Sunday, February 15, 2009

Missouri NORML/SSDP Conference I'll be giving my Elevator Arguments presentation/workshop at the 2009 Missouri NORML/SSDP Conference on Friday, February 20 at 6 pm in the Arts and Sciences Building on the University of Missouri campus in Columbia, MO. The conference sounds excellent, and I'm excited to be part of it. It'll be continuing through Saturday, and I look forward to seeing some of you there. Congrats to Evan Groll, Sean Randall and Scott Lauher for putting it together. 10:12:21 PM | drug policy | Related  | permalink | comment []

Don't talk to the police Via Nobody's Business: If you ever become a person of interest in a police investigation, or are ever arrested, or are merely pulled over for a traffic violation -- the only sane thing to do is to shut your mouth. Take the fifth. Even if you are wholly innocent. Even if you were -- honest officer! -- going to tell nothing but the truth. Watch this entertaining (and scary) lecture by ace law professor James Duane of Regent University School of Law. James Duane: Officer George Bruch, Virginia Beach Police Department responds, saying "Everything he said is true." 10:00:49 PM | drug policy | Related  | permalink | comment []

Steve Steiner keeps trying (unsuccessfully) to be relevant Pretty poor timing for our dead-son exploiting* Steve Steiner. On February 10, I noted that Gil Kerlikowske had been selected as the new drug czar nominee. This was confirmed by the next day. On February 13, Steve Steiner puts out a media advisory: Media Advisory: Guest for Discussion on National Drug Czar Position Father who lost his son to drug overdose ready to speak up on National Drug Czar position. No, he wasn't making himself available to discuss Gil Kerlikowske. He had apparently missed the news. The media advisory was to promote someone else: Mr. Steiner feels passionate about the current issue and has someone in mind for the position -- Mr. Ronald Brooks So who is Ronald Brooks? I've written about him before He's a hard-core opportunistic drug warrior, who also happens to be a first-class illiterate idiot. About the only worse choices would be Calvina Fay, Mark Souder, or the Semblers. The good news about this silliness is that if people like Steiner and Brooks are what the opposition have to offer, the drug war is doomed. *for those who don't know about Steiner and think I'm being insensitive, note that his son overdosed from crushing and snorting OcyContin, and Steiner now accepts money from Purdue Pharmaceuticals (makers of OxyContin) to campaign against medical marijuana. 7:42:28 PM | drug policy | Related  | permalink | comment []