As millions of Americans stock up on hot dogs ahead of Independence Day, researchers have some bad news: those franks are deadly — no tails, snouts, or butts about it.

The tragic news comes from a survey published in Nature Medicine, an esteemed biomedical research journal. Combing over 60 previous nutrition studies on processed foods — specifically cured meat, sugary drinks, and trans fatty acids, all staples of the North American diet — researchers determined there's "no safe amount" of processed food humans can eat.

The survey established an iron-clad link between the consumption of those three foodstuffs and chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, ischemic heart disease, and colon cancer.

For example, the data showed that even eating one hot dog a day leads to an 11 percent greater risk of type 2 diabetes, and a seven percent increased risk of colon cancer, compared to non-glizzy guzzlers.

"This current research has shown, yet again and consistent with prior research… that to achieve health gains it is best to avoid or minimize the habitual consumption of each of processed meat, sugar-sweetened beverages, and industrially produced trans fatty acids," Dr. Nita Forouhi, head of nutritional epidemiology at the University of Cambridge, told CNN.

While the science seems sound, decoupling America from the humble frankfurter may be easier said than done.

According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council (NHDSC) — arguably a biased source — the US collectively consumes anywhere between 9 and 20 billion hot dogs per year. It's estimated that some 150 million of those are eaten on the 4th of July alone.

Meanwhile, a 2021 survey reported by BEEF Magazine — seriously, who else has this kind of data? — found that 73 percent of Americans believe hot dogs are "essential to a cookout."

Of course, hot dogs are just one of many things consumed around the world that aren't necessarily "good" for you. But for Jamie Loftus, the author of "Raw Dog: The Naked Truth About Hot Dogs," the glizzy is the perfect avatar to represent everything wrong with the industrial meat industry.

In her book, Loftus follows the frank along its entire lifecycle, detailing the depression-era roots of the hot dog, the role of hot dog eating competitions, the horrors of factory farming, and the lack of federal oversight over meat industry labor conditions.

It's not a pretty story, to put it mildly, but it is an important reflection on the state of food in the United States — especially in light of the fact that glizzies are literally killing us.

Joey Chestnut did not respond to a request for comment.

More on Food: Famous Chef Boasts That He's Using AI to Invent New Recipes

The post Scientists Find that Hosing Glizzies Is Basically a Death Sentence appeared first on Futurism.

Many meditation practitioners believe that formal sitting meditation is the pinnacle of practice, relegating other meditation practices to a secondary status. Contrary to common belief, the Buddha taught that mindfulness, and even awakening, can be cultivated in any position, whether sitting, standing, walking, or lying down. Walking meditation is a powerful complement to seated practice.

Walking meditation can calm the nervous system, mirroring our natural inclination to pace when anxious. It can also revitalize us when we feel sluggish. Moreover, it allows for continuous practice, especially when sitting becomes uncomfortable. Walking meditation is accessible to beginners.

The practice is simple in structure, yet profound in its potential. The essential thing that distinguishes walking meditation from ordinary walking is that the practitioner walks back and forth along a designated path, or walks in a circle (often around a sacred object or an altar). This repetitive motion encourages us to let go of the idea of “getting somewhere” and focus instead on the present-moment experience of walking itself. Find a path of ten to fifteen paces, indoors or outdoors, based on your preference. A natural setting like a garden or forest can be particularly grounding, but any space can be suitable. In urban settings, seek quieter areas or practice indoors.

Begin with feeling the experience of standing still. Notice the subtle micro-adjustments your body makes to maintain balance. Distribute your weight evenly across the soles of your feet.  

Then walk along your path and bring your attention to the sensations of movement: the shifting balance, the raising and lowering of your legs, the intricate coordination of muscles and bones, the natural pendulum swing of your arms, and the subtle rotation of your torso. The foot, with its intricate network of twenty-nine muscles and thirty-three joints, reveals the profound complexity hidden within the seemingly simple act of walking.

Focus on the sensations in the soles of your feet: the pressure as your heel strikes the ground, the rolling motion as your weight shifts, and the final push-off of each step. Maybe there is a sense of energetic grounding as you feel the support of the earth. Observe the temperature and texture of the ground, or the feeling of air on your skin. Is the terrain even or uneven? Walking barefoot, when safe, can enhance the sensory experience, deepening your connection to the present moment.

At the end of your path, pause and feel the experience of standing still. Notice the subtle shifts in balance as you come to a stop. Pause for a moment of integration before mindfully turning 180 degrees, observing the coordination involved. Then resume walking in the other direction along your path. Repeat this process of mindfully walking back and forth for your chosen duration.

As you walk back and forth, keep your eyes open, but cast your gaze softly downward, avoiding fixation on any specific object. This helps maintain an inward focus. When distractions arise, as they inevitably will, acknowledge them without judgment and gently redirect your attention to the sensations of walking. Each distraction is an opportunity to practice returning to the present moment.

Walk at whatever pace supports your ability to stay present. While slower walking allows for deeper observation, it’s the quality of attention that matters. A slightly slower pace than usual is often helpful to calm the nervous system, but mindfulness can be cultivated at any speed.

If the mind is especially active, and it’s difficult to stay focused on walking, it can help to add directed thoughts to the practice. You might mentally say the words “left, right, left, right,” or if you’re walking more slowly, “lifting, shifting, placing.” Counting the steps can be helpful, for example, counting to ten and then back to one. If you notice your mental count is fourteen, then you know the mind has wandered. Coordinating your steps with the contemplation of words of goodwill such as “happy, safe, healthy, ease” can help with presence while also providing an emotional uplift. Experiment with different recitations to find what resonates. Recitations are like an anchor that helps us stay present, and these words can crowd out other kinds of distracting thoughts. 

Beyond an overactive mind, other obstacles can also arise, such as physical discomfort, strong emotions, or a sense of impatience. Acknowledge these challenges with kindness, remembering that they are a natural part of the practice. If discomfort arises, listen to your body and adjust your pace, or rest if that’s more appropriate for your body. When emotions surge, observe them without judgment, allowing them to pass like clouds in the sky. And when impatience arises, gently remind yourself that the goal is not to reach a destination, but simply to be present with each step.

Experiment to discover what helps you be more present, such as practicing at a particular location, walking at a particular pace, or focusing on a specific sensation or mental recitation. Personalizing the practice deepens its impact.

Because both walking and sitting meditation emphasize awareness of moment-to-moment experience, the insights that arise in sitting practice can also emerge while walking. As you walk, you can directly see the impermanence of each step, the arising and passing of sensations, thoughts, and emotions as they come and go. When you encounter moments of discomfort, impatience, or frustration, it’s a reminder of the inherent unsatisfactoriness woven into the fabric of human existence. And sometimes, when fully absorbed in the rhythm of walking and fully connected with the body, the strong sense of self begins to dissolve as we become less preoccupied with our usual concerns. As Thich Nhat Hanh, the renowned Vietnamese Zen monk, beautifully articulated, “Walking meditation is a practice of awakening. When you walk, you are fully alive, fully present in the here and now. You are aware of your body, your feelings, your perceptions, and your surroundings. You are not lost in thought or caught up in the past or future. You are free.” 

It’s easy to integrate walking meditation into your daily life. Moving between meetings, pacing while on a phone call, walking the dog, or navigating a grocery store—each of these moments offers a chance to tune into the sensations of movement. Even waiting in line can become a practice of presence. Over time, the cultivation of mindfulness extends beyond formal practice, weaving itself into the fabric of daily life. Every step, no matter how ordinary, becomes a reminder that awareness is always within reach—and every movement can be a step toward awakening.

The post How to Step Into the Present Moment appeared first on Lion’s Roar.

The queerness of Pacino’s filmography is a reminder. While the media and your worst uncle claim the newness of queer and trans people, the truth is we have always been here. This cinema belongs to us as much as it does any straight film bro.

The post Every Al Pacino Movie Is Gay appeared first on Autostraddle.

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Look, if those exegesis guys get to find whatever they want in the text, so do the rest of us.

In the HBO drama “The Leftovers,” two percent of the world’s population suddenly disappears. This is cast as a fantastical and mysterious occurrence, setting the stage for a surreal tale of science fiction. You should never underestimate American ingenuity, though. We are on the verge of our own age of mass disappearance. It will be all too real. And it will not be fun.

Trump’s big budget bill passed the Senate yesterday. It will now go back the House, and there is more haggling to be done to appease various factions of the Republican Party, but it is a safe bet that it will pass with its biggest priorities intact. That means that an avalanche of new funding for the Department of Homeland Security, ICE, and anti-immigration measures is, in fact, coming. This is going to spill well past the bounds of what any sane person would consider to be “immigration enforcement.” It is going to create a lavishly funded, unaccountable, quasi-secret police force that will transform our nation for the worse. Very soon.

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about the terrifying scale of this new funding. This bill contains enough money to build a new system of immigration detention centers far bigger than the entire federal prison system. The American Immigration Council says that it will be enough to facilitate the “daily detention of at least 116,000 non-citizens.” It will let ICE hire more field agents than the FBI. Its $170 billion in funding for Stephen Miller’s rabid campaign to purge America of brown people is comparable to the total annual funding for the United States Army.

Donald Trump envisions himself as an all-powerful leader whose will is equal to law. He is bent on revenge against his political enemies. He has installed extreme loyalists in the Justice Department, the FBI, the Defense Department, the Department of Homeland Security, and all other security departments. The courts have declined to meaningfully restrain his abuses of these departments. This budget will give him the final piece of the puzzle that he needs to achieve his fever dream: a nationwide army of masked, unaccountable armed agents empowered to snatch anyone they like off the streets, and the physical infrastructure to imprison or deport those people at will. Thousands of men with guns, unrestrained by judges or local police, who do not answer to Congress, who point guns at the press, who arrest whoever they want, for reasons they do not share, and do whatever they wish with those people. The implications of this are going to make America a much darker place.

One year ago, if a Congressman on the lunatic fringe of the Republican Party had called for the forcible deportation of the man who just won the New York City Democratic mayoral primary, it could have been dismissed as posturing and delusion. Today, after what has happened over the past six months, you would be delusional not to consider this a serious threat. ICE has already arrested a number of Democratic elected officials, including mayors and members of Congress and a judge. In this environment, it is a trivial matter for Trump and his loyalists to concoct reasons to arrest almost anyone. People can be arrested if they are immigrants, if they look like they might be immigrants, if they illegally harbored or assisted immigrants, or if they somehow impeded ICE’s quest to arrest immigrants. The mission can and will be scaled up from “deport immigrants” to “punish those who want to stand in the way of our mission.” This is already happening, and soon will happen much more, in more places, to a greater degree. We must recognize that we are dealing with people for whom the intellectual justifications are unimportant secondary concerns, made up hastily to pave the way for them to do what they want to do.

This week, the White House told the Justice Department to “prioritize and maximally pursue denaturalization proceedings in all cases permitted by law and supported by evidence.” Thus we will begin to see some of the 25 million naturalized US citizens who the White House considers to be its enemies have their citizenship revoked. They will be exiled. What sort of criteria might be used to choose these targets? According to the memo, among those prioritized for denaturalization will be “Cases against individuals who pose a potential danger to national security, including those with a nexus to terrorism.” Because “national security” and “terrorism” both mean nothing and everything, this category alone is large enough to cover just about anyone that the administration wants to get rid of. Been to a protest? Written a left-wing op-ed? Shared a meme of JD Vance? You can and will be ejected from America.

Yesterday, JD Vance wrote that everything in Trump’s budget bill “is immaterial compared to the ICE money and immigration enforcement provisions.” This statement is false, particularly for the millions of people who will soon be losing their health insurance, but it does illustrate the extent to which Republicans are willing to whip up hatred of immigrants and use it as a smokescreen for their grand class war. It also reminds me that it is impossible for me to put into words my contempt for JD Vance. Men like Stephen Miller are, at least, genuine Nazis to the core, driven by a deep reservoir of hate. Vance, on the other hand, is a lotion-drenched, amoral careerist, a professional ass kisser of monsters, sitting in air conditioned rooms with his fellow Yale graduates dreaming up justifications for racist policies as a way to amuse himself, as a beloved PTA mom who has spent 47 years in America is snatched out of her Louisiana home and separated from her family. If Trump and Miller are the arsonists of American democracy, Vance is the accomplice pointing the firefighters in the wrong direction, to ensure that things burn as completely as his boss wishes.

Yesterday, Trump proudly attended the opening of a concentration camp. There will be many more to come.

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It is astonishing how many times we are forced to relearn the Martin Niemoller poem. But here we are! Every few generations, those who lived through the last round of this stuff die off, and a new generation must repeat the same atrocities, and suffer the same indignities, before at least redrawing the same conclusions. America is about to fund and build a huge secret police force that will, I promise you, be used to attack and imprison and exile the president’s enemies, of all sorts. Better to look this fact square in the face than to continue to kid ourselves as long as possible as we march down the road to the gulags.

This state of affairs is the fault of those who are now carrying it out—the White House, the Trump loyalists, the Republican cowards in Congress, the political supporters of fascism. But, if we want to be completely honest, there is a certain level of responsibility that a much broader slice of America must bear. The things that most Americans long countenanced for others are now being turned on us. The surveillance systems, the heavily armed police, the “anti-terrorism” measures, the vast intelligence apparatus—all these things, we imagined, would be used only for “criminals” of the sort that were not us. Now we are surprised to find that we have been defined as the criminals. Turns out we should not have built the systems of injustice in the first place. This is one of morality’s oldest lessons. We relearn, and relearn, and relearn, the hard way.

Getting through the period of American history that is now descending upon us will require all of us to practice radical empathy. A strange quality of even the worst totalitarian fascist states is that very bad things might happen to the person next to you, and your life can still continue as normal. More and more Americans are going to find that their neighbor or their friend or their employee or their colleague was just snatched up by armed men and taken somewhere. And meanwhile, all of us who were not snatched up can still go to McDonald’s and go to the beach and watch TV. The urge to retreat into the comforting security of the idea “it’s not me” will be strong. Yet navigating our way out of this means having a collective heart. You do not know whether they will come for you, or your neighbor, or your friend, or your colleague, and if they come for any one of us, they come for all of us. We must nurture the outrage that fuels the resistance to what is going to happen. We must hit the streets for our neighbors in the same way that our neighbors would hit the streets for us. It is an illusion to think that you are exempt from the gaze of the secret police. That’s not how it works. Believe that they can come for any one of us, and it will give you the conviction that this cannot be allowed to persist. Some bad things are coming. Luckily, we have something that Trump and Vance and Miller and all of the ICE agents never will. All the money and guns and masks and prisons in the world can’t make up for a coward’s weak heart.

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• Related reading: Retire the Word “Terrorism”; Anti-Immigration Democrats Fuck Off; Building the American Brownshirts; You’re a Bunch of Cowards!

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