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May 09, 2014 06:16 AM UTC

Friday Open Thread

  • 44 Comments
  • by: Colorado Pols

"Oh, I've never been asked a silly question in my entire life."

–Hillary Clinton

Comments

44 thoughts on “Friday Open Thread

      1. …the same man who referred to the emerging hemp market as 'niche' last week on CPR. 

        "…he's skeptical about just how deep the market is for hemp."

        Today, the United States is the largest consumer market in the world for industrial hemp products, yet remains the only major industrialized nation in the world to prohibit its cultivation at a federal level. Despite the Governor's opposition to Amendment 64, which also ended the prohibition of industrial hemp cultivation in Colorado – we are literally leading the national narrative on rebuilding this industry, in spite of the recent cabal formed between the Governor's office and the Colorado banking lobby to prevent hemp farmers access to a much-needed credit union.

        It may be useful to remind the Governor that a decade ago craft beer was a 'niche' market; we're now the 'Napa Valley' of the craft brew industry.  Thirty years ago, an unemployed geologist who was promoting restauarants in LoDo may have appeared to be wildly optimistic as well – perhaps even scoffed at by some of his fellow men. He made a small fortune because of his vision for a certain industry in Colorado – all his fellow-governed ask now is that he put as much energy in to give this emerging, billion-dollar Colorado industry the same level of support. 

        Perhaps it's an inconvenient truth, but the cannabis industry – right out of the proverbial gate – stands at #4 of the top ten cash crops in Colorado today. This industry will be here, employing thousands, long after they've fracked the state's natural gas resources to extinction.

        1. In a somewhat related note, there's an interesting read in the Boulder paper today.

          Local organic farms with summer educational programs are objecting to a proposed greenhouse pot grow nearby. 

          Here's a proposed greenhouse grow (using sunlight instead of high-intensity lamps), but the neighbors object. While I'm sympathetic to the farmers, the pot industry has emerged as remarkably environmentally destructive with a outsized carbon footprint. It would be nice to support less environmentally damaging options, like greenhouse grows.

          For refs, just google "environmental impact of pot grows". 

          1. There are clearly less-impactful ways to growing marijuana – it's the current law and regulatory framework that prohibits most of the best options.  I have no doubt changes will be made in the future to accomodate that flexibility.

            My post was about industrial hemp, the sober cousin, that is grown outdoors and has a very friendly eco-footprint.

      1. …or pass the gas mask.  It's more of a war between 'common sense' and 'industry toads". A Republican weighs in:

        Ewing, (a Republican) says he doesn’t know what to make about the debate. It’s common sense to be cautious when you see pipes burning fuel, exhaust smoke, dust and other pollutants around your house, he says.

        “You only live once,” he says. “I know one thing by now: I don’t trust the oil and gas industry to tell me what’s healthy for me and my kids

        1. Excellent story, Michael. Thanks for posting the link.

          One of the things that invariably affects those who are unfortunate enough to find themselves living in the middle of the gas patch is what I refer to as " chronic hypervigilance". After a just a little while one becomes nervous and wary, not knowing from one minute to the next what aggravation or danger awaits you. With every breath, you wonder if the next one will come as an olfactory hammer, fairly knocking you to your knees and leaving you gasping for clean air. Or maybe the next intrusion will be auditory, as described by Mr. Ewing. Every day in the gaspatch is an adventure…and not the good kind.

          One other thing caught my eye in the story:

          In Texas, a couple living on a 40-acre ranch in Texas was awarded $3 million by a local court after Aruba Petroleum drilled 22 wells within two miles of their home. The couple, who appeared in the Gasland 2 documentary, claimed that their property values plunged, their health was harmed and their water was contaminated. Aruba, which is appealing the case, has argued its operations were in full compliance with federal and state regulations.

          These are not conflicting statements, as it is, in most states, completely possible for an oil and gas company to harm your health and water while still being in compliance w/ state and federal regulations.

          Which tells you something very important about the regulations.

          1. Just like the Weld County Commissioner want us to know that the fact barely a single dime of severance tax revenue generated in Weld County makes its way to the state coffers, they assure us they're operating within the law.  Walmart and McDonalds want us to know they're operating within the law when they harvest billions in subsidies for their underpaid workers.  And what they don't understand is that John Q. Public is tired of them hiding behind the legal veils they, their attorney's and bought-and-paid-for politicians have put in place via the laws they wrote.

      1. The guy has a nice voice…I'll give the song a "5". But the image is just a bit unsettling…not being accustomed to glam chicks with full beards…

        1. I have to agree, Duke, on the "unsettling" part. While I fully support Conchita Wurst's rights to love, marriage, fame, fortune, etc, I find the image unattractive and disturbing, personally.  Brave, though. 

        2. Certainly reinforces my regard for one Austrian woman, Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner, It was a nice song. I'd like to have heard Linda Ronstadt do this when she was at the height of  her powers.

      2. I'm not sure there's a standard category to place Conchita in. In her own words:

        "I told him I don't want to be a woman. I am just a working queen and a very lazy boy at home."

        She comes across in person as a very classy, happy, & grounded person. Thoughtful too, she remembers people she meets and treats everyone really nicely.

            1. I approve of the use of music vids as a means of political commentary (e.g., Ralphie's James Brown post the other day in an Open Thread, I believe). Although David blurs that line, I'm not about to pound a gavel over it.

  1. We no longer have tag lines, among other major losses with the "new and improved" site format (reminds me of DPS reform) and so I am forced to copy and paste, again, the link to hear Greg Hick's testimony before the House Committee.  The reason this is so important is that these are the facts that the republicans can not refute, but they can and do manipulate by omission…that is why it is imperative that we all know exactly what HIcks said.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tT4LFYLiBw#sthash.SJOOFI20.dpuf

    One of the most important facts in the timeline that HIcks begins with is the six hour time difference between Washington DC and Benghazi.  So the repubs give the time and say Eastern time, but they DO NOT continue to say what the 

    time in Benghazi is.  So, for example, in the DP, there is a right wing columnist who talks about "data points" and then talks about 8 PM Eastern time….which is 2am in Benghazi.  The implication is that Washington knew early in the evening that an attack was underway. Jerk.  It is 5am when the Embassy in Tripoli begins its evacuation, but it is only 11 pm in DC. 

  2. Using Facebook as the method of commenting or posting online removes anonymity.  The Federalist series would not have been possible if the veil of anonymos writing had not been available.  HuffPost has done this, as have several other media sites.  Keep Pols safe for anonymous posting.

        1. On that note, I've come to the conclusion that AC is not a real person — precisely because, as you note, no one can be this much of a total fucking moron day after day after day . . . 

          Some one the other day noted the several different writing styles that appear under the AC banner . . . 

          I think that it's highly likely that AC is merely a creation of our very own Alva — a caricature of all the GOP idiocies that exist — a way to keep us Polsters enraged, engaged, and commenting on this site.

          Keep up the good work, Alva (you sneaky bastage)!!

            1. With regrets, I'm confirming Mama's report.  I was hoping it was simply a 'bot'.  Not the mechanical kind – but the larva of the botfly, an internal parasite that lives in the stomach of animails, finally passing through the host's dung and pupating on the ground.

              But alas, he's real. 

        2. Only  complete moron would post a cartoon from Investors Business Daily.  I read one of their editorials telling people to invest in rocks in the Green River formation because tight oil was booming in the Eagle Ford.  Really.

  3. Just another snapshot of how the all out ACA attacks followed now by the umpteenth all out Benghazi offensive isn't moving polls. Today's real clear snapshot once again shows a little improvement rather than a continuing drop in obama approval rates. They aren't great but getting a little better rather than worse probably isn't what the GOTP spinmeisters were hopnig for.

    Race/Topic   (Click to Sort)

    Poll

    Results

    Spread

    President Obama Job Approval

    Gallup

    Approve 47, Disapprove 48

    Disapprove +1

    President Obama Job Approval

    Rasmussen Reports

    Approve 48, Disapprove 51

    Disapprove +3

    1. So you admit all the hysteria about everything from ACA to Benghazi, with stabs at fanning the flames of a not much IRS scandal thrown in, is for political purposes but you don't want to admit it's no longer effective in driving down Obama's approval ratings or HRC's lead in all potential match ups for 2016. Obama is improving slightly and HRC holding steady. So, a slight dent in your hypocrisy but not in your denial.

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