A sampling of our ballot measures...

Ballot measure 33 Allows an increase in the amount of medical marijuania allowed for patients who have a "debilitating disease" to 6 lbs. That would be equal to 1 1/2 joints per every hour of every day of the year.

Ballot measure 36 amends the state constitution to declare that marriage is only valid between one man and one woman.

These are the 2 most interesting ballots. Any of you cows have any to beat these?

We have a bill about whether to ban bear baiting and another one about tax caps. Some ex-con got the second one put on the ballot, apparently she wants to bankrupt every small town in the state. This is really pretty amazing -- this woman is called "Maine's best-known citizen activist" but she has been convicted of embezzlement, served a year in prison, and also was found not guilty by reason of insanity for bank robbery. She got the issue of legislative term limits on the ballot, then was convicted of forgery for fraudulent signatures on petitions she was circulating and served 9 months in jail. She's filed for bankruptcy 4 times. One time the judge found her statements "evasive, self-serving "and "deliberately false" and concluded that she had been evading creditors using an "elaborate shell game". Another judge barred her from filing bankruptcy for 2 years because she had misrepresented her tax payments in court. I can't believe people could possibly take her seriously. Maybe she should run for President.

Kiwi

If you want to be cynical about politics, move here. It is openly corrupt. No one even tries to pretend it isn't.
So far so good on the college thing with dd. We started going to see campuses informally last year....No appointments, just walk throughs and lunch. She is set on a public college after 13 years of private school. She wants to be near NYC. DH and I have nixed the idea of her living in NYC, but she wants the skyline visible from her campus, at least.
Around here the various state universities are radically different from one another. There are four within a few hours drive from here and they are all so different. I didn't like our own state's university, but I love the next state over. In the last few years, our NMSs had perfect PSAT, SAT and grades. Even with that, not all perfect, perfect, perfects make it.
Kiwi, most well known universities are very well endowed. Most give an automatic award based on GPA....so the cost is barely above that of a state university.
Everyone agrees with you, Bagzie...apply, apply, apply. You don't know what they'll come back with...AND you don't know how much $$$ they'll offer. DD gets 5 or 6 blurbs from different schools a day. In most cases, she has no interest but some are good prospects that we never would have thought of. AND with online applications, most waive the application fee.
Aren't I a bore? This is all I do....college stuff and laundry. Mostly laundry. I must go shift...L

You mean there might be something to vote on besides Pres?
I understand the bear baiters might skew the voter turn out in ME. (Thank goodness for NPR!)
So if you are for bears you're for Kerry? Sort of like the Republicans (generally) being willing to vote FOR torture?

I'm glad I'm not a politician... because I don't think DH or I could STAND stranger bedfellows than we already have.

Interesting... I'd not heard anything about GHWB's quicksand encounter. I think GW has his own "sinking" problem in Iraq.

There were "blue laws" in Texas when we moved here. They allowed some "essential needs" stores to be open on Sundays.... Grocery stores, for example. But then they cordoned of certain sections. You could by baby formula, but not diapers. Cat food, but not an opener to open the can with.... It was nuts. And, I think it was all, um, RELIGIOUSLY based. So much for separation of church and state.

State universities in Texas are currently about $8000/year (tuition only). Private can go as high as $35,000 for tuition AND fees. Thank goodness my ex believed in good educations AND had the wherewithall to see the kids GOT good educations.

Kiwi... love your attitude about the bears. Science. Live and let live (re hunters AND bears).

DH said that he votes for conservative legislators (so they don't cook up too many wacko laws) and liberal judges (so they don't impede freedoms). I thought that was really smart.

We had a great afternoon... went on an artist's studio tour.... Three people asked me whether I sold scarves like the one I was wearing.... Whoo hooo...... I've got so much knitting to do for Christmas, I can't imagine adding "orders." Unless they were willing to REALLY PAY A LOT.

I'm still fat, too. Controlling portions, and increasing patience.