Thank you for having the courage to say the right, sensible thing tonight on the issue of marijuana decriminalization. You took a bold stand on a risky issue, and that’s (sadly) rare, even among the candidates for high office and most especially on the gravest of issues. You deserve kudos (and web traffic.)
When Tim Russert asked the candidates who among them disagreed with Dodd – Biden, Edwards, Clinton and Richardson raised their hands. Obama seemed to – however unenthusiastically and only about a quarter of the way – raise his hand. What did that mean? I’d like to hear Obama speak out more clearly on this issue and encourage you all to ask him about it.
Edwards said that he was against decriminalizing marijuana because it “sends the wrong message to young people.”
Dodd said,
“We’re locking up too many people in our system here today. We’ve got mandatory minimum sentences that are filling our jails with people who don’t belong there. My idea is to decriminalize this, reduce that problem here – we’ve gone from 800,000 to 2 million people in our penal institutions in this country. We’ve got to get a lot smarter about this issue than we are, and as President I would try to achieve that.”
I’m glad it was brought up tonight. The decriminalization issue and the penal system rot of our young people is an urgent matter that begs open, mainstream discussion.
I just watched the Republican debate in Orlando, hosted by FOX News. I was saddened and moved by how many of the candidates got thunderous rounds of applause with vapid, cheap, throwaway rhetoric about “strong families” and a “strong military” and “strong economy.” But it was perhaps most indicative of the end of the GOP when Ron Paul – standing in for true conservatives everywhere – was constantly greeted by booing and moaning whenever he spoke. His controversial message? His usual common sense about a humble, sensible foreign policy; smaller government; and a balanced budget. [BOOOOOO!]
One of the moderators, Wendell Goler, pointed this out and asked Paul if the Republicans had left him or if he had left the party (paraphrasing Ronald Reagan.) Paul criticized the Republican insurgency of neocons, gave a brief history of the GOP as common-sense non-interventionists, and also that pesky old thing called the Constitution. Of course, he finished to a few claps and loud boos. WTF?
Look, assholes – stop throwing your cigarettes out your fucking car window. I saw some cretin do this today in Santa Monica and wish I’d had been able to yell at him without causing an accident. This is the world’s most obnoxious habit under any conditions – but you can’t even use your ashtray now? Do the species a favor and die, please.
In its semiannual Financial Stability Report, the Bank of England is warning the world that the UK stock market is “particularly vulnerable” to a downturn and the housing scene is grim.
Spoke a little too soon. I was getting ready for bed when I heard a strange noise – sounded sort of like the dryer was on or something. I looked outside and saw a large conflagration a couple blocks away. I could see towers of flame well above the houses between us. I grabbed my camera (wrong lens for the occasion, but I was in a hurry) and jumped on my bike to get a closer look. I found a patch of brush, palm trees, and a garage or small home totally involved. Power lines and a transformer fuzzed and sparked and fell to the ground. The fire was high and hot and it moved quickly. I shot these pictures. I was worried the fire would spread quickly because the palm trees – some probably fifty feet high – were fully engulfed and spraying embers all over the area. A man jumped from the flames. A couple concerned residents were out with their garden hoses, doing what they could. The fire department was on scene within a few minutes and brought it under control very quickly. Thanks, dudes.
