Social Action Archives posted by Cyndy | link |    | |

On The Road On the Road: The Electronic Telegraph reports that Francis Ford Coppola's dream looks like its finally close to coming true. The film rights to Jack Kerouac's 1957 novel about the 'Beat Generation' have been held by Coppola for years and the story has been considered "unfilmable", but now things seem to be moving ahead with Joel Schumacher at the helm and American author Russell Banks adapting the novel into a script. Banks told the Edinburgh Book Festival audiences that pre-production is underway, with Billy Crudup tipped to play the Sal Paradise/Kerouac role, whilst Brad Pitt is linked to the second lead Dean Moriarty (a character inspired by Neal Cassidy). Thanks to 'Andy C'. posted by Cyndy | link |    | |

AlterNet: November Surprise? The word among wags in Washington is that George W. Bush will invade Iraq right after the fall congressional elections, giving himself time to get the war out of the way before his own presidential campaign swings into gear.
Does this really surprise anyone? posted by Cyndy | link |    | |

terrorists or government? posted by Cyndy | link |    | |

The life of the Dead posted by Cyndy | link |    | |

Urine: the Fountain of Youth! Ummm...all I can say is; naturopathic urine therapist; water of life? posted by Cyndy | link |    | |

Open Letter To America - The Last Great Republican Follow up to the other open letter. posted by Cyndy | link |    | |

Bob Barr election results This was one race I was interested in that had nothing to do with the state I live in. I feel a little better about things now. posted by Cyndy | link |    | |

Librarians Air Concerns Many librarians in attendance said that they can appreciate the need for heightened security after Sept. 11. However, their concern lies in the fact that the government now has the power to not only search and seize records and documents, but also destroy them.

posted by Cyndy | link |    | |

Open Letter to America from a Canadian You recklessly wage combat on other fronts, too. At home, your War on Drugs is a disastrous 30-year folly--a gigantic con game designed to benefit lethal cartels, corrupt politicians and menacing intelligence agencies across the planet..... posted by Cyndy | link |    | |

The Christian World View of the Family HTMLized and mirrored by the Gus for Randomly Ever After from a PDF document at reformation.net.

posted by Cyndy | link |    | |

VOW - Fax Congress NOW!! Save Internet Radio posted by Cyndy | link |    | |

Scene of the Crime (1) Even as Dylan walked off the Newport stage in 1965, he was reaching the first pinnacle of his forty-year career and had already transformed American popular culture. So many roads led to him and so many emerged from him that his main rivals as transformative agents in popular American music may be Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis and Elvis--and like all of them, he drew recurrent abuse or boredom from fans who saw him as betraying his talent, abandoning the purity of his early days. But for Dylan, purity is a pointless abstraction; like St. Paul, he believes virtue is manifest only in being tested. "To live outside the law," warns one of his most famous ruthless lines, "you must be honest." posted by Cyndy | link |    | |

BURNING DOWN THE HOUSE “There’s no doubt that most of the outdoor marijuana-eradication efforts are not only a waste of money to begin with,” says Allen St. Pierre, head of the NORML Foundation, “but the immense property and environment damage that has been caused by this marijuana-eradication program in that forest is so many times greater of the value of any illegal marijuana found there. This is another gross excess in the War on Some Drugs.” posted by Cyndy | link |    | |

Camps for Citizens: Ashcroft's Hellish Vision "Every generation has its test of principle in which people of good faith can no longer remain silent in the face of authoritarian ambition. If we cannot join together to fight the abomination of American camps, we have already lost what we are defending"
I just cannot believe more people aren't outraged by the antics of this man. Could it be we all feel the outrage and just don't know what to do about it? Has he already commanded such control that we're afraid? Are we all too busy to see what's happening? posted by Cyndy | link |    | |

Yahoo! News - Global warmth for U.S. after 9/11 turns to frost ''Why do people attack Americans?'' asks Tiny Waslandek, a
social worker in Amsterdam, Netherlands. ''Because they have a big, big
mouth and they mind everybody's business."



Gotta say, I hate people like this too. Once I meet someone like
that, I rarely get past it and will avoid them, or I'll go outta my way
to not cooperate with them. I guess the big picture works the same way. posted by Cyndy | link |    | |

FindLaw Jazz Foundation Gives Key Aid to Aging Musicians "Many of the musicians have never had proper health care and never got rich -- even if they are too proud to ask for help"
A rich piece of our musical culture, most without ever having had any type of health coverage, aging, proud, and struggling along in their final years.Now the Jazz foundation is having to lower their fundraising goals to mere peanuts. . posted by Cyndy | link |    | |

CSPI Calls For Recall Of “Quorn” Meat Substitute.

“On theoretical grounds alone, the use of this mold in food is highly dubious,” said Dr. John Santilli, a Bridgeport, Connecticut allergist. “Intentionally increasing consumer exposure to mold through the food supply will only increase the risk of discomfort and adverse reactions in mold-sensitive consumers.”

The name alone sounds disgusting.

Here is a .pdf file of the statement made by Michael Jacobson of Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). asking for a recall. posted by Cyndy | link |    | |

No Need to Guzzle All That Water, Expert Says overdoses of water can cause water intoxication that can lead to confusion and even death. Water intoxication is one deadly effect of taking the drug Ecstasy, for instance, because it makes people thirsty beyond their physical needs.
Is this a public service or misinformation? I really think that if a person is thirsty they should drink. I happen to prefer water and filtered water makes me feel like I'm not polluting my body. posted by Cyndy | link |    | |

get your war on (page thirteen) is out now! posted by Cyndy | link |    | |

Ancient Chocolate Found in Maya "Teapot" The Maya had a lifestyle many kids would envy - chocolate at every meal. "It was the beverage of everyday people and also the food of the rulers and gods," said Haas. In fact, the scientific name for the cacao tree is Theobroma cacao—"food of the gods." Hieroglyphs that depict chocolate being poured for rulers and gods are present on Maya murals and ceramics. posted by Cyndy | link |    | |

What Blogging Archetype Are You Most Like? Find out with GAZM.org!



You are a Metafilter
You are a reliable source of constantly updated cool and ridiculous links.
Keep 'em coming. posted by Cyndy | link |    | |

Call centers go long-distance Better technology, lower costs move more call-center jobs offshore.
This is moving us more and more towards a consumer economy. What happens when the consumers we all rely on no longer exist because their jobs are gone? What is a failsafe venture? posted by Cyndy | link |    | |

What sex toy are you? posted by Cyndy | link |    | |

What sex toy am I?
I Am The Sex Toy:

Knowledge: So I might not be the first sex toy on everyones mind, but lets be honest about where sexual power really comes from. posted by Cyndy | link |    | |

No Rights Zones include:

* airport security checkpoints

* walking along the street

* virtually any public transportation system

* major sporting events

* public schools

* any common carrier aircraft

* your automobile

* internet chat rooms, message boards, and usenet groups

* national parks

* universities

* your home


Sunni Maravillosa has some suggestions about how we can all pull our heads out and counter what is becoming the new police state. Lots of great links in the article too! posted by Cyndy | link |    | |

Got Milk? This is outrageous! More and more I think we'll be hearing of airline security guards flexing their power egos just because they can. I hope this woman does decide to sue. posted by Cyndy | link |    | |

Feds Open 'Total' Tech Spy System This sounds like a complete disaster waiting to happen. Have you ever had the wrong info stored somewhere (like your credit report)? You know how easy that was to change. Imagine a monster database!
"We should resist the expansion of any 'data-veillance' program that doesn't have adequate safeguards and accountability," Tien says. "This program sounds like a counterpart of the movement toward requiring a national ID card. People like to think of that as an identification system, but it's actually a tracking system. " posted by Cyndy | link |    | |

Operation Infinite Purity - Winning the War on Masturbation - WHITEHOUSE.ORG All offenders beware. Operation Tips will forward all known masturbators names to America's Most Wanted new feature, "The War on Masturbation".

"Obscene devices" -- defined as anything, including a dildo, vibrator, or artificial vagina, "designed or marketed as useful primarily for the stimulation of human genital organs" -- can't be sold in the state of Texas (or in Georgia, for those keeping track), except for "a bona fide medical, psychiatric, judicial, legislative, or law enforcement purpose."

Leaves me wondering exactly how those obscene devices are incorporated into law enforcement purposes. Torture device? posted by Cyndy | link |    | |

Operation TIPS aka America's Most Wanted I can only laugh at the absurdity of it all. posted by Cyndy | link |    | |

The Vocabula Review - July 2002 - Obscene Words - Julian Burnside "Fuck" is an interesting word, linguistically speaking. It has the virtues of brevity, adaptability, expressiveness, and is understood universally. It has a huge number of synonyms, ranging from coy euphemisms to acceptable jocular equivalents to coarse vulgarities. posted by Cyndy | link |    | |

Salon.com News | Noelle Bush gets rehab, the poor and black get hard time "Noelle Bush forges a prescription and goes to rehab," says Teresa Aviles, a 54-year-old Bronx police clerk whose son, Isidro, died of an untreated, undiagnosed illness after serving eight years of a 27-year federal prison term. "If that was my daughter, she would have gotten a mandatory five-year sentence." posted by Cyndy | link |    | |

Janis Ian Articles Janis Ian and Internet Radio, music, and views of the riaa, expanded after she was bombarded with questions about her original article. posted by Cyndy | link |    | |

Friendly fire deaths linked to US pilots 'on speed' The use of stimulants by American combat pilots appears to be an open secret within the defence world, although it is believed this is the first time the Pentagon has confirmed their use was officially condoned.

The revelation has fuelled speculation that the use of amphetamines may have been a factor in a series of devastating errors by pilots that led to attacks on Afghan civilians as well as so-called friendly-fire incidents. In the worst friendly-fire incident of the campaign, four Canadian soldiers of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry were killed and eight injured in April when an American pilot dropped a 500lb laser-guided bomb on their position. posted by Cyndy | link |    | |

Again, Election Confusion for the Florida Secretary of State Yep, as in Katherine Harris, the lady who does not acknowledge that the law also was meant to apply to her. What is with all the "above the law" mindset in Florida? It is becoming a nasty epidemic. posted by Cyndy | link |    | |

From Medscape: (sign-in required, therefore I copied the text for wider perusal)


Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists May Be Novel Class of Anti-Lymphoma Agents


By Faith Reidenbach


NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Jul 25 -
Delta-9-tetrahydrocannibinol (THC), the major component of marijuana, and other cannabinoids induce apoptosis in murine tumors of immune origin, according to researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond.



Like other immune cells, cancers of the immune system express a cannabinoid receptor known as CB2, Dr. Mitzi Nagarkatti explained in an interview with Reuters Health. Compounds that bind CB2 receptors selectively induce apoptosis in these cancer cells, she said. Moreover, "compounds that interact with CB2 will not exhibit psychotropic effects."



In a series of in vitro experiments, Dr. Nagarkatti and her colleagues exposed murine lymphoma and mastocytoma cells to four cannabinoid receptor agonists. THC and two of the others significantly reduced cell viability and increased apoptosis, they report in the July 15th issue of Blood.



In vivo experiments confirmed the effect of THC. Ten days after mice were injected with lymphoma cells, cells collected from animals treated with the highest dose of THC showed 77.3% apoptosis. Two weeks of THC treatment cured 25% of lymphoma-bearing mice.



"It is possible that the immunosuppressive effects of THC may have interfered with the host's antitumor immunity, which may account for a lower percentage of cures," the researchers comment. They are currently conducting murine dose-ranging studies.



The research group also demonstrated that three human leukemia and lymphoma cell lines expressed CB2 and not CB1. Three cannabinoids, including THC, induced apoptosis in these cell lines in vitro, and THC showed the same effect when cultured with cells from patients diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.



"Recently, however, we identified a human cell line that was resistant," Dr. Nagarkatti's team reports. "Further studies are in progress to address whether this cell line lacks physical or functional cannabinoid receptors and/or signaling molecules that trigger apoptosis."



In addition, the research team is currently "screening a large number of CB2 analogs to identify compounds that are highly efficacious in killing the cancer cells," Dr. Nagarkatti said. "We are also investigating whether endogenous cannabinoids can exert antitumor activity."



Blood 2002;100:627-634.
posted by Cyndy | link |    | |

Nevadans for Responsible Law Enforcement For information on the Nevada initiative. Finally common sense has a chance. posted by Cyndy | link |    | |

Hot or Not? So it's not *that* hot. It's not real geeky or very fancy but I have fun with it. If you rate mine then you can get a look at others that *are* geeky and fancy. Maybe one day... posted by Cyndy | link |    | |

Nevadans Weigh Proposal to Make Marijuana Legal This is a NYT article and requires a sign-in, but it definitely looks encouraging.
"It is highly unlikely the federal government would allow a state to create a legal market for the sale of drugs in which the state licenses the sale or sets up stores to sell it," he said. "But what it would do is place enormous pressure on Congress to take a rational look at the nation's drug laws."

It would also force this issue of democracy and states rights. A huge test here. Do the voters count? posted by Cyndy | link |    | |

The Nando Times: Nevada becomes pot legalization battleground.."this is not just a state issue, but one of national importance."
I think it's gonna happen.
scientific evidence shows marijuana is not a "gateway drug" that leads to heroin and cocaine. He said his organization is not in favor of legalizing all drugs, and that it is concerned only with marijuana. Rogers said marijuana is less harmful than cigarettes to a person's health, and that studies show only a small percentage of pot users become addicted.

posted by Cyndy | link |    | |

The weed and the web Almost 92% of the people that work in the technology and telecommunications industries answered "yes" to the survey's question asking if they had ever smoked cannabis.


Hopefully a lot of IT workers are registered to vote in Nevada!
posted by Cyndy | link |    | |

Ethan's Drug Policy Audio Archive I looked for these earlier and was very happy to find that there is an archive of these news reports. mp3 and real player formats. A great resource for anyone who missed the recent John Stossel , Donahue, Wolf Blitzer, and Crossfire news programs. posted by Cyndy | link |    | |