Many adults plan Santa visits regardless of children
The Pew Research Center in Washington said its survey indicates that many adults plan for Santa’s visit even if they don’t have children who believe. The center said its poll of 2,001 U.S. adults, conducted Dec. 3-8, indicates 69 percent of parents with at least one child under the age of 18 plan for “Santa Claus” to visit their homes and leave gifts Christmas Eve, and about one in five adults without children or with children who do not believe in Santa said they are still planning for St. Nick to visit their homes.The survey found 72 percent of respondents received regular Christmas Eve visits from Santa Claus when they were children. Pew said that the survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.6 percentage points with a 95 percent level of confidence. (UPI)
Man tries to trade gator for beer
In what might be the most Florida thing to ever happen in Florida, a man who illegally captured an alligator was busted when he tried to trade the four-ft monster for a 12-pack of beer. According to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokesperson Jorge Pina, the man instead ended up trading the alligator for a citation. Oh well, a deal’s a deal, rightIJ As the Tampa Bay Times reports, “Pino tells WTVJ-TV that the man trapped the 4-foot-long gator at a nearby park and brought it to the store Dec. 10. When he proposed to trade the animal for a 12-pack of beer, the store clerk called authorities.” The alligator was “pretty much in good shape” and has been released back into the wild, the article reports. Unfortunately, the man who tried to trade the alligator for beer is also out in the wild, so keep an eye out for him too. (Huffington Post)
Virginia Considers Bizarre Plan To Get Rid Of Vultures
Officials in a Virginia town are looking for ways to get migrating buzzards to buzz off. This year, nearly 100 vultures landed in the Gladetown area of Vinton. Vinton police officers fired booming guns into the air to drive the birds away, and most left. Town manager Chris lawrence has said that more efficient methods are being considered for the vultures’ return next year. The town could apply for a federal permit to kill one vulture. The remains would be hung near the other vultures. lawrence says the vultures would disperse because they don’t like to be around their own dead.He says that the vultures are loud and dirty and tear up trees. But he also says that the town tries to co-exist with nature. (AP)
Korean couples talk for less than 30 min per day
A survey of married South Koreans indicates that more than a third of spouses talk to one another for less than half an hour per day. The survey of 1,002 married South Koreans, conducted from Nov. 11 to 16 by the Planned Population Federation of Korea, found that 32.9 percent of respondents said that they spent less than 30 minutes talking to their spouses each day, and 8.6 percent said that they talk to their partner for less than 10 minutes on a normal day, the Chosunilbo reported. The survey also suggested that 58.8 percent of married people talk to their spouses mostly at mealtimes, while 21.5 percent said that most of their conversations take place before going to sleep. The federation said that 34.4 percent of respondents said that their conversation was most hindered by getting home late and working weekends, while 29.9 percent said they were too busy watching TV or playing on their smartphones to talk to their spouses. Taking care of children was cited by 19.2 percent of respondents as a conversation killer and 10.3 percent admitted that they just had poor communication skills. The Planned Population Federation did not give a margin of error for the survey. (UPI)
MCDonald’s to employees: Don’t eat fast food
In a post on an employee resources website, McDonald’s cautioned its workers against making the “unhealthy choice” of eating fast food items like hamburgers and french fries and references submarine sandwiches and salads as a “healthier choice.” “Fast foods are quick, reasonably priced, and readily available alternatives to home cooking. But they are typically high in calories, fat, saturated fat, sugar, and salt,” read the post on the resources website. “It is hard to eat a healthy diet when you eat at fast-food restaurants often.”“In general, people with high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease must be very careful about choosing fast food because of its high fat, salt, and sugar levels,” the post said.McDonald’s released a statement about the seemingly contradictory nature of the post on Monday afternoon. “Portions of this website continue to be taken entirely out of context,” McDonald’s statement said. “This website provides useful information from respected third-parties about many topics, among them health and wellness. McDonald’s agrees with this advice.” The statement noted that McDonald’s has started to sell healthier options like “oatmeal, grilled chicken, egg whites and real-fruit smoothies.” (UPI)