Friday, February 14, 2020

Every extra pint of beer takes 15 minutes off your life

The maximum number of drinks you can have a week to be a healthy person is five. Total. That’s about 100 grams of alcohol, or five standard size glasses of wine or pints of beer. Drink more than that in a week and you run a higher risk for heart failure, stroke, fatal aneurysm or death. This sobering guideline comes courtesy of a paper published in 2018 studying the drinking habits and health of almost 600,000 people. It found that when 40-year-old participants had more than five drinks in a week, their risk of early death rose steadily. For a 40-year-old, every glass of alcohol above the suggested weekly limit shortens their life by 15 minutes. If a 40-year-old drinks three glasses of wine a night, for example, he loses two years of his life, according to the leading scientist at the University of Cambridge. On the other hand, another study found if you’re over the age of 90, drinking two glasses of beer or wine a day gives you a better shot at living longer. (New Haven Register) 

T-Mobile-Sprint deal gets the OK

T-Mobile’s $26 billion takeover of Sprint won approval by a federal judge, a move that will leave most wireless consumers with three major operators to choose from, including Verizon and AT&T. More than a dozen attorneys general had sued to block the merger that had already been approved by the Justice Department and Federal Communications Commission. The administration has required T-Mobile and Sprint to sell some units to pay-TV operator Dish Network as part of the deal. (The Wall Street Journal)

Broomstick Challenge Trend Sweeps Social Media Over Fake Link to NASA and Planetary Alignment

A tweet claiming Monday (2/10) was the only day a broom can stand up on its own led to thousands posting pictures and videos online. The problem is, you can stand a broom up on its own every day. The “broom challenge” has been around since at least 2012 on social media, and it resurfaced after the tweet suggested NASA said Monday was the only day the trick would work because of the Earth’s gravitational pull. NASA never made such a claim, but the video made many question its legitimacy. Standing brooms have caught people’s attention before they even became the focus of Twitter. The key to making the broom stand up is to position the broom’s bristles properly while balancing the object. Some are just happy people are taking an interest in physics, even if the initial “science” behind the challenge was false. (News Week)

Oklahoma lawmaker pushing for ‘In God We Trust’ to be added to state buildings

As state lawmakers discuss measures dealing with tax credits and immigration, they will also consider a bill that would add a motto to state buildings. House Bill 3817, authored by House Speaker Charles McCall, would add ‘In God We Trust’ to all state buildings. The measure states that the Office of Management and Enterprise Services should display “the national motto of the United States in a prominently visible location in all state buildings.” It also says that OMES would be responsible for any related expenses associated with the addition of the motto. The bill states that the display “shall not be construed to mean that the State of Oklahoma favors any particular religion or denomination thereof over others.” However, organizations are already speaking out against the measure. American Atheists claim that there has been an increase of ‘In God We Trust’ bills across the country over the past few years. The measure has been referred to the House Rules Committee. (KFOR)

Polygamists may not face jail time under new Utah bill

Polygamists have lived in Utah since before it became a state. Eighty-five years after plural marriage was declared a felony, they still number in the thousands. Now, a state lawmaker says it’s time to remove the threat of jail time for otherwise law-abiding polygamists. “The law is a failure. It hasn’t stopped polygamy at all and it’s actually enabled abuse to occur and remain unchecked,” said Senator Deidre Henderson, whose proposal to make bigamy an infraction rather than a felony has gathered significant support. It was unanimously approved by a legislative panel, despite resistance from former members of polygamous groups who said it could embolden abusers. The estimated 30,000 people living in Utah’s polygamous communities believe plural marriage brings exaltation in heaven, a legacy of the early Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The mainstream faith abandoned the practice in 1890 under pressure from the U.S. government and now strictly forbids it. Unlike other states, Utah outlaws living with a second “spiritual spouse” even if the man is legally married to just one woman. The new proposal would significantly lower the potential penalties for consenting adult polygamists but keep harsher penalties for other crimes sometimes linked to polygamy, including the new addition of coerced marriage. Some pro-polygamy advocates have pushed back, arguing that those enhancements create an unfair association with their communities. (ABC News)

Border agents seize bag of dead birds from passenger traveling from China

A bag of dead birds was discovered by US Customs and Border Patrol in the luggage of a passenger who traveled from China to a Washington, DC-area airport, authorities said. The dead birds were packaged in a bag that had cartoon images of a dog and cat, US Customs said in a statement. Workers from the agency seized the birds at Dulles Airport near Washington on January 27th from a passenger arriving from Beijing. The passenger said the birds were cat food and he was planning to bring them to Maryland after his flight. The birds are not allowed into the United States out of fear they may spread avian flu, US Customs said. The birds were “destroyed by incineration” with approval from the USDA, authorities said. (New York Post)

Study shows more people lie about how much they drink

New research shows that many people across the United States have been lying about how much alcohol they consume, according to a study conducted by American Addiction Centers. The drug and rehab center conducted a study of 3,000 drinkers to determine how many of them have lied to their doctors about their level of alcohol consumption. Medical professionals are able to detect if they are being lied to about alcohol consumption by looking at things such as elevated enzyme levels or high blood pressure.

Top ten rankings for states that lie the most are:

1. Hawaii – 45%
2. Arkansas – 42%
3. Nebraska & New Hampshire  – 36% (tied)
4. West Virginia – 35%
5. Delaware, Kansas, Maine, & Wyoming – 33%
6. Iowa & Missouri – 32%
7. North Dakota & Vermont – 30% (tied)
8. Colorado & New Jersey – 29%
9. Oklahoma, South Dakota, & Texas, & Wisconsin – 28%
10. Alabama, Georgia, New Mexico, New York, & Montana – 27% (tied)

Least Ranked As Liars:

1. Tennessee – 12%
2. Florida – 14%
3. Louisiana & Pennsylvania – 17%
4. Idaho & Nevada – 18%
5. Alaska, California, Mississippi, & Utah – 20%
6. Rhode Island & Illinois – 21%
7. Minnesota, North Carolina & Ohio – 22%
8. Arizona, Massachusetts, Michigan, Oregon, Indiana, & Virginia  – 23%
9. Kentucky – 24%
10. Maryland – 25%
11. Connecticut & South Carolina – 26%

(American Addiction Centers)

Woman gives man her kidney, he returns favor, gives her salon

A man in Washington D.C. was in need of a kidney transplant after being on dialysis for over a year. A former employee found out she was a match and gave her kidney to the man who owned the hair salon in which she managed last April. Them man actually owns a beauty college and several salons. In return, he had a surprise for her. Earlier this week, they cut the ribbon on a new salon called “A new Image by Acia”. She gave him a kidney, so he decided to make her dreams of owning a hair salon come true. (WJLA)

A new survey reveals what’s the most-Googled relationship question in each state

Not everyone behind a keyboard is content with their current partner. 11 states need advice on how to break up with someone, the most of any search query. While there’s speculation on which gender reacts to breakups harder, data shows that it’s grim for both parties. Women report feeling worse off emotionally than men, but men reportedly take longer to move on. The top two relationship questions googled were “How to break up” and “Am I in love.” At least five states are eager to learn how to kiss. People smooch for a myriad of reasons: for luck, to greet someone, for that warm and fuzzy feeling we call love, and because, well, it feels good—literally. Lips contain more nerve endings than any other part of the body. Plus, when you kiss, your body releases serotonin. “Does he like me” has nearly twice as much search volume as “Does she like me” — ditto with “Does he love me” and “Does she love me.” Historically, men are less communicative and expressive than women, which is probably why ladies across the country are wondering how the men in their life feel about them. Both Nevada and Oklahoma searched “Am I in love” the most of any question. They’re also the top two states with the highest divorce rates. Couples get divorced because they fall out of love, which could explain why Nevada and Oklahoma residents are asking the question on repeat. Which state wins for having the most brides and grooms? Utah. The Beehive State has the highest percentage of married people in the country. With 55.4% of the population, the state with the world’s greatest snow also has the highest number of couples tying the knot.

Each State’s most-googled relationship question:

• Alabama: Does she like me?
• Alaska: How to kiss?
• Arizona: What do men want
• Arkansas: Does he love me
• California: When to text back
• Colorado: How to break up
• Connecticut: How to break up
• Delaware: How to kiss
• District of Columbia: How to get a date
• Florida: When to text back
• Georgia: How to get dates
• Hawaii: How to break up
• Idaho: How to kiss
• Illinois: How to break up
• Indiana: When to text back
• Iowa: Am I in love
• Kansas: Am I in love
• Kentucky: What do women want
• Louisiana: How to get dates
• Maine: Am I in love
• Maryland: Am I in love
• Massachusetts: How to break up
• Michigan: Does she love me
• Minnesota: How to break up
• Mississippi: What do men want
• Missouri: Am I in love
• Montana: Does he like me
• Nebraska: Am I in love
• Nevada: Am I in love
• New Hampshire: How to break up
• New Jersey: How to get dates
• New Mexico: What to do on a date
• New York: How to break up
• North Carolina: How to get dates
• North Dakota: How to break up
• Ohio: How to propose
• Oklahoma: Am I in love
• Oregon: Does she like me
• Pennsylvania: When to text back
• Rhode Island: Does he like me
• South Carolina: When to say I love you
• South Dakota: how to propose
• Tennessee: When to text back
• Texas: When to text back
• Utah: How to kiss
• Vermont: How to break up
• Virginia: How to get dates
• Washington: Am I in love
• West Virginia: How to break up
• Wisconsin: How to propose
• Wyoming: How to kiss

(CenturyLink)

A relationship expert has debunked popular myths about romance as couples prepare to celebrate their love on Valentine’s Day

Research has clarified common misconceptions about the holiday, quashing the beliefs that men are naturally less romantic than women and red roses are the best choice of flowers for a significant other. The research reveals:

• Men prefer sex to gifts, while women value thought and sentiment over extravagance when it comes to presents (so long as it’s not in the form of fluffy handcuffs, alcohol or tacky lingerie);
• Dinner (either home cooked or at a restaurant) flowers, chocolates, small gestures, words of appreciation and an evening of lovemaking are the universally preferred Valentine’s gifts for both sexes;
• The idea that men are less romantic that women is false. Men are more likely to fall in love at first sight because their brains and hormonal systems give them more visual romantic tendencies than women. Another study suggests that men are more inclined to say “I love you” first, and to experience a greater rush of serotonin (the happiness hormone) when the words are reciprocated;
• Older people are more romantic is false. Data from statistics analysis site Finder revealed couples are less likely to celebrate Valentine’s Day the older they get. Almost half of Generation Y will splash cash on their loved one, while an overwhelming eighty percent of “Boomers” skip the occasion altogether;
• Couples break up before Valentine’s Day is true. Couples who have been ‘on the rocks’ over the past few months are highly likely to call it quits before Valentine’s Day. A survey of 2,000 adults from Illicit Encounters, an adulterous UK dating site, identified February 12 (two days before Valentine’s Day)  as the world’s most popular day to break up;
• Men prefer sex to gifts is true. A resounding 90 percent of men surveyed by Illicit Encounters said sex was their number one wish for Valentine’s Day. Teddy bears, underwear and ties are the least favored Valentine’s gifts among men;
• Women love expensive presents is false. Women love their partner to remember the little things, meaning expense takes a backseat to thoughtfulness when it comes to Valentine’s Day. Something personal that is exclusive to her will mean more. Fluffy handcuffs, alcohol and tacky lingerie are women’s least desired Valentine’s gifts; 
• Red roses are the most romantic flowers is false. While red roses are a classic, they’re not every woman’s first choice. Showing you’ve put in the effort and you’ve given her something unique will stand out more than following the pack. A significant number of  women prefer tulips, lilies and peonies to roses.

Seven tips for singles on ‘V’ Day 

1. Lay off the dating apps, desperate dating isn’t attractive. It’s too easy to get caught up in the hype and on a date for valentine’s day just so you fit in, rather than because you actually like the person and all you’ll attract is someone just as desperate as you.
2. Stay off social media, you’ll only see what people want you to see.
3. Write a card for a friend or send a message to a friend telling them what you appreciate about them, you can’t control what you get but you can control what you give.
4. Don’t share your poor me attitude your words become reality.
5. Stop comparing your life to others, you are where you are, get grateful.
6. Focus your attention on a new goal, something you can control.
7. February 15th is National pet adoption day – think about getting unconditional love every day of the year!

(Daily UK)

Valentine’s Day Facts:

• Every year, more than 36 million heart shaped boxes of chocolates are sold across the country.
• Men will be spending twice as much as women this year on gifts. The average man spends $130 on Valentine’s Day, while women spend about $70.
• Don’t forget about your pets! Every year, around 9 million people buy their pets a Valentine’s Day gift.
• February 14th is the second largest card giving day of the year, just after Christmas. This year, it’s expected that 1 billion cards will be exchanged around the world.
• Teachers receive the most Valentine’s Day cards, followed by kids, mothers, wives and girlfriends.
• Hallmark was one of the first to mass produce a Valentine’s Day card, all the way back in 1913.
• More than one-third of men are comfortable not receiving anything from a lover on Valentine’s Day.
• 64% of men do not make plans in advance for Valentine’s Day
   

Flower Facts:

• It’s estimated that the U.S. alone is going to spend $3.3 billion on flowers for loved ones this year.
• The only other day that beats Valentine’s Day in floral sales is Mother’s Day.
  Of the 124.6 million households in the U.S. it’s predicted that 43 million of them will purchase flowers.
• Red roses are the most likely flower to be purchased.
• Young people are leading the trend in floral sales? In 2016, 63% of floral-buying households were under the age of 35.
• Who says you can’t be your own Valentine? In 2015, 18% of women sent themselves flowers.
• Ordering a bouquet? Have it tied in lace. The word “lace” comes from the Latin laques, meaning “to snare or net,” as in to catch a person’s heart.

Most Searched Flower on Valentine’s Day:

• Rose (with almost 3 million searches!)
• Iris
• Lily
• Sunflower
• Orchid
• Tulip
• Daisy
• Gardenia
• Lavender
• Hydrangea

(1 800 Flowers)

Historical Valentine’s Day Facts

Origins to a Bloody Pagan Festival – Some trace Valentine’s Day origins to a Christian effort to replace a pagan fertility festival that has been dated as far back as the 6th century B.C. During the festival of Lupercalia, Roman priests would sacrifice goats and dogs and use their blood-soaked hides to slap women on the streets, as a fertility blessing. According to legend, women would later put their names in an urn and be selected to be paired with a man for a year. 

Letters Addressed to ‘Juliet’ – Every year, thousands of romantics send letters addressed to Verona, Italy to “Juliet,” the subject of the timeless romantic tragedy, “Romeo and Juliet.” The city marks the location of the Shakespearean tale, and the letters that reach the city are dutifully answered by a team of volunteers from the Juliet Club. Each year, on Valentine’s Day, the club awards the “Cara Giulietta” (“Dear Juliet”) prize to the author of the most touching love letter.

Box of Chocolates – The Valentine’s Day tradition of giving a box of candy was started in the 19th century by Richard Cadbury, a scion of a British chocolate manufacturing family. With a new technique recently established at the company to create more varieties of chocolate, Cadbury pounced on the opportunity to sell the chocolates as part of the beloved holiday. 

First Valentine Was Written From a Prison – History’s first valentine was written in perhaps one of the most unromantic places conceivable: a prison. Charles, Duke of Orleans wrote the love letter to his second wife at the age of 21 while captured at the Battle of Agincourt. As a prisoner for more than 20 years, he would never see his valentine’s reaction to the poem he penned to her in the early 15th century.

‘Vinegar Valentines’ Discouraged Suitors – During the Victoria Era, those who didn’t want the attention of certain suitors would anonymously send “vinegar valentines.” According to Smithsonian, these cards, also called penny dreadfuls, were the antithesis of customary valentines, comically insulting and rejecting unwanted admirers. They were later used to target suffragettes in the late 19th and early 20th century.

‘Wearing Your Heart on Your Sleeve’ – The term “wearing your heart on your sleeve” may have origins in picking a valentine. Smithsonian reports that during the Middle Ages, men would draw the names of women who they would be coupled with for the upcoming year while attending a Roman festival honoring Juno. After choosing, the men wore the names on their sleeves to show their bond during the festivities. 

‘Sweethearts’ Candies Started Out as Lozenges – The iconic chalky heart-shaped candies that have been passed out lovingly every Valentine’s Day started out as lozenges. According to the Food Business News, pharmacist and inventor Oliver Chase created a machine that would quickly create the lozenges before switching to using the machine to create candy—later known as Necco Wafers. Chase’s brother came up with the idea to print messages on the candy in 1866, and the candies got their heart shape in 1901, appealing specifically to Valentine’s Day sweethearts. In 2019, the Sweetheart brand of conversation hearts was suspended for a year as the candy’s new owner, Spangler Candy Co., needed time to make a supply of the hearts for Valentine’s.

Cupid Began as a Greek God – The chubby baby with wings and a bow and arrow that we call Cupid has been associated with Valentine’s Day for centuries. However, before he was renamed Cupid, he was known to the ancient Greeks as Eros, the god of love. Eros, the son of Greek goddess Aphrodite, would use two sets of arrows—one for love and another for hate—to play with the emotions of his targets. It wasn’t until stories of his mischief were told by Romans that he adopted the childlike appearance that we recognize today.

How ‘X’ Came to Mean ‘Kiss’ – The idea of using a kiss to sign off on valentines also has a long history. The use of “X” came to represent Christianity, or the cross, in the Middle Ages. During the same time, the symbol was used to sign off on documents. After marking with an X, the writer would often kiss the mark as a sign of their oath. As the gesture grew among kings and commoners to certify books, letters and paperwork, these records were described as having been “sealed with a kiss.” (History.com)

Valentine’s Day Crimes Committed by Lovers

Sweetheart Thieves Share a Smooch on Camera – In 2015, a couple of jewel thieves took a break from robbing a store of $231.72 in order to make out. Unfortunately they were caught on the store’s CCTV. The store owner said of the young lovers, “They were amateurs because apart from the cash, they did not take anything of value. There were cameras and laptop computers and smart phones and they left it all behind because they were so busy kissing.” (Mirror)

I Love You, and I’m Going to Rob Your Bank – In order to buy his girlfriend an engagement ring, Ramsey Fakhouri tried to rob the Bradford National Bank branch where she worked. Because he was a romantic, he took part in the robbery on Valentine’s Day. He snagged nearly $26,000 from a bank worker who was stocking an ATM outside the branch. (The Oakland Press)

The Great Subway Sandwich Robbery – On Valentine’s Day 2015, a couple of robbers held up a Subway sandwich shop, shoving an employee into a room at gunpoint, before emptying a cash register, rummaging through an employee’s pockets, and taking off into the night. (Sun-Sentinal)

Thieves Try to Rob a Florist – In Huntsville, AL a pair of robbing Romeos held up Heartfield Florist. They tied up two employees in a back room and were heartbroken when they discovered that the florist had no money in the safe. (The Item)

Man Aggressively Robs Bank, as If There Was Another Way – On the morning of Valentine’s Day 2014, a guy rushed into Citizen’s Bank in Norwich, CT and freaked everyone out before making off with a massive sum of money. He was later picked up by the cops and held on $500,000 bail. (Patch)

Man Takes Cab Driver for a Valentine’s Ride – Early on Valentine’s Day morning 2015, a taxi driver received a not so sweet gift when the man he picked up pulled out a 9mm and asked, “Can I pay with this?” The taxi driver gave the man his Samsung tablet and took off to drive another day. (KOCO)

Woman Mysteriously Vanishes on Valentine’s Night – In 2015, Erica Alonso and her boyfriend were out celebrating Valentines when they met a mystery couple who gave them a ride home and proceeded to hang out until 3:45 in the morning. Then, Erica and her boyfriend got in an argument and she drove off, never to be seen again. Following the disappearance, the police tried to locate the mystery couple but no one knew who they were. (KTLA)

Crime Ring Targets Victoria’s Secret – In St. Petersburg, FL a group of thieves made off with thousands of dollars in Victoria’s Secret merchandise, leaving hundreds of Floridians without anything to wear during the second most romantic night of the year. (Tampa Bay Times)

Man Steals Roses for Girlfriend – In Dublin, Ireland, Bernard Conway (a very drunk man) was caught stealing roses from an Aldi. He also stole a cashmere throw and a backpack in the same incident, but the backpack probably wasn’t for his girlfriend. (Herald)

The Valentine’s Bandit Really Irritates the FBI – One man, dubbed the Valentine’s bandit became the ire of the FBI and the police in San Mateo County after he robbed two banks on the Peninsula and a whole different bank in Burlingame, CA. (KPIX)

BDSM Role Playing Couple Arrested on Valentine’s Day – A swingin’ couple from Portland, OR ended up in the pokey after their VERY INTENSE role play ended up getting them in big trouble. When cops arrived on the scene, responding to calls about a woman bound in the back of a car, they found 26-year-old Stephanie Morgan Pelzner naked and bound, just as callers claimed. She was able to confirm that she and her boyfriend had simply been role playing, but nevertheless, they were arrested for and charged with disorderly conduct. (Raw Story)

Inmate Attempts Valentine’s Escape – A Phoenix inmate escaped from prison by climbing two walls and crawling through razor wire in order to meet his sweetheart for a romantic Valentine’s Day – she was waiting about at a Coolidge saloon and grill, about 35 miles away. He was arrested without incident when he arrived. (Christian Science Monitor)

The Valentine’s Day Crossbow Attack – A man shot his estranged wife’s son with a crossbow when he saw the 23 year old leaving his workplace. The arrow pierced the young man’s arm and upper torso, but he survived. After the assault, the man turned the crossbow on himself. He was taken to hospital, but pronounced dead shortly after. (CTV)

Man Buys Every Other Seat in a Movie Theater – A Shanghai man, only known as “U.P.” bought out every other seat in a local theater for a Valentine’s Day showing of Beijing Love Story. Allegedly, U.P.’s girlfriend broke up with him a year before the event and in an online forum he wrote, “Want to see a movie on Valentine’s Day? Sorry, you’ll have to sit separately.” (Raw Story)

Woman Beats Up Boyfriend for Not Buying Her a V-Day Gift – Henry Brown learned the hard way that he should always buy a gift. After discovering he hadn’t gotten her anything, his girlfriend beat him up. He managed to lock himself in his bedroom, but that only worked temporarily, as she tried to cut through the door and stab him. When the police finally showed up and arrested Brown’s girlfriend she was charged with aggravated menacing. (WLWT)

Woman Smashes Ex’s New Squeeze’s Car to Celebrate V-Day – Gianna Frongillo had one heck of a Valentine’s evening in 2015, when she paid a visit to her ex-boyfriend’s new girlfriend’s car. The police reported that Frongillo started out by slashing the car’s tires and keying the car, but the cherry on top was when she threw a rock through the back window. (KRQE)

Lonely Canadian Man Goes on Valentine’s Crime Spree – In 2015, Anthony W. Pitts ventured across Sarnia, Ontario, stealing backpacks full of goods (including a giant bottle of rum!). He received a 60 day jail sentence and two years of probation. If only he’s had a date that night, he probably would have been stealing hearts instead of cheap goods. (The Courier Express)

Man Kills Girlfriend, Tries to Pass It Off as a Suicide – On Valentine’s Day 2014, Carlos Cadavid tried to convince the police that his girlfriend, Krizia Nunez had killed herself. But investigators noticed that the physical evidence in their hotel room didn’t match that of a suicide, and Cadavid admitted his guilt a few days later. (NBC Miami)

Finally Feelgood On This Friday Because It’s:

• Ferris Wheel Day
• Frederick Douglass Day
• International Book Giving Day
• League of Women Voters Day
• Library Lovers Day
• National Have A Heart Day
• National Donor Day
• National Women’s Heart Day
• No One Eats Alone Day (2nd Friday)
• Pet Theft Awareness Day
• Quirky Alone Day
• Race Relations Day
• Singles Awareness Day or Singles Appreciation Day
• Valentines Day
• (World) Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Day
• World Sound Healing Day