Medical marijuana sales surpass blockbuster drugs like Viagra

Annual sales near $2 billion and rising in states with tolerant laws

There is a noticeable aroma wafting around the medical marijuana industry. It’s the smell of money — with a strong hint of entrepreneurial opportunity.

“Medical marijuana is now a $1.7 billion market, according to a report released Wednesday by See Change Strategy, an independent financial analysis firm that specializes in new and unique markets. The figure represents estimated sales of marijuana through dispensaries in states with medical marijuana laws. It is the first time a definitive dollar figure has been given to the emerging medical cannabis industry.

To put that number in perspective, sales of medical marijuana rival annual revenue generated by Viagra, a $1.9 billion business for Pfizer.”  Full story here.

Top 10 Logical Fallacies in Politics in no particular order

#9 ARGUMENTUM AD METUM

The human brain is wired all wrong. Those not versed in logic are blissfully unaware of how much our brain messes up the most basic of arguments, leading to the mess of random thoughts, non-sequiturs, cognitive dissonance, white lies, misinformation, and syntax errors that we call consciousness. Luckily, there is one place where all of these logical missteps can be exemplified: politics. What follows is a crash course in some of the most prevalent fallacies we all make, as they appear in modern American politics. And though I consider these the "top 10" logical fallacies in politics, they are not in order, for reasons that should become clear rather quickly.

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You aren't a communist, are you?

“Whenever a politician appeals to your fears, insecurities, or paranoia, he or she is demonstrating the logical fallacy of the Argumentum ad Metum. This one is a combination of a bunch of the above fallacies, as it can be an irrelevant thesis, an falsifiable hypothesis, an appeal to motive, and a slippery slope straw man argument, as in the example, "If we don't do X, the terrorists win."

This is a common tactic throughout politics. Republicans want you to be afraid of socialism, terrorism, and a world on the verge of World War III. Democrats want you to be afraid of a global warming apocalypse, racism run amok, and Republicans. While all of these fears can in one way or another be justified, there shouldn't be any need to appeal to them when making an argument. President Bush didn't have to invoke the image of a mushroom cloud on American soil to explain the invasion of Iraq, and President Obama didn't have to invoke the image of poor mothers dying of starvation in the streets to sell his healthcare initiative.

It's a particularly sleazy way to make a point, and it is fallacious in multiple ways. Still, it is dramatic and effective, and thus all politicians and pundits use the Argumentum ad Metum on a regular basis. It works because it is an "us vs. them" form of argument, and it bypasses a certain degree of critical thinking by playing to people's emotions. Whenever you allow an argument like this to work on you, you bring the country one step closer to a bloody civil war.

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Illegal immigrants disguised as U.S. Marines fail to get through border checkpoint

I guess I would have been suspicious too if I saw ALL of their name tags said “Perez.”

The odds of one entire family of Perez’s in military uniforms are astronomical. I wonder if it was this little slip-up that got them caught?

“Thirteen illegal immigrants disguised themselves as U.S. Marines –- donning battle dress uniforms and caps -- in a failed attempt to get through a  U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint last week east of San Diego, authorities said.

The driver of the white van carrying the immigrants and another man, both U.S. citizens, were arrested  March 14 at the I-8 checkpoint near Campo and charged with alien smuggling, according to U.S. Border Patrol officials.”

Story Here

Pizza pugs, Gay cures, DUI checkpoint alerts, obnoxious apps

Animals doing people things equals comedy. This pug who really, really wants a slice of pizza proves the rule.

Apple finally pulled that "Gay Cure" app after 146,000 signed a petition protesting it.

Senators want Apple to pull DUI checkpoint alert apps, for the obvious reasons.

And Apple is threatening a legal smackdown on "adult" app store MiKandi for using the term "app store."

Meanwhile, radar detection is coming to Android.

Amazon is now OK with the Kindle-lending startup it stomped on yesterday.

The 2010 elections made your parents join Twitter and Facebook, apparently.

Still, Mom and Dad are no doubt psyched to hear that Zynga's rolling out the "English Countryside" FarmVille expansion.

Lady Gaga told Google about how she's always longed to be "searchable."

An Etsy artist so pleased to be included in Urlesque's awesome gallery of "Sad Etsy Boyfriends," showed her appreciation via a "LULZ" beanie.

Article & Photo source

Did President Obama violate the Constitution or federal law when he ordered the U.S. military to take part in coalition attacks on forces loyal to Moammar Khaddafy in Libya?

Congress raises and supports the military, but the president is the commander. Declaring war and making war are two different functions. There's no question President Obama has the authority to do what he did (via First Read):

Because…

“Mr. Obama's actions are consistent with the way every president since Richard Nixon has treated the War Powers Act, choosing to notify Congress only after a decision has been made to sign orders authorizing military operations.”

A point to consider…

“His actions do, however, appear to contradict the view he expressed as a candidate. In December 2007, he told Charlie Savage, then of the Boston Globe that a president "does not have power under the Constitution to unilaterally authorize a military attack in a situation that does not involve stopping an actual or imminent threat to the nation."

What next?

“So who's right? Constitutional questions, and legal battles over violations of federal laws, are normally resolved by judges. But this is an area where the courts have been reluctant to tread, unwilling to referee what they see as disputes between the political branches of the government.”

So where does that leave us?

This has to be one of the coolest treehouses I’ve ever seen!

Go Here to see how this amazing

 Tree House

is delivered,

set up,

and what it looks like inside.

You’ll be surprised. Great photography too.

Enjoy.

Looking for a job? Are you annoying? Aflac needs new duck voice

Wow! Here’s a great chance for someone like me, whose been called annoying many times in my life!

But, can I hit a high note screech like Gilbert Gottfried? Might be a problem there.

“Aflac is opening the field to people who want to take a quack at doing the new voice of the insurer's ever-abrasive duck mascot.

Aflac Inc. will begin accepting submissions on Wednesday in the search for someone to replace Gilbert Gottfried, who was ousted last week after voicing the duck for more than 10 years because he made insensitive remarks on Twitter about the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

Rather than hire another celebrity voice right away, Aflac decided solicit submissions from the general public, said Chief Marketing Officer Michael Zuna.”  More Here.    photo source

Kucinich fundraising appeal takes aim at Obama on Libya

Gotta love these politicos who use anything to further their own career. Kucinich is looking ahead to 2012 – instead of focusing on the here and now.

I don’t care what side of the aisle they’re from, these pathetic politic animals always show their stripes when it comes to staying in office.

“Days after saying that President Obama’s authorization of U.S. intervention in Libya is an “impeachable offense,” Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) is now using his criticism of the president in a fundraising appeal.”

Can you spare a dime for this guy?

Read story here.

CNN calls Fox's human shield accusation ‘nuts’, reporter admits lying about not covering the trip

A CNN correspondent has angrily denied a Fox News report that he and other journalists were used by the Libyan government as human shields against an attack on Moammar Gadhafi's compound.

“ Fox News' Jennifer Griffin reported Monday that the British military had to call off a mission on the Libyan ruler's  compound because journalists had been taken there on a trip to view earlier bomb damage. CNN's Nick Robertson, who was part of the CNN crew cited in the Fox story, shot back on the air Monday night, calling the allegation "outrageous and absolutely hypocritical."

"To say it was a human shield is nuts," Robertson said on Wolf Blitzer's primetime CNN show. "This allegation is outrageous and it's absolutely hypocritical. You know, when you come to somewhere like Libya, you expect lies and deceit from the dictatorship here. You don't expect it from the other journalists." In addition, Robertson said, Fox sent a security guard with a camera on the same trip — a detail that was omitted from the Fox report.”

Oops! Fox News filed a false report. That’s not the first time that’s happened, nor will it be the last.

“Fox reporter Griffin admitted later to incorrectly having written that no Fox News representatives had gone on the reporting trip.”

Fox’s war correspondent isn’t exactly making his presence known while covering the crisis.

“As for Harrigan, Fox's war correspondent in Libya, Robertson said he has rarely seen him leave his hotel room.

"I don't know who he's talking to here to pick up and find out what the story is," Robertson said. "I see him more times at breakfast than I see him out on trips with government officials here."

One last thought, it’s not the best arrangement to have the bad guys give you a tour, but it’s better than having them hand over a propaganda film and scripts to read. At least, the reporters can see what’s happening on the ground. Beats sitting in a motel room.

Go here for more on this story.  Image source

 

400 LB. Sumo wrestler finishes LA Marathon, sets world record

Kelly Gneiting, a 400-pound sumo wrestler, set a Guinness World Record as the heaviest man to complete a marathon, after finishing on Sunday in 9 hours 48 minutes 52 seconds.

 I’m in awe of this guy. I don’t know if I could have finished a 26.2-mile race in bad weather (it rained like hell throughout). I’m almost inspired enough to call my good friend, and long-distance runner, Woody Woodburn, and see if he’ll train me for a marathon!

On second thought, maybe I won’t. I’ll just stay in awe of Mr. Gneiting’s accomplishment and walk my mile a day! Go here for the full story.