It's hard to believe that this makes my 500th post on this blog! I launched the site in July 2014, which doesn't feel like that long ago. I can't thank everyone enough for supporting me and this blog every step of the way. The blog now has over 1,200 followers, many of whom come from Facebook, Google+, Twitter, and message boards all over the internet. As of today, the site has logged a whopping 66,945 page views! Your experiences, hopes, and opinions inspire me to churn out more and more content about substantive topics that matter to all of us. As the year winds down, I aim to continue writing about breaking news stories, as well as findings supported by research studies. In addition, I will provide you with helpful tips and advice on how to do everything from save money to resolve conflicts with partners, friends, and other people in our lives. Also thrown in the mix will be fun facts and educational content spanning subjects like history, psychology, and sociology...

Just when we thought the folks at Facebook had thought of everything... For years now, Facebook users have availed of the "Like" button for everything from friends' baby pictures to relatives' funny videos. Meanwhile, though, they clamored for something that had seemingly missed the head honchos' radar screens until now: a "Dislike" button. We spoke, and Zuckerberg and company heard us loud and clear. It turns out that they now have a "dislike" button in the works. I can see good and bad things coming out of this. On the plus side, people can now use the new button for content of a serious or negative nature that just didn't seem appropriate to like, such as posts about people suffering from illnesses, layoffs, divorces, and so on. However, I can imagine some people's feathers getting ruffled at finding that someone "disliked" something they've posted. For example, I don't drink and can't stand it when ...

It's hard to believe it's Sunday already -- the first Sunday of October, no less. The week -- not to mention the year -- has flown by! Sunday happens to be the day of the week on which I'm at my laziest. The feeling lasts all the way through Monday afternoon. In fact, I don't feel like I'm in all-out work mode again until Tuesday morning.  There's nothing that puts me in a lazier mood than being all cozy in bed while watching a good flick or reading an absorbing book. Adding closed blinds and the sound of rain compounds the feeling tenfold.  Other than Sunday and Monday, I get bitten by the lazy bug on Friday afternoons, though not as badly. Most people do very little after lunch on Fridays in light of the fact that the weekend is upon them.  Laziness can also set in when I get home from work. It isn't always easy to cook or wash dishes, let alone hit the gym, after you've worked all day.  I try my best to do as little as possible on S...

As should I. I'm talking about Sweden. Why would anyone want to move there, you ask? According to CNNMoney, some Swedish firms are trimming the work week from 40 hours to only 30. And the results have been positive: Studies show that such a change has led to increased morale and productivity at said companies. It's apparent that these companies are employee-centric -- they recognize that these individuals' lives are enriched when they're given the opportunity to spend more time with friends and family or enjoy whatever hobbies they may have. The United States should really take note. U.S. employees work an average of approximately 47 hours per week. Is it any wonder so many of us in the states feel so stretched? It would also help if more U.S. firms jumped on the telecommuting bandwagon. If many of us were given the opportunity to work from home, we'd feel far less tired and financially strained. In fact, we'd save heaps of time and gas money. If...

There are so many great actors and actresses to choose from, but one stands out prominently in my mind. Robert de Niro became my favorite after I saw him in one particular movie. No, it wasn't after seeing him play Jake Lamotta in "Raging Bull" or Vito Corleone in "The Godfather: Part II," the two roles for which he has garnered Academy Awards. To be sure, he was brilliant in those roles and quite deserving of the Oscars he received, but he first caught my attention as the overbearing Jack Byrnes in "Meet the Parents." Since then, I have watched probably 20 or more of his movies. My favorite De Niro movie of all time is the heist thriller "Heat," starring De Niro, Al Pacino, and Val Kilmer. Other notables include "The Score," " Analyze This," "Midnight Run," "Casino," and "Goodfellas." The reason I think he bests all the other Hollywood greats is because he offers more in the way of versat...

A man went on a shooting rampage today at Umpqua Community College in Oregon. At least 10 people were killed, and it has been confirmed that the gunman himself is dead. It makes me so sad -- and angry -- to read about these stories. It's heartbreaking that innocent people who were simply at the wrong place at the wrong time won't be coming home tonight -- many of whom probably had children who will now have to grow up without them. Moreover, what angers me is how these cold-blooded killers are so cowardly and selfish as to take innocent lives. If you hate your life and no longer want to live, fine -- put a bullet in your brain. But why take people who have nothing to do with your issues down with you? The reason they do it is because they see it as one final act of redemption. They don't care what happens to them -- whether they end up getting arrested or shot dead -- and take pleasure in being the cause of others' suffering, not only of the casualties themsel...

I came across this great quote on Facebook earlier today: "Beauty is being the best possible version of yourself on the inside and out." This quote rings true on so many levels. I strongly believe that a person is beautiful by being true to his or her self. Being your authentic self -- both internally and externally -- makes you beautiful. Why? Because it shows that you love yourself for who you really are. The best possible version of yourself isn't one prescribed by society. Lookswise, if dressing like a nerd, jock, or rocker represents the real you, then society is just going to have to live with it. The best version of yourself is one where you can be the real you without having to apologize or make excuses for it. Why have someone like a phony version of you? As the saying goes: "I'd rather be hated for who I am than loved for who I'm not." As long as you're not hurting anyone by being your true self, don't let anyone talk you in...

Today is National Coffee Day in the U.S., meaning you can get your coffee fix at several coffeehouse chains without shelling out a dime. Among the ones giving out freebies is Dunkin' Donuts, where you can snag a free medium cup of hot or iced dark roast coffee. Peet's Coffee & Tea is giving consumers a free small cup of Peet's Major Dickason Blend with any purchase of a baked good, outmeal, or fresh food item. At Wawa, you can get free coffee in the size of your choosing. And Krispy Kreme is giving out free small coffees and glazed doughnuts, as well as $1 discounts on other drinks. Interestingly, Starbucks -- the largest coffeehouse company in the world -- isn't giving out any freebies. Instead, it will donate 70 cents -- the price of one coffee tree -- to coffee farmers for every bag of coffee purchased by customers in U.S. stores. The effort strives to alleviate two problems facing coffee farmers: aging trees, as well as a fungus called coffee rust that...

Apple today announced that is has already sold a record 13 million iPhone 6 and iPhone 6s Plus phones after launching both models just three days ago. The new iPhones will be available in more than 130 countries by year's end. Now, I have never owned an iPhone. In fact, I've remained loyal to Samsung when it comes to mobile phones -- I currently have a Samsung Galaxy S4 Active -- and TVs. I do, however, use a Mac computer at work and have been using my trusty iPod for all things music for roughly nine years now. But I have to give credit where credit is due: 13 million iPods in three days is a staggering number. Everytime I walk past the Apple store at my local mall, it is jam-packed with shoppers ostensibly looking to shell out big bucks. Apple has succeeded brilliantly at creating an appetite for its product like no other company in the world. When one thinks of cutting edge consumer products in the 21st century, Apple is top of mind. And the funny thing is that the c...