Friday, January 27, 2023

Links - 27th January 2023 (1 - including Vegans, World Cup 2022)

Vegetarians are Evil - Official Homepage

BBC World Service - The Food Chain, The arctic eating adventure - "‘Suzanne believes you couldn't be a vegan if you wanted to survive only on locally produced food in the region. Because as yet, it isn't possible to grow a protein source like soy’
‘You come to realize that there's not one solution to the food security problem globally, that every geographic area has its, its own potential solutions, and they're each different.’"

Meme - Mostly Peaceful Memes @M...: "Bro @RobertDowneyr looks worse as a vegan than when he was a drug addict"

Fans Think Robert Downey Jr. Looks Old And Sick Because Of His Vegan Diet, Calling Him "Iron Deficiency Man"

Meme - PETA @peta: "Next time you think of eating a chicken, remember that they had a family-just like you."
2ND @SecondNatureDZN: "That's why you order the family meal"

Swedish study finds meat substitutes more difficult to absorb - "A fall 2022 study by Chalmer’s University of Technology in Sweden has shown evidence that the nutrients from some plant-based meat alternatives may be more difficult for the human body to digest compared with their livestock-sourced counterparts...   Although some of the products studied were fortified with iron, researchers conclude that the bioavailability of added iron is still inhibited by phytates. Meanwhile, animal protein products contain the “meat factor,” which stimulates the absorption of nonheme iron in the whole meal as well as zinc absorption."

You'll Never Be Able To Unlearn What Figs Are - "It was eye-opening when we learned that artichokes are actually flowers. And that capers are pickled flower buds. But coming across what figs really are ― and the wasp that makes them possible ― has just made us question every truth we know in this world.  In simple terms, figs are technically not a fruit ― they are inverted flowers... Because fig flowers bloom internally, they need a special process for pollination. They cannot rely on the wind or bees to spread their pollen ― that’s where the fig wasp comes in. The fig cannot survive without the fig wasp to spread its genetic material, and the fig wasp cannot live without the fig, because that’s where it lays its larva ― this relationship is known as mutualism. The female fig wasp enters the male fig ― we don’t eat the male figs, by the way ― to lay its eggs. The male fig is shaped in a way to accommodate the laying of wasp eggs. The female wasp’s wings and antennae break off when entering the small passage in the fig so once it’s in, there is no way out. It’s up to the baby wasps to continue the life cycle. Male baby wasps are born without wings, because their sole purpose is to mate with the female offspring ― technically their sister ― and dig a tunnel out of the fig. It’s the female offspring that make the journey out, bringing pollen with them. If a fig wasp enters a female fig accidentally ― the ones we eat ― instead of a male one, there is no room in the interior for it to reproduce. And it cannot escape, because its wings and antennae have broken off. So the wasp dies inside, which is unfortunate but necessary because that’s how it delivers the pollen giving us the fruit we love.  Don’t worry, this doesn’t mean the crunch in the fig is a wasp carcass. The fig uses an enzyme known as ficin to break down the wasp into protein, though it doesn’t always break down the entire exoskeleton. So, yes, technically when you bite into a fig you are in fact eating fig wasps ― or what once was a fig wasp ― but you can at least console yourself with the fact that they’re incredibly small. Some vegans might choose to stay away from this fruit for this very reason... According to Karla Stockli, the CEO of the California Fig Advisory Board, more than 95 percent of figs produced and sold commercially in California are self-pollinating. And luckily, many of the figs that we buy in the U.S. are from California"

Meme - "VEGAN OPTIONS
Taxi, Train, Bus or E-Scooter"
A Jan 2020 menu from Headquarters Viaduct in Auckland, New Zealand

Meme - "That was the happiest cat they could find.
Veganpet: Vegan Cat Food"
If I were a cat I would be pissed off at vegan cat food too

Meme - "Vegan: drops dead in the house
The dog that has not eaten meat for more than 3 years: *sausage making*"

Meme - Darren @alienated: "PSA for librarians: occasionally check how the World Book encyclopedia is arranged on your shelves"

Peter Vermeulen on Twitter - "According to the anonymous online employee survey, you don't trust management. What's up with that ? #dilbert #engagement"

Meme - "REST IN PEACE "MOM"
GONE BUT NEVER "FORGOTTEN" 10.31.17
ALL SKILL MINORITY M"

Meme - Rob Reiner @robreiner: "If you don't vote for the Democrats or don't vote at all, you are choosing to accept living under Fascism."
"What would you rather live under? Democrats 11% Fascism 89%"
Anyone who opposes a liberal is a "fascist"

Meme - "THE WOMAN WHO CAN COMMAND ME HASN'T BEEN BORN YET.
4 YEARS LATER. *in tutu with young girl*"

ZUBY: on Twitter - "Going too far down the 'left wing' rabbit hole makes people resentful, hysterical, and illogical. Going too far down the 'right wing' rabbit hole makes people bitter, paranoid, and bigoted. Neither like to admit how similar they are to each other in reality."

Meme - "JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE UNIQUE DOES NOT MEAN YOU ARE USEFUL *Bent fork*"

Meme - "Cat owners be like: OMG SO CUUUUTEEE!!! *bloody scratches*"

Meme - BJ @bj_ carter: "How do I watch in Australia?"
Al Yankovic @alyankovic: "Roku's working on it. In the meantime there's VPN (Very Probably No) way to watch it legally. I'm sure you have a TORRENT of other questions, but I have to move along, sorry."

Meme - "Which Living Things Should You Study?
Do you like waking up early?
Sure! Um, how early?
Like, before sunrise.
Yeah!
Birds
Wait, there's a time before sunrise?
Is mid-day ok?
Sure!
How do you feel about seeing lots of small, fast, brownish things?
I'm really only active after dusk.
Sure, as long I get to analyze 10,000 camera trap images!
OK, but they'd better be close enough to ID.
How fuzzy do you like your critters?
Generally speaking, SO FUZZY.
How many species do you want to memorize?
Would you rather peer through even bigger instruments at even tinier stuff?
Does the heady musk of a watersnake send you into a tizzy?
Hey, what about all the other amazing arthropods?!?
Eh, needs more mucus.
I don't have to follow your rules!
Do you love peering at tiny stuff with a hand lens?
What do you enjoy peering at?
The undersides of leaves
Copulatory appendages
Plants
Odonates
Microorganisms
Amphibian
Reptiles
Fish
Molluscs"

The Man Who Was Struck by Lightning 4 Times - "Walter Summerford is considered to be history’s unluckiest person as he was struck by lightning three times and once again after he passed away. Many at the time assumed that he had been cursed by someone or something... In 1936, four years after his funeral where Walter was buried in Mountain View Cemetery in Vancouver, his tombstone was struck by lightning"

jody on Twitter - "i just went through my sons belongings and i think he might be cheating at chess"
On the anal beads scandal

Meme - "Study finds that hearing an opposing viewpoint causes no real harm."
Damn "structural violence"!

Man accused of stealing boat to return to Cuba arrested, Florida deputies say - "Cristian Torres Perez, 30, of Miami, was charged with grand theft and burglary"

Meme - "RIGHTEOUSNESS EXAULTETH A NATION: BUT SIN IS A REPROACH TO ANY PEOPLE
THE BLOOD OF JESUS...CLEANSETH US FROM ALL SIN"
"Big Jim's Boobie Bungalow
Truck Parking. Food. Daily Specials"

Meme - "Brioche en Couronne: Shape dough into ring by pulling from center hole. Slash top evenly. *goatse*"

Meme - Sarah: "Hey"
"Hey, what's up?"
"Are u big"
"Pretty big, I played as a center in high school, so I can grab rebounds"
"Meant d"
"I can guard all 5 positions"

Meme - "BERSATU KITA TEGUH, BERCERAI KITA ROBOH
UNITED WE STAND, TOGETHER WE FALL"

Denis Villeneuve Releases Directors Cut Of 'Dune' With 3 Additional Hours Of Really Cool Spaceships Taking Off And Landing Very Slowly | Babylon Bee

Meme - "I am trying to explain to my Chinese friends that the white team are from Africa and the black team are from Europe, but they won't believe me.
Morocco
France"

Qatar seizes rainbow-coloured toys it deems 'un-Islamic' - "Authorities in Qatar, host of next year's football World Cup, have confiscated a line of children's toys from stores deeming their rainbow colours "contrary to Islamic values"."

Gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell is stopped by police in Qatar while staging LGBT protest - "Qatari officials denied that Tatchell was arrested... The events came on the same day as Qatar's emir raged against what he called an 'unprecedented campaign' of criticism over his country's hosting of this year's football World Cup, saying no other host nation has ever faced the same scrutiny"
Maybe no other host nation has faced the same scrutiny because none have been so problematic

Jordan Cook on Twitter - "If I wanted to watch a bunch of guys struggle to score for 90 minutes, I'd just go to the bar with some friends. #FifaWorldCup"

Qatar World Cup Faces New Edict: Hide the Beer - The New York Times - "The message came from the highest levels of the Qatari state: The beer tents must be moved, and there would be no discussion about it.  With the opening game of the World Cup only days away, Qatari organizers have been working hurriedly in recent days to relocate Budweiser-branded beer stations at eight stadiums after a sudden demand that three people with knowledge of the belated change said had come from inside the country’s royal family... The decision to move the beer stations appeared to be rooted in concern that the prominent presence of alcohol at stadiums during the monthlong World Cup would unsettle the local population and thus represent a potential security problem. But it also highlighted an issue that has stalked the buildup to the first World Cup in the Arab world, and that is expected to be contentious throughout the tournament in Qatar, a conservative Muslim country where access to alcohol is tightly controlled... moves that limit Budweiser’s branding or affect its ability to sell its products could complicate FIFA’s relationship with a powerful partner, not to mention the contractual relationship between the brewer, the governing body and Qatari World Cup organizers."
Naturally, in the Facebook comments all the Muslims were saying that people should respect the host country's culture. Ironic, given that when they go to non-Muslim countries they still demand that people should respect their culture, and that Qatar bid for the World Cup while not intending to respect its rules
Is Qatar no longer "moderate"?

Melissa Chen on Twitter - "All the outrage directed at Qatar has a corollary that will surely be missed by those who need to internalize the following fact: the values they hold dear are not to be found elsewhere in the world but the West. Yet they think the West is uniquely evil & wallow in self-hatred."

Qatari official threatens to break camera during World Cup broadcast

Grinning Qatari fans took photos of Miss Croatia because they disapproved of her outfit local claims - "Grinning Qatari fans were taking of photos of Miss Croatia Ivana Knoll at the World Cup because they disapproved of her outfit, a high-profile local has claimed.  During Croatia's opening match with Morocco the model, labelled the World Cup's sexiest fan, appeared in a red and white bikini top and tight red leggings - catching the eye of many within the crowd... Those visiting Qatar for the World Cup have been advised to cover their shoulders and avoid short skirts, with high fines and even jail sentences for fans who decide to flash their figures.  People on Twitter, however, were not convinced with Mr Al-Jefairi's defence of the men caught on camera... "I was surprised they were not making any problems about dressing, they allow you to wear everything what you want - except in government buildings, and in the end that's fine.'"
In Malaysia people were bitching about government building dress codes

England WAGs told to dress modestly for World Cup in Qatar
Policing what women wear is only bad in the West

Rob Harris on Twitter - "FIFA President Gianni Infantino at news conference in Qatar: “Today I feel Qatari. Today I feel Arab. Today I feel African. Today I feel gay. Today I feel disabled. Today I feel a migrant worker”"
mirax on Twitter - "Totally corrupt mfs taking up anti-racism and anti-colonialism? That's how anyone with 2 braincells knows how empty the progressive rhetoric is."

Subscribe to GrantWahl.com on Twitter - "Just now: Security guard refusing to let me into the stadium for USA-Wales. “You have to change your shirt. It’s not allowed.”"
د. نايف بن نهار on Twitter - "As a Qatari I’m proud of what happened. I don’t know when will the westerners realize that their values aren’t universal. There are other cultures with different values that should be equally respected. Let’s not forget that the West is not the spokesperson for humanity."
Naren k. Dodia on Twitter - "Bit in the UK our Muslim friends are free to wear the clothing of their choice and are not refused entry anywhere because of it…. So why are westerners unable to wear their choice of clothing to a football match in Qatar?"

England fans turned away from World Cup stadium for wearing crusader costumes as supporters asked to 'be aware of deep sensitivities'
Looks like the English flag is banned too

Here are things World Cup fans are restricted from doing in Qatar - "Islam is the official religion of Qatar — and anyone found to be proselytizing for other religions or criticizing Islam "may be criminally prosecuted," the State Department said, in a factsheet about Qatar for World Cup visitors.  It's also not safe to assume you can practice your faith openly: "Qatar allows some non-Muslim religious practice in designated areas like Doha's Religious Complex, but all faiths are not accommodated equally"... In addition to import restrictions on alcohol and pornography, "travelers cannot bring pork products" into the country...   Speech that's deemed critical of the Qatari government could trigger an arrest. Those laws apply both to spoken words and social media.  And while past World Cups have brought a heaping of argy-bargy — scenes of rival crowds yelling or even singing obscenities at one another — open conflicts can bring big problems in Qatar.  "For example, arguing with or insulting others in public could lead to arrest"...   "Homosexuality is criminalized in Qatar," the State Department notes.  "Advocates say that LGBTQ people in Qatar are subjected to conversion therapy, harassment by authorities and imprisonment," as NPR's Becky Sullivan says in her rundown of controversies surrounding the host country...   If a pregnant fan goes to Qatar for the World Cup, they should be prepared to show a marriage certificate if they need prenatal care there... Dress codes in many public areas require that "both men and women cover shoulders, chests, stomachs, and knees, and that tight leggings be covered by a long shirt or dress""

Qatari royal refuses to acknowledge female officials at FIFA ceremony - "Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani was filmed bumping fists with male officials following Bayern Munich's 1-0 victory over Tigres UANL in the Club World Cup final in Qatar yesterday.  But, when female referees Edina Alves Batista and Neuza Back approach, the Sheikh appears to snub them - with the women following instructions to walk straight past the royal... Beckham, 45, has been assured that the country is relaxing its policy on such issues."

Meme - The Washington Post @washingtonpost: "Perspective: As fans keep up with Argentina's success in this year's World Cup, a familiar question arises: Why doesn't the team have more Black players? Argentina is far more diverse than many realize — but the myth that it's a White nation has persisted."
Roti @BinRote: "Because is a Team, not a Netflix movie"

Afro-Argentines - Wikipedia - "According to the Argentine national census of 2010, the total population of Argentines was 40,117,096, of whom 149,493 (0.37%) identified as Afro-Argentine"
Washington Post corrects op-ed about no black players on Argentina soccer team - "The original version of the op-ed cited census figures from 2010 that showed that “roughly one percent” of Argentina’s population of 46 million was black. But the Washington Post later issued a correction noting that the actual number was “far less than” 1%"
Even if it were 1%, 1% of 11 is 0.11 of a player

Meme - "Japan lost but he won *selfie with Miss Croatia*"

What Is Sportswashing (and Does It Work)? - Freakonomics - "CHAMBLEE: The minute they take that money from LIV Golf, they are now dependent upon and subservient to M.B.S. and his thugs. They lose their image, their legacy, because their talents and fame are now being exploited by a government seeking to hide their atrocities. And to whatever extent this country, Saudi Arabia, can hide and euphemize its atrocities, you are in some way ensuring that those atrocities will continue. It’s blood money all the way. When golfers say that this is not political — they couldn’t be more wrong...
Are they on the wrong side of history? Is it truly blood money? Before you give an answer, here’s something to consider: the Saudi investment fund backing this new golf tour is the very same fund that invested billions of dollars in Uber before it went public. It’s the same fund that has since bought huge batches of stock in Boeing, Facebook, Disney, Starbucks, and more. Do you and I have blood on our hands when we take an Uber or buy a coffee?...
MATHESON: Qatar is a country that is the size of Connecticut, but with about a tenth the amount of infrastructure. Think how crazy that would be. It’s like, “Oh, yeah, we’re going to host the World Cup in the United States, but it’s going to all be in Connecticut.” When the United States hosted games back in 1994, they were spread out from L.A. over to New York down to Orlando. So, all over the country. But there’s really no place to spread out games in Qatar.
DUBNER: So, the World Cup is always played in the summer. In Qatar, the summer is too hot to play outdoor football or soccer, and therefore, the Qatar World Cup had to be moved to December, correct?
MATHESON: Right. Let me also point out that the reason that they have the World Cup in the summer is not the nice weather. It’s not because people want to travel. It’s because all of these players have real jobs during the rest of the year playing for their clubs. The English Premier League, the Bundesliga in Germany — all the top players are playing for these leagues, and they’re actually playing games during November, December."

Meme - "It's a scheduling nightmare with Megan gone, we need you to work the 24th and 25th."
"I'm already approved to take off that weekend, 24-27."
"Things have changed, I've scheduled you for morning on the 24th and afternoon on the 25th"
"I'm not coming in on Thanksgiving."
"It's non negotiable, there's no other options. If you want to keep working here, I need you to work the 24th and 25th."
"Guess I quit then, I won't be coming in tonight"
"Please call me now"

Scammers impersonate guest editors to get sham papers published - "Hundreds of articles published in peer-reviewed journals are being retracted after scammers exploited the processes for publishing special issues to get poor-quality papers — sometimes consisting of complete gibberish — into established journals. In some cases, fraudsters posed as scientists and offered to guest-edit issues that they then filled with sham papers... “All of the evidence points to an organized network that tries — in this case successfully — to infiltrate scientific journals with the objective of easily publishing manuscripts from pseudo-scientists or less-productive researchers who want to appear in respectable journals,” wrote three members of the journal’s editorial board in the December article."

No charges brought against MP Louis Ng for holding placard without permit to support hawkers - "Following police investigations, Nee Soon GRC MP Louis Ng will not face criminal charges for failing to apply for a permit before he visited hawkers while holding up a placard in June 2020.  It was earlier reported that Mr Ng was being investigated for holding up a piece of paper that read "Support Them" with a smiley face printed on it... Under the Public Order Act (POA), an assembly is defined as a gathering or meeting with the purpose of demonstrating support for, or opposing the views or actions of, any person, group or government.  It also applies to publicising a cause or campaign, marking or commemorating any event, and includes a demonstration by a single person."
Convenient

Is it true that Vikings let women handle their finances because they thought it was witchcraft? : AskHistorians - "Witchcraft or [seiðr](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Viking_Way_(book)) wasn't solely associated with women, although some sorts of things that we would consider 'magic' were considered feminine. (Admittedly, 'magic' isn't quite the right word since 'magic' often suggests superstition or illusion.) I've seen no reason to assume that math was considered magic or a particularly feminine form of magic. Instead, scales and weights for measuring silver are often found in apparently male graves. So the reason you can't find proof that women and witchcraft and math and finances all went together as a regular thing ... is probably because there's no proof to find."

Man gets revenge on school bully by sleeping with his mum - and confesses live on radio - "Rob had 'ghosted' his Arielle after the pair had slept together.  She was upset and confused as she thought they had a future together.  Arielle decided to enlist the help of her local radio show Ramiro, Pebbles, Melissa and Wiggy in Boston, hoping she could rekindle the magic with her toyboy lover.  After introducing herself and laying out the bare bones of her story, she was asked to stay on the line, but keep quiet while the radio hosts called Rob.  Rob was a little surprised to get the call, especially when they told him they had lined up a date for him and the radio station would pick up the bill."

Meme - Dr. Kramain @PawAndPups: "Back in Uni, a girl mocked my presentation one time so I searched for her group and asked the topic they were presenting on. I spent 4 days researching on it and asked her so many questions like it was common knowledge that she cried. Stay blessed precious one."

Meme - Tsayad Maccabees: "I bet y'all didn't know that the real Jews are black"
Darkskin Te: "Pick yo daughter up Thursday. Or we gone have a problem."

Meme - "Historic photo of children listening to Mariah Carey's "All I want for Christmas" *cowering*"

Meme - "Open "Google Maps', type in "Africa', zoom in where the pin is and use "street view""
Amy Jones (@AmyJone55429931) / Twitter (tracking Kevin's Bending Penis)

Meme - "Teacher: If you don't go to college you'll end up like him!
The Trucker who makes 100k a year:"

Facebook - "Arthur was a radio DJ. His station was looking for a presenter. It was a more senior and more prestigious position, with a higher salary. It  involved him playing songs, announcing traffic and reading the news. Arthur applied. The station rejected him outright. They said that they couldn't consider him, as he wasn't a graduate. Arthur didn't agree with the station. Why would having a university degree have anything to do with a presenter's ability to play songs, read text and be clear and engaging on the radio? He quit and enrolled with hospitality school Shatec. He started by serving coffee and greeting diners at the Westin's Italian restaurant Prego. His enthusiasm impressed his boss, who roped him into the Westin's sales department. Arthur seized his chance, and volunteered for all the difficult assignments. Because of his energy, street smarts and his instinct for sales and marketing, he rose through the ranks in the Westin. He then moved on to Hyatt, then to the Mandarin Hong Kong, his first overseas posting... an international luxury hotel chain was opening a new hotel in Singapore. Arthur's wife thought he would be the ideal person to market it. Without asking his permission, or even telling him, she submitted his resume to the chain's global headquarters in the United States. Headquarters saw Arthur's resume and immediately arranged an interview, which Arthur passed. Headquarters offered Arthur the No. 2 marketing position. The top post of marketing director went to an American. But, quite unexpectedly, the American didn't take the job. Headquarters then hired another marketing director, also an expat. The new guy was due to arrive just before an important board presentation to the directors and the owners. As a good Number 2, without being told by anyone, Arthur prepared the slides for his new boss. It explained the concept for the new hotel, the timelines, and most importantly, the numbers. At the last minute, the headquarters told Arthur to present instead. But Arthur wasn't prepared to be the guy presenting. No worries. Using skills learnt in National Service, Arthur gave an on-the-spot military-style briefing to the board. It involved an analysis of the situation, mission, terrain, the objective, the threats, the command and control functions and so on, from a hospitality perspective. That type of approach is suited to a combat environment, where there is usually little time and the audience are soldiers. But for Arthur to adapt it for an important, last-minute board presentation was a completely new thing. After he finished, the board turned to headquarters and immediately asked how much the incoming expat marketing director would cost. Headquarters told the board. Indicating Arthur, who had just given the presentation of his life, the board asked, "what does the Chinese boy do?" Headquarters said that the Chinese boy was the Number Two, and he would assist the marketing director they had just hired. On the spot, the board made Arthur the marketing director instead. They had just seen his presentation, and they thought he was the right person to carry out all the plans. They didn't need the expat guy. Arthur repaid the board's faith. He marketed the new hotel to great success... Today, Arthur runs a company that manages 95 hotels in 9 countries. He's still opening new hotels around the world. Each hotel is interesting, unique, and evocative. Arthur succeeds because he is energetic, creative and bold. And, you know what? In all his years, nobody has cared if he had a degree, except that radio station. Because he lacked it, the radio station didn't even want to consider Arthur at all. I think the radio station lost a great talent and a marketing powerhouse when they focused on the wrong criteria."
On Far East Hospitality's Arthur Kiong

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