Category Archives: The widening gyre

News from the world outside my bubble

We’re number one…or something: U.S. gets bigger

Posted on September 28, 2010 by Ali

Alas, statisticians, tell us something that we don’t already know. The OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) just released a major report on obesity, which, among other things, ranks countries for their obesity. No surprise, perhaps: America leads the … Continue reading →

Posted in By The Numbers, The widening gyre | 1 Comment

By the numbers: half-billion, 1,300, 50,000, 1

Posted on September 3, 2010 by Ali

Half-billion: So, the egg recall may have leveled off by now. Mebbe. That is, at half a billion. Around the time of the bank bailouts (and ad nauseum since then, from a select few), a number of folks created some … Continue reading →

Posted in By The Numbers, In the kitchen, The widening gyre, Thrift is the new black | 4 Comments

Everything you need to know about fast food…

Posted on August 25, 2010 by Ali

Wait? Was there really a McAfrica? Does the strawberry flavoring in fast food milk shake really contain over 50 chemicals? Is soda really marked up 1200% at fast food joints? The short story: I really kinda’ heart this infographic. Just … Continue reading →

Posted in I Heart This, The widening gyre | 2 Comments

By the numbers: seven, nearly 20,000, four, and zero

Posted on May 11, 2010 by Ali

Number 7: the rank of cadmium — a carcinogen that hinders brain development — on the CDC’s priority list of 275 most hazardous substances in the environment. Nearly 20,000: the number of Claire’s Accessories “Best Friends” bracelets that were recalled … Continue reading →

Posted in By The Numbers, The widening gyre | 3 Comments

By the numbers: $22 billion

Posted on May 10, 2010 by Ali

$22 billion: the amount that Americans spend each year to store their belongings in storage units. Source: National Storage Association, 2009 I’ve been thinking about this number a lot lately. I’ve heard it before, always with a sense of scolding. … Continue reading →

Posted in By The Numbers, The widening gyre | 5 Comments