Unscripted reality TV shows are known for their scheming producers who manipulate all sorts of variables until they concoct the most entertaining show they can manage. But no one could have predicted a twist like the one from “The Bachelor: Vietnam”, which went viral and sparked a conversation among the LGBTQ community the minute it was uploaded online during the past week.
In the clip, contestant Mihn Thu declares her love for Truc Nhu, another fellow contestant. In an awkward and earnest declaration, Mihn Thu cries and begs for Truc Nhu to come home with her, while the titular bachelor of the show and the other female contestants watch on with their mouths gaping. Both women walked off-screen together, a view that had never been explored in all of the different “Bachelor” programs throughout the world.
“I almost had a heart attack behind the monitor. I’ve watched the show for years, and I didn’t even know you could give back a rose once you’d accepted it!” producer Anh-Thu Nguyen told Vulture, claiming that the moment was completely genuine and that not even the other participants saw it coming.
For devoted fans of “The Bachelor,” this means that maybe the show isn’t as dumb as we all thought it was. “It’s such a brave, courageous thing, that these two women made this powerful gesture,” continues Nguyen, highlighting how important visibility is for LGBTQ people in Vietnam. “To see a moment that’s unequivocal, where someone is saying that they love someone else … I think it’s going to be very powerful for young people.”
While more states are legalizing and medicalizing marijuana, more people are also still getting arrested for the plant. A new report by the FBI finds that someone gets arrested on a cannabis charge approximately every 48 seconds in the U.S..
Cannabis arrests accounted for 40.4 percent of America’s 1,632,921 drug arrests in 2017. That’s a lot of arrests and that’s a lot of money filtering into private prisons, boosting their numbers on the stock market, which have already doubled since Trump took office.
Not to say that all arrests lead to imprisonment, in most possession cases, defendants are held in county jails or are released soon after arrest. However, every arrest made that is in regards to a victimless crime, such as marijuana possession, it is a drain on our tax and law enforcement resources. There are far more important things to be prosecuting than pot.
In the FBI’s National Crime Trends for 2017, even the FBI arrestees are predominately drug related, with the next closest number — nearly half that of drug arrests — being weapons violations. That means that if we’re to stick to the percentages, roughly the same number of pot users were arrested by the FBI in 2017 as weapons violators.
It seems that even as activists and advocates of cannabis rejoice in a new world of fast spreading legalization that the original intent cannot be forgotten: keep people out of jail for a plant. There is still work to be done on that end, clearly, and the states that need it most are the states getting the least amount of attention because they aren’t nearing the legal threshold as of yet.
And, as ever, there are far more pressing issues. As federal policies director for Marijuana Policy Project told Tom Angell at Forbes, “At a time when more than 100 deaths per day are caused by opioid overdoses, it is foolish to focus our limited law enforcement resources on a drug that has caused literally zero.” And has purportedly saved many…
HBO appears to be plotting a lifetime of profits from “Game Of Thrones.” Not only is a spin-off in the works, but now several attractions in Northern Ireland where the show was filmed will be available to fans. These locations will provide gorgeous sights that will allow fans to get close to the sets where the show was shot, featuring iconic spots such as Castle Black, Winterfell, and Kings Landing.
Page Six reports that HBO plans on having these parks ready by 2019. Referred to as “Game Of Thrones Legacy,” these attractions will feature visits to different sets and tours through Linen Mill Studios, where guests will see important pieces from the show such as wardrobe, art files, models, and other production materials, while also learning more about the behind the scenes process.
“HBO is thrilled to celebrate the work of the ‘Game of Thrones’ creative team and crew by preserving these locations and inviting fans to visit Northern Ireland and explore Westeros in person,” said Jeff Peters, HBO’s VP of licensing and retail. “The opportunity to celebrate Northern Ireland’s pivotal role in the life and legacy of the show and share its culture, beauty and warmth is also a huge inspiration behind these Legacy projects.”
HBO has already made several attractions for “Game Of Thrones,” including the Game Of Thrones Live Concert Experience and the Game Of Thrones Touring Exhibition. A spot with attractions and the official locations of the show will surely prove to be very profitable and could even become a long term theme park.
When it comes to fast foods, vegetarians are often forced to choose between fries and onion rings as their entree. Even people who want to eat less meat are often out of luck during road trips or travels; usually fresh food isn’t an option. It’s no secret that bean and rice-based veggie burgers are no object of lust to most omnivores, but technology and some very intensive taste testing have led to the creation of some very delicious meat analogues. And this DIY Impossible Burger with cannabis special sauce is unreal – delicious and relaxing!
The Impossible Burger started as an outlier but just made a huge expansion with the announcement of White Castle Impossible Sliders’ nationwide availability. Using legendary cannabis pop culture figures like Ghostface Killah and Kal Penn to much fanfare. It’s hard not to drool until you can buy it in stores, but it’s available at more than 3,000 restaurants.
We got our hands on a few patties to play with, perfect for that iconic double decker burger that vegetarians might be missing, with cannabis in the special sauce, another fast food pipe dream that should be reality.
Photos courtesy of Danielle Guercio
Lil Mac
Danielle Guercio, 2018
(Estimated 10mg THC per Tablespoon of Special Sauce)
Prep the Impossible Burger into a double patty by cutting horizontally with a sharp serrated knife as soon as you take it out of the fridge. Stash back in the fridge to re-chill while you make your infused sauce. Impossible Burgers have chunks of coconut oil embedded in the ‘meat’ blend, which means they to keep their shape they have to go right from the fridge into the pan.
Photos courtesy of Danielle Guercio
It’s not a big secret, “Special sauce” is really a mixture of mayo, mustard, relish, and spices. In the fast food joints, it comes out of a big metal gun like a caulking tube, and that’s not as attractive as making your own version. I also like a little dose of quick DIY ketchup which you can whip up by adding a slightly sweet glycerin tincture to tomato paste and pickle juice. Mix everything together and use right away.
Once you have your sauce and accoutrements at the ready, heat a non-stick pan on medium heat to prepare the patties. No oil is needed, as you want a little char on the outside, plus they already have a good bit of oil inside. Don’t move the patties around the pan! You want to quickly sear the outside. Lightly toast all of your buns, without browning, to keep the sesame seeds at optimal toastiness.
Be sure not to overcook the patties as this faux meat cooks much faster than the real thing. Flip once, and immediately drop a slice of vegan cheese atop each patty. Cook for two more minutes and then turn off the heat and cover the pan briefly to let the cheese continue to melt.
Assemble your triple decker burg in the following order: bun bottom, roughly half a tablespoon of special sauce, lettuce (optional), cheese side up patty, pickles, bun middle, another half tablespoon of special sauce, optional lettuce, cheese side up patty, diced onion, bun top.
*Cannabis Glycerin Tincture
Decarboxylate 3.5 grams of finely ground cannabis at 225 degrees for 20 minutes in a tightly sealed, oven safe container. Put cannabis in lidded mason jar or vacuum sealed bag with cannabis and ½ cup vegetable glycerin. Heat in water bath just under boiling for at least one hour. Strain and chill to use in recipes.
Try not to devour it before you can snap a photo of your glorious creation. This also makes a great build-your-own meal for a small gathering, the patties can fly off the pan in less than five minutes so it’s easy to prepare a whole (adult) family’s worth at once.
In her first interview since the celebrity chef’s death, Asia Argento tearfully recalled the series of emotions she felt following Anthony Bourdain’s suicide.
Argento told DailyMailTV she first felt anger immediately after the death of Bourdain, whom she dated for two years. The “Parts Unknown” host was found dead in the bathroom of his French hotel room in June.
“Now, the anger kept me alive because otherwise this desperation has no end, there’s no end,” Argento recalled while wiping away tears.
“And then I was angry [at Bourdain], yes, for abandoning my kids,” Argento said, referencing her son and daughter from previous relationships.
“Now it’s been replaced, just by this loss, this hole that cannot be filled by anything,” she said.
Argento also reacted to the hateful comments she endured after Bourdain’s death.
“I understand that the world needs to find a reason. I would like to find a reason, too. He was so deeply loved,” said Argento, who went on to address allegations that she had cheated on Bourdain.
“People need to think that he killed himself for something like this. He cheated on me, too,” Argento claimed.
“It wasn’t a problem with us,” she continued. “He was a man who traveled 265 days a year. When we saw each other, we took really great pleasure in each other’s presence. We are not children. I cannot think of Anthony as somebody who would do an extreme gesture like this for something like that. What I do feel terrible about is that he had so much pain inside of him and I didn’t see it. I did not see it. And for that, I will feel guilty for the rest of my life.”
The model revealed on Monday night’s Watch What Happens Live that she and her now-husband ‘closed the deal’ on their first date, after making his music video for Stereo.
There has been a lot of discussions lately over cannabis stocks. Some crazy developments have taken place; people are throwing money at anything that moves and, more likely than not, some of the less experienced in the trading game will end up broke as a joke before it is all said and done. But the cannabis industry itself continues to grow. A recent report from the California-based employment agency Vangst finds that employment rates for this sector are on the rise and hundreds of thousands of people are going to work in above average paying positions.
The latest report, aptly referred to as the “cannabis salary guide,” finds that the business of growing and selling marijuana is on a hiring frenzy – more so than any other business sector in America. There has been a 690 percent leap in cannabis-related job listings since the beginning of 2017. And the pay keeps getting better. The average salary for these positions increased by more than 16 percent over the past year and a half. The report shows projected growth of 220 percent for 2019 — a signal that there are no signs of a slow down.
“The industry is rapidly taking off, and cannabis companies continue to compete to recruit and retain the best talent,” the report reads. “We believe hiring and holding onto the best talent will be the differentiating factor between good cannabis companies and great cannabis companies.”
In upwards of 160,000 people are employed with the cannabis industry in the United States, according to a report realized over the summer by Marijuana Business Daily. This means there are now more full-time workers dealing in legal weed than there are librarians and teachers. And as for Donald Trump’s vision to bring back coal, we’ve got news for him: Cannabis is the new coal. The business sector employs approximately three times as many people as the whole of the U.S. coal industry, the report shows.
But how much do these cannabis jobs pay? Well, on the higher end of the spectrum, one of the hottest posts in the market is Director of Cultivation, which has a salary range from $47,000 to $250,000 per year. But this position is pure agricultural — it demands extensive knowledge of growing and harvesting routines. This position also requires the leadership to guide a team in producing the best possible crop. At the lower end, bud trimmers (laborers) and budtenders (retail clerks), positions that can be obtained with little to no experience, can pay between $11.50 and $16 per hour.
Although states like Colorado and California are often viewed as the “place to be for cannabis jobs,” experts say these positions are becoming more widespread in other parts of the United States, as well. Illinois is perhaps the most overlooked and up and coming market, according to Forbes.
So while investors try to strike it rich in the cannabis space, it appears talented people are the most substantial investment.
Everyone knows that fall is a time for reinvention. And if the thing you’d like to reinvent is the fact that you’d like to have someone to watch the leaves turn with, I totally understand. Sure, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with being single — but there also isn’t any shame in wishing you had a partner.
Sounds terrifying, I know, but it works. Make that neighborhood bar or restaurant you’ve always liked Your Place. If it sounds too scary, consider going somewhere that has live music you can watch, or bringing a notebook if you like to draw or write.
While I’m shy, I’m one of those social smokers, and have also found that taking my vape out on the town makes me much more likely to strike up conversations with strangers — and makes a good conversation starter. (Here’s my list of romantic dates to take yourself out on alone to get started.)
2. Find Your Meditation Of Choice
This can be traditional mindfulness meditation, but it can also be doodling, journaling, long walks, talking to yourself in the mirror, dancing naked, getting stoned and just thinking — you name it. Whatever it is, in order to find that special friend, it really is true that you have to make real friends with yourself first. Give yourself ample time to reflect on what you want — both in yourself, and a partner. Which brings me to…
3. Make A List
Make a list with four columns: What Makes Me a Catch; Ways I Could Still Grow; What Hasn’t Worked In Past Relationships; What I Want In a Partner Going Forward. Be honest but brief — this is not a place to chastise yourself or others, or to go on epic rants. It’s just a matter of gaining some clarity around why you deserve love, how you can keep evolving personally, and what you need in a partner. If you lay it all out, you may find it’s easier to weed out people who simply aren’t a fit on first dates — or to give certain people a chance.
4. Donate All The Clothing That Makes You Feel Anything Less Than Happy
Those pants that cut into your waist, that dress you’re saving for when you lose weight, that shirt your ex told you was worn and that you just wear out of spite. Pare things down, and try to only leave room for the clothing that makes you feel attractive and that feels like you now. (If you’re not sure how to figure that out, this happens to be one of my absolute favorite stoned activities.)
5. If You’re Online Dating, Be Completely, Brutally Honest
In answering any questions for dating site algorithms, you’re doing yourself zero favors if you simply answer the way you think you “should.” Similarly, if you present your profile or pictures in a way that feels in any way disingenuous, you might get some dates, but you likely won’t find a partner. If you’re not sure how to do this, ask your best friend to come over one night and do an honesty check with you.
I’d online dated to only moderate success for years, and it was only when I was going through a breakup and made the most brutally honest profile of my life (stoned, again,I might add) that I ended up finding the most compatible partner I’ve ever had. Those algorithms work — but they only reward honesty.
The latest location to legalize marijuana in the United States is a place you’ve likely never heard of. That’s because it isn’t a state. It’s the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), a Pacific territory of about 50,000 people north of Guam.
On September 21, Gov. Ralph Torres (R) signed legislation that allows for adults over the age of 21 to use cannabis, becoming the first American territory to do so. It is the first American jurisdiction to jump from cannabis being totally illegal to now becoming recreationally legal, without first having a medical marijuana program in place.
Already a tourism destination thanks to its gorgeous beaches, one of the most progressive cannabis laws in America should only help to draw even more travelers. CNMI is also the first U.S. jurisdiction to approve cannabis legalization through legislation. Though Vermont legalized cannabis through a similar process, it only legalized cannabis usage and home cultivation. There remains no legal system for cannabis sales in the state.
CNMI residents will be allowed to possess up to one ounce of cannabis, in addition to edibles and concentrates. Licenses for growers, testers, retailers, and lounges will soon be issued by regulators, though residents are also allowed to cultivate a small number of plants in their homes.
“Today, our people made history. We took a stand to legalize marijuana in the CNMI for recreational, medical, and commercial use,” Gov. Torres said in a statement.
However there was initial concern whether Torres would sign the legislation after it was sent to his desk for. Torres had expressed concern for public safety, but eventually made the step forward for CNMI. He also vetoed a rule that would’ve required recreational users to obtain a $5 USD license. CNMI’s government still must appoint a regulator committee for cannabis, as well as regulation around fees and taxes, but the small territory could present a blueprint for future lawmakers.
Whenever cannabis enthusiasts reveal their dream toking partners, as Brad Pitt did last year, there are usually a few stand-by names people say. Snoop Dogg, Seth Rogen, Cheech & Chong usually gets tossed around. You might also hear celebs like Whoopi Goldberg, Woody Harrelson, Rihanna and Willie Nelson, the country legend on nearly everyone’s list.
But we never ask these same celebs who they’d like to smoke with. In that spirit, Stephen Colbert visited Nelson on his iconic tour bus to ask who the Red Headed Stranger would want to light up with.
Quickly, Nelson said yes to Snoop Dogg, the Pope, and Meryl Streep. Though the country singer didn’t know who Yo-Yo Ma was, Nelson also agreed to smoking up with the cellist. Then again, who would you honestly expect Willie Nelson to turn down?
Colbert brought out the big guns: Vladimir Putin, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump. The late-night show host inquired if Willie thought it’d help international relations if he toked with Putin. “There’s several people I’d like to see take a hit, so to speak,” Nelson replied.
Of smoking with Trump, Nelson said, “Oh yeah. He needs one bad. That could be good for him.” On Obama, he said, “Yeah, I think he may have already been there a time or two.” Which yeah, Willie’s probably right on that one.
Marijuana has the potential to become the next big thing. It is for this reason that investors at nearly every level are now throwing money at any cannabis company with a pulse in hopes of cashing in when this thing, whatever it is destined to become, finally matures. But the hysteria over highs is fueling an obsession over pot stocks that is reminiscent of the dot-com boom, whereby speculative investments — sinking money into the next big thing — have seduced outsiders and lower-tier investors. Some investors will inevitably come out on top, while history shows that others are doomed to take it on the chin.
All it takes is a little news, like Coca-Cola is in talks with Aurora Cannabis about bringing a new CBD-infused beverage to market, and investors go buck wild. Reports show that the stock for this cannabis firm rose 18 percent after the Coke announcement was made last week — this in spite of the fact that there is no deal currently in place. Canadian-based Tilray is another pot company that has experienced a surge of investments recently after it was revealed that it would supply U.S. researchers with medical marijuana. The stock seemed like a logical buy for most investors since it is almost impossible to get this type of permission from the federal government. Tilray’s stock was strong for a few days, but a push by U.S. Representative Matt Gaetz to give the contract to a U.S. cannabis firm instead caused it to plummet by almost $200 by the end of the week.
All of the buzz surrounding cannabis investments really took off last year after Constellation Brands, maker of the Corona beer brand, made a modest $200 million investment with Canopy Growth in hopes of creating a cannabis-infused beverage. The company gave investors more to think about over the summer when it poured another $4 billion into the project. Since then, companies like Molson Coors have signed similar deals. There are also rumors floating around that Anheuser-Busch and Diageo Plc are working on similar deals. And you had better believe investors are just waiting for these companies to make a move.
Although the cannabis industry has the makings of a mega-industry, the stability of the market is really contingent on what happens here in the United States. Right now, the federal government considers marijuana a Schedule I dangerous drug with no known medicinal application. This makes it difficult for U.S cannabis companies to get listed on Nasdaq and it also proves challenging when it comes to getting listed on Canadian markets.
Pot stocks would be better served if the U.S. government would legalize nationwide, just like Canada. But until then, there are too many unknown variable to make it a safe bet for investors.
It is important for investors to understand, especially those who are just now getting into the market because of their love of cannabis, that pot stocks are grossly overvalued. Some of them so much that they can appear to be a better buy than some of the most solid companies on the S&P 500. But as a recent article from Forbes points out, this is just an illusion. It goes on to suggest that purchasing shares of Apple is still a better long-term investment strategy than buying any stock associated with the cannabis trade.
