From Zest to Meth: Former Figure Skater Charged
July 9th, 2009 by Rick
Looks like this 1995 U.S. figure skating champion chose the wrong ice to make a career out of…
On Tuesday, Nicole Bobek, a former Olympic athlete, plead not guilty, via video from the Hudson county jail, to the charges of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Hudson County, New Jersey.
The 31-year old was arrested last week, at her house in Jupiter, FL, after a year long investigation into a drug ring. Bobek waived extradition rights and was sent to the Garden City. Nineteen people have also been arrested in connection with the drug ring.
Hudson County Prosecutor Edward DeFazio said:
She played a significant role in this operation. [...] She was actively involved in the upper echelon of this ring.
Bobek is free on bond, more than likely heading back to her other home in Manhattan, which coincidentally is in the same state where the investigation into the drug ring first began. If convicted, she faces up to 10 years and a $150,000 fine.
Court Date & Movie Premiere for Waylett
July 9th, 2009 by RickA court date has finally been set for actor of Harry Potter fame, 19-year old Jamie Waylett, who was busted back in April for having ten marijuana plants at his home in Kilburn, north London. On July 16th, Waylett and 20-year old John Innis are scheduled to appear in the Westminster Magistrates’ Court.
Waylett plays the character, Vincent Crabbe, the right hand man of Draco Malfoy, Potter’s schoolyard nemesis. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince is set for it’s world premiere on Tuesday, July 14th at Leicester Square in London.
Subway Unveils New TV Spot Featuring Phelps
July 9th, 2009 by RickFive. Five dollar. Five dollar foot lonnng.
Michael Phelps is finally back on the endorsement trail, after being shunned by some of his sponsors and dropped by Kellogs, because of a picture that circulated the internet five months back that showed him toking on a bong. The company that picked up the slack? Subway.
With their sandwich shops soon to be visited by hungry stoners worldwide, the ad execs that came up with this commercial brilliantly targeted the demographic, while at the same time, having it appear as a regular commercial for those that lack the radar for pot innuendo.
Some of the subtle clues:
- So… any coincidence that the video feed freezes on a frame where MP looks like a stereotypical stoner?
- Maybe… the looping soundtrack playing in the background — Thank you for letting me be myself again.
- Or… what about the the vibrant, eye catching colors with encrusted shiny jewels?
- Kicking it… Jared watches goofy shit on TV… you know you do it too.
- Easily the most obvious clue was the URL of the Subway website advertised… nice.
- Perhaps the words phresh, phave, and phlavor are meant for the sub-culture circle?
- Or… the use of the phrase ‘The man behind the marinara.’ What did you see the first time reading it?
- The new logo says it all… way fresh indeed.
As Kellog’s stock went down after they canned Phelps’ contract, Subway only stands to profit from their new push into an old demographic that more than likely has been eating at their franchise since its grand opening. Now, the pot smokers will simply go out of their way to eat $5 foot long subs, letting Subway and Phelps rake in the green.
Weed Philanthropists Set Up Shop in CA
July 9th, 2009 by Russ
This week, ABC news reported on the newest innovation in the battle for California’s medical marijuana market share. Apparently a group calling itself the Artists Collective has been employing Twitter to coordinate weed drop offs for MMJ patients who prefer to do business in spurts of 140-characters or less. While the twits of the world are certainly proud of the entrepreneurship they’ve spawned, they don’t represent the most unique facet of the Artists Collective business plan.
You see, Artists Collective is a registered 501(c)3 (non profit). Moreover, its entire purpose is to raise enough money to give out grants to local artists. Move over Pew Charitable Trust. There is a new game in town. While the model is still brand new, and the scale relatively small, this sort of thinking could make waves in the greater philanthropy world.
In the current system, most philanthropy dollars flow from family trusts through private foundations. The programs selected for funding tend to do very conservative study or social work. Rarely would an esteemed organization (with some former Robber Baron’s name on the building) want to risk funding anything that would be considered countercultural or controversial.
Starting a foundation from the (weed harvested) ground up opens the door for a plethora of new alternative off-centered artists to finally receive some well-deserved patronage. For instance, it’s about time someone put some serious greenbacks behind the efforts of the Billboard Liberation Front.
With that in mind, here’s to hoping that the Artists Collective is the new JD Rockefellers of the Digital Herb Racket.
San Diego Issues Medical Marijuana ID Cards
July 8th, 2009 by Rick
After dragging ass for years, by way of the U.S. Supreme Court, secret stings and raids on medical marijuana dispensaries, San Diego has finally complied to California’s medical marijuana law and began issuing medical marijuana ID cards to the medical marijuana patients.
Jordan Jarvis, a medical marijuana patient and operator of Top Quality Collective, said:
This kind of medicine has given me the ability to get up and do things and be part of a society again. [...] We can now get ID cards that are and should be respected among law enforcement without harassment. [...] It’s groundbreaking.
San Diego breaking down and issuing medical marijuana ID cards is a big step in California’s medical marijuana movement, yet after so many attempts to circumvent prop 215, something tells me it’s not the end of their fight politically.
The Prince of Pot Says Goodbye to Canada
July 7th, 2009 by Rick
The Prince of Pot, Marc Emery, is saying goodbye to Canada by way of a “fairwell tour”, scheduled to make its mark in 32 cities, before he is extradited to the U.S. for selling cannabis seeds to U.S. customers.
On Sunday, Emery began the tour in Calgary saying:
I’m being taken to a U.S. prison for something I did in Canada as innocuous as selling seeds, which don’t even have any drug quality, and yet I have to face a five year term for that. [...] It’s difficult to say what will happen in a U.S. federal penitentiary. It’s never very pleasant. American jails aren’t run nearly as well as Canadian jails. [...] I’m going away for a long time so I expect everybody to do their best and pick up the slack for me.
Emery is referring to the fight coming up in form of bill C-15, a federal bill that would impose mandatory minimum sentences for marijuana in Canada. The bill has already passed the House of Commons and it is now in the hands of the Senate. Emery advises activists to back the NDP, the Bloc, and the Green Party — all pro-cannabis political parties.
Emery’s fairwell tour continues in Saskatoon on Wednesday and Edmonton on Thursday.
DEA Splits, Bolivia Hits
July 7th, 2009 by RickA factory converted into a cocaine laboratory in Bolivia, that could produce up to 100kg (220 lbs) of cocaine per day, was raided by Drug Enforcement officers of the Bolivian government. According to senior Bolivian anti-narcotics officer, Oscar Nina, five Colombians were arrested.
The factory was the 4th largest raided since early 2009. Bolivian Interior Minister Alfredo Rada blames U.S. anti-narcotics officials for not locating the factory, that they estimate has been running for a year.
Previously in 2008, Bolivia booted the DEA from it’s borders and accused Washington with conspiring against the left wing government of President Evo Morales.
As a reward for doing and finding what the DEA could not, the U.S. announced last week that they were cutting trade benefits for Bolivia and reimposing duties on some imported Bolivian goods.
MPP Reveals Pro-Marijuana TV Commercial in CA
July 7th, 2009 by RickThe Marijuana Policy Project Foundation is stepping up their game and launching a commercial in California that aims to help the state budget crisis by advocating the legalization of marijuana through taxation and regulation. The commercial will air Wednesday July 8th, on cable news networks:
- CNN
- CNN Headline News
- MSNBC
- CNBC
A couple of TV stations in Los Angeles (KABC) and San Francisco (KGO) refused to air the ad stating in an e-mail that “standards rejected the spot” and they were “not comfortable.”
Aaron Smith, MPP California policy director said:
We are astonished that three major California TV stations chose to censor a discussion that Governor Schwarzenegger has said our state should have on an issue supported by 56 percent of voters, according to the Field poll. [...] The 2 million Californians who use marijuana in a given month deserve to have their voices heard — and their tax dollars should help solve the fiscal emergency that threatens our schools, police and parks.
It is odd why two TV stations in two major cities in California that are pro medical marijuana would censor a commercial like this, but then again that could very well be the reason.
