Tag: california

California Law Allowing Marijuana Cafes Takes Effect, With First Shops Already Expanding Services

A new California law allowing marijuana cafes officially took effect on Wednesday, authorizing local governments throughout the state to allow cannabis retailers to expand their services. And certain businesses are already leveraging the policy change.

Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed a bill from Assemblymember Matt Haney (D) into law in September. But while local governments can now start the process of allowing the Amsterdam-like cafes, it’s expected to take months before most jurisdictions have rules in place to conform to the state law.

Overall, the legislation will allow on-site marijuana consumption at licensed businesses to also offer non-cannabis food and non-alcoholic drinks and host live events such as concerts if they get permission from their local government.

Newsom vetoed a prior version of Haney’s cannabis cafe bill, saying that while he appreciated that the intent was to “provide cannabis retailers with increased business opportunities and an avenue to attract new customers,” he felt “concerned this bill could undermine California’s long-standing smoke-free workplace protections.”

To that end, the measure as enacted contains changes to create separation between public consumption spaces and back rooms of businesses where food is prepared or stored in order to better protect the health of workers in line with the governor’s concerns.

“I commend the author for incorporating additional safeguards, such as expressly protecting employees discretion to wear a mask for respiration, paid for at the expense of the employer, and requiring employees to receive additional guidance on the risks of secondhand cannabis smoke,” Newsom said in a signing statement in September.

The law makes explicitly clear that hemp-based food items or drinks are not considered “non-cannabis” products that could be sold at the cafes. It also says that non-cannabis items “shall be stored and displayed separately and distinctly from all cannabis and cannabis products present on the premises.”

The legislation will also allow live musical or other performances on the premises of a cannabis retailer in areas where on-site consumption is allowed.

There have been examples of California businesses that have found workarounds to permit on-site consumption while making food available to guests—but they’ve operated in a grey area, partnering with separately licensed restaurants that receive the profits.

The expectation is that—because those cities such as Los Angeles and San Francisco have already established certain regulations around consumption lounges, including ventilation requirements—they may be quicker to the draw to open up the additional services.

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Suspected Chinese Spy Is Fiancé of California Councilwoman

A California councilwoman is the fiancée of a man accused of peddling political influence on behalf of the Chinese regime, court records show.

The man, Mike Sun, has allegedly worked with a recently sentenced Chinese agent to advance the Chinese regime’s political interests in Los Angeles. Court documents suggest the two have worked closely for years to align U.S. policy interests with Beijing on sensitive issues, with the Chinese agent Chen Jun telling Chinese officials that Sun—and the councilwoman—were part of a “basic team dedicated for us.”

Sun is also known as Sun Yaoning. Court records show that he is a former Chinese army member. He was the campaign manager for Eileen Wang in 2022, the year she won the city council seat for Arcadia in Los Angeles County with nearly two-thirds of the vote, prosecutors said.

Helping Wang win the midterm election, Sun said in a draft report to Chinese officials, was his proudest achievement as someone who “persist[s] in resisting any hostile forces that undermine the friendship of US-China relations, and Chinese secessionist forces,” according to federal prosecutors.

A review of the court records, public information, and business filings reveals the personal connections between Wang and Sun, who have engaged in several ventures together, including a U.S.-based media group, business entities, and multiple pro-Beijing organizations.

One of them is the American Southwest Chamber of Commerce, a Los Angeles nonprofit Wang founded in 2018 that purports to “promote communication of American southwest people of China,” according to business filings.

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Bird Flu ‘Emergency’ in California Is a Case of Psychological Bioterrorism

Sometimes I feel like a broken record when writing about infectious disease-based public health threats.

There are real threats, such as multi-drug resistant Tuberculosis, but these are rarely discussed. And then there is the psychological (eg. information) bioterrorism, the fear porn, a hyped narrative concerning an existential threat repeatedly injected into public discourse and then intentionally amplified to the point that it becomes a perverse and, in some cases, disabling obsession for many.

Psychological bioterrorism and fear porn

There are many who benefit from psychological (or information) bioterrorism. As discussed in 2017 by former Soviet-Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) intelligence officer Dr. Alexander Kouzminov:

Objects or target audience of an ‘active operation’ <of psychological bioterrorism> may be – governments, high-ranking military officials, secret services of the enemy, political parties, banks, companies, etc. as well as ordinary populations, where the aim is to cause some kind of an impact and effect….

Information (or psychological) bioterrorism – this is a form of global influence. It can be even more effective, from the view of consequences and harm, which it can cause. Firstly, info-bioterrorism, in comparison with an act of bioterror is not and does not apply for strategic or military applications, political assassination, and acts of sabotage – to disrupt local infrastructures, to harm the health of local population, animals, or disrupt the environment of a certain country. Secondly, its organisers and interested organizations, use the potential pandemic threat, in order to reach certain results…

Propaganda is the main weapon to influence people, especially if they are not well informed. An ordinary human being it appears only has a ‘surface’ knowledge about how real these kinds of threats are, and is used to rely on the opinions of mass media.

An AI-generated answer to Brave search query “Fearporn Definition” states the following:

Fear porn refers to mainstream media content that deliberately and enticingly plays on people’s fears about disaster, disease, and death. It is often used to describe sensationalized and exaggerated reports or stories that aim to provoke strong emotional reactions, such as fear, anxiety, or outrage. This type of content can be found in various forms of media, including news, social media, and online articles.

Some definitions of fear porn also include the idea that it is used to manipulate people’s emotions and attention, often for the purpose of increasing viewership, engagement, or clicks. Fear porn can be seen as a form of psychological manipulation, as it preys on people’s natural fear responses to create a sense of drama or excitement.

In some cases, fear porn can also be used to describe conspiracy theories or misinformation that is spread online, often with the intention of generating fear, anxiety, or outrage. This type of content can be particularly harmful, as it can spread misinformation and perpetuate harmful stereotypes or biases.

Overall, fear porn is a term used to describe a type of media content that uses fear and sensationalism to engage audiences and manipulate their emotions.

The bottom line here is that many national and global actors have long been known to exploit existential fear of infectious disease for political and economic benefit, and that there is a standard playbook for how this is performed. Therefore, the first thing that should come to your mind when you see this type of messaging being deployed and amplified in corporate media is the question, “Who and what is benefitting from this messaging?”

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Report: Gov. Newsom Scheming Ways To Shield Illegals from Trump Deportation Effort

Democrat Cali. Gov. Gavin Newsom will use taxpayer money to help illegal aliens circumvent President-elect Donald Trump’s mass deportation operation ahead of his inauguration next month, reports claim.

According to an internal memo obtained by Politico, the governor’s team and the California Department of Social Services are working on an “Immigrant Support Network Concept” that would create “hubs” to “connect at-risk individuals, their families, and communities with community systems — such as legal services, schools, labor unions, local governments, etc.”

The unpublished memo says hubs would collect “critical” intel on communities “in order to coordinate policies statewide,” with a final plan to be introduced mid-January.

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Why Is California an Autism Hotspot?

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has surged in children in recent years, even among those who are just 4 years old.

According to data from the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network, the overall prevalence of ASD in 2020 was 21.5 per 1,000 children aged 4. This marks a 26% increase from 2018, when the prevalence was 17 per 1,000.

The numbers are not uniform across all regions, with California reporting the highest rate at 46.4 per 1,000, while Utah saw the lowest at 12.7 per 1,000. Stark gender and racial disparities also exist in ASD diagnoses.

Boys are diagnosed with autism more frequently than girls, with a prevalence of 32.3 per 1,000 compared to 10.4 per 1,000 for girls, whose ASD symptoms often differ from their male counterparts.

Overall, however, in 2020, 1 in 30, or 3.49%, of children ages 3 to 17 were diagnosed with autism — that’s about 33 per 1,000 individuals.

Shifting demographics: Autism rates higher in certain groups

Recent data reveals a significant shift in autism prevalence among different racial and ethnic groups. For the first time, the ADDM Network reported that white children aged 8 years have a lower prevalence of autism compared to their Black, Hispanic and Asian or Pacific Islander peers.

Specifically, the prevalence was 24.3 per 1,000 among white children, while it was 29.3 among Black children, 31.6 among Hispanic children and 33.4 among Asian or Pacific Islander children.

Another compelling aspect of the latest autism statistics is the nuanced relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and autism prevalence. Unlike earlier years, where higher SES was strongly associated with increased autism diagnoses, the 2020 data shows a more complex picture.

In three out of the 11 ADDM Network sites — Arizona, New Jersey and Utah — children from lower-income households exhibited higher autism prevalence. When data from all sites were combined, there was a noticeable trend of lower autism prevalence in higher SES census tracts.

However, the differences across low, medium and high SES groups were relatively modest, ranging between 23 to 27.2 per 1,000 children.

Understanding when children are diagnosed with autism is important for ensuring they receive timely interventions. The 2020 ADDM Network data provides valuable insights into the age at which children receive their first autism diagnosis.

The median age of earliest known autism diagnosis was 49 months, with significant variations across states — from as early as 36 months in California to as late as 59 months in Minnesota.

Additionally, children diagnosed with ASD who also have an intellectual disability tend to receive their diagnoses earlier, with a median age of 43 months compared to 53 months for those without an intellectual disability.

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It Turns Out Fang Fang Wasn’t the Only Chi Com Spy in California Politics

California is fertile ground for what the Chinese Communist Party spies call “elite capture” of American politicians. It didn’t begin or end with California Congressman Eric Swalwell’s Fang Fang, either, not by a long shot. 

There’s Joe and Hunter Biden’s cozy relationship and payoffs from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)-connected corporations; California Senator Dianne Feinstein’s 20-year-long relationship with her aide and chauffeur, the Chinese spy; California Congressman Eric Swalwell’s paramour and political advisor Fang Fang; a former anti-Second Amendment California state senator who brokered guns to the underworld; and now this. 

Now, a campaign manager for a 2022 California city council candidate is in the FBI crosshairs. 

The FBI reported that an unnamed city council member in an undesignated city won office in 2022 with the help of a Chinese spy. Reading the entrails left behind in the somewhat cryptic 24-page indictment, the effort shows the spying happened in San Bernardino’s Chino Hills —since the spy claimed to have lived with the council member. 

The unidentified Chino Hills 2022 City Council candidate, who was an apparent pawn of the Chi-Coms whether he knew it or not, was not indicted. The FBI says the investigation continues.

The council member’s campaign manager, who claimed to live at the candidate’s home, is Mr. Yaoning “Mike” Sun. Sun worked with his PRC handler in L.A., John Chen, and a “Big Boss” in the PRC and acted as unregistered foreign agents in the U.S. 

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California Reaffirms An Open Arms Invitation To Illegal Immigrants

Protests based on the “California Values ​​Act” which limits state cooperation with federal immigration authorities are underway…

Hundreds of people demonstrated around the California Capitol on Monday to urge the Legislature to try to stop Trump’s mass deportation plans. They carried banners that said “Not one cent for mass deportation” and “MAGA out of California.”

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California religious school shooter’s sickening motive revealed in typed note on his body

The man suspected of shooting two kindergartners at a school in California before turning the gun on himself believed the religion that runs it is responsible for Israel‘s war on Hamas and American attacks in Yemen.

Glenn Litton, 56, has been identified as the shooter who walked onto the campus of Feather River School of Seventh-Day Adventists, claiming to be meeting about enrolling a child, before opening fire.

Honea then claimed that Litton was politically motivated, as they have evidence – a typed note on his body – indicating Litton believed the Seventh-Day Adventist Church was responsible for ‘genocide’ and ‘oppression’ of the Palestinian people as well as American attacks in Yemen.

Litton – an alumnus of Paradise Adventist School as a child  – has a ‘lengthy criminal history and mental health’ issues, including convictions on theft, fraud and forgery. Authorities believe he was homeless.

Honea says they recovered a ghost gun at the scene. As a convicted felon, Litton cannot legally own a firearm.  

The two victims – identified as 6-year-old Roman Mendez and 5-year-old Elias Wolfhard – are currently in critical but stable condition, according to Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea.

Crowdfunding pages have been started for both victims and their families. 

A Gofundme for Wolfhard says the shooter’s bullets ‘went through his chest and abdomen, piercing and nicking multiple organs before exiting.’

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“Tip of the Iceberg” – California Mayor Predicts Decades-Long Crime Wave Fueled by Biden Invasion

The Biden-Harris border invasion of the past four years has set in motion a crime wave that will pummel the U.S. for decades to come, warns Mayor Bill Wells of El Cajon, California.

Mayor Wells believes lawlessness currently unfolding across the nation is only the “tip of the iceberg,” and foreign criminals – many whom are here illegally or under dubious circumstances – will continue to terrorize American citizens “no matter who the president is.”

“I think the ramifications and repercussions of this border policy is going to be with us for the rest of my life,” Wells told immigration news outlet Border Hawk in a recent interview.

The mayor wondered aloud how aliens will react “when we run out of money” and stop putting them up in hotels, feeding them, clothing them, and giving them a vast array of benefits and cash – courtesy of the American taxpayer.

“They’re going to get angry. They’re going to say, ‘We deserve that. That’s owed to us. And when we don’t have it, we’re gonna go to other ways to make money.’ And a lot of that is going to be crime. This is going to set off a crime wave, probably for decades and decades,” Wells warned.

Wells slammed open borders advocates who deem any level of preventable foreign crime as acceptable.

“As the mayor of the city, my number one priority is to ensure people are safe. When people tell me the migrant crime problem is ‘not that big of a deal,’ or ‘only a handful of women are being raped and murdered,’ or ‘only a handful of apartment complexes are being taken over by Venezuelan gangs,’ or ‘more citizens commit these heinous crimes than noncitizens,’ I think that’s a stupid answer,” Wells asserted.

“Any more is worse. If I could cut down the number of women who will be raped and murdered, I will do that, no matter what the cost is.”

El Cajon sits in San Diego County, where federal authorities dumped more than 155,000 illegals on the streets – approximately 125,000 of whom were single, adult males – between September of 2023 and June of 2024.

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California moves to fund state justice department, prep litigation for incoming Trump admin: report

California is bracing for potential legal battles against President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration, with Governor Gavin Newsom vowing last week that the state will not be caught “flat-footed” despite claiming he hopes that “there’s not one lawsuit with the Trump administration.” 

The legislature has a special session planned for appropriating funds to the California Justice Department and other agencies before Trump takes office, Politico reported.

During Trump’s first term, California’s Department of Justice (DOJ) significantly ramped up its legal efforts, with then-Attorney General Xavier Becerra filing over 100 lawsuits challenging federal policies on issues such as healthcare, immigration, and the environment. The department’s annual litigation budget of $2.5 million more than tripled during that time. 

Now, Attorney General Rob Bonta and the California DOJ are preparing for another round of legal confrontations. The outlet detailed how the state plans to navigate potential changes under Trump’s second term. 

“California’s DOJ requires significant research to build a case. For example, if Trump and his administration were to make changes to the Medicaid program, that would affect who would be covered in California,” the report explained. “To challenge such changes, the state’s justice department would need to work with various state agencies to develop evidence, establish harm (and identify who would be affected) and find experts to testify to those facts in federal court.” 

Bonta’s office is arguing that such litigation often recovers more money than it costs. For instance, blocking a citizenship question from the 2020 census led to $850,000 being returned to the federal government. Similarly, immigration-related cases during Trump’s first term resulted in California recouping nearly $30 million in 2017 and 2018.

The California DOJ, which employs 5,176 people—including 1,390 lawyers—faces potential capacity challenges. Each case typically requires multiple attorneys, and officials warn that a surge in lawsuits could stretch resources thin. 

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