Happy New Year massachusetts Stoners

A new law comes into effect in Massachusetts tomorrow allowing citizens to possess marijuana amounts of under and ounce. There is still a 100 dollar fine given but it dose not go on the persons record and the fine is similar to or less than other fines like open container and public drunkenness.

The upside is the ability of the judicial system to be more free to pursue other more serious and violent crime, as well as increase tax revenue.
The downside is that many police officers feel that they are able to catch bigger criminals if pot is found giving them reason to do more searching.

Hooray for the underage stoner because a minor consumption ticket it much more expensive then that of the pot possession, unless you have a lot on you when your caught and you have to forfeit that pricey bud as well. Perhaps this is change we can believe in?

I am for this law, thinking too many people locked up are just drug offenders who go to jail and learn how to be bigger and better criminals rather then treated like someone who made a mistake and must now atone for it by serving others. Pot can trigger scizophrenia in predisposed people some studies show, but it's overall effect on society is probably less than that of alcohol.

Communally not stepping on glasses

This past friday I went to the Cabooze to see Trampled by Turtles a bluegrass sounding band from Duluth. Without knowing the music very well I was surprisingly engaged by the tempo and excitement of the music. After not too long into their set I myself joined the fray in front of the stage amongst the sweaty and slightly bearded crowd. During such excitement a man in front of me suddenly grabbed the friend next to him and yelled something, they threw up their hands and then bent down patting the ground in search of some indiscernible object. The common reaction I feel would typically be to ignore and go about ones business, yet those around the men formed a circle. At the outside of the circle I peered down at the floor thinking I might find that four leaf clover that the men may have misplaced. The crown still jubilant around us were noticeably less active then our small after the man emerged with an expensive looking pair of glasses in hand. Perhaps he should have chosen something more like this for the concert.

















We rejoiced in the mans pleasure and the energy of the music, it was that communal feeling that I hope to have more often. Even though I had no previous though or interest in this man's glasses I became involved.
I thought of this moment after watching Ram Dass: Fierce Grace its odd how moving old hippies can be.