BACK TO THE BATTLE

Well I'm back safe and sound but it was a long road home my dears, and although I have many more stories to tell of the trip, I also have 88 unread emails, an absurd pile of unopened mail (I don't usually get that much in a month's time) and the drug war unfortunately did not end while we were on hiatus.

So it will be a short post tonight. I usually try to distill a theme from what I read in a day however, tonight it's going to be the top three cannabis related items off the inbox. You never know, this could be fun. Let's see what's there....


Pot Luck

How interesting. First hit is a post from Tammera Halphen, that relates to my road home. From Lauderdale to BWI, I had two seat mates on the plane, friends who were coming from Fantasy Festival in Key West. One guy had an enormous orchid plant to appease his wife and the other had a Forbes magazine with a huge marijuana leaf on the cover.

I asked about the article, hoping he was done with it, but he read it on the way and put it back in his bag. It's an interesting look at the economic value of the cannabis plant. Marijuana consumers contribute in great ways to the economic health of the larger community and I think it's a good sign when Forbes takes note of that.

The article is not entirely accurate. It for instance it pulls out the debunked theory that marijuana is so much more potent now. There has always been really strong herb and hashish available, they just used to have to import it from the Middle and Far East and the delivery sporadic. Today's farmers figured out how to grow a plant at home of genetic consistency. Luther Burbank was revered for that kind of work and so should the cannabis innovators of today be for increasing the medicinal potency and reliability of a beneficial plant and eliminating the need for imported product delivered by criminal elements.

If the government truly cared about easing the pain of the sick and dying, they would embrace these scientists and botanists and ask for their help instead of imprisioning them for offering relief to the anguished.

Check the side bars on this article as well for an amazingly sympathetic spin on Chong's incarceration and an interesting look at a sideline and perfectly legal business in cannabis related fertilizers.

* * * * *

GIRLS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN

Speaking of Tommy Chong, there appears to be an as yet unsubstantiated rumor going around that the Bush twins bought a bong from TC's company and that's why Daddy sent in the DEA Pipe Dreams Team. The scary part is that I find it a plausible theory. I'll update if a link comes up on this one.

*******

BUSTED

Kind of cosmic kids, it's all related. Third hit down is from DRC Net. They have a new video, "BUSTED: The Citizen's Guide to Surviving Police Encounters," as their premium gift to members donating at the $35 level.

It's produced and narrated by a tireless warrior for civil rights, former ACLU director Ira Glasser. According to the promo,

BUSTED's actors illustrate the right and wrong ways to handle different police encounters, in an entertaining but revealing way, with special attention focused on instructing viewers how to courteously and confidently refuse police search requests.

It's brand new so of course, I haven't seen it but I don't hestitate to recommend any project Ira is involved in based on my knowledge of his work. It's always good to know your rights.

---