ScLoHo's Really?: 07/20/08

Saturday, July 26, 2008

Fort Wayne is #3

I never heard of this survey from earlier this year:

Sex in the Cities

By Denny Watkins, Men's Health

Every year, the field of drivers in the Indianapolis 500 burns through a ton of rubber, but then so do the locals — Indy's condom sales are 16th highest in the country, according to A.C. Nielsen data. But all that latex is only one of several reasons why Indianapolis took pole position in our ranking of the randiest cities.

Click here to for the Men's Health's Most Sexually Satisfied Cities.

We also factored in one of the top bedroom barometers: birth rates from the U.S. Census Bureau. (Yes, there are test tubes, but old-fashioned nooky is still the most popular way to make babies.) Then we considered sales of sex toys and other erotic ephemera from retailers Babeland and Pure Romance. (Hey, the right props can turn a great performance into one that begs for an encore.)

So what else do the results reveal about our nation's commitment to copulation? Just that the stretch of I-74 linking Indianapolis to fourth-place Cincinnati should hereafter be known as America's Sex Drive.

Stick with It

British researchers say that 1 in 3 men give up on their ED drug if it doesn't fuel an erection the first time out. But even miracle medications don't always work right from the start. Give it three more tries. Still no boost? Ask your doc to adjust the dosage or prescribe a new drug.

Where's the Male Pill?

In the realm of easily reversible contraception, a man's options are limited: a condom. This despite 55 percent of men saying they'd pop a male birth-control pill, according to a study in Human Reproduction. The problem? Money. "The National Institutes of Health can provide maybe a couple hundred thousand dollars for a study on mice, but it can't give you the $4 million to $10 million to complete the clinical trials and bring the drug to market," says Elaine Lissner, director of the Male Contraception Information Project.

TOP 10 BY CATEGORY

Most Sexually Satisfied Cities

1. Indianapolis, IN

2. Columbus, OH

3. Fort Wayne, IN

4. Cincinnati, OH

5. Salt Lake City, UT

6. San Antonio, TX

7. Denver, CO

8. Austin, TX

9. Boise City, ID

10. Chicago, IL

Least Sexually Satisfied Cities

1. Jacksonville, FL

2. Greensboro, NC

3. Jersey City, NJ

4. Providence, RI

5. Newark, NJ

6. Montgomery, AL

7. Yonkers, NY

8. Manchester, NH

9. Birmingham, AL

10. Lexington, KY

Highest Sales From Babeland

1. New York, NY

2. Seattle, WA

3. Los Angeles, CA

4. Chicago, IL

5. Washington, D.C.

6. San Francisco, CA

7. Atlanta, GA

8. Houston, TX

9. Philadelphia, PA

10. Austin, TX

Highest Sales From Pure Romance

1. Detroit, MI

2. Cleveland, OH

3. Cincinnati, OH

4. Minneapolis, MN

5. St. Paul, MN

6. Portland, OR

7. Charlotte, NC

8. Arlington, VA

9. Dallas, TX

10. Fort Worth, TX

Highest Rate of Condom Sales

1. Austin, TX

2. San Antonio, TX

3. Grand Rapids, MI

4. Aurora, CO

5. Cheyenne, WY

6. Colorado Springs, CO

7. Denver, CO

8. Detroit, MI

9. Toledo, OH

10. Boise, ID

Highest Birth Rate

1. Bakersfield, CA

2. Boise, ID

3. Salt Lake City, UT

4. Anchorage, AL

5. El Paso, TX

6. Wichita, KS

7. Lincoln, NE

8. Memphis, TN

9. Des Moines, IA

10. Fort Wayne, IN

Provided by Men's Health

URL: http://health.msn.com/health-topics/sexual-health/mens-sexual-health/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100203132&page=2

Name This Local Website-48

I found this on Monday. You get to discover it now. Click here for the answer.

Baseball

And some folks say the game is boring:

Fat Food Restaurant Eating

Oops, I meant to say Fast Food, not Fat Food.

I've been to 40% of these towns (and ate fast food?)...

Who's Eating At Fast-Food Restaurants?

1.Lafayette, Ind.

2.Rochester, Minn./Mason City, Iowa

3.Cedar Rapids/Waterloo/Iowa City/Dubuque, Iowa

4.Detroit

5.St. Joseph, Mo.

6.Omaha, Neb.

7.Champaign/Springfield/Decatur, Ill.

8.South Bend/Elkhart, Ind.

9.Columbus, Ohio

10.Cleveland/Akron (Canton), Ohio

Source: MRI's Market-by-Market study

Friday, July 25, 2008

Name This Local Website-47

Here's another one. Click here for the answer

Running Late?

Don't use these excuses:

10 dumbest excuses for being late

One in four workers admits to making up excuses for arriving late.

More than 32% blame traffic and another 17% blame it on falling back asleep, says a CareerBuilder survey.

Most of us would probably buy those answers, but the 10 below are a bit beyond belief:

While rowing across the river to work, I got lost in the fog.
Someone stole all my daffodils.
I had to go audition for American Idol.
My ex-husband stole my car so I couldn't drive to work.
My route to work was shut down by a Presidential motorcade.
I wasn't thinking and accidentally went to my old job.
I was indicted for securities fraud this morning.
The line was too long at Starbucks.
I was trying to get my gun back from the police.
I didn't have money for gas because all of the pawn shops were closed.

These are from: http://pbp.typepad.com/nobull/2008/07/10-dumbest-excuses-for-being-late.html

30 of 50 Things

This is from www.marcandangel.com

Self-reliance is a vital key to living a healthy, productive life. To be self-reliant one must master a basic set of skills, more or less making them a jack of all trades. Contrary to what you may have learned in school, a jack of all trades is far more equipped to deal with life than a specialized master of only one.

While not totally comprehensive, here is a list of 50 things everyone should know how to do.

30. Listen Carefully to Others – The more you listen and the less you talk, the more you will learn and the less you will miss.

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Name This Local Website-46

Here's how I found this one. I am on LinkedIn. I checked one of the local contacts I have there and found out they have a blog!

Click here for the answer.

An Insiders Guide to Buying Stuff

Okay, I work in advertising and marketing. So perhaps I shouldn't share this with you. Except, I'm also a consumer and I don't believe in tricks and gimmicks to get people to do things they normally wouldn't do.

This was from the DLM Blog:

Buyers Beware - You are being Tricked

Posted: 22 Jul 2008 07:08 PM CDT

I am not sure why but the movie Easy Money is an old time favorite of mine. In one scene, Rodney Dangerfield and his buddy are in a retail store and when the clerk tries to assist him, his response (said in a way you have to see to appreciate) is a crude, "I am just browsing".

Back then, this may have worked and for those with strong self control, it still may. However, new studies (there are always studies) show that humans are pretty darn gullible and that retail stores know it. In fact, they do anything possible to take advantage of our natural desire to simple want more.

LiveScience reports a new study shows that:

...happiness with a purchase depends on the choices that were available on a store shelf and how the items were presented.

Think about this for a second. Happiness is not judged by the value of the item, the necessity of the item in your life, or sentimental value; it's judged by presentation, perception, and perhaps how the item was displayed versus competing items.

After analysis and study, the conclusion states the following:

Researchers have known empirically for more than 20 years a "50% off" sign leads consumers to assume a price is attractive, even if they have no knowledge of the original price or reasonable prices for that product.

Studies have also shown that frequent but modest discounts - such as the constant sales at a car dealership - lead to perceptions of greater value than less frequent but deeper discounts.

When math is involved, most of us can't cope. For example: See if you can calculate the total savings in the setup: 20 percent off the original price plus an additional 25 percent off the sale price. How much is that item marked down? If you said 45 percent off, then your math skills are as pitiful as the 85 percent of college students who also got this wrong in a study last year by researchers at the University of Miami and the University of Minnesota. The right answer: 40 percent off.

There are several other con jobs that the article reveals. My question to you is this: Are you a gullible sheep or are you someone that can identify con jobs? In the end, everyone wants the green and only the smart will survive without tapping their home's equity, savings accounts or emergency funds. What camp do you fall into?

To read the remainder of article, take a peak at Buyer Beware: The Many Ways Retailers Can Trick You.

- Jay .................

29 of 50 Things

While not totally comprehensive, here is a list of 50 things everyone should know how to do.

29. Negotiate – The better deal is only a question or two away.

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Name This Local Website-45

Mike Harvey already knows this one. Click here for the answer.

Uh Oh...

28 of 50 things

While not totally comprehensive, here is a list of 50 things everyone should know how to do.

28. Give a Compliment – It’s one of the greatest gifts you can give someone, and it’s free.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Name This Local Website-44

This guy can type? Click here to go there.

Man of Many Hats

Each of us have many elements to our lives, and here are some of mine in no particular order:

Husband
Dad
Step-Dad
Step- grandfather (That's hard to imagine!)
Etc...

The Etc includes work related activities and titles, volunteer activities, faith and political related and so on.

One of the hats I recently put on was the Vice-President of the Fort Wayne Advertising Federation. There has been discussion recently on some of the Fort Wayne Blogs regarding use of copy written material including photos.

Turns out that the AdFed is working on a presentation regarding the legal dos and don'ts of such stuff and we should have a guest speaker lined up that specializes on this subject.

The date will be September 18th, location yet to be finalized, time is lunchtime 11:30-1pm. As soon as I have details including cost, I'll post it. If you want to be put on the mailing list, write to me at ScLoHo@ScLoHo.net

And if you are interested in advertising, marketing, and media, visit my other blog, which is updated 3 times daily.

27 of 50 Things

While not totally comprehensive, here is a list of 50 things everyone should know how to do.

27. Do Push-Ups and Sit-Ups Properly – Improper push-ups and sit-ups do nothing but hurt your body and waste your time.

Monday, July 21, 2008

Name This Local Website-43

Do you know it? Click here for the answer

Really. (Thanks John).

How to Sell Your Stuff on Ebay

This press release was sent to me by Lori Thomas from the Fort Wayne (Clinton Street) Post Office:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 21, 2008 Contact: Lori Thomas

260-427-7328

Lori.Thomas@usps.gov

usps.com/news

Quick Easy and Convenient Shipping

U.S Postal Service shows you how to sell your stuff on eBay

The public is invited to attend an eBay Day Open House hosted by the Fort Wayne Post Office. The event will be held:

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

3:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Main Post Office

1501 S. Clinton St.

Fort Wayne, IN 46802

Stop by anytime between 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. to find out how simple it is to sell on eBay and ship with the U.S. Postal Service. Along with handouts, instructional CD’s, and information cards, there will be online demonstrations at 3:15p, 4:30p, and 5:45p.

You’ll learn fast and easy ways to sell almost anything on eBay – and you’ll also learn about the “Quick, Easy and Convenient” online shipping options the United States Postal Service offers to eBay users. "Our innovative, integrated online shipping solutions are just part of the reason why the U.S. Postal Service is a preferred shipping service on eBay", says Customer Relations Coordinator Lori Thomas.

"There is no cost for the Open House. Stop in and learn how to sell and ship with ease", adds Thomas.

Please Note: For broadcast quality video and audio, photo stills and other media resources, visit the USPS Newsroom at www.usps.com/news.

# # #
An independent federal agency, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that visits every address in the nation, 146 million homes and businesses, six days a week. It has 37,000 retail locations and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to pay for operating expenses, not tax dollars. The Postal Service has annual revenues of $73 billion and delivers nearly half the world’s mail.

8 ways to improve your memory

One of my father's frustrations in life was his memory. He died at the age of 67 and yet when he was the age I am now, he was frustrated by his memory problems.

There are things we can do to help. This is from the DLM Blog. (The man in the picture was my dad, Don Howard).

How to Maximize Your Memory

Posted: 21 Jul 2008 12:10 AM CDT

Written on 7/21/2008 by Jason Womack, who writes about travel, exercise, and productivity at his blog jasonwomackblog.com.

Students (of all ages) might have more on their minds now than ever before — from work, to school to all of the other distractions pulling at them. So how can they be expected to concentrate, focus, memorize and execute the educational materials they have in front of them each night? It's difficult, especially in a plugged-in world that places daily demands on people to not only increase their knowledge base professionally, but to also update the blogs and social networks they've established. Here are some tips on how you can maximize your memory, focus and concentration whether you are a student or someone just working on adding skills to their worklife.

Write more things down: Seems like a no-brainer, but keeping an extra piece of paper nearby when you are in class or at home will allow you to keep a note of what you just learned. By transforming those moments into your own you, they will have more meaning to you.

Review regularly: Just think about how much information you look at or listen to in a typical day. That's why you need to give yourself a daily time set aside just for reviewing. This can be at night, when you can take 10 to 15 minutes to look over your notes and any material that you were given.

Just breathe: One of the best things you can do for your memory is to increase the flow of oxygen to your brain. Get rid of the sleepy haze you may have come over you in the morning and at night as you get to the end of the day. The best thing to do is to take part in some physical activity to start your day. Also have some water with you all the time to help you stay alert and engaged.

Write even more things down: With this, you need to write down all of the thoughts that don't have anything to do with what you are working on. It may end up looking like a mess of random thoughts and to-dos, but by writing them down you are clearing them out of your mind and resisting the urge to do them right now. This keeps you on the task at hand and allows you to have an action list for when you have free time.

Don't multitask: If you are on the computer or have your phone nearby, you may be tempted to multitask. In addition to doing your work, you may want to send emails, update your Facebook page or look at other websites. DON'T! Put your focus on the one thing you are studying, and complete it in a shorter amount of time with longer lasting results.

Mind-meld for memory: One way to memorize new facts is to take the new idea that you have and associate it with something that you already know. A place or an anecdote will create a relationship in your mind that you can go back to.

Chop up for memory: Another way to help your memory is to chunk information into smaller pieces to make them more memorable. It's logical that a smaller piece of knowledge is easier to remember than a large stretch of information.

Go back to your childhood for memory: There is a reason everyone remembers the ABC song or the orders of colors on a rainbow. As children, we were taught mnemonic devices to remember things. That still works! Use short phrases or poems to help memorize long lists or facts. That create keys to open up the memory, like the first line of a poem or a tune, which comes in handy later.

26 of 50 Things

While not totally comprehensive, here is a list of 50 things everyone should know how to do.

26. Speak at Least Two Common Languages – Only about 25% of the world’s population speaks English. It would be nice if you could communicate with at least some of the remaining 75%.

Sunday, July 20, 2008

Name This Local Website-42

Found another one. Click here for the answer.

Connecting Local Bloggers

There are lots of ways to connect online with social media etc.
But what about connecting with other local people that are online?
Specifically Bloggers that call Fort Wayne, Indiana home.

A few weeks ago I decided to have fun and start a Name this Website feature on my personal blog.

I've had a few "thank you's" and the other day, Kevin at A Beautiful City commented on his blog about this feature:

"...I first learned about Ken and his amazing talent through Scott Howard’s “Name This Website” series. By the way, in case you haven’t been to Scott’s site Really? The Personal ScLoHo in a while, Scott is up to number 41 in his series. I know that I’ve personally learned about several blogs, including Ken’s, that I didn’t realized existed...."

So, I decided to round up all 40+ for you to peruse today. There will be another one tonight after 7 pm...