Author Cracks Open Calif. Fortune Cookie Battle

Cessna strays too close as Obama heads to LAX

(NEWSER) - What were they smoking? A four-seater Cessna plane hauling marijuana yesterday strayed into restricted airspace designed to protect President Obama, who was flying on Marine One; the small plane was intercepted by fighter jets. The incident occurred as the president was traveling in the helicopter from Orange County to Los Angeles International Airport, reports the Los Angeles Times . Authorities attempted repeatedly to contact the Cessna 182. When the pilot failed to respond, two F-16s forced the aircraft to land nearby at Long Beach Airport, where it was met by law enforcement. More»

Actresses are also probably faking it

(NEWSER) - It's quantity over quality when it comes to sex in Los Angeles. Angelenos have the most sex in the country, but when it comes to fulfillment, they had a more middling 75% mark, according to the Trojan US Sex Census. Philadelphia reported the highest sexual satisfaction (82%), but was tenth on the frequency scale (99 times a year), reports the Los Angeles Times . More»

Who needs the boring airport when you can get out and explore?

(NEWSER) - Stuck with a long layover? You don’t have to idle in the airport. Condé Nast Traveler presents its readers' best suggestions for killing an hour or 4:

• Honolulu: Take a 25-minute cab ride to Waikiki Beach to enjoy the sand, surf, and views of Diamond Head crater.
• London: Get downtown on the Heathrow Express in just 15 minutes, then take the Underground to museums, Big Ben, or the London Eye.

City tops IBM's 'commuter pain index'

(NEWSER) - Los Angelenos may have fun in the sun, but they suffer the worst commutes, Reuters reports. An IBM survey of 4,446 motorists found that LA commuters ranked their morning drive highest on a "commuter pain index," which measures traffic, stress, anger, and other factors. Though Los Angeles commuters hate their drives the most, New Yorkers actually have the longest commute times, at an average of 38.4 minutes each way. More»

Drivers from NY to LA find lawns in place of their favorite spots

(NEWSER) - Signs of a movement to highlight the need for more urban green space sprouted in cities across the US today, the LA Times reports, turning parking spaces into bite-sized parks. The second annual Park(ing) Day may prove an inconvenience to commuters from San Francisco to New York, but that’s the point, one organizer says. More»