cannabisnews.com: Potheads vs. Narcs





Potheads vs. Narcs
Posted by CN Staff on May 17, 2005 at 12:03:14 PT
By Mary Ann Akers, Roll Call Staff
Source: Roll Call
Washington, D.C. -- It would have been the zaniest game of the softball season. But it seems the Narcs are too chicken to play a bunch of stoners.The One Hitters, the softball team of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, claim they've been trying to play ball — literally — against the Office of National Drug Control Policy for years. Finally, this year, it looked like the Bush administration's ONDCP office, also known as the drug czar, was going to come through.
The game was all set for Wednesday, June 8, between the One Hitters and We Czar the Champions. But then the drug czar's office removed the game from their schedule, saying they couldn't muster enough players for that particular game. (They did, however, have enough players last week in their game against the Commerce Department.)The One Hitters tried to reschedule, but the captain of We Czar the Champions said they were "booked through August."Now the once-docile potheads are irate. "Obviously one of the 'higher ups' at ONDCP saw the schedule and nixed the game," NORML's spokesman, Nick Thimmesch, told HOH. "Perhaps they were spooked by the notion of BYOB — bring your own bong!"Kris Krane, NORML's associate director and co-captain of the One Hitters, said: "For years the ONDCP has been unwilling to engage drug policy reformers in a serious debate on the issues. Now they even refuse to engage us in a friendly game of softball."Tom Riley, a spokesman for the drug czar's office, said there was "no grand policy formulation" to dodge playing the One Hitters. He said the stoners couldn't possibly have tried to play We Czar the Champions for years, because the team is brand new."This just goes to show the effects of marijuana use on judgment and reasoning," Riley joked.At first he toed the party line and blamed his team's decision not to play the One Hitters on a dearth of players. But then he thought better of it and decided it was a policy decision after all."I wouldn't think we would play any team that promotes drug use," Riley said, adding, "that includes teams that promote smoking meth or smoking crack."Source: Roll Call (DC) Author: Mary Ann Akers, Roll Call Staff Published: May 17, 2005Copyright: 2005 Roll Call Inc. Contact: letters rollcall.com Website: http://www.rollcall.com/ NORMLhttp://www.norml.org/CannabisNews NORML Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/NORML.shtml
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Comment #40 posted by ekim on May 19, 2005 at 19:13:26 PT
hey FoM and Nick ck Bgreens coments on this thread
http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/18/thread18450.shtmlseems Mr Riley has not forgot about going to battle.
http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/18/thread18450.shtml
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Comment #39 posted by FoM on May 19, 2005 at 07:58:46 PT
Nicholas
I really like Zuma too but I like all of his music. It's so different but always good. I respect him because of the way he loves his family. It reflects in his music. I know how much you liked Ronald Reagan. I did vote for him but I thought he was going to change the laws for us that Carter said he would do but didn't do. My favorite news person is his son, Ronald Reagan. He is very smart and his manners are very impressive. His parents raised him well.
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Comment #38 posted by Nick Thimmesch on May 19, 2005 at 06:09:37 PT:
Neil Young will...
...always have a "special" place in my musical heart: I've been listening to his music since I was 13. But besides the music, I've also always liked the man (how he cares for his kids, kicked hard drugs, etc.)...he even said some kind things about my political hero, Ronald Reagan.My favorite album: Zuma!
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Comment #37 posted by FoM on May 18, 2005 at 10:57:56 PT
Off Topic: Just Music Stuff
I know Nicholas and Dankhank appreciate Neil Young. He just turned in a new album and he was given an award in LA. Here's a link and a few paragraphs that I thought were nice. ***Comes a Time for a Tux - LA TimesMay 18, 2005Accepting ASCAP's highest songwriting honor, the Founders Award, Young gazed into an idealized future and told the 800 onlookers: "I guess my mission will be to boldly go where no hippie has gone before."***Later, Young was anything but, extemporizing a six-minute acceptance speech that started with a long, heartfelt tribute to his wife, Pegi, for sticking through each of his careening career twists and turns during their 27-year marriage.***"A lot of relationships have gone down the tubes at the hands of the muse," he said, looking toward the table where Pegi sat with their children, Amber and Ben, as well as Neil's older son, Zeke, with actress Carrie Snodgress.***Young, who exhibited no ill effects of his recent treatment for a brain aneurysm, made no attempt to explain why he, more than virtually any other rocker born of the '60s, has remained hip among succeeding generations of listeners and musicians."I've been at the top and I've been at the bottom," Young said, "I've been a has-been. But I just do what I do and every few years things come back around again."Echoing that theme of déjà vu, Young said, "Fortunately, tomorrow I'll be going in to play my new record for my label." ***http://www.latimes.com/business/custom/cotown/la-et-young18may18,1,1071960.story?coll=la-headlines-business-enter&ctrack=1&cset=true
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Comment #36 posted by dididadadidit on May 18, 2005 at 09:27:05 PT
Thank you "Truth" for your timely comment.
"Truth" posts exactly along the lines I'm raising with respect to skeletons in the closet. Surely, even if the politicians in question can't be implicated personally, they have families, hopefully kids who have been caught breaking drug laws, and, even better, if they got preferential treatment because of their politically connected hypocrital parent.Destroy these hypocrical rethugs by any legal means possible.Cheers?
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Comment #35 posted by Truth on May 18, 2005 at 09:18:58 PT
Lamar Alexander 
I attended many a Grateful Dead concert with Lamar's son. Having smoked plenty of joints with his son, who is an outstanding individual, I wonder why Lamar would want to lock him up. Maybe his son gets a bye for being related.Lamar, I lost my faith in you.
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Comment #34 posted by dididadadidit on May 18, 2005 at 09:18:51 PT
Wisconsin's representative SenselessBrainer 
Wisconsin's representative SenselessBrainer appears to be trying to outstupid Indiana's (Senseless)Souder in proposing more and more rediculous bull**** legislation, including the following recent gems.A proposal to trigger a 5 year minimum mandatory for anyone found guilty of transacting (including sharing with no money exchanged) ANY amount of an illegal drug in an URBAN area. I guess that's to target Milwaukee blacks and get 'em off the voting roles with criminal records, while not as aggressively targeting rural rubes voting rethugnican.A proposal to trigger a 5 year minimum mandatory for anyone found guilty of sharing a joint with someone who has been in rehab. I'm not sure what to guess is behind this one, although it could be more of the above, a cop being more likely to spot joint sharing in the city than the country.Just as some of the loudest anti-gay screamers have gay skeletons in their closets, is it not possible that some of these senseless prohibitionists have drug skeletons in their closets? Like Lush Limbaugh?Please, attention Democrats. Get well vetted squeaky clean candidates to run against these SOBs, do the investigative research on 'em, use the dirt turned up to go dirty, being very loud and repitious in the campaign, and replace the worst of the worst in congress.Cheers?
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Comment #33 posted by Nick Thimmesch on May 18, 2005 at 05:07:28 PT:
Other meanings to the ONDCP of..
..."B.Y.O.B.":Bring Your Own Bible (President Bush)
Be Your Own Bitch (Wonk Walters)
By You Old Bastard ("General" McCaffrey)Sorry for the language FoM...
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Comment #32 posted by OverwhelmSam on May 18, 2005 at 04:52:40 PT
Siege
Reference to DeLay's remarks about impeaching activist judges, with Congress in charge of the Judiciary they will have absolute power to do what ever they want. Interesting that DeLay is at the abyss of being booted himself.I think the people should begin impeaching activist congressmen and presidents too. Especially the ones who push legislation that support the marijuana war.Overwhelm Uncle Sam
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Comment #31 posted by siege on May 17, 2005 at 20:59:48 PT
Senate Bill Would Require Judges To Revisit Agency
Lamar Alexander
U. S. Senator
Author: Gary Fields
Publication: Wall Street Journal
House Judiciary Chairman James Sensenbrenner (R., Wis.) has suggested there should be an inspector general overseeing the federal judiciary. He also has introduced a bill that effectively would require mandatory sentences for many drug crimes, removing judges from sentencing. Others, such as Republican House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, have suggested that activist judges be impeached.
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Comment #30 posted by ekim on May 17, 2005 at 20:57:13 PT
lite it up lite it up ive got lighting in my vains
today the Gov of MI took calls from fellow ganders. one of which was from Kathy saying that Bill Buckley and Walter Cronkite were for Legalizing Marijuana why not have the Lawmakers hold hearings on the matter. For which she was hustled off the air and Gov Jenny was speechless. jpee when you say --Rather, drug courts, which use supervised treatment to help users (rather than prison) are a critical component of our approach. President Bush has requested an extra $30 million to expand the program-------Since when is the simple use of something by an adult a reason to lock them up in some dungeon., to make there family suffer, to besmirch a mans hard earned good name for no good reason is treason as unchecked the country can not stay whole.to say W is giving $30 million more for this injustice how much is for Cannabis./ while we are cutting much needed medical help for the needy.
http://www.leap.cc/events
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Comment #29 posted by FoM on May 17, 2005 at 20:31:09 PT
Thanks Taylor!
I sent it into Mapinc. This is a good letter writing article.http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread20688.shtml
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Comment #28 posted by Taylor121 on May 17, 2005 at 20:05:52 PT
Walters: Marijuana Policy Just Right
Marijuana policy just right
By John Walters
Assertions that our nation's drug policy minimizes cocaine and heroin while focusing on marijuana are misleading. The fallacy involves interpreting drug arrests as signals of changed drug policy, rather than as indicators of drug use. As drug use went down during the 1980s, arrests fell accordingly. When drug use climbed between 1992 and 1997, arrests followed suit. And when the cocaine epidemic struck, cocaine arrests rose steeply, only to drop as the epidemic waned.
The common sense conclusion is that drug use rates and criminal justice responses are linked. Thus, the key to reducing drug arrests is reducing drug use. Important progress has already occurred — youth drug use has declined 17% since 2001.Our drug policy balances prevention, treatment and interdiction. Criminal justice sanctions are sometimes necessary, but we are not locking up low-level marijuana offenders. Rather, drug courts, which use supervised treatment to help users (rather than prison) are a critical component of our approach. President Bush has requested an extra $30 million to expand the program.We are more concerned about marijuana today. Studies long ago established marijuana as a risky substance. For youth, it is the single largest source of abuse and dependency. But compelling new research shows an increased public health threat.First, marijuana potency has more than doubled within the past 10 years. Second, kids are using marijuana at younger ages, during crucial periods in their development, and thereby increasing risks that extend into adult life. And third, research from many nations now implicates marijuana's role in mental illness.Youth marijuana use elevates risks of depression, psychosis, even schizophrenia. For those with predispositions to mental disorders, the risk is compounded. Some studies show marijuana can trigger the onset or increase the severity of mental illness. Coming to grips with new facts, we are focusing on marijuana. As we do so, we respond to a fundamental public health problem in a balanced and responsible manner.John Walters is director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/2005-05-17-oppose_x.htm
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Comment #27 posted by Hope on May 17, 2005 at 19:18:14 PT
Riley doesn't pay attention very well...
Jose noticed it, too. Whose judgment, reasoning, and ability to pay attention is actually seriously lacking? Looks like his little attempt at an insult blew back in his face. And of course, he had to do his propaganda duty and reference marijuana with meth and crack.The One Hitters didn't say they had been trying to play the Narcs for years. Kris Krane said that they had been trying to have a serious DEBATE with them for years...and that NOW...they won't even play a softball game with them. "Kris Krane, NORML's associate director and co-captain of the One Hitters, said: "For years the ONDCP has been unwilling to engage drug policy reformers in a serious debate on the issues. Now they even refuse to engage us in a friendly game of softball."Tom Riley, a spokesman for the drug czar's office, said there was "no grand policy formulation" to dodge playing the One Hitters. He said the stoners couldn't possibly have tried to play We Czar the Champions for years, because the team is brand new."This just goes to show the effects of marijuana use on judgment and reasoning," Riley joked."Does he mean it improves judgment and reasoning…as compared to his? He must. Can’t have very good judgment and reasoning on a matter if you haven’t paid close enough attention to someone to even know what they are saying before you come back with smart-alecky remarks.Roll Call, I think, is read regularly by politicians and Washington power brokers.BYOB! Good one, Nick. I love the Norml team name, too. I don't love the Narc team's name.
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Comment #26 posted by mayan on May 17, 2005 at 18:24:22 PT
Liely
"I wouldn't think we would play any team that promotes drug use," Riley said, adding, "that includes teams that promote smoking meth or smoking crack."NORML doesn't promote drug use. They simply want to end the arrest and incarceration of cannabis users. THE WAY OUT IS THE WAY IN...9/11 and the American Empire: How Should Religious People Respond?
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0505/S00129.htmFinally A Single Truth Amid The Firestorm Of Lies:
http://www.rense.com/general65/fina.htmCorporate News Media: Incompetent, Criminally Negligent or Complicit?
http://www.uruknet.info/?p=m11691&l=i&size=1&hd=0Mega Millionaire Starts Re-Open 9/11 Investigation Campaign:
http://www.allamericanpatriots.com/m-news+article+storyid-10253-PHPSESSID-be60ae0cdf338f225c2eb0abda90cd8d.html
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Comment #25 posted by FoM on May 17, 2005 at 18:20:37 PT
Truth 
No! That's so funny! No saddle!
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Comment #24 posted by Truth on May 17, 2005 at 18:17:09 PT
FoM
Do Gazelles use saddles? : )
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Comment #23 posted by FoM on May 17, 2005 at 16:26:10 PT
Dankhank 
I cheat and stay inside and use a Gazelle to burn off excess energy. I turn on Hey Hey My My and have a good high speed work out! LOL! I have 114 miles on it so far. I don't use it everyday but a couple times a week.
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Comment #22 posted by global_warming on May 17, 2005 at 15:55:09 PT
sorry missed link
http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/05/16/scotus.wine.shipments.ap/index.html
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Comment #21 posted by MikeEEEEE on May 17, 2005 at 15:54:23 PT
FYI: Alaska
The MPP in Alaska has successfully beaten back efforts to re-criminalize marijuana. 
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Comment #20 posted by global_warming on May 17, 2005 at 15:53:46 PT
re:Recent Wine Decision
"While the ruling only involves wine sales, industry groups expect it will soon apply to beer and other alcoholic beverages now regulated through state-licensed wholesalers and retailers...the 24 states that ban direct shipments from out-of-state wineries are Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah and Vermont."Might them 24 states be the blooo 1nz?Hope the same reason might apply towards those less costly pharmaceuticals from Canada, hey maybe even that Sativex.
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Comment #19 posted by Sam Adams on May 17, 2005 at 15:47:27 PT
Hiking
yes, it's good to get out among the other plants once in a while. 
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Comment #18 posted by Dankhank on May 17, 2005 at 15:45:00 PT
Hiking
I have started doing a three-mile track around the local Military Bases' golf course ...Nice pastoral scenery watching fanatic golfers in most any weather ...I have an MP3 player that I listen to while I walk, jog taking about 45 minutes to complete...EJ, yes, it's a great way burn of nervous energy ...Confusion to the ONDCP
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Comment #17 posted by FoM on May 17, 2005 at 15:40:02 PT
Drug Policy Alliance Press Release
Tell Candidates Compassionate Use Is Important - Ohio OnlyTuesday, May 17, 2005You have a chance to spotlight medical marijuana in the upcoming election for the replacement of Congressman Portman (2nd district). There will be a Republican Forum at the end of this week at which questions submitted in advance by constituents will be posed to the candidates.
 http://www.drugpolicy.org/news/051705ohio.cfm
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Comment #16 posted by kaptinemo on May 17, 2005 at 15:23:18 PT:
Bwaaaaaaak! Bwuk-bwuk-bwuk-bwaaaaak!
Chicken, indeed. Easy to attack statistically non-violent cannabists, or have pain management specialists locked up for the stupidities of their erstwhile patients who finked when caught, causing hundreds more to suffer literal agonies. But play a friendly game of softball with an opponent with an admitted (supposed) 'handicap'? Da had a saying about some Marines unworthy of the globe-and-anchor (having been one he should know): "Bulldog mouth; puppydog a**." And that goes for our opponents reading this, who haven't the courage borne of their convictions to openly debate. Lotta noise up front...but nothing to back it up with in the 'upstairs' department. Pathetic.
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Comment #15 posted by FoM on May 17, 2005 at 15:23:09 PT
Enjoy EJ
A hike sounds like something good to do why we wait.
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Comment #14 posted by dongenero on May 17, 2005 at 15:09:38 PT
maybe they'll put our tax dollars to work
Maybe ONDCP will put more of our tax dollars to work and hire a few ringers into their office.
Look for them to agree to a game at that point.
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Comment #13 posted by dongenero on May 17, 2005 at 15:07:04 PT
if you don't play you won't be beaten
ONDCP would never live it down in D.C. if thet got their a** kicked by NORML.
They are chicken. 
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Comment #12 posted by FoM on May 17, 2005 at 15:02:29 PT
Why Are They Afraid of the One Hitters?
They don't have a contagious disease and shaking hands with one of them won't turn a person into a Flower Child. How silly this war is sometimes.The reality is they think the One Hitters would win and they wouldn't like that at all in my opinion!
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Comment #11 posted by potpal on May 17, 2005 at 14:49:02 PT
a big game
The narcs only play when they are confident all the umps are on their side."I wouldn't think we would play any team that promotes drug use," Riley saidNow consider how the One Hitters are magnanimous enough to play with those who promote caging people for using a medicine herb.
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Comment #10 posted by jose melendez on May 17, 2005 at 14:40:26 PT
Who will be responsible for youth harmed?
Drug War Harms: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05/n797/a04.html?397DARE: Disgusted yet? http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05/n798/a11.html?397
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Comment #9 posted by E_Johnson on May 17, 2005 at 14:13:53 PT
I'm going for a hike!
The wait is getting to me. I'm going to burn off some tension outdoors.See you guys later! 
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Comment #8 posted by Sam Adams on May 17, 2005 at 14:02:01 PT
Raich
The Raich decision must be coming soon - last month, it was predicted that they'd release the decision on 5/2 or 5/15. I am seriously afraid that they are waiting for media cover in the form of foreign war/terrorism events.They know the story will be big news, even the recent wine decision made the front page of most newspapers.
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Comment #7 posted by FoM on May 17, 2005 at 13:57:07 PT
Siege
Thank you for the post!
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Comment #6 posted by siege on May 17, 2005 at 13:54:32 PT
Victory -- marijuana will remain legal in Alaska!
Victory -- marijuana will remain legal in Alaska!Dear ArthurWe did it! The Marijuana Policy Project and our allies in Alaska have successfully beaten back efforts to re-criminalize marijuana in Alaska. After months of round-the-clock lobbying and grassroots organizing, marijuana will remain safe and legal in Alaska.We couldn't have done this without the help of our 17,000 dues-paying members. We spent $45,000 in Alaska to pay for a full-time lobbyist, two radio ads, and the generation of phone calls from constituents to their state legislators. And this doesn't count the cost of MPP staffers' time and overhead in our D.C. headquarters.If you are one of the 115,000 subscribers on this e-mail list who have not yet donated to MPP this year, would you please contribute $10 or more today?As you may know, last September the Alaska Supreme Court upheld a previous ruling that allows adults aged 21 and older to use and possess up to four ounces of marijuana in the privacy of their homes -- and not just for medical use. The MPP grants program funded this litigation.A few months ago, Alaska Gov. Frank Murkowski (R) declared that re-criminalizing marijuana would be one of his top legislative priorities this year. At his urging, the state legislature introduced twin bills to impose the same penalty for the possession of four ounces of marijuana as for incest -- five years in prison!MPP fought back. Working with Alaskans for Marijuana Regulation and Control, we funded radio ads slamming the bills, called thousands of Alaska voters to get them to complain to their legislators, and, with the help of the Alaska Civil Liberties Union, lined up experts to testify before key committees. And we succeeded at ensuring that all newspapers in the state covered this public outcry.At the start of this campaign, political observers said we wouldn't even be able to amend the legislation. But we did better than that -- we killed the bills completely.After four months of hand-to-hand combat, the state legislature adjourned for the year without even coming close to passing the legislation. And, when the governor called the legislature back into session for the summer, he decided against putting the bad marijuana legislation on the legislature's docket.We won, against all odds, because MPP, Alaskans for Marijuana Regulation and Control, and the ACLU have been focused, aggressive, and professional -- and because we had the money to fight the fight that needed fighting.Would you please show your support for our work by making a donation to MPP? We need supporters like you to stand with us in our fight -- and, as our victory in Alaska shows, it's a fight that we can win.Sincerely,Rob Kampia
Executive Director
Marijuana Policy Project
Washington, D.C.
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Comment #5 posted by jose melendez on May 17, 2005 at 13:25:24 PT
gosh. I feel sorry for the guy.
How unfortunate that Riley had to lie, using a straw man argument, even when "joking":"For years the ONDCP has been unwilling to engage drug policy reformers in a serious debate on the issues.Tom Riley . . . said the stoners couldn't possibly have tried to play We Czar the Champions for years, because the team is brand new."Oh well. 
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Comment #4 posted by FoM on May 17, 2005 at 13:24:09 PT
goneposthole
That's good! LOL!
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Comment #3 posted by goneposthole on May 17, 2005 at 13:20:50 PT
possible name for the ONDCP team:
The No Hitters, double pun intended.
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Comment #2 posted by FoM on May 17, 2005 at 12:28:43 PT
Oh Nicholas! LOL!
BYOB!!! Too much!
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on May 17, 2005 at 12:26:07 PT
One Hitters
This is just a down right cute article.
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