Humodour

Based on Gallup's extensive polling of the attitudes of societies around the world to America before and after Obama, I know for a fact that I am right and you, Volourn, as is so often the case, are wrong.

That is an easy question to answer: because we see how much these drugs are vilified, but we don't see a rational justification for that vilification. Did you know that the only known cure for cluster migraines - a type of headache so painful that sufferers often commit suicide to end the pain - is tryptamines. E.g. LSD, magic mushrooms. The effects of magic mushrooms on treating anxiety and depression are also extremely potent - certainly enough to justify medical research studies in a few places around the world (Switzerland and America I believe are two place where researchers synthesise LSD and psilocin for medical use). Similarly, the potency of ecstasy (MDMA, or methylenedioxy-meth-amphetamine) in treating PTSD (or post traumatic stress syndrome, very common in soldiers, police, nurses, firefighters, etc) is astounding. So I guess that's a long-winded way of saying: because somebody's gotta open your eyes sheeple. Hahaha. I dunno, I may be biased - I come from a society and generation where drug-taking is common place among the youth, and we have fun doing it, and we are smart about how we do it. Except those idiots who mix pills and grog. Sigh.

The best thing Obama has done for your country, and I don't say this lightly, because it's a huge deal, is to reset America's relationship with the ENTIRE rest of the world. Especially the Western and Islamic worlds. Because, seriously guys, everyone everywhere was kind of starting to lose a lot of faith with you after the whole Bush debacle. So yeah, I get that he has just kept the machine going economically, nothing more, but that in and of itself is somewhat of an achievement. It's something Bush sure failed at. Australians prefer Republican presidents because it's like an iron-clad guarantee that, at least for that president's term, Australia will always be protected from invasion, and successfully. And given our history with Indonesia and now China, and our extreme wealth relative to our neighbours, that is a very pressing concern in my society's psyche. But even so, we always breathe a sigh of relief when a Democrat gets in, because they just tend to be more moderate, down to earth, and seek consensus building more of the time.

If I were an America I would probably vote for Mitt Romney - predicated on IF he sought a mandate for tackling climate change by making it an election issue after winning the Republican party endorsement for president (which he is likely to do). Otherwise I would stick with Obama. Status quo sure beats a crazy from the Republican side running the country, I think you'll agree Hurlshot. Mormon shmormon. They're a nutjob religion (true for religions in general, not just Mormonism), but Romney is independent, business-minded, and frankly, mariijuana is going to be legalised worldwide within 20 years anyway, so who cares if the Mormon church opposes it? EDIT: Thinking about the economy, frankly, what America needs right now is a president who is socially progressive and fiscally austere. To me that sounds like some form of big L libertarianism with an egalitarian touch is required. Mitt Romney fits the bill. A republican with business leanings who architected his own state's universal healthcare system. If this were an Australian election, he would win hands down.

I guess what I'm saying is, it looks like Americans will actually have a decent election this time around. Some nice choices for Republican candidates with some real reasons to vote for them. And that's just Republicans. You certainly didn't have that situation last time (gosh, has it been 4 years already since I started tracking the US presidential election?). And frankly, neither did Australians in our most recent election, which was bloody awful bollocks. Actually, I say "And that's just Republicans", but really it is ONLY Republicans. The Democrat candidate is set in stone - Obama. I guess that means this will be quite a different election from the outset. The challenge for Obama is to state some new things he stands for, because Mitt Romney could easily make this an election about climate change and win, and it would hold extra weight as well in the vein of only Nixon could go to China.

Gary Johnson is a pretty strong Libertarian (socially liberal, economically very pro free markets, but likely to side with individuals over corporations). I don't know how vying for president will change him (inevitably he'll become more bat**** crazy to cater to the Republican base), but one issue he won't budge on is that he supports marijuana legalisation on a federal level. So clearly he's got views and he's willing to defend those views, even if unpopular with many in his base. Mitt Romney acknowledges that humans cause climate change and that humans need to act to prevent climate change from destroying the planet. The Republican base hates him for this, as they're all bat**** crazy and think climate change doesn't exist. Mitt Romney is also the favoured candidate among Republicans, as well as the candidate who voters in general (i.e. non-Republicans) would be most willing to vote for over Obama.

Everything makes sense now with you, Krezzy. I smoked marijuana once while drunk when I was 18 and avoided it completely from then on. I tried some psychedelic seeds when I was 22 and they lead me to try marijuana on and off for the past year (I recently turned 23). The past year of my life has been far and away the best, and the most productive. I held down a full-time job in information technology at a university on $50,000 wage for a year and during a psychedelic trip vowed to myself that I would return to university and study Spanish and chemistry. I just finished the first semester of that now, hence why I am tripping right now. I got my marks back and my marks were (I'm not sure what system other countries use, but...) a HD* for engineering calculus 1 (multivariate and ODE stuff), a HD for Spanish 1a (s

Also there is the very real problem that marijuana use before the brain has finished its final burst of growth for certain brains area (around the age of 21 in males) causes permanent gene regulation changes. That is: kids smoking marijuana will have permanently altered brain chemistry. Now that is not the same as brain damage or neurotoxicity. But they have worse memories (working memory I believe), so that's definitely going to alter their personality over time as well as shape performance at school and what career they choose. I'm hesitant to call this a bad thing because, let's face it, the majority of the artistic community probably falls into this category. These permanent impacts on memory have not been observed in adult marijuana users. Although I think one study did show long-term gene regulation changes in a habitual marijuana smoker. These gene regulation changes were the brain adapting to work optimally while permanently stoned. That is: the stoner's brain had adapted to functioning correctly whilst stoned, because it was always stoned. So, yeah, legalise weed! Woo!

To be honest, I am on psychedelics right now after having smoked marijuana daily for like a month and... my views on it are interesting. I mean, definitely, I support all the stuff I said above about legalising it and such but in terms of usefulness as a drug... marijuana is above alcohol but it definitely clouds the mind. It calms and relaxes you in some ways, but it doesn't resolve what is causing you to be in a state that makes you need relaxation in the first place. And because it clouds the mind, you don't care about figuring out why. So I don't think there is any point to consuming marijuana, but then I say this as one who has access to psychedelics and feels they are medically and psychologically valuable to society, so maybe write me off as a tripper if that suits your worldview haha.

You say that with such conviction! Not knowing the facts, though, I have to ignore you. I mean we all thought Indonesia was a horrible, ****ed up place in 1999 as well (and, honestly, it really was). Australians were raised expecting a war with Indonesia some day. It's what 'Tomorrow When The War Began' is about. It was why we have such a large and well-equipped army. When we intervened in East Timor it was partly to help out the Timorese, and partly to reassure Australians "We can take care of Indonesia if need be". And now look at it. It's the world's largest Muslim country and it also happens to be a vibrant, free democracy witch is obliterating corruption and stamping out religious radicalism. Oh, and it has a free press. Australians now see it as an awesome place to party. I'm just saying, a country (really a group of people) can change a lot in 10 years. Now, I'm sure it helps when an extremely rich country like Australia is giving you $500 million in aid each year and your president is not just a politician but an actual democrat who sincerely believes in the very concepts of democracy and freedom.

The US might turn into a bunch of hippies exporting all their peace and love to the world, it's true, but you can make a bunch of money doing that you know.

Try 2nd, the last one failing with "only" 46% of the vote in 2010. It'll likely pass this time as support has increased further.

Please keep the discussion to marijuana, then. Nobody has ever died from marijuana. Prohibition of it is an abject failure from all perspectives. Regarding the other drugs - the war on them isn't working either. No drug user should ever be criminalised, for instance. But where to go after decriminalisation is more muddy. For some drugs like marijuana and psychedelics the answer is obvious - legalise, safely regulate, tax, educate. I personally do favour this approach for all drugs. Regarding prescription drugs: there will always be people who abuse the system. You'll probably find that even if pharma abuse rates are rising, the problem itself is still a small one. The evils of prohibition are worse, though. Mexico's prohibition-fuelled civil war (40,000 dead so far), America's prison system (half the incarcerated population is in it for drug use), HIV from using dirty needles, etc. It's a bit like suicide. Horrible problem. We can never really eliminate it. But we can change as a society to minimise it.

OK so I checked and the following 5 states will likely have a ballot measure to vote on whether to legalise marijuana or not: California, Oregon, Washington, Maine, Colorado It'd be hilarious if all 5 held that vote and all 5 legalised marijuana. Then there would be a big states rights fight and it'd be epic.

Predict which state of America will legalise marijuana in 2012. My bet is on both Oregon and California. Washington too if they can get their ballot initiative in on time. Does anybody know which other American states will have ballot initiatives to legalise marijuana? The number of Americans on a national level that support legalising marijuana: 1990: 16% 2011: 45% Note: Ignore federal law for now. I would say the DEA/feds automatically lose once a single state does this (loss of legitimacy in the public eye), but it doesn't matter - a single state legalising weed knocks over that first domino.

I think you're underselling Russia a bit pmp10... they do have a pretty rich history of innovation and culture.

Well I sure hope this particular Chinese publisher's MMOs do well, because these are the suits who now own the Torchlight developers.

Don't you think that's a far reaching conclusion? EU can't get the likes on Norway to join and keeps the very willing Turkey at arms length. Somehow I don't see it jumping to unite with Russia in a hurry. Geographically perhaps. But then Turkey can make a similar claim. After all it's armies has also reached far and wide into Europe. Turkey is in a similar situation. And while I don't know if Russia and Turkey will ever join (or be allowed to join!) the EU, that's not what I am talking about here. I'm simply talking about a situation where the relationship between the EU and Russia is more like the relationship between, say, America and Australia or perhaps even New Zealand and Australia. So in terms of things like freedom of movement, economic barriers, foreign policy, military cooperation, the two entities become much more in sync.

This is also occurring as a result of Russia's bid to join the WTO (World Trade Organisation):

Go away.

Evidently Merkel is planning on selling Europe's future, via energy and policy making, to Russia. FFS. Russia and the European Union have been making intimations that their goal is an eventual superunion for a few years now. It's not just Germany that supports this longterm goal - so does the leadership of other European nations and Russia itself. I think the basic point is that Russia sees itself aligned economically and militarily with Europe in the long-term. (I don't think Russia is happy to just kick back and let China dominate - and Russia isn't able to compete economically, at least not while it is such a loner, so the logical move is to forge more links with a powerful friend. And if your nextdoor neighbour meets that criteria and wants better relations with you, and is too stable and democratic to ever be a threat to you, especially if you become close with it, why not?)

I feel violated.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfect_World_%28company%29 Chinese investment mystifies me.

Nah, that would be the Roman Empire. Yes, I suppose the Roman Empire is comparable magnitude to the British Empire.

Because god hates you.