Trouble, the dog that inherited $12m, dies

One of the world's richest dogs, which inherited $12 million (£7.3m) from eccentric US hotelier Leona Helmsley, has died.

Helmsley, who owned the Helmsley hotel chain, left $12 million in her will to care for her beloved Maltese named Trouble when she died in 2007. A judge reduced the amount to $2 million.

Though Trouble's death is only now being reported, the dog actually died on Dec 13 at the age of 12, said Eileen Sullivan, spokesman for the Helmsley Charitable Trust.

"She was cremated and her remains are being privately retained. The funds held in trust for her care have reverted to the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust for charitable purposes," Ms Sullivan said in a statement.

Harry Helmsley was Leona's late husband.

Ms Sullivan refused to give any other details about Trouble. The New York Daily News newspaper said the dog had been cared for by the manager of the Helmsley Sandcastle Hotel in Sarasota, Florida.



Leona Helmsley died in 2007 



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Canary Island spa recreates life in the womb

A spa in Gran Canaria has installed a treatment room designed to simulate life as an unborn child. ‘The Womb Room’– part of the Corallium Spa at Gran Canaria’s Lopesan Costa Meloneras resort – includes a range of features designed to “re-create the journey of life starting with where it all began: the womb”.

The entrance to the room, or the “the neck of the uterus”, is a passageway fashioned out of pink carpet, while the treatment room itself, containing pink carpets splashed with red fabric, revolves slowly “to simulate a giant umbilical cord”. The low-lit room is filled with “blood-coloured” water beds “designed to indicate the amniotic sac”.

Music, described by the hotel as "breathy", is also piped into the room to re-create the noises heard inside the womb. “According to recent research around 60 per cent of adults suffer from sleep problems and one third from insomnia,” said a spokeswoman. “The Womb Room could be the answer to those restless night.”
 

The Womb Room is open to all guests who book a treatment at the hotel's spa. Prices for treatments start at 35 euros.

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Cabin crew reveal most unusual customer requests

Some passengers fail to understand why they are prevented from opening the window, while others would like the engines to be "turned down" to reduce the noise. Bemused flyers board aeroplanes expecting to find McDonald's restaurants and massage parlours on board, cabin crew have revealed.

 

The foolish and sometimes bizarre questions asked of flight attendants were disclosed after 3,000 Virgin Atlantic cabin crew members listed the most unusual customer requests they had experienced. Among the most common queries was "Please can you open the window?", from uncomfortable passengers who had failed to appreciate the benefits of a pressurised cabin at 35,000 feet. Other unique questions fielded by Virgin staff included "Could you turn the engines down because they are too noisy?" and "Please can the Captain stop the turbulence?"

The survey of 3,000 cabin crew also laid bare the level of comfort and service some customers expect, with several asking flight attendants "Can you show me to the showers?" One crew member was asked to book a massage for a Barbie doll, while flight attendants were also asked to help a customer locate a missing glass eye. Other customers, who may have overestimated the amount of space on their aircraft, asked: "Can you take my children to the playroom?" and "Is there a McDonald’s onboard?".

Caroline Lynam, customer relations manager at Virgin Atlantic, said: “Virgin Atlantic crew will always go that extra mile to offer our customers the best possible service but there are some requests that even we find somewhat challenging."

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Best responses to annoying telemarketers

Telemarketers have no shame and no regards for the privacy of others. This is no. 1 worst job ever according to recent Washington poll. Instead of being angry, destroy they’re day when they call you

If they start out with, "How are you today?" say, "I'm so glad you asked, because no one these days seems to care, and I have all these problems. My arthritis is acting up, my eyelashes are sore, my dog just died ..."

If they say they're John Doe from XY Company, ask them to spell their name. Then ask them to spell the company name. Then ask them where it is located, how long it has been in business, how many people work there, how they got into this line of work, etc.

This works great if you are male. Telemarketer: "Hi, my name is Judy and I'm with XY Company. " You: Wait for a second and with a real husky voice ask, "What are you wearing?"

Say "No" over and over. Be sure to vary the sound of each one, and keep a rhythmic tempo, even as they are trying to speak. This is most fun if you can do it until they hang up.

After the Telemarketer gives his or her spiel, ask him or her to marry you. When they get all flustered, tell them that you can't just give your credit card number to a complete stranger.

Tell the Telemarketer you are busy at the moment and ask him/her if he/she will give you his/her home phone number so you can call him/her back. When the Telemarketer explains that telemarketers cannot give out their home numbers say, "I guess you don't want anyone bothering you at home, right?" The Telemarketer will agree and you say, "Me either!" Hang up.

Tell them it is dinner time, but ask if they would please hold. Put them on your speaker phone while you continue to eat at your leisure. Smack your food loudly and continue with your dinner conversation.

NOTICE: The above have all been tested and approved for use on telemarketers. No animals were harmed in the testing.

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Looking for a Career as a Witch?

If you are interested in witchcraft and you want to be a professional witch than starting from Saturday Romania is right place for you since they allowed and legalized witchcraft as profession.

Sounds a little Harry Potter’ish! Romania has changed its labor laws to officially recognize witchcraft as a profession, prompting one self-described witch to threaten retaliation.

The move, which went into effect Saturday, is part of the government’s drive to crack down on widespread tax evasion in a country that is in recession. In addition to witches, astrologists, embalmers, valets and driving instructors are now considered by labor law to be working real jobs, making it harder for them to avoid income tax.

For months the measure had been debated, protested by witches and mocked by the media.

On Saturday, a witch called Bratara told Realitate.net, the website of a top TV station, that she plans to cast a spell using black pepper and yeast to create discord in the government.

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German thief deposits loot with victim

Three days after stealing a rare collection of coins, a thief in Germany took them to the bank for safe keeping - and delivered them into the hands of the man he had robbed.

"I don't think the thief was expecting that," said a spokesman for police in the western city of Dortmund.

Soon after the thief made the deposit, a bank worker handling the coins recognised them as the set worth some 50,000 euros (41,000 pounds) that had been stolen from his house.

Police tracked down the 36-year-old suspect and arrested him, securing a haul of other stolen goods in the process.

Taken from: uk.Reuters

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