Hey there! Welcome message.

Juan is heading to a BBQ today in Haarlem and believes the UK is a failed society.

Michael and Lina met up in Greece, and are spending time in Athens with some friends now. This is Linas first time in Europe, after 3 failed attempts to get a Visa to come here. We’re going to be doing 2 of the top escape rooms here.

HEALTH

The new miracle drug to lose weight

Some of you might have seen on the news this new miracle drug called Ozempic. It is all over TikTok and seems to be the first effective weight-loss medication. Many celebrities are using it like Elon Musk, Oprah, and Khloe Kardashian. You can easily lose 5 kg in a month with minimal effort.

It was initially created to manage blood sugar for people with type 2 Diabetes, but it had the side effect of reducing weight. This is the same thing that happened to Viagra, it was meant to treat low blood pressure but also helped give men hard ones.

🤔 How does it work?

Hormones. They are the body’s messengers. They send messages from one part of the body to the other. One of the hormones we release after eating is called Glucagon-like Peptide 1 (GLP-1). This hormone tells the brain we are full. Ozempic is a synthetic imitation of this hormone (Semaglutide).

Additionally, this hormone slows down the emptying of the stomach, so you stay fuller for longer.

Here is a study made on body weight reduction from Ozempic.

The demand has been skyrocketing for these drugs. Some say that the processed foods market might start losing profit due to decreased consumption.

😬 So what are the side effects?

So far, the most common side effects are nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. A minority of people might get heart palpitations or inflammation. So it does not seem to have many issues at the moment, but we do not know the long-term effects yet.

Also, not enough data has been collected as to how and if you can get off this drug. Some say that you gain the weight back if you get off the drug.

Regardless, a healthy lifestyle is always the best way to lose weight. But having a medical solution to losing weight is a net positive in my opinion. Only time will tell what this new drug can do.

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— Juan

POLITICS

The Issues with US Politics Today

Right now, I’m staying in Greece with my old roommate from the Netherlands, Stathis. We’ve been having daily political debates—getting pretty into it, too. Even though we’re on opposite sides of some issues, we’ve found that we agree on more points than we expected. These conversations got me thinking about the state of US politics, so I decided to write down some of my thoughts.

If you’ve glanced at the news lately, you’ve probably noticed that US politics feels like a never-ending train wreck. If you’ve ever wondered why, I’m going to lay out a few reasons that got us into this mess.

Hyper-Polarization: We Can’t Even Agree to Disagree
In the past, political opponents could at least agree to disagree. But these days, it feels like Democrats and Republicans are living on different planets. Hyper-partisanship has driven a wedge so deep that cooperation seems impossible. Instead of working together to solve problems, both sides are more interested in making the other look bad. This “us vs. them” mentality has turned Congress into a battlefield where the goal is less about governing and more about scoring points.
This divide isn’t just limited to Congress; it’s trickled down into everyday life. Families are splitting over politics, friendships are ending over Facebook posts, and civil discourse is becoming rare. When people can’t even agree on basic facts, it’s no wonder the political system is grinding to a halt.

Misinformation: Spreading Faster Than Ever
Misinformation isn’t new—it’s been around in plenty of past elections, pretty much since the beginning of the country. But what’s new is the scale. In the past, it was mostly influential figures and news organizations spreading it. Now, anyone with a smartphone can share false narratives that can sway public opinion. Combined with polarization, people unfollow anyone who disagrees with them, so misinformation spreads within echo chambers where everyone already believes it.

Media Echo Chambers: Trapped in Our Own Bubbles
These days, every news outlet seems to put its own spin on what’s happening in the world. They’ve become more and more partisan, each catering to a specific audience with a specific narrative. Instead of presenting balanced perspectives, many outlets are more focused on keeping their viewers and readers hooked by telling them what they want to hear. This has led to the rise of media echo chambers—spaces where people are only exposed to information and opinions that reinforce their existing beliefs.
When you’re only hearing one side of the story, it’s easy to get stuck in a bubble where everyone thinks the same way you do. This makes it harder to understand or even tolerate different perspectives. Social media heavily amplifies this effect. So in the end you get a skewed version of reality.

What to do about this?
So these are a few different factors that are causing the mess that we’re currently in. The ways to avoid the issues that these present for yourself are to take all the information you hear with a grain of salt, and try to seek out reliable facts from multiple sources. Don’t shy away from having political discussions with those with different perspectives of your own. And try not to keep yourself in a bubble, surrounded by voices repeating the same thing.

Anyways, feel free to message me if you’d like to have a political discussion. I’m trying to become more knowledgeable on this subject, and so would value any type of information or angle you may have on it.

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— Michael

TAKING ACTION

Sign up to our Accountability Clubs

Want a community to keep you accountable? Willing to put your money where your mouth is? 😂

How it works:
💸 Everyone makes the same deposit at the beginning of the month.
✅ Every day you succeed, you get paid back a small amount from your deposit PLUS the money from others who failed that day.
❌ Every day you fail, your money for that day goes to people who succeed.
🗓️ It is 5 times a week. Month-to-month contract. You can join or leave at the beginning of each month.

Clubs you can join:
🏋️ Exercise 3 or 5 times a week.
⏰ Wake up early during weekdays.
📵 Digital minimalism during weekdays.
🚶‍♂️ Average Weekly Steps.
⏱️ Side Project Time Tracking.
🏫 Main Project Time Tracking.
📃 Thesis Time Tracking.
🍌 Calorie Tracking.
📝 Signup to join

Highlights from Exercise Club: