Get the Pacific Daily News
on the go.
Use our iPhone and Android apps to keep updated with what’s going on around Guam.
Learn more or download:
EPA
Apparently peppermint only makes your breath fresh and clean.
The FBI is investigating whether a man who exposed his genitals on an airplane last year accidentally got peppermint-scented pain reliever on his penis, according to a Smoking Gun report.
A female passenger told a member of the crew that Stuart Ronald Clarke, 48, exposed his genitals during a flight from Minneapolis to Salt Lake City, according to a search warrant application filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court.
Clarke told airport investigator Allen Christensen, a member of the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, that he had a headache before departing on his trip and rubbed the oil on his head in an effort to take away the pain. During the Delta flight, he said he went to the bathroom and inadvertently got some of the peppermint residue on his private parts. When he returned to his seat, Clarke “felt burning” and began “scratching and adjusting” the area to “fix the problem.”
That failed, because Clarke then said he undid his fly, reached down and “removed his penis from inside of his pants,” according to Christensen. A female in the same row as him noticed and notified a flight attendant.
Clarke wasn’t able to tell his story until two days later, because he bolted from the airport when the plane landed so quickly that he didn’t even pick up his baggage. Clarke had originated from Amsterdam and was heading home to Provo, Utah.
There are some holes in his story. Clarke claimed he applied the peppermint oil before getting on the plane – which would have been around 10 hours before the female passenger spotted his penis.
A search of the bag that Clarke abandoned turned up two boxes containing bottles of “Olbas Oil,” which could have been the pain reliever he was talking about. The search warrant alleges there is probable cause to show the oils will provide evidence of a crime committed on the aircraft.
Patients at the Guam Memorial Hospital will feel a little bit more cozy, thanks to a donation from Delta Airlines.
The airline yesterday donated 400 quilted duvets and premium full-size pillowcases from its Business Elite flights to the hospital.
GMH Chief Financial Officer Alan Ulrich said the donation was a “tremendous gift” to the hospital.
“Our patients will love to have something like this,” Ulrich said.
GMH Chief of Environmental Services Gordon Mizusawa said the hospital can get very cold, so the duvets will be a great help to keep patients warm.
“This will improve patient care,” Mizusawa said.
The hospital has 169 beds and the Skilled Nursing Unit has 30 beds, and linens are cleaned on average every three days, Mizusawa said. The hospital often has to purchase new linens, so the donation is a big help, he said.
Dr. Felix Cabrera, GMH associate medical director, said one of the things he learned in medical school is it’s important for patients to have a nice blanket.
“Once you place the blanket over them, they feel cozy and feel more at home than they would at the hospital. It’s an important part of patient care and provides comfort they deserve,” he said.
Daisy Sablan, Delta Airlines station manager for Guam and Saipan, said the company recently changed its duvets and pillows and would have sent all the old ones back, but decided to donate some to the community.
“We wanted to support our local community since it’s where we live and work,” Marie Lizama, Delta Airline sales manager said.
By Genevieve Shaw Brown
@gsbrownabc
Follow on Twitter
Airline passenger Kathryn Stockett might want to reconsider her Delta flight.
Stockett, author of the popular book-turned-movie The Help, tweeted on Aug. 8 the above photo with the message to @Delta “Dear Delta Airlines, I know we’ve been through some hard times together but is this really my conf number?”
The confirmation number? GONER5.
The next day, the airline tweeted back from its dedicated Twitter account @DeltaAssist: “The confirmation numbers are randomly generated. We will add this to a list of banned alpha-numeric combinations. *CS” (CS = Customer Service).
And:
“We are terribly sorry for the combination of letters used for your itinerary. *CS”
WHILE some passengers may be more superstitious than others, few would be happy to receive the flight confirmation number given to traveller Kathryn Stockett.
Stockett, a US author, Tweeted her objection to the ominous booking number sent to her by Delta Airlines for her upcoming flight.
With it reading ‘GONER5’, it’s little wonder she was shocked.
The bemused Stockett contacted Delta via Twitter, asking rather lightheartedly:
Dear Delta Airlines, I know we’ve been through some hard times together butis this really my conf number? pic.twitter.com/CJFrpbkIVa
mdash; Kathryn Stockett (@kathrynstockett) August 8, 2013
This was the airline’s response:
@kathrynstockett We are terribly sorry for the combination of letters used for your itinerary. *CS
mdash; Delta Assist (@DeltaAssist) August 9, 2013
@kathrynstockett The confirmation numbers are randomly generated. We will add this to a list of banned alpha-numeric combinations. *CS
mdash; Delta Assist (@DeltaAssist) August 9, 2013
@kathrynstockett Please follow and DM us. We will be happy to change this for you. *CS
mdash; Delta Assist (@DeltaAssist) August 9, 2013
It seems she’s not the only one left unimpressed by her booking number, with passenger Jan Richards also Tweeting:
@DeltaAssist @kathrynstockett Daughter has confirm for upcoming flight that starts w/GORY. As if not bad enough, includes multiplier.
mdash; Jan Richards (@MrsRoadshow) August 11, 2013
Stockett’s most famous book is The Help, which sold millions of copies around the world when published in 2009.
Wonder how airlines decide on flight numbers – and what they really mean? Find out here.
Aug. 9, 2013 at 7:51 AM ET
Most airline passengers are used to receiving well-wishes and weather forecasts in their itineraries after booking a flight, but one Delta Airlines passenger was greeted by something a bit more ominous.
After registering for her flight, the passenger received her flight confirmation number by email, noticing the usual assortment of letters and numbers actually spelled out “GONER.”
Fortunately, she was able to find her sense of humor, tweeting:
Delta airlines accidentally told a passenger that she was a GONER, via the confirmation number on her ticket.
Kathryn Stockett, the best-selling author of The Help, checked her boarding pass and was alarmed to have received the ominous message, which read Goner5.
Stockett’s novel sold millions of copies across the world when it was published in 2009.
It spent over 100 weeks on the New York Times best-seller list, and word-of-mouth made it a must read.
Stockett managed to find the confirmation number amusing rather than a sign from God that she shouldn’t board the airplane.
She even found time to upload a picture of her ticket to her Twitter account.
Stockett added the picture, @kathyrnstockett, with the following:
Dear Delta Airlines, I know we’ve been through some hard times together but is this really my conf number? pic.twitter.com/CJFrpbkIVa
— Kathryn Stockett (@kathrynstockett) August 8, 2013
The post soon went viral, and Delta even found it necessary to respond to the confirmation debacle, taking to their own Twitter account, @DeltaAssist, to write:
@kathrynstockett We are terribly sorry for the combination of letters used for your itinerary. *CS
— Delta Assist (@DeltaAssist) August 9, 2013
They then added:
@kathrynstockett The confirmation numbers are randomly generated. We will add this to a list of banned alpha-numeric combinations. *CS
— Delta Assist (@DeltaAssist) August 9, 2013
Before concluding:
@kathrynstockett Please follow and DM us. We will be happy to change this for you. *CS
— Delta Assist (@DeltaAssist) August 9, 2013
Stockett managed to overcome all of the odds against her flight, and landed safely at her destination.
A cinematic version of her book was released in 2011, and even managed to win four Academy Award nominations, one of which was won by Octavia Spencer, who picked up the best supporting actress gong. The Help was published in 42 languages, and it has sold ten million editions.
20 hours ago
Most airline passengers are used to receiving well-wishes and weather forecasts in their itineraries after booking a flight, but one Delta Airlines passenger was greeted by something a bit more ominous.
After registering for her flight, the passenger received her flight confirmation number by email, noticing the usual assortment of letters and numbers actually spelled out “GONER.”
Fortunately, she was able to find her sense of humor, tweeting:
ATLANTA, Aug. 9 (UPI) — Delta Airlines, headquartered in Atlanta, said it will ensure its system does not use “GONER” in confirmation numbers after it appeared on a passenger’s ticket.
Passenger Kathryn Stockett posted a picture of a Delta ticket to her Twitter account and noted the confirmation number, which read “GONER5,” NBC News reported Friday.
“Dear Delta Airlines, I know we’ve been through some hard times together but is this really my conf number?” Stockett posted.
Delta said the confirmation numbers are randomly generated, but officials will be ensuring the pattern does not come up in the system again.