Supermunch, Flickr

One of the best ways to save money is cooking at home rather than dinning out.

In these times, are Americans choosing to do that?

According to a new poll from Harris Interactive — which suggests the economic recovery is still a long way from being over — more and more people are dining in.

The survey asked 2,451 adults if they agree with the statement “I find myself cooking more instead of going out in order to save money.” Seventy-one percent did agree, with 41 percent agreeing strongly. Among the 26 percent who didn’t agree with the statement, nine percent disagreed strongly.

Despite this move away from dining out, 63 percent of the poll’s respondents had still been to a fast food restaurant chain in the past month, and about half have dined at a local casual dining establishment.

[PR Newswire]

Ever notice that some of the smartest kids in your class when it comes to math and science were girls? But, where are all of the women in the math and science fields? Turns out that, at some point, girls get it in their heads that boys are smarter than them when it comes to certain fields. And it affects the way that they perform on tests in those subjects.

The infographic below spells it out pretty well.

Created by: EngineeringDegree.net

Mix 108

Love can get messy sometimes. Divorces can get even messier. But, what often gets the messiest is the stuff left behind after the divorce that the remaining spouse must get rid of to move on. This Superior, WI woman seems to have found the best way, and a local radio station got all the photos.

Rather than posting ads for well-priced used items on Craigslist, the woman decided to have a “sale” in front of her home. The good news for interested shoppers was that everything was free. The bad news was that everything seemed to be somewhat destroyed, including a green GMC Yukon covered in vulgar graffiti indicating the former owner of the SUV to be a “cheater.” There was also a pile of charred remains of stuff, clearly the result of a small fire.

The “X-Husband Sale” stopped traffic on the woman’s street as passers-by paused to examine the items and photograph the result of the divorcee’s wrath. The traffic back-up prompted a visit from police, who spoke to someone in the home, but did nothing further with the mess on the front lawn.

Later, the SUV was gone, but the “sale” remained open. When asked, Superior Police Sergeant William Lear explained there is no law against spray painting a vehicle in your own yard. If there’s questionable language on the vehicle, he said, “Depends on the language, there’s a fine line there. If it’s creating a disturbance, if there’s threats, if it’s blocking traffic, we can tow it.”

According to court documents, the couple filed for divorce in July of 2011. A neighbor confirmed that the divorce became final on Tuesday and that set off the preparations for the “sale.” For more photos, including some with objectionable language, head over to Mix 108.

Mix 108

Source: TheFW.com

sblackley, Flickr

Sunglasses don’t just make you look cool, they’re also good for your eyes. But a lot of parents don’t seem to know that rule also applies to their kids.

Research done by the Vision Council found that while three-quarters of adults regularly wear sunglasses, only about half make their kids wear them, too. And California ophthalmologist Paul Michelson says that should change.

“A substantial proportion of people still do not understand that UV exposure is harmful to the eyes as well as the skin,” he said. “Even [in] those who do understand, few understand it is the cumulative exposure that can be damaging.”

Among adults, the top three reasons given for not wearing sunglasses were that they forgot them at home, they break or lose them too often, and they don’t believe their eyes are at risk from sun exposure.

People with light-colored eyes are more susceptible to UV damage than people with brown eyes, but the risks for everyone include cataracts, age-related macular degeneration, and cancer of the eye, eyelid or surrounding skin.

[WebMD]

Local 15

When fire engulfed 12-year-old Justin Jackon’s Milton, FL, home on Sunday at 2AM, his mother was at work and his father was out of state. So if anyone was going to save his four younger siblings, it was going to have to be him.

Knowing what he had to do, Allen made three trips back into the burning home. The most harrowing was when he pulled out his three-year-old sister, who remained asleep during the ordeal.

“I had to pick her up and she was real stiff. I was just real scared at that point,” said Justin, who also had to kick a door in to gain clear access to her room.

Not only did he save his younger brothers and sister, but Justin had the presence of mind to let the four family dogs out. (Although, sadly, two still perished in the flames.)

The house ended up burning to the ground, but Justin downplayed talk that he was a hero. “Not really,” he said when asked if he thought what he did was heroic. “I was just helping my family and stuff.”

Justin’s aunt, Cri Jackson, disagrees with his modest assessment.

“He ran back in not once, not twice, but three times to save his siblings,” she said. “He’s our little hero.”

Learn more about Justin — who we have no problem laying the hero tag on — in the video below.

Source: TheFW.com

This is a feel good story about a dog saving a woman from being hit by a train, take a look…

slightlyeverything, flickr

Dating is tough, and interpersonal communication can be even tougher. But the electronic age has brought with a whole new layer of angst — it seems nothing is more perplexing to a man than talking to a woman via text message.

A recent survey conducted by TSB Magazine, an online dating advice and men’s interest site, asked participants to review some of the most traditionally frustrating or confusing aspects of dating, approaching women, and romance, and then choose which issue was paramount.

Fully a third of men said confusion about when to send a text to a woman and what it should say was the most frustrating aspect of a budding romance, while others cited more traditional concerns like approaching women, having an in-person conversation and the awkwardness of an end-of-date kiss.

Of course, not everyone even had the chance to get that far — the survey also included the choices “having women see you are a friend, not a love interest” and “hitting it off with a woman only to have her shift her interest to someone else,” which garnered 10 percent and 6 percent of the votes, respectively.

[PR Web]

flickr, protoflux

Here’s something you may not know about me: I don’t particularly enjoy exercise. It’s not so much the act of exercising as it is the sweating, shortness of breath, and time that it takes to exercise. So, I just forgo it all together.

But, after seeing all of my friends stepping up and running marathons, half marathons, 25Ks and so much more, I felt a call to action. So, I’ve all but decided that I’ll be running a 5K in August. Here’s the thing about me running this 5K: I haven’t ran since high school. I mean, not really. In high school, I was in track, and was physically fit. That was a long time ago, and I’ve been a little… well… stagnant in the exercise department since then. Here’s another thing: I was never really a runner anyway. When I was in track, I high jumped. And long jumped. But, didn’t participate in any actual races after my Sophomore year.

I’m in for a treat. I also have no idea where to even start! Any suggestions?

I’ll be running in the Grand Rapids Color Run on Saturday, August 5th! Should be a really fun event. If you want to join in on it, check out their website.

Here’s an idea of what I’ll be getting myself into.

Though “Jacob” has been on the top 10 list of favorite baby names for almost 15 years, the popularity of the “Twilight” books could have something to do with the name Jacob being at #1 yet again. The name originates from the Old Testament and means “supplanter.” Sophia pushed Isabella out of #1, after only a two-year track. Sophia is an ancient Greek name that means “wisdom.” Here is the list of the Top 10 names for both boys and girls:

Top 10 boys’ names:

Jacob
Mason
William
Jayden
Noah
Michael
Ethan
Alexander
Aiden
Daniel

Top 10 girls’ names:

Sophia
Isabella
Emma
Olivia
Ava
Emily
Abigail
Madison
Mia
Chloe

What are some of the most popular names you hear around West Michigan?

Justin Sullivan, Getty Images

A Safeway employee in Northern California was rewarded for heroically coming to the rescue of a pregnant women being assaulted by her boyfriend inside the grocery store in a shocking way.

He was suspended by his bosses.

Ryan Young, who works as a meat clerk at the Del Rey Oaks Safeway, witnessed Quyen Van Tran pushing and kicking his girlfriend, who is six months pregnant. Young intervened, saying, “I told him to calm down and he was just irate.” Tran refused to stop, so Young decided to act the part of Good Samaritan by jumping in, as opposed to remaining a bystander.

In this case, the supermarket wasn’t so safe for the shopper or the employee.

Young said, “I saw no one was intervening in the situation and I just became afraid for her safety and also other customers’ safety. The guy was out of control and pretty much lost it in there.”

The local police chief said that Young’s intervention prevented the situation from escalating and that it could have been much worse for the victim. He also praised Young for doing the right thing.

Not so fast, though, according to his employer, who suspended him without pay since he violated company policy, which is to alert management or security when witnessing customer behavior such as this.

Young is not sure if and when he will be allowed to return to work. Ironically, his wife is five months pregnant and they have no income at this point.

Where’s the justice in that?

“It’s a tremendous amount of stress on me, my wife as well,” Young said. “And I don’t think anyone
should have to second-guess themselves or feel bad doing something that was right.”

[CBS 5]

The answer, which is “magic wand,” seems perfectly obvious to those of us watching at home, but the contestant repeatedly fails to provide the correct response. Instead, he guesses “magic hand,” “magic band,” “magic pand” (?) and a few dozen others. Once the buzzer sounds, he finally gets it, but by then it’s far too late.

“Uh, wow,” said a clearly stunned Pat Sajak. “It’s a weird game and you just never know. I’m really sorry.” Well, we’re not sorry. This guy just made us feel better about shouting answers at the TV during ‘Wheel of Fortune.’

Source: TheFW.com

Cameron Burnell / Taranaki Daily News

In New Zealand, a photo of a beer-drinking bride has sparked a serious amount of controversy, with detractors arguing that it’s unbecoming. Hey, why can’t a woman in a wedding dress enjoy a brew? We don’t get it.

Katrina Hayman, who works as a pig midwife (that’s a real thing apparently), was photographed by the Taranaki Daily News during a Bride of the Year competition while knocking back a tallboy. The image immediately caused a furor online, with one critic actually describing the photo as “disgusting.”

A poll conducted by the website stuff.co.nz later asked whether beer is an appropriate choice of beverage for a bride. As of this writing, 62.6% of respondents said yes, 13.5% said it was “tacky” and 23.9 percent said beer is fine, but only out of “an elegant glass.”

As for Hayman, the farm worker said she has difficulty understanding the hubbub. “I mean that is just the type of person I am,” she said. “I don’t like to portray myself as someone I am not. A lot of females drink beer and it’s just I felt more comfortable having a beer than having a wine.”

What do you think? Is the photo unflattering or not a big deal?

Source: TheFW.com

Facebook

U.S. News & World Report released their annual rankings of our nation’s top schools last week.

Michigan’s results include the fifth ranked high school in the country and a good showing from a few West Michigan area schools.

Defining the “best” school is a difficult, highly subjective task.  This list is an attempt to rank college readiness.  It is important to understand how the rankings were determined.  Detroitnews.com explains:

Researchers for the magazine looked at nearly 22,000 public high schools in  49 states and the District of Columbia and produced rankings for the 4,813  highest-scoring schools. It teamed with the Washington, D.C.-based American  Institute for Research and used a three-step process for selecting schools.

The “Best High Schools” list includes data on enrollment, ethnicity, state  assessment proficiency tests and Advanced Placement and International  Baccalaureate tests. The schools were each given a college readiness score and ranked numerically.

Nationally ranked Michigan schools include:

5 – International Academy, Bloomfield Hills

261 - Black River, Holland

519 – City Middle/High, Grand Rapids

524 – Spring Lake, Spring Lake

539 – Portage Northern, Portage

Other West Michigan schools ranked in the top 1,000 include:  Jenison, Forest Hills Central, East Grand Rapids, Hudsonville, and Zeeland West .  View Michigan’s complete rankings here.

KiddNation

Want to spend a day rocking out with Katy Perry at an exclusive pool party in Los Angeles?  Uh… duh, of course you do!  And for the few of you who don’t want to hang out with Katy Perry… How about Russel Brand? All of the details on how to enter are after the break!

Couples, send us a photo of the two of you in a bathing suit to win a trip to a pool party in L.A. and meet Katy Perry!

• The photo must include Big Al’s name and may not be digitally added. (ie holding a sign, decorating your body with Big Al’s name, sign in the foreground or background)
• Submit your photo by email to bigalbikinibeachparty@gmail.com
• Please include your contact info in the email – name, address, and phone number.
• Contestants must be 18 yrs and older to enter.

Entries are due by Thursday May 17, 2012 at noon CST and Big Al will pick the winner on his personal preference.

Event Details:

• Friday, June 1, 2012 – Arrive Los Angeles
• Saturday, June 2, 2012 – Katy Perry Pool Party
• Sunday, June 3, 2012 – Depart Los Angeles

Official Rules

Ellen

John Mayer can speak again! The talented guitarist, whose vocal problems forced him to cancel his spring tour and led him to record instrumental covers of Lana Del Rey songs, visited ‘Ellen’ today to chat about his new album ‘Born and Raised’ and his recent Botox injections — in his vocal cords, not his face.

Mayer elaborated on the theme of his recent single and video ‘Shadow Days,’ where he sings about maturing. He told Ellen about moving past the infamous 2010 Playboy interview that created an uproar for its sexually- and racially-charged language. “I lost my head for awhile,” Mayer acknowledged. “I did a couple of dumb interviews, and that kind of woke me up… It sort of rocketed me into adulthood. It was a violent crash into being an adult.”

Part of growing up meant moving to Bozeman, Montana, which the singer did on a whim after enjoying the area during a road trip with friends. The move was all about being happy, he explained. “You get to a certain age where you prepare yourself for happiness, but sometimes you never remember to actually get happy. I remembered how to get happy.”

According to Us, Mayer also told the host about the treatment for his medical problems. “They cut this thing out of your throat and then they inject your vocal cords with Botox, which freezes your vocal cords so that this thing can heal without smacking up against the other side,” he said. “I just need more Botox next time.”

Watch John Mayer on ‘Ellen’

Source: PopCrush.com

flickr, emilyvalenza

You read that correctly. A “head lice boutique” is set to open here in Grand Rapids on Saturday, May 19th. I don’t know if any of you were unlucky enough to get lice when you were a kid, but I did. It was possibly one of the most horrific experiences of my life. And even writing this, I suddenly can’t stop itching my head. But now, there’s a boutique you can go to in order to get rid of the itchy little pests.

Sarah Casello-Rees, owner of Rapunzel’s Lice Boutiques, previously had two locations— one in Ann Arbor and one in Sterling Heights.  “People were driving the two hours from Grand Rapids to Ann Arbor for treatment, but would beg me to open a salon on the west side of the state,” explains Sarah.

The boutique, which will be located at 5258 Plainfield Ave. will be offering free head-lice checks on Saturday from 9am until 5pm.

Rapunzel’s is unique in that they use no chemicals to treat head lice.  They offer a full service treatment using the revolutionary FDA cleared class 1 medical device; The LouseBuster™.  The LouseBuster uses heated air to get rid of the lice and nits. They will also be selling non-toxic, effective and affordable self treatment products.

YouTube

I remember being a kid, and my parents having to resort to some pretty extreme measures to hide Christmas and birthday presents from my brother and I. We were so good at discovering their hiding places, that eventually, they had to lock them in a cabinet so that we couldn’t get to them.

I wish we had known this little girl back then. There would have been no such thing as a snoop-proof present.

What 5-year-old do you know that can pick a lock? Where in the world to her parents hide her presents?

On a different note, she quite possibly has the coolest dad in the entire world.

I wonder if her dad has her pick locks for him when he’s playing Skyrim?

Festival of the Arts

Grand Rapids Festival of the Arts will be here soon.  The 43rd annual event runs June 1 – June 3 and features hundreds of artists, live music, kids activities, 30 food booths and much more.

Today, Festival of the Arts organizers revealed the official poster for 2012.

This year’s poster was designed by Ideal Collective Artist Group.  Designers include: Erwin Erkfitz, Mitchell Hess, and K. Menardie-Yokom.  The poster is titled, “Layered Festival”.

The original poster will be cut and made into over 100 cuff bracelets.  The bracelets will be available for purchase at this year’s Art Sales tent.

What do you think of this year’s poster?

Facebook

Monday, we found out that Grand Rapids had tied for the title of “Beer City, USA” and today, I’m learning about another award that’s been bestowed upon our fair city. Well, at least the Public Museum.

Travel + Leisure Magazine has named the carousel inside of the Grand Rapids Public Museum as one of the best in America.

The magazine says of our carousel,

Built in 1902, this carousel is housed in a glass building built over a river, creating the illusion that you’re about to ride into the water. Note the ticket booth as you enter; it’s the original one that debuted with the carousel’s opening.

However, it looks like the folks at Travel + Leisure didn’t actually check their facts before writing up their piece on the GR Carousel. According to the Public Museum’s website the carousel isn’t actually as old as they say:

A vividly painted antique Spillman Carousel operates in the Cook Carousel Pavilion off the first floor Galleria.  Manufactured by the Spillman Engineering Company of North Tonawanda, New York in 1928, the carousel is one of only three of its style known to have been produced by the company.  It revolves to the music of a Wurlitzer band organ and offers rides year-round to Museum visitors young and old.

The carousel is made up of forty-four hand-carved, elaborately jeweled wooden horses, two chariots and six menagerie animals: a giraffe, lion, deer, goat, tiger and camel.

Rides on the carousel are only $1, and you can ride it during regular museum business hours.