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Forbes Gets Called Out For Labeling Kylie Jenner A “Self-Made” Billionaire

Maria Loreto
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Forbes Gets Called Out For Labeling Kylie Jenner A “Self-Made” Billionaire

Forbes recently released its 2018 “Self-Made Women” edition, discussing women who’ve built successful businesses on their own. The cover features Kylie Jenner and describes her as a “self-made billionaire”; it’s a surprising choice of words considering we’ve been watching her wealthy family all over our TV screens for the past decade.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BlFtWmIh_1V/?taken-by=forbes

Dictionary.com’s Twitter account replied by simply defining the word “self-made.”

While it is true that Jenner has achieved something incredible in building a $900 billion dollar empire out of a large social media following, the word “self-made” implies that Jenner did everything on her own, which isn’t the case. Starring on a reality TV show since she was a teen clearly bolstered her popularity, helping her get to where she is now. And that’s without taking into account the fact that her family was wealthy before she developed her line of cosmetics.

People all over Twitter were quick to join in on the conversation, laughing over Dictionary.com’s “shade”, which seems like another inappropriate word to use since the site was simply defining a word that was used incorrectly. What’s most surprising is the fact that a renowned publication like Forbes put out this cover without anticipating some backlash.

Florida Prisons Seeing Rise In Synthetic Marijuana Deaths

Amy Hansen
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Florida Prisons Seeing Rise In Synthetic Marijuana Deaths

Authorities throughout Florida’s correctional facilities are seeing a spike in the number of inmate deaths associated with synthetic marijuana.

But before we get to the story, what exactly is synthetic marijuana?

As The Fresh Toast has previously reported, synthetic marijuana is not marijuana. And it’s not just one substance, either.

In essence, it is a concoction of man-made chemicals that are sprayed onto ground plant matter, that has a vague appearance of marijuana.  These man-made chemicals act similar to THC in that they interact with the cell receptors in your brain.

The problem is that each product varies widely and the consumer has no idea which chemicals are present. The chemicals are toxic. And once one of the chemicals is identified and banned, a similar, nearly identical chemical is created. It becomes a never-ending battle of law enforcement vs. chemists.

When an inmate overdoses on synthetic marijuana, they either have a seizure, a heart attack or become unconscious. And it’s a scenario that’s playing out more and more in Bay County, Florida, where correctional officers, inmates and visitors are managing to smuggle in huge amounts of this fake weed that’s been doused with chemicals  — some poisonous.

Synthetic marijuana, also known as “K2” or “Spice” (which both have the same effect, but are a different combination of chemicals) is chemically similar to THC and other natural cannabinoids. But what many people think they’re smoking, they’re not.

“We’ve looked into the roach spray,” Whit Majors, director of the 14th Judicial Circuit Medical Examiner’s Office, told CorrectionsOne. “The pest control companies provided the name of the chemical, and our labs don’t have a way to test for it.”

According to CorrectionsOne:

In the 14th Judicial Circuit, the MEO (Medical Examiner’s Office) has confirmed four inmate deaths related directly to K2 in the past year. About 18 more suspected K2-related deaths are pending death investigations over that same period of time, bogged down in the toxicology testing phase. The suspicion is based on surveillance and the death not being attributed to stabbing, hanging or beating.

Majors said the main difficulty in determining whether K2 played a direct role in an inmate’s death is because of all the chemicals — such as roach spray, bath salts and even seizure medication — added to the synthetic marijuana. While most K2 is doused with chemicals before entering the prisons, Majors said, inmates sometimes will wait for pest control companies to spray the building so they can soak up the insecticides off the floor.

Last year around this time, the Medical Examiner spent around three months determining a cause of death. Now, according to Majors, there are inmate deaths that are backlogged a year out.

Synthetic marijuana is the go-to for inmates, because it’s hard to detect and it’s relatively cheap. According to DOC press secretary Patrick Manderfield, “Recipes are readily available online, and the Department has intercepted homemade versions of it made with household chemicals through inmate mail.”

Psychedelic Ayahuasca Found To Treat Debilitating Depression

Mary Schumacher
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Psychedelic Ayahuasca Found To Treat Debilitating Depression

Ayahuasca, or “The God Vine”, has been used for centuries if not millennia in the Amazonian jungle to treat a variety of ailments, one of them being severe depression. While the vine and its preparation with other plants and herbs has now spread across the globe, so have the ceremonies that are meant to cure deeply seated issues.

A new study in Psychological Medicine found that traditional pills used for depression were found ineffective for about one third of patients; even with switching medications to try and achieve better results, they seem to be treatment resistant.

Encouragingly, however, the study also found that some psychedelics are making breakthroughs where pharmaceuticals have failed. “…recent open-label trials show that psychedelics, such as ayahuasca and psilocybin, hold promise as fast-onset antidepressants in treatment-resistant patients.” The study then goes into great detail on the spread of ayahuasca to urban centers in Brazil and then around the world, its healing reputation thrusting the anti-establishment medicine into the mainstream.

An ayahuasca treatment lasts several hours and though severe vomiting and sometimes diarrhea are reported during most trips, it has been proven to be a safe experience. Damaging thoughts and practices are often addressed while seeing visuals such as snakes pouring out of one’s mouth while purging or perhaps a communal meeting with an ayahuasca produced puma that could last for hours.

For the “double-blind parallel-arm randomized placebo-controlled trial” the doctors assessed the changes in the severity of depression, comparing a baseline of seven days after the experience. “Data from 29 patients were included in the analysis: 14 in the ayahuasca group and 15 in the placebo group.”

The depressed persons had been so for approximately 10 years and had all tried using antidepressants. The study analyzed many different data points, but the result that mattered most was, “patients treated with ayahuasca showed significantly reduced severity [of depression] when compared with patients treated with placebo.”

The world at large is finally opening its eyes to the benefits of plants that can seem scary or overwhelming on the surface, but that have potential and actual clinical usages that help a variety of ailments. Severe depression can be deadly and if you’re experiencing symptoms, be sure to reach out to your doctor, family and friends whether or not you are able to get yourself an ayahuasca treatment quite yet. Just know that the doors of perception are opening wider and wider and the results are speaking for themselves.

Americans Are Not Here For Your Ridiculous Online Security Questions

Amy Hansen
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Americans Are Not Here For Your Ridiculous Online Security Questions

You’re trying to find out how much money you have in your checking account and then, bam, you’re hit with a such a gross amount of of security questions that crossing your fingers becomes a more enviable option than actually knowing if you have enough money to float your rent.

A new study backs this up, revealing what we already know: the amount of security that currently exists, especially online, is exhausting. Analytic software firm FICO commissioned a study of 2,000 American adults and the overwhelming majority (81 percent) said there are way too many unnecessary security measures acting as a barrier to what they need to do online.

Photo by Fico.com

The biggest pet peeve is being kicked off email. Sixty-five percent hate it when they get randomly logged out of their account. And almost as many groan at the idea of having to create a super complicated password to protect that same account. And when you realize that the average person has 34 different online accounts, ranging from banking to social media to email, it’s no surprise that most have a hard time remembering their passwords.

Nearly half of respondents are tired of the two-step verification process, and 71 percent are just as tired of those pesky captcha codes, which they say feature illegible codes. Forty-seven percent of people are tired of answering endless security questions when they’re on the phone with a customer service rep.

Photo by Fico.com

What about banking? According to the survey, 22 percent would try another bank or give up entirely if they had to go through too many steps to open an account. And while the majority of respondents think their bank is solid on account verification and fraud prevention, 55 percent reported being the victim of banking fraud.

“There’s a real discrepancy here – consumers are glad their bank is protecting them, but they’re frustrated that the protection is making it harder for them to open accounts and make purchases,” says TJ Horan, who oversees fraud solutions at FICO. “When it comes to digital transformation, a smooth customer experience is going to be vital. The winners will be the firms that can balance this against the need to stop fraud.”

 

Oklahoma Bans Smokable Flower In Its Medical Marijuana Program

Brendan Bures
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Oklahoma Bans Smokable Flower In Its Medical Marijuana Program

Controversy has erupted in Oklahoma this week as the state’s Department of Health voted on emergency rules to implement the state’s new medical marijuana program. Criticism revolves around a number of restrictions placed upon medical marijuana patients, chief among them the removal of smokable marijuana from the approved delivery methods. The draft rules also require dispensaries to hire a full-time pharmacist.

Critics of the draft rules say these moves directly violate the will of Oklahoma voters when they approved State Question 788, which legalized medical marijuana in the state with a 56 percent majority. Board members did acknowledge prior to voting that voters who approved SQ 788 probably believed that would include smokable marijuana, according to Tulsa World.

Home-growing remains legal, on the other hand, which would still allow residents to access smokable marijuana on their own. However, this move would prohibit the sale of smokable marijuana in dispensaries.

“In banning all smokeable forms of medical cannabis in Oklahoma, the Oklahoma Health Department just guaranteed litigation. This is completely inconsistent with #SQ788 & a responsible medical cannabis program,” Oklahoma ACLU director Ryan Kiesel tweeted.

Via NewsOK.com:

Julie Ezell, the Health Department’s general counsel, cautioned board members that the two new rules they added to the proposed rules might not be allowed under State Question 788, which legalized medical marijuana. That could invite a court challenge, she said.

Tom Bates, interim commissioner of the Health Department, said the department had expected some court challenges, regardless of whether the board added the dispensary restrictions. The board will continue to revisit the rules over the next months, while Health Department staff continue working out the logistics surrounding legalization, he said.

Among the few to shout satisfaction for the new rules was a coalition of health groups that advocated for the provisions, including the smokable marijuana ban. Dr. Jean Hausheer, president of the Oklahoma State Medical Association, voiced support of.

“We are pleased with the rules adopted today by the Oklahoma State Department of Health and look forward to working with them to promote public health throughout the state,” she said in a news release.

Oklahoma could find itself in a similar position to Florida. The state has found itself in numerous court battles after Florida’s Health Department banned smokable marijuana in framework for medical marijuana. What’s more, Florida has been on the losing end of these legal battles, with one judge ruling the smokable marijuana ban as unconstitutional.

Once finalized, the draft rules will go to Gov. Mary Fallin for approval. Application for licenses will be made available starting July 26, and the Health Department will accept completed applications starting Aug. 25.

IHOP Announces That It’s Not Changing Its Name To IHOB

Maria Loreto
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IHOP Announces That It’s Not Changing Its Name To IHOB

Maybe it was the relentless criticism they received or maybe it was the restaurant’s plan all along, but IHOP has announced that they’re not changing their name to IHOb after all. The pancake chain says that it was all a just publicity stunt in order to advertise their new burger menu.

IHOP claims that reverting to their original name is a way of showing their customers how committed they are to pancakes, while also advertising that they’ll be selling them for 60 cents on July 17.

This 60 cent promotion will be valid for one day only in celebration of  IHOP’s 60 year anniversary.

Reactions over IHOP’s marketing strategy have varied widely, with some people mocking the name change because it’s pointless, and others claiming that the restaurant is now using “fake news” for advertising. Fast food restaurants had a lot of fun on Twitter and social media when the news first broke.

At the end of the day IHOP’s advertising got people talking. YouGov, a site that tracks the perception of different brands, reports that the restaurant’s “Word of Mouth” score rose in the week that followed the announcement.

“We knew we had a very tough job to do to convince people that we take our burgers as seriously as we take our pancakes,” said Stephanie Peterson, IHOP’s executive director of communications. “So, we went bold with the campaign.”

While the campaign was definitely far-fetched, we won’t be forgetting it any time soon. Well played, IHOP.

Curaleaf Cannabis Dispensary In Queens Offers High End Experience

Mary Schumacher
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Curaleaf Cannabis Dispensary In Queens Offers High End Experience

Though the new dispensary in Queens, New York is Curaleaf’s fourth in the state, it’s their first to open downstate and the first to be relatively accessible to most of NYC. The Forest Hills location was chosen for its close proximity to a variety of subway lines and is set up to be a sterile, high-end environment with big glass windows to eliminate stigma.

Curaleaf already made big waves earlier this year by opening the largest medical marijuana dispensary on the East Coast in New Jersey; now they’re looking to make even more of an impression. The Queens location has been reported as being more health spa-like than what could be considered weed themed (the manager is a New York licensed pharmacist).

The 3,000-square-foot dispensary is currently offering medical-grade cannabis capsules, tinctures and other state approved forms of cannabis concoctions. It will also soon have tablets to add to their list of treatments. On the first visit, a patient is sat down with a trained consultant and the ailments ranging from PTSD to the side effects of cancer and its treatment are discussed along with the best plan of action, form of medication and frequency.

Photo courtesy of curaleaf

The owners said that they wanted big, glass windows in the front because they don’t want people feeling embarrassed about getting their medicine. It’s a forward thinking approach that goes straight into the faces of paranoia and stigma and says, “See ya, have a nice day.”

The parent company of Curaleaf, PalliaTech NY, is only one of 10 entities that are properly licensed to manufacture and distribute cannabis in the state. PalliaTech is a company that clearly prides itself in its professionalism and thoroughness.

“PalliaTech is a holding company with controlling investments in cannabis operations in eleven states,” reads the corporate website, “Its national network of operating entities leverages its extensive research and development capabilities to cultivate and process medical cannabis that sets a standard for safety, effectiveness and consistent quality. Through its Curaleaf™ subsidiary, PalliaTech is the first cannabis company to achieve Global Food Safety Standards (SQF-certified), which is a testament to delivering safe and quality products to patients across the United States.”

It does make it seem safe to say that the new Queens dispensary will operate on a high level that will likely attract many New Yorkers who are also medical marijuana patients. This latest Curaleaf is located at 107-18 70th Road in Forest Hills, accessible by the E, F, M and R lines.

Meghan Markle Is Accused Of Expressing Her Political Opinion On Abortion

Amy Hansen
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Meghan Markle Is Accused Of Expressing Her Political Opinion On Abortion

She’s known for breaking royal protocol — crossing her legs, showing PDA at a royal event, wearing a pantsuit — and now the Duchess of Sussex is reportedly the target of some scrutiny for voicing her opinions on abortion.

It happened during her first official visit to Ireland, along with her new husband, Prince Harry. While speaking with Irish Senator Catherine Noone, she allegedly expressed her political beliefs.

Noone posted a picture of she and Markle chatting, using the caption: “A pleasure to meet Prince Harry and the Duchess of Sussex at the British Ambassador’s Residence this evening,” adding, “The Duchess and I had a chat about the recent referendum result – she watched with interest and was pleased to see the result.”

https://twitter.com/senatornoone/status/1016798061958492160

“The results” refers to Ireland’s most recent vote, where 66 percent of the country voted to overturn a countrywide abortion ban.

Noone deleted the message and wrote, “I clarified – it was a very benign chat, she expressed no political opinion. She was interested and charming.”

Members of the monarchy in Britain have been banned from taking a public view on political issues since the 17th century. However, this isn’t exactly the first time something like this has happened. Royal comments and/or opinions have found their way to the surface of government policies before. And it will likely happen again.

[h/t AOL]

Your SPF Moisturizer Is Not As Effective As Sunscreen, Says Study

Amy Hansen
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Your SPF Moisturizer Is Not As Effective As Sunscreen, Says Study

Although skin moisturizers with SPF do provide sun protection, research suggests that it’s not to the same degree as sunscreen.

It’s officially summer, which means there’s no time to mess around with UV protection for your skin. This is not the time to call in the JV squad line of defense. This is when you tap your first string to win the game!

According to a new study, released at the British Association of Dermatologists’ Annual Conference earlier this month, moisturizer with added SPF might not be that great if you’re trying to avoid skin cancer. And the reason boils down to basic laziness.

RELATED: The Summer Skinny On CBD Sunscreen

Researchers from the University of Liverpool (“It’s sunny there?” – Everyone) measured the amount of UV light that was hitting the skin of participants after applying different types of sun protection: SPF 30 sunscreen and SPF 30 moisturizer. Researchers then measured how well each blocked UV rays.

Results found that the moisturizer led to sub-par results because participants didn’t apply enough. According to the study:

“Analysis of the photos showed that when applying moisturiser people missed 16 per cent of their face on average, whereas when applying sunscreen this dropped to 11 per cent. When just the high-risk eyelid areas were analysed sunscreen users missed 14 per cent compared with 21 per cent with moisturiser. The eyelid area is a common site for skin cancers.

“In addition to this, the study suggests that people do not apply the moisturiser as thickly as sunscreen, and therefore do not receive the full benefits of the SPF.

“Although skin moisturiser with SPF does provide sun protection, our research suggests that it’s not to the same degree as sunscreen. We do recommend moisturisers and makeup that contain UV protection – it is better than no protection at all, but for prolonged periods in the sun we recommend the application of sunscreen with high SPF,” explained Austin McCormick, Consultant Ophthalmic and Oculoplastic Surgeon, and one of the researchers.

RELATED: Medical Marijuana Can Kill Viability In Melanoma Cancer Cells

Matthew Gass of the British Association of Dermatologists, said you shouldn’t rely on just sunscreen to protect you from rays because people often miss areas of their face when applying protection and that “a good way to prevent this from becoming an issue is to wear sunglasses and reapply sunscreen regularly. This should help protect the bits you miss from being exposed to excessive sun.”

[h/t Allure]

HTC Is Developing Phones That Are Blockchain Friendly

Maria Loreto
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HTC Is Developing Phones That Are Blockchain Friendly

Consumer electronics company HTC has been having a tough time lately. Earlier this month, they let go of more than 22 percent of their staff. So, when they announced that they had plans to release a phone that would feature blockchain technology, most people rolled their eyes and thought that this was some sort of prayer from a company who was trying to avoid bankruptcy. “We envision a phone where you hold your own keys, you own your own identity and data, and your phone is the hub,” said Phil Chen, HTC’s Chief Content Officer, back in May.

Earlier this week, HTC released some specs about their upcoming phone called the Exodus, and an estimated release date. If everything goes according to plan, the Exodus will be available for purchase in the next three months.

While not a lot of information is yet available, Mashable reports that the device will have a “cold storage wallet.” No one really knows what this means in the context of a phone, with experts speculating that “cold storage” means that the device’s wallet could work offline.

The company also announced a partnership with Cryptokitties, the first game to feature blockchain technology, which will come preuploaded on all of the HTC devices. According to The Verge, the addition of this game will give those who don’t know much about blockchain technology the opportunity to play with it and explore it. “Gaming is the most approachable thing on mobile, for the non-crypto crowd,” Chen says.

Cryptokitties is a big deal because even though it’s game about collecting cats it’s the only one of it’s kind, containing a secure wallet called Meta Mask. On this game each cat you own is unique and different, stored in your wallet and owned only by you. You can sell these cats as if they were collectible and unique items, which gives the game an edge that no other software is able to give, at least for now.

HTC is one of the only phone companies out there that’s embracing blockchain technology, which has experienced a lot of ups and downs in the previous year with the rising popularity of  cryptocurrencies, like Bitcoin. The Exodus could be the company’s only opportunity to survive and create something that’s innovative and ahead of the curve.

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