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Meghan Markle’s Royal Protocol Training Sounds Very Intense

Maria Loreto
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Meghan Markle’s Royal Protocol Training Sounds Very Intense

Before Meghan Markle married Prince Harry, no one knew or cared about royal protocol. Now, nearly five months after the fact, it’s a phrase that we’ve heard thrown around in different situations with publications claiming that Markle has broken it or is adapting these rules for a new generation of people.

Now that the couple’s first royal tour is about to begin, people are wondering what the deal is with royal protocol, and how much preparation Markle will have to endure in order to meet the Kensington Palace’s impossibly high standards.

Myka Meier, a specialist in etiquette who was trained by a member of The Queen’s Household, told Cosmo that Markle will undergo rigorous training that’ll prepare her before formal engagements, explaining:

In order to show respect to the people she is meeting, she will be briefed ahead of each event on the Senior people she will be meeting and how to greet and address them, solely in order to show respect. From assisting her with what to wear all the way to important topics to speak about, she will have help to ensure she is fully prepared.

Interestingly enough, when royals travel overseas they sometimes have to abandon the Queen’s protocol, adopting the customs of the country they’re in. “Often we see royals wearing outfits from local designers, too, to show respect and support for the country they are visiting.”

All royals will be briefed before each formal meeting about religious, economic and political topics in order to avoid any embarrassments. Royal protocol and royal aids leave little room for royals to mess things up, avoiding putting the Queen and their country in an uncomfortable position.

California Clears Marijuana Conviction Records

Mike Adams
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California Clears Marijuana Conviction Records

Californians with a criminal record stemming from a marijuana conviction will now have an opportunity to get their lives back on track. The state recently put a new law on the books that will provide marijuana offenders with a simpler means to wipe their records clean or get their sentences drastically reduced. It is a policy that advocates are calling “transformative,” as it will give hundreds of thousands of people hope for a better future.

On Sunday, Governor Jerry Brown signed the proposal (Assembly Bill 1793) that made this happen. It is a measure that picks up where the state’s marijuana legalization initiative left off by giving people convicted of marijuana crimes the ability to petition the courts and have their misdemeanors expunged and their felonies reduced, according to the Los Angeles Times. The new law streamlines the process and makes it easier for people to get out from under this particular drug-related conviction.

“AB 1793 will bring people closer to realizing their existing rights by creating a simpler pathway for Californians to turn the page and make a fresh start,” Assemblyman Rob Bonta said in a statement. “Long after paying their debt to society, people shouldn’t continue to face the collateral consequences, like being denied a job or housing, because they have an outdated conviction on their records.”

Although a handful of states presently have an arrangement in place that allows marijuana convicts to have their records wiped clean, California is the first state to automate a system dedicated to helping these people get it done.

The new law requires the state Justice Department identify all of the marijuana offenders who might qualify for expungement and put that information into the hands of local district attorneys by the summer of 2019. From there, prosecutors can review each case and have the courts modify the records. An estimated 218,000 residents could benefit from this law.

When California approved Proposition 64, legalizing marijuana for recreational use, the law came with an expungement clause. But many have argued that the act, how it was designed, was difficult, time-consuming and costly to navigate correctly. Moreover, it has only been a convenient option for those who can afford an attorney to see it through.

“It was so inaccessible for a variety of reasons,” Rodney Holcombe of the Drug Policy Alliance told USA Today. “This (new law) will empower people. My heart goes out to people who have had to navigate this process on their own. It’s confusing, expensive and tiring.”

Governor Brown, however, did not offer the same consideration when it comes to allowing sick children to bring medical marijuana on school campuses. He argued the language was too broad and that it might contribute to exposing minors to marijuana.

Possible Travel Ban Isn’t Hurting Marijuana Jobs In Canada

Mary Schumacher
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Possible Travel Ban Isn’t Hurting Marijuana Jobs In Canada

In a situation that speaks volumes as to how the U.S. is perceived in Canada, we have on one hand the U.S. threatening Canadian cannabis industry workers with not being able to enter its borders again. And on the other hand, we have Canadian residents and pot professionals that seem to be totally okay with that.

The B.C. area expects to have all pot positions necessary for a thriving industry filled and in place by the October 17 deadline, when cannabis becomes officially legal in Canada. The B.C. Liquor Distribution Branch said it is on target with jobs and the B.C. Government Employees Union said members have not reported hesitation at filling said marijuana jobs.

The lack of B.C. workers’ concern is regardless of reports inferring that U.S. border agents might deny entrance to Canadians who are linked to the legal cannabis industry. The threats admittedly ring empty, as the U.S. itself has legalized or medicalized marijuana in a majority of its states. It feels like we’re on the cusp of de- or rescheduling cannabis and now we can’t play nice with those who went first.

B.C. Liquor Distribution branch spokesman Viviana Zanocco has said that anyone with concerns about the U.S. warnings should check Canadian government websites for updates on the situation, as it is yet unfolding.

According to the Vancouver Sun, Zanocco said, “The incidents reported in the media and their potential repercussions are of significant concern to us. Many of us are traveling to the U.S. with our families this summer, or enjoy shopping south of the border on a regular basis, and want to continue doing so while feeling safe and secure.”

The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry, as the poem goes, and these restrictive rules aren’t just bad for relations between two neighboring countries, it impacts the U.S. economy and people’s desire to give it a boost with their tourism and shopping.

Stephanie Smith, president of the B.C. Government Employees Union, called the idea of a travel ban “outrageous,” and said the union has yet to hear from any members who are concerned about it. “We understand that, really, this is a government to government issue.”

“Our role is going to be to work with the employer to make sure that anybody who does take a job in the new branch understands the potential outcomes…” continued Smith, “We just feel really, really strongly that people who work in a legal industry and, in fact, are working for a provincial government, should not be punished for doing so.”

The Queen Owns A Royal-Wave Machine For When Her Arm Gets Tired

Amy Hansen
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The Queen Owns A Royal-Wave Machine For When Her Arm Gets Tired

Just when you thought you couldn’t love Her Majesty more, word comes that she is “thrilled” to have a fake waving machine to use in case her royal arm is too tired to greet the plebeians of England.

Of course, this is not a device created by the monarchy to ease the physical stress of ruling a country. It’s a gag gift from a group of students in Australia.

https://giphy.com/gifs/buckingham-palace-balcony-trooping-the-colour-12krUPvRraYSBi

The Queen’s daughter, Princess Anne, is quoted in a new book, Queen of the World, explaining:

They gave her a stuffed glove on a wooden lever so you could tweak the end of the lever and this hand went to and fro,’ the quote reads. ‘I think they thought it was cheeky, but Her Majesty was thrilled.

Robert Hardman, the author of the book, which accompanies the HBO documentary of the same name, says the Queen was rather taken with it and “I think it ended up at Balmoral. ‘I don’t think she ever used it in public, but I hear it became a much-loved family joke.”

But while the Queen may store her fake wave machine in her closet somewhere, away from the corgis, the crew aboard the royal yacht Britannia actually did use a stunt hand (or several). According to Hardman’s book, they would hire people to do the waving because, according to one crew member, “It was exhausting to wave all the way through, but they didn’t want to upset the locals, so we had a party whose job was just to wave.”

How do we get that job?

‘Game of Thrones’ Is Bringing Back A VIP Character For Final Episodes; Inside Gwyneth Paltrow’s Wedding Ceremony

Naughty Gossip
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‘Game of Thrones’ Is Bringing Back A VIP Character For Final Episodes; Inside Gwyneth Paltrow’s Wedding Ceremony

‘GAME OF THRONES’ IS BRINGING BACK A VERY IMPORTANT CHARACTER FOR THE LAST EPISODES

“Game of Thrones” has long featured a rotating cast of characters, characters who have come in and out of play throughout the drama’s epic run. One missing—and fan-favorite—character will return to the fold for the upcoming final season. We’re talking about Ghost, people. Yep, Jon Snow’s direwolf will return in a major way in the eighth and final season.

“Oh, you’ll see him again. He has a fair amount of screen time in season eight,” Joe Bauer, the visual effects supervisor on Game of Thrones, told HuffPost. Viewers last saw Ghost in season six. As for what he’s been up to and what kind of action he gets into in season eight, that remains to be seen.

“He’s very present and does some pretty cool things in season eight,” Bauer teased.

INSIDE GWYNETH PALTROW’S WEDDING CEREMONY

“She looked beautiful; she was wearing a custom design wedding gown,” a source told Entertainment Tonight.

And looks like even the super poised Paltrow had a bit of nerves before saying “I do!” Luckily, she had her mother, actress Blythe Danner, there for support.

“She seemed so relaxed at her rehearsal dinner but seemed slightly nervous right before she walked down the aisle, but her mom gave her loving encouragement,” the source shares.

“Gwyneth has wanted this for a very long time, you could tell this meant the world to her. “Her mother was crying during the ceremony — happy tears, of course,” the source adds.

“She just was so emotional and is so excited for Gwyneth. She absolutely loves Brad.” The source notes that Paltrow later loosened up after exchanging vows.

“After the ‘I dos,’ Gwyneth was elated and danced throughout the evening,” the source says.

“The atmosphere was incredibly romantic. The flowers were beautifully arranged on the tables with crystal wine glasses and candles. It was a very Hamptons, outdoorsy feel. The weather was glorious so it truly was a perfect scene.”

Another report says There was also lots of chatter about some expected close pals to didn’t make the trip to NY! Beyonce, Reese Witherspoon, Julia Roberts and Nicole Richards were all absent!

NOT EVERYONE AGREES THAT BRADLEY COOPER’S FACE WAS MADE FOR THE BIG SCREEN

He reveals in an interview with W Magazine, “I’ve always been an underdog. I was always operating under the lens of not really being seen as the ‘main guy.’”

“I’ve heard it all my career. Early on, I didn’t get a role because they said I wasn’t ‘f–kable,’” he goes on to say. Cooper’s A STAR IS BORN opens Friday

MoviePass Is Forcing Subscribers To Join Again With A New Plan

Maria Loreto
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MoviePass Is Forcing Subscribers To Join Again With A New Plan

The latest subscription plan in MoviePass’ long string of poor decisions is one that forces former subscribers to rejoin the service without even asking first. It prompts a lot of questions. Principally, how is this even legal?

After a truly awful couple of months where subscribers and internet users got to roast the company, MoviePass has been forced into several uncomfortable situations, making it very difficult to watch a movie even if you’re paying for your subscription in time.

MoviePass’ current subscription plan allows users to watch three movies a month for the price of $9.95. While that sounds like a good deal on paper, the subscription plan used to include one movie a day for the same price, and now, the system rarely works and it makes going to the movies very difficult.

Mashable reports that prepaid subscribers who decided to quit the service are now receiving a message claiming that they’re part of a special testing group. According to the message, this program allows users to watch one movie a day; the catch is that they’ll be charged $9.95 a month unless they opt out by Oct 5th.

The good part about all of this is that MoviePass is trying out an unlimited subscription plan, which is the main reason why people were using MoviePass in the first place. The bad part is that it might be too late for people to care.

Smoking Marijuana And Fighting Lung Cancer: Here Are The Facts

Brea Mosley
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Smoking Marijuana And Fighting Lung Cancer: Here Are The Facts

It’s no secret that smoking cigarettes is the leading cause of lung cancer. But what about smoking cannabis?

Well, not all smoke is created equal. A study from researchers at UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine showed that “heavy cannabis smoking” did not increase cancer risk.

The study compared 611 lung cancer patients and 601 patients with cancers of the head and neck (throat, brain, etc) with 1040 people without cancer. After surveying, the heaviest cannabis users had smoked more than 22,000 joints. The heaviest cigarette smoker smoked about two packs a day.

The results: the heaviest cigarette smokers were found to have a 20-fold increase in developing lung cancer, while there was no increased or elevated risk found for the heaviest cannabis smokers.

Even more notable, the research showed that people who smoked more cannabis were not at a greater risk to people who smoked less cannabis and those who abstained.

So there’s no strong connection that links smoking weed to developing lung cancer, but can smoking weed fight lung cancer?

Research is positive.

A study published by German researchers revealed that cannabinoids (CBDs) (the non-psychoactive relative of THC), make cancer cells more vulnerable to being broken down by cells designed to kill tumors. The results showed that cannabinoids increased the expression of the molecule ICAM-1, which made the cancerous tumors “adhere to, and be broken down by LAK cells.” LAK cells (lymphokine-activated killer cells) are white blood cells that kill tumor cells. Researchers cited that these findings “provide proof for a novel antitumorigenic mechanism of cannabinoids.”

Similarly, the study showed that the same activation of the ICAM-1 and LAK relationship was seen when THC was used instead of cannabinoids.

British People Are Battling Brexit Frustrations With ‘BrexFit’ Workout

Maria Loreto
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British People Are Battling Brexit Frustrations With ‘BrexFit’ Workout

Working out has always been associated with lower levels of stress. It seems like British people really took that idea to heart, creating a workout specifically tailored for those who need extra help when it comes to coping with the consequences of Brexit. It’s obviously called BrexFit, because who could miss out on making that pun?

The routines include high-intensity exercises and routines where gym members get to do different things, such as punch bags with pictures of Theresa May on them, or throw balls at giant printouts of Jeremy Corbyn’s face. The images of the Prime Minister and the Labour party leader are printed in crisp high definition, allowing you to really get in the mood to rage and vent.

The exercises, created by fitness company Gymbox, were chosen because Brexit is one of the main sources of frustration for a lot of people who live in London.

“We thought well, what better way to actually release frustration and anger than actually put on a Brexfit class as we’ve called it, where you can actually punch your most hated politician in the face on a punch bag,” said Gymbox’s leader Marc Diaper on an interview with Reuters.

Gym members have responded positively to these workouts, pushing them to exercise harder than ever because what’s a better motivator than punching a politician in the face?

“I have a problem to get my student loan because of Brexit, so today I really take out my frustration on this whole situation and I feel really good,” said gym member Ania Jarzabkiewicz.

Million-dollar idea here: How about Gymbox opens one of those gyms in America and allows us to join in on the political dissatisfaction party? Anyone? Please?

Trump Could Decide Marijuana Reform, Says Nancy Pelosi

Brendan Bures
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Trump Could Decide Marijuana Reform, Says Nancy Pelosi

The upcoming midterm election presents an opportunity for the Democrats to take back Congress and dictate federal policy on a number of key legislative issues. One of those issues is cannabis legalization and reform. Democrats have been vocal this year about cannabis, often platforming on expansion of current legislation in legal states or creating marijuana programs where none exist.

But would a Democrat-controlled Congress push forward on cannabis legalization at the federal level? When asked by journalist Matt Laslo if Democrats would make cannabis reform a priority after positive election results, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said it’s all up to Donald Trump.

“Well, the marijuana initiatives have received bipartisan support on the floor of the House,” Pelosi responded, in a reference to amendments that protect state medical marijuana laws.  “I don’t know where the president is on any of this. So any decision about how we go forward would have to reflect where we can get the result.

“But any success we could have would depend on the public weighing in,” she said. “Again, you’ve heard me say it, over and over: Public sentiment is everything.”

Pelosi has not been firm publicly in her position or plan regarding cannabis reform. Her second-in-command, Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD), told Laslo earlier last week that if the Democrats win in November, there isn’t any indication of pushing cannabis legislation to the floor.

“We haven’t talked about that,” Hoyer said.

https://twitter.com/MattLaslo/status/1044607401746485255

Another roadblock preventing cannabis legislation reaching the floor could be removed this election. That obstacle would be Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX). He’s the Chairman of the House Rules Committee, and has blocked many marijuana-related amendments and bills from, professing marijuana hatred any chance he gets.

But his time could be up soon. Polls have shown a neck-and-neck race between Sessions and his Democrat challenger Colin Allred. So change could be coming in Congress as relates to cannabis. What the plan will be remains up to interpretation.

Study: Pain Tolerance Goes Up With Cannabis Use

Mary Schumacher
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Study: Pain Tolerance Goes Up With Cannabis Use

Unlike many studies that have come before focusing on marijuana’s ability to treat chronic pain, this study aimed to see what happened when “experimental” pain was introduced. The researchers at Syracuse University “conducted a systematic review of 18 placebo-controlled studies.” It involved around 450 participants using various cannabis products, including cannabis itself, and also included two synthetic weed-based drugs: dronabinol and nabilone.

In what may seem like a contradictory conclusion, the researchers found that rather than dialing down the intensity of the pain, cannabis products made it “feel less unpleasant and more tolerable.” That might feel like splitting hairs, but there is a real differentiation to be made. The pain itself may still be present and at the same level, but your experience of it changes. Instead of clenching and perhaps moaning, you’re at more of a peace with what’s happening in your body.

Unsurprisingly, the study found that whole-plant marijuana worked better than the synthetic drugs. They also found that those who did not receive the placebos felt high, but again, that’s to be expected with full plant cannabis.

“If you think of pain as a noxious sound coming from a radio, the volume is the intensity of that pain,” author Martin De Vita told MedPage Today. “After using cannabinoid drugs, it may not decrease the volume of the noxious noise, but it may tune it to a station that’s a little less unpleasant. It won’t be the most beautiful music you’ve ever heard—it will still be pain—but it will be a little less unpleasant.”

He went on to point out that more research is needed across the board.

“This is a first step in doing that,” he said, “starting from the fundamentals of how cannabinoids affect basic pain processes, and now we need to determine some of these follow-up questions.”

Those follow-up questions could lead to breakthroughs that come very close to eliminating pain, or at least our perception of it. Wherever they lead, they’re necessary to give doctors and patients the ammunition they need to fight the soreness, aches, pains and outright cringe-worthy suffering. Cannabis does much to improve quality of life, and especially if it’s a loosening of the grip pain has over the body, it’s relief and that’s important.

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