1. Devil's Advocate

Time Stamp: 5:09

* Revisiting Familiars* The Benefits of Having A Companion Animalhttps://petsforvets.com/benefits* Individuals with strong and rewarding social connections are happier, have fewer health problems and live longer than those who don’t* Pets never judge, instead, offering only unconditional love, support and a feeling of safety.* For the animals, having a routine and a human they trust gives them a sense of belonging and security they may have not had before.* When petting an animal, the hormone oxytocin is released into the brain of both the human and the animal, creating a sense of calm, regulating breathing, and lowering blood pressure and pulse rate. Health is further improved through shared physical activity such as walks, hikes, runs and playing games like fetch.* Saves Animal Lives - Each year in the U.S., over 6.5 million animals enter shelters and approximately 1.5 million are euthanized.* Benefits of Companion Animalshttps://northamerica.covetrus.com/resource-center/blogs/animal-health/animal-health/2017/06/02/benefits-of-companion-animalshttps://www.nps.gov/goga/learn/management/upload/Comment-4704-attachment_.pdf* Psychological benefits* Reducing depression* Warding off loneliness by providing companionship* Increasing the need to take or maintain responsibility for self* Lowering the incidence of psychological disease* Lessening the need for medication* Providing a sense of purpose.* If we accept that we are animals, ‘no better, often worse than those who walk on all four’, than we must accept that they are an integral part of our world, and thus it is an opportunity for us to improve their lives by improving ours.* With taking care of the environment* Outreach to local shelters* Creating a positive feedback loop emotionally and psychologically

2. Infernal Informant

Time Stamps: 34:41

* House set to vote on marijuana legalizationhttps://www.politico.com/news/2020/08/28/marijuana-legalization-house-vote-404455* The House will vote on legalizing marijuana next month.* States would still have to vote to legalize the drug. Marijuana is already legal in 11 states.* The MORE Act would remove cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act and erase some cannabis criminal records.* Neither chamber of Congress has ever voted on removing marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act.* “A floor vote on the bill would be the greatest federal cannabis reform accomplishment in over 50 years,” said Randal Meyer of the Global Alliance for Cannabis Commerce.* Background: Cannabis is a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act, which was signed into law in 1970. Drugs that are classified as Schedule I are defined as having a high potential for abuse and no medical benefit.* This bill, H.R. 3884 (116), was introduced by House Judiciary Chair Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) last fall and passed the House Judiciary Committee by a vote of 24-10 in November. Reps Matt Gaetz (Fla.) and Tom McClintock (Calif.