The local police just busted an Al-Qaida (spelling?) chapter in my town. They were selling weed, hash and pistols in order to finance terrorism. Who would you rather sell drugs, people linked to terrorist groups or a couple dudes in the burbs?
Holy crap, check out THIS growroom.
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Hell, i have a J school degree and a degree in Poli Sci (Int'l Relations). I knew it would be pretty much useless unless i A) managed to get in with reuters or a similiar wire service or B) became a political analyst. No way I could ever teach, as I have 0 patience for that sort of thing.blue said:
As it is I sorta use the journalism thing working as a photojournalist, but the majority of my income is from design work. I have absolutely no training in that and just sort of picked it up as I went along through school.
Edit: I am super happy doing what I do, although I would LOVE to be working for a Reuters office. I was accepted into their news school in London, but didn't get my UK Work Visa in time and lost eligibility and would have to apply again.
If you are happy as a business consultant, what's the problem? No matter what degree you have, being happy at your job is super important in my eyes. Having a degree out of field can be really handy in some jobs, and it makes college interesting. No way I would have survived the time I did in college doing tech/comp sci etc. The extraneous classes would have killed me with boredom.
that's amazing. hell, that's probably where my old roomie's weed came from. i know his supplier was based out of Houston. that guy got busted around 2003, i believe. roomie made so much money selling that stuff, even being the 2nd or 3rd in line. i swear he pulled in a good 2 - 3k a month, only 'working' a couple nights a week. i remember he told me he could give me a 20 - 25% return on a $1000. i wish he was around now...one of the most intelligent people i have ever met.
i agree with the comment about employers not giving two ****s what your degree is in, just that you graduated. that's the only reason i'm still in school...and looking forward to my $40,700 loan to pay off.
i agree with the comment about employers not giving two ****s what your degree is in, just that you graduated. that's the only reason i'm still in school...and looking forward to my $40,700 loan to pay off.
Wait, so it was what? 2 Arab guys selling hash? Yep, has to be terrorism.bikenweed said:
Not that I doubt you, but at this point, I'm sure the US media will spin EVERYTHING into being terrorism related. Hell now you get a special with every drug bust: war on terror/war on drugs. 2 wars for the price of 1! This is especially important if they used illegal wiretaps, botches the evidence or investigation or the perps have really good lawyers. Send em away to guantanamo!
Dude, I live in Alicante, Spain, not the USA. There's a lot of American tourism here, and a lot of Americans that buy pot, hash, coke, x, etc. from street dealers. A lot of these street dealers are directly connected to Al-Qaida. Scary but true, at least according to ALL my professors, and the 3 policemen I'm friends with, and ride bikes with.Transcend said:Wait, so it was what? 2 Arab guys selling hash? Yep, has to be terrorism.
Not that I doubt you, but at this point, I'm sure the US media will spin EVERYTHING into being terrorism related. Hell now you get a special with every drug bust: war on terror/war on drugs. 2 wars for the price of 1! This is especially important if they used illegal wiretaps, botches the evidence or investigation or the perps have really good lawyers. Send em away to guantanamo!
Like I said, I don't doubt you. It's a known financing method (especially heroin etc). But in the US, you know how this would work out in this day and age. I sincerely doubt the street dealers are, but the higher ups I can believe.bikenweed said:
Just out of curriosity, how do your "Professors" know this?
Hey aren't you from Canada? Who are you to make fun of our media and our judicial system? Just because yours is all efficient and stuff, gives you no right.Transcend said:Wait, so it was what? 2 Arab guys selling hash? Yep, has to be terrorism.
Not that I doubt you, but at this point, I'm sure the US media will spin EVERYTHING into being terrorism related. Hell now you get a special with every drug bust: war on terror/war on drugs. 2 wars for the price of 1! This is especially important if they used illegal wiretaps, botches the evidence or investigation or the perps have really good lawyers. Send em away to guantanamo!
Back to the subject at hand. I still wonder why the U.S. hasn't legalized weed. They could make a killing taxing it, add that to the money saved not trying to take down these operations. I don't smoke it but the capitalist in me sees a great biz. oppertunity.
Our justice system is far from perfect...in fact at times it is frighteningly bad. Case in point: Guy kills a 17 year old after his 4th DUI conviction. Serves 32 months, finally goes to trial and gets sentenced. He gets credit for 32 months served, and is in jail for a maximum of 2 more months. Then he will be released, and allowed to drive again in a year???? WTF? This is a current case BTW, sentencing was last week.maxyedor said:Hey aren't you from Canada? Who are you to make fun of our media and our judicial system? Just because yours is all efficient and stuff, gives you no right.
Back to the subject at hand. I still wonder why the U.S. hasn't legalized weed. They could make a killing taxing it, add that to the money saved not trying to take down these operations. I don't smoke it but the capitalist in me sees a great biz. oppertunity.
Anywho, I completely agree about the weeb thing. I don't touch the stuff myself, but I cannot honestly see the problem. Prohibition didn't go over so well in the US when they tried that, and now they make a killing on taxing the stuff.
Having legal pot, where pricing, growing conditions etc is controlled and the gov't taxes them out the wazoo a la ciggs makes sense to me.
Hell, isn't it actually better for you then tobacco smoke and the various paper chemicals and such? Not to mention being less addictive due to a lack of Nicotine.
Because they read the local paper, listen to the local radio, and are local citizens who have a strong interest in politics and local happenings, and are a rather educated source. It's common knowledge that Al-Qaida is here. I didn't believe it at first, but after I read about it in the paper, heard about it from the professors, and then had friends in the Guardia Civil and Policia Local tell me about it, I believe it.DaveW said:
I see nothing wrong with selling pot that is home grown and without connections to terrorist groups. Someone's gotta do it, might as well be someone that cultivates at home and not some sketchy dude on someone else's land who will kill his competition.
The street dealers aren't AQ. They are street thugs, just like every other street level dealer selling nickel bags. The media in any country right now appears to want to put the OMG terrists spin on things.bikenweed said:
The problem with some rednecks growing it, is that you never know what you are truly going to get. Also, you may end up shot in a deal gone bad. The gas station attendant probably wouldn't blow you away for shortchanging him on a pack of joints by accident.
That is pretty fvcked up. Even without the DUI 34 months for vehicular manslaughter is realy realy light.Transcend said:
This could, of course, all be complete BS, but I doubt it. I've seen some shady stuff go down already. Some really shady stuff, and I'm not even in the "shady scene". There's a reason I don't sell weed, and I'm not going to go into detail. Call me a sucker, but come out of your shell over in the states and realize that terrorism is real. Resort town, people with money, what better way to finance some bombs and some research?
Not the best sources, but Spanish government has little to benefit from lying about Al-Qaida and its presence after the 3-11 attacks in Madrid.
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2005/12/9/70006.shtml
http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=nation_world&id=3661859
http://english.people.com.cn/200309/19/eng20030919_124572.shtml
http://www.jamestown.org/terrorism/news/article.php?issue_id=3131
Not the best sources, but Spanish government has little to benefit from lying about Al-Qaida and its presence after the 3-11 attacks in Madrid.
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2005/12/9/70006.shtml
http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=nation_world&id=3661859
http://english.people.com.cn/200309/19/eng20030919_124572.shtml
http://www.jamestown.org/terrorism/news/article.php?issue_id=3131
Apparently in Quebec, most people get 2 years for this???maxyedor said:
I am trying to find the case now, sentencing was late last week, wed/thurs.
What does a bombing have to do with a street thug? Seriously dude, the street level dealers aren't exactly AQ higher ups. They are thugs, pawns. I have no doubt that the head of the black tar network could be AQ..but they are safely away from Spanish authorities in a mud hut somewhere near Peshawar or the backwaters of Afghanistan. This is about as close are true AQ links get to dealing drugs.bikenweed said:
I definitely agree with you that the street dudes with the backpacks and fanny packs aren't AQ.
But the dudes the buy their stock from...
The dudes who bring in the pot and who bring in the pistols...
The land owners in Morocco who grow huge crops, and who need protection from the corrupt Moroccan gov...
The bottom line is that a lot of money gets sent to AQ as a result of pot, hash and small arms sales here in town. It's really easy to get drugs/guns through Africa to Morocco, and we're only a couple hours away by boat. You can see Morocco from Granada. It's better to have some random rednecks with money, spending it frivolously, than to have people crashing airplanes into buildings and blowing up crowded subways.
Do you guys think we could alleviate some of the corruption in South and Central America by legalizing pot in the states? I don't think it would change a whole lot, but it might be a step in the right direction. It would definitely be an interesting experiment, but these issues are waaaay complicated.
But the dudes the buy their stock from...
The dudes who bring in the pot and who bring in the pistols...
The land owners in Morocco who grow huge crops, and who need protection from the corrupt Moroccan gov...
The bottom line is that a lot of money gets sent to AQ as a result of pot, hash and small arms sales here in town. It's really easy to get drugs/guns through Africa to Morocco, and we're only a couple hours away by boat. You can see Morocco from Granada. It's better to have some random rednecks with money, spending it frivolously, than to have people crashing airplanes into buildings and blowing up crowded subways.
Do you guys think we could alleviate some of the corruption in South and Central America by legalizing pot in the states? I don't think it would change a whole lot, but it might be a step in the right direction. It would definitely be an interesting experiment, but these issues are waaaay complicated.
Theyre even dumber then you think because theyre growing it all wrong.
The should keep the plants as low as possible (about 40cm off the ground) to get the best harvest.
The plants will grow towards the light so they have obviously had the lamps up to high.
The electrical bill is your smallest worry when you grow weed in your basement. At least in Holland it is, we have tons of ways to set the meter back or make it run slower while your using as much power as is done in a grow house.
The main problem is usually how to get all the weed and rest garbage out without anyone seeing it.
Therefore when someone does see it theres a good chance the police will hear about it and thats the main reason why people get busted here.
In Holland there are thousands of people doing this in their homes (or other places) to make some extra money. Its sold directly form a home to a "coffeeshop" that can sell it to anyone who is 18+.
The stupid thing is that its illegal for someone to grow it at home and sell it to the coffeeshop but its legal for the coffeeshop to sell it to the public.
Coffeeshop or hashbar how you call it from what Ive learned watching pulp fiction....
You can read in English about this place on their website.
In Holland they have an awards kind of thing for who has the best weed and theyve won it a couple of times so its a pretty good shop.
http://www.catweazle.nl/uk/uk_index.html
Ive seen my share of growhouses and I even made a few installations myself for friends, some of the houses Ive seen were setup really professional like the one in Tennesee but others were a timebomb waiting to blow with bad wiring and no ventilation.
Lots of fires start in these houses and sometimes there can be lots of waterdamage due to leaking pots so a lot of people get busted because of this too.
About the helicopter thing...
Im pretty sure it happens in Holland but not on a large scale, Ive been told they use infra red to track down high masses of heat in houses and even during winters they just patrol an area to see if theres a house that doesnt have snow on the roof. :teacher:
What kind of punishment would you guys think the owner will get?
In Holland he would only have to pay some money to the goverment and then the money for the power thats been used.
And if he's smart he has that money put aside from what he made of the weed before he gets busted so theres really no problem at all usually.
In Holland he would only have to pay some money to the goverment and then the money for the power thats been used.
And if he's smart he has that money put aside from what he made of the weed before he gets busted so theres really no problem at all usually.
Hey Kevin, I know it's legal to buy in Holland, but is the illegal growing just growing at home or do you need a special permit etc to do it?
Thats our money saved, not theirs. To them it's a paycheck. Thats your answer.maxyedor said:
damn... thats like a secret base or something under there!
drugs are bad.
drugs are bad.
Growing weed at home is perfectly legal up to 5 plants if I remember correctly, but u can not use any artificial form of lighting to enhance the growth or use watering systems because then its regarded as "professional" use.blue said:
The growing that takes place in larger amounts that provide coffeeshops is allways done illegally and so is selling it to the coffeeshop.
The coffeshop can then sell it legally but where they get their supply is allways a secret to authorities.
I know it doesnt make sense but its just the way it works here and it works pretty good imo.
Theres a lot less criminal activity envolved in selling it to the public and I think thats a good thing.
The only bad thing is that theres a lot of growhouses that are a threat to their neighbourhood because a bad installation can cause a fire or waterdamage.
The goverment are even looking into growing it themselves or let companys do it for them but theres a lot of factors that stand in the way.
The E.U. is obviously against it but theres even a bigger factor that they have to deal with.
When the weed is professionally grown by companys there will be a lot more costs and the weed will get more expensive.
When the weed gets more expensive there will be more people offering it in the illegal scene and the whole ID of legalizing to stop criminal activity is flushed down the drain.
And there even is a third factor.
There's so many people growing weed in their houses that are totally dependend on the money their making of of it that if they would lose their "bussiness" they would have to find something else to make money and that would again result in rising crime rates.
Its pretty much a grey area now and when you think of it its just weird that u can buy it in a coffeeshop legaly but the coffeeshop has to get it somewhere illegally.
It still seems to work just fine so I dont see any other sollution for our situation and I dont really think there is another sollution at this time.
Not that I really give a damn cause Im not in the bussiness anymore and I havent smoked in years.
There is an easy way around these problems you know.Kevin said:
Make it legal to grow / sell with a permit.
The govt can then make sure the quality is there, make sure the people pay for power and most importantly - tax the growers income and sales of the product.
Win Win Win.
Users get good safe stuff
People keep their businesses
proper utilities get their $, Gov gets their $
The invisible hand will take care of market value.
Agreed. So why ISN'T bud legal in Canada or the USA? Are we suffering from the slippery slope fallacy of legalizing bud means legalizng all vices and throwing society into the crapper, ending life as we know it?
Seriously, why isn't it legal and regulated?
One thing to consider is the price of one of those permits to grow, it might alienate the small time grower. I'm afraid the big tobacco companies will just start producing some nasty, nicotine laden pot and selling it like cigarettes, with tons of preservatives and nasty chemicals.
Seriously, why isn't it legal and regulated?
One thing to consider is the price of one of those permits to grow, it might alienate the small time grower. I'm afraid the big tobacco companies will just start producing some nasty, nicotine laden pot and selling it like cigarettes, with tons of preservatives and nasty chemicals.
Imagine if all the work that went into that place was put to some legitimate use. I mean seriously, all that work, all that planning..all for nothing in the end. Ahhh, the mind of a stoner.
Anyway, about the power thing, they were actually pretty smart about that. They tapped into a main line and stole the power. So its not like they just had some huge bill and the cops got a warrant.
Anyway, about the power thing, they were actually pretty smart about that. They tapped into a main line and stole the power. So its not like they just had some huge bill and the cops got a warrant.
For a good cause or not, that is some pretty innovative stuff there. I am seriously impressed.
I'm not quite sure why they didn't have any furniture in the house though.......
I think i'll go buy that house, and turn the cave into a bike shop
I'm not quite sure why they didn't have any furniture in the house though.......
I think i'll go buy that house, and turn the cave into a bike shop
Alienating the small growers my ass.bikenweed said:
Tobacco is taxed out the ass....you don't see many people growing their own...
two thoughts.Transcend said:
1) http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0140299963/qid=1140983412/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/103-2946271-7458210?s=books&v=glance&n=283155
2) the US Dept of Justice, FBI, ATF and sometimes US military have been in rabid pursuit of the dangeous THC vector suppliers, while letting the real rapists at Big Pharma run the show, which is why they're cracking so hard on the cannabis. the fascists are in control and things will only continue to get worse until America wakes up from its bogus false dichotomy that Rep/Dem is something of substantive choice.
or something like that.
I think it's absurd that alcohol and pharmaceuticals call the shots on cannabis laws and their enforcement. but apparently I'm not in the majority here in the USA, where most would prefer that corporations tell them what they can and cannot do.
all for nothing in the end? what is "nothing," and what would be your "something"?BurlyShirley said:
phase converters can change the apparent current reading. ask any electrician. you don't have to steal power, which is a dumb move in the first place, unless you intend to get caught. for-profit businesses don't much like people stealing their profit margins.
I've heard it's illegal to privately grow tobacco for personal use in the U.S., though I don't know it for a fact. Can anyone verify or deny this?Transcend said:
Go back to the 60s Mr Anti-Establishment.particle bored said:
My "nothing" would be a seizure of any money these guys made AND the long stints in prison they will be doing and my "something" would be any legitimate business that wouldnt end in the same manner.particle bored said:
Edit: and how is changing the "apparent reading" of a meter not stealing?
Legitimate use... Like what, Enron?BurlyShirley said:
Nothing in the end? Possibly, possibly not.
When Bush baby declared a war on terrorism, I considered the war on drugs and got the giggles.
J