Month: April 2019

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Biology Class Tests the Fish in Their Sushi, with Unsettling Results

Fair warning: if you’re a seafood lover who regularly purchases fish from the store or goes out for sushi, proceed with caution. There are some scientific results below that are, at best, upsetting.

At worst? You might vomit in your mouth.

It all began when biology professor Dr. Jennifer McDonald was looking for a way to bring a little excitement to her senior molecular biology course. So she sent them to sushi restaurants and grocery stores and told them to bring samples of their fish back to the lab so they could extract the DNA and determine whether the DNA matched the label.

Image Credit: Twitter

They tested 13 samples and 9 had good enough DNA sequences to determine their species.

Of those 9? Only 2 were labeled correctly.

Yeah. And that’s not the worst part.

It’s been well documented over the past decade that fish mislabelling is prolific all over the global supply chain – it’s also illegal and results in fines (when detected). According to McDonald, about 50% of fish is believed to be labelled incorrectly (whether intentionally or not), with some species like red snapper and white tuna more likely to be mislabelled than others.

Not only is it unethical to sell people fish that is not the fish they’re expecting, it can also result in health issues (a common substitute for white tuna is escolar, which can cause gastrointestinal distress) and/or allergic reactions (shellfish is one of the more common – and more deadly – food allergies).

So Dr. McDonald wasn’t shocked at the findings.

At least, not until this happened.

Yeah.

Dr. McDonald doesn’t plan to stop eating fish or sushi, and she doesn’t think you should, either – just make sure to go to restaurants where you feel confident in their fish suppliers and ask questions when something doesn’t look, feel, or taste right.

Which might be easier said than done, although the fact that sushi is so delicious should help buck you up.

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So… Drinking Breast Milk is The Latest Trend in Bodybuilding

There’s no easy way to say this, so I’ll just spit it out: Moms are selling their extra breast milk to bodybuilders, who swear it helps their performance.

The idea is that breast milk is all-natural, unlike many powdered supplements and vitamins. It’s designed to help babies grow, so it’s packed full of calories and nutrients — aka exactly what bodybuilders are looking for.

Who knew bodybuilders and infants had so much in common?!

Many bodybuilders swear by the practice, and it does make some sense…in theory.

Photo Credit: Pixabay

“I think the idea behind drinking breast milk for muscle growth is that it’s incredibly calorie and nutrient dense, and it has some additional healthy substances,” sports dietitian Brian St. Pierre told Men’s Health.

“Breast milk is designed to rapidly grow a human baby, so maybe people think a similar effect will happen to fully grown humans?”

If you’re a new mom with dollar signs in your eyes right now, hold your horses. There is no evidence that breast milk provides the same benefits for adults that it does for babies.

Photo Credit: iStock

Also, it’s not the smartest idea from a consumer’s perspective. It’s no simple matter to safely obtain enough high-quality breast milk for a grown man! There’s not really any way to verify where it came from, whether it’s free of disease, and whether it came from a human with a healthy diet. Plus it can be very expensive.

Also, there are like a million other cheaper, safer, calorie-rich drink alternatives.

“This stuff probably just isn’t special, and it’s not worth the hassle, risk, or money,” Brian said.

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10 “Game of Thrones” Easter Eggs Most People Missed

Game of Thrones is well-known for hiding all kinds of easter eggs in the show. Sharp-eyed superfans have noticed all kinds of interesting little details are hidden references throughout the series. Some of them foreshadow a character’s impending doom, while others are just a fun joke for the cast and crew. They’re all quick moments, however – take one quick trip to the kitchen, and you might miss them.

For those who don’t know, and easter egg is a hidden gem, a secret feature or an intentional inside joke. Think of it sort of like an actual easter egg hunt. Fans search for these underlying messages as clues to unlock hidden secrets, or simply to have a laugh.

Here are a few GoT easter eggs for you:

1. Harry Potter lives in Westeros

Well, not really. But there were two nods to the famous wizard in season 7. First of all, Archmaester Ebrose is played by Jim Broadbent, who was the man behind Horace Slughorn in Harry Potter. But the script takes this easter egg one step further. Samwell Tarly asks the Archmaester if he can go into the “restricted area of the library” inside the Citadel. Didn’t Harry ask him that same very thing at Hogwarts?

2. R + L = J

Photo Credit: Blog WSJ

This is one of the first major easter egg theories made by fans early on in the show’s run. Carved into the wood are the letters RL (as pictured), right next to Jon Snow. What does it mean? Glad you asked. R is Rhaegar Targaryen. L is Lyanna Stark. And together they made Jon Snow… Farfetched? Maybe. Maybe not.

3. Famous face found on Euron Greyjoy’s fleet

It was the moment we’ve been waiting for – Theon finally saves his sister, Yara. It’s the least he could do after he leapt off the boat in season 7, leaving her to Euron’s mercy. Thank goodness Euron had other things in mind, like claiming Queen Cersei…I digress.

During their attack on Euron’s fleet, Theon and his gang killed many men. One right in the eye with an arrow! That man was Rob McElhenney the co-creator of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. The link? David Benioff (co-creator of GoT) also wrote for that show.

4. Foreshadowing the death of Joffery, Shae, and Tywin

Photo Credit: Mashable

You could watch the series straight through a million times and never catch all the secrets scribed in the script. Littlefinger, the sly menace he is, is (was) one character to keep an eye (and ear) on. In Season 4 he says:

“People die at their dinner tables. They die in their beds. They die squatting over their chamber pots. Everybody dies sooner or later.”

Sound familiar? Joffrey died of poison at the wedding feast. Shae died in her, or rather Tywin’s, bed. And Tywin himself, the patriarch of the Lannister family, died on the toilet.

5. Ed Sheeran was, in fact, killed off the show.

Photo Credit: Instagram. @teddysphotos

Remember when Ed was in season 7, singing songs with army bros and feeding Arya rabbit? Many people who watched where like, “Wha?” As a joke, the co-creators brought it back in season 8, episode 1. To teach us about Ed’s fate, the brothel gals chatted about him while—ahem—you know…with Bronn. They mention a ginger named “Eddie” who had his eyelids seared off…ie, he was killed by a dragon.

6. The Hall of Faces featured co-creators David Benioff and David Weiss

According to Weiss,

“You need enough faces that you don’t sense the repeats, but you obviously can’t face cast thousands and thousands of people because that’s prohibitively expensive. We used all the face molds we have ever used before. Both [series co-creator] David [Benioff] and myself appeared many, many times in the Hall of Faces … there is at least 20 or 30 of me in there, which is, I suppose, my cameo for the show.”

7. Ser Davos of Seaworth reveals Jon Snow’s birth name in season 3

Photo Credit: Huffpost

Davos may not seem like the smartest man, at least when it comes to books. After all, he can’t read – or at least he couldn’t at the start of the series. Princess Shireen Baratheon taught him early on, and one of his first words was Aegon. None other than Jon Snow’s real name.

Coincidence? It never is.

8. A regime never truly dies – just consult the furniture in the Red Keep.

While many may not have noticed, some of the furniture in the Red Keep (primarily in the Small Council room and Tommen’s bedroom) still has dragons carved into the wood. The co-creators left this element to show the history of the Lannister coup over the Targaryens. This is a subtle reminder to viewers about the long struggles between the two houses.

9. Sansa Stark’s wedding gown tells her story

Photo Credit: HBO

Costume designers take in every detail when designing the Game of Thrones garb. These garments are a major part of the show, if not an actual additional character. If you take a good look at Sansa Stark’s wedding gown (from when she wed Tyrion Lannister), you’ll find embroidered fish, dire wolves, and lions along a path. This is the journey from Sansa’s birth to her wedding day. And since Sansa is known for her mastery in needle and thread, it isn’t far fetched that this may have been made by her. Michele Clapton, a major designer on the show, said,

“The embroidery is a subliminal way to tell someone’s story. You can see the influence of her mother, Catelyn Stark, in the House of Tully fish that swim around her body, then the emergence of the Stark Direwolf and eventually the heavy stamp of the Lannister lion on the back of her neck.”

10. The Iron Throne pay homage to past fictional heroes

Photo Credit: Ign

The Iron Throne, arguably one of the BIGGEST characters on the show, is hiding a few secrets of its own. Though it’s ostensibly made from 1,000 of the Mad King’s enemies’ swords melted together (actually 200, as Littlefinger points out), it has some hidden gems, such as Gandalf’s sword, Glamdring, from The Lord of the Rings.

Fan-freaking-tastic!

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15 of the Ugliest Belgian Houses You’ll Ever See

There are no shortage of things in this world that go so far down the ugly scale they begin to somehow get cuter – like the scale is actually a loop and not a straight line.

I wouldn’t have guessed that this would apply to houses, but thanks to blogger Hannes Coudenys, now I do. Belgium is notorious for its quirky buildings, and in 2012 Coudenys started an Instagram account documenting some of the weirder ones.

It’s called Ugly Belgian Houses, and even architects and architecture enthusiasts can’t get enough.

After you scroll through these 15 bizarre architectural oddities, you’re not going to be able to, either.

#1. Are you sure it’s finished?

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David Gebouwi

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#2. A couple couldn’t decide on what kind of house to build and so this happened?

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?

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#3. Warped storage box or a house?

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Calimero house

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#4. Why would you do this.

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Ugly Belgian house protecting it’s nest.

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#5. So weird.

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Nobody puts Baby in the corner

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#6. No idea what’s happening here.

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All roads lead to R̶o̶m̶e̶ an Ugly Belgian House.

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#7. It’s a door! It’s a window! It’s both!

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You had one job (pic by @_schrooten )

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#8. That’s quite a beak.

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Luke, I am your house

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#9. I can’t stop staring.

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The temple of boom shake shake shake the room

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#10. Is it falling apart?

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Sink outside the box

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#11. This one, though.

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When your house is a vegetarian

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#12. It looks like it’s made of Legos.

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#10yearchallenge

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#13. I’m strangely uncomfortable.

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When your architect fell asleep

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#14. Somebody pissed this house off.

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Pytagorage

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#15. In a science fiction movie, this is where the evil scientists are being all evil-y.

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Chernobelgium (pic by @pabloxcepeda )

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You can keep up on Instagram or Facebook.

Hot tip: don’t build a house like this.

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School Replaces Detention with Meditation, and the Results Speak For Themselves

If you ever spent any time in detention as a kid, you probably thought, “what is the point of this?” I think it’s pretty universal that detention consisted of staring at a wall and not doing anything, except maybe homework. Not the best.

The people in charge at Robert W. Coleman Elementary School in Baltimore, Maryland, had a different idea. Instead of putting kids who misbehave to detention, they’re sent to what is called the Mindful Moment Room.

"The truth is best as it is. No one can alter it; neither can anyone improve it. Have faith in the truth and live it -Buddha

Posted by Holistic Life Foundation, Inc. on Monday, February 4, 2019

The room is filled with plush pillows, lamps, and decorations. Kids are asked to calmly talk through what caused them to be sent there and then are encouraged to meditate and do breathing exercises to calm down.

The school partnered with a local nonprofit called the Holistic Life Foundation to create the Mindful Moment Room. For more than a decade, the Holistic Life Foundation has offered an after-school program where kids can practice mindfulness exercises and yoga.

"The more clearly we can focus our attention on the wonders and realities of the universe about us, the less taste we shall have for destruction." -Rachel Carson

Posted by Holistic Life Foundation, Inc. on Monday, February 11, 2019

The programs run by the Holistic Life Foundation also include mentoring, tutoring, and learning about the environment by visiting farms, cleaning up local parks, and building gardens.

Do you know we have a community garden at Robert W. Coleman Elementary School? This initiative teaches students more…

Posted by Holistic Life Foundation, Inc. on Monday, March 25, 2019

The kids have responded well to the program – in fact, suspensions at the elementary school plummeted. When nearby high school implemented the same programs, they also saw suspension rates drop and attendance increase.

Take a look at this video about the program at Robert W. Coleman Elementary.

This is a great idea. Honestly, I wish the schools I went to as a kid did this…

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3D-Printed Casts Are the Future of Healthcare

Have you ever broken a bone before? If so, you’re undoubtedly familiar with how long and uncomfortable the recovery process is in that heavy, clunky cast.

But two entrepreneurs from Latvia might have changed the game in a great way. Sigvards Krongorns and Janis Olins launched their startup company Castprint to improve the comfort of modern casts. The company uses 3D printing to build personalized, lightweight casts out of plastic. They utilize a web-like composition that helps stabilize and support broken bones.

Posted by Castprint on Monday, June 18, 2018

The casts are designed to be comfortable (what a revelation that would be), and they can easily be taken on and off, which means people can start rehabilitation earlier if they need to instead of having to wait for a traditional plaster cast to be cut off.

Another plus: people can wear Castprint casts in the water, so swimming is still an option and showering doesn’t have to involve the hassle of taping a plastic bag around your arm or leg.

Posted by Castprint on Monday, July 16, 2018

The idea for the company came when co-founder Janis Olins broke his elbow and found his injury interfered with his regular job as an auditor. None of his suits would fit over his cast, and he couldn’t go meet clients in person. In 2016 (while still in his cast), Olins was growing interested in 3D printing technology, so he and his partner Krongorns began working with a designer to come up with a potential prototype for a 3D printable cast.

Say goodbye to the old fashioned and heavy plaster casts!

Posted by Castprint on Monday, October 30, 2017

Olins said, “We interviewed doctors, clinic management, nurses, insurance companies and regulator representatives in order to find out more about fracture treatment and the processes involved.”

CastPrint now has partnerships with 7 clinics in Latvia where personalized casts are made for each patient. Olins said that originally many doctors were skeptical of their product, but as time went on and they saw how successful the casts were, they’ve gotten on board.

UZMANĪBU Castprint atbalstītāji un sekotāji! Easm iekļauti @Arctic15 TOP30 inovatīvāko jaunuzņēmumu sarakstā. Lai…

Posted by Castprint on Thursday, May 3, 2018

Olins and Krongorns are looking to expand past Latvia, and their first international partners are in Finland.

Olins added, “We envision, and hope, that with our work we can bring healthcare services and 3D printing technology closer together. Because of the simplicity and ease of our service, there is more potential, and we can fundamentally change the way fracture injuries are treated in the world.”

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People Continue to NOT Recognize Tony Hawk, and It’s Hilarious

Tony Hawk just can’t catch a break, can he? Who knows why, but Hawk just can’t get anyone to believe he’s really the man he says he is. We’ve previously documented how often the world-famous skateboarder doesn’t get recognized, and we’ve got a new example – it happened when Hawk was trying to rent a car.

Sorry Mr. Hawk, but it happened again. But since he’s such a nice guy, he didn’t call out the person or the rental car company by name.

Just like the many times when he wasn’t recognized in public, people loved this story about Hawk’s misfortunes.

And someone made this great collage on Hawk’s famous video game cover.

Classic! All I can say is that I would recognize you, Mr. Hawk!

At least I think I would…

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16 Baby Shower Confessions That Made Us Very Uncomfortable

Confession time: I’ve actually never attended a baby shower. I’m sure I will at some point, and after seeing these crazy confessions, I guess I’m semi-looking forward to enjoying the drama.

1. Just feel how you feel. Those emotions are all yours.

Photo Credit: Whisper

2. Dem hoes…

Photo Credit: Whisper

3. Nerd baby FTW!

Photo Credit: Whisper

4. Bless their lily white souls…

Photo Credit: Whisper

5. Wait… what?!?

Photo Credit: Whisper

6. This f**king guy! O_o

Photo Credit: Whisper

7. She’s going to need all the support she can get. Be there for her.

Photo Credit: Whisper

8. Oh snap.

Photo Credit: Whisper

9. **sniff**

Photo Credit: Whisper

10. So fabulously, profanely petty.

Photo Credit: Whisper

11. Just. Say. No.

Photo Credit: Whisper

12. Oh, this sucks…

Photo Credit: Whisper

13. Y.I.K.E.S.

Photo Credit: Whisper

14. Pro gift.

Photo Credit: Whisper

15. Divorce her immediately.

Photo Credit: Whisper

16. Not a bad point, tbh…

Photo Credit: Whisper

Shocking, yes. Surprising? Not really.

But that Grandmother-To-Be shower and then no baby shower for the mom is peak pettiness. How does something like that even happen?

F**king people…

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Epic Text Thread About Cake Decorating, Lies & a Girl Named Trisha Goes Viral

Meet Josh, who is apparently a genius with cakes!

Photo Credit: reddit

Josh is texting with his “friend” Trisha.

And Trisha is not buying Josh’s bulls**t about cakes.

Photo Credit: reddit

Oh Josh, don’t try to convince Trisha that you did anything to that cake.

She clearly knows you’re lying.

Just own up to it.

Photo Credit: reddit

Oh. You doubled down?

And…. yep!

Trisha totally called you on it.

Photo Credit: reddit

Wait… you’re tripling down?

Has that ever been attempted in the history of lying about baking and/or decorating cakes?!

Photo Credit: reddit

You do realize that Trisha is completely immune to your attempts at making her feel bad, right?

She does not give ONE SINGLE F**K about your feelings.

What I’m saying is Trisha will destroy you if you keep giving her the chance.

Photo Credit: reddit

Wait WHAT?!?!

You’re quadrupling down?

Has that ever been attempted in the history of lying about baking and/or decorating birthday cakes for nieces?!?!?

Photo Credit: reddit

Oh Josh.

Josh, Josh, Josh…

You know what you have to do, right?

Photo Credit: reddit

No. NO!!!!

Trying to confuse Trisha isn’t what you’re supposed to do!

Trisha is CLEARLY much, much, much, much, much smarter than you.

Like, sooooooooo much smarter.

She is not to be f**ked with.

Photo Credit: reddit

Best to come clean.

Better late than never!

Photo Credit: reddit

I don’t know buddy… looks like you’ve still got a shot with Trisha!

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10+ Painful Moments That 2000s Kids Will Definitely Understand

What were you doing in the 2000s? If you were older than 9, you probably remember all of the following with painful accuracy.

Enjoy this Generation Z! Because you lived through those painful first decade of the internet, and your bitching and complaining helped change everything for the better.

Didn’t it?

1. #PenProbs

Photo Credit: Buzzfeed

2. When your Netflix DVD queue said your top pick was going to take A WHOLE WEEK to get to you!

Photo Credit: Buzzfeed

3. Music wouldn’t play in your cars unless you had one of these. Did you remember it?

Photo Credit: Buzzfeed

4. This is how you picked songs to play.

Photo Credit: Buzzfeed

5. You were actually jealous of friends who had these phones.

Photo Credit: Buzzfeed

6. The bad ol’ days…

Photo Credit: Buzzfeed

7. When you took the VHS tape out and saw this nightmare…

Photo Credit: Buzzfeed

8. Think Soulja Boy planted these? Hmmmm

Photo Credit: Buzzfeed

9. SHUT UP!

Photo Credit: Buzzfeed

10. Remember when you misspelled a word on your shoes? Yeah you do…

Photo Credit: Buzzfeed

11. When texting was way too hard and not at all private…

Photo Credit: Buzzfeed

12. When you printed maps and forget to do it in black & white so all that color ink was wasted!

Photo Credit: Buzzfeed

Every generation will have their shame.

This was yours.

Not too bad, tbh.

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