Author: Ben

Death Valley remains a popular tourist spot with both domestic and international tourists even as the current heat wave across Western US breaks records and claims lives. Death Valley was expected to threaten its own previous heat record, set back in July 2021, of 130 degrees Fahrenheit early this week. Heat Blasting Millions of Americans Marek Okon Unsplash Large chunks of the US have been hit with heat waves, with some records tumbling as a result. On Monday, more than 146 million residents across the US were issued with heat alerts by their respective authorities. Warning From Park Official Mathieu Perrier…

A pizza chain operating in 28 US states is expected to file for bankruptcy as part of a turnaround plan. MOD Pizza, which operates over 500 stores, is looking to improve their financial situation of the chain with a bankruptcy filing. Seattle-Born Chain Thom Milkovic Unsplash The chain grew out of Seattle, where it was founded in 2008. It has since expanded to 512 locations in 28 states across the country. Made on Demand Ricardo Resende Unsplash MOD Pizza stands for Made on Demand Pizza, the name giving a clue as to what customers can expect from the store. The…

The producer of blockbuster movies such as Avatar and The Titanic has died at the age of 63. Jon Landau, a regular collaborator with the director James Cameron, has worked on some of the most successful movies of all time. Son of Film Producers Miguel Angel Hernandez Unsplash Jon Landau came from rich film production stock, with both of his parents also working as producers. His mother and father founded American Film Theater, an experimental production company which adapted the scripts of plays into films which you could watch by buying a season ticket. Success at an Early Age 20th…

Hurricane Beryl has just hit the US coast, making it the first hurricane in the Atlantic hurricane season to reach the US shoreline. The hurricane has already claimed at least 9 lives. Residents have been issued evacuation orders as power cuts spread and roads are cut off, stranding some coastal towns. Devastation Across Caribbean and Mexico Andrew Unsplash The storm has already wreaked havoc across the Caribbean and the Mexican Yucatán peninsula. The Grenadines were hit hard, with Beryl lifting the roofs from the top of buildings. The storm tore apart buildings in Jamaica before hitting the Yucatán peninsula in…

A recent study has suggested a correlation between following a particular, strict diet and a lower likelihood of dying following cancer survival. The study, performed in Italy, used data to analyze cancer survivors’ diets and health outcomes over the course of 13 years. Mediterranean Diet Stepan Unar Unsplash Researchers were particularly interested in a group of foodstuffs that make up the Mediterranean Diet, which they found to reduce the risk of all-cause premature mortality by 32%. The Mediterranean Diet is a diet named for foods often eaten by those living next to the Mediterranean and consists of foods including olive…

Road deaths in California have increased since before the COVID-19 pandemic, and many of these fatalities were recorded on southern Californian roads. A study, just released by Consumer Affairs, highlights some of the dangers on streets and highways and may help Californian drivers to take precautions. Road Deaths Recent Rise Paul Hanaoka Unsplash There has been a rise in traffic fatalities in recent years in the state of California. Consumer Affairs reports that, between 2018 and 2022, deaths due to car crash increased by 17%. Due to Change in Behavior? Nick Fewings Unsplash It has been suggested that the increase…

New Orleans officials have found a way to combat the imposition of a new state law regarding concealed carry of weapons. New Orleans police and legislators had pushed back against the new state law, which was passed earlier in the year. Law Allows Permitless Concealed Carry Thomas Tucker Unsplash The new state law brought in by Louisiana officials means that gun-owners are allowed to carry a concealed weapon withoiut a permit. This represents a significant loosening of gun restrictions in the state and aligns it with other states that have adopted ‘Constitutional Carry’ laws. New Orleans Police and Lawmakers Unhappy…

An extraordinary amount of cast and crew members involved in the John Wayne-starring 1956 film, The Conqueror, developed cancer following the film’s controversial production. 91 out of the 220 crew members developed cancer and 46 died of the disease. The director and several of the stars also died later of cancer, some at quite a young age. The scandal led the US Defense Department to remark that they might have “killed John Wayne”. Movie Flopped on Release Silver Screen Collection Getty John Wayne’s part in The Conqueror was originally written for Marlon Brando, and evidence remains in the final script…

Celebrities, the wealthy and even some members of the general public have been attracted to prescription drug brands such as Ozempic and Wegovy associated with easy and rapid weight loss. But semaglutide, the medication sometimes sold under the brand name Ozempic, in fact intended for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and commonly-used ‘off-label’ for weight-loss purposes, can cause what is coming to be known as “Ozempic Face”, an unsightly sagging of the skin accompanying speedy weight-loss. What is Ozempic? Myriam Zilles Unsplash Ozempic is a brand name for the medication known as Semaglutide, which is an anti-diabetic and anti-obesity…

Amazon have joined an elite club in being one of only 5 companies now valued at over $2 trillion dollars. They hit the milestone as trading finished on Wednesday night, with Amazon stock up almost 4%, taking them to a $2.01 trillion market cap. Analysts believe this is due to increased profits and interest in AI. Rise of Bezoz’s Personal Wealth Alex Wong Unsplash The news has also meant Jeff Bezoz’s net worth dramatically rose over the course of Wednesday. Bezoz is the founder and chairman of Amazon’s board. He found his worth rise by $6 billion in the space…