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Home / Opinion (Page 4)

Category: Opinion

How dumb can a cop get?

By February 2, 2009 1

How about…

…a police officer can so be so dumb that they’d consider a 14 year old child “savvy” to impersonate a police officer for five hours. Don’t believe me? Here’s the article: 14-year-old boy impersonates cop, police say. Now, this part of the article had me laughing and in tears, literally:

The boy identified himself as an officer from another district but was detailed for the day to Grand Crossing and also was savvy enough to sign out a police radio and a ticket book, according to a source. The source also said the boy went on traffic stops with the officer he went on the street with.

This wasn’t some kid who came just upon a uniform in some way, shape or form and went out on his own. No! He went to the damn station, greeted everyone, ate some donuts, took a dump, and even joked about O’Malley’s wife. He got partnered up with another police officer including getting a radio and ticket book and made traffic stops. And they didn’t figure out a damn thing until the “tour” was over. What tipped them off?

After his tour was over, a ranking officer became suspicious of the boy. Police said the officer discovered the teen was not a real police officer when he couldn’t produce any credentials. The boy was wearing police-issued pants, shirt, vest, sweater and skull cap, police said. He was missing his police star, but that was not discovered until after he returned from traffic patrol.

So, it took all of those clues to figure out that this child was NOT a real cop but:

Police said the 14-year-old’s partner on the traffic assignment did not recognize the boy was underage.

And, it doesn’t seem anyone knew a damn thing either. So, this child, this 14 year old baby, went truly undetected at a police station full of people who are charged with the safety of other people. I want to see a picture of this child. He’d better look like a grown man. Unfortunately, because he is a minor, we won’t get those images unless waived by the parents.

This is not surprising for me

I know sometimes on my blog it seems I keep track of police officer stupidity but I really don’t. It’s just so damn prevalent, I can’t help but come across something stupid done by police officer. In this case, it’s a whole police station. Imagine the stories we aren’t hearing in the news.

However, it does surprise me that police officers, well the smart ones at least, don’t do more for the integrity of their own profession. They should be out there pointing out police officer stupidity, writing up these guys, and helping the community promote better policies for handling corrupt police officers. But, I guess if any police officers were smart, police stupidity wouldn’t be so prevalent. If it was up to me, these guys would have those bright orange leashes for children attached to their backs and permanently lead around by people in the community.

Why would you listen to a police officer?

One thing I take issue with in the news is when they interview police officers about anything, especially marijuana. They all point out how marijuana is dangerous with flubbed statistics, outright lies, pseudoscience, and pure bullshit. But, if you didn’t know anything about the topic at hand, you’d think they were an expert at something. Truth is, they aren’t experts at anything. The smart cops (they do exist) know and understand topics better, present themselves more professionally, and do the job much better. The problem is that they’re usually disrespected by the police officers because of their education and intelligence (see: $815,000 settlement for fired Mountlake Terrace cop). It’s like that thug “friend” who tells you, “school is for fools” or some other ignorant anti-education cliche.

All I realize is that the policy on how police are treated and allowed to interact with the community needs a severe adjustment. Police need heavier restraints and real penalties to counter this Judge Dredd attitude and vigilante tactics. I’d like to, at one point in my life, have some respect for law enforcement officers these days. But, with frequent stories in the news only showing the tip of the iceberg of police stupidity, corruption, and malfeasance, I don’t think I’ll ever have that privilege. Maybe we need another grand disaster for the humanity in any police department to show itself.

Categories: Legacy, Opinion

Police Corruption: Victims R Us

By January 23, 2009 3

Are Black and Hispanic folks safe?


White folks have it easy?


What about news reporters, women, children???


Things are much easier around the world, I bet.


The Cost of Bad Police Policy

This just really shows that it’s never going to matter how much money is involved or the training given, police are bad for one reason: they’re allowed to get away with it. And, even if they don’t fully get away with it, very few actually will do any time in jail for the crimes they commit against innocent people. As long as they’re protected, the people remain unprotected and we all deserve equal protection under the law.

And, who gets the bill when police officers get a slap on the wrist? Do you think police departments have “Oops We Hurt/Killed Another Citizen” insurance plan? Yes they do actually. That’s what the tax payers are for, you and me. Every time you hear about a court case against a police officer, think about the funds it takes to prosecute/defend that criminal cop. That’s some number of potholes the streets could fill. Think about all of the cases settled for five- and six-figures. That money represents the teachers we could hire, in quality and quantity, books for school, and music and arts programs. Now think about all of the seven- and eight-figure settlements. Cities could easily support new infrastructure programs, create more jobs, help strengthen the economy. Think about the toll on society as even decent law abiding citizens are more frightened of police than the criminals they’re supposed to catch because they’re one and the same.

Categories: Legacy, Opinion

Police Corruption: Protecting Yourself Part 2

By January 22, 2009 0
…continued from Police Corruption: Protecting Yourself Part 1

GUNS, GUNS, and more GUNS

Do not be afraid to own more than one gun which should include a shotgun. Don’t expect to go to war with the DEA or the local police. You will lose. However, you want to make them think twice about coming into your apartment without any resistance. This will give you time to TALK to them so that you can come to a peaceful, non-fatal conclusion for the night. And, be sure to practice extreme safety when storing your guns especially if you have children.

Media Planning

Do not be afraid to gain media coverage of your particular incident. The worst thing for a police department is to have their criminal cops plastered all over the evening news. On the other side be prepared for someone to drag your name through the mud

One guy that does this, and whom I hate with a passion, is this NYPD clown, Pat Lynch. He’s the Police BullSh*t Association president for these corrupt officers in New York City. No matter what happens in the news, regardless of who’s right or wrong, Pat Lynch is out there doing his best to sway public opinion against victims of police brutality. This guy openly supports the WORST of the NYPD. While the lawyers may keep their mouths shut and the officers charged with crimes have a court-issued gag order, this animal comes out to “Lynch” anybody who speaks truthfully about police officers.

This is why you, as a private citizen, ought to know who to contact in your community when racist animals like Pat Lynch attack! These criminal advocates will drag your name through the streets in support of corrupt police. So, you need a potent mouth piece, not to speak badly about police as that’s not needed, but simply to tell the truth to protect your name and image. Don’t get “Lynched” in the media.

Legal Team

You and your lawyer are your legal team. If you don’t have a lawyer that knows you, you don’t have a lawyer. If you don’t have a lawyer, you don’t have a legal team. Get a lawyer on retainer as you would have a cell phone in your pocket. By keeping your mouth shut and collecting as much evidence as possible, you are doing yourself the biggest favor in court. It’s because the police absolutely rely on the fact that there are no witnesses or anything recording their activities that they are able to get away with the crimes they commit against innocent people.

Get Political

Get to know your local politicians and their views on specific issues. They may be the problem as opposed to the solution. They may be the very ones advocating, promoting, or just ignoring these type of do-anything, harm anyone police tactics. At the end of the day, they speak for the people. If the people aren’t talking, then who is being heard? Keep in contact with your local assemblyman on up to state senators and so on. You may find out the worst is true and may need to put your support behind the other person come election time.

Protect Yourself

An encounter with a police officer can be the most life changing event you’ll ever experience. And, it won’t be because you committed some serious crime. It will be because you were walking down the street and they were bored. It might even be a bet between two partners. It might be because they just wanted to play SWAT team. But, when they’ve decided to focus their attention on you, it will be the scariest rollercoaster of your life. They’ll abuse you physically, emotionally, and mentally. And, it can last for months or years. The best way to see to it that this not be a bad situation for you is to put yourself in a position to have the police on defense.

Categories: Legacy, Opinion

Police Corruption: Protecting Yourself Part 1

By January 21, 2009 1
Intro

The police have so many tactics and little tricks they use against innocent people that it becomes difficult for an ordinary person to come out on top in the end. Back in the day, police departments practiced torture and coercion to get their way. Tens of thousands of people were forced to admit to thing they never did. This practice continues as police officers lob threats against you and your family. They’re allowed to get on camera and make their case against you so that even if you do win, you’re still guilty or tainted. It’s because of these tactics that I wanted to discuss some ways to protect yourself against corrupt police officers.

Shut Up. Keep your cool.

Police officers like to provoke and escalate situations. They’ll say and do anything to get that rise out of you. Don’t fall for it. They want the altercation. They want a reason to fight with you. Think about it. They already have the upper hand – semi-automatic gun, baton, pepper spray, tazer and a walkie talkie so they can call their friends to join in on the fun of destroying your life.

Don’t be the man that falls for this trick. Not only will they “knock your teeth in” but you’ll end up going to prison for protecting yourself against harassment and abuse. Even worse, they may end up killing you and be treated as heroes for cold-blooded murder. This is why these police murders are so prevalent in society.

Personal Surveillance

As an African American male living in New York City, it becomes necessary to go the extra mile to protect yourself. While it is illegal for us to wear bullet proof vests although we’re the ones mostly in need of such protection from police, we can at least maintain some sort of recording device on our person in the event that we are stopped by the police for any reason. I’ve been looking into mostly spy devices which are pretty costly. But, if I can wear something that will definitely record audio and video of police harassment at the time it’s occurring, I’ll at least feel that I can come out on top in the end.

Never expect a situation in which a police officer won’t find a way to harm you. So, don’t worry about trying to prevent it. Your best bet is to simply minimize it and use the evidence gathered from your personal surveillance to defend yourself in the future.

We all can’t afford personal surveillance. It gets quite expensive, especially if you want to use devices in your car or property. However, we can afford stickers for our cars or pins on our chests that will allude to it. One thing police are afraid of is being caught on tape as is the nature of any criminal. If enough people can afford surveillance devices, it will play enough of a deterrent to police officers seeking to harm innocent people. I remember years ago a tenant set up a camera and a motion detector in front of the door to his apartment. He’d be alerted when anyone was near and could simply check the camera. It was big and bulky and very obvious but it worked and that’s how he felt safe.

Reinforce your life

Many times police officers lie to get search warrants (and the judges know). Other times, it be a mistaken no-knock raid. Either way, they will bust in your door and destroy your life by either outright murdering you or splitting up your family – put your children in foster homes and try to get your spouse to turn against you.

  • In case of Kathryn Johnston [link], a grandmother in Atlanta, she was mudered in her own home by police officers. And, they planted evidence in a botched cover up attempt.
  • In the case of Alberta Spruill [link], a church going woman in Harlem, she was simply scared to death by no-knock raiding police officers.

And there are many more cases of these situations where the police or DEA may simply come into your home and ruin your life. These are things you want to prevent in your life because these women were elderly grandmothers just enjoying the rest of their days. And, they could be any one of us.

Get a heavy metal door that is reinforced into the house or apartment. Another good idea is to set up a double door situation in which they may break into the first one and be met with another much stronger door. Do not be afraid to put full-sized bars across all of your windows as well. None of this will stop the police from coming into your house. But, they will provide you enough time to protect yourself.

to be continued…

Categories: Legacy, Opinion

Police Corruption Tactics

By January 19, 2009 3
Intro

It’s always been a wonder exactly what ways the corrupt police officers charge and get people convicted of crimes they didn’t commit. While I can’t imagine to know every single way they spread their dirt, I can definitely point out some things that people in general should watch out for in the event they’re confronted with a typical police officer.

Lying

Of course this is the most common of police tactics. Police officers lie big and they lie small. It’s the small lies that do the most damage. For example, when I was arrested for witnessing police brutality on a young Black man, the police officer who arrested me was not the officer who wrote up the report. Instead, they got a Puerto Rican officer to lie on the report saying that he arrested me when in fact, he wasn’t even actually there!

Bait & Switch

I confronted the officer because I didn’t get a chance to see the real arresting officer’s name or number. The guy that arrested me was some short, fat white guy with beedy eyes. He’s the same officer I witnessed pepper spray that young Black man AFTER he was already beaten and in the back of the cruiser on two separate occasions. The Puerto Rican officer explained to me that the arresting officer is not always the one to write the report and I’d be dealing with him, instead.

Padding

I asked the officer what I am being charged with and I find out the charges are disorderly conduct and inciting a riot. This is amazing being that I was in my bedroom, 2nd floor, in my underwear watching from the window. Finally, when I get to arraignment the prosecutor reads off the report and the officer claimed that I was hanging out of the window, yelling obscenities, and I threw something at them that “nearly missed him”. Basically, they were trying to paint me as a crazy person in this report. The judge really homed in on the throwing incident because he wanted to know if it missed or it hit. The prosecutor couldn’t explain it because the officer never showed up to the arraignment, obviously. Why would the fake cop show up when he wasn’t even there?

It’s funny because if I did throw something or did hit a police officer, why wasn’t I charged with that “crime”? It’s because they wanted the disorderly conduct and inciting a riot to stick to me without the blow out of a real trial and case in court. Imagine what it would be if I really did hit that officer! Come on! It would have to come out as to why I would do all of that. They don’t want “the whole truth and nothing but the truth” to come out in court especially when they’re busy fabricating reports.

To conclude

This is not anything new folks. This is not isolated to my situation. Simply look at the articles and links posted above. Police officers from coast to coast, north and south, are typically liars. They need to lie because that’s the only way they’ll ever get their “shits and giggles”. As dumb and ignorant as most police officers are, especially the ones who think this doesn’t apply to them, it’s impossible for them to actually do their job.

They’re simply too stupid.

Categories: Legacy, Opinion

I am not Mr. Pothead

By December 30, 2008 3


Intro

It’s funny how people act or react when they find out someone else is involved with marijuana. People who were once glorified in their respective professions, awarded for their accomplishments, turn into thugs and criminals over night.

  • A doctor who prescribes marijuana to patients becomes a drug dealer.
  • A police officer joins LEAP (Law Enforcement Against Prohibition) and becomes a traitor.
  • A teen is caught smoking a joint and becomes a junkie.
  • A longtime friend admits marijuana use and becomes an outcast.

A society that once saw a hero, now sees a villain. Something is wrong this picture.

President Anthony is not Mr. Pothead

I’ll use myself as an example. I have been smoking marijuana for about 6 years now. While many people know, many don’t know. But, when they do find out, a lot changes. I am no longer a simple person anymore. I am whatever I was before plus the term “pothead”, almost like a last name. Before, I was cute, educated, smart, and many other things. Today, to those so-called friends, I am a cute pothead, educated pothead, and a smart pothead.

It’s not so much the “pothead” that bothers me. Yes, I am a pothead.. well.. a marijuana connoisseur better describes me. But, it’s that arrogant derogatory usage that gets to me when non-marijuana users use it. It’s like being called “black” by a completely up-turned nose white person. Most darker skin folks understand what I mean as they’ve most likely experienced the usage toward them. You can almost sense the arrogance in the tone and that they think less of you.

The truth…

…is that there’s nothing that person can do or say to make things better because it’s not the terms they use but the way in which they used those terms that does the damage. And the damage multiplier is when it comes from a longtime friend/family or client or patient or coworker. This person knows you. They never could discern the difference when you were high or sober – driving, talking, walking, gaming, etc. I always find it HILARIOUS when those cancer smoking and alcohol drinking friends accuse me of being high when I hadn’t smoked anything in more than a week. But, now they KNOW more about you, you’ve become Mr. or Ms. Pothead.

So, the question then becomes, what changed?

Yes, I am okay.

I didn’t change. I am still me. Just yesterday, we were doing this and doing that. You didn’t know I was high. For years, you never knew I was high. You never even thought anything was strange with me. All of a sudden, you’re cutting your eye at me. You’re treating me different. You’re asking if I am okay. I have been just as okay as you’ve known me for the past six years when you never knew I smoked marijuana. Why should my current state of well being be questioned now? Why should it be questioned when I wasn’t even smoking anything?

In fact, I am NOT okay. I am actually very sober and I NEED to get high just so that I can tolerate your NEW bullshit.

Silver Lining

Eventually, people grow up. Look at the United States. In 1970, the Controlled Substances Act included marijuana as a Schedule I narcotic. Thirty years later, marijuana has been decriminalized in many states and 14 states have medical marijuana laws. The more friends get to see you high, the more they realize that marijuana is not some evil addictive narcotic. I won’t glorify marijuana. But, there’s a reason more and more people are smoking marijuana today. There’s a reason for the state-by-state change in marijuana policy. There’s a reason why quite a few of my friends seem to be coming out of the closet.

It’s because many of us potheads have put up with the bullshit long enough that others can stop acting like complete idiots, adjust their arrogance, alleviate their ignorance, and even move toward actually smoking with you instead of looking down on you.

Categories: Legacy, Opinion

It’s Not Drug Dealing When The CIA Does It

By December 26, 2008 4
Incredible Washington Post article I just read. Check it out: Little Blue Pills Among the Ways CIA Wins Friends in Afghanistan. What’s going on here? The CIA seems to be dealing Viagra to the elderly Taliban leaders in Afghanistan. Let’s check out some excerpts from this article:

His visitor, a CIA officer, saw an opportunity, and reached into his bag for a small gift.

Four blue pills. Viagra.

“Take one of these. You’ll love it,” the officer said. Compliments of Uncle Sam.

The enticement worked. The officer, who described the encounter, returned four days later to an enthusiastic reception.

Wow! That sounds like some hardcore drug pushing to me.

“Hey kid! You feeling a little sad? Try one of these pills. It’ll make you feel all better.”

And sure enough it did. Jack knew what he was doing when he gave little Tommy that methamphetamine. Tommy told his friends and then they were hooked, stealing from their parents to support their drug habit.

Now replace Jack with the CIA and Tommy and his friends with the Taliban. Sounds like drug pushing to me. Here’s some more from the article.

For U.S. intelligence officials, this is how some crucial battles in Afghanistan are fought and won. While the CIA has a long history of buying information with cash, the growing Taliban insurgency has prompted the use of novel incentives and creative bargaining to gain support in some of the country’s roughest neighborhoods, according to officials directly involved in such operations.

Oooh. Is that what it’s called now? It’s not drug pushing anymore folks. It’s “novel incentives and creative bargaining”. Well I wonder if Jack could use that in the court of law.

“Your honor, I wasn’t pushing drugs. I was using novel incentives and creative bargaining.”

OK OK OK. Enough. Let’s be real.

The truth of the matter is that the CIA is over there pushing Viagra, and who knows what else, to a bunch of old men who are probably married to 10yo girls. And, the Taliban is no damn better. They’re busy chopping off hands and torturing people to get them to stop growing heroin, yet they’re excited over some pills. These people are very conservative… wait.. abusing drugs, easily bribed, and overly conservative while at the same time condemning others for lesser activities.. THAT’S A DAMN REPUBLICAN.

All this nation wants is legal marijuana. Maybe I should control some supply/trade routes in New York City and marry a 10yo girl. Maybe the US Government will approach me with drugs too.

Categories: Legacy, Opinion

Cali Kush and the BlackBerry Bold

By December 22, 2008 3

First thing’s first, I am sorry for being late with this post. I was BAKED all of Sunday and into wee morning hours. Wooooooooooo. Baked off of some…

Cali Kush

It’s been quite a while since I’ve had some marijuana that put me on my ass. While I’ve had Cali Kush before, I don’t quite remember it being this damn good. It was me and two other friends. The plan was to order a large pie from Ray’s Pizza, real pizzeria, watch tv and smoke up while we wait on the pizza. My bright idea is to roll a good size blunt so we could get truly baked. I ended up rolling this SLUG of a blunt. See here:

Needless to say, we were awesomely baked.

Also, I finally upgraded my phone to the…

BlackBerry Bold

Normally I am a Sony Ericsson man. In fact, I’d go so far as to drop the Sony but it is what it is. Although my first phone was a Nokia (free), every phone since then has been a Ericsson, or Sony Ericsson, phone. I loved their phones because they were strong, sturdy, and did what they said they do. But, it was time to upgrade to something more functional for me. I wanted that PDA feeling back that I had with my Toshiba E800 and I knew the PDA/Phone hybrid market was finally getting it done the right way – near seamless convergence between the PDA and the Phone.

I was awaiting the SE Xperia X1 or SEX1 phone. However, no carrier picked it up. The unlocked price of that phone is $800 which I can’t do. Besides I am worried about the phones abilities when not made to function on a specific network. The nearest option with the exact same features was the HTC Fuze. But, I know the Fuze was a knockoff of the SEX1. I couldn’t bring myself to buying a cheap knockoff.

So, my only option was the BlackBerry Bold. On day 1, it was just fine. I synchronized all my info and personalized it as much as I could, officially dubbing it the BlackBerry Anthony because it was mine. Days 2 and 3 are a different story. It stopped syncing with the computer, had errors, etc etc etc. I looked online for help for “909 errors” and “connector” problems. I called tech support and the woman couldn’t even help me with it. So, I took it back to the store. They did a master reset and asked me to give it a few more days. When I got home, it still didn’t sync. Basically, I learned:

  1. Get a memory card. keep the device memory free of anything or don’t clog it up too much.
  2. When uninstalling, check those registry entries and make sure there’s nothing to delete.
  3. Check your contact folders (on Vista) when synchronizing and make sure information isn’t corrupt

BlackBerry devices are very fickle and picky.
This is really one of the reasons why I didn’t want to get anything other than an Ericsson phone. I know that these other phone companies make devices that aren’t always up to the specs or expectations of specs. For example, the BlackBerry Bold has bluetooth but it’s connectivity is not complete. With my old Ericsson phones, I could pair it up with anything. When I send a file in whichever direction, it works. The phone inteprets the file and if it can’t figure it out, it puts it in a folder for shit it can’t figure out. SIMPLE. But, as it’s been the case with many other non-Ericsson phones, I can’t even get the BlackBerry to connect with the computer outside of the program. I’d really appreciate that level of connectivity. That way I can just send files, contacts, and so on. If the phone can’t figure it out, put it in “that” folder. If it can, put it in the proper location.

But, I expected these limitations in functionality when I signed up so I am not fully annoyed by it. While at the AT&T store, two of the clerks there were having a conversation. The guy was saying, “I hooked it up the the Desktop Manager” and was cut off by the woman as she said, “STOP STOP STOP. The first mistake you made was hooking it up to the computer!” I think that says it all for me.

Categories: Legacy, Opinion

“King of the Hill” on weeeed!

By December 4, 2008 4

The Setup

I don’t watch King of the Hill as often as I used to watch it. I catch it from time to time, here and there. Last night it came on at about 1pm. The episode started somber as usual. It was time for football tryouts. Hank, being the former football hero and father, wants Bobby to tryout for the team. Bobby, being the eclectic individual and somewhat polar opposite of his father, proudly goes for and gets the job of towel boy to the initial dismay of his former quarterback father. But, Hank doesn’t care as long as Bobby is somewhere in and around football.

The Twist

During one of the games, Bobby is disrespected by the coach even as the team won. This puts Bobby in a bad place. He signed up to be a towel boy, not the team’s bitch. Now, he’s not even happy doing that. As Bobby’s on his way home, he passes his neighbor Min as she’s tending to the roses in her garden. Did I mention Bobby is eclectic? He takes interest in growing his own roses. Unfortunately, Hank is not too supportive of this. He’ll accept towel boy but where’s the manhood is growing roses. Hank is raising a man, not a gardener.

This forces Bobby to seek ways to indulge his new passion. He goes to the local garden shop to purchase some bare root roses to grow. However, his dilemma is in trying to keep his hobby secret from his father. He asks the clerk if there’s a way he could grow in his closet.

Here Comes The Weed

The clerk at the garden shop tips Bobby off to a store that would help him grow plants in secret. And the name of that store: Seeds and Stems. However, when Bobby walks into the store, you see all kinds of smoking paraphernalia, most notably bongs and pipes. The clerks are at first bewildered by some kid asking for grow advice but are relieved to find out that he genuinely wants to grow roses in his closet and in secret because of his father’s disapproval. So, Bobby gets his start in horticulture, cultivation, or growing.

Unfortunately, his passion makes him forget the big game which the team lost due to their lack of a towel boy. Hank comes home furious that Bobby didn’t show up. In searching for Bobby, Hank finds him slipping out of the closet. When Hank goes to inspect, he finds the potted rose stems. After a conversation with Peggy, Hank decides to support his son, in secret. He couldn’t bare to have the neighbors know that his son was into roses.

Hardcore Grower

Hank goes back to the garden shop to find a tall and burly man who’s just as intense about growing as the most hardcore football player. He explains to Hank about the competition and that growing isn’t just some past time. It’s hard work. “It’s science and art.” When he finds out that it’s Bobby that’s doing the growing, he berates Hank for putting such a young boy through such pain. Hank is intrigued, attracted even, by the man’s high intensity and competitiveness. He wants to do more than support Bobby. He wants Bobby to be a winning grower.

Unfortunately for Hank, Bobby doesn’t have the same same intensity as his father. Hank goes back to Seeds and Stems shop to get more grow supplies and information. Upon seeing this, the clerks get serious with Hank. They let him know Bobby got the “kiddy stuff”. If he’s serious about growing, he’ll step up his game. Seeing the high costs of growing indoors, Hank persuades Seeds and Stems to sponsor him in the competition. Now, they’ve got a real indoor grow operation.
In the end, Hank ends up going way overboard and sees that he’s doing more damage to Bobby than he intended. They ended up losing the competition to the intense grower from the grow shop . Hank decides to transplant the roses outdoor in an effort to respect his son’s hobby as well as the hobby itself.

Real Marijuana Growing

I always say that marijuana growing is easy. All you need is what mother nature provides – earth, water, air, and light. However, the intense grower is right. It is science and it is art, when you want to grow the best. Growing the best marijuana is a delicate combination of biology, chemistry, genetics, math, love, and patience.

Imagine a grow operation. Organic fertilizer or synthetic salts? Organic requires things like bat guano (manure), beneficial bacteria, mycorrhizae fungi and other things. Synthetic salts requires the right combination of formula. Get any of these things wrong and you can severely underfeed or overfeed your plant, slowing growth and/or causing nutrient burn. You can test your mix with electrical conductivity (EC) meters, parts-per-million (PPM) meters, and pH testers. And that’s just what’s going on in the dirt or water solution if hydroponic.

Above ground, growers contend with air quality, proper light and intensity, temperature, humidity, insects, disease, mold, rot, and fungus. A grower has to maintain appropriate conditions to ensure the plant is healthy and strong.

Although it’s overwhelming in the beginning, you can get the hang of it quickly. $300 will get you started with a mini system growing plants no taller than two feet. Eventually, you’ll want to step your game up just like Hank did. Costs can easily reach into the tens of thousands but that’s for the commercial growers who invest in all of those lights, meters, air conditioners, dehumidifiers, carbon dioxide, and various other items.

But, the “rose buds” are worth the effort…

Categories: Legacy, Opinion

My Hero: Andrew Lahde

By October 21, 2008 1
Introduction

This is a letter written by Andrew Lahde, hedge fund manager, quit his job after returning 866% on the investment betting against the subprime collapse. In other words, this guy made money betting that the housing market would collapse. As we all know, it collapsed in magnificent fashion. He’s rich.. very rich.

Why is he my hero?

He’s my hero because he points out some of the problems with this twisted society as a whole.

  • Blind trust in “Ivy League” educations versus Competence and ability
  • Government corruption (politicians being purchased like candy at the store)
  • Aristocracy versus Meritocracy (Giving rewards instead of earning them)
  • Willingness to NOT be greedy and just be happy

This guy made millions of dollars taking advantage of the stupid decisions by these stupid, overrated Ivy League idiots raised by nannies, butlers, and boarding schools paid for by their ultra-rich parents.

But, Mr. Lahde gets my ultimate respect with his advocacy for using hemp and dispelling the myth of marijuana as an evil substance.

However, I have to put my hero in his place. Hemp and marijuana are the same species, Cannabis Sativa. However, the difference between hemp and marijuana is not gender, it’s the THC concentration, or strength, in the female plant. While all male marijuana plants are indeed low in THC, NOT all females are high in THC. So, the difference would only be noticeable in female marijuana plants.

For example, the marijuana that comes out of Mexico is usually around 5% THC. The most potent kinds of marijuana can have THC concentrations as high as 15% to 20% but it is VERY rare as it takes OPTIMAL growing conditions to achieve that potency. Hemp has a THC concentration from under 1% to 2% at the most.
Note: Law enforcement like to claim marijuana has reach up to 30%-40% and more in an effort to scare people about “super weed”. Trust me, I wish there was marijuana that potent. It doesn’t exist.

Anyway here is the letter by my current hero, Andrew Lahde:

Today I write not to gloat. Given the pain that nearly everyone is experiencing, that would be entirely inappropriate. Nor am I writing to make further predictions, as most of my forecasts in previous letters have unfolded or are in the process of unfolding. Instead, I am writing to say goodbye.

Recently, on the front page of Section C of the Wall Street Journal, a hedge fund manager who was also closing up shop (a $300 million fund), was quoted as saying, “What I have learned about the hedge fund business is that I hate it.” I could not agree more with that statement. I was in this game for the money. The low hanging fruit, i.e. idiots whose parents paid for prep school, Yale, and then the Harvard MBA, was there for the taking. These people who were (often) truly not worthy of the education they received (or supposedly received) rose to the top of companies such as AIG, Bear Stearns and Lehman Brothers and all levels of our government. All of this behavior supporting the Aristocracy, only ended up making it easier for me to find people stupid enough to take the other side of my trades. God bless America.

There are far too many people for me to sincerely thank for my success. However, I do not want to sound like a Hollywood actor accepting an award. The money was reward enough. Furthermore, the endless list those deserving thanks know who they are.

I will no longer manage money for other people or institutions. I have enough of my own wealth to manage. Some people, who think they have arrived at a reasonable estimate of my net worth, might be surprised that I would call it quits with such a small war chest. That is fine; I am content with my rewards. Moreover, I will let others try to amass nine, ten or eleven figure net worths. Meanwhile, their lives suck. Appointments back to back, booked solid for the next three months, they look forward to their two week vacation in January during which they will likely be glued to their Blackberries or other such devices. What is the point? They will all be forgotten in fifty years anyway. Steve Balmer, Steven Cohen, and Larry Ellison will all be forgotten. I do not understand the legacy thing. Nearly everyone will be forgotten. Give up on leaving your mark. Throw the Blackberry away and enjoy life.

So this is it. With all due respect, I am dropping out. Please do not expect any type of reply to emails or voicemails within normal time frames or at all. Andy Springer and his company will be handling the dissolution of the fund. And don’t worry about my employees, they were always employed by Mr. Springer’s company and only one (who has been well-rewarded) will lose his job.

I have no interest in any deals in which anyone would like me to participate. I truly do not have a strong opinion about any market right now, other than to say that things will continue to get worse for some time, probably years. I am content sitting on the sidelines and waiting. After all, sitting and waiting is how we made money from the subprime debacle. I now have time to repair my health, which was destroyed by the stress I layered onto myself over the past two years, as well as my entire life — where I had to compete for spaces in universities and graduate schools, jobs and assets under management — with those who had all the advantages (rich parents) that I did not. May meritocracy be part of a new form of government, which needs to be established.

On the issue of the U.S. Government, I would like to make a modest proposal. First, I point out the obvious flaws, whereby legislation was repeatedly brought forth to Congress over the past eight years, which would have reigned in the predatory lending practices of now mostly defunct institutions. These institutions regularly filled the coffers of both parties in return for voting down all of this legislation designed to protect the common citizen. This is an outrage, yet no one seems to know or care about it. Since Thomas Jefferson and Adam Smith passed, I would argue that there has been a dearth of worthy philosophers in this country, at least ones focused on improving government.

Capitalism worked for two hundred years, but times change, and systems become corrupt. George Soros, a man of staggering wealth, has stated that he would like to be remembered as a philosopher. My suggestion is that this great man start and sponsor a forum for great minds to come together to create a new system of government that truly represents the common man’s interest, while at the same time creating rewards great enough to attract the best and brightest minds to serve in government roles without having to rely on corruption to further their interests or lifestyles. This forum could be similar to the one used to create the operating system, Linux, which competes with Microsoft’s near monopoly. I believe there is an answer, but for now the system is clearly broken.

Lastly, while I still have an audience, I would like to bring attention to an alternative food and energy source. You won’t see it included in BP’s, “Feel good. We are working on sustainable solutions,” television commercials, nor is it mentioned in ADM’s similar commercials. But hemp has been used for at least 5,000 years for cloth and food, as well as just about everything that is produced from petroleum products. Hemp is not marijuana and vice versa. Hemp is the male plant and it grows like a weed, hence the slang term. The original American flag was made of hemp fiber and our Constitution was printed on paper made of hemp. It was used as recently as World War II by the U.S. Government, and then promptly made illegal after the war was won. At a time when rhetoric is flying about becoming more self-sufficient in terms of energy, why is it illegal to grow this plant in this country?

Ah, the female. The evil female plant — marijuana. It gets you high, it makes you laugh, it does not produce a hangover. Unlike alcohol, it does not result in bar fights or wife beating. So, why is this innocuous plant illegal? Is it a gateway drug? No, that would be alcohol, which is so heavily advertised in this country. My only conclusion as to why it is illegal, is that Corporate America, which owns Congress, would rather sell you Paxil, Zoloft, Xanax and other [addictive] drugs, than allow you to grow a plant in your home without some of the profits going into their coffers. This policy is ludicrous. It has surely contributed to our dependency on foreign energy sources. Our policies have other countries literally laughing at our stupidity, most notably Canada, as well as several European nations (both Eastern and Western). You would not know this by paying attention to U.S. media sources though, as they tend not to elaborate on who is laughing at the United States this week. Please people, let’s stop the rhetoric and start thinking about how we can truly become self-sufficient.

With that I say good-bye and good luck.

All the best,

Andrew Lahde

Categories: Legacy, Opinion
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