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Adam Levine Conflicted Over Maroon 5 Performing at the Super Bowl; Will Smith’s Wife Says Her Mom Once Questioned Their Marriage

Naughty Gossip
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Adam Levine Conflicted Over Maroon 5 Performing at the Super Bowl; Will Smith’s Wife Says Her Mom Once Questioned Their Marriage

Adam Levine Conflicted Over Maroon 5 Performing at the Super Bowl

Maroon 5 is set to headline the 2019 Super Bowl Halftime Show—for now, at least.

Pink and Rihanna had passed on the Halftime Show in support of former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who was basically blacklisted for “taking a knee” during the National Anthem.

Celebrities like Amy Schumer have urged Maroon 5 to step down, and an online petition was created to encourage the band to drop out of the show; to date, it has over 63,000 signatures.

Naturally, the band’s frontman, Adam Levine, is conflicted about how to proceed. For months, the singer—who has been named Variety’s 2018 Hitmaker of the Year—batted away questions about the band’s involvement. Now, he tells the magazine, “I’m still formulating a lot of things.”

Will Smith’s wife says her mom once questioned their marriage

Jada Pinkett Smith has revealed that her mom, Adrienne Banfield-Jones, once questioned her marriage to Will Smith.

The 47-year-old actress has been getting candid about the ups and downs of her relationship since launching her Facebook Watch series, “Red Table Talk,” and the latest installment covered the subject of divorce, which Adrienne raised after the couple started calling themselves “life partners” instead of “husband” and “wife.”

“She was like, ‘Well, why don’t you guys just divorce?’” Jada recalled. “One of the ideas for me is that we’ve built such a beautiful community, we’ve built such a beautiful family… we do well together. Breaking that group and community up for me? It’s just never an option.”

During the candid discussion, Jada also said that she doesn’t feel mature enough to undergo a divorce, but later added that she believes staying together requires an even greater level of maturity.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BqhoZJanFOl/?utm_source=ig_embed

Queen Elizabeth Finds the Word Pregnant “Vulgar”

Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton’s grandmother-in-law has more than a few non-traditional pet-peeves, which include a distaste for wedge heels, potatoes, and men in shorts.

Perhaps the most shocking among Queen E’s laundry list of unique grievances is this: the word “pregnant.” What about it, you ask? Well, according to an Us Weekly “palace source,” she finds the term “vulgar.”

Why Cannabis CEOs Aren’t Honest About Their Marijuana Usage

Mike Adams
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Why Cannabis CEOs Aren’t Honest About Their Marijuana Usage

In order to run some of the leading cannabis firms in the world, it seems reasonable that one of the prerequisites of the job would be to have an extensive history of using marijuana from back when it was still considered an outlaw substance. But that is not necessarily the case, according to a recent survey from BNN Bloomberg.

It seems that a small percentage of CEOs responsible for the day-to-day operations of cannabis companies in the U.S. and Canada do not use marijuana, while many others will not admit whether they do or not.

We’ve all heard the old adage: “Don’t get high on your own supply,” but this is ridiculous. A poll of nearly 30 CEOs found that most of them use marijuana for medicinal and recreational purposes. Six of the respondents, however, said they do not consume pot at all, while another six refused to provide the news source with a response even when assured that their comments would be kept anonymous.

So what gives? Are some cannabis CEOs ashamed, embarrassed or scared to reveal their connection to a product that they hope the people of the world will one day enjoy?

Some argue that it is about moving away from stereotypes, while others say being a non-cannabis consumer in the cannabis industry is sort of like owning a smartphone but having no idea how to use a computer.

“A lot of these people who won’t go on the record talk about breaking down stigma. So where does that leave the industry?” said Alison Gordon, chief executive of Toronto-based cannabis producer 48North Cannabis Corp.

“In a way, it’s better for me to admit using cannabis because it demonstrates authenticity in our brand. I understand the product and I understand the consumer, where these people [that don’t use cannabis] don’t.”

Although marijuana is legal in Canada and in a handful of states in the U.S., it still remains an illegal substance in the eyes of the federal government. This is probably one of the reasons that some CEOs are apprehensive about sharing their connection to weed. They fear that it could cause them trouble when it comes to crossing the border. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection confirmed last month that anyone connected to the Canadian cannabis trade could be deemed inadmissible in the U.S.

But some cannabis CEOs say they should not be required to use marijuana to sell it. After all, the bigwigs of the Pharmaceutical Industry do not experiment with or use every medication their companies create. Still, there are some that liken cannabis to the brewing industry. And it would be borderline insane if the top dogs of the brewing sector didn’t enjoy a beer from time to time.

Marijuana “will soon become a mainstream product, so why wouldn’t you talk about it?” said Brian Athaide, chief executive officer of The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd. “If you’re not proud about it, how can you have the passion to be in this business?”

How To Keep Your Home Warm Without Losing All Your Money

Maria Loreto
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How To Keep Your Home Warm Without Losing All Your Money

The battle between staying warm and keeping money in your wallet begins when the weather starts to drop and doesn’t end until spring is halfway in—all this depending on your body’s tolerance to cold. The heating bill can get really crazy, especially on those frigid days where all you want to do is stay curled under the blankets.

There are several things you can do to maintain the heat inside your house. You can insulate your home, wear more layers, and stock up on more blankets and candles. Check out four things you can do in order to keep your home warm during the worst days of winter:

Insulate your home

Hot air rises and cold air falls. So it’s important to know how to properly insulate your home and windows before you get to work. Popular Science recommends converting your home into a vertical heat blower, “slowing the drift of hot air upwards, allowing cool air to sink down, and getting the most out of heat sources.” You can check out a step by step guide to insulating your home here.

Use your curtains wisely

Thermal curtains are very helpful during the winter, keeping the cold outside and the heat inside. It’s also important to know your windows and to take advantage of the sun. Keep your sunny windows open while your shady ones closed, allowing for natural sunlight to make its way into your house.

Move your furniture around

Even if it’s nice to have your couch near your radiator because it feels like a little fireplace, it’s important to allow the heat to move around the house and not to block it directly. Keep your curtains, clothes, and furniture away from heat sources so hot air can circulate freely inside your house.

Keep your body warm

Using multiple thin layers is a great way of keeping your body comfortable and warm, trapping air and insulating your body. This is an effective way of maintaining warmth since it’s easily controllable, allowing you to remove or add layers depending on the temperature. You can apply this reasoning when you sleep as well, stocking up on blankets and maintaining your body warmth during the nights.

Awards Ceremony Honors Women Leadership In Cannabis Industry

Javier Hasse
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Awards Ceremony Honors Women Leadership In Cannabis Industry

Amidst the glitz and glamor of the MJBizCon in Las Vegas, Nevada, a collection of remarkable women gathered together to honor the achievements of their peers. Dubbed the Industry Power Women Awards, the ceremony aimed to recognize the accomplishments of women in the cannabis industry—from entrepreneurs and investors to influencers and advocates.

The award ceremony was hosted by the group Industry Power Women (IPW). Founded in 2017, IPW is an organization established for women, by women. IPW aims to elevate and empower female entrepreneurship within the cannabis industry by creating a support network of like-minded individuals.

Attending the ceremony was broad assortment of women from across that country and all walks of life. Some were photographers, others were cannabis producers, and some ran cannabis-related women’s organizations in their home states.

Green Market Report co-founder and CEO Debra Borchardt acted as hostess for the event. The first to take home an award was Kristin Hope for the Rising Star Award. At just 15 years old, Hope became the first person to launch a pharmaceutical grade hemp beauty line, HOOP, and was most recently nominated for the Bell scholarship.

The next award recipient was Gaynell Rogers, who won Influencer of the Year. As one of the most respected voices in public relations, Rogers has worked with some of the best and brightest in the cannabis industry; including Harborside Health’s Co-Founder Steve DeAngelo.

Outside of the cannabis industry, Rogers is also known for her work as the senior publicist for Lucasfilm and the Head of Feature Film Publicity at Pixar for the first Incredibles and Cars.

“Finally, a breath of fresh air of women leaders who ‘get’ that we have to propel our voice in every way we can and collectively,” Rogers said. “This mosaic of women from all walks of life inspires, heals and offers a memorable and meaningful coalition. This is our time.”

For her outstanding work as a cannabis advocate, Amy T. Margolis was granted the 2018 Leadership Award. Margolis is the founder of the Oregon Cannabis Association, which is one of the largest trade organizations in the cannabis industry.

Most recently, Margolis was also named by Cannabis Business Executive (CBE) as one of the 2017’s 100 Most Powerful Political People in Cannabis and one of the 50 Most Important Women in Cannabis in both 2016 and 2017.

Taking the prize for Advocate of the Year was Wanda James. As an outspoken political voice and serial entrepreneur, James was named one of the 50 Most Important Women in the Cannabis Industry by CBE.

Emily Paxhia, co-founder and Managing Partner of Poseidon Asset Management, was named IPW’s Investor of the Year. Throughout her career, Paxhia has reviewed thousands of cannabis companies and has always taken the time to uplift promising female entrepreneurs by helping them shape their pitch preparations, go-to-market strategies/ product launches, and advised on day-to-day business operations.

Taking the top honor of 2018 Business Woman of the Year was Jessica Billingsley, the co-founder and CEO of MJ Freeway Business Solutions: a technology company that provides software solutions to cannabis firms, as well as small-business consulting services and application license support. In addition to her entrepreneurial accomplishments, Billingsley has been named to Fortune’s list of Top 10 Most Promising Women Entrepreneurs.

“I’m honored to be named IPW Business Woman of the Year in recognition of the challenges MJ Freeway conquered in 2017-2018,” Billingsley said “After all that my team has been through, we are now stronger than ever and thriving. I encourage women to empower one another.

Following the ceremony, many of the attendees would later recount with exuberance how empowered the event made them feel. For many, this event stood out as one of the few places where they could be with other women and talk about their trade. In an industry that continues to be dominated by men, that matters. It only serves to highlight the continued relevance, and need, for ceremonies like the Industry Power Women Awards.

How Cannabis Can Relieve Symptoms Of Lyme Disease

Trey Reckling
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How Cannabis Can Relieve Symptoms Of Lyme Disease

Although tiny and unassuming, ticks can cause revulsion in people on sight. It’s not just because they are blood suckers and appear uninvited ready to make us their host meal. Ticks have caused untold human suffering throughout history by helping spread plague, fever, paralysis and a variety of other nasty conditions. In 1982, scientists made a connection between Lyme disease and some of the bites of certain ticks.

Lyme disease is a priority for the Centers for Disease Control because annual cases can exceed 27,000, up almost three-fold since the mid 1990s. Frighteningly, it affects the brain and nervous system. And it all starts by being bitten by one of the smallest insects we can see with the naked eye, the black-legged tick, AKA the deer tick.

Symptoms may not appear for days or even months after bite. Sometimes there is a telltale bullseye mark around the bite, though as many as half affected never get a rash at all. It is often misdiagnosed as MS, lupus, chronic fatigue or even as being psychosomatic.

Lyme disease can manifest as flu-like symptoms, fever, headache, extreme fatigue, pain in the jaw, neck, back / joint pain, swelling and even pain in the bones.

Caught early, physicians can treat Lyme disease with antibiotics to bring a quick and complete recovery. However, more rarely, some patients will experience chronic Lyme disease, also known as Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome (PTLDS).

Though no states currently list Lyme disease as a qualifying condition to be a medical marijuana patient, several (California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island and Washington) have expressed they will consider the allowance with a physician’s recommendation.

While no studies have shown cannabis to cure the condition, it has been shown to impact several of its common symptoms: chronic pain, insomnia/ restless sleep, inflammation and joint/muscle aches.

As a young child, Shawn DeNae was bitten by ticks. While that is not uncommon for people who hike, camp and play in wooded areas, these bites would begin a years long struggle with serious side effects from that simple encounter.

“I was bitten by ticks when I was 8 years old. By the time I was 15 I was having a lot of pain. My bones hurt all the time. I discovered cannabis and it helped the pressure behind my eyes and the achiness I experienced. I was diagnosed at 42 years old with Lyme Disease.” — Shawn DeNae

For DeNae, cannabis was a very effective remedy to the side effects she was feeling, more powerful than anything that has been offered by physicians. It is probably no mistake that, years later, she finds herself the chief executive of Washington Bud Company, a commercial marijuana producer run by her family and close friends. Not only does she help produce top shelf marijuana, she learned to make the products that helped her and now sells a line of non-intoxicating topical products, under the brand name Canis, to improve the quality of life of others.

“It (cannabis) helps. I use topical cannabis several times a day. I smoke cannabis to help. I use cannabis tinctures or concentrates under my tongue to help me sleep.” — Shawn DeNae

Of course, the best medicine is preventative. You can reduce your risk of exposure by being aware of where you are traveling and taking some precautions such as long sleeves and pants and use of insect repellent designed for this purpose.

If you are bitten by a tick, don’t panic. It is important to practice safe removal to prevent complications such as leaving the mouth embedded in the skin. Monitor yourself for symptoms such as the bullseye pattern around the bite. For good information about this and testing, check out the CDC resource on this topic.

Why Does Smart Guy Malcolm Gladwell Reject Marijuana Legalization?

Brendan Bures
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Why Does Smart Guy Malcolm Gladwell Reject Marijuana Legalization?

Malcolm Gladwell is responsible for popularizing social ideas like the 10,000-hours rule and The Talent Myth, but the thinker’s latest proposal is far from popularity. In an interview with Detrioit’s WDET, an NPR affiliate, Gladwell admonished against cannabis legalization because of the drug’s rising potency and possible health side effects.

“To my mind, the important issue is not the economic one, it is the psychological and medical one,” he said. “Research seems pretty clear that the kind of marijuana that’s being sold now, which has levels of THC that are seven or eight times higher than historically, has some quite serious side effects, not all of which we understand.”

“The idea of having the general public consume what is an extraordinarily powerful drug that we don’t fully understand is quite terrifying to my mind,” Gladwell added.

Research has shown how unreliable historical records of THC potency from the federal government can be. Federal institutions like the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) have used shaky methods like gas chromatography to test potency, all while forsaking storage methods and testing cannabis samples years after they acquired them. In short, conventional wisdom that cannabis today is significantly more potent than cannabis in the 60s and 70s should be approached with skepticism, researchers told The Atlantic back in 2015.

“Normally I’m the biggest person to say history should be a guide. In this case, like, it’s a different story because this is a whole new scary thing. And by the way, in many of the ways people use marijuana now, the THC levels are even higher than 20 percent. I’m sorry, this is just crazy. It’s totally crazy,” Gladwell said.

Gladwell also emphasized that marijuana’s capability as a “gateway drug” to harder drugs hasn’t been fully studied either. He argued evidence suggested either might be true—that cannabis could be a gateway drug to deadly narcotics or away from them. We’ve demonstrated evidence enough times debunking the myth of marijuana as a gateway drug as untrue and misleading. So we won’t belabor the point.

However, Gladwell fully supports decriminalization of cannabis despite his rejection of cannabis legalization. He encouraged law enforcement to use more “discretion” when discovering individuals on the street consuming or selling marijuana.

“We shouldn’t be locking people up, but we should not be racing to make this available,” Gladwell said.

Dab Melt Videos Are The Latest To Join The ASMR Craze

Maria Loreto
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Dab Melt Videos Are The Latest To Join The ASMR Craze

ASMR videos are popular for scratching a brain-itch that you didn’t even know you had. There’s been several stages to this phenomenon that have resulted in millions of YouTube and Instagram videos, and that can take up tons of your time because they’re really hard to stop watching. First there were soap cutting videos, then came the slime videos, and the nail stamping Instagram clips. Now, it’s gorgeous looking dab videos called “melt shots.”

Dabbing is a very popular process that requires some resin, a torch, a dabbing rig or a pipe. It’s the latest “cool” way of getting high, producing powerful results through the use of small doses of marijuana concentrates.

What makes these videos so appealing is the burning process of the resin, which bubbles up smoothly and in a satisfying way, resulting in a melt shot that looks like a Darren Aronofsky directed short—minus all the sad and scary stuff of course.

These psychedelic videos are commonly paired with cool music and smooth editing, concluding in a burst of milky clouds that make the viewing experience all the more pleasurable. Melt shots are extremely re-watchable due to how brief they are, resulting in the perfect combination of elements that make up a viral hit.

There’s a #meltshot hashtag and several Instagram accounts dedicated to these types of videos, but if you’re interested in finding the good stuff your best bet is always YouTube.

Marijuana Legalization On Ballot Would Drive 2020 Voter Turnout, Says Michael Moore

Brendan Bures
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Marijuana Legalization On Ballot Would Drive 2020 Voter Turnout, Says Michael Moore

Influential documentarian Michael Moore has an idea for Democrats to win the 2020 election—put marijuana legalization on the ballot. Moore’s reasoning springs from his home state in Michigan, which legalized recreational cannabis this month amidst the largest voter turnout in the state in 56 years.

Moore also believes adding other litmus issues like free college tuition and banning gerrymandering will raise the Democratic chance of victory, in addition to cannabis legalization. This is particularly true in key swing states, driving voters who “don’t vote that much” or “don’t like politicians” to the polls.

“This is what we did in Michigan two weeks ago—we had a ballot proposal to legalize marijuana,” Moore said on MSNBC last week. “Largest turnout of young people in we don’t know when came out to the polls.”

Moore used Michigan as an example. While the state legalized recreational cannabis, it also elected Democrats to high-profile roles in the state’s gubernatorial, attorney general and U.S. Senate races. Putting key issues on the ballot that voters care about, like cannabis legalization, is Moore’s explanation why.

Research has backed up Moore’s proposal, at least when it comes to cannabis. Myers Research polled Wisconsin voters in October, and found that 56 percent were more likely to cast their ballots if it included a cannabis question. The biggest boost in voters more likely to turn out, though, was for self-identified Democrats.

Teens Are Trying Marijuana Before Alcohol and Tobacco

Mike Adams
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Teens Are Trying Marijuana Before Alcohol and Tobacco

There was once a time when teenagers gravitated toward the use of alcohol and tobacco to get their first taste of adult substances before coming of age, but that has changed. It seems this demographic has come to understand the dangers of booze and cigarettes, so they are choosing to explore the land of debauchery through cannabis, according to new research published in the journal Alcohol and Drug Dependence.

Researchers at Columbia University say that marijuana is the official gateway drug for teens across the United States. But parents, don’t let this scare you too much. Co-study author Katherine M. Keyes, a professor of epidemiology at CU, says the next generation just has little interest in cigarettes and alcohol.

This age group has come to understand cannabis doesn’t include the same harmful repercussions as other intoxicating substances. It is viewed as a safer alternative. It’s not that more teens are smoking weed these days than ever before; it’s just that when it comes to trying their first drug, they are more apt to dabble in the doobie than anything else.

“As we’ve seen the dramatic declines in alcohol and tobacco, we haven’t seen dramatic declines in marijuana, so now every year it’s more and more likely that kids are starting their drug-use careers with marijuana,” Keyes told The Verge, adding this trend started to build way before marijuana legalization efforts started going mainstream.

The study was compiled through the examination of some four decades worth of high school drug surveys. Researchers found that in the mid-1990s, a solid majority of seniors that reported using marijuana had tried cigarettes first. Within the next decade, that had changed—less than half of the recorded seniors said they had used tobacco before graduating the weed. Researchers say the pattern of teens using alcohol and tobacco before marijuana has continued to diminish over the years.

Previous studies have turned out similar results showing that teens are using fewer drug now than the generations that came before them. But the popularity of marijuana use continues to increase.

Researchers believe teens will have more of a propensity toward marijuana as legalization becomes more widespread in the next few years. Although pot laws prohibit anyone under the age of 21 from purchasing anything derived from marijuana, teens can always find a way to attain pot. The black market is still alive and well. Some reports have shown that pot prices are diminishing in legal states, making the herb ultra-affordable across the board.

“It’s not going out on a huge limb to suggest that marijuana is going to be more available at a lower cost to adolescents,” Keyes said. “If you make a substance more available at a lower cost and easier to access, you’re gonna see increases,” she added.

It is important to point out that when the study refers to tobacco, it is explicitly talking about cigarettes. There has been an enormous surge in teen vaping. However, Keyes says the biggest takeaway from the study is “that gateway sequences are malleable and very context-specific.” There is no one specific “gateway drug.”

Ariana Grande Responds To Troll Claiming She’s ‘Milking’ Mac Miller’s Death; Duchess Kate & Duchess Meghan Don’t Really Get On

Naughty Gossip
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Ariana Grande Responds To Troll Claiming She’s ‘Milking’ Mac Miller’s Death; Duchess Kate & Duchess Meghan Don’t Really Get On

Ariana Grande responds to troll claiming she’s ‘milking’ Mac Miller’s death

“She milking this sh– bruh,” the Twitter user wrote alongside a retweet of a story about her Thanksgiving post. She quickly responded directly to the detractor.

“I pray you never have to deal with anything like this ever and I’m sending you peace and love,” she wrote. Grande soon followed that up with a touching message for all her fans.

“Some of the sh– I read on here makes me sick to my stomach,” she wrote. “It scares me the way some people think and I don’t like this world a lot of the time. If only we could be more compassionate and gentle with one another. That’d be sick.”

Fellow songstress Halsey also weighed in, defending Grande against the shadiness, writing, “Man shut the f— up.”

“Ari the world could only dream of being as compassionate and gentle as you,” she continued. “And since ur being, as always, so classy and nice, allow me the honor of telling them to shut the f— up.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BqiDlJ1gwpm/?utm_source=ig_embed

Duchess Kate & Duchess Meghan don’t really get on

They were the closest of brothers, with the loss of their mother only solidifying the fraternal bond between Prince William and Prince Harry as they grew up. But, now, as married men with responsibilities, cracks appear to be showing in their relationship – and it could be their wives who are pulling them apart.

It emerged yesterday that Harry and his wife Meghan are to move out of Kensington Palace next month to set up home at Frogmore Cottage on the Windsor estate. News of the move comes after reports that the princes, who both have homes at the Palace, may be ready to set up separate courts. The developments could reignite speculation of a rift between the Royal siblings – but a close friend of the Cambridges last night suggested any unease was between their wives.

‘Kate and Meghan are very different people,’ the source said, adding: ‘They don’t really get on.’

Rumours of tensions between the Sussexes and Cambridges have been bubbling away for months. In contrast to Meghan and Harry’s cottage at Kensington Palace, Kate and William have a 22-room home recently refurbished at a cost of £4.5 million. The Sussexes wanted to move into a Palace apartment currently used by the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester. But sources claimed the apartment ‘needs to undergo considerable lengthy refurbishments’ meaning that no one else could move in ‘for the foreseeable future’. In fact, they said, the Gloucesters were happy to downsize into a smaller property. The pair will move to the Old Stables in a different part of the palace grounds in the new year.

Cher has signed a deal for a new TELL ALL memoir

TELLING ALL … Cher has revealed that she has signed a deal for a new TELL ALL memoir.

The icon tells Parade, “I just made the deal …. It’s going to take me a while because I have a lot to tell. I will grit my teeth through the whole thing because I will have to be honest.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BTVi-1tFSua/?utm_source=ig_embed

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