Mainstream News

These Are Heady Times for Glass Blowers’ High Art

"Now that marijuana has been legalized for medical purposes in 20 states, and for recreation in Washington and Colorado, makers of what is known as 'heady glass' are showcasing their work in art books and public competitions. There are as many as 12,000 head shops in the U.S., experts estimate. The Champs Trade Show, described as 'the premier counterculture B2B expo since 1999,' the show has grown from 4,300 square feet of exhibition space in its first year to 180,000 at its latest event in July at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Jeff Hirschfeld, the show's chief executive, estimates some exhibitors draw in more than $500,000 in sales." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingThese Are Heady Times for Glass Blowers’ High Art

Mexico City mulls legal marijuana ‘clubs’

"The capital hosted a three-day forum on drug policy amid a growing debate in Latin America over the course of the region’s deadly struggle against narcotrafficking, with President Enrique Pena Nieto taking a stance against legalization. Esthela Damian, a councilwoman of the city’s ruling Democratic Revolution Party (PRD), told AFP the proposals on the table include allowing the cultivation of three cannabis plants per person, as well as a system of cooperatives or 'non-profit private clubs.' Mexico City, home to almost nine million people plus 11 million more in its suburbs, has stood out from the rest of the country in recent years by legalizing abortion and allowing gay marriage." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingMexico City mulls legal marijuana ‘clubs’

Kim Dot Com resigns from Mega to pursue plans for NZ political party

"Internet mogul Kim Dotcom said on Thursday he was resigning from his new venture Mega to focus on fighting extradition to the United States and his plans for a New Zealand political party. The 39-year-old, who was arrested when armed New Zealand police involved in the US probe raided his Auckland mansion, confirmed that he had resigned as a director of Mega at an August 29 board meeting. Dotcom said he was still working on development of a web-based music service called Megabox. The extradition case has dragged on in the courts and is subject to numerous appeals, with Dotcom estimating earlier this year that his legal bills could exceed US$50 million." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingKim Dot Com resigns from Mega to pursue plans for NZ political party

Privacy fears cause more to cover online tracks

"The Pew Research Center report said 86 percent of US Internet users have taken some steps to avoid online surveillance by other people or organizations. 'Our team’s biggest surprise was discovering that many Internet users have tried to conceal their identity or their communications from others,' noted Sara Kiesler. 'It’s not just a small coterie of hackers. Almost everyone has taken some action to avoid surveillance. And despite their knowing that anonymity is virtually impossible, most Internet users think they should be able to avoid surveillance online — they think they should have a right to anonymity for certain things, like hiding posts from certain people or groups.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingPrivacy fears cause more to cover online tracks

Man rescued to death by Australian ambulance helicopter

"The 68-year-old man was bushwalking with a group at Macs Cove, near Mansfield in Victoria's north-east, when he broke his ankle about 10:30am AEST yesterday. The ambulance helicopter was sent in to rescue the man about midday because of the terrain. However, Ambulance Victoria chief executive Greg Sassella says at about 12.30pm he fell approximately 30 metres to his death while he was being winched into the helicopter with a paramedic. Mr Sassella says Ambulance Victoria has suspended all winch rescues while the equipment is tested and an investigation is completed. Mr Sassella says the winch equipment will be thoroughly tested." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingMan rescued to death by Australian ambulance helicopter

No possession of drugs required for Malta drug possession charges

"A recent case in which a man was charged in court with possession of cannabis - even though the police found no cannabis on his person - turns out to be far more commonplace than one would think. According to criminal lawyer Dr Joe Giglio, this case was no by means a one-off incident. In fact he claims that as many as half the cases pressed by the police for possession of illicit substances will not be based on the discovery of any drugs in the possession of the accused, adding that the police have a standard formula for how to extract such confessions from unwitting suspects." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingNo possession of drugs required for Malta drug possession charges

Families upset with how deputies handled boys’ arrests

"'I frantically ran across the police officers where threatening to put us under custody for wanting to know what was going on with our children,' she said. Her child, Josmir, along with two of his friends, was being arrested by Charlotte County deputies. 'I saw some of the police officers laughing at me,' said Josmir. 'Like I deserved this, like I was a horrible person, a criminal. They were just laughing, laughing at all of us.' The charge was trespassing on Port Charlotte Middle School grounds. 'I think this was an innocent mistake that went too far because they have power and they though they were going to get away with it,' Mirna said." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingFamilies upset with how deputies handled boys’ arrests

John Kerry, 1971: ‘I Don’t Think U.S. Can Apply Moralism Around The World’

"Taped on Nov 2, 1971. Five months before this show, WFB had taken as his text, for a commencement address at West Point, Mr. Kerry's sensational testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee about the barbarism of our activities in Vietnam. Neither host nor guest has changed his views since, but there is light as well as heat generated on Vietnam in particular and morality and foreign policy generally." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingJohn Kerry, 1971: ‘I Don’t Think U.S. Can Apply Moralism Around The World’

UN seeks Syria peace talks amid military strike threat

""The United Nations is making a desperate new push for a Syria peace conference even as the United States prepares a possible military strike, according to diplomats. UN Under Secretary General Jeffrey Feltman discussed a possible conference during a landmark visit last week to Iran, a key backer of President Bashar al-Assad, UN officials and diplomats said. The prospect of a military strike and Syria’s divided opposition, which has demanded that Assad be kept out of any transitional government, bears heavily on the prospects for talks however. Some western leaders believe there can be no conference until Assad has been punished for his alleged use of chemical weapons." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingUN seeks Syria peace talks amid military strike threat

Pentagon in 2012: 75,000 troops needed to secure Syria chemical weapons

"Securing Syria's chemical weapons stockpiles and the facilities that produced them would likely require the U.S. to send more than 75,000 ground troops into the Middle Eastern country, MailOnline learned Wednesday. That estimate comes from a secret memorandum the U.S. Department of Defense prepared for President Obama in early 2012. U.S. Central Command arrived at the figure of 75,000 ground troops as part of a written series of military options for dealing with Bashar al-Assad more than 18 months ago, long before the U.S. confirmed internally that the Syrian dictator was using the weapons against rebel factions within his borders." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingPentagon in 2012: 75,000 troops needed to secure Syria chemical weapons