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McDonald’s Menus Across The Globe: 5 Key Differences Between The USA and France

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McDonald’s has more locations than any fast food chain around the world, and that includes around 1,500 of them in France. The fast food giant first entered the French market in the early 1970s and quickly caught on thanks to the standard fare like hamburgers, milkshakes, and of course, French fries.

However, there are some striking differences between the McDonald’s menus in France compared to the United States. France has been one of the key markets where McDonald’s often experiments with menu items, and while not many have transferred over to the US, they became staples of the French menu. Let’s take a look at five key differences between the menu for the two countries.

Vegetarian Options  

In the USA, McDonald’s is known for their greasy, meaty, cheesy fast food burgers. It’s been a McDonald’s staple since it was founded in 1955. Well, did you know that McDonald’s in France offers vegetarian options? 

That will come as a huge shock to the American patrons who have all grown to love the relatively unchanged and standard fast food fare served at their local McDonald’s. McDonald’s in France offers 100% vegetarian options such as the Veggie Paprika, the McVeggie, the Spicy McVeggie, the Homestyle Chargrill Veggie, the Homestyle Honey Mustard Veggie, and the Caesar Salad Veggie. All with a grilled, or fried patty of meat substitute. 

Gluten-free Options 

Another wonderful addition to the McDonald’s France menu is the option to go gluten-free. As you know, American McDonald’s menus don’t offer gluten-free options, besides the products that are naturally gluten-free. 

With the significant increase of customers with dietary restrictions due to allergies, or lifestyle, it’s a real treat for a fast food joint to include gluten-free choices. There are gluten-free cheeseburgers, salads, dressing, sauces, french fries, carrots, and their delicious ice cream-based desserts. It’s a refreshing change of pace from the less than health-conscious options found in Mcdonald’s throughout the US.  

Chicken Wings 

There was once a time when McDonald’s had this customer-favorite item on menus throughout the US. Americans called them Mighty Wings and they were great. They made their debut in 1990, disappearing off the menu in 2004. McDonald’s took another stab at the chicken wing scene once more, briefly reintroducing them in America from 2013 to 2014. 

The reason is simple. Customers couldn’t afford the pricey item and Mcdonald’s is known for having inexpensive food. So it just didn’t work out. These days, you can only get the crunchy snack, newly marketed as McWings, at international locations, such as France.  

Salads

Believe it or not, McDonald’s sells salad. Their salads were sadly taken off the menus in the US as a result of the Covid pandemic, due to lack of funds. Using a variety of ingredients to make their salads, likely a less-than-popular dish at the fast food joint, clearly took a toll on the restaurant’s finances. 

If you’ve been hurting since salads were taken off the menu, you can always make your way to France, where McDonald’s still offers scrumptious salads. They offer mostly Caesar salads and side salads, with a vegetarian chicken substitute option available. 

Desserts

It’s common knowledge that France produces some of the absolute best baked goods on earth. Pristine and delicious baked goods are a way of life in France. So, it makes sense that Mcdonald’s in France offers items like croissants and the beloved pain au chocolat in place of things like bagels, cookies, and cinnamon rolls that you’d find at the US franchises. 

Their McFlurry flavors are unique as well, showcasing chocolate candy flavors like Daim and Toblerone. If that wasn’t enough, McDonald’s France offers our old friend, the fried apple pie that Americans miss dearly.

5 Songs That Changed Politics

Posted on by scatty

Politics and music seem to go hand-in-hand, with music being the easiest medium of art to voice your opinions on politics while getting a massive amount of people to hear the message. Over the years, there have been plenty of politically charged songs with some of them having a lasting impression that would resonate for decades. Here are our picks for five songs that changed political discourse the most upon their release.

“Fortunate Son” by Creedence Clearwater Revival

To this day, whenever we see someone that was able to avoid being drafted into the Vietnam War, we assume that they had rich connections. Even eventual President Donald Trump was subject to this criticism as he avoided the war due to bone spurs. That didn’t stop Trump from using it as a campaign song, much to the chagrin of Creedence Clearwater Revival, issuing a cease and desist order.

“Kids did not support the Vietnam War,” CCR lead singer John Fogerty said. “Also, there was a draft, which meant that many of the young men were going to be conscripted into the military. Perhaps against their will.” Fogerty added that “People like me who didn’t support the war and thought it was kind of a stupid foreign policy…but I was drafted, and at some point, you stop kicking and screaming and do your duty.”

“Born in the U.S.A.” by Bruce Springsteen

Another one of those songs that’s played by certain politicians who apparently never listened to the lyrics is “Born in the U.S.A.” by Bruce Springsteen. Released in 1984, “Born in the U.S.A.” is an upbeat rock-pop tune, but the lyrics tell a sad story. That story is of a Vietnam veteran who returns to America without purpose and is left unwanted by his government and family. It’s heartbreaking when you hear a more broken-down version of the song that has a patriotic feeling in its album form.

“When you think about all the young men and women that died in Vietnam, and how many died since they’ve been back – surviving the war and coming back and not surviving – you have to think that, at the time, the country took advantage of their selflessness,” Springsteen said. “There was a moment when they were just really generous with their lives.”

“Fight the Power” by Public Enemy

While the first two songs were wrapped up in a nice pop-y package, “Fight the Power” was an angry-sounding tune from front to back. Released as part of the soundtrack for Spike Lee’s “Do the Right Thing”, “Fight the Power” was an anthem against the abuse of said power that’s used by law enforcement and the government. In 1989, the song was released and made it to the top of the rap charts in the United States.

“There was a lot of civil and racial unrest in New York because certain areas where people lived were being taken care of and other areas were neglected,” Chuck D said. “And the areas that were neglected, for years, had no representation, enforcement, or education.”

“American Idiot” by Green Day

Green Day had made just a handful of political statements throughout their heyday in the 1990s, but in the mid-2000s, the band went full-on political with the release of their album “American Idiot”. The title track of the album was released in 2004 and became a massive statement against the state of American politics. George W. Bush was up for re-election, and “American Idiot” seemed like a lengthy letter to get him out of office.

“It was very important to me when I was writing the lyrics for this album that the things I’m singing about are personal,” lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong said. “So even the things that are political have to have a personal element to them.” 

“This is America” by Childish Gambino

In the late 2010s, America seemed to be more divided than it had been in decades, and the country needed a song to encapsulate the feelings that were happening. Under his stage name Childish Gambino, Donald Glover released the track “This is America” in May 2018 and it instantly drew attention. The song itself made plenty of statements, but the video is what really had people talking for months.

Glover remained fairly silent on the meaning of each scene from the video. “I just wanted to make a good song,” he said. “Like something that people could play on Fourth of Julys.” It wasn’t until five years later that Glover said the song “started as a joke.” He added that it started as a diss track toward Drake, but the beat was “kind of hard” and transformed into what we all heard in 2018.

Unrealistic Aspirations? 5 Ways Movies Make Us Want To Be Billionaires

Posted on by scatty

More than half of people in the United States have said that they would want to become a billionaire. For many, it’s the ultimate benchmark of top-level success, and Hollywood has only made becoming a billionaire more appealing. Here are five movies that have set some expectations as to what it’s like to be mega-rich.

The Batman Series

When you think of fictional billionaires, the first one that comes to mind for most people is Bruce Wayne, who moonlights as the famous superhero Batman. The character has a long history in comic books and television shows, with Batman getting his first significant film release in the late 1980s when Michael Keaton portrayed the Dark Knight. Ever since then, people have wondered what they could do as a superhero if only they had the money.

Naturally, anyone that has the resources to fight crime wouldn’t have to have superpowers. Bruce Wayne isn’t an ordinary billionaire, though, as he’s incredibly gifted in hand-to-hand combat and is the world’s greatest detective. Batman had many of us thinking about what billionaires do with their free time, but unfortunately, they aren’t out in the streets of major cities at night making sure that criminals are locked up. There was one very realistic part about Batman, though, and it’s that he’s seemingly above the law like most billionaires. 

Iron Man

Bruce Wayne isn’t the only superhero who doesn’t really have powers, but instead access to resources thanks to a massive amount of wealth. Iron Man is Marvel’s version of Batman, with Tony Stark being a billionaire playboy who expanded his father’s business empire until realizing that he could do more good with his vast wealth. Iron Man had been around for a long time, but it wasn’t until the Marvel Cinematic Universe that he became an A-list hero.

Many billionaires started comparing themselves to Tony Stark. Guys like Elon Musk, who even appeared briefly in one of the Iron Man films, have had this vision in his head of being the real-life Tony Stark with all of his gadgets and innovations. However, the Iron Man suit technology isn’t all that realistic, which is why it’s kept to the big screen despite how much money billionaires have thrown at recreating the armor.

Citizen Kane

We now go from billionaires who have access to technology that makes them superheroes to one that’s much more rooted in realism. “Citizen Kane” was released in 1941 with director Orson Welles also starring in the film. Welles took on the role of Charles Foster Kane, who was based on the real-life William Randolph Hearst. It wasn’t subtle, either, with Hearst being upset about the film and barring it from being mentioned in his newspapers.

The film showed people how much power they could have with access to billions of dollars, even if it wasn’t the most glamorous life. A lot of the film was realistic, though many scenes were dramatized for cinematic effect. In the end, we learn that billionaires are humans too, with Rosebud being the sled that Kane loved when he was a child. Even all these years after its release, “Citizen Kane” remains a favorite of critics due to its realistic portrayal of billionaires compared to the other films on the list.

The Wolf of Wall Street

If you want to take the extravagance of the superhero movies we mentioned while also telling a real-life story like “Citizen Kane”, then “The Wolf of Wall Street” is the movie for you. Directed by Martin Scorcese, the film follows Leonardo DiCaprio taking on the role of Jordan Belfort, the former stockbroker who ran into massive legal trouble thanks to his Wall Street schemes.

“The Wolf of Wall Street” shows both the high-roller side of making it big in stocks while also showing the massive downfall that can happen. People who saw it instantly wanted to become billionaires so that they could hang out with the likes of Jonah Hill and Matthew McConaughey while having a love interest like Margot Robbie. While it may have been close to the real life of Belfort, it was obviously hammed up a bit for the big screen.

Mr. Deeds

“Mr. Deeds Goes to Town” was released in 1936, but the version that gets more attention is the 2002 Adam Sandler comedy “Mr. Deeds”. The film had a lot of heart and showed what a lot of us would do if we were to become billionaires. Longfellow Deeds is a character who writes greeting cards and unexpectedly became a billionaire after the passing of his late uncle.

Instead of letting the money go to his head, Deeds spends most of his time giving back to the community, especially his friends and family. We all feel like we would be Mr. Deeds if we were to become billionaires, but money has a way of corrupting people.

The Most Memorable Moments in Olympic History: Celebrating Legendary Athletic Performances

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The Olympics are the showcase for the best athletes in the world at the time to prove their skills in a wide range of sports. While there are some competitions that are often ignored by most people, there are some that have made amateur athletes into superstars thanks to their memorable performances. Let’s take a look at the history of the Olympics, highlighting the most memorable moments from individuals and teams who ended up capturing gold.

Jesse Owens Stuns Berlin

The world was coming to a boiling point during the mid-1930s, especially with the rise of Nazi Germany and its leader Adolf Hitler. Berlin was set to host the 1936 Olympics, with Hitler using the games as a way of promoting his ideals. His plan would backfire during the track and field events, especially when it came to the track competition and Jesse Owens dominating the competition.

Owens won a gold medal in the long jump and 4x100m relay, but the most talked about moments came from the 200m and 100m sprints. Owens would win both events, and the image of him at the top of the podium saluting the American flag remains one of the most iconic photos in sports history. Hitler even went as far as to try and ban people of African descent from the Olympics, but fortunately failed in his efforts.

Miracle On Ice

There’s only one entrant on the list from the Winter Olympics and it’s still the most memorable moment in the games’ history. In the 1980 edition of the Winter Olympics, the Soviet Union was the heavy favorite in the ice hockey tournament. After all, the Soviets were sending professional players that were considered world-class while most other countries were sending amateur players.

The United States, which hosted the tournament, was among the countries sending amateurs. In the medal round, the two countries would face off. After the first period, the teams had each scored a pair of goals. The Soviets netted the only goal of the second period, but the Americans rebounded with two goals late in the game to give them the massive 4-3 upset victory. The United States went on to win the gold to defeat Finland in its final game.

Flo-Jo Makes Headlines

Florence Griffith Joyner was one of the most celebrated Olympians ever thanks to her fantastic performance at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. Known affectionately as Flo-Jo to her fans around the world, Griffith Joyner smashed records on her way to the Olympics. She claimed gold in the 4x100m relay while also winning the 200m and 100m sprints like Jesse Owens did in 1936.

Flo-Jo was on the cover of every magazine and Wheaties box throughout the United States, becoming an ambassador for sports in the United States. In 1993, President Bill Clinton appointed Griffith Joyner as the Co-chair of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. Unfortunately, Griffith Joyner passed away in 1998 at just 38 years old after suffering an epileptic seizure.

Usain Bolt Steals The Show

People are fascinated by the fastest things in the world, whether they be cars, planes, animals, or humans. We’ve already pointed out just how much the world was captivated by the blinding speed of Jesse Owens and Florence Griffith Joyner, but Usain Bolt may have surpassed both of them in terms of popularity. The Jamaican sprinter burst onto the scene at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

Bolt claimed the gold medal in both the 100m and 200m races, setting expectations just as high for the subsequent Olympics. At the 2016 Summer Olympics, Bolt tied the individual record for gold medals in running-only events with his eighth. Bolt won his third-consecutive golds in the 100m and 200m races while also winning his second 4x100m relay gold medal. Every medal that Bolt won in his Olympic career was gold.

Michael Phelps Sets New Record

The amount of gold medals that Bolt has is nothing compared to the amount of American swimmer Michael Phelps. The previous record for most gold medals by an Olympian was nine, with Larisa Latynina, Paavo Nurmi, Mark Spitz, and Carl Lewis all holding that record. However, Phelps smashed the record and finished his Olympic career with twenty-three gold medals.

Phelps won gold medals in four consecutive Olympics, but the 2008 Summer Games was when Phelps was at his best. In front of the Beijing crowd, Phelps won a whopping eight gold medals to give him the career record, including three in freestyle, three in medley, and two in butterfly. Phelps continued his dominance after the 2008 games, winning four golds in London and five in Rio de Janeiro.

5 Tips for Spotting Fake News and Misinformation Online

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Ever since the creation of the press, there have been people who have been critical of the headlines that they’re reading. While there have been plenty of tabloids and parody publications throughout the years, it was easy to discern what was real and what was fake as it simply cost too much money to spread fake news via nationwide print.

These days, though, the internet has made it so that fake news can travel quickly. All it takes is a few bucks to host a website and post whatever you want to it, spreading the site across social media and calling it news. It’s now estimated that two-thirds of news on the internet is fake, but there are ways to take action. Here are five tips for spotting fake news and misinformation while browsing online.

Double-Check the Source

The easiest thing to do to spot fake news is to search the headline that you’re seeing on Google or Bing to see if the story is being reported by any other outlet. If it’s not, there’s a good chance that the story is fake news. However, a lot of people are either too lazy to check the story if it says something that they want to hear, and thus they’re more inclined to believe it. 

People that fall prey to fake news in this manner often share the news saying that “nobody else is reporting on this!” While that’s true, it’s not because the other outlets don’t want to cover it, it’s because the story is fake. When sites post news that nobody else is posting, you can also check the site’s history to see if there’s a string of fake news being reported, and that will give you a good idea of the authenticity of the source.

Don’t Look For Confirmation

We touched on it just a moment ago, but allowing your confirmation bias to take the wheel on the internet is how you can fall into a fake news trap. If you’re a Republican, you probably look for stories that talk about Hunter Biden’s laptop containing information. If you’re a Democrat, you probably look for stories that talk about Donald Trump committing crimes. Either way, you’re going to find a lot of stories that confirm your biases through fake news.

Sure, there are going to be some sensationalized headlines, but the contents of the story could end up being legitimate news. That’s because some legitimate sources want to make sure to grab your attention, and it can look like fake news. Headlines are often used to play to your emotions to get you to stick around the site. 

Date Check

Believe it or not, some of the fake news stories that get shared the most were actually created years before they went viral. A lot of people don’t bother checking the date of the articles that are posted, and the site’s owners will often recycle their fake content on social media until one hits. These fake articles are typically evergreen, meaning that they aren’t bound by a simple date.

One example of this is something along the lines of “Former teacher of the President speaks out for the first time.” If the article is old, from a site that you’ve never heard of and hasn’t been updated daily, you can bank on it being fake.

Beware of Satire

Satire is fantastic, as long as you’re in on the joke. There are satire websites like The Onion that do a good job of coming up with headlines that could sound real but are completely fabricated from scratch. When people fall for satire and think it’s legitimate, it’s referred to as “eating the Onion.” People who aren’t familiar with these sites can often fall prey.

Headlines like “Biden, Trump Die 2 MInutes Apart Holding Hands” or “Idaho Becomes Latest State to Permit Execution By Firing Squad” are definitely attention grabbers, but were both posted on the same day by The Onion. Other satirical websites include Clickhole, Private Eye, The Daily Mash, and the Babylon Bee.

Author History

Pretty much every credible news story will have a journalist’s name attached to it. After all, when a big story breaks, the reporter will want the credit for breaking the story. When you find an article that you think might be fake news, you can do a quick Google search on the author’s name. If they don’t produce any results, it could either be a fake alias or someone that isn’t an actual journalist.

Oftentimes, fake story websites will use aliases for people that don’t exist, giving them a photo that they found on the internet and the whole nine yards. A quick search can find this person’s history if they have one, and you might find out that what you thought might be fake could be written by a Pulitzer Prize winner.

The Top 5 Comic Book Publishers You Should Know About

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Anyone can make their own comic book, especially in the digital age when releasing your art to an audience is easier than ever before. However, if you want to get into the publishing game, there are a few industry leaders that you’ll have to compete against. Whether you’re a comic book expert or are just dabbling in the genre for the first time, there are some publishers that you need to know. Here are five publishers that produce the most successful comic book series.

Marvel Comics

These days, most of us know Marvel more for the cinematic universe which has seen heroes like Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, and many more team up to take on villains like Loki or Thanos. The comic book history for Marvel goes way further back than the MCU’s introduction in 2008, however. Back in 1939, Marvel was founded as Timely Comics, then changed names eight years later to Magazine Management.

Finally, in 1961, the company was introduced as Marvel Comics and the new era was ushered in by the likes of Stan Lee, Steve Ditko, and Jack Kirby. The trio created characters who would become staples of Marvel including Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, and the X-Men, just to name a few. These days, Marvel has a catalog of nearly 30,000 comic books with a long list of heroes to choose from, but it might take some time to catch up.

DC Comics

The history of Marvel is pretty similar to that of DC. DC Comics changed names a few times throughout the years and then established itself after a couple of decades thanks to some flagship characters. DC was founded in 1934 as part of National Comics Publications, then branched out into its own company in 1977 as DC Comics. The big difference between the two, though, is that DC is based out of California while Marvel is in New York City.

Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson was the founder of DC Comics, and thanks to superheroes including Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman, the franchise blossomed into one of the two titans of the industry. Like Marvel, DC has also gotten a cinematic universe that has seen up-and-down success throughout the years. Interestingly enough, DC is the second-largest publisher while Marvel is third because the top spot belongs to a company that Americans might not be too familiar with.

Viz Media

The top spot in terms of size belongs to Viz Media, a much newer company than the previous two which was founded in 1986. Headquartered in San Francisco, Viz Media released its first titles the following year, with “Legend of Kamui” being its first big hit. The company has a focus on Japanese anime, which is why it might be an unfamiliar name for Americans. However, there have been more Americans getting into anime in the 21st century, leading to Viz’s massive expansion.

Some of the comic and manga series that even casual readers will be familiar with include “Dragon Ball”, “One Piece”, “Bleach”, “Naruto”, and “Inuyasha”. These comics have all found success with television shows, helping to further Viz’s market reach. Revenue has been around $60 million for Viz as a result.

Dark Horse Comics

The year before Viz Media came into the picture, Dark Horse Comics was founded in Milwaukie, Oregon by Mike Richardson. Richardson was an artist and interior designer who opened up his own store in the early 1980s, then quickly started his own series of comic books with all of the profits going to the creators. This caused a lot of artists to join him, and some amazing new franchises came around as a result.

Dark Horse Comics began getting licenses for some well-known IPs including “Star Wars”, “Predator”, “Indiana Jones” and many more. Dark Horse originals include “Sin City”, “Hellboy” and “The Umbrella Academy”, all of which have seen successful on-screen adaptations.

Image Comics

The last comic book publisher on the list that you should be familiar with is also the youngest one. Image Comics was founded in 1992 by a group of artists featuring Erik Larsen and Todd McFarlane. Image Comics found fast success in the 1990s thanks to new IPs including “Spawn”, “Bone”, and “Savage Dragon”.

Over the years, Image has had a wider reach thanks to the success of “Kick-Ass”, “Invincible”, and “The Walking Dead”. The former got a pair of big-screen films while the other two have had successful television series. Image got a lot of fanfare when it debuted thanks to the founders all being big names in the comic book industry, so it was set up for success from the start and hasn’t disappointed.

Top 5 Most Powerful Legendary Pokemon in the Series

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The Pokemon series of video games, trading cards, and animated shows has introduced us to hundreds of creative characters, all of which have varying levels of power. While there are some ones that you find which are so numerous and weak that you tend to walk right by them without a second thought in the game, some are in the legendary class and you only get one shot to catch them.

If you’ve been searching for legendary Pokemon in video games or trading card games, here are the five most powerful in the series. We didn’t put this list in any particular order because, like any Pokemon, they have their strengths and weaknesses.

Arceus

Arceus is no doubt the most powerful legendary Pokémon in the series. Arceus is the main focus of the Pokémon Legends: Arceus Nintendo switch game. They’re the creator of the entire Pokémon world and have the highest base stats of any Pokémon. It’s safe to say, Arceus is indeed legendary. Their total stats add up to a whopping 720, which makes sense for a literal Pokémon god. Their strongest attacks include Judgement, Hyper Beam, Future Sight, and Hyper Voice. Ranging from 90-150% power and 90-100% accuracy. 

Giratina 

Giratina, known as the “renegade Pokémon” is a beast with a baseline stat of 680. The ghost/dragon type Pokémon. Giratina is one-third of the “Creation Trio”, next to Palkia and Dialga. The three legendary Pokémon were created by Arceus and tasked with creating the Pokémon universe. Giratina is known for its aggressive behavior. So much so, Arceus banished Giratina to the distorted world to keep that realm balanced. Giratina’s strongest attacks include Shadow Force, Shadow Clas, Earth Power, and Dragon Claw. All ranging between 70-80% power and 100% accuracy 

Rayquaza

Rayquaza is a fierce dragon/flying type legendary Pokémon with a baseline stat of 680. Rayquaza is said to have been around for hundreds of millions of years, living among the ozone layer above the clouds far beyond the earth’s surface, surviving by feeding on particles and water found within the ozone layer. They’re a third of the weather trio, alongside Groudon and Kyogre, responsible for controlling the different weather aspects of the Pokémon world. Although Rayquaza isn’t the strongest of the trio, they earned their spot as the leader of the pack due to their intense territorial personality and ability to tame the other two. Rayquaza’s strongest attacks include Hyper Beam, Outrage, Hyper Voice, and Fly. Ranging between 90-150% power and 95-100% accuracy. 

Mewtwo

Everyone’s favorite manmade creature, Mewtwo is the all-time classic legendary psychic type Pokémon with a baseline stat of 680. Mewtwo is a manmade creature, using DNA from Mew, resulting in a highly intelligent, powerful, and nearly unstoppable legendary Pokémon. Mewtwo’s level of power is almost terrifying, being able to learn and adapt during battle to gain the upper hand using their psychic powers and intense personality to manipulate objects, Pokémon, and people to their advantage. Some of their strongest attacks include Future Sight, Psystrike, Psychic, and Psycho Cut. Ranging from 70-120% power and 100% accuracy. 

Dialga

Earlier we mentioned Giratana and the Creation Trio, and Dialga is another one of those three from the Sinnoh region. The steel/dragon Pokemon was introduced in the fourth generation of the Pokemon series. Dialga is featured on the cover of the “Pokemon Diamond” video game and in the game was worshipped by the Diamond Clan. Dialga is over 17 feet tall and weighs over 1,500 pounds, making it a powerful being to take on. At its highest level, Dialga uses dragon attacks like Roar of Time and Draco Meteor. While its HP might not be the highest of the legendaries, the attack power is among the best in Pokemon history.

5 Delicious Meal Ideas That Support Better Digestion

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Digestion is one of those things that people really take for granted, especially in an era where seemingly everything is processed and we’re all eating on the run. Because of this, more than one-third of people in the United States alone are suffering from daily digestive issues, many of which can be resolved by a change in diet. If you want to focus on your digestive health and start feeling better every day, here are five delicious meal ideas that will leave you satisfied.

Yogurt

Yogurt has a multitude of benefits. It’s high in calcium, contains gut-healthy probiotics and the Greek variety is packed full of protein. Whether you’re eating yogurt by itself as a snack, or used as an ingredient within a dish, yogurt is a tasty and digestion-friendly addition to your diet. Tzatziki is a fabulous sauce that uses yogurt as the main ingredient. To make it, dice up some peeled cucumber, chop up some dill mint, grate some garlic, then mix it all together with olive oil, salt, lemon juice, and plain Greek yogurt. 

Salmon

Of all the fish you can eat, salmon is widely known to offer some of the best benefits to your health, especially your gut health. Not to mention, it’s a rather versatile protein addition to your meals. So how does salmon improve gut health? Salmon contains omega-3 fatty acids that help to reduce inflammation within your body and can alleviate symptoms of common digestive problems you may suffer from. A simple way to enjoy salmon is to season it with salt, black pepper, blackening seasoning, and paprika. Then cook it skin side down in a pan with melted butter, honey, Sriracha, minced, lemon juice, garlic, soy sauce, and olive oil, finishing it in the broiler to achieve caramelization and cook it through. 

Ginger

Have you ever wondered why we’re quick to reach for a ginger ale when our stomachs are upset? Ginger contains anti-inflammatory compounds that help ease stomach upset and aid in digestion. The variety of ways ginger can be consumed and added to your beverages and meals make it easy to include the gut-healthy root, in moderation of course. Ginger is delicious alongside sushi, grated, or ground up and added to a plethora of Asian dishes, and even fragrant baked goods. 

Whole Grains

Whole grains are an important part of a balanced diet. They are also helpful in aiding healthy digestion. Whole-grain pastas are a yummy alternative to regular pasta. You can cook up a nice homemade pasta sauce with onion, garlic, and even zucchini, added in, then toss it all together with your whole-grain pasta and top it all with a nice helping of parmesan, and a drizzle of olive oil. 

Quinoa Bowl

Quinoa is one of those trendier foods that people have been finding out about because of the fantastic health benefits it comes with. One of those benefits is promoting digestive health thanks to the high amounts of fiber and protein in each serving. Black beans also fall in this category, which is why so many are mixing the two together for bowls that won’t break the bank while also offering up fiber and protein without needing the red meat. If you’re feeling a little adventurous, you can also throw in other ingredients like tomatoes and potatoes to bulk things up a bit.

5 Tips For Surviving The Zombie Apocalypse

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The chances of a zombie apocalypse happening is extremely slim, but it’s not zero. There have been countless movies, comic books, TV shows, and more which have all showcased how people could survive if there were a zombie apocalypse. After going through all of the source material, we feel like we have a good handle on how to stay alive even when times are at their worst. Here are five tips for surviving the zombie apocalypse that probably won’t happen, but isn’t guaranteed to not happen.

Stick together

If you want to survive the zombie apocalypse, you’re going to need some help. Nobody wants to go through the impending zombie takeover alone. Once you separate friend from foe, keeping a tight-knit group of survivors, can drastically improve your chance of survival. Especially if that group is well-rounded and made up of survivors with helpful skill sets. Divvying up responsibilities and tasks will make your new community run smoothly. A little more manpower to fight against the flesh-eating zombies wouldn’t hurt either. 

Stock supplies

Once you and your group of fellow survivors have found a safe and secure place to call home, it’s important you hoard supplies and stock up as much as possible. Carefully plan and execute supply runs to gather medical supplies, shelf-stable food, seeds, water, clothing, and toiletries. Stock up on weapons, ammo, tools, and crafting supplies as well. Although you’ll likely create a routine and have a new normal, everything is uncertain, and you must prepare for anything. 

Arm yourself

Whether you carry firearms, blades, explosives, or any other weapons of choice, it’s vital, you and those around you stay armed as often as possible. Try to keep a variety of weapons on you, or near your person at all times. Place weapons at nearby checkpoints throughout your community in case of emergency. You can never have too many weapons or too much ammo. Your group would also benefit from placing silencers on your firearms, so you don’t cause a zombie swarm when you have to fire your weapons. Not only should you arm yourself with weapons, but any able-bodied person should also train themselves to fight, defend, and execute an escape plan if necessary.

Be quiet

It goes without saying, quite literally, silence is the key to survival. Zombies are highly sensitive and responsive to surrounding stimuli, such as lights and sounds. It’s crucial to keep as quiet as possible outside of your safe zone. That includes equipping your firearms with silencers, or practicing an alternative method of communication with those around you, keeping children, babies, and highly reactive and vocal members of your group in a secure area where they can’t be heard by passing zombies outside. If you’re smart, you can use this information to your advantage by setting traps and distracting zombies with loud noises and bright lights, by way of fireworks or flash-bangs. 

Become a jack of all trades

During the zombie apocalypse, you’ll have a lot of time on your hands. Sure, most of it will be used for survival, but it also allows plenty of time to learn important skills. Train yourself and others on how to perform simple medical procedures, how to raise crops, training to fight and handle weapons, alternative methods of communication, and how to build useful tools and items to benefit your survival and comfort. A skilled and intelligent group of survivors will have a much higher chance of long-term survival than a group of clueless and helpless ones. 

5 WFH Tips To Create Boundaries Between Work and Home Life

Posted on by scatty

Whether or not there’s a global pandemic that’s forcing people to work from home, the number of people who are staying in their apartments or houses to finish all of their work is rising each year. Remote work has become simpler while justifying the trips to the office for certain tasks is becoming more difficult. When you’re working from home, though, it can be hard to separate your work life and your home life.

If you’re one of the many who are struggling, don’t worry. Here are a few tips that will help you set boundaries so that there’s a balance in your life instead of one work-life blur that can negatively affect your mental health.

Take breaks outside of your workspace

Working from home can be a dream, so you may start to feel a bit stir-crazy being in the same environment every day. To alleviate that feeling, it’s important to get out of the house or change your scenery during break times. Get as much fresh air, movement, and nourishment, as you can during your break and after work hours. Even something as simple as treating yourself to a nice dinner, binge-watching a show, and relaxing on the couch in your pajamas is beneficial to your mental health and will help you separate yourself from your work. 

Separate your work area from the rest of your home

The phrase “out of sight, out of mind” rings true for this tip. Sometimes it’s difficult to turn your work brain off, even when you work outside of the home. Making separating your workspace from the rest of your home even more important whilst working from home. Try designating a particular room, or section of your home strictly for work. Make it a comfortable area where you have space to function, and feel at ease, but can remain focused. Last, but not least, do your best to only visit your workspace during work hours. 

Stick to regular work hours

Working at home, the hours tend to blend together. That can result in difficulty separating work hours from downtime. As previously mentioned, physically separating your workspace from your home space can help create that healthy divide between work life and home life. It’s also important to hold strict boundaries when it comes to your work hours. Set alarms and leave yourself reminders for when it’s time to start work, what time to take breaks, and to notify you when your shift is over. Leave your workspace during break times, and the end of your shift, so you’re not tempted to do extra work when you’re not on the clock. 

Treat your workspace like you would in the office

The benefits of working from home are substantial for most employees. Though, adding an office-like touch to your workspace can help you feel more focused and aid in mentally separating your workspace from the rest of your home. The general consensus is that most employees don’t miss going to the office, so you don’t have to go all in on making your workspace feel authentic. Try adding small, professional touches like working at your desk, using an office chair, getting yourself ready for work as if you were going into the office, and decorating your workspace with a little office flare. 

Don’t talk about work outside of work

This tip can be helpful regardless if you work from home, or in a standard work environment. It’s still helpful nonetheless and makes it easier to keep your work life and home life from intertwining. Get into a different headspace in your off time and gently remind those around you to avoid conversations about work, unless you’ve initiated them.