by psmith DRUG WAR CHRONICLE: For years, Iran has been one of the world’s leading executioners of drug offenders, with hundreds of people hung from the gallows annually for drug smuggling and trafficking. But in a remarkable turnabout, that is no longer the case. Executions for drug offenses have come to an almost […]
Canada Expected to Formally Approve Marijuana Legalization
Drug Policy Alliance www.drugpolicy.org For Immediate Release: Contact: Hannah Hetzer, 917-701-7060 June 6, 2018 Tony Newman, 646-335-5384 Canada to Become 2nd Country in the World – And First G-20 Nation – to Legally Regulate Marijuana Canada’s Move Expected to Boost Momentum for Drug Policy Reform in the U.S. and Globally Tomorrow, […]
TSUKERMAN: Trash around Moscow
By Slava Tsukerman Residents of Volokolamsk, a town 129 kilometers (80 miles) northwest of Moscow, have long complained about the stench coming from the nearby Yadrovo landfill where hundreds of garbage trucks from Moscow and the surrounding areas dump their loads every day. On March 21, 2018, dozens of school children in the area fell […]
REF Speaks: Moving the ‘goal posts’
By Robert Field Although I had thought about retroactive morality for some time and had already started to write down notes for an article about it yesterday morning, the point was made by another during Torah study that the “goal posts” for morality are constantly moving. I added that we need to keep in mind where […]
REF: A “Long” gravy train of government funded housing
EDITOR’S update, July 3, 2018; We have recently been advised that the LNP article meant to include the cost of the renovation of the Long home as part of the $17.8 million expense. The extent and cost of the renovation was not provided to us. The LNP article stated: “Totaling 64,000 square feet, Long Crest […]
TSUKERMAN: The Return of the Cossacks
by Slava Tsukerman The Fourth inauguration of Vladimir Putin as the President of Russia took place on Monday, May 7, 2018. The comment of the New York Times on the event was entitled: “For Putin’s 4th Term, More a Coronation Than an Inauguration.” Russian opposition to Putin was reported upon by the New York Times. On May 5, two days prior […]
DPA: Jeff Sessions became the best thing to happen to pot legalization
Hello Press and Friends— Maria McFarland Sánchez-Moreno, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, has an important, insightful piece in USA Today. While Attorney General Jeff Sessions hates marijuana and people who use it, he may actually turn out to be the best thing that’s happened to the marijuana reform movement in Washington… Tony […]
TSUKERMAN: Russian Fake News
By Slava Tuskerman After a likely chemical attack on April 7 in the Syrian city of Douma that served as a reason for the later U. S. targeted attacks on Syrian military targets, Russian television produced a number of stories stating that the videos depicting the attacks were fakes staged by anti-Bashar Assad activists. On […]
Tsukerman: Sherman Tanks In Russia
By Slava Tsukerman This week local Siberian press reported that a rusting Sherman tank dating from WW2 was airlifted all the way across Russia for use in a major military parade. Around 4,000 of such tanks were brought to the Soviet Union under the Lend-Lease program, to boost Stalin’s firepower to defeat the Germans. A […]
Up to 25% of U.S. shopping malls may close in the next five years, report says
NewsLanc for a decade has warned about the danger of re-zonings for shopping centers that have been built recently and over the past few years. This has undermined the viability of Park City Mall. In addition to fierce competition from Internet shopping, we are relocating prime retail tenants to newer facilities and may ultimately turn Park […]
The Budapest Beacon exit interview
The Budapest Beacon exit interview April 13, 2018 – Ádám Lestyánszky Four and a half years to the day after its launch, The Budapest Beacon is publishing its final article today in the form of an exit interview with Budapest Beacon managing editor Richard Field. Why has our publisher decided to stop publishing the Budapest […]
UPDATE re REF SPEAKS: Is MSNBC going the way of Fox News?
Xi Jinping Urges Dialogue, Not Confrontation, After Trump Seeks Tariff NEW YORK TIMES (April 11, 2018). :… Mr. Xi also pledged to rebuff efforts to impose barriers to world trade, saying that “China’s door of opening up will not be closed and will only open up even wider.” He highlighted areas where China was […]
Tsukerman: Elections in Russia
By Slava Tsukerman The latest presidential elections were held in Russia on March 18, 2018. Vladimir Putin won reelection for his second consecutive (fourth overall) term in office with 77% of the vote. This result of the elections was a surprise to nobody. Lev Gudkov, the head of the authoritative sociological institute Levada Center, in an interview with the newspaper […]
Culture Shock: American Activists Confront Compassionate Portuguese Drug Policy
by psmith, April 04, 2018, 03:56pm DRUG WAR CHRONICLE: The American activists couldn’t wrap their heads around it. Sitting in a dingy office in a nondescript building in central Lisbon, they were being provided a fine-grained explanation of what happens to people caught with small amounts of drugs in Portugal, which decriminalized the possession […]