Friday, December 12, 2014

Cannabidiol CBD, Marijuana Medicine Without the High

CBD is Cannabidiol, the second most prominent chemical compound within marijuana, yet it's taken a distant backseat to THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) over years of selective breeding. That's changing fast as scientists and doctors begin to understand CBD better, which may be far more responsible for medical benefits than THC, the component that makes one feel high. CBD is not psycho-active, an obvious bonus for patients who want natural relief from medical marijuana but don't want to feel stoned.

CBD may be a treatment for chronic pain, diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease, alcoholism, PTSD, schizophrenia, antibiotic-resistant infections, rheumatoid arthritis, MS, epilepsy, and other neurological disorders.

What are your thoughts? Share a comment.

Find out much more info at Project CBD (http://www.projectcbd.org/).


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Tuesday, December 02, 2014

New Video Course: Bestselling Keywords for Amazon Authors

Prlog.com - Pismo Beach, CA.

Knowing which keywords to choose and how to use them effectively is a common need for many authors. This online course makes keyword research simple to help authors get their books to rank higher with search terms used by Amazon readers.

A new video course focuses on finding smarter keywords. Just released by self-publishing instructor, Jason Matthews, Bestselling Keywords for Amazon Authors is now available at Udemy and other online educational retailers. The course was created for writers who struggle with metadata and keyword selection, helping make that aspect of publishing easier. It’s designed for writers about to publish and for those already selling books on Amazon. It teaches methods for identifying relevant and popular keywords and categories for any book. It also shows keyword implementation, which helps readers discover books using Amazon’s search engine.

Keywords can be effectively added throughout Amazon’s publishing platform, including in the author’s KDP dashboard, the book’s title, subtitle, product description and within the actual interior text. The course uses Amazon’s search engine in conjunction with Google’s Keyword Planner for research and decision making. It’s a time-saver enabling books to rank higher in search results for their chosen terms.

19 video lectures combine for 77 minutes of instruction with quizzes and supplemental text that includes links to websites listed in the course. Each video shows real-time examples and are between 2 to 5 minutes in length.

Using keywords wisely helps any book rank higher with Amazon’s search engine and places it in front of more perspective readers. This course can be accessed with a discount coupon code at https://www.udemy.com/bestselling-keywords-for-amazon-authors/?couponCode=Keyword7.
Check out the video on YouTube:

About Jason Matthews

Jason Matthews is an author of multiple books in fiction and non-fiction. He’s an avid blogger, speaker and publishing coach. His specialties are building author platform, selling at retailers, social media, blogging and SEO. He teaches a series of author training videos at Udemy and other online educational retailers.

Tuesday, November 04, 2014

Voters Approve Legal Marijuana in Washington D.C.-Oregon-Alaska!

flickr photos/emiliep/346381107/
Initiative 71 in Washington D.C. passed as expected by a wide margin, allowing the right for people over 21 to possess up to two ounces of marijuana for personal use and grow modest amounts at home. It does not allow people to smoke in public nor does it allow for selling, though it lets people "give" marijuana to others over 21. The bill still faces a review by Congress in January. With smooth sailing the new law could go into effect by April of 2015.

Oregon voters just created America’s third legal marijuana market. Measure 91 also passed by a wide margin, legalizing recreational marijuana for people over 21, allowing possession of up to eight ounces of “dried” marijuana and up to four plants. The Oregon Liquor Control Commission will regulate sales.

In Alaska voters approved Ballot Measure 2, which allows for cultivation, possession and sales to those over 21 with state taxes on regulated sales.

The majority of Floridians voted to legalize medical marijuana, but Amendment 2 did not pass by the needed 60% to go into effect. Oh well, think 2016.

It's pretty clear Americans are tired of the war on marijuana (and hopefully hemp too). Hats off to all the voters who helped make new realities in this country. Next mission, 2016. America, are you ready to fix this injustice of a prohibition on one of the world's greatest natural resources?
--
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Saturday, November 01, 2014

NY Times Gets It: Time to Legalize

courtesy flickr photos/minow/5129134923
Great NY Times editorial board article on why the war on marijuana is a failure at many levels. Thank you, editorial board!
It took 13 years for the United States to come to its senses and end Prohibition, 13 years in which people kept drinking, otherwise law-abiding citizens became criminals and crime syndicates arose and flourished. It has been more than 40 years since Congress passed the current ban on marijuana, inflicting great harm on society just to prohibit a substance far less dangerous than alcohol.
The federal government should repeal the ban on marijuana.
We reached that conclusion after a great deal of discussion among the members of The Times’s Editorial Board, inspired by a rapidly growing movement among the states to reform marijuana laws.
There are no perfect answers to people’s legitimate concerns about marijuana use. But neither are there such answers about tobacco or alcohol, and we believe that on every level — health effects, the impact on society and law-and-order issues — the balance falls squarely on the side of national legalization. That will put decisions on whether to allow recreational or medicinal production and use where it belongs — at the state level....(continue reading NY Times article)

What do you think--is it time to finally legalize it? Leave a comment.
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Thursday, October 23, 2014

Marijuana Vote 2014: Should Pot Be Legal?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/diversey/9179211415
The 2014 midterm election has a few eye-catching marijuana initiatives, either for medicinal use or to legalize it as Colorado and Washington did in 2012. Those landmark states allow adults over 21 to possess and use pot in modest amounts though the details get a little murkier when it comes to transactions like selling, the exact weights, the ages and home locations of people involved. Go figure.
23 other states have already passed some measure of medicinal use and/or decriminalized personal use of small amounts. Thoughts ahead to 2016 include how many states may allow further medical use, further recreational use, further pet use (see below), or even talk of downright federal legalization.

Legalize it?
Seems like a stretch since the federal government still classifies cannabis as a Schedule 1 drug, the most dangerous controlled substance category that has "no known medical use and is highly abusive." Cocaine is a Schedule 2 drug, allowing for medical use. What about the approximately 40,000 inmates currently in prison for marijuana-related offenses? (That's more than inmates of homicides, burglaries and sex crimes combined.)
Oregon and Alaska both have similar measures, 91 and 2, to what Colorado and Washington have passed, essentially legalizing personal use and in theory benefiting from the commodity's taxation. The problem  is that most pot is still sold under the table to avoid excessive taxes, plus banks are shy to do business with weed dealers. Again, go figure. But if Oregon and Alaska legalize marijuana, that should royally piss off Californians to be so far behind the times since California was the state that got the whole medical joint rolling back in 1996. Hard to believe it's been 18 years.

Grandma likes herb
One state voting on medicinal marijuana is Florida, which has by far the largest percentage of citizens over 65, an age group noted for care-taking needs and often steeped in tradition. Just guessing, might be a close vote there.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/dustinq/485932555

Undo the damage done
Perhaps the most interesting vote since the 1937 Marijuana Tax Act is Initiative 71 in Washington D.C. that seeks to fully legalize the possession and use of up to two ounces of marijuana and the possession and cultivation of up to three marijuana plants. If it passes, one would assume the lines drawn by the federal government will need to be made much clearer or perhaps eliminated altogether.

The future
The horizon is poised for an explosive evolution, similar to when the large lizards died out and mammals roamed freely. Imagine buying a snack from a pot vending machine like the ones distributed by Zazzz. Or for those who like their feet more grounded, how about cannabidiol for your ailments, all the healing without the high? There's even companies like Canna-Pet that make pet food, treats and oils. Again, it's for good health and not for getting Kitty stoned, you can stick to the catnip for that. And my cereal wouldn't be the same without a scoop of hemp seeds thrown in, bought at Costco but imported from Canada of course.

Okay, you can have your weed but God please not your hemp!
IMO, the strangest aspect about all of this is that hemp is still illegal, a wonderful plant that can be used for textiles, plastics, paper, food, fuels, building materials and much more. Believe it or not, it used to be illegal NOT to grow hemp in Virginia due to its versatility. Fun fact: hemp doesn't get you high, it's simply a great plant that can be used for just about anything and that's why our forefathers grew it. The war against this plant is beyond something that doesn't make sense; it's a paradox and a travesty and seriously needs fixing.

What do you think--should pot be legal? Or dare I say it, should hemp be legal? Leave a comment.
--
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Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Lessons from the Dying


Dead? Part of my consciousness resisted the notion even though I was moving fast beyond the hunch that it was possible. I remained stuck in space, waffling over what to do. The light continued to draw me to it, not in a demanding way but like a gentle invitation.
“There is as much time as you need,” the voice said with such compassion that I felt completely at ease, which resulted in an outpour of emotion. I didn’t want to cry but there was no resisting. The emotions flowed from me like water from a busted dam as the realization hit home that everything I had known was now in the past, forever separated. The voice reassured me as it said, “Many souls encounter what you’re feeling now.”
I continued to sob, still wanting to hold back but knowing that wasn’t possible. The emotions were set free in a way I had never experienced, slowly morphing into a sound I’d never made before. It was no longer a weeping of only sadness but a release of fear, frustration and resentment mixed with relief, joy, even love. The sounds of all emotions combined into a melody of pure expression. Then they passed and left me as quickly as they had come.
I settled into a peaceful acceptance. I relaxed and focused more clearly on the light source, allowing the brilliant yet soft glow to draw me in.
At last I said, “I’m okay.”
“You are.”
The final thing I said before joining the light was, “I’m surprised I hadn’t thought about this more.”
***
Most of us don’t think much about our mortality. We don’t wake up and wonder if today might be our last. Instead we think about the things on our schedule and in the days ahead. But some people do go through their day occasionally wondering, will I die today? It’s hard for the rest of us to imagine what that must be like.
There are many people who are close to their dying days and conscious of it. Usually we think of the elderly, but this also includes children and younger adults, anyone with a condition that is ending their lifetime imminently. Whether you spend time with people who know they are experiencing final days, or if you research them and read books by hospice workers, it should be noted how often their recommendations and reflections on life contain similar themes. The consistency of their advice should be taken to heart like pearls of wisdom.
What are some lessons from the dying elderly? People who have lived full lives and are winding down typically say things like this:
  • Do what you love.
  • Life is short; appreciate the time you have.
  • Don’t work too hard or worry so much about money.
  • Relationships are everything. Make time for family and friends. Give love.
  • Be honest.
  • Forgive everyone. Forgive yourself.
  • If you owe someone an apology, give it.
  • Be happy.
It’s not surprising that many children and younger adults with life-threatening illnesses speak about similar themes:
  • Be yourself and let others be who they are.
  • Be grateful for your blessings.
  • Time is precious.
  • People matter.
  • Follow your dreams.
Hospice care expert, Dr. Lani Leary Ph.D., has worked with hundreds of patients experiencing their final days. She has found dying people do not fear death; they are more concerned about emotional abandonment, not feeling connected to loved ones or not feeling valued. Dr. Leary says dying people want these things:
  • They want us to listen. Listen openly without judgment, assumptions or comparisons. Be comfortable with silence too.
  • They want us to touch them. Dying people may feel self-conscious, even ugly or undesirable. Physical touch helps tremendously whether it’s holding their hands, embracing them or gently brushing their hair.
  • They want our love and permission to let go, that they may leave this lifetime without feeling like they quit on us, failed us somehow or abandoned us (Leary, 2011).
When you take the advice of those about to pass on and combine that with their final requests from us, it becomes a pretty good recipe for wise living. Imagine if more people in the world:
     Better You, Better Me by Jason Matthews
  • Listened without judging and let people be who they want to be.
  • Touched each other more openly, in a caring way meant to appreciate the other person.
  • Focused on improving relationships, cultivating happiness along with forgiveness for everyone.
This is easier said than done, but wouldn’t the world be a better place if more of us had this philosophy? I knew I needed to improve in these areas, which were among my first focal points in being a better version of me. The focus on the bigger picture is an ever-present theme. We’ll discuss these concepts and others throughout the chapters of this book. We’ll also cover ways to remember and apply the concepts, which have remarkable results.

This book is available at Amazon.

 --
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Wednesday, June 25, 2014

A Slightly Better You



I watched my own body as it lay motionless beneath me. I hovered near the ceiling, marveling at how genuine the experience felt. It was real yet completely surreal, examining my lifeless figure on display. While hovering there, the first inklings came that I may have died.
A sense of detachment already existed, knowing it was my body but it wasn’t me. It didn’t define “me” anymore; it had just been my container and “I” was something else. An impulse compelled me to leave the body behind and move toward a light source above that was beckoning me to join it. I can’t explain how it was beckoning me but I sensed it was. As I began floating toward the light, a stubborn resistance held me back, and I remained suspended in the air for what seemed like a very long time.
“You’re safe,” a voice said. It came from the light and had a wavy resonance, like a sound made under water, making it hard to tell if the speaker was male or female.
“I am?” I heard myself reply but couldn’t sense much else except for my mind trying to determine if I was dreaming or experiencing an altered state of consciousness. The first impressions were no familiarity yet a strange feeling of relief.
“Life as you knew it has run its course.”
For some reason, I sensed it was true. The motionless body beneath me confirmed it. My life had ended—it was just over. After a moment to digest the concept, I responded with one word. “Wow.”
***
Imagine something like this is happening. You realize you’ve passed away and it’s a little overwhelming. This is a hypothetical discussion today, but we all know it will happen. It has to happen eventually. Thinking about death isn’t much fun, but it can change your life as it did with mine.
Even if it feels uncomfortable, take a moment to seriously imagine your life has just ended. Perhaps the end came when you were hit by a bus; maybe you drifted off in sleep at a ripe old age; maybe it happened another way. We can leave those details to you and also which version of an afterlife you experience, but for this hypothetical postmortem scenario it needs to be a conscious afterlife, not a total end of existence. Whether you are with a heavenly figure, or bathed in a brilliant light or surrounded by previously departed family and friends, simply imagine you have died and your consciousness is still intact.
Now think about this next concept, one which many survivors of near-death experiences have reported happening to them. During this afterlife, what if you were given the opportunity to reflect on your lifetime? What if you were shown events from your life, like being a witness to it, where choices were made and actions were taken or not taken? How might that make you feel?

Reflections on Your Life

If this were to happen, it seems likely the amount of money you made wouldn’t be the biggest concern. Perhaps how you interacted with family and friends would be. Was I a loving spouse, a responsible parent or even a good friend? Maybe it would be how well you took care of your body. Did I exercise enough and eat well? Did I listen to my body when it gave me signs? Perhaps you’d reflect on choices at crossroads and whether or not you chose wisely. Did I accept that opportunity presented to me? Did I take any risks, or did I act too impulsively? Maybe it would be something else, like allowing a dream or ambition to wither and fade away. Did I follow my heart? Did I give my dream a chance? Regardless of the main focus during your life-review, there might be one nagging thought, a thought I would also have because hindsight is always clearer.
I could have done better.
It’s not easy to think about. This thought brought me to tears when I truly contemplated how I could have loved my family members better or how I could have achieved my goals in life better. Perhaps you feel the same way or can sympathize. When evaluating our past choices in a hypothetical afterlife there is no winning or losing, just an interpretation of what we did and how it makes us feel.
Maybe this won’t happen to you but maybe it will. If you research enough people who have had near-death experiences, you’ll find this pattern repeating (Near Death Experience Research Foundation, 1999).
I could have done better.
The thought even makes me angry. Nobody is perfect. Nobody’s close to perfect so we always could have done better. I understand that and you do too. Let’s not get stuck there, even though it is true.
Instead think of it this way: if there will be a life-review, wouldn’t you appreciate knowing about it beforehand so you can make more effort to be better while still alive? I believe most people would, just as they’d prefer to proudly watch their better version during the hypothetical life-review.
It’s not a stretch then to make a case that this should be a focus of more people’s lives, to be a better version of themselves or even a slightly better version during the time we have left. Slightly better is a smart short-term goal. After all, nobody should expect an Ebenezer Scrooge transformation where you go from being a tyrant to a saint in one wild night.
What do you think—are you willing to give it a try? I hope you will because you’ll be joining me in something that has transformed my life. If you decide to try it, there’s no time like the present. Whether there’s a life-review or not, you probably agree that a better version of you sounds like a fine idea. I hope you are curious enough to keep reading because this book can bring about wonderful life changes.

A New Focus

Better You, Better Me. This concept has become a priority in my life. I went through the hypothetical discussion in a very real way and didn’t like what I saw. At that time I couldn’t bear the thought of my accumulated experiences being my final legacy since there was still so much more I wanted to do and fix, or at least try to do and fix. Whether or not the life-review happens, I’m going to work on being better. It’s good for me and everyone around me. Today, tomorrow, next week and so on I plan to maintain a calm focus, not an obsession, but a calm focus on personal development. Perhaps it’s the greatest thing I can focus on.
Today I will be a slightly better version of me.
This mantra enveloped me once I adopted it. Why write a book about the focus? Because I’ve experienced profound changes and felt compelled to share. The changes began to happen soon after adopting the focus. My attitude became more positive. My reasoning grew clearer. My body got healthier. Relationships felt more meaningful. Work and finances finally started to turn around. Everything in life improved as a result. The daily focus caused dramatic experiences to occur fairly quickly and spread out to each area of my life. I know it can for you too.
If you decide to adopt this mantra and focus on becoming a better version of you with occasional reminders each day, amazing things will happen. It’s not a secret or a gimmick; it’s a set of practices that works when applied. Please continue reading and find out if the ideas within this book work for you too. I can promise this much—it will be worth the small effort.
May I ask a favor? Please read this next question out loud:
“Can I be a slightly better version of me?”
I assume the answer is yes. Did it feel good saying it or make you smile? Now try saying the next sentence out loud with genuine interest:
“How can I be a slightly better me?”
This is where it gets interesting. The responses are different for everyone, even if the answers aren’t readily apparent but are percolating as subconscious blips. When you sincerely ask how you can be better, something within you perks up at the mere question. Maybe you have solid answers already in mind, or maybe you have a hunch of things to come. I hope both are true, because all of that is where we’re heading.
“What can I do to be a slightly better me?”
Simply asking questions like these is a remarkable experience of introspection. It’s shifting from a state of passively wishing for a better life to actively seeking solutions. This is how the transformations in my life occurred. The questions alone inspire greater things that are already within us and waiting to emerge. But hang on; this is a lot more than merely saying a few magic words. This is also living those words, mentally and physically applying them, even when taking baby steps toward the better you.
***

Key Concepts

  • Begin by describing yourself as The New Me. This book is going to talk about you changing for the better; therefore The New Me begins to exist as soon as you start altering the old one. Besides, it feels good. I think you’ll find it a refreshing way to think about yourself.
  •  Better Me and The New Me are powerful daily focuses or mantras.
  • It helps to write it down: How can I be a slightly better me? If it’s in a few places as a daily reminder, it’s easier to keep the focus.
You can use my examples or come up with your own specifics, but phrase them audibly and as questions.

Questions to Focus on Better Me

  • “What can I do to be happier?”
  • “How can I treat my body better?”
  • “What can I do to be better at my job?”
  • “How can I be a better parent?”
  • “What can I do to be a better lover?”
  • “How can I be a slightly better golfer?”
  • “How can I be a slightly better me?”
 Better You Better MeI know this is redundant, but write this one down or write down a few versions because if you don’t have the daily reminder, it’s easy to forget. Then ask the questions out loud to yourself. Phrasing them as questions gets your mind’s creative juices flowing, even at the subconscious level. The answers are often already inside you or within your grasp; questions help to reveal those answers and get results. We’ll discuss this in greater detail in the Affirmations, I AM and Asking Questions chapter.
This daily reminder, which I refer to as the focus, is the cornerstone for positive life change. It helps me to have a few versions of these little notes in places where I’ll see them throughout the day: one in my wallet, a wrinkly one in my pocket and one taped to the laptop. It enables everything else to follow. You might be surprised how soon positive changes will materialize.
Although it’s important to remember any meaningful transformation takes time and persistence to become a permanent part of you. The book is not long, but it contains a lot to think about and incorporate into your life. For that reason it isn’t meant to be read entirely in one sitting. I recommend reading it one or two chapters at a time, or one part at a time, and allowing those concepts to soak in. See if they have a similar influence on your life as they did on mine.
“How can I be a slightly better me?”
 
 This book is available at Amazon.

 --
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