Today is Christmas Card Day, National Pastry Day
Cellphone-Related Facial Injuries On The Rise
Now might be a good time for you to put your cellphone down and get use to a Bluetooth speaker.
A new study led by a facial plastic surgeon found a spike in facial injuries from cellphones. One case even included a woman who broke her nose when she dropped her cellphone on her face.
Researchers looked over 20 years of data and found that an increase in injuries began in 2006 when smartphones initially hit the market. While it was still new in 2006, the injuries kept piling up. An estimated 76,000 people incurred cell phone-related injuries from 1998 to 2017.
The injuries range anywhere from facial cuts and bruises to fractures as a result of careless users. Many were caused by people texting while walking, tripping and landing face-down on the sidewalk.
A number of people even got hurt when a cell phone was thrown at them. About 40-percent of those injured were aged 13 to 29.
Source: JamaNetwork
Survey: It takes fewer than four hours to get sick of your family during a holiday stay
Well, Thanksgiving 2019 is in the books, which means, for those Humbug types out there, there are only a few remaining holiday hurdles to cross before the new year.
A new poll of 2,000 Americans who usually travel to visit family during the holidays reveals 95% say it's important to spend time with them -- but that same poll shows it takes the average person just three hours and 54 minutes before they start to feel sick of the folks they're visiting.
The survey, commissioned by Motel 6, reveals 75% of those who are staying with relatives during the holidays say they planned to take some "me" time away from them during their visit.
One in four say they'll seek refuge in an empty room during a visit to a relative's house, while 37% admit they'll likely fabricate an excuse to leave a family party altogether.
In spite of the stress, 60% of respondents in the OnePoll survey say they bite the bullet and stay with family because "quality family time doesn't happen often." More than half, 53%, say they still find ways to enjoy their holiday visits.
Twenty-two percent of those polled say a lack of privacy is a main cause of visiting stress; 20% say it's family members getting on their nerves; 20% cite family drama; 19% say feeling like a burden stresses them out; and 17% say their family's busy or loud house jingle-jangles their nerves.
It's Time To Winterproof Your Phone:Cell phones and extreme cold do not mix, but have you thought of winterizing your cell phone? You battery can drop by as much as 20-percent in cold weather, that’s why you need a case that protects against that. Geek Squad AgentDerek Meistergives that advice, plus fully charging the phone before going into the winter weather. You may even want to invest in an insulated phone pouch. One creative way to protect your phone from the cold is by using wireless headsets. While they do the work, your phone is nice and warmly tucked away. Source:Bustle
Fly the grody skies: Studies say airline surfaces, airport kiosks are teaming with bacteria and viruses
Flying for the holidays? Has your airplane touched down safely? Great. But you won't be 100% safe until you take a shower.
Researchers at Auburn Universityhave foundbasically anything you touch as an airline passenger is teeming with viruses and antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Using parts from a decommissioned Delta plane,Kiril Vaglenov, a post-doctoral fellow in materials science, had his team swab everything from bathroom handles to window shades, tray tables and that seat-back pocket your flight attendants have told you contains important safety information.
According to the scientists, the pockets also contain tons of stuff that will make you really sick -- way worse off than that guy in seat 13A who keeps sneezing.
What the scientists found was the dreaded, antibiotic resistant MRSA as well as the stomach bug E. coli, both of which are potentially deadly.
The scientists discovered MRSA lasted 168 hours on a cloth seat back pocket and E.coli hung around for 96 hours on an armrest. That means if some rubs off on you, it's hitching a ride for a long time, unless you wash it off.
Another study fromInsuranceQuotes.comfound airport kiosks have more than 1,475 times the amount of bacteria than your house's toilet seat.
Oh, and the airplane seat headrest is also super-gross. MicrobiologistJason Tetro, author ofThe Germ Files, tells the websiteWell & Good"It's the headrest...where you'll not only find bacteria, but also yeasts and molds. If it’s a short-haul, you may not have to worry about it...But as the flights get longer, the microbes on your skin can grow and that can get a bit smelly."
So when you get your hotel, put those complimentary shower soaps to good use.