Various Inane Nonsense Junk Items

[threlayer]

New York, NY – More [male] Americans would choose to share a vacation rental home with talk show host Kelly Ripa (26%) than would with the Obamas (19%), the Jolie-Pitt family (16%), Oprah Winfrey (16%), Jon Stewart (13%) or Stephen Colbert (10%), according to a new survey conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs on behalf of Home Away.

• Men are most likely to select Kelly Ripa (30%), while women are more split between vacationing with Kelly Ripa (22%) and Oprah Winfrey (22%).
• Adults 55 and older are more likely than younger adults to prefer to share a vacation home with the Obamas (24%), while adults under 35 are more likely than those who are older to prefer late night comedians Jon Stewart (17%) and Stephen Colbert (14%).

When dining on vacation, Americans are most likely to choose Rachel Ray (32%) to be their celebrity chef, followed closely by Paula Deen (27%). Fewer would like to have Wolfgang Puck (15%), Gordon Ramsay (13%), Masaharu Morimoto (6%) or Tom Colicchio (6%) cook for them.

• Men are more likely than are women to choose Rachel Ray (36% vs. 28%) or Gordon Ramsey (16% vs. 10%) as their celebrity chef, while women show a preference for Paula Deen (32% vs. 23%).
• Midwesterners (33%) and Southerners (32%) are also more likely than those in other regions to say that they would want Paula Deen preparing their meals while on vacation, along with adults 35 and older (31%).

These are some of the findings of .... poll conducted April 30 – May 4, 2009. For the survey, a national sample of 1,003 adults aged 18 and older from .... U.S. online panel were interviewed online. Quota sampling and weighting were employed to balance demographics and ensure that the sample's composition reflects that of the actual U.S. adult population according to U.S. Census data and to provide results that are intended to approximate a probability sample. An unweighted probability sample of 1,003 respondents, with a 100% response rate, would have an estimated margin of error of +/-3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

[threlayer]

The Economy Is Still The Chief Concern Of The Affluent
However, Dire Predictions are Down and Optimism is Up

New York, NY – As a follow-up to its well-known and well-respected Mendelsohn Affluent Survey (currently being fielded for its 33rd consecutive year), .... Mendelsohn recently conducted its quarterly online Barometer survey among affluent adults during April 2009. In it, some 1000 people in households with household incomes of $100,000 or more were asked to candidly assess and share their current concerns and opinions about the changing world around them.

[threlayer]

Two Thirds of U.S. Adults Polled Favor Allowing All Americans to Travel to Cuba

Three Quarters Feel that Expanding US Travel to Cuba Would Positively Impact the Lives of the Cuban People

New York, NY – More than two thirds of adult Americans (67%) say that they would support a policy that would allow all Americans to travel to Cuba, according to a new study conducted .... on behalf of Orbitz. In fact, nearly a third (32%) would strongly support such a policy, while 35% would somewhat support it. Just two in ten (23%) say that they would oppose lifting these travel restrictions (10% somewhat oppose, 13% strongly oppose).

Majorities believe that such a policy would benefit the Cuban people, as nearly three quarters (72%) agree that expanding travel and tourism from the U.S. to Cuba would have a positive impact on the day-to-day lives of the Cuban people. Just 20% feel that allowing Americans to travel to Cuba would not positively impact Cubans in this way.

Booking Travel to Cuba…

Two thirds of Americans (67%) would support a policy that would allow travel agents to book vacation travel to Cuba, mirroring the level of support for lifting the travel ban. Less than a quarter (23%) would oppose allowing travel agents to do so.

Similarly, more than six in ten (63%) Americans agree that it should be legal for online travel sites, such as Orbitz.com, to book travel to Cuba.

Most Feel Orbitz.com Should Encourage the Government to Lift the Travel Ban

Nearly two thirds of Americans (64%) say that Orbitz.com should play an active role to persuade elected officials to give all Americans the freedom to travel to Cuba. Less than three in ten (28%) disagree, preferring that Orbitz.com not encourage the government to lift the travel restrictions.

[threlayer]

Americans Are More Likely to Be Concerned if Their Social Security Number Were to Be Stolen Than Their Wallet or Laptop

More Americans Would Rather Reduce Their Risk of Identity Theft by 20% Than Reduce Their Waistlines by 20 Pounds

New York, NY – When asked which of three personal items they would be most concerned about being stolen if someone were to break into their home, three in five (58%) select their Social Security number over their wallet or purse (24%) or their laptop (9%), according to a recent poll conducted .... on behalf of ID Analytics. In fact, Americans across demographic groups are more likely to say that they would be more concerned about their Social Security number being stolen over their wallet or purse or laptop. This importance placed on protecting one’s Social Security number reflects Americans’ concern about identity theft.

Women are even more likely than men to be most concerned about their Social Security number being stolen (63% vs. 54%).

Those with a high school education or less also express greater levels of concern about their Social Security number being stolen than do more educated adults (64% vs. 53%).

Those with a household income of less than $25,000 are also more likely than more affluent adults to select their Social Security number over their wallet or laptop (65% vs. 53%).

Similarly, nearly six in ten Americans (58%) say that they would rather reduce their risk of identity theft by 20% than lose 20 pounds, illustrating that they understand the real risks of identity theft today.

Across demographic groups, Americans are more likely to chose reducing their risk of identify theft over losing 20 pounds. The only exception is retirees, who are equally likely to select losing 20 pounds as they are to select reducing their risk of identity theft by 20%.

Younger adults are more likely to prefer to decrease their risk of identify theft than their waistline: 66% of adults under 35 and 60% of adults ages 35 to 54 would rather reduce their risk of having their identity stolen whereas just 48% of adults 55+ say the same.

Westerners (64%) are also more likely than those in other regions to choose decreasing their risk of identity theft over shedding 20 pounds.

Parents (67%) and Hispanics (72%) are also among those who are most likely to prefer to reduce their risk of identity theft than their weight.

[threlayer]

Do you think you will be at your current job until you retire?

Yes 23%
No 31%
Not working 38%
Don't know / no opinion 8%

Total Votes: 1475

[lastone]

New York, NY – More [male] Americans would choose to share a vacation rental home with talk show host Kelly Ripa (26%) than would with the Obamas (19%), the Jolie-Pitt family (16%), Oprah Winfrey (16%), Jon Stewart (13%) or Stephen Colbert (10%), according to a new survey conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs on behalf of Home Away.
[LIST][*][/I]

If the choices did not include Shania Twain, the poll was invalid.

[threlayer]

Kelly seems to be an air head and bores me very much. I could very easily choose a better guest. But I've always been a contra.

[Gia2608]

Hmm can I add something inane of my own?


The most common birthday in the US = Oct. 5.

What magic day are most of these babies conceived? New Years Eve!!! Drunken debauchery, always a top fave of mine!

[threlayer]

Here's to debauchery !!! I'll drink to that !!!

[threlayer]

Washington, DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007.

The man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approx. 2 thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After 3 minutes a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.

4 minutes later:

the violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.

6 minutes:

A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.

10 minutes:

A 3-year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent, without exception, forced their children to move on quickly.

45 minutes:

The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.

1 hour:

He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

--------------------
No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.

This is a true story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities. The questions raised: in a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?

One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this: If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made.... How many other things are we missing?