rants and ramblings of utter randomness

I was so impressed with this that I printed it out at work and showed it to the staff. Some were less impressed than I was, but for the most part the response was "that's a really, really good idea", with the added caveat of "not that it would ever be even close to legal here".

They're right, of course. But really, which is better? spending zillions chasing after drug dealers/makers/users/ and only catching a tiny fraction of them (and hello, going after users isn't going to make them stop using, y'know?), or using the money wisely and providing users with a safe place to use with clean needles and medical supervision? Which scenario is more likely to make addicts think that the system might be a place to go to for help?

And there's PROOF it works:

"The study...found that drug users who visited the site at least once a week were more willing to enter detoxification programs". Makes a whole lot of sense to me. There are health professionals on site. Willing to help and not judge, y'know? And you really can catch more flies with honey than you can with prison.

"The researchers also found that all users in the area, including those with HIV, have been sharing syringes less since the start of the injection site, which is the first of its kind in North America. They have also engaged in other safe injection practices like using sterile water to formulate their drugs and swabbing alcohol on their skin.

Users were less likely to overdose when they used the facility at least once a week, the study found."

The way I look at it is that if you want to to help addicts (or more important, get them to want help), it's not gonna happen if you're judgemental and persecutory. How about being supportive and nurturing, treating them like people with illnesses, which, um, is what they are (HUGE emphasis on "people", here)?

So anyway, go Vancouver. Maybe some of our people will take the example and start pushing for similar facilities in the States. I hope the site gets the funding it deserves. Things don't look too rosy right now, according to the article, anyway. The federal government seems to have its head up its arse and is refusing to provide the funding that would keep the site open past the end of next year. Yay for craniorectal inversion.

From everything I've been reading, I'm quickly reaching the opinion that Stephen Harper is a creep. Dubya probably likes him. At least he probably knows his name, which if true would be novel for him (I'd really like to meet PM Poutine. We could do lunch. Although his cholesterol level is probably through the roof). Oh, and, another thing: if I ever get the chance to meet Rick Mercer I might just snog him senseless. :)

In other news, here's my Repeat Loop Song of the Moment:

Dispatch - The General. Lyrics here.

I love this song: its acoustic-y goodness, the extra words shoved into lines that they really don't fit but somehow they work, and the perfect, perfect lyrics, and perfect, oh-so-very-right theme of soldiers (and their general) as people. Because, um. They are, y0.

Oh, and the Best. Chorus. Ever.:

He said: I have seen the others
And I have discovered
That this fight is not worth fighting
And I have seen their mothers
And I will no other to follow me where I'm going


So,

Take a shower, shine your shoes
You got no time to lose
You are young and you must be living so
Take a shower, shine your shoes
You got no time to lose
You are young and you must be living
Go now you are forgiven

i_am_a_hannah introduced me to this song. I adore it. And her, of course. *hugs her*

And now I have writing to finish. I'll most likely be up forever doing it, so expect random spams. Feel free to ignore them.

And send me Vecchio drabbles. I'm running against a deadline and need to stay in the Gestalt of Vecchio.

I love this guy so much.

"Chafee said he has not decided what to do after leaving office, but he hoped to stay involved in public life. He said his loss may have helped the country by switching control of Congress." &hearts&hearts&hearts&hearts&hearts&hearts&hearts&hearts&hearts

Here's to you, Mr. Chafee, and thanks for everything. You'll be missed. Hopefully you won't stay away too long. *raises glass*

John Lennon - Remember

Also, Saddam gets death by hanging.

Headline quote: 'Bush calls verdict "a major achievement for Iraq's young democracy"'. Jesus.

Song and article not related at all, despite line about hanging. Saddam's no hero, that's for sure.

But really, WHO WOULD JESUS HANG?

*headdesk*

Maybe I should rethink that house in Cape Breton. Or at least pray for the US to put people who are LESS STUPID in power. Should be easy, because there can't be many who are MORE stupid left.

One more poem before Poetry Month goes away for another year.

This one's the inscription on Liberty Enlightening the World (more people need to know her real name because it's v. cool IMO it's about time the the U.S. commences with some actual enlightening. Starting with ourselves, may it do ya fine.)

( The New Colossus, by Emma Lazarus )




Yes, I am a shameless idealist. So was Jesus.

Bigger update coming soon, unless the sky falls. I know you're all waiting with bated breath.

Tomorrow, I'd love to go here and then on to songdog's house. Time is a factor, however. Maybe, though, if croosa and tapped_trish aren't moving tomorrow. If they are, I'll be helping them. *g*.

And yes, patchfire, I'm calling several hospitals tomorrow (ON THE PHONE, y0!).

Heh, heh, heh.

Am feeling oddly defeatist, and even a bit nihilistic, about the whole Sandra Day O'Connor thing. I keep reading stuff like "What You Can Do to Make Everything Okay", and I'm not sure there's anything anyone can do. Write to your Senator, join groups, protest, yadda.

It seems to me that George W. Bush is pretty much omnipotent these days and he's gonna put whoever he wants in to replace Justice O'Connor (who isn't exactly a granola-crunching Liberal herself). There's still the Nuclear Option, after all, if Democrats don't like his choice.

If you find my idealism somewhere, would you send it back to me? I seemed to have lost it. Or maybe someone came and stole it while I wasn't home. They can do that legally, now, after all. Rickafracka Patriot Act.

Bleh.

And I really wish I could have gone to Live 8, yes, I do.

From deafscribe, who finds the coolest stuff:

My kind of pledge.