Overnight Briefing & General Reality Check - Sep 29, 2011

Holidaze:

The National Retail Federation says 161 million people --the highest in the 10-year history of its survey-- plan to get their ghoul on this Halloween, and are expected to spend close to seven billion dollars.
The survey reports that seven in 10 Americans will celebrate, with those in the Northeast most likely to observe the day, and those in the South the least. (Kaye)

The 411:

The latest issue of the New Yorker magazine includes a massive, 12-page profile of everybody's favorite Swedish-run, Dutch-owned nonprofit furniture retailer, IKEA.
The story includes several fantastic factoids about the company (culled here). For example, did you know IKEA is the world's third largest consumer of wood globally? Or that that different categories of products get different themes for names? (Curtains are named after mathematical concepts; bathroom products after lakes and river.)
But the most important datum in the New Yorker piece clearly is this: IKEA beds are great for baby-making. According to the article, "It is said that one in ten Europeans is conceived in an IKEA bed."
It's a statistic that's been floating around the discussion surrounding IKEA in the past. We'll just add this: Europeans clearly don't need the company's famed illustrated instruction booklets for that "assembly" project. (Maiman)

Plastic surgery can kill you:

There’s a disturbing new popular plastic surgery trend. It’s called “pumping.” On the surface, it sounds like a lot of other procedures. But this one can kill you.
A lot of people are familiar with those injections that doctors and nurses use to smooth wrinkles and plump lips. But the StyleList.com story says that "pumpers" aren’t trained in medicine. They’ll offer you a “deal” to inject the silicone for a cheap rate. But the injection is industrial grade silicone --not medical-grade. And it might even be mixed with “Crisco or baby oil.” You do get plump lips, smoothed wrinkles and “pumped up” boobs and butts. You also run the risk of infection. Several people have died recently as a result.
But all these horrible things don’t usually happen right away. Symptoms don’t start until years later, when the silicone starts migrating down into other parts of the body, hardening in chests and legs and causing extreme pain. Bottom line: if you have to resort to plastic surgery, spend the money and get treated by a licensed, board certified plastic surgeon. (Bartha)

Broadcast, cable and video news:

Viewer alert: The entire KARDASHIAN family --KIM, KOURTNEY, KHLOE, their mom, KRIS and stepdad BRUCE JENNER-- will all be taking turns filling in for KATHIE LEE GIFFORD next week during the fourth hour of the “Today” show. The Kardashians will be plugging their wedding special, which will be shown starting next weekend (and then endlessly, undoubtedly) on the E! Entertainment TV cable channel.
In case you just wanted to tune in to see Kim, she’ll be (ahem) bringing up the rear on Friday.

Single spending alert:

Did you just get your poor little heart broken, princess? Be careful --you're diving into some very expensive waters! The UK's Daily Mail reports newly-single gals generally spend about 781-dollars after being dumped! Researchers found that gals love a dose of retail therapy when their feelings are hurt and also splurge on hair cuts, highlights, manicures --even plastic surgery! Treating ourselves doesn't stop at the hair salon or mall --a fifth of women invest in gym memberships, 11 percent pay for subscriptions to dating websites and the average bachelorette will drop 107-bucks every week on hitting the town with girlfriends. (Lee)