There are certain ways of telling if someone has a few screws loose or not. I’m not talking about someone struggling with mental illness, this is an issue our country needs to take more seriously and provide support for. I’m speaking of certain mannerisms that can indicate if a person is just slightly off. For example, someone who pours the milk in the bowl before pouring in the cereal. You can’t sit there and tell me that’s not a strange decision to make. Or perhaps you empathize with people who sleep completely naked, except they still wear a pair of socks. What’s up with that? All I’m trying to say is that not everyone is perfect, and I encourage each and every one of you to observe your friends. Don’t make it weird by keeping a logbook of what you see, but just be aware.
Here’s what you missed in the news yesterday.
Oh, It’s As Bad As We Thought
Not sure where you stand on climate change, whether you believe it’s not taking place or we’re actually in deep trouble. Regardless of your opinion, the fourth installment of the National Climate Assessment (NCA) was released on Friday, and the news regarding the fate of our planet’s environmental health isn’t pretty.
“The global average temperature is much higher and is rising more rapidly than anything modern civilization has experienced, and this warming trend can only be explained by human activities. Climate change creates new risks and exacerbates existing vulnerabilities in communities around the world, presenting growth challenges to human health and safety, quality of life, and the rate of economic growth.”
–NCA report
As temperatures rise, the quality and quantity of crops will decline across the country, with heat stress (the effect temperature has on the temperament of farm animals) causing average dairy production to fall between 0.60% and 1.35% over the next twelve years.
The Wheels On The Bus
Dozens of members from the University of Washington marching band were hospitalized after their bus overturned on a Washington interstate late Thursday evening. According to reports from state troopers at the scene, forty to forty-five people were transported to the local hospital, though no injuries were critical.
“The injuries reported were cuts, complaints of general pain and back pain, but the injuries are not believed to be critical. The university is doing everything it can to ensure the health and safety our students and staff, and to get them back on their journey to Pullman.
–Victor Balta, UW Spokesperson
Wait, Come Again?
In perhaps one of the most bizarre turn of events, a farmer was crushed to death on Friday when his dog, who was sitting in the cab of a forklift truck, accidentally pushed a lever, causing the vehicle to roll over dairy farmer Derek Mead. According to CNN, Mead was working on a rock garden in the back of his home and needed the forklift to carry the rocks from one location to the next.
“The most likely explanation, which I accept, is that the dog that he had in the cab with him on that day inadvertently moved the shuttle lever, causing the forward motion on the Manitou, which sadly trapped Mr. Mead against the solid gate, causing injuries which he did not survive.”
–Peter Harrowing, Assistant Coroner
