1/2/2014::Daily Leftovers

Researchers Find 7,300-Mile Ring of Mercury Around Alberta Tar Sands in Canada

Scientists have found a nearly 7,500-square-mile ring of land and water contaminated by mercury surrounding the tar sands in Alberta, where energy companies are producing oil and shipping it throughout Canada and the U.S. Government scientists are preparing to publish a report that found levels of mercury are up to 16 times higher around the tar-sand operations — principally due to the excavation and transportation of bitumen in the sands by oil and gas companies, according to Post media-owned Canadian newspapers like The Vancouver Sun.

Protests Erupt In India After 16-Year-Old Gang Rape Victim Is Killed By Her Alleged Rapists’ Friends

Indian police have filed murder charges against two individuals who allegedly set a 16-year-old girl on fire on December 23, after the victim succumbed to her injuries and passed away on New Years Eve. The two suspects are closely connected to the people accused of gang-raping the 16-year-old, who was pregnant at the time of her death, and may have burned her alive in order to punish her for going to the police.

13 States Raised Their Minimum Wage, But This Map Shows We Still Have A Big Problem

Thirteen states raised their minimum wage Wednesday. Those boosts will provide the country's low-wage workforce with some relief. But in many areas they won't be enough to bridge the gap between what people are paid and what they need to cover basic expenses.

It wasn't always that way. In the 1960s, the federal minimum wage income could keep a family of two out of poverty, according to the Economic Policy Institute. Now, it takes nearly $3 more than the current federal minimum wage of $7.25 to survive even in America's cheapest county, non-profit advocacy organization Wider Opportunities for Women found in a July analysis.

I'm One of the 22,000 Homeless Kids Living in New York

I used to dread it when people at school asked me where I live or if we could hang out at my place. I would try to give my schoolmates a general response, maybe the name of a neighborhood, but they always pressed for more. I've been homeless on and off for most of my life. I've lived in New York City shelters twice for extended periods of time. Most of the other times my mother and I bounced from house to house of friends and relatives.

I remember one time we were living in a house with 15 people. It was a nice house,,,

Trey Radel to return to Hill after rehab

The Florida Republican congressman who was busted for possession of cocaine in November will return to his day job on Capitol Hill next week.

Rep. Trey Radel, who finished a stint in rehab late last month, is expected back in Washington when the House returns next Tuesday evening, according to a source familiar with his plans.

Scientists Discover New Element

Physicists at the Lund University have recently confirmed the existence of an element with an atomic number 115 – the newest addition to the Periodic Table.

The synthetic superheavy element has been given the temporary name ununpentium. The name isn’t as random as it might look at first glance – the name is deriven from the atomic number 115. “Un” is from the Latin “unum” which means “one” and “Pent” is from the Greek word for five. Most scientists refer to ununpentium by its more recognizable name, element 115.

10 Signs Religious Fundamentalism Is in Decline

Days may be dark right now—after all, as the memes proclaim, axial tilt is the reason for the season. But things are looking bright for those who would like to see humanity more grounded in science and reason. If you are a nonbeliever in the mood for a party, here are 10 reasons to celebrate.

Norquist Tells ALEC He Wants U.S. to Revive Decapitation

During a speech about criminal justice reform earlier this month at the annual American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) conference, anti-government crusader Grover Norquist compared criminals to fish caught in a net and exclaimed that he would like to see America revive the practice of beheading convicted killers.

“We gotta fight crime, we gotta have less crime, we have to be more secure in our persons and our property,” he said. “I’m all in favor of chopping the heads off of people who commit murder and putting people in prison for a long, long time. There’s no bleeding heart whatsoever. This is about punishing real criminals and making sure we don’t just toss everybody in the net, the porpoises and the tuna, and treating them all the same.”