We had a little problem yesterday where a regular’s posts got sucked up by the spam filter. This can happen sometimes and it’s hard to know why, but I am very much dependent on the extraordinary efforts of that filter. At this point, we’re up to around 88,000 spam comments each month at Drug WarRant.
I no longer have the time to check through them to see if something legitimate got swept in, so please, if you post something and it fails, please let me know so I can rescue it for you.
…..
Our Real Drug Facts Week is now underway (to counter NIDA’s Drug Facts Week, and we’re getting our facts out in the Twittersphere. Even if you don’t tweet, you can check out all our tweets, and you can see all tweets marked with the #drugfacts2011 hashtag.
Via Radley Balko…
New Police Drone Near Houston Could Carry Weapons
A Houston area law enforcement agency is prepared to launch an unmanned drone that could someday carry weapons, Local 2 Investigates reported Friday.
The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office in Conroe paid $300,000 in federal homeland security grant money and Friday it received the ShadowHawk unmanned helicopter made by Vanguard Defense Industries of Spring.
What are they expecting? An alien invasion?
Gage said it will also be deployed for criminal investigations such as drug shipments.
“We’re not going to use it to be invading somebody’s privacy. It’ll be used for situations we have with criminals,” Gage said.
Oh, drugs.
And how do we know it won’t be abused?
“No matter what we do in law enforcement, somebody’s going to question it, but we’re going to do the right thing, and I can assure you of that,” [Sheriff Tommy Gage] said.
Ah.
You know how you feel right now? That’s what it feels like to live in a police state. Fear, uncertainty & insecurity rule.
Was that my post? I was wondering if it had been removed as…ahem…inappropriate.
Yeah… that one might have actually been removed to be on the safe side…
No worries, I understand. Anybody looking will find it themselves.
😉
The website, that is..
wow Pete… the page looks great! I’ll spread it around.
so I googled “drug facts week” and Pete’s is #5, NIDA is at #1. Pete’s is the top link in the highlighted Sponsored Links.
Okay. I googled it, lifted the link from google and pasted it to my facebook page. I’ll link to it in every comment I make on the drug war for the next week. If we all do that, we’ll replace NIDA’s page pronto. Google’s algorithm weights links posted to other websites as opposed to raw clicks. Spamming is only spamming if the links aren’t salient to the topic, right?
Hey, is that sponsored link costing you money?
.
.
Well I’m really glad that I’ve kept up the skeet shooting discipline. Does that helicopter have a range as far as the east coast or am I going to have to travel?
———-
Boo yah! Colorado gonna get certified way before California! Say, are the bookies in Vegas taking bets on which State is going to be first?
But wow, less than 20% of the signatures to assure that the measure gets on the ballot than California. Unfortunately this Tvert fellow doesn’t seem to be the brightest bulb on the marquis. He wants a politician to promise to be honest. Right, like anyone’s going to believe it anyway. What’s next, making him swear he doesn’t molest puppies? C’mon Mason, do something a little more useful, like go count the number of paper towels on the roll to make sure the manufacturer isn’t fibbing on the package.
.
.
Disclaimers: I know who Mr. Tvert is and despite being clueless of how to pronounce his name verbally have nothing less than the utmost respect for his work on the issue of cannabis law reform.
I haven’t shot or even held a gun since I was at summer camp in 1974. Dick Nixon resigned his office while I was at camp that year just so everyone knows how ancient that ancient history is.
Nixon must have heard you were packin’…
La la la la la…
Same as the first, still Commerce.
Mason should be supported for the message.
Until the CSA is burned at the stake, and the DEAth Merchants hung upside down at the courthouse. With a string of dung worriers perpetuating the Ganjawars profit on misery. Knelt down on corn cobs in public stocks as a message to the childrens.
Cannabis is legal in California for some Individuals…
10th Amendment Trumps an Act. Particularly an act of fraud merely changing titles of the “Marihuana Tax Act” found Un-Constitutional, against 5th Amendment Protections.
The ‘Virtues’ of Ganja October 23, 2005
Safer Choice
Disobedient Denver Cops.jpg
They done messed with the wrong folks…Hey Oakland PD,…Whoops!
http://october2011.org/blogs/kevin-zeese/marine-navy-army-and-airforce-veterans-and-police-vow-protect-innocent-protester-0
“Occupy Marines tweeted:
WHEN YOU SHOOT ONE MARINE, YOU SHOOT AT ALL OF US. OORAH. Do It …”
…yes, I left a little off for effect, but that’s OK, right?
Semper Fi. And, yeah, I’ve already pointed this out to other vets out there that the police seem to want to piss all over the Constitution that we swore to defend from ALL enemies, FOREIGN and DOMESTIC.
Militarization of the Police
*:-.,_,.-:*’“’*:-.,_,.-:*’“’*:-.,_,.-:*’“’*:-.,_,.-:*’“’*:-.,_,.-:*
Bank Transfer Day – Saturday, Nov. 5
1946 Oakland General Strike – OWS 2011
Agorism
UFCW Stands with Medical Cannabis Retail Workers 08 Oct 11
The United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), the nation’s largest retail worker organization, demands an immediate end to the U.S. Attorney’s misguided prosecution of operators of small dispensaries of legal medical cannabis in California.
Stop the Violence – Cannabis & Prohibition
Anonymous Threatens Zetas Drug Gang!
Study: Legal Medical Marijuana Doesn’t Encourage Kids to Smoke More Pot
Despite warnings from opponents of medical marijuana, legalizing the drug for medical purposes does not encourage teens to smoke more pot, according to new research that compared rates of marijuana use in Massachusetts and Rhode Island after the latter state changed its laws.
Colorado Marijuana Initiative Passes 100,000 Signatures!
The Coalition to End Marijuana Prohibition, the MPP-backed issue committee paying for the signature drive in Colorado for the initiative to regulate marijuana like alcohol, has hit a major milestone.
How To Make A Pumpkin Bong Matt Mernagh
The Mernahuana Show we make pumpkin bongs live from Vapor Central.
Mexican Soldiers Seize Catapults Used By Gangs to Fling Marijuana Across Border Into US
The Mexican army says soldiers have seized two catapults that were being used by drug smugglers to fling packages of marijuana across the border into Arizona
US MI: Top Cop Changes His Mind
More States Want Federal Government’s OK to Grow Hemp
It hasn’t gotten the attention of medical marijuana, but a growing number of states have passed laws authorizing the growth of hemp and are attempting to get the federal government to make it legal nationwide.
Targeting Mrs. B
The federal government claims that its omnibus crime law, and particularly the mandatory sentences imposed on drug crimes, will target serious organized criminals. This is hogwash; the law will create all manner of injustices. Here’s one example.
East-West Rift Opening Over Crime Bill
A divide is emerging between Eastern and Western Canada over the federal government’s law-and-order agenda, as a debate heats up over the costs of the anti-crime measures and the substance of the bill itself.
STOP BILL C-10: New crime bill hazardous to children
Nov 2 2011 STRAIGHT GOODS: Bill C-10 reduces the age-appropriate nature of Canada’s youth justice system
STOP BILL C-10:
Bill will guarantee that aboriginal women remain in prison for longer Nov 2 2011
THE FIRST PERSPECTIVE: Aboriginal women will be negatively affected by the Conservative government’s omnibus crime bill, says Liberal Senator Céline Hervieux-Payette.
STOP BILL C-10:
Omnibus crime bill won’t reduce victimization rates Nov 2 2011
RABBLE.CA: Harper, Nicholson and Toews are selling their snake-oil crime bill by presuming to speak on behalf of victims.
B.C. braces for Tories’ new crime bill Nov 2 2011
VANCOUVER SUN: Increased costs expected from higher number of people in jails, more court time.
NRA Bought Mandatory Minimums
Occupy Oakland General Strike
‘Corporate personhood’ referendum passes by wide margin
Julian Assange Loses Extradition Fight
Experts begin to doubt Obama’s re-electability
And he keeps flipping millions of possible supporters the finger. I hope he realizes he was not just the first black man elected President he was the first black stoner elected President. (and who woulda ever thought that would ever happen?)
It’s not that hard to figure out Mr President… if you would stick to the science (as you promised) the science will CYA. There is nothing to lose!
He’s not gettin’ a second term. Those people who voted for him the first time? They’re these folks:
http://boingboing.net/2011/09/25/videos-show-police-brutality-at-occupy-wall-street-protests.html
Hi everyone – I’m in Los Angeles now for the Reform drug policy conference. I’ll be tweeting from @davidbratzer if you want to follow my updates. And drop me a line if you’re at the conference as well!
Nice set up David…
Blockades of cops stations in NYC and a rally against the WO(s)D in LA in the same week… hmmm… could this be a trend? A movement perhaps? Or is it the groundswell of rage by the disaffected millions of amotivated stoned couch potatoes?
Anyway, pass this along to your friends in SoCal…
NO MORE DRUG WAR: A Rally & Concert to End the War on Drugs
Event Location: Levitt Pavilion, MacArthur Park
Event City and State: Los Angeles, CA
Date and Time: Thu, 11/03/2011 – 6:00pm – 8:00pm
Event Emcee: Lalo Alcaraz (KPFK’s “Pocho Hour of Power”; “La Cucaracha” comic strip)
Featured Artist: Arise Roots (LA based, socially conscious, original roots reggae)
Performances By: drdiggs / The Real J McCoy / Jonathan Gomez / The Author of Skid Row Flowing: Twin the Poet / King Howard & the Black Oynx / People’s Poetry with Special Guest Real8
Event Media Sponsor: KPFK 90.7 FM
Food:
Mama’s Hot Tamales (including vegan items)
The Bun Truck
Besspresso
Raw Bites Happy Food
Temaki Truck
Rarely do I feel a desire to go to LA… this is one of those moments.
Off Topic Warning:
I have to get this out before I forget –
What if Obama is playing yet another card, and right before the election, with the entire enchilada on the table, he says … I support legalizing cannabis.
Can you imagine?
He could say it, and people might believe it. And it would still be a lie unless, right then and there, he did something about it like deschedule it.
.
.
Actually no, I can’t.
The man is a tool. You’re simply providing fodder for those who claim that pot causes brain damage with such nonsense. We’ve already got enough of a handicap there with DdC in our numbers.
Reality, what a concept. The man betrayed you. He played you for a chump. Don’t think I don’t know how it feels, played for a chump by Obama sitting here typing, no doubt. Why would you want to let him bend you over a second time?
Did you know that the very common con job in financial fraud is the second con man that comes along after a first con man has taken a victim and promises to get the stolen money back? Sit down and think about the psychology at play there and see if you can’t relate it to what you’ve posted above.
My in-laws used to live out in this part of Texas, and I wouldn’t buy a word this sherrif says. This is the same part of Texas that had the FBI and Texas Rangers investigating foreclosure fraud instigated by the local Constable and his “associates” with his department and MCSO (Montgomery County Sherrif’s Office). That they say they’ll “only” use this for crimes in action and surveillance before a search warrant/raid is a lot of bullshit…. and this section of the state has enough ranches around that they provide enough bullshit on their own. I also know that the county salivates at the Rennaisance Festival crowd coming into town during this time of year, because they look at it as easy pickings for DUI and/or citizens in possession (every Faire I’ve been to has tons of cannabis users).
If you want to root for someone from this area who has good influences, Cody Johnson of the Texas Longhorns (running back) is the son of the man who started the whole federal investigation and had threats on his life afterward because it was found out that he dropped the hints on who was doing what within local law.
It’s very ironic… for such a pro- Tea Party area that hates the government, the ones in office still support the War on (some) Drugs, but the locals (who are every bit as vehemently anti-gov’t) grow LOTS of indoor hydro grows.
I live north of Austin and the LEO’s are all playing the drug war card,,they are already hooked on the bounty money from the ONDCP for popping marijuana users.
They now depend on the bounty money to buy the sophisticated toys necessary to bust more marijuana users.
That is why even in the small town I live in,the city police are sitting on the bypass,,,waiting for the big bust,,instead of patrolling their town and stopping such things as assaults,burglaries and thefts.
That patrolling stuff is dangerous! You might happen on a CRIMINAL! Then what do you do? There’s no money in it if you bust criminals, and real criminals are sometimes violent! Jeez….you just want them to suffer, Clay… [massive sarcasm disclaimer, but since I’m the one who never gets sarcasm here, it’s probably unnecessary]
You live in LAWN? omg… I’m so sorry…
We need an emergency joint session of congress,,,ASAP.
Anyone looking for a great future in drug smuggling should apply immediately at the following Monster jobsite:
http://tinyurl.com/3vlrfux
NIDA is having a chat day for kids in school: http://www.nidachat.org/PublicChat.aspx
One kid asked, “How can I avoid marijuana?”
The ‘NIDA scientist’ told him it was a great question.
What was a great question was “Why do people use drugs?”
The “main reason,” the answerer said, is that they “don’t understand the risks.”
Hmmm… I don’t quite know exactly the risks involved in paragliding from the Empire State Building to Central Park, but that does not make a reason for doing it!
ARRRRGGG. I just watched that chat scroll by for a minute. It’s “Lie to a Schoolkid day” at NIDA.
“Cathedral High School, Indiana: How many people die from weed a year?”
“Not sure–but about 14% of fatal accidents involve marijuana. That’s the most common reason for weed fatalities.”
“involve” marijuana. Sure. I don’t have to explain their basis for this “fact” do I?
Yeah, that is just outright lying. And they’ve convinced themselves that they’re “technically” telling the truth.
“Texas: Is it true that using a vaporizer to smoke marijuana is much better for you than smoking marijuana out of a pipe? Because smoke doesn’t enter your lungs?
Ruben Baler:
nope, that’s totally bogus.”
Kids, keep smoking off aluminum foil and pez dispensers, because vaporizers are totally bogus.
Stop now, Chris, it’s not worth it. Watch too long and you’re likely to claw your own eyeballs out.
The live chat ended, but here’s an actual fact for once:
“Texas: is meth illegal
Dave Thomas:
Yes, unless it is prescribed by a doctor.”
Hmm.. left out the “it’s usually prescribed to kids for ADHD” though. Hopefully kids can understand that meth is a safe, legal substance, whereas this “medical marijuana” stuff is all nonsense.
“Susan Weiss:
Marijuana is not an approved medicine–only the FDA can approve medicines and marijuana has not met the standards required for approval.”
this always gets me.
.
.
“…only the FDA can approve medicines and marijuana has not met the standards required for approval.”
But Susan, how in the world would they know if it meets those standards or not since the DEA refuses to let them look?
———-
That shit head Dennis Romero from the
National EnquirerLA Weakly is at it again. He’s annoyed with those pests over at the Harm Reduction Journal. It seems patients in Berkeley are using pot instead of wholesome, FDA approved and prescribed by “well-trained physicians” opioids and anti-depressant medication. There’s no mention of the FDA approved monkeys on the back of the users of FDA approved opioids or the FDA approved suicides committed by the people who took FDA approved anti-depressants prescribed by “well-trained physicians” instead of pot recommended by doctors who are (I presume he thinks) untrained quacks.http://blogs.laweekly.com/informer/2011/11/marijuana_pain_killer_prescription_substitute.php
Wow, I guess they finished off the cartels!
Nope, bad guess. I guess the Zetas are disappointed.
So, are there still people that think that Barry isn’t intent on being the guy that wins the war on (some) drugs? I think everyone needs to hang an HID light in their basement, closet, and/or garage. If we don’t end up with a product shortage the government may as well just quit. Now don’t be looking at Canada, their crop report said their cannabis harvest blew chunks this year.
Now, is there anyone left who thinks that Barry didn’t specifically sucker us with the Cole memo? All those people that came out of their hidey-holes, all those idiots in Colorado that allowed themselves to be recorded committing Federal felonies on video uploaded directly to government servers, all those potheads for Obama still chanting “thank you sir may I have another…”
Me? I’m heading for the hills. How hard is it to learn how to ski? I mean on a real mountain covered with snow that fell from the sky?
Toodles!
Hey, Duncan, skiing’s not hard, but I’m not clear on how that skill will help you evade capture. Since IIRC, the end of your run is always at the bottom of the hill…
Come on out here and visit us. This is where they store most of the mountains, anyway.
😉
And yes, I DID see James Bond lose the baddies on skis, but he had a parachute too, and I don’t do that anymore
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzA5R9aSFCI
They MADE me jump out of those planes. I wouldn’t have done it but for the really, really hard looking sergeant in the doorway.
.
.
The kismet on this blog is getting too weird. Earlier today I wrote out, but decided not to post, the epic adventure I had in 1985 on an airplane that didn’t crash land at La Guardia. But now that you’ve mentioned jumping out of an airplane…
The flight attendant says to me, you’re a big guy. We want you to sit in front of the emergency exit. Your job is to block anyone who panics and tries to jump off the plane before we finish crashing. A true strategic error on their part, who the heck was going to keep me from jumping? Better two broken legs on the tarmac than dead in a twisted lump of burning fuselage at the other end of the runway, that’s my motto. So I said sure. You can count on me (to jump). Oh well, the plane was never in any real danger, they just weren’t sure the landing gear had locked into place. One itty bitty light bulb on the pilot’s console burned out and they acted like all the engines were certain to fail. The truly scary part was the flight crew who’s faces had turned totally white, white as a ghost indeed. Even scarier than the 37 fire engines and the 67 ambulances lining the runway. You better believe I intended to jump. It was very fortunate that I was able to maintain my composure. I certainly wanted to punch the pilot in the nose on the way out. It certainly happened in my imagination. But I just didn’t have the time to tour Riker’s Island that day.
Didn’t see this in the recent thread about Obama’s whitehouse.gov rejection of the latest seven marijuana legalization petitions, but a NEW follow-up petition to “Replace Gil Kerlikowski” has been started here
http://bit.ly/w4jEEZ
It now has 717 votes after two days and needs another 24,283 votes by the end of the month to reach the 25,000 threshold for a response.
If you’re hoping they’ll replace Gil with Tommy Chong, that ain’t happenin’.
Even then, he would be legally required to oppose legalization of marijuana. He’d lose his job the first day!
.
.
We need to get Carlton Turner PhD, ScD, back on the job. In case you don’t recall, Dr. Turner was the first to be called the drugzar. He certainly had a notable tenure. I can tell from his Wikipedia page:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlton_Turner_PhD,_ScD
Yes, that is the correct link.
Neocons of the GOP are still Pushing Prohibition…
Keeping Safe Alternatives in Competition Illegal.
Krats are still in it but not slobbering in glee.
X-Drug Czar Turner getting rich Selling Piss Tastes,
or X-Drug Czar/EdSec Bennett losing 6 Million in slot machines
while censoring Hemp from school books,
or X- Drug Czar McCaffrey selling ads for Rehabs,
or X DEAth Monger Barthwell selling Sativex
or X-Drug Czar’ Walters giving Grants and Tax Shelters to Calvina Fay Lies
We will just have another chicken dancing when they turn the heat up on the stage floor.
The future in suburban law enforcement:
http://boingboing.net/2011/11/01/brain-rot-the-future-in-suburban-law-enforcement.html
.
.
Truro Police Chief John Lundborn’s eyes were watery, glassy and severely bloodshot, and his speech slow and slurred when his own officers arrived at his crashed cruiser Friday night in North Truro, according to the police report.
Lundborn couldn’t stand up, and had cuts on his hands, Truro police Sgt. Craig Danziger wrote in the report. Danziger reports that he asked Lundborn if he’d been drinking.
http://tinyurl.com/6boosbn
Right now a big story locally is the Truro police chief’s OUI trouble, which is only the latest of alcohol-related problems Cape cops have been having, only showing that when it comes to handling alcohol they are not immune to the problems of many in the general population.
I doubt there are many whose reaction to the Truro chief’s troubles is: If only we still had Prohibition, all this could have been avoided and the chief’s life wouldn’t be over, as he puts it. We understand it differently.
Two distinguished TV productions, Ken Burns’ PBS documentary and HBO’s “Boardwalk Empire” series, seem to agree that Prohibition (1919-1933) was a disaster. As rampant as was the alcoholism that had seemed to make it a logical response, the attempt to eliminate it now looks downright bizarre. What were they thinking?
Both these programs make it clear that by far the most dangerous thing about alcohol was the effort to outlaw it. And yet in our time we have never known anything but the legal prohibition of drugs, such as marijuana, cocaine, etc. The disaster of the War on Drugs drags on and on, the only war more useless and endless than the war in Afghanistan. What are we thinking?
Why don’t we apply the same logic that seemed and seems so clear with the repeal of the 18th amendment?
http://tinyurl.com/5tg526x
New Police Drone carries Weapons,Your damn right we are going to question it remember ROBO COP.
I was a sheriff in mountgomery county TX, I grew up in the same home in the county. I used to like our sherriff’s deputies because they cared about the citizens and they would take you home if you got into just a little bit of trouble. I left law enforcement because of the changes that I saw in the department and it was always leading to this. Yes mountgomery COunty is large but most of it is industrial, swamp, or state forest. The sherriff said we needed our own swat team to handle large drug shipments and ordered a tactical assualt vehicle. That is what happens when all the power of the governed is given to the govering body. I hold hope that we as a people can step back from the brink and look around at what is truely important like family and helping each other, not just helping ourselves to what everyone else has.
correction to above I was a deputy sheriff.
And it seems they’ve already perfected the “wrong house raids” with drones, too. A quick google search for “drone strike kills civilians” turned up four million, two hundred and eighty thousand results.
.
.
http://cdn1.newsone.com/files/2010/04/arlington.jpg
If the drones were a safe as marijuana they would prohibit them.
.
.
Say, didn’t someone say the end of the world is going to be in 2012?
More wasted lives on state initiatives for money not Ganja. Cheerleaders wanting profits, convenience. Overturn the CSA or continue spinning wheels with dunkem’s wet dreams. Eat the Rich but Spit out the Trolls.
Those blaming Obombo are either racists or afraid of liberals… DdC
Now contrary to Troll droll this doesn’t mean I support Obombo. But when narks and trolls push an agenda, with fabrications and misleading statements. One should heed caution and see where the bottom line lays at the end of the day. When the neocon racism or birthers and birchers spreading gossip in-between UFO sightings, that makes the corporate news. Trolls spread it to discredit. Not caring if its true of false. But when its all said and done people see what are lies. Then next battle is harder to overcome the temporary advance from the lying trolls or narks or pedestrian gawkers and gossip spreaders. Pro or Con. Corporations fabricated and perpetuate the Ganjawar. Trolls try to divert that and blame the government. The prohibitionists legislating policy or refusing to change policy. Are employees of Ganjawar brokers, not Representatives. Catch 22’s and Miles of red tape are by design. Profits are why the war exists and Trolls try to smudge the message to keep us wasting our time another 75 years Fuck the Trolls. So be careful out there. Trolls leaking mouthfarts, proceed with caution….
Al Capone and Watergate were red herrings to divert the countries attention from the Fascist acts of eliminating competition. Booze/Ethanol or Ganja//Hemp.
CANNABIS CULTURE Hemp Warrior:
Marijuana Activist Dana Beal Had a Heart Attack,
Died, Came Back, and Beat His Pot Rap
Beal, a founder of the Yippees and organizer of the Global Marijuana March, was busted for weed and had a heart attack on his way to prison. Then, a judge voided his sentence.
Down to the Wire
– the Failure of Cannabis Prohibition
– Stop the Violence BC, a group of experts from British Columbia calling for an end to marijuana prohibition, will host “Down to the Wire – the Failure of Cannabis Prohibition”, the first in a series of events designed to bring attention to destructive cannabis laws.
Study: Alcohol Is “More Than Twice As Harmful As Cannabisâ€
— So Explain To Me Again Why Pot Is Illegal?
Does Occupy Wall Street Have A Drug Problem?
It’s hardly a pot carnival or crack alley, no matter what Bill O’Reilly claims. But on-scene medics admit that despite a new zero-tolerance policy, the alcohol and drug use—and even dealing—in some parts of the park may threaten the movement’s existence.
I wish Ron Paul’s legislation would make it out of committee, ditto a run for POTUS.
Just read the Dana Beal story. I wish the best for him. I wonder if Amy Goodman will read the article in CC?
.
.
Gosh, you’d hardly know that the National Cancer Institute is owned by the US Government from reading their page on cannabis. Not as good as it was before being censored but a long, long way from the standard issue propaganda we all have grown to know and love.
http://cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/cam/cannabis/patient/page2
BTW I came to read that page after being linked by US News & World Report: