Attention MA residents

Attention MA residents

There's been a lot of legislative activity around legalized marijuana over the past week. The House has passed a bill that raises taxes substantially, allows towns to override voter preferences and ban weed-related businesses, requires fingerprinting for any weed-industry employees, and various other bits of legal judo that makes weed legal, but generally unavailable.

The Senate has passed it's version of the bill which is generally a lot more chill, keeps most of the November referendum intact, and their provisions add to vs. re-write the referendum.

Right now, the bill is in committee where House and Senate legislators will try and hammer out a compromise bill, which they expect will go to the Governor to sign on the 30th.

If you care about legal weed in Massachusetts, you should call your representative and you should definitely voice your opinion to the legislators on the conference committee. There's a strong push to get the bill passed by July 1st so you need to voice your opinion now.

The House Bill is H.3776 and the Senate bill is S.2097 -- though I just said I supported the Senate bill over the House bill. Be sure and let the person who takes your call know that you don't require a response (it saves time and you won't get a form letter).

Committee Members:

Representatives:

Chairman Mark Cusack -- 617.722.2637
Dem. Majority Leader Ronald Mariano -- 617.722.2300
Rep. Hannah Kane -- 617.722.2430

Senators:

Chairwoman Pat Jehlen -- 617.722.1578
William Brownsberger -- 617.722.1280
Richard Ross -- 617.722.1555

I realize there's lots of other urgent issues going on in the world today, but if this is important to you, now is the time to make your voice heard...again.

Today at work, I've been watching workers assemble what will probably be a new cell phone tower to replace the...

Today at work, I've been watching workers assemble what will probably be a new cell phone tower to replace the makeshift antenna nest covering an old water tower. So I'm sitting here in my office and they're clambering all over a giant tinkertoy exposed to the elements. Admittedly, it's a pretty nice day and that's probably when they do this kind of work, but I appreciate my job today.

Our Lady of the Perpetual Chill.

Our Lady of the Perpetual Chill.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3vHbXDMNmE

Seemed relevant...

Seemed relevant...


http://www.marriedtothesea.com/index.php?date=062217

Stanford Open Policing Project

Stanford did some research into what happens when police interact with citizens (usually in the context of a speeding ticket or other traffic violation). The results are not at all surprising. You can access their data directly at:

https://openpolicing.stanford.edu/


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwOWcuFjNfw

Search for "spinner" on google and you'll get a little interactive fidget spinner.

Search for "spinner" on google and you'll get a little interactive fidget spinner.

BUT there's a toggle to switch it over to a number spinner (like the one in The Game of Life and other fine children's games).

Jeffrey Radcliffe -- Please call your office immediately.

Jeffrey Radcliffe -- Please call your office immediately.


https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/hansr/unicorn-coat?ref=tag

Sound advice:

Sound advice:

These Teen Cadets Stole Police Cruisers, Went On A Joyride, Then Crashed When Officers Gave Chase

I suspect they were just practicing their "civil forfeiture" homework.


https://www.buzzfeed.com/jimdalrympleii/teen-cadets-steal-two-police-cruisers?utm_term=.ue9kOWq82#.wledoBe1X

Mike Caprio -- which team are we signing up for?

Mike Caprio -- which team are we signing up for?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iw1jTY-X3A

I never used to identify with Mario all that much but today...

I never used to identify with Mario all that much but today...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VlmPC7lPNw

Google is going to be filming during the upcoming solar eclipse and is looking for help.

Google is going to be filming during the upcoming solar eclipse and is looking for help. They've also got this nifty simulator to show you what the eclipse will look like where you live.

https://eclipsemega.movie/simulator
https://eclipsemega.movie/simulator

Because G+ is still terrible at cross-posting. Some useful tips for National Forklift Safety Day!!!

Because G+ is still terrible at cross-posting. Some useful tips for National Forklift Safety Day!!!


https://www.graphicproducts.com/infographics/10-rules-for-forklift-safety-infographic/

Because G+ is terrible at cross-posting. Happy National Forklift Safety Day!

Because G+ is terrible at cross-posting. Happy National Forklift Safety Day!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mK2jFO_DaRQ

10 Rules for Forklift Safety Infographic

National Forklift Safety Day!


https://www.graphicproducts.com/infographics/10-rules-for-forklift-safety-infographic/

He Tried to Kill Me With a Forklift

It's National Forklift Safety Day!!!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mK2jFO_DaRQ

You see, DC? It's not that hard to make a good superhero movie. Just have them be, y'know, heroic.

Malaysians hit back at racism – in pictures | Art and design | The Guardian

I was blown away by the photos and the stories behind them.


https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/gallery/2017/jun/07/young-malaysians-witness-racism-daniel-adams-why-is-your-english-so-good-in-pictures

If you think your living space is kinda small...

If you think your living space is kinda small...


https://www.theguardian.com/cities/gallery/2017/jun/07/boxed-life-inside-hong-kong-coffin-cubicles-cage-homes-in-pictures

This long-form article from the New Yorker about the Opioid problems in a West Virginia town has some amazing quotes:

This long-form article from the New Yorker about the Opioid problems in a West Virginia town has some amazing quotes:

"Melcher, who is fifty-three, with abundant blond ringlets and a warm, husky voice, told me that she loved flower arranging and refinishing old furniture—activities that would be occupying her days more often if there weren’t a heroin crisis."

Well worth reading if you can spare the time.


http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/06/05/the-addicts-next-door

Embrace the power of "and":

Embrace the power of "and":


http://theweek.com/articles/700117/why-america-needs-both-ubi-job-guarantee

Harvard Rescinds Acceptances for At Least Ten Students for Obscene Memes | News | The Harvard Crimson

On the one hand, perhaps kids will take more care with their online activities. On the other hand, perhaps it will simply force them to figure out lower-profile ways to be assholes. Still, I think there's a valuable lesson here:


http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2017/6/5/2021-offers-rescinded-memes/

I'm reading this book and I realize that Science Fiction has a sub-genre that I don't think most other forms of...

I'm reading this book and I realize that Science Fiction has a sub-genre that I don't think most other forms of fiction have -- Adventures In Small Business Ownership.

In particular, I've read a number of books about starship captains (or people working their way up to starship captain). The key element is that it's the day-to-day business stuff that makes up the bulk of the plot. Sure there are usually other things that happen, but it never takes over from the simple "doing my job" narrative.

Often in mysteries, the detective runs a detective agency, but the bills are an abstracted problem as opposed to whatever mystery is being solved at the moment. Romances are...about the romance and hardly about the prosaic work the protagonists do -- at best it's just a key to set up the romance or cause complications somehow.

In the broader category of fiction, there are legal/financial thrillers that may delve into the minutia of a business, but generally as a subject of study not what the protagonist is really doing. I think the closest we get is Horatio Alger, rags-to-riches stories where hard work and pluck is rewarded.

I just thought it was interesting. And now I wonder if it could be broadened to more jobs in sci-fi. Alternatively, I wonder if it'd be interesting to chronicle a fictitious modern day business. A gaming/comic-book store would be great for the characters, but I'd be curious to see if running a hardware store or lawn-care service could be made interesting. At the very least, I like the idea of these modern-day business stories acting as sort of a template for entrepreneurship and good business practices.