This just in...

April 9, 2003

Medical Marijuana "Truth in Trials Act" to Be Introduced;

Press Conference April 10 with Reps. Farr, Rohrabacher, Frank, Juror from Ed Rosenthal Trial

WASHINGTON - April 9 - News Advisory:

In the wake of the federal conviction of medical marijuana grower Ed Rosenthal -- found guilty of felony marijuana cultivation charges by a jury that was not allowed to consider that the marijuana was for medical use by seriously ill patients and was grown with the express authorization of the city of Oakland, California -- U.S. Reps. Sam Farr (D-CA), Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), and Barney Frank (D-MA) will introduce legislation to prevent such injustices in the future. The bill's introduction will be announced at a Capitol Hill press conference on Thursday, April 10, at 1:30 p.m. EDT. A satellite feed of press conference highlights will be available later in the afternoon.

WHAT: Press conference to announce the Truth in Trials Act.

WHO: U.S. Reps. Sam Farr (D-CA), Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), and Barney Frank (D-MA); Marney Craig, member of the jury that convicted Ed Rosenthal of marijuana cultivation; Ashley Epis, 8-year-old daughter of medical marijuana grower Bryan Epis, who is currently serving a 10-year federal prison sentence; Valerie Corral, co-founder of the Wo/Men's Alliance for Medical Marijuana, which was raided by the Drug Enforcement Administration on Sept. 5, 2002; Robert Kampia, executive director, Marijuana Policy Project.

WHERE: Rayburn House Office Building, Room 2200.

WHEN: Thursday, April 10, 1:30 p.m. EDT (please arrive early due to security precautions).

SATELLITE FEED: Highlights of the press conference will be available at the following times and coordinates:

3:30-3:45 p.m. EDT: Satellite SBS 6 Transponder 5 KU Analog. Downlink frequency: 11823 Horizontal. Audio will be on 6.2 and 6.8.

4:15-4:30 p.m. EDT: Satellite SBS 6 Transponder 5 KU Analog Downlink frequency: 11823 Horizontal. Audio will be on 6.2 and 6.8.

With 11,000 members nationwide, the Marijuana Policy Project is the largest marijuana policy reform organization in the United States. MPP works to minimize the harm associated with marijuana -- both the consumption of marijuana and the laws that are intended to prohibit such use. For more information please visit http://www.mpp.org

Look at James Lilek's Bleat for today...you'll be glad you did!

More links have been added.

If you'd like to drop me a line, I'm working on updating the html, always a pleasant experience. It does look better now, don't you think?

Apparently I toasted the people of Iraq of few times too many last night. In Dearborn, the party lasted quite some time---the general theme seemed to be "Back to Baghdad!" and I think they meant it.

Only the Wall Street Journal has this beautiful look at the advantages of Corporate capitalism.


If you would be so kind as to look at the third paragraph from the end, you'll see that it mentions beer companies. Did you hear that here first? Indeed you did. (see my post of 4/7/2003 9:51:45 AM, Let's Play You Be Dictator!) JOHN MICKLETHWAITE AND ADRIAN WOOLDRIDGE, I salute you. Cheers!

Take a look at Tim Blair's column on the anti-war strategy:


Naked Non-Aggression

Iraqis Cheer U.S. Troops, Loot in Baghdad


Proudhon was proved right, just for today, and a lot of Iraqis are aquiring property in droves. My first thought at reading this story was, "What Ministry would I loot, if, God forbid, the Army should one day liberate Washington DC?" I decided it would have to be the Smithsonian, and I'd need a big truck to haul away all the swag, so the truck would have to be liberated from the Ministry of Public Works first. Then you'd see the Mother of All Garage Sales, I'll bet.



In weeks to come, we'll hear all about the "Transition to a Market Economy" in Baghdad, but don't forget that it all starts by first aquiring goods for resale, like television sets, air conditioners, ceiling fans, and Iraqi jeeps. I think the Iraqis are going to regret throwing away weapons though, it'll be a sellers market someday. I wonder if anybody thought if looting a few tanks and parking them in the garage? Tanks have certain advantages in heavy downtown traffic. Even the old T-55s are better than, say, a Ford Escort in any serious urban confrontation. Also, there are plenty of spare parts just lying around for the taking, next to all major thoroughfares.

This story is just too cool to miss! Yay clones!

Clone of endangered species succeeds
Angus cow gives birth to rare banteng

Especially considering they did it with only a few skin cells....perhaps Saddam? Nah....
from Google News.

If you're not going to pay me, then why should I kill myself, that's what I'd like to know.

Apr. 8, 2003
Report: No Iraqi funds lately for suicide bombers in Gaza


Due to the war in Iraq, families of Palestinian suicide bombers have not been receiving funds from Saddam Hussein's regime, Israel Radio reports.
The funds normally channeled through the Gaza Strip have not been arriving, the radio says. It gave no further information.
The last reported aid from Saddam to Palestinians killed in fighting with Israel arrived on March 20 the day after Operation Iraqi Freedom began. On that day more than $210,000 was distributed.
Over the last 30 months, Iraq has paid more than $35 million to the families of Palestinians killed in the conflict with Israel, including relatives of scores of suicide bombers as well as Palestinian civilians.

From the AP:
Iraqi forces staged a major counterattack Tuesday morning, sending buses and trucks full of fighters across the Tigris River in an attempt to overrun US forces holding a strategic intersection on the western side of Baghdad.


Hmmm. The first report I saw didn't mention the trucks, just the buses, which is much more amusing. I can imagine the briefing..."Heros of Iraq! Soon you will fight the accursed Crusader Invaders! Take your rifles and RPG's and also big sticks, if you have them! You will board the 6:30 commuter bus at the corner of Saddam Boulevard and Hussein Street, then transfer to the Uptown #30 at the main station. You will get off the bus and smite the enemy. We will send the buses back to take you to the victory parade in Saddam Square around lunchtime. Saddam himself has paid a full fifty percent of your fare! So it will only cost you a quarter for the ride, which you can make back very quickly with the $14,000 cash reward for every tank you destroy! I only wish that I, your Commander, could come with you, but I have a wicked cold today!"


Information Minister Mohammad Said al-Sahaf said the Iraqis had "imprisoned" US forces inside their tanks.
"They are going to surrender or be burned in their tanks," Sahhaf said when asked if it was not time for Baghdad to give up.

Mr. Saddam, bombed to the gills? Who knows. The problem with 1000 pound bombs is cleaning up the place afterwards.

Secret Extra Special Republican Guard Transvestites!

• Irregular Iraqi forces, some wearing women's clothing, ambushed a U.S. Marine platoon of light-armored vehicles Monday in the central Iraqi city of Ab Diwaniyah, but the U.S. unit escaped without casualties, Marines in the firefight said.

What will those Wacky Iraqis think of next!

I've just added a new link, to asparagirl. Step and Fetch it, ok?

This is a little bit late, but...wonder where Steve Martin got all the cool stuff for his Oscar performance? Look Here!

I really liked this story! War goes better with bagpipes....Thanks Matt Drudge!

Let’s Play YOU BE DICTATOR!

You’ve just smashed the remains of a horrible tyrant’s Elite Republican Super Select Guard and Lootery. The Agents of Chaos have taken the day off, the forces of Order are ascendant, and now it’s up to YOU to dictate new laws to the population. Will your battle cry be "Democracy! Whiskey! Sexy!" or Rock the Casbah? Or a more traditional approach,

"I heard somebody singin’ sweet and soulful, on the radio:

Mohammed’s Radio….Ayatollah’s got his problems too!

Even Jimmy Carter’s got the Highway Blues…"

Warren Zevon, Mohammed’s Radio

What the hell yuh gonna do, Bucky? Rule with the Rod of Iron, or be known as the Pussy of Baghdad? Or the Pussy with the Iron Rod? The title Emir of the Principality of Obtuse Lower Middle Iraq is there for the taking, but will it spruce up your resume? Even worse, you could let France take over, or even even worse worse, (attn: Rant Coming!) The UN. (our motto: baby blue helmets make target practice fun!). After all, they’ve done so well in Kosovo and Rwanda---don’t they deserve to get their hands on some Real Big Oil bucks? They’ve been such patient little thieves so far, content to drain your tax dollars through various aid agencies that provide convenient fronts for grubby little Third World Dictators to squirrel away Monstrous Fortunes while bleeding "their" people and giving jobs to worthless relatives like OD and Queesy.

Ok, let’s figure that the UN just doesn’t fit in with your plans. You’ve got to make Iraq fun, develop the tourist industry, kick start the economy while all the time building a reputation for flawless customer service and Foreign Sin Far Away From Home, cheap. Just re-opening Saddam’s Museum of Severed Heads and Limbs is not going to do the trick. Islamofacists have no discernable sense of humor, and they only drink before they fly aircraft into infidel buildings, so let that be your starting ground. Bars and comedy clubs are your best friends. Schools of Avionics would be added later, if ever. Breweries will be necessary if you don’t want to keep importing expensive scotch, and they’ll provide more opportunities for Fedayeen Youth Brigades who have found themselves newly unemployed.

You’ll not want to repeat the error of Afghanistan---no matter what the local Warlord says, the population gets MTV and that’s final. Western culture rocks, so liberate the country from that awful french disco music while you’re at it. Bring back FM! More Rock, Less Talk! Give aways should include sports cars, in addition to MRE’s. A cable modem in every pot? It’s up to you. To avoid nasty tax problems, I suggest you take a libertarian approach to your regime---laws against (private) fraud and force, and a judicial system that protects property rights. That’s really all you need for now. Making the whole country a Free Trade Zone isn’t a bad idea either. Eliminate visa requirements for Americans (and when I say Americans, I mean North, South, and Central!) and Europeans too, even those wacky French. All tourists and anyone willing to invest in a condo should be welcome. The first impulse of the local religious folks will be to resist your reforms. Thus, deport anyone who attempts to start riots or political parties in your new country. Start a Democracy? What the Hell for?

Ever want to travel back in time, and use your knowledge of past events to make a killing in the stock market? If so, take a hint from Someone Who's Been There and avoid acting so goddamned suspicious. Ehhhh, what a maroon! Let's hope he holds out against the Federales and keeps his time machine location a secret, eh? I noticed this bit on this site which also has neat stuff on it. To get there, I went HERE so as you can see this is all Very Hard Work and not just sitting someplace staring out into the frozen wasteland that IS ANN ARBOR right at this very moment.

Just watched the Palace Tour on CNN, from Basra. During the course of the war I've seen more of Iraq than at anytime previous. Suprised because I thought it was all a desert wasteland, but no! Palm trees, rivers, warm weather---like Florida, but with a smaller retired population I'll bet. I wonder if there's any need for combat real estate agents in Iraq? If we're going to be colonial exploiters, or even the best pals of liberated Iraqis (the preferred option), there's going to be a need for defensible luxury digs. I'm thinking the palaces would do for some class a condos, hey?

Ever read a blog that linked to the New York Times? Just blew it off because they want WAY too much personal information? Use "laexaminer" for both userid and password. I forget where that turned up, but thanks to somebody!

What's even better than massive tax cuts? An end to the War on Drugs, which would have a similar effect. Consider that about 700,000 people are arrested for marijuana every year. It costs a lot for that many arrests, not counting the price of imprisoning all those people, prosecutions, police time, and wasted productivity. With an argument that the government needs to decide between the War on Terrorism and the War on Drugs, take a peek at Jacob Sullum's column.

Of course, by now everyone with half a brain knows that Michael Moore's Bowling for Columbine is a work of fiction. I think Dave Kopel is the first to compare it to the epic mockumentary This is Spinal Tap though. Read the massive fisking and review here.