Category: World Culture

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A Company Is Offering Nonsmokers Six Extra Vacation Days to Make up for Cigarette Breaks

If you work with smokers, they take breaks constantly. I’m sure you’ve noticed this. I’ve worked with some people who took at least one cigarette break per hour and sometimes even more.

That time really adds up.

A company in Japan has taken notice and decided to give non-smokers an extra six days of vacation per year to make up for the time that smokers take on breaks. Piala Inc. is a marketing firm in Tokyo, and they decided to take this step after non-smokers at the company complained about working more than people at the business who take time each day to smoke.

A spokesperson for the company said, “One of our non-smoking staff put a message in the company suggestion box earlier in the year saying that smoking breaks were causing problems. Our CEO saw the comment and agreed, so we are giving non-smokers some extra time off to compensate.”

The company is based on the 29th floor of a building so you can imagine how much time was spent by smokers venturing all the way downstairs, taking a leisurely cigarette break, and then coming back up 29 flights. Like I said, it adds up.

Group of smokers, Tokyo 2016

Takao Asuka, the CEO of the company, said, “I hope to encourage employees to quit smoking through incentives rather than penalties or coercion.”

What do you think about this? Fair? Unfair? Unnecessary?

Share your thoughts with us in the comments.

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A Town in Austria Is so Sick of Nazis Visiting Hitler’s Birthplace That They’re Turning It into a Police Station

In a small town in Austria on the border of Germany sits a structure with a notorious past. It was here, in a nondescript building downtown called the Braunau am Inn, that Adolf Hitler was born on April 20, 1889.

The building has been used as a school and a library over the years, but it has also been a magnet for neo-Nazis who view it as a shrine to Hitler. People have been coming since all the way back in the 1940s just after World War II ended, when Austrian and German veterans would flock to the house on Hitler’s birthday.

In 1972, the interior ministry of Austria took over the main lease from the family that owned the building so that the government could eventually have the final say about what the building would be used for. In 1984, the Austrian government tried to acquire the building outright from Gerlinde Pommer, who had sole possession of the building, but she refused to sell. Pommer also refused to renovate the structure so the government could not find a good tenant for the property.

Finally, in 2017, the Austrian government seized the building from Pommer and the dispute ended. Authorities have decided to turn Hitler’s birthplace into a police station to hopefully deter neo-Nazis from visiting the site.

In 1989, a stone was put in place in front of the building that reads, “For peace, freedom and democracy. Never again fascism. Millions dead are a warning.”

There will be an international architectural competition to redesign the building for its future police tenants.

Wolfgang Peschorn, the interior minister of Austria, said, “The future use of the house by the police should send an unmistakable signal that the role of this building as a memorial to the Nazis been permanently revoked.”

And it’s about time.

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A Tumblr User Takes Us to School About Why Older Cars Are Definitely Not Better

How many times have you heard this?

“They don’t make them like they used to!”

It’s a refrain we hear often from the older generation around us, and about pretty much everything – cars, washing machines, people  – and even though most of us may just roll our eyes and mutter “OK, Boomer,” one Tumblr user was on the same page:

https://princealigorna.tumblr.com/post/179536633233/and-this-is-why-we-used-to-make-cars-out-of-steel

Yeah. That old car acted like my grandpa used to when a bee stung him in the garden – he grunted, swiped it away, and went about his business.

Luckily for all of us younguns, though, someone else on Tumblr was there to tell us exactly why (at least when it comes to cars) it’s a really, really good thing they don’t make them like they used to.

https://becausedragonage.tumblr.com/post/179727413742/freshest-tittymilk-princealigorna-and-this

While there are legitimate criticisms about the throwaway mentality that capitalism has engendered in American society, vehicle safety has improved dramatically over the last several decades. This is one area where government regulation has made a huge difference, and it is quite literally life or death.

Seems like the government isn’t always out to get us, y’all – they’re actually trying to help!

Who knew?!

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LEGO Trolled Tesla with a ‘Shatterproof’ Truck

By now, you’ve probably heard about the fiasco that took place when Tesla CEO Elon Musk debuted the company’s new Cybertruck recently and…things didn’t go as planned.

That’s right, the windows on the Tesla Cybertruck shattered, and Musk was left a little red-faced about the whole thing. So, of course, some big company or brand had to come out and mock them in some genius way, right?

Enter LEGO.

The evolution of the truck is here. Guaranteed shatterproof 😬

Posted by LEGO on Tuesday, November 26, 2019

“The evolution of the truck is here. Guaranteed shatterproof.”

BOOM! Mic drop. I can’t think of any other company that could’ve done it better, can you?

Let’s compare the two vehicles. The Tesla Cybertruck is big, bulky, weirdly triangular, has windows that apparently shatter, and the base price is just under $40,000.

The LEGO truck is very small…okay, it’s basically a gray block attached to a four-wheel platform and would probably run you about $1.50. But you get the point: cheap and easy to use.

For the record, Elon Musk said that it was his fault the glass on the Tesla Cybertruck shattered and that he should have thrown the steel balls first AND THEN hit the windows with a sledgehammer, not the sledgehammer first like they did at the event.

He tweeted (as he does), “Sledgehammer impact on door cracked base of glass, which is why steel ball didn’t bounce off. Should have done steel ball on window, *then* sledgehammer the door. Next time …”

Let’s see Tesla come back and top this one…

I thoroughly enjoyed this story! Did you?

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Manny Pacquiao Used $1.5 Million to Build 1,000 Homes for the Poor

If you’ve watched Manny Pacquiao in the ring, then you know he has fists of fury and is one of the best boxers we’ve seen in the last several years. In other words, he’s a total badass.

Posted by Manny Pacquiao on Sunday, July 28, 2019

But Pacquiao’s bad-assery extends beyond the ring, as well. He’s never forgotten where he came from, having grown up in poverty in the Sarangani Province of the Philippines. Pacquiao grew up in a cardboard shack with his family, and they sometimes didn’t have any food to eat. The future boxing great left home at the age of 15 and survived on the mean streets of Manila.

Now, Pacquiao is generally regarded as one of the sport’s greats, and he also serves as a senator in his native country. He also works to give back to those who are less fortunate. Pacquiao said, “I feel what they’re feeling because I’ve been there. I’ve slept in the street. That was my life before. So hard. That’s why I feel what they’re feeling right now.”

Eye of the Tiger

Posted by Manny Pacquiao on Wednesday, November 20, 2019

So Pacquiao did something about it: he built 1,000 houses for needy Filipinos. He bought the lots, built the homes, and then gave them away. The cost for the folks who received them: FREE.

He said, “I’m so happy giving these houses free to my constituents in Sarangani Province from my own pocket more than a thousand families are the beneficiaries.”

Altogether, the beloved boxing champ has given away about $200 million to fund projects to help the needy. Pacquiao said, “Every income I receive in boxing, almost half of it goes to the less fortunate. After each fight, half of my income goes to the poor. But I don’t like to announce it.”

A great man, and a great example.

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Jon Bon Jovi Has Two Restaurants Where People in Need Can Eat for Free

I grew up in the 1980s and was fully on-board with the music of the time, and Bon Jovi was always one of my favorite bands. Also, Jon Bon Jovi himself just always seemed like a really genuine, nice guy compared to a lot of other rock stars.

It turns out my feeling was right on the money.

In addition to his incredibly successful music career, Bon Jovi started the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation to help fight poverty and homelessness. As part of his initiative, he’s opened two restaurants in his native New Jersey called JBJ Soul Kitchen where needy people can eat for free, one in Red Bank and one in Toms River. The project was actually the brainchild of Bon Jovi’s wife, Dorothea Hurley.

There are no menu prices at JBJ Soul Kitchen, but patrons who can pay are encouraged to donate $20 and those who don’t have enough money are urged to volunteer at the restaurant.

The two restaurants have already served more than 100,000 people, and, according to their website, 54% of people paid for their meals and 46% volunteered in order to eat a meal. Reservations are not required, but those who are in need are given first priority. The meals consist of three courses, are nutritious and contain vegetables grown in the restaurant’s gardens.

Bon Jovi’s foundation also focuses on providing housing to those in need, including veterans.

What the heck, let’s end with a classic Bon Jovi tune, shall we?

Great work, Mr. Bon Jovi! Keep it up!

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Jeff Bezos Just Gave $98.5 Million to Help the Homeless

Jeff Bezos is the man behind Amazon, and he’s also the richest person in the world (he and Bill Gates go back and forth). Now, he’s trying to do his part to help those who are less fortunate, specifically the homeless population of America.

Bezos recently donated $98.5 million to 32 organizations in 23 U.S. states to help out homeless families. The donations to the different organizations range from $1.25 million to $5 million.

The businessman started his Bezos Day One Fund in September 2018 and has pledged that he will give $2 billion to the fund. His charity is focused on two different areas: helping out organizations that feed homeless families, and helping to establish Montessori-inspired preschools across the United States.

In 2018, Bezos donated $97.5 million to 24 organizations fighting homeless in 16 states across the U.S.

Here is the full list of organizations across the country that received donations in 2019.

Bethany House Services, Cincinnati, OH • $1.25 million
Catholic Charities Eastern Washington, Spokane, WA • $5 million
Catholic Social Services Alaska, Anchorage, AK • $5 million
Coburn Place, Indianapolis, IN • $1.25 million
Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness, Hartford, CT • $2.5 million
Covenant House, New York, NY • $5 million
Family Gateway, Dallas, TX • $2.75 million
FamilyAid Boston, Boston, MA • $5 million
ForKids, Norfolk, VA • $2.5 million
Goodwill Industries of Northern Michigan, Traverse City, MI • $1.25 million
Great Lakes Community Action Partnership, Fremont, OH • $1.25 million
Homeless Services Network of Central Florida, Orlando, FL • $5.25 million
HOPE Services Hawaii, Hilo, HI • $2.75 million
HopeWorks, Albuquerque, NM • $2.5 million
Interim Community Development Association, Seattle, WA • $2.5 million
Lafayette Transitional Housing Center, Lafayette, IN • $1.25 million
Mary’s Place Seattle, Seattle, WA • $5 million
MIFA, Memphis, TN • $5 million
Our Family Services, Tucson, AZ • $2.5 million
Pathways of Hope, Fullerton, CA • $2.5 million
St. Joseph Center, Venice, CA • $5 million
St. Joseph’s Villa, Richmond, VA $1.25 million
St. Stephen’s Human Services, Minneapolis, MN • $5 million
St. Vincent de Paul, Baltimore, MD • $5 million
The Road Home, Salt Lake City, UT • $5 million
The Road Home Dane County, Madison, WI • $1.25 million
The Whole Child, Whittier, CA • $5 million
UNITY Of Greater New Orleans, New Orleans, LA • $2.5 million
Upward Bound House, Santa Monica, CA • $1.25 million
Welcome House of Northern Kentucky, Covington, KY • $1.25 million
West Virginia Coalition to End Homelessness, Bridgeport, WV • $1.5 million
YWCA Columbus, Columbus, OH • $2.5 million

I’d say that’s a pretty generous move, wouldn’t you?

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Disney+ Has Content Warnings About ‘Outdated Cultural Depictions,’ but Is It Enough?

Disney+ is all the rage at the moment, as the iconic entertainment company is now in the streaming game in a major way, releasing their archived films, old and new, for all to enjoy.

With the release of many of these older films comes a problem, though. Included in the description of some Disney+ films come warnings about possible “outdated cultural depictions” that some people may find offensive.

“Outdated cultural depictions” is kind of code for offensive, racist, misogynistic portrayals of minorities, women, etc.

Warner Bros. has done similar warnings before some of their cartoons. And if you’ve ever watched any of these old cartoons (or you grew up on them), you know that a lot of them contain imagery, themes, and scenes that definitely wouldn’t be acceptable in today’s environment.

And, as you can see, the warning on some Warner Bros. content is a little more forthcoming and honest as compared to just saying there might be some “outdated cultural depictions” in Disney classics such as Peter Pan, Pocahontas, The Jungle Book, and Lady and the Tramp.

Some minority advocacy groups have spoken out about the Disney+ disclaimer. Azita Ghanizada, founder of MENA (Middle Eastern North African) Arts Advocacy Coalition, said, “I would hope that Disney would do it for all the films that might include some things that are a little outdated. Especially with Aladdin, with those orientalized tropes that we’re kind of pushing back against.”

But there are more recent concerns as well.

What about the depictions of Native Americans? And specifically, the decision to cast Johnny Depp as Tonto in The Lone Ranger?

Sonny Skyhawk, founder of American Indians in Film and Television, said, “We talked to people at Disney about that depiction … I said there are probably a hundred [Native] people of that caliber that can do that and yet you’re going to try and force Johnny Depp down our throat. That’s basically what they did and it’s the arrogance of Hollywood and the arrogance of Disney to say it’s our idea, it’s our money and we’re going to do it, whether you like it or not.”

What do you think about this? Is Disney going far enough with their warnings? Should these movies even be streaming for people to see?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

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This Man Nails Why the Cheesecake Factory Is Such a Bizarre Restaurant

Everyone knows that The Cheesecake Factory is one of the weirdest restaurants on the planet. But what, exactly, makes it so strange? The way-too-long menu? The slightly-insane decor?

A design enthusiast wrote a Twitter thread about his take on the matter, which is that The Cheesecake Factory is a “fully immersive ‘postmodern design hellscape’ themed dining experience.” The thread has gone viral, because it’s hilarious yet surprisingly educational.

“From a design perspective that place is fuckin wild and I’ll talk a little bit about why,” Twitter user @MaxKriegerVG began.

First, he starts with some history: the restaurant apparently grew out of a Los Angeles bakery business. In 1992, they brought in hospitality designer Rick McCormack.

That’s when, @MaxKriegerVG says, “shit went off the rails. We’re talking VICTORIAN-EGYPTIAN-ROCOCO OFF THE RAILS.”

There’s the exterior’s weirdly Old World feel, then there’s the interior: “A world of aesthetic chaos that feels like a mix between a Fry’s Electronics, an overgrown Panera, and a laser tag arena. It’s sensational,” @MaxKriegerVG says.

Between the Egyptian columns, the wood paneling, and the glass dividers, the whole space is pretty much a design mess.

There’s also the odd juxtaposition of luxury and cheapness. The water tankards are plastic, as are the wicker chairs and the table. Also, all the “exotic” fake hieroglyphics and whatnot. @MaxKriegerVG calls it “surreal,” and he has a point.

He also points out the menu — excuse us, four menus — which bafflingly include advertisements “for THE RESTAURANT YOU HAVE ALREADY CHOSEN TO DINE AT.”

“After wandering the menu a while, helplessly, you order and the food arrives. It’s good. Not bad, not great, but good,” he wrote.

Meanwhile, the actual cheesecake is very much the afterthought of this restaurant, despite the name.

Point taken — The Cheesecake Factory is a fascinating study in aesthetics, design, and capitalism.

But more importantly, where did this guy learn all this Cheesecake Factory history and how can we sign up for the course?

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Buy a Tiny Replica of Your House as a Christmas Ornament This Year

Don’t miss out on this!

Christmas ornaments are often sentimental items that get passed down through a family for years. An Etsy shop has the perfect ornament to add to your family’s collection: a tiny replica of your actual house.

The Etsy shop Forever Figurines is run by Samantha Bravoco of Haverhill, Massachusetts. She hand-designs each custom ornament out of polymer clay and acrylic paint. She bases the designs off of customer’s photos of the house.

Some customers choose to get Christmas ornaments that look like their current homes, while others model them after childhood homes or other sentimental places.

Samantha can even add a ribbon with the address of the house and the dates that it was inhabited. For anyone who has to leave behind a beloved family home after many years, this is a great way to hold onto the place in a sentimental way!

Samantha’s Instagram shows that she truly can recreate any type of house, large or small.

These tiny replicas surely take a lot of skill and patience — the current wait time for each order is three months.

“Everything is custom, handmade and hand-painted so they take time and I can only do so many per day,” Samantha told Today.

Samantha started sculpting in 2015 as a hobby.

“I decided to post some work up on Etsy to see if there was any interest from buyers,” she said. “I was featured on WeddingWire in 2016 for my wedding cake figurines and that got the ball rolling quickly.”

She just started making house ornaments last year, but she’s already completed almost 300 so far. She still sculpts cake figurines and pet figurines, too.

One house ornament is $75 and they’re great as year-round gifts in addition to Christmas.

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