The advantages of being a pot grower...........

http://www.msnbc.msn.com:80/id/28354324/

This is where I live, in Mendocino County of Northern California. Firstly, I DON'T grow pot, but I know LOTS of people that do. At the end of the day, after dealing the 941's, DE-6's, employee child support forms, drug testing issues, liability and workers comp audits, dis-honest and un-licensed contractors, corp and safety meetings, etc., I have more than once considered growing. Growers don't pay any taxes, pay their employees cash, don't have any insurances or safety issues, usually are on disability, un-employment, government supplied health care and any other form of help the few of us actually tax paying folks provide for. I heard recently that 1% of Cal. tax payers pay 50% of the state taxes, no wonder our state is bankrupt.

Any growing where you live ?>>>

Sorry I haven't piped back in.

Been out watering, clipping, harvesting, counting cash, getting stoned...............

:S>>>

Pot use, cultivation or sales, medicinal or otherwise, is a federal offense, period. Doesn't matter what laws the individual states pass, unless the feds back off. Several "medical" mj operations have been licensed by the local govt and issued licenses and permits here in my county (and ironically the final permit coming from the sheriff), only to have the same sheriff assist the DEA in busting the same outfits a few months later.>>>

No way Hosay..........he he>>>

Stephen So what's the advantage if a person has to go to jail; Federal or not. Would you be in favor of the fair tax plan? If unknown what this is; it's taxing everything 15-18% and eliminating income taxes. And legalize the pot thing and tax it.>>>

Lots of it. Particularly in corn fields. The Nat Guard does helicopter missions looking for it. Flew right down in front of my house once, hovered over the ground, my windows shaking profusely, a uniform jumped out, grabbed a stalk of my buckwheat planted as a deer food plot, hopped back in the chopper and off they flew. I don't reckon they ever saw buckwheat before. LOL

Meigs County Gold, supposed to be some of the best pot in the world is just a few counties below me.>>>

Daves not here "Man" cough , cough.........>>>

I dunno if I shared this story with you guys yet or not but here goes. As you know my new construction trailer was stolen last April from in front of our office. It was recovered, trashed, in July by the DEA and county LE task force at a grow house operation about twenty miles away. The people involved, two Cubans (man & woman) and a Mexican with three felony convictions to his credit. The two Cubans made $100K bails each and had a private Miami lawyer represent them. The Mexican was held without bail. They all pled guilty prior to trial and we attended the sentencing of the male Cuban and the Mexican. The woman gets sentenced Feb. 27th. The reason we attended was to ask for restitution, a little over $13K. We show up in Tampa at the federal courthouse and go to the 15th floor. There, sitting on benches were the two Cubans and a slew of others who were with them. This scene made us a little uncomfortable but we knew they didn't know why we were there so no problem.

Go into this huge courtroom and they bring in the Mexican in shackles. He has to speak through an interpreter (sp) although he's been in our country 15 years while doing his crimes. He gets 15 years, federal time, and is taken out. Next comes the male Cuban who now has a govt. supplied lawyer for some reason (pleading poverty maybe?). The judge asks about our restitution claim and the lawyer says he thinks we didn't lose that much even though every claim was supported by receipts. The judge gets pissed and says, "is Mr. Thompson here today?". I raise my hand and say "HERE".......your honor. He then says to the lawyer, "if you want to have a hearing on this matter we'll do it right now sir". The lawyer clearly sees the judge is no mood for BS so he agrees in full. Then the judge awards the electric company over $9K in stolen electrical services from this house! So, the Cuban gets 24 months and asks to be held at a federal facility near Miami so his family is close......ain't that nice? He's an illegal, been here two years, no priors, so the judge lets him walk out and report in 30 days! Then, to add insult to injury the US attorney (who refuses to shake hands with me saying "I don't shake hands, I'm an a--hole")says to us, "you'll probably never see a dime of your money anyway, then he laughs.

I don't know about you guys but homicide briefly passed through my mind right then. My question is this, why is it that when the cops confiscate money, drugs, etc. from these crooks THEY get to spend it anyway they damn well please while victims of the crimes take it up the arse? Something wrong here guys.

Walking out of the courthouse we briefly talk to the power company lady about the claim she just got. She told us she had 58 pending cases just like this one. One house stole nearly $60K worth of power before being found out! Is this true I'm thinking? Normally you miss one month and they'll shut you off :silly: She said all she did was follow these deals and that it was happening all over the state, not just in her two counties. It's a HUGE business here and run by Cubans and now Vietnamese (according to her).

JET>>>

I have seen many homeless types on the side of the road with signs asking for pot. If it didn't work they probably wouldn't be doing it. :S>>>

I'm not willing to do the time :) Even though Calif has decriminalized a large portion of pot use and cultivation, the Feds ain't lettin up. Legalizing and taxing it would have a lot of positive impacts. OTOH, probably would end up with a lot more stoned people on the road and/or looking for some form of welfare to collect so they can be stoned full time.>>>

every 3 months say you yeild 10 pounds. Now 10 pounds at 4 grand= $40000 x 4= $160,000 a year. and thats barley doing it.

And NO I have never thought about doing it.>>>

They are talking earthquakes !!!!!! I don't know what they know .>>>

Indoors here as well, with all the state of the art supplies. The businesses that sell growing products are thriving very nicely.

Great, while I stuggle with all the trimmings of owning a legal business in a dreadful economy..... :(>>>

Mostly grow houses here. They control the growth and quality in hydroponics. If they could only direct their efforts to the agricultural sector .It would rid parents having to say things like eat every thing on your plate there are starving children over there.>>>