Once just a gentleman’s game, U.S. gambling began its rise to the center of attention around 400 years ago. A time where gambling was the root of all evil, yet it could still help the colonies from financial issues. Deliberation over the subject went on for years and still is today, but gambling never stopped to wait for an answer. While challenges were being discussed, different forms of gambling were being created to stave off bankruptcy and other money problems.

The first company to hold a gambling lottery was a bank in Jamestown, Virginia, which’ of course’ was an instant success. It wasn’t like the state lotteries you see today, but still was beneficial for a short period of time. After awhile, England felt as though they weren’t making a profit from this form of gambling, so they ended up banning it from everyone. However, that wouldn’t last long as all thirteen colonies eventually were allowed to hold their own without question.

Four centuries removed, you can drive along the eastern states and see prestigious universities like Harvard, Princeton, and Yale that were all started by revenue created by state lotteries. As several other venues were being built thanks in part to U.S. gambling, greed started to as people in the colonies wanted freedom and independence from England. While this was over several issues, lotteries were one of the bigger issues never mentioned in history books.

Obviously the most prestigious form of gambling at the time, state lotteries weren’t the only U.S. gambling going on around the country. By this time, horse races had already been around since 1665, but most bets were between owners only and not of a spectator kind. Also making its mark on cities throughout the colonies in the 1800s were casino style gambling with cards and dice. As areas grew, so did the size of gambling halls and local watering holes where games could be played.

Then came the Mississippi River and everything it had to offer with barter and trading through several owners. Business this way was quicker, and several well known individuals met on riverboats to play some casino style gambling. This was the true introduction of the professional gambler. Winning enough money in small towns to play on the riverboats with the big boys was a common tale. After awhile, many were thought to be cheaters and many would perish at the hands of people who lost money to them.

Just as the state lotteries were part of the reason for the American Revolution War, it was the Civil War that ended the time of professional gambling in the 1860s. While not the main reason, it created a business stand still, which led to no traffic up and down the great Mississippi. For the next sixty years, gambling would be loved by many and hated by that many more. States that had good fortune would create gambling booms like in California and Nevada,

As years moved ahead, people like Al Capone and his mob used gambling money to front their businesses, while at the same time sports were becoming one of the major things to bet on during this period. Fast forwarding to the seventies, lotteries held around the country were making over a billion dollars on a annual basis. Gambling in the United States was considered a normal part of living and still is today.

Now we’re in the 21st century and the gambling business is booming with billions upon billions of dollars being made annually. The Super Bowl is the most anticipated gambling event each year, and land based casinos are popping up all over the country. Still, many Americans protest gambling due to family members who have ongoing problems with controlling their addictions. However, the future looks bright and the government will have a hard time trying to give up all the tax revenue that is made off of gambling alone.

Which brings us to the future, and online casino gambling. While the United States was one of the leaders in gambling online, President Bush tried to ban them from using debit cards that are bank issued to try to control the outbreak. It didn’t take long for U.S. players to realize that adding money to different accounts like Netteller or Moneybookers, then transferring it over may take a little longer, but the end result is the same.

There will never be a solution to gambling no matter if it’s online or offline, and others will always protest the morals and what it all stands for overall. A cat and mouse game that will never be solved, and while everyone continues to argue back and forth, the sport of gambling will only become bigger. Hurry, someone go check the odds on that, you might want to bet on it.

Regarding sin, here’s a test: try NOT to think about a crystal bowl of Red & Green M&M candies. Now, try not to sin. As long as we walk around in these earth suits, we’re going to have a VERY hard time NOT sinning. Frankly, even if I never sinned, I’d get pridefull about how good I am in comparison to you. Pride is a sin; a very serious matter that got Lucifer booted out of Heaven. Pride really does come before a fall, according to Scripture. Even babies know how to sin. No one has to tell a little kid how to be selfish or steal.

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,” (Romans 8:1) If even a minister serves up a message of condemnation for you, quite simply, it’s NOT from God. How do we know? Because those things that are from the Holy Spirit manifest themselves in Edification, Exhortation, Comfort (1 Cor 14:3). The Spirit Himself has come to convict us of our sin, righteousness and judgment (John 16:5-11). Jesus said, “But now I am going to him who sent me; yet none of you asks me, `Where are you going?’ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts.

Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convince the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin (ministering conviction and leading to godly sorrow, repentance and resulting in more followers of Jesus), because they do not believe in Me; concerning righteousness (because, with Jesus gone, the Spirit would continue reminding us of who we are in God’s eyes so that the Cause of Christ – this Kingdom work of ours – would continue), because I go to the Father, and you will see Me no more; concerning judgment (what God had prepared for the devil and his angels and those who willfully follow him), because the ruler of this world is judged.

Conviction of sin? Yes, NOT condemnation. Once that conviction leads to godly sorrow, it will lead to repentance (2 Cor 7;10).

Conviction of righteousness? Yes! We MUST become convicted of our righteousness – our right standing with God. If not, we will find ourselves wallowing in the condemnation Satan heaps upon us in relation to our pasts.

Judgment? As one speaker said, “God votes you go to Heaven. Satan votes you go to Hell. YOU cast the deciding vote.”

Let’s remember that, although Eph 2:8,9 declares that, “For by grace you have been saved through faith…,” though are saved by God’s grace, that same grace is NOT a license to sin. Guess what? We’re going to sin ANY WAY!

That’s the Good News (Gospel) about sin; that even though we may do our level best NOT to sin, when we do – and we WILL – we have an advocate (Jesus) with the Father. Sure, you may never fly a plane into a tall building, or have an affair with a high ranking official. But do you ever Doubt? Do you ever Fear? Lie? Steal? Lust? Covet? Gossip? Isaiah 64:6 says Our righteousness is filthy rags in God’s sight. Romans says There is NO ONE righteous; not even one. ALL have sinned and fall short of God’s glory. Folks, at our BEST, we’re not good enough. As Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 10:12. “…When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.”

Think about it; who among us had sinned before Jesus died on that cruel cross? No one. So, logically speaking, if ALL our sins were atoned for at Calvary, ALL includes ALL the sins you and I ever committed AS WELL as all the sins you and I will EVER commit, right?

Now, despite the fact that we are so good at holding one another to our own self-righteous measuring stick, merciless standards of what is good and acceptable, though man looks at the outside, God looks at the heart (1 Sam 16:7). Are there consequences for our sins? You’d better believe it. Gal 6:7,8 says: “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.”

The principal of reaping and sowing – the seedtime-to-harvest existence we have here on earth, was set in motion by God back in Gen 8:22. But be of good cheer; though those negative seeds of sin will bring forth a negative harvest, those positive seeds of blessing will bring forth blessings from God that will overtake you, to. So, remain blessable at all costs!

So, what’s the Good News about sin? The Good News about sin is that the debt has been paid. The key is simply in making Jesus the real Lord of your lives though experiential relationship. We are encouraged by Scripture to GROW in grace and in the KNOWLEDGE of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3;18). How does a person fall in love with anyone or anything? By spending TIME with that person or thing. Jesus WANTS to be a REAL Person in all of our lives. Sadly, too often, He never shakes His status as a mere historical figure. The plain truth is that most who call themselves Christians are doing so only because they weren’t born in Baghdad or Islamabad or Pakistan. Many consider themselves Christians despite having ZERO relationship with Christ. Christless Christianity is no Christianity at all.

Do you want to grow in that relationship? Years ago, I was asked to pick up a wonderful godly woman for a church service as her car was in the shop. I thought, “Here’s my chance!” As we drove along, I asked her what it was that made her seem so “different” than so many other Christians I had met. She smiled knowingly and said it came down to three very simple ingredients. 1) Pray all the time. “It’s a 2-Way form of communication, talking and listening.” 2) Study the Word. “It’s a love letter; the word “Bible” stands for Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth,” she quipped. 3) Fellowship. “Not merely attending Church services but surrounding yourself with people whose Faith-Walk you admire and want to emulate. Remember, we all need a Paul, a Barnabas and a Timothy in our lives.”

A few years back, I performed a wedding for a Catholic man and his Church of Christ bride. The groom’s mother was a beautiful 40-something woman who had gone through an ugly divorce 20 years prior. In counseling the couple, the young man revealed to me that his mother would not take communion as a result of her feelings of unworthiness by way of her divorce. I was able to discuss this matter with her at the reception. I reminded her that the cross of Christ was all that would ever be needed for our forgiveness. There are NO VIP SINNERS and that she was as forgiven by God through Christ as anybody EVER. Friends, I think I could hear shackles and chains falling off the woman as she beamed with delight! OK. I exaggerate a bit. But it was a glorious moment, that’s for sure.

WHAT IS SIN?

Appearing 827 times in the Bible, the Greek word for “sin” is hamartia {ham-ar’-tee’-ah}, and it literally means “to miss the mark” as when an archer fails to hit the center of the target.

Who has sinned? According to Rom 3;23, ALL have sinned. Rom 3:19 says there is no one righteous; no, not one. Isaiah 64:6 describes our own righteousness as “filthy rags” in the sight of God. Basically, being good isn’t good enough.

Finally, there’s this verse from 1 Jn 1:8,10: “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. if we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His Word is not in us.” We’re LYING to ourselves if we think we don’t sin or that we can obey the 10 commandments. I recall the very first sermon that ever stuck with me. I chose to listen to Billy Graham on a small transistor radio on my bed. He was describing how we all break the ten commandments all the time. Adultery? Jesus said you’ve committed adultery through lust in your heart. Murder? Jesus said your as guilty of such if for merely hating another person. NONE of us was innocent.

Even Al Capone, the gangster, considered himself quite the benefactor to society. The evidence? The public was buying what he was selling. Likewise, pornography is a $7 Billion a year business. Is it beneficial? By Capone’s definition, it is, obviously, as so many are buying the product of porn. “But exhort one another daily, while it is called today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin,” (Hebrews 3;13). Sin causes a person to be deceived. The more a person sins, the more he may be deceived.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF SIN – NOT VARYING DEGREES

Unpardonable sin – if you’re worried about it, you haven’t done it. Numerous Christians are afraid they had committed the unpardonable sin. Christians who believe they have committed the unpardonable sin have a difficult–if not impossible–time accepting the doctrine of eternal security.

Hundreds of verses in the Bible promise the forgiveness of our sins, but only one passage refers to an unforgivable sin. Jesus healed a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute (Matt12:22). The multitudes began to say, “This man cannot be the Son of David, can He?” They wondered if Jesus was the Messiah. The Pharisees accused Jesus of casting out demons by Beelzebub, ruler of demons. Jesus’ response to their accusation led Him to conclude what He said in Matt 12:31-32. In this passage He refers to blasphemy, defined as “defiant irreverence.” i.e., cursing God or willfully degrading things considered holy. Here the term refers to the declaration of the Pharisees who had witnessed undeniable evidence that Christ was performing miracles in the power of the Holy Spirit. Yet they attributed the miracles to Satan. In the face of irrefutable evidence they ascribed the work of the Holy Spirit to that of Satan.

Many Bible scholars agree that this unique circumstance can NOT be duplicated today. The Pharisees had seen proof of Christ’s deity. But instead of acknowledging God, they attributed the supernatural power to Satan instead of the work of the Holy Spirit. Christ is not in the world as He was. Although the Holy Spirit still accomplishes supernatural things through His servants, they are merely representatives of the King. The circumstances of Matthew 12 make it impossible for this sin to take place today. This incident is the only one in which a sin is declared unforgivable. The Bible states, “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Rom 10:13). No invitation to salvation carries with it an exception clause, “unless you have committed the unpardonable sin.”

No matter how evil our sins, there is pardon for them. God forgave David for his adultery, dishonesty, and murder (2 Sam 12:13, Ps 51). Simon Peter’s denial of our Lord accompanied by profanity was forgiven (Matt 26:74-75). The apostle Paul was forgiven of his preconversion merciless persecution of Christians (Acts 9:1). Just about every possible sin is listed somewhere in the New Testament. And every one of them falls into the category of “Forgivable.” That’s Good News!

Sin of Commission: When we actively do something sinful.

Sin of Ommission: When we fail to do something we should do. (James 4:17) To him therefore who knows to do good, and doesn’t do it, to him it is sin.

The Sin Unto Death: The phrase “sin unto death” describes the final stage of divine discipline in which God removes from the earth the person who is totally alienated from God. Calling home a disobedient child who disgraces the family name. The “sin unto death” is described in 1 Jn 5:16; Psalm 118:17,18;Ezek. 18:21-32.

Some case histories of the “sin unto death”:

* Acts 5:1-10.

* 1 Cor 11:30,31.

* 1 Chron10:13,14; 1 Sam 13:9-14.

* Isa 38.

* Num 31:8; 1 Tim 1:19,20.

(1 Peter 1:18) At the moment of salvation, you were changed SPIRITUALLY. You were crucified with Christ, you died to the world, and you were “redeemed with the precious blood of Christ from worthless ways of living.”

(Col 3:3) “For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” Not only that, but at the time of your conversion, the Holy Spirit – God Himself – came to live on the inside of you. Satan wants you to believe that you’re no different now than before you were saved. If he can convince us that we haven’t changed on the inside, we will live a lifestyle that’s not much different than anybody else’s. We are to make them JEALOUS.

WHAT JESUS SAID ABOUT SIN

CHRIST TAUGHT THAT TEMPTATION IS NOT SIN

(Lk 22:28). 40/40 nights Jesus was tempted by Satan. He never yielded.

(Jn 8:46) Jesus describes His entire LIFE on earth as a period of trials.

(Heb 4:15) Jesus never sinned, because He never yielded to temptation.

Temptation is not sin—ONLY an opportunity to do either right or wrong–to serve either God or Satan. You can’t stop a bird from landing on your head. But you can stop it from building a nest there.

JESUS TAUGHT THAT MISTAKES ARE NOT SIN

HERE ARE 4 statements of Jesus all leading to a conclusion that sins are not mistakes and mistakes are not sins.

(Jn 9:41; Jn 3:19-21; Jn 15:22 and Jn 15:24).

99 out of 100 people who read these passages will understand that sin is relative to light; that sin never occurs without a conscious and willful choice of evil. Wherever Jesus spoke of sin this moral principle was clearly implied or plainly taught.

Dr. George Lamsa, widely known as world’s foremost authority on Aramaic language, the language Christ spoke, stated: Sin separates us from God—Mistakes are not sin—No one can be forgiven without repentance—When a sinner repents he is no longer a slave to sin and Satan.

AN ILLUSTRATION

When I was a boy, I decided to “help” my dad by pounding the crooked teeth on his handsaw to straighten them out. For those who aren’t aware, the teeth on a hand saw are SUPPOSED to be crooked, like a sharks’ teeth. Dad pulled up just in time before I could make a dent. He lovingly explained and I was not punished.

(Matt 5:48) Was I sinning? Should I have been punished? No, I made a mistake. As long as the heart stays right we are not sinning, even though the head lacks information. No one is perfect in knowledge, though any one can be perfect in heart. This is what Jesus meant, “Be ye perfect, even as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect” Remember, 1 Sam 16:7, ‘Man looks at the outside; God looks at the heart.”

Many accuse and beat themselves up about sin when they have only been tempted but have not yielded. Of course, if one is tempted and yields to the temptation enough to entertain the will to do it, when he knows it is evil, he is then sinning.

IT’S A BATTLE FOR YOUR MIND!! Thoughts become a stronghold. Control is lost. We are SLAVES to sin. RENEW our minds! (READ 2nd Corinthians 10:15) Cast down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and to bring every thought into captivity to God.

(Matt 5:28).Billy Graham said, “the first look is free; after that we’re accountable.” Here it should be remembered the thought of sin was deliberately entertained—and the looking was done with the purpose of lusting.

(Matt 5:29, 30).Jesus follows this thought of “looking to lust.” He was saying that if any part of our body actually forces us to sin we’d beer off to literally tear it off because sin, unrepented, is fatal to the soul.

Remember, this was before a drop of blood was shed at the cross! Up till that time we were STILL under the Law of the old covenant.

GRACE = the Power to do what is required of us.

JESUS REDEEMED US FROM SIN

(1 Jn 2:1)

(1 Jn 3:8)

(Rom 8:4)

(1 Cor 10:13)

(Rom 6:10-14)

(Titus 2:11-14)

(2 Cor 10:5

(1 Jn 5:3-5)

(Jn 15:7-8

(Jn 14:150

(1 Jn 3:3-10)

WHEN WE SIN, WHAT NEXT?

I do not believe or teach that it is impossible for a Christian to sin. Even as Jesus was tempted by the devil, Christians will continue to be tempted. As a Christian relies upon God, no temptation will be too difficult (1 Cor. 10:13). If a Christian takes his eyes off of Christ, sin is almost sure to follow.

“If any man sin…” Notice first of all that this verse says “IF”. If a Christian sins then he needs to confess the sin and repent of it.

(James 5:19-20) if a Christian wanders from the truth and commits sin, he needs to be restored in order to be saved from death.

(Heb 2:11), If you seek to live a holy life, cling to Jesus, the One who MAKES us holy

(Gal 5:13; 1 Peter 2:16). WHEN you sin, TURN from your sin. Don’t try to turn God’s grace into a license to continue in your sin and do not try to cover up your sin.

(Prov 28:13) And after you have confessed and repented of your sin, trust God to give you the grace and strength to overcome it in the future.

(Rom 6:14)Don’t be weakened in your faith. Don’t let your trust and reliance in God waiver, for he is able to keep you blameless and present you before his presence faultless and with great joy (Jude 24).

Struggling With Sin or defeated by it? We become what we surround ourselves with.

“Struggling with sin” is a phrase that is used rather lightly in many religious circles. The word “struggle” means to “fight against”; it means to “strive not to give in”. It does not mean or imply that the one who is struggling is on the losing side of the struggle. And yet, many “Christians” when they say that they are struggling with sin they mean that they are committing sin(s) even while trying not to. They mean that they have struggled and then they were defeated by sin. And so perhaps the word “defeated” rather than “struggling” more accurately describes such people. Sadly, many people accept such “struggling” (actually defeat) as a way of life. They have not truly struggled so hard that they have suffered any great deal striving with all their might not to give in to temptations

(Heb 12:4).

ALL FLESH SEEKS AFTER ITS OWN COMFORT

Many would say that they “struggle with” lust, greed, covetousness, anger, selfishness. Actually, they mean that they fight against it a little, but end up giving in to these temptations. They claim that they are trying not to sin. But in reality they watch commercials that promotes lust; they watch movies and television programs that encourages coveting; and they listen to music that contains all sorts of self-oriented lyrics. Can anyone actually say they are truly trying to overcome temptations? Will God believe them when they say that they tried? Make every effort to enter the kingdom of heaven through the narrow door, Jesus says, because many will simply try but not be able to (Luke 13:24).

(James 4:7)

(1 Cor 10:13)

(Heb 2:18)

But don’t believe the lie that because you struggle you are in sin. It is not true.

GOOD NEWS ABOUT YOU! Struggling against sin does not mean that you are displeasing God.

Struggling against sin is one of the main evidences that you HATE sin. God looks at the heart.

Christians do struggle with sin…and get the victory through faith. The “struggle” of the Christian is not a vicious cycle of try-fail, try-fail, try-fail,… No, the struggle of the Christian echoes the sorrowful, yet rejoicing words of the Apostle Paul, “we faced trials far beyond our ability to endure” (2 Cor 1:8); “God has delivered us and will continue to deliver us” (2 Cor 1:10). “Now thanks be to God who always causes us to triumph in Christ” (2 Cor 2:14).

Perhaps you are convicted by God. Perhaps there is sin in your life that you cannot seem to give up. Do not lose hope. Rather, repent and get rid of everything that hinders you (Heb 12:1-2). Truly submit to God. Resist the devil and do not give your temptations a foothold.

Now, scroll to the bottom of this article. RATE IT and FORWARD to your friends. Someone out there needs to read this!

The Commission is the governing body of the Mafia in the United States of America. Although its structure has changed many times since its creation in 1931, the Dons of the five New York Families still form the core membership.

Before the formation of the Commission, there was disunity, rivalry and resentment between the various Mafia Families. The resentment often burst out and caused gang wars and a lot of unnecessary bloodshed and violence. This even brought the attention of the FBI and police towards the Mafia and caused excessive media exposure. The Mafia was beginning to lose its secrecy.

In the beginning of the year 1931, the Castellammarese War among the New York Mafia Families need. The New York Don Salvatore Maranzano had won the war and took control of the Mafia. He took the title capo di tutti capi ("boss of all bosses"). Maranzano then proceeded to become a dictator and imposed a harsh and cruel rgime on the various Mafia Families. He ruled with an iron fist.
Lucky Luciano, who was a Maranzano allyat that time, soon got tired and irritated under this harsh control. He planned the assassination of Maranzno in September 1931. After his success. Luciano began to be regarded as the top mobster of the Mafia.

Unlike his former ally Maranzano, Luciano did not want to become a Capo di tutti capi. However. he also wanted to avoid the hatred and chaos that had led to the bloody and self-destructive vendettas and gang wars during the 1920s. He and his accomplice Meyer Lansky pondered for much time over this problem ad finally came over a solution. They realized that the best way to solve it was to let the Mafia families run themselves individually, but establish a central organization which wold help in settling their differences without bloodshed or wars. This would preserve control over the Mafia, prevent gang wars, promote their business interests and profits, and keep the Mafia away from the attention of the public and law enforcement agencies.

The Commission was established in 1931 by Lucky Luciano and Meyer Lansky in Atlantic City of New Jersey.

The formation of the Commission did not result in the prevention of all gang wars. However, the scale and frequency of the gang wars did reduce considerably. When one Mafia family declared war on another, the aggressor Family usually found itself at war with the Commission and the rest of the Mafia. This provided a powerful incentive to the Families to negotiate their disputes without bloodshed or wars.

To settle wars or internal conflicts, the Commission would sometimes appoint a new Don of the Family and have the usurper or the previous Don assassinated. An ideal example for this is the case of the Bonanno family in the Bonanno War.

The Commission is still reported to exist today, though its current membership is only composed of the bosses of the Five Families, the The Chicago Outfit, and the Philadelphia Crime Family leaders. Its activities, like much of the Mafia in general, have receded from public view as a matter of necessity and security after al the recent Mafia crackdowns by the FBI.

The Commission originally consisted of seven Mafia Family Dons: the leaders of New York's Five Families (Lucky Luciano, Joseph Bonanno, Joe Profaci, Vincent Mangano, and Tommy Gagliano) and the Chicago's Outfit (Al Capone), who represented everything in the Western United States, and Buffalo (Stefano Magaddino). However, after the 1957 Apalachin Convention, it was decided that two more leaders of the families were allowed into the Commission. These turned out to be Angelo "Gentle Don" Bruno of the Philadelphia Crime Family, and Joseph "Joe Z." Zerilli of the Detroit Partnership, although these positions declined much over the 1960s and 1970s.

Non-Italian mobsters were also allowed to become members of the syndicate, but the power of voting was strictly limited to Italian members. Lansky was Luciano's chief adviser as well as the Financial Advisor to the Commission. There was no "Boss" of the Commission. However, there was a nominated Chairman.

The Commission enforced its beliefs and aims through the notorious Murder, Inc. operation running out from Brooklyn. This service had to be authorized and approved by the Commission through voting first. The number of targets was generally limited to one or a few individuals. This way the Commission avoided a confusing situation which could result in the breaking out of gang wars, and minimized possible press exposure.

“Ding Ding goes the Trolley” – How appropriate for our trip to San Francisco. We were fortunate enough to travel at a discounted price when we visited San Francisco. The sites we beheld were absolutely breathtaking. We were struck in awe. My wife and I traveled via jet into San Francisco International Airport. From there we were taken away to a subtle bed and breakfast where we enjoyed our evening. The next morning, we hurried and got our things together so that we could see the sights.

This being the first time in San Francisco we had been told to go to Schooners Restaurant as the dining was impeccable. That was on the list. Hopefully, we could avoid the weight gain and stay active while we were traveling. However no weight loss occurred. We journeyed out of our bed and breakfast and went to China Town. What a beautiful scenic environment. It was if we had traveled to China. Deep into the marketplace, we bartered and traded items and met some very pleasant and accommodating people who showed us even further into the heart of China Town where we saw dances and celebrations take place. We were very blessed.

We next discovered the Chocolate Heaven. Yes, our travel was complete: The Ghirardelli Chocolate Factory. Once we tasted that chocolate, we knew we had to have some and you guessed it: Take Some Home. We planned on sharing but that was still optional based on the heavenly experience that we had tasting the chocolate. We started hoping for weight loss after only a few minutes in the store. We pondered if Joe Montana was ever in the store.

On our list of travels we were off to Lombard Street. To ride the trolley, stroll the main streets of San Francisco and to discover and explore the scenery and beauty of this portion of California. As we arrived, the Red Trolley scurried up and down the street with people getting on and off the trolley traveling to their next destination. We looked down Lombard Street and wondered how many people have actually seen this famous crooked street aside from the individuals who live here.

Next we traveled to Fisherman’s Wharf the home of Pier 39 and we didn’t know that Fisherman Wharf had gained such adoration and importance by the citizens as well as tourists. The Sea Lions assembled on the rafts lie in the sun as if to tan themselves and the ”Silver Man” who acts as a robot. What a great act that was. Off in the distance we visualized Alcatraz Island. Little did we know that the island housed such prisoners as George “Machine Gun” Kelly, Al Capone to name but a few. We plan to travel back there to take a tour of Alcatraz Island.

Again another beautiful and cheap travel trip made available to us due to an MLM investment that saved us dollars and just made sense. I look forward for reviews and especially to travel back to San Francisco again in the near future.

The 48 Laws of Power is the best-selling book written by Robert Green which presents a set of 48 laws that show people how to obtain strength, preserve it, and defend themselves against those powerful folks who make their lives difficult. Compared with most self-help books, The 48 Laws of Power delivers assistance that the author freely admits is, on occasion, cunning and amoral. It entails lessons like “Law 1: Never outshine the master” and “Law 14: Pose as a friend, work as a spy.”

In ones life, you’re far better off following the teachings of Moses, Jesus, or Buddha to acquire long-term happiness. But the sad reality is, many men and women are living by a quite distinct group of principles, and while most of those folks eventually self-destruct, they can inflict severe injury on our private and professional lives in the process.

The 48 Rules of Power is really a good primer for learning how these individuals feel. I’ve spotted a number of similar books inside Enterprise section (like “Career Warfare” and classics like the “Art of War”) of my local bookseller, but none put things really as succinctly as this one. In the present predatory work culture of jobs that let you own a home and struggle to all of the bills month to month having a little amount left over, you undoubtedly will be the target of those methods at some point. You need to go through books like these to know how several folks at the top believe.

But don’t live out some of those guidelines in your lifetime (e.g., crush your enemy totally) – because there will always be an individual who does it greater, and you’ll get crushed. Reality basically doesn’t function that way – as well as if you survive professionally, the spiritual rot and private decay will leave you an isolated, paranoid wreck. Study this book within the spirit of C.S. Lewis’ Screwtape Letters, by which a master demon offers advice to a protege on how you can destroy mortals. Understand the way to spot people who live like this – and then stay very, far away. Jesus mentioned, “Be wise as serpents but innocent as doves.” Reading “The 48 Laws of Power” in the right spirit, will assist you with both.

The laws are distilled from colorful anecdotes from 4,000 years of history. They include things like insights into the scheming of potent people for instance Al Capone, P.T. Barnum and Henry Kissinger. The book has proved being so common it has spawned a number of sequels, one lately co-authored by the popular rapper 50 Cent, named “The 50th Law.” Even though the book, The 48 Laws of Power, itself is a lot more than 400 pages, just reading the laws themselves may be a starting point for thought or discussion.

Why is the con man so good at passing himself off as the most qualified authority on redemptive truth since Pontius Pilot? For the same reason Willie Sutton robbed banks, because, “that’s where the money is.” Money, to the scamsters, is like blood is to sharks. Unlike bank robbers, who rely on gun expertise, get-away cars, and hideouts, the polished con artist rolls the dice based on his self-presumed intellect, charisma, charm, and powers of persuasion. He is boisterous, loud. He pours it on. The result? Now , with the instant, world-wide reach of the internet to aid him, it’s an eruption of shell games so severe they can only be described as an epidemic.

If you must blame the messenger, it’s the internet. Pure and simple. These charlatans no longer have to toil long hours beguiling the masses in person. Gone are the days when they would merely talk, smile, mislead, fleece and run. Now they can operate entirely from the shadows, the anonymity of the internet. And, they do. More and more and more, as each year passes.

The figures are frightening:

>Escrow scams which averaged $3,000 just 5 years ago are now approaching $10,000.

>Wire fraud which came to some $5,000 an average pop in 2002 now comes in at an estimated $12,000.

>In 2002 the FTC put identity thievery at some 750,000 cases Today they are looking at upwards of 1,000,000. Some estimates go as high as 10,000,000.

These are just a few scare tactics we are using to get you to wake up, smell the coffee, take the medicine–eat the can of cold beef chili if necessary. Armor yourself for the coming onslaught against your good name, established identity, anchored lifestyle, and peace of mind. Do it now. This plague is growing by leaps. So, be assured, as you are reading this, at this very moment it is inexorably coming at you. It will surface, most likely, sometime within your next 10-year future. The ages-old, tried and true “Law of Averages” dictates this.

First protective steps:

1. Wire money in select, rare instances only. Going overboard here could speedily make your primary source of income be the pawn shop. Do this only when maximum research has revealed the safety of it.

2. Forget all kinds of bank transfers for the most part (In some instances bank-to-bank transfers are O.K.) This omission alone, if done en masse, would be a sharp stick in the eye to con men.

3. Never use your debit card online. Set up a “debit block” at your bank. This is locking the barn door well before the horse escapes to freedom.

4. Never send money that you cannot afford to lose overseas. Except, in rare cases, money orders or cashier’s check only, preferably just small amounts at any given time. (This is preferable to wiring funds because the extra delivery time gives you, at least, a small window to alert law enforcement authorities if things go immediately afoul.) This will go far toward thwarting eager overseas con men who feast on gullible Americans like Al Capone once did on rival gangsters.

5. Deal only in credit card transactions, watch your statements closely, and at the first sign of trouble, report it to your bank in order to nail down your maximum $50 loss protection. This is not something you can put off.

6. At one time in your life you might have thought to yourself, I used to be indecisive, but now I’m not sure. No place for that kind of thinking here. If you are ever caught up in a costly financial loss due to a scam, don’t walk, run to your nearest police station and file a Crime Report. Decisiveness is paramount. All subsequent, meaningful legal actions will spring from this.

7. Never send out by mail or internet–to anyone you have no history of doing business with–vital personal financial information, e.g. bank account numbers, routing numbers, debit account numbers, social security numbers, passwords. Doing this would be boldly going nowhere.

A fool and his money can throw one helluva party. Better to spend your money that way than to feed it to these sharks.

That’s probably the way they would spend it, once they parted you from it.

A group of bears is known as a sloth. Sadly, a large portion of our lackadaisical, laid back citizenry also falls under this description. Bears because they sleep half the year away; people because they sleep year around–when it comes to their financial protection, that is. You cannot trustingly await the flowering of moral values among the con man breed. Like it or not, now is the time to swallow a large dose of horse sense. Then mull it. Contemplate it. Act on it.

We've all been through it, the the tragic attempt trying to be hip. Sooner or later we find our way and like magic it all just falls into place. Sadly though there are still a few of us out there, leftovers from the hedonist '90's who need to be told what to do. So thank your lucky stars here I am. I'm ready and able to set you straight on where to find a great cocktail and more importantly, advise you on which cocktail you need to order.

We all don't need to feel hip but most of us need to feel we belong. And there is no better way to feel like a member of the gang than when you order a martini. After all we've been taught and all we've seen in movies and on TV this surely must be the way to real sophistication. Now I'm not talking about those silly frilly fruity concoctions invented to make 22 year old girls feel like their own Barbie dolls on a date. I'm talking about the true king of cocktails. The gin and vermouth elixir, icy cold in a dewy glass with one or two simple (note no blue cheese stuffing etc) briny green olives anchored to the bottom of a plastic pick that pokes jauntily over the edge. Anything else that thinks its a martini is not !!! Its only a cocktail being served in a glass that may have at one time held the royal potion.

When you think of a Manhattan I hope you are like me and it brings images of Ruby Keeler dancing her way to stardom while Dick Powell croons. I know I'm dating myself, but what the heck. In order to truly enjoy a real Manhattan of blended whiskey, dry and sweet vermouth and a touch of bitters, you need to know who they are. And if by chance your only experience with a Manhattan is pouring some brandy over ice in a juice glass with a maraschino cherry for Uncle Dave at Christmas, then you need to take a step back and reflect on the meaning of your life.

Rob Roy was a 17th century Al Capone like gangster that won the hearts of Scots for his bravado and willingness to thumb his nose at authority. Why his name graces the second best way to drink scotch is anyone's guess. Except when it's made well with good scotch, the right touch of sweet and dry vermouth and an elegant swirl of lemon rind or even the lonely cherry, it does bring tears to my eyes. Suddenly I'm caught in the fog on the moors and I can hear the sirens call of Brigadoon.

I could go on but three cocktails is enough on anyone's tab. Now let's discuss where to get these ethereal delights crafted by bartenders who have the knack and ability to pour all the heart and soul they can into every glass.

Tops on my list is the bar at the St. Clair Paul Grill. See Al or Spike and tell them I sent you. Either one will tuck you under you wing and take you on a cocktail journey to remember. Just book your room at the hotel upstairs in advance, just in case you take the long trip.

Next is Monte Carlo in the Minneapolis Warehouse District, the venerable bar that not only knows how to craft a cocktail, but how to hire the bartenders to keep the tradition alive. I've benn haunting the place for years and have rarely been disappointed.

I would be remiss and most likely shunned by my peers if didn't give high marks to Ike's Food and Cocktails in Downtown Minneapolis. Not only are the bartenders friends (yes I have many bartender friends around town), but they mix a great drink in a classic urban downtown bar atmosphere.

Manny's Steakhouse has big steaks, big lobsters, big spuds and if you try to partake in it all, you limp out after paying a whopping bill. The bar is the best spot to sample the atmosphere, food and of course cocktails of Manny's. The cocktail glasses match the enormity of everything else so just plan on one, or have a driver ready. By the way if we ever meet up there, ask me about the nude on the back wall. I'll tell you her story.

Last and certainly not least on this fanciful bar crawl is the bar you frequent all the time. The bar where everyone knows your name. The bar where the bartenders know exactly how you like your drinks. You don't have to be a candidate for Hazelden to know a place like that. A bar is only as good and the inhabitants within. Once you find your place or places like I have then you will understand how much enjoyment they can bring. I grew up in a family that owned and operated bars. To me they were places filled with people of every race and walk of life. As a young teen I heard stories of triumphs and pains of life. All of which I think prepared me for the man I was to become. The kind of man who can enjoy a carefully crafted cocktail in the company of good friends.

Self-help books are often written but not all are as popular as this one, “How to Win Friends and Influence People”. Dale Carnegie wrote this book in 1937 and later on it was revised and become an all time popular International best seller. This book is always on demand that 16 million copies are already sold worldwide. The book has been translated into many languages. The publishing business got a real boost with the increasing popularity of this book.

“How to win….” is actually a sequel to another book of Dale Carnegie, “Effective Speaking and Human Relations”. After writing this useful book, he thought of writing this one for common people. The book is presented in a very interesting way. This is based upon personal experiences of the author. Thus, it becomes interesting for the readers. Another interesting aspect of this book is, after every chapter there are “nutshells”, which help the readers to brush up the previous chapter. It is certainly very important, as the book should be read chapter wise. Some readers have the tendency to skip one or two chapter and go on; this is not advisable for this book.

“How to win….” is divided in four parts and all of them are equally interesting.

Part One – Fundamental techniques in Handling People.

Part Two – Six Ways to Make People like You.

Part Three – How to win people to your way of thinking.

Part Four – Be A Leader: How to change people without giving offence or arousing resentment.

The book is descriptive and very much reader friendly. The author describes things and later he puts them in a nutshell. This helps the reader to brush up the chapter and proceed with the next. The examples are taken from real life, which has made this book more interesting. The nutshell comments are made in such way that the reader gets a taste of the facts he/she just explored. It is easy to remember and recollect later.

Though the title itself speaks a lot about this book, yet it is necessary to describe the contents a little more. If you have an interest to read self-help books, then this is a must read for you. However, if this is the first time you are grabbing such a book, you will find this useful. The book recommends a couple of exercises after every chapter. If you can religiously try to follow those, your life will be changed. The book is not made for a particular category people; rather everyone should go through this book. Professionals, students and others also, should read this. It is a thought provoking book which cannot be ignored. People, who are interested in human psychology, would love to read it at once. The incidents, which were used as examples, are awesome.

As the book is divided into many chapters, you should read this likewise. Start from the beginning, read one or two chapter at a time and leave the rest for the next day. This practice won’t make your reading boring or monotonous. Even you will become comfortable to apply the methods slowly and steadily. This is more important than just reading it. The book is written quite a few years ago, so at times you might not get accustomed to the suggestion. This is indeed very natural, but try to alter a couple of things to make use of the golden suggestions. This way you will be able to take the main essence.

Throughout the book, there is considerable supporting anecdotal evidence that embellishes the main text. These examples are subtly incorporated which contributes to the fluency and depth of the arguments presented. Examples of case studies used include Theodore Roosevelt, Sigmund Freud, Abraham Lincoln and Al Capone. Dale Carnegie also uses true stories from participants of the original course. These wonderfully dated scenarios add a classic touch to each chapter.

“How to win friends and influence people” is a timeless classic. Its wonderful charm enlightens you while reading, encourage you to accept the suggestions. The depth of this book will surely impress you. When applied with enthusiasm the many concepts explored in this book will undoubtedly enable you to win friends and influence people.

You might well, sooner or later, end up in possession of sensitive papers or other portable assets of great value that should be kept in a safe place – like an offshore safety deposit facility.

What kind of things are we talking about? Any valuable papers. Things like automobiletTitles, Coins (rare), Passports, Bearer Shares, Citizenship Records, Bills of Sale, Pension records, school transcripts, trust documents, immigration papers, rare stamps, mortgage documents and so on. You may also wish to store data such as USB memory sticks or backup DVDs securely off-site.

A safety deposit box is also recommended by many experts for estate planning purposes. To pass the contents of a safe deposit box to your heirs without any formalities, all that is necessary is that another person have access and a key. This is accomplished by having the inheritor be a signer on the box. If you don’t want them to have access during your lifetime, you keep the key and arrange for it to be delivered to them in a sealed envelope with instructions, upon your death or disablement.

Should you Use a Bank or an Independent Safe Deposit Box Company?

Generally the best solution is to rent a safety deposit box in a reliable major, first class bank – not just a box company. Many banks will require that you also have an account with them and that withdrawals to pay the box rent be authorized in advance.

Why should you use a bank rather than an independent safe deposit company? Because independent companies seem to fold or get robbed with great regularity. Like public storage facilities, they are also frequently used by less desirable characters.

On the other hand, a private storage outfit may not require any identification to open a box. They may accept any nom de plume you care to give them. Customers may be admitted on the basis of a plastic card without any need to sign in. As such a box is not linked to any account or payment facility, it behooves the user to pay several years in advance. This will avoid the box being opened and the contents sold for non-payment of rent.

One client told me the sad story of how after a long hospital stay due to cancer, he discovered that his box in a public self-storage unit had been opened after a year for non-payment of rent. The contents were sold at auction. He had a collection of old stock certificates that were worthless as stocks, but of great value to collectors. One had a rare original signature of inventor Thomas Edison. They were disposed of as scrap paper.

The Best Countries for Offshore Safe Deposit Boxes

Austria, Switzerland and Luxembourg are traditional safe havens that are perfect for safe deposit boxes. A good country for a box is one where there is no need to show a passport or go through any formal border controls. This is not the case with Switzerland – unless you take your chances on one of the very few unmanned border crossings!

Vienna and Zurich airports are also convenient national airline hubs. You can conveniently pass through these countries when travelling between other cities. Just arrange a stop over long enough to visit your stash; putting in or taking out what you need. For a safety deposit box locale you don’t need to seek out a tax haven. Any peaceful, stable country where property rights are respected is just fine.

Almost all banks offer safety deposit boxes. If yours is located in a country where you have no problems, it doesn’t matter much which one you use. But you should have at least one person you trust who knows about the box and is able to access it. If you have an accident it is important that your box not be forgotten or abandoned.

Keep the Key Safe!

When you have opened the box, consider depositing the key in a sealed envelope with the bank’s safekeeping office or your personal private banker. By doing this you ensure that the key won’t be discovered on your person or among your possessions by anyone with dubious intentions, like your soon-to-be ex-wife.

Many bank safety deposit boxes have two keys – one is held by you. The second (a general pass key) is kept by the bank. Only with both can the box be opened.

In the very latest high-tech safe deposit boxes, there is no key. These safe-deposit boxes can be opened only with fingerprint scans. Another solution is to use boxes in places where they have combination locks. Experienced safe-crackers are good at opening combo-locks. They are less secure than complex keys – in our experience. We are likewise not keen on secret memorized numbers. Why? Because we have more than once forgotten an important combination or password.

Be sure that you can access the box without showing ID, in case you lose it and need to get at your backup copies that you thoughtfully secured within the box! Some banks, particularly those in Zurich, want to see and photocopy ID every time you access your box – even if you are well known. Where ever your box may be, be sure you are introduced to several of the staff who can help you access your box without ID should you need to. Tell them to take a good look and remember you personally so you can always access your box or the money in the account without any identification. Tell them your favorite stupid joke or story and tell them to remember it so that you can tell it again many years later. Then they will remember you!

Shhh… Can You Keep a Secret?

Don’t just take a safe deposit box key and keep it on a gold chain around your neck at all times. This is something that movie villains do.

If you want something secret, always think ahead. Don’t tell anyone about it. Leave the key and instructions with your personal banker or someone you trust implicitly. Also think ahead! Leave death instructions in your box – just in case something happens to you. These can be written, or can be on a CD in video form. Your box will be opened after about a year or two of inactivity – if and when the annual fees don’t get paid.

Sometimes a safe deposit box is forgotten for decades. About seventy years after the criminal mastermind and reputed billionaire Al Capone died in prison, a closed bank that he once owned in Chicago was found to have a long forgotten, secret locked underground vault registered in his name. His money had never been found. A national television network bought rights to show the drilling and re-opening of this vault ‘live on TV.’ Many people, myself included, tuned in for the grand opening. We thought it would be an event to equal the discovery of King Tut’s fabulous tomb in Egypt. What happened? It was a good show with a let-down for an ending. Apparently, someone with a spare key to Al Capone’s safe deposit facility had arrived there first. Nothing of the slightest interest was in the vault.

Will Your Secrets Die With You?

Most offshore banks will require that you have a bank account with them and that they be authorized to withdraw your annual safety deposit box rent payments from that account. With such instructions and automated payment you could be dead for many years before you are presumed dead and your box is drilled. Thus your banker should perhaps be instructed to open your instructions (not your box) in case he doesn’t hear from you for a certain period of time, like say three years. Better yet, your banker should be instructed “after 3 years of no contact, please contact my attorney, XYZ, or your kids, wife, best friend.” Someone you trust should have instructions on what to do with your assets in the event of your death, disappearance or disability. Your banker should be told what to do or how and when he is to contact those persons who will surely know where you are.

Perhaps someone you trust, who has nothing to gain from suing you, should be given a sealed power of attorney or an assignment plus a valid will so that all loose ends are tied up. Without this, in Switzerland for instance, the bank just keeps your assets! Simple as that. In English speaking countries there is usually an escheat law covering dormant accounts and abandoned safe deposit box contents. In England, unclaimed money and assets go to ‘The Crown.’ In California, box contents and accounts dormant for over seven years go to the Teachers’ Pension Fund.

In such cases, the heirs have only a very limited time to make claim. Most never do because they never learn of the assets.

Your Anonymous Safe in an Austrian Palace

The Swiss and the Austrians generally excel at running discreet safe deposit facilities. In nearly all countries, ID is required to rent a safe box. But in Austria, at the time of writing, there is one safe deposit company offering anonymous safes. It has been around for years and was highly recommended by a reader. It’s a good place to store second passports, bank cards and other PT paraphernalia that you may not want to keep in your home country.

This company has its facilities in the basement of a beautiful Viennese palace. It’s name is Das Safe and its website is http://www.dassafe.com If you are in Vienna, you can visit them at Auerspergstrasse 1. We predict they will stay in business for a long time to come, but for how long they will be allowed to take anonymous business is open to question.

Other recommended safe deposit facilities in Austria are at the Schoellerbank branches (where no key is required – access is regulated by an electronic fingerprint scan) and at the Raiffeisenbank in the ‘secret’ enclave of Jungholz.

A Reliable Safe Deposit Company in Prague

Another service we know of is Prague Safe Deposit in the Czech Republic. They require valid ID to open a box. The service from then on is highly professional and discreet with no ID required for later access. You can pay up to five years in advance. Entry to the main vault is self-service with a swipe card system at the main door. You can give the door card and key to anyone. They can then gain access to your safe-box without the need to meet any staff or identify themselves in any way.

This particular enterprise is a joint venture between one of the Czech banks and the Chequepoint chain of money changers. It has been around since 1992. They are located in the basement of an old bank building just off the famous Wenceslas Square. They welcome visitors to stop by and inspect the facilities. The street address is 28 Ijna 13. The website is not currently available in English, but if you do visit them you will find they speak English.

No visit to San Francisco is complete without visiting some of the most popular San Francisco tourist destinations. Here is a sampling of seven must-see places you have to check out on your next visit:

1) California Palace of the Legion of Honor

Located at 34th Avenue & Clement Street, The California Palace of the Legion of Honor is an art experience you won’t want to miss. First off, there’s the building itself. Built in 1924, the Legion of Honor is a three-quarter scale replica of the Palais de La Légion d’Honneur in Paris, built to honor the 3,600 Californians who lost their lives on the battlefields of France during World War I.

After being wowed by the building, you will probably want to view the collection of Rodin sculptures, as well as some other notable acquisitions, including Claude Monet’s “The Grand Canal, Venice,” 1908 and El Greco’s “St. John the Baptist,” circa 1600.

2) Alcatraz

Who knew touring a former prison could become so popular?

Alcatraz is a an island a few miles off the coast of San Francisco which had been used as a military prison in 1907, then as a Federal prison in the 1930s, housing the most hardened criminals. Some of its most famous prisoners include: George Kelly, bank robber and kidnapper, also known as “Machine Gun Kelly;” Floyd Hamilton, driver for Bonnie and Clyde; and Al Capone, Chicago Mob Boss, known as “Scarface.”

In 1973, Alcatraz was incorporated into the National Parks system and became a tourist attraction. Since then, over 14 million visitors have taken the 10-minute boat ride from Pier 41 in San Francisco to see ‘The Rock’. Tickets generally sell out, sometimes weeks in advance.

3) Chinatown

Chinatown is home to the largest Asian population outside China, and is located in an area near North Beach, bound roughly by Grant Avenue and Bush Street, Broadway and Larkin Street. Here you’ll find shopping and great food, including Mee Mee Bakery at 1328 Stockton between Broadway and Vallejo. Mee Mee’s is reputed to be the originator of the fortune cookie. For great seafood, one of your best bets would be Yuet Lee at 1300 Stockton Street, near where North Beach and Chinatown merge.

4) Golden Gate Park

You can easily spend an entire day at Golden Gate Park – and you should. It’s great to just go there and walk, or sit and enjoy the day. But, if you’re into exploring, there’s certainly enough for you to explore, such as:

The Strybing Arboretum – 70 acres of gardens with trails, blooming trees and redwoods, herbs, flowers and duck ponds.

Stow Lake – where you can rent paddleboats and bicycles.

Spreckels Lake – where you can watch the miniature radio-controlled boat races.

Bison Paddock – Located along John F. Kennedy Dr., the Bison Paddock is an exhibit of the San Francisco Zoo where you can see, what else, bison!

5) Union Square

Union Square is the place to go for serious shopping. Bound by Stockton, Powell, Post and Geary, several buses run to the area and it’s a short walk from many of the most commonly used hotels. There’s also a BART and Muni (subway) exit at Market Street.

Or, you can stay at the Grand Hyatt on Union Square and just walk from your room.

Everywhere you walk in the Union Square area you’ll find store after store after store, such as: Macy’s, Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Giorgiao Armani, H&M, Hermes, Baccarat and Gianni Versace.

6) Haight Ashbury (“The Haight”)

Well, it’s not Union Square, but it might not be what you’d expect either. While Haight Ashbury was the center of “hippiedom” in the 1960s, the Haight today is home to exclusive boutiques, high-end vintage-clothing shops, hip clubs and cafés. No matter what you’re into you’ll find something you like in the Haight, whether it’s a hemp bracelet, collectible kitchenware, punk t-shirts, skateboard gear, a Ben and Jerry’s ice cream or a vintage gown costing over $1,000.

While you’re in the neighborhood you can walk by former houses of 1960s musicians, including the former home of the members of the Grateful Dead at 710 Ashbury, the former home of Janis Joplin at 112 Lyon, and the former home of the Jefferson Airplane at 2400 Fulton.

7) Neighborhoods on the Muni Metro and Bus Lines

Of course, San Francisco is more than just popular tourist spots. People actually do live there. Why not go to some not-so-touristy areas located along the bus and Muni Metro line routes and check out some really fun and unique neighborhoods, most of which have their own shopping areas?

Neighborhoods you might want to visit and experience include: the Castro, which is the predominately gay neighborhood with many unique and fun shops along Castro Street; Noe Valley, a neighborhood of Victorians with a great shopping district along 24th Street; and the Inner Richmond, which many consider the “New Chinatown,” with a great abundance of good Asian restaurants. You’ll also find an old-time Irish pub, Irelands 32 at 3920 Geary Blvd., where you can enjoy live music any day of the week and live telecasts of sporting events from Ireland.