response 192 of 230:

Sep 10 21:32 UTC 2003

(Soma is more well-known as the official drug of the city folks in "Brave New
World")

My understanding of marijuana is that it does not significantly worsen driving
skills.

Combat terrorism by reducing oil use!  Every SUV driven sends movey through
Saudi Arabia to Osama himself.

response 194 of 230:

Sep 10 23:03 UTC 2003

re190:  liar, you are a liar.

response 196 of 230:

Sep 11 02:40 UTC 2003

Re #172: Yes, buying pot supports those nasty terrorists in British
Columbia...

Re #184: I dunno, about the computer industry, but I'd say you support
terrorism much more directly by buying gas than you do by buying drugs.

Re #185: I'd take the DUI argument more seriously if I'd ever seen bru
arguing for banning alcohol.  (Or at least bars with parking lots.)

Re #194: I suspect DEA anti-drug commercial soundbites like "pot pays for
terrorism" are drilled into the heads of border agents as part of their
training.  It keeps them from thinking about the fact that the majority of
their job is to benefit U.S. corporations by propping up artificially high
prices for various commercial items through enforcing tarrifs and
restricting imports.

response 198 of 230:

Sep 11 02:53 UTC 2003

my pot supplier? His name is God. He grows it himself or so I hear. ;)

response 200 of 230:

Sep 11 02:57 UTC 2003

Alcohol is legal.  

Not being a border agent, I do not know what gets drilled into their heads.

Customs officers don't get any indoctrination, we get training, adn we get
to use our own heads. Import specialist get to worry about propping up u.s.
corporations, All I get to do is enforce the laws at the border.

I don't make the laws.

response 202 of 230:

Sep 11 03:58 UTC 2003

Re #200:
> Customs officers don't get any indoctrination, we get training, adn we get
> to use our own heads. Import specialist get to worry about propping up
u.s.
> corporations, All I get to do is enforce the laws at the border.

The effect of enforcing those laws is still the same, though.  And it's easy
to see that the priorities are skewed to provide maximum benefit to
corporations.  Hundreds of illegal immigrants get into the U.S. every day to
provide cheap labor, but try to bring too much of some grocery item across
the border and you get nailed.  I expect soon bringing prescription drugs
across the border will become illegal, to prop up high U.S. drug prices, as
well.

response 204 of 230:

Sep 11 12:14 UTC 2003

Legalizing pot would make my job easier.  But while we have one legal drug
that causes thousands of deaths and injuries each year, why do you think
adding another would make things better?

If I ruled the world, anyone caught drunk driving would get a ban on driving
for life.  The problem with all drugs, and I do mean ALL drugs, is that they
reduce your ability to make rational decisions.  They give you an excuse when
you make a mistake.  "Hey, sorry dude.  I was stoned." (drunk, high, wasted...
take your pick.)  You rationalize the result.

We cannot eliminate all drugs, but lets trynot to create another legal
loophole.

response 206 of 230:

Sep 11 13:14 UTC 2003

who said law was logical?  Name me a single logical government.

And I didn't say was a legitimate excuse, only that people rationalize and
use it as an excuse.  I do not see the marijuana as have far fewer adverse
ill effects.  You are just closing your eyes to the damage.

response 208 of 230:

Sep 11 13:44 UTC 2003

Two points:

- Alcohol causes more economic damage than *all illegal drugs combined.*
 The reason this fact does not get more attention is that alcohol is a
big business (and so is the drug war.)

- In spite of what you've seen in anti-drug ads, most studies that have
looked into the matter have found that alcohol affects judgement and
driving ability *more* than pot.  Not that driving while stoned is a
good idea, but people seem more able to judge the degree to which
they're impaired while high than they do while drunk.

I'd say that if there's any potential problem here, it's the lack of a
test for THC that's equivalent to a breathalyzer test for alcohol
impairment.  But I suspect one would be developed quickly if there were
demand for it.

response 210 of 230:

Sep 11 14:25 UTC 2003

(Sorry to contribute to the drug discussion, but just a note on the
anti-marijuana ads. The first one I saw depicted a young pregnant teen, and
the message was pot impairs judgement. That didn't seem to have much of a
effect on me besides irritate me no end. Alcohol's a bigger culprit I think
of judgement impairment. The next ad's message as you shouldn't have pot and
drive. Again, my reaction was if that's your argumnent to illegalize pot, then
maybe you should start with alcohol. The last ad I've seen has made a lot of
impact. It shows a boy talking about his brother who's on pot and tells us
how "he never dropped out of school, he never got into fights, he never had
an accident" and then shows his brother stoned on a couch in the basement,
and the boy ending with "in fact, he never did anything". I think if there's
a message that needs to go out more about pot than "impairing judgement" and
"dangers of pot and driving", it's this one. Pot may be a great entertainment
drug, and I have no objection to it being used that way. But, too many people
tend to rely on it for a "pick-me-up" and it's this type of use that needs
to be targetted, and people should be made aware of the effects of continuous
pot use, molre than the momentary impairment of judgement and car accidents.)

You may now go back to the regular item.

response 212 of 230:

Sep 11 14:44 UTC 2003

OH yeah, it is item:214

response 214 of 230:

Sep 11 17:49 UTC 2003

I got some paoint and a brush if you want to make an appointment...

response 216 of 230:

Sep 12 14:54 UTC 2003

We'll do it again.  I'll be visiting UW soon.