Human error is a frustrating, yet accepted and somewhat necessary component of natural life. But if anything is clear in recent years, a certain attitude pervades technology leaders around the world: natural life sucks.
Here at The Fresh Toast, we’ve documented the machines steadily winning against humanity. Is it techno-paranoia that flows through our membranes? No, this article — written on a laptop, powered by free coffee shop WiFi, uploaded to a cloud server, and edited across Slack/email channels — wouldn’t be possible otherwise. But techno-caution? Yes, we have that.
The latest example raising our eyebrow is called Tally. It’s an AI robot that measures retail shelves, analyzing if an item is missing. All with the quick download of a retail store’s layout — which most shop owners already have — Tally can roam the aisles, recording when a product needs restocking, ensuring customers will always be able to buy Doritos or Mountain Dew whenever they want.
Automating routine work for retailers will save large amounts of lost revenue for owners. According to the analyst firm IHL Service, retailers lose potentially billions of dollars due to missing product, messy shelves, or items not being where they’re supposed to be.
Brad Bogolea, CEO and cofounder of Simbe Robotics, says his company’s robot can scan the shelves of a small store, like a modest CVS or Walgreens, in about an hour. A very large retailer might need several robots to patrol its premises. He says the robot will be offered on a subscription basis but did not provide the pricing. Bogolea adds that one large retailer is already testing the machine.
Tally resembles a column-shaped robot resting atop a platform, roaming around beige tiles on its four wheels. Through restocking automation, Simbe Robotics believes it will allow employees to focus on more important efforts, like customer service.
However its real-world application has received some push back. Joe Jones was involved with iRobot and Harvest Automation as a robotics engineer and entrepreneur. Here’s what he told the Technology Review: “In a real-world environment the robot may not behave as effectively as it does in the lab or even in a supportive beta test site.”
Can robots function in the natural world? It doesn’t matter, because they’re coming anyways.
Correction: This article has been updated to reflect that Tally stock the retail shelves, but rather takes inventory of the shelves.
Snapchat is one of those inventions that has taken the world by storm. Like Facebook did back in the day Snapchat has tapped into this generation’s brain, taking their desire to document their life one step further and making it all the more personal. Snapchat is the social media platform that young people use more regularly and that has the most personality of all, drawing polarizing reactions from crowds. Odds are you’re either a Snapchat lover or a hater.
The company, now called Snap, announced their first gadget, Spectacles, back in September and made it clear that they’re planning on expanding and developing more stuff that will not be limited to the constraints of your smartphone. The glasses allow you to record short videos while having your hands-free and without having to pull your phone out. These videos have a round frame, which differentiates it from recordings from your phone and also looks pretty cool.
Spectacles have become the new hard-to-get item during this holiday season. Sold initially through Bots, which are cute-but-weird vending machines with happy faces on them, Spectacles cost $129 a pair and look sleek and discreet, very different than the futuristic look Google Glass tried to pull. The Snapchat glasses are designed to look cool enough that people know what they are, but not crazy enough that they will make you look like an asshole.
The Snapchat Bots will make random and short appearances throughout the US, which are announced every 24 hours on this map (is there only one Bot in the world? What is going on here?).
Taking advantage of the Holiday season, Spectacles has opened up a store in New York, the one place in the world known for having people who are happily willing to queue up and wait in line. The store is located on Fifth Avenue and is rumored to stay there throughout New Years Eve. The wait times range from an hour to six, but hey, at least you’ll get this season’s hottest holiday item.
We don’t want to get into the debate over whether cats or dogs make better pets. Both animals have their pluses and minuses, and we’ve covered both more or less equally. That said, there’s no question which one is the bigger jerk in this particular video, which shows a cat named Kiwi pawing around in the snow before his dog friend named Katniss comes along to ruin everything by smashing the cat’s face completely into the snow.
The video was filmed in early December in Quebec, Canada by Lindsay Roy-Bernatchez, who posted the clip to Facebook and YouTube where it has been viewed 290,000 and 601,000 times respectively. Watch when bad dogs pushes cat’s head in the snow!
What we don’t see is the aftermath of the brutal snow dunk. Did Kiwi get his revenge and swat Katniss on the nose? Did Katniss dunk Kiwi again? Did Lindsay intervene? We may never know, but we do know that this is a video worth watching.
Oftentimes viewed as “natural enemies” because of their diametrically opposed roles in the wild kingdom, cats and dogs cohabitated not-so-peacefully in Africa for thousands of years before they were domesticated by humans — at which time it seems that they continued to be at odds with each other.
They’ve got piles of rolling papers, more grinders lost in the couch cushions than they can count, and glass lining the walls. What do you get the cannabis lover who’s already got it all covered?
Please don’t give them another pair of socks with marijuana leaves on them. Try one of these unique gifts, and get ready to be the MVP of your next smoke-out.
A Greeting Card With A Surprise
Tell them you like the way they roll! Aside from being really clever and funny cards, Kush Kards have a slot for slipping a joint into the paper itself.
Your friend who’s always having people over have probably lost a few good lighters in their day. Those things have a way of walking out the door. Give them a lighter to fight for, like a custom engraved Zippo. Feel free to order one that says DO NOT STEAL if they’re too chill to say it for themselves.
MJ-Inspired Jewelry
Leave the leaf aside and get more with cannabis culture jewelry that’s so subtle, they could wear it to their stuffy workplace. This roach clip necklace, for example, is classy and a nod to those who know what’s up. Alternatively, let them start the conversation with a THC chemical compound necklace.
The best part of this gift: Once you’ve given it, you can indulge in it together. Try this Raspberry Shrub that incorporates marijuana tincture. Throw all of the ingreds—including glasses—into a nice basket, slap a bow on it, and you’re done!
Some Sentimental Glass
Maybe you’re friend has 30 different kinds of bowls, pipes and bongs, but do they have one that’s a glow-in-the-dark octopus, or one in the shape of her favorite Pokemon? Didn’t think so. If they’re a glass enthusiast, this is a gift you can never give too many of. Make it something meaningful to the both of you, and it’ll stand out amongst the rest of their glass treasures.
Coloring books are somehow still a thing—and we need more zenned out activities than ever. Combining the calm focus of a good high and coloring therapy sounds like a dream. Give them one of the tons of marijuana themed coloring books that are out there, plus a pack of crayons, and let the fun begin.
A Custom-Engraved Grinder
This is another one of those things every enthusiast already has, but that you can make sentimental. Custom engraved grinders, such as these wood burned creations, make a mundane task a little more special.
If they’re rolling on some old-ass takeout tray or a TV dinner plate from their grandma’s house, please do them a favor and gift a sophisticated rolling tray. Many are functional and beautiful enough to leave out on the coffee table 24/7. These on Etsy are shaped in various designs, and look more like works of art.
Take Them On An Experience
What’s better than all of the above, for the friend with everything? Making memories. You don’t have to go far or do a ton of planning to create a memorable time together. Tickets to museums, renting gear for a weekend camping trip, or a treat to the movies will all do nicely when you’re out of ideas. Read our guide for the best vacations and getaways to take for your social butterfly friend.
Vaporizers continue to be all the rage in 2016 with new models, designs and updated functions hitting the marketplace. With hundreds to choose from it’s often hard to decide which is the best vape pen for you. Though some models offer attachments that vape both concentrates and flowers, most only perform one well—and it’s never my recommendation to combust or burn your weed—but to truly vaporize, which calls for an oven.
When looking at vape pens for extracts/concentrates it’s typical to choose based on style/design, but don’t overlook functions like automatic shut off, setting desired temperature or ease of use. Typically vapor production is important to both flower and concentrate vapes, so if you’re after big hits all ten of these vaporizers will definitely fit the bill.
If you’re looking for the best overall vaping experience with concentrates, the Dr. Dabber exceeds all expectations with its smooth matte black finish, interlocking magnetic parts and low temps to make this the perfect vape pen for dabs on the go. The Full Rx Bundle includes all the desired accouterments like three different atomizers to suit your oil/wax preference; glass globe attachment; ceramic mouthpiece; and Dr. Dabber’s signature Snaptech Magnetics.
From the same manufacturer as the Ascent comes the newly improved DaVinci IQ, (read: smaller and more portable) with a really cool 360-degree conductor oven allowing for a true vaporizer experience. The IQ’s rechargeable and replaceable battery helps light the LED display, heats the oven, and alerts you with a small vibration when your designated temp is reached. Similar to smart phones, the IQ is a high-tech vape, which can be synched to your iPhone through its app to set desired temp, turn on/off and more through unique, user-defined “smart paths.” If you’re looking for an extra powerful hit, one of my fave features of the IQ is the “boost mode” where you hold down the power button for 10 seconds allowing the oven’s temp to rise to produce a bigger vape. Check out the DaVinci IQ for yourself at http://www.davincivaporizer.com
If you thought you hit it big with the Pax 2, just wait until you try the Pax 3. Continuing where the 2 left off with a sleek and stylish small body and true vapor, the Pax 3 is now a two-in-one vaporizer to give you the best of both worlds: flowers and concentrates (new!). Other improvements include a bump up to the battery life (from 3000 mAh to 3500 mAh), faster heat up time (15 seconds), and new intelligence like LED notifications and compatibility with their Pax Vapor App.
Designed specifically for concentrates, the Pax Era is the first of its kind from Pax Labs otherwise known for their top-of-the-line flower vaporizers. Performing just as well and soon to be top-tier, the Era features a pre-filled concentrates “pod” only available currently in Colorado and California. Gone are the days of leaking, messy, and hard to load vape pens, the Pax Era is so completely seamless and so easy to use we bet your Grandma will be toking before year’s end.
The new Source Orb 4 almost offers too much for your money creating incredible value and lots of choices in ways to vape concentrates. With six different atomizers at your fingertips (including quartz and two coil-less) the Source Orb 4 carries on the tradition of exceptional vaping and quality of previous models. If big plumes of vape aren’t your thing, move away from the three-coil system atomizer and let the big kids take this one.
If you’re looking for a healthy, durable, designer vape pen that can not only handle daily use, but also the love affair you’re certain to have with it—the Puffco Plus is just the vaporizer you’ve been waiting for. Instead of coils, the Plus utilizes an all ceramic atomizer allowing for better flavor, less waste by evenly distributing the dab and larger vapor production. Other new advances in the Plus include a super handy dabber dart inconspicuously located in the underside of the mouthpiece and a 12-second sesh mode so you don’t have to continuously hold down the button.
Durable, stealthy and big on vapor production, the Galaxy from Kandy Pens is a trusted go-to vape pen. This four-temperature vaporizer pairs well with both types of atomizers; one which is coilless and has a ceramic dish; the other a crystal chamber with two quartz rods and titanium coils. When you get to high and pocket your pen is when you’ll really appreciate the 10-second automatic shut-off.
The Clout Dl1 offers exceptional value for a vaporizer. With big hits that are full of flavor, this vape uses a dual quartz coil encased in a ceramic atomizer base. If you’re looking for a pen that’s ditches the flashiness for an undercover look, you’ll appreciate the black finish that’s void of unnecessary bells and whistles.
From the trusted makers of the desktop vaporizer The Volcano, the Crafty is a portable, high-quality vape that produces great vapor and unmatched taste and efficiency. Extremely easy to use, the Crafty utilizes a one-button turn on, heats quickly, and turns to green when the desired temp is reached. The swivel mouthpiece is sturdy and the feel overall is just the same. Check out the app with its cool functions allowing you to control remotely temperature, battery life and notifications.
Don’t be fooled by the buttoned up look of The Executive, because this vape pen can really let loose. Luxury reigns supreme with 24-kt gold plated vape body, which has a coilless, ceramic atomizer surrounded by a glass atomizer cover, making way for a cleaner, fuller body taste. All this under the guise of a pen cap—be sure to bring this to your next board meeting.
Florida lawmakers will likely have no choice but to expand the number of cannabis producers it currently has in place to service the low-THC sector to take on the 500,000 patients expected to take part in the state’s newfound medical marijuana program, which passed in November.
According to a report from Action News Jax, the Senate Health Policy Committee began hearing testimony on Tuesday from a barrage of marijuana enthusiasts and opponents in hopes of formulating the best plan of attack for implementing the medical marijuana program that was made legal with the passing of Amendment 2.
It seems lawmakers somehow believe it is possible to simply put the whole of the state’s cannabis production in the hands of the six pot manufactures presently in place to grow and sell a non-intoxicating strain known as Charlottes Web.
However, United for Care’s campaign manager, Ben Pollara, told the Senate panel that there was no way in hell the current regulatory framework could service patients by the hundreds of thousands, and that the language of the initiative, which was approved by more than 70 percent of the voters, requires state health officials to put “reasonable” regulations into place with respect to the new medicinal cannabis program.
“It is more than a fair assessment to say that a vote for Amendment 2 was a vote to expand the market here,” Pollara said.
Some of the cannabis operations the state already has licensed to serve the low-THC sector told the Senate panel that there was no need to expand the current regulatory model because they would soon be well equipped to take on the number of patients expected to participate in the program.
In addition to matters concerning how marijuana is going to be grown and sold throughout the state, a number of law enforcement agencies and anti-marijuana advocates took some time to try and convince the Senate panel to take certain aspects of the new marijuana law into consideration when drumming up the final regulatory affairs – like not allowing pot candies to be sold.
“If we don’t aggressively seek to limit the use and sale of marijuana, our country and state as we know it will never be the same,” said Teresa Miller, creator of the “No2Pot” website. “Florida will be trading our beautiful white, sandy beaches filled with vacationing families for a hazy, skunk-smelling coastline laden with unemployable, unmotivated homeless people.”
It is unlikely that Florida’s new medical marijuana program will lead to an increase in homelessness. After all, a report published last week predicts the state’s medical marijuana market will generate more than $1 billion in sales within the next three years – potentially creating tens of thousands of new jobs.
The announcement marks the third time in as many weeks that the state Department of Health has introduced changes to the program, which launched last January as a result of New York State’s Compassionate Care Act.
This does not mean that patients will be allowed to smoke blunts in hospital corridors. New York State does not permit the sales of smoke-able medical marijuana at all currently, so hospitals will be charged with creating policies for patient use and allowing caregivers administer under what are sure to be strict guidelines.
The regulation is expected to go into effect in February.
In the past two weeks, the New York State said it would allow nurse practitioners and physician assistants to recommend medical marijuana; while adding chronic pain to a list of 10 qualifying conditions. The addition of chronic pain to the list of qualifying conditions fleshes out the NYS regulations, which until recently were some of the most stringent in the country. Chronic pain is defined by the health department as:
“Any severe debilitating pain that the practitioner determines degrades health and functional capability; where the patient has contraindications, has experienced intolerable side effects, or has experienced failure of one or more previously tried therapeutic options; and where there is documented evidence of such pain having lasted three months or more beyond onset, or the practitioner reasonably anticipates such pain to last three months or more beyond onset.”
Within our hyper-accelerated news culture, it can be tough to keep up with everything. But maintaining an informed populace remains vital to our culture. So for those stories that don’t quite need your undivided attention, we’re helping you digest stuff with GIFS, pics, and whatever qualifies as a quick fix. Remember: Knowing is half the battle. The other half: Laughing at funny memes.
I Miss The Old Kanye
Kanye West met with President-elect Donald Trump Tuesday morning. A lot of people had a lot to say that even such a meeting occurred. What was this meeting about? When pressed, Trump said they discussed “Life” and the pair are “good friends.” TMZ also reports that sources within Kanye’s camp say this meeting served to establish a rapport with the two.
“Kanye has been thinking a lot about the violence in Chicago, and wants to use his name to make a difference,” TMZ writes. “The rapper’s had a good relationship with Trump, and he’s decided to use it to help promote peace on the streets in Chi-town.”
The two apparently didn’t discuss Chicago during their brief talk Tuesday, though.
Kanye uncharacteristically has remained silent on the matter, not answering questions when posing for photos or when paparazzi followed him to his car. So to discern what Kanye might be thinking regarding his meeting, we asked the most reputable Kanye West expert we know: Kanye West.
Though good-natured, Lawrence has teamed up with Jimmy Kimmel to punch back. We won’t spoil the fun, but it involves spray paint and Pratt’s face.
Ed Sheeran Returns To Social Media
Exactly a year ago today, Ed Sheeran took a break from social media. We’re jealous. But following the year hiatus, Sheeran has returned with a decidedly cryptic tweet: a blue square.
What does that mean? Well no one knows because it’s insane to assume a blue square posted after a year break from social media could mean anything. But that hasn’t stopped folks from trying.
ED SHEERAN FINALLY TWEETED AFTER A YEAR AND ITS A BLUE PICTURE WHAT DOES IT MEAN pic.twitter.com/PX8PdhPSfu
A special marijuana task force appointed by the Canadian government presented on Tuesday a clear path for full recreational legalization. The bold recommendations include an age restriction of 18 and a possession limit of 30 grams.
The committee, appointed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in June, laid out its comprehensive proposal after five months of study.
“Now is the time to move away from a system that has, for decades, been focused on the prohibition of cannabis into a regulated legal market,” said Anne McLellan, a chair of the task force.
“I think we’re all aware of the challenges and societal problems that the existing system has created,” she said.
When Trudeau won his election in 2015, marijuana reform was one of the pillars of his campaign. But the issue remained on the back burner until the announcement.
Among the task force recommendations:
Minimum age to purchase recreational marijuana should be 18 years, but province’s should have the right to alter the age restrictions
Distribution and sale of recreational marijuana should largely be regulated by the provinces and territories
Marijuana should be sold via mail order and in storefronts
Marijuana should not be sold in the same locations where alcohol is sold
Limits should be placed on the amount of marijuana a person is allowed to carry and cultivate
Existing smoking bans applied against cigarettes should also apply to the consumption of marijuana
Edibles and oils should be legal, but those products must not be attractive to minors
The Canadian Medical Association had urged setting the age limit at 21, but the task force disagreed. The older age limit, the committee felt, would keep younger users in the black market.
Before the Industrial Revolution, women ruled the beer industry. The act of brewing, primarily associated with the kitchen, was necessary for the nuclear family. Beer provided much needed sustenance (the concoction provides lots of calories) and clean water (the boiling hot water needed to make beer purified otherwise diseased English drinking water – remember this is the country that brought us the plague). And it mellowed tensions from hard, pre-internet living.
With the women’s expertise, beer soon moved from the family kitchens to the community at large. Surplus beer was shared with townspeople in the squares and at parties and community gatherings. Soon, though, women began opening alehouses and making ends meet off their suds. But this paved the way for big business and soon, men realized the financial power of beer and pushed women out of the industry. Until recently.
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Over the past couple of decades, women have been pushing back into the industry, opening breweries and bars with spouses or on their own. Mari Kemper, co-owner of Chuckanut Brewing in Bellingham, WA, says many women do everything for the brewery — from selling the beer to customers to handling finances in the offices — except the actual brewing.
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Others, like Seattle’s Stoup Brewing co-owner, Robyn Schumacher, do it all. She’s an owner, brewer, taproom manager and, since passing the test in 2012, a certified cicerone — the first-ever female cicerone in Washington state.
My main thing is that I want women to understand we’ve been forgotten. There’s really no difference in our enjoyment of beer.
Schumacher’s sentiment also underlies the work of Teri Fahrendorf, founder of the Pink Boots Society, which came about in 2007 when Fahrendorf realized there was a small but growing network of women in the beer industry that needed to be connected.
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The mission of the Pink Boots Society, which has chapters all over the world, is to “empower women beer professionals,” says Fahrendorf, a longtime brewer who quit her job in the mid-2000’s to drive across country to visit breweries and meet women professionals.
“I kept hearing, ‘I thought I was the only one!’” she says.
Later, Fahrendorf brought 16 women brewers together in a single room (with no men) and came up with the society’s mission. “We didn’t know what it would feel like. Men wanted to come, but I said no.”
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Today, the Pink Boots Society serves people all over the world, aiming to educate women interested in brewing (for example: Is it safe for a pregnant woman to brew with certain chemicals?), and it also provides scholarships and apprenticeships for hopeful and established women brewers. In the Society’s nine years, the membership has grown from 60 to about 2,000.
“Over my career I’d seen a few women come in [to the industry] and quit,” Fahrendorf sighs. “If those women had the support, maybe they would have stayed in it, too.”
And thanks to her work, more and more women are entering the industry, women like Seattle’s Lindsey Scully, a former beertender at Stoup Brewing and a current employee for the Emerald City startup beer brewing company, PicoBrew. Scully, inspired by both Fahrendorf and Schumacher, recently studied and passed the Certified Cicerone program, becoming an official beer expert.
Brewing is still considered a gentleman’s industry. Being a lady trying to break in, I wanted to have that extra hand up.
And it worked. Scully is one of a growing number of women returning to a profession that was once dominated by them. It’s a happy occurrence, notes Fahrendorf, who continues her work with the Pink Boots Society, hoping to egg on yet another generation of women brewers and beer professionals.
