Gender Talk

Pipe down Chatty Cathy - Talking Tom has something to say. 

So you think women talk more than men? Not necessarily, according to research from the University of Arizona. They used digital voice recorders on male and female college students over the course of eight years and found the word-count results surprising. While women did speak a few more words than the men, the amount that they communicated was about the same.

The gender word-counts do tend to vary a bit more with age, with women taking the lead. Experts theorize that both young men and women have to talk when transitioning in life and forming new relationships. Once they’re settled, women rely more on verbal communication to get their point across than men do.

Ironing Trick

Would you like to cut your ironing time in half? 

If you hate to iron stuff, grab the aluminum foil first. This favorite household trick can cut your ironing time in half. Wrap a sheet of foil around your board, shiney side up, before you lay down your wrinkled item. That foil will conduct the heat from your iron and actually help to smooth out the underside of whatever you’re ironing as you go. Some ironing enthusiasts cover their board with a more permanent layer of foil under their ironing board cover to press like a pro every time. 

Pet Play App

Your pet is probably bored stiff while you’re at work.

How would you like to play with your dog or cat at work? There’s a new gadget that makes it possible. It’s called the PetCube. While your boss might hate the idea, your best friend will be thrilled when you fire up the Petcube webcam and movable laser pointer. It’s got a microphone and speaker so you’ll be able to talk to your pet too. Just place the cube at home on a shelf with a view and let the fun begin from anywhere in the world with WiFi. You can even take video or pictures of your pet at play and share them to Facebook, Twitter or use them to liven up that boring powerpoint presentation. 

The PetCube is slated to hit the market soon and will be accessible through a website or in the palm of your hand through a mobile app. 

Seafood Scam

Should you be shelling out more money for organic seafood? There’s a catch to that catch.

Organic produce is a good idea. Organic seafood, not so much. Unlike meat, poultry, eggs and produce, there are no federal regulations which make something from the sea sustainable or organic. Seafood labelled organic is almost always more expensive and is probably a waste of money. It has not necessarily been tested for toxicity and was not required to meet any specific standards. Restaurants love to use adjectives such as “wild” or “organic” in front of their catch-of-the-day. Just keep in mind you’re paying more for the words than for the fish. 

Tomato Success

There’s a new breed of tomato we’re all going to want. 

How would you like to buy or grow tomatoes that taste better, last longer and are even healthier than traditional tomatoes? Scientists have been working on the ultimate tomato and it’s ripe for the picking. It’s the genetically modified purple tomato. Purple GM tomatoes have a 48 day shelf life, more than double the average 21 days. Their purple skin is packed with antioxidants which help protect them, and us, from post-harvest diseases. 

Growers and retailers are excited about the GM tomatoes which should be cropping up in more produce aisles now. Rotten tomatoes are a huge problem for farmers and supermarkets and the new purple variety promises to protect us all.