Soda Ban in NY, this Kid will Not be Happy!

This kid in the viral video below is going to be real pissed-off when he hears about Mayor Bloomberg's call for a ban on jumbo-sized sodas....


And now city officials are even considering the ban of other beloved treats like popcorn and milkshakes! http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/06/13/new-york-now-considering-limits-on-popcorn-milk-drinks-pending-ban-on-jumbo/?test=latestnews


Maybe if the Swiss researchers that are testing some new diet pill that's suppose to "motivate people to exercise" rushed their findings they could whip obese people back into shape so we all can regain our junk food freedom! http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-06/foas-dfl061212.php

                      Little Noah's Very First Taste of Soda- Watch Here

Consumer Warning: Spray-On Tan Not as Safe as we Thought

Every summer new sun scary studies come out and we all cringe when we read the new warnings and details, but every summer thousands upon thousands of Americans still flock to the beaches to bask in those stimulating sum-rays- and I'm just as guilty.. 


ABC News released new scientific studies on a potential harmful chemical found in spray-on tans. The chemical known as DHA ( dihydroxyacetone ) allegedly has the potential to cause genetic alterations and DNA damage. A panel of medical experts looked at the studies (which I have to point out were not done on any human subjects) and voiced their concerns about consumers inhaling or ingesting the DHA chemical that can get into their bloodstream. 


Dr. Rey Panettieri, a toxicologist and lung specialist at the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine told ABC News, "These compounds in some cells could actually promote the development of cancers or malignancies, and if that's the case then we need to be wary of them."


But before we send the tanning-mom and cast of Jersey Shore into a frenzy, it's worth noting that not all doctors agree with these studies. 


Dr. Doris Day, a NY certified dermatologist that I happen to book interviews with quite frequently told me, " This is not a time to panic.  These have already been used for 10-15 years, and we really don't see a lot of data saying that young people have been damaged by this; we don't see an increased rise in genetic abnormalities in babies.  In other words, this is not new; it is done everyday."


She did add that if you want to be extra cautious you should not use spray-on tans on your face where it's easier to inhale the DHA chemical and of course if you are one of those people who can't resist the real thing (aka baking outside in the sun).. to use sun tanning lotion with a strong SPF (30+) and to reapply every 2 hours.


The full ABC News report can be read here: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/safety-popular-spray-tans-question-protected/story?id=16542918&singlePage=true#.T9crEbAS0uc

Why Smart Kids Eventually Drink More

I came across this article that sums up these two new drinking studies.. its states that;
"According to two long-term studies — one American, one British —  there's a correlation between smarts and a thirst for alcohol. The "more intelligent children in both studies grew up to drink alcohol more frequently and in greater quantities than less intelligent children," says Liz Day at Discover. Why might this be the case? "


Now before reading on, what is one thing, the one variable that pops into your head when you think of why smart kids grow up to drink more alcohol than other less intelligent kids?
...........................


Ok and here is what opinions the article gathered..( summed up);


Satoshi Kanazawaat at Psychology Today says- "Smart people are generally early adopters and, in the context of human history, "the substance [alcohol] and the method of consumption are both evolutionarily novel." ( What the Hell did she just say?)


Joanne Hinkel at The Frisky says "here’s my pop-psychology theory- All that studying in childhood repressed kids so much that they’re still trying to compensate well into adulthood for all that fun they missed". ( Not sure I agree with that one- even kids who study drink).


And just one more;


Greg at Food & Wine Blog says Smart people "booze so we can tolerate everyone else, when sober, we tend to "take people’s responses at literal face value." ( Good try but- Inaccurate)


And my personal opinion;


People who are smart/ smarter are more likely successful. Successful people usually have good social skills and thus are more likely to engage in social outings earlier in life (and continued throughout their adult life)- After a certain age those 'social outings' will most likely in some shape or form be around alcohol =  "A correlation between smarts and a thirst for alcohol."


..At least that's my 2 cents on it..what's yours?

New Summer Jam? Ciara's New Single "Sweat"

 We all probably remember Ciara from her hits like "Goodies" and "1, 2 step"..

But now two years since her last and less profitable album Basic Instinct she’s back with her latest single “Sweat”  featuring rappers 2 Chainz.

She is still working on her forthcoming album One Woman Army and tells MTV it's coming out "soon". 

Listen to her new single here.. think it will be the next hot summer song?

Is Sharing a Bed Good or Bad for You?

People will always argue with what they know.. either you sleep better when you have your partner next to you in bed or you don't.. or at least you think you don't.


The bed-sharing haters will cry that sheet-stealing, differing bedtimes and even room-temperature preferences make for a poor nights sleep but new studies counter their complaints showing how couples who sleep in the same bed can actually gain significant health benefits. 


One theory suggests that shared sleep helps promote feelings of safety and security in healthy relationships thus lowering levels of cortisol, a stress hormone.


I personally sleep better with my boyfriend versus sleeping alone. Maybe if he snored it would be different, but most women like to cuddle and I agree with the security part of  that theory too. With all the home invasion stories reported in the news its nice to know you aren't completely alone at night. 


In a 2009 study, women in long-term stable relationships fell asleep more quickly and woke up less during the night than single women. And when researchers simply asked participants about their sleep the night before, men said they slept better with their partners.


But of course not all men are alike, when I asked my boyfriend what he thought of the study he replied, "I think I sleep better when I am by myself… I don’t wake up as much and I can spread out instead of being cramped to one side of the bed!"


How nice... 


Do you sleep better alone?

First comes a Relationship Contract.. then comes Prenup?!

Sure everyone knows what a prenup is.. another legally binding contract for married couples (aka a contract to protect marital assets in case of a death or divorce).. but have you heard about 'Relationship Contracts' ?


The New York Times says many couples make such contracts either written or oral that outline the needs, wants and stipulations of their relationship. Some agreements may decide on how much time the couple needs to spend together, how chores are divided up or who takes the dog out in the morning.


Newly weds, Mark Zuckerberg and wife Priscilla Chan was said to have had such an agreement before she moved to be closer to Zuckerberg. In their arrangement it was reported that she insisted on at least one date night and 100 minutes together a week which had to be outside of his apartment and his Facebook offices. 


With a guy like that I don't blame her for drawing up a few terms, if I was moving my whole life for some gazillionaire who's known to work crazy hours I would be a little reluctant to trust his word too.


And let's not forget the fictional character from Fifty Shades of Grey who had a whole sex-contract drawn up. ( I know its fiction but in BDSM most dominant and submissive partners draw up contracts to detail exactly what is expected out of one another).

But are these so-called 'relationship contracts' really necessary? Whatever happened to asking a girl to go steady and then buying her a promise ring?


Some lawyers say that these contrasts are fluffy versions of cohabitation agreements that same sex couples started writing up years ago and that some heterosexual couples who don't ever plan on getting married write-up.. look at celebrity couple Joshua Jackson and Diane Kruger who have been dating for years, the former Dawson's Creek star recently told Life & Style, " We're together for six years now, so for all intents and purposes, we are [married]" he added. "I have no need for a priest to tell me that!" 

Now although most lawyers will tell you that these agreements are legally unenforceable, such discussions at least make it clear what each partner wants in the relationship. And in this day and age you can't assume all the same rules and regulations of a regular/normal relationship apply.. maybe some couples want to write down that they are free to sleep with other people or that when you move in together the kegerator gets retired?

For some it might sound like a business plan for a romantic relationship while for others it could sound like a relationship wish-list.. But if you look at it in a playful way, maybe it could be fun to draw one up, what would be on your list?

Here is a clip from CBS comedy "The Big Bang Theory" when Sheldon, "the boyfriend" presents his 'Relationship agreement' to his girlfriend, Amy.

Another Reason to Believe in Matrimony?

Ever wonder what people like George Clooney (51) and Cameron Diaz (39) know that we don't know?

How come two famously good looking people with a laundry list of ex-girlfriends and boyfriends aren't married? Is it the money? There are prenups for that. Is it the fear of being monogamous or do they just think they will be happier without this social union and legal contract?

A new study from the Journal of Research in Personality found that although matrimony doesn't make people happier than they were living a care-free single life, it does suggest that married people are happier in the long run than those who aren't married.

The study was set up to find whether personality traits help people adapt to major life events like loosing a job or having a baby.. although their answer for that inquiry was basically no your personality won't help you more than the next Joe Schmo, they did conclude that those who were married stayed at a consistent level of happiness throughout their lives and that people who did not get married showed a gradual decline in happiness during adulthood.

The Michigan State University scientists who conducted the study were quick to note that their findings don't prove that marriage will make your life more joyous, it just won't make you any less happy down the line.

Basically proving that once you get older and realize you don't have someone to help you through the tough times your bound to be a little more unhappy with your life than if you had a partner to console you.

Don't get me wrong, single life is a lot of fun, but in the end don't we all just want to grow old with someone?