Scott Morgan captions this disturbing video:

The victim in this case, Todd Blair, brandished a golf club in terror as armed men stormed his home in the night. We’ll never know for sure if he realized they were police. But we do know that only a small amount of drugs were found in the raid that took his life.

# Closer to home, Kiwi-born banker turned drug double agent turned writer Keith Bulfin talks to Close Up about the horrors of the black market in the Mexican Drug Wars.

# Jacob Sullum at Reason.com reviews The Fall and Rise of Prohibition; When Booze Was Banned But Pot Was Not.

# And finally, some Bob Marley, in his own words:

More here.

There are a few images up on Dakta Green’s facebook from the Northland tour over the weekend. Pop on over and take a look if you are interested.

Today we are off to Hamilton for a few days of toking and promoting, will see all you Hamiltron Stoners soon!

Well, not literally.

The bus suffered some more mechanical issues this morning, as the Armistice Tour convoy set off for it’s Northland tour. As a result, we are sorry to inform you that we will be postponing our Northland tour. We are truly sorry to those of you who were hoping to checkout our Mobile Daktory, but we will be making it up to you at a later date.

We will be visiting the Auckland electorates regardless of Mary Jane’s status, as we will be showing up with our support vehicles, Stashin Wagon and the Bongo Van, if she is not working on the day.

The Daktory itself is running as per normal while the tour is in Auckland. We will be broadcasting live tonight at 7.30pm on Stickam, if the player on our site doesn’t work, then click here for our Stickam profile player.

We are sorry once again for the delay. We keep being told the vehicles are fixed and ready, but we keep being let down.

If you are able to help in any way with the Armistice Tour in your town, then please email armistice.tour@thedaktory.org.nz

Jody Emery (via cannabisculture.com): Marc is currently in SeaTac Federal Detention Center, or SeaTac FDC, and has access to the federal prisoner “email” system CorrLinks.

To send Marc mail or money in prison, which will make his sentence much more bearable, please click here for the mailing address and other information.

From Marc Emery – May 22nd, 2010

The radio here mentions the rally downtown in Seattle every 15 minutes. On a request line at 4.20 pm , a caller called in and requested “My request is FREE MARC EMERY!” You guys are doing great!

The food is dubious and meat, but at this point, I am unconcerned. I eat it up. I’m reading a book on the horrible prisons & appalling history of black convict leasing in the old south. Good book. Halfway done.

My cellmate is Oliver, a Jewish Iranian Canadian charged with having guns, but his story is greatly misunderstood so far. He has never been in jail before and genuinely had no criminal intent, but Iranian & guns has Homeland Security on him. He’s a licensed gun dealer but he will need some time to get it all sorted out. He lacks a caring, loving support system like I have because he has frittered his life in some respects, but was an orphan without parents so his life is rootless and challenged.

A fellow I treated as a patient at my Ibogaine Clinic is actually here, of all things. Most people here are Mexican and African-American so they don’t know much or anything about me, but its still fine. Because I am out of my cell from 6 am to 10 pm, its way different and way preferable than North Fraser. I’m sleeping better because when I get up at 6 am, and do exercises & read and play dominoes and cards, by 11 pm, I’m tired! There is no outside of any kind that I’ve seen here, but I’m unconcerned.

As long as I maintain my health and you are safe & sound and doing your activism, I am happy. Plus I really like the email thing here.

So tell me about your rally. And what you are going to eat today, or have eaten! You cannot be getting ill or unwell from lack of proper food.

Because your money arrived, I am getting headphones, radio (which is how people hear the TV’s here, which is clever actually, so there is no sound except on your headphones, and there are several different stations on at any given time “on the range” as there are no TVs in the cell (which I like), tuna, proper razor & razor blades, and all the stuff I need.

On June 8 I will get proper running shoes because I walk 30 – 50 laps around this place every day on the 2nd level walkways. I will write a visual sketch of my range in the next few days. You can only spend $320 a month on “commissary” but it renews itself for me on June 8, so that’s fine. For example, my 300 phone minutes are 300 minutes from today till June 7, so that’s actually 19 minutes a day, so I may call you twice a day or save the minutes and do one long call for you & Jeremiah for Prison Podcast. After June 7, that is June 8 – July 7, its 300 minutes over 30 days, only 10 minutes a day.

Thank Vivian McPeak and Paul Stanford for their efforts on my behalf. Their rally here is getting coverage. I was in the Seattle News yesterday, the inmates all read that (that read newspapers). It also announced today’s rally.

Everyone is here for drugs that I have spoken to so far, everyone. A lot of failed urine tests, breaches of probation, trafficking, etc. Its almost all drugs. I am friends with a number already, including a nice black gentleman named Robert who I enjoy playing dominoes with. There is no racial tension here, nor any tension or potential violence here, so far, but we are not cooped up in cells for 18-20 hours daily like North Fraser was, so it ought to be less tense!

The computer set up is a clunky keyboard and email program. It costs 5 cents for every 10 minutes or so, but that’s a deal for me because the value is great to be able to do this and not phone, because for us, just 10 minutes of communication daily would be hard.

Tell me all about your rally!!!! And any cool articles from the news! Love you! Can’t wait to hear back! Isn’t this great!? It makes me so happy to know you are excelling and are safe & surrounded by our friends, allies & loved ones. Don’t forget to give me the email addresses of our friends, like Kirk, and Chris Goodwin, and our friends at work. The form will arrive probably Thursday for the visitation. Remember to return it with passport photocopy AND marriage certificate photocopy.

Can’t wait to hear from you. Do you have the mailing address here? Next email I will give it to you just in case.

Love * LOVE * Adore* Worship You * Best thing ever to happen to me! * I am so blessed to have you in my loving corner. Thank you family for being awesome to me. I am not unhappy at all with all the love I get, no kidding, and when I return, we will be unbeatable and travel the world and visit with our people across the globe. Its going to be great, Mrs. Emery …. BECAUSE of YOU and ME and all our supporters, friends, and family! I have so much to be grateful for! Excited to be alive when I have you to dream about all day. And dreams do come true! And will!

Your civil rights activist boo,
Marc
xxx

​It runs against the most basic business acumen to give your product away for free, but next week that is just what Chelsea Green Publishing is going to do.

On April 20, free downloads of Marijuana Is Safer: So Why Are We Driving People To Drink? will be available all day on Scribd.com. Users will be able to download, print and share.

Paperback copies of the book will be available on the Chelsea Green website for a discounted price of $10.
Read the full article at tokeofthetown.com

Williamson County police deem parents “unsuitable” for teaching kids government is out to harm them

Paul Joseph Watson
Prison Planet.com
Friday, April 2, 2010

A family in Williamson County, Austin have lost custody of their 7-year-old son as part of a Child Protective Services investigation because the parents taught their children to mistrust the government, an action that deemed them to be “unsuitable parents,” according to charges leveled by police officers in CPS documents.
Drug reform activist filmmakers Barry and Candi Cooper recently had their home raided and searched by police after authorities claimed Cooper’s voice had been heard in the background of an allegedly false police report.

Read the full article here

Friday 09/04/2010 till Sunday 11/04/2010

There are details yet to be finalized, when they are I will post more information, but the most up to date news is on our facebook page.

Tickets will be on sale from Monday, 29th of March, from The Daktory and a few stores that will be confirmed shortly.

Dakta Siffin:

FEATURING: SLAVEGRIND, INCARNIUM, DAMAGE TONES, DAKOTA SCREAM, BEATS BOTANICAL, THE ROOFTOP COLLECTIVE, EASY, DJ’S & MANY MORE…

EVENT will take place from Friday 09/04/2010 till Sunday 11/04/2010

Tickets Price:… See More
**********
$20 Per Person – This covers you for ALL 3 Days
**GREAT VALUE FOR MONEY**

**DOOR SALES WILL ALSO BE AVAILABLE ON EACH DAY OF THE EVENT

Note:
****
*B.Y.O.
*R18- ID will be checked
*NO ALCOHOL & DRUGS

Location:
*******
The Daktory, 80 Delta Ave, New Lynn, West Auckland

Hours as follows:
*************
*Friday 09/04/2010 6pm till 12am – Combined Birthday Party – DJ’s / Bands

*Saturday 10/04/2010 12pm till 2am – DJ and 10+ Bands

*Sunday 11/04/2010 12pm till 8pm – Dakta Green’s Birthday DJ’s / Bands / Joint Rolling

Competition followed by a **World Record Hotbox Attempt at 4:20pm on Mary Jane the

Cannabus. LETS BEAT THE CURRENT RECORD OF 87 PEOPLE & GET OVER 100+

PEOPLE ON MARY JANE!!!

**Note: To participate in the World record Attempt each person must have their own joint

pre-rolled.

*COMPETITIONS WILL BE RUNNING ALL WEEKEND LONG!!!

***SEE YOU ALL THERE!!!