Conversation Starters

Stay up to date on what your friends and family are sure to be talking about.


Wednesday Trivia: Washing Your Hands

Are you good about washing your hands in public restrooms? Yes? Well then you’re in a serious minority. According to a new study from Michigan State University, only 5 percent of people who use a public restroom wash their hands long enough—and thoroughly enough—to kill germs and bacteria. About 10 percent of people skip hand-washing all together, and 33 percent of […]

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Wednesday Trivia: What’s Lurking Between Your Toes

If you’ve always thought feet were kind of gross, pat yourself on the back: You were right. According to a new landmark study from the journal Nature, the average person’s foot is home to nearly 200 types of fungi—more than any other part of the body.

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How Do You Prefer To Shop?

Do you feel lost in the non-stop swirl of season-to-season style trends? Or do you embrace the never-ending possibilities of expressing your personality?

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Wednesday Trivia: Candy is Dandy?

A new study published in a recent issue of Nutrition Journal reveals some happy news for those of us who can’t go more than 24 for hours without snacking on a piece of candy. (Confession: I may have just made a trip to the vending machine myself.) What is this good news, you ask?

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Wednesday Trivia: Do You Live in a Locavore State?

A Vermont-based food advocacy group,  Strolling of the Heifers, compiled data on the number of farmer’s markets and CSAs in each of the 50 states plus Washington, D.C., then ranked them. Vermont (of course) came in first, with Maine and New Hampshire close behind. (Real Simple‘s home state—New York—came in at number 25). The states where you’re least likely to […]

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Wednesday Trivia: The Benefits of Reading to Your Child

Child development experts have long known that children benefit from reading with their parents. But a new study published in Perspectives on Psychological Science has quantified that benefit. It turns out, reading to your little one can raise his or her IQ more than 6 points. But it’s not enough just to read the stories; researchers say you have have to read […]

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Wednesday Trivia: Mother’s Day Gift Giving

Have you figured out what you’re going to give your mother on Sunday? If you’re looking for ideas, here’s a little market research to steer you in the right direction. According to a recent survey by coupon website Offers.com, 43 percent of moms would like to receive something homemade on Mother’s Day. Not up for a last-minute craft project? We […]

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Wednesday Trivia: The Best Country to be a Mom

Mother’s Day is fast approaching…which got us wondering: Where do moms have it best?According to Save the Children’s State of the World’s Mothers Report, the United States is only the 25th best country in the world to be a mom. (That’s six spots better than it ranked last year. I’m a bit surprised. Are you?) Norway took the number one spot, […]

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Wednesday Trivia: Managing Stress

According to the “Stress in America” report released by the American Psychological Association, one in four women say they are not doing enough to manage their stress. April is Stress Awareness Month, so here’s one thing you can do to diminish anxiety: Put away the newspaper. A recent study by researchers from the University of Montreal showed that reading negative stories […]

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The Top 10 Questions on the Internet

You know the phrase, there are no stupid questions. I’m not sure I 100% agree—asking certain people certain questions can quickly deduct points from your hip/smart/savvy IQ. Yes, I found it endearing when my mom asked me, “What’s the Harlem Shake?” If a twenty-something coworker asked me that, I would think she has her head in the sand. But, lucky […]

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