Interesting Links for 22-04-2023

[andrewducker]

1. PFAS exposure linked with weight gain

(tags:weight materials )

2. The cocaine submarines that travel from Brazil to Europe

(tags:cocaine submarine SouthAmerica europe viaDanielDWilliam )

3. Welcome... to Scottish Park!

(tags:Scotland funny video JurassicPark )

4. On Alan Moore, superheroes, and fascist allegories

(tags:fascism superheroes alanmoore )

5. Exploding Rockets Are Great, Actually.

(tags:rockets explosions history Spacex NASA space )

6. A list of successes from the SpaceX launch

(tags:explosions Spacex space )

7. Cultural change is to blame for rise in bullying complaints - not snowflake millennials, say lawyers

(tags:society bullying work government CivilService UK )

Comments

[mellowtigger]

#4 fascist allegories in comic superheroes
I really like that essay! (But, of course I would. *laugh*)

[andrewducker]

Good post!

If you've never read the novel "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay" then I highly recommend it.

#1 - PFAS

[agoodwinsmith]

So, I looked up those perfluorinated alkylate substances and they are freaking everywhere: "They are commonly applied as liquid repellents for paper, packaging, textiles, leather, carpet goods, industrial surfactants, additives, protective coatings and fire-fighting foams."
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0043135409005065

*sigh* (not a soft one, but a defeated one)

Re: #1 - PFAS

[affreca]

PFAS are a whole family of chemicals that had been thought to be nontoxic. Like foam parties were a thing 20 years ago. Sadly, that is not true for some of them, the worst being PFOS and PFOA (until we learn more and identify other bad chemicals). They're considering an emerging contaminant by the environmental community as we learn more about their possible harmful effects. Between the low levels we're analyzing for (parts per TRILLION, while most other contaminants are harmful at part per billion levels) and the ubiquity, sampling soil and water without cross contamination is difficult. Like - rules against the samplers using most bug sprays, aluminum foil (most has a protective coat on one side), rain gear, and anything teflon.

Re: #1 - PFAS

[channelpenguin]

I was wondering if (hoping that) PFAS exposure in that study was perhaps a proxy for something else - eating more prepackaged food that comes wrapped in plastic, for example. Vegetable oil was another thought, (evil stuff in its heat treated processed form). It comes in plastic bottles despite that as I understand, oil or fat in contact with PFA is the worst.

But sadly, I'm not convinced by my own arguments.

I have tried to avoid putting most food in plastic containers for many years - besides, you can eat straight out of the glass ones (they come with plastic lids, but I try not to have food touch it). But it is bloody everywhere, and the big bags of frozen vegetables are much more economical than the smaller cardboard boxes (though the latter are common enough in Germany). At least I grow my own veg these days. I still have a teflon pan for pancakes :-(. I have owned a cast iron one for a year, but never managed to get round to seasoning it and bringing it into service.

For me personally, this is all more interesting from a standpoint of health rather than weight (fat), I don't have any issues there, and never really have. Loo