Central Perk

miercuri, 21 decembrie 2011

Damn Cool Pics

Pen Removed from Woman's Stomach after 25 Years and Still Works
America’s Pet Frenzy [infographic]
Dubstep Dancing On The Great Wall Of China
First World Problems
90′s Kid Christmas List

Pen Removed from Woman's Stomach after 25 Years and Still Works

Posted: 21 Dec 2011 04:12 PM PST

A 76 year old woman accidentally swallowed a pen. She wanted a better look at her tonsils. She used a mirror and a pen, which slipped and went down the esophagus (food canal)! Doctors didn't believe her when she went to get herself checked. Furthermore, X-rays didn't show anything.

Twenty-five years later, a surgeon removed it from her and found the pen in full working order. This story has all the makings of a wonderful ad campaign for the pen manufacturer.

Source: British Medical Journal

America’s Pet Frenzy [infographic]

Posted: 21 Dec 2011 03:47 PM PST

It's always strange to realize just how much we spend on things that we don't consider regular, heavy expenses. American pet care is a $50 billion dollar industry and growing. As infrequently as vet visits seem to come up for my family, the bill for most any procedure is at least $200. Pets are a part of the family, and I'm certainly not one to cut corners, but some of our spending is very unnecessary.

More Infographics.

Click on Image to Enlarge.

Source: frugaldad

Dubstep Dancing On The Great Wall Of China

Posted: 20 Dec 2011 11:42 PM PST

Regardless of your opinion on DUBSTEP music I doubt you can get enough of Marquese Scott's bad-ass dance moves. He takes his antigravity dancing to the most unlikely location, China's Great Wall.

First World Problems

Posted: 20 Dec 2011 11:21 PM PST

People in this modern world sometimes take some privileges for granted. These are troubles that bother our minds once in a while. Yeah, life can be so hard. Sure.

90′s Kid Christmas List

Posted: 20 Dec 2011 10:04 PM PST

Buzzfeed has a "'90s Kid's Christmas List" with toys like, Moon Shoes, Stretch Armstrong, and Gak. Ah, good times. I'm pretty sure any kid would want this Christmas list under their tree. What were your favorite toys in the 90's?

Moon Shoes

Skip-It

Creepy Crawlers

Koosh Ball

Tamagotchi

Gak

Silly Putty

Super Soaker

Roller Blades

Super Nintendo

Talkboy

My Little Pony

Pogs

Beanie Babies

Tickle Me Elmo

Micro Machines

Bop It

Stretch Armstrong

Power Wheels

VIDEO: President Obama Highlights Historic New Mercury Emissions Standards

December 21, 2011

President Obama Highlights Historic New Mercury Emissions Standards

Protecting American Families and the Environment from Mercury Pollution

By Heather Zichal, Deputy Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change

Today marks yet another historic day in the Obama Administration’s efforts to protect the health of American families and our environment.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has finalized the first-ever national standards to reduce mercury and other toxic air emissions – like arsenic, acid gas, and cyanide – from power plants, which are the largest sources of this pollution in the United States.

This crucial step forward will bring enormous public health benefits. By substantially reducing emissions of toxic pollutants that lead to neurological damage, cancer, respiratory illnesses, and other serious health issues, these standards will benefit millions of people across the country, but especially children, older Americans, and other vulnerable populations. Cumulatively, the total health and economic benefits to society could reach $90 billion each year.

When fully implemented, these new standards will, on an annual basis, help prevent:

Up to 11,000 premature deaths;

2,800 cases of chronic bronchitis;
4,700 heart attacks;
130,000 asthma attacks
5,700 hospital and emergency room visits; and
540,000 days when people miss work or school.

Notably, today’s announcement has roots that trace back more than two decades, when Congress passed landmark, bipartisan legislation requiring the United States to limit toxic air emissions from the nation’s biggest polluters. Yet that legislation was only a first step. Today more than twenty years later, mercury and other toxic air pollution from power plants remains unchecked. That is, until now.

These sensible new standards were developed with extensive input from the public as well as industry and can be implemented with widely available and cost-effective pollution control technology. The United States is a global market leader in the design and manufacture of these technologies, and American companies and workers will provide much of the equipment and labor needed to meet the substantial investments in pollution controls that these standards will generate.

To be sure, in the weeks and months to come, there will be some in Congress that will try to prevent these important standards from being implemented. Some will argue that these standards will negatively impact electric reliability across America, even though an independent analysis from the Department of Energy shows clearly that is not the case. Others will claim that there is not enough time to comply with these standards, despite the fact that these rules have been in the works for 20 years. Finally, some will say this step is too costly and we should opt for even more delay, despite the fact that for every one dollar we spend to reduce pollution under these standards, American families will see up to $9 dollars in health benefits.

In conjunction with the release of the rule, President Obama also issued a Presidential Memorandum which underscores the health benefits of the rule and directs EPA Administrator Jackson to use flexibilities built into the Clean Air Act where needed, and to work proactively with states, industry and other entities in a transparent manner to implement the rule in way that delivers the health benefits of the rule while addressing reliability concerns.

At the end of the day, President Obama believes that Americans have waited long enough for these common-sense standards and that it is now time to do what is right for the country.

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