Alternative News

Libertarian state senate candidate gets arrested at pro-marijuana rally

"A Libertarian candidate for the New Jersey Senate got himself arrested at a pro-marijuana rally in Philadelphia over the weekend. Don DeZarn, 46, was arrested for the second time in four months for marijuana possession on Saturday at the monthly SmokeDown Prohibition demonstration. After encouraging the participants of the rally to visit their representatives, DeZarn lit up and smoked a marijuana joint as police stood nearby. Six other people were issued citations for marijuana use at the demonstration, according to Philly.com." Continue reading →

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Local Television Beats the Internet?

"Television has the reach of nearly 89% of the total U.S. population. The only thing that comes close to matching television’s reach is the Internet — currently hitting 73.1% of the population. Local television websites continue to draw in new viewers, and ad dollars have followed. Local online advertising revenues nationwide are up over 175.19% over the past five years — 1.3 times higher than the overall growth of Internet advertising spending. Companies are using excess spectrum to roll out additional channels that are even more tailored to specific viewer groups. This sets up whole new revenue streams that advertisers and content providers are eager to work with." Continue reading →

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Another 1.8 Million People Just Ditched Cable TV

"Another quarter, another dismal set of numbers for the TV business. About1.8 million people ended their cable TV subscriptions in Q2 2013, according to analysts at SNL Kagan. Where are all the cord-cutters going? Here's one theory: As the availability of free WiFi increases, folks whose primary access to video and the web is on mobile devices and tablets — the young and the poor, in other words — have a less urgent need for subscriber services. The pay TV business is still huge, of course. But the losses in old-fashioned cable are not being gained by telco/internet suppliers who also supply TV." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingAnother 1.8 Million People Just Ditched Cable TV

Hospital Opens First Inpatient Treatment Program For ‘Internet Addiction’

"You may recall that a couple of years back, China declared that spending six hours in a day on the internet meant you were addicted. Even some of our domestic psychiatrists were lobbying for an addiction to the internet beingincluded in the DSM book, which is the kind of light reading that would give a hypochondriac a case of the tight-pants. Sadly, to date, the concept of an overarching addiction to the internet hasn't been deemed fit for inclusion. But that won't stop hospitals from profiting off of the concept, now that the very first inpatient program to treat internet addiction has been launched at Bradford Regional Medical Center in Pennsylvania." Continue reading →

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Cops Cry Foul Over Holder Marijuana Policy Move

"Organized law enforcement has some problems with Attorney General Holder's announcement last week that the Justice Department would not seek to block Colorado and Washington from implementing their marijuana legalization laws. Those law enforcement groups are the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Major County Sheriff's Association, the National Sheriff's Association, the Major Cities Chief's Association, the Association of State Criminal Investigative Agencies, the National Narcotics Officers' Associations Coalition, and the Police Executive Review Foundation." Continue reading →

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The People Who Profit from Marijuana Prohibition are Upset with the DOJ

"'Smart Approaches to Marijuana' sends a letter to the DOJ: Re: State Laws Legalizing Marijuana: 'We represent tens of thousands of people working in drug prevention, drug and mental health treatment, medicine, criminal justice reform, and millions of individuals and families in recovery from alcohol and drug dependence.' Of course, it’s signed by a Who’s Who of people who profit from marijuana prohibition. Patrick Kennedy, Kevin Sabet, Peter Bensinger, Robert DuPont, Calvina Fay, Howard Meitiner, Steven J. Pasierb, Betty Sembler, and some others in the treatment industry." Continue reading →

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Pot Apocalypse Looms, Marijuana Foes Warn

"Not everybody is happy with Thursday's Justice Department announcement that it would not interfere with taxed, regulated, and legalized marijuana in Colorado and Washington. While the announcement was greeted with accolades (and some questions) by the drug policy reform community, opponents of marijuana law reform were up in arms and prophesying hellfire and damnation. Despite the bitter disappointment of the prohibitionists, marijuana law reform is moving forward, and the momentum is only likely to accelerate in the years to come. We may see in a few years if their dire warnings are correct -- if the country is still standing, that is." Continue reading →

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So Much Cool Science Happening In The Marijuana Industry These Days

"Dixie Elixirs is setting itself to be the Pepsi of marijuana. They're a marijuana-infused products company, with a wide-ranging array of cannabis products ranging from soft drinks to chocolate to mints to ointments. Meanwhile, CannLabs is poised to dominate the cannabis quality testing market in the post-legalization Colorado. But once a marijuana infused products business like Dixie Elixirs makes these products, they need to be sure that they know exactly what they're selling. That's where a business like CannLabs comes in. Owned by Genifer Murray — one of the prominent women involved in the marijuana industry — CannLabs is a full-fledged marijuana testing lab." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSo Much Cool Science Happening In The Marijuana Industry These Days

Administration Gives States Conditional Okay on Marijuana Legalization

"Attorney General Eric Holder told the governors of Colorado and Washington Thursday that the Justice Department would not -- at least for now -- block their states from implementing regimes to tax, regulate, and sell marijuana. The memo listed a number of activities that could draw federal prosecutorial attention or result in a Justice Department reassessment, including sales to minors, profits going to criminal actors, diversion to pot prohibition states, marijuana sales as a cover for other drug sales, violence and the use of firearms, drugged driving and other 'adverse public health consequences,' and growing marijuana on public lands. That leaves some wiggle room for federal prosecutors." Continue reading →

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NJ Weedman on Jury Nullification vs. The Drug War

"NJWeedman, a medical marijuana patient fighting bone cancer and a pot legalization advocate, found himself in trouble after being pulled over by a New Jersey state trooper with more than a pound of marijuana in his possession, as well as a large sum of cash. This was sufficient to trigger a 'possession with intent to distribute' charge, and he faced up to a decade in prison if convicted. Because he represented himself and argued not for his innocence but against the morality of the law itself, NJWeedman believes he was acquitted by 'jury nullification.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingNJ Weedman on Jury Nullification vs. The Drug War