Legalizing Marijuana - Seem Right For Now

"We want the world and we want it ...NOW !"  Jim Morrison

I have this feeling that there will be conversations like the ones I used to have with my grandparents about prohibition. Someday our grand kids will say, "you mean you could drink all of that you wanted, and smoke all of those you wanted, but if you wanted to smoke THAT it was illegal ?" "Yep...that was the law...and most people didn't understand the hypocrisy." If you legalize it, you unfortunately have quite a few new addicts overnight. But, I think you also, overnight, take all the power away from drug kingpins in other countries who are corrupt murderers. It's not a harmless drug, but most would agree more harm comes from legal alcohol. Seems the benefits of allowing personal choice in this matter.  outweigh the negatives.  I wonder if Pot will be legal, or even decriminalized in my home state ever.  Time will tell.  President Obama consistently says he does not think advocating legalization of cannabis is right at this time.

Congressional Stupidity through the eyes of a Travel Agent ?

Here are some observations about the politicians who run our country. They are from a Washington, D.C.travel agent with 30 years experience. Should we be worried?

I had a New Hampshire Congresswoman ask for an aisle seat so that her hair wouldn't get messed up by being near the window.

I got a call from a Candidate's Staffer, who wanted to go to Capetown. I started to explain the length of the flight and the passport information then she interrupted me with, "I'm not trying to make you look stupid, but Capetown is in Massachusetts." Without trying to make her look like the stupid one, I calmly explained, "Cape Cod is in Massachusetts, Capetown is in Africa." Her response ... (click).

A Vermont Congressman called, furious about a Florida package we did. I asked what was wrong with the vacation in Orlando. He said he was expecting an ocean-view room. I tried to explain that is not possible, since Orlando is in the middle of the state. He replied, "Don't lie to me. I looked on the map, and Florida is a very thin state!!!"

I got a call from a Lawmakers Wife from Mississippi who asked, "Is it possible to see England from Canada?" I said, "No." She said, "But they look so close on the map."

An Illinois Congresswoman called last week. She needed to know how it was possible that her flight from Detroit left at 8:20am and got into Chicago at 8:33am. I tried to explain that Michigan was an hour ahead of Illinois, but she could not understand the concept of time zones. Finally, I told her the plane went very fast, and she bought that!

An Alabama lawmaker called and asked, "Do airlines put your physical description on your bag so they know whose luggage belongs to who?" I said, "No, why do you ask?" She replied, "Well, when I checked in, they put a tag on my luggage that said (FAT), and I'm overweight. I think that is very rude." After putting her on hold for a minute while I "looked into it" (I actually was laughing). I came back and explained the city code for Fresno, CA is (FAT), and that the airline was just putting a destination tag on her luggage.

A Senator's Aide called in inquiring about a trip package to Hawaii. After going over all the cost info, she asked, "Would it be cheaper to fly to California and then take the train to Hawaii?"

I just got off the phone with a freshman Congressman who asked, "How do I know which plane to get on?" I asked him what exactly he meant, to which he replied, "I was told my flight number is 823, but none of these darn planes have numbers on them

A Senator called and said, "I need to fly to Pepsi-Cola, FL. Do I have to get on one of those little computer planes?" I asked if she meant fly to Pensacola, FL on a commuter plane. She said, "Yeah, whatever!!"

A Senior Senator called and had a question about the documents he needed in order to fly to China. After a lengthy discussion about passports, I reminded him he needed a visa. "Oh no I don't, I've been to China several times and never had to have one of those." I double checked and sure enough, his stay required a visa. When I told him this he said, "Look, I've been to China four times and every time they have accepted my American Express!"

A New Mexico Congresswoman called to make reservations, "I want to go from Chicago to Rhino, New York" The agent was at a loss for words. Finally, the agent: "Are you sure that's the name of the town?" "Yes, what flights do you have?" replied the lady. After some searching, the agent came back with, "I'm sorry, ma'am, I've looked up every airport code in the country and can't find a Rhino anywhere." The lady retorted, "Oh don't be silly! Everyone knows where it is. Check your map!" The agent scoured a map of the state of New York and finally offered, "You don't mean Buffalo, do you?" "That's it! I knew it was a big animal", she admitted

Rick Perry Facts .. a bit on the Farcical Side

Facts about the AMAZING Rick Perry

There is no such thing as a lesbian, just women who have not met Rick Perry.

Fact: Rick Perry's tears cure cancer. Unfortunately, he's never cried.

Rick Perry's cereal never gets soggy. It sits there, staying crispy, just for him.

Rick Perry's organ donation card, also lists his hair.

4 out of 5 doctors recommend Rick Perry. Also, in totally unrelated news, 20% of doctors die unexplained, needlessly brutal deaths.

Instead of having a cigarette after sex, Rick Perry heads outside and brands his cattle.

Rick Perry has never lost a sock. Ever.

There is no "Control" button on Rick Perry's computer. Rick Perry is always in control.

When somebody yells "Last one in is a rotten egg," Rick Perry is never, ever the rotten egg.

Rick Perry came and he gave without taking. But you pushed him away. Oh, Mandy.

When Rick Perry was born, the only person who cried was the doctor. Lesson learned. Never slap Rick Perry.

Aliens DO exist. It's just that they know better than to visit a planet Rick Perry inhabits.

Rick Perry lives vicariously through himself.

Rick Perry once visited the Virgin Islands. They are now referred to simply as "the islands"

When Rick Perry opens a pack of Twix, there are three.

As a boy, Rick Perry interrogated his parents on Easter until they revealed the precise location and contents of each hidden egg.

Rick Perry has to maintain a concealed weapon license in all 50 states in order to legally wear pants.

Rick Perry really likes the movie 101 Dalmatians. No one knows why.

Some kids urinate their names in the snow. Rick Perry can urinate his name into concrete. He just chooses not to.

Rick Perry does not "style" his hair. It lays perfectly in place out of sheer terror.

Rick Perry did all the make-up on the Planet of the Apes movies.

Rick Perry understands the ending of 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Rick Perry ghostwrites all the articles for Garden & Gun magazine

Rick Perry was born with the right to party. Unlike the rest of us who have to fight for it

Rick Perry impaled over 40 horses to make what he calls "an authentic" Merry-Go-Round.

Rick Perry's blood type is WD-40

Rick Perry can peel potatoes with his eyelids.

Rick Perry shoots dangerous wild animals on his jogs.

On his birthday, Rick Perry randomly selects one lucky child to be thrown into the sun.

Rick Perry just saved a kitten from a tree while Jon Huntsman was talking

Time slows down whenever Rick Perry speaks

AT&T does not drop Rick Perry's Cell Calls

Perry's car once ran out of gas. After pistol whipping it for 10 min it started back up. He's never had to fill it up since

Rick Perry gargles with a mixture of  turpentine, coffee, and crude oil.

Daily F (Financial ) Occupy Wall Street Edition and Best Jobs too

Occupy Wall Street is more popular than you think.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20120052-503544.html

Why are they so angry ?   Take a look at all the reasons why...LOTS of them
http://www.businessinsider.com/what-wall-street-protesters-are-so-angry-about-2011-10?op=1



YOUR DEAD IPHONE IS A GOLD MINE-LITERALLY
http://money.cnn.com/2011/10/13/technology/iphone_trade_in/index.htm?source=cnn_bin&hpt=hp_bn5

But what happens to your trade-in once you ship it to Gazelle, ReCellular, NextWorth, Amazon Trade-In, or any of the other recommerce sites out there?
First, cell phones are inspected for wear and tear and to see whether they still work. Damaged phones are assessed for salvageability.
All phones then go through a memory wipe. Each trade-in company said it wipes memory in two steps to ensure data is erased from the phone. If the phone doesn't work, the companies will physically destroy its memory. 


expeditions
BUFFET BUILDS TAX THE RICH CASE
http://finance.yahoo.com/banking-budgeting/article/113663/buffett-builds-tax-rich-case-wsj?mod=bb-budgeting&sec=topStories&pos=3&asset=&ccode=

Mr. Buffett long has urged lawmakers to raise income-tax rates on the wealthiest, arguing that his secretary paid a higher effective rate than he did last year. President Obama embraced the concept, and went along with Senate Democrats' proposal for a 5.6% surtax on those making $1 million a year or more.
Mr. Buffett's adjusted gross income was $62,855,038 in 2010, according to the letter, while his taxable income was $39,814,784. He said he paid $15,300 in payroll tax, and $6,923,494 in federal income tax. That made for an effective tax rate of 17.4%. 

Now Is a Good Time to Buy a Car: Edmunds CEO
http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/daily-ticker/now-good-time-buy-car-edmunds-ceo-143624243.html
But, if you're in the market for a car, Anwyl says, now is probably a good time to buy. The automakers are finally bringing their 2012 designs to market, after delays (again because of distributions caused by the Japan earthquake), and that means more incentives and better prices. "This month and then the next window of opportunity would be right after Christmas and all the way through the new year."

Best Jobs if You're Over 50
CNN MONEY
http://finance.yahoo.com/focus-retirement/article/113650/best-jobs-if-youre-50-cnnmoney?mod=fidelity-changingjobs&cat=fidelity_2010_changing_jobs

• The job skills you honed over a lifetime may transfer, but as an older job hunter you need to work harder to prove your skills are up to date. Digital know-how and social media experience, for example, are essential in the nonprofit world, says Bleiberg.
   
  What You Need In A Financial Survival Kit
  http://finance.yahoo.com/news/What-You-Need-In-A-Financial-investopedia-1750932932.html?x=0
  
  Financial experts such as the members of the American Institute of CPAs recommend having a personal financial kit that is easily carried in the event of an emergency. These experts suggest all original documents be kept in either a fire-proof safe in your home, or preferably, in a safety deposit box at a bank away from your residence. If a natural disaster strikes your neighborhood, it could also strike the local bank leaving you without a resource for those documents or cash. The average cost of a safe-deposit box is $30-$50 per year.
  
  If an emergency is imminent, you will want a basic kit that you can easily carry with you after a disaster. If your home is destroyed, this kit should have copies of all the basic information you'll need. This "kit" can be a sealable plastic bag, or a small plastic storage container that you can easily "grab-and-run" with. There are many documents you will need to help you recover after a disaster strikes, most should be kept in the fire-proof safe or safe deposit box. This basic kit should consist of essential documents to take care of your basic needs.
• A copy of your driver's license or state identification
• Copies of your credit cards and bank account information
• Copies of current prescriptions, including eyeglasses, and any medical histories that EMS and medical personnel would need to know - allergies, asthma, heart meds, diabetic condition, etc.
• List of your emergency contacts - family members, doctors, insurance agents, financial advisors
• Insurance cards, policy numbers and agents contact information - Life, health, homeowner, auto, renters
• Safe deposit box information - name of financial institution, list of the contents and the key
• Copies of any living wills, power of attorney or medical power of attorney
• Enough cash for living expenses for three days for your entire family
• Prepaid phone cards, cell phone charger

Mad at Bank Of America Citi Bank Wells Fargo & Suntrust

Just some of the quotes and what's being said about charging for debit cards and raising rates or now charging for what had previously been free checking. People, find a new bank. Stay away from the national banks who took government hand outs to pay their executive bonus. Let them know you won't take it anymore by closing your account and finding a local community bank.

THE STREET
WILL YOU LEAVE BANK OF AMERICA OVER THE DEBIT CARD FEE

Bank of America is not the first to charge this fee. Other banks have also tried to find new ways to offset the revenue loss. Wells Fargo is testing a monthly fee of $3 in select markets for debit card purchases. JPMorgan Chase is test marketing a fee as well.


...the idea that Bank of America would charge customers as much as $60 a year for using debit cards to buy groceries had some of TheStreet's readers hopping mad. "I've been a customer of BAC since it was C&S, way back in 1991. I think my loyalty has finally run out," one reader wrote.


CHARLOTTESVILLE DAILY PROGRESS
"LOCAL BANKS SEE BOOST FROM CUSTOMERS FLEEING FEES"

http://www2.dailyprogress.com/business/2011/oct/09/local-banks-see-boost-customers-fleeing-fees-ar-1371513/

"The second they start charging me a fee I didn't sign on for, I'm closing my account and moving all my money"


FORBES-
CUSTOMERS ARE MAD AT BANK FEES

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2011/10/07/personal-finance-financials-us-turning-to-credit-unions_8723274.html

Whenever a big bank rolls out a controversial fee, customers start fuming about taking their business elsewhere


CNN MONEY
I DITCHED MY BIG BANK

BOA CHIEF -"WE HAVE A RIGHT TO MAKE A PROFIT"
http://money.cnn.com/2011/10/11/pf/bank_fees_switch/

"I dropped Bank of America like a hot potato," said Tim O'Brien a partner in a Seattle-based television advertising agency. "I felt like I was getting nickel and dimed."


PERKSTREET BLOG
MAD AT BOA AND CITI
http://blog.perkstreet.com/im-mad-about-bank-of-america-and-citibanks-new-fees-perkstreets-coo-spouts-off/

Aren't the Big Banks afraid of the customer backlash, the potential of rioting and angry tweets and Facebook posts?

Jon Gruden nooo...Ron Jaworsky MNF Cuss and Curse S Bomb

Jon Gruden . nope ...turns out to be Jaws on ESPN MOnday Night Football says "shit" as casually as can be. The former Eagles QB way before anyone heard of Vick says you really have GOT to get rid of the ball. Shit, I think we all agree right ?

Amy Winehouse -The Past is lost, and so is the future

At approximately 4:00 pm local time (BST, UTC+1) on 23 July 2011, two ambulances were called to Winehouse's home in Camden, London. Shortly afterwards, the Metropolitan Police confirmed her death.  There is currently an open investigation to determine the cause of death. The current cause of death is described by police as "unexplained". Winehouse had a longstanding drink and drugs problem.   She gave up on life at such an early age of 27.   She won grammy's, was considerend incredibily talented, exotic, and beautiful.  Many are asking why, how, and some of those should be the people closest to her.  Music has lost someone who made our lives easier to listen to and helped us look musically a bit into the past ...but music has also lost much of its future in the passing of Amy Winehouse.