The Raw Story

A non-profit news blog, focused on providing independent journalism.

Saturday, 2 May 2015

One quarter of U.S. renters spend half of their income on housing, utilities; approximately 42 million households

© Reuters      For more than one in four renters in the US, housing and utility costs take up at least half of their family's income, according to a new analysis of Census data. That number is up 26 percent since the beginning of the Great Recession in 2007. Rising rents and stagnant wages are pushing more Americans into rental agreements, according to an analysis by Enterprise Community Partners, an affordable housing advocate....

Rare earthquake strikes Michigan; 4.2 magnitude

© USGS      No injuries or damages were reported today after a magnitude 4.2 earthquake rattled Michigan and surrounding states shortly after noon today. John Bellini, a geophysist at the U.S. Geological Survey's National Earthquake Information Center in Goldon, Colo., said the earthquake's epicenter was roughly five miles south of Galesburg, or nine miles southeast of Kalamazoo in central Michigan. He said the earthquake at...

5.7 magnitude earthquake hits Japan's Hachijo-jima island

© USGS      A 5.7-magnitude earthquake has struck 168 km from Japan's Hachijo-jima island, USGS said, adding that the depth of the quake stood at 10 km. USGS initially placed the magnitude of the quake at 6.1 but later dropped it to 5.7. Hachijo-jima, a volcanic Japanese island in the Philippine Sea, has a population of about 8,000 people. The quake occurred 456 km from the country's capital, Tokyo, which is home to some 13...

Bulusan volcano in Philippines explodes, ejecting steam and ash

© errolgatumbato.wordpress.com      The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), in its 1:30 p.m. advisory Friday, disclosed that Bulusan Volcano (12.7667°N, 124.0500°E) situated in Sorsogon Province, produced a steam and ash explosion which lasted for 5 minutes based on seismic records. The volcanic activity was recorded at 8:09 a.m., although it may not have been observed visually due to thick rain clouds...

"Life is such a simple thing and cruel": The President of Russia talks about his parents in the war, his brother, and all the amazing coincidences

     Russian Pioneer In nine days all of Russia will celebrate, and further immortalize an historic victory for a homeland, and for the world. Whether or not any foreign leaders attend Victory Day celebrations in Red Square on May 9th, a great people have reason for unshakable pride. So too, it may come to pass that the leader of this dynamic nation will one day be remembered alongside the fallen heroes of Stalingrad and Leningrad. Here's...

Spectacular sun halo captured over Wirral, UK

     These stunning photos show a spectacular sun halo forming in the skies over Wirral. Haloes - rings that form around the sun or moon - are created by light being reflected by ice crystals formed in high cirrus clouds. While they can be an indicator of rain, as the ice crystals often indicate an approaching frontal system, it is thought this halo was formed as a result of unusually cold overnight temperatures. The photos...

New trick could help overcome procrastination

© Thinkstock "I got so much procrastinating done today!"      Researchers from the University of Southern California say that they've come up with a sure-fire way for people to overcome procrastination and get to work on accomplishing their goals. The trick, they explain in the journal Psychological Science, is to change the way that you think about the future. Future goals have to feel as though they're important now. "The...

Man trampled to death by elephant in Nilgiris, India

Elephant kicking up some dust.      K. Balan (47) of Bokkapuram was killed by an elephant late on Thursday, when he along with a few other people were collecting firewood in the nearby forest of The Nilgiris North division. The group was chased by the elephant. While the rest managed to flee to safety, Balan went missing. On Friday, Balan's body was found at Nelson estate near Bokkapuram. On behalf of the State Government, Forest...

Hypocrisy: Starbucks feel-good 'Ethos' water sourced from exceptional drought region

© Bocman1973/Shutterstock      Since 2005, celebrities including Matt Damon and Cameron Diaz have lent their well-hydrated faces to marketing campaigns supporting Starbucks' feel-good Ethos Water mission, which has raised an estimated $12.3 million to help people in developing countries have access to clean water. The company has attempted to "raise awareness" about our globe's water crisis by donating a small portion of proceeds...

What's happening with the water in Oregon's Lost Lake?

     The 'Lost Lake' off Oregon's Highway 20 has a deep, dark secret. Most of the year, it looks like any other lake; peaceful and still. But come winter, and a mysterious hole begins draining it of all its water, leaving a barren landscape that has baffled scientists for centuries. Jude McHugh, spokeswoman with the Willamette National Forest, told the Bulletin, that the hole has been there as long as anyone can remember. There...

New generation of nonstick and waterproof chemicals replacing Teflon are just as toxic

The replacement chemicals are persistent in the environment and body and widely used in many consumer products, including outdoor clothing and food packaging.      Ten years ago, DuPont was forced to phase out a key chemical in making Teflon, after revelations that for nearly 45 years the company covered up evidence of its health hazards, including cancer and birth defects. But a new EWG investigation finds that the chemicals...

Why we should pay attention to the electricity rationing in Venezuela

© bbc.co.uk      Denial might be a river in Venezuela. For the past year, the government has been trying to sugar coat the economic demise of the country, and they're continuing the propaganda with the new electricity rationing program that they've instituted. If you think it's because of the socialist government's financial collapse, you're being ridiculous. It's because they care about climate change. Vice President Jorge...

Ghostly doctor caught on camera in abandoned hospital

Jamie-Leigh Brown was left stunned after a photo she took at the spooky St Thomas's Hospital in Stockport appeared to show the ghostly figure of a doctor      A woman exploring a derelict hospital was left stunned after a photo she took in the spooky building appeared to show the ghostly figure of a doctor. Jamie-Leigh Brown, 21, was walking the abandoned corridors of St Thomas's Hospital in Stockport - which closed down in...

Tornadoes ruin houses and destroy crops in North Cotabato

© WILLIAMOR A. MAGBANUA/INQUIRER MINDANAO A farmworker checks the banana plants devastated by a twister in Barangay Manongol, Kidapawan City.      Tornadoes have ravaged houses and croplands for weeks in some parts of North Cotabato, a province already experiencing a dry spell for months. The latest of seven twisters to hit the province this month alone was reported Monday night in Barangay Manongol city. At least 5,000 banana...

Group of 'The Elders' meet in Moscow

© The President’s Press Office Vladimir Putin greets The Elders at his home outside Moscow.      This week Russian President Vladimir Putin met with members of a group of former heads of state and key international organizations to discuss Ukraine and other world crisis. The group, known as The Elders, joined Mr. Putin at his Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow to conclude their three day trip to Russia's capital. Founded...

Strange exoplanet orbiting small cool star challenges planetary formation theories

© ANU Artist's impression of HATS-6      The Australian discovery of a strange exoplanet orbiting a small cool star 500 light years away is challenging ideas about how planets form. "We have found a small star, with a giant planet the size of Jupiter, orbiting very closely," said researcher George Zhou from the Research School of Astrophysics and Astronomy. "It must have formed further out and migrated in, but our theories can't...
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