There have been few classes of drugs that have thoroughly swept through America like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro. According to a recent survey, 1 in 8 US Adults Has Taken Ozempic or Other GLP-1 Drug. But there are some countries where these drugs are not in high demand. Why? Because there are not enough obese people. Japan is one of these places. It's not just genetics. "It turns out that after 100 or so years, Japanese Hawaiians are now almost as overweight as the people they live among ... So something other than genes explains Japan’s slimness. But what?" Johann Hari examines the many factors in Time: The Land That Doesn’t Need Ozempic. One stop was at a school where Hari saw a lunch scene very different from the typical American campus. "Once the meal was ready, [school nutritionist] Harumi carried a tray over to the office of the school’s head, Minoru Tanaka. It is a legal requirement that the principal of each school ensures lunches meet nutritional guidelines. It’s also customary for principals to have the same lunch as the kids and to eat it first, to make sure it’s safe, nutritious, and delicious. He rolled up his sleeves and dug in. After a moment, he nodded approvingly. Before they began to eat, a child stood at the front of the class and read out what today’s meal was, which part of Japan it came from, and how the different elements are good for your health." At my school, they regularly served a Tater Tot clone that was somehow less healthy than a real Tater Tot. 2Breaking the Cohen of SilenceWill Trump's fixer be America's elixir? Probably not. But the testimony from Trump's former inside man is proving quite damaging so far. Michael Cohen on the concern over the Stormy Daniels story: "He said to me: 'This is a disaster. Total disaster. Women are going to hate me. This is really a disaster. Women will hate me. Guys may think it’s cool, but this is going to be a disaster for the campaign,' Cohen said. 'At the time, Mr. Trump was polling very, very low with women,' Cohen explained. 'He was polling very poorly with women — and this, coupled with the previous Access Hollywood' tape. While Cohen sought to negotiate a deal with Daniels, Trump instructed him to 'just get past the election, because if I win, it will have no relevance because I'll be president, and if I lose, no one will care.' When Cohen asked how Daniels’ claims might affect Trump’s relationship with Melania, Trump told him, 'Don’t worry.' He goes, ‘How long do you think I’ll be on the market for? Not long,' Cohen recounted. 'He wasn’t thinking about Melania ... This was all about the campaign.'" Here's the latest from CNN and NBC. One of the ironies of this testimony is how worried Trump was that this story would derail support among his base and his enablers. It's laughable considering what they've put up with since. 3Dead Man Talking"Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday delivered some of the Biden administration’s strongest public criticism yet of Israel’s conduct of the war in Gaza, saying Israeli tactics have meant 'a horrible loss of life of innocent civilians' but failed to neutralize Hamas leaders and fighters and could drive a lasting insurgency." 4Sedans Running on Fumes"With the Malibu’s demise, GM will no longer sell any sedans in the U.S. In that regard, it will have plenty of company." FastCo: Detroit killed the sedan. We may all live to regret it. For drivers, sitting up higher, having more cargo space, and safer vehicles are part of what sells larger cars. But that's only part of the story. 5Extra, ExtraCampaign and Suffering: "This time, Willy Ochoa brought reinforcements. This time, unlike the last time, he’d be ready for cartel attacks. He was accompanied by three truckloads of national guard troops. Two state police cars with flashing red lights. He rode in his own bulletproof SUV, and had a complement of muscular bodyguards. One sat in the bed of a pickup truck, his eyes fixed on the sky. 'He’s making sure they don’t fire a bomb from a drone,' Ochoa explained." This is what it’s like to run for the Senate today in Mexico. WaPo (Gift Article): The elections next door: Mexico’s cartels pick candidates, kill rivals. 6Bottom of the News"In each round, two competitors sit on opposite sides of a solid table and each hooks one finger — usually the middle finger — through opposite sides of a small leather loop. As soon as a referee signals the start, a contestant tries to pull the other across the table swiftly. The whole thing usually lasts a few seconds, and digits put out of their joints are common." German men with the strongest fingers compete in Bavaria’s ‘Fingerhakeln’ wrestling championship. (I'd complete, but that's my trackpad hand.)
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