Use Common Sense, Be Safe

I read an article earlier today that suggested not to shoot your guns in celebration of the new year. Seems reasonable. But celebration isn't the only place you should use common sense, the weather is another place to use good judgement. Click here to read an article of a man who used a cutting torch to thaw ice and wound up thawing a lot of ice when he caught his house on fire. Be safe, don't drink and drive, and enjoy your New Year celebrations! Happy New Year everyone and be sure to give your spouse a BIG kiss at midnight--then remember to do the same thing throughout the year.

Army Couple Makes Marriage Work Through 5 Deployments

Army majors Elizabeth and Mike (no last name given in the article) have deployed five times between the two of them to Bosnia, Kosovo and Iraq. Fortunately, the U.S. Army has been extremely accommodating letting the two station geographically close, even if not together. Over Christmas, Elizabeth traveled to his unit, only to find he had gone to visit hers. Elizabeth says, "I left presents on his desk." The couple, having met in the military has been married for eight years and says they currently see each other about once every three to five weeks. Enough time to get their family started. Elizabeth is currently in her third trimester of pregnancy and the couple is already starting to make plans for another deployment. They expect their next move will take them to Afghanistan, but this time they wish to go separately so one can stay behind to care for their new baby. They realize that this will add a new level of complication to their marriage, but then again this couple has faced tougher challenges in the past.

Read their full story here. According to the Military Family Research Institute, nearly 13% of active-duty service members were married to another service member in 2005. Are you one of them?

Medical Myths

Your kid eating sugar will make them hyper, right? Not so says British medical journal BMJ. They say that there is no scientific evidence to support this myth and that some of it is even psychological for the parents. The journal said that when parent were told their kids had sugary drinks, they rated that they were more hyper, even though the drinks were sugar free. Other myths include the one that poinsettias are poisonous, suicides increase during the holidays, eating at night makes you fat, you lose the most body heat through your head, and that their are cures for hangovers. To read the full article with explanations on these myths, click here. So go ahead and eat up at night with that sugary dessert, but don't drink too much because there's no cure in the morning. Happy holidays!

Less Gifts This Year

Who on your Santa list is not going to receive a gift this year because of the economy? A Maritz Holiday Poll asked who's off this year's holiday gift list and perhaps surprisingly extended family were the first to go. 67 Percent said extended family were getting chopped, while 55 percent said friends and 50 percent said work associates. Click here to see the poll.

Have you removed some people off your gift list who has traditionally been on it in years past? Are you making homemade goodies instead or have other ideas? Let us know what you're doing.

Postnuptial Depression

Time magazine published an article addressing the blues couples face (particularly the bride) once their big day has come and gone. The article says 5% to 10% of newlyweds suffer strong enough remorse, sadness or frustration to prompt them to seek professional counseling. The article says some feel it and describe it as buyers remorse, others expected some magical change to happen in their relationship only to find that there's no such thing. One bride who was married in 2006 says she's found the secret to getting over the blues. She recommends newlyweds to refocus the energy that they spent working toward the wedding and now put it into themselves and their marriage, like date nights. The article also recommended:

After the vows, to defeat the postnuptial blues, doctors say, couples should get adequate rest and exercise; communicate constantly; focus on the benefits of marriage, like having a built-in support system; and start thinking about the future in terms of family or finance. Women should stop thinking of themselves as "the bride" and throw out those wedding magazines, then plan social events for after the honeymoon, so they have other parties to look forward to.

Did you experience postnuptial depression? If so, how long did it last and how did you get out of it?

Relieve Stress With Sex

This isn't new, but Self magazine recently published an article stating that sex relieves stress among other things. "Being in an intimate relationship correlates to healing faster, getting sick less often and living longer," says James Coan, Ph.D., professor of psychology at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. "Good relationships offset tension in daily life." The article further says that anxiety spikes blood pressure, which hobbles the immune system. "But when you have sex, you release feel-good hormones, including oxytocin and endorphins," Coan adds. So do you need sex to relieve stress? Nope. At least according to Coan's research. Coan says kissing, hugging, cuddling and holding hands will help relieve stress.

To read the complete article click here.

Poor Get Poorer

Talk about rubbing salt in the wound. Earlier this month, the FDIC reported that bank overdraft fees of up to $38 were disproportionately affecting young and low-income consumers. Perhaps that's not too surprising. What is interesting is that nearly half of consumers pay overdraft fees each year. Also found was that large banks are more likely to process transactions from largest to smallest dollar amount, often triggering more fees. Seems like dirty banking tricks. In total, overdraft-related fees bring in $17.5 billion each year to banks and credit unions according to the Center for Responsible Lending.

Be careful this holiday season and watch your bank account, you can be sure the banks are looking for a way to make some money. Click here to read the complete article.

Sex Toy Recycling Program

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Vermont: Healthiest State in America

Hitched is headquartered in California. You know, the land of yoga, no smoking, and sunny out-door activity all year round. So some might find it surprising that California isn't in the top five ranking of the healthiest states in America. It's more shocking for many that it ranked all the way down at 24, according to the United Health Foundation. The rankings take many different factors into consideration including prevalence of smoking, drinking, obesity, infectious disease, air pollution, public health funding, immunization coverage and many other factors.

The top five healthiest states are: Vermont, Hawaii, New Hampshire, Minnesota and Utah. The worst state is Louisiana. Click here to find out where your state ranks.

'Nagging' Wife Prompts Husband to Buy Winning Lottery Ticket

A young New Zealand couple won the jackpot of $4.2 million after the husband rushed into the store to purchase the ticket two minutes before the ticket sales closed. The husband says his wife was nagging him all week to buy one so when he say the Lotto sign in the window, he sprinted in the store to make the purchase at the last minute on a Saturday night. On Sunday, the wife asked her husband to go to the store and pick up some sausage. When the husband arrived, he realized he didn't have enough money so he looked in the paper to see if he won a few bucks. Sure enough, the couple won the grand prize. When he returned home to show his wife, she replied, "but all I wanted was a sausage."

What's the most amount of money you've won?

Do You Tell Your Kids About the Economy?

Today's youth have never seen an economic slump. Heck, with the drop in the economy we've seen these past few months, only those who are old enough to remember the Great Depression have (like our money expert Al Jacobs). Anyway, now that the holidays are here and many kids probably aren't going to have as many gifts as in years past, what's a parent to do? This article on MSNBC says that many parents are spending less on themselves to shield their kids from financial hardships. One family with sons ages 10, 8 and 4, had their kids go through the advertising circulars and circle their holiday wish list. They then had their kids ad up the total of all the items they wished for. One child was surprised that his list came to $904, which was a perfect segue to discuss money with them.

In conclusion, the article didn't offer any concrete advice, but I thought the last bit about the sons was a neat idea. How are you approaching the money situation in your household? Are you shielding your kids or shedding a light on the real world?

Avoiding Your In-Laws Could Hurt Your Marriage

If you're having a difficult time getting your spouse over to your parents house, you now have scientific data on your side. University of Denver associate professor Mary Claire Morr Serewicz spent six years researching family issues and found that in-law relations can represent 43 percent of a couple's satisfaction in their marriage. One highlight mentioned in this post on the Seattle Post-Intelligencer says that gossiping about other family members with the new son- or daughter-in-law in the room may make them feel more included, but also have them wondering what you say about them when they leave the room. Ultimately, it has a negative affect.

How would your grade your relationship with your in-laws? Do you find that your in-law grade coincides with your current marital satisfaction? Talk about it on our message boards.

12 Days of Christmas Costs $86,609

Every year PNC Wealth Management compiles a "Christmas Price Index," which rings up the total costs from the first day of Christmas's partridge in a pear tree to the 12 drummers drumming, purchased repeatedly as the song suggests. Last year, the total was was $78,100. This year the total jumped 10.9 percent to $86,609, an increase of $8,508. Interestingly, the five gold rings is down to $350 from $395 last year and many of the birds are cheaper (french hens, turtle doves, geese a-laying). This seems like just good holiday fodder, but these prices are a telling barometer of our current economic conditions. For example, gasoline increases have driven up shipping costs resulting in the pear tree price increase of $5. The aforementioned bird drops reflect the decrease in food prices. While the increase in the price of "swans a swimming" reflect in the pricing increase of luxury items. Click here to read the full article, including how to purchase these items on the cheap (Riverdance DVD instead of "lords a-leaping".

Here's a breakdown of the costs and their comparison to last year:

Partridge, $20 (last year: $15)
Pear Tree, $200 (last year: $150)
Two Turtle Doves, $55 (last year: $40)
Three French Hens, $30 (last year: $45)
Four Calling Birds (canaries), $600 (last year: same)
Five Gold Rings, $350 (last year: $395)
Six Geese a-Laying, $240 (last year: $360)
Seven Swans a-Swimming, $5,600 (last year: $4,200)
Eight Maids a-Milking, $52 (last year: $47)
Nine Ladies Dancing (per performance), $4,759 (last year: same)
10 Lords a-Leaping (per performance), $4,414 (last year: $4,285)
11 Pipers Piping (per performance), $2,285 (last year: $2,213)
12 Drummers Drumming (per performance), $2,475 (last year: $2,398)

How to Green Your Sex Life

You recycle cans and bottles, use reusable bags at the grocery store and drive a hybrid car. So what's the next step to saving the planet? Greening up your sex life! Planet Green offers many tips on turning your sex life green. For example, many sex toys contain chemicals and materials that are harmful to the environment. So instead, they recommend using sex toys made of glass, metal, silicone, hard plastics, or elastomers. If your toy uses power, look for one that is rechargeable or use your own rechargeable batteries. For lubes, they say to avoid petroleum products, artificial scents, flavors, and colors, and instead look for organic lubes. Other quick tips include showering together, bamboo bed sheets, and lingerie that's made of earth-friendly materials that you'll wear more than once, such as organic cotton, hemp silk, bamboo.

Check out their article, which includes specific brands that are eco-friendly, plus it has many more tips. Do you have any tips?

Most Dangerous Holiday Traffic Day

The most dangerous holiday to drive is New Year's Eve, right? Wrong! According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration the most dangerous holiday to take to the road is Thanksgiving. So be sure to drive safe this week. It seems that Thanksgiving is a perfect storm of event: long distance travel, packed roads, long days of drinking wine and beer, sleepy drivers from the turkey and general stress.

Independence Day is the second most dangerous day, followed by Memorial Day and Labor Day. New Year's Eve doesn't show up until number five. The best advice they recommend is to stay home, which isn't an option or most, or to fly. If you must drive, then wear a seatbelt, make a plan for getting home if you're going to be drinking and don't speed.

Why A Couple is Suing McDonald's

Phillip Sherman had a few naked pictures of his wife Tina on his cell phone. Phillip had just finished eating at a McDonald's in Arkansas when he realized that he left his cell phone there. He called the Fayetteville franchise to ask if they would hold the phone for him while to traveled back to pick it up. They agreed to secure the phone for him. Unfortunately, not well enough. The pictures of Tina made their way onto the internet. Now, the couple is suing the manager, the franchise owner and the corporation for $3 million in damages for suffering, embarrassment and the cost of having to move to a new home. The suit was filed on Friday.

Read the full article here. What do you think should happen?

Bad Economy = Fewer Divorces

It seems that when the screws are tightened during a bad economy, couples find a way to stay together or at least postpone divorce. Gary Nickelson, president of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML) says, "Many individuals tend to employ a wait-and-see strategy during a troubled marriage and are very well prepared when it comes time to file for divorce. A sudden drop in net worth can effectively postpone this final decision from being made."

The AAML conducted a survey and found that 37% of AAML members said they typically see a decrease in the number of divorce cases during national economic downturns, 19% experienced an increase. I guess we'll take any bright spot we can with the awful economy.

Ann Dunwoody Becomes First Female Four-Star General

There seems to be a lot of glass ceilings being brought down right now. In this case, Army officials say the promotion of Ann Dunwoody, 55, to become the first four-star general in the history of the U.S. Army is breaking the "brass ceiling." Ann is a 33 year veteran of the Army and her husband is a 26 year veteran of the Air Force. Ann joined in her senior year in college in 1975 and remembers being amazed that they were paying her $500 per month and sending her to airborne school (learning how to jump out of planes). At the time, Ann admits she thought she was only getting into the Army for two years, but now says she knew the first time she put on the uniform that it was all she ever wanted to do.

Where's the next glass ceiling that needs to be brought down? Click here to read the full article.

Will Smith: The Secret to Marriage Is...

It's sad that it's so abnormal, but the fact that Will Smith and wife Jada have made their Hollywood marriage last 11 years is something worth noting. It seems that marriages in Hollywood are in dog years. So what's their secret? In an interview with Essence magazine, Will says it's dedication. "The secret is removing divorce as an option. Anyone who gives themselves that option will get a divorce," says Will. Jada adds in the interview that in order for any relationship to survive, you need to work at it. Will says that in life, we're all alone. "But when somebody loves you, that experience is shared," says Will. "Love is the only real connective tissue that allows you to not live and die by yourself."

What's your secret to a successful marriage?

Science: You Can't Fake Romance

The jokes of older married couples having or showing no romantic connection to one another is tired and boring. Fortunately, there's a new study that proves otherwise. Functional MRIs were taken of 10 married men and women who had been married for an average of 21 years. They were then shown pictures of their spouse and the brain waves reacted, showing a calm and attachment, with a view of their partner as central to their lives, and who they continue to want connection and engagement and maintain a sexual liveliness. It's about time we start looking at our own brain images instead of the trite marriage references we often see in TV, movies and elsewhere. Click here to read the complete article.

Are You Really Eating Worse Than You Think?

Sometimes we made food choices thinking we're doing something good for ourselves, or at least picking the less of two food evils. It may be surprising to some that some standard and popular lunchtime fare is really a pound-packing health bomb.

For example, I don't think a reasonable person would say that a Triple Whopper from Burger King is a healthy lunch, but who would expect that the fat equivalent is like like eating 10 slices of Papa John's cheese pizza! Or how about a Hardee's 2/3-lb Monster Thickburger? The saturated fat in this heart attack between two buns is the same as eating 43 strips of Oscar Mayer bacon. Or how about the Wild Buffalo Chicken Strip Basket at The Dairy Queen; that contains the same amount of sodium as 14 large orders of McDonald's French fries. Whoa! So before you place your next lunch order, be sure to read the nutrition sheet to see what you're really consuming. To read a more complete list of food items, click here.

One Couple's Cost Cutting Tips

We know times are tough...the market tumbled again a few hundred points today. If you're looking to save money here and there, check out the daily habits of this couple, which include unplugging all the electric devices in their home every morning before going to work. What have you done to save money?

Best Places to Raise Your Kids

BusinessWeek has put together a list of the best places to raise your kids in 2009 based on the towns having at least 50,000 residents and a median family income between $40,000 and $100,000. The list then took into consideration the following: school performance; number of schools; household expenditures; crime rates; air quality; job growth; family income; museums, parks, theaters, and other amenities; and diversity. These are weighted so school performance, for example, is worth the most in their ranking. The list is broken down by state and doesn't compare state to state. So in California, where Hitched is headquartered, Arcadia ranks No. 1, while Diamond Bar and Monterey Park are runners up. In Colorado, the No. 1 spot belongs to Fort Collins. In Delaware, it's Wilmington. In Nevada, Paradise ranks No. 1 (sounds good, huh?). And in South Dakota it's Sioux Falls. To read the complete list, click here.

Are you happy with the present location you're at for raising your kids?

Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Linked to Environmental Threats

A new report by the Greater Boston Physicians for Social Responsibility and the Science and Environmental Health Network says that environmental factors such as lead, air pollution, and pesticides can lead to health risks and cognitive disease. Co-author of the repot, Jill Stein, MD says, "As we explored origins and patterns of chronic degenerative diseases, we discovered a web of conditions in the environment--including nutritional, chemical, physical and social factors--that have a direct influence on the risk of Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and related chronic diseases. It is clear from these findings that our activities in the areas of food and agriculture, energy, chemical use, and social organization are key drivers in the abnormal loss of neurological function in older people throughout the modern world."

In diet, saturated fat intake was found to greatly increase the risk of dementia. What's frightening is that the report suggests these diseases are being driven by dramatic alterations over the past 50 to 100 years in the U.S. food supply, an increasingly sedentary lifestyle, and exposure to toxic chemicals.

Married Couple Never Separate More than 15 Feet Apart

Could you stay within a 15-foot range of your spouse at all times? Husband and wife journalists, David Plotz and Hanna Rosin did just that--for a day. Click on the video below to witness how the day unfolds and the lessons they learned through their new closeness.

Zombie Walks

Have you ever heard of a zombie walk? They've been around for a few years and it's essentially when a group of people (sometimes very large) get together, dress up as zombies and walk with a zombie gait in a public space, like a shopping mall or down Main Street. Seattle Weekly has a slideshow of a recent zombie walk through Seattle. If this sounds like good, creepy fun to you, check out www.zombiewalk.com to find a meeting of the undead in your area. Let us know if you've ever participated or have seen one of these in your area.

Happy Halloween everyone, and don't forget to post your costume pictures on the forum (click here).

What to Do With Your Money

Are you a deer in headlights when it comes to your money in the market? You probably feel like the rodent that's been run over. Regardless, Newsweek offers some advice. It says to put your money back into the market--as much as you can--really. Their logic is that over the long haul, the market will go up. Here are some more specific bits of advice:

Put your money in a Roth IRA
"You'll pay income taxes on the amount you convert, but that amount is probably a lot lower than it would have been without the recent market rout. And given the astronomical deficits that Washington will have to fix sooner or later, your tax rate may be at an all-time low. Once your money is in a Roth, you'll be able to reap all the future earnings without paying taxes on them."

Invest for income.
"High-yield stocks and corporate bonds have been among the hardest hit in recent market sell-offs, but they are exactly what you want in your portfolio as you head into retirement"

Use a health savings account.
The theory behind these is that they enable you to save up to your deductible without paying taxes on it... For 2008, you can contribute $5,800 and an additional $900 in catch-up contributions if you're 55 or older."

What have you done with your money, anything?

Stay Married and Kids Less Likely to be Thieves

In an interesting project called Mapping America by the Family Research Council, it reports that family structure has a direct impact on the likelihood of adolescents stealing. The study says 13 percent of children who live in an intact married family admit to having stolen at least $50 worth of goods. The number jumps to 19 percent of children whose parents never married or are divorced have stolen as much, and again jumps to 20 percent of those living with a step-parent. The number of adolescents who steal drops to 15 percent of those living with cohabiting biological parents, and jumps up again to 23 percent of those living with one cohabiting biological parent.

It good that adolescents of married couples steal less, but doesn't it seem like 13 percent is high! That means if you walk down the street in your neighborhood, more than one in every 10 homes would have a real thief on their hands. We can do better than that. Not to mention these are just the kids who actually admitted to stealing. Yikes!!

Marriage Classes in Alabama

If you're marriage needs a pick me up or just a tune-up, the Alabama Community Healthy Marriage Initiative has put together a county map for the state that lists workshops and marriage classes in each area. Click on the county you live in and you'll be redirected to a list of classes offered in your area. The most populous county in Alabama, Jefferson County, lists the following:

Wanda Davidson
Community Presbyterian Center
201 Church Ave.
Birmingham, AL 35242
205-791-2857

Scott Estes
Pathways Professional Counseling
2681 Rocky Ridge Lane
Birmingham, AL 35216
334-451-0804

Deborah Harris
Barbara Britt Pickens Counseling Center
2609 Drennen Place
Birmingham, AL 35242
205-515-4268

Mark Wadler
Jennifer Wilmoth
IMPACT Family Counseling
1000 24th Street South
Birmingham, AL 35205
205-916-0123

Ward Williams
Vinyard Family Services
4733 Valleydale Rd.
Birmingham, AL 35242
205-533-7853

If you're a marriage expert, counselor or marriage educator reading this, you can post your own workshops, classes, etc. on our Married Life network for free.

Cell Phones and Internet Strengthen Family

It may seem like your kids texting away on their cell phones or keeping their eyes glued to online videos is tearing down the strength and tradition of family, but it's not. Well, tradition yes, but not strength. In a survey published by the Pew Internet and American Life Project, 25 percent of adults said cellphones and online communication made their families closer while 11 percent said that the technology had a negative effect. Overall, 47 percent of adults said cellphones and the Internet had improved the quality of family communication. One of the authors said the parents like the new communication tools because they know what each other is doing during the day. All of you parents out there can be thankful that your parents didn't text you throughout the day, keeping tabs.

Do you keep tabs on your kid(s) throughout the day by internet or cell phone?

ADHD Kids Strain Marriages

It's not surprising that kids can affect and put strain on a marriage, but this stat is high. According to a study by State University of New York-Buffalo, parents of children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are almost twice as likely as other parents to divorce by the time their child is 8 years old. The authors of the study say, however, that if you and your spouse can survive the eighth birthday, the rate of divorce stops climbing. Further adding to the stress is the fact that ADHD is hereditary and mothers with ADHD children are are 24 times more likely than other mothers to have it while fathers are five times more likely. Meaning, while trying to deal with a child, one of the parents is very likely to also have ADHD, which can be a point of conflict on its own. Some good news came out of this article from USA Today, researchers in Canada found no difference in divorce rate of parents with ADHD children. Do you have a child who's been diagnosed with ADHD; and has that affected your marriage?

"Honey, It's Time for a Diet"

Belittling a loved one about being too fat and then undermining efforts to lose weight are common mistakes among couples according to experts in this article from MSNBC. For example, making jokes about your spouse's weight, then when they do start losing the pounds, bring home a thing of cookies. In this article, this scenario happened and the couple eventually got divorced. So how do you tell your spouse that they're gaining a little too much weight and you're worried about them? Here are a few tips:

1. Don't nag
2. Be loving
3. Don't judge
4. Help solve problems
5. Don't sabotage
6. Be a role model
7. Don't play cop
8. Be a role model

To get more in-depth explanations on these steps, click here. Do you think you're spouse needs to lose weight? Talk about it on our forum.

Don't Count on Holiday Bonuses

It may be a little early talking about the holidays, but they are just around the corner. And with the economy going crazy like it has, it's worth planning now than get stuck on December 24th with no bonus check for relief. The AP just came out with a story saying that many who are expecting and have received year-end or holiday bonuses in the past shouldn't expect to get them this year. Obviously if the company you work for is doing well and has been doing well, you may not have anything to worry about. Then again, they may be planning for rougher waters ahead. Either way, here's your friendly reminder that it's not wise to plan on non-guaranteed money.

Fan in Baby's Room May Prevent SIDS

A study from Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine says babies who slept in a room with a fan were 72% less likely to die from SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome). The study included interviews with the mothers of 185 infants who died from SIDS and the mothers of 312 other babies. In addition to fans, the simple act of opening a window also seemed to reduce the risk of SIDS. According to the this article from USA Today, doctors don't know exactly why fans seem to help, author De-Kun Li, a reproductive and perinatal epidemiologist with Kaiser Permanente's research division says that perhaps the improved air circulation, preventing infants from rebreathing exhaled carbon dioxide, which can pool up in the gap between a baby's face and the mattress is the reason. The good news is that deaths from SIDS has dropped in half since 1992 according to this article. Other things parents should do to help protect their babies are putting them on their back to sleep and don't put the baby in your bed and sleep with them.

Ford Key Monitors Teen Drivers

Are you a parent who sweats when your teen takes the family wheels out on the town? Ford feels your pain. They have recently introduced the MyKey, a programmable ignition key for Ford automobiles that monitors teenage driving behavior. So what can this magic key do? A lot of things. It can limit the speed of the car, say 80 mph. It can limit the volume of the stereo. It can prevent the stereo from even coming on if someone in the car isn't wearing their seat belt. It can also make warning sounds when your teen begins to hit higher speeds. For the parent who wants a play-by-play, this PC World article mentions that for a fee parents can have the key track the point-by-point destinations through the GPS.

What do you think, is this a little too big brother or what every parent has been waiting for? MyKey will be introduced as a free standard feature in the 2010 Ford Focus and Ford hopes to eventually make it a standard feature on all Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury models. I'm sure kids everywhere are already talking to their smartest computer-hacking friends.

Wine from Faucets

It's been a tough week and we've been holding onto this one for a few days just because we knew it would put a smile on your face. It's Friday, and the Dow Industrial has just concluded it's worst drop in history! If you've ever needed an excuse to drink, now may be it.

In Marino, Italy they hold a grape festival every year and reroute the plumbing to have sparkling white wine flow from the fountains in the main square. In an "error", the plumbing was switched to local homes instead. Which meant that wine was literally flowing from the faucets of local residents. The London Times reported that some locals were able to fill up jugs of wine before the error was corrected. Have a great weekend. Click here to read the full post.

Dying of a Broken Heart

Have you ever noticed that when half of a longtime couple passes away, the other partner passes soon after? Researchers at the University of Glasgow found that widows and widowers were at least 30 percent more likely to die of any cause in the first six months following a spouse's death than those who hadn't lost a partner. They followed over 4,000 couples. Many experts in this article from MSNBC say that context matters, meaning older couples with deteriorating health are at higher risk. More amazing is what Rollin McCraty, research director at the Institute of HeartMath in Boulder Creek, Calif., found after he studied six longtime couples' hearts while they slept. While they were sleeping beside each other their heart rhythms fell into sync, rising and falling at the same time. Their EKG printouts looked virtually identical. So imagine sleeping in perfect harmony with your spouse for 50 years and having that ripped away. "Is it possible to die of a broken heart?" asks Dr. Hope Wechkin, the medical director of Evergreen Hospice in Kirkland, Wash. "Absolutely."

60 Minutes Explains Wall Street Crash

It's difficult to make out the connection and jargon of the financial collapse on Wall Street, but 60 Minutes has a great 12 minute video that helps explain how our economy got into this situation. It's likely that just about all Americans will feel the effects of the current crash, if not immediately, perhaps when they look at their portfolio in six months and see how it's disappearing. How have you been effected?

Contradictory Marriage Satisfaction Survey

Parade magazine released a marriage survey of 1,001 married Americans aged 18 and over. The results showed 88 percent of participants reported being either happy or reasonably content in their marriages. Seventy percent of men say they never think about leaving their wife. What's surprising is that 19 percent of men said they'd had sex outside the marriage. Eleven percent of women also admitted to cheating. So what keeps married people together? According to the survey, 71 percent of couples said they've stayed married because of deep love while 73 percent cited companionship. To read all the results, click here.

Where Did That Hamburger Come From?

Keep an eye out the next time you're at the grocery store looking to pick up ingredients for dinner. A new law has gone into effect that requires all meats, fish, and fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables to be identified by their country of origin, whether by a sticker, a sign, a placard or a label. Organs such as hearts, livers and kidneys are not included. As this article from USA Today points out, there are a few loopholes. For example, cooked and processed foods are exempt. Another loop hole is that when you combine two of these foods, they become exempt. Meaning, frozen strawberries are covered and frozen blueberries are covered, but when they're put in the same bag, their origin does not have to be announced. This has been in the works since 2002 and it's finally in the stores. If you see that your beef has traveled 8,000 miles, will you put it back and instead go for the local stuff?

Secret to Happy Marriage: 4 Hugs a Day

A study, which this article from the Telegraph doesn't say from where, says four hugs a day is a key to a happy marriage. The study interviewed 4,000 couples and also found many other secrets. Like the four hugs, many are surprisingly specific. For example, seven evenings in together every month with two proper dinner dates. Another is two romantic walks a month and at least one visit to a pub or cinema without the children or other friends. Other highlights from the study are:

- Husbands should give their wife flowers or another gift at least once a month
- People to spend at least one evening away from their partner a month

What's the secret to your happy marriage?

Women Rule the Home

A new study from the Pew Research Center found that when it comes to the home, women are in control and that's fine by men. When it comes to planning weekend activities, household finances, major home purchases and TV watching, women not men are the ones pulling the strings--making 43 percent of the decisions. That's more than double who said the man makes the decision (26 percent). The other 31 percent said the decisions we equally divided. In the scenario where women make the decision, men don't have the final say and say they either consult or just defer to what the woman wants. What's interesting is that older couples who were surveyed said they were more likely to share in the decision-making process than their younger counterparts. Who makes the decisions in your home?

New Movie on Marriage: Fireproof

Coming out tomorrow is a movie called Fireproof. It's based around the story of a firefighter trying to save his marriage. Just before he and his wife go down the path of divorce, the main character, played by Kirk Cameron, accepts a challenge by his father to give it another go. In the process, he finds faith and new love for God. It's the story of a firefighter who dedicates his life to saving others, but is struggling to keep his own home intact. In an interview, Cameron says the divorce rates for firefighters is a whopping 75 percent! This movie seems to have struck a nerve and been getting a lot of buzz (maybe we just surround ourselves with marriage information so it seems that way). Had you heard of this movie? Do you think you'll go see it? If you do, please post something on the network, we'd love to hear your thoughts. Click here to go to the movie's website.

Stop the Wandering Eye

New research by Florida State University reveals that men and women have less temptation when their significant other is on their mind. This could be as simple as a phone call made when your husband is out with the boys or a text when your wife is out dancing with her friends. One of the study's authors, Gian Gonzaga says "This must be very deeply ingrained in us, because it happens so quickly, and we can't consciously control it. The findings show that both sexes can curb the urge to cheat by thinking about their significant others." Another study by UCLA showed that men and women just thinking about their mate curbs their attention toward the opposite sex. So go ahead and let your spouse have fun with their friends, just remind them before they leave or while they're out that you love them.

Do you have any rules about your spouse going out?

Husband Sues Wife for Giving Him Herpes

A Manhattan lawyer is suing his wife after discovering she was having an affair when he found her herpes-treatment prescription in their medicine cabinet. He's also suing her lover and her father--a doctor who prescribed the medicine and he claims withheld the affair and knowledge of the infection. The father claims he prescribed the medicine to cure a sore on his daughter's lip. The husband has since also contracted genital herpes, which is treatable, but not curable. The lawyer in the suit also claims that the wife and father violated NY state law requiring people knowingly infected with venereal disease to tell their sexual partner. It's also not surprising that he submitted another file to the courts--for a divorce. Click here to read the complete article from the NY Post. What would you have done?

Did Your Nose Pick Your Spouse?

New research suggests that it might have been your nose, not your heart that first attracted you to your husband or wife. Researchers at Switzerland's University of Lausanne have noticed a connection between scent and picking a mate. They've observed mice, rats, sand lizards and fish pick mates with immune system genes unlike their own based on scent. This would then produce offspring that had stronger immune systems than their own. Similar tests have been conducted with humans with women picking based on sweaty t-shirts. The results were similar. It's not cut and dry however. Social influences, for example, can override this natural impulse to follow your nose. More studies are sure to follow. To read the entire article, click here.

Emmy's This Weekend

If you haven't heard, the Emmy's will air this Sunday on ABC. The Emmy's have in the past been dominated by HBO, but there's buzz this year that AMC's show "Mad Men" is expected to be the breakout winner. If you're unaware, "Mad Men" does have HBO roots. Matthew Weiner, the creator of "Mad Men" was a writer and executive producer for "The Sopranos". HBO did have the opportunity of picking up Mad Men when the show was being shopped around but passed. Whoops. Don't feel sorry for HBO, though. They're expected to pile up the awards for their mini-series John Adams, where Paul Giamatti plays the second U.S. president and Laura Linney plays his wife Abigail Adams. Here are the nominees for outstanding drama series: Boston Legal, Damages, Dexter, House, Lost, and Mad Men.

Which show are you rooting for? Click here to read all the nominees.

New Crop of Romantic Dramas

If you pay attention to movie previews, you may have noticed their are a bunch of new romantic dramas about to hit the big screen. First up is Nights in Rodanthe starring Richard Gere and Diane Lane being released September 26th. Next up is Australia starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman and being released on November 26th. Finally, Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet reunite for the first time since they made history in Titanic for their new movie Revolutionary Road to be released in January. Australia and Revolutionary Road are both period pieces, Australia taking place during World War II and Revolutionary Road in the 1950s. More about these movies can be found here. Of these movies, what are you most excited to see?

Eating At the Grocery Store

Times are tough and if you don't have the cash to go out to a fancy restaurant, we understand. Apparently, so do a lot of other Americans. It seems there's a rising trend of Americans eating out at the grocery store or purchasing already prepared food like rotisserie chicken and mashed potatoes. MSNBC ran a story discussing this trend and talks about the increase in food offerings by grocery stores and how the down economy is pushing this trend forward. Do you eat out at the grocery store? What's your favorite thing to pick up?

Married, But Not Sleeping Together

CNN posted an article on couples who are married, but don't sleep together. Why would a married couple not sleep together? Try this one. "We were lying in bed spooning when he had an elbow spasm and punched me in the jaw," says Barbara, a 55-year-old graphic designer from Lansing, Michigan, who asked that her last name not be used. A 2001 survey by the National Sleep Foundation found that 12 percent of married Americans slept alone; in 2005 that number had jumped to 23 percent. In March, the Sleep Council of England found that 1 in 4 people regularly retreats to a spare room or sofa to get a good night's sleep. Other reasons include snoring and leg jerking or a heavy twitcher.

Some experts aren't so sure sleeping separately is a good idea. "My feeling is that sleeping together is a very, very important part of being integrated with each other," says clinical psychologist and marriage counselor William F. Harley Jr. Others think this is the new way of marriage, citing that when they're better rested, they are a better spouse and parent.

What do you think? Is sleeping in separate beds or rooms bad for marriage? Do you do this?

Do You Pay Your Kids for Good Grades?

USA Today interviewed several CEOs asking them their thoughts on giving their kids cash for grades and whether or not they thought it was a good idea. In the end, the majority of CEOs interviewed did think it was a good idea while half actually did pay their kids for good grades. In contrast, only 15% of 450 high school principals surveyed thought paying for grades was a good idea. CEOs see pay for performance as more art than science, much like keeping employees motivated to do good work.

What are your thoughts? Do you pay your kids for grades? Are there any teachers out there? What are your thoughts on this subject?

Get Your Wife Into Gaming

Ok, so this article from MSNBC (click here) is on getting your girlfriend into gaming, but the same rules apply after you're hitched. The first rule: Don't be a jerk, meaning don't throw your controller, drop f-bombs, and ignore your spouse when they're right there next to you because you're engrossed in the game. Another tip is to pick the right game. Don't try and force them to like Halo if they're not into it. Remember, gaming is suppose to be fun. Some recommended games mentions are Harry Potter, Rock Band, and Elite Beat Agents. Finally, try playing co-op. Many games have a cooperative mode, where you and a buddy can tackle missions as a duo. Don't forget to compliment when your spouse on their video game successes either.

Do you and your spouse have a favorite game?

Help Dr. Scott: Take Happy Families Survey

Our own Dr. Scott Haltzman needs your help. He's conducting research for his new book, "The Secrets of Happy Families" and he needs you to take a quick five-minute survey. This is Dr. Haltzman's third book, following "The Secrets of Happily Married Men" and "The Secrets of Happily Married Women." When you take the survey, you'll be entered to win autographed copies of his books, which we highly recommend reading. To take the survey, click here and then click on the gold button in the center of the website that says "Win Free Books." To read Dr. Haltzman's articles on Hitched, click here.