Where All The Happy People Are

Americans in Hawaii continue to set the national standard in joy, happiness and well-being in the first half of 2011. West Virginia and Kentucky maintained their status as the states with the lowest well-being, according to the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index. The Well-Being Index score for the nation compiles things like emotional health, work environment, physical health, healthy behaviors, and access to basic necessities. The midyear Well-Being Index score for the country so far in 2011 is 66.4, a slight decline from 66.8 for all of 2010. The index is calculated on a scale of 0 to 100, where a score of 100 would represent ideal well-being.

Top 5 States	Well Being Index Score	Bottom 5 States	Well Being Index Score
1. Hawaii	71.1	1. West Virginia	62.4
2. North Dakota	70.5	2. Kentucky	63.0
3. Alaska	69.4	3. Mississippi	63.6
4. Nebraska	68.4	4. Ohio	64.4
5. Minnesota	68.3	5. Louisiana	64.6

See the full report at www.gallup.com.

Are You Getting A Raise?

A new survey shows that salaried U.S. workers can expect another year of modest raises in 2012. Benefits and human resources consultancy Towers Watson said after increasing salaries by 2.6% this year and last year, companies are planning a 2.8% bump in 2012. That’s somewhat smaller than raises in the last decade. From 2000 to 2006, the year before the recession began, salaries rose an average 3.9% for workers who were non executives. And the modest bump may not help add much buying power for shoppers. In the 12 months through July, the government said prices for consumers have risen 3.6%.

We Have A Serious Welfare Problem

Americans overwhelmingly believe the biggest problem with the welfare system in the United States is that there are too many overqualified recipients. Most also think legal immigrants should have to wait at least three years before being eligible for welfare benefits. A Rasmussen Reports survey found that 71% of adults believe the bigger problem with welfare programs in the United States is that too many people get welfare who should not be getting it. Only 18% say the bigger issue is that too many people who should receive welfare do not get it, while another 11% aren’t sure. Fifty-nine percent of Americans think immigrants who follow the law and enter the U.S. legally should have to wait three years or more before collecting welfare benefits, while 31% believe they should wait more than five years.

9/11 Fears – Not So Much

Americans apparently don’t have a fear of flying this September 11th. Specifically, September 11, 2011, the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on America. According to a survey by Opinion Research Corporation, 84% of Americans wouldn’t have a problem flying on September 11, 2011. In fact, only 16% are fearful about flying on an airplane on a national holiday. Other survey findings regarding the 9/11 anniversary:


One-third of respondents would be concerned about being near a nuclear power plant on September 11th.
22% would avoid a chemical plant.
18% would avoid a sports stadium or entertainment venue with a large crowd of people.
16% would be concerned about being near an oil refinery.
13% would be concerned about being near a military base.
14% wouldn’t take a cruise.
11% wouldn’t take a train.
9% would avoid a ferry.

America’s 10 Least Liked Celebs

Last week, Betty White was crowned America’s “favorite and most trusted” celebrity in a poll conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs. White, Denzel Washington and Sandra Bullock led the pack of 100 celebrities. But which celebrities pick up the rear end? The 10 “least favorite” celebs include:

1. Paris Hilton	60% find “unfavorable”	6. Tiger Woods	42%
2. Charlie Sheen	52%	7. Kim Kardashian	38%
3. (Tie) Britney Spears	45%	8. Mel Gibson	33%
3. (Tie) Kanye West	45%	9. Donald Trump	31%
5. Arnold Schwarzenegger	44%	10. LeBron James	29%

Single People Could Die Younger

A new study that reveals a life as a single person could be shorter. Men who stay single could die between eight to 17 years before married men, while women who stay single could die seven to 15 years earlier than married women, researchers from the University of Louisville found. The researchers speculate that the reason is tied to poor health benefits because single people have less social support than couples. Age also plays a factor. The relative risk of death for singles aged 30 to 39-years-old was 128% than among married people of the same age, but decreased to about 16% for single 70-year-olds when compared to 70-year olds in wedlock. The study does not take into account the impact of bad marriages.

Women Get More Out Of College Than Men

Not only do women now attend college in greater numbers than men, a new survey finds they also enjoy college more and have a better attitude about attending. Women are more satisfied with college than men, according to a new Pew Research Center survey. Half of female graduates rated American higher education as excellent in terms of value compared to only 37% of men. Women were also more likely to say college had helped them grow personally and intellectually. Other findings:

• 14% of women agreed with the statement that most people can afford college today, compared with 26% of men.
  
• 40% of women, but only 29 percent of men, reported that their parents had paid for college.
  

How The Internet Is Changing The Way We Learn

The Internet has dramatically changed the state of education over the past 20 years or so. It brings primary sources into every classroom and allows for more open and rapid communication between teachers and students, among other things. But that’s just the beginning. By 2014, it is estimated that more than four in five post-secondary students will take at least some of their classes online, according to a study by Knewton, an education technology company. Other findings:

• Education is a seven trillion dollar industry. That’s 570 times the size of the online advertising market, equal to seven times the global mobile industry.
  
• 30% of students in the U.S. fail high school; 33% of U.S. college students require remediation; 46% of U.S. college students do not graduate. One student drops out of high school every 26 seconds.
  
• 93% of teachers believe online tools improve performance and 95% believe that online tools help to engage students.
  

The Triple Double Oreo Is Here

If you were excited when Nabisco introduced the Double Stuff Oreo, you will blow a gasket over this – Nabisco is releasing an insane cookie creation called the Triple Double Oreo. The “double” refers to the two layers of frosting, while the “triple” refers to the three cookie layers, one of which is nestled between the two frosting layers. The cookie has been in the works for a long time. Early photos of the product were leaked on the Internet back in May, and shortly after the company announced it would be released this summer. Four athletes will be promoting the cookie: Shaquille O’Neal, Eli Manning, Venus Williams and Apolo Ohno. The cookies will be available starting this week with a suggested retail price of $4.19 per package. Each cookie is 100 calories, so get ready to blow your diet.

America’s Most Trusted Celebrities

Betty White, 89, is both the most popular and most trusted celebrity with Americans and the person most likely to drive up the business of a brand she might endorse, according to a new poll by Reuters/Ipsos. The poll suggested that companies should stay away from Paris Hilton and Charlie Sheen if they want to promote their products. Hilton and Sheen topped the list of the most unpopular and least trusted personalities and were deemed most likely to damage any brands they choose to support. White scored an 86% favorable opinion, beating Denzel Washington, Sandra Bullock and Clint Eastwood in the survey of the 100 most popular personalities. She easily edged out Britain’s Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton, Oprah Winfrey, and U.S. first lady Michelle Obama in the most trusted personalities ranking.

10 most popular personalities with their “favorable” rating by percentage of voters:
1. Betty White	86% favorable	6. Harrison Ford	80%
2. Denzel Washington	85%	7. (Tie) Morgan Freeman	79%
3. Sandra Bullock	84%	7. (Tie) Kate Middleton	79%
4. Clint Eastwood	83%	9. Will Smith	77%
5. Tom Hanks	81%	10. Johnny Depp	76%
10 most unpopular personalities with their “unfavorable” rating by percentage of voters:
1. Paris Hilton	60% unfavorable	6. Tiger Woods	42%
2. Charlie Sheen	52%	7. Kim Kardashian	38%
3. (Tie) Britney Spears	45%	8. Mel Gibson	33%
4. (Tie) Kanye West	45%	9. Donald Trump	31%
5. Arnold Schwarzenegger	44%	10. LeBron James	29%

Worst Celebrity Tippers

Tiger Woods is a great golfer but when it comes to tipping he is No. 1 on a list of worst celebrity tippers. The Short Order food/restaurant blog, which ranked Woods as the worst celebrity tipper, says the pro golfer claims he never carries cash on him. The website also cites an instance of where Woods “pulled a mulligan” by revoking an extra $5 from a waitress after “realizing he had tipped her earlier in the evening.” Coming in second is Madonna after she apparently left an $18 tip on a $400 bill. Barbara Streisand, who is reportedly famous for leaving $10 tip for $457 tab, grabs the third spot. LeBron James falls right behind Streisand after he left $10 on an $800 bill. Rounding out the top five is Jeremy Piven for apparently leaving a signed 
 “Entourage” DVD as tip. The 10 worst celebrity tippers:

1. Tiger Woods	6. Usher
2. Madonna	7. Mariah Carey
3. Barbra Streisand	8. Sean Penn
4. LeBron James	9. Bill Cosby
5. Jeremy Piven	10. Rachael Ray

Cigarette Makers Sue FDA Over New Labeling Rules

Four big cigarette makers have sued the Food and Drug Administration, claiming the new graphic labels and advertising that warn consumers about the risks of smoking and induce them to quit are unconstitutional. The lawsuit by R.J. Reynolds, Lorillard, Liggett Group and Commonwealth Brands said the warnings required no later than September 22, 2012, would force cigarette makers to “engage in anti-smoking advocacy” on the government’s behalf. They said it violates their free speech rights under the First Amendment, according to a complaint filed yesterday. The 2009 Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act requires color warnings covering the top half of the front and back panels of cigarette packages, and the top 20% of printed ads. Dead bodies, diseased lungs and rotting teeth are among the images expected to appear, in the first change to U.S. cigarette warnings in 25 years. Reynolds’ brands include Camel, Winston and Kool; Lorillard brands include Newport and True; Commonwealth brands include Davidoff, and Liggett brands include Eve.

Addiction Redefined

The term “addiction” has been redefined as a brain disorder. Previously it was classified by The American Society of Addiction Medicine as a behavioral problem “involving too much alcohol, drugs, gambling or sex.” “At its core, addiction isn’t just a social problem or a moral problem or a criminal problem. It’s a brain problem whose behaviors manifest in all these other areas,” said Dr. Michael Miller, past president of ASAM, adding: “the disease is about brains, not drugs. It’s about underlying neurology, not outward actions.”

Man Leaves Broadcast Tower After Six Days

A standoff between Tulsa police officers and a mentally ill man who scaled a broadcast tower ended yesterday after nearly six full days. William Sturdivant II, 25, came down from the Clear Channel radio tower about 6:40 p.m., after more than 125 hours. A Tulsa Police negotiator was raised up to Sturdivant earlier in the afternoon and, at times, had partially climbed the tower himself to convince the man to come down. After more than 6 hours of talking with the negotiator, Sturdivant climbed into the bucket and was lowered down to the ground. Sturdivant was loaded onto an ambulance and taken to the hospital. Police said he had not had food or water since early Friday. A spokeswoman says the company’s staff found Sturdivant breaking and entering an unauthorized area on the property last Thursday morning. That’s when he ran from security guards and scaled the tower.

Responders Not Invited To 9/11 Even

First responders who rushed to the disaster scene on September 11, 2001, are not invited to this year’s memorial service at Ground Zero, New York officials confirm. The service is scheduled for September 11th, 10 years after the terror attacks. A spokesman for New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the memorial is for victims’ families. “While we are again focused on accommodating victims’ family members,” Andrew Brent said, “given the space constraints, we’re working to find ways to recognize and honor first responders and other groups at different places and times.” First responder John Feal said the decision to exclude first responders shows Bloomberg “lives in his own world.” Feal is the founder of an advocacy group for police officers, firefighters, civilian volunteers and others who worked at Ground Zero. In addition to victims’ families, several politicians – including two presidents – are expected to attend.

Giving It Up On Social Networks

Odds are you’re on at least one major social network. There are about 150 million Facebook users in the United States alone, and you’ve been on that network – or another social network – for years, feeding in information about yourself, updating your status, posting pictures of your latest vacations and responding to events and messages from friends. But your friends aren’t the only ones scouring over your social network page. The social network you use has learned a lot about you. Social media strategy firm Hasai looked at social networks have looked at the information you’ve posted to see what that your information says about American whole. Some of the findings are pretty wild.

• Nearly half of all Americans are now members of at least one social network, double the number from just two years ago.
  
• 48% of all bloggers are based in the United States.
  
• 28% of U.S. adults say they give advice about purchases on social networking sites.
  
• The average Facebook user has 229 friends. While less than 10% are college friends, more than 20% are friends from high school.
  
• The more than 63 million active users of “FarmVille” spend an average of 15 minutes a day pretending to run a farm. Over the course of a year, that’s 5,475 minutes – the equivalent of a full-time job for over two weeks.
  
• Of the more than 149 million Americans actively using Facebook, 70% log on daily.
  
• The five most followed Twitter accounts are those of Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Barack Obama, Katy Perry, and Britney Spears.
  
• 77% of Americans use social media to share their love of a show, 65% use it as a platform to help save their favorite shows, and 35% use it to try to introduce new shows to their friends.
  

Nice Guys – And Gals – Really Do Finish Last

Nice guys really do finish last, according to a study at the University of Notre Dame and University of Western Ontario. After analyzing a sample of 10,000 workers across the spectrum of professions researchers found that disagreeable men earn about 18% more – or $9,722 extra a year – than their more pleasant counterparts. Rude women out-earn sweet ones by 5%, or $1,828, according to the report “Do Nice Guys – and Gals – Really Finish Last?” Less agreeable employees aren’t necessarily anti-social and are amicable for the most part, researchers said. But they’re also more inclined to pursue their interests aggressively and thrive in conflict – such as in salary negotiations. Lack of warmth is sometimes even seen as a sign of competence by many bosses, the study found. Does gender matter? Agreeable men often come across as violating tough masculine norms. And women, who are expected to be gentle and genial, often find that being disagreeable pays off less for them than it does for men.

Is Your Marriage Swell Or Hell? It Doesn’t Really Matter

The degree to which a married couple argues is not likely to change much over the years, researchers found. Ohio State researchers culled data tracking 1,000 couples over a 20-year period and sorted these couples into high, middle and low conflict marriages. The results? “There was a very slight decrease in the amount of conflict reported in the final years of the study, which was slightly larger for the high-conflict couples. Still, the differences over time were small,” said lead author Claire Kamp Dush. The study found 16% of couples who reported little conflict – or even the 60% who have only moderate levels of conflict – argued the same 20 years later. In addition, the 22% of couples who say they fight and argue with each other a lot continued to argue the same amount 20 years later.

The Super Duper Ideal Vehicles

AutoPacific has announced its 2011 Ideal Vehicle Award winners. The awards are based on a massive 72,000 surveys completed by owners of new cars and light trucks in the U.S. in the first half of 2011. To determine the winners, owners rated their new car or truck on how close it came to “ideal” in 15 different categories ranging from power and acceleration to safety features and storage. Winners include:

Premium Brand Award:	Porsche
Mainstream/Popular Brand Award:	Chrysler
Overall Winner	Porsche 911
Overall Brand Winner	Porsche
Passenger Cars:
Premium Luxury Car	Mercedes-Benz E-Class
Aspirational Luxury Car	Volvo S60
Large Car	Hyundai Azera
Luxury Mid-Size Car	Lincoln MKZ
Premium Mid-Size Car	Ford Fusion
Mid-Size Car	Subaru Legacy
Premium Compact Car	Volvo C30
Compact Car	Hyundai Elantra
Sports Car	Porsche 911
Sporty Car	Dodge Challenger
Hybrid Car	Ford Fusion Hybrid
Pickup, SUV & Minivans:
Large Light-Duty Pickup	Ford F-150
Large Heavy-Duty Pickup	Ford Super Duty
Compact Pickup	Honda Ridgeline
Luxury Sport Utility	Cadillac Escalade
Large Sport Utility	Toyota Sequoia
Mid-Size Sport Utility	Jeep Grand Cherokee
Premium Luxury Crossover SUV	Porsche Cayenne
Luxury Crossover SUV	Volvo XC70
Large Crossover SUV	Ford Flex
Premium Mid-Size Crossover SUV	Ford Explorer
Mid-Size Crossover SUV	Toyota RAV4
Compact Crossover SUV	Volkswagen Tiguan
Minivan	Chrysler Town & Country

Lazy Labor Day Locations

Orbitz has released its annual Labor Day edition of the Orbitz Insider Index, ranking the most popular destinations for travelers on the last long weekend of the summer vacation season.

1. New York	6. San Francisco
2. Las Vegas	7. Orlando
3. Chicago	8. Boston
4. Denver	9. Los Angeles
5. Seattle	10. Atlanta

Being Macho Can Get You Killed

Too much machismo could get you killed, a new study finds. In places where there is a strong sense of a “culture of honor” – where there is great value placed in defending reputation – there is a higher risk of accidental death. It is most common in Southern and Western states including Wyoming, South Carolina and Texas. The sorts of places where this “culture of honor” exists are where, historically, there are dangers of rustling, low police presence and few natural resources, according to the Social Psychological and Personality Science study. The sort of people who believe in and abide by this “culture of honor” may respond more aggressively to triggers, researchers said. Researchers from the University of Oklahoma compared rates of accidental death – from over-exertion, drowning and car wrecks – from 1999 to 2006 in “honor” states and “non-honor” states, such as New York, Wisconsin and Ohio. They found that the accidental death rate in cities located in “honor” states is 14% higher than those in “non-honor” states. And in rural areas in “honor” states, the accidental death rate is 19% higher than those in “non-honor” states. As many as 7,000 deaths a year could be attributed to accidental death because of a “culture of honor,” researchers said.

Miley Cyrus – Bowling Queen

In a dramatic come-from-behind victory, Miley Cyrus has secured her induction into the Celebrity Bowling Hall of Fame. Thanks to overwhelming support from her fans, Cyrus secured 42% of votes cast during the month-long race to be voted into the Celebrity Wing of the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame. Justin Bieber, who was defeated by Taylor Swift in the final hours last year, once again fell short of obtaining bowling immortality despite jumping to an early lead. Voting for 2011 Celebrity Hall of Fame induction took place on GoBowling.com. Cyrus and Bieber were among 10 nominees that were selected for their public support of bowling over the past year. Nick and Joe Jonas garnered 10% of the votes, Jeff Bridges 5%, and Lady Gaga got 3%. Bill Murray, Lil Wayne, Michael Jordan, Jimmy Fallon and Kim Kardashian all got 1%.

Cruisin’

According to a new survey by the Cruise Lines International Association, 36 million Americans 25 and older who make at least $40,000 annually plan to take a cruise in the next three years, up from 33 million in 2008. So where do Americans plan to cruise?

1. Caribbean	4. Hawaii
2. Alaska	5. Bermuda
3. Bahamas

Sorry, I’m On The Phone…

According to a new survey by the Pew Internet & American Life Project, 13% of adults have used their phones to look busy so they wouldn’t have to talk with others. That percentage more than doubled among young adults 18 to 29, 30% of whom said they’d faked cellphone use as a way to avoid someone they didn’t want to talk to. There’s even websites that will let you put in a time to have your cellphone ring so you can get out of a meeting or talking to someone who just won’t leave you alone. Only 2% of those 65 and older say they use their cellphones to avoid dealing with others. Aside from preventing unwanted interaction with others, people also use their phones for a variety of other things:

Information retrieval: 51% have used their phone at least once to get information they needed right away.

Emergencies: 40% of cellphone owners said their phone helped them in an emergency situation.

Entertainment: 42% said they used the cellphones to stave off boredom.

Text messaging and picture taking: 73% of cellphone owners use their devices for text messaging and taking pictures.

Multimedia: 54% of us have used our phone to send photos or videos to others, while 44% use their phone to access the Internet.

Richest Runts In Hollyweird

Willow Smith has found herself on People Magazine’s Richest Teens List, despite the fact that she’s not a teenager yet. Smith, 10, earned $4 million stemming from her hit single “Whip My Hair” to land on the list that also includes her brother Jaden, who earned $5 million. Justin Bieber topped the list with $53 million while his girlfriend Selena Gomez earned $5 million. The totals for Bieber and Gomez make the couple the richest teen couple in Hollywood. Other rich teens on the list include:

Taylor Lautner: The 19-year-old earned $8.5 million for the final two installments in the “Twilight” saga and was paid $7.5 million for the upcoming flick “Abduction.”

Angus T. Jones: The “Two and a Half Men” 17-year-old star’s current contract is worth an incredible $7.8 million; he makes $300,000 per episode.

Nick Jonas: He’s the richest JoBro. Nick’s reported earnings last year totaled $12.5 million.

Dakota and Elle Fanning: The sisters’ most recent movies earned them each a hunk of change – Dakota, 17, got $4 million for “Breaking Dawn,” while 13-year-old Elle got $1.5 million for “Super 8.”

Daniel Radcliffe, Hayden Panettiere, Rihanna, Hilary Duff, Romeo, Miley Cyrus also made the list, found in the current issue of People magazine.

‘Best Places To Live In America’

Money magazine has revealed the 2011 list of the “100 Best Places to Live in America,” highlighting small towns across the country with populations of 50,000 or less. The magazine looked for places with the optimal combination of job opportunities, fiscal strength, top-notch schools, safe streets, good health care, cultural and outdoor activities, and even nice weather. The Top 5 on the list:

1. Louisville, CO	4. Leesburg, VA
2. Milton, MA	5. Papillion, NE
3. Solon, OH

See the full list at http://cnnmon.ie/nrqmsg.

Take A DEEP Breath

A new survey by Princess Cruises found that three-quarters of Americans want to see National Relaxation Day, which was yesterday, become an official U.S. holiday. Overworked and over-scheduled, Americans would even trade-in an established holiday like Columbus or Labor Day for National Relaxation Day, just because it sounds good and they don’t have to celebrate anything. The Relaxation Report also revealed:

• 23% of Americans have never had a relaxing vacation – not once. For those who have, it’s been an average of three years since they last left the daily grind for a little R&R.
  
• 50% agree that having a smartphone by their side makes it harder to relax.
  
• 54% of parents say their perfect vacation would NOT include their children – even though 76% say they would feel guilty leaving the runt(s) behind.
  
• Americans think William and Kate are the most deserving of a relaxing break from media scrutiny – even more so than Brangelina.
  
• ABC’s Diane Sawyer was voted as the most relaxed, camera-composed newsperson, followed by NBC’s Matt Lauer and CNN’s Anderson Cooper.
  
• Jennifer Aniston is the celebrity Americans would want to spend the day relaxing with, while Charlie Sheen would be the least relaxing celebrity to hang out with.
  
• The things that make us feel most relaxed on vacation:
  

Having a drink	24%	Watching TV	10%
Reading	20%	Exercising	8%
Listening to music	17%