A Harvard professor recently gave out his expert opinion and said what we all knew: french fries are bad for you. While there’s nothing wrong with this statement, the professor sparked outrage when he said that restaurants should offer a side salad and just six French fries to their patrons. What is he, the fry police?
Professor Eric Rimm made his statement in a New York Times article, where he called potatoes “starch bombs,” and the worst vegetables to fry. “There aren’t a lot of people who are sending back three-quarters of an order of French fries. I think it would be nice if your meal came with a side salad and six French fries,” he said.
The New York Times piece goes on and on about the perils of French fries, as if we didn’t already know. One of the saddest discoveries you’ll make in your life is learning that the more delicious the fast food, the worse it is for your health. Still, that doesn’t mean that when you order fries you’ll have to settle for six little sticks.
I don’t eat fries every week.
Or even every month.
But dang it, when I DO eat fries, I want heaps of fried goodness with ketchup.
SIX FRIES?
Harumph, I say.
Obesity is indeed a big problem in America, with different experts claiming that when it comes to fries we should protect ourselves in any way we can, be that by foregoing sauces, reducing portions or simply by not eating them at all.
While serving six French fries sounds sad because of its specificity, fast food outlets and restaurants should work harder to provide appetizing and healthy side options for the American public. Healthy food can also be delicious, it just takes a little more dedication.
Utah now has a brand spanking new medical marijuana program, but it has nothing to do with the will of the people. Although the voters overwhelmingly approved a proposal in the midterm election designed to legalize medical marijuana statewide, the state legislature, in cahoots with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Days Saints and Governor Gary Herbert, passed an updated version of the law in a special session this week that is being called a “compromise” to the original measure.
Earlier this year, mega-protest over the possibility of marijuana being made legal for therapeutic application caused an uprising in hostility in some of the most influential members of the state – namely the Mormon church. This led to a negotiation between cannabis supporters and opposing forces, and it was determined that if the voters did approve Proposition 2, lawmakers would go to work in special session to draft a law that everyone could deal with.
But if they didn’t, the Governor still promised the state would begin work on a reasonable medical marijuana program. The overall message tucked inside the sneaky overtones of the proposed compromise was that the people needed to vote “yes” on the proposals to see medical marijuana come to pass. So, they did…and lawmakers made good on their part on Monday to create what Governor Herbert calls “the best designed medical cannabis program in the country.”
“Working with trained medical professionals, qualified patients in Utah will be able to receive quality-controlled cannabis products from a licensed pharmacist in medical dosage form. And this will be done in a way that prevents diversion of product into a black market,” he said in a statement following the signing of bill.
“This is an example of how collaboration makes Utah the best-managed state in the nation. Proponents and opponents came together to honor the voice of Utah voters who compassionately stood up for Utah patients,” he added. “They provided for access to medical cannabis, while closing loopholes that have created significant problems in other states that have legalized medical cannabis.”
But make no mistake, the bill is certainly not as strong as the one pushed through by the voters. It places some onerous restrictions on cannabis industry involvement. For instance, the original proposal called for 40 dispensaries to open up statewide. The new law will only allow for seven “pharmacies,” which will be operated by the state health department. It also removes the possibility of patients getting their hands on popular edible cannabis products. It even eliminates some of the original qualified conditions from the list.
So, yes, Utah finally got its medical marijuana program, but it could be a difficult one to navigate. What it does, however, is ensure medical professionals are involved every step of the way – the same as other medicine. Some argue this concept will end up strangling the program in bureaucratic red tape.
But without the compromise deal, cannabis advocates say patients may have been forced to do without.
“This bill is undoubtedly inferior to the law enacted by voters in November. However, Proposition 2 would very likely have been defeated without the compromise deal, which prevented an onslaught of opposition spending,” Matthew Schweich, deputy director at the Marijuana Policy Project, said in a statement.
When will the program launch? It’s going to be some time before the state gets their act together enough to see this through. It could be at least a year before the state has all the detail worked out.
Imagine that the most popular rapper in the world wrote a devastating diss track about you that momentarily derailed your career. Then imagine you’re with your girlfriend, Nicki Minaj, who’s owned Billboard charts throughout her career, and you go on a double date. But it’s not just any double date. The couple you’re enjoying dinner with is Jay-Z and Beyoncé, only the most successful recording artists of the past 25 years.
Then that diss track that momentarily derailed your career plays during your double date. Want to make things more awkward? How about the fact that Jay-Z was responsible for said dinner date playlist, meaning he’d thought the song was so hot, he couldn’t resist bumping it through the speakers. Now imagine you’re Meek Mill in that situation, because that really happened to the Philly rapper. Awkward indeed.
“Hov and Beyoncé were like, ‘Come out to eat with us.’ Hov got the playlist and he’s clicking through shit and ‘Back to Back’ come on by mistake while we’re at the table,” Meek said amidst chuckling. “I’m like, ’Oh shit, what the fuck?’”
“Beyoncé, Hov, and Nicki just looking like they don’t know what the fuck going on,” Meek added. “I got to take a shit now. I don’t even know if they remember that, but shit, I remember that.”
Meek shared that story during a recent interview for Tidal’s CRWN series with Elliott Wilson. The interview also touched on Meek working on his new album “CHAMPIONSHIPS”, and his advocacy for prison reform. You can watch the whole interview here.
At the end of every growing season, be it vegetable season or the end of cannabis season, certain things make themselves very clear: Garden chores are finished for the year, there is an abundance of fall and winter crops, and it’s damn near winner. Better use up them veggies!
For me as a farmer, grower and chef, the combination of a soup and a stew — a stoup — is incredibly warming for the body and nourishing for the mind, body and soul. It’s almost custom-made, tailored for that quintessential lazy winter day indoors. Caldo verde, a centuries-old potato, kale and Portuguese sausage soup, feels both decadent and extremely healthy. The rustic bold flavors and chunky texture go well with a crusty loaf of artisan bread and the fresh cannabis leaves add a slightly peppery bite to the overall combination of earthy flavors used in this one pot meal.
Cannabis Caldo Verde
prep time: 15-20 minutes
cook time: 1 hour
yield: 4-6 servings
total thc/cbd: 10mg thc per bowl of stew (increase the dosage by adding more tincture)
equipment needed: cutting board, chef’s knife, hand held immersion blender, medium stack pot
INGREDIENTS
4 Tbsp neutral flavored vegetable oil
1 ½ sweet onions (peeled, medium diced)
10 cloves garlic (crushed + rough chopped)
6 medium white potatoes (medium diced)
2 quarts organic blonde chicken stock
2 quarts water
1 lb linguisa sausage (cut into ½ inch rounds)
4 Tbsp sea salt flakes (I prefer Jacobsen)
1 Tbsp fresh cracked black pepper
½ tsp red chili pepper flakes
2 lbs organic kale (rinsed + rough chopped)
½ quart fresh cannabis fan leaves (rinsed + rough chopped)
1 bottle THC tincture (I prefer Fairwinds Lifestyle…indica or sativa, 1 dropper per soup = 10mg TCH)
In saucepan sweat onion & garlic in oil (4 min) add potatoes cook 4-6 minutes stirring. Add the water, stock, salt and pepper, chili flakes and bring to a boil. Simmer 30-40 minutes when potatoes are done add one big handful of kale and slightly purée soup with handheld immersion blender (do not purée all the way). In a separate pan cook sausage until it has released some of its fat (about 8 minutes), drain and set aside. Add sausage to soup and simmer an additional 15 minutes. Just before serving, stir remaining kale and cannabis leaves into the soup and simmer 5-8 minutes until greens are tender. Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve warm in a bowl with a soup spoon. Drizzle drops of the THC tincture and serve with a crusty chunk of bread. Enjoy!
Around the world, there is a steady shift towards the legalisation of marijuana. But how should governments considering such a move ensure it is done effectively, fairly and safely?
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s incoming administration has presented an initiative to regulate cannabis from seed to smoke. Legal cannabis would be accessible for recreational, medicinal and industrial uses through a commercial market, non-profit associations, so-called “cannabis clubs”, and home cultivation; all overseen by the establishment of an Instituto Mexicano de Regulación y Control del Cannabis.
But how good is this proposal, how can we tell – and is it a good model for other countries to follow? We analyse the proposal according to the “Ten Ps of marijuana legalisation”, a list of issues developed by drug policy expert Beau Kilmer that should be considered when legalising marijuana. They are: production, profit motive, promotion, prevention, policing and enforcement, penalties, potency, purity, price and permanency.
The Facts
Production: The number of producers and the quantity they can produce determine the functioning of a market. Although the initiative limits home cultivation and cannabis clubs to 480g or 20 plants per person, supply levels for the commercial market are not set. But the necessity to obtain a license ensures eventual state control over who can produce how much marijuana.
Profit motive: Entrepreneurs want to maximise their profits and will seek to expand their customer base. But this is at odds with the public health objective of limiting cannabis consumption. To resolve this tension, the government’s initiative intends to employ several regulatory tools to find “an equilibrium between absolute prohibition and the free market”. For example, licensing requirements prevent companies from exercising too much control over either the whole value chain or one part of it.
Promotion: As with alcohol or tobacco, advertising is key for enticing new users to try out a substance. That is why it is important to decide whether, or to what extent, to allow the promotion of cannabis. The initiative currently prohibits “all direct or indirect publicity that has the goal of promoting cannabis use”.
Prevention: To minimise problematic use, information and prevention are vital. While the initiative requires dispensaries, cannabis clubs and the regulatory agency to run information and prevention campaigns, where the funding for them will come from has not yet been determined.
Policing and Enforcement: To be effective, established limits need to be policed. For example, the initiative states that driving under the influence of cannabis will be sanctioned. Although it requires that “the detection method must be based on scientific evidence and disregard discretion”, currently there is no good way to determine if someone is driving while high. Unfortunately, Mexican police tend to take advantage of such uncertainties to exact bribes.
Penalties: Those who break rules have to face consequences. The initiative foresees that administrative sanctions, such as fines, community service or temporary arrest will apply to those who do not play by the rules established by cannabis regulation.
Potency: As with alcohol, the varying potency of marijuana results in varying degrees of harm. The initiative establishes that the Instituto Mexicano de Regulación y Control del Cannabis will set both the potency levels and the ratio of the main psychoactive components of the cannabis sold.
Purity: As with any other legally sold product, marijuana should undergo testing to ensure it isn’t contaminated with adulterants, pesticides or other impurities – and that it is what it claims to be. The initiative establishes that the cannabis regulation institute will also oversee quality control for both the production process and the product.
Price: Setting the right price for legal cannabis is probably the most vexing problem the legalisation process faces. What we know is that if the price is too low, consumption increases, while if the price is too high, dealers will continue to sell marijuana illegally. So there is a tension between the two objectives of protecting public health and attacking black markets. Although the initiative pretends to achieve both goals, it does not elaborate on how to establish the right price point.
Permanency: Once established, rules, regulations and institutions tend to be sticky. They persist even if they are ineffective or outdated. Consequently, it is important to establish mechanisms that will allow the law to be evaluated and, if necessary, updated. The initiative contemplates this point and empowers the cannabis institute to periodically evaluate how well legalisation is working.
Will it work?
The choices made in designing cannabis legalisation are central for determining the costs and benefits of legally available cannabis. As our analysis shows, the proposal to legalise marijuana in Mexico is generally both well thought out and comprehensive, touching on all of the crucial issues identified by Kilmer. While some points require elaboration, this can be easily done in legislative deliberations and subsequent regulations.
Proceeding with caution might be advised, but would-be reformers should not be discouraged from legalising marijuana in Mexico. They can draw on existing international experiences and the domestic expertise of academics and civil society. Marijuana legalisation is not just a risk but also an opportunity for Mexico to create drug policies that are more fair, inclusive, respectful of human rights and protective of public health. This initiative is an indispensable first step in the right direction and a solid foundation to build on.
In an interview for Variety’s hitmakers issue, Levine talks about the backlash to the Super Bowl gig: “I’m still formulating a lot of things.”
On “Girls Like You”: “We had a historic [midterm] election with how many women turned out and ran. Like, hell, we can actually do this! That’s why the iconography of the video is really important — for all of us to remember as men to support these women. Let’s be pillars of strength and support and not approach it from a defensive standpoint, or one that would suggest I know anything about how a woman would feel. Remain reverent to what is happening and not claim to know. Just be a set of ears.
Why he’s connected to the plight of women: “Having little girls. But being a male who is a prominent public figure is a very tricky place to be. There are dangerous waters to navigate. You always want to be on the right side of something you feel passionately about. I have two young daughters, and to think about them being mistreated at all — ever — made my blood boil. So we went for it because I felt that as long as I stayed close to my heart with this concept, I could never go wrong. … In the video, I was doing it for my kids and my wife. If anyone doesn’t understand the intentions, f— ’em.
Speaking in the January issue of Good Housekeeping, Michelle revealed what she’d tell the Duchess.
“Like me, Meghan probably never dreamt that she’d have a life like this, and the pressure you feel – from yourself and from others – can sometimes feel like a lot. So my biggest piece of advice would be to take some time and don’t be in a hurry to do anything. I spent the first few months in the White House mainly worrying about my daughters, making sure they were off to a good start at school and making new friends before I launched into any more ambitious work. I think it’s okay – it’s good, even – to do that.”
Michelle also believes in the importance of doing what you feel truly passionate about.
“What I’d say is that there’s so much opportunity to do good with a platform like that – and I think Meghan can maximise her impact for others, as well her own happiness, if she’s doing something that resonates with her personally,” she said.
Kid Rock is super-mad about it, and he issued a statement:
Behar has been an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump and when Myself, Sarah Palin and Ted Nugent visited The White House last year, Behar called it “the saddest day in in the history of the White House since the British burned it to the ground in 1814.”
Mess with the bull, you get the horns. End of story.
I apologized for cursing on live tv, I will not for my sentiment nor do I expect an apology from her or anyone else who has choice words for me or doesn’t like me.
Amazon is the internet land where all things can be found, no matter their function. You can find a can of cat food or a rare stamp that’s been discontinued. If you want it, and willing to pay a couple of hundred bucks for it, you’ll find it on Amazon.
One of the things that Amazon prides themselves in is their star-rating system, which allows customers to give a rating to their purchases. Amazon has made a store out of this idea, selling only items with “4-stars or more” and resulting in a store that’s equal parts cash-grab and curiosity.
Elite Daily compiled a list of the weirdest items on Amazon that have over 3,000 five star reviews. This means that more than 3,000 people bought these items, logged into their Amazon accounts and clicked on the 5-star icon. For some reason people really liked these things. Check out 5 of our favorites:
Himalayan salts are very famous but who would’ve thought their influence extended over to house furnishing and decorations? Himalayan salt lamps are big sellers on Amazon, with 4-star reviews and over 11,000 customer reviews. Supposedly these lamps are very relaxing and cute, so I guess it’s makes sense that some people are into them.
A travel mug handle
Instead of buying a mug that has an actual handle, some people prefer to buy a handle that they can attach to their different mugs. That sounds practical. The mug handle comes in 18 different colors and is available in three sizes. It’s worth 9 bucks so it’s not even a bargain. Although I can’t see how this could ever be a practical purchase, 3,000 plus people disagree.
Back pain is a big problem in America and this big massager appears to be the best when it comes to working out back kinks of a lot of Amazon customers. With 4,700 customer reviews and a solid 4-and-a-half star rating, customers agree that if you’re buying a back massager this is your best bet, no matter how dangerous and clunky it looks.
Even though this detangling hairbrush looks like an accessory that Barbie would love to own, the item is Amazon #1 hairbrush bestseller. It’s worth $10 and it has over 5,000 reviews. “She saw the bright pink color and immediately started BRUSHING HER OWN HAIR. PEOPLE. SHE IS A YEAR AND A HALF OLD,” says an emphatic reviewer. Crave’s hairbrushes are really beloved, okay?
This healing clay has over 18,000 reviews and it has 4-and-a-half star review on Amazon. It calls itself the “world’s most powerful facial,” cleansing your pores and just doing a generally amazing job of keeping your skin healthy. Although it sounds like a good investment costing only 8 dollars, a bargain for facial products, it’s strange that a product that comes from no recognizable brand and that has a somewhat tacky label has gathered this much acclaim. Makes you think.
Some savvy scientists did the field research and the results are in: vaping cannabis flowers over smoking them is the better high. Scientists from the Johns Hopkins Behavioral Pharmacology Research Unit in Baltimore gathered together 17 cannabis users for the experiment, though they were far from daily smokers.
The study imbibers hadn’t smoked marijuana in 30 days and most of the participants smoked an average of one time a year. During an 8.5 hour session of smoking and vaping, it’s safe to say that the users were very high indeed. Just a little higher for having vaped cannabis as well as smoked it.
The cannabis dosages given out had 0mg, 10mg or 25mg of THC. Each person went through 6 sessions and tried all of the different doses and methods. However, it was a blind study, meaning they weren’t aware which dose they were taking when. Being unaware made questionnaire answers all the more easy to write honestly and without bias.
Physical and cognitive tests were also given. Blood pressure and heart rate were taken 10 times during the 8+ hours. They were given simple tasks to perform during the tests, like replicating an onscreen shape or using a computer mouse and keyboard at the same time, which was likely a fun challenge to do while buzzed.
Interestingly enough, no matter if it was the lower or higher dose of THC, the concentration of the cannabinoid in the bloodstream was much higher when the herb was vaped rather than smoked. The results were consistent across the study and also manifested themselves as “cottonmouth,” dry eyes and lower performance rates on the cognitive tests.
The study’s conclusion read that in contrast to previous controlled side by side studies of smoked versus vaporized cannabis, this study produced much larger differences in vaporized cannabis effects. Higher blood THC concentrations from the same amounts of smoked cannabis were slightly surprising, but definite in this particular series of tests nonetheless.
“These discrepant results may be because procedures used in former studies enabled users to titrate their THC dose, whereas the current study required participants to self-administer a fixed amount of cannabis,” researchers wrote. “Therefore, holding THC dose constant, vaporizers appear to be a more efficient cannabis and THC delivery method, likely because with traditional smoked preparations, more THC is lost as a result of pyrolysis (combustion) and/or sidestream smoke.”
It’s December, which means that travel season is well on its way. Things get truly crazy during the last weeks of the year, where airports make the news when situations turn for the worst. While traveling should invoke feelings of excitement, airport drama has escalated to a point where just the thought of a plane can make us feel seven different versions of dread.
Airlines have never been greedier, charging an arm and a leg per ticket and doubling down on cancellation fees. Vice interviewed Liana Corwin, a travel expert from Hopper, who gave out a few helpful tips that can guide you when it comes to knowing how to avoid a pricey cancellation fee. Check out some of her most helpful tips:
Southwest Airlines is the only major carrier that doesn’t charge a cancellation fee, even if you cancel at the last minute. The fees for all the other airlines vary greatly, ranging from accessible ones of $75 to outrageous ones of over $200. Do your research and ask around before you purchase your ticket, planning in advance if you think you might need to change your flight. Check out the full list of airline cancellation fees here.
The Department of Transportation enforces a 24-hour rule that demands that airlines hold flight reservation payments for 24 hours. In this time, you can cancel your flight without paying a penalty if you booked your flight at least a week in advance. Despite the fact that this window is pretty short, this is a good option if you really can’t afford to pay for a cancellation fee.
Some credit cards have trip cancellation insurance, offering you a full refund provided you have a real reason for cancellation such as an injury or an illness. These insurances vary greatly, with some credit cards covering weather related incidents and personal situations such as getting laid off from work.
Pray
https://giphy.com/gifs/girlshbo-l4hLUTv6EwTN9tKsU
If you don’t have a valid excuse for canceling your flight and it’s been 24 hours since you purchased your ticket, wait until the last minute to cancel and pray for a flight delay or a cancellation. Different airlines provide refunds depending on a long delay or on a cancellation. Be wary of getting your hopes up though; airlines consider these requests and charges on a case by case basis, so there’s no way to of knowing if you’ll get your refund.
A fibromyalgia patient is the first UK person prescribed cannabis. Carly Barton, now 32, suffered a stroke in her early 20’s that’s caused chronic pain since. After years of being prescribed heavy opiates, including Fentanyl, Barton felt out of it constantly and wanted to approach her condition in a non-addictive manner without all the side effects.
Cannabis treatment entered the picture around two years ago when Barton found that the illegal, yet effective herb quelled her pain without feeling like a zombie who was still experiencing pain from the fibromyalgia.
Finally, last month Barton received a prescription for medical marijuana and though now on the up and up, a three month supply will cost around £2,500.
Aside from being a medical marijuana patient, Barton is also deputy director of an advocacy group called United Patients Alliance. She called the legislative changes “pointless” if they aren’t followed up by fair guidelines.
It seems that medical cannabis, though now technically legal in the U.K., is a hush hush matter. Doctors’ offices won’t make appointments over the phone if the patient mentions cannabis or one of its many synonyms. Barton believes that its a lack of knowledge and information that has doctors and their offices so on edge.
It’s a common problem wherever cannabis is being medicalized and legalized around the globe. Medical school, in its traditional practice, does not cover many bases of cannabis treatment. For one thing, there are not enough peer reviewed studies on the benefits of marijuana and few to none of the studies morph into standard medicinal traditions as of yet.
While the world catches up to cannabis possibility, Barton and patients like her are limited in their choices. Right now, Barton is worried that her prescription may not be renewed or that she may not be able to afford it, sending her back into the realm of criminality. She went on to observe that, “We are going to be put in a position where the rich are patients and the poor are criminals.”
