Categories
News

It’s true: toys can kill you

It’s true: toys can kill you.

The question is, “which toys”?

Categories
News Science

Using hospital elevators can kill you

Web Watch has told you about all the different ways physicians and other medical professionals spread germs and disease everywhere they go.

From dirty stethoscopes to dirty scrubs (or scrubs worn on airplanes, and then to who knows where!), nurses and doctors are constantly walking around in swirling packs of germs, like “Pigpen” from the Peanuts comic strip.

And it only gets worse from there.

Germ-X Wipes
Germ-X Wipes

Categories
How To

How doctors and nurses unknowingly spread infections

Web Watch has already told you about one way that DOCTORS AND NURSES SPREAD INFECTIONS, just by wearing their scrubs outside of the office.

(Remember, if you see a medical professional in front of you at the Starbucks and they’re wearing scrubs, they could have just come out of an infected surgical area and haven’t bothered to change. Ewww.)

But there’s ANOTHER WAY THAT DOCTORS AND OTHER MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS SPREAD DISEASE, and you may not be aware of it…

3M Littmann Cardiology III Stethoscope
3M Littmann Cardiology III Stethoscope

Categories
10 Things

The 10 Most Dangerous Dogs

Dogs are man’s best friend.  At least, until someone gets bitten.  Then the offending dog is nobody’s friend.

We have friends with all sorts of dogs, running the gamut from lap dogs to big ol’ greyhounds.  Even a Great Dane has been in the mix.  A litter of pitbulls. No poodles, though.  Not that we know of, at least.

But we’ve only seen one dog attack amongst all the dogs we’ve been familiar with.  And in hindsight, maybe there’s a reason for it.

BEWARE OF THE DOG, THE CAT IS NOT TRUSTWORTHY EITHER
BEWARE OF THE DOG, THE CAT IS NOT TRUSTWORTHY EITHER

Categories
News

How many babies are circumsized?

How many babies are circumsized in hospitals each year?

It can be a controversial conversation between new parents, to decide if circumcision is a procedure they want to put their newborn son through (if not for religious reasons).  Some women say that they prefer men who have been circumsized, while other women prefer those that aren’t.

There used to be a myriad of health reasons that would default the answer to circumsize, but in today’s health-aware world, those reasons are becoming less important – and many parents are choosing not to have their children go through the circumcision process.

The Circumcision Decision: An Unbiased Guide for Parents
The Circumcision Decision:
An Unbiased Guide for Parents

Categories
10 Things

This one thing causes 15% of all child emergency room visits

Going to the HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOM is never a good time.

There’s no good food, the chairs are uncomfortable, there are germs everywhere… the hospital is not the place that you want to go to if you don’t already have a reason to be there.

So in the guise of helping parents, researchers at the NATIONWIDE CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL IN COLUMBUS, OHIO went through thousands of child emergency room records from 2001 to 2009 to see if there were any trends in PREVENTABLE EMERGENCY ROOM VISITS that could be discovered through the data.

The theory is that if parents were aware of why children were going to the emergency room, maybe they could be more aware of those situations and prevent them from occuring in the first place.

 

Safety 1st Small Object Choking Tester
Safety 1st Small Object Choking Tester

Hard Candy
Hard Candy
Categories
How To

25 Tornado Survival Tips

From the NOAA:

  • At night, keep looking at ground level for tell-tale signs that a tornado is snapping powerlines, such as quick, bright flashes of either blue-green to white.
  • Not all tornadoes are funnel clouds. Some have no clouds at all, making them nearly invisible from a distance, save the flying debris and dust that may be seen underneath a set of low clouds

From the OLD FARMERS ALMANAC:

  • While they could occur at any time of day or night, tornados most typically form in the afternoon
  • Check out the color of the sky.  If the sky is a pale green color, that’s a common tornado possibility indicator
  • Other common indicators include large hail and dark low-lying clouds.  Approaching tornadoes sound like oncoming freight trains.

From NATIONWIDE INSURANCE:

  • No matter where you are, get as low as you can and get down. Get covered with a blanket, sleeping bag, or other heavy material that can protect you from flying debris.
  • Have a battery-powered (better yet, a hand-crank powered) weather radio that can also pick up your local news radio or TV station audio.
  • Don’t open all your windows “to alleviate pressure inside the house”. You may be hit by flying glass if you choose to do this at the wrong time
  • The southwest corner of your basement may not be the best choice to take cover in, as most tornados come from that direction
  • Caught while out driving? Don’t park under an overpass or bridge, as that can be more dangerous than taking cover in a nearby ditch.

From ABC NEWS

  • Stay away from windows, doors, and outside walls
  • If you see a tornado while you’re driving, don’t try to out-run it.  Leave your car and find shelter immediately instead

From NATURE’S FURY:

  • If you’re taking cover in the basement, be sure that you’re not underneath anything heavy from the first floor, such as a piano or refrigerator, in case the floor above you weakens
  • After the tornado has passed, avoid going near down power lines.
  • Avoid lighting candles or using anything that could generate a spark, until you’ve confirmed that there aren’t any nearby gas leaks

From FEMA:

  • Make an emergency kit, consisting of extra batteries, food, water.  Try to have enough to last you at least 72 hours.  Think about the essentials you may be without during that time (power, heat, clean water, etc)
  • If you think a tornado is approaching, grab and wear appropriate clothing for after the tornado has passed – sturdy shoes, jeans, work gloves, jacket/sweatshirt (depending on climate).  These may be clothes you’ll need to wear for a few days in uncomfortable conditions
  • Have a contact plan with friends, family members, co-workers. Cell networks may be out of service temporarily, so don’t assume you can rely on your cellphone

From SECRETS OF SURVIVAL:

  • Half of all tornadoes each year happen during April, May, and June
  • On a regular basis, take an inventory of your possesions for insurance purposes, have that list documented and secured in an off-site location, such as a bank’s safety deposit box
  • When taking cover, stay away from corners as they tend to attract flying debris. You’ll be better off in the center of the room, underneath a sturdy piece of furniture.
  • Most injuries occur from flying debris, building collapses, or when trying to outrun a tornado in a car

From FIRST AID on ABOUT.COM:

  • Tornadoes usually travel about 30 MPH, but can reach speeds as high as 70 MPH. Note that travel speed is different from the rotation speed of the cyclone itself.
  • Try to get to the center room of whatever structure you’re in, preferably in the basement

From POPULAR MECHANICS:

  • While you can consider building a SAFE ROOM in your home, one tornado researcher says that if he’s caught in a tornado situation that he’s going to head for the nearest covered culvert outside. Stay away from grocery stores, gymnasiums, warehouses, or anything else with a large roof span.
Categories
shopping

Closing the barn door causes 1/5 of all injuries

Women will never understand the shrieks of pain that men felt while watching the FRANK AND BEANS, BEANS AND FRANKS scene in THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY.

For Ben Stiller, having to act as if his junk was caught in his zipper was probably just 10% acting, and 90% muscle memory from the last time it actually happened to him.