cannabisnews.com: Divided By Marijuana










  Divided By Marijuana

Posted by CN Staff on July 03, 2008 at 05:51:01 PT
By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune 
Source: Mail Tribune 

Phoenix, Oregon -- Stephen Vinzant says he has been growing marijuana at his residence legally for three years and has a state-issued medical marijuana card to prove it. His next-door neighbors — who run a counseling center for recovering drug addicts — are not impressed.Their differences will get a public airing Monday when Phoenix Counseling Center owner Keziah Hinchen will attempt to convince City Council members that they should put an end to Vinzant's outdoor pot crop.
Hinchen plans a presentation to the council outlining the difficulty of assisting people with substance abuse issues while a "fresh crop is growing right next door."Vinzant said he moved to the property three years ago, at which time he began growing the state allowed crop of 12 mature plants and 36 immature plants.Half of the plants are for Vinzant's mother, who suffers from chronic restless leg syndrome and the other half are for Vinzant, a Vietnam-era vet who said he suffers from post-traumatic stress, a bad back and arthritis.During the past two growing seasons, Vinzant said, "no one squawked about anything."Then the treatment center changed ownership, a client discovered the plants during last year's harvest and, Vinzant said, "totally freaked out."Hinchen said the counseling center serves as an extended campus for local schools by providing services to adolescents with substance abuse issues "and something like 85 to 95 percent of them have issues with marijuana.""So here's this guy and he's got this great big marijuana garden in his backyard," Hinchen said. "The plants are 20 feet away from the fence — 20 feet away from people who have addiction issues. When it starts getting ripe, you can smell it. So here we're saying, 'Stay away from marijuana' and here it is. They smell it, they see it . . . it's right there!"Vinzant said he's "done everything humanly possible" to accommodate the center's concerns, including building an enclosure around the plants.Hinchen will argue before the council that the marijuana plants represent an intrusion into what should be a drug-free zone for school areas. She said she wouldn't object if he grew the plants indoors and out of sight."All we're asking is for them to approve a 100-foot drug-free zone," she said. "I'm completely happy with 100 feet, which means he can't do it in his backyard. He could just do it indoors.""Our position is, if you possess marijuana within a thousand miles of a school there are heavy penalties. We serve adolescents and are, essentially, a school."She added, "Anybody who knows anything about working with addictive substances will know that half the trick is to stay away from it."Jackson County sheriff's Detective Sgt. Rick Valentine said state laws regarding medical marijuana use are tricky to navigate."I don't know of anything in the statutes that prohibits having a medical marijuana grower next to a rehabilitation center," he said."We've had calls where people complained about their neighbor growing medical marijuana but they're within state law. From our standpoint, it's been a difficult law to enforce on both sides — for the folks that have legal prescriptions and the people that don't."City Manager Jane Turner said council members would request legal advice from city attorney Kurt Knudsen on how to deal with the issue and likely would appoint a committee to research the issue."At least we can get it on the table and everybody can voice their opinions," Turner said.The City Council meets at 6:30 p.m. Monday at the city's public works annex, 1000 South B St.Note: Owner of the Phoenix Counseling Center says a neighbor's medical marijuana patch is too strong a temptation for her clients.Buffy Pollock is a freelance writer living in Medford.Source: Mail Tribune, The (Medford, OR)Author: Buffy Pollock for the Mail TribunePublished: July 03, 2008Copyright: 2008 The Mail TribuneContact: letters mailtribune.comWebsite: http://www.mailtribune.com/CannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml

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Comment #63 posted by museman on July 06, 2008 at 14:53:21 PT
John
I found a demo I'm checking out, thanx.
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Comment #62 posted by John Tyler on July 06, 2008 at 14:48:05 PT
light show software
Here the link to Sound Spectrum’s web site http://www.soundspectrum.com/ 
They have 3 types, G-Force, Whitecaps, and Softskies. They have a free download demo for each. Each one has a two level price, $20 for the first level and $30 for the top level. I have searched the Web, and this is the only thing I have seen that fills the bill. It plays through your Windows XP Media Player (ver 9 and above I think) so you can watch it on your PC monitor, or run it through a data projector on a big screen. I assume it would work also on those big screens that fancy bars have like Toad’s Place. http://www.toadsplace.com/home.htmhttp://www.toadsplace.com/home.htmhttp://www.toadsplace.com/home.htm It looks great. Journey uses this software for their shows see the link http://digitalproducer.digitalmedianet.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=109406http://digitalproducer.digitalmedianet.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=109406 There is commercial package available for big time bands, but I haven’t explored that yet. I’m still working on getting a show going for a bar band. You can beg, borrow or rent the equipment needed. If you have techie friends in big offices they always have excess hardware that might be suitable for borrowing. Good Luck. You can also google visualization, that is how I found it.
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Comment #61 posted by museman on July 06, 2008 at 13:23:26 PT
John tyler #60
Actually, I am interested in something like that. However the expense of the software might be prohibitive. Do you have a link to info about it and other similar programs?My son's band Wego would definitely be interested in that info.
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Comment #60 posted by John Tyler on July 06, 2008 at 09:04:47 PT
Museman and all
This is just an idea and I have been batting it around for while and by accident hit on a local southern rock bar band that was interested. I was thinking about doing computer-generated light shows. There is some visualization software by Sound Spectrum that allows input from computer microphones. It is not expensive either. The bands actual music changes the visuals and there are variations you can program into it. (Aerosmith and Journey, among others, use the commercial version for their shows.) You can use a laptop and a data projector to put it on the wall. It looks great. Use multiple dual laptops and data projectors for a stunning effect.  If you like music and working nights it might be a way to earn some extra bucks if you can get connected with your local music scene.
You can probably rent the projectors locally and buy extra laptops on Craig’s list pretty cheaply. It would be a high tech way to bring back the psychedelic light shows. 
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Comment #59 posted by John Tyler on July 06, 2008 at 08:39:54 PT
Museman's video
I checked you your Youtube video. It is wonderful. I loved it. Keep up the good work.
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Comment #58 posted by FoM on July 06, 2008 at 08:38:26 PT
Just Something
This is way off topic but I wanted to mention it here. We got a phone call from an old friend back in eastern PA and he asked my husband about Ohio Grassman. We never heard of him or it. We checked it out and it was on Monster Quest. We saw it yesterday. It is now on Youtube if anyone wants to check it out. We know Don Keating who is in the documentary. He was a regular customer years ago in our store and brought in videos to show us about Bigfoot. This was filmed where we live so that makes it cool. Check it out if you are interested.MonsterQuest - Ohio Grassman - Part 1 of 5http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rc2ok26TxZk
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Comment #57 posted by unkat27 on July 06, 2008 at 07:56:27 PT
Museman
"...I am an artist, not a salesman..."Nor am I, which is one of the reasons why I've been having so much trouble 'selling' my work. Just getting people to give you the time to sell it requires good salesmanship. If they won't give you the time, how the hell can you sell them anything?Very nice musical video, Museman. From what I gather from the lyrics, we share many of the same thoughts. While lyrical music may not fit into every scene of my animation, there are scenes where it would fit in rather nicely. I have longer previews and much more content (35 minutes total), but I have found it impossible to upload more than 3 minutes to my site, probly because I am stuck on a dial-up modem, which is much too slow for the larger files.I'll send you an email and we can take this conversation to a private forum. Thanx for getting back to me.
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Comment #56 posted by museman on July 05, 2008 at 17:49:46 PT:
unkat
Watched the piece.I've some critiques, but thats on the aside. My email link is enabled on this comment.As far as providing music, I have no problem offering it. I am very easy when it comes to that. Compensation can be arrived at- if necessary. We can have some form of casual agreement to protect both our royalty/copyright interests, but as I said, I am an artist, not a salesman, or merchant.I'm not sure what music that I already have would be appropriate, specially since most of my stuff is with lyrics. A lot of what I have is already online. If you don't have my home link it is provided below.I have digital multitrack, 32bit mastering capablility, CD/DVD authoring, mastering and recording.I can easily (but with much tedium -as I'm sure you are aware) edit video and sound. I also have access to various musicians - most of 'em in my family - who might also be interested ar some point in contributing.I can set up an ftp drop as well for file exchange.if you haven't seen my latest video -with some animation- here's the link;http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fx5WQYSelYYLets have a conversation.
my site
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Comment #55 posted by unkat27 on July 05, 2008 at 13:07:36 PT
Comment #54 posted by museman
Thanx for the interest Museman. Actually, I am very interested in the possibility of a collaboration. In fact, the weakest part of my animation project is the soundtrack, mainly because I cannot use music which is copyrighted without permission (and that takes big $$), so what I have been looking for is some original music to go with it, by musician(s) that aren't simply interested in making big $$ all at once.The way I see it is, if I could find original musician(s) to contribute to the soundtrack, and if the project went somewhere, we might both be able to make some $$. After all, a good musical soundtrack makes a huge difference, so I am very interested in making some kind of deal to split any profits that might be made. Now, if you really are interested, then I would suggest that you download the most recent preview video, because it's the best I've put together yet. It has some public domain classical music (Holst's Planets) included and a narrative.
I wanted to put Pink Floyd's "Echoes" with it, but of course, securing copyrights to that is near impossible.You're the first musician to express any interest in this project so I hope you like it. Here's the link to the page with the preview videos. The video download you should check out is at the very bottom of the page, titled "Lpnet-clip-106". If you're on d.u., it may take a few minutes to download. If you have any trouble, let me know.http://ts-variant.net/videos/Anime-04.html 
The Tem-Space Variant
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Comment #54 posted by museman on July 05, 2008 at 10:51:44 PT
unkat
This is going to be a rough transition for you it sounds like. I myself am on a fixed income, VA pension non-service connected, which means that any money I make and report, will be subtracted from my next payment, so my options are very limited.This is one of the reasons why I've been stuck in a 70's doublewide for 7 years, because I can't afford to move! And if the house sells (it is up for sale) we are homeless.I'm ready though. I got a bus, and solar power (that I've had for 20 years; old, broken, looks like crap but still puts out juice).I was intrigued by your admission to your interest in animation. As a sound engineer, songwriter, and now video tech, I thoroughly understand your frustration at getting very little interest.I do it now for the sheer art of it. As an artist I am obligated to work, but any ambition for success has been severely trumped by mainstream bank accounts.I dabble with animation myself, for my music video, and a couple of larger projects I can never seem to get much work on.I'd like to see your work. I tried to find some reference on the lost planet, but there are a couple of lost planet web sites, and no recognizable reference.An idea or two is beginning to bounce around in my head. Ever think of collaborating?
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Comment #53 posted by Hope on July 05, 2008 at 10:16:55 PT
Unkat27
I'm sorry to hear that you're disabled as well as having to move out of your apartment. Since you already are in touch with the people at SSI, maybe they would have some information that would be useful for you. They might have some ideas about some subsidized apartments or something.Museman's idea sounds like there might be an option there for you. 
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Comment #52 posted by unkat27 on July 05, 2008 at 08:23:38 PT
Hope #43
"Surely your sister will let you stay until you save enough money for a deposit.How will you be able to keep your job without a place to live? Does your sister live anywhere near where you work?"Having money for a deposit isn't the issue. The simple fact is I don't make enough (from SSI) to get into another apartment. They have this extremely class-discriminatory rule mandating 3X the rent in income. SSI doesn't compensate for it. As for my work, I've been working with computer animation for the past 5 years with the hope that it would eventually pay off. I have a website with previews of my work (The Lost Planet) linked to it, but no one seems to be the least bit interested. Of course, as long as I'm homeless, with no place to plug in the com, it'll have to wait. I'm hoping to get back to it, as it is the only thing I have to live for at this time. 
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Comment #51 posted by FoM on July 05, 2008 at 06:13:17 PT
museman
I'm glad you liked the video. It was an amazing concert tour. Here's another one that I really liked. 'What Are Their Names' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFF4X8FLCiE
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Comment #50 posted by museman on July 04, 2008 at 21:28:06 PT
Neil and crew
Awesome!There just are no words.
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Comment #49 posted by FoM on July 04, 2008 at 17:19:59 PT
fight_4_freedom 
Happy 4th of July to you too. I am watching the fireworks at the Capitol right now and I have hope for the first time in years that this year change will finally come. Have a great evening!
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Comment #48 posted by fight_4_freedom on July 04, 2008 at 17:02:17 PT:
Just stopped in to say 
Happy Independence Day to everybody here at C-News! Here's a video to get everybody fired up.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00XZ_XgeIq4(Montel speaking loudly and passionately a few years back.)The day we are all truly free is on the horizon. God Bless America!
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Comment #47 posted by FoM on July 04, 2008 at 15:35:22 PT

Dankhank
I'm glad you liked it. I'm so happy that we got to see them perform two times during the tour. The last show of the season at Pittsburgh was wonderful. At Columbus people had fights and threw beer on stage at Neil and he kept on playing. At Pittsburgh all the diehard fans of CSNY were there and nothing messed up that night. Afterburner was with us too and that made it very special.
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Comment #46 posted by Dankhank on July 04, 2008 at 15:27:57 PT

Neil
absolutely amazing video ...thanks for the link ...
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Comment #45 posted by FoM on July 04, 2008 at 14:50:03 PT

Dankhank
I followed the Rainbowguide link you posted and found a link to Neil Young's web site and Neil has a video posted special for the 4th of July. Check it out. It was great to see and hear this at the CSNY Freedom of Speech Tour in 06.http://neilyoung.com/
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Comment #44 posted by Dankhank on July 04, 2008 at 14:33:37 PT:

unkat
seems I remember you as being in Fla ...not sure ... here's museman's linkhttp://rainbowguide.info/index.phplet me know 
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Comment #43 posted by Hope on July 04, 2008 at 12:48:51 PT

Unkat!!!
Oh my gosh!I'm grieved to hear that.Surely your sister will let you stay until you save enough money for a deposit.How will you be able to keep your job without a place to live? Does your sister live anywhere near where you work?
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Comment #42 posted by FoM on July 04, 2008 at 11:57:01 PT

museman
I was thinking about why don't they try again? Maybe the time for what you all wanted wasn't for that time but for this time.
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Comment #41 posted by museman on July 04, 2008 at 11:47:23 PT

give the homeless a reservation
or anyone else who wants to try to live in a different way from the fast lane and pollution.We tried to get the feds to recognize the 'Rainbow Family' as an actual tribe of people, who if given the choice and opportunity could establish a new eco-relationship with the land based on old natural facts and truths, with new and elevated consciousness and awareness,... but we were laughed at. The time is very near when that example provided for anyone who just gets out and goes, will become a very precious commodity in the skills and knowlege department, and the idea of establishing new eco-friendly communities that would truly 'manage' the forests and the rest of the land won't seem so 'far-fetched' and 'undoable.'I think at some point, as we get closer to the totality of a depressed and exhausted economy, that reality is going to come home to roost for a lot of people.Plant a seed, it grows. Water and feed it, and it grows better. Tend it with love and awareness, and that will be what you eat. Tend it with greed and impatience, then that is what you will eat. That simple ability to plant and grow that seed has all but been taken away. We are all held hostage by the necessities of life which were provided by Nature and the Great Spirit, but then hijacked by these pretenders to authority and power, who then 'sell' them back to us for our 'service' to the status quo.Quite a scam, I will admit. It will go down in Galactic History as the greatest Con-Job ever. But in the meantime we got to deal.If we held a Rainbow Gathering, then stayed, the next level of establishing alternative community and actual process and progression towards sanity and common sense in dealing with each other and the rest of creation, would be possible. Most of us that went to the gatherings over the years know that there will be one that doesn't stop, or fade back into the niches we've all managed to carve out of the various dysfunctional communities that comprises the cities and towns in Amerika.I championed this idea (along with others) in my day in the Rainbow Mainstream, but it was not as popular as you might think. The time may be approaching to get out the idea and dust it off, adding to it what we know now, which is considerably more than we did when we tried the Peace Village (as it was known.)
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Comment #40 posted by FoM on July 04, 2008 at 11:21:15 PT

unkat27
I'm glad and I wish you the best of luck.
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Comment #39 posted by unkat27 on July 04, 2008 at 11:18:46 PT

Rainbow Guide
I'll look into it.
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Comment #38 posted by FoM on July 04, 2008 at 10:51:07 PT

unkat27
What about The Rainbow Family? 
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Comment #37 posted by unkat27 on July 04, 2008 at 10:48:46 PT

FoM
"Let your sister help you. Can't you get some help with housing if your income is low?"She's doing what she can. But the housing subsidy program has a waiting-list over 2 years long. I'll get on the list, but I could still be stuck outside for 2 years. Too bad. Just when I thought my work was finally making progress.
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Comment #36 posted by FoM on July 04, 2008 at 10:45:39 PT

museman
What an excellent idea for Unkat27.
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Comment #35 posted by FoM on July 04, 2008 at 10:44:10 PT

unkat27
Let your sister help you. Can't you get some help with housing if your income is low? 
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Comment #34 posted by FoM on July 04, 2008 at 10:42:17 PT

museman
I took the song to mean we can serve mankind or money. 
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Comment #33 posted by unkat27 on July 04, 2008 at 10:36:33 PT

FoM
I have a sister not too far from here but she runs a day-school for preschoolers out of her home and it wouldn't be good for her business if I lived with her. She is very helpful though and promised to do all she could, short of that. I've been homeless before and managed alright (83-85, 97-98). But I'm almost 50 now and I don't have as much energy as when I was young. If it wasn't for this damn 3x the rent rule, I'm sure i could find another place. I'm actually thinking about taking a protest to city-hall to reverse that rule. It really is a form of class-discrimination and soooo un-american!The only way I'll be able to get online will be through the library. I'm looking at all kinds of options now, including a possible cross-country trip by mountain-bike. I may have to head south in the autumn if i don't find shelter before the cold weather sets in.
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Comment #32 posted by museman on July 04, 2008 at 10:31:48 PT

unkat
Maybe nows the time to move to nature.If you have to be homeless, I hope you are on the west coast somewhere. If not, it is still possible to hitchhike great distances in this country. And summer is definitely better than winter.Such a thing as the Rainbow Family which has a gathering going on right now, has been helping the homeless for 3 decades, by giving them a family and year-round events to co-participate in.There is something called the "Rainbow Community Guide" which lists all the landed rainbows who are into sharing. I'm not saying this is a magical fix for all homeless, but its something. Good luck.
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Comment #31 posted by museman on July 04, 2008 at 10:18:45 PT

that Dylan song
always bothered me.I guess its because its a line that can be used by any agenda to promote their cause.Since the only 'who' that I know of to ever exist who was worthy of 'serving' in the submissive sense no longer walks the earth, I think it is more of 'what' we serve than 'who.'I serve Love. When my brothers and sisters also serve Love, then, and only then is there a 'who' being served.You cannot 'serve' me unless I am in some way your master, but if we both serve the same idea and way of choice and action, then there is no 'master-servant' just us humans.The idea of 'serving somebody' in the prevalent understanding of the meaning of the word is a misnomer, a misplaced good intention.When I give of myself, I serve a 'what' not a 'who.' In a sense, many 'whos' are served by dedicating service to high ideals, but greater things will be accomplished when the 'respect of persons' is taken out of the equation.
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Comment #30 posted by FoM on July 04, 2008 at 10:11:40 PT

unkat27
Don't you have family or friends where you live that could let you stay with them until you get on your feet? 
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Comment #29 posted by FoM on July 04, 2008 at 10:08:59 PT

unkat27
What will you do? Where will you go? Will you be able to keep in contact with us here on CNews? That is so wrong. 
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Comment #28 posted by unkat27 on July 04, 2008 at 10:06:36 PT

Farewell
I'm losing my apartment at the end of July and will join the homeless crowd (which is growing larger every year). They have this really stupid rule that makes it mandatory for a renter to make 3x the rent and it has prevented me from finding another apartment, so I really don't have any choice. It was fun while it lasted. Who knows, I may have more luck finding the sacred herb when I'm out there. I just hope the cops don't give me any trouble.
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Comment #27 posted by FoM on July 04, 2008 at 10:04:29 PT

We Gotta Serve Somebody
Museman it's like Bob Dylan said. Who will we serve? We all have a free will.
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Comment #26 posted by FoM on July 04, 2008 at 10:01:53 PT

museman
Power can be the very thing that can creates corruption.
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Comment #25 posted by museman on July 04, 2008 at 09:59:08 PT

Fom
Isn't it funny how most of the 'bad people' are in positions of power?
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Comment #24 posted by FoM on July 04, 2008 at 09:52:57 PT

museman
I believe most people are good people but then there are people who will abuse then murder a child. Because of some bad people we need laws. 
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Comment #23 posted by museman on July 04, 2008 at 09:43:41 PT

FoM
"...but the world is full of people that want to cause physical or emotional harm to others"I believe that mankind is born inherently good. That without the meddlesome class of 'rulers' the situation known as 'good and evil' has much less chance of rearing its ugly head.In a world where 80% of the population is in forced competition with their neighbors - by the ruling class, for the ruling class, where natural resource originally GIVEN BY YHWH is falsly claimed as their 'possession' which they have a 'right' determined by 'government' to use as carrot and goad to do their bidding, in that world (the one we've been forced to live in and with for almost ever) people are forced to be selfish and mean. Poverty and lack of resource is the direct foundation of all 'crime.'The disparity of distribution of wealth and resource, and the illusory coalitions of power (mostly held together by enforced fear and ignorance) are the reason for harm and why more black people -per capita- are imprisoned in this country (for example) that white.This is why I believe that Consciousness and Awareness is the only real path to solution. The more I and my neighbors are aware that we have been made at odds by a faulty system of values and the moral codes of fallen angels, the more we become free of its domination.Eventually the knowlege, awareness, and consciousness will make such systems unable to flourish, and the concept of 'superiority' in terms of persons will go the way of the Dodo.Left without the pain and struggle of (current)society, capitalism, religious and spiritual ignorance, and all the trappings of unreal -based on mental invention- systems barring our daily progress to higher consciousness, the 'harm' prevalent in the world will go the way of those who created the situation to perpetuate and propagate it in the first place.It seems like a catch 22 to everyone who is in the thick of trying to make it work for them. When your consciousness is subverted to mindless tasks on a daily basis, it becomes pretty dull and dead. Its hard to see over the lip of the hole we've all been relegated to by 'our betters' but the liberation of consciousness is happening.Having crawled out of that hole a long time ago, I've been watching very closely for anyone who manages to get out and up to square one of reality. I have observed in the past 3 years many folks who have taken responsibility for themselves climbing out of the dark pit into the light of a new day.While one is in the pit, it is difficult to see out of it, but a little faith goes a long way.

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Comment #22 posted by FoM on July 04, 2008 at 09:11:46 PT

museman
I believe that Obama is a smart politician and he does seem to care. Hopefully he will be able to keep being president in perspective but I also know he might not. I don't put my faith in any man and I know you understand that too. It says in the bible to pray that we have a righteous ruler over us. We need a ruler just because many people need guidance. If only people could apply the basic principle of kindness we might not need a ruler but the world is full of people that want to cause physical or emotional harm to others. I do pray for a righteous ruler and cross my fingers. 
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Comment #21 posted by museman on July 04, 2008 at 08:59:25 PT

FoM
"Freedom means to live and let live but with freedom comes responsibility. All people should respect the rights of others."Absolutely."...but don't push it on me."Exactly.But what do you call a situation where the very existence of such a system of falsities we are forced to live under and with is 'pushing it on me?'I tell you I could have lived my entire life without most of the BS PUSHED UPON ME by society, and PEOPLE who PUSH it. The PUSHERS all wear suits and ties, they PUSH THEIR ADDICTION on me. They force me to capitulate and compromise with the integrity of my soul, just to feed my children (who are mostly struggling to feed themselves at this point).And the political farce called 'democratic process' is just another poisonous 'addiction' PUSHED on me by the status quo.I did not push anything on them. I did not make the war, they did. I would have been perfectly content to live a normal life, raising a family, growing things and playing music for my friends to dance to, but all those things are withheld from me by a few wealthy bastards who have to push their way in the world.Though I am going to vote for Obama, my vote is not a signifier that I am endorsing the system, its just a lottery that we all play in hopes of winning some relief from the PUSHERS.It IS NOT A REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT, except to represent the real 'powers behind the throne' and "No angel born in Hell, could break that Satans' spell."To think that just 'electing' (what a farcical system) one man to an office of legitimized but unreal power is going to do much of anything except halt one agenda to be replaced by another one -all those agendas belong to the rulers of the status quo - ("All ways are the QUEENS ways.") and ultimately are a compromise with the truth, Compromises with the truth are just plain lies.So what does that make a person who consistently supports and maintains compromise? A liar.Now it is possible that someone like Obama may be innocent of the complicities of his fellows, by some kind of miraculous sheilding from the corruption that is not only rampant but the heart and soul of the status quo, but I hugely doubt it.Sometimes people like Obama are used by the Great Spirit to implement change, even if they aren't aware of it. Thats what I'm hoping for. In fact as far as I can see, it is the only legitimate hope that exists in this f--ed up game we are forced to play.
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Comment #20 posted by FoM on July 04, 2008 at 08:24:56 PT

Freedom
I hope everyone is having a nice time this holiday weekend.I believe that I have no right to judge another person for living differently then me.Different doesn't equal bad.A person for example can be a diehard Republican but don't push it on me.I can be a diehard Obama supporter but I can't push him on anyone either. Freedom means to live and let live but with freedom comes responsibility. All people should respect the rights of others. Happy 4th of July!
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Comment #19 posted by museman on July 04, 2008 at 08:07:50 PT

addiction and power
"My opinion is if a person has an addiction problem they better rise up and face it or just living in this world will make them fall off the wagon."I'd like to add, "...and get run over by it." (the wagon and the world)The two words; "addiction" and "problem" are the key.In the pure definition of the word, there is not one human who ever lived who was not addicted to something. We're all addicted to air, and when it is in short supply we will go to great lengths to get it. I'd say food is one hell of an addiction as well.The "problems" come in when one persons addiction conflicts with another persons addiction. Sometimes one just has a desire for a thing, or activity, that is perceived as a threat of harm to the other, but until that potential harm is within identifiable parameters (when you raise a stick to hit me, I have no doubt of your intentions, but just because I may fear the potential of your stick before you raise it, does not give me the right to a pre-emptive strike.) it is not real.When 'perceived threat' becomes the parameters of defining entire lifestyles and job descriptions of cops-and-robbers, there is a big problem.When one human being is empowered over another human being -without consent, this is called slavery and bondage. Gaining consent through threat and coercion (threat of starvation, social stigma, and general discomfort in life, and of course with the mighty men-in-blue to stand as binders on the narrow course of their master's proscribed destiny..) is just slavery under a pretty name; "civilization""Do to others as you would have them do to you."Pretty simple guideline if you ask me.The 'problem' is people who just can't mind their own business. PEOPLE who think that they know what is best for their neighbors, and that they can stand in for them in the mainstream of life -taking the shares as well as the honors, and hoarding them for their own 'special' group of 'special' people. Lying, stealing, blaspheming, and then making it all LOOK/APPEAR/SEEM to be the right way, like calling the insidious compromises that perpetuate darkness and ignorance 'politics' and 'representative government' -is the PROBLEM.The PROBLEM is in the power, time, and energy that is given over each and every day to feed the higher echelon of society - a mere 3% of the population, at an incredible cost of lives, and resource, with a waste ratio of about 3 to 1, or about one third of food and other production is wasted because of 'the bottom line' of capital and profit. A large precentage of atmospheric pollution is directly related to this wasteful practice of consumerism.The SOLUTION is also the people. Consciousness and awareness will undermine the false foundations of this runaway 'reality' and the support for the failed systems. It is knowlege, consciousness, and awareness -not violent revolution or legislation, that will supplant and displace the corruption.Mankind, and in particular 'civilized man' has been laboring under the enforced yoke of illusion (of false value and authority) for close to 10 thousand years. The tendency to readily submit to domination by the elite has been bred into us, until the genetic pool of peasantry closely resembles that of sheep in their docility and resignation to power.However, the spirit of man is all about liberty and freedom. It is about venturing forth into new territory, making discovery, and sharing it with the rest of us. That spirit will never die. We were all brought up to believe that this country, the USA was the 'Nation' of that spirit. That is a correct belief, but it has yet to truly become manifest. The only thing stopping it is all those power addicts standing in the road of progress, and the continuation of good-minded people in willing submission to the false ideologies on a daily basis.

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Comment #18 posted by John Tyler on July 04, 2008 at 07:39:04 PT

another option
Maybe the upset “treatment center” person should pack up their plastic chairs and move to another location where their clients won’t be tempted by a neighbor growing his legal plants.
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Comment #17 posted by BGreen on July 03, 2008 at 20:55:31 PT

Let's expand this point of view
If any place that generally serves adolescents can be considered a school, then we can basically extrapolate that idea to mean that any place that generally serves children would also be called a school.By this reasoning, our local roller rink must be a school because almost every person that pays their money to that business is either a child or adolescent. Our local Chuck E. Cheese must also be considered a school because their main clientele also happens to be children.This arbitrary 100 feet boundary put into place by this drug treatment center worker is not part of the law, and by her very own definition that means that he could actually grow his crop in his front yard and then it would be absolutely no temptation to all of the forced cohabitants of this drug treatment center. Only a fool would think that 80 feet would stop somebody who wanted to steal this man's crop.The Reverend Bud Green
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Comment #16 posted by lombar on July 03, 2008 at 12:27:13 PT

If you see this argument...
""Our position is, if you possess marijuana within a thousand miles of a school there are heavy penalties. We serve adolescents and are, essentially, a school.""Consider that the most likely people to possess cannabis within *1000 feet* of a school are indeed the teens who frequent the premises. Hence aiming heavy penalties at people who are just 'learning'.. and what will they learn? That their lives have been destroyed, not by drugs, but by rabid crusaders who craft these prison-filling laws.

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Comment #15 posted by Hope on July 03, 2008 at 11:57:25 PT

A word of the day for prohibitionists 
and their "Treatment specialists"."Our whole constitutional heritage rebels at the thought of giving government the power to control men's minds." - Thurgood MarshallThat is what prohibition of consumable substances is.You can think what you want, you prohibitionists. What I think is that you are very dangerous people. Growing and consuming a plant in no way, criminally, or morally, or any other way, compares to kidnapping and brainwashing people. You try to make their very souls, spirits, and minds captive to your aims.What bothers me about your "Treatments", "Reeducations", and so called "Rehabs" is that you want to change the thinking of others by force and most often against the will of those you take it upon yourselves to "help", whether they want your "help" or not. That bothers me a lot. Coercion to "cross a street" you don't want or need to cross is not helping. You are victimizing people when you do so. I say that you have no right to do that and that you are vile monsters for doing so.Offering true education and reasoning is one thing. True education and reasoning with someone is not the same as forcing them to be "Rehabilitated" according to your personal standards.
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Comment #14 posted by Hope on July 03, 2008 at 11:37:09 PT

Storm Crow (Granny) :0)
Well said.
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Comment #13 posted by Storm Crow on July 03, 2008 at 10:04:00 PT

Who should feel shame?
"She said she wouldn't object if he grew the plants indoors and out of sight.""He could just do it indoors."Like it was dirty! As though it were something bad! Something to be ashamed of! Instead it is a plant, a heaven-sent herb made to heal people. Who should be ashamed here? Someone who is growing and healing themselves with a time-tested herb? Or the one who DEMANDS that the sick suffer, so it's easier for her to "earn" (scam by "treating" addiction of a non-addictive substance) a buck? There is no way a person can grow the same amount indoors as out, unless there is a huge expenditure- lights, equipment (especially for growing with hydroponics), and the electric bill would go through the roof! With the economy the way it is(careening rapidly toward the next depression), how is an ill person to pay for all that? The effect on the ecology would be significant, also. Outdoors he produces oxygen by growing. Inside he is a "drag on the ecology". And if he grows indoors, his harvest will plummet- his "traditional" medication bills will skyrocket! Will Hinchen pick up the bill for ALL that? I doubt it! I'm willing to bet that her enthusiastic persecution stops right at HER pocketbook! If she demands he grow indoors, she needs to put her money where her mouth is!-Granny
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Comment #12 posted by Hope on July 03, 2008 at 09:33:49 PT

It should be like anything else.
People who don't like carrots have every right to abstain from consuming carrots, but they have no right whatsoever to keep me from growing or consuming carrots as long as I'm not doing it on their property... unless they lease or rent or lend it to me.Why in a world of sanity and reason don't these rights extend to all plants and all people?
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Comment #11 posted by Hope on July 03, 2008 at 09:28:15 PT

Insane prohibitionists.....
Give them an inch and they'll take a thousand miles!Prohibitionists are so taken with themselves and their insanities that they have no respect whatsoever of borders and other peoples properties and their right to live their lives.And it must be said that "Treatment" for liking marijuana is completely obscene in itself. If anyone needs "Treatment" or "Rehabilitation", it's people who think they have the right to so much power over other people's lives. 

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Comment #10 posted by tintala on July 03, 2008 at 09:02:29 PT:

Alcohol and tobacco is soo accepted.
There are liquor stores on every corner of my town, you can also get cigs just about anywhere, there is even a counseling center in town ,and whats next door? a liquor store , but that never crossed anyones mind, Alcohol is SOOOOOOOOOO damn accepted in todays society, its twisted!!! What if someone grew hops or had a wine vienyard, next to a recovery center, wouldnt be any problems.
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Comment #9 posted by ripit on July 03, 2008 at 08:31:45 PT:

i really hope 
mr.vinzant points out to them that 98 to 100% of the 85 to95%(while i'll admit some ppl could have a problem with cannabis these #'s are ridiculous! they should be treating ppl for meth and prescription drugs! ) are there against their own free will.and also just because some of them are students does not automaticaly make it a school!
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Comment #8 posted by FoM on July 03, 2008 at 08:22:38 PT

Mars
Since Mars seems to be an interest these days maybe it could be made for people to inhabit who don't like people who are different here on earth. How far away do they want us to live?
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Comment #7 posted by BGreen on July 03, 2008 at 08:09:46 PT

Exactly
Right across the street from the local junior high school to which I pay taxes is a grocery store that sells tobacco products, a liquor store and a pharmacy. All four of the vices that we talked about are available right across the street from the very same children that we are supposedly trying to protect by arresting 850,000 people each year in this country for cannabis.There is such an inherent insanity to cannabis prohibition that it is absolutely amazing it's lasted this long.The Reverend Bud Green
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Comment #6 posted by FoM on July 03, 2008 at 07:41:03 PT

BGreen
Here's another example. If a person has a serious weight problem and lives near a bakery should the bakery be penalized for the lack of self control of a person trying to lose weight? It just isn't logical. 
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Comment #5 posted by BGreen on July 03, 2008 at 07:37:53 PT

Unjustified hysteria
This is a perfect example of how unreasonable people can be due to the hysteria of cannabis prohibition. Their entire argument falls apart when you start examining the facts.Tobacco, alcohol and prescription drugs are far more addictive and dangerous than cannabis, yet these dangerous substances can be purchased at any corner store, sometimes all three sold in the same store. Nobody in their right mind would ever think of demanding that every single store stops selling these substances just because some people have a problem with them.Considering the fact that most of the people in this substance abuse treatment center are probably there against their own will, probably put there because of an arrest or an over-reactionary parent, it's no wonder the patients are enticed by the smell of the fragrant cannabis. However, unless they climb the fence and steal the cannabis, this gentleman's cannabis isn't even any threat to them.It's obvious that the real threat comes from substances that not only can kill you, but can also be purchased anywhere in this country in quantities large enough to kill not only yourself but everybody in your entire family.If I have a pound of cannabis all of a sudden people think that I'm supplying the entire world or something, but if I go in and buy an entire keg of beer and several bottles of hard liquor, people would just think I'm having a party, even though that's enough alcohol to kill several adults.All we ever ask for is a level playing field, but this playing field is so slanted that it's actually vertical instead of horizontal.The Reverend Bud Green
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Comment #4 posted by FoM on July 03, 2008 at 07:14:49 PT

A Thousand Miles
I'm sure they meant a thousand feet but I bet they wish it was a thousand miles. 
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Comment #3 posted by Hope on July 03, 2008 at 06:37:18 PT

Whoa!!!
"Our position is, if you possess marijuana within a thousand miles of a school there are heavy penalties. We serve adolescents and are, essentially, a school."
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Comment #2 posted by FoM on July 03, 2008 at 05:59:22 PT

Alcohol
Personally I had a problem with alcohol for a few years. We have friends who drink. They can come to our house and bring their own beer or wine and it has never entered my mind to tell them they can't do that. My issue should not be our friends or neighbors issue.
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on July 03, 2008 at 05:52:46 PT

Just a Comment
My opinion is if a person has an addiction problem they better rise up and face it or just living in this world will make them fall off the wagon. 
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