5 million Unemployed- economic pinch

The new record for Americans living without a paycheck has risen to nearly 5 million. The government said that 4,987,000 ( 4 million 987 thousand) are unemployed. Unemployment could raise to 9 percent. The news keeps getting worse. Officials predict that the economy would keep falling until the end of this year, and jobless claims would increase.


Everyone’s cutting back on their spending which is not good for the economy. Restaurants, theaters, retail stores…are empty! Stores are reporting bankruptcy and closing…workers are getting laid off.


Everyone is feeling this economic pinch.

STIMULUS PLAN

Less than one month in office, President Obama signs the stimulus plan. The 787 billion dollars stimulus plan was created to revive the economy and is EXPECTED TO turnaround the recession. Hopefully this plan will stimulate the economy, save jobs and create more jobs!

I cannot help but question if this plan could be more detrimental than beneficial. We’re already billions of dollars in debt and we’re digging deeper into our pockets (to possibly put ourselves more into debt…). I know the saying… to make more you must invest more. Could this be right?


INVESTING IN....AN ESCALADE?

I was watching a comedy talk show the other day…and it’s so ironic how these comedy shows actually pin point exactly what people are thinking- something that the news won’t do most of the times!

So the comedian is talking about the stimulus plan, and he compares the U.S. to a person he knows. He said something along the lines of…. “ So this guy’s always broke…we go out to dinner, and he can never pay. He never has money on him. So… one day, he rolls up in an ESCALADE! AN ESCALADE! He’s still in debt but he’s investing in his commuting. ”

I guess what I'm trying to say is...Are we Escalade buyers? Are we investing in big things….that are well worth 735 billion dollars? Just how many zeros are in 735 billion dollars ?

FACEBOOK- NEW RULES

Facebook is in the news recently, and it has far more to do with facebook’s content rules than it’s social impact.

Facebook changed its rules this month. On its terms of services, facebook says it has all rights to use any content uploaded to its site even after the user cancels its membership on facebook.


Why be concerned?

I have always questioned why peeps did not want to be on facebook. It’s a great way to connect with people from all over the world. I can utilize my networking and communication speed with friends and family through this social media site, and be up to date with my friends’ latest rendezvous.

However, the thought of facebook having authority to distribute one’s pictures and embarrassing personal information (such as the big wave of “25 random things about me”) to companies without my discretion is scary!


I am an avid user of facebook, and I have little cousins who use the site as well. There is just too much personal information about one’s life on this site- videos posted, pictures tagged, wall posts…etc. I don’t think a company should be able to license or expose someone’s information and make profit off of it without one's permission.


Facebook, we love you, but switch your content rules. Until then, no tagged photos, or wall posts for me.

LOVE ?

I know Valentine’s Day is in 3 days, but I thought I’d get my love post out early- in hopes of empowering our thoughts and ourselves – about love.


It was Shakespeare who said, “ ’Tis better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all”. Since love eventually dies, I would disagree with Shakespeare and save myself from the heartbreak. How could people love if it doesn’t last? Shakespeare is best known for creating tragedies and epics on love and romance. His famous epic- Romeo and Juliet ended up with the star crossed lovers dead!


Are animals like us- are they all crazy about the love stuff too? I know penguins choose one mate and stay with them forever. Lobsters too, but as far as other animals go, bonobos for example, they just mate with every other bonobo they see. Now, that’s not love.


Then where does our love obsession come from? I may be cynical about the longevity of love, but I do think that love is a quality that is innate. We can have every major obstacle in our life, whether it be cancer in the family, the big SATs or getting drafted to Afghanistan… yet it is love for our significant other that we think about. It’s what keeps us hopeful…or yearning.


The best way to explain about our collective human yearning for love...is revealed in the book, Eat Pray and Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. Gilbert met Cambodian refugees who had gone through war, torture, great human despair, but all they spoke of were about their relationships. Gilbert writes, "Collectively, as a species, this is our emotional landscape.... There are only two questions that human beings have ever fought over, all through history. How much do you love me? and Who's in charge? Everything else is somehow manageable."


Maybe Shakespeare’s not so wrong after all…. maybe it is better to have loved...then I have yet to see Cupid.

Octo-Mom

Nadya Suleman said that all she wanted to be was a mother, and the media’s speculation of her is wrong. Suleman’s mom states that Suleman has no money, and despite what Suleman said on the Today show to Anne Curry, the octo-mom is indeed on welfare. Suleman just gave birth to 8 children through in-vitro; and she had 6 children before that. Suleman is a single mother and lives in a 3 bed-room house with her parents.




Suleman is accused of being selfish to have 8 more children (on top of her already 6). However, Suleman says that every one else is selfish to not want or raise children. I just hope she has enough help to raise these kids. Many also say that the doctors should be blamed for Suleman’s situation. They should have known her background and investigated her situation a little more before performing in vitro fertilization procedure on Suleman.









Suleman also has an uncanny resemblance to Angelina Jolie. Her lips are done like Jolie and Suleman also wants a baby family tree like Brangelina. The key difference to her and Angelina Jolie is that Jolie has enough money to support her family of 6 kids; the Octo-mom does not. Although Jolie’s not married, she does have a partner to help support her children- Brad Pitt. Jolie also gets millions for every Brangelina baby picture.

Chris Brown's Alleged Attack on Rihanna

Chris Brown is allegedly charged for assault. The LA Times disclosed that the victim was fellow singer and girlfriend Rihanna. Both Rihanna and Brown cancelled their performances at the Grammys yesterday. Police said the victim had serious, visible scars on her and Brown had a deadly weapon.


This is all shocking that Brown would assault his girlfriend, because it’s ironic that Brown had gone through domestic violence himself. He went on a talk show earlier last year talking about the abuse his mother had endured with men.

I guess the apple does not fall far from the tree. He grew up to be like the male figure in his life….

Phelps’ ad deals at crossroads after marijuana photos leaked

Michael Phelps, the American athlete who won 8 olympic gold medals, apologizes for smoking marijuana. The photo of Phelps inhaling marijuana from a bong leaked to the public and brought his endorsement deals to a halt.


Phelps is endorsing million dollar campaigns and some of his sponsors are reviewing their deals and looking into the situation. Phelps is seen as a role model to many kids, and these leaked photos of him can hurt the deals.


One of his sponsors, Speedo said that although they do not condone Phelps’ actions, they accepted his apology. The company said they will support Phelps as he is part of the Speedo family.


In my opinion… Phelps is young, he experimented, and he learned a great lesson out of it. Phelps took full responsibility of his actions; his regret and sincerity to pick himself up again makes him more human and more relatable to his fans (which is a great message that sponsors should want to publicize).