#sponsored by the release of the 2023-24 interview

[yabutsuba]

[uniquejellyfishqueen]

The Boston Bruins fired their head coach Jim Montgomery on 11/19 after their 3rd straight loss. (3 again.)

Boston is the 3rd largest city in the North east after NYC and Philadelphia. It is the largest in New England.

Settled:1625

Incorporated: 9/7/1630 (date of the old style naming)

9/17/1630 (date of new style naming)

Incorporated as a city: 3/19/1822

53 zip codes

617 and 857 area codes.

Boston was home to several events that proved central to the revolution and subsequent Revolutionary War, including the Boston Massacre (1770), the Boston Tea Party (1773) “at tea time everybody agrees.” , Paul Revere's Midnight Ride (1775) “Midnights.” , the Battle of Bunker Hill (1775), and the Siege of Boston (1775–1776)

Fenway Park - Red Sox

Broke ground: 9/25/1911

Opened: 4/20/1912

Gillette Stadium owned by the Kraft Group who owns the New England Patriots… Tom Brady who’s ex wife Gisele was a VS Angel from 1999-2006

Broke ground: 3/24/2000

Opened: 5/11/2002

7/1/2023 Ed Sheeran holds the record attendance with 71,723

7+1=8 7+2+3=12

8/12 12/8

“Boston” is track 6 on Kenny Chesney’s 9th studio album Be As You Are which was released on 1/25/2005. Track 9 on this album is “Key Lime Pie” -> “she stole his dog and dyed it key lime green” LGAD (that can also spell Glad…Me!?)

(69 makes the cancer symbol.)

Taylor Swift was supposed to join Kenny on his 2007 Flip Flop Summer Tour (58 shows, and it was between that one or his Poets and Pirates Tour. (Poet…. A tortured poet and a pirate.) the boat references make so much sense now.

*due to the sponsorship from Corona TS was not allowed to tour with him because she was 17..

Betty: “I’m only seventeen, I don’t know anything but I know I miss you”

Nothing New: “the kind of radiance you only have at seventeen. She’ll know the way and then she’ll say she got the map from me.”

I Think He Knows: “I am an architect, I’m drawing up the plans. It’s like I’m 17, nobody understands.’

Starlight: “We were 17 and crazy, running wild, wild can’t remember what song it was playing” -> Hits Different “each bar plays our song, nothing has ever felt so wrong”

There was some sort of legal, contractual thing where people weren't comfortable with having an alcohol-sponsored show and having a 17 or 18-year-old on the show," Chesney recalled during a radio interview in 2011. "So, I had to call Taylor and tell her that she couldn't do that tour. And I gave her, as a 'I'm sorry' present, I gave her a lot of money."

At the time, Swift was still in the early stages of her career; she hoped the tour would be her big break. She told Time she was "devastated" when she couldn't open for Chesney's tour.

However, she also said his generous gift changed her life.

"It was for more money than I'd ever seen in my life," Swift told Time. "I was able to pay my band bonuses. I was able to pay for my tour buses. I was able to fuel my dreams."

*old blue chair… the chair from Vigilante Shit..

KC =

Kansas City

Kenny Chesney, born in Knoxville, TN. Went to Gibbs HS. ->Morgan Wallen also from Knoxville, TN. Also went to Gibbs HS. -> brief encounter “wink wink” with Megan Moroney who joined Kenny Chesney on tour this past summer. ->bring it back to Morgan Wallen who has a collaboration with Post Malone “I Had Some Help”-> Post Malone is on “Fortnight” with TS. ->Post Malone is also going to be singing with Chris Stapleton at the CMA awards on 11/20/24. -> Taylor Swift ft Chris Stapleton “I Bet You Think About Me” -> Kenny Chesney released “Born” his 20th studio album on 3/22/2024 track #5 is titled “Thinkin’ Bout” oh and track #6 is “Guilty Pleasure”

The Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, commonly referred to as the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts and abbreviated GLMA, is the main governing body of Freemasonry within Massachusetts, and maintains Lodges in other jurisdictions overseas, namely Panama, Chile, the People's Republic of China (meeting in Tokyo, Japan), and Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba.

Founded in 1733, it is the fourth oldest Masonic Grand Lodge in existence, after the United Grand Lodge of England (1717), the Grand Lodge of Ireland (1725), and the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania (1731).

**the Boston Masonic Temple was next to Weber Pianos according to a very old photo.

MASSACHUSETTS TS Tour History

1 x TD Garden in Boston

13 x Foxborough

TS Fearless Tour:

7/31/2009 Boston TD Garden (secret gardens in my mind)

6/5/2010 Foxborough “Jump Then Fall”

Speak Now Tour: Foxborough

6/25/2011

6/26/2011

Red Tour: Foxborough

7/26/2013 SSN as the surprise song

7/27/2013 Fearless as the surprise song - also Carly Simon as a special guest for “You’re so Vain”

1989 World Tour: Foxborough

7/24/2015 “You Belong With Me”

7/25/2015 “Fifteen”

Rep Tour Gillette Stadium:

7/26/2018 “22” and joined by Hayley Kiyoko for “Curious” -“curious minds”-Wonderland

7/27/2018 “Change”

7/28/2018 “Ours”

TS ET Foxborough, Massachusetts

#23 5/19/23

Taylor Swift (9) SSN …(social security number)

Red (22) Better Man (FTV)

#24 5/20/23 “rainiest show that ever show-ed” “like performing in the shower

Midnights (7) Question..? The … leads into …Ready For It?

Taylor Swift (13) Invisible “blind for love”

#25 5/21/23 “haunted piano” switched to guitar.

Lover (6) I Think He Knows

Red (2) Red

Kenny Chesney on the speak now tour in Nashville they sang big star

Speak Now Tour @ Bridgestone Arena (like bridges….)

9/16/2011 During her concert at the Bridgestone Arena on September 16, Swift was joined by Ronnie Dunn and the two performed "Bleed Red". She was also joined by Hayley Williams and the two performed "That's What You Get"

9/17/2011 Kenny Chesney joined her to sing “Big Star.” She was also joined by Andy Grammer for “Keep Your Head Up”. The encore was also “Just to See You Smile” with Tim McGraw.

Taylor swift on the Big Revival Tour 2015 (she is wearing a gray and white two piece that is very similar to the 1989 combos.) “dark gray all alone” this night was also Kenny chesneys 47th birthday they sang big star

3/26/2015 @ Bridgestone Arena. Kenny Chesney was joined by Jake Owen and Chase Rice.

“Big Star” was performed with TS and was #10 on the set. #22 was Dust on the Bottle a cover of David Lee Murphy I presume -> track #2 “Just to Say We Did” on his 20th album and most recent, Born, had David Lee Murphy as one of the 4 writers on the song.

*Kenny Chesney is one of the people TS thanked in her Time Person of the Year article. “I was blown away to see quotes from people I adore and admire like Stevie Nicks, Greta Gerwig, Shonda Rhimes, Phoebe Bridgers, Natalie Maines, Kenny Chesney, and Lucian Grainge”

Kenny Chesney responded (Chesney pronounced like chess)

Taylor, I knew looking in your eyes that first time on stage with us, you had 'it.' The hunger, that something special… A gift not everyone has to connect," he wrote. "It's been awesome watching you shine!"

"I'm glad TIME sees what I've always loved about your music, your art & you as a human being," he added. "I'm so proud of you & I love you."

***a piece of the puzzle of LOVER FEST that is CA and MA

Lover Fest East and West were supposed to happen on the following dates:

West: LA, Sofi Stadium 7/25/19 and 7/26/19 (22 shows in LA in TS history)

East: Foxborough, Gillette Stadium 7/31/19 and 8/1/19 (11 shows in MA in TS History)

11/22/1995 Toy Story is released by Pixar Animation Studios as the first feature film created completely from using computer generated imagery.

11/22/2020 TS wins Artist of the Year at the AMAs for the 3rd year in a row.

11/22/1986 Wayne Gretzky of the Edmonton Oiler’s becomes the 13th NHLer to score 500 goals

*TS has a history of performing on 3 of the 4 dates mentioned above in Massachusetts on those exact dates.

*No LA dates in her history match the days of Lover Fest

LA: 22 shows is TS history

*IDK about you but something 22 is going on

REP TOUR HAD NO LA STOP…? She was in Pasadena @ The Rose Bowl and Santa Clara @ Levi’s

Fearless Tour: 3 shows

5/22/2009 Staples Center John Mayer was a special guest at the May 22 STAPLES Center show. The two performed "Your Body Is a Wonderland" and "White Horse".

4/15/2010 Staples Center. Swift performed "Hot N Cold" with Katy Perry after "Today Was A Fairytale" at the Los Angeles show on April 15, 2010.

4/16/2010 Staples Center

Speak Now Tour Staples Center: 4 shows

8/23/2011 joined onstage by Justin Bieber to perform "Baby".

8/24/2011 joined by Jason Mraz to perform his hit, "I'm Yours". She also performed, "God Only Knows" by The Beach Boys.

8/27/2011 Swift performing, "Tonight Tonight" with Hot Chelle Rae

8/28/2011 she performed "Super Bass" with Nicki Minaj.

Red Tour Staples Center: 4 shows

****4 nights but only 3 nights had special guests.

****During her stops in LA on the ET is when there was filming for the movie for 3 nights

8/19/2013 “Ours” and "Want U Back" with Cher Lloyd and "Brave" with Sara Bareilles

8/20/2013 “Fifteen” and “Closer" with Tegan and Sara

8/23/2013 “Enchanted” and "Jenny from the Block" with Jennifer Lopez

8/24/2013 “Fifteen”

1989 World Tour Staples Center: 5 shows

8/21/2015 “All Too Well” acoustic tour debut. “Counting Stars” with Ryan Tedder. During “Style” Kobe Bryant presents TS with the Most Sold Out Performance Banner at Staples Center

8/22/2015 “You Belong With Me” “White Horse” with Uzo Aduba. “Doubt” and “Family Affair” with Mary J Blige.

8/24/2015 “Fifteen” “Goodbye Earl” with Natalie Maines. “You Oughta Know” with Alanis Morissette

8/25/2015 “Dreams” with Beck and “All of Me” with John Legend

8/26/2015 “Mean” “Good For You” with Selena Gomez. “Smelly Cat” with Lisa Kudrow. “Mirrors” with Justin TImberlake

Eras Tour Sofi Stadium: 6 shows (no thank you post)

8/3/2023 Filming for Concert Film

“I Can See You”

“Maroon”

8/4/2023 Filming for Concert Film

“Our Song”

“You Are In Love”

8/5/2023 Filming for Concert Film

“Death By a Thousand Cuts”

“You’re On Your Own Kid”

8/7/2023

“Dress”

“Exile”

8/8/2023

“I Know Places”

“King of My Heart”

8/9/2023 Announcement of 1989 TV

“New Romantics”

“New Years Day”

**Sofi = Sofia (play on words for sofa? Because there is one in the attic of the lover house… she also sings about a couch in some of her lyrics.)

- - but I also think of “Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus” -> in her hidden messages on previous albums: Taylor Swift track #9 “Should’ve Said No” hidden message was “Sam, Sam, Sam, Sam, Sam, Sam” (6x)

*Ts was supposed to be the first performing artist to open an NFL stadium and she has a vagina, so I see how that could be problematic for you… you’re white supremacy is showing America, and it’s gross.

Could be nothing or could be something:

The New England Patriots will host the LA Chargers on 12/29 (3 days before NYD 2 days before NYE) the time is TBD -> upon further review the Chiefs do no have a game that day… but the Bengals host the Broncos (a white horse) on 12/29 and the time is TBD. There are no NFL games on NYE but there are 2 on Christmas Day. The Ravens play the Texans at 4:30 and Beyoncé is doing the halftime show….. she was also TS plus one for the Eras Tour Concert Film Premiere on 10/11/23 at The Grove (same place as the Spotify TTPD pop up..)

12/29 is National Chocolate day “You ate 7 bars of chocolate”… “The Tortured Poets Department”… 7 as in Lover?

12/29/1607 - Pocahontas, daughter of Powhatan leader Wahunsenacawh, successfully pleads for the life of John Smith after tribal leaders attempt to execute him

12/29/1778 - Savannah, George is captured by three thousand British soldiers during the American Revolutionary War

12/29/1812 - Violin Sonata No. 10 in G major by Ludwig van Beethoven is performed for the first time

12/29/1845 - The United States annexes the Republic of Texas

12/29/1880 - The opera La Mascotte opens in Paris

12/29/1890 - On the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, 300 Lakota are killed by the U.S. 7th Cavalry Regiment

12/29/1913 - Hollywood's first feature film, The Squaw Man by Cecil B. DeMille starts filming

12/29/1937 - With the adoption of a new Constitution, the Irish Free State is replaced by a new state called Ireland

12/29/1940 - During World War II, the Luftwaffe fire-bombs London, England, killing almost 200 civilians

12/29/1962 - British driver Graham Hill comes in first place in the South African Grand Prix at Prince George Circuit

12/29/1965 - CBS purchases the NFL TV rights for 1966-68 for $18.8 million per year

12/29/1973 - Time in a Bottle by Jim Croce hits #1 in the U.S. three months after he was killed in a plane crash

12/29/1975 - A bomb explodes at LaGuardia Airport in New York City, killing 11, and injuring more than 75 people

12/29/2007 - Tom Brady sets an NFL record, throwing his 50th touchdown pass, and the New England Patriots become the first team in NFL history to have a 16-0 score during the regular season

[xtruss]

Arguments For And Against E-Bike Registration And Licensing

— August 15, 2024 | By Charlotte Robertson

Photograph By Daniel Krieger

Last month, with great fanfare, Gov. Kathy Hochul signed State Legislation intended “to raise awareness about the safe use of e-bikes and products that contain lithium-ion batteries and protect New Yorkers,” she announced in a press release.

The eight-bill package, set to go into effect in January, 2025, makes important strides in the area of battery safety. It also requires mopeds to be registered at the point of sale, and alters Department of Motor Vehicle accident reports to include a new category for e-vehicle collisions with pedestrians, so they can be tracked.

What is not included in the package, to the consternation of some public-safety advocates, is “Priscilla’s Law.”

Named for Priscilla Loke, a teacher who was killed in Chinatown in 2023, by the driver of an electric Citi Bike who fled the scene, Priscilla’s Law would have required all e-bikes to be registered and display license plates. It was introduced by Queens City Councilmember Robert Holden last fall, and accrued 34 co-sponsors — the amount required to trigger an automatic hearing in the City Council.

But the hearing never happened. According to Holden, two councilmembers, Rita Joseph and Sandy Nurse, rescinded their support after Transportation Alternatives, a nonprofit organization whose stated mission is “to reclaim New York City from cars,” Wrote a Letter to every councilmember, urging them to reject Holden’s bill, leaving it at a legislative standstill.

West Side Rag reached out to Holden, Transportation Alternatives, and the NYC E-Vehicle Safety Alliance (NYC-EVSA), a grassroots organization of pedestrians, many of whom have been hit by e-vehicles, for insight into the opposing sides of the e-bike-registration controversy.

The Arguments

“By licensing e-bikes, bikers can be held accountable for accidents,” Holden contended in a call with West Side Rag. Without a clearly identifiable license plate, reporting bike accidents is difficult, he added, as it is not uncommon for riders to leave the scene.

“Priscilla’s Law is clearly part of a much more concentrated war on bikes generally,” said Alexa Sledge, director of communications for Transportation Alternatives, also in a phone interview with the Rag. “E-bike licensing would be both ineffective and a bureaucratic nightmare … ” she added.

Those were the reasons local Councilmember Gale Brewer cited for not signing onto Holden’s bill. “I do not believe a blanket e-bike registration rule will make streets safer,” she said, “nor is NYC DOT [Department of Transportation] equipped to establish, manage, or enforce it.” Brewer did support the lithium-ion safety bills.

Carol Hilfer, who was hit by an e-bike on June 24 of this year, believes that e-bikes should be treated differently than regular bicycles. “An e-bike, to me, is just a motorcycle. It’s not a bicycle.”

Hilfer was crossing Central Park West at 90th Street this past June when an e-biker ran a red light and knocked her to the ground. The resulting hematoma on her leg took weeks to heal. “The idiot on the e-bike — it was a Citi Bike — he’s got earbuds in his ears, oblivious to everything,” she said. Once she managed to stand up, the biker sped away.

Marian Lewis, 85, another e-bike hit-and-run victim, agreed that e-bikes pose a new danger to pedestrians. “I’ve timed [e-bikes] on Central Park West [to see] how long it takes one in the bike lane to go one block. It’s just a couple of seconds. They’re so fast.” In March 2021, an e-biker collided with Lewis on 93rd Street and Central Park West, breaking her hip. The biker fled and Lewis was rushed into emergency surgery, remaining in the hospital for eight days before being transferred to rehab.

“This bill is really trying to bring order and get the chaos out of our city,” Holden told the Rag. “If you’re reckless, if you hit people, you should be held accountable.”

Sledge set forth the following argument: “The more people on the road riding bikes at any point in time, the safer that area is going to be for people on bikes, because cars are used to seeing them. Licensing e-bikes would dissuade ridership and, therefore, make the streets more dangerous.”

“Well, why would it dissuade ridership?” demanded Janet Schroeder, co-founder of NYC-EVSA. “Because someone doesn’t want to be held accountable for their egregious riding? Then those are exactly the people that should be dissuaded,” she said.

E-bike licensing could lead to discriminatory police stops, Sledge said. She pointed out that a large percentage of e-bike users are delivery workers, who are predominantly immigrants and men of color: “If we institute this bike licensing law, that’s giving a brand-new power to the NYPD to allow them to pull over anyone they want who’s riding a bike. Time and time again, when it comes to traffic stops…we’ve seen it’s been done in a racist way.”

“Transportation Alternatives is playing the race card,” Councilmember Holden responded. “[The NYPD] is going to stop bike riders breaking the law, period. They’re not going to distinguish between the color of their skin,” he said.

As for other safety measures the city could adopt, Sledge suggested better protections for delivery workers. “If you’re a worker for DoorDash, and DoorDash is requiring that you do what is safely a 20-minute bike ride in 12 minutes — that’s not acceptable,” she said.

She also called for the city to build more protected bike lanes, which would deter riders from biking on the sidewalk, she said. “The root of the problem of e-bike safety is that there is not enough space for bikers,” she said. “With these massive levels of density and not enough space for anyone in our streets except for people who are driving cars, this problem becomes even more serious.”

According to Sledge, cars pose a much greater threat to pedestrians than bikes, and if more people rode bikes, less people would drive cars.

Holden, on the other hand, expressed skepticism about waning car use. “There’s record registration for cars in New York City,” the councilmember said. He argued that more bike lanes do not prevent bikers from breaking the law, but licensing and registration will.

“An e-bike doesn’t have any restrictions. You’re really a phantom — you’re invisible,” he said. “That’s why so many of them don’t adhere to any traffic regulations at all. You need penalties,” he added.

Holden told the Rag that “a lot of councilmembers get, you know, campaign donations from Transportation Alternatives,” and that’s why they hesitate to support his bill. “I’m not represented or paid for,” he said. “I’m doing this for the cause.”

Jacob deCastro, interim associate director of communications for Transportation Alternatives, denied these allegations in a phone interview with the Rag. He pointed out that Transportation Alternatives is a 501C Organization and is, therefore, prohibited from contributing to political organizations.

[ailtrahq]

A large chunk of OKX’s $25-$50 million annual advertising budget goes towards its sports deals. Crypto exchange OKX wants its deals with Formula 1 team McLaren and UEFA Champions League-winning team Manchester City to last a decade. The company reportedly spends $25-$50 million per year in its sponsorship deals with the two sports teams. OKX’s Global Chief Marketing Officer Haider Rafique told The Block in an interview that the company has a five-year deal with McLaren and hopes to extend it to at least ten years. Partnerships between crypto firms and sporting brands have taken a major hit in the past months but OKX appears determined to stand by its partners. The web3 company unveiled a new version of the McLaren race car emblazoned with the OKX logo ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix scheduled for this weekend (15-17 September). The limited-edition Stealth Mode livery was designed by both McLaren and OKX and will be carried on the McLaren MCL60 F1 cars at both this weekend’s Grand Prix and the 2023 Japanese Grand Prix (22-24 September). The design will also be featured on limited-edition t-shirts that will be available through the McLaren store and at a limited giveaway for attendees of the token 2049 web3 conference taking place in Singapore. In a press release, Rafique commented on the design: “Success on the track, and in the Web3 world, is only possible through teamwork, creativity and innovation. Stealth Mode is inspired by these common principles. It’s also a way for us to celebrate the return of F1 to the Asia Pacific region, which is the epicentre of Web3 in many ways. As Stealth Mode hits the track this weekend we wish the best of luck to Lando and Oscar in what we hope will be a strong performing MCL60.” A large chunk of OKX’s $25-$50 million annual advertising budget goes towards its sports deals with the two teams. Rafique stated that the numbers vary adding that the exchange spent an extra $6-7 million on its McLaren deal this year. Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing, said of the partnership: “Our partnership with OKX goes from strength to strength, and it’s fantastic to celebrate it with this incredible livery. Stealth Mode flips our race car’s colours, bringing something exciting and different to these two great races in Singapore and Japan. […] OKX are a dedicated supporter of McLaren’s journey, and in turn we’re proud to bring our partnership to life on track through the global platform of Formula 1.” Generally, sponsorship deals between sports teams and crypto firms have been fraught with challenges largely due to regulatory concerns and budgeting issues stemming from an embattled crypto market. The abrupt collapse of Sam Bankman-Fried’s FTX crypto exchange was a major blow to the sector. Prior to its collapse, the company had deals with major sports entities such as the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One (F1) team and the Miami Heats stadium, for which it purchased the naming rights for $135 million. The relationship between sports brands and crypto firms had already been shaky, with Crypto.com pulling out of a deal to be the chief sponsor of the UEFA Champions League football competition. The FTX saga only caused a bigger rift. It remains to be seen how sports brands and crypto firms interact in the future. Thank you! You have successfully joined our subscriber list. Source

[barkercast]

420 : An Unholy Reunion

Thanks you for joining us again at the Clive Barker Podcast. In Episode 420, Jose and Ryan are back from a short hiatus With lots of Hellraiser-related news and Transmutations too.  

Sponsor : Don Bertram’s Celebrate Imagination

Site News, Catching Up

News From The Reef

Ed Martinez Interview with Keith Thompson

Horrorhound Issue 97 Pinhead Cover

Hellraiser Quartet of Torment on Arrow’s web site (Sold Out on Diabolik DVD)

4K Underworld / Transmutations finally announced on Kino Lorber Releases in 2024

Nicholas Vince interviewed at the World Premiere about “I Am Monsters!” (FrightFest 2023)

Cine-Excess  Hellraiser — An Unholy Reunion of Cenobites (Birmingham, UK 18-27 October 2023)

On The Slab Horror Show interview with Peter Atkins

Listener Comments 

Via YouTube – “Hey I was wondering if you guys will look at more Hellraiser comics? I loved your prior episodes where you went over them. I listen to them falling alseep to them sometimes. Would you do more?“

24 Rare Comics

52 : Books of the Damned

54 : Pinhead Comics

64 : Razorline Comics Part 1

65 : Razorline Comics Part 2

67 : Razlorline Comics Part 3

68 : Razorline Comics Part 4

73 : Boom Studios Clive Barker’s Nightbreed

77 : Clive Barker’s Next Testament

96 : Book of Blood Motion Comic

97 : Boom Studios Nightbreed Comics

144 : The Body Book + Hellraiser Anthology

149 : Nightbreed (Epic) Part 1

153 : Nightbreed (Epic) Part 2

155 : Nightbreed (Epic) Part 3

157 : Nightbreed (Epic) Part 4

159 : Nightbreed (Epic) Part 5

161 : Nightbreed (Epic) Part 6

170 : Marvel Hellraiser Part 1

172 : Marvel hellraiser Part 2

174 : Marvel Hellraiser Part 3

176 : Marvel hellraiser Part 4

181 : Marvel Hellraiser Part 5

185 : Marvel Hellraiser Part 6

187 : Marvel Hellraiser Part 7

189 : Marvel Hellraiser Part 8

232 : Harrowers 1-3

234 : Harrowers 4-6

Listener is right!  We never covered the Boom Hellraiser comics.  We’ll have to remedy that.  

Coming Next

A-Z Commentaries: Land of the Dead

Jericho Squad 77 Part 20

More News

More Classic Commentaries?

And this podcast, having no beginning will have no end. 

web www.clivebarkercast.com

iOS App| Android App, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Android, Stitcher, Spotify, Pandora, Libsyn, Tunein, iHeart Radio, Pocket Casts, Google Play, Radio.com, DoubleTwist and YouTube and Join the Occupy Midian group

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Twitter: @BarkerCast| @OccupyMidian 

Support the show, Buy a T-Shirt

Opening Music is by Ray Norrish

End Credits Music by Matt Furniss

  All show notes can be found at www.clivebarkercast.com

New episode of the Clive Barker Podcast

[awesomeblockchain]

Data published by Oristep Consulting estimates that the global blockchain technology market was valued at about USD 0.67 Billion in 2017. However, it is expected to reach USD 10.58 Billion by 2023, at an impressive CAGR of 58.39% during the forecast period. North America holds the largest market share due to the significant number of industries which are increasing funding for the development of the technology. The report indicates that the strengths of Blockchain are its transparent nature and ability to minimize the time consumption during transactions. Chineseinvestors.com, Inc. (OTC: CIIX), Riot Blockchain Inc. (NASDAQ: RIOT), GAIN Capital Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: GCAP), Bitcoin Investment Trust (OTC: GBTC), Overstock.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: OSTK)

Cryptocurrencies play a major role in the Blockchain market. According to a report by Coin Desk, Rostin Benham, a commissioner at the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), spoke during the Blockchain for Impact Global Summit, held at the United Nations Plaza, calling cryptocurrencies a "technological revolution." He continued, "...virtual currencies may - will - become part of the economic practices of any country, anywhere. Let me repeat that: these currencies are not going away and they will proliferate to every economy and every part of the planet ... Virtual currencies could transform the economic and social Inc. (OTCQB: CIIX) announced earlier this week that, "it has entered into a licensing partnership with The Bad Crypto Podcast to re-distribute the podcast's most popular interviews on https://ift.tt/2JwzN7Q , in Chinese.

Interviews that will be translated into Chinese for re-distribution on https://ift.tt/2JwzN7Q include: Charlie Lee, Founder and Developer of Litecoin, Roger Ver, also known as 'Bitcoin Jesus', and Patrick Bryne, Overstock.com CEO and Founder of tZERO. In addition to re-distributing these informative interviews in Chinese, the Company's CEO Warren Wang also appeared once again for an interview on The Bad Crypto Podcast on May 23, 2018. Mr. Wang first appeared on The Bad Crypto Podcast in December 2017 where he offered his perspective and insights on bitcoin and cryptocurrency in China."

"Since it first aired in July 2017, The Bad Crypto Podcast hosted by Joel Comm, Bitcoin Evangelist and Travis Wright, Blockchain Entrepreneur, has become a worldwide phenomenon with over 150 episodes for curious individuals trying to figure out cryptocurrency, blockchain and the future of digital payments," says ChineseInvestors.com, Inc. CEO Warren Wang. "We are confident that this lighthearted, entertaining programming offered in Chinese will be well received by viewers looking to expand their crypto knowledge whether they are newbies or more experienced crypto investors."

Riot Blockchain Inc. (NASDAQ: RIOT) is focused on building, supporting, and operating Blockchain technologies, primarily through its cryptocurrency mining operations and other internally developed businesses, as well as through potential joint ventures, acquisitions, and targeted investments in the sector. Riot Blockchain announced on May 24, 2018 a strategic investment in The Block Crypto, Inc. ("The Block"). The Block is building a community for enthusiasts of blockchain technology and cryptoassets. The platform will provide members with high quality content, powerful community discussion, access to experts, and regular industry events. The Company's investment in The Block will be used to advance its technology and continue building its team. "This investment fits well into our corporate strategy of building gateways to blockchains," stated John O'Rourke, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Riot Blockchain. "The growing appetite for cryptocurrency and blockchain technology focused content has yet to be fully serviced by any single source. The Block is building a platform uniquely positioned to stand apart as a definitive source of curated media and high signal community discussion in this sector."

GAIN Capital Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: GCAP) provides innovative trading technology and execution services to retail and institutional investors worldwide, with multiple access points to OTC markets and global exchanges across a wide range of asset classes, including foreign exchange, commodities, and global equities. GAIN Capital Holdings, a global leader in online trading, announced on April 5th, 2018 the continued rollout of the Company's cryptocurrency offering, with the recent launch of Ethereum, Litecoin, Ripple and Bitcoin Cash in the U.K., Europe, Australia and Singapore on the Company's FOREX.com and City Index services. GAIN has also expanded its Bitcoin offering, allowing customers to trade Bitcoin directly against the Euro (BTC/EUR), British pound (BTC/GBP) and Australian dollar (BTC/AUD), in addition to the U.S. dollar. "The expansion of our cryptocurrency offering provides new opportunities for our clients to trade a variety of digital currencies through an established, regulated firm, without the need for a digital wallet," commented Glenn Stevens, Chief Executive Officer of GAIN Capital. "Aligned with our strategy to invest in organic growth and enhance our product offering, the addition of Ethereum, Litecoin, Ripple, Bitcoin Cash and additional Bitcoin pairs enhances our crypto offering to include the most popular digital currencies and further differentiates our service, where traders can access over 12,000 markets, including FX, indices, commodities, equities and rates."

Bitcoin Investment Trust (OTCQX: GBTC) announced on May 4th, 2018 that common units of fractional undivided beneficial interest ("Shares") in Ethereum Classic Investment Trust (the "Trust") were approved by FINRA for a public quotation (OTCQX: ETCG) on OTC Market's OTCQX(R) Best Market. It enables investors to gain exposure to the price movement of ETC without the challenges of buying, storing, and safekeeping ETC. Grayscale has launched seven single-asset investment vehicles that provide exposure to Bitcoin (BTC), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), Ethereum Classic (ETC), Ethereum (ETH), Litecoin (LTC), Ripple (XRP), and Zcash (ZEC).

Overstock.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: OSTK) is an online retailer based in Salt Lake City, Utah that sells a broad range of products at low prices, including furniture, d\cE9cor, rugs, bedding, and home improvement. Last month, in a letter to shareholders, CEO Patrick M. Byrne announced that Saum Noursalehi, formerly president of Overstock.com will assume the role of CEO of tZERO. To facilitate Saum's appointment as CEO of tZERO, Byrne is giving up the tZERO CEO title and assuming the role of tZERO Executive Chairman. t0.com, Inc. ("tZERO") is a majority owned subsidiary of Overstock.com, focusing on the development and commercialization of financial technology (FinTech) based on cryptographically-secured, decentralized ledgers - more commonly known as blockchain technologies. "It should be no surprise to you that I believe is a world-historic opportunity and, due to our last three years of work with tZERO, we have a pole position (a point upon which I will expand in this week's earnings call and shareholders meeting). In the interest of seizing this opportunity most aggressively, I am making a significant injection of human capital into tZERO." said Patrick M. Byrne.

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[blockheadbrands]

California’s Limit on Big Growers Just Vanished. Here’s Why

Chris Roberts of Leafly Reports:

In an unexpected move that has small cannabis farmers and some state lawmakers up in arms, California will license cannabis farms of unlimited size, state regulators announced last month.

The abrupt shift took many in the industry by surprise, and it comes on the heels of costly, intensive lobbying on behalf of some of the state’s most powerful cannabis businesses.

It also undermines part of the pitch used to sell voters on marijuana legalization.

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Under Proposition 64, approved by 57% of state voters last year, small and medium growers—who provide much of the economic lifeblood in rural areas like the state’s Emerald Triangle—were promised they would not face competition from giant marijuana “megafarms” for five years. The idea was this: Beginning Jan. 1, 2018, growers could apply for “Type 3” licenses, which are capped at one acre. Not until 2023 could growers apply for “Type 5” licenses, which allow for grows of unlimited size.

This nod to small growers was added to Prop. 64 in order to win support from existing cultivators and in regions where the economy is reliant on cannabis. Prop. 19, a failed 2010 effort  to legalize in California, fared poorly among those groups. The provision was also consistent with rules passed by California lawmakers in 2016 to regulate the state’s medical marijuana industry, which also included an acreage cap.

Regulators appeared to be sticking to this plan as recently as Nov. 14, when the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s draft environmental impact report around cultivation included a one-acre cap on farms.

Two days later, however, emergency regulations released by the department included no such cap.

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Megafarms won’t be allowed everywhere in the state. Many counties have banned cultivation completely, while others limit outdoor grows by size. Cannabis-friendly Mendocino County, for example, limits outdoor grows to no more than 10,000 square feet. Still, the prospect of competition from massive operations anywhere in California has agitated growers and even rankled some lawmakers.

“This type of policymaking leads one to suspect (involvement) from a high-price-tag influencer.”

Hezekiah Allen, California Growers Association

“It was my understanding during the campaign that the larger cultivation would not be happening at the outset. I know that others had that understanding,” state Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) told Leafly News.

“I don’t agree with the results. I’m concerned that the small operators may be driven out,” he added. “It’s unclear to me why this happened.”

Tawnie Logan, who chairs the Sonoma County Growers Alliance, which advocates for small and medium-size growers, said the change means the rules puts forth by the state Department of Food and Agriculture are in “in direct violation” of what was reflected in the department’s own environmental impact report.

“This is somewhat unprecedented,” she said.

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At least part of the explanation for the change appears to be that the California Department of Food and Agriculture was targeted during an expensive and lengthy lobbying campaign on behalf of large-scale marijuana cultivators.

One such operator, FLRish, spent more than $300,000 to lobby lawmakers and public officials since the beginning of 2016, according to public disclosure forms. The company is already cultivating as many as four acres of cannabis in converted greenhouses in the Salinas Valley.

FLRish’s $300,000 spend is sizeable even in the high-stakes game of influencing public policy in California. For context, FLRish spent more on lobbying during the past two years than corporations such as Airbnb or Facebook.

Steve Lyle, a spokesman for the agriculture department, said the cap was “left out” after the department received “input from stakeholders.”

The firm leaning on policymakers on FLRish’s behalf is California Strategies, one of Sacramento’s most prominent political consulting firms. Among the public agencies the firm contacted on FLRish’s behalf was the California Department of Food and Agriculture, according to public records. (There’s some irony here. Operatives with California Strategies served as the main political consultants for Prop. 64, and spent much of the 2016 campaign defending legalization as a boon for the same small farmers now crying foul.)

Jason Kinney, a partner at California Strategies, declined to comment. “We don’t discuss client work product,” he said via e-mail. [Editor’s note: Privateer Holdings, the parent company of Leafly, is a client of California Strategies.]

In comments to the Santa Rosa Press Democrat, Steve Lyle, a spokesman for the agriculture department, said the cap was “left out” after the department received “input from stakeholders.” He did not respond to inquiries from Leafly News about the identity of those stakeholders or the nature of their input.

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Observers of the process, however, say the interested parties are obvious.

“There are clear winners here,” said Hezekiah Allen, executive director of the California Growers Association, which strongly supports a size cap. “This type of policymaking leads one to suspect [involvement] from a high-price-tag influencer.” His association is circulating a petition to reinstate the one-acre cap, he said, and is also weighing other options.

Sonoma County-based attorney Omar Figueroa told Leafly that some small and medium-size growers are weighing the possibility of a lawsuit.

“The EIR and the regulations do not match. There’s a big disconnect—the regulations need to be modified to get rid of that disconnect,” he said. On top of that, he added, the change will have real consequences for existing businesses. “When megagrows are allowed, it’s going to squeeze the mom and pops out of business and drive them into the black market.”

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According to public records, FLRish’s acting CEO is Steve DeAngelo. DeAngelo, the cofounder and CEO of Harborside, California’s largest marijuana dispensary, is a prominent public ambassador for the marijuana industry, with frequent appearances in mainstream media. In 2011, for example, Harborside was the subject of a short-lived Discovery Channel series, Weed Wars.

In an interview with Leafly News, DeAngelo suggested that representatives may have reached out to the Food and Agriculture Department. “We talk to every [regulatory agency],” he said. And while none of his organizations took a public position on the cultivation cap, he said he supports the emergency rules as currently written. “Time is already very short to prepare for the [Jan. 1] transition to adult use,” he said.

But did FLRish advocate against a size cap on state-licensed cannabis cultivation? DeAngelo has yet to respond to a Nov. 24 message asking that very question.

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To be sure, there are other large operators in the Salinas Valley who stand to benefit. Grupo Flor, headed by attorney Gavin Kogan, claims to have “over 2.6 million square feet dedicated to cannabis” activities, including cultivation and extraction. Last summer, Grupo Flor sponsored the annual Forbes AgTech Summit, a gathering of the biggest names in corporate agriculture, such as Monsanto and DuPont. Leafly News found no recorded lobbyist contacts on behalf of Grupo Flor on file with the California Secretary of State.

In California’s cannabis country, the prospect of megafarms has raised alarm among longtime growers already struggling with low crop prices. Small farmers in the Emerald Triangle “are panicked,” said Michael Steinmetz, CEO of FlowKana, a Mendocino County-based craft cannabis brand that sources its product from local farmers who cultivate small crops.

“We’re looking at a massive economic crisis for the state of California.”

Tawnie Logan, Sonoma County Growers Alliance

“We’re definitely strong supporters of the cap,” Steinmetz said, “but to be honest, I don’t think the policy would have ever stopped people from doing [large grows]. They’ve always had a loophole.”

While moneyed interests may have lobbied regulators to remove the licensing limit, it’s not clear how much damage it would have actually do to FLRish or other large growers. Some contend that megagrows were already legal—even taking into account the one-acre cap.

A four-acre plot could be cultivated legally by “stacking” four one-acre licenses together, some industry observers argued. State law allows operators to obtain multiple licenses so long as none are for laboratory testing. In this way, a deep-pocketed company could in theory obtain an infinite number of licenses meant for small-scale production, then turn around and cultivate hundreds of acres.

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Even Prop. 64 backers—such as Kinney at California Strategies, who was the campaign’s chief spokesperson—said on the campaign trail that the measure would allow such stacking, despite the apparent contradiction with the campaign’s stated goal of protecting small farmers.

Legalization’s most prominent political backer, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, spent years railing against the notion of “Big Pot.” Now a favorite in the run for governor, Newsom said in a 2015 report that the state should “prevent the growth of a large, corporate marijuana industry dominated by a small number of players, as we see with Big Tobacco or the alcohol industry.”

Since then, however, Newsom has raked in hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from the cannabis industry through fundraisers organized by a small number of players, the Los Angeles Times has reported, including DeAngelo’s FLRish as well as Indus Holding Company, where Grupo Flor’s Gavin Kogan is an executive director. (Indus appears to have spent no money on lobbying in California during the past year, per public records.)

Newsom “appears fine for now with allowing for big growers,” the San Francisco Chroniclereported last month after reaching out to the lieutenant governor during a visit to Mexico City to talk about cannabis.

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A statement Newsom sent to the Chronicle said that “Legalization is a process unfolding over many years,” and regulations will need “constant re-evaluation.” But “I’m not ideological about this,” he added. “I’m watching closely to ensure that the rules are being applied with tough anti-monopoly standards that create favorable market conditions for small legal businesses.”

Not every advocate for small cannabis growers believes megafarms are a dealbreaker.

Kristin Nevedal, the Humboldt County-based chairperson of the International Cannabis and Hemp Farmers Association—which also uses California Strategies as a lobbyist, according to records—believes a cap would be a huge disadvantage for small farmers who rely on the sun as their source of power.

With a one-acre cap, outdoor farmers harvesting once a year would be out-produced by indoor farmers by “eight times,” she said. Far from protecting small farmers, a cap “disadvantages the seasonal cultivator more than anyone.”

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With state-licensed cannabis cultivation less than a month away, it’s unclear how many of California’s estimated 50,000 cannabis cultivators have the interest or ability—financial or otherwise—to join the legal marketplace. But the prospect of going toe-to-toe with well-capitalized behemoths, the worry goes, might squelch whatever interest there is—and wreak financial havoc on areas that depend on cultivation.

Some in the industry say opening the door to megafarms too quickly threatens to hobble California’s legal cannabis market before it’s on its feet—and may make economic waves even outside the cannabis industry.

“The fastest way to destroy the success of the program would be give authorization for single corporations to have hundreds of acres in production in year one,” said Logan, of the Sonoma County Growers Alliance.

“If you have tens of thousands of existing operators that want to come into compliance but are pushed out of the market by a few single corporations,” she said, “then we’re looking at a massive economic crisis for the state of California.”

TO READ MORE OF THIS ARTICLE ON LEAFLY, CLICK HERE.

https://www.leafly.com/news/politics/californias-limit-on-big-growers-just-vanished-heres-why