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Kit O'Connell: Approximately 8,000 Words Posts

What Were The Most Important Hemp Stories Of 2017?
The top of an agricultural hemp plant growing in a field. (Pixabay / herbalhemp, public domain)
December 30, 2017
Kit
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What Were The Most Important Hemp Stories Of 2017?

Posted in Journalism, and Ministry of Hemp

2017 was an exciting year for supporters of hemp.

The stigma surrounding this plant has continued to decrease as more and more people discover hemp’s almost limitless uses. While hemp isn’t completely legal in the U.S. (yet), there’s growing bipartisan support in Congress, and at every level of our government, in support of full legalization.

And since we’re big fans of CBD oil, a healing supplement made from hemp, we were thrilled that more people learned about CBD and its many benefits. Global attitudes are changing too, with some of the most influential authorities on international drug policy also changing their tune about CBD in 2017.  

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World Health Organization On CBD Oil: Safe & Should Remain Totally Legal
The main conference room at the Geneva headquarters of the World Health Organization. Dozens of chairs surround a central dais, while the WHO logo is hung on the wall overhead. (Wikimedia Commons / Thorkild Tylleskar, CC SA license)
December 21, 2017
Kit
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World Health Organization On CBD Oil: Safe & Should Remain Totally Legal

Posted in Journalism, and Ministry of Hemp

A division of the World Health Organization declared CBD oil to be safe, with many potential benefits, and recommended that it should remain fully legal.

The recommendations came in a report from the Expert Committee on Drug Dependence (ECDD), which advises the global body on how to handle various substances that could be addictive or otherwise harmful.

The authors were unambiguous about their assessment: “In humans, CBD exhibits no effects indicative of any abuse or dependence potential.”

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The New, Improved Approximately 8,000 Words
A closeup of the face of an excited, open-mouthed lemur, covered in fluffy white, gray and black fur. Overlaid on this image is a logo of a fist holding a pencil and the words "Thank You!"
December 12, 2017
Kit
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The New, Improved Approximately 8,000 Words

Posted in Website

This is just a short note to say thank you to all my supporters. I’ve just upgraded this homepage, Approximately 8,000 Words (a.k.a. kitoconnell.com), to a dedicated Wordpress hosting plan.

What this means is that my website should be faster and more reliable, with less downtime. It also gives me room to grow, if I decide to expand the site. I hope to bring you a lot of important, exciting, and enlightening stories in 2018 and I’m taking some time this month to take care of some behind-the-scenes fixes like this.

I couldn’t do this without the backing of my supporters. Thank you so much for making it possible to bring you my words and my reporting each month.

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Is It Legal? Indiana Attorney General Spreads Confusion About CBD Oil
A stone street leads up to the domed Indiana State Capitol building. (Pixabay / kshelton, public domain)
November 28, 2017
Kit
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Is It Legal? Indiana Attorney General Spreads Confusion About CBD Oil

Posted in Archive, Journalism, and Ministry of Hemp

CBD oil could soon become harder to access in Indiana.

To put it mildly, we were disappointed when Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill issued an opinion on November 21 suggesting CBD oil is illegal for most state residents to use. Although his words don’t carry the force of law, the statement could lead to more crackdowns on CBD vendors and leaves consumers under a haze of legal uncertainty.

In September, we wrote about how an Indiana state law meant to improve access to CBD for epilepsy sufferers actually led to raids on shops selling CBD oil. But things were looking up after police realized they couldn’t determine the supplement’s actual legal status, and products were back on the shelves in many shops.

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Don’t Wait To Take The Streets, Don’t Wait To Organize (Gonzo Notes)
An armored and helmeted riot cop menacingly holds a shield as he movs down a street blocked by police vehicles. Washington, D.C. January 20, 2017. (Flickr / Joe Catron, CC NC license)
November 24, 2017
Kit
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Don’t Wait To Take The Streets, Don’t Wait To Organize (Gonzo Notes)

Posted in Creative Commons, Gonzo Notes, and Journalism

A year after Donald Trump’s election and, despite everything that’s happened, some on the left want the “resistance” to stay home.

No one expected all of the thousands upon thousands who came out for the Women’s March and other inaugural protests to stay engaged, but many have remained, protesting outside lawmakers offices against brutal cuts to health care or inhumane tax plans. Others have organized around radical, anarchist, socialist, and antifascist movements and issues of all kinds.

Overall though, the picture is grim despite some recent electoral victories (for those who put stock in voting). Each day brings some new atrocity or takes us a step closer to a pointless, brutal new war with whomever President Skidmark offends on Twitter.

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The Street Is An Art Gallery: Behind The Scenes With Sleep Is Famous
A cluster of differently colored "Sleep" stickers on utility poles. The stickers depict an old-fashioned television with rabbit-ear antennas and cartoon feet, labelled "Sleep." (Sleep is Famous, used with permission)
November 15, 2017
Kit
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The Street Is An Art Gallery: Behind The Scenes With Sleep Is Famous

Posted in Austin, Creative Commons, and Journalism

Austin has many street artists, but few of them are as ubiquitous as “Sleep.”

Sleep, also known as Sleep is Famous, appears everywhere you look on our streets. His iconic image, an old-fashioned TV with rabbit-ear antenna and tiny stick figure feet, clings onto road signs, subverts fossil fuel advertising, and escapes from fires on Walmart emergency exits.

The artist behind Sleep is Famous remains mysterious and anonymous by choice, but he was willing to answer a few questions by email after I approached him about my Gonzo Giveaway. Sleep moved a few years ago from Seattle, where the very first Sleep TVs were doodles he created while he struggled in an artistic rut.

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