Democrats View of the Immigration Law in Arizona

As with any legislation there are both Democrats and Republicans who back the new immigration law in Arizona. However, the law is more or less a Republican supported one; the tea party specifically. Democrats are largely rejecting the law, calling it racist and unnecessary. At best, they admit that something had to be done about immigration, but that this wasn't it.

I tend to side with the democrats on this issue because, frankly, this law is unconstitutional. The law allows for police to ask anyone who appears to have entered the country illegally to show their papers, based on reasonable suspicion. But what would the reasonable suspicion possibly be? Oh that's right, that they look mexican. This law is flat out racist.

In one instance, a man was incarcerated on "reasonable suspicion" that the man was an illegal immigrant, despite the fact that the man had a driver's license and his social security number. So basically, if you don't have your birth certificate and you look mexican, you can be arrested.

Activists are not going to let this law pass without a fight, and there have been protests going on since before the law was officially a law. Juan Jose Gutierrez had this to say:

"We will not accept a new policy disguised as enforcement of laws that essentially reinstitionalizes the "separate but equal" policies for which we have already fought, spilled our blood in America to end racism, to end the separation of races. That's what's happening in Arizona."

I really had to think about that quote when I first read it. I had to wonder how one can connect "separate but equal" to this new immigration law. I realized, however, that it is very simple. When "separate but equal" institutions were still permissible in this country, men and women of color were denied equal protection under the law, because, lets face it, separate is inherently unequal. Essentially, blacks did not have the same rights. In the case of the Arizona law, white people have no reason to worry about being asked for their birth certificate, the officer would have no "reasonable suspicion" that they were illegal immigrants. Someone with darker skin however, would be forced to show his papers, or else be incarcerated. Quite simply, people's rights being denied on the basis of race, and it's wrong.

This law needs to be overturned until better immigration reform is drafted.

The Republican Party

I mentioned in my last post the disadvantages of violent democrats. Naturally, there are violent Republicans as well. Such as Michelle Malkin, who posted the phone numbers of Liberal students on her website, and now the liberal students are receiving death threats. Michelle is the ugly side of the republican party. To contrast the progressive Democrats, the Republicans have been called the party of "No", referring to their unwillingness to pass any progressive legislation; as demonstrated by the health care reform debate, where Republicans could be found chanting "Kill The Bill!" . The party is also a relatively religious party, as compared to other parties. As evident by their wide range support of Prop 8, which banned gay marriage. In reality, marriage is a religious institution that shouldn't be touched by the government, but the republicans are a prime example of a cross-over between church and state. However, I want to make clear that I am not suggesting that all republicans are homophobic, and I am fully aware that not all Republicans are religious.

A huge dent in the Republican party is FOX news. This program is merely an opinion show, masquerading as a news show. The show is not "fair and balanced", as it says, because it is completely biased towards a conservative view point. FOX news gives Republicans a bad name, which is unfortunate because it would be completely false to say that all republicans didn't graduate college and are unintelligent (not that I have an opinion about it, as my government teacher would say).

While the Republicans do not have much progressive legislation, they make up for it with organization. Recently they have begun to lack in successful ideas and plans, but for a long time the republicans have been incredibly clear about what their ideas and desires are, and they work to get them done.

The Democratic Party

The Democratic party, like any other party, has it's strength and weaknesses. The problem that I most frequently have with the Democrats, is that some of them can be violently liberal, such as when the blogger Hart Williams wrote about wanting to shoot Rush Limbaugh. An excess of violent liberals running around leads to a highly disorganized group of people. In order to get things done, the Democrats need to focus on the things that will help them reach their goal more than they focus on their opponents who will hold them back. This party has often been called a party of "wimps". This likely comes from, in general, their lack of relentless ad hominum attacks from their politicians in office, and their sympathy for the poor. The Democrats war-on-poverty is a positive thing, but their method of simply throwing money at the poor makes for an imperfect fiscal policy, and in the end does not help. What makes the Democrats strong is their inner spark. Many Democrats identify as "progressive", and tend to be more supportive of human rights. The Democratic party was the one that was voting against Prop 8 (Prop 8 outlaws Gay Marriage). Those against this law realized that it was unconstitutional because it was regarding marriage, a religious institution. The Democratic party is the party of the first black president, which was a huge step away from racism in this country. The Democrats pushed a health care reform bill through congress; a huge achievement considering that presidents had been attempting this for years. This health care bill aims to cut health care costs and expand coverage to more citizens. Truly a government for the people.

Arizona Immigration Law

Arizona has just passed a law that allows police officers to ask anyone in Arizona to provide proper documentation of their citizenship:

The law makes illegal immigration a state crime and allows local law enforcement to question people about their immigration status and arrest them if they can't provide proper documentation.

The problem here is that the law is racist. A police man may stop anyone if there is reasonable suspicion that they are an illegal immigrant. This is a clear violation of the constitution, no citizen may be judged because of their race.

Immigration is definitely an issue that needs to be addressed, but this is not the way to do it.

In any event, immigrants should be allowed to live in the USA without such a rigorous process to go through. It can take years for mexican citizens to get a VISA. Since so many businesses are started by immigrants with more determination that any American citizen, immigrants should be embraced, not kicked out.

The Pretty Princess Party!

For those in the UK who can't seem to find themselves agreeing with any of the political parties such as the lib-dems or labour, the pretty princess party is for you!

Poverty's Affect on Society

Poverty is a massive problem in countries all around our planet. From Berkeley, California, to the South Asian country of Bangladesh, one can find millions of people without homes, struggling to simply survive. However, with such varying cases of poverty, it cannot strictly be defined as a person without a home. Many citizens of the United States of America hardly earn enough money to keep a roof over their head and their families fed. Countless people are working multiple minimum wage jobs, and still not

earning enough to be able to afford clothes for their whole family, much less a house or a car. During the economic recession of the late 2000's, not only were independently run businesses shut down, destroying local economies, but many large corporations fell to their knees before the government, begging for bail-outs, which affected the entire economy of the world. The main outcome of this recession was that Americans all over the country lost their jobs. Many of those that lost their jobs also lost their homes. T

his is of great concern, even to those who are incredibly wealthy. Those who live on the streets are often driven to commit crimes in order to survive. This increased crime rate affects every man, woman, and child. Taxes may rise as a result of more jails being built in order to contain criminals. In relatively decent neighborhoods, the values of houses will decrease as a result of urban decay, which is a naturally

occurring process that causes deindustrialization as a result of increasing poverty. As the cost of houses decrease, even the wealthiest members of society will feel the effects of urban decay. The constitution states that every human has the right to life, liberty, and property, and that all men are created equal. For this reason, those of us who are more fortunate than others have an obligation to help those who are downtrodden by no fault of their own, so that they may have an equal opportunity to receive a proper education, and a fair chance to live safely, therefore succeeding in life.

The affects of poverty can be traced throughout history. The Great Depression of the 1920's and 1930's is a prime example of why it is imperative that every citizen plays his part in ensuring that the United States does not experience another depression. The wealthy were in part to blame for the economic crash, seeing that many spent frivolously and spent so much using credit that they were unable to repay the banks. As a result of this, many homes went into foreclosure, decreasing the value of neighborhoods. The devastating results of the frivolous spending were unprecedented. One-quarter of the work force was unemployed, and 32,000 businesses went bankrupt. 5,500 banks had to close as those that feared the loss of their money rushed to withdraw it.As the banks closed down, literally thousands were left penniless. The stability of the government and economy was jeopardized. Farms in the midwest became completely infertile because of over-farming, an event known as the dust bowl. When farmers overproduced, prices fell, and many threw out crops to keep the prices up, devastating further those who were dying of hunger. The United States was not the only country to falter. Many governments fell in Latin America due to economic crises, increasing the number of crimes and furthering the instability of the world economy as a whole. The inability of countries to pay back loans to one another added to the decreasing economy. If the wealthy are not conscious of their spending and of the global economy, the world is doomed to have another depression. However, if we as citizens of the earth are aware that such a terrible event could happen again, we can prevent it by being aware of how our actions will affect future generations.

In 2007, the United States began facing a serious recession, which thankfully did not lead to a depression. However, many lost their jobs and the country was facing affects similar to those seen in the 1930's. During this time, over 3 millions workers lost their jobs, and the national unemployment rate was 8.5%. George W. Bush was the president at this time, and the government did not stand idly by. On October 3, 2008, the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act was passed, which was a 700 billion dollar bailout plan aimed to help the housing and banking markets recover. Whether the economy was at all helped by this bailout plan is uncertain, but president Obama, who took office in January 2009, at the lowest point of the recession, continues to make efforts to reach out to the impoverished people of America. The New Jobs Tax credit was proposed by Obama, a plan that would offer tax breaks to those companies that were hiring new employees. Obama also hoped to stimulate the job market by creating government jobs through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Among other things, this act intended to create over 3.5 millions jobs, such as repairing highways. The act also hoped to increase college affordability by creating tax cuts for nearly four millions students, and create tax cuts for those in poverty who are raising families. As a result of these government programs, among other things, America has begun a slow climb out of the recession, which can be seen in the number of job losses from January 2009, numbering around 700,000, to January 2010, numbering around 20,000.

The efforts of the government and citizens is clearly beneficial to the economy. However, poverty is still a relevant problem, and may always be, therefore citizens should not rely on the government to solve problems, but rather should take to the streets and become aids to those in need.

The democratic party seems to be the party most interested in solving the poverty issue, as reflected by the numerous proposals made by Obama and others. The republican party is often referred to as the party of "no"due to their continuous congressional rejection of many bills proposed. This may be in part due to the fact that republicans are generally conservative, white males over the age of 50. The general wealth of the republican party also may cause them to be insensitive to those who are less fortunate, as they feel that they themselves are harder-working individuals. The strength of this view is that they will take care of themselves and their families before those that they do not know personally. This "survival of the fittest" mentality is beneficial in some ways and harmful in others. This party often neglects the fact that they may also be affected by the poverty level. The democrats, on the other hand, seem to be more aware of the dangers of neglecting the poor. The health care bill passed in March, 2010 was widely accepted by Democrats and rejected by Republicans. One reason for this was the fact that the bill established higher taxes for those with a higher income, and large tax cuts for those below the poverty line. I myself lean towards the opinion of the Democrats, being aware that poverty is a serious issue in America. I see members of my family affected directly by the number of job losses, and therefore am more inclined personally to make sacrifices to those less fortunate. There are various approaches being taken to help the underprivileged in our country. One relatively simple thing that is being done to help the homeless, is ensuring that those who don't have homes are counted in the 2010 census. It is difficult to reach those without homes, but it is vital. The more homeless people that are counted in America, the more money the `government gives to homeless shelters in order to expand. This simple act of counting all the homeless will immediately increase the outreach that they receive.

Recently, the media has shed light on many of the issues surrounding poverty. The number of job losses is consistently reported on the news, and key economic indicators such as the Gross Domestic Product of our nation have been increasingly making the general public more aware of the state of the economy. Many news websites, such as CNN.com release articles that address ways to save money during these hard times. One article instructs citizens on how they can help the homeless, such as giving them food and blankets rather than money. There are hotlines that work 24 hours a day that anyone can call if they see a homeless person in need of medical attention or in any hostile situation. This media coverage has had a profound positive effect in that it brings the issue of poverty to attention, causing many to realize the immense affect of poverty in America, and instructs the public on how to best handle the recession.

There are many things that need to be done in order to further help the issue of poverty in our country. The first step, and perhaps the most important, that needs to be taken is to make the public more aware of the situation that our country is in. It is imperative that those who do not see poverty as a problem, because they themselves are wealthy, realize the affects that the issue has in our country. These people must be educated to realize that things such as urban decay and an increasing crime rate are highly possible occurrences in the United States. These people must see that, if unsolved, poverty will continue to increase and become a problem for them, not just those who are unemployed. Those who are aware of the seriousness of this problem must work to spread information. Also, those who are aware must engage in selfless acts to help the situation. Although working at a soup kitchen may not seem like it has a profound affect, it truly does help those who cannot afford food for their families. Considering that the soup kitchens and other organizations do not receive sufficient government funding to help everyone that they need to, volunteers are the most part of the equation to solve poverty. More organizations that help impoverished people must be established by those with thousands of dollars to spare. An example of a non-profit organization that reaches out to those in need is Operation ELF. Every year in December, ELF gives gifts and necessities to families who are trying to get back on their feet. Many families receive beds and other furniture to help them start living a normal life. Many of the families that are helped live in an unfurnished home. The organization gives the families clothes and blankets to help them keep warm in their often unheated homes. Many families receive gift cards to Safeway and other grocery stores so that they can feed their families. There are also places that give out furniture and other necessities to anyone in need. These places are kept alive by the donations of people who care, even if they are not directly affected by poverty. More places like this need to exist in order to help those in need. As helpful as these places are, the government also must continue to work to solve the issue of poverty. Passing tax cuts for families below the poverty line is one solution that greatly helps keep people off the street. Doing things such as making sure organizations get enough funding by including homeless people in the census, are also incredibly helpful. If ideas to help those in need aren't implemented, the consequences could be another Great Depression. Everyone must be aware of the effect of poverty, because it affects the whole country. If the problem was ignored completely, one would see the value of houses decrease, the quality of education decrease, and the whole economy of the world quickly spiral downward. Therefore, it is imperative that every single individual do their part to help those in times of need. Knowledge is power, and for people to be ignorant of the problem of poverty would mean that the stability of the world economy is jeopardized.

Its Vital that the Census Include as Many Homeless as Possible

The census generally doesn't include nearly as many homeless as there really are. This is a very important for America's homeless. The more homeless people counted in the census, the more government funding will go towards programs that help them getting housing and food. Hopefully, more homeless will go to shelters to be counted, because if the government spends more to help them, then they will have a better chance of getting back on their feet. This isn't always possible for them to do on their own.

Opportunities for Underprivileged to go to College

Amazing news for kids who'll enter college starting 2014. When repaying student loans, students only have to pay 10% of their income per month. And after 20 years, if they paid 10% of their income every month toward the loan, then the remaining debt is dropped. This is great for families who can't afford to send their kids to college, because now more kids will be able to pay it off themselves. So even if parents don't have a job, their kids can have a future.

Westboro Baptist Church Gets Money from Father of Dead Soldier

I'm going to keep this short because the Westboro Baptist Church(WBC) enrages me, and I don't want to get too worked up.
The WBC can be seen picketing soldier's funerals, holding signs that say things such as "God Hates Fags", "Thank God for Dead Soldiers", and things of that nature.

Among the teachings of the church, which was founded in 1955 by pastor Fred Phelps, is the belief that God is punishing the United States for "the sin of homosexuality" through events such as soldiers' deaths.

I personally cannot comprehend how that thought enters one's mind in the first place.
In a particular case, the WBC was picketing outside of the funeral Matthew Snyder. Snyder's father sued the organization.

Snyder's family sued the church and went to trial in 2007 alleging privacy invasion, intentional infliction of emotional distress and civil conspiracy.

This was combated by the church. They said their rights to free speech were being violated. At first the courts sided on Snyder's side, but a year later they've sided with the WBC. I would be able to accept charges being dropped, but the courts decided to make Snyder pay.

The 4th Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday ordered that Snyder pay more than $16,000 in costs requested by Westboro for copies of motions, briefs and appendices, according to court documents.

I am extremely upset by this. People are standing outside of a funeral with signs acknowledging that the deceased deserved to die. And now the family is paying the group of people.
I can honestly say that some of the things this country does makes me want to pick up and leave. The injustices often infuriate me.

The Reign of AT&T Could Be Over

Since it's release, AT&T has been the only cell phone service that works with the Apple Iphone. Recently, however, there' buzz that Iphones will become compatible with Verizon as well as AT&T. This is most likely just the jumping off point for the Iphone to eventually become compatible with multiple carriers. This would be great for Apple, and their stock would probably go up. I'm all for any break-up of a monopoly. So I'd say this is beneficial in the long run.

How to Outsmart O'Reilly

This is one of my favorite videos on the internet. You've got comedian Steven Colbert being interview by Bill O'Reilly. Bill O'Reilly is a conservative, and Colbert is liberal, but on his show and in the interview he plays a character that is a highly conservative republican. Steven doesn't even attack or mock O'Reilly, but rather effortlessly makes him look so ignorant. It is so clear here that Colbert is mocking O'Reilly, and O'Reilly just does not pick up on it. Colbert says "I want to bring your message of love and peace, which I understand that is your message, I want to bring the message of love and peace to a younger audience, people in their sixties, people in their fifties, people who don't watch your show." O'Reilly responds with "People in their fifties and sixties, too young for 'the Factor' are watching your show..." .And it seems that everyone gets it but O'Reilly, as you can hear people on the set laughing.



Now in this second video, you have John Stewart doing a straight interview with O'Reilly. He's giving very intelligent answers, and O'Reilly even says in response to one of his answers, "woah, that's way over my head!". Now, by giving legitimate analysis, he is able to have more of a conversation, but also it seems that he is more vulnerable to ad hominem attacks. This second video is less entertaining, but still very interesting.

What I gathered from watching these two videos and comparing them, is that if you want to make someone whom you know is stupid look stupid, then all you have to do is sit back and let them talk.

Using Marijuana Legally Can Still Cost You Your Job

Joseph Casias is a resident of Michigan, where marijuana is legal. He developed cancer of the nasal cavity and began using medical marijuana as a pain reliever. He was an employee at Wal-Mart, but when he was drug tested and he didn't pass, he was fired.

"I was angry they did this to me because I always tried my best," said Casias, who was employed at Wal-Mart for five years. He earned an Associate of the Year award in 2008. "I want my job back. I thought I was part of the Wal-Mart family."

Joseph also says that he had never come to work high. I understand why this would be the case if marijuana was illegal, but it isn't. To me this is equivalent to firing someone over 21 who drinks on the weekends. They never show up to work drunk, and it doesn't impair their performance, so what is the problem?

I believe that Wal-Mart has questionable morals in the first place, but this is something that should be changed. Now is not an appropriate time to be firing people. Being fired for using marijuana is also going to hinder their ability to get another job if they have to say why they were fired from their last one.

Part of Michigan's law, passed in 2008, does address employers, saying a patient carrying a medical marijuana card cannot be "denied any right or privilege" by a "business or occupational or professional licensing board."

It clearly states that it is not legitimate to fire someone for legally using marijuana. I believe that Wal-Mart should either give Joseph his job back, or be sued, end of story.

Recalls can Destroy Businesses

"Peanut Corporation of America, the company at the crux of the nationwide salmonella panic, filed for liquidation bankruptcy in February 2009, just a month after it first announced a recall of peanut butter products processed in its Blakely, Ga., plant. ...The salmonella outbreak sickened more than 700 people in 46 states and led to nine deaths."

It's things like this that make me scared to eat any processed food. Clearly there is a direct correlation between the outbreak and the company going bankrupt. With the number of outbreaks and recalls that happens, it seems that companies simply aren't cautious enough about the ingredients they use and the conditions in which they make their food. Not only was the outbreak responsible for nine deaths and many more sicknesses, but anyone who was employed at this corporation was out of work. That number is most likely in upwards of hundreds of people.

So, among a climate of people just getting back up on their feet, many more are put out of work. What's more, the plants closing affect local economies. It will be extremely difficult for people to get jobs in the town they live in because so many others are trying as well. In extreme cases, the crime rate in towns go up, and as a result, value of homes go down, and the cycle continues. But corporations are never held liable for the fates of the people that lose their jobs because of their irresponsibility. Corporations have nearly no liability, but they most definitely should.
Corporations need to be more responsible, because there is more at risk than the product they make being absent from store shelves.

Biden's Big Mouth is at it Again

Oh Biden, you're always saying inappropriate things. In general, this isn't so bad. But he is the vice president. It simply gives the right wing more fuel, more things to call the Obama administration out on. But you always need someone to spice things up, right?

How Will This Law Affect You?

With the passage of the Health Care bill, many are likely wondering how it will affect them. Will the United States become a socialist nation with everything controlled by the government?! Despite what many conservatives are saying, that isn't the case.

But back to what will happen in regards to your health care:

-No Caps.

Previously, many health care plans had a cap, or a maximum amount you could spend in a year/in your lifetime before you had to start paying out-of-pocket. That won't happen anymore. This affects people with serious illnesses, as they will never be kicked out of treatment or go bankrupt because of their disease.

-Drug Discounts for Seniors

-No more being denied for pre-existing conditions (not effective immediately)

-Tax Breaks (amount would be determined on household income).

So those are a few of the things that we can expect in the immediate, and not so immediate future. Hopefully this bill will pull us out of some debt in the long run.

Health Care Happenings

This health care bill may be one of the most influential pieces of legislation to get passed or killed this decade. If it passes, the United States could be saved from trillions of dollars worth more of deficits in the future. Obama and the House of Representatives are both confident that the bill will have enough votes to pass.

The Washington Post offers a minute-by-minute update of who is voting yes and who is voting no.

here's the status of the votes as of 2:03 pm pacific time: (click image to enlarge)

This Cobbler Isn't Going Anywhere

In these hard economic times, those independent businesses that stay open seem to be the ones that offer unique services. For example, this man is a cobbler, that is he fixes shoes. Being as not many cobblers are around anymore, he doesn't have much competition. Also, as he explains, you can pay 12.50 to get a heel put on your shoe, or you can buy a new pair for 100. So, in a bit of a twisted way, the recession is actually giving him a few more customers who can't afford to buy new shoes. However, he does say that business this year is much better than last year, on the whole.

Chernoffs Stay Off the Street

The Chernoff's are all unemployed at the moment, but are managing to live on unemployment checks for the time being. It's very fortunate that this family had enough money before hand to be able to afford that. However, many people without jobs may have worked at part-time jobs, such as fast food restaurants, and they don't receive unemployment checks. Additionally, families may have 4 or 5 children to feed rather than just one. Being able to stick to a frugal life style without unnecessary spending is definitely a skill that American's, including myself, need to learn.

Nigerian prince still wants your money!

This article from CNN discusses something that I've always found funny, because of how ridiculous it seems. Unfortunately, people do fall for it.

Internet fraud cases surged by 22% in 2009, and financial losses doubled compared to the year before as scammers took advantage of Americans rendered desperate by the recession.

This article details how much money has been lost collectively by the American people because of internet scams. You've probably seen them in your junk email folder, they ask you for your banking information and you will apparently receive lots of money. Of course if you gave out your information, you would quickly lose lots and lots of money. This is very unfortunate for those who were so desperate in this recession they took a risk, and lost.

A long-running Internet scam involving a fictional Nigerian Prince is still in cyberspace, Kane said. In this scam, a "prince" promises vast riches in exchange for your banking information.
Most people don't fall for an obvious scam like that, but there are enough gullible victims to keep the fraudsters in business, he explained.

So when roaming the net, be cautious. Anything asking for things like your social security number or other personal information should be approached with care. A place where scammers find opportunities is in the job market, where they will post fake job applications to receive your personal info.

The message is, be careful kids.

They Want to Kill the Bill

In this lovely video, we have conservatives rallying against health care. Chanting "Kill the Bill". What they apparently are so livid about is the fact that the government will control health care.
Tom Price: "Is that what you want?"
People: "NO!"

Listen, Tom, what I don't want is to have to pay so much money for medical bills and health insurance that I can't afford to get through college or buy a house when I'm out of it.
We need health care reform. According to Tom Price, this Bill is "betraying fundamental American principles". Well, if you mean that it is giving everyone good care, and actually looking out for the citizens of this country, then yes, I suppose it is betraying your fundamental principles.

Teacher Calls Student Loser

A North Carolina public school teacher has been suspended for writing the word “loser” on a 6th grade student’s notebook. “He thought it was funny, the kids thought it was funny…our school district doesn’t think it’s funny,” said Jan Blunt, Communications Director for Buncombe County Schools.

I fully believe in teachers joking around with students, because most of my teachers are like that, and I have a good sense of humor. However, I think if a teacher is going to joke around with his or her students, they have to have a good sense of how far they can go without offending certain kids. The way it sounded to me from the video, the mom saw the comments, the child didn't complain about them. It's appropriate that they suspended the teacher because he had prior warnings, but I think firing the teacher would be too drastic of a move. It's unfortunate that he will have to censor himself around students.

Can Borrowing Money be Dangerous?

Many are trying to hold their own during this recession and recovery.

"Unless it's a real emergency, lending money enforces dependency, rather than someone going out there and trying to do it on their own," Gurney said. "It reinforces someone feeling like a child again, that they have to come back to their family. That's not a good place to be in."

Says psychologist Kathleen Gurney. Amid these hard times in our economy, many may be tempted to lend money to family members in need. Initially, this would seem simply a selfless act, but there can be consequences for even the most generous lender.
Ruth Mantrell, in her article for marketwatch.com, points out that borrowing money can cause problems for some one too. If one borrows money, the lender many times will become too involved in the borrower's life, as a result of wanting to know what the money is being spent on. This would be quite a nuisance, and fosters dependence on the part of the borrower. Some may even lend out money just so they can have a sense of control over others, which isn't healthy.

"The relationship is the most important thing to guard here. Have an agreement; it can be a handwritten agreement. Help the family member come up with a game plan, how they are going to pay you back," Gurney said.

What is important is that all consequences are considered before borrowing or lending money. There should be a written agreement, and a plan should be set up on how the borrower will repay the lender. This way everything is secure.

Moderate Hiring for the Upcoming Quarter

Cautiously Optimistic. That's the term most everyone has been using for the state of the economy, and rightly so. But cautiously optimistic is still optimistic. Recent data has suggested some good things for the number of jobs in America today.

Around 6% of firms say they plan on hiring, as opposed to -2% last year. Better yet, over 70% of employers don't intend on firing any staff, which should put many at ease. So the job situation we have may not be getting better fast, but it isn't getting worse, and that is a start. The fact that employers aren't hiring rapidly is a good thing, because it could cause problems if the economy began shrinking quickly.

Ruth Mantell on marketwatch.com provides the figures for the employment outlook in the upcoming quarter, and they are definitely a reason to be hopeful.

"For each industry sector, here are the figures for the net employment outlook for the second quarter, not seasonally adjusted, in order of most positive first.

Leisure and hospitality, 17% in the second quarter, up from 4% in the first quarter

Professional and business services, 15%, up from 5%

Mining, 11%, up from -1%

Manufacturing, nondurable goods, 9%, up from 1%

Financial activities, 9%, up from 2%

Transportation and utilities, 8%, up from -6%

Manufacturing, durable goods, 8%, up from -3%

Information, 8%, up from 0% "

A restored economy may not be too far out of reach.

Save Some Extra Cash

There are some relatively easy ways that you can save some extra cash, which everyone could use nowadays.
When looking for good deals on travel, George Mannes from CNN writes:

For last-minute deals and extras such as free meals, sign up for all the airline and hotel-chain loyalty programs and newsletters you can, says George Hobica, founder of airfarewatchdog.com. And check kayak.com.

And Mannes also shows you how to fix the fact that you may be getting too much money deducted from your paycheck.

With the average federal tax refund around $2,700, chances are you've been giving the government an interest-free loan by having too much money pulled out of your paycheck. With your most recent pay stubs and tax return handy, go to irs.gov and use the withholding calculator to get specific instructions for filling out new W-4s. Your payroll department will adjust your withholding accordingly.

Also, Mannes says, Qualifying Expenses (aka things that your job will pay for) could include more than you might think, such as contact lenses solution or at-home pregnancy tests. These benefits should be taken advantage of.

So take advantage of these things! A little savings here and there can add up in the long run.

Good Enough for God, It's Good Enough for Palin!

I got a good laugh when I heard about Palin writing her talking points on her palm, but it really didn't seem like a big problem to me. I'd probably forget some stuff if I was under that much pressure to impress the nation to. But then, she said this:
"Hey, if it was good enough for god scribbling on the palm of his hand, its good enough for me".
My main problems with this statement are that:
1) God and Politics should be completely separate. Separation of church and state, for cryin' out loud. (She should've written that somewhere on herself). The fact that "god wrote on his hand" has nothing to do with her inability to remember what she wants to talk about.
2) She just compared herself to god. God wrote on his hands, so I can do it too, since me and god are pretty much the same.
I may be an atheist but seeing as Palin holds her God in pretty high regard, she should not have compared herself to him/her.

We are not a "Christian Nation", and it's slightly disturbing that some identify it as that. Personally, I'd vote that politicians shouldn't be allowed to use any reference to religion in there campaigns, end of story.

Nissan LEAF

Boy oh boy, am I smitten for the new Nissan LEAF.

This car is 100% electric, 0 emissions and boasts 100 miles of driving on a single charge, which is absolutely wonderful. Oh and it's a 5 passenger car. None of that smartcar 2 passenger junk. This will let the car be usable by so many more drivers.

A full charge costs less than 3 dollars. Another awesome aspect is that you can preheat or pre-cool the car before you get in it using your smart phone, and the LEAF can send your phone an alert when it is fully charged.

All this information can be found on the Nissan website, which says the car will be available late 2010. And it claims the LEAF will be "affordable", whatever that means. I have high hopes for this car.

Waiting on Health Care

Health care is still a highly debated topic, even after the health care summit. It seems some progress was made, but there are still a lot of things that are holding this bill back from being passed. David M. Herszenhorn writes for the New York Times about the issue:

Some House Democrats who voted for the health care bill in November have said that they will oppose any version of the legislation that does not include the tight restrictions on insurance coverage for abortions that they succeeded in inserting into the House measure. Mr. Obama’s plan adopts the Senate provisions on the abortion issue, which are less restrictive.

This means that there are still things to work out with the issue of abortion funding, among other things. I am pro-choice, and therefore believe that the government should fund abortions. While each party is trying to get what they want in the bill, the Democrats are working at a way to speed up the process of passing this bill. Herszenhorn writes:

At this point, Democrats and Republicans have concluded that the only way the health care legislation can be completed is for Democrats to make revisions to the Senate-passed bill and attach those revisions to a budget reconciliation measure.

To be completely honest, reconciliation confuses the heck out of me, and I'm still trying to understand it. But if the bill can get passed faster, I'm all for it. This bill just needs to get passed, one way or another, because as soon as it is, focus can go back to pulling the economy up and getting it back on its feet.

Bargain Hunting... At the Doctors?

The basic idea of this, is to show that if you need a "simple" procedure, it is in your best interest to go looking at different practices, because some are radically cheaper than others. So why doesn't everyone do this? Well, in my family, we all have one doctor that we've been seeing for almost our entire lives, and we trust our doctors. So I think many people would rather just stick with their own doctors and be confident they will get good treatment. And though this "bargain hunting" may be beneficial, it might not help those whose health care only allows them to go to a specific doctor or hospital. That all being said, I think it's worth considering, especially if it means saving a chunk of cash.

Majority of Population Thinks the Government is Broken

Tea Party Activists, a group of people clearly dissatisfied with what the government is doing

Americans overwhelmingly believe that the government is broken, according to a national poll released Sunday.

This doesn't surprise me in the least. I have a feeling that this is largely due to things regarding money. The fact that a health care bill has not been passed, has lead me, and perhaps others, to see how inefficient the government system of passing laws is. The more and more people have to wait for the change they want, the more unsatisfied they'll be with their government.

The CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll was conducted February 12-15, with 1,023 adult Americans questioned by telephone. The survey's sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points

Of course I also have to question the poll itself. It's unknown what states they called, because public opinion is probably very different in different states.

Obama Takes a Page Out of Jimmy Carter's Book

The ghost of Jimmy Carter's one-term presidency is hovering over President Obama as the Democrats try to pass a jobs bill in time for this year's elections. So why is the centerpiece of the measure -- a tax break for companies that make new hires -- a play straight from Carter's economic policy circa 1977?

Then, as now, the economy looked anemic and unemployment was high: 7.8% when Carter entered office, compared with 9.7% now. So just eleven days after his inauguration, the president proposed giving companies a temporary tax break if they hired new employees, calling it the New Jobs Tax Credit. The law went into effect for 1977 and 1978, over which time the unemployment rate fell 2%.

So, in theory, this tax break seems like a great idea. More money for companies that hire more employees, what could go wrong? Well one problem is that when this tax credit was initiated the first time, less than half of small businesses even knew about the tax credit. Many also argue it will cost more than it is worth.

A major flaw is that the bill "includes a requirement that in order to qualify for the tax break, an employer has to hire someone who has been out of work for at least 60 days". This seems unneccesary, employers should hire based on skill and what they need.
Well, all we can say is that hopefully, if this tax credit goes through, that it will be a success and enough people can get work to keep the economy recovering.

Mental health break, ya'll.

I have an affinity for strange instruments. This one is no exception. It's meant to produce the same sound as dipping your fingers in water and playing the rim of a glass. Benjamin Franklin invented this instrument which has since lost popularity but is really amazing.

Jobs, please.

In Obama's State of the Union address, he made a lot of promises about rebuilding this economy and making jobs. I was nervous that this might be another empty promise, but it seems that it isn't the case. The Democrats don't have a bill, but they have an agenda for putting something through.

The Democrats' agenda includes: Renewing existing highway legislation for a year, which is expected to result in one million jobs, Reid said. Also, enacting small business and job creation tax credits. And extending Build America Bonds, a stimulus measure that helps states and municipalities fund capital construction projects.

I think that unemployment taxes have been hitting businesses hard, so it's fortunate that we may see job creation credits. I think the most logical way to go about fixing unemployment is for the government to create jobs. Sure, we will have to spend money for that, but more jobs mean citizens spending more, so in the long run it's a great thing.

A Slow Climb out of the Recession Has Begun?

8.4 million jobs have been vaporized since the recession began, and digging out won't be easy.

But on a slightly brighter side, the situation is moderating. The number of jobs isn't falling as fast anymore. Now, there may be another sharp decrease, but relatively soon I believe the nation will begin recovering.

The unemployment rate fell unexpectedly in January to 9.7%. And businesses shed 20,000 jobs for the month, far fewer than the 150,000 jobs that were lost in December.

"Even as today's numbers contain signs of the beginning of recovery, they are also a reminder of how far we still have to go to return the economy to robust health and full employment," said White House economist Christina Romer in a statement.

Many temporary jobs have been created, showing that employers are hiring again. Also, many part time workers are being given their full time positions back.

So, not all is well. And economists are warning not to read too much into this improvement, for it may or may not be short-lived. Either way it's an improvement, and that means more jobs for the citizens of America. This means more disposable income, and more spending. Then, consequently more and more jobs created. I am hopeful for the economy of the United States.

The Government Has Your Baby's DNA (?)

When Annie Brown's daughter, Isabel, was a month old, her pediatrician asked Brown and her husband to sit down because he had some bad news to tell them: Isabel carried a gene that put her at risk for cystic fibrosis.

While grateful to have the information -- Isabel received further testing and she doesn't have the disease -- the Mankato, Minnesota, couple wondered how the doctor knew about Isabel's genes in the first place. After all, they'd never consented to genetic testing.

It's simple, the pediatrician answered: Newborn babies in the United States are routinely screened for a panel of genetic diseases. Since the testing is mandated by the government, it's often done without the parents' consent,

What angered the parents of this little girl is the fact that they never gave consent to have their baby screened for DNA testing. I understand how parents could be unsettled, but it doesn't seem too strange to me. It is a little strange that they keep the DNA on file, but then again it could be used to help find the child if they go missing. I think the government should tell parents that their kids will be subject to the DNA screening, and that their DNA will be stored.

Man Arrested for Posting Gay Rights Posters

Malawi, South Africa

As a person who openly supports gay rights, it hurts me to read this story. But I'm also one who believes the United States shouldn't go around trying to change the situation in foreign countries. In South Africa, a man was posting gay rights posters.

Sawali, 21, was putting up posters that read, "Gay rights are human rights," on a busy road in the city of Blantyre, the spokesman said... Basically, he was promoting a criminal act. This is what this is all about.

Wait.. does America even do that? Do we prosecute people for promoting a criminal act? Murder is illegal in every state, and some would consider violent video games promoting a criminal act, but those are still legal.

Last month, Human Rights Watch wrote a letter to Malawi's government, accusing it of threatening citizens' fundamental rights.

Wait, fundamental rights? Maybe to United States citizens, but these people aren't United States Citizens. Malawi has its own constitution that decides what the rights of the citizens are. I find it acceptable for activists to go and talk about human "rights", but don't expect them to change their laws. Truly, when you think about it, there are no basic human rights. People's rights depend on where they live, because they're decided by the government.

"All these countries want to impose their culture on us, but homosexuality is a crime, according to the penal code in Malawi," he said. Those found guilty of homosexuality in Malawi face a maximum of 14 years in jail.

As a supporter of equality, I hope that all countries get to the point where there is no hate or discrimination because of something someone can't control. But America isn't even there yet, so we can't expect other places to be.

Mental Health B-B-B-B-Break

Just let it be known I have nothing against Christianity or those who follow it, but sometimes people say the most ignorant things while trying to defend their beliefs. Anyway, I enjoy videos poking fun at Fundamentalists.

This could be offensive to some, I apologize.