Informative Links (Thursday)

How to Avoid Getting Screwed When Using Your Debit Card. We hope vigilance is the only price you pay for the convenience of plastic

The New York City island hospital where Typhoid Mary was quarantined was abandoned in 1963, and is off-limits to the public. But we have pictures, and a look at the island’s colorful history. (via Breakfast Links)

Whatever happened to Muzak? Elevator music is still here, you’ve just grown to like it it’s just different.

The Over-Interpretation of Dreams. That dream you took 20 minutes to tell me was most likely due to the banana split just before bedtime.

The rise of DIY abortions. Even though abortion is legal in the US, it’s expense and difficulty (and a wish for secrecy) drive some women to desperate measures.

The Incredible True Story of the Collar Bomb Heist. The complicated plot was doomed from the start, as was the man wearing the collar. (via Dark Roasted Blend)

Opium Wars. Afghanistan relies on Western aid and opium for its revenues, a balance that spells lasting trouble if nothing replaces them.

My Beverage Tastes Better Because I’m a Chemist. You don’t have to just take her word for it because she explains the experiment in brewing better ginger tea.