From Visual Capitalist
9/29/2025
8/30/2025
AI and beer
A famous German
brewery called Beck’s was 150 years old in 2023. To celebrate, they did
something very new: they asked an AI chatbot named ChatGPT to be the
brewmaster. They told the AI to create a new beer recipe using only the basic
ingredients: hops, yeast, water, and malt. The result was a lager called
“Beck’s Autonomous”. One newspaper reporter said it was better than Beck’s standard lager.
Beck’s is not the only company using AI. Other breweries in America, Britain, and Japan are also using AI to create new beers. In March Coedo Brewery in Japan asked an AI model to analyse the preferences of people in their 20s, 30s, 40s, and 50s, and then developed four craft beers, one for each age range The brewers say that customers are liking these new AI beers.
Why are they using AI? Prinz Pinakatt, boss of the beer business for Tilray Brands, Atwater’s New York-based parent company explains: AI helps them find new recipes they never thought of before. The computer can study very small details of flavours. It can look at the ingredients a brewery has and then create a new recipe. It can change the sweetness or acidity to make sure customers will like the beer.
One brewer in America, Beau Warren, started using AI in 2022. He gave the AI all his beer recipes and information about ingredients. Later, the AI suggested a very unusual recipe for a lager beer. The brewer said, "I would never have thought of that." But he made the beer anyway, and it was one of the best he ever made! His customers also liked the AI beers more than the human-made ones. Unfortunately, his brewery closed last year because of financial difficulties.
Scientists are also interested. In 2024 researchers in Belgium used AI to study 250 different beers, including lagers, blonds and West Flanders ales. They wanted to understand how changing the chemicals in beer changes the taste. “The models we develop help us to understand the complex relationship between the chemistry of a beer, its taste, and how consumers will like it,” says Kevin Verstrepen, a bioscience engineer who led the research team.
However, AI will not replace human brewers. Someone still needs to physically pour the ingredients, watch the machines and taste the beer. Prinz Pinakatt, boss of Tilray Brands, Atwater’s New York-based parent company, says "AI will help more in the future but the craft of brewing is still the most important thing. It will be very difficult for machines to make our beers completely by themselves."
Adapted from The Economist
7/27/2025
Food giants (article)
In 2015,
famous investor Warren Buffett and a company called 3G Capital
joined Kraft and Heinz together. Their goal was to create a huge
packaged-food company. At the time, people couldn’t get enough of the
company’s popular products, like sauces, sweet snacks, and processed
cheese. But now, that big deal seems to have been a major failure.
Today, Kraft
Heinz is worth only $32 billion, which is 60% less than when
the companies merged. The company also thinks its operating profit will drop
by 5–10% this year. There are now rumors that the company might split
into smaller parts.
The
situation is bad for two reasons:
- Bad
management over the last ten years — especially cutting
costs too much.
- Big
food companies in general are facing hard times.
In fact,
the 12 biggest packaged-food companies in the American stock market,
like General Mills and Hershey, have seen their stock prices
go down by 9% on average in the past year.
After surviving
the inflation that followed the COVID-19 pandemic, sales are now slowing
down. New, smaller brands and government concerns about highly
processed foods are also creating problems. At the same time, shoppers
are spending less because of inflation and fewer job opportunities.
Why Are People Buying Less Packaged Food?
Since
2021, food companies have been raising prices to stay profitable while
ingredient and labor costs went up. Even though politicians criticized this as “greedflation,”
many Americans kept buying these products.
But now, sales
are not growing. Some are even falling. Why?
- Many
people are struggling with high prices and less money.
- A
new law by Donald Trump (called the “Big Beautiful Bill”) removes food
assistance for about 1.3 million people.
- More
people are using weight-loss drugs that reduce their appetite,
especially for junk food. About 4% of American adults took
these drugs last year, twice as many as two years ago.
New Competition and Tough Retailers
Because
prices of big brands are so high, people are turning to:
- Smaller
or fancier brands
- Supermarkets’
own brands, which are often cheaper
The top
20 food and drink companies in the U.S. had 42% of the market in 2018,
but now have less than 40%.
Big
stores like Walmart, Costco, and Target are also putting pressure
on suppliers. Due to tariffs (extra taxes on imported goods), these
stores are forcing companies to accept the cost increases, while they
themselves do not lose money.
Another Challenge: Government Rules
A new
campaign called “Make America Healthy Again”, led by health secretary
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is trying to limit unhealthy chemicals like artificial
colors in processed foods.
Companies
may have to change their recipes, which is not always easy. Some
customers may not like these changes. For example, when General Mills
took out artificial colors from Trix cereal, some people were upset.
One expert says food companies must find a balance between what government rules require and what consumers want.
What’s Next for Kraft Heinz?
Kraft
Heinz may separate part of its business — such as ready meals and
packaged meats — and focus on its popular sauces and spreads,
which make more money.
This kind
of company split has worked well before. For example, a few years ago, Kellogg’s
divided its business into two parts:
- WK
Kellogg (focused on U.S. cereal)
- Kellanova
(the rest)
Now, Ferrero
and Mars are buying these parts, and Kellogg’s shareholders
have made over 40% profit since the split.
So, while
some big food companies may get smaller, others might grow by buying new
businesses.
Adapted from The Economist
Ferrero and Kellogg: a $3.1b deal (video)
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7/14/2025
History of Tennis in one minute (captions)
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5/25/2025
5/12/2025
Spot the Lies, Save the Bio!
These biographies have been attacked by misinformation gremlins!
Your task:
š§¹ Sweep away the false facts.
šÆ Bonus points if you laugh at the mistakes before fixing them!
š Biography 1: Elon
Musk
Elon Musk is
a famous chef from Rome. He runs
a chain of French restaurants in New York and London. Every day, he cooks for politicians and celebrities.
He also designs clothes in his
free time.
In 2005, Musk founded Facebook and moved
to Argentina to start a new life. He didn’t
work in the technology industry before that. In 2010, he won an Oscar for Best Actor for his
role in a romantic comedy.
Now, he lives in Tokyo and drives a motorcycle everywhere. He doesn't like space travel or science fiction. Instead, he writes poetry and teaches yoga on weekends.
š Biography 2:
Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi is a famous basketball player from Mexico. He plays for the Chicago Bulls and wears the number 10 jersey. He doesn't like football because he
thinks it’s too slow.
When he was
a teenager, he studied
engineering and built a rocket
for NASA. He won the Nobel Prize
in Chemistry in 2008. In 2015, he opened
a zoo in Paris where he takes care
of tigers and elephants.
Now, Messi lives
in Alaska and spends his days
fishing and painting. He doesn't speak
Spanish because he grew up
speaking only Japanese.
4/06/2025
Netflix’s series “Adolescence” (video)
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4/05/2025
A new church in Argentina: Carlo Acutis
They are building a new church in Mendoza, Argentina.
It will be very
modern and use the latest technology.
The church is
dedicated to Carlo Acutis (photo above), a young Italian boy who died in 2006. He
was very good with computers and used the internet to talk about God.
The church will be in Chacras de Coria, LujƔn de Cuyo,
about 13 km from the city of Mendoza. This area is famous for its wineries and
also for its nightlife. Many young people go there every weekend.
The land for
the church was a gift from local businesspeople, and Pope Francis approved the project.
Construction started on March 12, and the church will
be ready by October 2027. It will have space for 450 people, a special area for
young visitors, and technology to tell the story of Carlo Acutis. There will
also be a Via Crucis, a sanctuary for the Virgin Mary, and sculptures of two
saints.
Carlo Acutis was born in London in 1991 but lived in
Italy. He loved the Catholic faith and made websites about miracles.
In 2020, he became "blessed" because of a
miracle. On April 27, 2025, Pope Francis
will make him a saint.
People call him the "saint of the internet"
because he used technology to share his faith.
Mendoza is proud to have the first chapel in the world
dedicated to Carlo Acutis. The project hopes to create a place where young people
can feel closer to God.
The church will look like this
Carlo Acutis: The First Millennial Saint
@abdimarihotmarbun Carlo Acutis, born in 1991, was a teenager who loved soccer and video games but had an extraordinary mission: to use the internet to spread faith. By age 15, Carlo had created a global online exhibition cataloging Eucharistic miracles, inspiring countless people worldwide. His deep devotion to the Eucharist shaped his life, attending daily Mass and Eucharistic adoration from age seven. Carlo also organized aid for the homeless at nine, embodying his belief in putting love into action. Diagnosed with leukemia at 15, Carlo offered his suffering for the Church and the Pope, remaining joyful until the end. Beatified in 2020, Carlo is on the path to sainthood, recognized for his modern-day use of technology to serve the Gospel. His mother credits him with rekindling her own faith, calling him “a savior” for his example. Carlo’s legacy continues to inspire young people, proving sainthood is possible even in the digital age. š Don’t miss the latest Vaticano featuring Blessed Carlo Acutis: the first millennial saint in the making. Faith, history, and culture come to life. Explore the rich stories from the heart of the Vatican. Visit our website now to dive deeper into the weekly episodes and experience the Vatican like never before! credit IG @ewtnvatican . . #BlessedCarloAcutis #Eucharist #RealPresence #SourceAndSummit #Vaticano #carloacutis #eucharisticmiracles #catholicchurch #leukemia #blessedsacrament ♬ suara asli - Adie Marbun
3/16/2025
3/08/2025
Katy Perry - Firework (Official Music Video)
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Katy Perry on space flight
Pop star Katy Perry will blast off into
space as part of an upcoming all-women flight on Blue Origin's New Shepherd
rocket.
The Firework singer will go into space with
Blue Origin owner Jeff Bezos's fiancee Lauren Sanchez, CBS presenter Gayle
King, former Nasa rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, civil rights activist Amanda
Nguyen, and film producer Kerianne Flynn.
This is the first all-women space flight to
take place since the Soviet Union's Valentina Tereshkova's solo mission in
1963.
There is no specific date for the launch,
but Blue Origin said it will take place soon.
Katy Perry will be on her Lifetimes Tour
from 23 April until 11 November, so this trip will take place before that.
The NS-31 mission will be the 11th human
spaceflight for the New Shepherd rocket and the 31st in its history. So far,
the programme has launched 52 people into space.
A trip on the New Shepard typically lasts
about 11 minutes, according to Blue Origin. It is fully autonomous - which
means there are no pilots - and takes the passengers past the Karman line,
internationally recognised as the edge of space.
Blue Origin credited Lauren Sanchez for
bringing the mission together, saying in its press release that she is
"honored to lead a team of explorers on a mission that will challenge
their perspectives of Earth, empower them to share their own stories, and
create lasting impact that will inspire generations to come".
Sanchez first announced her plan to fly
with an all-women crew on a Blue Origin rocket in 2023 in an interview with
Vogue, saying they were "paving the way for women".
This is the latest group of celebrities to
embark on a flight to space.
Bezos himself flew on the company's first
manned mission in 2021.
Richard Branson, the founder of Virgin
Galactic, made a trip aboard his company's VSS Unity spacecraft in July 2021.
SpaceX founder Elon Musk, however, is yet
to make a trip.
From BBC (edited)
3/06/2025
How to handle difficult conversations
Handling tough conversations is hard.
But the wrong words can turn a small problem
into a full-blown conflict.
Here are some common phrases that often
make things worse and what to swap it out
with...
❌ “You’re overreacting.”
✅ “I see this is important to you… let’s talk about it.”
❌ “That’s just how it is.”
✅ “I understand your concerns… let’s explore what we can do.”
❌ “You need to calm down.”
✅ “I want to understand… can you help me see your perspective?”
❌ “This isn’t my problem.”
✅ “Let’s find a way forward together… what do you think?”
❌ “I don’t have time for this.”
✅ “I want to give this proper attention… let’s set a time to discuss.”
❌ “That’s not what I meant.”
✅ “Let me rephrase… here’s what I was trying to say.”
❌ “I don’t see the issue.”
✅ “Help me understand why this is a concern for you.”
❌ “You’re taking this too personally.”
✅ “I hear you… let’s work through this together.”
❌ “We don’t need to talk about this.”
✅ “If this is important to you, then it’s worth discussing.”
❌ “Let’s just agree to disagree.”
✅ “We may see things differently… but let’s find common ground.”
We’ve all said these at some point.
But they can shut people down, break trust, and stop progress.
These small changes can:
✅ Build trust.
✅ Open up to honest conversations.
✅ Help you find real solutions.
✅ Strengthen your working relationships.
š§ Remember; People don’t just remember your words
– they remember how you made them feel.
Next time a tough chat comes up, choose your words wisely.
Which phrase do you think is the hardest to stop saying?
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