Too Early Trivia March 30th, 2007

Question: By age 12, half our kids have had this happen to them.

Answer: Got bit by a dog.

45.7 Million Credit Card Numbers Were Stolen....

At least 45.7 million credit and debit card numbers of TJX customers were stolen from their computer system over several years. TJX owns T.J. Maxx, Marshall's and other stores in North America and the United Kingdom.

The TJX spokeswoman said that about 75 percent of the stolen cards were either expired or had data in the magnetic stripe masked with asterisks. "This was obviously done over a long period of time, in many locations. It's done considerable damage."

(They also said another 455,000 customers who returned merchandise without receipts had their personal data stolen, including driver's license numbers. Some are calling the system breach "the biggest card heist ever.")

Too Early Trivia March 29th, 2007

Question: This is the numero uno no-no for male attire at work.

Answer: Showing any chest hair.

Too Early Trivia March 28th, 2007

Question: 28% of women say they do this everyday, down 6% in the past 2 years.

Answer: Vacuum.

Buy Generic Gas....Save Cash

The average price of regular gas this week is $2.57... much far more than Americans are used to paying. ABC News investigated whether generic gas is good for your car. With the help of the Maryland State Comptroller, ABC News compared gas from a name-brand Mobil station and a generic Liberty station right across the street from each other. Mobil was charging $2.69 a gallon for regular, while Liberty charged $2.49 a gallon.

At the Maryland Fuel Testing Laboratory, chemists conducted a battery of tests. One expert "By and large, it's one and the same. … You will find results will almost mirror each other. There are going to be slight variations — but gasoline is gasoline."
When gasoline arrives at regional distribution centers, it's all the same. Different gas station chains then buy the raw fuel and add their own blend of detergents. In the past, there might have been more of a difference between different brands of regular unleaded, but these days the EPA requires that all gas contain a minimum amount of detergent to keep car engines clean.

If you're paying for a particular brand of gasoline, "you would be paying more for brand loyalty, primarily. Some people feel more comfortable dealing with a particular brand." And many customers keep coming back because they use a particular name-brand station's credit card.

Some generic stations only take cash, which is one way they keep prices down. But more than 90 percent of cars run fine on regular. If your owner's manual recommends regular, filling up with premium won't do a thing to help you. If your owner's manual says your car requires premium you should use it. If it's only recommended, you can experiment with regular and mid-grade and both should work fine.

Too Early Trivia March 27th, 2007

Question: According to researchers, people who do this fall asleep 27% faster.

Answer: Wear their socks to bed.

Too Early Trivia March 26th, 2007

Question: 21% of couples say this lasts approximately one day.

Answer: The "silent treatment" after an argument.

Too Early Trivia March 23rd, 2007

Question: A Rutgers University study found that having this in the workplaces gives people a psychological boost, a more positive outlook, and improved memory.

Answer: Flowers.

10 Tips To Make Your Kids Money-Savvy

An allowance can be an excellent tool for teaching children how to manage their own money with confidence and self-discipline. The trick is to figure out an allowance system that will teach your child important money lessons at a young age without sacrificing your sanity.

1. Think about when to start. Some money experts say an allowance, and accompanying conversations about money, should begin as soon as a child is old enough to stop swallowing money – say 3 or 4. Others say a greater level of maturity might be needed, so it might be wise to wait until around age 8. Again, you know your child better than anyone, so you’re uniquely qualified to make the call about when he or she is ready to handle a regular allowance.

2. Talk a whole bunch before handing over any cash. If many adults find it easy to spend most of the money they get, imagine how challenging money management could be for a kid. Before launching into any kind of an allowance system, talk with children about saving, investing and donating as well as spending. Help them understand that money allows them to set goals and make important choices.

3. Consider a transparent piggy bank. Sure, porcelain piggy banks with one little slot are adorable — but imagine how much a kid could learn with a see-through, four-chambered piggy bank that helps them think hard about how to allocate their funds. Illinois-based Money Savvy Generation makes the Money Savvy Pig, which includes places for kids to stash cash in a “save” category, a “spend” category, a “donate” category and an “invest” category.

4. Break it down – in cash. Give children four quarters instead of a dollar bill. They may be more likely to save, donate or invest a portion of their allowance if they receive it in small denominations. Even as children get older, continue paying them in cash. The easiest way for them to understand the real value of money — as opposed to the abstract universe of debit and credit — is to deal with actual coins and currency. They’ll remember how it feels to watch it accumulate, and to watch it go away.

5. Be pragmatic about payday. Give the allowance on a Sunday night or some other time when the child can’t rush out and spend all the money.

6. Assign responsibilities. Even young children can use a portion of their allowance to pay for some items they want or need, such as candy or school supplies. Increase their financial responsibilities as they get older, and agree on a fair allowance amount together based on the deal you strike.

7. Don’t interfere or bail them out. With the exception of agreed-upon fixed expenses, give children control over what they do with their allowance money. Let them learn from their spending mistakes while they’re young and the stakes aren’t too high. Teach them that resources are limited and that they need to distinguish between wants and needs, even if they have overspent their allowance and then want something else.

8. Don’t use the allowance as a disciplinary tool. The allowance generally should not be tied to behavior. If a child misbehaves, opt for another form of discipline rather than withholding allowance money.

9. Beware of the chore connection. Be careful about linking the allowance to chores you expect the child to do as a member of the family. Otherwise, your child could start asking, “How much?” every time you ask him or her to do something. However, parents and children can discuss pay for extra jobs, such as mowing the lawn or washing the car, especially if the child is saving for a big or special item.

10. Neither a borrower nor a lender be. But if you do decide to give an advance, consider lending with interest charges. The child will quickly learn how expensive it can be to borrow money.

Too Early Trivia March 22nd, 2007

Question: 35% of people are resentful when a coworker misses work because of this.

Answer: A migraine.

The Vehicles That Lose Their Value the Fastest

The biggest cost of car ownership isn't gas, repairs or even adding that amazing sound system. It’s the car's decrease in value over time.

Ford Motor models: the Ford E-Series van and the Ford Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis sedans are three of the eight new-model cars with the worst predicted depreciation.

Buick Rainier SUV
Base price: $32,285
Estimated amount of original value retained after two years: 42%
After three years: 38%
After five years: 26%

Dodge Caravan Minivan
Base price: $19,770
Estimated amount of original value retained after two years: 41%
After three years: 35%
After five years: 24%

Dodge Durango SUV
Base price: $27,055
Estimated amount of original value retained after two years: 38%
After three years: 33%
After five years: 23%

Ford Crown Victoria Sedan
Base price: $25,310
Estimated amount of original value retained after two years: 41%
After three years: 34%
After five years: 22%

Ford E-Series Van
Base price: $26,040
Estimated amount of original value retained after two years: 43%
After three years: 38%
After five years: 23%

Kia Amanti Sedan
Base price: $26,175
Estimated amount of original value retained after two years: 42%
After three years: 38%
After five years: 27%

Kia Spectra Compact Car
Base price: $13,495
Estimated amount of original value retained after two years: 48%
After three years: 40%
After five years: 27%

Mercury Grand Marquis Sedan
Base price: $25,660
Estimated amount of original value retained after two years: 42%
After three years: 35%
After five years: 23%

Too Early Trivia March 21st, 2007

Question: According to a recent study, within 3 SECONDS of meeting you, others form an impression of your intelligence based on this.

Answer: Your Hairstyle.

Too Early Trivia March 20th, 2007

Question: 60% of women want to change this about their man.

Answer: His FACE!

Etiquette of a Gentleman

Do not laugh at others' mistakes:

This is perhaps one of the cruelest things one can do. When you mess up, the last thing you want is for someone not only to bring it to your attention, but to ridicule you on top of that.

Remove your hat indoors:

This rule seems to have gone out the window these days. You should remove your headwear upon entering a building. Furthermore, never keep your hat on while at the dinner table. It reflects very poor etiquette.

Wait for seating before eating:

When sitting down for a meal, you should wait until all the guests are properly seated and ready to commence the meal before eating. Everyone should start dining at the same time this is a subtle but very important rule.

The basics of chivalry:

In addition to the aforementioned rules, gentlemen (in training) should follow these additional rules when in the presence of a lady.

Always open doors:

This is perhaps the most basic rule of male etiquette out there. It is also one of the easiest to follow so you have no reason to forget it. Whether she is about to enter your car, restaurant, club, or anyplace with a door, you should always hold it open. If there are many doors, then hold them open one after the other.

Put on her coat:

Always help a lady put on her coat or overgarment. This is a simple but powerful action.

Help with her seat:

If an unaccompanied lady is sitting next to you, it is important that you help her be seated by pulling her chair out for her and gently pushing it back into place, with the lady seated of course.

Give up your seat
If a lady arrives at the table and there are no available seats, you should stand up and offer yours to her.

Stand at attention:

Always stand when a lady enters or exits the room. This rule has been somewhat relaxed, so you can stand upon entrance but remain seated upon exit. Nonetheless, if you can do both, you should.

Give her your arm:

When escorting a lady (that you know) to and from social events, you should offer her your arm. This is a little more intimate, but serves well when walking on uneven ground -- especially if she's wearing high heels.

Ask if she needs anything:

This is one that most guys already do, but helps complete the gentleman in all of us nevertheless. When at social events, make sure to ask the lady if you can get her something to drink (or eat, depending on the event). Show her that you care about her comfort and needs.

Pet Food Recall After Several Pets Die

A major pet food manufacturer recalled 60 million containers of wet pet food on Friday after an unknown number of cats and dogs suffered kidney failure and about 10 cats and dogs died after eating the food. The cat and dog food was sold as Wal- Mart, Kroger, and Safeway brands, but product testing has not yet shown a link to the reported cases of illness and death.
The recall covers the company's "cuts and gravy" style food, which consists of chunks of meat in gravy, sold in cans and small foil pouches between Dec. 3 and March 6. The pet food was sold by stores operated by the Kroger Company, Safeway Inc., Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and PetSmart Inc., among others.
A full list of brand names and lot numbers covered by the recall can be found on the web site, www.menufoods.com/recall. Consumers can also call (866) 463-6738 with their questions.

Too Early Trivia March 19th, 2007

Question: Inventions that made shopping easier: cash register (1884), the shopping cart (1936), and what came along in 1952?

Answer: The bar code.

Get A Better Deal with Your Cell Phone Company

The Consumerist website reached out to jaded ex-employees of the four biggest cell providers... Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint and Cingular. . . to get insider secrets on how to BEAT the cell companies. Here are some of the highlights:

VERIZON:
*Never get a two year contract. It just saves you $50 on your phone. Get a one-year contract. . . and then you can get out earlier. . . or upgrade your phone after 10 months.

*Get 25% off a new phone, even under contract. Just say your phone was lost or stolen and you get that discount.

*Know what the reps get paid for. The sales reps make commissions for selling things like accessories, extra lines and text messaging packages. So, play hardball: Say you'll get a text package. . . if they knock an extra $50 off the phone. Most of them will. Then. . . you can always call Verizon and cancel the text package.

T-MOBILE:
*Shop at the end of the month. T-Mobile sales reps have a quota system. So at the end of the month, they'll give you big discounts and free accessories to hit their numbers.

*They'll price-match. . . if you ask. The company has an unadvertised price-matching policy: If you see an ad where their phone is being sold at cheaper prices than the ones in the store, they'll match. You can even get the match up to a month after you buy a phone.

*Upgrade over the phone. The sales reps at the store don't get paid much if you upgrade your phone. When you call in, and threaten to switch providers, the customer care reps DO get paid to keep you as a customer. . . so they'll give you better deals on upgrades.

CINGULAR:
*Get credit if you make a mistake. If you go over your text message limit one month, go into the store and ask them to credit the difference if you sign up for a bigger texting package. They'll almost always do it.

*Change your rate plan in the store. Over the phone, you'll have to wait until half of your contract is up to change your plan. They don't enforce that in the store.

*Get a bigger plan, and upgrade more often. Want to get an iPhone when they come out??? Sign up for a bigger cell plan, around $75-a-month or more. With a plan that big, you can upgrade your phone halfway through your contract.

SPRINT:
*Get the employee referral offer. Sprint gives employees' friends and family members BIG discounts. What to do: Go to the store, and get a sales rep's card. Then go to the Sprint employee referral website, punch in the guy's e-mail. . . and get the deal. (http://www.sprint.com/sero)

*Get a discount for working at a big company. Sprint has deals with a lot of major corporations. . . for example, Chase bank employees get 28% off their BILL. . . not off the phone, off their bill.

*At the store, you can say you work for a major company and get the discount. . . they don't ask for proof that you do.

Too Early Trivia March 16th, 2007

Question: The average American home has 15 of these.

Answer: Cookbooks

Too Early Trivia March 15th, 2007

Question: For most men, this takes less than a minute.

Answer: Pickin' out which clothes to wear.

The ABC's of Surviving Work Burnout

(By Mei Galang from Ozfreeonline.com, and author of "Jobs Blog")

Daily routines and repetitive tasks cause burden and create stress to any member of the work force. Realizing that you are burning out is the first step in becoming happy in your job, the next step will be making the proper adjustments to overcome work burnout. Below are the list of surviving work burnout. Its easy to follow if you know your ABC’s.

Avoid being late for work because it adds up to stress and piles up the work that should be accomplished.

Beverages such as cola, juice or tea gives a soothing feeling amidst the busy working day.

Create or find a sacred place in your house where you can find solace after a stressful day.
Don’t make your job your life. It is good to be dedicated to your job but don’t let it consume ALL of your time. Remember to allot time for other stuff that matters like family, friends and yourself.

Exercise to maintain good health and to awaken your body.

Find a new hobby with your family, this simple thing will help you maintain a balance in your life.

Guided meditation is suggested because it can help you break through the physical barrier to recover personal power.

Happiness in your career begins by being equally motivated to exert your best effort even after knowing that your initial job expectations such as how you love your job, your co-workers and the organization, were unrealistic.

If you have a home office, spare time for your “office break” where you get out and ignore the ringing phone and email alerts. The messages and recorded calls wont leave anyway.

Join a new organization to improve your social life. Have yourself new friends, if your single you might get lucky and meet someone that will be interested on asking a date with you.

Keep off job related discussions during lunch breaks with your officemates, such topics are not conducive to good digestion and you are not getting “real break” from your job.

Ladder of career success is taken one step at a time, don’t pressure yourself on being promoted. If you work hard enough, your efforts will be seen but don’t stress too much about this.

Making your phone calls in the afternoon instead of first thing in the morning allows you to get caught up on back logged paper work while your mind is fresh.

Nurture your mind by reading books, magazines that interest you, even if it is not necessarily related to your work.

Open yourself to changes, whether in work schedule or routine. Being flexible will remove boredom in accomplishing your tasks.

Plan a 2-3 day, weekend or out of town vacation once in a while. Make this a habit to unwind from your nerve-racking job.

Quick breathing exercises are helpful stress relievers, it also helps your blood to flow regularly. This process wakes up the brain to function creatively, and make your muscles and mind loosen up.

Reorganize your schedule, take your work one at a time, this will definitely reduce your stress.

Spend your lunch breaks differently. Spend it with your officemates, ask your friend or spouse to join you or enjoy a meal by yourself.

Take a time out each day work less and stress free .

Understand how you can be relaxed, if you need the extra sleeping hours, a massage or a bar of chocolate?

Voice out suggestions to your boss on how you think you can improve your job. If he doesn’t approve on it, don’t keep grudges because he’s the boss, he SHOULD know better. This will make your work more interesting the next step to do, is try harder.

Working at home after long office hours is a big NO. Your house is the place to refresh from the grueling hours of work. Move away from computers and files, get enough sleep and have fun with your family.

Xylophone, guitar or any musical instrument will help. Music therapy always work in any stress related situation.

You can delegate some of your work to your subordinates. You don’t have to do everything yourself. However, make sure you know the limitations, don’t get too much power tripping.

Zoo. Have your day once in while here, bring your family and friends to have a picnic here. In a way, looking to animals is quite fun and very exciting, just make sure you don’t feed them.

Too Early Trivia March 14th, 2007

Question: According to the Guiness Book of World Records, Bernie Moeller has more of these than anyone else---14,006 to be exact.

Answer: Tattoos

Too Early Trivia March 13th, 2007

Question: A typical person will do this seven times throughout the year.

Answer: Buy a birthday gift for someone.

Calories in Girl Scout Cookies?

For Girl Scout Cookies, Thin Mints are one of the biggest sellers with 25% of the sales, then comes the rich Samoas (19%) and then Tagalongs (13%).

The Lowest Calorie Cookies:
#1 Per ounce, the lowest calorie cookie is the Do-Si-Dos with 110 calories and 5 grams fat. (2 cookies)
#2 The Sugar Free cookie is tied for second lowest with 130 calories and 8 grams fat. (4 cookies)
#3 All Abouts have 130 calories and 6 grams fat (2 large cookies)

All the rest of the cookies have 150 calories per 1-ounce serving.

Too Early Trivia Monday 3/12/2007

QUESTION:
There’s 36% more of this on TV than there was 10 years ago.

ANSWER:
Commercials

Too Early Trivia March 9th, 2007

Question: 47 percent of us do this in the bathroom.

Answer: Talk on the phone

How to Retrieve an Item Stuck in the Vending Machine

Buying something from the vending machine and then having it get stuck can be INCREDIBLY frustrating. But attempting to retrieve it can also be dangerous. Believe it or not, but vending machine accidents have caused injuries. . . and even DEATH. . . when they've toppled over and CRUSHED people.So before you start banging and tipping away at the machine. . . check out these five steps to follow when your purchased item gets stuck. . .
#1.) WAIT SEVERAL SECONDS. Some newer vending machines have sensors that know when an item hasn't been dropped. In these cases, the machine may drop the item after a few seconds. . . or it could return your money.

#2.) PURCHASE THE ITEM AGAIN. Depending on how severely the item is stuck, you may be able to push it out by selecting the SAME item again. . . which could also give you TWO snacks.

#3.) CHOOSE AN ITEM FROM THE ROW ABOVE. If you can angle it correctly, by buying an item that's ABOVE the one you want. . . when it falls. . . it could knock the original item free.

#4.) HIT THE *SIDE* OF THE MACHINE. Vending machines can weigh as much as 1,000 POUNDS. . . so tipping it towards you is not necessarily the smartest idea. . . and neither is banging on the glass. Try carefully hitting the SIDE of the machine. The force of that should knock the item out of its "stuck" position.

#5.) ROCK THE MACHINE *BACKWARD*. If you just can't LIVE without getting this stuck item. . . you might want to ask someone for help with this: Tip the machine BACKWARD slightly. . . and let it drop back into place to jar the item loose. DON'T press on the glass, however.

Too Early Trivia March 8th, 2007

Question: The average woman uses six pounds of this in her lifetime.

Answer: Lipstick

How to fold a $20 bill to look like the 9/11 attacks

The following website will show you how you can fold different denominations of money to look like the pentagon and twin towers after the 9/11 attacks. Very interesting, check it out.

http://www.bored.com/foldmoney/index.htm

Too Early Trivia March 7th, 2007

Question: It's more likely a woman will do this for a man, than vice-versa.

Answer: Hold the door.

Too Early Trivia March 6th, 2007

Question: Women are more likely than men to give in to peer pressure and do this just because other people are.

Answer: Laugh

Tyson Beef Recall

Tyson Fresh Meats is recalling approximately 16,743 pounds of ground beef that may be contaminated with E. coli bacteria. The U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service says the ground beef was distributed in Oregon, Idaho, Washington and Utah in 60-pound boxes, each containing six 10-pound chubs of ROUND, COARSE GROUND BEEF, 85/15.
The box end bears a label with the establishment number Est. 9268 as well as a BEST BEFORE OR FROZEN BY date of 03/08/07 and packaging date 02/16/07.The problem was discovered through routine FSIS microbiological sampling.

Too Early Trivia March 5th, 2007

Question: According to a Newsweek magazine article the average American does this 32 times a year.

Answer: Eat a meal in the car.

Too Early Trivia March 2nd, 2007

Question: 59 percent of people who use this product admit to cheating on their spouse.

Answer: Pepsi

Too Early Trivia March 1st, 2007

Question: What is the most popular decoration on the top of toilet tanks?

Answer: Sea Shells