gauche

I use a Manfrotto 680, monopod for my 600mm.

Taxing pot could become a political toking point By Eric Bailey February 24, 2009 Reporting from Sacramento -- Could Cannabis sativa be a salvation for California's fiscal misfortunes? Can the state get a better budget grip by taxing what some folks toke? An assemblyman from San Francisco announced legislation Monday to do just that: make California the first state in the nation to tax and regulate recreational marijuana in the same manner as alcohol. Buoyed by the widely held belief that cannabis is California's biggest cash crop, Assemblyman Tom Ammiano contends it is time to reap some state revenue from that harvest while putting a damper on drug use by teens, cutting police costs and even helping Mother Nature. "I know the jokes are going to be coming, but this is not a frivolous issue," said Ammiano, a Democrat elected in November after more than a dozen years as a San Francisco supervisor. "California always takes the lead -- on gay marriage, the sanctuary movement, medical marijuana." Anti-drug groups are anything but amused by the idea of California collecting a windfall from the leafy herb that remains illegal under federal law. Your Vote Should the state tax and regulate marijuana? Yes No "This would open another door in Pandora's box," said Calvina Fay, executive director of Save Our Society From Drugs. "Legalizing drugs like this would create a whole new set of costs for society." Ammiano's measure, AB 390, would essentially replicate the regulatory structure used for beer, wine and hard liquor, with taxed sales barred to anyone under 21. He said it would actually boost public safety, keeping law enforcement focused on more serious crimes while keeping marijuana away from teenagers who can readily purchase black-market pot from peers. The natural world would benefit, too, from the uprooting of environmentally destructive backcountry pot plantations that denude fragile ecosystems, Ammiano said. But the biggest boon might be to the bottom line. By some estimates, California's pot crop is a $14-billion industry, putting it above vegetables ($5.7 billion) and grapes ($2.6 billion). If so, that could mean upward of $1 billion in tax revenue for the state each year. "Having just closed a $42-billion budget deficit, generating new revenue is crucial to the state's long-term fiscal health," said Betty Yee, the state Board of Equalization chairwoman who appeared with Ammiano at a San Francisco news conference. Also in support of opening debate on the issue are San Francisco Sheriff Mike Hennessey and retired Orange County Superior Court Judge James Gray, a longtime legalization proponent. "I'm a martini guy myself," Ammiano said. "But I think it's time for California to . . . look at this in a truly deliberative fashion." He sees the possibility of an eventual truce in the marijuana wars with Barack Obama now in the White House. A White House spokesman declined to discuss Ammiano's legislation, instead pointing to a transition website that says the president "is not in favor of the legalization of marijuana." Several cities in California and around the nation have adopted laws making marijuana the lowest law enforcement priority, including Santa Barbara, Santa Monica, Denver and Seattle. Oakland went even further in 2004, requiring pot to be taxed if it is legalized. But where Ammiano sees taxes, pot foes see trouble. They say easier access means more problems with drug dependency among adults, heavier teen use and an increase in driving while high. "If we think the drug cartels are going to tuck their tails between their legs and go home, I think we're badly mistaken," Fay said. "They're going to heavily target our children." [email protected]

Police: Misdemeanor arrests will continue despite Contra Costa DA cuts By Malaika Fraley and Robert Salonga CONTRA COSTA TIMES Posted: 04/22/2009 01:05:21 PM PDT Updated: 04/22/2009 01:17:42 PM PDT MARTINEZ

Indra's busy setting up her show. I wish her the best.

It was acoustic Return to Forever with Jean-Luc Ponty sans Di Meola; the quartet was composed of Mads Tolling on electric violinist, a young Corea-ish, Ruslan Sirota (27 yrs old) on piano, Ron Bruner Jr (24 yrs old) on drums (show stopper) and Stanley on stand up bass (amped). 3 of the 5 songs played were RTF compositions and to some extent is was the Mads Tollings show. In baseball terms Clarke brought a veterans presents to the group. Al, I would have enjoyed the show more had it been solo acoustic. Never was a big fan of the electric, jazz violin. But I can't complain I was on the guest list, comps courtesy of KUSF. btw, the Chikurin was spot on but the calamari just so-so.

Last Night, 3/8/09: Stanley Clarke and Chikurin Junmai @ Yoshi's Oakland.

A few months ago I was pleasantly surprised that Kodachrome still exists so I shot a couple of rolls. Below are a few color test shots. The film was processed at Dwayne's Photo in Parsons, Kansas, and uploaded via an Epson V700 scanner. If you are only using 35mm you don't need the V700. The V300, 4490 or Canon equivalent will do just fine.

In your case the answer is obvious:

Indra, NICE!! Durst enlargers? M670 & M805? What lenses? Nevermind you probably have Schneiders (nothing but the best).

Also just signed up, thanx for the reminder. Do I hear a Mac-Mini-Meet in the making?

Caught the 8:00AM flight to LAX 10:30-11:00 meeting at the POLB 1:00-2:00 meeting in Sherman Oaks Caught the 4:00PM flight back. What a waste. At least, the 405 was tolerable.

I guess it does. Al, damn fine photos. Nice big sky and good exposure on the tufas, on sunny days they can be problematic.

I hope you expensed the mileage, the going rate is $0.58 per mile.

Was flotsam and jetsam in the middle of Mare Island Strait, had to be towed in by the Coast Guard.