Posts by Steve Barnes
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50 people simultaneously lighting up in separate areas of a city, both publicly and visibly, on a regular basis to encourage old ladies to call the police,
Ah. But. This whole thread started because 250 people got arrested for doing even less than that and as I said earlier, this may be the thin end of the wedge in terms of the public's acceptance of the police attitude to "harmless" activities when they see a general ineptitude, by those same police, to problems they perceive as having a greater impact on their lives, child abuse, boy racers, graffiti and gang activities.
The latter of those is, of course, dependant on the fact that drugs are illegal and without that income, from illegal drugs, the gangs will lose their viability. Stamping out the gangs by legalising drugs is a no-brainer in my thinking. -
That's not fear you can smell. ;-)
I am a pragmatist and you are an idealist. I don't particularly want to walk down the street smoking a joint and get all "Rah Rah Rah" on it but feel free to do so if that is your wish (you won't be free for long, you mark my words). Yes, the law needs to change but I hardly think this should be a case for revolution, slowly slowly catch the monkey, and monkeys they are, frightening the little old law abiding ladies ain't gonna get you nowhere buddy.
Nandor Tanczos soon found out that being perceived as a one trick pony soon damaged his credibility and those that think they have all the answers tend to denigrate those that step out of the square, as it were. Swimming against the stream just wears you down in the end but the tide will change eventually, as it has in the States, and you will find that when that tide changes there will be a lot of people, that were blathering on about how bad cannabis was, saying "Well, I always said the law was wrong". Hypocrites and hyperbole go hand in hand and justice will win through in the end.Ah, I love the smell of pomposity in the P.M.
Brought to by cliché central, where the platitudes play -
But if large groups, of all walks of life, begin very publicly engaging in this activity, on a very regular basis. the stress on police resources will hasten the required change.
I really wish I could agree with that. Problem is that the logic of large numbers of people breaking the law = this law is not working, escapes the average politician. The response to such civil disobedience is more likely to be "this problem is getting worse, we must act to stamp it out by building more prisons". Sure, it would logically lead to a social imbalance of more people in prison than out but the powers that be will never see that, especially if those in prison lose their voting rights.
The only way to change this would be by referendum, the only thing politicians notice is the numbers on a ballot.
Let's see how this massive turnout on the mining issue pans out, maybe we are seeing a return to a strong protest movement in this country. It is about time for the people to be counted, I, for one, am one and you can all be too, or was that two? -
Then there's cause and effect. Maybe it's earthquakes that make women's clothes fall off, a bit like this...
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How many of you actually write a letter to the editor of your local paper saying those intelligent and perceptive things?
I wrote to Your Veiws (sic) once, I had to have a shower afterwards.
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Yes Tom, I was about to post that too. Receipt for thirty year old wedding rings?, their own wedding rings??
FFS, pawn brokers have always been on the slightly dodgy side, not just the legal but the moral, i.e. Setting up next to a TAB for instance, but why are the police coming down on them now? We have had laws in place for years to allow police to charge those receiving stolen property, this is what happens when you pass a law that, basically, says "If you can't prove it's yours then it's mine"
A return to serfdom where the best we can do is aspire to be Villeins?. -
Applying a hint of scientific rigor to Boobquake
None of the analyses of the event thus far have met the rigorous statistical standards we require here at Ars, so we'll take a look at the shortcomings and draw up some numbers of our own. (arstechnica.com)
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I wonder if that's one of the main things standing against pot - it's mostly appealing to people who don't have any power.
Ah yes but. It affects us all. there is no doubt a person addicted to anything that inhibits their ability to earn enough to support a habit is going to turn to some form of crime, there is no option in their mind. A sensible drug policy will reduce harm all round and cost the country less on enforcement, punishment, reparation (in terms of insurance)
We cannot solve any problem until we own it, society must accept that people do and will take drugs. Denial and marginalisation are not the solution. -
Well that works. Stella, the Dog, just launched herself off the deck barking her head off looking for cats, she's actually scared of them and just wants to be left alone and not be scratched or spat at.
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Here's an interesting bit of Friday evening reading. Section 7 for the pot heads.
RECENT TRENDS IN ILLEGAL DRUG USE IN NEW ZEALAND, 2006-2008Where do they score? (those pot heads)
The Internet could try harder.
Location
Private house 47%
‘Tinny’ house 45%
Agreed public
location 19%
Public area (e.g.park) 13%
Work 13%
Pub/bar/club 11%
Street drug market 9%
Educational institute 4%
Internet 2%Statistically interesting...
Seventy-eight percent of the frequent drug users had purchased cannabis from a "friend", 52% had purchased
cannabis from a ‘social acquaintance, 49% had purchased cannabis from a ‘drug dealerThere's your policy answer, stop people having friends and acquaintances.