Proposition 19 For Dummies
Been hearing a lot about Proposition 19 recently? Not sure of exactly what it’s going to bring to California? Read on for our guide!

What is it?
Proposition 19, formally known as “Regulate, Control and Tax Cannabis Act of 2010” is essentially a referendum (a vote on a particular issue by all the people to whom it may concern) that will be put to the people of California on November the 2nd 2010 to legalize the personal use of cannabis. In California, a ballot proposition can be put forward for a vote by the people by either the State legislative or by a petition signed by enough members. Proposition 19 was put forward as a petition by Marijuana legalization activist Richard Lee. It needed 433,971 signatures to qualify as a ballot…it gained 694,248 signatures!

So, if passed, what will prop 19 do? It will:
• Allow anyone over the age of 21 to possess up to an ounce of cannabis.
• Allow people to grow cannabis in a private area of up to 25 square feet.
• Allow people to consume cannabis in non-public areas.
• Give California state (and local government) the ability to tax and regulate the sale of cannabis, in a similar way to alcohol and cigarettes.

Benefits
There are two major benefits that Prop 19 will bring to California if passed: Firstly, the huge economic benefits, and secondly, the ability to weaken the drug cartels’ vice on drug trade in the United States, much of which passes through California…

In this year alone, the United States as a whole (both federally and at a state level) has spent roughly $33,000,000,000 on the war on drugs. Of course, this includes money being spent on hard drugs, but cannabis accounts for roughly 40-55% of the money used. Now, the money that is spent to try and prevent the use and illegal sale of cannabis has huge potential for use elsewhere. For example, instead of prosecuting cannabis use, the government could use this money to support the 9.5% of US citizens who are unemployed. Similarly, jailing people who have used small amounts of cannabis not only costs a large amount (roughly $60 per inmate per day) but makes future employment for these harmless users much harder to come by.

Taxing and regulating cannabis would generate up to $1.4 billion in revenue per year for California. Similarly, $200 million of taxpayer money will be saved, due to less inmates in local jails. It is also estimated that California will generate $12-18 billion in spinoff industries such as tourism and coffee houses. The figures would be similar to what Amsterdam currently gets! All these savings could be put towards creating jobs, as it’s estimated that if Prop 19 passes, approximately 100,000 jobs will be created. Passing it would also help fight the Mexican drug cartels and stop the 6k death toll that has occurred this year as a direct result of their actions, as it is estimated that 60% of their income comes from marijuana trafficking.

How likely is it that prop 19 will pass?
Given the benefits to the plant and its superior effectiveness over many prescription drugs for treating ailments, it’s surprising that marijuana has not been legalised yet. While support for such an act has been steadily increasing over recent years, resistance has been strong, mainly due to leftover beliefs from the “Reefer Madness” smear campaign of the 30s and 40s. Good news can be found in Proposition 215’s vote count, however – in 1996, 55.6% of citizens voted yes for medicinal marijuana. The hopes are that voters will once again come out in such force.

Domino Effect
Currently 14 states other than California have legalized the use of medicinal marijuana (Alaska, Colorado, Washington DC, Hawaii, Maine, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington). So, if Proposition 19 is passed and benefits California in the way that has been predicted, it is possible other states may follow… We can hope!

Happy vaping!
- The Vapeitup Team

If you want more information about Proposition 19, please visit Proposition 19 Guide and Proposition 19 Twitter.

Find important knowledge about property to let luton – please study the web site. The time has come when concise info is truly within your reach, use this possibility.

Today is the public memorial in Los Angeles, California for Michael Jackson. The entertainer, innovator, singer, dancer, composer, philanthropist, the acknowledged King of Pop, the most extraordinary performer to have come along in forty years died in California on June 25, 2009. He is survived by his three children, his parents and his siblings.

Below are the lyrics to one of their most popular ballads. We think the chorus is significantly appropriate to express how we along with legions of his fans feel about his demise and his contribution. We are glad he left behind this tremendous legacy of great songs and memorable performances. Rest in peace.
Never can say goodbye
No, no, no, no… I
I never can say goodbye
Even tho’ the pain and heartache seem to follow me wherever I go
Tho’ I tried and tried to hide my feelings they always seem to show
Then you try to say you’re leaving me and I always have to say no
Tell me why is it so?
But I never can say goodbye
No, no, no, no
I never can say goodbye
Ev’ry time I think I’ve had enough and start heading for the door
There’s a very strange vibration, piercing me right to the core
It says turn around you fool you know you love her more and more
Tell me why is it so?

Don’t wanna let you go
I never can say goodbye girl
(never can say goodbye, girl)
Ohh, ohh, baby,
(don’t wanna let you go, girl)
I never can say goodbye,
No, no, no, no, no, no

Ohh, I never can say goodbye girl
(never can say goodbye, girl)
Ohh, ohh, ohh,
(don’t wanna let you go, baby)
I never can say goodbye,
No, no, no, no, no, no,
Ohh

Never can say goodbye
No, no, no, no
I never can say goodbye
I keep thinkin’ that our problems soon are all gonna work out
But there’s that same unhappy feelin’ there’s that anguish, there’s that doubt
It’s that same old dizzy hang-up can’t do with you or without
Tell me why is it so?

Don’t wanna let you go
I never can say goodbye girl
(never can say goodbye, girl)
Ohh, ohh, baby,
(baby)
I never can say goodbye
No, no, no, no, no, no

Ohh, I never can say goodbye girl
(never can say goodbye, girl)
Ohh, ohh, ohh,
(baby)
I never can say goodbye,
No, no, no, no, no, no,
Ohh

The deadline for sending  to the USDA your comments on the farm payment limitation rule is the close of business today Monday, April 6, 2009.

Add huge multi-millionaire  corporate farm businesses to the growing list of industries– banking institutions, auto manufacturing companies, drug makers and insurance companies, that are daily exploiting Americans.

Who among us regular folk does not want to stop corporate welfare? You can join the effort to close the loophole for millionaire corporate welfare to agri-businesses where more of our really big taxpayer bucks are given to the big time farm businesses that are putting small family owned farms out of business.

Time is of the essence. Sign the petition or send a message to Dan McGlynn, Acting Deputy Director in charge of this matter at dan.mcglynn@wdc.usda.gov

President Obama in his recent speech to both houses of the federal legislature called for ending “direct payments to large agribusinesses that don’t need them.” In the president’s 2010 budget he has proposed phasing out direct payments in an attempt to save about $1 billion over the next ten years; this is seen as an indication of presidential advocacy on behalf of farm families rights to have access to and fully participate in fair market conditions (more…)

We want to weigh in on the non-controversy, a matter we believe is a further distraction from the important issues discussed during the President and First Lady’s recent travels abroad. An example of what we consider important is whether or not the U.S. dollar will remain worldwide currency. In our opinion this is a topic of far greater concern

than Michelle Obama’s sleeveless style or Mrs. Obama alleged breach of protocol by touching a British royal; a touch which was reciprocal, since the Queen initiated the touchy-feely expression (more…)

The big question pertaining to the economy among the YouThinkWhat staff is, “Why is the government forcing the auto industry to be accountable for the taxpayer dollars it has received, but the banks have been allowed to do whatever they wish with the corporate welfare money they’ve been given?”

We have had much discussion about the disparity of treatment of two industries.  The chief executives in both the banking and the auto industries have made major mistakes in handling the money. Poor decisions abound.

We offer our explanation of the reason for the different treatment of the two major businesses. (more…)

“To establish the Food Safety Administration within the Department of Health and Human Services to protect the public health by preventing food borne illness, ensuring the safety of food, improving research on contaminants leading to food-borne illness, and improving security of food from
intentional contamination, and for other purposes.”

H. R. 875 proposed February 4, 2009 to be enacted by the United States House of Representatives and the Senate.

Read the proposed “Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009″ here.

This seemingly innocuous proposed bill, also known as the  “Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009″, has started a firestorm of controversy among many American citizens who are proponents of organic gardening.

The federal legislative bodies are in a rush to get this bill passed. It is has the support by major chemical companies such as ADM, Monsanto and about thirty other companies with a vested interest in making sure the nation continues to use the petroleum based fertilizers and growth chemicals already in use. Chemicals that have over a period of years have contributed to the erosion of the public health. (more…)

YouThinkWhat presents,as  public service for consumers, another report about our favorite bank Bank Of America…the bank that cares….. less! The following report from ConsumerAffairs.com

Victims of an Internet-based Ponzi scheme have filed a lawsuit against Bank of America and the organizers of the scheme in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. (more…)

Damon Weaver is a student reporter at the Katherine E. Cunningham Elementary School in Canal Point, Palm Beach County, Florida.

You may have seen Damon’s interview of Vice-President-elect Joe Biden during a campaign visit to Palm Beach County last fall. Now Damon wants an interview with President-elect Barack Obama. Watch this video request:
(more…)

If you fit the following description you may be eligible to receive free money, not just regular welfare for the citizens but the corporate kind of welfare that usually means cash and a whole lot of it from the government: (more…)

We’ve been hearing about the expected “October Surprise”. Some voters are waiting anxiously for an announcement from the lead terrorist bin Laden or a special unexpected declaration from either major party. YouThinkWhat has its own surprise from contributor MARDU:

OPTIMISM ?  October, 2008

Before I beg your indulgence in my opinions, let me stipulate that regardless of any particular outcome of earthly events, I don’t for an instant believe that it matters in a cosmic sense. To me It is just our little drama.

I feel the need to review, and the presentation of my random thoughts can be disorganized. I’m not the best writer since Vonnegut, or Jefferson, so I struggle to organize.

We are fewer than 3 weeks out from without doubt the most critical election in my lifetime, and I recognize that all have been important in their contexts. We began the process, one is hard pressed to remember when but,I suppose December 2000 is an arguable choice. It is improbable that one can synopsize the intervening period.

As a nation we are so different today than we were then. Events have certainly stacked up.

Our circumstances could hardly have been more altered. WWII was a time of severe societal upheaval.
I was there for that one, and I feel that this time is far more severe.

Mostly, I believe, because of the underlying alteration of our direction as a culture that preceded the successful tampering with a national election.

We had stopped caring about our similarities and focused too much energy on our differences. In doing this we lost sight of our government, which had basically gone into hiding, (more…)