Have you heard this story yet? About the 21 year old single mother Army cook who refused deployment to Afghanistan because she didn't have anyone to care for her 11 month son and is now facing possible criminal charges for doing so? Well, technically, she didn't refuse outright to be deployed; rather, she failed to show up on the date of her specific deployment claiming she needed more time to find someone to care for her infant child while she was serving abroad. Apparently, the grandmother had originally agreed to take the kid, but after having him the week prior to the mom's deployment date, decided she couldn't do it (the grandmother, it seems, is also caring for a special needs kid of her own as well as two ailing adult family members). The Army says it would never deploy a single parent without a "family plan" in place; but the mom's lawyer says that isn't exactly the truth and the mom had been told that she had to deploy regardless of her family plan and if the kid had to be placed in foster care, well then, so be it.
I obviously don't know who is telling the truth here, or what's gonna happen to this chick and her kid, but I gotta say, reading this story on the train this morning got me all kinds of worked up. At first I was like, "That motherfucking military! What the fuck is wrong with them? How dare they even think about sending a single mother into a war zone? Have they no fucking compassion?" And that led, of course, to me ruminating about how fucked up the fucking war is in the first place and how we should be done with it already. But then I thought more about the actual story, and although I still think the situation is fucked up (and that our Nobel Peace Prize winning President should really do whatever it takes to get us the hell out of the middle east), I can't help but wonder....
1. Where the hell is the kid's dad? He's not mentioned in any of the articles about this story. Not even a 'we don't know where the hell he is' mention. Who is he? Why can't he take the kid while mom is at war? Does mom know? Is there some other fucked up cover-up going on here?
2. Mom joined the Army in 2007, her kid is 11 months old. So that means she, single and without adequate family support (I'm assuming since she doesn't seem to have anyone else to watch her kid for her), got pregnant and decided to have a baby while actively serving (and depending when in '07 she joined, potentially only months after joining). And presumably while knowing she would be deployed to a war zone; or at least knowing she was at risk of being deployed to a war zone. Um, hello, but WTF is up with that? Has this chick never heard of condoms? Or, duh, the PILL? 'Cause I know military insurance pays for the Pill. I know it for a fact. Did she do it on purpose? Is this all just a scam to get her out of the service which she VOLUNTEERED for? Why not just wait until your tour is done?
I'd really like to know the answer to at least some of these questions so I can decide whether to be pissed at the Army, or pissed at her. Because someone is being a dick here. I'm sure of it. I'm just not sure I can spot who it is. Can you?
Showing posts with label Fucking Government. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fucking Government. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Another baby step...and stumble
First, New Jersey talks about legalizing "medical marijuana."
And now, U.S. Atty Eric Holder says that the feds WILL NOT PROSECUTE local medical marijuana clinics that are operating legally under state law. Until now (thanks to that fucking alcoholic son-of-a-bitch Bush), clinics like this could be raided and the operators arrested and prosecuted under federal drug laws. We're talking major fucking time here, without any consideration for the fact that these clinics are legal (under state law) and are a providing a necessary service to fucking sick people.
Of course, the DEA has already decided it could give a shit what Mr. Holder has to say. Even though the DEA is part of the DOJ and therefore under the command of Mr. Holder. I guess either the DEA is saying fuck you to its boss and the Obama administration altogether, or someone just didn't get the memo.
Now granted, this could just be the end of an investigation that was allowed to run the course despite the policy shift. And it could be that a week simply isn't enough time to put such a new policy into place. And maybe the DOJ won't prosecute anyone so in the end it won't be a big deal (except for all the sweet sweet maryjane that the feds seized). And maybe even the DEA will get a public dressing down. But regardless, why the fuck would anyone want to keep useful medicine from fucking sick people? What the fuck is wrong with the DEA. I mean really? How fucking masochistic is it to say, fuck you cancer patients, I don't give a fuck if the mj restores your appetite which allows you to eat which gives you strength to withstand chemo which might keep you alive. You can't have it because I fucking said so. Go eat a peach pit, bitch.
Not to mention that its not like its hard to go after a medical marijuana clinic -- they all operate in the open and are usually registered or licensed by the state in whic they operate. So, what? Am I supposed to be impressed by the DEA's investigative skills? What? Because a half-witted moron could find the goods on any given clinic in any given state. Makes you wonder what the fuck the DEA does with our money. And ask yourself, is this really the organization you want protecting you from Mexican drug lords? Which, by the way, would have less influence if marijuana was fucking legal in this fucking country. But I digress....the med-mj movement is nothing without federal cooperation which proponents finally thought they were achieving. So I ask you Mr. Holder, WTF?
And now, U.S. Atty Eric Holder says that the feds WILL NOT PROSECUTE local medical marijuana clinics that are operating legally under state law. Until now (thanks to that fucking alcoholic son-of-a-bitch Bush), clinics like this could be raided and the operators arrested and prosecuted under federal drug laws. We're talking major fucking time here, without any consideration for the fact that these clinics are legal (under state law) and are a providing a necessary service to fucking sick people.
Of course, the DEA has already decided it could give a shit what Mr. Holder has to say. Even though the DEA is part of the DOJ and therefore under the command of Mr. Holder. I guess either the DEA is saying fuck you to its boss and the Obama administration altogether, or someone just didn't get the memo.
Now granted, this could just be the end of an investigation that was allowed to run the course despite the policy shift. And it could be that a week simply isn't enough time to put such a new policy into place. And maybe the DOJ won't prosecute anyone so in the end it won't be a big deal (except for all the sweet sweet maryjane that the feds seized). And maybe even the DEA will get a public dressing down. But regardless, why the fuck would anyone want to keep useful medicine from fucking sick people? What the fuck is wrong with the DEA. I mean really? How fucking masochistic is it to say, fuck you cancer patients, I don't give a fuck if the mj restores your appetite which allows you to eat which gives you strength to withstand chemo which might keep you alive. You can't have it because I fucking said so. Go eat a peach pit, bitch.
Not to mention that its not like its hard to go after a medical marijuana clinic -- they all operate in the open and are usually registered or licensed by the state in whic they operate. So, what? Am I supposed to be impressed by the DEA's investigative skills? What? Because a half-witted moron could find the goods on any given clinic in any given state. Makes you wonder what the fuck the DEA does with our money. And ask yourself, is this really the organization you want protecting you from Mexican drug lords? Which, by the way, would have less influence if marijuana was fucking legal in this fucking country. But I digress....the med-mj movement is nothing without federal cooperation which proponents finally thought they were achieving. So I ask you Mr. Holder, WTF?
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Stimulate & Focus
From the NJ Lawyer Daily Briefing
SENATE PASSES MEDICINAL MARIJUANA BILL
The state Senate on Monday passed a bill that would allow medicinal marijuana use by patients suffering from cancer and other chronic or terminal illnesses. The Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act, S-119, passed by a mostly partisan 22-16 vote and now goes to the Assembly for consideration. If enacted, the measure would make N.J. the 14th state to allow medicinal use of the drug. It would authorize the Department of Health and Senior Services to issue photo-identification cards to qualifying patients who have been diagnosed by a physician, with whom they have an existing, bona fide relationship, to use marijuana for medical purposes. The cards would allow patients to purchase marijuana at alternative medical centers and to keep on hand up to six marijuana plants and one ounce for personal use.
So...this leaves me with the following checklist....
1. Research medical uses for marijuana.
2. Figure out which one I could actually convince a doctor I have.
3. Read the proposed law & see if it has any other hoops to jump through.
4. Figure out if any of my current docs (yes, I have a number of current docs whom I see somewhat regularly and no, I am not a hypochondric) would "diagnose" me and approve of my "medical use" of MJ
5. If not, find a doctor who would do that and start a "bona fide relationship" with him or her.
6. Make sure there are plenty of snacks in the house.
In all seriousness though -- it's about fucking time these types of laws get passed everywhere. NJ would be 14th and that is not nearly enough places. I mean, COME. ON. It makes no fucking sense whatsoever that a doctor can give me morphine for pain but not marijuana for nausea. Or barbirtuates to help me sleep, but not marijuana to restore my appetite. Everyone who has really looked into the issue knows that the only reason the ban on medical use exists is because pharma companies don't want people to be able to grow their own drugs. They want you to have to buy their chemically laden, side effect riddled drugs. Those are perfectly OK. But oh no - not marijuana. You don't need drug companies to get marijuana. And it might make you eat some more doritos. Which makes me wonder -- do you think anyone has approached Frito-Lay about backing these types of laws? Because everyone knows legalization for medical use is a first step toward eventual full legalization, or at the very least decriminalization.
Not to mention the ability of farmers to grow hemp in this country. Which isn't even a fucking drug for fucks sake. You could smoke a whole fucking field of it and all you'd do is give yourself a fucking headache and waste a very valuable crop. It is absolutely disgusting that we can import hemp products made elsewhere but aren't allowed to create those very same products here. You want a fucking economic stimulus -- legalize hemp. Watch how fast little cottage industries spring up all over this nation. We pay farmers to leave their fields fallow. If they could grow hemp, we wouldn't need to pay them anything. They could grow crop after crop after crop. We could stop chopping down trees for fucking paper and cardboard. We could have earth-friendly building materials and cloth and more products then most people even realize. But again, no......just like medical maryjane would put a dent in pharma profits, hemp would put a dent in the profits of major corporations that have grown fat and lazy and resistant to change. Well I think this country has shown it can usher in change when it focuses. So focus people focus. (and put down the J -- you know you can't focus on that shit). And let's, in the words of Peter Tosh, Legalize It!
NOTE (as a matter of fairness): There are some who think hemp & maryjane are illegal because of racism, and not because of any corporate action against it. I understand their point and will even concede that is possible racism had a hand in some parts of the anti-marijuana movement. But racism doesn't explain the non-drug hemp issue. What exactly does racism have to do with a farmer being able to grow a non-drug plant that can be used as food, or to make cloth, or even plastic (yeah, that's right, plastic!)? And more importantly, why can't the two theories survive side by side? The people who were racists back in the day were also the people who ran the corporations, right?
SENATE PASSES MEDICINAL MARIJUANA BILL
The state Senate on Monday passed a bill that would allow medicinal marijuana use by patients suffering from cancer and other chronic or terminal illnesses. The Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act, S-119, passed by a mostly partisan 22-16 vote and now goes to the Assembly for consideration. If enacted, the measure would make N.J. the 14th state to allow medicinal use of the drug. It would authorize the Department of Health and Senior Services to issue photo-identification cards to qualifying patients who have been diagnosed by a physician, with whom they have an existing, bona fide relationship, to use marijuana for medical purposes. The cards would allow patients to purchase marijuana at alternative medical centers and to keep on hand up to six marijuana plants and one ounce for personal use.
So...this leaves me with the following checklist....
1. Research medical uses for marijuana.
2. Figure out which one I could actually convince a doctor I have.
3. Read the proposed law & see if it has any other hoops to jump through.
4. Figure out if any of my current docs (yes, I have a number of current docs whom I see somewhat regularly and no, I am not a hypochondric) would "diagnose" me and approve of my "medical use" of MJ
5. If not, find a doctor who would do that and start a "bona fide relationship" with him or her.
6. Make sure there are plenty of snacks in the house.
In all seriousness though -- it's about fucking time these types of laws get passed everywhere. NJ would be 14th and that is not nearly enough places. I mean, COME. ON. It makes no fucking sense whatsoever that a doctor can give me morphine for pain but not marijuana for nausea. Or barbirtuates to help me sleep, but not marijuana to restore my appetite. Everyone who has really looked into the issue knows that the only reason the ban on medical use exists is because pharma companies don't want people to be able to grow their own drugs. They want you to have to buy their chemically laden, side effect riddled drugs. Those are perfectly OK. But oh no - not marijuana. You don't need drug companies to get marijuana. And it might make you eat some more doritos. Which makes me wonder -- do you think anyone has approached Frito-Lay about backing these types of laws? Because everyone knows legalization for medical use is a first step toward eventual full legalization, or at the very least decriminalization.
Not to mention the ability of farmers to grow hemp in this country. Which isn't even a fucking drug for fucks sake. You could smoke a whole fucking field of it and all you'd do is give yourself a fucking headache and waste a very valuable crop. It is absolutely disgusting that we can import hemp products made elsewhere but aren't allowed to create those very same products here. You want a fucking economic stimulus -- legalize hemp. Watch how fast little cottage industries spring up all over this nation. We pay farmers to leave their fields fallow. If they could grow hemp, we wouldn't need to pay them anything. They could grow crop after crop after crop. We could stop chopping down trees for fucking paper and cardboard. We could have earth-friendly building materials and cloth and more products then most people even realize. But again, no......just like medical maryjane would put a dent in pharma profits, hemp would put a dent in the profits of major corporations that have grown fat and lazy and resistant to change. Well I think this country has shown it can usher in change when it focuses. So focus people focus. (and put down the J -- you know you can't focus on that shit). And let's, in the words of Peter Tosh, Legalize It!
NOTE (as a matter of fairness): There are some who think hemp & maryjane are illegal because of racism, and not because of any corporate action against it. I understand their point and will even concede that is possible racism had a hand in some parts of the anti-marijuana movement. But racism doesn't explain the non-drug hemp issue. What exactly does racism have to do with a farmer being able to grow a non-drug plant that can be used as food, or to make cloth, or even plastic (yeah, that's right, plastic!)? And more importantly, why can't the two theories survive side by side? The people who were racists back in the day were also the people who ran the corporations, right?
Friday, March 16, 2007
I think I may be sick . . .
Last night, Hubby & I caught the flick "300" - it was pretty good. My favorite part was (spoiler alert -- did my best to color match) when Leonides' wife, aka the Queen of Sparta, stabs and kills the corrupt councilman, whose name I can't remember, after he betrays her to the council even though he said he'd help her and even though she let him fuck her so he'd help her. I especially loved that she used his own words against him -- this won't be quick, you won't like this, etc. What a tough ass bitch -- it was awesome. Anyway, after the movie, we went to meet some friends of ours for what was supposed to be a couple of drinks. Next thing I knew it was 3AM and, well, I'd had a little more than a "couple" of drinks. I can't actually tell you how many, but there were shots involved, and that is never good, especially on a school night. Needless to say, when I got up this morning to go to work, I was feeling a little under the weather. But it wasn't too bad - at least it wasn't something a McDonald's coke couldn't fix (don't ask me why, but I believe McDonald's coke is the absolute best all around hangover cure ever -- not any coke will do either, it's gotta be McDonald's). Anyway - I'm sitting at my desk, drinking my coke, and starting to feel a little more human, tired as hell, but not sick anyway. And then I get an email from a friend with the following video:
(I tried like 300 times to embed the video, but Blogger sux ass and kept giving me a bogus error message, so you'll just have to go here to see it)
And now it's like I never even had the coke to begin with. Fuck. I don't think a coke is gonna do it this time. And I was so going to have steak tonight.
(I tried like 300 times to embed the video, but Blogger sux ass and kept giving me a bogus error message, so you'll just have to go here to see it)
And now it's like I never even had the coke to begin with. Fuck. I don't think a coke is gonna do it this time. And I was so going to have steak tonight.
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