Drug Policy Reform and Barack Obama

I received a message from the Drug Policy Alliance with a request that I compose and send a note to President-elect Barak Obama to help guide him in who he will choose to be his drug czar.

Based on suggestions provided by the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA), I wrote the following letter to Obama. Feel free to copy it, change it, enhance or use it in some way to create a custom letter of your own to the new President of the United States. Once you compose your message you can send it to Barak Obama via his new website: www.change.gov. The process is quick and simple. And well worth the small effort.

Don’t be fooled. You make a difference. You make an impact. The more proactive you are, the larger your impact. It only takes a moment to compose and send a letter like the one I wrote below:

Drug Reform Message to Barak Obama

Dear President-elect Obama,

Please choose a drug czar who will champion drug policy reform in the USA. This is a very important step in delivering the change you and I and a majority of our great nation and the world so obviously desire… and need!

It’s easy to understand why you are considering to nominate Republican Congressman James Ramstad to be your “drug czar”. Rep. Ramstad is in recovery from alcohol abuse and has a track record in support of increasing access to drug treatment. However, Ramstad is still mostly married to the failed punitive drug war policies of the last 30 thirty years. This is a no-brainer: These policies don’t work. Never have. Never will.

These failed policies need to change. More importantly, we need to do something different. Just as you had so boldly stated: “Doing the same things over and over again and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity”, WE MUST do things differently in drug reform in order for profound change to occur. I figure that you already know this somewhere deep inside your obviously good heart. Please step into it, and we will support you.

Ramstad has voted against medical marijuana five times. He has voted against making sterile syringes more available to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS three times. Even though his colleagues are increasingly supporting sentencing reform, including eliminating the crack/powder sentencing disparity, he hasn’t stood up on the issue. Perhaps Ramstad is not the right choice.

Our nation’s next drug czar should be chosen based on the following criteria:

1. Are they committed to enacting and supporting evidence-based policies? ONDCP should make decisions based on science, not politics or ideology.
2. Are they committed to reducing the harms associated with both drugs and punitive drug laws? We need a new bottom line for U.S. drug policy.
3. Do they think drug use should be treated as a health issue not a criminal justice issue? To paraphrase former Baltimore Mayor Kurt Schmoke, we need a surgeon general not a military general or police officer.
4. Do they welcome and encourage debate and research? We need a drug czar who is open-minded and willing to consider every alternative.
5. Are they committed to reducing the number of nonviolent offenders behind bars? Our country’s next drug czar should be fully committed to major sentencing reform.

President-elect Obama, who you choose as your drug czar will affect everyone. Please nominate a drug czar who supports marijuana law reform, syringe availability and treatment instead of incarceration.

Thank you for your time and consideration,

Best regards and best of luck,

Your Name

Where to Send Your Drug Reform Letter

Once your message is ready don’t forget to send it to www.change.gov.

Space Island & Trinity: Post L.A. Decom Event

SPACE ISLAND & TRINITY

Present
“BEYOND THE BOUNDARY”
SATURDAY OCTOBER 4th

IMPORTANT! – This event is not at Space Island. Please do not go to Space Island’s residence.

SPACE ISLAND AND TRINITY PRESENT

BEYOND THE BOUNDARY

SATURDAY – OCTOBER 4

9PM to 4AM

Come celebrate the 5th Annual downtown event AfterParty.
A journey away from the island. Keep the endless dream alive.

3 STAGES OF SOUND

BREAKS – HOUSE – AND DOWNTEMPO

BREAKS STAGE

• Lawgiverz/Trigger UK

• BARTEK
  Clean Binger

• BRIAN SEED
  Moontribe

• NORTH STAR
  Seattle
  Street Ritual – Space Island

• BRION T
  Space Island

HOUSE STAGE

• BRADEN
  Space Island / 16Bit Beyond / Family Affair – Los Angeles

• JESSE BROOKS
  Yoshitoshi / Fresh Produce – Los Angeles
• THE IANATOR
  Space Island – The Do Lab – Los Angeles
• MR CAPARRO
  16Bit Beyond / Family Affair – Los Angeles

DOWNTEMPO STAGE

• POD
  Space Island
• HENRY STRANGE
  Los Angeles
• DJUN -DJUN
  Pure Tone / Lucky Cats – Los Angeles
• KRISTO
  SF

FASHION COUTURE BY:

Indhi Couture & Ikharos

ALSO

T-evolution & Blue Star

Pre-sale tickets available:

Avoid waiting in line with pre-sale tickets
$20 Pre-Sale
$25 at the door (cash only)
Click to purchase pre-sale tickets

THIS EVENT IS NOT AT SPACE ISLAND

There will be NO shuttles running from the L.A. Burning Man Decompression event to the Afterhours. There will be plenty of street parking at the afterhours. Please know we expect to reach capacity early as we have in the past 5 years.

Food will be available with plenty of vegetarian choices.

Pre-sale tickets will end on October 3 at 12:00am

For pre-sale tickets bring a print out of your receipt and valid photo ID
ages 21 and over

No ID, no entry

9pm to 4am

3 stages of sound: Breaks – House and Downtempo

Avoid waiting in line with pre-sale tickets:
$20 Pre-sale
$25 at the door (cash only)

Event Location:
613 Imperial St.
Los Angeles, CA 90021

CLICK LINK BELOW TO GET DIRECTIONS

View Larger Map

This is a permitted event and will sell out.
If you don’t pre-sale tickets get there early!

CLICK HERE TO BUY PRE-SALE TICKETS

Burning Man Decompression in L.A. 6th Annual

6TH ANNUAL LOS ANGELES BURNING MAN DECOPRESSION

SATURDAY OCTOBER 4TH:

L.A. Burning Man Decompression coming at you! The following is an abridged version, since all this info has been repeated on other lists. For FULL INFORMATION, artist and performance lineups, set times, and recent updates visit the Los Angeles Burning Man Decompression website.

RAIN or SHINE.

Still Going Strong – 6th Annual L.A. Burning Man Decompression

Burning Man Decompression in L.A. is in a new location! Huge thanks to the Planning Team for pulling this off; we’re gathering at
the Los Angeles State Historical Park, AKA the Cornfield, this year. It’s still downtown, and the directions are below.

No more partying on the streets, now we have acres of beautiful lawn all with the amazing view of downtown we have always had. Be prepared to get your shoes dusty! The Cornfield is really a field, and the dust definitely kicks up while dancing.

One important note: The Decompression parking lot will be closing after the event, around midnight, so park mindfully, and make sure to read the parking notes if you are planning to attend an afterparty.

The location is at:
Los Angeles State Historical Park
1245 N. Spring Street, 9001
(See map below)

Time: The festivities will start at Noon and end at Midnight.
Cost: Admission to the event may be gained thusly:

$10 in costume or with a Metro Rail pass!
$20 in street clothes.
(Children under 12 are FREE!)

We are very grateful to the State Park Rangers for allowing us to use their wonderful location. When you see them around, tell them thanks. They have been truly great to work with.

Please check the L.A. Burning Man website for extensive details. You’ll be impressed, excited and filled with anticipation!

See you in the dust!

View Larger Map

Ninja Skillz and Hipgenesis: “Homecoming”

!! UPDATE AS OF SAT. OCT. 4 @ 4:30PM!! THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELED. IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR ANOTHER LATE NIGHT VENUE FOR TONIGHT, GO TO THE SPACE ISLAND EVENT LISTED ELSEWHERE ON THIS BLOG !!

SAT. OCT. 4:
NINJA SKILLZ MUSIC & HIPGENESIS PRESENT:
“HOMECOMING”

LIMITED PRESALE TICKETS ARE $16: (tickets at the door are 25$)

Imagine if you will, a Homecoming Dance done only how the LA Underground can do it. Come in all your Playa Finery from earlier in the day or HOWEVER YOU WANT!

• 3 AREAS OF SOUND FEATURING L.A.’S BEST IN HOUSE – BREAKS – PROGRESSIVE – DOWNTEMPO
• YEARBOOK PHOTO BOOTH BY KATIE LEE AT EYENEXUS.COM
• 8 SMALLER ROOMS SPONSORED BY A.H.S. SCHOOL CLUBS ( CHECK OUT DETENTION…)
• LOCATED ON OUR BRAND NEW DOWNTOWN L.A. CAMPUS!
• BURNING MAN PHOTO SLIDE SHOW BY CURIOUS JOSH
• MASSAGE
• PANCAKES
• A GAGGLE OF CRAZIES AND YOU!

Featuring the not-so-high-school-cafeteria-sounding:

• JOHN KELLEY ( Moontribe, Ball of Wax )
• DJ BLUE ( Blue Insomnia )
• DJ WOLFIE ( DJWolfie.com )
• SAYNT ( Ninja Skillz, L.A.L.A. )
• JESSE WRIGHT ( Pocket Underground, L.A.L.A. )
• JUPITER ( The Do Lab, LeftHouse Recordings )
• JOPLIN ( Pork ‘N Beats )
• MARK ZABALA ( Ninja Skillz, MarkZabala.com )
• DARKMATTER ( Hipgenesis )
• NICK THE NECK ( Pocket Underground )
• 20 MEAT ( Fluid Sound )
• HYJYNX ( Ninja Skillz )
• YONA
• COREY SAGE ( RLD )
• ZAK BROWN ( Hipgenesis )
• FAITH ( L.A.L.A. )
• KUMAR ( L.A.L.A. )

LIMITED PRESALE TICKETS ARE $16

GET EM FAST! TICKETS AT THE DOOR ARE $25

WE WILL be running shuttles from the Decomp Location to the event!
WE WILL ALSO be running shuttles from the parking lot at First and Central in Downtown LA.

ALL SHUTTLES will be identified as R.L.U.S.D ( Red Light Unified School District )
IMPORTANT: the Decomp parking lot will be closed from 12am-7am. If you are coming to our party, either park on the street or move your car to the 1st and Central Parking Lot before then.

SPIKE THE PUNCH!!!!!!!

www.ninjaskillz.net
www.eyenex.us
www.djwolfie.com
www.curiousjosh.com
www.hipgenesis.com For photos, directions, and more information.

Downtown ArtWalk: Portraits of Cuba Exhibit

Downtown L.A. Art Walk

Come to the Downtown L.A. Artwalk, currently in progress. Lots to see and do there. In particular is a photographic display by one of my business partners and dear friends, Emmy award winning filmmaker Leslie Bernstien.

Les wrote and directed the film Night Train, of which he and I also produced. Les has a keen photographic eye, and among many other achievements in the film industry, he has won an Emmy award for his exceptional work as a visual effects cinematographer for Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Portraits of Cuba 2

In recent months, Les has been busy putting together a documentary on Cuba. In the interim, he has assembled an amazing array of photos from his Cuban research adventures, and the photos are on display at the Downtown Art Walk.

Location:
2nd Street Cigars and Gallery
124 W. 2nd Street
L.A., CA 90012
(213) 452-4427

Dale Youngman Art Gallery Final Weekend – Downtown Los Angeles

SAT-SUN. JULY 26, 27:

DALE YOUNGMAN ART GALLERY FINAL WEEKEND

I want to thank all my friends and supporters… so please join me for the final weekend of:

“Home Is Where the Art Is”
at the Dale Youngman Gallery
at the Regent
446 South Main Street
Los Angeles 90013

Gallery hours Wed – Fridays noon – 7:00
Saturdays noon – 5:00
(or by appointment)
THROUGH JULY 30

Featured Artists

Featured will be fine art, furniture, lighting, art glass, sculpture, decorative accessories, jewelry and more! SPECIAL PRICING ON MANY ITEMS!

Artists include Andie Villafane, Alex In Welderland, Alisa Gabrielle, Angelique Payne, David Redic, Elena Roche, Farideh Azad, Jewels by Adorned, Jericho Woggon, Jim Stern, Lucca Collins – Cona, Maria De la Luz, Monica Mader, Nan Wollman, Nick Boswell, Ray Cirino, Suemi by Rich Radenbaugh, and Vanessa Martinelli

THERE WILL BE AN AUGUST SHOW – DIGITAL VISIONS – -OPENING AUG. 8 AT THE CONTINENTAL BUILDING, 408 S. SPRING.
(one month only – DETAILS FORTHCOMING! )

Thank you for your patronage!

Contact and Information: daleydale100@yahoo.com

Downtown LA Life Magazine
Art & Music Update
http://downtownlalife.com
“DALEY’S WEEKLY”