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5 Tips To Efficiently Pack Up Your Christmas Decorations

Maria Loreto
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5 Tips To Efficiently Pack Up Your Christmas Decorations

The only thing worse than setting up Christmas and holiday decorations is the long and tedious process of tearing them down. It’s understandable then when a lot of people simply throw them in a box and stow them away for an entire year.

Even though that is the easiest and fastest way of getting on with your life, poorly stored decorations only make it that much harder to decorate your place when the holiday season returns 12 months later. Here are the five most useful things you can do when it comes to packing up Christmas:

Take pictures and use labels

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RELATED: 7 Christmas Tree Alternatives That Will Make The Holiday Weird

If you’re not the type of person who gets creative every time Christmas comes around, take pictures of your holiday decorations and store them away. This will save you some time next year, helping you remember the purpose of each light and decoration. Marking boxes with their contents is also a great way of saving your sanity and tons of time.

Wrap your lights

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Since string lights are the most annoying and problematic Christmas decoration, you can wrap them around large pieces of cardboard. This method will prevent tangles and will also preserve their shape. The pieces of cardboard can also be labeled according to the lights they’re holding, so you’ll have an easier time setting up your decorations and differentiating the lights.

Use plastic bags

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Plastic bags are useful for resistant items like tree bases and lights, allowing you to put each item on a separate bag and avoid getting them all mixed up and tangled. Label each bag with a marker and stow them all away; by the time Christmas comes back next year you’ll only have to open your bag and get to work.

Carefully pack your ornaments

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RELATED: This Is When You Should Take Down Your Holiday Decorations

Tree ornaments are very easy to break and dent. For storage purposes, the best thing you can do is buy a large container with separators or make some of these yourself with cardboard, packing the items carefully so that they don’t get damaged. You can also buy fabric boxes to store these items since they’re softer and pretty cheap.

Take care of your fake Christmas Tree

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Artificial trees are great but they need to be taken care of if you want to use them several times. Avoid cramming the tree into the original box and buy a tree storage bag or wrap the boughs of the different sections with strong and durable tape. This method will preserve the shape of the tree and will allow you to use it for many years to come.

5 Ways To Get Stronger In The New Year

Maria Loreto
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5 Ways To Get Stronger In The New Year

Working out and improving your fitness are extremely popular goals, especially during the beginning of the year when people are feeling hungover and bloated from holiday indulging. A less popular, but equally important New Year’s resolution — especially one for those who aren’t all that experienced — is strength training. This type of exercises is the one that actually changes and improves the shape of your body.

Unlike jogging or doing some basic cardio, strength training demands that you know what you’re doing in order to see changes and development. Poor strength training could lead to injuries and a lot of pain, so before you do anything you have to do your research. Check out five ways that can help you grow stronger in the New Year:

Start off with the basics

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RELATED: 10 Tips To Help You Stay Active When Life Gets Busy

If you’ve never done strength training before, you need to get to know your options and be clear on your goals. You can use dumbbells, your own body weight, a barbell and more. What’s important is that you start off easy and improve gradually as you grow stronger and are able to do more reps with higher weights. Apps like Nike Training Club and Freelectics are good options, helping you grow stronger, and teaching you basic routines that can fit in to any schedule.

Yoga

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Yoga is the rare activity that develops your muscles and is actually fun. Positions like dolphin pushups and headstands are challenging and take a while to learn, but they’re also extremely helpful when it comes to toning your body. Yoga is a big relaxant and an extremely popular activity, with hundreds of apps and classes available online and on local gyms.

Eat more protein

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Strength training and lifting weights breaks down your muscles, with protein rebuilding them in size and strength. The more you lift weights and train the more your body will demand protein in order to rebuild and grow stronger, so always remember to consume healthy proteins if you’re looking to improve your body’s results.

Practice resistance training twice a week

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RELATED: 3 Easy Ways To Eat That Will Improve Your Workout

Resistance training – the one that strengthens and develops muscles – should be done at least twice a week in order to build muscle, grow stronger and tone your body. The New York Times reports that only 6 percent of adults commit to this standard, avoiding the long term benefits that the practice provides. Someone who does the minimum strength training will have a better metabolism, lower amounts of body fat and more.

Get enough sleep

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Muscle recovery demands protein and a minimum of eight hours of sleep. When you rest, your body releases the human growth hormone, which keeps your stress levels in check and repairs and rebuilds your muscles. According to a study published on the Journal of American Medical Association, sleeping for five hours or less reduces your muscle building testosterone levels by 10 to 15 percent. Get your sleep.

Dogs Of Instagram: Bichon Frise

Anthony Washington
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Dogs Of Instagram: Bichon Frise

Don’t mess with my Bichon Frise. Always alert, these fluffy clouds of personality are great watchdogs, while also greeting strangers like a friend they have yet to meet. Loving, curious, and cuddly, this breed is truly happy-go-lucky. The Bichon Frise stands under a foot tall, and is known for its white hypoallergenic and plush coats.

Here, we find the five fluffiest, most-loving Bichon Frises of Instagram.

Bentley, The Furball

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RELATED: Dogs Of Instagram: The Affenpinscher

Jean Pierre Woof Woof

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Snowy

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RELATED: Dogs Of Instagram: The Basset Hound

Arturo

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

Ally

https://www.instagram.com/p/BjMlg2wF_5W/

 

A Doctor’s Take On Cannabis To Last Longer In Bed

Thomas Green, MD
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A Doctor’s Take On Cannabis To Last Longer In Bed

My advice is that if premature ejaculation is due to anxiety and the patient is already an occasional smoker, a low dose of cannabis may help the situation.

Here is our doctor’s take on cannabis to last longer in bed.

All of us in the sexual healthcare profession are asked about premature ejaculation, its causes and treatments. It is an embarrassing topic for many men to address and therefore is not often discussed among friends. Those of us in healthcare are open to discussions, but we have not had major improvements in our treatments for many years. 

Premature ejaculation may be underreported, but estimates of those who are affected range up to 30 percent. Basically, this means that men experience an ejaculation within a minute of penetration, ejaculate prior to penetration or they are unable to delay ejaculation some or all of the time. 

Most commonly, I have seen this in men early in their sexual experience or with anxiety, intermittent sexual experiences or erectile dysfunction. There are other less common causes, however.  

RELATED: What Is Your Marijuana Use Doing To Your Penis?

As a urologist, I have taught men and partners the “squeeze technique” to delay orgasm. This is done by squeezing behind the head of the penis during foreplay to decrease sensation and reset the orgasmic pattern over time. This requires time, work and, if another is involved, a committed partner. 

We have also used local anesthetics (which can have a side effect of being less pleasurable to the partner), condoms to decrease sensation, and antidepressants (which can also have a side effect of a decreased libido).

So a question remains: Will consuming cannabis help delay orgasm? 

This is a very intriguing question with very little reported data. A landline telephone study of the ages 16-64 was done at La Trobe in Australia in 2009 and reported in The Journal of Sexual Medicine. The findings were very interesting. There were 126 people using cannabis daily. It was found that in this group men were four times more likely to have difficulties reaching orgasm, but also were 3 times more likely to have premature ejaculation. These results certainly make it difficult to decide if cannabis will improve a romp in bed.  

RELATED: Marijuana And Sex: How Much Weed Is Too Much?

One of the weaknesses of the study has to do with the fact that only landlines were used. Could this be a different population than what we would see in cell phone users? So the jury is still out as to whether or not a specialist in sexual medicine should recommend or discourage cannabis for ejaculatory issues in men. 

My advice is that if premature ejaculation is due to anxiety and the patient is already an occasional smoker, a low dose of cannabis which can alleviate anxiety may help the situation. A higher dose may have the effect of causing impotency or difficulty in reaching an orgasm. 

All of this is very user-dependent and may require trial and error which can be very satisfying or very frustrating for one or two people.  Hopefully our doctor’s take on cannabis to last longer in bed if helpful.

This Week’s Music: Beabadoobee, Justice And Lil Xan Release New Songs

Maria Loreto
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This Week’s Music: Beabadoobee, Justice And Lil Xan Release New Songs

This Week’s Music is a weekly column that discusses the weeks’ best, worst, and most interesting songs. We try to select songs of different artists and genres to keep things interesting and to please a variety of music fans.

This week’s column features Beabadoobee’s romantic and sweet song, Justice’s wild new anthem and music video, and Lil Xan’s latest mopey single. Check them out!

Indie

Beabadoobee – Dance With Me

Baebadoobee has a small but powerful following and once you listen to her music you understand why. Her dreamy voice and songs are just the right amount of quiet and thoughtful. “Dance With Me” is a deceptively simple song, lovely, youthful and awkward in the best possible way, managing to strike the perfect balance between theme, lyrics and melody. With only 18 years old Baebadoobee (say that three times fast) is bound to become one of the most inspiring and cool artists of her age and genre.

Electronic

Justice – Heavy Meta

RELATED: This Week’s Music: Sam Smith, Post Malone And Twin Shadow

Justice’s latest single is a good time, like an angrier version of Daft Punk, at least for the first minute before the song starts to drag. The band is made up of french DJs Gaspard Auge and Xavier de Rosnay and both have acquired a lot of critical acclaim, especially with their last album which nabbed a Grammy nomination. Justice’s latest music video features the 220 band members of Norfolk State University and blends the original recording of the song with an instrumental performance of the band, resulting in a surreal experience that’s fun and slightly disturbing. Is this party music? I really don’t know.

Rap

Lil Xan – Watch Me Fall

Known as Miley Cyrus’ little sister’s ex-boyfriend, Lil Xan is a 22 year old rapper who’s collaborated with some famous people and who even had a song on the Billboard charts. I don’t know much about him or his music, and his latest single doesn’t give you much of a glimpse inside his mind, or at least it doesn’t show off anything interesting. “Watch Me Fall” is a mopey and whiny song that manages to drag despite the fact that it only lasts three minutes. There’s not a lot of text or subtext; the one highlight is the music video, which is hilariously emo and embarrassing.

WATCH: CBD Is A Big Hit With The Spa Crowd

Green Market Report
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WATCH: CBD Is A Big Hit With The Spa Crowd

The Emerson Resort in the Catskill Mountains in New York found that adding CBD treatments to the spa menu was a big hit. The retail products sold out in the first week and the massage customers are booking repeat visits after their first ever CBD treatments.

This article originally appeared on the Green Market Report.

5 Types Of Marijuana Perfect For Kicking Off 2019

Mary Schumacher
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5 Types Of Marijuana Perfect For Kicking Off 2019

There are well over 1,000 strains of cannabis out there to choose from, and there are obvious standouts, favorites and competition winners. There are also new combos that will light up 2019 with heady highs, body highs and all around highs. These 5 contenders are sure to enhance the New Year and get things off to a proper start.

Kosher Kush

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RELATED: Here Are 10 Types Of Marijuana You Can Take To Be Less Stressed

This indica works wonders for medical users, as it comes on fast and heavy and packs a serious medicinal punch. Averaging around 29 percent THC, from pain relief to appetite stimulation to the slowing down of racing thoughts, Kosher Kush is a literal winner, having taken home three Cups already in the indica category. Do you have a busy year ahead? This is the one to soothe those nerves at the end of a long day.

Dark Star

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This purple indica named for the famous Grateful Dead song is a little lower in THC, but is still an indica to write home about. Dark Star is a pure hybrid of Purple Kush and Mazar-I-Sharrif and is extremely aromatic. With a blackberry finish, these dense nugs are sure to delight and almost act as a dessert. They’ll have you going back for dessert at least, as this is most certainly a munchie strain.

Jack Herer

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This classic hybrid was touted by renowned activist Jack Herer himself. A great daytime strain for its sativa dominance, this cultivar will never go out of style, much like the memory of the man who believed that hemp and cannabis are the keys to healing our world, from environmental issues to pampering our bodies. If you haven’t read Jack’s tome on cannabis and hemp, The Emperor Wears No Clothes, it’s available for free at jackherer.com. (To learn is another great way to kick off a new year…)

Mimosa

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RELATED: What To Do If You Accidentally Get Too High At Christmas

Better than the endless mimosas served at brunch, this fantastic hybrid mixes the sativa Clementine with the indica Purple Punch. Bred by Symbiotic Genetics, the fruity, citrusy under and overtones make this a delicious choice for day or evening use. It’s not a heavy or overly heady high, but is effective and uplifting to a tee.

Ghost Train Haze

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This sativa heavy strain by Rare Dankness clocks in at around 25 percent THC. It’s won multiple awards from different venues and is lauded for its strength. With notes of citrus and pine, you know the terpenes are working overtime to enhance your experience. If you’re not a heavy imbiber, go slow with this one. It’s so strong that it’s on the edge of psychedelic when smoking a bowl to one’s head, taking that third big dab or having an infusion binge…

Meme Of The Week: Fake Coachella Lineups Are The Latest Best Thing

Maria Loreto
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Meme Of The Week: Fake Coachella Lineups Are The Latest Best Thing

Coachella 2019 is on its way, with a set date for April and a lineup that includes Ariana Grande, Childish Gambino and Idris Elba. That’s right, Idris Elba is a DJ now.

Coachella is one of the most anticipated musical festivals of the year, not only because of the flower crowns and Instagram posts, but also because of the amount of talent that’s present. Located in Indio, California, the concert has a long history of annual events and features a variety of musical genres.

RELATED: Meme Of The Week: Decade-Old ‘Cry For You’ Becomes The Most Memeable Song

It’s tradition now that every year once Coachella announces their lineup in a fancy poster, users from all over the internet create photoshopped versions of the same, featuring random things that are funny and make some sort of internet sense. Know Your Meme reports that the Coachella photoshopped poster tradition began in 2008 and continues to this day.

This year’s contributions feature all sorts of things, from a poster dedicated exclusively to Burna Boy (who complained that his name on the original announcement was too small) to mentions of Hannah Montana, the Jonas Brothers, Cate Blanchett, and a list of reasons why you shouldn’t attend the event. Really, there’s anything you can think of on these tweets; the revelation that Idris Elba is a DJ called Big Driis threw the whole world off balance.

RELATED: Meme Of The Week: Jordan Peele’s ‘Us’ Looks Super Creepy But The Memes Are Funny

Green Market Report: Marijuana Money Jan. 4

Debra Borchardt
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Green Market Report: Marijuana Money Jan. 4

Happy new year’s everyone and welcome to 2019. We hope you had a nice break from work over the holidays and that your batteries are recharged to tackle this new year.

If you like the news that Green Market Report provides. Show your support by signing on to our Patreon page. You get news, free legislation tracking, and a weekly newsletter. Just a few pennies a day helps keep the news rolling. The entry tier is only $10 a month!

The acquisition race is already fired up this week with TILT Holdings’ (TILT.CN) plan to acquire Jupiter Research in a deal valued at $210 million. The acquisition is expected to close on January 31. TILT’s goal was to expand its technology ecosystem and B2B reach across the supply chain.

RELATED: Industry Leaders Consult Cannabis Crystal Ball For 2019 Forecasts

“Our latest acquisition of Jupiter Research is paramount to our goal of consolidating and centralizing services for all industry verticals: cultivation, production, and retail,” said Alex Coleman, Chief Executive Officer of TILT Holdings. “Vaporization is increasingly becoming the preferred method for cannabis consumption. With Jupiter’s proprietary inhalation technology, our offerings in this category are going to be unparalleled.” TILT only just began trading last month and also announced that it was acquiring BlackBird in December.

Cannex Capital Holdings reported that its revenue rose 223% to $3 million for the second quarter ending in October. The company also reported net income of almost $700 thousand for the quarter.

The Horizons ETF added three new companies to its portfolio. The new names included Khiron Life Sciences, Auxly, and MediPharm. The ETF has lost 46% of its value since hitting a year’s high in October.

RELATED: Green Market Report: Cannabis Trends for 2019

Biome Grow Inc. began trading on the OTC Markets Group this week with the symbol BIOIF. It will also continue trading on the CSE using the symbol BIO.

Xanthic Biopharma has officially changed its name to Green Growth Brands.

Sunniva completed its previously announced acquisition of LYTR Logistics.

This article was originally posted on Green Market Report.

5 Weird Factors That Can Predict Divorce

Amy Hansen
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5 Weird Factors That Can Predict Divorce

The statistics are real. Nearly half of all marriages end in divorce. And there are several surprising facts as to when this is going to happen.

According to Best Life, statistics for 2018 peg the divorce rate in America somewhere between 42 and 45 percent.

And according to recent numbers, Millennials are actually helping to bring that number down (by as much as 18 percent) simply by waiting until they’re older to tie the knot.

RELATED: How Millennials Have Caused Divorce Rates To Plummet

Whether you’re a Millennial or not, if you’re considering taking the plunge anytime soon, here are 5 factors that can often predict whether or not your marriage will last.

Where you live

According to a report by the National Vital Statistics (by way of Best Life), you have a 27 percent higher chance of divorce if you live in a red state, where people tend to marry young.

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Your parents

Did your parents split? If so,  you’re 40 percent more likely to seek a divorce from your partner, says Best Life. That number skyrockets to 91 percent if one or both of your parents remarried after the divorce.  This is according to Nicholas Wolfinger, author of  Understanding the Divorce Cycle: The Children of Divorce in the Own Marriages.

Smoking 

A 1990s study conducted at the University of Minnesota found that smokers have ​a 53 percent increased risk of divorce. It’s not that the act itself leads to divorce, rather smokers often have characteristics and life experiences that make them more divorce-prone than nonsmokers.

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Having a daughter

Researchers have discovered that couples who frequently argued were more likely to have a firstborn daughter rather than a son. According to Huffington Post:

Researchers Amar Hamoudi and Jenna Nobles found evidence that suggests female embryos are better able to withstand maternal stress in utero than male embryos. So if a mother is experiencing a rocky relationship from the outset, her female fetus has a better chance of surviving the full term. This theory of characteristic female survival advantage — meaning girls and women of all ages are more likely than boys or men to make it to their next birthday — is a widely accepted concept in research, but Hamoudi and Nobles’ findings are particularly noteworthy because they show that this survival advantage may start at the moment of fertilization, not just at birth.

Your religion 

According to a 2014 report from Baylor University, evangelical Christians have higher than average divorce rates, despite their strong pro-family values. In fact, they’re more likely to divorce than Americans who claim no religion at all. According to the report:

Some have argued that evangelical Protestantism (the typical example of “strong religion”) is correlated with low socio-economic status, and that this explains the increased risk of divorce. However, new research by Jennifer Glass and Philip Levchak suggests that evangelical Protestants’ cultural encouragement of early marriage and discouragement of birth control and higher education attainment explain the higher divorce rate …. among evangelical Protestants.

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