How Air Force One Has Taken Off More Times Than It Has Landed

Since 1953, Air Force One is the name that’s been handed out to the plane that carries the President of the United States, and in 1962 the iconic Boeing 707 was created for that very purpose. Today, it’s the Boeing 747 that wears the presidential colors and holds the name Air Force One. Over it’s 70-year history, there’s a quirky statistic that has followed the plane everywhere. It has actually taken off more time than it has landed. How can that be? To explain, we have to go back to 1974, when Richard Nixon was forced to resign because of the Watergate scandal and hand power over to Gerald Ford. When the transfer of power took place, Nixon was already in the air aboard Air Force One. Here’s where it gets tricky. Whatever plane the President is on becomes Air Force One. That means that when Nixon boarded the plane as president, it took off as Air Force One. However, the moment Ford was sworn in as President and Nixon was no longer in charge, Nixon’s plane's call sign changed. That meant that while it took off as Air Force One, it landed as SAM 27000. That’s how Air Force One has taken off more times than it has landed.

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Stench Gas: The Early Warning System For Underground Operations

Stench gas is a widely used and reliable warning device used in mines and other underground operations where audible alarms may not be heard. The gas can be quickly dispersed through an air ventilation system into underground and confined spaces. The strong pungent odor leaves even non-sensitive noses with no doubt of the urgency to evacuate. Stench gas is commonly used in conjunction with other fire detection systems, such as heat sensors and smoke detectors. Stench gas provides a 30-minute early warning in the event of a fire, and early fire detection is crucial in mines and other underground operations where fires can spread even faster. The stench gas system gives workers time to evacuate safely and take steps to extinguish the fire.

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Why McDonalds Coffee Cups Say "Do Not Microwave”

You decide to swing through McDonald’s drive-thru to grab a cup of coffee to drink on your morning commute. You get to work and still have a half a cup left, but it’s cooled down quite a bit. What do you do? The cup says “DO NOT MICROWAVE.” Why? The obvious answer is that even though they can keep coffee hot for a short period of time, they aren’t microwave-safe. That’s because the paper cups may potentially crack, smoke, or catch fire if exposed to high heat inside the microwave. While you may never have noticed it, those paper cups are actually lined with a thin coating of wax, and the higher the temperature, the greater likelihood that the cup will melt if it’s placed in a microwave. If the wax melts, it could contaminate the coffee and pose a health risk for you. If you need to reheat your coffee, transfer it to a microwave safe cup first. If that’s not an option and you have no other choice but to reheat the coffee in the McDonald’s cup, heat it in the microwave for no more than 20 seconds.

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Nutritionists Warn of 3 New Year’s Diets That Are Not Only Dangerous But Will Make You Fatter

’Tis the season for a “New Year, New Me.” Whether it’s buying a gym membership or embarking on a diet, millions of Americans start off the new year with the resolution to lose weight. Now, as the nation’s health kick begins, experts are urging dieters to avoid three popular diets at all cost. First, the celebrity-backed juice cleanse could leave you with severe nutrient deficiencies. This diet involves only consuming juices made from fruits and vegetables. Second, cutting carbs could increase your risk of cancer. Eliminating carbs cuts out foods with vital nutrients and increases bad cholesterol levels, which could lead to a risk of cancer and heart disease. A low-carb diet is no more effective for weight loss than a low-fat diet. Third, going up and down on the scales will make you fatter in the end. The pattern — otherwise known as yo-yo dieting — is highly criticized as a health hazard that leads to fluctuating levels of insulin, which is necessary to maintain blood sugar. Quick weight loss involves cutting entire food groups, which can lead to nutrient deficiencies and lasting health issues. Now you’re probably wondering what a healthy diet really looks like. There’s simply no way around it: 

• • Eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables a day (frozen, dried and canned fruits and vegetables count). 
• • Eat 30 grams of fiber a day. 
• • Have some dairy or dairy alternatives, but choose lower fat and lower sugar options. 
• • Eat protein every day — 45 grams for women, 55 grams for men. 
• • Limit saturated fat — 20 grams for women, 30 grams for men. 
• • Drink 6-8 cups of water a day. 
• • Limit salt intake to 6 grams a day (1 teaspoon).

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These Bizarre Items Bought By Excited Shoppers Will Leave You Scratching Your Head

We’ve all made some bizarre impulse purchases over the years, whether it was a quirky gadget or a piece of novelty clothing. There’s no better place to show off your buyer’s remorse than on social media, and it turns out that a good many people take to Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to garner a bit of sympathy and camaraderie for their regretful buys. While the cat tongue licker pictured above definitely meets the criteria for weird purchases, here are some other impulse buys that are right there up with it.

 

One trendsetter decided to up the ante on farmhouse fashion by snagging a “poultry purse.”

This cat looked a bit overwhelmed by the literature his owner brought home.

This lucky — or unlucky — Star Wars fan got surprised when his wife purchased some lightsaber chopsticks so he could enjoy his ramen noodles with a little flair.

Silly goose! One shopper was delighted to lounge around with huge plush geese.

Nothing will keep your cat out of the shower like this unique shower curtain.

Who doesn’t want to walk around the house in fishy feet???

Just too tired to hold your head up to read your tablet? Not to worry, now you don’t have to.

 

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Why This Toronto Firefighter May Never Know What Happened On His Puzzling Journey Across the U.S.

On Feb. 2, 2018, Danny Filippidis went on a ski trip to Lake Placid, New York. He briefly left his friends at the Whiteface Mountain Ski Resort to retrieve his cellphone from his car, and no one saw him again. His disappearance sparked a massive search. Six days later, Danny showed up in Sacramento, Calif., with no idea how he got there. He says he believes he lost consciousness sometime shortly after splitting up with the others in his party. He doesn’t remember much about the next few days, but believes he flagged down a truck to get a ride off the mountain. The next thing he remembered was the truck’s driver telling him he was in Utah, more than 1,800 miles from Whiteface Mountain. He eventually got a new phone, but it took about a day for him to remember his wife’s number. Once Danny returned home safe, questions and rampant speculation swirled around his cross-country journey. The supposed truck driver who transported him to Sacramento could hold the keys to the mystery, but authorities were unable to identify the driver. Dr. Charles Tator, a brain surgeon at Toronto Western Hospital’s Canadian Concussion Centre, said Danny’s story likely describes amnesia resulting from a concussion, but he would have to examine Danny to get a better sense of what might have happened. He speculated that it could be a combination of retrograde amnesia — loss of memory of events before a blow to the head — and anterograde amnesia — loss of memory of events after a blow to the head. Loss of memory can last anywhere from a few seconds to 24-48 hours in length. Dr. Tator said many patients with longer-term amnesia never fully recover their lost memories, but fragments might return as much as 2-3 years later. Now, some 5 years later, there is still no clear answer to what exactly happened to Danny or the mystery person who drove him across the U.S. He is back at work as captain with Toronto Fire Services and hasn’t suffered any lasting physical damage from the incident.

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Why You Should Never Use a Wet Oven Mitt

Few things are better than a hot tray of cookies emerging from the oven, but there’s nothing worse than suffering burns on your hands from retrieving them. That’s why we have oven mitts. While they’re insulated to allow us to briefly handle surfaces that have been exposed to high heat, there’s one thing that will render them useless: water. Traditional fabric oven mitts work by inserting a layer of heat-resistant material inside the mitt. If, however, the fabric becomes damp, or you place wet hands inside the mitt, the effectiveness of the heat barrier is dramatically reduced. That’s because water conducts heat. Wearing a wet mitt that’s exposed to 350ºF or more could cause a third-degree burn in as little as one second. While some mitts are labeled as waterproof, others may have a cotton lining, so it’s best to be on the safe side. All oven mitts have a limited period of time for handling hot items — up to 10 seconds, with some far less. Remember, it’s harder to eat cookies when your hands are bandaged.

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When the U.S. Had 144 Separate Time Zones

Before the adoption of standardized time zones, the United States operated on a surprisingly intricate system of over 144 separate time zones. Each city was free to determine its own local time, usually based on the position of the sun. This meant that when it was noon in one city, it could be 12:15 p.m. in a neighboring city just a few miles away. This system was manageable when communities were isolated, but as the country expanded and the railway system connected distant cities, the multitude of local times became problematic. The turning point came with the advent of the railroad industry, when the need for standardized time became apparent. On Nov. 18, 1883 — known as the “day of two noons” — railroads across the country synchronized their clocks to the new standard time zones. It wasn’t, however, until 1918 that the U.S. officially adopted the standard time zone system that we use today. The transition was not immediate or smooth. People were accustomed to their local times and resisted change. However, over time, the benefits of a standardized system became clear, especially for scheduling trains, conducting business, and broadcasting.

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Cleaning Woman Mistakenly Throws Away Over $13,000 In Artwork

A cleaning woman in southern Italy unwittingly threw away contemporary artwork that was supposed to be part of an exhibition. Lorenzo Roca, head of the cleaning company Chiarissima, said the woman was just doing her job when she thought two pieces of artwork were part of the trash left behind by those setting up for the show. Security noticed that a number of items were missing when the venue opened. It was later determined that the cleaning woman had handed them over to the sanitation department. Show organizers said that one of the works included pieces of cookies, which were scattered on the floor as part of an artistic arrangement. Roca said the cleaning company would use its insurance coverage to pay for the trashed artwork, whose value was estimated to be $13,700.

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Pine Mouth Syndrome Is a Real-Life Nightmare

Imagine taking 50 pennies and putting them in your mouth. Now imagine dealing with that residual metallic taste for two weeks. If you like pine nuts, that penny flavor could be in your future. A phenomenon known as Pine Mouth Syndrome is an intense metallic taste that affects a small number of pine nut eaters. According to the FDA, symptoms develop 12 to 48 hours after pine nuts are eaten and can last anywhere from 2 days to 3 weeks. Every time you eat or drink, the good old sucking-on-a-penny taste worsens, overtaking the flavor of any food you’re eating. What’s truly horrifying about this freak occurrence is that scientists have no idea what causes it. The only thing that can be done is to warn people, which is why a warning label comes on most bags of pine nuts, alerting people with a sensitivity to pine nuts that may experience a reaction to them. So, the next time you’re about to order pesto or pignoli cookies, take a minute to think about the potential consequences. If you know you have a sensitivity, you know to stay away from pine nuts. If you don’t know whether you have a sensitivity, it may be best to reach for the cashews instead.

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Forget Cake — Make This Savory Pasta In Your Bundt Pan

The bundt pan, with its fluted top and hole in the middle, can transform a first-time baker’s cake into a masterpiece, but did you know that it can be used for more than sweets? This versatile pan can also be used to create savory entrées. Use your trusty bundt pan to make a circular-shaped pasta loaf made with cooked spaghetti flavored with whole ricotta cheese, Parmesan, fresh basil, spinach and sun-dried tomatoes. Think of it as a pasta casserole stuffed into a decorative ring mold. Here’s the recipe for Bundt Pan Spaghetti Pie. 

 

Ingredients 

• • 1 box (16 ounces) dry spaghetti 
• • 4 large eggs 
• • 1 container (15 ounces) whole ricotta cheese 
• • 1 ½ cups whole milk 
• • 1 ½ teaspoons salt 
• • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper 
• • 1 bag (8 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed 
• • 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese 
• • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 
• • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil 
•  • ⅓ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped 
• • 4 cups marinara sauce 

 

Directions 

• • Preheat oven to 350ºF. 
• • Coat the bottom and side of the bundt pan with vegetable oil spray. 
• • Cook pasta according to directions, drain, and rinse under cool water. 
• • In a large bowl, combine eggs, ricotta, milk, salt and pepper. 
• • Using your hands, squeeze excess water from thawed spinach; add spinach to egg mixture. 
• • Add both cheeses, basil, and sun-dried tomatoes and stir to combine. 
• • Add drained pasta and toss with tongs to thoroughly combine. 
• • Spread evenly into prepared bundt pan. 
• • Bake at 350ºF for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown around edges. 
• • Remove and cool 5 minutes on a wire rack. 
• • Meanwhile, heat marina sauce over medium heat. 
• • Invert pasta onto serving dish, cut into 10 pieces, and serve with marinara sauce.

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Florida Woman’s Driveway Is Stolen While She’s at Work

We’ve all heard of porch pirates — thieves who snatch unattended packages from people’s porches — but what if the pirate had something bigger in mind…..perhaps a driveway? Someone stealing a driveway might seem comical, but Amanda Brochu isn’t laughing. In early December, she put her Apopka, Fla., house on the market. As part of her preparations, she had a few contractors come by to work on the house. With contractors coming and going, no one paid attention to a group of workers who shouldn’t have been there. When Brochu returned home from work one day, her driveway was gone. Someone had ripped up the pavement and left a muddy trail in its place. It turns out that Brochu and an unwitting contractor had fallen for what’s known as an “overpayment scam.” In an overpayment scheme, a scammer will seek out homes listed for sale on sites like Zillow or Realtor.com. Typically, they’ll target vacant homes. The scammer will pretend to be the home’s owner and ask local contractors to provide an estimate for some exterior work like a roof, driveway or painting. The scammer and the contractor agree on a price and the scammer will mail a check for more than the agreed-upon price. Then, they’ll get a call from the supposed homeowner saying there was a mistake. The scammer will ask that the extra money be refunded. Shortly after the contractor sends the cash, and occasionally after work begins, the scammer’s original check will bounce. The missing driveway threatened to ruin the value of Brochu’s house, putting her future in jeopardy. Fortunately, she’s getting help. After her story broke, a sponsor of a local radio station offered to repair Brochu’s driveway free of charge. The lesson here is that it doesn’t matter what it is or if it’s nailed down — someone will try to steal it.

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British Columbia’s Wrestling Day Is a New Year’s Eve Hangover Day

There’s no parade, no official events, or even much fanfare about British Columbia’s Wrestling Day, which is celebrated on the day after New Year’s Day — January 2 — every year. It’s a day dedicated to people “wrestling” with their hangovers. It was conceived in the 1940s by a pair of businessmen who concluded that most people wouldn’t be out shopping because they had tied one on for New Year’s and were taking it easy. The two men closed up their respective shops, as did the other 10 business owners who operated in what was then a small village of 600 people. About a decade later, it was voted on and confirmed as an actual bylaw, and it’s been on the books ever since.

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How Exercise Really Is the Antidote For All That Ails You

Gym owners say it’s because of New Year’s resolutions that gym memberships increase 25% or more in the month of January alone. Now there’s definitive evidence that just 20 minutes of physical activity a day slashes the risk of many illnesses, including cancer, dementia, and heart disease. That’s more effective than some medications. The exercise doesn’t have to be a yoga glass or boring run on a treadmill — even gardening has been show to be a major protector. While doctors will likely never recommend it, studies suggest that exercises can even undo the effects of a bad diet and make up for sleepless nights. The CDC recommends that people get 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week, or roughly 20 minutes a day. Included in that time, the agency recommends that 2 days be dedicated to muscle-strenghtening exercises. Moderate-intensity exercises include biking, dancing, hiking, jogging, brisk walking, and swimming. Strengthening exercises include weight-lifting, push-ups, pull-ups, and squats. However, even light activity like household chores can reduce the risk of disease by more than 20%.

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Self-Confessed Nomad Lives Alone On a Remote Island In Canada

Amanda, who doesn’t want to reveal her last name, has taken to social media to share how she’s been living alone on a remote island in British Columbia for the past two years, after landing a job as its caretaker. Her only company is her dog Peaches and the local wildlife, which includes, cougars, wolves, lots of deer, and humpback whales. Another frightening aspect of living alone on the island is the bear population, so she always carries bear spray in case of a close encounter. Amanda said she got burned out after living in downtown Vancouver, and in a bid to escape city life bought a 28-foot boat. She lived on her sailboat for about 10 years, but when she saw the advertisement for a caretaker, she decided to return to land. She now lives in a small cabin on the island, which has two bedrooms, a kitchen, and a living area. There’s a boat on the island so she can get to town for doctor appointments and grocery runs. To supplement her income, she works as a freelance web designer. The island has satellite Internet so she can connect with the outside world. Some of her chores include chopping firewood, mowing the grass, and taking care of the greenhouse. Since the island is protected, Amanda isn't allowed to cut down trees, so she either chops up trees that have already fallen or she finds pieces of wood that wash ashore with the tide. Thanks to the addition of solar panels, the island is almost completely self sufficient. There is a well that provides drinking water, and some vegetables can be grown in the greenhouse. During the darker months, there are four generators to keep everything running. Looking ahead, Amanda says she sees herself staying on the island for a long time to come. 

 

 

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The World's Most Inconvenient Convenience Store Hangs On the Side of a Cliff

It takes a bit of work to get to the convenience store in the Shiniuzhai National Geological Park in Hunan province, China. For starters, you have to climb 393 feet up the side of a cliff. Dubbed “the world’s most inconvenient convenience store,” the small wooden box provides refreshments to climbers who need a quick break in the middle of their climb. The store stocks drinks and some snacks, with the price of bottled water capped at 30¢. It doesn’t make much money, but the tourists are very grateful for it. Only one worker is stationed inside the box, and part of their job is to replenish the store’s supplies every morning before dawn. As you might imagine, workers have to be very fit just to get to work each day. The only issue they face is the absence of a toilet. That means they have to make an exhausting climb back down the mountain each time they have to go, which explains why they don’t drink too much water while they’re on duty. 

 

 

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Why Do We "Ring In" the New Year?

These days, you can say you’re “ringing in” the New Year with plenty of things that don’t ring: a toast, a kiss, an ambitious New Year’s resolution, a Netflix marathon, an entire sheet cake to yourself, and so forth. When the phrase originated, however, it involved something that actually rang: bells. Decades before hordes of revelers started flocking to Times Square to watch the ball drop, they congregated farther downtown at Wall Street’s Trinity Church. There, they rang in the New Year with a veritable concert put on by the church’s official bell ringer, James E. Ayliffe. According to Trinity Church’s archives, the earliest mention of the tradition is from the minutes of an 1801 meeting where parishioners allotted ￡8 ($10) to the persons who rang the Bells on New Years day. It might have been going on long before that, considering the fact that the church got its first bell back in 1698. In short, ringing bells was once a central part of the holiday. The fact that it literally ringing in the New Year has faded from memory may help explain why so many people now say “bring in the New Year.”

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Couple Sells Everything To Go On a 3-Year Cruise, Only To Find Out It Was Cancelled

A couple who sold almost everything they owned to go on a 3-year Life at Sea cruise has been stuck in Turkey for the past month after the owners failed to find a ship and said that investors withdrew. The cruise, run by Turkey's Miray Cruises, was intended to cover 140 countries and 382 ports. The cheapest cabins cost $115,500 a person based on double-occupancy, rising to nearly $300,000 for a room with a balcony. The price included meals, drinks, entertainment, seminars, and medical consultations. Kara and Joe Youssef sold their two apartments, withdrew their life savings, and gave away most of their possessions to fund the trip. The couple left for Istanbul in late October, with the cruise set to depart on November 1. It was then pushed back to November 11, with the departure port changed from Istanbul to Amsterdam, and then delayed further to November 30, before ultimately being cancelled. As of December 28th, the Youssefs had been living in a hotel in Istanbul for a month — paid for by the cruise company — and were still waiting for their $80,000 refund. The company had previously said it would offer buyers alternative departure dates or "expedited refunds" if it was unable to sail on December 1. Life at Sea's website now says that the cruise is set to depart in November of 2024.

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Woman Sues Dentist for Conducting 32 Procedures in a Single Session

A Minnesota woman is suing her dentist for putting her through hell for over 5 hours by conducting 32 different procedures in a single, agonizing session. Having to endure one root canal is traumatizing enough, but imagine having to sit through 4 root canal procedures, 8 dental crowns, and no less than 20 fillings in a single session. It sounds like a nightmare and Kathleen Wilson says that it truly was. Her dentist, Dr. Kevin Molldrem, used double the recommended dose of anesthetic in an attempt to fix all her teeth in a single session. His efforts left Wilson disfigured and distressed, and she's now asking for at least $50,000 in damages. She had to undergo several other procedures just to fix the damage caused by Dr. Molldrem and she now wants him to pay. Dental expert Dr. Avrum Goldstein testified that although Dr. Molldrem’s diagnosis – that virtually every tooth in Wilson’s mouth had cavities – was right, the way he went about helping her was wrong. Dr. Goldstein said that Katie required a slow, thoughtful, careful and measured response to her disease, but that's not what she got. “Trying to fill every hole in every tooth in her mouth in one visit is not only the antithesis of what was indicated, it's not humanely possible to achieve in an effective or constructive manner,” he said.

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What the Mayo Clinic Has To Say About Sweeteners Today

Sugar substitutes, also known as artificial sweeteners, taste sweet like sugar but have fewer calories, sometimes no calories. If you replace added sugar with sugar substitutes, it could lower your risk of getting tooth decay and putting on weight, but what about its safety? Over the past few years, there’s been plenty of talk about artificial sweeteners and their safety. Now, the Mayo Clinic is breaking it all down, starting with clarifying that sugar substitutes don’t cause serious health problems and they're not linked to a higher risk of cancer in people. Studies dating back to the 1970s linked the artificial sweetener saccharin to bladder cancer in rats. Since then, research has shown that those findings don't apply to people. Some research on long-term, daily use of artificial sweeteners suggests a link to a higher risk of stroke, heart disease and death overall, but other things people do and the healthy habits that people don't do may be the cause of the higher risk. In general, sugar substitutes are best taken in small amounts, so try to cut back if you use them. Artificial sweeteners can help some people enjoy sweetness without excess calories, and if used in moderation, they can be part of a healthy diet.

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