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Home write the essay about the advantages and disadvantages An analysis of the cuban revolution and its effects
An analysis of the cuban revolution and its effects
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Beto O`Rourke on Social Security
Democratic candidate for President; Texas Senator nominee
2012: Protect retirees, but make changes for the future
O`Rourke campaigned during his 2012 congressional race on a platform that called for possibly changing Social Security, specifically citing means-testing and extending the retirement age.
"The people who paid into Social Security and who are earning their checks back from investment in Social Security, that needs to be protected. That's inviolable. But going forward for future generations, we need to look at things like means testing," O`Rourke said. "We need to look at perhaps a later age at which my kids are going to retire."
On his campaign YouTube page, he said preserving Social Security required future generations "retiring at a later age, paying a greater percentage of their income into Social Security and making other necessary adjustments to make sure that that program is around for all those that work and contribute to the benefit of this country." Source: CNN KFile on 2020 Democratic primary contenders , Mar 19, 2019
2012: Maybe raise age; 2019: Against raising age
[In first Congressional campaign, suggested raising retirement age and means testing.] O`Rourke's campaign spokesman, said O`Rourke opposed efforts in Congress to increase the retirement age. "On Social Security, Beto was acknowledging that it's very possible Congress would look at that debate around raising the age in the future. He does not say he supports it or recommends it. Beto was interested in looking at possible ideas for ensuring the solvency of Social Security for future generations," the spokesman said. "He ultimately found a solution that he endorsed and co-sponsored called the Social Security 2100 Act, which extends the solvency of the program without raising the retirement age. While Beto has not taken any action to raise the retirement age, he has opposed efforts to raise the retirement age and voted against measures to privatize Social Security." Source: CNN KFile on 2020 Democratic primary contenders , Mar 19, 2019
2012: raise retirement age; apply means-testing
During his first run for Congress O'Rourke did a campaign video to tell people that "we'll have to look at future generations retiring at a later age, paying a greater percentage of their income into Social Security and making other necessary adjustments." And, the Wall Street Journal reports, "in a candidate questionnaire published two days before the May 2012 primary, Mr. O'Rourke called for raising the Social Security eligibility age and means-testing federal entitlements." After becoming a congressman, O'Rourke backtracked and, as Politico reports, "co-sponsored legislation that would increase Social Security benefits--without raising the retirement age." Source: Common Dreams "Reinventing Beto," on 2020 Democratic primary , Mar 1, 2019
Opposes personal retirement accounts.
O`Rourke opposes the PVS survey question on privatization
Project Vote Smart summarizes candidate stances on the following topic: 'Social Security: Do you support allowing individuals to divert a portion of their Social Security taxes into personal retirement accounts?' Source: Project Vote Smart 12-PVS-q6 on Aug 30, 2012
Rated 100% by ARA, indicating a pro-Trust Fund stance.
O`Rourke scores 100% Alliance for Retired Americans
Scoring system for 2014: Ranges from 0% (supports privatization and other market-based reforms) to 100% (supports keeping federal control over Trust Fund and Social Security system).
About ARA (from their website, www.RetiredAmericans.org):
The Alliance for Retired Americans is a nationwide organization, founded in May 2001, with now over 4.2 million members working together to make their voices heard in the laws, policies, politics, and institutions that shape our lives. The mission of the Alliance for Retired Americans is to ensure social and economic justice and full civil rights for all citizens so that they may enjoy lives of dignity, personal and family fulfillment and security.
Alliance members visit the polls in record numbers. We use the power of our membership and our Congressional Voting Record to educate and mobilize seniors to elect leaders committed to improving the lives of retirees and older Americans.
We are effectively warding off cuts to our most important social programs like Social Security and Medicare. Our Human Chain Against the Chained CPI events in the summer of 2013 took place in more than 50 cities and mobilized support for stopping this cut to earned Social Security benefits.
We blocked the privatization of Social Security with our Social Security "Truth Truck" delivering 2.1 million petitions to Members of Congress and other tactics.
The Alliance makes its voice heard on the issues that matter not just to current retirees, but to all Americans who hope to retire one day. We were a leading voice in recent debates considering changes to Medicare, like replacing guaranteed benefits with a voucher system, and remain so in 2014.
Source: ARA lifetime rating on incumbents of 113th Congress 14_ARA on Jan 1, 2013
Click here for a profile of Beto O`Rourke.
Click here for Beto O`Rourke on all the issues.
Click here for VoteMatch responses by Beto O`Rourke.
Other candidates on Social Security: Beto O`Rourke on other issues:
2020 Presidential Democratic Primary Candidates:
Sen.Michael Bennet (D-CO)
V.P.Joe Biden (D-DE)
Mayor Mike Bloomberg (I-NYC)
Gov.Steve Bullock (D-MT)
Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D-IN)
Sen.Cory Booker (D-NJ)
Secy.Julian Castro (D-TX)
Rep.John Delaney (D-MD)
Rep.Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI)
Sen.Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
Mayor Wayne Messam (D-FL)
Gov.Deval Patrick (D-MA)
Sen.Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
CEO Tom Steyer (D-CA)
Sen.Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
Marianne Williamson (D-CA)
CEO Andrew Yang (D-NY)
2020 GOP and Independent Candidates:
Rep.Justin Amash (Libertarian-MI)
CEO Don Blankenship (C-WV)
Howie Hawkins (Green-NY)
Gov.Larry Hogan (R-MD)
Gov.John Kasich (R-OH)
V.P.Mike Pence (R-IN)
Gov.Mark Sanford (R-SC)
CEO Howard Schultz (I-WA)
Pres.Donald Trump (R-NY)
Gov.Jesse Ventura (I-MN)
V.C.Arvin Vohra (Libertarian-MD)
Rep.Joe Walsh (R-IL)
Gov.Bill Weld (L-NY,R-MA) Abortion
External Links about Beto O`Rourke:
State Rep.Stacey Abrams (D-GA)
Mayor Bill de Blasio (D-NYC)
Sen.Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
Sen.Mike Gravel (D-AK)
Sen.Kamala Harris (D-CA)
Gov.John Hickenlooper (D-CO)
Gov.Jay Inslee (D-WA)
Rep.Seth Moulton (D-MA)
Rep.Beto O`Rourke (D-TX)
Rep.Tim Ryan (D-CA)
Adm.Joe Sestak (D-PA)
Rep.Eric Swalwell (D-CA)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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C3RN | Study could help veterans get cannabis through health insurance
Sam Laird
Veterans and cannabis: It's all in the family.
America's short history of legal cannabis has proved this much: Veterans are one of the groups that benefit most from the plant, from managing aches and pains to PTSD symptoms, and often avoiding synthetic opiates along the way.
But another, more inconvenient truth has also become apparent. Decades of prohibition left a dearth of serious, formal research into how the plant is used, and by whom.
This creates a moment of unique opportunity, according to those behind a new initiative called the Veterans Health and Medical Cannabis Research Study. The survey is spearheaded by the Cannabis Community Care and Research Network (C3RN) as part of a larger, ongoing study of cannabis use being conducted in partnership with the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.
The Veterans Health and Medical Cannabis Research Study formally launched earlier this year in Boston, the first of six C3RN events produced bypartnered business development agency Joint Venture & Co and Massachusetts-based Alternative Treatment for Veterans.
Organizers are hoping this look at veterans, their families, and cannabis will help lead to fundamental change in how former soldiers access medicine.
"What I'd like to do is really show what the burden is on the veteran population and show what their spending pattern looks like so we can start to make an argument for health insurance coverage," says public health veteran Dr. Marion McNabb, Director of Research for ATV and CEO of C3RN.
'A lifesaving substance'
In recent years, veterans across America have reported cannabis helping treat a variety of physical and psychological symptoms. Many have even used the plant to wean themselves off pharmaceutical painkillers, which can bring debilitating side effects and cause intense physical addiction.
Government-provided health insurance gives veterans virtually unlimited access to pharmaceuticals. Yet, even in states where cannabis is medically or recreationally legal, veterans must pay out-of-pocket or rely on donations for herbal relief. This gets at a core issue McNabb and others hope to address through their study.
"It's complicated when you're working with addiction, and opioid addiction specifically, but we really believe cannabis could be a viable harm-reduction strategy," she says.
Before starting the non-profit Veterans Alternative Healing, Stephen Mandile (also president of President of Alternative Treatment for Veterans) was one of an untold number of former servicemen and servicewomen unable to find effective treatment through prescription medications.
Cannabis changed everything.
"For me this was definitely a lifesaving substance," Mandile told CBS Boston last November, when he became one of the first people in Massachusetts to purchase newly legalized recreational cannabis.
Veterans from coast to coast recount similar personal experiences. The Santa Cruz Veterans Alliance, Operation Evac, Weed for Warriors and the Veterans Cannabis Group are just a sampling of the organizations that help connect former military personnel with marijuana's potential for healing.
Meanwhile, a first-of-its-kind clinical study led by Arizona scientist Dr. Sue Sisley to analyze cannabis as a treatment for veterans with PTSD is nearing completion.
All of which helps explain why McNabb, Mandile and others believe now is the perfect time for their Veterans and Veterans Family Member Research Study. Veterans across the country are welcome to participate, but organizers are focusing initial outreach in Massachusetts, home to both C3RN and Veterans Alternative Healing. Massachusetts last year became the first state on the East Coast to open recreational cannabis stores.
Study organizers are currently recruiting state cannabis dispensaries and hemp companies to offer discounts to veterans who complete the survey. It consists of about 100 questions about consumption habits, spending, medical conditions, prescriptions and more.
The study also includes questions about family members. McNabb says the challenges and solutions experienced by veterans are deeply shared with their families and caregivers — who may themselves be cannabis consumers as well.
A recent Eaze Insights report on general cannabis trends found veterans are more than twice as likely as non-veterans to consume with family members. The C3RN survey aims to drill down further on the topic.
'A new industry is only created once'
"We'd love to be able to compare different states as well as sub-localities here in Massachusetts," McNabb says. "We want to reach a policy-level analysis where we can really advocate for changing the paradigm of how veterans access cannabis."
Cannabis' emergence from the shadows continues to open new opportunities in business and adult recreation across America. That's all well and good. But McNabb and others hope their study can help benefit those who most deserve support.
"A new industry is only created once," McNabb says. "We should use this opportunity to fight for research and justice and rights—not just make it about money and profit, but to really think about how we handle some of the bigger issues around cannabis."
Original Article: https://www.eaze.com/article/c3rn-veterans-cannabis-study-marijuana-ptsd?fbclid=IwAR0kAgqtnQ5K4Lz6WJ1ygrzYHJ30mBJJ-CtOfdLG7toa1m6yr-BuOdGsBLQ
Mass Live: Restrictive Massachusetts guidelines on selling CBD products worry hemp farmers
Restrictive Massachusetts guidelines on selling CBD products worry hemp farmersBy Shira Schoenberg | sschoenberg@repub.com
BOSTON — Jonathan MacDougall of Baygrown Farms in Rochester refurbishes cranberry bogs to grow hemp, an attempt to rejuvenate a struggling industry.
His company recently worked with a local produce farm to create a new line of CBD-infused strawberry jam. But after the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources last week released a policy statement banning the sale of CBD-infused food, MacDougall expects to lose the thousands of dollars he put into developing the jam.
"We just invested in a whole line of edibles we can't even sell," MacDougall said.
Massachusetts lawmakers are taking steps to make it easier for farmers to grow hemp, which was legalized in Massachusetts in 2016 and federally in 2018. But at the same time, the state agency charged with regulating agriculture put out new guidelines that could severely limit the size of the state's hemp market by banning the sale of certain products.
Farmers, retailers and manufacturers said the new rules could make it impossible for small farmers to enter the hemp industry.
"Massachusetts farmers just aren't going to be able to compete with these regulations," said Julia Agron, an Amherst farmer and outreach coordinator for the Northeast Sustainable Hemp Association.
The new policy statement says growers and manufacturers can sell hemp seed and its derivatives, clothing, building materials and fibers. A grower can sell flower to another grower or processor.
But growers cannot sell flower meant to be used by the consumer — such as for smoking. Growers cannot sell CBD-infused food, animal feed with hemp products, hemp as a dietary supplement or any CBD product for which they make medicinal claims.
Cannabidiol, or CBD, is a part of the cannabis plant that is thought to produce relaxation, but cannot get someone high.
The prohibition on food stems from a Department of Public Health statement prohibiting adding CBD to food, based on federal rules by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The problem, farmers say, is that CBD is the most lucrative part of the hemp market.
Agron, who runs a small hemp farm, said the market for industrial hemp is already dominated by large farms in agricultural states. The only way for a small Massachusetts farm to be viable is to sell artisanal, craft products — such as high-quality flower for smoking. Although someone cannot get high smoking hemp, it is smoked, sometimes by people looking to stop smoking cigarettes.
While Agron's farm can produce cosmetics or topical creams, she said the market significantly shrinks if farmers cannot sell their crop for edible products.
"If we can grow artisanal product and get top dollar, we can survive as a micro-farm," Agron said. "If we have to sell to a processor and process it into hemp oil, we won't make enough to cover our costs of getting licenses and plants."
Business owners say the timing of the new statement is also problematic, since farmers already started growing this season. The Department of Agricultural Resources has issued 102 licenses to grow or process hemp in 2019.
Linda Noel of Terrapin Farm in Franklin is in her second year of growing hemp. She had a contract to sell flower to a company that wanted to infuse it in herbal tea. But MDAR denied that company a license, so she has been unable to sell her crop.
"This is a completely misguided policy," Noel said.
Zach McInnis, vice president and co-founder of the Healing Rose in Newburyport, sells cosmetics and body care products. The company had hoped to expand into foods and tinctures, but the new MDAR rules "trampled on those dreams a bit," McInnis said.
McInnis said he worries that out-of-state companies will import products that Massachusetts companies are not allowed to develop. If he were allowed to manufacture things like CBD capsules or tinctures, McInnis said, "We could easily triple our revenue right now."
Kirby Mastrangelo, who owns Hempire, which sells hemp products in Methuen and Amesbury, said the guidelines are also confusing. For example, it is unclear whether CBD-derived tinctures or capsules are prohibited.
State officials say the state guidelines are partially dependent on federal rules.
Brendan Moss, a spokesman for Gov. Charlie Baker, said in a statement, "The Baker-Polito Administration recently issued policy guidance regarding the sale of hemp-derived products in the Commonwealth consistent with previously announced federal policy and looks forward to working with the FDA, state agencies and local boards of health to ensure all products in Massachusetts comply with applicable federal and state laws and regulations."
Massachusetts House votes to let farmers grow hemp on agricultural land
If the bill becomes law, it could vastly expand the amount of land that can be used to grow hemp in the state.
Rep. William "Smitty" Pignatelli, D-Lenox, chairman of the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture, introduced a bill, which passed the House Wednesday, to allow farmers to grow hemp on agricultural land.
Pignatelli said he thinks part of the issue with CBD is the lack of scientific evidence on its effects. "There's a lot of unanswered questions, there's a lot of science we need to delve into," Pignatelli said.
Pignatelli said he thinks MDAR is trying to "hit the pause button" to allow time for a "more thorough analysis" of the pros and cons of CBD oil.
Rep. David Rogers, D-Cambridge, chairman of the Joint Committee on Cannabis Policy, said lawmakers will take a careful look at the new guidelines, and the Legislature could consider passing a new law regulating or allowing CBD products.
He said it is a complex issue because of the intersection of state and federal law. At the same time, Rogers said, "It's one more product in commerce that could generate revenue and jobs for farmers."
Original article: https://www.masslive.com/news/2019/06/restrictive-massachusetts-guidelines-on-selling-cbd-products-worry-hemp-farmers.html?fbclid=IwAR0a6a65WiyoWpqmjMqd4YgDhJfWrFTKk8xjMnt7jqjjYi_kXOBV8jyq3yA
C3RN PRESS RELEASE: MASSACHUSETTS HEMP COALITION PRESS CONFERENCE
19 Jun 2019 12:34 AM | Marion (Administrator)
MASSACHUSETTS HEMP COALITION PRESS CONFERENCE
PRESS RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MONDAY, 7:00 AM JUNE 17, 2019
C3RN Press Contact; Josh Milne: 617-501-1620, josh@joshuamilnepr.com
Photo Courtesy: MA Hemp Coalition 2nd Meeting, Worcester MA June 18, 2019
June 19, 2019: By Dr. Marion McNabb, CEO Cannabis Community Care and Research Network (C3RN)
The Massachusetts hemp farming community (including small MA farmers), manufacturers/processors, retailers, consumers, healthcare providers, patients, and citizens engaged in the hemp industry will hold a press conference June 24, 2019 2 PM at the MA State House Steps concerning a policy statement issued by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR). This statement refers to the state and local regulations regarding hemp and hemp-derived products and the community will give input.
FROM WHO: THE MASS HEMP COALITION: A recently formed coalition of Massachusetts hemp businesses, advocates, industry leaders, academics, healthcare providers, consumers, patients, and engaged stakeholders; organized by the Northeastern Sustainable Hemp Association (NOSHA) and Cannabis Community Care and Research Network (C3RN).
WHAT: MASS HEMP COALITION community press conference re: MDAR Policy Statement
WHEN: Monday, June 24, 2 PM – 4 PM
WHERE: Massachusetts State House Steps, 24 Beacon St, Boston, MA 02133
WHY: The MASS HEMP COALITION has recommendations related to the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) policy statement entitled "Sale of Hemp-Derived Products in the Commonwealth" issued on June 12, 2019. The MASS HEMP COALITION will hold a press conference to provide these recommendations and looks forward to working with MDAR and other stakeholders to shape a hemp industry that is supportive of existing and future MA hemp businesses, upholds public health and safety, and educates stakeholders across the Commonwealth to ensure the new hemp industry succeeds and thrives locally. Community comments will be related to the below (and other aspects) of the MDAR statement:
HEMP PRODUCTS NOT APPROVED FOR SALE
The following products are NOT approved for sale in the Commonwealth pursuant to M.G.L. c. 128, Section 117(c) and are likewise prohibited for sale under FDA and DPH guidance:
Any food product containing CBD;
Animal feed that contains any hemp products;
Unprocessed or raw plant material, including the flower that is meant for end use by a consumer
For more information about the press conference, please visit www.cannacenterofexcellence.org/hemp
Boston Globe: Cannabis advocates rally in rebuttal to 'Prohibition 2.0'
Cannabis advocates rally in rebuttal to 'Prohibition 2.0'
By Naomi Martin Globe Staff,June 12, 2019, 6:36 p.m.
Dozens of cannabis advocates rallied at the Massachusetts State House on Wednesday to refute a public health group's criticisms of the state's newly regulated marijuana industry.
The crowd held signs that read: "Weed's not new," "Empower our communities," and "Cannabis equity is non-negotiable." The audience cheered as researchers, clinicians, a state regulator, and people harmed by the war on drugs spoke in support of the current regulations and new ones they hope will be approved this summer, such as the creation of cannabis cafe licenses.
"If we had social consumption lounges, I wouldn't have to do this," advocate Peter Bernard said as he lifted a joint to his lips with a showman's flair, sparked it, and inhaled. "Damn, that's good."
"If we had social consumption lounges, I wouldn't have to do this," advocate Peter Bernard said as he lifted a joint to his lips with a showman's flair, sparked it, and inhaled. "Damn, that's good."(SUZANNE KREITER/GLOBE STAFF)
The rally was organized by the Cannabis Community Care and Research Network in response to a statement issued recently by the Massachusetts Prevention Alliance, which was signed by 40 local doctors and scientists. The letter said marijuana is far more harmful than many people believe and can increase consumers' risks for psychosis, schizophrenia, and other mental illnesses. It called for an indefinite delay to social consumption and home delivery — two license types that state regulators are considering adding.
The statement also called for a pause of licensing new pot stores to review the state's social equity program, which the group described as targeting minority neighborhoods for pot shops. But, as regulators replied, the program aims to help entrepreneurs from communities with high rates of marijuana arrests start their own businesses anywhere in the state.
"Entrepreneurs like myself who have been arrested for weed in our youth intend to employ dozens of oppressed people [hurt] by the war on drugs," said Chauncy Spencer, a social equity applicant from Dorchester. This, he said, "will be a small start to addressing the lack of true self-determination denied to our community."
Cannabis activists, including Jesse Daniels (left), and supporters smoked marijuana in front of the Massachusetts State House on Wednesday.
Cannabis activists, including Jesse Daniels (left), and supporters smoked marijuana in front of the Massachusetts State House on Wednesday.(SUZANNE KREITER/GLOBE STAFF)
Cannabis Control Commissioner Shaleen Title, who helped craft the social equity program, thanked the crowd for showing "when prohibitionists try and have a big publicity stunt, that it doesn't work."
"Everything is going to be evidence-based," Title said, of the commission's approach to regulating cannabis. She said she has consulted with faculty at Harvard University and Massachusetts General Hospital who aren't interested in publicity or "Prohibition 2.0," and who "want patients and consumers to be treated like the legal, normal people that we are."
Doctors who have found cannabis helpful for their patients criticized the prevention alliance's narrow stance on the drug, which they said can pose risks to people with family histories of mental illness, but offers far more people life-changing benefits.
Dr. Eric Ruby, a Taunton pediatrician, said he has recommended cannabis — and seen positive results — for more than 300 children since 2014 for conditions such as anxiety, pain, Crohn's disease, epilepsy, nausea, anorexia, and muscle spasticity. One boy with autism, he said, finally enjoys going outdoors. (Minors in Massachusetts can only obtain medical marijuana if two doctors, including a pediatrician, recommend it.)
Ruby's interest in cannabis grew after his son found relief from severe neuropathic pain resulting from a car accident. He had previously been on opioids and suicidal.
"Cannabis saved my son's life," Ruby said. Doctors on both sides want public health improvements and should unite to pressure the federal government to fund research, he said. "Dogma on either side do not further the cooperation needed to encourage scientific inquiry."
Original article: https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/marijuana/2019/06/12/cannabis-advocates-rally-rebuttal-prohibition/uExEIEqxHNtnw3uHx1OJtL/story.html
NECN: Pot Advocates Push Back on Concerns Raised by Some Health Professionals
Pot Advocates Push Back on Concerns Raised by Some Health Professionals
The Take with Sue O'Connell
Link: https://www.necn.com/on-air/as-seen-on/Pot-Advocates-Push-Back-on-Concerns-Raised-by-Some-Health-Professionals_NECN-511213402.html
Earlier this month, over three dozen Massachusetts doctors and researchers warned that the state could be headed toward a public health crisis because of its policy around recreational marijuana. Advocates for marijuana are pushing back, questioning the science and motives of the researchers. Dr. Marion McNabb, CEO and co-Founder of Cannabis Community Care & Research Network and Stephen Mandile, President/Founder of Veterans Alternative Healing Inc. join Sue to discuss.
(Published Wednesday, Jun 12, 2019)
PRESS RELEASE: C3RN EVENT IN RESPONSE TO STATEMENT OF CONCERN ISSUED BY PEDIATRICIANS, MENTAL HEALTH, ADDICTION CLINICIANS & SCIENTISTS IN MASSACHUSETTS
5 Jun 2019 10:59 AM | Marion (Administrator)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - June 5, 2019
CONTACT: Joshua Milne, josh@joshuamilnepr.com, 617-501-1620
C3RN EVENT IN RESPONSE TO STATEMENT OF CONCERN ISSUED BY PEDIATRICIANS, MENTAL HEALTH, ADDICTION CLINICIANS & SCIENTISTS IN MASSACHUSETTS
Event to be held on Wednesday, June 12th at 2 p.m. in front of the Massachusetts State House
BOSTON, MA – JUNE 5, 2019 – Cannabis Community Care and Research Network (C3RN) is network of Massachusetts, national, and international academics, healthcare providers, policy makers, consumers, and patients, who work towards balanced cannabis research, education, and social justice in Massachusetts.
C3RN is organizing a press conference on June 12, 2019 at 2 p.m. on the steps of the Massachusetts State House in response to a Statement of Concern regarding cannabis policy and the social equity program issued by the Massachusetts Prevention Alliance (MAPA) and endorsed by 40 Massachusetts pediatricians, mental health, addiction clinicians, and scientists.
C3RN and interested academics, public health professionals, health care providers, cannabis community advocates, industry experts, policy makers, consumers, and medical patients will share their positions on the "Statement of Concern" during the press conference.
C3RN, among many other issues that will be presented at the press conference, is particularly concerned with recommendation number one, "Temporarily suspend licensing and conduct a Public Health Impact Assessment, by public health professionals, of the Social Equity Program with all associated components to avoid worsening health inequities and disparities among vulnerable populations and communities."
"This social equity recommendation is academically un-founded, not cited by peer-reviewed literature, and is steeped in ethnic and racial biases," said Dr. Marion McNabb, CEO of C3RN. "As a trained and well experienced global public health professional who has worked in health inequities for nearly two decades, I strongly disagree with this recommendation."
An academic response to the Statement of Concern will be presented at the press conference including: literature on public opinion on drug laws and cannabis legalization and a review of health inequities in Massachusetts, and specifically those areas disproportionately impacted by the drug war in Massachusetts.
Cannabis Community Care and Research Network (C3RN) is a public benefit corporation (B Corp) based out of Worcester, MA that specializes in providing high-quality research and analytic services related to the impacts of medical and adult-use recreational cannabis. C3RN is currently establishing a nonprofit research entity to house a virtual Cannabis Center of Excellence and all academic research activities. As a social justice-oriented research and analytics company, C3RN specializes in designing, monitoring, and evaluating models of integrating adult-use and medical cannabis to positively impact social, clinical, and public health outcomes. C3RN runs and national anon cannabis consumer and patient survey in addition to a veterans health and medical cannabis research study in Massachusetts. Learn more at: www.cannAcenterofexcellence.org
Worcester Telegram: No green light yet on marijuana cafe regulations
30 May 2019 7:06 PM | Marion (Administrator)
No green light yet on marijuana cafe regulations
Posted May 30, 2019 at 7:06 PM
Updated May 30, 2019 at 7:06 PM
Marijuana cafes and other places to partake in public are coming closer to being allowed in Massachusetts, but don't plan to stop in for some weed just yet. The state Cannabis Control Commission on Thursday pushed back draft regulations for a pilot program, which would be followed by a public comment period, at least into June.
Central Massachusetts officials and those in the local marijuana industry reacted for the most part with cautious concern and some optimism about the prospect of social use.
Under the pilot, approved by the commission in concept two weeks ago, up to 12 communities across the state would be authorized to host marijuana establishments in which adults age 21 and older could consume cannabis on-site.
Licenses for primary-use locations and events where marijuana could be served would be exclusively available for the first two years to licensed microbusinesses and craft marijuana cooperatives as well as certified economic empowerment applicants from communities including Worcester, Fitchburg, Southbridge and Spencer, and social equity applicants, according to a news release from the commission. Social equity applicants are those that have been disproportionately harmed by previous drug laws.
Also Thursday, Gibby's Garden in Uxbridge was the first marijuana microbusiness to receive final license approval in the state. A microbusiness, besides being potentially eligible to participate in a social consumption pilot, allows cultivation of up to 5,000 square feet of cannabis in a year and allows the business to manufacture product and transport it to other marijuana establishments.
"At this point, we've been incredibly busy," said Fred Gibson, Gibby's manager and husband of owner Kimberly Gibson.
He said his family hasn't really considered pursuing a marijuana cafe, if it would ever be allowed. "We want to see what they say about it," he said.
Worcester hosts a private members-only cannabis club, The Summit Lounge, which through loopholes in the law allows consumption on-site of marijuana legally brought in by members.
Video: Worcester By Bike
"We'd have to play out different situations and see what our members want," said General Manager Kyle Moon, about the prospect of opening a cafe. "We're definitely looking to expand."
He was watching the changing regulatory landscape closely.
"I think Worcester is doing an amazing job, taking this industry and running with it," he said.
"At this point we are still gathering information and better understanding the regulations before making any policy recommendations locally," Mike Vignieux, media relations specialist for the city manager's office, wrote in an email.
Although members can't buy marijuana products on-site, The Summit Lounge provides a glimpse of what a social consumption venue might look like.
Four industrial smoke eaters circulate the air inside the 116 Water St. club, clearing it within five minutes, Mr. Moon said.
Employees are TIP certified and won't let anyone drive away intoxicated. They have Lyft and Uber numbers on their company phones, to call a ride for a member if necessary, but haven't had to use it since the club opened in February 2018.
"I used to bounce at a nightclub in Boston," Mr. Moon said. "We haven't had any issues like that."
He said, "It's a responsible community."
A Worcester Police Department spokesman confirmed that they have not had any disturbance calls or DUIs related to The Summit Lounge.
Public safety issues are the main sticking point for policymakers, including Cannabis Control Commissioner Jennifer L. Flanagan, a former state senator and state representative from Leominster.
Ms. Flanagan and Commissioner Britte McBride voted against the proposal.
"I really think that it's too early to be opening up the facilities for social consumption," Ms. Flanagan said in an interview. "We still need to educate people around the state about what the law is, about the effects of consumption of cannabis."
She said she is concerned about substance abuse, driving while impaired and the placement of marijuana cafes. Under the proposed pilot, the 29 communities of disproportionate impact, which could be eligible sites, include several college towns.
"For me, I just think we need to vet this more," Ms. Flanagan said.
State law would also have to change to allow communities to accept social consumption.
State Rep. Stephan Hay, a Fitchburg Democrat, co-sponsored one of the bills, H.3541, that would clear this legal roadblock. S.1125 also takes on the issue.
Mr. Hay said that most Massachusetts residents wanted legal adult-use marijuana. "Our job is to give it to them and make sure it's as safe and healthy as we can make it," he said.
Fitchburg is one of the economic empowerment areas that could qualify to participate in the pilot program. Mr. Hay said his focus locally was to make sure residents could participate in the process and have access to jobs.
Other officials in the region, such as Uxbridge Police Chief Marc Montminy, said the department's main concern was impaired driving.
Chief Montminy said there's still no way to determine if someone is driving under the influence of cannabis.
"Other than that, the concept alone doesn't really disturb me," he said.
David Genereux, town administrator of Leicester, which hosts one of the first two retail marijuana businesses to open in the state, said the Planning Board wrote regulations prohibiting on-site consumption.
"It's just something they weren't interested in," Mr. Genereux said. "It's a bit of a fear thing. Theoretically, you could have people driving impaired from a site."
Cannabis entrepreneurs have still other ideas about the potential for social use.
Marion McNabb, co-founder of Cannabis Community Care and Research Network, or C3RN in Worcester, said she's "in preliminary discussions to create a 'cannabis mansion,' including social use, and use cannabis profits to renovate and restore Bull Mansion, a national historic landmark, to its original valor."
Ms. McNabb said, "I'm trying to see in Worcester if there's interest in becoming one of the pilot sites."
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Original Article found here: https://www.telegram.com/news/20190530/no-green-light-yet-on-marijuana-cafe-regulations
Worcester Telegram: Veterans health study seeks to expand awareness, access to medical marijuana
26 May 2019 10:38 AM | Marion (Administrator)
Veterans health study seeks to expand awareness, access to medical marijuana
Daniel Stack will never forget being medevaced out of Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War, surrounded by servicemen with far more devastating injuries than his skin condition.
"I saw firsthand the suffering of those guys who were really wounded," said Mr. Stack, 67, an Uxbridge resident who served in the U.S. Air Force.
He committed himself then to helping his fellow disabled veterans. Now he serves as Massachusetts department adjutant and CEO of Disabled American Veterans, a nonprofit organization that assists and advocates for veterans.
A generation later, another Uxbridge resident, Stephen Mandile, 41, ruptured six disks in a Humvee collision while deployed in Iraq with the Army National Guard in 2005. He suffered traumatic brain injury, radicular nerve damage, post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.
Mr. Mandile's Veterans Affairs doctors put him on 57 medications, including nine opioids, over the ensuing decade. "It killed my pain but also killed all my feeling for anything good or bad," he said.
In 2013 he attempted suicide.
An ultimatum from his wife in 2014 caused Mr. Mandile to wean off prescription drugs by using marijuana, which had been legalized for medical use in Massachusetts in 2012, something he accomplished in five months.
Problem was, while medical marijuana is legal in several states, it is still illegal under federal law. And because of that, the VA will not recommend or pay for medical marijuana for disabled veterans.
Mr. Mandile founded a nonprofit in 2016, Veterans Alternative Healing Inc., to support veterans' access to alternative therapies, including marijuana.
Mr. Stack and Mr. Mandile joined forces last year with another medical cannabis supporter, Marion McNabb, a researcher with a doctorate in public health.
Ms. McNabb co-founded with Randal MacCaffrie a company based in Worcester called Cannabis Community Care and Research Network, known as C3RN, to promote social justice, research and education in the cannabis sphere.
The coalition formed a new nonprofit, Alternative Treatment for Veterans, to gather data on medical marijuana use by veterans and to use that research to push for policy change.
"If you want to deal with the VA, you need a study that just deals with veterans," Mr. Stack said.
To get the VA to include marijuana as a therapy for PTSD, pain and other conditions, Congress has to change the law, he explained. That's a high bar for medical marijuana advocates to meet.
"I know a large number of veterans use it," he said. "They might say it's recreational, but I see from them they use it for PTSD and the stress. It's less harmful than alcohol. They'll drink themselves to sleep."
Working with C3RN and partners in the cannabis industry, the group launched a veterans health and medical cannabis research study in March. The study is based on a similar survey done last year with University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth researchers, which looked at patient and consumer marijuana use.
Mr. Stack said, "We believe once this study is done, we'll have concrete information to get Congress to change the law."
DAV and Revolutionary Clinics, medical marijuana dispensaries in the Boston area, each provided $6,000 as seed money for the ongoing survey. Ms. McNabb serves as principal investigator.
Preliminary results of the anonymous survey will be released at a Cannabis Advancement Series forum from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. June 20 at Bull Mansion, 55 Pearl St., Worcester.
The forum, "Medical Cannabis, Veterans Health and the Opioid Epidemic: What Are Models We Can Embrace?" will feature a keynote video by U.S. Senator and Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren, a keynote speech from state Cannabis Control Commissioner Kay Doyle and a panel discussion. The program is free. Information is available at www.cannacenterofexcellence.org/veteran.
There's a lot of anecdotal evidence but not a lot of solid research on marijuana because research institutions risk losing federal funding, the source of most grants, for work on the federally illegal substance.
Ms. McNabb said the study's goal was to document how cannabis is used by veterans and how it helps them.
"The study highlights how cannabis can be a harm reduction to many medications people are on that they don't want to be on," she said.
Last year's study on Massachusetts marijuana consumers and patients found 59% were using cannabis to reduce prescription medication use. Among veterans, the proportion is even higher, 67%, or two-thirds of marijuana users, according to early results from the current study.
Marijuana is most frequently used by general consumers to substitute for antidepressants (42%), nonopioid painkillers such as ibuprofen (32%), and narcotics/opioids (28%).
But veterans who opt for medical marijuana instead of prescription drugs do so at a cost. The study has found that veterans pay an average of $39 a week, compared to $112 a week for marijuana.
One in five veteran respondents reported that money to purchase products was a barrier to using medical marijuana.
The cost of marijuana comes on top of veterans having to pay $200 to $300 for a civilian physician to qualify them for a medical marijuana card, even if their VA paperwork describes their condition as one that would meet state medical marijuana requirements.
That information supported a state Senate budget amendment that would have allowed VA diagnoses to be used to qualify a veteran for medical marijuana. The amendment was rejected, but Ms. McNabb said her group will keep trying.
Ms. McNabb said that from a public health perspective, she wants to make sure veterans not only have better access but also better information about marijuana, especially when they're using other medications too.
"On their own, they're trying to substitute and their (VA) provider is not allowed to talk about it with them," she said.
Mr. Mandile said there was a lot of misunderstanding among veterans - and providers - about VA policy.
A VHA directive says providers should discuss with their patients use of state-approved medical marijuana to treat medical or psychiatric symptoms, including "how marijuana may impact other aspects of the overall care of the veteran."
Veterans won't lose benefits, but the impact on other aspects of care often results in having physicians cut off the veteran's medication, Mr. Mandile said.
"Without a solid policy, physicians are still able to use how they feel about cannabis as part of their decision process," he said.
The veterans health and cannabis study has found so far that only 62% said their VA or other health care provider was aware of their medical cannabis use. Another 9% weren't sure. Nearly one-third, 29%, said their provider was not aware they used cannabis.
Veterans are three times more likely to die from an opioid overdose, with many addictions taking root in prescribed painkillers, according to Ms. McNabb. She's frustrated that safer alternatives including marijuana aren't being fully considered.
"They are really missing one large harm-reduction strategy that I think can be beneficial," she said.
Despite cost barriers, "a good 20%" of patients that come to Canna Care Docs, a group of physicians who provide medical marijuana certification, are veterans, according to Kathleen McKinnon, vice president of operations.
"We see a lot of PTSD with veterans," she said.
Canna Care Docs, which has an office in Worcester as well as other locations in Massachusetts and 11 other states, works with veterans to educate them so they're using the right strain. Too much THC, the hallucinogenic component of marijuana, could cause anxiety and exacerbate symptoms.
The company started holding events with veterans in 2014, including offering free evaluations on Cape Cod, where more than 70 veterans received services in one day.
Veterans typically receive a 10% discount off the $200 standard fee, Ms. McKinnon said.
The company was offering a Memorial Day special price of $100 for veterans, something Canna Care is considering offering year-round.
Canna Care Docs also gives out vouchers, called scholarships, for free or reduced price certification visits. Mr. Mandile's organization, Veterans for Alternative Healing, distributes $2,000 worth of scholarships a month.
"Our goal is to bring cannabis into mainstream medicine," said Ms. McKinnon. "We see veterans as a group that has done a lot for us and our country. It is saving lives. We see that day in and day out."
A number of dispensaries are also working with veterans to make medical marijuana more affordable.
The Botanist in Worcester has become a partner of C3RN.
"We fell in love with their program," said Ross Riley, outreach manager.
The Botanist gives 40% discounts every day to veterans who are deemed 100% disabled, a program called the Veteran Care Program. Ten medical marijuana dispensaries in the state participate in VCP, according to Mr. Mandile.
The Botanist is donating a percent of profits May 22-25 to DAV and is looking at other ways to offer support.
Matthew Huron, CEO of Good Chemistry in Worcester, wrote in an email: "We provide an ongoing daily discount for veteran medical patients, and we also offer special holiday discounts for medical patient veterans around Memorial Day and Veterans Day. This Memorial Day, we're offering our veteran medical patients 25% off their purchase. We're also in ongoing discussions with Veterans Alternative Healing and C3RN/UMass Dartmouth about how to best support their Cannabis Advancement Event Series. We're incredibly grateful for veterans and their service to our nation. We're proud to hire veterans and we are proud to serve them every day."
Besides making an argument for veterans health policy to include medical marijuana as a harm-reduction strategy, advocates hope that more research and education will reduce the stigma many veterans feel.
"There are a lot of veterans that won't even put they're a veteran on applications for work," said Mr. Mandile. "They're ashamed; they'll think, 'Oh, you're a veteran, you have PTSD, you're crazy.' "
"We want to increase the access, create a sustainable pathway to using medical cannabis," he continued. "Whatever pathway to healing should never be stigmatized."
Original Article Link: https://www.telegram.com/news/20190525/veterans-health-study-seeks-to-expand-awareness-access-to-medical-marijuana
South Coast Today: Backers of veterans marijuana survey hope to change policy
4 May 2019 5:40 PM | Marion (Administrator)
South Coast Today
BACKERS OF VETERANS MARIJUANA SURVEY HOPE TO CHANGE POLICY
DARTMOUTH - Veterans Affairs health care providers cannot legally recommend medical marijuana to their patients because the drug is classified federally as a Schedule One Controlled Substance, according to their website. Organizations in Massachusetts are working to change that with a study that explains how and why veterans use the drug to deal with things like chronic pain and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
UMass Dartmouth, Cannabis Community Care and Research Network and Veterans Alternative Healing Inc. launched an online survey in March to collect data for the study.
The anonymous survey is available for veterans nationally, but since the organizations behind it are all based in Massachusetts, the CEO of Worcester-based C3RN Dr. Marion McNabb said she expects a good percentage of the respondents will be from the Bay State.
McNabb wants to use the data, she said, to change state policies to make medical cannabis more accessible to veterans, creating a model to do the same on the federal level.
Current barriers to veterans' medical marijuana use stem from the federal policy barring the VA from recommending or prescribing the drug. If a veteran wants to use marijuana they have to either go outside the VA to get a medical marijuana card, which can cost up to $350 a year with the necessary referral, or buy recreational marijuana if that is an option in their state, according to C3RN and Veteran's Alternative Healing.
But, recreational marijuana has its limits, there is a "100 milligrams edible limit for adults per transaction for recreational use as opposed to 283 ½ grams every sixty days for medical use," said Ann Brum of Joint Venture & Co, another partner in the study. In both cases veterans are responsible for covering their own costs.
That is one of the main things C3RN and Veterans Alternative Healing are trying to change.
"We think every veteran should have free access to medical cannabis just as a right for their service," said McNabb.
Stephen Mandile, founder of Veterans Alternative Healing, is an Iraq veteran and approached C3RN about doing the study when, he said, he realized he needed data to back up the stories veterans told him about using marijuana to get over their opioid addictions and for mental health issues.
"We have to put numbers to these stories," said Mandile. "I thought it would be the best way to change policies."
The numbers are already coming in. On April 18, the groups released a report with their initial findings. According to that report, of the 138 veterans who completed the survey, 67 percent reported they use medical marijuana and 57 percent report using marijuana recreationally.
Of the veterans that use medical marijuana, 34 percent use it to manage chronic pain, 25 percent for PTSD, and 12 percent for depression. 67 percent of those that use it also reported using medical marijuana to reduce over the counter or prescription medication use.
UMass Dartmouth is involved in the study not just to use these numbers to change policies, but to study one of the fastest growing industries in the nation, said Dr. Stephen White, a professor of marketing and international business.
UMD partnered with C3RN last year to perform a broader open cannabis consumer and patient research study.
Bask, a medical marijuana dispensary in Fairhaven and a partner is the study, is offering veterans who take the survey discounts on their products, according to CEO Chapman Dickerson.
The data from the study will be shared with Dickerson and he said he hopes to use it to make products that are more tailored to veterans needs.
The study will continue for at least the next year, but both C3RN and UMass Dartmouth said they would continue their research as long as there is interest. They will be sharing their data, as it comes in, at various events across the state, including one in the SouthCoast in October.
Veterans who are interested in taking the study can find it here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/C3RN_VAH
Original Article Link: https://www.southcoasttoday.com/news/20190503/backers-of-veterans-marijuana-survey-hope-to-change-policy
MassLive: Researchers studying veterans' use of medical marijuana; early results presented in Holyoke
MASS LIVE Researchers studying veterans' use of medical marijuana; early results presented in Holyoke
By Anne-Gerard Flynn | Special to The Republican
April 18 HOLYOKE — How much do veterans in Massachusetts use cannabis, and why do they use it?
Those questions are at the center of the Veterans Health and Cannabis Citizen Science Study. The anonymous online survey, which is still seeking participants, is designed to help advance understanding of the drug in terms of its use for medical and behavioral health conditions.
The study's organizers say it seeks input on veterans' current health status, treatment regimens and medications and their current marijuana use. Other questions ask about quality of life issues, access to insurance options, service history and demographics.
Preliminary results from the study, launched in early March, were shared Thursday evening during the presentation, "Cannabis Equity: Big business and small business working together" at Gateway City Arts in Holyoke. The Cannabis Community Care and Research Network, Veterans Alternative Healing and Joint Venture & Co. hosted the event; Steven Hoffman, chair of the state's Cannabis Control Commission, was the keynote speaker.
Other participants scheduled included Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse and study organizers.
Early study results are said to show that, to date, 67% of the veterans who have completed the survey reported using medical marijuana, while 57% reported using it for recreation.
Thirty-six percent of respondents reported chronic pain as their top health condition; 28%, post-traumatic stress disorder; 11%, anxiety; and 11%, depression.
Medical marijuana use was reported by 37 percent to be most helpful in managing chronic pain.
Twenty-five percent said it was most helpful in managing PTSD while 9% found it most helpful with anxiety and three percent with cancer.
Among those who use medical marijuana, 67% reported using it to reduce over-the-counter or prescription medication use. When asked about healthcare provider acceptance, 62% of respondents were said to report their VA or healthcare provider knew about their cannabis use.
Fifty-nine percent of those same people were said to report not being sure if their provider supported their medical cannabis use.
Qualifying medical conditions in Massachusetts for medical marijuana include cancer, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C, Lou Gehrig's disease, Crohn's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, or other debilitating conditions.
Can Massachusetts become a leader in marijuana research?
Conducting marijuana research is challenging because of legal and financial barriers, since marijuana remains illegal federally.
The Cannabis Community Care and Research Network launched a national — as well as Massachusetts-focused — cannabis consumer and patient study last June in collaboration with the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth, and has held related forums in the area.
Among the 950 participants from Massachusetts to date in that study, 33% were said to use medical cannabis for chronic pain; 26% for anxiety and 14% for depression.
Those results were said to prompt the launch of the second study whose partners also include AmeriCann, which is developing the Massachusetts Cannabis Center, a one-million-square-foot sustainable cannabis cultivation and processing facility in Freetown.
Other study partners include the Massachusetts Chapter of Disabled American Veterans as well as Healing Rose and number of the state's 49 registered dispensaries for medical marijuana including Revolutionary Clinics, Bask Cannabis, The Botanist, Insa, and Central Ave Compassionate Care.
The study will continue through the end of the year. Veterans taking the online survey will receive cannabis-related discounts.
The third presentation in the six-part Cannabis Advancement Series promoting the survey and having a focused on veterans, medical cannabis and the opioid epidemic, will be June 20 at Bull Mansion in Worcester.
According to the Pew Charitable Trusts, some 68,000 veterans had opioid use disorder in 2015, a threefold increase in 12 years. They are twice as likely as non-veterans to die from accidental opioid overdoses, according to a U.S. Department of Veterans 2014 report.
The Cannabis Community Care and Research Network was founded in 2017 by Marion McNabb, who holds a doctorate in public health from Boston University, and cannabis community advocate Randal MacCaffrie, both of whom participated in the April 18 forum.
C3RN specializes in providing research and analytic services related to the impacts of medical and adult-use recreational cannabis and is a public benefit corporation based in Worcester and operates the developing virtual Cannabis Center of Excellence.
Massachusetts voters approved marijuana for medical use in 2012, and in November 2016 approved a ballot question legalizing recreational marijuana.
Original Article: https://www.masslive.com/news/2019/04/researchers-studying-veterans-use-of-medical-marijuana-early-results-presented-in-holyoke.html


LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM--(Marketwire - Feb. 2, 2011) - Cheap holidays operator Packyourbags.com now offers customers the opportunity to search and book the latest ski holidays its website has on offer.
Packyourbags.com has just got even better – now you can not only search and find the best ski holiday deals on their site, but you can also book them instantly too.
To date, customers have only been able to search and book beach package holidays on the Packyourbags.com site. However, after several months of development and testing, Packyourbags is now able to offer users searching for that perfect ski or snowboard holiday the same super quick and user friendly online booking facility for their winter sports holidays too.
Packyourbags is a really easy site to use for searching and booking holidays, but with its Thawte certificate it is also incredibly secure. In addition, as a travel agent and tour operator, Packyourbags is a fully licensed and bonded member of ABTA, ATOL & IATA. This means that when you buy a holiday with Packyourbags your money is completely safe.
Mark Kempster, Managing Director of Packyourbags commented, "The internet is now such an important every day tool people use and rely on, it is incredibly important we offer our customers a complete choice of how they would like to search and book their next well earned holiday. Winter ski and snowboard breaks are still as popular today as they ever were, and it is no surprise people wishing to book these types of holidays expect to be able to book them online just like they can with a beach holiday. However, the challenges in being able to offer an online booking system are much greater. These holidays also require the booking of additional vital components, such as hiring equipment, lift passes etc. Therefore, it has taken us a little more time to develop our technology so these other components can be booked in real time."
Kempster continued, "To be able to offer our customers the ability to search and book these types of holidays for themselves is fantastic, but if some customers would still prefer to speak with one of our ski specialists and book their holiday, whether that be face to face, or over the phone, then these options are available too. Ultimately we have now reached a stage where we can now offer customers a complete choice of booking methods that will best suit their needs".
Packyourbags offers ski and snowboarding holidays to popular ski resorts worldwide, suiting all abilities, tastes and budgets. As an independent travel agent, they are not tied to any one particular tour operator, therefore offering consumers a one stop shop to find all the latest deals on offer from the major suppliers of skiing and snowboarding holidays.
It is also worth remembering the same goes for beach holidays too, as Packyourbags offers last minute holidays to the Med too, such as Turkey holidays, Greece holidays, Spain holidays and all the other hot spots you can think of.
For more information visit Packyourbags.com or call 0800 652 5986.


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Gallipoli is a small seaside town in Puglia and I highly recommend it for a weekend break or as part of a wider tour of Puglia. We've visited twice so here are some tips to make the most of your time in this beautiful town.
To get to Gallipoli you need to fly to Brindisi (from London, only Easyjet and Ryanair fly directly) and then either hire a car and drive, get a taxi, bus or train. We chose to get a taxi as it's much quicker than a bus and we didn't want to drive but a top tip is to do your research and book it in advance, otherwise it can be really expensive. And if you book a return trip with the same company, you will get a better deal.
There are two options really – to stay in the new town or to stay in the old town. The old town is essentially like a little island and it's full of locals so if you like to live amongst the locals, choose to stay in the old town.
We have stayed in both the old and new town and they both have their benefits. The new town was quieter, however the old town has such charm and you're only a stone's throw away from all the restaurants. You are very close to a beach, wherever you stay. As we always like to explore, we rented a scooter for the weekend so we could head out a little further afield but having transport in Gallipoli is not essential at all. The hotels we stayed at were Palazzo del Corso and their sister hotel in the old town, Relais Corte Palmieri.
Gallipoli has lots of public beaches as well as some beaches where you have to pay an entry fee, many of these are a bit like a club with DJs and can be really fun if you're with a group of friends. There is only one beach in the old town, which is public.
There are many public beaches along the coastline in the new town so you will be spoilt for choice. Wherever you decide to lay your towel, you'll find cafes and restaurants nearby or even just food trucks selling drinks and paninis.
We always hire a little boat when we are Puglia. There is a boat rental company right by the Angevine-Aragonese Castle that's not too expensive. There's a small island that you can sail to, throw your anchor down and then swim to, get out and explore.
You're in the south of Italy and right by the sea so expect lots of fresh seafood. One of my favourite dishes is spaghetti alle vongole (clams) – absolutely delicious! Be sure to have an aperitivo before dinner too as it's an Italian tradition. In Gallipoli, our favourite place to go is La Spingula Wine & Lounge Bar where we always order their tuna tartar with a couple of glasses of prosecco. It's outside and the tables are actually wine barrels. If you go just before sunset, you will have the most stunning view of the sun setting. If you're in luck, you may even see the prosecco opened with a sword!
Other places we like to eat are Il Bastione (be sure to book a table on the rooftop terrace), Dolce Vita on the rooftop of hotel Palazzo del Corso (also great for an apperitivo), L'Angolo Blu (which has both indoor and outdoor tables) and Grotta Marinara.
Gallipoli is quite small – there are only around 30,000 people who live in the town. The main attractions really are the old town and the beaches. Explore the old town and take a look inside some of the old churches, particularly the 17th century Basilica Cattedrale di Sant'Agata. There is also an old olive oil mill in the old town called Frantoio Ipogeo di Palazzo Granafei, which you can visit for a few Euros.
Gallipoli, whilst small, is a gorgeous Italian seaside town which is definitely worth a visit. It's perfect for a weekend break but if you're visiting Puglia for longer, put it on your list.
Gallipoli looks amazing, I totally need to go after reading this. That water looks fabulous – can you swim?
Hi Miriam, it is amazing- you should definitely visit! And yes, you can swim everywhere!
Gallipoli looks like a great place to relax and holiday! Another one to add to my Italy list, thanks!
Gallipoli is wonderful and definitely relaxing!


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Search & Research, Lectures and Papers 24: Barbarians from our "Kulturkreis" - German-Jewish Perceptions of Nazi Perpetrators
Mark Roseman
Search & Research, Lectures and Papers 26: "Making History" - My Intellectual Journey into the Hidden Polish Past
Jan Tomasz Gross
Search & Research, Lectures and Papers 27: "May Your Holiness Act in the Interest of Protecting those who Remain Morally Thinking People" - Vatican Responses to Antisemitism, 1933
Suzanne Brown-Fleming
Search & Research, Lectures and Papers 28: Adolf Hitler, the Decision-Making Process Leading to the "Final Solution of the Jewish Question," and the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem Hajj Amin al-Hussayni - The Current State of Research
Dan Michman
Search & Research, Lectures and Papers 29: Bystanders to Nazi Violence? - The Transformation of German Society in the 1930s
Mary Fulbrook
Search & Research, Lectures and Papers 3: Generation of the Unbound - The Leadership Corps of the Reich Security Main Office
Michael Wildt


Linoleum cut, 1934, Greenough 74, edition unknown. 8 7/8 x 12 in. Initialed in the block and signed and titled in pencil. This is a fine impression with wide margins. There is some toning of the sheet visible in the outer margins. An exemplary work.
Linoleum cut, 1928, Greenough 52, edition unknown. 9 x 12 in. Initialed in the plate and signed and titled in pencil. This is a fine impression in very good condition apart from old paper tape hinges at the top corners. The margins appear to be full and untrimmed. An impression of this print is in the British Museum.


text:
Rule changes should tame restarts
By JODY ROYCE jody.royce@heraldtribune.com
ST. PETERSBURG — There are a handful of rules changes that come with a new season.
For IndyCar in 2014, the double-file restarts are gone from the road course and street circuit races, which includes the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. They will also be dropped for the Indy 500.
"Double-file starts are exciting to watch but when we start banging into each other, we look like idiots," said Derrick Walker, IndyCar's president of competition and operations. "Rather than have one weekend where we're doing them and one where we are not doing them, we're just going to be consistent and do one thing."
At this race, the side-by-side restarts have resulted in some chaos at Turn 1, a 120-degree right-hander.
In 2011 there was a five-car pileup, which ended with Marco Andretti upside down.
Races on ovals other than the Indy 500 will retain the double-file restarts, including the finale Aug. 30 at Fontana, Calif.
The series caught some flak in 2012 after Dario Franchitti had a third-place finish in Toronto voided, only to have it reinstated about four hours after that race ended.
In an attempt to avoid that kind of confusion, three stewards will be in place for each race this season. Today, it will be former driver Johnny Unser, race director Beaux Barfield and vice president of competition Brian Barnhart.
"Last year we had one person, who would have an on-or-off again love affair with the media," Walker recalls. "Beaux was the story for the weekend. He got a lot of calls that were blamed on him, and some were and some weren't. What we had to do was get more people involved in the process. It will add some impartiality there and I think is what the teams and drivers really want."
Starting next season, drivers can add input as to who can be a race steward. Walker liked the model used in Formula 1.
"Everybody has the same problem. You don't have enough eyes, and just making the right calls is a risk factor," Walker added. "At the end, I took the best of the best and some of it could apply to what we do and some didn't. We're moving forward, cautiously, with a new system that really starts with equipment. We spent a considerable amount of money on screens and adding camera positions and a replay systems that will let us zoom in in details. It's up and running here and it runs fantastic."
Takuma Sato captured his fourth career pole Saturday. Sato, who has been strong all weekend, turned a lap of 61.8686 seconds on the 1.8-mile strret circuit. Kanaan was second and Ryan Hunter-Reay third.
The 22-car field takes the green flag today, with no rain expected. All drivers ran on wet tires in the first round, so it'll make for an interesting race.
It's not the first time rain has hampered this event. In 2010, at the tail end of a chilly winter, severe weather postponed the race for a day. All the support series got their races completed in time that year.
This year, Indy Lights qualifying was canceled.
Ryan Briscoe was the quickest in the morning practice, the last one before qualifying was to go off. The lap of 62.4236 seconds was the fastest of the week. Overnight showers did not do much to wash the rubber off the circuit.
"It never really rubbered in (Friday)," said Briscoe, the 2009 winner here. "It was a pretty good first day back at the track. We made some good setup changes but we still have some work to do. I think we're on the right track."
He should be. He has returned to Chip Ganassi Racing after a solid rookie campaign in 2005.
The 32-year-old Aussie was released from his ride with Penske Racing after 2012, despite a win at Sonoma. So he goes from one solid race team to another.


text:
Eur. Phys. J. C 8, 585-591
DOI 10.1007/s100529900036
Are there anomalous Z fermion couplings?
P.B. Renton
Particle and Nuclear Physics Laboratory, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RH, UK (e-mail: p.renton@physics.ox.ac.uk)
Received: 21 December 1998 / Revised version: 12 February 1999 / Published online: 15 April 1999
The couplings of the fermions to the Z boson are of great importance in establishing the validity of the Standard Model and in looking for physics beyond it. The couplings of the b-quark to the Z boson have been the subject of much experimental study and theoretical interpretation. The apparent excess in the value of , the ratio of the partial width of the Z boson to to its total hadronic width, above the Standard Model expectation reported a few years ago has now become much less significant. However, the measurements of the pole forward-backward asymmetry for b-quarks at the Z pole and of the polarisation parameter , obtained using a polarised electron beam, have improved considerably in accuracy. The latest data are examined and values of the vector and axial-vector b-quark and c-quark couplings to the Z are extracted. The left and right handed couplings are also extracted. It is found that whereas the c-quark couplings are compatible with the Standard Model, those of the b-quark data are only compatible with the Standard Model at about the 1% level. In addition, the individual lepton couplings are extracted and the degree to which the data support the hypothesis of lepton universality is discussed. The sensitivity of the limits from electroweak fits to the Higgs boson mass to these data is examined.
Copyright Springer-Verlag
The experimental status of Higgs Sector of the Standard Electroweak Model at the end of the LEP-SLC era
Experimental tests of the standard model
Eur Phys J C (2004) 33: s5-s20
Analysis of electroweak precision data and prospects for future improvements
Eur. Phys. J. C 2, 95-122 (1998)
Electroweak model and constraints on new physics
Eur. Phys. J. C (2000) 15: 95-109
Measurements of cross sections and forward-backward asymmetries at the Z resonance and determination of electroweak parameters
Eur. Phys. J. C 16, 1-40 (2000)


Combat Sense: the Witness has demonstrated a 'sixth sense' in the middle of a fight on occasion. He can use this rank value 30 power in the place of his various traits when blocking, bracing, dodging, escaping, and weaving, making it quite handy in a pinch.
Precognition: the means by which he either protects the innocent or sees justice done, this power allows the Witness to perceive an event - usually in which someone dies - coming within the next few days. This power functions at rank value 30, but he has no control over it.
Acrobatics: the Witness has been seen making a variety of death-defying leaps while working to mete out a dose of Justice. Very limber despite his bulk, the Witness may add a +1 RS to any attempt to perform dodge, evade, escape, feint, and weave maneuvers.
Guns: a talent he picked up while a Chicago cop, this skill describes the Witness' ability to wield a firearm - not that he does so these days. Whether firing a standard, semi-automatic or fully automatic rifle or pistol, the Witness does so at his Coordination trait +1 RS.
Law Enforcement: his original line of work, this skill represents the Witness' ability to understand the law and how it applies to the every day Joe. Though he's no longer a cop, he knows the law rather well, and it has taught him how to keep his cool while under fire.
Martial Arts style B: furthermore, the Witness is well-versed in the fine art of fisticuffs, able to deal with armed or unarmed opponents with equal ease. He may attempt any unarmed attack (punches, kicks, etc.) as though his Melee value was +1 RS higher than is listed above.


text:
Захируддин Фаруки (, род. 1933) — пакистанский шахматист, национальный мастер.

Чемпион Пакистана 1970, 1976, 1978 и 1979 гг.

В составе сборной Пакистана участник трех шахматных олимпиад (1974, 1980 и 1982 гг.). На олимпиаде 1974 г. завоевал индивидуальную золотую медаль, показав лучший результат на 2-й доске (победил в личных встречах, в частности, С. Татаи и П. Поутиайнена). Также в составе национальной сборной участвовал в так называемой «Контролимпиаде» 1976 г. Сборная Пакистана стала бронзовым призером соревнования.

Участник чемпионата Великобритании 1970 г. (участвовал в дележе 2-го места), открытого чемпионата США 1977 г., побочных турниров шахматного конгресса в Гастингсе, ряда сильных по составу опен-турниров.

Спортивные результаты

Примечания

Ссылки

 Партии З. Фаруки в базе Chessgames
 Личная карточка З. Фаруки на сайте 365Chess

Шахматисты Пакистана
Шахматисты XX века
Участники шахматных олимпиад

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
China to give Costa Rica 200 patrol cars, US$10 million
May 7, 2008 06:22
A Costa Rican official said Wednesday that China has promised to donate 200 patrol cars and US$10 million to the Central American country. Costa Rican Vice President Laura Chinchilla said the money will go to an emergency fund to use in case of natural disasters. The gifts were announced by Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu, who is visiting Costa Rica, said Chinchilla.


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text:
Angst grows as Windsor in holding pattern on securing overdose prevention site
Any community that gets "serious" about opening a ministry-backed overdose prevention site in Ontario should have its wishes honoured — including Windsor, said the head of Ontario's nurses association.
Toronto health officials released a report which calls for the introduction of safe-injection sites in Toronto on March 14, 2016.	Stan Behal / Stan Behal/Toronto Sun
Any community that gets "serious" about opening a ministry-backed overdose prevention site in Ontario — including Windsor — should have its wishes honoured, said the head of Ontario's nurses association.
"We are talking about the lives of family members, neighbours, co-workers," said Doris Grinspun, CEO for the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario which includes 41,000 members. "This is not a game or about personal values. This is about saving lives and opening the window for people to receive (addiction) treatment.
"No community should lose hope or lose faith for pushing for what you deserve."
We need to understand they are not just addicts, these are human beings who have people who care greatly about them and would be devastated if they were to overdose and die
Ontario's Minister of Health and Long-Term Care Christine Elliott announced on Monday the existing 16 overdose prevention sites in Ontario would be allowed to continue operations, but now under the banner of Consumption and Treatment Services.
Such sites allow drug users to inject in front of professional health-care workers who can apply first aid in the event of an overdose. The sites also provide information to help users receive treatment to address their addictions.
Under Elliott's plan, the centres will continue with overdose prevention services and provide users addiction treatment, but will also soon focus on housing and employment supports.
Safe injection site proposal for downtown Windsor put on hold
Windsor police will not support a safe injection site, chief says
Community agencies aim to open safe injection site for drug users
A pair of local agencies submitted an application to the health ministry early this year to open an overdose prevention site in Windsor because of the growing crisis of opioid and crystal meth addiction.
Lisa Gretzky Dan Janisse / Windsor Star
But after the election of Premier Doug Ford, the program was put on hold in June pending further study by Elliott.
Elliott has indicated that the existing 16 overdose prevention sites must reapply to continue operations. But she also indicated there will be a cap of centres across the province at 21 — creating fears that Windsor will be left without.
Michael Brennan, executive director of the AIDS Committee of Windsor, said there remains a lot of unknowns for Windsor.
His agency made the joint application to open a site locally with the Windsor Essex Community Health Centre. The closest existing overdose prevention site is currently in London.
Following Monday's announcement by Elliott, Brennan was hopeful to hear quickly from the health ministry. He is hopeful to get answers within a few days on the status of the local site application and next steps in the process. If not, the agency will reach out to the ministry.
In 2017, there were 188 emergency-room cases in Windsor directly linked to opioid overdose including 35 fatalities, he said.
"Our community needs to have access to evidence-based care that saves lives and can connect people to treatment services," Brennan said.
"There is frustration in the community. It is difficult for people locally, especially peers, who see people pass away from opioid-related overdose. Our agency continues to advocate. The numbers show (Windsor) is 1.5 times higher than the provincial average for opioid-related overdose."
Deputy Premier and Health Minister Christine Elliott speaks during a swearing-in ceremony at Queen's Park in Toronto on June 29, 2018. Mark Blinch / THE CANADIAN PRESS
Local MPP Lisa Gretzky (NDP—Windsor-West) on Tuesday expressed fears that Windsor could be left on the outside when it comes to securing an overdose prevention site.
"Even if Windsor is among the 21, you are going to have other municipalities elsewhere not get the services they need," she said.
"I'm fully supportive. It's proven these sites are working, are important and saving lives. The need is increasing and we can't just pretend (addictions) are not happening or toss blame around."
The sites also help keep used needles off the street, away from school yards and people's backyards, since they can instead be disposed of safely at the site, Gretzky said.
She said addictions are not just an issue of using drugs, but often a case of what led them to that point — such as "domestic violence, child abuse or an injury that led to a prescription and then a person quickly becoming dependent on opioids."
Gretzky, who lives close to downtown, said the issue of addictions is no longer "a downtown problem," but all across the city where needles are being found, people are in distress after using drugs or dealing with overdoses.
"We need to understand they are not just addicts, these are human beings who have people who care greatly about them and would be devastated if they were to overdose and die," Gretzky said.
After pulling off unexpected Ward 8 victory, Gary Kaschak will submit... New faces for school board trustees at both English language boards


Sangiovese 100% procedente de una selección interna.
Las uvas seleccionadas se vinifican a temperatura controlada en cubas combinadas de acero y madera Horizon con maceración media (7-10 días). Tras un periodo de envejecimiento de 10-12 meses, en parte en barricas y en parte en grandes barriles de roble, se procede a su posterior afinamiento en botella durante un mínimo de 6 meses.
Un gran clásico del territorio de Montalcino y de Banfi. Aúna la elegancia y la solidez típicas de su hermano más noble, el Brunello, con una inmediatez y una frescura que lo convierten en un vino versátil como pocos. Agradable desde un principio, tolera a la perfección un largo periodo de envejecimiento.
The growing season started slightly late, followed by abundant rain in May and June. Temperatures in June were cool and well below seasonal averages; in the beginning of July the temperatures began to warm up and became quite hot by mid-month. Temperatures cooled down again in August again with notably cool nights, which significantly contributed to the quality of the fruit, both in terms of aromas and natural acidity. From the middle of August through the months of September and October rainfall was scarce, resulting in an excellent harvest.
The winter, with levels of precipitation above the seasonal average and quite mild temperatures, was followed by normal spring conditions, in terms of both rainfall and temperature. Some rainfall marked the months of May and June, along with relatively cool temperatures through mid July. The hail storm which took place on Ferragosto (August 15th) only partially effected our vineyards, sparing the choicest fruit and impacting production with only a small decrease in quantity. Compared to recent years, all phases of the growing season were delayed, including the harvest which took place two weeks late but under optimal conditions.
The seasonal conditions were marked by a severe early frost on Easter Eve that reduced the production. Subsequently, sufficient rainfall at the end of June allowed for an optimal balance of water reserves in the soil. The temperature climbed gradually from mid July but without reaching any excessive high peak. Some rainfall in September permitted to Sangiovese to reach a good technological and physiological maturation.
A rainy winter was followed by a cool spring which allowed for an optimal development of the vegetation until mid August, but then the torrid temperature (over 37°C during the day and 20°C during the night) put the plants under a severe hydric stress that stopped the synthesis process and accelerated dramatically the maturation of sugars. This critical situation was skillfully managed anticipating the beginning of the harvest and operating with a soft approach (night harvest). This allowed to minimize the risks of extracting bitter compounds and aromas. It was one of the most challenging vintages in our estate's history.
Flowering of the vines was slightly ahead of schedule. Good rainfall in the second half of June was opportune to give the soil the hydric reserves needed for the summer to follow, which was noted for slightly lower temperatures and a shorter than usual period of intense heat. These conditions allowed for ideal maturation without any sort of stress on the vines as they entered into a harvest period that was also free of disturbing rainfall.
The sunniest and hottest summer in Montalcino in local memory, yet acidity and color are all within the normal ranges. Good maturity, low yields and high alcohol levels indicate an exceptional vintage.
A late start to the growing season was recovered by late spring. Heavy April frosts seriously reduced quantities, which resulted in exceptional concentration and quality but very low yields.
Delays from cool spring were made up for by early summer. Rainfall during second half of harvest required good organization and rigorous selection to result in overall satisfying quality, though quantity was low.


Florida's reputation for providing news of the weird is certainly not something that is likely to go away anytime soon, and at times I feel honor-bound to discuss odd news that comes out of the area I long called home . So, here is the story. A University of Tampa assistant professor claims that Texas' suffering as a result of Hurricane Harvey is karma for having voted for Trump in the 2016 election. His tweet goes viral in a bad way, and before too long he is now an ex-professor. As might be expected with any news that comes with political baggage, and that is just about any news these days, sadly, opinion is sharply divided on what happened. Those who just last week were arguing that there is no right for free speech when it comes to defending statues of long-dead slaveowners are now in the awkward position of arguing that there is freedom of speech when it comes to wishing harm on people for their political views who are still alive. One wonders whether any of those fine defenders of our freedoms are aware of what hypocrisy means, or that they are massive hypocrites, but let us be merciful in the knowledge that we need mercy ourselves.
My obvious takeaway from this comment is to wonder just how aware this former sociology professor was about the electoral map of the 2016 election. Texas, to be sure, did vote Republican this past year as it generally has over the past few election cycles. So did a lot of other states, though, like Florida, where the University of Tampa is located. Wishing harm on areas because they are in states that voted for Trump is not something that makes sense when one lives on the Gulf Coast of a state that voted for Trump. One wonders just how geographically literate this liberal is. Would he still feel it was instant karma if, perish the thought, some massive hurricane developed in the gulf and came through Tampa Bay and dumped four feet of rain on my old stomping grounds? I doubt he would be so quick to argue that the flooding of his home was bad karma. Hopefully he would be more interested in helping his neighbors to recover from the storm than to view as if the misfortunes of storms came about because of who one voted for in an election. Perhaps he, and those who think like him, really don't care about people but only wish to throw shade on those who disagree with them, however little logical sense it makes when the same standard is applied to them and their own situation.
There is one element of this story, though, that is karma, but it is not a way that the ex-professor of sociology would likely appreciate. For a long time it has not been kosher to be a conservative on many college campuses. If you are a conservative, even of a fairly moderate kind, and you are a public figure, you can expect a great deal of hostility. Even, for example, celebrating the victory of a moderate Republican president like George W. Bush in a university can bring mobs of liberal haters seeking to dish out violence, as happened to me as an undergraduate student in Los Angeles thank to some gloating by my roommate at the time. These same bullies, though, turn into defenders of the freedom of speech when it comes to freedom of speech for them and their associates. The same sort of regime of censorship and abuse that has been dished out by progressives on college campuses is karmic when it is dished out to progressives who make hateful comments and vainly plead free speech to prevent them from suffering any repercussions for their folly. What is good for one side of the political spectrum is good for the other. If we cannot have freedom for all, we should at least have self-censorship for all so that everyone is equally punished when speaking hatred towards anyone else.
I must note that I am not a believer in karma, at least not as it is so described. I am a believer in cosmic justice, but not necessarily a believer that the justice is swift or that it will happen this side of the judgment. To be sure, the karmic justice administered to the now unemployed assistant professor was fast and it was just. That said, as progressives tend to take care of their own, there will likely be some other job waiting for this sad martyr, and he will likely be able to find tenure and continue his message of hate for those who are of a different political worldview than he is. Barring some painful personal reflection and repentance–and those are precious and rare commodities on the political left of this or any nation–it is unlikely, though, that the professor has learned his lesson, as that would require that he respects others as he wishes to be respected, and if he practiced the golden rule he would not be a hatemonger as he is.
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Upon releasing their acclaimed debut One in 2011, TesseracT received praise for the captivating work of lead vocalist Daniel Tompkins, who was lauded for his impressive range and power, which complemented the band's polyrhythm-focused prog metal perfectly. Choosing to leave the fold only months after, the band have since worked with two different vocalists over the course of releasing an EP and a sophomore full-length. While Elliot Coleman and Ashe O'Hara were both undeniably talented vocalists in their time with the band, both lacked the dynamism that made Tompkins a favourite with listeners.
Tompkins finds himself back at his old post on Polaris, a record that demonstrates both a change in his vocal style and a softening of TesseracT's vocal sounds since their debut. Tompkins' increased emphasis on harmony and clean vocals akin to his work in Skyharbor shine through on "Survival" and "Phoenix," though it rarely feels like he is pushed to the peak of his vocal powers, save for on emotive closer "Seven Names."
That may stem from the shift in musical style evident on all nine tracks of the record. While not carrying the polyrhythmic aggression explored on their debut, Polaris evolves beyond the typical conventions of the djent style in favour of a prog rock/metal hybrid, playing with a delicate balance between heavy and heavenly. While the band's interest in ambiance has always been apparent, lighter moments in "Hexes" and "Tourniquet" (which doesn't sound far removed from something by their Kscope label mates Porcupine Tree) see that interest explored with greater depth.