Cynical Activities - W
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WALKERS, BABY
During 1999, more than 9,300 children under the age of five were injured in the United States in accidents involving baby walkers, primarily as a result of falling down stairs. |
WASHINGTON, D.C.
Basically, if you live in Washington, put this book down and start packing now, while you still can. Washington has the highest murder rate in the U.S., more than three times the average for major American cities, and the highest murder rate among world capitals, more than twenty times the average for cities like London and Paris. Washington also ranks first among U.S. cities in cancer deaths, second in people dying of pollution from power plants, and third in terms of the percentage of travel taking place in congested traffic conditions. And we have no evidence on this one, but living so close to all those politicians (or being one of all those politicians) cannot be good for anybody. |
WATER
No matter what else is full of hidden dangers, at least drinking eight glasses of water a day is good for you, right? Hahahahaha. At least one study suggests that the more tap water women drink while pregnant, the more likely they are to have spontaneous abortions. Even water that meets the minimum standards of the Environmental Protection Agency may contain disinfection by-products that are associated with bladder cancers, disease-causing micro-organisms that cause gastrointestinal illnesses in children and the elderly, lead and arsenic, and Cryptosporidium parasites that can kill people with weakened immune systems (which makes you wonder what, exactly, would not meet the standards of the EPA). Antibiotics and other drugs have also been found in drinking water. |
WATER, BOTTLED
Bottled water may be no healthier than tap water, costs up to a thousand times as much, is subject to less strict safety standards, and contributes to climate change through the toxic chemicals released during the manufacture and disposal of bottles. Plus, carrying those little bottles around announces to the world that you have way too much disposable income for your own good. |
WEALTH
If you've got a history of mental illness, start giving your money away: rich people with this kind of history are more likely to commit suicide than poor ones. |
WEAPONS, NON-LETHAL
From the Official Los Angeles Police Dictionary: "non-lethal, adj. Might not kill you if you duck fast enough." Between 1996 and 2000, sixty-nine people were hit by so-called "non-lethal" "bean-bag" rounds fired from shotguns by police in Los Angeles. Forty-four of those hit suffered serious injuries, and one man died. |
WEEDS
Allergic reactions can be caused by weeds such as ragweed, sagebrush, pigweed, Russian thistle, and cocklebur. Learn to live with it: weedkiller can do a lot worse. |
WEIGHT-LOSS PRODUCTS
Weight-loss products may contain ephedra, an herb that can raise blood pressure and cause reactions such as vomiting, heart palpitations, dizziness, nervousness, and even heart attacks, seizures, and strokes. On the other hand, being even a few pounds overweight means you come in for the kind of treatment that can cause most of the same symptoms. Your call. |
WELDER, BEING A
Being a welder may lead to contracting Parkinson's disease. That can't be a good combination. |
WEST, THE
Looks like a lot of people out in the Wild West still think they're Billy the Kid: the West is the region of the U.S. with the highest rate of crimes against person and property. The future doesn't look good, either: global warming wilt stress migrating fish in the region, damage desert ecosystems, and reduce peak runoff from mountain areas, com-plteating water management for flood control, cities, and InfgaBon, |
WEST VIRGINIA
West Virginia is the fourth most unhealthy state in the U.S. Are you sure you want those country roads to take you home? |
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