Creating a buzz: Turkish beekeepers risk life and limb to make mad honey

History is littered with stories of the psychoactive properties of deli bal, still produced today in the Kaçkar mountains

Source: Creating a buzz: Turkish beekeepers risk life and limb to make mad honey | World news | The Guardian

Of course, the Sanskrit word for honey, madhu, like mead (the ancient drink made with honey) and mad (which is Sanskrit for hilarity, rapture) all come from the same Indo-European root.

Social media links for US visa applicants

Trump administration to force US visa applicants to hand over social media details
(Was optional the last couple of years, but will now be required.)

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/us-visa-application-social-media-accounts-details-esta-check-a8940381.html

Nearly all travellers to the US will be required to produce details of social media accounts they have used in the previous five years, as well as present and past phone numbers and email addresses.

After the approval of revised visa application forms, the US State Department is now requiring nearly all applicants for US immigrant and non-immigrant visas to list their Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and other social media usernames.

The change is expected to affect some 15 million foreigners who travel to the US each year, including those who do so for business or education.

Only applicants for certain diplomatic and official visa types are exempted from the requirements.

Conscientious objection in Israel

https://www.commondreams.org/views/2019/02/25/teenage-war-resister-israel

Very inspiring article, pretty accurate, as far as I know. Usually what happens, or what has happened in the past, is that young COs who won’t budge from their objection, eventually get released on medical/psychological grounds, sometimes following prison. I know at least two like that.

The army tries to discourage objections but to keep this low key – they certainly aren’t interested in the world know about them or potentially start a mass movement. But the fact is, they don’t really need a universal conscription. Many young people get out among the poor, among the rich and, of course, the ultra-orthodox religious.

e-waste

Philippine president to ‘declare war’ on Canada in waste dispute ‘More than 100 containers of waste were shipped in batches from Canada to the Philippines in 2013 and 2014. Most of the containers remain in local ports, sparking protests from environmental activists. Philippine officials say they were falsely declared by a private firm as recyclable plastic scraps and have asked Canada to take the rubbish back. “I will declare war against them. I will advise Canada that your garbage is on the way. Prepare a grand reception. Eat it if you want to,” Duterte said in a televised meeting with local officials late on Tuesday. “Your garbage is coming home.”’

I doubt that – it will probably end up here: Agbogbloshie: the world’s largest e-waste dump – in pictures . Toxins from old computers, fridges and other electronic goods are polluting chicken eggs in an area where 80,000 people live