A thought just hit me...why is HEMP production banned worldwide, while POPPY production is not and flourishes in many countries? Certain varieties and strains of HEMP, but not all, produce THC, labeled a "HALLUCINOGENIC" DRUG, and classified by the United States government as a CLASS 1 DRUG, the same as cocaine and heroin. POPPIES produce a large seed pod which contains OPIUM...also a "HALLUCINOGENIC" DRUG! Here are my thoughts on the subject.
Both OPIUM and MARIJUANA (from HEMP containing THC) have been around for centuries. However, there is a major difference between the production of HEMP and the production of POPPIES. Poppies produce PRETTY FLOWERS AND OPIUM - PERIOD! HEMP produces, in some strains, MARIJUANA...but also produces the longest, strongest fiber known to man! Byproducts from HEMP include many products, including cosmetics, food stuffs (in many forms, including milk, cooking oil, meal), building materials (such as HEMPCRETE, a mixture of HEMP fibers and lime), cloth (such as DENIM, canvas* and many levels of materials suitable for clothing, linens (sheets, etc.), and just about any other uses for cloth that you can imagine, plastics (used by Henry Ford for the Model T!), paper (much stronger and can be produced with only minimum chemicals, far less than wood fiber. Note that the PARCHMENT used upon which to write the DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE was MADE FROM HEMP!), rope (much stronger than Nylon or other materials, used, *along with canvas sails, on almost ALL sailing ships for centuries, including the USS CONSTITUTION!), MEDICINES (many forms, including treatment for glaucoma and has been used as a PAIN remedy for thousands of years), COSMETICS (beneficial to healthy skin and hair) and a variety of other products that do not come to mind at the moment and, most likely, applications and products that have not yet been discovered!
OPIUM derivatives are used for a variety of medicines, called OPIATES, such as pain relievers (Lortab, Fentynal, etc.) and a variety of anti-depressants. In the case of the latter, SEVERE DEPRESSION AND SUICIDAL TENDENCIES are possible side effects! ALL OPIATES ARE HIGHLY ADDICTIVE AND CAN CAUSE DEATH! Yet, these drugs ARE PERFECTLY LEGAL, APPROVED BY THE FDA AND READILY AVAILABLE IF PRESCRIBED BY A DOCTOR. Resale of these drugs on the black market is a major problem in the U.S. and other countries.
There are prescription medicines available on a limited basis which are made from HEMP. However, the primary element used in these meds is made from HEMP SEED OIL, WHICH CONTAIN NO...I REPEAT...NO...THC! There is a prescription med which contains a small percentage of THC, BUT THAT IS SYNTHETIC AND PRODUCED IN A LAB! Aside from MEDICINES, however, ALL HEMP BASED PRODUCTS CAN BE SOLD LEGALLY IN THE UNITED STATES...SO LONG AS THEY CONTAIN NO OR LESS THAN 0.3% THC! However, all such products MUST BE IMPORTED and carry a HIGH TARIFF!
What can be concluded from this? My HYPOTHESIS is that, at least in the U.S., the federal government can't figure out how to control the entire process! You see, the naked eye cannot tell the difference between HIGH THC MARIJUANA producing HEMP and ZERO THC (< 0.3%) INDUSTRIAL HEMP! Moreover, ANYONE can grow HEMP in their backyard! Oh, we can grow POPPIES, too...but we cannot easily produce OPIUM!
BIG MONEY KILLED HEMP PRODUCTION IN THE 1930's TO PROTECT THEIR INTERESTS IN CHEMICALS, CHEMICAL BASED DRUGS, WOOD PULP PAPER MILLS (which use massive amounts of CHEMICALS) AND PETROLEUM BASED PRODUCTS...WHICH ALSO USE A LOT OF CHEMICALS! One of the most evident causation of this ban came from E. I. DuPont, after the 1935 development of NYLON, a SYNTHETIC POLYMER used to make CLOTH AND ROPE...made from CHEMICALS! He and a host of other BIG MONEY folks (Eli Lilly, John D. Rockefeller, Randolph Hurst, etc.) persuaded Congress to pass the MARIJUANA TAX ACT OF 1937, essentially banning MARIJUANA, leading to the banning of ALL HEMP production in the United States in order to PROTECT AND EXPAND PRODUCTION OF PRODUCTS MADE FROM CHEMICALS! This was where the BIG MONEY had invested millions, so they HAD TO PROTECT IT so they could make MORE MONEY! No doubt, they also supported Washington lawmakers as well!
Now, it is 2010. The GREEN MOVEMENT dominates every aspect of our lives and has TRANSFORMED the media into AL GORE FANATICS! Building codes are changing rapidly to REQUIRE GREEN MATERIALS AND PROCESSES in buildings, including solar power and dubious "GREEN" building materials and techniques, all designed to result in LOW ENERGY CONSUMPTION. The second side of this is a push for ELECTRIC VEHICLES and BIOFUELS (primarily made from CORN) to REDUCE CO2 EMISSIONS, DEEMED DANGEROUS TO HUMANS BY THE EPA AND DECLARED TO BE A MENACE THAT WILL END LIFE ON EARTH BY AL GORE! [NOTE: More about this in a coming blog.]
GUESS WHAT? What is being IGNORED in all of this is the FACT that HEMP PRODUCES MORE YIELD PER ACRE THAN CORN, TREES, ETC. BY A WIDE MARGIN! Moreover, and I did not mention this earlier (on purpose), HEMP IS A MORE EFFICIENT WAY TO PRODUCE BIOFUELS THAN CORN, GARBAGE, OTHER PLANTS, ETC., BEING USED FOR OR RESEARCHED FOR BIOFUELS TODAY!
Well, there you have it! HEMP IS THE ANSWER TO MANY OF OUR PROBLEMS... BUT BEING BANNED FROM CONSIDERATION BY OUR REPRESSIVE GOVERNMENT DEAD SET ON PROTECTING THE CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES! CHEMICALS, NOT CO2, HAS POISONED OUR WORLD, OUR BODIES AND OUR MINDS! KEEP IT UP, AND WE WON'T EVEN BE ABLE TO THINK FOR OURSELVES!
POPPIES are NOT THE ANSWER! You can't fix the world with pretty flowers and the mind destroying properties of OPIUM and CHEMICAL BASED PRODUCTS, INCLUDING DRUGS, without destroying us all in the process! HEMP CAN!
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Monday, January 25, 2010
ENERGY, THE ECONOMY & HEMP
This is a tale about the South, its heritage of farming, its demise, and some thoughts on the future of agriculture here in the South. The premise applies to all agricultural areas of the U.S. This is only a Thumbnail Sketch, non comprehensive, but it does paint a picture of hope, if only Washington faces reality and acts accordingly!
Once upon a time in the U.S., many crops were grown. They produced virtually ALL of the needs of the country, including food and other necessities, like shelter and clothing. Then came the INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION, which created products previously unavailable to Americans. Iron, steel and the resulting products, such as plows and other farming implements, coal and wood burning stoves, cookware and serving ware and many other products resulted. Trains crossed the country to provide transportation to "parts unknown". Telegraphy, electricity and the telephone revolutionized communications. Mining became a major part of this revolution, to furnish the raw materials necessary to support industry.
Farming flourished! The South became known as "The Cotton States", furnishing virtually all of the clothing needs of the country. The Peanut was the number one food crop from the South, aside from corn, which was available almost nationwide.
However, one fact that has been omitted from the history books, is that HEMP was a MAJOR CROP in the South, as well as in other agricultural areas throughout the country. With the passing of the "Marijuana Stamp Tax Act of 1937", its parent, HEMP, was banned, in order to eradicate Marijuana. This was a case of throwing out the baby AND the bath water in one fell swoop!
Why? The answer is simple. DuPont had just discovered how to make Nylon from chemicals. Hemp, along with cotton and wood fiber, were the primary sources for clothing, canvas (ship sails, tarps, etc.), rope, paper and many other products. DuPont wanted to sell his new Nylon ropes, along with cloth. Rockefeller, who controlled many things, wanted to use trees for paper to justify the paper mills as part of the industrial revolution. Eli Lilly wanted to promote lab developed drugs for medicinal use to promote his own self interests. Together, they pressured Washington to pass the law and enforce it beyond just eliminating marijuana. [NOTE: SINCE THEN, ALL HEMP PRODUCTS ARE IMPORTED! DESPITE NO U.S. PRODUCTION, A HIGH TARIFF IS PLACED ON ALL THESE PRODUCTS!]
Over the coming years, Rayon was developed, and along with Nylon, replaced cotton and hemp for virtually all clothing! It is worthy to note that Levi Strauss developed the first Denim for slacks (jeans). The first denim was made from HEMP...NOT cotton! Cotton replaced hemp for jeans ONLY after the passing of the 1937 law and the banning of hemp cultivation and production in the U.S.!
Since the 30's, cotton has virtually disappeared from the South, replaced by cattle, soybeans and DEVELOPMENT, replacing farms. Only peanuts remain as a major crop almost exclusive to the South. Cattle, once the mainstay of the midwest and west, has become a major portion of Southern agriculture, along with chicken production. Small farmers have all but disappeared!
Now, here we are in the 21st century...234 years after the Declaration of Independence. Nearly EVERYTHING we must buy to sustain life is labeled with 'Made in China" or a myriad of other countries. Fruits and vegetables from South America, Mexico, Indonesia, Japan and many European countries, including those once behind the Iron Curtain. TV's and other electronics from Europe, Japan and China. Shoes from Mexico, Hungary and China. Clothing from EVERYWHERE BUT the U. S.! Finding labels with "Made In the U.S.A." has become as hard to find as the proverbial "needle in a haystack"!
Without boring you with all the stuff that IS going on (which you are bombarded with constantly), let me briefly touch on what is NOT going on in Washington. NO effective effort to promote U. S. production of any products (except for auto bailouts). NO effort to increase U. S. agricultural production (except for corn for biofuels, whitch reduces the food supply and increases costs for consumers). NO action to allow HEMP production in the U. S., despite YEARS of prodding by many sources. Minimal efforts to allow more oil and gas drilling and virtually NO efforts to increase nuclear OR HYDRO plants as means to increase energy production. Instead (and I digress), SOLAR AND WIND are being pushed as the ways to produce energy for the future as opposed to all alternatives! [FYI: SOLAR AND WIND ARE THE HIGHEST COST FORMS OF ENERGY PRODUCTION AVAILABLE! HYBRID AND ALL-ELECTRIC VEHICLES ARE RIGHT BEHIND!]
HEMP produces 4 TIMES the amount of fiber per acre than that from TREES! One crop of HEMP absorbs as much or more CO2, and resultant emissions of O2, as a stand of trees in the same area! Coincidentally, increasing U. S. production of oil would reduce dependency on foreign sources. NATURAL GAS production, a cleaner form of energy, is ABUNDANT in the U. S.! [Our oil reserves are estimated to be greater than those in the Middle East!]
So, what is the BEST answer to solve our energy AND ECONOMIC problems? More oil and gas production would offer immediate reductions in foreign oil. Longer term, since production methods must be developed, HEMP offers the GREATEST POTENTIAL...anyone with an acre of land can grow HEMP economically feasible! From HEMP, we can get cloth, paper, plastics, MEDICINES and, yes, BIOFUELS!...or even products not yet discovered! HEMP would regain our agricultural base...EASILY!...AND solve our energy problems in the meantime! Oh, did I mention solving Al Gore's perceived CO2 MENACE?
Nevada Barr, in her novel "DEEP SOUTH", described her introduction to southern Mississippi (from the West) as most represented by the presence of KUDZU. She noted that the plant was imported from Japan for soil erosion. As soon as the plants emerged, they noticed the high humidity and the red clay all around them and yelled...'HOT ZIGGITY!" You know the result!
Guess what? HEMP thrives in the same environment! From the start, fertilizer, pesticides, herbicides and normal cultivation techniques ARE NOT REQUIRED! It is like growing KUDZU, except easier to contain and control. Crop rotation is NOT required! Why do you think it is called "WEED"? Simply, because it GROWS as a weed! Maybe, it REALLY IS a WEED!
It really doesn't matter. HEMP production in the U. S. CAN SOLVE SO MANY PROBLEMS ALL AT ONCE! Maybe THAT is why our government does not want to pursue this course of action! It would promote CAPITALISM, provide HOPE for the LOWER AND MIDDLE CLASSES who strive to reach the AMERICAN DREAM and make it harder for FAVORS BETWEEN CONGRESS AND BIG BUSINESS to be realized! Could reducing PORK be far behind?
Jack Herer has been looked upon by "the ESTABLISHMENT" as being a radical who only wants the legal right to "get high"! His "sermon" is all about HEMP! All its benefits have been promoted by Jack. He wears HEMP clothing! Read "The Emperor Wears No Clothes" by Jack for his whole message.
To avoid the obvious and ignore the opportunities offered from the restoration of HEMP PRODUCTION in the United States is INEXCUSABLE, if not CRIMINAL, on the part of our government in Washington! GOD gave us this MAGNIFICENT AND BOUNTIFUL NATURAL RESOURCE! Certainly, he INTENDED FOR US TO BENEFIT FROM IT! The WORLD, including the U. S., DID...until BIG BUSINESS and GOVERNMENTS decided that THEIR BEST INTERESTS ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAT OUR BEST INTERESTS!
Americans...IT IS TIME THAT IMBALANCE IS REVERSED! Let us band together and turn Washington UPSIDE DOWN until OUR NEEDS COME FIRST! Legalizing HEMP PRODUCTION is a MAJOR PLAYER in accomplishing that GOAL!
Once upon a time in the U.S., many crops were grown. They produced virtually ALL of the needs of the country, including food and other necessities, like shelter and clothing. Then came the INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION, which created products previously unavailable to Americans. Iron, steel and the resulting products, such as plows and other farming implements, coal and wood burning stoves, cookware and serving ware and many other products resulted. Trains crossed the country to provide transportation to "parts unknown". Telegraphy, electricity and the telephone revolutionized communications. Mining became a major part of this revolution, to furnish the raw materials necessary to support industry.
Farming flourished! The South became known as "The Cotton States", furnishing virtually all of the clothing needs of the country. The Peanut was the number one food crop from the South, aside from corn, which was available almost nationwide.
However, one fact that has been omitted from the history books, is that HEMP was a MAJOR CROP in the South, as well as in other agricultural areas throughout the country. With the passing of the "Marijuana Stamp Tax Act of 1937", its parent, HEMP, was banned, in order to eradicate Marijuana. This was a case of throwing out the baby AND the bath water in one fell swoop!
Why? The answer is simple. DuPont had just discovered how to make Nylon from chemicals. Hemp, along with cotton and wood fiber, were the primary sources for clothing, canvas (ship sails, tarps, etc.), rope, paper and many other products. DuPont wanted to sell his new Nylon ropes, along with cloth. Rockefeller, who controlled many things, wanted to use trees for paper to justify the paper mills as part of the industrial revolution. Eli Lilly wanted to promote lab developed drugs for medicinal use to promote his own self interests. Together, they pressured Washington to pass the law and enforce it beyond just eliminating marijuana. [NOTE: SINCE THEN, ALL HEMP PRODUCTS ARE IMPORTED! DESPITE NO U.S. PRODUCTION, A HIGH TARIFF IS PLACED ON ALL THESE PRODUCTS!]
Over the coming years, Rayon was developed, and along with Nylon, replaced cotton and hemp for virtually all clothing! It is worthy to note that Levi Strauss developed the first Denim for slacks (jeans). The first denim was made from HEMP...NOT cotton! Cotton replaced hemp for jeans ONLY after the passing of the 1937 law and the banning of hemp cultivation and production in the U.S.!
Since the 30's, cotton has virtually disappeared from the South, replaced by cattle, soybeans and DEVELOPMENT, replacing farms. Only peanuts remain as a major crop almost exclusive to the South. Cattle, once the mainstay of the midwest and west, has become a major portion of Southern agriculture, along with chicken production. Small farmers have all but disappeared!
Now, here we are in the 21st century...234 years after the Declaration of Independence. Nearly EVERYTHING we must buy to sustain life is labeled with 'Made in China" or a myriad of other countries. Fruits and vegetables from South America, Mexico, Indonesia, Japan and many European countries, including those once behind the Iron Curtain. TV's and other electronics from Europe, Japan and China. Shoes from Mexico, Hungary and China. Clothing from EVERYWHERE BUT the U. S.! Finding labels with "Made In the U.S.A." has become as hard to find as the proverbial "needle in a haystack"!
Without boring you with all the stuff that IS going on (which you are bombarded with constantly), let me briefly touch on what is NOT going on in Washington. NO effective effort to promote U. S. production of any products (except for auto bailouts). NO effort to increase U. S. agricultural production (except for corn for biofuels, whitch reduces the food supply and increases costs for consumers). NO action to allow HEMP production in the U. S., despite YEARS of prodding by many sources. Minimal efforts to allow more oil and gas drilling and virtually NO efforts to increase nuclear OR HYDRO plants as means to increase energy production. Instead (and I digress), SOLAR AND WIND are being pushed as the ways to produce energy for the future as opposed to all alternatives! [FYI: SOLAR AND WIND ARE THE HIGHEST COST FORMS OF ENERGY PRODUCTION AVAILABLE! HYBRID AND ALL-ELECTRIC VEHICLES ARE RIGHT BEHIND!]
HEMP produces 4 TIMES the amount of fiber per acre than that from TREES! One crop of HEMP absorbs as much or more CO2, and resultant emissions of O2, as a stand of trees in the same area! Coincidentally, increasing U. S. production of oil would reduce dependency on foreign sources. NATURAL GAS production, a cleaner form of energy, is ABUNDANT in the U. S.! [Our oil reserves are estimated to be greater than those in the Middle East!]
So, what is the BEST answer to solve our energy AND ECONOMIC problems? More oil and gas production would offer immediate reductions in foreign oil. Longer term, since production methods must be developed, HEMP offers the GREATEST POTENTIAL...anyone with an acre of land can grow HEMP economically feasible! From HEMP, we can get cloth, paper, plastics, MEDICINES and, yes, BIOFUELS!...or even products not yet discovered! HEMP would regain our agricultural base...EASILY!...AND solve our energy problems in the meantime! Oh, did I mention solving Al Gore's perceived CO2 MENACE?
Nevada Barr, in her novel "DEEP SOUTH", described her introduction to southern Mississippi (from the West) as most represented by the presence of KUDZU. She noted that the plant was imported from Japan for soil erosion. As soon as the plants emerged, they noticed the high humidity and the red clay all around them and yelled...'HOT ZIGGITY!" You know the result!
Guess what? HEMP thrives in the same environment! From the start, fertilizer, pesticides, herbicides and normal cultivation techniques ARE NOT REQUIRED! It is like growing KUDZU, except easier to contain and control. Crop rotation is NOT required! Why do you think it is called "WEED"? Simply, because it GROWS as a weed! Maybe, it REALLY IS a WEED!
It really doesn't matter. HEMP production in the U. S. CAN SOLVE SO MANY PROBLEMS ALL AT ONCE! Maybe THAT is why our government does not want to pursue this course of action! It would promote CAPITALISM, provide HOPE for the LOWER AND MIDDLE CLASSES who strive to reach the AMERICAN DREAM and make it harder for FAVORS BETWEEN CONGRESS AND BIG BUSINESS to be realized! Could reducing PORK be far behind?
Jack Herer has been looked upon by "the ESTABLISHMENT" as being a radical who only wants the legal right to "get high"! His "sermon" is all about HEMP! All its benefits have been promoted by Jack. He wears HEMP clothing! Read "The Emperor Wears No Clothes" by Jack for his whole message.
To avoid the obvious and ignore the opportunities offered from the restoration of HEMP PRODUCTION in the United States is INEXCUSABLE, if not CRIMINAL, on the part of our government in Washington! GOD gave us this MAGNIFICENT AND BOUNTIFUL NATURAL RESOURCE! Certainly, he INTENDED FOR US TO BENEFIT FROM IT! The WORLD, including the U. S., DID...until BIG BUSINESS and GOVERNMENTS decided that THEIR BEST INTERESTS ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAT OUR BEST INTERESTS!
Americans...IT IS TIME THAT IMBALANCE IS REVERSED! Let us band together and turn Washington UPSIDE DOWN until OUR NEEDS COME FIRST! Legalizing HEMP PRODUCTION is a MAJOR PLAYER in accomplishing that GOAL!
INDUSTRIAL HEMP
I ran across this article in my files and thought I would pass it on. I cannot remember the source. This is a thumbnail of info on Hemp production from 1998. What I find interesting is that current activity to legalize industrial hemp cultivation is NOT NEW. The problem is, Washington has stonewalled any action in this regard. Moreover, 100% of hemp products sold in the U.S., which, oddly, is perfectly legal, IS IMPORTED! To make matters worse, the imported hemp has a very high tariff! This is preposterous! Tariffs are usually placed on imported products to inhibit its competition with U.S. produced products. This is not the case with hemp products, since there is NONE in the U.S.! It is time Washington listens and uses Hemp to help us out of the economic mess we are in! Let's flood Congress with letters, emails and phone calls! Let's make this issue a priority!
1998 Hemp Production
State Study Findings
Each of the three 1998 studies focused on different
aspects of supply and/or demand. Since
a major producer of certified hemp seed in the past, it
is one of the main markets mentioned in the 1998
study. Also, the horse racing industry in the State
could be a significant buyer of hemp hurds for animal
bedding.
Thus, the
largest market opportunity for the State may be hemp
seed oil. The
because of the pulp and paper industry in the
reports are in Appendix III.)
All three of the studies do mention hemp’s benefits as
a rotation crop. As stated in the
hemp may provide an excellent rotation crop for
traditional crops to avoid outbreaks of insect and disease
problems or to suppress weeds (Ehrensing). The
and conditions soils by replacing organic matter and
providing aeration through its extensive root system
(Kraenzel et al.).
The Kentucky Task Force had a broad mandate to
examine legal, agronomic, and economic aspects of
hemp production. In 1995, the majority of the
Kentucky Task Force concluded that legal prohibition
of Cannabis cultivation was the overriding obstacle to
reintroduction of fiber hemp production in
Significant progress on agronomics, marketing, or
infrastructure development is unlikely, and of relatively
little importance, unless legal issues are resolved
(McNulty).
The
Since industrial hemp may have potential as an alternative
rotation crop, the report recommends that the North
Dakota Legislature consider action that would allow
controlled experimental production and processing.
This would allow collection and analysis of necessary
baseline production, processing, and marketing data. At
the same time, the concerns and costs of law enforcement
agencies could be addressed (Kraenzel et al.).
Sunday, January 24, 2010
POTHEAD
HHHHMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM! Chiilin'out and layin' back, enjoying the morning's dawn and looking at the day ahead....a hit to start the day...that's the life!
I love COFFEE! I buy only the best specialty blends and always look for the "better" variety or blend than the last one! I have a cup FIRST THING, even if it is to heat a cup left over from yesterday! While it is heating, I make a new POT. I switch varieties daily, so I always have a new taste every morning!
I seek the internet looking for unique, prime strains of the myriad of Arabica beans...the subtleties of light to darker roasts, I seek varieties from all corners of the Earth, always seeking that "WOW...BEST I EVER HAD" feeling...always looking for the best....only better!
I am disgusted with the quality of the wonderful commodity available on the street. I abhor the common weakness of what is generally available!
I prefer Dark roasts, super fine ground, Colombian, Kenyan or Guatemalan Arabica beans picked at the peak of their perfection, rushed to market, then to me...fresh roasted and finely ground. An occasional tweaking with Hazelnut, Pecan, Vanilla, Chocolate or Spices can also be very rewarding! A Kona hit from Hawaii now and then breaks the routine.
When it comes to ultimate pleasure, Espresso takes the cake! Wow! Talk about a HIT! Man, this is where it's at! Espresso can be enhanced with a dab of cream, a little cinnamon or nutmeg, a little vanilla and...here's the kicker...even a dollop of SOUR CREAM and almond! Coffee shops can't touch that, man!
Then there is the methodology of intake. Never, I mean NEVER, GULP! This destroys the original intent of enjoyment! SIP...lots of little hits, savoring each and every one...until the warmth of the gem fills you body and soul!
On that rare occasion, when you find the "PERFECT" blend, just when you think you are "hooked" on it, a new strain comes along to really mess with your mind! WOW!
And to think, when I was younger, I thought coffee was coffee...plain and simple! Not so, my fellow bard! Variety is the spice of life! It is man's BEST friend!
For this, I am admonished! I am called an addict! I am truly, a POTHEAD!
Won't you join me in this quest? Hit the POT with me! Come on, be a POTHEAD with me!
HHHHHHHMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I love COFFEE! I buy only the best specialty blends and always look for the "better" variety or blend than the last one! I have a cup FIRST THING, even if it is to heat a cup left over from yesterday! While it is heating, I make a new POT. I switch varieties daily, so I always have a new taste every morning!
I seek the internet looking for unique, prime strains of the myriad of Arabica beans...the subtleties of light to darker roasts, I seek varieties from all corners of the Earth, always seeking that "WOW...BEST I EVER HAD" feeling...always looking for the best....only better!
I am disgusted with the quality of the wonderful commodity available on the street. I abhor the common weakness of what is generally available!
I prefer Dark roasts, super fine ground, Colombian, Kenyan or Guatemalan Arabica beans picked at the peak of their perfection, rushed to market, then to me...fresh roasted and finely ground. An occasional tweaking with Hazelnut, Pecan, Vanilla, Chocolate or Spices can also be very rewarding! A Kona hit from Hawaii now and then breaks the routine.
When it comes to ultimate pleasure, Espresso takes the cake! Wow! Talk about a HIT! Man, this is where it's at! Espresso can be enhanced with a dab of cream, a little cinnamon or nutmeg, a little vanilla and...here's the kicker...even a dollop of SOUR CREAM and almond! Coffee shops can't touch that, man!
Then there is the methodology of intake. Never, I mean NEVER, GULP! This destroys the original intent of enjoyment! SIP...lots of little hits, savoring each and every one...until the warmth of the gem fills you body and soul!
On that rare occasion, when you find the "PERFECT" blend, just when you think you are "hooked" on it, a new strain comes along to really mess with your mind! WOW!
And to think, when I was younger, I thought coffee was coffee...plain and simple! Not so, my fellow bard! Variety is the spice of life! It is man's BEST friend!
For this, I am admonished! I am called an addict! I am truly, a POTHEAD!
Won't you join me in this quest? Hit the POT with me! Come on, be a POTHEAD with me!
HHHHHHHMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Monday, January 18, 2010
VOL I, NO 2 - ONLY IN AMERICA
A fool is one who betrays himself. I said that. Quote me!
Over the past year, I have been overwhelmed by the events which have unfolded in Washington! What intrigues me the most is the fact that Barack Obama told America EXACTLY WHAT TO EXPECT when he became President. Before the election, he made the following statement, and I quote, "We are five days away from a TOTAL TRANSFORMATION OF AMERICA!" We have gotten more than we bargained for!
Mr. Obama promised CHANGE. We got change! Unfortunately, THAT IS THE ONLY PROMISE HE HAS KEPT! The changes so far are NOT what he promised, to wit:
1. Transpanrency: NOPE! We have been swamped with a jumble of selected "considerations" on every piece of legislation brought before Congress. While we have been trying to figure out what is being proposed, deals are being made behind closed doors, leaving us guessing. Moreover, the bills are pushed through without exposure or adequate debate. When passed, we, the American people, still do not know the details!
2. Green jobs: NOPE! Instead, we have been given a "snow job" over energy issues, fueled by Al Gore and his "global warming" propoganda, which the White House supports and wants us to believe. The answer, they say, is solar and wind energy, electric cars and a TAX on CARBON emissions. One note on the latter...already 3 people have been charged with fraud over a scam regarding "trading carbon tax credits"! The EPA has ruled that CO2 is "harmful to humans". The HOUSE passed the Clean Energy Bill early last year. The Senate has yet to consider it. However, with the EPA becoming more agressive and other moves made by Obama and other government agencies, some of the provisions are already being initiated, despite the fact that the bill is not yet law! Billions were given to companies to develop batteries for electric cars, more advanced solar and wind energy generation and improving the national electric grid. Yet, these same companies LOST BILLIONS last year, because the products are STILL TOO EXPENSIVE for mainstram America! Now, more money has been poured into upgrading windows and insulation in older homes and commercial buildings. In case you haven't noticed, compact fluorescent and LED lighting is taking over...regular bulbs are occupying less and less space on the shelves! These are just some examples. There has NO PROOF of an increase in jobs in this area! In fact, most energy companies have REDUCED their workforce!
3. HEALTHCARE REFORM: NOT YET! MAYBE NOT THIS YEAR! MAYBE NEVER! Well, almost everyone agrees that we need some kinds of reform to our healthcare coverage. There are many opinions as to what. However, yesterday, Massachusetts spoke loud and clear...NOT WHAT IS CURRENTLY ON THE TABLE IN WASHINGTON! The vast majority of Americans do NOT want to pay for OTHER PEOPLE'S INSURANCE, nor do they want to be unfairly taxed, through whatever means. Today, we pay for a lot of different stuff through "hidden" taxes on everything from tobacco, alcohol, gasoline, etc. Now, WHAT IF the government legalized industrial HEMP cultivation and production and, without raising taxes, create enough increase in revenue to reduce the current deficit AND pay for certain aspects of a new NON-GOVERNMENT CONTROLLED Healthcare Plan? What IF? Worth consideration, don't you think?
4. STIMULUS: NOPE! Oh, Congress passed a $787BILLION STIMULUS BILL...but we have lost over 3 MILLION JOBS since! What they stimulated was the pockets of a number of non-profit organizations like ACORN for dubious projects and PORK for projects in districts favored by the administration! MORE JOBS? All of the "data" cited over "jobs created or saved" have proven unreliable and immeasurable. BTW, only a fraction of the Stimulus money has been spent, so where was the "stimulus"? Unemployment is touted to be over 10%, but is closer to 20%, given that many have given up and are no longer counted in the unemplyment numbers! Another misleading manipulation of data!
5. BUDGET DEFICIT REDUCTIONS: HELL, NO! GIVE ME A BREAK! This administration has put us deeper into debt ALREADY than ALL PRECEDING PRESIDENTS COMBINED! I can't even discuss it! My Pastor would have my hide!
6. SECURITY AGAINST TERRORISM: NOPE, AGAIN! How can closing down GITMO and releasing the bad guys back to Yemen or putting them in U.S. prisons and conducting theie trials in U.S. Criminal Courts (instead of Military Tribunals) help make us safer? This is BEYOND ME!
6. BORDER SECURITY: NO, NO, NO, AND NOPE! When NO ACTION has been taken to strengthen our borders and airport security is so misguided as to allow a crazy loon (credit Bill O'Reilly) to board an American airliner with a bomb in his shorts, even though he was on the "terror watchlist", how are we safer? What about the other attacks in 2009? Do YOU feel safer? I don't!
7. NO TAX INCREASE FOR AMERICANS WHO MAKE LESS THAN $250,000 A YEAR! CERTAINLY NOT! Who bears the brunt of the 60 cent/pack increase in cigarette taxes? That was violation number one on this issue! More on the way, more being considered in Congress!
8. I INHERITED THIS MESS! WOW, WHAT A CROCK! Obama has been in office for a year! This is NO LONGER an excuse! Obama, you make your own bed now and YOU must lie in it! Oh, he does...LIE, that is!
Well, I am boring you. You know all of this! I could go on with examples for hours! However, I think it is time to make my point!
WHAT IF INDUSTRIAL HEMP CULTIVATION AND PRODUCTION WERE LEGALIZED? If one had only a few acres of vacant farm land, they could produce HEMP. Biofuels produced from HEMP could significantly reduce our dependence upon foreign oil. HEMP production would create MILLIONS OF NEW JOBS! Products made from HEMP in the U.S. would significantly reduce our imports of many, many commodities and keep jobs here, instead of China, Mexico and many other countries!
Moreover, WHAT IF MARIJUANA WERE LEGALIZED? Well, consider the possiblities. We would NO LONGER need IMPORTED MARIJUANA from Mexico and South America. This would break the drug cartels south of the border. More money would be retained here, rather than sent overseas. Could legalized marijuana possibly reduce the demand for hard drugs? Well, I can't answer that, but it is certainly something that I ponder, and so should you. One thing is for sure., THE LEGALIZATION OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA is without doubt a sane and humane objective! This legislation should be FEDERAL to cover ALL AMERICANS in need of this treatment! Get the DEA out from between patients and doctors! One problem with illegally available marijuana is that it is of inferior quality and strength needed to medical marijuana. This point is not well known or publicized in the public domain. The fact is, medical grade marijuana increases its medical benefits and reduces the frequency of use. This is good for the patients, in that it reduces their costs in the long run and provides greater beneficial effects in its use. This MUST be accomplished!
Over the past year, I have been overwhelmed by the events which have unfolded in Washington! What intrigues me the most is the fact that Barack Obama told America EXACTLY WHAT TO EXPECT when he became President. Before the election, he made the following statement, and I quote, "We are five days away from a TOTAL TRANSFORMATION OF AMERICA!" We have gotten more than we bargained for!
Mr. Obama promised CHANGE. We got change! Unfortunately, THAT IS THE ONLY PROMISE HE HAS KEPT! The changes so far are NOT what he promised, to wit:
1. Transpanrency: NOPE! We have been swamped with a jumble of selected "considerations" on every piece of legislation brought before Congress. While we have been trying to figure out what is being proposed, deals are being made behind closed doors, leaving us guessing. Moreover, the bills are pushed through without exposure or adequate debate. When passed, we, the American people, still do not know the details!
2. Green jobs: NOPE! Instead, we have been given a "snow job" over energy issues, fueled by Al Gore and his "global warming" propoganda, which the White House supports and wants us to believe. The answer, they say, is solar and wind energy, electric cars and a TAX on CARBON emissions. One note on the latter...already 3 people have been charged with fraud over a scam regarding "trading carbon tax credits"! The EPA has ruled that CO2 is "harmful to humans". The HOUSE passed the Clean Energy Bill early last year. The Senate has yet to consider it. However, with the EPA becoming more agressive and other moves made by Obama and other government agencies, some of the provisions are already being initiated, despite the fact that the bill is not yet law! Billions were given to companies to develop batteries for electric cars, more advanced solar and wind energy generation and improving the national electric grid. Yet, these same companies LOST BILLIONS last year, because the products are STILL TOO EXPENSIVE for mainstram America! Now, more money has been poured into upgrading windows and insulation in older homes and commercial buildings. In case you haven't noticed, compact fluorescent and LED lighting is taking over...regular bulbs are occupying less and less space on the shelves! These are just some examples. There has NO PROOF of an increase in jobs in this area! In fact, most energy companies have REDUCED their workforce!
3. HEALTHCARE REFORM: NOT YET! MAYBE NOT THIS YEAR! MAYBE NEVER! Well, almost everyone agrees that we need some kinds of reform to our healthcare coverage. There are many opinions as to what. However, yesterday, Massachusetts spoke loud and clear...NOT WHAT IS CURRENTLY ON THE TABLE IN WASHINGTON! The vast majority of Americans do NOT want to pay for OTHER PEOPLE'S INSURANCE, nor do they want to be unfairly taxed, through whatever means. Today, we pay for a lot of different stuff through "hidden" taxes on everything from tobacco, alcohol, gasoline, etc. Now, WHAT IF the government legalized industrial HEMP cultivation and production and, without raising taxes, create enough increase in revenue to reduce the current deficit AND pay for certain aspects of a new NON-GOVERNMENT CONTROLLED Healthcare Plan? What IF? Worth consideration, don't you think?
4. STIMULUS: NOPE! Oh, Congress passed a $787BILLION STIMULUS BILL...but we have lost over 3 MILLION JOBS since! What they stimulated was the pockets of a number of non-profit organizations like ACORN for dubious projects and PORK for projects in districts favored by the administration! MORE JOBS? All of the "data" cited over "jobs created or saved" have proven unreliable and immeasurable. BTW, only a fraction of the Stimulus money has been spent, so where was the "stimulus"? Unemployment is touted to be over 10%, but is closer to 20%, given that many have given up and are no longer counted in the unemplyment numbers! Another misleading manipulation of data!
5. BUDGET DEFICIT REDUCTIONS: HELL, NO! GIVE ME A BREAK! This administration has put us deeper into debt ALREADY than ALL PRECEDING PRESIDENTS COMBINED! I can't even discuss it! My Pastor would have my hide!
6. SECURITY AGAINST TERRORISM: NOPE, AGAIN! How can closing down GITMO and releasing the bad guys back to Yemen or putting them in U.S. prisons and conducting theie trials in U.S. Criminal Courts (instead of Military Tribunals) help make us safer? This is BEYOND ME!
6. BORDER SECURITY: NO, NO, NO, AND NOPE! When NO ACTION has been taken to strengthen our borders and airport security is so misguided as to allow a crazy loon (credit Bill O'Reilly) to board an American airliner with a bomb in his shorts, even though he was on the "terror watchlist", how are we safer? What about the other attacks in 2009? Do YOU feel safer? I don't!
7. NO TAX INCREASE FOR AMERICANS WHO MAKE LESS THAN $250,000 A YEAR! CERTAINLY NOT! Who bears the brunt of the 60 cent/pack increase in cigarette taxes? That was violation number one on this issue! More on the way, more being considered in Congress!
8. I INHERITED THIS MESS! WOW, WHAT A CROCK! Obama has been in office for a year! This is NO LONGER an excuse! Obama, you make your own bed now and YOU must lie in it! Oh, he does...LIE, that is!
Well, I am boring you. You know all of this! I could go on with examples for hours! However, I think it is time to make my point!
WHAT IF INDUSTRIAL HEMP CULTIVATION AND PRODUCTION WERE LEGALIZED? If one had only a few acres of vacant farm land, they could produce HEMP. Biofuels produced from HEMP could significantly reduce our dependence upon foreign oil. HEMP production would create MILLIONS OF NEW JOBS! Products made from HEMP in the U.S. would significantly reduce our imports of many, many commodities and keep jobs here, instead of China, Mexico and many other countries!
Moreover, WHAT IF MARIJUANA WERE LEGALIZED? Well, consider the possiblities. We would NO LONGER need IMPORTED MARIJUANA from Mexico and South America. This would break the drug cartels south of the border. More money would be retained here, rather than sent overseas. Could legalized marijuana possibly reduce the demand for hard drugs? Well, I can't answer that, but it is certainly something that I ponder, and so should you. One thing is for sure., THE LEGALIZATION OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA is without doubt a sane and humane objective! This legislation should be FEDERAL to cover ALL AMERICANS in need of this treatment! Get the DEA out from between patients and doctors! One problem with illegally available marijuana is that it is of inferior quality and strength needed to medical marijuana. This point is not well known or publicized in the public domain. The fact is, medical grade marijuana increases its medical benefits and reduces the frequency of use. This is good for the patients, in that it reduces their costs in the long run and provides greater beneficial effects in its use. This MUST be accomplished!
Sunday, January 17, 2010
OPINION: A NATURAL CONCLUSION
We are all caught up in the controversies over CLIMATE CHANGE and MARIJUANA. Would you believe the answer is the same for both issues?
Cannabis is the OLDEST CULTIVATED CROP KNOWN TO MAN! GOD created it! Until 1937, it was considered a VALUABLE farm resource in the United States. At the end of prohibition, law enforcement was faced with nothing to do, except the everyday, routine job of keeping the peace and occasional crime.
At the same time, powerful forces were at work to protect their self interests. Among those was a man whose company had just discovered NYLON through their CHEMICAL RESEARCH...E. I. DuPont. HEMP was the single source for ROPE prior to the introduction of Nylon. Another, whose company was developing new pain medications and whose research sought new cures for diseases through CHEMISTRY. This man was Eli Lilly. Others, including John D. Rockefeller, who controlled the paper printing industries, joined in the scam. These men, along with a group of politicians, connived a plan to protect industrial interests AND give law enforcement something solid to sink their teeth into....thus was born the ill-conceived MARIJUANA STAMP TAX ACT OF 1937 (Available for viewing on the U. S. Government's website). While this act created an intricate and unenforceable set of regulations, over the next few years accomplished what it set out to do...BAN MARIJUANA. It did not stop there. The result was that HEMP, the parent plant for marijuana, was banned from cultivation in the U.S.!
In the 1940's, a series of so-called "DOCUMENTARY" movies were made, expounding the EVILS OF MARIJUANA. The best known of these movies is "REEFER MADNESS" (Look it up on NETFLIX). This movie was based upon then popular presumptuous lies regarding marijuana use and its effects on humans. However, the hype behind the menace of marijuana was so great that the lie became fact, in most people's minds.
During WWII, in a desperate attempt to win the war, the U. S. Government organized a campaign called "HEMP FOR VICTORY". Within DAYS...HEMP was being grown and processed into ROPE, PAPER, CANVAS (Derived from the French word for cannabis), PLASTICS and many other products to help in the war effort. After the war was over, the ban was reinstated by the same politicians who led the war campaign!
Then, along came Nixon. The same Nixon who was President. The same Nixon that was so paranoid as to create the desire for political fodder that led to the break-in of the Democratic headquarters in the Watergate complex. Yes, THAT NIXON! What did HE do regarding marijuana? With the stroke of mere pen, HE PUT MARIJUANA ON THE LIST OF CLASS i NARCOTICS, which includes Heroin, Cocaine, etc. While OPIUM is on that list, OPIATES (derivatives) used in medicines by the PHARMACEUTICALS are NOT illegal...they just require a prescription from a licensed physician! Why? You figure it out!
Before I go further, keep in mind that BEFORE 1937, marijuana was taken for granted, used by Presidents, raised on farms for industrial products (including plastics for Henry Ford's Model T) and WAS NOT CONSIDERED TO BE A "PROBLEM". Sails and ropes for the USS CONSTITUTION were made from HEMP., as were those on every other sailing ship. Many other products were made from HEMP.
Now comes an EX U.S. VICE PRESIDENT who touts CARBON DIOXIDE as a menace to the future of our planet! Thus came the term "GLOBAL WARMING", based on old data and the opinions of a handful of scientists. Even the EPA has bought into this by deeming CO2 as "HARMFUL TO HUMANS"! What he fails to tell us is that all his predictions are not only subjective, but based on a computer model designed to exaggerate the results! Many scientists disagree with this premise, but whose findings are publicly denounced by Gore and his cronies as being "FLAWED SCIENCE"...the VERY ESSENCE of what THEIR CONCLUSIONS ARE BASED! Oh, and it is MAN MADE...ALL OUR FAULT!
This brings me to why I wrote this in the first place. HEMP produces MORE PRODUCT PER ACRE than TREES, or any other cultivatable plant known. PLANTS ABSORB CARBON DIOXIDE AND EMIT OXYGEN! HEMP can also be used for FOOD, CLOTH, ROPE, MEDICINE, PLASTICS, PAPER AND VARIOUS OTHER PRODUCTS... INCLUDING (READY FOR THIS?)...BIOFUELS!
HERE IS THE BOTTOM LINE: HEMP CAN SOLVE THE PERCEIVED PROBLEM OF "GLOBAL WARMING" AND PROVIDE MARIJUANA FOR USE AS A NATURAL ALTERNATIVE TO ADDICTIVE, POTENTIALLY DEADLY DRUGS FOR PAIN RELIEF AND EVEN HELP CURE NUMEROUS DISEASES! WOW!
This is MY OPINION, based on a couple of years of intense research. DO NOT SEND ME MESSAGES QUIBBLING WITH MY FACTS...I may have erred in minor details. However, just type "HEMP" into your search engine, and you will find more sources to research than you can digest in a year!
For now, I am a proponent for the legalization of MEDICINAL MARIJUANA USE and INDUSTRIAL HEMP CULTIVATION AND PRODUCTION. It is a sane approach to pain management and a NATURAL SOLUTION to many aspects of our lives from an environmental standpoint. HEMP production could help alleviate our high unemployment, help overcome our crop production deficit, our export deficit and would play a major part in the recovery of our economy.
THE NEED IS NOW! THE SOLUTION IS AT HAND! THE TIME IS NOW!
Cannabis is the OLDEST CULTIVATED CROP KNOWN TO MAN! GOD created it! Until 1937, it was considered a VALUABLE farm resource in the United States. At the end of prohibition, law enforcement was faced with nothing to do, except the everyday, routine job of keeping the peace and occasional crime.
At the same time, powerful forces were at work to protect their self interests. Among those was a man whose company had just discovered NYLON through their CHEMICAL RESEARCH...E. I. DuPont. HEMP was the single source for ROPE prior to the introduction of Nylon. Another, whose company was developing new pain medications and whose research sought new cures for diseases through CHEMISTRY. This man was Eli Lilly. Others, including John D. Rockefeller, who controlled the paper printing industries, joined in the scam. These men, along with a group of politicians, connived a plan to protect industrial interests AND give law enforcement something solid to sink their teeth into....thus was born the ill-conceived MARIJUANA STAMP TAX ACT OF 1937 (Available for viewing on the U. S. Government's website). While this act created an intricate and unenforceable set of regulations, over the next few years accomplished what it set out to do...BAN MARIJUANA. It did not stop there. The result was that HEMP, the parent plant for marijuana, was banned from cultivation in the U.S.!
In the 1940's, a series of so-called "DOCUMENTARY" movies were made, expounding the EVILS OF MARIJUANA. The best known of these movies is "REEFER MADNESS" (Look it up on NETFLIX). This movie was based upon then popular presumptuous lies regarding marijuana use and its effects on humans. However, the hype behind the menace of marijuana was so great that the lie became fact, in most people's minds.
During WWII, in a desperate attempt to win the war, the U. S. Government organized a campaign called "HEMP FOR VICTORY". Within DAYS...HEMP was being grown and processed into ROPE, PAPER, CANVAS (Derived from the French word for cannabis), PLASTICS and many other products to help in the war effort. After the war was over, the ban was reinstated by the same politicians who led the war campaign!
Then, along came Nixon. The same Nixon who was President. The same Nixon that was so paranoid as to create the desire for political fodder that led to the break-in of the Democratic headquarters in the Watergate complex. Yes, THAT NIXON! What did HE do regarding marijuana? With the stroke of mere pen, HE PUT MARIJUANA ON THE LIST OF CLASS i NARCOTICS, which includes Heroin, Cocaine, etc. While OPIUM is on that list, OPIATES (derivatives) used in medicines by the PHARMACEUTICALS are NOT illegal...they just require a prescription from a licensed physician! Why? You figure it out!
Before I go further, keep in mind that BEFORE 1937, marijuana was taken for granted, used by Presidents, raised on farms for industrial products (including plastics for Henry Ford's Model T) and WAS NOT CONSIDERED TO BE A "PROBLEM". Sails and ropes for the USS CONSTITUTION were made from HEMP., as were those on every other sailing ship. Many other products were made from HEMP.
Now comes an EX U.S. VICE PRESIDENT who touts CARBON DIOXIDE as a menace to the future of our planet! Thus came the term "GLOBAL WARMING", based on old data and the opinions of a handful of scientists. Even the EPA has bought into this by deeming CO2 as "HARMFUL TO HUMANS"! What he fails to tell us is that all his predictions are not only subjective, but based on a computer model designed to exaggerate the results! Many scientists disagree with this premise, but whose findings are publicly denounced by Gore and his cronies as being "FLAWED SCIENCE"...the VERY ESSENCE of what THEIR CONCLUSIONS ARE BASED! Oh, and it is MAN MADE...ALL OUR FAULT!
This brings me to why I wrote this in the first place. HEMP produces MORE PRODUCT PER ACRE than TREES, or any other cultivatable plant known. PLANTS ABSORB CARBON DIOXIDE AND EMIT OXYGEN! HEMP can also be used for FOOD, CLOTH, ROPE, MEDICINE, PLASTICS, PAPER AND VARIOUS OTHER PRODUCTS... INCLUDING (READY FOR THIS?)...BIOFUELS!
HERE IS THE BOTTOM LINE: HEMP CAN SOLVE THE PERCEIVED PROBLEM OF "GLOBAL WARMING" AND PROVIDE MARIJUANA FOR USE AS A NATURAL ALTERNATIVE TO ADDICTIVE, POTENTIALLY DEADLY DRUGS FOR PAIN RELIEF AND EVEN HELP CURE NUMEROUS DISEASES! WOW!
This is MY OPINION, based on a couple of years of intense research. DO NOT SEND ME MESSAGES QUIBBLING WITH MY FACTS...I may have erred in minor details. However, just type "HEMP" into your search engine, and you will find more sources to research than you can digest in a year!
For now, I am a proponent for the legalization of MEDICINAL MARIJUANA USE and INDUSTRIAL HEMP CULTIVATION AND PRODUCTION. It is a sane approach to pain management and a NATURAL SOLUTION to many aspects of our lives from an environmental standpoint. HEMP production could help alleviate our high unemployment, help overcome our crop production deficit, our export deficit and would play a major part in the recovery of our economy.
THE NEED IS NOW! THE SOLUTION IS AT HAND! THE TIME IS NOW!
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