Latest news with #Starbucks
Perth Now
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Lizzo ditched Ozempic and 'worked really, really hard' to lose weight
Lizzo ditched weight loss drug Ozempic and instead "worked really, really hard" to slim down. The 37-year-old pop star has been sharing updates from her weight loss journey and she has now revealed she briefly used the controversial medication to help her shift some pounds, but she gave up and focused on improving her diet instead. During an appearance on the Just Trish podcast, Lizzo explained: "I tried everything. Ozempic works because you eat less food, yeah? So if you eat right, it makes you feel full." She added of the medication: "It's not easy. It's a drug to help somebody with something they're struggling with. I think people ... it's their way of being fat phobic when you're telling someone they're cheating. "But if you can just do that on your own and get mind over matter, it's the same thing." Lizzo went on to reveal her biggest breakthrough came when she ditched her vegan diet. She said: "What did it for me is, it was not being vegan. Because when I was vegan, I was consuming a lot of fake meats. "I was eating a lot of bread, I was eating a lot of rice and I had to eat a lot of it to stay full. But really I was consuming 3,000-5,000 calories a day ... "So for me, when I started actually eating whole foods and eating like beef, and chicken, and fish. Like, I was actually full and not expanding my stomach by putting a lot of fake things in there that wasn't actually filling me up." She added of making healthy changes: "I feel like I worked really really hard and it was intentional with what I did with my body. "So when I get compliments, I go: 'Thanks b****.' Like I really receive it because I need to receive that. I don't take it any weird way because I tried to do this.'" It comes after Lizzo admitted she previously used food to "distract" herself when she was battling anxiety issues, but she's managed to boost her mental health using meditation. In a video posted as a TikTok Live, she explained: "I've been working to get my anxiety under control for years. And then I decided that I want to release and I'm ready to stop waiting to be myself like fully and be happy. "And I meditated. I calmed myself down. And I isolated a little bit, but not like made myself lonely, not the way I used to when I was depressed. I isolated myself in a mindful way where I had no distractions. "I loved to distract myself with people. I loved to distract myself with food. I loved to distract myself with drinking. I loved to distract myself with problems that I would create. I would love to do that. And I stopped doing that. And I just focused on me." In the video, Lizzo also spoke about her weight loss admitting she stopped drinking "two to three" large Starbucks drinks a day and swapped sugary treats for savoury snacks. She said: "I do something sweet. It's gotta be with some sort of like carb. I'll have like almond butter and toast. So, everybody's body is different. "Find out what works for you ... [I believe the only thing that] works across the board, science-wise, is calories in versus calories out. "That's just how the human body works."
Japan Today
4 hours ago
- Automotive
- Japan Today
All cars in Japan to have systems preventing accidents from gas/brake pedal mistakes by 2028
By SoraNews24 It seems every few days the news reports on an elderly driver doing something incredibly dangerous, with the cause often being that they mistook the accelerator for the brake pedal. A recent incident happened in Hokkaido on June 13, when a driver in her 90s accidentally hit the gas instead of the brake and drove out of a parking lot into the street where she hit another car and then hopped a curb and embankment to crash into the side of a Starbucks. Luckily, no one was injured. ▼ A news report on the crash. It's certainly not a new problem, and prefectural governments have started efforts such as making license renewals stricter for seniors by including cognitive tests. Most prefectures also have license graduation systems where the elderly can voluntarily surrender their driver's licenses for certain benefits like discounts on taxis and public transportation. According to U.N. estimates, nearly one in ten licensed drivers in Japan is over 75 years old. Perhaps because the rate of Japan's population aging is outpacing these efforts, little seems to have changed and storefronts continue to get smashed in by people getting their left and right mixed up. So, on June 17, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism announced that it would become mandatory for all automatic passenger cars made after 1 September 2028 in Japan to have an 'acceleration pedal misapplication prevention system' installed. Imported cars will also require it from September 1, 2029. An acceleration pedal misapplication prevention system is a safety feature in cars that will dull a vehicle's ability to suddenly accelerate unless the driver performs certain actions that suggest they know what they're doing, like recently pressing the brake pedal, going uphill, or using a turn signal. Toyota already has it as a feature that can be turned on in their cars. ▼ An explanation video of Toyota's Acceleration Suppression System While that may help matters when implemented, issues with elderly drivers are not limited to mistaking the brake and accelerator. On June 11, a 99-year-old driver got into a collision when driving at 20 kilometers per hour the wrong way through the tunnel of a major highway and injured the leg of another motorist in his 40s. ▼ A news report on the crash Despite the age of the driver at fault, he was said to have passed his renewal examinations, including the cognitive test. Prominent writer, psychiatrist, and clinical psychologist Hideki Wada recently said that he believes the problem isn't the age of the drivers but the side effects of the medication they take that's been affecting their mental faculties, adding that this isn't mentioned in news reports because pharmaceutical companies often sponsor television news programs. Perhaps, taking a closer look at the medications, and especially combinations of medications, that elderly drivers are taking could also help judge their ability better than cognitive tests, but the fundamental problems remain. And while it continues to threaten everyone on the roads we'll need to tackle it from all available angles, including technology. Sources: Car Watch, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, President Online, Toyota, UNECE Read more stories from SoraNews24. -- Elderly motorists in Japan given option to 'graduate from driving' to prevent accidents -- City in Nagano offers super cheap taxi fares to seniors who give up licenses and disabled people -- Aichi Police: Surrender your driver's license and get up to $1 off at McDonald's! External Link © SoraNews24
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Magic Johnson Says Putting Starbucks In Underserved Areas ‘Changed Everything' For Him
Magic Johnson has made billions since retiring from the NBA, but one deal with Starbucks 'changed everything' for the business visionary. Johnson appeared on Bloomberg's The Deal with Alex Rodriguez and Jason Kelly to talk about his rise in the business world. 'My movie theaters was crushing it in the inner cities. It showed people you can make money doing business in the inner cities of America,' Johnson said in the interview. Even with those qualifications, Johnson said he had a mighty task of getting then-Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz to invest in his idea of putting more of the coffee chain's locations in underserved communities. 'The hardest thing I thought I was gonna do was play against Larry Bird and Michael Jordan. The hardest thing was to go before the [Starbucks] board and then go into a movie theater packed with good shareholders and try to convince them this is a great move for Starbucks,' explained Johnson. Luckily for Johnson, his persuasion skills matched his basketball abilities. The entrepreneur secured the deal to own a stake in 125 Starbucks locations. However, the move not only elevated his net worth but also proved the viability of investing in urban areas. 'That deal changed everything,' said Johnson in 2018, according to CNBC. 'We built 125 stores. We made that deal happen, and that's what really put me on a path of success.…It showed everybody that I could drive ROI in urban America.' He added, '…My company was able to provide jobs and access to these retailers who were not coming in before, but now they hit a home run when we partnered, and they came into the inner city.' Although Johnson sold the theaters and his stake in Starbucks a few years later, its success helped establish the 65-year-old as a powerhouse in business. It also encouraged companies to consider diverse, underrepresented areas for growth opportunities. 'I became the first person to ever own Starbucks outside of Starbucks,' Johnson said. 'We built 125 in 40 different markets across America. They all did extremely well. And that really gave me, first of all, the stamp of approval. It gave me the track record that I needed of success so I can move on to something else.' RELATED CONTENT: Magic Johnson Gifts $500K To Xavier University At The Institution's Centennial Gala Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Tom's Guide
18 hours ago
- General
- Tom's Guide
I'm a barista who swapped an $899 espresso machine for a $149 budget one — here's why
I'm an ex-barista, so I've spent enough time making coffee for a lifetime. I cut my teeth at an independent artisanal cafe (so independent and artisanal that it was one of the many small business Covid casualties) and then suffered through some long, hard years at Starbucks (during lockdown, cry) as punishment. You think that would stop me. But I cannot be stopped. I am as unstoppable as the endless march of time. Now as a journalist, it's my mission to find the best espresso machines so I can continue drinking way too much coffee. The $149 De'Longhi Stilosa has everything I hate in an espresso machine: a flimsy plastic tamper, a flimsy plastic construction, and a flimsy plastic drip tray. I really thought I'd hate this machine. No, tell a lie, I wanted to hate it, because it was so ugly. However, when I ditched my $900 De'Longhi La Specialista Opera for the $149 De'Longhi Stilosa, I was absolutely shocked. I tested the U.K. version of the De'Longhi Stilosa. A reader pointed out recently that the U.S. model of the Stilosa comes with dual-walled portafilters. In this case, I'd recommend getting third-party single-walled portafilters to achieve the same results as me. This is the machine I use every day. I love it with all my heart, but something just doesn't feel right anymore. Maybe because it's taking up a quarter of my kitchen, and that's grown into resentment? Either way, I don't know what's next for me and my beloved La Specialista Opera. It might be the most tear-jerking goodbye of 2025. This is the Opera's contender: smaller, cheaper, and a hell of a lot uglier. I really had my doubts about the Stilosa. For starters, it feels flimsy AF and looks like someone vomited up a pile of plastic. But oh boy, can it pull a delicious espresso shot. Color me surprised. Repeat after me: I will not use pre-ground coffee... I will not use pre-ground coffee... I will not use pre-ground coffee. Now, I've said it before and I'll say it again. You have to work for good espresso on the De'Longhi Stilosa. If you just take it out of the box and get to work, you'll think I've lost my marbles. Espresso is an art as much as it's a science. And perfect espresso needs two things: a good grinder, and an even better barista. I used both the Eureka Mignon Specialita ($649) and the Comandante C40 MK4 (from ~$282) with the De'Longhi Stilosa. If budget's a concern, you might be able to grab the Baratza Encore ESP or the 1ZPresso J-Ultra — both $199 — instead. However, a good grinder is a non-negotiable. The only reason why the Stilosa managed to match the La Specialista Opera is because of the brilliant grinders I used. If you buy pre-ground beans or have a blade grinder, you will never be able to achieve these results. Repeat after me: I will not use pre-ground coffee... I will not use pre-ground coffee... I will not use pre-ground coffee. Okay, great! This is a picture of the best espresso shot I pulled on the Stilosa, using artisanal, locally-roasted specialty beans and the Comandante C40 MK4 grinder. As I'm sure you're aware by now, achieving an espresso shot like this is only possible because of a premium grinder and specialty beans. With this extra effort, there's no need to spend $$$ on an espresso machine. You'll need to look for the following specs: While the De'Longhi Stilosa doesn't have a PID (which is a temperature controller built-in to the machine to prevent burning and weak espresso), it is literally $149. At this price point, you can't really ask for much more. It's worth noting that other home baristas have successfully modded the Stilosa with PID controllers, so not all is lost. As the De'Longhi Stilosa I tested has both 9-bar pressure and single-walled portafilters, I was able to pull technically perfect espresso. If you follow my advice, there's no reason why you wouldn't be able to achieve this too. In terms of espresso brewing? I couldn't believe my luck. The Stilosa is $759 cheaper than my La Specialista Opera, but pulls very similar shots. That's a monumental saving. I won't lie to you, when I first picked up the De'Longhi Stilosa, I physically grimaced. I thought there's no way this flimsy plastic hunk of junk can ever be good. But oh boy, did it prove me wrong. I already chatted about all the reasons why the De'Longhi Stilosa proved me wrong in a different article, but I'll go through them again briefly here. Good espresso machines need some weight to them. Even compact machines have boilers crammed inside their tiny size, so when I picked up the Stilosa, I was immediately suspicious. I doubted its ability to heat water, let alone pull espresso. But I was wrong. The Stilosa crams an impressive 9-bar pressure system and a steel boiler inside its 8-inch size. The sacrifices come in its all-plastic (ugly) construction, flimsy group handle, and pathetic tamper. These are all fixable problems though. The inherent espresso-making ability of the machine? Off-the-charts good. I'll be the first person to admit that a lot of budget espresso machines are very questionable. But not the De'Longhi Stilosa. With the extra work I discussed earlier, I was able to make $500-machine worthy espresso on the $149 Stilosa. However, without the effort, the espresso will most definitely taste like it was made on a cheap machine. So, if the cheap espresso machine has the following things: 9-bar pressure, single-walled portafilter baskets, a shower screen with even water distribution, and (maybe) a PID controller, then there's nothing stopping it performing like a premium model. With the right tools, coffee, and barista, of course. Although I was really impressed by the Stilosa for the price, I'm not really ready to give up my La Specialista Opera yet. (I actually kind of regret getting the Opera and really want a Breville Bambino Plus, but that's another story.) Steaming milk on the Stilosa requires a little more effort than other machines, because the steam wand can be a little overexcited. Take a look at the latte I made with the Stilosa. This is after 3 1/2 years as a barista, bear in mind. My latte art could still do with some work (I'm yet to master the tulip), but I think a more inexperienced barista might need a little more time to get adjusted to the Stilosa's overexcited steam wand. On top of that, if you're a barista who just wants coffee and doesn't want to spend lots of time and mental effort making that coffee? Then I think the Stilosa might not be for you. I'd recommend something like the De'Longhi Rivelia in that case, but it'll cost you — $1,499. I knew this already, but swapping my La Specialista Opera for the Stilosa reaffirmed my belief that good coffee needs one thing: a good barista who knows what they're doing. Yes, you can spend $$$ (more like $$$$$$...) on a Bianca Lelit ($2,999) or a La Marzocco Linea Mini ($6,300), but if you don't have the knowledge? Your coffee won't taste great. I recommend spending time learning about coffee — what types of beans you like, why you need a great grinder, how to set up a shot — before spending a month's wages on a machine. Instead, I'd recommend getting the Stilosa and learning on a cheap machine. Then, once you've got the skill? By all means, dig into a pricier machine — or just keep your money and continue slaying on the Stilosa.
SoraNews24
18 hours ago
- Automotive
- SoraNews24
All cars in Japan to have systems preventing accidents from gas/brake pedal mistakes by 2028
Systems will be in place to prevent dangerous mix-ups. It seems every few days the news reports on an elderly driver doing something incredibly dangerous, with the cause often being that they mistook the accelerator for the brake pedal. A recent incident happened in Hokkaido on 13 June, when a driver in her 90s accidentally hit the gas instead of the brake and drove out of a parking lot into the street where she hit another car and then hopped a curb and embankment to crash into the side of a Starbucks. Luckily, no one was injured. ▼ A news report on the crash. It's certainly not a new problem, and prefectural governments have started efforts such as making license renewals stricter for seniors by including cognitive tests. Most prefectures also have license graduation systems where the elderly can voluntarily surrender their driver's licenses for certain benefits like discounts on taxis and public transportation. According to UN estimates, nearly one in ten licensed drivers in Japan is over 75 years old. Perhaps because the rate of Japan's population aging is outpacing these efforts, little seems to have changed and storefronts continue to get smashed in by people getting their left and right mixed up. So, on 17 June, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism announced that it would become mandatory for all automatic passenger cars made after 1 September 2028 in Japan to have an 'acceleration pedal misapplication prevention system' installed. Imported cars will also require it from 1 September 2029. An acceleration pedal misapplication prevention system is a safety feature in cars that will dull a vehicle's ability to suddenly accelerate unless the driver performs certain actions that suggest they know what they're doing, like recently pressing the brake pedal, going uphill, or using a turn signal. Toyota already has it as a feature that can be turned on in their cars. ▼ An explanation video of Toyota's Acceleration Suppression System While that may help matters when implemented, issues with elderly drivers are not limited to mistaking the brake and accelerator. On 11 June, a 99-year-old driver got into a collision when driving at 20 kilometers per hour (12 miles per hour) the wrong way through the tunnel of a major highway and injured the leg of another motorist in his 40s. ▼ A news report on the crash Despite the age of the driver at fault, he was said to have passed his renewal examinations, including the cognitive test. Prominent writer, psychiatrist, and clinical psychologist Hideki Wada recently said that he believes the problem isn't the age of the drivers but the side effects of the medication they take that's been affecting their mental faculties, adding that this isn't mentioned in news reports because pharmaceutical companies often sponsor television news programs. Perhaps, taking a closer look at the medications, and especially combinations of medications, that elderly drivers are taking could also help judge their ability better than cognitive tests, but the fundamental problems remain. And while it continues to threaten everyone on the roads we'll need to tackle it from all available angles, including technology. Source: Car Watch, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, President Online, Toyota, UNECE Featured image: Pakuaso ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
