A Toast? How About a Toke?

Earlier this month, when Ellen Epstein arrived at the Devil's Thumb Ranch in Tabernash, Colo., for the wedding of her friends Lauren Meisels and Bradley Melshenker, she, like the other guests, found a gift bag waiting for her in her hotel room. But rather than a guide to activities in the area or a jar of locally made honey, the canvas bag contained a rolled joint, a lighter and lip balm infused with mango butter and cannabis, along with this note: "We wanted to show you some of the things we love the best."

She knew then that the wedding of her fellow Boulder residents would be just a little different from the ones she had attended in the past.

Read more... http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/07/27/fashion/marijuana-wedding-guest-colorado-and-washington-state.html?_r=1&referrer=

EU sanctions plan threatens to shut Russia out of world financial system

Here is the EU sanctions document under furious debate today, courtesy of our Brussels correspondent, Bruno Waterfield. Proposed sanctions Note the heading "Non paper". It is leaked, not authorised. This is a menu of options. It requires unanimous backing of the 28 ambassadors. Any one country ca...

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/finance/ambroseevans-pritchard/100027714/eu-sanctions-plan-threatens-to-shut-russia-out-of-world-financial-system/

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Iran Unveils New High-Tech Drone Based On Obama's 'Gift' In 2011

Question Of The Day: When this drone was "captured" by Iran back in 2011, Obama could have immediately order that it be remotely destroyed through satellite and stealth technology so Iran could not have used it. So why didn't he?

Iran has unveiled its own copy of an American stealth drone it captured in late 2011, claiming to have cracked the "secrets" of the bat-wing craft and added weapons capabilities. Today, Fars News Agency reported that while Iran's duplicate of the US RQ-170 Sentinel drone was smaller, it also had a "bombing capability to attack the US warships in any possible battle." The story in Persian was headlined: "America's nightmare has become reality."  State television showed footage on Sunday it said was of a US aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf filmed by an Iranian drone.

Read more... http://www.nowtheendbegins.com/blog/?p=21177

Marijuana edibles burgeoning into an industry

The proliferation of marijuana edibles for both medical and recreational purposes is giving rise to a cottage industry of baked goods, candies, infused oils, cookbooks and classes that promises a slow burn as more states legalize the practice and awareness spreads about the best ways to deliver the drug.

Read more...http://www.azcentral.com/story/money/business/2014/07/18/marijuana-edibles-burgeoning-into-an-industry/12868363/

Bitcoins Can’t Shake Bubble Image in Poll After 45% Drop

Bitcoins, which lost 45 percent of their value after skyrocketing to more than $1,100 last year, are poised to tumble further, according to the latest Bloomberg Global Poll of financial professionals.

Fifty-five percent of those surveyed said the virtual currency trades at unsustainable, bubble-like prices, according to the quarterly poll of 562 investors, analysts and traders who are Bloomberg subscribers. Another 14 percent said it's on the verge of a bubble. Only 6 percent of respondents said a bubble isn't forming. The remaining 25 percent were unsure.

Read more...http://bloom.bg/1l9PSga

Next Gold Rush: Legal Marijuana Feeds Entrepreneurs’ Dreams

DENVER — Like the glint of gold or rumors of oil in ages past, the advent of legal, recreational marijuana is beginning to reshape economies in Colorado and Washington State. Marijuana is beckoning thousands of entrepreneurs and workers, investors and hucksters from across the country, each looki...

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/19/us/new-gold-rush-legal-marijuana-feeds-entrepreneurs-dreams.html

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Dell becomes largest retailer to accept bitcoin payments

Gigaom's Derrick Harris said last year that Dell, upon going private, "should let its freak flag fly and take some real risks to distinguish itself from the service-vendor pack." Bitcoin wasn't on Derrick's list of ideas for Dell, but Friday's announcement that the computer giant has partnered wi...

http://gigaom.com/2014/07/18/dell-becomes-largest-retailer-to-accept-bitcoin-payments/

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Fighting escalates in Israel

JERUSALEM — Israel launched its largest offensive in the Gaza Strip in nearly two years, carrying out a blistering aerial assault Tuesday on scores of targets and killing 19 people in what officials called an open-ended operation aimed at ending weeks of heavy rocket fire. As Gaza militants unlea...

http://www.politico.com/story/2014/07/israel-palestine-air-strikes-108678.html

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