Puerto Rico Votes In Favor Of Statehood
Puerto Ricans have voted overwhelmingly in favor of becoming the 51st state. The island territory's governor says that the 97-percent of people who voted in favor of statehood in a referendum yesterday. Thing is, the turnout was at a historic low – at just 23% - the lowest level of participation in any election in Puerto Rico since 1967. That leaves serious questions about the legitimacy of the vote. But it's also non-binding.
Why such a low turnout? A boycott that was called over the vote. And in spite of the vote for statehood, adding a 51st star to the American flag is long way off. That's because it would still take an act of the U.S. Congress to officially add Puerto Rico to the U.S. And word is that the Republican-controlled Congress isn’t too warm to the concept.
Still, Gov. Ricardo Rossello says he’ll create a commission to appoint two senators and five representatives to demand statehood. Speaking before what was described as a “few hundred” supporters, he added, quote – “The United States of America will have to obey the will of our people!”
Source: Washington Post
Spider Crawls Out Of Woman’s Ear After She Complains Of A Headache-You probably will never sleep outside again after seeing this video.
A woman in India decided to nap outside, then woke up with a tingling sensation in her head and discomfort in her ear. Her daughter looked inside with a flashlight and that’s when the pan became unbearable.
The woman’s husband took her to the doctor and as they filmed, a large spider walked out of her ear.
You’re welcome for the nightmares!
Source: UPI
Today is National Peanut Butter Cookie Day
Music Festival Tent Finding App!
The days of wandering around drunk and aimlessly at that huge music festival just so you can find your tent are over!
The new app, Tent Finder, lets you mark where you put your tent so you can find it easily again (no matter how lit you are). Now when you have the same tent as everyone else, it won’t be so big of a deal!
The app was created by outdoors company Boutique Camping. You can check other things, too – like where your care is meet up spots with your friends, or bathrooms. The app is only available on iPhone, but it’s free! So download away and find your sleeping bags!
Source: Metro
Cancer Drug Works So Well, It Gets OK’d Right Away
There’s a new cancer drug that helps shrink tumors in patients who haven’t had luck with other treatments for their cancer. Keytruda is the brand name of the drug that had such promising results in research, the FDA has already approved it.
In the small study, 86 cancer patients with tumors of the pancreas, prostate, uterus, or bone were given Keytruda. After taking it, 66 patients had their tumors “shrink substantially and stabilize” instead of keep growing. And of those 66, 18 had their tumors vanish and they haven’t returned.
“The FDA doesn’t take these kinds of things lightly. The data was so good, they had to approve it.” explains Dr. Jack Jacoub, medical oncologist. “This form of therapy, plus something else, may allow us to potentially cure and eradicate cancer. These are the steps that are getting us closer to that goal.”
Source: Yahoo
Bad Co-Workers Affect Your Health
If you feel lousy after work, your co-workers may be making you sick.
We don’t mean sick with a cold, we mean in your overall health. Turns out a study shows that not only can unkind co-workers and bosses make work life hell, but your health too.
The study, “Targeted workplace incivility: The roles of belongingness, embarrassment, and power” from the University of Calgary’s Haskayne School of Business and London School of Economics and Political Science, revealed that workers have experienced physical symptoms such as headaches, stomach problems and sleeplessness as a result of a colleague’s difficult behavior.
There are a couple ways to handle this; try and put yourself in that person’s shoes and talk to them. If that doesn’t work, talk to your HR person. Source: New York Post
French Fries May Kill You
Is there anything bad about a French Fry? Okay, they aren’t exactly health food but they certainly are delicious. But now a new study suggests that not only are they not healthy, but they could actually kill you.
A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that if you eat fried potatoes of any form at least twice a week it could increase your risk of death.
The eight-year study followed the fried potato eating habits 4,400 volunteers between the ages of 45 and 79 and found that those who ate the greasy goodness twice a week increased their risk of death more than double those who didn’t.
There is one bit of good news in the study. Turns out if you don’t want to die you don’t have to give up potatoes altogether, just the fried ones. Boiling, baking or mashing potatoes showed no increased risk of death at all. At least until another study tells us differently.
Source: Today
The Strange Thing About Shopping At Target That Makes You Buy More
You walk into Target to get one thing: in and out. You've got to stay focused, there are other things to do. But three hours later you've bought your entire family matching footy pajamas and every swimsuit in your size.
However, while you were busy stuffing your shopping cart with things you didn't need, you probably didn't have time to realize that the store was completely silent. That's right, unlike many of its competitors; Target opts to keep its intercom music free.
But before you rush to the store to see if we're lying, now it looks like the company is reconsidering that position. The Minneapolis Business Journal reports that the retail store giant has been testing music in a few stores over the past couple of years.
Around 65 stores have music playing now, but the plan is to integrate music into at least 180 stores by the end of the year with a playlist that's "upbeat, positive and has a playful personality," according to a Target spokesperson.
This could be good news for our terrible shopping habits, because research suggests that listening to music increases productivity. So maybe the silence is to blame for the day-long excursions? And even if the music doesn't affect productivity, studies have shown that it can improve mood – which can increase productivity.
Adding music is just another part of Target's overhaul; including 85 remodeled stores, 30 brand new locations, updated commercials, and cocktails while you shop.