Conversation Starters - Really neat facts!

Aug 23, 2007 19:42

Conversation Starter #99
Americans detect a person's emotions by looking at his or her mouth. Other cultures, like the Japanese, focus more on the eyes.

Conversation Starter #98
50 percent of Americans say that if cash were tight, cable TV would be the first thing to go. For 67 percent, ditching the car would be a last resort.

Conversation Starter #97
Ubermanly features -- like thin lips, a strong chin, and an exaggerated brow ridge -- can be a turnoff. Why? Women infer that strong-featured guys are more likely to get into fights and cheat on them.

Conversation Starter #96
On average, people tell one to two lies a day with the intention of deceiving.

Conversation Starter #95
We take pleasure in hearing about a celeb's blunder because unconsciously, we want them to falter just like we do. That way, they seem more human and not so special.

Conversation Starter #94
Firstborns get 20 to 30 more minutes of quality time per day with parents than younger sibs.

Conversation Starter #93
81% of 18-to-25-year-olds today say their generation's top life goal is to be rich.

Conversation Starter #92
There's almost as much bacteria on a shopping cart handle or vending machine button as there is on public restroom surface.

Conversation Starter #91
On a diet? Avoid the mall. A new study says people who are trying exert self-control in some way (like avoiding fatty foods) make more impulse purchases.

Conversation Starter #90
London zookeepers are hoping a new heated waterfall in the gorilla exhibit will make two reluctant lovebirds randy enough to mate.

Conversation Starter #89
If a woman eats a lot of beef while pregnant, it can lead to lowered sperm counts in her son. Clearly, K-Fed's mom was a vegetarian.

Conversation Starter #88
You know those smell strips on perfume ads that make your Cosmo smell so good? Well, it may not be long before a whiff of your magazine will have you buying mocha lattes and blueberry muffins instead of body lotion and eau de toilette.

Conversation Starter #87
34 percent of men and 29 percent of women have used their BlackBerrys, PDAs, or cell phones to initiate sex, according to an online survey by Beta Research Group.

Conversation Starter #86
Men masturbate 4.9 times per week on average, compared to 2.8 times for women, according to an online survey by Beta Research Group.

Conversation Starter #85
At her wedding, a bride in Austria jokingly answered "no" instead of "yes" when asked if she wanted to marry the groom. The official broke off the ceremony and refused to resume, even though she begged him and burst into tears.

Conversation Starter #84
Humans aren't the only ones battling the bulge. Veterinarians say that canine obesity is on the upswing, with 20 to 25 percent of dogs in the U.S. classified as obese or overweight.

Conversation Starter #83
49% of employees feel that their relationship with their boss has a direct impact on their productivity.

Conversation Starter #82
According to a survey of 1,000 adults, 42% find blue the most attractive eye color.

Conversation Starter #81
A group of researchers recently gave up on an experiment to get the lazy sloth to climb up and down a pole. The scientists spent three years luring the little guy with his favorite food (spaghetti and cucumbers), but he wouldn't budge.

Conversation Starter #80
Your kitchen sponge harbors millions of harmful bacteria like E. coli and salmonella that will make you sick. Luckily, now you can instantly sanitize the germ magnet with a zap of your microwave. Heating it for just two minutes will kill 99 percent of the bacteria, a University of Florida study found.

Conversation Starter #79
Just be glad you're not a fish. Scientists recently discovered that in some species, the males eat their babies if they suspect their ladyfish is chasing other fin.

Conversation Starter #78

Conversation Starter #77
Scientists working for the U.S. Air Force have created underwear that can be worn for weeks without washing. The bacteria-killing, liquid-repelling undies were designed for soldiers in the field, but they also make a great excuse for putting off laundry another day...or week.

Conversation Starter #76
Ever wonder why such smart women fall under the spell of such bad boys, even when they know it won't amount to more than a one-night stand? Turns out hormones are to blame.

Conversation Starters #75
If you're one of those people who can't get dressed without calling at least five friends for fashion advice, maybe you should consider investing in the Magic Wardrobe

Conversation Starters #74
The next time you hear a guy complaining that women are such bad drivers, set him straight! According to a recent U.S. road risk analysis, men have a 77 percent higher risk of dying in a car accident than women. The authors of the study said this is because men tend to take more risks, such as speeding and driving under the influence.

Conversation Starters #73
Now there's a 12-step program for the latest addiction: e-mailing. Executive coach Marsha Egan came up with the plan, designed for people who can't go for more than a few minutes without logging in.

Conversation Starters #72
Starbucks and other schmancy coffee shops may charge more, but that doesn't necessarily mean their coffee tastes better.

Conversation Starters #71
In France, not only do they work a 35-hour workweek, the health minister has asked that studies be done to see if they should require that workers be allowed to nap during the workday.

Conversation Starters #70
If you hate breaking up with people, you're in luck. BreakupButler.com is a new Website that literally breaks up with people for you.

Conversation Starters #69
When asked to choose between sex and fashion in a survey conducted by Unilever, nearly two-thirds of women claimed that losing their favorite article of clothing would be worse than giving up sex for a month.

Conversation Starters #68
Remember what your mother used to say before you crossed the street? Stop, look, and listen. Now those who don't follow Mom's instructions could be slapped with $100 fines.

Conversation Starters #67
Do you have a perpetually happy, mild-tempered friend who makes you look like a raging, mood-swinging lunatic?

Conversation Starters #66
Krispy Kreme is getting in on the health-nut trend by offering whole-wheat doughnuts. The problem?

Conversation Starters #65
It turns out women aren't the only ones who hear the tick-tock of the biological clock. More and more doctors are encouraging men to consider risks such as autism and schizophrenia associated with having kids after a certain age.

Conversation Starters #64
The quest for the perfect slice has been going on since the beginning of time. But now one New York restaurant may have obliterated the competition by creating the ultimate pizza pie.

Conversation Starters #63
If you're looking for a way to get out of that Monday morning meeting, you're in luck. A recent study suggests that workers come up with better ideas on their own than they do in a group.

Conversation Starters #62
You've always dreamed of growing old with your man. Now there's something you can do to help make that dream a reality: Feed him chocolate.

Conversation Starters #61
Commercials aren't as effective during sexually charged TV shows are they are during tamer programs because people are too distracted to remember things like brand names. Who knew?

Conversation Starters #60
New studies prove that eating fish containing Omega-3 fatty acids (like salmon) can actually improve your mood.

Conversation Starters #59
According to one study, twice as many women as men said they want to cut back their working hours...even if it meant sacrificing their pay.

Conversation Starters #58
Like humans, dolphins also have names. But instead of calling themselves by a specific moniker, they give themselves a distinctive "whistle" sound, which they use when they need to let other dolphins know where they are.

Conversation Starters #57
One reason cats are such finicky eaters: They lack a gene coding that would allow them to detect sweet sensations.

Conversation Starters #56
Food really is more delicious -- and harder to resist -- when you're dieting. Hunger boosts the sensitivity of taste buds, intensifying flavor, researchers found.

Conversation Starters #55
An unmade bed contains 1.5 million dust mites -- microscopic critters that feed off dead human skin cells, triggering asthma and allergies.

Conversation Starters #54
If you play sports, put on a red uniform. Studies have found that athletes clad in crimson are more likely to win than those wearing other colors.

Conversation Starters #53
Forget metrosexuals -- the latest subtype of male is the petrosexual: a guy who cares more about his dog or cat than he does about the girl he's dating!

Conversation Starters #52
Ever find that your jeans feel tighter in August? Extreme weather leads people to avoid exercise, making it easier for them to pack on pounds, researchers report.

Conversation Starters #51
By the time a woman is ready to give birth, her uterus can be 1,000 times larger than it was prebaby.

Conversation Starters #50
Fired yet? If you're under 30, you have a 90 percent chance of being canned at some point over the next 20 years.

Conversation Starters #49
Imagine being paid to go to the gyno: Med schools hire women to undergo practice exams conducted by students. Total compensation: around $200 for a few hours' work.

Conversation Starters #48
The top male pet name is Max, followed by Buddy, Jake, and Rocky. Molly, Maggie, Daisy, and Lucy are the most common female pet monikers.

Conversation Starters #47
If you find yourself skipping from one career to another, you have plenty of company: By age 32, the average adult has already held eight different jobs, government stats show.

Conversation Starters #46
One reason your steady guy can be so silent: It's his way of asserting power in the relationship. By not opening up, a man leaves his girl unsure of what he's thinking -- which can keep her guessing about the state of their union.

Conversation Starters #45
Forget oysters -- clams just might be an aphrodisiac for men. Animal studies show that consuming clams triggers a surge in male sex hormones.

Conversation Starters #44
It takes the average 20-something guy just 10 seconds to become fully aroused.

Conversation Starters #43
Do you regularly eat lunch at your desk at work? You're better off scarfing your sandwich in your office bathroom. The average desk racks up 400 times the germ count of a public toilet seat, report University of Arizona researchers.

Conversation Starters #42
At your next job interview, be a brownnoser, not a braggart. People who suck up have more luck snagging an offer than interviewees who boast about their abilities.

Conversation Starters #41
A man's eyelids and scrotum are ultrasensitive to your touch because neither contains any fat beneath the skin.

Conversation Starters #40
The freakiest plastic-surgery trend has pet pooches of all breeds going under the knife. It's true: more and more veterinarians are performing chin lifts, tightening loose skin, and even inserting silicone implants to give neutered male dogs an artificial set of balls!

Conversation Starters #39
Searching for love online? Keep this info in mind: 30% of Web daters who present themselves as single are actually married or living with a significant other.

Conversation Starters: #38
If you've ever hooked up with a coworker, you're not alone. 58 percent of staffers report they they've had at least one fling with a fellow employee.

Conversation Starters: #37
Ever wonder why you may be drawn to a particular type of guy? Scientists say each of us has a blueprint in our brains, a scorecard of what we find attractive in a partner based on our experiences growing up.

Conversation Starters: #36
Besides humans, dolphins and some chimps are the only other animals that do the deed for pleasure as well as procreation.

Conversation Starters: #35
Why most guys don't mind a messy pad: The male brain absorbs less sensory detail than a woman's, so they aren't that bothered by grime.

Conversation Starters: #34
Call it toasty testicle syndrome: The heat generated by a laptop computer can steam up a man's crotch, and his sperm count may suffer, report researchers from the State University of New York at Stony Brook.

Conversation Starters: #33
Did you know there's a museum devoted to the penis? Called the Institute of Phallology, this Icelandic cultural attraction features more than 100 animal members, a penis-themed art gallery, and even a gift shop.

Conversation Starters: #32
Men tend to be good at manual tasks, except when it comes to unhooking a bra. One study found that it took an average of 27 seconds before a guy actually got one unfastened. And that's using both hands!

Conversation Starters #31
Just like their human owners, cats can suffer from stress too. The biggest source of feline anxiety is rivalry with another kitty. Other stressors include moving to a different home and dealing with a new human family member.

Conversation Starters: #30
Cell phones now have their own lexicon: Cell yell refers to excessively loud cell-phone talking; a cellu-loser is someone who keeps their mobile jammed to their ear at all times.

Conversation Starters: #29
Your smile is the body feature people say they zero in on first, according to a survey in 2005. Coming in second is your figure, followed by the way you wear your hair

Conversation Starters: #28
Our butts really are getting broader: Instead of the typical 18-inch seat, movie theaters and stadiums now install chairs that measure up to 22 inches across.

Conversation Starters: #27
In 2005, an airport in Australia was shut down after a vibrator was mistaken for a bomb. It took 45 minutes for officials to determine that the switched-on sex toy wasn't an explosive.

Conversation Starters: #26
Convinced that you pack on 5 or 10 pounds during December's holiday pig-out sessions each year? Truth is, most people are only a pound heavier by the first week of January, according to a National Institutes of Health study.

Conversation Starters: #25
No wonder so many people vacation in Arizona and Nevada: Researchers discovered that 72 degrees is the temperature that puts people in the best possible mood.

Conversation Starters: #24
West Coast men shell out twice as much money for a date-about $100-as do guys elsewhere, according to a Yahoo! Personals poll.

Conversation Starters: #23
Beer, a health food? It's not a joke. A brew a day boosts antioxidant activity, which can help prevent such conditions as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, studies show.

Conversation Starters: #21
Vibrators have come a long way since they debuted in the late 1800s. Back then, these buzzy buddies were made out of wood or steel and were powered by -- ouch! -- steam.

Conversation Starters: #22
Ever get the feeling your man tunes you out when you try to chat him up? He may not be ignoring you on purpose -- you just might be talking into the wrong ear.

Conversation Starters: #20
Being in love doesn't just make you swoon -- it also makes you stupid. Studies found that romantic feelings inhibit parts of the brain responsible for critical thinking.

Conversation Starters: #19
Guys with sexy voices, like Vin Diesel, enjoy an extra advantage when it comes to dating.

Conversation Starters: #18
Strawberries and raspberries can boost your lust drive. These two frisky fruits are loaded with the mineral zinc, which can get you hot more quickly.

Conversation Starters: #17
Donald Trump, watch your back: Almost 50 percent of workers are so bugged by their boss, they'd fire the head honcho if they could. And 29 percent think their bigwig should see a shrink.

Conversation Starters: #16
Junk food -- such as chips, pastries, and sugary sodas -- makes up 30 percent of the average American's diet.

Conversation Starters: #15
In 2004, archaeologists unearthed a 1,000-year-old padded bra. The antique undergarment, found in Mongolia, has gold silk back and shoulder straps.

Conversation Starters: #14
Shut-eye shocker: Skimping on zzz's can make you fat! Research shows that sleep deprivation leads to higher glucose and hormone levels, which can pack on pounds.

Conversation Starters: #13
It's the great toiler-paper-roll poll: 72 percent of people prefer the TP coming off the roll from the top rather than the bottom. Hey, as long as it's not empty, we don't care which way it's on.

Conversation Starters: #12
Having an orgasm can banish body aches and pains -- thanks to feel-good chemicals called endorphins that are released when you peak.

Conversation Starters: #10
Women are perceived as the most attractive when they're ovulating. Researchers theorize that the hormones associated with ovulation give your skin an extrasexy glow midcycle.

Conversation Starters: #11
Got unruly locks? You may have an undesirable hair gene. Researchers recently discovered a gene, dubbed Frizzled 6, which controls whether or not your hair gets poufy or misbehaves.

Conversation Starters: #9
"At the end of the day" was voted the most annoying cliche in the English language. Other tired expressions include "24-7," "awesome," and "between a rock and a hard place."

Conversation Starters: #8
Instead of piercings, one of the freakiest body-art fads is eyeball jewelry! In the Netherlands, people pay doctors to implant jeweled half-moons and hearts into their eyes.

Conversation Starters: #7
Blonds have a bad reputation for being ditzy, but they may make the best drivers: Australian research found that guys and girls who describe themselves as fair-haired have fewer car crashes than brunettes and redheads of both sexes.

Conversation Starters: #6
Planning to shack up with your guy? Research shows that while cohabitation boosts a man's mental health, it actually sends a woman's psychological state into a downward spiral.

Conversation Starters: #5
Scandinavian semen is exported to more than 30 countries, resulting in over 1,000 pregnancies per year. One reason why? Lots of couples want blue-eyed babies.

Conversation Starters: #4
You know how friends tell you to "sleep on it" when you're wrestling with a dilemma? Studies confirm that as you snooze, your brain works to problem-solve.

Conversation Starters: #3
One minute of passionate kissing only burns two calories.

Conversation Starters: #2
According to a Pilot Pen survey, females who favor red pens get the most raises, and green-ink users are the most bored on the job.

Conversation Starters: #1
English-speaking tourists reportedly steal signs several times per year from a town in France called Condom. We're so mature, aren't we?
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