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U.S. drone strikes intensify in Yemen

“Yemen saw a drastic increase in the clandestine attacks, with strikes against Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) militants rising from 18 in 2011 to 53 in 2012. This ‘drone war’ is officially classified, and the US does not provide any information on the strikes. President Barack Obama only incidentally recognized their existence at the end of January in an online exchange. In Yemen, between 397 and 539 militants were killed by drone strikes, according to the New America Foundation, which did not specify the number of civilian victims. The drones used there are operated both by the CIA and by the Joint Special Operations Command.” Continue reading →

Human Rights Watch: Kuwait using ‘excessive force’ against protesters

“During large demonstrations staged by the opposition since October 15, police frequently used tear gas and stun grenades and beat up protesters, leading to the injury of dozens and the arrest of many more, said HRW. The Islamist, nationalist and liberal opposition, angry over an amended electoral law, has been staging protests almost every night since December 1 polls to demand the parliament’s dissolution and scrapping of the amendment.” Continue reading →

‘Liberator Of Kuwait’: ‘Stormin Norman’ Schwarzkopf dead at 78

“Norman Schwarzkopf, the US general who led 1991 Operation Desert Storm, which liberated Kuwait from Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, has died at the age of 78, a US official said Thursday. Schwarzkopf, an American hero known popularly as ‘Stormin Norman,’ died in Tampa, where he retired after his last military posting as commander-in-chief of US Central Command. Former president George H. W. Bush, himself sick in intensive care in Texas, was first to issue a statement mourning the loss of the man he chose to lead the war that came to define both of their careers.” Continue reading →

California’s Lt. Gov. comes out in favor of legalizing marijuana

“California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) came out in favor of fully legalizing marijuana and regulating the drug like alcohol, even though he opposed legalization in 2010. The story went on to describe how many Californians think of marijuana like a cocktail, and how many affluent professionals even offer it to guests at dinner parties as part of local custom. It concludes with one final quote from the man widely expected to top the ticket of Democratic challengers to Gov. Jerry Brown in 2014: ‘These laws just don’t make sense anymore. It’s time for politicians to come out of the closet on this.'” Continue reading →

Colorado county bans commercial marijuana operations

“While the state of Colorado recently voted in favor of the ballot initiative Amendment 64, which legalized marijuana, a few counties don’t want the resulting plant growing operations in their backyards. Douglas County, where a majority of residents voted against Amendment 64, passed a ban on commercial marijuana growing operations to take effect Dec. 27, although private citizens can still have a few plants themselves. Another county, Weld, will likely have the same ban in place in January. ‘That’s a revenue source that we’re not interested in having here,’ Wendy Holmes, a spokesperson for Douglas County, told the paper.” Continue reading →

On ‘Intellectual Property’ and Pot

“Lawyers for Oakland pointed out in a court filing Tuesday that, while marijuana is regarded by federal law as a controlled substance with no medicinal value, the U.S. government’s own patents and research claim otherwise. One 2009 patent application, for instance, extols the pain-relieving and ‘healing properties’ of marijuana. The government’s own 2003 patent discusses the usefulness of ‘cannabinoids’ in treating ‘ischemic, age-related, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases’ as well as ‘Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and HIV dementia.’ In July, the National Institutes of Health licensed the rights of the latter patent.” Continue reading →

The Next Seven States To Legalize Pot

“The Berlin Wall of pot prohibition seems to be crumbling before our eyes. By fully legalizing marijuana through direct democracy, Colorado and Washington have fundamentally changed the national conversation about cannabis. As many as 58 percent of Americans now believe marijuana should be legal. And our political establishment is catching on. Encouraged by the example of Colorado and Oregon, states across the country are debating the merits of treating marijuana less like crystal meth and more like Jim Beam. Here are the next seven states most likely to legalize it.” Continue reading →

Study: Booze Damages the Young Brain, Pot Does Not

“Some new science demonstrates that marijuana may not have the harmful effects critics claim. In fact, while pot had no measured impact in a new study, the very legal and very lucratively-marketed substance alcohol actually has a worse health impact on young users. Specifically, a new study of substance-using teenagers’ brains shows that the regular use of alcohol had a harmful effect on the boozing group, while the toking-up group’s brains suffered little alteration.” Continue reading →