Far From Home

Gun-Toting Loonies

Anyone who has watched the news lately has seen the coverage of people bringing their guns (for which they have licences to carry) into Presidential town-hall meetings.  There's been a debate over whether this should be allowed, and of course, the interpretation of the second amendment of the Constitution is the focal point of the argument.

I thought I'd throw up a poll here to see what people think about this issue, partially because I felt like trying out polldaddy, but also because I'm curious.  That said, I'm not sure I even have the reader-base at this point, thanks to my hiatus, that will generate a decent turnout. Regardless, it's all in good fun anyhow.

Personally, I think it's lunacy for these people to be permitted near the president with their sidearms, second amendment or not.  As pointed out by many, people who feel the need to exercise their right to bear firearms at town-hall meetings that are obviously going to focus on health care might be a little batty...  All it takes is one well-timed and well-aimed shot by one of these crazies and boom-- assassination.  And given the barbaric atmosphere of some of these town halls as of late, I wouldn't put it completely out of the realm of possibility.  Not by a long shot.

But, what these people are doing is legal.  Retarded, but legal.  I have no problem with people carrying weapons, honestly.  I'm not for aggressive gun control, as I recognize that in the vast majority of cases, it is the guns that are not legally registered that we need to worry about, and this freedom, just like any other that we appreciate having in this country, should be protected.

Seriously though, you can't take a gun on a plane... but you can take one within feet of the president?  Something is a bit backwards here.

Barack Badass Obama ... Highly Amusing.

An audiobook version of Barack Obama's book, Dreams From My Father, read by... himself leads to...  some seriously amusing audio clips:

Barack Obama is Tired of Your Motherfucking Shit

[aprilwinchell.com]

Baby Steps Toward Marijuana Legalization

Since my last post on the subject, a even greater tempest of media coverage is swirling and picking up speed.  I'll go out on a limb and say that Obama seems to be waiting for "the people" to make enough of a stand on the matter so it doesn't have to be "his idea".  But seriously -- Obama can't truly be opposed to pot legalization on a personal level.. that just isn't believable, if you ask me.  I can understand, that said, the tactical avoidance of any bold moves in this already incredibly intense political climate. 

Anyhow, here are some links to keep you up to speed on the latest progress, segmented logically.  This is a merely a tiny subset of the vast sea of media coverage.  It is quite remarkable.

General / Perspective

• America's New Marijuana Zeitgeist (thehill.com)
• Let's Tell The Truth About Marijuana (Reality Catcher)  
• Marijuana Legalization Gaining Steam Across the US (thinkingfluidly.com)
• Mr. President, It's Time To Talk About Marijuana (eyesonobama.com)

Political / Policy Related

• Is Marijuana Legalization Politically Risky Anymore? Not Really.. (stopthedrugwar.com)
• Medicinal Marijuana is Legal in Michigan (mapinc.org)
• Michigan Accepts First Application for Medicinal Marijuana (detnews.com)

Studies / Scientific Findings

• Marijuana Cuts Lung Cancer Tumor Growth In Half, Study Shows (sciencedaily.com)  

"The active ingredient in marijuana cuts tumor growth in common lung cancer in half and significantly reduces the ability of the cancer to spread, say researchers at Harvard University. Researchers do not know why THC inhibits tumor growth, they say the substance could be activating molecules that arrest the cell cycle." (sciencedaily.com)

• Possibility of Marijuana as Cancer Treatment (cancermarijuana.com)

This blog (cancermarijuana.com) has fascinating discoveries to speak about, offered in easily-consumed, weil-written articles.  Highly recommended reading material, even if it does lack the scientific references to truly be considered "unbiased reporting." :)

Celebrities / Cultural 

•   Drew Carey Responds to Obama about Marijuana (jimboland.com)
•   Carlos Santana Tells Obama to Legalize Marijuana (huffingtonpost.com)

Official: No More DEA Raids on Medical Marijuana!

More good news every day on this front.

Speaking at a press conference on Feb 25 with DEA Administrator Michele Leonhart, and reiterating a position made by the White House following DEA raids in California on February 4, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder told reporters that ending federal raids on medical marijuana dispensaries "is now American policy."  

Some new links: 

• Kellogg's Stock Takes Big Hit After Phelps Bong Controversy (nice!)
• Opposing the drug laws they enforce
• Attorney General on Youtube
• Time For Marijuana Legalization?  

  

  

Obama Update

Obama Update-- Today's Obama Links:

• Barack Obama's Bulletproof Inaugural Suit
• The White House has a new Webmaster
• On Happy Day Stock Market is Still Down
• Search Inside Obama's Inaugural Speech 

Big surprise-- the malware community is already capitalizing on Obama's popularity:

• Fake Sites with Obama News Infect Users with Malware

And while we were distracted and watching the inauguration, it was cunningly revealed:

• 100 Million Credit Cards Compromised 

Inaugural Observations: The End of an Error?

It's 10:39am on the day of Barack Obama's inauguration, a day that will, without question, be regarded as a historic cornerstone for as long as humans walk this earth.  I've been glued to CNN for the most part this morning, but I did leave the house to get some breakfast and pick up a few copies of the Washington Post.  Excitement is in the air in a way that I'm not sure I've experienced in my entire lifetime.  

Now, don't get me wrong, there is no source of excitement for me greater than Obama's inauguration, but a very close second is experiencing the final day of the Bush Administration in power.  I won't tarnish this glorious day with too much focus on the negative events of the past eight years, that being said.  We are all familiar with the details, and now is not the time for a reminder, right?  

Or perhaps it is.  In celebrating this momentous occasion, it will do us all some good to remember why we need a leader of Obama's caliber in this day and age.  Any less might not be enough.  America has finally elected the best man for the job once more, illustrating that democracy can still work in this country.  Eight years ago, however, it failed miserably, and we have and will continue to pay dearly for that failure.  The true breadth of the corruption and self-serving agenda of government throughout the past two presidential terms remains to be seen, but few dispute the notion that the gross negligence of the Bush administration has placed this country and the livelihood of its citizens in jeopardy of unparalleled magnitude.

Yet we must remember--the mistakes of the Bush administration are our mistakes too.  In embracing our democracy, and the success that it brings us today, we must also recognize our failure as a people to properly leverage the freedoms and flexibilities that it affords us.  In the future, I sincerely hope that we need not repeat such incredible disaster to precipitate such success.

In all walks of life, proactive behavior yields better results than reactive behavior.  Let us remember this, going forward, and each do our part to perpetuate the sense of unity and triumph that we feel today in the days that follow, and throughout the challenges that they will hold.

But enough of that for now.  Barack Obama will be our president in 30 minutes.  Hurrah!

Obama Fights for Blackberry

More to come. :)

[source: NY Daily News]

Best Ad Campaign RIM Could Ask For...

President-elect Barack Obama does not want to give up the Blackberry that he is so used to having at his disposal, and who can blame him?

...the Secret Service, as well as Obama lawyers, are concerned it could easily be hacked and are demanding the new president hand over the BlackBerry before he moves into the White House... But in an interview with CNBC Wednesday, Obama made clear he's not giving it up without a fight.

.. from CNN : Obama Not Giving Up Blackberry Without a Fight 

Is this not the best possible advertising campaign for the Blackberry you can possibly imagine?  These quotes are not only very cool because they demonstrate that our new president is not hopelessly lame, but also very powerful advertisements for the Blackberry:

"They're going to pry it out of my hands," the president-elect said.

"You know, this town's full of lawyers. I don't know if you've noticed…and they have a lot opinions. And so I'm still in a scuffle around that, but it–look, it's the hardest thing about being president. How do you stay in touch with the flow of everyday life," he added.

"I've got to look for every opportunity to do that – ways that aren't scripted, ways that aren't controlled, ways where, you know, people aren't just complimenting you or standing up when you enter into a room, ways of staying grounded," he said.

I wouldn't want to give up my Blackberry either.  Don't give in, Barack!