THE BUZZ

Fast Food Salary

Realizing wage matters, one massive chain is stepping up its game.

Never in a million years did we think we would be including McDonald’s in the Buzz section of this magazine. But when a “We’re Hiring” banner in front of a local McDonald’s was sent to us with a line that read, “$18 dollars per hour,” It became clear that maybe The Golden Arches has started to catch on to the importance of off ering a living wage to employees. The fast-food giant said it would increase wages for more than 36,500 hourly workers by an average of 10% over the next several months. Non-managerial workers at the chain’s roughly 660 company-owned restaurants in the U.S. will earn at least $11 to $17 an hour at entry levels after the increases, McDonald’s said. Considering cooks in most states at the fast-food chain are still paid less than $10 an hour, maybe the increase will refl ect the hardship of living in the United States in 2021. Every person deserves a living wage. If they show up to work, they should be compensated fairly. Now let’s hope the franchise owners follow suit.

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT BANISH BREAKOUTS

CBD and natural ingredients help heal acne-prone skin.

CBD can work wonders on the skin, and its powerful compounds are featured in BalmLabs’ ClearBalm, formulated with six plant-based ingredients. The skincare line gently combats acne while reducing in ammation and redness and hydrating the skin. This plant-powered, science-driven three-step system for adult acne-prone skin doesn’t rely on stripping chemicals like salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide.

The line was inspired by founder Sarah Waldock’s challenges with adult acne, which resurfaced in her 30s and 40s. Frustrated by existing lines for adult acne, she reached out to Dr. Robin Scha ran, a Beverly Hills–based dermatologist. Formulated by a team of North America’s leading skincare scientists, ClearBalm uses the hemp Sativa plant, Bixa Orellana Seed Extract, and natural AHAs derived from sugar cane, sugar maple, bilberry, and citrus fruit extracts. The three-step system includes Gentle Foam Cleanser, Power Elixir, and Serum Hydrator. ClearBalm products are cruelty-free with no synthetic dyes, fragrances, parabens, or PEGs.

BY THE NUMBERS

12K

The number of likes a Facebook video titled “Florida Man Dance Routine” has gained so far. Intrigued? You can check it out and like, love, or join the 826 who have wowed it here:

facebook.com/ watch/?v=415392452337938

0

Amount of nicotine in the vape pen that Kate Winslet continually hits on screen in the hit HBO show “Mare of Easttown.” The actresses’ pen made vapor but contained no chemicals according to producers.

381

THOUSAND

The number of Oklahoma residents—patients and caregivers— who have medical marijuana cards. That’s 9.5% of the Sooner State’s population.

Diversity In Film + TV

An award-winning journalist starts a new publication devoted to diaspora.

Award-winning entertainment journalist Dino Ray Ramos launched a new tradeadjacent online publication titled Diaspora (thediasporatimes.com) that is dedicated to amplifying marginalized voices in Hollywood. “I’ve been a journalist for two decades, and I have witnessed underrepresented voices in the newsroom and in Hollywood that haven’t prominently been heard in the way they deserve. I have used my voice in service to other publications and have been o ered a ‘seat at the table’ throughout my career. But it’s time to change that in a major way. We are building that table now,” says Ramos. In the online publication, Ramos and his team tackle issues of casual racism in lm and television, take hits at the entertainment industry, and demand those in positions of power step up and represent the many voices that make up viewing audiences.

thediasporatimes.com

[Florida Gov.] Ron DeSantis made a conscious choice to sign an anti-LGBTQ bill on the very fi rst day that we are celebrating Pride. DeSantis decided to take that day to attack the community.”

—Alphonso David, president of the Human Rights Campaign

BILITIES

BY STEPHANIE WILSON, EDITOR IN CHIEF

1 BONG CARTS. Did you hear the news? Bong carts are the new bar carts, and you totally need to get one.

2 OR YOU MAY ALREADY HAVE ONE if you have any piece

of accent furniture on wheels where you store your stash in a decorative jar next to the water pipe you display like its a ne vase. It technically is a vase, at least as far as the dictionarians* at Merriam-Webster are concerned.

3 SENSI’S DICTIONARY OF CHOICE de nes a vase as a “usually round vessel usually with greater height than width used chie y... for holding owers.” Sounds just like a bong, except for that “s” at the end. Bongs are for ower, singular; vases are for owers, plural. Both will look great on the bar cart you’re about to transform into the hottest accent furniture trend of the century.

4 IF YOU HAVEN’T HIT A BONG SINCE COLLEGE, a) give it

another whirl, but put some ice cubes in it rst (gently, because: glass)—it’s a cool game changer; b) your bar cart could still use a refresh in prep for the roaring fun the 20s promise to provide. Despite what the name implies, bong carts aren’t just for bongs. Pipes, papers, grinders, stash jars, rolling trays, and other high-end accoutrements can mix and mingle with spirited accessories, books, and other objets d’art that you fancy.

5 YOU ALREADY HAVE A BONG CART, YOU SAY? Oh, you

fancy! I like your style. And the world wants to see, so snap some pics, run them through a lter (I recommend “Food 1” on the free Photoshop camera app if you want to make your photos pop), and share using the #bongcart hashtag. Show the world what the cannabis lifestyle looks like from your eyes.

*Side note: I have now known that “dictionarians” is a real word for as many seconds as its been since I nished typing it out, hit the space, and didn’t see a red squiggly line appear. So that’s fun.

FROM THE INSIDE OUT

CBD pills for wellness

Stress is the silent killer. It’s that thing everyone allows into their lives every moment of every day, and without proper stress management, it can sneak up on you and put you at risk for a multitude of health problems. CBD and organic hemp are nature’s answer to stress relief. One company, NuLeaf Naturals, has created what it calls the world’s highest-quality cannabinoid wellness product line. While that claim is one that no self-respecting magazine would tout for reasons of journalistic integrity, the products seem to be genuinely unique and very high quality.

Launched in 2014, NuLeaf Naturals began with the mission and intention of creating a product that would promote a healthy mind and body with its full-spectrum CBD oil. Created after ample research and development, the capsules and oils represent a new generation of cannabinoid wellness. CBD is something with which our endocannabinoid system is in sync, and each whole plant hemp extract NuLeaf product is highly concentrated in CBD and also contains a full spectrum of signi cant cannabinoids like CBC, CBG, and CBN.

Made with USA-grown organic hemp. Committed to safety, quality, and consistency.

Capsules and Oil Products range from $30-$400 NuLeafNaturals.com