Quick Hits (page 2)
Medical Pot Fight Wafts into the Central Valley
By: Lisa Aleman-Padilla (Fresno Bee)
CHOWCHILLA -- Police Chief John Robinson found himself in state and federal crossfire Monday over the use of medical marijuana.
And when the smoke cleared, Chowchilla resident Michael Celli still didn't have his marijuana back.
Nearly a pound of pot sits in a Chowchilla Police Department evidence locker awaiting seizure by federal drug agents, despite a Madera County Superior Court order to return the marijuana to Celli, who uses the drug to cope with chronic migraine headaches.
Robinson planned Monday to return the large bag of marijuana taken from Celli, 42, during his April 25 arrest in possession.
But the chief was uncomfortable handing it over. So Celli and his attorney, William McPike, waited nearly 90 minutes while Robinson made a conference call including federal Drug Enforcement Agency officials, Madera County District Attorney Ernest LiCalsi and Chowchilla's city attorney.
When the call was over, Robinson stepped from his office and told Celli he wasn't getting his pot back.
"Basically, it goes against federal law," Robinson said. "Federal law takes precedent over state law when it comes to these type of operations."
California voters in 1996 legalized marijuana for medicinal use. The law has been challenged in state and federal courts.
Robinson said he's following a U.S. Supreme Court decision two years ago that declared the state law does not take precedence over federal law. Basically, he said he's refusing the Madera County court's order to comply with state law because the Supreme Court says he must follow federal law.
Richard Meyer, a DEA spokesman, said marijuana use of any kind is illegal in the eyes of the federal government: "The DEA does not recognize medical marijuana because there is no such thing. Marijuana is a dangerous drug that should remain illegal."
Robinson's worried that he could be charged unless the marijuana stays in police hands.
"If I was to release the marijuana to [Celli], I could be charged federally with distributing marijuana. The federal statute in this case took precedence of whatever state order was issued," he said.
Celli said the chief's actions were not surprising. Monday was the third time he's tried to reclaim his marijuana.
"I knew they were going to do something like this," he said. "This means I have to go through a lot of problems and have to go through court again."
McPike, an Auberry attorney, claims the Madera County court dealt with the federal law issue when it ordered the pot returned.
He cited a California Supreme Court decision last year saying the state voters' decision to allow medical marijuana made the federal law irrelevant.
"I think we're within the law, and I think this is just a tactic, a runaround tactic, that we've been experiencing up here in Chowchilla," McPike said.
McPike said he will continue to fight Robinson and his department in court. Celli said he is willing to do whatever it takes to have his use of marijuana recognized as a medical need.
Celli, a former Raymond Granite worker, said he didn't have much of a life before he learned to manage his migraines with marijuana.
Several accidents that caused concussions left him subject to the headaches several times a day.
The pain makes him feel as if his head will explode, forcing him to avoid noises and light. Sometimes he can't see, he said. Prescription painkillers, muscle relaxers and sleeping pills help alleviate the pain, but leave him feeling so groggy that he just lies around the house.
Celli said he began using marijuana two years ago and his life changed.
"It takes away the pain almost completely," he said. "It relaxes you, but nothing like the pills."
He said he buys his marijuana at the Oakland Cannabis Buyers Cooperative, paying as much as $300 an ounce.
DEA spokesman Meyer said such co-ops are operating illegally throughout the Bay Area. The DEA wants to close them but has limited manpower focusing on cocaine and methamphetamine production and distribution.
"Cannabis co-ops should not be surprised if we show up at their doors one day with a court order to search their premises," he said.
Meyer said cards issued by the co-ops and carried by medical marijuana users hold no legal status in the eyes of the federal government.
Celli showed officers his card, which he said proved he had medical recommendations to use the drug, after they found about 6 grams of marijuana in his car on April 25 while they were issuing a citation for illegal parking.
He admitted to officers he had more in the car and told them he used the substance for medical reasons. Officers then uncovered an additional 471 grams, leading to Celli's arrest on possession with intent to sell.
An officer's response to his cannabis card fuels Celli's desire to prevent other medical pot users from suffering the same fate.
"He looked at me and laughed," Celli said. "He said, 'That doesn't mean nothing to me.' "
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Growin' Our Own (page 2)
Philippine Fever
By: Elmore Stone
I've been in, out and around the Philippines since 1968. There is, in my opinion, no better country to visit or possibly to live in for an adult male. None whatsoever. Hell, for that matter, there is hardly a better country in the world. Period.
Now when it comes to the finer things in life, I call them W2 for short, that is women and weed, it is almost a toss up as to which is better - Philippines, or PI as it is called by those who know, or Thailand.
Thailand's weed is an ass kicker. Make no mistake. Thai weed is slightly better than PI's weed. On the other hand the women of the Philippines, also known as Little Brown Fucking Machines (LBFM), are a whole hell of a lot wilder than the women in Thailand. Both weeds will absolutely get you stoned, though the Thai weed is less harsh. And the women, well, you get the idea.
In the PI, there is one minor glitch. That is politics, courtesy of a deplorable economic system. Basically there are three classes of people: 2% middle class, 2% extremely wealthy and 96% dirt poor. It is because of that, which leads to absolute government corruption at every level, that there has been a resistance movement to over throw the government for decades. This movement is called the New Peoples' Army (NPA).
I'll tell you up front that the NPA is not an organization to be laughed at. Au contraire. At the same time, I've been all over the PI, spoken with some of them (they said they were NPA) on Jeepneys, in restaurants, whatever and not once had a problem. Indeed, the NPA is allegedly the military wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CCP). That may be true, I don't know.
What you may have read in the papers or saw on T.V. about U.S. military operations in the Philippines has nothing to do with the NPA. It has to do with the Muslim population on the southern most island of the Philippine chain called Zamboanga Del Norte. Completely different area. Completely different issues. We're going to be talking about the island of Luzon, the main island of PI.
On the island of Luzon, which is a damn big island, the principle cities are Manila, the capitol of PI; Quezon City, which is south of Manila; Olongopo, the city just across shit river from the former U.S. Naval Station Subic Bay and my personal favorite stomping grounds, Balibago, a 'suburb' of Angeles City just outside the gates of Clark U.S Air Base which is now closed down. Angeles City, Balibago, Olongopo, Barrio Baretto, Capas Tarlac, Dau and other towns are connected by the MacArthur, yeah that's right - MacArthur, Highway. You take a different highway just north of Angeles City to head towards Manila.
Once you are outside of any of these towns, you are in the boonies. Cane fields, rice fields, jungles and forests. It is in the jungles and forests where the best of the PI weed is grown. And there is a lot of weed grown in PI, let me tell you.
People need to earn a living and with 96% of the country's population destitute, weed brings in a much higher return on investment than does rice, cane or the various fruits which are grown there. Weed is also a great way, along with laundering money, to raise capitol for the NPA. The NPA has been in the business of both for many, many years.
Prior to 1992, both Clark Air Base and Naval Station Subic Bay were booming. Thousands of American sailors, airmen and Marines were stationed there. Thousands more transited through those two bases. Plus, during Nam, both bases were staging areas for troops, in and out bound, ship repair and replenishment, bomber staging and the like. For the GI's it was and remains an adult Disneyland. Business, of the W2 kind, was also very, very good.
In the PI, the money is officially the Philippine peso. Dollars worked just as well though. The deal as to the money was this: if you exchanged your U.S. dollars for pesos you tended to get a better exchange rate -- on your money and for weed and women. However, only a fool would exchange their money at a bank. You wouldn't get near the rate and no women or weed.
My favorite exchange place was the "Swagman" hotel, restaurant and bar. It was located in Balibago, Angeles City. Damn good exchange rate. The women, as many and as often as you wanted, were to die for. The weed was killer good and the food was fantastic. How the hell could a man go wrong? Answer is: a man simply cannot.
Let me clear the air on a few points. First of all, there are not 'street' walkers (hookers) in the PI. The working girls are owned by the bar, restaurant or whatever they work. When you rent one (or more) you pay the bar or restaurant or whatever. Not the girl(s). Secondly, the girls are medically checked every week for 'social' diseases. Bad for business otherwise. That concept was started by the U.S. military back in the '60's. Don't want your troops to come down with the clap. Third, the weed was sold to the bars, restaurants, hotels, whatever by the wholesalers. This process was done based upon the Philippine government having some real stiff laws about drugs. Additionally, with the U.S. military presence at both Clark and Subic, it was safer all the way around to get some weed from business establishments than from street vendors. There was almost no chance of being busted that way. Again, it was good for business.
The NPA acted as weed wholesalers and body brokers from what I've been told by various Filipinos. I have no reason to doubt their veracity either. Personally I didn't then and to this day don't care. Whenever I was in the PI, I was to enjoy life. And let me tell you, I enjoyed it to the hilt. You can't help it unless you are dead and buried.
As I stated earlier, I would stay at the Swagman. I would book a room for one or two weeks about a week or so before I'd get there. The anticipation of arriving and partying for upwards of 14 days would drive me nuts. Couldn't sleep, irritable, the whole nine yards.
The big day finally arrives. I'm waiting for my flight leaving L.A. and on my way to PI. Of course, I can't get a direct flight into Manila, so my way station is Narita, Japan. No big deal really. Damn near 18 hours in the air is, though.
I land in Manila about 8:30 at night, clear immigration and customs with no problem at all. All the inspectors are smiling and wishing me well. I love it. Once outside the airport, I take a cab (Diamond) to the - dig this - Rabbit Bus Lines terminal in central Manila. Pay for a ticket to Angeles City and almost three hours later, I'm in Angeles. Ya-fucking-hooo. I grab a trike, actually a motorcycle with a side car and tell him to take me to the Swagman pronto. I'm at the front door in 10 minutes. Since my arrival in Manila, I have spent 25 pesos on transportation. About a $1.50. The cute little clerk hands me my key and asks if I would like a beer and some company? I say "hell yes" to both.
Let's stop right here for a second. The beer I like is San Miguel. Made and bottled in PI. Think you have drank San Miguel in the states? Not even close. This stuff is different and indescribably better. Plus, it is only 75 cents a bottle and is ice cold. Perfect. Best beer in the world.
I go find my room. The air conditioner is already going and the room is a comfortable 75 - 80 degrees. I take my backpack and set it down on the couch and within 2 minutes I hear a knock on the door. Ah, my beer has arrived. A case of San Miguel. Life is so good.
After an additional 10 minutes or so, during which time I have already killed two San Miguels, there is another knock on my door. It is the night manager with four lovely and I do mean lovely ladies. As I am rather tired, I take only one. I'll get into some fine group sex in a day or two. She cost me 80 pesos for 24 hours. Clare was her name. She stood about 5 foot, 1 or 2 inches tall. Weighed about 90 - 100 pounds. Had perky little tits, a real round firm and tight ass and a nice hairy black bush. She could also, as I would find out later, suck the chrome off a trailer hitch. We talked, I offered her a beer, which she took and I asked about weed. She liked weed. I gave her some cash (150 pesos) and off she went. She was back with 5 minutes. She was carrying a three finger bag, two packs of rolling papers and ... my change, 40 pesos.
We got stoned. Baby, did we get stoned. Wonderful weed. I was in seventh heaven. I was toking a nice joint Clare rolled and she was sucking on me. When she finished, because I had ... er ... finished, it became my turn to return the favor. Clare fired up another joint and, well, just as I was about to enjoy a 'box lunch at the 'Y', she said, and I have never forgotten this, "Do you mind if I smoke while you eat?"
Shit. I burst out laughing and so did she. I was laughing so hard, for so long, my sides started hurting. Then we noticed that we were hungry - for food that is. Clare wrapped herself up in a towel and said she would be back quickly. She also took 20 pesos. When she returned after about 15 minutes she had a huge plate of sweet and sour chicken and rice. After satisfying our munchies and washing the wonderful food down with San Miguel beer, Clare rolled a couple more doobies. She lit one up and I proceeded to finish what I had started before the laughing fit. She was satisfied and I had been satisfied. I think we fell asleep around 7:00 in the morning.
Once we got up, sometime in the mid to late afternoon, Clare and I dressed and went to eat. Hungry again. I love it. Over lunch which was Lapu Lapu with oyster sauce, a fish which is absolutely delicious (there is also a city named Lapu-Lapu by the way). I needed to discuss a couple of things with her. I told her that I would be staying for two weeks and that I would contract with her (companion) for the entire time if she had no objections to certain things. These 'things' were certain types of sex and especially group sex. She thought it over for awhile and then agreed. I paid the hotel her contract fee which was 500 pesos and away we went.
For the next 6 - 8 days, I never left the hotel grounds. Hell, I did not have to. Everything was available right there at the Swagman. Whether it was good smoke, good beer, good food, Clare and a couple of other girls or just Clare, I had no reason to leave. None at all.
When we finally did leave the hotel it was to visit the surrounding countryside. North of the town of Dau is forest and it is beautiful. We took a Jeepney (see the image) from Angeles to the country and then walked along a well used path leading deeper into the forest area. We came upon a magnificently beautiful waterfall and pool. Truly stunning. Clare had some weed already rolled into joints and we toked away. By the time our smokes were through I had a real good buzz going. So did Clare. We decided, as no one else was around, to go skinny dipping in the pool. Clothes and care abandoned, we did that and more. The water was fine. More than fine as a matter of fact. We probably spent an hour or so in the pool watching the water flow from the fall and just enjoying life.
We finally decided it was time to leave and head on back. We got dressed even though we were soaked - we didn't care. Walked quite a ways back to the highway and waited for a southbound Jeepney. I guess we waited about 30 minutes and finally a Jeepney showed and we hoped on. Just as we were entering Dau the munchies came on real strong. Well, my eyes grew wide and my stomach said do it and do it now. I quickly shouted "Para Sa Cantu," which means stop here. The driver stopped, I grabbed Clare and pulled her out, all the while she's looking at me with a 'what the fuck are you doing' look. I looked both ways and, with her in tow, ran across the street and into, believe it or not, a Dunkin' Donut shop.
I call donuts fat pills and I love 'em. I bought twenty or so fat pills for a total price of about $2.00. We then split and ran back across MacArthur highway, with me munching on a fat pill, to wait for another Jeepney to take us back to the Swagman hotel.
We didn't have to wait long this time. One pulled over within minutes and we climbed in. Clare told the driver where we were going through a mouthful of fat pill. The munchies had hit her as well.
Once back at the hotel night had fallen and as usual the sky was clear with stars flickering like fireflies in the sky. We ate dinner at the outdoor restaurant, enjoying succulent pork ribs and fries. Our weed was gone and before we left to go back to the room Clare purchased another bag of fine PI weed.
The remaining days of my two week vacation were, like the first week, spent mostly in bed and stoned. Yeah, we would get out on occasion but not for long. Sex and smoke. I was quite content.
But, as the old saying goes, all good things must come to an end. My two weeks were up and it was time to head back to the states. Clare accompanied me to Manila International Airport and we said our good-byes there. My flight was longer than usual as I really didn't want to come back and face reality. What is weird, because of the time changes, I landed in L.A. about 2 - 2 1/2 hours before I left Manila, on the same day. Reality sucks.
Over the last 30 years I've done this foray an even dozen times. And I keep making the same mistake each and every time. I need to take a vacation -- once I get home to recuperate from my vacation.
Oh well, I need to save up both energy and money, my next trip back to PI is only 18 months away. Sooner if I can manage it.
PI fever ... catch it while you can.
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Pipeline (page 2)
Who do They Think They Are
By: Elmore Stone
You have probably read the stories or watched it on the evening news. A guy with a 'script from a doctor buys some pot and the next thing you know he is in jail and his pot is gone.
All for obeying the law.
This 'law enforcement' is being handled by state cops. Wait a minute, here in California we have this funny little law - the "Compassionate Use Act." It allows patients who have a prescription from a doctor to possess and use marijuana as medicine.
It is, in California and a few other states, the law.
So why are various police departments in California violating the law? Why are they arresting innocent people and stealing their property? Make no mistake, they are stealing that person's property.
Look at our lead news story (left column, this page). The arrested guy, Michael Celli, was innocent. He and his counsel, William McPike, beat the charges on demurrer, which was a brilliant legal stroke by McPike. They then get an order, signed by the judge no less, for the Chowchilla Police Department to return this man's property to him - his pot. What happens? The Chief of Police decides to hold a conference call with the Madera County District Attorney, Ernest LiCalsi, and the Chowchilla City Attorney and the DEA. The upshot was the Chowchilla Chief of Police, John Robinson, refused to obey the judge's order to return the marijuana.
Not only did the Chowchilla PD violate the law by unlawful arrest, theft and wrongful imprisonment when they busted the guy, they, the Madera County DA and the Chowchilla City Attorney are in contempt of court -- wilfully violating a court order.
And they don't give a damn. You try that and see what happens.
They consider themselves above the law. They fully believe the law does not apply to them. The law applies only to mere citizens. They fully believed and subsequently acted upon that belief that they had the power to nullify a court order with impunity.
Contained within California Penal Code (PC) is section 148, obstruction of justice. That is exactly what the Chowchilla Chief of Police, the Madera County District Attorney and the Chowchilla City Attorney did. Additionally, they wilfully worked together to obstruct justice. That little "wilfully worked together to obstruct justice" is known, in legal parlance, as conspiracy. Also known as conspiracy to obstruct justice. Therefore, these city and county officials are ... uncharged criminals.
That needs to be rectified.
If the Chief, the DA and the city attorney did not want to return the pot, why did the DA not appeal the order? Why did the DA not move the court to hold the order in abeyance, stay the order, until the appeals had run their course? That would have been the correct course of action to take. But oh no, instead they themselves decided to become an instant appellate tribunal and, in essence, overturn the trial court's order. Even Harry Potter isn't that good with magic -- yet.
Do these same people have the lawful authority to ignore, no - worse still, disobey a signed judicial order? Only in their dreams.
The big issue here is the rule of law. If you or I are held to a certain lawful standard, ie., obeying the law whether we like the law or not, why aren't government officials held to the same standard? The bottom line is government officials and employees are held to a different standard. A much lower standard. They can, and do, get away with stuff on a daily basis that would land you or I in prison for a very, very long time.
They do not have any lawful authority to violate a judicial order. None whatsoever. They did it because of their position. They did it because of their contempt for the law.
People like John Robinson, Ernest LiCalsi and the Chowchilla City Attorney have no business, none whatsoever, being in their positions of authority. Each of them need and have earned the distinct privilege of being removed from their current digs and placed into new surroundings. San Quentin state prison comes to mind immediately. Let them cool their heels there for a few years.
Attitude adjustment, yeah, that is what they need.
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Dakota Joseph Arts