Author Archive

Andy Straley is offering free consultations on Cannabis related legal cases.

” I was in an industrial accident 1998 broke my neck and back and after that the Dr placed me on narcotics for pain management. I started using medical marijuana for chronic pain.”

Andy has been involved in over 300 criminal cases and has years of undercover experience as a police officer. He attended the Alaska State Trooper Academy in Sitka in 1990, Reed School of Interview and Interrogation and the FBI Sniper School in 1994 at Quantico, VA. He is a licensed investigator in Alaska.

Oh yea, and then 07/11/2008 there was this…”AS1171040a2 AS11.71.040(a)(2): MICS 4-Deliv/Poss w/Intent Over 1 OZ VIA”

“In 2008 I was arrested for sending 2 oz of medical marijuana to a Medical Marijuana card holder, my brother in law. I did 27 days of a 20 day jail sentence, a class a misdemeanor. My rights were violated, DNA was collected for codus, I spent 7 days over due to time and accounting error and did all time as a felon not a misdemeanor and in the hole, solitary.”

Andy seems to passionate about defending Alaskans from over reaching law enforcement.

907-744-5572 is Andy’s Alaska cell.

You can find Andy on Facebook at #astraleyIII

Andy will be in Girdwood April 29 – May 1 then out to Bristol Bay Until October.

Stoney Burke, Alaska Hemp

STRAIN: Ripped Bubba
TYPE: 60% indica-dominant hybrid, resin-heavy Pre-98 Bubba Kush with the flavorful and euphoric sativa Jack the Ripper
ORIGIN: TGA Genetics
MEDIUM: SOIL
NUTES: UNK
GROWER: Chugiak Red(?)
APPEARANCE: Red hairs abound!
SMELL: Earthy with some skunk, enticing
BURN: Light gray ash, clean
TASTE: Very nice, sweet and thick with resiny goodness
EXHALE: Like a fine hashish, expansive
HIGH: Right to business, head high starts on the exhale, nice uplift down the trail
MANICURE: Most excellent, nothing but bud onthis one, red hairs dominate
OVERALL: This one gets a 9, great bud, 9.5 on the trim, 8.5 on the high.

And they really seem to be understanding what you have to say…

 

In a unanimous vote the City Council of Wasilla, in spite of public testimony running over 2 to 1 in opposition, approved the banning of cultivation, retail sales and testing within the City limits. The City that potentially stood to make the most from Alaska’s legendary Matanuska Thunderfuck and the other legendary cannabis strains grown here has opted out, eliminating any and all cannabis other than private dwellings growing their 6 plants and smoking them in the privacy of their own homes.

Councilman David Wilson, Council Seat A, presented the only reasonable excuse for voting to ban commercial grows with his logic that the City would then be presented with having to try and deal with Federally sanctioned “drug money” that they could not legally deposit or spend.

With an attendance that made me question the legal capacity of the Council chambers over 4 hours of spirited public testimony was led on the Pro Ban side by the Church group that showed up with horror stories of how legal, tested and taxed cannabis would destroy the children. Many made claims about friends or family who had their lives ruined after they used Pot and then got addicted to Meth or some other drug (the stupid truly burned brightly). The Anti Ban side was mainly led by Combat Veterans, elderly business persons, young hopeful entrepreneurs and people concerned with safe and legal access to medical cannabis. All of their reasoned and logical pleas fell on deaf ears it would seem as the council quickly moved to the vote and returned a unanimous “fuck you” to the cannabis industry.

 

 

 

Never Smoke Weed with Willie Again

Strain: Moose Nugget

Type: Assorted

Origin: The bottom of a stash box

Medium: Rare

Lighting: 28″ LCD Monitor

Nutes: Hormel Chile with Rice and Chedder Cheese

Grower: Nothing growing on it that I could see.

Appearance: Greenish, lots of kief, a few little bits of shatter and something that looks like a freeze dried raisin.

Smell: Sort of like a cat pissed in an old jock strap.

Burn: rather like a coal furnace

Taste: Earthy, flowery, lemony, cat pissy, grapefruit and blueberry with a hint of chocolate.

Exhale: More like an explosive aspiration than an exhale, this stuff is not the atmosphere of your home planet!

High: I waved as I passed the ISS…

Manicure: Yea, I could use one, and a pedicure too.

Overall: Imagine that over the last 6 Months you have dropped some of the best weed in Alaska in one box, loading bowls, ripping dabs and rolling joints out of it until there is a deep layer of mostly trichomes and flakes of shatter and then roll that into a fat joint and try and write about it 1/2 way through…ooo…there’s a chip of lemon wax…I remember that!

Never Smoke Weed with Willie Again
A newly discovered Cannabis Sativa variation has been found growing in and around the “safety zone” within the Fukashima Prefecture in Japan. Initial field reports indicate that Fukasativa seems to be a self flowering and self aware strain.

“The high begins when you first inhale, but the fun begins when you pack it in a bowl, this critical chronic is so close to critical mass it self ignites when packed. The initial effects are like having the top of your head blown off from the inside then it settles down and burns way down deep until it once again explodes up and out leaving your mind a cratered, smoking ruin.”

Scattered reports of attempts to create concentrates tend to include mumbled last words from the survivors like “I saw God” and “Fukasativa fukauover!”

Several Seed Banks have attempted to collect seeds from this new strain but thus far they have proven to be elusive and much to cunning for traps even at seed stage.

If you live around the central Valley, between Wasilla and Houston, you might not have even have known that there is a Head Shop right across the street from 3 Bears on Pittman. If you come out of 3 Bears and turn right and then an immediate left you will find The Rabbit Hole, a tiny cabin with few display cases and small collection of glass, turned bowls and other stoner accessories. While there might not be enough room inside to swing a dead rabbit there are some reasonable prices on glass.

And while your there you can sample for grub from the food wagon or check out the small 2nd Hand Store also located there.

 

The Rabbit Hole – Art, Gifts, Novelty Items, shelf space for rent.

492 Pittman Rd

315-9514

10 to 8 M-F – 10 to 6 Sat

Never Smoke Weed with Willie Again

Oh, wait that’s Rawhide…oh well, this is about branding. Logos, trademarks, names…a Rose by any other and all that.

Names are important. A strong name can make or break a company. Long names are OK if there is a catchy way to shorten it up when need be. Especially in the digital age of icons and apps and digital shorthand. Common names should be avoided, General Cannabis or National Hemp would work for the first ones in the game, General Electric, National Broadcasting Company, Acme Widgets…you can get lost in the crowd and it is hard to establish a distinct identity. Something descriptive of what you are going to be doing, distinctive enough to stand out from the rest of those doing the same thing and not so esoteric that people just scratch their heads and wonder. Consolometrivon might have some deep meaning to you but nobody is going to bother to find out who you are or what you do so you’ll end up having to spend a shit load on advertising.

There will be a plethora of Canna(add word here) companies. CannaLab, CannaCare, Cannatronics and Cannaboost…CannaCafe is sure to show up. The same with Denali, Alaska, Northern Lights, Aurora, Arctic…yea, we get it, Alaska Hemp is about Alaska. Oh, wait, that’s mine…yea, that’s a good name. And a lot of the others will be good names as well they just won’t stand out. Midnight Sun…there must be 100 “Midnight Sun” something or other businesses in Alaska, when Sara and Tina were deciding on a name for their company they dropped the sun, Midnight Greenery is certainly more distinctive than Midnight Sun Greenery would have been. And MG makes for better iconic logo than MSG which might be confused with a Chinese Restaurant food additive.

You will want to keep in mind that the name you select will usually be your domain name, Facebook group name and will be used on business cards, letter heads, logos, hats and any number of advertising material. Imagine having to tell your clients over the phone that your website is http://www.lastfrontierarcticwastelandcannabiscompany.com or trying to convince your graphic designer that it will fit on your business card he’s just not doing it right! And there is an email using that name as well. The shorter and more memorable your name is the less you have to spend on advertising it later.

OK, you have the ideal name, not too long, catchy, distinctive, memorable, does not abbreviate into a curse word and isn’t already taken by someone else. Now you need a logo. Not all companies have or need logos, many are recognized simply by their name alone, but having a distinct graphic that taken alone can represent your brand will pay dividends in marketing. And here again simple is almost always better. There are a few companies in this area that use the Chugach Range as part of their Logo, and many more that use Denali, and almost all of them just start to look like the same general logo after a while.

Sure, everyone is going to want a pot leaf on their logo, that is the one universal identifier for a cannabis business, but try and make it distinctive from all the other pot leaves, give it some flair! And while you are designing your logo try and bear in mind there might be places where you will want a single color or a vector graphic so again keeping the design elements simple should be a consideration.

It is a good idea to bring in a professional very early in the planning stages of your business. They can help you with names, logos, graphic design, even if you already have a name and logo getting a second opinion can often show you something you might have not otherwise considered. If you like what they have to say and they seem a good match for your company they are worth the money, and if not, don’t hire them.

OK, got the name and logo, now you’ll want to protect your brand. Registering your trademark will keep someone else from deciding that “Arctic Chronic” is selling really well and using the name on their own line of merchandise. I think the State of Alaska will register your trademark for around $100.00, the Feds will do it for around $400.00. It’s a good idea to have them both. You might need to hire a trademark lawyer to research your name and , the more common your name the more likely that will be. Expect to drop a grand or two once the suits get involved.

I hope this gives you some ideas for your prospective company, and should you need any help with branding, designing a logo or setting up a website I am available for consultation and have over 40 years experience in graphics and 25 years providing website design and hosting.

You can reach me at bill@webmusher.com and you can see some of my previous and current clients at http://www.webmusher.com/clients.html

I decided it was time to sit down with with Heather Arkell of Twisted Tundra in Anchorage and talk to her about the products I have been seeing and hearing about for most the last year. So we sat down at our respective computers and had a little chat.

Stoney: Welcome Heather, Could you tell me a little background about Twisted Tundra?

Heather: I created My salve for myself originally, I was a crazy kid always doing crazy things and now have arthritis because of it. I wanted a product that wouldn’t effect my daily routing like smoking the actual cannabis flower does and also I wanted something that didn’t smell like weed because of my work and the stigma associated with it.

I started exploring cannabis as a salve 5 years ago after taking courses in essential oils while becoming a massage therapist.

Through trial and error I have created a product that not only works but smells amazing (in my opinion).

Stoney: So there is some actual educated thought going into the combinations of ingredients?

Heather: Yes there is some education behind the ingredients and it’s not just essential oils I use, most ingredients are whole plants and each ingredient is chosen because of specific properties that target pain and Inflammation as well as a whole host of other properties. Plants are amazing and are used to treat almost anything and everything.

Stoney: What are your massage clients reactions to your products?

Heather: I do not use it on most of my clients because I work for a company but my outside massage clients as well as people in general who have tried it love it and have raved about its uses from treating boils and cysts to reducing swelling, pain and scars after surgery as well as for treating some arthritis which was my main goal!

Stoney: What sort of products have you formulated so far?

Heather: For the last five years I have made pain salves, lip balm, massage oil, bath dust which is like a bath bomb but not formed into the typical bath bomb form.

Stoney: You say you don’t use it in your normal work, is there a THC content in the cannabis oils used that might cause a user to test positive in a UA?

Heather: It is a cannabis product and I use higher THC strains so there is always a chance you can test positive but more and more studies are showing salves and creams do not pose that risk because they do not enter the blood stream. There is a few exceptions that would be if you used it on a open wound or if you use a product that contains alcohol because the alcohol will help the product penetrate which then passes the skin barrier and has a bigger chance of reaching the blood.

Stoney: Do you have a storefront where people can find you or is there a place that carries your lotions and potions?

Heather: At this time it cannot be sold to the public at least not until middle to late 2016 when cannabis can be produced sold and marketed for public here in Alaska. I do plan on having my products carried in any and all dispensaries throughout Alaska when such a time becomes available. Right now I give away samples to as many people as I can to get my name out there I want to be in as many homes as I can before 2016 ends.

Stoney: Can you tell us some of the places we might be able to find samples currently?

Heather: Currently I have given samples to Rachel Lake who runs CannaCare she make up goodie bags once a month to give veterans who need and want a more Natural form of medication. Through word of Mouth and posts on Facebook and even posts people have done on Instagram about my products I get more and more messages from people wanting to try it. Mainly I just carry samples around and meet up with people who want to try it. Visually I give them enough to pass on as well.

Stoney: If people bring you their own cannabis can you custom formulate products for them? It would seem to me that you could sell your services in that manner as you are just giving them back their own cannabis and your charging for your expertise and materials.

Heather: I have not custom formulated products but that’s definitely an option. Right now with the legalities of cannabis in Alaska that’s not an option

Stoney: Do you have your own website or Facebook page where people can learn more about Twisted Tundra products?

Heather: At this time I can be reached through FaceBook at Twisted Tundra and any and all questions as well as feedback are welcome.

This is a before and after from Rose. She had bilateral carpal tunnel surgery done the same day a week after the bandages came off she used my product on her left wrist only. you can plainly see the difference in not only healing but Inflammation.

Click to zoom

 

Testimonials

Rachel Lake
“I used it a day my arthritis made it hard to walk, knee was literally 2 inches swollen, I keep going cause I have to, I applied a lot that night and the next day I had less swelling, tons of relief and I could walk, as to the day prior I hurt so bad I couldn’t remember going to store. No joke, bad arthritis and fluids swell up sometimes, even my husband who never ever partakes in any canna form, finally did his back (military 40% disabled) with her salve and next day he swore he felt better.”

Sara Williams
“I love Twisted Tundras products! The salve is so easy to apply and just the right texture that it absorbs so easy! I use it on my pain areas. For my pain it is fast acting and melts the pain away without any head high! I love the stuff!”

Tina Smith
“Twisted Tundra has created a salve that has multiple uses that I have experienced personally. Used on skin conditions like eczema it helps control the symptoms. While used on muscle pain or back pain it provided almost instant effects, with a smell that is really pleasant and soothing, it’s my “go to” after workout rub also”

Kayla Cornejo
“I was first introduced to Heather’s products through Midnight Greenery’s product testing event. I was gifted many topical goodies, such as healing salve, bath soap, and lip balm. I can say from the very first time I tried the healing salve, I was sold. I recently had a total hip replacement, and just moments after applying it the salve began to alleviate my pain. The other night, I was in severe pain and desperate for relief. My dear friend was able to gift me some more healing balm. Because of this product, I was able to sleep through the night without pain. I would recommend this product to anyone who has any type of pain.“

Alex A…
“Your salve is amazing! Rubbed some on my lower back where I regularly have pain and it helped greatly! Also works awesome for dry skin!!”

Brook S…
 “A friend of mine let me try a bit of her sample, I have cystic Rheumatoid Arthritis and Hidradenitis Suppurativa. I get super bad itchy spots where the fluid leaks. I put some on and its not gone but it was major relief. and even lowered the swelling. I felt relief faster than the allergy pills that take 30 minutes to kick in. I know from research it was all stuff I wanted in a salve. I would really like to get some for myself.”

Dani Littleton
“I’ve used it for both my migraines and ankle and it has helped tremendously, better then my pharmaceuticals!”

Bill Fikes:
“I met heather at Northern Heights and got to sample some of her products during an AVCRO Veterans event. I was very impressed with both the packaging and the quality of the products. I was given a container of salve yesterday and used it on my knee and elbow and the pain relief was immediate and impressive.”

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