Does Cannabis Truly Help AIDS Patients
Medical Cannabis:AIDS Patients in a Controlled Study Had Significant Pain Relief… AIDS patients suffering from debilitating nerve pain got as much or more relief by smoking marijuana as they would typically get from prescription drugs — and with fewer side effects — according to a study conducted under rigorously controlled conditions with government-grown pot.
In a five-day study performed in a specially ventilated hospital ward where marijuana patients smoked three marijuana cigarettes a day, more than half the participants tallied significant reductions in pain.
By contrast, less than one-quarter of those who smoked “placebo” medical marijuana, which had its primary psychoactive ingredients removed, reported benefits, as measured by subjective pain reports and standardized neurological tests.
Medical marijuana is something I have personally seen, and seen succeed. I know a man who used to be in the timber industry. At one point, a tree collapsed as he was cutting it down and landed on him, causing massive injuries including a broken back. He barely survived, and barely escaped paralysis, but suffers from intense pain from the lingering damage to his ribs and the section of crushed vertebrae in his back.
Now, he could be reliant on strong pain medications, narcotics like hydrocodone (commonly known as Vicodin) or oxycontin. His doctors are very willing to prescribe these for him. But these drugs can cause a lot of problems, especially when they are used for every-day pain management. They can cause digestive problems, such as nausea, vomiting, and constipation. They are addictive, and an overdose can be fatal. They can also heighten anxiety.
Instead, he has a medical marijuana permit for the state of Washington. I've spent a good deal of time looking for studies that show the benefits of marijuana. Instead I mostly encountered media reporting that such studies are generally blocked by the FDA and Federal drug law enforcement, such as in the New York Times. However, according to Wikipedia there are a good number of well-known and respected organizations that support medical marijuana use, including the American Medical Association, the American College of Physicians, the British Medical Association, Health Canada, and many more.
Instead of the side effects of pain pills, I see this man get significant pain relief. He tells me the marijuana eases the inflammation and the pain with far better results than narcotic pain killers. It allows him to function at a level he otherwise couldn't. Personally, I would much rather see someone using a substance like marijuana than taking narcotic pain killers on a daily basis. It's my experience that narcotics are far more addictive (if marijuana is even addictive at all, I don't believe it's addictive, just potentially habit forming like anything else people might really enjoy), and far more harsh on the body. When this man has no access to marijuana, he has no problem waiting until he does, except for the pain. He'll simply spend a lot more time sitting still and schedule additional acupuncture appointments.
To me, it seems sad that the American government is not more tolerant of using marijuana medicinally. Cancer, AIDS, painful permanent injuries, these are all very real things that thousands of people suffer from every day. Why not use every tool available? It is my feeling, that the Federal issue with medical marijuana has more to do with the fact that people can grow it themselves. The government can't tax it, the big drug companies can't patent it, and it can more easily get into the hands of recreational users. However, recreational users already have no problems accessing marijuana. Worse, the marijuana they are buying now is often from Mexico, where drug cartels are causing chaos and carnage to get it to them. Wouldn't home grown relief for cancer patients, chronic pain suffers, and others, be better?
As someone who has trained for various sports and with a personal trainer certification, I still prefer marijuana over narcotics. I can easily imagine people using it medicinally as much better able to digest and ingest a proper diet, without such interruptions as nausea and vomiting. I can also easily imagine them still being able to be active to the extent that their illness or injury will let them. Whereas, as someone very familiar with the effects of narcotic pain killers from previous surgeries and injuries, narcotics really throw you for such a loop, between messing with your stomach (after a few days of use, in my experience) and making your mind truly cloudy and drowsy, not much activity is accomplished.
Overall, I think it is far and away an excellent alternative to harsh narcotics. I look forward to a day when society and the federal government realize they have much more to worry about than the stigma, the difficulty of regulation, and the possibility for abuse, such as the health and well-being of it's citizens.
Sources:
Researches Find Study of Medical Marijuana Discourages - NYTimes.com, Gardiner Harris
Medical cannabis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, Wikipedia
L.A. County to Medical Marijuana Collectives: Stop! Or Else…What?
Well, the day both anticipated and feared by the medical marijuana community came today, when the new Los Angeles county law regulating Marijuana Dispensaries took effect.
A steady parade of filed into City Hall and paid their $324 registration fee, then were placed on the priority list of collectives that will be contacted within a month and notified if they are eligible to continue operation as a medical cannabis collective.
It was uncertain; however, what the outlook is for the more than 440 dispensaries that opened after the City Council imposed a cessation in November 2007. Many are ready to close, while still others hold out hope that a June 18 court hearing will topple the city law and allow them to continue operation.
Dear President Elect Obama;
Dude what is the change you keep talking about?
It looks like the same old crap all over. You know Status Quo, quid pro quo?
Hey if you want to make change happen, make a presidential decision and pardon all the Soldiers, Sailors and Marine vets who have now been busted for smoking marijuana. Doctors recognize it as helpful not harmful. Even the VA realizes that medical Marijuana is useful to aid the sick veterans who suffer from illness caused by Agent Orange from Vietnam days, to the PTSD of WWII through the Gulf & Afghanistan wars.
You have the chance to appoint a new Drug Tsar, choose one that understands the will of the people, and choose one that recognizes the sacrifice of our Soldier's, Sailors and Marines.
They sacrificed their lives and limbs for our freedom, suffered, bled and still suffer and bleed for their service to us. They still are sacrificing their freedom. We all owe them. We all voted and the many states have voted to allow medical use of marijuana, only to be thwarted time and again by Washington's hill of fools.
Please give back their dignity; please write a presidential executive order allowing medical marijuana use, for our veterans. Ease their suffering, you have the authority with the stroke of your pen you can make it so.
We have in our society a standard. Rules, a well defined measure of conduct. When these rules of society are broken there are penalties. For the most part we as Americans say yes, and work hard trying to stay within the rules of our society.
Most Americans try to live by the golden rule, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. A great motto and standard for us all.
We as Americans believe in freedom. So much so that we will oblige anyone who wants to try and take it by fighting them so we can keep it. Such as it was Prior to 1776, and after in 1812. Then again prior to 1876, and again in 1917 & lets we forget 1940's.
Did I mention 1950's and then again in the 1960' 70's.
In all of the aforementioned we lost over a million people. Good faithful, loyal, patriots. By Patriots I mean Men who are now dead, and gave up their lives. Many times they surrendered their life to save another brother in arms. But the issue is they sacrificed life and limb so that we could be able to pursue Life liberty and yes the rights afforded by the bill of rights.
Those who were not killed or maimed, those who are suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome and various other battlefield aliments. Or Chemical exposure or any number of other battle field ailments. Now get to come home to an apparently ungrateful nation. America is a nation of People who have apathy toward its vets.
I say apathy because we are willing to set back while they suffer, tucked neatly away out of site out of mind.
The purpose of this site is to enlighten our young Pot smokers to the world where it isn't just a recreational choice, but a matter of survival.
These souls suffer everyday with no appetite, nightmares, and night terrors, fear and pain. Veterans that are so sick and ailing that they would not eat or sleep were it not for the very herb you use just to escape reality?
They have a reality that will NEVER go away; even stoned they will deal with it.
So when you find this site, Jump on board and this train will ride all the way to Washington DC via your county, your state capital, and every other like minded person can wage this war to save our vets.
So sign up, sign on and let's roll.
http://shakedownstreet.ning.com
Over The Counter Prescription Drugs Vs. Medical Marijuana
The National debate concerning the legalization of cannabis and,of medical marijuana, continues to be a hot topic…and not just the general public. Within the Facebook community the groups such as “Moms for Marijuana” and “Baby Boomers for Medical Marijuana” have as their principal ambition educating people, testing the predetermined ideas and battling the lack of knowledge with the only effectual weapon… Knowledge! As medical cannabis gains national acceptance as an alternative medication for many ailments, medical marijuana will gain its rightful place in the medicine cabinets of America.
Michigan voters approved passage of the medical marijuana law in November 2008. The process for obtaining a permit is finally taking shape. On April 6, 2009, applicants for medical marijuana permits were allowed to apply to the Department of Community Health. A busload of Michigan residents made the trip to Lansing, the State Capitol, on April 6th to be the first to apply. State employees processed 101 applications the first day.
Michigan law allows for legal use of marijuana for the following conditions: Cancer, glaucoma, HIV or AIDS, Hepatitis C, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Cohn's Disease, Agitation of Alzheimer's Disease, Nail Patella or for a medical condition that produces pain , wasting syndrome, severe nausea, seizures, or muscle spasms.
The proposal allows patients to use marijuana after obtaining registry identification from the Michigan Department of Community Health. The process for obtaining a permit involves completion of application forms and certification by a physician and a fee of 100.00, 25.00 if you are on Medicaid or SSI. Anyone with the conditions mentioned above is eligible to apply. The Department of Health will verify the applicant's information within 15 days and the card must be issued within 5 days. The Marijuana website is: http://www.michigan.gov/mdch/0,1607,7-132-27417_51869—,00.html. You will find all of the forms and information there.
A primary caregiver can be assigned to be responsible for the patient's plants. Patients may possess 2.5 ounces each. The patient can choose to designate a primary caregiver but it is not required. A caregiver can be anyone over the age of 21 who has not been convicted of a felony involving illegal drugs. The caregiver may be responsible for as many as five patients.
Caregivers and patients will be allowed to grow 12 marijuana plants in an enclosed, locked facility. The Department of Community health has no part in the growing process. The new law does not provide advice on how to acquire marijuana legally.
The permit is a state issued ID car which will protect patients and caregivers from arrest for growing and using marijuana to treat ailments.
Currently there are no dispensaries in Michigan. Michigan joins a group of other enlightened states which recognizes the value of marijuana for medical purposes. These states include: Washington, Colorado, Hawaii, California, Nevada, and Montana.
Penalties for misuse of this law are steep. The law states: a caregiver or patient convicted of illegal sale “is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 2 years or a fine of not more than $2,000.00, or both, in addition to any other penalties for the distribution of marijuana.”
There has been much heated debate and discussion lately on CNN and other news channels about legalization or decriminalization of marijuana.
The impetus for these debates is the drug war being waged on the Mexican border. This is a debate that is long overdue. The loss of life over drugs is very foolish.
Humans have been consuming marijuana since pre-history. Evidence has been found as far back as 10,000 B.C. of human use of cannabis. During the 20th century, it became popular as a recreational drug but it has been used for centuries. Although much has been done to demonize the drug, the negative charges have not stood up to the test of time.
There has been a perpetuation of a myth alleging marijuana causes all manner of disorders including mental illness, advancement on to stronger drugs, birth defects, brain damage etc. The fact of the matter is that none of this is true. The foremost dangers posed by marijuana use are respiratory problems from smoking and injury during impairment.
Cannabis has become the largest cash crop in the United States accounting for 36 billion dollars in generated income.
The judicious thing for our country to do is to legalize this drug. The government will never be able to control production of the plants. Countless tax payer dollars are squandered yearly on a senseless drug war against marijuana when it is far less damaging than alcohol or tobacco, which are legal substances.
Hopefully other states will soon follow suit and legalize medical marijuana. The next step is decriminalization.
Oakland Medical Marijuna
Marijuana Medicine has a long history of helping, With the recent death of Heath Ledger due to prescription drugs| more and more patients looking at the prescription drugs and cannot help but be curious as to what their future holds. Doctors are so swift to write prescriptions for anti-depressants, painkillers, sleeping pills and tranquilizers. Most medical cannabis patients feel that they cannot function on the medications that they have been prescribed for pain, insomnia, depression, etc. and find that they function very well on medical marijuana.
While many people are finding relief from terrible diseases by smoking marijuana, there are also many people who believe that legislators should allow researchers more freedom to research this drug for legal medicinal usage. To date, 13 states have declared medical marijuana legal to use. The Supreme Court recently ruled that the federal government can continue to ban the use of medical marijuana. Justice Scalia writes that the federal government also has, under the commerce clause, the power to prohibit interstate commerce of this drug. Personal use of marijuana may not be commerce, but if our drug laws were working correctly, they would be perfectly enforced. Even as evidence mounts concerning the benefits of marijuana as a medicine, federal officials and agencies continue to bury their heads in the sand.
Written records on medicinal marijuana stretch back over 2000 years. It was first discovered in print in the 2nd century in a Chinese book of medicine. As far back as 1611, this plant was cultivated for its fiber in Jamestown, Virginia. In the 19th century, it was used to treat such ailments as spastic conditions, labor pains, insomnia, and even helped with appetite. It is still used as a medicine in the Middle East and Asia. Although modern technology medicine does not refer back to the medical practices of ancient civilizations, this only confirms that marijuana has had a significant medical history, and claims of its medicinal use were not just pulled out of nowhere.
Marijuana is a drug that comes from the dried, cut leaves of the hemp plant known as “cannabis sativa”. It goes by a number of street names such as “grass”, “Mary Jane”, “pot”, “reefer”, “herb”, and “weed”. The active ingredient in marijuana is delta tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). This ingredient targets Cannabinoid receptors that have been proven to cut tumor growth in half in common lung cancer. It has also been tested and researchers at Harvard University say it also significantly reduces the cancer's ability to spread. Cannabinoids are chemical substances in cannabis, or marijuana. Endocannabinoids are cannabinoids that are produced naturally in the body.
Montel Williams is a huge activist for legalizing medicinal marijuana since he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1999. He has debilitating knee and foot pain and has tried Oxycontin and a variety of other drugs with no relief. Then a doctor suggested he smoke pot and “immediately I slept through the night.” Williams is a registered medical marijuana user in California. He began pushing for medical marijuana laws after being stopped at a Detroit airport by an Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms officer for carrying drug paraphernalia. His charges were later dropped.
Williams told a Senate panel about his chronic pain and urged New Jersey to join 12 other states that have enacted these laws. The states that have currently legalized medical marijuana are: California, Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Maine, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, Montana, Vermont, and Rhode Island. New Mexico is planning on signing a bill in 2008. Williams will speak at two events in Trenton; a Drug Policy Alliance-sponsored news conference and a Senate hearing. Governor Jon S. Corzine of New Jersey said last year that he would sign a medical marijuana bill into law. “I break the law every day and I'll continue to break the law.” (Montel Williams)
This bill, sponsored by Sen. Nicholas Scutari (D-Union) lists cancer, HIV and AIDS, chronic pain, severe nausea, persistent muscle spasms and even glaucoma as conditions eligible for medical marijuana use. The legislation has never received a hearing, even though it has long been proposed. A 2002 poll found that 82 percent of the people in New Jersey supported allowing access to medical marijuana. Terrance P. Farley, an Ocean County assistant prosecutor told the Associated Press that the bill is only an attempt to legalize drugs. “This is how they're trying to get marijuana legalized”, he said.
Marijuana is listed in Schedule 1 of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), the most restrictive schedule. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) supports that placement because marijuana met the 3 criteria about this drug: 1) marijuana has high potential for abuse, 2) the drug has no currently accepted medical use in treatment, and 3) it has a lack of accepted safe use under medical supervision. The Federal government should, at the very least, possibly downgrade it to a Schedule II, since it has been accepted for medical use in the United States. A past evaluation by several agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), concluded that supported use of medical marijuana has no sound scientific studies and no human or animal data supported the safety or efficacy for general use.
During the Prohibition of Alcohol period (1920-1933), psychoactive properties of marijuana were left to criticism by the same forces that opposed the consumption of alcohol. Congress passed the Marijuana Tax Act in 1937, which made continual use of marijuana a criminal act. During hearings held before this act, a lone opponent, a representative of the American Medical Association (AMA), argued that banning marijuana should exempt it for medical purposes, at least. His testimony included the following:
There is positively no evidence to indicate the abuse of
cannabis (marijuana) as a medicinal agent or to show that
its medicinal use is leading to the development of cannabis
addiction. Cannabis at the present time is slightly used for
medicinal purposes, but it would seem worthwhile to main-
tain its status as a medicinal agent…. There is a possibility
that a re-study of the drug by modern means may show
other advantages to be derived from its medicinal use.
Marijuana was removed from the American pharmacopoeia in 1941, over AMA objections, and hope for further research or legal medical use came to a halt. In 1970, Congress restructured the drug laws with the Controlled Substances Act, which kept marijuana banned for medical use.
Marijuana has many substitutes, such as Marinol. Swallowing this substance, however, takes longer to work, has more adverse side effects and is more expensive. A year's supply can cost up to $15,000; too much, some said, for a flawed version of a weed that can be grown in any backyard. One reason many prefer to smoke marijuana rather than swallow Marinol is that it allows them to regulate the amount of THC that goes into their systems. Smoking allows an instant transmission of this ingredient to sites in the brain that control nausea, so when the anti-nausea effect wears off, they only need to smoke a little more if needed. Individual patients respond differently to different doses, and they can avoid taking too much, which is not possible with Marinol.
On the other hand, although several states have passed legal drug laws making smoked marijuana available for various medical conditions, the FDA, the DEA and the Office of National Drug Control Policy do not support the use of smoked marijuana for medicinal purposes. These measures go against their efforts to ensure that medications are proven safe and effective under the standards of the FD&C Act. Gov. Jon S. Corzine's proposal would allow chronically ill patients to medicinally smoke, eat or take marijuana in tablets. The program would be monitored by the State Health Department. The amount of marijuana would be capped at 1 ounce and the patients would be issued registered medical marijuana user cards. Bertha Madras, deputy director for demand reduction at the Office of National Drug Control Policy, said in a telephone interview: “We cannot base medical decisions on anecdotes.”
Researchers do not know why THC inhibits tumor growth; they say it is possible the substance activates molecules that arrest cell cycles. It may also interfere with angiogenesis and vascularization, which promotes the growth of cancer. Anju Preet, Ph.D., a researcher in the Division of Experimental Medicine says much work is needed to pave the pathway by which THC functions. “The beauty of this study is that we are showing that a substance of abuse, if used prudently, may offer a new road to therapy against lung cancer.” People hope that the federal courts and legislators will be allowed to take a closer look at the benefits, examine the evidence and conclude that we only want safe pain relief for the people who need it the most.
Medical Cannabis
Marijuana Medicine has a long history of helping, With the recent death of Michael Jackson due to prescribed medications| more and more patients are examining their pill bottles and cannot help but be curious as to what their future holds. Doctors are so swift to write prescriptions for anti-depressants, painkillers, sleeping pills and tranquilizers. Most medical cannabis patients feel that they cannot function on the medications that they have been prescribed for pain, insomnia, depression, etc. and find that they function very well on medical marijuana.
If we spoke a different language, we would perceive a somewhat different world.
- Ludwig Wittgenstein
Language is as organic as that Venus Fly Trap on your front porch. It also has a voracious appetite…It is as malleable and impressionist as silly putty, the primordial goo that sticks to the roof of our mouth (and yes, to our fingers) like peanut butter. It is an architectural wonder like Balboa Park and the Coronado Bridge, allowing our minds to traverse from one park to another, one body of land to another. It is visual acuity in that it can zoom-in and out like a telephoto lens directed at a sunflower or a point in space. It is power, and can shape and reshape the universe into a multiplicity of dimensions.
It’s also fun—like one of those floor-sized puzzles of the Eiffel Tower.
Some words don’t seem to have their meaning altered much. They exist—and persist—generation after generation. Contrary to the epigram from Wittgenstein, we really do speak a different language, and our worlds are perceived differently as a result. One could have fun arguing that we live in a multidimensional universe as a result of language, and that as a result, we speak, listen, and know our world through a multiplicity of languages (And I’m not only referring to those languages associated with national origin with their respective dialects…).
Think: VENN diagrams! Each rhetorical community to which we belong has its own language and/or lingo. We create our world—our experience—through language; in turn, it facilitates our experience of this world, doesn’t it? Families and other people who cohabitate or spend a considerable amount of time with each other come up with new words (and/or alter the meanings of words) in the same—or similar—ways that industries do when technological advances occur. When an object is created, it needs a name; calling it a “thingamajig”—or other similar labels - will only work for so long…When an experience is had, comparing it to other experiences may work for a time, but what if it doesn’t compare to anything you’ve experienced before? Doesn’t it deserve, doesn’t it call for, a new word to describe it? If we don’t have a new word, and can’t seem to agree upon one, we can point to that thing and/or experience for only so long. What if we can’t duplicate the thing or the process or the experience? We don’t want to forget it, right? We want to share it with others, right? Maybe we even way to patent it or make it or do it or share it.
It needs a name to perpetuate its existence as well as to identify its existence to others…
So, since neologisms, idiomatic language, and slang are thought-provoking categories for exploration (and also make for fun group projects), I asked my two summer school classes to assume they were linguists and contemporary socio-cultural anthropologists gathering and recording data. I asked them to discuss word categories, definitions, and examples.
Here are some highlights from their expedition:
Word: Lackies
Definition: Referring to people who just sit around talking about Magic, The Gathering card game, Star Wars, Pokemon cards, and play gameboy the entire day before and after class.
Example:
‘Hey Chuy! Let’s hang out. Just a minute…I have to ask this guy something.’
‘Fine. So hang out with the lackies, you lackie.’
Word: Simon
Definition: Someone who tells you something about things or people with extreme exaggeration and later finds out it is a lie or is just plain crap.
Example:
‘Dude, you gotta play this video game. It’s freaking awesome. Anyone who’s anyone plays this game.’ Later, after buying the game and finding out I hate it and return it for a refund, my other friend says, ‘Man, he bust a Simon on you.’
(J. P.)
These three slang terms hail from the Caribbean!
Word: Hey Ma
Definition: Hey Girl
Word: Skettel
Definition: Someone who has sex with a lot of people.
Word: Cockle
Definition: Another term for a female sleeping around.
These two hail from Hawaii:
Phrase: da kine
Definition: Used when communicating something implied, but too lazy to finish the sentence.
Example: ‘I’m hungry…let’s go to da kine.’ This means the usual place these two eat together. Most people just think this phrase refers to marijuana.
Word: bannang
Definition: A person who looks Asian on the outside and acts white from inside.
(M. B., D.H., D.R., and D.W.)
Word: tight
Definition: likeable, cool, in fashion.
Example: ‘Those new pair of shoes are tight!’
Word: turn-two
Definition: Get going. Let’s move on.
Example: ‘All right people…let’s turn-two.’ (NOTE: As you say this, make the “two” sign with your two fingers and flip your hand back-and-forth.)
(H.E., M.H., S.M., E.M., and C.F.)
Word: shema
Definition: to evoke empathy.
Word: sicky-gnar
Definition: good; overwhelming.
Word: M.I.L.F.
Definition: An acronym for ‘mother I’d love to fuck’.
Word: gromm
Definition: child surfer
(C.W., A.H., M.M., and R.S.)
Here’s one from Alabama:
Word: buggy
Definition: a shopping cart.
Here’s a few from Minnesota:
Word: uff-da
Definition: Norweigian term used to express disgust or used in place of ‘my goodness’.
Example: “Uff-da—it’s hot outside!”
Word: Bucket
Definition: Another name for a woman’s purse.
Example: ‘Hey—look at my brand new bucket!’
Word: yaontoo (ya-on-too)
Definition: Do you want to or would you like to?
Example: ‘I’m going to the mall. You can come if yaontoo.’
Word: Nambit (name-bit)
Definition: Norwegian term used to express surprise or shock.
Example: If something happens that you can’t believe, you may say, ‘Nambit—honestly.’
I don’t believe these are from Minnesota…
Phrase: off the braken
Definition: cooler than cool
Phrase: That was bomady!
Definition: that blows your head, crying tears funny.
(B.E., A.A., I.A., and F.S.)
Word: shomgo
Definition: klutz; dumbass.
Example: ‘I tripped over the curb and felt like such a shomgo.’
Word: snugs
Definition: cuddly dog
Phrase: Mickey Mouse
Definition: being resourceful.
Example: ‘I couldn’t find the tool so I Mickey-Moused it.’
Word: groovy
Definition: out-dated; out-of-style
Example: ‘Man, look at her outfit—it’s so groovy she should change!”’
(D.P., D.S., F.S., M.K., and J.P.)
Here are a two “lop-offs”, or words that are broken up and stand for an entire word:
Word: inad
Definition: inadmitted
Word: depo
Definition: deported
Word: scooter
Definition: a motorcycle or a little car
Phrase: scooter trash
Definition: Harley Davidson rider
Word: skidlid
Definition: helmet
Word: spider
Definition: pubic hair
(S.M., K.N., C.L., and C.E.)
Word: Falcon
Definition: Calling dibs on hitting on a girl when with a group of guys.
Phrase: Junk in the Trunk
Definition: Voluptuous gluteus maximus
Word: Bangin’
Definition: A party that is the place to be…a tight party.
Phrase: Off-the-hook
Definition: Extremely cool.
(B.L., V.L., J.P., and I.A.)
Word: geterdone (get her done)
Definition: Go for it. Just do it. Motivational.
Example: ‘If you want to become an actor, you can’t lie around all day; just geterdone’ (David Jaimes).
Phrase: butter face
Definition: referring to someone who portrays an ‘ugly’ face.
Example: ‘Man, she has a beautiful body, but that butter face fucks her up’ (David Jaimes).
Phrase: Jimmy Legs
Definition: Sporadic, or sudden outbursts while sleeping in legs (e.g., shaking leg).
Example: ‘I couldn’t sleep last night because she has the Jimmy Legs and she kicked me all night long.’
Word: teabaggin’
Definition: to suck someone’s testicles
Example: ‘She was teabaggin’ me yesterday.’
(O.C., K.T., and D.J.)
Word: 143
Definition: ‘I love you’ (in text messaging)
Word: LOL
Definition: Lots of Laughs [NOTE: This is a separate, but similar, definition to “LOL”, which in computer-speak translates as “laughing out loud”.]
Example: ‘The comedian, Steve Harvey, was funny. He was LOL.’
(I.B., J.F., A.A., and J.B.)
Word: winger
Definition: A long fall before the rope catches you.
Example: ‘Hey Dude! I took a winger and thought that I was going to die.’
Word: P.F.T.
Definition: Physical Fitness Test
Example: We have a P.F.T. today.
Word: crater
Definition: Hit the ground
Example: ‘I fell and almost cratered.’
Word: open-book
Definition: A place in a rock from 0 degrees to 150 degrees.
Example: ‘The open-book had some interesting moves.’
Word: ruster-tail
Definition: The tail of water made when skiing.
Example: I was ripping and made some ruster-tails.
(Y.A., N.A., T.P., A.A., R.S., and B.K.)
Let’s here it for the Summer of 2005 English 101 and 205 students! (sound of applause…)
Stay tuned for Part II in September, where I will be offer some linguistical delights from Science and Speculative Fiction world builders. Just to give you a little taste, here are a few from Boort, one of my multi-faceted fictional projects:
Word: Sozar (So-zharr)
Definitions: 1. an expletive like “awesome”; 2. a swear word (depending upon tone); 3. said as a toast and/or to congratulate someone; and 4. something said in frustration.
Examples:
“Sozar! I can’t seem to find the portal to return home to Boort.”
“The Boortian Ambassador just hired you as her personal assistant? Sozar to you!”
Word: Poochi Bug
Definitions: A type of honey-making “insect” (for want of a better category) that flies but can also maneuver on—and in - the ground. Their tiered hives can range in height from a few feet to over twenty-feet. Circumferences range in size as well. It is believed that certain types of Poochi Bugs burrow deep into the ground as well. They are considered to be poisonous to most humanoid species. The Poochi Bug and its behavior is a rich source of metaphor in the Boortian language group.
Examples:
“I wouldn’t go out tonight if I were you…The Poochi Bugs are too quiet.”
“Please join me for an aperitif—it’s made with the finest Poochi Bug honey.”
“Those Terrans have much to learn about our style of transgalactic trade negotiating. They’re larval at best.” (This is reference to Poochi Bug larvae. Just prior to hatching, they wriggle out of the hive, thus leaving themselves susceptible to other predators such as the Mora Blossom. The Mora Blossom is a plant know for its exquisite fragrance; it exists in a symbiotic relationship with the Mora Spider, another deadly creature. Interesting to note, however, is that the Mora Spider’s venom has psychotropic properties. There is also a belief that individuals with the appropriate genetic codes are capable of transdimensional travel once bitten.)
“You really need a vacation…You look like you’ve been building hives.” (This is a reference to the Poochi Bug Hives which are constructed much like a village. It also references the underground activities of certain clandestine movements engaged in transgalactic political schemes.)
Can I get addicted to Marijuana?
Cannabis is not physically addictive, despite what many anti-cannabis people want us to believe. Medical Marijuana users can use it regularly, even multiple times daily, without any problem giving it up.
The National Enquirer is claiming that Track Palin, the eldest son of Republican Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin, was a drug-addicted hard-partying teenager whose participation in a monumental act of vandalism forced him to choose between jail or the Army. Using unnamed sources in and around Wasilla, Alaska, the Palin family's hometown, the Enquirer alleges that it discovered that Track Palin was addicted to Oxycontin, a powerful pain killer, for the better part of the past two years.
Sarah Palin, Track's mother, was present at the send-off for her son Track's Army unit, which was being deployed to the Iraq. Acting in her capacity as the Governor of Alaska, she gave a speech to the troops in which she told the soldiers that they were taking on the enemies of America, including terrorists responsible for the 9/11 Attacks.
An enthusiastic suporter of the Iraq War, Sarah Palin has told the press that she is proud of her son's service with the U.S. Army.
The National Enquirer justifies its digging into Sarah Palin's family background on the grounds that she is exploiting her family for political ends. Palin has been using Track Palin's enlistment in the Army and his imminent service in Iraq to make political capital. During the interview with ABC News' Charles Gibson, she made what might be a Freudian slip, insisting that Track's decision to join the Army was his “independent” decision, and his decision alone. The National Enquirer believes that a judge encouraged the youngster to serve his country rather than serve time in jail.
In its most recent issue, the National Enquirer is expanding on its “revelations” that Sarah Palin allegedly had an affair with her husband's business partner. The Enquirer has cast a broader net and is now published “revelations” about her children.
The super rmarket tabloid alleges that her son Track Palin and her daughter Bristol are “hard partiers” with a taste for dope (and in Bristol's case, for fooling around with all comers). Whether the revelations are true likely is beside the point. The John McCain-Sarah Palin campaign is being criticized by the liberal and moderate press for trafficking in lies and for being engaged in the sleaziest electioneering since the knock-out, drag-out electoral fights of the 19th Century. The editors of the Enquirer would argue that Sarah Palin, as an Evangelical Christian, is conversant with the Bible: What you sow, you shall reap.
What Sarah Palin has reaped is a story claiming that her 19-year-old son Track is an OxyContin addict. A powerful analgesic that has become popular with substance abusers, OxyContin is nick-named “Hillbilly heroin.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration describes the drug thusly: “OxyContin® is a prescription painkiller used for moderate to high pain relief….OxyContin® contains oxycodone, the medication's active ingredient, in a timed-release tablet. Oxycodone products have been illicitly abused for the past 30 years.”
It is a Schedule II narcotic analgesic.
The DEA notes that the problem with OxyContin addiction reached Alaska and Hawaii in the early parts of the decade.
According to the anonymous Wasilla source that gave the Enquirer the skinny on Track's bad-boy ways, Track has even gone so far to snort and inject OxyContin for a better high.
In the recent Saturday Night Live episode, with Tina Fey portraying Sarah Palin, the simulacrum of the Republican Vice Presidential nominee says, “What an amazing time we live in to think that just two years ago, I was a small-town mayor of America's crystal meth capital, and now I am just one heartbeat away from being the President of the United States,” Fey chirped.
Bristol Palin also comes under the microscope for more scrutiny by the supermarket tabloid. The Enquirer, citing “another family friend” as a source, is quoted saying, “Bristol was a huge stoner and drinker. I've seen her smoke pot and get drunk and make out with so many guys. All the guys would brag that the just made out with Bristol.”
Sarah Palin allegedly was so outraged at her daughter's getting knocked up, she banished her from the governor's mansion in Juneau. Bristol Palin went to live with Sarah's sister, until the family was reunited to further the governor's career.
Bad Boy
The National Enquirer's source also characterized Track Palin as manipulative, using his mother's status as a heavyweight Republican politician in Alaska (she was the mayor of Wasilla for eight years) to get sex from the local girls. He allegedly also manipulated his male friends into stealing things for him.
Track Palin also allegedly loved to drink and smoke marijuana and was involved in an incident in which 44 school buses were vandalized in 2005. Four teenagers were involved in the incident, and three were caught and sentenced by the courts to pay restitution and serve a sentence of in-house arrest. Two members of the posse that vandalized the buses has never been revealed.
The progressive radio station 1080 KUDO (Anchorage) reported a fortnight ago that Track Palin was the fourth, unidentified teenager who took part in the rampage. Citing an anonymous courthouse sources, KUDO reported that Track, who was then 16 years old, initiated the incident when he stole a bottle of booze. The drunken teenagers then deflated the tires on 44 buses and broke the mirrors and disconnected the engine block heaters (a necessity in freezing Alaska) of 110 buses.
The vandals were nothing if not industrious. The attack was carried out in sub-zero temperatures.
A National Enquirer writer appearing on the Howard Stern Show on radio claimed that Track, whose involvement in the episode of vandalism was covered up, was ordered by the judge to join the Army or be sanctioned by the court.
The New York Daily News disputes the allegation that Track Palin was part of a gang that vandalized the school buses. The Daily News interviewed 20-year-old Deryck Harris, who was convicted of participating in the incident and was sentenced to pay $4,000 in restitution and put in household detention for 90 days. That entailed his wearing an electronic ankle bracelet to monitor his whereabouts. He also was sentenced to perform community service and was put on probation for give years
“Track wasn't with me,” Harris told the Daily News. “Track had nothing to do with it,”
Harris told the Daily News that Track was one of his buddies, but that he wasn't there the night of the incident. He also denies that his friend was forced to join the service. “I talked to him before he joined, and he was trying to decide between the Marines and the Army,” Harris told the Daily News. It was totally his decision.”
Harris' contention that Track Palin was not one of the unidentified teens who took place in the vandalism incident was confirmed by a mother of another boy who was convicted of the crime. According to Capi Coon, “Track Palin was not involved.”
Sources:
National Enquirer, “PALIN FAMILY SHOCKERS: WHAT SARAH'S REALLY HIDING!”
New York Daily News, “Reports that Track Palin vandalized school buses aren't true, says pal”
Additional Links:
What Books Did Sarah Palin Try to Have Banned from the Wasilla Public Library?
Was Sarah Palin a Buchanannite? Did She Support Pat Buchanan's Presidential Campaign in 2000?
What College Did Sarah Palin Graduate From? What was Her Major in College?
How Old is Sarah Palin? What Generation Does She Belong To? is She a Member of Generation X?
Fear and Loathing Cannabis in Las Vegas
Thanks to medical marijuana it seems that Nev…of all states, is looking at getting involved in the distribution of medical cannabis. I'm currently in Las Vegas right now doing a little research into the different medical marijuana doctors offices that are here, if any.
James Riddle Hoffa, more commonly known as Jimmy Hoffa, was born in Indiana to a poor family. From these humble beginnings, he rose to be perhaps the most prominent figure in labor union history. Hoffa’s father died when Hoffa was quite young and this led to Hoffa travel to Michigan where he began working in warehouses as on of the lowest workers in the shop. He got to see first hand how management treated the workers and laborers. Not long after this Hoffa organized a labor strike over the worker mistreatment. Having found his calling, his days as a worker were numbered as his union potential started to unfold. Hoffa rose through the ranks of the Teamster’s Union which was also know as the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
By way of review, labor unions had developed in response to the mistreatment of workers and poor working conditions that had long plagued industry in the . The unions gave the common worker a collective voice on issues such as wages, retirement, work schedules and other issues related to the worker’s welfare. However, some would argue that the cure was not much better than the problem. The primary focus of the various unions was to work for and advocate the worker. However, all too often things such as graft, bribery, intimidation, embezzlement, outright violence and ties to organized crime quickly became a reality of the unions.
Hoffa’s Teamsters were ultimately one of the largest unions in the country. The Teamster’s name came from their original work description where a teamster would run a team of oxen to pull a cart. However, the modern day version of the Teamster when Hoffa came to power was in shipping, trucking and the delivery of various goods which included the over-the-road transportation industry. When Hoffa took control of the Teamster’s in 1957, the former president had been sent to prison. Hoffa, however, didn’t let this concern him and he wasted no time in seeking to further the Teamster’s presence and scope. Hoffa saw the Teamster’s expand across the country and by the early 1960’s had succeeded in bringing nearly all of the over-the-road truckers in the country under one national contract. From here Hoffa decided to expand even further to include even airline pilots. However, this raised the concern of governmental regulators out of fear that having virtually all shipping and transportation in the country under the umbrella of one union would create a situation where a strike could potentially cripple the economy of the country. Hoffa’s plan for further expansion ultimately never happened.
However one of the main concerns that many had in regard to Hoffa was his ties to organized crime. It was these very ties to organized crime that allowed Hoffa to assume the control of the Teamsters and in return, Hoffa allowed organized crime to exert control over the union. Essentially this meant that through the Mafia’s control, they could force certain strikes or resort to blackmail to gain profits from different locals and businesses. As well, via kick backs and deals signed by the local unions with the Teamsters, Hoffa and the other union leaders grew rich while the individual workers suffered. However, Hoffa, the master tactician was able to play people against each other and did this to his initial benefit with the mafia.
However, Hoffa’s grasp on the unions started to falter. In 1967, Hoffa was convicted of attempting to bribe a grand juror and was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison; however, his sentence was commuted by President Nixon to time served on the condition that he not be involved in Union activities for a period of 10 years.
Several years later when Hoffa was to meet with some mob leaders in Michigan, he disappeared from the Machus Red Fox restaurant near Detroit. Since his disappearance, the location of his body and his ultimate fate continue to fuel wide speculation and conspiracy theories that persist even today. While Hoffa would have secured his place in history due to his role in expanding the Teamsters; his true place in history has been cemented not because of anything that he did, but by his disappearance, likely murder and the continued search for his body.
Some of the more popular theories are that his body is in the New Jersey Turnpike, was dumped into one of the Great Lakes, buried under Giant’s Stadium, was put in a car that was compacted, was buried in either Michigan, New Jersey or New York or was even buried in Elvis’ grave. Several criminals with Mafia ties have reported that he was placed in the trunk of a car which was then destroyed and likely recycled. They went on to say that Hoffa was now a car bumper.
Since his disappearance in 1975, there have been a number of leads that have been pursued by authorities; however, none have developed to the point of a criminal indictment nor have they revealed the location of Hoffa’s remains. DNA belonging to Hoffa was found in a car whose owner had earlier said that Hoffa had never been in the car, but again, no indictment resulted.
Other leads from people with Mafia ties have recently been explored, but then dismissed without a great deal of attention. However, earlier this month, the FBI began examining a farm known as the Hidden Dreams Farm in Milford Township, Michigan, a community 45 miles northwest of Detroit. The FBI has had more than 40 agents and specialists searching the 85 acre farm and have recently begun taking down a large barn on the site to examine what may be underneath. The FBI is keeping silent on the subject, but aerial photos have shown a great deal of activity on the property.
The Detroit Free Press has reported that a 75 year old federal prisoner supplied information that lead to the search. It appears that the prisoner, who is in jail on marijuana charges, lived on the farm at the time of Hoffa’s disappearance. The farm is also only about 20 miles away from where Hoffa vanished. The Free Press has also reported that the prisoner had, as early as 1976, offered to provide information to the FBI on the location of Hoffa’s remains, but the FBI was not then interested. Even recently, the FBI was initially standoffish according to the paper so much so that the prisoner had to threaten to go to the media with the information. However the FBI ultimately listened and has begun their search. Apparently the prisoner and another man were present around the time of Hoffa’s disappearance when several others, with a backhoe dug a hole and placed a cylinder shaped object covered with plastic in the hole. One of the men present, Rolland McMaster, an associate of Hoffa’s, according to the prisoner, said words to the effect of, “there goes Hoffa.”
The current search has forensic specialists, cadaver sniffing dogs, ground penetrating radar and even a private contractor assisting in the demolition of structures on the property.
While it is impossible to say if Hoffa has finally been found, while the FBI is appears as of May 30th has suspended their search of the property, it is clear they are serious about looking for him when they receive a lead they believe is credible.
Hoffa’s son presently heads the Teamsters and his daughter is a judge in Missouri.
Meidcal 420 and HIV-AIDS
THC, the main chemical component in medical cannabis, is a natural antiemetic and can help battle chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV). CINV can cause patients to stop much needed treatment due to the intolerable side effects. Although recent advances have resulted in new medications to fight CINV, some patients prefer using a more natural way to treat these symptoms. Many Marijuana Medicine Evaluation Centers patients report improvement in their quality of life with less CINV when they use medical marijuana before, during, and after their chemotherapy treatments.
When I first discovered we would be doing a presentation on gays and lesbians with drug and alcohol problems, I thought to myself, 'This should be interesting.' I assumed it would be incredibly difficult to gather information on a topic so foreign to me. To my surprise, I became very interested and found it difficult to stop reading and researching. Overall, homosexuals and heterosexuals alike can become addicted to any substance over long periods of use. The unique differences really depend on the complex circumstances in the lives of homosexuals; factors that straight people don't encounter because they're straight. As Social and Human Service workers, I feel that awareness, understanding, and education on both the homosexual piece and substance abuse is critical in being truly effective helpers and effective citizens of our community. It is my idea to enlighten the reader of both subjects.
Homosexuality is not a choice. Whether it is a genetic make-up or environmental has been long disputed. In fact the difference in opinion began in the 1800's in Germany by Magnus Hirschfeld who formed the first gay rights movement. In this same country during WWII, homosexuals in concentration camps were identified by a mandatory necklace. Now the inverted pink triangle is worn by many in remembrance of those who died in such horrific conditions. (Marcus) Imagine being singled out and despised by thousands. Tortured, killed, and belittled simply because of being 'different'. Time has passed yet we still see the same hate crimes going on every day, and we're not Nazis and this isn't WWII. The reason why one is homosexual becomes less important when one thinks about it.
Homosexuals are as human as everyone else in the world. The only difference is truly the amount of stereotyping and discrimination that goes hand in hand with gays and lesbians being open. They face multitudes of acceptance issues from everyone around them. This includes their family, employers, friends, priests, and even perfect strangers on the street, treating the homosexual person in a completely different manner than they would have before coming out the closet. People don't understand the concept of being gay or lesbian and most aren't afraid to admit that they wish not to understand it. It may be human nature, based on the fact we evolved as woman and man for thousands of years, or simply because we are ignorant and do not want to be educated on the topic. Either way, the gay or lesbian person is a person who is attracted to a partner of the same sex.
GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bi-sexual, Transgender) work, play and relax in much of the same ways straight people do. They aren't gay on purpose, it is not a phase that one will grow out of, and it's definitely not contagious. GLBT are not all carrying AIDS or HIV. They cannot go to psychotherapists to take away and remodel their behaviors to “cure” them of being gay. It is no longer a mental disease in the DSM-IV. (Marcus) They don't flaunt their gayness just to show off, either. As someone once said,” Why would I choose to be something that would horrify my parents, get me fired from my job, and allow me to get beat up and nearly killed by strangers on the street?” Get the idea. Stereotypes are everywhere and I could spend all day just touching the tip of the iceberg with them. My point is simply that education and awarness is key to having a better understanding of the GLBT crowd.
Now getting into the substance abuse part of it is a little interesting and hard to define. Most people will become addicted to any substance if they use it enough. I smoke cigarettes and although I have tried to quit for many years without success, I have smoked for half of my lifetime. I am only 29. So what does that say? Dis I choose to get addicted? The answer is no, of course not. But what is common is the experiment of a drug, and its rather quick addiction process. Many GLBT find it hard to come out of the closet, meet partners, and deal with the stressors that many of us don't have to. I started smoking to be cool, which then lead to a need, and lastly an addiction to a substance that I thought was only 'social'. Environment, inner feelings, life cycles play an important role in the addictions of many gay or lesbian individuals.
For instance, the 'gay bars' are a commonly accepted place for GLBT. (Young)Ever notice that there are not many social clubs, meeting areas, or gatherings solely based for homosexuals? It should be no surprise then to note that there are 83% lesbians and 68% gay males during adolescence who use alcohol. (Forney)This is when most people start to identify themselves as homosexuals or at least experiment with the idea. Substances are also common in bars, such as marijuana, opiates, and pills, which relaxes a person. He or she can mingle more freely, while others just feel more attractive. The rate of drug use is above 40% in both males and females. (Forney)
There are clubs and organizations, but the mainstream public is not ready to accept a great deal of them quite yet. PFLAG (a support group), Gay Pride Marches( in June across the country since 1960's), and AA (open alcoholic support groups) are among the most common of groups and marches. Perhaps in some states, such as New York and California, society is willing to allow social settings in great numbers, but I don't see many in Bangor, Maine. In fact last voting season, when we were asked to vote on Gay Marriage, bumper stickers got as bad as the city's thoughts on Bush! However, gay bars welcome their visitors and allow them to feel familiar and not as judged. The down side to that is many people become addicted as a result.
Another interesting aspect of substance abuse is the fact that because men and women usually do not settle down into a marriage and decide to carry and give birth to children, most people do not stop their drug and alcohol use and abuse at age 30 as most of us do. For instance, Mary is twenty eight years old and her and her husband have always been social drinkers. Every weekend they hold football and basketball parties at their home, inviting many friends, and ultimately have a great time. They decide to conceive. They have been married for three years, and now is the time. Mary stops drinking and her husband decides to have a party once a month at their home instead of weekly.
Now, where would the gay or lesbian fit into this scenario. The gay couple will not be married, cannot carry a baby for nine months in the womb, and friends may not even exist in some cases. The general reason why some people grow out of drinking is because life almost demands them to. Although there are some women who continue to use while pregnant, I like to think many stop for the sake of their child and settle down into parenthood; but not the gay couple, or the lesbian couple.
Lastly, it's no wonder that homosexuals use drugs to musk over their pain. The feelings and perpetuated ideas of gays or lesbians that children face in school and from their own parents is horrendous. I cannot imagine growing up as a lesbian and hearing my mother say hateful things about other homosexuals in non chelate way. Also, the boys hear things all the time about 'faggots' and 'homos.' I don't believe anyone would be able to hide themselves from the world in such a way and for so long without turning to drugs and alcohol to elevate some of the negativity and twist of false identity.
A wise man once said, “The difference of what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve all the problems in the world.” And I would have to agree with Gandhi. If we as people in this huge world can become a little more understanding and a lot more educated, discriminations, judgements, and many of this planet's worries would cease. I hope I can change the minds of all who read this; as I have changed my own.
[flickr(medical Marijuana}]
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