The way to help ALS victims: Legalize marijuana

Want to really treat ALS? Legalize pot | TheHill - Andrew Gargano:

August 27, 2014 - "The Ice Bucket Challenge continues to generate viral waves across social media, garnering awareness for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) — popularly known as 'Lou Gehrig’s Disease.' Meanwhile, over half of the 30,000 Americans who suffer from the illness continue to be denied a viable medical treatment that has been proven to mitigate their painful symptoms and even to help increase their life expectancy....

"Over the past few weeks, the Ice Bucket Challenge has promoted awareness for ALS and has raised over $15 million in funding for the ALS Association. The challenge has attracted attention from many notable celebrities, public figures, and even a few politicians. However, as awareness burgeons, many remain unmindful of the significant benefits that cannabis has in treating ALS and the continued governmental restrictions that impede research and treatment.

"A number of studies have shown that cannabis functions in many ways that are beneficial to those with ALS, from serving as an analgesic to acting as a soothing muscle relaxant. Cannabis also functions as a saliva reducer, and so it has the ability to reduce symptoms of uncontrollable drooling that is common among those with ALS. Additionally, cannabis has been found successful in use as an antidepressant, results which have also been confirmed by an anonymous, self-reported survey of ALS patients conducted by the the MDA/ALS Center at the University of Washington.

"Most importantly, however, is that a 2010 study found that cannabis offered anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective effects when tested on laboratory mice. The researchers found that cannabis slowed the progression of the disease and prolonged cell survival, ultimately concluding that 'it is reasonable to think that cannabis might significantly slow the progression of ALS, potentially extending life expectancy and substantially reducing the overall burden of the disease'."

Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/healthcare/215689-want-to-really-treat-als-legalize-pot
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Is this the libertarian moment?

Is This the Libertarian Moment? | Value Walk - Llewellyn Rockwell, Ludwig von Mises Institute::

September 3, 2014 - "Earlier this month the New York Times wondered aloud if the 'libertarian moment' had arrived. A good question, to be sure.

"To answer it, though, Times reporter Robert Draper sought out not quite the top libertarian thinkers in the world, but instead those people most easily reached within a ten-minute walk from the Capitol or the Empire State Building....

"The Times, too, thinks primarily about politics, of all things, when assessing whether the libertarian moment has arrived. The article is fixated on the political class. But why conceive of the question so narrowly? Why should we assess the growth and significance of libertarianism on the basis of political metrics alone?

"The left understands this point. Recall Antonio Gramsci’s strategy for bringing about lasting leftist victory. He did not advocate immediate and exclusive emphasis on political activity.... Vastly more important, Gramsci taught, was for their ideas to work their way through the universities, the arts, and all the other institutions of civil society. At that point, it wouldn’t matter who won the elections. The people would already be in their hands — and in all likelihood, the two competing candidates would themselves have adopted leftist language and ideas, whether they realized it or not....

"But if we define the term 'libertarian moment' more modestly, a different conclusion emerges. No, we have not reached a point at which anything like a majority of Americans have embraced our ideas. But we have reached a point at which even mainstream sources, which in the pre-Internet age could get away with ignoring us altogether, are forced to acknowledge us, if only for purposes of dismissal and ridicule.

"Economic commentary can no longer pretend that our choices are either fiscal expansion or monetary expansion....

"Thanks to Ron Paul, a new generation understands it’s all right to favor the free market and to oppose war....

"After decades of virtually no progress at all against the war on drugs, the prohibitionist regime is beginning to crack all around us....

"In other words, we are having discussions that we did not have in the past. Libertarians have staked out positions that a lot of ordinary people share, but which they never saw articulated in public, thereby giving people the confidence and courage to express dissent."

Read more: http://www.valuewalk.com/2014/09/libertarian-moment/
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SC Libertarian will be in governor debates

Libertarian for governor commits to Post and Courier gubernatorial debates - Post and Courier - Schuyler Kropf, Palmetto Politics:

September 5, 2014 - "Libertarian candidate for governor Steve French today committed to taking part in both of the political debates being sponsored this election season by The Post and Courier and its media partners.

"The addition means all five candidates for governor will be on the stage for the first go-round, to be held Oct. 14 in the Charleston area.

"Four of the candidates have also committed to the second debate date, Oct. 21, to be held in the Upstate.

"Democrat Vincent Sheheen has cited a potential scheduling conflict....

"The debates are being put together as part of a cooperative between The Post and Courier, WCIV-TV in Charleston, WACH-TV in Columbia, WPDE-TV in Myrtle Beach and WLOS-TV/WMYA-TV in the Greenville market.

"Ticketing information and venues will be announced at a later date."

Read more: http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20140905/PC1603/140909664/1031/libertarian-for-governor-commits-to-post-and-courier-gubernatorial-debates
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Paying salaries in Bitcoin a growing trend in Canada

Growing number of workers choosing to be paid with Bitcoin, payroll firm says | CTV News - Ethan Lou, Canadian Press:

September 1, 2014 - "A small but growing – and surprising – number of workers are rejecting Canadian dollar salaries for Bitcoin, according to a Waterloo, Ont., payroll firm.

"Wagepoint CEO Shrad Rao said his firm came up with the cryptocurrency payment option in November last year as a side project and did not expect any take-up.

"But as the online currency gained popularity this year, he said, employees from 10 firms have signed up for the Bitcoin option, and many more are asking about it."

"'When we started off, we didn't even think we'll get one,' he said over the phone from New York, where Wagepoint has another office.

"'What's interesting is that we've actually had customers come to us because of the (Bitcoin) integration, which we were not expecting at all.'

"Rao said the firms are overwhelmingly technology companies, whose workers have higher interest in new innovations and tend to dabble more.

"In addition to Canadian interest, he said [he] gets about five inquiries for Bitcoin payment per month from the United States, where Wagepoint also operates, although it has not yet launched such an option in that country.

"Bitcoin, a decentralized currency, was launched in 2009 by a yet unknown person or group. It gained mainstream attention in 2013, and subsequent adoption caused one bitcoin to rise to a high of $1,000."

Read more: http://www.ctvnews.ca/sci-tech/growing-number-of-workers-choosing-to-be-paid-with-bitcoin-payroll-firm-says-1.1985660
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Kasich consultant behind move to get LP off Ohio ballot, court hears

Libertarians protest Kasich ties to ballot decision - News - The CantonRep - Canton, OH - Julie Carr Smyth, Associated Press:

September 2, 2014 - "Libertarians in Ohio cried foul Tuesday after learning a Republican consultant and appointee of Gov. John Kasich was responsible for hiring the law firm whose challenge pushed two of their candidates off the statewide ballot. 

"Terry Casey worked for Kasich’s 2010 campaign and the governor has since appointed him to the $70,000-a-year job chairing the state personnel review board.

"Casey’s role hiring Zeiger, Tigges & Little emerged in a case in which Libertarians are asking federal Judge Michael Watson to restore governor candidate Charlie Earl and attorney general candidate Steven Linnabary to November’s ballot.

"In a new court filing, the party also says Bradley Smith, hired to oversee the disqualification hearing by Republican Secretary of State Jon Husted, didn’t disclose he was working for Ohio’s Republican attorney general, Mike DeWine, doing pro bono work at the time.

"DeWine’s office confirmed Smith held an appointment from Feb. 27, five days before the Libertarians’ hearing, through June 30....

"Libertarians have asked Watson to expedite a trial in their case on grounds the disqualifications were based on partisan, not principled, reasons. The U.S. Constitution prohibits government officials from removing candidates for partisan reasons."

Read more: http://www.cantonrep.com/article/20140902/NEWS/140909913/10286/NEWS/?Start=1
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Some gamers see a value in police militarization

Swatting: What is the latest pranking craze? - Gaming - Gadgets and Tech - The Independent - Rose Troup Buchanan:

September 2, 2014 - "Last month an American gamer accidentally filmed himself being arrested by a highly trained SWAT team. His crime? He was the victim of an online prank called ‘swatting’....

"An anonymous individual rings the local police force, describing a credible threat or situation (often involving hostages) bringing a SWAT team to a chosen location and giving the prank [its] particular name.

"It has been given a 21st-century twist by many of the 'swat' calls coming from online gamers, who watch the reactions of their victims in real time, via live streaming software.

"Recently, cases such as Jordan Mathewson, an online gamer with over 200,000 Twitter followers, who filmed himself being ‘swatted’ have brought the craze to national attention in America....

"However, it is not only online gamers who are targeted. In 2012 the conservative political blogger, Erick Erickson, was a victim when an anonymous caller claiming to be Mr Erickson 'confessed' to shooting his wife, before giving his address and hanging up.

"The call was later confirmed as a hoax.

"Obviously, making false claims to police drains police time and can cause extreme distress to the victim or first responders. Although there have been some arrests, ‘swatting’ is notoriously difficult to trace."

Read more: http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/gaming/swatting-what-is-the-latest-pranking-craze-9706452.html
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Illinois LP files criminal complaint over GOP tactics in ballot access investigation

Libertarians file criminal complaint against the GOP | Peoria Public Radio - Hannah Meisel:

September 1, 2014 - "The Illinois Libertarian Party has filed a criminal complaint against the state's Republican Party. The Libertarians allege the GOP hired armed private investigators to go to the homes of voters who had signed the petitions to put the Libertarian slate on the November election ballot.

"The PI's supposedly had guns visible when asking individuals to sign an affidavit confirming that their original signature was NOT valid. Brian Lamprecht, with the Illinois Libertarian Party, says the tactics the GOP used end up hurting democracy.

"'When people look in the news and they see that armed private investigators are showing up at their doors, and people are being intimidated into signing affidavits, that's a scary thing to happen to citizens anywhere.,'

"Lamprecht says Libertarians don't buy Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner's claim that he knew nothing about the armed investigators, despite previous ties linking those involved to Rauner's campaign. The Libertarians have filed criminal complaints with the Illinois Attorney General and the Cook County State's Attorney against both the GOP and Rauner's campaign."

Read more: http://peoriapublicradio.org/post/libertarians-file-criminal-complaint-against-gop
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