Let’s take a look at what medical cannabis can do for you.

Pain and Inflammation

Cannabis has been used to treat pain for millennia, as was documented in texts about Traditional Chinese Medicine and India’s ancient Ayurvedic books. Mounting research supports its continued use in modern medicine as it relates to the endocannabinoid system, the human body’s most extensive receptor system.

Cannabinoid receptors respond to chemicals called cannabinoids found in large numbers in THC and CBD. Anandamide is an endocannabinoid the body produces to help regulate pain and other fluctuating states, like appetite and mood.

Licensed producers have a range of cannabis products that will bind with your anandamide receptors to help treat pain and inflammation. As with any medical journey, speak to your healthcare practitioner or a cannabis-trained pharmacist — they will authorize the specific medical product, strain, and dosage level suitable for your body and symptoms.

Anxiety

Medical cannabis products can include CBD and THC, which both activate specialized receptors that control sleep cycles, mood, emotion, pain perception, and more. CBD’s unique molecular shape and structure make it well-suited for treating anxiety because it mimics an endocannabinoid the body produces itself, called 2-AG.

Modern research suggests that by stimulating these bodily receptors, CBD activates the endocannabinoid system, which then, in turn, addresses neurological or physical imbalances. THC can do this too, but its effect is considered intoxicating, whereas CBD isn’t.

Anxiety is a natural response to danger, real or perceived. Everyone has it occasionally. However, feeling it disproportionately could be a sign of a condition needing treatment. There are some physical sensations that often accompany anxiety, such as:

• Bodily tension
• Chest pain
• Upset stomach
• Shortness of breath
• Racing heart
• Chills or hot flashes
• Dizziness
• Fear of dying

Speak to your healthcare practitioner or cannabis-trained pharmacist about whether medical cannabis is right for you. If it is, they’ll guide your journey and ensure safe and effective treatment.

Depression

Mental health can be a tricky thing to treat and diagnose. The patient needs to be forthcoming and openly describe what they’re feeling, or it can be hard to recognize officially.

Medical cannabis can help improve people’s mood and even their sleeping patterns, but patients must use the right strains, products, and dosages. No matter how down or hopeless things may seem, it’s crucial to remember there is always a way forward!

Whether you feel glum due to world affairs or are suffering a clinical condition, speak to your doctor about whether medical cannabis is right for you.

Thankfully, medical experts are still making important discoveries that modify what we know about health and the body. Decades ago, doctors may not have been very likely to proscribe medical cannabis. If you have any of the above conditions or other ones you think may be treated effectively by cannabis, speak to your healthcare practitioner.

As you make the move, it can also be a good idea to update your technology. It could be time for an upgrade if your computers are slow, struggling with essential documents, or prone to problems. Tech issues can be incredibly disruptive to workflow. In fact, an estimated two weeks of work every year are wasted on IT issues by every single employee. If software updates suddenly have your devices struggling to keep up with the demands of the office (or the home office, as the case may be), use your move as a chance to upgrade.

When you make the switch, keep in mind that you will have to transfer data and destroy physical information that isn’t moving with you. Now is also a great time to invest in better security measures.

Transfer Data

Most workplaces today now use some kind of cloud-based storage for data; however, due to privacy and security concerns, not all information can be stored in this way. For example, if you’re working from outside the US, there are some records that must be kept in your country – which means they can’t be stored with American-owned services.

Even if you do primarily use cloud storage, it doesn’t hurt to back up your devices and transfer data when you upgrade. You can either transfer files directly between devices using a USB cord or back up everything onto an external hard drive.

Information Destruction

Do you have a plan to get rid of old devices securely? Workplace electronics contain tons of essential information. Find a one-stop service that will not only recycle old devices such as smartphones, tablets, and computers but also destroy hard drives, documents, and any other sensitive information.

If you’re upgrading technology as part of a move, there may be other things besides electronics that need to be safely destroyed. In order to keep your company information safe, you need to be sure that you’ve destroyed all materials linked to intellectual property, your branding, etc. Some companies that do document shredding and electronics recycling can also provide specialized services for things like labelling, packaging, branded merchandise, uniforms, ID cards, access cards, and any other physical object you want to keep out of the hands of others.

Better Data Security

The average cost of a cyberattack directed against a business is a whopping $200,000. Is your company set up to make sure that never happens? That argument alone can make the shift to better, safer technology seem worth it.

With more employees working from home, invest in a VPN that ensures the security of workplace communications. You can also keep workplace devices secure by streamlining software to include only what employees need, nothing extra. Every app is another entry-point for hackers, so it’s worthwhile limiting what gets used on work devices.

Make sure your information is protected when you move offices.

As work-from-home orders continue amid a fresh wave of COVID-19 cases, many parents can expect to juggle work obligations and familial duties at home this winter. Depending on where you live and how the lockdown situation develops, your kids may also be studying from home in the new year. 

How does a parent survive? In this article, let’s look at a few simple tips for making it through a busy work schedule this winter. 

Start Off on the Right Foot – Get Organized

There’s nothing that exacerbates stress quite like disorganization. Psychologists have even proven a link between the two, also citing clutter as a contributing factor for poor focus, lowered productivity and decreased creativity. To survive a long winter working at home, it’s important to start by getting organized, optimizing positive mental health and productivity. 

It’s not always easy dedicating time to decluttering, especially when you are busy with work and family, so don’t be afraid to call in support. Professional home organizers like NEATSPACES specialize in lifting the burden from busy parents. They help declutter your home, editing belongings and disposing of unwanted items. And they implement simple, intuitive organizational systems that you and your family can follow to ensure you never succumb to overwhelming clutter again. 

This winter, break the cycle of clutter. Hire professional home organizers to rid your house of clutter and keep it that way. 

Create a Dedicated Workspace

With a clean home and a clear head, you can turn your attention to creating a dedicated workspace. Ideally, you want to find a quiet, secluded spot, away from yelling kids, barking dogs or noisy neighbours. Here are a few criteria to follow for the perfect home workspace: 

• Choose a spot with natural light. Science has proven that natural light brightens your mood, boosts healthful Vitamin D and improves employee wellness and productivity. 
• Have everything you need at hand. Leaving your workspace to find a pen, computer charger, or paperwork can be distracting and time-consuming. 
• Get comfortable with an ergonomic office chair and keyboard rest pad. 
• When you hire a home organizer (see above,) discuss implementing a home office organizational system to keep the space free of distracting clutter. 

You’ll be surprised what a difference a dedicated workspace can make. Over time, you may not even notice that you’re working from home!

Take Your Breaks the Way You Used to Take Them

Remember the office? When it was break time, you would actually take breaks. When you’re at home, the lines between work and familial obligation tend to blur, and you may find yourself cleaning the floors or helping with homework on your lunch break. This makes it feel less like you’re working from home and more like you’re living at work. 

Take breaks as you used to, using the time to relax and shift focus. Those breaks are essential, both for your mental wellbeing and your productivity. The cleaning tasks, homework problems and house duties will be waiting for you when you finish work. 

Working from home is challenging, especially in the winter – and especially with kids around. To survive, get the help of a professional home organizer, set up a dedicated workspace and set boundaries by prioritizing your break time.

The same principle can be applied to personal study space. When you’re surrounded by noise, mess, distractions and discomfort, your brain fights an uphill battle to stay focused. 

Whether you’re looking to complete your degree at home this summer or you’re just getting a head start studying for next year, here are a few tips for optimizing your personal study space for academic success. 
 

Cleanliness

 
“Clean your surroundings and you clean your mind.” This oft-touted maxim couldn’t be truer when creating a study space. The more clutter you have around your desk, the less likely you are to focus, because, according to psychologists, visual clutter competes with our brain’s ability for attention. 

And this doesn’t just apply to physical clutter. Those 25 open tabs on your browser have the same competing effect with your attention! Once you’ve chosen a dedicated study space, try to keep it as clear and clean as possible. 
 

Light

 
Light is an important element of your natural environment. Without it, your study space feels cramped, dingy and, frankly, pretty dismal. In choosing your optimal study space, look for a spot in the home with an abundance of natural light. Any light will do, but natural light gives you the added benefit of serotonin-boosting vitamin D. 

If you can’t find a naturally lit part of the home for a study space, settle for one that at least has lots of light. 
 

Noise

 
Noise is one of the most flagrant distractors. The whirring of a blender, the barking of a dog or the thudding of steps overhead can all cause you to lose focus. But the worst is chatter. Your brain naturally wants to extract meaning from your surroundings, so when language is happening around you – whether it’s your parents talking or your favourite artist rapping on the radio – your attention will divert to make sense of it. 

That’s why it’s imperative that you set your study space up somewhere free of chatter. And keep your music selections to instrumentals only!
 

Access to Resources

 
You want everything in arm’s reach. The moment you have to stand up, walk out the room and hunt for the material you need, you’ve already lost whatever momentum you built. Textbooks, writing utensils, computers, chargers, workbooks, water, snacks – make your study space a one-stop-shop for everything you could possibly need while studying. 
 

Posture

 
It’s difficult to focus through the discomfort. If you’ve ever had a headache during a test, you’ll understand the struggle. 

While headaches are mostly unavoidable (save from staying hydrated), you can avoid the discomfort of incorrect posture. Sit up straight, preferably in either an ergonomic chair or a regular chair with a lumbar insert, and make a point to stand up every once in a while. Not only will you be in a better (literal) position to learn, but your spine will thank you as well!

Studying is an act of intense concentration and application. In order to pull it off successfully, you should free your environment of distraction and discomfort. Happy studying!

Here are 4 ways to find things to do at home in isolation that are fun:
 

1. Decide to Watch Something you Enjoy

 
The Hulu one-month free trial will give you the chance to see Oscar winner Parasite for free. It won an Oscar, so you know it’s good!

There are some big movies that would still have been in theatres or not due to be available on demand for a while, but when theatres closed, major studios decided to stream them to your home earlier than expected.

Some of these movies include Sonic the Hedgehog, Bad Boys for Life, The Invisible Man, Call of the Wild, Birds of Prey, The Hunt, Dolittle, Emma, I Still Believe and The Way Back.

You are sure to want to see one of those!

We all could use a laugh right about now.

Late-night shows are still on, and thanks to technology, the solo late-night hosts can put on a good show, including virtual interviews with guests.

The shows can be found on Sling TV, YouTube TV, and for the two Late Shows, CBS All Access.
 

2. Here are Some Things to Play

 
Google is offering a two-month free trial of its game streaming service, Stadia.

This means the games that will be available to you include GRID, Destiny 2: The Collection, Thumper, GYLT, SteamWorld Dig 2, SteamWorld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech, Serious Sam Collection.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a social life sim game that is now available, and the whole family can play as you immerse yourself in a non-threatening world.

Other, more adult games that are available are Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Resident Evil 3 Remake and Doom Eternal, which are sure to make you feel like social distancing isn’t that bad!
 

3. Use This Time to Learn Something

 
You may not be able to leave your home, but you can go on a virtual tour of a museum like the Louvre or the British Museum.

Art galleries are online too, like the National Gallery of London and the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art of South Korea.

Learn from audio books when you subscribe to Audible. Listening leaves you free to do things like clean the house while you learn!
 

4. Stay in Touch with Friends and Family

 
There is a lot of technology that allows you to socialize with friends. A webcam allows you to see the other person and relate to them by talking face to face, in a way.

You can even play board games with your friends or family, or card games like Games Against Humanity.

You don’t have to be so alone, and you can check up on loved ones to be sure they are ok.

There are so many things to see, play, and learn during this time of isolation. And you can connect with others so that you don’t feel so isolated.

Concrete-Reliant World

 
Anywhere you read about how concrete is bad for the planet, you’ll probably get hit with a wall of historical information going all the way back to the Roman Times describing the centuries-long relationship humans have had with concrete and development. And although it is known that concrete is not eco-friendly, it still contributes about 2.8 billion tons of carbon emissions every year. Still, we see our ever-populous world building skyscraper after skyscraper, neighborhood after neighborhood, and streets connecting all of it together.

This isn’t a call to do away with concrete all together as reliant as the world is on it, but a message that we have the means to make better and more eco-friendly alternatives to concrete and its production. And with all of the technological advances since the time of Charles Dickens, it’s time to focus on ways to put a dent in what seems to be an unmovable wall.
 

Why Concrete Is Bad for the Planet

 
The chemical method that produces the grey ash to be made into cement generates carbon dioxide as a byproduct. And since the world makes a lot of concrete every day, the gaseous fumes slowly poison the atmosphere and the environment. But it’s not just the resulting byproduct that is bad for the planet, but heating the kilns involves burning huge amounts of fossil fuels – a limited, non-renewable energy source that also emit greenhouse gases.
 

Finding Eco-Friendly Concrete Alternatives

 
Emerging companies like CarbonCure headed by engineer, Robert Niven, founded in 2007 set the goal to develop a system that would replace the cement, which is the ingredient that forms concrete, with carbon dioxide to reduce emissions as well as carbon dioxide saving the planet and some money. The company has refined its process of injecting liquified CO2 into wet concrete during mixing so a chemical reaction creates calcium carbonate, which binds the rest of the ingredients together.

From this, CarbonCure has produced a system where a tank of carbon dioxide is connected to a mini-fridge sized box designed to have the CO2 flow through a hose into the mix. And getting customers won’t be difficult since this all this process requires is a simple-to-use box – a valuable selling point for an industry that doesn’t always welcome change. However, ventures like CarbonCure are still in their infancy but have generated large investments from global tech giants.
 

Solidarity with the Earth

 
With precious time ticking by until it really is too late to undo the damage from greenhouse emissions, it’s time for a cemented break with concrete.

The Women Who are Fighting

 
Women fighting climate change come from all different backgrounds.

One is Shannon Phillips, Alberta’s environment minister. She is a young member of the NDP party who won the election in 2015. The previous government, Stephen Harper’s Conservatives had no interest in pursuing greener energy policies in the oil-rich Alberta.

She went to Paris for global climate change negotiations, along with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

The negotiations were filled with women – ministers, negotiators, scientists, activists, and led to the Paris Agreement.

Then there are the many nameless women who join the protests and marches.

What Obstacles They Face

 
The fierceness of women’s advocacy for climate change seems to bring out the worst responses, and these terrible responses are applied to all women, regardless of their advocacy role.

Whether they are professional scientists explaining scientific facts, politicians pushing for climate legislation, or regular women and girls marching for a better future, they are subject to misogynistic abuse.

The Nature of the Abuse

 
Misogynistic abuse can be hateful messages over social media platforms, or hate communicated the old-fashioned way by email, written letters and phone calls.

For a minister like Phillips, Facebook was the worst. It made communication easy for the haters, and her staff’s time was taken up going through her feed, deleting expletive-heavy, enraged posts, deciding if some of them warranted an alert to the local police.

Why There is Such Resistance

 
Studies have shown that climate change challenges traditional ideas about masculinity. It threatens the male “industrial breadwinner” identity, making some perceive climate activism as inherently feminine.

This culminates in fear that the world is changing too fast, and people feel like they are being left behind, resulting in reactionary politics and hostility towards any kind of expertise, especially if that expertise is presented by a woman.

Female Climate Experts and Professionals Are Discounted

 
The Canadian federal environment minister Catherine McKenna was referred to as “Climate Barbie” by right-wing media. McKenna confronted a critic who used the moniker on Twitter, and he stopped.

She felt she had to do it for any girls and women who might want to get into politics. However, she had to take on a security detail for her public appearances.

Canadian climate scientist, Katharine Hayhoe also got abuse and threats, but she was subject to something that was another form of abuse.

Lack of respect for her position and knowledge, and feeling like she had to defend her expertise. When she gave testimony before the United States Congress, she was referred to as “young lady”, while her male colleagues were called “doctor”. This young lady had 25 years of experience testifying in her field.

In spite of the problems, women are at the forefront of climate change activism because they believe in a better future.

Color Trends 2020

 
Unlimited access to information and images via the Internet greatly influences the preferred color of the year. Interacting with images has created measurable data that can determine how people react to certain colors and color palettes. In the past, color trends changed at a much slower pace, but still reflected the cultural mood of the time. There was the shift to light, soft pastels of the 50s after the previous decades of somber, dark colors of WWII and the Depression all the way to the dirtied grunge colors of the early 90s showing a neo-renaissance of the colors from the Second World War suggesting a cyclical trend that follow the economy. 

2020’s predicted colors are no different. Influenced by the media people consume and create, this year’s colors stem from millennial minimalism and bold self-expression. Both individuals and the media are predicted to seize the idea of “more is more” with their representations.  
 

Pantone Color of 2020

 
Every year, paint distributor Pantone holds the power to predict the year’s “it” color. This color influences various industries including interior design, food, and fashion. In a symbiotic nature, color trend predictions usually come true with the company’s credibility as well as media enforcement.

According to Pantone, the 2020 Color of the Year is blue, specifically, Pantone 19-4052 Classic Blue, which the company explains, “instilling calm, confidence, and connection, this enduring blue hue highlights our desire for a dependable and stable foundation on which to build as we cross the threshold into a new era.” Following suit, stock photo distributor, Shutterstock, and lifestyle magazine, Elle’s Color Trends, reflect the same bold, confident trend. 
 

Shutterstock’s 2020 Color Trends

 
Using customer downloads, Shutterstock analyzed the billions of pixels to determine the colors on the rise for 2020, which were:

• Lush Lava #FF4500

This dramatic shade of fiery red doesn’t have to work hard to catch attention, especially in media content. Vibrant and rich, the color has cultural connections to happiness, luck, and longevity in Asian countries. 

• Aqua Menthe #7FFFD4

Playful and precious, this shade is a mix between cyan and mint bringing together two eye-pleasing colors creating a marvel. 

• Phantom Blue #191970

Known from van Gogh’s iconic Starry Night, Phantom Blue illustrates the dramatic darkness that can be contrasted by bright colors like Lush Lava or Aqua Menthe and attests to Pantone’s Color of the Year.
 

Elle Color Trends

 
Predicted interior design color palettes also reflect the strength of deep colors and include:

• Bold Monochromatics
• Moody Hues
• Blue, Green, and Gray
• Earth Tones
• Blues, Greens, and Rich Jewel Tones
• Punchy Colors

Located in the desert between Las Vegas and Reno, the plant is made up of ten thousand mirrors that form a spiral almost two miles wide that winds around a skyscraper.

Enough heat is soaked up from these mirrors to spin steam turbines which then store energy in molten salt.

This is what happened with this $1 billion project that in 2011 looked like it was going to be the future of what renewable power could be:
 

Investors Put Up $140 Million

 
Financiers including Citigroup Inc. invested $140 million in this promising project, along with the company that developed Crescent Dunes, SolarReserve Inc.
 

The U.S. Energy Department Backed It with Loan Guarantees

 
In addition to the faith that the investors put into this project, the Obama Energy Department offered government loan guarantees, with the government also securing the right for the project to be built on public land.
 

Crescent Dunes Could Not Keep Up with Technological Advances and was Already Obsolete

 
In the time between when Crescent Dunes was started up in 2011 and when it opened in 2015, the solar industry had been very successful in advancing its technology. 

The steam generators at Crescent Dunes required dozens of staff to run them and keep them properly maintained, and the maintenance required custom parts.

Solar panels had become cheaper and more efficient, outstripping Crescent Dunes’ technology. The latest panels produced power at a fraction of the cost, needing only a hosing-down for maintenance.
 

BloombergNEF Contrasts Deliverables

 
BloombergNEF researches fossil fuel alternatives, and revealed just how much Crescent Dunes failed to deliver. Its technology was supposed to generate enough power to supply a city of about 100,000, but it didn’t come close to fulfilling this deliverable. 

Its power cost Nevada about $135 per megawatt hour, compared to less than $30 per megawatt hour provided by a new Nevada photovoltaic solar farm.
 

Crescent Dunes Had More to Worry About Than Technology

 
SolarReserve is in litigation with Crescent Dunes over what SolarReserve has called mismanagement. Crescent Dunes also lost its only customer, NV Energy Inc. over what NV Energy called lack of reliability. 

Thanks to the government loan guarantees, the taxpayers are on the hook for $737 million.
 

Losses Are Part of Developing New Technology

 
The Energy Department has estimated that losses such as Crescent Dunes account for only 2.9% of its $28 billion loan guarantees to renewable energy sources. They have also funded projects like huge farms of thin-film solar cells that are very successful.

There may be a recoup of some of the losses if a buyer tried to bring Crescent Dunes back on line, or even if it was sold for parts. 

If the American people want a carbon-neutral future, then they have to understand that it takes investment to fund research that will take technology to the next level, and that level is not known – for now.

The nominees are listed here with an overview of their plots, so you can decide which ones you want to root for, or see, if you haven’t already seen them.

Here are the nine nominees for best picture (in alphabetical order):
 

1. Ford v Ferrari

 
Based on a true story from 1966. An American automotive designer and a driver come together to produce a revolutionary race car for Ford to challenge Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race.
 

2. The Irishman

 
A truck driver named Frank Sheeran becomes a mob hitman involved with the Bufalino crime family in the 1950’s. In this film, he recalls a time when he may have been involved with the killing of Teamster Jimmy Hoffa.
 

3. Jojo Rabbit

 
Jojo Rabbit is about a boy in the Hitler Youth who finds out his mother is hiding a Jewish girl in their attic. This movie takes what could be a dark tale and makes a comedy out of it.
 

4. Joker

 
Set in 1981 Gotham City, this film follows failed stand up comedian Arthur Fleck as he descends into mental illness after enduring too much mistreatment by society. He starts a revolution as his alter ego, the Joker.
 

5. Little Women

 
An adaptation of the ever-popular Louisa May Alcott novel, set in the years following the American Civil War. The main character, Jo March reflects on her life, and the lives of her four sisters, who are all determined to live life on their own terms.
 

6. Marriage Story

 
This is what it looks like when a marriage is breaking up. A stage director and his actor wife endure a coast-to-coast divorce, and we get to see how they try to cope. This film is praised for its relatability.
 

7. 1917

 
Set in the First World War, two British soldiers are given the mission to deliver a message deep into enemy territory. It is an impossible mission, but they do it because it will stop 1,600 men (one of which is the brother of one of the messengers) from walking into a trap.

What makes this different from other war movies was it was done in one shot, which really gives you the feeling of being those desperate soldiers.
 

8. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

 
Set in 1969 Los Angeles, a washed-up television actor and his stunt double try to achieve fame and success in the changing film industry at the end of Hollywood’s Golden Age.
 

9. Parasite

 
This black comedy features the destitute Kim family who ingratiate themselves to the wealthy Park family, and shows how thing go awry.

These are just descriptions of these movies. When a movie has earned an Oscar nomination, a description of its plot won’t do it justice, because there will be something special about it.

Be sure to watch the Academy Awards live on February 9^th, exclusively on the ABC network!