greats such as Dorothy Parker and Alexander Woollcott who convened and lodged there in the early 1900s; 181 comfortable guestrooms; over 4,000 feet of function space; The Blue Bar, which opened at the demise of Prohibition in 1933; and even a cat named Matilda that never fails to delight guests. Interestingly, The New Yorker magazine was founded here, and The Algonquin claims to be the first hotel to have offered accommodations to actors and single women travelers. In addition, the property was originally intended to be residential, but it was determined that a lodging establishment would be more profitable. A psychic medium confirmed the presence ...

So far, we've featured The Admiral Fell Inn in Baltimore, Maryland and The Marshall House in Savannah Georgia in our special series on the most haunted hotels in the U.S. per TripAdvisor. If you haven't read these posts, please be sure to check them out: Haunted Hotel: The Admiral Fell Inn Haunted Hotel: The Marshall House Week 3 finds us in Deadwood, South Dakota, home to the Historic Bullock Hotel . Fusing 19th century history and elegance with modern amenities, the downtown hotel is located near such popular attractions as the Days of '76 Rodeo Arena, Adam's Museum, and Saloon #10. It boasts comfortable accommodations; Bully's, an intimate restaurant named for Bullock's lifelong friend, Teddy Roosevelt; and a lively casino that has included slot machines since they were first invented in 1887. The hotel traces its history to 1876, when two business owners -- Seth Bullock and and Sol Star -- moved their hardware store from Helena to Deadwood. They pur...

As noble as it is to say that "only the inside counts" -- something parents try to inculcate in their kids from an early age -- research in the field of psychology has disproven this notion time and time again. People regarded as physically attractive have a number of advantages over others, such as: Being treated better at work Being deemed more intelligent and successful in life Receiving more favorable treatment by juries in court Being judged as more sincere Being regarded as more adept at activities/hobbies like sports and music When you think about it, it almost seems unjust that a person could get so many "free passes" in life by virtue of their good looks.  To be fair, though, while good genes probably play a role, it's likely that these individuals put some effort into looking this good -- from working out to spending more hours than the average person getting dressed in the morning. Still, attractiveness exerts a powerful influence o...

From unending chores and attention-seeking children to stressful jobs that squeeze every last drop of energy out of us, our lives seem to get busier by the day. Not only does this place an immense burden on us physically and emotionally, but it is also mentally exhausting, often inducing anxiety, poor eating habits, low libido, sleep deprivation, and frayed relationships with those closest to us. Though certainly not a panacea, making a conscious effort to simplify your life will help you feel more in control of it. What’s more, it’ll keep those nerves in check! So what are some ways that you can keep your life simple? For one, if you’re contemplating having a boatload of kids – say, five or six –  you can rest assured that a plethora of sleepless nights are in your future. Why not just aim for one or two and go from there?  You get the opportunity to experience the joys (and headaches) of parenthood without feeling as though you’ll be changi...

Last week, we kicked off our special series on haunted hotels by spotlighting The Admiral Fell Inn in Baltimore, Maryland. Now we travel south to the Marshall House in Savannah, Georgia. Like The Admiral Fell Inn, it made TripAdvisor's list of the top 10 haunted hotels in the U.S. Set on Broughton Street, in the heart of Savannah's historic district, the property melds period features like 19th century doors and original staircases with modern conveniences like WiFi and flat screen TVs. In addition to its 65 well-appointed guestrooms, it boasts a library at which guests can enjoy complimentary wine and cheese, an Atrium with glass ceiling, and a restaurant that serves fresh local cuisine. On April 1, 2000, The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation named The Marshall House a National Historic Building. The property is named after its original proprietor, Mary Leaver Marshall. She married Colonel James Marshall -- a Second Lieutenant in the Savannah Volunteer Guard (SV...

It has been speculated that the 15th President of the United States, James Buchanan (1791-1868), was the nation's first gay president. Unfortunately, Buchanan is often ranked one of the worst commanders-in-chief in U.S. history, namely because of his inability to act in the face of secession. The fact that he may have been asexual, bisexual, or homosexual is one of the few things people remember him for. Much has been made of his close relationship with William Rufus King (1786-1853), an Alabama senator who would go on to become vice president under President Franklin Pierce. The two lived together in a Washington for 10 years until King departed for France and attended social functions together. Rufus referred to their relationship as a "communion." Andrew Jackson referred to them as "Miss Nancy" and "Aunt Fancy," the former being a euphemism of the time for an effeminate man. After Rufus left to Paris, Buchanan wrote the following: "I ...

While some people are happy with the name they were given, others have a clear preference for a different name. It's fair to say that most people wind up giving their children the names they would have given themselves at the time of their own birth. Though I don't have any issue with my name, Jeffrey, I think Jeremy would have been more to my liking. Not surprisingly, it's the name I've decided to give my son -- should my wife and I end up having one. Personally, I think most nicknames sound better than their respective full names. I like Jeff more than Jeffrey, Tim more than Timothy, Becky more than Rebecca, and so on. They're just snappier -- much less of a mouthful. We tend to assess how much we like our names by how it sounds when others utter it. We also reason that certain names don't fit certain people. Ever heard someone say, "She doesn't look like a Meagan. She's more like a Christine." Are you happy with your name? If not, wh...

Everyone and their brother shops at Amazon.com. It is, after all, the biggest Internet-based retailer in the U.S., offering everything from books and apparel to food and jewelry. It turns out that Amazon is now cracking down on people who are posting phony reviews to the site. The latest case involves users of Fiverr.com, an online marketplace where you can take on such "gigs" as writing a news story for $10. Amazon discovered that people were offering to write positive reviews of products they'd never even used, often with text provided by the seller. Sometimes they'd go so far as to receive empty envelopes in the mail to create the illusion that they were receiving shipments of these products. Amazon is suing 1,000 people, but the most bizarre part of the story is that the internet giant doesn't even know their true identities. It has only user names to go by, and the fact these people employed multiple accounts and IP addresses makes it even more diffic...

I recently read an article stating that 62% of Americans have less than $1,000 in savings. What's worse, 21% of them don't even have a savings account! Supposedly, Americans have been saving more since the global recession, but the stat above doesn't seem to bear that out. One of the most discussed topics on this forum is consumer behavior, as my background is in psychology and marketing. It's imperative that Americans -- and people throughout the world, for that matter -- practice saving responsibly. The best way to save money is by living below one's means. Spending hundreds of dollars on clothing and food every week doesn't help your pocketbook in any way,  especially if you have the tendency to run up your credit card bills and pay late. I'm not saying you can't treat yourself to a good meal here and there, but spending -- just like eating amd drinking -- should be done in moderation. As I tell many of my cash-strapped friends, sometimes ...

A few months ago, I posted about McDonald's slumping sales and how it was losing major ground to competitors like Chipotle. But thanks to a host of changes made by CEO Steve Easterbrook, who took the reins of the fast food giant in March, the tables are turning. Among the decisions that have most contributed to the turnaround: This month, McDonald's launched all-day breakfast, a welcome change for consumers who have clamored for the opportunity to scarf down Egg McMuffins, sausage, and pancakes no matter the time of day In an effort to improve food quality, McDonald's has pledged to cut back on chicken raised on antibiotics and promised cage-free birds within 10 years Not only are sales on an upswing, but McDonald's shares have jumped 11 percent this year. Recently, the company's stock hit its first record high in two-and-a-half years. Meanwhile, Chipotle reported its worst sales figure in over 2 years. McDonald's still has its work cut out for it, ...

As I've gotten older, I've become only more convinced of one thing: Life is never going to be exactly as you want it to be. You may have an idea as to how you want your career, relationships, and friendships to be. You can try your best to will things toward certain outcomes -- whether by manipulation or sheer persistence --but they will never be ideal. The main reason why is because people themselves are too volatile. Experiences and life circumstances shape us into who we are, a process constantly in flux. I wish that I were a lot closer to many of my friends and relatives, but life has pulled us in different directions. Responsibilities like work and children, and even factors like distance, can change the whole complexion of a relationship. And as much as I wish I could choose who I work with and the tasks I am responsible for, this just isn't feasible. There are aspects of my job that I like and others that make it hard to get out of bed in the morning. So wh...

A hidden chemistry lab was recently unearthed by a worker overseeing renovations being made to the Rotunda at the University of Virginia. School officials say the room is directly connected to none other than Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), who helped design the building. Most people know Jefferson as the third president of the United States and principal author of the Declaration of Independence. But did you know that he also founded the University of Virginia? The "chemical hearth," which traces its origins to the 1820s, is thought to be one of the few remaining in the world, as most of the hearths from the era have been destroyed. Not only did it feature two sources of heat for conducting experiments, but it also had a system for pulling out fumes. The room, which school officials describe as "a semi-circular niche in the north end of the Lower East Oval Room," was preserved because the walls of the hearth were closed shut in the mid-1800s. Moreover, Thomas Jef...

Who do you think tops the list of highest-earning musicians in the world? Katy Perry? Beyonce? Rihanna? Think again. It's Taylor Swift. The "Shake It Off" singer has raked in an astounding $317 million this year, thanks to her best-selling album "1989," world tour, and several endorsement deals with mega-brands like Diet Coke and Sony. To put her earnings in perspective, she makes $1 million per day! Earlier this year, she and her DJ boyfriend Calvin Harris were named the world's highest-paid celebrity couple of 2015. And the country-turned-pop star shows no signs of slowing down. She received six American Music Award nominations, including Artist of the Year. The awards show is scheduled for November. Swift is undoubtedly dominating the music industry right now -- and she's only 25 years old. I can only imagine how much money she has left to make and awards to win in her lifetime. Though, I wonder if it's a good thing that she...

Whether it’s a troublesome co-worker, jaded ex-girlfriend, or argumentative friend, we’re often around people who send our blood pressure shooting through the roof or push us to the brink of a nervous breakdown. For your health’s sake, however, it’d probably be best to avoid such an individual whenever possible and resolve to be in the presence of those who instead fill your life with positive energy. At some point in our lives, we’ve all encountered a “bad egg” who makes our lives miserable.  Most of us have had at least one obnoxious co-worker who we’d love to give the finger to and shut out of our lives forever.  In my case, I’ve worked with supervisors and co-workers who bring their personal issues – say, their marital or financial woes – to the workplace and take their frustrations out on unsuspecting employees. It goes without saying that these people are like an albatross hanging around your neck. And it isn’t as if we can simply cut ties with our boss or co-workers...

I am firmly convinced that most stores now regard October 1 as the official kick-off date for the holiday season. Yesterday, my wife and I went to Denny's for dinner. I looked at the menu and couldn't help but notice that they've already made available holiday dishes and desserts -- and we haven't even celebrated Halloween yet! I find it jarring to spot wreaths, turkey ornaments, and Christmas lights on display at stores like Walmart and Walgreens so early in the year. Retailers have coupled Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas together -- it's as if they comprise a "holiday quarter" that begins in October and ends in December. I see both pros and cons to this approach. For one, consumers might find it convenient to purchase all their holiday decorations in one shot. What's more, they likely can take advantage of special offers that might otherwise not be available to them if the items were rolled out in separate months. However, this speaks ...

Given that I've worked in the hotel/lodging industry for over 6 years now, I enjoy studying up and learning about hotels around the world, especially those classified as historic and/or haunted. (I am, after all, a history junkie!) I thought it'd be fun to spotlight various historic hotels over the next few weeks as we draw closer to Halloween. We begin this spooktacular series on historic hotels with the Admiral Fell Inn , which is located in Baltimore, Maryland. The Fell family, Quakers from Lancaster, England, founded Fell's Point in 1730, and developed it into a shipbuilding center and busy deep-water seaport for exporting and importing. Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, Fell's Point was humming with exports of Maryland tobacco and grain and imports from Europe and the West Indies. By 1900, Fell's Point had devolved into a cesspool of debauchery and drunkenness known for its crime-ridden saloons and brothels. In response, the Port Mission Women...

Many people use the words "alone" and "lonely" as if they mean the same thing, when in reality they don't. I wanted to address the key differences between both in what I hope will be a very illuminating post. The primary difference between these words is as follows: Being alone is done by choice, while loneliness is not sought by the individual. How many times have we said or heard someone say "I'd like to be alone." There are times when even the most extroverted among us seek solitude, whether it's to clear our heads, gather our thoughts following an unexpected breakup, or just relish some peace and quiet. On the other hand, feeling lonely is not something people typically aim for. Loneliness has a negative connotation to it because it reflects a yearning for someone else's company -- an unpleasant state we'd rather not be in. As I have mentioned in earlier entries, a person could actually feel lonelier in a group than by himse...

A recent survey finds that some people would be willing to have sex with their partners in public -- so long as they're not in plain view and the chances of being caught are slim to nil. In other words, they'd be up for doing the deed in a remove cave at night, or even behind some bushes in a desolate forest. Apparently, when people are horny enough, they're open to fornicating virtually anywhere in order to satisfy their urges. No matter how much of an adrenaline rush having sex in public might be, I would never do something that could land me in jail. Having sex in public is illegal, and there have been ample reports of people getting caught and arrested for this. To me, there's really no justification for this type of lewd behavior. If you're that desperate to get into each others' pants, why not just rush to a hotel or motel? Even doing it in the car -- while parked in an inconspicuous spot, of course -- is better than having sex out in the open. Remembe...

It goes without saying that some people show a stronger need for validation from society than others. Sure, I try to be friendly and respectful with everyone I come across. But that doesn't mean I am going to bend over backwards just to gain someone's favor. This is precisely what I see people at work and elsewhere try to do. It's obvious when someone is trying too hard to be liked by everyone around them. He or she seeks to do favors for no reason and finds any excuse to strike up or butt into conversations. Feeling left out or ignored is their single biggest fear. The ones I respect the most are those who can remain friendly and respectful toward others without resorting to pretentiousness. In reality, virtually everything we do can be construed as selfish. If we do favors for the sole purpose of currying people's favor, then it shows that we care a great deal about how/what people think of us. I don't care so much about being liked as I do being regarde...

Have you been yearning to buy a new Mercedes for years?  Maybe you’ve thought about stopping by your local Macy’s store on the way home from work and snagging that posh Michael Kors watch you spotted there last month.  Or, you’ve contemplated replacing a dingy pair of sneakers ensconced in your closet with a new set of Sketchers you instantly became smitten with after seeing them in a newspaper ad.  According to psychologists, this zeal to acquire products is only ephemeral, as consumers derive more pleasure from desiring them than they do from actually owning them. Human beings are known to long for the unobtainable – whether it’s an old flame who got away after high school or a snazzy smartphone that’s a bit out of our price range. Once the object is ours, that seemingly unshakable sense of yearning and excitement that we felt earlier dissipates, and it does not resurface until we set our sights on a new object of desire. If you think about it, this makes complete sen...

We've all been there at some point -- whether at home, school, or in the house of someone we just met. We become shy. We clam up. We have nothing to say. It leads others to assume we're shy, antisocial, even self-absorbed. As I've mentioned in other posts, sometimes it takes a real, concerted effort to get myself to talk to people. I try to avoid chit chat at all costs. Whether it's because I am tired or just not in the mood to gab, shutting myself from the world is all too tempting. Completely isolating yourself from everyone, though, is not feasible, especially when you work in Corporate America. Good communication skills are a requirement for most every job that calls for interacting with employees and/or clients. But this isn't exclusive to the work world. There are also the family get-togethers and other occasions that can drive the shy and introverted batty. I've come up with a technique that can help me better tolerate these situations. You kn...

Teddy Roosevelt’s legacy encompasses a wide range of outstanding achievements – from overseeing the construction of the Panama Canal to helping root out public corruption to dissolving monopolies as a so-called “trust buster.” However, there’s a lot more to this majestic figure than what's detailed in the history books. Below are several fascinating facts about the 26th U.S. President that run the gamut from special awards he received to his personal pet peeves.  Teddy Roosevelt (1858-1919) was a man of varied interests and notable accomplishments. His name alone conjures up images of a stout, bespectacled man with a brown mustache and larger-than-life personality. Indeed, this revered figure who famously exhorted Americans to “speak softly and carry a big stick” is remembered as an ebullient politician who pledged to crack down on trusts and corruption, an outdoorsy explorer deeply committed to the conservation of natural resources, and an intrepid Colonel who commanded the 1st ...

There's a haunted house in Tustin, Calif. that is reportedly so scary, you have to sign a waiver to enter! Created by Robbie and Heather Luther, "The 17th Door," as the terrifying house is called, takes guests on blood-curdling ride through the twisted imaginations/realities of a college freshman named Paula, whose demons come back to haunt her. The 17th Door has been months in the making, and the creators' hard work has apparently paid off. The only way you can get out is by uttering the word "mercy," which hundreds of people have already done. This isn't your run-of-the-mill haunted house. According to Heather Luther, it's an immersive experience unlike any other -- so much so that you can expect to get wet and touched. If you're adamant about no one intruding on your personal space, this place is not for you. The house features a bevy of costumed monsters ready to send chills up your spine. I have never been one for scary entertainment...

According to an article posted on the CNNMoney website today, Dennis Hof, owner of several brothels in Las Vegas, is helping the women who work for him pay off their student loan debt. His most well-known establishment is the Moonlite Bunny Ranch Brothel, which was featured on the HBO late-night TV series "Cathouse" from 2005 to 2007. Hof says that many of the women who apply for jobs at his brothels are college students. In fact, he estimates that roughly 18% of the more than 500 women who work for him are saddled with student loan debt. So, he's resolved to give them a hand by matching payments the prostitutes make toward their student loan debt over the next two months. He's already helped a few of them pay down their debt, including a few women whom CNNMoney reports owed more than $40,000. The women claim that Hof has been a lifesaver without whom they would not have been able to become debt-free -- at least not this quickly. I can only imagine Hof seeing ...

Samuel Clemens (1835-1910), better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American humorist and author known for such works as "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" and its sequel, "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn." The renowned author also gave us several timeless quotes, among them: "Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see." To me, Twain is saying that kindness is essentially the universal language. No matter a person's background, race, denomination, political affiliation, career, sexual orientation, and so on, everyone appreciates a show of kindness. Just like every person needs to eat and breathe, kindness is an inextricable part of the human experience -- regardless of where one lives. Unfortunately, demonstrating too much kindness can put people at risk of being taken advantage of, thus the reason it should be dispensed in moderation. Not everyone is naturally kind, but we can work toward becoming kinder and mo...

I have a coworker who literally announces whenever he has to go to the bathroom. Another person I work with always voices when she is hungry. Still another coworker -- as soon as the clock strikes 12:30 -- verbalizes in advance that she is going to lunch. Why must people put everything on the table?  Are some individuals so narcissistic these days as to assume that others need to know everything they're thinking, doing, and planning? Something that has seemingly gotten lost on these folks is the art of mystery. One of the things I find so unsettling about the workplace is that these kinds of scenarios play out on a daily basis. And given how closely packed together cubicles are becoming to accommodate an ever-increasing number of employees, it's an inescapable reality. I think the reason people are this way is because, put simply, they're attention hounds. They're anything but self-contained. They're constantly looking for validation from others. They ne...

I recently read an article online that talked about a guy who was dating a woman 25 years older than him. I've heard or read about other cases where the age disparity is even wider. In a May post titled  COUGARS: Here's what older women like about younger men... , I talked about the many reasons women pursue guys 10 to 20 years their junior. Among them were the impulse to feel younger and the allure of teaching sexually inexperienced men a few new tricks in bed. If I were single, I wouldn't mind going on a few dates with someone, say, 20 years older than me, but I'd probably resist the urge to turn it into a long-term thing. My in-laws are 20 years apart (she's in her mid 50s, he's in his mid 70s), and I see all the struggles my wife's mom faces daily. From having to be on top of his medications to bolting to the hospital whenever he takes an unexpected tumble and injures himself, her life has been reduced to one of a nurse. And this woman hasn't e...

A 21-year old Iranian man has a permanent erection after getting his penis tatooed. Ouch! The man apparently suffers from priapism, a condition in which an erection not caused by sexual stimulation lasts over four hours. The man's penis became semi-erect after he apparently bled from tissue deep within the organ. He decided to pay doctors a visit after the erection hadn't gone away for three months. After ruling out a urinary tract infection, leukemia, and other causes, doctors said that the tattoo was likely the culprit. They believe the handheld needle used to create the design may have been inserted too deeply. The doctors determined that blood was still flowing in and out of the man's penis -- which is known in the medical community as nonischemic priapism. Essentially, blood is entering the penis faster than it can go out, leaving the penis permanently erect as a result of increased pressure. Doctors recommended a shunt procedure to drain excess blood, which un...

I'm currently reading a book titled "Brand Sense" by Martin Lindstrom. Once I finish the book, I will post an entry highlighting the many interesting insights I gleaned from the book. In the interim, though, I wanted to share one of the most interesting findings I've come across in the book thus far, and it relates to women and cars. Did you know that women respond more to the feel and texture of a car's interior than they do to its external features? I couldn't help but compare this to the manner in which women supposedly become attracted to a man. We've all heard it time and time again: That women are mostly attracted to what's inside -- they don't get as hung up on looks as men do. (Meanwhile, men do seem to make a bigger fuss about a car's exterior features -- from rims to the grille.) As it turns out, women place a great deal of importance on how the car smells (ah, nothing like that new car scent, right?), the feel of the upho...

I know that the answer to this question depends on a whole host of factors, including one's choice of career (lawyers will probably smell and look cleaner than construction workers), whether or not a person has children (parents to a newborn might have less time to shower), and so on. But a study conducted in 2007 by the University of Arizona found that women have three to four times as much bacteria on their personal belongings (desks, phones, keyboards, computers, etc.) as men do. This was attributed to the fact that women not only have more interactions with children, but they keep more food on or near their desks. I know the latter point to be true -- women have more of a tendency to snack at work than my male coworkers do. The other issue, per the study, is makeup. Hand lotions and cosmetics make prime germ-transfer agents. Women also tend to dig into their purses, picking up dust and germs in the process. The truth is that I've smelled body odor on both men and wome...