Americans are hosting ‘fitness parties’
From spinning birthday celebrations to pole dancing bachelorette bashes, US gyms are offering fitness parties as new way to mark life’s milestones — with a few friends and a good sweat.
Gyms and fitness studios are often eager to host the festivities, which light up darkened rooms after hours and expose potential new members to their services. “We’ve created bachelorette parties, birthday parties, college reunions and divorce parties,” said Donna Cyrus, senior vice president of programming at Crunch, a national chain.
Pole dancing parties are among the most-requested fitness parties, and the merrymakers are overwhelmingly young women in their 20s and 30s.
“Having a fitness class instead of drinks is a growing trend for women in work-related situations,” said Fitness and yoga instructor Magen Banwart. And at business conferences, historically driven by parties, dinners and cocktail hours, more time and money is being spent on healthy events. (Reuters)
Even for sperm, there is a season
Autumn is the time of year most associated with bumper crops of new babies, and according to an Israeli study there may be a scientific reason for it: Human sperm are generally at their healthiest in winter and early spring.
Based on samples from more than 6,000 men treated for infertility, researchers writing in American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology found sperm in greater numbers, with faster swimming speeds and fewer abnormalities in semen made during the winter, with a steady decline in quality from spring onward.
“The winter and spring semen patterns are compatible with increased fecundability and may be a plausible explanation of the peak number of deliveries during the fall,” wrote lead researcher Eliahu levitas from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Beer-Sheva. (Reuters)
Dolphins armed with guns and knives escape into wild
No, it’s not a promo for the latest SyFy movie. There are claims circulating that three dolphins have escaped from a Ukrainian military training facility armed with head-mounted guns and knives and trained to attack humans.
Could this seemingly outrageous claim actually be trueIJ Unfortunately, the US media has nothing on a number of international publications that publish completely fabricated tales, often to score political points. And for their part, the Ukrainian Government has denied the claim, calling it a “fabrication” and a “gross provocation.”
The Russian publication RIA Novosti claims that the Ukrainian dolphin programme is two-fold: Training the dolphins to detect and mark mines but also equipping them with weapons to attack enemy human swimmers who may pose a threat to Ukrainian navel vessels. Interestingly, Wired points out that some Russian soldiers are actually trained to combat dolphins in case they are attacked by them while on a mission.
And as sensational as it may sound, it’s not like this story simply appeared out of thin air. As several news outlets have reported, the former Soviet Union engaged in similar training practices with dolphins and the sea-faring mammals have been used by countries around the world in various naval exercises, including in the US Navy. (Yahoo News)
las Vegasdubbed the ‘Trashiest’ destination in America
las Vegas was chosen as the list topper for America’s Top 15 Trashiest Spring Break Destinations, which also included six cities in Florida.
Coedmagazine.com said it looked at criteria including Girls Gone Wild shoots, number of strip clubs, number of Hooters restaurants and looseness of local liquor laws to compile its list, which was topped by las Vegas, followed by South Padre Island, Texas, and Daytona Beach, Florida. (UPI)
Flash mob at airport helps woman propose
A dancing flash mob at an Oklahoma airport culminated in a woman asking for her boyfriend’s hand in marriage after his two-year absence.
Austin Spitler, who had only been able to communicate with his girlfriend, Brittany Jones, by letter and email during his two-year church mission trip, arrived at Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City a few days back and was greeted by a flash mob — a group of dancers organised via social media, KFOR-TV, Oklahoma City, reported.
Jones emerged from the flash mob to greet Spitler. “I’ve waited two long years for you. I’d wait an eternity to have you as my husband. Will you marry meIJ” she said. Spitler quickly accepted the proposal before pulling out a ring and asking for himself.
“I love you. Will you marry meIJ” Spitler asked Jones.
“Oh my gosh, this is the greatest day of my life,” Spitler said.
Jones, whose mother works for Southwest Airlines, said the company helped organise the flash mob.
The couple said they plan to get married next month in San Diego. (UPI)