Other Social Networks Besides facebook | truth be told

Other Social Networks Besides facebook | truth be told:

'via Blog this'

The Beginning of my Book

Lately I find myself, in a terrible uproar against myself, proclaiming that I am unusual, but relatively harmless. Things , because they cannot be felt by the soul. Our Spirit, is conscience at this present moment, a special one, your first day of seeing the true world, an evil one.

Olympic Victory: IOC Gets Americans Asking for Rule Change

Olympic Victory: IOC Gets Americans Asking for Rule Change: LONDON – American athletes risked disqualification by leading a revolt against the International Olympic Committee on Monday and its draco...

Police and protesters clash in Anaheim as City Council meets

Anaheim police and protesters were clashing Tuesday evening outside City Hall as bottles were thrown and police chased people on the streets and sidewalks.

A chaotic scene was unfolding as officers clad in riot gear made one arrest, according to Sgt. Bob Dunn of the Anaheim Police Department.

Sirens wailed as officers formed a skirmish line and police from Tustin and other jurisdictions poured into the city. The City Council was meeting in the wake of two deadly police shootings.

Joel Mathew Acevedo was shot and killed after he fired at an officer Sunday night. A day earlier, Manuel Angel Diaz was killed after running from police on Anaheim's east side.

Earlier Tuesday, protesters stormed up Anaheim City Hall steps and surrounded the council chambers to speak out about recent accusations of police brutality, the fourth day of such demonstrations.

More than 100 people came to protest, clutching signs that read, "Jail killer cops," and "No justice, no peace."

California medical marijuana operation targeted by feds

Article from L.A. Times
By Joe Mozingo, Los Angeles Times

The federal government is moving to shut down the nation's largest and highest-profile medical marijuana dispensary operation, filing papers to seize properties in Oakland and San Jose where Harborside Health Center does business.

Copies of the federal Complaint for Forfeiture were taped to the front doors of the two dispensaries Tuesday, alleging that they were "operating in violation of federal law."

Medical marijuana advocates, as well as some state and local officials, decried the action, saying it hurts patients in legitimate need of the drug and breaks repeated promises by President Obama's Justice Department that it was targeting only operations near schools and parks or otherwise in violation of the state's laws.

The U.S. attorney for Northern California, Melinda Haag, said she now found "the need to consider actions regarding marijuana superstores such as Harborside" because they presented unique opportunities for abuse.

Harborside was co-founded by outspoken marijuana activist Steve DeAngelo in 2006 and was the subject of a reality show, "Weed Wars," on the Discovery Channel last year. While other dispensary operators have sought a low profile since California's four U.S. attorneys began cracking down on the industry in October, DeAngelo has consistently railed against the federal intervention, advocated for better state regulations and become a leader in the movement.

"People are not going to stop using cannabis, they're just going to buy it in the illegal marketplace … on the streets," he said Wednesday in an interview. "Why are federal prosecutors using their discretion to do something so profoundly destructive?"

DeAngelo said that he would fight the Justice Department "openly and in public" and that he would resist any effort by his landlords to evict the dispensaries in response to the federal complaint — which targeted the property owners, not the tenants.

While all marijuana use and sales are illegal under federal law, Atty. Gen. Eric H. Holder told the House Judiciary Committee last month that federal agents were targeting only those large-scale growers and dispensaries that have "come up with ways in which they are taking advantage of these state laws, and going beyond that which the states have authorized."

In a statement released late Wednesday, Haag suggested "superstores such as Harborside" fit that bill.

"The larger the operation, the greater the likelihood that there will be abuse of the state's medical marijuana laws, and marijuana in the hands of individuals who do not have a demonstrated medical need."

She noted that Harborside claims to have "over 108,000 customers."

California's medical marijuana laws are nebulous in regard to how the drug is to be distributed and courts have yet to settle the matter. Still, marijuana activists often hail Harborside as a model of professionalism and compliance. Its main facility in Oakland is one of four independent enterprises permitted and strictly regulated by the city.

"If Harborside is not in compliance with state law, no one is," said DeAngelo, 54.

The Oakland dispensary was awarded its permit in 2006 after the city put out a request for proposals. DeAngelo says it does about $22 million in annual sales, and the San Jose shop does about $8 million. Together they pay about $3 million in city and state sales taxes, and employ more than 100 people.

The state Board of Equalization estimates it collects $58 million to $105 million in annual sales tax from dispensaries.

"If we continue to drive everything underground, we're going to create an unsafe environment for patients who need this product … and lose revenue," board member Betty Yee said.

This week's move against Harborside further highlights the continuing conflict between local and federal officials over the drug.

"The city of Oakland has developed a system to assure such distribution occurs according to state law in a fair and orderly process," Nancy Nadel, member of the Oakland City Council and vice mayor of the city, said in a statement. "It is most unjust to our citizen patients and distributors who have followed local guidelines to be harassed and treated as criminals by federal officials."

Medical marijuana advocates said the Obama administration has repeatedly reneged on its promises that it would not meddle with the state laws.

"This is the most obvious and significant step by the federal government in attacking completely law-abiding dispensaries," said Kris Hermes, spokesman for the advocacy group Americans for Safe Access. "It becomes more untenable for them to say they are just going after certain facilities and not just undermining the state's marijuana laws."

Gov. Jerry Brown warns more budget cuts are coming

By Chris Megerian and Anthony York, Los Angeles Times
May 11, 2012

SACRAMENTO — Gov. Jerry Brown warned Californians on Thursday to brace for another round of difficult budget cuts as he hand-delivered boxes of petitions to election officials requesting that his proposed tax hike be placed on the November ballot.

Brown, who is expected to unveil his revised budget proposal Monday, said he needed far more than the $4.2 billion in spending reductions he asked for in January. And he continued to raise the specter of even deeper wounds to public schools, colleges and other state services if his bid for tax hikes fails.

"With this tax measure, and with the cuts that I'll be proposing on Monday, California will put itself in a very, very strong position," said Brown, flanked by his wife and dog at the Sacramento County Registrar of Voters.

It's become a familiar refrain from the governor — telling Californians to trust that he is being frugal while asking them to open their wallets wider. Brown hopes the message sticks even as the mood in Sacramento turns grim.

Tax revenue has lagged by $3.5 billion and the state has shelled out $2.1 billion more than expected so far in the current budget, according to the state controller. Brown said Thursday that his new spending plan will fall between $85 billion and $90 billion, down from the $92.6 billion proposal he released in January.

A budget for the new fiscal year, which begins July 1, is due from the Legislature by June 15.

The linchpin of the governor's financial plan is his request that voters approve a quarter-cent increase in the state sales tax for four years and a seven-year hike on incomes of $250,000 or more that will range from 1 to 3 percentage points. He says the measure would raise $9 billion in the upcoming budget year.

Brown has said that he would be forced to cut $5.4 billion from the next budget — mostly from public schools and colleges — if his tax plan failed. That number is expected to increase in his revised proposal Monday.

The cautious optimism of January, when Democrats hoped that a windfall from Facebook's IPO and a rebounding economy could help them dodge social service cuts, has now given way to an acceptance in the Capitol that sagging revenue will require steeper reductions than expected.

Activists who have met with administration officials said they expect cuts in health and welfare programs in particular. Casey Young, a lobbyist for AARP, said Brown's health secretary, Diana Dooley, "appeared visibly shaken by the choices she was having to sort through" in a recent meeting.

It's not just the poor and needy who are likely to feel the ax. Brown is also expected to ask unions to help reduce state payroll costs. Yvonne Walker, president of Service Employees International Union Local 1000, the largest state worker union, said she had been conferring with administration officials on the issue.

She assured union members in an email that "furloughs are not on the table," as they have been in past years.

to finish reading... click here

Feds Say CA Medical Pot Dispensaries are to be shut down

Wait a minute?  The Federal Government is now able to police its citizens?  How growing medical Marijuana for Patients is a Federal Matter?  Don't the FEDS realize they are just going to absolutely Cripple Our Economy, if they remove the 2 Billion dollars a year industry.  Our State Troopers and Local  Police should do their part in defending its Citizens, proctect us from Federal Officers infringing on our State Laws, which is Our Police's Duty to serve and protect our way of life/!!!