Monthly Archives: May 2013

Vermont Becomes the 17th State to Decriminalize Marijuana

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“State lawmakers gave final approval Monday to a measure that will decriminalize possession of limited amounts of marijuana in Vermont.  The bill will now be transmitted to Gov. Peter Shumlin, who is expected to sign it into law in coming weeks, at which time Vermont will become the 17th state in the nation to decriminalize or legalize marijuana.  House Bill 200, introduced by Rep. Christopher Pearson (P-Burlington) with a tripartisan group of 38 co-sponsors, will remove criminal penalties for possession of up to one ounce of marijuana and replace them with a civil fine, similar to a traffic ticket.”

http://www.thedailychronic.net/2013/17873/vermont-legislature-passes-marijuana-decriminalization-gov-shumlin-expected-to-sign-bill-into-law/

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Medbox: Dawn of the Marijuana Vending Machine

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“‘We are in the right place at the right time,’ says Bruce Bedrick, a 44-year-old chiropractor, occasional pot user, and chief executive officer of Medbox (MDBX), maker of one of the world’s first marijuana vending machines. ‘We are planning to literally dominate the industry.’  Medbox’s core product resembles a Redbox DVD dispenser, only it’s black, refrigerated, and armored. Bedrick avoids the term vending machine because you can’t just saunter up to a Medbox, put in a few bills, and walk away with a stash of weed. The devices sit behind sales counters at state-licensed marijuana dispensaries.”

http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-05-09/medbox-dawn-of-the-marijuana-vending-machine

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Tommy Chong claims cannabis helped cure his prostate cancer

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“Tommy Chong, the veteran star of the dope-fuelled Cheech and Chong films, says he has beaten prostate cancer with a combination of cannabis use and a special diet. Chong, 74, was diagnosed with cancer in June last year following a three-year period in which he said he had been drug free. He now says he is 99% free of the disease after a Canadian doctor helped him change his diet to include a variety of special supplements, as well as hemp oil. He then sat for a number of sessions with a practitioner named Adam Dreamhealer, described as a ‘world-renowned healer’.”

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/05/13/tommy-chong-claims-cannabis-helped-cure-his-prostate-cancer/

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Montana’s Medical Marijuana Industry Goes Down

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“The drop was driven in part by a tougher 2011 law on medical marijuana use and distribution. But more than anything, marijuana advocates say, the demise of the once-booming medical pot industry was the result of the largest federal drug-trafficking investigation in the state’s industry. The three-year investigation by the U.S. attorney’s office, the DEA and other federal agencies wrapped up last week when the last of 33 convicted defendants was sentenced. That allowed its architect, U.S. Attorney Michael Cotter, to speak publicly for the first time on the crackdown. Cotter said he believes he is on the right side of history, regardless of what is happening in the country.”

http://www.businessinsider.com/montana-medical-marijuana-federal-crackdown-2013-5

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USPS to raise stamp prices again, blames shrinking delivery volume

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“The U.S. Postal Service board will look into hiking postage prices on all types of mail, as losses continue to plague the agency, the chief of the board said Friday. It would affect those sending first-class mail, the most common type of mail consumers use, as well as businesses that mail periodicals, newspapers, magazines and marketing material.   In the three months ended March 30, the agency lost $1.9 billion.  The service was hurt as the volume of first-class mail decreased by 4.3%, said USPS chief financial officer Joseph Corbett.  ‘It’s extremely difficult to compete with free,’ Corbett said, referring to electronic bill paying.”

http://money.cnn.com/2013/05/10/news/economy/postal-service-financials/index.html

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Monsanto: Big Guy on the Block When it Comes to Friends in Washington

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“Justice Clarence Thomas was on the bench, hearing the case with the other justices. Thomas worked as a corporate lawyer for Monsanto in the 1970s. Thomas has participated in at least one other case involving the company, Monsanto v. Geertson, which resulted in a favorable decision for Monsanto.  Clarence Thomas aside, Monsanto has plenty of other ties to Washington. Eight lawmakers own stock in Monsanto, including Sen. Kay Hagan (D-N.C.) and Reps. Dave Camp (R-Mich.), Joe Kennedy III (D-Mass.), Alan Lowenthal (D-Calif.), Michael McCaul (R-Texas), Jim Renacci (R-Ohio), Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) and Fred Upton (R-Mich.).”

http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2013/02/monsanto.html

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Monsanto wins patent lawsuit against farmer who bought grain from elevator

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“A long-lasting court fight over patented soybeans is over, and agribusiness giant Monsanto has won.  In a decision issued today, the US Supreme Court ruled 9-0 that Monsanto must be allowed to patent its seeds—and it must be able to punish farmers who try to dodge the patents. Monsanto sued, saying that even though the farmer didn’t sign a contract, by reproducing its patented seeds he had committed patent infringement. Bowman lost in the lower courts and was ordered by pay $30,000, which has now grown to more than $80,000 with interest. Last year, the Supreme Court agreed to take the case; oral arguments were held in February.”

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2013/05/supreme-court-wont-let-farmer-dodge-monsantos-patented-seeds/

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Affordable Care Act Summary for Self-Employed, Unemployed, and Early Retirees

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“Much of the discussion around The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) aka Affordable Care Act aka Obamacare has been about politics. For most full-time workers that wish to keep their employer-provided health insurance, little will change. However, things will be very different for the self-employed, unemployed, uninsured, and those seeking semi-retirement or early retirement. You can use it even if you already have employer-provided insurance, although you may become ineligible for certain tax credits. There’s way too much information to cover everything, but here’s my summary of the developments.”

http://www.mymoneyblog.com/affordable-care-act-self-employed.html

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Half of families suffer in NHS hospitals, study finds

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“Despite tens of billions of pounds being invested in the NHS, 46 per cent of respondents said they thought standards of care had declined over the past ten years, while just 20 per cent thought standards had risen.  Sixteen per cent said they had personally experienced poor care, while another 30 per cent said their relatives had suffered poor care in the past decade – a total of 46 per cent.  The figures come in the wake of the Mid Staffs scandal, in which patients were found to be left drinking from flower vases because they were so neglected.  NHS casualty units have become like ‘warzones’ with medics fighting a losing battle to cope with an increasing tide of patients.”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/10048475/Half-of-families-suffer-in-hospital-study-finds.html

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The First Obamacare Tax That Went Into Effect

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EPJ13

“Slipped into the bill by Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) behind closed doors in the middle of the night, the Obamacare 10 Percent Excise Tax on Indoor Tanning replaced the planned Obamacare ‘Botax’ on cosmetic surgery and has been in effect since July 2010.  Industry estimates from the Indoor Tanning Association show that 30 million Americans visit an indoor tanning facility in a given year, and over 50 percent of salon owners are women.  There is no exception granted for those making less than $250,000.  Obamacare taxes will eventually impact everyone. It is estimated that Obamacare will result in more than 20 new taxes.”

http://www.economicpolicyjournal.com/2013/05/the-first-obamacare-tax-will-go-into.html

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