A popular question has arisen in a new Netflix series: marriage or a house? Netflix’s latest series Marriage or Mortgagedives into the question through the eyes of a wedding planner Sarah Miller and real estate agent Nichole Holmes. Both will compete to persuade couples to do what is best for their relationship through this ten-episode series.
Netflix (NFLX) is currently trading at $556.52 on NASDAQ.
Marriage or Mortgage will be available on Netflix the 10th of March.
Over the past couple of decades, a dwindling number of mainstream rock bands have made dependability an essential part of their band. But even with Dave Grohl having fully assumed the role of rock’s chief ambassador, you’d be hard-pressed to argue that this strategy has ever been a survival tactic for the Foo Fighters – now twenty-six years into their career, the band has pretty much always traded in the most reliable qualities of rock n’ roll, recognizing that its successful recipe lies less in the intricacies of flavor than the simple pleasures of familiarity. Their latest string of albums have effectively toed the line between consistent and formulaic: they’ve yet to top 2011’s Wasting Light, a garage-inspired album with enough bite and hooks that remains their strongest case for a defiantly classicist approach to the genre.
In the decade since, the Foos have stuck to their guns, but their trick has been a refusal to dial down the ambition even as their formula has largely remained the same. Every record since Wasting Light has come with a PR campaign that’s big enough to overshadow the music itself: 2014’s Sonic Highways came with an accompanying HBO documentary series showing the band traveling around America’s key rock cities, though you could say the album came with the series. For its follow-up, 2017’s Concrete and Gold, they announced the launch of a massive festival, bringing back the name of a mostly forgotten festival from the 70s. It seemed that every few years there would be a new Foo Fighters album, and every time it would double as an act of reverence for rock’s lost past.
Medicine at Midnight makes little effort to change from this recurring pattern, but it doesn’t really come with any accompanying grand gestures either: All it offered was the tenuous promise that it would be “kind of like a dance record” with David Bowie’s Nile Rodgers collaboration Let’s Dance as a primary reference point, and even that was based on a single interview rather than a coordinated roll-out strategy. And sure, you can track some of those similarities on the album’s grooviest tracks – lead single ‘Shame Shame’, ‘Cloudspotter’, the title track – but at the end of the day, it should come as no surprise that Medicine at Midnight pulls from its influences in the same vague way that its predecessors did; Wasting Light was no more a garage record than it was an arena-rock record, and very few of the most interesting inspirations behind Sonic Highways seeped into the actual music. But at least both of these albums had enough sprawling ambition or memorable ideas to keep them nominally interesting.
The new album sees the band reuniting with Concrete and Gold producer Greg Kurstin, and you’d expect some of the more personable touches that he brought to that album to carry onto their latest – and they often do – but Medicine at Midnight simply doesn’t break the monotony with as many occasional highlights. ‘Holding Poison’ is a possible exception, a track that offers a glimpse into what the album might have sounded had they fully committed to a concept rather than having to preface it with the obligatory “kind of”. But at least sticking to their formula also leads to some predictably enjoyable moments, like the hardcore-leaning ‘No Son of Mine’ – at least a single spot is always reserved for one of those – which interpolates Motörhead’s ‘Ace of Spades’ riff as a tribute to Lemmy. ‘Waiting on a War’ could’ve easily been taken from the band’s 1994 debut, but it manages to deliver the kind of anthemic songwriting that fans have to expect – even if it does so in a way that feels antithetical to the song’s sentiment.
Medicine at Midnight might be the Foos’ most underwhelming album in over a decade, and it certainly doesn’t raise the bar very high, but that still doesn’t make it any less of another solid outing, as impossible to love as it is to hate. Because the band never relied on theatrics or interchangeable guest appearances more than they believed in rock’s basic formula, the music still comes out sounding pretty much the same, only the hit-to-miss ratio is more skewed to the latter this time around. As Grohl sings “Is there more to this than that?” over and over on ‘Waiting on a War’, however, more and more listeners might find themselves pondering that same question.
With approximately 1.6 billion people worldwide participating, the online gambling industry has really blown up in the last few years. The proof of this is just how many new online casinos are being launched every month in order to cater to the needs and desires of all the players.
There has always been the question about “can you make money from gambling”, this is a concern in both the traditional gambling setting and the online gambling setting. However, the answer for both remains the same, yes, but only if your practice and choose the right games.
Many people worldwide have taken on gambling professionally or do it for a living, meaning that it is absolutely possible to make money from it, but it require practice, patience, and dedication to the game. Here are a few tips to follow when trying to make money from online gambling.
Use welcome bonuses
One of the best things about online casinos is that almost all of them offer some or other kind of welcome bonus. This can come in the form of free spins, a certain amount of free money to start you off, or free round on games, and sometimes a combination of them all. Not every online casino offers the same bonuses, so you need to search high and low to find the right one. There are sites that help out with this by reviewing the top-rated real money online casinos, such as Casino Reviews, and provide accurate wagering requirements for each bonus. These welcome bonuses can be used to the player’s advantage because it is essentially free money with a potential to win even more free money. Just be sure to check to the wager ad this can be a bit tricky.
Choose the right game
Casinos offer a plethora of different games to play, and online casinos have taken it a step up and offer so many more. With table games, such as baccarat, blackjack, and poker, to stand alone games like slots, to even gamified games that are designed to be played in a video game style, there are so many different games to choose from, all with different odds of winning.
Some games are purely luck based, like slots, while other games require you to have a certain level of still in order to play and actually win anything, like table games. In the long run, it is better to put the effort in to practicing a skill based game as this will allow you to predict the outcome based on the hand you have been dealt and you can choose how you want to win rather than putting it down to chance. Of course this is not going to be a guarantee that playing a skill based game with skill means that you will win every time though.
It is important to remember that the house (the casino) is still trying to make their own money from this and they do this by having edge over the players. With a bit of research you can choose which games have the lowest house edge, mean that the players winning potential is maximised. If you need a recommendation, check this poker site with good software for not only a good time, but a safe time!
Don’t just bet
If you are serious about making money by playing ta an online casino, don’t just randomly bet your money away without knowing about the games? The great thing about gambling online is that you have the ability to research the games right at your fingertips and discover what will be the best game for you to play in order for you to receive you desired outcome. While researching the games, make sure to look for statistic and percentages of winning, as well as the volatility of the games and calculate the RTP or return to player percentage.
Before playing any skill based game it is important to know exactly what you’re doing by practicing with the free games that are available on most gambling sites, and also pay attention and have a look into what the house edge might be on games you are wanting to play.
Avoid slot machines
Slot machines may seem tempting because of the big jackpot prizes but these should be avoided. Sure they are fun to play, but you can only get some money out of it if you play games with low volatility and high RTP, and even then, this just allows you to play for much longer and you don’t get much out of it. Playing games with massive jackpots have an incredibly high volatility and low RTP which means that it’s next to impossible to win the large sum of money. And not to mention, these slots usually have a minimum bet requirement that is quite high, it is basing a black hole for your money.
In a year marked by uncertainty and isolation, Cj Pandit emerged like a beacon of goodness and optimism. His layered debut ‘Karelu’ – a masterclass in production and tempo control – was released at the back end of 2019 and served as a promising introduction to the Leicester native’s art-pop sound. With a crystal clear falsetto and a honey-sweet sensibility, his power sits in the combination of swelling jangly guitars, feel-good keys, and the cracked and vulnerable tone of his voice. He followed his debut track with a trio of singles, honing his signature sound; ‘Digital Love’ plays like an 80s anthem that wouldn’t be amiss at the end of a John Hughes classic, ‘Eventually’ exudes a discernible warmth with its textured vocals and swathes of drums, whereas ‘Talk Talk Talk!’ relies on sharper rhythms and an overall punchier sound. Cj Pandit’s music is reminiscent of classic Peter Gabriel enmeshed with Declan McKenna in the way that it’s quintessentially 80s-inspired but rooted in the present, toeing the line between nostalgia and futurism. Rather fittingly, his 2020 ended with a stripped back reimagining of his debut ‘Karelu’ as part of 247 Studios’ ‘Presents’ series, gearing him up for a productive 2021 – the fruits of which we are already bearing witness to today in the form of his latest single, ‘Right Person, Wrong Time’.
We caught up with Cj Pandit for this edition of our Artist Spotlight Q&A series, where we showcase up-and-coming artists and give them a chance to talk about their music.
The most important question in all times, but specifically in these most bizarre ones; how are you? What’s been helping you tick along and keep your head on straight?
I’m pretty good thank you! I think if this last year has taught me anything, it’s to sit in whatever or however i’m feeling, be present in it, and engage with it. I think going from constantly being at 100mph to having no choice in slowing down has actually been kind of helpful. It’s given me clarity on things in my own life I couldn’t quite work out and given me time and space to learn and be more considerate about other people’s battles too! Creativity has ebbed and flowed, so I’ve just harnessed it when it popped up and tried not to worry when it hasn’t. Keeping my head on straight has been tough at times, but I guess running a lot, reading, and writing as much as I can in the day has kept me sane! Also, plenty of comfort music, Talk Talk and Duke Ellington!
What’s your favourite thing about being part of the Leicester music scene? As a born and bred Leicestershirian myself of course I’m biased and believe that there’s something special about it, but in your opinion what makes the music scene here specifically so unique?
I think everybody has a special and kind of unbreakable bond with wherever they grew up and come from. I spent a lot of time here, then felt like I needed to dip out and go and explore for the past few years. Now I’ve moved into my studio spot in 247, and really put some roots down. I think it goes way above and beyond just the music scene, it’s the will for independent endeavours, whether it be bands, venues, bars, restaurants, designers, photographers or artists, the support that we all give to one another is so beautiful! I’ve had countless amazing conversations and experiences, with so many people in this city and it makes me very proud to feel a small part of. I don’t know about you but it feels like some kind of underdog spirit is everyones through line, this little small city in the midlands that always somehow punches above its weight. Circling back to the music scene itself, it always felt like something special was going to happen to somebody at any time. I think that comes from self belief and a lack of rivalry (for want of a better term) we all seem to want the best for each other.
What’s been your personal career highlight so far, something you’re really proud to have achieved or participated in?
So far, I think the launch party for the debut single, ‘Karelu’. Me and Joe Vozza put together an exhibition all around the meaning of the word Karelu. It means the mark left on the skin when something is worn too tight, and we liked that as a metaphor for the marks we leave on each other. The whole thing was immersive & interactive and we did a real small run of zines to accompany it. Then we played a show in the exhibition itself at Graff HQ, an amazing Art Space and paint shop in the city. The whole thing felt so human and so connected. I think I’ve come to appreciate it more and more over the past 12 months or so. I think I miss connecting and having shared experiences and memories with new and old faces more than anything.
Has there been an artist who has been especially influential in shaping the way you approach making music?
Mark Hollis, I’d say is number one. The main songwriter in Talk Talk. There’s a restraint and power in the spaces he creates. The Colour of Spring is my favourite record of all time. I think it’s perfect. So percussive, so textured and there’s this undeniable weight to his words and delivery on the whole thing. It blows me away every time I hear it! I’m in a real André 3000 obsession at the minute too. Absolute genius. Performance wise, I think Christine and The Queens and FKA Twigs are on a whole other unattainable level, and I keep thinking that’s something to shoot for and work towards, and enjoy being bad until I’m better! All about the process.
Was music something that was important to you growing up? Who indoctrinated you into the world of music and encouraged you to pursue it as a career?
You know what, I speak to my Mum about this a lot. It’s only recently that we’ve realised we have such common ground in music taste, but my memories of growing up were super top 40. Nelly Furtado & Ronan Keating really stick in my head for some reason. Maybe that explains my leaning towards writing pop songs? Who knows. But in terms of a specific person, I don’t think there was or is one. I realised at like 16 I was intrigued by this thing that could explain so many complex emotions in a relatively simple way, without words, and then played in bad bands, learnt my craft a little bit and started to chase people I admired in the hope that they’d work with me in trying to get my own silly little ideas out of my head. I guess curiosity was the thing that indoctrinated me. It still does. That wild pursuit of perfection and the knowledge that we’ll probably never arrive at it keeps me coming back…
Not necessarily a question, but it would be amiss for me to ask you some questions and not mention that your single ‘Eventually’ embodied my lockdown summer last year, it’s an absurdly sunny, breezy track. What was the inspiration behind it, how did it come about?
No way! That’s so cool to know, thank you! I do feel like that track embodies every hazy summer I’ve ever had. Pretty proud of it actually! It started as this kind of pseudo-breakup song and has taken on a bunch of different meanings. My current leaning is the cyclical nature of friends and lovers and the patterns we all fall into. You go do your thing, I’ll do mine – then we’ll realise if we need or want to be in each others lives. I think this lockdown has had some strange effects on people and kind of solidified the meaningful relationships in our lives, I mean, in mine, I could be very very wrong that’s just my experience! And the initial inspiration came out of a meeting with a Major label who said I didn’t have enough good songs, so maybe I wrote it out of spite? Not saying it’s good either, that’s not really up to me is it?
Your latest single ‘Right Person, Wrong Time’ acts as a response to heartbreak. Does most of your songwriting come from lived experiences or does it vary depending on inspiration at the time?
It sure does. I think that’s the reason I’ve struggled to be incredibly creative for extended periods of time recently. I LOVE being around other human beings and learning and swapping stories. The songs do normally come from some kind of lived experience. This whole EP feels really visceral and definitely the most publicly open and vulnerable I’ve ever been. It’s a direct correlation to the most intense feelings I’ve had in my life about a wide range of situations. I just tried to not hide away from my truths at that time and I think it’s an honest reflection of where I’m at as a human being. For now anyway….
Your home can have a new, rich and full life. It can be impressive and beautiful, provide an accurate answer to the daily needs of the household and adapt to your personal style. With the professional guidance of an architect, such as Scenario Architecture, it is no longer a complex and impossible challenge but a great opportunity to dream big and give your home all the good it deserves. By walking together along the route, you have all the control over what is done, but also all the professional knowledge and personal guidance you will need to do it as best you can.
Luxury home design living room
We once thought that a luxury home is a home that is characterized by heavy and expensive elements. You may have imagined gold ornaments and glittering wallpaper, as well as chunky sofas and glossy marble flooring. But today, in the process of designing luxury homes, which include upgrading the living room of the house, every corner gets the exact design that really suits it.
Planning luxury home design living room
When planning and designing luxury homes, the living room of the house receives a warm treatment, as do the bedrooms and work area, kitchen and bathrooms. To get to the truly spectacular results you will need to plan the path better and more efficiently:
Start by coordinating expectations and setting goals – to understand exactly what you want to achieve.
Understand what your personal style is – and how it can also be combined in your luxury home.
Carefully select the highest quality raw materials.
Carefully design the right colors and shades for you.
A budget and schedules have been set for the completion of the entire project.
These are all critical steps in the planning of your home, and for the purpose of designing luxury living spaces. This is exactly your opportunity to lay out on paper all your dreams, choose the right colors and quality raw materials, and enjoy a design that provides not only impression and luxury – but uncompromising comfort.
In the process of designing luxury homes, the living room of the house gets a lot of attention – and so does every corner of the space and every room that is available to you but living areas tend to be the most important. In this process, you will choose the functional kitchen and the spacious living room, the perfect shades for the children’s rooms and even the tiles and cladding for the bathrooms. Will it have the same theme throughout or will it be different room to room? Remember that you want both functionality and maximum comfort. Before you make any decisions however, you should consider that the company you choose have:
High level of professionalism – Take an interest in current recommendations and opinions and you will get the latest perspective on the quality of work you can expect.
Specializing in luxury apartment design – the interior design style requires attention to all the small details and the way in which they manage to create the interesting and prestigious combination that you want to create in your ideal home.
Willemijn May is no pushover, “no bullshit, just the truth and nothing less” she states. Netherlands-born artist is still in her early twenties but has already accomplished more than some artists over their long life careers, having gained millions of plays and collaborated with respected artists such as Mike Perry. At Our Culture, we are proud to premiere May’s latest project ‘Just Me.’
“There’s a part of me, a version of the person that is also me” sings May in her newest song, talking about the part of her she doesn’t want to fully reveal to others. ‘Just Me’ is a personal piece that explores the universal theme of hiding details about one to others, it’s something everyone goes through. The song itself is a ballad that thrives through May’s potent vocal energy especially throughout the chorus when the most empowering lyrics hit.
Adding about the song May said: “With this song I want to share that feeling with you. The feeling of being afraid to show your whole you, because showing all might cause you to get hurt more easily, yet having the greatest urge inside you to just let go and be you, just you with all your perfect imperfections.”
‘Just Me’ will be released tomorrow via all major platforms, but for now, you can watch the official music video for the piece below.
On her debut EP, released just yesterday via Seven Four Seven Six Records, Glasgow-based singer-songwriter Lizzie Reid confronts the kind of heartache that seems to impede on your ability to remember how it all even transpired, let alone articulate it. “I don’t really mind now/ That our time is done and dusted/ But I remember fearing this feeling/ That I’m feeling,” she sings on the raw opener ‘Tribute’, delicately drawing out the final word as if to compensate for a lack of words. Throughout the poignant yet dynamic 22-minute collection, Reid channels the full intensity of those difficult and often confusing emotions, discovering more about herself and learning to open up in the process. She’s described the stunning, Laura Marling-esque ‘Always Lovely’ as being about “obsessing with the idea of perfection and worth,” but vulnerability seeps through every corner of the record, which sways from the stirring, string-backed chorus of ‘Seamless’ to the guitar-powered, liberating climax of ‘Been Thinking About You’. Recorded with producer Oli Barton Wood and completed just days before the first UK-wide lockdown, Cubicle is a promising introduction to the 23-year-old’s emotional and melodic strengths.
We caught up with Lizzie Reid for the latest edition of our Artist Spotlight interview series, where we showcase up-and-coming artists and talk to them about their music.
How did you discover music was a passion of yours?
I think I always loved music since I was very wee. I remember being five or six and being really emotionally impacted by music in films and just music that my parents were playing around the house. I remember just closing my eyes and pretending it was me performing the songs, and then realized that I could do it myself and started getting piano lessons. And it wasn’t until I was maybe 16 or 17 that I realized I could potentially do it as a career. It was always a dream – in a way, it wasn’t even a dream because I just didn’t think it was at all achievable. But it wasn’t until I started actually playing live and getting some support from people in the industry, when I was about 16, that I realized, “Oh, maybe I could actually do this.” And then the passion just kind of got more intense and it becomes a bit of an all-consuming obsession.
You mentioned music in films, do you have any particular memories of film moments you were drawn to?
You know that the film Jack Frost? I think there was a couple of versions of it, but it was the one where Stevie Nicks was singing ‘Landslide’. That iconic scene when he’s building the snowman and that was the song in the background – I just remember being, I think, about six or something, and just being like, “I’ve never heard anything like that.” I just thought her voice was so unusual and the song was beautiful.
That’s quite a young age to start getting into Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac!
[laughter] I remember as well at the time, because I was wee and the only kind of pop music I’d heard was kind of chart stuff, and I remember thinking, That woman singing ‘Landslide’ has such an unusual voice, I wonder what it would sound like, you know, if Katy Perry sang it. And then I was like, looking back on it I thought that’s awful, like the reason it’s so good was because of her voice. I just find it really funny that I even thought that.
But Stevie Nicks is like my ultimate queen. It wasn’t until I was a bit older that I even looked into who she was, though. I think I was 12, 13, and I really learned to appreciate that kind of gravelly and almost imperfect kind of vocal style that I hadn’t really heard before that point. And she had a massive influence particularly in my early teens with my vocal delivery, which was surprisingly easy to get for a 13, 14-year-old. People used to say that it sounded like I smoked 50 a day, which I did not. I don’t really know how that happened, I just had a very unhealthy singing technique.
Are there any other artists who got you really excited about music at an early age, and then others who really changed or shaped the way you approached songwriting later on?
Yeah, so it was Stevie Nicks first, and I remember around that time I was listening to a lot of old music, like the Beatles, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, all of these were my favorite bands that I listened to. And One Direction, but we’ll just like forget about that. [laughs] So I had quite a similar taste to my parents, I suppose. And it was that kind of way that there’s a lot of that chat about how, “Oh, music isn’t the same anymore. Music is has changed so much and it’s just this chart music now that is just trash.” And I just remember discovering that there’s actually so much good music happening right now and that attitude actually totally isn’t a thing. I think it was when I discovered Laura Marling that I just realized there was a whole bunch of really young musicians doing amazing stuff. It was Laura Marling that changed the way I thought about songwriting and it took me down a different road.
I know you were playing music for quite a while before recording your debut EP. What made you feel like this was the right time to do that?
I feel like it almost wasn’t a choice. At that point, it was just such a natural thing that happened and we’re like, “Okay, this is it now.” I’d been gigging as a solo artist for maybe three or four years at that point, and I had recorded a few times with the intention of releasing music but it never felt quite right. And just all of a sudden we were like, “Right, this year is the year,” and I was so grateful that we had taken that time. I’m just very thankful that we didn’t release anything a few years prior to that because I don’t think I was ready, you know. I’m 23 now and I think being given that time to kind of figure out myself and my sound.
What was the process of making and recording the EP like?
It was so much fun. We just turned my house basically into a studio, and the drum kit was in the TV room, and then our control room was down the other end of the hall. So we had wires all down the hall. It was just really really nice because everyone that recorded on the record I’m really close to; Katrina is my cousin, she plays the cello on it, and Oli who produced it, I had met a couple of times and we’d written together and I just knew that I wanted to work with him. So everything just felt very comfortable, which is unusual for me because I just find recording quite stressful.
Lyrically as well, there are a lot of personal and intimate moments on the record. Were there any points during the writing or recording process where you felt it was especially challenging to channel those emotions?
Yes, actually. When I wrote ‘Seamless’, in particular, when I – well, I wrote them all when I wasn’t feeling so great, to be honest, but ‘Seamless’ in particular, when I wrote it I was really not feeling good, wasn’t in a good place, and by the time I came to actually record it, I was in just a completely different mindset. So it was kind of a strange challenge. When I perform live in front of an audience I feel like it’s so much easier to tap into that emotion that you felt when you wrote it, but for me recording is still quite a strange environment. So it did take quite a lot to try and get back into that headspace and create that emotion.
Do you remember what it was like writing that song?
Yeah, that was one of the first times I wrote with someone else, I was writing with Jessica Sharman down in London. And I remember it was the most direct I’d ever been in my life, writing, and I think that started a bit of a chain naturally. Because I feel like a lot of the other songs in the EP that I wrote after ‘Seamless’ are all quite direct and quite personal, which I didn’t always write like that, to be honest. I think I tried to separate myself from the song a little bit before that, and I think ‘Seamless’ was one of the first experiences where I was very, very present and very upfront with writing, and I felt quite uncomfortable, to be honest. But I think it was worth it, going through that process.
My favorite track on the EP is probably ‘Been Thinking About You’, just because of how ambitious and almost playful it is. What went into the making of that song?
Yes, so I just recorded the original demo at home on my own GarageBand. The screams that are on the final track are from the original GarageBand demo, because I just loved the exact scream that I had done that day. And it wasn’t originally considered for the first EP, but I felt like I wanted to have a switch of dynamic a little bit and take it somewhere else. I’m glad I made that decision because I think it’s a bit of a relief from the other tracks to have that change of pace.
Do you feel like it’s more of an indication of where you might want to take your sound in the future?
Definitely, I think that’s why I wanted something like that in there. Maybe this is just my own insecurity and me projecting a little bit, but I didn’t want to be considered as just a sad singer-songwriter musician. That’s something I had a bit of a complex about. And I love sad singer-songwriter music, you know, that is a massive part of me and what I do, I just wanted to kind of hint that we can be going somewhere else here, at some point.
I wanted to ask you about the title of the EP, Cubicle. What does that represent for you?
‘Cubicle’ was written just about a night that I had, just on a night out. And I was just having a bit of a panic attack, to be honest, and that’s something that I have struggled with in the past and still do. And I tend to find myself locked in cubicles very often because I just need to get away, I need to shut myself in. And that’s what that song was about, it was a particular night where I was just totally overwhelmed by the evening, and I was just like, “I need to calm myself down and just hide away for a bit so I can come back out and just face the night and get through it” kind of thing. And I wanted to name the EP after it because I think that song was a real moment for me at the beginning of my healing process, I suppose. It felt like I was letting go of something, finally, so it was nice to end the EP with that song. I also have ridiculous stage fright so I do spend a lot of my time in cubicles before going on stage and stuff as well, just locking myself in there for a bit.
You said it was like letting go of something, is that what it kind of feels like releasing the EP as well?
Yeah, it’s like a bit of closure. It’s been very intense, because like I said this is happening in 2019, and to be revisiting these emotions so much with, you know, the press stuff, and having to speak about it a lot. It’s been almost like going over all those feelings again. And so it’s almost like I’m letting go of it all again by releasing it and now I can move on to the next chapter. I’ve done a lot of reflecting, I’ve had so much time because of lockdown as well to think about everything. So it will be nice to get it out and just finally feel like that chapter has closed.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity and length.
CBD Oil is a controversial subject that gave birth to several misinformation and confusion. It is surrounded by a heady amount of stigma and scrutiny. It’s been so misunderstood that there are actual myths about it passed around by word of mouth or social media posts. And since CBD is gaining popularity over the past years, it’s just about time to bust those myths and set things straight.
Everything You Need To Know About CBD Oil
CBD is short for Cannabidiol, a prevalent active ingredient of cannabis (marijuana). CBD oil is a natural chemical compound that is extracted from a hemp plant. It is diluted with another type of oil, like hemp seed oil or coconut oil.
CBD mainly affects the Endocannabinoid System (ECS) of the body. The ECS maintains the body’s homeostasis and contributes to helping the body adapt to outside stressors. CBD serves as a phytocannabinoid, a type of cannabinoid produced by plants, which mimics the endocannabinoid. They provide the needed boost that your body needs.
There are quite a variety of CBD oil products in the market. One such fun and trendy way to use it is in vaping. Before using one, make sure that it is an organic pure CBD vape oilthat has ingredients safe for inhalation. There are also CBD oil tablets, supplements, and capsules for intake if vape is not for you.
CBD oil also has several skincare and beauty products. CBD oil drops are also an option. No matter which CBD oil product you use, take caution and keep track of your safety dosage.
It has multiple benefits but do take note that CBD oil has side effects. Some known side effects are a dry mouth, vomiting, nausea, bloating, and diarrhea. These are usually mild and dose-dependent. It will resolve in 2-4 hours.
What Are The Uses Of CBD Oil?
CBD oil has multiple health benefits. In fact, it was even recently approved as a prescribed medication for controlling seizures in patients who have childhood-onset epilepsy. Other studies are looking into using it to relieve multiple schizophrenia and sclerosis symptoms. Many CBD oil users also claim it to help with inflammation, anxiety, insomnia, and pain.
CBD stimulates the ECS receptors. The receptors for cannabinoids can be found in the reproductive, digestive, immune, and nervous systems. As it goes around and covers almost every system, CBD may be deemed as a cure-all. That may not be the case, but it does regulate neurotransmitter function, mitochondrial function, inflammation, and metabolism.
While the CBD moves into your ECS, it creates a tranquil feeling of calm and peace. You can go through your favorite movies or perhaps binge-watch top anime shows after ingesting CBD oil tablets or while puffing CBD oil vape. This would surely entail a relaxing and laid back night for you.
Myths About CBD Oil And The Real Truth Behind Them
With CBD’s association with Marijuana, it’s no wonder that the general public heavily scrutinizes it. There are several myths about CBD oil, but is there any kind of truth to them?
It Gets You High
CBD oil came from hemp, a plant that came from the Cannabis Sativa family, alongside marijuana. Do note that while that is the case, CBD doesn’t have the psychoactive effect known as ‘getting high.’
Medical experts around the globe have proved that CBD, to date, hasn’t caused any health-related problems. Studies also show that it has no effects that indicate dependence or abuse potential. This is possible due to Hemp containing only a low percentage (about 0.3%) of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive constituent of cannabis. This is what sets it apart from Marijuana, which has a high THC percentage.
It’s Illegal
This depends on where you live. In 2015, FDA eased their regulatory requirements to give researchers a chance to conduct studies about CBD. Only in 2018 was CBD oil made legal and obtainable in most parts of the US after former President Donald Trump signed the Farm Bill.
Under the new law, CBD gummies, oils, and other CBD products are officially legal in 50 states of America.
It Produces Fast Results
People tend to assume that because Marijuana has a fast-acting psychoactive effect, CBD would be the same. That is not the case, unfortunately. There are cases where results appear after a few days. Some take weeks of consistently using it.
Don’t be disheartened when it doesn’t take effect immediately. Like other health-related products, it takes time.
It’s Dangerous
Since it’s only been recently legal, there are minimal studies that support the effectiveness of CBD. There’s still barely compiled evidence and data about the compound’s effects. This is the main argument and concern of critics against CBD.
There are side effects to using CBD. That is unavoidable. But do take note that there has yet no major side effect discovered. The worst it could give a person is a dry mouth, diarrhea, mood changes, and exhaustion.
The bottom line is that CBD is not dangerous. There are side effects to look out for, yes, but all prescriptions have that!
You Can’t Travel With CBD Oil.
With its previous illegal status, it is understandable to be a bit wary regarding traveling with CBD oil. The last thing anyone wants is to be detained on their way to a long-awaited vacation or an important out-of-town business conference. The answer to that is yes. You can travel with CBD but do take note of a few things before doing so.
The CBD product you are bringing with you must be derived from the hemp plant. You will be taken in if it’s derived from marijuana, as that is illegal in most states. You don’t need to be worried as long as your CBD is hemp-derived and all federal regulations concerned with legality are met.
Be prepared to answer some questions. Sometimes, TSA agents find it difficult to differentiate marijuana-derived and hemp-derived CBD.
These are just amongst the most common myths surrounding CBD oil. There are a lot more floating around. Before jumping to the scrutiny bandwagon, double-check the facts first. See if these myths are the truth.
Let’s dodge shady and fake information and settle for the truth. Give CBD the benefit of the doubt before jumping to conclusions. It’s best not to judge something without getting all the facts first.
MUBI, the must-have subscription service for film fanatics, published their schedule for the month February. The list includes some terrific films including The King of Comedy (1982) by Martin Scorsese, Heat (1995) by Michael Mann, and Legend (1985) by Ridley Scott — to name a few.
Films on MUBI in February, 2021.
1 February | Cenote | Direct from Rotterdam | Oda Kaori 2 February | Meeting the Man: James Baldwin in Paris | Rediscovered | Terence Dixon 3 February | The Passion of Joan of Arc | Double Bill: Carl Theodor Dreyer | Carl Theodor Dreyer 4 February | For The Time Being | Direct from Rotterdam | Salka Tiziana 5 February | Heat | Michael Mann 6 February | The Terrorizers | Edward Yang 7 February | The Color Wheel | Alex Ross Perry Focus | Alex Ross Perry 8 February | Birds (Or How To Be One) | Direct from Rotterdam | Babis Makridis 9 February | Song Without a Name | MUBI Spotlight | Melina León 10 February | Stump The Guesser | Luminaries | Galen Johnson, Evan Johnson, Guy Maddin 11 February | If It Were Love | Berlinale Focus | Patric Chiha 12 February | Dead Pigs | Debuts | Cathy Yan 13 February | L’Auberge Espagnole | The Spanish Apartment Trilogy | Cédric Klapisch 14 February | The African Queen | Valentine’s Day | John Huston 15 February | The Twentieth Century | Berlinale Focus | Matthew Rankin 16 February | Digger | Berlinale Focus | Georgis Grigorakis 17 February | Uppercase Print | Berlinale Focus | Radu Jude 18 February | Bad Tales | Berlinale Focus | Fabio & Damiano D’Innocenzo 19 February | Listen Up Philip | Alex Ross Perry Focus | Alex Ross Perry 20 February | Russian Dolls | The Spanish Apartment Trilogy | Cédric Klapisch 21 February | The King of Comedy | Martin Scorsese 22 February | Sacro Gra | Gianfranco Rosi 23 February | Fire at Sea | Gianfranco Rosi 24 February | The Sky is on Fire | Brief Encounters | Emmanuel Van der Auwera 25 February | Beyond Clueless | Charlie Shackleton 26 February | Chinese Puzzle | The Spanish Apartment Trilogy | Cédric Klapisch 27 February | Legend | Ridley Scott 28 February | Queen of Earth | Alex Ross Perry Focus | Alex Ross Perry
Ormiston, a Montreal-based singer-songwriter, unveiled his creation ‘Rebel,’ — just yesterday. The song is the debut for the Canadian artist who will look to branch out with further releases later in the year; especially his forthcoming album, which is supposedly scheduled to be released in the Spring of 2021.
The song itself embarks on a good-feel trip with vibrant MGMT-like energy. Ormiston doesn’t shy away from the Discoteque vibe that pops out from the get-go, solidifying himself as the artist to follow in the coming months.
‘Rebel’ can now be streamed via Spotify and all other major platforms.
