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InternationalizationGroup seeks to decriminalize marijuana in Miami BeachSubmitted by Norm Roulet on Mon, 06/21/2010 - 15:12.
Pro-marijuana activists, backed by the director of the `Cocaine Cowboys' documentaries, are pushing to decriminalize marijuana in Miami Beach BY DAVID SMILEY dsmiley [at] MiamiHerald [dot] com Miami Beach voters could cast ballots for Mary Jane come November should a budding effort to decriminalize marijuana possession in the city gain traction. In front of City Hall Wednesday evening, the Committee for Sensible Marijuana Policy announced a drive to gather signatures in support of a proposed amendment that would make ``personal'' possession of marijuana in Miami Beach a civil code violation punishable by a mere fine. ``We're empowering local government to deal with this differently,'' said Ford Banister, the group's chairman. Banister hopes to put the proposal before the city's voters in November.
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Feature: Colorado Looks At Legalizing Marijuana in 2012Submitted by Norm Roulet on Mon, 06/21/2010 - 14:56.
Angered by a pair of bills aiming at regulating the state's burgeoning medical marijuana industry just signed into law by Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter (D), one group of medical marijuana advocates has announced plans to get a marijuana legalization initiative on the ballot in 2012. But there is already another legalization initiative filed with state officials and ready to go. ![]() Colorado Marijuana Boot Camp for activists, organized by SAFER The competing efforts suggest a certain fractiousness in the state's increasingly crowded and complex medical and recreational marijuana communities, but they also illustrate the growing momentum toward legalization on the ground in Colorado. Just last month, a Rasmussen poll showed marijuana legalization hovering on the cusp of majority support, with 49% of likely voters approving, 38% opposed, and 13% undecided. A 2006 legalization initiative got only 39% of the vote. The initiative effort in the news this week is called Legalize 2012, and is being led by the Boulder-based education and advocacy group Cannabis Therapy Institute (CTI), which is deeply unhappy with the new regulations provoked by a massive boom in dispensaries in the past year or so. "The problem we have in Colorado is that the medical marijuana amendment didn't set up a distribution system, and now, 10 years later, that flawed language is coming back to haunt us," said institute spokesperson Laura Kriho. "The only way to cure the problems patients are now having is across the board legalization for all adults. It will simplify things for law enforcement, patients, and people who aren't patients."
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Tip of the Hat and Props to PD's Michael McIntyre - First Reporter to Recognize "A new cash crop" for OhioSubmitted by Norm Roulet on Mon, 06/21/2010 - 14:41.
Tip of the Hat and Props to the Cleveland Plain Dealer's Michael McIntyre, and his Tipoff column today - First Reporter to Recognize "A new cash crop" for Ohio. I look forward to discussing this initiative in detail with Michael and others in the media and public, as it is important to educate the community on the economic benefits we will receive from "Growing a Bright Green NEO PAC for Legalization & Commercialization of Cannabis Crops, Products & Services". Here is Michael McIntyre's correct and intelligent impression of our initiative to make Northeast Ohio the Open Source Capital of the Brightest Greenest State of Earth:
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RECOMMENDATION: Legalize commercial hemp production, the sooner the better to capitalize on first mover advantageSubmitted by Norm Roulet on Sun, 06/20/2010 - 10:12.
In 1998, Canada legalized hemp as a product and began national development of hemp related industries. Prior to making that decision, analysts consider the economic cases for and against developing the hemp industry in their nation - a major decision - and they decided: RECOMMENDATION: Legalize commercial hemp production, the sooner the better to capitalize on first mover advantage. Since then, Canada has certainly taken a "first mover" advantage with the hemp industry and developed a bright green economy, with $10s billions in national benefits providing 100,000s of jobs in their nation, in about a decade. Looking forward to legalizing the industrial hemp industires for Ohio and America, look back to the late 1990s, when Canada as a nation decided it was time to be independent of foolish American legacy policies and develop their hemp industries, which has been a great decision. In brief, here is the recommendation of Commercial Hemp Cultivation in Canada; An Economic Justification:
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Sarah Palin says Marijuana is a 'minimal problem'... Ron Paul says Legalize It - State of the Tea Party - 6/17/10Submitted by Norm Roulet on Sun, 06/20/2010 - 09:02.
The former Alaska governor appeared on Fox Business Network last night, along with libertarian-leaning Republican Rep. Ron Paul.
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Britain Approves Liquid Marijuana as Prescription Medicine - JUNE 18, 2010Submitted by Norm Roulet on Sun, 06/20/2010 - 07:41.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — It was announced today that Sativex, a cannabinoid-based liquid medicine sprayed under the tongue, has been approved for use in Great Britain to help treat the muscle spasticity suffered by multiple sclerosis patients. Sativex is a natural marijuana extract that is produced by British-based GW Pharmaceuticals. It has been approved for use in Canada to treat neuropathic pain since 2005. “Once again, the scientific community has confirmed that marijuana is medicine and it can provide safe and effective relief to patients suffering from certain conditions,” said Rob Kampia, executive director of the Marijuana Policy Project. “Sadly, our federal government, through the Drug Enforcement Administration, has blocked effective research into the therapeutic effectiveness of marijuana. The United States could be leading the world in the development of cannabinoid-based medicines, but instead our government has ceded this industry to the U.K., while intentionally prolonging the agony of patients in this country.”
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An alliance of citizens seeking to assist our Detroit police officers in protecting residents from serious crimeSubmitted by Norm Roulet on Sat, 06/19/2010 - 11:30.
If a majority of the voters of Detroit vote YES on November 2, 2010, the city law will be changed to read:
Effect of Power Plants on Local Housing Values and Rents - "3-7 percent decreases in housing values and rents within two miles"Submitted by Norm Roulet on Sat, 06/19/2010 - 10:00.
The people of Northeast Ohio should be highly concerned about our air pollution, for many reasons. A most recent reason for concern: the May 2010 study "The Effect of Power Plants on Local Housing Values and Rents" finds "3-7 percent decreases in housing values and rents within two miles of plants with the semiparametric estimates suggesting somewhat larger decreases within one mile. In addition, there is evidence of taste-based sorting with neighborhoods near plants experiencing statistically significant decreases in mean household income, educational attainment, and the proportion of homes that is owner occupied". That is a strong analytic foundation for finding much of Cleveland is statistically worth significantly less than cleaner areas of Northeast Ohio and cities in America (as also reflected in our low property values here).
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Oregon: Permit personal marijuana cultivation/use; regulate commercial marijuana cultivation/sale; prohibit restrictions on hempSubmitted by Norm Roulet on Fri, 06/18/2010 - 23:38.
Petition for State Initiative: Permits personal marijuana, hemp cultivation/use without license; commission to regulate commercial marijuana cultivation/sale Summary: Currently, marijuana cultivation, possession and delivery are prohibited; regulated medical marijuana use permitted. Measure replaces state, local marijuana laws except medical marijuana and driving under the influence laws; distinguishes “hemp” from “marijuana”; prohibits regulation of hemp. Creates agency to license marijuana cultivation by qualified persons and to purchase entire crop. Agency sells marijuana at cost to pharmacies, medical research facilities, and to qualified adults for profit through state stores. Ninety percent of net proceeds goes to state general fund, remainder to drug education,
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Ron Paul "Hemp Best Source Of Ethanol"Submitted by Norm Roulet on Fri, 06/18/2010 - 22:48.
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How Biomass Energy Works - From the Union of Concerned ScientistsSubmitted by Norm Roulet on Thu, 06/17/2010 - 13:28.
How Biomass Energy Works - From the Union of Concerned Scientists To many people, the most familiar forms of renewable energy are the wind and the sun. But biomass (plant material and animal waste) supplies almost 15 times as much energy in the United States as wind and solar power combined—and has the potential to supply much more. There are a wide variety of biomass energy resources, including tree and grass crops and forestry, agricultural, and urban wastes. It is the oldest source of renewable energy known to humans, used since our ancestors learned the secret of fire. Biomass is a renewable energy source because the energy it contains comes from the sun. Through the process of photosynthesis, chlorophyll in plants captures the sun's energy by converting carbon dioxide from the air and water from the ground into carbohydrates, complex compounds composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. When these carbohydrates are burned, they turn back into carbon dioxide and water and release the sun's energy they contain. In this way, biomass functions as a sort of natural battery for storing solar energy. As long as biomass is produced sustainably—with only as much used as is grown—the battery will last indefinitely.
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"Importing coal to produce electricity is a drain on Ohio's economy"Submitted by Norm Roulet on Thu, 06/17/2010 - 10:34.
The June 15, 2010, Toledo Blade published an important editorial titled To curb Ohio's costly coal bill, fix U.S. energy policy, by Jeff Deyette, assistant director of energy research and analysis in the Union of Concerned Scientists' climate and energy program, and Alan Frasz, vice president of Dovetail Solar and Wind in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, that leads-off with an important observation most residents of Ohio find hard to believe... "When you turn on your coffee pot in the morning, the power likely comes from coal, which generates 85 percent of the electricity in Ohio. According to a new report, three-quarters of that coal comes from elsewhere". Yes, Ohio is ADDICTED to dirty, expensive, environmentally destructive imported coal - Ohio electricity ratepayers spent $1.5+ billion in just 2008 on imported coal - Ohio is the 5th biggest imported coal junkie in America, and we have the pollution to prove it. As the authors of this informative editorial point out:
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The only thing wrong with Cleveland, he says, is the attitude of some of its residents - "Hot", isn't that!Submitted by Norm Roulet on Wed, 06/16/2010 - 11:32.
On June 3, 2010, I reported on realNEO "our air around Northeast Ohio has been unhealthy by most standards every day for the past week, and is never nearly healthy enough" and asked "why the hell was air quality in Cleveland and so Northeast Ohio, the region, the state and the world so "UNHEALTHY" last night, while we slept, and why is it so unhealthy RIGHT NOW - and HOW UNHEALTHY really, where, as indicated above?" The diagrams above and below are actually from today - June 16, 2010 - two weeks later. In checking the same pollution monitoring service of NOACA to see current pollution conditions, I find our regional pollution control house of cards has completely collapsed, with NOACA "near real time" pollution monitoring systems (which should be data driven and perfect) still reporting we had "SEVERE" levels of MP2.5 pollution in Northeast Ohio over the past 24 hours (see line and rose charts at bottom of diagram below) - for many hours reading over 300, leading up to these charts - yet NOACA posting an "OFFICIAL" explanation that "NOTICE: The PM2.5 monitors are experiencing difficulty this week. Data shown is incorrect. Local air agencies are working with the monitors. In addition, high humidity is being reflected. We appreciate your patience."
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"Cannabis has been cultivated in nearly every province and climatic zone in China from ancient times to the present"Submitted by Norm Roulet on Wed, 06/16/2010 - 09:30.
December 29, 2009 - China executed a British citizen, Akmal Shaikh, caught smuggling heroin When United States leaders speak of developing our "homeland security" by drilling and stripmining our way to "energy independence", I must question their scientific integrity and intellectual competency. It is well understood worldwide that our Federal government has made impossible the development of an industrial hemp economy in America, which offers citizens a greater degree of energy independence here, because past corporate tycoons were able to force corrupt and ignorant politicians to incorrectly associated "hemp" with "marijuana", and "marijuana" has incorrectly been branded as dangerous and addictive by many ignorant and corrupt American scientists, and the corporate tycoons who pay their salaries. Long story short, because of the ignorant 1936 low-grade American exploitation film called "Reefer Madness", the tuly mad leadership of America has long outlawed developing industrial hemp resources, intellectual property, and technologies in America.
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Congressional Research Service Report for Congress: Hemp as an Agricultural Commodity - Updated March 23, 2007Submitted by Norm Roulet on Tue, 06/15/2010 - 04:15.
In 2007, the Congressional Research Service published a Report for Congress: Hemp as an Agricultural Commodity - Updated March 23, 2007 - which gives a good summary of the thinking and US Federal government analyses of industrial hemp over three years and a president ago, when Representative Ron Paul introduced the Industrial Hemp Farming Act in the 110th Congress ... Time to enact the Industrial Hemp Farming Act! Time to prepare Ohio for that inevitability - "the state’s determination would be conclusive and binding."
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Reason Foundation Explores "Illegally Green: Environmental Costs of Hemp Prohibition"Submitted by Norm Roulet on Tue, 06/15/2010 - 01:49.
ENCOURAGE BOTTOM-UP REDEVELOPMENT: REASON SAVES CLEVELAND WITH DREW CAREY, EPISODE 5 While researching the economic potential of industrial hemp, I was fascinated to find the Reason Foundation published a 2008 study, "Illegally Green: Environmental Costs of Hemp Prohibition", that concluded: "Ultimately, the environmental costs incurred by the prohibition of hemp cultivation in the United States cannot be calculated purely in the abstract. The full potential for industrial hemp in domestic agriculture and industry can only be tested by unrestricted inclusion in the U.S. market, along with other top biological feedstocks." Drew Carey is working with the same Reason Foundation in his efforts to help Cleveland transform our economy, as I previously reported on realNEO here (Episode 5 above). The Reason Foundation website writes Reason Saves Cleveland With Drew Carey "investigates and analyzes the problems that turned Cleveland from the nation's sixth-largest city in 1950 into today's "Mistake On The Lake." About Drew Carey's efforts, I wrote "I can't say I agree with all that I have seen of these documentaries but I do intend to explore Carey's overall vision and his willingness to follow-through further."
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Video of the Day: Middlebury College Biomass Gasification Plant - A Milestone Toward Carbon NeutralitySubmitted by Norm Roulet on Mon, 06/14/2010 - 14:45.
A short virtual tour of Middlebury College's biomass plant, which opened in January 2009. In exploring alternative fuel sources for the many coal burning powerplants in Ohio, biomass is an obvious alternative. Our bright green proposal is to make hemp biomass the center of a bright new economy in this state. Below is how one great university has used wood biomass (as UNC plans) to move to carbon neutrality and the forefront of bright, green college leadership. But, they don't use hemp... no university does, yet... From the Middlebury College website, about their biomass initiative: A Milestone Toward Carbon Neutrality
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Question of the Day: Are you boycotting BP?Submitted by Norm Roulet on Sat, 06/12/2010 - 09:53.
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I paid $.05 extra at Marathon to F***BP todaySubmitted by Norm Roulet on Fri, 06/11/2010 - 18:40.
When I think about it, I always avoided BP before Deepwater - totally do now - they always seemed highest cost with the least local authenticity and creativity of the brands, markets and products. From a personal perspective, I saw them take over SOHIO and do little for the old home town, and then vacate - barely know SOHIO ever existed, yet I think the old HQ is still called the BP building - new BP ownership rejected our Oldenburg, which wound up in a different format and venue, by City Hall - what about them has there ever been to like, from the NEO perspective? That they are British? Our beer is better - they live on a tiny island and try to rule the world - they took over America to try to escape their own pollution and unsustainability in the first place...
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Growing a Bright Green NEO PAC for Legalization & Commercialization of Cannabis Crops, Products & ServicesSubmitted by Norm Roulet on Fri, 06/11/2010 - 06:07.
I'm pleased to announce the coming-together of a Bright Green NEO PAC (Political Action Committee) to develop legislation, distribute petitions, and place on the November 2, 2010, Cuyahoga County general election ballot one or several collaborative local issues to grow $ billions in new economic development activity through enlightened legalization of cannabis crops and derived products, industries and services. The industrial variety of cannabis (hemp) is one of the faster growing biomasses known, and is grown for paper, textiles, biodegradable plastics, construction, health food, fuel, and medical purposes - it is very environmentally friendly as it requires few pesticides and no herbicides. The medicinal variety (marijuana) is processed for recreational, religious, spiritual, and health purposes. Without going into too many details, I've proposed Bright Green NEO economic development initiatives for select economically distressed communities of the Northeast Ohio region. But, I believe all of the state of Ohio will eventually go bright green as the people of the state demand the option. All citizens of Ohio should have the opportunity to benefit from related economic development initiatives and through legal access to industrial and medicinal cannabis products as soon as possible. There are many state-wide medical marijuana initiatives already underway and in place across America - for Ohio citizens to be denied legal access to this new economy health and cashcrop opportunity is regressive. That is unacceptable, for one of the world's greatest agricultural economies.
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Art of the Day: "Grandfather" - Jeff Hulligan - Year of the TigerSubmitted by Norm Roulet on Wed, 06/09/2010 - 10:30.
I was entering Cleveland City Hall yesterday and was stopped in my tracks by "Grandfather", by Jeff Hulligan - one of Year of the TIger artworks organized by the St. Clair Superior Development Corporation - this very cool work is sponsored by Councilman Cimperman... the first of the tigers I've come across in town... props where props are deserved. I always enjoy seeing these annual creative arts and culture icons around the St. Clair Superior area. This is the fifth year this CDC has organized this fun, unique authentic arts campaign, previously featuring the years of the dog, pig, rat and ox, described further and linked below.... there are many photos of previous works in this program on realNEO and I'll be keeping my eye out for more tigers around town and share them here... more photos of Grandfather and information on this great program below.
Song of the Day: "Brother Can You Spare A Dime?" - Dedicated to Blogger Henry X Sysack, still going strongSubmitted by Norm Roulet on Wed, 06/09/2010 - 09:15.
Identifiable effects on public health which may be expected from the presence of a pollutant in ambient air, e.g. Heart AttacksSubmitted by Norm Roulet on Mon, 06/07/2010 - 11:00.
As a result of old science, politics and industry dominating energy, health and environmental planning and development of Cleveland, Northeast Ohio, Ohio and America, citizens here must confront the realities of too much pollution in our air today, with certainty of growing air pollution worldwide in the years ahead. As such, the United States Environmental Protection Agency's 2009 Integrated Science Assessment for Particulate Matter finds our pollution causes cardiovascular and respiratory problems and death... topping a long list of cumulative harm pollution causes people and society. Integrated Science Assessment for Particulate Matter forms the scientific foundation for the review of the primary (health-based) and secondary (welfare-based) National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for particulate matter (PM) in America, and "accurately reflects “the latest scientific knowledge useful in indicating the kind and extent of identifiable effects on public health which may be expected from the presence of [a] pollutant in ambient air”". As I've long written on realNEO, Northeast Ohio has a pollution crisis and does a poor job or monitoring our pollution, putting citizens' lives in danger. How much in danger is the subject of this lengthy EPA analysis. In short, you are certainly being harmed greatly by the high levels of PM clearly released into the air in Northeast Ohio, especially near major roadways and coal burning facilities that are source points, like Mittal and MCCO. For example: "Epidemiologic studies that examined the effect of PM 2.5 on cardiovascular emergency department (ED) visits and hospital admissions reported consistent positive associations (predominantly for ischemic heart disease [IHD] and congestive heart failure [CHF]), with the majority of studies reporting increases ranging from 0.5 to 3.4% per 10 μg/m3 increase in PM 2.5".
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“I always plucked a thistle and planted a flower where I thought a flower would grow" - LincolnSubmitted by Norm Roulet on Fri, 06/04/2010 - 22:49.
“Die when I may, I want it said by those who knew me best that I always plucked a thistle and planted a flower where I thought a flower would grow.” - Abraham Lincoln
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Assessment of Power Plants That Meet Proposed Greenhouse Gas Emission Performance Standards - Final Report - 4/22/2010Submitted by Norm Roulet on Fri, 06/04/2010 - 07:00.
The chart above presents some of the most important data in the world for citizens to understand about the future physical and economic health and well being of all people on Earth, and for all life on Earth - the Total Levelized Costs of Electricity including TS&M shown in Exhibit ES-11 is the cost breakdown from the ASSESSMENT OF POWER PLANTS THAT MEET PROPOSED GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION PERFORMANCE STANDARDS - November 5, 2009 - REVISED 4/22/2010 that demonstrates that all the technologies available and in immediate development to burn coal to generate utility scale power at the emissions standards set for California are more expensive than generating electricity by wind - significantly more expensive. Solar has better economic value than coal as well. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) just conducted a comparison of the relative impacts of various financial, technological, and wind resource variables on the LCOE from utility-scale wind projects and found a base case range of $54-74/MWh.
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