Can you Guess What the Most Dangerous Drug in the World is?

Looks like we’re a couple of years behind the British when it comes to recognizing the deadliest drug available to man today…Alcohol!!!

2010 Findings – Study says “Alcohol More Dangerous Than Heroin”

MCDA modeling showed that heroin, crack cocaine, and metamfetamine were the most harmful drugs to individuals (part scores 34, 37, and 32, respectively), whereas alcohol, heroin, and crack cocaine were the most harmful to others (46, 21, and 17, respectively). Overall, alcohol was the most harmful drug (overall harm score 72), with heroin (55) and crack cocaine (54) in second and third places.

Interpretation

These findings lend support to previous work assessing drug harms, and show how the improved scoring and weighting approach of MCDA increases the differentiation between the most and least harmful drugs. However, the findings correlate poorly with present UK drug classification, which is not based simply on considerations of harm. (source)

The Battle Goes On: Medical Marijuana Supporters Sue City of Los Angeles to Stop Ban

                   GOOD DAY HUMBOLDT COUNTY!

What did voters vote for when they passed the 215 Law?

That’s the question poised at the heart of this controversial crack down. I doubt if there’s any way to check out that assertion, yet it’s the argument used by supporters of the pot ban. Nothing short of total legalization of marijuana will solve this issue. Meanwhile the battle goes on… 

“A medical marijuana trade group sued the city of Los Angeles Friday, seeking to stop officials from enforcing a new ban designed to shut down more than 1,000 pot dispensaries. The Patient Care Alliance, Los Angeles, or PCA-LA, announced that it filed a lawsuit Friday seeking an injunction against a controversial ordinance approved by the city council last month that supporters said was needed to grapple with the proliferation of marijuana dispensaries.

"The city council's actions are not only reckless, heartless and pointless, they're just plain stupid," said Marc O'Hara of PCA-LA. "The city knows that it will never be able to successfully defend this lawsuit."

It comes the same week that the city sent out letters to 1,046 locations where medical marijuana dispensaries are thought to be operating, according to the office of City Attorney Carmen Trutanich. The letter -- sent to 1,774 business and property owners, according to the city -- is cited in the lawsuit.

The letter, mailed Tuesday, instructs business owners that a new ordinance making their operations illegal becomes effective Sept. 6. The new city ordinance affects any "medical marijuana business," which is defined as "Any location where marijuana is cultivated, processed, distributed, delivered or given away to a qualified patient, a person with an identification card, or a primary caregiver," the letter states.

"Continuance of a medical marijuana business at this location may subject you to legal action resulting in a court ordered closure and imposition of monetary penalties of $2,500 a day, as well as prosecution for a misdemeanor, punishable by six months in jail and a $1,000.00 fine," the letter states. "Each day that the property is used in violation of city law is a separate violation."

The city attorney's office said in a statement that the letter "is not part of any enforcement scheme," noting it advises business owners to consult with their attorneys. The city's ordinance, approved unanimously after many hours of debate before a packed council chamber on July 24, generated lawsuit threats immediately.

Medical marijuana advocates also vowed to put a referendum on the ballot asking voters to halt enforcement of the ban until a forthcoming California Supreme Court decision is issued clarifying pot-shop regulation. Many dispensaries in the city have in recent weeks been gathering signatures for the ballot measure.

When the ordinance passed, city officials said Los Angeles had 762 registered dispensaries. The list of 1,046 locations that received letters this week were compiled from several sources, the city attorney's office said, adding that the locations had not been verified.

At the same time it approved its ban, the council also passed a measure asking city attorneys to study and draw up plans to allow 182 pot shops -- ones that registered with the city under a 2007 ordinance attempting to regulate the dispensaries -- to continue to operate. That seemingly contradictory move could take months to realize.

Friday's lawsuit was filed on behalf of 11 patients who have been prescribed medical marijuana for serious medical conditions, according to the complaint. It states that the city's ordinance is in conflict with California's 1996 law legalizing the medical use of marijuana – legislation that was passed by voters through Proposition 215.

Supporters of the city's pot-shop ban say that voters who approved of medical marijuana use never envisioned the development of a multi-billion-dollar industry in the state, nor the explosive growth of dispensaries and pot-focused medical clinics. The lawsuit argues that the city ordinance is unconstitutional and denies business owners due process.”  (source)

Time for me to walk on down the road…

 

The question is why are Army suicides becoming so common? There were 38 in July for a new high

                    Good Day Humboldt County!

When is the Army (and the rest of the armed forces) going to get at to the root of the suicide problem? They all claim to have programs to assist with PTSD after coming back from overseas, but what happens after multiple employments?

I think the answer is obvious. The chances of having PTSD multiples with each deployment. Our voluntary military servicemen and women are being abused…asked to to what no human should have to endure. There’s no question at all about why the suicide rate continues to climb. The hawks at the Pentagon know the answer, but it isn’t curbing their imperialistic plans in the least. Old men have no trouble sending young men into battles. It’s always been thus.    

“There were 38 suspected suicides among active-duty and reserve soldiers in July, according to data released Thursday by the U.S. Army.

That figure outpaces the 24 active-duty and reserve suicides the Army reported for the month of June and is the highest monthly number of suicides since record-keeping began a few years ago. 

The Department of Defense did not attempt to explain the abrupt surge in suicides for the month of July in a statement announcing the figures.

Bruce Shahbaz, a medical analyst on the Army’s Suicide Prevention Task Force, told Time that experts did notice the deaths of non-commissioned officers outnumbered those of junior enlisted members for the first time since 2001. NCOs are more likely to be older, married and at home between deployments, a period of time that can be turbulent and exacerbate stress, according to Shahbaz.

"Issues like minor depression, anxiety and sleep disturbances -- those things that are kind of related to post-traumatic stress -- begin to surface after a service member has been home for more than a year, and start to reintegrate with their family … I liken it to a pot that’s on simmer -- having that person stay back home and reintegrate with their family sometimes allows that pot to boil over," Shahbaz told Time.

The Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), a non-profit organization that provides counseling resources to suicide survivors, estimates that each death personally impacts 10 people. TAPS said that each week, eight to 10 people grieving for a service member who died by suicide seek its services.

"We are deeply saddened by these numbers, and renew our commitment to support the families left behind who are grieving the death of soldiers by suicide," the organization said in a statement.

So far in 2012, the Army has confirmed 66 active-duty suicides and continues to investigate 50 more, for a total of 116 cases. There were 165 confirmed active-duty suicides in 2011.” (source)

Time for me to walk on down the road…

TRENDING: REPLYING TO AN INVITATION TO A SCIENTIST'S BALL…

          Good Day Humboldt County!

I’m feeling a little quirky today and when I found this little essay, it made my day!

            REPLYING TO AN INVITATION

                TO A SCIENTIST'S BALL

•  Pierre and Marie Curie were radiating enthusiasm.
•  Einstein thought it would be relatively easy to attend.
•  Volta was electrified and Archimedes, buoyant at the thought.
•  
• Ampere was worried he wasn't up to current research.
• Ohm resisted the idea at first.
• Boyle said he was under too much pressure.
• Edison thought it would be an illuminating experience.
• Watt reckoned it would be a good way to let off steam.
• Stephenson thought the whole idea was loco.
• Wilbur Wright accepted, provided he and Orville could get a flight.
• Dr Jekyll declined -- he hadn't been feeling himself lately.
• Morse's reply: "I'll be there on the dot. Can't stop now must dash."
• Heisenberg was uncertain if he could make it.
• Hertz said in the future he planned to attend with greater frequency.
• Henry begged off due to a low capacity for alcohol.
• Audobon said he'd have to wing it.
• 
•  Hawking said he'd try to string enough time together to make a space in his schedule.
•  Darwin said he'd have to see what evolved.
• Schrodinger had to take his cat to the vet, or did he?
•  Mendel said he'd put some things together and see what came out.
•  Descartes said he'd think about it.
• Newton was moved to attend.
• Pavlov was drooling at the thought.
• Gauss was asked to attend because of his magnetic personality.
•  JP Clark & Siegfried the Deerslayer Wanna-Be

source

Time for me to walk on down the road…

Discovery and Revival of Lost Ancient Wisdom: The Triptych Temples Of Atlantis

• By Richard Casaro

• Unprecedented New Archaeological Evidence That A Highly Advanced “Lost Civilization” Once Flourished—In A Remote Age Older Than Recorded Time

• Did the world’s first cultures inherit the same high wisdom from the same more ancient but now-vanished Mother Culture?

• Journalist, speaker and author of Written In Stone: Decoding The Secret Masonic Religion Hidden In Gothic Cathedrals And World Architecture.

• The ancient pyramid cultures all built these Triptych (Three-Door) Temples. Does this mean they shared the same religion?

• The book uncovers a lost Wisdom Tradition that was practiced globally in antiquity, found memorialized in pyramids, Triptychs, and identical images worldwide. The central tenets of this tradition have been perpetuated in Western "Secret Societies." The most visible of these is the so-called "Masonic Fraternity," an age-old chivalric Order whose ranks have included Europe's Gothic cathedral builders and America's Founding Fathers: www.DeeperTruth.com                                 Source

Inspirational Acomplishments: 20 Most Impressive Science Fair Projects Of All Time

               Good Day Humboldt County!

While science fair projects still typically consist of papier mache volcanoes, LEGO robots, and crystals grown in a jar, many students these days are going above and beyond the staples, taking on projects that would even be awe-inspiring as a college thesis.

From exploring the effectiveness of cancer treatments to revolutionizing the disposal of plastics, these students prove you don't have to be an adult to have amazing, world-changing ideas about science. Take a look at these 20 amazing science fair projects we've listed here. They may just inspire you to step up your game in your own college-level science courses.

1. Nuclear Fusion Reactor — Thiago Olsen

With a budget of only $3,500, Michigan high school student Thiago Olsen built a nuclear fusion reactor in his garage when he was only 15 years old. How did he do it? He studied physics textbooks, used vacuum pump manuals, and surfed the Web for the best deals on parts. While his device is not self-sustaining and produces fusion only on a small scale, it's a pretty impressive feat for any teenager.

                                  2. Diesel Hybrid Car — West Philadelphia High School

Working as a team at West Philadelphia High School, students constructed a diesel-hybrid race car that can go from zero to 60 in just four seconds. If that speed wasn't already impressive enough, the vehicle also gets more than 60 miles to the gallon. The students constructed it for entry into the Automotive X contest, with a grand prize of $10 million — the only high schoolers in the nation to do so. They are reworking their design to improve their chances of winning, and hope to get the car up to 100 mpg.

            3. Chemical-Sniffing LEGO Robot — Anna Simpson

Many a science fair project involves LEGOs, but few on the level that Anna Simpson's does. Her robot, built of the plastic blocks, is capable of sniffing out toxic chemicals and other hazards, keeping humans at a safe distance. Simpson's work won her the California State Science Fair and could have a number of industrial and public safety applications if adapted.

4. Quantum Computing For Difficult Computational Problems — Yale Fan

Despite his name, this young genius chose Harvard over Yale to continue working on his education. Part of what got him there, undoubtedly, was this impressive bit of science. Yale's research project, titled "Adiabatic Quantum Algorithms for Boolean Satisfiability" analyzed the applications of quantum computing for solving some of the most complex and difficult computational problems. Most adults don't have half an idea what that even means, so it's all the more impressive that this teen was already studying it in high school. GO HERE TO SEE THE REST.

Time for me to walk on down the road…

Where’s the Justice? Man shot 28 times and lives to tell his story only to end up in prison for 40 years!

As much of the country follows the Trayvon Martin case, activists in Chicago are hoping to bring some of that attention to Howard Morgan, a former Chicago police officer who was shot 28 times by white officers -- and lived to tell his side of the story.

Morgan was off-duty as a detective for the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad when he was pulled over for driving the wrong way on a one-way street on Feb 21, 2005, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. While both police and Morgan agree on that much, what happened next is a mystery.

Morgan was sentenced Thursday to serve 40 years in prison, essentially a life sentence.

To learn more about Howard Morgan's case, visit FreeHowardMorgan.com.

Snippets from a Genius: the top 10 Gore Vidal Quotes

                    Good Day Humboldt County!

If your not familiar with Gore Vidal, here’s 10 of his most well known quotes. They give you brief glances into the mind of a genius ahead of his time. Thought provoking and true, these quotes are for you:

                      #10 - DENTED HUMAN TOYS

"It is marvelous indeed to watch on television the rings of Saturn close; and to speculate on what we may yet find at galaxy's edge. But in the process, we have lost the human element; not to mention the high hope of those quaint days when flight would create 'one world.' Instead of one world, we have 'star wars,' and a future in which dumb dented human toys will drift mindlessly about the cosmos long after our small planet's dead."—Armageddon?, 1987

                           #09 - CHERISHED BELIEFS

"Laughing at someone else is an excellent way of learning how to laugh at oneself, and questioning what seem to be the absurd beliefs of another group is a good way of recognizing the potential absurdity of many of one's own cherished beliefs." —Homage to Daniel Shays, 1972

         #08 – DISSENT

"The corporate grip on opinion in the United States is one of the wonders of the Western World. No First World country has ever managed to eliminate so entirely from its media all objectivity—much less dissent." —A View from the Diner's Club, 1991

      #07 - PUBLIC OPINION

"At any given moment, public opinion is a chaos of superstition, misinformation, and prejudice." —"Sex and the Law," Partisan Review, Summer

Read the rest of the quotes here.

Time for me to walk on down the road…

NEWS FLASH! FIRST COMMUNICATION WITH MARTIANS TOOK PLACE TODAY!

Via my buddy Carl!

How Far Will He Go? Is Legalizing Weed Obama's Secret Weapon?

  Good Day Humboldt County!

 With the race for a repeat in the White House tightening up on President Obama, he’s pulling pulling out some nasty ass ads to demonize Romney.

 But I think he and his staff knows that it’s going to take something dramatic to get that younger vote again. He’s disappointed a lot of people by not keeping some key campaign pledges the first time around. 

One of those broken promises was his reversal on medical marijuana rights. States rights are being violated daily because Obama’s boys are playing dirty with legal dispensaries in spite of the fact the dispensaries are in state and county compliance. Here’s an interesting article from the Atlantic Wire on the subject: 

                                         By Elspeth Reeve

“In 2004 George W. Bush's re-election campaign worked to put anti-gay marriage ballot initiatives up for vote in several swing states in order to turn out more hard-core conservatives to the polls. This year the question is whether marijuana legalization measures will turn out young voters for Obama.

Bush's plan to use gay marriage bans -- in states that did not actually allow gay marriage -- as a turnout booster led to signs featuring icky public restroom symbols proliferated and liberal panic that the Christian right had taken over. The press obsessed over "values voters." One of Bush's aides, Ken Mehlman, who later came out as gay himself, has apologized for the strategy, two others say it didn't work.

This year there's another incumbent president with modest approval ratings who could turn out his base with controversial ballot measures. But this time, the issue features no biblical or scatological imagery. In 2012, voters in swing states will decide whether they'll allow their fellow citizens to bear joints. Unlike the gay marriage votes, there's no indication that Obama's re-election team is behind any of the pot legalization initiatives, but there are Democrats who are hoping that it will boost turnout among weed's biggest fans: young people.

Getting more young people to vote has long been a Democratic fantasy, since they tend to vote so heavily Democratic. But past attempts to bong the vote have been disappointing, in part because stoners aren't the group anyone would most count on to bother filling out a ballot. Ahead of the 2010 midterms, The Wall Street Journal ran the story, "Democrats Look to Cultivate Pot Vote in 2012," noting that California's pot-legalizing Proposition 19 was being studied to see if similar measures "could energize young, liberal voters in swing states for the 2012 presidential election."

But exit polls that year showed no spike in young voter turnout, and marijuana legalization was the top issue for just 1 in 10 voters, the Los Angeles Times reported. (Also: Californians ended up voting down Prop. 19.) Still, there were hopeful signs: 64 percent of voters 18-to-24 supported it, and 52 percent of voters 25-to-29 did. In March, the pro-legalization site Just Say Now suggested that the presidential election will draw more young people to the polls, and they'll vote for pot legalization while they're there. (Read the whole story here)

Time for me to walk on down the road…