#lopey personal

[tsukiyamavalentine]

No i dont have a spending problem wdym—

[minifrenchfry-kabbit]

"Teachers, movies, books, they always say home is where the heart is, but then they show it by the hero... I don't know, going back to their hometown, ditching all the friends they made to live with family they hardly even know or some bitch with no personality beyond wife as a happily ever after. It's never felt right. Home isn't a place to me. Never has been. It's... with you two. It's always been you."

Pale eyes meet Benji's gaze defiantly, even as her face erupts with a brilliant purple flush. "And I will literally kill you if you ever repeat that outside of this fucking room."

He froze mid-flip of the sizzling meat in the pan, likely leaving one side to sear a little bit too long while his mind figuratively crashed and struggled to reboot, split-hued eyes wide and staring blankly at the wall, the involuntary twitching of his nose all but halted.

Finally, the light of cognition returned to his glassy gaze, quickly taking the opportunity to flip the meat over at last, as the last of the shocked paralysis released its hold over him, waiting until he felt he could trust himself to speak without his gruff voice breaking.

“..Does this confession have anything to do with the fact that I’m cooking you steak right now?”

He turned his head just enough to grin at her over his shoulder, hoping the tease would be enough to distract her away from noticing that his eyes were suspiciously wet, though he knew she wouldn’t call attention to it, so long as he didn’t comment on her own reflex.

She honestly looked just as shocked as he felt, neither of them prepared for such a heartfelt bombshell, or deal with the heavy emotions that followed, though her threat coaxed a chuckle out of him, that kind of reaction certainly more of what he expected from the prickly teenager.

“I don’t doubt that, Lopey. No one else will hear it from me, you know I keep my word. But.. I will say that it would mean the world to our absent party member, to hear that from you, too. We both know how much he second-guesses himself.. when it comes to making a home for you.”

Ears lying flat toward his back, he lowered his gaze back to the steak sizzling in the skillet, turning it over again to further brown it, though he knew to keep her preference toward making more rare than overdone.

“We just want better for you than what we had. Even though that’s.. gotta be the most cliché thing I could possibly say as a guardian.. it’s the truth. Means a lot that you feel safe enough to be so vulnerable.. I know from experience how.. hard that is, when you’ve been let down so many times.”

“..Thank you for trusting me, kid.”  

[velcoriaexploration]

It was his first time on the Ranch, and wasn’t exactly sure how things operated around here. But Manos shrugged to himself as he made his way onto the property. He had heard about and see a satyr girl named Lopei, and she seemed like she’d be good company for a while. With a decent amount of cash on his person, he looked around the area, trying to find someone to help him sort this out.

Lopei was finishing gathering up some mushrooms and other edibles from the woods off the ranch’s premises when she came across the man. She really wasn’t expecting any clients today, and knew that Palomo would have an extra high libido tonight, hence the want for drugs. It just made things more fun with her “husband” on the extremely rare occasions where she wasn’t really in the mood like today.

“Can I help you sir? You look like you’re looking for somebody.”

[fifiinthesky]

Penelope

I DON’T EVEN KNOW A PENELOPE.  Wait.  Do I know a Penelope?  A Penny?  A Pencil?  A Lopey?

Once upon a time there was a person named Penelope who was SO MYSTERIOUS that Phoebe James didn’t even know them.

[thewebofslime]

Sheriff Jon Lopey was startled when a stranger offered him $1 million if he would keep deputies away from certain illegal cannabis farms in Siskiyou County. Lopey called in the FBI, and, later, deliveries of envelopes stuffed with thousands of dollars in cash were recorded by cameras and microphones hidden on the sheriff’s cluttered, wooden desk. Two people were later indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of attempting to bribe the elected sheriff. “I was surprised and offended that a citizen would believe a law enforcement administrator would compromise his ethics and morals by accepting money,” said Lopey, whose rural county abuts the Oregon border and outlaws outdoor marijuana farms. In the more than two years since California voters approved the licensed growing and sale of recreational marijuana, the state has had a half-dozen government corruption cases as black-market operators try to game the system, through bribery and other means. The cases are tarnishing an already troubled introduction of the state permitting of marijuana businesses as provided for when voters approved Proposition 64 in November 2016. Opponents of the initiative say the cases confirm their campaign arguments that legalization wouldn’t end the black market and the criminal behavior it has unleashed. “We knew this was going to be an issue. The money is so great that the temptation is always there,” said William Lowe, a leader of the group Americans Against Legalizing Marijuana. California is awash in cannabis cash from inside and out of the state, partly because marijuana remains an illegal drug under federal law, so banks won’t accept cash from the businesses. The state’s black market for cannabis was estimated to be worth $3.7 billion last year — more than four times the size of the legal market, according to the firm New Frontier Data. Proposition 64, approved in 2016, allowed the state to license businesses to grow and sell marijuana but required the companies to get approval from the cities and counties, most of which have outlawed marijuana operations. Experts say local resistance explains why many of the corruption allegations center on illegal attempts to buy help from city and county officials. “There is no doubt in my mind that the multibillion-dollar nature of the marijuana industry is corrupting public officials,” said Lopey, a 41-year veteran of law enforcement who began his full-time career as a California Highway Patrol officer stationed in East Los Angeles. Proposition 64 also outlawed the transportation of cannabis out of the state, which was an issue in the Siskiyou County indictments against Chi Yang and his sister, Gaosheng Laitinen. Yang allegedly approached the sheriff in his county office in Yreka in the summer of 2017, and initially suggested the $1 million could go to a foundation headed by Lopey. At one of the subsequent meetings where Lopey was handed the envelopes of cash, Laitinen allegedly sought assurances about what their payments would buy: “Are we talking about protection from being raided?” she asked the sheriff, according to a DEA agent’s affidavit attached to the criminal charging document. The two allegedly paid Lopey $10,500, including four $500 cash bonuses, before they were arrested, according to court records. That case is one of several that have involved cannabis sellers and growers allegedly bribing or trying to bribe government officials, or public officials acting illegally to get rich from marijuana. Last year, Jermaine Wright, then the mayor pro tem of Adelanto, was charged with agreeing to accept a bribe to fast-track a marijuana business. Wright’s trial is scheduled for August. In May, FBI agents served search warrants at the home of Rich Kerr, who was mayor of Adelanto at the time. City Hall and a marijuana retailer were also served with warrants. Also in May, Humboldt County building inspector Patrick Mctigue was arrested and charged with accepting $100,000 in bribes from marijuana businesses seeking expedited help on county permits, according to the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office. Last March, a federal jury reached guilty verdicts on bribery and extortion charges against Michael Kimbrew, who was a field representative to U.S. Rep. Janice Hahn when he accepted cash from an undercover FBI agent while pledging his “undying support” to protect a marijuana dispensary that the city of Compton was trying to close. (EDITORS: BEGIN OPTIONAL TRIM) Last Tuesday, developer Dorian Gray was held to answer by a judge in a preliminary hearing on charges of offering bribes to Oakland City Council President Larry Reid and Assistant City Administrator Greg Minor, according to court records. Gray allegedly offered the councilman cash to help obtain a cannabis dispensary permit, and Reid reported the offer to authorities. Gray is charged with offering Minor, who oversees marijuana permitting for Oakland, a trip to Spain. Reid said he was offended by the offer made by Gray in his City Hall office, and reported it to the city administrator’s office. “He (Gray) said he had an envelope with $10,000 and my name on it in his pocket, and I told him I don’t work that way,” Reid said. “Everybody thinks they can become an instant millionaire by getting a dispensary permit.” Autumn Paine, an attorney for Gray, said the two city officials offered “wildly different” stories about what occurred. As for the allegation of bribery against Gray, “He absolutely denies that,” she said. An attorney for Laitinen declined comment beyond noting that she pleaded “not guilty.” Yang has also denied the charge in court, but his attorney did not return calls for comment. An attorney for Wright declined comment. (END OPTIONAL TRIM) Not all of the recent cases involve elected officials. Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Marc Antrim pleaded guilty two weeks ago to federal charges stemming from his arrest for robbing a warehouse of a half-ton of marijuana in October. While some cases filed in the last year are still pending trial, there have been convictions in other corruption cases in recent years. California was the first state to legalize the sale of marijuana for medical use two decades ago. The former mayor of the city of Cudahy was sentenced to one year in federal prison in 2013 for taking cash bribes in exchange for supporting the opening of a “medical marijuana” store in the city. The head of the city’s code enforcement division and a city councilman were also convicted of taking part in the corruption scheme. Law enforcement agencies are investigating possible corruption in other Southern California cities, according to Ed Muramoto, a private attorney for medical marijuana dispensaries that have complained about cities locking them out of competition for permits. “We have been contacted regarding a good handful of cities and jurisdictions with respect to investigations that law enforcement is engaging in,” Muramoto said. He declined to identify the cities involved, saying he has been asked by investigators not to talk about pending inquiries. Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Proposition 64 supporter, declined to comment on the numerous bribery cases involving marijuana growers and sellers. State law gives too much authority to local officials to dictate terms of city licenses, according to Dale Gieringer, director of California NORML, a pro-legalization group that supported Proposition 64. “Corruption is always worse at the local level because there are so many more local officials and they aren’t under as much scrutiny as those in Sacramento,” he said. State agencies, he said, “have been doing their best to expedite licensing, but too many local players have been getting their hands in the pie.” (EDITORS: STORY CAN END HERE) The Siskiyou County case provides further evidence that California remains the largest exporter of marijuana in the nation. Yang allegedly told the sheriff he wanted to ship California-grown cannabis to Missouri. Sam Clauder can speak from personal experience about being caught up in illegal, interstate activity after succumbing to financial temptation. The former congressional aide and San Bernardino County Democratic Party official pleaded guilty in 2017 to charges in Texas of possessing 130 pounds of cannabis that he was transporting back east from California. Clauder started out driving marijuana from Humboldt County to legal medical cannabis dispensaries in Southern California. He turned to illegal transportation out of state after he was fired from a job as an aide to U.S. Rep. Joe Baca (D-Calif.) over an unrelated criminal case in which he was later found innocent. Clauder said cannabis growers paid him about $30,000 for every 100 pounds of marijuana he transported back east, and he made the cross-country trip about 45 times before he was arrested in Texas. “I think it’s a temptation, if you can’t make it legally, to cross a line,” Clauder said. “I went from working for a U.S. congressman to being homeless and destitute overnight. What was I supposed to do? I just fell into it.”

[itsworn]

Mooneyes Xmas Party 2017: An Epic Going-Away Bash

In its January 2018 issue, Hot Rod Deluxe announced that Irwindale Event Center—the home of a dragstrip inaugurated in 2001—would cease operation in early 2018. Another track bites the dust. Southern California has indeed lost several of them over the last couple of decades, including Carlsbad and L.A. County Raceway in Palmdale. Thankfully, our friends at Mooneyes, led by Shige Suganuma and Chico Kodama, managed to squeeze in a final major show at Irwindale a couple of weeks before Christmas: the aptly called Mooneyes Xmas Party.

It seems that enthusiasts felt the urge to visit, one last time, the beloved venue, turning out in droves at the gates as early as 3 a.m. Ultimately, more than 1,500 vehicles and 15,000 visitors joined the organized mayhem to enjoy a busy schedule of activities. Mooneyes’ extravaganza is a great way to sample SoCal’s custom car culture, as it mixes a most eclectic array of cool rides: hot rods, kustoms, lowriders, vans, muscle cars, air-cooled VWs, and more ape-hanger-equipped motorcycles than we’ve seen in a long time. It looks like some bikers chose to attend the Mooneyes show rather than the Chopperfest that was scheduled for the same weekend, but canceled due to the terrible fires dangerously close to the event’s venue in Ventura.

The Xmas Party also offered a huge vendor area, which enabled the crowd to buy new car parts, artwork, vintage clothing, and even haircuts. Mooneyes had an impressive booth, of course, to promote its diverse product line, some going as far back as the company’s early days when Dean Moon opened shop in 1962. The same part of the vendor area was home to the stage used by several invited bands and, later, by the always popular Pinup Contest.

The Mooneyes Xmas Party is more than a static show. Some folks came to watch—and participate in—the Run-Whatcha-Brung drag races, which once again combined a vast range of cars and a handful of bikes. The A/FX sideshow, led in part by gasser guru Dale Snoke, proved entertaining as usual with plenty of wild wheelies.

With the demise of Irwindale Event Center, Shige and Chico are now on a hunt for a new venue. We’ll keep you posted.

Oh yes, it got crowded. In fact, we don’t remember such a turnout at Irwindale since Mooneyes adopted the site in 2006. The awning on the right covered Mooneyes’ booth, while bands played on the left. (They included Dynotones, Hot Rod Trio, Gamblers Mark, Colony Boys, and Delta Bombers.)

With unseasonably warm temperatures in the 80s, visitors came by the thousands to see great rides in the vein of Robert Rojas’ trick ’31 Ford roadster (left). The venue quickly filled with spectators’ cars as well. By mid-morning, the less fortunate had to find a spot outside Irwindale Speedway—some miles away.

Longtime journalist Pat Ganahl (who’s now retired and very happy about it) has been the owner of the Ike Iacono dragster since 1988, though he completed its restoration much later, with help from various heroes of the hobby such as Pete Eastwood. The attractive six-cylinder racer graced the cover of HOT ROD in January 1959 and ran 150 mph on 50 percent nitro. Many will recognize the yellow rail sitting behind it. That’s Mooneyes’ replica of the dragster campaigned by the company circa 1963.

In the foreground, you can admire the GMC six that propels the Iacono dragster, equipped with a 12-port Wayne head and Hilborn injection. The vehicle shares the space with Billy Crewl’s Model A on ’32 rails, an accurate tribute to Jack Calori’s iconic roadster. Built in the 1940s, Calori’s roadster ran 128 mph at the lakes in 1947. One of the most distinctive details of the car remains the set of exhaust pipes sticking up on each side.

The success of the event should be attributed in part to the numerous car clubs onsite. The Gearheads displayed a handful of excellent hot rods, such as Rick Tokiyeda’s ’25 Model T (left), flanked by a trio of ’28-’29 Model As driven by Carlos Marin, Kirk Munday, and Bryan Bailay. The Gearheads are based in the city of Glendale, a hotbed of rodding activities since the 1930s. Think SCTA’s Sidewinders and Stokers clubs.

Dubbed “The Dirty Farm Truck,” Jeff Martin’s pickup has a unique appearance, courtesy of a heavy channel job, suicide-mounted I-beam, and unusual choice of wheels. It first sat on 16-inch rims, later replaced with tall 21-inch wires, plus skinny rubber front and aft.

If you had $26,500 burning a hole in your pocket, you could have purchased this frame-off-built ’30 Model A, which hints at the 1960s gasser scene and occasionally ran at Irwindale. Interesting features include a 383ci stroker, 700R overdrive trans, Moon tank fitted in front of the grille, and bobbed rear fenders, although you cannot see them in this photo due to the XXL-sized slicks!

What a great-looking hot rod! Chopped top, Deuce grille, no hood, triple 97 carbs: It’s all there. Peter Rodriguez drove from nearby Azusa in his ’30 Ford, which made some waves in the Suede Palace at the 2017 Grand National Roadster Show. He belongs to the Throttle Kings, a club that co-promotes the annual Rhythm Collision music festival and car show in Riverside, California. v

Built by Sinister Hot Rods in Lewisburg, Ohio, this ’33 Ford coupe (with 1934 grille) belonging to Conrad Garcia relies on a stout 283ci motor with a nice, lopey cam and a four-barrel Holley. The ’33 roadster behind it, formerly owned by Lynn Pew of Pews Place, is the property of Ray Dunham, a gearhead known for his good taste in cars (’39 Lincoln Zephyr, supercharged ’36 Ford, and so on).

The staging lanes remained busy all day long, with more than 130 participants enjoying the eighth-mile. They drove a wide range of vehicles as exemplified by this picture, with domestics representing the bulk of the entries. In the foreground sits Ryan Brown’s ’55 Chevy looking excellent with its gasser attributes: lack of front bumper, nose-high attitude, headers poking through the fenderwells.

Here is a cool lady. North Hollywood’s Kendra Fleharty wanted a hot rod and eventually bought the body of a ’29 Ford roadster about a decade ago, thanks to a tip from friend and Burbank Choppers Car Club member Aaron Kahan. Kendra built most of the channeled jalopy herself in her garage, installing a Cad engine and a windshield from an old wooden boat. Jimmy White at Circle City Hot Rods built the headers and a handful of other components.

The Don Waldron collection focuses heavily on original gassers. He purchased the Silly Willy four-door sedan six years ago as a bare shell and eventually managed to trace its racing history all the way back to 1959. In 2013, Don installed a rolling chassis from another Willys and a 409ci motor. He sold the gasser to Mark Sladovich in 2015.

Yep, that’s the back of the driveshaft resting on the asphalt. No luck indeed for Galpin Auto Sports/Steve Carpenter’s entry, a ’57 Ford equipped with a 502-horse Ford 302ci bored over to 331ci. The car has all the elements of a genuine gasser, from the Moon tank in front to the straight axle from a 1950s Ford truck. Its finish is better than most, including the Pearl White diamond pattern upholstery.

“What can be better than racing your buddy?” asked Dale Snoke when we showed him this picture. Dale competed with his well-known ’64 Comet, seen burning rubber against the green ’62 Dodge Dart, which he co-owns with U.K. resident Brian Gibson. (“When he occasionally comes to the States, he hops in and races it.”) For the occasion, Dale elected to let his friend Nick Magaña play with the genuine 1960s So-Cal Super Stock entry. v

Todd Hoffman’s ’64 Plymouth Savoy named Sayonara competes with American Nostalgia West Drag Racing, a group devoted to 1960s vintage A/FX and Super Stock racers. (“Our cars are larger, heavier, and have huge American motors compared to their modern-day counterparts,” explains their website.) Powered by a 528ci Max Wedge motor, the coupe leaves many in the dust with its 6.00 e.t.’s at 112 mph over the eighth-mile.

Arizona’s Glenn Gibbons returned to the Xmas Party with his popular ’64 Pontiac LeMans. He based his “Pouncin’ Poncho” contender on a hulk found in a salvage yard. Notice the rear wheel opening moved toward the door, in true A/FX fashion. Motivation comes from a 455ci Olds V8, punched to 462 ci and topped with Hilborn injection. Like most class entries, the Pontiac performed some fantastic wheelies to the delight of the crowd.

Nicknamed “The Fat Lady” by the A/FX gang due to its sheer size, Ernie “The Attorney” Algorri’s ’67 Ford Fairlane makes it down the track thanks to a 440ci Windsor-based small-block, which delivers 1,000 hp. Ernie has been racing his steel-wheeled beauty for years, managing a personal best of 9.15 at a blistering 150 mph, mighty impressive for a heavy car occasionally street-driven.

Chuck Hoffman and Cliff Lozis teamed up to build this very red ’69 Mustang, with Chuck typically handling driving duties. They juggle with different powerplants, but when they drop in their 460ci V8, the wheel-standing A/FX crosses the quarter-mile finish line in 9.70 seconds.

Car Craft magazine teamed up with several established names from the custom world to build a nasty Street Machine with a cool 1960s vibe, using a ’71 Dodge Demon. They based their exercise on an unfinished Pro Street project car, purchased dirt cheap on Craigslist. Among the shops involved: Circle City Hot Rods (fabrication), The Harpoon (paint scheme and patterns), and Grant Petersen of Born Free (welding). The twin-turbo Hemi coupe runs deep in the 9s over the quarter.

We remember seeing the Victor Cacho ’50 Merc at the 2013 Grand National Roadster Show, an elegant build by Cacho Customs by all accounts. Look closely and you might notice the discreet flames over that PPG Sunburst Orange. The lake pipes pretty much rest on the ground once the Firestone airbags are deflated.

Originally a Business Coupe model, Jesse Loera’s Pearl Copper–colored ’50 Ford received a heavily chopped sedan roof, along with other traditional lead sled alterations: frenched front and rear lights, smoothed bumpers, and a ’49 grille. Under the shell modified by Los Diablos hides a Ford 302ci V8 hooked to an AOD trans, in addition to an Air Ride suspension kit.

Founded in 1996, the Rumblers have become a prominent hot rod and custom car club, as demonstrated by this clean ’54 Chevy. Robert Miret has been the driving force behind the group; you might know his name if you listen to punk music and the band Agnostic Front in particular. The Rumblers have chapters across the United States and Europe as well.

We couldn’t find the owner of this ’55 Cadillac convertible but feel compelled to show it to you. It looks excellent sitting low to the ground on airbags. The vintage trailer happens to be severely lowered, too!

Mooneyes’ Xmas Party gathered an impressive troupe of lowriders based on pre-’55 GM products, aka “bombs.” Here, Lorenzo Dominguez’s ’49 Chevy truck keeps company with Gerry Orozco’s topless ’39 Pontiac, which he purchased from the original owner. The rare convertible runs a 222ci inline-six. Gerry belongs to the Bridgetown Oldies Car club.

We dig the appearance of this ’54 Chevy truck, looking bone-stock until the owner lays it on the asphalt thanks to an airbag setup hidden in a box above the rear axle. Under the hood lurks a Chevy 235ci motor. Nothing wrong with this inline-six, being the engine of choice on early production Corvettes, with slightly different specs. Note the contrast between the nicely painted truck and the other Chevy pickup (and ’38 five-window Ford) parked next to it.

When Studebaker introduced its new truck in the late 1940s, characterized by its round shapes, who would have thought it would continue inspiring customizers 70 years later? The design of the model did not evolve drastically during the following decade, though the ’55-’60 version (aka E-series) seems to be a favorite within our scene. Here is a tasteful ’59 hauler.

The lowrider scene encompasses an eclectic assortment of vehicles, with 1970s and 1980s barges playing a key role. Even HRM devoted pages to the subject, as far back as the April 1974 issue, featuring the Imperials Car Club. Check out this arresting lineup, dominated by cars running wire wheels, with a few sets of Cragar five-spokes thrown in for good measure.

The post Mooneyes Xmas Party 2017: An Epic Going-Away Bash appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

from Hot Rod Network http://www.hotrod.com/articles/mooneyes-xmas-party-2017-epic-going-away-bash/ via IFTTT

[ianmkeenan]

Cannabis Cultivation Emergency Declared in California County

September 08, 2017 California

The California County board, on Tuesday, unanimously supported the proclamation raised by the Siskiyou County Sheriff, Jon Lopey. Lopey requested for the declaration of a local emergency due to illegal cannabis cultivation.

An afternoon meeting was held at the supervisors’ chamber to decide whether or not the problem of illegal cannabis cultivation is, well and truly, out of the hands of the local agencies. The meeting was packed with people standing on both sides of the contention.

Lopey talked about the dangers of illegal cannabis cultivation and how it was affecting not only people’s lives but the general environment as well, because of the use of pesticides and improper waste disposal. According to him, the county authorities lacked the capacity to put a stop to this illegality and that the declaration of an emergency would make it possible for the county to fight hand in hand against those involved in the cultivation illegally. He went at lengths to stress that legal cultivation of cannabis will not be targeted or disturbed.

California Flag – Image powered Statesymbolsusa.org

Those who opposed the proclamation were majorly of Hmong descent. They argued that such an action is not, at all, what they expected in America for they were worried of raids on their private properties, regardless of whether they were involved in illegal cultivation or not.

They went at lengths to stress the services of the Hmong community to America with speakers sharing their personal experiences of the Vietnam War and how many members of the Hmong community used cannabis as a relief from the effects of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder which they suffered due to the experiences of the Vietnam War. Some of the speakers argued that they had lost family members in their association with the CIA during the Vietnam War.

The focus point of the nay sayers was that they wished America to love them as they loved America. They demanded that their Constitutional rights to privacy may not be infringed just because the authorities labeled their entire community as drug dealers because of the actions of a handful.

California Flag with Marijuana – Image powered by Seedmasters.com

Those who supported the proclamation suggested that the measure was necessary to root out illegal cannabis cultivation which, according to them, was detrimental. They buttressed their contention by pointing out that the cultivation not only contaminated the lots but also impacted their property values. They further complained about the garbage, the free roaming of dogs and some cultivators who didn’t want anyone coming near their properties.

The comment period of the meeting went back and forth, with speakers on both sides answering the questions raised previously and raising questions of their own.

Mouying Lee suggested the board to help educate the Hmong community on the issue and publishing brochures in their native language to ease their understanding.

Marijuana – Image powered by Trbimg.com

Lopey, in an attempt to reassure the Hmong community, told how he had sworn to protect the people of various Southeast Asian nations during his time at the military.

“We welcome all people to our county, but I ask one thing: They know the law and everyone should follow the law,” he said.

The meeting ended with the board’s unanimous support for the proclamation with a call for effective communication for the mobilization of all the communities of the county towards a common goal.

The post Cannabis Cultivation Emergency Declared in California County appeared first on I Love Growing Marijuana.

[jackie-lopey-blog]

Reclaim Your Space! (Get organized with the best storage options for your home)

One of our most commonly asked questions is: How can I make more space in my home. Answer? Hire a great interior designer who is terrific at making the most of your space (we happen to know a great one)! You might not be ready for a remodel just yet, so you need to look at how you organize your home. We are not asking you to fold your clothes in a different way or hug all your possessions and see if they bring you joy! However, Claire in marketing, is a huge fan of Marie Kondo and really does feel "The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up" when sorting and ridding her home of unwanted clutter. She actually enjoys making sure her clothes neatly stand to attention before putting them away! However, if you feel this is all too much effort, the simple trick it to have a house filled with great organizational and storage options.

Kitchen

We know you can never have enough surfaces or storage in your kitchen. Here are some of our favorite organizational and storage options for your kitchen.

Bathroom

Of all the places in the home bathroom storage has to be taken seriously,  there are items that need to be accessible: shampoo in the shower, for example,  or towels after a soak in the tub. Bathroom storage also has to be organized to hide personal items such as medication. We love the bathroom storage we incorporated into the projects below.

Living Space

Storage benches are a great way to hide clutter in the living room. However, we all love to see our favorite things and to make our home feel unique and special. With the two following projects both clients wanted to showcase their wonderful collections one in a traditional way and the other with a modern approach.  

Traditional

Our clients, in San Ramon, wanted a traditional sense of style and needed easy access to their book collection. They wanted to keep the look homely whilst displaying their most treasured antique pieces. The shelves by Crystal Cabinets were made to withstand the weight of the books and to avoid risk of damage.

Modern

Our client in Lafayette, wanted a clean way of showcasing their world collection of artwork. They wanted a contemporary show case without distracting from the art. These floating shelves are perfect. They keep the room uncluttered, compliment the modern furniture and don't distract from the pieces on display.

"Crystal Cabinets is our go to for most projects, they have so many styles to choose from and perhaps more importantly their quality is outstanding. I need a manufacturer I can trust to not let me, or clients, down. I only ever hear positive comments back from my clients when using Crystal Cabinets." says Jackie Lopey, CEO and interior designer at Venue in Pleasant Hill, CA.  

How will you organize your storage?

[tsukiyamavalentine]

I have a few projects I was able to start lately.

I decided to try new things during my breakdown that weren’t art or writing, bc I found those things too hard at the time.

I’m super excited to show y’all when I finish them!

[yahoonewsdigest-us-extra]

Lawyer: Abducted Tennessee girl's recovery 'just beginning'

World

Lawyer: Abducted Tennessee girl's recovery 'just beginning'

A 15-year-old Tennessee student who was allegedly kidnapped by her teacher and taken to California is back home, a lawyer for the girl's family says.The girl is being evaluated and treated by mental health experts specializing in trauma, lawyer Jason Whatley said in a statement Friday. "There is no doubt that she has suffered severe emotional trauma and that her process of recovery is only just beginning," Whatley said.He said the girl is in a safe location with friends and family and is now resting.Authorities credit the caretaker of a remote northern California property for helping police find her and arrest her alleged abductor, fired teacher Tad Cummins.

These two had a relationship to the extent where she didn't exhibit any anger toward him. I didn't observe any emotional distress.

law enforcement, Siskiyou Sheriff Jon E. Lopey

"She didn't act like a rescued person would act," showing no signs of elation, he said. She appeared fine physically, Lopey said, and there were no signs of trauma.In the cabin, he said, was a single sleeping pad and clothing along with the two loaded guns — a 9mm and a .

It is believed based on the investigation to date, as set forth herein, that Cummins, age 50, and victim, age 15, are involved in a sexual relationship and traveled in interstate commerce to continue their relationship and to engage in unlawful sexual activity.

law enforcement, Siskiyou Sheriff Jon E. Lopey

[ricardosousalemos]

Elliott Smith: Either/Or: Expanded Edition

About two minutes into Either/Or opener “Speed Trials,” Elliott Smith’s seamlessly double-tracked lead vocal splits into a two-part harmony. It’s a very subtle gesture, and only lasts for a few seconds—but contrasted with the tight, hushed unison of Smith’s prior solo output, it feels as dramatic as The Wizard of Oz shifting from sepia to technicolor. This moment plays out like a microcosm of Either/Or at large, the sound of Smith conjuring something far bigger than himself and coming into his own as a songwriter, arranger, and performer. The final album in Smith’s catalog before the major label-backed XO and Figure 8, Either/Or marks the last time Smith’s instincts would outpace the studio resources to execute them. It's extraordinary how he embodies a magical, alchemical mix of intimacy and bombast.

By the time Either/Or was released in 1997, Smith was no stranger to the cynical machinations of the post-grunge major label gold rush. A year prior, his former band Heatmiser had been put through that very ringer, an experience captured in Either/Or standouts “Pictures of Me” and “Angeles.” Either/Or sounds like the work of somebody who has zero interest in either conforming to or directly transgressing the “commercial” sounds of the day. It’s too ambitious to read as “lo-fi” and too gritty to read as straightforward pop classicism. Thankfully, this 20th anniversary remaster doesn't smooth out too many of those rough edges—if anything, it brings the unique sound of the record into even clearer focus.

The sounds and words of Either/Or often conjure very specific images, textures, and situations. And yet, Smith—as with many truly great songwriters—used this specificity as a way to explore emotional themes that resonate both deeply and broadly. Nowhere is this clearer than “Between the Bars,” the closest thing to a modern-day standard Smith ever wrote and covered by everyone from Metric to Madonna. It’s not a love song, exactly, and it’s not a song about addiction, exactly. “Between the Bars” is about the ways in which protecting somebody you love turns into the need to control that person. The fact that Smith was able to build this much emotional complexity into a song that sounds at home in a stadium or at a Starbucks speaks to his irreplaceable gift as a songwriter.

Elsewhere, Smith amplifies his well-honed songwriting chops with more fleshed-out arrangements. “Ballad of Big Nothing” propels itself forward with bubbly McCartney-esque bass lines and background vocals that sound like they might have been string arrangements if there were an orchestra handy. “Angeles” and “Cupid’s Trick” provide a back-to-back study in Smith’s versatility as a guitarist, going from intricate fingerpicked pattern to lopey electric riffs. By the time album closer “Say Yes” rolls around, it’s clear that the solo acoustic approach is a specific and purposeful choice, and no longer Smith’s default mode.

This reissue is framed as an “expanded” edition, and the bonus materials included fit the bill nicely. Rather than aiming for comprehensiveness or definitiveness, the bonus tracks provide interesting glimpses into Smith’s growing strength as a live solo performer (some excellent live recordings of album and non-album cuts), sense of humor (a sketch of New Moon track “New Monkey” that sounds like it was played on a baseball organ), and where he would go with his next record (a formative version of XO cut “Bottle Up and Explode!” that shows just how much thoughtful editing and revision went into the final version). And then there’s “I Figured You Out,” a longtime fan favorite that Smith gave to his friend Mary Lou Lord to record because it “sounds like the fuckin’ Eagles.” “I Figured You Out” would have been the most straightforward and polished song on Either/Or, and its omission speaks volumes about how determined Smith was to find his own voice and chart his own path.

In the years that followed the release of Either/Or, Smith managed to do just that, performing “Miss Misery” at the Academy Awards and releasing an uncompromising major label debut. For some of his fans, Either/Or marked the end of Smith’s career as a direct and intimate folk singer-songwriter. For others, Either/Or marked the beginning of Smith’s career as a one-man classic pop band. In truth, Either/Or marks the one moment in Smith’s career when he was truly both.

[tsukiyamavalentine]

Aight i dont have the energy to post a full long post on everything but the gist of everything regarding me leaving the tokyo ghoul fandom is :

I don’t want to be labeled as a tg blog or member of the fandom bc i don’t actually like tg i just want shuu and ocs

I literally don’t care abt tg

This has very little to do with any of the bad situations I’ve been involved in. Yeah i cant say they didn’t taint my view of the fandom / give me literal trauma but those situations rly have nothing to do with me leaving lol

I’m still gonna post shuu content, my fanfiction - all that. I just don’t want to be associated with the fandom

Basically : nothing is changing. I’m just trying to get away from the label of the tg fandom. Please keep tagging me in shuu things, tg oc things, reblogging my things - all that jazz.

I may post abt other tg things occasionally but tbh it’s just gonna be shuu + my fanfics

I’m basically gonna be the fandom’s jupiter or something - those who wanna see me every few months can hop on their telescopes and read the great ghostalope tokyo ghoul (not shuu) horoscope can do so and everyone else can just pretend Jupiter doesn’t exist. if that makes sense.

Yeah. That’s it. Nothing to worry about. I just don’t like labels anymore.

I will make a post going into more depth about everything + taking time to reflect on my time in the fandom, but that won’t be until later. In case it isn’t obvious I’ve spent all day making plushies and getting drunk on horse-love lol.

Yeah! Hope that makes things a bit clearer. I’ll make a longer post when im not tired and i feel ready!

☺️🦄👽

[tsukiyamavalentine]

There are people who will love your authentic self, but you have to show them first.

[tsukiyamavalentine]

Just finished the first assessment for my botany diploma and I’m SO NERVOUS

like i honestly think i did really well! I’m rly confident in it!

I just hate hate HATE writing essays. Like i know all the stuff they want me to tell them, but sometimes essay questions are so badly worded, and they expect you to mention things not even related to what they asked? Like bro im autistic i need u to be concise

That’s what it’s like in the uk school system at least lol. I’m honestly glad ive been a neet for so long bc i probably would’ve failed my gcses bc my autistic ass wouldve been confused af!!!!

[tsukiyamavalentine]

Planning to have an offline day today but I’ve just seen my messages lol :

Yes i am leaving the Tokyo Ghoul fandom but that literally means nothing. I am still writing & posting abt Shuu + tg ocs. Just am not part of the fandom anymore.

I’ll make a post abt it later but please don’t worry nothing is changing. I just don’t consider myself part of the fandom anymore.

I’m spending my day in craftstores + with my horse, so im busy today but i promise i will answer everyone’s messages later and make a post expanding on everything and reflecting on my time in the fandom later / tomorrow.

Nothing is changing. I’m not going anywhere. I just don’t think of myself as part of the fandom anymore. Please don’t worry. Ttyl.

xxx

[tsukiyamavalentine]

I love coming back online to the most lovely messages

Makes me go all warm inside 🥰🥰🥰