An all out declaration of war. On and on the war depletes our resources and our will. Blame Nixon. And - he was a crook, and a liar too about his crookedness ...

Settle PI, here.

"America's public enemy number one in the United States is drug abuse: In order to fight and defeat this enemy, it is necessary to wage a new all-out offensive," Nixon declared in 1971.

Two years later, as Watergate closed in, Tricky Dick declared "all-out global war on the drug menace" and created the Drug Enforcement Administration.

The U.S. government has been fighting the "War on Drugs" for 42 years, longer than the "Thirty Years War" that ravaged Europe in the 17th century. What is there to show for it? Ruined lives, full jails and cash to the drug cartels.

"The global war on drugs has failed, with devastating consequences for individuals and societies around the world," the Global Commission on Drug Policy wrote 17 months ago. The panel included ex-Secretary of State George Shultz, Virgin Atlantic founder Richard Branson and ex-UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.

"Vast expenditures on criminalization and repressive measures directed at producers, traffickers and consumers of illegal drugs have clearly failed to curtail supply or consumption," the panel added.

What a war.

In the United States, approximately 700,000 marijuana-related arrests are made every year. The vast majority -- just under 90 percent -- involve nothing more than mere possession of small amounts of marijuana.

Our jails hold an estimated 100,000 Americans charged with one or another marijuana offense. The direct expenditures of the "war:" $10-15 billion a year.

Yet 100 million Americans -- including Barack Obama, part of a dope-smoking "Choom Gang" in high school -- have smoked the forbidden weed.

The march of folly has not yet ended.

Big time news. The march of folly will never end. Fighting folly is like fighting stupidity (see the lead image atop the right-hand sidebar). Folly wins. Stupidity wins. (But less so, in Seattle.)

Read the entire online report.*

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* As a bonus, the story leads with a most memorable photo. So what more could you ask?

RAMSEY - Is the Flaherty rental as crowded as the commuter rail platform?

This Strib photo. This accompanying report. Flatherty's thing in the pic background, with its big rent-now banner atop the thing.

Is Ramsey's payment schedule from Flaherty being met? Can any reader knowing the answer post it, in a comment?

Strib's report stated:

Some of the most notable recent developments on the railway to Minneapolis are in Fridley, Big Lake, Elk River and Ramsey, where the newest $13 million station opened last November.

The Ramsey station is connected to a 230-unit upscale apartment complex that is more than half open. Residents can walk under cover through an attached parking ramp and skyway to the station in the city’s developing downtown, nicknamed COR.

Also under construction is a 50-townhome affordable housing project about half a mile north of the station, said Tim Gladhill, development services manager for Ramsey.

Dave and Donna Heinrich are among about 30 tenants who have leased apartments in Residence at the COR. The empty-nesters decided to jettison snow shoveling and mowing as they downsized from a four-bedroom home in Ramsey. Their one-bedroom apartment is close to their church and Donna’s job. And by rail, they can conveniently travel to Twins games at Target Field, the airport and the Mall of America, Heinrich said. He said the apartment managers gave them a $50 credit on a Go Card to ride the Northstar.

“We thought we can hop the train and go downtown. My wife wants to go to Ikea and the Mall of America,” said Heinrich, 59, who has retired from his Realtor’s job. He said he plans to ride the train to the Fridley station, not far from Redeemer Church, where he has a part-time internship while pursuing a master’s degree.

The Northstar plays a significant role in city development, especially the two new housing projects, said Ramsey Mayor Sarah Strommen. “Having a transportion option for people who are commuting is really important.”

A transportation option for both those kids on the platform.

There are the many, many we have to thank for Ramsey Town Center having turned out as it is. Half-full, the Strib report says, about the Flaherty thing. And there's the Heinrich Maneuver, to rent from Flaherty, to get to Church, to shop Mall of America, to avoid choking. Keep it in mind.

Crabgrass, growing, prospering in Wayzata.

Strib reports on the unfortunate infestation on Wayzata's "nice little town" lawn of life.

And wouldn't you know, usual problems, usual suspects:

That’s one of the big questions left to answer: the price tag. As the city continues to get feedback on the design concept, the third phase of the project will break it down into individual projects and determine cost estimates and funding. The design concept will also be presented to other lake cities and agencies such as Hennepin County.

“This is where the rubber meets the road,” City Manager Heidi Nelson told the City Council last month. “This is where all the work we’ve been doing … starts to come to life.”

"Rubber meets the road," the City Manager said. Some deserve tire tracks across the forehead for past sins, in places other than Wayzata. Rubber meeting the forehead. Waking up memories.

You want more?

The city has compiled more than 600 ideas from residents, businesses and community members since launching its ambitious 10-year lakefront improvement plan last September — part of the city’s goal to remake itself as a Twin Cities year-round destination and boost development.

On Tuesday, the project unveiled a fourth concept design to the City Council based off feedback from three concept designs drawn up last month. That fourth plan will also be presented this weekend at the annual James J. Hill Days.

“What Wayzata has said to us is, we’re a lakefront community and we haven’t really built ourselves to do that. … This is a plan that helps them do that,” said Patrick Seeb, executive director of the St. Paul Riverfront Corporation, which is facilitating the project, the Wayzata Lake Effect.

Over the last year, community members have suggested the city revitalize its lakefront with everything from a band shell to beach yoga, a microbrewery, more docks and even food barges like popular food trucks. Others suggested building a floating island for a lake concert stage or creating a city icon such as a fountain.

[...] But keeping the small town feel of the 4,000-resident suburb is also something “we keep … in mind always,” he said. “We’re not looking to turn it into a metropolitan.”

Not everyone is keen, though, on broad changes.

"Amen," shouted the choir back at the preacher who'd said sin hurts, and is as awful as Crabgrass.

“We need to do things to bring people to Wayzata,” said [resident Terri] Huml, who also owns Gianni’s Steakhouse. “Why can’t Wayzata be like a little Aspen or a little Vail Village and there’s activities year-round?”

One of the worse things about sin is some think it attractive, and that everyone should look forward to doing it.

"Your next car's suspension could generate electricity"

This link. I want a car that can cook chocolate mousse, or Belgian waffles. On its own while it is driving itself down the roade [it will not text, it will not be all the time hanging like a brain-dead geek on the telephone - instead it will be a smart car]. Probably that means waiting a few more years.

And, have you noticed dumb folks with smart phones? Apple cultists, nine times out of ten.

The tenth time, some guy who runs a services firm working the trade while driving. Or a real estate agent.

Bones.

This link.

Anoka County - With a 75th anniversary being celebrated, half or more of the judges on the District 10 bench will be dancing and making noise.

This link. 65-85% of the judges, more or less? Rooted as they are rooted.

If Beaumont's idea grew legs here, Stateside, big money would be made by telemarketers' lobbyists in DC running to Congress to put down any such citizen self-help movement...

Ars Technica, here, writing of BBC coverage of a Lee Beaumont brainstorm. Headline and opening paragraphs:

Cold call victim forces telemarketers to pay him by using premium number -- "I want cold calls," says man previously annoyed by telemarketers.

by Jon Brodkin - Aug 29, 2013 3:29 pm

A British man fed up with cold calls from telemarketers set up a premium phone number in November 2011 and has made £300 by accepting calls and keeping the annoying marketers on the line as long as possible.

Lee Beaumont, who works at home in Leeds, UK, was getting calls at all times of the day. "I thought there must be a way to make money off these phone calls," he told the BBC. He searched on Google and found a small company that charged him £10 (about $15.50) to set up an 0871 line (equivalent to a 900 line in the US), which forces people who call him to pay 10p per minute. Of that, he receives 7p (about 10.9¢).

The BBC has an article and radio segment on Beaumont here. He now gives out his 0871 line to any business that might cold call him, while giving friends and family a different number. The BBC writes:

Because he works from home, Mr Beaumont has been able to increase his revenue by keeping cold callers talking—asking for more details about their services.

He admitted the scheme had changed his attitude, saying: "I want cold calls," and that he had moved on to encouraging companies to make contact.

After a recent problem with his online shopping, he declined to call an 0845 number but posted his number on Twitter in the knowledge that the number could be picked up by marketing companies.

[BBC link in Ars original] Arguably it beats shouting obscenities at a taped message where you broke off something that mattered for a phone call that you thought might matter. But it takes a level of discipline I will avoid. YOU do it, however, to help me and others to kill off that monstrosity. Consider it as a public service volunteer effort. YOU do the fight. I will hold your coat [paying any phone fee, however, goes beyond coat holding].

Finally, the reporting makes one appreciate our founding fathers. They successfully revolted against people who have lived on their island and produced Shakespeare, Chaucer, Newton and Dirac, as well as thinkers such as Lee Beaumont. That rebellion took special political acumen, which now, unfortunately, is largely concentrated in DC on K Street in the most counterproductive ways.

_____________UPDATE______________
A comment was left (you can review it), by another blogger, posting here, and concerned about nuisance telemarketing, in particular political phone spam, with the blog titled, "Stop Political Phone Calls."