Five Dollar Buzz

Cannabis Cultivation to Corporation

This week, George, Pete and Roger share a joint together with two dudes that make the business of getting stoned, dare we say, respectable. We're talking about the cannabis industry in America and all of its, ahem, "highs" and lows. 

 

First we have Patrick Ryder. He is the North American Cannabis Practice Leader for HUB International; a top five global risk management brokerage firm. From Denver, CO he has been working with multinational cannabis companies on risk mitigation techniques since the release of the Cole Memorandum paved the way for states to decriminalize adult-use marijuana. 

 

Then we have Brian D. Jones who joined Quadscore Insurance Services as the Executive Vice President in 2021.  He contributes a wealth of diverse insurance industry experience.  His depth of knowledge in handling a broad array of complex operational, regulatory, underwriting, management, and actuarial matters also added value to his previous roles at Hartford Life, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Hartford Investment Management Company, and AXA XL, a division of AXA. Most recently, he was on the front lines of the cannabis insurance market from its infancy in 2017 through its maturation.  He developed an underwriting strategy for the cannabis account portfolio and kept his team up to date on changes in the market.  Mr. Jones developed a thorough distribution channel of brokers who work with cannabis clients, and he regularly meets with executive-level stakeholders to design solutions and innovative ways to insure their risks.

 

Essentially, Patrick and Brian's resumes are fancy ways of saying that they help (or helped) smoke shops and growers get insured ever since Obama said states can do what they want with weed.

 

 

We chew on the very beginnings of legal marijuana and its cultural epicenter in Denver, CO, the steady spread of states to follow, the Federal government's role (or lack, thereof...ready to grab half of your stash but won't allow you to take normal deductions like any other "too legit to quit" business can do), the good guys in business (Bay Area rapper Berner who owns the Cookies pot shops), the bad guys (lots of legislative red tape, lack of regulation) and the ugly (those poor bastards that know how to get us really, really stoned but, well, they can't exactly do math).

 

So, load up your cartridge, swallow a few gummies, shake that flower from your grinder, roll your joint, stuff your blunt, pack your pipe and waft through a fast-paced, highly informative, extremely passionate wall of sweet smoke as the Buzzards take another hit from the bong.

 

And remember, folks, if you have any questions or comments about this show or others or have any suggestions for topics and guests, feel free to email us at fivedollarbuzz@gmail.com. It may take a second to get to ya as we sleep one off but, rest assured, we'll be there, our friends.

Shaka King Reigns Supreme

In this episode, the Buzzards interview writer-director Shaka King. In just under a decade Mr. King has amassed an impressive resume, including a string of films that have premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and several highly-acclaimed television series episodes. 

 

His latest film, JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH, is the hard-hitting examination of the last years of the enigmatic revolutionary-activist Black Panther Chairman Fred Hampton and his subsequent betrayal at the hands of a colleague, William O'Neal, who was conscripted by the FBI to do their bidding. Nominated for six Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor for both leads, Daniel Kaluuya and LaKeith Stanfield, Best Cinematography and Best Song.

 

The interview focuses on Mr. King's early life growing up in Brooklyn, his influences in literature and cinema and the trajectory of his career as we discuss several of his films. We talk about comedy vs. drama, hip hop and jazz and some of the intricacies of making JUDAS.

 

Please listen along as we get to know the next wave of a true talent - a rock steady voice that belies the anger and turmoil of generations embedded deep in his work - whose art speaks for itself. Shaka King, indeed, reigns supreme.

 

This one's for the cineastes and the cinephiles, the artists and the activists, the historians and the students. So grab a cocktail, roll a smoke, throw on the earbuds and enjoy this edition of FIVE DOLLAR BUZZ.

 

Please share your thoughts and comments and any ideas you have for guests and topics at fivedollarbuzz@gmail.com. Thanks for listening!

Phish's The Clifford Ball: 25 Years Later, Part I

Psychedelic prog rock jam band Phish put on a two-day event at recently closed Plattsburgh Air Force Base in Plattsburgh, NY on August 16-17, 1996.  The event became the largest show of that year and really kick-started Phish beyond a huge cult-like band and more into the mainstream waters of bands like the Grateful Dead (a comparison that is not their particular favorite or their fans).

 

What's remarkable about the show is that the two-day event was primarily all Phish-based who played seven sets for about 80,000-90,000 people.

 

We are led by Buzzard George Kursar who ropes in co-hosts Roger Mayer (who is no Phish aficionado) and Pete Liska, who is really part of our special guest panel tonight because we feature three duders (including Pete) who all grew up either in Plattsburgh or the very town over and who all three attended the event.

 

And those other two special guest duders are Nate Garden and Tom Glasgow who give insightful background on the history of Plattsburg, the AIr Force Base and, most importantly, what it was like to be on the inside of one of the largest music events of the 90s.

 

This is Part I of a two-part special that will feature another special guest speaker in an upcoming episode.  So get your balloon, be ready with the canister, fill it up and inhale...hear the helicopters in your head and float up into the sky...

 

** Note that we are always on the hunt for interesting topics and guests as well as any comments/questions about this or other shows.  Please email us at fivedollarbuzz@gmail.com and someone will get back to you...maybe...it's gotta be either really great or exceptionally painful...we don't do "middle of the road"...

FEAR AND LOATHING IN '21: MY GOD, WE MISS YOU DR. HUNTER S. THOMPSON

The Buzzards dedicate an entire episode to the Godfather of Gonzo and how sorely missed he's been over the past five years. Hunter S Thompson is the famed journalist and author of novels "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas," "Hell's Angels: The Strange and Terrible Saga of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs" and "The Rum Diary" among several others and was the bacchanalian court jester of the countercultural movement of the late 60s and throughout the 70s.

 

We are joined by historian and Thompson contemporary Clifton Lee from Baton Rouge, Louisiana who gives us insightful background and context of the good Dr.'s place in history and how he might have impacted the cultural dialogue of the last five years in American politics, sports and the COVID pandemic. 

 

We also have special guest and frequent Five Dollar Buzz collaborator author Kevin M. Colgan on deck to discuss his new literary project in progress tentatively titled "Letters to Hunter: Fear and Loathing on Lockdown," an imagined correspondence with Dr. Thompson during the year of COVID. We will hear a couple of excerpts from the book and discuss more at length at just how much we all miss the voice of reason.

 

So, slice a grapefruit, pour the vodka, roll a joint, and give us your ears...it's time to get weird and turn pro.

 

Lawyers, Pods, and Money

The Buzzards meet up with esteemed wife-husband attorneys Giovanna A. D'Orazio and Scott M. Peterson of the aptly named law firm, D'Orazio Peterson located in Saratoga Springs, NY.  They are both upstate New York natives with many years behind them working for very prestigious law firms before Scott went out on his own, soon followed by Giovanna.  Dedicated to helping the individual over the corporation (many David vs. Goliath cases) they also share their spare time with two children and both sit on several boards.  Scott is on the Board of the Saratoga Affordable Housing Group - they help folks get housing who need it - as well as the Board of the Saratoga County Bar Association. Giovanna in the President of the Adirondack Women's Bar Association, a member of the Board of WellSpring, the domestic violence and sexual assault resource for Saratoga County and the Board of the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation, an organization set-up to protect the historic and architectural character of Saratoga Springs (which some of you may know is a Recession-proof city).

 

This week we have Giovanna and Scott chime in on two current cases that have recently been in the news:  the sexual harassment charges against both New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and Houston Texan's star quarterback Deshaun Watson. They give a highly-intelligent insider's peek from a lawyer's perspective to our outermost blink of salacious headline fodder and conspiracy theories. We set 'em up and they knock 'em down.

 

If ever you find yourself in trouble in New York you most definitely may want to consider D'Orazio Peterson.  For more information, just pop over to their website:  www.doraziopeterson.com.

 

They also have a new podcast up and running (and it's absolutely fascinating to listen to, please do) called TalkLex, whose first episode also concerns Cuomo as well as confidentiality agreements, "gag orders" and all things sexual harassment.  Here's one way to take a gander:  TalkLex Podcast Link.

 

So take a close listen, Buzzards, as we have some sober reasoning from folks from the inside of America's most virulent topic of today and how women have finally found their voices through the work of lawyers such as D'Orazio Peterson!

Buzzards in the Flesh: Co-Host Roger M. Mayer/Rabble Rouser: Tom Taylor

This episode we highlight Buzzard Roger M. Mayer. He is a prolific film producer known mostly for outsider indie horror films ANTIBIRTH, THE RAMBLER, THE OREGONIAN and docs BIG RIVER MAN and JACO. He worked for the Sundance Film Festival for 14 years and was the Festival Director/Head Programmer for the Silver Lake Film Festival and the Downtown Film Festival-Los Angeles (now known as the DTLA Film Festival).  A bleeding heart pain in the ass with a penchant for atonal dissonant noise and APOCALYPSE NOW, we hear a little about his journeys in life and the philosophies that he lives by.

 

First time caller, long time listener Tom Taylor calls into the program!  Tom joins the Buzzards while he is in the middle of yet another Rocky Mountain ski excursion, this time posted up in Vail, CO.   He shares his thoughts on various concert experiences over the years and everyone fondly recalls their first live music show and the first recording they ever purchased.  From Sia to New Kids on the Block to the Butthole Surfers, as well as chance encounters with Adam Yauch and Axl Rose, we take the listeners for a stroll down Shakedown Street!

Cocktail Dreams

Terry Rogers is the owner/operator of Harbor Point Wines and Spirits located in Stamford, CT.  She has been involved in the wine space for over 40 years.  She previously owned Horseneck Wines in Greenwich, which she purchased in 1989.  There her expertise in old world wines from Italy, France and Spain, as well as varietals from Northern California was heavily relied upon by her regal clientele of executives, hedge fund managers and sophistos.  She sold a robust portfolio of wines to NYC restaurants and famous steakhouses, during the late 1970s and 1980s.  A true pioneer in the industry, she was one of the very first female salespersons.  In the dystopian days of punk rock, mafia activity, and larger-than-life restauranteurs, Terry kept Midtown Manhattan well supplied with some of the world's finest wine. 

 

Brian "Mr. Wine" Clancy is a Level 2 Certified Sommelier, soon to be testing for the Advanced designation on the island of Maui in Hawaii. In the summer of 1998, Clancy walked away from a promising career as a concert dulcimer player.  Joined by some of his college friends, he ventured to the Aloha State for a university summer break adventure.  23 years later, he is one of the leading wine experts in a state whose economy is largely dependent on tourism and hospitality.  Whether it be Neil Young, Joe Torre or Gary Busey, any customer lucky enough to gain exposure to Clancy's encyclopedic knowledge walks away smarter and well provided for.  

He even teases the Clifford Ball... 

 

 

These 2 experts guide George and Pete through a fun and educational journey of white wine.  Terry and Mr. Wine also share their one-of-a kind stories and the irony of both growing up in the Adirondack Mountain/Capital region of New York State.  

The Buzzards walk away refreshed and informed. Terry and Brian also promise to provide an encore of sorts.  Red wine will be tasted in the not too distant future! 

Mother Teresa, Joey Ramone & Illegal Skateboarding in Cuba

The Buzzards meet up with the founder of Amigo Skate, the Robin Hoods of Havana, Rene Lecour. Part Punk Rock, part Hip Hop DJ, part outlaw and part saint, Lecour started Amigo Skate in Miami in order to bring illegal skateboards to the children and teens of Cuba where such vehicles are considered contraband.

 

We also interview filmmaker Vanesa Wilkey-Escobar, who produced and directed the award-winning feature documentary AMIGO SKATE, CUBA which is about Lecour and his band of merry folk that help smuggle in contraband and the main contacts in Cuba who are there to keep the movement moving forward.

 

Two Cuban-Americans from seemingly different backgrounds came together to create a mission, a document and art. 

 

For more information about Amigo Skate and to help with the mission please go to:  AmigoSkate.com.

 

For more information about the feature documentary AMIGO SKATE, CUBA please find it on any VOD platform including:  Amazon, iTunes, GooglePlay, etal and your local cable and satellite VOD platforms.

Tales From The Super Bowl

We peek through the various key holes of some of the most exclusive events surrounding the NFL’s premier annual event. This deep dive includes reflections on parties hosted by Playboy, Maxim and Tao Group.  

 

Daniel J. Cohen, Dr. Mark Goldstein, and Dr. Brian "Booker" Wraith have attended every SB since 2002.  These tales are as much about sports, boozing and gambling,  as they are about friendship, tradition and extraordinarily generous charity. 

Farm To Toilet

Eric Lovenduski is owner/operator of Slate River Farms in Greenwich, NY.  Slate River is a small family farm focused on regenerative farm practices. The farm raises 100% pastured chicken, eggs, turkey and 100% grassfed beef along with straw, hay and some crops.

Matt McCormick is the Corporate Chef at Weber Grill Restaurants in Chicago.  Chef McCormick has cooked in restaurants in Miami, Atlanta and Birmingham, AL.

Lovenduski and McCormick join Pete Liska, Roger Michael Mayer, and George "The Wizard" Kursar to discuss the food system - from farm to toilet!

The guys even wish a very happy birthday to Jason Newsted!