In 2012, some 2.9 million adults and teens tried an illicit drug for the first time. More than 80% of them used pot. Among all pot users, 40% take the drug 20 or more days a month. Two states have legalized it for recreational use.
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China has surpassed Mexico as the largest source of new U.S. immigrants. China was the country of origin for 147,000 immigrants in 2013, compared with Mexico at 125,000, according to a new U.S. Census Bureau study.
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Factor by which a placebo for Parkinson’s disease is more effective when the patient is told it costs $1,500 rather than $100: 2
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If nightmares about Jaws are keeping you from taking a dip in the ocean, relax. You’re much less appetizing than you think. 11: U.S. fatalities from sharks, 1990-2006 16: U.S. fatalities from collapsing sand holes, 1990-2006 1 in 310,733: Odds of dying in a fireworks accident 1 in 3,750,000: Odds of dying in a shark attack 80: Total unprovoked shark attacks around the world in 2012 30 Million: Sharks killed by people each year 219: Estimated […]
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Percentage by which New York City’s homeless-shelter population increased under Bloomeberg: 65 Portion of the city’s shelter population who are children: 2/5
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Estimated amount of gasoline wasted in U.S. traffic jams each day, in gallons: 12,600,000
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. . . breathing deeply, after a Chinese travel company shipped bags of fresh mountain air to the smog-choked city of Zhengzhou as a treat for residents. “I felt my baby move right when I breathed in,” said a pregnant woman who waited on line for a sniff.
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Average number of hours a U.S. child aged 8 to 18 spends using an electronic device or watching television each day: 7.6
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As diabetes rates rise worldwide, so does the illegal trade in human kidneys.The World Health Organization estimates that 10,000 black-market operations a year are being performed in places like China, Pakistan, and India, as doctors transplant kidneys purchased from poor donors for as little as $5,000 into richer patients paying up to $200,000.
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“In politics, if you want anything said, ask a man. If you want anything done, ask a woman.” – Margaret Thatcher
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