Let’s go, Detroit! The NFL season returned last night with a showdown between the Detroit Lions and Kansas City Chiefs. The Motor City Madmen took down the Kelce-less reigning Super Bowl champs in a 21-20 thriller. Hours ahead of the NFL season kickoff, Roca held its fantasy draft. Please extend your best wishes to our team members who are still looking for the “State Farm guy with a goatee” on the draft board. It could be a long season…

In today's edition:

• France says no to “meat” words

• Gatorade introduces… water

• Fall- and football-themed 20 Questions!

 🔑 Key Stories

France Bans “Meat” Words

France proposed banning plant-based products from using “meat” words on their packaging

• Last June, France proposed banning “terminology specific to…meats” on plant-based labels. A court blocked that for being too vague. This week, France’s government unveiled an updated proposal

• That would ban companies from using 21 words, including “steak,” “ham,” and “filet,” to describe plant-based products. It also proposed banning 120 other terms, including “bacon,” for products that exceed certain plant protein thresholds. The EU must approve the proposal for it to become law

Dig Deeper

• The proposal only applies to plant-based food produced and sold in France, meaning that plant-based imports would still be allowed to use “meat” terms on their packaging

• If it passes, France would become the only EU country and one of only several countries globally – including the US – to restrict what words plant-based products can use on packages

Rotten Tomatoes – Is Rotten?

Rotten Tomatoes (RT) delisted a movie amid allegations that a public relations (PR) company had paid critics to boost the movie’s ratings

• RT is one of the world’s most-visited film review sites. Its “Tomatometer” aggregates reviews from critics, and movie producers often handpick critics to review movies ahead of their release to boost that score

• On Wednesday, Vulture reported that a PR company paid critics $50 each to give a 2018 movie, Ophelia, good ratings. The PR company denied that, but RT – which prohibits paid reviews – has removed Ophelia and other movies linked to the company

Dig Deeper

• Ophelia was a feminist take on the Shakespearean play Hamlet

• RT said in a statement that it does “not tolerate any attempts to manipulate” its online scores

California to Decriminalize Psychedelics?

The lower house of California’s (CA) legislature passed a bill to decriminalize psychedelics

• Two states – Oregon and Colorado – have decriminalized psychedelics. Several CA municipalities have too, but not the state itself

• In May, CA’s Senate passed a bill to decriminalize psychedelics; on Wednesday, CA’s lower house did too. That bill would decriminalize the use and possession of some psychedelics for those aged 21+, but it would remain a crime to sell or share them. The bill wouldn’t decriminalize their therapeutic use

• It now heads back to the Senate and then the governor’s office

Dig Deeper

• Proponents argue that the law will reduce incarceration and increase access to drugs that may help treat a range of illnesses

• Opponents argue that the bill will increase drug abuse and that psychedelics have dangerous or poorly-understood effects

Turkey Cave Rescue

Emergency teams are trying to rescue a 40-year-old American who fell ill ~3,500 feet underground

• The man, Mark Dickey, is a veteran spelunker – cave explorer – with 20+ years of experience. Last Saturday, while co-leading an expedition in Turkey’s third-deepest cave to map a new passage, he began vomiting and found blood in his stool

• Rescuers, including Turkey’s military, are trying to get him out. He has since received medical attention and can walk, but can’t get out on his own. Rescuers said the rescue operation is one of the most complex ever and could take between 1-7 days

Dig Deeper

• “The operation is logistically and technically one of the largest cave rescues in the world,” one rescue group said

• While Dickey remains underground, a doctor reached him and Dickey’s parents said he is currently recovering

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🍿 Popcorn

ICYMI

• That Prison Show: Actor Danny Masterson – famous for his role as Steven Hyde in “That ‘70s Show” – was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison for raping two women 20+ years ago

• Mile-high cream pie: Two environmental activists pied Ryanair’s CEO in the face while he was preparing to speak outside the EU headquarters

• Naturally we call our stuff…water: Gatorade is releasing “Gatorade Water,” an electrolyte-infused, unflavored water with alkaline and enhanced pH levels

Wildcard

• Get that flag outta here: French President Emmanuel Macron said Russian flags will be prohibited at the Paris 2024 Olympics, citing Russia’s involvement in “war crimes” and “deporting children”

• False (zen) alarm: UK police responded to an emergency call about a potential “mass killing” at a seaside café but found a yoga class instead

• Running from the grind: ~45% of LGBT dating app Grindr’s employees have quit after the company introduced a mandatory two-day-per-week office requirement

👇🏻 What do you think?

Today's Question:

Just 20 Questions!

See yesterday's results below the Wrap! 

🗣 20 Questions

Every Friday, we ask the Roca readers 20 questions. Given the shifting seasons and Sunday activities, this week’s theme should come as no surprise. It’s time for Roca 20 Questions…. FALL AND FOOTBALL EDITION!

This week we are delighted to bring you 20 questions. It’s “This or That” edition, where you have to choose between two options. All are related to fall or football. Let the best season roll!

We’re happy to have you reading Roca and hope you have a great weekend. Here's the link. See you on Monday – and go Bills!

If you have thoughts, let us know at [email protected]!

 🌊 Roca Clubhouse

Yesterday's Poll:

Do you support your government banning TikTok?

Yes: 77%
No: 23%

Last Week's 20 Qs Responses:

Last week, we went retro and made 20 Questions open-ended. We included some of the responses for each prompt below.

In honor of Labor Day Weekend, we asked you all some labor-themed questions! Yes, an exciting subject!

1. Dream job as a child?

   “Actress. Come to find out; talent is required”
   “Chief Justice of the Supreme Court or Gymnast”
   “Radio dj”
   

2. Dream job today?
   “Detective”
   “Stay at home dog mom”
   “Baker”
   

3. Should servers make higher hourly wages, or is the tip system better?
   “Yes, should make a sustainable living hourly wage, let's get rid of tipping!”
   “Tip, but this should be the only tipping profession.”
   “More blended than it is...because service matters”
   

4. How do you feel about the iPad tipping revolution?

   “Hate it”
   “It is the epitome of 21st century technological capitalism, and needs to go.”
   “Fine, it helps prevent snubbing”
   

5. Would you date a coworker?
   “I married one!”
   “Made that mistake once. Never again.”
   “Not with todays overly cautious HR stances. Too big of a risk.”
   

6. Best coworker team bonding activity?
   “Sports event, dinner out in the city, hiking”
   “Attend a Red Sox game”
   “Naked Sauna”
   

7. Ideal unusual work benefit? I.e., not paid vacation but "free yoga classes," e.g..
   “free gym membership”
   “Free beer”
   “Free Costco membership 🙌”
   

8. Most worthwhile college major?
   “Anything in the humanities/helping professions”

   “Finance - Makes great salary and applicable to everyday life”

   “Engineering (specifically Mechanical Engineering)”

9. Least worthwhile college major?
   “Gender studies”
   “If it makes you happy, it's worth it”
   “Anything art related”
   

10. Advice to a high-schooler considering going to college or starting a first job?
    “Just have fun. Nothing is worth stressing over- there’s always a big picture to see”
    “Don’t listen to anyone’s advice. Even your parents’. Do what you love”
    “Work at least part-time while attending college. Real life experience helps with any future job.”
    

11. Favorite fictional office workplace? Dunder Mifflin, Willy Wonka's chocolate factory, etc.

    “Ministry of Magic (Harry Potter)”
    “Cheers bar”
    “Fairy Godmother's Potion factory in Shrek 2”
    

12. Least favorite office cliché?
    “Work smarter not harder”
    “Having a Case of the Mondays”
    “Don't bit the hand that feeds you”
    

13. Under-appreciated job?

    “Janitor”
    “Housekeeping“
    “IT”
    “ALL people working their @$$es off and not earning what they are worth!”
    

14. Skinny ties or fat ties?
    “Medium?”
    “Bolo”
    “Skinny tie revolution.”
    “Body-positive ties, lol”
    

15. Are yoga pants acceptable in any workplace?
    “Depends, but usually I’d say no. Most people I know that wear yoga pants to work usually wear a cool skirt anyway.”
    “At a yoga studio maybe”
    “Depends on what they look like. If you're at Lululemon, yeah. If you're working on an oil rig, no.”
    “Sure, if you’re not representing the company in front of customers. Otherwise, a comfortable worker is a happier worker.”
    

16. Your first job?
    “lifeguard”
    “Paper route”
    “Dairy Queen”
    “Retail”

17. Hardest worker you know?
    “My brother. He goes 100% in always!”
    “Warren Buffett”
    “My parents”
    

18. Profession that... let's be honest... gets too much love?

    “Professional athletes”
    “Any of the celebrity ones (actor, sports, politicians, etc.)”
    “Life coaches… That often a load of bullshit…”
    “Dentists”
    

19. Your favorite invention of all time?

    “Air Conditioning”
    “My head says penicillin but my heart says hamburger”
    “The Taco Bell Beefy 5 Layer Burrito”

    “The bike! It transformed how we perceive distances in a very profound and much underappreciated way! Suddenly the next town over was not a days trip away anymore, but you could go there and back a lot faster and in a very democratic and affordable way. I think it shrunk the world drastically.”
    

20. Will we get to a 4-day work week? Would you want it?

    “Yes yes yes”

    “no and no”

    “Maybe in the far future. I DEFINITELY want that”

🧠 Final Thoughts

One final note: If we have any readers in Germany, Roca co-founder Frost is headed there next week. He’d love nothing more than to meet some German riders while he’s there!

Anyway, we hope you all have great weekends. Go Steelers, go Bills, do 20 Qs, see you Monday!

—Max and Max