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How Upside-Down Christmas Trees Became This Year’s Holiday Trend

Brendan Bures
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How Upside-Down Christmas Trees Became This Year’s Holiday Trend

The hottest trend this holiday season isn’t a new toy or something related to fashion. Instead, what’s all the rage this year can be interpreted as either a remix of the original or a returning to roots, depending on your historical view. Yes, we’re discussing the upside-down Christmas trees. You might have seen them in department stores or hotel lobbies or even your daughter’s house.

The benefits of the upside-down tree, especially for stores keen on selling their products, is that more ornaments and decorations rest at eye level. No straining your neck to peer child’s crude yet cute ornament they made in 5th grade or your favorite pop culture memorabilia. It also doesn’t crowd perhaps limited floor space and allows you to move more freely around a room. Worth mentioning as well—it’s very 2017, the weirdest, wackiest year to be alive in some time.

But according to The Spruce, the upside-down also has historical context.

Via The Spruce:

Hanging fir trees upside down goes back to the Middle Ages, when Europeans did it to represent the Trinity. But now, Christmas trees are shaped with the tip pointing to heaven, and some think an upside-down Christmas tree is disrespectful or sacrilegious.

Inevitably, this new fad has been used as a liberal symbol of the ongoing “War on Christmas.” As an exasperated Corey Lewandowski touted on Fox & Friends last month, it’s like we’re living in the Bizarro World from Seinfeld.

https://twitter.com/MelsLien/status/934052913181286401

Honestly all that will happen is you’ll see these pop up on social feeds and maybe at an avant-garde Christmas party. Otherwise, Grandmas is trotting out the traditional standby same as every year. Some things never change.

2017 Gift Guide: Festive Flasks For Everyone On Your List

Margarett Waterbury
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2017 Gift Guide: Festive Flasks For Everyone On Your List

A person can never have too many flasks. Whether you’re headed out on a summer camping trip, facing a long flight with nothing but a grim hotel mini bar to greet you at the end, or helping your best friend celebrate their wedding, a full flask is a valued companion. Even when they’re just sitting empty on the sideboard, they promise good times ahead.

If you’re hunting for a good flask this holiday season—for yourself, or somebody else—you’re spoiled for choice. Here are five of our favorites, with the right model for everybody on your list.

image via Amazon

For The Outdoor Enthusiast

This Stanley insulated cocktail shaker and shot glasses set is just the thing for taking your favorite tipple on the road in a civilized fashion. The flask’s capacious 8-ounce size makes packing for even a multi-day excursion easy, and the glasses pack away snugly in the included canister.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BNqAf5LhKn9

For The Traveler

I am probably biased as an Oregonian, but I think this flask-disguised-as-an-umbrella is the best of the latest crop of novelty flask shapes. While it’s not a working umbrella, it makes up for it with its whopping 13 ounce capacity, more than half of a standard 750ml bottle.

For The Fancy Drinker

If your giftee loves a bit of sparkle (and come on, be honest, who doesn’t?) this glittering gold flask will make even the most mundane drinking experience feel like a party. Also comes in pink sparkle and “mirage,” a kind of oil slick-like iridescent rainbow finish.

https://giphy.com/gifs/prVpEovjp8dO

For The Design Devotee

MAKO’s circular five-ounce flask looks straight out of the pages of Dwell magazine, complete with trendy dip paint motif in two on-trend colors (aqua and melon). The round shape tucks comfortably into a pocket.

  • Related Story: These Boozy Advent Calendars Will Make Your Holiday Season

For The Purist

Everybody needs at least one leather-wrapped flask. They’re comfortable to hold, classy to look at, and just feel right, especially for whiskey. This one comes with a useful tiny funnel for minimizing spills during filling.

For The Fancy Dresser

What’s the point of having a flask if you don’t look fantastic when you use it? This super-stylish hand-hammered pewter flask is made in Sheffield, England, and holds an eminently reasonable six ounces of spirit. It, too, comes with a tiny funnel (also in pewter), as well as a recommendation to not store spirits inside for more than 24 hours due to the potential for discoloration. Drink up!

https://giphy.com/gifs/a24-the-spectacular-now-3o6Ztfs7DYz8NHLHMs

This article originally appeared on The Whiskey Wash.

7 Royal Traditions Meghan Markle Has Already Broken

Amy Hansen
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7 Royal Traditions Meghan Markle Has Already Broken

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry recently announced their engagement, but Ms. Markle has already bucked several royal protocols that many Brits welcome as a breath of fresh unfussy air. Here are seven traditions she’s not apologizing for breaking.

Carrying A Handbag

During Markle and Harry’s first official royal appearance on December 1, Markle was seen carrying a tote (a $667 handbag that sold out in 11 minutes) while shaking hands with the crowd. But royal code prefers a small clutch, which is more practical when it comes to “meet and greet” situations.

Kate Middleton is rarely seen without her clutch. Etiquette experts suspect it’s so she can avoid awkward handshakes, while easily tucking it under her arm if she prefers to engage.

Engagement To Prince Harry

Markle defied royal code just by being herself: an American, bi-racial, divorced, Catholic-educated commoner.

https://giphy.com/gifs/suitsusanetwork-usa-network-suits-rachel-zane-5xtDarvsa5BJzpZ4Dzq

Engagement Photo Shoot

Victoria Arbiter, a royal commentator for CNN, told INSIDER that Markle may have broken royal protocol by not wearing nude stockings during her engagement photo shoot on November 27. The horror!

You never see a royal without their nude stockings. Meghan, from what I can see from the engagement photographs, it doesn’t look like she was wearing tights or stockings. I would say that’s really the only hard, steadfast rule in terms of what the Queen requires.

Wedding Date

Markle will be saying “I do” to Prince Harry on Saturday, May 19. And while there’s no official rule, most other royal weddings have taken place during the week. Prince William and Kate Middleton: Friday, April 29, 2011. Princess Diana and Prince Charles: Wednesday, July 29, 1981. Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip: Thursday, November 20, 1947.

https://giphy.com/gifs/suitsusanetwork-usa-network-suits-rachel-ToMjGpRhM77Jp4P8CGc

Wedding Cake

Traditionally, a multi-tiered fruitcake is served at British royal weddings. But not Markle and Harry. The couple is bucking tradition with a banana cake. A source close to the couple tells The Telegraph: “This will be the first royal wedding cake made from bananas.”  Prince Harry is said to love “anything with banana.”

PDA

While not a rule breaker, showing public displays of affection is rarely seen in the royal family. When was the last time you saw William and Kate give each other a smooch, hold hands or locking arms? Harry and Meghan are often photographed attached to one another in some way.

https://giphy.com/gifs/engagement-prince-harry-meghan-markle-3osBLuLrownMKD6eZ2

Christmas

Harry’s grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, is breaking tradition this year by allowing Markle to join the royal family for Christmas. It’s untraditional in the sense that Markle hasn’t officially married into the royal family.

Markle will attend Christmas morning service with Harry and his family at St. Mary Magadalene Church. For comparison, Kate Middleton was not invited to spend Christmas with Prince William’s family following the couple’s 2010 engagement.

Does Marijuana’s CBD Show Up In Drug Tests?

Maria Loreto
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Does Marijuana’s CBD Show Up In Drug Tests?

There’s a lost of mystery surrounding marijuana’s CBD and it’s legal status, considering how it’s set apart from marijuana (in terms of legality) but still comes from the same plant…as well as hemp. Many wonder if CBD will show up on their drug tests and if these tests are actively looking for the cannabinoid.

These drug tests are common practice before getting a new job, meeting parole requirements. and in some sports organizations. The tests can prove the presence of different things, such as cocaine, meth, marijuana, heroin.

The routine drug test for detecting marijuana use consists of a immunoassay, a biological test that detects the presence of THC in your urine. This test is what you’ll most likely encounter when applying for a job. The good new is it’s very unlikely that the test will spot the presence of CBD or any other cannabinoid that isn’t psychoactive.

The only instance where the test would pick up the presence of CBD in your urine would be if you consume more than 1000 mg of it a day, which would expose you to a small percentage of THC in the meantime.

Just in case you want to be on the cautious side of things, if you have some sort of drug test coming up, be sure to consume CBD products that are THC free. Even though there’s a very little chance for CBD to show up on a traditional urine test, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

The Fresh Toast Marijuana Legislative Roundup: Dec. 11

Alec Engber
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The Fresh Toast Marijuana Legislative Roundup: Dec. 11

Last week in marijuana legislative news, Congress passed a budget extension that will keep states’ medical marijuana laws in place temporarily. Californians are counting down the days for adult recreational marijuana. And in Michigan, emergency rules were established while a permanent regulatory framework is approved. Read all about these developments and more in The Fresh Toast’s Marijuana Legislative Roundup for Dec. 11.

National: 

On Thursday, Congress passed a budget extension that will keep federal protections on medical marijuana in place until December 22. The legislation, known as a continuing resolution, keeps the previous budget in place until a new budget can be agreed on. That includes a provision known as the Rohrabacher-Blumenauer (or Rohrabacher-Farr) Amendment, which prohibits the use of federal funds to prevent states from “implementing their own state laws that authorize the use, distribution, possession, or cultivation of medical marijuana.”

The Rohrabacher-Farr amendment has been included in every federal spending package since 2014, and this is the fourth time the measure has been extended this year. Attorney General Jeff Sessions wrote a letter to Congress earlier this year urging lawmakers not to extend the amendment.  

California: 

On Friday, California began accepting applications from businesses seeking to operate in the state’s recreational cannabis market starting next year. Businesses are required to have local permits to operate before they can seek licensing from the state, and are required to provide various forms of supporting documentation. With time running short before the scheduled January 1 start of recreational sales, few cities and municipalities have finalized their own regulations and even fewer have begun granting permits to local businesses. It is therefore unclear how many businesses will be able to begin selling recreational cannabis on January 1.  

On Wednesday, the Los Angeles City Council approved a regulatory framework for recreational marijuana retailers to operate in the city. Under the new rules, businesses will largely be banned from residential neighborhoods, and buffer zones will be established around schools and parks where retailers cannot operate. The mayor is expected to sign the regulations, which will take effect immediately. 

Michigan:  

On Monday, Governor Rick Snyder issued a set of emergency regulations for the state’s new medical marijuana system. The rules impose hefty capital requirements and licensing fees for dispensaries, along with a number of security-related measures and fines for noncompliance. Under the new rules, businesses will be able to grow, process, and sell cannabis products at the same location with the permission of municipal governing bodies, as long as there are separate facilities for each.

The new licensing system was mandated by a 2016 law that sought to clarify perceived ambiguities in the medical marijuana initiative passed by voters in 2008, as well as impose a 3 percent tax on dispensaries. With two weeks to go before a deadline to begin accepting applications under the new law, the Governor’s office issued the temporary rules while a permanent regulatory framework is finalized.  

A Crowd Pleasing Christmas Macaroon Recipe!

Sherri Wetherell
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A Crowd Pleasing Christmas Macaroon Recipe!

These delicate green holiday trees are filled with a vibrant red vanilla frosting making them almost too pretty to eat! Put them into pretty jars with a festive ribbon tied around the rim of the lid or wrap them up in holiday cellophane baggies to give as gifts. Here is a crowd pleasing Christmas macaroon recipe to add to your traditions!

And, oh joy!, they’re gluten free too! Let’s get baking, friends!

Christmas Macaroons

Macaroon Shell

  • 1 cup Bob’s Red Mill almond flour
  • 1 + ½ cup powdered sugar
  • 3 egg whites room temperature
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • ¼ tsp cream of tartar
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • 4 drops leaf green gel paste color

Frosting

  • 1/2 cup butter room temperature
  • 1 + 3/4 cups powdered sugar
  • 3 T milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 6 – 8 drops super red gel paste color

Preparation

Print out two copies of the Christmas tree template here. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Line the two templates up underneath of the parchment paper. Sift together the almond flour and powdered sugar. If you can’t find almond flour you can always make it with almonds and a food processor. Finely grind the almonds and sift through a fine mesh sifter. Discard or snack on any large pieces.

In a large mixing bowl, add in egg whites. Turn on high and beat until the egg whites form a soft peak meringue. Add in the granulated sugar, salt, vanilla extract, and cream of tartar. Mix on high until a stiff peak meringue forms. I slowly but constantly add in the granulated sugar into the meringue instead of tossing it all in at once. Add in the leaf green gel paste color and give it a quick mix to incorporate. Very lightly and carefully fold in a third of the almond flour/powdered sugar into the meringue with a spatula. Repeat with the rest of the almond flour/powdered sugar mixture. All together you’ll want to have about 59 turns of this mixture. If you don’t mix enough the macaron shell will be extremely fluffy and cracked. If you over mix, the macaron shell will be extremely flat and might not form a foot.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Fill a piping bag with the macaron shell filling. I used a #12 wilton tip on the end of my piping bag. Pipe macaron shells on the baking sheet following the christmas tree template. Pipe the trunk first and then start from the bottom of the tree and go back and forth to the very top of it. Watch the video below to get a better idea. Sprinkle a few of the edible golden stars onto the freshly piped macarons. Let the macarons dry until they are no longer tacky to the touch. It will take 20 minutes to 1 hour. Place in the oven for about 10 minutes until they no longer stick to the parchment paper. Let the macaron shells cool. Match the macaron shells together according to size and shapes that best fit together.

In a large bowl, add in the butter, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla. Mix on medium until incorporated. Turn mixer on high and beat for another 1 – 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Add super red gel paste food color to the frosting. Add enough to give a bright red. Stir to incorporate. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl to get all of the food color. Place frosting in a piping bag with a small tip, such as a #7 Wilton tip. Pipe the outline of the macarons and fill in the center. Add the top shell. Store in an air tight container.

Sheri Wetherell is the co-founder and CEO of Foodista.com, community-based recipe, cooking, and food news website. Check them out on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram.

Top 8 Weird Tech Jobs Of The Not-Too-Distant Future

Maria Loreto
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Top 8 Weird Tech Jobs Of The Not-Too-Distant Future

While the development of AI will certainly take it’s fare share of jobs, humans will always look for ways to find meaning in their lives, be that by doing pointless work or by following their passions.

The development of technology means that change is coming for all of us, sometimes, in ways that aren’t pleasant or easy. Experts and futurists warn that technology demands the ability to adapt, much like getting to know a new software or switching from PC to Mac. It’s a pain, but it’s doable (unless you’re eighty). Cognizant has identified some jobs that humans will have in the future and we’ve selected 8 of our favorites. Check them out: 

Data Detective

https://giphy.com/gifs/season-1-episode-2-david-lynch-l1IY0geomfz09dEB2

Sadly, the job isn’t as cool as it sounds. You won’t get to wear a cool hat or carry a badge, you’ll just investigate organizational data across a company. Fall asleep yet?

AI Business Development Manager

This means selling AI products to customers, working with marketing, sales and partner teams to develop AI sales and business development activities.

Master of Edge Computing

While this job title makes it sound like you’re a badass, it’s mostly working on the backend of a company and evaluating its technical requirements. At least you get to introduce yourself as “(Enter your name), Master of Edge Computing.”

Fitness Commitment Counselor

https://giphy.com/gifs/just-do-it-b7f0X8Okk1uyk

You thought you could escape your crazy fitness friend in the future? Nope. Fitness counselors will work remotely, providing advice, coaching and counseling sessions for their clients. We hate them already.

Cyber City Analyst

We don’t even know where to start here, but this job description says something like ensuring the safety, security, and functionality of a city by guaranteeing a steady flow of data. Don’t ask.

Man-Machine Teaming Manager

This manager would be in charge of helping and combining the strengths of each to meet their business goals.

Digital Tailor

These people will go customer’s homes to perfect the fit of their e-shopping. Yay.

Personal Memory Curator

https://giphy.com/gifs/part-xiii-l00image-f6XglNjFcb9ug

This seems taken out of a “Black Mirror” episode – San Junipero to be precise – where a curator would create virtual environments for elderly customers to inhabit, helping them combat memory loss and improving their quality of life.

Gossip: Harvey Weinstein Regularly Uses Penile Injections For Erectile Dysfunction; Lady GaGa Is Having A Name Change

Naughty Gossip
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Gossip: Harvey Weinstein Regularly Uses Penile Injections For Erectile Dysfunction; Lady GaGa Is Having A Name Change

Following the New York Times and New Yorker’s initial reports that Weinstein harassed, groped and raped A-list actresses, models, and assistants he worked with for nearly three decades, a new bombshell report from the Times details how Weinstein used his well-heeled connections, as well as a network of spies and silencers, to cover up those stories for years.

According to the Times, Weinstein often had his assistants “procure his penile injections for erectile dysfunction,” which he paid for on the company credit card. One assistant told the Times that she “had to keep a supply of the shots at her desk, dispense them to him in brown paper bags and sometimes deliver the medication to hotels and elsewhere before his meetings with women.”

Lady GaGa Is Having A Name Change

You may know her as Mother Monster or Lady GaGa, music and fashion icon, but this time she’s being credited under an entirely different name. It’s her birth name: Stefani Germanotta.

She’s going rogue for her latest acting performance in a reboot of A Star Is Born.

GaGa has been credited as her famous alias in her other acting endeavors.
Do you agree with the name change for the film’s purpose or should she still stick with Gaga?!

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

How Medical Marijuana Treatment Can Help Opioid Addicts

MJ News Network
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How Medical Marijuana Treatment Can Help Opioid Addicts

Medical cannabis administration is associated with improved cognitive performance and lower levels of prescription drug use, according to longitudinal data published online in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology.

Investigators from Harvard Medical School, Tufts University, and McLean Hospital evaluated the use of medicinal cannabis on patients’ cognitive performance over a three-month period. Participants in the study were either naïve to cannabis or had abstained from the substance for at least ten years. Baseline evaluations of patients’ cognitive performance were taken prior to their cannabis use and then again following treatment.

Researchers reported “no significant decrements in performance” following medical marijuana treatment. Rather, they determined, “[P]atients experienced some improvement on measures of executive functioning, including the Stroop Color Word Test and Trail Making Test, mostly reflected as increased speed in completing tasks without a loss of accuracy.”

Participants in the study were less likely to experience feelings of depression during treatment, and many significantly reduced their use of prescription drugs. “[D]ata revealed a notable decrease in weekly use across all medication classes, including reductions in use of opiates (-42.88 percent), antidepressants (-17.64 percent), mood stabilizers (-33.33 percent), and benzodiazepines (-38.89 percent),” authors reported – a finding that is consistent with prior studies.

Patients in the study will continue to be assessed over the course of one-year of treatment to assess whether these preliminary trends persist long-term.

For more information, please contact Paul Armentano, NORML Deputy Director, at paul@norml.org. Full text of the study, “Splendor in the grass? A pilot study assessing the impact of marijuana on executive function,” appears in Frontiers of Pharmacology. 

For more cannabis business coverage, visit the MJ News Network.

Nova Scotians Will Soon Be Able To Buy Cannabis At Local Liquor Stores

Mary Schumacher
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Nova Scotians Will Soon Be Able To Buy Cannabis At Local Liquor Stores

Canada’s Eastern shore province of Nova Scotia will begin sales of cannabis in liquor stores beginning July 2018. The Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation said marijuana will be sold both in stores and on their website.

“The NSLC has the experience and expertise to distribute and sell restricted products like alcohol and now cannabis in a socially responsible way,” said Justice Minister Mark Furey at a news conference.

“We believe the NSLC is best positioned to sell cannabis, keeping it out of the hands of young people and making it legally available in a safe, regulated way,” he continued.

The main hopes are to keep cannabis out of the hands of minors and provide a safe environment in which to procure cannabis. There are snags that go along with the idea as well, though.

One consideration is that many people struggling with alcoholism use marijuana instead to wind down after a long day. There is trepidation that putting people back in their old haunts might lead to temptation. (“Hmm, maybe I’ll just wash this joint down with some whiskey…”)

However, the positive outweigh the negatives. For one thing, liquor stores are already established and the employees are trained on rules like checking ID. Plus there’s the security systems already in place, ensuring that there are no sales to minors or even potential theft.

According to Newsweek, Nova Scotians can purchase up to 30 grams and must be over 19 years old to make said purchase.

Canada has left the decision making up to its 10 provinces as to how the cannabis will be sold, how much can be sold and what the requirements are for cannabis dispensaries come July 2018. Ontario is another province that plans to sell through liquor stores, but some places like New Brunswick are opting for government run stores with no window advertisements.

Regulations are being prioritized and put into place at a fast clip, but most are still hurrying to make the July opening. Quebec even asked for a year of grace period to get everything in order and was denied.

It will be interesting to see how this new model works out for Nova Scotia and Ontario. The cannabis industry worldwide is setting precedents and squashing stigmas and it is a good thing indeed.

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