Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger bans the use of welfare cards for psychic readings
November 5, 2010

Arnold Schwarzenegger, the governor of California recently used his powers to limit spending of his struggling welfare state. Welfare recipients used to be able to buy marijuana, get psychic readings, enjoy so called massages in massage parlors, get bail bonds, play bingo, shop for guns, gamble on the race track or go on cruise ships or spend their time in smoking shops or get the latest tattoos.

All these nice past times are no longer. Based on a report in the Los Angeles Times, the Schwarzenegger administration informed county welfare directors on Monday with a letter, announcing that ATMs and point-of-sale card readers in such establishments will no longer be on the list of approved destinations for California's Electronic Benefits Transfer cards.

The welfare cards are intended to pay for life's necessities and are not considered consistent with the welfare program was said in the explaining letter.

Earlier this Year casinos and poker room had already been removed from the network, after the LA Times reported about out of state usage of welfare cards. Based on these reports, $69 million of California welfare money was spent elsewhere. $12 million of said money was spend in Las Vegas. Florida was also a hip location to get rid of the welfare funds. The tally counted in Florida was about $1.5 million. There was also welfare money spend on cruise ships which were sailing from Miami.

Posted by Clay Kohut at 12:00 AM - Link to this entry  |  Share this entry  |  Print

Couple gives away $11.2M in lottery winnings
November 5, 2010

The phone hasn't stopped ringing at Allen and Violet Large's home over news the elderly Nova Scotia couple has given away almost $11.2 million in lottery winnings.

Allen Large says they've received calls from well-wishers and reporters from across the country since a story about their philanthropy appeared in the Halifax Chronicle Herald today.

The Lower Truro couple won their fortune in a July 14 Lotto 649 draw and decided to take care of family and various organizations and institutions instead of spending it on themselves.

The story is even drawing interest abroad.

A producer with ITV television in London called The Canadian Press today looking to connect with the Larges, and the story is drawing a flood of comments from readers on the Daily Mail's website in the United Kingdom.

Large says he and wife haven't given away every penny - they've put aside about two per cent of the winnings for a rainy day.

At the Shillelagh House, a family restaurant in Lower Truro, owner Lori Hingley said her patrons were abuzz with news about the Larges' generosity.

"People who know them just know that's the type of people they are - they're just happy to have each other," Hingley said, adding that most people in the area heard about their giving ways back in the summer when they won the Atlantic Lottery's Lotto 649.

Word spread beyond the small community Thursday when a story was published in the Halifax Chronicle-Herald.

"I think people are wondering why they didn't keep any and treat themselves, but mostly people just think it's great how generous they were."

Posted by Clay Kohut at 12:00 AM - Link to this entry  |  Share this entry  |  Print

Zach Galifianakis smokes weed on 'Bill Maher'
November 5, 2010

Zach Galifianakis joins everyone -- even R2-D2 and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar -- in making a public appearance to encourage voters to cast their ballots on the Nov. 2 midterm elections. But will his particular stunt help or hinder his cause?

On this past week's "Real Time With Bill Maher," "The Hangover" star discusses Proposition 19, in which Californians can decide whether or not to legalize marijuana.

"It's a tricky thing politically to jump on that bandwagon," says Galifianakis before pulling lighting up a joint and taking a few puffs. "Because I think that maybe people still see it as taboo."

The bold move seems to amuse most of the panelists, including conservative Margaret Hoover who verifies that it's pot by sniffing the joint and then handing it back.

So will this stunt actually gain support for decriminalizing pot or will it confirm -- at least in the mind of detractors -- that marijuana will make you do crazy things? Galifianakis is known for his generally wacky actions, like shaving off his beard mid-hosting during "Saturday Night Live," so he might not be the best poster child for rational behavior. Then again, he sure does keep us on our toes.

Posted by Clay Kohut at 12:00 AM - Link to this entry  |  Share this entry  |  Print