Something to Know - 28 July

1.  This op-ed in the NY Times yesterday has driven a cacophony of howls from opposing opinions.  Such is life.  I can remember my memories of hanging around Southern California beaches back in  the 70s with all types of people gathering signatures to petitions to put measures on the California ballot to legalize marijuana.  Young college kids, hippies, and citizens concerned with its prohibition on society were the only proponents.  Now, the issue has moved to the top of the opinion generator - the New York Times.  Change happens, and it is never a smooth process:

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/07/27/opinion/sunday/high-time-marijuana-legalization.html?emc=eta1

2.  There will be much media focus on how Gov. Christie works through the huge problem of the budget shortfall in New Jersey and its ability to meet funding for the public employee pension system.  I particularly like his statement that "promises were made that cannot be kept".  How he navigates this without a flood of Sandy Hook federal money to solve his state insolvency will be closely monitored.  I might want to ask him why promises to keep him in office after his corrupt election tactics are impossible to keep.  Does he regard public policy for employee benefits and compensation as merely "promises".  Perhaps he should regard his promise not to raise taxes as something he cannot keep:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/for-chris-christie-new-jersey-pension-battle-presents-a-test-for-2016/2014/07/27/9447a21e-1374-11e4-9285-4243a40ddc97_story.html?wpisrc=nl_hdtop

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Juan
 

Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.

-- Confucius