#and that rainbow america flag patch

[tastywormfood]

Comfort vampire and glowworm, aged up of course. Im gonna do Sussie and Betsy next<3

Also i used some references i saw on Pinterest for the hug poses, but the artist wasnt named, and i accidentally closed the page. So if u recognize the poses and know who drew them first, i would love to know.

[mightyflamethrower]

WaPo Celebrates Homosexualization of Boy Scouts

Nothing was more wholesome and all-American than the Boy Scouts of America. So moonbats infiltrated and corrupted the organization. Because children are involved, the emphasis has been on perverted sex, in keeping with liberal proclivities.

Gushes the Washington Post:

Amid the hundreds of tents erected for the Boy Scouts of America’s National Jamboree, one especially stands out — decorated with a canopy of LGBTQ Pride flags and a string of multicolored lights, its tables covered with bowls of rainbow bracelets, pronoun stickers and diversity patches. “This is my entire world,” said 18-year-old River Capell, a scout volunteer from Northern Virginia who describes themselves as nonbinary and pansexual.

River says the embrace of politicized sexual depravity by the BSA has been “incredibly welcoming and positive.”

Now that only a liberal would be willing to send their son out into the woods with these creeps, the BSA can be added to the list of institutions that have fallen to progressives.

The triumphant obituary was written by “queer journalist” Mike De Socio, who essentially admits that his fellow homosexuals have destroyed the BSA:

The organization lost nearly half of its membership between 2019 and 2020. This national event represents one of its first steps out of a generational nadir brought about by the pandemic, a sexual abuse scandal and an ensuing bankruptcy. The BSA had barely resolved its struggle over membership policies — fully admitting gay men in 2015 and trans boys in 2017, and then cisgender girls in 2018 — before facing an avalanche of sexual abuse claims.

The BSA was crushed by a $2.46 billion settlement. Submitting to LGBT bullies comes at a price.

All’s well that ends well. As every Democrat knows, you have to destroy before you can replace:

Scouts within the ranks [i.e., leftist adults who had infiltrated the organization in order to subvert it] seized the moment to press for a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion. A collective dubbed “Scouts for Black Lives” successfully pushed the organization to commit to a slate of projects, including a new diversity merit badge required for Eagle Scout rank.

No word on whether you can still achieve Eagle Scout status without an anal sex merit badge.

The BSA has been repurposed. It now serves to indoctrinate children with woke ideology and groom them on behalf of the Alphabet People. You may as well turn your son over to NAMBLA.

[cishetlessfashion]

Scene-esc Hotline Miami themed trans man fashion with spikes for anon

Pink rubber spiked choker Trans rights heart enamel pin Trans colors tie dye yoga shorts Hot pink slushee patch America is a tune it must come together shirt Trans flag geometric earrings Smiley face pronoun pins Snow leopard and tiger print blazer Gorey cartoony Hotline Miami shirt Hotline Miami crow shirt Studded rainbow tie dye vest Stay rad patch Hot pink and blue varsity jacket Spiked beanie Neon leopard print lightening bolt brooches Dark red studded leather jacket Spiked ice cream denim vest

[tokupedia]

Costume Ideas for Halloween 2018: Super Sentai

We did Power Rangers, now it is time to focus on the eastern progenitor of that franchise to seek ideas for Halloween costumes.

Yakuu Sentai V-Leaguer  (MLB Team edition)

October isn’t just a time for tricks and treats, but it also signifies the end of baseball season here in the USA with the World Series games airing throughout the week leading to Halloween and sometimes goes until November. So my first choice for a costume idea goes out to you diehard sports fans.

In the 1980s, when Kagaku Sentai Dynaman was being planned out, it was originally going for a baseball theme and went by the name Yakuu Sentai V-Leaguer. Ultimately, this idea was scrapped by Toei as marketing dudes thought that totally gnarly and rad 1980s kids would think baseball was a lame concept and they needed something “cooler”. Remnants of this idea, such as the Dynaman having their helmets sculpted to look like they have baseball caps in them, are seen in the suit designs and the Dyna Rod sidearm looks somewhat like a baseball bat.

For this idea, there are many avenues to choose from. You can either do a full Dynaman suit with patches you bought online of your favorite team and emblems painted on the helmet, go for a budget “casual” approach and wear a team shirt, custom Dynaman helmet and baseball uniform pants and cleats. Or you can do a full custom V-Leaguer approach, with the team’s name proudly on your chest, adorned in the team’s colors and the number of one of your favorite players on the back (or make your own number with your name on it)! 

I think the most amusing one would be for Texas baseball fans, as they would have literal Texas Rangers cheering on their team! XD Also, for more amusement if you are at a game, hold up a sign while in costume that says #DigitalWatches, fans will get the joke.

The Original Battle Fever J

This concept art drawn by Shuuhou Itahashi and Yuuji Kaida, was created to pitch the concept of Battle Fever to Marvel Comics. The two emulated the art style of John Byrne’s era of X-Men comics, and it shows despite being great Bronze Age-style designs. These feel more in line with America’s superheroes than Super Sentai and thus changes were made along the way to make the look more appealing to a Japanese audience.

Some of these even look a little familiar to those of Marvel Fandom, Battle Kenya is channeling a bit of Black Panther, Miss America’s leotard is modeled after Captain America’s costume and Battle Japan has a bit of X-Men’s Sunfire in his look.

Now sadly, this is the only image of the original concept on the web right now, so improvisation is needed a bit when going into the costume design. But that actually works to your advantage, with only a base template, you are free to tweak the look however you want!  All you really need to keep in are the colors of the flags somewhere to keep the nationality theme. I imagine original Battle Kenya and Miss America will be the most popular of the bunch based on how popular their inspirations are thanks to the MCU.

Battle Cossack would have to be updated, since one, the Soviet Union no longer exists and thus dates it quite a bit and two, fur underpants mixed with spandex are a really weird combination (and probably very itchy). 

Maskman (Orignal Fiveman Prototype Concept Designs)

Maskman was a game changer in terms of helmet and costume design as well as venturing outside the storytelling realm of sci-fi and incorporating new mystical ideas into its elements, heralding a sneak peek at what Super Sentai would be in the coming decades. But for a brief period, Maskman was on the verge of being a throwback in design when it was known conceptually as Fiveman, which of course became the name of another Sentai team.

The original suit designs incorporated what came before, most notably Battle Fever J.  X1 Mask, the one-off sixth member of Maskman, is the only “living” remnant of what could have been.

You will need LED lights and circuitboards, cosplay costume material, a custom stencil for creating the black “5″ chest emblem out of the fabric and if you can, find 3D modeling software for aiding in creating the helmets. The female Ranger helmets have a bit of sculpted helmet “hair” kind of like AkibaYellow and Blue, though you can skip that part if you don’t want 100% accuracy to save time. You will also need material to create the costume belts and pouches.

Fake KyoryuRed

One of the pitfalls of being a Super Sentai fan is that a few members of the fandom are quick to gossip and sometimes resort to elaborate pranks to get attention, like most fandoms. One cruel tactic that was put up with is the fake designs of an upcoming Red Ranger. This has recently died down thanks to stronger connections to official sources, but still is a problem that persists as even Kyuranger got the Fake Red treatment last year. In 2013, a rumor spread that this image above was the Red Ranger of the then trademarked Kyoryuger. 

Despite being immediately debunked as fake, it isn’t a bad design, harkening back to Zyuranger with the dino themed helmets that in clearer images had a jagged “teeth” like pattern on the red parts sculpted above the mouthpiece. It also had Dekaranger-like suit patterns with the represented dino covering a portion of the bodysuit in black silhouette with white outlines, “fossil teeth” shoulder pads and a metallic segmented belt with a gun holster and sword holster. 

Commander Hilltop’s “Robocop” crazy outfit

In Episode 31 of LupPat, a Gangler tries to negotiate a plea deal with the police. In a comical attempt of Good Cop, Bad Cop the Patrangers make their boss wear....whatever this is, to make the Gangler uncomfortable (and reference Robocop). It is really bizarre and doesn’t work.

What you will need: a soup/spaghetti pot on your head, metal bowls on your shoulders, a black body suit, oven mitts, 2 grill spatulas, a toy gun, white and orange rain boots, large forks, a pot lid, grill grates or small baking cooling racks and a metal cookie sheet on your back. In other words, raid your kitchen for parts!

Devil Gun from JAKQ Dengekitai

A crook made out of guns, self explanatory. His head is a gun, his chest has 3 cannons, his arms have cannons and more guns are in his fingers, he is a gunstavaganza! You will need a lot of gunmetal gray paint and a lot of patience. If you examine closely, you can see where the eye holes are for the costume. 

Ways to make it really impressive is to replicate the firing effects for the head gun with liquid fog juice, lights and sound effects. Just be careful though, in these troubling times we live in, seeing and hearing guns can make people jittery.

Zeek Jeanne from the GoGo V movie

In an alternate universe, when GoGoV was adapted into Lightspeed Rescue, I like to believe Ms. Angela Fairweather got into the fight wearing this suit instead of PLEX creating a new Ranger from scratch. (*nudges Boom! Studios*) Though the Titanium Ranger is awesome, so it balances out.

Demon Hunter Zeek bestowed his powers to GoGoV ally Kyoko Hase to become Zeek Jeanne before she ultimately lost them to give GoGoV the power to destroy the movie’s villain. One thing I never understood is why the protective face visor just vanished when the suit equipped onto a female hero.

So you have options of face visor on or face visor off. Unlike most Ranger cosplays, your field of vision will be a little better than wearing a Ranger helmet given the large face visor if you do some minor alterations.

GekiBlack

(an unnamed Livedoor artist’s photoshop render of “Super GekiBlack”)

Rio, the main baddie of Gekiranger, eventually learned he was being manipulated by Long and allied with the GekiRangers. Jan dubbed him “GekiBlack” and his partner Mele as “GekiGreen” if they became friends later on. Sadly, it was not meant to be as Long turned into his dragon form and made bite-sized snacks out of both Rio and Mele.

Many fans often wonder what would have happened if Rio had lived and instead of reusing old monster suits, PLEX and Rainbow Zoukei crafted a brand new Gekiranger outfit for him. Most fans know the rules of conceiving such a notion: he must be black in color with gold accents in the suit, and his helmet must be sculpted to resemble a lion’s mane or have lions in it.

What You Need: A GekiRed base template of some kind, black and gold paint and costume cloth, Gekiranger symbol, concept sketches to plan out an idea of what to tweak. Rio’s Kaijin form can also be used as a template. The most difficult part would be choosing a morpher, either make a custom one or make a stylized version of the GekiChangers. For the Super Version, just emulate the base Super Gekirangers but with black and gold added to the white in the bodysuit or just do the ‘shop image above. 

If you have a special someone who wants to Ranger up too, you can be nice and make him/her a GekiGreen outfit and celebrate Halloween as two fated lovers!

[vaspider]

Leggings Converted & New Styles!

Good news! The vast majority of our leggings have been converted to the MWW style -- the only ones left are the ribbon leggings, which I’m hoping I can convert after this weekend. (I was awake until 9 am this morning converting everything else, like the nerd I am.)

Note: I have ordered a pair of the MWW leggings for myself and will provide a full writeup once I get ‘em. Their 2X skirts have been reported to fit up to a 24/26, and the leggings share the same measurements.

As promised, the new layout of this style has permitted a few designs that didn’t work very well (or at all) on the Inksewn pattern Witness!

Bi Pride Swirls Stained Glass Leggings

Bi Pride Circular Stained Glass Leggings

Rainbow Gay Pride Zebra Leggings

Rainbow Gay Pride Dragonscale Leggings (many many flags available, this one’s mostly caught up!)

Bi Pride Galaxy Leggings

Asexual Pride Circular Stained Glass leggings

Transgender Pride Zebra Leggings

The stained glass leggings are a brand new style for us, and so are currently available in limited pride flags as we work to paint and add new varieties. Want us to prioritize a certain style for you? Let us know! 

My fave of the stained glass styles, I gotta admit, are these:

I’ll be adding these in other flags as I work my way through the process, but ANYWAY look at these Rainbow Gay Pride Heart Stained Glass leggings!

This Weekend 

Find us at the Trenton Punk Rock Flea Market at Roebling Wire Works in Trenton, NJ! Get buy one, get one half-off on heating pads, be the first one to lay hands on our Pride Ghosties stickers, and find new patches, including a couple of super-seckrit rock star Gritty patches. We will have one (1) of each of our new flat bill snapback hats, so come find us early if you want to run away with one of the new designs in your hands!

Next Weekend (Oct 27/28)

Same thing but we’ll be at the Philadelphia Punk Rock Flea Market. If the stars align, we’ll have an extremely limited number of our Make America Gritty Again hats available, so, again, come find us early...

[hermannsthumb]

What about college style newmann (roommates/pining penpalls/labpartners/whatever)

ok this one. got away from me a bit. uh. in my defense, writing college au newmann was VERY fun, as was imagining what they’d wear (and now i kinda......want to make this a fully fledged fic). anyway have some student union meet-cute AND implied eventual lab partners (pre-lab partners is the even more powerful form of pre-slash) also: it should be noted that newt’s guitar has a rainbow strap. tragically i couldn’t figure out how to work the description of it in but it does. picture it

There’s a super cute guy sitting off to the side in the Student Union that Newt’s never seen before and has spent the night eyeing up--dark undercut, cane, thick sweater with sleeves that are a bit too long, big round glasses on a chain, legitimate saddle shoes--and Newt’s determined to get his number by the time he leaves.

Guys like guys who play the guitar, right? The guys Newt usually picks up always think it’s cool. Saddle shoes-undercut guy didn’t seem super invested when Newt and his band were up on the little stage and he didn’t put down his book the entire time, but maybe he’s just trying to play it cool. Not let on how much Newt’s amazing guitar skills and even more amazing singing impressed him.

Newt swings his guitar over his shoulder, nods goodbye to the two other guys that constitute the band--a gig well done, congratulations all around, maybe they’ll actually get paid next time, probably not--and sidles up to the cute guy’s ratty old armchair. “Hey,” Newt says, trying his best to look cool and aloof and angling himself just enough so that his guitar is visible. The guy glances up at Newt, looking mildly annoyed.

“Hello,” he says. He has some sort of posh British accent. It’s also very cute. He hasn’t closed his book, which is a sign that Newt’s gotta make small talk fast before he gets bored and tells Newt to fuck off in nicer words. But the guy does have a little rainbow flag button pinned to the small tote bag he brought with him, so that’s at least a sign that Newt isn’t batting in the completely wrong proverbial ballpark. Or barking up the wrong proverbial tree.

Newt scuffs the toe of his boot against the ground. “I haven’t seen you around campus before,” he says. “Are you new?” The guy doesn’t look like a freshman--he looks Newt’s age. Maybe he’s an international student. The next semester doesn’t officially start for another two days, so it makes sense that Newt wouldn’t have had the chance to run into him yet if that’s the case.

“Yes, in a sense,” the guy says. “I’ll be here for the year.”

“You are international then!” Newt says. He pulls his guitar off and leans it up against the wall next to the guy’s cane, then steals the empty armchair next to him. The guy’s mild annoyance is replaced with mild alarm. “That’s so cool. I really wanted to go abroad but I didn’t have enough credit space. Sucks, but whatever. Not sure why you’d come to America of all places, but...” Hermann doesn’t say anything. Newt picks at some of the black nail polish that’s begun to chip off his fingernails. He should put a new coat on. “What’s your major?”

“Physics,” the guy says, “but I’ll be taking some engineering courses while I’m here, as well.” He looks Newt up and down--his jean jacket covered in patches, his Godzilla shirt, his bracelets, his pierced ears, his scuffed and unlaced floral docs, his tattoos. “I don’t imagine we’ll be having many classes together.”

Newt grins. “Imagine again,” he says, finally recognizing the book the guy’s reading--it’s a required text for one of the lectures Newt’s in this semester. “I do biochem and engineering.” He taps at the guy’s book. “So it looks like I’ll be seeing you every Tuesday-Thursday evening from four to six. With lab on Friday mornings.”

“Ah,” the guy says, and his cheeks go a little pink. His oversized glasses slip down his nose. It makes Newt’s chest twist in a funny way. “I see. Apologies. I didn’t mean...”

He trails off. There’s a bit of an awkward lull in the conversation; onstage, another band is readying themselves to play. “I’m Newt, by the way,” Newt says, realizing he hasn’t actually introduced himself yet.

“Hermann,” the guy says. He shuts his book carefully. Score one point Newt. “Gottlieb.”

“So, Hermann,” Newt says, his grin back, entirely prepared to enter full flirt mode, “what’d you think of my band?”

Hermann’s eyes go to the guitar propped up between them, and he looks amused. (Not overcome with lust, like Newt was hoping, but he can’t have everything.) “I’ve never heard that many Pixies covers back to back,” he says. “I’m rather impressed.”

“Yeah, we’re pretty versatile,” Newt says, leaning back in his chair with exaggerated casualness. “Once we even covered a Mountain Goats song, too.”

“Even more impressive,” Hermann says. He’s smiling, leaning in. He’s totally interested. Maybe now’s the time that Newt can swoop in, get his number, take him out on a bunch of dates, then they fall in love and--the lead of the next band taps the microphone, and static from the speakers fills the union. Hermann winces. “Another one?” he says, and scowls at the stage.

“Yeah, man,” Newt laughs. “It’s open mic night. What did you expect?”

“I didn’t expect anything,” Hermann says. “My roommate has his girlfriend over and I was just trying to find somewhere quiet to--wait it out.”

Newt forgot that international students have to live in the underclassmen dorms, which means double rooms; Newt’s had his classy senior-privilege single for less than a week and he already can’t imagine how he ever used to live with anyone else. He’s about to suggest Hermann try the library, but remembers their hours run short this week. “We could go back to mine?” Newt suggests, heart thudding a bit.

Hermann rolls his eyes. “How charitable,” he says.

“I don’t mean like that,” Newt insists, holding up his hands in defense. Hermann arches an eyebrow. Newt lowers his hands. “Okay, I mean, I was going to ask you for your number, but--” Which is not to say Newt wasn’t intending on inviting Hermann back to his place and meaning it like that eventually, just that it was the last event on a long chain of properly wining and dining him. Or buying him a bunch of cheap beer and Chinese takeout, which is effectively the same thing. “I meant I don’t have a roommate,” Newt says, “so it’d be quiet. I could make us coffee, or something?” That’s desperate. “Watch a movie?” Even more desperate.

“Thank you for the offer,” Hermann says, nice and polite, and he sounds like he means it, “but it has gotten late. They’ve likely finished by now.” He slips his book back into his tote bag and grabs his cane, but he hesitates, not standing up yet. “May I have your phone?” he says.

“Uh. Okay.” Newt squeezes his hand into the pocket of his skinny jeans and pulls out his old, cracked iPhone. He unlocks it and hands it over to Hermann, and Hermann begins fiddling with it. “What are you--?” Hermann hands it back over to him, cheeks a deeper pink than before. The contacts app is open, and there’s a new number entered into it, and above it, Hermann Gottlieb. “Oh.”

“Don’t feel obliged, of course,” Hermann says quickly, “but--you did say--”

“Yeah,” Newt says, smiling goofily. “I did. Wow. Cool.”

Hermann nods, a little stiffly, and hoists himself to his feet. He’s smiling again too. “Goodnight, Newt. I’ll see you Tuesday.”

“Okay,” Newt says, heart thudding faster. “See you Tuesday! Cool!”

He waits until Hermann’s out of sight, and then adds a few heart emojis after Hermann’s name. He really hopes that they can pick their own lab partners.

(They don’t, but to Newt’s--and to a lesser extent, Hermann’s--delight, it’s done alphabetically, and Geiszler and Gottlieb happen to fall next to each other in the class roster.)

[dogsliampaynedoesntinstagram]

Activist anon from a few weeks ago. Multi-part post coming. I am glad Harry is developing his understanding of BLM. I am middle aged, and in my 20s my framework was equality, civil rights etc. It wasn’t until well into adulthood that I developed a well-formed critique of capitalism, white supremacy, and Anti-Blackness. We know Harry is a reader and has loved ones with a stronger political analysis than he has publicly revealed. So I am hopeful he will get further in his knowledge and actions.

  2. Maybe next time he’ll hold up the flag so it is readable, like he did for Make America Gay Again (I witnessed that in person). But he did acknowledge the flag by name as well as bring it on stage and that is something. In terms of the function of the BLM flag in the U.S., I haven’t seen it at other concerts, but Harry & 1D are the only concerts that I attend of artists their age, and with a primary audience in their teens & 20s. It may be a phenomenon at other shows of LGBT artists.

3. I live in the Washington DC area & BLM flags/banners are used primarily in protests & direct actions & in or outside supportive churches & organizations/small businesses. Harry has vocalized & visualized support of the LGBT community & that holds much meaning for a segment of his fan base, both queer people (of which I am one) & people who call themselves “allies.” Representation matters. Esp. in a time of such heightened public displays of racism & state violence against Black & Brown people

4. I understand that Harry’s Black & Brown fans & their “allies” want to feel seen & supported by an artist they love & view as a symbol of acceptance & kindness. As a white person active against racism, each time he takes a bigger step to acknowledge BLM means something to me. In terms of flags in general, the U.S. has a dominant culture of patriotism & nationalism of which the flag is the primary symbol. We are raised up with the flag & the pledge of allegiance to it.

5. Out of that culture, some movements have adopted flags as symbols of strength & unity. Some understand that they are subverting what The Flag symbolizes, & others don’t think that deeply about it, they just want to be united & visible. I hope Harry & his white BLM flag waving fans go beyond the performative. White people must financially support Black & Brown led organizing, particularly community-based. We need to take action. Your thoughts on flags at shows - BLM, rainbow, & otherwise?

*******

Thanks anon - I really enjoyed reading your thoughts.  

I want to start by making clear (which I probably haven’t so far) - is that my discussion of flags was about national flags (and particularly national flags of colonial and imperialist countries).  The tradition of flags of resistance and liberation is strong and important! I’ve written about Zayn wearing the Tino Rangatiratanga flag (flag of Māori self-determination).  And I know the words to more than one song celebrating a flag of resistance. 

It’s not the flag bit I don’t understand, but there is something I don’t quite get about the way ‘Black Lives Matter’ is being deployed at Harry’s concerts.  And I’m not sure if it’s because the way that the slogan is being deployed at Harry’s concerts is quite specific, or if in the US the slogan ‘Black Lives Matter’ is used in ways that I am not aware of, being an outsider.

I’ve been wondering this for a while, but I have struggled with articulating what about the way ‘Black Lives Matter’ is being used at Harry’s concerts seems strange to me. And I think the best way to explain it is that ‘Black Lives Matter’ seems to be being used in Harry’s concerts in much the same way that rainbow flags are.

There’s a reason that Rainbow flags are at the forefront of pinkwashing - and every brand no matter how homophobic it’s past and present feels comfortable splashing them all over their advertising throughout Pride week - it’s that they’re not very specific.  As a symbol the rainbow flag is all about visibility and not about making specific demands or about structural change. There are obviously really important reasons why symbols of visibility are and have been so central to queer resistance, but they’re incredibly easily co-opted precisely because they’re not making any demands.

You and my previous anon seem to confirm my impression that within the fandom BLM is about visibility (you put it as wanting to be seen and supported - and my previous anon mentioned feeling safe and welcome).  I’ve seen ‘Black Lives Matter’ used quite differently outside the fandom.  Like you I’ve seen it on protests, in churches, in the windows of houses, as patches and badges (and of course on twitter)  and in those contexts the people wielding it were making a radical demand for a new and different society. That seems to me very different from the way it’s being used within the fandom.  But I don’t live in the US (and when I’ve visited I have a tendency to go places where radical activism is most likely).  So I’m fully aware that my entire of analysis could be and probably is wrong.

I am interested in learning more, both because I think understanding what fans are doing is quite crucial to understanding Harry’s actions, and also with my non-fan hat on, because I’m really interested in the spread of and different uses of political ideas and slogans.  I’m interested if Black Lives Matter is being deployed in ways that fall under the broad umbrella ‘visibility’ outside the fandom.  If there’s an element of demand to the fandom use of BLM that I’m missing.  And if the distinction I’m making between the two is false.

[orbemnews]

Big Candy Is Angry At first glance, the Skittles package appears to be just like the one sold in the candy aisle of a supermarket: It has block letters filled in with white, a flowing rainbow and a red candy that replaces the dot above the letter “i.” A closer look reveals some small differences: a background pattern of small, stylized marijuana leaves; a warning label; and numbers that reveal the amount of THC, the intoxicating substance in cannabis, in each piece of candy. The images are included in a lawsuit that the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company, owned by the candy behemoth Mars Inc., filed in May against five companies for selling cannabis-infused edibles that look like our old friends Skittles, Starburst and Life Savers. Though the suit focuses on intellectual property rights, the plaintiffs also argue that the copycat products could lead people, particularly children, to mistakenly ingest drugs. A spokeswoman for Mars Inc. wrote in an email that the company is “deeply disturbed” by the products. America is at an interesting crossroads: one where Big Candy, vilified in the wellness era as a primary source of refined sugar, has become an unlikely sheriff in the Wild West of recreational marijuana consumption roamed by pandemic-stressed adults. In recent years, lawsuits similar to the one filed by Wrigley have been brought by the Hershey Company (against TinctureBelle for products resembling Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Heath bars, Almond Joy bars and York peppermint patties), Mondelez International (against a company hawking Stoney Patch Kids) and Ferrara Candy Company (against a store selling Medicated Nerds Rope). These lawsuits have all been settled, with the smaller companies agreeing to halt production and sales of the offending products. Many public health officials fret that without proper regulation, accidental ingestion cases will continue to rise among children as the availability of edibles grows. Some poison control centers have already observed this trend in their data. For example, there were 122 cases of exposure to THC for children under 5 in Washington State in the first nine months of 2020, compared to 85 for the same time period in 2019. The most common side effects reported included vomiting, lethargy and chest pain. While many edible companies operating in states where medical or recreational cannabis is legal strive to comply with their local regulations, the illegal market is still thriving. “When companies like these create headlines for doing what we’ve purposely avoided at Wana, I feel anger and frustration,” said Joe Hodas, the chief marketing officer at Wana Brands, a Colorado company that sells cannabis-infused products. A recent review of the websites belonging to defendants in the Wrigley suit turned up cannabis-infused offerings like Stoner Patch Dummies, the Worlds Dankest Gushers, Gasheads Xtremes Sourfuls, Trips Ahoy, Buttafingazzz and Caribo Happy Cola. “The situation has become more and more egregious,” said Christopher Gindlesperger, a spokesman for the National Confectioners Association, a trade organization in D.C. with 350 members, including Mars Inc., Hershey’s, Ferrara and Mondelez. “The cannabis companies cannot and should not be allowed to tarnish existing brands at will. It creates consumer confusion.” Discreet Little Treats A majority of states now allow the use of medical marijuana (Alabama just joined the list), and 18 of them, including New York, have legalized recreational marijuana as well. Though sales in New York are not expected to begin until 2022 at the earliest, businesses are rushing to grab real estate and prepare for the market’s opening. Some are already selling Delta-8-THC, derived from hemp, in candy form. The spread of legalization has brought more players and consumers into the edibles market. “Edibles are easy. They’re portable. You don’t have to find a space to step aside and smoke,” said Sean Arnold, a founder of Terradigm Consulting, which advises cannabis companies on licensing, infrastructure and product development. Edibles have come a long way from the days of pot brownies, when half a pastry could lead to hours of debilitated function or to nothing at all. “Ten years ago it was the luck of the draw if you bought a brownie,” said Henry Wykowski, a lawyer who has focused on cannabis law for 17 years. “You didn’t know where you would wind up.” Today, licensed manufacturers are required by states to test their products for potency and to label packages with the amount of THC in each dose, and in the entire package. Some edibles companies make products with small amounts of THC, allowing the inexperienced to experiment with dosages. The accessibility of edibles and the discretion they afford has made them the fastest-growing category in cannabis, according to Surfside, a cannabis data-analytics company in New York. Surfside estimates that edibles have outpaced the growth of the rest of the cannabis market by 29 percent in the last three months compared with the same period in 2020. Mr. Wykowski said that transgressions that may have escaped the notice of large corporations like Mars or Hershey’s in the past are on their radar today “because cannabis is big business now.” He teaches a course on cannabis law at University of California’s Hastings College of the Law, and one of the sessions deals with laws around likenesses of other products. “Five or 10 years ago when cannabis was starting to take off, it was a joke to have something like Cap’n Punch, a cereal that’s infused,” Mr. Wykowski said. “But the industry has matured, and the people who know what they’re doing no longer engage in that kind of conduct.” Nonetheless, he regularly works with edibles companies that receive cease-and-desist letters from candy corporations. Most of these cases do not reach the courts. “Ninety percent of the time people will look at the letter and stop,” Mr. Wykowski said. Most legal cannabis companies strive to follow regulations closely. Lightshade, which runs nine dispensaries in the Denver area, has an eight-person compliance and auditing team led by Charisse Harris. Ms. Harris said that there are four checkpoints at which a product is assessed, and that every week, her auditors do random checks in the stores. Some red flags include products that feature any iteration of the word “candy” (for example, “kandy” or “candie”), and ones that do not come in packaging that meets state requirements around child safety, Ms. Harris said. “I say no a lot,” she added. Compliance becomes more complicated for companies operating in different states, since there are no federal regulations around cannabis. “In Florida, our packaging is black-and-white, and there are no images,” Mr. Hodas said of Wana, which operates in 11 states and in Canada. The gummies are a plain off-white color. In Colorado, on the other hand, the Wana container has a picture of pink watermelon slices and the gummies are a rich coral hue. There are three main aspects of a candy that can be protected by trademark and copyright laws, said Nancy J. Mertzel, a lawyer who specializes in intellectual property law. Take Hershey’s Kisses. “You have the name Kisses, which is a trademark, the shape of the candy itself, which is both a trademark and trade dress, and the packaging, which is protected by copyright,” Ms. Mertzel said. Ms. Mertzel said other possible intellectual property protections include patents — for example, Mars has sought patents for its chocolate, which is more resistant to melting than other formulations — and trade-secret laws. The most famous example of a trade secret is the Coca-Cola formula; another is Hellmann’s mayonnaise. The case Wrigley has brought against the cannabis copycats, Ms. Mertzel said, is straightforward. “I certainly understand Wrigley’s concerns about having its intellectual property used by a third party, and those concerns are exacerbated when it’s for a product that children really shouldn’t be getting,” Ms. Mertzel said. She compared the public health concerns at stake to those that were widely discussed when the tobacco industry used cartoons to target children in the 1960s. Even the Flintstones were in on it, with Fred and Barney promoting Winston cigarettes in an infamous commercial spot. Child-Proofing Cannabis Andrew Brisbo, the executive director of the Marijuana Regulatory Agency in Michigan, said that preventing youth access to cannabis is one of the primary functions of the program he oversees. And edibles are top of mind. “When we look at accidental consumption, edibles are a primary issue,” Mr. Brisbo said. “A young person won’t accidentally smoke a marijuana cigarette.” Gillian Schauer, a public health and policy consultant who has worked with a number of states on cannabis policy issues, said there are two potential concerns with edibles from a public health policy perspective: overconsumption and accidental consumption. Because edibles can take a while to kick in, people sometimes rush to eat more without waiting for the first effects. Some inexperienced users do not know what amount of THC they should consume and are not educated on the potential effects of cannabis. A low-dose amount is considered 1 to 2 milligrams of THC, but effects vary based on many factors, like body weight and how much food the consumer ate that day. Accidental consumption can affect anyone, but, Dr. Schauer said, “it has primarily impacted children because they can confuse cannabis edible products with other edible products, because most edibles look like candy or cookies or cake.” She pointed to reports compiled by poison control centers in Colorado and Washington, the two earliest states to legalize recreational cannabis use, in 2012. Between 2014 and 2018, annual calls to the Washington Poison Center about children under 5 being unintentionally exposed to cannabis nearly tripled, rising from 34 to 94. In 2017, Washington State began requiring that all edibles have a logo stating “Not for Kids” (not that this will mean much to a 2-year-old). In Colorado, edibles are the leading method by which children under 5 accidentally consume cannabis. In 2019, in Colorado, 108 people under the age of 19 were accidentally exposed to cannabis. In 2011, the year before the state legalized recreational use, that number was 16. Like Washington, Colorado now requires packaging of edibles to include a warning symbol. The state also bans the use of the word “candy” on any marijuana packaging, and the sale of edibles that look like people, animals or fruit. Dr. Schauer said other ways to reduce the risks of accidental ingestion include mandating childproof packaging, requiring that each edible item in a package is individually wrapped, limiting the potency of each individual edible, and educating consumers who live with children on how to store their cannabis products. Making packages that will not catch the eye of a child is important, she said. In Canada, for example, where cannabis is legal, federal law requires packaging to have a uniform color and a smooth texture, and not to have cutout windows, scents, sounds or inserts (among other requirements). Despite the stringency of Canada’s laws, as recently as mid-May, a child was hospitalized in the province of New Brunswick after eating Stoneo cookies that were made to look like Oreos, according to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. In America, state laws are far less strict; for the most part, they prohibit the inclusion of cartoon characters and make general statements about how the packaging should not appeal to a child. “The risks can be much more limited than we’ve seen them be so far,” Dr. Schauer said. Mr. Hodas has three children, aged 12, 17 and 19. He has been in the cannabis industry for more than seven years. When he has products at home, he keeps them secure in bags made by StashLogix. It may not slow down a motivated 15-year-old, but it will stop a toddler, he said. “If you have it locked up, and you keep in a place where they can’t reach it or see it, that’s the best way to prevent ingestion,” Mr. Hodas said. To parents of a certain age, the situation may bring to mind the 1983 public service announcement “We’re Not Candy,” in which a barbershop quartet of singing pills on television advises children “to have a healthy fear of us.” That the products now under scrutiny are a form of candy, just enhanced — and that no one is watching the same screen anymore — makes it difficult to imagine a marijuana meme so memorable. Source link Orbem News #angry #Big #Candy

[filiafanfiction]

SOLANGELO FLOWERSHOP/TATTOO SHOP AU WHERE WILL'S THE TATTOO ARTIST AND NICO'S THE FLOWER SHOP OWNER/WORKER- His converse dragged along the floor behind the counter as he made his way from the back room, Hazel shoving him towards the cash register. “Hazel~” he whined at his half-sister, trying to keep himself from moving forward at all. Hazel however was relentless, “Go help the old woman,” she pointed at a woman with silver hair picking through a bouquet of pinks and purples, “you love the old folk.” True, Nico did enjoy old people. There was just something about them, he wasn’t sure if it was there kindness or the fact that they would die soon (Nico always seemed better with half dead people), or maybe it was simply because they where older (he’d always felt like he didn't belong in this generation). Either way he always had a soft spot for the people with greying hair that came through picking around the shops bouquets. He shot his sister a meaningless glare, “Fine.” She smiled and clapped her palms together in that weird way she did when she was excited or happy. She was bouncing up and down slightly too, her feet never left the floor but her frizzy hair still moved up and down. Her perfect teeth gleamed back at him, “Great!” Nico rolled his eyes, “Oh yes! absolutely wonderful! I'm so excited.” His sister glared at him and lifted her finger to point at the woman who had wandered over into the next row of flowers. Nico put his hands up in defense and stuck his younger out at the younger girl, before walking of towards the lady. Turned out her name was Margret and she was this little town in Canada where it snowed in July. Her daughter, Anna, had moved to America with her fiancé and had decided to stay. Margret had eventually come, her daughter hadn't wanted her to grow old alone (she was a widow). She had stumbled upon the reviews for their shop online, and had decided the little flower shop was good place to look for a graduation bouquet for her grandson, Damion. He had just completed middle school and she wanted to give him flowers to make it memorable. “He’s always enjoyed the more… girly side of things,” she had told him. Nico nodded at the woman in acknowledgment, as she took a pink flower out of the bouquet and began rolling it between her fingers. She looked out at the store over her left shoulder, her eyes where glassy as though she wasn't really seeing the store in front of her. Nico reached out and set his hand on the woman's opposite shoulder, “I have just the thing, give me a moment.” She nods but her eyes are still a bit glossy and she doesn't look back at him. He turns and walks the opposite way from the direction she’s looking. He picked up a bouquet full of small blue, yellow, and white flowers inside of the plastic. He had no idea what they where called, that was his step-mother, Persephone’s job. Walking back towards Margret, Nico clutched the bouquets against his chest. Cradling the living things like a baby, he didn't mind if his arms got wet. He glanced out the window for a split second, it was nice day out but that wasn't what caught his eye. No, instead it was the boy in teal shorts and a white tank walking down the pavement. His blonde hair glittered in the sunlight almost like gold, he had turned his body a bit- almost like he was yelling at someone behind him. He started laughing and his smile revealed perfectly straight white rows of teeth and his blue eyes sparkled with a childish glee. Nico smiled softly to himself, before allowing his eyes to trail across the blondes body. What was the harm? No one was around, and Nico knew he wouldn't look in the direction he was watching from. His body was covered in stunning tattoos in various shades of the rainbow, there was everything from pastel blue to neon yellow across his body. A series of Pride Flags where tattooed firmly on the inside of his wrist. From Nico’s point of view he appeared to only have a pansexual flag and the standard rainbow flag. Long story short, he was beautiful. “Nico, dear?” A woman's voice called from the front of the shop. Cazzeo. He practically sprinted back to the woman, however he did stop to spare the blonde haired blue eyed beauty a second look. Before sighing and continuing to the front of the shop. “Coming Margret!” Nico called out as he brought the bouquet to the woman. Addio, Bello. ************ Nico sighed and tapped his fingers on the counter, long story short he was bored. He didn't hate working in the flower shop necessarily, however he definitely would have prefers working in the back with Persephone, organizing bouquets. I mean he had a good eye for detail, and his people skills weren't the best so why was he being tortured to watch the shop. Even if no one had come through yet (they opened only fifteen minutes ago) Nico wanted nothing to do with this area of the shop. The bell above the door let out a musical jungle and Nico inwardly sighed. “Welcome, how can I help?” Nico said faking a smile and barely trying to make his voice ridiculously pleasant (those people at the grocery store where ridiculous!). “Yeah,” a male voice says from the general area of the doorway. Nico finally looks up towards the costumer who just walked in. It was the guy from the window, he wore a T-shirt that was so faded Nico could not longer make out a single word on the pink fabric. His cargo shorts fell to his knees and had patches sewn in the pockets, his flip-flops where lime green. “Oh, um..” Nico stuttered, “I- uh…” The blonde didn't seem to notice Nico’s reddening face, or was to polite to acknowledge the fact. Instead the blonde just flashed Nico his heart stopping grin. “What type of bouquet would you give someone you'd like to confess some feelings too?” The blonde ask biting his lip. The blush leaves Nico's face, he's taken… Accidenti! Nico takes pride in the fact that he managed to recover from the blow so quickly, “This way.” The blonde follows him towards the wall of flowers they have. They are all arranged in color the red, the orange, the yellow, and so in in the shades of the rainbow until the color violet was over. After violet the bouquets became mismatched and itching lined up exactly the way it should, it annoyed Nico to no end. “These are often what people purchase, and you can write a card to go with them,” Nico said punctuating his sentence with a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders. “Thanks,” there's blue eyes and a smile again. “No problem, do you want me to help you? Or is it okay if I go back to the front?” “Oh, um.., I think I've got this! I think…” The blonde seems a bit unsure about his ability to pick out the proper bouquet. “Alright well, I’ll be at the front just call for me if you need help, alright?” “Yeah, um, what's your name just so I can be sure I get the right person and I'm not standing here screaming ‘help’ like some idiot.” “Nico,” The brunette says in a shyer tone of voice, “Nico.” “Alrighty then, Nico.” Nico made his way back to the front inwardly cursing himself for not bothering to her the blondes name, and for making an absolute fool of himself by being some hormonal teenage mess. Dio… Then again Nico wasn't entirely sure why he even cared. The other boy was buying a bouquet to go and declare his love to some pretty girl from somewhere and they would get married and have a nice little family and settle down somewhere. And then he'd forget about Nico, he was just the boy who sold him a nice bouquet to win some pretty girls heart. It wasn't to terribly long before the blonde can back a simple red and white bouquet in his arms. The white Lilys drapped elegantly over the side of the wrapping and the red flowers (Nico didn't know the names of half the flowers in the place). The blonde placed the bouquet on the countertop nicely giving Nico a chance to ring it up. “Do you wanna write your card out now?” Nico asked as he punched the numbers into the IPad they used to check people out. “Yeah I need that,” “Oh, alright,” Nico says handing the other the little card and a pen, “Cash or card?” “Card,” the other says reaching into his pocket for his wallet. Nico turns the white IPad around and shows the other where to swipe the card. He probably knows how but Nico is one of those people who'd rather be safe than sorry in some cases. A blue and green cards swiped through and the other signature is signed on the devices screen. Nico hands him the bouquet that's been re-wrapped with better paper during the time he was signing his name and writing out the card. Nico's handed the card and he efficiently slips it on the bow that's holding the new wrapping on around the flowers. “Here you are,” Nico says handing the bouquet to its hot blonde tattoo covered owner. “Thanks,” the guy says smiling at Nico, “It's actually for you though.” “Huh?” Nico says honestly confused, “but you said you where confessing to someone that you liked the- oh… uh..” Nico's cheeks and ears began to heat up, cazzeohe was acting like a hormonal teen again. He finds himself and the blonde just staring at each other for a minute like in one of those romantic movies his sisters like. And then the blondes phone dinged. They snapped out of there little staring contest thingy as the blonde pulled out his phone to check it . “Crap!” The blonde says looking at the device, “I have to go, but my numbers in the card ok?” Nico numbly nods along, still a blushing mess from a bit ago, “o-okay..” The blonde smiles and shoots him a quick wink before walking out the door. Nico doesn’t manage to snap out of whatever just happened until the little bell above the door rings again. He mumbles a rather late goodbye before glancing down at the flowers in his arm. He grabs the card and opens it, inside the card there's a phone number and an address, along with a quickly scribbled name. Will. ######################### WHOOO-HOO!!! Finally done! Ok so here's some quick Italian translations (hopefully in order); Cazzeo- Shit or Crap Addio, Bello- Bye, Beautiful (masculine) Accidenti- Damn(it) Now I know I didn't really get into Will's job, but hopefully him being covered in tattoos will make up for that some? I also didn't mention it however the adress scribbled on the little card was the address to the tattoo parlor where Will works. I'm not super proud of this but I'm finally complete with it so! WRITTEN FOR LIVSIG

[waterworldcraze]

Should You Isolate A Pregnant Guppy?

One of the most popular and common household pet fish is the guppy, after goldfish that is! Not only it adds plenty of color to your aquarium but is cheap and easy to maintain.

However, when it is time to multiply, you will find that they can overstock a tank relatively quickly, which can be an issue since you need to take extra care of the female guppy while pregnant.

Should I isolate my pregnant guppy? The answer is a definite ‘YES’. Isolating your pregnant guppy will help you focus on her needs and take care of her more exclusively than in an aquarium full of fish where there is competition for food, space, and survival.

However, to do this, you first need to identify your pregnant guppy before you take the next steps to isolate her and take care of her so she gives birth to healthy and active swimmers.

Guppy Facts and Why You Should Isolate The Pregnant Female

Native to South America, Guppies are a freshwater species with over 300 types.

They even have nicknames like the ‘rainbow fish’ (because they are colorful and vibrant) or the ‘millions fish’ because they multiply at an incredible rate (they have an average of 50 baby fish per month).

This is also one of the reasons why you need to isolate them when they are expecting so as not to overpopulate the tank as a whole, and you have about a month to prepare for it.

Another amazing fact about the guppy is that it does not lay eggs – it gives birth to live offsprings, which is an amazing sight on its own.

As an enthusiastic guppy owner, you will also be excited to know that guppies come in a variety of tail shapes that include the veil, double-sword flag, and lace tail.

How to Identify a Pregnant Guppy?

The first step in your mission to isolate a pregnant guppy is to identify one, and you have got a month to do this after you identify them.

They have a translucent body but you will easily be able to identify a dark spot under the tail towards the backside of their stomach if they are pregnant.

This dark spot, known as the gravid patch, increases in circumference and also becomes darker as the fries (babies) grow.

You may even be able to spot the eyes of the babies through their translucent bodies.

In the final stages of their pregnancy, the spot turns completely black and the guppies will appear fat and bloated.

Some other signs of pregnancy that you will be able to identify in a guppy include:

• Your guppy’s color will fade

• Her eating habits will change, either insatiably or not at all

• She may become more restless or hostile

• The pregnant guppy’s stomach will take a square shape (appearance)

• The gills will remain open (partly)

• She will remain at or around one spot in the tank, mostly near the aquarium

• She will appear to be pushing herself and will appear to have an arched back

A pregnant female Guppy

How to Care for a Pregnant Guppy?

For a pet animal as small and delicate as a guppy, you need to be extra careful and vigilant if you want them to be happy and active in their aquatic life.

A guppy’s pregnancy stages progress at a fast pace since the gestation period is mostly less than a month, therefore you need to take care of your pregnant guppy at all times.

There are three stages to taking care of a pregnant guppy:

1. Isolation

This step has been discussed earlier, but it cannot be stressed enough that you need to isolate your pregnant guppy so as not to overpopulate the tank.

This also helps you ensure that your focus on the pregnant guppy is more than the other fish in the tank.

2. Feeding

As with every pregnant being, your pregnant guppy needs good nutrition so that the fries develop and sustain.

However, since they have a tiny body, with most of it inhabited by its babies, they are not able to eat in the quantity needed to sustain themselves and their babies.

Therefore, you need to feed them three to five times a day, but make sure they are small meals so as not to overload them.

It is always a good idea to feed them frozen shrimp in brine or live ones coupled with high-quality flake food daily.

You can also add frozen-dried bloodworms and spirulina flakes to their diet. Variety is always a good idea to keep them healthy and happy, and also to supply them with all the necessary nutrients.

3. Delivery

It is recommended to have two tanks ready for your pregnant guppy, apart from the community aquarium.

One where the fry will be left after birth, and the other one to isolate the mother again so that she can recover before she returns to the community tank.

The separate tank for the fry will ensure that they do not fall prey to the other fish in the aquarium, while also supplying extra care to them in the first few weeks of their development.

You need to make sure that you do not keep the mother isolated for more than 24 hours after identifying the pregnancy since this can inhibit the maturation of the babies.

You can also turn up the heat of the community tank for a while to speed up the maturation process, and then keep an eye for signs of the pregnant guppy getting ready to give birth.

In most circumstances, It takes between 2 to 6 hours for a guppy to give birth, however, if she is having some difficulty during the birthing process, it may take up to 12 hours for all the fry to be delivered.

In some instances, a mother gives birth to some fry and then resumes the birthing process after a few days.

Pregnant guppy giving birth

Parents may even eat their own younglings so it is necessary to keep them separated, or fill the tank with more plants so that the fry can hide and take shelter.

Some Tips to Maintain the Guppy Population

• Guppy fry develop their gender at the end of the fourth week

• They become sexually active after the sixth week.

• The males and the females must be isolated between these times so as to prevent them from breeding.

• The gravid spot is the clearest identity of a female guppy.

• The male to female ratio should ideally be kept as 2:1 so as not to present more opportunities for breeding.

While guppies are one of the most popular pet fish that homeowners love having around, they are also one of the most misunderstood.

They are easy to dismiss with reasons such as ‘too boring and commonplace’, but their beautiful appearance and colorful presence will add some quality to your life and living room.

In fact, their birthing process is a beautiful example of how nature works.

Related Questions

How long does the gestation period last for a pregnant guppy?

The gestation period for a pregnant female guppy, such as the swordtail and veil, lasts for a period of around four to six weeks, after which they give birth to around twenty to hundred live offspring.

What is the life expectancy of guppies?

Guppies are known to have a life expectancy of around two years. However, there are numerous factors that can affect the life span of a guppy, such as food and nutrition. These fish mature around six to seven weeks on average.

Do guppies die easily?

Yes, unfortunately, guppies are known to die easily. This could be due to the lack of oxygen or poor water quality in the aquarium. Guppies are also quite sensitive to water temperatures – so you need to make sure that the water is neither too cold nor too hot.

[manaboutworldmag]

Come Meet us at the LGBTQ Pavilion at the NY Times Travel Show Jan 24-26!

All travelers are welcome at The New York Times Travel Show’s third annual L.G.B.T.Q. Travel Pavilion — the biggest in the show’s history! Register here and use code LGBTQIA for complimentary one-day ticket.

The pavilion gathers 28 tourism brands offering trip-planning inspiration, experiences, tours, cruises, travel packages, hotels, luggage, travel insurance, free apps and special pavilion-only offers for the enjoyment and safety of L.G.B.T.Q. travelers and their allies, friends and loved ones. Open to the public on Saturday, January 25, and Sunday, January 26, and to trade on Friday, January 24.

For the first time ever the pavilion includes its very own stage:

Hear from the world’s leading L.G.B.T.Q. travel experts.

Enjoy original music by an award-winning Fort Worth-based queer singer.

Bring your little ones (or just yourselves) to Drag Queen Story Hour designed for the kid in all of us.

Win prizes!

Whether you’re a member of the L.G.B.T.Q. community or know someone who is, find information and travel products tailored to

your interests and needs. Snap a selfie with famous drag performers who’ll sashay around the pavilion during the weekend festivities.

Be inspired, informed and entertained. And bring a credit card: Take advantage of many pavilion-only offers on cruises, tours and more.

Follow the giant, historic, 25-foot Gilbert Baker-designed rainbow flag proudly hanging above the L.G.B.T.Q. Pavilion on the northwest side of the show floor.

These are the travel brands that you’ll meet:

AIG Travel Insurance

Atlantis Cruises, Tours and Events

Blue Walk European Walking Vacations

Choose Chicago

Collier County, Fla. (Naples, Marco Island, Everglades)

Cunard Luxury Cruises

DavidTravel

Discover Puerto Rico

Fluide Beauty

Gaybnb, Gay-Friendly B&B, Australia

GeoSure Global

HE Travel, Gay Travel and Tours

HOMOCO Queer Swim Brand

IGLTA, the International L.G.B.T.Q.+ Travel Association

Keihan Hotels and Resorts, Kyoto

NY State Tourism (I LOVE NY)

Out Adventures, Gay and Lesbian Tours and Holidays

Out in the Vineyard

OutRight Action International

Pride Japan

Pride of the Americas, Fort Lauderdale

Provincetown

ROAM Luggage

Sikeleli Travel L.G.B.T.Q.-friendly African Safaris

Quiiky L.G.B.T.Q Italy Travel

VACAYA: All-LGBT+ Cruises & Resorts

Visit Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Visit Fort Worth, Texas

L.G.B.T.Q. STAGE

Friday, January 24

2–2:45 p.m. L.G.B.T.Q.+ Travel Safety and Empowerment L.G.B.T.Q.+ consumers face unique challenges when traveling. Experts discuss the resources available for them to travel with greater confidence.

2:50–3:50 p.m. Everyone Welcome HospitableMe’s signature hospitality inclusion training program.

4:15–4:50 p.m. Straight to the Bottom Line L.G.B.T.Q.+ allies discuss how to generate business in the queer travel segment in an authentic, respectful and sustainable way.

Saturday, January 25

11–11:30 a.m. Travel Safety and Confidence L.G.B.T.Q.+ consumers face unique challenges when traveling. Our experts discuss the resources available for them to travel with greater confidence.

Noon–12:45 p.m. L.G.B.T.Q. Travel: Tours, Cruises, Events and Destinations for 2020 Moderator Ed Salvato leads a lively discussion of new cruises and tours, not-to-miss events and up-and-coming hot spots around the world. Bring your travel questions!

Noon–1 p.m. Live From the World’s Largest Gay Cruise We’re patched in LIVE to the Atlantis Oasis 2020 Cruise — check out the fun happening now on the Caribbean Sea.

1:30–2 p.m. Fort Worth Presents Rachel Gollay Feel the vibe with the city’s most fascinating songwriter, the award-winning and openly queer artist Rachel Gollay.

3–3:30 p.m. So You Think You Know New York? Test your knowledge and win prizes at the I Love New York State Quiz Show.

4–4:30 p.m. Puerto Rico Presents Puerto Rico is sunny, ringed by beaches and bathed by the warm waves of the Caribbean.

Sunday, January 26

Noon–12:30 p.m. Drag Queen Story Hour The library sensation comes to the L.G.B.T.Q. Pavilion. Officially for kids, but fun for kids of all ages!

1–1:30 p.m. It’s a Queer, Queer World Inspirational stories from real L.G.B.T.Q. travelers.

2–2:30 p.m. Hack Your Trip! From getting in the right headspace, to packing your suitcase, our experts share the best travel tips, including how to take the #BestSeflie.

3–3:30 p.m. Spend It HERE (Not THERE) Representatives from our L.G.B.T.Q.+ friendly travel providers and destinations tell you why you should travel with the people and places that love you back.Please share

The post Come Meet us at the LGBTQ Pavilion at the NY Times Travel Show Jan 24-26! appeared first on ManAboutWorld.com.

from https://ift.tt/36NQzuQ

[gaminghardware0]

Rainbow Six Siege’s Frost goes on the hunt in her new elite skin

Rainbow Six Siege’s Canadian trap specialist Frost is getting a new elite skin, and in it she’s decked out as a rugged, go-it-alone trapper equipped for long treks through the Yukon. Frost’s new skin was revealed at the end of a panel discussion by the Rainbow Six Siege team during the Six Majors tournament in Paris today, following an in-depth look at some of the other changes coming along with Operation Grim Sky. The elite skin has Frost a fur-lined parka with rough stitching and polygonal camouflage. Over it, she’s wearing an old-school military pistol belt, which reflects her service in the Royal Canadian Air Force. A pouch on the chest strap is emblazoned with a Canadian flag patch, and on her hands she’s wearing a pair of rough-duty trapper’s gloves. Frost isn’t wearing any headgear or face covering in her new elite skin, and her hair is braided back in four loose rows. The trapper theme is an appropriate one for Frost, a defender who can place her ‘Welcome Mat’ snares to instantly down attackers who aren’t watching their step. She grew up in British Columbia, which has some of the most beautiful and untamed wild country in North America. from https://www.pcgamesn.com/rainbow-six-siege/frost-elite-skin

[att-tactical]

I particularly fond amusing the last sentence in the fifth paragraph: XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX A South Carolina woman vying for an open seat in the House of Representatives has reignited the debate over the Confederate flag, blasts acceptance of gays And doubles down on “Make America great again” in a series of ad appearances, Few has trumpeted her pro-Trump agenda, saying that she “will not only make America great again, but she will make America America again.” I really don’t know what that means, because I’m black and the high-pitched racist dog-whistle politics are not meant for my ears, but I know it’s shady by the way the Caucasians in the crowd clap and nod their heads when she says it. Few came out of the gate shooting at everybody. No, really—she literally opens her first campaign ad holding an AR-15 (the preferred weapon of school shooters and white separatists). After introducing herself, in her next ad, she just goes on an extended rant about liberal ideas, small government, Common Core, family values and all the other crazy things the people whose necks are the same color as Trump’s jowls believe are plaguing this country. She peppers the video with the subliminal images of the terrible, terrible things that make wypipo want to throw up in their mouths: Barack Obama bowing to a Muslim leader; an Islamic State group beheading; a bulldozer removing a statue of Robert E. Lee; and a picture of a gay soldier. (How do we know the soldier is gay? The soldier has a rainbow patch on her uniform because, apparently, in Sheri Few’s America, homosexuality is a sin, but you can get a military medal for it.) (at South Carolina State House)

[orbemnews]

Big Candy is Angry At first glance, the Skittles package appears to be just like the one sold in the candy aisle of a supermarket: It has block letters filled in with white, a flowing rainbow and a red candy that replaces the dot above the letter “i.” A closer look reveals some small differences: a background pattern of small, stylized marijuana leaves; a warning label; and numbers that reveal the amount of THC, the intoxicating substance in cannabis, in each piece of candy. The images are included in a lawsuit that the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company, owned by the candy behemoth Mars Inc., filed in May against five companies for selling cannabis-infused edibles that look like our old friends Skittles, Starburst and Life Savers. Though the suit focuses on intellectual property rights, the plaintiffs also argue that the copycat products could lead people, particularly children, to mistakenly ingest drugs. A spokeswoman for Mars Inc. wrote in an email that the company is “deeply disturbed” by the products. America is at an interesting crossroads: one where Big Candy, vilified in the wellness era as a primary source of refined sugar, has become an unlikely sheriff in the Wild West of recreational marijuana consumption roamed by pandemic-stressed adults. In recent years, lawsuits similar to the one filed by Wrigley have been brought by the Hershey Company (against TinctureBelle for products resembling Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Heath bars, Almond Joy bars and York peppermint patties), Mondelez International (against a company hawking Stoney Patch Kids) and Ferrara Candy Company (against a store selling Medicated Nerds Rope). These lawsuits have all been settled, with the smaller companies agreeing to halt production and sales of the offending products. Many public health officials fret that without proper regulation, accidental ingestion cases will continue to rise among children as the availability of edibles grows. Some poison control centers have already observed this trend in their data. For example, there were 122 cases of exposure to THC for children under 5 in Washington State in the first nine months of 2020, compared to 85 for the same time period in 2019. The most common side effects reported included vomiting, lethargy and chest pain. While many edible companies operating in states where medical or recreational cannabis is legal strive to comply with their local regulations, the illegal market is still thriving. “When companies like these create headlines for doing what we’ve purposely avoided at Wana, I feel anger and frustration,” said Joe Hodas, the chief marketing officer at Wana Brands, a Colorado company that sells cannabis-infused products. A recent review of the websites belonging to defendants in the Wrigley suit turned up cannabis-infused offerings like Stoner Patch Dummies, the Worlds Dankest Gushers, Gasheads Xtremes Sourfuls, Trips Ahoy, Buttafingazzz and Caribo Happy Cola. “The situation has become more and more egregious,” said Christopher Gindlesperger, a spokesman for the National Confectioners Association, a trade organization in D.C. with 350 members, including Mars Inc., Hershey’s, Ferrara and Mondelez. “The cannabis companies cannot and should not be allowed to tarnish existing brands at will. It creates consumer confusion.” Discreet Little Treats A majority of states now allow the use of medical marijuana (Alabama just joined the list), and 18 of them, including New York, have legalized recreational marijuana as well. Though sales in New York are not expected to begin until 2022 at the earliest, businesses are rushing to grab real estate and prepare for the market’s opening. Some are already selling Delta-8-THC, derived from hemp, in candy form. The spread of legalization has brought more players and consumers into the edibles market. “Edibles are easy. They’re portable. You don’t have to find a space to step aside and smoke,” said Sean Arnold, a founder of Terradigm Consulting, which advises cannabis companies on licensing, infrastructure and product development. Edibles have come a long way from the days of pot brownies, when half a pastry could lead to hours of debilitated function or to nothing at all. “Ten years ago it was the luck of the draw if you bought a brownie,” said Henry Wykowski, a lawyer who has focused on cannabis law for 17 years. “You didn’t know where you would wind up.” Today, licensed manufacturers are required by states to test their products for potency and to label packages with the amount of THC in each dose, and in the entire package. Some edibles companies make products with small amounts of THC, allowing the inexperienced to experiment with dosages. The accessibility of edibles and the discretion they afford has made them the fastest-growing category in cannabis, according to Surfside, a cannabis data-analytics company in New York. Surfside estimates that edibles have outpaced the growth of the rest of the cannabis market by 29 percent in the last three months compared with the same period in 2020. Mr. Wykowski said that transgressions that may have escaped the notice of large corporations like Mars or Hershey’s in the past are on their radar today “because cannabis is big business now.” He teaches a course on cannabis law at University of California’s Hastings College of the Law, and one of the sessions deals with laws around likenesses of other products. “Five or 10 years ago when cannabis was starting to take off, it was a joke to have something like Cap’n Punch, a cereal that’s infused,” Mr. Wykowski said. “But the industry has matured, and the people who know what they’re doing no longer engage in that kind of conduct.” Nonetheless, he regularly works with edibles companies that receive cease-and-desist letters from candy corporations. Most of these cases do not reach the courts. “Ninety percent of the time people will look at the letter and stop,” Mr. Wykowski said. Most legal cannabis companies strive to follow regulations closely. Lightshade, which runs nine dispensaries in the Denver area, has an eight-person compliance and auditing team led by Charisse Harris. Ms. Harris said that there are four checkpoints at which a product is assessed, and that every week, her auditors do random checks in the stores. Some red flags include products that feature any iteration of the word “candy” (for example, “kandy” or “candie”), and ones that do not come in packaging that meets state requirements around child safety, Ms. Harris said. “I say no a lot,” she added. Compliance becomes more complicated for companies operating in different states, since there are no federal regulations around cannabis. “In Florida, our packaging is black-and-white, and there are no images,” Mr. Hodas said of Wana, which operates in 11 states and in Canada. The gummies are a plain off-white color. In Colorado, on the other hand, the Wana container has a picture of pink watermelon slices and the gummies are a rich coral hue. There are three main aspects of a candy that can be protected by trademark and copyright laws, said Nancy J. Mertzel, a lawyer who specializes in intellectual property law. Take Hershey’s Kisses. “You have the name Kisses, which is a trademark, the shape of the candy itself, which is both a trademark and trade dress, and the packaging, which is protected by copyright,” Ms. Mertzel said. Ms. Mertzel said other possible intellectual property protections include patents — for example, Mars has sought patents for its chocolate, which is more resistant to melting than other formulations — and trade-secret laws. The most famous example of a trade secret is the Coca-Cola formula; another is Hellmann’s mayonnaise. The case Wrigley has brought against the cannabis copycats, Ms. Mertzel said, is straightforward. “I certainly understand Wrigley’s concerns about having its intellectual property used by a third party, and those concerns are exacerbated when it’s for a product that children really shouldn’t be getting,” Ms. Mertzel said. She compared the public health concerns at stake to those that were widely discussed when the tobacco industry used cartoons to target children in the 1960s. Even the Flintstones were in on it, with Fred and Barney promoting Winston cigarettes in an infamous commercial spot. Child-Proofing Cannabis Andrew Brisbo, the executive director of the Marijuana Regulatory Agency in Michigan, said that preventing youth access to cannabis is one of the primary functions of the program he oversees. And edibles are top of mind. “When we look at accidental consumption, edibles are a primary issue,” Mr. Brisbo said. “A young person won’t accidentally smoke a marijuana cigarette.” Gillian Schauer, a public health and policy consultant who has worked with a number of states on cannabis policy issues, said there are two potential concerns with edibles from a public health policy perspective: overconsumption and accidental consumption. Because edibles can take a while to kick in, people sometimes rush to eat more without waiting for the first effects. Some inexperienced users do not know what amount of THC they should consume and are not educated on the potential effects of cannabis. A low-dose amount is considered 1 to 2 milligrams of THC, but effects vary based on many factors, like body weight and how much food the consumer ate that day. Accidental consumption can affect anyone, but, Dr. Schauer said, “it has primarily impacted children because they can confuse cannabis edible products with other edible products, because most edibles look like candy or cookies or cake.” She pointed to reports compiled by poison control centers in Colorado and Washington, the two earliest states to legalize recreational cannabis use, in 2012. Between 2014 and 2018, annual calls to the Washington Poison Center about children under 5 being unintentionally exposed to cannabis nearly tripled, rising from 34 to 94. In 2017, Washington State began requiring that all edibles have a logo stating “Not for Kids” (not that this will mean much to a 2-year-old). In Colorado, edibles are the leading method by which children under 5 accidentally consume cannabis. In 2019, in Colorado, 108 people under the age of 19 were accidentally exposed to cannabis. In 2011, the year before the state legalized recreational use, that number was 16. Like Washington, Colorado now requires packaging of edibles to include a warning symbol. The state also bans the use of the word “candy” on any marijuana packaging, and the sale of edibles that look like people, animals or fruit. Dr. Schauer said other ways to reduce the risks of accidental ingestion include mandating childproof packaging, requiring that each edible item in a package is individually wrapped, limiting the potency of each individual edible, and educating consumers who live with children on how to store their cannabis products. Making packages that will not catch the eye of a child is important, she said. In Canada, for example, where cannabis is legal, federal law requires packaging to have a uniform color and a smooth texture, and not to have cutout windows, scents, sounds or inserts (among other requirements). Despite the stringency of Canada’s laws, as recently as mid-May, a child was hospitalized in the province of New Brunswick after eating Stoneo cookies that were made to look like Oreos, according to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. In America, state laws are far less strict; for the most part, they prohibit the inclusion of cartoon characters and make general statements about how the packaging should not appeal to a child. “The risks can be much more limited than we’ve seen them be so far,” Dr. Schauer said. Mr. Hodas has three children, aged 12, 17 and 19. He has been in the cannabis industry for more than seven years. When he has products at home, he keeps them secure in bags made by StashLogix. It may not slow down a motivated 15-year-old, but it will stop a toddler, he said. “If you have it locked up, and you keep in a place where they can’t reach it or see it, that’s the best way to prevent ingestion,” Mr. Hodas said. To parents of a certain age, the situation may bring to mind the 1983 public service announcement “We’re Not Candy,” in which a barbershop quartet of singing pills on television advises children “to have a healthy fear of us.” That the products now under scrutiny are a form of candy, just enhanced — and that no one is watching the same screen anymore — makes it difficult to imagine a marijuana meme so memorable. Source link Orbem News #angry #Big #Candy