Sunday, July 13, 2014

Things I learned lately - 13 July


  • A ruling from New York State's highest court, holds that towns can ban fracking in city limits. More than 170 towns across America have followed suit and this ruling will resonate.
  • Some highways in BC have just raised the speed limit to 120km/h. Yes the Coquihalla is one of them.
  • Less than 16% of eligible voters turned out for the by-election on 30 June in Fort McMurray-Athabasca. That is now the worst by-election voter turnout in Canadian history.
  • Some new studies suggest that non-celiac gluten sensitivity is likely a myth. People with gastrointestinal upset (who don't have celiac disease) are likely NOT reacting to gluten after all.
  • Even in the late 1950s, the bikini was not deemed acceptable for American women "with tact and decency," according to a quote from Modern Girl magazine.
  • South Africa banned juries in 1969 amid fears of racial prejudice among jurors and a reluctance on the part of many people to serve.
  • After Coke, Diet Coke and Pepsi, the next best selling soft drinks in the US are Mountain Dew and Dr Pepper.
  • Salt water taffy was invented in Atlantic City.
  • S'mores were invented by the Girl Scouts.
  • Great Slave Lake is deeper than Lake Superior.
  • India consumes half of the world's whiskey.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Re: the gluten info: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/gluten-sensitivity-may-be-a-misnomer-for-distinct-illnesses-to-various-wheat-proteins/?page=1