I agree the home warranty is useless. I couldn't believe my ears when I found out what it actually was. Just a contract for some company to call OTHER companies when work needs to be done, and you have no control over what companies actually do the work. I can call a plumber myself, thank you.

HAhahahahaha, that's very creative.

Aw, but facts are no FUN for some people.

I'm pretty sure if there really was an effective boycott of Papa Johhn's or any other company, the company would wise up and change its ways long before it actually had to close. Especially when all they had to do was raise their prices. Seems like a no-brainer to me.

For me, Thanksgiving means Alice's Restaurant. I'm a sucker for it every time.

"idiosyncrazies"

I love that

Good point! I expect you're right.

This might already be clear to you by now, MsH, but these petitions are not from state governments, but from individuals. Kind of a feel-good thing, I guess, like a business's suggestion box.

I think you might have got the numbers backward. The statistics I saw were that about 60% of eligible voters did vote.

Was it voted to be legal so that the government could provide it ("legal outlets")? Isn't the idea just to let it be marketed like tobacco or coffee? I could grow those right now if I wanted to, for personal use, to create a business selling it, no difference.

Are the state governments going to actually establish a price floor for it? I'm not sure why that would be needed. I'm sure they'll load it up with taxes, but that's different. I'm all for that, anyway. Let people pay for their vices.

The quote about "voting themselves money" cannot be found anywhere in Franklin's writings and is considered a misattribution for now, not having been heard before 1988. I have read a LOT about Franklin and to me, it doesn't sound like his style of speaking. The contempt it expresses for ordinary people also doesn't fit (IMO) with his philosophy. Wux, I really hope that your rant against Franklin was either a joke or was simply ill-informed. He certainly had failings, but greed wasn't one of them.

But this is off topic, so I'll let it go. It's just that Franklin is one of the people I admire most in history, and mainly for his character.

Paul Ryan.

Mg, please don't stop posting, you're such a breath of fresh air. I have thought a lot recently about giving up on this forum completely because of all the shouters, but that seems like letting the bullies win.

What does that mean, "feelings tell the truth"?

Permission ain't gonna be forthcoming anyway. And even Rick Perry is now saying that he believes in the Union. Nice of him, that.

All talk, that's all it is. Just like the people who swear they're going to move to Canada if so-and-so gets elected. Hardly anyone actually does. I even said it to myself when George W was first elected, but surprise! the country even made it through those 8 years.

This seems to be the legal document confirming the annexation.
https://www.tsl.state.tx.us/ref/abouttx/annexation/4july1845.html
I don't see a word in there about secession later.

Um . . . you can't be serious? Texas joined the Union before the Civil War, so the results of that war would . . . NOT? . . . apply to it? I don't understand this logic.

For me it's essential. I've been on my own a long time and tend to want things my way. I can be snappish. It's important to have the guy know that when I say I'm not easy to live with, I'm not just being overhumble. Need to experience the situation so the two of us could find out if we'd be able to work things out together after all.

B. can say, if it doesn't work out "oh well," but I'd far rather have that happen in a living-together situation than a marriage. I have a hard enough time trusting as it is. If I put enough trust in life to get married again and then have that one blow up too -- CAN'T face that idea. Would rather test it out in baby steps first.

I second Seamac's advice. Be sure not to take the posts too, too seriously until you've been around for a while. Some people are basically trolls and it's hard to know if they really believe what they say. Others are just joking around and mean no harm, but you can't tell until you've watched them for a couple of weeks.

Good luck! It's always great to have new person in the group.

Moi -- Kearns.

Who is a native and who is not?

I'm not (recent East Coaster).