http://ritasdigest.wordpress.com My World, My Opinion... Fri, 27 Feb 2009 14:25:55 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Going back FIVE years ago, the Florida Tourism Board posted the following report on its web site. One week after the article was posted, the DOACS of Florida received a scathing letter from the Mexican Department of Tourism. The Mexican Tourism Board felt the article was totally unfair. As a ... http://ritasdigest.wordpress.com/2009/02/27/pressure-from-mexico-tourism-board/ OK, so there you have it! WTF! Just like I've being saying all along, the Big Three Idiots - Larry, Moe and Curly now expect to need $30B in bailout money! They went to Washington with hat in hand (in private jets) and weaseled $13.4B out of American taxpayers and now ... http://ritasdigest.wordpress.com/2009/02/17/rip-american-economy/ [caption id="attachment_1200" align="alignleft" width="100" caption="Clyde"][/caption] So, Madoff's wife withdrew $15 million bucks at the end of November and hubby surrendered in December. Then Madoff had the audacity to even think of mailing jewelry and checks to friends and family. Does this daring duo even have a conscience? It's like Bonnie and ... http://ritasdigest.wordpress.com/2009/02/11/madoff-just-loves-opm/ [caption id="attachment_1194" align="alignleft" width="96" caption="Pulling a Vegetable from the Garden patch!"][/caption] By now, many Americans have heard about the "right to die" controversy in Italy. The  case involves a young woman who's been in a coma for 17 years. Doctors stated she' brain dead, ain't coming back so, let's stop feeding ... http://ritasdigest.wordpress.com/2009/02/10/death-be-not-proud/ I don't usually write about travel, however, I figured I'd take a stab at one industry, which preys upon unsuspecting consumers. Florida is host to all the major cruise lines. They arrive and depart from ports such as Port Canaveral, Miami and Fort Lauderdale. The cruise line names are well known and ... http://ritasdigest.wordpress.com/2009/02/07/cruises-what-you-dont-know/ I've got a simple (easy to understand) Stimulus Package...it's called GEAP. For those currently on unemployment, they should be allowed to get any work they possibly can while keeping their full range of benefits for the period time of entitlement. For those corporations, who are going to continue to lay ... http://ritasdigest.wordpress.com/2009/02/06/the-geap-employee-assistance-program/ First, I'm not a sports fan per se, let alone, a drone who sits at home, wading through hours of Olympic events. I did watch Phelps swim his way into history and he was the highlight of the Olympic games. I was reading today about his fall from grace. He's banned from ... http://ritasdigest.wordpress.com/2009/02/06/phelps-a-bad-guy-no-just-sowing-his-oats/ Sometimes, I like to sit in my underwear at the computer and just write about "things". You know, stuff that just runs through your mind. The news will sometimes be my catalyst for writing on a topic. I read with much dismay about the family that exited this world through ... http://ritasdigest.wordpress.com/2009/02/01/the-darwin-award-goes-to/ Robert Gibbs, Press Secretary for President Obama has GOT to STOP using uh, um, uh, um, uh during his press conferences. I tried to sit through his press conference yesterday and it was simply annoying to hear uh, um, uh, um at the end and in the middle of every ... http://ritasdigest.wordpress.com/2009/02/01/mr-gibbs-uhumuhumuh/ Let me start off by stating that I'm an Obama supporter. No doubt, I read this morning that his half brother George was arrested in Kenya on possession of marijuana and resisting arrest. George's first call was to CNN and NOT to the White House. This raises the question of how ... http://ritasdigest.wordpress.com/2009/01/31/gotta-love-family/ Do we like Obama? I think we do. Do we like him in Florida? I think many do. What do we think of the First Family as a whole? I think they're the first "First Family" that comes across, as simply "nice people" with none of the trappings of the ... http://ritasdigest.wordpress.com/2009/01/29/obama-report-card-a/ Today they sentenced Dr. Juan lbanez to four+ years in prison. Seems the good doctor was selling prescriptions over the Internet. Exactly what was he selling to get himself a four-year prison sentence? Painkillers like Hydrocodone. Now, to put this into perspective, doctor Juan didn't sell a few pills here and there, no, he ... http://ritasdigest.wordpress.com/2009/01/29/rush-to-judgment/ So, State Farm goes to the State of Florida and asks for a 47% rate hike (statewide), gets a negative from the insurance commissioner and then decides to cancel 1 million policyholders homeowners insurance - in retaliation. Yes, I consider this move  one of retaliation against the homeowners of Florida who ... http://ritasdigest.wordpress.com/2009/01/29/buying-the-farm/ Do we really care about Pastor Ted Haggard and his sexual exploits? Well, I guess when confronted hypocrisy, we have the opportunity to a have a laugh (in some cases) or simply scratch our heads in disbelief. Pastor Ted has been busy leading a double life. This is nothing new when it comes ... http://ritasdigest.wordpress.com/2009/01/28/gte-on-your-knees-and-pray-pastor-ted/ Sometimes, I find myself literally rolling off my chair at some of the news coming across the wire. Today, was no exception. CNN has posted a story concerning the Stimulus Package and those who may be "shut out" of receiving any portion of the stimulus package. The list is as ... http://ritasdigest.wordpress.com/2009/01/28/casinos-need-a-bailout/ It's a pretty sad day when a Tampa resident (for many years) can't get a hold of a pair of super bowl tickets unless they mortgage their home, are personal friends with someone in the NFL, a buddy of a high-level executive at Bank of America or, are willing to buy ultra-super ... http://ritasdigest.wordpress.com/2009/01/27/tampa-super-bowl-super-for-who/ I guess one can feel a bit sorry for the Bush clan. With that said, the image of George and Laura getting on-board "Executive One" was a sight to be seen. In fact, I thought it looked like something out of a movie trailer. Watching the Bushes board "Executive One" ... http://ritasdigest.wordpress.com/2009/01/20/thank-god-im-free-at-last/ First, let me make myself perfectly clear "I'm not a psychologist". With that said, I'd like to touch upon the "Psychology of Dislike". Yes, this a phrase (a condition) I have just made up. I wonder if Mr. Bush is presently experiencing this condition. One has to guess that Mr. ... http://ritasdigest.wordpress.com/2009/01/19/presidents-and-the-psychology-of-dislike/ [caption id="attachment_1034" align="alignright" width="136" caption="The Three Stooges?"][/caption] How do you turn around a business model and make it profitable? This seems to be the question for Detroit automakers. They have lost their know-how and are stuck in neutral. When they should been looking toward the future, to alternative energy cars, they ... http://ritasdigest.wordpress.com/2009/01/13/how-to-revive-detroit/ [caption id="attachment_1018" align="alignleft" width="124" caption="Harrah's Tampa, Florida"][/caption] I've been reading a few horror stories about the elderly (in Florida) who are losing their homes and proverbial shirts at Indian casino's - namely, the Harrah's Hard Rock Casino in Tampa, Florida. There can be NO doubt that allowing the Hard Rock to escalate ... http://ritasdigest.wordpress.com/2009/01/06/indian-casinos-a-bane-on-mankind/ Do we really need another Presidential Library? Do we need another structure for George Bush when daddy already has a library? Why not double up? Like father, like son, the apple don't fall from the tree and waste not, want not, does not seem to fit the bill for this ... http://ritasdigest.wordpress.com/2009/01/05/ha-ha-ha-a-bush-library-for-300m/ Obama.. I'm getting this feeling that Obama us going to be a pretty cool President. As a matter of fact, it's almost as though one feels as though they will finally have a President who actually listens to the people - for a change. I was reading today that Obama had his ... http://ritasdigest.wordpress.com/2009/01/05/obama-bush-gaza-travolta/ Hate to say it but, it serves you right. All those millionaires who handed Madoff their money to fulfill their need for greed got taken. It's about time you all got a dose of reality. No more private jets, million-dollar homes, $2500.00 dinners and endless credit lines. Just how stupid could ... http://ritasdigest.wordpress.com/2008/12/31/so-he-madoff-with-your-money/ What would he cry for? Does a man breakdown in public or in private? Does he look into the deep abyss of sorrow and finally give up? If he's faced with his own death, what does he see or think in the final moments? This is what I think of when ... http://ritasdigest.wordpress.com/2008/12/31/if-a-man-can-weep/ I've got to say that I think Jewel and Christine hit the nail on the head with their comments concerning my article on Gay Marriage rights. Thanks for the comments, as they truly bring to light, the darkness that falls upon those who are perceived to be beyond the "sexual norm". I ... http://ritasdigest.wordpress.com/2008/11/14/to-the-religious-right/