As It Stands: Why Humboldt County will survive marijuana legalization

By Dave Stancliff/For the Times-Standard

Posted: 05/23/2010 01:30:10 AM PDT

I doubt the first pot pioneers in Humboldt County, referred to as “back-to-the-landers” during the late 1960s, realized they might someday sow the seeds for an industry which could financially bail out the state of California.

In a delightful, ironic twist, those intrepid pioneers who fled the establishment to seek a simpler way of life must now re-establish contact with the “man” if they want to survive legalization and maintain their way of life.

Most fear legalization. They worry their profit margin will shrink so badly -- from taxes and competition -- they won't be able to make a living. Some ask if growing for medical marijuana dispensaries will be enough to keep them in business.

The good news is that growers, law enforcement officials, nonprofits and city governments are already holding public meetings to work out what happens here after legalization. One of the first meetings, held in Garberville (Southern Humboldt) in March, was covered nationwide.

What's After Pot (WAP) founder Anna Hamilton spoke during the Garberville meeting about the need to save the pot economy and prepare for legalization. She's attempting to bring local growers together so they can adapt to paying taxes and becoming part of the system they ran away from 40 years ago.

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UPDATES: 25 Web sites carrying this column:

All Voices

The Survival Times

Drug Policy Central

Hempire/T.H.C. Magazine

Drug Sense

Cannabis Co-pilot News

The Media Awareness Project

 420 Magazine

Cannabis taxation and Regulation

Smoke-In

Marijuana

Smokkr

USA4MMJ

Zack.antville

Drug policy Central

777Cannabis

Mahalo

The Marijuana Blog

Weed News

Saskatchewan Marijuana Party

Oregon NORML

Salem NORML

Cannabis Liberty

THCpress

AmsterdamShops

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The end of an era: Spaceships get day in the sun

Silhouettes of the shuttle Atlantis and the International Space Station pass over
the sun's disk in a May 16 picture captured by astrophotographer Thierry Legault. 
Go to Legault's website, Astrophoto.fr. to get a better view.

Go here to read the whole story.

To get an idea of what will happen to Atlantis after it lands, check out this must-see video on the Air & Space website.

The space shuttle Atlantis' final mission is hitting new heights for fantastic pictures - in part because every flight brings improvements in NASA's capability to capture imagery, and in part because photographers are taking extra care to document the end of the shuttle era. For us earthbound spectators, it's the next best thing to being there.

DMV says woman’s from ‘Eat Ass’ Florida – where’s that?

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Apparently someone at the DMV office has a warped sense of humor, and changed Ashlee Lineberger’s city of residence from Englewood to Eat Ass!

When she and her husband took the license back to be corrected, they were greeted with laughter and told they’d have to pay another $48 to get it fixed!

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See what happened next here.

 

Big business bets on GOP with campaign cash

The swing in money from corporate PACs is unusual

“The change comes as top Republicans lawmakers appeal more directly to business leaders, putting them on notice that the GOP is keeping track of the corporate donations ledger and will remember who stood by the party. As part of an effort dubbed "Sell the Fight," House Republican leaders have met privately with corporate executives and lobbyists to argue that their giving has tilted too far toward Democrats and that they need to steer more money to industry-friendly GOP candidates in key races in 2010.”                                                                       Image source

Salmonella triggers nationwide sprout recall

Alfalfa sprouts were sold in at least 18 states; 23 sickened so far

Salmonella poisoning has triggered a nationwide recall of alfalfa sprouts, the Oregon TV station KMTR has reported.

The sprouts were sold in at least 18 states and 23 people, including a baby, in 10 states has been sickened, according to KMTR.

The sprouts were produced by the California company Caldwell Fresh Foods and were sold under various names at stores including Walmart, Trader Joe's and other locations.

News source and Photo source

With an ugly mug like mine I could be arrested!

Like many Americans, I’m not photogenic and my facial features are not fine enough to be considered handsome.

I’ve read numerous studies about “pretty people” having all kinds of advantages in life.

Now, it turns out having an ugly mug makes you more 22 percent more likely to be convicted of a crime, according to a Cornell University study.

And to make it even worse, convicted blockaways (you know, the ones who look better a block away) are more likely to get hit with a longer, harsher sentence than the average-looking defendants of the world.

Jersey! Since when did New Jersey get it’s own flag?

 The image on the right (forgive the poor quality) was taken from my stat counter this morning.

 A reader with no address, and the word  Jersey, stopped by a half hour ago. The viewer’s only form of ID was this flag and the word – Jersey. Jersey what? New Jersey?

Is there a country called Jersey? Maybe an island?

This is driving me crazy! I’ve had two cups of coffee so far this morning and I feel alert, but am I missing something? Do you recognize this flag? If so, please share with me where it’s from. I‘d sure appreciate it.

Rand Paul: Obama BP criticism 'un-American'

Even clinging to his Dad’s (Congressman Ron Paul’s) coat-tails won’t save Rand Paul when he makes stupid remarks like “accidents happen” regarding the Mexican Gulf oil spill. Or, when he spouts off that criticizing BP is “un-American”

His feelings about Big Oil is apparent. He’s defending a private company (and not even an American one) so the oil drilling crowd will coronate him as it’s next public defender. That should get a lot of votes from the “Drill, baby, drill” contingent, but it’ll be bad news for our environment. 

I admit that I like the idea that he’s not a career politician, but clueless is clueless. The more you hear him talk about civil rights and other controversial subjects like immigration, the more you realize this guy is riding in the Tea Party bus to a fantasyland where only radicals live.

Instead of actually having good, constructive ideas for our country, this guy is riding the wave of hatred towards the government and incumbent office holders. He’s no visionary. He’s a reactionary with no plans but to “take back the country” (a catch phrase extreme Conservatives love to use).

Where does he stand on hot-button issues? Paul, 47 is an eye surgeon with a political vision about as clear as mud when it comes to what he’ll actually do in office if elected. You can pretty much assume he’s following Daddy’s footsteps, with a brief detour through Tea Partyland for political expediency.   

GOP Senate candidate is under fire for comments about civil rights law

“Paul, already facing a backlash over remarks earlier this week about civil rights legislation, criticized the Obama administration for declaring it will put its "boot heel on the throat of BP." White House spokesman Robert Gibbs used similar language shortly after the spill.”

Stocks take biggest plunge in more than a year

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Growing fear that Europe’s debt crisis could spread around the world

Analysts said there was no big event to set off Thursday's selling. More investors seemed to be grasping the possibility that the U.S. recovery could be in jeopardy.

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Why would anyone need to lie about having been in Vietnam?

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“Of course, Blumenthal didn't get in trouble for confessing he had ducked Vietnam but for lying that he hadn't, for saying that he'd served there.

What demon haunts him and others like him? What inconsolable regret provoked these desperate lies?”

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