Growing Marijuana

Have you heard the news? Marijuana/cannabis became legal in Minnesota on August 1. It only took about 15 days for me to get my first Master Gardener question about it, so I did some digging into this psychedelic plant. Full disclosure: I have never actually grown it myself, so my information was gleaned from the internet. Reader, I googled this for you and found a dizzying array of blog posts, YouTube videos and news articles. Here is my attempt to distill it all into something… edible.

Question:
How hard is it to grow marijuana? Are there any regulations around it if you’re just growing it for personal use?

Answer:
First, let’s explore regulations, since those are unique to Minnesota. The full list of regulations around growing and consuming cannabis in the gopher state can be found on a new website, cannabis.mn.gov. The state says:

• Up to eight cannabis plants, with no more than four being mature, flowering plants may be grown at a single residence as long as it is at the primary residence of someone 21 or older. 
• Plants must be in an enclosed, locked space that is not open for public view.

So what this means is that, practically speaking, if you’re starting plants from seed you would start no more than four at a time, so that after you harvest the first four, you’ll have four more almost ready to flower and then you can start four more plants from seed, and so on. This is if you’d want a continuous supply.  READ MORE...

Pros and Cons of Weed

Is weed good for you? What to know about the health benefits of cannabis


Medicinal benefits
Health risks
Good or bad?
Summary



Many people use cannabis and cannabis products as a treatment for chronic pain, multiple sclerosis, and mental health conditions. However, research has identified both benefits and risks to using cannabis as a medicinal treatment.

The medical benefits of cannabis most commonly come from cannabidiol (CBD) and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). These are two compounds found in Cannabis sativa plants.


In states where it is legal, medical professionals may prescribe dried cannabis, oils, tablets, and other products containing CBD and THC to treat a range of conditions. These are broadly referred to as “medicinal cannabis.”

The effects of these treatments are well-studied and typically well-tolerated for their intended use. However, using cannabis products outside of their prescribed use or using cannabis from unlicensed distributors can carry great risk.

In this article, we look at the scientific evidence weighing the medical benefits of cannabis against its associated health risks.    READ MORE...

Best Quotes of all Time

You must be the change you wish to see in the world. -Mahatma Gandhi

Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier. -Mother Teresa

The only thing we have to fear is fear itself. -Franklin D. Roosevelt

Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that. -Martin Luther King Jr.

Do one thing every day that scares you. -Eleanor Roosevelt

Well done is better than well said. -Benjamin Franklin

The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart. -Helen Keller

It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light. -Aristotle

Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Be yourself; everyone else is already taken. -Oscar Wilde

Robot Lawn Mowers

EcoFlow Blade
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Greenworks Pro Optimow 50H Robotic Lawn Mower
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Husqvarna Automower 435X AWD
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Gardena Robotic Mower Sileno City
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Easy Exercising

Basic chair exercises are exercises that can be done while sitting on a chair12. They can help improve mobility, strength, and flexibility. Some examples of basic chair exercises are12:

• Ankle and wrist rolls
• Single-leg calf raise
• Sit and stands
• Seated hip marches
• Heel slides
• Seated shoulder press
• Seated torso twists

Too Hot for Chili???

• 
  
• 
  
  
• The Best Chili Recipe

  spendwithpennies.com (2.6k)

  1 hr 5 min · 492 cals · 8 servs

  Read full directions

  This is the best chili recipe! A big pot of ground beef chili loaded with beef and beans is the perfect game day food!

  • RECIPE
  • NUTRITIONAL INFO
  • SUBSTITUTIONS

  Ingredients

  • 2 pounds
    Lean Ground Beef
  • 1
    Onion (diced)
  • 1
    Jalapeno (seeded and finely diced)
  • 4 cloves
    Garlic (minced)
  • 2 ½ tablespoons
    Chili Powder (divided, or to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon
    Cumin
  • 1
    Green Bell Pepper (seeded and diced)
  • 14 ½ ounces
    Tomatoes (crushed, canned)
  • 19 ounces
    Kidney Beans (canned, drained & rinsed)
  • 14 ½ ounces
    Tomatoes (diced, with juice)
  • 1 ½ cups
    Beef Broth
  • 1 cup
    Beer
  • 1 tablespoon
    Tomato Paste
  • 1 tablespoon
    Brown Sugar (optional)
  • add
    Salt And Pepper

  Directions

  1. Combine ground beef and 1 1⁄2 tablespoons chili powder.

  2. In a large pot, brown ground beef, onion, jalapeno, and garlic. Drain any fat.

  3. Add in remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered 45-60 minutes or until chili has r...

  Read full directions

White Room

 

China Warns about AI Piloted Jects

Recently, the Secretary of the United States Air Force, Frank Kendall, conducted a flight aboard an experimental F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jet equipped and piloted with artificial intelligence. However, this has become a cause for concern for the People’s Republic of China, as the use of AI in combat aircraft could signify a platform with superior capabilities and response times compared to a human-piloted aircraft.

It is worth noting that this is not the first occasion on which an aircraft controlled by artificial intelligence has been tested. In mid-April, the experimental X-62A VISTA aircraft, originally based on an F-16 fighter and used for AI testing, engaged in simulated aerial combat against other F-16 fighters of the United States Air Force. Various simulations were conducted, emphasizing beyond-visual-range aerial combat against F-16 fighters.  READ MORE...

Somewhat Political

 

In The NEWS

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture
> NHL Western Conference Finals kick off tonight (8:30 pm ET, TNT) with the Dallas Stars taking on the Edmonton Oilers (More) | US investment fund takes ownership of Inter Milan soccer club after Chinese owner misses loan payment (More)

> "Kairos," a novel by German writer Jenny Erpenbeck, wins prestigious 2024 International Booker Prize for best work of fiction translated into English (More)

> Director Mohammad Rasoulof will attend Cannes Film Festival screening of his film "The Seed of the Sacred Fig" after fleeing Iran following being sentenced to eight years in prison by the Islamic Revolutionary Court (More)


Science & Technology
In partnership with Miso Robotics

> AI startup Anthropic provides deepest study to date exploring why large language models, including the company's Claude 3 chatbot, generate content in response to different prompts (More) | See research deep dive (More)

> Researchers develop a compound with the elusive radioactive element promethium for the first time, allowing it to be studied more easily; with no stable isotopes, only about one total pound of promethium exists in the Earth's crust at any given time (More)

> Bilingual brain implant decodes words in both English and Spanish from analysis of brain waves; AI-powered device demonstrated in stroke patient who lost the ability to speak (More)


Business & Markets
> Markets close down (Dow -0.5%, S&P 500 -0.3%, Nasdaq -0.2%) on signals Federal Reserve may hold off on lowering interest rates (More) | AI chipmaker Nvidia shares rise 3% in extended trading after reporting more than 260% increase in quarterly revenue year-over-year, will carry out a 10-for-1 stock split (More)

> Mining giant Anglo American rejects takeover bid but will enter talks with rival BHP Group on a $50B acquisition offer; bid would be the largest deal in the history of the mining industry (More)

> Techstars CEO Maëlle Gavet steps down citing health reasons, will leave company at end of month; organization is one of the top groups offering preseed investment support for entrepreneurs (More)


Politics & World Affairs
> Spain, Norway, and Ireland announce plan to recognize Palestinian statehood on May 28; the Palestinian Authority and Hamas praise the move while Israel recalls ambassadors in protest (More) | Which countries recognize a Palestinian state? (More)

> City of Uvalde, Texas, reaches $2M settlement with families of 19  of the 2022 Robb Elementary School shooting; city also pledges to overhaul the local police force and create a memorial for the victims (More)

> Former UN ambassador Nikki Haley says she will vote for former President Donald Trump in November, consolidating further Republican support behind the presumptive nominee (More)

SOURCE:  1440 News

Econ 101

 

Many people think that economics is complicated and difficult to understand and it is true that advanced economics is not that easy to understand but simple economics is easy to understand.

There are two components of economics:  supply and demand.  As far as supply is concerned, the more a company produces, the more it costs.  Reason:  it takes more labor and more raw materials for 1,000 units than it does for 100 units.

Demand pretty much follows the mindset of the the consumer.  The more the consumer wants, the cheaper each unit should be.  RATIONALE:  100 pencils should cost less per pencil than buying 1 pencil.

Two lines on a graph represent these two components...  like a large X...   (see below)

Demand moves from right to left downward and supply moves left to right upward.  Where these two lines cross each other is the ideal PRICE/QUANTITY.

Price starts at ZERO and increase as the line moves in the direction of the arrow.  Quantity starts at ZERO and increases as the lines moves to the right.

For one pencil the price is high but if I want more than one pencil the price declines.

ALL ECONOMICS is based upon this diagram.  For example, if the supply line represents the number of high school graduates looking for employment, then as you increase those looking for jobs, then the price that companies are willing to pay for high school graduates decreases.

You may want more money but the only way you are going to get more money is if you have a talent or a skill that the other graduates do not have...  MAKING YOU SPECIAL...  Then you are like ONE PENCIL and the employer is willing to pay a higher price for you...

It is just that simple...

Say for instance that everyone in a city gets a raise at the same time.  What this means is that the supply of money has increased...  and, the demand for products has increased as well.  Unfortunately, the companies in that same city do not increase there production to compensate for the increase in money, then the cost of products increase...  

WHEN THIS HAPPENS YOU HAVE INFLATION...

This is what happened during COVID and we still have not been able to recover and prices have stayed high...

SIMPLE BASIC ECONOMICS

Cat and Fish

 

Directed Energy Weapon Cheaper

A new directed energy weapon is being rolled out to bolster British defense capabilities. And, at 13 cents a shot, it's just as effective, but a lot cheaper than the multi-million dollar missiles it's designed to replace.


The Radio Frequency Directed Energy Weapon (RFDEW) is part of the British government's policy to respond to a changing geopolitical situation, placing the country's defense on more of a war footing as it increases spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2030. This policy change also includes fast-tracking the rollout of lasers and other directed energy weapons.


The latter is extremely important, because, well, knocking out a drone that costs a few grand with a missile costing millions of dollars per round is bad economics – see, for example, the US$1.3-2.5 million Sea Viper missile used to take out a US$20,000 drone, as reported by Navy Lookout. Also, missile stockpiles tend to be pretty small, and swarms of cheap drones could easily exhaust them.  READ MORE...

White Rabbit

 

In Restless Dreams

 

US Current Demographics

 

PEACE

 

BEST ONLINE GAMES

1. Minecraft
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The popularity of Minecraft is incredibly durable. What happened after Fortnite’s peak? It seems many returned to Minecraft.

There a reason: Minecraft is a beautiful, compelling and surprisingly deep game. At first it seems simply a blocky-looking survival game. Then it turns into a world-creator where you build an esoteric house not bound by the normal rules of physics.

The longer you play, the more complex systems you discover. People have done bizarrely incredible things in Minecraft, like remaking the entire of Pokemon Red for Gameboy within the game, and making working computer systems with its blocks. This is not only an online game, but your can share worlds with others.

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2. Elder Scrolls Online
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This is one of the best alternatives to World of Warcraft. It is set in the same world as The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim, one of our best open-world games. But it naturally feels different, as a MMORPG.

Its core elements are similar to World of Warcraft's. You explore, level-up, head into dungeons and eventually take part in larger-scale raids. But Elder Scrolls Online offers better visuals, superior storytelling and arguably a more fleshed-out world that seems less of an empty vehicle for its play mechanics.

You don’t have to pay as much either. Elder Scrolls Online is not a free download, but you can play without a monthly subscription. There is a “Plus” membership that grants access to DLC chapters, and quicker progression, but you don’t have to sign up to it. You can even treat ESO like a single-player game if you like.
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3. GTA Online
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If you played Grand Theft Auto 5 in 2013, it probably seems a long, long time ago. You might be surprised to hear how much publisher Take-Two Games made off of its online segment, GTA Online, recently. Thanks to it, GTA 5 has generated more than $6 billion.

A few seconds of GTA Online gameplay looks like Grand Theft Auto V, but loads of modes have been added to it since 2013. These include racing sections inspired by Tron, Rocket League and Hot Wheels. This isn’t the most accessible online game to dive into so many years after its inception, but there’s a lot to try if you already own GTA V.
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4. World Of Warcraft
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One of the true icons of online gaming is now almost old enough to drive. But World of Warcraft still has millions of players in 2019.

It’s a third-person role-playing game in which you fight nasties, level up your character and eventually bulk-up enough to go on raids (big battles) with other players. And while there are many ultra-hardcore players online who have been into WoW for years, this is actually one of the easier online games to slip into.

You don’t have to play against other people, and publisher Blizzard offers a freebie download that lets you get your character to level 20. This is intended to give you a feel for World of Warcraft. After that you need to pay a £9.99 a month subscription (with discounts for longer subs).

The sub also gives you access to WoW Classic, a version of the game made to feel more like the 2004 version. It is arguably more fun for new players.
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5. Tetris 99
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Here's something completely different. Tetris 99 is a game played on Nintendo Switch, accessible when you sign up for the Switch Online service.

You play a game of Tetris, the classic block-dropper, but so do with 98 other players. As you clear rows of blocks, they are sent to other players, to fill up their screens and hopefully finish them off. You can see the other 98 games in action, across the Switch’s screen.

There’s a real sense of competing against a mass of other people, the tension runs high and you don’t have to play for ages to get something out of Tetris 99. Unlike several other picks here.

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6. Rocket League
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Here’s one to try if you have no interest in fantasy worlds, spells or gun-heavy gameplay. Rocket League is a fun, physics based car game. And, no, it’s not really a racer either.

This is football with cars. Matches take place in futuristic arenas rather than open fields. It’s fast, silly and fun, but as with any popular game, many people playing online have aced its mechanics and turned driving a rocket-powered car into an art form.

We recommend playing Rocket League with friends, as it’s a blast.

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7. Overwatch
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Blizzard is a master of online games. It made World of Warcraft, Hearthstone and Overwatch, which belongs to one of the classic online multiplayer sub-genres, the team-based first-person shooter.

It can seem like fast-paced chaos to the newcomer. But each player has a class that all-but mandates a particular style of play: the support, tank, offence and defence.

Overwatch becomes more fun once you know what you’re doing, so be prepared to put some time in to get through the initial confusion (and likely scorn from other players).
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8. PUBG
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PlayerUnknown’s PUBG, or Battlegrounds to use its real name, is the more “realistic” alternative to Fortnite. Its visuals seem closer to Call of Duty or the classic open-arena Battlefield series than the cartoonish Fortnite.

At the start of each round, you and 99 other players parachute into a large map. Ransack abandoned buildings for weapons and armour, then hunt down members of the other team.

As each round progresses, the play area shrinks to push you into combat.

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9. League Of Legends
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Riot Games’s League of Legends is our MOBA pick of the day. That stands for multiplayer online battle arena. And in this case you see the action from above, as two or more teams duke it out, often using finely honed strategy to take down each other’s bases.

You might not glean all that from watching a YouTube video of play, but League of Legends is one of the most popular competitive esport games. It’s quite intimidating to start, as the importance of strategy can quickly see you under fire form other players if you don’t know what you’re doing.

However, there is now a practice mode that lets you have a play without dealing with angry teenagers. Phew.
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10. Fortnite
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Fortnite broke into the mainstream like nothing since Pokemon Go. It was on the news and discussed on daytime TV.

That’s all the more surprising when it is at heart an arena shooter, played in bedrooms and living room just like every other “normal” game”.

Popularity was the killer story here. Fortnite had 10.7 million concurrent players at one point in early 2019, and that was after the pop culture spotlight had moved on.

Construction is the specific gameplay mechanic to note here. You run, gun and blast in Fortnite, but you also build, making defences against the other team’s players. It is also notable for its wide availability across platforms including consoles, PC and phones.


Fortnite has recently had a big shake-up with Fortnite Chapter 2, a brand new location featuring thick forests, lakes, mountains - all whilst keeping the number of urbanised areas to a minimum.

Growth of National Debt