The basement project

I’m turning my basement into a fortress.  The cement block wall has been painted with a special paint that seals it from the inside out.  I also put a special two part epoxy on the floor. It is nearly indestructible and it has the cool new flecks that match the wall rather well.  After that was finished we scrubbed the ceiling with hard bristle brushes. The ceiling is made up of a several very large beams that are made of local hardwood. Some are maple and some are oak, but they are all now completely gunk free and hopefully they will stay that way. In case you don’t understand, this “gunk” I described was composed of a range of things from simple dust to paint to grease dating back I’m sure at least one hundred years. Not only are they gunk free but we decided to spray an anti mold spray that is completely organic. Now we’re going to try to de-tangle the electrical system. Most of it is new and ok, but there are a few that look like the paper covered kind and I want it gone if it’s not up to par. Next after that will be to fabricate and install steel shutters on the windows and to cement the door frame into place.

The reason for the big cleanup has a lot to do with the medical marijuana law that was recently passed. My brother and I got a phone number from a friend of a friend of a Dr. in Howell that was real sympathetic to medical needs of the average Joe. You know Mr. every man.  Long story short me my brother and my mother all have the legal right to buy, sell and grow our own marijuana. We figured it was about time we started supporting our own needs. We have also become members of the local compassion club which is a place you can go to buy and sell up to two and a half ounces at a time.  You can also buy a variety of clones so you can start your own garden. As soon as the basement is clean I intend to do exactly that. Most of the stuff that is going around is good but not as good as it could be. I hope to be one of the few who will start the proverbial slow but persistent clap for better medication.  None of my friends have taken the time to see that Dr. and now he’s out of business so there completely discouraged. I told them that there were other Dr.’s that were even closer like in Otisville but they didn’t want to hear it. They just wanted me to get them some. i said no, I took the time and paid my money, so because I got off my ass, I’m legal and I’ll be dammed if I’m going to risk that so I can sell a bag. I never wanted to be a drug dealer, legal or otherwise.

The plan behind the basement project

just to give you alittle more info on the subject, every patient is legally allowed to grow up to twelve plants and a caregiver is allowed to grow for no more than five people this translates out to be seventy two plants. After everything is set up we will have enough room to grow somewhere north of sixty plants. If it’s done right I can yield up to a  half pound per plant and harvest six or eight plants every couple of weeks. Depending on the quality you can sell a pound for three to four thousand dollars. Each plant costs around $100 to grow but that is over time and considering the cycle the first few are the only ones we will have to really pay for and that’s only if you factor in the price of the light which will pay for themselves well within the first full cycle. These are temporary prices, I am very aware of the fact that the bottom is going to fall out of this one way or another but for now there isn’t enough to go around and the club is getting more and more crowded with buyers and the growers are starting to just pass out there numbers to a select few who will become steady buyers. They don’t come to the club; they go directly to the person’s house. I hope to do the same. If i have someone at the club do all the dealing and I do all the growing I think things will turn out great. The club is also a good place to sell my kif boxes. I already have a back order of over one hundred custom boxes which is also turning out to be really lucrative. I only brought in a few at first and now people are just lining up, I don’t even have to bring a sample anymore. People just know me as the guy with the cool box's

Also as far as the basement goes, I can’t wait to see what happens in the next year. We are hoping to get a new roof and maybe fix a few other things that are falling apart.  One day in the not so distant future I was sorta kicking around the idea of maybe buying the house from my mother  and if this garden helps to make that possible than that would suit me just fine. Just the thought of mary-jane being in anyway responsible for the boundless fortune that I will inevitably accrue makes me feel like old man Kennedy and the fortune he made off of bootlegging. I wonder if my kids could run the county one day.

The End of The Begining

We find our heros right where we left them, neck deep as usual, how will they ever make it out unscathed?

Having just won a major battle, the war was far from over. The Trowt boys still had to announce there departure to the club’s uncompassionate board and their reaction was expected to be less than favorable. Knowing that they didn’t actually do any work on the paper wouldn’t detour these money hungry misers from considering this move as nothing short of treason. The dynamic duo pondered there predicament for a few days before setting up the meet. The best approach the two could come up with was to let the board know that in no uncertain terms they were ceasing control and that they  would love to keep receiving monetary support but the paper  will no longer need there approval.

After hearing the extent of these plans the board members reacted in a number of ways. One laughed at them, one broke into tears claiming some sort of financial deceit , another was silent with obvious anger, but the last acted calm cool and collected, nothing short of professional. One could assume that this is the reason why he is the leader. He asked question after question until he had exhausted all avenues of possibility. Finally he told the young men that while there departure would pain him greatly he has no hard feelings and hopes the best for them.  

Bravely and boldly our heroes step out alone to face the harsh world and while their path remains unclear, the Trowt boys now at least sit behind the wheel.   

The Begining of The End

               Eric arouse in the morning to the sound of his brothers voice reminding him of the big meeting that day. Yes it was true the culmination of months of work now all hinged on one meeting. As he yawned and scratched his head he could hear his brothers vomit colliding with the empty toilet bowl just down the hall. While he handles his stress in a different way, Eric was not immune to the pressures that now threatened his carefully constructed plans. This story really starts a few months ago when Eric and his brother were sitting at their club, conversing with two other patients. Through the course of their conversation it suddenly occurred to both of them that the club was in need of a news letter. The initial idea was just to inform members of all that transpires within the club. All too quickly the brothers found themselves gushing to write more than just puff pieces on club volunteers or phony letters to the editor pleading for increased donations. This combined with a complete lack of resources pushed them to pursue other options. Soon there business plan was laid out and in motion. Many of the previous volunteers were more than willing to offer their services with the production of the new paper, but Eric and his brother were overwhelmed with a flood of positive feedback that came from new people that were just interested in helping out in any way they could.

The first order of business was to hold a meeting to establish a new moniker, appoint volunteers to their respective positions, and to develop an overall mission statement.  The brothers informed the interested parties of the meeting and its location in the back of the Good Beans Café. All individuals who were invited were present except one and after a unanimous vote he was later hunted down and killed. The rest of the meeting went off without a hitch and the resulting consensus came to be known as the Genesee County Chronicle, the voice of the people.

At first glance it looks like the dasterdly deed has been tworted but will things actually work out for our heroes?
Tune in next time for another thrilling installment of blogs entries without proper endings. que sweet sound effects.

Hydro Kareless

    

I happened to find my way into the Hydro Kare grow shop this week and wasn’t sure what to make of it. It’s a discreet trailer-like structure located just west of Best Buy on Miller Rd. While this shop is smaller than most of the others I’ve been to, the clear echo and lack of merchandise gives you a rather open and breezy feel.  Free from the constraints of what one would call a normal or profitable business, Hydro Kare allows the customer to browse without the burden of products or information; instead one is left in an almost empty room to come to their own conclusions… I’m guessing in some sort of spiritual way.  I really tried searching for something new and semi-interesting, but to no avail. Usually when I go into one of these places, there’s at least one product that sets it apart from others, but here there was nothing; same dirt, same lights, same buckets, same price. At this point I started to wonder why this place was open.  I didn’t even hear so much as a “Hello” from the two behind the counter. Finally I made my way forward to make my introduction and to see what was in the display case. The owner was reluctant to respond with any more than a nod and his wife didn’t even look up from her book. Clearly they had some sort of aversion to the natural byproduct of business … profit.  In a small side display case there were a dozen or so glass pieces crammed in the corner as if they were trying to hide them. Upon closer inspection I found the pieces to be cheap and overpriced. Now I know why they were hidden. 

I started to head for the door when a small table caught my eye. There was a stack of magazines with a bold label that read Rose Bud, and featured Jack Nickelson on the cover. I ended up standing there for almost an hour reading and wasn’t ever bothered. It had a great article about new cameras that helped me figure out which kind I should buy for reporting. By the time I left, I felt as though I had really found some quality information that I’m not sure I would have gotten otherwise. Overall, I would have to say that this place is lacking in almost every way a business shouldn’t.   If you asked me, I certainly would not shop there.  However, the reality is that there is a need for a hydroponics store in that area, and as inadequate as it is, Hydro Kare is better than nothing.  Undoubtedly, if for some reason I ended up living in that area and needed something simple they would unfortunately be the obvious choice.  By the way, I think I am going to buy the new Canon Rebel T1i camera.  It’s a 15 mega pixel cam with interchangeable lens, an official apache style strap and “a compass in the stock.”   

 

Above and beyond

I took a trip to Lennon this week on assignment to check out two guys and a grow shop. I was there officially to take pictures for an ad they are running in The Chronicle, but since I’d never been there, I took time to really look over what they had. I was surprised to find that they have really taken things to next level. From the outside, I got the impression that there wasn’t much there, but once inside. The extent of how badly I was mistaken set in under a luminous spectrum of superior growing technology. While sweeping the store for the best camera angle I was impressed to see how neatly they kept their truly massive stock. Wheelchair accessible isles allowed for some very inclusive wide angle shots of the merchandise. Still skeptical, I decided to question the mild mannered misanthrope behind the counter about his wares. He presented such a clear and concise understanding of his craft that I was, for the first time ever, literally left without speech.  He was truly a master of his realm.  Dazed I stumbled into what I thought was a dark room for people to collect themselves after such a righteous experience. Clearly I was in the presence of greatness, but with a flip of a motion sensitive light I was confronted yet again with sites never before conceived by the feeble mind of man. It was their very own dirt room with more medium varieties than anyone else around. I must have blacked out after that because I woke up later in my bed. You may think it all a dream but in my pocket was a small card that not only proves the existence of this Shangri-La but also reveals its exact location. I’m putting together a second expedition in November, contact me for details.
Pic's will be in soon

Monsanto: friend or foe?

                Monsanto is a gigantic seed producing conglomerate that is constantly under public scrutiny. While they’re not actually doing anything illegal but they are, because of their size, taking extreme advantage of the market. This is a clear cut example of a company that needs to be reined in. Like Wal-Mart and McDonalds, Monsanto has been getting a lot of negative feedback for doing good business. While their business tactics are technically legal, the sheer size of this corporation threatens to control the entire market, which puts small mom and pop operations into a very uncomfortable position.  Monsanto has for years been producing genetically engineered seeds for the agricultural community that dramatically increase the yield of their crops. Because Monsanto owns all the genotypes they produce, they make the farmer either adhere to strict growing guidelines or sell them a special seed which grows once and doesn’t produce a viable seed for the next crop. Either way, due to the carful and quiet destruction of pure stains, the little guy gets roped in to an endless cycle of needless seed procurement. This attitude raised a definite eyebrow in the medical marijuana community when, as soon as the proposition 19 initiative to legalize marijuana in the state of California was put on the ballot for November, Monsanto bought several hundred acres in the northern part of the state earmarked for just that purpose. It has been rumored that Monsanto has produced special stains of so called “Terminator” seeds that spread their non- pollinating trait like a disease to other crops, making them sterile forever after.  I’m not just talking about one kind of pot sterilizing another, I’m saying there tomatoes will sterilize your corn and everything else in your garden. If these things are even partially true, then the effects of these allegations may have a much father reach than the medical marijuana community. Conspiracy theorists predict that Monsanto and corporations like it will eventually control the entire global food supply. With allegations like these it’s not hard to see what’s freaking people out.

Im just scratching the surface on this one
I will be writting more soon

Dave's not here

As a reporter and editor for the G3C, I am updated regularly   on all the fingers the club has extended into the community as well as their corresponding pies. Perhaps the biggest wedge of our donations is earmarked for the David Leyton campaign.  Hopeful that we were witnessing the rise of greatness, we have remained loyal contributors, but, at this late hour, it has become painfully apparent that Leyton, as strong as he is, isn’t likely to win. Upon closer inspection, it seems that while Leyton is passionate about the issues, he’s really not getting his name out there. At a recent fundraiser Leyton was asked about the obvious lack of billboard ads, posters, and fliers promoting his campaign. He responded by saying it was his opinion that this race was going to be won with television and internet promotions, and his camp was focusing their resources there. To outside observers, this could be construed as a bold and innovative move toward our paperless future, but they would also have to agree that his game had better be all he says it is. In this case, I’m sorry to say it isn’t. First of all, there hasn’t been any TV coverage of Leyton like he promised, and his opponent Billy Bong Schuette, having deeper pockets, has had a much broader stroke.  In addition to well prepared internet and TV ads, he’s invested in bill boards, posters, fliers, and the radio. He’s even gone so far as to get himself into the news a number of times for illegally invading clubs similar to ours and imprisoning medical patients without cause.  A lot of people think this was in direct response to David Leyton’s aid in the apprehension of a known serial killer. That idea makes sense to me, knowing how Schuette seems to operate. It doesn’t make sense however that Dave isn’t using the serial killer arrest to his advantage. Why isn’t his team promoting him more? I really want to believe that he is with us, but lately it’s starting to look more and more as if Dave’s not in the race. Really, where’s Dave going to be once the election dust settles?  More than likely he’ll go back to his old gig under the direction of Bill Schuette, and will have to continue prosecuting marijuana users, legal or otherwise.

Sam's take

After coming to my startling realization about David Layton, I decided to sit down with Sam, a 25 year old UofM student from Lapeer, whom I met while spreading the word. Aside from being a cardholder, I felt it especially important to note that he is not a member of the G3C. I was hoping to gain some insight or perspective on our movement that might not otherwise be discussed at the club. Despite his hesitation to join our club, Sam has been a movement supporter since before the law was passed. For obvious reasons, he has asked me not to include his last name.

Eric:  Considering that you’ve been a supporter of the movement since before the law was passed, how do you feel about the way things have changed in recent years?

Sam: I’m glad to see the social stigmas associated with marijuana are starting to disappear.  People are much more informed than they used to be which allows for a much higher degree of common understanding.  As a result, slanted terms like stoner or burnout are starting to fade away.

Eric: What do you think of David Layton and the campaign he’s running?

Sam: My friends and I know who he is and are going to vote for him, but that’s only because of what is on the line this year. Most people don’t know who’s running and don’t care. I’m not sure I can blame them; it is only the attorney general.

 Eric: How do you see the upcoming election affecting the movement?

Sam: Honestly, I’m not really sure what one thing has to do with the other. I see the movement progressing either way. The election is just a formality; it really doesn’t change anything. I medicated before I was legal and I’ll go back to it if need be. Schuette is just a minor bump in the road. In the end I am confident that we will get what we want and what Michigan voted for.

After meeting with Sam, I’m left with a bigger and more hopeful image for the future. It’s nice to occasionally step out of focus to gain perspective, yet I can’t help wondering if the election will have as little influence as Sam suggests.