samhexum

Horse named Mariah repeatedly sexually ... - Daily Advent 19 hours ago — A Florida man reportedly confessed last week that he'd sneaked into a barn late at night to mount a horse named Mariah — and he wasn't sure how many times.

Food companies are coming under renewed pressure to use less salt after U.S. regulators spelled out long-awaited guidelines aimed at reducing sodium levels in dozens of foods including condiments, cereals, french fries and potato chips. The voluntary goals finalized Wednesday for 163 foods are intended to help lower the amount of salt people eat. A majority of the sodium in U.S. diets comes from packaged or restaurant foods — not the salt added to meals at home — making it hard for people to make changes on their own. To get people used to eating less salt, the Food and Drug Administration said reductions have to be gradual and across the entire food supply so people don't keep reaching for higher sodium options. “By putting out the targets, that really helps to level the playing field across the industry,” said Susan Mayne, director of the FDA’s food safety and nutrition division. Over the next 2.5 years, the FDA’s target sodium levels aim to cut average intake by 12% — from 3,400 to 3,000 milligrams a day. That would still leave average intake above the federally recommended limit of 2,300 milligrams a day for people 14 and older. But the agency says it will monitor industry progress and keep issuing updated targets to bring levels closer to the recommended limit over time. The FDA said it took into consideration industry feedback after issuing its draft guidance in 2016. Ketchup, mustard and hot sauce, for example, were split up and now have different targets. Another difference: The final guidance does not spell out a time frame for reaching longer-term targets. “It’s a huge disappointment that the 10-year goal didn’t come out at the same time,” said Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, dean of the Tufts University's Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. Mozaffarian said some food companies resisted reduced sodium targets, but that more scientific support has emerged for the federal guidance on sodium. In 2019, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine tied the recommended limit to a reduced risk of chronic disease. A recent study in China also found lower rates of stroke and major heart-related events among people using a salt substitute compared with those using regular salt. Whether the targets are effective in pushing the industry to lower sodium levels will hinge on how the FDA monitors progress and publicly communicates about it, Mozaffarian said. In a statement, the National Restaurant Association said it provided feedback to the FDA’s draft guidance and that its member companies continue to provide options that address customer demand. The American Frozen Food Institute said member companies have already been offering lower sodium options to meet consumer demand. Even though the guidance is voluntary, companies might feel pressure to make changes to avoid stricter regulatory action, said Dr. Peter Lurie, president of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, which has called for mandatory sodium standards. “If it turns out that the impact is not what we would hope, I think it’s back to the drawing board, and mandatory cuts are on the table,” he said.

Maybe you should've posted this:

That's Great, Gazoo!

Sorry, I wasn't impressed. It sounds like a track added to the end of a K-tel disco album to make it longer. This was one instance where Americans and Canadians had better taste than Europeans and Australians. I kept hoping one of the bubbles would fly into one of their mouths; it would've made the video more entertaining.

‘All the Queens Houses’: Woodside architect’s book captures borough’s ‘domestic treasures’ in photos About a decade ago, a curious architect-photographer from Queens, who had a “thing” for unusual dwellings — and understood that someone’s abode is, indeed, their castle — embarked on an adventure that turned into a wonderful obsession. While biking and walking around his beloved borough — where each neighborhood offers its own unique flavor, and one can see myriad styles reflected in homes that are as diverse as the folks who dwell inside them — Rafael Herrin-Ferri discovered, and started taking photos of, Queens’ surprisingly remarkable “domestic treasures.” The result? An impressive collection featuring thousands of captivating photographs that chronicled his amazing odyssey. “All the Queens Houses: An Architectural Portrait Of New York’s Largest and Most Diverse Borough” was on display at The Architectural League of New York’s office gallery in Manhattan in 2017. The exhibition showcased almost 300 snapshots of local “castles” taken across 34 neighborhoods. Then, a must-see photography book followed. “As I started to get to know the ‘World’s Borough,’ I was delighted to discover how unorthodox the housing stock was. Regardless of socio-economic status, almost every street of every Queens neighborhood has some highly idiosyncratic residential structure exhibiting great personal, cultural and, in many cases, religious pride. And it became my mission to discover them all,” Herrin-Ferri said. The book is now available in stores, as well as online on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. This is more than your typical photo book, according to its author, who points out that there are 175 short interpretive texts (i.e. extended captions) that detail the history of the houses and situate them in the context of Queens, and includes the architectural history at times. A home in Ozone Park. (Photo courtesy of Rafael Herrin-Ferri) A home in Jackson Heights. (Photo courtesy of Rafael Herrin-Ferri) Readers can also find a scholarly introductory essay by New School professor and celebrated urbanist Joseph Heathcott, as well as a foreword by Herrin-Ferri. In order to access every block of the borough without a car of his own, the roving architect — who lives on the Sunnyside and Woodside border, just east of the Celtic Park Garden Apartment complex — would rely on his trusty folding bike, which he’d take on the subway or the Long Island Rail Road or pop into the trunk of a cab or Zipcar. Neighborhoods that were more accessible by subway were explored on foot or skateboard. “I have always been interested in exploring unknown landscapes. When I was younger, they were mostly natural; now they are more urban. I especially like to get a complete picture of the cities in which I live,” the Spanish-born artist said, noting that before moving to New York in 2003, he “thoroughly explored” the cities of San Francisco and Barcelona, Spain. As the project progressed, weather was foremost on Herrin-Ferri’s mind, since he would spend chunks of his free time taking photos on cloudy days, when there was a chance that it could start raining. “February and March were the best months for stable cloud cover, [which is] best for capturing true colors and architectural detail; minimal street tree foliage [so there were] no leaves blocking façades; and no holiday decorations, save Valentine’s Day – not a big one for Queens,” he recalled. But if the sun came out — after a long subway ride to his destination — he’d have to go back home, disappointed. A home in Elmhurst. (Photo courtesy of Rafael Herrin-Ferri) A home in Elmhurst. (Photo courtesy of Rafael Herrin-Ferri) Looking back on those chilly photo sessions, the author recalled those frustrating times when his camera and phone batteries would suddenly get depleted, and he felt as if his fingers were frozen. “Nevertheless, these were among the best times surveying, and the times when the ‘mission’ had even more meaning,” he said. “For the most part, the people I encountered and who questioned what I was doing, were very supportive, even complimentary at times.” A home in Howard Beach. (Photo courtesy of Rafael Herrin-Ferri) A home in Wave Crest. (Photo courtesy of Rafael Herrin-Ferri) A home in Forest Hills. (Photo courtesy of Rafael Herrin-Ferri) But on a couple of occasions, his actions were misinterpreted and things got a little “hairy,” he recalled. “One time, a guy following me in his car had called the cops. On another occasion, a homeowner, who also happened to be a security guard, restrained me, physically,” Herrin-Ferri said. “In both, I was lucky enough to be able to convince them of my artistic intentions, and they let me go.” “All in all, it was an incredible adventure into one of the most interesting built environments I have ever seen,” he added. The lover of eclectic homes spoke about his favorite Queens neighborhood: Corona. Herrin-Ferri explained that he liked the area for “its intricate street patterns and eclectic mix of housing types that have a high concentration of ‘living balconies,’” i.e. furnished balconies that double as exterior living and dining areas. And his favorite architectural styles? “Painted Tudors, polychromatic brick ‘Fedders’ buildings and Janus-faced, two-family structures,” Herrin-Ferri said. What makes Queens really special? “Its tremendous diversity is reflected not only in its food, garments and religion, but in a wide range of residential structures that this global community calls home,” Herrin-Ferri said. “Many of these — at the small end of the spectrum — are in what appears to be a slow transformation, as the ‘World’s Borough’ continually re-defines its identity with wave after wave of immigrants.” He pointed to “the somewhat austere northern European architectural styles employed by the original developers (English, German, Dutch),” which have been altered “to suit a global demographic that values bold colors, patterns and exterior spaces (no empty balconies in this borough).” “Apart from the physical structures themselves, I also believe the urban fabric of Queens is quite unique. Queens is a patchwork of small town centers and villages that grew together, but the village charm is still there,” Herrin-Ferri said. “Winding roads and shifting grid patterns are a nightmare to navigate by car but lend the borough a great human scale that is wonderful to walk, bike and live in.” The Woodside creative, whose family lives up in Ithaca and in Valencia, Spain, said he has several friends sprinkled throughout the borough, but mostly concentrated in western Queens. Herrin-Ferri said he finished surveying the borough in 2020, and was able to work on the book during the COVID-19 pandemic. “What started more in the tradition of urban exploration, or rambling, led to a meticulous system of surveying that allowed me to complete the project in under 10 years … or my lifetime, perhaps,” Herrin-Ferri said. He said the pandemic allowed him to focus on his book. “It has been a blessing in disguise, for the most part. It allowed me to hunker down and finish this book project, [which was] seven years in the making, have a more flexible work schedule, and spend some quality time with my family during weekdays,” Herrin-Ferri said. “If we can ever put this pandemic behind us, I hope it teaches us to strike a better work-life balance. But I do dearly miss jumping on the train and the daily interaction with my fellow New Yorkers in Queens and beyond, without masks. That part has been horrible.” Prior to this massive project, the multi-talented artist’s work was on display at a local abstract art exhibit at Bliss on Bliss Art Projects in Sunnyside, along with fellow collage artists from the Philippines. Surprisingly, that “abstract and informal interest” is part of what Herrin-Ferri refers to as his “aesthetic criteria for photographing houses,” and has ignited much of his passion for all things architecture.

Michigan pastor with 8 DUI priors accused of trying to murder sheriff’s deputies A Michigan pastor with eight prior drunk driving offenses was charged Wednesday with attempting to murder two sheriff’s deputies with his car, a report said. The chaotic scene unfolded after police encountered the allegedly inebriated pastor, David Jones, in his car outside of a convenience store off 1-75 in Arenac County, authorities told WXYZ. Jones refused to cooperate with the deputies and sped his car across the highway, slamming into the back of a building, police said. The pastor then allegedly turned around and sped into a patrol car that had pursued him, Arena County Undersheriff Don McIntyre told the outlet. David Jones refused to cooperate with the deputies and sped his car across the highway. Facebook “If you turn your vehicle around and intentionally collide with a police vehicle, you are going to be charged with attempted murder on police,” McIntyre said. The deputies were uninjured. After the collision, they were forced to wrestle Jones from his car as the suspect continued resisting, the report said. The pastor was being held on a $1 million bond. Florida city’s mural depicts first black female firefighter as white A Florida city’s first black female firefighter has filed a lawsuit against the municipality after a controversial mural was unveiled that depicted her with white skin. Latosha Clemons’ lawsuit against Boynton Beach claims the pioneering firefighter deserves more than $100,000 after she suffered damages “including, but not limited to, loss of income, relocation expenses and additional living expenses as a result of relocating.” The mural, which was unveiled last year before it was quickly yanked, caused mental and emotional harm and “subjected her to ridicule, contempt, disgrace and/or humiliation,” her attorney Arthur Schofield wrote in an amended complaint. Latosha Clemons — Boynton Beach’s first black female firefighter — is suing the city for $100,000 after it unveiled a mural that featured her with white skin. “Being depicted as white was not only a false presentation of CLEMONS, it was also a depiction which completely disrespected all that CLEMONS the first black firefighter for the CITY had accomplished, her determination, focus and hard work,” a recent amended complaint said. City officials are scheduled to meet Tuesday to discuss the lawsuit and figure out how to proceed, the Boynton Beach Post reported. Clemons, who spent 26 years with the department before retiring last year, was to be included in a mural for one of the city’s fire stations. Her image was based on a photo of Clemons and two other female firefighters. Clemons was supposed to be the figure in the bottom right of the mural. YouTube/Palm Beach Post But when the city unveiled the mural in June 2020, Clemons and another former fire chief, who is also black, were portrayed as white. The debacle sparked swift backlash that led to the firing of the fire chief and another employee and removing the mural a day later. The fired public art manager told the Post she was pressured by the fire chief and staff to make the change, with City Hall aware of the alteration, according to the Post. The photo of Clemons and other firefighters that the mural was supposed to be based on. City attorneys said in a court filing that the employees who changed the artwork acted “outside the scope of their employment,” the Post reported. She told the newspaper at the time she was hurt, disappointed and outraged. “It’s been my heart and soul and my lifeblood to serve in the community where I grew up … this is beyond disrespect and I basically want to know why it happened.”

HOORAY for Evan Longoria! (I always liked him on DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES.)

Was that code for 'friend of Dorothy'?

Am I the only SIMPSONS fan here who saw the topic title and thought of Kent Brockman?

Is this one? https://www.companyofmen.org/topic/129821-what-can-i-expect-from-coolsculpting/

I am a very heavy pot smoker (both in terms of my weight and the amount I smoke). I'm investigating getting a couple of tooth implants and have been told by the oral surgeon that smoking is a big no-no, and the main reason implants fail. So I figured this would be a good time to try edibles for the first time. My dealer brought me some last time I saw her. There was one piece of chocolate, which did nothing for me, and all weekend long I've been trying the 'strawberry-shortcake'-flavored cocoa-covered cereal treats. I'd take some, wait 2 hours, and when nothing happened (except my tinnitus becoming louder), take a larger piece. Lather, rinse, repeat. I know I have an enormous tolerance to marijuana at this point, but NOTHING?!?!? It IS quite tasty, though, and I think anyone with little kids should make absolutely certain they can't find the stash, because they'd think it is some kind of candy. My dealer says she'll try to get me some gummies to try. Does anybody here have any suggestions as to what the most potent type of edible is? Any other suggestions on the subject would also be appreciated. BTW, I've never used any other drugs, and haven't had a drop of alcohol in 30+ years (and never even got tipsy in my life).

Farmhouse Family Day: Lovely Leaves Wyckoff House Museum 5816 Clarendon Road, East Flatbush Saturday, October 16 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The leaves are changing and a workshop at Brooklyn’s oldest house will let the curious learn some more facts while also trying their hand at making leaf prints. The activity is set to start at 1 p.m. but the grounds will be open to shop the farm stand, drop off food scraps for compost and get your hands dirty with some farm activities. You can also sign up for a “Sunflower Vegetable Share” food box, a low-cost seasonal fruit and vegetable box that accepts EBT/SNAP. The house itself will not be accessible as work continues to recover from the impact of Hurricane Ida. Visit the event page for all the details on the activities for the day. Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy’s Harvest Festival Brooklyn Bridge Park Pier 6, Brooklyn Heights Saturday, October 23 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. After a pause in 2020 the annual festival returns to Pier 6 for a day of arts and crafts, storytelling and games. There will be a kick-off procession and the popular pumpkin patch will be back. More details are still to be announced so check out the event page online for further updates.

EVIL is now on Paramount+ and just ended its second season yesterday. It's weird, but fun, and I like the characters. I'm still watching BOB HEARTS ABISHOLA, and still hoping it gets better. They're now married, so it should be interesting to see where it goes from here. Billy Gardell looks likes he's lost quite a bit of weight from his heaviest days.

It's not Boone's fault, or the players', or Cashman's, or even Hal Steinbrenner's. The true culprit: Curse of Billy 'Gloat' De Blasio first NYC mayor with no championship teams in 100 years Mayor de Blasio has clinched a dubious distinction: New York City’s first mayor in more than a century who won’t celebrate a single championship by any of Gotham’s major sports teams.

Leaving a total stranger lying in a parking lot after you've pushed him out the door and driven off with his car

I think Texas imposes the death penalty for such infractions. I could be wrong, though.

After the game-changing finale of The Blacklist season 8, which saw the murder of series protagonist Liz Keen (Megan Boone), the NBC thriller is taking a leap — in time. When the series returns for its season 9 premiere, it will pick up two years after Keen’s death. Viewers will quickly see just how big an impact Keen’s death had on the show’s characters. The FBI task force dedicated to taking down the world’s worst criminals will have disbanded, with many of them now living very different lives. With the enigmatic mastermind Raymond Reddington (James Spader) in the wind, the old team will find themselves drawn together by “a common purpose” to resume their original mission of taking “down dangerous, vicious, and eccentric Blacklisters,” per a new season 9 logline. That will force the team to confront deadly foes, new conspiracies, shocking betrayals, and the testing of alliances, all “led by the most devious criminal of them all — Raymond Reddington.” A day after the finale, Blacklist creator Jon Bokenkamp also departed the show. “I love this show with all of my heart and it’s been an incredible journey,” he said in a statement posted to Twitter, “but after eight years I feel it’s time for me to step out of my comfort zone, try something new, and explore a few of the other characters and stories that have been crawling around in my head.” The Blacklist season 9 premieres Oct. 21 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.

Speak for yourself. I've been that soft since the day I was born. I didn't have to 'get' that way.

Who the hell leaves the house when the weather is that terrible?

2 words... Adult Diapers

Op-ed: Don’t make travel to NYC even less affordable — legalize short-term rentals by Aimee Thrasher I moved to New York City in 1980 and the biggest problem I encountered was the lack of affordable housing, even back then. Four years later, I was priced out of Manhattan and chose to move to Queens. While I changed boroughs because of skyrocketing rent prices, I fell in love with my neighborhood. There is no area more diverse in the world than Queens. From the local restaurants to the unparalleled boutiques, each small business is unique and special in its own way. This is why in 1998 I made the decision to purchase a small mother/daughter house in Queens. It was my dream to be a homeowner and this house would be an investment in my family’s future. When I neared retirement in 2015, I realized that I could not live off of my social security and pension. So I fixed up the first floor apartment of my home and listed it on Airbnb as a short-term rental. My introduction to the platform was through traveling with my family. One hotel room with two beds was inadequate for our needs and yet we could not afford two rooms. Airbnb offered comfortable, home-like accommodations that could fit our entire family at a fraction of the price. Yes, we would be without some amenities, but what mattered was that we were able to take a trip together as a family. As a host, I’ve become very passionate about hospitality and giving my guests the best possible experience, like I had gotten years ago with my family. I am proud to share my home with New York’s visitors and show new people around the borough. My guests come from around the world to spend their money in New York. They shop in our grocery stores, eat in our restaurants, go to our shops and use our transit system. Our local government should be celebrating short-term renters, not trying to keep them out, but new legislation threatens to do just that. An ambiguous and arbitrary bill that’s currently being considered by the City Council would limit the number of guests to two people, when visits to my home typically consist of families made up of three or four people. Airbnb was a way for families to travel affordably and this bill would make our city even less accessible to lower income visitors. Do they regulate hotels to that number of guests? The answer is likely no. These regulations would strike a significant blow to tourism outside of Manhattan and the traditional tourism districts. Just when people have started to book travel to New York City again, we risk locking them out. For me personally, these rules would be devastating. While Airbnb might be supplemental income for some, it is my ONLY source of income. If I lose my ability to rent on Airbnb, I won’t be able to pay my mortgage and I will lose my home. I am 72 years old and I don’t have anywhere else to go. Airbnb is the only reason I am able to stay in my home. I know I am not the only older New Yorker who relies on short-term renters to stay in their home. Were our local government to concentrate more on assisting those of us on fixed incomes and less on unnecessary regulation, maybe this wouldn’t be the case. Judging by current events, they would rather work towards helping the hotel industry than our city’s most vulnerable. If the New York City Council cares about our city’s seniors, homeowners or the local economy, then they will stop this bill from becoming the law. There is still time to do what is right for real New Yorkers.