Yesterday I wrote about the popularity of dumpster diving in Germany, and also told you alll a little about my less-than-glorious foray into the world of snagging other people's cast-offs.

Today's New York Times reports on one woman's extremely lucrative trash-picking adventure. Elizabeth Gibson was on her way to get coffee when she pulled a 38x51 inch painting out of someone else's trash. It turned out to be a piece by Rufino Tamayo that had been stolen 20 years ago, valued at about $1 million.

Amazingly, the widow of the man who purchased the painting has elected to put it up for sale and given Ms. Gibson a reward of just $15 thousand. Sotheby's, the auction house that will be selling the painting, is also paying her a small finder's fee.

While $15 thousand is hardly chump change, it looks like Gibson will mostly be gaining a great story to tell her grandchildren. You'd think the widow could have been more generous, given that the painting was 20 minutes away from landing at the dump.

This post is written as part of AOL Money & Finance's Best & Worst 2006. To vote for Northwest's blunder or to see other dumbest moments in business, go here.

Back in August, Northwest Airlines went through a bit of trouble and was forced to cut wages and fire workers as it tried to figure out how to get out of bankruptcy. Fifty of these newly unemployed workers were given a booklet that contained 101 money-saving tips to help them through their transition. It included the advice that these former ground workers for the airline not be shy about dumpster diving.

If that's what Northwest Airlines management thought was a good way to help its fired employees, it's hardly surprising that the company stumbled its way into bankruptcy to begin with. It shows a complete lack of connection with the people who are the company's lifeblood.

The booklet, which got quickly yanked from the airline's website, contained other helpful nuggets, such as the need to set aside money for emergencies and the recommendation that employees move somewhere with a lower cost of living.

The airline, when challenged, agreed that it was a "bit insensitive," which had to be one of the understatements of the year. Northwest tried to pass off the blame by saying the booklet had been prepared by an outside company and was not vetted by management.

One big tip for Northwest's management: passing the buck didn't exactly re-inspire confidence in their ability to run the airline.