Nutty as a Fruitcake November 10, 2009
Posted by denmick in Uncategorized.trackback
Professor David Nutt didn’t play the game. As the chief drug policy advisor in the British Government, an unspoken part of his job description was to help maintain a public fiction about marijuana – or cannabis, as it is known in the U.K. and other parts of the world. Specifically, he was expected to further the misperception of cannabis as a substance worthy of being classified and prohibited in a manner similar to more dangerous drugs like heroin and cocaine.
He made a big mistake at the end of last month. In a lecture at King’s College in London, he spoke honestly – and truthfully – about the fact that cannabis is less harmful than alcohol and urged the government to factor the relative harms of substances into their policy-making. Moreover, he accused the British government of ignoring the evidence about the true harms of cannabis in order to reclassify the drug and increase penalties for possession.
Reacting with the logic and reason of pub patron after last call, Home Secretary Alan Johnson immediately demanded that Prof. Nutt resign as the head of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs. He said Prof Nutt had “crossed the line between offering advice and … campaigning against the government on political decisions.”
More accurately, Prof. Nutt crossed the line between deceiving citizens and being honest with them. The home secretary, a former member of Parliament, is no doubt comfortable with a little verbal jousting over public policy decisions. What he could not abide by was a top ranking official threatening the anti-cannabis mythology embraced at the very top level of government. Based on Nutt’s fateful bout of truthfulness, Johnson said he had “lost confidence” in Nutt as an advisor.
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How rude! Question the almighty, all-knowing, British, stiff upper lipzoids.
New rule: Speak of only the ‘approved’ topics or face banishment.
Never mind the truth.
Would anyone here consider sending a letter similar to this one? Think of the gazillions of people who vist the GOOGLE home page everyday.
I just snail-mailed this letter to the CEO — I wish I had his email address. Oh, well. As Carol mentioned once, regular USPO letters are presumed to have the most clout with politican — so maybe the same applies to CEOs.
November 10, 2009
Mr. Eric Schmidt
CEO
GOOGLE INC.
1600 Amphitheatre Parkway
Mountain View, CA 94043
Dear Mr. Schmidt:
I tried to find an email address for you, but I couldn’t find one through Google, so I’ll use the old-fashioned means of communication — snail mail.
I think your use of eye-catching, clever graphics to promote or spotlight an anniversary, a person, a project, etc. is extremely effective. I’ve enjoyed each “Sesame Street” installment, for example.
On a more serious note, I encourage you to unleash your incredible clout — and visibility — to use the same device leading up to the United Nations Climate Change Conference in December, 2009.
Climate change is one of the most important issues facing the world. Please do what you can to spread the message on this critical issue. You could make a real difference considering the millions and millions of people who log-on to your site every hour of every day.
Thank you.
Micki…..
Oh…one more thing.
If you choose to participate in this effort by sending a letter, would you please encourage at least 10 more people to do the same?
Each small step….
Bill Clinton has been on urging the senate to pass health care claiming their failure to do so in 1993 resulted in the republican takeover of congress in ‘94. Here he is, the supposed smartest, savvy politician ever, and he couldn’t be more wrong. The reason the republicans won in ‘94 was the mere thought of Hillary Care being intruduced to this country. Now the house has actually voted on it an believe me, they will pay in 2010. Lets abort Obama care with cap and trade etc. Maybe all that not inhaling has finally caught up to Slick Willie.
Just a reminder,
The beltway sniper will be aborted this evening. I know all you femenists and leftists are for him being aborted right?
Addressing climate change is a more pressing issue, right up there with doing something about increasing unemployment and pulling out of Afghanistan.
Actually, I think if healthcare doesn’t pass, it could be a plus for the Democrats in the long run, especially if the misogynist pigs get their way and the anti-women healthcare aspects (courtesy of fundy men) stay in the bill. What a difference a day makes….
Ty, you’re nuttier than a fruitcake.
Not as nutty as the current administration. Obama says don’t rush to judgement re Fort Hood shooter but he calls a police dept response to a breaking and entering “stupid? ” Now there’s nutty for you and politically correct for thee, not for me. What an idiot.
Den’s headline today is apropos!
Insults to fruitcakes flying left and right.
Van Jones and Anita Dunn. Two commies down, many more to go.
Energy and Global Warming News: Each extra year of climate inaction adds $500 billion to final cost — IEA
That’s to limit to 2 K warming, vastly too much, even that.
Joe Volk of FCNL sends
From 2C: Afghanistan: Which Fairy Tale Tells the Truth?
If President Obama wants to understand the problem of U.S. policy in Afghanistan, he might do well to turn to a fairy tale: http://action.fcnl.org/r/90479/31840/0. I suggest that he take his top civilian and military advisors to the Family Theater at the White House to watch Walt Disney’s 1940 film Fantasia. It tells the story of “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice.” It’s not just for kids anymore
Micki, I will send my snail mail to Mr. Eric Schmidt tomorrow. Thanks for the idea! One small step like this is always in the right direction.
Congress ceded its authority on war-making authority back when they let Bush have his War of Choice on Iraq. Now, they appear to be willing to let Obama have his continuing War of Choice on Afghanistan.
Congress needs to say “NO” to future funding of war in Afghanistan, but it appears that they will oblige Obama’s and the Military-Industrial Simplex’s wishes.
I don’t understand why smart people like Joe Volk continue to give Obama a pass and place the total blame on Congress for this ongoing war “effort.”
It’s like military might is our only strength now that we don’t have the comparative economic advantage we once had, so we continue to use force. It’s presidential policy. Because we’ve got the force ability, we use it to show the world our “strength.”
Like the old joke about when you have a hammer, everything you see is a nail.
Congress ceded its’ authority long before Bush 43 came along Micki. It was ceded after World War II and the first time it was usurped by the executive branch was during the Korean War. How convenient you leave out 50 years of history. Did the liberal congress declare war in Viet Nam? In a word you and your commrades know by heart, Nyet! Gulf War I? Nyet! Clinton’s several military exercises around the globe? Nyet.
Actually, long before that.
Historians have compiled list of unconstitutional wars…
Pam — thanks!
Be sure to send the idea to your “likely suspect” friends to ask if they’ll join in.
Micki — Joe Volk certainly does not give BHO a pass. Not on this!
This Afghanistan thing reminds me of the saying the definition of insanity is repeating the same behavior and expecting a different outcome.
Veterans’ Day is tomorrow. The military is more interested in making soldiers “deployable” than they are in taking care of them when they return. Soldiers report the Army deploys young men and women who are clearly suicidal or homicidal. Many of the soldiers in Afghanistan see the war as unwinnable, partly because the Afghan people themselves don’t support the troops. Soldiers say the U.S. government is propping up a failed state, with a corrupt “government” — for what?
Send an email in honor of a veteran to the White House and your congresscritters telling them NO MORE WAR FUNDING.
Nope can’t do that, took too long to build up, look at all the new unemployed gubment contractors there would be running around loose. A fine mess the greedy bastards created isn’t it?
War = Evil
Dance with the devil you will pay a price,
dance with fools and pay none.
Inmar Bergman’s The Seventh Seal.
Joe Volk certainly does not give BHO a pass. Not on this!
Okay.
I have to admit I didn’t read your link before I posted my comment. But, he certainly has in the past.
I’ll go read it.
Okay, I read it.
Well, he doesn’t give him a pass, you’re right — but I think he’s too easy on him.
Micki — Joe Volk is a fine Quaker who doesn’t drink, smoke, chew or swear. But suggesting that BHO and his advisers need to watch The Sorcerer’s Apprentice is strong stuff, right to the point.
D*****d fine!
Yes, that reference to The Sorcerer’s Apprentice is…well…. actually it’s brilliant.
I wonder if anything, such as this, can have an impact on decision making in matters of war making.
Whatever gave him that impression?
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The lawyer for the Army psychiatrist accused in the mass shooting at Fort Hood says the suspected gunman was “coherent” when he spoke to him and he is “aware that he’s a suspect,” The Associated Press reported.
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Suspect? Are the 13 soldiers killed and twenty some wounded suspects as well? Politically correct nonsense like this is what is killing this country. It also doesn’t help that we have a Communist as commander-in-chief.
Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, who lost in a bid to purchase to the Chicago Cubs, apparently still has some interest in owning a Major League Baseball team. “It’s just one more business opportunity,” Cuban said. “If it’s the right deal, I’m going to do it. And if not, I’m not.”
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So a Cuban can own a MLB team but an American like Rush Limbaugh cannot own an NFL team?
Holy stoooopidity!
I could not care less about whether Mark Cuban owns a MLB team or not — but for godsakes, get your “facts” right.
He’s not a Cuban — he’s an American!
Mark Cuban was born in Pittsburgh, PA, USA — his family name, Chabenisky, morphed into Cuban, when his grandparents immigrated from Russia to the USA. He grew up in the Pittsburgh suburb of Mt. Lebanon, in a Jewish working class family.
Micki,
I was funnin. Buy a sense of humor. If you can’t afford one, I will loan you a few bucks. Or better yet, have your congressperson add it to one of their many porkulous bills. You call me stooooopidy? How much time did you take looking up information on Mark Cuban before you responded?
100 Movie Quotes
The music is a little loud at times but the creator said it had to be. Because of the movie sound tracks. He had to try to drown them out.
Hmm, I just posted a link to a YouTube video and Den’s site snatched it. I would guess the owner of the video doesn’t want anyone to post it anywhere. Let me know if it’s in the trash, Den.
Roger, I’ll go look………
Voila!
WP weasels carted it off to the Spam bin!
Hey, nothing wrong with spam. Great fried or just out of the can as a sandwich with mustard. Also a favorite of Monty Python skits. Not funnin on this one Micki. I guess I need to start clarifying.
“The beltway sniper will be aborted this evening. I know all you femenists and leftists are for him being aborted right?”
Not me. I don’t believe in killing people. Mostly republicans have a taste for that sort of thing.
Not a republican. Conservative. Most republicans stink. Especially when they try to out dem the dems.
Carol,
So you admit that abortion is killing? You better check with your leftist commrades before committing to that stance. You might want to revise and extend your comment.
Abortion is NOT killing. There is no person there.
Well then. What the hell does one give birth to? I think you should consider aborting that comment.
Ty, why have you been so angry the last few days? Name calling people “your leftist comrades” and “slick willie” is what children do for attention. It’s difficult for one to respect an individual who has difficulty communicating with others in a mature way. That’s why Micki had to call you “nuttier than a fruit cake.” Sad she had to compare you to a fruitcake because I love fruitcake!
But I am just funnin you. So, buy a sense of humor and if you can’t afford one, I will loan you a few bucks. Or better yet, have YOUR congressperson add it to one of their many porkulous bills.”
10:05 PM PST
Pam — Your sense of humor is much more finely honed than Ty’s.
He slings so many truly off-the-wall comments, that I figured he was probably that uninformed about a Cuban and that sorry excuse for an American, whatzisname — you know the pill-popping, lying, blabbermouth, that low-information people listen to for their “talking points.”
Ty — It took me all of 5 seconds to find the Russian family name for Mark Cuban.
I know how to search very quickly on the Internet. But, thanks for asking.