Consumer Reports’ Cell Phone Satisfaction Survey

For the second year in a row, AT&T’s wireless service finds itself at the bottom of the ratings in a customer satisfaction survey by Consumer Reports. With good scores from customers on texting and data service satisfaction, Verizon Wireless was once again the highest-rated of the four major cell providers, followed closely by Sprint, T-Mobile and AT&T. CR also offers these tips to cut your cell phone bill:

Don’t automatically buy from the company store: Two-thirds of cell phones are bought at carrier stores, but Consumer Reports has found that prices can be lower at warehouse stores and mass merchandisers.

Consider a lower-priced carrier: When Consumer Reports compared 100 plans to similar alternatives in 21 matchups covering the full spectrum of plans, both prepaid and standard, Consumer Cellular came out on top. It had the best deal most often – in more than one out of three cases. Savings usually ranged from $30-40 per month over pricier rivals such as Verizon and AT&T, though you might find a smaller selection of the hottest smartphones with smaller carriers such as Consumer Cellular.

Use Alternative Services: Bypassing the carrier and using third-party services for texting and voice calls can be a real money-saver. New apps such as Heywire and TigerText let you send text messages for free over your data connection. With most carriers, that means you won’t have to pay 10 cents per text or $5 to $30 a month for limited-to-unlimited messaging plans.

Max out on Wi-Fi: Consumers should avoid using their plan’s allotment of data by tapping into the rising number of Wi-Fi networks that are available. Those who own 4G phones should set them to connect only to 3G whenever possible, such as when texting or streaming music.

Hey, Lighten Up On The Female Driver Jokes!

If women are worse drivers than men, it may be because their confidence has been compromised by sexist jokes, researchers suggest. A study by researchers at the University of Georgia and the University of Warwick in Britain found jokes about female drivers could be a self-fulfilling prophecy. “Our research suggests that by making a woman feel better about herself, she’ll become better at tasks such as parking the car or reading a map,” said Dr. Zachary Estes, a co-author of the study. “So a little bit of confidence-boosting may go a long way when it comes to parallel parking in a tight spot.” The study involved 500 college students who were asked to complete a variety of tasks. In some tests the students were given positive or negative feedback on their performance. Researchers found women who were praised tended to do as well on the tasks as their male counterparts.

Office Holiday Perks & Odd Gifts

Workers can expect more holiday cheer in the office this season as companies offer more perks (bonuses, parties, gifts) than last year, according to a new CareerBuilder survey.

• 40% of employers plan to give their employees holiday bonuses this year, up from 33% in 2010. Among this group, 73% are planning to give the same amount as last year; 14% plan to give a bigger bonus than last year; while 13% plan to provide a smaller bonus.
  
• 58% of employers are planning a holiday party for their employees this year, up from 52% in 2010; 36% of workers say they plan to attend their holiday party this year.
  
• 30% of employers plan to give holiday gifts to employees, up from 29% in 2010.
  
• 22% percent of workers say they plan to buy holiday gifts for co-workers this year, with the same amount planning to buy their boss something. The majority of workers, 79%, say they plan to spend $25 or less for each holiday gift they buy for the office; 38% plan to spend $10 or less; and 12% plan to spend less than $5.
  

When asked to share the most memorable gifts received from co-workers, workers said:

• A zombie figurine
• A keychain that shouts expletives
• Bacon of the month club
• A ceramic snake
• A clock that meows three times on the hour
• A hand-painted landscape on a toilet seat
• A glass high-heel shoe filled with dish soap
• Mustache scissors
• A whip
• A 12-pack of cola

Most-Played Holiday Songs

ASCAP has released its list of most-played songs of the holiday season. For the second year in a row, “Sleigh Ride” tops the list. Since October 1, 2011, “Sleigh Ride” has aired 64,317 times, making it the most-played holiday song so far this holiday season. Although it depicts a wondrous winter scene, “Sleigh Ride” was written originally by Leroy Anderson on a hot summer day in 1946 in Woodbury, Connecticut. Initially composed as an instrumental piece, The Boston Pops Orchestra gave the first performance May 4, 1948. After Mitchell Parish added lyrics in 1949, it has been recorded by hundreds of musicians since then. The top 10 most-played holiday songs so far this holiday season include:

1. “Sleigh Ride” – played 64,317. Most popular artist version performed by Leroy Anderson.

2. “Winter Wonderland” – played 54,741. Most popular artist version performed by Eurythmics.

3. “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)” – played 50,796. Most popular artist version performed by Nat King Cole.

4. “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” – played 49,509 times. Most popular artist version performed by Dean Martin.

5. “Jingle Bell Rock” – played 47,100 times. Most popular artist version performed by Bobby Helms.

6.”It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year” – played 46,492 times. Most popular artist version performed by Andy Williams.

7.”Do You Hear What I Hear?” – played 41,633 times. Most popular artist version performed by Whitney Houston.

8. “It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas” – played 39,885 times. Most popular artist version performed by Bing Crosby.

9. “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” – played 38,395 times. Most popular artist version performed by The Carpenters.

10. “Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer” – played 37,266 times. Most popular artist version performed by Gene Autry.

Employee Holiday Wish Lists

Employees have a message to employers this holiday season: Forget the holiday parties and bring on the cash! According to a recent Harris Interactive survey on behalf of Glassdoor, nearly 75% of employees said a cash bonus would be among their top choices for gifts from their employer this year. Holiday parties – even with an open bar – are not as popular as cold, hard cash! What employees REALLY want for Christmas:

72% cash bonus	10% health care subsidy
62% salary raise	8% gym membership
32% paid time off that doesn’t count against vacation	4% holiday party with an open bar
23% grocery gift card	3% commuter subsidy
14% work from home for a year	2% gold watch or other accessory (Tie)
11% company stock or shares	2% other (Tie)

Celebs Americans Want To Hang With At Christmas

If you could hang with one celeb over the holidays, who would it be? According to a survey by discount retailer HomeGoods, you might to spend it with a “Friend.” When asked, “If you could invite one celebrity to spend the holidays with who would it be,” 31% of people said Jennifer Aniston. That put her ahead of royal Kate Middleton (second with 21%) and Jen’s ex, Brad Pitt (third with 16%). Charlie Sheen (12%),Ashton Kutcher (11%) and Kim Kardashian (11%) round out the list. But when it came to party guests, Rachel Ray was the person chosen by 31% people, followed by Jay Leno, who was a distant second at 17%. Celebrity chef Paula Deen was named as the cook most people wanted to prepare their holiday meal. Gordon Ramsey came in second, followed by Martha Stewart.

Woolly Mammoth To Be Cloned

Within 5 years, a woolly mammoth will likely be cloned, according to scientists who have just recovered well-preserved bone marrow in a mammoth thigh bone. Japan’s Kyodo News first reported the find. Russian scientists are now analyzing the marrow, which they extracted from the mammoth’s femur. The mammoth was found in Siberian permafrost soil. The huge mammals went extinct around 10,000 years ago.

Ron Santo Voted Into Hall Of Fame

Ron Santo of the Chicago Cubs has been voted in to the Hall of Fame. The third baseman was elected to the Hall, overwhelmingly chosen by the Veterans Committee nearly a year to the day after he died hoping for this very honor. Santo was a nine-time All-Star, hit 342 home runs and won five Gold Gloves. He was a Cubs broadcaster for 20 years, beloved by the home crowd for the way he cheered for his favorite team on the air, hollering “Yes! Yes!” or “All right!” after a good play and groaning “Oh, no!” or “It’s bad” when things went wrong.

Ticketmaster Customers To Get Small Fee Credits

Concertgoers who purchased tickets through Ticketmaster are being notified that they’ll soon receive credits for fees they were charged over the past decade. Emails are being sent to customers who are entitled to the credits as part of a class-action lawsuit filed in 2003 that alleged the company overcharged them. A pair of men had sued in Los Angeles over fees they were charged for purchasing tickets to Wilco and Bruce Springsteen concerts. A settlement, which received preliminary approval from a judge in October, will give customers a $1.50 credit on up to 17 tickets they purchased between specific dates in 1999 and 2011 that they can use on future purchases. It will also credit purchasers who received tickets via UPS to $5 for up to 17 transactions. The settlement is scheduled to be finalized in May. The credits are for an “Order Processing Fee” that Ticketmaster assessed on purchases. The credits come with several restrictions: Customers can only use two credits at a time and cannot use them for events scheduled at venues owned by concert giant AEG Live. Find out more at www.ticketfeelitigation.com.

All Eight Of Jerry Sandusky’s Alleged Victims To Testify Against Him

All eight of the boys allegedly sexually abused by former Penn State coach Jerry Sandusky will testify against him when preliminary hearings in the case begin December 13th, according to people close to the case. The news is a blow to his defense. Sandusky’s lawyer, Joe Amendola, previously said that at least one of the boys had denied that he was abused. Sandusky is accused of molesting eight boys over a 15-year period. A key allegation against the 67-year-old former coach was that he was seen raping a boy about the age of 10 in the shower in 2002. The hearing in Centre County, Pennsylvania, is expected to last several days. The revelation comes after Sandusky discussed the 2002 allegation with the New York Times, saying he never spoke about it to Penn State’s head football coach Joe Paterno. Paterno was fired last month amid the scandal. He added that he and Paterno also never spoke of a 1998 child molestation complaint leveled at Sandusky that was investigated by Penn State police. Sandusky also vehemently denied the accusations. Meanwhile, some are wondering if Sandusky is guilty of witness tampering after it was revealed that he spoke to and even dined with the men now identified as his victims during the grand jury investigation.

Cook To Sue McDonald’s Over Attack

A New York City McDonald’s cashier who was videotaped beating two unruly customers with a metal rod in October has been cleared of all charges after 11 days of grand jury testimony. Rayon McIntosh, who had previously served nearly 10 years in jail for a manslaughter rap, was jailed for seven weeks at Rikers on assault and weapons charges. He was freed Friday after a Manhattan grand jury refused to indict him and prosecutors dropped the charges. The two women who were ruled to have provoked McIntosh still are facing charges, including criminal trespassing and disorderly conduct. A surveillance camera caught the entire incident and shows McIntosh hitting the women with a 3-foot steel pole, fracturing one woman’s skull. McIntosh says he plans to sue the fast-food joint. “I do plan on bringing a civil suit against McDonald’s for putting me in danger,” he said. “If a security guard would have been there, this wouldn’t have happened.”

U.S. Postal Service Makes Big Budget Cuts

Huge cuts by the U.S. Postal Service will ensure a general slowdown in first-class mail delivery. The USPS, which is in danger of bankruptcy, is slashing $3 billion from its budget. That means your paycheck might not arrive as fast, Netflix DVDs will show up later, and magazines might be outdated by the time they arrive in rural areas. Beyond the inconvenience to consumers sending mail, these cuts would shut down 250 out of around 500 mail processing centers as early as March. First-class mail standards dating back to 1971 will be adjusted due to the farther distances mail will travel from post offices to processing centers. Currently, first-class mail should take one to three days to arrive, but will be extended to two to three days. Magazines might take as long as nine days to arrive.

Earth’s Sister Planet Found

Kepler, NASA’s planet hunting mission, has bagged its first “Goldilocks” planet, one that sits in the habitable zone of its star. Nicknamed the Christmas planet, it is the most Earth-like world discovered yet. The planet, more properly known as Kepler 22-b, was revealed yesterday via a press conference at NASA Ames Research Center. It is one of thousands of planets discovered outside our solar system via the Kepler space telescope – and the first one that is in the middle of what astronomers call the “Goldilocks zone” – not too hot, not too cold, just right for life. It is called the Christmas Planet because it took three snapshots for the telescope to determine Kepler 22-b was really there, and the snapshots had to happen 290 days apart, the length of 22-b’s year. The last of the three encounters happened during the 2010 holiday season, just hours before the NASA telescope came down with a technical glitch. “It’s a great gift,” said William Borucki, the telescope’s principal investigator, who came up with the seasonal name. “We were very fortunate to find it.” The Christmas Planet is some 600 light years away. Astronomers have yet to determine whether the planet is rocky, liquid or gaseous. It’s about twice the size of Earth, and the average surface temperature is a balmy 72 degrees Fahrenheit.

Many Already Done With Holiday Shopping

With less than three weeks left until Christmas, more than one-third of people surveyed by America’s Research Group said they finished most of their holiday shopping in November. November included Black Friday, when retailers offered deep discounts. After that weekend, about 28% of people surveyed planned to take a break from shopping. America’s Research Group President Britt Beemer said that’s because many shoppers spent more than they planned on Black Friday. Beemer added that retailers would need to offer even deeper discounts to get some customers to spend more this holiday season.  According to the National Retail Federation, Black Friday weekend sales totaled $52 billion, up from $45 billion last year.

Holiday Specials And Movies

Here are the dates and channels that some favorite holiday specials are airing. Check your local listings for times and last-minute schedule changes.

“National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” – ABC Family, December 7, 10, 12, 22, 23 and 25

“Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas” – ABC Family December 13 and 23

“A Dog Named Christmas” – Hallmark, December 17 and 25

“The Bishop’s Wife” – TCM, December 16

“Rudolph’s Shiny New Year” – ABC Family, December 21, 24 and 25

“The Polar Express” – ABC Family, December 6, 18, 20, 21 and 25

“A Michael Bublé Christmas” – NBC, December 6

“A Christmas Carol” (1938) – TCM, December 23

“Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town” – ABC Family, December 8, 9, 17, 24 and 25

“The Year Without a Santa Claus” – ABC Family, December 8 and 9

“Frosty the Snowman” – CBS, December 9

“Christmas in Connecticut” – TCM, December 11

“The Little Drummer Boy” – ABC Family, December 17 and 24

“The Santa Clause” – ABC Family, December 9, 10, 21, 22, 24 and 25 (also runs on the Hallmark Channel on select dates)

“A Christmas Story” – TBS, December 24

“It’s A Wonderful Life” – NBC, December 24

“Miracle On 34th Street” – Turner Classic Movies, December 24

“Disney Christmas Parade” – ABC, December 25