Safest Cities

It's now gets dark earlier and it will be especially spooky tonight, but knowing that you're in a safe city should help ease the nerves. This year, Brick, NJ was ranked as the safest city in the nation, which is based on FBI data. Conversely St. Louis is ranked as the most dangerous. Hmm, good new, bad news for that town this month, huh. Click here to access the full list. We feel pretty good because our headquarters in Huntington Beach, CA is ranked 29th--not bad. Have a happy and safe Halloween everyone!

The "WAF" Factor

Listen up married men! There's a new buzz word in consumer electronics, and it might just be what gets you your next totally awesome gadget and/or TV. Known as the "Wife Acceptance Factor" or WAF for short, this phenomenon came to Cnet News.com blogger David Carnoy one day when a couple of junior editors on the electronics team commemorated his getting hitched by creating a mockup of a blog Carnoy had posted titled "Fully Equipped" to the apply named "Fully Whipped." According to Carnoy, the title read, "Honey, is it all right if I spend $50 at Best Buy?"

Carnoy hasn't discovered anything new, but perhaps just a simple marketing ploy by electronics manufactures to give women a nod and men a wink. We at hitchedmag.com offer our own nods in our "Money" section under "Budget" and "Splurge." It's sure to get the WAF factor of approval.

More Spooky Date Ideas

USA Today has a list of 10 places to visit that will send a shiver up your spine. These are spots from all over the country including the Exorcist steps in Washington DC, Edgar Allan Poe's grave in Baltimore, the Dawn of the Dead mall in Monroeville, PA, Friday the 13th's Camp Crystal Lake in Blairstown, N.J. and more. Each location is given a brief description and links to more information. If you don't like those ideas, you can always read April Pennington's ideas in her "Date Night" column. This week's column includes other Halloween-themed date ideas. Check it out here.

Still Paying At The Pump?

It's been a while since we've heard anything about crazy gas prices. Around here in California, gas is still regularly $2.50 a gallon, which by the standard of the $3+ a gallon seems like a deal. We wrote an article about it early in the summer (click here). Then Exxon released their quarterly profits that makes you think, well, maybe we are still paying too much. Exxon recorded the second highest quarterly profits ever at roughly $1.5 billion. We did a little math and that comes out to over $11,000 per minute! This article from the Washington Post has more information on the record profits. Our article concluded with the following: "...gas prices won't be coming down anytime soon; remember the outrage at $2 a gallon? So before you have to take out a second mortgage to fill your gas tank, do some research, plan ahead, and let the good times roll."

The Washington Post article brings up the question of how much is too much for gas? Did $3+ affect your driving habits? How about $2.50? With the holidays just around the corner, will your travel plans change? Rather than writing another article on the subject, we thought we'd just bring it up in the blog.

Fertility Gap

With the elections just around the corner, it might be pretty easy to determine which district is going to which party--just look at the number of children in the district. Republican districts generally have more kids where Democrat districts have less. Don't think that this fact is lost on the candidates either. This article from USA Today mentions candidates who talk kids, kids, kids in their speeches. Also mentioned in a previous post and also in this article, is the fact that Democrat disctricts also have less married couples. Why do you think this is?

Remote Control Battle

A book called How to Survive Your Marriage offers tips from real couples on just about everything, including how couples settle the remote control dispute. Advice cited on the Lansing State Journall website from this book includes: "Find what shows you both like to watch and put the clicker on the coffee table." -Christian, Montclair, N.J., married 5 years; "We don't share the remote. It is his." -D.N., Tampa, Fla., married 25 years; "Who cares about remotes? Get another TV! Besides, sedentary activities should be limited!" -Anonymous, Tampa, Fla., married 24 years; and "I'm a compulsive muter, and I'm lucky that my wife allows me to control the clicker at all times." -Geoff, Ann Arbor, married 2 years. What's your secret to resolving your remote battles?

To go to the book's website, click here.

Zombie Walks

Okay, so we know we're inundating you with Halloween stuff, but we just can't help it. So here's another one. Have you ever heard of Zombie Walks? Basically, it's where people get together dressed as zombies and walk through a mall or park or some public arena in character. This website, www.zombiewalks.com has forums where people schedule their next zombie walk in various cities throughout the U.S. and world. Please tell us that someone is doing a documentary on this. If not, someone should be. Go to the site and find some pictures, pretty creepy. Then again, it could be one of the more interested dates you and your dead spouse can go on.

Gift Card Laws

Gift card season is just around the corner and ConsumersUnion.org has a great list of gift card laws by state. Pretty good thing to know if you're the recipient or purchaser of a gift card. For example, in Connecticut their are no expirations and no inactivity fees; in Kentucky it's no expiration for one year; in Massachusetts it's no expiration for 7 years. In some states, the law varies on the dollar amount on the gift card while others it's based on percentages. Check out the full list here.

Decaf = Liars!

That's right, a study by the University of Florida shows that almost all decaffeinated coffees contain some caffeine. That's just wrong. The study suggests that if someone drinks 10 cups of decaf a day, it could equal the caffeine amount of a regular coffee. We want to know who's drinking 10 cups a day outside of truck drivers and college students during finals week? The bottom line they say, is that decaffeinated coffee is not the same as caffeine free. So now you know, you're welcome. Click here for the full article.

Renew Your Vows At Sea

USA Today has a regularly updated Cruise Log offering news and tips pertaining to the cruise industry. Today's tip highlights the trend of couples' renewing their marriage vows while out to sea. Celebrity, Carnival, Princess and other lines offer vow renewal programs that include everything you need including the ceremony, after-party and even breakfast in bed the next morning. Ceremonies start as cheap as $385 and get more expensive with the added options. Click here to access the Cruise Log.

Diagnosed As A Shopoholic

Compulsive buying is not just a habit, but it could be a psychological disorder. New research published in the American Journal of Psychiatry says as many or more than 10 million people have a problem of purchasing items they don't need, can't afford and ultimately put themselves and family in financial ruin. The Washington Post has an article that offers true accounts of individuals who drop $10k on jewelry while they're channel surfing. Also mentioned in the study is that men are just as likely as women to be compulsive shoppers. Read the whole article here.

Married Couples Are Minority

For the first time, this country is now made up of more single folks than married households, according to the US Census Bureau. This doesn't mean that marriage is dead, however, as this article points out, the actual number of married households has never been higher. So what does this mean? Well, that people are weighing their options before getting married or living together before marrying. Also, many of these households were once married households...the stats show that they will marry again too. One thing's for sure, the face of this country is definitely changing.

Calorie-Burning Beverage

Coca-Cola and Nestle are partnering to release a drink they claim will help you burn calories. It's a carbonated drink called Enviga, and includes a blend of green-tea extracts known for boosting metabolism called Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). They say the drink includes no more caffeine than an average cup of coffee and 20% of the daily value of calcium for men and women ages 19 to 50. Imagine looking on the label and seeing a minus sign next to the calorie stats! The drink is being launched in New York, New Jersey and Philadelphia on Nov. 6th. If anyone tries it, let us know what you think.

U.S. Rolls 300 Million Deep

The U.S. Census Bureau projects that the U.S. population will hit 300 million on Oct. 17th. Click here to view Census Bureau population clock. As the nation grows in numbers, many things have changed, from home ownership numbers to the education level of the country. Also, and not surprising, the statistics surrounding marriage have changed. Click here to view our country by the numbers over the years. That's how we roll.

Fast Food Calorie Counter

The Washington Post has a nifty fast food calorie counter that's definitely worth checking out. Their list of fast food chains is a little limited, but it does include the really big names. Being that we're on the West Coast, we were a little disappointed that In-N-Out wasn't included on their list. But then again, who counts calories when they're ordering a double-double! Users pick a menu and then add items from that menu and watch the calorie counter add up like the nation's deficit. The only problem is that when you switch restaurant menus, the counter resets. Happy counting.

Small Charges

It's not uncommon to whip out the plastic and charge a $3 cup of coffee. Nor is it out of the ordinary to pay for movie tickets with a credit card. Because of this new trend of small purchases made with credit cards, more card companies are no longer requiring consumers to sign for items less than $25. Their reason? To increase the speed and convenience for consumers to make purchases with their plastic. Some experts are concerned, however, that many consumers will wind up paying more or find themselves in deeper debt by virtue of charging more. If you don't immediately pay off that $3 coffee, the interest could wind up charging you a whole bag of beans. Click here for more details.

Married Women Not Happy With GOP

It seems that the Grand Ole Party is loosing its hold on married female voters according to an Associated Press-Ipsos poll conducted this month. The poll found that support for a Republican candidate is now evenly divided between the two parties among married women with children in the house. The news is something GOP leaders will need to consider during a nearing election year as married women constituted 18 percentage points in 2002 and 14 percentage points in 2004 in favor of the Republican party. Married moms have become a volatile swing group just as Democrats need to gain 15 GOP-held House seats and six in the Senate to win control of Capitol Hill. With other GOP scandals blanketing the Washington-based party, 2008 should shape up to be one unpredictable year. Click here to read the article.

Couples' Halloween Photo Contest

On Monday, we're going to launch our first annual couples Halloween photo contest. All you'll need to do is submit a picture of you and your spouse decked out in your best/favorite Halloween costumes. Once all the entries have been received, we'll post the eligible pictures for visitors to vote on. The winners will be decided by popular vote at the end of the month and will receive a really cool gift, plus an opportunity to be our featured couple in the "10 Thing I've Learned From Marriage" column. Full details will be revealed on Monday. In the meantime, dig through your old pictures over the weekend or create new ones with fresh new costumes. Happy Friday and have a great weekend!

Pirates Are Popular

If you wanna stand out this Halloween season, don't be a pirate. Apparently, pirate costumes are flying off the shelves for kids and adults. Maybe this article from USA Today has skewed stats because they didn't take into account Talk Like a Pirate Day. Who knows, but to be safe stay away from the Jack Sparrow look-a-like this year.

Also, we wanted to give you a heads up on our Couples Halloween Costume Contest coming up. More details will follow soon, so check back and start digging through your pictures to submit a winner. We're even offering treasure!

Mullets and Frozen Pucks

It can only be one thing--hockey season drops the puck tonight! Granted, most major sports media are talking about the baseball playoffs and how great the Manning brothers are, but just because the NHL no longer gets the primetime treatment doesn't mean it should be forgotten. Want to hear a little secret? Hockey games are a cheap date! And they're about as exciting as any live sporting event gets. You can even get tickets for under $20. Just as we warned wives when the soccer World Cup neared, this is your warning. The sports world is picking up steam with basketball just around the corner. Men, keep this in mind as your days fill with sports-related commitments and your mullets grow--remember that while your team needs your support, your wife needs you too. Well, maybe after the shoot-out. Click here for the NHL homepage.

Take a Trip to Africa

Wanna take a trip to Africa to see all the wild life, but can't afford it? No problem. The National Geographic website has a live streaming webcam pumping in images from Botswana. The camera zooms and pans to give you a variety of looks. You might find yourself reaching for some bug spray however, after seeing all the critters zipping around at night. Gotta love all the noises too. Click here to check it out.

Onion Goggles

It's Monday and you're probably preparing for a week's worth of dinners. You see several items with onions on the menu and your eyes begin to water, even before your knife ever cracks one open. Well, worry not. With these Onion Goggles you can get ready to prep your onion soup without feeling the burn. We don't usually blog about products, but we thought this one was too out-there to pass up. Do you have onion-cutting secrets. Let us know. Oh, click here to order your own Onion Goggles.