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Posts Tagged 'Professor Roger Pertwee'
The Fleet Street Mafia Needs To Wake Up To The Fact That We Won't Be Misled On Cannabis Any More.
Rebecca Smith, The Daily Telegraph
Rebecca Smith, health editor and Martha Gill, blogger, both of the Daily Telegraph have been getting a hard time in the comment threads of the pieces they published on cannabis yesterday and deservedly so.
Even casual use of cannabis alters brain, warn scientists. By Rebecca Smith.
Smoking cannabis will change you. That's not a 'risk', it's a certainty. By Martha Gill.
Rebecca Smith is by far the worst offender, publishing such gross distortions of the study she was reporting on that I have submitted a complaint to the Press Complaints Commission. It's dreadful that someone granted the title of health editor can be so casually ignorant of science, evidence and ready to mix up her opinion and wild speculation with just a smidgin of fact here and there. Incidentally, I expect no satisfaction from the PCC. Three years and nearly 100 complaints show that it is a deeply corrupt organisation that acts only in the interests of the press to find excuses for breaches of the Editors' Code. Its nothing to do with protecting readers from inaccurate, misleading and distorted reporting.
Martha Gill, The Daily Telegraph
Martha Gill does a bit better because she points out what a vacuous and meaningless piece of research Rebecca Smith has made such a fuss about. But Martha, apparently, writes for the New Statesman on 'neuroscience and politics'. She's entitled to her political views, which are self-evident given the publication concerned but on neuroscience, the clue is in the third and fourth syllables. It's science, not opinion and Martha is woefully out touch with the evidence. If she's not careful she"ll grow up into a mumsy moraliser like Libby Purves or Lowri Turner. She should try reading Professor Gary Wenk, Professor David Nutt, Professor Les Iversen, Professor Peter Jones, Professor Terrie Moffitt or Professor Roger Pertwee. They and many others could give her a grounding in the neuroscience of cannabis: it's almost undetectable toxicity, its powerful antioxidant and neuroprotective qualities, its anxiolytic and antipsychotic effects. Her sweeping statement that "cannabis bad for you" is simply wrong. For most adults, in moderation, it's beneficial.
Martha is also detached from reality and distant from the evidence, as is all of Fleet Street, when it comes to the risks of cannabis. The endless screeds that are written about the risks of cannabis use correlating with schizophrenia or psychosis are ridiculous when you consider the evidence. Hickman et al, 2009, a review of all published research so, by definition, not cherry picked, shows the risk of lifetime cannabis use correlating with a single diagnosis is at worst 0.013% and probably less than 0.003%. By contrast, correlation between cigarette smoking and schizophrenia is 80% – 90% (Zammit et al, 2003) but when do you ever read that in a newspaper?
I'm sorry you're getting a hard time Rebecca and Martha but you and the 'capos' of the Fleet Street Mafia need to realise that people have had enough of your bad science, sensationalism and scaremongering about cannabis. The internet means we can't be bullied and misinformed by newspapers anymore which is why your circulation is plummeting and journalists are held in ever lower esteem. We know you've spent years supporting Big Booze with its £800 million pa advertising budget. Obviously it's desperate to hang on to its monopoly of recreational drugs but if you want to stay in business you're going to have to start treating readers with respect and with facts and evidence, not baloney.
The Daily Telegraph has become a broadsheet-sized tabloid since it broke the MPs expenses scandal and it is genuinely difficult to distinguish its headlines, writing and content from The Daily Mail these days.
Of course, there's a lot of rubbish in comment threads but there's also a lot that's better informed and considered than in the articles themselves.
People like cannabis, they find it effective, they know it's safe. 5% of the population uses it regularly. That's three times as many people as go to Catholic Church regularly.
Expect to be pulled to bits if you try to go back to bad science and reefer madness hysteria. The world has moved on.
Posted in Politics, Science, The Media
Tagged with blogger, cannabis, Editors' Code, Fleet Street mafia, health editor, Libby Purves, Lowri Turner, Martha Gill, neuroscience, New Statesman, Press Complaints Commission, Professor David Nutt, Professor Gary Wenk, Professor Les Iversen, Professor Peter Jones, Professor Roger Pertwee, Professor Terrie Moffitt, Rebecca Smith, Reefer Madness, research, science, The Daily Mail, The Daily Telegraph
Cannabis And Cannabinoids: Pharmacology, Medicalization And Recreational Use
Reproduced from Pharmacology Matters,
the Newsletter of the British Pharmacological Society
Volume 3 Issue 2, December 2010
By Professor Roger Pertwee
Discovery of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol
Cannabis has been used as a medicine, for religious ceremonies and recreationally for over 5000 years. Indeed, an alcohol-containing tincture of cannabis (Figure 1) was a licensed medicine in the UK until its withdrawal in the early 1970's.
In contrast, the discovery that cannabis contains (–)-trans-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) and that many of the effects experienced when cannabis is taken recreationally are caused by this 'phytocannabinoid' was made less than 100 years ago (Pertwee, 2006). These effects include altered mood (usually euphoria); altered perception such that colours seem brighter, music more pleasant and 'felt time' appears to pass more slowly than 'clock time'; an increased desire for sweet food (the 'munchies'); changes in thought processes; impaired memory…and eventual drowsiness. They can also include increased heart rate, a lowering of blood pressure resulting in dizziness and, at high doses, hallucinations and feelings of paranoia. There is good evidence too that Δ9-THC targets the reward centres of the brain in a manner that can lead to psychological dependence, and that abrupt termination of repeated use of cannabis or Δ9-THC can trigger a transient physical withdrawal syndrome that in abstaining recreational cannabis users most commonly includes disturbed sleep, reduced appetite, restlessness, irritability, sweating, chills, a feverish feeling and nausea.
Some Cannabinoid Pharmacology
The discovery of Δ9-THC was followed by the development of synthetic compounds capable of inducing Δ9-THC-like effects. Results obtained from pharmacological research with some of these compounds culminated in the discovery that they produce many of their central effects by activating specific sites on nerve terminals called cannabinoid CB1 receptors in a manner that influences the normal functioning of the brain (Pertwee, 2006). This finding prompted a search for molecules within our own bodies that can activate these receptors and, in 1992, led to a second major discovery – that we do indeed produce and release such molecules. The first of these 'endocannabinoids' to be identified was an ethanolamide of the omega-6 unsaturated fatty acid, arachidonic acid. It was named
'anandamide', ananda being the Sanskrit word for internal bliss. It has subsequently emerged that there is at least one other cannabinoid receptor (CB2), that there are other endocannabinoids, and that this 'endocannabinoid system' of receptors and endogenous receptor activators plays major roles in the control of our health and in ameliorating unwanted symptoms such as pain.
The search is now on for additional cannabinoid receptors and endocannabinoids. Indeed, we have obtained evidence that ethanolamides, which are converted in our bodies from omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids that are found, for example, in fish oil, can both activate cannabinoid receptors and attack cancer cells (Brown et al., 2010).
The Medicalization Of Cannabinoids
Fig. 1. Tincture Of Cannabis
Individual cannabinoids first entered the clinic in the 1980's (Crowther et al., 2010). The first of these was Nabilone (Cesamet), a synthetic Δ9-THC-like compound that is used to suppress nausea and vomiting produced by cancer chemotherapy. Synthetic Δ9-THC (Marinol) was licensed soon after Nabilone for the same purpose, and subsequently as an appetite stimulant, particularly for AIDS patients. Nabilone
and Marinol were recently joined in the clinic by Sativex: in Canada (2005) for the relief of multiple sclerosis and cancer pain and in the UK (2010) to treat spasticity due to multiple sclerosis. Sativex has also received regulatory authorisation in Spain. Its main constituents are two phytocannabinoids, Δ9-THC and cannabidiol, both extracted from cannabis.
Importantly, whereas exogenously administered cannabis and individual cannabinoids such as Δ9-THC and Nabilone target all cannabinoid receptors in the body and so 'flood' the whole endocannabinoid system, endocannabinoids released endogenously are somewhat more selective since they seem to be released in a manner that only targets subpopulations of their receptors. Although such release is often 'autoprotective' it can sometimes be 'autoimpairing', leading for example to CB1 receptor-mediated obesity. There is, however, currently little interest in developing medicines from compounds that block CB1 receptors, as such a blockade could well also suppress CB1 receptor-mediated autoprotection. Indeed, the CB1 receptor blocking drug, Rimonabant, was recently withdrawn from the clinic because of an increased incidence of depression and suicidality in patients taking it as an anti-obesity agent.
The fact that Cesamet, Marinol and Sativex are all in the clinic is of course an indication that, as prescribed, these medicines do significantly more good than harm. Even so, there is considerable interest in developing a second generation of cannabinoid medicines that display even greater 'benefit-torisk ratios' (Pertwee, 2009). Possibilities include compounds that avoid the production of unwanted cannabinoid CB1 receptor-mediated effects by:
(1) Only activating cannabinoid receptors that are located outside the brain and spinal cord.
(2) Only activating cannabinoid receptors in particular tissues such as skin or spinal cord by being administered directly into these tissues.
(3) Activating cannabinoid CB2 but not cannabinoid CB1 receptors.
(4) Being administered at low doses that produce a cannabinoid receptor-mediated enhancement of the sought after effects of non-cannabinoid medicines but are insufficient to produce significant cannabinoid receptor-mediated unwanted side effects.
(5) Boosting the levels of endocannabinoids when these are being released in an 'autoprotective' manner, for example to relieve pain.
(6) Targeting 'allosteric' sites that we have discovered to be present on cannabinoid CB1 receptors in a manner that will boost the ability of autoprotectively released endocannabinoids to activate these receptors.
Cannabis: A Complex Scenario
Δ9-THC is synthesized in the cannabis plant from a nonpsychoactive precursor, Δ9-THC acid. This process can be greatly accelerated by heat which is why cannabis is usually smoked, often with tobacco, consumed in preheated food or inhaled from 'volcano' vaporizers that create fumes by heating cannabis without burning it or producing smoke. Other pharmacologically active phytocannabinoids can also be
formed from their acids by heating cannabis. These include the non-psychoactive yet pharmacologically active compounds, cannabidiol (CBD), Δ9-tetrahydrocannabivarin (Δ9-THCV) and cannabigerol (CBG), each of which has actual (CBD) or potential medical applications. Some of these phytocannabinoids are really 'fighto' cannabinoids, their presence in cannabis making it a pharmacological 'battlefield'. Thus
we have discovered that although CB1 receptors are activated by Δ9-THC, they can be blocked by Δ9-THCV. It has also been found that CBD can oppose certain effects produced by cannabis or Δ9-THC. Indeed, whilst there is evidence that the presence of Δ9-THC in cannabis increases the risk of developing schizophrenia for certain individuals, there is also strong evidence that cannabidiol is a potential medicine for the treatment of schizophrenia. A further complication is that the relative concentrations of different phytocannabinoids are not the same in all strains of cannabis, in all parts of the same cannabis plant or in male and femalecannabis plants, the female flowering heads of sinsemilla ('without seeds') being particularly rich in Δ9-THC. This may have important consequences for those who take cannabis either recreationally or for the quite different purpose of self-medication, as high CBD:THC or THCV:THC ratios may lessen the risk from cannabis of developing schizophrenia or cannabis dependence…although probably also alter the perceived nature of a cannabis-induced 'high'.
One notable recent event has been the arrival in the recreational cannabis world of herbal mixtures laced with synthetic cannabinoids ('designer drugs') such as JWH-018 (e.g. Spice or K2, named after the second highest mountain on earth). These little-investigated synthetic cannabinoids share the ability of Δ9-THC to activate cannabinoid CB1 receptors and hence to produce a 'high'. Moreover, any of them that
activate these receptors more strongly than Δ9-THC will most likely produce a more intense 'high' and perhaps also more serious unwanted effects than usually experienced by recreational cannabis users. They probably also differ from THC in other ways. Thus, although Δ9-THC shares its ability to target cannabinoid receptors with many synthetic compounds, the additional pharmacological actions it possesses provide it with a unique 'pharmacological fingerprint' that distinguishes it from many of these other compounds.
Harm Minimization For Recreational Cannabis
One important challenge for the International Narcotics Control Board that monitors and implements United Nations drug control conventions is to select an optimal but workable strategy for minimizing the harm that is now being caused both to themselves and to Society by some of the many millions of people world-wide who currently take cannabis (or Spice) recreationally and also, indeed, by some of those who self-medicate with 'street' cannabis. For the UK, options include leaving the present law unchanged and increasing or
decreasing current penalties for the supply and/or possession of 'street' cannabis. It would also be advisable to develop strategies directed (i) at discouraging cannabis from being taken by adolescents or other individuals who are thought to be at particular risk from cannabis-induced harm and (ii) at providing advice (a) about combinations and levels of cannabinoids in cannabis that are thought to be the least
harmful and (b) about how to take cannabis as an inhaled unburnt vapour or in other ways that avoid the lung damage caused by smoked cannabis. It will be important that policy makers have discussions with cannabinoid pharmacologists whilst considering these and any other potential strategies for minimizing the harm caused by recreational cannabis.
Brown I, Cascio MG, Wahle KWJ, Smoum R, Mechoulam R, Ross RA, Pertwee RG and Heys SD. Cannabinoid receptor dependent and independent anti-proliferative effects of omega-3 ethanolamides in androgen receptor positive and negative prostate cancer cell lines.
Carcinogenesis 2010; 31: 1584-1591.
Crowther, SM, Reynolds, LA and Tansey, EM (eds). The Medicalization of Cannabis. Witness Seminar Transcript. Volume 40. The Wellcome Trust Centre for the History of Medicine, at UCL. 2010; http://www.ucl.ac.uk/histmed/downloads/c20th_group
Pertwee RG. Cannabinoid pharmacology: the first 66 years. Br J Pharmacol 2006; 147: S163-S171.
Pertwee RG. Emerging strategies for exploiting cannabinoid receptor agonists as medicines. Br J Pharmacol 2009; 156: 397-411.
Professor Roger Pertwee has three degrees from the University of Oxford: MA (in biochemistry), D.Phil. (in pharmacology) and D.Sc. (in physiological sciences). He is Professor of Neuropharmacology at the University of Aberdeen, Director of Pharmacology for GW Pharmaceuticals, co-chairman of the International Union of Pharmacology (IUPHAR) Subcommittee on Cannabinoid Receptors, a co-ordinator of the British Pharmacological Society's Special Interest Group on Cannabinoids and visiting Professor at the University of Hertfordshire. He has also served as chairman of the International Association for Cannabis as Medicine (IACM; 2005-2007) and as President of the International Cannabinoid Research Society (ICRS; 2007-2008; 1997-1998) and is currently ICRS International Secretary and a member of the IACM board of directors. He was the recipient of the 2002 Mechoulam Award "for his outstanding contributions to cannabinoid research" and in 2005 was recognized to be an "ISI Highly Cited Researcher" and hence among "the world's most cited and influential researchers" (see Pertwee at http://isihighlycited.com/). His research has focused mainly on the pharmacology of cannabinoids. This he began in 1968 at Oxford University and continued when he moved to Aberdeen in 1974. His research has played major roles in:
• the discovery of endocannabinoids and the endocannabinoid system;
• the recent discovery that ethanolamides formed from omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids seem to be endocannabinoids;
• the gathering of evidence supporting cannabinoids for the management of multiple sclerosis;
• the discovery that tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV) is a phytocannabinoid;
• the pharmacological characterization of certain phytocannabinoids and of novel synthetic cannabinoids, e.g. the phytocannabinoids THCV, cannabidiol and cannabigerol, the first water-soluble cannabinoid (O-1057), the first CB1 receptorselective agonists (e.g. methanandamide), and a widely-used CB2 receptor antagonist (AM630);
• the discovery of a cannabinoid CB1 receptor allosteric site;
• the development of cannabinoid bioassays, some widely used (e.g. the "ring test").
See also www.abdn.ac.uk/ims/staff/details.php?id=rgp
Posted in Consumerism, Health, Science
Tagged with British Pharmacological Society, cannabinoid, cannabis, CBD, ECS, endocannabinoid, medicinal, Pharmacology Matters, Professor Roger Pertwee, recreational, Sativex, THC, tincture
European Parliament – Public Hearing On Cannabis Regulation
The European Coalition for Just and Effective Drug Policies (ENCOD) has organised a public hearing on cannabis regulation at the European Parliament on 8th December 2010. See here for full details.
In March 2009, the European Commission published the "Report on Global Illicit Drug Markets 1998 – 2007" . This concludes that current policies of prohibition are failing in their main objective to reduce the demand and supply of illicit drugs. Current policies may also be a crucial factor in generating and increasing harm to individual drug users, their direct surroundings and society at large.
According to the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) in its 2010 annual report, Europe faces new challenges posed by changes in drug supply and use. The report also highlights the increased usage of cocaine, heroin and of a record number of new synthetic drugs.
ENCOD says that prohibitionist policies have failed to tackle the issues of drugs and drug use effectively and it is time to investigate alternative approaches. European authorities must produce a thorough impact assessment of the costs of the current policy of prohibition and the economic benefits of decriminalisation and, as a start, the regulation of the cannabis market.
Victor Hamilton
It has been calculated that cannabis regulation would save billions in law enforcement costs, foster harm reduction, weaken the illegal cartels, and provide the opportunity to generate considerable income from taxes. The examples of California, Spain, The Netherlands and Portugal lead the way.
Victor Hamilton, the well known cannabis campaigner and former Legalise Cannabis Alliance (LCA) parliamentary candidate, liaises as a UK representative with ENCOD. He has submitted the following letter to ENCOD in advance of the public hearing on the current state of cannabis in Britain.
Dear Joep,
Thank you for the invitation to attend the hearing on 8th December 2010. I am afraid that both my health and the expense involved prevent me from attending.
However, as you know, ending the prohibition of cannabis and encouraging more and better use of the plant in all its forms is my main concern. Cannabis offers many benefits medicinally, recreationally, spiritually and, as hemp, in ecologically sound fuel, construction materials, paper and plastics alternatives. Prohibition of cannabis is a far greater crime than any perpetrated by those who use it. It is a scandal and a sad litany of wasted opportunity and resources.
In the UK, based on research I have done and confirmed by the Independent Drug Monitoring Unit (IDMU), a legalise, regulate and tax regime could produce between £4 – 6 billion pa in new tax revenue.
For the benefit of the hearing, please allow me to update you on the present situation in Britain.
Calls For Decriminalisation
There have been calls for a relaxation of cannabis laws from a number of sources: The Bar Council, the British Medical Association, the Royal College of Physicians, The Lancet, Professor Roger Pertwee, Professor David Nutt and the Association of Chief Police Officers. The new coalition government's "Your Freedom" website was swamped with calls for legalisation.
Reaction To Propositon 19
The cannabis community was eager with anticipation for the Proposition 19 vote in California, despite a dearth of media attention. Even the BBC, obliged under its charter to provide balanced coverage, found very little time for an issue that affects at least six million Britons. Strangely, the best of the lot was The Daily Telegraph, formerly known as the most conservative paper, it told us more about what was happening than any of the others.
The result was a disappointment and reminded us how our own campaigning has suffered from internal divisions and a lack of focus. Nevertheless. legalisation seems inevitable in the US, even if only at state level, within the next few years.
Formation of British Medicinal Cannabis Register
This exciting initiative to create a database of medicinal users in Britain was announced only in November. I was honoured to be invited to sit on the BMCR council as a medicinal user representative. Other members of the council include very eminent individuals such as Baroness Meacher, the MP Paul Flynn, Matthew Atha of IDMU and Dr Malcolm Vandenburg, the pre-eminent expert witness on drugs.
The real coup though was the announcement of Professor Leslie Iversen as a council member. Professor Iversen is the government's chief scientific advisor on drugs. Yes that's the British government which continues to state that cannabis has "no medicinal benefits".
Subversion of Schengen Agreement
Several British medicinal users travelled to Holland for prescriptions from a doctor believing that their medicine was then protected by the Schengen Agreement. At first the Home Office agreed but then changed its position to say that British residents are not covered. The ridiculous situation now is that any non-UK resident can bring prescribed medicinal cannabis into Britain and use it without restriction. A UK resident cannot.
Increasing Evidence Of Medicinal Benefits
There is a never ending flow of information from all around the world on the extraordinary power of cannabis as a medicine. Facebook groups, blogs and organisations such as the LCA and UKCIA keep spreading the news. Particularly strong evidence has been revealed for cannabinoids as a treatment for Alzheimer's, head, neck, breast and prostate cancer, fibromyalgia, ADHD and migraine. The mainstream media seem only interested in scandal and scare stories. They publish news about vastly expensive new pharmaceutical products but not about cannabis cures.
Confusion At The Home Office
Understandably, the British government's position looks increasingly absurd. The Home Office veers between describing cannabis as very harmful, harmful, dangerous, extremely dangerous and changes its story every time it is challenged.
Approval of Sativex
Sativex won welcome approval from the medicines regulator as a treatment for spasticity in MS. Despite the fact that Sativex is nothing more than a tincture of herbal cannabis, the government now maintains that "cannabis has no medicinal benefits in herbal form". Sativex is approximately eight times the cost of herbal medicinal cannabis and many health authorities are refusing to fund it.
New UK Drug Strategy
The government is to announce a new drugs strategy in December. There is expected to be a shift in emphasis towards healthcare interventions rather than criminal sanctions but no move away from prohibition. The more liberal views expressed by both David Cameron and Nick Clegg over the last 10 years seem to have changed now they have come to power.
Joep, I hope this is helpful and informative for the hearing and for you and your colleagues.
Posted in Business, Consumerism, Health, Politics
Tagged with ADHD, Alzheimer's, Association of Chief Police Officers, Baroness Meacher, BBC, blog, BMA, BMCR, British Medical Association, British Medicinal Cannabis Register, California, cancer, cannabinoid, cannabis, cocaine, David Cameron, decriminalisation, Dr Malcolm Vandenburg, drugs, drugstrategy, EMCDDA, ENCOD, Europe, European Coalition for Just and Effective Drug Policies, European Commission, European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, European Parliament, Facebook, fibromyalgia, government, harm, health authority, hemp, heroin, Holland, Home Office, IDMU, Independent Drug Monitoring Unit, LCA, legalisation, Legalise Cannabis Alliance, Matthew Atha, medicinal cannabis, migraine, MS, Nick Clegg, parliamentary candidate, Paul Flynn, Portugal, prescription, Professor David Nutt, Professor Leslie Iversen, Professor Roger Pertwee, prohibition, Proposition 19, regulation, Royal College Of Physicians, Sativex, Schengen Agreement, Spain, The Bar Council, The Daily Telegraph, The Lancet, The Netherlands, tincture, UKCIA, US, Victor Hamilton, Your Freedom
Is Prof Pertwee A Home Office Plant?
Is He A Plant?
As they say, with friends like these, who needs enemies?
Is It A Professor?
Seriously, or not so seriously, who is this bumbling old duffer wheeled out by the BBC for some terribly weak story that cannabis sales should be licensed? See here. If the BBC wants to cover this story there are at least a dozen far more expert, more eloquent, more telegenic, better informed, more sensible commentators.
Frankly, I'd rather have someone who can put a coherent argument against instead of this pathetic performance by Prof Pertwee. Seldom have I seen any argument for any idea advanced so weakly. I mean, who starts off talking about their proposal by saying "I don't think it would work"!
It does raise the suspicion that the only people that want the cannabis argument put so badly is the Home Office. There is, quite literally, no other organisation, connected with a democratic government anywhere in the civilised world that is so backwards, regressive and out of touch with the facts than the UK Home Office. A cannabis plant would have been a more exciting interviewee than Prof Pertwee. He must surely be a plant for what Prof. Les Iversen, the government's most senior official drugs adviser calls "the anti-cannabis brigade".
Maybe this is a sign that common sense has got the Home Office on the run. Its tired, inaccurate, unscientific, prejudiced and short sighted attitude is on its very last legs. This is either an embarrassingly bad effort by Prof Pertwee (thanks for trying) or a desperate attempt to discredit the truth.
The fact is that the argument has already been won. I'd like to know what the "harms" are that the Professor was talking about in his interview. There's the tired old chitchat about mental health problems. It's just propaganda. In Israel, cannabis is now recommended by doctors to help veterans deal with PTSD. This is fact, reality, what's actually happening, not what James Brokenshire and his cronies dream up in some bunker in Marsham Street.
I see that the story is also running in the Daily Mail. It's remarkable how even it, the home of hysteria, has changed its attitude on cannabis in the last year or so. This is perhaps a better barometer of public opinion than anything else. When the Daily Mail starts talking common sense it must be very obvious indeed!
Even the FT is running the story. Who knows maybe it will develop into something a bit more sensible. The BBC just did a particularly bad job of covering it!
I do like Prof Pertwee's recommendation of the Volcano vapouriser though. I concur with the Professor on this. I can tell you that after extensive personal testing I have concluded that it works very well indeed!
Posted in Consumerism, Health, Politics, The Media
Tagged with anti-cannabis brigade, backwards, barometer, BBC, Britain, bunker, cannabis, cannabis plant, chitchat, common sense, cronies, Daily Mail, democratic, doctor, drugsadviser, FT, government, harms, Home Office, inaccuraet, Israel, James Brokenshire, Marsham Street, mental health, official, out of touch, prejudiced, Professor Les Iversen, Professor Roger Pertwee, propaganda, PTSD, public opinion, regressive, short sighted, UK, unscientific, vapouriser, volcano


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Driving Around the Block Until the Car Ran out of Gas
https://usercontent1.hubstatic.com/12175858_f520.jpg
Which future apostle at the age of twelve started to drive the family car, but because he didn't know how to stop the car kept driving around the block until it ran out of gas?
a. Marion G. Romney
b. Joseph F. Smith
c. David B. Haight
d. Boyd K. Packer
B Delbert L. Stapley
From the life of Delbert Leon Stapley: Delbert was born into a family of nine chidren and was reared in Mesa, Arizona, where he learned early the hard work of farming and cattle raising. He loved sports and excelled in baseball, and he turned down an offer to enter the major leagues because he knew he would be required to play on Sunday. He went on a mission to the southern states at the early age of eighteen and served in the Marine Corps during World War I.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Home » Topics » Data Analytics & Data Science » Opening up DC
Opening up DC
by Peter Done 17 May 2010
During 2009, it became fashionable for national and local governments to make their data available to the public. In September, for example, the UK government launched data.gov.uk, an online repository of such data sets as crime and healthcare statistics, while in January 2010, Mayor of London Boris Johnson unveiled the capital's own public data store, data.london.gov.uk.
Credit for introducing this idea of data-driven government transparency to the world goes to President Barack Obama, whose data.gov started the global trend. But long before Obama was sworn in, the city where he now lives was pioneering the concept.
Back in 2004, the District of Columbia's federal government took the decision to pursue what chief technology officer Bryan Sivak describes as 'democratising data'. "We are now in the era where people are recognising the importance of open data, which is mainly transparency," explains Sivak. "Citizens have access to the government and they can actually hold us accountable."
The potential of real-time municipal data Making public data available in real time allows a citys inhabitants to respond to events as they occur, say MIT researchers
The first step was to publish details of requests for such services as fixing a street light or filling in a pothole.
DC's government has since made available hundreds of additional data sets on themes ranging from drug and crime rates to completed public works projects. A common argument for organisational transparency, whether in the public or private sector, is that it helps the organisation monitor its own performance, and indeed the public data sets now form the basis of the DC authorities' own performance management.
Each government agency has access to an individual dashboard, which in addition to providing the visualisation of the data feeds also compares it to departmental performance targets. "It's the way that the mayor and the city administrator quickly track an agency's performance," says Sivak. "If they see a sharp drop in that we get called in and asked what's going on."
Reflecting its maturity, Washington DC's open data initiative includes 'real-time' data as it is updated. "It is this kind of live access to information that actually helps us change our operations on the fly and really become as agile as we want to be."
The 'real-time' nature of the data also helps authorities manage not only long-term issues but immediate crises also. Snowstorms, for example, are a serious issue in DC, and the way in which the city responds is a matter of considerable public concern. "There have been previous mayors who have lost their jobs due to responses to snowstorms," says Sivak. By placing GPRS sensors on snow ploughs during storms and making that data viewable online via Google's mapping software, the district's government allows citizens to track their response as it happens. "This is a great way for us to prove to people what we're doing," Sivak says, adding that it also allows district employees to identify which areas are being neglected during heavy snowfall. The upshot has been a fall in service request calls made to the relevant agency.
To derive the maximum value from the data sets, the DC government established an 'Apps for Democracy' competition, offering cash prizes to local software developers to make useful applications based on the data [see Update below] So far, this has produced systems ranging from automated walking tours to a device that allows the user to check the violent crime statistics in their immediate vicinity.
DC's government is now assessing how it can further use data to promote citizen engagement in the political process. One idea involves challenging residents to identify opportunities for improving the efficiencies of processes, and if successful, sharing with them a percentage of the savings. "It's a way to incentivise people to actually do better by leveraging all the data and business information that we have out there," explains Sivak.
Sivak concedes that opening up access to operational data comes with a measure of risk and can lead to increased focus on the more negative aspects of performance – something that is especially hazardous in the political world – but he believes the dialogue that this encourages ultimately leads to a better-run administration. "At the end of the day, if somebody is pointing out that there is an issue with something we're doing, or if there's something we could be doing better, that's fantastic," he says. "They're doing our job for us."
Since this article was first published, Washington DC's CTO Bryan Sivak has announced that the district is unlikely to run another Apps for Democracy contest. Sivak explained that many of the applications developed as part of the scheme had been "cool", but not necessarily useful for the citizens.
"I don't think we're going to be running any more Apps for Democracy competitions quite in that way," Sivak told US magazine Governing. "If you look at the applications developed in both of the contests we ran, and actually in many of the contests being run in other states and localities,you get a lot of applications that are designed for smartphones, that are designed for devices that aren't necessarily used by the large populations that might need to interact with these services on a regular basis."
However, Sivak insists his department will continue to be involved with open data and that he now wants DC to engage directly with local developers to focus on specific social issues. This requires bringing developers closer to government and potentially exposing them to sensitive data, he added.
Peter Done
Peter Done is managing director of Peninsula Business Services, the personnel and employment law consultancy he set up having already built a successful betting shop business. More by Peter Done


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State Sen. Heather Steans, Chicago Democrat who was a driving force behind marijuana legalization, resigns her seat
File details investigation into Chicago's John Mulaney 'SNL' monologue
First Trust CEO demolishing 9-year-old Elmhurst home to make way for double-lot mansion
From the community:
City of St. Charles Celebrates Opening of New Wastewater Treatment Building
By Community Contributor City of St. Charles
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The new Biosolids and Operations Building at the City of St. Charles Public Works Facility, 1405 S. 7th Ave. (Posted by City of St. Charles, Community Contributor)
The City of St. Charles is celebrating the completion of the new Biosolids and Operations Building at the Main Wastewater Treatment Plant. There will be an Open House Mon., Oct. 20, at 5:30 p.m. at the building at 1405 S. 7th Ave.
The new building replaces the previous structure that dated back to the 1930s, and had several modifications performed on it over the years. Aging equipment also was replaced with more efficient technology.
"The new building showcases state-of-the-art equipment, improved process efficiency and energy saving practices for wastewater treatment," said John Lamb, Environmental Services Manager. "Everyone is invited to come to the Open House to learn more."
The building is the power and control center for the Eastside Wastewater Treatment Plant and houses equipment that produces biosolids, a by-product of the treatment process. The biosolids have a high nutrient value and are applied on City-owned and some neighboring farm land as fertilizer, in accordance with Environmental Protection Agency regulations.
The $8.8 million project, which began November 2012, was funded through an Illinois Environmental Protection Agency low-interest loan.
For more information, contact Lamb at jlamb@stcharlesil.gov or 630.377.4918.
About the City of St. Charles
Friendly neighborhoods, diverse retailers, international employers, innovative schools, beautiful parks, varied cultural amenities, and unique architecture have earned St. Charles its reputation as the Pride of the Fox. Located in both DuPage and Kane counties, the City of St. Charles is 35 miles west of downtown Chicago, and has a population of approximately 33,000. Over 2,100 businesses, consisting of a balanced mix of retailers, restaurants and manufacturing facilities, employ more than 18,000 people. The City of St. Charles was named the #1 City for Families by Family Circle® magazine in 2011; one of the "150 Great Places in Illinois," by the AIA Illinois; and one of the "Top 10 Towns To Live In" by West Suburban Living magazine. www.stcharlesil.gov
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The new Fall season has just kicked off and character actor Patrick Rafferty is already exercising his comedic timing on two different shows. Patrick will appear on Nickelodeon's brand new spin-off series "Sam and Cat," on Saturday, September 28th, and then a few days later you can catch him over on NBC's proven winner, "Parks and Recreation," on Wednesday, October 3rd.
This skilled improv actor started in his hometown Chicago at The Second City, but has been building a solid career on-screen since making his way to Hollywood. You might recognize him from his memorable roles on "Community," "Suburgatory," "The League," "Up All Night," "House, M.D.," "Huge," "Greek," "Carpoolers" and "Supah Ninjas." And, if you're a baseball fan, you may recall Patrick as a panicked air traveler opposite Jason Bateman in the hilarious commercial for MLB on TBS.
We recently caught up with Patrick Rafferty to find out more about his work on these two upcoming comedy shows.
What can you tell us about your role in Nickelodeon's "Sam and Cat"?
PATRICK: While I can't say much because the episode revolves around a motorcycle mystery, I can say that I am a security guard that gets mixed up in crazy antics. I worked with Ariana Grande and she is very funny and talented. The episode is hilarious…trust me!
You'll also be appearing on NBC's "Parks and Recreation"; what can you share with us about that?
PATRICK: What an amazing time I had on set. I am a huge fan of "Parks and Recreation" and to be on the show was a great opportunity for me. My character is Paul, who is Ron Swanson's mailman. Ron needs help sorting out a problem so he turns to his mailman – me — for assistance…and it gets funny.
The amazing Nick Offerman plays Ron Swanson, and it was a great opportunity to work with him.
Since you've recently worked on one show geared for kids and one geared for adults, is there anything you have to do as an actor to adjust for the different audiences?
Any fun stories from either set that you can share with us? And, be honest, what's Ron Swanson really like?
PATRICK: For "Sam and Cat," I was in wardrobe on-set and looked like a real security officer. I had several people ask me for directions to places. I didn't have the heart to tell them I was an actor, so I gave them the directions.
Since we are both from Chicago, Nick Offerman and I talked all about Chicago, theatre and the neighborhood in-between takes on "Parks and Recreation." When it came up in conversation that I had once played the mayor in a local production of "Bye Bye Birdie," Nick, Retta and I spontaneously sang parts of a song from that show. It was so much fun!
As for Ron Swanson, he really is that same boss that makes local Pawnee government funny!
You seem to be having a lot of success in the comedy genre, is that what you gravitate toward?
PATRICK: Yes, I seem to do more comedy roles. I am very grateful and I just like making people laugh. I like 'finding the funny' in any situation. But, I like to do drama work, too. In fact, I'm shooting a short film in a few weeks and I play this great character that is really intense and fueled by his emotions. I'm really looking forward to having fun with that role!
And finally, how can your fans keep up with your busy career?
Well, we're really looking forward to watching! Thanks, Patrick!


Rewrote my history, sort of. Made some New Year's resolutions, but this time I decided to be easier on myself and fulfill them on a "phase-out" basis. Started a handwritten journal wherein I force myself to write everyday. Archived, for good, old blog posts.
Wiped some slates clean, messed up others. Delayed my thesis, in anticipation of a recently-launched (but still nowhere to be found) book on my hometown. Met up with classmates. Delayed an addiction to Heroes.
Felt my niece's first teeth.
Thought of finally getting a full-time job again, after a couple of years of freelancing. Watched American Idol.
Avoided refined sugar, mostly, from January 8 onwards. Finally watched Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah. Finally opened MySpace and Multiply accounts, on top of my Friendster.
Got a little bit confused in Multiply and kept posting cross-linked entries--no, just entry titles! Fixed that problem already.


text:
Tiao, George C.
The collected works of George E. P. Box (Vol. 1) (1985)
Tiao, George C., Granger, C. W. J., Guttman, Irwin, Margolin, Barry H., Snee, Ronald D., Stigler, Stephen M.
Bayesian inference in statistical analysis (1992)
Box, George E. P., Tiao, George C.
Box on quality and discovery: with design, control, and robustness (2000)
Bisgaard, Soren, Bisgaard, Soeren, Box, George E. P., Tiao, George C., Bisgaard, Søren
A course in time series analysis (2001)
Pena, Daniel, Peña, Daniel, Tiao, George C., Tsay, Ruey S.
Bai, Xuezheng, Russell, Jeffrey R., Tiao, George C.. Kurtosis of GARCH and stochastic volatility models with non-normal innovations. Journal of Econometrics 2003. 114:349-360
Peña, Daniel, Rodríguez, Julio, Tiao, George C.. Identifying mixtures of regression equations by the SAR procedure.
Montgomery, Alan L., Zarnowitz, Victor, Tsay, Ruey S., Tiao, George C.. Forecasting the U.S. unemployment rate. Journal of the American Statistical Association 1998. 93:478-493
Niu, Xufeng, Tiao, George C.. Modeling satellite ozone data. Journal of the American Statistical Association 1995. 90:969-983
Tiao, George C., Tsay, Ruey S.. Some advances in non-linear and adaptive modelling in time-series (Disc: p133-140). Journal of Forecasting 1994. 13:109-131
Inclan, Carla, Inclán, Carla, Tiao, George C.. Use of cumulative sums of squares for retrospective detection of changes of variance. Journal of the American Statistical Association 1994. 89:913-923
Tsay, Ruey S., Tiao, George C.. Some advances in non-linear and adaptive modelling in time-series. Journal of Forecasting 1994. 13:-
Tiao, George C., Xu, Daming. Robustness of maximum likelihood estimates for multi-step predictions: The exponential smoothing case. Biometrika 1993. 80:623-641
Niu, Xufeng, Tiao, George C.. Space-time models for the analysis of satellite temperature and ozone data.
Pena, Daniel, Peña, Daniel, Tiao, George C.. A note on likelihood estimation of missing values in time series. The American Statistician 1991. 45:212-213
Chen, Chung, Tiao, George C.. Random level-shift time series models, ARIMA approximations, and level-shift detection. Journal of Business & Economic Statistics 1990. 8:83-97
Tsay, Ruey S., Tiao, George C.. Asymptotic properties of multivariate nonstationary processes with applications to autoregressions. The Annals of Statistics 1990. 18:220-250
Tiao, George C., Tsay, Ruey S.. Model specification in multivariate time series (C/R: p195-213). Journal of the Royal Statistical Society, Series B: Methodological 1989. 51:157-195
Chen, Chung, Tiao, George C.. Random level shift time series models.
Tiao, George C., Tsay, Ruey S.. Reply to comments on ``Model specification in multivariate time series''. Journal of the Royal Statistical Society, Series B: Methodological 1989. 51:208-213
Easton, George, Roberts, Harry V., Tiao, George C.. Making statistics more effective in schools of business. Journal of Business & Economic Statistics 1988. 6:247-260
Chang, Ih, Tiao, George C., Chen, Chung. Estimation of time series parameters in the presence of outliers. Technometrics 1988. 30:193-204
Ahtola, Juha, Tiao, George C.. Distributions of least squares estimators of autoregressive parameters for a process with complex roots on the unit circle. Journal of Time Series Analysis 1987. 8:1-14
Ahtola, Juha, Tiao, George C.. A note on asymptotic inference in autoregressive models with roots on the unit circle. Journal of Time Series Analysis 1987. 8:15-19
Easton, George, Roberts, Harry V., Tiao, George C.. Making statistics more effective in schools of business.
Reinsel, Gregory C., Tiao, George C.. Impact of chlorofluoromethanes on stratospheric ozone: A statistical analysis of ozone data for trends. Journal of the American Statistical Association 1987. 82:20-30
Box, G. E. P., Tiao, George C.. A change in level of a non-stationary time series.
Box, G. E. P., Hillmer, Steven C., Tiao, George C.. Analysis and modeling of seasonal time series (Pkg: p211-246).
Tsay, Ruey S., Tiao, George C.. Use of canonical analysis in time series model identification. Biometrika 1985. 72:299-315
Tiao, George C.. Preface.
Box, G. E. P., Tiao, George C.. A note on criterion robustness and inference robustness.
Tiao, George C., Tsay, Ruey S.. A canonical correlation approach to modeling multivariate time series.
Tsay, Ruey S., Tiao, George C.. Consistent estimates of autoregressive parameters and extended sample autocorrelation function for stationary and nonstationary ARMA models. Journal of the American Statistical Association 1984. 79:84-96
Tiao, George C., Tsay, Ruey S.. Consistency properties of least squares estimates of autoregressive parameters in ARMA models. The Annals of Statistics 1983. 11:856-871
Chang, Ih, Tiao, George C.. Effect of exogenous interventions on the estimation of time series parameters.
Tiao, George C., Tsay, Ruey S.. Multiple time series modeling and extended sample cross-correlations. Journal of Business & Economic Statistics 1983. 1:43-56
Tiao, George C., Tsay, Ruey S.. Identification of nonstationary and stationary ARMA models.
Hillmer, Steven C., Tiao, George C.. Smoothing of time series from a Bayesian viewpoint.
Liu, Lon-Mu, Tiao, George C.. Parameter estimation in dynamic models. Communications in Statistics, A: Theory and Methods 1980. 9:501-517
Liu, Lon-Mu, Tiao, George C.. Random coefficient first-order autoregressive models. Journal of Econometrics 1980. 13:305-325
Hillmer, Steven C., Tiao, George C.. Likelihood function of stationary multiple autoregressive moving average models. Journal of the American Statistical Association 1979. 74:652-660
Tiao, George C., Hillmer, S. C.. Some consideration of decomposition of a time series. Biometrika 1978. 65:497-502
Tiao, George C., Tan, Wei-Yuan, Chang, Ye-Chi. Some aspects of bivariate regression subject to linear constraints. Journal of Econometrics 1977. 5:13-36
Wei, William W. S., Tiao, George C.. The effect of temporal aggregation on forecasting in the dynamic model.
Tiao, George C., Ali, M. M.. Effect of non-normality on inferences about variance components. Technometrics 1971. 13:635-650
Tiao, George C., Fienberg, S.. Bayesian estimation of latent roots and vectors with special reference to the bivariate normal distribution. Biometrika 1969. 56:97-108
Tiao, George C., Draper, Norman R.. Bayesian analysis of linear models with two random components with special reference to the balanced incomplete block design. Biometrika 1968. 55:101-117
Box, G. E. P., Tiao, George C.. A Bayesian approach to some outlier problems. Biometrika 1968. 55:119-129
Tiao, George C., Lochner, Robert H.. A note on tables for the comparison of the spread of two normal distributions. Biometrika 1967. 54:683-684
Tiao, George C., Box, G. E. P.. Bayesian analysis of a three-component hierarchical design model. Biometrika 1967. 54:109-125
Tiao, George C., Tan, W. Y.. Bayesian analysis of random-effect models in the analysis of variance. II: Effect of autocorrelated errors. Biometrika 1966. 53:477-495
Tiao, George C.. Bayesian comparison of means of a mixed model with application to regression analysis. Biometrika 1966. 53:11-25
Tiao, George C., Tan, W. Y.. Bayesian analysis of random-effect models in the analysis of variance. I: Posterior distribution of variance-components. Biometrika 1965. 52:37-53
Box, G. E. P., Tiao, George C.. A change in level of a non-stationary time series. Biometrika 1965. 52:181-192
Box, G. E. P., Tiao, George C.. Multiparameter problems from a Bayesian point of view. The Annals of Mathematical Statistics 1965. 36:1468-1482
Tiao, George C., Cuttman, Irwin. The inverted Dirichlet distribution with applications (Corr: V60 p1251-52). Journal of the American Statistical Association 1965. 60:793-805
Guttman, Irwin, Tiao, George C.. A Bayesian approach to some best population problems. The Annals of Mathematical Statistics 1964. 35:825-835
Zellner, Arnold, Tiao, George C.. Bayesian analysis of the regression model with autocorrelated errors. Journal of the American Statistical Association 1964. 59:763-778


We wanted to somehow guilt people into realizing the state of their bank accounts by showing them progressive picture reminders as their wallpaper. Hopefully, the people who use our app will want to save more and also maybe increase their earnings by investing in stocks, SPROUTING personal monetary growth. To use our app, you can simply install it on your phone. The APK link is below, and it is fully functional. When you first open Sprout, we ask for your bank account information. We then take you to the next screen which will show your current balance and let you set your baseline and goal amounts for your balance. Below that is the current status of your representative plant's health based on these amounts. Be sure to check the toggle to change the wallpaper of your phone to the plant so that you're always aware! You can also navigate to a "How To Invest" page from the menu where you can get up-to-date analytical estimations of how you could earn more money through investing. For a detailed demo, please see our video.
Sprout is an Android app to help students and the general populace know how their bank account is doing. It basically sees your current balance, takes the minimum threshold you don't want your balance to go under and what you'd love to see your balance to be above. Then, the app shows you a cute plant representing the state of your bank account, either living comfortably, living luxuriously, or dying miserably. It will update your phone background accordingly so that you would be able to know at all times. You can also get to a "How To Invest" page, which can briefly educate you on how you could earn more money through investing.
Two of us had experience with Android Development, so we decided we wanted to make an Android app. We used Android Studio as our IDE and Java as our language of choice. (For our plant designs, we used Adobe Illustrator.) To simulate information about a possible user's account balance, we used the MINT API to fetch financial data. In order to incentivize our users to maybe invest their savings, we used the NASDAQ API to get stock information and used that to project earnings from the user's balance had they invested some of it in the past. We offer some brief advice on how to start investing for beginners as well.
Random small bugs, but we squashed the majority of them. Our biggest problem was thinking of a good idea we would be able to implement well in the time that we had!
Our app has many features and a great design!
Background app refresh to automatically check as transactions come in so that the most accurate plant can be shown.