Tag: america

From Murderers Creek to Satan’s Kingdom: America’s Creepiest Place Names

If you’re into road trips with a side of goosebumps, today’s your lucky day.

Here’s a list of the eeriest-sounding places in all 50 states—and not because anything terrifying happened there, but because the names alone are enough to make you want to keep the car running.

These places have spooky written all over them. So whether you’re mapping out a haunted highway adventure or just want to creep yourself out from the comfort of your couch, here’s what made the list.

Let’s start with a few highlights:

  • Alaska: Deadman Lake sounds like a spot where you don’t want to find out why it’s called that.
  • Delaware: Slaughter Beach may be lovely in person, but that name doesn’t exactly scream “family fun.”
  • Illinois: Bloody Gulch Road feels like it was ripped straight from a horror movie.
  • Oregon: Murderers Creek? Yeah, maybe we’ll just wave from the car.

And yes, there’s a town in Michigan literally named Hell.

It’s been fully embraced, with “Welcome to Hell” signs and Halloween-level tourism every October.

Other creepy contenders include Satan’s Kingdom State Park in Connecticut, Transylvania in Louisiana, Witches Gulch in Wisconsin, and Death Canyon in Wyoming. So many places that make you wonder who was in charge of naming them—and if that person is okay.

And don’t worry, the South showed up strong too: Georgia’s got Slaughter Mountain, while North Carolina offers Devil’s Courthouse and South Carolina contributes Gravedigger Road.

If you want the full list, Mental Floss has short write-ups on each pick. (And if you visit any of these places, please report back. Preferably alive.)

Bonus ghostly content: CNN recently rounded up the three “spookiest cities” in the country based on their haunted histories. No surprise here—Salem, Massachusetts; Savannah, Georgia; and New Orleans, Louisiana top the list.

So, if you’re looking for the ultimate creepy cross-country road trip, maybe it’s time to pack a flashlight, cue up some true crime podcasts, and hit the road. Just… maybe avoid stopping at Dead Women Crossing in Oklahoma unless you’re really feeling brave.

The Best and Worst Airports in America

While flying still comes with plenty of headaches (hi, baggage fees), it looks like travelers are finally feeling a little better about airports themselves. According to the latest J.D. Power airport satisfaction survey, overall satisfaction is up across North America, with scores climbing 10 points on a 1,000-point scale.

(I don’t know about you, but my airport satisfaction is at an all-time low.)

The study surveyed more than 30,000 U.S. and Canadian travelers and ranked airports based on things like terminal design, ease of travel, baggage claim, food and retail options, and staff friendliness.

Here’s how U.S. airports performed in 2025, broken down by size. We’ve included only the Top 5 Best and Top 5 Worst in each category — so if you’re looking to avoid a travel meltdown, this is your cheat sheet.

Mega Airports

(More than 33 million passengers per year)

Top 5 Best:

  1. Minneapolis–Saint Paul International (MSP)
  2. Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County (DTW)
  3. Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX)
  4. Dallas/Fort Worth International (DFW)
  5. Harry Reid International, Las Vegas (LAS)

Top 5 Worst:

  1. Newark Liberty International (EWR)
  2. San Francisco International (SFO)
  3. Miami International (MIA)
  4. Orlando International (MCO)
  5. John F. Kennedy International, New York (JFK)

Large Airports

(10 to 32.9 million passengers per year)

Top 5 Best:

  1. John Wayne Airport, Orange County (SNA)
  2. Tampa International (TPA)
  3. Dallas Love Field (DAL)
  4. Kansas City International (MCI)
  5. Raleigh-Durham International (RDU)

Top 5 Worst:

  1. Philadelphia International (PHL)
  2. Chicago Midway International (MDW)
  3. Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International (FLL)
  4. LaGuardia Airport, New York (LGA)
  5. Seattle–Tacoma International (SEA)

Medium Airports

(4.5 to 9.9 million passengers per year)

Top 5 Best:

  1. Indianapolis International (IND)
  2. Ontario International, California (ONT)
  3. Buffalo Niagara International (BUF)
  4. Jacksonville International (JAX)
  5. Palm Beach International (PBI)

Top 5 Worst:

  1. Cleveland Hopkins International (CLE)
  2. Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR)
  3. St. Louis Lambert International (STL)
  4. San Jose Mineta International (SJC)
  5. Bradley International, Connecticut (BDL)

What Makes a Good Airport?

The airports that landed on top tend to have easier navigation, shorter security lines, better food and drink options, and friendlier staff. The bottom-ranked ones? Think long wait times, packed gates, and fewer services.

So if you’re deciding between layovers or booking a trip out of town, these rankings might save you a few headaches — or at least help you pack some extra patience.

America’s Perfect Day: Sleeping, Eating, and Chilling

If you had a totally free day with zero responsibilities and no to-do list in sight, how would you spend it? According to a new poll, most Americans would opt for something pretty simple: relaxing, eating, and zoning out.

The survey asked people to describe their perfect day, and no, it didn’t involve yacht parties or mountain climbing. It was much more relatable—and frankly, way more achievable. The top activities included getting plenty of sleep, spending time with loved ones, indulging in hobbies, and of course, marathoning our favorite shows.

Let’s break down what a “perfect” 24 hours looks like in America:

  • 6 hours and 54 minutes of sleep to kick things off. Not quite a full eight hours, but that’s before factoring in…
  • A 42-minute nap, just to top things off. Because even on your dream day, apparently, you still need a little recharge.
  • 2 hours of eating.
  • 3 hours with family, and 1 hour 24 minutes with friends—a nice balance of quality time.
  • 1 hour and 6 minutes spent with pets, which we’re assuming includes copious belly rubs and nose boops.
  • 3 hours and 6 minutes of TV time, plus 1 hour 30 minutes scrolling on our phones. (Realistically, we’re probably doing both at the same time.)
  • 1 hour 24 minutes on hobbies, whatever those may be—reading, gardening, or building elaborate Lego castles.
  • 48 minutes shopping and 48 minutes exercising, which cancel each other out in calories and bank balance.
  • And finally, 1 hour and 18 minutes listening to music, which should be a pretty sweet soundtrack for everything else we just listed.

So how often do we expect to reach this dreamy state of lazy bliss? The average American predicts they’ll have 16 perfect days in 2025. That’s roughly one every three weeks—not bad, honestly.

The takeaway? Our ideal day isn’t about excitement or exotic experiences. It’s about comfort, connection, and the joy of doing a whole lot of nothing. And if that includes an afternoon nap and two hours of eating, who are we to argue?

The Most (and Least) Offensive Swear Words

If your vocabulary features at least one spicy four-letter word a day, you’re definitely not alone. A new survey found that 39% of Americans admit they can’t get through the day without swearing at least once. That includes a solid 25% who drop expletives daily—like it’s part of their morning routine. Meanwhile, 12% claim they never swear at all (and we’d really like to hear what their road rage sounds like).

The poll took a deep dive into when, where, and how we swear—and which curse words are still considered “too far.” Turns out, there’s a time and a place for everything… even profanity.

Swearing Is Totally Fine (Sometimes)
The top five moments Americans think it’s perfectly acceptable to unleash a few choice words:

  1. When you’re alone
  2. After you’ve hurt yourself
  3. Hanging out with friends
  4. Watching sports
  5. Posting on social media

Basically, if you stub your toe while hanging out with your friends, you’re in the clear. But don’t go tossing F-bombs everywhere.

The top places swearing is not okay? Church, in front of kids, in front of a client, at store employees, or in front of your boss. So maybe save the colorful language until after your performance review.

The Most Offensive Swear Word Is . . . ?
The survey also asked people to rate 40 swear words by how offensive they are—and the results might not surprise you.

Most offensive:

  1. The C-word (81% find it offensive)
  2. “Motherf—–” (71%)
  3. The B-word (66%)
  4. The F-word (65%)
  5. The P-word (62%)

Even relatively tame exclamations aren’t safe: 5% of people are offended by “gosh,” 6% by “heck,” and 8% by “darn.”

The Swear Words We Actually Use the Most
The top three go-to curse words in America are:

  • Damn
  • The S-word
  • The F-word

In other words, we might find certain words deeply offensive, but that doesn’t mean we’re not saying them—especially when traffic is bad or our favorite team blows a big lead.

Here Are the Most (and Least) Patriotic States in America

As the Fourth of July approaches and Americans gear up to celebrate their independence with backyard BBQs, booming fireworks, and maybe a regrettable injury or two, one study is taking a more analytical approach to patriotism—no sparklers required.

WalletHub just dropped its annual list of the most patriotic states in the U.S., based on 13 civic-minded factors, like: voter turnout, military enlistment rates, volunteer work, jury duty participation, and AmeriCorps service. So yes, it’s less about flag-waving and more about actually showing up for the country.

The 10 Most Patriotic States in 2025:

  1. Virginia
  2. Montana
  3. Vermont
  4. Colorado
  5. Oregon
  6. Washington
  7. North Dakota
  8. Maryland
  9. Minnesota
  10. New Hampshire

Virginia takes the crown this year, while states like Colorado and Oregon continue to earn high marks for civic engagement. Vermont and New Hampshire, small but mighty, also made strong showings.

At the other end of the spectrum, some states aren’t exactly lighting up the scoreboard.

The 10 Least Patriotic States:

  1. Arkansas
  2. New York
  3. Louisiana
  4. Alabama
  5. Florida
  6. Texas
  7. Indiana
  8. New Jersey
  9. Rhode Island
  10. West Virginia

California just barely missed the bottom 10, landing at 11th least patriotic. In general, larger and more populous states didn’t fare so well, possibly due to lower per capita participation in the metrics used.

One surprise from the report? When ranked based on how they voted in the last presidential election, so-called “blue states” edged out “red states” in patriotism—at least by this definition.

For those keeping score, South Carolina and Wisconsin landed right in the middle of the pack. Perfectly average, and maybe that’s something to be proud of?

If you want to see where your state landed, WalletHub has the full breakdown on their site. Just don’t blame us if your state’s patriotism didn’t make the fireworks-worthy list.

Source: WalletHub

The Most Dangerous Foods in America

Is your fridge harboring a hidden health risk? A new report from Consumer Reports lists the top 10 foods most commonly linked to serious foodborne illness in the U.S.—and many of them are everyday staples.

The list is based on federal food safety data from last year, ranking foods not by their inherent danger but by how frequently they were involved in outbreaks that led to hospitalizations or deaths. The usual suspects behind these illnesses? Three familiar pathogens: salmonella, listeria, and E. coli.

Here’s what made the list:

  1. Deli Meats – Topping the list, pre-sliced meats were linked to 87 hospitalizations and 10 deaths. Listeria is often the culprit, thriving in cold, ready-to-eat foods.
  2. Cucumbers – Despite no recorded deaths, cucumbers caused a surprising 173 hospitalizations. They’ve been connected to major salmonella outbreaks in recent years. Including one that’s currently ongoing.
  3. Raw Milk and Raw Milk Cheeses – These unpasteurized dairy products were responsible for 29 emergency room visits. Health officials continue to warn against their use due to frequent contamination.
  4. Queso Fresco and Cotija Cheese – These popular Mexican cheeses caused two deaths and 23 hospitalizations. Listeria contamination is a known risk.
  5. Eggs – Often a salmonella carrier, eggs landed 34 people in the hospital.
  6. Onions – Linked to one death and 34 hospitalizations, onions have been involved in large-scale recalls due to E. coli and salmonella.
  7. Leafy Greens – A healthy staple that can be dangerous if contaminated. Last year, they were tied to one death and 36 hospitalizations.
  8. Organic Carrots – Often eaten raw, organic carrots were connected to one death and 20 hospitalizations.
  9. Organic Basil – A newer entry on the list, this herb caused four hospitalizations, underscoring that even garnishes can pose a risk.
  10. Pre-Cooked Meats – Including frozen burritos and deli salads, these items made the list due to frequent recalls—not necessarily due to confirmed illness, but because of their risk profile.

It’s important to note that none of these foods are “always” dangerous. But their history of contamination suggests they require more careful handling, preparation, and regulation. Washing produce, avoiding unpasteurized dairy, and keeping ready-to-eat meats properly stored can reduce your risk.

As food safety continues to be a concern, especially with rising numbers of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, knowing what to watch for is more important than ever.

Exit mobile version