The things in my head go 'round and 'round

I was watching a documentary the other morning “King Corn” is what it is called. You should watch it, especially if you live in what you think is “Farm Land”. It will change you concept of what that term means.

I grew up in the fruit belt of Michigan. The southwest corner of Michigan to be exact. I can remember going out into my Grandfathers corn field, and grabbing an ear and being able to eat it. Big business corn can’t be eaten that way. Commodity corn is what is grown now. Corn that is used for animal feed, and High Fructose Corn Syrup. HFCS to be succinct. And it is in everything.

Take a look at this list of foods I found on the blog Accidental Hedonist:

Baking and Cooking ingredients

Kellogg’s® Corn Flake Crumbs
Nabisco Oreo Cookie Crumbs
Shake n Bake – Tangy Honey Glaze
Shake n Bake – Honey Mustard Glaze
Stove Top Stuffing – Chicken
Stove Top Stuffing – Cornbread
Stove Top Stuffing – Homestyle Herb
Stove Top Stuffing – Pork
Stove Top Stuffing – Turkey

Beverages:

A&W Root Beer
Capri-Sun Iced Tea
Capri-Sun Juice Drink – Fruit Punch
Capri-Sun Juice Drink – Grape
Capri-Sun Juice Drink – Lemonade
Capri-Sun Juice Drink – Mountain Cooler
Capri-Sun Juice Drink – Orange
Capri-Sun Juice Drink – Pacific Cooler
Capri-Sun Juice Drink – Red Berry
Capri-Sun Juice Drink – Splash Cooler
Capri-Sun Juice Drink – Strawberry
Capri-Sun Juice Drink – Strawberry/Kiwi
Capri-Sun Juice Drink – Surfer Cooler
Capri-Sun Juice Drink – Tropical Punch
Capri-Sun Juice Drink – Wild Cherry
Capri-Sun Refreshers – Orange Dragonfruit
Capri-Sun Refreshers – Rasberry Passionfruit
Capri-Sun Refreshers – Strawberry/Kiwi
Capri-Sun Refreshers – Tropical Fruit
Capri-Sun Sport Drink – Berry Ice
Capri-Sun Sport Drink – Clear Cherry Chill
Capri-Sun Sport Drink – Light Speed Lemon Lime
Capri-Sun Sport Drink – Orange Edge
Capri-Sun Sport Drink – Thunder Punch
Coca-Cola
Darigold Chocolate Milk
Hanson’s All-Natural Soda (all flavors)
Hanson’s Tonic Water
Jones Soda
Newman’s Own Pink Lemonade
Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice
Orangenia
Pepsi
PowerAde
Snapple -Cranberry Raspberry Juice Drink
Sprite
Starbucks’ Frappuccino
Thomas Kemper Soda’s
Tropicana OrangeAde
Tropicana Smoothies
Village Lemonade

Breads:

Brownberry Breads
Pepperidge Farm’s line of 100% whole grain breads
Sara Lee Heart Healthy Whole Grain Bread.
Thomas English Muffins
Wonderbread

Breakfast Cereals

Kellogg’s Frosted Rice Krispies®
Kellogg’s Tony’s Cinnamon Krunchersâ„¢
Kellogg’s Corn Flakes®
Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes®
Kellogg’s Smorz®
Kellogg’s Special K® Red Berries
Kellogg’s All-Bran® Bran Buds®
Kellogg’s All-Bran® Extra Fiber
Kellogg’s All-Bran® Original
Kellogg’s Apple Jacks®
Kellogg’s Cinnamon Crunch Crispixâ„¢
Kellogg’s Cocoa Krispies®
Kellogg’s Complete® Oat Bran Flakes
Kellogg’s Complete® Wheat Bran Flakes
Kellogg’s Fruit Harvestâ„¢ Strawberry Blueberry
Kellogg’s Honey Crunch Corn Flakes®
Kellogg’s Kellogg’s Crunchy Blendsâ„¢ Just Right® Fruit & Nut
Kellogg’s Kellogg’s Crunchy Blendsâ„¢ Low Fat Granola without Raisins
Kellogg’s Kellogg’s Crunchy Blendsâ„¢ Low Fat Granola With Raisins
Kellogg’s Mini-Wheats® Frosted Bite Size
Kellogg’s Mini-Wheats® Frosted Original
Kellogg’s Mini-Wheats® Strawberry
Kellogg’s Crunchy Blendsâ„¢ Mueslix® with Raisins, Dates & Almonds
Kellogg’s Product 19®
Kellogg’s Raisin Bran
Kellogg’s Raisin Bran Crunch®
Kellogg’s Rice Krispies Treats® Cereal
Kellogg’s Rice Krispies®
Kellogg’s Smart Start® Antioxidants
Kellogg’s Smart Start® Soy Protein
Kellogg’s Special K®
Kellogg’s Special K® Vanilla Almond
Kellogg’s Fruit Harvestâ„¢ Peach Strawberry
Kellogg’s SpongeBob SquarePantsâ„¢ Cereal
Kellogg’s Corn Flakes® with Real Bananas
Kellogg’s Spider-manâ„¢ Spidey-Berry Cereal
Kellogg’s Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes® 1/3 Less Sugar
Kellogg’s Special K® low carb lifestyle
Kellogg’s Fruit Harvestâ„¢ Banana Berry
Kellogg’s Disney Pixar Finding Nemoâ„¢ Cereal
Kellogg’s All-Branâ„¢ Bars Honey Oat
Kellogg’s All-Branâ„¢ Bars Brown Sugar Cinnamon
Kellogg’s Disney Pixar The Incrediblesâ„¢
Kellogg’s Tiger Power
Kellogg’s Smart Start® Healthy Heart
Kellogg’s Disney Lilo & Stitchâ„¢
Kellogg’s Special K® Fruit & Yogurt
Kellogg’s Mini Swirlzâ„¢ Fudge Ripple
Kellogg’s Toasted Honey Crunchâ„¢
Kellogg’s Cran-Vanilla Crunchâ„¢
Post Blueberry Morning Cereal

Breakfast Pastries

Eggo® Pancakes Buttermilk
Eggo® Waf-Fulls™ Blueberry
Eggo® Waf-Fulls™ Strawberry

Candy Bars:

Hershey’s Watchamacallit
Lifesavers – Butter Rum
Lifesavers – Chill-o-mints
Lifesavers – Cryst-o-mint
Lifesavers – Five Flavor Value Pack
Lifesavers – Hard Candy Sours
Lifesavers – Sours
Lifesavers – Tropical Fruits
Lifesavers – Wild Berries
Lifesavers – Wild Cherry
Optimum Opti-Pro Meal Lite Bar
PowerBar

Condiments:

Heinz 57 Sauce
Heinz Ketchup
Hunt’s Catsup
Miracle Whip

Cookies and Cakes:

Kellogg’s Rice Krispies Treats® Squares Caramel Chocolatey Chunk
Kellogg’s Rice Krispies Treats® Squares Original
Kellogg’s Rice Krispies Treats® Squares Rainbow
Kellogg’s Cereal & Milk Bars Frosted Flakes®
Kellogg’s Cereal & Milk Bars Cocoa Krispies®
Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts® Frosted Hot Fudge Sundae
Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts® Spider-manâ„¢ Spidey-Berry
Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts® Apple Cinnamon
Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts® Blueberry
Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts® Brown Sugar Cinnamon
Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts® Chocolate Chip
Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts® Frosted Blueberry
Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts® Frosted Brown Sugar Cinnamon
Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts® Frosted Cherry
Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts® Frosted Chocolate Fudge
Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts® Frosted Chocolate Vanilla Creme
Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts® Frosted Grape
Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts® Frosted Raspberry
Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts® Frosted S’Mores
Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts® Frosted Strawberry
Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts® Frosted Wild Berry
Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts® Low Fat Frosted Brown Sugar Cinnamon
Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts® Star Warsâ„¢ Frosted Lava Berry Explosion
Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts® Frosted Caramel Chocolate
Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts® Frosted Cookies & Creme
Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts® Cinnamon Roll
Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts® Low Fat Frosted Chocolate Fudge
Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts® Low Fat Frosted Strawberry
Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts® Strawberry
Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts® Yogurt Blasts Blueberry
Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts® Yogurt Blasts Strawberry
Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts® French Toast
Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts® SpongeBob SquarePantsâ„¢ Wild Bubble-Berry
Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts® Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts® The Incredibles Incrediberry Blast
Nabisco Barnum’s Animal Crackers
Nabsico Chips Ahoy
Nabisco Fig Newtons
Nabisco Fig Newtons – Fat Free
Nabisco Fig Newtons – Whole Grain
Nabisco Honey Maid Graham Crackers
Nabisco Lorna Dornes
Nabisco Nilla Wafers
Nabisco Nutter Butter
Nabisco Mallomars
Nabisco Oreo Cookies
Nabisco Snackwells – Creme Sandwich
Nabisco Teddy Grahams
Nutri-Grain Twistsâ„¢ Apple Cobbler
Nutri-Grain Twistsâ„¢ Cappuccino & Creme
Nutri-Grain Twistsâ„¢ Strawberry Cheesecake
Nutri-Grain® Muffin Bars Banana
Nutri-Grain® Muffin Bars Cinnamon Raisin
Nutri-Grain® Cereal Bars Apple Cinnamon
Nutri-Grain® Cereal Bars Blueberry
Nutri-Grain® Cereal Bars Cherry
Nutri-Grain® Cereal Bars Mixed Berry
Nutri-Grain® Cereal Bars Raspberry
Nutri-Grain® Cereal Bars Strawberry
Nutri-Grain® Chewy Granola Bars Honey Oat & Raisin
Nutri-Grain® Chewy Granola Bars Chocolatey Chunk
Nutri-Grain® Chewy Granola Bites Chocolatey Chip
Nutri-Grain® Minis Yogurt Icing Blueberry
Nutri-Grain® Minis Yogurt Icing Strawberry
Nutri-Grain® Yogurt Bars Strawberry Yogurt
Nutri-Grain® Yogurt Bars Vanilla Yogurt
Nutri-Grain® Muffin Bars Blueberry
Nutri-Grain® Chewy Granola Bites Caramel Nut Crunch
Grandma’s Homestyle Peanut Butter Cookies

Cough Syrups:

Delsym 12 Hour Cough Suppressant for Children, Orange
Delsym 12 Hour Cough Suppressant, Orange
Delsym Cough Suppressant
Children’s Dimetapp Decongestant Infant Drops
Children’s Dimetapp Decongestant Plus Cough Infant Drops
Robitussin Infant Cough DM
Robitussin Infant Cough & Cold CF
Robitussin DM Cough Relief Infant Drops, Fruit Punch
Robitussin Pediatric Cough & Cold Formula
Robitussin Pediatric Cough Long-Acting
Robitussin Pediatric Cough & Cold Long-Acting
Robitussin Maximum Strength Cough & Cold
Robitussin Head & Chest Congestion PE
Robitussin Cough DM
Robitussin PE Nasal Decongestant and Expectorant
Robitussin Cough, Cold & Flu Nighttime
Robitussin Chest Congestion Guaifenesin Syrup, USP
Robitussin Cough & Congestion
Robitussin Cough Long-Acting
Robitussin Honey Cough Natural Cough Drops, Honey Center
Vicks NyQuil multi-symptom – original
Vicks NyQuil multi-symptom – cherry
Vicks NyQuil Cough
Vicks Formula 44 Cough
Vicks Formula 44 Expectorant
Vicks Formula 44 Decongestant
Vicks Formula 44 Mult-symptom
Pediatric Vicks 44E Cough & Congestion
Pediatric Vicks 44M Cough & Cold
Vicks Casero

Crackers:

Kraft Cheese Nips
Nabisco Harvest Crisps – Wheat Thins 5 Grain
Nabisco Ritz Bits – Peanut Butter
Nabisco Ritz Bits – Graham Cracker S’mores
Nabisco Ritz Chips – Cheddar – Oven-Toasted Crunch
Nabisco Ritz Crackers
Nabisco Ritz Crackers – Low Sodium
Nabisco Sociables
Nabisco Wheat Thins
Nabisco Wheat Thins – Baked
Nabisco Wheat Thins – Low Sodium
Nabisco Wheat Thins – Multi-Grain
Nabisco Wheat Thins – Ranch
Nabisco Wheat Thins – Reduced Fat

Dairy:

Breakstones Cottage Cheese & Toppings – Peach
Breakstones Cottage Cheese & Toppings – Pineapple
Breyer’s Yogurt -Fruit on the Bottom – Strawberry Lowfat
Cool Whip
Cool Whip – Extra-Creamy
Cool Whip – Lite
Knudsen – Cottage Double (Peach)
Knudsen – Cottage Double (Pineapple)
Knudsen – Cottage Double (Strawberry)
Yoplait Yogurts

Drink Mixers:
Saratoga Salsa Bloody Mare Mix (spelling is correct)
El Paso Chili Key Lime Margarita Mix

Frozen Foods:

Fruits and Vegetables:

B&M Original Baked Beans
Contadina Tomato Paste
Claussen Pickles – Bread and Butter Chips
Claussen Pickles – Kosher Dill Burger Slices
Claussen Pickles – Sweet Gherkins
Claussen Pickle Relish
Del Monte canned petite diced tomatoes with italian seasonings
Del Monte Fruit Naturals Red Grapefruit
Heinz Pickle Relish
Mott’s Applesauce
Mt. Olive Sweet Relish
Mt. Olive Bread and Butter Pickles
Ocean Spray Jellied Cranberry Sauce

Ice Creams

Ben & Jerry’s – Chubby Hubby (HFCS and Transfat!) – Should we call it Very Chubby Hubby?
Ben & Jerry’s – Cherry Garcia
Ben & Jerry’s – Neapolitan Dynamite
Ben & Jerry’s – Cherry Garcia Body & Soul
Ben & Jerry’s – Cherry Garcia Low Fat Frozen Yogurt Pints
Ben & Jerry’s – Cherry Garcia Original Ice Cream Singles
Dreyer’s – Girl Scouts Samoas Cookie Ice Cream
Dreyer’s – Almond Praline Grand Ice Cream
Dreyer’s – Cherry Chocolate Chip Grand Ice Cream
Dreyer’s – Cherry Vanilla Grand Ice Cream
Dreyer’s – Cookies ‘N Cream Grand Ice Cream
Dreyer’s – Dulce de Leche Grand Ice Cream
Dreyer’s – Nestle Toll House Cookie Swirl Grand Ice Cream
Dreyer’s – Spumoni Grand Ice Cream
Dreyer’s – Toffee Bar Crunch Grand Ice Cream
Dreyer’s – Turtle Sundae Grand Ice Cream
Dreyer’s – Ultimate Caramel Cup Grand Ice Cream

Jams, Jellies, and Syrups

Eggoâ„¢ Syrup Original Syrup
Eggoâ„¢ Syrup Buttery Syrup
Eggoâ„¢ Syrup Lite Syrup
Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup
Knott’s Boysenberry preserves
Smucker’s Grape Jelly

Meats

Oscar Meyer Pickle and Pimento Loaf

Pastries

Nabisco Nilla Wafer Pie Crust
Nabisco Oreo Pie Crust
Jello No-Bake – Chips Ahoy
Jello No-Bake – Oreo
Pepperidge Farm’s Puff Pastry sheets

Salad Dressings:

Emeril’s Italian Vinegrette
Kraft Salad Dressing – Light done Right Creamy French
Kraft Salad Dressing – Thousand Island Fat Free
Maple Grove Farms Caesar Fat Free
Miracle Whip Salad Dressing
Miracle Whip Salad Dressing – Hot n Spicy
Miracle Whip Salad Dressing – Light
Miracle Whip Salad Dressing – Light Super Easy Squeeze
Miracle Whip Salad Dressing – Non-fat
Miracle Whip Salad Dressing – Super Easy Squeeze
Wishbone Ranch Dressing
Wish-Bone Classic Caesar

Sauces:

A1 Steak Sauce Marinade – Cajun
A1 Steak Sauce Marinade – Chicago
A1 Steak Sauce Marinade – Teriyaki
Bull’s Eye BBQ Sauce
Bull’s Eye BBQ Sauce – Honey Smoke
Bull’s Eye BBQ Sauce – Smokehouse Hickory
Bull’s Eye BBQ Sauce – Sweet Hickory Smoke
Bull’s Eye BBQ Sauce – Texas Style Mesquite
Crazy Jerry’s Alotta Bull BBQ Sauce – Torrid Toro (Hot
Holy Smoke – Sticky Wings Glaze
Holy Smoke – Bar B Q Glaze
Jim Beam Steak Sauce
Jim Beam Herb & Garlic Gourmet Marinade
Jim Beam Lemon & Herb Gourmet Marinade
Kraft Barbecue Sauce
Penn State Nittany Lions Lime Grilling Sauce
Pork Rubbers Original Competition BBQ Sauce
Tuttorosso Marinara
Tuttorosso Three Cheese
Tuttorosso Traditional
Tuttorosso Flavored With Meat
Tuttorosso Mushroom
Tuttorosso Tomato & Basil
Tuttorosso Tomato, Olive & Garlic
Virginia Gentleman Bourbon BBQ Sauce

Snacks:

Kraft Philadelphia Cream Cheese Strawberry Cheesecake Bar
Kraft Philadelphia Cream Cheese Chocolate covered Strawberry Cheesecake Bar
Oscar Mayer Lunchables – All Star Burgers
Oscar Mayer Lunchables – All-star Hot Dogs
Oscar Mayer Lunchables – Chicken Dunks
Oscar Mayer Lunchables – Chicken Strips
Oscar Mayer Lunchables – Cracker Stackers
Oscar Mayer Lunchables – Nachos
Oscar Mayer Lunchables – Peanut Butter Pile-ups
Oscar Mayer Lunchables – Pizza
Oscar Mayer Lunchables – Pizza Dunks
Oscar Mayer Lunchables – Pizza Pile-ups
Oscar Mayer Lunchables – Pizza Stix
Oscar Mayer Lunchables – Pizza Swirls
Oscar Mayer Lunchables – Tacos

Soups
Campbells Vegatable soup (in microwaveable bowl)

There are many articles on the dangers of HFCS. Here is one that I won’t post in it’s entirety because I don’t want to put you to sleep. But realize, if you are eating a processed food, you are eating HFCS.

Namaste.

Since I have been writing about Michigans Medical Marijuana proposal I started looking into what states around it had laws on the books.

Lets start with Pennsylvania. Nope, nothing here. Nothing on the books. The cupboard is bare in Harrisburg.

Ohio? Yep, they are looking for sponsers for a bill. Hopefully they will find some so that they can get it before the voters.

New Jersey? The Drug Policy Alliance New Jersey is leading the lobbying effort to pass this important legislation. They have garnered the support of the New Jersey State Nurses Association, the New Jersey Academy of Family Physicians, the New Jersey Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, the New Jersey League for Nursing, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s southern and northern New Jersey chapters, and many other organizations. With this impressive level of support, MPP is hopeful that seriously ill New Jersey residents will soon get the protection they deserve.

There is no reason for New Jersey’s legislators to stall any longer. Polls and common knowledge both show that medical marijuana is not a controversial issue. Gov. Jon Corzine (D) has even said he would sign the bill into law if it got to his desk.

Ohio? “In a previous legislative session, the Ohio Medical Marijuana Act (OMMA), got as far as the Senate Criminal Justice committee. The Criminal Justice committee held the legally required sponsor hearing but it did not pass any farther.

Now the Ohio Medical Compassion Act SB 343 is waiting to be heard in committee We have a two sponsors in the in the Senate (Senator tim Roberts and Dale Miller). Please ask your legislators to consider cosponsoring the bill and to contact the appropriate sponsor for more information.”

Indiana? During the 2008 session, not one legislator stepped forward on behalf of Indiana’s seriously ill to introduce a medical marijuana bill. And just for the sake of clarity? Do not get caught in Indiana with any weed or paraphanalia. Or you will become a resident of their penal system. Indiana does not fool around.

And Illinois weighs in with lot of progress was made this legislative session with the Compassionate Use of Medical Marijuana Pilot Program bill. SB 2865 picked up three new co-sponsors this year, and the bill’s lead sponsor, Sen. John Cullerton (D-Chicago), sat down with law enforcement to listen to their concerns and then amended the bill to address those concerns.

SB 2865 passed the Senate Public Health Committee with a 6-4 vote and is now awaiting a vote on the Senate floor, which must take place by January 13, 2009 per legislative rule.

HB 5938 was re-referred back to the rules committee and now must be moved out of that committee in order to receive a floor vote.

Michigan is being watched very closely by her neighbors. What happens in the Great Lakes State, most likely will influence the states around her.

Hmmm.

Namaste.

I have some body work that is needed on The Red Beast, so I went to my favorite search engine and started looking for one. One site that came up was collision repair yorba linda. The actual web address is autobodyyorbalinda dot com. I was impressed by how this company has a page that takes you through selecting the right shop for you, and then what you should expect when you go in for your appointment.

That is a class act, if you ask me. The site I visited is part of a larger network called “Fix Auto Network”. I was impressed.

Namaste.

Bloggers are always talking about marketing. Getting your message, your website, your brand out there to the masses. Unique visitors are gold to every person who has a blog. You are begging for uniques. Not to say that your regular visitors aren’t important, or appreciated. They are. But the unique visitors are what you are after.

There are many methods to push visitors to your site. Both off and on line. On line methods are pretty time intensive, you are posting on different websites, and establishing relationships hoping that those actions will result in your visitor numbers increasing. Off line is a whole different ballgame.

Off line marketing involves physical things. Pencils, pens, hats, t-shirts, stress balls, bags, flags, mugs, and just about anything else you can think of putting a logo on. Magnets for you car, for your refrigerator, there are so many things you can put a logo on. Even checks.

Checks, you say? Heck yes. You can Order checks and have your logo customized on them by Vistaprint dot com. And by using this code: Checks25 : 25% off Checks, you can get 25% off of your order. How absolutely cool is that?

Think about how many checks you write a month. Me, I write one a week for groceries, and then there is one every couple of weeks to the school for The Princess to have money for lunch. One for the each of the utility companies, and so on. If you have your website addy on each check, you are increasing your chance of increased visitors by doing what you have to do anyway. There is no extra effort. Just increased visitors.

And we all know that unique visitors are like gold.

Namaste.

I was looking for opposition to medical marijuana again and came across this article that was written in 2005 in decrimwatch.

Friday, February 18, 2005

Two excessive displays in Springfield

I headed down to the state capital in Illinois yesterday to see a committee hearing on medical marijuana. Unfortunately, the bill did not get voted out of committee, so there it remains. Yet many interesting things took place; Pete at Drug WarRant has a complete report.

To me, the day was typified by the two incidents involving heavy security and seemingly harmless middle-aged white men.

One man was named John Walters; the other was named Irvin Rosenfeld. Both came from out of state to testify at the hearing.

John Walters, of course, is the federal drug czar. This political appointee flew in at taxpayer expense with a full entourage, including several serious-looking security people. The intense security detail was there, I suppose, to protect the czar from the good people of Illinois. Or, perhaps, to give an otherwise bland and unimpressive bureaucrat a sense of authority. Either way, it was unnecessary overkill.

Walters insisted he wasn’t there to influence the legislative process – an obviously false cover story contradicted by his very presence (when else does he show up at a state level committee meetings?) and indicative of the sincerity of all his remarks.

Physically isolated by his security team, intellectually isolated by rigid ideology, I wonder if Walters even carries the capacity for recognizing the difference between a truth and a lie.

And, indeed, he and his allies did not want to acknowledge the truth of the other fellow who found himself surrounded by security at the state house.

Irvin Rosenfeld came to Illinois by himself from his home state of Florida and offered an unimpeachable, fact-based presentation on his experience with medical marijuana. One of the seven surviving patients in a federal medical marijuana program, Rosenfeld gets eleven ounces shipped to his pharmacy by Uncle Sam every 25 days. He’s been smoking roughly 12 joints a day for 22 years. He and his doctors know that it helps relieve the pain from a rare bone disease called
multiple congenital cartilaginous exostoses.

He believes that the marijuana has not only extended his life, but made his disease bearable for all these years. He’s had comprehensive physical examinations which have determined no ill effects from all those years of smoking.

“The government does give marijuana to patients. I’m living proof,” he told reporters during a press conference. “I’m also living proof that it works well. I’m also living proof that the government doesn’t want to know how well it works. If they want to do research, all they have to do is contact me.”

He brought a tin can full of marijuana cigarettes that he picks up at his pharmacy each month and showed them to a room full of astonished state legislators during the hearing. Shortly after his presentation, he found himself surrounded by four burly state security officers. They wanted to ask him some questions, and they didn’t want the press to follow, so some other reporters and I were barred from the elevator where he was hustled away.

Fortunately, one of the reporters had a good idea where they were taking him. I followed her and watched as Rosenfeld faced what seemed like an unofficial interrogation over his medicine (asked repeatedly whether Rosenfeld was under arrest or being detained, the security officers would only say, “No comment.”).

I thought Rosenfeld was a hero before, but watching his grace under pressure amazed me. He was polite and cooperative with the officers, effectively educating them, while remaining firm about his rights and the limits of their intrusions (he was not going to let the tin can out of his sight, and I don’t blame him).

He showed them many documents confirming his situation, and offered phone numbers for his pharmacy as well as a DEA agent with whom he is on friendly terms. Eventually they got confirmation they deemed acceptable and let him go, but not before an officer finally acknowledged that Rosenfeld was being detained, and he was removed from the sight from reporters. He was released shortly after that, and he said such things happen when he speaks up. Why does he continue to do it?

Because, unlike sicker patients who have more trouble with mobility, he can. And because citizens have the right to spread the truth in America.

So it goes in the drug war. If you’re a private citizen, obeying the law and exercising clearly established rights, prepare to be hassled by security. If you are a political appointee engaging in legally questionable behavior and spreading false and defamatory insinuation as fact, then you are entitled to the best protection taxpayer money can buy.

In a more sane world, Rosenfeld wouldn’t face any scrutiny from law enforcement, but Walters sure would.

Very interesting article, isn’t it?

Namaste.