Thursday, October 15th, 2009 at 4:07 pm | By: Radical Russ
It looks like it is a “go” for me to appear at the Drug Policy Alliance’s International Drug Policy Reform Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It runs from Thursday, Nov. 12 through Saturday, Nov. 14, and my panel on “Marijuana’s Cultural Moment” takes place on Friday afternoon.
I still have yet to work out all the details. I’d love to set up a road trip where I give my presentations at stops along the way. I think a Boise – Salt Lake – Denver – Albuquerque – Vegas – Reno – Medford trip sounds like a lot of fun, and there are few NORML chapters along the way that could help with the organization. Would be a lot of fun… much more than flying again!
From Showtime’s “Weeds” to the cover of Fortune magazine, marijuana is being normalized and embraced by mainstream culture as never before. It is also an intimate part of various subcultures, artist communities, and political movements. Marijuana’s legitimacy is booming – but so are prohibitionist policies. Why is there such a schism in our society? What does American marijuana culture look like today? Where does pot culture meet pop culture? Who benefits from marijuana’s growing mainstream acceptance?
Facilitator: Russ Belville, National Outreach Coordinator, National Organization for Reform of Marijuana Laws
* Allen St. Pierre, Executive Director, National Organization for Reform of Marijuana Laws
* Deborah Small, Founder and Executive Director, Breaks the Chains, New York, NY
* Steve Bloom (invited)
* Ruben Whitmore (invited)
Tuesday, September 29th, 2009 at 11:55 am | By: Radical Russ
I love that you guys love the Stash so much that you go through withdrawals when I cannot produce them daily. I’ve received a few emails and seen some comments to the tune of “you need more help” and “why can’t you get someone to do the Stash while you’re out of the studio”?
Really, they warm my heart, even if a couple of you get a bit demanding for your free podcast. (You know other radio hosts require subscriptions as high at $5.95/month, right?) It lets me know how important this part of my outreach work is. For example, I got an email from “CMoney” who was bummed that I haven’t had many daily episodes lately and that he couldn’t catch the live shows from the conference and Boston. Then he discovered that when he misses NORML SHOW LIVE, he doesn’t really miss it, because there is a podcast feed available through iTunes. To date there have been 12,000+ downloads of our live feed.
More help is coming. As we raise revenue through advertising, I will be able to bring on my LIVE co-host, Karri, to help handle some of the secretarial work of NORML Outreach to free me up for more online media work. Please be patient and understand that we work entirely through donations and NORML’s budget is pretty tight. Also understand that as a non-profit public advocacy organization, we can’t offer competitive salaries to acquire the talent necessary to pull off some of the stuff I’m doing; my skills would garner me twice to thrice what I’m paid now in the commercial radio / podcasting world.
I do it out of love and duty and dedication to the cause of ending adult marijuana prohibition. I’ve made more money before but I had to be miserable to do it. Money’s tight for your house-renting, 11-year-old-beater-car-driving podcast producer, but smiles are plentiful.
Monday, September 28th, 2009 at 9:05 pm | By: Radical Russ
The last thing "Radical" Russ ever did...
That’s Toby “Tigerheart” Grear, 155 lb. mixed martial arts champion and me backstage on the Boston Common at the Freedom Rally September 19. I wrote in my previous post that I was back from the NORML CON, but really, I’m back from Boston Freedom Rally, two days of working in DC and crashing at Keith Stroup’s guest bedroom, and five days of San Francisco NORML Conference.
Plenty of photos are now uploaded and face-tagged at http://picasaweb.google.com/radicalruss. It’s been good not to talk for a day. Heading over to Urb’s place to watch the DVR of my #5 Boise State Broncos (Go Big Blue!)… Holy shit, did I read that right? #5!?! What a mensch to record my college’s game while I’m on the road?
Tomorrow, Fresh Stash with highlights from Boston and San Francisco. Plenty of budly nugs of audio for your listening pleasure over the next two days. Then Thursday I’m back in the air (ugh) to Madison for the Harvest Fest, so no Stash, and off to Lambeau Field on Friday, so no Stash then, either. But on Saturday you get live audio from Madison at a time to be announced with the benefit of me figuring out some of the audio difficulties.
Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009 at 8:10 am | By: Radical Russ
Any budding activists (pun intended) who would like to meet up to discuss forming NORML Chapters around N. Virginia, Washington DC, Maryland, and Delaware can meet with me tonight in the business center at the Best Western Dulles Airport at 8pm. It is located at 45440 Holiday Drive, Sterling, VA 20166-9411. Sorry about the late notice and the strange location, but it is the only time and place I can possibly meet people before flying out to San Francisco.
If you’ll RSVP me either by comments here or a tweet to @RadicalRuss or a txt to 888-7RADICAL before 4pm Eastern, I’ll grab you a retro NORML t-shirt just for showing up (yes… it’s a bribe! ) – just tell me your size.
Monday, September 21st, 2009 at 8:55 pm | By: Radical Russ
Show 004: Three special episodes live from NORML National Conference!
NORML’s new talk radio program, NORML SHOW LIVE, will be streaming for three days at the 2009 NORML National Conference, “Yes We Cannabis”, live from the Grand Hyatt Hotel in San Francisco. These special three-hour episodes will be available at live.norml.org at the following special times and archived for download later just fifteen minutes after broadcast:
Thursday, September 24
11:00am – 2:00pm Pacific Time
Friday, September 25
11:00am – 2:00pm Pacific Time
Saturday, September 26
3:00pm – 6:00pm Pacific Time
The show will be hosted by “Radical” Russ Belville, but with very limited commercial interruption and the occasional narration. After the shows broadcast remotely in the difficult wireless environment of Portland’s Kelley Point Park and the noisy backstage of the Boston Freedom Rally, Russ is excited to present an indoor event that will take its audio directly from the conference PA system.
Thursday, September 17th, 2009 at 8:50 pm | By: Radical Russ
I don’t mean to keep leading you on, really. I was all packed and ready to go with a podcast recording tonight. Just one last task – to create the photo wall backdrop for our NORML Conference media room. Had to be turned in tonight, so fix that up real quick…
…and of course, this would be the time my computer goes on the fritz. The studio PC, that is, which is the only machine where I have my Adobe CS3 software that includes Illustrator for making that huge 8′ x 10′ graphic. So I troubleshoot and fix the problem and get the machine booted up and build the graphic and FTP it off to San Francisco. Great. Now just sync up my BlackBerry one last time before I record the show…
…and of course, the BlackBerry Desktop Manager picks this time to crash in the middle of a sync operation, wiping out the data in my BlackBerry address book. This requires a reinstall of the program and moving my Outlook file back to its previous location. Now that’s fixed and my BlackBerry is back…
…which leaves me just enough time to schedule a NORML SHOW LIVE test so that Karri and I can practice her call screening in Astoria while I’m on the road, and then maybe get six hours of sleep before catching the 7:30am flight from PDX to Logan, during which I’ll go through my over 1,200 unread emails from the past two weeks.
But I will have to set up NORML SHOW LIVE in my hotel room in Cambridge, so that will allow me to record a podcast tomorrow for a Boston Freedom Rally preview. I’ll get some of the MassCann guys on the show to tell you all about it. Plenty of tweets, pics, and vids will show up all these next few days, so watch the sidebar.
Monday, September 14th, 2009 at 8:19 pm | By: Radical Russ
I’m sorry, Stashers, there is just too much on my plate to produce today’s podcast. NORML CON and four straight weeks of being on the road are coming soon and I have speeches and presentations to update with the new 2008 NSDUH / FBI UCR numbers (thanks, gub’mint!), a Chapter Handbook to put together, a 5′x8′ photo banner to design, audio from the first two NORML SHOW LIVE episodes to remix, re-upload, and cut up for advertiser packets, audio and video from Hempstalk to edit, and literally over 1,000 unread emails to deal with. On top of that, I think I’m coming down with something (maybe it’s just exhaustion – two sixteen hour days at Hempstalk and the stress of an idol’s heart attack can do that to you). I’m also going to beg off of tomorrow’s podcast so I can try to get back on top of things before I fly out to Boston on Friday for the Freedom Rally. I hope to be ready to podcast by Wednesday, but if these items require it, I may have to just take off the whole week.
I’ll peek in occasionally on the Fresh Stash and if something huge happens I’ll post. If front-pagers wanted to pick an opportune time to write something, this week would be the time.
On the bright side, my Broncos are 2-0 after a 48-0 shellacking of Miami (OH) and my Packers are 1-0 after a fantastic performance by Mr. Rodgers and the Green Bay secondary.
Saturday, August 29th, 2009 at 9:25 pm | By: Radical Russ
For those of you who donated so graciously to NORML SHOW LIVE, please use this PayPal button to send in your pledges. I finished 25 wings, but you’re only on the hook for 20 (you can pay for all 25 if you like, though!)
If you prefer a check in the mail, send it to Russ Belville %NORML SHOW LIVE, 4110 SE Hawthorne Blvd #161, Portland, OR 97214
bullbog: Hawkeyes you had a good run...this toke is for you.
Track Snack: Mornin Stashers! Tokin on the Mean Green Martian for breakfast.
MrSpof: Maybe Dr Mitch could comment on the efficacy of reasonable amount of weed like that consumed (smoked) quickly mitigating migraine effects. I know the lowering of blood pressure would be [...]
MrSpof: Had the onset of a migraine yesterday. Immediately took 8 , moist cool washcloth on eyes, heating pad on neck and upper back, turned off lights. Migraine gone in [...]
MrSpof: As you personal non-accredited doctor, I advise the rest of you to smoke/vape/eat heavily
slash5city: frickazee'd.... Mr. Spof, thank you very much
MrSpof: Risen and roasted How the hell are you?
RevRayGreen: always Fidget......always.
Adam: Maybe in WA, judges are starting to think about the true cost of a Drug charge...
Adam: Tim Lincecum, pitcher for the San Francisco Giants will pea to a paraphernalia charge/ Possession charges DROPPED
Adam: Add some cottage cheese to your pancake batter, replace the maple with a fruit syrup! f-ing killer, YES I was stoned...
Fidget Truittelli: Good morning from beautiful Arizona! I hope you all have a happy, fun day. Remember to 'pay-it' forward. Do something nice for someone.
BenJaMin: Go NORML!!!
BenJaMin: Russ Is Tha BEst! :smokin:
SneakerPimp: oh there it is thanx russ
SneakerPimp: so whats up with today stash?
RevRayGreen: Barney Frank Present When Partner Arrested for pot-- http://bit.ly/1XpM2R
RevRayGreen: KMK 11/17/09 VAL AIR ballroom DSM
bullbog: that's crazy. I had a NORML black t-shirt on. It was hell of a show
RevRayGreen: dude I was probably 4-5 seats from you then
bullbog: 4th row center. I wish I was closer.
RevRayGreen: were in in the orchestra pit 4th row? or 4th row center, that's where I was bu slightly to the right
RevRayGreen: our show ______v'''''''
RevRayGreen: catch our chow tomorrow online Carl'sCannabis Corner
www.macswordlive.com 12-2 PM you can go there now and find archived shows
"Truth In Trials Act" Reintroduced In Congress; Maine: Voters Approve Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Measure; Colorado: Breckenridge Voters Overwhelmingly Decide To End Pot Penalties. […]
Maine: Voters To Decide Next Week On Medical Marijuana Expansion Measure; Colorado: Breckenridge Voters To Decide Next Week On Eliminating Pot Penalties; California: Lawmakers Hold Historic Hearing On Marijuana Legalization; New Hampshire: Senate Fails To Override Medical Marijuana Veto. […]
Gallup: Majority Of West Coast Voters Back Marijuana Legalization; Pot Arrests Responsible For Majority Of Marijuana Treatment Referrals; DOJ To Federal Prosecutors: Do Not Focus Resources On Medical Marijuana. […]
Some of the nation’s top athletes discuss why today's pros are turning to cannabis — and away from alcohol and painkillers — off the field, and question why pro sports leagues are continuing to sanction those who do. Moderator: Steve Bloom, Author, Pot Culture; editor, celebstoner.com * Toby Grear, MMA fighter * Sean Neumann, Documentary Filmm […]
Cannabis Law Reform's Missing Link: Law Enforcement Former Seattle Police Chief Norm Stamper; LEAP and NORML Advisory Board; Author of Breaking Rank Putting the Mexican Cartels Out of Business Mexican drug cartels now employ over 100,000 soldiers and are responsible for nearly ten thousand deaths per year. Their largest source of income is marijuana. […]
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Topics: "Radical" Russ Belville, Buffalo Wings, El Jefe Hot Wings
frickazee'd.... Mr. Spof, thank you very much
and roasted 
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RevRayGreen: that blows B-dog…….
bullbog: Hawkeyes you had a good run…this toke is for you.
Track Snack: Mornin Stashers! Tokin on the Mean Green Martian for breakfast. 
MrSpof: Maybe Dr Mitch could comment on the efficacy of reasonable amount of weed like that consumed (smoked) quickly...
Radical Russ: America and New Zealand are the only countries where pharmaceutical ads are allowed. Studies show that...
High East: I agree. We over legislate just about everything in our culture.
fallibilist: I think Brian in Iowa City is off-base. If Pfizer wants to advertise Viagra on TV, what’s the...
l preston: I will stop smoking pot when I can grow prozac in my backyard.
NORML Weekly News
Boise State Broncos (Go Big Blue!)… 
on Friday, so no Stash then, either. But on Saturday you get live audio from Madison at a time to be announced with the benefit of me figuring out some of the audio difficulties.
) – just tell me your size.
Packers are 1-0 after a fantastic performance by Mr. Rodgers and the Green Bay secondary.
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