Viewership of the Olympics was so high that one survey found American companies would end up losing $1.4 billion worth of productivity from workers watching the games at work. Maybe it's a good thing the summer games come around just once every four years.
So what about music? It's always available online, or on your phone, iPod, or mp3 player.
Well, music lovers rejoice! A study found the ear buds actually help productivity at work.
A researcher at the University of Miami looked at IT specialists. She found that those who listened to music on the job finished their tasks quicker and with better ideas than workers who did not listen to music.
Enjoyable music sets off the release of dopamine in our brains. Dopamine is related to the feeling of happiness; it's also set off by things like eating chocolate and winning a bet.
In terms of work, the theory is that when we're happy, we're more focused on what we're doing -- our minds are not wandering. We're also less stressed and thus more open-minded and creative.
The details of the study are somewhat mixed. Workers deemed moderately skilled at their jobs got the biggest boost from listening to music, while music had little or no effect on workers with the most expertise, and some workers new to the IT field actually found the music to be distracting.
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Beauty used to be in the eye of the beholder. Nowadays, a phone-app is making some of the judgments. More than 5 million people have bought the "Ugly-Meter" app. Here's how it works: You take a photo,
Beauty used to be in the eye of the beholder. Nowadays, a phone-app is making some of the judgments. More than 5 million people have bought the "Ugly-Meter" app.
There's debate about how a school in Georgia -- and the local police department -- handled a 6- year- old who apparently threw a violent temper tantrum.
