More Madonna, Less Jesus

Home Remedy

A friend of mine has a cold, and I suggested that she go out and buy a vaporizer. I have cured many colds by staying in bed under a mountain of blankets,  hanging over the side with a towel funneling the hot steam into my sinuses for hours. I know you’re not supposed to do it that way, but that’s just the risk management lawyers talking.

I thought I’d email her a photograph of these cold-curing appliances, so I googled “vaporizer” and came up with nothing but devices for smoking pot. So I tried adding negative search terms: -marijuana… -smoke … -cannabis… -volcano -herbal… -pyramid…. but I still couldn’t find one photo on the internet of a vaporizer like the kind you allow a child to sit in front of. And this is how language changes.

In related news, Tom Ammiano introduced a marijuana decriminalization bill to the Assembly today. In addition for all the usual arguments for decriminalization, he wants to legalize it so that we can tax it. $1 billion more tax dollars for California. Maybe this will work this time. Fresno Bee editorial writer Dan Walters, who I remember as being a pretty conservative guy, supports the bill. The Chron and Merc haven’t published any stories on it yet.

And to think what it would do for tourism! The Santa Cruz chamber should really jump on this. If we could get gay marriage, and taxed, legal pot in California, maybe we could fund education like we did when we taxed property.