Last Place court hearing draws crowd, cameras
November 9, 2012 at 6:00 pm in Duluth News Tribune
Judge wants more information before deciding future of downtown head shop. Continue Reading
Last Place court hearing draws crowd, cameras
35 Comments
Follow Colorado and Washington’s lead and legalize marijuana. Problems like Last Place will seem trivial compared to the new ones that will ultimately crop up, but think of the new revenue stream that will make it all worthwhile.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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Rather, the problems associated with legalizing marijuana would be trivial compared to the problems caused by all these “legal alternatives” out there today.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
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Consider that the people in Colorado and Washington have already been living with marijuana being semi-legal long before this election. If it really caused all these terrible problems, they surely wouldn’t have voted to make it even more legal. What does that tell you?
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
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What is this world coming to? First Kayakman earlier in the week and now I’m agreeing with Merv. Sorry on my some what misleading late night statement , but yes legalization of pot would by far create much less problems than this inorganic chemical garage that has such a destructive influence on the brain. I would much rather engage in a shopping cart smash up debry fight over the last bag of Funyuns at the grocery store, then get my face chewed off by someone hoped up on incense lurking underneath my car.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
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People that smoke marijuana will smoke it regardless of its legality. With that being an undisputed statement, the state might as well get involved and get their mits on all of that now lost revenue.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
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I would rather they smoked a natural substance than a synthetic.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
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Don the war on drugs has proven a failure. Legalizing would alleviate the problems. Decriminalize and focus on rehab not imprisonment for problem users. Simple.
The biggest problem with decriminalization is what to do with all those empty prisons and all those suddenly free non-violent “criminals” whose lives have been destroyed.
Maybe the businesspeople who lose their prison business could utilize this huge workforce and make something positive out of the situation.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
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Chambermaid, Ross, is just jealous no other business can pull in crowds except this one.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
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The article stated that David Ross recruited business people to attend the hearing. Does that mean that they probably would not have showed up there if they weren’t requested to? Maybe they honestly don’t care. LPOE has been there for 30 years and apparently Jim Carlson pays his taxes. If people don’t like his business near theirs, maybe they shouldn’t have moved in near Jim’s business. Just a thought.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
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Carlson did the same this with customers. Does that mean that they probably would not have showed up there if they weren’t requested to? Maybe they honestly don’t care.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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Shouldn’t have moved in next to him? These businesses have been here for years, working next to LPOE with no issues until the synthetics became advanced enough to cause the behavior we are seeing.
This is not something that has been happening for a long time, these developments are recent.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
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I think Carlson must like confrontation. With the huge money he is making if it was me I would have installed multiple check out line like other retailers and just moved those people through quickly. Then I would enforce a anti loitering policy in front of the store.
He could have easily made his huge profits without offending his neighbors.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
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Well said.
He has the means to make this a non-issue, yet he doesn’t make the effort. He is either extremely greedy, or he just wants to piss people off.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
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middle man said:
“Then I would enforce a anti loitering policy in front of the store.”
Can a private citizen or business owner actually make or ‘enforce’ an anti-loitering policy on a public sidewalk?
I think Mr. Carlson DOES enjoy the ‘in your face’ confrontations with the city when he knows he’s right.
Part of it stems from the way the city harrassed his dad when he was in business in Duluth. His dad just finally gave up because he didn’t have the resources to fight the city but…Jim does.
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Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
Poorly-rated. Like or Dislike:
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I’m a grown man and afraid to walk that particular block of the town with my wife for fear of undue harassment. That place draws out the worst filth our society has, and our community shouldn’t have to put up with it. Kudos to Ross and the business community for standing up to the LPOE and their BS.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
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I totally agree with you Josiah. It is BS on the harassment of people and surrounding businesses.
That being said, how the court rules may garner national attention. Will the court rule in favor of the nuisance factor and against a business selling legal garbage?
Personally, I would like to see all the synthetic pot made illegal.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
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They have tried.
The problem is that in order for something to be illegal, they have to be able to classify it and list it as such. Using heuristics to define something as illegal is a cat-and-mouse game that is simply not going to work.
I think the only solution is legalizing Marijuana, but only if that truly prevents the use of “legal” alternatives. The recent votes in Colorado and Washington should provide some information as to the efficacy of such a move.
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Oh here you guys are! Been missing you on the political forums! Shout out Josiah! DFL Exposed!
Been worried about ya
Hot debate. What do you think?
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Poorly-rated. Like or Dislike:
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If the city wins, I think it will be REALLY interesting to see the reasoning.
Personally, I don’t think they have a leg to stand on…constitutionally speaking.
I also think it going to be interesting to see the test results from all the products they seized in the raid.
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The people of DFL Duluth are not smart enough to see that the years of allowing all the welfare state to grow have brought us higher crime and the LPOE. Now that we have given the dems four more years to grow food stamps instead of jobs. We will no doubt see more businesses like this. We get what we ask for. How can we expect moral activity out of a immoral society. We voted for the LPOE instead of mining jobs. HA reality sucks for DFL Duluth
Hot debate. What do you think?
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There is no “instead of”. That’s a false dichotomy. As for immoral behavior, this is only the tip of the iceberg if the government cuts social welfare programs at a time like this. It’s too easy to say we should take away from the people who can’t fight back, until they fight back.
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quarterpounder said:
“Now that we have given the dems four more years to grow food stamps instead of jobs. ”
This really is not a political thing at all, except that it looks like some people would be happy to walk all over Mr. Carlson’s constitutional rights because they don’t like what he sells.
Jim’s been in business in Duluth through Democrat administrations and Republican.
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Can you imagine the financial constraints bars and drinking and driving have placed on the police department for the last two years if LPOE has cost them $100k? And I can’t even stand the place..
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
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I just read the other day on the DNT that 15% of the cost of MN state government is attributable to substance abuse.
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I can’t stand the lpoe either, I hope they shut it down, but come on libs! These drugs make people happy, they make them feel good, who are we as society to judge what makes someone happy? After all, the drugs are legal, right?
Hot debate. What do you think?
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Nope.
They are “Technically” legal. The law states that the compounds used in these drugs AND their analogues are illegal. The problem is they just make something that is different enough as to not be constituted as an analogue.
These drugs to not make people happy. They make people think they are happy.
There is a big difference there.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
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Poorly-rated. Like or Dislike:
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Pointless?
Your comment completely misses the point of the problem, I make a valid point and MY post is pointless? Sure.
We are technologically advanced enough to have drug dealers capable of designing their own custom drugs that circumvent current laws. Just because they are not defined as illegal does not mean they are not illegal by the spirit of the law.
That is a big problem. These days we are judging people who are guilty only by the letter of the law and letting people free who are guilty by the spirit of the law.
It should be the other way around.
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There will be a locally-produced, independent film made about Jim Carlson and the LPOE out before too long. It will be shown at the Zeitgeist and entitled “_____________”. The film will draw a huge crowd of pot tokers and beer swiggers alike on opening night…but will be raided by the Duluth Police Department in full combat gear. I can’t wait to watch this on YouTube.
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I have to say, someone either needs to charge him with a crime, or leave him alone. He owns a legal business and pays his taxes. You have those 2 guy’s who used to own 50 Below who owe the government 12 million dollars, i would say that is quite a nuisance. I understand there are unintended consequences of what he is doing but is that really Jim Carlson’s fault? Isn’t it the responsibility of the individual to maintain a proper demeanor in public? Is Jim Carlson harassing people outside his shop? No! Is Jim Carlson bringing little kids into an inappropriate place? No! This is a problem of individual responsibility.
I was walking past Aces on First Street the other evening and my wife was harassed by a couple of drunks standing outside smoking a cigarette. Should I be taking that establishment to court for being a nuisance? If you answer no to that, never complain about LPOE again please.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
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Occasional nuisances and constant nuisances are different things.
You can walk by Aces every night and only occasionally be harassed. You can’t walk by LPOE without being harassed on a regular basis.
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We have enough zoned useless people dragging on the system, we don’t need any more.
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There is a law that is enforced on spray paint that if you buy it to paint your furniture and the fumes get you high from not ventilating its called an accident, however if you are caught huffing paint its illegal and if a store sells you paint to paint your furniture and you get high off the fumes in your garage its an accident however if the store sells you spray paint with the knowledge that you are going to huff it then its illegal and the store could lose its sales license. I ask whats the difference between paint and incense in a pipe or bong? LPOE deserves to lose its sales license period as they know what these people are doing with the crap they sell, maybe the police could start photoing the people they catch using this stuff illegally and make Carlson not only post their pic but not ever sell to them again…
On another note? What is this world coming to? I agreed to 2 posts by Don Raihala in the same subject! Now I am scared about the coming of 12-12-12! LOL!
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