Following news last week that Uruguay is experimenting with becoming the first country to completely legalise and regulate cannabis, and produce, sell and tax the drug. Advertsements are popping up all over the internet about the London 420 pro-cannabis rally to be held in Hyde Park.
This rally is an example of active campaigning -- where huge numbers of people will come together to show their support for something they believe in -- and it's also an example of the sharp edge of democracy: what these people will be doing is likely to be illegal, as I'm sure many of them will be breaking the law by smoking cannabis.
Are the police going to making arrests? I doubt it, because of the sheer numbers of supporters.
Does that make it okay then? Not really: it's still against the law.
So why are they doing it? For may people, the democratic process isn't working here, and successive governments, both here and in other countries, look like their making their decisions on evidence other than science.
Now to be absolutely clear: I'm not pro-legalisation of cannabis or anti-legalisation of cannabis. That's a debate for others to have. But I am all about having honest and open discussion, and there are numerous examples where officials seem afraid to give a straight answer.
Not giving a straight answer is a serious threat to democracy, because it makes the public feel like things are being kept from them. And in a representative democracy people will argue that nothing should be kept from them.
Also in the news recently was something that reminds us of the dangers of the Internet.
I think we're all aware that the Internet can be used for all manner of things these days, and some of it is weird
In America there are reported cases of paedophiles using the Internet to make contact with young people. MSNBC's Dateline sets out to trap these people. Which sounds like the right thing to do.
But an even better thing would be for young people to be more aware of what they're doing online. I think this is VERY IMPORTANT. So if anyone is interested in doing some training for peer mentoring purposes, becoming social media champions for Copeland, we can look into sources of funding.
Okay, let's move on.
Moral Dilemma:
Psychics. Do they exist, or don't they? Are there people out there who really can move stuff with their mind, who can contact the dead?
It might not seem very important. But something to think about: if they aren't real, then they're conning people, sometimes conning money out of them.
The question for you this week is: should psychics be challenged as con artists, or left to carry on as entertainers?
Seeing things differently:
One man's rubbish is another man's home, or earthship. How cool would one of these be as a shelter? You could even set up your rain barrels to make drinks. Or not...
Anyway, building an earthship isn't easy, but it is unique (to Copeland), and very cool...
Local news:
I met with the Haverigg division of Action for Children, and we talked about filming the highs and lows of life there.
I have to hold my hands up and confess my own prejudice, I didn't realise how nice Haverigg was and I'd always assumed it was pretty tired and run down.
People of Haverigg I apologise, I think the beach café and the park are very nice. Now, if we can only get that KFC...
TTFN
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