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This Is The Age When We’re Most Self-Confident

Amy Hansen
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This Is The Age When We’re Most Self-Confident

Like a fine wine or George Clooney, many things improve with age: wisdom, the ability to tune people out on social media, the art of saying “no” …and now we can add self-esteem to the list.

According to a recent study published in the journal Psychological Bulletin, 60-years-old seems to be the magic number for our self-confidence levels, which may stick around for a full decade. Researchers studied data from more than 164,000 people.

Results showed that average levels of self-esteem increased from age 4 to 11 years, remained stable from age 11 to 15, increased strongly until age 30, continued to increase until age 60, peaked at age 60 and remained constant until age 70, declined slightly until age 90.

The analysis revealed that “people’s self-esteem changes in systematic ways over the life course.” On average, self-esteem increases in early and middle childhood, remains constant in adolescence, increases strongly in young adulthood, continues to increase in middle adulthood, peaks between age 60 and 70 years, and then declines in old age, with a sharper drop in very old age.

“Midlife is, for many adults, a time of highly stable life circumstances in domains such as relationships and work. Moreover, during middle adulthood, most individuals further invest in the social roles they hold, which might promote their self-esteem,” study co-author Ulrich Orth, a professor of psychology at the University of Bern in Switzerland, told TIME.

Up until this extensive study, it was assumed that confidence levels would take a hit during the “awkward” teenage years, but that’s not the case at all. Instead, it plummets in old age. Explains Orth:  “Old age frequently involves loss of social roles as a result of retirement, the empty nest, and, possibly, widowhood, all of which are factors that may threaten self-esteem. In addition, aging often leads to negative changes in other possible sources of self-esteem, such as socioeconomic status, cognitive abilities and health.”

The pattern of findings from the study holds across gender, country, ethnicity, and birth cohort.

5 Apps To Help You Break Up With Facebook

Maria Loreto
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5 Apps To Help You Break Up With Facebook

Are you ready to say goodbye to Facebook but don’t want to drop all the awesome apps and services that it offers? Do you even know how many apps and companies Facebook owns?

While Facebook has faced a tough year in terms of publicity, apps such as WhatsApp and Instagram — both owned by Facebook — have not suffered because both brands, fortunately, have enough recognition and strength to stand on their own. While you won’t find an app that rivals Facebook in terms of scope, there are dozens of apps that provide cool services and unite people with similar interests.

Popular Science compiled a list of some apps that can help you replace the Facebook-sized hole in your life. Check out five of our favorites:

Ello

https://giphy.com/gifs/hipster-30-rock-no-KmZjJZBvqwr0k

This app is great for artists and creative people, creating a profile for you based on your interests and the type of content you want to watch, be that  photography, writing, painting, and more. The app also allows you to follow artists, post or repost art, and connect with others.

Peanut

This app is the ultimate social media site for moms, allowing users to provide support for each other, discuss stories, receive some advice, or facilitate meet-ups. Peanut is very similar to Tinder, pairing you up with people who live in your area, swiping left or right if you want to connect with them.

Wanelo

https://giphy.com/gifs/money-shopping-i-love-it-BwmyYZjbTDJhm

Wanelo is a social media site for shopping, offering the best deals on all sorts of products. You can follow shoppers, create lists, swap bargains, and more. Wanelo asks for your personal information in order to provide a curated profile for you, making for a fun experience. This app is another interesting experiment, combining shopping with a social media platform which may result in something really unique.

Vero

https://giphy.com/gifs/orange-is-the-new-black-piper-chapman-myedit-70etMB6O2Vp28

Vero is like the poor man’s version of Instagram: a photograph based social media site that although still in development holds a lot of potential for growth and development. The three-year-old app with a strictly chronological feed allows you to upload images and videos, but also allows you to post recommendations of books, movies, and music, while allowing you to filter who gets to see what posts. It’s a bit of a strange experiment, but it plans on growing and charging a fee for users once it gets up and running. If any of this interests you, sign up as soon as possible and skip out on the coming fees.

Tumblr

https://giphy.com/gifs/blog-scott-pilgrim-7rQf04hfkMx9K

By far the biggest app on this list, Tumblr has over 365 million devoted users who think that the site is better than all the rest. Tumblr is an amazing place for fandoms and for people who have distinct interests and passions. Part time blog and part time social media site, your Tumblr profile allows you to upload photos, videos, text posts, audio files, and more. It’s also fun and addictive, providing a practically endless loop of content from all sorts of sources.

That Time Kate Middleton Dated Prince William’s Rival

Amy Hansen
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That Time Kate Middleton Dated Prince William’s Rival

For whatever reason, there’s been a lot of reliving the messy breakup that Kate Middleton and Prince William experienced more than a decade ago when they decided to take “a break” after their college romance got a little too heavy too fast. During that time, both Will and Kate saw other people. And neither were happy about it.

https://giphy.com/gifs/netflix-friends-xUOwGaK4KQ9Z6WZqso

Recently, it was disclosed that Will crushed hard on a woman named Isabella Calthorpe that sent Kate spiraling into a fit of jealousy. Nothing every happened between Will and Isabella (that we know of), but it’s rumored she was one of the reasons Kate and Will split in the first place.

And now we know that Kate got revenge in the bet way possible. She dated Will’s rival. Specifically, his Eton college schoolmate, otherwise known as shipping heir Henry Ropner. He is also the former boyfriend of someone named Jecca Craig, who William actually dated after she and Ropner split. Don’t the royals have any other options??

Back in 2007, the Daily Mail (by way of The Sun) reported that the two hooked up less than two months after Kate and Will called it quits. Ropner was there to “cheer her up” in her time of need. How gentlemanly of him!

A source told The Sun: “Henry is delighted to be there for Kate now that she’s split from William. They’ve been meeting up and enjoying themselves.” Uh huh.

https://giphy.com/gifs/kate-royalty-middleton-i8QAoKuqgFnry

The source (we see you Queen Elizabeth!!) continued: “There’s been a lot of flirting. Now she’s single, Kate is enjoying Henry’s company regularly.”

“Henry is very wealthy. He has moved in William’s circle for years.”

Kate and Will reunited shortly after she started seeing Ropner, which some speculate was initiated by Will and his fierce jealousy.

But all the drama was short-lived. In fact, Ropner got married to Natasha Sinclair (who?) just a few months after the royal couple tied the knot — a decision reportedly “inspired” by Kate.

[h/t InStyle]

You Won’t Believe How Many Americans Eat Fast Food On A Daily Basis

Brendan Bures
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You Won’t Believe How Many Americans Eat Fast Food On A Daily Basis

Look, we’ve all been in need of a quick bite. That feeling when your stomach is rumbling and you just want something swift and flavorful to satisfy your hunger pangs. In that moment, fast food is always there, like an artificial beacon of light willing to help you in exchange for a quick buck and a spike your cholesterol level.

And yet it’s still shocking that on any average day, nearly 40 percent of Americans consume fast food. According to a report from CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics, 36.6 percent of adults admitted to eating fast food in the past 24 hours between 2013 and 2016. This is a lot of burgers, fried chicken, and tacos.

Those in younger age groups consumed the most fast food of any demographic. Researchers were able to conclude that as we get older, we tend to eat less fast food. Neither of those statistics should come as a surprise. What should is that fast food consumption actually rises with income levels. Fast food is not just for poor college kids anymore.

Among genders, men were more likely to report eating fast food during lunch while women admitted to hitting up a drive-thru for a quick snack.

Now, we don’t need to tell you the devastating effects eating fast food can have on your health. Another recent study from the British Medical Journal found that eating too much “ultra-processed foods,” like sugar cereal and candy, directly impacted your likelihood of getting cancer.

So maybe let’s lay off all the fast food, America. Not all the time, of course. We’re not monsters. Just make it a treat instead of an everyday thing…if you have to have it. Your health will thank you later.

Can Medical Marijuana Cure My Fear Of Public Speaking?

Richard Faulk
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Can Medical Marijuana Cure My Fear Of Public Speaking?

Toking out in the green room might not make you better at speaking in public, but it will make you a more courageous one.

That’s the result of a 2011 study published in Neuralpsychopharmacology (my favorite nonosyllabic word). In an experiment sublime in both its simplicity and cruelty, a team of researchers from the University of Sao Paulo tested two sets of nervous speakers by dosing one with CBD, one of the active ingredients in marijuana, and giving the other a placebo. They then instructed the subjects to compose a four minute speech (on the scintillating topic of public transportation), which would be videotaped. Both were compared against a group of un-nervous speakers, a so-called healthy cohort.

The researchers were genuinely undecided going into the experiment, noting in the report that “the relationship of cannabis with anxiety is paradoxical.” On one hand, many cannabis users smoke specifically to manage their anxiety. But on the other hand, intense panic attacks are some of the most common of marijuana’s undesirable side effects.

The results, however, were unambiguous: The phobic speakers who had taken CBD felt less anxious and uncomfortable than their un-dosed peers. Their thinking was less impaired and they also felt less dread anticipating their performance. In fact, there was no appreciable difference between them and the healthy control group.

On the downside, the CBD cohort all delivered variations of the same talk, exhorting listeners to examine their hands—really examine their hands.

OK, that was a cheap joke. And an incorrect one too, because it’s not CBD, but the intoxicating THC that’s the cannabinoid responsible for stoney logic. But there was at least one nonfictional cause for possible concern in the trial: CBD “almost abolished” negative self-evaluation.

While it’s true that negative feelings perpetuate anxiety, it’s also true that negative self-evaluations are what drive us to improve. What’s missing from the study is whether the speakers’ self-satisfaction was warranted. In this age of TED-talk proliferation, the last thing we need is another influx of supremely confident speakers who actually have nothing to say.

8-Year-Old Finds 1000 Year Old Relic

Maria Loreto
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8-Year-Old Finds 1000 Year Old Relic

It is something like the start of kid’s adventure book – except is real life.

In what sounds like a classic fable come to life, a kid is exploring around a beautiful body of water, and the 8-year-old finds 1000 year old relic. The Swedish found an ancient sword while playing in a local lake.

According to The Local, the water level of Vidöstern lake was very low this year due to a drought, which might have contributed to why the young girl, Saga Vanecek, spotted the sword so easily. The relic was taken to the Jönköpings Läns Museum where curators confirmed that the sword is over a thousand years old, possibly dating to the pre-Viking days of the 5th century AD. “It’s about 85 centimeters long, and there is also preserved wood and metal around it,” said the museum’s Mikael Nordström. “We are very keen to see the conservation staff do their work and see more of the details of the sword.”

RELATED: Entomologist Explains Why You Should Not Kill Spiders In Your Home

For now, the sword won’t be available for display since it has to undergo a preservation process that could take up to a year. After the sword was discovered, several teams and researchers from the museum were sent out to search the area, asking the little girl to keep her finding a secret in order to prevent people from tampering with the area.

“I was outside in the water, throwing sticks and stones and stuff to see how far they skip, and then I found some kind of stick,” explained Vanecek. She was asked if she wanted to be an archeologist, but she said that she wanted to be a doctor, a vet, or an actress. She’s not interested in saving the world or in becoming the next Arthur.

Ted Nugent Is Hardcore Against Legalizing Marijuana

Brendan Bures
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Ted Nugent Is Hardcore Against Legalizing Marijuana

Over the past several months, Michigan has emerged as a top battleground for cannabis legalization in the upcoming midterm elections. Only Utah is comparable in its fight between supporters and opponents of marijuana. In both states, those in favor of legalizing the plant for recreational adult use are just as passionate as those vehemently opposed.

But in Michigan, polls reflecting locals’ views on legalization seem to contradict the political narrative each group is trying to establish. Just when it seems like ending prohibition in Michigan is inevitable, we see evidence that locals aren’t as gung-ho as suspected. It doesn’t help when the state government insists on referring to cannabis as “marihuana” on all government products, possibly confusing those unfamiliar with the tortured history of the word.

And so everyone tangentially affected by cannnabis legalization in Michigan has started voicing their views. That includes Ted Nugent. The conservative singer-songwriter adamantly opposes recreational marijuana. A lot. During a taping of Michigan radio show “Off the Record,” Nugent, who is from Redford, Michigan, was asked about the upcoming ballot proposal.

Surprise: He’s “hardcore” against it.

“I have stepped over so many dead bodies who tried to convince me that smoking dope was a victimless crime,” Nugent said.

“I was unhip because I wouldn’t, I guess, drool and puke and then die,” he also added.

This is nothing new from the notoriously sober rocker, of course. Earlier this summer Nugent got heated with comedian Joe Rogan on the latter’s podcast about marijuana. Echoing the sentiments he made on that podcast, Nugent peddled outdated “lazy stoner” stereotypes on the radio this week.

“When you’re high you cannot make a positive, meaningful, intelligent decision,” he said.

Nugent is so against smoking weed, he emphasized, that he turned down toking offers from Jimi Hendrix and Keith Moon. Though it may surprise outsiders, Nugent is actually pro-medical marijuana and has stated his belief it should be legalized federally.

Regardless, this type of outspoken view from celebrities and civic leaders alike should only continue the closer we get to November 6, when Michigan voters will decide on the measure. Until that day, no one can say with 100 percent certainty if Michigan is really in favor of recreational marijuana or not.

‘We’re Not Sin City’: Houston Bans Proposed Sex Robot Brothel

Maria Loreto
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‘We’re Not Sin City’: Houston Bans Proposed Sex Robot Brothel

The city of Houston recently approved an ordinance preventing the development of a robot brothel, which would have been the first one of its kind in the country.

Canadian company KinkySdollS was behind the plan, and was already building a space where users would be able to rent out dolls and have sex with them privately. According to Mashable, the dolls are priced between $2,500 and $10,000, and have different features such as body heat and A.I. voice commands.

Many citizens took offense with the idea of a robot brothel and organized protests, claiming that a place like this would destroy the homes, families and finances of all sorts of community members. As one resident expressed, “As a woman, I am concerned and horrified to see where our society is taking us.”

The amendment to prevent the development of this establishment was passed unanimously by Houston city council members with some of them claiming that Houston is not “Sin City,” while calling the idea of a robot brothel “weird” and “gross.”

“The Bible says a man will leave his father and mother and become one with his wife. It doesn’t say anything about a man becoming one with a robot,” said one very invested Houston resident.

KinkySdollS has a robot brothel in Toronto that opened over a year ago and has developed quite a following. According to USA Today, the Canadian company targeted Houston because it’s one of the largest cities in the U.S. and it also has a strong history of resisting regulations.

Connecticut Gubernatorial Candidate Says He’ll Legalize Marijuana If Elected

Mary Schumacher
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Connecticut Gubernatorial Candidate Says He’ll Legalize Marijuana If Elected

“If I win, I’ll have the wind at my back,’’ said Connecticut Gubernatorial candidate Ned Lamont in reference to cannabis. “I’ll say we have a budget crisis, and more importantly, Massachusetts legalized, and they’re driving across the border.’’ Connecticut voters are overwhelmingly in favor of legalizing cannabis, so it’s a good issue to focus on as votes draw near.

Lamont, a democrat, also pointed out that having a legal market is better than having an illicit market, and that, “I’ll regulate it. I’ll be careful in terms of quality or potency. I think we know what we’re doing.” In terms of bringing in revenue and quashing a criminal marketplace that lands people in jail for a plant, it certainly does seem that the hopeful knows what he’s doing.

He’s compared and paired legalizing and regulating cannabis with sports betting. Pointing to New Jersey as an example, he said “the train has already left the station.” When it comes to NJ, he could be referencing either sports betting or cannabis, the latter of which has been rumored to be legalized in NJ in the coming weeks and is already broadly medicalized there.

Lamont says that he believes Connecticut could generate between $150 million and $200 million if they legalize adult use cannabis and sports betting at the same time.

Bringing revenue into the state isn’t Lamont’s only concern. He’s a union man and he is telling the unions that they’ll make out better with him than with his opponent. Lamont’s had the unions’ support for some time now and continues to enjoy it as the elections approach.

With workers behind him and those in favor of cannabis legalization backing him as well, Lamont has a very good shot at winning come November. As of now, he’s leading by 5 percentage points in the polls. His opponent, Bob Stefanowski (R), has not said that he’s opposed to cannabis, in fact he’s said he’d consider it down the line, but he’s certainly not making it part of his running points.

Interstate trafficking is a big concern, especially for the smugglers sticking their necks out and the cops who are forced to continue to crack down on America’s most popular plant. So is the state’s budget and workers’ rights and they all add up to a few of good reasons why Lamont might win: on the cannabis legalization stance, allowing for sports betting and his vast union support.

CBD Oil Is Now Illegal In Medical Marijuana Friendly Ohio

Mike Adams
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CBD Oil Is Now Illegal In Medical Marijuana Friendly Ohio

There is a bizarre happening in some medical marijuana states that isn’t at all consistent with common sense. Some jurisdictions, while allowing marijuana to be sold to patients for therapeutic purposes, have banned the sale of hemp-based cannabidiol (CBD) in traditional retail outlets where it has been made available for years.

Ohio is the latest state to implement this rule. Even though CBD is non-psychoactive, officials are insisting that all of these products be distributed exclusively in marijuana dispensaries.

It was recently determined by the Ohio Board of Pharmacy that all CBD products, even those derived from hemp, should be classified as medical marijuana and therefore be sold only in state-licensed dispensaries. The board says that patients must be able to trace these products back to a known source and have a full understanding of how much of its active ingredient each one contains.

Although this change in the law will not prevent some customers from getting their hands on this medicine, supplement, whatever they choose to call it, it will, however, lead to inflation in prices.

“The prices, if they’re going to skyrocket, are going to hurt customers’ pockets,” Rabi Ahmad, owner of Smokers Plus, told WHIO. “Senior citizens mostly buy the CBD. The young kids, they don’t buy CBD at all.”  

The new rule may also cause a few snags for those people who may not qualify for participation with the state medical marijuana program. As it stands, the law only allows patients with a severe or debilitating condition, like AIDS, cancer, glaucoma, pain that is either chronic and severe or intractable, and traumatic brain injury, to buy cannabis products.

So, before a person can gain access to a state-sanctioned medical marijuana dispensary to buy CBD, he or she must receive clearance from a physician. In some cases, it may not be difficult to navigate through this red tape and become a patient, while it could prove difficult for others. Not every physician across the Buckeye State is willing to write medical marijuana recommendations.

The situation with this amendment could also prove challenging when it comes to staying out of jail.

Hemp-based CBD products have become very popular. They are sold without any legal stipulation in health food stores, convenience stores, vape shops, and other retail outlets in many nearby states, including Indiana. There is nothing stopping a resident of Ohio from crossing over the state line to buy these products without a medical marijuana recommendation. Yet, that plan comes with risks once they get back home. The Board of Pharmacy said anyone caught with CBD, who has not been cleared for the state’s medical marijuana program, could face criminal charges. The same goes for those non-dispensary businesses that continue to sell it.

For now, however, there doesn’t appear to be a strict enforcement plan in place. But it would not be irresponsible to suggest that local police departments could conduct these sorts of shakedowns on their own accord.

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