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Alert: Medical Marijuana Fungus Suspected in the Deaths of Two Patients

Mike Adams
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Alert: Medical Marijuana Fungus Suspected in the Deaths of Two Patients

his is an alert regarding a medical marijuana fungus on the West Coast. Some dispensaries located in Northern California sold cannabis contaminated with a potentially life threatening bacteria that is said to target those patients with weakened immune systems, according to a report from the Sacramento Bee.

Researchers with the UC Davis Department of Medical Microbiology are warning patients, specifically those people with conditions that prevent their bodies from maintaining a stable defense, not to consume cannabis that has been aerosolized. Although this treated product is not necessarily harmful to the majority of healthily humans, the fungus that grows as a result of the spray is considered extremely dangerous to those with serious health issues.

“For the vast majority of cannabis users, this is not of great concern,” said Dr. George Thompson, professor at UC Davis. But those with weakened immune systems – such as from leukemia, lymphoma, AIDS or cancer treatments – could unwittingly be exposing themselves to serious lung infections when they smoke or vape medical marijuana. We strongly advise them to avoid it.”

The details of these horrific bacteria were published in a recent issue of the journal Clinical Microbiology and Infection. Researchers launched a full-scale investigation into the matter after a number of patients undergoing treatment for leukemia and lymphoma tested positive for a “rare, severe lung infection.

The perils of this infection are no joke – already two patients are believed to have died from consuming cannabis contaminated with this vicious bug. However, as Dr. Thompson points out, their deaths cannot be unequivocally connected to a smoking a diseased flower without first obtaining a sample of the product the deceased were using before the infection set in.

Still, he says, it is bizarre for some many cases of this fungal disease to show up in such a short amount of time.

For those worried about the health hazards associated with ingesting aerosolized cannabis, Dr. Thompson says it may be a safer bet to rely on THC-infused edibles products. Although researchers do not have any scientific data proving this alternative consumption method is any safer than smoking, Thompson feels confident that it “probably is” safe.

Medical experts specializing in these types of bacteria say the marijuana fungus is very similar to what is found in the fecal matter of rodents.

Any cannabis plant with a “musty smell” and “black, light blue or green dots” and should probably be discarded.

Everyone Is Sick Of Dating Apps But Valentine’s Day Is Coming

Brendan Bures
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Everyone Is Sick Of Dating Apps But Valentine’s Day Is Coming

Finding love online isn’t a shameful secret as perhaps it once was. Thanks to dating apps like Tinder and Bumble, meeting online is a pain in the rump, but Valentine’s day is coming, so you know.

As indicated in Match’s annual Singles in America survey, 15 percent of the 5,509 single people polled admitted they were full-blown addicted to dating apps. But why is the experience leaving so many down? Is technology not the romantic boon it’s sometimes portrayed to be?

In fact, millennials are 22% more likely to believe technology has made finding love more difficult and 177% more likely to feel an overwhelming pressure to get married. Oh, and 57% of millennials are lonely.

This perhaps reveals just why so many millennials turn to swiping and chatting on dating apps. Through technology and social media, so much external pressure and media exists instructing their dating habits and what should be happening—57% of millennials confirm social media has triggered their FOMO. Constant reminders of what everyone else is doing and seeing them engage in lovely affairs perhaps isn’t the best indicator of what you should be doing.

Staggering numbers, but not without hope. Millennials are 125% more likely to admit they’re addicted to finding love than previous generations. And millennials are 30% more likely to confirm wanting a relationship this year and 30% more likely to have first dates lead to second dates than other generations.

Technology might’ve opened connections and individuals previously gone missing, it hasn’t necessarily made things easier. It’s forever changed the way we date and seek love. It almost makes you wonder if it’s worth going ghost on social media and dating apps, reconnecting with the old-school ways. The answer—maybe not. Match’s polling showed that people who engage with dating online are 333% more likely to go on first dates than those who don’t.

So if you’re alone, take comfort in knowing you’re not alone. We’re all getting burned on finding love and technology and dating apps. But these numbers illustrate maybe you shouldn’t stop swiping right just yet.

 

5 Reasons Donald Trump Is Our Fast-Foodiest President Ever

Jillian Peterson
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5 Reasons Donald Trump Is Our Fast-Foodiest President Ever

So long, Barack Obama, lover of fine foods. Hello, Donald Trump, a man who’s never met a spork he didn’t like.

Our new Commander in Chief has an admitted penchant for fast food that’s so strong, it makes you wonder if his next act as President is going to be building fly-throughs for Air Force One. What gives?

Last September, Trump told Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show that he “trusts” fast-food because the companies (McDonald’s, Wendy’s, etc.) have a name to preserve, which means they’re less likely to fuck up your food. And also because “at least you know what you’re getting.” He also admitted that he likes the anonymity of grab-and-go. Totally understandable.

But lets be real, president or not, the guy would likely still have a love affair with white paper bags. And here’s proof.

1. He Loves McDonald’s

 

Specifically, the Fish Delight. Whatever that is. In a memorable food moment on last year’s campaign trail , Trump told Anderson Cooper that when he goes to McDonald’s he orders the Fish Delight. He then quickly changed the subject to cleanliness (“I’m a very clean person.” LOL what?) In The Prez’s defense, Fish Delight sounds ubiquitous enough. A generic “Fish Sandwich’ probably would have been better, but, you know, pick your battles and all that.

Also, he and Grimace became fast friends over their love of the dollar deal.

2. He Loves KFC

 

In the same interview with Anderson Cooper, Trump lovingly refers to KFC as “not the worst thing in the world.” Going back to that “I’m a very clean person” comment, it could be the reason he prefers to use a knife and fork to eat it. Just think of all the Wet Wipes he saves!

3. He’s Shilled For Pizza Hut

 

Twice.

4. He Loves Hispanics Taco Bowls

 

5. He’s Shilled For Oreo

 

While not technically a fast food, it’s still junk food. And who doesn’t love to see the Manning brothers compete against each other in a “lick race?” Ironically, Trump has vowed to never eat another Mexico-produced Oreo again. Sorry, taco bowls.

Australians Can’t Swim Their Beaches Because Of Poop

Brendan Bures
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Australians Can’t Swim Their Beaches Because Of Poop

No, those aren’t Baby Ruths floating in the waters of Australian beaches. That is, in the technical phrasing of the word, poop.

Australia’s Environment Policy Association advised residents to avoid all 36 beaches in Melbourne, due to a “poor” water rating. What makes the water “poor” you may ask? Human poop. And this isn’t the first time Australia’s had this problem.

After receiving a month’s worth of rain overnight Sunday, fecal matter fell into the bay. EPA group manager of applied sciences Dr. Anthony Boxshall told The Age that the situation could last several days.

“The bay is like a shallow tub and all the catchments drain into it,” he said. “The water stays in the bay for quite some time just because it’s got that little entrance so there’s not much exchange.”

If there is no more rain, the system should return to a swimmable state within a short time.  However it could turn into a bigger event if the region receives more rain in the coming days.

Earlier this year, Melbourne suffered a similar problem when severe rains hit and swept animal and human feces into the beach. That time only 21 of Melbourne’s 36 beaches were deemed unfit for swimming with the “poor” water rating.

5 Nifty Fitness Gadgets That Will Move You Forward In 2017

Natalie Stoclet
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5 Nifty Fitness Gadgets That Will Move You Forward In 2017

Getting fit is no easy feat. If that group chat you created to motivate you and your friends failed miserably, perhaps relying on different types of technologies might do the trick. Fitness tech was all the talk in 2016, and 2017 is poised to be a year of advancement.

While tech companies further their reach on the fitness industry, perhaps you’ve been getting further behind on the goals you’d set yourself. Although we as consumers know there are products to help us out there, they haven’t made their way into our lives in quite the same ways those apps that haven’t really worked out for us have. Whether it’s accessibility or pricing, for the many of us still looking we haven’t found the support we need.

via GIPHY

To make things slightly easier, we dug deep into the interweb to find what new technologies people are saying actually works. From hydration to performance and sleep aids here are five of the best products on the market in 2017.

Motiv ($199)

https://www.instagram.com/p/BPEcEfyBkk_/?taken-by=motiv

Need a ring to get committed? If a ring can be the ultimate form of commitment in love, according to Motiv it can also represent the same sense of forever in fitness. Their new Motiv Ring is the latest in wearable tech that seeks to track your activity and keep you working towards your set goal. In transforming bulky fitness trackers into a ring, Motiv is hoping that you won’t have to take it off, allowing them to track your fitness behaviours 24/7. It is poised to be the most accurate and active fitness technology on the market.

Skulpt ($99)

https://www.instagram.com/p/BCWPqo_HXDj/?taken-by=skulpt_me

Personalization is the name of this year’s game and Skulpt has got it covered. The Skulpt Performance System is able to analyze your physical strengths and weaknesses, and therefore provide you with workout and nutritional guidance based on your unique physiology and goals. Skulpt uses science-driven techniques that were previously available only to elite athletes, and is making them easily understandable and accessible to all of us.


via GIPHY

Sense ($149)

https://www.instagram.com/p/BNPVUeahd9H/?taken-by=hello

Is all the fake news keeping you up at night? If you find that getting a good night’s sleep is getting in the way of fitness, your problem has a great new solution. Introducing Sense, a mini spherical gadget that sits on your nightstand and communicates with a tiny device that you stick inside of your pillow. I know what you’re thinking, as if I need another piece of technology sleeping in my bed. Well, unlike your phone or other devices that hinder your sleep, Sense is helping your sleep. It monitors temperature, noise, light and movement and will wake you up at the optimum time with gentle alarms and a glowing ambiance. Going one step further, it will also tell you why and how you slept the way you did.

Smith’s Lowdown Focus Mpowered by Muse ($350-$400)

Perhaps a lack of focus is failing you in your fitness regimes. While Google and Snapchat were busy building content creating eyewear, Smith built brainwave measuring eyewear. They look like any normal pair of sunglasses, except Smith’s Lowdown Focus Mpowered by Muse, was designed to relax your mind. You can then see data on an app and try different forms of mediation practices based on the brainwave measurements your glasses are reporting. Smith’s sunnies will be available this September 2017.

Thermos Connected Hydration Bottle with Smart Lid ($89.99)

https://www.instagram.com/p/99hKtGQJEH/

Ask any fitness expert and they’ll tell you that hydration is paramount to getting fit and losing weight. While most of us already know this, it can be a difficult task to keep on top of. Here to help you set and keep your hydration goals is Thermos’ newest creation. With an integrated hydration calculator you can determine a suggested daily amount based on your personal data and track your progress with an easy to use app.


via GIPHY

WATCH: Showtime Releases Wonderfully Odd ‘Twin Peaks’ Coffee Teaser

Jillian Peterson
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WATCH: Showtime Releases Wonderfully Odd ‘Twin Peaks’ Coffee Teaser

Hidden amongst all the Super Bowl ads was this awesome teaser for the upcoming Twin Peaks revival on Showtime.

The network posted the video Monday —  a perfect little feel-good supercut for fans of the 90s short-lived series.

It’s nothing more than a montage of coffee being poured, consumed and talked about during the course of the original series — no new footage — which Showtime will re-air as a precursor to the resurrection: May 21.

Included in the compilation is a cameo from show creator David Lynch, who wonders aloud “if I might trouble you for a cup of strong black coffee.”

Pass the creamer, because here are some damn good cups of coffee for your viewing pleasure.

According to Mashable, who interviewed Kimmy Robertson (aka Lucy Moran), the coffee was really only “damn good” for Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) and Lynch.

Robertson recalled a lot of coffee consumption on set between the cast and crew. While the regular brew for staff was “pretty good,” Lynch and MacLachlan each had their own specific type of special coffee. Unfortunately, Robertson didn’t know what exactly that damn fine coffee actually was.

Let’s hope the cherry pie wasn’t a ringer, too.

East Coast Weed: Rhode Island Wants Rec Marijuana, Vermont To Decrim

Al Olson
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East Coast Weed: Rhode Island Wants Rec Marijuana, Vermont To Decrim

In November, two New England states — Massachusetts and Maine — voted to legalize adult recreational use of marijuana. Neighboring states, eager to tap into the revenue stream and put an end to a costly war on drugs, are quickly following in the footsteps.

  • Rhode Island lawmakers have proposed a bill that would allow for the recreational use of cannabis for those 21 and older.
  • Vermont, while not as bold ad Rhode Island, will attempt to decriminalize cannabis. The proposals would remove all civil and criminal penalties for possessing up to two ounces of dried marijuana for adults and would allow for modest home cultivation.

Rhode Island Has ‘Momentum’

“On the heels of Massachusetts, Maine, Nevada and California, we think this year is a really great opportunity for us to get the bill passed,” said Jared Moffat, director of Regulate Rhode Island — a group supporting legislation to regulate and tax adult marijuana use. “It’s certainly not a guarantee, but we do have more momentum than we’ve ever had before,” Moffat said.

“With Massachusetts right across the border, it makes sense for Rhode Island to get its system running at the same time,” Moffat added.

The Rhode Island measure would:

  • Include mandatory product testing and labeling
  • Restriction on advertising
  • Funding to law enforcement
  • Limits on THC quantity per product
  • Mandatory reviews for all sale products.
  • Allow cities and towns to have some control over the operation of marijuana establishments within their jurisdiction by voter approval

Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo has remained mum on the legislation.

According to recent polling, 55 percent of Rhode Island voters support legislation to regulate and tax recreational cannabis use.

Vermont Takes Smaller Steps

Vermont lawmakers introduced a bill that would decriminalize cannabis, putting an end to jailing non-violent cannabis drug offenders.

H.170, “an act relating to possession and cultivation of marijuana by a person 21 years of age or older,” is a decriminalization measure and does not regulate or tax the production or sale of adult-use cannabis.

“We went that route last year, and we got turned down,” said Rep. Thomas Burditt, one of the bill’s sponsors. “I’m a supporter of legalization,” Burditt said, “but the constituents aren’t.”

We Break Down The Hilarious T-Mobile And Verizon Twitter Beef

Brendan Bures
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We Break Down The Hilarious T-Mobile And Verizon Twitter Beef

Though T-Mobile aired not one, not two, but three commercials during the Super Bowl Sunday, it wasn’t where the company made the biggest impact. In fact their ads were part of an overall disappointing slew of commercials this Super Bowl, possibly affected by declining football ratings and exorbitant airtime prices.

Playing off a purposefully cringing 50 Shades of Grey parody ad staring Kristen Schaal, the official T-Mobile Twitter account and Schaal enjoyed some teasing back and forth. They were reinforcing the message across platforms, as they say, trying to raise its stickiness.

https://twitter.com/TMobile/status/828312524730757121

https://twitter.com/TMobile/status/828428887281381376

https://twitter.com/TMobile/status/828437055503949827

Obviously a playful exchange. Though Verizon was a target of sorts, it’s nothing egregious compared to other commercials between mobile service provider companies previously.

Only Verizon decided not to see it that way and took T-Mobile a little seriously. Way too seriously.

https://twitter.com/verizon/status/828425999121530882

https://twitter.com/verizon/status/828433480841297920

Not only that, Verizon’s Support team reached out to Schaal asking how they could help, not realizing this was all a prank.

So what’s the point of all this? And what might it indicate? Throughout the night, this exchange instigated serious interest from the media and populace alike, not the commercials themselves. While this was a historic Super Bowl, it doesn’t entirely explain why the commercials were largely forgettable.

It perhaps indicates a shift in strategy. T-Mobile’s commercial is a memorable commercials due to the response it caused, not its contents. The side action was the real action. Social media allows brands to act and sound like humans. Aesthetically speaking, no difference exists between my posts and that of T-Mobile’s. Their presentation is indistinguishable.

But I am (mostly) a real person. @TMobile is not. They are a company trying to win you over and sell its product. Thanks to this little spat, it represents one service provider as hip and progressive and the other as old and stodgy. It also shows our ongoing fascination with the most boring of contemporary marketing tools—beef.

Having beef is the quickest opportunity to gaining attention on the internet. Fans and onlookers who didn’t care or understand what a bar was followed Drake and Meek Mill’s “beef” with intensive curiosity. Drama is content. Anyone who watches reality TV intuitively accepts this. And it’s not anything revelatory to consider social media’s pull as a giant TV screen airing all of our individualized reality TV programs.

What’s different and possibly concerning is how we now regard multi-million and –billion dollar brands with the same attention and language as we do ourselves. Social media is humanizing giant corporations, albeit in ways we don’t consciously realize. It’s just plain unsettling we care so much about some phone companies sniping at one another.

However, T-Mobile’s social media feeds succeeded where their commercials failed—it was entertaining.

Will The Trump Admin Be The Reason Congress Reschedules Marijuana?

Mike Adams
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Will The Trump Admin Be The Reason Congress Reschedules Marijuana?

While much of the cannabis community is concerned about whether the Trump Administration will put a stop to the cultivation and sale of marijuana in legal states, there is a distinct possibility that the uncertainty surrounding this supposed crackdown may be exactly what is needed to get Congress to roll up their sleeves on the issue.

In a matter of weeks, a group of lawmakers will form the “Cannabis Caucus,” and march up to Capitol Hill to revive marijuana reform in the 2017 session. The goal of this caucus, according to its members, is to finally pull Congress together on the issue in an effort to ensure the new administration or any other that comes after will no longer have the power to deconstruct decades of marijuana progress.

Now that eight states have legalized marijuana for recreational purposes, this enthusiastic pack of federal lawmakers is hoping it can make some advancement at the national level.

One of those proposals set to be re-introduced is the “Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol Act,” which was initially filed by Representative Jared Polis of Colorado back in 2015. The bill would eliminate the cannabis plant from the confines of the Controlled Substances Act and put marijuana in a position to be sold nationwide in a manner similar to beer.

Although Present Donald Trump said throughout his entire campaign that he would respect states rights when it came to the issue of marijuana legalization, his selection for U.S. Attorney General, Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions, is perhaps one of the most anti-pot politicians on the Hill. The concern is that, without any concrete laws protecting the sanctity of the cannabis trade, the nation’s new law enforcement hammer might unleash the dogs on its proprietors and allow it to be ripped to shreds before it ever really has a chance to get started.

Still, members of the caucus, which also include Representative Jared Polis, Representative Dana Rohrabacher and Representative Don Young, say they believe the Trump Administration has too much on its plate already to give legal marijuana a second look.

“This is a struggle and will continue to be, but this is something where I honestly don’t think the new administration, which has probably enough controversy on its hands, is going to knowingly pick a fight with what, almost without exception, was approved by local voters,” said Representative Earl Blumenauer from Oregon.

Attorney General nominee Jeff Sessions believes Congress needs to take action on the issue if they are worried about the Trump Administration imposing a crackdown.

“I think one obvious concern is that the United States Congress made the possession of marijuana in every state and distribution of it an illegal act,” Sessions said during his confirmation hearing. “So if we need to…if that’s something [that] is not desired any longer, Congress should pass a law to change the rule. It is not so much the Attorney General’s job to decide what laws to enforce. We should do our job and enforce laws effectively as we are able.”

Overall, those with a finger on the pulse of marijuana reform in the nation’s capital say they are not too afraid Sessions will create upheaval among the cannabis community, mostly because the man will act under the orders of President Trump. However, they are quick to point out that the cannabis industry continues to linger in a “dangerous place” until there are federal laws on the books that make it an official part of American commerce.

Op Ed: Better Solution Than A Border Wall? End Marijuana Prohibition

Drug Policy Alliance
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Op Ed: Better Solution Than A Border Wall? End Marijuana Prohibition

Regarding immigration, I’m no expert on that matter. That said, according to the Pew Research Center in a five-year period from 2009 thru 2014 there was a significant decrease in the number of Mexican migrants residing in the U.S. Instead of a border wall, why not end marijuana prohibition instead?

According to the 2014 Mexican National Survey of Demographic Dynamics, between the same period of 2009-2014, roughly one million Mexican nationals and their families including their American-born children, left the U.S. for Mexico. These trends continue today and according to the William C. Velásquez Institute, “the southern border with Mexico has experienced near zero or zero net migration since 2007, thus there is no rational basis for a border wall.”

Yes there’s activity on the border, but to argue that immigration to the U.S. is out of control only to support his political position is simply wrong.

With regard to the idea that building a wall to stop the flow of drugs, well that’s perhaps twice as naïve, if not outright stupid. Notwithstanding the role of the American appetite for drugs, the existing walls along the border have done absolutely nothing to stop the flow of drugs, other than to motivate more creative methods of transport.

Since 2006 more than 80 underground tunnels have been discovered. The tunnels have become so popular that homeland security and other local law enforcement are working together in a special task force called the San Diego Tunnel Task Force.

These sophisticated tunnels cost an average $1 million and usually the very first load pays the cost associated which include among others lighting systems, air ventilation, pulley carts on tracks, and water pumping equipment with generators for some of the buildings. One recent tunnel discovered last April was nearly 800 meters long – the length of more than 8 ½ football fields.

There are many other more creative methods of successfully smuggling goods.  Those include an improvised mobile PVC pipe truck-mounted cannon that shoots bundles of drugs over the wall, a smaller hand-held version which is a modified t-shirt shooter like those found at sporting events.

If that’s not simple enough for you then we have one of my favorites: the catapult. We also have the ultra-light remote control drones, some of which can carry up to 300lbs of goods.

There also are ramps designed to drive over the walls and submersibles, which continue to grow in popularity. So building a “fortified” wall is as stupid a solution as is walking around with a cardboard umbrella in a thunderstorm.

So what’s the solution? Legalization. Yes, legalize marijuana, which is the No. 1 producer of wealth for the cartels. End the federal prohibition, reschedule cannabis, invest in research and infrastructure, support medical advances and improve upon the nation’s economy all the while ending the war on drugs and dismantling the illicit market, which thrives on prohibition.

In places like Colorado and other legalized states, we are already see a decrease on cartel activity and soon California will follow. With nothing more than responsible legislation and a signature drug law reform can help dismantle the drug trade and be infinitely more effective than any wall ever has been or will be.

Armando Gudiño is a policy manager at the Drug Policy Alliance based in California. 

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