Adventures of a Gonzo Journalist
Why launch a jetpack at a hemp expo? More like: why not?
On April 7 at the NoCo Hemp Expo, former pro-basketball player Will Carr teamed up with Apollo Flight Labs to mark the launch of Willpower Products new CBD-infused protein powder in a big way. While undeniably flashy, the jetpack stunt drew a huge crowd out of the Ranch Events Center in Loveland, Colorado. One thing we learned: jetpacks are loud!
Posted in Journalism, and Ministry of Hemp
CBD honey, sweet, rich in flavor and packed with natural healing benefits, is the ultimate upgrade to your night time tea.
A warm cup of herbal tea before bed is one of the most soothing ways to end your day, and we recently discovered that a spoonful of CBD honey from Colorado Hemp Honey makes this into a powerful sleep aid. Made from high quality ingredients and third-party lab tested for purity, this product is a great way to add the benefits of CBD and honey to your diet. Colorado Hemp Honey is available in four delicious flavors and can be used almost any way you use honey.
Posted in Journalism, and Ministry of Hemp
A new Indiana CBD law makes the supplement legal for all residents without a prescription, ending months of confusion. It could also serve as a model for other states looking to address the legality and purity of CBD oil.
Last year, Indiana state police interpreted a state law designed to help people with epilepsy access CBD as a mandate to raid vendors who were selling it for other purposes. While CBD is known to relieve symptoms of severe epilepsy, its benefits are numerous and its popularity is growing fast nationwide. Legislators insisted they’d never intended to spur a police crackdown, necessitating the new bill which was signed by Gov. Eric Holcomb on Wednesday.
Now, “any consumer in Indiana by state law can consume hemp products with CBD without any repercussions,” said Brian Furnish, a hemp farmer from Kentucky and the president of the US Hemp Roundtable. Furnish served as a consultant to several Indiana legislators and their staff during the process of writing and passing the bill to legalize CBD.
Posted in Austin, Journalism, Ministry of Hemp, SXSW, and Video
The Texas hemp industry is booming despite the obstacles faced by Lone Star State entrepreneurs.
That’s the message of the Texas Hemp and Garden Show, which took place on March 13 and 14 in Austin, Texas, at a downtown nightclub near the heart of the popular SXSW festival and not far from the capitol building.
2018 marked the Hemp and Garden Show’s second year, and there were about a dozen different vendors or organizations represented when I dropped in on the second day. Activists helped passersby fill out voter registration cards on the sidewalk, a DJ spun tunes from a small stage outside, and inside a succession of experts spoke about topics ranging from agriculture to the war on drugs. At night, musicians took over for the speakers including a surprise appearance from rapper Lil’ Flip.
Posted in Gonzo Notes, and Journalism
In the face of tyranny and environmental apocalypse, does our activism still matter?
I felt my heart sink recently when I saw an old comrade, largely retired from activism, questioning the value of his work. As a passionate advocate for LGBTQIA rights, he was one of the most radical and outspoken, never willing to settle down and wait for the human rights he deserved. I don’t in any way judge my friend for stepping back from activism, which is often a valid and eminently sensible decision. I’ve done it myself, lately, for various reasons including a legal battle I just won.
The stakes are higher now, to be sure. While Trump’s administration constantly seems on the verge of collapse, his election seems to signify a new era in which old standards of political behavior are abandoned in favor of accelerated, unchecked avarice and unmasked bigotry. Simultaneously, even the most pessimistic of climate scientists seems shocked at the rate at which things are getting worse for our planet.
Posted in Creative Commons, Journalism, and Radical Media
Black Rose Book Distro, a network of radical “pop up” bookstores in St. Louis, was attacked by white supremacists in January.
I first heard about the incident via Twitter as the distro’s volunteers spread the word about the damage to their books, zines, and safer sex supplies.
Authors, publishers, and activists of all kinds quickly stepped up to replace almost everything, and all of the Black Rose Book Distro locations are open again. But I still think it’s important to spread word about what happened, because American nazis pose a growing risk to not just the physical safety of marginalized groups in the U.S., from LGBTQIA folks to immigrants and people of color, but also our culture and knowledge too. The members of Black Rose agreed when I approached them for an interview.
