Kerry Lutz's--Financial Survival Network

Ivan Eland doesn't think Barack Obama has been a very good president. In a new updated version of his book Recarving Rushmore: Ranking the Presidents on Peace, Prosperity, and Liberty, being published this fall, he ranks him 34th of 41 presidents rated. His further injection of the government into the health care and financial industries, his temporary government takeover of two of the three major American auto companies, his massive pork-filled fiscal stimulus bill, and his only marginal improvement over George W. Bush's abysmal record on civil liberties have all been quite disappointing and troubling. Yet despite all the recent criticism, Ivan believes that Barack Obama's foreign policy may be the best since Republican and Democratic presidents in the mid- to late-1970s.

Debra writes that Marijuana may still be an illegal drug at the Federal level, but that isn't stopping some companies from building a national presence. "I think people are already positioning themselves for a national cannabis industry," said David Bienenstock, a marijuana consultant. "The people who make a smart move now will be rewarded later."

The opportunity for investors seems obvious. First, there is an established customer base. Granted, most of these consumers have been buying their product in the black market, but many probably prefer to do a legitimate transaction, assuming the price is right. Next, there are no entrenched players. The field is wide open to the budding entrepreneurs to be the first to market.