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Gossip: ‘Suits’ Is Officially Moving On Without Meghan Markle; Even Kate Middleton And Prince William Have IKEA Furniture

Naughty Gossip
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Gossip: ‘Suits’ Is Officially Moving On Without Meghan Markle; Even Kate Middleton And Prince William Have IKEA Furniture

“Suits” will go on, despite the fact that Markle and her costar Patrick J. Adams are leaving. Today the USA Network announced that the show will indeed be back on the air for its eighth season.

“After seven seasons, Suits remains one of USA Network’s most beloved and popular series,” Chris McCumber, president, entertainment networks, NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, said in a statement. “While we’re excited for season eight, everyone at USA will deeply miss Patrick and Meghan, and are grateful for the talent and commitment they brought to Suits season after season. We wish each of them nothing but the very best.”

“Not only have they been outstanding in their roles as Mike and Rachel, they are also superb human beings who will always be beloved members of the Suits family, and we wish them well in their days to come,” Aaron Kursh, the show’s creator and executive producer, also said in a statement.

“It just so happens that the timing of how I was feeling and what was going on in Meghan’s life created an opportunity where there was no need to force some conflict or tear Mike and Rachel apart,” Adams said. “It allowed us to go onto whatever happens next for Mike and Rachel together.”

Even Kate Middleton And Prince William Have Ikea Furniture

Prince William and Kate Middleton got Prince George and Princess Charlotte furnishings in Kensington Palace from: IKEA. Yes, royals and recent grads have at least one store in common.

On the Swedish leg of their current royal tour, the couple, currently expecting their third child, stopped by ArkDes, the national museum of architecture and design in Stockholm. There they toured “an exhibition of a competition for young Swedish designers which Ikea has been involved with since it began 20 years ago,” per UK outlet the Mirror. Before the royal visit, Marcus Engman, IKEA’s head of design, mused, “It would be nice to know if they have any IKEA furniture. I know that the royals in Sweden have. Why would it not be possible for them? There is a great variety. Our beds are really good, and affordable. You get a lot for your money there.”

The Mirror’s “royal source” said that Engman’s recollection was “very plausible” (whatever that means) but couldn’t confirm which, if any, Ikea pieces Charlotte and George have. Maybe they just didn’t want to start a run on Mammuts or Stuvas or whatever; items Kate picks tend to sell out, after all.

Love the fresh dirt we bring over daily from Naughty Gossip? Let us know in the comments!

California May Just Create Its Own Cannabis Banking System

Mary Schumacher
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California May Just Create Its Own Cannabis Banking System

Banking is a serious issue in the cannabis world, especially since Attorney General Jeff Sessions put out the word that he’s ready to crackdown on states that have legalized marijuana. Banks, which operate at a federal level, have become very shy toward the cannabis industry in the last month for good reason.

Well, one Democratic candidate for governor John Chiang announced yesterday that he and his office will be looking into creating a state bank for California that will handle the Golden State’s newly legalized cannabis landscape.

 

The office hopes to coordinate with the office of the state Attorney General to determine any hindrances, such as legality and cost in forming a new kind of state run bank.

The biggest roadblock of all could be Jeff Sessions, who may still come down hard on financial institutions that support the cannabis industry. Time will tell, but so far Sessions’ efforts have fallen on deaf or, more likely, incredulous ears.

States that have legalized marijuana in one form or another don’t want to bust new businesses that bring in revenue for social programs and create jobs. It’s not in their best interest.

The idea of creating a statewide bank to serve the cannabis community is a good one and one that will hopefully spread to other states that have gone the legal cannabis route. All cash business are risky for everyone.

Big Pharma Green Lights Cannabis-Based Drug For Epilepsy

Mike Adams
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Big Pharma Green Lights Cannabis-Based Drug For Epilepsy

Although the federal government refuses to admit that marijuana has any medicinal benefit, the US Food and Drug Administration is about to put its final seal of approval on a cannabis-based medicine that will be made available to epilepsy patients at pharmacies all over the United States.

It was recently announced that GW Pharmaceuticals, the company responsible for the development of a drug called Epidiolex, has had much success during the clinical trial phase of the FDA’s approval process. The medicine has been shown effective in reducing seizure frequency in test subjects suffering with a severe form of epilepsy called Lennox-Gasaut Syndrome.

Many of the respondents in the clinical trial had experienced lackluster results with other epilepsy medications, but 44 percent of the patients who used Epidiolex experienced fewer seizures, according to a report from the Washington Post.

“It’s very exciting that it shows efficacy,” said Elizabeth Thiele, director of pediatric epilepsy at Massachusetts General Hospital and lead study author. “And of course there’s been a huge amount of interest because it’s cannabidiol.”

Cannabidiol (CBD) is the non-intoxicating compound found in the cannabis plant. Several years ago, this component gained a lot of attention. A number of studies and personal trials show CBD to be a solid treatment for controlling seizures. Some lawmakers eventually began pushing for what is called “CBD-only” or “Low-THC” laws in order to give children from their respective states access this medicine. Several states have legalized marijuana in this manner. Meanwhile, GW Pharmaceuticals has been working with the United States government to bring their version of legal cannabidiol to market. The company has been involved with this process since 2013.

Interestingly, there is not much difference between how GW Pharmaceuticals plans to manufacture and distribute their epilepsy drug and how some companies in legal marijuana states are producing CBD concoctions for patients living with various forms of epilepsy. Perhaps the most common brand of CBD oil available in legal jurisdictions is Charlotte’s Web.

The only real difference is, as long as Epidiolex receives FDA approval, the drug will be distributed in all of the major pharmacies in the country. And regardless of prohibition laws, patients will have the ability to be prescribed this drug. These folks would simply drive to the local CVS or Walgreens and have their prescription filled.

“As a pharmaceutical product, it is the subject of rigorous and intense manufacturing controls. Patients have the reassurance that the product is what we say it is and what they think it is,” Justin Gover, GW’s chief executive officer, told the Post.

Unlike the CBD oil sold in legal marijuana states, most health insurance networks would cover Epidiolex. This is a good thing since the drug is expected to cost patients up to $60,000 per year.

Legal Marijuana Is Convincing Millennials To Buy Stocks Again

Brendan Bures
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Legal Marijuana Is Convincing Millennials To Buy Stocks Again

Historically, millennials have been wary to enter the stock market. Most millennials in their 20s and 30s now have experienced two major financial crashes—when the tech bubble popped in the early 2000s and the stock market crash of 2008. According to a 2017 survey from Bankrate, millennials would rather invest in real estate or cash over the stock market, which barely beat out gold as an investment.

But that is starting to change. Last week TD Ameritrade CEO Tim Hockey told Business Insider that new investors under 35 rose 72 percent year-over-year. What changed that has millennials suddenly interested? Blockchain cryptocurrencies and cannabis.

“Our new accounts opened by millennials are up 72 percent year-over-year,” Hockey told Business Insider. “Clearly, the two biggest stories of the quarter were the sectors of cryptocurrency and cannabis. Those are two sectors that didn’t even exist a few years ago. That has driven the skewing of our new accounts opened to the younger trader and younger investor.”

Nine states have legalized recreational marijuana while Americans have access to medical marijuana in 29 states. In addition, the New Jersey Legislature announced intentions to legalize recreational marijuana this month and new Governor Phil Murphy is fully behind the initiative.

With the rising legal consumer base, marijuana revenue has blossomed. Within the next three years legal cannabis sales will practically triple. The current $7.4 billion will practically triple to an expected $21 billion in 2020.

If you’re interested in partaking in the Green Rush, The Fresh Toast has you covered. Here is a Beginner’s Guide to cannabis investment and here are 4 tips you should know prior to investing in cannabis stocks.

How Medical Cannabis May Treat Aggressive Brain Cancer

Al Olson
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How Medical Cannabis May Treat Aggressive Brain Cancer

In what is being heralded as a breakthrough for cancer research, GW Pharmaceuticals announced on Tuesday positive results from a study using a combination of cannabidiol and tetrahydrocannabinol to treat an aggressive form of brain cancer.

Glioblastoma multiforme, or GBM is a “particularly aggressive brain tumor, with a poor prognosis,” according to the British-based biopharmaceutical company focused on developing proprietary cannabinoid medicine.

According to the study, patients with documented recurrent GBM treated with THC:CBD had an 83 percent one year survival rate compared with 53 percent for patients taking a placebo.

Said Professor Susan Short, principal investigator of the study:

“The findings from this well-designed controlled study suggest that the addition of a combination of THC and CBD to patients on dose-intensive temozolomide produced relevant improvements in survival compared with placebo and this is a good signal of potential efficacy. Moreover, the cannabinoid medicine was generally well tolerated. These promising results are of particular interest as the pharmacology of the THC:CBD product appears to be distinct from existing oncology medications and may offer a unique and possibly synergistic option for future glioma treatment.”

The company has received Orphan Drug Designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for THC:CBD in the treatment of glioma.

GW Pharmaceutical’s glioma research demonstrates that THC and CBD appear to act via distinct signalling pathways. The combined administration of the two major cannabinoids led to a synergistic reduction in the viability of U87MG glioma cells when compared to the administration of each cannabinoid individually.

Gliomas are tumors that arise from glial cells mainly in the brain but can also be found within the spinal cord. GBM is the most common glioma and is one of the most common primary brain tumors, accounting for 15.6 percent of all primary brain tumors. They are also the most aggressive with only 28.4 percent of patients surviving one year and only 3.4 percent surviving to year five

Studies of patients with high-grade gliomas showed that headache was the most common initial presenting symptom. These headaches can be persistent lasting more than six months and are often associated with other symptoms, including seizures, visual disturbances, cognitive impairment and nausea and vomiting depending on the location and growth rate of the tumor.

Parents Can Now Choose The Sex Of Their Baby

Maria Loreto
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Parents Can Now Choose The Sex Of Their Baby

A recently proposed law gives parents the ability to choose the sex of their child when conceiving through in vitro fertilization, a process that’s become more popular over the years.

This choice isn’t given to parents because they’d rather have a boy instead of a girl; it’s a little more complicated than that. The proposed law could only be used in situations where the child is at risk of inheriting genetic diseases.

If this law were to pass, it would grant more input and power to the government, especially when it comes to surrogacy. In these cases, before an agreement is made, there would have to be a pre-authorization process.

Via Independent.ie:

“This pre-authorization process will help to safeguard the welfare of the parties involved in the surrogacy agreement, in particular any child who may potentially be born as a result of that agreement, as well as the surrogate involved.”

https://giphy.com/gifs/christine-taylor-jan-brady-38fblIIrHLMPe

The law is only in its first stages and will most likely undergo several revisions.  

There’s always been some controversy regarding IVF babies, ever since the procedure began in the late ’70s. Currently, some doctors believe that manipulating the sex of the embryo could result in damages to the baby, and that these procedures could also result in a gender bias.

While these critiques are valid, and there are many questions surrounding this procedure and the subsequent government input, it’s a solution for couples that are turning to IVF because they’ve had problems conceiving. If choosing the sex of the baby helps save more lives while also eliminating dangerous diseases, then maybe it’s the right choice and could lead to healthy generations of children. The future looks pretty scary, so we might as well roll with the punches here. 

This Guy Broke His Hip Picking A Watermelon At Walmart

Maria Loreto
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This Guy Broke His Hip Picking A Watermelon At Walmart

A jury in Alabama decided to award $7.5 million to an Army veteran who broke his hip while shopping for watermelons at Walmart.

According to The Huffington Post, the event happened in 2015 when Sergeant Henry Walker was shopping at a Walmart in Phoenix City, Alabama. While he reached for a watermelon, his foot got stuck on a wooden pallet under the display, making him trip, fall and shatter his hip.

Walker sued Walmart for negligence, claiming that the store was not safe and that this event had changed the course of his life. His attorney, Shaun O’Hara, expressed that Walker used to play Basketball three times a week, but now he needed a walker to move around, no pun intended.

Jurors were shown footage of several incidents where people in the store caught their feet on the wooden pallet – none broke their hip – and decided to award Walker $2.5 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages, amounting to a heaping $7.5 million. Walmart plans to appeal the decision claiming that the measures were “excessive in light of the facts.”

That wooden pallet has to be pretty impressive to be worth $7.5 million.

Major Tokyo Snowfall Inspires Pokemon, Totoro, And Poop Emoji Creations

Brendan Bures
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Major Tokyo Snowfall Inspires Pokemon, Totoro, And Poop Emoji Creations

It doesn’t snow often in Tokyo. The last major snowfall to accumulate within the city was more than four years ago. But a couple of weeks ago an unexpected and rare snow struck the city, casting its streets and gardens in a sheet of white. The storm caused major travel problems, forcing the “workaholic Japanese” to miss flights and head home from their offices.

The restless stagnation caused inspiration from Tokyo locals, who did what one must with precious resources like fresh snow and free time—they built a snowman. Well, not exactly snowmen to be honest. More like snow creatures.

See, a simple snowman wouldn’t cut it. Instead, Japanese re-created iconic creatures like Jabba the Hut, Snoopy, Minions, Pokemon, Super Mario, and…a urinal? There’s also a whole bunch of familiar faces for My Neighbor Totoro and Studio Ghibli fans.

Marvel at the 20 coolest creations below:

Godzilla

Super Mario

Yoshi

https://twitter.com/tanukeidr/status/955675529822158849

Kirby

Totoro

https://www.instagram.com/p/BeSqaHwnyhI/?tagged=雪だるま

https://www.instagram.com/p/BeRcHt0n4lC/?tagged=雪像

Catbus

No-Face (Spirited Away)

Snoopie

https://www.instagram.com/p/BeR5JaGB2Ou/?tagged=雪像

Squeeze Toy Aliens (Toy Story)

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bd6p-_HnsZc/?tagged=雪像

Astroboy

https://www.instagram.com/p/BeRpq1GhyZd/?tagged=雪像

Poop Emoji

https://www.instagram.com/p/BeSAuUNFa_4/?tagged=雪像

A Urinal

https://twitter.com/gnnx_/status/955459450902474752

Pikachu

Ariel (The Little Mermaid)

https://www.instagram.com/p/BeRp1vphuOd/?tagged=雪像

Olaf (Frozen)

Lighting McQueen (Cars)

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bd9i4dthvBY/?taken-by=kiyoyuki2445

BB-8

R2-D2

https://www.instagram.com/p/BeRtrclnN1W/?tagged=雪像

Thomas the Tank Engine

Minions

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bdz3yQXBehw/?taken-by=kiyoyuki2445

A Primer On The Science Of Cannabis Terpenes And Cannabinoids

Becky Garrison
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A Primer On The Science Of Cannabis Terpenes And Cannabinoids

Among the Cannabis Woman’s Alliance’s recent educational offerings included a panel of leading voices in the cannabis industry to discuss the science of terpenes. While this session was geared toward educating budtenders, the insights presented by these panelists can benefit any consumer looking to enhance their experience with cannabis.

According to panelist A.C. Braddock, CEO of Eden Labs, “Until a couple years ago and against our urging to focus on whole plant, the extraction community mimicked alcohol prohibition by being focused on making the strongest product possible. This quest for high levels of THC destroyed terpene content by over refining for THC and ignored the Entourage Effect and the largest sector of market growth; pure, whole plant, dosable products for people over 50 and women. THC alone or in high concentration is boring and drastically limits the efficacy and marketability of products for health and enjoyment by all.”

What Are Terpenes?

Trail Blazin‘, a pesticide-free cannabis farm dedicated to educating consumers about their products, provides educational materials explaining the basics of terpenes. Their educational pamphlet defines terpenes as “organic hydrocarbons found in nature, including the aromatic oils in cannabis that greatly influence the ‘high’ you experience.”

For centuries terpenes have been used for medicinal purposes, as well as perfumes, beauty products and flavoring. To date, over 30,000 terpenoids have been detected in plants, flowers, herbs, and fruits.

According to Cara Wietstock Editor-in-Chief of Terpenes & Testing Magazine, “Terpenes make the difference in feelings. But as we don’t have to test for them, people don’t ask about terpenes.” In her estimation, “starting the conversation about this experience can help change what the consumer is looking to achieve when they consume cannabis.”

Terpenes Present In Cannabis

So far, over 200 terpenes have been detected in cannabis. These terpenes form the taste and odor of a particular cannabis strain. Following is a list culled from Trail Blazin’s educational literature that lists some of the more popular terpenes present in cannabis.

Photo courtesy of Becky Garrison

• A-pinene. This is a bronchodilator with anti-bacterial properties. Also found in rosemary, citrus fruit rinds, and pine trees.

• Bisabolol. This an anti-irritant and an aid to help fight against leukemia. Also found in chamomile.

• Caryophyllene. This has anti-fungal properties, as well as helping to reduce anxiety. Also found in ginseng, hops, and cloves.

• Humulene. This possess anti-inflammatory properties and also works as an appetite suppressant. Also found in hops, sage, and basil.

• Linalool. This terpene can help fight acne and anxiety. Also found in bay leaf, cinna-mon, and lavender.

• Limonene. This terpene helps to boost energy while helping with anxiety. Also found in citrus fruit rinds.

• Myrcene. This has sedative effects and helps with pain relief. Also found in hops, lemongrass, and mango.

• Nerolidol. This is a natural insect repellent and a sedative. Also found in jasmine, lavender, and tea tree.

• Ocimene. This has anti-viral properties and can work as a decongestant. Also found in mint, kumquats, and orchids.

• Terpinolene. This has antioxidant properties and can inhibit the growth of cancer cells. Also found in apples, ginger, and cumin.

Exploring The Entourage Effect

Amanda Mac of Trail Blaizin’ expands on how terpenes don’t act alone. “We need terpenes and other cannabinoids to mitigate the psychoactivity of THC.” Cannabinoids and terpenes work together in concert to create what’s called “the entourage effect.” As their educational literature explains, “THC in itself has ‘tricky’ psychoactive properties. It is the combination of cannabinoids and terpenes working in concert that make consuming cannabis an enjoyable experience and not one filled with anxiety and unwanted paranoia.”

Rather than think about cannabis in terms of selecting a product designated as indica, sativa or hybrid, ask about the feelings one wants to experience. Along those lines, what kind of flavors does one enjoy experiencing? The answers to these questions can be found in seeking out those cannabis strains with the specific terpene profiles that can produce the desired flavors and sensations.

Dr. Alison Draisin, founder and CEO of Ettalew’s Edibles suggests thinking of terpenes as a recipe. “It’s all about the ingredients and how they all work together that creates a specific effect.” For those looking to research this topic more, Draisin recommends Dr. Ethan Russo’s seminal paper “Taming THC ” (2011) in the British Journal of Pharmacology for those looking to delve into this topic in greater depth.

How The Cannabis Industry Searches For And Hires Employees

Kent Gruetzmacher
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How The Cannabis Industry Searches For And Hires Employees

As the cannabis industry continues to gain acceptance around the country—as seen with the regular passage of new recreational and medical legislation—the marijuana business is growing at an exponential rate. With this growth comes the establishment and evolution of an entirely new marketplace. While this momentum is exciting for marijuana advocates and business people alike, it brings with it its own set of trials and tribulations.

A primary challenge resounding throughout the industry has to do with employment, as new cannabis businesses need to source qualified employees from a talent pool that lacks in experience directly applicable to marijuana.

The beginning of 2018 has already presented a set of new trials for cannabis business owners—as seen with uncertainties in federal regulation as well as examples of serious crackdowns on non-compliant cannabis businesses in places like Denver, CO. With these notions in mind, cannabis business owners are realizing the need for professional, detail-oriented employees. As such, the right employee team could very well be the difference between success and failure in these uncertain times.

Hiring parties in the cannabis space are realizing the need to hire from outside their personal networks—as well as the industry—but are having a difficult time discerning the guidelines for applicable experience. In a similar note, hopeful cannabis industry candidates are having a hard time explaining their professional history in a way that seems relevant to employers. The complexity and confusion surrounding both issues are only heightened by the impersonal nature of internet job searching and hiring.

There is a resounding gap in communication between hiring parties in the cannabis marketplace and those talented professionals looking to break into the industry. To help rectify these lapses in communication, CannaCon (one of the most established cannabis industry networking events) is putting on their first ever career fair in Seattle, WA on February 17, 2018. The career fair will give cannabis businesses and candidates the rare opportunity to meet face-to-face concerning employment in this exciting new industry.

To make the career fair as educational as possible, CannaCon has brought cannabis industry recruiters Mac & Fulton Talent Partners on board to host the event. The recruiting team at M&F Talent have put together several programs designed to facilitate efficient communication between hiring parties and candidates. M&F Talent will also be giving presentations and providing information on cannabis industry resume writing, career search guidelines, and applicable career experience.

For more information on the CannaCon Career Fair in Seattle, WA on February 17, 2018 please look here. If interested in learning more about Mac & Fulton Talent Partners and the programs they are devising for the career fair, please visit www.mandfconsultants.com.

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