cannabisnews.com: Transcripts: Richard Cowan: Cannabis News Chat 





Transcripts: Richard Cowan: Cannabis News Chat 
Posted by CN Staff on February 23, 2003 at 16:36:31 PT
Chat Date: February 22, 2003 
Source: Cannabis News 
On February 22, 2003 at 9 PM ET Cannabis News Hosted a Special Chat with Richard Cowan, editor of MarijuanaNews.com, a former National Director of NORML, and a member of the board of directors of the NORML Foundation. Begin Edited Transcripts:Richard_Lake: Welcome to the CNEWS special guest chat with Richard Cowan!
This chat is being recorded and will be placed on line. Please help us by keeping side remarks down and allowing Richard to answer the questions. Thank You!observer: Folks, we are going to have the Richard Cowan chat here george: Eve GPGreenPower: Hello Frank: Oh oh. Hide the pot! Observer invited everyone over here!kaptinemo: better get some more chairs; gonna get crowded in here :)george: hey I know a Jayb from Iowa Frank: Glad I got this recliner!jayb: packingjaime: the more the betterRic: stay away from my beanbag an no one gets hurtgeorge: Wb RichardMangoVeg: is this the Richard Cowan chat? jaime: I saw somebody in a suit set those off, :-)Trippin: yesjayb: is the cannabis chat room open? MangoVeg: is Richard Cowan here?virgil: Cnews chat could not handle the load. Richard: Richard Cowan here. Thanksgeorge: Greenpower room failed, so we movedwhollysmok: it got too loadedGreenPower: Hello RichardFrank: Hi Richard maninthejar: how does your garden grow?hoofheartedinpr: Hi allobserver: welcome Richard, sorry about the snafu kaptinemo: salutations, Mr. C whollysmok: Hello Mr. Cgeorge: How's it feel to be in a freer land then land of the free Richard..SRichard: I love being up here. Richard: FoM, Martha, owns CNEWS jayb: she is IT hoofheartedinpr: Cannada rocks.... Richard: I don't have any particular topic that I want to rant about, so I will leave it up to you all to throw me some easy questions!whollysmok: if truth will set you free, does that mean lies will get you imprisoned? Richard: That is not an easy question. Never volunteer info.Gary_Storck: Please rant! jayb: have you any feelings/info on Loretta Nall in Alabama?GreenPower: I want to get your perspective on the current situation of cannabis reform and where you see it going?Richard: I think that things are generally going very well in Canada and Europe, except for France virgil: Richard, why are you never on Dateline or any mass media?Richard: They never ask me!! And Ed Rosenthal definitely did it the hard way! jaime: what particular case is most on the minds of the community in Canada? Doja: hello. nice to be here this evening. hello Richard Richard: Martha, FoM, will be ready in a minute or two. micah: terry parker casemaninthejar: how soon do you see the EU doing anything big about legalization?Richard: Not the EU because the French and others would block it. It will have to be one country at a time. Kila: If we remain a democracy, legalization will eventually happen. However, certain circles want to prevent it at all cost. Do you think they might succeed in creating a fully blown police state (passage of Patriot Act II)? It would be their only chance, I think, and my worst fear.Richard: Well, even Bob Barr and some of the other crazy Drug Warriors are fighting the police state. GreenPower: Belgium just didRic: Richard : do you think that the Netherlands legalizing cultivation of medicinal cannabis on march 17 will have any immediate impact on the rest of us ... pos or neg? maninthejar: trueGreenPower: Begin the process of legalizing itwhollysmok: POT is LEGAL! If you want it. kaptinemo: I've just heard from CNN that several US 'contractors' have been captured when their plane was shot down in Colombia, and ar being held captive, prolly by FARC. some pols here are now grandstanding, saying that we've already wasted billions there, hinting at a pullout. think it might happen?Richard: Barr is raising the Colombia issue. George W's problem is that the world doesn't stop while he is focused on Iraq. Richard_Lake: This chat is now being recorded so the world can see it. FoM will edit the chat. Please try to keep side comments down and let Richard Cowan answer the questions, thank you, so it does not take forever for FoM to get the chat on line.Ric: hi Marthageorge: do you think the arrow head is the medical issue, the shaft following all the rest ?Richard: The medical issue is the Achilles heel of the Drug War.Martha: Hi RicKooKy: what are u answering questions about ric? Richard_Lake: Folks, where possible, give your full name if you wish, like /nick Richard Cowan It makes it easier to follow the chat transcript.whollysmok: Medical is the feather, hemp the shaft, and recreational the point Ben_Masel: How can the emerging alliance between liberty oriented dems and repubs around Patriot Act etc. be parlayed into drug policy reform? Richard: Our problem is getting people to take the issue seriously and the Patriot Act is an opening for that.KooKy: which drugs in particular? Richard: The Feds would probably like to cut there losses on Rosenthal and medical cannabis in general, but they don't know how. They cannot let people use cannabis under medical supervision. That will destroy the reefer madness. jaime: when Henry and Harriet are stopped and searched things may change or it could be too late mike_mcgaw: too late for that here in Canada Robbie: Richard: could you expand on the notion that the medical issue is the Achilles heel of cannabis law reform? Ric_Smith: what are they so afraid of? lil ol ladies in wheelchairs causing havoc? sdp: Richard, what do you think of last summers fires in Julian CA, Started by the Natl Guard flying marijuana eradication missions? Unless Al Queda is in the CA hills shouldn't the guard be used elsewhere and who do you think should compensate the victims the feds or state that allowed it to happen Martha: Is Richard Cowan here now?Richard: Yes maninthejar: they already have cut their throatsvirgil: What will they do when GWP introduces cannabis extract across the world? kaptinemo: especially wehen the jurors not only regretted their decision publicly, but also called for use of the medical defense Ric_Smith: 15 is R.Cowan Martha Jason: we just had our cannibas laws toughened here in Australia Martha: Welcome Richard C. Richard: GW's products are a problem in that they prove that whole cannabis works but they are much too expensive for most of the world whollysmok: a problem for who?Ric_Smith: will they remain as expensive as use is authorized?Gary_Storck: Richard, Do you think the rescheduling petition will go anywhere? Richard: No, I don't have much hope for rescheduling, unless the Feds decide to cut there losses. Even then they have to figure out how to do it. Martha: I have a question for Richard. How can we maintain our focus in a time of potential war? jaime: stay stonedMarcus: haTrippin: Columbia has identified that they have a terrorist problem... they have had drug producers for many many years, long before terrorist wars.. it could mean a pull out or a full scale invasion like they did in the Philippines Martha: Hi Dr. Russo AlvinCool: We should promote ending the drug war as patriotic george_mcmahon: Hi Ethan Kila: Ed Rosenthal's jurors are doing a great job. But I think it would be important to expose the involvement of Big Business in cannabis prohibition. What do you think about an ad or a commercial exposing the Partnership for a Drug-Free America (funded by pharmaceutical , tobacco and alcohol companies)? Richard_Lake: Richard, will not the national medical systems of countries like the UK and Canada cover the costs if it is an approved medicine, GW's product, that is?Richard: The UK government is having doubts about the cost of GW's productsRic_Smith: I believe it is an act of patriotism Alvin ... to challenge the drug warRichard: The drug war is a distraction from fighting terrorism, so it is unpatriotic! Ethan: Dick, Ethan Russo here. We managed yesterday to get the Montana Clinical Cannabis Act passed through the House Judiciary Committee. Do you think that the Feds will change their minds at all if a majority of the states vote in clinical cannabis?Ric_Smith: 13 - 5! congratulations Dr Russo!!TheLibertarianRepublican: The Republican party is fighting marijuana reform kicking and screaming?jaime: expose the mothers, damn right! AlvinCool: Ending the drug war is patriotic Ric, but if we don't promote our cause as such it will get lost in the war focus Martha: I agree Alvin Cool Richard: Well, we have to promote the cause in whatever the environment. Kila: It might even be another reason for war. jaime: I thought it was the war focus?Marcus: We need to emphasize the waste of law enforcement resources that are being diverted away from terrorism... Richard: So far I have not seen any evidence that the Bush admin thinks that the war on terror is more important than the drug war. kaptinemo: Richard, I would submit that the backpedaling the Feds are doing is only part of the problem. what about an avalanche of lawsuits brought by people whose lives have been destroyed by their government's insistence on using the Reefer Madness lie as the basis for policy? They would empty the treasury in days. george_mcmahon: the medical use of mj negates what the gov says and produces proof that mj is good for mammals . No more argumentafterburner: the dems don't have a ghost of a chance of unseating the repubs without our help. We are not a fringe group (80%). Ethan: Dick, what are Canadians doing to make the DEA feel unwelcome in the Great White North? Ric_Smith: i agree RichardMarcus: Well they did cut back funding for the DEA to the smallest increase in history. Richard: I find the silence of Boxer and Feinstein both puzzling and appalling. mike_mcgaw: we are exposing them for who they are EthanMarcus: the Bush admin AlvinCool: That's what worries me Richard. I believe that Ashcroft will use the patriot act to directly attack drug users and strip them of their remaining rightsRic_Smith: on a scale of 0 - 100, the DEA scored a whoppin 0 in the WH Office of mngmt report ... how do you think this will affect things? if at all Richard: Ashcroft is limited in what he can do. maninthejar: their homes... AlvinCool: By alleging that drug users are terrorist Kila: According to a Pennsylvania paper, Walters said that marijuana were a bigger threat to this country than Al Qaida, Sadam Hussein and some other terrorist. george_mcmahon: I am a terrorist, and the us gov is my supplierjaime: that line has already started jaime: via TV Richard: They are getting so much flack that that they cannot overreach themselves that much. george_mcmahon: and I drive an suv gas guzzling truckEthan: Funny, George. I wish I were there with you.AlvinCool: MY GOD I am in a chat with George McMahon!Jay_Bergstrom: The Kubbys report the Canadian border has been closed for yanks with a whisper of cannabis in their background. Is there a real tightening going soon? Richard: If you look "respectable" they don't check the records of everyone who comes in. Richard: A lot of the propaganda is aimed at the true believers -- the narks themselves -- and not the general public. They have some serious morale problemsMartha: Cool isn't it Alvin Cool maninthejar: the 3 stooges would run this country better...Marcus: I think they ridiculous ads may be doing some good for the legalization movement. Thinking people have to question the logic in them.AlvinCool: very jaime: morale problems? wonderful! kaptinemo: If you go to DEAWatch, you can see them moaning and groaningmike_mcgaw: agree marcus virgil: RC, can you express your disappointment of the art community for not exposing the problem in literature and film? Richard: Peter McWilliams took out a full page ad in Variety and no one responded. So yes I am disgusted with Hollywood Kila: Few people are buying these commercials. But don't you think they are trying to prepare us for something by linking drug use to terrorism. They might be trying to tell us that drug users are terrorists and should be executed. Jay_Bergstrom: that's good to hear Matt: Off the subject of politics - out of curiosity, Richard, you've smoked marijuana for how long? What do you find its most negative effects to have been on your body? Ben_Masel: DEAWATCH has been VERY interesting this week, especially on the San Antonio killing of the 14 year old girl by 2 of their agents.Ric_Smith: my letter of authorization is on file at the border ... i generally end up in secondary, but I've never been refused entry into Canada jayb ... if that helps to answer your questionkaptinemo: yep...and they have been engaging in all kinds of rationalizing about the shooting Trippin: the entertainment industry is and has been doing plenty of propaganda work for the government.. all those drug crime dramas and drug/drug trafficking movies.. its disgusting to see people eat up that false garbage TheLibertarianRepublican: The Republican primary seems to me like the only piece of the political puzzle that is blocking cannabis reform. Many Republicans see the drug war for what it is a tax payer boondoggle. But they fear reprisals during the primary season from social conservatives. How can we fix this log jam Richard? Richard: I have smoked almost every day since 1967 but I really can't say that it has had any adverse effects kaptinemo: one even said that a 14 year old girl in Mexico is the equivalent of a 30 year old here kaptinemo: as if that was a justification Richard: The problem is that the US Atty's are the farm teams for the Republicans and the sheriffs have the goods on everyone of them mike_mcgaw: Richard what is your opinion on the medical use of mj for terminally ill patients? Richard: Cannabis should be legal for everyone whatever their health george_mcmahon: that's only to people who buy and sell people anyway. what value can be put on any humans life?Matt: What about respiratory problems? I smoke nearly daily, and am not sure if my lung capacity is different or if it's just all in my head and I am worrying too much. Richard: I am 62 and I am never bothered by breathing problems, but then I only smoke in the evenings. afterburner: true Trippin. I saw one preview over Christmas holidays. The audience was stunned to silence. Ric_Smith: all use of cannabis is therapeuticgeorge_mcmahon: anandamides whollysmok: How can these politicians ignore the public support when the entire West Coast has passed medicinal access? john: Matt, If you have an otherwise healthy lifestyle you will have nothing to worry aboutRic_Smith: Richard: do you think that all the current attention to Med MJ detracts from re-legalization? Richard: I think that medical will lead to full legalization because it undermines reefer madness. Gary_Storck: Agreed, Ric Ric_Smith: or affects non-medical folks adversely?Ric_Smith: er, non - accepted - diagnosis* Ric_Smith: k, thanks mike_mcgaw: I agree thereKila: Very few Congress members are in favor of some kind of decriminalization or even legalization, another group is brainwashed. Some Congress members know exactly what they are doing: they want to keep cannabis off the market, because it is competition to pharmaceuticals, tobacco, alcohol, petrochemicals, cotton, timber and more. How large, do you think, are these groups percentage wise (approximately)?Martha: I agree Richardskwrl: that's right 8 out of 17 states that allow voter initiatives have passed medical useJay_Bergstrom: Richard, how do you feel about the new federal legislation separating the markets - medical marijuana and CRIMINAL marijuana? it leaves me hanginRic_Smith: me too jay george_mcmahon: thanks Richard , Boy do we agree , medical use flat undermines whole gov argument, john: Criminal marijuana? What did it do? Richard: The greatest need for full legalization is in poorer countries where the medical services are limited.Trippin: kila.. i will bet that they don't number as many as they say they doTheLibertarianRepublican: Richard, how far off is Canada from re-legalization in your opinion and how far behind will America be on the issue? Richard: I think that Canada is within a few years, depending on the Courts. The US will follow a few years later. That is why Walters wants to stop Canada Ben_Masel: I'm hearing from Republicans in State legislature that we can make more progress on criminal, especially sentencing, side, than medical, due to budget crisis. AlvinCool: True I spoke to my congressman about medical and he grudgingly agreed, but when the topic of legalization came up he slathered at the mouth that it was a career damaging topic he would not touchgeorge_mcmahon: when we add the industrial use to this mess we get some great recoveries for the poor and disenfranchised. a ten acre farm becomes profitable again. mike_mcgaw: he cannot george_mcmahon: thanks Richard you think still 2 yrs for Canada. virgil: What do you think will change when Colin Davies is released from prison? Richard: Colin is invisible to the UK establishment. whollysmok: That's right. Feds say pot's illegal cause it's good for nothing. They can't abide it being good for somethingRichard: Something like two years. The courts could do it this year.TheLibertarianRepublican: Of course. Its a shame some Republicans will rant about the damage an overbearing govt is then they continue these lies that only supports what they claim they're against. Richard: The states rights issue is very important and brings a lot of Conservatives to our side sdp: Richard C. What do you think of chances of the states seceding over states rights. A possibility or a folly? And is US worth saving as a democratic process? When a pres. can lose an election by over a million votes and still take office?jaime: what can US people do to help Canada stay the course and not bow to US pressure?skwrl: BUY CANADIAN!jaime: Canadian budMatt: On a side note - Richard, being quite the weed-guru, you must have a sweet collection of pipes and bongs. Eh? Richard: Actually I just have a few pipes that Steve Tuck gave me. mike_mcgaw: lol..we are making great strides in the medical areas here in Canada sdp: good question jaime afterburner: I posted my letter directly to Prime Minister Chretien Richard_Lake: I think congress critters will move on medical first. Give your congress critter hard copies of the scientific polls found at: http://www.ohiopatient.net/Poll_Analysis.htm skwrl: When you buy something look for the "Product of Canada" sloganMarcus: Richard, if the government allowed med MJ, but only in extracted cannabanoid form and not plant form, would this allow them to still rationalize the illegality of MJ for all and hinder our cause?TheLibertarianRepublican: A state will never secede from the Union ever again. Especially over an issue like pot. It means a lot to us, but barely shows up on the political radar. Ben_Masel: The most important battles in congress this year will be bills we try to stop, not any we'd like to pass.Kila: Richard, do you agree that the involvement of certain super-powerful corporations in cannabis prohibition should be exposed. I think it would be very important. Maybe Ed Rosenthal could mention it in a TV interview. Richard: I think that the Feds are hoping that the pharmaceutical industry will rescue them from the medical issue. It won't because of the costTheLibertarianRepublican: If we can get cannabis to be treated like Aspirin is in this country in the next 5-10 years we will have made tons of progress and, I think it can be done. Jay_Bergstrom: I figure that the 30 billion California budget deficit can be made up with 10 dollar ounces, grown on outdoor plants, at one 16 ounce per square yard. Works out to much less than 50 acres. Why won't business fold see? astigmatic fanaticism. Richard: The bad economy may help end cannabis prohibition the way it helped end alcohol prohibition Ric_Smith: aspirin has never been fda tested or approved, it couldn't .. its fatality rate is much too high whollysmok: it's acid kaptinemo: now that's something to consider blah: Hey guys - how long til Dick starts?Marcus: Kila, while it may be true, it sounds too conspiratorial and mainstream America will reject it as just legalization propaganda. My opinion.kaptinemo: Richard, elaborate please TheLibertarianRepublican: Did these new anti-cannabis commercials take a few cues from Reefer Madness? Someone is murderered, sexually assaulted, and ran over all while on pot. Just like in the movie. Any similarities here? Richard: Lot's of similarities to Reefer Madness, including the fact that the kids laugh at them AlvinCool: Yeah I can't wait to see the micro groweriesvirgil: There will be a cannabinoid product that will replace the common use of aspirin. marijuana.com had the article up in DecemberMarcus: Maybe we should support huge deficits. Richard_Lake: You are now in the special guest chat with Richard Cowan, the Richard at 15. Please try to keep side remarks to a minimum so that he can answer the questions. The transcript for this chat will be on line eventually and will be announced at: http://www.cannabisnews.com when it is. Thank You. This is a recording. Ric_Smith: alcohol prohibition fell, in large part due to jury nullification ... do you see the same happening with cannabis?I wonder if the new reefer-madness ads use the hypnotic 3-frame flashes like the old movie did? http://www.marijuananews.com/news.php3?sid=113 Richard: Jury nullification is another issue that brings "conservative" support to us. observer: I wonder if the new reefer-madness ads use the hypnotic 3-frame flashes like the old movie did? http://www.marijuananews.com/news.php3?sid=113 maninthejar: they must think we are dumber than a box o'rocksjaime: my teens tell me that the commercials are serious flops whollysmok: if we can get the juries to hear the evidence and vote their conscience Richard: I don't think that they are aimed at kids. Only really dumb politicians and narksTheLibertarianRepublican: Jury nullification, legalizing industrial hemp, medicinal marijuana and state-by-state decrim./legalization is the best approach in the American system of govt. which is based on slow progression rather than radical change. jaime: well said, thank you Richard: The media remain the ultimate key, but yes the people can act through the juries. However, most people are afraid to go to trial.Ric_Smith: or can't afford trial TheLibertarianRepublican: We must confront cannabis issues on all fronts, but should we focus strongly on one particular front Richard? AlvinCool: Concerning jury nullification, what exactly can a judge do to someone that refuses to vote guilty no matter what? Richard: A judge can't do anything to a juror. The law is settled on that, but most people don't know their rights george_mcmahon: 8 million with last 2 stories dick, you are right media will change it , get them to print the truth people so pay attention blah: Dick: We need to go on the offensive on every front - what do you consider the main fronts to be? Richard: Aside from the medical issue, the waste of law enforcement resources is probably the strongest argument jaime: can they be informed with a couple of lines on a t-shirt? maninthejar: all potential jurors have to know about itwhollysmok: Too many citizens I know see jury service something to avoidRic_Smith: depends heavily upon where yer wearing the shirt jaime Lehder: judge can remove a juror whom he believes will use nullification - juror can only give dumb reasons such as "I feel the cop is lying." Ben_Masel: The Rosenthal case has exposed more potential jurors to the nullification concept than 15 years of FIJA efforts. Richard: There is another level to the jury system, the grand juries. The Feds_ best way out of their Rosenthal mess is probably to find the indictment to be defective, but even that might mean that the next Grand Jury has to be told the truth. Ric_Smith: Bevan blew the GJ even worse than the actual trial ... in my opinion TheLibertarianRepublican: I think the strongest argument for cannabis reform is taking the 'what about the children' arguments and flipping it on the anti-pot crowd. Show how prohibition harms children more than just giving them a good message about drug use. Richard: Actually, almost all of the prohibitionist arguments can be turned on the narks. The drug war hurts kids Jay_Bergstrom: I can't recall that ever happening, the indictment being reversed after conviction. is there a precedent available? TheLibertarianRepublican: Kids have unyielding access to pot when it is illegal.Trippin: yes TLR that's what I been trying to say for monthsTheLibertarianRepublican: Sure Richard.maninthejar: it sure does, Dick Richard: The Dutch experience offers overwhelming evidence in our favor which is why the narks have to lie about a whole country whollysmok: Exploiting the suffering of children is bad policy no matter your aimsmaninthejar: They have a lot of nerve...AlvinCool: The anti's do what they do out of frustration. They know if they do nothing it will amount to the same as if they do everything they do now. They just can't stop as they feel they must try to control the situation Ric_Smith: so do you think the march 17 legalization of med cannabis in the Netherlands WILL impact us? Richard: I think that the Dutch move on medical use is very important especially to the Canadian debate blah: Wasting LEO resources is valid, but do you think their spin sidesteps the real issue of punishing cannabis consumers period? It's one thing to make criminal justice more efficient, but another thing entirely for them to recognise and admit that we shouldn't be punished. Richard: I hate to argue for freedom on the basis of police efficiency, but it appeals to the public especially nowRic_Smith: groovy mike_mcgaw: i agree alsoRic_Smith: right onMarcus: Their logic is they are protecting us from ourselves, so they need to punish us Kila: I think the best approach would be to convince people that they had been brainwashed by their government, and to expose the real reasons for prohibition Gary_Storck: Richard, What do you think is the best approach to changing cannabis laws at the local level? Seattle I-75 has a nice provision making cannabis the lowest priority. TheLibertarianRepublican: The number one thing standing in the way is the perception that liberalizing pot won't necessarily hurt America, but will make it more liberal wich scares a lot of people no t on the east or west coast How can we change this stereotype that America won't become on big San Fransicco. Not that I have a problem with the place. whollysmok: 750,000 arrests a year is a pretty good argument Ric_Smith: absolutely marcus .. its the old 'do you want me to give you something to cry about?' argument .. lol, entirely silly to punish us for our own good virgil: Drug abuse truly is a serious problem. Don't you think almmost everyone wants a true approach that addresses the reality of the problem. And I mean putting alcohol and tobacco at the top of the list as presented in the Canadian Senate Report. Can we not demand realism.. Richard: At the local level something like I75 is almost all that can be done george_mcmahon: how about realism, if you desire to take a drug be warned these things can happen, Then it is up to you. Matt: Hey, Richard - are you high now? Just curious. Seeing as how you have smoked for a good 30 years, does getting high still "do" it for you? skwrl: Voter initiatives need to be pushed in the few remaining states that have initiative processes Kila: California's response to the Feds' attacks should be to totally abandon prohibition. blah: And the rest? Richard: No I am not high now. I type too badly as is.Matt: haha Richard_Lake: Richard, would you care to comment on the Canadian court cases? Are they likely to have a real impact? Richard: I think that the Canadian Supreme court is very unhappy with the government for jerking them around so we have a good chance at legalizing possession and medical use this year. It will be harder to get sales legalized judicially Richard: The advantage to the courts ruling is that it sidesteps the treaties, all of which are subject to the Constitution of the country Trippin: well I think that the number of 'drug addicts' causing problems is so miniscule compared to the total number of users.. they distort the facts and continue an unjust persecution of citizens maninthejar: yer fine... Ric_Smith: yes George, lie to em about pot and they aint even gonna listen when ya try to educate on condoms Trippin: they want more people busted to keep their 'numbers' up maninthejar: how else do you get your retirement pat?maninthejar: pay? blah: Dick: what do you consider most advantageous about the Commonwealth's branch of law compared to the US' variant?Richard: The best thing about Canadian law is that the penalties are not insane TheLibertarianRepublican: Richard, any chance in seeing Canadian cities opening up coffee shops like in Amsterdam? I heard the BC Marijuana Party were working on this? Richard: I expect to see coffee shops here in Vancouver soon. Of course there are some in the Bay Area now. mike_mcgaw: yes in hullMarcus: Didn't abortion become legal in Canada by the Govt not making a decision on it? Is this the same situation for pot or is it likely to be legalized in Canada another way?TheLibertarianRepublican: Windsor and Toronto would be great and so would Vancouver. Richard_Lake: Richard, were you surprised at the amount of media attention, much positive, that Ed Rosenthal has received? I have been. http://www.mapinc.org/people/Ed+Rosenthal Richard: I was shocked at the amount of media coverage that the Rosenthal case is getting but it is still being ignored by much of it. TheLibertarianRepublican: Cool. Do the shops work just like the ones in Amsterdam? Richard: Yes, just like Holland maninthejar: I'd like to start one in Ohio someday.. BigBong: web greetings all AlvinCool: I love the booths for cigarette smokers at the coffee shops blah: Once the paradigm shift occurs in mainstream media, and significant "first world" countries have reformed - how will the UN be pressured into amending the treaties, from these rogue nations themselves or from more widespread debate among signatories? Richard: When any major country defies the treaties, that is it. There is a meeting in Vienna in early April about that. Trippin: people who don't consume cannabis are THC deficient BigBong: 35 in the room, a 2003 recordTheLibertarianRepublican: Me too. I'm in Cincinnati.Ric_Smith: TLC deficient too trippn maninthejar: akron Trippin: amen broRichard_Lake: Richard, I know you are leading the internet discussion at the NORML conference. Looking forward to seeing you there!BigBong: pardon my ignorance, but what's the big occasion? blah: Who's defying in their view? george_mcmahon: Yes, Trippen, mamal who do not have capacity cbd1 receptors die Kila: Richard, what do you think about exposing the Partnership for a Drug-Free America in an ad or commercial (funded by legal drug companies). It would just state facts, it couldn't be seen as propaganda. Richard: Canada will be the first to challenge the treaties, but the Swiss are just using the Dutch loopholewhollysmok: I think a tobacconist shop should be the model for legal cannabis sales maninthejar: BB, Richard Cowan is here mike_mcgaw: Richard Cowan is joining us tonight BB TheLibertarianRepublican: maninthejar- I knew and used to live by Clayton Hellriggle the guy who was murdered during a police raid when they thought he was selling. He had less than an ounce. you hear about this last eyar? BigBong: can-newsafterburner: Richard, how long are you with us tonight? Richard_Lake: We are having a special guest chat with Richard Cowan of www.marijuananews.com - moved from the CNEWS chat room here do to a techincial problem, BB.Jay_Bergstrom: Willie Wortel premises in Haarlem looks very nice on the updated web page. Do you plan to stay in the new upstairs bed and breakfast rooms? TheLibertarianRepublican: it happened in sw Ohio near Dayton. Northern OHio NORML and the OhiO Cannabis Society held rallies and stuff.Martha: BB we moved here because of a glitch on CNews Chat. Richard: It costs too much to launch a real media campaign. That it why the Internet is so important Ric_Smith: How many of us will be in San Fran April 17-20 for the 2003 NORML Convention? BigBong: web greetings from Australia Richard Cowan AlvinCool: wish I could but I can't Richard_Lake: Richard Cowan, we normally keep the recorded formal part of the chat going for about an hour, but a little longer if you wish. It is approaching an hour. It is your call when we stop the transcript. Gary_Storck: quite a few of us I reckon, Ric! Richard: There will be around 500 I think. Rosenthal will be speaking and there will be an honor for Jack Herer so I expect a large turnout Ric_Smith: excellentMarcus: Using MAPinc to reach the print media with letter to the editors is important and free Richard: I am doing fine Kila: Maybe NORML could produce an ad like they did about Bloomberg. george_mcmahon: Richard , I have forgotten ,but isn't us bound to change fed law when majority of states have ? whollysmok: Long live Jack HererRic_Smith: i'm very much looking fwd to the LTE panelmike_mcgaw: amen whollysmoke Richard: No the Feds can resist the states skwrl: Richard , any plans in the future to return to pot-tv ?? Really miss your shows. They were great. blah: Agreed - we miss you Dick!Richard: I am going to start doing an audio program soon on a new websitemaninthejar: I'll third that! mike_mcgaw: excellent TheLibertarianRepublican: Richard- what does the anti-cannabis forces(WH office of drug policy, DEA, etc.) have up their sleeves for the near future? Any specifics you know of?Richard: There will also be some video on occasion mike_mcgaw: i agree with the internet approach to the masses Mr. Cowan skwrl: I am dying to make a bumper sticker that says "If your not watching www.pot-tv.net you don't know Dick!"Marcus: that's great I really enjoy marijuananews.comAlvinCool: Actually they can't resist all the states as voters could then pressure their congressman to carry out what they voted. That would actually change federal lawblah: *Downloadable* video would be good, I've archived all of your audio shows and I'd like to add video to that too.Jay_Bergstrom: marijuanaTURBOnews.com TheLibertarianRepublican: Any knew media campaigns or more letters to US DA encouraging pot convictions?Richard: Thanks I enjoy doing it and I miss doing rants so that is why the audio will resume. It is therapeuticBigBong: RCowan do you have any plans to visit Nimbin Australia? say around about may when we hold the biggest cannabis law reform festival in the southern hemisphere? AlvinCool: I would like video on Kaaza to save everyone's bandwidth whollysmok: The Feds won't concede that they only have authority to tax, not prohibit Richard: I would love to go to Nimbim, mate, but no plans now AlvinCool: Why can't we use the P2P share's to promote our cause? Jay_Bergstrom: I often refer to the herb as my Rantabuse. skwrl: yes definitely downloadable video in .wmv formatte I would like to be able to burn shows to cd's to pass on to friends Trippin: theyre in war mode.. they wont rest til the earth is all theirs or in ashesblah: Wait for encrypted p2p! whollysmok: ashes ashes all fall down Richard: After Watergate, there was a saying in Washington. _It's not the crime, it's the cover-up. That meant that they were just in so deep that there was no way out. Now the Drug Warriors have the same problem. Even Bob Barr is turning on them, even though he still does not understand what is happening. AlvinCool: Just put a label of 420 in every title skwrl: also on Winmx it is similar to kazaa whollysmok: Bob Barr may be the next Drug Czar. Czar Barr Richard: There is no one magic formula, but in the Gulag Archipelago, Solzhenitsyn said, _If the lying stops the system will collapse._ The same is true of the drug war. That is why I keep harping on their lying BigBong: whilst there are so many 'cannabists in this chat space i cannot resist asking all of y'all to drop by and check out www.BigBongMobile.com next time you have the available time maninthejar: I lost my job yesterday for ranting Ben_Masel: Barr began questioning the Drugwar in spring '01, with the Meth bill. blah: Dick: if nothing much can be done locally - should we all concentrate on State/Federal fronts? Register or join local MJ parties to add more pressure?Richard: The Drug War presents everyone with the fundamental question of what do we value most TheLibertarianRepublican: While people like William F. Buckley probably disagree with most anti-prohibitionists on issues other than pot him and others do agree about the waste of the war on drugs. How can we incorporate these people into convincing social conservatives the truth on the matter Richard??Gary_Storck: Richard, Will we see medical marijuana an issue in the 2004 presidential contest? Will a major candidate support it? Richard: I think that we have to watch and see what happens with the Iraq war . Like Sept 11 that is going to change everything. However, the peace afterwards will be the thing to watch skwrl: Johnson- Ventura 2004 !!! maninthejar $5.00 sez that cannabis will be a wedge in the electionblah: We need our own people from our own parties Kila: Richard, do you think that the majority of politicians are brainwashed, or do they exactly know what they are doing (following an agenda)? Gary_Storck: Johnson-Thompson Richard: Most are brainwashed and afraid of the truth and the local sheriff and prosecutor AlvinCool: sorry guys cannabis will barely be discussed but States rights will be the foremost issue of the Demswhollysmok: as long as they have a problem with someone gettin high, all the other issues won't matter. medicinal use, industrial, wasted tax money, etc.Marcus: Richard for U.S. legalization, do you see 2010 (Ive read this on some site) as an accurate date or would you guess sometime before? mike_mcgaw: the other issues ARE the answer Robbie: maninthejar: I'll take the opposite bet...drugs is an issue the duopoly will not touch unless forced to do so by outside circumstanceBigBong: USA is the ONLY country on earth not moving in a direction of JUST cannabis Law Reform, it is holding the whole world back from following the SwissRichard: We still have a hard time getting on the public agenda. Trippin: its all about prejudice TheLibertarianRepublican: Gov. Howard Dean is by far the most liberal Democratic presidential candidate, and he is against med marijuana and decrim. What does this say about the state of the liberal wing of the Democratic party Richard? How will this issue play out in liberal circles? Richard: I think we will legalize before 2010george_mcmahon: Richard , what part of this change does education play?Marcus: YES!!BigBong: i think that we will RE-legalize globally before 2004whollysmok: but if they concede recreational use, then all the other issues cease to be a problem.Richard: This is not a liberal issueblah: The facts are already out there, we need to beat their propaganda with our own.Ric_Smith: its a little unfortunate that with its myriad of uses and applications, cannabis gets relegated to drug policy BigBong: once the Swiss have "passed" their law...Marcus: BB: DOUBLE YESRic_Smith: gets/got* AlvinCool: I hope so Richard I'd like to see legalization before I retire to my front porch :)BigBong: follow the swiss need become the catch cryblah: BigBong: Johnny Howard has got to go first. Trippin: not beat them with propaganda.. show the prejudice of their propagandageorge_mcmahon: teachMarcus: Id like to see legalization before I retire to bed.Ric_Smith: build schools not prisons virgil: Do you think the growing problem with Meth will completely overburden the financially sinking ship and require workable solutions to the drug-abuse problem?Gary_Storck: I'm still saying I'd like to see it in Strom Thurmond's lifetime!Richard: I think that we need to understand that outside of the developed countries the line between medical and non-medical is even more impossible than here.blah: Trippin: yes - but you do this with our own propaganda. The media is the battleground, its all about swinging public perception. Ric_Smith: that's too bad george_mcmahon: Gary and hoppin strom goes to his "reward" tonight! SBigBong: following the ultra conservative and ever so sensible Swiss along a path to JUST cannabis law reform is a far better platform than say "follow the Portuguese, Jamaicans etc"Richard: The cost of the drug war is hurting the states very badly now. This is an opening whollysmok: agricultural based energy could be extremely beneficial Trippin: i dont believe in endless argumentsTheLibertarianRepublican: Richard- True. this is not a liberal issue, since the marijuana movement is truly a microcosm of American society. people from many different backgrounds and ideologies united for a common cause. Remember that the civil rights movement was supported by more Republicans but it was the liberal wing of the Democratic party that was the driving force behind the movement and legislation. BigBong: USA won't stop the drug war until you end asset forfeiture and prisons for profit Martha: BB I agree with you blah: Me neither, but we've got to play their game - they've already set the rules. Ric_Smith: cost ... how do you think the Oregon legislators feel about the $900,000 bucks in revenue generated from patient mmj licenses? Richard_Lake: Heck, I would like to see it before I die. I really started fighting for cannabis hard in '72 and had hopes that we would win this long ago.... Richard: Prisons are no longer being seen as assets, but liabilities. That is a big change Martha: Me too Richard Lake! blah: BigBong: Australian asset forfeiture is just as badMarcus: Richard, will Belgium's legalization have any major effect on legalization or just another nail in the inevitable coffin?Ben_Masel: State budgets are THE BIG OPENING fight now. A minimum bill to try and pass would move personal scale cultivation from Felony to misdemeanor. Kentucky has always had this....Richard: I think that there is a danger of the cannabis community being seen as a cash cow whollysmok: they have to advertise for prison guards around here. they're woefully understaffed BigBong: tell me about it blah, we fought it tooth and nail and it got in thanks to a Bali bomb Ric_Smith: i keep getting that answer BigBong: as did anti cannabis cafe legislation george_mcmahon: that's a fact Richard, it already is a big cash producer, I want to get the prices down to real again TheLibertarianRepublican: BenMasel- So true. We need to take advantage of this. Most marijuana issues are dealt with at the state level. Heck Portland just shortened there school year by 24 days to save money. But weed still is illegeal. that is messed up. skwrl: Did anyone here make a connection with the bombing in April with April 20? Richard: The aging population is another factor working in our favor.Ron: Hi Martha and all blah: We've had it in W.A. for years - no charge needs be layed..........BigBong: is very hard when our leader is a puppet of your puppet who's strings are being pulled by the daddy bush Martha: Hi Ron! kubby: Richard, can anything be done to stop SB 420? Richard: SB 420 requires that we trust people that have shown themselves not to be trustworthy. We need to get that point across anyway Matt: Richard, do you still get a nice high after 30 years of smoking, or is it very brief? Trippin: wholly.. theyre understaffed but i bet they were asking for more federal money then they did any years before arent they.. i bet they'll get their money and you still wont see any more new guards sdp: Richard C, as my little sister works for the drug warriors what information would be best to try to change a conserv. republicans views? The medical issue, the imprisoning of nonviolent, the herbal aspect, any thoughts? blah: How can we avoid replacing the current cash cow with decrim fines, do we hold out and oppose or take every break we can? Ric_Smith: could you elaborate ... why stop sb 420?TheLibertarianRepublican: Richard- Only problem is these Reefer Madness folks keep living so damn long because of medical advances they won't die off fast enough to make room for more younger, enlighted folks like ourselves! :) whollysmok: they're even farming out some inmates to Texas prisonsgeorge_mcmahon: I been smoking 1/4 q day for 13 v yrs, and more , I still need only to puff a few more times to get silly hi. same amount as always, fact even a little lessTrippin: yeah.. and here in Texas they are farming out to other states too.. blah: But they refuse to use our medicine, they'll all be gone eventually BigBong: talking of cannabis, i happen to have some own grown rolled, anyone want to join me in a 'global synchronized toking session?"Richard: Actually poll here in Canada shows that even us old farts are waking up whollysmok: ready mike_mcgaw: lol Richard mike_mcgaw: bout timeblah: BigBong: bit early ain't it mate? ;-) george_mcmahon: talk to your mothers fathers aunts uncles, neighbors , they all count .BigBong: no 4 meRic_Smith: yer dentist yer doggroomer yer gramma Martha: LOL Richard Ric_Smith: everyone AlvinCool: readyTheLibertarianRepublican: George McMahon- 1/4 ounce a day??? george_mcmahon: yep and do it every day, BigBong: I love to cyber-toke in a chat space full of cannabistsAlvinCool: But George isn't that the government sprayed stuff??? mike_mcgaw: now that's commitmentMarcus: whoa george_mcmahon: The libertarian, gov issue and as poor as they can make it and get away with , but I make doRichard: I think that most of all we need to let editors and politicians know that we know that they are lying. george_mcmahon: No Not sprayedRic_Smith: there is no spray! BigBong: helps me remember why me heregeorge_mcmahon: Dick has seen it TheLibertarianRepublican: George McMahon- Rock on boy. sdp: ty richard whollysmok: why does everyone accept the annual household survey drug use data as credible? do you?george_mcmahon: Ric has seen it BigBong: and what me trying to END (JUST Cannabis Prohibition)Richard: No I don't find these surveys credible Richard_Lake: Elvy tells me the stuff is not sprayed too. So does Ethan.TheLibertarianRepublican: whollysmok- a lot of people lie. Big brother is just too damn scary to be telling that type of info to total strangers.george_mcmahon: I use to stay able. But I do (can) enjoy a good mood just as much as anyoneTrippin: whol.. because they take federal moneyMarcus: Not too many people are going to admit to crimesMarcus: to the govtMarcus: no lessBigBong: so all those who wish to partake, spark your lighters in 4 and 20 seconds from now :O)--~ george_mcmahon: Not sprayed, they mix by removing bud material then putting some back in Ric_Smith: watch the Feb. 18 pot-tv episode with Ethan/Chris Bennett .. it was done in one study, by a group of Chicago researchers .. not by NIDABen_Masel: In my Court Certified Expert opinion, the stuff they give George is no longer "Unfit for Human Consumption.' I now rate it "Poor." mike_mcgaw: extraction method right geo?whollysmok: yet that is what the govt judges their policy on, ostensibly BigBong: spark-up is snick snick flicker flash flame- another joint burning now ain't that a shame- snick snick flicker flash flame, cannabis law broken now ain't that a shame? snick snick flicker flash flame, another joint burning and I am to blame - so quick click come fan the flame cause the law will be changed and we'll all share the fame ;O)--~ Richard: Well, my typing is getting so bad that I think that I need to stop, but thanks for the chat. I really enjoyed it. kubby: Thank you Richard Cowan for all that you do for freedom and for the Cannabis Community!TheLibertarianRepublican: I'm about to get out of here soon. Had a good time. I leave for Amsterdam on March 23 for a 4days, 3 nights. Anyone been there before? If so, any suggestions?Thank You Richard ! :-) observer: Thank You Richard ! :-)AlvinCool: Thanks RichardMarcus: Thanks Richard, it was great!!whollysmok: thank you Richard C observer: Sorry for the chat problems everyone Trippin: thanks RichardMartha: And thank you Steve Kubby! blah: Not all NIDA schwag is the same BigBong: nice to meetcha Richard CowanMatt: thanks!sdp: yes thank you Richardandino: peace Richard and GeorgeMatt: hey Richard are you going to get high now?Richard_Lake: OK, thank you. The chat transcript is ended NOW!Source: CannabisNews.com Chat RoomGuest: Richard CowanTranscripts: February 22, 2003Website: http://cannabisnews.com/chat/ MarijuanaNews.comhttp://www.marijuananews.com Chat with Richard Cowan http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15534.shtml 
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Comment #18 posted by FoM on February 24, 2003 at 09:15:59 PT
I Agree Richard
The chat with Richard Cowan and before Dr. Russo were wonderful. Editing the chat is so hard though and yet people talking is important it's just what do you leave in the transcripts? I guessed and I'm not good at guessing so I hope I didn't remove something that was important to anyone. Do you think CNews Chat will get fixed and it will be able to handle the load in the future? That would be great. I'll wait to ask anyone else until I know it is up and running good. I have so many people in mind I would love to invite to hear what they have to say but it doesn't need to be done quickly. Time between organized chats gives each chat a chance to be thought about and allows us to learn from them I believe.PS: I liked your description of a satellite! That was good. I love my satellite. It works good except when the weather is bad but it seems to be getting better with each fix they have for us to download and install.PSS: We did Auditorium Chats at MSNBC and they worked great and edited transcripts were easy to read because only the questions and anwers from the guest appeared on them. We could talk in the chat during the Auditorium chat but that was in the part that wouldn't be posted. PSSS: Chatting has a bad reputation but organized chats are really good. That's why I like organized chats. You learn, laugh, think and hopefully apply what you learn.
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Comment #17 posted by Richard Lake on February 24, 2003 at 09:02:52 PT:
Ooops again, it should be below.....
Gary Storck - newshawk and listmaster/webmaster for www.immly.org and www.drugsense.org/dpfwiNOT MIMy fingers are not typing what my brain is thinking. Could be that short term memory thing, or maybe just that oldtimers problem.lolRichard
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Comment #16 posted by Richard Lake on February 24, 2003 at 08:57:25 PT:
Well, your experience could be different, FoM
In the DS/MAP chat it was Mark Greer who could never get it to work thru his high speed satellite connection and had to switch to phone lines. Now that he has moved out of the mountain to a real city and has cable he has no problem.So a sample of one is probably not a good test, and perhaps yours would work, FoM.By the way, I am just writing a message to try to get some activists who don't do chat rooms to reconsider, and worked up this short list of folks they should know who were at the chat:More than 35 activists showed up, a record for a chat. They included Matt, Doug, and me from DS. Jay Bergstrom - editor   MAP and newshawk from SacramentoJane Marcus - a newshawk and supporter from our earliest daysGeorge McMahon - one of the five who still get their medical cannabis from the U.S. governmentDr. Ethan Russo - who should need no introduction, I believeBen Masel of Madison, WI who I suspect many of you know from conferencesGary Storck - newshawk and listmaster/webmaster for www.immly.org and www.drugsense.org/dpfmi----I get a feeling that there are a whole bunch of cannabis activists out there that have no idea what they are missing when they never hope into an activist chat room.There is a HUGE difference between our rooms, FoM, and the ones that are filled with folks trying to score, dope or sex. Kids stuff.IMHORichard
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Comment #15 posted by Richard Lake on February 24, 2003 at 08:41:26 PT:
Ooops, in the note below that should be....
Ohio Patient Networkhttp://www.ohiopatient.net/It is the most active on the ground medical cannabis groups there is in a state without any medical cannabis laws. Does extensive lobbying, public speaking, etc. etc. And check out their "The People Have Spoken" section on the website, which is the best thing I know of to print out and show a person in or running for elected office that they will only gain by supporting medical cannabis.The group has over three hundred members now, a great monthly newsletter, also on the site, etc.Richard
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Comment #14 posted by FoM on February 24, 2003 at 08:41:05 PT
Richard
I knew that your Ohio Group used it but I'm not involved in the organization so I've never checked it out. Do you mean satellites won't work? What I think is we are almost able to get good communications but it just hasn't arrived yet but hopefully it will soon. I really mind computer problems. Thanks for the info!
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Comment #13 posted by Richard Lake on February 24, 2003 at 08:30:48 PT:
Paltalk
Every Monday evening a few of the folks that keep MAP/DrugSense hosted sites and lists running meet via paltalk.And the Ohio Patient Network www.ohiopatint.net has similar Paltalk meetings.In both cases locked Paltalk rooms are set up, and those invited to attend furnished a password via email (along with reminders of the meeting dates/times).Generally Paltalk has worked well for both groups.But it has its down sides. It does not seem to work well for folks using one of those connections thru those things that wizz around in space. And there is no MAC version - and running it on a MAC that runs windoze seems to work not very well - at least for the MAC user talking.However, after much looking around and testing other ways, it still seems the best we can find that meets our criteria:(1) CB like voice chat
(2) A text window also where someone can take notes of what was said and decided, we can pass URLs, etc. that can then be captured and emailed to the group.Don't know if there are any general cannabis or drug policy related paltalk meetings, but if anybody is aware of any, I would like to hear about them.Richard
rlake mapinc.org
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Comment #12 posted by FoM on February 24, 2003 at 07:21:56 PT
i420, Virgil and mayan
Thanks! I tried netmeeting years ago and I got it to work for a minute or two but after that I never tried it again. I'm only comfortable getting videos now. I finally have my computer working without problems and trying new things makes me very cautious. I want my computer to last for awhile. I just can't afford to get a new one. I don't even use an instant messenger. Just my wimpiness showing! LOL!Simon and Garfunkel were great. I remember watching their New York concert years ago. I love their music as many of us do. Before they get much older and one of them dies I hope they do a tour or make an album. It makes me sad to know that as we lose some old music icons from way back when we will never hear them together. Egos should be put aside if they realize the impact of their music on many people. It made me get teary eyed when they sang. The young woman who won all the awards was very good. She is only 23 years old and was a breathe of fresh air to listen too. The rest of the show other then James Taylor who also got a standing ovation wasn't impressive to me but I'm like Gallager and I'm stuck in the 60s! LOL!PS: News is going to be very hard to find with war getting so very close. It could get as hard finding news as it was right after 9-11. War will stop so much good and cover up important issues but what can you do? Since the "focus group" as President Bush called them isn't a concern for him then what will be important? We will take one day at a time. That's all we can do. I feel so very sorry for the world. Soon the world we know and love will be no more so hold on to your memories. I see Edward G. Robinson in my mind with different scenes from Soylent Green as I type this. Things could really be a changin but not for the good. 
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Comment #11 posted by mayan on February 24, 2003 at 04:49:05 PT
FoM...
Weren't Simon and Garfunkel just awesome?!? I only caught their song & had to run. I don't know if any other artists spoke out against the war, but it was certainly fitting to see S&G doing "The Sound of Silence"!Paul Simon, Art Garfunkel reunite for Grammy lifetime achievement award: 
http://www.therecord.com/entertainment/e022333A.htmlHere's more on our favorite,fortunate daughter...Jeb Bush And The Amazing $8.2 million Web Site:Or How To Ensure Your Daughter Gets A Job When She Leaves Rehab!
http://64.176.94.191/article1592.htm
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Comment #10 posted by Virgil on February 24, 2003 at 00:29:37 PT
paltalk.com
http://www.paltalk.com There is a program you can download. Then you have categories with different rooms, if you will. You can set up your own room and be a moderator with the ability to kick anyone out. You can chat with typing, audio, and video, although you may have to pay for types of video. A moderator controls the microphone and can limit it to one person talking from the participants.I have not used it in a while and it is not on my computer now. It is a great place to go to solve computer problems. The voice is about like on a phone even with dial-up. I think I will download it now in case I need a computer question sometime later.I didn't know Yahoo had an audio chat and I imagine it is about the same.
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Comment #9 posted by i420 on February 23, 2003 at 23:41:58 PT
alternatuves
 Should try netmeeting for these chats??? Or possibly yahoo voice chat?
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Comment #8 posted by FoM on February 23, 2003 at 22:35:05 PT
Virgil
Have you ever used Paltalk? I don't know what it is or how it works even though I've seen it before. Is it like the way a CB works? I mean if everyone talks at the same time do people drown out each other like with a CB? It's an interesting idea.
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Comment #7 posted by freedom fighter on February 23, 2003 at 22:04:58 PT
Accountabiltiy
Wished I could be at the chat but from what I gleaned from this transcript, it got me to think little bit hard.As many of you know that Bush regime had already established an "Accontablitiy" of each agency of what they were supposed to do. As result, the DEAth agency got a very low mark this year. I know of one state that did the "research" on how much the state would save if they change the "cannabis" law. It only cost 2-3 grand to find out and it did changed the law. I think most of you know what I am talkin about.It would be great if each state start passing "Accountability" Law...ff
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Comment #6 posted by Virgil on February 23, 2003 at 20:16:28 PT
Thanks BGreen
I got my wires crossed a little bit. There was an article on December 4 at marijuana.com about 2 new cannabinoid cousins- http://www.marijuana.com/article.php?sid=5106Scientists have created new compounds that act like cannabis on the brain to reduce anxiety and depression -- but without the hunger or the high.By prolonging the punch of the cannabis-like chemicals that the brain makes naturally, researchers from the United States and Italy have shown in rat experiments that they can copy certain benefits of the common street drug with far fewer side effects.If the new compounds pass in clinical testing, these synthetic cannabinoid cousins could herald a new generation of antidepressants, offering the calm of marijuana without the munchies....The compounds, dubbed URB532 and URB597, appear to work like Prozac, the well-known antidepressant that also raises the brain's natural levels of serotonin by blocking it from being recycled.
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Comment #5 posted by BGreen on February 23, 2003 at 19:19:54 PT
Here You Go, Virgil
"We believe that the compound will replace aspirin and similar drugs in most applications primarily because of a lack of toxic side effects."
Cannabis Drug 'Fights Pain Without High'
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Comment #4 posted by Virgil on February 23, 2003 at 18:59:41 PT
How do you spell viola?
I thought the article about the FBI agent mentioned in comment3 was from truthout.org. In doing a search, an article by Dennis Hans that was published at scoop.co,nz had a similar story about a new CIA arrival to Sweden under their program to free the repressed that can enlighten the world- http://truthout.org/docs_02/022203D.htm The original appearance was here: http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0212/S00082.htmThis is a highly informative article on the intimidation that the fascists use. Here is a quote similar to the one I first read several months ago."I can assure you," Williams told Swedish viewers, "that no one at CIA believes a word Bush said. What's more, no one at CIA believes that Bush believes a word Bush said." On second thought here is the whole article-Sweden Providing Platform for U.S. Officials Cowed by BushIntimidated bureaucrats regain their voice as protected guests of a
genuinely democratic regime.
By: Dennis Hans - 12/11/02
Also Published at www.liberalslant.com
STOCKHOLM - Blaine Williams hasn't stopped grinning since he arrived in Sweden two weeks ago. Several times a day he'll approach a complete stranger, offer a handshake and a smile, introduce himself as a former CIA analyst from America, and proceed to tell the bewildered Swede all the things he knows that directly contradict President George W. Bush's declarations about Saddam Hussein's intentions and capabilities. "Free at last!" Williams exclaimed to a reporter as he sat on his front porch and waved to new neighbors. "I was stuck in a totalitarian bureaucracy for 14 months. What a relief it is to say in public who I am and what I think." Williams is the first of dozens of former U.S. government employees expected to take refuge in Sweden over the next several months, courtesy of a bold project of the new social democratic government. On October 15, the Swedish Parliament appropriated 500 million dollars for the "Palme Plan." Named for former Swedish president Olaf Palme, it promotes the virtues of free and honest speech among government officials in underdeveloped democracies. "Swedes have always been generous in providing economic aid to countries with underdeveloped economies," said Erland Carlsson, the parliamentarian who conceived the Palme Plan. "But we've done little to promote democratic development in underdeveloped democracies." Some leaders of underdeveloped democracies have welcomed Sweden's "democracy teams," encouraging their efforts to create a culture of candor and transparency in the corridors of power. Those efforts comprise the overt component of the Palme Plan. The covert component kicks in when a leader is hostile to the very notions of candor and transparency. Palme, who was Carlsson's political mentor, believed his greatest failure as president was his inability, during the Vietnam War, to persuade U.S. officialdom of the virtues of public candor. "Palme believed that if the national security bureaucracy had not been cowed into silence in the face of a torrent of deceit from a determined White House, the U.S. would never have invaded and destroyed Vietnam," Carlsson said. An October 8 story in the Houston Chronicle, by Jonathan Landy and Warren Strobel ( http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/nation/1607676), convinced Carlsson that the same suffocating environment had enveloped key sectors of the Bush administration. Thirteen officials from the CIA, State Department and Pentagon, many with vast experience in the Middle East and South Asia, told Landy and Strobel the same thing: The White House has squelched dissent, imposed conformity and silence, demanded skewed analyses to justify its hard line, and repeatedly exaggerated or falsified intelligence information to inflate the Saddam threat. What most alarmed the Swedish MP was that none of the analysts were willing to be quoted by name. Some were too frightened even to be quoted anonymously. "I couldn't help thinking that if these informed, respected patriots could raise their voices openly and in unison, they'd stop the administration's chicken hawks in their tracks," Carlsson said. "Public and congressional support for the war path would whither, and the president would be exposed as the world's most crooked 'straight shooter.'" Borrowing Bush's Brilliant Idea When Bush insisted that U.N. weapons inspectors be able to take Iraqi scientists and their families outside of Iraq for interviews, thus protecting the scientists from possible retaliation by Saddam's secret police, Carlsson had the solution that had eluded Palme so many years ago. "That's it!" he told a colleague. "We'll offer U.S. bureaucrats and their families safe passage to Sweden and a secure environment from which they can speak freely and publicly to the folks back home. They can stay here at our expense until a climate of openness and honesty prevails in the Bush administration." In addition to Williams, 28 other bureaucrats and their families are en route to Stockholm. All were spirited out of Washington by a team of Swedish secret agents who had honed their rescue skills in Yugoslavia and the Congo. Once the former officials settle into their new homes and get comfortable with saying who they are and what they think, they'll spend their time giving speeches an interviews. Former CIA analyst Williams is already a sensation on Swedish TV as a regular guest on the top-rated chat show, Nugen Farger ("Hard Rugby"). On a recent edition, he parsed a string of Bush's statements on Iraq, including assertions at a Republican fundraiser that Saddam Hussein hopes to deploy al Qaeda as his "forward army" against the West, and that "we need to think about Saddam Hussein using al Qaeda to do his dirty work, to not leave fingerprints behind." "I can assure you," Williams told Swedish viewers, "that no one at CIA believes a word Bush said. What's more, no one at CIA believes that Bush believes a word Bush said." Strong words, and Williams anticipates an echo chamber as more of Sweden's newest residents regain their voice. But he wonders if members of the U.S. news media, particularly those he calls "the boobs on the tube," will dare to listen.
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Comment #3 posted by Virgil on February 23, 2003 at 18:31:40 PT
I just don't know
virgil: There will be a cannabinoid product that will replace the common use of aspirin. marijuana.com had the article up in DecemberI put this up. I remember the article vividly because it was near the end of the year and I thought it may well be one of the best three articles of the entire year. I search marijuana.com going back 10 articles at a time until December 15th. I just am lost about not bookmarking it for one thing and not posting it here for another.That is why now I put so much up. If it slips by it gets lost. I still wish I could find the FBI agent qupte that said Not only does he not believe all the things Busch says, Busch does not believe them either.I wonder about the future of chat and if audio and video like at paltalk will make it easier on someone like RC. One thing for sure, the blockade runners are needed to break the media blockade.I only have 4 $4.20 purchases this year for oil products. I don't drive much because I believe the best thing we can do is starve the economy and also if nothing else, have a thrifty meal. I think under the Second Patriot Act saying something like that that threatens the economy will be reason enough to lose your citizenship. Sending an encripted song that violates a copyright law will be 10 years in jail. Let's get tough on crime might have gotten a lot of politicians elected but getting tough on people that violate unconstitutional acts, is just more insanity.Did you $4.20 today?
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Comment #2 posted by herbdoc215 on February 23, 2003 at 17:26:43 PT
Sorry I missed chat...work,work,work 
But I wanted to write-in here and tell everybody that I have several thousand research papers about cannabis finally posted online for those who wish to study or site them in papers,etc. This has been a hell-of-a lot of work but I believe that only by shoving the truth down their throats will we ever have a prayer of being free. Peace, Steve Tuck
http://www.hillbillydreams.ca/table_of_cannabis_research_index.htm
Hillbilly Dreams Seed Company Research Div
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on February 23, 2003 at 17:11:30 PT
Just a Comment and Thanks To Everyone!
I hope you enjoy the transcripts as much as we enjoyed the chat. Hopefully I didn't make too many mistakes. I sure tried not too! Enjoy!PS: Just heard Simon and Garfunkel sing and open the Grammys with The Sounds of Silence and it was wonderful. 
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