On:

Anyone who is around hummingbirds for any length of time discovers that they would rather fight than eat. We have a hummingbird feeder on our balcony, not (I admit) because I think they need food–our neighborhood is filled with delicious flowers–but because these extraordinary little creatures are so much fun to watch.

I’ll see a hummer land on our feeder, take a sip of sugar water, then immediately put his head up and look around, searching for a rival. I used to think this had something to do with guarding the food source, but now I’ve realized it’s because hummingbirds really ENJOY a good fight.
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On:

Arsenic in rice is bad enough–A US federal court jury recently awarded Wayne Watson over 7 million dollars in damages for developing a chronic condition known as "popcorn lung," after repeatedly inhaling the a chemical called diacetyl, which is used to give a "butter" flavor to microwave popcorn. The condition is an irreversible obstructive lung disease that makes it difficult for air to flow out of the lungs.
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