Pot Luck: Inside a Beverly Hills Cannabis Club Dinner Party

20/20: Pot Luck: Inside a Beverly Hills Cannabis Club Dinner Party

I was watching 20/20 tonight and the show was called: I escaped my life. One of the segments was about a 53 year old woman and mom of two girls who also runs a public relations firm, is a medical marijuana user, founded the Beverly Hills Cannabis Club and is an activist to legalize cannabis in this country.

The moms of this club have battled cancer, chronic pain and crippling anxiety. They say that what got them feeling normal and healthy again wasn't prescription drugs but marijuana did.

They say that they do it to take the edge off and to remain functional and checked in as parents, not to get baked out of their minds. They feel that just as other parents might choose how much to drink around their kids, they are the only ones who can judge what the line between being stoned and buzzed is. They say that they struggle with how to best educate their children on the subject of drug use, just like any parent.

The moms say they try to be responsible and healthy by choosing to vaporize the marijuana. Using small mechanical devices which look like cigarettes, it heats the cannabis just enough to make the THC active and doesn't produce as much harmful smoke.

At the parties, they create edibles, consisting of fettuccine and chicken with marinara sauce made from cannabis infused olive oil and strawberry shortcake.

So, I was not surprised to hear about this because of the fact that Marijuana is becoming legal in more and more states, nor about the fact that they mentioned how happy they felt and how it took them out of depression. I was glad that they mentioned how they were like zombies and checked out when they were using prescription drugs. This is something that seems to get overlooked quite frequently, in my opinion. Prescription drugs are being abused and I have heard of parents taking and even abusing them. They are laid up in bed all day and it becomes more of an excuse, unfortunately, to the kids expense.

I do worry for these parents for the fact that they are doing this in front of their kids. Vaporizer or not, I don't feel that is ever a good idea. Although, I don't know why it would be any more appropriate or okay for someone to smoke or drink in front of or around kids. But, I guess we do it and that is okay. There is still a big stigma in this country about marijuana use. It will be interesting to see what comes of this in the years to come.

Watch the video and let me know what you think or have to say about this topic. Do you think it can make you a better parent?

Proposed Law Will Exempt More IT Employees from Overtime Pay

A bill introduced to congress would define more IT job descriptions that are exempt from overtime pay. 

[Ars Technica]

A bill recently introduced in Congress would greatly expand the exemption to the Fair Labor Standards Act for IT employees, ending overtime benefits for many more types of workers, including network, database and security specialists.

Among other things, the FLSA mandates that employees get time-and-a-half overtime pay for working more than 40 hours in a week, unless they are executives or specifically exempted from the law's protection. There are already many exemptions, and the current text related to IT workers exempts "any employee who is a computer systems analyst, computer programmer, software engineer, or other similarly skilled worker," whose primary duties fall under categories including "systems analysis techniques and procedures," and "design, documentation, testing, creation, or modification of computer programs."

But a bill sponsored by Sen. Kay Hagan (D-NC), titled the "Computer Professionals Update Act," takes the exemption's 131-word text and bumps it up to 205, adding job classes such as database and network specialists and security professionals along the way. The proposed text exempts "any employee working in a computer or information technology occupation (including, but not limited to, work related to computers, information systems, components, networks, software, hardware, databases, security, internet, intranet, or websites) as an analyst, programmer, engineer, designer, developer, administrator, or other similarly skilled worker," with primary duties including "the application of systems, network or database analysis techniques and procedures, including consulting with users, to determine or modify hardware, software, network, database, or system functional specifications."

The bill would also label all employees listed in the exemption as part of the "bona fide executive, administrative, or professional" class exempt from overtime and minimum wage laws. However, the proposed modification keeps the exemption's current text limiting affected employees to those who are on salary or make at least $27.63 an hour.

An IT administrator who blogged about the bill notes that "I think that I may have originally underestimated the importance of this bill to us SysAdmins in the United States…see, I was under the impression that we were almost all salaried and exempt—in other words, that overtime wasn’t an option anyway. I’ve been informed by a couple of friends of mine that this isn’t the case at all, and that there are a lot of hourly SysAdmins who get overtime."

According to Govtrack.us, Hagan's bill was referred to the Committee on Health Education, Labor, and Pensions, on Oct. 20, helpfully noting that "the majority of bills and resolutions never make it out of committee." But if you want to tell Sen. Kagan what you think about limiting overtime pay for IT pros, a contact form is on the senator's website.

FDA Examines Level Of Arsenic In Apple Juice

NPR: FDA Examines Level Of Arsenic In Apple Juice

The Food and Drug Administration is considering tightening restrictions for the levels of arsenic allowed in apple juice after consumer groups pushed the agency to crack down on the contaminant.

Studies show that apple juice has generally low levels of arsenic, and the government says it is safe to drink. But consumer advocates say the FDA is allowing too much of the chemical — which is sometimes natural, sometimes man made — into apple juices favored by thirsty kids.

There is little consensus on whether these low levels could eventually be harmful, especially to children. Michael Taylor, FDA's deputy commissioner for foods, said Wednesday the agency has already stepped up testing and research on arsenic in apple and other juices and is seriously considering lowering the FDA's so-called "level of concern" for the contaminant.

"We continue to think that apple juice is generally safe based on the fact that the vast majority of samples are very low," Taylor said. "But we want to minimize these exposures as much as we possibly can."

Arsenic is naturally present in water, air, food and soil in the two forms — organic and inorganic. According to the FDA, organic arsenic passes through the body quickly and is essentially harmless. Inorganic arsenic — the type found in pesticides — can be toxic and may pose a cancer risk if consumed at high levels or over a long period.

The FDA uses 23 parts per billion as a guide to judge whether apple juice is contaminated. The agency has the authority to seize apple juice that exceeds those levels, though it has never done so.

Consumer groups say the FDA's level is too high and isn't enforced with enough urgency. Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports, released a study on Wednesday calling for the levels to be as low as 3 parts per billion. The Environmental Protection Agency has set levels for drinking water — it's consumed at much greater quantities than apple juice — at 10 parts per billion.

The Consumer Reports study showed that nine of 88 samples of apple juice taken from grocery stores had more arsenic than the EPA's standard for drinking water. But none of the samples exceeded the FDA's standards for inorganic, or man-made, arsenic.

Urvashi Rangan of the Consumers Union says the group has been in talks with the FDA on the issue and is encouraged by the discussion. Another advocacy group, Food and Water Watch, has lobbied the agency on the issue, and Dr. Mehmet Oz has highlighted the issue on his nationally syndicated daytime show.

"We look at apple and grape juice as a poster child for arsenic in the food supply in general," Rangan said. "Chronic low-level exposure of carcinogen is something we should be concerned about."

Molly Kile, a professor at Oregon State University who has studied arsenic for a decade, says more research is needed to determine whether arsenic levels in juice are a problem.

"It is unclear at this point whether or not the arsenic found in apple juice is safe or unsafe," she said. "And really the question is what do these low levels exposure of arsenic mean in terms of health and children's health?"

So what is the parent of a juice-drinking toddler to do?

All of the experts — including the government and the consumer advocates — agree that drinking small amounts of apple juice isn't harmful. The concern is over the effects of drinking large amounts of juice over long periods of time. Parents with a real concern about arsenic should try to diversify the brands of juice they buy in case one brand tends to have more chemical exposure, Consumers Union says.

Another point of agreement is that children under 6 shouldn't be drinking much juice anyway because it's high in calories. Health experts say children under 6 shouldn't drink any more than 6 ounces of juice a day — about the size of a juice box. Infants under 6 months shouldn't drink any juice at all.

Gail Charnley of the Juice Products Association says the industry regularly tests arsenic levels and will follow the FDA's lead.

"Of course parents have concerns but they should know that the juice producers are committed to safety," she said. "Producers have children who drink juice too."

Oz has said he would still serve juice to his own children, though he strongly believes the government isn't doing enough.

"The absolute safest level for arsenic in your food is zero," he said Wednesday while acknowledging "that is impossible to achieve."

3 Common Car Dealer Tactics Hitting Consumers Hard

A car often can be one of the biggest purchases a person will ever make, and consumer groups say buyers are easily taken advantage of by unscrupulous car dealers.

That's why they are pushing for more regulations, and the Federal Trade Commission is hosting an all-day meeting on the topic on Thursday.

A car dealer's tactics can start the moment a driver pulls up at the dealership, according to Ray Lopez, who was a car salesman for 35 years.

"It's all a matter of the psychological games that we play," he said.

1. Yo-Yo Financing

One of the biggest games is "yo-yo financing," which occurs when a dealer is so eager to close the sale that he sends a buyer home with the car before the financing is secured.

"The person's already been driving the car, has already fallen in love with the car," Lopez told ABC News. "But when the financing falls through, the dealer calls back with bad news: Pay more money or return the car."

Lakeeta Johnson, a single mom from St. Louis, said it happened to her. Three weeks after a dealer handed her the keys to a Jeep Liberty, he called and demanded it back.

The dealer kept the car Johnson traded in and her deposit.

"I walked through the door with $2,500 and a truck to trade-in," she said. "I ended up with nothing."

Johnson is now suing the dealership to get back her old truck and the $2,500 deposit.

Cases like Johnson's may not be uncommon. According to the Center for Responsible Lending, one in eight buyers making less than $40,000 a year has been a victim of yo-yo financing. For people making less than $25,000, it's one in four.

"It's outrageous and shouldn't be done," said Jack Fitzgerald, a long-time auto dealer. He told ABC News that buyers should never leave with a car unless the deal is final.

"Don't take delivery of a car if you don't have a signed contract," said Fitzgerald.

2. Interest Rate Markups
Another one of the car dealer tactics is what critics call a hidden markup. That's when a dealer jacks up the interest rate on a car loan, without telling the buyer they have raised the rate quoted by the lender.

It's perfectly legal, and dealers argue that's markup covers their costs related to security and servicing the loan.

But the Center for Responsible Lending says interest-rate markups cost consumers nearly 26 billion dollars a year in "unneeded, excessive charges."

Consumers are advised to shop around for a loan, they may be able to get a better deal from a bank or credit union.

3. Add-Ons
Another trick car salesman use is selling expensive add-ons such as line paint sealant or fabric protection.

"All new cars come from the factory with paint sealant and fabric protection," Lopez said. "So, if you hear that, walk away."

The bottom line is that consumers need to do their homework before they walk into a dealership. They also need to be prepared to walk out and never look back.

"The moment you turn around, ca-ching, they know they've got you now," Lopez said.

Tips from the National Automobile Dealers Association:

Top 4 things to do before going to the dealership:
      1. Based on your needs and budget, determine a realistic price range for the vehicle you are considering to buy.
      2. Know the difference between financing and leasing.
      3. Know your credit record.
      4. Compare annual percentage rates (APR) from other lending sources such as banks, finance companies and credit unions.

Top 4 things to do while visiting the dealership:
      1. Stay within the price range you can afford.
      2. Negotiate your finance arrangements and terms.
      3. Understand the value and cost of optional products such as extended service contracts, credit insurance or guaranteed auto protection. If you don't want these products, don't sign for them.
      4. Read the sales contract carefully before you sign it.

Comtel Plane Passengers Pony Up For Fuel As Airline Goes Broke

Passengers on a Comtel Air charter flight from Amritsar, India to Birmingham, England had to pony up roughly $31,500 for fuel during a stopover in Vienna on Tuesday after the Austrian airline went broke as the plane made the first leg of its flight.

Comtel Air had only recently begun to offer flights between India and the U.K. The Birmingham Mailreports that as many as 600 people may have been stranded by the company suddenly going bust, though most of those customers were not in the middle of their trip.

According to the Birmingham Mail, the 180 furious passengers stuck in Vienna sat on the runway for six hours before agreeing with the crew's pleas to disembark. Once on the ground, they were escorted to ATMs, where they withdrew enough money to get the flight back in the air.

Some of the 180 passengers told the Mail they had been "held to ransom," even though they had paid almost $800 on average for tickets. The passengers were apparently so angry with Comtel that Austrian police had to be called to the aircraft.

An English passenger, who had been in India for three weeks, told The Telegraph: "Nobody has told us anything. They wanted all the money in cash. Everyone was furious, that is why we had the sit-in. We spent more than six hours in Vienna."

Comtel has not commented on the incident yet, though the airline's website offers passengers "Austrian charm."

Though it is not clear what happened to the company's finances, it is quite clear that those passengers stranded in the Punjab are going to have a hard time getting home.

"They did not get the information as to what's happening with the airline," a stranded passenger's daughter told the BBC.

2010 Laws Target Texting, Smoking, Cooking

2010 Laws Target Texting, Smoking, Cooking
Cash-Strapped States Clamp Down on Texting while Driving, Smoking in Public and Cooking with Trans Fats

(AP) Texting while driving, smoking in public and cooking with artery-clogging trans fats will be that much harder under a bevy of state laws set to take effect around the country on Friday.

Faced with huge budget shortfalls and little extra money to throw around, state lawmakers exercised their (inexpensive) power to clamp down on impolite, unhealthy and sometimes dangerous behaviors in 2009.

Even toy guns were targeted.

Among the most surprising new laws set to take effect in 2010 is a smoking ban for bars and restaurants in North Carolina, the country's largest tobacco producer that has a history steeped in tradition around the golden leaf.

Starting Saturday - stragglers get a one-day reprieve to puff away after their New Year's Day meals - smokers will no longer be allowed to light up in North Carolina bars and restaurants. There are exceptions for country clubs, Elks lodges and the like, but the change is a dramatic one for North Carolina, whose tax coffers long depended on Big Tobacco.

Virginia approved a similar law that took effect Dec. 1, but it's more accommodating to smokers because it allows establishments to offer areas in which to light up as long as they have separate ventilating systems.

Not including Virginia and its partial ban, smoking will be banned in restaurants in 29 states and in bars in 25, according to the American Lung Association.

And 12 more states - including Florida, Michigan and Arkansas - have passed laws requiring manufacturers to make their cigarettes less likely to start fires, leaving Wyoming as the only state without such laws, according to the Coalition for Fire-Safe Cigarettes.

America's roads should be safer in 2010, as bans on texting while driving go into effect in New Hampshire, Oregon and Illinois. According to the Governors Highway Safety Association, that will make 19 states that have outlawed the practice, not including six states that prohibit using hand-held cell phones while behind the wheel.

"This legislation is important and will make our roads safer. No driver has any business text messaging while they are driving," said Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White, whose office regulates drivers.

Tina Derby, 42, of Warner, N.H., said she has no intention to stop texting while driving, despite the possible $100 fine she could receive.

"I'd better start saving my money," Derby said.

A new Arkansas law prohibits retailers from selling toy guns that look like they real thing. But it may not have that big of an effect.

Imitation guns used for theater productions and other events are exempted, as are replicas of firearms produced before 1898, BB guns, paintball or pellet guns.

Major retailers in the state also say they don't expect any major changes from the new ban. Bentonville-based Wal-Mart Stores Inc. says it already follows similar federal restrictions prohibiting the sale of realistic-looking toy guns.

California will be the first state to partially ban the use of artificial trans fats in restaurants in 2010, following several major cities and fast-food chains that have erased the notorious artery-clogger from menus.

Starting Friday, the state's restaurants, bakeries and other retail food establishments will no longer be allowed to use products with trans fats in spreads or for frying. Restaurants will still be allowed to use trans fats to deep-fry yeast dough and in cake batter until Jan. 1, 2011.

And a new anti-paparazzi law is set to take effect Friday in the state with the movie star governor that will make it easier for celebrities to sue media outlets claiming invasion of privacy.

Fans of dog races will have to find another form of entertainment in Massachusetts, as the 75-year-old tradition has been outlawed starting Friday.

In New Hampshire, a new gay marriage law will replace a law that allows civil unions, which already provided gay couples with all the rights and responsibilities of marriage.

Starting Friday, a gay couple in a civil union can get a marriage license and have a new ceremony, if they choose. They also can convert their civil union into marriage without going through another ceremony. Couples who do nothing will have their civil unions automatically converted to marriages in 2011. Conservatives are seeking to repeal the law.

In Wisconsin, both same-sex and unwed opposite-sex domestic partners who work for the state and University of Wisconsin can sign up to receive health insurance benefits. A law that allowed same-sex partners to sign a registry to receive other benefits similar to what married couples get took effect in August.

Some other laws set to take effect:

• Teenagers going to a tanning bed in Texas will have to be accompanied by an adult.

• Oregon employers are prohibited from restricting employees from wearing religious clothing on the job, taking time off for holy days or participating in a religious observance or practice.

• The sale of "novelty" lighters - devices designed to look like cartoon characters, toys or guns or that play musical notes or have flashing lights - are banned in Nevada and Louisiana.

"They're cute, they're little, but they can be deadly," said the Nevada bill's co-sponsor, Assembly Majority Floor Leader John Oceguera, D-Las Vegas.

Another Business; Crazy Mountain is forced to shut its doors...

With all the bad news of the economy, another store is forced to shut its doors, I really hope they will be able to make a comeback in the future. Crazy Mountain Shuts Its Doors Courtesy of Giftware News: In early February, Crazy Mountain Imports of Imlay City, Michigan, well-known in the giftware industry, was forced to close its doors when its bank called its loan. According to sources, the bank the company had dealt with for about 10 years was purchased by another bank, and loan officers familiar with Crazy Mountain's loans and business were let go. Loan problems ensued and the bank ultimately called the Crazy Mountain loan. To cover the loan, the company's assets were turned over to the bank and Crazy Mountain shut its doors.