OFFICE BATHROOM ETIQUETTE (MSN.com)

Flush the toilet

• She says: It's a pretty simple lesson you learned when you were three years young. No one wants to see what you made in the potty, so when you're done, flush it down.
• He says: Luckily, guys can often avoid going into the stalls and thus dodge this issue completely. There are times, however, when the stall is the only option, and it's fair to say flushing benefits everyone, regardless of gender.

Talking across stalls

• She says: This one could be personal preference rather than etiquette. Can you please wait until we're washing our hands to ask about my weekend?
• He says: This goes for the urinals, too. If it's just two friends in the restroom, it might not be so bad, but once someone else enters, silence is best. Not everyone wants to hear about what you did this weekend -- it's like talking loudly in your cubicle, only more awkward.

Dripping on the seat

• She says: I'm pretty sure this is another lesson we learned back in kindergarten. I understand that many women don't like to fully sit on the toilet seat for fear of germs. But doesn't it make you a hypocrite to leave your urine splattered on the seat for the next person to enjoy?
• He says: Guys are just as guilty, though I dare say it's less about germs and more about carelessness. Whatever the reason, clean up!

"That time of the month"

• She says: Without going into too much detail, every woman knows the rules when it comes to our favorite time of the month. Wrap it up and throw it away. Enough said.
• He says: Um, TMI. Most of us probably have not had to deal with this in a men's room (though unisex restrooms are a different story).

Oh, and, wash your hands

• She says: I know where your hands just were -- you could at least pretend to wash them. What would your boss think if he knew you just shook his hand after using the restroom, fixing your hair and adjusting your undergarments? Wash up, people!
• He says: Yes. A million times yes. I know that we can maneuver carefully and take a trip to the restroom without touching anything other than our belt, but we should still wash our hands. The worst offense remains when a guy comes out of the stall, fixes his hair and straightens his clothes, then walks right out the door. A few seconds of soap and water can kill germs and save co-worker anxiety.

Leave the sales pitch outside

• He says: Bathroom chitchat should be kept to a minimum, and I don't think much more than a "Hey" should be exchanged in most situations. A true party foul, however, occurs when you try to network, make a business transaction or introduce yourself in the restroom. The last thing I want to do near the sinks is take your business card or shake your hand.
• She says: This must be a guy thing, because most girls don't hear about a business opportunity other than happy hour mentioned in the bathroom.

Choose your reading material carefully

• He says: If you're the kind of guy who likes to catch up on the morning news while you visit the restroom, that's your business. But please don't enter the stall with a stack of documents that you might be passing out to colleagues later. When you put a memo in front of me, all I'll be thinking is, "Was this on the bathroom floor?"
• She says: Bringing reading material to the bathroom is a dude's deal, not to mention highly revolting. It's like telling the whole office what you're about to do. Most females get in and get out, so no reading material is necessary.

Don't get towel greedy

• He says: By now you should be environmentally conscious, so using 10 paper towels when two will do is unacceptable. Not to mention it uses up the towel supply quickly and means I'll be the guy who has wet hands and nowhere to dry them.
• She says: You know what else towel greediness means? A wet spot on the front of my pants -- and in a place where you never want one. Seriously, at least in the women's restroom, there are usually towels around the sink area to absorb the extra water that we tend to splash around when (and if) washing our hands. When people overuse the towels and leave none left to absorb the extra liquid, my pants do that job instead when I lean against the sink to powder my nose. You're welcome, towel stealers.

• The initial numbers are indelible: 8:46 a.m. and 9:02 a.m. Time the burning towers stood: 56 minutes and 102 minutes. Time they took to fall: 12 seconds. From there, they ripple out.
• Total number killed in attacks (official figure as of 9/5/02): 2,819
• Number of firefighters and paramedics killed: 343
• Number of NYPD officers: 23
• Number of Port Authority police officers: 37
• Number of WTC companies that lost people: 60
• Number of employees who died in Tower One: 1,402
• Number of employees who died in Tower Two: 614
• Number of employees lost at Cantor Fitzgerald: 658
• Number of U.S. troops killed in Operation Enduring Freedom: 22
• Number of nations whose citizens were killed in attacks: 115
• Ratio of men to women who died: 3:1
• Age of the greatest number who died: between 35 and 39
• Bodies found "intact": 289
• Body parts found: 19,858
• Number of families who got no remains: 1,717
• Estimated units of blood donated to the New York Blood Center: 36,000
• Total units of donated blood actually used: 258
• Number of people who lost a spouse or partner in the attacks: 1,609
• Estimated number of children who lost a parent: 3,051
• Percentage of Americans who knew someone hurt or killed in the attacks: 20
• FDNY retirements, January - July 2001: 274
• FDNY retirements, January - July 2002: 661
• Number of firefighters on leave for respiratory problems by January 2002: 300
• Number of funerals attended by Rudy Giuliani in 2001: 200
• Number of FDNY vehicles destroyed: 98
• Tons of debris removed from site: 1,506,124
• Days fires continued to burn after the attack: 99
• Jobs lost in New York owing to the attacks: 146,100
• Days the New York Stock Exchange was closed: 6
• Point drop in the Dow Jones industrial average when the NYSE reopened: 684.81
• Days after 9/11 that the U.S. began bombing Afghanistan: 26
• Total number of hate crimes reported to the Council on American-Islamic Relations nationwide since 9/11: 1,714
• Economic loss to New York in month following the attacks: $105 billion
• Estimated cost of cleanup: $600 million
• Total FEMA money spent on the emergency: $970 million
• Estimated amount donated to 9/11 charities: $1.4 billion
• Estimated amount of insurance paid worldwide related to 9/11: $40.2 billion
• Estimated amount of money needed to overhaul lower-Manhattan subways: $7.5 billion
• Amount of money recently granted by U.S. government to overhaul lower-Manhattan subways: $4.55 billion
• Estimated amount of money raised for funds dedicated to NYPD and FDNY families: $500 million
• Percentage of total charity money raised going to FDNY and NYPD families: 25
• Average benefit already received by each FDNY and NYPD widow: $1 million
• Percentage increase in law-school applications from 2001 to 2002: 17.9
• Percentage increase in Peace Corps applications from 2001 to 2002: 40
• Percentage increase in CIA applications from 2001 to 2002: 50
• Number of songs Clear Channel Radio considered "inappropriate" to play after 9/11: 150
• Number of mentions of 9/11 at the Oscars: 26
• Apartments in lower Manhattan eligible for asbestos cleanup: 30,000
• Number of apartments whose residents have requested cleanup and testing: 4,110
• Number of Americans who changed their 2001 holiday-travel plans from plane to train or car: 1.4 million
• Estimated number of New Yorkers suffering from post-traumatic-stress disorder as a result of 9/11: 422,000

SIGNS YOU'RE GETTING OLD

None of us is getting any younger. But, there comes a point when we turn the corner and are officially "old."

Here are some tell-tale signs that you are becoming a geezer:

1. Early Bird Special -- Your dinner schedule is usually around 3 o'clock in the afternoon. Nobody else is eating, but you're getting a discount on your food.

2. Ear Hair -- At first it scares you, but you'll get used to it.

3. Fanny Packs -- Through the years, you've collected a lot of important stuff. Might as well carry it all with you. On your hip.

4. Exact Change -- When you stand at the counter of a convenience store and count out exact change, you know you've earned your old coot stripes.

Source: Man Couch

CANNONBALL RUN

A 54-year-old Uniontown, Pennsylvania, man was arrested after he accidentally fired a cannonball through the wall of his neighbor's home.

The two-pound ball traveled 400 yards before smashing through a window and a wall and eventually landing in a closet. Nobody inside the home was hurt.

William Maser -- a Pennsylvania history buff who recreates firearms -- was charged with reckless endangerment, criminal mischief and disorderly conduct.

(Originally reported by the AP)

SCRAPPY SENIOR

An 80-year-old man showed a would-be carjacker who was boss by kicking him where it counts.

The 21-year-old suspect -- Scott Loher -- had only been out of prison a few hours when he attempted to rob the tough senior.

Loher allegedly approached the man in the parking lot of a health and wellness center, screaming, "Give me the keys or I'll shoot the hell out of you!"

There was a brief scuffle that ended when the old-timer kicked his attacker in the groin. Loher ran off but was arrested a short time later. He admitted to attacking the elderly man and also fessed up to two other attempted carjackings made earlier in the day.

The victim suffered a bloody nose and a broken bone in his face during the assault. He was treated and released from the hospital, police said.

(Originally reported by the Philadelphia Intelligencer)

MAN LOSES PENIS AFTER IMPLANT SURGERY: A 62-year-old Miami man is suing his urologist, after losing his penis following implant surgery. The suit claims the man should have been warned not to have the surgery because as a diabetic he is at high risk of getting an infection following surgery. Unfortunately, that's exactly what happened and his penis had to be removed after it became gangrenous.  The man is suing for pain, suffering and unspecified damages, and his wife has also filed her own suit against the doctor. (Newsradio610 WIOD)

MONKEYS LIKE HARD ROCK: Monkeys seem to enjoy the sounds of hard rock. Researchers played a group of cotton-top tamarin monkeys a variety of musical types, such as jazz and classical, and found that they only reacted when they heard the loud, fast-paced sounds of a band like Metallica. Instead of banging their heads, however, the heavy metal made the simians appear calm and content.

MOST ANNOYING ROAD TRIP PERSONALITIES

According to Maxim, here are some annoying road trip personalities:

• The Sing-Along Guy -- He can't sing, but still does.
• The Girlfriend Talker -- He's whipped and spends tons of time on the phone with her.
• The Frequent Pee-er -- Usually female ... A combination of a tiny bladder and a low pain threshold.
• The Silent Farter -- It's going to be a long trip.

Source: Maxim.com

BANK REFUSES TO CASH ARMLESS MAN'S CHECK WITHOUT THUMBPRINT - A Florida man is upset that a bank refused to cash a check without an identifying thumbprint, something he cannot provide because he was born without arms. When the man told the bank manager that he couldn't give a thumbprint, the manager suggested he open an account with the bank. A bank spokesman said later that although the thumbprint is a requirement for cashing checks presented by people who don't have accounts at the bank, they should have made accommodations for the man. (TampaBays10.com)

NINE-YEAR-OLD BOY LEADS COPS ON HIGH SPEED CHASE: A 9-year-old boy who was mad at his parents for giving him an 8:00 p.m. bedtime, grabbed the family car and led cops on a 30-minute car chase. Duluth cops received a call of a possible drunk driver at around 11:30 p.m. Saturday, only to discover that the 2005 silver Chevrolet Aero traveling 80 miles per hour in the wrong direction was commandeered by the little boy. The cops were able to slow the car down by using a spiked strip to puncture the car's tires. The boy was arrested on charges of fleeing law enforcement. (UPI.com)

THE DO'S AND DON'TS OF APOLOGIZING TO YOUR LADY (Asylum.com)

• What's Done Is Done: "Do NOT apologize to her for things you did before you were in a relationship with her," advises Laurie Puhn, a family lawyer-mediator and author. "Past acts were not intended to harm your current girlfriend in any way, so do not let her guilt you on your past."
• The "Oops, I Had a One-Night Stand" Apology: So you're out without your buddy, funneling Jagermeister down your throat as if your life depended on it, and suddenly it's 8 o'clock in the morning and you're groaning awake next to a stranger who isn't wearing any clothes. First, get some tests from your doctor. If your next step is to apologize to your girlfriend, don't expect that to go to well. "He should be 100 percent prepared for a breakup," Puhn says. "Cheating is very hard for a couple to truly get over and if you're not married yet, then most likely she's out the door." Also, ask yourself, do you really want to stay with her? Being in a relationship means you decide to stop looking for someone better."
• Some Things May Be Better Left Unsaid: But what if your little diversion from faithfulness didn't involve much more than a drunken make-out session in the back of a dive bar? For Dr. Seth, an L.A.-based clinical psychologist and relationship expert, the need to apologize enters more of a gray area: "Because everyone is capable of making a mistake, be sure to evaluate the reasons why you want to tell your partner about the transgression. Sometimes, the memory of a transgression can haunt the person you hurt and make her insecure when you go out in the future. You want to strike a balance of honesty and protection of your partner's feelings."
• Skip Starbucks, Be a Man: "The more important the transgression, the more privacy is needed," says psychologist and life coach Dr. Amy Johnson. "I've seen men do just the opposite -- admit to an affair in a crowded coffee shop thinking they'll be spared the angry outbursts and tears if they are in public. These guys are acting selfishly and are complete wimps! Give her the privacy she deserves and the opportunity to express any emotions she needs to, in private. Confessing in public will only lead to embarrassment for both of you."
• Let Her Chew You Out: "Men often make the mistake during an apology scenario in which they don't give their partner the chance to talk," Dr. Seth says. "She may need a little time to vent her feelings and tell her side, so make sure your apology leaves room for a two-way conversation, not an apology monologue." We advise playing it calm and cool.
• Keep Buts Out of It: Johnson stresses a vital rule: "NEVER say, 'I'm sorry, but...' Men and women are both guilty of this -- the 'but' completely counteracts the 'I'm sorry.'
• Admit you were wrong. Even if you both made mistakes in the situation, your apology is about owning up to your part in the issue. It's not a time to remind her that she was also wrong or defend yourself in any way."
• Apologize Empty-Handed: Don't show up at your 'sorry' session bearing flowers or a necklace. "If you cheat on your wife and later admit it to her, she doesn't want flowers with your apology -- what she wants is for you to not have cheated," advises Dr. Seth.

FAT PEOPLE LOSE BRAIN TISSUE: Obese people have 8 percent less brain tissue than those who maintain a healthy weight. Paul Thompson, a UCLA professor of neurology who authored the study, said, "That's a big loss of tissue and it depletes your cognitive reserves, putting you at much greater risk of Alzheimer's and other diseases that attack the brain." Furthermore, it was found that the parts of the brain obesity shrinks include areas critical for planning, memory and movement. Being even slightly overweight can knock off as much as 4 percent of one's overall brain mass.

WHAT DAYS ARE BEST FOR WHAT TASKS? (Telegraph)

Researchers at the University of Vermont analysed 2.4 million blogs and internet messages to find out which days of the week we love the most by counting the number of positive and negative words used. The findings show Sunday is our favorite day with our worst day being Wednesday.

MONDAY

• Research shows that Mondays are our the second happiest day as we are still upbeat from the weekend.
• Mondays are a good day to invest in the stock market but a bad day for staying alive.
• Shares on a Monday tend to move in a similar direction as Friday making it easier to predict price changes.
• A fifth more deaths happen on a Monday and it is the most common day to die of a heart attack.

TUESDAY

• Tuesdays are a good day to update blog pages but a bad day for sex.
• The most hits on blog pages are recorded on Tuesdays.
• We have the least sex on Tuesdays according to an NOP health survey.

WEDNESDAY

• Wednesdays are a good day to ask for a pay rise but a bad day for driving.
• In a survey of 1,500 bosses, most revealed they were more receptive to requests a Wednesday. On Mondays they are too busy preparing for the week ahead and by Thursday and Friday they are thinking about the weekend.
• Most traffic accidents happen on Wednesdays according to vehicle management firm Velo. It came to this conclusion after analysing 55,000 insurance claims.

THURSDAY

• Thursdays are good to give up smoking but bad for rain.
• Your willpower is strong for the first few days which helps you get through the weekend.

FRIDAY

• Fridays are good to sack someone but bad for earthquakes.
• Judi James, a business consultant, says Mondays are a bad day to tell someone they are fired because they only take the negative message. But on a Friday the words may not be as wounding and he or she may even agree it is time to look for another job.
• Half of the worst earthquakes in history struck on a Friday, including one that killed 30,000 in Gujarat, India, and 2003's in Bam, Iran, that left 40,000 dead.

SATURDAY

• Saturdays are a good day to have a baby but a bad day for drinking.
• Babies born on Saturdays have a better than average chance of becoming Prime Minister. Of 20 British leaders elected since 1900, six were born on a Saturday including Harold Wilson, Stanley Baldwin and Anthony Eden.
• The number of people admitted to hospital for alcohol poisoning increases by two-thirds on Saturdays, the British Medical Journal revealed.

SUNDAY

• Sundays are a good day to communicate but bad for cooking.
• A third more people opened their personal emails on a Sunday compared with a busy weekday, according to new research.

PEOPLE MULTI-TASK ON TOILET: A poll reported on in Britain's Telegraph found that more than a third of respondents said they had sent a text message while on the toilet, 33 percent admitted they had conducted a telephone conversation and 7 percent revealed they had searched the internet. Some respondents passed the time during their bathroom visits by thinking about their next meal (14 percent) or even eating or drinking (6 percent), according to the research. A total of one percent said their multi-tasking extended to sending Twitter updates.

• What do you do on the toilet?
• Do you think it's inappropriate to have a conversation when you're in the bathroom?
• Would you hang up with someone if you realized that's what they were doing?
• What's worse: talking on the phone or eating while on the toilet?

iPOD INDICATES PERSONALITY: Scrolling through someone's iPod can tell you a lot about their personality, a new study claims. Researchers from Cambridge University found jazz lovers are creative, rock fans are rebellious, classical music aficionados are intellectual and pop listeners are sociable. And by stating a preference for a musical style, many of us appear to use it as a 'badge' to tell people about our personality and values. Dr Jason Rentfrow said, "This research suggests that, even though our assumptions may not be accurate, we get a very strong impression about someone when we ask them what music they like."

TIPS ON GETTING TATTOOS

You made it through a long, hard week. Why don't you celebrate by going out and getting a tattoo?

Sure, tattoos hurt. But, the pain is tolerable -- and how you react to that pain will determine the type of experience you will end up having.

Here are some tips to help you have a great tattoo experience:

1. Light Meal -- Eat a light meal before you go to the tattoo studio. This will help you from feeling queasy and, maybe, passing out.

2. Go Alone -- Having a bunch of buddies around might cause you to lose concentration and overreact to the pain. If you feel the need to bring support, choose one close friend.

3. Sit Still -- Moving around while getting your tat is a big problem. It'll cause you more pain and increase the odds of your tattoo artist screwing up your design.

4. Arrive Sober -- Being under the influence of alcohol or drugs is not going to help the pain. It will make your tattoo experience a negative one. Most professional tattoo artists will refuse service you if you attempt to be tattooed while wasted.