Denver man claims “visual confirmation” of alien encounter, seeks to form Extraterrestrial Affairs Commission
June 1, 2008
A Denver man is pushing city officials to create an Extraterrestrial Affairs Commission following the discovery of a video tape that he claims shows an authentic, living, breathing, creature from outer space.
The footage, shot through an infra-red camera, allegedly shows “an extraterrestrial’s head popping up outside of a window at night, looking in the window”. The organism is believed to be around 4 feet tall and can be seen blinking.
Appearing before city officials this month, Jeff Peckman urged them to discuss his proposed ET initiative and promised to show the video –an excerpt from a documentary by Colorado filmmaker Stan Romanek – as proof.
‘‘As impressive as it is, it’s still one tiny portion in the context of a vast amount of peripheral evidence,’’ he added. ‘‘It’s really the final visual confirmation of what you already know to be true having seen all the other evidence.’’
Peckman also revealed that an instructor at the Colorado Film School in Denver has checked the video ‘‘very carefully’’ and acknowledged that it is indeed authentic. There is absolutely no doubt in his mind that this is most certainly a video.
Naturally, with a discovery of this magnitude threatening to derail everything we thought we knew about science, people are going to want to see it with their own eyes. Peckman isn’t quite ready to just unleash it on the skeptical public though - he’s going to tease it out in a series of controlled viewings.
First city officials and members of the press will be allowed to watch it at a closed session where no filming will be allowed. Later in a public meeting in Colorado Springs. Some time after that it’ll be made publically available. Assuming it hasn’t already been laughed to death, it’ll probably hit YouTube. And laugh.
Hopefully in his meeting with city officials, Peckman will explain how it is that an alien race, having conquered the massive complexity of interstellar travel, has turned up to our planet only to root around in someone’s back garden like a sex prowler…
via UPI
Houston has a problem: NASA technology under attack from new species of ant
May 16, 2008
Insert your own hilarious ‘bugs in the system’ joke here. Texas is now under assault from an invasive new breed of technology killer: the Crazy Rasberry Ant.
These oddly named insects were christened by their discoverer, pest exterminator Tom Rasberry, and they are immune to all but the most ecologically unsound pest controlling chemicals. They also nest in such large numbers that they are incredibly hard to displace. They also spread incredibly quickly and though their colonies already contain more than one Queen, they can overlap to form supercolonies.
Scientists have yet to decide on an official name for the flea-sized intruder, but are currently going with “Paratrechina sp. near pubens”. These fast moving insects are believed to have originated somewhere in the Caribbean and are infesting woodlands, gardens, houses and, most worryingly of all, even have a taste for electric apparatus.
Why they often choose to inhabit sockets and circuits is something of a mystery, but it has been documented before with another diminutive Texan invader, the Red Fire ant.
Even NASA is concerned as the spread of the tiny critters is taking them towards the Johnson Space Centre and they have called in extermination experts amidst fears that sensitive equipment could be damaged by their swarms.
Rasberry explains “I think they go into everything, and they don’t follow any kind of structured line. If you open a computer, you would find a cluster of ants on the motherboard and all over. You’d get 3,000 or 4,000 ants inside, and they create arcs. They’ll wipe out any computer.”
The only silver lining is that Crazy Rasberry ants actually eat Red Fire ants and though they can bite, they don’t use poison so you don’t have to worry about uncomfortable welts. However, there have been some reported cases of livestock succumbing to the sheer numbers of the foraging insects.
(via ComputerWorld)
Einstein’s Religious Views Revealed
May 14, 2008
One of the highlights of Bloomsbury Auctions’ 25th Anniversary sale on 15th May 2008 is an unrecorded letter from Albert Einstein, in which the theoretical physicist wrote of his religious beliefs. It is expected to sell for £6000-8000.
An abridgement of the letter from Albert Einstein to Eric Gutkind from Princeton in January 1954, translated from German by Joan Stambaugh and published on guardian.co.uk.
… I read a great deal in the last days of your book, and thank you very much for sending it to me. What especially struck me about it was this. With regard to the factual attitude to life and to the human community we have a great deal in common.
… The word God is for me nothing more than the expression and product of human weaknesses, the Bible a collection of honourable, but still primitive legends which are nevertheless pretty childish. No interpretation no matter how subtle can (for me) change this. These subtilised interpretations are highly manifold according to their nature and have almost nothing to do with the original text. For me the Jewish religion like all other religions is an incarnation of the most childish superstitions. And the Jewish people to whom I gladly belong and with whose mentality I have a deep affinity have no different quality for me than all other people. As far as my experience goes, they are also no better than other human groups, although they are protected from the worst cancers by a lack of power. Otherwise I cannot see anything ‘chosen’ about them.
In general I find it painful that you claim a privileged position and try to defend it by two walls of pride, an external one as a man and an internal one as a Jew. As a man you claim, so to speak, a dispensation from causality otherwise accepted, as a Jew the priviliege of monotheism. But a limited causality is no longer a causality at all, as our wonderful Spinoza recognized with all incision, probably as the first one. And the animistic interpretations of the religions of nature are in principle not annulled by monopolisation. With such walls we can only attain a certain self-deception, but our moral efforts are not furthered by them. On the contrary.
Now that I have quite openly stated our differences in intellectual convictions it is still clear to me that we are quite close to each other in essential things, ie in our evalutations of human behaviour. What separates us are only intellectual ‘props’ and ‘rationalisation’ in Freud’s language. Therefore I think that we would understand each other quite well if we talked about concrete things. With friendly thanks and best wishes
Yours, A. Einstein
via Bloomsbury Auctions Press Release
Female Adventurer Becomes First American to Complete Historic Journey Across Antarctica
January 23, 2008
SAN FRANCISCO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Renowned adventurer Alison Levine has become the first American to follow a remote route to the geographic South Pole pioneered by legendary Italian explorer Reinhold Messner. Levine, a San Francisco resident, left in early December for the Ronne Ice Shelf in west Antarctica and finished the arduous 574-mile journey in just 38 days. Since Messner’s expedition in 1989, only two Norwegian teams have completed this route – until now.
Levine endured some of the harshest conditions known to man including -50°F temperatures, icy winds and dangerous crevasse fields covered with snow bridges that have been known to collapse under pressure. The extreme weather made the trip especially hard for Levine because she suffers from Raynaud’s Disease, a neurological disorder that affects her extremities in cold weather. As a result, she often lost the use of her hands and was forced to ski without poles because she could not grip the handles. In addition, she was born with Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome, a life-threatening heart condition and had two surgeries to correct the problem.
“Antarctica definitely showed us her teeth,” said Levine. “The wind and the cold really beat us up at times. My hands would freeze whenever I stopped for a short break which meant I would have to ski and haul all of my gear without using my poles, and that was pretty tough. In these kinds of situations, you have to keep pushing day after day. You have no choice. It’s not like you can just pop into a ski lodge for a cup of hot cocoa. There is no escape. It’s just you against the elements – but that’s how I like it.”
At 5’4, 112-pounds, Levine skied 10 hours a day with a sled containing 150 pounds of her own gear and supplies harnessed to her waist. Despite eating 5,000-6,000 calories a day, Levine lost 15 percent of her body weight due to the physical demands of the journey.
Levine, who served as the deputy finance director for Arnold Schwarzenegger in his successful bid to become Governor of California, received congratulations from Governor Schwarzenegger and First Lady of California Maria Shriver. “We were thrilled to hear the news of our friend Alison’s safe arrival at the South Pole,” said First Lady of California Maria Shriver and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in a joint statement. “We admire her sense of adventure, and we hope she will inspire all Californians and all Americans to pursue whatever they are passionate about.”
Levine retraced Messner’s traverse to the South Pole as part of an international five-person team that included an Australian, who led the group along with adventurers from Canada, Norway and Holland. A record of her blog and pictures can be found here: http://www.kepplerspeakers.com/Levine/2007/11/track_alison_levines _progress.asp.
Female Adventurer Nears Half Way Point on History-Making Journey Across Antarctica
December 20, 2007
SAN FRANCISCO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Adventurer and explorer Alison Levine has completed 225 miles in her attempt to become the first American to follow a route to the geographic South Pole inspired by legendary, Italian explorer Reinhold Messner. Messner was the first to complete the route in 1989. Levine, a San Francisco resident, left in early December for the Ronne Ice Shelf where she began a 574-mile journey across Antarctica on skis. She hopes to complete the journey in six weeks and return to the U.S. by mid-January.
Levine is traveling with three other adventurers from Canada, Holland and Norway in addition to an Australian, who is leading the team. The team is averaging 15 miles a day and is currently traversing between the Thiel and Pensacola Mountains in west Antarctica. They will eventually reach the Antarctic Plateau, which has an average elevation of 10,000 ft. Levine, 5 feet 4 inches tall and 112 pounds, is hauling 150 pounds of her own gear and supplies across Antarctica, which is the coldest and windiest continent on the planet with average temperatures of -50°F.
“To complete half of this trip feels pretty darn good, but I still have a long way to go and plenty of challenges ahead,” said Levine. “In addition to the extreme weather and altitude, there is crevasse danger along the way, which makes this a tricky traverse. My previous mountaineering experience has come in handy while navigating the route.”
Levine is making the journey despite suffering from Raynaud’s Disease, a neurological disorder that causes arteries that feed her fingers and toes to collapse in cold weather leaving her at extreme risk for frostbite. Levine was also born with a life-threatening heart condition called Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome and has had two surgeries to correct the problem.
“Risk-taking is what makes life exciting – you just have to be smart about it,” said Levine. “You have to go out there and create your own adventures. At times the unknown can be scary, but fear is okay as long as it doesn’t keep you from moving in the direction of your goals.”
Levine served as the team captain of the first American Women’s Everest Expedition in 2002. Two years later, she skied across the Arctic Circle to reach the geographic North Pole and has also climbed the highest peaks on six continents. Levine is chronicling her journey on the following blog: http://www.kepplerspeakers.com/Levine/2007/11/track_alison_levines_ progress.asp. (Due to its length, this URL may need to be copied/pasted into your Internet browser’s address field. Remove the extra space if one exists.)
Another Wii cruise liner sets sail
December 19, 2007
NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) named Cindy Cardella of Fairfield, N.J., the Godmother of its new “It” Girl, Norwegian Gem, during the ship’s Christening ceremony held today in New York. Cindy was chosen by NCL and the public among five finalists vying for the Godmother crown following an online video contest hosted on www.gemitgirl.com. In addition to being named Norwegian Gem’s Godmother, a position steeped in maritime tradition, she will receive a seven-day cruise in the ultra-luxurious 5,000-square-foot Garden Villa for her and five of her entourage.
“With this contest, we sought to reward our past guests with a once in a lifetime opportunity. Cindy received close to 10,000 votes from the public and was selected based on her ability to show how she embodies the attributes of NCL’s hottest, hippest new ship, as well as the free spirit of NCL’s Freestyle Cruising,” said Colin Veitch, NCL Corporation’s president and CEO.
The hour-long Christening ceremony held on board Norwegian Gem featured performances by Dem Boyz Step Team and the New York-based Luminescence Choir. In addition to comments from Star Cruises Chairman Tan Sri KT Lim, NCL Corporation President and CEO Colin Veitch, all five finalist video entries were shown, along with the premiere of Norwegian Gem’s movie-sode, “License to Thrill.” Cindy was also given the honor of officially naming the ship and pulling the lever that released the bottle of champagne to christen the ship. The ceremony and movie-sode can be viewed online at www.gemitgirl.com.
In her video, entitled “Cindy will let you in on a secret,” Cindy, 31, explains how she has cruised on NCL since childhood and highlights all of the places she has visited. Cindy has sailed with NCL on more than 30 cruises and is a stay at home mom in Fairfield, N.J., with three boys, ages five, three and five months. Her husband, David, joined her at the Christening ceremony.
“Freestyle Cruising on Norwegian Cruise Line is the only way to cruise and I am honored NCL and the public chose me as Godmother for this stunning new ship,” said Cindy. “As Godmother of Norwegian Gem, I will continue living the ‘It’ Girl lifestyle of sophistication, independence, confidence, eagerness to explore new destinations and learn new things, glamour, style, and culture.”
The contest, which began on Oct. 4, was an international search open to female residents of the United States, United Kingdom and Canada (void in the Province of Quebec), 18 years of age or older who have taken a cruise on NCL. On Dec. 16, NCL judges narrowed the search to five finalists, at which time the contest opened for public voting through Dec. 7. Along with Cindy, the other finalists were Lauren Kampf, 22, from Oakland, N.J.; Shannon Maxey, 29, from Virginia Beach, Va.; Louise Strong, 44, from South Hero, Vt., and Mary O’Dea, 75, from Milford, Pa.
She’s So “It”
The hippest ship to hit the seas, the 2,400 passenger Norwegian Gem boasts luxurious accommodations, decadent dining at 10 restaurants, and exciting entertainment and activity options that even the most discriminating “It” Girl will adore.
A “ship within a ship” Villa complex positioned high atop the vessel offers two posh Garden Villas with their own private gardens and sundecks; 10 expansive Courtyard Villas sharing a private courtyard, pool and sundeck; and two fabulous top-of-the-ship Deluxe Owner’s Suites.
One of several entertainment options on board, the Bliss Ultra Lounge and Nightclub, gives the “It” Girl a hot spot to party like a star. The 24-hour, high-energy entertainment and nightlife complex boasts the second four-lane, ten-pin bowling alley at sea, an NCL exclusive first offered on Norwegian Pearl.
Guests looking for a physical challenge will find a 30-foot rock climbing wall with five different climbing routes, each with varying degrees of difficulty. Norwegian Gem also features the red-hot Wii™ video game system by Nintendo. Wii tournaments are held in Norwegian Gem’s atrium on a two-story LED screen allowing guests to gather and play against each other.
Norwegian Gem will sail seven-, 10- and 11-day itineraries from her home port of New York to the Bahamas, Florida and the Caribbean from December 2007 until April 2008. In April 2008, she repositions to Europe where she will pick up her series of 28 seven-day Western Mediterranean itineraries roundtrip from Barcelona. Norwegian Gem will return to the Big Apple in November and December 2008 to sail seven-day Bahamas and Florida itineraries.
Norwegian Gem is the eighth vessel purpose-built for NCL’s signature Freestyle Cruising — an approach to cruising unlike any other offered in the industry. Freestyle Cruising leaves regimented schedules behind, and is characterized by having no fixed dining times, no formal dress codes, relaxed disembarkation and dozens of on-board entertainment and activity options.
NCL Corporation Ltd. is the holding company for various subsidiary companies involved in owning and operating the ships of Norwegian Cruise Line, NCL America and Orient Lines.
NCL plans to build two new third generation Freestyle Cruising ships for delivery in 2010. NCL today has the youngest fleet in the industry, providing guests the opportunity to enjoy the flexibility of Freestyle Cruising on the newest, most contemporary ships at sea, and has recently added its latest new ship, the 2,400 passenger Norwegian Gem.
Volunteer “Elves” Save World’s Largest Rocking Chair
December 18, 2007
GULFPORT, Miss.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–While most people are sitting back and relaxing during the holidays, volunteers from Hampton Hotels’ “Save-A-Landmark” program will be rockin’ – the World’s Largest Rocking Chair that is!
This remarkable rocker, which stands 35-feet-tall and is fashioned of southern pine, was significantly damaged during Hurricane Katrina. Now, two years later, it will take more than 20 Save-A-Landmark volunteers from local Hampton Hotels – dressed as holiday elves – an estimated 100 hours to sand and paint this colossal chair, as well as repair its enormous armrests. The helper elves will also landscape the surrounding grounds and install new lighting fixtures, truly bringing this refurbished piece of furniture into the spotlight. In addition to the volunteer effort, Hampton will contribute nearly $20,000 to the Rocking Chair’s ongoing care.
“With the completion of Gulfport’s gargantuan Rocking Chair, we’ll reach our goal to refurbish six ‘world’s largest’ landmarks in 2007 – more restorations than Hampton has dared to complete in a single year so far,” said Judy Christa-Cathey, vice president of brand marketing for Hampton. “But we couldn’t stop there; Hampton has partnered with Toys for Tots in an effort to share the spirit of Save-A-Landmark with local children.”
Hampton will work with Toys for Tots to help collect and distribute unwrapped toys, donated by community members and the hotel chain, to children in the Gulfport area. Hampton will also make a donation of $1,000 worth of unwrapped toys and a monetary contribution of $5,000 toward Toys for Tots’ toy drive.
Though Hampton is sprucing up this larger-than-life Rocking Chair in time for the holidays, Hampton’s Save-A-Landmark Web site at www.hamptonlandmarks.com also offers an extensive database of roadside attractions, including a variety of seasonal sights across the country.
- The other oversized sites refurbished by the Save-A-Landmark program this year include:
- World’s Largest Pumpkin, Roland, Manitoba: This specimen can’t be found in just any pumpkin patch. The super-sized squash replica weighs 1,684 pounds and was restored by the Save-A-Landmark program in October 2007.
- World’s Largest Shoe House, Hallam, Pa.: More than 25-feet-tall and 48-feet-long, this behemoth boot was built in 1948 by a famously eccentric shoe salesman as an extravagant advertising gimmick. Today, visitors can explore its five stories during a guided tour. Hampton’s Save-A-Landmark program gave the shoe a “shine” in September 2007.
- World’s Largest Cuckoo Clock, Wilmot, Ohio: Standing more than 23-feet-tall, the Cuckoo Clock was built in the late 1960s to attract customers to the neighboring restaurant, now Grandma’s Alpine Homestead Swiss Village. Although it was diligently cared for, years of harsh climate conditions have weathered the landmark, so it was restored by the Save-A-Landmark program in August 2007.
- World’s Largest Buffalo, Jamestown, N.D.: The 60-ton concrete beast was originally created to attract passersby to the town’s various prairie- and bison-related attractions. After braving nearly 50 years of harsh winters, the Buffalo was restored by the Save-A-Landmark program in June 2007.
- World’s Largest Teapot, Chester, W.Va.: In 1938, William “Babe” Devon transported a colossal root beer barrel from Pennsylvania to Chester, W.Va. When he added a lid, spout and handle, the World’s Largest Teapot was born. Nearly 20 years since the Teapot had received any “sugar,” it was restored by the Save-A-Landmark program in May 2007.
Hampton’s Save-A-Landmark program is continuing its eighth year preserving historical, fun and cultural landmarks, from the Carousel Gardens in New Orleans, La., to the historical National Monument to the Forefathers in Plymouth, Mass. During this time, the program has helped research landmarks in need, promoted landmark sites and their importance, facilitated thousands of volunteer hours, donated several tons of supplies and worked with matching grants — all at an investment of more than $2.5 million. Banding its hotels together in the communities they serve, Hampton employee-volunteers work hand-in-hand on the landmarks while Hampton provides the dollars to refurbish selected sites.
Save-A-Landmark is always searching for landmarks in need. Anyone with suggestions can visit www.hamptonlandmarks.com and click on “submit a landmark” to enter their nominations – or even just to bring some much-deserved attention to a favorite attraction.
GLBT Adults More Likely to Own a Pet than Heterosexuals
December 17, 2007
ROCHESTER, N.Y.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Seven out of ten (71%) GLBT adults today say that they own pets, compared with 63 percent of heterosexual adults, according to the results of a new national survey. The same survey also shows that nine in ten (90%) GLBT pet owners say their pet is a member of their family and 64 percent also add that they have bought their pet a holiday present.
The new nationwide survey of 2,455 U.S. adults, (ages 18 and over), of whom more than 6 percent, or 158, self identified as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender, was conducted online between November 7 and 13, 2007, by Harris Interactive®, a global market research and consulting firm, in conjunction with Witeck-Combs Communications, Inc., a strategic public relations and marketing communications firm with special expertise in the GLBT market.
“Americans have well deserved reputations as animal lovers and pet owners, and our latest findings underscore that GLBT Americans are among the most avid,” said Wesley Combs, President of Witeck-Combs Communications, Inc. “Moreover, the holiday season reminds us of those closest to us, including our devotion to our pets. Smart marketers will recognize that gay households truly are trend-setters in animal ownership and loving care.”
Combs added, “Anyone who knows me and my partner Greg also knows that our Wheaten Terrier Chester is a big part of our family.”
The poll also reports that GLBT pet owners are somewhat more likely than heterosexuals to own a cat. Of the GLBT pet owners, 63 percent said they owned a cat compared to a little more than half (52%) of the heterosexual pet owners. The inverse was found in dog ownership. About seven out of ten (71%) of heterosexual pet owners said they owned a dog compared to 63 percent of GLBT pet owners.
When asked “Do you currently have a pet?” 71% of GLBT Americans responded yes while only 63% of heterosexual Americans said yes.
When it came time to ask what sort of pets each pet owner owned the breakdowns were as follows: (type/GLBT/Heterosexual)
- Dog 63% / 71%
- Cat 63% / 52%
- Fish 14% / 15%
- Bird 5% / 7%
- Other 20% / 12%
Note: Percentages may not add up exactly to 100% due to rounding.
When the question of “Do you consider your pet to be a member of your family?” came up the results were near identical with each group saying yes about 90% of the time. The same results were seen when respondents were asked “How often have you done the following - bought your pet a holiday present?” with both groups in the 64% range for giving gifts to their pets.
Methodology
Harris Interactive® conducted the study online within the United States between November 7 and 13, 2007, among 2,455 adults (ages 18 and over), of whom 2,251 indicated they are heterosexual and 158 self-identified as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender. Figures for age, sex, race, education, region and income were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. In addition, the results for the gay and lesbian sample were weighted separately based on profiles of the gay and lesbian population that Harris Interactive has compiled through many different online surveys. Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents’ propensity to be online.
All sample surveys and polls, whether or not they use probability sampling, are subject to multiple sources of error which are most often not possible to quantify or estimate, including sampling error, coverage error, error associated with nonresponse, error associated with question wording and response options, and post-survey weighting and adjustments. Therefore, Harris Interactive avoids the words “margin of error” as they are misleading. All that can be calculated are different possible sampling errors with different probabilities for pure, unweighted, random samples with 100% response rates. These are only theoretical because no published polls come close to this ideal.
Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who have agreed to participate in Harris Interactive surveys. The data have been weighted to reflect the composition of the adult population. Because the sample is based on those who agreed to participate in the Harris Interactive panel, no estimates of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. These statements conform to the principles of disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.
KLEENEX® Unveils New Research That Analyses Sneezing and Nose Blowing Behaviour
December 12, 2007
LONDON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Brits loathe serial sniffers, with 57% of people admitting that they find continual sniffing the most irritating habit during the cold and flu season, according to research commissioned by KLEENEX® and conducted by the Social Issues Research Centre (SIRC).
Four times as many people found sniffing the most irritating habit compared to nose blowing (15%) and sneezing (13%), with the 18-24 age group the biggest cause of serial sniffing irritation.
A quarter of people also admitted they disliked being next to someone who was sneezing or blowing their nose and more than one-in-five (22%) said they would actively move away from someone who was sneezing.
However, a quarter of those polled, also confessed they enjoyed nothing better than a big sneeze or a ‘let it outer’.
As part of the study, KLEENEX® carried out observational research and found that serial sniffing accounted for a third of all observations recorded, even though when questioned, very few people actually admitted to serial sniffing in public.
More than a third of serial sniffers were observed on public transport frustrating commuters with their endless sniffling!
SIRC also looked into sneezing and nose blowing behaviour and found that men like to blow it out while women like to keep it in. Yes, men are blowers and women are squeakers!
Three times as many men as women (30% vs 10%) admitted to being explosive sneezers preferring to ‘let it all out’ rather than hold it in.
While twice as many women as men confessed to being implosive or ‘mousey’ sneezers – trying to be as inconspicuous as possible, by letting out a ‘small, stifled sound’ such as a high pitched squeak.
Also, it’s official! men sneeze louder than women, with men registering 3.35 on the sneeze-o-meter, compared to 2.94 for women (on a scale of 1 to 5 where 1 is very quiet and 5 is very loud!).
The UK wide study identified five specific sneezing and nose blowing typologies, each carrying their own style and individual traits
- Serial Sniffers
- Let it Outer
- Mousey Sneezer
- Paranoid Examiner
- Ceaseless sneezer
Twice as many women as men (20% vs 10%) confessed to being a ‘paranoid examiner’ constantly concerned about the ‘remnants’ from their sneezing or nose blowing.
This is somewhat surprising, as the research revealed that almost one in five men check the contents of their handkerchiefs or tissues after sneezing or blowing – clearly curiosity not paranoia!
Finally, the research revealed that the UK is a nation of apologizers when it comes to sneezing and nose blowing. Seven out of ten (69%) of us would make a verbal comment such as “Excuse me” after sneezing and more than half (53%) instinctively making a comment such as ‘Bless you” when someone else sneezes.
Kate Fox, social anthropologist and co-director of the Social Issues Research Centre, says: “Serial sniffers were revealed as the most annoying typology to Brits but a quarter of us also enjoy nothing better than letting it all out!”
Dr Mark Hamilton, says: “Commuters, for example, who are in close proximity to others can potentially infect large groups of people, which is why it’s imperative to carry a tissue when sneezing and nose blowing, disposing of it frequently after each use and then washing your hands.”
For more information from KLEENEX® check out www.LetItOut.com
