15 year-old girl viciously attacked by police

Normally, when I do a reaction post, I have a lot to say, especially when it has to do with police brutality. But, there aren't any words I can find to express the utter disgust for what occurred.

I saw this video on Huffington Post, article: Paul Schene: King County Deputy Caught On Tape Punching, Kicking 15-Year-Old Girl

In case you can't view it, within a matter of 20 seconds, two grown men wearing badges attack a 15 year old girl starting with a kick, followed by a short right cross to the face, after which her head is rammed into the corner wall. She's then taken down to the floor where the other officer helps to handcuff her and after she's handcuffed and pinned down by two grown men, one officer delivers two blows to her head, shoves her head into the hard concrete, and then carries her out by her hair.

"Schene, 31, pleaded not guilty to fourth-degree assault in Superior Court on Thursday."

Don't believe me, get to a computer and watch the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDg_IFHEau0

Imagine what African American males go through if this guy has the nerve to plead not guilty with video evidence of this brutality against a little girl. I should know, I've witnessed it first hand and was arrested for being a witness to it.

Christian Leaders Have a Right To Speak Out

BISHOPS, PRIESTS, PASTORS AND MINISTERS HAVE A RIGHT AND THE MORAL RESPONSIBILITY TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST THE MESSIANIC CULT
SURROUNDING BARACK OBAMA:

Often, we are told by many in government positions, atheists and others that religious leaders have no right or business to speak-out or preach on political matters, and often those that do are threatened with arrest, the loss of their tax-exempt status and, sometimes, even with the confiscation of church property by the federal government, but i am hear to tell you that we not only have the RIGHT, but also the MORAL RESPONSIBILITY to do so.

Politics, on all levels, involves the wielding of power and authority, and the use of power and authority almost always has some degree of moral relevance and human consequences. We cannot claim to be Christians and say that we love God, while at the same time we ignore the plight of the least among us.

Even before his election, Barack Obama was considered to be the most radical, far-left liberal to ever sit in the U.S. Senate and the most rabidly committed abortion-rights advocate and presidential candidate that America has ever seen. Obama himself has stated that he considers it punishment if a woman has a baby she does not want. His campaign "removed any suggestion that killing an unborn child might be a regrettable thing."

In the face of such blatant evil, we do NOT owe such leaders honor, submission or cooperation. In fact, it is just the opposite; bishops, priests, ministers and pastors and all Christian leaders have a moral obligation to fight to change bad laws and resist grave evil in the public life of our nation, both by our words and our actions. We have an obligation and a duty to remind our flocks that in our Constitutional Republic, we elect servants who work for us, not messiahs whom we have to bow and scrape before.

Many Americans, including misguided Christians, elected Obama to fix the economic crisis, that he and his fellow Democrats had a hand in creating. That was the mandate. We did NOT give him or anyone else a mandate to retool American culture on the issues of marriage and the family, sexuality, bioethics, religion in public life and abortion, and we most certainly did NOT elect him to be our messiah. But that seems to be exactly what happened.

While campaigning on her husband's behalf last year, Michelle Obama declared; "We have to fix our souls. Our souls are broken in this nation." Oprah Winfrey, from her lofty bully pulpit of national television solemnly declared Obama to be; "The 'ONE'." At many of his campaign rallies, women in the throes of blissful ecstasy, swooned at the feet of "THE ONE", while Chris Matthews, an American news anchor and political commentator for MSNBC, and most likely in need of a cold shower, proudly proclaimed on air that every time he heard Obama speak; "It sent a tingle running down his leg."

Thus you see the formation of a 'messianic' cult being developed around Barack Hussein Obama. All he has to do is open his mouth and people begin to believe that he can walk on water and heal the ills of the world. The 'huddled masses' are more then willing, at the snap of his fingers, to bow and kiss his hand or plant their lips firmly to some other part of his anatomy.

The people of America are setting themselves up for a great disastrous fall that we may never be able to recover from. The very thought that Obama can save or heal our souls, or even lead us to the 'promised land' is something that I personally find to be offensive, ludicrous and downright frightening. we go to the polls to elect men or women to be the President of the United States; we don't go to elect a 'messiah', and the government exists, if one cares to read the Preamble to the Constitution, to establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common Defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty, . . . . it does NOT exist to save our souls. When my soul is in need of saving I turn to Jesus Christ. The last place I would go to seek salvation or solace would be the White House, the Halls of Congress or the Supreme Court.

What Barack Obama and the leftist liberals are peddling is a 'Religion of Stateism', making people believe that only government, preferably with himself and liberal Democrats at the helm, can deliver people from the consequences of their own bad decisions. He wants us to believe that we mere mortals lack the capability, through our churches and religious organizations, to help the less fortunate and to encourage them to be more self-reliant. All that is required, for us to become members of the "Religion of Stateism" and to partake as a communicant at the altar of the Church of Endless Handouts, is to sell our souls to the State so that the Obamessiah can heal it.

Like all tyrants, passed and present, Obama possesses the uncanny ability to inspire with his glib tongue, mastery of the art of rhetoric and his disarming good looks. However, if people stopped just listening to him and begin to 'hear' him, if they just lightly scratched the surface of his false veneer, there would be no way to deny the evil that lurks there. Once you see this man for who and what he truly is, it would send a cold chill down your spine.

As my father always used to say, "You can't make a silk purse outof a sow's ear." So, try as you might, there is no way that one can reinvent Obama's black record on abortion and other moral issues, even with his 'pie-in-the-sky' spiel about hope, change and unity. Remember, no matter how much gravy you put on horse turds, they will NEVER become Swedish Meatballs.

As Catholics and Christians, we must honestly examine our consciences, and be truthful with ourselves and each other. I know that in this present society under the influence of the demon of false messiah worship that borders on groveling, it is extremely difficult to do this, due to the fact that so many so-called Christian and Catholic writers, scholars, editors and activists have fallen under the spell of the liberal left and have become infatuated with Obama.

Obama has already started keeping campaign promises by restoring taxpayer funding for an international program supporting abortion and launching a plan to force physicians to provide various abortion advice and services -- no matter how much it violates their religious or moral beliefs.

Jesus said that we are to "Render unto Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to render unto God what is God's." This means that we owe our civil authorities respect and obedience when it is APOPROPRIATE. And we MUST keep in mind that our leaders, be they Obama or anyone else, are NOT God. Even the State is subordinate and answerable to God.

Charity, justice, mercy, prudence, honesty -- these are Christian virtues, tolerance is NOT a Christian virtue. In a diverse community, tolerance has its place, but it is never a means to an end. In fact, tolerating grave evil within a society is itself a serious and grave evil.

There is fear and despair all across America today; retirees losing their life-savings and pensions, people losing their jobs and their homes, and all Obama has to offer us is trillion dollar spending programs placing not only us, but furture generations into a debt that no one can ever hope to pay off. While bankrupting our country, he is shredding the Constitution, trampling on our God given RIGHTS and FREEDOMS, and pushing us head-long into a Socialist/Marxist society. Promising us "HOPE" was just a carrot on a stick, because when people finally awake from that delusion, America will still be in a mess. True hope and salvation can only be found in Jesus Christ, NOT in Barack Hussein Obama.

Ultra High Relief Double Eagles- Not Shipping FIFO?

There have been more reports of customers receiving their 2009 Ultra High Relief Double Eagle Coins. However, the collectors receiving coins are not necessarily the ones who placed their orders the earliest.

According to the US Mint's email notification sent out earlier this week, orders should be shipping on a "first-come, first-served basis." This means that customers who ordered their coins first, should be receiving their coins first. (i.e. "First in-First out" or FIFO)

Based on reports from Mint News Blog readers, and comments on other coin sites and forums, this is clearly not happening. Some customers who ordered on the second or third day are reporting that they have received their coins. Other customers who ordered within the first hour still have not received their coins. I placed my order at 12:17 PM ET on the first day of sales and have still not received my coin or any notification of shipping.

In an attempt to quantify what is happening. Please take a moment to answer a survey. The survey asks what date you ordered the Ultra High Relief Double Eagle, whether you have received it, and if you have, the date you received it. Results are tracked separately based on order date. You can respond to the survey more than once if you have ordered more than one coin. All responses are kept anonymous. Results will be posted on Mint News Blog next week. Please ask anyone else you know who ordered the UHR to complete the survey.

Survey Closed on 3/4/09: view the results here.

Some US Mint customers are justifiably upset with their experience ordering the Ultra High Relief Double Eagle. Problems have plagued nearly every aspect of the offering. This included initial difficulties obtaining sufficient blanks to manufacture coins, a series of miscommunications to customers on shipping dates, website security issues, shipping security issues, production problems with the companion book, and the latest non-FIFO shipping.

The US Mint began building enthusiasm for the Ultra High Relief Double Eagle as early as March 2008 calling it the recreation of the "nation's most beautiful coin." Later, US Mint Director Edmund Moy made even loftier statements about the coin. He said "One hundred years from now, I hope that people will reflect on this coin and say this was the beginning of the next renaissance of American coinage." He has even called it "arguably one of the best coins ever made in the world throughout all of history."

When you make claims of this nature, make sure you are able to deliver.

OBAMA IS CORRUPTING THE SOUL OF AMERICA

Barack Hussein Obama Is Dangerously Demented And He Is Corrupting the VERY Soul of America:
America was once a land of hard-working, self-reliant individuals who believed in personal responsibility, but today they are slowly being corrupted and turned into mindless wards of the State by a dangerous egotistical, narcissistic and power hungry dolt whose socialistic big-spending policies are NOT designed nor intended to solve the fiscal problems facing this nation. They are intended for one purpose and one purpose only, to intrude into the social, political and private lives of every man, woman and child in America today, and to guarantee increased future votes for the Democrat Party.

People today are scared because of the collapse of the housing market, and Obama has been very adroit, with the help of the socialist Democrats, at blaming G.W. Bush for the collapse, when the truth is, it was caused by the Democrats under the Clinton administration and the Democrat controlled Congress during the last four years of the Bush administration.

After only a little over a month of being in office, Obama has taken us well down the road to setting up a modern cradle-to-grave nanny state which will, in the end, destroy the very moral fabric of the American people. So far, the liberals have managed, over the years, to incrementally bring us to that point. Obama's so-called stimulus package is a total sham and we are being corrupted by it. As Obama systematically dismantles the Constitution of the United States and amasses more and more power and control to the federal government, the character of the people is being corrupted, soon to the point of no return. All the things, the virtues that made America great; self-reliance, honesty, self-determination, altruistic concern for others, charitable giving rather then being compelled to give through high taxation to support government-mandated welfare programs, are fast becoming extinct.

Through his glib tongue, his mastery of the art of rhetoric, he has managed to seduce the majority of the American populace into raising him to the status of a 'messiah', the "ONE" (thank you very much Oprah). They swoon at the sight of him and some, like Chris Matthews of CNBC, claim that the very sound of his voice sends a "tingle" running down their leg. He has the demonic power of seduction, the ability to make people believe that he and he alone can save them from the distress that the country is facing from the employment, banking and housing crisis that he himself had a big hand in causing.

Obama's plans for turning America into a Socialist/Marxist country can only end in disaster for the United States. Human nature, as instilled in us by Almighty God, a nature that yearns for personal rights and to be free, that thrives on personal inititive and responsibility, is NOT conducive to socialist programs and policies that not only encourage, but force people to turn to the government for their sustenance in return for giving up their freedoms and human dignity.

Due to his Narcissistic Personality Disorder, there is a good possibility that at some point he may resort to some type of force to subjugate the American people and herd them into a state of depenence, but in the end, it will lead to the total collapse of American society.

Liberals have always preyed on human weaknesses and feelings of inferiority in the population, and Obama has more then demonstrated that he is a master at this game. He has been successful at: creating and reinforcing perceptions of victimization, playing the 'race card' and pitting one class against another, exciting primitive feelings of envy, placating infantile claims to entitlement, indulgence and compensation for preceived slights, and in getting people to reject the soverignty of the individual and subordinating themselves to the iron will of the government.

The policies of Obama and the Democrat controlled Congress, of promoting dependence on the government for our 'daily bread', is just the tip of the ice berg. What is going on is a profoundly sinister political move to increase the number of individuals who will vote for the Democrat party, by providing them with increased governmental welfare handouts, making them more and more dependent on the government, thus guaranteeing that they will continue to vote Democrat.

The immigration policies of the Democrats, which Obama whole-heartedly endorses, is geared toward the exact same end -- to provide legalization and benefits (Free or low-income housing, free medical and dental care, food stamps and free education, all at the expense of the American taxpayer) for illegal immigrants because they know that approximately 70% of them will vote Democrat. This is why the federal government refuses to do their constitutionally mandated duty to protect our borders. Why would they want to stop illegal immigration when they are seeking more voters? If these policies are allowed to continue unabated, there would be a very real possibility that Obama could maneuver himself to be elected "President for Life", and you can bet your life he will have the votes to do it.

If you think it was bad under G.W. Bush, who expanded government power beyond all reasonable bounds, through the federalization of education, the "militarization" of our local police forces, and the drastic intrusions into our private lives, all in direct violation of the Constitution of the United States, you haven't seen anything yet, because it WILL get worse under Obama.

May God help us all.

RABID KUWAITI PROFESSOR THREATENS U.S. / IS OBAMA READY TO THROW ISRAEL UNDER THE BUS?

RABID KUWAITI PROFESSOR THREATENS THE U.S.:

That's right, a professor from Kuwait, the country that we liberated from Saddam Hussein's attack squads in the first Gulf War, has outlined on Arab television a potential terrorist attack on the U.S. that would involve smuggling ANTHRAX from Mexico into the U.S. and killing 330,000 innocent men women and children in sixty minutes!

Check out the following video to see what this demented turd has to say. If this doesn't wake people up, then nothing will.







IT IS BEGINNING TO LOOK LIKE BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA
IS PLANNING ON THROWING ISRAEL UNDER THE BUS!

Is Obama planning to throw Israel "under the bus"? It appears likely. Obama's likely pick for a top intelligence post, Charles "Chas" Freeman, the U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia during the first Gulf War, is slated to head the National Intelligence Council, once peddled a book to U.S. public schools that falsely claims that Muslims inhabited North America long before European explorers ever arrived. He also has close ties to the Bin Laden family.

Click on the following link to read the whole story:

http://wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=90049

DEA thinks cocaine is safer than marijuana!

Intro

I received an update from @NatlNORML on Twitter regarding Attorney General Eric Holder's statements during a press conference today. The press conference was meant to give America an update on the progress of Operation Accelerator which targeted the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico, the US, and Canada [link]. Afterward, Eric Holder answered any questions. I wanted to share some of the responses I had to the post on NORML's Daily Audio Stash.

My first response

Did anyone notice he didn’t mention how much marijuana was retrieved? Listen to how he lays out the numbers in the first 2 min of the conference.

• 50 members of sinaloa cartel
• 21 months
• US, Mexico, Canada
• 750 ppl
• $59,000,000
• 12,000 kilos of cocaine
• 1200 pounds of meth
• 1,300,000 extasy pills
• 160 weapons

But, there was no mention of marijuana. Maybe it was a slip? But, these guys are smart. This is not the Bush administration. I think he may have left out that figure on purpose. Maybe an early attempt to disconnect marijuana from big drug cartels in a way to eliminate ammo of anti-marijuana groups.

I think too much. What do you guys think?

"Radical" Russ responded to my comment

No, I think you’re on to something - the lack of a marijuana mention was notable. I think it may be more that it isn’t positive PR to note that you’re spending money eradicating weed.

Cocaine is less harmful than marijuana!

Later I came back to read any new comments and one stood out to me from Robert Petricci (NIMO):

I hope it is true but It seems to me Carl makes a lot of sense. The scheduling law doesn’t pass the smell test. It is obvious that marijuana has had and does have medical use in the United States. That being the case legally it can not be a schedule one drug by the governments own definition. That brings us to how do you trust a government that harshly enforces laws that are not legitimate? Courts continue to find excuses to send people to prison in obvious violation of the law. Obama and Holder simply need to enforce the law not pretend to do us a favor wink wink. The entire justice system in the U.S. operates in an unjust manner, it appears to me to be broken. This just shows one example of that.

It made me think about how the DEA's posturing on marijuana may be more harmful than they realize. So, I responded:

I think this brings up deeper issues as it pertains to drug use in general. If the government is absolutely lying about marijuana and blatantly so, what’s one to think about other substances, especially those that are schedule 2. This goes directly to individuals who don’t know any better.

It’s only in practice a person NOT in the know would ever find out that marijuana is not the demon weed the DEA makes it out to be. If marijuana isn’t that dangerous yet is considered dangerous, it’s not exactly far fetched for one to extrapolate that cocaine or even heroin is not only not dangerous but most likely safer than marijuana.

It’s my opinion that the DEA’s erroneous prohibition classifications do absolutely more harm to the American public than any drug pusher ever could. If I was a drug dealer wanting to move cocaine and heroin, I’d use the DEA’s own argument to push that drug harder.

“Hey no one’s ever died from marijuana use and millions of people are saying that marijuana isn’t addictive, look at your friends. Come over here and try this cocaine. I’ve got some heroin for you as well. Remember, even the DEA thinks cocaine and heroin is safer than marijuana. Try it out!”

Of course I caught my mistake:

I goofed, heroin is schedule 1.

US Citizens need some perspective

Outside of the heroin flub, I believe my point is still valid. Does the DEA believe that cocaine is safer than marijuana or less harmful? If so, isn't it a logical conclusion to believe that, if anything, that cocaine should probably be legal before marijuana?

Let's stretch this even further. In the United States and rest of the world, tobacco and alcohol are legal. Both are addictive, both are carcinogenic (cancer causing), and both are responsible for millions of deaths around the world every year.

AND THEY ARE LEGAL KILLERS.

Yet, no one - no agency, no doctor/scientist/researcher, no police officer, no FBI/DEA/CIA agent, no community leader, no anti-drug organization, AND no government official - can point to, in the history of human marijuana usage since before and INCLUDING the times of Jesus Christ, ONE death attributed to marijuana use. NOT ONE!

One has to ask if there's something very wrong with this picture. How is it that marijuana is considered a dangerous substance, Schedule I, according to the Controlled Substances Act of 1970 [DEA | Wiki], yet all of these other substances enjoy not only lower classifications as in the case of cocaine (Schedule II) but complete legalization and regulation as is the case with alcohol and tobacco?

Am I wrong to ask such a question? Is it even more wrong for the DEA to let American citizens believe that cocaine, a chemical concoction that I have personally seen destroy entire communities, is safer than marijuana?

The citizens of the United States needs some perspective and common sense on this issue.

2008 Mint Set Sold Out

Yesterday, the 2008 US Mint Uncirculated Coin Set sold out.

Although the sell out occurred much sooner than is usually the case, many collectors may have been expecting it. Many 2008 US Mint products have sold out early or unexpectedly, even some of the US Mint's "core offerings" like the 2008 Proof Silver Eagle which has been sold out since mid-August 2008, and the 2008 Proof Set which has been sold out since mid-December 2008.

The 2008 Mint Set first went on sale July 30, 2008 priced at $22.95 per set. Each set contains a total of 28 coins, comprised of 14 coins each from the Denver and Philadelphia Mints. The coins feature a special "satin finish" which is different than coins produced for circulation. This finish has been used for US Mint issued Mint Sets since 2005.

According to the latest stats, 745,464 of the sets had been sold as of February 22, 2009. As long as there was not an enormous jump in the past few days, this will mark the lowest mintage for a Mint Set since 1963 when 606,612 Mint Sets were produced.



For comparison to some recently issued low mintage sets, the 2004 Mint Set had a mintage of 842,507 and the 2006 Mint Set had a mintage of 847,361. These number come from the 2009 Red Book. It should be noted that both of these sets briefly went back on sale at the US Mint's Last Chance Sale. Any sets sold during the sale would increase the final mintages.

Late last year, I included the 2008 Mint Set in my list of potential Sleeper Hits. It's still too early to gauge how the 2008 Mint Set will work out. The other coins mentioned included the 2008 Sacagawea Rolls and 2008 Kennedy Half Dollar Rolls. Both of these have sold out and seem to be selling for higher prices now. In a few months, I will revisit the full list and examine the performance.

The last three 2008 dated annual sets which remain on sale at the US Mint are the 2008 Silver Proof Set, the 2008 State Quarters Silver Proof Set, and the 2008 Annual Uncirculated Dollar Coin Set.

30 Days, No weed. Can I do it?

Intro

Many people think that marijuana is addictive. This idea is very much wrong. The concept of marijuana addiction comes from one of two places: lies/misinformation or addictive personalities. As I am properly informed and I do suffer from an addictive personality, quitting marijuana for 30 days should be no problem for me.

Misinformation is one thing. Lying is another.

Sometimes, we as a people, have to rely on sources that we believe are credible due to their position, title, stature in the community. A great example of this are police officers. Society, in general, usually has the belief that police officers have the community's best interest in mind. This is usually why most police officers aren't questioned when they make false statements. No one is saying that this person is lying to us outright. The officer may very well believe what he's telling the people. This is why we have to question the messenger.

Imagine some random person comes up to you claiming your significant other cheated on you. You'd question them: How do you know? Unfortunately, as it is human nature, we don't question who we believe is credible. Well, where does this police officer get his information from? We don't know do we. But, because this person has a badge and blue uniform, we're supposed to believe him. Right? Wrong. I am not asking anyone to never believe another police officer. I am asking people to question the messenger.

Pseudo-Addiction

I have a friend who told me outright that he couldn't quit marijuana. I thought this was very weird. I've stopped using marijuana in the past personally and without any adverse reactions. I'd go for a week or two and not have any "crave" or withdrawal problem that's been popularized in the past. My own situation made me think about why my friend couldn't quit, yet I could with no problem.

In talks with him, others, and reading accounts of fake-addiction, I came to the realization that he was weak. I've yet to see someone who admits to being addicted to marijuana not come out and say they're addicted to other substances as well. He not only smoked marijuana, but he also smoked cigarettes, drank liquor, and had other problems stemming from long before he smoked marijuana. While watching the news regarding California's legalization issue, a woman called in claiming she was addicted to marijuana. Before I could wonder what other addictions she had, she admitted using a variety of different drugs but didn't name them all either.

One day, my friend and I were talking about quitting again and I confronted him when he claimed he was addicted to marijuana. He admitted he knew marijuana was not addictive but that he indeed had an addictive personality. In other words, he's one of those people that has to be attached to something. Once he had a girlfriend, he completely quit marijuana turning it down at one point leaving me to smoke by myself. However, the minute they broke up, he called to tell me that he started back up again. Interestingly enough, the woman who called into the news program was a born again Christian. Let's be honest, those types scare the hell out of most normal people. They're personalities are way overboard. But, let's not get anything twisted, they replaced one "addiction" for another. That's the sign of an addictive personality, not addiction to marijuana.

Truth? Find out for yourself

Unfortunately, my "truth" about marijuana not being addictive is simply my own personal story, empirical evidence so to speak. It won't be enough for some people. Most police officers and especially DEA, masters of misinformation in my opinion, would trump up every rebuttal in the book including lies and deceit. I can bring out a million other pot heads, and former pot heads, to help me prove my point but it may still not be enough. Why not trust people of a higher or stronger reputation? "Who?", you ask. How about doctors and researchers who have actual experience studying marijuana and its effects. And, all I am asking is that YOU get proof from actual studies, not uneducated police officers and not even from marijuana users like me (although we have actual first hand experience). I am very much certain that my information is 100% correct.

Can I do 30 days?

There are some people who are never going to accept this reality. The answer to the question will be a resounding "NO!" They truly believe that marijuana is addictive. Going 30 days without smoking marijuana would be inconceivable.

Their attitudes are HILARIOUS.

For the record, I am currently on day 6 of not smoking marijuana. If anyone knows anything about TRUE addiction, there's no way in hell I could go 6 days without smoking marijuana unless I am getting "professional" help. I must be going through some serious withdrawal symptoms. Well, no! I do not exhibit any withdrawal symptoms, none at all. I do not have the shakes of a cocaine addict. I do not have the irritability of a caffeine or nicotine addict either. Actually, I am pretty calm, relaxed, and functioning very well if I do say so myself. This is because I know for a fact that marijuana not addictive. Why?

Hold on to your pants folks!

The last time I took a hiatus from smoking marijuana was starting June 1st (technically mid May) and ending November 1st of 2008. Yes, that is 4 months of not smoking marijuana. Why? How? Simply put, I had gotten food poisoning in early May. I couldn't smoke anything for the whole time that I was sick. Everything pretty much aggravated my stomach. Only thing I could handle was tea and eating very small meals. When it was finally over, I realized that I went about two weeks without using marijuana. I simply didn't want it anymore. My friend, the same one with the addictive personality, invited me over since I was back from the dead. He had a blunt rolled and waiting. I told him that I wouldn't be smoking because I didn't have the urge anymore. He said, "We'll see about that when you get here!" After hours of XBOX360, I went home as sober as I walked in, as sober as a a born again Christian, which isn't saying much, I know.

For me, 30 days of not smoking marijuana is as easy as Lance Armstrong riding his bike one New York City block. And, I only have another 24 days to go. It officially ends on March 22nd. That's when I'll smoke marijuana again.

Anna Harrison First Spouse Gold Coins

The next product scheduled to be released by the US Mint is the 2009-W Anna Harrison First Spouse Gold Coin. The coins will go on sale March 5, 2009 at 12:00 Noon ET.

This coin will mark the first release of the First Spouse Gold series for 2009. The obverse of the coin was designed by Donna Weaver and sculpted by Joseph Menna. The reverse of the coin which features Anna Harrison sharing her passion for education, was designed by Thomas Cleveland and sculpted by Charles L. Vickers. Each coin contains one-half ounce of 24 karat gold.



Offerings will include proof and uncirculated versions of the gold coin, as well as bronze medal duplicates. Prices for the gold coins will be determined based on the average price of gold for the week preceding the coin's release. If gold remains in the current range of $900 - $949.99 per ounce, the proof coins will be priced at $629.00 and the uncirculated coins will be priced at $616.00. The bronze medals will be priced at $3.50.



The maximum mintage for the gold coins has been set at 40,000 across both proof and uncirculated versions. An ordering limit of ten coins per option per household will be in effect for the first week of sales.

The First Spouse Gold series in general has experienced a decline in popularity. The first three coins in the series featuring Martha Washington, Abigail Adams, and Thomas Jefferson's Liberty each sold out on the first day of offering. Following the initial enthusiasm, subsequent coins did not sell out and fell into a pattern of diminishing sales figures.

The two most recent issues for Andrew Jackson's Liberty and Martin Van Buren's Liberty seem to have generated an uptick in interest. However, it does not seem likely that this will continue with the latest coin since Anna Harrison was less well known and the rising price of gold continues to push the coin out of reach for some collectors. In actuality, the Anna Harrison First Spouse Coin might be interesting to watch to see if it can set a new mintage low for the series.

GOD IS IRRELEVENT & THE TERMINALLY ILL AND ELDERLY AREN'T DYING FAST ENOUGH:

I AM MAD AS HELL AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH MORE I CAN TAKE!!!



The so-called elitists who run our American society have deemed that GOD is irrelevant. What we have in America today is the old Soviet Union and China system where religious believers are forced to fend off the State.

Attorney John Whitehead, founder of The Rutherford Institute says that "GOD" has become THE four-letter word in the majority of public schools today. In the following video, he explains why this has come to pass:







Did you know that the terminally ill and the elderly aren't dying fast enough to suit Arlen Specter the RINO from Pennsylvania? At his age, he should be careful of what he asks for.
Check out the following video:

Ultra High Relief Email Notification

The following message is being sent by email to US Mint customers who ordered the 2009 Ultra High Relief Double Eagle Gold Coin.

Another version of this message has been posted in the FAQ section of the US Mint's website. The email is silent with regards to the previous series of emails sent to customers which included ever-changing estimated shipping dates. The email is also silent regarding shipping problems and security problems recently exposed on other sites and print publications. The email also states that they are resuming shipping, although they never broadly informed customers that shipping was being halted.

For anyone who has not received it yet, here is the email in its entirety:

Re: Order Number xxxxxxxx

Dear Customer,

The United States Mint is pleased to announce that we will resume shipping of the 2009 Ultra High Relief Double Eagle Gold Coin during the week of February 22, 2009. However, because of production problems with the Companion Book, you may receive only the COIN and presentation box at this time. If you are a customer who receives the COIN without the Companion Book, we will ship the Companion Book to you, at no extra charge, when it becomes available.

If you ordered your 2009 Ultra High Relief Double Eagle Gold Coin between January 22, 2009, and February 9, 2009, you are under the 30-day return policy. If you ordered on or after February 10, 2009, you are under the seven-day return policy. The return timeframe for the 2009 Ultra High Relief Double Eagle Gold COIN and presentation box will begin on the date you receive it. If you are dissatisfied for any reason with your 2009 Ultra High Relief Double Eagle Gold COIN, you may send it back to the United States Mint within the applicable return period for a full refund or replacement. If you return your COIN for any reason prior to receiving the Companion Book, we will cancel your shipment of the Companion Book. If you receive the Companion Book within the applicable return period, you must return both for a full refund.

If your Companion Book is shipped separately, the exchange timeframe for it also will begin on the date you receive it and under the same return policy – 30 days or seven days – as applicable. We will make no refunds for the Companion Book; we will make exchanges for damages only.

Customers’ orders will be shipped on a first-come, first-served basis. You will be notified by email when your order has shipped. If you do not receive the Companion Book with your COIN, you will receive a second e-mail notification when we ship the Companion Book.If you ordered the 2009 Ultra High Relief Double Eagle Gold Coin between January 22 and February 23, 2009, we expect to ship it by April 24, 2009.

If you place your order for the 2009 Ultra High Relief Double Eagle Gold Coin on or after February 24 (and up until March 24, 2009), we expect to ship it by May 24, 2009.

Thank you for your interest in United States Mint products.

2008-W Gold Eagles Sold Out, Gold Prices Adjusted Early

The last of the 2008-W Uncirculated Gold Eagles sold out today. The final coin to go was the 1/2 ounce version, which was priced at $600.00. The sell out came just before a price adjustment for other US Mint gold coins.

Under the new pricing policy, prices were adjusted upwards by $50 for each ounce of gold content. The price for the 2009 Ultra High Relief Double Eagle was increased from $1,289 to $1,339. First Spouse Gold Coins had their prices increased from $616 to $641 for uncirculated coins and $629 to $654 for proof coins. The price adjustments were effective around 2:00 PM ET today.

Some people were surprised by the price adjustment for US Mint gold coins, because they were not supposed to happen until tomorrow morning.

The US Mint's January 6, 2009 publication in the Federal Register very plainly states that price adjustments will take place Thursday mornings at 10:00 AM. The quote below is taken directly from their publication (bold added for emphasis):

Specifically, each Wednesday, the United States Mint will apply the average London Fix for platinum and gold (average of the London Fix prices covering the previous Thursday A.M. Fix through the Wednesday A.M. Fix) to the below pricing schedules. Price adjustments as a result of this process, if any, will be effective at 10 a.m. E.S.T. on the immediately following Thursday.

The US Mint supposedly implemented the new pricing policy in order to increase transparency and predictability for their customers. Unfortunately, this doesn't happen when the US Mint chooses to deviate from their own published policies.

My Letter to Headline News. Re: Cali's Attempt to Legalize It

Yesterday, I got the word from @afrobella on Twitter that Headline News was discussing and asking for opinions on California's attempt to fully legalize, regulate, and tax marijuana. And here's that letter:

I am not only a marijuana user but I also grow marijuana for my own personal use and I teach others how to grow for their own use as well. Marijuana is not the dangerous drug that many people claim it to be. It's a natural plant, not a man made chemical narcotic like cocaine or oxycontin.

We've got to get away from the silly and irrational "comedy" of Harry Anslinger's reefer madness generation. The worst thing marijuana will do to anyone is make them sleepy and hungry. This lasts for no more than few hours, at most, after which you come back to a normal state of mind. It will not hamper your potential. Ask President Obama, Governor Schwarzenegger, or Mayor Bloomberg, all who've used and enjoyed marijuana in the past. It annoys me to hear people complain how marijuana ruined their lives when so many millions of people use marijuana on a daily basis in the US alone - politicians, celebrities, lawyers, doctors, and so on - and all lead successful lives.

I am not pushing marijuana on anyone. The way I see it, the less others use it, the more left for me which lowers costs in the long run.

On another note, don't expect marijuana to be that big of a boon to the economy. Many nations grow marijuana in bulk in Africa and Asia, not just South America. As the US is not prepared to supply the marijuana market on its own in the immediate future, we will turn to other nations to import the plant. Prices will hit rock bottom. Taxes that are too high, like $50 per ounce, will continue to drive the black market. We've got to play this game smart, not greedy. Greed is what caused our problems, remember. LEGALIZE IT!

I would have posted this yesterday when I actually wrote it but I was truly hoping it would have been read on air. I had my camera all set up to record and I even dressed up my television for the hell of it. But, I forget, these programs usually use small comments and/or truncate the hell out of what was sent in like Jack Cafferty did before. HA! Don Lemon showed me love on air as well.

Fort Slocum Sexual Assault

SEXUAL ASSAULT SUSPECT
REWARD UP TO $1,000
For information leading to arrest and conviction

The United States Park Police Criminal Investigations Branch is investigating a sexual assault which took place in the wooded area on the west side of the 5700 block of New Hampshire Ave. just north of South Dakota Ave. NE Washington, DC. The assault took place on Tuesday, February 10, 2009 at approximately 11:30 a.m. The above is a composite sketch of the assailant. He is further described as a Hispanic male 5’10”, mid to late twenties, muscular build. Anyone having information regarding this crime or this suspect is asked to call the United States Park Police Crime Tip Line at 202-610-8737.

FROM THE COUCH OF MUNCHKIN - OR WHO LET THE DOG OUT?_#5

Hey people, my Daddy needs a bit of a break today, so I am posting a blog today.

This posting is about a man who built Noah's Ark to the exact scale given in the Bible (yes, my Daddy reads me Bible stories once in awhile).


Johan Huibers, a Dutchman, built a working replica of Noah's Ark and upon completion, he opened it to the public in Schagen, Netherlands.

The massive central door in the side of the Ark was first opened to a crowd of curious towns people who came to behold the wonder. Of course, it is only a replica of the biblical Ark built by Huibers as a testament to his faith in the literal truth of the Bible.
The ark is 150 cubits long, 20 cubits high and 20 cubits wide. That is two-thirds the length of a football field and as high as a three-story house. Life-size models of giraffes, elephants, lions, crocodiles, zebras, bison and other animals greet visitors as they enter the main hold.
A contractor by trade, Huibers built the Ark of cedar and pine. Biblical scholars are unsure of exactly what wood Noah would have used when he constructed the original Ark.
Huibers did the work mostly with his own hands using modern tools and with the occasional help from his son Roy. Construction began in May 2005. On the uncovered top deck - not quite done in time for the opening - will be a petting zoo, with baby lambs, chickens, goats and one camel.
Visitors on the first day were absolutely stunned. "It's past comprehension," said Mary Louise Starosciak, who happened to be bicycling by with her husband while on vacation when they saw the ark looming over the local landscape.
"I knew the story of Noah, but I had no idea the boat would have been so big," she said. there is enough space near the keel for a 50 seat film theater where kids can watch a video that tells the story of Noah and his Ark. Huibers, a Christian man, said that he hope the project will renew interest in Christianity in the Netherlands, where Church attendence has fallen dramatically in the past 50 years.
"Now that I am old and gray. . .give me the time to tell this new generation (and their children too) about your mighty miracles. Psalm 71:18.

See ya all soon,

"Munchkin"

Budget cuts? Police first!!

Perusing the news as I usual do, I come across LA sheriff could free 4,000 inmates due to budget.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca told The Associated Press on Monday it looks as if he'll have to close two jails and eliminate the positions of the staff at those facilities.

"There's no way around me cutting $71 million out of the budget that won't affect having to close a jail or two," Baca said. "I have to start cutting."

Baca hasn't finalized plans, but said he was looking at closing two of the county's 10 jail facilities: the old central jail, which houses about 2,300 inmates; and part of another facility in Castaic in the north of the county that houses about 1,500 inmates. Violent offenders from the closed jails would be housed in other facilities.

Closing those facilities would eliminate positions for about 400 of the department's 10,000 deputies and another 200 or so civilian jobs would be lost too. The job cuts would come primarily through a hiring freeze.

Of the inmates that would be released early, Baca said he'd first look to nonviolent offenders who are awaiting trial.

I can only see this as a good thing as it pertains to police AND marijuana reform.

gaining perspective

While I wouldn't want to see anyone hurt by this economy, it's an inevitable occurrence and it couldn't happen to a "better" group of people in my opinion. Let's be honest here folks. Police departments, along with the prison industry, are the most bloated and costly expenditure to the American taxpayer. Take for example, in 2007, there were about 872,000 marijuana-based arrests [Drug Sense via FBI]. These are the arrests that the former drug czar, John Walters, claims didn't happen. He called them unicorns because he said they didn't exist. Obviously, there are about 872,000 unicorns in 2007 alone. At any rate, that's one dirty, lying cop that I am glad to see gone.

let's talk numbers

But, I digress. I want people to think about the billions of dollars spent in time, man power, prison, helicopters, technology, and so on. Think about the billions of dollars that could be saved if we stop acting as if the police are doing this nation a great service by arresting and destroying the life of some lowly pothead. Think about the billions of dollars that get diverted away from hospitals, schools, and roads only to support a failed war on drugs.

Imagine that it costs $35,000 to keep a person in prison for one year (don't get ahead of me). Now, multiply that by 872,000 lowly potheads that were arrested and imprisoned in 2007. That's $30,000,000,000 per year to hold people who use marijuana. That's $30,000,000,000 that could have gone to teachers, school books, afterschool programs, nurses, bridge construction, road work, and so on. That $35,000 per person could be used to hire someone for a job. That's a potential of 872,000 jobs that could be saved nation wide. And these numbers only look at the cost of KEEPING a pothead in prison. In the United States, the war on drugs costs American taxpayers upwards of $70,000,000,000 and that's before anyone is even arrested. WOW!

big bad pothead theory

My feelings are that if we're going to start cutbacks here, start with the police and corrections first. Release non-violent criminals who don't belong in prison in the first place. There's no reason we should be spending tens of thousands per person to keep them in prison when they pose no harm to the community.

Seriously, how can a marijuana user be any more benign? Who's afraid of the big bad pothead? Who's afraid of the of the "deflated" chick in the anti-marijuana ad? Oh no! Watch out! She's gonna getcha! Riiiiiiiiight! It's laughable to say the least.

regaining perspective

I believe that this economy is going to define marijuana policy in the future. The United States finally has to prioritize it's responsibilities to the people because times are tough. While this is possibly the crappiest reason to redefine marijuana policy, it's about time the United States seriously addresses the incomprehensible madness that is US drug policy as a whole. I simply don't understand how is it that a pothead, such as myself, cares more about jobs and families than a supposed normal person. How can it be considered normal to believe that jailing a pothead is more important than saving a teacher's job or lowering the costs of medical expenses for a struggling family?

Am I, a pothead, really the problem with the United States?
You'd have to be in the Twilight Zone to believe that (or an overpaid police officer)!

First Spouse Bronze Medals Outperform Gold Coins

First Spouse Bronze Medals have been surprising winners for recent US Mint products. These bronze duplicate medals have actually been outperforming the First Spouse Gold Coins on which they are based.

The bronze medals have been released on the same date as the corresponding gold coin and priced at an affordable $3.50 each. For the past two years, Four Medal Sets have also been offered at $12.95 which contain one of each medal for the year. The US Mint has also offered Presidential Dollar Coin and First Spouse Medal Sets priced at $7.95.

The medals which have sold out at the US Mint are selling for premiums of 200% or more based on recently completed eBay auctions. The 2007 First Spouse Four Medal Sets in original packaging have sold for $40 or more, compared to the original issue price of $12.95. Some of the individual 2007 First Spouse Medals have sold for $10, compared to the original issue price of $3.50. The 2007 Presidential Dollar Coin and Medal Sets have sold for $60 up to $100, compared to the original price of $7.95.



By comparison, the 2007 First Spouse Gold Coins have basically tracked the price of gold. The first two coins featuring Martha Washington and Abigail Adams were originally priced at $429.95 and $410.95 each, for proof and uncirculated versions. The coins now seem to sell for around $520 to $550 each. Since each coin contains one-half ounce of gold, this represents only a small premium above spot gold.

Why are the medals selling for so much?

I can only guess that the medals have gained popularity as a relatively more affordable way to collect the first spouse series. A medal priced around $10 remains relatively more affordable than a gold coin priced over $500. Also, the 2007 medals seem to have been mostly overlooked and under ordered while they were available at the US Mint, which may be creating a limited supply on the secondary market. Current eBay auctions show about twelve 2007 First Spouse Medals compared to over one hundred 2007 First Spouse Gold Coins available.

Lastly, a recently discovered mule error in 2007 First Spouse Four Medal Sets may be bringing attention to the bronze duplicates. The obverse of the Abigail Adams medal was inadvertently paired with the reverse of the Louisa Adams medal. Three examples were reported to Coin World. One example of the error recently sold on eBay for $700. It's possible that some people are paying premiums to buy the Four Medal Sets to check for the error.

The US Mint currently has available all of the 2008 medals, the 2008 Four Medal Set, and the Dollar Coin and Medal Sets for Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren.

Will the 2008 medals perform as well as the 2007's?

In my opinion I think it would be unlikely. Once an unexpected winning product like this becomes known, enough people jump into the market to prevent it from happening again. However, for the average collector ordering one or two of the medals to appreciate the First Spouse series, they are a nice acquisition at only $3.50 each.

WINE & WATER

WINE & WATER

This is to all out there who enjoy a glass of wine . . . . and those who don't.

Ben Franklin once said:

"In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria."

In a number of carefully controlled trials, scientists have demonstrated that if we drink 1 liter of water each day, at the end of the year we would have absorbed more than 1 kilo of Escherichia Coli (that is E.Coli to you and I) bacteria which is found in feces.

In other words, we are consuming 1 kilo of POOP! However, we do not run that risk when drinking Wine & Beer (Tequila, rum, whiskey or any other liquor), because alcohol has to go through a purification process of boiling, filtering, and/or fermenting.

So, remember, WATER = POOP, WINE = HEALTH.

Therefore, it is better to drink WINE and talk POOP, then to drink WATER and be full of POOP!


NOW FOR YOUR VIEWING ENJOYMENT: ALAN KING AT HIS FUNNIEST - "SURVIVED BY HIS WIFE" :

2009 Lincoln Penny Mania

Shortly after the 2009 Lincoln Cent launch, I wrote a post which mentioned the high prices paid for rolls of the new coins on eBay. One week later, the incredible price levels continue.

A quick review of recently completed eBay auctions shows unmarked rolls selling for $30 to $50 each. Single pennies have sold for $2 to $4 each. Rolls with a Lincoln postage stamp and cancellation from the first day of issue at Hogdenville, Kentucky have sold for over $200. Most astoundingly, a single 2009-P Lincoln Cent graded NGC MS66RD and attributed "First Day of Issue" has sold for $400.

View the current eBay auctions.

As I explained previously, the excessive prices being paid for 2009 Lincoln Cents is largely the result of the temporary unavailability of the coins through normal channels. Federal Reserve Banks have been inundated by coins as a result of the slowing economy, which has caused them to suspend orders for new coins. Many seem to have taken thtemporary unavailability as an indication of rarity.

According to circulating production figures from the US Mint for the month of January 2009, 294 million of the new pennies have already been produced. Annualized, this number equates to a total mintage of 3.5 billion. Has there ever been a rare collectible where 3.5 billion of the items exist?

Eventually, 2009 Lincoln Cents will be distributed through the normal channels and the public will be able to obtain them from banks at face value. Whenever this occurs, the new coins will even start to appear in pocket change from daily transactions.

Even before this point, it's possible that the US Mint might start selling rolls of the new cents directly to collectors. They are reportedly making a "concerted effort" to do so, amidst dealing with several other issues. If and when rolls are available from the US Mint, the offering price likely would not exceed $5 per roll.

It's really hard to imagine a situation whereby the coins will retain their current high values after the temporary unavailability comes to an end. Perhaps the rolls marked from the launch ceremony at Hogdenville will hold their value, but for the early buyers of most of the 2009 Lincoln Cents, it probably won't be a happy ending.