Springsteen.

Listen to what he says before breaking into “Livin’ In The Future”

In this election year I have been wondering how to cast my vote. Not totally on board with Obama I am searching for a reason to support a candidate. I found this little ad that makes me rethink everything I have said so far. Take a look and see if it can help convince you to vote Republican as well.

tip o’ the space helmet to Mahakala.

There’s a hole in daddy’s arm where all the money goes…

John Prine

“Sam Stone”

Nuff said.

Ted got on his Soapbox 2.0 to talk about drugs and our soldiers. No…not that fine Afghani hash or the deadly opium and heroin available in the middle east, but about the prescription anti-depressants they are giving the troops. Maybe if they were smoking the hash they would be in a better mental state…naw…your mental health is gonna be horrible when death and suffering surrounds you. Especially when you are part of the cause of the suffering and your best buddy from The World just died in your arms.

As a former user of anti depressants I know that they “help” you cope with horrible life events by giving you an “I just don’t give a fuck” attitude about life…or death. What a handy tool for the government to keep problems down when the soldiers are told they are being flopped into another tour as part of the stop-loss backdoor draft. What a great stride to keeping the troops who invade homes filled with children and old folks in an I don’t care place of mind.

The article he links also talks about the numbers of antidepressant patients deployed in the middle east who are committing suicide. I like the pill’s depiction in the graphic in this Time article.

A few days ago I posted an article about H.B.5843. The bill Rep. Barney Frank presented along with Ron Paul to the U.S.House Of Representatives.

Here is a link to another bloggers article about this very important bill. The bill would free the states to ok medical marijuana without federal interference.

Read this one too, then get off your butts and contact your congresspersons and representatives and demand this bill pass.

A Left Independant

Orwellian 1984 has made it to China. The production of constant surveillance equipment is high. How long until “Golden Shield” technology is in place in your town? Is it already there?

This article from Naomi Klien is long but worth the read at Rolling Stone .com.

Here is another link to commentary and analisys of the impact on the United States. The Left Coaster

Representatives Barny Frank of Massachusetts and Ron Paul of Texas introduced House Bill 5843 back in April. The bill would allow users of marijuana to possess and smoke the herb without federal penalties. This would surely cover medical marijuana patients in the states where it is legal now. While the bill allows for states to make their own laws concerning possession many states already have decriminalized small amounts and some have laws legalizing it for medicinal purposes.

While this bill is still in front of 2 committees I urge you to write your representatives in support of this bill. I will provide you with two links that have an article as well as easy links to write to your congress persons. WashingtonWatch.com

and the NORML site.

Senator Kennedy was diagnosed with a malignant glioma tumor in his brain. This is a fairly rare, always fatal tumor that has been studied all over. Many studies have shown how marijuana used as a treatment can slow or stop the growth of these very tumors. Too bad the government wont allow these studies to influence medicine here in the senators own country.

This video is almost 10 minutes long but is full of good info about treating glioma paitents with the natural herb.

Thanks Senator Kennedy for all the good work you have done for our country. I wish you and your family the best for the future.

Tip of the space helmet to Michael at cannablog.

Greggris sent this to me. Have a smoke for freedom.

The American College Of Physicians, with 124,000 members, are calling on the government to end the arrests of patients who use medical marijuana. They are asking Michigan voters to pass a bill in November barring the persecution of people in pain from disease or treatment of disease.

This and more on the story, complete with links, can be found at Cannibisnews.com.

After showing his ass before the Iowa and New Hampshire votes were cast President Bill Clinton quietened down for a bit. He has been appearing in public more lately after a brief hiatus. It seems he is becoming visible again in a much more subdued form. The dutiful husband form. The under the thumb form. The FORMER president form.

But the real Bill story is coming from Santa Fe it seems. The democratic front runners are courting the man who dropped from the race January 10. The man who can help them win. The one person who has the right experience in foreign relations. New Mexico’s Governor Bill Richardson.

Bill Richardson’s record on a local, national and international level is tremendous. He worked in the Bill Clinton administration as an Ambassador to the U.N. as well as 14 years as congressman. He was our Secretary of Energy under Clinton. While serving our country he visited many countries around the world promoting good relations with “troublesome” leaders. He did such a good job in the old days with leaders like Saddam Hussein that George W Bush sent him to North Korea last year to deal with Kim Jong il and the nuclear crisis. He came away with success. N. Korea agreed to stop producing weapons and invited the U N to send in inspectors.

In New Mexico he pushed for a medical marijuana law that was shot down 6 times before it passed on the 7th try. Although the Feds are giving growers and patients grief he is pushing for less federal involvement on the laws of our nation. Maybe if he had a position high in the federal government the D.E.A. and other cops would start leaving individuals alone. When asked how the MMJ laws would affect his presidential campaign he said it didn’t matter as “it was the right thing to do”.
He has made law here that gives incentives to homeowners and businesses that go with alternative energy to power their electrical needs. Passed bills requiring the big power companies to use solar or wind for a growing percentage of their output.

He has demanded an end to the US occupation of Iraq. The return of our troops from the face of danger is a high priority in his political opinion. With 3970 American soldiers killed there so far he strongly supports the troops by calling for their rapid return.

President Clinton watched the Super Bowl with the Governor a few weeks ago. Mrs. Clinton stays in close touch with him. Barack Obama calls him often, on the average of every 3 days. They both have told him that they need him. His endorsement would swing so many votes their way and they both know his support would make the candidacy, and the election, theirs.

Richardson has said he is not going to put the offer of possibly being a Vice Presidential running mate or a Secretary of State appointment aside. He is staying in touch with both Obama and Clinton during their campaigns and is remaining friendly and non-controversial. No endorsements yet and thats probably a good thing.

If he were to become the VP nominee for either he would bring a lot to their campaign. Obama’s campaign would benefit from the experience and maturity he would bring. Clinton’s organization would be better off with his diplomatic attitude diverting the publics attention from the silly stuff her husband spews. The nation would be much better off with him as our Vice President what with his “progressive” ideas and policies. As Secretary of State he would be an asset to help heal the broken and bruised image of America the rest of the world has.

So with these thoughts, and others, in mind I am now going to make the Alien Trucker’s endorsement in this presidential race. I am saying, on the record, I am endorsing whoever Bill Richardson endorses. Especially if he is chosen as their running mate.

Does it really matter who I support? I don’t guess so but at least you know how I feel.

I felt like hell yesterday. I actually wished I had a pain pill. Oh yeah, I had a couple of bowls of weed, but thats not enough sometimes. But I’m honest about it. Unlike Nancy Reagan I have never even tried to say no to drugs.

I have my limits and don’t take the opiates anymore as I don’t want to become a “junkie” again. Withdrawals from Oxycodone and morphine were hell and I choose not to poison my body with liver damaging drugs. But pain can make you long for relief and sometimes a knockout drug can bring just that. Knocked out relief.

I am hoping, in the darkest recesses of my soul, that the evil bitch who promoted the “Just Say No” campaign from the White House in the ’80’s is suffering greatly from her fall on Sunday. At 86 Nancy may not even remember the hate campaign that our taxpayers over-funded and she yammered on about. In doing so, she set the re-legalization or decriminalization of marijuana back many years. Stopped progress of medical marijuana education, legalization and acceptance by our society. She also helped her senile husband, the Bush puppet Ronnie, declare war on his own people and say the war was on drugs.

The “War On Drugs” has cost the American taxpayer billions over the years. Many lives have been messed up after arrests of marijuana. In some places possession of even a small amount of the plant can catch someone a long prison sentence so the lives of their family, friends along with their own are messed up for a long time. Seizure of property is making the cops richer. Extra money has been put into drug task forces for local and state law enforcement agencies, special “drug court” in some states and the massive expansions of our penal system are results of this womans horrible anti-drug high horse she shouted hate from.

But now she is in a place where the drugs are necessary. Drugs from Big Pharm of course. The people who lobby and help fund anti-marijuana propaganda. The corporations who backed her “Just Say No” bullshit when she lived in Washington, D.C.. To relieve the pain she relied on her old money buddies.

I hope the medication makes her sick.

 Machines have been a boon to the modern world. From small ones to open that can of beans to complicated computer operated monsters that load ocean going ships machines make our lives easier. In Japan there are many machines but the vending machine is everywhere. From soft drinks to blue jeans it can be had out of a machine.

A Los Angeles dispensary has moved forward to bring the hassles and costs of medical marijuana down by moving into the 21st century. Starting Monday they offer 5 types of weed in vending machines. It’s not like running up and buying a candy bar and a Coke because various safeguards have been implemented. Your prescription card must be inserted and a picture will be taken as you make the purchase.

They claim that the ease of purchase will bring costs down by cutting employees needed to dispense the drug and I don’t really like that side of it but the convenience factor is acceptable. Making medicine available to terminally ill patients quicker may help more than one. No long lines. No waiting till the people ahead of them get theirs filled before they can get relief.  Sometimes though some folks want to talk to a real person just to have human contact. With a machine you just don’t get that personal service.

When they let the employees go I hope their severance package is kind.