Are Swedes having less sex? The government wants to know

STOCKHOLM — Worried that Swedes aren't having enough sex, the government wants to analyze the bedroom activities of its citizens in a major new study.

It's been 20 years since the last in-depth study of the sex habits of the Scandinavian welfare state, so Public Health Minister Gabriel Wikstrom says it's high time for another survey.

One of the goals of the investigation, set to be completed in 2019, is to find out whether there's any truth to Swedish tabloid reports that Swedes are having less sex than they used to.

"It's important to investigate whether that is the case and if so, what the reason is," he wrote Friday in an opinion piece in the Dagens Nyheter newspaper.


If stress and other health issues are affecting Swedes' sex lives, he said, "that is also a political problem."

Morgan Eklund, an official in Wikstrom's office, said the minister was referring primarily to a 2013 survey of 3,000 people by the Aftonbladet tabloid, which found that lovemaking is on the wane in Sweden, a country with a reputation of being sexually liberated.


Eklund said the survey was not scientific enough to be used as the basis of government policies "but it points in a direction that can be interesting to follow up."

In a separate article on the government's website, Wikstrom said the Social Democratic-led government needs better information about people's sex habits to guide its policies related to sexual and reproductive health.

"Sex is an area that strongly influences people's health, so we can't just talk about things like, for example, venereal disease, but also things that are positive and lust-filled about sex," Wikstrom said.

The study will be carried out by the Public Health Agency of Sweden.

source: philstar.com

Filipinos High In Financial Quotient — Citi Survey

MANILA, Philippines — Filipinos scored an all-time high of 52.6 out of a possible 100 points in the latest Citi Financial Quotient (Fin-Q) Survey, passing the 50-point mark for the first time since the survey was launched in 2007.

The Citi Fin-Q Survey is an annual survey designed to measure the Financial Quotient or financial well-being of consumers. All respondents were over 18 years of age with either a bank account or a major credit card.

The Filipinos’ high Fin-Q score can be credited to a better understanding of money management, according to the survey. Fifty-nine percent feel they have a “good” or “very good” understanding about money management and personal finances. This also explains why 94% reported attempting a monthly budget, the highest number across all countries participating in the research.

In this latest survey, respondents were scored on 11 different questions closely related to financial well-being for a maximum possible score of 100. The questionnaire consisted of over 50 questions and covered a range of topics closely related to financial decision-making and smart financial habits.

Citi conducted the survey through research firm Big Picture Qual and Quant Research in late 2011, and results were released this year. The survey covered 4,000 people across 8 countries including the Philippines. Five hundred interviews were held in each of the participating countries that include Australia, India, Indonesia, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand.

According to Citi Country Officer Sanjiv Vohra, the results of the survey reaffirm Citi’s commitment to financial education. “As Citi celebrates its 200th anniversary this year, we remain focused on our efforts to help consumers understand the importance of planning their financial future, and guide them in achieving their financial goals. Citi has been reaching out to a wide range of audiences, looking beyond our clients, to promote financial literacy. We constantly look for opportunities to engage them in discussions on saving and budgeting, understanding investment options and preparing for retirement.”

More than 60% surveyed said they were “better off” compared to 2010, the highest reported level since 2007. Optimism on one’s financial future is also up, with four out of five respondents saying they are “very optimistic” or “optimistic” about their financial future. On savings, 42% reported they save money from every pay.

With better access to financial education, Filipinos are able to manage their current finances, and have become even more conscious about saving for the future.

For the fourth consecutive year, the Citi-sponsored research revealed a year-over-year increase in the Citi Fin-Q Score or financial well-being of Asian consumers. The Citi Fin-Q for the region currently stands at 54.5 out of a possible 100 points, up from 53.2 in 2010, 50.9 in 2009 and 49.5 in 2008.

Majority of respondents (74%) in the Asia Pacific region showed increased satisfaction in their current quality of life, while 70% were “very optimistic/optimistic” about their financial future.

Almost two-thirds (63%) of Asia Pacific respondents expressed confidence that their savings will lead to a comfortable life in retirement. Not a surprising fact, since almost half (46%) reported that they set aside some savings from every pay.

More than two in five Asia Pacific respondents also suggest their personal financial situation is “much better off” or “somewhat better off” compared to one year ago.

“The survey numbers in the Philippines are indeed very encouraging. The results show that Filipinos are becoming more determined to take charge of their finances and are responsible users of credit,” pointed out Vohra.

Sixty percent indicated that they pay off their full outstanding credit card balance on a monthly basis, up 12% from 2010. Filipinos are also looking at investments in the form of cash, real estate and insurance to ensure a comfortable retirement.

Average retirement savings is pegged at P1.56 million, marking an 11% increase from 2010. On the average, Filipinos reported having 10.4 weeks of savings in reserve.

Filipinos have embraced digital banking with fully 70% saying they use the Internet or mobile phone for banking transactions. Given a choice, a majority (52%) expressed a preference for banking online from a home or office computer – the highest number registered among the participating countries.

“What the numbers tell us is that Filipinos are taking a more active role in planning their finances and choosing the financial products and services according to their needs,” added Vohra. “Citi will continue to do its part in promoting financial literacy, working with the right partners around the country to engage more Filipinos from all walks of life.”

source: mb.com.ph

Global tablet usage for TV viewing doubles: survey

SAN FRANCISCO — Global usage of tablet computers by consumers for viewing TV and video content has more than doubled in the past year, said a new survey released on Wednesday.

Worldwide, over 12 percent of consumers said they watched TV or video on tablets such as Apple’s iPad and devices running on Google’s Android system, compared with nearly 5 percent a year earlier, according to the latest survey results from research firm NPD DisplaySearch.

The survey involved more than 14,000 TV owners in 14 regional markets worldwide.

It also found that more than 70 percent of consumers are using devices other than a TV set to view TV or video content.

In addition to tablets, survey respondents said they were also leveraging other alternate electronic devices such as laptops, smartphones and MP3 players to consume TV and video content.

“While the trends vary by region, it is evident that consumers around the globe are watching more video and TV content with their portable electronic devices as these provide additional means of accessing content,” Riddhi Patel, research director of consumer insights for NPD DisplaySearch, said in a statement.

“Despite this increase, however, TVs still remain the primary device of choice for viewing TV content, with 30 percent of consumers reporting that they view TV/video content on TVs alone,” she noted.

source: interaksyon.com

Majority of US seniors now going online — poll

WASHINGTON DC — It’s taken a while, but a majority of Americans aged 65 and older are now finally using the Internet or email, according to the results of a Pew Research Center poll released Wednesday.

Reporting its findings, Pew’s Internet research unit said 53 percent of senior citizens in the United States go online, although Internet and broadband use drops off “significantly” among those older than 75.

“Though these (over-65) adults are still less likely than all other age groups to use the Internet, the latest data represent the first time that half of seniors are going online,” Pew said.

“After several years of very little growth among this group, these gains are significant,” it said, though the figures trail well behind the 97 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds who use the Internet.

Previous Pew surveys had put the level of Internet usage among over-65s in the vicinity of 40 percent during the past four years.

Pollsters also found that 69 percent of American seniors own a cellphone, up from 57 percent two years ago, while one in three seniors use social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter.

Pew’s survey — published on its website, www.pewinternet.org — was conducted on May 15 through April 3 among 2,254 adults in the United States, with a margin of error of plus of minus 2.4 percentage points.

source: interaksyon.com

Half of US homes own Apple products: survey

SAN FRANCISCO — A latest survey released on Wednesday showed that half of all U.S. households own at least one Apple product.

According to CNBC’s All-America Economic survey, the Apple- buying household on average has a total of three Apple products. Overall, the average household has 1.6 Apple devices with almost one quarter planning to buy at least one more in the next year.

The survey, collecting answers from 836 Americans, found that Apple buyers tend to be male, college-educated and younger.

Ownership is strongly related with household income. Only 28 percent of those making less than 30,000 U.S. dollars a year own at least one Apple product, compared with 77 percent of those making more than 75,000 dollars.

Households on the higher end of the income own an average of about three Apple devices, while the average number of Apple products for lower-income homes is only 0.6.

Meanwhile, the age gap in purchasing Apple products is not as wide as people usually think. Some 63 percent of people between 18 and 49 said that they own an Apple product and 50 percent of people between 50 and 64 owned one. Among those at the age of 65 or older, Apple owners still reach 26 percent.

Families with children are also more likely to own an Apple device. Around 61 percent of households with children own Apple devices, compared with 48 percent of homes without kids.

“It’s a fantastic business model — the more of our products you own, the more likely you are to buy more,” said Jay Campbell, a vice president of Hart Research Associates, which conducts the CNBC survey. “Planned obsolescence has always been a part of the technology industries sales model, but Apple has taken it to a whole new level.”

source: interaksyon.com