How do food banks work?

Food banks are locations which deliver food and sometimes other essentials from a central which collects them itself from various locations. They freeze perishable items they collected for weeks or even months until needed in the local food banks, storing closed cans and similar stuff, which doesn't needs cooling in a large warehouse. A lot of personal is needed for both the food brank central and the single locations, which can be 20 or more in a large city with a large population, and they are non-profit organsizations, the large staff needs to work free of charge. Especially in the COVID-19 pandemic many more people were needed. But they benefit from free daily meals in their working hours.

Who is eligible to use food banks?

There are no general rules. Every food bank make their own rules, and sometimes there are no rules, so everyone is served. May be Donald Trump shows up at some point. But usually their target audience are people with low income or o regular income, like the homeless. In a summary I also read single moms are welcome. But I also saw people with luxury cars pulling up, wearing golden wrist watches. They seem to just be greedy, and if the food bank is low on food, like I noticed at the beginning of the 2020 pandemic, people really in need to get enough or anything at all.

Where is the food coming from?

The locations are often grocery stores, restaurants (even McDonald's or Burger King) or food factories. The food bank central is collecting from these. They give away food close to their best before or expiring dates. Sometimes it's surplus they might otherwise discard. Once I received two litres of mayonnaise, about 100 wieners in bulk (just i a plastic bag) or 100 chicken wings. There are also slightly damaged cans without being broken (content is still good). Some have dents, others have no labels at all ("can surprise"; you cannot know what's inside until opened) or the label isn't attached properly. Some are just dirty outside. Since a grocery store cannot put them into their shelves they'd be discarded. But the food bank central gladly collects them. This helps to feed people in need and the environment not ending up in landfills.

Ignore best before dates

Since grocery stores give away many items which are so close to their best before or expiry dates, the food bank central and later the single food banks freeze them. That stops the aging process. It's like when you bought bread which is good until the 15th of the month but you freeze it because you have no immediate use, after thawing at say the 20th it will still be edible. Same for any food from the food bank. Because you cannot know when the food was frozen you have to ignore their shelf-life dates. Only way to find out is to look at them or taste them to decide to consume or throw it out.

What sort of food can one expect?

One can expect literally everything. Besides cans or packs of noodles, rice, sauces, spices and meat they often also offer produce. You can often expect apples, oranges, grapes, bananas and other fruits, as well as vegetables like beans, paprika, tomatoes, corn, gherkins, pickles, as well as some I couldn't identify. There are often sweet things like cookies, chocolate, nutrition bars, cereals, treats for children and candy. Then there are "ready to eat" packages you just throw into the microwave. Other things you need to cook, bake or fry, while again others you can eat cold. For drinks they often have soda, juices milk and other dairy products like yogourt. If lucky you get a ton of coffee. Usually bags in bulk or even K-Cups and others designed for these "new" coffee makers. Don't have one of these so I force them open and use it for an old fashion dripping coffee maker.

What you can not is to choose like in a supermarket. You get what they offer, or reject it. For every customers they spread something out on a table you can pack up - or not. Then there's often a closed bag waiting for you, which seems to have some cooled content. That's usually meat, fruits and vegetables. If you want certain items you can ask that if lucky they have them. If not you need to visit a normal supermarket.

What kinds of food banks are there?

In my city I experienced four types of food banks. Although they all get their food from the single central food bank they all operate differently, although you get about the same items (see above). Here are the four types I encountered:

1. You need to show a proof of income or some other ID, but all items are free of charge
2. They want to have a proof you live in their suburb, like something with your address on it, and everything is free
3. That worked with (and in!) a church. They ask for $4. But then you have to sit down and a guy (possibly priest) is going to tell you if social equity and Jesus. Probably most annoying if you are not religious to sit in a room with no air condition (of course, it's a church) with 20 others before they hand out the food
4. My favorite bank charges $7 per visit and hands out the food with no other strings attached

Conclusion: If you don't have enough money to do your own groceries food banks help you. They're non profit organizations, and those asking for a donation most likely do it to cover costs for rent (heat and stuff) and to pay their voluntary staff. This for example if you go four times a month and pay $7 every time you end up spending $28 a month. Not bad compared to an ordinary visit at a grocery store. The main disadvantages are you cannot choose what you'll get, and that they are often sparsely dispersed over a town or city. And if really unlucky and dudes with a Cadillacs did their shopping before you you might get less than you normally give out. Still that's bad than going hungry.

Was George Floyd really Murdered by Derek Chauvin?

Former police officer Derek Chauvin of the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) was found guilty of murder in court. African American George Floyd apparently fell victim of police brutality, targeting especially black people.

Derek Chauvin, 45 years old at the time committing the murder, was seeing kneeling on Floyd's neck on May 25th 2020 for a period of about nine minutes. The body cam footage was watched worldwide and sparked an outrage, especially in black communities, soon creating the Black lives matter movement. People were remembered on the 1992 Los Angeles riots - and rightly so.

After found guilty by the judges, Derek Chauvin Derek Chauvin's bail was immediately revoked and he was taken into custody by the authorities. Chauvin was found guilt of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter, and is facing a maximum sentence of 40 years for second-degree murder, 25 years for third-degree murder and 10 years for manslaughter in prison. If convicted on all charged he is locked away for no less than 75 years. The prison guard might as well through away the key.

But what if he actually didn't commit the murder, and Floyd died due to his poor health conditions? A man in good health might have survived that. But Chauvin couldn't know this. He still should do time for at least manslaughter in my opinion. Already for being a dumb moron knowing body cams will film everything, eventually footage will find the way to Youtube and other social media platforms. He was probably in rage and let it all out on George Floyd. That is not an excuse - no one should do this. If one is not fit for the police duty he should stay at home!

Still my question remains: what would have happened if black police officers would have killed a white (homeless) man? Would there be a similar public outrage and media coverage? Somebody creating "White lives matter"? I'm not a racist, but I actually doubt this. May be time will tell. But please let me know in the comments.

And how ever the outcome, it will have something good in store. I suppose police chiefs will remind their officers to get themselves together and stop the police violence. They'll get reminded that their action will be on video and if they do not act adequately they'll face consequences, like Chauvin hopefully does.

I agree to the sentence. Lock every cop up who isn't able to control hiself, thus hurting or killing people who pose not a threat to others. But I also agree anyone dumb enough to point a weapon on a police officer, even a mockup, deserves to be shot.

Beavis and Butt-Head get a reboot in 2021

As Comedy Central announced in June 2020, Beavis and Butt-Head, world's famous slacker teens taking the world by storm in 1993 are getting a reboot. Comedy Central ordered two seasons from series' creator Mike Judge in collaboration with 3 Arts Entertainment. This includes the possibility of spin offs and specials.

Judge will, as in the original series from 1993, the movie Beavis and Butt-Head do America and season 8 from 2011. The original series went on air 1993 on Viacom's cable network MTV. The series features two teen friends commenting on youth and adolescence while watching contemporary music videos on MTV, and proved to be a cultural phenomenon which spurred strong positive and negative critics, but was an instant hit with MTV viewers, catapulting Mike Judge into stardom.

The reboot marks the return to cartoons for Judge, who previously created the live action series Silicon Valley. He is also well known for his long running animated series King Of The Hill (1997-2010) and the live action series Office Space and the movie Idiocrazy. The reboot is the second time Beavis and Butt-Head return to television. The reboot airs in summer 2021.

[Update]

That never happened. Instead the movie Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe emerged on June 23rd 2022 instead.

Fizz cable internet provider in Canada

Wireless carrier Videotron launched the low budget Fizz brand 2018 for its customers in the province of Quebec in Canada. Fizz offers wireless phone services and internet access for customers in Qubec and Ontario. Fizz started operating LTE services in the same year with a download speed up to 150 Mbps. Fizz also offers a low price cable internet service, using Videotron's infrastructure. No DSL-service is available. If there is o coax cable laid inside the building the technician will bring the cable in from the outside with no cost (AKA free) for the customer.

Fizz is a low cost cellular and internet service provider, a competitor to Fido, owned by Rogers, and Koodo, ran by Telus' counterpart.

Aimed at customers from 18 to 35 year old, the Fizz brand allows to bring over unused data into the following month or forward it to friends; a feature to likely becoming a hit with users. Fizz is fully digital, but has no call center, a cost reduction reflected in the low prices. Customer service is available though per online chat, either directly on their web page or with popular chat messengers of Facebook or Twitter.

Besides cell phone service the company offers high speed residential internet services backed by Videotron. Fizz internet plans start with 10 Mbit/s for 35$ plus tax (that is shy over 40$ including tax!) a month to up to 200 Mbit/s for merely 70$. All plans include unlimited bandwith for downloads and uploads. The modem rent is included in all plans. The customer can choose between self-installation, where a Videotron technician comes and just makes sure the cable is working, and the VIP-installation, where he also connects your wireless devices, such as Android and Apple (iOS) smartphones, tablets and desktop or laptop computers. For the VIP installation a fee of 35$ is added to the first payment.

include unlimited call and text messaging.

Want one of the cheapest and most competetive hight speed internet services in Canada or a reliable cellular service backed by Videotron and on top of that earn 50$ by just signing up? If the previous link does not work be sure to include T3FDM as your Fizz referral code to not miss a bonus of 50 bucks! It's entered right before sending the order to Fizz. The 50$ will be reducted from the third month.

Trip Hawkins and Electronic Arts

William Murray Hawkins III, better known as Trip Hawkins, is an American entrepreneur. He founded the company Electronic Arts in 1982, as well as The 3DO Company and the Digital Chocolate company in later years. He was added to The Hall Of Fame in 2005.

Hawkins was fan of Strat-O-Matic Football started as teenager to produce a knock-off version of it, lending $5000 from his father to finance it. But his business failed. When he received his first computer he created a digital football game. He later designed his undergraduate major at Harvard University in Applied Game Theory and Strategy.

1982 Hawkins was Director of Strategy and Marketing at Apple and left the company to found the video game publisher Electronic Arts, which is successful to this day. The company enjoyed may years as a leader in video game publishing ad produced iconic games like the Madden NFL series of football games after signing with John Madden as consultant and spokesman for Electronic Arts.

When SEGA release the Genesis he saw his opportunity. He didn't want to sign with Nintendo due to its strict licensing policy. He instead hired reverse engineers to create unofficial games for the SEGA Genesis console. Hawkins eventually revealed his intentions to sell his research to SEGA's competitors unless they made him an official partner. SEGA agreed.

Watch a young Trip Hawkins in a segment of the 1985 Computer Chronicles TV show's double feature episode Slowdown Part II

Although remaining chair of EA's board Hawkins made a transition in 1991 to form 3DO, a video game company. When the 3DO console was released in 1993 it was the most powerful gaming device of its day. He eventually resigned from EA's board of directors in 1994. But sales were poor, probably due to the high price. Hopes were further damaged a year later with the arrival of the SONY PlayStation and SEGA Saturn, which were more powerful and still retailed cheaper. 1996 3DO stopped the production of the console and transitioned to be a pure game developer. The company went bust 2003.

2003 Hawkins founded the Digital Chocolate company but stepped down as CEO in 2012. Hawkins lives in Santa Barbara, CA, and was a professor of entrepreneurship and leadership at the University of California from 2016 to 2019.

The coronavirus and its economical impact

With the coronavirus spreading from China since 2019 all over the world, every country is infected. The see more cases of infected citizens daily or more and more deaths. While the curve of infection flattens in China as of March 2020, Italy in Europe surpasses the number of deaths of about 200 casualties per day. With no vaccine available at this time the death toll rises. Two measurements are currently at hand, to stop the spread of the pandemic. Most countries implement the rule of Social Distancing. People shall remain in a distance of two meters, and groups of five or more people and gatherings, like venues are forbidden. Schools and other establishments, where many people gather, are closed. The other is that countries, especially in Europe, closed their borders and limit traffic only for trucks providing essentials. May grocery stores have empty shelves for toilet paper, sanitzers, pasta products and canned foods. Worse, many people did panic buying of goods, leaving following customers with no items.

Impact on the economy

No matter, how long this crisis goes on, companies like car factories and other suspended their business to avoid infections of co-workers. Assuming this crisis goes on for more months, these companies will lose billions of Dollars.

Impact on education

As most schools and universities have closed their gates, with students being in isolation at home, there is no education for months to see. Education will fall back for months or even a year. Development in science, health, physics and other topics might be rolled back by at least one year.

My opinion

I don't say, we're are sent back into the stone age. But stocks for the most important companies were halted. The Dow-Jones sticks at 19,898 points at this writing, a value not seen since late 2016. The decision of the New York Stock Exchange was announced to shift temporarily to an all-electronic trading, starting on March 23rd 2020. A precautionary step to lock down the trading floors temporarily, represents a step to protect the well-being and health of the traders in the floor company, to avoid an infection with the COVID-19 virus. Nevertheless, the economy worldwide will be hit hard. Losses of more than hundred Billion Dollars are expected.

The virus continues to hammer hard large sectors of the international economy. And will continue to do so for some coming months.

Compensations for flight delays with Eurowings

If your plane was delayed for more than three hours or canceled it affects your holiday trip. Cancellations and delays are a daily occurrence for many airlines at various airports also by Eurowings, so that many passengers are late or, in the worst case, unable to travel at all. Eurowings is also affected by these delays.

To claim a refund

If your flight was delayed by Eurowings or other airlines, our company will help you to claim your damages. If the airline is more than three hours late or out of service, their passengers are entitled for a compensation. The amount of the sum of a refund lays usually between 250.00 and 600.00 Euro, depending on the distance between the starting and the destination airport.

Support from our lawyers

We are supported by a team of lawyers. We will first check your claims in the event of flight cancellation or flight delays with Eurowings or other airlines. We will then organize a negotiation with the affected airlines involved. After a successful negotiation, the affected passengers are reimbursed of the corresponding compensation amount. It is not important for Passengers friend, which airline is responsible for the delay or the cancellation of a flight. Experiences with flight delays by Eurowings from different customers show, that flight cancellations and flight delays also happen with this company. Affected travelers can claim their damages with Passengers friend. We are also happy to help with questions with the subject of travel in other cases.

To check your claim carefully, enter only the number of your flight with Eurowings on our web page. If you qualify, Passengers friend will take care of everything else and contact Eurowings, to achieve a compensation for you. Passengers, who were affected by flight delays or a flight outage with airlines, such as Eurowings, were reporting positive experiences with our company Passengers friend, to get their compensation. In doing so, our customers also praise the uncomplicated process. Which saves them the paperwork with the airline directly. Here some extracts from our satisfied customers:

"Everything is OK. Passengers friend has quickly agreed with Eurowings and the money was recompensated."
- Katja L. from Lüneburg

"I can really recommend it! Four hours of flight delay during the winter holidays cost us quite a lot of time and nerves, but we were able to make up for the almost 400 euros in compensation."
- Holger T. from Schwerin

"I think this service is great. You pay fees, but it's totally worth it. Passengers friend takes care of everything."
- Andreas M. from Bayreuth

Background information for Eurowings

Within Germany, 16 different airports are served by Eurowings. Including Cologne-Bonn(CGN), Stuttgart (STR) Hamburg (HAM), Dusseldorf (DUS), Hanover(HAJ), Berlin-Tegel (TXL), Dortmund (DTM), Nuremberg (NUE), Munich(MUC), Bremen (BRE), Dresden (DRS), Karlsruhe / Baden-Baden (FKB),Leipzig / Halle (LEJ), Berlin-Schoenefeld (SXF), Rostock (Baltic Sea)(RLG) and Usedom (Heringsdorf) (HDF). Eurowings is a company based in Germany, with its headquarters and home base in Düsseldorf. Eurowings is a subsidiary of the Lufthansa company, wholly owned by Lufthansa Eurowings since August 2011. Eurowings also flies to national and intercontinental destinations. Airports of Hamburg and Düsseldorf serve mainly as airports for Germany and other parts of Europe. From the Cologne or Bonn airport, the airline mainly serves long-haul destinations in Africa, Asia and North America. Eurowings flights have been bundled with Germanwings since the October of 2015. These flights are currently also carried out under the name of Eurowings.

CLAIM UP TO 600 € COMPENSATION PER PERSON!

HOW DOES IT WORK?

1 Data entry

Find out how high your claim for compensation is.

2 The data check

We check your claim within a few minutes and take care of the rest.

3 Claims paid out

You receive your compensation. If your claim is justified, we will transfer your money. Then the matter is done for you.

If you want a link to your law form here instead of this form, contact me.