The Secret Handshake

Howie Mandel doesn’t shake hands.

Donald Trump tries not to shake hands.

World leaders are judged on who they shake hands with, and who shakes hands (or not) with them.

Yes, shaking hands is definitely an art, and the folks at CHEVROLET UK wanted to figure out exactly how to shake hands the right way, as a good solid handshake is often the key to closing a new car sale.

So they came up with THE GUIDE TO THE PERFECT HANDSHAKE, and even commissioned a university professor to come up with a mathematical equation to putting that perfect handshake together.

PH (Perfect Handshake)= √ (e^2 + ve^2)(d^2) + (cg + dr)^2 + π{(4^2)(4^2)}^2 + (vi + t + te)^2 + {(4^2 )(4^2)}^2

where each of the twelve letters in the equation represent the primary measures needed to convey respect and trust to the handshake recipient.

• (e) is eye contact (1=none; 5=direct).  Ideal value = 5
• (ve) is verbal greeting (1=totally inappropriate; 5=totally appropriate).  Ideal value = 5
• (d) is Duchenne smile – smiling in eyes and mouth, plus symmetry on both sides of face, and slower offset (1=totally non-Duchenne smile (false smile); 5=totally Duchenne).  Ideal value = 5
• (cg) completeness of grip (1=very incomplete; 5=full).  Ideal value = 5
• (dr) is dryness of hand (1=damp; 5=dry).  Ideal value = 4
• (s) is strength (1= weak; 5=strong).  Ideal value =3
• (p) is position of hand (1=back towards own body; 5=other person’s bodily zone).  Ideal value = 3
• (vi) is vigour (1=too low/too high; 5=mid).  Ideal value = 3
• (t) is temperature of hands (1=too cold/too hot; 5=mid).  Ideal value = 3
• (te) is texture of hands (5=mid; 1=too rough/too smooth).  Ideal value = 3
• (c) is control (1=low; 5=high).  Ideal value = 3
• (du) is duration (1= brief; 5=long).  Ideal value = 3

It should go without saying that handshakers should avoid the following, which lead to bad handshaking:

• sweaty palms
• don’t squeeze too hard or offer a “dead fish”
• don’t prolong the handshake to the point where the two of you would be considered as holding hands
• don’t run the Perfect Handshake math in your head as you’re about to shake hands with someone

If you follow the 12 Perfect Handshake steps listed in the equation, you should be able to successfully avoid these TOP TEN HANDSHAKE TURNOFFS, as reported in a handshaking survey:

1. Sweaty palms (38% of respondents said it was their top handshaking turn-off)
2. Loose grip / limp wrist (35%)
3. Gripping too hard (7%)
4. Not making eye contact (5%)
5. Shaking too vigorously (4%)
6. Shaking for too long (4%)
7. Standing too close (2%)
8. Shaking with the left hand (2%)
9. Not shaking for long enough (1%)
10. Hot hands (1%)

Some other handshaking statistics include:

• 73% of British respondents said handshaking is an important social gesture
• People in London shake 5.4 hands per week on average
• On average, men shake 6.2 hands per week, while women shake just 2.6 hands per week.
• 32% of women said they didn’t shake any hands in a week, compared to just 6% of men who were similarly lacking in handshaking experience.
• 17% of men and 2% of women reported to be frequent handshakers, considered to be more than 10 times a week
• 42% of men said that the “dead fish”/loose grip and limp wrist were the worst handshake offenses. 50% of women disliked sweaty palms the most.
• 57% of men said they enjoyed shaking hands.  Only 29% of women said they liked it as well.

And the current longest handshake world record was set on November 21, 2009 – it lasted 15 hours, 30 minutes and 45 seconds.  As long as you don’t mind holding hands with someone for that long, that should be a relatively easy record to break for anyone willing to give it a shot.

Related posts:

1. Do the math: Warren Beatty slept with a woman every 1.17 days
2. The Perfect Woman
3. You only need to learn four chords to write The Perfect Pop Song
4. How To Write the Perfect Online Dating Message
5. The Most Perfect Breasts in the World (scientifically speaking, of course)
6. How to tell if the woman across the room is single or not

Just like many of you, Web Watch knows plenty of people who have gone under the knife for elective plastic surgery.

Sometimes the results turn out well and better than the original, other times… not so much.  Sometimes the reasons behind why the person went and got the plastic surgery are obvious, and sometimes we will never know the true motivation behind why someone decides to do what they do to their bodies.

Whether you’re for or against plastic surgery on others, you may want to be aware of the MOST POPULAR PLASTIC SURGERY REQUESTS made in 2010.  This survey asked over 2000 people about their opinion of getting plastic surgery — 69% responded that they had no issue with having work done if money were no object.  So while the actual number of surgeries being performed is down — mainly due to the current economic situation — interest in plastic surgery continues to be on the rise.

Here is the list of most desired plastic surgery options, if money were no object (and the percentage of respondents who would sign up for each treatment):

• Teeth Whitening: 48%
• Tummy Tuck: 29%
• Hair Removal: 27%
• Liposuction: 23%
• Breast Lift: 15%
• Cellulite Treatment: 14%
• Facelift: 13%
• Wrinkle Filler: 12%
• Microdermabrasion: 10%
• Hair Replacement: 9%
• Botox: 7%
• Breast Augmentation/Implants: 6%
• Breast Reduction: 6%
• Rhinoplasty: 4%

Survey results regarding PLASTIC SURGERY FOR MINORITIES from the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery has a slightly different take on what surgeries are most popular:

• Cosmetic surgery is most popular among Asians (31.4% of respondents).  Hispanics (27.4%) and African-Americans (18.8%) followed.
• For invasive procedures, the most common Asian plastic surgery is a facelift.  Black respondents most often reported liposuction, and Hispanics reported abdominoplasty (tummy tuck).
• More than 30% of the respondents said that they would look for a surgeon of the same race/ethnicity as themselves, with 56.6% saying that doing so would be difficult.

Related posts:

1. Doctors Use Natural Orafices For Surgery
2. Study: Obese People Have Sex Less Often Than Non-Obese People Do
3. Today’s Fun Fact: Smoking Leads to Saggy Boobs (and 14 other tidbits)
4. 10 Things People Have Trouble Throwing Away, and Other Clutter Statistics
5. How Much Money do Beggars Make?
6. How Much Money is in Viagra Spam? Try $4000 a Day!

The New Steak: Recipes for a Range of Cuts plus Savory Sides

Web Watch has a friend who claims to be a “new-fangled vegetarian”: they will only eat vegetables after they’ve been processed by a cow.

Yes, nothing beats a good piece of steak that’s been rubbed and marinated just right and cooked on a hot grill on a summer day when there’s cold beer to be had for the grillmaster.

So let’s talk a little bit about the type of meat that you’ll want to serve up next weekend.  First, you need to decide what type of meat you want to put onto the grill.  You can always take a cue from the CATTLEMEN’S BEEF BOARD about what they’re saying are the TOP TEN SELLING CUTS OF BEEF for this grilling season.

1. Boneless Ribeye
2. Boneless Top Sirloin
3. New York Strip
4. T-Bone
5. Bone-in Ribeye
6. Bone-in New York Strip
7. Bone-in Porterhouse
8. Filet Mignon
9. Boneless Tri Tip
10. Boneless Chuck Eye Steak

The next question you should ask is what level of beef should you be purchasing?  If you’re into making big food purchases and then storing meat in your freezer properly protected against the dreaded freezer burn, then you probably purchase your meat at a big warehouse store like Sam’s Club or Costco.

A sidenote: Food Network’s Alton Brown does not believe in freezer bags for his frozen steaks, preferring to individually double-wrap steaks in plastic wrap, then overwrapping them with heavy duty aluminum foil.

If you’ve been to your local Sam’s or Costco, you may have noticed that SAM’S CLUB SELLS “CHOICE” CUTS, WHILE COSTCO ALSO OCCASIONALLY SELLS “PRIME” CUTS.  And since you already know that “prime” is better than “choice”, the question comes down to whether the extra per-pound cost of a “prime” steak is worth it or not.

Without even cooking and eating the food, Web Watch will just point out that when you go to one of those fancy steakhouses – you’re most likely getting USDA Prime, not USDA Choice.  That’s part of the reason why those fancy steakhouses are more expensive than that place just down the street with the neon and drive-thru window. 

Or, if you look at it in a more practical manner, do your own cost comparison between Prime and Choice.  In 2006, for example, there was just a 23% difference in price between the two grades. Definitely worth the effort to upgrade.  The 62% upgrade on a NY Strip steak might take a little bit more negotiation.

Another word of advice, regardless of which level of meat you purchase  - be sure that if you go with “choice” or “prime” that the meat is labeled as “USDA Choice” or “USDA Prime” instead of without the “USDA” part.  Some stores may simply say “Prime” or “Choice” as an advertising gimmick rather than selling you what you’re expecting to get.

And stay away from “Select” graded steaks if you’re looking to impress your boss at the next dinner party.  Keep those for your own family meals.

Related posts:

1. National PI Day, you say? Today is for celebrating something else entirely (nudge nudge, wink wink)
2. The Five Saltiest Restaurant Meals You Can Order
3. How To Figure Out How Much Your Sandwich Costs
4. Claim the FATTY 50 VICTORY in the Fifty Phenomenal Fattiest Foods Challenge
5. KFC’s Double-Down Sandwich: it’s like Heaven on a Bun, without the bun
6. Top Revenue-Producing Restaurants for 2009

Cutie Pie Cherry Pies

Who doesn’t like pie?

That’s right.  Nobody.  Nobody DOESN’T like pie…which means that EVERYONE loves pie.  Well, 92% of those surveyed said they liked pie – and that’s almost everyone.

And research has found out exactly what type of pies Americans like to eat, and where they like to eat their pie.

According to the AMERICAN PIE COUNCIL, the most popular pies are:

1. Apple
2. Pumpkin
3. Pecan
4. Banana Cream
5. Cherry

More telling is that the survey also determined that about 6 million men ages 35-54 have eaten the last slice of pie…and then subsequently lied about doing so.  True.

If it matters, Americans are eating more pie than ever.  ACCORDING TO PILLSBURY, pie consumption has grown 16.5% since 2002, with the average pie-eating household consuming pie at home at least nine times a year.

Related posts:

1. Some Fun Facts about Nathan’s Annual Hot Dog Eating Contest
2. Memo to Pizza Hut, Domino’s, and Papa John’s Pizza: Your Employees are Disgusting
3. Just found the secret to obtaining the ultimate slice of pizza
4. The Top 10 Selling Cuts of Beef does not include the “milk dud”
5. 10 Things People Have Trouble Throwing Away, and Other Clutter Statistics
6. January 23rd (National Pie Day) vs March 13th (National Pi Day)

Girls Gone Wise in a World Gone Wild

JANE DOE HAS LOST HER LAWSUIT AGAINST “GIRLS GONE WILD”.

The 26-year-old woman sued the publishers of Girls Gone Wild, Mantra Films, for US$5 million.  In the lawsuit, she claimed that she had not given consent to show her breasts to the Girls Gone Wild cameraman – the original video even has her saying “no” repeatedly.  Then her top was pulled down by another patron at the bar, where the act was caught on film and later published in the GIRLS GONE WILD: SORORITY ORGY video.   She didn’t know that she was in the video until one of her husband’s friends called to point it out a few years later.

All of this took place in May 2004, while a  then 20-year-old “Jane Doe” was dancing on the bar at the (now defunct) Rum Jungle at Laclede’s Landing in St Louis, Missouri.  The lawsuit was suing for damage to her reputation to the now mother of 2, and was originally filed in 2008.  Can you believe it took two years for this thing to get to trial? 

It took just 90 minutes for the jury to rule against the plaintiff.  All parties agreed that consent was the pivotal issue.  Jane Doe’s side said that her saying “no” directly to the camera does not give any consent at all, while the defense said that by continuing to dance for the camera and participate in the event did give implied consent to the activities.

The jury foreman said that the majority of the jury felt that consent was given by merely being present at the bar.  “Through her actions, she gave implied consent. She was really playing to the camera. She knew what she was doing,” was the foreman’s statement.

Blogs and commentators across the web are finding it hard to believe that a woman saying “no” is also non-verbally granting consent… especially when Jane Doe wasn’t the one who pulled down her own top. 

This isn’t the first time that consent has been at the center of a Girls Gone Wild lawsuit.  In 2005, a Virginia Beach woman sued Girls Gone Wild and won over $61,000 when the court ruled that the woman’s verbal consent wasn’t enough to warrant filming her as Virginia state law requires written consent for use of an individual’s image in a commercial production.  One would think that after the Virginia incident, Mantra Films would be a bit more careful about making sure that they had proper consent documentation taken care of.

Was Jane Doe breaking the law by being in a bar at 20-years-old? Was she there with a fake ID?  Questions like these may not matter as she was over 18-years-old at the time - because of that, this case is a bit different than the 2004 case where a 17-year-old sued the makers and publishers of THE GUY GAME for filming that girl topless WITH that girl’s direct consent.  That game was subsequently taken off the market due to the inclusion of the underage video footage.   Interestingly, when Girls Gone Wild was sued over the exact same situation, where two 17-year-olds were filmed topless by cameramen and also given consent, they too lost their lawsuit as the jury in that case stated “knew what they were doing.  The jury realized that there were no drugs, alcohol or coercion involved in what they did.”

So that’s two cases against Girls Gone Wild where the jury found for the filmmakers under the soon-to-be infamous “you knew what you were doing” defense.  Fake IDs, consent forms incorrectly signed by minors, and even saying “no” are no match for a jury of your peers.  Web Watch can see the next Girls Gone Wild court case, where the lawyer simply stands up and presents their entire defense as “Your Honor – her mouth was saying no, but her body was saying yes. The defense rests.”   The whole defense being based on “actions speak louder than words”.

Sure, sometimes bad things happen if you’re in the wrong place at the wrong time… perhaps she and her friends should have just left and gone to a different bar before anything bad happened.  Doesn’t make the court outcome any different, but that may have been what the jury was thinking when they came to their decision.

Something tells us that this case may be moving a bit higher than the St Louis Circuit Court.  It really should.

Related posts:

1. Lawsuit over the World’s Largest PEZ Dispenser
2. A Russian woman gave birth to 69(!) children… and other surprising statistics
3. 20 Least Appropriate Tattoos for Girls
4. How to tell if the woman across the room is single or not
5. Do the math: Warren Beatty slept with a woman every 1.17 days
6. Michael Jackson Auction Update

On Writing – A Memoir of the Craft, by Stephen King

Writing Web Watch is not often easy.

It’s not the finding cool stuff to write about.  Web Watch has a stack of things in our To Do pile to address at some point, and the Internet is always growing.  We’ll never have a topic shortage here.

No, it’s the actual writing that can be problematic.  Finding the right words to say, putting them into their proper order. Making sure words are formed into phrases, that timing and spacing is correct.  Whoever said that writing wasn’t work was lying.  (Yes, we’re looking at you… every English teacher who ever taught.)

So when Web Watch stumbled upon the site I WRITE LIKE, we jumped at the chance to see if all the effort we poured into Web Watch was paying off.So we took a number of previous Web Watch posts and pasted them into the I WRITE LIKE text box and hit submit.

The first entry told us that we wrote like STEPHEN KING.  Fine, we’ll accept that.  Let’s try a few more just to be sure that we weren’t misled.

• Stephen King.
• Stephen King.
• David Foster Wallace.
• Edgar Allen Poe.
• Stephen King.
• Chuck Palahniuk.

Six randomly selected pieces of text entered, and the overwhelming result is that we write like Stephen King.

Not too shabby.

Of course, what we need to understand is that the I WRITE LIKE database  is currently at 50 different authors, all taken from the top of the writing charts.  So the chances of your writing being compared to somebody known as being quite good is relatively high… and a little bit less scientific than the site presents itself as.

The methodology is quite simple – the programmer who wrote the application just fed in works written by those authors and boiled them down to a core set of terms and phrases.  Then the same thing is done to whatever you submit, and the results are compared to each other.  If you’re lucky, there will be a match between what you wrote and what works by those writing masters have done.  For example, the lyrics to Lady Gaga’s “Alejandro” proved to be a match to Shakespeare.

Web Watch knows that ain’t right.

As the creator of the site said himself, “it’s not rocket science” to figure this out.  It’s obviously still a work in progress.

But we’ll enjoy our Stephen King comparison for the time being, until something better comes along.

Related posts:

1. Today’s lesson: Writing jokes isn’t easy. Computers that write jokes aren’t funny.
2. November is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo, for short)
3. The Best Way to Write A Love Letter
4. How To Write the Perfect Online Dating Message
5. Paul Dickson: Drunk Writer
6. 10 Epic Pop Culture Fails

Remember F***MY LIFE (aka “FML”) that Web Watch told you about last year?

That’s the website where people bitch and complain about how their life sucks more than yours, and everyone gets to vote on their favorite F-ups?

Apparently, that site wasn’t catering directly enough to women.

Some women wanted a more serene place to be than the rough-and-tumble world of FML. 

So they created MY FAULT, I’M FEMALE to allow themselves a place to vent about all their women troubles.

MFIF is where you’ll find stories about glass ceilings and the old boy’s network at work; doctors, policemen, and other professionals dismissing a woman’s opinion as (wait for it…) “just a woman’s opinion”; and other misogynistic, pig-headed ways that women are treated unfairly while they try to go about their every day lives.

Now, before you go about saying “but there already is an FML site that’s perfectly fine and dandy, why do we need this one just for women”, we’ll just share their reasoning for the site here.  It should be make perfect sense why MFIF is needed:

40 years after the Equal Pay Act in Britain, women still earn 17% less than men for full-time and 36% less for part-time work. This blog also seeks to expose sexism with accounts of discrimination, lack of respect for maternity rights, employers who don’t care about work-life balance, and disparity in pay.

We want to highlight what is still an entrenched problem in our workplaces, streets, and homes, while sharing stories on a non-judgmental platform.

Related posts:

1. At What Age are Women the Happiest?
2. News Flash: Women secretly hate the fashion choices most men make
3. The Differences between Men and Women
4. Texts From Last Night
5. Why Fat Women Are Better
6. SideTaker.com – Whose Side are You On?

Computer Smurf

With all the hype surrounding using social websites like Facebook or Twitter, and traditional websites trying to become more timely by jumping onto the social bandwagon, it appears that this may be one of those times when people are going social for the wrong reasons.

According to the 2010 AMERICAN CUSTOMER SATISFACTION INDEX (done by ACSI with ForeSee Results), consumers ranked social networking website FACEBOOK as being worse than the IRS.   When ranked on a 100-point scale, Facebook was ranked at a 64. 

64.  Where Web Watch went to school, this would be a D… if we were lucky.  Some teachers would have given that score an F.

How bad is a 64 ranking?  It’s in the bottom 5% of all measured private sector companies, and is in the usual company of airlines and cable companies.  In other words, Facebook is living in the land of companies with poor customer satisfaction.

And yet Facebook is running as the most popular website on the Internet right now.  Apparently, no matter how dissatisfied users are with using the site, they just don’t care.

To be clear, MySpace doesn’t escape scrutiny here, either.  MySpace ranked at 63.  Also not good.

For comparison, Google clocked in with a solid 80 on the Customer Satisfaction Index.

Here is how the websites that were evaluated ranked for the year (higher numbers are better):

• FOXNews.com: 82
• Google: 80
• Bing.com: 77
• USATODAY.com: 77
• Wikipedia.com: 77
• NYTimes.com: 76
• Yahoo!: 76
• ABCNEWS.com: 75
• MSN: 75
• MSNBC.com: 74
• AOL: 74
• CNN.com: 73
• Ask.com: 73
• YouTube.com: 73
• Facebook.com: 64
• MySpace.com: 63

The bigger question, then, is how do the Social Media industry satisfaction numbers rank against other industries when looked at as an aggregate?  Again, the higher number is better.

• Personal care and cleaning products: 85
• Soft drinks: 85
• Automobiles and light vehicles: 84
• Breweries: 84
• Credit unions: 84
• Pet food: 84
• Electronics (TV, VCR, DVD, etc): 83
• Express shipping: 83
• Food manufacturing: 83
• Internet retail: 83
• Apparel: 82
• Full service restaurants: 81
• Major appliances: 81
• Sneakers: 80
• Insurance: 80
• Social media: 70
• Airlines: 66
• Cable TV: 66

Related posts:

1. 10 Ways to Be a Facebook Offender
2. The 12 Most Annoying Facebook Users
3. Most Visited Websites and Social Networks for July 2009
4. Giving up Facebook for Lent
5. List of Facebook Statistics
6. The 20 Male Poses of Facebook Photos

The Fattest Man in America

Deep-fried Oreo cookies and deep-fried Twinkies are not just a delight to be had at state fairs across the South.

No, unusual deep-fried foods have become a tasty treat that has spread – literally and figuratively – across the country like a delicious fungus, to be treasured.  (Mushrooms, by the way, are also a tasty fungus.  See how clever we are?  No?  Oh well, moving on…)

HEALTH.COM  has decided to embrace the fact that sometimes people want to eat food that tastes good, regardless of whether those foods are actually good for you or not.  So they went out and compiled this list of THE FATTEST FOODS IN THE COUNTRY, one menu item for each of the 50 states.

 No, we’re not passing judgement on anyone who wants to eat these meals.  Web Watch will be one of the first to join in with you, just to be able to say that we did it.  The question that we pose to you, our faithful Web Watch family – who will be the first amongst us to claim the FATTY 50 VICTORY – eating one of each of the following fat-filled items first?

Remember, photos – or it didn’t happen.  So step to it, Web Watch readers!  Hit the road, and chow down on one of these fifty phenomenally fatty foods:

• Alabama: Bacon-wrapped meatloaf
• Alaska: Eskimo Ice Cream
• Arizona: Quadruple Bypass Burger
• Arkansas: Catfish
• California: In-N-Out Burger Double Double
• Colorado: Jack-N-Grill’s 7-pound breakfast burritos
• Connecticut: 2-foot-long hot dog
• Delaware: Deep-fried pastry
• Florida: Empanadas
• Georgia: Luther Burger
• Hawaii: Loco Moco
• Idaho: Bacon Bleu Cheese dressing
• Illinois: Deep-dish pizza
• Indiana: Fried-brain sandwich
• Iowa: Hot beef sundae
• Kansas: Charred ends
• Kentucky: KFC’s Double Down
• Louisiana: Beignet
• Maine: Lobster roll
• Maryland: Smith Island Cake
• Massachusetts: Chocolate chip cookies
• Michigan: BLT
• Minnesota: Dairy Queen’s FlameThrower GrillBurger
• Mississippi: Mud Pie
• Missouri: Hardee’s 2/3 Lb. Monster Thickburger
• Montana: Rocky Mountain Oysters
• Nebraska: Eskimo Pie
• Nevada: Buffets
• New Hampshire: New England Clam Chowder
• New Jersey: Fat Darrell
• New Mexico: Frito Pie
• New York: Garbage plate
• North Carolina: Livermush
• North Dakota: Fleischkuechle
• Ohio: Bob Evans’ Sausage Biscuit Bowl
• Oklahoma: Chicken fried steak
• Oregon: Brunchbox’s Redonkadonk
• Pennsylvania: Philly cheesesteak
• Rhode Island: New York System Hot Wieners
• South Carolina: Turducken
• South Dakota: Frybread
• Tennessee: Ruby Tuesday’s Triple Prime Bacon Cheddar Burger
• Texas: Corn dog
• Utah: Scone
• Vermont: Ben & Jerry’s Vermonster
• Virginia: Ham
• Washington: Crab Louis Salad
• West Virginia: Hillbilly Hotdogs’ 10-pound burger
• Wisconsin: Deep-fried cheese curds
• Wyoming: Lamb

Web Watch will admit to having eaten a number of these items, and we’re proud of it.  But we do have an issue with this list in general, as there seems to be a cop-out for a number of states along the way.  Missouri, for example, is not the only state that Hardee’s burger is available at.  Same goes for Tennessee’s Ruby Tuesday burger.  We find it hard to believe that a national chain restaurant beat out all other local contenders for the Fattiest Meal in those states.

Related posts:

1. This Is Why You’re Fat
2. KFC’s Double-Down Sandwich: it’s like Heaven on a Bun, without the bun
3. Top Ten Foods To Get You High
4. Six Chocolate-Bacon Recipes
5. Foods That Help You Fall Asleep
6. Eating a double-cheeseburger at home is less expensive than buying the $1 version at McDonald’s

Good Sport

When it comes to sports -- and more importantly, how athletes present themselves both on and off the field -- times have changed a lot over the past few years.

With Soccer Parents getting into fights with coaches over why their kids aren’t getting enough field time, fighting-enducing trash-talking during a game, athletes climbing into the stands to punch out hecklers, or even some sports where the scoreboard is being taken away entirely “because kids don’t want the pressure to have to win” — the reason for sports to exist in the first place are slowly falling down by the wayside as the “spirit of competition” gives way to “winning at all costs”.

A survey of 1,500 athletes, age 18-30, agrees that this is a disturbing trend.  68% of those surveyed said that they felt that sportsmanship is on the decline, and that sports are not nearly as much fun now as it was when they were younger.  Some of the reasons they gave for the lack of fun in their current competitions included:

• 79% said that showing good sportsmanship is not as important as it used to be
• 81% said that today’s athletes would rather win the game than play completely fairly
• 73% thought that their athletic peers believe it’s cheating only if they’re caught
• 86% of younger athletes say they’ve seen an increase in trash-talk during games as they’ve gotten older.  81% indicated that a lot of that stemmed from less respect for game officials as well.
• 45% said that the coaches were equally at fault with not being a good sport and focusing solely on winning.

It’s because of this trend away from the fun of sports that CHAMPION Athleticwear has decided to create an ATHLETES’ CREED, to bring back clean competition to sports of all types.  If you have an idea or philosophy that you believe should be added to the ATHLETES’ CREED, then you have until August 6th to make your submission.

Some of the submissions that have already been made include:

• Once you stop playing for the love of the game, the game will stop loving you.
• The joy of competing can be just as satisfying as the joy of winning.
• If you’re too busy being afraid to fail, then you’ll be too busy to have fun.
• Play for your teammates. Selflessness is the number one characteristic of successful teams.
• Your game face and your best behavior face should be the same face.
• Respect your opponent; never taunt or intimidate.
• Respect your coach. You will never agree with all their decisions but understand their level of commitment to you and your teammates and the unselfishness of their time
• Respect officials and their decisions; understand that officials sometimes make mistakes, just like you
• It’s only worth playing if you’re willing to work hard, and play the game the right way
• Learn how to win and lose graciously when you’re young and the stakes aren’t nearly as high -- it will be significantly easier to do so in the real world, which is full of wins and losses
• Success is failure turned inside out. In order to be a winner, you must first experience what it feels like to lose
• Your post-game attitude should never reveal whether you won or lost
• When competing, don’t let your emotions get the best of you where your sport loses respect for you
• Good sportsmanship and respect for your opponents is often reciprocal. Give and you’ll usually receive

And for those who doubt that sports builds character, the whole “sportsmanship over sports” credo really was laid out with this year’s recipient of the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at this year’s ESPYs, the ED THOMAS FAMILY.

Here is their acceptance speech.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vss2VCdjnSs

Related posts:

1. For the record, Hungry Hungry Hippo is not a sport
2. Flash Fun: Want to play some hoops? Try this world-wide multiplayer basketball game
3. Play MONOPOLY Against The World
4. The Scrabble rule change doesn’t affect anyone who already knows how to play
5. The top reason to play guitar? “Enlightenment”. The top reason not to play guitar? ‘Cause you’re a girl
6. No More Mercy Rule: Sometimes losing a game is all about winning in the end

The Resting Metabolic Rate Debate

Do you know what your METABOLIC RATE is when doing various activities around the house?

Better yet – do you know which day-to-day functions offer the best (or worst) exercise based on the amount of metabolic activity they provide?

A number of doctors and researchers have updated the COMPENDIUM OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES that lists and allows you to compare the MET of each activity you select, and it’s been published in the Official Journal of the American College of Sports Medicine.  The MET is a standard “metabolic intensity level” metric that allows different studies that look at health-related data to all be based on the same overall measurement standard. 

In other words, two different studies on running can use the same MET value associated with running when working out their math.

If it helps, 1 MET is the standard intensity level when a person is resting and just sitting down, relaxing.  Sleeping offers the lowest MET of 0.9.  The highest MET is 18, and can be obtained by running 10.9 MPH.

Now that we know what the range is, here is a list of MET intensity levels for doing various other activities:

• 1.0 - Taking medication, sitting or standing
• 1.0 - Having hair or nails done by someone else, sitting
• 1.0 - Riding in a car or truck
• 1.0 - Riding in a bus
• 1.0 - Lying queitly, done nothing, lying in bed awake, listening to music (not talking or reading)
• 1.0 - Sitting quietly, sitting smoking, listening to music (not talking or reading), watching a movie in a theater
• 1.5 - Sitting at a sporting event, spectator
• 1.5 - Reclining with baby
• 1.5 - Retreat/family reunion activities involving sitting, relaxing, talking, eating
• 1.5 - Sitting—arts and crafts, light effort
• 1.8 - Standing—arts and crafts, light effort
• 2.0 - Standing–miscellaneous
• 2.0 - Sitting—arts and crafts, moderate effort
• 2.0 - Touring/traveling/vacation involving walking and riding
• 2.0 - Farming, chasing cattle or other livestock, driving, light effort
• 2.0 - Walking, less than 2.0 mph, level ground, strolling, very slow
• 2.5 - Hairstyling
• 2.5 - Walking, 2.0 mph, level, slow pace, firm surface
• 2.5 - Walking from house to car or bus, from car or bus to go places, from car or bus to and from the work site
• 2.5 - Walking to neighbor’s house or family’s house for social reasons
• 2.5 - Walking to and from an outhouse
• 2.5 - Bird watching
• 2.5 - Custodial, vacuuming, light effort
• 2.5 - Custodial, cleaning sink and toilet, light effort
• 2.5 - Custodial, dusting, light effort
• 2.5 - Bakery, light effort
• 2.5 - Camping involving standing, walking, sitting, light-to-moderate effort
• 2.5 - Mild stretching
• 2.5 - Multiple household tasks all at once, light effort
• 2.5 - Feeding animals
• 2.5 - Watering plants
• 2.5 - Building a fire inside
• 2.5 - Sitting, playing with animals, light, only active periods
• 2.8 - Standing, playing with animals, light, only active periods
• 2.8 - Walk/run, playing with animals, light, only active periods
• 3.0 - Loading/unloading a car
• 3.0 - Walking the dog
• 3.0 - Walking, gathering things at work, ready to leave
• 3.0 - Carrying small children
• 3.0 - Picking fruit off trees, picking fruits/vegetables, moderate effort
• 3.0 - Standing—arts and crafts, moderate effort
• 3.0 - Custodial, take out trash, moderate effort
• 3.0 - Custodial, vacuuming, moderate effort
• 3.0 - Custodial, buffing the floor with an electric buffer
• 3.3 - Canoeing, harvesting wild rice, knocking rice off the stalks
• 3.5 - Mopping
• 3.5 - Multiple household tasks all at once, moderate effort
• 3.5 - Vacuuming
• 3.5 - Custodial, general cleaning, moderate effort
• 3.5 - Custodial, mopping, moderate effort
• 3.5 - Standing—arts and crafts, vigorous effort
• 3.5 - Standing–bathing dog
• 3.5 - Tailoring, weaving
• 4.0 - Lifting items continuously, 10–20 lbs, with limited walking or resting
• 4.0 - Track and field (shot, discus, hammer throw)
• 4.0 - Walking, pushing a wheelchair
• 4.0 - Pushing a wheelchair, non occupational setting
• 4.0 - Water aerobics, water calisthenics
• 4.0 - Farming, chasing cattle or other livestock on horseback, moderate effort
• 4.0 - Custodial, feathering arena floor, moderate effort
• 4.0 - Raking lawn
• 4.0 - Elder care, disabled adults, only active periods
• 4.0 - Walk/run, playing with animals, moderate, only active periods
• 4.0 - Multiple household tasks all at once, vigorous effort
• 4.3 - Golf, walking and pulling clubs
• 4.5 - Disco, folk, square, line dancing, Irish step dancing, polka, contra, and country dancing.
• 4.5 - Painting
• 4.5 - Mowing lawn, power mower
• 4.5 - Jogging on a mini-trampoline
• 4.5 - Golf, walking and carrying clubs
• 5.0 - Tennis, doubles play
• 5.0 - Walk/run, playing with animals, vigorous, only active periods
• 5.5 - Anishinaabe Jingle Dancing or other traditional American Indian dancing
• 6.0 - Track and field (high jump, long jump, triple jump, javelin, pole vault)
• 6.0 - Butchering animals
• 6.0 - Farming, taking care of animals (grooming, brushing, shearing sheep, assisting with birthing, medical care, branding)
• 8.0 - Walking, 5.0 mph
• 8.0 - Water jogging
• 8.0 - Volleyball, competitive play in a gymnasium
• 8.0 – Bicycling, general
• 8.5 – Aerobic, step, with 6–8 inch step
• 10.0 - Track and field (steeplechase, hurdles)
• 10.0 – Aerobic, step, with 10–12 inch step
• 12.0 - Skin diving or SCUBA diving as a frogman (Navy Seal)
• 12.5 - Roller blading (in-line skating)

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Toilet Time Targets for Potty Training

Female Web Watch readers should seldom have reason to enter the men’s room in public places (Jimmy Buffet concerts being a notable exception, where even Ally McBeal’s co-ed bathroom seems quaint in comparison).

But it they did happen to wander into the men’s room in their favorite watering hole – no pun intended – they may see that some businesses feel that it is important to dump a few bags of ice into the urinals for the evening.

All of which brings up the inevitable question as the ladies return from their trip:  WHY IS THERE ICE IN THE URINALS?  Heck, even the vertible New York Times decided to get in on the action by writing about ICE-FILLED URINALS in a travel article a while back.

The most obvious answer is that ice in the urinal helps prevent the dreaded splashback.

Another reason is that when men see ice in the urinal, they don’t feel the need to flush.  The melting ice helps drain the urine out without needing to run additional water through, so there is less water usage overall.

Other possible reasons given for putting ice into a urinal are that the excess cold discourages drain flies, and that the cool air in the urinal helps prevent the area from becoming stinky.

But the most popular reason given is best summed up from this conversation that Web Watch overheard a friend and his wife having the other day:

She: You know how some places put ice in the urinals?
He: In the men’s room?  How do you know this?
She: I’ve seen pictures.
He: Right, you’ve–
She: I’VE SEEN PICTURES.  (pause)  So why is that?
He: Do you want the REAL answer or the COMFORTING answer?
She: …comforting?
He: It reduces splashback, which is more sanitary and substantially reduces the odor.
She: That’s the comforting answer?
He: Yup.
She: What’s the real answer?
He: Guys like making ice melt with their pee.

It’s true.

Ice in the urinals is fun to melt, thereby causing users to aim better.  It’s no different from just placing a STICKER OF A FLY IN THE URINAL to give peeing men something to aim at.. which, according to the UrinalFly sales material, helps keep a public men’s room up to 85% cleaner than if the fly was not in the urinal.

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4. Google has some tough interview questions (“you have eight balls the same size…”)
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More Gigs Now: Concert Booking Secrets of Successful Musicians

Web Watch last covered how much money it would take to book an artist for a private party many years ago.

Since then, the list of available artists has changed… as have the prices that they’ve charged.

So we felt that now was just as good a time as any to revisit the topic and present a selection of booking information we’ve found that can help you BUDGET AN ARTIST BOOKING FOR A PRIVATE EVENT.

Here is a sampling of approximate costs that you can expect to pay at a minimum if you decide to throw an exclusive private party and want a big-name artist or speaker to come and perform for you and your drunk friends at your house:

• ADAM RICHMAN from MAN VS FOOD: $10,000+
• Olympic Gold Medalist APOLO OHNO:  $60,000+
• The Fonz – HENRY WINKLER:  $25,000
• American Idol Judge KARA DIOGUARDI: $15,000-$25,000
• Former NBC news anchor TOM BROKAW: $110,000+
• SNL cast member DARRELL HAMMOND: $35,000-$40,000
• Actor/comedian DAVID CROSS: $20,000
• Comedian/AFLAC duck voice - GILBERT GOTTFRIED: $15,000
• JERRY SEINFELD: between $250,000-350,000
• From various movies, such as THE HANGOVER, THE DAN BAND – $12,000-15,000
• VILLAGE PEOPLE: $25,000+
• BRUCE HORNSBY: $35,000++
• CHEAP TRICK: $35,000
• BEN FOLDS: $45,000
• THE BLACK EYED PEAS: $350,000+
• GREEN DAY: $500,000++
• HARRY CONNICK JR.: $100,000 +++
• ASHER ROTH: $20,000
• COOLIO: $20,000
• JASON DERULO: $25,000-30,000+
• KELIS: $25,000-30,000

As always, actual costs may be higher or lower depending on what you’re situation is and what you’re offering the artist — who knows, maybe they’ll show up at your wedding for free…all you have to do is ask.

UPDATE:  The Dan Band is listed above as $12-15k.  Apparently, it all depends on what you want. ACCORDING TO AN EMAIL THAT THEIR MANAGER SENT, the 7-piece band will run $15-25k while the 3-piece band is the $10-15k range.  Of course, travel expenses for the band and their crew are not included.   If you just want a personalized video, that runs a relatively paltry $1,500.

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Afroman – Because I Got High

Some people eat for energy, like athletes do.

Some people eat for stress relief.

Most people eat  just to survive until the next day, since food is important.

Then there are those people who eat just to get high.  A little buzz.  Anything to take the edge off of one’s head, if you know what we mean.

So here is a list of TEN FOODS THAT SOME PEOPLE EAT TO GET HIGH.  (disclaimer – some of these may not be available or legal in your state or country.  Web Watch is not a lawyer or doctor – all we can do is report the news.)

1. Pot Brownies, Cookies, Bread and Butter, Pasta — you know, anything made with marijuana
2. Coca Leaves
3. Betel Nut
4. Peyote Cactus
5. Angel Trumpet Tea
6. Nutmeg
7. Poppy Seeds
8. Morning Glory Seeds
9. Smoking Banana Peels
10. Psilocybin Magic Mushrooms

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Old Spice Body Wash

If you have been enjoying the OLD SPICE COMMERCIALS that have been sweeping across the Internet this week that star Isaiah Mustafa recording personalized Old Spice-themed messages as responses to Twitter, Facebook, and other messages that have been sent his way, then perhaps you’d want to visit one of these sites to record some history for yourself.

THE OLD SPICE MAN VOICEMAIL GENERATOR or THE OLD SPICE VOICEMAIL GENERATOR FOR MEN OR WOMEN.

Just enter a number and select from the presented choices, and your personalized MP3 will be generated and made available for your download and use – finally allowing your unanswered phone to not smell like desperation anymore.

This Old Spice campaign is, by all accounts from those who follow these types of things, sheer brilliance in using social media to reach out to a new demographic who may not be interested in the seemingly old-skewing Old Spice brand.  Kudos to the marketers for trying something new, and making it funny/worthwhile to follow along with.

How did they do it?  You may want to check out one of these articles that can better explain the marketing genius behind this unique campaign:

• HOW THE OLD SPICE VIDEOS ARE MADE
• THE TEAM WHO MADE OLD SPICE SMELL GOOD AGAIN REVEALS WHAT’S BEHIND MUSTAFA’S TOWEL

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Lady Gaga

Doctors around the country have issued warnings to anyone who is trying to dress up like Lady Gaga, saying that DRESSING UP LIKE LADY GAGA CAN BE HAZARDOUS TO YOUR HEALTH.

And since Web Watch wants to be sure that you have this information in a timely manner before you decide to emulate your pop hero for Halloween, we thought we’d share now instead of closer to October.  It’s our public service announcement of the day.

• Don’t wear “Circle Lenses” cosmetic contact lenses.  Wearing over-the-counter contact lenses without a doctor’s care are almost never a good idea, no matter how trendy those giant eyeballs make you look.
• Don’t follow Lady Gaga’s eating advice.  Gaga said “pop stars don’t eat”.  Really?   Don’t believe it.
• Don’t wear gigantic platform shoes.  You’ll most likely fall over and twist an ankle.  You know you will.
• Don’t wear lingerie that can kill yourself or someone else.  Convert those flamethrowing bras to ones that shoot whipped cream, like Katy Perry did.

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Pastry Shop Business Plan

Web Watch is a big fan of pastries, donuts, and other baked goods.

We’ve been known to travel out of our way to eat at RESTAURANTS THAT EMPLOY THE TOP PASTRY CHEFS IN THE COUNTRY.

And now, according to DESSERT PROFESSIONAL MAGAZINE, we just need to head down to our local doughnut shop, no matter where we are in the world.

That’s because one of  the winners of the 17th ANNUAL TOP PASTRY CHEF IN AMERICA competition is Christopher Boos of Dunkin’ Brands.

That’s right.  Dunkin’ Brands.  Parent company of Dunkin’ Donuts.

Christopher Boos, named one of the ten best pastry chef in Amercia, essentially works in a donut shop.   No wonder Homer Simpson is proud of his donut fetish.  Donuts are nothing to be ashamed of.

But donuts are not the only pastry that Boos knows how to make.  For the competition, Boos’ featured dessert was a milk chocolate jasmine tea tart, Baskin-Robbins cranberry sorbet with soaked cherries and a Dunkin’ Dark Roast coffee crème.  Of course – just the type of thing you’d find down at the local coffee shop.   

Not.  

Or at least, if we keep our fingers crossed, not yet.  Web Watch can hope, right?

Who were the other TOP TEN PASTRY CHEFS IN AMERICA?  Here’s who made the list along with Boos:

For those of you interested, Dunkin Brands issued a press release honoring Boos’ achievement.  It’s posted after the break.

Dessert Professional Magazine, the leading publication of the pastry, ice cream and chocolate industries, has recognized Dunkin’ Brands’ Executive Pastry Chef Christopher Boos as one of the top ten pastry chefs of 2010. Dessert Professional honored Boos at a reception at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City, NY on June 7. Other prestigious pastry chefs honored included Steve Evetts of the Marriot Marquis Hotel in New York City, NY; Yannis Janssens of the Fontainebleau in Miami Beach, FL; Nicholas Lodge of the French Pastry School in Chicago, IL and Roy Pell from The Phoenician in Scottsdale, AZ.

The event featured an award ceremony that recognized these chefs as the best in the nation, and was followed by a walk-around tasting of desserts created by the ten honored chefs. Boos created a magnificent dessert consisting of a milk chocolate jasmine tea tart, Baskin-Robbins cranberry sorbet with soaked cherries and a Dunkin’ Dark Roast coffee creme.

“With more and more remarkable talent filling the ranks of dessert professionals, being recognized as one of best has gained a new level of prestige,” said Dessert Professional Editor Matthew Stevens. “We set out to recognize outstanding chefs who elevate the industry as a whole with their contributions in talent, innovation, and community service. These are the chefs who have proven they most embody the spirit of excellence and hospitality to which we are all committed.”

“I am truly honored and humbled to be named one of the ten best pastry chefs in America, and to be in the company of these esteemed chefs,” commented Boos. “This award is one of the great highlights of my career.”

Throughout a 25-year career dedicated solely to pastry creations, Boos has established himself as one of the country’s premier pastry chefs and an imaginative architect of award-winning desserts. Since 2004, Boos has brought his exceptional experience and artistry to Dunkin’ Brands where he has worked to create innovative new menu items for Baskin-Robbins and Dunkin’ Donuts – while sharing his knowledge of pastry design and preparation with Dunkin’ Brands’ culinary team and franchise owners throughout the world. In his time as Dunkin’ Brands Executive Pastry Chef, he has been instrumental in the oversight and development of a number of new and innovative products for both Baskin-Robbins and Dunkin’ Donuts, including cakes, ice cream treats, pastries, sweet snacks, and bakery items.

“As Executive Pastry Chef, Christopher brings exceptional experience and artistry to Dunkin’ Brands, and inspires our entire team each and every day to conceive new and innovative creations for our customers,” said Stan Frankenthaler, Executive Chef for Dunkin’ Brands. “We could not be more proud to see Dessert Professional recognize Christopher for his skills and creativity, and we salute our friend and colleague for his accomplishment.”

Boos has been honored with numerous awards throughout his career, including eight Gold Medals from the International Hotel / Motel & Restaurant Show in New York City for Pulled Sugar Presentations, Cake Presentations and Chocolate Showpiece Presentations. He also received the Medal of the French Government Grand Prize of The Salon for Full Pastry Presentation. In 2001, the American Culinary Federation’s Mid-Hudson Chapter named Boos as its Chef of the Year. Most recently, Boos was a member of the United States national team at the 2009 Coupe de Monde World Pastry Cup.

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Dynamo Air Hockey Table

The 2010 ZWACK AIR HOCKEY WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS will take place on July 15-18 in Houston, Texas.

The only sanctioning body for competitive air hockey, the UNITED STATES AIR HOCKEY ASSOCIATION, has been hosting air hockey tournaments for over 30 years.

How serious do real air hockey players take their sport?  Here are some of the OFFICIAL AIR HOCKEY RULES that you may not already be aware of. 

• After each game, players will alternate tablesides.
• The puck cannot be “topped” by lifting the mallet and placing it on the top of the puck. This cannot be done at any time whether before a serve or after a serve during play. Violation constitutes a foul. Using the mallet to bring an airborne puck to the table or opponent’s goal is not a topping violation no matter which side or edge of the puck is contacted.
• A player has seven (7) seconds to execute a shot, which crosses the centerline. The seven (7) seconds begins as soon as the puck enters and remains on that player’s side of the centerline. Violation of this rule is a foul.
• A player may stand anywhere around the table on his/her side of the centerline. He/she may not stand past that line.
• If a score occurs after the table loses power, the point will count only if the puck was struck prior to the table losing power
• Distractive Noise: Talking to an opponent, a spectator, a referee, or oneself during play may be penalized by a foul. Loud noises and excessive screaming can also be considered distracting. A referee may warn a player before calling a foul at his/her discretion. Intentional or excessive, distractive talking may be penalized by a “conduct warning” in addition to a foul. Possible distraction violations, which directly lead to a score or a change of possession, should be scrutinized more seriously by a referee when determining whether to ignore, warn or penalize the potential violation.

Web Watch will admit that we always thought that “topping” was a valid air hockey play.  We stand corrected.

The 2010 Air Hockey World Championship press release after the break.

Zwack, the national shot of Hungary, is excited to announce that the best of the best air hockey players will compete at the 2010 Zwack Air Hockey World Championships July 15-18, 2010 in Houston.

The 2010 Zwack Air Hockey World Championships, open to both amateurs and experts, will feature 16 Valley-Dynamo air hockey tables and competitions for doubles and single team play.

The Power Doubles and Amateur Doubles tournaments will be held on July 16, and the singles tournaments will cover two days beginning on July 17.  On July 18, the 2010 Zwack Air Hockey Champions will meet for a double elimination competition to establish the 2010 champion.

“Together with Texas Air Hockey Group, AirHockeyWorld.com and support from Major League Air Hockey, we expect the largest crowd in the event’s 32 year history,” said Seth Yassky, Zwack Brand Manager for Diageo.  “We are pleased to introduce Zwack to the air hockey community, and look forward to responsibly celebrating the best players in the world.”

Sanctioned as an international level event by the United States Airhockey Association (USAA), all competitions will take place at SRO Sports Bar and Cafe in Houston. Since its inception in 1975, the USAA has sanctioned championship air hockey each year, crowning 12 different champions over 30 years. The USAA remains at present the only recognized worldwide player organization for Air Hockey.

For complete tournament information and registration, visit www.airhockeyworld.com

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Remember how WEB WATCH TOLD YOU ABOUT HOW OLDER WOMEN ARE MORE LIKELY TO HAVE SEX? 

Well, you know how all those Viagra and other male enhancement drug commercials all say that the product “does not protect the user from sexually transmitted diseases”?  It ends up that there’s a reason for this disclaimer to exist, aside from the standard insistance from the legal department.

The ANNALS OF INTERNAL MEDICINE is reporting that OLDER MEN WHO USE ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION DRUGS ARE TWICE AS LIKELY TO HAVE AN STD THAN THOSE WHO DON’T USE THOSE DRUGS.

See how that ticking biological clock can be a curse?  This may be a legitimate reason for older women/cougars to go after those younger men.

The study found that the STD rate in older men is growing, according to the CDC.  In 2008, they saw six new STD cases per 10,000 men over 40 in 2008 — a number that is 50% higher than what was reported in 1996.

Don’t misinterpret this report as saying that younger adults don’t have STDs.  They do – and often have a lot of them.  But the high divorce rate in older couples combined with better health and use of enhancement drugs by older men has resulted in more promiscuity in older men now when compared to years past.

And older people tend to think of condoms are merely birth control devices rather than for other protective measures.  50-year-olds were six times less likely to use a condom than men in their 20′s.

Other study findings include:

• The most common STD in older men was HIV, followed by chlamydia, syphilis, and gonorrhea
• For those who use Viagra and similar drugs, more than 1 in every 500 had been treated for an STD in the year previous to when they began using those drugs.  

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Rewinding your Biological Clock – Motherhood Late in Life

A study from the University of Texas at Austin has come out that says WOMEN ARE MORE LIKELY TO HAVE SEX AS THEY GET OLDER.  

More specifically, as the women feel like they are reaching the end of their reproductive life cycle, they’re more willing to have baby-making sex in order to fulfill maternal needs.

The study of 827 women had the women divided into three groups:  ages 18-26 (considered “highly fertile”), ages 27-45 (considered “low fertility”), and menopausal (older than 46).  Each of the three groups of women answered questions pertaining to their sexual attitudes and behavior.

The study found that the middle group of women – those with low fertility – had a heightened sex drive.  Compared to the other two groups, this group also:

• Had frequent sexual fantasies.
• Had thoughts about sexual activities.
• Had more intense sexual fantasies than the younger group.
• Had a more active sex life and willingness to have a one-night stand.
• Had an overall willingness to have casual sex.

The researchers concluded that as women became older than 35, they would feel their biological clock ticking away – motivating the women to try harder to conceive than the younger group felt necessary.

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Sex, Lies, and Online Dating

Since WEB WATCH WROTE ABOUT WRITING THE PERFECT ONLINE DATING MESSAGE, Web Watch has spoken with many people who have tried the online dating game.

Some we have spoken with are quite pleased with the results, having married their online hookup just like they show you in those advertisements and infomercials.

Others use online matchmaking services as a supplemental pool to their traditional dating environs.  Their philosophy is that they will have a better chance of finding a compatible mate if they cast their dating net out far and wide and utilize all potential avenues.  Sure, there have been plenty of misses along the way in their online dating experiences, but there have been some good times as well.

And there’s the third group that hasn’t had much luck with their online dating experience for whatever reason.  

(An amusing side note:  one friend of Web Watch who had registered for an online dating service in the past continues to receive emails from that service, encouraging them to sign back up for another go-around.  One recent email happend to contain the dating profile of another one of Web Watch’s friends.  This seems like the perfect time to remind our Web Watch readers to always remember to check your dating profile privacy settings if you don’t want your profile emailed out to strangers that aren’t officially signed up to receive your profile from the service.)

If you fall into that last group of unsuccessful online daters, perhaps this is a case of “it’s not me, it’s you”, and you should take the time to REVIEW YOUR ONLINE DATING PROFILE FOR THESE “DON’T DO THIS” ONLINE DATING TIPS:

• The screen name or profile has “princess” in it.  Really, this is email and profile name 101, and applies to online dating sites just like it does to the email address you put on your resume for that dream job you’ve always wanted.  
• My favorite book is “insert weird or offensive choice here”.  You can never go wrong with pop culture-favorite titles by John Grisham or Michael Crichton. Heck, even a.a.milne or J.K. Rowling would work here.  Freakonomics or other mainstream non-fiction is good, too.  Just don’t go off the deep-end with your profile information.  And no, the “Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition” is not considered a “book”.
• Listing that you drink “daily” or do drugs “daily”.  Really.  If you feel the need to list “drugs” or “alcohol” as an activity, the “daily” is pretty much implied.
• Putting that you “definitely” want kids.  It’s always a good idea to be upfront with a potential partner as to where you stand on children.  Heck, they may have some of their own that they haven’t mentioned yet.  But “definitely” is a bit of a buzzkill.  No need to emphasize it if you don’t have to.
• It says on your profile that you created your own religion.  ’nuff said.
• I’m 21 years old and I have 3 kids.  Hear that sound of tires squealing away from you?  That’s a hint.
• Listing watching porn as a hobby.  Just like in the good porn, the use of euphemisms is encouraged.  Try saying that your hobbies include “surfing the Internet”, “online art critic”, or “Google SafeSearch Moderator”.  Try not to be too obvious until you know the potential daters a bit more.

But online dating profiles isn’t all that bad.  When done right, you can really go far in making a great first impression.

Here are some of the things that you should do to really MAKE YOUR ONLINE DATING PROFILE STAND OUT:

• Use lots of pictures.  Good ones, with you smiling and having fun.  These will show off that you know how to have a good time.
• Be funny.  Funny always works.  But don’t overdo the funny – too much funny won’t be able to carry throughout the entire first date, and you don’t want to scare them off by turning into That Guy (or Gal) Who Can’t Shut Up.
• Spellcheck your damn profile.  You don’t want it to look like it was written by your third grade cousin

Related posts:

1. How To Write the Perfect Online Dating Message
2. Top 100 Things Teens Search for Online
3. A Sign She Wants to Be More than Just Friends: sometimes “hanging out” is “dating”
4. Online Greeting Cards: when you don’t really care about what the recipients think
5. How to Opt-Out of Online People Search Databases
6. Want people to conform to your wishes? Perhaps these ten tips will help.

How to Write Linkbait

10 Epic Pop Culture Fails is an example of a linkbait headline.

LINK BAIT IS A TERM USED BY INTERNET MARKETERS to indicate a type of writing that is used to generate interest in your subject matter.  Basically, anything that you write that can get people blogging about what you’ve written, discussing it on forums, watching it on TV, buying your magazine, posting on social websites like del.icio.us — all can be categorized as “link bait”.

Tabloid newspapers and local TV news programs during sweeps week use link bait all the time with their sensational headlines and feature story teases — anything to keep the reader or news viewer to stay plugged in to catch the story is what they’re after… even if the final story really has nothing to do with what the tease headline originally was.

But writing creative and interesting story headlines can be difficult at times.

That’s where the LINK BAIT GENERATOR comes in to help out.  If you’re looking for a sensational headline to tease an upcoming story, the Link Bait Generator can help you out.  As an example, here are 10 free feature story ideas that Web Watch obtained from the Link Bait Generator:

• 15 must-see websites about healthcare reform
• Is online privacy treated unfairly in the USA?
• 7 ways Batman could cure cancer
• 5 amazing things you probably didn’t know about Google
• How to sound like Justin Bieber
• Religion and the occult
• 10 reasons why Miley Cyrus is a genius
• 5 life lessons learned from killer robots
• 8 ways heroin could help you survive a zombie attack
• 9 reasons why Ron Paul resembles a crazy roman emperor

You see, it’s all about mixing and matching popular search phrases (like “ninjas”) with an assortment of adjectives and nouns.  It’s your basic grammar and vocabulary 101 course.

So if you use the generator to create a catchy title for you, be sure to post what it is (and where you used it) in the comments below…

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6. Your Password Sucks

I Love Hertz

Web Watch has been talking with a number number of people who have been traveling all over the country recently, and has heard about what HERTZ has been doing as a trial out at Denver International Airport (DEN) this summer. 

As cars are returned to the Hertz Car Return lot by people anxious to get their paperwork taken care of so they can hop onto the shuttle bus to take them to the airport terminal — random Hertz customers are selected to be given “white glove” service:  after being checked in by the helpful Hertz employee, an Aramark contractor then hops into the driver’s seat and drives you and your luggage directly to the terminal.

No need to schlep your baggage from the car return area onto the shuttle bus.

No need to wait for enough people to hop onto the shuttle to make it worthwhile to make that trip.

Depending on the time of day, this service – if rolled out into wide use in Denver or other airports – could save the average traveler 15-30 minutes.

This is a trial now, but all of this got Web Watch to thinking about the best way to roll this type of service out to potential customers.  Hertz would not benefit by having this as part of their standard return package — too many employees would be needed to drive cars from the lot as they were checked in.

And it wouldn’t benefit Hertz to make this service available to every renter that came along.  Perhaps it should be restricted to just Hertz #1 Club G0ld customers, or those who rent the Prestige line of cars.

And if it’s a busy return day, you may be stuck back in the return line with no way to get driven out even if you did qualify to receive a return drive back to the terminal.  Web Watch doesn’t see Hertz adding a special privileged return line for just this – most locations don’t have the space, let alone other intangibles such a labelled line would bring.

No, that still seems like there could be too many issues with trying to have it available to too many people, especially if there was no good way to plan for when customers were returning their cars.  Promising this service to their most loyal customers, and then making those same customers wait while a driver has to make a circuit to come back to the lot is not the best use of anyone’s time.

No, Web Watch knows exactly how this should play out:

Hertz should staff a car return booth at the ARRIVALS lane at the terminal.

The customer would drive up to the terminal, get their paperwork from the Hertz employee stationed there while they unload the car at the Arrivals line – and then the car gets driven directly back to the lot by that employee. 

“Ah,” we hear you cry.  “Wouldn’t that still run into the same staffing issue you mentioned earlier?”

Yes, it would.   So here’s how Web Watch works it out into a two-step process:

• the service is only for those customers who call ahead at least 30 minutes before arriving at the airport.  This will allow Hertz the ability to pop a staffer onto the shuttle bus to get to the Arrivals terminal in advance of the customer driving up.
• the service will incur a significant surcharge on the bill.  Dropping the car off directly at the terminal would not be a free service, but it needs to be priced high enough to encourage the majority of Hertz customers to go directly to the Car Return line like they’re supposed to.   Something in the $25-$50 range could work, although some friends of Web Watch have suggested $75-$100 is more practical.   And if the renter doesn’t call ahead and surprises Hertz by making a terminal-based return, then the fee is doubled…. or tripled.

Casual travelers and families would be unlikely to take advantage of this service.  On the other hand, business people are used to paying some surcharges while traveling for work — for example, they don’t often bother to fill the gas tank up before they return the car to the rental lot, incurring refueling surcharges.

But for those running on tight schedules where the cost of missing a flight and changing a ticket could run into the hundreds of dollars, paying $25, $50, or even $100 for the ability to drop the car off directly at the terminal in order to gain an extra 20 minutes to catch a flight could be a worthwhile investment on their part compared to ticket change fees and other charges.

So Web Watch is looking forward to seeing how Hertz’s experiment pans out.  Do they go with this as an official offering for everyone, a randomly selected few, or just for those willing to pay for the service?

Our bet is on the latter.  It seems to be the one that makes the most sense for everyone involved.  Your thoughts?

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John Mayer’s genitals have gotten around.

And whether real or simply imagined — and for Web Watch’s sake, we’ll throw in that “alleged” is an appropriate word to cover the rest of this post — if you follow the old adage that once you have sex with one person, you have had sex with every other person your partner has had sex with… then John Mayer has had sex with a veritable crapload of people.

Let’s take a look at the alleged SIX DEGREES OF JOHN MAYER’S PENIS, according to GQ magazine.  First, we have to look at who John’s primary conquests were:Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Taylor Swift, Jessica Simpson, Minka Kelly, and Jennifer Aniston.

If you then extend each of those pairings with all of their partners, and their partner’s partners (and so on, and so on) — and you can follow all the individual pairings up on the linked graphic — each of these partner groupings can end up being classified into the following categories:

• The DiCaprio/Maguire/Q-Tip/Blaine “Posse” Nebula
• Ryan’s Belt
• Alpha-Male Centauri
• The Crabs Nebula
• Manwhoredromeda Galaxy
• The Clinton Global Initiative
• Smarty-Pants-Less Zone
• Nickelodeon Cluster
• Tommy Lee’s Big Dipper

And if you follow some of the connections out to their ultimate endpoints, you’ll find some interesting entries, such as:

• David Spade –> Way Too Many Attractive People
• Kim Kardashian –> People who were famous for 10 minutes
• Tiger Woods –> Anything that moves
• Britney Spears –> That other guy she married
• Fred Savage –> “Girlfriend in Canada”
• Uma Thurman –> Mick Jagger…and other genuinely cool people
• Lindsay Lohan –> The paparazzi
• Bill Clinton –> a McDonald’s Big Mac

Yeah, you can spend hours looking at all the relationships that John Mayer finds himself (allegedly) in the middle of.   The question is, did they miss any?

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The Baby Name Book – 100,000 Baby Names

Science has proven that what you name your child really can affect them as they grow up.

A study of 3000 parents suggests that 20% OF PARENTS REGRET WHAT THEY NAMED THEIR CHILDREN.

And it’s all because one’s name really can influence how others treat you and how the child thinks about themselves.

Names that are uniquely spelled (“Briitny”), from a different era (“Edna”), or that sounds like it’s from the wrong gender (“Stevie”) could have a negative effect, even if the purpose was to give the child a sense of unique identity in today’s world.

Of those 3000 parents who did not regret their child’s names, there were a subset that said they would have chosen a different name for their child if they were allowed more time to think of one.

Some other conclusions from the study:

• 20% of parents in the study wished they had chosen a name that was easier to spell
• 8% didn’t like that people couldn’t pronounce their child’s name
• 10% thought that their child’s name was initially very clever, but that the novelty wore off later

 David Figlio of Northwestern University in Illinois has analyzed thousands of children’s names, and reached these conclusions in 2005:

• Boys with girl-oriented names (like Shannon or Ashley) were more likely to misbehave and act out as they get older (about 6th grade and higher)
• Some names are inherently feminine by their phonetic makeup. Girls with those extremely feminine names (like Kayla or Isabella) would often select advanced coursework in school, such as in the humanities.  Those girls with less-feminine names would select math and science.  
• Spelling and phonetics of one’s name can predict social-economic indicators.  Children with names that contain complex letter combinations that indicate poorly-educated parents often do worse in school than those children who have names that are spelled in a more traditional manner.
• When asked to name letters of the alphabet that they like, children with high self-esteem will like letters found in their own name, particularly the first letter.
• Children who have unusual spelling of common names tend to have slower spelling and reading capabilities.

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