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A user on the website Reddit asked fast food workers if they could name any item on their restaurant’s menu they’d NEVER order . . . and why.  It got a TON of responses.  Here are some highlights.  Hope you’re not hungry.

–McDonald’s Chicken Nuggets. Some of the most disgusting stories focused on McNuggets, including one guy who says he once left a bag of 100 nuggets out for too long and they somehow MELTED INTO A LIQUID.

–Wendy’s Chili.  The meat comes from hamburgers that were on the grill too long.  Those go in the fridge, then eventually get chopped up for the chili.

–Ice. Employees at plenty of different chains said the drink machines are tough to clean and keep mold-free . . . and when they clean, their priorities are the more visible areas.

–Anything at Subway that looks bad. Subway employees all seemed to agree the quality of your food depends on the restaurant.  If the food colors don’t look right, if the floor’s a mess, if it smells . . . you’re at a bad Subway.

–Watch out especially for the tuna, seafood salad, and chicken at those Subways.

–Grilled Chicken. Employees from McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Subway, and Burger King said they’ve seen the grilled chicken breasts slathered in margarine to keep them from sticking . . . or defrosted in vats of hot water.

–Five Guys large fries. This is for a completely different reason than the rest.  Employees say the difference in how many fries you get in the large versus the smaller size isn’t very much . . . so save your money.

(Reddit)

A study by a job-matching service called TheLadders found that the average resume gets SIX SECONDS of attention.  They tracked employers’ eye movement to see what they looked at most on a resume.  Here’s what they found:   

–DON’T include a photo:  Not that you would on your resume, but sites like LinkedIn allow you to, and it actually HURTS your chances with an employer.  They spend 19% of the time looking at the photo instead of your qualifications.

–DO make it easy to read, even if you leave off some information:  Professionally-rewritten resumes were 40% more effective than the original.  The pros make it clearly formatted and easy to skim, and they do it by cutting out a lot of information. 

–DO include dates:  80% of the resume review time was spent looking at relatively dull-sounding information, including your current and previous job titles, and the start and end dates for your current and past jobs.

(PR Newswire)

If going to work on Monday makes you want to cry, then listen up:  The website Jezebel.com has a step-by-step list of what to do if you have an emotional breakdown and actually DO start crying at work.

Step #1.)  Leave the Room.  If you start sobbing at a meeting, don’t try to fight through it.  Excuse yourself, and go somewhere else.

–The logical place to go is the bathroom, but it’s not really that private.  So you’re supposed to go outside instead, and try to walk it off.  Or if you need to be by yourself, go sit in your car.

Step #2.)  Compose Yourself.  Don’t go back in until you do.  Get your mind off whatever it is you’re upset about by thinking of something mundane and totally off-topic . . . like Christmas shopping or sports.  It works if you’re really ANGRY too.

Step #3.)  Offer a Short Explanation.  Don’t just pretend nothing happened, but don’t get too in depth about it either.

–If you can, keep it about business and say something like, “Obviously I have strong feelings about this issue.”  Otherwise, just be vague and apologize.

–But according to Jezebel, you shouldn’t blame it on being sleep-deprived or stressed out, because it can make you seem even more unprofessional. 

–If you got tragic news or something, then obviously you don’t have to apologize.  But you still might want to let everyone know what’s going on.

Step #4.)  Move Past It.  Once you address it, don’t bring it back up or apologize more than once.  It just reminds everyone what happened, and makes it look like you can’t move on.

Step #5.)  Don’t Make It a Habit.  This goes without saying, but it’s hard for people to take you seriously if you start crying as soon as you get negative feedback.

–On the other hand, if your job . . . or your boss . . . consistently makes you cry, you might want to start looking for a BETTER job.

(Jezebel.com)

A lot of people say they have nightmares if they eat spicy food.  But there’s not really enough research to say for sure.  One theory is that it just causes heartburn . . . which makes you toss and turn, and causes a bad night’s sleep in general.

–Regardless, you should see your doctor if you have nightmares more than once a week, or if they prevent you from getting enough sleep on a regular basis.  But if it’s just every now and then, see if any of these OTHER things might be the cause.

#1.)  Anxiety and Stress.  According to the International Association for the Study of Dreams, something traumatic . . . like a death in the family, having surgery, or witnessing an assault . . . can trigger bad dreams.

–And obviously nightmares are common for soldiers with post-traumatic stress disorder too.  But even stressing out about everyday things like work, money, or your relationship can cause nightmares.

#2.)  Fatty Food.  There’s not enough research on this yet either, but some scientists think you’re more likely to have nightmares if your diet is high in fat.

–Regardless, eating ANYTHING too close to bedtime can raise your metabolism and increase your brain activity . . . which makes it harder to fall asleep, and could make your dreams more vivid.

#3.)  Alcohol.  One or two drinks probably won’t make a difference.  But binge drinking can mess with your sleep pattern, and sometimes lead to bad dreams.  Nightmares are also common for alcoholics who try to quit drinking cold turkey.

#4.)  Drugs.  Different drugs affect your brain in different ways.  But antidepressants and narcotics can both cause nightmares.  And according to a 2008 study, so can the anesthetic ketamine . . . which is now a popular drug at nightclubs.

–Too much nicotine can do it too, especially if you wear a nicotine patch and forget to take it off before bed.

#5.)  A Fever.  You probably won’t have bad dreams if you just have a head cold.  But a fever messes with the temperature of your brain just enough to make your dreams REALLY messed up. 

(DivineCaroline.com)

Hey, it’s a new year and people have been getting yapped up left and right with tickets and other infractions. Instead of licking off shots and fleeing follow these 4 tips to help get you out of a ticket.

If You Get a Parking Ticket:

#1.)  Make Sure It’s 100% Accurate.  Some people don’t realize that even if one small piece of information is wrong, it can make a ticket invalid.

–Here are the specific things you need to check:  The make of the vehicle, the license plate number, the time and date, and the address they wrote down.

–If any of those are wrong . . . or if the officer forgot to sign the ticket . . . you can probably challenge it and win.

#2.)  Challenge It, Even If You’re in the Wrong.  Traffic courts are always busy, and they want to keep as many people from showing up as possible.

–So even if they don’t dismiss the entire ticket, they’ll most likely lower the fine. 

 If You Get Pulled Over for Speeding:

 #1.)  Don’t Try to Cry Your Way Out of It.  If you’re a guy, you obviously shouldn’t even ATTEMPT it.  If you’re a woman, don’t do it unless you’re sure you can pull it off.

–Sometimes crying works, but most of the time the cop knows you’re just trying to manipulate him.  And if that’s the case, you’ll DEFINITELY get a ticket.

#2.)  If You Were Speeding, Admit It.  Cops hear the same excuses all the time, and they’re really good at spotting a liar.  So if you WERE speeding, just fess up.

–They hear so many lies, it’s actually refreshing when someone’s honest, so they might let you off with a warning.  Whatever you do, don’t argue . . . even if you’re SURE you weren’t speeding.  It won’t do any good.

–But it does help to be as prepared as possible.  For example, cops hate it when they have to stand there and wait because you can’t find your registration.  So in the interest of not annoying him, make sure you know where it is.

–Just don’t put him on edge by reaching in your glove box before he gets to the car.  Instead, keep your hands on the steering wheel, and if it’s dark out, turn on your light.

–He’ll appreciate the fact that you’re being considerate, and he might go easy on you.  (MensHealth.com)

“Getting in better shape” is the most popular New Year’s resolution in the country.  And we’ve got a KILLER tip to help you achieve that.

–According to a new study, you’ll get the most out of your workouts if you WATCH PORNO before you hit the gym.

–Researchers in the U.K. figured it out by having professional rugby players watch different types of video before their training sessions.

–After watching an EROTIC clip or an AGGRESSIVE clip . . . like a UFC fight . . . the players reported stronger training sessions.  Funny or motivational clips helped too, but not as much.

–Watching sad clips had a negative effect on the workouts.

–The researchers only tested this on men, so they can’t say whether watching porno will lead to better workouts for women.

–But remember, this is about building up testosterone . . . so when you watch the porno, you HAVE to keep your hands off yourself, or else you won’t get the proper effect.

(TruthDive)

There are rich people . . . and then there are RICH people.  And this story is about THOSE rich people.

–A new study found there are approximately 57,860 ultra-rich people in the U.S. . . . that means people who are worth at least $30 MILLION.  And here’s a breakdown of where they live.

#1.)  The New York City area, with 7,720 ultra-rich people, or 13% of the ultra-rich Americans.

#2.)  Los Angeles, 4,350 ultra-rich.

#3.)  San Francisco, 4,230 ultra-rich.

#4.)  Chicago, 2,550 ultra-rich.

#5.)  Washington, D.C., 2,300 ultra-rich.

#6.)  Houston, 2,250 ultra-rich.

#7.)  Dallas, 1,855 ultra-rich.

#8.)  Atlanta, 960 ultra-rich.

#9.)  Boston, 890 ultra-rich.

#10.)  Seattle . . . which claims BILL GATES . . . has 885 ultra-rich.

(CNN/Money)

(–Here’s a graph showing where the ultra-rich live.)

Hey Scrooge McDuck! The days of tipping 15% are pretty much over.  I mean . . . you can still do it, but you’re going to look like a chump compared to the other people in the room.

–According to a national survey by Zagat, the nationwide average for tipping is up to 19.2%.

–And San Francisco and Seattle tied for the LOWEST tipping averages of any major city, at 18.6%.

If you just don’t got it, cook at hook or get it to go.  Krackblog

One reason people don’t eat healthier is because they think healthy food is more expensive.  But here’s a list from iVillage.com of eight super-healthy foods that are also super-cheap.

#1.)  Kale.  It has vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber, calcium, and omega-3s, and it only costs about 60 cents per serving.

#2.)  Low-Fat Milk.  An eight-ounce glass has nine essential nutrients, including some that most people don’t get enough of, like calcium, potassium, and vitamin D.  Non-fat and 1% milk are healthier than 2% and whole, but they cost the same.

#3.)  Mangos.  One cup has 80% of the vitamin C you need in a day, plus 25% of the vitamin A, 7% of the potassium, and three grams of fiber.  And one mango only costs about 50 cents. 

#4.)  Dried Cranberries.  A lot of people drink expensive pomegranate juice for the antioxidants.  But dried cranberries have them too, and they’re a lot cheaper.  One cup costs about 50 cents.

–Just don’t eat too many because they’re high in sugar.

#5.)  Sweet Potatoes.  They have beta-carotene, which is what gives them their orange color, and beta-carotene is good for your skin.

–Studies have shown that getting enough of it can result in fewer wrinkles, and sweet potatoes only cost about 43 cents per serving.

#6.)  Eggs.  One hard-boiled egg has about 70 calories and only costs 20 cents.  But unless your doctor tells you to, DON’T just eat the egg whites . . . because most of the vitamins are in the yolk.

–If you’re worried about cholesterol, don’t eat more than seven eggs a week and you should be fine.

#7.)  Pinto Beans.  They have protein, fiber, and B vitamins.  Plus, they have more antioxidants than almost any other bean.  But pinto beans are also the CHEAPEST type of bean.  They cost about 13 cents a cup.

#8.)  Black Tea.  You don’t have to buy expensive tea to get the health benefits, because regular black tea has the same flavanoids that protect against free-radicals.  And people who drink tea also age better.  All for about 5 cents a cup.

(iVillage.com)

The next time you pass a playground or an elementary school, think about this:   You might be looking at the first person who’ll live until they’re 150.

–According to a researcher in human longevity, the first 150-year-old has already been born.

–Dr. Aubrey De Grey runs the SENS Foundation in California.  (–It stands for Strategies for Engineered Negligible Senescence . . . whatever that means.)

–He claims that doctors will have all the tools they need to control aging within 25 years.

–But that means the kid who’ll live to 150 shouldn’t get too cocky:  According to Dr. De Grey, the first human who’ll live to the age of 1,000 will be born within the next 20 years.

–As for WHY, he says stem cell research will help cure disease, stop organs from failing, and repair damaged brains and hearts.

–If you think this all sounds sketchy, you’re not alone.  The medical establishment doesn’t agree with Dr. De Grey, and a group of leading doctors called his work “pseudo science.”

–Still, M.I.T. offered a $20,000 reward to anyone who could discredit Dr. De Grey’s work back in 2005, and so far no one has collected.

–In Dr. De Grey’s defense, average life expectancy increases by about three months every year, and the number of 100-year-olds is increasing by a lot.  But doctors warn that the obesity epidemic might cancel out any medical advances.  (Daily Mail)

“Real Simple” magazine has an article about household remedies you should and shouldn’t try.  And the ones you SHOULDN’T try are the most interesting, because a lot of people think they work . . . even though they don’t.

–First, here are the three that DO work:

#1.)  Chicken Soup for a Cold. It has anti-inflammatory properties that help if you have a sore throat or a stuffy nose.

#2.)  A Cucumber Compress to Relieve Headaches. It tightens blood vessels, which restricts blood flow to the area and relieves pressure.

#3.)  Green Tea If You Have Bad Breath. It inhibits the growth of bacteria, which is one of the things that causes bad breath.  And it’ll also mask the smell of garlic and onions.

–Now, here are the three remedies you SHOULDN’T try, because they either don’t work, or they can make things worse.

#1.)  Hemorrhoid Cream for Puffy Eyes. Some celebrities use it before they go on camera because it makes the bags under their eyes go down.  And the reason it works is because it shrinks the blood vessels under the skin.

–But over time, it actually makes MORE blood vessels form, and causes more swelling.  And using it all the time can damage the sensitive skin under your eyes.

#2.)  Sucking Venom From a Snakebite. This one you probably know already, but just to make sure:  You’re NOT supposed to suck venom out of a snakebite, because it can make the bite infected.

–If your friend gets bitten, just make them keep the affected area below their heart . . . which is easy if it’s their leg.  And get them to the hospital as quickly as possible.

#3.)  Urine to Treat a Jellyfish Sting. You’ll be glad to know this one doesn’t work either.  In fact, it can make the stingers release MORE venom, and make the sting more painful.

–Instead, just rinse the sting with salt water, and it’ll deactivate the barbs that are still in your skin.

(Real Simple)

Okay, you’ve probably seen a bunch of these, but The Oprah Magazine “O” has a list of health myths you shouldn’t believe.  And there are a couple you might not know about.

Myth #1.)  Hand Dryers in Public Bathrooms Are More Sanitary Than Paper Towels.  It makes sense, because you can dry your hands without touching anything.

–But it’s a myth, because a study found that jet dryers make your hands dirtier because of bacteria INSIDE the machine.  And they make the entire bathroom dirtier too, because the air can blow germs more than six feet.

Myth #2.)  Sitting Too Close to the TV Will Hurt Your Eyes.  You probably know this one’s not true.  But what you might NOT know is that it USED to be true . . . kind of.

–When TVs started getting popular in the 1950′s, they gave off 100,000 times more radiation than modern TVs do.  So sitting too close to the television WAS bad for your health.  But not specifically for your eyes.

Myth #3.)  Warm Milk Will Help You Sleep.  It could in theory, because it has tryptophan, the same stuff that’s in turkey, and every other meat.

–But milk only has trace amounts of it, and eggs and cheese even have more.  Still, you’d have to eat about seven egg-and-cheese sandwiches before you’d start feeling tired.  So if warm milk DOES help you sleep, it’s only because of the placebo effect.

Myth #4.)  Hydrogen Peroxide Is Good for Cleaning Cuts.  If your mom used it when you were a kid, you probably hated it because it stung.  And it turns out you didn’t need to go through all that pain.

–Because according to a study in “The Journal of Trauma”, hydrogen peroxide slows down the healing process, because it inhibits the growth of new tissue.  Instead, you’re supposed to wash cuts with soap and water, then use an antibiotic like Neosporin.  (Oprah.com)