Friday, September 29, 2006

The War on Drugs...

..Today, I'd like you to think about the war on drugs. I'd like you to think about legalization, decriminalization, and the billions of dollars a year spent on this war. I'd like you to think about mandatory minimums, and the poor little hippy potheads stuck in prison with murderers. I'd like you to realize that the harmless potheads who get arrested lose the right to vote. I'd like you to think about how the war on drugs has not hindered the drug trade at all, only increased the crime associated with it.

And, with that, I give you three things to read, and ponder:

  • Start with this. This article is about LEAP: Law Enforcement Against Prohibition. And its a very interesting article. Read it.
  • Then, read this:
    The War On Drugs has as much to do with Drugs as the Boston Tea Party had to do with Tea. It is about taking a segment of society, and marginalizing them by giving them a criminal record. A criminal record limits the ability of a person to get good jobs, stops international travel, and in many states (this is the most important part) takes away their right to vote. Thousands of people with felony drug charges could not vote in Florida in the 2000 election. Drug users do not as a rule vote Republican. If marijuana was de-criminalized, not even legalized thousands of marijuana felons would have been able to vote. If just a percentage of them had been able to get off the couch and make it to the polls, George Bush would not have carried Florida. That is why drugs are illegal. It is a form of cultural cleansing without the need to kill those who think differently than you.
  • And finally, read this:
    Because the drug market is illegal, it cannot be regulated. Illegality puts a premium on selling strength, given each purchase is risky, then it makes sense to buy drugs in concentrated form. In the same way, Prohibition in the United States in the 1920’s led to a fall in beer consumption but a rise in the drinking of hard liquor. Moral outrage has provided a bad basis for policy on illegal drugs. Nowhere is that more evident than in the United States where the world’s most expensive drug policy 35-40 billion dollars a year of taxpayers’ cash, has eroded civil liberties, locked up unprecedented numbers of people, and corroded foreign policy. The official estimate of retail drug sales in the United States are about $150 billion, John Stuart Mill, who’s famous essay "On Liberty" argued that "the only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised on any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others. His own good, either physical or moral, is not a sufficient warrant. He cannot rightfully be compelled to do or forbear because it will be better for him to do so, because it will make him happier, because, In the opinions of others, to do so would be wise, or even right.. These are good reasons for remonstrating with him, or reasoning with him, or persuading him, or entreating him, but not for compelling him, or visiting him with any evil in case he do otherwise. Over himself, over his own body and mind, the individual is sovereign."
    The criminalization of certain drugs undermines respect for the law and creates a decadent moral climate. Legalizing drugs like marijuana and cocaine would thus strike a double blow; reduce crime activity directly, and at the same time increase the efficiency of law enforcement and crime prevention. It costs $52,000 a year to detain someone at Riker’s island prison, but a years stay at Phoenix House Rehabilitation Center in New York, for example costs only $15,000. It is, in short, not drug abuse itself which creates the most havoc, but the crime resulting from it. Politicians can continue fostering violence and corruption in the name of protecting our society; or we can begin fighting drugs through peaceful means by taking the problem away from police, jailers, lawyers, and politicians. It would respect the right of individuals to make personal choices about what they consume, while still holding them responsible for the harm they cause to others. Any new approach to drugs must begin by replacing hype and demagoguery with information and analysis not paternalistic moralizing for hypocritical standards.

Thursday, September 28, 2006

The God Delusion...

....Richard Dawkins' asserts that belief in god is irrational and inflicts great harm upon societies. Jeremy Paxman interviews Professor Dawkins as part of the Newsnight book club.

Monday, September 18, 2006

Ted Kennedy on Net Neutrality

Big Brother Watches.....


Big Brother is not only watching you - now he's barking orders too. Britain's first 'talking' CCTV cameras have arrived, publicly berating bad behaviour and shaming offenders into acting more responsibly.

The system allows control room operators who spot any anti-social acts - from dropping litter to late-night brawls - to send out a verbal warning: 'We are watching you'.

Middlesbrough has fitted loudspeakers on seven of its 158 cameras in an experiment already being hailed as a success. Jack Bonner, who manages the system, said: 'It is one hell of a deterrent. It's one thing to know that there are CCTV cameras about, but it's quite another when they loudly point out what you have just done wrong.

'Most people are so ashamed and embarrassed at being caught they quickly slink off without further trouble.
'There was one incident when two men started fighting outside a nightclub. One of the control room operators warned them over the loudspeakers and they looked up, startled, stopped fighting and scarpered in opposite directions.

'This isn't about keeping tabs on people, it's about making the streets safer for the law-abiding majority and helping to change the attitudes of those who cause trouble. It challenges unacceptable behaviour and makes people think twice.'

They found the Slab..

....of stone, containing the oldest written language ever found in the Western Hemisphere. Interestingly, its from the Olmec culture, which existed in Mexico between 1200 BC and 400 BC, BEFORE the Mayans. Will they discover the secrets of the stone, and what it means for us in the coming times?

Nazi Pope, Al Queda, Spinach, and More...


  • Ah, the foolish Pope. I mean, really, who does he think he is. Catholicism seems to think its so important, because of course, they have the answer, and any other religion is just plain wrong. So, that foolish Pope decided to say some very naughty things about Muslims. Great timing, Popey! They don't have white folks enough, now, do they? Not only that, the idiot had the audacity to say that the remarks came from a text that didn't reflect his own opinion. So why read them, idiot. The fact that he's the Pope and Bush is the president, well, to me shows proof that there is a group behind both organizations running the show. How else would these donkeys get in those roles? Anyways, of course, Al Queda is all up in arms, warning the idiot "that he and the West were "doomed," as protesters returned to the streets across the Muslim world to demand more of an apology from the pontiff for his remarks about Islam and violence." That's helpful, now isn't it.
  • Looks like we have another arrested hero, trying to storm the US capital and shoot some sense into those people. Ah well.....
  • And if chemtrails weren't enough, now they poison our Spinach?? News keeps coming on this one. When do the subway station chemical tests resume?
  • Oooh, and my favorite for the day: Evangelical child warriors!! And I'm not talking about youth soldiers in Africa or the Middle East. I'm talking North Dakota! "Speaking in tongues, weeping for salvation, praying for an end to abortion and worshipping a picture of President Bush — these are some of the activities at Pastor Becky Fischer's Bible camp in North Dakota, called 'Kids on Fire'" "We're kinda being trained to be warriors," said one youth, "only in a funner way." "I want to see them as radically laying down their lives for the gospel as they are in Palestine, Pakistan and all those different places," Fisher said. "Because, excuse me, we have the truth."
  • And finally, remember, John Lennon was a threat to National Security. Find out more here.

GO VOTE!

For those of you in Mass, Just a Reminder:

On September 19, voters will go to the polls to make important decisions that will affect every member of your community. Turnout is traditionally low in primaries and off-year, non-presidential elections.

Please make your voice heard and vote. If you have time, we urge you to go through your address book and remind friends, family and neighbors to vote as well. If we fail to exercise our right to vote, we lose the chance to have a say in who will represent us in Washington for the next two very important years. Pass it on

Here is the list of candidates.

Here is a link to make sure you are registered and what your (shudder) party affiliation is.

Friday, September 15, 2006

Your sick twisted humor of the week..

...for those of you who don't visit WOW, I thank Malach for posting this bizarre piece of hilarity


Not the SPINACH!!!

Thursday, September 14, 2006

I'm back...

...Hello my children! I'm sorry I was away for so long. I've missed you so, but had a loverly relaxing time. And now, I have much to catch up on!

Over at the Wow things are going nuts, and there is much reading to do (Polanski, why haven't you joined the WOW yet?)

The world is further going nuts, with suicide bombers, crazy school shootings, Stupid celebrities (as a note, I don't believe in paying attention to celebrities lives. I don't care what they do with their time. All I care about is their work. Do they act well and make good movies? Do they write actually good music (rare)? Do they make worthwhile contributions to the world of art and entertainment? Good. Otherwise, I could give a crap. Crappy Houston and Crappy Brown are not worth paying attention too, as they aren't good musicians, so who cares about their coked up divorce? NOT HOBBS! Crappa Nichole Crap is not even a celebrity, does nothing worth paying attention to, and is not worth paying attention to. I'd rather watch Lost Season 2 and listen to the new Cure reissues).

So, I'd like to start off my return with this lovely picture. It is a sad affair, really. Over 1,000 innocent and beautiful Marijuana plants, who make wonderful contributions to the world, were discovered by authorities and senselessly burned to death. Why? I don't know. But just look where the cops are standing:

And finally, I'd like to thank Dr. Robert J Murk for this little article, which references ol' Hobbses favorite date. You guessed it, 2012. And, it ties our favorite conspiracy, 9/11, right into it! You see, apparently that big gaping hole, that insult that hasn't been filled by the failed american government, is set to be filled by the year 2012! Coincidence? Hobbs don't believe in no coincidence! Just use your imagination, and when the great cycle shifts and our world starts anew, guess where their evil seat of tyrrany will be? You think they're gonna give up without a fight? Think on that, and let me know.

Kisses, children!

Tuesday, September 05, 2006

I'm on....

.....
And it's my birthday, bitches!!!
oh, wait! Not MY birthday. Just a really good friend of mine's birthday, that i'm celebrating, like my own, cuz he's not my secret identity, no, just some other guy. I swear. Yeah.