Bird Watching

Why do birds suddenly disappear? It could be a weather warning. 

It’s time for a talk about the birds and the bees. It turns out they can teach us a lot - about weather. Both birds and bees may vanish just before a storm. That’s because they sense a drop in barometric pressure and instinctively seek shelter in their nests or hives. Most species of birds also get very quiet right before it rains.

Birds can help predict a nice day too. If they’re flying high in the sky, it’s likely that the weather is will be fair. If they seem to be flying at lower altitudes, or perched on power lines, that may suggest an approaching storm. The falling air pressure hurts their ears and they’re more comfortable down near us.

Gas Guzzlers

Does driving with the windows open waste gas? Yup.

Some of the things we do to save gas is actually wasting it. Here’s what we’re doing wrong, according to the fuel economy experts:

* Driving across town to save a nickel on a gallon of gas. It might sound obvious, but a lot of people waste gas doing that.

* Driving on the highway with the windows down really does create an aerodynamic drag. Go ahead and use the AC, it’s more fuel efficient.

* Accelerating slowly. While flooring it isn’t recommended, slow acceleration can bog down your engine and make it run less efficiently. Find a happy medium.

The biggest gas waster is often our cruising speed. Consider taking it down about 10 mph on the highway. Studies have found that cruising at 65 instead of 75 can save three to five miles per gallon, depending on the vehicle.

Insurance Check

If there has been a change to your job or commute - you NEED to call your insurance company. 

Do you ever work from home? More and more people are and they forget to tell their insurance company. If your commute has changed for the better, you need to let your insurance company know about it. Most companies base rates and discounts on the number of miles driven per year. 

While you’re on the phone with them, have them remove any towing or rental car coverage. Those two options could be costing you about $70 a year. 

Nacho Man

Are you a tomato or a nacho? 

Most women are familiar with the standard body shape categories - Apple, pear and hourglass. So what about the guys? Menswear retailer Jacamo, has identified the seven new shapes that represent the modern male - and some of them are delicious:

* Pear: A little bit larger around the middle

* Cucumber: Straight up and down without extra weight

* Tomato: Slightly chubby all over

* Nacho: Broad shoulders with a slim waistline

* Stringbean: Super skinny and lean

* Brick: Broad all over

* Snowman: figure eight shaped, round at the stomach and chest

Most men, almost half, consider themselves pear shaped, followed by the cucumbers and tomatoes. If you’re a nacho man, you’re in the elite 5% triangle.

Plastic Pressure

Do you pack your kid’s snacks in plastic? 

Most of our snack containers and bags are made out of plastic - and now experts are saying that’s a really bad idea, especially for kids. Researchers at NYUs Langone Medical Center say exposing our kids to the phthalates used in food packaging could result in hormonal abnormalities during early development. They worry that some of these plastic chemicals could be to blame for a rise in blood pressure and cardiac problems in children.

If you’d like to cut down on exposure to plastic, opt for glass, ceramic or paper containers whenever possible. Some plastics are safer than others - look for BPA free on the label. If you do use plastic, get rid of any containers that are scratched or damaged and avoid using plastic in the microwave.

Shoe Crazy

So how many pairs of shoes does the average American woman own? 

19 - according to Consumer Reports National Research Center. Lisa Lee Freeman, editor-in-chief of ShopSmart says, women obviously love their shoes and are willing to go to great lengths for them - including risking injury and hiding their purchases from a significant other. Close to half of the female population report having been injured by their shoes. 60% admit regretting at least one shoe purchase.

The survey also revealed that most women only wear four pairs of shoes regularly, and 25% of their collection have only been worn once.