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INTRODUCTION:

Welcome to BobKat's Lair ®™

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A lair is a home; A castle; A burrow; A haven; a place where one should feel safe. To ensure our safety especially in one's lair, we have laws. And some laws cause more harm than good!

This is a good place. There's lots to see and do. It's apolitical while providing non-partisan news about politics, which we can't escape.

Regarding compliance with EU standards, I use no cookies, tracking devices or programs or other personal devices that may be banned in other countries. I will note however that my blog is hosted by Google and I am not responsible for any of that.

My goal is here... to present topics which highlight the plight of people. Why, 2000 years after Caesar Augustus, are we still a people being hurt? With all our advancements in technology, medicine, communications, why are we a people still being hurt? Human nature hasn't changed much, but that doesn't mean it isn't time now for that to happen, and it is undoubtedly happening - hard to see however. This blog is part of that change and a witness to it.

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My blog is dedicated to my family, friends, mentors, and all others whom I am grateful to, and love(d).

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NOTE: Nothing included in my Blog is intended to advocate behavior illicit in nature, or in violation of man-made laws where harm to a living person, animal or the environment is involved. Person's under 17 probably shouldn't be here, though there is far worse out there. Just saying.


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December 24, 2014

CHRISTMAS 2014 REALITY AND THE YEAR IN BRIEF REVIEW

I want to wish everyone in the world a Happy Christmas! However I know many will not benefit from a wish like that. It's foolish to believe a wish, one wish will change the world. Wishes have to become wants, and wants need a resource to grow. That is life.

The previous year for me saw a lot of changes at my job. I do IT. I've been at the company 15 years. I live 75 miles away from where i work. Starting this past July I have been able to work from home Mondays and Tuesdays of every week. In addition, the previous winter I saved around 11 vacation days that I would have had to use for bad, wintery weather. All that was a big change for our company. Odd how fast change can be.~.

I'm alone this Christmas with my cat. I actually like it. Keeping myself busy. Worked until noon. Party downstairs - landlady and her boyfriend. I wasn't invited. Known them personally for 15 years.

Yeah 15 years... for me my current lucky number.

What else?

Oh, I got that 2004 Subaru Outback... had to replace the head-gaskets, timing belt, axles, a wheel bearing, routine brakes; beautiful car, very good in the snow, slush and gulp, not sure yet on ice, but a lot of that depends on the tires. I put Pirelli All Weather tires on it and so far, so good.

Working on moving... Going to buy a house for the first time. Rather being booted from where I've lived the past eight years. So, moving, yeah. Not a subject i wish to discuss.

Had not been talking to my mother for a few years. Good thing as we're so far talking again, no problems.

World Peace? N/A

Health: Debatable

Climate: Messed up

Marijuana Prohibition: Jingle, jingle... 4 US states have legalized marijuana for adults 21 and older. The states will grow their own. No drug cartel is involved. 3 additional cities, and more:

Portland ME, S. Portland ME, and a city in PA in addition to Washington D.C., legalized recreational use of marijuana for adults over 21. But the Congress is alleged to have passed an emergency bill forbidding Washington D.C. from growing and providing their own weed.

Work: Going well

Car: Running very well.

Cat: Doing very well

Still single.

Happy New Year!




November 27, 2014

THE FEDERAL HEDGEMON AGAINST MARIJUANA... THE COLOSSAL MISTAKE OF A CENTURY!

I begin with the definition of hegemony... something generally used to denote BIG time politics on a global scale, but which fits in nicely with country-wide politics. Hegemony is generally referred to when discussing global politics and supremacy. It is the act of creating a hedge wherein one is supreme. As the following quote from Wikipedia denotes, "a hegemony can be directed towards cultural supremacy", as in the federal governments fervent proclamations that marijuana is very bad stuff, deserving of Schedule One DEA status.

"The Marxist theory of cultural hegemony, is the idea that the ruling class can manipulate the system of values and mores of a society, so that their view becomes the world view."

Wikipedia - Hegemony

Marijuana use, by different names has been around some 10,000 years. Until 1937 it was never deemed a threat and was never illegal, in fact, it's cousin, hemp, was a lucrative agricultural commodity - one of the plants that led to the inclusion of Article 86 of the NH Constitution, although that history is forgotten in a little more than 100 years. Synthetics dominate the market, and although hemp could compete, big money prefers synthetics/chemical products.

Hemp production was so big that, although hemp cultivation was brought to a stop in 1937 with the Marihuana Tax Act, by federal law it was made legal and grown by agricultural clubs including children, to provide hemp during WWII. Then abruptly it was made illegal again at the end of the War, and synthetics took it's place.

The original reasoning for making marijuana a prohibited substance was, as I've said before, a result of the influence of Yellow Journalism - newspapers seeking to take advantage of a bad economy by casting a black light on immigrants from Mexico.

Southern states, like Arizona, New Mexico and others were the most out-spoken, demanding a stop to illegal immigration, forcing Congress to act.

In 1961 nearly all prohibition of marihuana/hemp became unconstitutional, and technically for a time marihuana was essentially legal.


This led to two interesting collisions in American history.

1) The Hippie Movement/anti Viet Nam war movement.
2)  Federal hegemony.

The hippie movement during the 1960's epitomized marijuana as it's trademark. States passed hasty laws against marijuana, some of it based upon a 1960's American led ban on marijuana world-wide. Criminal penalties generally began with a year in prison for any amount.

By 1971 this all changed, though each act canceled the other out. States began to pass laws decriminalizing marijuana, and the out-look was positive for a general lift on the prohibition of marijuana. Magazines like Playboy published many stories relating to legalization. NORML came to be, a national lobby for Reform of Marijuana laws, along with High Times magazine.

President Richard Nixon came to be also, and in hindsight it's clear to see one of his number one objectives was to bury marijuana use for the public. His blue-ribbon committee, called the Shaffer committee,  which he assembled (and being as he believed it to be ultra-conservative and would rule in his favor) ruled that although marijuana use appeared to promote unconventional type thinking, despite that, it was a consensus that marijuana should not be illegal. President Nixon ignored the committee findings and had marijuana permanently placed under DEA scheduling as Schedule One.

A "hegemony" occurred when obvious facts made it clear that Nixon's actions were political and not based on fact. Marijuana is in no way deserving of a Schedule One status, or any status, considering the legality of alcohol and tobacco. To make it so is to bring hypocrisy to federal law, and a respect for the law.

A history-setting federal case was held recently in which for the first time in decades, a federal judge will hear arguments before and against marijuana's Schedule One status.

Federal Evidentiary Hearing Regarding The Constitutionality Of Cannabis Prohibition Concludes...

A federal hegemony places citizens at the mercy of federal mores... not science and fact.It places the government and the law, above what is science and conclusive fact.

November 15, 2014

MY LIFE AND TIMES... THE WORLD OF SEX - PART SEVEN - CONCLUSION

Hind sight is 20/20...

Yeah, I can see that now.

At 60, I can see that controlling our own life is questionable. As in, we live in a society that resides in a world, that is held in space surrounding by a universe - maybe many universes.

It's hard to imagine or think about how Lincoln's, "Emancipation Proclamation", changed this country and the world. Hard to imagine it "freed the slaves" but it was another hundred years until Civil Rights became a reality. Something many still disagree with or harbor hate towards even now in 2014. Seems to me that bigotry,  discrimination and simply hating people who are different are pretty much accepted norms in our society, as like, it's free speech. Problem is, the targets aren't often protected by the 1st Amendment. An irony really, but inadvertently a part of our Constitution.

I grew up fearing only a few things... the KKK, though I'm a WASP, the control they yielded, the hatred they evoked, their entire "vigilante style" existence was scary; and why?

Consider we have a politic system based on Democrat or Republican, and independents. Independents are purposely in 3rd place. It's something few today question, except maybe me.

How did "Parties" come about? How does this relate to "My Life and Times"?

Parties came about in the US after the American Revolution. The only forms of communication was the telegraph, the newspaper, or USPS.

Parties were formed highlighting different areas of the country. Parties voiced their beliefs and goals, and either grew in popularity or shrank away. We did not begin this country with our current parties.

Research the Jeffersonians and Federalists, for example, or the Whigs. I have considered the Hat Party, as it seems actually when people wore hats they tended to make better decisions. 

Extinct Political Parties of the 1800s The History of Political Parties Includes the Successful and the Doomed By Robert McNamara 19th Century History Expert

That's politics, but then there's religion. Religion comes with blessings and curses. Right and wrong. Black and white.

I am as politically correct as possible, as foremost politics reigns supreme. But religion is there too...

Neither is going to go away...

So I vote and add my rice grain to democracy, although technically we're a Republic. Meaning in general or votes are meant to influence our electorate - the person casting the vote. At least that's the way I understand it. I'm likely missing key points.

The point is... and this is difficult to share, but I was thinking driving home on my hour and 45 minute commute that if at age 19 I had not used marijuana and experienced the benefits that opened my mind and motivated me, I might have lost that opportunity by age 21.

It may seem insignificant, or maybe you can identify. My point is there are certain inalienable rights we human beings have. To use the plants of outr choice, have the consensual sex we choose, have equal access to employment so we can survive, and hopefully prosper.

It doesn't matter what sins I committed having the sex I had in my life, or the pot I've bought and used. Both make me a evil person, religiously and politically. And that's what's so ironic about my life. It's why I became an advocate for change and an advocate for others unable to assist themselves.

It's why I like this picture of a chicken named Pearly who died several months ago. Pearly loved to be held. Reminded me of the Geico gecko...

Maybe I feel to much. But my one moral is to not hurt others. Forget politics and religion... just quit fucking with people, stalking them, trying to control them and arresting or murdering them because you think you know better!

"Give Peace A Chance"!




November 05, 2014

POST ELECTIONS UPS AND BLUES...

Just a short essay...

In New Hampshire, Maggie Hassan was reelected. A sad thing. Hassan may be very good at some things, but human rights and dignity are not one of those. Her opposition to to the law she signed legalizing medical marijuana, with severe revisions is what I'm referring to. In all of NE, New Hampshire alone, is refusing to adapt to the science, to the reality; the "Live free or Die" state is choosing death. Though not all of us.

Speaking of which...

Also in the news...

South Portland Maine legalized up to an ounce, by a 52% to 48% vote. Portland legalized two ounces last year. May be two years ago now.

Oh, and, Alaska and Oregon legalized "recreational use". California decriminalized it to possession as a civil offense, a fine only, I believe. The whole state. That's now four states with legal marijuana, and at last count, five individual cities in states where it is still mostly illegal.

Scott brown was defeated - that's another Good thing!

Ups and downs...

I learned long ago to choose your battles. I have them. Marijuana decriminalization, and store purchased commodity are my goal. It's time to seriously question the War on Drugs, and definitely time to get past the War on Weed! 

Why?

Think dandelions...





Very nutritious and medicinal.

We've fought them for years, only people don't go to prison, get criminal records, ruined lives.

End the War and Stop the hurt!

Please sign the petition here,  endorsed by me: