The Real War on Drugs

In 1971 Richard Nixon first used the term ‘War on Drugs’ to define the funding of law enforcement and other establishments to reduce the flow of illegal drugs coming in and out of the United States. Since then just about every presidential administration has pursued this fight against illegal substances, spending millions upon millions of of tax dollars. While this so called war on drugs sounds nice on paper, it has several major flaws that make it a hopeless battle.

The executive branch of the goverment has been steadily proposing and passing bills to increase the punishment of possings and distributing  illegal drugs over the years. The logic seems simple enough here, if they make the punishment harsh enough it will drastically decrease the amount of drug users and sellers right? Wrong. By increasing the punishment of illegal drug offenses causes two different, yet interrelated effects to drug transactions.

First, the distributors are much more enticed to go ahead and make profits worthwhile as the severity of punishment increases. A first offense dealer caught selling one kilogram of a heroin based mixture faces no less than ten years in prison and no more than life. If the buyer overdoses, the dealer is looking at a minimum of a $4,000,000 fine and no less than twenty years in prison. The same punishment is applied to distributing 1000 grams of marijuana(approximately 2.2 lbs). For dealers buying and selling domestically one kilogram heroin is quite expensive ranging from $100,000 and up based on purity. However, if one were to be willing to work internationally it could be acquired from Pakistan or other countries that specialize in heroin for around $2,500 per kilo. This price difference is partially created by the laws placed on distribution which makes it more to buy in the U.S. but much more profitable to sell. When distributors are arrested the purity of drug is not taken into consideration, just weight. Thus it makes no difference from a legal point of view if you are selling pure garbage with .02% heroin or 100% pure, either way you are getting a minimum of ten years in the pen, more than likely much more. As for marijuana, 2.2 lbs is not nearly as expensive bought domestically and is a very small amount of weight for a professional. Since the dealer is already looking at felony charges of at least ten years in prison they may as well sell enough weight to make themselves extremely rich.

Another issue we are facing here is the fact that with a felony charge of a minimum of ten years in prison for 2.2 lbs of pot or one kilo of heroin, a dealer will be much less reluctant to pull the trigger when things get hot. Not to mention the increased market price of heroin domestically means the dealer has a large sum of money riding on the line as well. Shooting a cop or any individual for that matter is an absolutely atrocious crime but law enforcement officers can’t act surprised when gun play comes on to the scene while pursing members of the drug trade. The increased severity of punishment also causes dealers to invest more deeply in heavy arms for protection. This not only endangers the lives of law enforcement officers but also funds other underground organizations.

What if the war on drugs isn’t a battle at all? What if the war on drugs is really market monopolization by our government? By controlling who can buy and sell drugs through legal action would allow the U.S. government to choose who gets the profits on big transactions and essentially would allow complete control over the entire domestic drug trade. Sound too far fetched to you? It shouldn’t. Many like to live in a state of ignorance where the U.S. government is the poster child of kindness and morality, claiming the government would never contribute to such a vile and immoral practice. I would like to ask these people to look at a history book and reconsider their argument. First of all, this very country was obtained by killing off and relocating the native people in the most horrible way imaginable. Once the U.S. didn’t want to be under English rule the people had a bloody revolt which, in the media today, would be called terrorism. Since then the U.S. had no problem with completely unraveling Western Africa by kidnapping millions of people, selling them for profit, and then enslaving them for two hundred years. When World War II rolled around the government felt it necessary to drop atomic bombs over Japan killing millions of innocent civilians, destroying Japan’s economy for decades. Foreign leaders that the United States deem to be a ‘threat to democracy’ are quickly tracked down and executed by special forces groups, often without the public knowing. I could go on with these examples for hours but a major thing to understand is the fact that a government is basically a corporation. Governments make profits, they have board members, and they have people working under it like a corporation. So why is the fact that the United States of America is controlling drug trade for intrinsic benefits hard to believe? Looking at the facts I think the war on drugs is a front.

I am by no means condoning drug use or distribution, I am simply stating that the current war on drugs is not coming anywhere near meeting it’s objectives if what the government claims is true. Being a college student I know that drugs are easier to access than alcohol for minors and are often used for this very reason. If the U.S. government really wants to take the supply of drugs off the streets they must do something drastically different because greater penalties only makes greater profits and greater violence.

The Yacht Club

Charlotte is a beautiful city

It’s been far too long since my last post! I have the new class schedule and practice intensity as well as time requirements are picking back up now that our indoor season is underway. I have still been spending a lot of time writing but most of it hasn’t been the kind of writing I do on my blog. I occasionally write for a website called Associated Content which is a pay per submission, working on some short stories, and working on developing connections with editors of several news papers. For those of you who are students at UNC Charlotte may have read my article in the University Times but if you have not and you’d like to you can check it out here: http://www.nineronline.com/features/keep_your_new_year_s_resolutions_on_track

Yesterday was a very eventful day that I believe is worth writing about. Yesterday morning some of my team mates and I were planning on driving up to Virginia Tech University to watch those who were racing this particular meet but we ran into some complications. For some reason there was a problem with the hatch-door sensor that wouldn’t recognize that the door was closed and an extremely annoying bell would constantly beep anytime the vehicle was in drive so she called the nearest Lexus dealership and they believed that it was a minor problem that could be fixed fairly quickly. Not the case. We ended up hanging out in the lounge, eating their food and drinking coffee for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours which was actually pretty fun despite the duration. However, due to the fact that it took so long we couldn’t make the meet.

While driving I was playing with the car’s Garmen and I noticed that there were several yacht clubs within the city limits of Charlotte. We found this pretty amusing so my friend and I began joking about being in one. This led to the creation of our pretend yacht club which we proceeded to mock the stereotypical old-money personality. Once we got back to my buddy’s apartment we decided we were going to play racquetball on campus and we dressed like we were going to play tennis in Beverly Hills. At this point in time, another one of my friends decided to join us in our game. Unfortunately when we arrived on campus the gym was closed for the entire weekend for Martin Luther King Jr. day. The joking about the yacht club gave us the idea to go downtown Charlotte dressed in suits and just explore the city so we went back to the apartment and put on the dope gear.

My two friends and I arrived downtown and just did whatever we felt like, going to the tops of every tall building we could get access to and plotted how we could get free food at a wedding reception. We had nothing but time and spent nearly five hours wondering around, stopping to get food at Hooter’s. I had my camera with me and took some great pictures. Downtown Charlotte is such a beautiful area and I have always wondered why most UNCC student’s, my self included, rarely go there except to go clubbing or the occasional meal at a special restaurant. One of the most interesting things about the expedition was the fact of how much more we could get away with being dressed the way we were. By get away with I mean getting clearance to areas of office buildings and other areas without being questioned by the security. I have always known that a well dressed individual is going to appear more trustworthy as well as appear to have more of a purpose than another person who is dressed casual but seeing this in practice was cool. I know for a fact that if we were wearing jeans and hoodies we would not be able to do 1/4 of the things we did. The best thing of all was we all had an absolute blast and didn’t spend a single dime except to eat! Go out and explore your city, no matter how many times you’ve done it you will always find something new that is worthwhile.

RGM

The State of the Music Industry Address

As far as I’m concerned the quality of popular genres of music died back in 1998 with albums such as 311’s Transistor, Outkast’s Aquimini and DMX’s It’s Dark & Hell is Hot. While all types of new music found on most radio stations are suffering, rap and hip hop are by far in the worst shape. The reasons why really come down to a few factors, all tied back to the way music is marketed these days.

Hardly anyone can argue that we have seen an era in rap and hip hop music to match 1991-1997 with the rise of artist like Tupac, Biggie Smalls, NWA, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, and many more all in their prime. One reason I feel that this particular genre is in a stand still when it comes to originality and quality is because of the difference in competition. In the early and mid-nineties rappers were more into the progression of the music as a whole rather and the competition was mainly between the quality of East Coast vs. West Coast. Now, competition is all about personal revenue and ‘personal progression’(if you want to call it that) rather than the advancement of their genre. Everything is strictly numbers. I have always questioned this competition in music from the start. Musicians are artists, not athletes. In music there is no black and white as to who is better; when you try to compare a group of talented musicians it’s like saying which is better: pizza, bowling, or going to the movies? You can’t answer the question and that’s why you will never hear any of the founding fathers/mothers of mainstream American music ever claim to be the best. Lil’ Wayne, Jay-Z, and Noz may all claim to be the best rappers alive in their music but I challenge you to find any Beatles, James Brown, Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix, or any of the foundational artists to claim they are the best at what they do in their music. The Beatles were claimed to be more popular than god, but did they sing about it? No.  Sure rap was founded on the struggle up from poverty by the majority of artists but until the ego is lost, I don’t think it will improve as a whole.

While these things I stated above are issues, the main issue harming the music industry is Public Radio. How I absolutely despise what has become of public radio. Public radio is the root of all that is evil in music but I do have to hand it to them, they aren’t stupid. I’m sure most of you have all wondered why the radio stations play the same music over and over. Well, so have I, and I have thought about it and I believe I have an answer that makes perfect since and it has absolutely nothing to do with requests. The radio stations receive the majority of their money from two sources: Advertisements and Record Labels. Now, if the radio stations reduce the amount of music they accept and play on a daily basis then it creates a smaller, less saturated market for the record labels. It’s simple economics actually. While some listeners will get completely turned off with the music they are playing, others will continue to listen and actually enjoy the music. Your average listener isn’t going to search for music much further than the radio or music videos on TV(scratch that. Doesn’t exist). Then when they go to buy music they have a smaller selection of albums to choose from and many of them are on the same record label. Am I sure of this? Definitely not, but it certainly seems rational.

With this being said, I am obviously talking mainly about new music that is put in the mainstream. There are tons of good new musicians out there but the vast majority of the public doesn’t know who they are. These are the people the record labels should be signing rather than giving these sorry excuses for musicians too much money and publicity. This garbage needs to go from the radio and replaced with something new and fresh.

If the music industry is so hurt for money then I have a solution: Stop spending millions of dollars in recording to lay down some digital autotuned tracks and go find talent that records simply! Then reduce the price of music or become more creative with your marketing branch. I can assure you there is plenty of money to be made with quality music. Go look at the top selling albums of all time. 99% of them used simple analog recording and the quality of as many as 35 years ago will compete with almost all of the newer and more expensive recording. Talent?

RGM

On Inspiration, Motivation & Focus

Four days have passed since millions of Americans have made the ritualistic New Year’s resolution in hopes of improving the quality of their lives. Gym memberships are skyrocketing, credit card companies will be seeing more bills being paid on time, and more people will be hiding  a nicotine patch under shirtsleeves. Sadly, the odds are against the majority and most of these people will not accomplish what they set out to. We have all seen time and time again what happens with 99.9% of the claims made on New Year’s day; they fizzle out like the fireworks in Time Square. However, you are not the majority and you will accomplish what you intend to do if you follow my advice I will give you in this post.

What happens to the majority of people when they first make a New Year’s resolution? They get excited, they are focused on the task at hand, and they have motivation. These are the ingredients for success. But then what happens shortly after?The excitement dies down, the focus is lost, and whatever motivation they had is kicked to the curb like an old dusty couch. The thing to understand in this situation is drastic change of thinking between when the resolution was created to the point when the plan is scrapped. At the beginning the excitement comes from a vision of the future with no regard to present. Let’s say ‘Jane’ wants to lose 30 lbs by the end of 2009 and she has it all planned out from her workout routine to her change in dieting habits. She is focusing on the task at hand, working hard, and making progress. But one week she gets swamped at work, to save time she eats fast and unhealthy, and skips out on her visits to the gym. Later in the week  Jane looks at herself in the mirror and becomes depressed with her body and her self. The seed is planted.

At the exact point Jane criticises herself in the mirror, her mental process has just made a complete 360. She went from focusing on the future to the unhappy thoughts of being trapped in a body that doesn’t make her feel good. “Who am I kidding? I’ll be overweight for the rest of my life. Might as well just accept it,” Jane barks angerly to herself in the mirror. Jane has given up. The depression increases her need to eat comfort foods and went from being on the path of getting in great shape and healthy to putting on additional weight and additional health risks. Sounds awful but it happens to thousands of people all the time and will surely happen to many men and women who are trying to better themselves in 2009.

I am using this example for the simple fact that it is easy to illustrate and since obesity is a serious issue in our country, it is easy to relate to. An important thing to note is that my advice can be applied to any goals, both physical and the nonphysical.

When on your quest to tackle your new goals you need to get excited about them. This is sometimes easier said then done as the going gets tough, but you know what they say about the tough(and you are tough, baby!). You need to be excited but this doesn’t mean you are going to be ansy to get to the gym(or where ever) every single day of the week, not quite. If this were always the case, what you have is a hobby! The best thing that works for me is look for inspiration where ever I can get it. Inspiration breeds motivation and vice versa. For those of you who have been in my room in my apartment know that I have things that inspire me absolutely everywhere. I have pictures of my team, pictures of my favorite runners, usually something inspirational on my desktop background, and 9 times out of 10 I will have some phrase I read or created printed and taped on my door to be seen each time I walk out of my room to go into the world; right now my door says “Yesterday Means Nothing.” I am constantly reading books that inspire me and listening to music that has good vibes. A lot of people tell me they have trouble finding inspiration and you may be in the same boat. Inspiration most certainly doesn’t have to come from a famous person, it doesn’t have to come from a person at all. Just find something that is amazing and beautiful to you and embrace it. Use this to get excited about your life and your goals.

Inspiration is vital, but without focus you will just be spinning your tires in the mud. Decide what you want to be and how you are going to achieve it. Then focus on the future, create this image of yourself in your mind and walk through the world with this image, not an image that makes you unhappy. Focus on the gains you have made and reward yourself for them. Always, and I mean always, acknowledge a gain no matter how small you think it is. Personally, I have struggled with beating myself up regularly and forgetting to see the gigantice leaps I have made in my life. When I neglected to acknowledge my accomplishments I placed myself in a dark emotional abyss; not a fun place to be.

Now some time for some tough love. As a distance runner my life is about enduring pain every single day of the week. People constantly tell me “oh, I wish running was fun for me like it is for you,” or “how do you stay motivated all the time?” The truth is, while I love running with all my heart, I’m not always running through the trails every day with a big smile on my face or jumping for joy when my mileage plan says I have 110 miles to run this week. I try to make it as fun as possible(which it often is) but that’s not what it’s about and most people can’t comprehend that. Training at this level can get dark in a hurry, depression runs rampant with collegiate distance runners who can’t maintain positive thinking.  The turnover rate of athletes who choose to leave the team is unreal compared to other college sports and I have watched my closets friends battle running induced depression and leave our family. But what happens to most of them is the lose of focus that I stated above. So here is the tough love: sometimes inspiration runs out temporarily. Sometimes the motivation has to be the simple fact that its something you need to do. Don’t think about it, don’t question it, just get out the door and do what you need to do. It’s not always going to be fun but the rewards of your accomplishments will always outweigh the hardships. The juice is worth the squeeze.

I wish everyone prosperity and the strength to chase their dreams in 2009. Remember, it is never too late to be who you want to be. When will you start?

Step On a Crack, Break Your Mother’s Back

Superstition is a practice that dates back to the beginning of humanity in almost every culture of the world. Many believe these codes must be followed at all times to insure good fortune. Others ridicule believers of superstition, claiming they are merely childish beliefs, not fit for a rational adult. All opinions aside, many may wonder where some of the popular superstitions we encounter in our everyday lives originated. After a bit of research I have compiled seven common superstitions and some theories as to where they came from.  With little surprise, I found that the majority of common superstitions were derived from religion.

1. Friday the 13th has long been considered the most unlucky day of the year and not because of the movie. Friday the 13th is actually a combination of two omens and both originate from Christianity. Friday is often associated with bad things to come in the Christian Bible. Jesus was believed to be crucified on a Friday and Eve offered the forbidden apple to Adam on a Friday. The number 13 is believed to be unlucky because there were 13 people at the last supper and Judas was the 13th person seated.

2. One of the oldest superstitions in the world is the belief that a rabbit’s foot will bring good luck to whoever possess it. This superstition dates back before 600 BC and was known to be observed in many cultures all over the world. The rabbit represents fertility in most cultures and by carrying part of this animal it is believed that the holder will prosper.

3. As a child I remember many occasions when I would search through clover patches hoping that I could find that elusive, but unbelievably lucky four leaf clover. In Ireland the three leaf clover represents hope, faith, and love and it is said that the fourth leaf represents God’s grace. Some also believe that a three leaf clover represents the holy trinity and that Eve carried a four leaf clover from the Garden of Eden.

4. Beware of the black cat when it crosses your path. This one was a bit more difficult to find solid information on and is associated with good luck in many parts of the eastern hemisphere. The most supportive evidence of why this is a bad omen goes back to the middle ages and the witch trials. Black cats became associated with witches and many believed that witches could shape shift into black cats.

5. Walking under a ladder. When a ladder is leaned against a wall or spread open it forms three points, representing the Holy Trinity. By walking under the ladder it is considered a satanic gesture, displaying that one doesn’t believe in the Trinity.

6. Last week I was in the mall when I saw a couple open an umbrella in a store which generated some discomfort from many of the customers. Umbrellas were originally designed to protect the user from the rays of the desert sun and by opening an umbrella inside you were mocking the sun god Ra and were subject to his wrath. Another theory comes from the older style of British umbrellas that were highly spring loaded. It was quite common for injury to occur when someone stood too close when these umbrellas were opened.

7. Breaking a mirror is seven years bad luck. The Romans were the first to create the mirror and they believed that it captured part of the viewer’s soul. So by breaking or damaging a mirror, you were in essence breaking or damaging part of your soul. The Romans also believed that every seven years the soul was rejuvenated, thus the seven years of bad luck.

The More the Merrier!

I’m holding the main post I was going to put up today until tomorrow because I wanted to get some face time with the readers of my blog; a good little heart to heart. How is everyone? How is the family? Is Uncle John still doing that crazy ‘pull my finger’ gag? Yeah, I thought he was…

I just wanted everyone to know that your comments and interaction with this blog is highly encouraged and I love hearing from people who read and enjoy my writing. Heck, even if you hate this blog, tell me why you hate it. I have been completely surprised and often flattered when people I hardly know at a party(or where ever) will tell me they enjoy my blog and read it regularly. The daily readership for 49 South is very good considering the facts that it is still very new and I don’t push it at all through anything except facebook and traffic gained from commenting on other blogs.  There are a few people that comment on here regularly and I would like to thank them but I also really want to hear from some new people as well. If you like something about an article tell me about it! If you don’t agree with an article I write then tell me why; don’t worry I won’t hold it against you.

Also you can feel free to email me at baddfishh40@yahoo.com with any questions, comments, or anything you’d be interested in me writing about. Would you like to know about some more about my experiences as a D1 athlete? My political platform? The meaning of life? Ask me! I’m writing this blog to be read and thought about so quit being so shy people! (nudge, nudge)

And one last thing before I let you go. Subscriber levels are much too low right now and would like to see more of the regulars subscribe. This is partially(if not almost fully) my fault because the subscribe button is easy to overlook and I always forget to put a link within my posts. I know, I know, subscribing sounds nasty but it’s really not. All subscribing will do is send out a single email each time I post a new entry and will save you the hassal of having to check back to the blog when there is no new content is posted.

With all that said I would like to thank everyone who has been reading my blog so far. New post tomorrow, I’m out!

RGM