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  1. If you’ve got six bucks and want to be adventurous, try this streaming service for some wild fringe programming.View the full article
  2. Julia Perry’s Violin Concerto, a collection of Copland works conducted by Copland and a program of songs by Black composers are among the highlights.View the full article
  3. Fr. Mike focuses on the last words Joshua speaks to the people of Israel, and how he calls them to choose the Lord above all other things. We all have idols in our lives that take us away from God; how are we choosing to love Christ above these idols today? Today's readings are Joshua 22-24, and Psalm 132. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised. Support The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) View the full article
  4. In response to questions about Mr. Combs’s residences, Homeland Security Investigations said the searches were part of “an ongoing investigation.”View the full article
  5. An in-depth interview with the Atlanta hip-hop and EDM legend, tracing his path through punk, skateboarding and crunk music on the way to this year’s Super Bowl.View the full article
  6. Federal agents executed search warrants at his homes in Los Angeles and Miami Beach, and he faces several civil lawsuits accusing him of rape and sexual assault.View the full article
  7. A billionaire businessman and a late-blooming piano aficionado, he set a record with the anonymous $100 million gift that he and his wife gave the school.View the full article
  8. During the last 30 years, the musician has emerged as one of indie-rock’s most distinctive drummers on other people’s records. At last, he’s made his own.View the full article
  9. The singer Lizzo, who has a new swim line, has moved on from “body positivity.”View the full article
  10. Celebrate the artist’s return to Spotify with tracks from last summer’s “Joni Jam.”View the full article
  11. “Cowboy Carter” is an extension of the pop superstar’s exploration of how Black creativity fuels all corners of popular music. She’s embracing the music, not the industry.View the full article
  12. The pop superstar’s new album, “Cowboy Carter,” could be a litmus test for a format that’s long been inhospitable to women and Black artists.View the full article
  13. Patrick Carfizzi, a vibrant performer in supporting roles, has grabbed attention in a new production of Verdi’s “La Forza del Destino.”View the full article
  14. The hip-hop mogul denied sexual assault accusations in a bombshell suit in November. As more allegations piled up, his business empire, and reputation, faltered.View the full article
  15. Fr. Mike reminds us that God keeps his promises, even if it takes a little longer than we thought. Just like the people of Israel received everything the Lord had promised them, we too will receive everything the Lord has promised us, even in the midst of hardship and temptation. Today's readings are Joshua 19-21, and Psalm 131. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised. Support The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) View the full article
  16. A day after two of the entertainment executive’s homes were raided by federal agents from Homeland Security Investigations, his lawyer said his client is innocent.View the full article
  17. His sixth solo album, “Everything I Thought It Was,” has been met with critical dismissal and weaker sales. Where can the onetime pop superstar turn next?View the full article
  18. Aya Nakamura’s music is one of France’s top cultural exports. But reports that she might perform at the Paris Games have prompted fierce debates over identity and language.View the full article
  19. The performance artist Christeene’s show honoring the Irish musician’s debut album touched down in New York with Peaches, Justin Vivian Bond and plenty of nudity and tears.View the full article
  20. Monday was not a good day for billionaire Sean “Diddy” Combs—once one of the most highly respected producers in hip-hop and one of the most successful Black entrepreneurs to enter the game—as feds from multiple agencies raided two of his homes in Los Angeles and Miami. Two of Diddy’s homes were raided as part of a federal investigation led by the Southern District of New York into alleged human trafficking. Homeland Security officers from at least three locations took part in the raid, as well as other law enforcement members. “Earlier today, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York executed law enforcement actions as part of an ongoing investigation, with assistance from HSI Los Angeles, HSI Miami, and our local law enforcement partners,” the spokesperson said. “We will provide further information as it becomes available.” Diddy’s lavish $40 million dollar home in Holmby Hills in Los Angeles was raided. Aerial footage from KTLA in Los Angeles showed multiple SWAT vehicles descending on his house. It boasts 17,000 square feet and has a 3,000 square-foot guesthouse, and Los Angeles Times reported that it has a theater, a gym, a wine room, and an underwater swimming tunnel connecting to an underground grotto. His other home—Emilio and Gloria Estefan’s former home on Star Island in Miami Beach, Florida, worth $35 million—was also raided. Combs, 54, was in the Miami area when the raids were taking place, according to law enforcement agents who obtained a warrant for his arrest Investigators seized the phones of Combs, as he was scheduled to depart for a vacay to the Bahamas. In December 2023, a lawsuit was filed against Combs by a Canadian woman identified only as Jane Doe, who says she was sex-trafficked and gang raped in 2003 when she was 17 and in the 11th grade. She says two of her associates were also victims, and she is accusing him of running a “sex trafficking scheme.” The lawsuit names Combs, former Bad Boy Entertainment president Harve Pierre and an unnamed third defendant, claiming Pierre and the third unnamed defendant approached the girl at a lounge in Detroit, Michigan, where Pierre allegedly told her he was “best friends” with Combs and dialed him up. With photographic evidence, the lawsuit alleges Pierre and the unnamed defendant convinced the girl to take a private jet to Combs’s studio in New York City, where she alleges she was drugged up, and gang raped by all three defendants. Jane Doe is the fourth person to file a lawsuit accusing Combs of sexual assault. An earlier complaint, for instance was made on Nov. 16, 2023, when the producer’s former girlfriend, Cassandra “Cassie” Ventura, filed a lawsuit against Combs, accusing him of sex trafficking and sexual assault. Since the allegations, Diddy has stepped down as chairman of Revolt, a music-oriented digital cable television network founded by the rapper and producer, which he founded about 10 years ago. Combs took to social media on Dec. 6, 2023, to denounce the allegations against him and defend himself, writing in a post on IG and Twitter, “Enough is enough.” “Sickening allegations have been made against me by individuals looking for a quick payday,” he said. “Let me be absolutely clear: I did not do any of the awful things being alleged. I will fight for my name, my family and for the truth.” Who is Diddy? Diddy’s downfall is epic, given his prior successes. As founder of Bad Boy Records, which peaked at $100 million in value, Combs is best known for discovering and transforming The Notorious B.I.G., Usher, Mary J. Blige, rapper-turned-preacher Ma$e, and many other prolific artists. He won three of 13 Grammy Award nominations. He moved into fashion in 1998, and was brand ambassador for Cîroc vodka up until last year when his legal troubles caught up with him. Changing his name numerous times, including Puff Daddy, P. Diddy, and other names, Combs had multiple no. 1 albums and singles as an artist or featured artist. His ode to Notorious B.I.G. sampling Sting, “I’ll Be Missing You,” spent 11 weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100. Combs launched in 2022 what was billed as the world’s largest Black-owned cannabis brand with the $185 million purchase of existing licensed cannabis operations in three states. Combs is purchasing the business operations from Cresco Labs and Columbia Care, two multistate cannabis operators that are required to divest the assets to complete a previously announced merger of the two companies. Diddy’s allegations come amid the fanfare of Quiet on Set on Max, a documentary exposing the dark underside of Nickelodeon, with allegations of multiple sex crimes involving the cast of All That and other shows on the network. The post Diddy’s Homes Raided by Homeland Security as Feds Close in on Alleged Human Trafficking Crimes appeared first on High Times. View the full article
  21. The 36-year-old musician helped introduce the prepared piano to fresh audiences. Amid personal upheaval, she abandoned it and found a new voice.View the full article
  22. European countries are gradually turning their attention toward cannabis reform as medical and adult-use cannabis steadily become the new status quo in states around the U.S. While Germany gears up to launch its adult-use program next month, Switzerland has embraced an alternative approach in the form of an adult-use cannabis pilot program. Earlier in March, Swiss officials published the first data from its pilot study in Zürich, offering initial insights on the demand for legal cannabis in the country along with some emerging consumer trends. The results of the study will be used to determine what, if any, public health implications adult-use cannabis availability might inflict on Switzerland as well as the rest of Europe. Switzerland is currently running trials in the cities of Lausanne, Zürich, Liestal, Allschwil, Bern, Bienne, and Lucerne, along with the cantons of Basel-Stadt and Geneva. A First Look at Cannabis Consumers in the Swiss Pilot Program Regarding the recently shared data on the “ZüriCan” study, a total of 2,100 people are able to take part with 1,928 currently included and eligible to purchase cannabis as part of the study. Significantly more men (80.7%) than women (18%) or nonbinary people (1.2%) are taking part. This disparity was predicted, with researchers referencing a country-wide online survey from 2016 that similarly showed the majority of Swiss cannabis consumers were men. The 28-32 age group is also the most frequently represented in the study, with a mean age of 35 years. The data also takes a closer look at the consumption habits of study participants, with the majority consuming cannabis four or more times a week. “Participation in the study seems to be particularly attractive for people who consume frequently,” researchers state via translation. “However, people who only use cannabis a few times a month also take part in the study. This will allow us to compare people with different consumption habits in our study.” Researchers also note that approximately a fourth of participants had evidence of a cannabis use disorder before they had access to the products in the study — confirmed via a screening questionnaire, the Cannabis Use Disorder Identification Test (CUDIT). Researchers note that this trend mirrors other similar studies. Acknowledging and honing focus on this variable could also prove to be valuable from a research perspective: “Regulated distribution of cannabis can create a framework that promotes lower-risk cannabis consumption. In particular, cannabis users who have problematic consumption have easier access to advice and treatment services,” authors note. “… The sales staff at the reference points have been specially trained to provide advice and prevention so that individual, targeted advice is possible. Since study participants always buy their study cannabis from the same source, a closer relationship of trust can develop over time, in which problematic developments can also be identified and discussed.” Product Trends and ‘Promising Insights’ The program originally offered five options, but in December 2023, it expanded to include nine different cannabis products — five flower and four hash products — with varying levels of THC and CBD. Researchers note that study participants have requested “all products,” with a total of approximately 16,500 sales so far and a total of around 140 kg (around 309 lbs) of cannabis products sold in five-gram packs. The data did not include any further breakdowns surrounding consumer behavior or the popularity of specific products, however. The European cannabis company Cannavigia is working with the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health on the study, namely to track cannabis sales and provide data on consumption trends through its Cannabis Dispensary System. According to Cannavigia Head of Marketing Tobias Viegener, these initial findings are already providing some major insights. “The initial data from the ‘ZüriCan’ pilot, published this month, reveals promising insights into the regulated cannabis market’s functionality and its acceptance among participants,” he told Forbes. “This level of engagement indicates a positive reception and an effective distribution system, setting a solid foundation for informing future cannabis policy and regulation.” Another Cannabis Study is Coming to Switzerland Soon On March 18, officials also shared an announcement of the country’s latest study, which will run for five years and could see as many as 7,500 participants — Switzerland’s largest trial to date. The study will also include a comparison group, with consumers continuing to source cannabis through the illicit market, while the other groups located in Winterthur, Schlieren and Horgen will have access to regulated products through participating pharmacies and retail locations. Cannavigia software will also be used in the recently announced Canton Zürich pilot study. According to the Federal Office of Public Health, “The aim of the pilot trial in the canton of Zürich is to investigate the social and economic consequences of legalising recreational cannabis use in Switzerland. In addition, the effects of a self-regulation programme for the prevention of excessive cannabis use are to be studied. This involves a randomised controlled trial (RCT).” The post Switzerland Shares First Data on ‘ZüriCan’ Adult-Use Cannabis Pilot Study appeared first on High Times. View the full article
  23. A recent property tax relief bill in Nebraska is seeking to create new income opportunities for the state, including a variety of sales tax exemptions. This includes adding sales taxes for products like candy and soda, as well as services such as pet care and grooming, but most importantly, adding a 100% tax to CBD and hemp products. Legislative Bill 388 was recently passed by the Nebraska Legislature’s Revenue Committee on March 21 in a seven to 10 vote. The bill was initially introduced by Sen. Lou Ann Linehan in January, who is also the chair of the Revenue Committee. “Sales tax exemptions will be removed on pop and candy, on pet services, on advertising revenue over $1 billion dollars, increased taxes on games of skill to 20%, and lottery tickets,” Linehan wrote in an outline. “Taxes on cigarettes will increase from 63 cents to one dollar and on vaping by 20%. We are going to tax hemp and CBD at 100%. This will result in new revenue of $182 million dollars.” Overall, Linehan estimated that this would allow approximately $560 million in property tax credit funds that would be granted to schools, providing $3,000 per student in foundational aid. It would also create $650 million in property tax relief. The outline also describes “essentials” such as electricity, natural gas, or propane, as things that should not be taxed. “We are in a time of great revenue growth,” the outline concluded. “We have the revenues to pay for this now and for the foreseeable future.” These proposals have created a rift among Nebraskan legislators. Gov. Jim Pillen approved the committee’s work on approving the bill so it can proceed to the floor for debate. “I want to congratulate the members of the Revenue Committee on advancing historic and transformational property tax relief and reform out of committee on a 7-0 vote,” Pillen said in a statement. “Thank you for delivering once in a lifetime transformational property tax relief plan to all Nebraskans.” Many others, such as Sen. Julie Slama, expressed shock regarding the CBD and hemp tax increase. “I’m 100% opposed to LB-388, which is the largest tax increase in Nebraska history,” Slama said. John Gage, state director of Americans for Prosperity, criticized the bill. “There’s nothing innovative about raising taxes on Nebraskans. This bill does not solve our property tax problem and will result in a higher tax bill for hardworking families,” Gage said, according to KETV. “This is the kind of big government nonsense you expect in California, not Nebraska. Legislators will be held accountable if they choose to vote for the largest tax increase in state history.” Platte Institute CEO Jim Vokal called LB-388 a bad tax policy. “In recent years, the legislature has repeatedly succeeded and shown the best path to lowering taxes is to constrain all sources of revenue and spending growth,” said Vokal. “Such constraints need to be imposed upon local governments. We believe that constraining state and local revenue and spending growth is the best path forward rather than raising new sales tax revenues to lower property tax revenues.” Cannabis is illegal in Nebraska, although sales of hemp-derived cannabinoid products continue to thrive. In January, Legislature Bill 199 was introduced by Sen. Teresa Ibach which, if passed, would ban the sale, possession, and consumption of such products. “While a product could be advertised as delta-8 or delta-10, these products could—and most likely do—contain chemicals, compounds and other impurities that are not listed on the label,” Ibach explained. Meanwhile, advocates with Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana (NMM) are hard at work collecting signatures to qualify their medical cannabis initiative for the 2024 ballot later this year. The group needs to collect signatures from 7% of voters in the state and 5% of voters in 38 of the state’s 98 counties (with approximately 125,000 raw signatures in total) by July 3. As of March 15, NMM said on social media that it has collected more than 72,000 signatures from voters in nearly all Nebraska counties (with the exception of Grant, Keya Paha, McPherson, Sheridan, and Wheeler). NMM has attempted to get medical cannabis legalized since 2020. Back then, they only collected 14,212 signatures in three qualified counties, followed by 16,328 signatures in four counties in 2022. Recent polling conducted by the Neilan Strategy Group in February revealed that 70% of participants want to see medical cannabis legalization. “Nebraskans are clearly ready to legalize medical marijuana,” the Neilan Strategy Group stated. NMM held its own poll in 2022 and found that 80% of participants said they approved of medical cannabis legalization. “Nebraskans are obviously ready to legalize medicinal cannabis,” said NMM campaign manager Crista Eggers, who explained how excited advocates are to be making so much progress this year. “We’re very excited about where we’re at. This time, we’re going to get it done or it is not going to happen,” Eggers said. The post Nebraska Bill Aims To Increase Taxes on CBD, Hemp Products by 100% appeared first on High Times. View the full article
  24. Regulated marijuana sales in the United States are expected to exceed $31 billion this year, according to a recent economic forecast from a firm specializing in cannabis and hemp business consulting, data, and economic research. The projection from Portland, Oregon-based Whitney Economics estimates that legal sales of medical marijuana and adult-use cannabis will total $31.4 in 2024. The forecasted amount is an increase of $2.6 billion from 2023, representing a growth rate of 9.14% year over year. The projection notes that legal sales of cannabis have been suppressed since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, citing changes in consumer purchasing power, higher interest rates and delayed implementation of regulations in new markets as challenges facing the industry. Despite these factors, overall cannabis growth has remained positive. Legal cannabis sales declined in 10 states, however, an indication that new markets are needed for the industry to continue to grow. Beau Whitney, chief economist at Whitney Economics, said that the new projection builds on a similar market analysis completed by the company last year. “We are quite proud of our predictive analytics that resulted in last year’s forecast versus actuals being 98.3% accurate,” Whitney said in a statement about the new projection. “Although there are uncertainties in the near-term outlook, demand for legal cannabis in the U.S. will remain strong throughout the decade, with growth coming from newer markets.” Regulatory Changes Needed For Continued Growth The forecast projecting continued growth of regulated cannabis sales was welcomed by executives in the cannabis industry. Some noted, however, that the industry’s continued growth will depend on regulatory changes that permit cannabis businesses to operate like those in any other sector, including engaging in interstate commerce and access to banking services. David Craig, chief marketing officer of Missouri licensed cannabis producer Illicit Gardens, said “It should be clear by now that cannabis isn’t going anywhere.” “If the federal government is going to drag its feet on descheduling, then it’s up for the states to take the lead in removing regulatory hurdles to operators, especially multi-state ones,” Craig wrote in an email. “What most outside the industry don’t realize is the extreme burden operating without uniform standards across legal states.” “It’s time for a coalition of states to come together and standardize the basics: packaging and labeling requirements, compliance fundamentals, marketing, and other restrictions,” he added. “Operating even in two contiguous states right now is practically the same as operating in two different countries. Resolving those disparities is an easy win for business and government alike.” Sarah Carter, communications director at Symple Seeds, said that it is “fantastic to see the continued growth of the legal cannabis industry.” “This significant increase of $2.6 billion from the previous year underscores the momentum and potential within the market.” Carter wrote in an email to High Times. “However, amidst this success, it’s crucial to acknowledge the persistent challenge of limited access to banking for cannabis businesses. This obstacle not only hinders the industry’s ability to operate efficiently but also poses risks in terms of safety and transparency.” Legislation that would allow businesses in the regulated cannabis industry to access traditional banking services has been passed in the U.S. House of Representatives more than half a dozen times in recent years. An updated version of the bill, known as the Secure and Fair Enforcement Regulation Act is pending before the U.S. Senate. In a statement last fall, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said that he intends “to bring the SAFER Banking Act to the Senate floor with all due speed.” “Addressing this banking issue is paramount for unlocking the full potential of the cannabis sector,” said Carter. “With proper access to banking services, businesses can streamline operations, improve financial transparency, and foster greater investor confidence. Moreover, it would facilitate responsible business practices and compliance with regulatory requirements.” The post 2024 U.S. Cannabis Sales Projected To Exceed $31 Billion appeared first on High Times. View the full article
  25. Fr. Mike reminds us that God is present with us in every step of our journey, even the seemingly mundane aspects. He also encourages us to not be discouraged on this journey, but to focus on relating to the historic stories of our biblical brothers and sisters. Today's readings are Joshua 15-18, and Psalm 130. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised. Support The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) View the full article
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