IBNN Blogger Don Allen Urges Citizens To "Take Back North Minneapolis," Calls Out 7 "Self Appointed Leaders," Plus Delightful Home Style Cooking!

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ADDENDUM: February 6, 2011. This blog post was written before I and many others in North Minneapolis discovered what a disreputable con man character Don Allen is. I would advise anybody: Do not trust Don Allen. Seek further information about Don Allen from various online sources before having any contact with him.

Don Allen of the IBNN blog, pictured above on the far right, is calling 'em as he sees 'em, and urging citizens to join him tomorrow, Saturday, May 2, in an effort to "take back North Minneapolis" from what Don calls "seven self-appointed black leaders." Click here for a link to Don's blog post about this event, which will be held at the SunnySide Cafe at 1720 Glenwood Ave. N.

Word is the event will go from...

...around 11 in the morning to about 2 PM. The choice to use the SunnySide Cafe is significant: Al McFarlane, who is kind of like Don's nemesis ("The Anti-Donny," if you will) often holds court at the SunnySide. ACCORDING TO DON ALLEN, Al McFarlane recently said Don must work for the "CIA or FBI." Let me tell you, my blog had a lot of fun with THAT, click here.

I understand the SunnySide serves basic, delicious home style food and they are even willing to cater. (This establishment is right across the street from the place where Lennie "The Heckler" Chism saw his small empire rise, only to dramatically crumble, click here)

Don Allen--who is always taking on the folks running things at the Minneapolis Urban League--has been spilling some interesting stuff on his blog, lately, and also letting hot information out in coy little dribs and drabs, click here for an example.

Anybody interested in more details should email Don Allen at info@ibnn.org or call Don at 612-986-0010.

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JNS BLOG EXCLUSIVE: Sunday's 4th Ward Meeting, Troy Parker Challenge Rejected

Photo by Don Allen

After my previous blog post about the 4th Ward DFL rejecting the post-convention challenges of Troy Parker, Don Allen of the IBNN blog kindly forwarded a photo of the proceedings. This is what Minneapolis history looked like in the 4th Ward, when Troy Parker tried...but fell way short.

My simple political analysis is this: in the wake of the foreclosure crisis and its huge impact on North Minneapolis, SOME constituents are indeed unhappy with Don Samuels and Barb Johnson.

However, by a margin of roughly 60/40, more constituents SUPPORT Don Samuels and Barb Johnson. Both Troy Parker and Kenya McKnight should accept the judgment of the DFL and just...pack it up and quit wasting their efforts, which could go into making their neighborhood better.

ADDENDUM: February 6, 2011. This blog post was written before I and many others in North Minneapolis discovered what a disreputable con man character Don Allen is. I would advise anybody: Do not trust Don Allen. Seek further information about Don Allen from various online sources before having any contact with him.


(Do not click "Read More")

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Don Allen Calls Out Al McFarlane, Denies Working For CIA And FBI

Image From Don Allen's
Facebook Page...or is it?



ADDENDUM, SEPTEMBER 24, 2011: This blog post was written before I learned a great deal of relevant information about Don Allen, including his involvement with a Ponzi scheme that was busted by the FBI and his record of stealing from a bedridden vet at the VA hospital. I now consider Don Allen an unsavory character but I will not remove or alter posts due to respect for an accurate historical record.

So, first of all, people who follow North Minneapolis issues intensely have (so I've heard) kind of wondered about what's the deal with Johnny Northside and Don Allen of the IBNN blog?

Though me and Don...

...have vast differences politically, we seem to get along great.

Of course, part of that is the fact Don Allen is trying to figure out a way to make money by marketing North Minneapolis, and he's all, like, "Johnny, if I can get something going, are you in?" And I'm all, like, "Dude, whatever, if there's decent money involved, I'm in."

(Decent money is not the same as a lot of money. Decent money is what you could hope to make by doing some good. A whole lot of money usually requires offshore oil drilling, deforestation, and animal cruelty, all before breakfast)

Some would say I'm living in a fantasy world, thinking I'd get PAID to BLOG.

And that's a fair critique. But consider this example. Which of the following do you think I'd prefer: riding in a cute red sports car driven by a hot girl in a miniskirt who, (apparently) has just shaved her impossibly-long legs but, at the current time, shows no romantic interest in me whatsoever...

Or walking?

WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO with Don Allen, Al McFarlane, and/or the FBI and CIA?

Um...well, OK, it might be a tangent. So let me just get to the pickle-y part of the pickled pig's knuckle of information nuggets, and here it is, in the form of an email Don Allen fired off to a bunch of folks, recently:

Dear Ms. Hyde, (and BCC's)

Contrary to popular belief, it is not my mission to distribute miss-information to the community. My goal is to distribute news and information that would otherwise never get out. With the ability to outreach any north side media outlet, you would think this would be a good tool. Yes, it becomes somewhat controversial but never the less, "if you throw a rock at a pack of dogs, the one you hit will yelp."

On Friday, at Sunny Side Restaurant Mr. Al McFarlane publicly stated that he thought I worked for the FBI or CIA. This is the same thing said of Dr. Martin Luther King and Malcolm X. Of course this is not true, but yet another attempt to discredit me because of my political allegiances and the questions I ask are too hard to answer when it comes to the Minneapolis Urban League and alleged conflict of interests involving the Board, the process and individual financial gains versus "direct to MUL gains, bypassing a middleman."

I have multiple concerns about the operation at the Minneapolis Urban League including the obvious Conflict of Interest (COI) involving yourself, Al McFarlane and the CEO finalist from the Madison Urban League. Mr. McFarlane says, "Don is good for business," which means its easier for Mr. McFarlane to "backdoor" business and ask potential agencies to use him and ask these
agencies to have other potential collaborations go through him also.

(This happened at a National Association of Minority Contractors meeting. Those of us in the business know that one "skewed" media outlet cannot deliver all minority-ethnics, let alone the mainstream. Gross misrepresentation seems to be a norm here.)

Next week on the Independent Business News Network (www.ibnn.org) and in very public press releases, I will ask the questions about why is it that a board member who receives financial payments from the MUL for advertising is able to broadcast out of the MUL and how much does the agency receive for the use of the facility when it is apparent that Mr. McFarlane's radio show does have financial sponsors. (COI). We talk a lot these days about, "transparency," I would like full disclosure in an attempt to understand the process that makes some, activity at the MUL okay (including partisan politics).

Let me make it absolutely clear. Its okay to have a live radio show broadcast out of the MUL - but shouldn't it be about MUL programs and issues that affect the community versus promotion for Mr. McFarlane's sponsors and personal advertising agenda - I ask you to step back and see this clearly.

If someone like the MUL current outreach coordinator had the platform that McFarlane Media is using at the MUL, issues could be addressed across the Twin Cities while building capacity for the agency. (I would assist in setting up a radio show on a local radio station for the MUL to be broadcast live from the MUL. The same sponsors that MM has would jump on board due to the "dual benefits:" outreach, and community engagement with an established flagship non-profit. Ms. Hyde, how can the MUL operate by sending money, sponsors and private sector collaborations "out the door?"

It seems to me that KMOJ would be the best "fit" for a live broadcast at the MUL - but we know that's a whole other story.

Mr. McFarlane has told me that he has signed a Conflict of Interest statement, can it be produced along with the Board minutes that allow Mr. McFarlane to walk in and broadcast without any benefits to the MUL - if there are financial benefits, what are they? Contrary to what you or the MUL's been told, there is a funding stream.

In the MUL's board attempt to "close" board meetings even for members, this is an action that will be fought by the community due to the amazing amount of current corruption that has not been addressed.

COI #2: Ms. Hyde, aren't you a member of the search committee and have ties to the Madison Urban League where dollars were paid to someone you know to speak there recently? Also, is it public information on the amount you have been paid to plan the MUL annual dinner (also in 2008), furthermore questioning the integrity of your collaborations that seem to be very close with the agency?

In closing, I would ask that on Saturday, April 25 at 1pm when the MUL presents the finalist to the community for the CEO position, you have someone other than Mr. McFarlane host this event. This will stop the continued Conflict of Interests that seem to occur weekly at the agency.

After several request for information sent to David at the MUL, he has refused to answer or supply requested information. Furthermore, what does the MUL do? I would love the opportunity to sit down with someone with the facts and discuss a mutual middle ground.

If you have any questions - or answers to any of the above, please contact me
at (612) 986-0010.

Very best regards,

Donald W.R. Allen,II - V.P./GM
Email: donny@donny-allen.com
Office: (612) 332-6025
Direct: (612) 986-0010

JNS says: I confess I'm not following some of this. However, I really like the part about Don Allen being--reportedly--accused of working for the CIA and the FBI. That's just too funny! Especially since *I* am the one working for the CIA.

Well, actually the NSA and army psy-ops but I ask you...what's the difference?

Point is, if Don Allen were working for the CIA or FBI I'm pretty sure I'd have read it in my daily briefings, duh. Yes, I confess to skimming intel reports, sometimes--especially the tedious rehashing of EVERY LITTLE NUGGET printed in Insight News, right down to the ADVERTISERS, I mean GEEZ!!!!--but if Don Allen worked for the CIA, I"m sure I'd have caught mention of THAT.

ADDENDUM: February 6, 2011. This blog post was written before I and many others in North Minneapolis discovered what a disreputable con man character Don Allen is. I would advise anybody: Do not trust Don Allen. Seek further information about Don Allen from various online sources before having any contact with him.

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Northside Marketing Task Force Discussion Gets Messy, Interesting, Profanity-Laced

Photo Of Don Allen, From His
Facebook Page

Before I say anything else, I should say this: sincere people with good intentions are known to vigorously disagree with each other.

ADDENDUM: February 6, 2011. This blog post was written before I and many others in North Minneapolis discovered what a disreputable con man character Don Allen is. I would advise anybody: Do not trust Don Allen. Seek further information about Don Allen from various online sources before having any contact with him.

At the end of the day, North Minneapolis needs an effective marketing strategy. We are hard up against media-created spin that paints our neighborhood as a...

...bad place, when we know it is a good place and, even more importantly, our neighborhood is changing and getting better by leaps and bounds through our own hard struggle and--it must be acknowledged--millions of dollars being poured in by government entities, non-profits, and businesses.

Having said that...today I had a business meeting with Don Allen of IBNN blog and V-local.com, which (Don stated) was rated last year as the Twin Cities' No. 1 internet marketing firm. On his laptop, Allen showed me some of the bells and whistles of what his company does, which seems to revolve around increasing internet exposure and rankings for businesses. He gave me a t-shirt. Everybody is giving me t-shirts lately; Northside Marketing Task Force, Pete's Hardwood Floors, and now Don Allen gave me one for inetsurf.com.

Do they think my loyalty can be BOUGHT? (Um...don't answer that question)

NSMTF History, Part One

I'd be fascinated to get the whole history of this task force which, I think, would make an interesting academic study about a neighborhood trying to market itself in the face of politics, a lack of resources, and many obstacles to a successful marketing effort. Like random gunfire. I mean, in my mind, random gunfire is a biggie when it comes to marketing obstacles. Hence my strategy of a "first wave" of adventurous, risk-taking "security minded individuals" to move in and "secure the neighborhood," as outlined in my theory of "Market and Romanticize The Struggle."

Anyway, I'd heard how Don Allen used to be on the NMTF but left. In Don Allen's office, which is decorated with maps of the 5th Congressional Ward, I asked Don about that. Don told me how the Task Force started with high hopes and big dreams, but Don Allen didn't like Jerry Moore from the get-go. Don felt Jerry "didn't understand sound business practices." Others on the Task Force--Don mentions my friends Anderson Mitchell of Mitchell Construction, and Lisa Mitchell, who works for General Mills--were strongly supportive of Jerry Moore, who--at that time--was the Executive Director of JACC.

They supported Moore AT FIRST, that is to say. Lisa and Anderson Mitchell have now changed their tune, and apparently part of that sea change in sentiment involved Don showing the Mitchells documents from the investigation of Larry Maxwell, documents which name Jerry Moore and talk about Moore receiving a payment.

In Don's view, the task force became less about marketing North Minneapolis and more about "pumping up Jerry Moore to run for something." Don says Al McFarlane of Insight News was involved with a lot of this "pumping up." (Don showed me a wrinkled copy of Insight News with a prominent photo of Kenya McKnight on the front. Don said he'd used it to keep the rain off his head today, and it was indeed good for that, he said)

According to Don, Jerry Moore saw NMTF as "his own little platform to build upon."

"It wasn't about positioning the North Side," Don Allen said. "It was about positioning Jerry Moore." Now, according to Don, the NMTF has become about "positioning (Vice Chair) Mike Kestner."

Allen talks, in particular, about an instance where he managed to obtain a promise of some rather respectable-sized donations from a business source, and the Task Force board insisted that Don's name should be removed from a letter to the source, and substituted with Jerry Moore's name. On his own, from professional business contacts, Don Allen had developed the source of funding, but now credit was being handed to somebody else; the annointed one of the McFarlane clique, Jerry Moore.

It's obvious Don Allen still has a bad taste in his mouth over this.

Allen Forms V Media Development Corporation

Don Allen has formed a non-profit called "V Media Corporation." The articles of incorporation, sent by the Minnesota Secretary of State, are framed and hang on Don's office wall. Though a board has already been formed, Don Allen says he is interested in taking on more folks. The goal of the organization is to help areas "underserved by advertising, PR, and marketing." (Like North Minneapolis) There is a goal of showing "successful, measurable outcomes."

Don Allen didn't say so, but Google rankings come to mind. Stories in the media buzzing about North Minneapolis in a generally positive way, that comes to mind, too, and those things can be counted, tabulated, put in the form of bar graphs.

Mike Kestner Tells Don Allen To Get F***ed

When talking to Don, he has to put off taking a constant stream of phone calls, but sometimes he is forced to apologize and, well, he really must take THIS call.

It was in the course of such a call that Allen learned there was a meeting of the Northside Marketing Task Force. TONIGHT. Don began placing calls, trying to find out where and when. We both wondered what might be on the agenda, but figured two items would come up for sure:

# OLD BUSINESS: When will the Carney Group's website work be approved for release? Don's belief is a thing doesn't have to be perfect, it can be "tweaked while it is hot." That's kind of how I see things. Get the story out to the public ASAP, there will always be details to add in subsequent stories.

# NEW BUSINESS: Internet controversy over task force inaction, and a discussion about whether to add Don Allen and/or Johnny Northside to the Task Force.

Don Allen was forced to call Mike Kestner himself to find out when and where the meeting was. Kestner told Don he shouldn't be at the meeting. It would be intimidating, if Don was at the meeting, Kestner said. Don insisted on knowing the location of the meeting. There was an arcane discussion about whether a non-profit is considered a non-profit, when it has filed ONE piece of paper but not ANOTHER piece of paper.

At one point--and this is according to Don--Mike Kestner told Don Allen, "F*** you!" After 10 minutes of cajoling, Don Allen managed to get the meeting time and place out of Mike Kestner.

Last word I had was that Don Allen was heading for the meeting, scheduled to take place at 6 p.m. at the Cleveland Neighborhood Organization Building.

Breaking News, Closed Session, "Personnel Issues"

Don Allen called me a second ago. There is breaking news. Approximately 6 individuals are having a meeting. Jerry Moore is not present, but Mike Kestner is there. When Allen entered the room, he was told "we just voted to go into executive session to discuss personnel issues."

"Um," I asked Don. "They're a non-profit board. They don't have any employees. How can they have personnel issues?"

"THANK YOU!!!" Don yelled into his cell phone.

At this moment, Don is trying to hunt down a copy of the bylaws to figure out if 6 members of the Task Force even form a quorum. More as I get word...

It is a shame that trying to market a neighborhood becomes a political infight, a battle of personalities and he said, she said. But, at the end of the day, this is what democracy looks like and our neighborhood is fighting to make itself something better, having a vital discussion about what competing ideas and visions will take us to that better time and place.

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JNS BLOG EXCLUSIVE: Phony "White Supremacist" Letter Tries To Smear City Council Member Don Samuels

Flickr.com Photo

ADDENDUM: February 6, 2011. This blog post was written before I and many others in North Minneapolis discovered what a disreputable con man character Don Allen is. I would advise anybody: Do not trust Don Allen. Seek further information about Don Allen from various online sources before having any contact with him.

Don Allen of the IBNN blog developed and shared this information, and should get the credit, but once again this is an example of the "fast, cheap and out of control" aspect of this blog. I can get this info in the public eye FASTER.

According to Don, the office of...

...State Senator Linda Higgins received a letter, purportedly from a white supremacist hate group. The letter basically said something like, "Keep on supporting Don Samuels, we really appreciate it."

In warfare, "black propaganda" is a communication which purports, on its face, to be from one side of a conflict, when it is actually from the other side. This kind of thing is used to harass and discredit. Think about it: why would a white supremacist group be writing a letter to a liberal state senator, thanking her for supporting a black city council member? This isn't even CLEVER. It's on the same level as putting a bag of dog poop on somebody's step and lighting it on fire.

No, wait...OK, that's actually MORE clever.

Seeing this kind of dirty trick bag pulled out so early in the city council contest, one suspects the Samuels/McKnight race will be a bloody mud wrestling match.

These are rare and beautiful days for a blogger, and one must cherish the moments.

ADDENDUM: I'm told the letter is at least 3 pages and, incredibly, contains the word "gentrification."

Yeah, like pinhead white supremacists sit around comparing notes about "gentrification." The whole pathetic episode sounds like a ham-handed comedy of errors from somebody lacking both cunning and subtlety.

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Discussion, Feedback, And Scuttlebutt About The North Side Marketing Task Force

Flickr.com Photo

ADDENDUM: February 6, 2011. This blog post was written before I and many others in North Minneapolis discovered what a disreputable con man character Don Allen is. I would advise anybody: Do not trust Don Allen. Seek further information about Don Allen from various online sources before having any contact with him.

Information is gravy, and I am a warm buttermilk biscuit. In the wake of my recent blog posts about the North Side Marketing Task Force--and whether it is alive, where it is going, etc.--I received more than one phone call, including one from Vice Chair Mike Kestner.

Mike tells me that, currently, the task force has no chair. (I kept ASKING about this) There will be a meeting in the near future to pick a chair. In regard to the supposedly "missing" records, Mike says...

...he is in possession of the records, and there was nothing nefarious about their movement.

An Offer I Can't Refuse?

Mike is proposing a "sit down" with me and IBNN blogger Don Allen to talk about the future of North Side Marketing. This should be fun. When I applied to be on the Marketing Task Force--persuaded by Lisa Mitchell to go there and try--one source tells me Mike (and Jerry Moore) used phrases to describe me like "nuts" and "loose cannon."

"I SWEAR TO GOD," says this source.

But I'll sit down and talk with anybody and--as I hope I've made clear many times--this blogger for hire. Viva la sacre, viva la guerre, viva la sacre mercenaire. I'd be very happy to find a way to get subsidized to write even more stories about North Minneapolis while applying my theory of "market and romanticize the struggle."

Was The Housing Fair Adequately Publicized?

Don Allen is, meanwhile, airing more grievances about the North Side Marketing Task Force in regard to whether the recent Housing Fair was adequately marketed. This is what he said to Mike at 11:13 a.m. today:

Dear Mr. Kestner,

I am actually shocked that Ms. Debbie Nelson from North Housing & Home Improvement Fair told me that the NMTF was responsible for marketing and advertising this event. There was no effort put into placing a 100 percent reach and frequency program that would of (sic) cost the task force virtually NOTHING!

How can the citizens of North Minneapolis allow this to continue. Please call me. How does something like this NOT get on WCCO, B96, KMOJ, WLTE, City Pages, Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder, One Nation News, LaVoz, Somali News, Asian American Press, La Depernza, etc?

PISSED!

(End of Don Allen email)

Why Should A Marketing Task Force Be Afraid Of PUBLICITY?

It's a truism in marketing that all publicity is good publicity, though I think that's a truism that isn't true, unless you're Lindsay Lohan. But my main beef with the task force has been a lack of TRANSPARENCY. And here's my proof, Exhibits A Through C.

First of all, when I interviewed for the task force I was told NO, THE CAMERA CREW FROM 612 AUTHENTIC COULD NOT RECORD THE INTERVIEW. They were actually told to leave the room.

Well, great. Maybe the Task Force COULD HAVE BEEN in the Johnny Northside movie, but you can't really edit footage THAT DOESN'T EXIST. You don't see somebody like Connie Nompelis (No-bliss) from NOMI acting that way, but then again...cameras love Connie. Every day, in every way, NOMI is proving itself more cohesive and more effective than NMTF when it comes to North Minneapolis marketing.

(Connie was reportedly involved in the early formation of NOMI but I am unsure if she currently has a title with that group...I'm sure Connie won't be shy about telling me, though)

But back to my discussion of non-transparency on the task force, which was pretty apparent during my interview. I was asked--rather pointedly, by Mike--about whether I could KEEP MY MOUTH SHUT about stuff that happens on the task force. Oh, yeah, no sense publicizing (stomp stomp) anything having to do with the organization in charge of publicity! (stomp stomp)

The cherry on the sundae of NMTF media-blackout was when I asked Mike--at the recent Housing Fair--who was the chair of the task force and was told "We're working on that" and not given more information or explanation.

Why would such a lack of transparency be necessary or desirable?

To be fair, Mike DID give me a nice t-shirt with the NMTF logo--some kind of freaking leaf pattern, god knows what THAT is supposed to mean unless it involves scoring weed in Farview Park--and the motto "Creating Value Through Diversity."

First of all, "value through diversity" is not even original--you can find many examples of that slogan in use, all over the internet--second of all, the slogan is much more appropriately used in those other contexts, like a seminar on "Islamic Microfinance" than to be used to market--good god--A NEIGHBORHOOD.

The words "Creating Value Through Diversity" are words you would use to tell people not to have hate in their hearts, and try to love their fellow human beings. Fine sentiments...but this has little or nothing to do with convincing people to buy houses and become part of the fabric of a neighborhood WITH VERY SERIOUS IMAGE PROBLEMS TO OVERCOME LIKE, OH GEE, CHILDREN BEING HIT BY RANDOM BULLETS.

NOMI managed to straddle the razor-thin lines of political correctness versus effective neighborhood marketing MUCH MORE CLEVERLY with their simple "Get To NOMI" slogan, which encompasses both checking out great housing deals and having love for your fellow human beings.

Score: NOMI, 1. North Side Marketing Task Force, 0. But who was handing out the free shirts at the Housing Fair?

NOMI, you better keep up or NSMTF will EAT YOUR LUNCH.

Rumor, Scuttlebutt And Dark Innuendo

Meanwhile, here is some more information I picked up, here and there.

# I'm being told a substantial amount of money was paid to The Carney Group (click here) for a North Side Marketing Task Force Website, but the final website (reportedly) was never approved. I'm trying to get more info on this, because clearly there IS some kind of a Carney-group produced website, click here, but it appears to be rudimentary and incomplete, waiting for more content to be poured in.

# I'm told if one more person quits the task force, there won't be enough remaining to make a quorum.

(ADDENDUM, March 25: This information may not be true. Subsequently, I found some board members may have been added, or the bylaws may provide more latitude than my source supposed)

# The North Side Marketing Task Force is now trying to figure out how to form a partnership with the University of Minnesota and also harness the energy of "citizen journalists."

My main fear--and I've expressed it to Mike--is that a blog is kind of like a diary. It starts with energy, hopes, dreams, promise...then you go two weeks without writing and say, oh, geez, it's such a lot of WORK. So thinking a bunch of regular citizens will all become bloggers and promote North Minneapolis is...hmm, what's the word I'm searching for?

Madness. If you count up all the blogs in the world, the vast majority are in a state of semi-dormancy.

Kind of like...THE NORTH SIDE MARKETING TASK FORCE ITSELF.

(OK, now I see the logic...)

Where Do We Go From Here?

For the $10,000 paid to create a Northside Marketing Task Force website--that's what I'm hearing was paid so far--this blog could have written HUNDREDS of stories about North Minneapolis--gone to dozens of restaurants, taken hundreds of pictures, toured homes, recorded oral history. And--to keep everybody happy--I could have focused on THAT kind of stuff and kept out of, oh gee, neighborhood politics and scandal. (It would have been a big sacrifice on my part. That's why I NEED TO GET PAID)

Oh, that reminds me. I heard something interesting about Kenya McKnight and the Queen of England. See my next blog post.

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