Chained to the Desk?

When I got home from work yesterday, the local NBC early evening news was just finishing its broadcast with a couple of those human-interest polls.

I’m not surprised that 23% of Americans can name current American Idol (Taylor Hicks), while only 11% know the most recently appointed Supreme Court judge (Samuel Alito), according to Zogby International.

But it still amazes me that the US is so far behind other countries when it comes it giving its employees vacation days. While the French get an average of 39 days, we Brits 24, those Aussies 17, but you Americans a pitiful 14 days. Plus a third of workers don’t even take this allotted time off, so says Harris Interactive.

This struck a particular cord with me on the eve of my mini vacation (I’m taking the next couple of days off – unpaid – let’s not talk about that any more, shall we). I am off to “the happiest place on earth” to be part of the 50th anniversary celebration. Mikey’s lending me his camera, so they’ll be pictures on our return.