Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Commercial locksmith? So the feds had another massive raid yesterday serving a warrant... Federal law enforcement agents raided [...] home in Girdwood on Monday, hauling off undisclosed items from inside and taking extensive pictures and video. [...] Neighbors said agents showed up between 11 a.m. and noon and that a commercial locksmith was called to open the front door. Locksmith? When did they start using locksmiths? Feds know what a locksmith is? And that a locksmith isn't a battering ram? Where's the tank knocking down the door? Where's the 4 a.m. surprise raid with flash-bombs and shooting the dog? Oh, I see -- this is simply a corrupt U.S. senator who is suspected of violating his oath to the Constitution, committing high crimes and misdemeanors, and stealing millions of dollars from taxpayers, not some dangerous pot smoker. 12:15:35 PM |  drug policy | Links | permalink | comment []

The bizarre need for the press to giggle about pot When the media isn't demonizing marijuana, the best they often can do is snicker at it. They love to make "funny" comments about pot -- it's like it's their chance to be... cool? Well I think I've found a candidate for The Longest Stretch to Make a Pot Joke in an Article award. It's Gareth McGrath in the Wilmington Morning Star. Now this is merely an article about the use of sandbags along the North Carolina coast and how biodegradable materials (such as cotton, flax, or hemp) are being considered in order to allow the bags to naturally disintegrate over time. So how did he write the story? Check out the completely irrelevant opening and closing. Call it the Cheech and Chong bag. As the N.C. Coastal Resources Commission wrestles with what to do about the proliferation of sandbags along the state's coastline, one idea that's been floated is to make the bags biodegradable. And one of the materials under consideration is hemp - the industrial, non-hallucinogenic cousin of marijuana. In short, that would be one way to make sure the sandbags get rolled up instead of becoming semi-permanent structures along the North Carolina coast. [...] "There are a lot of unknowns out there right now," Geiss said of the practicality of using biodegradable sandbags. Or as Cheech and Chong might say, there's still a good chance the concept could go up in smoke. Heh. 12:22:17 AM |  drug policy | Links | permalink | comment []

Open thread I have often said that the leadership in the African American community need to speak up more against the drug war. Well, here's the Reverend Jesse Jackson. Earl Ofari Hutchinson speaks out in Pleas on Larry King for Lohan, But What About Other Drug Offenders? Radley Balko has an update on the death of innocent Issac Singletary at the hands of cops for protecting his own property. Bill Conroy has coverage and questions about corruption and the disappearance of federal funds in the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program. And now for something completely different: DEAsy Pickings. Operation Low-Hanging Fruit, indeed. If you're looking for more news, check out The Speakeasy -- They've got a number of good posts there. 12:02:12 AM |  drug policy | Links | permalink | comment []