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Our Biggest Questions From ‘The Fate of the Furious’ Trailer

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On Thanksgiving night, anchored by gravy and sweet goodies, my family watched The Fast and The Furious. Many reasons went into this decision: a) The FF franchise revolves around family, the tearing and mending of those tricky relationships, holding onto loved ones while driving cool cars really, really fast, and b) because I had the remote. Why they handed me this power is beyond me.

Other IRL family members slipped away to bed, but my father and I stayed up late, absorbing its nuanced portraits and NOS-fueled explosions. It was, how they call it, a bonding moment.

So imagine the anticipation Sunday night when the FF-ers dropped a new trailer for its eight installment (!!) called—gorgeously, perfectly, incredibly—The Fate of the Furious.

Understandably, we have some questions following the trailer release. Let’s break down our super important queries about the fate of our beloved FF-ers.

So Dom’s a bad dude now?

Fair warning: The next sentence you will read is a blasphemous statement. Dominic Torretto is the only film or TV patriarch that matters. (Sorry Don Corleone.) (Sorry Tony Soprano.) (Sorry Coach Taylor.) Everyone else pales in comparison. He is the archetype and the architect.

But the heart of the Fast and Furious is and always has been the relationship between Dom and Brain O’Conner. Theirs was a classic big brother-little brother relationship—each knew who really was boss, but it didn’t stop little brother from trying to win. On top of that, underneath their hulked-out exteriors, both knew they needed one another. That relationship grounded all the other goofy shit in these movies and why installments like 2 Fast 2 Furious and Tokyo Drift feel diluted. People don’t just want to watch fast vehicles and colossal stakes; they want to watch those guys drive fast vehicles and beat the colossal stakes.

With that in mind, it may seem like misstep to separate Dom from the family and turn him bad. But what move did they have left? After upping the villain and consequences the past two movies (and toying with us that Brian would die like 5,000 times), a standard FF episode would feel bland. Either Dom’s leading the gang solo now, or Brian’s there through some facial CGI wizardry and it feels wrong. Dom going bad is the right call.

Will Brian make an appearance?

Tough to tell. He isn’t mentioned or seen throughout the trailer. When Furious 7 ended, it felt like a closing on Brian’s narrative, and a sincere tribute to Paul Walker’s death. However, the Walker brothers, who filled in for some critical Furious 7 scenes, admitted that Vin Diesel asked if they could bring Walker’s character back down the road. They said yes.

Chances are Brian returns. It’s a move they’ll save, though, for ultimate impact. With plans through a 10th Fast and Furious film, they need something to tease down the road. Maybe Brian comes in last minute and turns Dom from bad back to good. Anything is possible.

What unbelievable stunt will they pull off this time?

Screenshot via Fast & Furious/YouTube

Wait…that’s a submarine?

Yes. They defeated tanks, aircraft, and drones. Where else could they go? Can we just imagine that pitch, though?

FF producer: “What about submarines? We ain’t did one of them yet.”
Any other person ever: “You realize those are, like, underwater and stuff, right?”
FF producer: “Last movie The Rock drove an ambulances over a bridge into an exploding drone and survived. Then he double-tapped the drone and announced, ‘I am the cavalry.’ There are no rules.”
Any other person ever: “But a submarine needs water to—”
FF producer: “No rules!”

How many times will The Rock refer to himself as ‘daddy’?

Hopefully 10.

How many panning shots of Vin Diesel staring intensely out of a car will there be?

The trailer has about three and I pray that’s the whole movie. Just one long pan of Vin looking forlornly out into the world, wondering his fate as a furious man.

Is Fate of the Furious Oscar bait?

Vin Diesel thinks so! Here’s what Diesel said about the movie’s Oscar chances, singling out F. Gary Gray’s directing as worthy of Academy recognition:

As bizarre as that might be, he is definitely going to [be recognized]. As crazy as that might sound, he should have really been acknowledged for Straight Outta Compton. I think he went into making this movie with a little bit of a chip [on his shoulder], going ‘Oh, really? Now I’m going to take the biggest saga in the world, and I’m about to throw Oscars at you.’ Wait until you see what he does!

Should I go into a coma until this movie’s released?

This is a personal question. And that answer is yes. Friends and family, I’ll see you April 14, 2017.

 

The most essential daily news, entertainment, pop culture, and culture coverage. Want more? Check out “A Look Inside J.K. Rowling’s ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’ ” 8 Current-Day Life Lessons From ‘Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer’ ” and “Here’s Why I Don’t Think The Gilmore Girls Actually Drank Coffee On The Show

Good News: The 115th Congress Will Form A Cannabis Caucus

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Up until now, meaningful marijuana policy has been handled by state legislators. But beginning next year, the U.S. Congress will get a little more serious about doing something at the federal level.

Over the weekend, two members of Congress — one Republican and one Democrat — announced they were joining forces to create a Cannabis Caucus for the 115th Congress.

Reps. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif., and Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., will focus on a national strategy for national marijuana reform.

“People who have been ambivalent about this before, all of a sudden just inherited constituents who care deeply about it,”Blumenauer told DecodeDC. “Florida just passed an initiative for medical marijuana which makes it the second largest marijuana market in the United States. All of a sudden there are lots of legislators who just had their constituents vote more strongly for marijuana than they did for them.”

Rohrabacher, who reportedly is still being considered by President-elect Donald J. Trump for Secretary of State, wants the focus to be on a durable structure for change. “There needs to be more strategy between us, those of us who are engaged in this. More of a long-term strategy,” Rohrabacher said . “We need to have a vehicle in which people on the outside will be able to work through and sort of have a team effort from the inside and the outside.”

Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., is also considered to be deeply involved in the caucus, which will begin meeting next month.

According to DecodeDC, the caucus will be made up of members of Congress who see marijuana reform as an important issue and it will focus on a bipartisan effort to pass bills.

Rohrabacher and Blumenauer have both fought vigorously for marijuana decriminalization and a state’s right to choose how to regulate the drug.

Rohrabacher, who openly says he is a medical marijuana patient for arthritis pain, introduced the Respect State Marijuana Laws Act of 2015.

Blumenauer introduced the bipartisan Medical Marijuana Research Act of 2016 and co-sponsored the Marijuana Businesses Access to Banking Act of 2015.

According to Blumenauer, the two biggest issues facing the cannabis industry are that companies aren’t fairly taxed because federal law won’t allow them to fully deduct their business taxes — and that cannabis businesses can’t work with banks.

“We’ve had the movement crest,” Blumenauer told DecodeDC. “Two hundred and fifty million people have access to medical marijuana, a quarter of the population has access to adult use. We’re watching an industry now where 60 percent believe marijuana should be legalized, and public opinion mirrors what happened at the ballot box.”

Highway is an essential source for cannabis science, how-to stories and demystifying marijuana. Want to read more? Thy these posts: One Man’s Journey In Pursuit Of The Truth Behind Marijuana ProhibitionMarijuana Myth Busting: Does Holding In Smoke Get You Higher? and A Drag Queen’s Visit To The Cannabis Store

DJ Khaled Helps Block They With New Cocoa Butter Collection

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Do you ever feel like “they” are hating on you? Do you ever wish you could be the best? Well DJ Khaled helps block they with new cocoa butter collection. He is a long time supporter of all things glow and smooth, has teamed up with Palmer’s Cocoa Butter to release a capsule We The Best collection. Khaled has been known to showcase his support and usage of Palmer’s Cocoa Butter on his popular Snapchat channel.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BNu1rT8DvZ6/

But Khaled is making the relationship official with this collaboration, which includes three different variations that capitalize on Khaled’s catchphrases. You can “Live Life Smooth,” the way Khaled does, you can use “They Block” to keep away all the they’s in your life, and display your “We The Best” glow.

RELATED: 8 Ways to Enjoy Marijuana Without Smoking It

It’s yet another win for Khaled. His Drake-assisted single “For Free” went platinum while this year’s Major Key LP certified gold last month. Khaled also announced he’s already working on a follow-up album.

You can check out Khaled’s Cocoa Butter commercials below. Stereogum reports the collection will go on sale tomorrow.

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

https://www.instagram.com/p/BN3PAXbgJtm/

Khaled is an American DJ, record producer, and record executive. Originally a Miami-based radio hype man, Khaled has become known for his extensive curation of high-profile music industry artists and producers to record singles or albums. His distinctions are his booming voice presence, “motivational” abstractions, and numerous catchphrases. While his musical contribution is often questioned, Khaled’s role has been described as organization, direction, promotion.

Cocoa butter, also called theobroma oil, is a pale-yellow, edible fat extracted from the cocoa bean (Theobroma cacao). It is used to make chocolate, as well as some ointments, toiletries, and pharmaceuticals. It is is a decent source of vitamin E, which benefits your body in many ways. Vitamin E supports vision, reproduction, and the health of your brain, skin, and blood. Cocoa butter contains a high amount of fatty acids, which make it well-suited as a main ingredient in skin cream.

 

Ground Control To Major Tom: Buzz Aldrin Treated By Dr. David Bowie

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Buzz Aldrin, that guy who was the second man to walk the moon, was evacuated from a trip on the South Pole due to altitude sickness. He arrived to New Zealand in stable condition, where he was treated by a Dr. David Bowie.

via GIPHY

The awesome coincidence was reported by many, including Christina Korp, Aldrin’s manager, who posted several tweets with images and comments.

Aside from having been one of the greatest performers on earth, David Bowie – the singer, not the doctor – was also an incredible proponent of space, naming his alter ego Ziggy Stardust and calling out to the stars and the space men in many of his songs. He was a little bit of a visionary as well, releasing his album Space Oddity, a few days before Apollo 11 landed on the moon.

His death on January 10th was a heavy blow that set the tone for an uneven and some might say rough 2016. Bowie inspired and was beloved by many, proven by this awesome tribute video made by Astronaut Chris Hadfield.

5 Wine And Vegetable Pairings You Never Knew You Needed

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For your entire life, you’ve been told to eat your vegetables. You dodged them like green-tinted bullets as a child by pretending to politely cough bites into your napkin but, as an adult, green isn’t as mean as you remembered. You’ve even expanded your epicurean repertoire to include root vegetables and other things that innately taste like dirt. Butter ‘em up, dredge them in cheese, flash-fry coated in tempura or take in all their nutritional goodness raw, vegetables are part of a balanced diet and actually do taste good, especially when the right wine is paired with them.  Here’s 5 wine And vegetable pairings done right.

Carrots with Albariño

This Spanish white wine variety is no stranger to working with vegetables (think tomato-and-veggie-pureed gazpacho). The warming and nutty profile is also lush with tropical fruit flavors and juicy acid. Zanahorias aliñadas (marinated carrots) is a popular vegetable side dish in Spanish cuisine, cold-poached in olive oil to fatten up the root vegetable with a little herbal unctuousness. The amiable matchup goes together like wine and carrots: give it a go with the jasmine-accented single varietal from Adegas Valmiñor in Spain’s Rias Biaxas or Idilico’s almond-and stone fruit-flavored version from Washington State’s Yakima Valley.

Asparagus with Grüner Veltliner

This herbaceous, perennial plant produces an unfortunate amount of organic compounds that contain sulfur and high doses of chlorophyll-based green flavors, both off-putting presences when next to or in wine. Do not fear, dear wine drinker, the vegetal vegetable’s citrus-herbal quality can appeal to a higher acid, zippy white wine like Grüner Veltliner. Try a classic Austrian rendition like E&M Berger’s zesty pop-top bottle or let the New World take a stab with a dry and crisp bottle of Dr. Konstantin Frank in New York’s Finger Lakes.

Spinach with Gamay Noir

Whaaaaaat, a leafy green with a red wine? Take it easy: the earthy, mild flavors of spinach make a cordial companion for Gamay Noir, a lighter bodied, slightly earth and fruit-forward red more often found in France’s Beaujolais and Loire Valley. Now is the time of year to strike, as this style of wine is readily available at retailers and typically discounted from last month’s Beaujolais Nouveau Day (Nov. 16). Chomp down on these greens next to a glass of the rhubarb-fruited Pentâge Winery Gamay from British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley or go classic with the approachable and earthy Louis Jadot’s Beaujolais-Villages from the namesake region.

Green Beans with Sauvignon Blanc

Two words: lemon and butter. The light and bright string bean lends itself nicely to complementing zesty, tangy citrus and the fat of butter. With likeminded flavors to the citrus and crispness of the vegetable, Sauvignon Blanc can contrast the richness of buttered beans while mirroring the acid of the green itself and lemon. Pick a lush, juicy Sauvignon Blanc from California, North America’s leading producer of the green-skinned grape, like Cliff Lede’s from Napa Valley or one from the Loire Valley, like Henri Bourgeois’ mineral-heavy Sancerre.

Beets with Pinot Noir

Although the red root vegetable that exudes tastes of earth and sweet, tangy red fruits can play for both teams (it also pairs well with aromatic Riesling), Pinot Noir is its kith and kin. The typical minerality and red berry fruit flavors, not to mention dazzling acid and low tannins, of the varietal match similar tendencies of the vegetable that some say tastes like dirt. Lucky for beets, the profile of Pinot Noir is all about the soil it comes from too. Stay ‘Murican with a soil-driven Oregon Pinot from Sokol Blosser or go kiwi with the vibrant and tea-leaved Wild South Pinot from Marlborough, New Zealand.

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QUIZ: How Well Do You Know Your Food Trends?

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As we prepare ourselves to say goodbye to 2016, let’s take some time to reflect on the food fads that came and went. There was fancy compound butters, chia pudding, koji, and overnight oats. Here are some other food trends from the past several years. Were you paying close enough attention to spot them?

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Hey, Seattle: Help Feed Underprivileged Kids By Buying Marijuana

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It’s an unfortunate fact, especially during the holiday season, that an estimated 25 percent of the children in Washington suffer from hunger. Across the nation, food security is becoming more dire.

There simply are not enough government services to provide for the less fortunate and a growing number of Americans need the services of volunteer food banks and shelters — particularly in big cities.

In Seattle, a marijuana retail store and a cannabis farm are teaming up with a a food bank to help those in need.

Origins Recreational and Gold Leaf Gardens in partnership with the West Seattle Food Bank, have launched a “Feed our Future” campaign that will run throughout the month of December. Proceeds from every Gold Leaf purchase will go to support West Seattle Food Bank’s “Backpack” program that serves underprivileged children.

pic-2“Cannabis is really about community and bringing people together. We hope this program influences other cannabis companies to become more involved in their local communities.” said Sean Miller, managing partner of Origins.

The goal of the two marijuana companies is to purchase 1,290 meals, translating to 215 backpacks with 6 meals each for children in the West Seattle area.

Every year, the West Seattle Food Bank feeds over 9,300 individuals, including 3,600 children. The Backpack program partners with 13 local West Seattle schools to provide 300 school children six healthy, kid-friendly meals weekly for the weekend.

Food security —which means access to enough safe and nutritious food at all times to live an active, healthy lifestyle — is a serious issue. Poor nutrition can lead to serious health and cognitive consequences for children.

Research shows that hungry kids have a tougher time concentrating and have more behavioral problems than those who are well nourished.  The West Seattle Food Banks started the Backpack program to ensure that all school children in the community have the healthy and nutritious food they need.

The concept is simple: children at risk of weekend hunger receive a “backpack” consisting of six balanced meals that are kid-friendly, nutritious, nonperishable, and easy to prepare/eat.

Origins Recreational is located at 4800 40th Ave SW, Seattle. Origins hours are Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.  For more information about Origins Recreational and their Origins Certified seal please visit http://www.originsrec.com or call (206) 922-3954.

Even Bruce Springsteen and Eddie Vedder support the Food Bank.

Highway is an essential source for cannabis science, how-to stories and demystifying marijuana. Want to read more? Thy these posts: The Majority Of Americans Now Want Legal MarijuanaSeattle’s Swankiest Marijuana Store Opens Its Doors, and Opioids Out, Cannabis In, Top Medical Research Journal Says.  

 

Kentucky Taking Close Look At Legal Weed In 2017

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Kentucky may have a fighting chance at becoming the next state to have legal weed with a comprehensive medical marijuana program.

There was some concern recently that the Kentucky Legislature would not see any cannabis reform efforts in the 2017 session, but that was before Senator Perry Clark came forward last week with a piece of legislation called the Cannabis Compassion Act of 2017, a proposal aimed at giving patients suffering from a variety of health conditions access to cannabis medicine.

The bill, pre-filed under BR 409, would give patients with more than 20 “debilitating” medical conditions, including chronic pain and substance use disorder, the freedom to cultivate, posses and use the herb for personal benefit. It would also lend itself to the creation of a full-scale medical marijuana industry – a system that would be overseen by the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Control — giving patients the ability to purchase a variety of cannabis products at licensed dispensaries all over the state.

If passed, patients would have the ability to possess up to three ounces of marijuana and cultivate up to 12 plants for personal use.

Interestingly, Kentucky’s latest marijuana-related measure is similar in a lot of ways to a bill Clark proposed at the beginning of this year, calling for the complete demise of prohibition in the Bluegrass State. The only major difference in the medicinal bill and Clark’s Cannabis Freedom Act of 2016, which called for a taxed and regulated pot market similar to what is happening in Colorado, appears to be that it would force adults 21 and over to have a bona-fide relationship with a doctor before gaining access to legal weed.

This angle could prove highly successful in the upcoming legislative session, as it appears that some Kentucky lawmakers are finally beginning to open themselves up to the concept of legalizing for medical purposes.

Earlier this year, there were some unpublicized meetings that took place among the state’s legislative forces intended to “vet” the issue of allowing Kentucky residents the ability to use medical marijuana.

Even Republican Governor Matt Bevin has said that he would support a comprehensive medical marijuana program that allows marijuana to “be prescribed like any other prescription drug.” Although the governor has not offered much more of a voice on the issue, there is some belief that he would be at least willing to consider a medical marijuana bill if the state legislature could simply get one on his desk.

But the Cannabis Compassion Act is still expected to be met with some opposition. There are some state lawmakers, including Senators John Schickel and Jimmy Higdon, who have said that they would only support medical marijuana if it were for “end-of-life-situations.”

Nevertheless, the Cannabis Compassion Act of 2017 is scheduled to go before legislative gatekeepers in early January, which will determine whether the full Senate will get a chance to hear the issue in the coming months.

Ultimate Hot Mess Holidaze Contest Winner Announced

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The Hot Mess Holidaze Contest entries are in! We found some wild stories, but narrowed it down to the amazingly messy entry below. Brava!

This year’s winner is Diana Isaiou from Seattle, who also happens to own American Baked Co., which sells wonderful cannabis baked products. Here is her mess:

“There was that one Christmas party at my friend Lulu’s house. I was wearing festive red latex! It was pretty fun and I was drinking lots of festive drinks, then I decided it was time for a snack. As I went to the beautifully set Christmas table I spotted a friend. We stopped at the table to chat, and as we were talking I leaned on the table and whoops! Apparently, I leaned too hard because I tipped over the entire table. All the contents went crashing to floor, followed by the table itself and finally followed by me, all into a big heap. I decided I wasn’t hungry after all.”

Thanks to everyone for sending in their entries and if you’re in the Seattle area, why not stop into the American Baked Company and congratulate Diana on her spectacular hot mess!

Will ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ Be The Best Teenage Drama In Years?

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Gather around children, if you’re still living, and get on down with this old secret adults tried to hide from you: Spider-Man is a teenager. On some subconscious level, your brain assures you that you knew this already. But you did not. This is an Inception moment—something you once knew to be true but chose to forget.

The culprits: Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield. Both near 30-somethings who convinced you they were younger thanks to boyish faces and boyish-er charms. Hold that—I’m not sure if Garfield convinced anyone of anything as Spider-Man. All I remember from those movies was how Jamie Foxx accidentally blue-d himself.


via GIPHY

Following some sly and assuredly petty negotiations, Sony has allowed Marvel to return Spider-Man underneath their umbrella. This is what allowed Spider-Man to appear in Captain America: Civil War, a probably unnecessary yet fulfilling move. The chorus that rang after that movie sang two promising notes: a) Black Panther was dope as hell and b) they finally nailed Spider-Man.

The reason? The casting of Tom Holland, a British theater kid. He is 20 years old, but you could convince me he’s 15 and I would believe you. Charismatic yet awkward, wisecracking yet self-deprecating, acrobatic yet unskilled, Holland embodies the alluring contradictions of Spider-Man flawlessly. It really just means he nails the inherent binaries of being a teenager. Because Spider-Man is a teenager. Which you forgot.

Sony Pictures debuted the first trailer to the upcoming Spider-Man: Homecoming on Jimmy Kimmel Thursday night. The response: mostly applause. From its first look Spider-Man: Homecoming appears more about clumsy teenagers traversing high school’s procedural social structures than about superheroes saving the world. Thank goodness. Not to go full fanboy, but that’s always been the core of Spider-Man’s appeal: He’s Peter Parker, a goofy, likable dork just trying to get by. He doesn’t really want all the powers and (*loaded word alert*) responsibilities thrust upon him. Peter worries about girls as much as Spider-Man worries about the Green Goblin. In both cases, he’s figuring it out as he goes.

But it’s fascinating how eagerly Marvel and Sony are steering into this territory. Using MGMT’s “Time to Pretend” in the trailer is like a blaring synth siren this will be an emotionally-loaded, growing-of-age teen drama. Don’t believe me? A short list of vehicles that have prominently featured MGMT’s track at some point:

Girls
– Sex Drive
– Gossip Girl
– Skins
– 21

I was honestly shocked to learn Noah Baumbach hasn’t included “Time to Pretend” in four of his films. While watching the trailer, a 15-second window opened where I legitimately asked myself, “Did they let Baumbach direct freakin’ Spider-Man!?” Then a building exploded.

That scene where Peter and his buddy drool over a teenage crush in the lunchroom felt straight out of Freaks and Geeks…which shouldn’t surprise you because freakin’ Sam Weir himself co-wrote the screenplay. Who knew little Sam would grow up to write screenplays? Don’t worry Freaks and Geeks fans, Bill is here, too.

Peter Park as a boy trying to realize his potential while fitting in, Tony Stark as an emotionally-distant father figure, and that ever-looming threat to a high school boy known as “GIRLS,” Spider-Man: Homecoming is shaping to become the best teenage drama tentpole in years. Michael Keaton’s Vulture is there too and yeah he’ll have to save the people of New York again (note: great visual callback), but that’s gravy. Some suit upstairs finally remembered Peter Parker was a teenager. It’s great to see him finally act like one.

 

The most essential daily news, entertainment, pop culture, and culture coverage. Want more? Check out “A Look Inside J.K. Rowling’s ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’ ” 8 Current-Day Life Lessons From ‘Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer’ ” and “Here’s Why I Don’t Think The Gilmore Girls Actually Drank Coffee On The Show

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