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5 Twitter Pro Tips You Need In Your Life Right Now

Social media can be frustrating and fun in equal parts. While it has the ability to suck us into our phones, it can also allow you to interact with people from all over the world, experts on topics that you’re interested in, or people you admire. You can also use Twitter as a way of developing your work persona, and finding different job opportunities. The more important the internet and social media become, the more they can be used to your advantage.

Via Bustle:

The internet is so pervasive that you are your brand on every platform you’re a part of, so it’s important to maintain your brand management in the most effective way for your career.”

Twitter is a great medium for developing this personal brand, giving you the opportunity to follow people you’d like to work with, publications and websites you enjoy, and gain notoriety via the smart use of hashtags and comments. The best part is that you can do all of this while still ranting and complaining about the world, because that’s the funnest part of social media.

Check out these 5 tips from experts that’ll help you transform your Twitter into your own personal brand:

Put Keywords In Your Bio

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By putting important work related words and hashtags in your bio you’ll gain notoriety and followers. People who are looking for users like you, or who have similar interests will have access to you more easily.

Interact With Others

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The easiest way to gain followers and show up on other people’s timelines is to have meaningful interactions with different users. According to Bustle, these interactions will help you gain notoriety over time.

Share Articles Related To Your Field

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By sharing articles that are related to your work, people will view you as an expert on the matter, and will notice that your tweets and account have a pattern.

Follow Relevant People

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Kari DePhillips, owner of The Content Factory, explained that the easiest way of acquiring followers is to follow people.

Share What Your Audience Wants To Read

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Look through your followers and put yourself in their shoes, sharing the kind of stories that they’d want to read and making them value the content that you’re providing.

California Is Simply Unprepared For Legal Marijuana

Blame it on high taxes. Or the catastrophic wildfires. Or governmental red tape. The reasons may vary, but one thing is certain: When legalized cannabis goes into effect on Jan. 1, California won’t be ready. Not even close.

Of course, all eight of the previous states that legalized the herb had trouble getting out of the gaits: Supply and demand issues. Regulatory confusion. Reconciling medical and recreational protocols.

California is the sixth-largest economy in the world and is the state produces more cannabis than any other state. (Medical marijuana has been legal in the state since 1996. The state’s black market is responsible for most of the domestic inventory.)

According to most experts, the combined legal and illegal market for marijuana is worth an estimated $30 billion. The legal California market is estimated to  be valued at $7 billion. But those working in the illegal market are reluctant to go legitimate, so the black market is unlikely to remain strong.

Earlier this week, a report from the Associated Press detailed some of the warning signs for California. According to the report:

Los Angeles and San Francisco are among many cities still struggling to fashion local rules for pot shops and growers. Without the regulations, there could be limited options in many places for consumers eager to ring in the new year with a legal pot purchase.

“The bulk of folks probably are not going to be ready Jan. 1,” conceded Cara Martinson of the California State Association of Counties.

Almost one year ago, voters in the state overwhelmingly supported Proposition 64 — The Adult Use of Marijuana Act. And one year later, there remains a lack of clarity as to how the herb will be regulated. This confusion is becoming a major headache for state regulators, local governments, law enforcement, growers, distributors, manufacturers, retailers and consumers. Basically, nobody know what the hell is going on.

The state will not even issue permanent licenses at launch. Instead, those companies switching to the Prop 64 market will be given “temporary licenses.” The hope is that the dust will clear soon after the program begins and permanent licenses will be disbursed.

With recreational legalization fast approaching, “we don’t have enough of anything,” said Hezekiah Allen, executive director of the California Growers Association, a marijuana industry group.

According to the AP report:

Adam Spiker, executive director of the Southern California Coalition, an industry group, warned last month that L.A.’s draft rules could upend the emerging industry by failing to provide a prompt way to license suppliers, potentially forcing them to shut down. And he’s dubious that the city will be ready to begin issuing licenses on Jan. 1.

“There’s not a lot of calendar days left in the year,” he said.

One thing is guaranteed: Californians are in for a bumpy ride.

Montel Williams Sues Arizona Marijuana Company For Fraud

Montel Williams is going to court over claims a fraudulent cannabis company used his name to promote their CBD oil.

Williams, who has been very public about his use of marijuana since being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1999, says the Arizona schemers used social media to rope victims into an automatic monthly fee with no clear way to opt out.

“It’s important to remember that these scams  are anything but victimless,” said Williams’ spokesman, Jonathan Franks, via press release. “They are, in fact, calculated to prey on vulnerable consumers, many of whom have chronic illness or other disabilities.”

Franks said this was no mistake, that this lawsuit stems from the “deliberate theft of Mr. Williams’ name and reputation to weaponize it against sick people.” He says the lawsuit is not about lining the pockets of Williams, “it’s about holding the perpetrators of these scams accountable and to stop them from continuing to deceive consumers.”

Williams has said he will use marijuana every single day until “the day I drop dead.” During a 2010 interview, he said he medicates himself every morning, afternoon and evening the same way he’d take prescription medication.

In September 2016, he launched his own line of innovative, high quality medical cannabis products for patients under the brand name LenitivLabs.

Gossip: Liam Hemsworth Spotted At Lunch With Hot Blond; Another Kevin Spacey Victim Speaks Out

SHOULD MILEY BE WORRIED? A new report says that Miley Cyrus may need to hire a private eye! Her longtime boyfriend Liam Hemsworth was spotted on a lunch date with an attractive blond woman.

A source says, “Whoever she is, Liam seemed to be enjoying her company… He had a massive smile on his face….. There definitely looked to be some flirting going on.” This sighting comes as Miley And Liam are in couples therapy to try and fix their relationship.

Another Kevin Spacey Victim Speaks Out

Actor Anthony Rapp accused Kevin Spacey of sexually assaulting him when he was only 14 years old, but he isn’t the actor’s only alleged victim.

In a new interview , filmmaker Tony Montana is accusing the House of Cards star of groping him.Montana was editing a documentary at Los Angeles hotspot Coronet Pub in 2003 when Spacey walked in with a group of friends.

“I went up to order a drink and Kevin came up to me and put his arm around me,” Montana says. “He was telling me to come with him, to leave the bar. He put his hand on my crotch forcefully and grabbed my whole package.”

Montana claimed a seemingly intoxicated Spacey, 58, then said to him, “This designates ownership.” “I put my hand down and turned his thumb back to get his hand off it,” Montana said. “I paid for my drink and got away from him.”

But the alleged incident didn’t end there, as Spacey then followed him to the restroom. “I backed him out the door and I pushed him,” he said. “One of his friends was in line and I said, ‘It’s time to take your boy home. ‘They all ended up leaving.’”

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

California’s Insane Cannabis Tax Could Cripple Legal Market

California was the first state to legalize medical marijuana in 1996 with Proposition 215. It was a time when the wild west was full of marijuana warriors who literally laid down the law — and their lives at times. Which might help explain why California has been so resistant to full on legalization with all its taxes and regulations. Things start sounding more like Nottingham and less like Sherwood Forest when you hear the words “45 percent sales tax.”

Prop 215 was the perfect medical marijuana model thanks to one of its key authors, Dennis Peron, who changed the marijuana and LGBT landscapes of our nation. It was perfect in it’s numerous imperfections (hindsight) that allowed almost anyone to obtain a medical use card. But California is the world’s sixth largest economy and that means tourism. Also, full on legalization is looking better and better on the states that make it happen.

High sales taxes, however, are threatening to bring California cannabis back into the black market when they finally go all the way on January 1, 2018. “High effective tax rates on California cannabis may complicate the state’s efforts to establish legal markets” analysts Stephen Walsh and Karen Ribble said within a Fitch Ratings report on California’s pot taxes.

Rates will vary between municipalities with both state and local taxes added to the price. Growers, sellers and consumers all have their own sets of taxes with consumers paying 22.25 to 24.25 percent tax, though also reaching as high as an outrageous 45 percent — depending where one is in the state. The taxes include the state excise tax and additional state and local taxes.

The Fitch report believes that these higher taxes could send people back into a black market that’s never stopped flourishing. “California’s black markets for cannabis were well established long before its voters legalized cannabis in November 2016 and are expected to dominate post-legalization production,” read the Fitch report.

It’s all going to really come down to the consumer. Plenty of Californians and visitors are going to be pleased as punch to pay the extra taxes in order to just walk into a legal dispensary and pick up their cannabis supplies. However, those already prone to doing things under the radar? Well, we can predict one thing clearly, California’s legalized marketplace will be nothing if not dynamic.

Pro-Marijuana Ohio Supreme Court Justice Is Running For Governor

Ohio is not usually considered marijuana-friendly, but there are signs that things are changing in the Buckeye state.

Earlier this week, Supreme Court Justice William O’Neill announced his candidacy for governor. O’Neill, 70, boldly put marijuana legalization atop his platform for the Democratic nomination. In making his announcement, O’Neill declared:

“The Democratic Party has always been the party of ideas, but we have somehow lately become the party of careful consultants who advise, ‘Don’t do anything that is going to annoy anyone.’  So today I am going to do something that will surely annoy some people: I’m going to talk about ideas.”

Aside from marijuana law reform, the liberal Democrat will focus on climate change, clean energy, higher minimum wages and improved mental health care.

According to a report by the Associated Press:

He says Ohio can make $200 million on the [marijuana legalization] effort and save another $100 million by releasing all non-violent marijuana offenders from prison. He proposes using the money that will be saved to build a state-run mental health system that would “treat addiction like the disease it is.”

Ohio’s cannabis laws are not overly draconian compared to other states, especially in the South. In June 2016, Gov. John Kasich signed into law a bill allowing a medical marijuana program. That program, however, will not go into effect until September 2018 — 2 1/2 years later. The bill does not allow for smoked marijuana. In 2015, a ballot initiative to legalize cannabis failed.

In 1975, Ohio became the sixth state in the nation to decriminalize cannabis. Under Ohio law, the possession of up to 100 grams of marijuana is a “minor misdemeanor” which carries a maximum fine of $150. Possession of more than 100 grams but less than 200 grams of marijuana is a misdemeanor punishable by up to thirty days in jail and a $250 fine.

Because of age limits, O’Neill will no longer be able to serve on the bench at age 70. He joins an already crowded field for his party’s nomination. Four other Democrats have entered the race and there are four Republicans in the race. Because of term limits, Gov. Kasich cannot seek re-election.

Here’s How To Be Sure You’re Buying The Best Marijuana Available

Industry-respected medical cannabis advocates United Patients Group is launching a new initiative to make sure you’re buying the best marijuana available – setting badly needed standards and best practices in an industry that still bears the wild west hallmarks of its black market past.

The United Patients Group Seal of Approval will be awarded to companies in medical and adult use cannabis that undergo a comprehensive and holistic review of a company’s “farm to table” quality standards by third party testing companies, as well as United Patients Group’s Advisory Board.

Evaluating every step to insure safety and quality – from rigorous contaminant testing with top labs to product manufacturing and packaging quality control – United Patients Group is launching the Seal to empower patients and consumers.

“The most common question we get at United Patients Group is: ‘What companies can I trust to provide quality?’ The cannabis industry is moving so fast that many companies, frankly, don’t operate to the standards we would hope for,” said John Malanca, Founder of United Patients Group. “We’re launching the Seal of Approval to raise the bar within our cannabis industry, so patients and adult users can purchase with confidence.”

The Seal of Approval comes from the most respected patient advocacy network for medical cannabis, known nationwide for setting the standards for quality, safety and ethical business since its creation in 2011. With a track record of advising thousands of patients, doctors and companies worldwide, United Patients Group is also known as a leading provider of medical cannabis education for universities.

“United Patients Group is known throughout the medical community to be highly respected as a resource for cannabis products, services and advice for medical professionals and patients,” said Jmîchaeĺe Keller, CEO of Steep Hill Labs, Inc. “Steep Hill is proud to be among the first to accept the United Patient Group Seal of Approval for cannabis testing and analytics.”

For more cannabis business coverage, visit the MJ News Network

Bon Appétit Has An Etiquette Guide On Entertaining With Marijuana

You know how you know marijuana is becoming mainstream? When a mainstream magazine starts featuring it as an ingredient. Bon Appétit, a food bible for many, has dabbled in recipe-related marijuana stories, like infused olive oil and the canna-cuisine of Colorado. But now they’ve taken it one step further by writing an entire etiquette guide on how to entertain with edibles. It seems to have taken recreational legalization in California to get the ball rolling. Kudos, Bon Appétit.

And now that “everybody’s doing it,” the media is starting to take notice in a big way. After all, when weed becomes the accessory du jour, you should probably start capitalizing on your readership. And you should most definitely host a party around it.

Bon Appétit has realized that if done correctly, marijuana can set the tone for relaxation versus getting shitfaced on liquor at a social gathering. After all, the unspoken goal of any host is to make sure guests are upright enough to help clean up.

Inside the Bon Appétit user’s guide to Weed Etiquette 101, expert tips on dosage, what to serve, strains, pairing and timing.

Highlights include:

If they’re a complete newbie, we recommend starting with five milligrams. You can always add more for the optimal high.

Just like the guidance of a sommelier, a budtender can navigate you through the turpine flavor profiles of Ghost Train Hayes, GirlScout Cookies, or Sunset Sherbert to best complement the dishes you plan on using them in.

To activate the psychoactive effects, the hash must be cooked at a certain temperature for a certain amount of time. It then has to bind with a fat source for the body to absorb the THC.

The relaxing (and sometimes sedating) indica will breed a much less social environment than sativa’s uplifting and cerebral effects, which will further engage people’s thoughts about what they’re smelling, tasting, and seeing.

The most basic rule of thumb is to keep weed away from mealtime unless it’s cooked into the food.

It can take up to an hour or so to feel an edible’s effects, so offering them as an alternative to happy hour is a good way to time your guest’s high to kick in when food hits the table.

For those wanting a more ritualistic experience, smoking and vaping are both nice to do at the end of a meal, the way people once enjoyed cigarettes. And, for when people don’t know each other very well, smoking and vaping are simple means of hyper controlling your dosage.

Getting your guests high shouldn’t feel like unearthing a bong from a pile of sweatshirts in a dark corner of your closet.

We can only hope that BA continues to explore cannabis and report back to its massive audience. We could all use some more high-end highs.

 

What are Aphrodisiacs? A Culinary Guide to Feeling Sexy

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The word “aphrodisiac” comes from the name of the Greek goddess of beauty and love, Aphrodite. Aphrodisiacs are any substances that increase libido when consumed. They do not address fertility issues or sexual dysfunction directly like certain little blue pills you may have heard of.

On the contrary, a meal created using aphrodisiac ingredients is a delicious feast created to contribute to awakening sexual desire and increasing attraction between two people. Combine the right timing and romantic atmosphere, and anyone can experience the power of aphrodisiacs in their own home any time they want.

Their legacy extends back through history. Emperors and kings used to eat oysters and raw eggs with ginseng root tincture before venturing to the marital bed.

Nowadays, potent and romantic aphrodisiac dinners are available to each of us. Thanks to our modern understanding of the chemical composition of traditional ingredients, such as amino acids, vitamins, and trace elements, we now know exactly how they increase sexual activity naturally for both men and women.

Male Aphrodisiacs

Male aphrodisiacs increase not only sexual desire, but also a man’s physical capabilities. They contribute to a feeling of increased male self-esteem, attractiveness, and functionality of the genitals.

There is an ancient oriental proverb that states “There is no better natural aphrodisiac for man than a beautiful woman.” The proverb is wise, but in reality things can be a bit more complex.

Due to stress and age, an attractive beauty might not be enough to arouse a man’s desires throughout his life. This is where aphrodisiacs come to the rescue, restoring the vitality to a man he may have been longing for since his youth.

There are three major types of aphrodisiacs for men: mineral, vegetable, and animal. For example, zinc is the most important trace element for the male body. It increases libido and male sex hormones. Seminal fluid can contain up to 2 milligrams per milliliter, and it can also be found in the prostate. Zinc plays a crucial role in the process of spermatogenesis and overall prostate function.

Zinc is a trace element which is required for sperm production. It also takes part in the metabolism of vitamin E, and is involved in the synthesis of various hormones, such as testosterone, insulin, and growth hormones. It also contributes to 500 different biochemical reactions in the human body.

Furthermore, zinc reduces the amount of aromatase enzyme in the male body. This molecule actually takes testosterone and turns it into the female sex hormone, estrogen. Zinc improves the efficiency of the signals sent by the pituitary gland to the testicles. This increases the amount of testosterone produced, as well as the effectiveness of the internal state of the testicles. This helps invigorate the sperm’s endurance, effectively turning them into long distance swimmers. Just one or two oysters a day are enough to replenish the body’s daily 15mg requirement of zinc in men.

Yohimbe is a medicine based on a substance extracted from the bark of the African Yohimbe tree. It improves blood flow to the genitals and increases sexual sensitivity. In addition, Yohimbe stimulates nerve centers of the brain that control sexuality. It leads to a sharp increase in receptor sensitivity, leaving fear and uncertainty behind. However, it doesn’t have the same effect for people with low blood pressure. Yohimbe is purely a male aphrodisiac.

Impaza is a homeopathic medicine created from purified antibodies. It increases blood circulation to the genitals, which extends and enhances erections. If you take this medicine for a long time, the libido returns to normal and sexual satisfaction increases significantly.

Hippocampus Coronatus is a medicine consisting of seahorse extract, ginseng root extract, and kidney tea. It helps alleviate impotence, improves sexual stamina and libido, and intensifies orgasms.

Of all the aphrodisiac mediums, tonics affect men most slowly and gently – toning the entire body and contributing to the acceleration of the metabolic process. Tonics commonly contain extracts of ginseng root, Eleutherococcus, Aralia Manchu, and vitamins and trace elements.

Nuts and seeds are also aphrodisiacs because they contain a high amount of vitamin E. In India, roasted sesame seeds are a traditional remedy for decreased potency when mixed with honey. People in Russia and the Ukraine mix walnuts with honey and take one dessert spoon 30 minutes after a meal to prepare them for a romantic encounter.
Additionally, spices like vanilla, rosemary, sesame seeds, cardamom, curry, ginger, cumin, and cloves are all effective aphrodisiacs for men.

Female Aphrodisiacs

In some ways, aphrodisiacs affect women quite differently than men. In other ways, they can be very similar. Among herbal female aphrodisiacs, wormwood and ginseng stand out above the rest. They can be bought at pharmacies in the form of dried powders, tinctures, or capsules.

Ginkgo Biloba is rapidly gaining popularity among women too. This plant extract is commonly used to improve memory, but it also has sexually stimulating properties. Relaxing the blood vessel walls, it increases blood flow to the organs, especially the genitals. Thus, it increases sensitivity and, as a result, libido.

As with men, vanilla is a powerful sexual plant for women. Vanilla creates a feeling of comfort and peace, encouraging a sense of safety for a lot of women. If you are planning slow and exciting sex, you definitely should add a pinch of vanilla to your dessert or to a drink.

Aloe Vera produces amino acids that stimulate blood flow to women’s genitals. Juice from the leaves can be mixed with honey, and a single teaspoon daily of this mixture can be enough for most women. Aloe juice improves the rush of blood to the pelvic organs, enhancing sexual desire. The juice also contains antibodies and T-cells, and is capable of restoring libido after surgery or injury.

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, FacebookPinterestInstagram

The Internet Is Losing It Over 19-Year-Old Twins Who Are Too Identical

A pair of twins is creating some controversy on Twitter because, um, they look too similar. Where is @MerriamWebster with the definition of “identical”?

When 19-year-old Ahmed tweeted a photo of his twin brother Abdullah, some speculated the photo was photoshopped because the two men looked way too much like twins.

https://twitter.com/ahmedtwinkie/status/922206872819531776

https://twitter.com/Kikidm08/status/922236152735830016

The tweet quickly vent viral, garnering thousands of retweets and likes. And not just because the two guys look exactly the same, but, um, they’re very handsome.

https://twitter.com/idkm4ria/status/904073601455988736

And even though this pic would have been one hell of a photoshop job, side-eyes could not be contained.

https://twitter.com/vintagecurlie/status/904166575875526658

Which prompted Ahmed to try and post some proof…even sharing his Instagram account, so people could get a second option.

https://twitter.com/ahmedtwinkie/status/922277740685828097

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

Finally, a voice of reason.

The twins are from Bosnia but currently live in Arizona where they go to school. Abdullah tells Yahoo Lifestyle that now he and his brother are unexpected Twitter stars, they want to use their platform for good.

We want to make a good difference in this world. We want to bring peace and love, and for people to respect each and every religion and race out there. We want to one day become as financially stable as possible so then we can start many charity organizations for the unfortunate all around the world.

 While Ahmed admits he’s single, his brother remains tight-lipped. Whichever one he is.

The final clap back at this “are they or aren’t they?” nonsense is this YouTube video. Can’t photoshop this stuff.

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