Airline Passengers Left $400,000 Worth Of Change Behind In 2010

The Transportation Security Administration reports that airline passengers left behind around $400,000 in coins in 2010. The TSA says the coin leakage adds up to $409,085.56, which includes $32,605.17 in foreign currency. The most change-heavy airports include John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, Los Angeles International, Hartsfield Atlanta International, San Francisco International and Miami International. The TSA says they do try to reunite passengers with their goods at the checkpoint, but it might be hard to track down everyone who left a pile of coins. The money that’s left behind is used to finance agency operations.

Amish Buggy Fight

A group of conservative Amish men in western Kentucky are protesting against a state law requiring orange safety triangles on their horse-drawn buggies. Nine members of the Swartzentruber order in rural Graves County have refused to pay fines for not using the triangles, and eight of them have spent time in jail. The men believe that the orange triangle is garish and violates their faith’s orders to live simple, plain lives. They prefer using gray reflective tape and lanterns to make their buggies visible to motorists. Kentucky officials say the orange triangles are still the best way to make sure buggies are visible for the safety of everyone on the road.

Friday The 13th Fun Facts

The superstitious believe Friday the 13th is a day of bad luck. Here are a few facts on Friday the 13th:

• Any month’s 13th day will fall on a Friday if the month starts on Sunday.
  
• The fear of Friday the 13th is called friggatriskaidekaphobia (Frigga being the name of the Norse goddess for whom “Friday” is named and triskaidekaphobia meaning fear of the number thirteen).
  
• According to folklorists, there is no written evidence for a “Friday the 13th” superstition before the 19th century. The first reference occurs in Henry Sutherland Edwards’ 1869 biography of Gioachino Rossini.
  
• Many theories suggest the number 13 is unlucky because it doesn’t show up regularly in history.  For example there are 12 apostles of Jesus, 12 hours on a clock and 12 Gods of Olympus.
  
• Friday is regarded as a grim day in “The Canterbury Tales.”
  
• Jesus was crucified on a Friday.
  
• Many stock market crashes have occurred on Fridays since the 1800s.
  
• Friday the 13th became better known after the release of a 1907 novel by Thomas W. Lawson. “Friday the Thirteenth” tells the story of a broker who creates a financial panic on the infamous day.
  
• Around 20 million Americans are affected by a fear of Friday the 13th, according to Stress Management and Phobia Institute. Many say they abandon their daily routine.
  
• In Spanish-speaking countries, Tuesday the 13th (or martes trece) is considered a day of bad luck.
  
• Rapper Tupac Shakur was pronounced dead on Friday, September 13, 1996.
  
• Four of the “Friday the 13th” films were released on Friday the 13th
  
• A near-Earth asteroid, 99943 Apophis, will make its close encounter on Friday, April 13th, 2029.
  

Best Celeb Baby Names

BabyCenter has announced its annual list of most and least favorite celebrity baby names. According to voters, Victoria and David Beckham’s daughter Harper Seven was the best-named tot of the year, while Alicia Silverstone and Christopher Jarecki’s son Bear Blu had the least-favored moniker.

Best celebrity baby names of 2011
1. Harper Seven (David & Victoria "Posh Spice" Beckham)
2. Aiden (Rod Stewart & Penny Lancaster Stewart)
3. Liam James (Craig & Megan Ferguson)
4. Willow Sage (Pink & Carey Hart)
5. Arabella Rose (Ivanka Trump & Jared Kushner)
6. Jack (Maya Rudolph & Paul Thomas Anderson)
7. Penelope Athena (Tina Fey & Jeffrey Richmond)
8. Skyler Morrison (Rachel Zoe & Rodger Berman)
9. Declan George (Danny & Gia McBride)
10. Milo Thomas (Alyssa Milano & David Bugliari)

Worst celebrity baby names of 2011
1. Bear Blu (Alicia Silverstone & Christopher Jarecki)
2. Moroccan Scott (Mariah Carey & Nick Cannon)
3. Agnes Lark (Jennifer Connelly & Paul Bettany)
4. Spike (Mike Myers & Kelly Tisdale)
5. Declan George (Danny & Gia McBride)
6. Mirabella Bunny (Bryan Adams & Alicia Grimaldi)
7. Arthur Saint (Selma Blair & Jason Bleick)
8. Milo Thomas (Alyssa Milano & David Bugliari)
9. Skyler Morrison (Rachel Zoe & Rodger Berman)
10. Willow Sage (Pink & Carey Hart)

The Hotel Experience

Hotels.com recently conducted a hotel amenities survey, asking travelers to dish on their favorite in-room and hotel perks. Guests said that free Wi-Fi is a must when choosing a hotel room and that it overwhelmingly factored into the decision on which hotel to book: 38% of travelers reported that free Wi-Fi played a part in their decision as a "must" to stay at a specific hotel, 35% said it is the amenity they want to see more in hotels, with 31% wishing it would become a standard in all hotels in 2012. Meanwhile, 23% of guests said their favorite modern in-room amenity was the use of iPads for guest services, local information and personal use. That ranked above air purifiers/humidifiers, high-end coffee makers, iPod dock, massage chairs, video game systems, universal remote rooms and workout equipment/DVDs. Second to technology, guests are most pleased when their favorite food and beverages are provided during their hotel stay:

• 45% said their favorite new amenities are: happy hours, wine tastings or any other time with free food and drinks.
  
• 31% want to see more complimentary bottled water in their hotel rooms (34% of female travelers; 24% of male travelers.)
  

Other findings:

• Despite some guests stealing linens/towels (14%) or magazine/books (12%) from hotel rooms, over 66% of hotel guests have never stolen an item from their hotel room.
  
• Travelers felt like extra luxuries like turndown service and bath menus were "not worth the hype," according to 44% of female respondents and 30% of male respondents.
  
• The bathroom phone gets no love. It is the least used hotel amenity, with 37% of total respondents saying they never touch it.
  
• When asked about amenities at luxury hotels, women prefer designer toiletries (23%) and men prefer the fitness center and spa (27%.).
  
• When asked if they could stay celebrity-style, the top option for both men (35%) and women (38%) was to have their kitchen pre-stocked with their favorite food and beverages. A close second was the ability to have a private pool and hot tub in the room (37% of women; 34% of men.) These options beat out such fun or diva-esque in-room demands like an arcade, favorite fresh flowers everywhere, private staff or a movie screening room.
  

Top 10 Cities To Find A Sensitive Man

To help single women find a man with some tender loving care, Chemistry.com has tapped its data on the personality types of American singles to locate the cities with the highest concentrations of compassionate, sensitive single men. The site revealed that the most sensitive men in America can be found in cities that are also popular vacation destinations, with Pompano Beach, Florida, topping the list. Ann Arbor, Michigan, known as a big college sports town, has ranked the least likely city to find a sensitive man. The Top 10 cities to find a sensitive man:

1. Pompano Beach, Florida	6. Sarasota, Florida
2. Roanoke, Virginia	7. Greenville, South Carolina
3. West Hollywood, California	8. Wilmington, North Carolina
4. Nashville, Tennessee	9. Indianapolis, Indiana
5. Buffalo, New York	10. Staten Island, New York

Outrageous Excuses For Being Late

Cat hiccups, a disgruntled roommate and a governor’s phone call are among this year’s most unusual excuses employees gave for being tardy, according to a new CareerBuilder study. Sixteen percent of workers said they arrive late to work once a week or more, up from 15% last year; 27% arrive late to work at least once a month, up from 26% last year. While employers are more flexible about work schedules and start times today, excessive tardiness can have serious consequences. Over one-third of employers said they have terminated an employee for being late. Traffic, sleep schedules and weather conditions are the top three causes for late arrivals to the office, according to workers:

• Traffic – 31% of workers
• Lack of sleep – 18%
• Bad weather – 11%
• Getting kids to school or daycare – 8%

Other common reasons for tardiness included public transportation delays, pets, spouses, watching TV and Internet usage. When asked for examples of the most outrageous excuses employees provided for being late, hiring managers said:

• Employee’s cat had the hiccups.
  
• Employee thought she had won the lottery (she didn’t).
  
• Employee got distracted watching the “TODAY” Show.
  
• Employee’s angry roommate cut the cord to his phone charger, so it didn’t charge and his alarm didn’t go off.
  
• Employee believed his commute time should count toward his work hours.
  
• Employee claimed a fox stole her car keys.
  
• Employee’s leg was trapped between the subway car and the platform (turned out to be true).
  
• Employee said he wasn’t late because he had no intention of getting to work before 9:00 a.m. (his start time was 8:00 a.m.)
  
• Employee was late because of a job interview with another firm.
  
• Employee had to take a personal call from the state governor (turned out to be true).
  

Time For A Bald Barbie

A Facebook campaign is encouraging creation of a bald-headed Barbie doll to offer support to girls in chemotherapy. The movement, begun by women with daughters undergoing cancer treatment or dealing with other hair-loss conditions such as alopecia, already has received over 18,000 "likes" on Facebook. The Barbie doll, historically a role model for young girls, has long presented careers and aspirations in a favorable light, but has never lacked hair. Beckie Sypin of Lancaster, Calif., one of the mothers leading the effort, said, "I know with a lot of the girls we’ve met through treatment, the cancer part isn’t the part that scares them. It’s the fact they’re bald. The girls cry over losing their hair." Barbie manufacturer Mattel has not commented on the campaign, except to acknowledge the Facebook group with a letter, which did not outline the company’s plans.

Americans’ Stress Levels Take A Dip

Stress among Americans appears to be down for the first time in five years and at its lowest point since 2007, according to a survey by the American Psychological Association. The poll of 1,226 adults 18 and older found that the nation’s average self-reported stress level in 2011 was 5.2 on a 10-point scale, compared with 6.2 in 2007. The percentage of people reporting extreme stress dropped from 32% in 2007 to 22% in 2011, and 27% of those who took part in the new survey said their stress had decreased in the past five years. However, 39% of respondents said their stress rose in 2011, 44% said it stayed the same, and only 17% said it dropped. About 75% said money is a concern, two-thirds said they have work issues, and more than half have relationship or health problems. Experts say the decline in reported stress is likely due to the fact that stress has become a normal part of life for Americans and they’ve adapted to it.

Occasional Pot Smoking Doesn’t Harm Lungs

Occasional pot smoking doesn’t appear to harm users’ lungs the way regular tobacco use does, according to a 20-year study. At the level of one marijuana cigarette a week for 49 years, or one joint a day for 7 years, there was no decline in lung function, according to the Journal of the American Medical Association. The study, which followed more than 5,000 people for 20 years, is unusual in marijuana research because it involved the general population. Usually scientists study addicts because they are easier to find. However, most pot users don’t get addicted and it’s important to know how the drug use affects them, researchers said. At more than 10 years of smoking a daily joint, lung function seemed to decline although not to a degree that was statistically significant, the study found.

Nicotine Patches May Not Help Smokers Quit

Nicotine patches and nicotine gum do not appear to be effective in helping smokers quit long-term, researchers say. Lead author Hillel Alpert, research scientist at Harvard School of Public Health, and co-author Lois Biener of the University of Massachusetts Boston’s Center for Survey Research, tracked 787 adults in Massachusetts who had recently quit smoking. The participants were surveyed during three time periods – 2001-2002, 2003-2004 and 2005-2006 – and asked whether they used a nicotine replacement therapy in the form of the nicotine patch, nicotine gum, nicotine inhaler or nasal spray. The results showed almost one-third of recent quitters relapsed during each time period – and there was no difference in the relapse rate among those who used nicotine replacement therapy for more than six weeks, with or without professional counseling, and that of smokers who did not use nicotine replacement therapy. In addition, no difference in quitting success with use of nicotine replacement therapy was found for either heavy or light smokers.

Casey Anthony’s Attorney Quits

Casey Anthony’s attorney that defended her against charges involving her toddler’s slaying has quit, TMZ reports. TMZ.com cites no sources in its short report, but says Jose Baez “has decided to REMOVE HIMSELF from Anthony’s legal team.” TMZ says it isn’t clear why Baez quit. However, it was reported that Anthony, incensed by an ongoing media circus during her probation, reportedly planned to fire Baez. The New York Post quoted a source that said Anthony and Baez “haven’t been talking for weeks” and that last week’s unauthorized release of two video diaries “was the last straw.”

Casey Anthony Says She Became Pregnant After Passing Out At Party

Casey Anthony told a psychiatrist that she became pregnant with her daughter, Caylee, after passing out at a party when she was 18-years-old, according to depositions in which the doctor said tests gave no indication that Anthony was mentally ill as she faced her murder trial. The 25-year-old Anthony was acquitted last July of killing her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee, in a trial that captured the nation’s attention. Anthony didn’t know who fathered Caylee, the psychiatrist, Jeff Danziger, said in a deposition that was unsealed by a Florida judge and released yesterday. Anthony is serving a year of probation at an undisclosed location in Florida on a check fraud charge.

Hostess To Keep Baking During Bankruptcy

Hostess is filing for bankruptcy, but you will still be able to get your Twinkies. Hostess Brands Inc. said it had secured funding to maintain operations while going through bankruptcy proceedings. In court documents, the maker of Twinkies and Wonder Bread said it had $75 million in commitments from lenders to keep operating during its second restructuring in recent years. The company, which has headquarters in Irving, Texas, said its current operation “is not competitive, primarily due to legacy pension and medical benefit obligations and restrictive work rules.” The company has contracts with 12 unions and is negotiating to reach new agreements. Of its 19,000 workers, 83% are union members. Hostess said labor was the core issue.

Beethoven Complained Of ‘Low Salary’

A handwritten letter by Ludwig van Beethoven reveals the German composer was displeased about his “low salary.” The letter, written in July 1823 and addressed to Franz Stockhausen, concerned Beethoven’s search for wealthy people to sponsor his latest composition, “Missa solemnis.” Beethoven wrote he needed more money, in part, because of his worsening deafness. “My low salary and my illness demand efforts to make a better fortune,” he wrote at the age of 53, four years before his death. The letter, which has been valued at $188,500, was found recently among items bequeathed to Germany’s Brahms Institute of the Lubeck School of Music by Stockhausen’s great-granddaughter, Renate Wirth. Wirth died last year.