When New York City’s health department revealed last weekend that three people had contracted cholera, it was a reminder that the city is not just a world capital of arts, business and the like — but also of exotic diseases.
If a disease has cropped up in the world, there is a good chance it will eventually find its way to New York City through the diverse travelers who cross the city’s borders.
For instance, several people every year are found to have a biblical disease, leprosy, though health officials say no one has to fear catching it in the subway. In 2002, bubonic plague, more commonly associated with the 14th century, found its way to New York City through two travelers who came from a ranch in New Mexico, where the disease is endemic in flea-bitten wild animals like prairie dogs....
(ATLANTA) — Despite having their first black president, Americans are no more certain than before that the country is closer to the racial equality preached by Martin Luther King Jr., a poll shows.
Seventy-seven percent of people interviewed in an AP-GfK poll say there has been significant progress toward King's dream, about the same as the 75 percent who felt that way in 2006, before Obama was elected. Just over one in five, 22 percent, say they feel there has been "no significant progress" toward that dream. "The exuberance and thrill of seeing an African American elected to the presidency has been tempered by the outrageous claims that we've heard about him," said William Jelani Cobb, a history professor at Rutgers University. ...
CHITILA, Romania (AP — Everyone curses the tax man, but Romanian witches angry about having to pay up for the first time hurled poisonous mandrake into the Danube River on Thursday to cast spells on the president and government.
Romania's newest taxpayers also included fortune tellers — but they probably should have seen it coming.
Superstitions are no laughing matter in Romania — the land of the medieval ruler who inspired the "Dracula" tale — and have been part of its culture for centuries. President Traian Basescu and his aides have been known to wear purple on certain days, supposedly to ward off evil.
A witch at the Danube named Alisia called the new tax law "foolish."
"What is there to tax, when we hardly earn anything?" she said, identifying herself with only one name as many Romanian witches do.
Yet on the Chitila River in southern Romania, other witches gathered around a fire Thursday and threw corn into an icy river to celebrate Epiphany. They praised the new government measure, saying it gives them official recognition.
Witch Melissa Minca told The Associated Press she was "happy that we are legal," before chanting a spell to call for a good harvest, clutching a jar of charmed river water, a sprig of mistletoe and a candle.
The new tax law is part of the government's drive to collect more revenue and crack down on tax evasion in a country that is in recession.
In the past, the less mainstream professions of witch, astrologer and fortune teller were not listed in the Romanian labor code, as were those of embalmer, valet and driving instructor. People who worked those jobs used their lack of registration to evade paying income tax....
Your Top 5 of 2010
Are you tired of disagreeing with all those weird Top 5/10/20 of 2010 lists? No matter if it's about music, film, art, books, somehow I never agree with those lists. So now I want you to tell me all about your Top 5! You can choose any topic you want. Your Top 5 memories, Top 5 books, Top 5 music videos, Top 5 Christmas presents, Top 5 artists, Top 5 video games, Top 5 exhibitions, Top 5 celebrity couples, Top 5 singles...... I think you get what I mean now. So go ahead! Either hit the comment button, or contact me via Twitter @adiek84 I will add those to the blog then, so come and visit this post now and then as I will continue to update it. On December 31st I will then post my Top 5 here! I can't wait to read all your submissions! Yay, first submissions on Twitter! Please follow those people, they seem to have good taste! ...