Vote YES on Prop 19! Legalize Marijuana 2010

August 30th, 2010 | By Reverend

I am not currently a California resident, but I own property in California, and I grew up there off and on.
We will be moving back to Cali within the next 12 months, and this is partially why.  Prop 19 baby!

Proposition 19 offers more freedom to more people for using cannabis.

In my video I describe how I don’t believe Prop 19 effects medical marijuana, and how local municipalities are already taxing and regulating medical marijuana.

I think it’s a shame that only less than 100,000 Californians get to enjoy legal marijuana, but millions of others are at risk of getting a cannabis crime (drug crime) on their record, which would make life much more difficult for most.  (jobs, school, military service can all be interfered with by having a drug crime on your record).

It is time we START to restore freedom with Prop 19, and it is important to amend this law to make it less restrictive in the future.

Please see my video blog.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XgCtbt0UXc

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Devils advocate; Prop19 does not exempt cannabis medicine from taxes

August 22nd, 2010 | By Reverend

This is the statement I often get from opponents of Prop 19.

“Proposition 19 does not exempt patients from taxes”

My answer:

If Proposition 215 doesn’t already do that, then Proposition 19 won’t change anything.

Medical marijuana is already technically taxable in California.

At present only a portion of the state’s 200-plus medical cannabis dispensaries pay sales taxes. In principle, medical cannabis is subject to sales tax under current Board of Equalization rules, which exempt only drugs dispensed in licensed pharmacies by a physician’s prescription. However, many patients’ groups contend that sales tax shouldn’t apply to non-profit cooperatives and collectives.

http://thebleak.com/MedicalMarijuana/420/?tag=proposition-215

So that is a reason for another new initiative.  If people want marijuana to not be a taxable substance for patients, then they need to step up to the plate and make that happen.  Because medical marijuana, unless prescribed via a pharmacy with DEA drug scheduling, etc, is not presently exempt from taxes.  So again, Prop19 doesn’t change Prop215.

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Montel William speaks about the benefits of marijuana

July 15th, 2010 | By Reverend

Montel Williams speaks about the benefits of marijuana vs. very dangerous medication such as aspirin. Marijuana doesn’t kill anyone, aspirin can be sold to anyone and it kills roughly 7500 people a year in the USA. Well, Montel does a much better job than myself speaking about this, so I will leave it up to him here.

Montel Speaking about legalizing marijuana in New York

Mad Love to Apothecary 509

June 26th, 2010 | By Reverend

I can’t say enough good things about John to justify the way I feel about this freedom fighter!

Check out Apothecary509.com and tell them Reverend Ryan sent ya!

(Kimi did some of the graphics and layout for this site)

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Earth Day 2010

April 22nd, 2010 | By Reverend

It is earth day in about 1 hour.  This is one of my favorite and in my opinion one of the most important holidays of the year.

I have been celebrating the  earth in my own unique ways for fifteen years.

Fourteen years ago, I got a tattoo on my arm to show my love for momma earth.

I think that one of the best ways to help our earth is to grow industrial hemp.

It is true that hemp is good for soil, and saves trees.  Not to mention hemp can be used for thousands of different products including fuel, food, clothing, rope, and so many other things.

This earth day lets focus on curing our earth for the pain that we put her through by working to legalize hemp!

Also, we should take a moment in silence to remember Jack Herer.  He was a good friend to momma earth!

If you haven’t had a chance to yet, please pick up a copy of “The Emperor Wears No Clothes” by Jack Herer, it is a life changing experience to learn all about the hemp plant and what it can do for our world, and what it IS doing for our lovely world.

www.jackherer.com

Emerald POS still helping dispensaries, with freebies

April 15th, 2010 | By Reverend

We are still operating Emerald POS (www.emeraldpos.com), in hopes to help dispensaries and lower operating costs and set up costs.

We started Emerald POS when the police in Spokane started misinterpreting the language  in I-692, where the police were saying that “one patient at any one time” meant you can only ever provide to one patient if you are a provider. 
The law of I-692 provides language that states that a provider can provide to a patient, even if the provider isn’t a patient them self, as long as the provider meets certain criteria.  See more at this link I-692 Full Text.

So we recoded some opensource / freeware software that is really great software  (www.PHPPointOfSale.com).   Our version included the ability to add patient documents and photos, as well as a Time/Date stamp that would be placed on a receipt at the time they start the transaction, and when they end the transaction.  We also recreated the layout and graphics, making it more touch screen friendly.

We have several upgrades still in the works for this software.  But we have also been using OpenBravo for the last few months in our own store.
At the Emerald Sun Design Studio we are using a 15″ touch screen system, which is exactly the same unit as the Opal System @ EmerladPOS.com.

OpenBravo is very touch screen friendly.  It even has a restaurant module built in for waiting tables (optional). 
The reports are amazing, it creates barcoded labels for your products, and has the ability to use scales.
There is a long list of features.  But we are impressed by the security, and the flexibility of the software.
You can use the same secured database in multiple locations, such as a warehouse or a second store, or even do management functions from home.
See the features here:  http://www.openbravo.com/product/pos/functionality/

For a dispensary, this software is invaluable, yet it is free and the best part is that it is opensource.
If you need something add to this software that isn’t already there?  Pay a developer.  How do you find one?  There are many places on the net to find a developer.  I often use Craigslist so that I get someone local, and qualified.

We work primarily with open source software in our business.  We have many computers that run CentOS 5.1 (Linux).
On the computers that are running Windows, we use a variety of OpenSource software, such as OpenOffice, GIMP, and others. 
Our website’s include software from WordPress, which is also OpenSource.
On EmeraldPOS.com we offer two OpenSource software’s for free.  PHPPointOfSale (with our upgrades), and OpenBravo (as-is).

Both of these POS programs are used by many, including software developers, and store owners.  There are thousands of professional users of these softwares.  But why OpenSource?  Is it because it’s free?   My answers are this.

1. OpenSource software is open, and able to be modified by anyone.  Even redistributed.  This makes usability increase because there are many more developers working on it, than a private for-sale software.  The more developers the better!

OpenSource is economically friendly since the cost is much lower than private for sale software, usually OpenSource software is free.

But it mostly comes down to the community.  Supporting other developers and store owners in refining usable and scalable software.

Now some people like private for-sale software.  Which is fine, and we do offer the option of installing QuickBooks POS, or Microsoft (Dynamics) POS for the retail cost of the software.
But the two softwares that we offer and support are OpenBravo and our version of  PHPPointOfSale based on these having more scalability, usability and features than in other software.

Some of these medical marijuana dispensaries have chosen to go with other brands of paid software.  We respect that.  But my warning is this.  If it isn’t opensource software, someday the developer is going to move on to something else, or die.  Will you have the needed upgrades and support?

What if the next generation of operating systems comea out?  Not all XP software is compatible with Vista as is right.  So that next generation of operating systems will need to have software upgrades for the POS system that you are using.   With OpenSource, you can ensure that your POS system will be usable forever, because if nothing else you can pay a developer to upgrade your software.
But more than likely, you won’t have to, because 100,000 other people need the same upgrade and one or more of them will get the job done and give it to the community for free.
With private for sale software, that is usually not an option.  For-sale software is typically closed source, and no one else can improve it.

For example, you can’t pay someone to modify the core files of your Adobe Photoshop.  Wny?  Because it’s not OpenSource.   You have to depend on Adobe to make those upgrades.  With this smaller developers that close their source, and reserve their exclusive rights to the software, they don’t have the longevity that Adobe or other software developers have.  Let’s face it, most companies don’t last beyond their first 3 years in business.   Can you trust that you’re developer will be in business as long as you need him to?  Probably not.

Im not going to name any of these developers.  They have great sales agents though.  I just want to give people a different option, because we want to help keep dispensary costs down.  We love the dispensaries, we just hate the high prices on their meds.

Im glad that I vented that.

Now as a little advertising for EmeraldPOS.com   So far, none of our competitors can beat us on hardware prices.  With our hardware, you can install ANY POS software.  Our hardware comes with Windows XP, Vista or CentOS 5x (Linux) installed.  You choose the Operating System and the POS system.

For example on our prices we offer a Industrial POS computer from HP (high end POS equipment), with a 15″ touch screen monitor both with 3 year replacement warranties (The HP rp3000 PC has a 3 year, 24 hour response ON SITE business warranty included), it comes with a barcode scanner (5 year warranty), Thermal Printer (2 Year replacement warranty), cash drawer, and standard peripherals for $2199 with free shipping.    To get the same thing, without all of the warranties from our competitor, you’ll pay over $2600 after shipping, and if you want the warranties it will cost more.  The HP Onsite Business warranty is very valuable, but our competitors don’t even offer that.   See this link:  http://slu2.com/?ei

Anyway, I just wanted to be very clear in my intentions.  We are here to help, not to increase the cost of business or make things harder than they need to be.

We love cannabiz and we would love to see MORE of it!!!   So let us help you set up your cannabiz.

If you want to test our POS system at Emerald Sun Inc, come on down to  9423 North Division St.  Spokane WA.

If you need promotional material for your cannabiz, Emerald Sun is a Design Shop, and we do all types of print media, including shirts, signs, business cards, brochures, etc..   We also offer our own line of hand sown (by us) patchwork clothing!

Happy Trails!

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