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Recreational drug use should be treated just like alcohol. Consenting adults should be allowed to use them at their discretion, but there should be severe penalties for those who injure or endanger others while intoxicated. Drugs can also then be taxed, the proceeds of which should be dedicated to drug/alcohol education and treatment.

Legalization achieves several things:

• Removes the incentive for criminal organizations to traffic in drugs. Should put a big dent in gang activity.
• Removes the fear of imprisonment for those who wish to seek help to break their addiction, making it easier for them to get help.
• Provides tax revenue (though, again, these revenues should be dedicated toward drug/alcohol education and treatment).

To avoid the obvious assumptions, I say this as someone who has never engaged in recreational use of drugs or alcohol. I believe these activities to be among the dumbest things you can do, but I believe I have a Constitutional duty to not tell others that they can't engage in them, as long as they keep it to themselves (ie., don't drug and drive).

posted 3 years, 1 month ago
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I'd like to get answers on why LCD and Plasma TVs have been getting a free ride on energy issues.  These TVs use quite a bit more energy to run than CRT TVs, and they use mercury-based lighting to illuminate the screen.  Yet CRTs are fading away because of size issues.

I, for one, applaud California's attempts to at least stem the tide of this excess.

posted 4 years ago
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I wasn't able to listen to this entire show, but I didn't hear any discussion about the true root cause of the global environmental problem:  over-population.

Now, I don't advocate any practice of forcibly reducing population, nor would I approve of legal limits on how many children anyone can have, but I would like to see a shift in public opinion so that the practice of having large families is openly regarded as irresponsible behavior.  Just as it is important that we all improve our awareness of our carbon footprints, I think it is even more important to be aware of the true root of the problem.  Conservation, renewable energy, and all the "green" technologies that are being discussed are good and necessary short- and medium-range strategies, they will not be effective in the long term unless over-population is addressed.

posted 4 years ago
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