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Why Complaining About Your Job Is Good For Everyone

Bad management, long hours, lack of appreciation, not feeling valued — these are just a few reasons we might be unhappy at work. But contrary to what your manager might think, bitching about your job could actually be good for you.

Vanessa Pouthier, a researcher at the University of Melbourne, studied a team of nurses and other health professionals at a large U.S. hospital for an entire year and found that workplace complaining might have some solid value.

She told ABC Radio Perth that joking and griping during conversations in the break room seemed to improve the mood of the team, which she described as clearly overworked.

“It helps people to process stress and frustration and you notice palpable changes when team members engaged in both activities,” she said, explaining that those bitch sessions have the potential to relieve the stress associated with workplace meetings.

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“One doctor said the meetings can be draining, but when they engage in banter and griping they leave the meeting feeling lighter and it changed the way they related to each other throughout the day.

“When that doesn’t happen, your day feels very long.”

Dr.P outhier went on to say that even though managers get nervous over the idea of staff not loving their job or getting irritated over some aspect of it, it’s really more beneficial than not, unless the workplace is at a toxic crossroads.

“Those gripes are not necessarily calls for change; they are calls for commiseration and bonding and just releasing the negative energy, especially when using humour,” she said, adding that the gripes are “statements of identification and kinship.”

Here’s Why Hot Weather Stresses People Out

If you get depressed when the sun comes out, you’re not alone. Despite the bad rap winter gets, a new study finds that summer is when people are most likely to get a little down in the dumps, thanks to higher levels of circulating stress hormones.

Researchers from Poznan University of Medical Sciences in Poland have discovered seasonal patterns in the cortisol levels of medical students. Cortisol, the hormone released into the blood stream during stressful times, helps regulate the body’s levels of sugar, salt and fluids, thus, reducing inflammation and is essential for maintaining overall health.

RELATED: Anxiety And Stress Scientifically Proven To Be Reduced By Cannabis

According to Science Daily:

“The research team studied a group of female medical students on two separate days in the winter and for two days again in the summer. The researchers took saliva samples every two hours during each testing period — a full 24-hour cycle — to measure levels of cortisol and markers of inflammation. The volunteers completed a lifestyle questionnaire during each testing session about their sleep schedule, type of diet they followed and physical activity levels.”

The research team found cortisol levels to be higher on the summer testing dates.

RELATED: 5 Ways To Easily Manage Seasonal Affective Disorder

Nancy Molitor, an assistant professor of clinical psychiatry and behavioral science at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. has another take. She tells Live Science that hot weather creates other reasons for making us cranky, mainly lack of sleep, dehydration and restrictions on our daily actives (like being inside all day when it’s hot outside) — all of which are contributors to bad moods, especially when we feel like we can’t control them.

“Everyone’s fuse is going to be a little bit shorter,” Molitor said.

This Supermarket Chain Is Selling A Cannabis Alternative To Tobacco

Although the weed will be marketed as an alternative to tobacco, it will be way more expensive, with a 1.5-gram box of CBD bud going for 18 Swiss Francs (about $18).

They really know how to do legal weed in Switzerland. So much so, you can find the stuff next to cigarettes at your local grocery store.

The supermarket chain Lidl is planning to sell a new line of cannabis products in the form of 1.5 gram boxes of CBD flowers, packaged and promoted as an alternative to tobacco. In fact, the boxes will be sold alongside rolling tobacco at checkout.

Although the weed will be marketed as an alternative to tobacco, it will be way more expensive, with a 1.5-gram box of CBD bud going for 18 Swiss Francs (about $18).

Abiding by Switzerland’s cannabis laws means cannabis products must contain less than 1 percent THC in order to be manufactured and sold retail. In 2011, Switzerland passed a law allowing adults as young as 18-years-old to buy weed with less than 1 percent THC, making high CBD products more accessible.

Speaking to The Sun, Lidl said:

The manufacturer relies on sustainable agriculture and refrains entirely from adding chemical, synthetic or genetically modified substances.

The legally cultivable varieties contain only very small amounts of THC and a high proportion of CBD oil.

Last summer, Switzerland rolled out “the world’s first” hemp cigarette from Heimat. According to the company’s website, “Heimat Tabak & Hanf cigarettes can be consumed legally wherever smoking is permitted—in Switzerland, in any case. The cigarettes should not be taken abroad, as this may result in prosecution due to the differences in the permissible THC limits in other countries.”

As The Fresh Toast reported back in July, the cigarettes contain both hemp and cannabidiol (CBD), clocking in at 20 percent CBD.

How Bioavailability Will Change The Marijuana Game

Colorado and Washington became the first states to legalize cannabis for recreational use in 2012, since then, six others have followed suit, and more are sure to come. The legislation shift has been an economic boon. However, with all the positive results of legalization, we also regularly hear horror stories in the news about what happens when people mistakenly overindulge and end up in the emergency room.

The cannabis industry is still an entrepreneurial wild west. The testing is lacking, and the consumer base needs more options and more education on current consumption methods. You’d need biology PhD in physiology to properly understand the effects cannabis can have on the human body, as the effects vary substantially by consumption method, concentration and individual body chemistry.

The Problem

The fact is, cannabinoids (the active compounds in marijuana) are not user friendly and their potency can vary widely depending on a multitude of unpredictable factors such as the cannabis strain plant genetics, the soil climate conditions, the cultivation techniques, et cetera.

Further, the delivery methods available today are inefficient. There is lots of room for improvement. As such there has been a significant leap in the number of people showing up to the emergency room for marijuana. In fact, the Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center reports a nearly 100 percent increase in marijuana-related calls following recreational legalization in the state.

Current Available Options

While there seem to be a plethora of delivery systems available on the market, they each have distinct drawbacks. Most notably, none of these methods provide a reliable dosage for use.

Inhalation: This may be the most popular or standard method of use. Smoking, vaping or using aerosols are somewhat faster acting and easier to control than other options, but inhalation can significantly irritate the lungs and is unappealing to many cannabis users. Plus, many vaporizers cartridges contain toxic chemical additives.

Intra-Oral: Spray tinctures, extracts, emulsion compositions, and drops can be administered to the oral mucosa (the membrane lining the mouth), but cannabinoid molecules are too large to pass though the mucosal layers into the bloodstream. Saliva carries them down your throat. So they work like ingesting an edible.

Oral: Finally, oral ingestion through the gastro-intestinal tract is the delivery method that is largely responsible for the notorious cannabis ‘over-doses’ and 9-1-1 calls. While the brownies, candies, and THC infused beverages are highly appealing upon first glance, they are wildly unpredictable due to cannabinoids’ low solubility and slow passage though the GI tract. The delay of onset makes it difficult to ingest the correct amount and their THC forms the highly potent psychotropic THC metabolite that creates greater tendency for adverse effects without warning.

A Better Delivery System

The answer to this problem is more research and further innovation such as delivery systems that provide greater bioavailability, increased bioactivity and precision dosing for a more predictable, controlled cannabis experience.

As more states legalize both recreational and medical marijuana, the danger to unknowing consumers will spread. It will be imperative to offer more products that enable the cannabinoids to enter the bloodstream quickly, rapidly peak in concentration and target Endocannabinoid System receptors to ensure a safe, controlled user experience.

In a market projected to reach $22 billion in sales by 2020, there is a huge opportunity for businesses to focus on pushing the innovation envelope to provide a better method of cannabis delivery to the growing cannabis user base. We all just need to make sure responsibility and testing goes hand-in-hand with the innovation.

About David Sutton

David Sutton is the chief operating officer at Denver-based NanoSphere Health Sciences. Throughout his career, Sutton has transformed concepts into profitable businesses – from nanotechnology to financial services. Sutton’s focus has been business design and strategy, assisting several start-up companies in business planning, capital development, operating infrastructures and product development. Sutton received his MBA in finance from the Daniels College of Business at the University of Denver and has a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Colorado.

Cheetos Crusted Cheese Sticks With Marijuana-Infused Dipping Sauce

Covering things in other things is a time-honored chef trick for taking breaded food to the next level. Now you can find snack foods like Doritos and Cheetos as part of other dishes, like at 7-11, Burger King, or Taco Bell. This trend doesn’t seem to be going anywhere, and that’s because it’s scandalously delicious.
Making your own mozzarella sticks at home is another one of those ‘duh’ things where the frozen and less tasty item costs more (and tastes worse) than just doing it yourself. You don’t even need fancy ingredients; you can do it with string cheese which is already portioned and ready to go. Less knife handling while high: excellent.

Since I don’t always eat at the fast food joints, I wanted to bring it into my own kitchen by making Cheetos crusted cheese sticks, which are somewhere between a mozzarella stick and a Cheeto. Hit them with weed infused pink sauce and you are making yourself some world class munchies my friend.

Photos by Maria Penaloza

Cheetos Crusted Cheese Sticks

Adapted from Claire Lower’s Doritos Crusted Cheese

Serves 2, 20mg THC estimated per serving

  • 5 string cheese sticks
  • 1 small package of Cheetos or other crunchy cheese curls
  • 1 egg
  • Splash of buttermilk or milk
  • Hot sauce
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 Tbs cornstarch
  • 1 Tbs Flour
  • Oil for frying
  • Bamboo skewers

Pink sauce:

  • Ketchup
  • Mayonnaise
  • Hot Sauce
  • Cannabis infused olive oil*

Heat up 1-inch of oil in a sturdy and deep pan. You want it at about 300-325 degrees. It will take a few minutes and you’ll want the oil hot as you start to bread the cheese sticks.

Photos by Maria Penaloza

Put Cheetos into a sturdy freezer bag and seal. Mash with a meat hammer until they’re finely ground. Set up a breading station with two plates and a bowl. One plate should have a mixture of cornstarch and flour with salt and pepper. The bowl should have one egg beaten with a splash of milk or buttermilk, and some hot sauce. The final bowl is where you stash the ground up Cheetos. 

Photos by Maria Penaloza

Cut String cheese in half and put on the tip of a skewer, about ½” into the cheese. Now you can use this long wooden handle to spin the cheese into the cornstarch mixture, dusting off the excess. Now dip and spin into the egg, let extra drip off and check to make sure it’s fully coated. Last, dip into the Cheetos and turn gently to keep the breading intact.  

Photos by Maria Penaloza

Drop into frying oil by pushing off the skewer. Fry for 1-2 minutes on each side, you don’t want it to get too brown. Hold onto that skewer because it also makes an excellent damage free turning tool for the little devils. Using tongs, remove and drain on paper towels.  

Assemble the sauce in a bowl by mixing the ketchup, Mayo, oil, and hot sauce until well blended. Since the goal is to double dip to your heart’s content, dispense the sauce in two equal portions. The slightly acidic tang of the ketchup cuts through the cheeses and tastes like fast food heaven–in your own kitchen.  

*Cannabis infused olive oil

Decarboxylate 3.5g of finely ground cannabis at 225 degrees for 20 minutes in a tightly sealed, oven safe container. Put in lidded mason jar or vacuum sealed bag with cannabis and four ounces of olive oil. Heat in water bath just under boiling for at least 1 hour. Strain and chill to use in recipes

Double up if you want to, but these are so rich that I would suggest maxing out at five. They’re cheesy, gooey, and satisfying. I would wager this is tastier and marginally as expensive or slightly less expensive to prepare than everything but the dollar menu. Enjoy responsibly.

Photos: Maria Penaloza

Kamala Harris Finally Jumps Aboard The Cannabis Bandwagon

After months and months of heel-dragging and mixed messages, California Sen. Kamala Harris finally did it. The first-term junior senator voiced her support for fellow Democratic colleague Cory Booker’s legislation to legalize marijuana.

Harris, who has constantly hinted that she would back the legislation, made her announcement on Twitter with a video for Now This News. With the tweet, Harris becomes the latest in a growing list of possible 2020 presidential candidate to stand up in support of rational cannabis laws.

RELATED: 5 Ways Cory Booker’s Marijuana Bill Could Change Everything

According to Harris’ video, one of the central reasons she now backs Booker’s bill is law enforcement’s unfair treatment of people of color who use marijuana. “The fact is that marijuana laws are not applied and enforced in the same way for all people,” she said. “So for example, African-Americans use marijuana at roughly the same rate as whites but are approximately four times as likely to be arrested for possession. That’s just not fair.”

“It’s the smart thing to do. It’s the right thing to do,” she added. “And I know this as a former prosecutor, I know this as a senator, and I know it when I just look at what we want as a country and where we need to be instead of where we’ve been.”

Other Democrats who have presidential aspirations have already signed onto Booker’s plan. According to CNN:

The shift has left Democratic operatives and marijuana legalization activists across the country saying it’s difficult to imagine a debate stage in the 2020 primary race where almost all of the presidential hopefuls don’t publicly back removing marijuana from the federal Controlled Substances Act.

The latest signal came when Sen. Bernie Sanders, a 2016 Democratic candidate who is widely considered a top contender for the nomination in 2020, signed onto The Marijuana Justice Act [in April]. The bill, proposed by Booker, himself a 2020 contender, would effectively end the federal crackdown on marijuana by removing the drug from the Controlled Substances Act. It was also backed by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, another possible 2020 hopeful.

Democratic endorsement of legalization would also be a departure from the party’s 2016 position. Hillary Clinton, the party’s nominee in 2016, said the federal government should allow states to legalize marijuana and called for removing the drug from the schedule 1 list, but did not go so far as to call for its removal from the Controlled Substances Act.

Booker, who makes a cameo appearance in the video, reminds viewers that “two of the last three presidents admitted to using drugs. Congresspeople, senators have admitted to using marijuana.”

4 Facts About Fake Eyelashes You Need To Know Now

Fake eyelashes are a makeup item that’s beloved by many, but they can also be kind of confusing to use. Lately, there’s been a ton of developments in the fake lashes department, which can intimidate newcomers and experts alike.

You can find all sorts of lashes; cheap ones which last for a few uses, and then there are more expensive ones that can last for more time. Depending on your budget, you can purchase fake lashes made out of synthetic materials, animal fur, or human hair, and they all have their pros and cons. The Cut compiled a set of facts about fake eyelashes, check out 5 of our favorites:

How Long Do They Last?

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Depending on the fake lash you’ll be able to use it over 20 times or you’ll only be able to give them a few uses. Synthetic eyelashes don’t last very long, even if you clean and store them very well. These will begin to degrade after four or five uses. If you have eye lashes made from human or animal hair and if you care about them properly, then they could last for over 20 uses.

Can You Use Mascara?

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Yes, but you should be aware that using mascara will shorten the lifespan of the lashes, even if you clean them with makeup remover after every use.

How Do You Take CareOf Them?

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Maintaining the lashes is not complicated, it only demands for you to stick to a routine. You must take them off every night before going to bed, and you’ll also have to clean them with a Q-tip and some make up remover. Be sure to keep the case in which the eye lashes came in because they’re the perfect place for storage.

What Are The Prices?

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Synthetic eyelashes can be very cheap, costing up to $2 per pair. Synthetic “silk” lashes, human and animal lashes are very expensive, with prices that range between $25 and $50.

‘I Don’t Feel So Good’ Meme Is Perfect After ‘Avengers: Infinity War’

If you’re a fan or have any interest regarding superhero movies then you’ve probably made the time to watch Avengers: Infinity War on the big screen.

The movie is the culmination of 10 years of filmmaking which Marvel has referred to as the “most ambitious crossover event in history,” something that the Internet has latched onto and mocked relentlessly for weeks. But if you thought that the memes stopped there then you were wrong, because an even better meme came out recently and you can only understand it if you’ve seen the movie. So, tons of spoilers ahead regarding Avengers: Infinity War.

In a shocking sequence of events, the Avengers are incapable of stopping Thanos who manages to collect the six Infinity Stones and basically destroy half of the world’s population with a snap of his ugly purple fingers. Thanos considers that these deaths are “egalitarian”, which means that no matter how important your favorite super hero is, they could still die. And they did, including characters such as Spider Man and Black Panther, who vanish into thin air no matter how important their role is on the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The most impactful of these deaths is Spider Man’s, who holds on to Iron Man and says “I don’t feel so good, Mr. Stark.” It’s a heartbreaking scene, but the Internet doesn’t care. It’s a ruthless place and creating memes is the way in which it copes, which is how the “I Don’t Feel So Good” meme was born.

Characters from all areas of pop culture make appearances, including Mark Zuckerberg, Shrek, Peppa the Pig, and almost anyone you can think of. Check out some of our favorites:

5 Words To Know Before The Royal Wedding

If you’re one of those people who plans to be a voyeur on May 19 when Meghan Markle and Prince Harry exchange vows, it wouldn’t hurt to brush up on your British lingo ahead of time. After all, a big part of the ceremony will be based on tradition, and with tradition comes some vocabulary most of us are unfamiliar with. Here are 5 words to know before the royal wedding to better understand some nuances.

Ascot

This is basically just a weird looking time. But to quote Bow-N-Ties, an ascot is a type of neckwear that looks like a cross between silken scarf and necktie.

The ascot originated in England during the late 19th century, and it got its name from the horserace called the ’Royal Ascot’ – an exclusive horserace at which men were required to wear an ascot tie in combination with a tailcoat jacket. Today the ascot tie is much less common, and usually worn during very formal day-time events and formal weddings.

If you really want to know how to tie one, good luck to you.

Fascinator

Those crazy looking embellishments that women wear on their heads? Those are fascinators, attached to the head with clips, bands or pins. Many are over-the-top ridiculous looking, while others are low-key and more respectable. While fascinators are often worn instead of hats, they are more like an accessory than headgear.

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Lounge Suit

Don’t let the word “lounge” throw you off. This type is suit is basically just…a suit. At least by American standards. According to My Tuxedo Catalog, “If the invitation were written in America, it would have called for ‘Dress Uniform, Cutaway, or Suit.”

Myrtle

Just like Kate Middleton, Markle’s wedding bouquet will certainly contain some myrtle, which is a good luck symbol. And which has been included in every royal wedding bouquet since Queen Victoria.

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Page Boys

Just like brides don’t have traditional bridesmaids in England, grooms don’t have groomsmen. Yes, Prince William will be Harry’s best man, but that’s about it when it comes to men standing at the alter along with the groom. Who will be there to catch him if he passes out? Page boys! Kidding. Again, just like bridesmaids, page boys are young, topping out around age 9. Prince George, for instance, will likely be a page boy, even though he’s only 4-years old. His sister Charlotte, on the other hand, will likely join Meghan’s crew of bridesmaids to help carry her train and throw flower petals around.

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For more key words you should know before the royal wedding, head to Southern Living.

 

Residents In This California Town Think Cannabis Stinks

For some residents in the coastal California town of Carpenteria, cannabis legalization stinks. Literally.

Now that marijuana is fully legal in the Golden State, some locals report a thick, skunk-like odor emanating from the cannabis plants that settles over the valley in the evenings and before dawn.

“We don’t want a marijuana smell,” said Xave Saragosa, a 73-year-old retired sheriff’s deputy who was born and raised in the town and lives near a greenhouse that grows marijuana. “We want fresh air.”

According to an Associated Press report:

Carpinteria, about 85 miles from Los Angeles, is in the southeast corner of Santa Barbara County, a tourist area famous for its beaches, wine and temperate climate. It’s also becoming known as a haven for cannabis growers.

Carpinteria, about 85 miles (137 kilometers) from Los Angeles, is in the southeast corner of Santa Barbara County, a tourist area famous for its beaches, wine and temperate climate. It’s also becoming known as a haven for cannabis growers.

Toni Stuart, an 80-year-old retired Episcopal priest, said the scent doesn’t creep into the area near the beach where she lives, but she worries about the community changing. “I would not like Carpinteria to be the ‘cannabis capital’ of Southern California. I like it the way it is. It’s a very quiet, unpretentious beach town,” Stuart told The Independent.

Only about 200 acres of the county’s farmland is devoted to marijuana, compared with tens of thousands sown with strawberries and vegetables, Dennis Bozanich, who oversees the county’s marijuana planning, told the AP.

RELATED: California Gubernatorial Candidate Could Spell Big Trouble For Marijuana

Carpinteria has long been known for being a leader in the cut flower industry. But the U.S. government granted trade preferences to South American countries in the 1990s to encourage their farmers to grow flowers instead of coca, the plant used to make cocaine.

“We have literally no carnation production in the United States any longer because South America grows them so cheaply,” said Kasey Cronquist, chief executive of the California Cut Flower Commission. “Farmers had to move crops, and that is what we have seen happen over time — they’ve gone to crops that are more valuable or more difficult for Ecuador and Colombia to ship.”

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