AG Holder says, "No More Medical Marijuana Raids"

Speaking at a press conference with DEA administrator Michelle Leonhart, Attorney General Eric Holder declared that ending medical marijuana raids "is now American policy."

A reporter asked, "shortly after the inauguration there were raids on California
medical marijuana dispensaries...do you expect these to continue?", noting that the President had promised to end the raids in the campaign.

Holder responded, "What the President said during the campaign...is consistent with what we will be doing here in law enforcement. He was my boss in the campaign....He is my boss now. What he said in the campaign is now American policy." !!!

The question appears about 25 minutes into the press conference, which was devoted to an operation against the Mexican Sinaloa drug cartel.

WATCH IT HERE

MEDIA ADVISORY
Americans for Safe Access
For Immediate Release: February 26th 2009
Contact: ASA Communications Specialist Kris Hermes (510) 325-9574

Medical Marijuana Patients React to New "American Policy" -
Media conference call Thursday, February 26, 12:00 PM to feature medical
marijuana dispensary operators targeted by DEA raids

Washington, D.C. - Speaking at a press conference on Feb 25 with DEA
Administrator Michele Leonhart, and reiterating a position made by the White
House following DEA raids in California on February 4, U.S. Attorney General
Eric Holder told reporters that ending federal raids on medical marijuana
dispensaries "is now American policy." The Attorney General's comments are
the latest sign of a sea change in federal policy that prohibits the use of
medical cannabis in the thirteen states that have enacted such laws.

What: Media conference call in response to U.S. Attorney
General Eric Holder statements on ending DEA raids on medical marijuana
dispensaries "now American policy"
When: Thursday, February 26, 2009 @ 12:00 PM Pacific (PST)
Where: Conference Call # - (800) 762-6558
Who: Medical marijuana patients and dispensary operators who
were targeted in DEA raids, and ASA Executive Director Steph Sherer.

In response to a reporter's questions about DEA raids at medical marijuana
facilities in California, Holder said, "What the President said during the
campaign... is now American policy."

72 million Americans live in states where medical cannabis is legal, but
federal law prohibits its use under any circumstances. More than 100
Americans are currently facing prosecution, sentencing, or serving time in
prison for medical cannabis offense right now. ASA hopes the emerging change
in federal policy will signal an end to prosecutions and bring those already
serving time for medical cannabis offenses home to their families.

"There has been a lot of collateral damage in the federal campaign against
medical cannabis patients," said Steph Sherer, Executive Director of
Americans for Safe Access, the nation's largest medical cannabis advocacy
organization. "We need to stop the prosecutions, bring the prisoners home,
and begin working to eliminate the conflict between state and federal
medical marijuana laws."

ASA has provided recommendations for a new national medical cannabis policy
to President Obama and the 111th Congress earlier this year.

Participant Bios:

Steph Sherer is a medical cannabis patient who founded Americans for Safe
Access (ASA), the largest national member-based organization of patients,
medical professionals, scientists and concerned citizens promoting safe and
legal access to cannabis for therapeutic use and research in 2002.

Larry Epstein operates a legal medical cannabis dispensing collective in
Marina del Rey, CA, that was raided by the Drug Enforcement Administration
(DEA) on February 4, despite President Obama's statements on the campaign
trail indicating a change in federal policy.

Heather Poet operates a medical cannabis dispensing collective in Santa
Barbara, CA. The DEA has pressured her landlord to evict the collective
using threats of prosecution and civil asset forfeiture. Her case prompted
US Representative Lois Capps (D-CA) to ask Attorney General Eric Holder to
stop any and all prosecutions of property owners on February 16.

Charles C. Lynch was convicted in August 2008 of operating a medical
cannabis dispensing collective in Morro Bay, CA. Like all federal medical
cannabis defendants, he was not allowed to present evidence about medical
cannabis or the fact that he was obeying state law at his trial. He faces
decades in prison at his sentencing on March 23.

For more information:
Policy Recommendations to President Obama:
www.AmericansForSafeAccess.org/PresidentialRecommendations
Congresswoman Lois Capps Letter to Attorney General Eric Holder:
www.AmericansForSafeAccess.org/CappsLetter

Kathryn Johnston Killers Get Light Sentences

Cops who murdered 92-year-old Kathryn Johnston in botched drug raid get light sentences

By Bill Rankin

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

A federal judge who sent three fallen cops to prison for a notorious drug raid that left an elderly woman dead said Tuesday that Atlanta Police Department performance quotas influenced the officers’ behavior.

“It is my fervent hope the Atlanta Police Department will take to heart what has happened here,” U.S. District Judge Julie Carnes said. At the close of an emotional two-day hearing, Carnes sentenced former officers Gregg Junnier, Jason R. Smith and Arthur Bruce Tesler to between five and 10 years in prison.

At the hearing, Tesler’s lawyer provided examples of other Atlanta police officers who broke the rules or violated the law and said a disturbing culture of misconduct pervades the force.

Carnes imposed the most severe sentence —- 10 years —- on Smith, 36, who obtained the illegal, no-knock search warrant allowing officers to batter down 92-year-old Kathryn Johnston’s door.

A terrified Johnston, thinking she was victimized by a home invasion, fired a warning shot through the door. Narcotics officers responded with a hail of gunfire, killing her.

READ THE REST

This case shows how the drug war invites corruption and is an incentive for cops to lie in order to get warrants and how there is a different standard of punishment if a cop kills an innocent person than if a regular person kills an innocent person. I'm really surprised that they got any time at all. Usually they don't. But it isn't enough. They should spend the rest of their sorry, despicable lives behind bars. Too bad they are getting sent to club fed. They should have to do state time at say Holman down in South Alabama.

Compassionate Care Meeting Saturday, Action Day Tuesday

Hi Everyone,

We are having our Compassionate Care Meeting this Saturday Feb 28 from 1-4 pm at the Prince Hall Masonic Lodge located at 4th Ave. N and 17th St. in Downtown Birmingham (Second floor...use the elevator). This meeting is CRITICAL because on the following Tuesday March 3 we are all going down to the state house for Action Day in the legislature. I need y'all to find as many people as humanly possible to be at this meeting and to attend on Tuesday.

At Saturday's meeting we will set the agenda for Tuesday. We will divide off into groups, each group will have a leader and a schedule of meetings with six members of the judiciary committee and meetings with each person's elected representative. We will provide breakfast and lunch for the day in Montgomery and of course there will be munchies at Saturday's meeting. I also have the STOP ARRESTING PATIENTS shirts for the patients and maybe a few left over for others.

I need to know as soon as possible if you plan to be at the meeting on Saturday and the action day on tuesday and how many people you are bringing with you. I also need to know if anyone needs a ride on Tuesday. Laura, a family member of a cancer patient who recently passed will be coming from BHAM and has said some can ride with her as long as they don't smoke or wear perfume (bad allergies). Christie O'Brien may also have some room and the Libertarian crew might also have a few seats available in their caravan. We'll discuss all of the logistics at Saturday's meeting.

See you on Saturday. Pass this along to everyone you know. We want a HUGE turnout for Tuesday. Nothing puts the fear of God in a legislator than a large group of people taking the time to show up and discuss the issues they care about.

--
Loretta Nall
Executive Director
Alabamians for Compassionate Care
251-650-2271
lorettanall@gmail.com

California Tries for Full LEGALIZATION

This is what we should be doing here.

Sacremento Bee

Ammiano Bill to Tax and Regulate Marijuana Would Raise Over $1
Billion for State

San Francisco, Feb 23 - Assemblyman Tom Ammiano (D-SF) announced the introduction of a landmark bill to tax and regulate marijuana like alcohol and tobacco at a press conference today.


The bill would save the state's taxpayers over $1 billion, according to an economic analysis by California NORML, with additional economic benefits of $12 -18 billion.
http://www.canorml.org/background/CA_legalization2.html.

"This bill is a winning proposition for California's taxpayers," says California NORML coordinator Dale Gieringer, a sponsor of the bill. "In this time of economic crisis, it makes no sense for California to be wasting money on marijuana prohibition, when we could be reaping tax benefits from a legal, regulated market
instead."

The bill would provide for licensed producers and distributors, who could sell to adults over 21. Producers would pay an excise tax of $50 per ounce, or about $1 per joint. Sales taxes would generate additional revenues, bringing total tax revenues to $1 billion. Additional economic benefits would be generated in the form
of employment, business and payroll taxes and spin-off industries, like the wine industry, amounting to some $12 - $18 billion.

Last but not least, the bill would save the state $170 million in costs for arrest, prosecution and imprisonment of marijuana offenders. The result would be to eliminate such prohibition-related problems as black market dealers and smugglers,
grow houses, and pirate gardeners on public lands.

The bill would not alter California's medical marijuana law, which allows patients, caregivers and collectives to grow medicine
for themselves.

Ammiano's bill is the first of its kind since California outlawed cannabis in 1913. Only after being prohibited did marijuana become widely popular, eventually being enjoyed by millions of Californians. Due to soaring enforcement costs, the legislature decriminalized possession of small quantities in the Moscone Act of
1975, saving the state's taxpayers $100 million per year.

However, production and distribution remained illegal, leading to continued prohibition-related enforcement costs. Last year, agents eradicated a record 5 million illegal plants, up more than tenfold in five years. Marijuana arrests jumped to 74,119 in 2007, their highest level since the Moscone Act. California has
over 1,500 inmates in state prison for marijuana offenses, ten times as many as in 1980. Marijuana is reported to account for 61% of the illicit drug traffic from Mexico, where prohibition-related violence has killed over 6,800.

"Tom Ammiano deserves credit for recognizing that legal taxation and regulation is the only solution to California's marijuana problem," says Gieringer. "Marijuana users would happily pay taxes to buy it legally." California NORML also thanks former Sen. John Vasconcellos for providing the original draft of this
legislation.

Recent polls indicate that public support for legal marijuana is growing. A new Zogby poll found 44% of American voters support taxing and regulating marijuana, with support as high as 58% in western states.

Motley Crue Concert Review

When I was 12 I persuaded my mom to buy me my first cassette tape. That tape was Motley Crue's 'Shout at the Devil'. My mom was most unhappy about my selection. She considered Motley Crue satanic and, given the pentagram on the cover of Shout, I can see how she would have thought that. But I begged and pleaded until she finally relented. She later regretted it when every inch of wall, ceiling and door space was covered in Motley Crue posters, every cent of lunch and snack money was spent on magazines like METAL, KERRANG, SPIN, ROLLING STONE and others of that nature as well as spandex, spikes, leather,hair dye, aqua net, eyeliner, tapes and concert tickets to see the Crue. Not to mention what she must have considered the ungodly noise I subjected her to when I cranked my stereo. Yep...it was all downhill from that first tape. Oh yes, I was the most passionate Crue fan alive! Even to the point of altering my appearance.

Nikki Sixx always was and still remains my favorite band member. When I was 14 I decided to try and look like him for some unknown 14 year old girl reason.

As you can see something went terribly wrong and I came out looking more like a plump version of Mick Mars. In my view though...I was damn cool. And I could do extraordinary things with a can of Aqua Net and a hair dryer.

I first saw Motley Crue at the BJCC in 1987 on the Girls, Girls, Girls tour with opening act Guns-N-Roses. That was probably the baddest rock concert ever. I last saw them in 1989 with Warrant on the Dr. Feelgood tour. I got general admission tickets to that one and was three rows back from the barricade separating the audience from the band. All was well until it got so packed on the floor that I couldn't move and some drunk, belligerent red headed asshole started elbowing his way to the front. It was so hot and I was getting so mashed that I passed out standing up and had to be hauled over the barricade and back to the seats. I was devastated in 1992 when they broke up. I think I actually cried. I was also pregnant with my now 16-year-old son who attended the concert with me last night. It was his first rock concert. He had a blast!

Since it had been some 20 years since my last Crue concert I wasn't sure what to expect. They used to sell out the entire BJCC arena and the crowds were wild and unruly and loud and DRUNK! We used to stand in line for hours and yell "MOTLEY FUCKING CRUE! MOTLEY FUCKING CRUE! and after a few hours of that we switched to OPEN THE FUCKING DOOR! OUR FUCKING FEET ARE SORE! (because we had been standing in line for like 18 hours or some crazy shit.)

Last night was different, sort of. The majority of the people came in late to see the Crue but the arena was far from full. Maybe that is because the concert was on a Sunday night. Maybe it's because some former Crue fans are no longer interested. Truthfully, I wouldn't have gone last night if I hadn't won tickets. I'm glad I did though. Boy, it brought back so many pleasant and some downright frightening memories of my misspent youth. Me and my best friend Melody used to dream about being Crue groupies, you see. She would get Tommy Lee and I would get Nikki Sixx and we would travel around the world with them and live happily ever after. Last night I saw what happened to the women my age (and older) who actually chose that path. YIKES! They are now fake tanned, fake boobed, spandex wearing (boy you really don't look good in spandex after about 21)brain rotted, sloppy drunken shells of former humans. GOD some of them were downright SCARY! One woman who had to be older than me (or at least partied much harder for much longer than I did) had her kids there chaperoning her. She was so drunk she couldn't walk so her young daughter led her around all night making sure she didn't fall. Despite that they both fell a few times.

The crowd outside was not rowdy this go round....except for the one uber-drunken Marine who found it necessary to repeatedly shout ROOOOOOLLLLLLLLL TIIIIIIIIIIIDDDDDEEEE! as if we were at a football game. There were a lot of older people there who I guess were long time Crue fans like yours truly. They were a very well behaved lot for the most part. And of course you had the really old rock concert goers pushing 60 still wearing t-shirts and head bangin', the freaks with different colored hair and the rocker wannabe's decked out in leather and trying to look like I did at 14. It was quite a scene.

So, on to the music. I had never heard of The Last Vegas and wasn't impressed by their set. The acoustics were fucked up and I couldn't understand a word the singer was screaming. But, for any fans they have that might read this blog here are some pictures.





Next up was Theory of a Dead Man. They were pretty good. The sound was better although I don't care for the music I have heard from them.




Then came Hinder who I also don't care much for. Just not my kind of music anymore. They sounded great though and the lead singer put on a good show. He even braved the crowd for a few minutes.






And finally, the moment you have all been waiting for...Motley Crue. They were the only band I went to see and I was not disappointed, surprised, but not disappointed. They rocked the house. Lots of pyrotechnics and fireworks and explosions. Lots of good old fashioned kick ass Motley Crue metal. Before I knew it I was up out of my seat making devil horns and pumping my fist in the air and singing along and screaming and all the crazy shit you are supposed to do at a rock concert. I felt 14 again. My only complaints...I was never close enough to Nikki Sixx to touch him or even get a very good photo. Vince Neil's voice was so high it sounded like he had been castrated and sucking on a helium balloon. Maybe his white spandex was too tight or something. And Tommy Lee didn't even attempt to do a drum solo. Mick Mars did a few guitar solo's, but let's face it, Mick Mars playing his axe ain't got shit on Tommy Lee riding in a spinning cage over the crowd wearing a damn drum set slam out. Mick just ain't got it. They were all more subdued than I remember from 20 years ago. It's understandable, we're all 20 years older now and not as limber as we once were. All in all it was a great show that brought back a lot of memories for me and introduced my son to a real rock concert. Here are some shots of the Crue.

I Won!

CONGRATULATIONS Loretta -- you have been chosen as the grand prize winner of the Birmingham Weekly’s “Ask Motley” contest! Your prize is two tickets to the upcoming “Saints of Los Angeles” tour date in Birmingham at the BJCC Arena on Sunday, February 22.

Set times are as follows:

Doors: 5:30pm
The Last Vegas: 6:30pm
Theory of a Deadman
Hinder
Motley Crue

Thanks and congrats again!
--


So, I entered the contest with a question about the Crue's on stance drug policy. Given their considerable experience with drugs and Nikki Sixx's multiple overdose deaths from heroin I wondered if they thought drug policy was working as it is now or would it be better if things were in a regulated and controlled environment where addicts can get treatment without being ostracized or jailed for being addicts.

Their answer? I don't know. I don't know if they will answer the question. I tried my luck at getting a backstage pass to conduct a mini-interview but none were available.

Anyhoo, I will be rocking out with the Crue tomorrow night alongside my 16 year old son and my 12 year old daughter. I went to many a Crue show when I was their age(s) and was a huge Motley Crue fan. I'm older now and not so much into their stuff anymore but I am still looking forward to tomorrow night.

Oh yeah...I'd like to eat Nikki Sixx with a spoon :)

Punk Mother Fuckers With Badges & Guns

Prattville Officer Fired After Chase, Wrong Way on I 85, Smoking Crack

An off-duty Prattville police officer was arrested on drug charges Wednesday afternoon in Montgomery following a car chase.

Christopher Eldridge, 35, of the 600 block of Wisteria Lane in Prattville, was charged with possession of a controlled substance in addition to misdemeanor charges of criminal mischief and reckless endangerment, said Maj. Huey Thornton, a spokesman for the Montgomery Police Department.

Thornton said the controlled substance was crack cocaine. Eldridge also was issued “several” traffic citations, according to Thornton.

Eldridge allegedly was driving a 2005 Chevrolet Impala the wrong way in the northbound lanes of Interstate 85, Thornton said. A Montgomery police officer tried to pull him over, but he led police on a chase, he said. The pursuit never exceeded 50 mph, he said.

Police pursued Eldridge as he exited the interstate at Day Street and went through downtown Montgomery to Atlanta Highway, Thornton said. When the chase neared Greenwood Funeral Home on Lincoln Road, the pursuing patrol car tapped the back of Eldridge’s vehicle, which spun out, Thornton said.

Eldridge then became combative with officers and was hit with a Taser, Thornton said. He was taken by ambulance to Jackson Hospital for treatment, Thornton said.

BHAM Cop Fired for Sodomy, Sex Abuse

A nine-year veteran of the Birmingham Police Department was fired today following his arrest for sodomy and sexual abuse.

Steve Drummer, 44, was booked into the Jefferson County Jail about 7:30 tonight. He is facing bonds totaling $70,000 on charges of first-degree sodomy and sexual abuse.

According to a Birmingham police news release, a 20-year-old woman reported being sexually assaulted close to 10 p.m. Sunday in western Birmingham.

Who is your Rep. & Head Count for March 3

Hi All,

Just wanted to give everyone an update on where we are with the Compassionate Care Act HB434. For the last couple of weeks I have been surveying the judiciary committee to get a vote count on this bill. About half of them have gotten back to me. There are still 6 that have not returned my phone calls or emails so it is time to switch strategy. Here are the six members that have not returned calls or emails regarding their stance on the Compassionate Care Act

Tammy Irons (Lauderdale County)
Jamie Ison (Mobile District 101)
Marc Keahey (Choctaw, Clarke & Washington Counties)
Charles Newton (Butler, Conecuh and Crenshaw counties)
John Robinson (Jackson County)
Howard Sanderford (Madison County)

If any of you live in these counties and this is your rep please let me know at once. If you are not sure if any of these people are your reps go here and look them up by zip code.
http://www.legislature.state.al.us/house/house.html

Also, if you are in Selma I need you to go and talk to Rep. Yusuf Salaam who is convinced that allowing cancer patients to use marijuana will ensure that they will move on to heroin and home invasions. If you live in Mobile and Steve McMillan is your rep then I need you to go and talk to him. He and Rep. Salaam are currently NO votes on the committee.

If none of the people represent you then think of who you know in their districts who would be supportive of the medical marijuana issue and willing to pay their elected official a visit. We have to have a comprehensive vote count before we drop this bill in committee. We currently have 5 yes votes and we only need three more to know we can get it out of committee.

On March 3 we are having our Action Day at the State House. I need to know ASAP who all plans to be there so we can work out the logistics and for food purposes. Please email me back today and let me know if you plan to attend the action day on March 3 and how many people you are bringing with you (as many as you can fit in your cars I hope). THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT!!!

Loretta Nall

Good News and Bad News

The good news is that HB72 the Ballot Access bill sponsored by Rep. Cam Ward passed out of the Constitution and Elections Committee today, despite Rep. Ken Guin's protests.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"This lowers to 150 the number of signatures required in some House districts. That's less than a morning standing in front of Wal-Mart with a petition." - Rep. Ken Guin, D-Carbon Hill, arguing against a bill that would make it easier for independent and third party candidates to get on the ballot in Alabama.

And what exactly is wrong with that Rep. Guin? Being that you are a member of one of the two major parties you've never had to spend a second or a cent to get on the ballot. This is a democracy and in a democracy anyone that is qualified to run for office should be granted a spot on the ballot. Democrats and Republicans do not own the ballot or the election process and you should be ashamed for passing and upholding laws that eliminate competition. If your ideas are better than your opponents then what do you have to worry about?

The Bad News

HB475 The Salvia Bill passed out of the Judiciary Committee despite the fact that the sponsor Rep. Laura Hall stumbled and bumbled through the presentation. One of my people was there to speak against this lunacy but in the end the lunacy won over. This bill now goes to the House..or maybe the rules committee. I'll be writing more later about what the next steps in defeating it are.

Some Bills that need your attention this week

In Judiciary Committee

HB475 Under existing law, salvia divinorum and Salvinorin A are not listed as controlled substances. This bill would list salvia divinorum and Salvinorin A as Schedule I controlled substances.


We don't need to list salvia divinorum and Salvinorin A as schedule 1 controlled substances. We already have far too many people in jail and prison in Alabama for use of natural plants. The prison commissioner says that drug laws and 67 new felony laws passed by the legislature are the reason he has over 30,000 inmates in a space built to hold 12,000. Salvia isn't a problem, but they can sure make it one if they pass this law. This law will primarily effect college age kids, barring them from receiving federal student financial aid, living in public housing and making it more difficult if not impossible for them to find gainful employment because of a 'drug conviction' on their record over a damn geranium plant. How much sense does that make? If the legislature wants to go after plants then I suggest, kudzu, privet and poison oak/ivy.

Please write and call the members of the judiciary committee and tell then to vote NO on HB475

Emails are firstname.lastname@alhouse.org Example marcel.black@alhouse.org

Marcel Black
Room 516-F
11 S. Union Street
Montgomery, AL 36130
(334) 242-7667

Spencer Collier
Room 540-D
11 South Union Street
Montgomery, AL 36130
(334) 242-7719

Paul DeMarco
Room 537-F
11 S. Union Street
Montgomery, AL 36130
(334) 242-7740

Priscilla Dunn
Room 540-B
11 S. Union Street
Montgomery, AL 36130
(334) 242-7702

Chris England
Room 539-B
11 S. Union Street
Montgomery, AL 36130
(334) 242-7703

Laura Hall
Room 518
11 S. Union Street
Montgomery, AL 36130
(334) 242-7688

Tammy Irons
Room 526-B
11 S. Union Street
Montgomery, AL. 36130
(334) 353-9032

Jamie Ison
Room 527-B
11 South Union Street
Montgomery, AL 36130
(334) 242-7711

Marc Keahey
Room 630-A
11 S. Union Street
Montgomery, AL 36130
(334) 242-7748

Steve McMillan
Room 532
11 S. Union Street
Montgomery, AL 36130
(334) 242-7723

Charles Newton
Room 541-E
11 S. Union Street
Montgomery, AL 36130
(334) 242-4460

John Robinson
Room 534-D
11 S. Union Street
Montgomery, AL 36130
(334) 242-7728

Yusuf Salaam
Room 539-E
11 South Union Street
Montgomery, AL 36130
(334) 242-7746

Howard Sanderford
Room 528-B
11 S. Union Street
Montgomery, AL 36130
(334) 242-4368

Cam Ward
Room 625-C
11 S. Union Street
Montgomery, AL 36130
(334) 242-7750


The Constitution and Elections Committee

HB72 The Ballot Access Bill

Under existing law, to be placed on the ballot, independent candidates must present a written petition signed by at least three percent of the qualified electors who cast ballots for Governor in the last general election.
This bill would lower that percentage to one and one-half percent of such electors.

This is a good bill that would make it easier for people like me and others who are neither Republican nor Democrat to gain ballot access and run in state wide elections. If there is anything Alabama needs it is MORE CHOICES ON THE BALLOT! Competition is good. It helps us move forward. This bill is sponsored by Rep. Cam Ward.

Please contact the Constitution and Elections Committee and ask them to support HB72.

james.martin@alhouse.org,
tommy.sherer@alhouse.org,
jay.love@alhouse.org,
george.bandy@alhouse.org,
greg.canfield@alhouse.org,
randy.davis@alhouse.org,
chad.fincher@alhouse.org,
james.gordon@alhouse.org,
ken.guin@alhouse.org,
micky.hammon@alhouse.org,
barry.mask@alhouse.org,
joseph.mitchell@alhouse.org ,
mary.moore@alhouse.org,
jack.page@alhouse.org,
patricia.todd@alhouse.gov

The Goat and Poultry Auction

In case any of you had any doubts this should prove beyond any of them that I am a deep woods country girl with a farming streak in me at least a mile wide. Yesterday my family and I decided to ride over to Clay County and visit the goat and poultry auction on County Rd. 91. I had been wanting to go to this for a couple years but never could find the time and never could remember if it was held on the first and third Saturday or the second and fourth Saturday. It's the second and fourth if any of my readers ever find themselves up this way and want to go. We had a great time.

I grew up on a goat farm in Talladega, AL for part of my childhood and so have a special place in my heart for goats. They're funny little clownish animals that can turn any frown upside down despite smelling like a billy goat. And man were there a lot of them there. Here are a few pictures we took on our adventure.

Although it doesn't look like it in this picture I promise you this is the largest goat I have ever seen. I didn't know goats got that big. This is a male Nubian. I'm five foot three and this goat was taller than me. and weighed a whopping 220 lbs. He was stunning and a pet as he let me play with him and scratch his head.


This is bad boy being auctioned off. He looked to me like he had problems with his joints and that it hurt to walk. I hope he gets his own private stable and has the females of the herd run in to see him. He looked too old to chase them down. He was nothing but a pet. He laid his big ol head on the shoulder of the guy handling him and waited peacefully for whatever came next. I sure wish I had him. He was truly a magnificent goat. NOTE: I love the make up of the people in the room. They were smoking cigarettes. chewing tobacco, wearing camouflage, and all men (and a few of the women had on caps....mostly John Deere). There were families there from grandpaw down to the newest great grand baby. Good hard working farming people. It was total immersion in the local culture. And it was fabulous! I must bring my city friends from places like New York, Connecticut, LA, San Fran and Canada to see one of these sometime.


Vietnamese Pot Belly Pigs
I've always wanted one of these. The cage was open on top so I reached in and played with them. My husband fell in love and wanted to bring both of them home with us. My daughter deemed them the Siamese pigs because they stuck together. They stood touching each other, walked with each other, turned with each other and did little piggy grunts and squeals with each other. If we'd had a place to put them they would be outside in my yard right now. We are working on a place and plan to go back in two weeks to see if we can find them or some like them.




Some goats of varying shapes and sizes.





Perhaps the most adorable puppies I've ever seen. The look like Jack Russell terriers. They begged and whined to come home with me and I was nearly persuaded. But what I really want is a female German Shepherd for my Snoot.



A few chickens.



A pretty little red calf.