cannabisnews.com: NORML's Weekly News Bulletin - February 5, 2009










  NORML's Weekly News Bulletin - February 5, 2009

Posted by CN Staff on February 05, 2009 at 14:48:49 PT
Weekly Press Release 
Source: NORML 

 NORML Responds To Phelp's Pot-Smoking ControversyFebruary 5, 2009 - Washington, DC, USAWashington, DC: Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps and tens of millions of other successful Americans have smoked marijuana; America's laws should reflect this fact not deny it, NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano wrote on The Hill.com's influential Congress blog this week.
The Hill is a popular Washington, DC publication that is widely read by members of Congress and their staff.Armentano writes: Sure, there will be some who will say that this latest chapter in Phelp's life is deserving of criticism because the 14-time gold medalist is sending a poor message to young children. And what message would that be? That you can occasionally smoke marijuana and still be successful in life. Well sorry if the truth hurts."Earlier this week, Phelps acknowledged that he used marijuana while attending a college party in November. A photograph of Phelps smoking cannabis at the party appeared in a British tabloid on Sunday.To date, more than 200 readers have posted feedback to NORML's commentary, making it one of the most commented on essays in Hill.com history.Full text of Armentano's editorial, Why condemn Phelps when we ought to condemn the laws that brand him a criminal," is available online at: http://tinyurl.com/b2aqg3DL: http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=7799 Vote Online For The Winner Of NORML's $10,000 Ad Contest February 5, 2009 - Washington, DC, USAWashington, DC: Online voting is now open for the third annual NORML ad challenge. NORML's staff and members of its Board of Directors have selected 25 finalists in this year's NORML ad contest: What Should Obama Do About Pot?" The grand prize winner, as selected by the public, will receive a $3,500 award, and will have their ad featured on local cable television. Runners up will receive cash prize rewards.Commenting on the contest, NORML Executive Director said: This year's NORML ad challenge has been a smashing success. NORML received more entries, and a greater variety of entries, than ever before. To date, over 100,000 people have viewed NORML's videos on websites like youtube.com – enabling us to make our message available to tens of thousands of viewers who might not otherwise be aware of the growing movement to reform America's archaic and punitive marijuana laws."Online voting ends at midnight (PST) on Sunday, February 8, 2009.To vote in this year's contest, please visit: http://www.norml.orgDL: http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=7800 Zogby Poll: Three Out Of Four Voters Oppose DEA's Medical Marijuana Raids Agency Continues To Bust State-Authorized Pot Dispensaries Despite President's Promise To End Federal RaidsFebruary 5, 2009 - Los Angeles, CA, USADEA Seizes Cannabis, Cash At Four California Facilities This WeekLos Angeles, CA: Nearly three out of four American voters say that President Barack Obama should uphold his campaign pledge to halt federal intervention in states that allow for the use and distribution of medical marijuana by authorized patients, according to a national poll of 1,053 likely voters by Zogby International and commissioned by the NORML Foundation.Seventy-two percent of respondents said that President Obama should "stop federal raids against medical marijuana providers in the 13 states where medical marijuana has become legal." Only 21 percent of respondents said that he should continue the raids.While campaigning for the presidency, Obama pledged not to use Justice Department resources to try and circumvent state (medical marijuana) laws."Since President Obama took office two weeks ago, the US Drug Enforcement Administration has undertaken at least seven separate raids of state-authorized medical marijuana providers in California and Colorado. On Wednesday, DEA officials, acting without the cooperation of state or local law enforcement agencies, served federal search warrants on at least four Los Angeles based medical marijuana collectives. Agents seized medicine, cash, financial records, and computers, but did not make any arrests.California NORML Coordinator Dale Gieringer called the DEA's most recent raids legalized piracy." Several national news outlets, including the Los Angeles Times, denounced the DEA's actions.Commenting on the results of the Zogby poll, NORML Executive Director Allen St. Pierre said, Seventy-two percent of the American public has said ‘enough is enough.' They want to see an end to the DEA's callous and unscrupulous conduct in California and in the other twelve states that have legalized the medicinal use of cannabis. President Obama, it is time for you to keep your word and to bring and end to DEA's morally bankrupt behavior."This may well be happening, because in today's Washington Times White House spokesman Nick Shapiro said, The president believes that federal resources should not be used to circumvent state laws, and as he continues to appoint senior leadership to fill out the ranks of the federal government, he expects them to review their policies with that in mind."Zogby conducted the poll on January 29-31, 2009. The poll has a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percentage points.For more information, please contact Allen St. Pierre, NORML Executive Director, at (202) 483-5500, or Dale Gieringer, California NORML Coordinator, at (415) 563-5858. Additional information is available online at: http://www.canorml.org or http://www.canorml.org/news/obamaraids.htmlDL: http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=7798Source: NORML Foundation (DC)Published: February 5, 2009Copyright: 2009 NORML Contact: norml norml.org Website: http://www.norml.org/CannabisNews NORML Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/NORML.shtml 

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Comment #37 posted by Hope on June 21, 2009 at 15:36:35 PT
Hey, Museman...
I checked this thread because of Klg's post and saw that I didn't respond to a very in depth and heartfelt post you made addressed to me. Sorry. I must have missed it somehow. I so respect your opinions and this one, too. You're right. It's just my nature to bring peace to turbulence, and comfort to where there is no comfort, in any situation where human emotion is involved, and I do appreciate that you still respect me and how I feel about it, just as I do always respect your view and assessment.
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Comment #36 posted by Klg on June 21, 2009 at 12:15:55 PT:
NEW LOCAL NORML
I am please to anounce a new local NORML chapter in California, it is called High Sierra NORML, and it is located in Butte County California in the town of Paradise
those wishing to become members of the chapter. Please email ne...at HIGH_SIERRA_NORML YAHOO.COM
KEVIN
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Comment #35 posted by westnyc on February 07, 2009 at 09:35:52 PT
Tony Tiger has left the building!
I grew-up in Battle Creek....in fact, every member of my family has worked there at one time or another, including myself. Both my grandfathers retired from Kelloggs. As a kid, I always thought every city smelled as good as Battle Creek....as everywhere one could go, one would smell the Sugar Corn Pops drifting in the air; and tourists would visit to tour the cereal factory. After I had grown some and begun my travels throughout the world, it was always a wonderful thing to say I was from Battle Creek--everyone was familiar with our claim to fame.....In London, and in Peru.....even those tiny pig-tailed goat-people who live at the top of the Alps would say "BATTLE CREEK! THAT'S WHERE TONY TIGER LIVES!" Sadly, today, Tony Tiger has left Battle Creek for the most part, and now, speaks Spanish. The Battle Creek of today is a sad reminder of the Battle Creek of my childhood. Yes, those executives at Kelloggs are a moral bunch!
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Comment #34 posted by BGreen on February 06, 2009 at 21:11:54 PT
These are the Kellogg's compaies
http://www2.kelloggs.com/General.aspx?ID=466The company's brands include Kellogg’s®, Keebler®, Pop-Tarts®, Eggo®, Cheez-It®, Nutri-Grain®, Special K®, Rice Krispies®, Murray®, Austin®, Morningstar Farms®, Famous Amos®, Carr's®, Plantation® and Ready Crust®.*********************************************************Let's get busy and not buy any of their products until they understand the error of their ways.The Reverend Bud Green
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Comment #33 posted by museman on February 06, 2009 at 20:19:29 PT
Hope
OK,
                  
I'm just a bit angry at the loss of my personal liberties, particularly a couple of which i'd grown quite attached to and used to having.Paranoia was never an exceptable state of mind for me, and I find it difficult to allow that as an excuse in others, though I am sure they wouldn't see their rather common fear and worries as 'paranoia' Fear is fear. "Fear is the little death. Fear is the mind killer"Fear is the excuse by which we justify a veritable filled up horror show of a faked reality, with all too real effects and resulting destruction.For fear of hurting their feelings -that they wear as badges of false honor- I should hold my witness in check? Yes 'They are just people.' and if they are worthy of forgiveness for what they have done, if they show the slightest repentance and desire for correction, then I pray for their release from the condemnation that they themselves have created in the world.I used to be a tobacco smoker. For years I was in denial. I found every lame excuse I could find, and a couple of real good ones that kept me bound in that ignorance for over 30 years. Finally I found the solid conviction to refuse the craving and the habit. After being liberated from that addiction and false way, I began to feel this obligation to help my fellow victims. I remember all the attacks I used to suffer from non-smokers and their negative way of addressing the situation, so I determined I would not judge, belittle, put down, or otherwise degrade the individual in order to communicate the message.I see a young smoker on the street, and I'll say to them "You know that'll kill you? Right." Usually they say some kind of 'Yeah but.." and I just move on. But occasionally I'll get someone who wants more on the subject so I get to go into detail about the wonders they are missing because they can't taste, smell, or breathe in.What I cannot do, is seeing that potential being wasted without at least one small attempt to make sure they know what they are doing, and that they can choose another way.When it comes to the truth of life, Creation, humanity, and the erroneous systems called government, my obligation gets a little thicker, my focus a bit more serious, and my intention never wavers. I have been passing by the threads for a while, because, like FoM said the other day, I had other concerns, and I felt no compelling need to jump in, except to let you all know that I was still here.But there are some things that I cannot just 'let go by.'I have this wide-view of the 'big picture' and I tend to view things from this perspective and don't often narrow my focus upon any one particular issue -except just about every aspect positive and negative that revolves around cannabis, and cannabis prohibition. Because cannabis is The Plant Reknown. Because it is at least One True Example of the Tree of Life, and because the primary function of the gift of cannabis is enabling of consciousness.The prohibition of cannabis is a prohibition of consiousness. And that which prohibits consciousness is a great evil. If I believed that the people who work for my county and state weren't in a state of compromise, their flaunting of their power and abundance of resource in the face of my enforced state of poverty, I might be able to view them with a bit more humanity. But they drive that state car right by my homeles friends, empty, on their way to spin the wheels of the taxpayers tithe, and little else.They look at me, and those like me with the fear of predatory dogs. It is us who should fear them, for they intend us harm by their very presence.Yet perhaps they are deserving of some compasssion, at least as much as they are willing to extend to us - but then if we go by that comparison there is nothing to give. When the nazis began to indoctrinate the german people into their anti semitic agenda, those guys who drove the victims to auschwitz were 'just people' too.The guy who dropped the bombs on Japan was 'just following orders' and he felt so good about that he went insane.Those guys who destroy the last of our ancient forest here in Oregon, are 'just people' too, but yet the forest is being destroyed by them, and they aren't even going to get the profit from it. To me that is criminal foolishness.Those 'public servants' who uphold the status quo of corruption and destruction, who serve the benefit of the rulers at a cost of potential mass extinction just don't rate respect in my book. If you wear the uniform (of whatever branch of the beast you choose) you accept the terms. When you give allegience to that which is false you abnegate your expectation for consideration from that which is true.
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Comment #32 posted by museman on February 06, 2009 at 16:24:43 PT
Hope
I am not a judge. I am but an observer. I have observed that conscious compromise with evil IS evil. If they were never brought to the knowledge of their corrupted service, forgiveness for their lack is certainly in order, but I know with all certainty, that the only reason for them not knowing at this point is deliberate ignorance. Allowing people to get away with serving evil on the pretext that they somehow 'had no choice' just does not fly anymore. -not with me.If they get uncomfortable and start to squirm a bit when the truth that they consistently go out of their way to deny is brought into their presence, then good! Their presence is a constant reminder to me of all that is f-cked about america, and as they aren't content to just parade around pretending to be somebody, but have to interfere, interject, become stumbling blocks, and in general commit crimes against humanity and the earth -consciously or not- in order to justify their fake existence, I owe it to every one who ever dared to confront the lie of the status quo with the truth, and within my own Spiritual Covenant with the Most High, I am obligated.
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Comment #31 posted by Hope on February 06, 2009 at 15:34:24 PT
Museman. Easy, my friend.
They're just people.It's the system some people have allowed to evolve that's rotten to the core. I may be complicit in allowing it to evolve in more ways than I realize... but seems like I've been kicking and complaining about it for a long time. You can overlook a lot of crap. We all do. Some crap you just can't ignore without at least complaining and bitching and nagging and complaining, and kicking, and kicking, and kicking until the truly egregious is overcome.
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Comment #30 posted by museman on February 06, 2009 at 15:13:34 PT
and another thing
I don't know for sure how it is in other states, but here in Oregon, all the 'state' vehicles have a little 'E' on the license plates that supposedly mean 'exempt.' I had an epiphany yesterday, that told me that the "E" stands for EVIL!!!!! And regardless of the ignorance of those who serve that evil -IF YOU SERVE EVIL, YOU ARE EVIL!!!!No more compassion for fools from this camp! Especially if those fools are in my face with their evil.I look forward to the day when they disappear. And they will. The downfall of the Status Quo is inevitable, and all those who cling to its invisible vestiments will fall with it.
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Comment #29 posted by museman on February 06, 2009 at 15:06:09 PT
boycott
the Staus Quo, Why settle for the mere heads of the Hydra (that consistently grow back) when you can go for the heart?The list of corporate criminals is very long, and inclusive of every one that considers its 'bottom line' to be profit. And that pretty much gathers 'em all in under the same umbrella.But we can feel OK about singling out the ones who pet our peeve, while continuing to support the ones that grease our consiousness with propaganda on a daily basis? Feels like hypocrisy to me.Its a big beast, and all the little subdivisions are gladly sacrificed and easily scapegoated to protect the source.Try really unplugging from the status quo and see where real empowerment actually comes from. Try 'boycotting' the false authority of the state, and all the little social clubs that conspire to lord it over us. Try walking instead of driving or riding the bus. Try growing your own garden. Try supporting your local resource, instead of the corporate global monopolies that feed you and your children poison while lying through their teeth about the absolutely worthless nutritional value of their fake food.Try giving credence to the ones who are rejected by the status quo because they really know, while the pretense and the fake authority of the corporate status quo smile the perfect smile of the wealthy, adorned with the status-quo symbols of material-worship - the suit and tie- from your TV set and computer screen.Don't buy into the status quo. Refuse their standards of false comparisons of materialsim with actual creation reality. Invest your time, not your money. Screw your money, is stinks, its dirty, its the ultimate synbol of corruption and evil. What do you bellieve in? Do you believe in your bank account? Do you worship at the altar of television? Do you resign yourself to the labors of futility because you are afraid to question the false authority that puts you there? Well not buying into one small aspect of coorruption may be ok and good, but it is a mere scratch on the surface of the monster of an iceberg, and before one can even congratuate themselves in 'serving a worthy cause' the scratch has already been healed, and your 'sacrifice' has been rendered a joke.By all means, if one cannot muster the courage to go after the heart of the matter, go ahead and try to distract that one hydra head or two, maybe it wlil provide enough diversion that those of us who are going after the source have a better shot at it.FREE POT FOREVER
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Comment #28 posted by Rainbow on February 06, 2009 at 13:14:40 PT
I am with you
I am still boycotting Exxon/Mobil as much and as practically as possible. People thought that a bad idea and me maybe as they are still making outrageous profits on the backs of wildlife.So I am now boycotting Kelloggs. I would love to see people boycott them for all the harm they have produced in america.Cheers,
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Comment #27 posted by ChristenMitchell on February 06, 2009 at 13:12:17 PT
Kellogg Boycott Image
I can't say anything positive about Phelps, but .. http://www.anti-drugwar.org/images/boycott_kelloggs
Hemptopia - An Higher Education
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Comment #26 posted by josephlacerenza on February 06, 2009 at 12:03:48 PT
Just Another Thought
I believe that, we, here at C-News are deeper than just getting stoned!!! Kellogg had just picked the wrong people to go after to make their point. We stay on top of issues because they matter, not to just see our thoughts on a screen. What we are about is the spreading of knowledge. This is our highest calling, to spread true freedom, which is truth.
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Comment #25 posted by Hope on February 06, 2009 at 11:46:10 PT
Josephlacerenza
You're so right.
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Comment #24 posted by josephlacerenza on February 06, 2009 at 11:41:25 PT
Kellogg the Bane of American Existance
I had to look to see what exactly they sell. Obesity, diabetes, these are the products they sell to my children. What moral ground do they have to stand on. I still have not heard about the other sponsor, Visa, are they going to go down the same path? Oh, do not forget that us "stoners" get the munchies, and need to fill our faces with something Kellogg. We are not going to be supporting you any longer!!!!Free the Phelps!!!
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Comment #23 posted by Hope on February 06, 2009 at 11:26:27 PT
Anti-Freeze???!!!!???
Comment 21Thank you, Had Enough.So revealing of our FDA and other government agencies. If it's in methamphetamine ... scream to high heaven. Poison! Poison! Heinous poison!!! The horror!!! Raids. Killings. Child stealing. Screaming and shooting. But if it's in salad dressing sold by a big corporation... keep it quiet.Comment 21, Afterburner.I'm good with it. When I read about Kellogg's I realized I haven't boycotted anything in a long time.Boycotting is empowering, I think. I've always enjoyed a good and worthy boycott. I'm so good with it. I don't want their stuff. Yuck. It seems really yuck to even think of it now. Really yuck. Would leave a bad taste in my mouth. I wouldn't enjoy it. Yuck. No more Kellogg's products for me. I'm through with them. They're nasty, now. Really. Yes, I know I'm just one person ... but I matter to me, and boycotts matter... if only to the boycotter.
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Comment #22 posted by Had Enough on February 06, 2009 at 10:36:19 PT
Comment 21 
Just to make it clear...as not to mislead anyone.Propylene glycol is a less toxic antifreeze substance than the ethylene glycol used machinery grade antifreeze. They are both poisonous…and should not be ingested. But FDA approves of the propylene glycol for humans.I should have worded it a little different in the prior post and clarified the difference between the two.
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Comment #21 posted by Had Enough on February 06, 2009 at 09:57:00 PT
How Sweet It Is...
Sugar coated refined cornflakes…not for me…Cheerios at times maybe…but sugar coated corn stuff…???Yep…persecute a Bong Hitter and send the message to the children that gobbling down as much sugar coated crap as possible is a good thing…Can’t let big poisonous corp. down now can we…************The McDonalds Corporation has this Ranch Dressing in a small packet that you are supposed to dump on a chicken sandwich thing that they are pushing. ‘Chicken Selects’ if I recall properly.I saw one and read the ingredients…one interesting ingredient is Propylene Glycol…For those not familiar with turning wrenches on machinery, that is also known as anti-freeze.FDA approves anti-freeze to be consumed by humans…Anti-freeze is a very sweet, but very poisonous substance. If you drain it out of your radiator and leave it lying around, your pet or other animals/birds, etc..will drink it up. If it gets enough, and it doesn’t take much, chances are the creature will get sick and die shortly after.So much for Ronald McDonald’s image…It’s okay for this clown to send a message to the children that ingesting anti-freeze is okay, but a Bong Hit..No way.
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Comment #20 posted by afterburner on February 06, 2009 at 00:54:49 PT
Hope #18
Boycotting is painful, but a necessary sacrifice. These corporate moguls need to know that there are consequences for their selfish acts. They also need to know that the public is not behind their intolerance.Maybe, you can find a generic version of your special k. Or something better at a health food store. Or better still, make your own granola. btw, bongs can also be used to smoke legal herbs or tobacco. Unless someone has eye-witness testimony about what was smoked, imho, the state has no case. You cannot tell what Michael Phelps smoked from a photograph or a video alone.
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Comment #19 posted by Commonsense on February 05, 2009 at 22:06:40 PT
Another good article
Here's another good article on Phelps: http://www.reason.com/news/show/131438.html
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Comment #18 posted by Hope on February 05, 2009 at 21:31:52 PT
Dropping Kellogg's brand, too.
The only cereal I eat is a Kellogg's cereal. I'm sorry to have to, but I'm dropping it from my list. It was so Special... too.
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Comment #17 posted by Hope on February 05, 2009 at 21:16:41 PT
comment 9
There are several polls on that page... none of which I participated in except the one way close to the bottom of the page.Is swimmer Michael Phelps the greatest Olympian of all time?
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Comment #16 posted by FoM on February 05, 2009 at 19:19:28 PT
John Tyler 
I read that too. Cannabis is everywhere in every walk of life.
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Comment #15 posted by John Tyler on February 05, 2009 at 19:16:38 PT
sumo wrestlers too now
I just read an article where the Japanese authorities are freaking out because some of the big time sumo wrestlers there have taken to enjoying cannabis. What is going on?
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Comment #14 posted by FoM on February 05, 2009 at 19:05:55 PT
USA Swimming Suspends Phelps for 3 Months
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gjHOFYxXpsYzG-mIdDO2TMClIfAwD965QH400
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Comment #13 posted by fight_4_freedom on February 05, 2009 at 19:03:18 PT
So Much For Those Frosted Flakes 
in the cupboard :)Hopefully Fruity Pebbles are made by a different company ;)
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Comment #12 posted by BGreen on February 05, 2009 at 18:34:04 PT
I just shot an email to Kellogg's
I told them that I would no longer be purchasing any of their products.This company has pumped kids full of sugar and other empty calories, making millions while creating a nation of obese kids, and then they have the audacity to criticize Michael Phelps?Kellogg's ... theeeeeeyyyyyy suuuuucccckkkk!!!!!!!The Reverend Bud Green
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Comment #11 posted by FoM on February 05, 2009 at 17:25:01 PT
Hope
Kellogg is dropping him. 
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Comment #10 posted by FoM on February 05, 2009 at 17:14:42 PT
Hope
I'm with you. They are messing  him up and I mind that.
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Comment #9 posted by Hope on February 05, 2009 at 17:12:27 PT
That picture breaks my heart.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/olympics/bal-te.sp.phelps05feb05,0,3171313.storyHe feels so betrayed. I imagine many people with all sorts of contracts that he joyfully signed with them once, have been pointing out some fine print that pretty much means they own him... forever. Those contract holders that were already spending money they haven't earned yet, when faced with loosing that biggest new house they planned to build, or the place in the country, or on the beach somewhere, and those wonderful educations for their children, practically prepaid on future commercials and insurance policies on their "trademark". They planned to pay for it all off him... off selling him and his image . When they saw him threaten that... well... it might have been really ugly. I imagine there were many threats of heinous lawsuits. The young man has gone from the top of joy to the bottom of despair. He longs for the joy of his accomplishment which has been snatched from him.It's not right. This may be the time for that sorely needed change. I hope so. Before we have another martyr. Lord God. I hope so. I hope for change. Good change. No more martyrs. It's so foolish and so wrong.Soon and with acknowledgment to the lives and homes wrecked because of prohibition, stupid, idiot "War" of and on the hemp/cannabis plant. It's disgusting. Apologise for the "Treatment".I'm worried for Michael Phelps.I'm also so sad for him. He tries not to be a doofus... and he does anyway. :0(I think he should say, if he wants to, "Take this job and shove it", then hire a new agent to solicit contracts to sell beer, vodka, condoms, wine, whiskey, water beds and cigarette boats.... and more whiskey, and maybe get into the business of providing disguises and body guards for the rich and famous that actually look out after them and protect them from stuff like this happening. :0)Smile, Michael. It's survivable.
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Comment #8 posted by FoM on February 05, 2009 at 17:01:15 PT

BGreen
For now Alltel customers don't have a cap but who knows what Verizon will do and that could be a problem for people. 
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Comment #7 posted by paul armentano on February 05, 2009 at 16:28:00 PT

charmed quark
The DEA is most certainly under the authority of the Attorney General's office. The new U.S. A.G. is Eric Holder. We are asking folks to contact him here:http://capwiz.com/norml2/issues/alert/?alertid=12591396Tell The New Attorney General To End The DEA's Raids On Medical Marijuna Providers
New U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder has promised a clean break from the policies of the Bush administration. He can start by upholding the President's pledge to stop the DEA raids of state-authorized medical marijuana providers.
 
On Thursday, February 5, 2009 White House Spokesperson Nick Shapiro reaffirmed, "The president believes that federal resources should not be used to circumvent state laws, and as he continues to appoint senior leadership to fill out the ranks of the federal government, he expects them to review their policies with that in mind." It is time for Eric Holder to act now!
 
Please take time today to contact the U.S. Attorney General's office and tell Eric Holder to stop the DEA from circumventing state medical marijuana laws. You can e-mail the new Attorney General at: AskDOJ usdoj.gov, or you may call the Office of the Attorney General at: 202-353-1555. (If you are calling, be sure to do so during east coast business hours.) Additional contact information is available at: http://www.usdoj.gov/contact-us.html.Please be polite and concise when contacting the Attorney General's Office. Below is a sample script you can follow."Hello, my name is ____________.While campaigning for the office of the President, Barack Obama promised that he would halt the DEA raids of state-authorized providers of medical marijuana in the 13 states that have legalized the drug's use. The White House reaffirmed this stance in comments to the Washington Times on February 5. Further, according to a new Zogby poll of over 1,000 likely voters, 72 percent of Americans believe that President Obama should uphold this pledge. As U.S. Attorney General, you have the power to demand the DEA stop targeting medical marijuana patients and providers. Please uphold the will of the people and the President: Tell the DEA to stop circumventing state medical marijuana laws."

http://capwiz.com/norml2/issues/alert/?alertid=12591396
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Comment #6 posted by BGreen on February 05, 2009 at 16:25:22 PT

Anybody that watched the inauguration on CNN.com
Watch a live video, share your PC with CNNBy Brian LivingstonMany people who watched live streaming video of the inauguration of U.S. President Barack Obama on Jan. 20 may not realize that their PC was used to send the video to other PCs, too.Clicking "yes" to a CNN.com dialog box installed a peer-to-peer (P2P) application that uses your Internet bandwidth rather than CNN's to send live video to other viewers.*********************************************************I know you used to have issues with bandwidth, FoM, so this type of use of people's computer bandwidth to save a buck is despicable!The Reverend Bud Green
Watch a live video, share your PC with CNN
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Comment #5 posted by E_Johnson on February 05, 2009 at 16:20:52 PT

So the DEA is a law unto itself?
If the President can't tell them what to do, then who can?
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Comment #4 posted by FoM on February 05, 2009 at 16:16:32 PT

charmed quark
I've thought about this frequently since all this happened. Most raids I bet have been under investigation for a year or two. That would make a difference. It might take months to get the drug czars office staffed seeing how hard it is to find someone without tax problems to fill any positions right now.
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Comment #3 posted by FoM on February 05, 2009 at 16:09:43 PT

charmed quark
That makes sense to me.
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Comment #2 posted by charmed quark on February 05, 2009 at 16:03:26 PT

dea and obama
Here's the quote I saw today:(via ASA)
"White House Spokesman Nick Shapiro said on Wednesday that he expects President Obama to end Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) raids once he can nominate someone to take charge of DEA, an agency still staffed by Bush officials. "Yeah!!!I asked a politically savvy friend why Obama doesn't stop them now. Basically, while he can appoint the head, the DEA operations are independent of the President. And, while the President's public opinion SHOULD matter to them, for him to publicly request them to stop the raids and then for the DEA to ignore him would cause him to lose political face and weaken him in future interactions with the DEA. So it's best for him not to do this. 
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on February 05, 2009 at 14:56:23 PT

News Article By Paul Armentano
Obama Is Against Pot Raids, the Public Is Against Pot Raids, And Yet ... the Drug Cops' Raids ContinueFebruary 5, 2009URL: http://www.alternet.org/drugreporter/125574/
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