I just got an unbelievable email from NORML. For the first time in 25 years, there is an actual piece of legislation before congress which would COMPLETELY REMOVE the national ban on marijuana!

Keep in mind, though, it would still be up to each state individually to legalize or criminalize it, or something in between.

However, this bill, if passed, would be a GIANT LEAP towards freedom (as the title suggests). It would mean that marijuana is FULLY LEGAL in California, and it would give states the right to choose whether or not it is okay.

There’s not a whole lot else to say on this matter, so I’ll get to the important part: celebrate 4/20 tomorrow, and the day after that, on 4/21, we’re going to let Congress know that this bill needs to be passed. How are we going to do that? Here’s an excerpt from the NORML Newsletter I received:

Guys, I urge you to help out with this effort to restore freedom to America. If you are interested in receiving updates like this from NORML, I also suggest you join NORML’s newsletter (it is near the bottom left of their page).

Thanks guys.

Hey everyone, PLEASE read this as it is by far the most important blog I have ever written. I don’t wish to come across as a fanatic, but for this particular issue, I am one. I hope you will be as well after you hear what I have to say. This is about doing your part to Save the Internet.

I sincerely believe that the Internet is humanity’s single biggest resource. It is bigger than human beings, bigger than corporations, bigger than even countries. The Internet binds the entire world together in a way never before seen.

It is not the right of any individual, corporation, government, or entity of any kind to stifle the freedom of the Internet.

Big phone and cable companies are trying to get rid of Network Neutrality, the fundamental principle that prevents them from discriminating against your favorite Web sites and services.

Unless we speak out to our members of Congress they could move to allow large telephone and cable companies to control what you do, where you go and what you watch online.

Ultimately, because of the power of the Internet, those who are allowed to control the Internet will have the power to shape the future of humanity. Think about it. Culture, commercial enterprise, freedom of speech, religion, politics. All of these things can be controlled with the Internet. Those who seek control do so according to their own desires and lusts, NOT what is in humanity’s best interests.

This is not a difficult issue. Nor is it to be taken lightly. Please, help protect the Internet, which has transcended national borders and pushed humanity to its golden age.

Visit this website, sign their petition, and send a letter to congress (they make it real easy with a simple form). The world needs your help to keep the Internet free.

Visit www.savetheinternet.com to learn what’s at stake and send a loud message directly to the Congress.

It angers me and saddens me to have watched Super Tuesday go by, all the news stations continuing to pretend that Ron Paul didn’t exist. Even when he earned 9, 14, 17, 19, 21, 25 percent of the votes, he was brushed aside as if he was a green party member earning less than 1% in every state. HE’S NOT! He’s a MAJOR CONTENDER! And he’s the only Hope for America.

“…the American Revolution—the very thing whose legacy Ron Paul is fighting to keep alive—had darker days in 1776 than anything we have yet faced.”

RON PAUL IS STILL IN THIS!!! It is pretty clear to me that America wants Ron Paul. They are just so afraid they can’t have them, and afraid they’ll be wasting their vote.

Voting for the right man or woman is NOT wasting your vote. The only ways you can waste your vote are by not voting and by voting for the wrong person because you think the right person doesn’t have enough support.

The Ron Paul Campaign HQ blog:

Loren C. says regarding Ron Paul’s presidential candidacy:

A friend of mine asked me tonight, “Should Ron Paul just quit? I never hear of him on the news so he can’t be doing very well today (Super Tuesday).” Here is my reply to him:

Not even close. Keep fighting, Ron Paul is!

I believe in Ron Paul. I believe in what he stands for, I believe in freedom, I believe in the constitution, and yes, I believe in the American people. And not in spite of, but because of this, I believe Ron Paul can overturn insurmountable odds and the media’s ridiculous political boycott to become the next president of this great nation.

This is a research paper which details America’s fallacies in regards to their strategies in the War on Drugs. Not only do I outline the current strategy and explain what is wrong with it, but I also offer an alternative strategy which could solve many of the problems America faces today, including drug abuse, theft, and violent crime.

Most of us are familiar with alcohol prohibition, which began in 1920 and was quickly repealed in the early 30s. During that time, the sale of alcohol was outlawed in America, and this created far more problems than it solved. Consequences of the federal government outlawing a much-used substance included increased crime rates, increased acts of violence, and one theory even suggests that use of alcohol actually increased. One would find it extremely difficult to locate an educated individual that believes prohibition had positive effects. Prohibition was an absolutely indefensible attack on personal freedom. But most people believe prohibition ended in 1933. Wrong. Soon after began another prohibition, one that for a number of invalid reasons, was largely accepted in contrast to alcohol prohibition.

To see the rest of the article, download the PDF of Uncle Sam’s War on America.

I have plans to put together a more interactive and visually interesting version of this research, but I have had many extravagant plans fall apart. Thus, I promise nothing.

Just 5 days until Redux’s new energy drink, Brawndo (as seen in Idiocracy) hits the market. I’m excited. The website’s up and now taking orders! Check it out!

I’m in a pretty good mood right now. Freedom has triumphed in America for the first time in quite a while. Energy Drink-maker Redux Beverages has decided to re-release “No Name” energy drink under its original name! Jamey emailed me to let me know that their famous (or infamous, depending on your point of view) drink will be going on sale again under its rightful name, Cocaine!

Redux’s logo is featured on the new Cocaine Can.

In case you’re not aware of Cocaine’s history, it was a perfectly legitimate energy drink released in September 2006. It was a brilliant name for an energy drink, with a brilliant slogan…Cocaine: The Legal Alternative. The FDA, however, was not amused. They somehow felt they had the right to circumvent the first amendment, and used unconstitutional means which I will not go into as a way of hunting down Jamey Kirby, Cocaine’s founder. Jamey’s very life was threatened if he refused to take the drink off the market. Since then, it has been known as “No Name”, with the same great taste, but sans the cool labeling. For a more detailed history, see the rest of my blogs about Cocaine.

The full new can design. Click to see it big.

Things have changed today, however. Jamey Kirby from Redux has informed me that they will be putting Cocaine, in all its controversial glory, back on U.S. shelves as early as next January. For those who value freedom, this is a very good thing.

Jamey sent me the full new label, which is very similar to the old one with some new fine print and a slight logo change. I must say I’m a fan of the snappy new fine print! I’m surprised they can get away with it, though I’m sure they’ve checked with their lawyers already!

Redux is forced to point out the obvious: their product does not contain the drug Cocaine.

A warning for those who might confuse thin white powder with a thick red liquid.

I’ll have to Vlog about this soon, of course. I just wanted to let you know as fast as I could that this is such a triumphant day for freedom-loving Americans. I am very happy for Jamey and his business, and I appreciate that they have been fighting the man on behalf of us all. Freedom can win! Freedom will win!

Click to see part of Jamey’s email to me.

Update: Jamey just informed me that there were no lawsuits involved. That was a conclusion I jumped to, so I apologize for the misinformation.

The United States incarcerates more people and at a higher rate than any other peacetime nation in the world. According to the federal Bureau of Justice Statistics the number of US residents behind bars has now reached more than 2.3 million.

We must increase the use of special drug courts in which addicted offenders are given the opportunity to complete court supervised substance abuse treatment instead of being sentenced to prison. We must eliminate mandatory minimum sentencing laws. We must increase the use of alternative penalties for nonviolent drug offenders. Drug defendants convicted of nonviolent offenses should not be given mandatory prison sentences. We should emphasize the criminalization of the importers, manufacturers, and major distributors, rather than just the street venders. Prisons in this country should be a legitimate criminal sanction — but it should be an extension of a fair, just and wise society.

These words are not my own. These are the words of Senator Mike Gravel, who is running for president in 2008. They display wisdom. I advise you to read up on this candidate. I would absolutely love to see a non-republican, non-democratic president win who has some common sense. I’m sick of the red-blue divide.

Click here to read up on Mike Gravel, and of course do some Googling. SPREAD THE WORD!

Click here to download Legalize Cocaine (MP3 Audio, 8:13, 7.6MB)

Can you Digg it?

The FDA has banned the energy drink known as Cocaine, saying they are “illegally marketing the drink as an alternative to street drugs.” The message is quite clear: there shall be absolutely no competing with street drugs! The FDA does not want ANY ALTERNATIVES to street drugs! There is NO reason why you should do anything BESIDES street drugs, and anything that markets itself as such IS VIOLATING FDA CODE!

Alcoholics Anonymous is to be considered a terrorist group from this point forward. All anti-drug campaigns suggesting things you should do besides drugs are illegal and must be immediately shut down. All products promoting themselves as anything other than a street drug at all is now illegal. DO NOT turn to support groups; DO NOT turn to your parents; DO NOT use Nicarette patches instead of cigarettes; DO NOT advocate exercise, creativity, thought, expression, or anything at all in the place of drug use; for if you do any of these the FDA will deem it harmful to America.

This is not freedom. This is the mark of oppression. This is completely unconstitutional. This goes against all logic. This is completely against what America should be in so many ways. This is counter-productive. This is downright insane.

No, America is not a free country. America is a place where you may have the ability to do many things that you can’t in other nations; you may be given a little bit more lenience when it comes to disagreeing with the government; and you may have a better opportunity at living a great life than perhaps anywhere else in the world. But the fact remains: if you cross the people with money; if you violate the financial interests of those in power; if you create anything that crosses the line, that demonstrates any of your supposed freedoms, then you are done.

The FDA has crossed the line here, as they have so many times before. How can I call myself American? I do not support these laws, and I will not obey them for their own sake.

UPDATE: A lot of people seem to think I’m getting far too upset over a simple energy drink. Please understand, the energy drink specifically is not the issue here. I’m sure the energy drink formerly known as Cocaine will rebrand, and they have gotten so much publicity out of this ordeal that their sales will be drastically improved. For them, this is a good thing.

But that’s not what I’m griping about. This is about our freedom. The FDA has openly outlawed something so simple and basic! This violates freedom of speech, freedom of press, and goes against freedom in general. I believe this is an open declaration of War on Freedom.

Click here to download Legalize Cocaine (MP3 Audio, 8:13, 7.6MB)

Look, I know it’s generally considered rude to ask people to Digg your own blog…but this is for a greater cause!  To keep Cocaine Energy Drink legal!

Please, in addition to sending your protests to Redux, digg the original Save Cocaine entry to help spread the word!  If you don’t have a Digg.com account, it’s easy to sign up.  Please, guys, the makers of Cocaine are just normal people who had a good idea, and now the government wants to shut them down.  Save them if you can!  Help the cause of free speech, free capitalism, and all that is free in the world!  Save Cocaine!
http://digg.com/politics/Please_Save_Cocaine

Well, the new Windows operating system is out. Windows Vista. Long awaited codenamed Longhorn, with a complete graphics makeover and great new eye candy. Well…great in some peoples’ point of view anyway. But what upgrades do we get as far as functionality goes? Umm…well…hmmm…that’s a toughie. Well, they added the application “Windows Defender”! But…well, that works in XP and isn’t actually part of the OS. Same goes for Office 2007.

So what upgrades DID Vista get? Well, I can’t find any information except for two upgrades. A search function which copies Mac OS X’s Spotlight outright…but performs very poorly from what I hear. And a desktop widgets application that outright copies Dashboard and widget applications that have been available from Google, Yahoo, and more for a very long time.

Well, it may not be that great, but it’s bound to be the most popular OS. So you’ve just got to upgrade to it…so, let’s see which version you’re going to want…hmm, well, pick your favorite from this list:

Home Basic 32
Home Basic 32 Upgrade
Home Basic 64
Home Basic 64 Upgrade
Home Basic 32 Developper Pack
Home Basic 32 Upgrade Developper Pack
Home Basic 64 Developper Pack
Home Basic 64 Upgrade Developper Pack
Home Premium 32
Home Premium 32 Upgrade
Home Premium 64
Home Premium 64 Upgrade
Home Premium 32 Developper Pack
Home Premium 32 Upgrade Developper Pack
Home Premium 64 Developper Pack
Home Premium 64 Upgrade Developper Pack
Business 32
Business 32 Upgrade
Business 64
Business 64 Upgrade
Business 32 Developper Pack
Business 32 Upgrade Developper Pack
Business 64 Developper Pack
Business 64 Upgrade Developper Pack
Ultimate 32
Ultimate 32 Upgrade
Ultimate 64
Ultimate 64 Upgrade
Ultimate 32 Developper Pack
Ultimate 32 Upgrade Developper Pack
Ultimate 64 Developper Pack
Ultimate 64 Upgrade Developper Pack

That’s right, folks. 32 great editions to choose from! Choice is a good thing, right? Isn’t that what all the Linux dudes are always on their soapboxes about? “More choices! Free as in free speech, not free beer!!!” Well, when we apply that phrase to Vista, I’m not so sure about free speech, but one thing’s for sure: It’s NOT free beer! Vista Ultimate 64 will run you $400!

Yeah, umm…I’m getting a Mac. No, really, I am. See…my computer’s on eBay. I’m getting a Mac Pro.
And with that, I refer you to this excellent comic, the author of which is clearly kinder than I since he spared his readers of many of the available versions of Vista.

http://www.geekculture.com/joyoftech/joyarchives/915.html