Hasta La Gadget!

What it is: A traditional Mediterranean diet, eaten by people in Greece, Italy and Spain, emphasizes seasonality, local produce and traditional preparations. Meals are often community or family events.

Signature foods: Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and olive oil are the stars of the show. Fish, poultry and red wine make moderate appearances, while red meat, salt and sugar are bit players.

What the research says: Where to start with this one. The benefits of a Mediterranean diet have been studied since the 70s, and researchers have found that living that olive oil life can help people lose weight, lower their cardiovascular disease risk and reverse diabetes. As for ease of adherence, U.S. News & World Report ranked it third (out of 35 considered diets) and called it “eminently sensible.”

New Nordic Diet

What it is: Scientists designed this diet to contain 35 percent less meat than the average Danish diet, more whole grains and locally sourced produce and more than 75 percent organic produce.

Called the New Nordic diet, it’s similar to the Mediterranean diet in that there is a big emphasis on whole grains, fruits, vegetables, eggs, oil and seafood, while foods like meat, dairy, dessert and alcohol are eaten sparingly. It’s different from the Mediterranean diet in that the Nordic diet uses rapeseed oil instead of olive oil, and the produce is native to the Nordic countries Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.

Signature foods: Whole grain cereals like oats and rye; local fruits and berries like rose hip, lingonberries and bilberries; cruciferous and root vegetables like brussels sprouts, broccoli, turnips, parsnips and beets; rapeseed oil, vegetable oil-based margarine; and low-fat dairy like milk, fermented milk and cheese. Meats include beef, pork, lamb and reindeer, while seafood include herring, mackerel and salmon. The few desserts in the diet include baked goods made with oat bran, or jam for putting on top of cereal. Herbs include parsley, dil, mustard, horseradish and chives.

What the research says: A recent study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that a healthy Nordic diet seemed to have an impact on genes in abdominal fat, turning off genes related to inflammation. It’s also helped study participants lose weight (while still providing “higher satisfaction” than the average Danish diet), and cut down on type 2 diabetes risk. Scientists are also praising it for itsecological and socioeconomic benefits, as it cuts down on meat production and long-distance imported foods.

Traditional Okinawa Diet

What it is: This low-calorie yet nutrition dense diet is big on fruits and vegetables but sparse when it comes to meat, refined grains, sugar, salt and full-fat dairy. This diet came about in a very specific historical context; its practitioners lived on Okinawa Island in Japan, which was one of the poorest regions in the country before World War II. Consequently, Confucian ideals like eating only enough food to feel 80 percent full played a big role in the island’s eating culture, as did sharing as much as you could with one’s neighbor.

Signature foods: Sweet potatoes, rice (although not as much as mainland Japanese people ate) green leafy vegetables, green and yellow vegetables like bitter melon, soybean-based foods like tofu and soy sauce. Okinawa residents only ate modest amounts of seafood, lean meat, fruit and tea.

What the research says: Modern-day Okinawans are catching up economically with their mainland cousins, which means rates of obesity, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease are rising as well. But the people who grew up eating traditionally are still alive and clinging to their culinary traditions. In fact, the island is home to one of the largest populations of centenarians in the world. These super-seniors are living active lives largely free of disease and disability, and are said to age slowly. Some researchers believe that the practice of long-term calorie restriction may play a large role in their longevity.

Traditional Asian Diet

Description: There isn’t really one traditional Asian diet, but a group of international nutritionist collaborated together in the 90s to come up with an Asian Food Pyramid. It prioritizes rice, noodles and whole grains, as well as fruits, vegetables, legumes, seeds and nuts as the most-eaten food groups. Fish and shellfish are optional daily choices, while eggs and poultry should be eaten weekly. Note that recommended servings of red meat are smaller and less frequent (monthly) than even sweets (weekly)!

Signature foods: There are many different countries whose traditional ways of eating follow this model, but they all seem to have white rice as a staple.

What the research says: Asian countries have less incidences of obesity, cardiovascular disease and metabolic diseases like diabetes than Western countries, although that seems to be slowly changing thanks to rising economies and urbanization. One Harvard nutrition researcher notes that high-carb, high-glycemic aspects of a traditional Chinese diet are colliding with an increasingly urbanized, inactive lifestyle to create an “emerging public health dilemma.”

‘French Paradox’ Diet

Description: Scientists are kind of scratching their heads at this one. The French have some of the lowest obesity rates in the developed world and highest life expectancies, despite the rich food they eat. What gives?

Signature foods: Full fat cheese and yogurt, butter, bread, and small but regular amounts of cheese and chocolate are some of the hallmarks of this rich diet.

What the research says: Some researchers think that the so-called “French Paradox” has more to do with lifestyle than anything French people eat. For instance, their portions are small, they don’t snack, they walk everywhere and they eat very, very slowly. Yet other scientists believe that the role of moderate red wine consumption and the positive effects of moldy cheese may account for France’s health stats. If you want to play it safe, maybe try adopting how French people eat, instead of what they eat, if you want to get healthier in the new year.

An earlier version of this article appeared in January 2015.

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Facebook wasn’t the only one who saw millions of its dollars go up in smoke when a SpaceX rocket exploded
on a Cape Canaveral launch pad last Thursday. Facebook was actually making use of a satellite operated by Spacecom, an Israeli-based satellite operator, in it’s attempt to expand internet use on the entire continent of Africa.

Read more…

The G20 summit in China that starts in Sunday will be an occasion for learning the orientations of the world’s most powerful countries and a test for personal relations between their leaders, as they assume their respective positions in the emerging world order with eyes trained on the others. The center of suspicions at the summit will no doubt be Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He has a problem of trust with both his US and Russian counterparts, as a result of his major intervention in Syria, despite Putin and Obama’s ostensible support for Turkey’s decision to join the war on ISIS. Erdogan’s violent authoritarianism worries other coolheaded leaders. He has become obsessed with power following the failed coup attempt against him, and is determined to consolidate and expand his powers by all means necessary.

Erdogan has judged Syria to be a favorable arena for him to show his determination and strength, in the process reshuffling the regional and international deck of cards. Some believe his actions prove he is weak. Others say he has strong cards and can impose fait accompli(s) in Syria and Europe itself. What is clear is that he has decided to play all his cards but without revealing all of them. His about face in Syria has left many stakeholders confused or suspicious, including both Moscow and Washington. Indeed, he has paradoxically coordinated with the US, aligned himself with Russia, and sought accord with Iran under pretexts like the fight against ISIS and the suppression of Kurdish nationalist aspirations from Iran to Syria via Iraq. He has signaled he might backtrack from his absolute opposition to Assad remaining in power, by accepting a temporary role for him during the transitional process. And yet, Erdogan has provided air support and ground fire cover to Syrian Rebels as they made a major comeback in northern Syria.

Many are thus confused by Edogan’s moves especially in Syria. Some Gulf states are not just confused but annoyed by Erdogan’s lack of coordination with his erstwhile allies in the Gulf. Russia and Iran, which initially welcomed Turkey’s about face in Syria and saw it as deviation from the the US and Gulf policy in their favor, are now worried by Turkey’s military presence in Syria and support for rebel groups on the ground there. For its part, the Obama administration is stunned by Erdogan’s new post-coup attempt posture, which disregards US priorities in Syria including its alliance with the Kurds there.

Everyone is asking whether Erdogan’s assertiveness is temporary, the product of a man in a bind now implicated in quagmires in Syria as well as at home in Turkey; or whether the Turkish president has determined the weaknesses of all the stakeholders in Syria and decided the time is right to make his move and simultaneously bolster his power and position of his country in the regional security order.

There are two opinions in the Gulf on how to deal with Erdogan’s u-turn and paradoxical policies. The first recommends not antagonizing him and waiting until the dust settles around his hasty and dubious policies. After that, the special relation with him could be resumed. The other view is that the Gulf has lost trust in Erdogan and has no choice but to forgo of him.

Erdogan controls many important keys needed by Gulf states’s policies via a vis the players in Syria, and can cut off their arteries if the mistrust reaches the point of estrangement. For this reason, the proponents of this view say the Gulf interest requires prudence. And perhaps then what Erdogan is doing will lead to a breakthrough in Syria.

The proponents of the other view counter by saying Erdogan is fighting an unwinnable battle in Syria against the Kurds that will have implications internally. In addition, he is fighting groups like ISIS which not long ago did not see Turkey as an enemy, but now could start mounting more reprisal attacks there.

Regardless of the conflicting views, and the contradictory positions of the Turkish leadership and other powers, Turkey’s military role in Syria is a major development irrespective of its outcomes. On the one hand, Turkey’s incursion has brought back to life Syrian rebel groups that were on the verge of extinction. So the question is this: Does Erdogan intend to develop the abilities of these groups to bargain politically with Russia, Iran, and the regime in Damascus? Would that bargain be about the future of Syria and the opposition, or would it be about Turkish interests and national security?

Perhaps there is a deal being prepared, wherein Kurds are Erdogan’s to deal with, and Aleppo is Assad’s, as some press reports suggested, with blessing from Syria, Iraq, Iran, and Russia. However, the deal does not appear convincing. Indeed, it is not easy for the Turkish president to abandon Aleppo and offer it as downpayment for a deal that may or may not guarantee him concrete gains compared to Assad’s in Aleppo. Everything is possible in Syria today, but there is a risk involved in over interpreting these deals. Aleppo remains a major juncture that is crucial for the future of all players in Syria.

Just like there are signs the military escalation could lead to political accords, there is a possibility for Syria to become a quagmire for all those who intervened, including Russia, Iran, Turkey, the militias and the regime, while possibly sparing the US and the Gulf countries who have not intervened directly.

The UN could fall into a moral quagmire in Syria, if the various allegations against the general secretariat are true, and the Security Council which seems willing to forgo of its duty regarding the chemical weapons evidence condemning the regime and ISIS.

The US is intimidated by the Russian attacks on the commission of inquiry, which concluded that the regime used chemical weapons after the Russian-American deal to dismantle its chemical weapons arsenal, the event that led Obama to backtrack from his famous red lines. Certainly, Moscow and Damascus had no option but to double down, because confessing to the crime would trigger sanctions or referral to the ICC. But it seems Washington so far accepts this, because it would otherwise have to take action, and the US does not want to rock the boat at this phase of the life of the Obama administration, which deliberately avoided involvement in Syria.

The Europeans raise the voice then lower it, hiding behind America’s dithering. Despite ethnic cleansing clearly taking place in Syria, no one in the West is raising their voice, despite their habitual claim of the moral highground. The images of Syrian children burning from napalm and outlawed weapons have been ignored by the international conscience without anger or action. When the leaders of the G20 meet this week and take group photos with broad smiles, perhaps they will remember the images of Syria’s children . But then this is unfortunately unlikely.

As those leaders will meet then decide the future direction of the global economy, policy, and security as the world’s most powerful leaders, it is their fear of Syrian refugee inflows, and the expansion of jihadist groups to their countries that will impose Syria on the agenda, not the suffering of Syrians.

Erdogan is now the star player in Syria meanwhile. He will be the focus of G20 leaders, because of the implications of his game for their interests rather the the weight of the Syrian tragedy, fueled by local, regional and international policies in equal measure.

Translated by Karim Traboulsi

http://www.alhayat.com/m/opinion/17168622

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Over the weekend, Drake released the video for the latest single off “Views,” called “Child’s Play,” starring none other than model and smize expert Tyra Banks. 

The video, which is essentially a short film at over 12 minutes, features Banks in the role of the 6ix god’s girlfriend. The two are out at what might be the nicest Cheesecake Factory in existence for an anniversary dinner, when Banks calls out the rapper’s cheating ways. (She saw a text sent to him by another woman.) 

“She didn’t call you Drake, she called you Aubrey,” Banks says, her voice rising as patrons stare. “So obviously there’s something a little bit more intimate for her to call you Aubrey. I call you Aubrey. Your mom calls you Aubrey. These bitches call you fucking Drake!”

The argument escalates, eventually ending with Banks giving Drake exactly what he deserves: a slice of cheesecake in the face, topped off with a glass of red wine poured over his head.  

But alas, the rapper doesn’t let the cheesecake stop him from spitting his verses at the restaurant or heading to the strip club afterward for more than one dance. 

Watch the whole thing above.

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New York City FC came into this game looking to regain top spot in the East, DC United came in hoping to retain their fragile hold on the final post season spot, knowing that both Orlando City and the New England Revolution were within touching distance should they slip up.

United had quite clearly decided that the best way to beat City was to press deep, and keep them as pinned into their own area as possible, so that was indeed the tactic they went with, and it worked.

Which isn’t to say that City didn’t have their chances, as Frank Lampard (who was honored before the game for scoring 300 career goals)…

…and Andrea Pirlo breaking away to test Bill Hamid in the United goal

United continued to press, with Josh Saunders in the City goal preventing United from breaking the deadlock.

Until eventually Lloyd Sam found a way to break the deadlock, sliding the ball into the back of the net in the 36th minute.

United continued their pressure…

…and just before half time Patrick Mullins, who’d scored 3 goals in the match against Chicago the week before, latched onto a through ball…

…shooting on target, only for Saunders to deny him, tipping it over the bar.

City made a few movements before the end of the half…

…but nothing that resulted in an equalizer.

So the second half started with United still leading 1-0. Both teams had their chances, with neither being able to score.

In the 79th minute an erroneous long backpass from United’s Luke Mishu instead found City’s David Villa, all alone in front of the United goal, where the experienced former international made no mistake in slotting the ball pasts Hamid.

From that point forward it was all City, as United appeared deflated. In the 85th minute Lampard scored to make it 2-1, and it looked as though that was it. Then in the 1st minute of injury time, United got a corner kick, which Julien Buescher delivered straight to the head of Lamar Neagle, who found the back of the neck to tie the game.

Straight from the kickoff City attacked and Lampard celebrated his day in style with his second goal of the day, and the winner.

United managed one more attack, with Hamid going forward for a last minute corner, that came to nothing.

Leaving New York to celebrate a return to the top of the Eastern Conference, and DC looking uneasily over their shoulders at the chasing pack.

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