cannabisnews.com: 'I Really Consider Cannabis My Miracle'
'I Really Consider Cannabis My Miracle'
Posted by CN Staff on December 31, 2004 at 22:03:17 PT
By Evelyn Nieves, Washington Post Staff Writer
Source: Washington Post
Oakland, Calif. -- She is good for two hours. Then the pains start bullying her again. Her back, her neck, her head, her insides -- all the warring parts of her body -- rise up to beat her. If she hesitates to act, they throw her down, throttle her, make her wish she were dead.So Angel McClary Raich takes more marijuana, buying another two hours.
Diane Monson is a bit luckier. She can function for up to four hours before her spine reverts to being her enemy. Then she needs another dose of cannabis.In California, Monson and Raich are not so different from about 100,000 other chronically sick people. They are users of medical marijuana, or cannabis, examples of why the state's voters passed a law in 1996 legalizing the drug for the seriously ill or dying. But the U.S. Justice Department considers all marijuana a dangerous controlled substance. To the federal government, Raich and Monson are illegal drug users.That divide is at the heart of Ashcroft v. Raich, which brought the two women to the U.S. Supreme Court on Nov. 29 to plead for their right to their doctor-recommended medical marijuana, and put them in the headlines for several days.The Supreme Court arguments were the latest in a series of legal battles between the women and the federal government. In 2002, Monson and Raich sued Attorney General John D. Ashcroft after Monson's house was raided by Drug Enforcement Administration agents who seized her six marijuana plants from her patio.Monson and Raich eventually won an injunction against the raids in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, which the federal government appealed to the high court. A ruling is expected sometime before July.Ashcroft v. Raich, which debates whether the federal government exceeded its authority to regulate interstate commerce by imposing national drug laws on state-sanctioned medical cannabis that is not sold, transported across state lines or used for nonmedicinal purposes, will have crucial implications for at least 30 pending federal marijuana cases. The cases all involve medical cannabis growers, patients and dispensary operators who were raided by federal agents in several of the 11 states that have legalized medical cannabis.Ashcroft v. Raich also is considered important for those watching the debate over states' rights vs. federal authority.But for Raich and Monson, the case is personal.They want to be able to live their lives. Medical marijuana, they say, makes that possible. Raich, a 39-year-old mother of two teenagers, suffers from an inoperable brain tumor, wasting syndrome, tumors in her uterus, endometriosis and other ailments. She says medical marijuana is keeping her alive.Monson, a 47-year-old accountant who lives in the Northern California town of Oroville, has suffered from a degenerative back disorder for 25 years. Without medical cannabis, she says, she would live, but in such excruciating pain that it would hardly be worth it.Raich and Monson are worried. The public is sympathetic to their situations; polls show up to 80 percent of Americans approve of medical marijuana. But the federal government has remained steadfast against reclassifying marijuana and has repeatedly rejected applications from university researchers who want to study the drug as medicine. During the oral arguments, several Supreme Court justices raised skeptical questions, concerned that even small amounts of medical marijuana, obtained for free, were part of a national market for licit and illicit drugs -- and thus subject to federal regulations.Even if the court rules that federal agents can continue to raid medical marijuana patients and growers, the women say, they will continue to use marijuana as medicine. They say they have no choice.Raich has been sick longer, with multiple ailments. As a young teen, she had scoliosis and wore a back brace. She was diagnosed with endometriosis at 16. In her twenties, as a mother of young children, she developed wasting syndrome -- doctors still do not know why -- and could not keep food down. She started having seizures, and doctors found a deep brain tumor. Eventually she became partially paralyzed on one side. In 1995, she ended up in a wheelchair. She was withering away. She was also in constant pain. Nothing her doctor prescribed touched it.In 1997, during a doctor's visit, a nurse who had witnessed Raich's suffering for years took her aside and asked her if she had ever considered medical marijuana.Sitting in her den with her husband, Robert, a lawyer whom she met when he was helping the Oakland medical cannabis cooperative that she belonged to in its legal struggles with the Justice Department, Raich recalled how reluctant she was to become a marijuana user."I was really offended at the suggestion," said Raich, who is a pale 98 pounds on a 5-foot-4 frame. "I was very conservative. I was taught that drugs are bad. And I followed the law. I've never even gotten a speeding ticket."But one night, Raich said, her daughter approached her. "She wanted to know why I couldn't do the things that other mommies do. I promised my children that I would do anything I possibly could to get better."That night, she added, "I faced my own conservative ways and my own moral judgments and I realized that because I loved my children so much and so deeply -- they are my world -- that I would do everything I possibly could for them."She asked family members to buy some marijuana on the street. "I immediately felt relief," she said. "It didn't cure my pain, but it definitely made me feel better. It didn't make me vomit and it made me hungry, which I didn't normally feel." She asked her doctor about it, and he agreed that she should try cannabis as a therapy.She joined the Oakland Cannabis Buyers Cooperative, she said, and found that medical-grade cannabis cultivated for patients was more potent than street-corner pot. The more she smoked or inhaled, she said, the more sensations she began feeling. She could eat. She could move. Within a year and a half, she felt strong enough to learn how to walk again. After four years in a wheelchair, she put it away."The minute I became a medical cannabis user," she said, "I became an advocate." In fact, Raich found Monson after reading about her. Monson and her husband had been raided by federal agents in August 2002. Despite being shown her doctor's note, the agents confiscated the plants she had spent so much time cultivating."It was extremely stressful," Monson said of the raid. She had started using medical cannabis in 1998, after her doctor of 20 years recommended it. Many other painkillers they had tried had failed. For a time, Monson said, she was on Vioxx, which has since been taken off the market because of safety concerns. Monson, an avid gardener with an orchard of apple, pear, peach, apricot, cherry and fig trees, started growing marijuana. "I had some success the first year. By 2002, I had a pretty good stash," she said. "I had them in full sun, out in the open, thinking I was in full compliance with California law."Earlier this year, when her husband of 25 years was stricken with pancreatic cancer, Monson gave him medical cannabis to ease his pain and help increase his appetite. He died six months ago."I make oils and tincture and vapors," she said. "I experiment because the government, which says it's so unhealthy to smoke it, is not studying it. We're not getting the best delivery system, so we're not getting the full benefits of a drug that can help so many people."Monson, a literacy volunteer in Oroville who also manages several rental properties she owns, said none of her businesses or passions have suffered since she began using medical cannabis. In fact, they have thrived.She plans to grow her marijuana plants again this year.Raich, too sick to grow her own, is extremely grateful that she has caregivers growing it for her. "May of this year my brain tumor specialist said that my tumor had stabilized," she said. "I really consider cannabis my miracle. I really owe my life to it, and I'm not going to let anyone, including the government, take it away from me."Note: Patients Fight to Keep Drug of Last Resort.Source: Washington Post (DC)Author: Evelyn Nieves, Washington Post Staff WriterPublished: Saturday, January 1, 2005; Page A03 Copyright: 2005 Washington Post Contact: letterstoed washpost.comWebsite: http://www.washingtonpost.com Related Articles & Web Site:Angel Raich v. Ashcroft Newshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/raich.htmHigh Expectations - San Francisco Bay Guardianhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20069.shtmlCannabis and The Constitutionhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20027.shtmlSupremes on Pot - San Francisco Bay Guardianhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19946.shtml
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Comment #66 posted by FoM on January 19, 2005 at 09:58:26 PT
afterburner
Thank you. Very interesting articles.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #65 posted by afterburner on January 19, 2005 at 09:47:14 PT
Another Prediction: PHIL BOOTH
"Humanity, especially the affluent West, is being forced to pause from it's rampant commercialism and take a deep, philosophical look at its existence and its misty origins. ... Neptune represents spiritual inspiration and is associated with fantasy, myth, dreams and romanticism. ...Neptunian developments like anesthetics for pain relief and the increase of social consciousness, which sought to help the poor" What's in store for 2005? PHIL BOOTH,
TORONTO STAR ASTROLOGER
{Poseidon's power gives shocking start to 2005
It's a coincidence that cannot be ignored. There have been two consecutive Christmas earthquakes of colossal and terrifying proportions. Humanity, especially the affluent West, is being forced to pause from it's rampant commercialism and take a deep, philosophical look at its existence and its misty origins.{Poseidon (called Neptune by the Romans), "the earth-shaker" and "lord of the sea," is rising from his watery den, thrusting his trident skyward. Poseidon had the power to bring down seemingly impregnable civilizations — and perhaps even bring them back.}
[Full Story]
http://tinyurl.com/4oegv ---------------------------------------------------Wednesday January 19
Jan. 19, 2005. 01:00 AMThought for the Day: Neptune represents spiritual inspiration and is associated with fantasy, myth, dreams and romanticism. Its discovery in 1846 came at a time of many Neptunian developments like anesthetics for pain relief and the increase of social consciousness, which sought to help the poor. [Full Story]
http://tinyurl.com/5dam7
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Comment #64 posted by FoM on January 11, 2005 at 11:37:32 PT
Just a Note
I removed my last comment because it just wasn't important. This is an important article.
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Comment #62 posted by afterburner on January 05, 2005 at 21:27:24 PT
Another Prediction: Life Extension
We see it already in the elderly population, circa 2005.
More and more people will live longer lives -- war, violence, pollution and natural disaters aside. Do These Two Things to Extend Lifespan
http://channels.netscape.com/new/html/live/scoop/np/2.htmlDo this when you're young, and you're more likely to live until you're 90! Click to find out what it is. http://channels.netscape.com/ns/homerealestate/package.jsp?name=homerealestate/liveto90/liveto90&floc=wn-npCan this vitamin actually slow the aging process? Yes. And it's pretty dramatic. But you have to start taking it soon after age 40. Click to find out what it is. http://cnn.netscape.cnn.com/news/package.jsp?name=fte/slowaging/slowaging&floc=wn-npFind out why some medical experts think the human life span may someday reach 500 years--or more. http://channels.netscape.com/ns/atplay/package.jsp?name=fte/longestlive/longestlive&floc=wn-npOne small problem: we need to completely revamp the economy to allow and provide meaningful work for all the extended old-timers to support themselves. You cannot retire for 440 years unless you have some very sound investments.
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Comment #61 posted by afterburner on January 04, 2005 at 23:16:48 PT
Amen, E_Johnson
My children are from the Ojibwe nation and still suffer the ignorant persecution that "the White man's burden" justified to too many Americans, Canadians, and others.Timothy Leary wrote of the humanization of space, moving beyond the hegemony of military and governmental control. Recently, a successful private spacecraft launch occurred [CNN.com - Private craft soars into space, history - Jun 23, 2004 http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/space/06/21/suborbital.test/ ]. R. Buckminster Fuller coined the term "Spaceship Earth" to demonstrate that the stewardship of the planet would be better accomplished by using recycling similar to that needed in successful hu-manned space flights. We need compassionate exploration, in deed not in name only!btw, I just discovered your comment condemning Arnold with his own words: "He's a Girlie Man" LOL! Somehow I missed that whole article: Schwarzenegger Vetoes Medical Marijuana Changes http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/19/thread19211.shtml
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Comment #60 posted by FoM on January 04, 2005 at 16:02:31 PT
freedom23
That's funny! You're very welcome! I really do hope they don't call you up. I know I wouldn't go either if I were you. I visit a Neil Young board and they are talking about how twisted the boys they know are since being in Iraq. War is hell.
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Comment #59 posted by FoM on January 04, 2005 at 15:58:18 PT
Something Good I Believe
In the midst of the disaster people are giving so much it makes me feel good about humanity. In England the government needs to give more because the individual contributions were more then what the government pledged. I took down a Doctors Without Borders from my personal web site because they don't want any more money sent to them. They said send it to another good relief agency. I almost felt sorry for George Bush because even with getting Bush senior and Clinton the people are giving what they can without anyone asking them too. I really am impressed with the concern that people are showing. It gives me a little faith in mankind that I needed.
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Comment #58 posted by freedom23 on January 04, 2005 at 15:52:58 PT
FoM - My apologies
Clearly the video part of my web browser must be broken. =)All kidding aside, thank you for your work here.
"Bullsh*t: Penn & Teller" vs the War on Drugs
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Comment #57 posted by E_Johnson on January 04, 2005 at 15:03:07 PT
afterburner
Hopefully in outer space we frontier people won't be committing genocide as we expand and grab territory.
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Comment #56 posted by FoM on January 04, 2005 at 11:04:37 PT
freedom23
What an excellent comment. I hope that you are not called back up. I just wanted to mention a little something about sex! I'm kidding but I'm a she not a he! LOL!On a serious note. My husband was a two tour Vietnam Vet and he and I talked endlessly about Nam when we met after he was discharged that's why I care and know what to expect.
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Comment #55 posted by freedom23 on January 04, 2005 at 10:57:00 PT
Comment #44 - FoM - Military Service
As former member of six years (minus two months) of the USCG and a veteran of the WoD I implore anyone reading this not to enlist. The sins I committed will haunt me forever. While I saved lives, I also cost lives.There is no honor in the killing of innocent Iraqis or Pakistanis, or anyone for that matter. There is no honor in dying for a country that will not give their soldiers proper body or vehicle armor. There is no honor in dying for a President that is a coward and used “special connections” to avoid being shipped to Vietnam, a fate he would've most likely faced like so many young men of his age. If the draft is reinstituted please do not go. Hide out with friends, family, antiwar supporters or, if you have to, leave the country. Someone “working under the table” and living with a friend in a major city with a good public transportation system makes one very, very difficult to find. What will result in short term discomfort will result in a long term life for yourself and others. After the Vietnam war those that resisted the draft had any criminal charges pending against them dropped and now lead normal lives.Live for the family you will have someday. There is no greater joy than holding your own child for the first time. Live for that day and help other young men live for that day by not becoming a member of the military.I mention the “minus two months” because I face the possibility of being forcibly recalled after being out for 12 years. It seems that early discharge I was offered and accepted is the US Government's ticket to bring me back and keep me for up to 18 months. If my country was in real danger I would serve without complaint. But it is not, it is in a war for the profit of a few large companies that stand to make a few very rich people even richer. I have no problem with the people of Iraq and will not be involved in an action that that has resulted in so many unneeded deaths. If asked, I will not go and I will be very vocal about it. As the ads FoM warns of , remember the real story: your job is to kill others, most likely innocent women and children. To steal a failed phrase from one war that does work here “Just say no”. Please learn from my mistake.I know that this isn't the place for this comment but I felt it would be heard by sympathetic ears. I apologize for going off topic. I'm glad FoM is sounding the alarm and for that I thank him. It very well may save lives. The work he does here is honorable and I also thank him for that.BTW, my goal for the new year is to stay a civilian. =)Please be safe people.
"Bullsh*t: Penn & Teller" vs the War on Drugs
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Comment #54 posted by afterburner on January 03, 2005 at 13:22:52 PT
Another Prediction: The High Frontier
With the US President's renewed backing for space exploration, I predict the return of manned space exploration after a thirty-two-year hiatus, beginning in 2005. The American people were always a frontier people. We thrive best in exploration and discovery. Settlements on the moon, at the Lagrange points (of the Earth-Moon), L4 and L5, manned flights to Mars, mining of the asteroid belt, and space-based manufacturing of crystals, habitat materials, and spacecraft materials. This is a little surprising with all the religious right talk of the Rapture and Armageddeon. Outer space is a terrible thing to waste.The Final Flight - Apollo 17 - December 14, 1972 - Harrison H. Schmitt in his own words - National Geographic Magazine http://tinyurl.com/4h3ruEarth-Moon Lagrange Points http://www.freemars.org/l5/aboutl5.html
The High Frontier by Gerard K. O'Neill
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Comment #53 posted by FoM on January 03, 2005 at 11:15:01 PT
Fuel Cells
afterburner we have a good friend who has worked in that area developing it. He really believes in what he is doing.
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Comment #52 posted by afterburner on January 03, 2005 at 11:02:10 PT
Predictions: Fuel Cells
I predict the evolution of fuel cell technology, due to support by the State of Michigan and to the experimentation by all the major automakers. Hybrid (gasoline/electricity) cars have already demonstrated a larger popularity with consumers than expected. I hesitate to predict the widespread adoption of fuel cell cars for 2005, due to the overreliance on oil that still dominates the fuel scene and the political/military reality. However, the time will eventually come, and the nation, the world, will be dotted with hydrogen service stations. I further predict that personal fuel cells for electricity generation will be a popular alternative for individuals wishing to free themselves from the tyranny and unpredictability of the underfunded electrical grid.I do predict for 2005 an increased interest by the general public in organic food, herbs, and digital photography/movies.Accountability of the FDA should be a concern of federal regulators, but knowing the past response to the stock market scandals, they may look for a way to blame Martha Stewart again!
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Comment #51 posted by FoM on January 03, 2005 at 10:41:19 PT
Something I Just Heard On The News
I get totally blown away when I think of how strange people think in times of crisis. They said go take your trip to the areas that have been devastated. Show your support for the travel industry. I say take the money that a person was going to spend on the trip and give it to charity to help the survivors.I get so upset with capitalism sometimes.Thanks for reading my rant.
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Comment #50 posted by FoM on January 02, 2005 at 20:37:12 PT
ekim
I'm glad you liked the survivor's story. It's one you won't hear or see on the news and one that says so much.
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Comment #49 posted by ekim on January 02, 2005 at 20:25:43 PT
hey you --------------------dont give in with out
dam FoM pinch me. what a neat story. i am listening to the Wall but can hear Heart of Gold coming thru from somewhere.-- solar powered pumps and boat motors will help as well as ovens and fridges, and water distillation machines. if just a fraction of that billion went to solar the Afghans could produce solar cells along with many others. if just a fraction of the hundreds of billions were spent here for solar gee ----------
http://www.leap.cc/events
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Comment #48 posted by rchandar on January 02, 2005 at 19:31:27 PT:
raich
--
a very moving, descriptive, and detailed story--heart wrenching, I'd say. Raich truly "learned" how to make her life better by smoking, and in terms morally understandable to virtually anyone in our society today. I'll hope the best, though those Supreme Court stodgies won't likely budge from their outdated ideas. It's not a time of change, really, anywhere in the world (all issues).--rchandar
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Comment #47 posted by FoM on January 02, 2005 at 17:32:38 PT
A Portion of a Survivors Story
I just read this on the Rust List. I thought some of you would appreciate it too. I'll copy a little bit from the comment and link to the whole story.***The Thai people living in the hills where incredible, and opened up their homes, provided food, and gave shelter to the hundreds of tourist from around the world who were fleeing the coast. We ended up at a beautiful home owned by a Thai woman, who gave us food, drink, and bedding for my family and about 20 other travelers. I was standing on the large veranda overlooking the sea, where local Thai herb was being passed around when the women
owning the beautiful home turned on the CD player with none other then Neil's "Heart of Gold" followed by an electric "blowing in the Wind."http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/rust/message/114918
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Comment #46 posted by global_warming on January 02, 2005 at 15:56:45 PT
Common Concerns
Women in this USA have been given "rights", a mere 100 years, yet, the countless centuries, that rest in the lap of historians, speak quietly of the oppression, speak quitly of of the saccrifises that women have carried.I believe, that women will carry our world into the future, for the men have hastened to pray before the calfen image.The message has been very clear, all the past has carried the message of Love and Compassion, and with our disgrace, we have all, been locksteped, can there ever be change?If you seek the lowest place in this flesh, from there you can rise, for the vails of death, are but vails, that hide the glory and mystery of this Godly creation we all call the world.Hold someones hand
The energy electrifies.
Passing through mystery
.
Our comfort, is in our embrace,
When this darkness fades,
Will I find you?
Will I ever find your Grace?Can I ever again taste your sweetness?
The thoughts and confusions of Loves Labor sought,live happily within my bosom, for they cannot take my heart and soul, for he and I share a commom burden, it is our Light and Love that we come together and,,.."OBERON Now, until the break of day,
Through this house each fairy stray.
To the best bride-bed will we,
Which by us shall blessed be;
And the issue there create
Ever shall be fortunate.
So shall all the couples three
Ever true in loving be;
And the blots of Nature's hand
Shall not in their issue stand;
Never mole, hare lip, nor scar,
Nor mark prodigious, such as are
Despised in nativity,
Shall upon their children be.
With this field-dew consecrate,
Every fairy take his gait;
And each several chamber bless,
Through this palace, with sweet peace;
And the owner of it blest
Ever shall in safety rest.
Trip away; make no stay;
Meet me all by break of day. [Exeunt OBERON, TITANIA, and train]PUCK If we shadows have offended,
Think but this, and all is mended,
That you have but slumber'd here
While these visions did appear.
And this weak and idle theme,
No more yielding but a dream,
Gentles, do not reprehend:
if you pardon, we will mend:
And, as I am an honest Puck,
If we have unearned luck
Now to 'scape the serpent's tongue,
We will make amends ere long;
Else the Puck a liar call;
So, good night unto you all.
Give me your hands, if we be friends,
And Robin shall restore amends."
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Comment #45 posted by global_warming on January 02, 2005 at 14:42:56 PT
re:Join The Army
I shudder at the commotion, about coming forth into the red white and blue, has not this common commotion been become clear?The wages of sin is death, are not the wages of war in the same catagory?God has given all of us special priviliges, we are the lights that illuminate those dark places in this universe, we are those chosen, that bring justice and compassion, to all the the children of light, be emboldened have faith, the mystery is greater than our understanding, yet the mystery proves that with each new breath, God forgives us, and allows us to reach deeper into his flesh, deeper into his soul, for the goodness of God, are we all witnesses, Amen
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Comment #44 posted by FoM on January 02, 2005 at 13:57:20 PT
Join The Army We Need You
This is the time of year we start getting bombarded with anti-drug ads that they put in the Super Bowl. I haven't seen any new anti-drug commercials but I sure have seen these join the army or marines ads like it will make a young person a hero. Some young and mostly poor people will join and then find out how it really is.Real Player: http://www.countryjoe.com/cakewalk.ramLyrics: http://www.countryjoe.com/cjb.htm#cakewalk
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Comment #43 posted by global_warming on January 02, 2005 at 13:42:12 PT
Music
Can tame the primitive beast..Listening to a women composer of music, she is amazing, I guess women have broken that barrier, at least in Russia.
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Comment #42 posted by Hope on January 02, 2005 at 13:39:47 PT
I can't imagine
I meant, of course comprehension. Probably.
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Comment #41 posted by Hope on January 02, 2005 at 13:37:01 PT
"a complex year"
Complicated...complicated beyond my personal comprehention is what has been on my mind. As in COMPLICATED!
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Comment #40 posted by FoM on January 02, 2005 at 13:14:37 PT
global_warming and afterburner
Thank you. It really is interesting to learn how people think the future will be. I know it will be a complex year.
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Comment #39 posted by Hope on January 02, 2005 at 12:48:03 PT
"entrenched interests"
You name our "enemy", I think, Afterburner.
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Comment #38 posted by global_warming on January 02, 2005 at 12:42:08 PT
Predictions 2005
I predict...America will come to its senses, it will not take a black eye for human rights violations, while China skates so comfortably smooth.The Supreme Court will rule in favor of Raich and this whole marijuana business will ratchet itself down to where it belongs,..a very very low priority.The Eurodollar will recoil at the specter of the might that backs the American dollar, for behind that dollar stands millions of free Americans, that will not tolerate the corporate schemes that poison and corrupt free thought and enterprise.The FDA and other US institutions will undergo a thorough house cleaning, and the review systems will become leaner and meaner,..watch out for those loopholes, they will tighten around those greedy necks.Media will have to deal with the little guys, for "news" will no longer be a payable enterprise, it will become what people expect, accurate information.Praying for Peace
gw
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Comment #37 posted by Hope on January 02, 2005 at 12:42:04 PT
Comment 2
Thank you. A perfect gift...there before I knew I wanted it.And thank you Afterburner...for the reminder.
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Comment #36 posted by afterburner on January 02, 2005 at 12:39:23 PT
Predictions for 2005?
I have been struck by the lack of TV programming this New Year's weekend to celebrate the accomplishments of 2004 and/or to make predictions for 2005. The media seem to be frozen in reports on the Iraq War, the tsunami disaster, and entertainment celebrations. January is supposed to be the time of looking back and looking forward, named after the Roman god Janus, the two-faced god. Perhaps, some looking back will help us to look forward:Huffington, Arianna. Pigs at the Trough: How Corporate Greed and Political Corruption Are Undermining America. New York: Crown Publishers, 2003. 277 pages.
http://www.namebase.org/cgi-bin/nb01/gB
"Arianna Huffington, a syndicated columnist who lives in Los Angeles, slings some choice words in this delightful book. The targets of her outrage include everyone from Wall Street analysts to overpaid corporate kingpins, and slavish lapdog deregulators in Washington to the lobbyists who make sure they stay ineffective. This is the book that was written the morning after that huge bubble of hot air during the nineties, when our lovely corporate media pushed the line that we'd all get stinking rich, just so long as we allowed the big stinkers to get even richer. "Enron, Tyco, Worldcom, Arthur Andersen, Global Crossing, Adelphia, Bayer, Citigroup, Halliburton, Merrill Lynch, AOL, Xerox -- these are a few of the culprits. Their corporate leaders and lobbyists, and the politicians eager for the soft money that was stolen from unsuspecting employees, consumers and 401(k) suckers, come from both parties. It's not Republican vs. Democrat, but rather it's Tax-Free Unaccountability for the Rich vs. Minimum Subsistence for the Rest of Us. The next time some wretched, lying pundit in a nice suit tells you that a rising tide lifts all boats, stick his head under water and see if he likes it."
ISBN 1-4000-4771-4 Proverbs 29:18 (King James Version)
King James Version (KJV)
Public Domain http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=24&chapter=29&verse=18&version=9&context=verse 18"Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he."As far as predictions go, I think many people see what needs to happen but may be afraid to commit to a time-table due to the resistance of entrenched interests. More to follow.
Janus
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Comment #35 posted by FoM on January 02, 2005 at 12:38:06 PT
Hope
Yesterday I was making dinner and looked in my cabinets and saw all the food we have. I thought how fortunate we are. We need to become compassionate and that word was explained on a tv program the other night in a way that I understood. They said it's easier to teach ideas of what is right or wrong in a Church then to teach compassion. It's hard to be truly compassionate because we must take ourselves off the pedestal that we put ourselves on and that is necessary or we can't be compassionate.
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Comment #34 posted by Hope on January 02, 2005 at 12:26:09 PT
"takings"...
"As in the days of Noah"
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Comment #33 posted by Hope on January 02, 2005 at 12:24:17 PT
"the only way " comment 31
You are so right, FoM.
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Comment #32 posted by Hope on January 02, 2005 at 12:19:39 PT
I had an insight about the so called "rapture"
recently...listening to my NIV Bible CD's. The so called "rapture" or "raptures" could be violent "takings"...and they happen from time to time, so often.I'll relisten and tell you what the piece was.I have so enjoyed the learning from Pagler and Michael Handelzalts. Thanks so much.We get so lazy and too comfortable. I used to actively seek this kind of knowledge and grow and learn...but I really tend to neglect it these days."My people perish for lack of knowledge."
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Comment #31 posted by FoM on January 02, 2005 at 12:09:26 PT
Hope
Many people who are Fundamentalists in the USA feel that they won't have to deal with third world country problems and I think they are in for a rude awakenng. My sister that I love dearly believes that the Rapture ( which I just learned isn't even in the Bible ) will keep people from needing to go thru serious problems. I said this to her. I said why do Fundamentalists think they don't have to go thru the fire like other countries and times in history have? She didn't like hearing that but that's what I believe. We are to full of ourselves and the only way to get back to the basics is to be humbled.
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Comment #30 posted by hope on January 02, 2005 at 12:04:00 PT
I tremble
and think..."but for some kind of grace...of God or creation..."there go I".
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Comment #29 posted by Hope on January 02, 2005 at 12:01:37 PT
FoM
I think we all should have sprang to our email and telephones and demanded that these people be helped...immediately and without hesitation.(but I did neither)
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Comment #28 posted by FoM on January 02, 2005 at 11:56:38 PT
Another Comment
This is how I feel. There are people on this earth that if they were killed I wouldn't be upset and might think inside well good but that's not wishing for someone to die or worse yet killing them.
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Comment #27 posted by FoM on January 02, 2005 at 11:52:40 PT
Hope
I saw a show once on Rwanda. My sister and I were visiting and we stopped talking and just watched the program. We both were trying to figure out why this happens and we couldn't. Is it power, hatred, or wanting land or what that causes people to kill other people?
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Comment #26 posted by Hope on January 02, 2005 at 11:50:20 PT
"there went another one!"
Instance of "insane" thinking.
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Comment #25 posted by Hope on January 02, 2005 at 11:45:10 PT
a somber thought
I think about the world we make and the world that can’t be undone.The world we make and the one we can’t control.
The one that boils and seethes with hot molten lava and the other one that does the same...of boiling, seething hatred, unrest?Does the hatred of the people rise and fall within the breast of the earth or does the earth affect that way the heart of man?Or are we not connected?Or what?Maybe we should ask ourselves at every waking moment..."Why did we survive? Why did I, personally survive?"(Heads up Barthwell! you might have one of those instances of insane thinking that happens to the partakers of the fearful green. In my case it's purely residual, but I felt blessed in many ways by the use of marijuana and I carried some of those experiences away with me. Occasionally considering the “way of things” is one of them, I think. Although of course, I always wondered, I wondered more intently then...occasionally… and occasionally I brought a better insight back with me....Dad gum...there went another one!"):)
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Comment #24 posted by Hope on January 02, 2005 at 11:23:27 PT
The stunning mystery of the horror of Rwanda
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/features/20050102-9999-m1a2rwanda.html"Sadly, he cautions, the words of a TV cameraman played by Joaquin Phoenix rang chillingly true: "If people see this footage, they will go, 'Oh God, that's horrible' and go back to eating their dinner."
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Comment #23 posted by FoM on January 02, 2005 at 10:58:40 PT
Any Predictions for 2005?
Does anyone have any predictions for what will become big news in this coming New Year? Not our issue but other news. I really would like to know. I have a few beliefs of what will maybe happen but I'd like to know what others think. Thanks.
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Comment #22 posted by global_warming on January 02, 2005 at 08:53:25 PT
re:comment 9
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=518489" Recently, following my own erring ways I stumbled again on the name Lucifer, and decided to find out what it is all about...It all started with the Greek version of the Bible, the Septuagint, when the prophet Isaiah berates the Babylonian king Tiglat Pilesser III. The king, who was only an instrument in God's hands, became too vain for his own good (or God) and had to be cut down to size.In the original Hebrew Isaiah addresses the king as as Heylel ben Shachar. That was rendered into Greek as "Phosphorus" - literally "carrier of the light"; subsequently one of the chemical elements. St. Jerome, who translated the Bible into the Latin rendered "Phosphorus" as "Lucifer." At the time of his writing, there was a bishop in Sardinia named Lucifer, who spearheaded a heated and violent dispute with the Aryans, who agreed that Jesus was a supernatural creature yet denied him divine status. Lucifer founded a sect of his own, the Luciferans, but they had nothing to do with Satanism in any shape or form..."
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Comment #21 posted by FoM on January 02, 2005 at 08:45:34 PT
afterburner
Thank you!
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Comment #20 posted by afterburner on January 02, 2005 at 07:01:18 PT
A New Year's Wish
Dream On,
Aerosmith
http://ntl.matrix.com.br/pfilho/html/lyrics/d/dream_on.txt"Every time when I look in the mirror
All these lines on my face getting clearer
The past is gone
it went by, like dusk to dawn
Isn't that the way
Everybody's got the dues in life to pay"I know nobody knows
where it comes and where it goes
I know it's everybody sin
You got to lose to know how to win "Half my life
is books written pages
live and love from fools and
from sages
You know it's true,OH
All these things come back to you"Sing with me, sing for the years
Sing for the laughter, sing for the tears
Sing with me, just for today
Maybe tomorrow, the good lord will take you away"Yeah, sing with me, sing for the year
sing for the laughter, sing for the tear
sing with me, just for today
Maybe tomorrow, the good Lord will take you away"Dream On
Dream On
Dream On
Dream until your dreams come true
Dream On
Dream On
Dream On
Dream until your dreams come true
Dream On
Dream On
Dream On
Dream On
Dream On
Dream On
Dream On"Sing with me, sing for the year
sing for the laughter, sing for the tear
sing with me,just for today
Maybe tomorrow, the good Lord will take you away
Sing with me, sing for the year
sing for the laughter, sing for the tear
Sing with me, just for today
Maybe tomorrow, the good Lord will take you away."
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Comment #19 posted by E_Johnson on January 01, 2005 at 20:54:18 PT
GCW and runruff
I think both of you might find Pagels' book interesting. It's a scholarly look at the history of the devil in Judaism and emergent canonical and Gnostic Christianity. The part where the Christians are being persecuted by the Roman government feels resonant with our times.It takes a lot of courage to stand up to Rome. I salute you both and wish you good fortune in the coming year.
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Comment #18 posted by CannabisMark on January 01, 2005 at 20:37:56 PT:
Runruff
You should not go to prison over this matter and i will pray for you tonite. That would be such a shame. I also believe that marijuana is God's gift to our depressed society. It maintains happiness in my life. Marijuana beats any Pharm. drug out there. Plants over pills.I am also a regular marijuana user. Although i have no life-threatening diseases I have my personal pains. I use marijuana to cure everything--from depression to a common cold. Welcome to this new year. Life is changing and i hope for the better. Neglect all the bad things and concentrate on the good things. Happy New Year to everyone and i hope for the best.
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Comment #17 posted by The GCW on January 01, 2005 at 18:21:13 PT
E_Johnson,
No, I never heard of that book.
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Comment #16 posted by JSM on January 01, 2005 at 16:57:57 PT
Angel
Is our government so lacking in compassion that they will rule against Angel? Even her name is soft and loving. Why is it that the Supreme Court could be so blind and uncaring. And, assuming that they actually research this issue, how can it be that they ignore the truth and simply accept the prohibitionist line. What does that say about the type of government we really have? Certainly not one based on respect for humanity. Only the most hateful, cruel, and ignorant would ignore our brother and sister's pain when cannabis can do so much that is positive and good. This country and we deserve better than that.
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Comment #15 posted by FoM on January 01, 2005 at 14:56:29 PT
runruff
That sounds like a great way to help others. Hopefully you won't have to serve time. I really hope you don't. I believe in holistic medicine. We can't fix everything with a pill. We don't take any drugs and that is unusual for people that are our age or so my husband's VA Doctor says. We both found that drugs didn't help with our health problems. I know that drugs are necessary for some diseases but I'm just saying what works for us.Global_Warming Happy New Year to you too!
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Comment #14 posted by runruff on January 01, 2005 at 13:12:54 PT:
Happy New Year!
I'm sitting here at my computer in our health and fitness facility here in So. Oregon. Here in the cardio room we have glass walls that look out onto the pond and waterfall. It is snowing heavily out side and I can see our two dogs running and playing in the snow. My Wife and I built this place with our own two hands. We have studied and become certified in Professional fitness. My wife has 350+ hours study in Anusara yoga. She has traveled all over the country to study with the masters. We both practice Myotherapy and we have a thriving buisness helping people stay healthy and fit. I have studied and used cannabis for a wide veriety of theraputic pourposes from pain relief to substance abuse. After a raid by the DEA last Feb. 2004 I am facing two years in a federal pen. I'm not looking for symathy. I knew very well what I was risking. I was out there. Anyone at any time could have turned me in and someone did. LIke so mamy sentaments expressed here I feel this plant is Gods gift to this planet and I for one was going to use it not matter what! I want everyone to have a sence of how important this plant is to humanity and to the health of the planet. To most of you I am preaching to the chior. To anyone perusing the web and tunes in here. To a casual cannabis user that happens to tune in here I hope to make an impression.
We all can learn much from this wonderful website and the links it offers. I hope to hear from all of you here in the comming new year.Namaste
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Comment #13 posted by global_warming on January 01, 2005 at 12:11:39 PT
Happy New Year To All
?
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Comment #12 posted by FoM on January 01, 2005 at 11:17:12 PT
Just a Comment
No matter how bad things are going with the war and having 4 more years of a Bush Administration I know things are changing. We can't stop what our leaders do and they will give an account someday and somewhere. That's the way life is. Most of us are very aware of the disaster with all the tv coverage. The calmness that the people are showing is admirable. We are selfish in America and we need to learn from these people. Most of them are Buddhists and a few are Muslims. Christians are so into themselves and that isn't the way it should be. I am amazed at the financial support that has been given to help the victims by individuals young and old and that's a good beginning in our lives. When we contributed it was thru Amazon and there was way over $6,000,000 given at that time and I'm sure it's much more now. That is the way it should be. How would Christians in America handle a similar disaster I wonder? Just a thought for New Years Day.
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Comment #11 posted by FoM on January 01, 2005 at 10:57:29 PT
afterburner
This is what mine says and it is how I feel and think. That's really something! Thanks and Happy New Year to you!***Scorpio (Oct. 24 — Nov. 22)Trust the invisible currents of life. Combine your efforts with a relaxed attitude. This will take you much further than any anxious pushing and shoving. A tremendous alignment between Jupiter, the opener of the way, and Neptune, the visionary, will bring a profound inner awakening. Something within you has detached from the rest of the world. You are going through the motions of being involved in daily life, but the real you watches the madness from a quiet corner. Your incisive vision understands the folly of this noisy world. You hold the magic key to usher in a positive evolution that will improve the quality of life not only for you but also for others. You have a strong will, so don't be afraid to use it from time to time. Your aspirations will bring inspiration.
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Comment #10 posted by afterburner on January 01, 2005 at 10:44:46 PT
Happy New Year, All: Inner & Outer Space Explorers
Jan. 1, 2005. 01:00 AM
Poseidon's power gives shocking start to 2005
But stars promise energy, new insight2005 horoscopes mark shift toward lovePHIL BOOTH
TORONTO STAR ASTROLOGER
http://tinyurl.com/4ucw3"Modern man's self-importance is suffering a big blow. Our petty grievances over religion and territory have caused misery for long enough. A new age of compassion and understanding is dawning."Curious? Try looking up your own star-sign, but remember: "Thought for the Day: When investigating the characteristics of your sun sign, remember that you are a complex mixture of all 12 zodiac signs. You are a rare wine made up of the many flavours of the zodiac. And it's a vintage year, so sip slowly from the chalice of life. " --Wednesday December 29, 2004. 01:00 AM
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Comment #9 posted by E_Johnson on January 01, 2005 at 09:47:08 PT
GCW have you read this book?
The Origin of Satan by Elaine PagelsHappy New Year everyone. This article in the Post is a good way to start 2005. Bush doesn't read the news but his aides do.
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Comment #8 posted by gloovins on January 01, 2005 at 07:53:43 PT
Happy New Year 2005
Bye 2004 -- 4 more years of evangelical christianism -- and I thought christiansforcannabis.com was the light - it is -- but I just may move to Canada this year if the US dollar holds up to its current worth ....Seriously 2005 could go either way imo...Lets pray & hope sanity wins in Raich v Asscroft...Peace & prosperity again all in 2005 Gloovins
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Comment #7 posted by Patrick on January 01, 2005 at 06:27:46 PT
Happy New Year
If the Supreme Court makes the correct and compassionate decision it will be a real happy new year for sure!
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Comment #6 posted by The GCW on January 01, 2005 at 05:59:57 PT
It is and it is.
Then cannabis prohibition, persecution and extermination is the work of Satan.Who ever supports cannnabis persecution is doing the work of Satan.Is there any way around that truth?
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Comment #5 posted by Hope on January 01, 2005 at 00:07:52 PT
2005
Here we go again. Now it's the New Year, even in California. I'm so hoping for a grand and productive year for all of us.Peace and Freedom for all.
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Comment #4 posted by Dr Ganj on December 31, 2004 at 23:52:52 PT
Will Your Crop Survive 2005?
I can only hope this new year will be auspicious, and fecund.Cheers to all except the reprobate, mendacious officers & judges that have made this world so difficult for so many.
There's a place waiting for you, and it's not going to be pleasant. -Dr. Ganj
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Comment #3 posted by Hope on December 31, 2004 at 23:32:20 PT
Happy New Year
May we make great strides forward this year.
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Comment #2 posted by FoM on December 31, 2004 at 22:28:38 PT
I Think I Uploaded This Right
Happy New Year Everyonehttp://www.freedomtoexhale.com/auld2.mid
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on December 31, 2004 at 22:05:28 PT
Happy New Year 2005
This article made my New Year great!
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