Monthly Archives: September 2007

Anybody got a Sharpie I can borrow?

Apparently, if you don’t actually put your name on every one of your possessions, police are entitled to take them for their own personal use.

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Oh, look. Vast sums of illicit money fuel corruption.

More unsurprising bombshells in Colombia. Today in the Washington Post BOGOTA, Colombia — An investigation by the Colombian Defense Ministry has found that drug traffickers and rebels from the country’s largest guerrilla group infiltrated the U.S.-backed military here, paying high-ranking … Continue reading

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Tennessee drug tax law unconstitutional

IAt TalkLeft: An appeals court in Tennessee has ruled the state’s tax on illegal drugs unconstitutional calling it “arbitrary, capricious and unreasonable.” I’ve mentioned the Tennessee Tax before and I’ve talked about the whole notion of state illegal drug taxes … Continue reading

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Open Thread

“bullet” Excellent article by Juan Forero: New gangs challenge Colombia’s drug war — demonstrates the absolute destructive futility of our drug war in Colombia (although that doesn’t stop Walters from spouting inane claims of victory). “bullet” The Trouble with Plan … Continue reading

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Bad news — Tulia movie scrapped

This is a major downer. We had a really good thing going — John Singleton directing Halle Berry and Billy Bob Thornton in the movie about the drug war travesty in Tulia, Texas. Now reports are that the project has … Continue reading

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What’s wrong with getting high?

Scott at Grits for Breakfast has this piece about a former police officer who talks in a new book about his steroid addiction as a cop, and his dealing in steroids and paraphernalia to cops and firefighters around the country. … Continue reading

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Afghanistan update

With opium production again at new record levels, the Afghan drug effort is regularly being called a failure in the press these days, so naturally officials are calling for stepped up efforts (rather than smarter ones). But it’s getting harder … Continue reading

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Medical marijuana patients DO exist

I really enjoyed this piece by David Borden and Paul Armentano (recently posted in the Huffington Post): Why Do People the Government Says Don’t Exist Keep Writing Us? Speaking last month to the Associated Press, Tom Riley — spokesman for … Continue reading

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Quote

As the silly season of Presidential campaigning kicks off in high gear, it was good to have Lewis Black remind me of how it works (yes, it was an old rerun of his comedy special, but it still connected). You … Continue reading

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The ballad of Ramos and Compean

Alex Koppelman has a pretty good piece in Salon detailing: How the anti-immigration right — and Lou Dobbs — turned two rogue Border Patrol agents into heroes and got Congress on their side. The Ramos/Compean saga has always been primarily … Continue reading

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