Bobonit News Blog - Bob's news blog

Recorded Audio: Seaside Heights New Jersey Boardwalk Fire Fighting Operations. #NJFire #WharfFire

2013-09-13T21:24:00.001-07:00

Boardwalk Fire 9/12/13 Seaside Heights Fire, Ocean County Fire Department New Jersey
More than 80% of the Seaside Park boardwalk in New Jersey, ravaged less than a year ago by super-storm Sandy, destroyed Thursday by massive structure fire.

New Jersey firefighters spray water as they try to control a massive fire in Seaside Park in New Jersey September 12, 2013. The fast-moving fire that started in a custard shop raged through several blocks of boardwalk and businesses on Thursday in Seaside Park, a shore town that was still rebuilding from damage caused by Superstorm Sandy. (Photo by Eduardo Munoz/Reuters)

Published Friday, September 13, 2013

The audio has been edited.
Audio used under a creative common license from broadcastify.com

Breaking News: Finnair Flight 666 to HEL on Friday the 13th Landed Safely.

2013-09-13T13:01:00.002-07:00

Finnair Flight 666 to HEL on Friday the 13th Landed Safely

Finnair flight 666 is flown to HEL on every Friday 13th

Route from Copenhagen to Helsinki today

Finnair flight AY666 is flew to HEL on Friday 13 and landed safely, just like it does every Friday 13.

Finnair 666(Track inbound flight)

FIN666 · "Finnair" (all flights) finnair.com

Copenhagen (EKCH / CPH)

Terminal 2

Helsinki-Vantaa (EFHK / HEL)

Terminal 2

01:27PM CEST

03:48PM EEST

Scheduled:	01:20PM CEST
7-day average:	01:17PM CEST

Scheduled:	03:35PM EEST
7-day average:	03:30PM EEST

Other flights between these airports

Duration: 1 hour 21 minutes

Friday, September 13, 2013

Status	Arrived over 6 hours ago (track log & graph)
Aircraft	Airbus A320 (twin-jet) (A320 – photos)
Speed	Filed: 386 kts (graph)
Distance	Direct: 555 sm Flown: 548 sm
Cabin	Business: Lunch / Economy: Food for sale

NIST advises against use of random bit generator algorithm apparently backdoored by NSA

2013-09-11T13:48:00.001-07:00

NIST advises against use of random bit generator algorithm apparently backdoored by NSA

The National Institute of Standards and Technology says cryptographers should not use for now a NIST random bit generator algorithm whose trustworthiness has been called into question by leaks from former intelligence contractor Edward Snowden.

NIST also says it will revise the special publication containing the algorithm, SP 800-90A (.pdf).

"NIST strongly recommends that, pending the resolution of the security concerns and the re-issuance of SP 800-90A, the Dual_EC_DRBG, as specified in the January 2012 version of SP 800-90A, no longer be used," NIST says in a bulletin(.pdf).

Reporting based on Snowden leaks finds that the National Security Agencyappears to have inserted a backdoor into the dual elliptic curve deterministic random bit generation algorithm adopted as a standard by NIST in 2006. The elliptic curve method was one of four incorporated into SP 800-90, which was superseded by 800-90A in January 2012.

Some security researchers suspected (.pdf) almost immediately that the NSA tampered with the algorithm. In 2007, security scientist Bruce Schneier wrote inWired that the Dual_EC_DRBG algorithm is also "too slow for anyone to willingly use it," and recommended two other deterministic random bit generator methods contained in the NIST special publication. It's only in recent days that NIST has moved to address concerns, however, while also defending its cryptography development process.

In a prepared statement, NIST says it is required by law to consult with the NSA; the intelligence community agency has the mission of both ensuring robust cryptographic standards for federal and military use while also cracking others' encoded communications.

NIST, the statement says, "would not deliberately weaken a cryptographic standard."

In addition to revising SP 800-90A--comments are due by Nov. 6--NIST is also reopening for public comment two other related draft special publications, 800-90B and 800-90C. The three publications are meant to be used together to generate random bit generators.

For more:
- download the NIST bulletin (.pdf)
- go to the NIST statement on its cryptographic development process
- go to a webpage of NIST draft special publications (has links to 800-90A Rev. 1, 800-90B and 800-90C)

How California Prisons Got To Be So Insanely Overcrowded #CaPrisons #CaLaw

2013-08-04T12:52:00.002-07:00

Jail cells at the Fremont Police Detention Facility in Fremont, California

California enacted more than 1,000 laws that increased sentencing in a five-year span

California has been ordered to release nearly 10,000 inmates by the end of the year to resolve a notorious overcrowding problem that's been brewing for decades. The Golden State's prison crisis reached a fever pitch in 2011 after the Supreme Court said the overcrowding amounted to "cruel and unusual punishment." Now all eyes are on liberal Gov. Jerry Brown, who insists the public's safety will be jeopardized if he releases the inmates. The mass release would only bring prisons down to 137 percent of their capacity.

So how did California's prisons get to be so dreadfully overcrowded in the first place? The state actually had a reputation for an ultra-progressive penal system before 1980, according to the radio documentary "Prisons in Crisis: A State of Emergency In California." Then California began aggressively increasing sentencing in the late 1980s and 1990s in response to nationwide fear about high crime rates. Several high-profile crimes by parolees including the murder of 12-year-old Polly Klauss stoked fear in California, according to "Prisons in Crisis."

California enacted more than 1,000 laws that increased sentencing in a five-year span to settle these fears, law professor Jonathan Simon told "Prisons in Crisis" producer JoAnn Marr. "Legislators were competing with each other to see who could be tougher," Marr reported. "Any politician seen as being soft on crime ran the risk of losing his seat."

Once the state started getting tougher on crime, it began doing away with many of its reform programs including education and work training, criminologist Joan Petersilia told Marr. These days, prisoners get released without any skills and often end up back in prison on parole violations. Nearly 65% of California's inmates go back to prison again within just three years. "We play catch and release," Petersilia told Marr.

The California prison population reached a high of 173,000 by 2007, up from about 20,000 in the mid-1970s. New prison construction just couldn't keep up with that growth. To be sure, Brown has taken some steps to cut back on the state's exploding prison population. Since the Supreme Court ordered the state to reduce its prison capacity in 2011, the state has managed to reduce its prison population to 120,000. But a three-judge panel of federal judges ruled in June that wasn't enough.

"We are compelled to enforce the Federal Constitution and to enforce the constitutional rights of all persons," the panel wrote, "including prisoners."

This post originally appeared in Business Insider.
By Erin Fuchs

Picture: Jail cells at the Fremont Police Detention Facility in Fremont, California, Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Los Angeles: One person was killed and 11 others injured By Hit and Run Driver on Venice Beach Boardwalk Rampage

2013-08-04T10:59:00.003-07:00

Venice Beach hit-and-run driver kills one and injures 11 on boardwalk

Man being questioned by police in Los Angeles after car ploughs through pedestrian-only boardwalk packed with revellers

Scrambling For Safety

A security camera shows pedestrians scattering for safety as the black car ploughs through the Venice Beach boardwalk. Photograph: AP

One person was killed and 11 others injured, some seriously, when a hit-and-run driver ploughed into a pavement packed with hundreds of seaside revellers on the Venice Beach boardwalk in Los Angeles.

The victim died at a hospital a few hours after the Saturday evening crash, Police Lieutenant Andy Neiman said.

The Venice BeachScene

Security video shows the man parking his black car alongside the seaside boardwalk, surveying the scene for several minutes before getting back into the car and speeding into the crowd. It shows hundreds of people walking lazily or sitting at cafes before the black car suddenly appears and sends them scrambling for safety.

"There was people kind of stumbling around, blood dripping down their legs looking confused not knowing what had happened; people screaming," said 35-year-old Louisa Hodge. "It was blocks and blocks of people just strewn across the sidewalk."

Firefighters combed the chaotic crowd, finding 12 people wounded and taking 10 of them to the hospital where one later died, fire and police officials said.

Another victim was in critical condition, two more were in serious condition, and the remaining eight had minor injuries, a city fire spokesman said.

A man later walked into a police station in neighbouring Santa Monica, telling officers he was involved in the incident, Neiman said.

Police then found a car nearby that they believe belonged to the man, Neiman said.

The aftermath of the Venice Beach rampage Photograph: Handout/Reuters

Detectives were questioning this man.

Neiman would give no details on the identity of the person who died or the man they were questioning.

According to the security video and witness accounts, the man with a baseball cap, grey shirt and white trousers parked next to the Cadillac Hotel, twice walking out to the boardwalk before getting into the black Dodge Avenger and accelerating, swerving around yellow poles meant to prevent cars from getting into the pedestrian-only area and onto the boardwalk.

"I heard a big 'boom, boom', like the sound of someone going up and down the curb, it was super loud," said Alex Hagan, 22, who was working the desk at the Cadillac Hotel and watched the scene unfold from the start.

The man knocked over two mannequins then started hitting people, swerving from side to side and often running straight into them.

The crowd of hundreds of couples, families and children who had been sitting at cafes, shopping and ambling along in shorts and sandals were sent into a mad scramble to get themselves and others out of the way and to rush to help those who were hit.

The car hit at least three vendors who were sitting at their sales booths, video showed.

It hit two women who appeared to be in their 60s, Hagan said.

Many ran after the car, screaming and cursing as it sped away, he said.

People scramble for safety as the hit and run driver approaches in Venice Beach.

Hodge said she and her friend, Ashley Taylor, 31, took note of the registration number.

"It was a really nice day, there were tonnes of people out, in fact, we were talking about how packed it was, because we were having a hard time getting through all the people," said Hodge.

She and her friend went into a store to buy hats, a move that may have saved their lives, and stepped out to see the aftermath, as emergency crews arrived and started putting victims on tarps.

Hodge saw one man and woman lying next to each other, wearing head braces and barely able to move.

"They were just lying next to each other and grasping hands," Hodge said. "Just a man and a woman holding hands."

Hours later police were surveying the same stretch of ground for evidence.

The Venice boardwalk is a popular 1.5-mile boardwalk running along the sand a few hundred metres from the ocean, home to galleries, restaurants, tattoo shops, skateboard parks and the famous outdoor weight room known as Muscle Beach. It can draw as many as 150,000 people on summer weekends.

Associated Press in Los Angeles

Orange County Sheriff’s deputy facing jail time after pepper spraying a Pizza

2013-08-03T22:27:00.000-07:00

Orange County Deputy Is Accused of Pepper Spraying Teen’s Pizza

posted August 3, 2013 / No Comments

Law enforcement Officer allegedly sprayed the pizza without the teen’s knowledge.

An Orange County Sheriff’s deputy is facing jail time after being accused of pepper spraying a teen’s pizza without his knowledge during a traffic stop last year, prosecutors said.

Juan Tavera, a six-year veteran of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department at the time of the alleged crime, faces one year in jail if convicted of spraying the pizza and ultimately sickening five people who ate it, according to a release by the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.

Tavera, 30, allegedly pulled over a 19-year-old named as John Doe for a traffic violation on Sept. 8, 2012, when he noticed a pizza in the back seat and pepper sprayed it without the teen noticing, the release stated.

The teen returned home to share the pizza with four friends, and all five people became sick as a result of ingesting the pepper spray-contaminated pie. He became suspicious and notified the sheriff’s department of his interaction with the deputy, the DA’s office said.

Tavera is charged with misdemeanor assault or battery by a public officer and is set to be arraigned Monday in Newport Beach.

He is currently on paid administrative leave.

Source article: http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/OC-Deputy-Accused-Pepper-Spraying-Teens-Pizza-218209672.html

Coast Guard Rescues F-16 Pilot After Collision - U.S. Coast Guard News Release

2013-08-02T13:49:00.003-07:00

PORTSMOUTH, Va., Aug. 2, 2013 – The U.S. Coast Guard rescued an Air National Guard pilot early today after his plane went down approximately 35 miles southeast of Chincoteague, Va.

Coast Guard 5th District Command Center watchstanders received notification via an automated search and rescue satellite aided tracking distress signal from an ejection seat registered to an Air National Guard plane at approximately 10:28 p.m. Aug. 1.

The Navy's Fleet Area Control and Surveillance Facility at Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Beach, Va., contacted Coast Guard watchstanders and confirmed two 113th Wing D.C. Air National Guard F-16C Fighting Falcon jets were involved in a mid-air collision. One pilot ejected while the second F-16 flew back to Joint Base Andrews, Md.

District watchstanders dispatched a Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City aircrew aboard an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter to assist.

Today at approximately 12:30 a.m., the Jayhawk crew hoisted the pilot and transferred him to Joint Base Andrews.

The rescued F-16 pilot was in good condition, and the cause of the mishap is under investigation.

The Truth About Marijuana - Nobody dies from marijuana use in fact it saves lives

2013-07-27T10:27:00.003-07:00

Introduction

To say that marijuana has been given a bad rap over the past few decades is an understatement. If you’re like most Americans, you have been led to believe that marijuana is a dangerous and addictive drug that has destroyed the lives of millions of teens and adults. You have been encouraged to believe that marijuana causes lung cancer and is a “gateway” to harder drugs. The government has even tried to convince you that most people who use marijuana are losers who sit around on couches all day doing nothing.

What we would like to do is wipe the slate clean and start over. Forget everything you have heard in the past and be open-minded to the truth about marijuana. We are not here to tell you that it is without harms or is some kind of miracle drug. We simply hope you will come to understand that it is far, far less harmful than what your government has told you.

Part of the problem is that many people are simply unfamiliar with marijuana. They have never tried it (or perhaps only tried it a time or two decades ago) and assume the worst. They have been conditioned to think that marijuana use is bad and that people who use it are dangerous or strange or maybe even dirty. They have visions of people using marijuana and being totally zonked out, unable to maintain a regular conversation.

The truth is that marijuana is widely used in a manner quite similar to alcohol. Adults might consume it before enjoying a dinner party with friends. Friends might have a little before engaging in a spirited game of ultimate frisbee. And spouses – yes, even some couples you know – might imbibe a bit while enjoying a romantic evening together. Concert-goers have even been known to have a puff or two before or during a show – which more likely than not results in them dancing or otherwise enjoying the music, not lying on the ground like lumps.

None of this is “bad” or “wrong” or “immoral.” It is simply something that these responsible adults choose to do. And frequently, it is something they choose to do specifically instead of alcohol. And for good reason! Alcohol is more toxic, more addictive, more harmful to the body, more likely to result in injuries, and more likely to lead to interpersonal violence than marijuana.

Below are just a few facts that highlight the very different impacts of these two popular substances on those who consume them and on the broader community.

Back to top

Impact on the Consumer

Many people die from alcohol use. Nobody dies from marijuana use. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that more than 37,000 annual U.S. deaths are attributed to alcohol use alone (this figure does not include accidental deaths). On the other hand, the CDC does not even have a category for deaths caused by the use of marijuana.

People die from alcohol overdoses. There has never been a fatal marijuana overdose. The official publication of the Scientific Research Society, American Scientist, reported that alcohol is one of the most toxic drugs and using just 10 times what one would use to get the desired effect could lead to death. Marijuana is one of – if not the – least toxic drugs, requiring thousands of times the dose one would use to get the desired effect to lead to death. This “thousands of times” is actually theoretical, since there has never been a case of an individual dying from a marijuana overdose. Meanwhile, according to the CDC, hundreds of alcohol overdose deaths occur in the United States each year.

The health-related costs associated with alcohol use far exceed those for marijuana use. Health-related costs for alcohol consumers are eight times greater than those for marijuana consumers, according to an assessment recently published in the British Columbia Mental Health and Addictions Journal. More specifically, the annual health-related cost of alcohol consumption is $165 per user, compared to just $20 per user for marijuana. This should not come as a surprise given the vast amount of research that shows alcohol poses far more – and more significant – health problems than marijuana.

Alcohol use damages the brain. Marijuana use does not. Despite the myths we've heard throughout our lives about marijuana killing brain cells, it turns out that a growing number of studies seem to indicate that marijuana actually has neuroprotective properties. This means that it works to protect brain cells from harm. For example, one recent study found that teens who used marijuana as well as alcohol suffered significantly less damage to the white matter in their brains. Of course, what is beyond question is that alcohol damages brain cells.

Alcohol use is linked to cancer. Marijuana use is not. Alcohol use is associated with a wide variety of cancers, including cancers of the esophagus, stomach, colon, lungs, pancreas, liver, and prostate. Marijuana use has not been conclusively associated with any form of cancer. In fact, one study recently contradicted the long-time government claim that marijuana use is associated with head and neck cancers. It found that marijuana use actually reduced the likelihood of head and neck cancers. If you are concerned about marijuana being associated with lung cancer, you may be interested in the results of the largest case-controlled study ever conducted to investigate the respiratory effects of marijuana smoking and cigarette smoking. Released in 2006, the study, conducted by Dr. Donald Tashkin at the University of California at Los Angeles, found that marijuana smoking was not associated with an increased risk of developing lung cancer. Surprisingly, the researchers found that people who smoked marijuana actually had lower incidences of cancer compared to non-users of the drug.

Alcohol is more addictive than marijuana. Addiction researchers have consistently reported that marijuana is far less addictive than alcohol based on a number of factors. In particular, alcohol use can result in significant and potentially fatal physical withdrawal, whereas marijuana has not been found to produce any symptoms of physical withdrawal. Those who use alcohol are also much more likely to develop dependence and build tolerance.

Alcohol use increases the risk of injury to the consumer. Marijuana use does not. Many people who have consumed alcohol, or know others who have consumed alcohol, would not be surprised to hear that it greatly increases the risk of serious injury. Research published this year in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research found that 36% of hospitalized assaults and 21% of all injuries are attributable to alcohol use by the injured person. Meanwhile, the American Journal of Emergency Medicine reported that lifetime use of marijuana is rarely associated with emergency room visits. According to the British Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, this is because: "Cannabis differs from alcohol … in one major respect. It does not seem to increase risk-taking behavior. This means that cannabis rarely contributes to violence either to others or to oneself, whereas alcohol use is a major factor in deliberate self-harm, domestic accidents and violence." Interestingly enough, some research has even shown that marijuana use has been associated with a decreased risk of injury.

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Impact on the Community

Alcohol use contributes to aggressive and violent behavior. Marijuana use does not. Studies have repeatedly shown that alcohol, unlike marijuana, contributes to the likelihood of aggessive and violent behavior. An article published in the Journal of Addictive Behaviors reported that "alcohol is clearly the drug with the most evidence to support a direct intoxication-violence relationship," whereas "cannabis reduces the likelihood of violence during intoxication."

Alcohol use is a major factor in violent crimes. Marijuana use is not. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism estimates that 25% to 30% of violent crimes in the United States are linked to the use of alcohol. According to a report from the U.S. Dept. of Justice, that translates to about 5,000,000 alcohol-related violent crimes per year. By contrast, the government does not even track violent acts specifically related to marijuana use, as the use of marijuana has not been associated with violence. (Of course, we should note that marijuana prohibition, by creating a widespread criminal market, is associated with acts of violence.)

Alcohol use contributes to the likelihood of domestic abuse and sexual assault. Marijuana use does not. Alcohol is a major contributing factor in the prevalence of domestic violence and sexual assault. This is not to say that alcohol causes these problems; rather, its use makes it more likely that an individual prone to such behavior will act on it. For example, a study conducted by the Research Institute on Addictions found that among individuals who were chronic partner abusers, the use of alcohol was associated with significant increases in the daily likelihood of male-to-female physical aggression, but the use of marijuana was not. Specifically, the odds of abuse were eight times higher on days when men were drinking; the odds of severe abuse were 11 times higher. The Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN) website highlights alcohol as the "most commonly used chemical in crimes of sexual assault" and provides information on an array of other drugs that have been linked to sexual violence. Given the fact that marijuana is so accessible and widely used, it is quite telling that the word "marijuana" does not appear anywhere on the page.

Source: http://www.mpp.org/media/marijuana-vs-alcohol.html

California Cannabis Hemp Initiative 2014 Decriminalize #Marijuana Industrial, Commercial and Medicinal Preparations #CCHI2014

2013-07-09T18:14:00.003-07:00

2014 UPDATE- PROPOSED WORDING BELOW

Revisions between 2012 and 2014

California Cannabis Hemp Act of 2014

AN ACT TO AMEND THE HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE OF CALIFORNIA:

I. Add Section 11362.4 to the Health and Safety Code of California, such laws and policies shall control any contrary laws and policies:

1. No person, individual, or corporate entity shall be arrested or prosecuted, be denied any right or privilege, nor be subject to any criminal or civil penalties for the possession, cultivation, transportation, distribution, or consumption of cannabis hemp marijuana, as provided in this act, including:
(a) Cannabis hemp industrial products.
(b) Cannabis hemp medicinal preparations.
(c) Cannabis hemp nutritional products.
(d) Cannabis hemp euphoric use and products.
2. Definition of terms:
(a) The terms “cannabis hemp” and “cannabis hemp marijuana” mean the natural, non-genetically modified plant hemp, cannabis, marihuana, marijuana, cannabis sativa L, cannabis Americana, cannabis chinensis, cannabis indica, cannabis ruderalis, cannabis sativa, or any variety of cannabis, including any derivative, concentrate, extract, flower, leaf, particle, preparation, resin, root, salt, seed, stalk, stem, or any product thereof.
(b) The term “cannabis hemp industrial products” means all products made from cannabis hemp that are not designed or intended for human consumption, including, but not limited to: clothing, building materials, paper, fiber, fuel, lubricants, plastics, paint, seed for cultivation, animal feed, veterinary medicine, oil, or any other product that is not designed for internal human consumption; as well as cannabis hemp plants used for crop rotation, erosion control, pest control, weed control, or any other horticultural or environmental purposes, for example, the extraction of atmospheric carbon dioxide and toxic soil reclamation.
(c) The term “cannabis hemp medicinal preparations” means natural cannabis hemp, and all products made from cannabis hemp that are designed, intended, or used for human consumption for the treatment of any human disease or medical condition, for pain relief, or for any healing purpose, including but not limited to the treatment or relief of: Alzheimer’s and pre-Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, arthritis, asthma, cramps, epilepsy, glaucoma, migraine, multiple sclerosis, nausea, premenstrual syndrome, side effects of cancer chemotherapy, fibromyalgia, sickle cell anemia, spasticity, spinal injury, stress, easement of post-traumatic stress disorder, Tourette syndrome, attention deficit disorder, immunodeficiency, wasting syndrome from AIDS or anorexia; use as an antibiotic, antibacterial, anti-viral, or anti-emetic; as a healing agent, or as an adjunct to any medical or herbal treatment. Mental conditions including, but not limited to bipolar, depression, attention deficit disorder, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are also conditions considered for medical use.
(d) The term “cannabis hemp nutritional products” means cannabis hemp grown for consumption by humans and animals as food, including but not limited to: seed, seed protein, seed oil, essential fatty acids, seed cake, dietary fiber, or any preparation or extract thereof.
(e) The term “cannabis hemp euphoric products” means cannabis hemp intended for internal consumption by people for personal, recreational, meditative, spiritual, religious, or other purpose, other than cannabis hemp industrial products, cannabis hemp medicinal preparations, or cannabis hemp nutritional products.
(f) The term “personal use” means the internal consumption of cannabis hemp by people 21 years of age or older for any relaxant, meditative, religious, spiritual, recreational, or other purpose other than sale.
(g) The term “commercial production” means the production of cannabis hemp products for sale or profit under the conditions of these provisions.
3. Industrial cannabis hemp farmers, manufacturers, processors, distributors, medicinal collectives, and retailers shall not be subject to any special zoning requirement, licensing fee, or tax that is excessive, discriminatory, or prohibitive.
4. Cannabis hemp and cannabis hemp medicinal preparations are hereby reclassified and de-scheduled from the California Uniform Controlled Substances Act, and restored to the list of available medicines in California. Licensed physicians shall not be penalized for, nor restricted from approving or recommending cannabis hemp for medical purposes to any patient, regardless of age. No tax shall be applied to cannabis hemp medicinal preparations. Medical research shall be encouraged. No recommending physician shall be subject to any professional licensing review or hearing as a result of recommending or approving medical use of cannabis hemp.
5. Personal use of cannabis hemp euphoric products.
(a) No permit, license, or tax shall be required for the non-commercial cultivation, transportation, distribution, or consumption of cannabis hemp.
(b) Testing for inactive and/or residual cannabis metabolites shall not be required for employment or insurance, nor be considered in determining employment, other impairment, or intoxication. Testing for active (not metabolized) cannabis may be used and considered in determining employment, impairment, or intoxication.
(c) When a person falls within the conditions of these exceptions, the offense laws do not apply and only the exception laws apply.
6. Commerce in cannabis hemp euphoric products shall be limited to adults, 21 years of age and older, and shall be regulated in a manner analogous to California’s beer and wine model. For the purpose of distinguishing personal from commercial production, 99 flowering female plants and 12 pounds of dried, cured cannabis hemp flowers, but not leaf, produced per adult, 21 years of age and older, per year shall be considered as being for personal use.
7. The manufacture, marketing, distribution, or sales, between adults, of equipment or accessories designed to assist in the planting, cultivation, harvesting, curing, processing, packaging, storage, analysis, consumption, or transportation of cannabis hemp plants, industrial cannabis hemp products, cannabis hemp medicinal preparations, cannabis hemp nutritional products, cannabis hemp euphoric products, or any cannabis hemp product shall not be prohibited, except as provided in this act.
8. No California law enforcement personnel or funds shall be used to assist or aid and abet in the enforcement of Federal cannabis hemp marijuana laws involving acts that are hereby no longer illegal in the State of California.
9. Any person who threatens the enjoyment of these provisions is guilty of a misdemeanor. The maximum penalties and fines of a misdemeanor may be imposed.

II. Repeal, delete, and expunge any and all existing statutory laws that conflict with the provisions of this initiative.
1. Enactment of this initiative shall include: case review for the purpose of amnesty, immediate release from prison, jail, parole, and probation, and clearing, expunging, and deletion of all cannabis hemp marijuana criminal records for all persons currently charged with, or convicted of any non-violent cannabis hemp marijuana offenses included in this initiative which are hereby no longer illegal in the State of California. People who fall within this category that triggered an original sentence are included within this provision.
2. Within 60 days of the passage of this Act, the Attorney General shall develop and distribute a one-page application, providing for the destruction of all cannabis hemp marijuana criminal records in California for any such offense covered by this Act. Such forms shall be distributed to district and city attorneys and made available at all police departments in the State to persons hereby affected. Upon filing such form with any Superior Court and a payment of a fee of $10.00, the Court shall liberally construe these provisions to benefit the defendant in furtherance of the amnesty and dismissal provision of this section. Upon the Court’s ruling under this provision the arrest record shall be set aside and be destroyed. Such persons may then truthfully state that they have never been arrested or convicted of any cannabis hemp marijuana related offense that is hereby no longer illegal in the State of California. This shall be deemed to be a finding of factual innocence under California Penal Code Section 851.8 et seq.

III. Within 6 months of the passage of this Act, the legislature is authorized upon thorough investigation, to enact legislation using reasonable standards to:
1. License concessionary establishments to distribute cannabis hemp euphoric products in a manner analogous to California’s beer and wine industry model. Sufficient community outlets shall be licensed to provide reasonable commercial access to persons of legal age, so as to discourage and prevent the misuse of, and illicit traffic in, such products. Any license or permit fee required by the State for commercial production, distribution or use shall not exceed $1,000.00. Regulation, penalties, and enforcement shall be in a manner analogous to California’s beer and wine model.
2. Place an excise tax on commercial sale of cannabis hemp euphoric products, analogous to California’s wine industry model, so long as no excise tax or combination of excise taxes shall exceed 10% of the retail price of the products. Fifty percent of the excise tax revenues collected shall be made available for the research, development and promotion of industrial, nutritional, and medicinal hemp industries in California.
3. Determine an acceptable and uniform standard of impairment based on scientifically acceptable performance testing, to restrict persons impaired by cannabis hemp euphoric products from operating a motor vehicle or heavy machinery, or otherwise engaging in conduct that may affect public safety.
4. Regulate the personal use of cannabis hemp euphoric products in enclosed and/or restricted public places.

IV. Pursuant to the Ninth and Tenth Amendments to the Constitution of the United States, the people of California hereby repudiate and challenge Federal cannabis hemp marijuana prohibitions that conflict with this Act.

V. Severability: If any provision of this Act, or the application of any such provision to any person or circumstance, shall be held invalid by any court, the remainder of this Act, to the extent it can be given effect, or the application of such provisions to persons or circumstances other than those as to which it is held invalid, shall not be affected thereby, and to this end the provisions of this Act are severable.

VI. Construction: If any rival or conflicting initiative regulating any matter addressed by this Act receives the higher affirmative vote, then all non-conflicting parts shall become operative.

VII. Purpose of Act: This Act is an exercise of the police powers of the State for the protection of the safety, welfare, health, and peace of the people and the environment of the State, to protect the industrial and medicinal uses of cannabis hemp, to eliminate the unlicensed and unlawful cultivation, selling, and dispensing of cannabis hemp; and to encourage temperance in the consumption of cannabis hemp euphoric products. It is hereby declared that the subject matter of this Act involves, in the highest degree, the ecological, economic, social, and moral well-being and safety of the State and of all of it’s people. All provisions of this Act shall be liberally construed for the accomplishment of these purposes: To respect human rights, to promote tolerance, and to end cannabis hemp prohibition.

Source: http://www.cchi2014.org/initiative/CHI2014diff2012.pdf
View 2012 Proposed Wording
Revisions between 2012 and 2014
View Sept 2011 Proposed Wording
View 2010 Proposed Wording

U.S. Coast Guard, BSEE respond to loss of well control in the Gulf of Mexico All platform personnel were safely evacuated. #ERTSpill #OilSpill

2013-07-09T14:39:00.000-07:00

NEW ORLEANS - The Coast Guard and Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement are responding to a loss of well control event at Ship Shoal Block 225 Platform B, a natural gas and crude oil platform located approximately 74 miles southwest of Port Fourchon, Tuesday.
The Coast Guard and BSEE received a report from Energy Resources Technology Gulf of Mexico LLC that an oil and natural gas production platform, owned by ERT, lost well control. Work to temporarily plug Well #B2 was on-going when workers became aware of the well control event. Two other wells on Platform B were producing at the time and were subsequently shut-in.

All platform personnel were safely evacuated.

BSEE inspectors and Coast Guard pollution responders conducted overflights earlier today. According to ERT’s site assessment, natural gas is flowing from the well and there is a rainbow sheen visible on the surface estimated to be more than four miles wide by three quarters of a mile long.

The BSEE Houma District staff and Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Morgan City personnel are monitoring well control and pollution response efforts in ERT’s Command Center in Houston.

Both BSEE and Coast Guard are also working with other federal and local agencies in response to this incident.

Coast Guard and BSEE will conduct an investigation of the incident to determine the cause of the loss of well control.
###

Last Night Police Raided Apartment In Revere Related To Boston Bombing - They Had Been There Before!

2013-04-16T11:01:00.002-07:00

Update: Is Mounir Rhoulam, 34, of 364 Ocean Ave. the same person currently being questioned by Boston Police was arrested for sexual assault on a 14 year old girl and arson of a dwelling in 2012, ·Oct. 15 2009 charged with resisting arrest when officers tried to arrest him on an outstanding warrant. Theft arrest in 1997

On April 15, 2013, two bombs exploded during the Boston Marathon at approximately 2:50 p.m. EDT (18:50 UTC) on Boylston Street near Copley Square, just before the finish line. The blasts killed 3 people and injured at least 176 others. There have been no named suspects, or any claim of responsibility made for the attack.

Last Night Revere Fire Department Posted This Report:

Deputy Chief, Engine 5, Ladder 1, Cataldo Paramedics & Chief were called in for Operational standby for State Police Bomb Techs for search of a "person of interest " apartment at 364 Ocean Ave.

WBZ-TV, Boston, MA

FBI, ATF, ICE, Boston PD, Revere PD as well as MSP detectives and Bomb Techs from Boston PD and State.

Police were seen carrying several large bags from a suburban Boston apartment that authorities say was searched in connection to the Boston Marathon bombing.

Boston area television stations reported that the bags were removed from the apartment on Ocean Avenue in Revere just north of Boston at about 2 a.m. Tuesday.Police did not disclose what was in them and calls to federal and state authorities were not immediately returned.

Massachusetts State Police confirmed that a search warrant was served Monday night but provided no further details.The Revere Fire Department wrote on its Facebook page that firefighters responded to the scene for a search for ‘‘a person of interest.’’

The FBI is leading the investigation into the explosions, which killed three people and injured more than 140.2012 article: SEXUAL ASSAULT LEADS TO VIGILANCE ON OCEAN AVE

Revere Police took a heightened presence at 364 Ocean Ave. last week in the wake of a sexual assault, and it led to a high-profile arrest on Wednesday night, May 16th.

Just after 5 a.m. that day, police took a report of a sexual assault that occurred at 364 Ocean Ave. The victim was interviewed and a vigorous investigation began.

Officers were on the alert in the area, as well as security at the building, and that led to an arrest later in the day.

A security guard at the building noticed a Moroccan man who was acting suspicious and the guard notified Police – who were ready to respond.

The man retreated to his home, where Fire Chief Gene Doherty said that the suspect lit curtains on fire and attempted to burn down his apartment. However, Fire crews were already on scene and immediately put out the fire.

He was arrested around 10:15 p.m.

Police released very few details about the case and said it was “very serious and open and active.”

Police arrested Mounir Rhoulam, 34, of 364 Ocean Ave. #209, and charged him with indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or under, arson of a dwelling, malicious destruction of property over $250, furnishing a false name and disorderly conduct.

Revere Police indicated that they would be presenting the security guard with a citation for outstanding work in leading to the arrest of the man.

Also Possibly Related Arrest Of Man With Same Name In Massachusetts:

Theft - Case No. 100500
July 27, 2010
Cambridge : Charles HotelCase Details:
Hispanic male entered hotel and roamed the floors as he knew the area. The male was not a guest. The male removed a quilt valued at $500 from the third floor wall. The male left the hotel towards the Charles River possibly walking over the bridge into Boston.

On 8/27/2010 this SP was identified as Mounir Rhoulam 8/1/1977 and arrested in Harvard Square. Suspected of being homeless and responsible for other B&Es to houses and vehicles, he gave a Watertown, Ma address.

Cambridge Police Department: (617) 349-3389
Investigator: Detective Mark Clavette
Case Submission No.: 100500

Sources:
http://www.reverejournal.com/2012/05/25/police-briefs-05-23-2012/
http://www.massmostwanted.org/index.cfm?ac=casedetails&CaseID=20100500
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/2013/04/16/apartment-searched-marathon-explosions/CBUjEY1ktWNHx6upXVZKlI/story.html

LACFD: LACK OF SMOKE ALARMS CONTRIBUTES TO LA HABRA FATALITY

2013-04-02T14:27:00.001-07:00

County of Los Angeles

Fire Department

NEWS RELEASE

FIRE CAPTAIN TOM RICHARDS

PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE (323) 881-2413

Date: April 2, 2013

FIRE CHIEF DARYL L. OSBY
1320 N. Eastern Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90063

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: LACoFD Public Affairs

(323) 881-2413

LACK OF SMOKE ALARMS CONTRIBUTES TO LA HABRA FATALITY

LOS ANGELES – In the late afternoon of April 1, Los Angeles County firefighters responded to a mobile home fire in the City of La Habra and discovered the deceased body of a woman in her early fifties on the floor in the room where the house fire ignited. The investigation revealed a lack of smoke detectors in the home filled with heavy smoke and fire in the back bedroom, and that the fire was caused by smoking.

Every year in the United States over 2,500 people perish in house fires, and 70 percent of these deaths occur in homes without working smoke detectors. Los Angeles County firefighters ask all residents to ensure that their smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are operational and installed on every level of their home, both inside and outside of sleeping areas. Residents should test their smoke and carbon monoxide alarms monthly and change the batteries inside them twice annually --when changing their clocks in the fall and spring.

“Make sure your family is protected. Have an established emergency exit drill with at least two ways out and practice it regularly,” says Fire Captain Tom Richards. “Make sure your family has a pre-designated meeting spot outside your home where everyone can be accounted for. In the event of a fire at your home, remain calm. Stay low under smoke. Once your family makes the decision to escape, do not go back inside the home for any reason. By making the right preparations before an emergency happens, your family will have the best chance for survival.”

For additional info on exit drills: http://fire.lacounty.gov/FirePrevention/PDFs/EDITH.pdf

For additional info on smoke and carbon monoxide alarms: http://fire.lacounty.gov/FAQs.asp

# # #

Like us on Facebook! facebook.com/LACoFD Follow us on Twitter! @LACo_FD

Watch us GO on YouTube! Youtube.com/user/LosAngelesCountyFD

Cross dressing Catholic priest and adult store owner to plead guilty to meth dealing ring

2013-04-02T12:50:00.003-07:00

#MonsignorMeth
Monsignor Kevin Wallin, a Connecticut priest now being nicknamed Monsignor Meth, is expected to plead guilty next week to participating in a conspiracy to distribute crystal methamphetamine in Connecticut.

#MonsignorMeth Monsignor Kevin Wallin is expected to plead guilty to conspiracy to sell methamphetamine

The Connecticut Post reports that court papers filed on Tuesday show that 61 year old Monsignor Wallin is expected to enter a guilty plea, which will have him facing a mandatory 10 years in federal prison.

Brian Wallace, a spokesman for the Bridgeport Diocese, told the Connecticut Post, "Monsignor Wallin's guilty plea will represent an important step in his coming to terms with his own actions and their impact on others.”

"It is a difficult moment for all of us, but we hope it is also the first step in rebuilding his life. We pray that he moves toward healing and wholeness."

The Associated Press reports that Connecticut authorities said the Wallin had meth mailed to him from co-conspirators in California, and made more than $300,000 in drugs sales out of his Waterbury apartment in the second half of last year.

Wallin had also purchased a bookstore - one that sold primarily pornography and sex toys - which he used as a front to launder money.

Wallin served as the pastor of St. Augustine Parish in Bridgeport for nine years until he resigned in June 2011 citing health and personal problems. Prior to that, he served six years as pastor of St. Peter's Church in Danbury until 2002.

The disgraced Monsignor was granted a sabbatical in July 2011, but in May 2012 was suspended from public ministry by the Diocese of Bridgeport.

While still serving as a priest, many noted his “off-kilter” behavior in early 2011. One church worker said that Wallin had grown “disillusioned with the bureaucracy of the Church.” The same worker, along with others, said the priest had long had sex with men and was a cross dresser.

On January 3, federal agents arrested Wallin, and on January 15 a grand jury indicted him and four other people on drug charges. All are charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of a substance containing meth and 50 grams of actual meth, a crime that carries 10 years to life in prison upon conviction. Wallin plans to plead guilty to that charge.

Wallin was also charged with six counts of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of meth.

In exchange for Wallin's guilty plea to the conspiracy charge, it is expected that Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Caruso will ask the presiding Senior U.S. District Judge Alfred V. Covello to dismiss six charges of sales at sentencing.

However, as The Connecticut Post reports, Assistant U.S. Public Defender Kelly Barrett may seek to reduce Wallin's prison time by applying for what is known as a "safety valve" sentence for first-time federal offenders.

UPDATE: Coast Guard stands down response to catamaran 500 miles southeast of Bermuda

2013-03-27T19:32:00.000-07:00

Luxury Catamaran Mouse Trap In Trouble 500 Miles Southeast Of Bermuda

PORTSMOUTH, Va. — The United States Coast Guard is standing down their response to a vessel with nine people aboard approximately 500 miles southeast of Bermuda, Wednesday.

Coast Guard 5th District Vessel in distress

Coast Guard 5th District watchstanders initially received an emergency position-indicating radio beacon distress signal at 1:15 p.m. registered to the 109-foot catamaran, Mouse Trap.

The Mouse Trap’s crew had made contact with Rescue Coordination Center Gris Nez, France and reported that their vessel was in distress after losing their mast, and that one crew member was deceased.

At approximately 4 p.m., watchstanders received notification from the International Emergency Rescue Coordination Center reporting that the Mouse Trap's crew were no longer in distress, had been able to get their engine started, and were currently en route to the Cayman islands.

An air crew from Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City aboard an HC-130 Hercules aircraft has returned to base while the two AMVER vessels have resumed their original courses.

Facts: Does DEA Own U.S. Patent 6630507?

2013-03-22T20:25:00.000-07:00

YES!
DEA Owns Marijuana Patent #6630507

Dangerous Highly Toxic Marijuana Leaf or Miracle Medicine?

The U.S. Patent Office issued patent #6630507 to the U.S.Health and Human Services filed on 2/2/2001. The patent lists the use of certain cannabinoids found within the cannabis sativa plant as useful in certain neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and HIV dementia.

Since cannabis sativa (marijuana) contains compounds recognized and endorsed by an agency of the U.S. government why is it that marijuana remains on the Federal Schedule One list of drugs? The issuance of patent #6630507 is a direct contradiction of the governments own definition for classification of a Schedule 1 drug.
US Patent 6,630,507 Cannabinoids as Antioxidants and Neuroprotectants

"Cannabinoids have been found to have antioxidant properties, unrelated to NMDA receptor antagonism. This new found property makes cannabinoids useful in the treatment and prophylaxis of wide variety of oxidation associated diseases, such as ischemic, age-related, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. The cannabinoids are found to have particular application as neuroprotectants, for example in limiting neurological damage following ischemic insults, such as stroke and trauma, or in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and HIV dementia. Nonpsychoactive cannabinoids, such as cannabidoil, are particularly advantageous to use because they avoid toxicity that is encountered with psychoactive cannabinoids at high doses useful in the method of the present invention."...The DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) classifies marijuana as a dangerous drug with no medical value. That classification contradicts mounds of evidence showing marijuana to be a very safe and effective medicine. Marijuana is more effective, much less expensive, and much safer than many drugs currently used in its place. Marijuana can provide excellent relief for those who suffer from cancer, AIDS, glaucoma, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, arthritis, rheumatism, asthma, insomnia, and depression.

If knowledge of marijuana's many medicinal uses, its remarkable safety, and hemp's enormous potential as a natural resource become widely known, the DEA fears that support for Marijuana Prohibition will collapse, and thus threaten the DEA's budget. To maintain the myth that marijuana/hemp is useless and dangerous, the DEA prohibits medicinal use of marijuana, denies researchers access to marijuana for use in clinical studies, and rejects all applications to grow industrial hemp. In 1988--after reviewing all evidence brought forth in a lawsuit against the government's prohibition of medical marijuana--the DEA's own administrative law judge (Judge Francis Young) wrote:

"The evidence in this record clearly shows that marijuana has been accepted as capable of relieving the distress of great numbers of very ill people, and doing so with safety under medical supervision. It would be unreasonable, arbitrary and capricious for the Drug Enforcement Administration to continue to stand between those sufferers and the benefits of this substance in light of the evidence." Judge Francis Young of the Drug Enforcement Administration went on to say:

"Marijuana, in its natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known. In strict medical terms, marijuana is safer than many foods we commonly consume."Judge Young recommended that the DEA allow marijuana to be prescribed as medicine, but the DEA has refused. -Source: US Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration, "In the Matter of Marijuana Rescheduling Petition," [Docket #86-22], (September 6, 1988), p. 57.

Knowledge of marijuana's many medicinal uses, its remarkable safety, and hemp's enormous potential as a natural resource become widely known, the DEA fears that support for Marijuana Prohibition will collapse, and thus threaten the DEA's budget. To maintain the myth that marijuana/hemp is useless and dangerous, the DEA prohibits medicinal use of marijuana, denies researchers access to marijuana for use in clinical studies, and rejects all applications to grow industrial hemp. In 1988--after reviewing all evidence brought forth in a lawsuit against the government's prohibition of medical marijuana--the DEA's own administrative law judge (Judge Francis Young) wrote:
"The evidence in this record clearly shows that marijuana has been accepted as capable of relieving the distress of great numbers of very ill people, and doing so with safety under medical supervision. It would be unreasonable, arbitrary and capricious for the Drug Enforcement Administration to continue to stand between those sufferers and the benefits of this substance in light of the evidence." Judge Francis Young of the Drug Enforcement Administration went on to say:

"Marijuana, in its natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known. In strict medical terms, marijuana is safer than many foods we commonly consume."Judge Young recommended that the DEA allow marijuana to be prescribed as medicine, but the DEA has refused. -Source: US Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration, "In the Matter of Marijuana Rescheduling Petition," [Docket #86-22], (September6, 1988), p. 57.

Original Source: http://uspatent6630507.com/

DEA Owns Marijuana Patent #6630507

2013-03-22T20:17:00.000-07:00

The US Government classifies marijuana as Schedule 1 defined as, ”No
medicinal value and highly addictive” yet they own the patent for using
cannabinoids as an antioxidant and neuro-protectant.

Yes you are reading this correctly: The U.S. government which includes
the DEA has patented medical marijuana. Patent #6630507.

The hypocrisy is hysterical. Why would the Government want to own a
patent on a drug that has no medicinal value and is highly addictive and
toxic?

The patent begins by saying:

“Cannabinoids have been found to have antioxidant properties, unrelated to
NDMA receptor antagonism. This new found property makes cannabinoids
useful in treatment and prophylaxis of a wide variety of oxidation
associated diseases, such as ischemic, age related, inflammatory and
autoimmune diseases. The cannabinoids are found to have particular
application as neuroprotectants…”

Millions of Americans have been caged for marijuana while the cagers hold
a patent for the same plant.

And they wonder why we are angry!

Source: http://www.nevergetbusted.com/dea-owns-marijuana-patent-6630507/

Attorney General Kamala D. Harris Announces Multi-year waste of money yields some guns and pot plants. #FailedWoD

2013-03-20T16:38:00.003-07:00

More Lives Ruined w/ Arrest Records, More Parents Jailed, More Families Broken Up by #CaDOJ Failed War on Drugs

More Money Wasted On Busting Harmless Pot Plants

Attorney General Kamala D. Harris Announces Seizure of 44 Weapons and 400 Pounds of Marijuana

HUMBOLDT COUNTY -- Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today announced the results of a multi-year operation that resulted in six arrests and the seizure of nearly 3,000 marijuana plants and 44 weapons, including five assault weapons.
The investigation by the North State Marijuana Investigation Team (NSMIT), a California DOJ-led task force, targeted a ring that cultivated and trafficked large amounts of marijuana to be sold illegally on streets across the United States.
“California Department of Justice-led task forces target criminal enterprises running drugs, guns and human beings up and down California,” said Attorney General Harris. “In this case, we have shut down an illegal, multi-state operation and seized drugs, guns and assault weapons.”
On Tuesday, NSMIT agents served 12 search warrants at several locations, in Humboldt County, San Francisco and Sonoma. Agents also served two additional follow-up warrants later in the day at Coldwell Banker office and a storage unit in Fortuna.
As a result of the search warrants, NSMIT agents seized the following: 2,896 marijuana plants, 44 weapons (9 handguns, 9 shotguns, 5 assault rifles, 21 rifles), 15 high-capacity magazines, approximately 400 pounds of processed marijuana, 2 ounces of cocaine, 2 ounces of mushrooms and $74,000 in cash.
Six individuals were arrested during yesterday’s operation: Erik Sordal, 31, charged with child endangerment, cultivation of marijuana, possession of marijuana for sale and possession of assault weapons; Jamie Gilbert, 35, charged with possession of marijuana for sale; Scott Moore, 31, charged with possession of marijuana for sale; Emory “Kip” Ayers, 64, charged with possession of cocaine; Shawn Mitten, 35, charged with possession of marijuana for sale; and Alvin Cody Machado, 27, charged with a probation violation, possession of cocaine. Jamie Gilbert was booked into the San Francisco County Jail; Emory Ayers and Alvin Machado were booked into the Sonoma County Jail; and the others were booked into the Humboldt County Jail.
In 2010, NSMIT agents received a tip and launched an investigation. The DOJ task force was assisted by the Alcohol Beverage Control, California Highway Patrol, Central Valley Marijuana Investigation Team, DEA, Eureka Police Department, Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office, Humboldt County Drug Task Force, Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, Mountain and Valley Marijuana Investigation Team, Siskiyou County-wide Interagency Narcotic Task Force, and Trinity County Sheriff’s Office.
Photographs from the seizure are attached to the online version of this press release at www.oag.ca.gov.

Too Funny! Diaper Full of Chocolate Pudding

2013-03-18T15:53:00.002-07:00

Guy Pranks Friend with a Diaper Full of Chocolate Pudding

By Justin Page on March 18, 2013

Photojournalist Jase Hunter posted a fantastic video in 2011 of a prank that he pulled on his friend Mark (who has a phobia of poopy diapers) that involved a diaper full of chocolate pudding. Mark completely freaks out when Jase terrorizes him with the diaper. According to Jase, Mark didn’t realize that it is a prank until Jase scoops some of the pudding out of the diaper with his finger and eats it. Yummy!

Found at: http://laughingsquid.com/guy-pranks-friend-with-a-diaper-full-of-chocolate-pudding/?fb_source=pubv1

FBI plans social network map alert mash-up application

2012-01-26T11:35:00.000-08:00

The FBI is seeking to develop an early-warning system based on material "scraped" from social networks.

It says the application should provide information about possible domestic and global threats superimposed onto maps "using mash-up technology".

The bureau has asked contractors to suggest possible solutions including the estimated cost.

Privacy campaigners say they are concerned that the move could have implications for free speech.

The FBI's Strategic Information and Operations Center (SOIC) posted its "Social Media Application" market research request onto the web on 19 January, and it was subsequently flagged up by New Scientist magazine.

The document says: "Social media has become a primary source of intelligence because it has become the premier first response to key events and the primal alert to possible developing situations."

It says the application should collect "open source" information and have the ability to:

Provide an automated search and scrape capability of social networks including Facebook and Twitter.
Allow users to create new keyword searches.
Display different levels of threats as alerts on maps, possibly using colour coding to distinguish priority. Google Maps 3D and Yahoo Maps are listed among the "preferred" mapping options.
Plot a wide range of domestic and global terror data.
Immediately translate foreign language tweets into English.

The FBI says the information would be used to help it to predict the likely actions of "bad actors", detect instances of people deliberately misleading law enforcement officers and spot the vulnerabilities of suspect groups.Privacy permissions

The FBI issued the request three weeks after the US Department of Homeland Security released a separate report into the privacy implications of monitoring social media websites.

It justified the principle of using information that users have provided and not opted to make private.

"Information posted to social media websites is publicly accessible and voluntarily generated. Thus the opportunity not to provide information exists prior to the informational post by the user," it says.

It noted that the department's National Operations Center had a policy in place to edit out any gathered information which fell outside of the categories relevant to its investigations.

It listed websites that the centre planned to monitor. They include YouTube, the photo service Flickr, and Itstrending.com - a site which shows popular shared items on Facebook.

It also highlighted words it looked out for. These include "gangs", "small pox", "leak", "recall" and "2600" - an apparent reference to the hacking-focused magazine.'Dragnet effect'

The London-based campaign group, Privacy International, said it was worried about the consequences of such activities.

"Social networks are about connecting people with other people - if one person is the target of police monitoring, there will be a dragnet effect in which dozens, even hundreds, of innocent users also come under surveillance," said Gus Hosein, the group's executive director.

"It is not necessarily the case that the more information law enforcement officers have, the safer we will be.

"Police may well find themselves overwhelmed by a flood of personal information, information that is precious to those it concerns but useless for the purposes of crime prevention."

Whole story at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16738209

Reference: Picture of California Driver License or Identification Card Application DL 44

2012-01-12T11:00:00.000-08:00

Picture of California Driver License or Identification Card Application DL 44 - Front

California Driver License or Identification Card Application DL 44

---------------------------------------------------------

Picture of California Driver License or Identification Card Application DL 44 - Back

California Driver License or Identification Card Application DL 44

Global war on drugs has failed / Governments should legalize #marijuana

2011-06-02T13:02:00.001-07:00

Major Panel: Drug War Failed; Legalize Marijuana
Report by the Global Commission on Drug Policy argues that the decades-old worldwide "war on drugs has failed, with devastating consequences for individuals and societies around the world."

AP Story: NEW YORK-- The global war on drugs has failed and governments should explore legalizing marijuana and other controlled substances, according to a commission that includes former heads of state, a former U.N. secretary-general and a business mogul.

A new report by the Global Commission on Drug Policy argues that the decades-old "global war on drugs has failed, with devastating consequences for individuals and societies around the world." The 24-page paper will be released Thursday.

"Political leaders and public figures should have the courage to articulate publicly what many of them acknowledge privately: that the evidence overwhelmingly demonstrates that repressive strategies will not solve the drug problem, and that the war on drugs has not, and cannot, be won," the report said.

The 19-member commission includes former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan and former U.S. official George P. Schultz, who held cabinet posts under U.S. Presidents Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon. Others include former U.S. Federal Reserve chairman Paul Volcker, former presidents of Mexico, Brazil and Colombia, writers Carlos Fuentes and Mario Vargas Llosa, U.K. business mogul Richard Branson and the current prime minister of Greece.

Instead of punishing users who the report says "do no harm to others," the commission argues that governments should end criminalization of drug use, experiment with legal models that would undermine organized crime syndicates and offer health and treatment services for drug-users in need.

The commission called for drug policies based on methods empirically proven to reduce crime, lead to better health and promote economic and social development.

The commission is especially critical of the United States, which its members say must lead changing its anti-drug policies from being guided by anti-crime approaches to ones rooted in healthcare and human rights.

"We hope this country (the U.S.) at least starts to think there are alternatives," former Colombian president Cesar Gaviria told The Associated Press by phone. "We don't see the U.S. evolving in a way that is complatible with our (countries') long-term interests."

The office of White House drug czar Gil Kerlikowske said the report was misguided.

"Drug addiction is a disease that can be successfully prevented and treated. Making drugs more available -- as this report suggests -- will make it harder to keep our communities healthy and safe," Office of National Drug Control Policy spokesman Rafael Lemaitre said.

That office cites statistics showing declines in U.S. drug use compared to 30 years ago, along with a more recent 46 percent drop in current cocaine use among young adults over the last five years.

The report cited U.N. estimates that opiate use increased 34.5 percent worldwide and cocaine 27 percent from 1998 to 2008, while the use of cannabis, or marijuana, was up 8.5 percent.

MSNBC Story Link: NEW YORK — The global war on drugs has failed and governments should explore legalizing marijuana and other controlled substances, according to a commission that includes former heads of state, a former U.N. secretary-general and a business mogul.

A new report by the Global Commission on Drug Policy argues that the decades-old worldwide "war on drugs has failed, with devastating consequences for individuals and societies around the world." The 24-page paper was released Thursday.

"Political leaders and public figures should have the courage to articulate publicly what many of them acknowledge privately: that the evidence overwhelmingly demonstrates that repressive strategies will not solve the drug problem, and that the war on drugs has not, and cannot, be won," the report said.

The 19-member commission includes former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan and former U.S. official George P. Schultz, who held cabinet posts under U.S. Presidents Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon.

Others include former U.S. Federal Reserve chairman Paul Volcker, former presidents of Mexico, Brazil and Colombia, writers Carlos Fuentes and Mario Vargas Llosa, U.K. business mogul Richard Branson and the current prime minister of Greece.

A former British ambassador to Colombia during Cesar Gaviria's presidency (1990-1994) and a longtime advocate of the legal regulation of drugs told msnbc.com that policy makers should come to terms with the enormous toll the war on drugs was having around the world.

"The United States should look at the extraordinary costs that the policies it has pursued have brought about," said Sir Keith Morris, who is on the advisory board of the International Council on Security and Development, a think tank that seeks to reform drug policies.
Story: Ex-ambassador: US drug policies wrongheaded
Advertise | AdChoices

"It should look at the huge costs of incarcerating large number of people, the damage it's done ... (and) the extraordinary situation with armed conflicts and militant groups — financed by consumption in the U.S. and U.K. — killing British and American troops."

Instead of punishing users who the report says "do no harm to others," the commission argues that governments should end criminalization of drug use, experiment with legal models that would undermine organized crime syndicates and offer health and treatment services for drug-users in need.

"Vast expenditures on criminalization and repressive measures directed at producers, traffickers and consumers of illegal drugs have clearly failed to effectively curtail supply or consumption," the report added. "Apparent victories in eliminating one source or trafficking organization are negated almost instantly by the emergence of other sources and traffickers."

The commission called for drug policies based on methods empirically proven to reduce crime, lead to better health and promote economic and social development.

"Arresting and incarcerating tens of millions of these people in recent decades has filled prisons and destroyed lives and families without reducing the availability of illicit drugs or the power of criminal organizations," the report said. "There appears to be almost no limit to the number of people willing to engage in such activities to better their lives, provide for their families, or otherwise escape poverty. Drug control resources are better directed elsewhere."

'Alternatives'

The commission is especially critical of the United States, saying it must change its anti-drug policies from being guided by anti-crime approaches to ones rooted in healthcare and human rights.

"We hope this country (the U.S.) at least starts to think there are alternatives," former Colombian president Gaviria told The Associated Press by phone. "We don't see the U.S. evolving in a way that is compatible with our (countries') long-term interests."
Story: Why it's so hard to win war against US oxycodone epidemic

The office of White House drug czar Gil Kerlikowske said the report was misguided.

"Drug addiction is a disease that can be successfully prevented and treated. Making drugs more available — as this report suggests — will make it harder to keep our communities healthy and safe," Office of National Drug Control Policy spokesman Rafael Lemaitre said.

That office cites statistics showing declines in U.S. drug use compared to 30 years ago, along with a more recent 46 percent drop in current cocaine use among young adults over the last five years.

The report cited U.N. estimates that opiate use increased 34.5 percent worldwide and cocaine 27 percent from 1998 to 2008, while the use of cannabis, or marijuana, was up 8.5 percent.

Meanwhile, TIME reported that Southeast Asia's so-called Golden Triangle narcotics zone "has reinvented itself — and is more dangerous than ever."

It said that poppy cultivation in Burma increased 76 percent last year to about 639 tons. Cultivation has also grown in Thailand and Laos, the magazine reported.

"We are worried about the prospects of further expansion in 2011," Gary Lewis, East Asia and Pacific representative for the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime, told TIME. "The international community has taken its eye off the ball on drug production and trafficking in Southeast Asia."

Published June 02, 2011
Sources: #MSNBC / Associated Press

Got Junk? Anthony Weiner underwear picture - I did not send that picture out!

2011-06-01T13:26:00.000-07:00

#WeinerGate Wiener junk package "Tony the Sausage Pic"

Anthony Weiner "Can't Say with Certitude" If Dick In Pic Is His?

Anthony Weiner Twitter Picture

The Daily Show - Distinguished Member of Congress
Tags: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook

Anthony Weiner's stonewalling of reporters yesterday—refusing to even answer the very basic question of whether the wang in that fateful Twitter picture was his. Now he claims in an interview that even he doesn't know.

YouTube Interview short link: http://youtu.be/Ch1Vj1F7Sxw

Empire Avenue Invest In People - The Blog Stock Market

2011-05-30T16:24:00.000-07:00

This blog belongs to the owner of California Fire News: Invest in California Fire News at Empire Avenue http://www.empireavenue.com/cfn
and follow CFN on Twitter at https://twitter.com/CalFireNews
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Please help by joining with this link http://empireavenue.com/?t=d3wbfu57

Bobonit News Joined Empire Avenue - empireavenue.com

2011-05-28T23:09:00.000-07:00

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More Toyota Bad News: CHP report backs driver of runaway Prius

2010-03-17T23:12:00.000-07:00

CHP report backs driver of runaway Prius

John Gibbins / UNION-TRIBUNE

James Sikes described how he was able to stop his Toyota Prius after its accelerator stuck.

- AP

Driver James Sikes talks about his experiences in his Toyota Prius during a news conference held at Toyota of El Cajon Tuesday, March 9, 2010, in El Cajon, Calif. Sikes' 2008 Toyota Prius raced out of control on a San Diego freeway Monday. A California Highway Patrol officer helped him stop the car. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

The continuing debate over whether James Sikes of Jacumba faked his runaway Prius incident got more fuel Wednesday with a California Highway Patrol report appearing to support the driver’s contention that his hybrid’s machinery failed.

Sikes, 61, called 911 on March 8 to say his 2008 vehicle was speeding out of control on Interstate 8. A CHP officer eventually came up alongside Sikes and helped him to stop the car by turning off the engine, pressing the brake pedal and activating the emergency brake. The entire incident, which lasted about 20 minutes, generated headlines worldwide.
The CHP report came two days after Toyota held a news conference to challenge Sikes’ story. Toyota officials said the company’s technicians couldn’t replicate the incident during their tests and said the hybrid’s brakes were working normally.
But on Wednesday, CHP Officer Brian Pennings said “there is nothing we have that could discredit (Sikes’) statement.”
Asked about the timing of the announcement, Pennings said it was released as soon as the investigation was completed.
“We have to go on the facts, not speculation,” Pennings said.
Neither Sikes nor his attorney, John Gomez, were immediately available.
In the new six-page report, CHP Officer Todd Neibert wrote that his examination of the Prius after it was stopped showed a “large amount of brake dust and brake pad material in and around the wheels and on the ground near the front wheels. The brake pads located on the outer section of the brake caliper were worn down to what appeared to be nearly metal to metal.”
Sikes has said he struggled to control his 2008 Prius for about 30 miles, at speeds up to 94 mph, as he repeatedly stepped on the brakes and checked the gas pedal.
Toyota has been embroiled for months in a crisis concerning the safety of its vehicles. The automaker has recalled more than 8 million vehicles worldwide for brake, gas-pedal and floor-mat problems.

Source: http://www.signonsandiego.com Article Link

Author: By Tanya Mannes, Susan Shroder, Union-Tribune Staff Writers

Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at 4:08 p.m.

More Latest updates and developments:

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