All About Us

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Modesto, CA, United States
We are a brother and sister team out of Modesto, CA. Our focus is primarily on creating unique, affordable, and quality seasonal crafts and providing excellent customer service!

My sister, Lisa, and I (Jeremy) have always been very "crafty." We take after our mother in that sense. Today, we are lucky enough to have the Internet and forums, such as Etsy, to help us make our dreams reality. Basically, just getting our creations out into the world, knowing that something we've created is bringing people joy for the holidays or a special occasion, makes it all worth it!

Check out the following sites for coupon codes and other upcoming holiday / event promotions and products! Lots to come...

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Sunday, December 11, 2011

Drug Testing Welfare Recipients

Florida, Kentucky, and Missouri are the first, of hopefully many states, to require drug-testing of welfare recipients. It seems odd to me that we are just now addressing this issue. People who work for their income have been drug-tested for years--prior to employment. Yet, people who are receiving government aid are free to abuse drugs and alcohol on the tax-payer's dime.

I realize the economy is tough right now and many people may look to vices as a means of coping with stress, depression, etc. However, it isn't the responsible solution to the problem. Find something to bring in an income or seek counseling to deal with the underlying issues driving you to drink, smoke, and/or abuse drugs.

If a person has the money to buy even cigarettes, let alone marijuana or alcohol on a regular basis, surely they can afford a loaf of bread and gallon of milk or basic necessities to support their family through hardship.

The results of the following study conducted by the National Institute of Health (NIH): Alcohol and Drug Use, Abuse,and Dependence among Welfare Recipients show that "[t]he percentages of welfare recipients using, abusing, or dependent on alcohol or drugs were relatively small and consistent with the general US population and those not receiving welfare benefits." Still, disqualification of even the small percentage of the sample population that is using would save the country, specifically tax payers, money over time. Additionally, it is the principle that these people are receiving free aid because they have children, to take care of their children, not to remain unemployed, sponging off of the government as long as they can, while abusing substances.

Spending money to drug test the welfare recipient is a one-time cost. Maybe they are drug-tested once and lose benefits for one year or something. We are saving one year of paying them benefits for the cost of a single drug test.

Any thoughts?