A Little Gassy
Estimated amount of gasoline wasted in U.S. traffic jams each day, in gallons: 12,600,000
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Military Bases
The Department of Defense has 562,000 military bases and facilities located around the world, which collectively cover 24.7 million acres—nearly the size of Virginia. Much of that space is now unused, but Congress has barred the Pentagon from conducting a detailed assessment out of fear that bases in home districts would be closed.
Read moreLeft On A Plane
A survey of 700 flight attendants revealed that among the items air passengers have left on planes are a live parrot, a box of dried fish, a toupee, hand-cuffs, and a glass eye.
Read moreExecutions in Saudi Arabia
88: Number of executions carried out in Saudi Arabia so far this year, already surpassing the total number in 2014; Amnesty International called the increase under Saudi’s new King Salman a “macabre spike”.
Read moreShot In The Back
Number of U.S. police officers who have been prosecuted in the past decade for shooting someone in the back: 28 Number convicted: 6
Read moreSuicide rate in South Korea soars
The suicide rate in South Korea has more than doubled in the past decade, the government said this week. South Korea has one of the highest suicide rates in the world; for citizens in their 20s and 30s, suicide is the leading cause of death. Some analysts say the act has become normalized by a spate of high-profile suicides, including […]
Read moreFamily in Korea
“Family” is traditionally the most important part of Korean life, but families are now falling apart. The national divorce rate has tripled from 2013 to 2014. South Korea has had the highest suicide rate among developed countries for eight consecutive years. In 2012, 39 people per day killed themselves. Suicide is the leading cause of death for 10- to 30-year-old […]
Read moreMarijuana Related Tweets
Percentage of marijuana-related tweets that support use of the drug: 77
Read moreMillennial Views
The lower you go on the generational totem pole, the more ethnically diverse you get. Young adults between 18-24 (so-called Millennial) don’t like racial labels because they don’t recognize the dividing lines of the past—they are the vanguard of a “colorblind” culture. But their wildly . diverse life experiences have created an almost-random pattern of values and beliefs, including: • […]
Read moreCITY TRAFFIC
THE PROBLEM Congestion caused by commuters carries an annual price tag of $121 billion in wasted time and fuel costs. The average American who drives to work wastes 38 hours in traffic each year. THE INNOVATION City planning authorities increasingly prioritize pedestrians and cyclists over cars. A commitment to public transportation also signals the end of the age when cars […]
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