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Awaiting Clarity: Superior Cannabis Company and the Unresolved Legality in HF100 #MNLEG

Two men standing next to each other in a room.

Awaiting Clarity: Superior Cannabis Company and the Unresolved Legality in HF100 #MNLEG

As #mnleg deliberates, Jeff Brinkman, the driving force behind Superior Cannabis Company, eagerly awaits the opportunity to commence planting. However, uncertainties surrounding final legalization have put this crucial step on hold. While Jeff has received planting extensions, the timeline and feasibility of moving forward remain uncertain.

The limited range of manufactured products may diminish the effort involved, Jeff acknowledges. Constraints on product choices and interstate processing, as dictated by #mnleg, pose significant challenges, potentially hindering market growth.

Preserving existing federally legal products is a hopeful prospect for Jeff and his team. However, the evolving regulatory landscape, influenced by #mnleg, brings caution and skepticism regarding possible changes before the finalization of laws.

As we wait for clarity on product legality in HF100 and decisions from #mnleg, the anticipation grows. It is vital to engage in the legislative process and advocate for fair and informed decisions that will shape the industry's future.

During this period of uncertainty, let us remain patient and stay informed. Jeff Brinkman's resilience exemplifies the determination needed to navigate challenges in an ever-evolving industry.

Jeff Brinkman calls on #MNLEG to "Remove barriers for small business and farms" in legalization push

A group of people holding signs in front of a podium.

Political parties in Minnesota against SF1827, a bill that stifles voter choice in MN Presser

Presser about united stance of political parties in Minnesota against SF1827, a bill that stifles voter choice in MN. 

 

https://myemail.constantcontact.com/M... A collaboration of political parties of Minnesota, led by the Libertarian Party of Minnesota (LPMN), is hosting a press conference on Tuesday, February 28th in Press Conference Room B971 at the State Capitol Building. Party leaders and elected officials will give statements in opposition to SF1827, a bill that is being heard by the Senate Elections Committee at 3 pm in the Senate Building, room 1200. Leaders of these parties are also testifying at the Senate Election Committee hearing. “The two legacy parties have failed us and Minnesotans are craving other solutions to the challenges they face. We have come together to testify against SF1827 because we need more choices on the ballot, not fewer,” said LPMN Political Director Nate Atkins. SF1827 doubles the requirements needed for political parties in Minnesota to achieve Major Party status for purposes of placing candidates on the ballot and access to campaign funding. By creating impossible requirements, this bill disenfranchises Minnesotans whose views are not represented by the two old parties. LPMN Chair Charles Kuchlenz said, “It is crucial that we uphold the principles of democracy and defend the rights of all voters to have a wide range of choices at the ballot box. This is what makes our democracy strong and vibrant.” Raising the threshold for major party status from 5% to 10% of a statewide vote, this bill solidifies the attitude that politics in Minnesota is pay-to-play rather than a democratic process where all voices are heard and represented at the ballot box. Details Date: Tuesday February 28th Time: 2 pm press access, press conference at 2:20 pm Location: Room B971, Press Conference Room, Capitol Building Background Information Text of Bill: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/text... In neighboring states the threshold for “party status” is 1% in South Dakota and Wisconsin, 2% in Iowa, and 5% in North Dakota. Raising Minnesota to 10% makes us the most unfriendly state to emerging political parties when compared to our neighbors. The Libertarian Party of Minnesota represents the ideals of individualism and liberty where the government is limited and individual liberty is maximized. The Libertarian Party was established in 1971. Charles Kuchlenz has been the Libertarian Party of Minnesota's chair since May 2022. Previously he served as the LPMN's Political Director. Nate Atkins is the current Political Director of the LPMN. Previously he was the party's nominee for mayor of Minneapolis in 2021. Cara Schulz is a sitting city councilwoman for the city of Burnsville and a long time member of LPMN and former executive committee member for LPMN. Independence-Alliance Party Integrity, responsibility, dignity, service, justice, and community. Mike Winter Candidate and Campaign Support Director for the Independence-Alliance Party. Green Party of Minnesota (GPMN) Democracy, Social Justice, Peace Cam Gordon Previous Ward 2 Councilmember of Minneapolis for 16 years GPMN Coordinating Committee Samantha Pree-Stinson Elected to Minneapolis Board of Estimate and Taxation President The Constitutional Republic Party (CRP) was founded out of a desire for smaller government based on the original understanding of the US Constitution; the CRP realizes there is a need for government in our lives, we just believe it should be as small as possible. Travis “Bull” Johnson Former US Congressional candidate in Minnesota’s 7th congressional district and led one of the most successful 3rd party campaigns on a national level in the 2022 election cycle. He founded the Constitutional Republic Party in 2022. Media Contacts: Charles Kuchlenz, Chair of Libertarian Party of Minnesota [email protected] Samantha Pree-Stinson, Green Party of Minnesota [email protected] Mike Winter, Independence Alliance Party [email protected] Travis “Bull” Johnson, Chair of Constitutional Republic Party [email protected] # # # Production by: #MattKowalski #KowalaMedia #MediaFreeAmerica

A large grain bin with a sign on it.

“Walz Tells The Truth!” by Thomas H. Behrends CMS (Retired)

Kowala Media interviewed Command Sergeant Major (Retired) Thomas H. Behrends on Sunday in Brewster, MN as part of a chapter of the #MediaFreeAmerica documentary series.

 

IMAGE: Behrends grain bin message to Walz image Kowala Media: (The Brewster Episodes Produced by: Matt Kowalski & Chad Peterson)

 

Behrends has been featured in numerous articles critiquing Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. Behrends was mentioned in a recent Star Tribune article on October 16th 2022 where he held a press conference with MNGOP gubernatorial candidate Dr. Scott Jensen:

 

"Gov. Tim Walz's 24-year military career in the Minnesota National Guard is under attack by his GOP rival in the waning weeks of the governor's race."

source: https://www.startribune.com/walzs-24-years-in-national-guard-get-renewed-scrutiny-from-gop-opponent-who-didnt-serve/600216280/

 

Editorial Link Read by Author: Walz Tells the Truth! Finally; after years of dodging the truth, Governor Walz has come clean and has told the truth. He responded to fact-based claims about his failed military leadership and his lies and deceit about his military service brought forth during a press conference at the capital on September 22, 2022.

-Sincerely, Thomas H. Behrends Command Sergeant Major Retired Worthington ADV. ARTICLE TEXT(FULL) source: https://www.ortonvilleindependent.com/Letters.html

A group of men standing next to each other.

Russian Tactical Redux by Archangel Intelligence

Long before I had any formal intelligence training I was studying Russian Martial Arts under a Vietnam veteran who had studied under a former member of Soviet Spetsnaz, sort of the Russian equivalent of a Green Beret. He was the kind of veteran who never really left it behind. Military history and memorabilia was his only hobby. His only real friends were former soldiers from various backgrounds. Teaching and studying hand-to-hand combat was his only source of income. His Russian martial arts classes were his least popular.

 

This is probably due to the combination of the grueling (and often unsafe) nature of how he taught it and partially due to the odd environment he created. He was an eccentric (to put it politely) older gentleman of Eastern European descent who was fascinated by the tactics of Russia. He would often play Russian folk music as we practiced throws, locks, strikes, and defended ourselves against rubberized knives and clubs. He would often “graduate” his students to actual knives and wooden indian clubs when he believed they were ready. The dropout rate of this class was very nearly 100%.

 

I stuck it out for a few years longer than most, which was rewarded with almost undivided attention. Not only would he teach the martial arts, but would tell stories of military operations that the Russians had undertaken. They were both brutal and methodical. The tactics were different than I had seen in the news, watched on the movie screen, and read about in the history books. The Russian way was patient and methodical. More tolerant of sacrificing human life. Russians would move at a slower pace, encircle their enemy, and destroy all hope of resistance. They may even lose some battles, but this would be seen as a natural part of winning the war.

 

I left that class just before war broke out between Russia and Georgia. Like many people in young adults, I could care less what was happening in some country that was half a world away. However, what I had learned about Russian tactics had fascinated me. More than a decade later, I would be paying attention while those tactics were being deployed in Ukraine.

 

The Russian way of thinking is different. Western media either doesn't care to understand it or refuses to. From many accounts, Ukraine has done much better at defending against the Russian invaders than would have been thought possible. Russia has been slow to progress, and they have failed to consider the supply line problems that they would be facing. Ukrainian civilians have been standing up against the Russian military in a way Vladimir Putin would never have anticipated. The American media is marveling at the David and Goliath story unfolding before our eyes. It's like the Miracle on Ice or Rocky.

 

However, there’s a reason David defeating Goliath is considered a biblical miracle. Underdogs actually triumphing is a historical anomaly. The Miracle on Ice was turned into a movie because it was a rare event in history. Chuck Wepner, who inspired the movie Rocky, almost lasted fifteen rounds against Muhammad Ali, but he did eventually get knocked out. Muhammad Ali may be the best known name in boxing history, but most people have never heard of Chuck Wepner. We love to see the little guy win, but it hardly ever happens. It's very unlikely to happen in Ukraine. You don't need to be a military tactician to understand history. Hitler committed suicide in a bunker because the Russian military had encircled Berlin. It's a tactic that Russia uses again and again. Whether it be in another country or law enforcement activity inside Russia, the tactic is the same. Encirclement. Like an anaconda, after the Russian forces have wrapped themselves around the opposition, they slowly begin squeezing. The squeeze is consistent and unstoppable. Eventually all the air is forced out of the lungs of anyone caught in the trap.

 

That's the most likely scenario in Ukraine. Encirclement and destruction. When the squeeze is released, the Zelensky government will be dead. Russia doesn't have the forces to occupy Ukraine, especially if the Ukrainian people continue to resist. Russia has been a historically successful conqueror, but they haven't typically favored well when dealing with a local insurgent population. In fact, most nations don't fair well against homegrown insurgency. Even if Russia could occupy Ukraine, Western intelligence agencies would likely support local insurgence and the occupation would quickly prove too costly for Putin. He would most likely face embarrassment that his regime would never recover from. Moscow will likely look to install a client state in Ukraine rather than occupy it outright.

 

Vladimir Putin is under pressure to look strong, not only to the world, but also to those inside his own government. Russia's security service, the FSB, has been full of Putin loyalists left over from the time that he served as the agency’s head. The FSB has enjoyed immense power within Putin’s Russia but has recently come under fire for providing bad intelligence on Ukraine. Russia’s Federal Protection Service, who are responsible for Putin's personal security recently conducted a raid on the FSB 5th Directorate, in charge of foreign intelligence. Documents recovered include four letters critical of Putin and a psychological profile detailing Putin’s narcissism and secrecy. Vladimir Putin must now save face within the ranks of his own inner circle and demonstrate his strength as a leader. He may be more aggressive than he would have been otherwise.

 

The best outcome for the current Ukrainian government is one in which concessions can be made that will secure peace. However, Putin has recently shown that he is unwilling to accept concessions and demands complete surrender from Kyiv.

 

Two unlikely scenarios are ones that see Putin's regime replaced in Russia or a military defeat for Russia in Ukraine. Putin has surrounded himself with a massive security apparatus that makes him virtually impossible to topple. As far as military defeat goes, recent events have shown that when Putin is in a position of weakness, he will react with nuclear threats. A military embarrassment may be the catalyst for Putin to fall back on his nuclear arsenal. As unlikely as this is, it can not be completely ruled out. In the meantime, Russia wraps itself around Kyiv, and the squeeze is coming.

by PJ Agness of @ArchangelIntelligence

Graphic provided by UnderstandingWar.com

A map of the russian territory and its locations.
A man and woman smiling at each other.

Licorice Pizza A Review By Kowala Media

What color licorice are you having on your pizza? This one is filled full of emotion with an aggressive business model. Paul Thomas Anderson film makes you believe you can do anything…

Watching Gary Valentine played by Cooper Hoffman made me feel like a real underachiever. But it inspired me to write this review.

There is something about stepping out of the theater after watching a P.T.A. film. This one made me appreciate having emotions no matter how strong or weak.

Alana Kane played by Alana Haim gives a performance that should be recognized.   The wardrobe colors immersed with the sounds of the music.

Here is the recipe for Licorice Pizza:  First you have a great writer and director. Second you add a genuine cast. Polish it with beautiful score. Fill it with a gold soundtrack.

If you want to see an inspiring romantic dramedy, I recommend Licorice Pizza.   My marks are below thanks for reading:

  1. Movie – 8.7/10
  2. Acting – 9.5/10
  3. Score – 9.7/10
  4. Soundtrack – 9.6/10
  5. Wardrobe – 9.5/10

P.S. Young Hoffman reminds me of a young Matthew Broderick and of course his father much Love Phillip.

Look for my studio review this weekend.  Where I sit down with Matt and we have a conversation about the film.

-(BKB)

Check out the Licorice Pizza Trailer Below!

A man holding up a picture of himself in front of a box.

Phil Saviano, key clergy sex abuse whistleblower, dies at 69

Saviano's story figured prominently in the 2015 Oscar-winning film “Spotlight” about The Boston Globe's investigation into children molested by priests.

BOSTON (AP) — Phil Saviano, a clergy sex abuse survivor and whistleblower who played a pivotal role in exposing decades of predatory assaults by Roman Catholic priests in the United States, has died. He was 69.

Saviano’s story figured prominently in the 2015 Oscar-winning film “Spotlight” about The Boston Globe’s investigation that revealed how scores of priests molested children and got away with it because church leaders covered it up. He died on Sunday after a battle with gallbladder cancer, said his brother and caregiver, Jim Saviano.

In late October, Phil Saviano announced on his Facebook page that he was starting hospice care at his brother’s home in Douglas, Massachusetts, where he died.

“Things have been dicey the last few weeks,” he wrote, asking followers to “give a listen to Judy Collins singing ‘Bird On A Wire’ and think of me.”

Saviano played a central role in illuminating the scandal, which led to the resignation of Boston’s Cardinal Bernard Law and church settlements with hundreds of victims. The Globe’s 2002 series earned it the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service in 2003, and “Spotlight” won Academy Awards for best picture and best original screenplay. Actor Neal Huff played Saviano in the film.

A woman in black dress and three men in suits

“My gift to the world was not being afraid to speak out,” Saviano said in mid-November in a brief telephone interview with The Associated Press.

Born June 23, 1952, Saviano recalled going to confession as a young boy at St. Denis Church in tiny East Douglas, Massachusetts, in the 1960s and whispering his transgressions through a screen to the Rev. David Holley. The priest, he said, violated that sacred trust and forced the 11-year-old to perform sex acts. Holley died in a New Mexico prison in 2008 while serving a 275-year sentence for molesting eight boys.

“When we were kids, the priests never did anything wrong. You didn’t question them, same as the police,” brother Jim Saviano told the AP. “There were many barriers put in his way intentionally and otherwise by institutions and generational thinking. That didn’t stop him. That’s a certain kind of bravery that was unique.”

A self-described “recovering Catholic,” Saviano went on to establish the New England chapter of the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests, or SNAP, an organization working to bring specific allegations of clergy sexual abuse to light.

His faith in the church shattered, Saviano instead leaned on politicians and prosecutors to bring offenders to justice.

“We’re putting our faith in legislators and prosecutors to solve this problem,” he told reporters in 2002.

A man in a suit and tie holding an award.

“Phil was an essential source during the Spotlight Team’s reporting on the cover-up of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church, providing other critical sources, research materials and the names of several accused priests,” said Mike Rezendes, a member of the Globe team that brought the scandal to light and a current AP investigative reporter.

“He also shared his own heartbreaking story of abuse, imbuing us with the iron determination we needed to break this horrific story,” Rezendes said. “During our reporting, and over the last 20 years, I got to know Phil well and have never met anyone as brave, as compassionate or as savvy.”

Saviano earned degrees in zoology and communications from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and Boston University and began working in hospital public relations. Later, he shifted to entertainment industry publicity and concert promotion, working closely with Collins, a lifelong friend and confidante, as well as Ella Fitzgerald, Mel Torme and other artists.

In 1991, he became seriously ill with AIDS and went public with his childhood abuse the following year, becoming one of the first survivors to come forward.

“Father Holley forced me and two of my friends to have repeated sexual contact with him,” Saviano said in an interview with the Globe — the first of many that would lead not only to criminal charges against the disgraced cleric but widespread prosecutions of others as the enormity of the scandal became evident.

By the early 2000s, Saviano was spending 10 hours a day on the phone with victims and journalists. He was an outspoken critic of the Vatican’s reluctance to deal decisively with the fallout from the scandal. In 2008, when Pope Benedict XVI hinted to U.S. bishops during a visit that they’d mishandled the church’s response, Saviano questioned the pontiff’s decision to follow his remarks with Masses in New York and Washington.

“If he was really serious about the issue, that Mass would not be held in New York. It would be held here in Boston,” he said.

In 2009, suffering kidney failure and unable to locate a match among family or friends, he found a donor after SNAP spread the word in a nationwide email to 8,000 clergy sex abuse survivors.

The abuse that came to light as a result of Saviano’s work prompted Cardinal Law, Boston’s highest-ranking churchman, to step down. The Globe’s reporting showed Law was aware of child molesters in the priesthood but covered up their crimes and failed to stop them, instead transferring them from parish to parish without alerting parents or police.

When the archbishop died in Rome in 2017, Saviano asked bluntly: “How is he going to explain this when he comes face to face with his maker?”

In 2019, at the Vatican for an abuse prevention summit called convened by Pope Francis, Saviano said he told summit organizers to release the names of abusive priests around the world along with their case files.

“Do it to launch a new era of transparency. Do it to break the code of silence. Do it out of respect for the victims of these men, and do it to help prevent these creeps from abusing any more children,” he said.

Although there was a hard edge to much of his life, Saviano enjoyed traveling extensively and developed a soft spot for Indigenous art. In 1999, he launched an e-commerce website, Viva Oaxaca Folk Art, showcasing handmade decorative pieces he purchased on trips to southern Mexico and resold to collectors across the U.S.

He is survived by three brothers, Jim Saviano of Douglas; John Saviano of Douglas; and Victor Saviano of Boston; two nieces; and two nephews. A funeral Mass was scheduled for Friday at St. Denis Church in East Douglas.

/ Source: Associated Press
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