are more honest?
When it comes to honesty, how do you fare? And yes, it seems to matter the color of your hair. How do I know this?
Well, ask yourself this question. Would you leave your fare if someone left a bottle of tea for purchase—seemingly unattended?
Honest Tea set out to answer just that question.
What they found was well—honestly surprisingly!
Honest Tea is an organic tea company that has blossomed, since its inception in 1998 with a staff of three, into one of, if not the, largest certified organic and fair trade tea companies on the market.
So if you are having a case of Mean World Syndrome, read on, and feel heartened.
Honest Tea stands were set up in 61 locations in each state across the country, with a clear drop box for cash, and a sign indicating a thirsty passerby may pay $1 for a bottle.
The catch?
A station “attendant” was waiting in the wings marking down who paid—and who didn’t! They took notes on gender, facial hair, hair color, and if they had on glasses, or hats …
Like a streetside game of Guess Who.
The resulting upright citizens (or those who walked briskly away with their nabbed tea) panned out like this:
– The longer your hair, the more honest you are (I’m all over that result plus get this: nationwide blondes were more honest than any other hair color. They were 100% honest in Illinois and Indiana. Honest!!!!)
– People in groups tended to tender their monies less maniacally. (Perhaps peer pressure makes one more honest?)
– Men vs. Women? Sorry guys, but women were honest 95% of the time, while men rang in at 91%.
– Alabama and Hawaii were the two most honest states, scoring a perfect 100%!
Here are more fun facts from the (informal) study:
Welcome New Sisters! (click for current roster)
Merit Badge Awardees (click for latest awards)
My featured Merit Badge Awardee of the Week is … Jacqueline Ferri!!!
Jacqueline Ferri (#1664) has received a certificate of achievement in Stitching & Crafting for earning an Expert Level Knitting Merit Badge!
“I learned to knit when I was 9 from my mother. I made a simple scarf. Over the years, I did other needlecrafts. I didn’t pick up knitting again until 23 years later. After my third child was born, I took a continuing ed. class to refresh my knitting skills. The instructor had us make a cardigan. I joined a knitting guild, and here many of the members helped beginner knitters. From there, I just took off with new and varied knitting skills. Our guild provided workshops with renowned knitters, so we acquired interesting techniques. We went to Stitches, TKGA East Coast Conference, and a local knitting shop sponsored a “Ewephoric” Knitting Weekend. At these events, one breathes, sleeps, and eats knitting!!
I have learned the following techniques and have used them in various projects,.
Cables
Entrlelac
Drop stitches
Aran knitting
Short rowing
Intarsia
Tunisian knitting
Lace knitting
and many more.
I have covered clear Christmas ornaments with a lacy beaded net that I knitted. I’ve knitted a sampler afghan, a winter white throw with chevrons and bobbles. I’ve made a shawl, sweater, and purse by knitting them on the diagonal using Jane Elliott’s designs (Not Your Plain Jane). I’ve knitted and felted a fun evening bag accented with eyelash yarn and a beaded handle. I have made hats, scarves, mittens, sweaters, blankets, and much more! I taught all four of my children how to knit when they were young, Two of them made scarves recently. My friend and I taught two Brownie troops how to knit. During our guild meetings, I have assisted beginner knitters. Our guild knits for various charities. I’ve knitted preemie caps, Oxfam sweaters, squares for blankets for the Linus Project. Presently I have a few projects going. I am knitting an aran pullover, a pattern from Vogue Knitting. The pattern has lots of cables and twists! It’s fun to knit! I’m also knitting a Mary Maxim poncho with some cables.”
Congratulations to Robin and Marvin Blitchock, of Marvin’s Garden, on their recent induction to Project F.A.R.M (First-class American Rural Made).
When Robin, an avid gardener, and her husband Marvin, a welder for 30 years, began working on their passions at home, Marvin’s Garden was born. They have had fabulous success taking custom orders from farmers’ markets, word-of-mouth, and boutiques for handmade iron trellises, arbors, and ornaments.
Here’s one of their lovely creations, the beautiful Twig Wreath with Bird. Can’t you just see this sitting picturesquely on the outside wall of your patio or above your bed or fireplace? You might be able to do just that because …
Robin and Marvin are giving it away!!!!!
To be entered in our giveaway to win this beautiful iron wreath, just tell me a bit about what you’ve planted this year in your garden and how it’s going—that’s it!
We’ll put your name in a hat and pull out a winner this time next week. Stay tuned!
The adorable, always humorous MBA Jane is my way of honoring our Sisterhood Merit Badge program, now with 5,344 dues-paying members who have earned an amazing number of merit badges so far—7,177 total! Take it away, MBA Jane!!! MJ
Wondering who I am? I’m Merit Badge Awardee Jane (MBA Jane for short). In my former life …
For this week’s Each Other/Know Your Roots Merit Badge, another trip to see my Grandma Barbie was in order. She was out of my world-famous strawberry jam and due for a fresh pedicure anyway, so I packed up my car and off I went to Florida! This merit badge requires some family history, some digging, some reminiscing, and a sparkly topcoat (toluene-, formaldehyde-, and DBP-free, naturally!)
Grandma was in a Hot Yoga class when I arrived at the retirement community and I had to kill some time with nice old Mr. Joe (his friends call him G.I.) out front. We swung a bit on the porch swing, my flipflops and his combat boots dangling in the breeze. He’s a sweet gentleman, albeit a bit of a flirt.
Who needs to consume caffeine to boost her creativity
when she can,
well …
hear it?
“Wait just a minute,” you’re saying.
(I can picture you leaning your ear down toward your coffee mug.)
Photo by Toshihiro Oimatsu via Wikimedia Commons
“My coffee isn’t chatting, MJ. Mum’s the word.”
Let’s start over.
I’ll try to be more, ah, scientific this time.
Research shows
(and everybody knows)
that a loud workplace can be distracting and downright frazzling.
Photo by Katie Brady via Wikimedia Commons
But, it’s also true that creativity can be tough to come by in a completely quiet space.
(Insert cricket chirping here.)
Photo by MonkeyMyshkin via Wikimedia Commons
Enter Coffitivity.
That’s right:
Coff-i-tiv-i-tee.
Based on studies (again, scientific) that show coffee shop noise to be the perfect mix of calm and commotion to spur productivity, this jazzy new webapp promises, “Ambient sounds to boost your workday creativity!”
In other words, you can now get the stimulation of a coffee shop (sans cappuccino) wherever you may be.
Photo by wayne lee via Wikimedia Commons
“Our team has delivered the vibe of a coffee shop right to your desktop, which means when your workspace just isn’t quite cutting it, we’ve got you covered,” says Coffitivity.
Ready to rev up your creative juices?
Visit Coffitivity.com.
And, hey, if we all tune in, we can imagine we’re gathered around a table together.
Meet you there!
Buy props used in MaryJane’s books and magazine!
5% of profits will benefit www.firstbook.org, a non-profit that provides new books to children from low-income families throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Here’s how:
MaryJane will post a photo and a description of a prop and its cost along with a few details as to its condition here: https://shop.maryjanesfarm.org/MaryJanesCurations. It’s a playful way to be the new owner of a little bit of farm herstory.
