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Self-driving cars rely on computer systems to function. Hackers can bypass firewalls and access these systems, overriding your controls and redirecting your vehicle. Criminals could use self-driving cars to cause accidents and gridlock. Hackers can also access systems to access your data, increasing the risk of identity theft.

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The lithium-ion batteries used in self-driving vehicles pose a fire hazard if they overheat. Lithium-ion batteries may explode if they catch fire, and the fire can spread to other vehicle systems. You can’t put out a lithium-ion battery fire with water or a fire extinguisher, which makes it challenging to contain these fires.

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One of the biggest trampoline health benefits is the cardiovascular impact — for kids and adults alike. Jumping is an aerobic exercise, which is defined as any activity that raises your heart rate and gets your blood pumping. Jumping quickly and frequently almost instantly increases your heart rate. The more you jump, the more your heart pumps and the more calories you burn. Even just a few minutes of jumping can have cardiovascular benefits; anything that gets your body moving counts!

It has really good benefits. and it gets your blood pumping. your body is always moving when you are jumping. It is always run.

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There are some serious risk factors that need consideration before installing a trampoline in your backyard. Trampolines compose a good chance of scrapes, bruises, sprains, fractured or broken limbs, concussions and more. They are hard to take care of during harsh weather such as a blizzard or hurricane.There is an elevated risk of severe or permanent injury.This is why there are some serious risk factors to consider before getting a trampoline.

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Cognisprings - Edutainment store to explore the world

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Cognisprings offers educational toys for kids which enhance their cognition and create the memories they would cherish for years. Explore world with us. We are Edutainment store founded by Mothers with mission of sustainable, fun, meaningful screen-free time

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A few benefits of self-driving cars are:

1: They reduce traffic congestion

2: Makes transportation 40% cheaper

3: Improves walk ability and livability

4: Frees up parking spots

5: Reduces urban CO2 emissions worldwide by 80%

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This article shows that people with disabilities use plastic straws everyday. So its saying that if we ban plastic straws they will be mad. Also they already have it hard in their life.

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Daniel Gilbert uses plastic straws to drink his coffee in the morning. For much of his life, the 25-year-old has carried them with him everywhere. He's had to, because all plastic straws aren't the same.

Gilbert needs them to be the right length, and they have to be able to handle hot temperatures. And many restaurants don't offer what he needs.

The Owensboro, Kentucky, resident was born with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a genetic disorder that causes the muscles to progressively deteriorate. As his muscles weakened, it became harder for him to pick up something like a cup, so Gilbert began carrying straws when he reached his twenties.

One night, he left his straws at home while he was at a bar with his friends. Typically, he uses bendable ones to position the straw closer to his mouth. But all the bar had was plastic stirrers.

"I had to manage, but it took a lot of effort," he said. "It was really exhausting."

Gilbert and other people with disabilities fear that a growing effort to ban plastic straws will limit their accessibility at restaurants, on airplanes and at other service establishments.

Starbucks announced Monday that by 2020, it will phase out the use of all plastic straws in its cafes. This came a little more than a week after Seattle, the birthplace of the coffee giant, banned plastic straws and utensils from the city's restaurants, bars and food trucks.

American Airlines said Tuesday that it too will eliminate straws from its in-flight beverage service starting in November, replacing them with stir sticks. The announcement follows a similar move by Alaska Airlines.

The bans are meant to be a proactive step in easing the burden that plastic waste has on our environment. But they also may make life more complicated for people in the disabled community who rely on these tools.

Why plastic is better than alternative materials

Going without straws can mean struggling through the physical motion of putting a drink to a mouth, or leaking liquid into the lungs, or choking.

Emily Ladau, an activist and writer on disability issues, has Larsen syndrome, a disorder that affects the development of bones. Ladau is primarily affected in her lower body, so she does not rely on straws, but opts for them because it can be difficult to maneuver in a wheelchair and drink at the same time.

For people who need straws, materials other than plastic just don't do the job.

Paper? It dissolves, or you can bite through them. Metal? It can get too hot or too cold, and can even be painful for those with symptoms like jitters. Reusable straws can easily be forgotten at home.

"Other types of straws simply do not offer the combination of strength, flexibility, and safety that plastic straws do," Disability Rights Washington, a nonprofit with offices in Seattle, said in a letter it coauthored to the city.

Gilbert has tried to do his part to educate others on why plastic is the most efficient material, but he often gets told he's wrong.

"I'd be more than happy to use more environmentally friendly straws," he said. "(The disabled community) isn't trying to be anti-environment. We're just protecting disabled people."

Starbucks, when asked about steps they would take to accommodate the disabled, said in an email, "Customers are still able to get a straw - made from alternative materials - and we will work with the disability community to ensure we continue to meet their needs going forward."

It is unclear what those materials will be or if plastic straws would still be available.

The London Plane, a Seattle restaurant, started using compostable plastic straws before the ban, which may be an ideal compromise.

But Kate Melges, the plastics campaigner at environmental group Greenpeace USA, said those straws still pose a threat as they must be incinerated at high temperatures to be broken down, which causes air pollution.

"You can't just throw them in your garden," she said.

Why focus on straws?

The National Park Service estimates that Americans use 500 million "drinking straws" a day.

Melges, who monitors ocean pollution, told CNN that plastic straws make up a small percentage of the debris found in the oceans and other bodies of water.

On cleanups, she finds many more food wrappers and plastic bottles than straws. But she believes straws are a simpler problem to overcome.

"They're a relatively easy item to eliminate," she said. "They're not a necessity for every single person ... they're the first entry point into tackling plastic pollution."

What the Seattle ban means

In the Seattle ordinance, there is a yearlong exception for those with disabilities.

"The new director's rule provides a waiver for flexible plastic straws, which can be provided to customers who need such a straw due to medical or physical condition," City of Seattle spokeswoman Ellen Pepin-Cato told CNN.

Proof of a disability will not be necessary, Pepin-Cato said. However, the decision to provide plastic straws if needed is up to businesses.

"Requiring people with disabilities to treat a routine fast food trip as something that requires planning and supplies is an unplanned failure in equity," wrote Disability Rights Washington in its letter to the city.

Ladau, the disability activist, expressed similar concerns.

"Straw bans are a microcosm of the larger issue," she said. "Access needs are entirely ignored."

In other cities with straw bans, such as Miami Beach, Florida, there's no such exception. Miami Beach is, however, considering implementing a three-month educational program to get feedback from residents and businesses.

"The (Americans with Disabilities Act) was passed 28 years ago," Gilbert said. "There should be sweeping policies."

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Why banning plastic straws upsets people with disabilities | CNN

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Banning plastic straws is meant to be a proactive step in easing the burden that plastic waste has on our environment. But the bans may make life more complicated for people in the disabled community who rely on these tools.

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People with disabilities, like the blind, are capable of self-sufficiency, and highly automated vehicles can help them live the life they want.

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The lack of technical comprehension across industry and government is appalling. People do not understand that the AI that runs vehicles—both the cars that operate in actual self-driving modes and the much larger number of cars offering advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS)—are based on the same principles as chat GPT and other large language models (LLMs). These systems control a car’s lateral and longitudinal position—to change lanes, brake, and accelerate—without waiting for orders to come from the person sitting behind the wheel.

2. This paragraph says the lack of Technicality. People don't know that sometimes that AI runs the sell driving cars. The self driving cars rely on chat GPT and other large language models. These systems can overrule the car demands and can get you in a wreck. That is why I think self driving cars should be Banned!!!

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In 2016, just weeks before the Autopilot in his Tesla drove Joshua Brown to his death, I pleaded with the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation to regulate the use of artificial intelligence in vehicles. Neither my pleading nor Brown's death could stir the government to action.

Since then, automotive AI in the United States has been linked to at least 25 confirmed deaths and to hundreds of injuries and instances of property damage.

The lack of technical comprehension across industry and government is appalling. People do not understand that the AI that runs vehicles-both the cars that operate in actual self-driving modes and the much larger number of cars offering advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS)-are based on the same principles as ChatGPT and other large language models (LLMs). These systems control a car's lateral and longitudinal position-to change lanes, brake, and accelerate-without waiting for orders to come from the person sitting behind the wheel.

Both kinds of AI use statistical reasoning to guess what the next word or phrase or steering input should be, heavily weighting the calculation with recently used words or actions. Go to your Google search window and type in "now is the time" and you will get the result "now is the time for all good men." And when your car detects an object on the road ahead, even if it's just a shadow, watch the car's self-driving module suddenly brake.

Neither the AI in LLMs nor the one in autonomous cars can "understand" the situation, the context, or any unobserved factors that a person would consider in a similar situation. The difference is that while a language model may give you nonsense, a self-driving car can kill you.

In late 2021, despite receiving threats to my physical safety for daring to speak truth about the dangers of AI in vehicles, I agreed to work with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) as the senior safety advisor. What qualified me for the job was a doctorate focused on the design of joint human-automated systems and 20 years of designing and testing unmanned systems, including some that are now used in the military, mining, and medicine.

My time at NHTSA gave me a ringside view of how real-world applications of transportation AI are or are not working. It also showed me the intrinsic problems of regulation, especially in our current divisive political landscape. My deep dive has helped me to formulate five practical insights. I believe they can serve as a guide to industry and to the agencies that regulate them.
Terry Chea/AP
1. Human errors in operation get replaced by human errors in coding

Proponents of autonomous vehicles routinely assert that the sooner we get rid of drivers, the safer we will all be on roads. They cite the NHTSA statistic that 94 percent of accidents are caused by human drivers. But this statistic is taken out of context and inaccurate. As the NHTSA itself noted in that report, the driver's error was "the last event in the crash causal chain.... It is not intended to be interpreted as the cause of the crash." In other words, there were many other possible causes as well, such as poor lighting and bad road design.

Moreover, the claim that autonomous cars will be safer than those driven by humans ignores what anyone who has ever worked in software development knows all too well: that software code is incredibly error-prone, and the problem only grows as the systems become more complex.

While a language model may give you nonsense, a self-driving car can kill you.

Consider these recent crashes in which faulty software was to blame. There was the October 2021 crash of a Pony.ai driverless car into a sign, the April 2022 crash of a TuSimple tractor trailer into a concrete barrier, the June 2022 crash of a Cruise robotaxi that suddenly stopped while making a left turn, and the March 2023 crash of another Cruise car that rear-ended a bus.

These and many other episodes make clear that AI has not ended the role of human error in road accidents. That role has merely shifted from the end of a chain of events to the beginning-to the coding of the AI itself. Because such errors are latent, they are far harder to mitigate. Testing, both in simulation but predominantly in the real world, is the key to reducing the chance of such errors, especially in safety-critical systems. However, without sufficient government regulation and clear industry standards, autonomous-vehicle companies will cut corners in order to get their products to market quickly.

2. AI failure modes are hard to predict

A large language model guesses which words and phrases are coming next by consulting an archive assembled during training from preexisting data. A self-driving module interprets the scene and decides how to get around obstacles by making similar guesses, based on a database of labeled images-this is a car, this is a pedestrian, this is a tree-also provided during training. But not every possibility can be modeled, and so the myriad failure modes are extremely hard to predict. All things being equal, a self-driving car can behave very differently on the same stretch of road at different times of the day, possibly due to varying sun angles. And anyone who has experimented with an LLM and changed just the order of words in a prompt will immediately see a difference in the system's replies.

One failure mode not previously anticipated is phantom braking. For no obvious reason, a self-driving car will suddenly brake hard, perhaps causing a rear-end collision with the vehicle just behind it and other vehicles further back. Phantom braking has been seen in the self-driving cars of many different manufacturers and in ADAS-equipped cars as well.

The cause of such events is still a mystery. Experts initially attributed it to human drivers following the self-driving car too closely (often accompanying their assessments by citing the misleading 94 percent statistic about driver error). However, an increasing number of these crashes have been reported to NHTSA. In May 2022, for instance, the NHTSA sent a letter to Tesla noting that the agency had received 758 complaints about phantom braking in Model 3 and Y cars. This past May, the German publication Handelsblattreported on 1,500 complaints of braking issues with Tesla vehicles, as well as 2,400 complaints of sudden acceleration. It now appears that self-driving cars experience roughly twice the rate of rear-end collisions as do cars driven by people.

Clearly, AI is not performing as it should. Moreover, this is not just one company's problem-all car companies that are leveraging computer vision and AI are susceptible to this problem.

As other kinds of AI begin to infiltrate society, it is imperative for standards bodies and regulators to understand that AI failure modes will not follow a predictable path. They should also be wary of the car companies' propensity to excuse away bad tech behavior and to blame humans for abuse or misuse of the AI.

3. Probabilistic estimates do not approximate judgment under uncertainty

Ten years ago, there was significant hand-wringing over the rise of IBM's AI-based Watson, a precursor to today's LLMs. People feared AI would very soon cause massive job losses, especially in the medical field. Meanwhile, some AI experts said we should stop training radiologists.

These fears didn't materialize. While Watson could be good at making guesses, it had no real knowledge, especially when it came to making judgments under uncertainty and deciding on an action based on imperfect information. Today's LLMs are no different: The underlying models simply cannot cope with a lack of information and do not have the ability to assess whether their estimates are even good enough in this context.

These problems are routinely seen in the self-driving world. The June 2022 accident involving a Cruise robotaxi happened when the car decided to make an aggressive left turn between two cars. As the car safety expert Michael Woon detailed in a report on the accident, the car correctly chose a feasible path, but then halfway through the turn, it slammed on its brakes and stopped in the middle of the intersection. It had guessed that an oncoming car in the right lane was going to turn, even though a turn was not physically possible at the speed the car was traveling. The uncertainty confused the Cruise, and it made the worst possible decision. The oncoming car, a Prius, was not turning, and it plowed into the Cruise, injuring passengers in both cars.

Cruise vehicles have also had many problematic interactions with first responders, who by default operate in areas of significant uncertainty. These encounters have included Cruise cars traveling through active firefighting and rescue scenes and driving over downed power lines. In one incident, a firefighter had to knock the window out of the Cruise car to remove it from the scene. Waymo, Cruise's main rival in the robotaxi business, has experienced similar problems.

These incidents show that even though neural networks may classify a lot of images and propose a set of actions that work in common settings, they nonetheless struggle to perform even basic operations when the world does not match their training data. The same will be true for LLMs and other forms of generative AI. What these systems lack is judgment in the face of uncertainty, a key precursor to real knowledge.

4. Maintaining AI is just as important as creating AI

Because neural networks can only be effective if they are trained on significant amounts of relevant data, the quality of the data is paramount. But such training is not a one-and-done scenario: Models cannot be trained and then sent off to perform well forever after. In dynamic settings like driving, models must be constantly updated to reflect new types of cars, bikes, and scooters, construction zones, traffic patterns, and so on.

In the March 2023 accident, in which a Cruise car hit the back of an articulated bus, experts were surprised, as many believed such accidents were nearly impossible for a system that carries lidar, radar, and computer vision. Cruise attributed the accident to a faulty model that had guessed where the back of the bus would be based on the dimensions of a normal bus; additionally, the model rejected the lidar data that correctly detected the bus.

Software code is incredibly error-prone, and the problem only grows as the systems become more complex.

This example highlights the importance of maintaining the currency of AI models. "Model drift" is a known problem in AI, and it occurs when relationships between input and output data change over time. For example, if a self-driving car fleet operates in one city with one kind of bus, and then the fleet moves to another city with different bus types, the underlying model of bus detection will likely drift, which could lead to serious consequences.

Such drift affects AI working not only in transportation but in any field where new results continually change our understanding of the world. This means that large language models can't learn a new phenomenon until it has lost the edge of its novelty and is appearing often enough to be incorporated into the dataset. Maintaining model currency is just one of many ways that AI requires periodic maintenance, and any discussion of AI regulation in the future must address this critical aspect.

5. AI has system-level implications that can't be ignored

Self-driving cars have been designed to stop cold the moment they can no longer reason and no longer resolve uncertainty. This is an important safety feature. But as Cruise, Tesla, and Waymo have demonstrated, managing such stops poses an unexpected challenge.

A stopped car can block roads and intersections, sometimes for hours, throttling traffic and keeping out first-response vehicles. Companies have instituted remote-monitoring centers and rapid-action teams to mitigate such congestion and confusion, but at least in San Francisco, where hundreds of self-driving cars are on the road, city officials have questioned the quality of their responses.

Self-driving cars rely on wireless connectivity to maintain their road awareness, but what happens when that connectivity drops? One driver found out the hard way when his car became entrapped in a knot of 20 Cruise vehicles that had lost connection to the remote-operations center and caused a massive traffic jam.

Of course, any new technology may be expected to suffer from growing pains, but if these pains become serious enough, they will erode public trust and support. Sentiment towards self-driving cars used to be optimistic in tech-friendly San Francisco, but now it has taken a negative turn due to the sheer volume of problems the city is experiencing. Such sentiments may eventually lead to public rejection of the technology if a stopped autonomous vehicle causes the death of a person who was prevented from getting to the hospital in time.

So what does the experience of self-driving cars say about regulating AI more generally? Companies not only need to ensure they understand the broader systems-level implications of AI, they also need oversight-they should not be left to police themselves. Regulatory agencies must work to define reasonable operating boundaries for systems that use AI and issue permits and regulations accordingly. When the use of AI presents clear safety risks, agencies should not defer to industry for solutions and should be proactive in setting limits.

AI still has a long way to go in cars and trucks. I'm not calling for a ban on autonomous vehicles. There are clear advantages to using AI, and it is irresponsible for people to call on a ban, or even a pause, on AI. But we need more government oversight to prevent the taking of unnecessary risks.

And yet the regulation of AI in vehicles isn't happening yet. That can be blamed in part on industry overclaims and pressure, but also on a lack of capability on the part of regulators. The European Union has been more proactive about regulating artificial intelligence in general and in self-driving cars particularly. In the United States, we simply do not have enough people in federal and state departments of transportation that understand the technology deeply enough to advocate effectively for balanced public policies and regulations. The same is true for other types of AI.

This is not any one administration's problem. Not only does AI cut across party lines, it cuts across all agencies and at all levels of government. The Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, and other government bodies all suffer from a workforce that does not have the technical competence needed to effectively oversee advanced technologies, especially rapidly evolving AI.

To engage in effective discussion about the regulation of AI, everyone at the table needs to have technical competence in AI. Right now, these discussions are greatly influenced by industry (which has a clear conflict of interest) or Chicken Littles who claim machines have achieved the ability to outsmart humans. Until government agencies have people with the skills to understand the critical strengths and weaknesses of AI, conversations about regulation will see very little meaningful progress.

Recruiting such people can be easily done. Improve pay and bonus structures, embed government personnel in university labs, reward professors for serving in the government, provide advanced certificate and degree programs in AI for all levels of government personnel, and offer scholarships for undergraduates who agree to serve in the government for a few years after graduation. Moreover, to better educate the public, college classes that teach AI topics should be free.

We need less hysteria and more education so that people can understand the promises but also the realities of AI.

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What Self-Driving Cars Tell Us About AI Risks

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5 conclusions from an automation expert fresh off a stint with the U.S. highway safety agency

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what is wrong with Zoos and Aquariums? (jot #2)

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what is wrong with Zoos and Aquariums? (jot #2)

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The author is trying to inform the reader the that, "even the 'best' zoo setting can never recreate the complex environment that most species encounter in the wild or simulate all the stimuli which keep the animals active and alert." They are failing to make the animals feel like home. They need to be in the wild where they belong, and not in a place where they are not treated like circus animals.

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Zoos and Aquariums

Thousands of animals are confined to zoos and aquariums in the United States and around the world. Although many of these facilities attempt to replicate the animals' natural habitats, Born Free believes that even the "best" captive conditions pale in comparison to life in the wild.

What's Wrong with Zoos and Aquariums?

Inadequate care and facilities

Some facilities, known as "roadside zoos," house animals in small, cramped cages completely divorced from the environmental and social conditions found in the wild. Other, larger facilities - those accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and other, similar associations - often attempt to replicate the animals' natural habitats in relatively large, open-air enclosures that include natural elements such as grass and dirt (and, at times, opportunities for socialization and enrichment). While the conditions at roadside facilities are certainly far worse than in AZA-accredited facilities, even the "best" zoo setting can never recreate the complex environment that most species encounter in the wild or simulate all the stimuli which keep the animals active and alert.

In addition, no such setting can account for the family structure that exists in the wild. Like zoos, conditions in aquariums also pale in comparison to the richness, variety, and space of a life in the wild. Almost always in motion in the wild, cetaceans - whales and dolphins - spend only 20 percent or less of their time at the water's surface. Captive facilities cannot compare to the vast natural environment of wild cetaceans and even the largest facilities are just a fraction of the size of the animals' natural home range.

The 2013 documentary, Blackfish, revealed the devastating impact of captivity and exploitation on whales and dolphins. When denied adequate space, animals in zoos and aquariums often develop problems, such as abnormal repetitive behavior, aggression, and reduced life expectancy. Moreover, as animals in these facilities age and are no longer in prime "display" condition, the owners must make decisions as to the fate of the animals, which often ends tragically.

Little to no conservation benefit.

One of the most frequently cited arguments in favor of accredited zoos and aquariums is that they benefit wildlife conservation efforts by ensuring a secure, captive animal population that could be used to return a species to the wild, should it ever become extinct.

A few celebrated captive breeding and release projects are regularly cited to demonstrate the success of this kind of intervention, such as the Arabian oryx and the black-footed ferret of the plains of North America. However, closer inspection reveals that the effectiveness of these and many other captive breeding programs is, at best, limited and often end up simply providing new animals for the zoo and aquarium industry. In fact, animals kept in captivity often are not returned to the wild. And, relying on captive breeding can draw vital attention and resources away from protecting wild animals and habitats.

In aquariums, captive whales and dolphins suffer from high mortality rates, low breeding success, and often endure physical and psychological disorders. Cetaceans are frequently captured from the wild and sold into captivity and methods of capture, and subsequent transport, can be extremely cruel and some animals die of shock or injury in the process.

Dangerous for people and animals.

Whenever humans are put into close contact with wild animals, there is always an element of danger, for both the humans and the animals. Zoos invite people to come into very close and potentially dangerous proximity to wild animals with the promise that, due to the construction of animal enclosures and the presence of barriers, the visiting public will remain safe and apart from the animals. Yet, the news abounds with stories of animals responding to the unnatural conditions at zoos, whether by escaping the confines of their enclosures or injuring a human, at times resulting in animals being killed, such as the well-known case of Harambe the gorilla, who was killed after a child entered his zoo enclosure.

Likewise, many aquariums feature shows in which a handler or trainer enters the water with the animal, such as an orca or dolphin, to ride or otherwise interact with the animal. These tricks and behaviors are unnatural, contrary to the animals' instinctive behaviors, and can create stress and frustration, often causing the animals to react. Numerous handlers have been seriously injured or killed when interacting in this manner with captive animals, like Tilikum the orca, who killed three people: two handlers and one man who gained unauthorized access to the tank.

Learn More

WEBINAR: A Future without Zoos?

Across the U.S. and around the world, hundreds of thousands of wild animals are held captive at zoos, living stressful lives under human observation, unable to move about freely or live according to their natural needs and instincts. The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown zoos into crisis and has raised important questions around the long-term viability of the industry.

Taking into consideration practical, financial, ethical, and animal welfare factors, this webinar considers whether or not, in a post-COVID world, there is a future for zoos at all.

The conversation is moderated by Born Free USA CEO, Angela Grimes, featuring Dr. Chris Draper, Head of Animal Welfare and Captivity, Born Free Foundation (U.K.), Amanda Howell, Staff Attorney, Animal Legal Defense Fund (U.S.), and Dr. Liz Tyson, Programs Director, Born Free USA (U.S.).

Exotic Animals Incidents Database

Wild animals belong in the wild - not in the confinement of circuses, zoos, aquariums, backyards, or homes. In captivity, wild animals are not able to perform their natural behaviors and many lash out in frustration from psychological and physical deprivation. This situation is dangerous for animals and humans alike. Search our interactive database of attacks on humans, attacks on other animals, and escapes by exotic animals in the U.S.

SEARCH

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What's Wrong With Zoos & Aquariums? | Born Free USA

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Thousands of animals are confined to zoos and aquariums in the United States and around the world. Although many of these facilities attempt to replicate the animals' natural habitats, Born Free believes that even the "best" captive conditions pale in comparison to life in the wild.

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Plastic straws should not be banned unless we find a good alternative. Most people would just use paper straws, but we shouldn't use them because they require a lot of energy to make and cause air and water pollution. Plus, paper can only be used once. Plastic can be reused and recycled. So, we should not ban plastic straws for paper.

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People are taking a stand against plastic straws. On July 1, they were banned in Seattle, Washington. Then Starbucks announced plans to phase out plastic straws by 2020. More plastic-straw bans have followed.

Plastic is harmful to the environment. Some say banning plastic straws is an important step toward saving our planet. Others think plastic-straw bans are unnecessary and inconvenient. Here, two TFK Kid Reporters weigh in.

Yes!
by TFK Kid Reporter Josh Lee, 12 Chicago, Illinois
Plastic straws may help you drink without spilling, but the long-term costs are too high. Americans use 500 million drinking straws each day. When they are thrown away, they pollute our landfills and oceans. Marine animals sometimes mistake the plastic for food. There's a viral video on YouTube that shows a turtle with a straw stuck up its nose! It's okay for people to be attached to using straws, but there are good alternatives to plastic ones. People can buy paper or steel straws to carry with them. And many cities across the U.S. have restricted the use of plastic straws unless a person requests one. Passing more laws to ban plastic straws will not solve the problem, but it is a good first step.

No!
by TFK Kid Reporter Maria Suarez, 10 Bellaire, Texas
Plastic straws should not be banned until we can find alternatives that are affordable, environmentally friendly, and acceptable for disabled people. Why? Many people with disabilities rely on flexible straws to drink safely and independently. Without plastic straws, people might use paper straws. But producing paper products uses a lot of energy. Plus, it creates air and water pollution. And paper can be used only once. Plastic can be reused and recycled. My dad and I wash and reuse nontoxic plastic straws. Finally, it is wrong to think that banning plastic straws will save the oceans. Instead, we should teach people to properly dispose of trash so it doesn't end up on beaches or in waterways.

The Next Debate! We want to hear from you! Do we still need daylight saving time? Email your opinion to tfkasks4you@timeforkids.com. Your response might be featured in an upcoming issue.

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People are taking a stand against plastic straws. On July 1, they were banned in Seattle, Washington. Then Starbucks announced plans to phase out plastic straws by 2020. More plastic-straw bans have followed. Plastic is harmful to the environment. Some say banning plastic straws is an important step toward saving our planet.

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almost 10000 kids around the world have stopped using straws because of a project that a girl did because "straws really suck"
Straw No More | Molly Steer | TEDxJCUCairns

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this is why trampolines are expensive you need to have some money, as money makes money. The startup cost to build an indoor trampoline park can be roundabout 100,000 to $500,000, depending on your plan.

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Jot 2 1https://childrensnatureretreat.org/how-zoos-improve-the-lives-of-animal

I read my paragraph and it showed about how many zoos care for there animals.I also read that zoos do more that just connect people with nature.They also facilitate and promote animal coversation. Zoos improve animals life by a lot they care and love for there animals!

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Oftentimes zoos and aquariums can get bad press which sparks the debate over how beneficial they are for wildlife. While we can't deny there are a couple of bad apples in the mix, the majority of zoos help enrich the lives of animals in many different ways. Many zoos do more than just connect people with nature; they also exist to facilitate and promote animal conversation. If you're wondering how zoos improve the lives of animals, this blog is for you!

Protection Against Extinction

It's sad to say, but the world is currently going through a mass extinction due to human activities encroaching on wildlife. A study published by Science Advances in 2020 found that human population and activity has caused rapid global mammal extinctions over the past 126,000 years. Even currently, many species are going extinct across the globe, and many more are facing the threat of extinction. Modern zoos and aquariums help combat these problems. Breeding programs help preserve genetic biodiversity and help reintroduce critically endangered species into the wild. Having animals in protection provides a reservoir against a population crash in the wild. Zoos have helped remove animals from the endangered species list and have saved many from extinction. Without the efforts of zoos, there would be fewer animal species alive today!

Zoo's Research Helps Wildlife

In order to reintroduce animals into the wild and repair the ecosystem, we need to understand how certain animals live and act. Studying animals in zoos can create real positive change for wildlife populations. Even if animals in zoos are never introduced to the wild, they still help improve the lives of their counterparts living in nature. Modern zoos act as a place for observation and research to study issues such as animal disease or infection and to help develop treatments.

Zoos Care for Their Animals

While there are many underfunded and neglectful zoos out there, the good ones positively contribute to the animals' health and well-being. Animals can have a quality of life as high or higher than in the wild. They don't suffer from the stress and threat of predators, the pain of parasites, injury, or illness, and they won't suffer from starvation or drought. Instead, they enjoy a peaceful life with a high-quality diet filled with all of the supplements they need. They won't have to endure the bullying or social ostracism that often happens in nature. Many dreadfulthings happen in the wild that aren't present in zoos.

The Children's Nature Retreat

We hope this blog has helped give you an understanding of how zoos improve the lives of animals! With the ongoing threat to wildlife environments and the many benefits that come with zoos, it's safe to say that they're essential to the long-term survival of many species. Not only can zoos help protect, breed, and reintroduce animals, but we can learn about them to help create a better world for them.

At the Children's Nature Retreat, many of our animals have been acquired from owners who could no longer keep or care for them. Some have been rescued from harsh living conditions and now enjoy the serenity of the Retreat. If you want to say "hi" to some of our animal friends, We have over 200 animals, We are open 7 days a week, no reservations required. You can visit us at 5178 Japatul Spur Alpine, CA 91901, or get in touch by calling (619) 320-4942 or contacting us on our website.

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How Zoos Improve the Lives of Animals Oftentimes zoos and aquariums can get bad press which sparks the debate over how beneficial they are for wildlife. While we can't deny there are a couple of bad apples

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1.https://www.treehugger.com/arguments-for-and-against-zoos-127639

2. Many zoos buy baby animals for money and attraction. The zoos do not have any room for more animals. Some they kill any animals to make room for the new baby animals. The main idea is zoos only use animals for money and will kill any if it gets them no money.

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A zoo is a place where captive animals are put on display for humans to see. While early zoos (shortened from zoological parks) concentrated on displaying as many unusual creatures as possible-often in small, cramped conditions-the focus of most modern zoos is conservation and education. While zoo advocates and conservationists argue that zoos save endangered species and educate the public, many animal rights activists believe the cost of confining animals outweighs the benefits, and that the violation of the rights of individual animals-even in efforts to fend off extinction-cannot be justified.

A Brief History of Zoos

Humans have kept wild animals for thousands of years. The first efforts to keep wild animals for non-utilitarian uses began about 2500 BCE, when rulers in Mesopotamia, Egypt kept collections in enclosed pens. Modern zoos began to evolve during the 18th century and the Age of Enlightenment, when scientific interest in zoology, as well as the study of animal behavior and anatomy, came to the fore.

Early zoos were a dismal affair. Animals were kept in small enclosures with little if any, greenery. With a scant understanding of what the various animals needed, many perished relatively quickly. In accredited U.S. zoos (and elsewhere) things are better now, fortunately. Primates, for example, have gone from barren cages with little furniture to naturalistic and sometimes semi-free-ranging designs. But is it enough?

Arguments for Zoos

By bringing people and animals together, zoos educate the public and foster an appreciation of other species.

Zoos save endangered species by bringing them into a safe environment, where they are protected from poachers, habitat loss, starvation, and predators.

Many zoos have breeding programs for endangered species. In the wild, these individuals might have trouble finding mates and breeding, and species could become extinct.

Some zoos have conservation programs around the world that use the zoo's expertise and funding to help protect wildlife against poaching and other threats.

Reputable zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums are held to high standards for the treatment of their resident animals. According to AZA, its accreditation guarantees that the organization has undergone strict evaluation by recognized experts to ensure the highest standards of "animal management and care, including living environments, social groupings, health, and nutrition."

A good zoo provides an enriched habitat in which the animals are never bored, are well cared for, and have plenty of space.

Seeing an animal in person is a much more personal and more memorable experience than seeing that animal in a nature documentary and is more likely to foster an empathetic attitude toward animals.

Some zoos help rehabilitate wildlife and take in exotic pets that people no longer want or are no longer able to care for.

Both accredited and unaccredited animal exhibitors are regulated by the federal Animal Welfare Act, which establishes standards for animal care.

Arguments Against Zoos

From an animal rights standpoint, humans do not have a right to breed, capture, and confine other animals-even if those species are endangered. Being a member of an endangered species doesn't mean the individual animals should be afforded fewer rights.

Animals in captivity suffer from boredom, stress, and confinement. No pen-no matter how humane-or drive-through safari can compare to the freedom of the wild.

Intergenerational bonds are broken when individuals are sold or traded to other zoos.

Baby animals bring in visitors and money, but this incentive to breed new baby animals leads to overpopulation. Surplus animals are sold not only to other zoos, but also to circuses and hunting facilities. Some zoos simply kill their surplus animals outright.

Some captive breeding programs do not release animals back into the wild. The offspring may be forever part of the chain of zoos, circuses, and petting zoos.

Removing individual specimens from the wild further endangers the wild population because the remaining individuals will be less genetically diverse and may have greater difficulty finding mates. Maintaining species diversity within captive breeding facilities is also a challenge.

If people want to see wild animals in real life, they can observe wildlife in the wild or visit a sanctuary. (A true sanctuary does not buy, sell, or breed animals, but instead takes in unwanted exotic pets, surplus animals from zoos, or injured wildlife that can no longer survive in the wild.)

The federal Animal Welfare Act establishes only the most minimal standards for cage size, shelter, health care, ventilation, fencing, food, and water. For example, enclosures must provide "sufficient space to allow each animal to make normal postural and social adjustments with adequate freedom of movement. Inadequate space may be indicated by evidence of malnutrition, poor condition, debility, stress, or abnormal behavior patterns." Violations often result in a slap on the wrist and the exhibitor is given a deadline to correct the violation. Even a long history of inadequate care and AWA violations, such as the history of Tony the Truck Stop Tiger, does not necessarily ensure abused animals will be freed.

Animals sometimes escape their enclosures, endangering themselves as well as people. Likewise, people ignore warnings or accidentally get too close to animals, leading to horrific outcomes. For example, Harambe, a 17-year-old western lowland gorilla, was shot in 2016 when a toddler accidentally fell into his enclosure at the Cincinnati Zoo. While the child survived and was not badly injured, the gorilla was killed outright.

Petting zoos have been linked with numerous incidents of diseases including E. coli infection, cryptosporidiosis, salmonellosis, and dermatomycosis (ringworm).

The Last Word on Zoos

In making a case for or against zoos, both sides argue that they're saving animals. Whether or not zoos benefit the animal community, they certainly do make money. As long as there is demand for them, zoos will continue to exist.

Since zoos are likely an inevitability, the best way to move forward is to ensure that zoo conditions are the best possible for the animals that live in captivity and that individuals who violate animal care health and safety sanctions are not only duly punished but denied any future access to animals.

One day we may look back at zoos and marvel at their barbarity. Or, one day we may look back at zoos and be grateful for the species they saved from extinction. Of these two scenarios, only time will tell.

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Are Zoos Ethical? Arguments for and Against Keeping Animals in Zoos

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Zoos, if done right, could be a good thing for the animals and the public-yet many so-called zoos get it terribly wrong.

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2.Even with the best of intentions, it is impossible for zoos to provide sufficient browse to fulfil nutritional and behavioural needs, which leads to both physical and mental health issues for the animals. Physical health issues include significant weight loss and dental issues, among other conditions.

3. the althurn is telling me that just because it looks good doesn't mean it is good.the animals are not getting proper car and the zoos are the reasons why. the animals aren't getting proper car it shows you that animals are better in the wild.

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Animal Captivity Is a Distraction from Conservation | Earth.Org

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Liz Tyson-Griffin discusses the issues related to wild animal captivity and what conservation efforts should really look like.

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This is how self-driving cars work: radar sensors on the car detect near by vehicles. Video cameras that detect traffic lights, road signs, track on going vehicles, and sense pedestrians. Lidar (light detecting and ranging) sensors are able to bounce light off the car to measure distances, detect road edges, and identify lane markings. Sensors inside the wheels are able to sense curbs and other vehicles when parking.

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What is an Autonomous Car? – How Self-Driving Cars Work | Synopsys

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Discover how autonomous cars sense their environment and operate without human intervention, offering a glimpse into the future of self-driving technology.

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Jot #2 Worst types of litter-Plastic straws not even in the top five. 

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Jot #2 Worst types of litter-Plastic straws not even in the top five. 

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This article is trying to show that plastic straws aren't the worst types of litter.

1. The president of waste zero says that plastic straws will be alright to have as long as you recycle them, and don't litter.

2. Things like plastic bags, and cigarette butts are way worse than plastic straws.

3. This article says that plastic straws aren't the only environmental contaminants that aren't going in the trash can or the recycling bin.

This article is trying to show that there are other types of litter are even worse than plastic straws.

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But these are less exspensive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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These plastic straws are $6.15 at Walmart

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Nearly fifty percent of world’s people live in cities disconnected from nature and in such cities, zoos and aquariums have a great potential to win huge support for wildlife preservation. In order to instil conservation sense in the general public, it is important to educate them about animals, their behaviour, habitat, population changes, and why they need to be conserved.

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Zoos can help to save endangered species by keeping them in a ‘safe’ environment. Safe as in protected from poachers, predators, habitat loss and even starvation.

Some zoos have breeding programmes. This is another way to protect endangered species which may have trouble finding suitable mates in the wild.

Zoos have an educational aspect. It’s easier to learn about an animal by seeing them in person.

Fostering empathy… By seeing an animal up close, the public might be encouraged to be more empathetic to a species that is facing extinction in the wild. They might put 2 and 2 together and realise the orangutan they saw is in jeopardy due to the products they buy.

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Baby animals bring the public in droves but this often leads to zoos having too many animals. surplus animals can be sold on to other zoos or safari parks circuses but many are just killed. You might remember back in 2014 when the Copenhagen Zoo in Denmark killed Marius the giraffe. Young giraffe unsuitable for breeding was shot.

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Trampolines are fun. With trampolines you don't need any special equipment with makes it not as expensive and fun. When you’re jumping, you’re having fun and laughing, which can be helpful for your mental health and overall mood too. There’s nothing better than having a great time with your kids, and it may just turn a bummer mood around, too. That's why trampolines are fun.

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The 6 Benefits of Jumping on a Trampoline

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There are so many great benefits of jumping on a trampoline, including cardiovascular health, core strength, and even mental health benefits!

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driverless cars is that they don’t need as much safety gear because there will supposedly be fewer crashes, making the vehicles lighter and more fuel-efficient.

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While there are many underfunded and neglectful zoos out there, the good ones positively contribute to the animals’ health and well-being. Animals can have a quality of life as high or higher than in the wild. They don’t suffer from the stress and threat of predators, the pain of parasites, injury, or illness, and they won’t suffer from starvation or drought. Instead, they enjoy a peaceful life with a high-quality diet filled with all of the supplements they need. They won’t have to endure the bullying or social ostracism that often happens in nature. Many dreadful things happen in the wild that aren’t present in zoos.

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when it's trampolines verses kids, kids always lose jot.2  

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when it's trampolines verses kids, kids always lose jot.2  

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https://www.mayoclinic.org/medical-professionals/pediatrics/news/when-its-kids-vs-trampolines-kids-often-lose/mac-20431484

1. 20 out of 30 kids need surgery and surgery's cost a lot of money.

2. kids don't usually have fully grown bones so it is easier to break one.

3. kids have the higher chance of breaking something than the trampoline.

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plastic straws are bad. They are bad because they are easy to blow away. another reason is that it is getting into the ocean and killing animals. we are eating the plastic that they are eating.

plastic straws are bad

. they are light and are easy to blow away

. they are getting in the ocean and killing animals

. the animals that eat the plastic end up in bodies

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https://www.1800thelaw2.com/resources/vehicle-accident/how-many-accidents-us/ These crashes have been happening from drunk driving or people texting while driving. Most of these have happened with young males. Not only would this not happen with the sensors on a self-driven car but it would save many teenagers that are starting to drive.

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How Many Automobile Deaths in US: Latest Statistics and Insights

In 2023, about 40,999 people died in traffic crashes in the US, raising the question of how many automobile deaths in the US occur each year. This article explores the latest statistics, leading causes, and preventive measures to understand and tackle this critical issue.

If you or someone you know has been involved in an accident, contact 1-800-THE-LAW2 for a free legal consultation with an attorney in our network.

Key Takeaways

In 2023, the US saw a slight decrease in automobile deaths to 40,999, indicating a positive trend for road safety, though fatalities remain a critical concern.

Distracted driving and alcohol impairment are the leading causes of motor vehicle fatalities, emphasizing the need for targeted awareness campaigns and stricter enforcement of driving laws.

Young and male drivers are at notably higher risk for fatal accidents, highlighting the necessity for demographic-specific safety interventions to reduce fatalities.

Current Automobile Death Statistics in the US

The dynamics of traffic-related fatalities in the United States have undergone significant changes recently. In 2023, motor vehicle crashes led to approximately 40,999 deaths-a minor decrease from the previous year's count of 40,990 fatalities-representing a dip of 3.6% in terms of million vehicle miles traveled. This decline brings a cautious sense of optimism within the context of persistent traffic-related deaths yet starkly contrasts with a substantial increase of 10.5% in motor vehicle fatalities from 2020 to 2021, emphasizing both the inconsistency and critical nature surrounding this issue.

During the first quarter of 2024, there was an estimated total death toll from roadway incidents recorded at roughly 8,650 people. This showcases a drop when compared to figures during that same period in early last year which showed there were about close to 9k (or precisely put - eight-thousand-nine-hundred-thirty-five) mortalities reported back then hence reflecting what seems like continual albeit gradual progress being made. However, having had on average monthly fatality rates throughout last year set at three thousand-eight hundred and thirty-six victims projects how serious road collisions continue to be as they tragically end lives too soon-with concerns pressing regarding mortality rates situated per every 100,000 people.

Highlighting such numbers highlights just how vital it is for ongoing work aimed towards betterment and improving overall driving safety thus reducing common risk factors associated with those aforementioned devastating losses happening due to automobile accidents can be kept minimal going forward into future times ahead.

Leading Causes of Automobile Deaths

Grasping the predominant factors behind motor vehicle deaths is vital for formulating strategies to prevent them. Two major culprits contributing to motor vehicle crashes that lead to death are driving while distracted and operating vehicles under the influence of alcohol. These behaviors pose a significant threat not just to those inside the car, but also have extensive repercussions on overall public safety.

To better understand their effects, it's important to examine in greater detail how each of these issues influences deaths resulting from motor vehicle accidents.

Distracted Driving

Mobile phone use while driving is a prime factor in motor vehicle crashes, notably contributing to driver distraction. The demographic of drivers between 18 and 34 years old stands out as being the most at risk for deadly incidents caused by such distractions. It's not just a brief diversion. Mobile phone usage when behind the wheel can result in dire outcomes. Distracted driving accounts for approximately 8% of all traffic fatalities, which corresponds to more than 3,000 deaths each year.

The mortality rate among young motorists, particularly those within the 20-24 age bracket, is alarmingly high compared with older demographics. These figures underscore an immediate need to implement focused educational initiatives and enforce existing laws regarding distracted driving more rigorously. A concentrated effort on these fronts may significantly diminish fatalities that are otherwise avoidable due to common on-road diversions.

Alcohol Impairment

The issue of alcohol-related impairment persists, accounting for approximately 28% of all deadly vehicular accidents. Despite extensive campaigns to raise awareness, a considerable number of motorists still misjudge how much their driving abilities are hindered after drinking alcohol. This often leads to them taking unnecessary risks on the road since alcohol tends to decrease one's risk perception and can escalate the likelihood of partaking in dangerous driving practices.

A particularly alarming aspect is that numerous drivers labor under the delusion that they are capable of safely operating a vehicle even when their blood alcohol content (BAC) is high. Such mistaken confidence may result not only in catastrophic outcomes for the intoxicated driver but also pose significant dangers to others using the same thoroughfares.

To mitigate fatalities tied to alcohol consumption, it's imperative that we confront these dangerous misunderstandings with improved educational strategies and rigorous enforcement of laws against driving under the influence (DUI).

Automobile Deaths by Demographics

Analyzing automobile deaths by demographics provides valuable insights into which groups are most at risk and why. Age and gender play significant roles in determining the likelihood of being involved in fatal motor vehicle crashes.

By understanding these patterns, we can better tailor our safety measures to protect the most vulnerable populations and reduce the death rate.

Age Group Analysis

Drivers within the 16-24 age bracket are more prone to involvement in fatal motor vehicle crashes. This demographic represented around 20% of traffic-related fatalities in 2022. The lack of driving experience coupled with propensities for risky behavior among teenagers plays a considerable role in these figures. In that year, teenage drivers were involved in car accidents leading to 2,898 deaths, which constituted about 7% of all deaths due to motor vehicle crash incidents.

In contrast, older drivers encounter elevated risks too, but for different reasons compared to their younger counterparts. For male drivers specifically, there is a sharp increase in the fatality rate as they age, especially hitting its peak within those over eighty years old. These statistics highlight the distinct need for safety initiatives tailored separately to both young and senior motorists given their divergent risk factors.

Comprehending how these risks vary with age is imperative when formulating strategies aimed at curbing death rates from road mishaps amongst all groups by age classification, as highlighted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Gender Differences

There is a pronounced gender disparity in deaths resulting from motor vehicle accidents, with males accounting for approximately 70% of all casualties. This discrepancy prevails throughout diverse age brackets. Specifically, males between the ages of 16 and 19 experience a mortality rate of 14.7 per hundred thousand individuals - strikingly surpassing that observed among females within the same age range. During the year 2022, the death rates for male occupants in passenger vehicles were twice as high compared to those recorded for female occupants across various age groups, thus significantly impacting overall statistics on motor vehicle crash deaths.

It is crucial to recognize this persistent pattern and initiate safety initiatives tailored toward decreasing mortality rates amongst male drivers. By identifying and comprehending factors such as propensities toward riskier behavior or distinct driving habits that contribute to these gender-based disparities in fatalities, more effective methods can be devised to enhance vehicular safety universally.

State-by-State Comparison

An examination of death rates from automobile accidents across various states uncovers considerable disparities in motor vehicle crash deaths on a regional basis. Analyzing which states experience the most and least fatalities can assist in pinpointing successful safety strategies as well as regions that require more attention.

We will delve into the states that have recorded the maximum and minimum numbers of deaths resulting from motor vehicle crashes.

Highest Fatality States

Texas holds the grim title for the most motor vehicle crash deaths, with a total of 4,068 fatal events recorded in 2023. California is not far behind, with reported fatalities amounting to 3,983 from car accidents and securing its position as second on this unfortunate list. Completing the top trio is Florida with a count of 3,451 deadly automobile incidents that same year.

The alarmingly high numbers of roadway fatalities emphasize an urgent need for strategic safety initiatives and campaigns aimed at increasing public awareness within these regions. Contributors to such dire statistics include aspects like how densely populated an area is, variations in road infrastructure quality, and local driving practices unique to each state.

A thorough analysis of these contributing elements can pave the way towards designing effective strategies specific to areas where they're needed most so as to mitigate mortality rates due to traffic collisions.

Lowest Fatality States

Rhode Island recorded the smallest number of deadly car crashes, reporting a mere 61 occurrences in the year 2023. Meanwhile, the District of Columbia registered an even lesser number of fatal car collisions within the same timeframe. These jurisdictions stand out as exemplars of efficient roadway safety protocols and motorist conduct.

The markedly reduced incidence of fatalities in these areas is likely due to several influences such as rigorous enforcement of traffic regulations, impactful public safety initiatives, and superior emergency response services. Examining the effective approaches taken by these states could provide valuable insights for other areas looking to enhance their own road safety statistics.

Impact of Safety Measures

Safety measures have played a pivotal role in reducing automobile fatalities over the years. From seat belts to advanced vehicle technologies, these interventions have saved countless lives.

Let's explore the impact of some of the most effective safety measures.

Seat Belt Use

In 2023, it was recorded that a significant majority of 91.9% of individuals complied with the use of seat belts, serving as an essential method to diminish deaths associated with motor vehicles. Notwithstanding this high adherence rate, data from 2022 disclosed that only 45% of restrained fatally injured occupants were wearing their seat belts at the time. This substantial gap underlines how crucial adhering to seat belt laws is in preserving lives.

Outcomes from the previous year demonstrated that non-use of seat belts accounted for approximately half of all fatally injured passenger vehicle occupants. Historical data indicates that around 375,000 lives have been safeguarded by these devices over time-proving their indispensable contribution to automotive protection strategies. Thus, prioritizing unwavering promotion and utilization of seat belts remains instrumental in reducing death rates among those fatally injured while restrained and mitigating injuries among occupants within passenger vehicles.

Technological Advancements

Advances in technology have been pivotal in decreasing the number of deadly vehicle accidents. Breakthroughs like collision detection and automatic braking systems have improved vehicle safety dramatically, averting numerous potential crashes and protecting injured passenger vehicle drivers. Since becoming compulsory for new cars in 2011, electronic stability control has played a key role by assisting drivers to keep their vehicles under control during difficult driving conditions.

Airbags serve as another essential element of car safety, credited with saving over 50,000 lives since they became commonly incorporated into vehicles starting in the late 1980s. The integration of airbags with other contemporary protective technologies such as stability control has greatly reduced the chances of death resulting from car collisions.

The evolution of these technologies underscores the continuing significance that advancements play in elevating standards for vehicular security.

Economic and Emotional Consequences

The repercussions of fatalities from vehicle accidents extend significantly, both economically and emotionally. In 2022, the financial impact of traffic collisions was estimated at approximately $340 billion, which equates to nearly 3% of the nation's gross domestic product (GDP). This substantial cost encompasses medical bills, lost workforce productivity, and damages to property -imposing a heavy fiscal weight on society.

The psychological aftermath for those who survive car crashes is overwhelming as well as widespread. Survivors often grapple with anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), with occurrence rates varying between 19% and an alarming 60%, significantly affecting injured passenger vehicle occupants. The ensuing reduction in their quality of life can result in enduring emotional strife and diminish their ability to function normally over time.

Henceforth, addressing these far-reaching economic burdens along with providing support for survivors' emotional health becomes imperative in aiding individuals touched by vehicular incidents-and thereby bolstering community resilience as a whole.

Legal Aspects and Insurance Implications

The process of dealing with the legal and insurance ramifications following deaths caused by car accidents is complex. Drivers in the majority of states must maintain at least a basic level of liability insurance to drive legally. Such coverage plays a crucial role in addressing damage inflicted on others during an accident, securing financial safeguarding for all individuals concerned.

When lodging an insurance claim following a vehicular incident, comprehensive documentation is essential, which includes obtaining a police report and capturing images of the crash site. Insurance firms conduct exhaustive probes into these claims, scrutinizing statements from witnesses and assessing traffic regulations to assign fault appropriately.

Enlisting legal assistance can streamline this complex procedure, helping ensure that those affected are justly compensated for their losses.

Preventive Measures and Recommendations

To mitigate the incidence of fatalities on the road, it is crucial to adopt a holistic strategy that encompasses both prudent driving habits and the integration of new technologies. The tendency for drivers to misjudge their level of impairment following alcohol consumption often results in dangerous behavior while operating a vehicle. Embracing responsible driving practices such as restricting travel during night-time hours and limiting passenger numbers can play an important role in decreasing fatal accident rates.

Opting for vehicles with exemplary safety ratings and employing cutting-edge safety features are additional steps toward bolstering occupant protection should collisions occur. Specialized training aimed at enhancing driver capability under adverse weather conditions can instill greater confidence and competence behind the wheel, thereby contributing to fewer traffic accidents. Through these comprehensive preventative tactics, we stand to improve overall roadway security for all users. If you find yourself involved in an accident, contact an attorney in our network by calling 1-800-THE-LAW2.

Summary

To effectively tackle the complex issue of automobile deaths in America, a thorough and all-encompassing strategy is necessary. Recent data indicates a minor drop in fatalities, yet the figures are still disturbingly high. The prevalence of distracted driving and alcohol impairment plays a significant role as leading contributors to these tragedies, calling for precise intervention strategies alongside more rigid enforcement of existing safety regulations. Demographic analysis Reveals that younger drivers and males are disproportionately affected, which points to the importance of designing prevention measures specifically catered to those groups.

A closer look at fatality rates across individual states highlights noticeable differences attributed to various regional factors. Implementation of safety protocols such as seat belt usage and embracing technological innovations have been instrumental in curtailing death tolls. Their effectiveness hinges on uniform adherence nationwide. Beyond the immediate loss of life lies an extensive socioeconomic impact brought about by automobile deaths-extending its reach from victims' family circles out into broader community networks-as well as introducing layers related to legal intricacies alongside insurance issues demanding comprehensive understanding and foresightful planning. Advancing preventive tactics combined with cultivating an ethos centered around conscientious driving practices stands imperative if we aspire to substantial progress toward diminishing incidences of auto-related mortalities while bolstering overall traffic security. If you or someone you know has recently been involved in a car accident, contact 1-800-THE-LAW2 for a free legal consultation with an attorney from our network.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the main causes of automobile deaths in the US?

The main causes of automobile deaths in the US are distracted driving, especially from mobile phone use, and alcohol impairment. These factors play a crucial role in the high rates of fatal accidents on the roads.

How do automobile death rates vary by age and gender?

Automobile death rates significantly vary by age and gender, with young drivers aged 16-24 and males being at the highest risk. Males account for approximately 70% of motor vehicle fatalities, consistently surpassing female death rates.

Which states have the highest and lowest automobile death rates?

Texas, California, and Florida have the highest automobile death rates, while Rhode Island and the District of Columbia report the lowest rates. This disparity underscores the importance of implementing specific safety initiatives in areas with higher fatalities.

What impact have safety measures had on reducing automobile deaths?

Safety measures, including seat belt use and advancements like airbags and electronic stability control, have greatly decreased automobile fatalities. The implementation of these technologies enhances protection and actively prevents accidents.

What are the economic and emotional consequences of automobile deaths?

Automobile deaths result in significant economic losses, estimated at around $340 billion, while the emotional consequences for survivors and families include anxiety, PTSD, and long-term psychological distress, profoundly affecting their quality of life.

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How Many Automobile Deaths in US: Latest Statistics and Insights

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Discover how many car accidents per year occur in the U.S. Understand the statistics, causes, and safety tips to stay protected on the road.

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Animals in zoos may not go back to their natural habitat , but there are reasons. In order to release them we need to study them. Like the kind of diseases they can get so that they are prepared if it ever happens again. We need to understand how they live and act, and interact with one another.

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Oftentimes zoos and aquariums can get bad press which sparks the debate over how beneficial they are for wildlife. While we can't deny there are a couple of bad apples in the mix, the majority of zoos help enrich the lives of animals in many different ways. Many zoos do more than just connect people with nature; they also exist to facilitate and promote animal conversation. If you're wondering how zoos improve the lives of animals, this blog is for you!

Protection Against Extinction

It's sad to say, but the world is currently going through a mass extinction due to human activities encroaching on wildlife. A study published by Science Advances in 2020 found that human population and activity has caused rapid global mammal extinctions over the past 126,000 years. Even currently, many species are going extinct across the globe, and many more are facing the threat of extinction. Modern zoos and aquariums help combat these problems. Breeding programs help preserve genetic biodiversity and help reintroduce critically endangered species into the wild. Having animals in protection provides a reservoir against a population crash in the wild. Zoos have helped remove animals from the endangered species list and have saved many from extinction. Without the efforts of zoos, there would be fewer animal species alive today!

Zoo's Research Helps Wildlife

In order to reintroduce animals into the wild and repair the ecosystem, we need to understand how certain animals live and act. Studying animals in zoos can create real positive change for wildlife populations. Even if animals in zoos are never introduced to the wild, they still help improve the lives of their counterparts living in nature. Modern zoos act as a place for observation and research to study issues such as animal disease or infection and to help develop treatments.

Zoos Care for Their Animals

While there are many underfunded and neglectful zoos out there, the good ones positively contribute to the animals' health and well-being. Animals can have a quality of life as high or higher than in the wild. They don't suffer from the stress and threat of predators, the pain of parasites, injury, or illness, and they won't suffer from starvation or drought. Instead, they enjoy a peaceful life with a high-quality diet filled with all of the supplements they need. They won't have to endure the bullying or social ostracism that often happens in nature. Many dreadfulthings happen in the wild that aren't present in zoos.

The Children's Nature Retreat

We hope this blog has helped give you an understanding of how zoos improve the lives of animals! With the ongoing threat to wildlife environments and the many benefits that come with zoos, it's safe to say that they're essential to the long-term survival of many species. Not only can zoos help protect, breed, and reintroduce animals, but we can learn about them to help create a better world for them.

At the Children's Nature Retreat, many of our animals have been acquired from owners who could no longer keep or care for them. Some have been rescued from harsh living conditions and now enjoy the serenity of the Retreat. If you want to say "hi" to some of our animal friends, We have over 200 animals, We are open 7 days a week, no reservations required. You can visit us at 5178 Japatul Spur Alpine, CA 91901, or get in touch by calling (619) 320-4942 or contacting us on our website.

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How Zoos Improve the Lives of Animals Oftentimes zoos and aquariums can get bad press which sparks the debate over how beneficial they are for wildlife. While we can't deny there are a couple of bad apples

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the scientist Albert Einstein says that more than 45 percent of just plastic straws end up in the ocean and by the future the entire ocean will be filled with plastic

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driving cars are good for your brain and they make you more relaxed when you actually drive them

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In the year 2023, around 40,999 deaths happened because of crashes. That is also a lower amount of deaths than previous years showing it has been even worse in the past years.

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Why trampolines are more dangerous than you think (jot 2)

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Why trampolines are more dangerous than you think (jot 2)

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trampolines are more dangerous than you think. In this article it says thatJumping on a trampoline may seem like a fun physical activity for your child, but how safe is this popular pastime? The truth is that trampolines pose a significant safety concern for all children, especially those under the age of six. Another thing that this article says is that Trampolines pose several safety risks to children and are frequently the cause of accidents and injuries. These injuries from trampolines can be as mild as a sprain or bruise, or as severe as broken bones, dislocated joints, head injuries and even paralysis. And a last thing that this article says is that In the United States in 2014, there were nearly 286,000 reported injuries caused by trampolines. These injuries most often occur when children are jumping on trampolines, but can also occur if children fall off the trampoline or collide with other jumpers. This is why trampolines are dangerous than you think

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More than 800,000 children sustained trampoline injuries in the U.S. between 2009 and 2018, most of whom were under the age of 16, according to a 2022 report using a national database and published in Pediatric Emergency Care. Most of these injuries occurred at the children's own homes. Of these injuries, 34% were long bone fractures in the lower and upper extremities. Radius and ulna fractures were the most common — usually the result of a fall on an outstretched hand.

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lots of people with disabilities though they can use them but people with cerebral paulusy cannot move their hand so then they have to struggle to keep the straws from bending but metal straws people with disabilities don't have to have the problem of struggling to keep the straws from bending

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https://greenecofriend.co.uk/should-zoos-still-exist/

2 should zoos still exist

3 Most captive breeding programmes don’t release animals into the wild. More often than not they become part of a never-ending chain of zoos. Safari parks, circuses, canned hunting facilities and even the exotic pet trade. There are more tigers in zoos then there are in the wild. This is why I think zoos should be banned.

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I'll start by saying that personally I'm fundamentally against zoos but I do understand some of the arguments why they should exist. My main reason for being against zoos is because I don't agree with caging animals for our entertainment.

I've disliked zoos since I was a small child. The memory of a polar bear pacing back and forth in a very small enclosure in a Yorkshire zoo has stuck with me. Many zoos now provide more space for their wild animals but it could hardly be described as equivalent to what they have in the wild. Keeping animals in climates that are not suited to them seems even more cruel.

Why Zoos Should Exist

Bearing all of the above in mind, some zoos do actually carry out important conservation work. The arguments for zoos are many and varied...

The arguments for zoos

Zoos can help to save endangered species by keeping them in a 'safe' environment. Safe as in protected from poachers, predators, habitat loss and even starvation.

If a zoo has a breeding programme, this is another way to protect endangered species which may have trouble finding suitable mates in the wild.

Zoos have an educational aspect. It's easier to learn about an animal by seeing them in person.

Fostering empathy... By seeing an animal up close, the public might be encouraged to be more empathetic to a species that is facing extinction in the wild. They might put 2 and 2 together and realise the orangutan they saw is in jeopardy due to the products they buy (read about Palm Oil here).

Good zoos have high standards of welfare for their animals. Visiting an accredited zoo is better than visiting one which isn't. For example, BIAZA 'members are dedicated to achieving the highest standards of animal care, conserving the natural world through research and conservation, and educating and inspiring their visitors.'

A few zoos take in abandoned exotic pets and rehabilitate wildlife.

Zoos are a traditional family activity.

What is BIAZA?

" BIAZA is the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums; the professional body representing the best zoos and aquariums in Britain and Ireland. We have over 100 zoo and aquarium members who pride themselves on their excellent animal welfare, education and conservation work."

"BIAZA contributes approximately £24 million to conservation projects a year."

Why Zoos Shouldn't Exist

Just like there are quite a few arguments for the existence of zoos, whether you agree with them or not, there are also a lot, if not many more, arguments against zoos.

The arguments against zoos

Like the polar bear that's haunted me for over 35 years, animals in captivity often suffer from boredom and stress. Captivity can in no way compare to being free in the wild.

What gives humans the right to capture, confine or breed other species? If an animal is endangered does that justify us removing its freedom?

Most captive breeding programmes don't release animals into the wild. More often than not they become part of a never-ending chain of zoos, safari parks, circuses, canned hunting facilities and even the exotic pet trade. There are more tigers in American backyards than there are in the wild!

Baby animals bring the visitors in in droves, but this often leads to zoos having too many animals. Surplus animals can be sold onto other zoos (or safari parks, circuses etc) but many are just killed. You might remember back in 2014 when the Copenhagen Zoo in Denmark killed Marius the giraffe. 'Young giraffe unsuitable for breeding was shot, dissected in public and then fed to lions despite offers of a new home.' The Guardian

Bonds between animals are broken when they are sold to alternative facilities which exploit animals, causing further stress to them.

The wild populations of different endangered species may become less genetically diverse due to the removal of individuals from the wild, causing them to become even more endangered.

If you want to see wild animals behaving normally they should be seen in the wild. Watching a dolphin performing tricks at Sea World in no way compares to a dolphin naturally jumping out of the water in the ocean.

If you can't afford to see animals in their natural habitat visit a wildlife sanctuary that does not buy, sell or breed animals. Sanctuaries take in injured wildlife, unwanted exotic pets or surplus animals from zoos.

Wildlife encounters at zoos might be an unforgettable experience for children or adults but they are stressful and can be harmful to the animals.

Zoo animals can escape. Not only is this dangerous for people and native wildlife, but the animals are often killed rather than tranquilised.

Zoo visitors often don't act responsibly and put the animals lives in danger due to their stupidity or lack of care. When a toddler fell into an enclosure at Cincinnati Zoo in 2016 there was a worldwide outcry that Harambe, the gorilla whose enclosure the toddler fell into, was shot and killed.

The Difference Between Zoos, Safari Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries

What is a Zoo? "an area in which animals, especially wild animals, are kept so that people can go and look at them or study them"

What is a Safari Park? "a large park where wild animals are kept and can move freely, and can be watched by visitors driving through in their cars"

What is a Wildlife Sanctuary? "a place where birds or animals can live and be protected, especially from being hunted or dangerous conditions"
Definitions from the Cambridge English Dictionary
The "Conservation Con"

One of the arguments for zoos is that they help to conserve species which may otherwise go extinct. Others argue that this is the 'conservation con', which is explained by freedomforanimals.org.uk

"Zoos in the UK hold tens of thousands of animals captive. One of the main ways they justify this captivity is to say that they need to protect animals who are endangered in the wild. (...)

By focusing on zoos in Wales, we carried out research which unearthed that just 9% of animals held captive are endangered and 17% are threatened in the wild. This means the vast majority of animals kept in zoos are not threatened in the wild, so why are they held captive?"

They go on to say...

"Whilst we do not believe keeping endangered species in zoos actually contributes to conservation, we really would expect zoos that claim to focus on this issue to not be holding so many animals captive who are not of conservation concern. It is time zoos were honest with the public and stopped using conservation claims as a veil for animal exploitation."

Peta also weighs in on the issue of the conservation con...

"Most animals confined in zoos are not endangered, nor are they being prepared for release into natural habitats. In fact, it is nearly impossible to release captive-bred animals, including threatened species like elephants, polar bears, gorillas, tigers and chimpanzees into the wild. Zoos aren't breeding animals with the intent of replenishing threatened populations: Babies bring visitors through the gates, and captive breeding gives the public a false sense of security about a species' survival. But that belief undermines support for and diverts resources from in-situ conservation efforts."

'Conservation' is frequently used in defence of trophy hunting as well.

So, Should Zoos Still Exist?

I don't think that zoos should need to exist. For those that do actually rehabilitate wildlife and protect endangered species I think there is an argument for them in todays world. However it would be far better if they were to become wildlife sanctuaries and they stopped buying and selling animals. What we should be doing is protecting the habitats of wild animals and ensuring their survival in the wild. Until people around the world care more about life than money I'm afraid there's little chance of certain species surviving without a helping hand from zoos.

That's not to say that I think all existing zoos should still exist or that most of them are adequate. I believe there are many zoos that should be shut down immediately. As far as I'm concerned the majority of 'good zoos' still need to make massive improvements to their facilities. In my opinion, a zoos major function should not be to make money for its owner. The profits from ticket prices should go toward increasing animal welfare standards and increasing enclosure sizes. Most importantly the money should go toward protecting the natural habitats of wild animals.

I hope that in the not too distant future we see the end of zoos. Sadly I don't feel like it'll happen in my lifetime... We have too many people in power around the world for whom animal welfare and conservation is of little concern.

Even some wildlife charities are not what they seem.

In these times of lockdown ...
If you like what I do and want to support this website, you can buy me a 'coffee' which helps with the running costs of the website. Alternatively come and say hello on facebook, twitter or pinterest.

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Should Zoos Still Exist or Not? The Arguments For & Against Zoos

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I'll start by saying that personally I'm fundamentally against zoos but I do understand some of the arguments why they should exist. My main reason for being against zoos is because I don't agree with caging animals for our entertainment. I've disliked zoos since I was a small child.

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1: https://www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle-safety/automated-vehicles-safety

2: This paragraph says that self-driving cars can help people with disabilities. One reason is because with self-driving cars, disabled people can have new employment options and save 19 billion dollars in healthcare since transportation obstacles wont be a problem. Another reason is that as technology gets better, the cars will offer potential to make little to no transportation obstacles. A final reason is, that transportation is a key community based support that allows someone to enjoy their civil rights. This is why and how self-driven cars could help disabled people.

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NHTSA demonstrates its dedication to saving lives on our nation's roads and highways through its approach to the safe development, testing, and deployment of new and advanced vehicle technologies that have enormous potential for improving safety and mobility for all Americans.

NHTSA supports the Safe System Approach, a data-driven, holistic, and equitable method to roadway safety that fully integrates the needs of all users. As part of this approach, vehicle safety technologies offer unique opportunities to reduce traffic deaths, injuries, and harm.

In 2021, NHTSA issued a Standing General Order that requires manufacturers and operators of automated driving systems and SAE Level 2 advanced driver assistance systems equipped vehicles to report crashes to the agency.

In 2020, NHTSA launched Automated Vehicle Transparency and Engagement for Safe Testing. As part of the AV TEST initiative, states and companies can voluntarily submit information about testing of automated driving systems to NHTSA, and the public can view the information using NHTSA's interactive tool.

In September 2016, NHTSA and the U.S. Department of Transportation issued the Federal Automated Vehicles Policy, which sets forth a proactive approach to providing safety assurance and facilitating innovation. Building on that policy and incorporating feedback received through public comments, stakeholder meetings, and Congressional hearings the agency issued Automated Driving Systems: A Vision for Safety.

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Get info on automated driving systems, also referred to as automated vehicles and "self-driving" cars, and learn about their safety potential.

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https://www.treehugger.com/biodegradable-paper-straws-dont-get-soggy-7104593

1) Topic: Treehugger

2) Rice straws and straws made of PLA are available as alternatives to paper straws. However, the KRICT scientists discovered that these do not decompose well in the ocean. Meanwhile, rice straws decompose well in non-marine environments, but they are harder to manufacture and are more expensive.

3)The main idea is that rice straws are better than plastic straws.

It tells you that plastic straws don't decompose but that rice straws do decompose better than they do. It also tells u the downside of rice straws. That is why I think the main idea is why rice straws are better than plastic straws.

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Eco enthusiasts who've already eschewed straws may wonder what the point is in developing new ones. But for anyone unable or unwilling to abide by a soggy paper straw, a strong yet fully biodegradable one has been invented by scientists at the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT).

The discovery comes from the joint research team of Dr. Oh Dongyeop and Dr. Kwak Hojung of KRICT and Professor Park Jeyoung of Sogang University.

The new straws are easy to mass-produce and could fill the gap between consumers wanting a rigid straw and regulations on plastic straws in restaurants and cafés. Changing consumer habits and weaning the world off straws would be the best-case scenario (with an exception for those who rely on straws for health and other reasons). But in the meantime, a truly biodegradable straw that can stand up to the complaints of plastic-straw lovers could make a difference. Who can lament that the eco-radicals have come for the straws when there's a perfectly viable, eco-friendly replacement?

As noted in a paper detailing the invention of the new straws, traditional single-use straws are particularly bad in the marine environment because of the harm they do to sea animals. "In addition, they are rarely recycled because they are small, which makes collection difficult; they are also non-degradable." Some straw manufacturers now make their products with bioplastics, like polylactic acid made from corn, but as the study authors note, polylactic acid (PLA) straws are not marine-degradable.

Plastic straws became a rallying point for environmentalists, much in thanks to the iconic event of an unfortunate sea turtle with a straw deeply submerged in its nose. Renouncing plastic straws seems like an easy first step in recognizing-and giving up-single-use plastic items that are not essential for everyone. Bans on plastic straws are now fairly widespread, and thus, enter the paper straw.

Paper straws make sense on paper, so to speak. Yet most currently available paper straws have a dirty little secret. Since 100% paper would result in a straw too soaked to sip from, most of them have a coating of polyethylene (PE) or acrylic resin, the same materials used for making plastic bags and adhesives.

This is the bane of paper cups as well. Numerous studies have found, according to the KRICT team, that "polyethylene coating on discarded paper cups can disintegrate into small particles without being fully decomposed and become microplastics. Moreover, these paper products are made with paper and plastics (two very different materials) and thus it is difficult to recycle them."

Rice straws and straws made of PLA are available as alternatives to paper straws. However, the KRICT scientists discovered that these do not decompose well in the ocean. Meanwhile, rice straws decompose well in non-marine environments, but they are harder to manufacture and are more expensive.

The new straws, on the other hand, rely on a well-known biodegradable plastic, polybutylene succinate (PBS) to which the team added a small amount of cellulose nanocrystals to create the coating material. Most simply put, cellulose is plant fiber. Since the added cellulose nanocrystals are the same material as the main component of paper, they provide optimal attachment of the PBS to the paper surface during the coating process.

The researchers note: "Conventional paper straws do not incorporate a material that will strongly attach the plastic coating to the surface of the straws. The surface of the straws thus is not uniformly coated with plastic, impeding their use. The most significant limitations this creates are that the straws become soggy when a liquid touches the uncoated part and bubbles extensively form when paper straws are left in carbonated beverages. This is because the uncoated part easily combines with water, whereas the coated plastic part has the property of repelling water, causing the carbonated drink to contact the uneven surface of the paper straws."

The newly devised straws resist sogginess in cold drinks as well as hot drinks. They retain their rigidity when used to stir water, tea, carbonated drinks, milk, and other drinks with lipids, and they do so upon prolonged contact with liquids. In comparison testing, the team found that after soaking in cold water for one minute, a conventional paper straw was notably bent by a weight of approximately 25 grams. The new paper straw fared much better, even when the weight was increased to more than 50 grams under the same conditions.

But perhaps the most important characteristic is the new straw's marine biodegradability. The claim gets thrown around loosely, and all too often something billed as biodegradable takes an inordinate amount of time to actually degrade.

Since the coating material is made of paper and biodegradable plastic, the researchers claim that it will decompose and degrade completely in the ocean.

"In general, paper or plastic decomposes much more slowly in the ocean than in soil because of the ocean's low temperature and high salinity, which impede the growth of microbes," explains a press statement from KRICT. "The research team performed a decomposition test in a marine environment by immersing the straw samples at a depth of 1.5-2 m on the coast near Pohang, South Korea."

As shown in the image below, regular plastic straws and corn plastic PLA straws did not decompose after 120 days. Conventional paper straws preserved their shape and lost only 5% of their total weight. Meanwhile, the new straws lost more than 50% of their weight after 60 days and decomposed completely after 120 days.

There has been no shortage of debate about the importance, or lack thereof, of ditching plastic straws. In the big picture, with Big Ag devouring habitat and fossil fuel companies perpetuating their wreckless ways, etc, is giving up plastic straws really going to make a difference? Given that the United States uses millions of single-use plastic straws a day and that plastic straws are among the top 10 contributors to plastic marine debris across the globe, why wouldn't we want to stem the tide?

"This technology is but a small step toward the direction we need to take in this era of plastic," says lead researcher, Dr. Oh Dongyeop. "Turning a plastic straw we often use into a paper straw will not immediately impact our environment, but the difference will be profound over time. If we gradually change from using convenient disposable plastic products to various eco-friendly products, our future environment will be much safer."

The best solution for those who have the option is to give up using straws altogether. But having a better alternative out there can provide a reasonable, eco-friendly choice for people who need to use straws-and might at least tame the damage made by straw users who just don't care about marine plastic pollution or straws lodged in the noses of turtles.

To see the chemistry behind the project, read the research in Advanced Science.

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Scientists Create 100% Biodegradable Paper Straws That Don't Get Soggy

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By adding a bit of cellulose to the mix, a team of researchers creates a strong paper straw that is easy to make and degrades to nothing.

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david gilbert is very specific of what type of plastic straws he uses when he can just go an buy metal ones that do even better stuff fro him than plastic straws

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The safety record of self-driving cars

At least one fatality has already occurred with self-driving cars. In 2018, an Uber car in autonomous mode struck and killed a woman pushing her bicycle across a highway near Phoenix, Arizona. The accident report from the National Transportation Safety Board showed that the car’s perception system first classified her as an unknown object, then as a vehicle, and finally as a bicycle, whose path it could not predict. The car’s automatic braking system was disengaged, the safety driver was alleged to be watching a TV show on her mobile phone, and by the time she hit the brakes, it was too late.

so in this paragraph a self-driving car ran over and killed a woman on her bike. this is very sad because it's like anyone could die because of this for no reason. The braking system in the car was disengaged so it didn't stop. The sad part is that they actually trusted the vehicle and just watched their phone while the car was just running someone over. This is why self driving cars should be BANNED.

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The evolving safety and policy challenges of self-driving cars

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Mark MacCarthy explores challenges and future of self-driving cars, highlighting their impact on regulation, and transportation technology.

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In this paragraph it says "Despite their sophistication, autonomous vehicles rely heavily on technology, which is not foolproof. Software bugs, sensor failures, and difficulty navigating unpredictable scenarios—like construction zones or bad weather—can lead to accidents. As with any technology, even minor malfunctions can have severe consequences, raising concerns about the reliability of these systems"

I think they are trying to tell us that in rain or bad weather it can malfunction and risk crashing.

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Are Self-Driving Cars Safe? (Pros & Cons) | The Wolf Pack®

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Explore the pros and cons of self-driving cars. Discover potential safety benefits, risks, and the debate on whether self-driving cars are safe.

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1. https://junior.scholastic.com/issues/2017-18/112017/are-driverless-cars-a-good-idea.html?language=english

2. Are Driverless Cars a Good Idea?

3. Driverless cars have become a big impact on our environment. driverless cars will reduce crashes and save lots of lives. more people die from human error more than self driving cars every year. This shows why self driving cars are a great idea.

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Two experts weigh in on the pros and cons of driverless cars.

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In addition, plastic straws are not recyclable, so those that do get thrown away will end up in landfills and incinerators where they will either release chemicals into the air and soil.

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Trampoline parks enforce their own safety rules and measures. Backyard trampolines increasingly have padding over the metal springs and nets that totally enclose them. While this may help decrease spring-related injuries and keep kids from falling off, it does not totally eliminate the risk of injuries that can happen on the trampoline itself due to collisions, bad landings, or stunts gone wrong.

Some safety rules that can help prevent injury include:

One person on the trampoline at a time

Avoid doing risky stunts like flips

Check the trampoline before jumping to ensure there are no tears or damaged parts

Always have adult supervision

“Parental supervision is very important,” Park says. “Educate your kid about the risks, then set clear rules and play within those boundaries. I know kids want to have fun, but close supervision is really important to prevent injuries.”

Whether you’re visiting a trampoline park or a friend’s backyard, if you do choose to allow your kids to occasionally bounce, knowing how most injuries occur can help you implement safety measures to prevent kids from getting hurt.

Most trampoline injuries are caused by:

Collisions when multiple people are on the trampoline

Falling off the trampoline edge

Doing a risky stunt, such as a flip

Landing awkwardly

Falling onto the springs of the trampoline

If someone does get hurt on a trampoline, it’s important to remain calm and encourage others to stop bouncing so you can assess the injury. If a child has fallen off the trampoline or landed on their head or neck, do not immediately move them to another location, as this can cause further damage. First, be sure to ask them if they can move their extremities and if they still have feeling in their body. An inability to move and loss of sensation can point to a potential spinal cord injury. In this case, you should keep them still and call 911 immediately.

Trampoline injuries range from minor ones that can be treated at home to devastating, life-altering situations, which is why choosing to jump can be so risky.

Common trampoline injuries include:

Cuts and bruises

Sprains and strains, particularly in the ankles, shoulder, knees, and wrists

Fractures, most commonly in the arms and legs

Concussions and other traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)

Bouncing on a trampoline can be a blast and a great source of exercise for both kids and adults. However, trampolines also come with a significant injury risk. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, more than 100,000 trampoline-related injuries are treated in an emergency room every year.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that children of all ages totally avoid trampolines due to the risk of injuries, including catastrophic ones. Children younger than six years are the most at risk for serious injuries.

“Younger kids have a lot less motor control, balance, and coordination, and they’re still learning how to control their body and develop those motor skills,” says Kevin Park, FAAPMR, MBBS, a spinal cord injury specialist and spasticity medical director at Craig H. Neilsen Rehabilitation Hospital. “Then, if there are multiple kids on a trampoline and they’re the smallest one, they’re more likely to get hurt since their bones are still developing.”

Neck and spinal cord injuries, which can result in paralysis and even death

“The worst-case scenario is a spinal cord injury that results in paralysis due to a fractured vertebra,” Park says. “The muscles responsible for breathing are controlled by the upper part of the neck, so if the injury occurs near the high cervical spine, you could lose the ability to breathe and potentially die."

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Plastic straws are among the top 10 contributors to plastic marine debris across the globe.

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They may be small and lightweight but they add up to create a BIG problem — Americans use millions of plastic straws each day.

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1. Plastic straws are small and lightweight, which makes it easy for them to end up as litter, clogging gutters and polluting our waterways, streets, parks, and ocean where they may persist for hundreds to thousands of years

2. plastic straws polutte the earth which makes them easy to end up as litter clogging gutter and so on .

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Beyond Plastics - Working To End Single-Use Plastic Pollution

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More than 15 million metric tons of plastic enter the ocean each year. By 2025, experts predict that there will be one pound of plastic in the ocean for every three pounds of fish.

Plastic straws are an unnecessary utensil for the vast majority of people and are usually thrown away after just one use. They may be small and lightweight but they're a BIG problem - Americans use millions of plastic straws each day. These straws are not recyclable so they end up in landfills and incinerators as well as littering our streets, parks and roadsides, clogging our gutters, rivers, lakes, streams, and polluting our environment where they may persist for more than 200 years.

Plastic straws can sicken and kill seabirds, fish, sea turtles, manatees, dolphins and other animals when they get lodged in their noses, throats and stomachs. As plastic straws that are exposed to sunlight, waves, wind and temperature extremes begin to break into smaller pieces, they become "microplastics" - tiny particles that can infiltrate the bodies of all living things, including us humans. The impact of microplastic pollution is not yet well studied but may be a contributing factor to climate change as well as a host of human ills.

In addition, many single-use plastic straws are made from polystyrene, the same plastic used to make what you may think of as "styrofoam" which is a likely human carcinogen. To sum it up, plastic straws are not only bad for sea turtles like this poor creature in the video below, they're also bad for you.

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Plastic Straws - Why They Suck & What YOU Can Do - Beyond Plastics - Working To End Single-Use Plastic Pollution

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More than 15 million metric tons of plastic enter the ocean each year. By 2025, experts predict that there will be one pound of plastic in the ocean for every three pounds of fish. Plastic straws are an unnecessary utensil for the vast majority of people and are usually thrown away after just one use.

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1. Are Driverless Cars a Good Idea?

2. driverless cars are a good idea.

#1 Companies like Uber, Google, and Ford recently started testing hundreds of self-driving vehicles on public roads in Arizona, California, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and other states.

#2 critics say the advantages of driverless cars have been overblown. They claim that it’s too soon to tell whether automated vehicles will reduce accidents. #3 Each year, 1.3 million people worldwide die in car accidents. Ninety-four percent of those crashes are due to human error. This is a tragedy self-driving vehicles can help solve. That’s because computers can think better and react earlier than people. that's why they are a good idea

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Most plastic straws are intended to be single-use which means they’re thrown away after just minutes of use.

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More than 33 billion pounds of plastic enter the Earth’s ocean each year.

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Beyond Plastics - Working To End Single-Use Plastic Pollution

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More than 15 million metric tons of plastic enter the ocean each year. By 2025, experts predict that there will be one pound of plastic in the ocean for every three pounds of fish.

Plastic straws are an unnecessary utensil for the vast majority of people and are usually thrown away after just one use. They may be small and lightweight but they're a BIG problem - Americans use millions of plastic straws each day. These straws are not recyclable so they end up in landfills and incinerators as well as littering our streets, parks and roadsides, clogging our gutters, rivers, lakes, streams, and polluting our environment where they may persist for more than 200 years.

Plastic straws can sicken and kill seabirds, fish, sea turtles, manatees, dolphins and other animals when they get lodged in their noses, throats and stomachs. As plastic straws that are exposed to sunlight, waves, wind and temperature extremes begin to break into smaller pieces, they become "microplastics" - tiny particles that can infiltrate the bodies of all living things, including us humans. The impact of microplastic pollution is not yet well studied but may be a contributing factor to climate change as well as a host of human ills.

In addition, many single-use plastic straws are made from polystyrene, the same plastic used to make what you may think of as "styrofoam" which is a likely human carcinogen. To sum it up, plastic straws are not only bad for sea turtles like this poor creature in the video below, they're also bad for you.

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Plastic Straws - Why They Suck & What YOU Can Do - Beyond Plastics - Working To End Single-Use Plastic Pollution

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More than 15 million metric tons of plastic enter the ocean each year. By 2025, experts predict that there will be one pound of plastic in the ocean for every three pounds of fish. Plastic straws are an unnecessary utensil for the vast majority of people and are usually thrown away after just one use.

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the plastic in plastic straws is the same plastic that is in the 6 pack holders according to this website. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/news-plastic-six-pack-rings-alternatives-history

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWjkH7EV9lg

This video proves that the number of cancer is spreading because of plastic. Think about it if we have plastic food containers all the micornisams get I the food and then they go into the human body spreading cancer around the world.

Another reason plastic is bad is because when the fish die from plastic the plastic is inside them and then we it that fish and all of those micornisams spread all the way into your body!!!!!!!!!

So if you don't want to get cancer or have plastic in your body then switch to paper starws

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The new animal mix didn't always work out. Issues identified by the zoo sources include two newly acquired hornbill birds that were kept in an indoor shack for seven months because their exhibit yard wasn't ready.

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/ CBS News

WASHINGTON - The National Zoo has a reputation as a leader in animal care, science and cute photo opportunities such as the naming of Bao Bao the baby panda earlier this month.

But a CBS News investigation has learned that behind the scenes, there are insider allegations of mismanagement involving animal care. Five sources with more than 35 years' combined experience at the National Zoo have raised concerns to CBS News about recent animal injuries, deaths and escapes.

The sources don't want to be identified for fear of retaliation. They say problems began last year when the zoo decided to double the population of the Cheetah Conservation Station, adding a half dozen new species but no extra space. Besides cheetahs, the CCS also houses zebras, gazelles and other species.

CBS News asked animal biologist and ethicist Marc Bekoff to look at the complaints. He was an independent reviewer of a 2005 National Academy of Sciences investigation of the zoo that found "systemic problems at the highest levels."

Of the newly raised issues, Bekoff said: "I call it 'fetch and pray.' You get the animals and then you pray that the project will work out."

The CCS' new animal mix didn't always work out. Issues identified by the zoo sources include two newly acquired hornbill birds that were kept in an indoor shack for seven months because their exhibit yard wasn't ready. Only after a volunteer complained were the birds allowed in an outdoor space. But the wallaby that had to share its yard with these new arrivals became frightened, according to sources, bloodied its nose and spent much of its time frightened and hiding.

One of two new red river hogs quickly became malnourished and died of an infection. The other hog, along with oryxes and sitatungas (two types of antelopes), sometimes became overly aggressive when mixed together, and some were injured in vicious fights.

It's not unusual for animals to spar, but the zoo sources say management failed to predict easily foreseeable conflicts between species and genders, and had ineffective backup plans for separating and protecting the animals when the conflicts arose.

"It's no surprise to me as a field biologist that so many of them do not work out," Bekoff told CBS News. "They're just too hastily put together and they're not well thought through."

Zoo spokeswoman Pamela Baker-Masson says the National Zoo meets the highest industry standards and the animals always receive the best care.

"We take great care in introducing our animals to these various habitats and transitioning them. Ideally, these things wouldn't happen, of course," said Baker-Masson. "I think my colleagues were very well aware and they know these species and they know how to take care of these species. ... Every single animal has a very specific course of action and a plan."

Bekoff says the zoo's plans appear to have been inadequate. "They should only be able to get the animals when it can be shown that they can properly house them and care for them."

Two animals in the CCS, a Dama gazelle and a pregnant kudu (another type of antelope), died when they got spooked on separate occasions and ran into barriers in their confined spaces, breaking their necks.

The gazelle death happened last month after a zebra attacked a veteran zookeeper. The commotion apparently frightened the gazelle, which is on the endangered species list. Zoo sources say it wasn't found for hours. The pregnant kudu died last June. Zoo sources say as the animal lay suffering with a broken neck, workers were unable to quickly locate necessary veterinary records.

Baker-Masson says Dama gazelles and kudus are skittish animals by nature and were housed in adequate spaces that met the requirements of the American Zoological Association, which recently re-accredited the facility.

As for the hornbill birds that were keep indoors for eight months, Baker-Masson says the space was "more than adequate and it gave the staff a very good amount of time to prepare and work with the hornbills" but "ideally they would have [had] access to their outdoor yard space more quickly."

Bekoff calls the lengthy indoor confinement "totally unacceptable."

"There's not one single excuse that I would accept," he said. "Basically this is a form of animal abuse and animal neglect. ...They get an 'F' in this project.'

Zoo sources also expressed concern about two escapes from the CCS: a vulture whose wings were allegedly not properly clipped and a red panda who managed to climb out of its exhibit. Both animals were later recaptured and zoo officials say the failures that allowed the escapes have been fixed.

CBS News has learned that the zoo convened a task force last summer to investigate the internal complaints about animal care at the CCS. The task force made findings last August and Baker-Masson says some of its recommendations are already being implemented.

Zoo officials refused CBS News' repeated requests to release the task force report even though, under public records law, it's considered public material.

As to why the National Zoo is withholding the information, Baker-Masson provided a number of rationales. First, she said that the task force report was still only a draft, four months after it was scheduled to be completed. However, when CBS News asked for the draft, she would not provide that either.

Later, in an interview, Baker-Masson said that the task force report is finished, but that the zoo isn't ready to release it.

"We're more than happy to [release the task force report]," Baker-Masson told CBS News. "But we have to do it in a thorough and process-oriented way that makes sense."

She acknowledged that some of the concerns investigated were founded.

"Absolutely," Baker-Masson said. "Anytime a concern is raised, it's looked at very seriously and we have to examine, you know, what changes are appropriate for that particular species, what changes are appropriate for the staff, what changes are appropriate for the facility itself. So yes, absolutely, some changes have been made."

Another incident the zoo is keeping mum about is the November zebra attack on the zookeeper. Baker-Masson says that AZA standards require that there always be a barrier between a keeper and zebras, which can inflict serious bite wounds. But the zoo says three weeks after the attack, it still has not identified how the zebra got to the keeper and it would not release the incident report or other public information about it. The injured zookeeper was recently released after several weeks in the hospital.

Sharyl Attkisson

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Are there animal care problems at National Zoo?

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Behind the scenes, there are insider allegations of mismanagement involving animals at famed D.C. facility

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trampoline injuries cover a wide spectrum, from small lacerations to fractures of the spine, head, ribs and sternum. And the number and variety of injuries continue to climb, despite efforts to make trampolines less dangerous with enclosure nets and other safety features.

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the self driving cars are so bad that many people sued the company for false advertising (because it sold an idea that later became clear that it was not real).

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For almost ten years, Elon Musk has been assuring Tesla customers that his cars would achieve full autonomous driving with just a couple of software updates. That is, if you bought a Tesla with the FSD (Full Self-driving) function, your car could drive itself without you having to do anything other than look out the window of your car. But now, after having to postpone this idea, Musk has admitted that the cars his brand have been manufacturing since 2019 do not have the necessary hardware to achieve this... The tycoon has confessed that it is a very complicated and difficult process, but what about those thousands of users who paid extra to have this autonomous driving? Have they lost their money forever? When is Tesla going to implement those actualizations? Let's know.

Musk and an unfulfilled promise.

Back in 2016, Musk assured that his new vehicles would have enough hardware to achieve full autonomous driving, but time has spoken and has been displacing the older hardware versions leaving them completely obsolete, and it has not been one but four Tesla updates that have promised heaven but have given crumbs to its customers:

Hardware 2.0 (2016): First version with the promise of full autonomy.

Hardware 2.5 (2017): Some minor improvements, but not yet ready for unsupervised driving.

Hardware 3.0 (2019-2023): Tesla assured that this was enough for "Full Self-Driving", but now Musk says that it is not.

Hardware 4.0 (2023-present): The newest version, which could be the first to allow true autonomous driving.

And what is the problem?

The problem is not that the update is taking too long, but that thousands of people paid more than $12,000 hoping that when this technology was ready, it would be implemented in their vehicles, and now they feel completely cheated by Tesla and its CEO, Musk (and we understand that perfectly)

What is the FSD system?

We already know that Tesla is the company that invests the most in innovation and technology, and one of the things that it stands out for (in addition to taking electric cars to another level in the automobile market) is having created the autonomous driving system, which, so far, is not completely autonomous. The current FSD update allows driving on streets and highways following traffic regulations, turning at intersections and stopping and starting at stop signs, for example.

It should be noted that the driver is still responsible for the vehicle, and that this is simply "an aid" to driving, but it is not 100% reliable. Much less will you be able to go to sleep or get out of the driver's seat.

Legal problems for Tesla.

As usual, Tesla will not only have to deal with the technological problems of its updates, but also with legal consequences because many consumers sued the company for false advertising (because it sold an idea that later became clear that it was not real). And this led the case to trial, where a court has already ruled that Tesla must make the updates at no additional cost to the owners, that is, free of charge, so Tesla will have to spend money to fulfill its promises....

Is there light on the horizon for Tesla?

Yes, Tesla is planning to test the new hardware in Austin (Texas) starting next June, but it is still unclear whether customers with older cars will be able to update it.

What is clear is that Elon Musk has had to apologize and recognize that it has been a big setback for his company. What will happen from now on with Tesla? Will 100% autonomous driving finally be used? Only time will tell.

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Elon Musk admits he was wrong - after 9 years of saying the opposite, he fails to deliver on his promises about autonomous driving

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For almost ten years, Elon Musk has been assuring Tesla customers that his cars would achieve full autonomous driving with just a couple of software updates.

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The AAP, estimates that about 100,000 kids are sent to the emergency room each year from trampoline injuries.

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trampolines are bad for especially young kids

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trampolines are bad for especially young kids

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Young children are especially susceptible to trampoline injuries, according to Armin Tehrany, an orthopedic surgeon and founder of Manhattan Orthopedic Care.“Their bones are still growing,” he said. Tehrany cautions parents that a soft surface doesn’t ensure safety because the mechanism of jumping on a trampoline — jumping to progressively higher heights and landing — puts a lot of stress on developing bones.

“The pressure they put themselves under puts them at high risk for fracture and other injuries,” he said.

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Self-driven cars would be great for sharing rides since the machines could find much safer, faster, and over all better routes than a human driver could.

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paper straws are less quality then plastic straws and the get soggy unlike plastic straws.

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For almost ten years, Elon Musk has been assuring Tesla customers that his cars would achieve full autonomous driving with just a couple of software updates. That is, if you bought a Tesla with the FSD (Full Self-driving) function, your car could drive itself without you having to do anything other than look out the window of your car. But now, after having to postpone this idea, Musk has admitted that the cars his brand have been manufacturing since 2019

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
For almost ten years, Elon Musk has been assuring Tesla customers that his cars would achieve full autonomous driving with just a couple of software updates. That is, if you bought a Tesla with the FSD (Full Self-driving) function, your car could drive itself without you having to do anything other than look out the window of your car. But now, after having to postpone this idea, Musk has admitted that the cars his brand have been manufacturing since 2019 do not have the necessary hardware to achieve this... The tycoon has confessed that it is a very complicated and difficult process, but what about those thousands of users who paid extra to have this autonomous driving? Have they lost their money forever? When is Tesla going to implement those actualizations? Let's know.

Musk and an unfulfilled promise.

Back in 2016, Musk assured that his new vehicles would have enough hardware to achieve full autonomous driving, but time has spoken and has been displacing the older hardware versions leaving them completely obsolete, and it has not been one but four Tesla updates that have promised heaven but have given crumbs to its customers:

Hardware 2.0 (2016): First version with the promise of full autonomy.

Hardware 2.5 (2017): Some minor improvements, but not yet ready for unsupervised driving.

Hardware 3.0 (2019-2023): Tesla assured that this was enough for "Full Self-Driving", but now Musk says that it is not.

Hardware 4.0 (2023-present): The newest version, which could be the first to allow true autonomous driving.

And what is the problem?

The problem is not that the update is taking too long, but that thousands of people paid more than $12,000 hoping that when this technology was ready, it would be implemented in their vehicles, and now they feel completely cheated by Tesla and its CEO, Musk (and we understand that perfectly)

What is the FSD system?

We already know that Tesla is the company that invests the most in innovation and technology, and one of the things that it stands out for (in addition to taking electric cars to another level in the automobile market) is having created the autonomous driving system, which, so far, is not completely autonomous. The current FSD update allows driving on streets and highways following traffic regulations, turning at intersections and stopping and starting at stop signs, for example.

It should be noted that the driver is still responsible for the vehicle, and that this is simply "an aid" to driving, but it is not 100% reliable. Much less will you be able to go to sleep or get out of the driver's seat.

Legal problems for Tesla.

As usual, Tesla will not only have to deal with the technological problems of its updates, but also with legal consequences because many consumers sued the company for false advertising (because it sold an idea that later became clear that it was not real). And this led the case to trial, where a court has already ruled that Tesla must make the updates at no additional cost to the owners, that is, free of charge, so Tesla will have to spend money to fulfill its promises....

Is there light on the horizon for Tesla?

Yes, Tesla is planning to test the new hardware in Austin (Texas) starting next June, but it is still unclear whether customers with older cars will be able to update it.

What is clear is that Elon Musk has had to apologize and recognize that it has been a big setback for his company. What will happen from now on with Tesla? Will 100% autonomous driving finally be used? Only time will tell.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Elon Musk admits he was wrong - after 9 years of saying the opposite, he fails to deliver on his promises about autonomous driving

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
For almost ten years, Elon Musk has been assuring Tesla customers that his cars would achieve full autonomous driving with just a couple of software updates.

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Plastic straws are less than paper straws because plastic straws are 2 cents paper straws are 12 cents to 1 dollar.

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Elon musk even knows that the self driving cars are bad even though he MADE them

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Elon musk even knows that the self driving cars are bad even though he MADE them

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Elon Musk admits he was wrong — after 9 years of saying the opposite, he fails to deliver on his promises about autonomous driving

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
For almost ten years, Elon Musk has been assuring Tesla customers that his cars would achieve full autonomous driving with just a couple of software updates. That is, if you bought a Tesla with the FSD (Full Self-driving) function, your car could drive itself without you having to do anything other than look out the window of your car. But now, after having to postpone this idea, Musk has admitted that the cars his brand have been manufacturing since 2019 do not have the necessary hardware to achieve this... The tycoon has confessed that it is a very complicated and difficult process, but what about those thousands of users who paid extra to have this autonomous driving? Have they lost their money forever? When is Tesla going to implement those actualizations? Let's know.

Musk and an unfulfilled promise.

Back in 2016, Musk assured that his new vehicles would have enough hardware to achieve full autonomous driving, but time has spoken and has been displacing the older hardware versions leaving them completely obsolete, and it has not been one but four Tesla updates that have promised heaven but have given crumbs to its customers:

Hardware 2.0 (2016): First version with the promise of full autonomy.

Hardware 2.5 (2017): Some minor improvements, but not yet ready for unsupervised driving.

Hardware 3.0 (2019-2023): Tesla assured that this was enough for "Full Self-Driving", but now Musk says that it is not.

Hardware 4.0 (2023-present): The newest version, which could be the first to allow true autonomous driving.

And what is the problem?

The problem is not that the update is taking too long, but that thousands of people paid more than $12,000 hoping that when this technology was ready, it would be implemented in their vehicles, and now they feel completely cheated by Tesla and its CEO, Musk (and we understand that perfectly)

What is the FSD system?

We already know that Tesla is the company that invests the most in innovation and technology, and one of the things that it stands out for (in addition to taking electric cars to another level in the automobile market) is having created the autonomous driving system, which, so far, is not completely autonomous. The current FSD update allows driving on streets and highways following traffic regulations, turning at intersections and stopping and starting at stop signs, for example.

It should be noted that the driver is still responsible for the vehicle, and that this is simply "an aid" to driving, but it is not 100% reliable. Much less will you be able to go to sleep or get out of the driver's seat.

Legal problems for Tesla.

As usual, Tesla will not only have to deal with the technological problems of its updates, but also with legal consequences because many consumers sued the company for false advertising (because it sold an idea that later became clear that it was not real). And this led the case to trial, where a court has already ruled that Tesla must make the updates at no additional cost to the owners, that is, free of charge, so Tesla will have to spend money to fulfill its promises....

Is there light on the horizon for Tesla?

Yes, Tesla is planning to test the new hardware in Austin (Texas) starting next June, but it is still unclear whether customers with older cars will be able to update it.

What is clear is that Elon Musk has had to apologize and recognize that it has been a big setback for his company. What will happen from now on with Tesla? Will 100% autonomous driving finally be used? Only time will tell.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Elon Musk admits he was wrong - after 9 years of saying the opposite, he fails to deliver on his promises about autonomous driving

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
For almost ten years, Elon Musk has been assuring Tesla customers that his cars would achieve full autonomous driving with just a couple of software updates.

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https://www.treehugger.com/ways-plastic-straws-may-be-bad-your-body-4858304

Using plastic straws can cause gas and bloating.

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5 Ways Plastic Straws May Be Bad for Your Body

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So, I just read an article complaining about how the flood of single-use straw bans is "annoying" and doesn't have any impact aside from making "liberal enviros" feel good about themselves. I am pretty sure that the marine animals with straws stuck in their noses might beg to differ, but hey, I'm just a liberal enviro (thank you very much) so what do I know?

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companies like Tesla make it to where you can control the car with your phone.

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Altitude Trampoline Park -  Safety Video

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People are way quicker to forgive a human mistake than a machine one.However, that is because they are scared to try it. You can't say something doesn't work if you haven't even tried it.

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Animals in zoos have less quality then they would in the wild.

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“The zoo is a great place to learn about animals.”

“If kids don’t see animals up close like they do at the zoo, they won’t like them, appreciate them or want to help them.”

“Zoos help animals make babies (called “breeding”) so they won’t become extinct.”

“Zoos take good care of animals. When animals get hurt or sick, an animal doctor called a vet makes them better straight away. In the wild, sick animals would die.”

“Animals are safe in zoos. They won’t starve or be killed by other animals.”

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Some children like to gnaw/chew on their plastic straws at restaurants. Metal straws will grind their teeth and can really hurt their mouths.

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Websites state that zoos are very educational for kids and their growing in there mindset.

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Most plastic straws contain chemical compounds called BPAs or PFAs. These can leach into the liquids being consumed, especially if they are hot drinks, and some experts fear they may be harmful for human health.

I rather switching plastic to paper straws than getting health dieses.

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some people like terrorists can try to hack in to the coding and get innocent people in crashes

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Donald Trump says paper straws don't work and can break easily.

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Trump signs order to bring back plastic straws claiming paper ones ‘explode’

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Order rolls back Biden policy to phase out federal purchases of single-use plastic as Trump calls it a ‘ridiculous situation’

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Workers have been relocating animals, securing buildings and preparing food around the clock in an effort to keep more than a thousand animals safe.

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How Florida’s zoos are preparing to keep animals safe ahead of Hurricane Milton

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Zoo employees have been working around the clock to secure animals in areas like Tampa before the powerful Hurricane Milton makes landfall.

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Rebounding detoxifies excess hormone and toxins which is key to a healthy endocrine system.

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Doctors are concerned about trampolines due to their high risk of serious injuries, including fractures, sprains, concussions, and even paralysis, which can lead to long-term complications.

Here's a more detailed breakdown:

Types of Injuries:

Trampolines can cause a variety of injuries, including:

Sprains and Strains: Particularly in the ankles, shoulders, knees, and wrists.

Fractures: Most commonly in the arms and legs.

Concussions and other Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs) .

Neck and Spinal Cord Injuries: Which can result in paralysis and even death.

Increased Risk for Younger Children:

Research indicates that children 5 years and younger are at a higher risk of fractures and dislocations due to trampoline-related injuries.

AAP Recommendations:

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) strongly recommends against children younger than 6 years jumping on trampolines.

Trampoline Park Risks:

While backyard trampolines are a concern, trampoline parks may present even greater risks due to factors like higher tensile strength in commercial trampolines, which can lead to harder bounces and amplified loading on bones.

Long-term Complications:

Even seemingly minor injuries can have lasting effects, including nerve damage.

Supervision is Crucial:

When trampolines are used, proper supervision and safety precautions are essential to minimize the risk of injury

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Rebounding helps improve circulation of the lymphatic fluid, which help to destroy cancerous cells in the body. As the fluid collects waste products, bacteria and damaged cells, it also collects damaged cancerous cells if are present in the body and drains it in the lymphatic vessels.

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When rebounding, impact is absorbed by the trampoline surface and the risk of injuring muscle and fibers is reduced. The gravitational force measured at the ankles, back and forehead is more equally distributed when bouncing.

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Another important risk involves cybersecurity. Self-driving cars rely heavily on software and networks, making them vulnerable to hacking. Imagine a malicious entity taking control of a car’s navigation system; the consequences could be dire. If they hack into your self driving car you can get in a wreck and have very bad injury's.

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David Freeman says we should get driver-less cars on the road as soon as possible since they could get more data if they are on the road. With this information, they will be able to make the cars even better.

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It has been proven that greater results are achieved by combining rebounding with other types of exercise like strength training and weight lifting.

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Rebounding is a natural way of permanently getting rid of varicose veins. Frequent rebounding increases circulation of blood flow, which can greatly reduce the pressure that your veins have to endure and eliminate the inflammation and the pain that comes with varicose veins.

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The animals’ living area should have lots of ways for them to play and enjoy themselves! For example, there should be a large structure for chimpanzees to climb on, water for bears to soak and splash in, and large fields for roaming and exploring. Animals need these things if they’re going to be healthy, happy, and comfortable.

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One critical danger is the potential for software glitches, which can lead to unpredictable vehicle behavior

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The same way rebounding helps the lymphatic system circulation, it also helps in blood circulation and hence improves the cardiovascular system. Rebounding also reduces blood pooling in the veins to prevent chronic edema.

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1. Trampoline exercises firms the legs, thighs, abdomen, arms and hips, increases agility and improves sense of balance. The gentle detoxification that occurs when you are rebounding encourages fat loss.

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There are workers walking around and if you do the wrong things you can get kicked out or corrected.

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Rebounding on a trampoline stimulate the vestibule in the middle ear, automatically improving balance.

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Even Donald Trump seems to be for plastic straws. Trump has signed an order to bring back plastic straws, because other types of straws affect his every day life.

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The storm, which was a Category 4 hurricane as of Wednesday morning, is expected to make landfall late at night on Oct. 9 or in the early hours of Oct. 10, forecasters said.

Zoo and aquarium employees in Tampa and elsewhere have been working to get animals to safety in an area projected to take a direct hit from the storm.

ZooTampa officials told NBC News correspondent Sam Brock on TODAY Wednesday that they have at least three weeks of food prepared for the animals in anticipation of Milton, compared to the usual two weeks of food. Instead of LEAVING THE ANIMALS BEHIND, they TAKE THE ANIMALS WITH THEM. so they can be safe and that shows that if zoos were not good then they would LEAVE THE ANIMAL BEHIND, but since they CARE for them humans are TAKING THEM ANIMALS WiTh THEM.

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Many cardiovascular exercises exert excess pressure on the joints, feet and legs. Jumping or jogging on the trampoline is more effective because you can exercise for a longer period of time without feeling tired or feeling pressure on your joints. The G-force produced by jumping on a trampoline also improves body tine and exercises the entire body.

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keeping animals in cages are cruel and we dont really have the right to do that.

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Rebounding on a trampoline will automatically increase the mitochondrial count in each cell due to the extra demand for energy by the cells in the body. This will increase your available energy as well as your body’s capacity for using that energy. This means that with trampoline exercise, your metabolism is jumpstarted and you will be losing weight long after you have finished exercising. In addition, you will also feel energetic throughout the day.

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There is a significant increase in “biomechanical stimuli” while rebounding. This means that bouncing on a trampoline is more beneficial to your body than running, and it’s because of this that the NASA now uses trampoline exercises to recondition astronauts after space walks to prevent muscle and bone degeneration.

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Studies have shown that the increased G-force on the bones experienced while rebounding strengthens them without attending to injuries such as shin splints and fractures. Trampoline exercise strengthens bone density which helps in the prevention of conditions like osteoporosis. It strengthens joints, tendons and ligaments, which may also help in reducing the chances of suffering from certain forms of arthritis.

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Rebounding on a trampoline is like pumping your body. Rebounding helps stimulate the thyroid gland start cleaning itself and the entire lymphatic system of stored fat. Trampoline exercise is the most proven way of eliminating cellulite.

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half of the other side of the world is one step ahead of us using paper straws we should just fill the other side of the world using paper straws.

And if we don't then half of the world will have to switch back!!!

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1. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/are-there-animal-care-problems-at-national-zoo/

2. The CCS' new animal mix didn't always work out. Issues identified by the zoo sources include two newly acquired hornbill birds that were kept in an indoor shack for seven months because their exhibit yard wasn't ready. Only after a volunteer complained were the birds allowed in an outdoor space. But the wallaby that had to share its yard with these new arrivals became frightened, according to sources, bloodied its nose and spent much of its time frightened and hiding.

3. I think the author is trying to they don't take proper car of there animals because they kept a bird in a shack and there miss treating the animals the authors purpose is to inform.

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/ CBS News

WASHINGTON - The National Zoo has a reputation as a leader in animal care, science and cute photo opportunities such as the naming of Bao Bao the baby panda earlier this month.

But a CBS News investigation has learned that behind the scenes, there are insider allegations of mismanagement involving animal care. Five sources with more than 35 years' combined experience at the National Zoo have raised concerns to CBS News about recent animal injuries, deaths and escapes.

The sources don't want to be identified for fear of retaliation. They say problems began last year when the zoo decided to double the population of the Cheetah Conservation Station, adding a half dozen new species but no extra space. Besides cheetahs, the CCS also houses zebras, gazelles and other species.

CBS News asked animal biologist and ethicist Marc Bekoff to look at the complaints. He was an independent reviewer of a 2005 National Academy of Sciences investigation of the zoo that found "systemic problems at the highest levels."

Of the newly raised issues, Bekoff said: "I call it 'fetch and pray.' You get the animals and then you pray that the project will work out."

The CCS' new animal mix didn't always work out. Issues identified by the zoo sources include two newly acquired hornbill birds that were kept in an indoor shack for seven months because their exhibit yard wasn't ready. Only after a volunteer complained were the birds allowed in an outdoor space. But the wallaby that had to share its yard with these new arrivals became frightened, according to sources, bloodied its nose and spent much of its time frightened and hiding.

One of two new red river hogs quickly became malnourished and died of an infection. The other hog, along with oryxes and sitatungas (two types of antelopes), sometimes became overly aggressive when mixed together, and some were injured in vicious fights.

It's not unusual for animals to spar, but the zoo sources say management failed to predict easily foreseeable conflicts between species and genders, and had ineffective backup plans for separating and protecting the animals when the conflicts arose.

"It's no surprise to me as a field biologist that so many of them do not work out," Bekoff told CBS News. "They're just too hastily put together and they're not well thought through."

Zoo spokeswoman Pamela Baker-Masson says the National Zoo meets the highest industry standards and the animals always receive the best care.

"We take great care in introducing our animals to these various habitats and transitioning them. Ideally, these things wouldn't happen, of course," said Baker-Masson. "I think my colleagues were very well aware and they know these species and they know how to take care of these species. ... Every single animal has a very specific course of action and a plan."

Bekoff says the zoo's plans appear to have been inadequate. "They should only be able to get the animals when it can be shown that they can properly house them and care for them."

Two animals in the CCS, a Dama gazelle and a pregnant kudu (another type of antelope), died when they got spooked on separate occasions and ran into barriers in their confined spaces, breaking their necks.

The gazelle death happened last month after a zebra attacked a veteran zookeeper. The commotion apparently frightened the gazelle, which is on the endangered species list. Zoo sources say it wasn't found for hours. The pregnant kudu died last June. Zoo sources say as the animal lay suffering with a broken neck, workers were unable to quickly locate necessary veterinary records.

Baker-Masson says Dama gazelles and kudus are skittish animals by nature and were housed in adequate spaces that met the requirements of the American Zoological Association, which recently re-accredited the facility.

As for the hornbill birds that were keep indoors for eight months, Baker-Masson says the space was "more than adequate and it gave the staff a very good amount of time to prepare and work with the hornbills" but "ideally they would have [had] access to their outdoor yard space more quickly."

Bekoff calls the lengthy indoor confinement "totally unacceptable."

"There's not one single excuse that I would accept," he said. "Basically this is a form of animal abuse and animal neglect. ...They get an 'F' in this project.'

Zoo sources also expressed concern about two escapes from the CCS: a vulture whose wings were allegedly not properly clipped and a red panda who managed to climb out of its exhibit. Both animals were later recaptured and zoo officials say the failures that allowed the escapes have been fixed.

CBS News has learned that the zoo convened a task force last summer to investigate the internal complaints about animal care at the CCS. The task force made findings last August and Baker-Masson says some of its recommendations are already being implemented.

Zoo officials refused CBS News' repeated requests to release the task force report even though, under public records law, it's considered public material.

As to why the National Zoo is withholding the information, Baker-Masson provided a number of rationales. First, she said that the task force report was still only a draft, four months after it was scheduled to be completed. However, when CBS News asked for the draft, she would not provide that either.

Later, in an interview, Baker-Masson said that the task force report is finished, but that the zoo isn't ready to release it.

"We're more than happy to [release the task force report]," Baker-Masson told CBS News. "But we have to do it in a thorough and process-oriented way that makes sense."

She acknowledged that some of the concerns investigated were founded.

"Absolutely," Baker-Masson said. "Anytime a concern is raised, it's looked at very seriously and we have to examine, you know, what changes are appropriate for that particular species, what changes are appropriate for the staff, what changes are appropriate for the facility itself. So yes, absolutely, some changes have been made."

Another incident the zoo is keeping mum about is the November zebra attack on the zookeeper. Baker-Masson says that AZA standards require that there always be a barrier between a keeper and zebras, which can inflict serious bite wounds. But the zoo says three weeks after the attack, it still has not identified how the zebra got to the keeper and it would not release the incident report or other public information about it. The injured zookeeper was recently released after several weeks in the hospital.

Sharyl Attkisson

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Are there animal care problems at National Zoo?

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Behind the scenes, there are insider allegations of mismanagement involving animals at famed D.C. facility

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Before getting into the weeds, it’s crucial to point out that not all zoos are created equal.