Thursday, October 30, 2008

Why Medical Marijuana is Doomed

While driving through Lansing today, I saw a billboard encouraging voters to vote for a "medical marijuana" initiative.  It took only seconds for me to realize why the initiative is doomed.  Let's analyze for a moment.

This billboard probably costs $600 each month, plus the setup cost.  Obviously someone really put some resources into it.  The idea is to get the public behind the initiative.  However...

If that's the case, it would probably be best if the website at the bottom of the ad were something other than a hydroponics supply shop.  It would make sense to invest the money in a proper domain name...something like www.natureheal.org or something similar.  Likewise, it would be smart to steal from the BCBS playbook and have a plain white sign with pastel, neutral writing on it.  Psychedelic purple background with green pot leaf covered writing probably conveys the impression that whoever designed and paid for the sign was, well, stoned man.

Sunday, October 5, 2008

For Sale: Two Cats, Slightly Used

At the height of the animal boom, we purchased two cats with an exploding PAW under the assumption that the cats would only appreciate.  After the Great Pet Crash of 07 we found ourselves saddled with maintenance fees that we couldn't afford, and then the exploding PAW increased.

For the last several months we've been unable to keep up with our feline mortgage and are being foreclosed, so now we're forced to sell at rock-bottom prices.  For the pair, we could part with these two cats for the fire sale price of only $599!

DSCN1859

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

How Do They Do It?

At precisely 8 AM this morning, my paycheck was automatically deposited into my checking account.  At about 8:01, most of it was automatically taken back out.  Reflecting upon this, I reminded myself that Aimee and I have been financially fortunate.  We hardly live in excess, but we keep our bills paid, our home repaired, and our cars running.

Next I wondered, how do other people do it?  We're fortunate, so how do the not-so-fortunate get by?

On the way home, this question slipped my mind while I muttered various oaths about Washington Fat Cats while listening to the radio.  By the time I picked Evelyn up, I had completely forgotten my "ghost check" from this morning.

For the past several weeks our neighbors have been scarce.  This evening, they were home.  I didn't have time to say "Hi" while unloading the car, but later on I stopped by to chat.  When I queried about my neighbor's scarcity he replied "We're being foreclosed on."  His response saddened me, as we've enjoyed these neighbors very much.  One of them lost their job, and they were unable to keep their home on a single income.

Out of twelve houses on our block, this is the fourth one which is empty.  It is the second house in foreclosure, and there is at least one on the adjacent block.  I strongly expect another on our block to enter foreclosure shortly.

Usually I grumble about poor fiscal management when I hear of a foreclosure, however these folks didn't have a huge house or a pair of new cars.  How are those other, less fortunate folks doing it?  They aren't.