Gay Congressman Barney Frank Proposes Legalization of Marijuana

Openly gay congressman Barney Frank, D-Mass, announced a proposal on Wednesday to make it legal for pot smokers to light up. The proposed HR 5843 bill would call an end to federal penalties targeting Americans carrying less than 100 grams of marijuana.

"The vast amount of human activity ought to be none of the government's business," Frank said at a news conference on Capitol Hill, CNN reported. "I don't think it is the government's business to tell you how to spend your leisure time."

Frank, surrounded by legislators and marijuana advocacy spokespeople, said that laws aimed at marijuana users place undue burdens on law enforcement resources, punish ill Americans whose doctors have prescribed the substance and unfairly affect African-Americans.

Frank was specific that use—not abuse—of the currently illegal substance, would be decriminalized under his plan.

But, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, which oppose legalizing marijuana, list it as a Schedule I controlled substance that offers no accepted medical benefits and has a high potential for abuse.

Frank’s proposal, House Resolution 5843, titled the Personal Use of Marijuana by Responsible Adults Act of 2008, which is co-sponsored by Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, would express support for "a very small number of individuals" suffering from chronic pain or illness to smoke marijuana with legal retribution. Cannabis can help treat a range of illnesses, including glaucoma, asthma, multiple sclerosis, HIV/AIDS and seizures, according to the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML).

Nearly a dozen states have already approved allowing degrees of medical marijuana use, and Frank said it’s time the government stops wasting its resources arresting people in compliance with their states’ laws.

If the resolution passes, smokers holding up to 100 grams—about 3½ ounces—of marijuana would not be arrested. The resolution it would also allow a “nonprofit transfer,” of up to an ounce of cannabis.

Allen St. Pierre, NORML’s spokesman, equated Frank’s proposal with current laws dealing with alcohol consumption. Alcohol use is permitted, and the government focuses its law enforcement efforts on those who abuse alcohol or drive under its influence, he said.

"We do not arrest and jail responsible alcohol drinkers," St. Pierre said.

Source: Gay Wired

I regard this as a profoundly positive development.

Forsaken Lawn Implements

3 doors from my little hut

I hope, actually, that they are just all growed-up. Maybe I'm reading too much into this, (Naw, Hillbilly would never!) , but I seem to sense that Grandma's making a deep, multi-faceted, emotional statement here.

Now, This Is More Like It

Disgusting

Arnaut Blowing Smoke in His Dog's Nose

This is obscene.

H Is For Homeless

Well, it's been about 24 hours, and it's bugging me to the point that I need to just do this and get it out of my system. I'll try to keep it simple.

Yesterday evening I stopped for a cup of coffee on the way home. It was pouring rain, and there were several of us waiting in line. Passing the time, I just happened to notice Preston, slipping in the side door quietly to get in out of the rain, and to use the John. I really didn't think much of it, other than that I was sorry he was out pacing in the rain. When he came out, I called him over to offer him a cup of coffee. He came over, soaked to the bone, and shaking all over from being in the A/C in wet clothes. I called him by name, and asked him how he was, and would he like a cup of coffee. Always smiling, he said hello, and promptly asked me if I was Paul McCartney. Here's the crux: All of this time, and after other conversations, I have been deceiving myself about the reality of things. It turns out Preston is utterly homeless. Preston sleeps under whatever he can find that might keep him dry. Preston eats out of dumpsters and garbage cans except for getting a couple dollars a day from a merchant down the street, and getting some leftovers, mistakes, and whatever they can sneak him down at the Sub shop. Preston has no disability check or VA benefits. No healthcare, mental health services, no nothing. I just fooled myself into thinking that his situation was better than it was, I guess so that I could sleep better at night in my cozy, dry bed under a proper roof. I got those looks from the other folks at the counter just for speaking to him. "Hillbilly, you're just too sentimental and melodramatic- Get over it."

H Is For Hillbilly

Print-On-Demand lottery is a lot of work. I'm trying to get a schedule worked out so that all the folks are happy. PS: The designer of the above, (victorian or earlier), typography, must have had an incarnation of my brain, from the looks of it. (I seem to be missing the creative part.)

The Latest Project

Tundra Swans. wildlife refuge, NC. (RPJ image)

My uncles nature work, which I have worked on lately pretty much to the exclusion of all else. I have, (in this installment), 150 more images to go before the next DVD arrives. Look over yonder: Wildlife Zoo.

My Pious Friends And

My Pious Friends And Drunken Companions (Filler Page)

TV Dinner

Luis Royo's Tarot Cards

Luis Royo

In a complimentary sort of way, Blake and Doré come to mind.

As an aside, thanks to Potato Benevolence for the Library Thingy.

Ebay Is A Wonderful Thing

Ebay item from 2007 via Boing Boing

Obviously, I found this a little too late.

I Am A Phineas Phreak

(RoadsideAmerica.com)

"Phineas Gage - Man With a Metal Rod in His Head"

Address:
VT 131, Cavendish, VT
Directions:
I-91 exit 8. West on Hwy 131 13 miles to Cavendish. The memorial plaques are bolted to a big rock in an empty lot at the corner of Hwy 131 and S. Pleasant St. Cavendish only has a couple of streets, so it's hard to miss.
Hours:
Daylight hours.
(Image and particulars via Roadside America).

I honestly have been finding more Phineas Gage gems as I go about my business on the web. I apologize to those of you who are a little nonplussed by the subject, or have already seen what there is to see. Really, I am more fascinated by the drawings, computer models and animation than the story. The story is pretty complete by now, except for some continued theories and mechanics of just how this injury affected Gage's brain, and thus translated into his personality changes.I will just be posting the images without much fanfare for my own satisfaction, and to spread the good word.

An Extra From My Trip

1927, 1st edition title page

I finally got to take a look at my grandfather's bible, My Pious Friends And Drunken Companions while on my trip. The wood engravings are mainly what I was after, but the folklore and history in the songs are fascinating too. There are a few of these still floating around, and the great gobbler Dover Publications sold editions of it for years. I'll be posting some of the better engravings soon.

He Met The Walrus.

Mad, Insane, Criminal, And Portentious.

I have been following this process for a long time, and it is turning out pretty much exactly the way I figured. As usual, the majority of Americans either don't know, or don't care. Jonathan Turley, btw, knows what he is talking about. A patriot and a very smart man. Did he say FELONY?
Via Viral Video Charts

yep.

Not At My House

It's a very quiet, dark day today at my house.
What am I doing today to celebrate the Fourth of July? I'll tell you what I'm NOT doing.

There will be no cookout, no random burned grilled Pork parts, no vacant stares, no being loudmouthed about sports or Oprah, no television, no drinking cheap beer until falling down in the front yard pissing myself after insulting the neighbor's missus. Finally, there be no trip over to the hill, or the meadow, or the bridge to lie on a blanket with the girlfriend, Missus, SO, or friend, to maybe cop a feel in the fiery glow of a $125,000 pyrotechnic display. (or 99cent sparklers, or Cherry Bombs, or M-80's to blow my face off... Okay I'll stop.)

I'll be reading.

The Declaration Of Independence.
The Bill Of Rights
The Geneva Conventions
Iraq Casualties
Iraq Body Count
Seymour Hersh (Mr. Hersh is not a crackpot, and even right-wingnuts are believers too. I have been a believer for over a year.)

Oh shit, I almost forgot: The Constitution Of The United States.

I'm sure everyone has seen this a dozen times already. Sorry, let me have my fun.

I know we have some serious Photoshop, Corel Draw, and Illustrator geniuses who pop in and out of here from time to time... You can see I'm a novice, not even up on training wheels. I can make a photograph look the way I want it in PS, (having learned by trial and error, I still can't explain it), and that's it. Anyone have any experience with open source editors like Gimp, ( perfect, 'aint it?), or Inkscape?

WHOOOAH! UPDATED

Ancient Mexican carving, (no kidding.)

Oh My! Our friend Mo, at Neurophilosophy, is on the hunt again! The woman that performed Trepanation on herself with a Sears drill here a while back, (2000, and it's still legal in the US), is going to have a sit-down with our budding Neuroscientist friend. He says she contacted him recently, and he is taking questions from the public. Above all, he hopes to get a few snapshots. I can't think of a better way to


Bad Hillbilly.NO.

Okay. Now Isn't That Better?

What better way to ease one's worries.

And Then Again, Maybe I Won't

Lauren Greenfield (Image by Lara Jo Regan)

Well, after ruminating about this all day, (surprise, surprise) , I went back and looked at this image, (and let's save the Sontag/Leibovitz discussion for another time), and by chance alone, about This poor child. Of course, I was going to impulsively Go-Off on a rant, but I didn't. I decided that my sanity is dearer to me now than ever before, and that having my head explode, well then, I just decided to go and learn more about what Annie, (I fear), and all of these other idiots are missing, here. End of Rant, Not-supposed-To-Be.

PostScript-I-Can't-Help-Myself: Is it really possible that Annie's vision was a clever feminist statement that was "misinterpreted?" (I have just looked at the numbers put up by Vanity Fair, and can you really hurt a Hannah Montana that's worth $1Billion in t-shirts and backpacks alone?) Help an old man out.