Father’s Day: Dads empower kids to take chances

Happy Father’s Day to all you dad’s out there!

Enjoy your day. It’s the one day of the year where Dad’s are always right!

Roughhousing with Dad can teach life lessons, studies find

Pirate cook saves hostages, faces life on the run

The pirate cook smuggled food to the terrified hostages held by his gang off the Somali coast.

When the pirates started talking about harvesting their organs for cash, he sneaked them guns.

The hostages killed the pirates and escaped. But now the life of the Somali cook, known only as Ahmed, is in danger.

For Good ‘ol Dad - Meet the 'Mother of Father's Day'

Sonora Smart Dodd spent more than six decades fighting for the holiday she started

Father's Day turns 100 this year, thanks to the tireless efforts of Sonora Smart Dodd (pictured at right). She spent 62 years drumming up support for the holiday until President Nixon finally made it an official national observance in 1972.

Related story:

Father’s Day marks evolution of Dad

SBX6 – 16: NORML says it’s ‘ill-considered, premature’

A bill to tax medical marijuana like tobacco is scheduled for hearings by the State Senate Revenue & Taxation Comittee next Wednesday, June 23rd.

 The bill,  SBX6 -16 by Sen. Ronald Calderon of Montebello, would tax all sales of cannabis (except wholesale-level distribution to collectives or cooperatives) at a rate equal to the tobacco products tax rate.

Sen. Calderon's office has been evasive about discussing the bill and has not returned phone calls from medical marijuana proponents.

 Patient advocates strongly oppose taxing medical marijuana.  "We cannot support taxes on medical marijuana at present inflated black-market prices," stated California NORML in opposition to the bill.  "Many patients are poor and living on disability.   Until current laws are changed to clearly recognize the legality of cannabis sales, any tax proposals are highly premature and unwarranted. "

The provisions of SBX6 16 lack basic understanding of  cannabis, which is dissimilar to tobacco both in its health effects and how it is marketed.   Tobacco is taxed by the cigarette, while cannabis is sold by weight, making it difficult to make sense of the bill's mandate that they be taxed "at the same rate."

 Because SBX6 -16 is a tax bill, it requires a 2/3 majority for passage.   Opponents are hopeful that they can defeat the bill in committee.   Medical marijuana supporters are urged to contact the committee in opposition to SBX6-16.

   Committee Chair: Sen. Lois Wolk (D-Davis).   Members: Sen. Elaine Alquist (D-San Jose); Mimi Walters (R-Laguna Niguel);  Roy Ashburn (R-Bakersfield);  and Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima).

                      Cal NORML letter of opposition:

Dear Sen. Wolk:

As co-sponsors of Prop. 215, we wish to state our objections to SBX6 16, the proposed "Cannabis Tax Law" (Sen. Calderon).

Until current laws are modified to clarify the legality of sale of medical cannabis, any such proposal is premature. At present, the legal status of medical marijuana sales and distribution remains hazy and disputed.  Whereas some localities have recognized legal sales of medical marijuana through licensed dispensaries, others have not.  Some legal authorities, including the city attorney and D.A. of Los Angeles, insist that such sales are flatly illegal, and many distributors continue to experience raids and arrest by local police.  Until this uncertainty is resolved and conditions for legal sale firmly established in state law, the state lacks clear authority to demand taxes.  In addition, the voters will be considering a "Tax and Regulate" initiative this November that could substantially change state laws on marijuana.

We cannot support taxes on medical marijuana at present inflated black-market prices. Many patients are poor and living on disability.  It is hard to justify a special tax on one kind of medicine but not on others.  SBX6 16 would create a two-tier system, in which lawful marijuana for medical use would be taxed, but illicit non-medical marijuana would not. The effect of this would be to encourage illegal, non-medical production.

SBX6 16 fails to set forth a coherent taxation scheme for cannabis.  The scheme for tobacco taxation set forth in Revenue & Taxation Code Sections 31001ff does not work for marijuana.  Tobacco is taxed by the cigarette, whereas marijuana is sold by weight.  Logically, any taxation system for marijuana should also be scaled to the weight content of its major active ingredient, THC.   Because of its minimal production costs, any taxes on marijuana should be established at a fixed excise rate, not as a percentage of price or revenues, since the latter could easily plummet by an order of magnitude in a true legal market.  For in-depth analysis, see my paper on the "Economics of Cannabis Legalization," at www.canorml.org/ background/mjeconomics.html.

We urge the committee to reject SBX6 16 as ill-considered and premature.

Sincerely, Dale Gieringer,  Director, California NORML

Lakers beat Celtics for their 16th Championship!

BACK-TO-BACK CHAMPIONSHIPS - As a Laker fan since they moved to LA, this is one of the sweetest playoff games I ever saw them win! Beating the hated Boston Celtics in a Game 7 has never happened before. Up till now all four Game 7’s between the two storied franchises in their history, had gone to the Celtics. The real MVPs of the game were Ron Artest and Pau Gasol, but Kobe got the award based upon the whole series.

Winning this series against the Celtics makes up for the Finals two years ago when the Celtics beat the Lakers. This time, the Lakers weren’t bullied by the Bean Town Boys, and actually roughed them up in a decidedly ugly game.

PHOTO - Kobe Bryant runs up the court as the Lakers win their second consecutive NBA title in an 83-79 victory over the Boston Celtics on Thursday. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times / June 17, 2010)

Republican-on-Republican rage - Republican forced to apologize for BP apology

The Democrats are are sure to make hay in November with remarks like what Texas Rep. Joe Barton said when he called the deal with Obama and BP ($20 Billion for restitution) a “shakedown.”

He isn't alone in the GOP. There’s more than one Republican who wants to stay cozy with Big Oil and keep the rewards rolling. Barton (photo right) managed to piss off influential Republican leaders concerned about the November elections and was forced to backtrack from his own stupid statement.

What disgusts me is how these cheesy politicians try to put a spin on BP being a good business partner! What a laugh! The corrupt, and incestuous relationship between BP (and other big oil companies) with our lawmakers is like a cancer that keeps spreading. But how to stop it? Look at their gall. They’re already playing “poor me” because a private industry has to pay for it’s destruction of the Mexican Gulf Coast.

Before we know it they’ll be back drilling in deep waters. All we can do is watch our fragile coastlines deteriorate while the fat cats line their pockets with black gold from the blue sea. Or we could start voting the dumb shits out of office! Now there’s a thought…but where can an honest politician be found to replace them?

As It Stands, we all know there’s no such creature. 

 

Odd News for Thursday: Southwest seizes dozens of human heads

                 HEADS UP!

In case you weren’t aware there’s a thriving black market for body parts in this country. In this case it looks like the heads were shipped legally.

Nevertheless, authorities are being careful and checking out all the paper work involved in the shipment of skulls.

Ark. officials now investigating… whether body parts were legally obtained

The end of the childhood best friend?

I just don’t agree with the idea that having a best friend isn’t a positive thing. I think educators are going over the top in getting involved in children’s everyday function –

Concern over cliques means some schools discourage kids from having best friends.

Photo: Margaret Guest, center, in striped shirt, often has groups of friends at her home in Dunwoody, Ga.

Democrats challenge Pentagon on Afghan war

Someone has to bring America’s longest war to an end. The madness has to stop. I dare to hope that it will be soon.

A schism deepens between military leaders and Congress as lawmakers — crucial Democrats among them — challenge Pentagon assertions that progress is picking up in Afghanistan. Full story

Best Idea for 2010: Gates, Buffett to megarich: Give it up

What a great idea! Think what a boost it would be to the numerous charities that do a lot of good in this country, but are struggling because of the recession.

Enough funding can literally mean life and death for thousand of Americans who desperately need help.

They want their billionaire peers to pledge 50 percent to charity!

PHOTO: Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, shown in 2004, in Redmond, Wash., are spearheading a drive to get the superrich to donate an extraordinary amount of money to charity.