Left and Right, Here and There

[Ecofarm]

Technically, the sale of cannabis remains an offence in Holland, and dealing in the streets remains illegal. Even so, possession of less than 30 grams for personal use carries only a minor punishment

http://www.thesite.org/travelandfreetime/travel/beingthere/amsterdamdruglaws

A friend of mine lived in Delft for a few years, she says it was a much different attitude towards pot outside Amsterdam.

I think our personal experiences, attitudes, methods of "partying" and environments determine our view of public opinion. I mean, I had a guy in Sweden (who didn't know us) sell a friend hash from a pizza store when he asked if we wanted anything else and my friend said 'hash'. My friend walked the streets of Lund, Sweden open smoking joints and got away with it... but that does not change the overall truth that Swedes, young and old, had archiac views of pot. Whether I was at a party at a fraternity house, hanging out with locals, or talking with the older generation... Swedes were anal about pot (WAY more so than the average person in the US).



ps. What I quoted before was not just about selling/trading. It was about possession and consumption, respectively:

although technically illegal under still valid Opium Act (dating from 1919, cannabis added as drug in 1950), is widely tolerated provided

http://www.amsterdam.info/drugs/

The consumption still has a penalty and fine.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legality_of_cannabis#Portugal

The first quote in this post further supports the fact that possession remains, technically, illegal.

[Dauphin]

As an example the US is the largest producer of greenhouse gases (or thereabouts) and complains that reducing such emissions is a limit on economic freedom.

One would naturally expect the world's largest economy to also be the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases. In actual fact, however, China passed the U.S. as the world's largest emitter of carbon dioxide a few years ago.

Hence "thereabouts". Per capita, the US produces more than China by a long way. Some piddly countries have you both beat on that though.

Per GDP measure has its uses though.

[Ecofarm]

Per GDP measure has its uses though.

The main use being to prove that China is grossly inefficient and almost totally oblivious to the concept of environmental regulations (despite their rhetoric); and, that despite a billion slaves (labor itself not producing much pollution), China still manages to sht on this planet way more than our most industrialized societies.

[Dauphin]

Get it off coal.

[Ecofarm]

That would help, but right now they have no problem burning the cheapest of coal - stuff not allowed in the western world. If they are so mighty and rising (I don't believe that), then perhaps they can begin entering the 20th century internally.

[Kidlicious]

They are already allowed to, that freedom exists. Forcing others to pay for it is authoritarian.


Look people, I hate it when conservatives give me this "we are authoritative [gay rights, legalization, etc] ONLY BECAUSE IT MAKES EVERYONE MORE FREE!!11!!"

I don't need to hear that sht from "liberals".


You can have all the excuses in the world, but if you are taking my stuff and telling me what I gotta do then you are being authoritative. I'm not an idiot, I can tell when people are bossing me around.

No one is forcing you to pay for anyone's healthcare. All they are doing is taxing you. After you pay the tax the money isn't yours anymore.

Do you expect to get something of equal value for every cent that you pay in tax?

[Kidlicious]

Ricketyclik was saying that America fails to counter externalities in the name of "freedom", or something along those lines, but didn't back it up with evidence. So when Felch countered with his personal experience, he had more evidence... if America isn't a polluted wasteland why say that Americans' conception of "economic freedom" disregards externalities?

Don't be a stupid American.

[giblets]

No one is forcing you to pay for anyone's healthcare. All they are doing is taxing you. After you pay the tax the money isn't yours anymore.

After you get forced to pay for someone else's health care the money isn't your anymore... taxation is a way to force people to pay for things.

Don't be a stupid American.

Speaking of stupid Americans...

[Kidlicious]

taxation is a way to force people to pay for things...

Taxation is a way to get people to pay TAXES! That's all you pay for.

[giblets]

Taxation is a way to get people to pay TAXES! That's all you pay for.

What the hell?

Let's say I'm paying taxes
taxes pay for health care

By the transitive property I'd be paying for health care... I have less money at my disposal, and more money is going into health care.

The distinction you're trying to make is petty and futile. Either way you have to argue in favor of raising taxes in order to support government funded health care...

[Kidlicious]

What the hell?

Let's say I'm paying taxes
taxes pay for health care

By the transitive property I'd be paying for health care...

The distinction you're trying to make is petty and futile. Either way you have to argue in favor of raising taxes in order to support government funded health care...

Look. It's not your money. It must be nice for you to fantasize, but it's not yours.

[giblets]

Look. It's not your money. It must be nice for you to fantasize, but it's not yours.

If you want to frame it that way, knock yourself out, but convincing people they should have less money so that there will be government supported health care isn't any easier than convincing people that they should be forced to pay for health care. Because it's the same ****ing thing.

[Kidlicious]

If you want to frame it that way, knock yourself out, but convincing people they should have less money so that there will be government supported health care isn't any easier than convincing people that they should be forced to pay for health care. Because it's the same ****ing thing.

See that's the difference between what you are saying and what I'm saying. I'm stating the fact, that after you pay taxes the money is no longer yours, and you are on your conservative soap box like Rush Limbaugh.

[giblets]

See that's the difference between what you are saying and what I'm saying. I'm stating the fact, that after you pay taxes the money is no longer yours, and you are on your conservative soap box like Rush Limbaugh.

It's a petty, irrelevant distinction. And I'm not against forcing people to pay for health care.

Do you ever contribute anything to a discussion? Or is it all petty crap like this?

[Ecofarm]

Even democrats accept that it is our money. To say otherwise is political suicide because we aren't commies.


I guess Obama is on the Rush Limbaugh soapbox.

Now my pledge is to change the way this plan is implemented and keep faith with the American tax payer by placing strict conditions on CEO pay and providing more loans to small businesses, more transparency so that taxpayers can see where their money is spent, and more sensible regulations that will protect consumers, investors, and businesses."

Politicians spent taxpayer money without wisdom or discipline, and too often focused on scoring political points instead of problems they were sent here to solve.

http://itsamoneything.com/money/barack-obama-quotes.html