Child Forced To Eat Puppy by Relative After Being Accused of Killing Animal - Newsweek

A seven-year-old boy in South Africa has been taken into a place of safety after he was allegedly flogged by a relative and forced to eat the flesh of a dead puppy.

KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Social Development spokesperson Mhlabunzima Memela said the incident, which allegedly saw the boy sjambokked (lashed by a heavy whip of rhinoceros or hippopotamus hide) took place in the Mfakayi area, near Mtubatuba, in KwaZulu-Natal, in the east of the country, The South African reported.

Memela said a neighbour alerted the provincial Department of Social Development to the violence, which allegedly took place on August 22.

"We heard that the dog died and then this guy arrived, he took the sjambok and started assaulting the seven-year-old, accusing him of being the one who killed the dog.

"He forced him to eat the flesh of that dog, but one of the neighbors who noticed said she actually came to the rescue of the child," Memela said.

He said the department quickly took the boy to a safe space and he was receiving psychological support and with social workers.

"This act is disgusting. People who abuse children can never be tolerated. The child has since been moved to a child centre by our social worker. He is getting all the support he needs. The social workers will also remain with that family as it appears that all of them have been suffering abuse and need the department's intervention," he added.

"We are also keeping a close watch on his health after eating the flesh of the dog. He is coping for now," the official said.

Memela called on authorities to arrest the perpetrator.

"From interviews with other family members, this abuse has been ongoing. The boy lived with relatives as his mom passed away," Memela said.

A case of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm is being investigated by Mtubatuba South African Police Service (SAPS), Police spokesperson Captain Nqobile Gwala said.

"It is alleged that on August 22, 2021, a seven year old boy was assaulted with a sjambok by a relative while at his home in the Qakwini area. The victim was injured in the body. The case is still under investigation," Gwala said.

Newsweek has reached out for SAPS for further comment.

The sjambok (pronounced sham-bock) is still popular in some parts of Africa as a form of punishment. They are also used by some herdsmen to drive cattle.

Sjamboks are widely available in South Africa and are also used to ward off dangerous animals, such as snakes and aggressive dogs. The vicious whip later came to be known as a symbol of apartheid-era police violence.

A stock image of an English Bulldog puppy. A seven-year-old boy in South Africa has been taken into a place of safety after he was allegedly flogged by a relative and forced to eat the flesh of a dead puppy. Getty Images

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Wei Weng's Eat A Chili/吃辣椒 – The Brooklyn Rail - Brooklyn Rail

Eat A Chili/吃辣椒,
Wei Weng, designed by Jan Rosseel, translation with Zoénie Deng
Self-published, printed by Rob Stolk (Amsterdam), 2021

The humble chili exists as a dare. When growing, it dangles temptingly from the leaves of its plant, begging to be plucked but primed to irritate upon contact. This thrilling dance between pleasure and danger invigorates the pages of Eat A Chili, a self-published work by Wei Weng that uses its namesake plant as the linchpin of a sensorial saga. The half-inch-thick publication is part photobook, part sci-fi story, with photographs interspersed with short texts that stitch together a chili-centric and action-packed narrative. Weng provides no written introduction or synopsis to her hybrid work, whose enticing orange-red cover almost softly glows. The cover also features a slit that recalls the stark slashes of a Lucio Fontana “Tagli” painting. This laceration lures the eye while alluding to the quiet ferocity within the pages.

The cryptic tale begins with the explosion of a chili grenade at a bakery and introduces a cast of adventure-seeking characters bound by a hyperactive, futuristic economy of chili: a programmer who smuggles and weaponizes the sought-after commodity; a machine that injects additives into fruits so they are numbingly picante; monks who make small-batch jars of chili paste; a “foreign gazetteer” who imports prized capsaicin. Weng’s photographs, rather than literal and illustrative, are equally obscure in their message, with tenuous parallels to the written fiction. Each is a double exposure, interrupting the plot with otherworldly scenes such as a girl surrounded by floating playing cards and a cat “inked” with tattoos of eyes. The layered images can, at times, distract more than enlighten.

Deliberately slippery in form, Eat a Chili refuses to explain itself, and it stands as its own dare to engage. Weng’s debut publication, it is a deeply experimental exercise in approaching written and photographic language to meditate on the lingering effects of everyday thrills.

The publication can be read two ways: from left to right in English, and from right to left in traditional Chinese characters. Positioned with its spine on the right, the book features a second cover with the title 吃辣椒 (literally, “eat chili”). Weng, who was born in Nanning, China near the border of Vietnam and currently lives in Copenhagen, includes both of the languages she grew up speaking. But the book’s bilingual nature also reinforces her interest in crossing cultures to appeal to a universal way of understanding: through senses. Weng experiments in constructing meaning by stimulating the physical self, most effectively through words rather than her images. Frequent mentions of distinct forms of chili coax tingles—pleasurable and painful—on the tongue, skin, and even eyes: chili mango, viper chili, chili grenades, pepper spray, chili burn. Weng’s descriptions at times replicate the vivid experience of synesthesia, pooling together several senses: the burning effect of chili has a “deafening vengeance” while human touch has a “labored, smoky essence,” and mangoes, pumped with stimulants, ripen with a “sweet, tearful piquancy.”

Spice, appropriately, was the seed for Eat A Chili—specifically, a bowl of chili-sprinkled noodles that Weng consumed last year during her pandemic-induced lockdown. The kick, triggering potent memories of home and travels, inspired her to create a project with a 10-year archive of snapshots she took in China, Thailand, Myanmar, Denmark, Australia, and the United States. In a four-month span, Weng worked with book designer Jan Rosseel to sequence the images and wrote the accompanying speculative fiction in English, collaborating with Zoénie Deng on the translation.

Although its material is rooted in specific geographies, Eat A Chili indulges in colliding place and time as it progresses. Weng’s world is reminiscent of a Studio Ghibli vision, where traditional street vendors, high-tech vending machines, and intelligent genetic manipulation machines coexist in an isolated metropolis boasting a harbor, mountains, a monastery, and an implied circumnavigational train that serves as a surgery center. Weng’s double exposure images also obscure their real-world whereabouts: a busy street, overlaid with a kitschy figurine of a chef; the interior of a metro car, its straphangers oblivious to the eyeballs adrift in the otherwise orderly space. Disorienting, these episodes contribute to the whir of exhilaration underlying the slow burn of Weng’s thriller.

With brief texts separated by anywhere from one photo to several spreads of images, Eat A Chili progresses with an uneven staccato as the mind pauses to not only digest but also decode text, then visuals, and text once more. The varying pace can frustrate attempts to cohere the many plot points—I found myself flipping back to revisit segments multiple times—but the disruption also suggests a deliberate resonance with the author’s peripatetic life, as someone who left her native country at age eight, when her family moved to Pakistan, then Malawi, then Sudan. Latent in Eat A Chili is the feeling of being caught between cultures and an awareness of how one’s memory, hazing over time, sharpens with certain stimulants. Moving through Weng’s world is akin to gazing at a curved mirror, where reality is always present but distorted.

While it rewards multiple visits, the book ultimately feels too sweeping in ambition, tripping itself with its abundance of ideas. Happily, Weng has already set herself up for a second effort, as her final line promises: “To be Continued.”

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Secret Effects of Eating Plums, Says Science | Eat This Not That - Eat This, Not That

As the days grow shorter and the nights get cooler, there's nothing like savoring the last few bites of all that amazing summer produce. Tangy tomatoes and sweet peaches seem to always be late summertime favorites. Tart, juicy plums also are a late summertime delicacy but seem to be underrated compared to its peachy counterpart. And yet, when you dive into all of the incredible health benefits that come with eating plums, you may think twice about which fruit you actually want to snack on. Eating plums, or even dried plums (prunes), have been linked in multiple studies to benefit your body in incredible ways that you probably don't even know.

We listed a few of the secret effects you likely don't know about this underrated summertime fruit. Here's why you should snag a few plums next time you're at the farmer's market before summer draws to a close, and for even more healthy eating tips, be sure to check out our list of The 7 Healthiest Foods to Eat Right Now.

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Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can help reduce blood pressure thanks to their antioxidants, and enjoying prunes (dried plums) specifically can benefit hypertension in your body. According to a clinical study published in the Journal of Ayub Medical College, prune consumption is linked to a reduction in blood pressure and even linked to reduced LDL blood cholesterol levels. Given that these two health concerns are linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, reducing blood pressure and LDL cholesterol will ensure a healthier heart.

RELATED: Get even more healthy tips straight to your inbox by signing up for our newsletter!

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Speaking of antioxidants, plums are full of them. One study published by the journal Food & Function found that the polyphenols in dried plums are potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidative agents. Polyphenols are powerful antioxidants that can help fight off free radicals in your body, reducing oxidative stress and the risk of developing a chronic disease.

Here's Why You Need Antioxidants In Your Diet—And How To Eat More Of Them.

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In a review published by the Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, dried plums have been linked to increased feelings of fullness which, in turn, can reduce the intake of food. A reduced intake of food can help to control weight-related diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular. This can potentially be linked to the fact that plums do not cause a sharp rise in blood sugar and insulin release in the body, which tend to be the factors that cause such diseases.

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Antioxidants aren't the only benefit of eating plums. According to a review published by Phytotherapy Research, plums also have memory-improving characteristics. The review looked at 73 articles, including 25 human studies, and found that plums have been linked to improved cognitive function.

The study does make it clear that dried versions of plums were used over fresh fruit in human trials, so more research would be needed to make such a claim. However, plums are rich in anthocyanins—a type of antioxidant in the flavonoid group that gives food a blue, red, or purple pigment (like blueberries). According to the Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, anthocyanins are credited to enhance cognitive performance.

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According to Ageing Research Reviews, animal studies as well as a 3-month clinical trial found that consuming dried plums can have positive effects on bone density. The studies showed in some cases dried plums have helped to reverse the loss of bone due to skeletal unloading, which leads to decreased bone formation and bone mass. This is especially important as you get older given that your bone mass decreases as you age causing an increased risk of developing osteoporosis.

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This one is likely not as much of a surprise as the others, but still equally as important to note. Plums—and prunes—are both fruits that are linked to assisting with constipation relief. According to Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition, plums contain sorbitol, fructose, fiber, and phytochemicals which can all help with constipation relief.

Prunes, specifically, can be beneficial for constipation due to their high levels of fiber. One review from Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics even points out how prunes appear to be superior in improving stool frequency compared to psyllium, which is typically used to help with constipation relief.

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How A.I. may impact what you eat - Fortune

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It’s National Eat Outside Day - WFLA

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It’s National Eat Outside Day  WFLA
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Researchers Say Eating Hot Dogs Could Subtract Time From Your Life - NPR

University of Michigan researchers studied thousands of foods and figured out how much time each item adds or takes away from your life. They figure every hot dog you eat takes away about 36 minutes.

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Without pollinators, we don’t eat - Sampson Independent

I like to eat. I’m sure many of you reading this article likes to eat also, which is something we have in common. I have heard there are two philosophies on eating: some people live to eat, and others eat to live. I’m one of those that lives to eat, planning my day according to which restaurant I will be closest to at lunch. My nephews eat to live. They must be made to sit down and only nibble at their food before they ask to be excused from the table. No matter which philosophy describes your eating habits one thing is true for all; without pollinators, we don’t eat.

Pollinators are responsible for one out of every three bites of food we eat. Pollinators include over 500 species of bees, 175 species of butterflies, the ruby-throated hummingbird, and thousands of insects that move pollen from flower to flower which results in fruit or seeds being formed in plants. Many of the fruits and vegetables we enjoy wouldn’t be available if pollinators disappeared from our planet. A small list of foods that would disappear includes apples, almonds, banana, blueberries, citrus, chocolate, coconut, fig, grapes, peaches, pears, broccoli, cucumbers, melons, strawberry, sugarcane, tea, tomato, onions, squash, and vanilla. Crops that would disappear includes hay, cotton, peas, peanuts, soybeans, beets, and sunflowers. Feedstocks that feed our beef, pork, chicken, and dairy industries would decline which would result in shortages in all these products. The take home message to those that like to eat is to protect pollinators and enhance their natural environment to ensure there isn’t a break down in our food chain.

According to the USDA, during the past 20 years, the pollinator populations have suffered serious losses due to invasive pests and disease, exposure to pesticides, loss of habitat, loss of plant species and diversity, and changing climate. Our County Advisory Committee and Extension Master Gardeners are concerned with these statistics that could impact our food supply. We are currently working on programming efforts to address this situation before negative impacts are felt by the consumer.

For the farmer, homeowner, local municipality, business owner, or landowner there are things you can do to help protect our pollinators. The biggest impact you can make is to enhance the habitat of pollinators by creating a pollinator garden or native pollinator landscape. To create a pollinator garden, select a site that has full or part sun with access to water. Take a soil sample and amend your soil according to the analysis. Plant native pollinator plants after the last threat of frost in the spring. Pick plants that bloom in the spring, summer, and fall of the year to help feed pollinators all year long. Some plants include purple coneflower, wild indigo, golden alexander, milkweeds, brown or black eyed Susan, lobelia, blazing star, buttonbush, asters, joe-pye weed, and goldenrod. Weed and water as needed and watch the pollinators move into your landscape.

For more information on pollinators, pollinator plants, or how to plant a pollinator garden, give the Sampson County Extension Master Gardeners a call at the plant clinic, 910-592-7161. You can also visit their vendor at the Clinton Square Fair, Oct. 9, on Lisbon Street, or at the Sampson County Ag Day Event, Oct. 30, at the Sampson County Agri-Exposition Center.

Brad Hardison is the director of the Sampson County Cooperative Extension and has served as an agricultural extension agent specializing in horticulture. Contact him by calling the Sampson County Extension Center at 910-592-7161 or by emailing [email protected]

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Eat smart: IDEO's Vivian Barad on rethinking global food systems - Reuters

Vivian Barad, Managing Director, Design for Food at IDEO, poses in an undated photo obtained by Reuters on August 30, 2021. Courtesy IDEO/Handout via REUTERS

NEW YORK, Aug 31 (Reuters) - At a meal, few people know the long and complicated process of how the food ended up there.

Vivian Barad does.

As managing director of the food practice for global design firm IDEO, Barad is always mulling over the complex systems that produce and deliver what we eat, not to mention the quality, access and climate impact.

Her mission is to help foundations, corporations and food banks deliver better food to more people. She talked to Reuters about rethinking and redesigning what we swallow every day.

Q: When you look at a plate of food, what do you think about?

A: I think most particularly about the people who grew it, harvested it, packaged it and got it to my plate. When I go out to eat, I'm also thinking about the people who make my food and serve it.

This is my dream job, and it's all about designing a more nourishing, equitable and climate-positive food system.

Q: I imagine you think not just about the potential of our food systems, but all the waste too?

A: The statistics are staggering: Globally, world hunger affects 2.3 billion people; meanwhile, we are wasting up to 1/3 of the food we produce.

We are constantly asking questions about how to design a food system that nourishes everyone.

Q: How can we move the needle?

A: We helped launch the Food Waste Challenge, asking people around the world for their best ideas about how to curtail waste and rethink our relationship with food. More than 20,000 people from 113 countries took part.

Ultimately, a number of grants were awarded, and we also launched the Food Waste Alliance as a platform to stay engaged. We don't just want to be the originators of ideas, we want to accelerate all work being done in the field.

Q: Can you give an example of a project you have worked on?

A: We have done a number of projects with the Rockefeller Foundation, one of them in partnership with Hyatt to look at food waste in hotels.

With hotel buffets, for instance, often our eyes are bigger than our stomachs. We looked at how to change behavior at buffets, by making small changes in service and helping them create smarter portions.

For instance, instead of putting out a giant serving bowl of yogurt, which encourages us to laden our plates down with too much, they can set out smaller bowls with individual servings.

Q: How are you redesigning food access for low-income Americans?

A: We have been working with organizations providing food assistance outside of Chicago. We helped them create a digital online pantry, which is accessible 24/7 to their clients.

The cool idea was to measure success not just in terms of tons of food distributed, but in terms of customer satisfaction. If people can select the food they want, and say no to what they don't want, then you will have satisfied customers and there will be less waste. It's about designing with people, not for people.

Q: COVID has disrupted almost every aspect of life. Has it disrupted food systems as well?

A: Hugely, and the big global food companies are really feeling the impacts. The primary ones we hear from our partners are a rise in raw material costs, which makes it tough to maintain a successful business; disruptions to the supply chain, like not having enough trucks to get products to various places, or to access supplies at the right time; and finally a lot of issues of labor shortages.

Q: How is the climate crisis threatening food production?

A: The impact of the climate crisis might be here to stay. Our task is to help the food industry create systems that are more resilient. Interventions can include things like creating more sustainable packaging solutions.

Many iconic global brands need to rethink their products, to be honest. This is going to start being a real barrier for consumers, as they consider the climate impacts of their food choices.

Q: Are you hopeful or worried about the future?

A: There are a lot of threats to food security right now, but we believe in the power to redesign systems. There is an opportunity to use design to reimagine what communities need and want in order to access fresh, healthy food. We believe human-centered design and ingenuity will help us create a new future that's more resilient and sustaining.

Editing by Lauren Young and Richard Chang

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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