A new survey found that Americans own 265 million guns, more than one gun for every adult, though half those firearms are owned by only three percent of the population, a group that averages 17 guns each and often as many as 140. What do you think?
On Wednesday, the United Nations will hold a historic meeting to take on the growing problem of antibiotic resistant microbes, which it called “one of the biggest threats to global health.” And according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, they have their work cut out for them. It turns out that not even hospitals in the US are taking the threat seriously enough.
Looking through hospitals’ prescription records from 2006 to 2012, the CDC found that the overall amounts of antibiotic prescriptions have held steady. That finding bucks warnings from the CDC and other public health agencies’ that doctors (as well as meat producers) are overusing and misusing the drugs and need to cut back. The CDC estimates that at least a third of antibiotic prescriptions in the US are unnecessary. Needlessly exposing microbes to antibiotics gives germs more opportunity to develop resistance to the otherwise life-saving drugs. Already, antibiotic-resistant infections strike 2 million people each year in the US alone, killing at least 23,000. Doctors and veterinarians need to cut back and use the drugs more wisely, the CDC has warned—apparently to no avail.
Looking through the prescription data, the CDC noted that although doctors seemed to be ignoring their warnings, they couldn’t ignore the problem of resistance. Though overall levels of antibiotics plateaued, doctors are increasingly skipping over antibiotics that are considered first-line defenses. Instead, they’re turning to second, third, and even some last-line drugs, which are more powerful but often come with more side effects. In the six-year study period, doctors upped their use of last-resort carbapenem antibiotics by 37 percent, according to the data published in JAMA Internal Medicine.
WASHINGTON—Stating that the extremely traumatic nature of the event appeared to have left many respondents with unusually strong and vivid memories, the Pew Research Center released a new poll Friday revealing that most Americans can still recall exactly where they were when Gandalf the Grey fell into the abyss at the Mines of Moria. “I distinctly remember my dad and I sitting in front of the living room TV as we watched Gandalf fall—I remember just staring in total shock,” said Peter Lee of Anaheim, CA, one of the 1,500 individuals surveyed for the poll, which found that many Americans possessed near-photographic memories of their precise location, who they were with, as well as the emotions experienced upon seeing Balrog wrap his fiery whip around Gandalf’s legs. “We couldn’t believe it was actually happening. That moment is seared into my brain. I’ll never forget ...
Today, I was told I have narcolepsy, and I've it for a year and a half. When asked why I didn't go to a doctor before, I answered that I'd always assumed it was a normal adult thing to fall asleep randomly because of how everyone says they're always exhausted. Apparently not. FML
SMYRNA, DE—Saying he needed to be transported to a tranquil, untroubled state of calmness pronto, local man Pete McCartin, 29, told reporters Thursday that a fresh-brewed mug of purportedly relaxation-promoting tea had better fucking work. “This shit better soothe the fuck out of me and quick,” said McCartin, adding that the box of Hungarian chamomile blossom and lemon myrtle tea was making some pretty lofty promises with its soft light-blue hues and lotus flowers plastered all over the place, so it sure as shit needed to step the fuck up and put his mind at ease. “I need to start feeling utterly blissful and placid as hell. I want all my cares melted away fucking yesterday. If I’m not fully at peace by the time I finish sipping this cup, I’m going to be so goddamn pissed.” At press time, a scowling McCartin was steeping a second ...
That didn't take long. Theranos pulled the emergency request for its Zika-testing miniLab following an FDA inspection that revealed shortcomings with patient protocol, according to The Wall Street Journal. WSJ's sources say that while the blood-testi...
Hahah well played, Ireland! Get companies to come in and invest in your country, and then have the EU retroactively make the successful ones pay you more taxes!
(credit: Andrew Cunningham)
BRUSSELS—Europe’s competition chief has ordered Ireland to reclaim €13 billion in back taxes from Apple.
It comes despite the US treasury department warning last week that it would “consider its options” in such an eventuality.
Speaking at the European Commission's headquarters in Brussels on Tuesday, Margrethe Vestager said: “Member states cannot give tax benefits to selected companies—this is illegal under EU state aid rules."
A survivor looks at the collapsed buildings of the town of Pescara del Tronto, Italy, after a magnitude 6 quake struck at 3:36 a.m. and was felt across a broad swath of central Italy. At least 267 people have died and more than 400 were injured in the earthquake.
Cristiano Chiodi / AP
A man is pulled out of the rubble following an earthquake in Amatrice, Italy.
Massimo Percossi / AP
A man leans on rubble following the earthquake in Amatrice.
Massimo Percossi / AP
An activist wears a mask outside the French embassy during, the "wear what you want beach party" in London. The protest is against the French authorities clampdown on Muslim women wearing burkinis on the beach.
Frank Augstein / AP
Limar Mekansi and her brother Gheis look at a picture of their brother Muhammed, who died after an agonising 10 days in the hospital following a rocket attack to their house in Damascus, Syria.
Tumay Berkin / Reuters
Ahmad Abughaush, who won a taekwondo gold medal in the 2016 Rio Olympics, kisses his mother on his arrival to the Queen Alia International Airport in Amman, Jordan. Abughaush has become Jordan's first Olympic champion and has returned home to a royal welcome.
Raad Adayleh / AP
Members of the Italian polo team jump into water with their coach Alessandro Campagna as they celebrate their Olympic victory during men's bronze medal water polo match against Montenegro.
Sergei Grits / AP
An athlete takes a photo of their medal as fireworks explode during the Closing Ceremony on the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Ezra Shaw / Getty Images
A girl dressed up as Hindu Lord Krishna performs during Janmashtami festival celebrations in Ahmedabad, India, marking the birth of Lord Krishna.
Amit Dave / Reuters
Turkish army tanks and armored personnel carriers move toward the Syrian border, in Karkamis, Turkey. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan late Wednesday said that Syrian opposition forces aided by Ankara have taken back the border town of Jarablus from the Islamic State group.
Halit Onur Sandal / AP
Grave holes are prepared as family members and friends attend the funeral of victims of a suicide bombing at a wedding celebration in the southern Turkish city of Gaziantep.
Osman Orsal / Reuters
Relatives of Irfan Ahmed, who according to local media died after being hit by a tear gas canister fired by security forces, mourn his death in Srinagar as the city remains under curfew following weeks of violence in Kashmir.
Cathal Mcnaughton / Reuters
Ukrainian servicemen stand in a line during a rehearsal for the Independence Day military parade in central Kiev, Ukraine.
Valentyn Ogirenko / Reuters
A fire artist performs during the Minsk International Fire Fest in Ratomka, near Minsk, Belarus.
Sergei Gapon / AFP / Getty Images
An activist with her hand painted black to symbolize the contamination of oil, takes part in a protest performance demanding measures to prevent oil spills, outside the national oil company in Lima, Peru. The state oil company Petroperu confirmed Monday that there was another oil spill, the fifth so far this year, in the old and extensive pipeline that transports the oil from the Amazon to the Pacific coast.
Rodrigo Abd / AP
A tiger named Laziz is removed by an international animal welfare nonprofit from the Gaza Strip zoo due to unsanitary living conditions.
Ibraheem Abu Mustafa / Reuters
This photo provided by the U.S. National Park Service shows people on the National Mall in Washington creating a giant, living version of the National Park Service emblem. The gathering marks the National Parks's 100th anniversary.
Tim Ervin / AP
People swim during the annual public Lake Zurich crossing swimming event over a distance of 1,500 metres in Zurich, Switzerland.
Arnd Wiegmann / Reuters
A dinghy overcrowded by African migrants is seen drifting off the Libyan coast in Mediterranean Sea.
Giorgos Moutafis / Reuters
An American flag is seen waving above severe flood waters in Sorrento, Louisiana.
Jonathan Bachman / Reuters
A young migrant girl named Sira, age 9 from Nigeria, smiles aboard the RIB boat of the Proactiva Open Arms NGO, after being rescued during an operation in the Mediterranean sea, about 17 miles north of Sabratah, Libya.
Remember Four Loko, the controversial caffeinated alcohol beverage that destroyed the brain cells and livers of a generation? Well, for better or worse, it's alive and well across the globe in China.
The "Four" in the name for the malt alcohol concoction from hell refers to four ingredients: caffeine, alcohol, the Brazilian stimulant guarana, and the animal-derived stimulant taurine.
Phusion Projects, the drink's manufacturer, decided to halt the production and sale of its caffeinated version in 2014, after a series of incidents where the drink was consumed resulted in a series of injuries and deaths. (You can still buy non-caffeinated versions in 48 states of the US, Canada, China and Latin American countries, in case you were actually still interested in drinking it for some reason.)
Some important context needs to be addressed up front: although the official drinking age in China is 18, alcohol is very accessible to Chinese teens, as ID is not required for them to purchase it.
Wang Zhao / AFP / Getty Images
So not only is the fruit-flavored monstrosity available, it's ~really popular~ in China — over the past month, tens of thousands cans of the 12 -14% ABV drink have been sold on Taobao, just one of several online retailers in the country.
The other online retailers include JD.com, a major competitor of Taobao, and Nuomi.com, a Groupon-like site.
Uber announced that it will start self-driving trials in Pittsburgh later this month, but it was beat to the punch by a much less well-known company. Starting today, nuTonomy will offer rides to Singapore residents in specially equipped Mitsubishi i-...
We joke around a lot about bringing about a horrific robot apocalypse, but let's get real: sometimes, building a killer robot is just the right thing to do. Well, at least when those robots are being used to cull invasive species. Researchers at Robo...
Researchers have found that those who crave bitter flavor profiles such as gin, coffee, and citrus fruits are more likely to exhibit “malevolent” personality traits and a tendency toward psychopathy, narcissism, and sadism. What do you think?
WASHINGTON—Expressing regret over its reckless decision to infect the Democratic presidential nominee, the virus causing Hillary Clinton’s pneumonia was reportedly terrified Monday after remembering what the Clintons were capable of. “Oh shit, what the hell was I thinking—you don’t get on the wrong side of these people,” said the infectious agent, which became increasingly worried while recalling just how far the Clintons were willing to go to get what they wanted, as well as what often happened to those who dared to cross the powerful politicians. “Everybody knows you never mess with the Clintons. These people won’t hesitate to absolutely crush you, and they have the money and connections to do it. I knew I should’ve just stayed clear. I’m so fucked.” At press time, the horrified virus was reportedly planning to avoid the Clintons’ wrath by taking its own life.
Due to a 17 percent rise in population across the last decade, the giant panda has been downgraded from “endangered” to “vulnerable” by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. What do you think?
Today, my babysitter told me to find a replacement, so I tried to bribe her into staying by offering her a raise. She told me that the money would be better spent on an exorcist. FML
WASHINGTON—Saying he got butterflies in his stomach the minute he learned they’d both be involved in drafting the legislation, congressman Jerry Bremner (R-NC) told reporters Tuesday he was excited to be working on a bill with an intern he has a huge crush on. “I’ve liked her for a long time, but I just haven’t had a good excuse to strike up a conversation, so working together on this project will be perfect,” said Bremner of the 21-year-old University of Michigan junior, adding that to this point, he had only awkwardly mumbled hello the handful of times he had bumped into her around the Capitol Building. “I should make sure I do a bunch of research so it’s clear I know my stuff. I’ll never forgive myself if I look stupid in front of her.” Sources later confirmed that Bremner was mentally berating himself ...
BROOKLYN, NY—Urging apartment hunters to keep their search within reasonable bounds and avoid excessively high leases, real estate broker Katherine Rivera recommend Friday that Brooklyn residents spend no more than 150 percent of their income on rent. “When you’re looking for a new place in Brooklyn, limiting yourself to a budget of one and a half times your monthly pay is always a good rule of thumb,” said Rivera, who noted that residents willing to live with multiple roommates or in a less desirable neighborhood might be able to allocate as little as 125 percent of their income to rent. “Anywhere from 140 percent to 175 percent of your paycheck is considered a healthy range to set aside for housing in Brooklyn. Some people can stretch it to double or even triple their salary, but we don’t suggest going that high, because spending more than 150 percent ...
That didn't take long. Theranos pulled the emergency request for its Zika-testing miniLab following an FDA inspection that revealed shortcomings with patient protocol, according to The Wall Street Journal. WSJ's sources say that while the blood-testi...
Gigantic Jet Lightning over China 
Uber announced that it will start self-driving trials in Pittsburgh later this month, but it was beat to the punch by a much less well-known company. Starting today, nuTonomy will offer rides to Singapore residents in specially equipped Mitsubishi i-...
We joke around a lot about bringing about a horrific robot apocalypse, but let's get real: sometimes, building a killer robot is just the right thing to do. Well, at least when those robots are being used to cull invasive species. Researchers at Robo...
