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For at least two decades, this number has been a fixture of news articles, marketing websites and books about consumer behavior. And as with many oft-repeated statistics, no one is sure where it originated.

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In addition to having murky origins, the number appear to be wrong. Several recent surveys suggest that men have nearly equal say on spending, and that when men and women live together, both participate in spending decisions. In a survey conducted last year of nearly 4,000 Americans 16 and older by Futures Co., a London consulting firm, just 37% of women said they have primary responsibility for shopping decisions in their household, while 85% said they have primary or shared responsibility. The respective figures for men were similar: 31% and 84%.

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Researchers say so many judgments and emotions go into consumer purchases that it likely isn't possible to measure who makes which household spending decisions.

"{80%} is not a credible figure," says Esther Duflo, an economist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who studies consumer behavior. "There just is not one. How would you possibly estimate it?"

- A 100-year-old report from Captain Robert Scott's 1910 polar expedition recorded Adelie penguins' sexual behaviors.

- Among the things the polar explorer found shocking were non-procreative sex and homosexual acts.

Hidden for nearly 100 years for being too "graphic," a report of "hooligan" behaviors, including sexual coercion, by Adelie penguins observed during Captain Scott's 1910 polar expedition have been uncovered and interpreted.

The naughty notes were rediscovered recently at the Natural History Museum in Tring, in England, and published in the recent issue of the journal Polar Record.

People under 30 and some people with limited incomes may buy what is called a "catastrophic" health plan. It protects you from very high medical costs.

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A catastrophic plan generally requires you to pay all of your medical costs up to a certain amount, usually several thousand dollars. Costs for essential health benefits over that are generally paid by the insurance company.

These policies usually have lower premiums than a comprehensive plan, but cover you only if you need a lot of care. They basically protect you from worst-case scenarios.

Marketplace catastrophic plans cover prevention

In the Marketplace, catastrophic policies cover 3 primary care visits per year at no cost. They also cover free preventive benefits.

If you have a catastrophic plan in the Marketplace, you can’t get lower costs on your monthly premiums or on out-of-pocket costs based on your income.

Catastrophic plans for people with limited incomes

People 30 and over with low incomes for whom other insurance is not considered affordable or who have received a hardship exemption from the fee may be able to buy these catastrophic plans in the Marketplace.

Learn if you qualify in the Marketplace

When you fill out a Marketplace application you'll see catastrophic plans listed as options if you qualify for them. If you don’t qualify for a catastrophic plan, you won’t see them as an option.

December 2, 1993 - Leading conservative operative William Kristol privately circulates a strategy document to Republicans in Congress. Kristol writes that congressional Republicans should work to "kill" -- not amend -- the Clinton plan because it presents a real danger to the Republican future: Its passage will give the Democrats a lock on the crucial middle-class vote and revive the reputation of the party. Nearly a full year before Republicans will unite behind the "Contract With America," Kristol has provided the rationale and the steel for them to achieve their aims of winning control of Congress and becoming America's majority party. Killing health care will serve both ends. The timing of the memo dovetails with a growing private consensus among Republicans that all-out opposition to the Clinton plan is in their best political interest. Until the memo surfaces, most opponents prefer behind-the-scenes warfare largely shielded from public view. The boldness of Kristol's strategy signals a new turn in the battle. Not only is it politically acceptable to criticize the Clinton plan on policy grounds, it is also politically advantageous. By the end of 1993, blocking reform poses little risk as the public becomes increasingly fearful of what it has heard about the Clinton plan.

How To Handle Staged Car Accidents

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Staged Car Accident Tricks

Believe it or not, there are actually sound-minded people who conduct elaborate rehearsals before perpetrating actual staged auto accidents. Consequently, these con artists are extremely efficient at what they do. <Note from Cerridwen: no, I don't think they're "sound-minded.">

To improve your awareness of these carefully choreographed accidents, the following are some of the most common staged-accident scenarios:

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The T-Bone Accident

The Wave

False Endorsement

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Tips for Avoiding Staged Car Accident Scams