3 narcs bite the dust

Since the DEA is an American civilian “law” enforcement agency, would somebody mind telling me what they were doing in Afghanistan? Were they “advisors” sharing their invincible expertise on ending drug production?

Apparently, the agency has been strong-arming their pilots into going over, with threats of demotion, and sending their “problem children” out of the country. I have a little sympathy for those who thought they were getting a domestic job.  But fundamentally, I have no more sympathy for the DEA than I have for your typical Waffen SS member, and for the same reason.

In the past year, the DEA has launched an ambitious plan to increase its personnel in Afghanistan from about a dozen to nearly 80, greatly expanding its role, particularly in military actions against drug traffickers.

So were these guys counted in yesterday’s “14 casualties”? Are they soldiers?  Sorry, I will never celebrate the death of an American soldier….but I’m celebrating now.

Some Trig Trufers are more equal than others

Do I care if Andrew Sullivan burns one on MY  land? No

Do I think it’s objectively a Good Thing if Andrew Sullivan’s (or anyone else’s) $125 marijuana ticket is cancelled? Yes.

Is it right that Andrew Sullivan gets his ticket cancelled because “it would have resulted in an “adverse effect” on an unspecified “immigration status” that Sullivan, a British citizen, is applying for.”? And that nobody else does?

HELL NO!!

Really, send the sumbitch back to England. Rachel Lucas tells me that people can actually blog from there. And he’d find it much more comfortable.

“We’re here to pay taxes”

“We’re here to pay taxes, create jobs, and improve our communities.”

CLICK!

Silly me. I thought you were here to sell high-grade medical marijuana with the best service and lowest price consistent with quality. I’m sure your customers don’t patronize you to pay taxes, even in Oakland CA.

That was a quote from the guy who owns 4 medical marijuana dispensaries, who suggested to city officials that they should raise his taxes. and the “Click” was me turning off NPR Morning edition in stunned disbelief.

“New professionalism” on trial in Cleveland

A federal grand jury in Cleveland charged Lucas, 41, of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, in an 18-count indictment that accuses him of perjury, making false statements and violating three people’s civil rights.

What’s even more of a riot than the piece (“full-throttle approach”?) are the comments, many of which seek to shift the blame to informant Jerrell Bray…who has already been tried and convicted for his part. What we have here is a gung-ho employee of an unconstitutional agency which exists in violation of the 9th and 10th Amendments, who may have violated parts of the Bill of Rights that even the ACLU recognizes, and who deserves prison just for drawing the paycheck he drew, even if he were clean. This is what the War on Drugs means: people will be hired who are “good at what they do”, regardless of collateral damage.

And don’t tell me “innocent until proven guilty” — that may be true of these particular criminal complaints, but his employment is a matter of public record.

Eric Holder: lying sack of shit

So much for that statement that he’d leave medical marijuana distributors alone.
I am so ashamed to have been taken in. He’s a politicians, and his lips were moving; I should have known better. I guess I just got overwhelmed by all that Hope for Change.

British brass players drink

The Guardian reports on something oft-rumored: that British brass players (in particular) often need to be poured into their seats during a concert. They’re famous for running off to the pub during intermission.

I don’t hear these stories about players in the States though. I don’t know if management is stricter or or players more puritanical, or there’s not the culture, or what…or if I’m just not connected to the wrong people.

Speaking of slave states

In Tennessee (ranked #7 overall, 18 for personal freedom), it’s a crime for an individual to bring alcohol into the state –any amount, any proof — and over 3 gallons, it’s a felony.

Eric Holder shows a little sense

 

Supporters of programs to provide legal marijuana to patients with painful medical conditions are celebrating Attorney General Eric Holder’s statement this week that the Drug Enforcement Administration would end its raids on state-approved marijuana dispensaries.

A nice start. Now, can you do something about the BATF?

First law of the black market

Don’t call the cops over contract enforcement disputes:

CLEVELAND — A 20-year-old Cleveland man who called 9-1-1 Saturday night for help talked his way into City jail, police said.

He told a dispatcher that two men with guns were watching him about 10:40 p.m. near West 44th and Clark Avenue and hung up. The dispatcher called him back to get a description of the suspects. During the call, the man asked the dispatcher to hold on and made a drug deal, police said.

“What you need? A 10-pack? A 10-pack, alright,” a voice can be heard saying on a recording of the call. He said the cost was $75. A 10-pack is slang for a bundle of heroin.

The dispatcher redirected police to the caller.

“He’s in front of the Pit Stop selling drugs it seems like,” the dispatcher tells officers.

Patrolmen Edward Lentz, James Skernivitz and James Simone found the man crossing the street but didn’t find the gunmen. The officers found crack cocaine in his pants. The man didn’t have any identification.

So the officers had the dispatcher call the number the man used to call for help. The man’s phone rang. Simone believes the man expected the gunmen to rob him and steal the drugs.

I once lived around W. 44 and Clark, and can tell you that the average person there is no smarter or more moral than this guy.

Coke plane

Via Balko, I found this story about a plane that crashed with tons of cocaine in it… which had previously flown several times from the US to Guantanamo Bay, and had a tie to a Bush fundraiser. Yes, I want to believe the worst. OTOH:

#29 posted by jimmitude , September 6, 2008 6:08 AM

Re: the video. That’s not anything close to a G-II. Nose too short, wing not swept, and not a T tail.

This sounds too much like a deliberate spoof to me. If you don’t think the pros are good at what they do, (and they rely on that) you’ll never find the right rabbit hole. And a technology mall corporation with the initals DBA (doing business as….) is a dead give away that you ain’t on the right track. This is like registering at a hotel under the name Ford Honda. Only a journalist ‘hot on the trail’ won’t notice that the name is, ummm, odd.

I’m not saying that there isn’t something funny going on, but I’d bet it isn’t an Intel group doing it.

And now, I’ve reached my disgust quotient, and am signing off to be a productive citizen…there are still a few of those.