The first story is a sad one but one that people need to hear. Please, please, please pay attention to the seat belt signs when you fly.

A Texas woman is paralyzed after getting up to use the lavatory, ignoring the fasten seat belt sign, as her Continental Airlines flight approached McAllen Airport in turbulent weather. Naturally, her family is suing Continental.

Who would have guessed that telling someone else on the lane you have a bomb would get you in trouble? Everyone. Everyone except one idiot at the Denver airport.

Stupid is as stupid does

A man accused of telling an off-duty Northwest Airlines pilot that he had explosives in his carry-on bag was sentenced to four years probation for making false threats.

Federal investigators said the Northwest Airlines plane was backing away from a gate at Denver International Airport last year when 56-year-old Mark Randall Rayborn grabbed his bag and told the pilot seated next to him that he had five pounds of explosives that security screeners had missed.

Well this story could certainly change my travel plans for where I will go hiking in the nude. Or, it would… if that seemed at all like a good idea.

Swiss heartland voters ban nude hiking in Alps

Voters in the heart of the Swiss Alps on Sunday passed legislation banning naked hiking after dozens of mostly German nudists started rambling through their picturesque region.

By a show of hands citizens of the tiny canton (state) of Appenzell Inner Rhodes voted overwhelmingly at their traditional open-air annual assembly to impose a 200 Swiss franc ($176) fine on violators.

This story from the UK Telegraph is further evidence that there is no minimum intelligence needed to travel.

20 ridiculous complaints made by holidaymakers

my favorite complaint:

A woman threatened to call police after claiming that she’d been locked in by staff. When in fact, she had mistaken the “do not disturb” sign on the back of the door as a warning to remain in the room.

Since this week’s episode of the Amateur Traveler is about Travel to Yellowstone National Park, I was interested to see Fodor’s list of what parks you should take your kids to see.

10 National Parks Every Kid Should See

• Arches National Park
• Denali National Park
• Grand Canyon, Arizona
• Glacier National Park
• Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park
• Yosemite National Park
• Yellowstone National Park
• Redwoods National and State Parks
• Everglades National Park

Other stories that caught my eye:

• Revenge at sea: 5 ways passengers are getting even with cruise lines
• ‘Furious’ Obama orders review of NY plane flyover
• America’s 11 most endangered historic places announced