Sunday, October 24, 2010
College graduates debt increases
CNNMoney.com has an article with a headline that is very eye catching: College grads: $24,000 in debt.
As a college student, this article is very overwhelming.
During Obama's State of the Union address I had blogged about it on The Future of Journalism and there was a part about Obama saying that he does not want students to be in debt for having an education, and he made a point to really emphasize that he wants to help make it possible for students to go to school and get an education without going in bankruptcy.
The exact part of the speech referred to above is:
"...When we renew the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, we will work with Congress to expand these reforms to all fifty states. Still, in this economy, a high school diploma no longer guarantees a good job. I urge the Senate to follow the House and pass a bill that will revitalize our community colleges, which are a career pathway to the children of so many working families. To make college more affordable, this bill will finally end the unwarranted taxpayer-subsidies that go to banks for student loans. Instead, let's take that money and give families a $10,000 tax credit for four years of college and increase Pell Grants. And let's tell another one million students that when they graduate, they will be required to pay only ten percent of their income on student loans, and all of their debt will be forgiven after twenty years – and forgiven after ten years if they choose a career in public service. Because in the United States of America, no one should go broke because they chose to go to college. And it's time for colleges and universities to get serious about cutting their own costs – because they too have a responsibility to help solve this problem..."
When seeing posts about going into debt, students are probably finding Peter Thiel's offer of $100,000 to drop out of school very tempting.
The CNN Money article says that student debt is on the rise and "fewer graduates are getting jobs to pay back what they borrowed."
To make the college student feel more overwhelmed add onto the fact that unemployment rates are high and unemployment rates for college graduates jumped from 5.8 percent in 2008 to 8.7 percent in 2009 - which is the highest annual rate on record.
There is even a new term "boomerang kids" which refers to college graduates who move back home - which according to CNN Money is 85 percent.
Students with the most debt, over $29 thousand, are from New Hampshire, and students in Ohio are said to have the lowest, under $16 thousand.
Surprisingly CNN Money says, "Schools in the lowest average debt group included California Institute of Technology, Hampton University, CUNY Hunter College and Princeton University."
By Nikky Raney
Journalist & Blogger
Unemployment panic: What is a 99er to do?
Unemployment panic is rampant in America today, but what is a 99er to do without money to eat, a place to live or even the necessities to continue their futile job search?
According to Open Congress last week:
"There are about 20 major pieces of legislation being considered for floor time in the lame-duck session, and it’s hard to predict what the dynamic in Congress is going to be after the election. For example, what happenes if Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid [D, NV], who controls what gets voted on in the Senate, is defeated in the mid-terms? Does he scramble to pass a last legacy bill on food safety or renewable energy instead of spending the final days of his 24 year career fighting for a temporary extension of benefits for the unemployed folks that he has already spent a good deal of time fighting for? Incentives and motivations will change significantly depending n what happens on Nov. 2, so, if you care about there being a lifeline for the millions of long-term unemployed after Thanksgiving, the best thing you can do right now is start making as much noise about this as you can."
Most 99ers have been without UI income for 8 months. After living on what little UI pays for 99 weeks (out of many more weeks unpaid) the 99ers are dropping like flies. Losing your home to foreclosure, eviction or just over staying your welcome at the relative’s, the street is now the new home of many who used to qualify as “the American middle class.”
One 99er (name withheld by request) recently told the San Diego Unemployment Examiner: “The constant fear and desperation I feel is unbearable. I do not know what to do. My life is an out of control spiral downhill and I cannot do anything to stop it. I am sick of being afraid all the time and yes I have considered ending this nightmare more than once - I just cannot do that to my family. My family cannot help me anymore and I feel so guilty for needing the help they have provided. Most of them live very far away, but I may soon need to pack up and move in with them. I cry myself to sleep every night just thinking of what a failure I am now that I can no longer support myself.”
It is true that this 99er has options that many do not. Thousands are already on the street or in shelters. Some have been just too depressed or scared to live this way any longer, so they give up on life completely.
Unemployment is likely to remain above 9 percent for the rest of this year, and for much of next. That means the ranks of the long-term unemployed will swell even further. This “Jobless Recovery” has been the trend so far in this recession, and it's not likely to stop now. Are we just going to leave the long term unemployed without incomes and without job opportunities? Without money to spend in their wrecked local economies, thus making it harder for those economies to generate new jobs? If this is the economic theory Washington is going to embrace amid terrible joblessness in America, then God help us - because we have far more to worry about than the Tea Party nut jobs going to Congress.
What we really need are public jobs for all 7 million of the people who have been unemployed for well over a year. I'd like to hear politicians touting a plausible scenario for creating quick, useful public jobs on that kind of scale in this sluggish economy immediately upon Congress’ return - even as they pass a Tier 5 and extend UI filing deadlines soon to expire.
Washington had better take heed to the suffering that is rampant in the USA due to the lack of income from jobs or UI benefits before we see the frustrations of Americans break out on Main Street, as it would appear it is just a matter of time before this century resembles the tragic desperation of the Great Depression of the last century. I can’t see 2010 Americans taking this much longer before they begin fighting back with possibly catastrophic results.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Obama in 2012
President Barack Obama has gotten a lot accomplished, but most of these
accomplishments are not the ones he outlined during his campaign.
accomplishments are not the ones he outlined during his campaign.
Obama spoke of change and his eloquence brought the nation hope. His
speeches were spoken like sermons and those in attendance could feel the
power.
A great speaker does not make a great president, but there were a lot of
things that needed to be fixed after the Bush years.
With Obama's positive popularity deteriorating is he destined to be a
one term president?
--
Sent from my T-Mobile Sidekick®
Lindsay Lohan To Rehab; Taylor Momsen Flashes
According to TMZ.com, Actress and Artist Lindsay Lohan was ordered back to complete rehab and not to jail. TMZ reports:
Lohan is due back in court on February 25 (2011). She will be subject to drug testing in between her release from rehab until her court date. If Lindsay does not test positive for drugs or alcohol before her next scheduled during that time, he will convert her sentence to unsupervised probation. The D.A recommended Lindsay get 180 days in county jail. The judge specifically stated he wanted Lindsay in rehab past the New Year.
Just how this will impact Lindsay's movie schedule is anyone's guess. TMZ also reports that she was complaining about her rehab schedule as interfering with her life, including her shoots. But it's the one thing keeping her out of the wasteland of jail and giving her a fighting chance at being clean and sober. At least she's not running around taking off her top, like Taylor Momsen, who's reported flashes of the NYC concert crowd made headlines.
The teen took off her top to reveal her breasts. As of this writing, Gossip Girl's Taylor Momsen's not been charged with anything and one has to wonder if that was her idea or her publicists' work. The act's made her name into a Twitter Trending Topic as of this writing and gained attention for her music. For what it's worth. Taylor's obviously working the porn angle hard.
It seems that's what an entertainer has to do to make themselves sand out in a World over-saturated with media content. It's the reason there are so many sex tape stories it's become almost standard for an actress to have one.
Crazy.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Texas Rangers Win: World Series And Super Bowl In Arlington, Texas
Arlington, Texas, where this blogger attended undergraduate school at The University of Texas at Arlington, before heading for grad school at Cal Berkeley, is situated right smack in the middle of the Metroplex, almost equidistant between Dallas to the east and Fort-Worth to the west, Arlington is 15 miles south of DFW Airport. Because it's the playing home of both the Dallas Cowboys and the Texas Rangers, it's the home of the World Series and The Super Bowl. Two events with a combined economic impact of over $300 million.
Because Arlington was the place selected to build the Dallas Cowboys' giant Cowboys Stadium (in photo), what some call "Jerry World" after Cowboys' Owner Jerry Jones, that city will enjoy the economic fruits of hosting the 2011 Super Bowl XXXXV in February, 2011. The NFL has a policy of giving a Super Bowl to each NFL city that builds a new stadium and has the right economic conditions. (The exception to this was New York for the 2014 Super Bowl as that game started as a gift after 9-11 should New York build a new stadium - that was done and it's an outdoor stadium, where it originally was to be indoors.) Arlington built the new Cowboys Stadium after a public bond issue committing $300 million of public money to the construction effort.
Rangers Win Sweetens The Deal
The Rangers win essentially gives Arlington an economic head start before the 2011 Super Bowl, as the World Series brings not just the teams from the opposing city, but baseball fans from all over the country. While less than for the Super Bowl, the World Series will bring an estimated $70 million to Arlington and the Metroplex. Since the Rangers were not expected to beat the Yankees, that's an extra addition to the revenue anticipated for The 2011 Super Bowl.
That's money for hotels, restaurants, transportation, rental cars, oh, and store purchases, as well as parking tickets, and of course, the unexpected towed cars. It's also money from hiring bands for local events, and contractors to prepare those venues. It's money for t-shirts, ticket brokers, and caterers. Not everyone will get rich, if any one, but there will be money to be made and at a time when Texas' economy, like other parts of America, can use it.
Arlington, with both the 2010 World Series and 2011 The Super Bowl, is just plain blessed.
World Series 2010: John Hamilton, Colby Lewis Story Of Rangers Win Over Yankees
The Texas Rangers did what was once-considered impossible: they beat the upstart New York Yankees 6 to 1 to earn the right to play in the franchise's first World Series in its history.
The win was a story of the play of ALCS Series MVP Outfielder John Hamilton and Pitcher Colby Lewis. Hamilton and Lewis were the favorites of baseball fans, especially Josh, who has enjoyed an amazing comeback.
Hamilton Back From Hell
Josh Hamilton has what NetDugout.com's Dan Kirby correctly calls "A dark story" involving drug addiction. One told in this video, part of the "I Am Second" campaign which explains how faith in Jesue Christ helped him:
Drugs and alcohol addiction almost destroyed Hamilton's professional baseball career. He started it in 2001 and, with repeated suspensions, lasted well until 2005, when his grandmother Mary Holt confronted him. With the exception of one incident in 2009, Hamilton has been clean, and is tested for drug use three times a week, a schedule he reportedly favors as it reassures those who have faith in him. At the end of the win against the New York Yankees, he celebrated by drinking ginger ale.
While Hamilton was fighting the Devil and finding God, pitcher Colby Lewis was playing baseball and then went to Japan for a year with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp, where he won awards for strikeouts.
Hamilton and Lewis Drink The Ginger Ale
According to ESPN, Hamilton his four home runs in six games against the Yankees to lead the Texas Rangers to the promised land. Josh batted .350, was walked eight times, and five of them intentionally. Colby Lewis played lights out, Friday, holding the Yankees to one hit in nine at-bats with runners in scoring position. When the game got tight, he reportedly remembered the words of his pitching coach Mike Maddux: "Trust yourself. Commit to the pitch."
Now, Hamilton, Lewis, Texas Rangers Manager Ron Washington, Team President Nolan Ryan, and the rest of the organization are committed to the 2010 World Series. They await the winner of The Giants - Phillies battle, which enters Game 6 Saturday.
John Boehner And Lisbeth Lyons: Mistress Issue Under Wraps
In his investigation, Stark went so far as to ask John Boehner on camera at his "Pledge to America" event, and to Boehner's face, if Lisbeth Lyons was his, as Stark put it, "girlfriend." Rep. Boehner kept walking by Stark without stopping to even look at him, let alone saying "no."
During that period of reporting on the "Boehner mistress" issue, many were waiting for what was to be an "explosive" expose on this by The New York Times. It never came forward. In fact, since Stark's initial media blast that was fairly-well picked up, there's been nothing new to add to the story. Things, it seems, are scarily silent. The only update was Stark's blog that Mike Pence wasn't his source for the rumor. Other than that, nothing. Zero. Zilch.
Meanwhile, this blogger learned that Lyons, who's Vice President, Government Affairs for the Printing Industries of America, is a powerful and well-connected Washington DC player. Regardless of her connections to Boehner, her assent to prominence should be a welcome study for anyone who wants to break into the ranks of Washington's Power Elite. To this blogger, the alleged relationship looks more like one where Boehner may be too close to a lobbyist, ala John McCain and Vicki Iseman. But there's nothing as of this writing that allows for comfortable expansion on that assertion.
What happened?
What we can go on is just speculation. Given the high-stakes of the 2010 Midterm Elections, it's possible that an operative in some way convinced Mike Stark to back off the subject. There's also the chance that Stark was waiting for The New York Times to follow-up with their own investigation, but the NY Times, seeking to maintain its access to Boehner and other Republican representatives, may have elected to burry their story.
Whatever the case, there's clearly something behind the "radio silence" on the John Boehner and Lisbeth Lyons mistress / girlfriend talk. The question is will this remain through election day?
Stay tuned.
Deanna Favre has faith
With the allegations of Brett Farve being unfaithful going around, his wife Deanna Favre says that faith is what helps her cope.
It's interesting isn't it? When someone is unfaithful that is the time people decide to turn to faith.
Deanna was on Good Morning America
promoting a book she wrote with Shane Stanford called "The Cure for the Chronic Life."
Although she is handling this through faith - she has yet to say whether or not she believes the accusations to be true or false.
Richmond Candidates Myrna Lopez and Maria Viramontes Running for City Council on November 2 to Create Jobs Now in Richmond
Richmond candidates Myrna Lopez and Maria Viramontes are making news in their races for City Council. Their top priorities are creating jobs in Richmond to get residents back to work, and improving public safety.
Richmond has been learning more about Lopez and Viramontes in recent days as they have been getting the word out.
According to a mail piece advocating on behalf of Myrna Lopez:
Fighting to Bring 1,200 New Jobs to Richmond: Myrna Lopez knows creating good-paying jobs in Richmond begins with working with Richmond’s biggest employers – not driving them away. As a member of the City Council, Myrna Lopez drove a tough bargain with Chevron for an agreement that would have created 1,200 new jobs and reduced pollution by upgrading older equipment at the refinery.
According to the piece about Maria Viramontes:
Creating a Brighter Future for Richmond Tomorrow: Nine years ago, Maria took civic involvement to a new level, running and winning a seat on the Richmond City Council. In those nine years, she has been a tireless advocate for turning Richmond around to restore the glory of yesteryear. She has fought to put more police on our streets to tackle our crime problem, invest in attracting new jobs to Richmond, and revitalizing our downtown.
A new website has also been launched, RichmondJobsNow.org, to report news in Richmond.
The mail pieces available here say that they are paid for by Jobs Now, a coalition supporting Lopez and Viramontes for City Council in 2010.
Myrna Lopez website: http://myrnalopez.com/
Maria Viramontes website: http://mariaviramontes.org/
Richmond has been learning more about Lopez and Viramontes in recent days as they have been getting the word out.
According to a mail piece advocating on behalf of Myrna Lopez:
Fighting to Bring 1,200 New Jobs to Richmond: Myrna Lopez knows creating good-paying jobs in Richmond begins with working with Richmond’s biggest employers – not driving them away. As a member of the City Council, Myrna Lopez drove a tough bargain with Chevron for an agreement that would have created 1,200 new jobs and reduced pollution by upgrading older equipment at the refinery.
According to the piece about Maria Viramontes:
Creating a Brighter Future for Richmond Tomorrow: Nine years ago, Maria took civic involvement to a new level, running and winning a seat on the Richmond City Council. In those nine years, she has been a tireless advocate for turning Richmond around to restore the glory of yesteryear. She has fought to put more police on our streets to tackle our crime problem, invest in attracting new jobs to Richmond, and revitalizing our downtown.
A new website has also been launched, RichmondJobsNow.org, to report news in Richmond.
The mail pieces available here say that they are paid for by Jobs Now, a coalition supporting Lopez and Viramontes for City Council in 2010.
Myrna Lopez website: http://myrnalopez.com/
Maria Viramontes website: http://mariaviramontes.org/
Shuttle Bus Service For Facebook, Twitter Employees: Bauer’s Transportation's Employee Shuttle System
Bauer’s Transportation has become the "Tech Shuttle Bus Service," as it provides transportation for Facebook and Twitter employees, to name some of the high tech San Francisco Bay Area companies it serves. But the "Tech Shuttle Bus Service" is not exclusive to Facebook and Twitter. Other companies can participate in it as well. It's all a part of Bauer’s Transportation's new roll as a mass transit provider.
Bauer’s Transportation also offers a new service called "Wi-Drive." "Wi-Drive" is a bus shuttle transportation service that goes round-trip between the city of Santa Rosa and San Francisco and between the cities of Fremont and Milpitas.
Bauer's also offers the innovative "Solar Hybrid Bus." Bauer's Transportation Founder and President Gary Bauer says "Since 2008 California state law has prohibited diesel vehicles from idling for more than five minutes. More than 25 states across the United States now have anti-idling laws. With Bauer's Solar Hybrid Bus Powering System, transportation companies across the U.S. will be able to comply with anti-idling laws while keeping the passengers comfortable and their transportation experience enjoyable. The solar bus has been in operation on our fleet since January 2010 and the results have been outstanding.
Wi-Drive Is The Bauer's Service Foundation
Here's the details on Wi-Drive from Bauer’s Transportation:
Bauer’s IT (Intelligent Transportation), the Bay Area’s leading provider of chauffeured, eco-friendly individual and group bus transportation, today announced that two new routes have been added to the acclaimed Bauer’s Wi-Drive! program.
Beginning Monday, October 12, the eco-transit commuter service will expand to include round-trip routes between Santa Rosa and San Francisco and between Fremont and Milpitas.
Bauer’s Wi-Drive! current routes include: San Francisco to and from the North Bay (as far as Santa Rosa), San Francisco to and from the South Bay (as far as San Jose), and Fremont to/from Milpitas. Wi-Drive! plans to expand its fleet to Sacramento, Stockton, Fairfield, Napa, Santa Cruz and beyond in accordance with consumer demand.
Offering paramount comfort and convenience, the fleet is equipped with plush leather seats with Corian® work tables, high-speed Wi-Fi, flat screen LCD monitors, iPod hookups, phone and laptop power ports, CD and DVD systems, bike racks and restrooms. A Ride Host is onboard at all times to offer food and drink service, which can be purchased onboard or pre-ordered through the Bauer’s Wi Drive! online ordering system.
Bauer’s Wi-Drive! operates Monday through Friday from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. Fares can be as low as $5 for a one-way ticket depending on location, with 10 percent discounts offered for monthly passes. Bauer’s Wi-Drive! memberships and individual passes can be purchased online. A variety of payment methods, including commuter checks, are available. For detailed information on pricing, schedules and pick-up and drop-off locations, please visit www.BauersIT.com or call 800.546.6688.
Note: Bauer's Transportation is a Zennie62.com sponsor. The blog post is the original creation of Zennie62.com.
Jersey Shore season 2 Finale
Jersey Shore season two came to an end last night, October 21, 2010 at 10 p.m. ET.
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| Taking notes while watching |
The episode starts with the group of seven going out to the Everglades. At a restaurant the group decides to try frog legs, but JWOWW is seriously disgusted by the entire concept. While JWOWW is in the bathroom The Situation stands outside the door waiting for her to come out as she dangles frog legs in her face.
On the drive back to Miami The Situation asks Ronnie to pull the van over so that he can vomit said frog legs.
When the crew gets back Vinny and Pauly D prepare to take out two of the ladies that they really liked during the stay in Miami. Vinny takes out Ramona, and it was a very sweet scenario. The two know that they cannot have a long distance relationship, but it is apparent that the two wish they had more time together. As Vinny kisses her good-bye (they did not smoosh) the cameras switch to Pauly D's date with Rocia. The two agree that they cannot have a long distance relationship, but they really would like that. At the end of the night he is making out with her and says, "I don't even want to smoosh her." Coming from Pauly D that is pretty romantic.
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| Image courtesy of MTV |
When everyone is back from their dates the entire house goes out to the club to have some fun. Sammi and Ronnie are drinking, and Sammi finally apologizes. The rest of the house is dancing and having a great time.
Two girls approach Vinny and want a threesome. Vinny says, "Sometimes two grenades equals one good looking girl," and then says, "I really wish I was with Ramona when these grenades came up to me wanting a threesome." Thankfully, Vinny turns down the grenades saying "SAY NO TO HOES" - and The Situation takes the opportunity to jump on that.
The Situation goes in the bathroom with the two girls and uses some strange hand motions to explain what was going on between the three of them. That's kind of funny.
The housemates start to clean, and there is a lot to clean -- including food from when Vinny's mom came.
While cooking the family dinner Sammi just has a bad attitude toward Snooki, and Snooki is sad because she really had a friendship with Sammi. During dinner a little bit of an intense moment happens when discussing who did the least in the house - Sammi getting offended.
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| Courtesy of MTV |
The first superlative is tame saying "most likely to get skin cancer." This is a joke by saying who tans the most. Pauly D jokes that he definitely should get that.
Somehow a fight escalates between Vinny and the Situation. He is saying that Vinny just started doing "GTL" this season and that he did the robbery on Pauly D. It's a really strange "situation." (It's strange how it's hard to use that word without thinking of Mike Sorrentino) The two just are fighting about tanning.
Then they discuss who is the fakest one in the house. People start to get very defensive. The Situation is getting pinpointed and he says, "Well since Angelina isn't in the house it has to be me!" Then something happens making JWOWW angry and The Situation and the others confide to Snooki that they think JWOWW is the fakest in the house. She has breast implants and has gotten lots of plastic surgery - so it's not that far fetched.
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| Image courtesy of MTV |
"It's so typical to talk shit on the last day, because if you did it before you'd be outcasted. Now it's the last night and everyone's speaking out," The Situation says.
The rest of the episode is just a mess of fighting, crying, shouting, drinking and sets up for the third season.
This Jersey Shore coverage began as a character analysis, but after watching one episode the show becomes an addicting guilty pleasure. Make sure to tune into see next season's recaps.
By Nikky Raney
Journalist & Blogger
NPR Juan Williams Flap Shows Old Media's Problem
On Fox News' Bill O'Reilly show Monday, Juan Williams's said that he essentially would be scared or "get nervous" if he saw someone in Muslim religious garb after 9-11:
I mean, look, Bill, I'm not a bigot. You know the kind of books I've written about the civil rights movement in this country. But when I get on the plane, I got to tell you, if I see people who are in Muslim garb and I think, you know, they are identifying themselves first and foremost as Muslims, I get worried. I get nervous.
The simple fact is that any American, even National Public Radio or "NPR" CEO Vivian Schiller, knows that's true. Even if we try to fight the assumption, as I have in the past, we can't help but have some wonder about someone who gets on an airplane wearing Muslim religious dress. It's there, and always just under the surface. Wrong? Yes. Of course. But there.
For National Public Radio or "NPR" CEO Vivian Schiller to oust Juan Williams for that, rather than using the episode to boost ratings and Internet traffic, shows why Old Media outlets like NPR just don't get New Media. Meanwhile, New Media grows.
What do TMZ.com, RadarOnline.com, PerezHilton.com, TechCrunch, and Julliet Brinkdak's MissOandFriends.com site have in common? They were sites and blogs started by people who aren't journalists nor were trained in media. Two of the sites are blogs, TechCrunch and TMZ.com, and are ran by lawyers. Julliet is 21 and started her site when she was 10 years old.
All of these sites have one thing in common, in their way they encourage talk and communications, and for many, controversy. That sells today. Moreover, it creates the appropriate forum within which to learn something about society. People are attracted to that, if it's allowed to happen.
That's the problem with NPR and CNN: they don't get that real controversy, especially when it's internally developed, causes more views and revenue. NPR and CNN want to control what's said and it's no wonder CNN's ratings suffer.
The best example of this that comes to mind is Rocketboom.com, the online video blog show that started in 2005. During the celebrated and very public dust-up between Andrew Michael Barron and Amanda Congdon, Rocketboom's audience zoomed from 125,000 visitors per day to just north of 1 million per day.
Need I say more?
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