--WHY DOES ANYONE DO ANYTHING?

…How’s your week going?  What are you wearing?

…I’ve been having a fun time dog-sitting.  Zoey is very cute.  You should see her.

…Here are some things I’ve read, or learned about:

…According to Richard Branson, of Virgin Atlantic:

The U.S. has the largest prison population in the world, with about 2.3 million behind bars. More than half a million of those people are incarcerated for a drug law violation.

The facts are overwhelming. If the global drug trade were a country, it would have one of the top 20 economies in the world. In 2005, the United Nations estimated the global illegal drug trade is worth more than $320 billion. It also estimates there are 230 million illegal drug users in the world, yet 90% of them are not classified as problematic.

In the United States, if illegal drugs were taxed at rates comparable to those on alcohol and tobacco, they would yield $46.7 billion in tax revenue. A Cato study says legalizing drugs would save the U.S. about $41 billion a year in enforcing the drug laws.

About 40,000 people were in U.S. jails and prisons for drug crimes in 1980, compared with more than 500,000 today.

 …K2, Spice, and other synthetic drugs that mimic a marijuana high sent 11,405 people--mostly teenagers and young adults to the emergency room last year.

…28 percent of American adults are obese

26% are physically in active
21% smoke

…9 million acres were scorched in wildfires this year, about the size of Massachusetts and Connecticut combined.  Also the third highest total ever.

…The typical annual salary of a Goldman Sachs partner is $900,000.  Goldman named 70 new partners, who join the elite ranks of more than 500 others among the brokerage's 32,600 employees.

…Last year the US birth rate dropped to its lowest ever recorded.

…44% of Americans plan on attending 3 or more Christmas parties.

…Don't fear for your Twinkies.  Bankrupt Hostess Brands says it's in talks with 100 serious potential buyers for its famous snacks, including Ho Hos and Ding Dongs.

…For 2012, top five baby names:

Girls:
1. Sophia
2. Emma
3. Olivia
4. Isabella
5. Ava
(Note they all end in "a", whatever that means)

Boys:

1. Aiden
2. Jackson
3. Ethan
4. Liam
5. Mason
(Note, none ends in "a" but rather all "n" or the lone "m")

…The average salary of a college football coach is $1.64 million, up 70% in 6 years.

…Ralph Lauren sells a wallet for $495.

Bottega Veneta sells a dog collar for $310 and a woven leather leash for $440

…The highest price paid for a comic book is $2.1 million

…32% of Americans say they couldn't cover their bills if their paycheck was delayed by even a week.

…New York City's homicide rate is expected to finish the year lowest since 1960.

…The average American eats over 35,000 cookies in their lifetime.

…8 -The percentage of time the Earth has been at peace in the past 3,5000 years.

…7 --The median number of minutes sexual intercourse lasts.

…52% of men spend 4 or more hours a week playing video games.

18% -Percentage who've played 6 to 9 hours in a single night trying to beat a tough level.
1 in 3 -Number of men who've turned down sex to play video games.

…The most diverse city in America is San Jose, CA

Seattle is 26th.
Fargo, ND is 98th
Charleston, WV is 100.

...What Women Like In Men":

#1 -Abs
#2 -Biceps
#3 -Chest
#4 -Obliques
#5 -Triceps

...What Men Like In Women:

#1. -Butt
#2. - Abs
#3. -Obliques
#4. -Quads
#5. -Chest

…The median price of a home in Alpine, NJ is $6.7 million

It's $5.1 million in NYC
$3.8 million in Beverly Hills

..Nine in ten Americans expect a world disaster to occur in the next quarter-century, including devastating earthquakes, terrorist attacks or financial collapse.

…Total enrollment of foreign students in America increased 31% over the past decade to 765,000

…As unbelievable as it seems, the US will pass Saudia Arabia in 2025 as the world's leading oil producer and will become a net exporter by 2030

...What's your definition of getting ahead?

Doing better than:
57% -Previous years
24% -Your parents
9% -Most Americans
6% -Don't know
4% -Friends and neighbors