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.
For this week’s music column we decided to highlight three of the country’s most popular genres: pop, R&B, and country. Check them out:
Pop
Robyn – Honey
Swedish superstar Robyn made a comeback this year with her infectious single “Missing U,” marking the first time she’s released a single in eight extremely long years. “Missing U” is fun, sexy and everything you expect from a Robyn song, setting a high bar for the rest of her album. Luckily, “Honey” is more than up to the task. Initially teased in March, 2017, and featured in an episode of the HBO series “Girls,” fans have been waiting for over a year to hear this freaking song. Rest easy. It’s amazing.
While “Boo’d Up” wasn’t released this week, Ella Mai’s new album was so it’s only logical to add its best song on this column’s R&B slot. Ella Mai is a British singer and songwriter who’s been having a pretty great year in terms of success and making good music. She recently performed on the AMAs where she was also nominated for several awards. Her first album is a big deal and could serve as an introduction to a much needed voice in the R&B genre.
Country
Seth Ennis – Call Your Mama
Seth Ennis is a relative newcomer with his latest and biggest single, “Call Your Mama.” The music video, which was released this week, draws inspiration from the U.S. Marine Corps and has been viewed hundreds of times. The song has attracted the attention of fans and country music veterans Little Big Town, who provided their voices as back up.
In a new study recently conducted by Green Market Report in conjunction with Consumer Research Around Cannabis and their partner Local Sports Insights (LSI), the sports preferences of cannabis consumers around the country resulted in a win for the NFL and football overall.
Professional football beat out other sports by far with 55.1 percent of interviewees saying they regularly follow the NFL. It defeated professional baseball (MLB), which 36.2 percent of consumers confirmed watching, pro-basketball (NBA), which was chosen by 36.1 percent of consumers, and pro-hockey which raked in 27.8 percent of the vote.
According to the study, the most popular college sport among consumers was also football, which 31.6 percent of consumers watch, followed by college basketball, which 25.7 percent are fans.
“The NFL has been the most successful professional sports league over the past couple of decades – supplanting Major League Baseball. In many ways the league’s success mirrors our nation when it comes to income, age, and education,” said Vice President of Consumer Research Around Cannabis, Jeffrey Stein.
Some of the cannabis consumer averages were on par with national averages, according to a recent Gallup study. Gallup found 57 percent of the population to be professional football fans found that very close to the Green Economics average for cannabis users of 55.1 percent. The national average was also close for professional basketball (40 percent) and ice hockey (28 percent), but the rest had significant differences.
“I was surprised that football was number one,” said Co-Founder and CEO of the Green Market Report as well as recognized cannabis influencer, Debra Borchardt. “I really thought basketball would’ve been number one since it’s a sport followed by more young people and is growing in popularity, while ratings have been falling for football.”
According to Local Sports Insights, 26.4 percent of adults over 18 follow professional basketball. And 36.1 percent of cannabis users follow the NBA. So, technically LSI found that NBA popularity is indeed 37 percent higher among cannabis users than the average person.
The numbers shouldn’t be that surprising considering how much legal cannabis delivery sales increase before the Super Bowl. In 2016, Eaze reported there was a 47.5 percent increase in cannabis deliveries in California from 2-3PM, the hour before kick-off. When the Denver Broncos were in the Super Bowl in 2016, Sally Vanderveer, President of Denver’s largest dispensary, Medicine Man, told Forbes: “We saw a 30-40% uptick in sales from Thursday to Sunday [before the Super bowl]”. Interestingly, Local Sports Insights found 50.5% of Broncos fans have used marijuana in the past year.
What may be surprising is the profile of NFL fans who also consume cannabis. Green Economics found the average age is 37 with a median household income of $60,387. In addition, 33.2 percent of NFL fans are college graduates and 13.5 percent are business owners.
Local Sports Insights found that 48 percent of all surveyed women follow professional football. There were more men than women who follow the NFL that use cannabis: 65.5 percent were men and 34.5 percent were women.
This research not only kills the stereotype that “stoners” don’t like sports, but shows how Americans are choosing to relax in states where cannabis is legal. Considering the popularity of alcohol during sporting events, cannabis could be a safer alternative and help prevent drunk driving, domestic abuse, and hangovers associated with NFL games.
The NFL still doesn’t allow its players to consume cannabis, although many activists are fighting to change that, like former lineman for the Chicago Bears, Eben Britton.
“Cannabis can help NFL players on multiple levels,” said Britton. “First and foremost our federal government owns a patent on cannabinoids ‘as neuroprotectants and antioxidants’… cannabis should be at the top of the NFL’s list of substances to help combat concussions and CTE. The second way cannabis could directly benefit NFL players is as an alternative to opiates. In most cases, I believe pro football players would rather consume cannabis than opiates. Cannabis may also be used in conjunction with opiates to help mitigate negative side-effects and ease withdrawal symptoms.”
Using cannabis as an alternative to opioids for pain is becoming a popular idea. Plus, many believe cannabis can help opioid addicts wean off the powerful substance in the midst of an epidemic in the U.S.
“This study was encouraging because the most vocal advocates for allowing cannabis as an alternative to deadly pain medications are professional football players,” said Cynthia Salarizadeh, Co-Founder of the Green Market Report. “The NFL helps provide an appropriate platform for their fight with their massive visibility. Hopefully their owners will listen and allow their players the right to choose what medication they use for their pain management.”
The NFL is worth $9 billion annually, but they could still benefit from allowing cannabis brands to sponsor teams and events. Not to mention, the benefits the plant can have for its players. Considering cannabis’ popularity spreading into more mainstream communities, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a cannabis commercial during the SuperBowl this year.
The Canadian faction of Walmart said Tuesday that it’s exploring cannabis based products on their shelves, but it’s not happening anytime soon. Though they might hurry things up a little if the dollars make sense. The company’s stock rose 3 percent after the announcement.
Walmart is the biggest mainstream conglomerate to show interest in carrying cannabis products and they’re certainly not going to be the last. Big companies in the U.S. like Coca Cola and Constellation Brands have already made moves in that direction, with Constellation having invested $4 billion in the burgeoning Canadian market already. They say they won’t expand into the U.S. until the federal ban is lifted.
Walmart spokeswoman Diane Medeiros told Reuters, “Walmart Canada has done some preliminary fact-finding on this issue, but we do not have plans to carry CBD products at this time.” At this time is a very telling statement. Though it may first come off as negative, if you read the tea leaves, they wouldn’t even be having a public discussion if it weren’t a good possibility.
The products Walmart is considering carrying will contain the non-psychoactive cannabinoid CBD, not THC, which accounts for an elevated state. Which is still exciting, seeing as Walmart consumers tend to be Republican. Though cannabis isn’t really a partisan issue, Democrats tend to poll in favor of progressive pot laws more than their counterpart.
Canada becomes a legalized nation in merely a few days, ending 90 years of prohibition, and there are bound to be many massive chains that will want to join the industry and cash in on what is projected to be a 2.38 billion dollar industry by 2022 in Canada, that market projection is according to Statista, but could be bigger or smaller depending on if there’s a bubble or a consistently growing market.
The move to legalize cannabis for adult use by Canada could kick other countries into gear to also legalize adult cannabis use. “An investment blueprint has been established in Canada that we believe will play out internationally very similarly,” said Roth Capital Partners analyst Scott Fortune.
In the U.S., the majority of residents live in a state with either medical or recreational cannabis laws, however, with its Schedule I status still in effect federally, it’s highly unlikely that many big companies like Walmart are going to be considering carrying cannabis products in the U.S. until the federal ban is lifted.
The Oscar nominated movie Call Me By Your Name was an incredible success, launching the career of Timothée Chalamet and solidifying Luca Guadagnino as a director worthy of our time and recognition. The movie, based on a beloved and critically acclaimed novel, has an ending that’s somewhat open ended. It’s sad and beautiful, and, if done right, might allow for a great sequel.
Guadagnino and the leading actors have been receptive to the idea, claiming that they’d already know what to do if the sequel is green lit. It’s safe to say that film people are excited and wary over this possible sequel.
Guadagnino says that the only problem he sees is naming the film, which obviously can’t be called Call Me By Your Name 2, because the movie is not a thriller and that name is just ridiculous.
Since Twitter can’t resist a moment to answer a question, preferably in the form of a joke, thousands of users came forth with their suggestions for titles. Some of these suggestions are funny, others were awful, and there were even ones that were helpful. Guadagnino should keep an eye out and snatch some of these names for potential inspiration material.
CALL ME BY YOUR NAME 2: PRINCESS PEACH
CALL ME BY HER NAME I KNOW IT’S WRONG BUT IT’S HOT
CALL ME BI YOUR NAME
CALL ME BY YOUR NAME: TOKYO DRIFT
CALL MY BY YOUR NAME: THE LEGEND OF GOLD’S CURLIES
It obvs should be called ‘And I’ll Call You By Mine’ but I guess people who haven’t seen the first one wouldn’t get it. How about
Call Me By Your Name AGAIN;
Call Me BACK By Your Name;
2 Call Me By Your Name;
or, of course, my favourite
Hi By Your Name I’m Dad https://t.co/KkvsatpFi0
In a statement put out by Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the agency stated, “U.S. Customs and Border Protection enforces the laws of the United States and U.S. laws will not change following Canada’s legalization of marijuana.” Not two weeks earlier, there had been a contradictory statement by CBP that Canadians in cannabis would no longer be able to travel to the U.S..
The new statement is encouraging, but If you read down a little further, it reads, “A Canadian citizen working in or facilitating the proliferation of the legal marijuana industry in Canada, coming to the U.S. for reasons unrelated to the marijuana industry will generally be admissible to the U.S. however, if a traveler is found to be coming to the U.S. for reason related to the marijuana industry, they may be deemed inadmissible.”
It’s too bad, too. There are international cannabis business conferences across the U.S. every year and not having the voices of the country that legalized the latest takes away from the discussion and certainly limits the amount of voices, opinions and ideas that Canadian pot professionals have to offer.
Another thing to note is that due to federal U.S. laws surrounding the plant, there is no reciprocity. For example, you can’t drive buds from B.C. into Washington state just because it’s legal in both places. Trying to travel across the U.S. border with cannabis will not only keep you from getting in, it could land you with fines or even detainment.
All in all, it is good news that our neighbors to the north who work in the industry will most likely be able to come in at the Ports of Entries. With less than a week to go before Canada legalizes cannabis for all adult citizens, the U.S. is finally coming around with sensible policies.
With a stipulation, however, “Generally, any arriving alien who is determined to be a drug abuser or addict, or who is convicted of, admits having committed, or admits committing, acts which constitute the essential elements of a violation of (or an attempt or conspiracy to violate) any law or regulation of a State, the United States, or a foreign country relating to a controlled substance, is inadmissible to the United States.”
There are few things more popular than a televised royal wedding event, making it the perfect occasion for some awkward subtitles and/or human error.
Princess Eugenie’s wedding, which took place this morning, had more guests and probably cost more than Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s big day. Still, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding had much more attention than today’s wedding. It’s not Eugenie’s fault. America has been obsessed with William and Harry since they were born; add a Hollywood celebrity into the mix and it’s ratings dynamite.
Despite the “unpopularity” of this royal wedding, the event is still something that people will watch, making it very embarrassing for the BBC channel and the poor commentator when the subtitle software confused the word dress with breasts. It’s a similar word but what are the odds?
To make matters even worse, or better depending on which side of the screen you are, the commentator elaborates on how well the breasts/dress fit on princess Eugenie.
Someone on the BBC channel is having a really bad day.
Although it may sound too good to be true, the word on the street is that President Trump plans to cook up some level of federal marijuana reform following the midterm election. Just how deep could it go? According to U.S. Representative Dana Rohrabacher, the push to end some part of the country’s prohibition standard will most likely begin with the legalization of medical marijuana.
The House lawmaker recently told Fox News that the Trump Administration has made a “solid commitment” to bring such a plan to fruition. But it doesn’t sound like Rohrabacher received this tip from the president himself. He told the news source on Thursday that “I have been talking to people inside the White House who know and inside the president’s entourage… I have talked to them at length. I have been reassured that the president intends on keeping his campaign promise.”
During his campaign, Trump indicated that he supports medical marijuana “100 percent” and that all of this marijuana legalization business happening across the country should be left up to the states. The President vowed not to interfere with statewide reform, but he has never publicly indicated a desire to legalize marijuana for therapeutic use. Still, Rohrabacher insists that Trump has an itch to bring medical marijuana out of the underground. “I would expect after the election we will sit down and we’ll start hammering out something that is specific and real,” he said.
Earlier this year, President Trump gave some indication that he would support a bill (STATES Act) designed to give states the freedom to legalize marijuana without any threat of federal interference. He told a group of reporters that he would “probably” support the measure in ink if it crossed his desk. But so far, the STATES Act is still lingering in political purgatory. It only has 10 co-sponsors and has not yet been brought up for discussion. It is conceivable that the bill will be ignored.
Whether or not the comments coming from the California Congressman hold any weight remains to be seen. Whether his words can be trusted to paint an accurate portrait of the White House’s plan for pot is also a question.
Rohrabacher, who is up for reelection this year, has a bit of a checkered reputation on Capitol Hill. Back in the day, the lawmaker went up against scientific evidence showing that global warming was a man-made problem. Rohrabacher believes that “dinosaur flatulence” is more likely the cause. But wait, it gets better. He once dressed in drag in hopes of uncovering the real culprit behind the assassination of Robert Kennedy, and pulled similar shenanigans to interrogate Oklahoma City bombing co-conspirator, Terry Nichols. He did this, according to reports, because he was convinced the attacks were made by muslims and not a couple of red-blooded, white Americans.
Still, Rohrabacher and all of his craziness says federal marijuana reform is on the horizon. “It could be as early as spring of 2019, but definitely in the next legislative session,” he said.
If asked about clones, most people think of evil sci-fi characters. However, in real life, the word “clone” often has broader, far more positive applications. Just as office workers replicate documents by using copy machines, scientists like us who study plant disease use the biological equivalent of a copier to clone genes, cells, and tissues, as well as entire organisms.
DNA cloning
The most common type of cloning done in the lab is gene replication. Each gene is a segment of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acids) that is made up of pairs of chemicals called bases. These base pairs form DNA’s iconic double helix. Depending on the species, the whole genome could have anywhere from few thousands to billions of base pairs that make up just a few to tens of thousands of genes. The human genome alone has 3 billion base pairs that make up about 30,000 genes.
Genes code for traits such as eye color and height, as well as crucial features like the development of the heart and the five senses. Some genes can even predispose people toward certain diseases or personalities.
In order to unlock the secrets of life hidden in DNA, scientists are examining how individual genes function. To do so, they first copy a section of DNA that contains the gene of interest. Copying, or cloning, is often done via a biochemical reaction called polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, that mimics natural DNA replication. Once copied, the gene of interest can also be inserted to a plasmid (a ring of DNA) which is taken up by the simple bacterium Escherichia coli (E. coli).
When the E. coli replicates, the plasmids are also replicated, generating exponential copies of the gene. Gene cloning helps scientists reveal the sequence of DNA in a gene that encodes a trait. This ultimately enables them to manipulate the trait in an organism by modifying the gene – for example, changing its expression level and/or changing its sequence. Through these manipulations, scientists can figure out what the gene does and how it works. In some cases, such information can lead to earlier detection and better treatments of debilitating medical conditions and diseases.
Cloning comes in many forms. A. DNA cloning via PCR and a plasmid. B. Plant cloning. A spider plant continuously reproduces asexually, making clones of itself that hang from it searching for soil to root in. C. Animal cloning. The stages depict the introduction of diploid nucleus from a mature cell into an enucleated egg cell. This is the process that got us Dolly the sheep. | Photo by Hua Lu, CC BY-SA
Cloning cells, tissues and organisms
Similarly, scientists can clone whole cells and tissues by providing the right nutrients and environment. Done carefully, cell cloning is used to replace dead cells in hospital patients. For replacement of larger body regions, tissue cloning is vital.
Some organisms can even regrow whole parts of their bodies in response to organ loss; for example, lizards can regrow their tails and planarians (a type of flatworm) can replace their own heads. For some plants, in vitro culture has been routinely used to generate many copies of certain organs: for example, hairy roots or multiple shoots, without the presence of the whole plant body.
However, the cloning of animal organs is not so easy for human researchers to accomplish. Organ cloning is not just simply putting the correct types of cells together to make tissues and then the tissues together to make an organ. To make a functional organ, such as a heart that can beat, one needs to go back to the beginning of heart development and find a heart progenitor cell. Then this cell is somehow to be tricked to go through the steps for heart development in the absence of the context of the whole body and eventually grow to be the heart. How we can achieve this is still a mystery. Scientists are working hard, but only the future will tell if we can accomplish human organ cloning at a level that would revolutionize successful organ transplants and replacements.
All of this, however, pales in comparison to the cloning of a whole multicellular organism. Cloning an organism produces an exact genetic replica without requiring sexual reproduction. Plants are undoubtedly the champions in this respect; some plants can simply regrow from cuttings or grow a clone from parts of their bodies.
But animal cloning has encountered several obstacles. This process currently involves transferring a nucleus (DNA) from a donor adult cell to an egg cell that has had its nucleus (DNA) removed. This chimeric cell is then stimulated to become embryonic or pluripotent, meaning it can divide and differentiate into other types of cells and eventually form an embryo. Although this might appear simple, this is the most challenging step of cloning an organism.
Once the embryo is obtained, the next step is quite straightforward; the embryo is implanted into a female’s womb and the clone will continue to develop. This implantation step is commonly done in humans as part of the process of in vitro fertilization. Babies produced through in vitro fertilization carry one set of DNA from the father (sperm donor) and another set from the mother (egg donor). However, clones will have the same chromosomal DNA as the initial adult cell that donates its nucleus (DNA). Because of the difficulties associated with the cloning process, few experts in the world have successfully cloned animals. Additionally, some of the cloned animals exhibit health problems or reduced lifespans. Despite this, the list of cloned animals continues to grow, including sheep, cows, oxen, cats, dogs, deer, horses, mules, rabbits and rats.
Bernann McKinney, right, from the U.S. holds one of five cloned pit bull puppies beside a mother dog during her first meeting with them at the Seoul National University Hospital for Animals in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2008. McKinney has received five baby dogs, copies of her beloved late pit bull ‘Booger,’ from a South Korean biotech firm in what it calls the world’s first commercial canine cloning service. | Photo by Ahn Young-joon/AP Photo
Supervillain clones
With cloning of whole organisms a reality (though currently not feasible for widespread use), you may wonder if one day, an evil villain would be able to make thousands of copies of him or herself. Would that evil villain then take over the world?
The answer to this question has many layers.
Let’s consider the individual clones. Since they are humans, the clones will not simply respond to commands like robots or be puppet-like extensions of the original villain. As with identical twins, the clones may share predispositions, but their personalities will not be the same. Since so much of personality and behavior is influenced by the environment, the clones may even grow to oppose the villain! And, while the villain may not care, there are ethical issues involved with human cloning. Would society accept the act of cloning? Would clones be given the full rights of natural-born humans? How would it affect families if they decided to clone deceased loved ones?
Even amid these questions, organismal cloning has tremendous applications for society. It helps us to save species around the world from endangerment and extinction, although it doesn’t generate the genetic diversity required to maintain a healthy population. It is also an important tool to study diseases and to replicate individual organisms with important or rare characteristics that could be lost through breeding, such as cows with high milk production or animals that can make valuable medicinal compounds.
Although both promising and exciting, the road of cloning entire organisms is filled with ethical pitfalls and scientific conundrums; perhaps as a society, we are not ready to deal with the evil villains and their clones just yet.
Marijuana for anxiety? That doesn’t make sense, does it? For some, the answer is absolutely.
Anxiety is a problem that affects up to a third of the population in their lifetime. It is recognized as a group of disorders including Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Panic Disorder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Social Anxiety Disorder and others. Healthcare researchers have noted that the condition goes largely underdiagnosed and untreated.
For those who do seek treatment, a variety of options are available. Psychotherapy and hypnosis help some re-examine the cause and triggers for experiencing anxiety.
The largest segment of sufferers under a doctor’s care simply medicate and there are many options available. This is no secret to anyone who watches TV with any regularity and is deluged by the parade of anti-anxiety medication commercials. Antidepressants like Zoloft, Paxil and Prozac have become part of the American vocabulary. Antihistamines, beta-blockers and benzodiazepines (“downers” like Valium and Xanax) are employed to battle anxiety as well. But prescription options are not without risks including addiction, drowsiness, restlessness, dizziness, constipation and nausea.
In a survey of 1,400 Californians conducted by HelloMD, a robust 76 percent of respondents said they use cannabis to treat anxiety.
Among the medical community, there are still big questions to be answered. A collaborative study involving Brazilian and UK researchers found that frequent cannabis users have been shown to have a higher prevalence of anxiety disorders. The study also states, “However, it is unclear if cannabis use increases the risk of developing long-lasting anxiety disorders.”
It is the classic chicken and egg argument. Causation has not been proven. While some believe that cannabis may contribute to developing these conditions, others have hypothesized that many people with anxiety self-medicate to relax their symptoms.
We do know that cannabis can cut both ways when it comes to feelings of anxiety. “Marijuana can lead to symptoms of anxiety, such as panic, in the short-term, but there is a lack of evidence pointing to marijuana as an important risk factor for chronic anxiety disorders…” as the professionals at the the University of Washington Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute state online.
“All other things being equal, THC appears to decrease anxiety at lower doses and increase anxiety at higher doses.”
Rodent research has shown that CBD reduced anxiety when administered in low and medium-size doses. CBD has also been shown to act as an effective prophylactic in people with social anxiety disorder, showing “significantly reduced anxiety, cognitive impairment and discomfort in speech performance.” Because CBD (or cannabidiol) causes no euphoric experience like THC, it may be a better choice for some not interested in being high.
What we know at this point should be encouraging to cannabis enthusiasts and others seeking to reduce their pharmaceutical intake. Furthermore, it’s worth noting that going cold turkey off of prescription anxiety meds can be dangerous. People with anxiety disorders should consult with a physician familiar with cannabis therapy before making dramatic changes in their medicine routines.
Matchmaking seems like a failed profession to have in this day and age; a job better suited for an algorithm or a dating app. Technology nowadays allows software to do all the heavy lifting. All you have to do is upload a picture and a short profile and you could be moments away from meeting your future spouse (or at the very least, a tragic story to tell all your friends). But there are still real life matchmakers out there, professionals employed by matchmaking firms who make a living just by giving solid dating advice.
Alessandra Conti, celebrity matchmaker from Matchmakers In The City, says that people come to matchmakers when they’re exhausted with dating apps, which is completely understandable. Dating apps are stressful. She gave some brief advice in an interview with LifeHacker. Check out some of her best tips:
According to Conti, people need to move and actively look for love. She completely disregards that old advice that says that love comes when you least expect it. Conti believes that nowadays, when everyone is so busy and tired, you have to put in the work in order to get to know people, going out on dates, and taking the whole process seriously.
Don’t get distracted by your day to day life
https://giphy.com/gifs/blind-date-oKatHj2YAQiQ0
We tend to stick to our comfort zones and schedules. Conti says that in order to meet someone worthwhile, you have to follow through on dates, even if you don’t feel like going out and engaging in awkward conversations. You have to put yourself out there and be willing to try out new experiences, visiting different bars and coffee shops, and actively engaging on dating apps.
Having a lot of options online can create the impression that there’s a perfect person out there, or that there’s something missing from the guys and girls you see. “There’s so much more I wish people would open their hearts and minds to. That happens when you meet someone in real life because you get their vibe, but swiping is a different story,” says Conti.
There’s a fine line between settling for someone who you don’t like and being picky. Learn the difference and get to know what are the real deal breakers instead of going crazy over the little things.
Matchmaking services provide guidance on being a better date, modifying your posture, the way you speak, and your behavior in order to make you seem as welcoming as possible. Since that’s not included when you download Tinder and Bumble, Conti suggests having an open disposition and being as flirty as possible. “Go into your dates with an air of fun, lightness, and pretend as though you are on vacation mode.”
