thompo

Sorry I should have been more specific. I only vaped THC.

I mean, probably. Cigarettes make me hurt (haven’t smoked one in a decade at least). Vapes make me hurt. Smoking weed from a clean pipe gives me almost zero negative effects unless I smoke significantly more than usual over the course of a few days.

I have asthma. Even legal dispensary bought THC cartridges put my lungs in such a bad spot that my rescue inhaler barely brings relief. If I wasn’t well aware of that and hit one a dozen times over the course of the day I would be in serious trouble.

I have asthma and have lived in Denver since before legalization.

When vape pens first came out I never had any issues. In the last few years I very well could have easily been one of those statistics.

Vape pens make my lungs hurt and I have to use my rescue inhaler for days afterwards. It’s terrible. I don’t know if they changed how they make the oil but I completely gave up on vaping. I tried one with pineapple flavoring and man... it almost was the death of me.

that's probably why these places are still so pristine

what do you mean, irresponsible? how do you know these people aren't working their asses off in a responsible manner to try to pay off their debt?

expensive, isolated, absurdly beautiful...

i guess "unlikely" probably isn't the word i would use in this situation.

and after listening to 'serial', give 'undisclosed' a listen - they dive much much deeper into the details of the court case, police records, evidence, etc.

linemen literally bash their heads together on every play. it would actually be a huge surprise to me if there was less head trauma at that position.

Here in Denver, we have medicinal marijuana dispensaries literally all over town. Off the top of my head, I can think of dispensaries that share parking lots with typical brick and mortar stores like Pet Smart, Target, etc. There are also a few right in the middle of downtown Denver. They're even starting to employ sign spinners that stand outside and wave a cardboard sign for $8 an hour that says "$35 8ths", etc.

Aside from the occasional completely irrational commenter on DenverPost.com, most folks around here just don't give two shits about these dispensaries. Crime rates at these shops (as well as their warehouses where they grow their product) are lower than that of banks and pharmacies. Their security and ID-checking measures are all taken very seriously, you simply never hear about them letting in underage kids or folks without medicinal permits. All of the irrational fears of "dispensaries ruining neighborhoods" or "dispensaries selling marijuana to underage kids" simply have not materialized.

In regards to your question - most of these shops are owned by "sane, enterprising individuals" and not creepy street dealers. The culture of marijuana around here is NOTHING like it was back in the midwest. There is no paranoia, fear, or any of those weird dynamics that surround marijuana in non medicinal states -- people simply don't care. Smoke it if you want, get a medicinal card if you need it, but just keep it to yourself and there will be no problems.

THIS is how we defeat the war on drugs. There are people that will say medicinal marijuana laws are just a backdoor effort for full legalization .... and they're right. With decades of brainwashing from our very own government, it's going to take time and patience to change public opinion of marijuana. The best way to do this is to regulate the production and distribution of this plant (Colorado has some of the most progressive and proactive medicinal laws in the country, much more than even California) and to slowly expose the general population to it.

Ending the war on drugs isn't going to happen over night but we are certainly beginning to move in the right direction.

learn the basic compound lifts with a barbell - squat, deadlift, bench press, overhead press, clean, and row

learn a routine and stick with it - some suggestions are:

mark rippetoe's starting strength (http://aasgaardco.com/store/store.php?crn=199&rn=312&...)

westside for skinny bastards (http://www.defrancostraining.com/articles/38-articles/60-wes...)

bill starr's 5x5 (http://madcow.hostzi.com/5x5_Program/Linear_5x5.htm)

you'll get more bang for the buck out of a real weight lifting routine with some added cardio or barbell complexes (google the cosgrove evil 8) rather than a mostly cardio based routine. cardio by nature is catabolic - it is nearly impossible to maintain muscle mass while training cardio heavily. instead, focus mostly on lifting weights to alter your body composition (build muscle, improve posture, burn fat) and using cardio to supplement that with increased endurance and overall cardiovascular health. the optimal cardio to pair with weight training is HIIT (high intensity interval training) - basically sprint training. if you need any reason for this, compare photos of a marathon runner with a 100m sprinter and you'll see the obvious differences in body composition.

if you want to look like an athlete you need to train like one, period. fitness should a complete lifestyle change, not a weekend hobby.

It's also a bit ironic that starting strength will teach him the proper mechanics for most compound lifts, and then Crossfit will turn around and teach him how to work as quickly as possible with an often times alarming disregard for form.

If anything, I'd look into barbell complexes as a way to prepare for Crossfit.

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/sports_body_trai...

Check out the Cosgrove Evil 8, it's one of my all time favorites.

Another suggestion - check out Never Gymless by Ross Enamait. It's a fantastic resource for people who either don't want to go to a gym or just those of us who work really late some days and don't want to miss a workout.

http://www.rosstraining.com/nevergymless.html

'I'm sure you're up there with those who think that people who owe large sums of money should "just work harder" or "lay off alcohol and cigs".'

You say I'm "up there" like I'm some sort of snooty asshole for working my face off for six months to pay off my debt. I have my vices (I love you, Mary Jane) and I still managed to afford them so make whatever assumptions you will about me, I just found it more gratifying to work on my debt rather than get canned every weekend (not at first, it took a few months to get to that point).

I feel for you in regards to your injury, but 20k is pretty damn far from insurmountable debt. If anything it sounds like you've given up on yourself, and that sucks because I've been there and it's a tough spot to break out of.

I worked my ass off for six months to pay off 5k - work your ass off for 24 months and you'll be well on your way to knocking down that 20k.

Oh.... and just work harder.

i rang up about 5k in credit card debt. six months ago, i decided to put my nose to the grindstone and get it done.

i paid my last $600 off this morning.

i stopped buying unnecessary shit, stopped eating out all the time, and most importantly, made payments -every- time i possibly could. if i opened my bank account online and had $400 left in checking, i'd put $250 into the card. if i had $200 left, i'd put $100. there are a whole boatload of $50 payments and many even smaller.

just start paying and don't stop until it's gone. pay your bills, stay fed, and whenever you have money left over, move it to your credit card. try to make a small payment every couple days. just focus on that damn number and make it smaller every single opportunity you have until it reads "0".

i also made enough during this period to pay for a trip to jamaica in cash. i only make $39,500 yearly so it's not like i'm hauling in bags of dough, but focusing on my credit card debt also had some interesting side effects - like learning money management and learning how to save WHILE paying down old debts.

it got to the point that i found more joy in moving $50 to my credit card than going out and dropping $50 on drinks over the weekend. it's funny, but all that stuff that i just 'had' to buy before ...... it turns out i didn't. imagine that.

My girlfriend is the assistant director of nursing at a 175 resident long term facility.

She is two months from finishing her MBA online through University of Phoenix and will be taking an $8,500 raise (from $66,500 to $75,000) just for completing the program.

This article discusses what a mistake it is to leave your current job to obtain an MBA while completely ignoring the fact that you don't -have- to leave your job to get your Masters anymore.

"When you look at today’s most evolved business organisms, it is obvious that an MBA is not required for business success."

You could argue that an undergrad degree isn't even required for business success. That's not the point. There are plenty of career paths that having a Masters is still a HUGE benefit and the health care industry might be one of the biggest.

http://www.va.gov/opa/bios/

Read the executive bios for the VA and count the number of people that don't have a masters degree.

Morally questionable to who? You?

Yes I think starting a cannabis related startup is a good idea. I live in Colorado where we have over 100,000 medicinal patients and a dispensary on every other street in the Denver area. Combine that with a staggering amount of people that consume cannabis recreationally, unaffiliated with the medicinal program, and you can see how there's a pretty enormous market in this state alone. Now take into consideration the relative size of California and the fact that every single one of its citizens of legal age could potentially be buyers of this product.

Nobody would advertise on it? The Denver Post disagrees with you mightily ---> http://www.denverpost.com/news/marijuana ... oh yeah, the Westword Magazine disagrees with you too ---> http://www.westword.com/directory/marijuana-dispensaries/

Do you have any idea the amount of shops that are going to be offering cannabis products? You don't think, I don't know, that THOSE people would like to advertise? Or the glass blowers that make a living making pipes, bowls, etc? Or the vaporizer manufacturers like http://silversurfervap.com or the web developers that make most of their money designing sites for dispensaries in medicinal states? What about grow light suppliers like http://www.sunlightsupply.com or the nutrient companies like http://www.generalhydroponics.com/ or the full hydro/grow stores like http://www.thebigtomato.com/ ?? Consider the seed banks like http://www.cannabis-seeds-bank.co.uk/ that will be bringing their business to California. Think of the apparel companies that sell cannabis related gear. Think of the music industry when it finally adopts weed in out in the open. Think of the electricians that specialize in wiring grow rooms from small all the way up to the warehouse sized ones that dispensaries run around here.

Edit: You know what, I'm not even done. Here are some more people that "wouldn't advertise" -- cannabis edible makers and drink makers like http://www.keefcola.com/ , online communities like http://www.icmag.com , cannabis breeders like DJ Short, companies that sell point of sale software to dispensaries, credit card processors, etc etc etc.

This is so much bigger than you'll ever know, and it makes me sad that you have such a negative attitude towards it. This is bigger than the gold rush and bigger than silicon valley.

And we're only talking about California. Think of when the next state adopts it. And the next. And the next.

I also find it ironic that you think nobody would "buy" a cannabis related startup when this very thread is about a very wealthy individual investing $100,000 already, and the law hasn't even passed yet. Imagine the projects he's got his eyes on for when it actually DOES pass.

Mark my words, if legalization takes hold you're going to see your first cannabis entrepreneur break the Forbes 400 in a very short amount of time.

you really can't see the potential start-up opportunities that will come forth through the legalization of a substance that millions of people use worldwide?

well at least i know you won't be my competition. keep on keeping on man.

as a dedicated strength trainer, bodybuilder, and all-around gym rat, i absolutely NEED eight hours of sleep. i can feel a massive difference when i wake up for work in terms of soreness and stiffness if i don't get a full night's sleep. waking up the day after a heavy squat or deadlift session on a full night's rest feels AMAZING - doing it on 4 hours of sleep is 1000% the opposite.

on top of that, if i don't hammer a huge breakfast in the morning before work i'm about as miserable as i would have been had i only slept four hours.

sleeping well and eating well means i'm productive at work. being productive at work makes me leave the office with a positive mood, ready to get back into the gym and start the cycle over.

to anybody that believes they can survive on 4-5 hours of sleep nightly, i suggest you pick up an exercise routine immediately. after a few weeks it will be quite apparent to you the relationship between a healthy body and a full sleep schedule.

i'm glad i misread that as 10 pounds, 10kg weights will be fine for now as you learn what to do with them (all barbell motions that i suggested you research can be practiced with dumbbells)

and honestly, all you really need a bench for is bench pressing. until you have access to a gym or just have more space, you can work on pushups and eventually weighted pushups.

and if we could get some feedback from you, the following would be helpful -- current height/weight, your average daily diet (meals, meal times, snacks, everything)

there are a million things that need to be addressed but i'm going to be as basic as i possibly can.

#1 - if you can read while you exercise, you're not exercising. if you want to accomplish something meaningful with weights while "waiting for food to cook", you're in for a world of disappointment.

#2 - a decent olympic bar and basic assortment of plates (5/10/25/45) can be had on craigslist for cheap ($30). you're going to outgrow those 10lb dumbbells in a week.

#3 - you're only working two of the smallest muscle groups there are. you need to focus not on building biceps, but building an overall strength base and level of fitness. this is best achieved with BASIC BARBELL MOVEMENTS - squat, deadlift, bench press, overhead press, barbell row, clean, lunge, etc. research and learn these movements, they're the key to unlocking both mass and strength gains. body weight exercises like dips and pullups are crucial as well. (and for the love of god, if there's one thing that you take away from this, it's that you have legs and they're the biggest muscle group you have... work them!)

#4 - find a popular template such as the stronglifts 5x5 (http://stronglifts.com/stronglifts-5x5-beginner-strength-tra...) or one of the Westside for Skinny Bastards programs (http://www.defrancostraining.com/articles/38-articles/60-wes...). these will give you a basic understanding of how to build a program around the common lifts.

#5 - diet is equally as important as what you're doing with the weights. sleep is the other leg of the tripod.

#6 - set goals. and have fun. :)

EDIT: there's another thing i should add that is absolutely crucial --

please learn to perform these lifts properly. study videos online, look at pics of other lifters, and practice with a broom stick. hell, you'll gain more in a month from practicing the basic movements with a broomstick than you would from continuing your current program for five years. i cant stress enough that these movements are the basic building blocks of all strength fitness, and when done properly they can transform you into a lean, mean animal. when done improperly, however, you risk everything from looking like a fool at the gym to eventually blowing a disc in your lower lumbar and spending the next two years rehabbing rather than achieving your fitness goals.

double edit-- http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1401515

reference this older post of mine for more detail on some program templates, and definitely look into "never gymless" if you're interested in what you can achieve without weights.

what about designers?

In an earlier post of mine, I made reference to the Cosgrove Evil 8. If you're looking for something that you can do inside, these would be great for a beginner to do with a broomstick. It would give you an opportunity to learn a majority of the most important (and basic) compound lifts without being intimidated by a gym atmosphere. It would also give you one hell of a workout in a relatively short amount of time, something great for doing at home.

Being able to perform each of these lifts properly would make you more knowledgeable than MOST people at your average ballys or 24 hour fitness, and that should give you plenty of confidence to start busting your ass at the gym.

edit, here's the link [cosgrove evil 8]:

http://www.tmuscle.com/free_online_article/sports_body_train...

Another thing I'd like to add to this:

TAKE VIDEOS. If you're hesitant to bring a point and shoot to the gym, go later at night or before noon when the gym is relatively empty. Share your videos on any of the big lifting forums and ask for opinions. Sure, you can ask a trainer, but if you're lifting at any of the major chain gyms I wouldn't trust a lot of those guys to critique a squat as far as I can throw them.

If you're doing a lift with improper form, you might as well not do it at all. The point of maintaining proper form is to not only remain injury free, but to also point out any strength imbalances you might have (weak quads in a deadlift, weak lower lumbar in a squat, etc etc).

(example vid, i switched to sumo-stance for deadlifts and wanted to make sure i was doing it right before moving back up in weight -- http://www.imperial.org/~jd/deads275.wmv )

I can respect -anybody- that posts videos and asks for help on form. The amount of weight you're moving is trivial - the fact that you want to focus on your form and perform the lift correctly speaks volumes. I respect the guy squatting 95lbs correctly infinitely more than the guy squatting 405lbs to 25% depth any day of the week.

some extra programs if you're looking for more templated options:

http://www.rosstraining.com/nevergymless.html

Ross Enamait's "Never Gymless" - this guy will turn you into a freak of nature ... without a gym. Also be sure to check out "Infinite Intensity" and his other programs as well.

http://www.defrancostraining.com/articles/38-articles/65-wes...

West Side for Skinny Bastards 3 by Joe DeFranco - a four day split involving max effort, dynamic effort, and repetition days.

http://www.aasgaardco.com/store/store.php?crn=199&rn=312...

Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe - one of the best books as far as learning the basics of barbell movements and how to apply them successfully. Also check out "Practical Programming" which will help you scale your workouts to beginner, intermediate, and advanced programs as you progress.

And finally, if you're looking for a way to get a quick and brutal (did i mention brutal??) cardio workout, I highly suggest high intensity interval training (HIIT) in the form of barbell complexes.

http://www.tmuscle.com/free_online_article/sports_body_train...

I highly suggest Cosgrove's Evil 8 complex, you'll be entirely gassed in about ten minutes. Complexes are GREAT for people looking to build mass and continue doing high intensity cardio without the catabolism (muscle breakdown) associated with slower, long duration cardio.