Ugly is as Ugly Does

Good Looks = Better Pay?
Looks do matter, especially in the workplace. According to research by Daniel Hamermesh and Jeff Biddle published in the Journal of Labor Economics, physically attractive people earn more per hour— about 5% more on average—than their plain colleagues.
And unattractive people earn 9% less per hour than their better-looking peers. When you crunch the numbers, this means that for average-looking people earning $40,000 annually, their prettiest coworkers would make $42,000 and their least attractive colleagues would bank only $36,400.
Good-looking workers also tend to get more promotions, since they attract more positive attention than do others.
Fair or not, the unhappy truth for plain janes and joes is there’s nothing explicitly illegal about discrimination based on physical characteristics, as long as it doesn’t touch the legislated areas of religion and race.
However, this cloud has a silver lining - even if you don't think you'll score at the ofice in the looks department, you can get ahead by taking this advice:
James Houran, PhD, who writes the “Office Hours with Dr. Jim” column for Online Dating Magazine, says nonphysical attributes also come into play when considering overall appearance. Hygiene and presentation show others how you feel about yourself, and therefore how they should also value you. A smile, good eye contact, and an open stance also project self-assuredness and warmth.
It’s all about confidence, baby! According to researchers Markus Mobius and Tanya Rosenblat, how you feel about yourself affects how others perceive you by about 20% in either direction. So no matter what you feel you look like on the outside, lift that chin up and shine!

Best Looking in the World
A survey quizzed over 5,000 travellers about the attractiveness of people around the world
TOP 20 BEST LOOKING NATIONS
1. America
2. Brazil
3. Italy
4. Australia
5. Sweden
6. England
7. Spain
8. India
9. France
10. Canada
11. Mexico
12. Portugal
13. Wales
14. Russia
15. Japan
16. Ireland
17. Argentina
18. Netherlands
19. Scotland
20. Germany

New Baby = Weight Loss?
The average new mother pushes a baby pram around 1200 km a year - the equivalent of walking back and forth Singapore 25 times, from east to west.
Researchers found the typical mum takes her new tot out and about in the pushchair six times a week, and walks at least 3 km a time.
That means each week they are clocking up just over 18 km. Dads only join in on one in five pushchair journeys. Which means mums, it’s only fair you get dad to do double time on diaper duty!

Today’s Show is made possible by the NUMBER SEVENTEEN

17 - Friday 17th, not 13th, is considered unlucky in Italy. This is thought to derive from Roman tomb stones which often included the word VIXI (I lived). VI (6) + XI (11) = 17.

17 - It would take over 17 Earths to equal the mass of Neptune.

17 - A cow's saliva increases by 17% while grazing. Just like Hamish's everytime he sees a picture of Angelina Jolie! ;)

17 - The Parthenon is 17 columns long.

17 - King Tutankhamen was wrapped in 17 burial cloths.

17 - Behaviorist Konrad Lorenz observed that the wild goose will eventually accept as its parent whatever creature it sees within its first 17 hours of life.

17 - The world's largest caldera (or volcano crater) is that of Mt. Aso in Kyushu, Japan, which measures 17 miles north to south and 71 miles in circumference.

17 - The shortest form of Japanese poetry (known as Haiku) contains exactly 17 syllables.
Here's an example of a haiku, composed in honour of my favourite food, the hamburger:
Glistening grilled patty
Caressed with sauce, gooey cheese
Moist mouth explosion (by DJ_Lae, via giantbomb.com)

5 Things
5 Common Resume Phrases Decoded
5. Has Leadership Qualities - Is tall or has a loud voice
4. Good Communication Skills - Spends lots of time on phone
3. Independent Worker - Nobody knows what he/she does
2. Quick Thinking - Offers plausible excuses
1. Uses Logic On Difficult Jobs - Gets someone else to do it

THE GOLD HEALTH GUIDE
Another tip on how to keep off the dreaded festive season weight gain:
Have your cake (or love letter or bak kwa or...) and eat it too!
There's no need to deprive yourself of your favorite holiday treat. For e.g. you look forward to mum's super fattening Nyonya noodles (complete with lard), then go ahead & enjoy a small portion -just don't go back for seconds! It's perfectly healthy to indulge in moderation and reward yourself for sticking to a healthy eating plan. Just keep in mind that your favorite fatty foods will taste that much sweeter if it's a special treat, rather than a regular occurrence.

MAKAN KAKIS
After the long Lunar New Year Weekend of overindulgence, all we want is something a little lighter on the palate and the waistline! :) In the Tan family, Teochew Porrdge is the go-to antidote for overeating, so let's hear from you - where can we find the best Teochew Muay in Town?

jim - best in s'pore 59 Joo Chiat Place

I love the economic muay at Bt merah view. v good fish, v good baby squid. v authentic teochew - die die must try! mr x.