Majority Say Houston Astros Players Involved in Cheating Should Be Held Accountable

Research Also Finds Strong Support for Strengthening Whistleblower Programs While Most Say Leadership Punishments Will Motivate Culture Change

Arlington, Va., February 11, 2020 – As Major League Baseball (MLB) pitchers and catchers report to spring training this week, new research finds that the overwhelming majority of Americans believe that the players involved in the Houston Astros cheating scandal should be punished for their actions. Ninety percent of Americans say that players on the team who broke the rules should be punished. There was a slight variation among gender, with 94 percent of women in agreement and 86 percent of men in agreement.

On the issue of holding Astros leadership accountable, less than half (48 percent) of Americans say the punishments handed down to leadership will result in changing player behavior. But, 74 percent say that the leadership punishments indeed will motivate changes to the organizational culture that enabled the cheating.

When it comes to the role of whistleblowers in outing bad behavior, 86 percent of Americans are in favor of employers strengthening whistleblower programs to encourage early identification of problems.

These findings are from a national poll of Americans conducted by

Eagle Hill Consulting

on the heels of one of the biggest scandals to hit professional baseball in more than 100 years. After a whistleblower account was

published

by the news media, MLB investigated an extensive cheating scandal by the Houston Astros that determined the rules violations were “player-driven and player-executed.” Yet,

punishments

were levied by MLB only against team management and leadership. No players were punished for breaking the rules as part of a deal to encourage players to disclose what happened.

“The results show that Americans understand that it’s critically important to hold both leadership and employees accountable for unethical actions. Whether in sports or business, just holding leadership accountable may not correct employee bad behavior,” said

Melissa Jezior

, Eagle Hill president and CEO.

Part of MLB’s rationale for the punishments was that the scandal stemmed from a failure by the leaders “to adequately manage the employees under their supervision, to establish a culture in which adherence to the rules is ingrained in the fabric of the organization, and to stop bad behavior as soon as it occurred.”

“Leadership ultimately is accountable for a toxic culture that allows bad behavior, and it is leadership’s responsibility to right the ship. The difficult task leaders face, however, is aligning the stated culture with the day-to-day behavior of employees. Culture can be measured and managed – from incorporating it into performance reviews to fostering an environment where employees can report problematic behaviors before they escalate and permeate the organization. Otherwise, organizational culture failures can result in financial losses and reputation damage, a lesson the Astros learned the hard way,”Jezior said.

The polling research found that:

Nearly all (90 percent) of Americans polled say that players who broke the rules should be punished

Only 48 percent believe that holding leadership accountable for player bad behavior will result in correcting the behavior.

Nearly three-fourths (74 percent) indicate that punishments will motivate leaders to change the organizational culture that enabled cheating.

The vast majority (86 percent) say that employers should strengthen whistleblower programs to encourage early identification of problems.

The survey was conducted online on January 30-31, 2020, and included more than 1,000 respondents from a random sample of American adults across the United States.

The polling research found that:

Nearly all (90 percent) of Americans polled say that players who broke the rules should be punished

Only 48 percent believe that holding leadership accountable for player bad behavior will result in correcting the behavior.

Nearly three-fourths (74 percent) indicate that punishments will motivate leaders to change the organizational culture that enabled cheating.

The vast majority (86 percent) say that employers should strengthen whistleblower programs to encourage early identification of problems.

The survey was conducted online on January 30-31, 2020, and included more than 1,000 respondents from a random sample of American adults across the United States.

Eagle Hill Consulting LLC is a woman-owned business that provides unconventional management consulting services in the areas of Strategy & Performance, Talent, and Change. The company’s expertise in delivering innovative solutions to unique challenges spans across the private, public, and nonprofit sectors, from financial services to healthcare to media & entertainment. Eagle Hill has offices in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, Boston, MA and Seattle, WA. More information is available at

www.eaglehillconsulting.com

Derek Sprague Named 2020 United States Junior Ryder Cup Team Captain

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla.

(Feb. 13, 2020)

–

The PGA of America has named PGA Past President Derek Sprague, PGA as the Captain of the 2020 United States Junior Ryder Cup Team. The United States will face Team Europe in the 12th Junior Ryder Cup at Blue Mound Golf and Country Club near Milwaukee, Sept. 21-22.

A 2019 inductee into the PGA of America Hall of Fame, Sprague is the General Manager of TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, where he has served since 2017. He previously was the Managing Director of Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, New Jersey and oversaw the club’s preparation for the 2017 Presidents Cup. For 27 years prior, Sprague was the General Manager and Director of Golf at Malone (New York) Golf Club.

In 2019, he captained the United States PGA Cup Team to a stirring comeback victory over Great Britain & Ireland.

Through Sprague’s leadership as PGA President from 2014-16, the PGA was instrumental in growing the game through player development and youth programs, such as PGA Jr. League and the Drive, Chip & Putt Championship. In addition, he co-chaired the Ryder Cup Task Force, which created a long-term blueprint for success in the event. Sprague also served the Association as PGA Honorary President, PGA Vice President and PGA Secretary.

The American team is vying for its seventh straight victory in the biennial competition with Europe, and the United States holds an overall record of 7-3-1 in the event. Among the Junior Ryder Cup alumni are major champions, PGA Tour players and LPGA Tour players including: Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Hunter Mahan, Tony Finau, Lexi Thompson, Alison Lee and Brittany Altomare of the United States; and Rory McIlroy, Sergio Garcia, Nicolas Colsaerts, Suzann Pettersen, Emily Pedersen and Carlota Ciganda of Europe. The European Team recently named 1999 U.S. Open Champion Paul Lawrie as its Captain.

The U.S. Team will feature six boys and six girls who are U.S. citizens and members of the high school graduating class of 2021, or younger. All potential players must compete in the 2020 Girls or Boys Junior PGA Championship to be eligible unless exceptional circumstances prevent the player from competing. There will be 10 players who qualify as exemptions and two Captain’s picks. The final U.S. Junior Ryder Cup Team will be announced by the PGA of America on Monday, Aug. 3, following the 45th Girls Junior PGA Championship.

“It is a great honor to represent the United States and captain a team of the finest junior golfers in our country,” said Sprague. “I look forward to our team competing against Europe’s top players, led by their distinguished Captain Paul Lawrie, in this special international event.”

The idea for the Junior Ryder Cup came about in 1995, when a team of Europeans, including Sergio Garcia, played an informal exhibition match against the Central New York PGA Section and area juniors. Two years later, the Junior Ryder Cup was formally introduced as an event, at Alcaidesa Links Golf Course, in Cadiz, Spain, and won by the United States, 7-5.

The United States captured the 2018 Junior Ryder Cup at Disneyland Paris 12 1/2 to 11 1/2 for its sixth consecutive victory.

For more information on the Junior Ryder Cup, visit

JuniorPGAChampionship.com/junior-ryder-cup

or contact Championship Manager Trenton Blundell, PGA at (561) 624-8490.

Kratom for Pain Relief

Gloucestercitynews.net (February 13, 2020)–It is unfortunate that some of us have encountered accidents at some point in our lives. In some cases, we are blessed enough for the accident to not inflict any major injury. Sometimes, the injury is incessant enough to linger for longer than anyone would want it to be. Medications, too, seem to cease to

credit unsplash.com

provide any evident relief.

One feels utterly hopeless when even medical science has nothing to offer for a problem so troublesome. But, nature has a remedy for every crisis mankind faces. Its vast storehouse of herbs and shrubs are the answer to possibly every physical malady human faces. One such herb is Kratom. Kratom, or Mitragyna Speciosa, as it is called in the scientific community, is a native plant predominant in Thailand. It has been used for its medical applications since the nineteenth century. Kratom works very efficiently for pain relief. A study conducted on 10,000 Americans concluded that a staggering 68% of them used Kratom for self-treatment of pain. Here, we explain the pain-relieving properties and a bit about the

best Kratom for pain relief

. Read on!

The high concentration of Alkaloids

Humans experience pain due to the presence of pain receptors that travel to the brain. Kratom has a naturally high concentration of alkaloids. These alkaloids dull the pain receptors which results in an evident decrease in the pain a person is experiencing. Thus, no matter how old the pain is, kratom shows its effectiveness by attacking the very base of origin of pain. Maeng Da Kratom literally translates to \’pimp grade\’ kratom, which is suggestive of its very strong reserve of alkaloids.

Promotes the production of Serotonin and Dopamine

One of the curious effects of kratom is the enhanced production of Serotonin and Dopamine in the body. The initial of these neurotransmitters regulate a person\’s mood while the following elevates the feeling of happiness. This helps a great deal in chronic pain as it is often accompanied by persistent depression and anxiety. This also helps in coping with long lingering pain. Besides, it is always a good idea to be a bit more cheerful and happy.

Richness in Mitragynine

Kratom is known to be very rich in Mitragynine. Mitragynine is an alkaloid that has excellent anti-inflammatory properties. This is very effective in muscle stiffness, and therefore, is a terrific pain reliever. This is additionally effective in diseases such as fibromyalgia, arthritis and rheumatism, etc. Mitragynine is also known to produce euphoric and stimulating effects on the human body.

Helpful in managing Diabetic neuropathic pain

A lesser-known impact of kratom is its ability to control blood sugar levels. Pain is one of the leading consequences of diabetic neuropathy. Controlling blood sugar levels can be a bit tricky for a person who cherishes food. An unstable diet can result in blood sugar spikes which can be dangerous in several cases. Research has proven that alkaloids in kratom help in regulating insulin production and thus, control the amount of glucose in the blood. This helps in preventing sudden rises or troughs that diabetics face.

Non-harmful pain-relieving perks of opioids

There are multiple medical conditions where opiates are used to counter pain afflicted in the body. But, there are multiple side effects of opiates such as addiction, dependence, respiratory dependence, etc. Kratom can be used to derive all the positive pain-relieving perks of opioids while ruling out the potential negative effects it can impart in a human. Kratom can be used without the suspicion of unaccounted ill effects.

Increases energy levels

Excessive pain can reduce the circulation of blood and energy levels as well. Kratom optimizes specific metabolic processes and rebuilds energy levels and increases circulation, fighting the sensation of pain. This is exceptionally useful for the physically active workers as the grievance of low circulation and energy levels is commonly heard from them.

Conclusion

Kratom has been traditionally used for assistance with pain and distress. It comes loaded with natural antioxidants. Whether it is acute or chronic pain, it can help in managing both of them. While using chemical painkillers may introduce a number of side effects, such as nausea, dependence, etc, kratom is a safe and effective way of confronting pain. Tried and tested, Kratom is one of the best alternatives at your disposal to counter and cope with any kind of pain or discomfort you wish to get rid of.

Protecting Your Ability To Drive Safely

It may be the safest, wisest course to get help with your driving before you have to give it up.

(NAPS)—Driving a car means maintaining independence for many older adults. Driving allows you to shop, see friends and family, keep up with medical appointments, and avoid social isolation. But sometimes staying safe behind the wheel as you age can be a challenge.

Age-related physical and mental changes can affect your ability to drive safely. If you’re alert to these changes and manage them carefully, you may be able to continue driving safely for some time.

To keep your skills as sharp as possible, consider following these suggestions from experts at the American Geriatrics Society (AGS), healthcare professionals dedicated to improving the health, independence, and quality of life of older people:

Check your eyesight to keep it as sharp as possible by getting a complete annual eye exam once you turn 60. Test yourself to monitor your vision:

• Do you have problems reading street signs?

• Are you having difficulty seeing road or pavement markings, curbs, or other vehicles or pedestrians, especially at dawn, dusk, and nighttime?

• Is glare from oncoming headlights making it hard to see when driving at night?

Assess your physical fitness to drive by asking yourself:

• Can I comfortably turn my neck to see over my shoulder when I change lanes?

• Can I easily move my foot from the gas pedal to the brake? Can I easily turn the steering wheel?

• During the past year, have I fallen one or more times?

• Do I regularly walk more than a block a day?

• Can I raise my arms above my shoulders?

Perform a reality check on your attention span and reaction time:

• Are you overwhelmed by signs, traffic signals, and car and pedestrian traffic, especially at busy intersections?

• Does it seem harder to merge into traffic on the highway?

• Do you take any medications that make you sleepy, dizzy, or confused?

• Do you feel less confident about driving at highway speeds?

• Do you react slowly to cars entering your roadway, or to cars that have slowed or stopped in front of you?

Pay attention to changes and warnings:

• Have friends or family members expressed worries about your driving?

• Have you ever gotten lost on familiar routes or forgotten how to get to familiar destinations?

• Has a police officer pulled you over to warn you about your driving?

• Have you been ticketed for your driving, had a near miss, or a crash in the last three years?

• Has your healthcare provider warned you to restrict or stop driving?

Consider Getting a Professional Driving Assessment

If you’ve experienced driving problems like these or are worried about your ability to be a safe driver, consider getting a professional assessment of your skills.

Occupational therapists trained as driving rehabilitation specialists can evaluate your driving skills and strengths, as well as any physical, visual, and cognitive challenges you may face. They can also evaluate your ability to operate a vehicle safely and, if needed, recommend ways to reduce your risks.

Driving rehabilitation specialists are trained to evaluate older drivers for:

• Muscle strength, flexibility, and range of motion

• Coordination and reaction time

• Judgment and decision-making skills

• Ability to drive with special devices that adapt your vehicle to your needs

The specialist may recommend ways for you to drive more safely after the evaluation. Suggestions may include getting special equipment for your car or helping you sharpen your skills.

Not sure how to find a driving rehabilitation specialist? Talk to your healthcare provider or contact the American Occupational Therapy Association for a directory. You can also visit the AGS’s public education website,

https://www.healthinaging.org/driving-safety

, for more safe driving resources for older adults and caregivers.

STUDY: Kratom May Have Therapeutic Effects And Relatively Low Potential For Abuse Or Harm

(

John Hopkins Medicine)

(February 2020)–Using results of a survey of more than 2,700 self-reported users of the herbal supplement kratom, sold online and in smoke shops around the U.S., Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers conclude that the psychoactive compound somewhat similar to opioids likely has a lower rate of harm than prescription opioids for treating pain, anxiety, depression and addiction.

Kratom Leaves (left) Young kratom trees in Indonesia (right) Credit: American Kratom Association

In a report on the findings, published in the Feb. 3 issue of

Drug and Alcohol Dependence,

the researchers caution that while self-reporting surveys aren’t always entirely reliable, they confirmed that kratom is not regulated or approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and that scientific studies have not been done to formally establish safety and benefits. They say that U.S. drug agencies should seek to study and regulate rather than ban kratom sales outright because of its seemingly safe therapeutic potential, and as a possible alternative to opioid use.

The American Kratom Association (AKA), a consumer advocacy group, estimates that 10-16 million people in the U.S. regularly use kratom by either eating its ground leaves in food or brewing them in tea. Kratom is a tropical plant related to coffee trees, and grown mainly in Southeast Asia. It contains a chemical called mitragynine, an alkaloid that acts on the brain opiate receptors and alters mood. In Asia, where use has long been widespread, people use it in small doses as an energy and mood booster, similar to coffee use in the West. They use larger amounts for pain, or recreationally like beer and wine.

Kratom products are unregulated and nonstandardized, and reports — although sparse — have linked its use to hallucinations, seizures and liver damage, when combined with alcohol or other drugs. In 2016, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) proposed banning commercial sale and use, and the FDA has advised categorizing it as a Schedule I drug, meaning it has no proven medical application and has a high risk of abuse. These agencies were met with public and supplement industry pushback, and no action was taken. A salmonella contamination outbreak in 2018 among users increased concerns.

However, says

Albert Garcia-Romeu, Ph.D.

, instructor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, the new survey findings “suggest that kratom doesn’t belong in the category of a Schedule I drug, because there seems to be relatively low rate of abuse potential, and there may be medical applications to explore, including as a possible treatment for pain and opioid use disorder.”

“There has been a bit of fearmongering,” he adds, “because kratom is opioidlike, and because of the toll of our current opioid epidemic.”

A 2015 study in Thailand that reported that people in Asia have been using kratom successfully to treat opioid addiction for decades renewed interest among researchers in the U.S.

For the current survey, Garcia-Romeu says, he and his team enrolled 2,798 people to complete an online survey on their use of kratom. They recruited participants online and through social media, as well as through the AKA. Overall, users were mostly white, educated and middle-aged. Some 61% of users were women, and 90% were white. About 6% reported being multiracial, 1.5% reported being Native American or Hawaiian, 0.5% reported being Asian and 0.4% said they were African American. Participants were an average age of 40. About 84% of participants reported having at least some college education.

Of these participants, 91% reported taking kratom to alleviate pain on average a couple times a day for back, shoulder and knee pain, 67% for anxiety and 65% for depression. About 41% of survey responders said they took kratom to treat opioid withdrawal, and of those people who took it for opioid withdrawal, 35% reported going more than a year without taking prescription opioids or heroin.

As part of the survey, participants completed a Substance Use Disorder Symptom checklist to assess whether their use qualified as a substance use disorder according to the American Psychiatric Association

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition

guidelines. Fewer than 3% of responses met the criteria for moderate or severe substance use disorder for abusing kratom, but about 13% met some criteria for kratom-related substance use disorder. This is comparable to about 8%–12% of people prescribed opioid medications who became dependent, according to statistics from the U.S. National Institute for Drug Abuse (NIDA).

“Both prescription and illicit opioids carry the risk of lethal overdose as evidenced by the more than 47,000 opioid overdose deaths in the U.S. in 2017,” says Garcia-Romeu. “Notably there’s been fewer than 100 kratom-related deaths reported in a comparable period, and most of these involved mixing with other drugs or in combination with preexisting health conditions.”

A third of the survey participants reported having mild unpleasant side effects from kratom, such as constipation, upset stomach or lethargy, which mostly resolved within a day. Only 1.9% reported that side effects were severe enough for them to seek medical treatment, such as feeling withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety, irritability, depression or insomnia when the kratom wore off. Fewer than 10% of participants reported notable kratom-related withdrawal symptoms.

“Although our findings show kratom to be relatively safe according to these self-reports, unregulated medicinal supplements raise concerns with respect to contamination or higher doses of the active chemicals, which could increase negative side effects and harmful responses,” says Garcia-Romeu. “This is why we advocate for the FDA to regulate kratom, which would require testing for impurities and maintaining safe levels of the active chemicals. Otherwise, unregulated products run the risk of unsafe additives and dosing problems, which could be like getting a shot of grain alcohol when you were trying to order a beer.”

Garcia-Romeu adds that data is scant on whether one can overdose on kratom alone, or how it interacts with alcohol or other drugs. The researchers also say rigorous clinical research needs to be done to test kratom for its potential therapeutic benefits, for behavioral intoxication effects and adverse side effects to further help inform government policy and regulation. They also suggest that people err on the side of caution and not mix kratom with any other drugs or medications, and to always talk with their health care provider before taking any supplement.

Aside from Garcia-Romeu, authors on the study include David Cox, Kelly Dunn and Roland Griffiths of Johns Hopkins and Kirsten Smith of NIDA.

Support for this study was provided in part by grants from NIDA (R01DA003889 and R01DA035246).

Dunn has consulted for Grünenthal.

Georgia Governor Kemp Loses Vote Purge Suit Brought by Reporter Greg Palast

A Major Win in the Battle Against Voter Suppression

[Atlanta-Feb 11, 2020]

In an extraordinary and unexpected move, Federal Judge Eleanor Ross has declared Gov. Brian Kemp the loser in a lawsuit brought by investigative journalist Greg Palast for the State of Georgia to open up its complete files on the mass purge of over half a million voters from the rolls.

Surprising all parties, the judge ruled that Kemp’s defense was so weak that no trial is needed. The judge acted \”sua sponte\”—on her own initiative, unrequested by Palast’s attorneys.

Greg Palast & Helen Butler, co-plaintiffs in Kemp lawsuit

Palast has been fighting Kemp to release his hidden purge lists and methods for six years, for

Rolling Stone

al Jazeera

Salon

Democracy Now

and currently,

The Guardian

Palast said, \”Kemp and the new Sec. of State of Georgia want to keep the lid on their methods for removing literally hundreds of thousands of low-income, young and minority voters on the basis of false information. They cannot hide any more. This is a huge win and precedent for reporters trying to pry information from the hands of guilty officials.\”

A key issue at stake are the \”Interstate Crosscheck\” purge lists secretly provided to Georgia by the Kansas Secretary of State in 2015 and 2017. Kemp had turned over Georgia’s voter rolls to Kansas official Kris Kobach, who worked closely with Donald Trump, and is known for his racially biased vote suppression techniques.

\”Kemp tried to hide the Crosscheck lists which he got from his crony Kobach. The lists are at least 99.9% wrong. Kemp’s office claimed he did not use the lists to purge voters, an assertion contradicted by his GOP predecessor. Moreover, Zach D. Reports of the Palast investigative team obtained the Georgia 2013 purge list provided by Kobach through (legal) investigative techniques—so we know, and the judge knows, he has more squirreled away.

\”Kemp finally turned over evidence that he purged 106,000 voters, overwhelmingly voters of color, that were on the Crosscheck list. But that’s just the tip of the purge-berg.\”

Palast’s co-plaintiff Helen Butler is the Executive Director of the Georgia Coalition for the Peoples Agenda, a non-partisan group founded by civil rights legend Rev. Joseph Lowery. Lowery, commenting on the Crosscheck purge system, told Palast, \”It’s Jim Crow all over again.\”

Oddly, one of Kemp’s defenses was that he turned over Georgia’s confidential voter information to Kobach so it could be used to purge voters in 29 other states, but not Georgia. Kobach’s list showed thousands of Michigan voters supposedly also registered or voted in Georgia. Michigan removed tens of thousands of voters with names like \”James Brown\” and \”Mohammed Mohammed\”—almost all with mis-matched middle names.

The Michigan purge of Georgia voters was key to Trump’s official victory margin of 10,700 in Michigan, putting Trump over the top in the electoral college.

While Palast says, \”The evidence is overwhelming that Kemp used the Crosscheck list in some way to purge Georgians — 106,000 is not a ‘coincidence’— I do want to find out why Kemp was using Georgia voter rolls to remove voters in

other states

.\”

The Crosscheck list identifies over half a million Georgians — including one in seven African-Americans in the state — as having moved out of Georgia, according to an investigative report on Kemp and Kobach published by Palast in

Rolling Stone

in 2016.

\”My job as an investigative journalist is not to change laws or affect elections, but to expose official shenanigans. I thank my lawyers Brian Spears of Atlanta and Jeanne Mirer of New York for taking this case pro bono to rip the cover off Kemp\’s and the state of Georgia’s racially poisonous undermining of democracy.\”

The Palast team is providing investigative reports to

The Guardian’s

\”Fight for the Vote\” series.

* * * * *

The Palast team is completing work on our short film of how exactly Brian Kemp illegally eliminated 340,134 voters from the rolls, stealing the election from Stacey Abrams. The Palast film then takes us to Wisconsin where the \”Kemp\” techniques are the center of a push block 247,000 voters, mostly Democrats and thereby keep Wisconsin, the swing state of swing states, in the Trump column.

source press release

CNB Business: How to Choose Quality Cannabis

CBD OILS

or marijuana

(CNBNewsnet)(February 17, 2018)–On January 23, 2018, New Jersey

Governor Murphy issued Executive Order #6

, which calls on the Department of Health to “undertake a review of all aspects of New Jersey’s medical marijuana program, with a focus on ways to expand access to marijuana for medical purposes” and to reduce barriers that patients face when they are seeking access to medical

marijuana

. It will also include a review of regulations.

Additionally,

the recommendations issued by the Medicinal Marijuana Review Panel

concerning the addition of debilitating medical conditions that qualify for the medical marijuana program are also under review. The State of New Jersey\’s medical marijuana law was passed in 2010. Presently there are 15,000 residents enrolled in the program, over 5,000 of those individuals signed on in the past year.

Nearby Pennsylvania began its medical marijuana program on February 15, 2018. According to the Pennsylvania Health Department when fully implemented, the Medical Marijuana Program will provide access to medical marijuana for patients with a serious medical condition through a safe and effective method of delivery that balances the patient need for access to the latest treatments with patient care and safety.

Many of those enrolled in these programs have no idea about the different marijuana strains. In the hope of clearing up this problem

cannaporium.ca/

released the following information.

So, perhaps you have learned the visual differences between marijuana strains and how to properly store your weed, but you still fail to tell the visual differences between poor and top-notch marijuana? At our website, we constantly receive many questions from our puffing community on choosing quality cannabis-based only on photos or the strain’s appearance alone. And while there is not and cannot be an exact study for selecting potent cannabis (most of the deal seems to come down to personal opinion), there is still quite a number of visual cues you can and MUST search for when scanning the proposed buds at the dispensary and figuring out if the stuff is good quality cannabis or just Nah.

How to choose the best marijuana: Low-Quality Buds

Low-quality weed is usually transported in the form of compact bricks, which in its turn results in a whole mass of shaken, heapy, and compressed herbs. Typically, such products can only be found on the black market or from unscrupulous suppliers. Concerning the color, such trashy stuff appears to be less colorful than the medium-quality marijuana, often having more brown than green color (thus it was given a nickname Bobby Brown). Its aroma is quite dry and earthy with a taste that can be both harsh and spicy as opposed to the sweeter and more like floral notes of the high-grade pot.

When the product is not compacted into the brick crap, those low-quality buds turn out to be light, leafy, and really thin. Logically, the concentration of cannabinoids in such stuff is likely to be extremely low due to poor environmental conditions, like, for instance, high temperatures and some other variables.

Finally, the effects from low-quality weed when consumed tend to be quite mellow, relaxing even lazy, and intensively sleep-inducing (because of the CBN). It is not so uncommon for a user to experience strong headaches and a range of other side effects from poorly cultivated and cared-for marijuana.

How to choose the best cannabis: Medium-Quality Buds

Now medium-quality kush is exactly where the bigger deal of domestically-grown cannabis strains lie. Mediocre cannabis might be identified by its spectrum of green hues and the obvious presence of bright pistils. Such product showcases purple tone, moderate flavor qualities and sugary aftertaste. Experiencing a smoking session with medium-quality cannabis may definitely vary, but oftentimes if the genetics are pretty strong, the effects turn out to be potent enough and enjoyable.

How to choose quality cannabis: High-Quality Buds

Well, we’ve finally got to some good quality weed! Every provider claims to possess only high-grade products in stock, yet how can you confirm it yourself? First of all, the most essential thing you certainly need to know is that top-shelf marijuana will stand out in its sea of green. Apart from the diverse range of colors that premier genetics tend to show, truly awesome quality and sophisticated flavors of really dank weed will be screaming “choose me!” Moreover, you need to understand that truly outstanding weed has no price cap – you can probably come across some luxury items like old French wine and, thus, prices may reach extreme levels. The high-quality herb should be quite sticky still without being moisturized or anyhow wet. When grounded, the buds must break apart without turning into a pile of dust and if burnt, those should leave white ash behind.

Source:

https://cannaporium.ca/

Is Recreational Cannabis Coming to New Jersey?

CNB Business News

Sports betting at its best

(Gloucestercitynews.net)(February 11, 2020)–Sports betting are a part of big and famous games for decades. This is not new to sports and there are many parts of the world where it is legal and considered as a source of income for both casinos and country. When a better puts his money on the winning chances of a player or a team in a given match then people call it sports betting. Moreover, there are several sports wherein a sport betting takes place. Earlier it was more common in competitive racing sports but now there are many sports wherein betting is made legal in many parts of the world. People are getting access with the platform to play the game like

Sbobet88

And if we talk about online betting then the internet is flooded with websites and applications that have attracted a huge number of customers. The only question arises is to identify the right place to put your money. In this article, we are going to mention most of the aspects related to online betting and the top applications which you can trust and put your hard-earned money in. And we would like to recommend our readers to use sbobet88 and bet88 to enjoy the essence of betting.

Different stakeholders in the process

There are two major stakeholders in the betting process. There is one who puts his money on a bet and the other one who acts as a bookmaker. A bookmaker is an online betting scenario is an application. He is the medium through which one can usually bet. You put the money in your betting account to the account of the bookmaker. Now if you lose the bet, you

lose your entire money

. And in case if you win then you get the money. You can bet on one number of games. Earlier it was only confined to racing games but now most of the big sporting money games are a part of this industry.

Henceforth, our readers might have got a basic understanding of betting in sports. This is loud and clear that online betting has certain merits over its traditional counterpart and has become the medium to look for betting. Moving further in the article now we are going to talk about the betting applications in brief.

Sports Betting Sites – at a glance

The emergence of many online betting platforms is a testimonial to the growth of the industry. These websites are instrumental in making betting a household affair.

Sbobet88

Ever since its inception, it has remained one of the most trusted online gambling avenues. It is known to cover major sports such as cricket, football,

racing games

. And to go with that it covers some minor ones as well. This comes as an opportunity for a wide range of betting fanatics. This application makes it convenient for users to install and use. It is compatible with most of the mobile platforms. One can easily deposit money in different ways.

Betway

It has been a long time since it was introduced in the market. It is one of the most comprehensive betting applications that have a large number of sports on its board. This gives you an experience of an online casino where you can choose from a large list of sports to make a bet. The only issue is that their application is not as user-friendly as sbobet88.

Now we are going to talk about the best time where people like to make a bet. There is no written or devised formula but it depends on an individual when he feels that he can make a right and profitable bet.

When is the best time to make a bet?

These applications are instant

winning or losing

games. What you need to do is to finalize the bet you want to play on, make the deposit and start playing your play. However many people wonder about the difference between betting at a different time in a day. Does it make any difference betting at different times has remained a big question in from of the giants? But there is no certain answer to this. However, in this article, we are going to mention the common thinking of people who consider playing this game.

Betting during off-hours

If you want to have a definite answer to this question then you should consider the inverse correlation theory. So if the number of players who are betting together increases, then it decreases the chances of getting a good bet. Hence this theory is in support of playing the bet during quiet hours as the number of contenders would be lesser. And this increases the chances of winning the bet much more. This works similarly to probability.

Bet when you feel lucky

The activity of betting is indeed a game of chances. Your luck and your knowledge would determine whether you win or lose the game. So it is up to you to decide whether you are feeling lucky enough to play the bet. If you believe in this way then you can choose your bet and modify the bets as per your wish. This is a theory if you are feeling lucky then there is no reason why you should not play the bet.

Bet at any time of the day

This is one of the most relevant but tricky questions. Moreover, it is next to impossible to give an appropriate answer to this question. As in a traditional setting when you bet physically in a casino, you can judge your timing. The applications have gone online, and late midnight hours have become a busy time for betters. You can finalize to bet as early as possible when there is lesser gentry. But it becomes extremely difficult while playing it online. But your experience would come as your savior. You can observe the winning chances at different times during a day and then take your decision. In this way, you can take care of your convenience as well.

It is no brainer that sports betting have been a regular activity. And since the emergence of online platforms wherein a person can bet it has become a household affair. In this article, we have mentioned many aspects of betting and we would like to recommend to our readers to put their money with sbobet88 or bet88. These are certainly one of the most reliable avenues to put your money.

Dealing With The Global Energy Crunch

(Gloucestercitynews.net)(February 11, 2020)–Since a very young age, we have learned how we could classify energy resources into two categories- renewable and non-renewable. To jog your memory up, renewable resources of energy are those sources of energy that can be renewed or replenished. Non-renewable sources of energy are the ones that once depleted can never be brought back. The world has come to the point of a massive energy crunch, and there is an urgent need of addressing this extremely pressing issue at hand. Renewable sources of energy or not, nothing lasts forever. Just because we have been taught from early on that renewable sources of energy have the power of replenishing themselves, it does not assure us that we can deplete the Earth of its reservoirs. Human beings have done enough to push the planet to the abyss of darkness, and now is the time to act responsibly and take up the mantle to repair the damages. In light of the topic, it is essential to mention the ways in which Latin-America is trying to mitigate the energy crisis. Their ideas are unique, fresh, and the people seem to have taken the cause of energy and climate emergency personally. When you think about it, this is how the approach should be in every other part of the world. We might be doing all that we can in our own little ways to address the issue, but perhaps it would do us good to learn a thing or two from Latin-America.

Increase In Mergers And Acquisitions In The Energy Sector:

One of the most noteworthy actions of the countries in Latin-America is that the number of mergers and acquisitions dealing with the energy crisis has doubled over the past couple of years. Industries and business organizations have become mindful of their actions and are trying to put pen to paper in a bid to take measures that can mitigate the crisis. This is definitely a step that should be taken note of. In a world where industries and factories are only hell-bent in coming up with newer technologies and in the process are sabotaging the condition of the atmosphere, a move as such by the Latin-American countries is definitely a welcome relief.

Countries Are Trying To Limit The Carbon Di-Oxide Emissions:

The countries in Latin-America are ceaselessly trying to reduce the carbon emission, which is what primarily leads to the depletion of the ozone layer. Also, with an excessive expenditure of carbon dioxide, you slowly start depleting the reservoirs of the planet’s energy. Therefore, we are not only harming the Earth’s climate but also exhausting its energy resources. We could all take notes from the countries in Latin-America that are trying to reduce the carbon emissions every day. The governments in these regions are also a step ahead in dealing with the energy crunch by offering investors models of low-risk energy to invest in.

Optimal Usage of The Energy Resources:

It is one thing to figure out ways to save energy and then put the energy into better uses in the future, and a completely different ball game to optimally use the already existent energy resources. The countries in Latin-America are already rich enough in oil and various other sources of energy. However, they are just better than some of their other counterparts in putting these resources of energy to optimal uses. Norway, in some ways, shares the same gene with Latin-America. For instance, they have some of the best plans for electricity and the people in Norway take the efforts to subscribe to the plans that can save several units of energy. Take a look at the website of

this Norwegian power company

to understand what they have got to offer to their people.

Conclusion:

We are definitely in the midst of severe energy and climate crisis. Some of us are smart enough to acknowledge the truth, and some do not want to face the truth. However, it is time that we come together and share the responsibility for our actions. The planet only has a few more years left to repair the damages, and we must act now before it is too late.

3 Life Tips for a New Military Spouse

(Gloucestercitynews.net)(February 11, 2020)–The U.S. military issues instructions and operations for nearly every imaginable scenario — in case of emergency, in case of attack, in case of disorder. But when it comes to the case of marrying a military man or woman, there is no instruction manual. The vows you take apply to both your beloved and the country they serve, and suddenly, your concept of \”family\” must grow to encompasses the entire army, navy, air force or marines.

No one tells you that the civilian life you knew will come to a sudden halt and a new life, complete with new rules and regulations, begins when you become a military spouse. Though this new life may seem overwhelming at first, knowing how to handle a few common issues can make transitioning into your new role, a new marriage and new life a little easier.

Dealing With Deployment

Every military spouse is inevitably faced with the deployment of their wife or husband. The threat of their sudden departure hangs heavy in the air when the couples are together knowing that at any time, they may need to separate for months, sometimes years at a time.

When deployment occurs, the first night is always the hardest, but it does get easier from there. Staying busy during a loved one\’s absence is the first bit of

advice that experienced military spouses offer

. Filling your days with chores and activities is a critical strategy to keep the mind occupied and the nerves calmed. Another pearl of wisdom to help deal with deployment is to be prepared and plan ahead. Changing from a partnership to a single entity means you have twice the household obligations and responsibilities, including maintaining the day-to-day operations of life and home. That\’s why it\’s wise to plan ahead and get as much done as possible before the deployment.

For instance, military spouses left behind might learn that obtaining better auto insurance rates before your spouse leaves can save you time, effort and money. Some providers like

USAA auto insurance

make accommodations specifically for military families. With plans in place, the first night of deployment as well as those that follow, will not seem so unbearable.

Managing Money

The military offers some great benefits to its members and their spouses like free healthcare and retirement packages, so knowing what you are entitled to and how to claim it should be near the top of your list of things to do early in your military life.

For example,

the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)

is strictly for military individuals and their families and offers simple investment choices and automatic enrollment. It is comparable to many 401(k) plans civilians have. The investments are all index funds, meaning they simply track the market instead of being actively managed, which means they are relatively safer and they yield greater savings that are passed directly to you. All members of the U.S. armed forces can contribute, and it\’s never too early to plan for retirement.

Moving Matters

Whether it be a Permanent Change of Station (PCS) or a temporary travel assignment, the process of moving is certainly stressful; and with upwards of

400,000 servicemen and woman PCS annually

, that stress is quite common.

If you\’re lucky enough to stay in the States, your moving process is significantly less complicated. You\’ll want to start out with your local transportation office and then decide how much you want to do on your own. If you are comfortable with Uncle Sam taking the reigns, he can help you with housing, relocation assistance referrals, transportation and employment in your new location, allowing you to focus on yourself and your family.

By following these tips on dealing with the difficult and inevitable heartbreak of deployment, mastering the management of money and navigating the waters of a military move, you\’ll be well on your way to becoming a veteran military spouse and growing ever more comfortable in your new life.