Bad American

No, I swear I am NOT making EITHER story up.

First, from the land of nutty ideas:

SACRAMENTO – California would become the first state to ban helium-filled metallic balloons under a bill unanimously advanced Tuesday by a legislative committee.

Sen. Jack Scott, D-Altadena, said the party balloons frequently break free and float into power lines, where they can cause electric wires to arc.

He said they cause millions of dollars in losses for utility companies and businesses that lose electricity. Pacific Gas and Electric Co., the main utility in Northern California, says the balloons caused more than 200 power outages last year in its coverage area.

California law requires the balloons to be sold with weights to hold them down. But Scott said those weights are often candies or action figures designed to be removed by children.

Scott’s office and Barry Broad, a lobbyist for The Balloon Council, say California would be the first state to ban the balloons. Broad objects to what he calls a “wacky” attempt to criminalize a party toy.

The bill, which cleared the Senate Public Safety Committee, sets a $100 fine for selling the helium-filled balloons starting in 2010. Repeat offenders could be charged with misdemeanors.

Metallic balloons are considered more dangerous to power lines than nonmetallic balloons because they conduct electricity. They still could be sold in California, but not if they contain a gas that could make them float high enough to reach power lines.

Can you see some CHP officers chasing some mom with a fistful of helium balloons for her kids birthday party? She got the tank across the border in Mexico or Nevada and SWEARS she’ll make sure the kids only have them IN the house. Swear to God, officer!

My oh my, the things we’re criminalizing in the land of the free.

Look, why not just mandate that all helium balloons must be enjoyed indoors?

Maybe they think that the ‘terrorists’ will some day launch attacks on American cities with little bombs tethered to helium balloons.

(sigh)

Well, the on air personalities at Fox and Friends aren’t taking this lying down, no sir!

In a protest never before seen on television, several on air staffers huffed helium from balloons on the air, despite the oft repeated warning that you should NEVER do that due to the very real risk of asphyxiation.

In fact the Fox personalities acknowledge that parents and teachers say they shouldn’t be doing this. What a way to set a great example on Fox!

In fact, at one point, one of the Fox personalities tells the other “take another hit.”

Wow. Will the right chastise Fox and Friends for turning kids on to helium huffing?

And by the way, should I feel sorry for Lionel Ritchie debasing himself so?

Paul Armentado, Alternet

At a time when we’re going down the financial shit tubes in this country, we still haven’t done ourselves a big favor and legalized marijuana because Bill O’Reilly, assorted prejudicial church ladies, and blue suited fascists don’t like the people who smoke pot.

What’s the current price for a bag of weed? According to the latest figures from the FBI, the human cost is roughly 739,000 a year.

That’s the number of American citizens arrested in 2006 for possessing small amounts of pot. (Another 91,000 were charged with marijuana-related felonies.) The figure is the highest annual total ever recorded, and is nearly double the number of citizens busted for pot fifteen years ago.

Those arrested face a multitude of consequences, primarily determined by where they live. For example, most Californians charged with violating the state’s pot possession laws face little more than a small fine. By contrast, getting busted with a pinch of weed in Ohio will cost you your driver’s license for at least six months. Move to Texas — well, now you’re looking at a criminal record and up to 180 days in jail. Or if you happen to be a first-time offender, possibly a stint in court-mandated ‘drug rehab’ (one recent study reported that nearly 70 percent of all adults referred to Texas drug treatment programs for weed were referred by the courts), probation, and a hefty legal bill. And don’t even think about getting busted in Oklahoma, where a first time conviction for minor pot possession can net you up to one year in jail, or up to ten years if you’re found guilty of a second offense. Thinking of growing your own? That’ll cost you a $20,000 fine, and — oh yeah — anywhere from two years to life in prison.

Yes, you read that right — life in prison.

Again, perhaps someday, the United States of America will become a civilized nation. Until then, remember that people who smoke this weed freely grown around the world, are EVIL - FAR MORE  EVIL than the bandittos on Wall Street that rob people of their life savings and get a few years in country club prisons. No sir, smoke the evil weed and Jesus himself cries bitter tears.

Read the whole article without getting furious if you have a heart AND a brain. I had to get up and calm down several times while reading it. And make sure you read the comments at the tail end from Alternet readers. I especially loved this one:

While serving as an active duty Army drill sergeant I was diagnosed with cancer. After surgery and radiation treatment I was placed on seven different medications, then three more to treat the side effects of the previous seven. I was depressed, losing weight rapidly and constantly in pain. A freind gave me a joint and it changed my life. No nausea, no pain, hello appetite, I was happy again. I threw away all the other meds.

You can spend your money imprisoning me but I will excercise my God given rights until my death. I spent my career defending your rights why do you deny me mine?I couldn’t add anything more to this than AMEN!

But there’s more.

There’s the corrupting influence on the police and other lawmakers which the illegality encourages.

In my little town we have someone literally operating an open air drug emporium (mostly pot from what I can see) right on Main Street - selling to high school kids (I don’t want to see this person busted for using - just selling to kids). And right under the nose of the local cops who could bust the operator with a police explorer cadet and a wire, if they wanted to. Other prominent people seem to have connections with this drug trade and allow it to continue, possibly being on the take. I see this rot consuming cops, judges and other public officials who look the other way for whatever reasons. As long as their is big money in illegality, you will continue to see law and order made a mockery of by those who are sworn to uphold it.

End the stupidity and ruined lives. Legalize it. Now.