pileofcrapola

A migraine is one of the most common health issues worldwide, affecting up to one in five people. But the mechanisms that drive migraines aren’t well understood. In fact, doctors and scientists are still trying to figure out if a migraine is primarily a vascular or a neurological disorder.  A new genome-wide association study published in Nature Genetics suggests that a migraine may primarily stem from problems with the blood supply system.

The data in this paper comes from a meta-analysis of 22 genome-wide association studies, a combined dataset of more than 35,000 migraine cases and even more controls. The primary meta-analysis found associations between migraines and 38 independent genomic regions, 34 of which this study associated for the first time with migraines.

When the authors characterized the genes near these associated loci, they found that a number of them were previously associated with vascular disease. Others are involved in smooth muscle contraction (smooth muscle lines larger blood vessels) and regulation of vascular tone. Some of these genes were also associated with arterial functioning.

Read 8 remaining paragraphs | Comments

If you’re working in a shop, you should have a respirator and a few dust masks sitting around. You should also know when to use them. Tested walks your through when to use which and some good practices for doing so.

Read more...

Many of the most common household brand names in America are not American companies, and that’s been true for decades. When it comes to technological innovation especially — from cars to phones and every appliance in between — we’ve become used to huge numbers of goods coming from countries in Asia.

It takes time for large Asian companies to become household names in the U.S., but when they do land, they can make a big impression and stick around. Consider the trajectory of Honda, Toyota, and others from Japan: 40 years ago, their vehicles were widely-derided “econoboxes”; now, they’re celebrated household names. The same goes for Sony, which, from Walkman to PlayStation, has made its brand a household staple in entertainment.

In more recent decades we’ve seen the same course for Hyundai, Kia, LG, and Samsung, among others, from South Korea.

But to discuss tech, manufacturing, or international trade in this decade without mentioning China is to leave the biggest elephant in the living room of the world completely unaddressed. By any economic measure you use, China is enormous.

A huge percentage of all physical goods in the U.S. are made in China. As of March, 2015, China produced about a quarter of all the world’s manufacturing output — up from 3% in 1990. And sure, plenty of those businesses are relatively anonymous factories that do the actual assembly for high-tech American brands you know, like Apple and Microsoft.

But the physical making of stuff is hardly the only place where Chinese and American business interests meet. Chinese businesses from insurance to retail are crossing the ocean to do work here in the U.S., either under their own brands or by buying ones that are a little more familiar. And while short-term economic trends may make global business increase or decrease in the immediate sense, the long-term trend is toward more globalization, not less.

And so, to that end, here are ten Chinese companies — some more familiar than others, but all of them already doing some business in the U.S. — that may well join the “household names” list over the coming decade.

Alibaba

Founded in: 1999
Industry: Online retail / e-commerce
Similar to / competing with: Amazon, eBay, PayPal
Current value (market cap): $192 billion*

Alibaba first grabbed headlines in the United States with its record-shattering global IPO in 2014. The company has several different online portals. One, Taobao, is a Chinese online retail site not unlike Amazon or eBay. Another is Aliexpress, which is the same idea but global (you can shop and buy from it in the United States, in dollars). And then there’s Alibaba proper, which is basically a matching portal that lets you take bids to order any kind of custom wholesale product supply — like, for example, 280 pairs of ugly pants.

Need an airplane? 7,000 sweatshirts? 200 pairs of earbuds in eye-searing pink? Alibaba’s there.

However, being able to have basically anything made to spec means the potential for counterfeit and knockoff goods is sky high, and that’s the big challenge the company is facing today. Luxury and designer goods companies especially are less than thrilled with the company’s attitude toward knockoffs.

It’s also currently the target of an SEC investigation, though right now the investigation is exactly that — no allegations of wrongdoing have been made.

Baidu

Founded in: 2000
Industry: Internet and technology
Similar to / competing with: Google
Current value (market cap): $57 billion

You know how Google started as a search engine and is now everything from the world’s dominant phone operating system to an ISP to a self-driving car company? Baidu’s basically done that exact same thing.

The company operates a massive Chinese-language search directory, as well as dozens of other related web services (image search, legal search, maps a social networking site, a travel booking service, and so on). It also, like Google, makes revenue as a massive internet advertising business — primarily serving the Chinese market with Chinese businesses.

Baidu recently found itself under intense scrutiny in its home country over the practice of blurring the lines between genuine search results and paid ads. The problem was thrust into the spotlight after a college student with cancer died following the use of an alternative treatment his family found through a Baidu search. The link was not the result of an organic search, but a paid ad.

This week, Chinese regulators directed Baidu and others to provide only “objective, fair and authoritative results,” and urged them to clearly differentiate between paid links and organic search, and to limit the number of paid results provided on a single page.

Also much like Google, Baidu is positioning itself at the forefront of computer-driven technology on the roads. To wit: an ambitious plan to get self-driving cars on Chinese highways before 2020.

The company successfully completed a nearly 19-mile prototype run in Beijing last year, and there’s a lot of support for the idea: Chinese traffic jams and air pollution levels make the worst hours-long, smog-ridden delay in the U.S. look like a spring picnic in comparison. Autonomous vehicles in an AI network would likely reduce traffic levels, and at least let passengers do something other than honk the horn and gnash their teeth when volume still slows things down.

Dalian Wanda

Founded in: 1988
Industry: Real estate, property development, entertainment
Similar to / competing with: Disney, Universal (Comcast), Regal Entertainment
Current value (market cap): $223 billion

Wanda began as a residential property business, but has in the intervening decades diversified significantly. The company continues to own and develop properties worldwide but its biggest growth, over the past decade, has been into the film industry.

The company bought AMC Theaters, the largest movie theater chain in the United States, in 2012.

As of a few months ago Wanda also now owns Legendary Entertainment, probably best-known for producing Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy and Inception as well as all of Zack Snyder’s action films from 300 to Man of Steel. The studio’s most recent film was Warcraft, a widely panned flop in the United States… but a complete smash hit in China, breaking records for American-made movies distributed overseas.

Wanda, like the House of Mouse, owns and operates theme parks that draw millions of guests. China is still largely an untapped market for Disney; their first mainland China resort, in Shanghai, literally just opened, on June 16. And yet the competition with Wanda — and the problem of international IP law and knockoffs — has plagued Disney since before the gates opened, when unlicensed Marvel stars and Disney princesses were spotted shilling for a Wanda park a few hours away last month.

Geely

Founded in: 1986
Industry: Automotive and transportation
Similar to / competing with: Honda, Toyota, Ford, GM
Current value (market cap): $37 billion

You probably haven’t ever seen a Geely (JEE-lee, not gee-lee) branded car on the road in the U.S., but globally the company performs well. Their motorcycles and passenger sedans / hatchbacks are popular not only in China but also in dozens of other Asian, African, Middle Eastern, and Pacific Rim nations.

However, that doesn’t mean you haven’t ever seen a Geely-owned car on the road, because you almost certainly have: the company bought Volvo from Ford in 2010.

As the New York Times wrote back in January, thanks to Geely and others, the Chinese auto industry may be poised to make that same transition in Americans’ perception from “junk” to “reputable” and onward even to “desirable” that Japanese and Korean automakers made over earlier decades. Volvo enjoys a strong reputation for safety and quality with U.S. consumers, and the purchase of the brand by a Chinese conglomerate has not dimmed it.

Until recently, none of those cars being imported to the U.S. were being manfuactured in China. However, as of 2016, certain Volvo models — as well as a few cars in the Buick and Cadillac (both General Motors) — are now being made in China and exported to the U.S.

Haier

Founded in: 1984
Industry: Appliances and electronics
Similar to / competing with: LG, Samsung, Whirlpool
Current value (market cap): $54 billion

Haier’s been making appliances — refrigerators and air conditioners, to start with — for decades. Though it’s one of the largest “white goods” (think: refrigerators, dishwashers, air conditioners, etc) suppliers in the world, it’s a newer entrant in North America.

In the ’90s and early ’00s the company started expanding into America, selling products under its own name brand and opening a production facility in South Carolina.

But Haier’s biggest move into the U.S. market came just this year, when it bought out General Electric’s consumer appliance business for $5.4 billion. So any good ol’ GE washer, dryer, or fridge you put in your house going forward is a Haier product.

Hisense

Founded in: 1969
Industry: Appliances and electronics
Similar to / competing with: Samsung, Sony
Current value (market cap): $21.5 billion

Hisense is a broad-based electronics company that manufactures and sells televisions, mobile phones, laptops, cable TV set-top boxes, PC components, and all that jazz. They also have global partnerships to make refrigerators and air conditioners. The company has been at it for 45 years, but their growing presence in the American market is more recent.

A pretty full line of Hisense-branded products is available on store shelves in the U.S., from Walmart to Lowe’s. You’re buying Hisense goods if you’ve bought a Sharp TV in the last year; the Japanese company sold their North America brand and factory to Hisense in 2015.

Huawei

Founded in: 1987
Industry: Telecommunications, mobile
Similar to / competing with: Samsung, Apple, HTC
Current value (market cap): privately held

Mobile is not so much the future as the present. And, well, also the future. In short, it’s the market everyone wants to be in — and Huawei is there.

Here in the U.S., Samsung and Apple largely dominate high-end phone sales, with a few other players poking around the edge of the Android market. (And someone somewhere probably has a Windows phone.) But Huawei has been making a big push in recent years to break into the global handset market, and their next target is the United States.

The company is planning to go from its current global market share of about 8% to a solid 25% in just five years, the head of the company’s consumer electronics division announced this month. And they’re going to do it very aggressively, targeting premium, luxury buyers in wealthy nations instead of widely distributing lower-cost phones.

As to whether they’ll be America’s next HTC (Taiwan) or Samsung (South Korea), well, as much of that depends on politics as it does on the actual goods. Huawei’s bold plans have attracted federal scrutiny over the company’s other international business deals, especially with countries the U.S. is, shall we say, not on strong terms with (like North Korea and Syria).

Lenovo

Founded in: 1984
Industry: Computers and electronics
Similar to / competing with: Dell, Toshiba
Current value (market cap): $52 billion

This company, more than any other on our list, is probably the one you have heard of, thanks to a 2005 deal with IBM.

That’s when Lenovo took over IBM’s personal computer business and started selling the classic ThinkPad, at the time one of the most popular laptops in America (especially for colleges and businesses). IBM had for decades been the name in personal computing, but by the turn of the millennium the market was more competitive and IBM was falling behind. (Readers of a certain age may remember the era when all non-Apple computers were described as “IBM-compatible” — that’s how big a deal IBM was in the ’80s and early ’90s.)

Still, the ThinkPad brand gave Lenovo an instant cachet as a contender in the laptop market, and the deal made Lenovo the 3rd largest computer-maker in the world at the time. Nearly a decade later, in 2014, IBM and Lenovo made another key deal and now the latter owns the former’s entire server business as well.

Lenovo also now owns Motorola, which it bought from Google in 2014. So in short, it’s already a big and growing presence in the American — and global — tech market.

Shuanghui International (WH Group)

Founded in: 1958
Industry: Processed meats
Similar to / competing with: Tyson Foods
Current value (market cap): $87 billion

Shuanghui International (rebranded in 2014 as the WH Group) is the biggest meat processor in the world. It specializes in pork products: if you can eat it and it comes from a pig, they sell it.

Their pork products have also been on American shelves for years, and you probably never noticed — because it’s got a good old-fashioned American brand name: Smithfield.

Shuanghui bought out Smithfield for $4.7 billion in 2013. At the time, it was the largest ever purchase of an American company by a Chinese one. The transaction attracted significant scrutiny and tut-tutting from lawmakers and industry, but still went through without a hitch. ‘

Meanwhile, Americans sure do continue to love our bacon (and sausage, and ham, and ribs, and…).

Tencent

Founded in: 1998
Industry: Internet, telecom, video games
Similar to / competing with: Facebook, Google, Valve
Current value (market cap): $1.6 trillion ($1630 billion)

Tencent is huge, and doesn’t quite have an easy American analog or competitor to point to. The company holds the Chinese distribution rights to all kinds of American and global media, including agreements with HBO, Sony, Warner Music, and the NBA.

The company also runs Chinese equivalents of both Facebook and Twitter, under the names QQ and Tencent Weibo. Most importantly, though, Tencent owns WeChat, which is, well, China’s everything app. The complete and total integration of the WeChat platform into every aspect of Chinese digital life is what Facebook Messenger is trying so very hard to duplicate in America.

Tencent is not as dominant in the U.S. as it is in China, but it does have many very large and strategic investments in one of the country’s fastest-growing industries: video gaming, especially big-budget blockbusters and competitive online multiplayer games.

Tencent is a dominant player in the world of eSports — which has only continued to surge in popularity since we last covered it in 2014 — thanks to their nearly full ownership of Riot Games. Riot is the studio behind League of Legends, which in 2015 drew an estimated 90 million monthly active players. They also own minority stakes in Epic Games (Unreal, Gears of War) and Activision Blizzard (Call of Duty, World of Warcraft).

*for comparison to American companies, some current values include: Apple – $526 billion; Google – $488 billion; Microsoft – $391 billion; Facebook – $323 billion; Walmart – $222 billion; Disney – $157 billion; Comcast – $150 billion.

Chipotle needs two things: they need customers to start coming in to buy food, and they need those customers to keep coming back. After mailing and texting out free burrito coupons and buy-one-get-one-free offers earlier this year, the company’s newest idea to turn things around is a limited-time loyalty program.

In a way, the program is similar to the old version of the Starbucks loyalty program, since it will reward more frequent visits to restaurants rather than the amount that customers spend. They want to reward customers for coming back multiple days per month or per week, not for the amount that they buy.

Here’s how the program will work: restaurants will start handing out cards this Friday, July 1. For a visit to count, you have to spend at least $6 before sales tax, so you have to buy a meal. Only one meal per person per day counts, too. After your fourth, eighth, and then eleventh visits in one month, you get a free meal.

The reward tiers will be called Mild, Medium, and Hot respectively, and the biggest rewards are for people who keep the same reward level consistently through July, August, and September. Keeping Mild status for all three months means one more free entrée.

Medium status for all three months means $20 in merchandise from Chipotle’s merchandise store, so you can walk around advertising Chipotle after eating at Chipotle twice a week all summer.

Hot status will get you a Chipotle-catered meal for 20 people, which would make you an office hero and exposes the company’s loyal customers to the chain’s catering services in case they weren’t already familiar.

The good news for loyal Chipotle customers is that this program is a test for a possible permanent or long-term rewards program.

Chipotle needs to do something to turn its fortunes around: last quarter, when the executives first pitched this loyalty program idea, the company was dealing with an almost 30% decrease in comparable-store sales from the year before due to the chain’s food safety crisis. That was an improvement over December, too.

HARTFORD, Vt. (AP) — State police in Vermont are investigating after authorities say an off-duty police officer shot and killed a pit bull that reportedly attacked his dog at a dog park.

Police say Hartford Police Officer Logan Scelza shot the dog at the Watson Upper Valley Dog Park in Hartford on Saturday. They say Scelza’s husky was reportedly bitten in the throat by the pit bull. A woman tells The Valley News that another husky was involved in the fight.

Police say Scelza’s injured dog was treated and released from a veterinary hospital and is recovering at home.

Hartford Police Chief Phillip Kasten says it’s not uncommon for officers to be armed while off-duty. He says Scelza has been placed on administrative leave pending the investigation.

The post Police: Off-duty cop shoots, kills pit bull during dog fight appeared first on WTOP.

For pet owners, the loss of a pet is more than just the loss of an animal, it’s also the loss of a friend and companion. It can be difficult to cope after the death of a cat, dog, or any other pet you owned and cared for.^[1] You will likely experience the stages of grief and need to lean on the support of family and friends to help you move forward. You may also want to pay tribute to the memory of your pet as a way to process your emotions and honor your dearly departed pet.

EditSteps

EditExperiencing the Stages of Grief

1. Be aware that everyone experiences grief in different ways. Grief is an intense process and often happens gradually. Everyone processes grief differently and there no “normal” timeframe from grieving so you may feel better after several weeks, months, or even after a year. Be patient and allow yourself to experience grief for your pet, as this is an important way to process the death of your pet.^[2][3]
   
   • Though you may try to ignore the pain, this will likely only make it worse. Rather than bottle up your feelings and emotions, it can be more useful to allow yourself to go through the stages of grief and heal over time. You may experience several of the stages of grief or only a few of them, but whatever your grieving process is, it’s important that you let it occur and do not keep your emotions hidden or suppress your feelings of sadness and loneliness.
2. Try to avoid feeling guilty for the death of your pet. One of the initial stages of grief is feeling guilt and responsibility for the death of your pet. Try to avoid asking “what ifs” and thinking about “if only”. This will only make you feel worse and make it more difficult to move past your grief.^[4]
   
   • Take the time to remind yourself that you are not responsible for the death of your pet and that the death of your pet was out of your control. If you believe in a higher power, you may pray on your pet’s death and talk to the higher power as a way to work through your feelings of guilt.
3. Confront your feelings of denial. Another initial stage of grief is denial, where you may feel like your pet is still alive. You may have difficulty coming home to not find your pet waiting for you or not having to put out dinner every night, like you usually do, for your pet. Rather than tell yourself your pet might still be alive somewhere, it’s important that you are upfront and honest about the reality of the situation. Denial of your pet’s death will make it more difficult for you to move past your pet’s death and cope.^[5]
   
4. Release your anger in healthy ways. A key emotion in the grieving process is anger, which can be directed at the driver of the car that killed your pet, the illness that killed her, or the vet who “failed” to save your pet’s life. Though your anger may feel justified, holding on to it can lead to feelings of resentment and rage, which will only make you feel worse in the long run. Anger can also distract you from resolving your feelings of grief and cause you to hold onto your grief, rather than release it and start to heal.^[6]
   
   • Releasing your anger in a healthy way may mean leaning on the support of your family and friends, or focusing on self-care, where you do activities that make you feel good like hiking outdoors, doing a creative project, or socializing with good friends. Think of activities that can help you to release your anger in a way that feels useful and healthy, rather than destructive and painful.
5. Let yourself feel sad but fight off depression. A natural symptom of grief is feelings of depression, which can leave you feeling powerless to cope with your emotions. While it is healthy and important that you let yourself feel sad about the death of your pet, feeling depressed can cause you to feel worn out, lonely, and isolated.^[7]
   
   • Fight off feelings of depression by leaning on friends and family, occupying your time with activities you enjoy doing, and spending time creating a tribute for your pet. Focus on trying to work through your feelings of sadness so they do not develop into feelings of depression.

EditLeaning on Others for Support

1. Share your feelings and emotions with family and friends. Rather than keep your grief to yourself, do not be afraid to share your feelings with close family and friends. If a friend offers to stop by for a visit, say “yes”, even if you do not feel like talking to someone. Simply sitting with a sympathetic friend and talking about trivial things can make you feel less lonely and isolated. Reach out to your family and try to see them more often, as they can offer comfort and kind thoughts that can help you remember your pet fondly and process your grief.^[8]
   
   • Keep in mind some people may not understand how deep your loss is over your pet. They may ask, “What’s the big deal? It’s just a pet!” Family or friends may not be able to understand how the loss of an animal can compare to the loss of a person, and they may not be as sympathetic as you may expect. Try not to take this personally, as they may not have a pet of their own and so cannot understand your connection with your deceased pet.
2. Reach out to friends who have also lost pets. Seek out family and friends who will be sympathetic to your grief and understand how it feels to lose a pet. Spend time together talking about your pets and sharing memories of your pets. You should find mutual understanding and connection with other pet owners who have also experienced loss and grief.^[9]
   
   • You can also reach out to others who may understand pet loss through online pet loss support groups and online message boards. Support from other pet owners can be key to helping you process your grief.
3. Practice self-care through socializing and staying busy. Self-care is very important when you are feeling low and can help you feel better physically and mentally. Look after your emotional needs by socializing with others and doing activities with others you enjoy to stay busy and not dwell on your grief. This could be exploring a new hobby like painting, drawing, or running by joining a class or group. Or you could join a fitness group to ensure you exercise regularly to boost your mood and fight off feelings of depression.^[10]
   
   • You can also practice self-care on your own by doing a solo activity you enjoy, pampering yourself with a massage or a long bath, and taking time alone to read or do something calming and relaxing. Try not to spend too much time alone as you cope with the loss of your pet, as this can lead to isolation and loneliness. Maintain a balance of time with others and time with yourself to ensure you are taking care of your physical and emotional needs during this hard time.
4. Talk to a grief therapist, if needed. Sometimes, grief can be overwhelming and you may find you are still feeling depressed and upset even after you talk to family and friends. If your grief is causing you to feel powerless and unable to function, you may want to ask your doctor for a referral to a grief therapist. You can also ask family and friends for a referral to a grief therapist they may have gone to themselves, with positive results.
   

EditPaying Tribute to Your Pet

1. Arrange a funeral or a memorial service for your pet. The ritual of a funeral or a memorial service can be a healthy way to grieve and process your emotions. This could be a small service honoring your pet’s life or a more elaborate affair. Though some people may consider it inappropriate to have a funeral for a pet, you should do what feels good to you as a pet owner and take the necessary steps to release your grief.^[11]
   
2. Create a physical reminder of your pet. This could be planting a tree in memory of your pet, creating a photo album of your pet, or commissioning a physical gravestone for your pet. Having a physical legacy of your pet can help you to celebrate your pet and move on in your grief.^[12]
   
3. Donate to an animal charity in memory of your pet. You may want to pay tribute to your animal companion by donating your money or time to an animal charity in his name. This will allow you to give back to the community and help other pet owners to take care of their pets. It also creates a tribute to your pet that focuses on caring for others and supporting others, a positive legacy you can feel proud of.^[13]
   
4. Take care of any other pets in your household. Though it may be difficult to focus on the needs of your other pets after the death of a pet, you should try to devote yourself to providing good care to any other animals in your home. Your other pets will likely also be mourning the loss of a fellow pet, especially if they all lived together in close quarters. Focusing on the needs of your other pets can help you to move forward and cope with your loss. It can also be a way to honor your deceased pet by ensuring all your other pets receive love and care.^[14]
   
5. Consider getting a new pet. Another way to cope and pay tribute to your pet is to perhaps get a new pet. Rather than see the new pet as a replacement for your deceased pet, think of the new pet as a new chapter in pet ownership. A new pet will allow you to love and care for an animal and to move forward from the death of a pet.
   
   • Some pet owners may feel they cannot get a new pet because it would be disloyal to their deceased pet. It may take time after the death of your pet to consider getting a new pet, but a new pet may be a healthy way to move through your feelings of grief and feel better about coming home to a pet filled house again.

EditRelated wikiHows

• Cope With the Loss of a Loved One
• Deal With a Friend's Death
• Live After the Death of a Spouse
• Cope with Loss and Pain
• Conduct a Pet's Funeral
• Make Preparations for a Funeral
• Dress For a Funeral
• Make a Memorial Book
• Make an Online Memorial Tribute
• Comfort a Dying Cat
• Explain to Kids About the Death of a Pet
• Bury a Pet

EditSources and Citations

Cite error: <ref> tags exist, but no <references/> tag was found

As much as I was expecting this outcome, I was hoping for a dark horse. It should come as no surprise that Tide To-Go and Shout Wipes reigned supreme when it comes to fighting stains while you’re out and about.

Read more...

Most small wounds, such as cuts and scrapes, can be easily treated at home. However, if you have a more serious wound or an infection, you may need medical attention to make sure it heals properly.

EditSteps

EditTreating Minor Wounds at Home

1. Apply pressure to the wound to stop the bleeding. Wash your hands and then use a clean bandage or cloth to press firmly on the wound. Washing your hands will prevent you from transferring bacteria from your hands to the wound. The pressure will help slow the bleeding and promote clotting.^[1]
   
   • If the wound is on an arm, hand, leg, or foot, you can also slow the bleeding by raising it above your heart. For an arm or hand, you can hold it in the air. For a leg or foot, you will need to lie in bed and prop your leg up on a pile of pillows.
2. Clean the wound. Rinse it with clean water. This will help to remove dirt and other particles that might cause an infection. Wash the skin around the wound with soap and a clean washcloth. Gently pat the wound and surrounding tissues dry.^[2][3]
   
   • If running water is not able to remove all of the debris from the wound, you may need to remove it with tweezers. Wash and then sterilize the tweezers with rubbing alcohol before touching them to the wound. Then gently remove any foreign particles embedded in the wound. If you cannot remove them all, go to the emergency room and have a doctor help you.
   • If the wound has an object embedded in it, do not remove it. Instead, go to the doctor so that it can be removed safely without causing additional damage.
   • Do not wipe the wound with a cotton ball that might leave pieces of material stuck in the wound. This increases the risk of infection and may complicate healing.
3. Prevent infection with a topical antibiotic. After you have stopped the bleeding and cleaned the wound, apply an antibiotic cream to protect it from infection. You can purchase antibiotic creams and ointments such as Neosporin or Polysporin over-the-counter at your local pharmacy.^[4][5][6] Use these ointments for one to two days.
   
   • Always read and follow the instructions on the packaging. If you are pregnant, nursing, or treating a child, consult your doctor before using any medications.
   • Do not apply an antiseptic disinfectant like alcohol or hydrogen peroxide. This can harm the tissues and make it take longer to heal.
4. Cover the wound with a bandage. This will prevent bacteria and dirt from entering the wound. Depending upon where the wound is located, a simple adhesive bandage may be sufficient. If the wound is larger or located near a joint, you may need to wrap it so that the covering will stay in place.^[7]
   
   • Do not wrap so tightly that you cut off the circulation.
   • Change the bandage daily to prevent infection. If it becomes wet or dirty, change it promptly.
   • Use waterproof bandages or wrap plastic wrap over your bandages when you shower to keep them dry.
5. Monitor the wound to make sure it does not get infected. If it shows signs of infection, go to the emergency room. Signs to watch for include:^[8]
   
   • Increasing pain over time
   • Warmth
   • Swelling
   • Redness
   • Pus leaking from the wound
   • Fever

EditGetting Medical Care

1. Go to the emergency room if you have a serious wound. Do not try to drive yourself if you have just suffered a severe wound. Have someone drive you or call emergency medical responders. You need professional medical care if you have a wound that is bleeding severely or may leave you permanently disabled if it does not heal properly. This includes:^[9]
   
   • Cut arteries. If you are bleeding bright red blood which is pumped out of your wound each time your heart beats, call emergency medical responders. It is important that you receive care before you lose too much blood.
   • Bleeding that does not stop after a few minutes of pressure. This may occur if you have a severe, deep cut. If can also occur if you have a blood disorder or are on medication that prevents your blood from clotting.
   • Wounds where you cannot move or feel a body part. This may be indicative of a deeper injury to the bone or tendons.
   • Wounds with a foreign object stuck inside. Common examples include glass, shrapnel, or stones. In this case a doctor will need to remove the objects and prevent infection.
   • Long jagged cuts that are difficult to heal. If the cut is larger than about two inches, you may need stitches to help it close.
   • Wounds to the face. Facial wounds require expert care to prevent scarring.
   • Wounds that have a high risk of infection. This includes wounds that are contaminated with feces, bodily fluids (including saliva from animal or human bites), or soil.
2. Get medical treatment for your wound. The care that your doctor recommends will likely vary based on whether it is infected. If it is not infected the wound will be cleaned and closed. Closing the wound quickly will help prevent scarring. There are several techniques the doctor may use to close the wound:^[10][11]
   
   • Stitches. Wounds longer than about 2 ½ inches may be sewn closed with sterile thread. The stitches may be taken out by a doctor five to seven days later for small incisions, seven to 14 for larger wounds. Or, if your doctor feels it is appropriate, she may use thread where the stitches will dissolve after a few weeks as the wound heals.^[12] Never remove your stitches yourself. You may cause an injury or infection to the site of the wound.
   • Tissue adhesive glue. This substance would be applied to the edges of the wound while it is held together. As it dries it will seal the wound shut. The glue will come off by itself after about a week.
   • Butterfly stitches. These are not actually stitches. Instead they are sticky strips that hold the wound closed. The doctor will remove them after the wound heals. Do not remove them yourself.
3. Let your doctor treat an infected wound. If your wound is infected the doctor will treat the infection before closing the wound. If it is closed while it is still infected, this will seal the infection in and may cause it to spread. Your doctor may:^[13]
   
   • Swab the infection so the pathogen can be studied and identified. This can help determine the best course of treatment.
   • Clean the wound and pack it with a dressing that will prevent it from closing.
   • Give you antibiotics to eliminate the infection.
   • Ask you to return after several days so the doctor can evaluate whether the infection has been successfully treated. If so, the doctor will then close the wound.
4. Get a tetanus vaccine. Your doctor may want you to get a tetanus vaccine if the wound is deep or has dirt in it and you have not had one in the past five years.^[14][15]
   
   • Tetanus is a bacterial infection. It is also called “lockjaw” because it can cause the muscles of the jaw and neck to contract. It can also cause breathing problems and can be fatal.
   • There is no cure, so the best prevention is staying up to date on your vaccines.
5. Go to a wound care center if you have a non-healing wound. Non-healing wounds are wounds that have not started to heal after two weeks or have not finished healing after six weeks. Common types of wounds that are difficult to heal include pressure sores, surgical wounds, radiation sores, and wounds resulting from diabetes, lack of blood flow, or swollen legs, which often occur in the foot. At a wound care center you will have access to:^[16]
   
   • Nurses, doctors, and physical therapists who will teach you to clean your wound properly and do exercises to maintain the blood flow.
   • Specialized therapies to remove dead tissue. This may include cutting it away, using a whirlpool or syringe to wash it away, applying chemicals to dissolve the dead tissue, and using wet-to-dry dressings that dry on the wound and absorb dead tissue.
   • Specialized procedures to promote healing include: compression stockings to improve blood flow, ultrasound to stimulate healing, artificial skins to protect wounds as they heal, removing fluid from the wound with negative pressure therapy, providing you with growth factors to promote healing, and using hyperbaric oxygen therapy to increase the blood supply to your tissues.

EditVideo

EditRelated wikiHows

• Treat Gangrene
• Treat a Burn Using Honey
• Check out Cuts, Scratches and Abrasions
• Attend to a Stab Wound
• Decide to Use a Tourniquet (Home Remedy)
• Treat a Knife Wound

EditSources and Citations

Cite error: <ref> tags exist, but no <references/> tag was found

Heaven help us that we've reached this point: where the legacy of a blatant B-movie retread like 1996's Independence Day can be looked upon fondly, especially in light of a sequel. I have no interest in holding the original film up to some American Film Institute-level standard; the campy Roland Emmerich flick is a classic because it knew its place as a piece of hyperbolic, chest-thumping sci-fi.

But what happens when the original creator doesn't know how to make that kind of fun happen anymore? That's when you get Independence Day: Resurgence, the long-teased, finally-here sequel that somehow hews closely to its predictable source material without repeating a single good note. Abandon any hopes for the last film's cheesy-yet-inspiring President Bill Pullman. Don't get your hopes up for a comically cocky fighter pilot or an abrasive and darkly funny super-nerd. And prepare yourself for phoned-in dialogue and action set pieces so underwhelming that you'll swear you've tuned into a high-budget porno—albeit one that distinctly lacks anything in the way of sex. Or fun.

No two actors can replace Will Smith, apparently

Jeff Goldblum returns as David Levinson. Photo Credit: Claudette Barius.

9 more images in gallery

It's 2016 in America, and our country is kickin' it with a female president, a smattering of low-flying transportation and surveillance aircraft, strong alliances with the world's greatest nations (even Russia!), and a fully operational moon base. Life's pretty sweet these days, so long as you don't have a chip on your shoulder about your parents dying when a bunch of aliens messed your planet up in 1996. Conveniently enough, most of this film's heroes have that in common.

Read 9 remaining paragraphs | Comments

From the entrance of Nashville, TN's Lane Motor Museum. (credit: Megan Geuss)

When Ars was invited to do a test drive of the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze in Nashville, we wanted to make the most of our trip down south. Between playing the tourist by looking for live music and eating hot chicken, we made a stop at the Lane Motor Museum. Founded by Jeff Lane in 2003, the museum houses an extraordinary collection of rare and replica vehicles, including oddities and historical models. 

We took plenty of pictures, but there were a lot of cars we missed as well. For a more complete look, we recommend you stop by next time you're in Nashville.

We've separated photos of some of the coolest cars into categories. The first category are traditional vehicles, plane components, or vehicle styles that have been modified to create something new and exciting. For instance, the replica Dymaxion, originally designed by Buckminster Fuller, is a spiritual ancestor of today's nerd/maker culture. The Dymaxion was supposed to eventually be an all-purpose vehicle, capable of flying, driving, and floating. Alas, after a couple fateful accidents and a lack of funding, work on the Dymaxion was discontinued.

Read 4 remaining paragraphs | Comments

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court issued a ruling this week that could have a greater impact on those driving on the Baltimore-Washington, George Washington and Suitland Parkways compared to state roads and city streets.

The justices ruled that police must get a search warrant before making drivers take a blood-alcohol test.

When police suspect drunk driving on the streets of the District, drivers are typically asked to take a breathalyzer test not a blood test, according to D.C.-based defense attorney David Benowitz of Price Benowitz LLP.

“If you’re stopped by local law enforcement in the District of Columbia, unless there is a traffic accident, 99 times out of a 100 you’re not getting blood tested,” Benowitz said.

In its ruling, which came in three cases, the high court decided that search warrants are not required for police to administer breath tests, because the justices say breath tests are less invasive than blood tests.

But according to Benowitz, suspected drunk drivers have been facing different treatment on federal parkways in this area.

“If you are arrested on a suspicion of a DUI on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway or the George Washington Parkway, you would be prosecuted, potentially federally, and the law enforcement on those particular federal highways use blood tests almost exclusively. …There’s a history, for example, of the United States Park Police, when they arrest people on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway of forcibly administering a blood test without a warrant and that will certainly change,” Benowitz said.

U.S. Park Police Sgt. Anna Rose said the Supreme Court ruling is consistent with police procedures on federal roadways including the Baltimore-Washington Parkway. She said police usually, but not always, obtain search warrants before any blood test is administered.

The post Lawyer: SCOTUS ruling on drunk driving enforcement reverberates locally appeared first on WTOP.

It can be a bummer when gorgeous weather beckons you to go outside and you suddenly find your adventurous spirit hampered by your one true enemy: allergies. Why is it that harmless plants seem to attack our senses? And why are only some of us affected?

Read more...

Nutella is delicious, and useful for lots of desserts, but if you have a jar that’s running a little low, a quick hot (or cold) cocoa is an easy way to use it up and make something tasty and special.

Read more...

Let’s say you’ve finally moved to a home or apartment with enough outdoor space for a little garden to call your own. What sort of tools will you need to get started? Are all trowels created equal? This video explains the basics of what you’ll need.

Read more...

Whether you just don’t have air conditioning, don’t want to fire it up just yet, or want to save money on energy, there are lots of ways to keep cool as the mercury rises. Here are some good ones.

Read more...

Fried ice cream is the perfect marriage of dichotomies. It’s crunchy and creamy, hot and cold, and utterly delicious, but it’s not really something I want to mess with at home. Luckily, you can get a crunchy outer shell around orbs of ice cream, no frying required.

Read more...

CANTON, Ga. (AP) — Authorities say a former school police officer in north Georgia has been arrested in connection with the death of a police K-9 who was left in a patrol car for hours.

Cherokee County Chief Marshal Ron Hunton told local news media on Wednesday that former Lt. Daniel Peabody is charged with felony animal cruelty and making false statements. Hunton says the Belgian Malinois named Inka died June 10 after being left inside the car by Peabody for nearly three hours.

Hunton says the 50-year-old Peabody forgot the dog was in the car. A necropsy says the dog died from heatstroke. Temperatures had reached into the 90s that day.

Peabody is being held at the local jail on a $22,400 bond. It’s unclear if he has an attorney.

The post Ex-officer arrested after police K-9 dies in patrol car appeared first on WTOP.

WASHINGTON — Pesky geese at two parks in Maryland will soon be turned into food for the homeless, after attempts to control their population by non-lethal methods over the years have failed.

David Petersen, natural resources specialist for Montgomery Parks, said that 100 to 150 geese will be taken from Martin Luther King Jr. Recreational Park in Silver Spring, Maryland and Rock Creek Regional Park near Gaithersburg.

The bird round up is expected to happen between the end of June and the middle of July. The geese will be processed and the meat will be donated to the Maryland Food Bank.

“We didn’t jump to this method,” said Petersen. “It’s not something we take lightly.”

Excessive feces is one of the problems with the geese, which can produce up to a pound a day per bird.

Petersen said the feces carries potentially harmful bacteria that impacts the water quality at the parks and causes unsanitary conditions on athletic fields and lawn areas.

Petersen said the birds’ grazing can damage turf and athletic fields. He said that, in the spring, the geese are protective of their nests and can attack people, which can be a problem for small children.

The Humane Society of the United States has voiced its concern over the plans and would prefer the park system exhaust every non-lethal type of management.

“For a number of years we’ve been trying to control the geese and the issues they bring,” Petersen said.  “We’ve had everything from mess management to habitat landscape manipulation, some control devices such as sprinklers and bubblers in the ponds at MLK.  All these things have been marginally effective.”

So now, he said, they’ve decided to take next step to remove of the geese from the site.

“For us it’s the first time we’ve used this method, but it is by no means unprecedented in our area,” he said.

Petersen said this is a problem up and down the East Coast.

“Throughout the region, this is a control method that’s been used for decades,” he said. “It’s used anywhere from local agencies up to federal agencies, as well as private entities, homeowners associations not only in the region but also in the country, too.”

The post Pesky geese to become food for the homeless appeared first on WTOP.

NEW YORK (AP) — The World Trade Center’s newest, $2.5 billion skyscraper reached its full 80 stories Thursday — one of three high-rises now up at the site, with one more to go.

Almost 15 years after the twin towers collapsed, the site of the Sept. 11 terror attacks has turned into a resplendent hub of soaring architecture, bustling businesses and urban greenery.

But a series of construction security fences signal that there’s still plenty of unfinished work before the 16-acre site is totally back to life.

A ceremony Thursday marked the topping out of 3 World Trade Center, with about 1,000 workers signing a massive construction bucket that was lifted to the brim, along with a big American flag. It was a victory for the tower that had languished for a few years before financing finally came through.

Several workers at the ceremony still remembered the 16-acre pit of fiery debris they helped to clean up after the 9/11 terror attacks.

“This is very emotional,” said 53-year-old Frank Hussey, a native of Jamaica who watched the original towers fall in 2001 and has worked on every skyscraper that is now up at the site. “To have witnessed what happened and to go through all the different phases of cleaning up and construction, and watch people’s spirits go from low to high — all that makes today a great day.”

The building at 3 World Trade is one of three new skyscrapers that replace the decimated twin towers. The others are the 72-story 4 World Trade Center and the main edifice of the rebuilt site, the 104-floor One World Trade Center that dominates the post 9/11 Manhattan skyline and is the city’s tallest building.

A fourth planned skyscraper is 2 World Trade Center, the foundation of which was built up to street level several years ago. That’s where the money also stopped, due to the lack of an anchor tenant that would make financing more likely.

Developer Larry Silverstein, who is responsible for erecting towers 3 and 4, told The Associated Press he is confident he will find an anchor tenant, noting “failure was not an option.”

As for the rest of the 16-acre site, there is the shimmering new Transportation Hub, with huge, white “wings” that Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava says represent the souls of the nearly 3,000 people who died in the 9/11 attack.

The all-white marble underground concourse that crosses the entire trade center site is filled with shops that will also open in August.

Blocked off by chain-link security fences and armed guards is a bulky new dark gray building at the site’s southwest corner, with vehicle ramps leading underground. This is the security center that will screen trucks loaded with deliveries, linked via subterranean tunnels to garages for tour buses and the entire trade center.

The hard-core, concrete and steel construction of the complex is softened by the grass and trees surrounding the two memorial pools built in the footprints of the twin towers — steps from 3 World Trade Center.

And in the works on the roof of the security center overlooking the memorial is the elevated public Liberty Park, nearing completion with a “Living Wall” installation of periwinkle, Japanese spurge, and Baltic ivy.

The post World Trade Center skyscrapers: 3 up, 1 to go appeared first on WTOP.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — One of the six men long identified in an iconic World War II photograph showing the raising of the American flag at Iwo Jima was actually not in the image, the Marine Corps announced Thursday after conducting an investigation prompted by the claims of two amateur historians.

The Marines formed a review panel earlier this year after the two history buffs studied a number of photos shot during two flag-raisings atop Mount Suribachi during an intense battle between American and Japanese forces in 1945. They claimed the identifications made by the Marines of the six men in the famous photo by Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthal included mistakes, and after the review, the Marine Corps agreed.

“Our history is important to us, and we have a responsibility to ensure it’s right,” Marine Commandant Gen. Robert Neller said in a statement.

A panel found that Private First Class Harold Schultz, of Detroit, was in the photo and that Navy Pharmacist’s Mate 2nd Class John Bradley wasn’t. Bradley had participated in an earlier flag-raising on Mount Suribachi, and his role took on a central role after his son, James Bradley, wrote a best-selling book about the flag raisers, “Flags of Our Fathers,” which was later made into a movie directed by Clint Eastwood.

James Bradley declined to comment Thursday when reached by phone. However, he told the AP in May that the Marines’ decision to investigate the matter led him to believe his father confused the first and second raisings of the flag.

“My father raised a flag on Iwo Jima,” Bradley said. “The Marines told him way after the fact, ‘Here’s a picture of you raising the flag.’ He had a memory of him raising a flag, and the two events came together.”

Random House, the publisher of “Flags of Our Fathers,” released a statement Thursday noting that James Bradley had already concluded his father wasn’t in the famed photo. It said he was working on a new afterward to his book, which will be included with the digital editions soon and with later print editions.

The Marines began a review after being contacted by researchers working on a Smithsonian Channel documentary spurred by amateur historians Eric Krelle, of Omaha, Nebraska, and Stephen Foley, of Wexford, Ireland, whose questions about the photo were first reported by the Omaha World-Herald in 2014.

More than 6,500 U.S. servicemen died in the battle at Iwo Jima, a tiny island 660 miles south of Tokyo that was deemed vital to the U.S. war effort because Japanese fighter planes based there were intercepting American bomber planes. The invasion began on Feb. 19, 1945, with about 70,000 Marines battling 18,000 Japanese soldiers for 36 days.

Besides those killed, about 20,000 Americans were wounded. Only about 200 Japanese soldiers were captured, with the others killed in the fighting.

Krelle and Foley compared a number of images shot of an earlier flag-raising and the raising of a second, larger flag captured by Rosenthal. They found discrepancies between what the men were wearing, their weapons and equipment they had, prompting Krelle and Foley to argue that some of the Marines had been misidentified and that Bradley participated in the first flag-raising but not the second effort that made for the famous image.

The Marines now agree that Schultz, who died in 1995 at age 70, helped raise the flag, along with Harlon Block, Rene Gagnon, Ira Hayes, Franklin Sousley and Michael Strank.

The Marine Corps earlier had mistakenly identified a figure in the photo as Sousley who actually was Schultz. Another figure who had been identified as Bradley was Sousley, leaving Bradley out of the picture.

Block, Sousley and Strank died at Iwo Jima before the photo was distributed in the U.S.

Neller said it’s important to set the record straight but that the photo was never about the individuals shown in the image.

“Simply stated, our fighting spirit is captured in that frame, and it remains a symbol of the tremendous accomplishments of our Corps — what they did together and what they represent remains most important. That doesn’t change,” Neller said.

Matthew Morgan, a retired Marine lieutenant colonel who helped produce the Smithsonian Channel documentary that will air July 3, said he’s thankful people can finally learn of Schultz’s role on Mount Suribachi. Schultz, who was wounded at Iwo Jima, moved to Los Angeles and worked for the post office after the war, apparently never mentioning his part in the flag-raising.

“The men most worthy of honor are those who don’t seek it, and Harold epitomizes that,” Morgan said.

___

Follow Scott McFetridge on Twitter at https://twitter.com/smcfetridge

The post Marines: Man in Iwo Jima flag raising photo misidentified appeared first on WTOP.

CANTON, Ga. (AP) — Authorities are investigating whether a former Georgia school police officer lied about killing a retired K-9, following the death of his most recent K-9 in a hot patrol car.

Investigators say former Cherokee County School Police Lt. Daniel Peabody is charged with felony animal cruelty after Inca, a Belgian Malinois, died of heat stroke after being left inside the car for nearly three hours on June 10.

Peabody is also charged with lying to police about the 2012 death of a retired K-9 in his care. Peabody told investigators the yellow lab, named Dale, fatally choked on a toy. The Marshal’s Office says the investigation into Inca’s death turned up evidence that Peabody shot and killed Dale.

Authorities say they’ve exhumed the body of a dog from Peabody’s backyard.

The post Dog exhumed from backyard after ex-officer’s K-9 dies in car appeared first on WTOP.

BLOOMSBURG, Pa. (AP) — Five Pennsylvania teens who posed for a photo around a lineup of dead and bloody small animals — including opossums, raccoons and bullfrogs — have been cited for bludgeoning some of the creatures to death.

Wildlife Conservation Officer Jason Kelley tells the Bloomsburg Press Enterprise (http://bit.ly/28QGqiR ) the teens didn’t have a clear explanation for why they killed the animals June 7.

He says after one the teens posted the photo to Instagram, the commission started to get complaints.

The animals included two beaten opossums, a raccoon, 10 frogs, two pigeons and a snake. They told officials that the raccoon was roadkill.

The teens were cited for various infractions, some for unlawfully killing an opossum or possessing a bullfrog out of season. Four have paid fines; a fifth hasn’t entered a plea yet.

___

Information from: Press Enterprise, http://www.pressenterpriseonline.com

The post Teens in photo with lineup of dead animals cited over deaths appeared first on WTOP.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A Louisiana mother arrested for whipping her three boys after she found out they had burglarized a neighbor’s house has found herself in the national spotlight and is being held up as a model parent by high-ranking state officials.

Schaquana Spears, 30, was arrested Monday in Baton Rouge and charged with two counts of cruelty to juveniles — felony charges. She allegedly whipped her 13- and 12-year-old boys so badly she left marks on their bodies. Lacerations on the 13-year-old’s arms had bled, an East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office report said.

In interviews with the media, including one on nationally televised “CBS This Morning,” Spears has said she whipped her children to make sure they do not take to a life of crime. She said the children’s father was in prison and that she didn’t want them to end up there, too.

“I never could imagine trying to be a good mother would end me up in jail with a criminal record, like I’m a predator out to hurt my kids,” she told WBRZ-TV, a Baton Rouge television station. “I didn’t want them to commit another crime.”

She whipped the boys June 17 after she found they had stolen a hoverboard and other items from a neighbor’s house, Brenden Craig, her lawyer, said in a telephone interview.

A sheriff’s report said she whipped them with either an electrical cord or a belt. She also whipped her 10-year-old boy, but not as much as the other two, according to the sheriff’s report.

“She’s a good mom,” Craig said. “She is a loving mother who wants to see her kids do the right thing. She did what any reasonable parent would and should do.”

Since her arrest, she’s received an outpouring of support.

On Wednesday, Louisiana State Treasurer John Kennedy, a Republican running for a U.S. Senate seat, said in a letter to the secretary of the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services that Spears should not have been arrested for disciplining her children with corporal punishment.

“In biblical times, sparing the rod led to a spoiled child,” he wrote. “In modern times, sparing the rod leads to an imprisoned child.”

On Friday, Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry echoed that sentiment and said in a statement that he was grateful his mother used a rod to teach right from wrong.

“To be a peaceful and moral society, it is imperative our children learn right from wrong,” Landry said. “I am grateful for my loving mother who did not spare the rod to teach this valuable lesson.”

The attorney general said he was reviewing the case because the state faced potential liability, presumably if Spears files a civil suit over the matter.

Craig, Spears’ lawyer, said a civil lawsuit looked warranted.

Landry also said he would determine if Spears’ children were removed from her custody and if the Department of Children and Family Services was justified in doing so.

Catherine Soileau Heitman, press secretary for the Department of Children and Family Services, said a judge on Monday found it was in the best interest of the 13-year-old boy to be placed in the custody of child services and that he was transferred to the custody of a relative Wednesday.

In a statement, Marketa Walters, the head of the Department of Children and Family Services, said discipline “crosses into abuse when it leaves a child cut, burned, bloody or bruised.” She added: “We’re referring to something more than a mere ‘spanking.'”

The post Louisiana officials praise mother arrested for whipping sons appeared first on WTOP.

In general, it’s not a good idea to feed food potentially tainted with salmonella or listeria to anyone, let alone your favorite pets. That’s why Radagast Pet Food, makers of the Rad Cat line of raw cat foods, is recalling three of its flavors.

Radagast announced Thursday that it would recall certain lots of beef, chicken, and turkey Rad Cat Raw Diet pet food because they may be contaminated with Salmonella and/or Listeria monocytogenes.

According to a notice posted with the Food & Drug Administration, the recall was initiated after lab tests confirmed salmonella and/or listeria in samples of the cat food.

An FDA-contracted third-party lab found two lots of Grass-Fed Beef tested positive for listeria, one lot of Free-range Chicken tested positive for listeria, and one lot of Free-range Turkey tested positive for salmonella and listeria.

The recall covers products, which were sold at retailer in 48 states except for Hawaii and Mississippi, in a variety of sizes and package styles of the Rad Cat Raw Diet pet foods, including free 1-ounce sample cups as well as 8-, 16- and 24-ounce tubs.

Affected products can be identified by the lot codes 62384, 62361, 62416, and 62372 and Best By dates are located on the lid of all products packaged in tubs and on the bottom of the sample cups.

The following products are included in the recall:

Radagast Pet Food warns that the bacteria found in the food can pose a risk to both pets and humans, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the products or any surfaces exposed to these products.

Pets with salmonella or listeria infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Some pets may have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain, according to the recall notice.

Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, contact your veterinarian.

Consumers who purchased recalled products should not return them to a retailer but dispose of them securely.

However, Radagast will provide customers with refunds. This can be done by filling out all sections of the company’s Consumer Claims Form which can be found on their website www.RadFood.com and returned to the retailer where they purchased the product for a refund.

NORFOLK (AP) — The mysterious “zombie bee” parasite that kills honeybees has reached the southern United States after scientists confirmed a case in Virginia about an hour outside Roanoke, researchers announced this week.

The discovery suggests the phenomenon is more widespread than previously thought, although researchers still know little about how many bees it actually kills.

Flies attach themselves to the bees and inject their eggs, causing erratic “zombie-like” behavior in the bees such as flying at night and toward light. The bees often die within hours. Fly larvae burst out of their carcasses days later.

The phenomenon was first discovered in California in 2008 and has spread to states including Oregon, South Dakota and New York. But even as “zombie bees” reach the South, scientists still don’t know what role they might play in the pollinator’s alarming decline.

“We’re trying to answer some of these questions about how important this is,” said John Hafernik, a biology professor at San Francisco State University who studies “zombie bees.” ”We don’t know whether it’s a major player in honeybee decline or a minor actor in a B-movie.”

Honeybees contribute billions of dollars to the U.S. agriculture industry. They already fall prey to mites, viruses and Colony Collapse Disorder, a phenomenon in which worker bees disappear or abandon their hives.

Hafernik said he turned to the nation’s beekeepers to lookout for “zombie bees” and report any noticeable patterns. One of them is Lynn Berry, 50, of Collinsville, Virginia, a receiving manager at a mattress and pillow factory who keeps bees as a hobby with his wife and mother-in-law.

Berry learned about “zombie bees” from presentations at local bee clubs. And some of his bees did indeed hover at night around an outdoor garage light before dying.

He put the carcasses in a jar covered with cheese cloth. After maggots emerged days later, he contacted scientists in California, who confirmed that Berry had discovered Virginia’s first case.

“My concern is what is going to happen as this spreads more and more,” Berry said. “At this point it’s kind of sporadic and here and there. But everything starts somewhere. Bees have enough issues as it is.”

In the meantime, like-minded beekeepers across the country are collecting dead bee samples. But Richard Fell, professor emeritus at Virginia Tech’s entomology department, said he’s not alarmed yet.

For instance, he said, there are flies in other parts of the world that have similarly killed bees without a severe impact on the population.

“At this point, I’m not worried,” Fell said. “We don’t have enough data to make any kind of conclusion.”

The post Mysterious ‘zombie bee’ scourge reaches southern US appeared first on WTOP.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Either the African-American woman who founded what’s now Bethune-Cookman University, the founder of Publix supermarkets or the woman credited with saving the Everglades will replace a Confederate general’s statue that represents Florida in the U.S. Capitol.

The three Floridians were selected Wednesday by a committee that reviewed 130 recommendations made by the public. The Legislature will now choose which of the three will replace the statue of Edmund Kirby Smith.

Mary McLeod Bethune, who founded Daytona Literary and Industrial Training School for Negro Girls in 1904, was the unanimous choice of the four-member committee on its first vote. Bethune’s school eventually became the historically black university that bears her name in Daytona Beach.

Publix founder George Washington Jenkins and “The Everglades: River of Grass” author Marjory Stoneman Douglas were the pick of two members. No other person received more than one vote and the committee immediately agreed to accept the three without a second vote.

Gov. Rick Scott signed a bill into law that requires Smith’s statue be removed. The Legislature agreed a Confederate general shouldn’t represent the state — especially one who moved from Florida when he was 12.

Smith is famous largely as the last Confederate officer to surrender a significant force at the end of the Civil War, nearly two months after Robert E. Lee’s April 9, 1865, surrender at Appomattox Court House Virginia

Bethune was also by far the top pick of a public survey conducted ahead of the meeting. During the meeting, Daisy Grimes, a Bethune-Cookman employee, said Bethune was the epitome of a great American and read a passage from her will.

“I leave you love. Love builds. It is positive and helpful. Our aim must be to create a world of fellowship and justice where no man’s skin color or religion is held against him,” Grimes read.

Douglas’ ashes were spread over the Everglades after she died in 1998 at the age of 108. In 1947, she helped lead the successful push to have nearly 1.6 million acres designated as Everglades National Park. Everglades Foundation CEO Eric Eikenberg said it would be particularly fitting to have Douglas represent Florida in the Capitol as the state continues to push the federal government for help restoring the River of Grass.

“It would be nice to have Marjory Stoneman Douglas’s statue staring at the House and Senate ensuring that the proper amount of federal dollars are sent down to Florida so we can restore the Everglades once and for all,” he said.

Jenkins opened the first Publix in 1930 in Winter Haven. The chain has since grown to 1,077 supermarkets with nearly $29 billion in sales last year, according to its corporate website.

Among other top recommendations made by the public were James Weldon Johnson, who was Florida’s first African-American lawyer; railroad and hotel builder Henry Flagler; Walt Disney and Osceola, who was a Seminole Tribe leader during the Second Seminole War.

To be eligible for consideration, Floridians had to be dead for 10 years, human and not a work of fiction. Among recommendations that were submitted and tossed out were Mickey Mouse and Flipper the dolphin. Former quarterback Tim Tebow was recommended by 153 people, the most among the ineligible.

___

Follow Brendan Farrington on Twitter: http://twitter.com/bsfarrington

The post Florida’s has 3 suggestions to replace Confederate statue appeared first on WTOP.

If you’ve ever looked at a plate of glowing, orange-ish mac and cheese and thought, “Hey, this looks a bit like a Cheeto… they should put mac and cheese inside of huge Cheetos… where’s my shoe?” then Burger King has apparently been reading your mind, announcing the test of, what else, “Mac n’ Cheetos.”

Burger King debuted the concoction on Wednesday, describing it as a portable snack mashup as a “dangerously cheesy re-imagination” that combines creamy mac n’ cheese covered with crispy Cheetos flavor.

The unholy fast food combination — which looks like a typical Cheeto only stuffed with macaroni noodles and a cheese sauce — will be available at unspecified participating Burger King restaurants for a limited time starting June 27, and will be sold in orders of five pieces for $2.49.

Burger King says the new snack item is for anyone who “wished they could eat warm mac n’ cheese like they do a bag of chips.” Totally appealing, no?

This, of course, isn’t the first time we’ve seen companies combine traditional meals with popular chip flavors.

In fact, Burger King’s new creation brings back memories of that time we tried 7-Eleven’s Doritos-cheese stick hybrid: the Doritos Loaded.

While the convenience store took the snack on the road to more locations after about four months of testing, our own (unscientific) experience with the item was described as a “place where Doritos and cheese sticks go to die.”

Perhaps we have Taco Bell to blame for the chip-snack-cheese mashup. The company kicked off the chip-flavored trend with the cheesy nacho-flavored Doritos Locos Taco back in 2011, and its other iterations, the Cool Ranch and Fiery Doritos tacos.

Taco Bell obviously wasn’t done with its love affair of chips, either, as the company began testing a Cheetos filled Crunchwrap slider in Canada earlier this year.