Code 420
Posted by Michelle Moquin on April 21st, 2009
Yesterday was National Pot Smokers Day. Did you know? I’m sure there are at least a few of my readers that are ‘pot smokin’ hippie freaks’. And I say that tongue ‘n cheeky, with respect. So…were you all out late tokin’ it up big or just takin’ a few puffs and layin’ low?
And why on yesterday, 4/20 was it decided that this would be the day to celebrate ‘getting high’? I’ll tell you why. Leave it up to marinites (Those are the peeps that live Marin County), to come up with a code, aptly named ’420′ to signify that it was time to get high.
According to the editor of High Times, Steven Hager, the term “420″ originated at San Rafael High School, in 1971, among a group of about a dozen pot-smoking students who called themselves the Waldos. The term was shorthand for the time of day the group would meet, at the campus statue of Louis Pasteur, to smoke pot. Intent on developing their own discreet language, they made 420 a code for a time to get high, and its use spread among members of an entire generation through various vehicles like the music of Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead. Other versions say 420 originated from a police dispatch code that identified pot smokers or that 420 was the number of chemical compounds that are found in pot.
However this day came about, it has raised some other questions and discussions. Many have been saying for years that marijuana should be legalized. And now with the way the economy is people are thinking outside the box and getting creative with the ‘green’….meaning, “Can the green bring in some green?”
Recently in California, San Francisco lawmaker, Tom Ammiano, introduced a bill to tax and regulate marijuana like alcohol. “With the state in the midst of an historic economic crisis, the move towards regulating and taxing marijuana is simply common sense,” Ammiano told reporters. “This legislation would generate much needed revenue for the state, restrict access to only those over 21, end the environmental damage to our public lands from illicit crops, and improve public safety by redirecting law enforcement efforts to more serious crimes. California has the opportunity to be the first state in the nation to enact a smart, responsible public policy for the control and regulation of marijuana.”
Huh…Interesting. Your thoughts on Pot? Blog me.
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michelle
Aka BABE: Your Bad Ass Bitch Editor
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April 21st, 2009 at 3:57 pm
ya man. it’s always 420 in Marin. that’s just the way we roll.
April 21st, 2009 at 6:31 pm
NATURAL ANXIETY SOOTHERS
The other day I heard from a friend of mine with a new baby — her second in three years. She sounded harried… hardly a surprise. She described her life as an endless round of attending to her two children, caretaking her husband, housekeeping and managing her career. She’s not sleeping well and frequently feels jittery and anxious. Not being one to turn automatically to pharmaceuticals, she called to ask if I knew of any natural remedies for stress and anxiety.
Fortunately I knew the best expert to call about botanical and natural medications: Mark Blumenthal, founder and executive director of the American Botanical Council. He had a number of suggestions for products that are soothing, relaxing and helpful in overcoming anxiety symptoms. Some have even been found to help improve sleep.
TO HELP YOU RELAX
Theanine is an amino acid found in green tea. A 1999 study measured the brain activity of volunteers after a single 200 mg dose of theanine. Researchers reported that the supplement helped generate alpha brain waves, which are usually considered to be associated with relaxation. Theanine (also known as L-theanine) is available in natural food stores.
GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) is among the most important neurotransmitters in the brain, involved in relaxation and inhibition. In fact many of the pharmaceutical drugs used for treating anxiety, including Valium, act by enhancing the effects of GABA. Some research suggests that as a supplement, GABA works better when combined with other ingredients like theanine. If you can find the two together in a supplement, it makes sense to take them that way.
Lemon balm (a plant, Melissa officinalis, in the mint family) is another mild sedative. One study of 24 healthy volunteers published in Phytotherapy Research in 2006, found that a single dose of 600 mg of a product combining valerian (Valeriana officinalis) and lemon balm reduced reported anxiety.
Kava is from a plant called Piper methysticum. Though there has been controversy associated with its use, kava has a long history as an herbal medicine to relieve anxiety, stress and insomnia. A 2006 review of randomized clinical trials on herbal remedies that relieve anxiety published in Phytomedicine found evidence “beyond reasonable doubt” for kava’s effectiveness in the treatment of anxiety. “It relaxes skeletal muscles without causing drowsiness, so you can become physically relaxed but remain mentally sharp within just 15 minutes of taking a product containing kava,” Blumenthal said. Recommended kava products are 70% standardized extract, sold in 100 mg doses, thus containing 70 mg of kavalactones (it will say so on the label).
Blumenthal cautions against taking kava with alcohol or with drugs that have an adverse effect on the liver (e.g. acetaminophen, or Tylenol). Also, kava has been associated with some liver problems. It is not considered safe for breastfeeding women, pregnant women or people with a history of liver disease.
Lavender is associated with relaxation, often used as aromatherapy in spas and as an ingredient in supposedly soothing lotions and teas. Just breathing the aroma of natural lavender oil — in a spray or infuser, or as a massage oil — has a mild relaxing effect, Blumenthal told me.
NATURAL SLEEP AIDS
While the above products can help ease tensions during the day, sometimes you need some additional help at night. According to Blumenthal, these sleep inducers may work as well as the popular pharmaceutical drugs, but without their adverse side effects:
Valerian is “a natural sleep aid and daytime sedative,” Blumenthal said, adding that contrary to the popular myth, it is not related to the pharmaceutical drug Valium. Small doses of valerian can be used for calming during the day and higher doses as a sleep aid about a half hour before bedtime. Valerian can be taken in combination with lemon balm or other mildly sedative herbs (e.g. chamomile, hops, etc.), which makes it an even more powerful sleep aid.
Hops (Humulus lupulus) can also be helpful, according to Blumenthal. Yes, this is the same ingredient used in making beer — it is a gentle sedative that promotes relaxation and is available in pills, as well as in tincture and bulk flower form in health food stores. It can be taken together with valerian, Blumenthal noted.
HELP YOUR DOCTOR HELP YOU
As a general precaution, do not take any of these products while pregnant or breastfeeding. While all are available at health food stores and online, it is important to take them only under the supervision of a trained practitioner. If anxiety and/or insomnia are more than an occasional problem, you may need to take a broader look at your life and make some changes — whether it’s delegating responsibilities at home to family members or professionals, or shifting job obligations or saying “no” to some committees. Anxiety is a message that something’s not right. Natural or pharmaceutical, nothing will solve such problems except solving the problem itself. You can’t take care of everyone if you don’t take care of yourself.
Source(s): ??Mark Blumenthal is the founder and executive director of the American Botanical Council and the editor of the publication HerbalGram,herbalgram.org..
April 21st, 2009 at 6:36 pm
Ice is the drug of choice on Guam. Bu we do smoke a lot of pot here.
April 21st, 2009 at 7:03 pm
I grew up being taught that America was about right defeating wrong. We were the good guys, defeating evil such as dictators and communism. Watergate taught me that no one was above the law…what happened?
Torture is not ok and is not within American standards. Neither is “trickle down” anything, nor “deregulation”. We need to get our act together, and Obama is moving us in that direction, like it or not.
April 21st, 2009 at 7:09 pm
I grew up believing that too, Anon4. I don’t think that President Obama is preventing us from actually investigating though. I do think he is in a really dicey situation, politically speaking.
He is trying to bring us all together, clear up the mess that Bush made, and pass a HUGE budget. If he fails at any of them, his presidency will likely fail too.
It is up to us to convince the Congress and the Justice Dept. to follow through on a special prosecutor to investigate crimes.
I am reminded of what FDR replied to a bunch of citizens who were concerned over some New Deal policy. He said something on the order of ‘Good idea. Now make me pass it.’
It is up to us to make President Obama ‘pass’ it.
April 21st, 2009 at 7:10 pm
So, why close Gitmo and release the low lifes?
OH yeah… so lawyers can make some money.
April 21st, 2009 at 7:13 pm
Now we have another nonsequitor maniac trying to establish case law on the Ed Show, a former gun toting Rep. (R-CA) Tom the Hitman Tancredo claiming “ends justify the means”, as some ludicrous way of attempting to achieve a legal scholars credibility by claiming its perfectly OK to break the law with reckless abandon, provided the results you get exonerate you from legal liability.
Where did the people in northern San Diego County find this lunatic?
I could just see myself making this legal standard of exculpatory evidence to gain freedom from prosecution upon indictment of robbing a bank, killing a teller, to which I can cheerfully exclaim, “”the results I achieved by robbing that bank allowed for startup costs for a business employing 2500 persons in a dried up community of high unemployment, crime and drug use turned ghost town into a thriving crime free zone”.
I would love to tell all my students in class we now have a new legal standard for whether or not your actions can be overlooked, regardless if it”s against the law, provided your bottom-line results justify your unlawful behavior. Tell me Mr. Tancredo, is this the kind of message you want parents across the heartland of America to have their children begin to adopt in lieu of having respect for the rule of law and taking responsibility and accepting the consequences for unacceptable behavior? Get a life.
April 21st, 2009 at 7:14 pm
This comment is directed at Obama’s statement regarding his idea that some could be prosecuted for torture while he would preferr to shield those that actually did so due to their having been given “cover” by the legal opinions released the other day and others.
Whatever others are commenting on before I couldn’t assertain other than it seems generally to debate torture.
.
Prosecution of enablers is a no brainer and I think needs no comment other than my support.
.
Shielding those that did the deed(s) from prosecution however is in my view a grave and disturbing mistake.
Review please the events in Vietnam and the prosecution of Lt. Kelly for “Following Orders”.
The principal applies though a massacre of an entire village and water boarding are not the same thing.
.
Individuals need to be responsible and accountable ESPECIALLY when acting on behalf of our Government or the people.
.
We all have it within our own pervue to abstain from any immoral or unethical actions and in fact are required to do so regardless of “orders”.
Even if it puts us or those we care for or about at risk or in harms way.
.
That is what honor demands.
.
My country should be an honorable one.
April 21st, 2009 at 7:14 pm
Tor*ure is having to decide whether to jump out of the WTC or stay and become a french fry. Thanks to KSM and buddies…
April 21st, 2009 at 7:16 pm
A prisoner whether military or civil should be treated with dignity – this separates us from the animals. It is also called for in our in doctrine as Americans officers of peace or war.
We are public servants as are elected officials. To reiterate, dignity in character is a prerequisite for the job.
Those the perpetrated and committed these breeches in American valves, mores and norms are criminals. No other way to explain that you.
Will it be Lipton or Tetly for you today?
April 21st, 2009 at 7:17 pm
Anyone even know what rule #4 in the Geneva convention says??
Well, these terrorists aren’t even PROTECTED under the Geneva convention, FY
April 21st, 2009 at 7:18 pm
Not So says Jonathan Turley a Constitutional Law professor!
who ya gonna believe people? Fox News mom or a Law Professor (other than Obama, that is
April 21st, 2009 at 7:18 pm
1st of all, we’re not even sure that all of those who were tortured were even terrorists. So you don’t have anything to argue about. THINK before you waste time.
April 21st, 2009 at 7:19 pm
Ed on MSNBC is rackin’ & stackn’ a reThug representative right now … asked him what if we learned that that American female journalist being held in Iran was waterboarded would he accept them responding “we had to do it” for pertinent information ! Yes, the reThug studdered and blinked and said something unintelligible … as usual !
April 21st, 2009 at 7:20 pm
Boy Anon12 you make it hard to decided, I mean come on. LOL, Not only is Jonathan Turley a Constitutional law Professor but President Obama also studied constitutional law.
So let’s see President Obama, Jonathan Turley or.
Faux News?
No contest!
April 21st, 2009 at 7:22 pm
US has met all Geneva rules. This is much ado about stupidity by “feel good” libs.
http://www.warriorsfortruth.com/geneva-convention-rules.html
This is about Obama taking a stance like a Marxist however.
1950 Supreme court rulings do NOT allow enemy trials in the US.
April 21st, 2009 at 7:25 pm
if you had a family member over seas would you not PRAY that whoever they were fighting followed the rules of war or the Geneva Convention.
And yes we did brake that pledge when we torture. Waterboarding is torture. We helped prosicute other nations for it. Why are we holding ourselves aloof from the rule of law?
Beverly
April 21st, 2009 at 7:30 pm
Tthese comments echo my feelings about this whole economic upheavel. It all goes back to 1999 when the economy started to “tank”, 9/11 occurred, and instead of dealing with the consequences for our nation, someone made a decision to borrow our way out of the mess. Not only did the government start borrowing, but we as a nation were told to go out and spend.
These big banking concerns have received billions of dollars from all of us, why can’t some break be given to the Amercian people. If the interest on credit card debit could be brought uniformly to about 5% then money would be freed up to be spent else where. The banks who hold all the credit card debit are racking in billions from bailout money so what is wrong with an interest break for the people who have credit card debit.
As I look around I see people sinking deeper into chaos. Jobs are being lost, proverty where I live is unimaginable, healthcare is almost nonexistent, and I could go on and on. As with the election,
we are not going to change any of this until we start from the bottom up not the top down. There are probably few people who work on Wall Street who care a wit about the pain of what they have caused. I would truly like to think that this is an unfair comment, but I am sorry to say that actions speak louder than words.
April 21st, 2009 at 7:32 pm
1. If Credit Default Swaps are nothing more than a side bet (not true insurance) why can’t the government declare them null and void?
2. Why do we need a private banking system when it’s obvious the taxpayer is propping up these failed private institutions?
3. What does a private banking system have to offer that is better than a public (taxpayer owned and funded) one?
4. Why can’t we let the investment banks fail and create in their place a new publicly owned bank? The infrastructure is already in place; there are plenty of people with the expertise to run the banks, and the dollars printed would be immediately loaned out, unblocking the credit lines. The current plan isn’t doing what was intended as it’s taking taxpayer money and using it to pay down bad debt held by the banks. What’s left the banks are holding onto as reserves and not loaning out.
April 22nd, 2009 at 5:18 am
I am tired of hearing these debates about whether “___________(you fill in the blank) interrogation” techniques worked or didn’t work to get information that saved lives.
The issue is whether that technique(s) was legal. If the technique was torture, it does not matter whether “it saved lives.”
I don’t know about you, but I am tired of listening to a bunch of white boys be they news anchors, pundits, or politicians, debating the merits of the information gotten by “enhanced, etc, etc techniques.” Again if the technique under the rule of law is torture, it DOES NOT matter what information was gathered, it was illegal.
After WWII, white boys tried in a court of law and hung Japanese soldiers that water boarded American soldiers. Today white boys are telling us that water boarding is just an “enhanced” interrogation technique. Shades of George Orwell’s 1984.
The white boy is using bullshit language to avoid calling torture techniques just that. Morning Joe, CNN, New York Post, Times, or your local papers, whatever the source of the news or debate, it is WHITE BOYS telling us what should be debated and how the debate should be conducted.
The Nazis and any number of rogue regimes have used what they considered “enhanced interrogation techniques” to get information. The only difference when bush and his administration used it was that bush and his administration was using it.
White boys out there debating whether or not it “saved” lives are leaving out the real issue. That would be was the interrogation illegal. If it is determined that the technique was illegal as defined by the rule of law, the rest is moot.
Try the perpetrators in a court of law and let a jury decide. If they want to use the excuse that “it saved lives,” then allow them to use it as a means to attempt mitigate their sentence. Just as we allow serial killers to plea after they were convicted that they had a bad up bringing.
Robert
April 22nd, 2009 at 5:20 am
Common Grammar Mistakes
Don K. Ferguson
Some grammatical mistakes are so common they may not even sound wrong to you — but you can be sure at least a few others will recognize the error. Here are some mistakes that even the best writers and speakers make sometimes…
All tolled. The correct phrase is all told.
Between you and I. Use between you and me.
Daylight Savings Time. It’s saving, not savings.
Equally as. Don’t use the two words together. One or the other will do. Examples: “The new version is equally bad”… “The new version is as bad.”
Graduated high school/college. The preferred expression is graduated from.
Irregardless. Use regardless instead.
It’s vs. its. Use the apostrophe only if the intended meaning is “it is.” Its — without an apostrophe — is the possessive form of “it.”
Sworn testimony/sworn deposition. To qualify as testimony or a deposition, statements must be made under oath — so the word sworn is redundant.
Waiting on. If you are awaiting a person’s arrival, use waiting for. Waiting on should be used only when referring to serving customers in restaurants, stores, etc.
Waiting in line is the standard expression (“I’m waiting in line to pay at the cash register”). Waiting on line is a regional expression heard largely in the Northeast.
April 22nd, 2009 at 5:45 am
Robert, i’m a white woman and I agree with you. My husband is always claiming i don’t know what I am talking about when I question the Bush administration use of water boarding.
I wonder how those conservatives would feel if their daughter were one of the girls held by Iran or N. Korea and they were being water boarded to get what those countries consider “essential” information.
It seems to me that men like my husband who have always managed to avoid putting their lives in harms way for their country or anything else are the ones who are so quick to accept “enhanced interrogation techinques,” or even torture if is would “save lives.”
It seems these cowards are willing to accept anything that would spare their lives. It doesn’t seem to matter that our government’s willingness to torture would make it okay for other countries to torture our service men and women and anyone else they capture.
Of course, it doesn’t matter to men like my husband because they feel they will be able to use their connections never to be put in a situation were they would be exposed to the dangers their conduct puts others in.
My husband rails when he sees your name in the comment section of Michelle’s blog. Keep it up! If my husband’s reaction is any indication, white men are very uneasy with sharing the “man” position with OTWs, and white women.
Mindy
April 22nd, 2009 at 6:04 am
fuck you Robert. You niggers just don’t get it. Mindy you are obviously one of those white women who secretly wish for some jungle love. If I were your husband I would smack some respect into you
George
April 22nd, 2009 at 6:27 am
The President has the information that shows him how important it is for the US to defeat the Taliban. They are planning to take control of the Nuclear capability of Pakistan.
They intend to use that technology to attack Israel and US interest worldwide. They are planning huge attacks in Afghanistan on US soldiers to send a message to the American people that this will be a very bloody war.
Anonz
Zen Lill, I know you are busy. But I still look forward to your enlightened, sexy, serious repartee. Imaging that big smile on your face when you are commenting sometimes tongue in cheek makes my day.
Thanks babe, You are the bomb.
April 22nd, 2009 at 6:46 am
George, your male Afghan style tactics are uneducated, unwelcome, uncouth, un-American, and un-legal here in the U.S…