cash crisis forces California to free 55,000 inmates

[thx1138]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/cash-crisis-forces-california-to-free-55000-prisoners-1622487.html

[thx1138]

Southern California housing prices plunge by 50% : http://www.doctorhousingbubble.com/finance-refinance-southern-california-housing-report-median-price-250000-down-50-percent-from-peak-reached-in-2007-prices-back-to-2002-levels-41000-away-from-going-back-to-2000-prices-home-price-defla/

[justatransgirl]

Good article on real estate.

Thanks.
TS Jamie :-)

[thx1138]

The latest I heard on the prison release is that it's 4,000 NOT 55, 000. What I don't understand is why can't they just send them to another state. (Unless no other state wnats them either). On the other hand there are always Federal penitentiaries.

[SarahG]

The latest I heard on the prison release is that it's 4,000 NOT 55, 000. What I don't understand is why can't they just send them to another state. (Unless no other state wnats them either). On the other hand there are always Federal penitentiaries.

There are also all those concentration camps being built on military bases that we keep hearing about.

[q1a2z3]

The correct answer is to execute violent offenders. Give them the KoolAid. Non-violent offenders could salvaged if violent offenders were not running the prison. Just imagine violent offenders raping some guy in prison one day and being executed the next. The whole system could be reformed. The alternative is to place violent offenders in the homes of bleeding-heart liberals who can rehabilitate them.

[NYBURBS]

The correct answer is to execute violent offenders. Give them the KoolAid. Non-violent offenders could salvaged if violent offenders were not running the prison. Just imagine violent offenders raping some guy in prison one day and being executed the next. The whole system could be reformed. The alternative is to place violent offenders in the homes of bleeding-heart liberals who can rehabilitate them.

Dude I'm pretty sure you don't have a clue about how that stuff really works. The vast majority of prison inmates are in because of something to do with drugs. We have criminalized possession and sale to such a degree that it has filled up the prisons. Then while there these ppl are raped, assaulted, other otherwise exposed to an even more violent lifestyle.

In reality our society perpetuates this never ending cycle because it feels the need to criminalize or legislate on every little thing anymore. As for "executing" every violent offender, what do you describe as violent? Murder? What if it happened during a fight between lovers or family and went to far? All I'm trying to say is that the problem is not a simple one and this misplaced desire for all around blood lust disappoints me.

[BrendaQG]

What he said decriminalize the mere possession of Maijuana and that would free thousands of people.

[trish]

NYBURBS:
In reality our society perpetuates this never ending cycle because it feels the need to criminalize or legislate on every little thing anymore.

BrendaQ
What he said decriminalize the mere possession of Maijuana


I agree Brenda, but that would require legislation, and apparently we're doing too much of that. :)

[BrendaQG]

NYBURBS:
In reality our society perpetuates this never ending cycle because it feels the need to criminalize or legislate on every little thing anymore.

BrendaQ
What he said decriminalize the mere possession of Maijuana


I agree Brenda, but that would require legislation, and apparently we're doing too much of that. :)

Actually CA is looking that that right now. Then tax it at $50/ounce. (http://www.suntimes.com/news/huntley/1456881,CST-EDT-hunt03.article)

[trish]

The street price of one ounce is anywhere from $200 to $300 dollars. So a $50/oz excise tax amounts to a tax rate of about 17% to 25%. I haven't looked at the numbers, but I'm guessing that's in the ball park of the tax on distilled spirits. We'll all be paying a little more, but we won't be risking our health, our careers and jail time for a little enjoyment. It's unlikely they'll actually legalize it; too many Federal barriers. But it would clear the jails of people who never belonged there in the first place, create an economic boon, bring in an appreciable State revenue and put smiles on a lot of faces during economic hard times. Too many good consequences; that's why it'll never happen. :(

[hippifried]

The street price of one ounce is anywhere from $200 to $300 dollars.Really?? Wow! :shock: :!: :!:
Might be worthwhile to make a run up your way. 8)

[trish]

Okay, you caught me...I haven't bought in years. Checking

http://marijuanaprices.homestead.com/

I see in California, the reported prices are more like $15/gm to $20/gm. There's roughly 28.35 grams to an ounce. So that's $425/oz to $570/oz...wow! That puts the tax rate at 8% to 12%. (It's hard to get a feel for the actual price. It's different depending on location, whether you're buying in bulk and on the reliability of who's reporting...a guy in Springfield, Ill reports $100/oz) I'm still too lazy to check how that compares to the excise tax on alcohol.

[hippifried]

I see in California, the reported prices are more like $15/gm to $20/gm. There's roughly 28.35 grams to an ounce. So that's $425/oz to $570/oz...wow!Not around here. I'm sitting 23 miles from the border. But then again, I haven't dealt with it in years & I'm not a permanent resident in Imperial Vally. I'm from Phoenix & still spend as much time there as possible. That's the big city, & all my connections (the smart ones who never got busted anyway) still stay in touch. I know for a fact that it still goes for $60 to $100 an ounce depending on who you know. Of course there's still the extreme high end overpriced stuff, but that's usually indoor homegrown, & it's a very limited market. The price of weed hasn't gone up much at all in the last 30 years since the bad old days of the paraquat scare. The black market is stable because it's competitive. Risk is already computed in the price, & that equates to a 50 -100% markup at each level. To tax it you have to legalize it. Do that & the bottom falls out of the price. The tax will end up being 60-90% of the price at retail.

We label all these thing as controlled substances, but prohibition is the defacto opposite of control. Even before my days with NORML back in '72, I've always advocated the full legalization of recreational drugs. Not just pot, but all of them. Prohibition is a waste of time & effort, & it's really not anyone else's decision to make. If you take away the risk factor & the huge rakeoffs caused by it, all this stuff is dirt cheap. Want to keep the "pusher" from selling dope to your kids? Force down the per unit profit margin & issue a licence that can be used to enforce the rules of common decency. It protects the consumer also because it allows for quality control. Substance abuse is a personal problem, & usage doesn't equate to abuse.

[trish]

To learn the price of marijuana, I should have known to ask the resident hippie. Thanks.


We label all these thing as controlled substances, but prohibition is the defacto opposite of control. ____ hippiefried.

I just thought that line was worth repeating 8)

[NYBURBS]

NYBURBS:
In reality our society perpetuates this never ending cycle because it feels the need to criminalize or legislate on every little thing anymore.

BrendaQ
What he said decriminalize the mere possession of Maijuana


I agree Brenda, but that would require legislation, and apparently we're doing too much of that. :)

Actually CA is looking that that right now. Then tax it at $50/ounce. (http://www.suntimes.com/news/huntley/1456881,CST-EDT-hunt03.article)

It's not getting legalized until the federal issue is resolved. Under current court interpretation of the commerce clause the federal government is free to prohibit the sale of pretty much anything is wants within the United States. This includes but is certainly not limited to pot.

[trish]

It's not getting legalized until the federal issue is resolved.
Yeah, we all pretty much agree there.

Under current court interpretation of the commerce clause the federal government is free to prohibit the sale of pretty much anything is wants within the United States. Is that so? Sounds like some further legislation could appropriately refine those powers.

I certainly want people to have the power to prohibit the sale of some things; body-snatcher pods for one thing, child pornography another. Sales of other things perhaps need not be prohibited, but it wouldn’t be a bad idea for people to regulate the sale of explosives, pharmaceuticals etc. I’m not against people regulating the quality and sale of food, drugs, arms and alcohol. I just think the absolute ban against “pot” is an unreasonable anomaly probably of recent historic origin, a remnant of the political polarization of the 60’s which we still suffer here in the first decade of the next millennium!

[hippifried]

Pot's been illegal since the '30s. The ban was originally a tool for harassing Mexicans. All reactionary laws are used to persecute someone else sooner or later, or to stir up shit for political misdirection.

Being one of those late '60s anarchists, I'm a big fan of going into the criminal statutes with a meat-ax & refocusing our efforts back to the 3 basic crimes: Battery, assault, & deprivation.

[q1a2z3]

Drugs, the victimless crime. Just let everyone do there thing. Even more people would do drugs if it were legal. Pot makes people apathetic - next thing you know productivity is dropping. All that meaningless stuff that gets built by all the pin headed bosses in the world might be behind schedule. People can't hold a job but then again if everyone is doing it so what. It's not like they can fire all of us man. Time is more valuable than all that work stuff anyway. Hey, roll a joint and share it with a friend. If we could make drugs legal every where then like nobody would be on the treadmill trying to compete with each other. Man it would be beautiful. We could all like share munchies and like have an orgy or watch TV even.

When you get back to Earth and your job is down the tubes your kids pay the price for your trip. You lose your apartment, you have to sell your furniture and go to a shelter. Now you can panhandle for money to buy more dope. You can break into houses and steal to pay for the drugs. Where did the kids go? Where's my old lady? What happen to my life? Drugs, the victimless crime.

[q1a2z3]

<============= She's the ROTOROOTER WOMAN! Weeeee! She's trying to dislodge polyps. He needs a drawstring on his ass. Will it ever end? She's on the end too.

[chefmike]

Drugs, the victimless crime. Just let everyone do there thing. Even more people would do drugs if it were legal. Pot makes people apathetic - next thing you know productivity is dropping. All that meaningless stuff that gets built by all the pin headed bosses in the world might be behind schedule. People can't hold a job but then again if everyone is doing it so what. It's not like they can fire all of us man. Time is more valuable than all that work stuff anyway. Hey, roll a joint and share it with a friend. If we could make drugs legal every where then like nobody would be on the treadmill trying to compete with each other. Man it would be beautiful. We could all like share munchies and like have an orgy or watch TV even.

When you get back to Earth and your job is down the tubes your kids pay the price for your trip. You lose your apartment, you have to sell your furniture and go to a shelter. Now you can panhandle for money to buy more dope. You can break into houses and steal to pay for the drugs. Where did the kids go? Where's my old lady? What happen to my life? Drugs, the victimless crime.

Boy howdy!! Once again q1a2z3(btw, is that short for queeroneforzztop?) has hit the nail right on the ol noggin! Joe Friday couldn't have said it better!

Our closeted and obviously anally-obsessed dittohead has cut right to the dang chase! q1a2z3 knew right from the git go that once he gave in to the devil and took that first puff of sweet mary jane that he would then turn to harder drugs and his young life and dreams of normalcy would be ruined by a reckless moment of reefer madness ....

Forget all about meeting Miss Right at the Young Republican rally. Forget all about the white picket fence, the god-fearing children, the whole fucking nine yards....you can even forget about the computer that you'll use to jerk off to tranny porn and god knows what other kind of permissive filth while your loving and brainless wife concerns herself with PTA meetings and all of her other god-given wifely duties....q1a2z3 knew better than to dance with the devil...our Ambiguously Hetero Hero knew that the Road to Perdition was indeed paved with discarded reefer butts and twinkie wrappers....

But then again it worked out pretty well for Rush Limbaugh...

[hippifried]

Ah, the dittohead anal commie strikes again.

The stupid of Rush's adolescent brigade is fascinating.