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Shoppers, it may be time to find a new pharmacy. Walgreens is closing up to a quarter of its 8,600 stores within the United States. Walgreens CEO Tim Wentworth recently explained to the Wall Street Journal on June 27 that the closures would focus on locations that aren't profitable, too close to each other or stores struggling with theft. .... According to CNN, 75% of the company's U.S. stores account for 100% of its operating income. The company will examine the remaining 25% of its 8,600 stores for closure. That equates to roughly 2,150 stores closing shop across the country...

NATIONAL WINE AND CHEESE DAY On July 25, we celebrate the ultimate pairing of wine and cheese. National Wine and Cheese Day provides an opportunity to enjoy some of our favorites or sample something new. #NationalWineAndCheeseDay The pairing of wines and cheese has been a regionalized tradition. Across wine-producing cultures, many pair their regional wines with local cheeses. For example, the French Brie region is noted for its tannic wine varietals. Their Beaujolais goes well with the Brie produced in the area. However, that doesn't stop a sommelier or cheesemonger from making other recommendations to their clientele. Although regional preferences...

Agricultural officials in Southern California are battling an active infestation of red imported fire ants that are "highly aggressive in nature," and pose a risk to California's agricultural economy. The infestation occurred at a private property in Montecito, in Santa Barbara County, according to a recent press release from the Santa Barbara County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office. Located over 90 miles north of Los Angeles, Montecito is best known as a celebrity enclave with Oprah Winfrey, Ellen DeGeneres, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle among the town's residents. Officials did not name the owners of the private property. Venom released from the...

Research on the gut microbiome has triggered a 'revolution' in nutritional science, and in the last few years, dietary fiber has become the "new protein" – added to foods in abundance to feed our gut and boost our health. A recent study on mice, however, suggests not all fiber supplements are equally beneficial. A form that is readily found in oats and barley, called beta-glucan, can control blood sugar and assist in weight loss among mice fed a high-fat diet. Researchers at the University of Arizona (UA) and the University of Vienna say it is the only type of fiber...

In some good news for nearly half the world's men, scientists have found that a naturally occurring sugar in humans and animals could be harnessed as a topical treatment for male pattern baldness. This discovery could deliver a non-invasive, inexpensive and safer alternative to leading treatment minoxidil. An international team of scientists from the University of Sheffield and COMSATS University Pakistan has found that the organic compound 2-deoxy-D-ribose (2dDR) can stimulate new hair growth, following eight years of research into how this deoxy sugar could assist wound healing. The accidental discovery came about when they saw how hair around wound...

NATIONAL TEQUILA DAY On July 24th, commemorate National Tequila Day with a little lime and salt. Mix up a Margarita, Paloma, or a Mamasita to celebrate the day! People have been making Tequila for centuries, and it was once known as mezcal wine. #NationalTequilaDay In fact, Tequila is mezcal, but mezcal isn't Tequila. That's because Tequila is distilled from a specific type of agave plant. Also, the law protects its production. Take a sip, and we'll travel into Tequila's history. Tequila History It all started around the 16th century. Cortez arrived on the North American continent with his Spanish conquistadors....

Probably very few readers here are old enough to remember China’s “Great Leap Forward.” You’d have to be my age (73 - born in 1950), or close to it, to remember the GLF from reading about it at the time. The name “Great Leap Forward” refers to Mao Zedong’s second Five Year Plan, launched in 1958, and intended to catapult China’s economy from backwardness into modernity. This was to be not just any old central planning project, but a whole new approach designed by the really smart people to correct the mistakes and failures that the Soviet Union had encountered...

A study involving the University of Otago, Christchurch, has uncovered a significant connection between low vitamin C levels and increased body weight, raising concerns amid the global rise in obesity. Published in the journal Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, the research indicates that heavier individuals need a higher intake of vitamin C to stay healthy, a need not currently met by existing guidelines. Lead researcher Professor Anitra Carr, who directs the Nutrition in Medicine Research Group at Otago’s Christchurch campus, highlights the insufficiency of current vitamin C recommendations. “Our data suggests current vitamin C recommended daily allowances internationally...

NATIONAL VANILLA ICE CREAM DAY Vanilla Ice Cream Day on July 23 tips its hat at the second most popular flavor in America. Take a bow, vanilla. I scream, you scream, we all scream for...VANILLA ICE CREAM!! Of course, the day is part of National Ice Cream Month and not too far behind National Ice Cream Day. #VanillaIceCreamDay Since Americans love vanilla ice cream so much, it shouldn't come as a surprise that vanilla is the most common flavoring in North America for ice cream. In fact, many people consider vanilla ice cream to be the default flavor. Many may...

Findings from a new mouse study indicate that elenolic acid, a natural compound found in olives, can significantly lower blood sugar levels and promote weight loss. This research suggests the potential for developing safe, inexpensive natural products for managing obesity and type 2 diabetes. Obese diabetic mice treated with elenolic acid showed improved blood sugar regulation and weight loss comparable to, or better than, current diabetic medications. The study highlights the compound’s ability to induce metabolic hormone release in the gut, promoting satiety and reducing food intake. Researchers are now investigating the compound’s absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion to ensure...

A professional soccer game was suspended in Norway when fans threw fish cakes and other objects onto the field to protest the use of a Video Assistant Referee, or VAR. The Norwegian Eliteserien game between Rosenborg BK and Lillestrom was initially stopped mere minutes after kickoff due to the fish cakes raining down on the field. Players returned to the field from the locker room, but the game was stopped a second time when fans from both sides continued to throw fish cakes, and started adding tennis balls and smoke bombs into the mix. The game was officially suspended after...

NATIONAL PENUCHE FUDGE DAY National Penuche Fudge Day on July 22 recognizes the creamy candy with an Italian name. If you like maple flavor, this nut-filled fudge is for you! Hands down the best fudge out there to make. #NationalPenucheFudgeDay Penuche is pronounced pe-new-chee and is said to have Portugal origins, becoming popular in New England during the 1700s among Portuguese whaling families. This sweet treat is considered the oldest fudge ever created. This fudge-like candy includes brown sugar, butter, vanilla, and milk. Some people add pecans or other nuts, especially if making a candy in the form of penuche....

What can I say? schadenfreude

Billionaire and philanthropist Bill Gates recently backed a California-based startup called Savor that created a new type of butter made from air instead of cows. The developers of this innovative creation claim that their unique product tastes just like real butter. They also claim it comes with a significantly lower carbon footprint which is fundamentally important for the battle against climate change. One might wonder how anyone can make butter without milk. Savor claims its process involves using heat to combine carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and oxygen. By doing this, they say that they manage to create chains that mimic the...

Congratulations, America. We are wrapping up one the wildest, most historical weeks in modern history with a huge win: Bud Light is officially dethroned as our No. 1 beer. All Hail the new King Modelo Especial! After Bud Light’s leadership decided to utterly destroy their brand and careers by hiring Dylan Mulvaney — a biological male who dresses up as a horrendously insulting parody of a woman — as their brand ambassador, America bit back by deciding to boycott Bud’s bullsh*t. Modelo Especial is officially America’s top choice of beer, ending a decades-long rule by Bud, according to The Wall...

NATIONAL DAIQUIRI DAY Each year on July 19, people across the United States fill their glasses with a rum-based cocktail and toast to National Daiquiri Day. So, raise your glass and join all of the others in this celebration! #NationalDaiquiriDay Daiquiri is a family of cocktails whose main ingredients are rum, citrus juice (typically lime), and sugar. Tasting of sunshine and beaches, it might be hard to believe how the Daiquiri came to be. Back in 1898, men blasted away in the mines of a small community off the coast of Cuba during the Spanish-American War. One American engineer, Jennings...

July 18 (UPI) -- The manager of a Red Lobster restaurant in Colorado said a rare orange lobster that arrived at the eatery will be taking a permanent crustacean vacation to the Denver Aquarium. The orange lobster was spotted by Jose Romero, a dishwasher at the Pueblo restaurant, and the general manager decided to spare the rare-colored invertebrate from the dinner plate. "I have been at Red Lobster for 12 years, I always unpack the live lobster shipments, and I have never seen an Orange Lobster! I noticed it right away, how different it was, and I thought, oh my...

I've tried probably half a dozen or more food kit subscriptions. I have an active lifestyle and find that supplementing at least a few of the meals during the week is well-served by these resources. Which have you tried? Which did you really like and didn't like? Which seemed like the best value? Which ones do you share their ideology with? Personally, the first I tried was Blue Apron and it remains my favorite. Though it's become a little pricey (like everything else) the value seemed to be superior as well as their service. Recipes were always unique and something...

Data from the United Nations shows that China has surpassed the US in the amount of daily dietary protein available to its population – an important indicator of a modern quality of life, and one that some commentators and politicians in the West thought would be impossible to achieve. According to the latest data from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), China overtook the US in 2021, reaching a daily supply of 124.61 grams (4.39oz) of protein per capita. In the same year, Americans had access to 124.33 grams (4.38oz). For comparison, Japan’s daily protein supply per capita...

Bud Light's popularity continues to decline more than a year after a boycott disrupted the US beer industry. A backlash that began last April - after the beer giant used a transgender influencer in an advert - has snowballed, new sales figures show. Back then, Bud Light was the undisputed top-selling beer in American stores by a margin. It had held the place for decades. It fell below Modelo Especial last summer - and now it has slipped to No3 behind Michelob Ultra. Coors Light could overtake Bud Light by the end of the year if the fall in sales...