An attempt to make sense of a senseless society

STUDYING ABROAD in ROMA, ITALIA here we have the Tiber River...

Sat, 23 Jun 2012 10:13:23 -0400

STUDYING ABROAD in ROMA, ITALIA

here we have the Tiber River looking onto Vatican City

Photo

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 21:57:18 -0400

No matter the media source you receive your information from...

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 00:12:35 -0400

No matter the media source you receive your information from it’d be hard to evade the extremely hyped stock market crisis happening early this week. Here we are as Americas, ATTEMPTING to develop a debt ceiling, manage a deficit crisis, yet we’re doing this NON-COLLECTIVELY. Bipartisanship proves to be non-present which in effect may or may not have caused the 6th steepest decline in history of the DOW JONES down 634 points on August 8th, 2011.

In order to solve such an issue we must come to realize the underlying factor behind such an investing failure. As you change channels or surf the worldwide web, you’ll hear different opinions/reasonings for causing such an event. Some say a crisis in Europe, some a dangerous recession at home. Dissenting opinions include the reasoning behind this was Standard & Poor’s longterm rating downgrade for the U.S. from a AAA country to a AA+ country. Standard & Poor’s justification for their actions can be viewed online, where they state “The downgrade reflects our opinion that the fiscal consolidation planthat Congress and the Administration recently agreed to falls short of what, in our view, would be necessary to stabilize the government’s medium-term debt dynamics.More broadly, the downgrade reflects our view that the effectiveness, stability, and predictability of American policymaking and political institutions have weakened at a time of ongoing fiscal and economic challenges to a degree more than we envisioned when we assigned a negative outlook to the rating on April 18, 2011.” Similarly, they state the U.S. longterm rating can be downgraded once again to a ‘AA’ if they see that less reduction in spending than agreed to, higher interest rates, or new fiscal pressures.

Now the final discussion concerns what this means to us? The working class of America, the students of America, and most importantly the future leaders of this country. Opinions may very through one’s own perspective/experience, yet as a collective group I feel as though we must stay focused on the fact that we will INHERIT this issue and it will become our own. We must take responsibility for this unfortunate event, and develop a solution. However, how can we devise something to better our future, if we’re not politically involved. Just because the system has fallen, doesn’t necessarily mean it has failed. We are still the United States of America, and in order to prosper as people and a society it is a necessity that we continue to strive for perfection in all our fields. We are apart of a globalized marketplace and competition has never been tougher. We can learn from others, and then advance a few steps further. Have faith in your country and a higher power; through these we can become something so much more. Thank you.

Consider the fact that low voter turnout is already an issue...

Tue, 09 Aug 2011 04:29:30 -0400

Consider the fact that low voter turnout is already an issue in our country. When we tell people their individual vote doesn’t count, consider that more than one individual in this country agrees with you. I’d argue that a lot of U.S. citizens disagree with me and believe their vote doesn’t count. When we embrace this ideology, we create a culture of apathy. Why can’t activism, grassroots campaigns, door-to-door conversations and your vote make a difference?

My ultimate fear is that this sort of apathy will create a nation of don’t doers. I’m afraid that, instead of advocating for better candidates and a more just system, my generation will take the easy route: we will advocate for disregard. We will tell our friends, our loved ones and our children that we should ignore a system we are not satisfied with. If there is any time citizens should push themselves farther, push themselves to do more to change what they have, push themselves further than ever done before, it should be in the face of a poor system. On a variety of levels, see: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Malawi, Morocco, Nigeria, South Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Yemen… and Wisconsin. History shows again and again that people are willing to sacrifice a lot to ensure they have a vote and that their vote is fair. That is activism in the name of a vote. Both are critical to the end result of changing a system and it’s why I take voting so seriously. I feel privileged to have the right to vote and I can thank the men and women before me who fought to change the system so I can have my vote.

That 3-Letter Word: J-O-B-S

Tue, 09 Aug 2011 03:54:44 -0400

That 3-Letter Word: J-O-B-S:

laliberty:

The White House and much of the chattering class cooed on Friday when unemployment dropped to 9.1 percent and 117,000 jobs were reportedly created in July. But these numbers, upon closer inspection, show no progress on the jobs front.

Buried in the job stats was a number — 193,000 — that dwarfed all the rest. That is the number of workers who left the job market. If 193,000 left and only 117,000 jobs were added, we lost 76,000 jobs. Moreover, this is not an aberration.

*The title references this.

Photo

Thu, 04 Aug 2011 12:14:38 -0400

As another school year approaches, reality hits once again for...

Thu, 04 Aug 2011 02:51:17 -0400

As another school year approaches, reality hits once again for the future leaders of our country. Subsequently, the current asinine system set in place emerges after just a few moments of thought. Society deems that staying ‘on track’ after high school includes attending a respectful/prestigious higher education institution and earning a bachelors degree, (which is now equivalent to a high school degree during our parents time) yet it seems evident that the education system ALSO includes a non-wavering business sector.

This business sector of education includes your family having the necessary assets in order for you attend such an institution, and if financially you cannot foot the bill, you’re obliged to take out student loans. Taking 30 credit hours (full one-year load) at Michigan State University at 406.75/credit comes out to over 12,000, not including room and board. Therefore, 18-year olds are signing their future away to private loaners, while their loans grow interest during their time in school. Studies show that students spend more time thinking about their school debts than the subjects their studying. Following the loan process is attending the university itself, where you find yourself facing another issue, equally if not more large as the first; professors. Grade books have no heart beat, and either do professors syllabus. Classes are designed for you to NOT succeed. Here is the 18-year old, now 15,000 in debt, and struggling to pass the classes he took out the loan for in the first place. Due to the preceding factors, stress begins to settle in at a rapid rate. Stress/anxiety is the most prevalent disease amongst college students.

According to MSN, the average college debt following graduation is between 20k and 30k. Granted the student dealt with professors, social pressure, stress/anxiety and finally graduated. Now the road block between success and your moms basement is crawling out of your college debt, easy enough? Not so much. Once the diploma is sent home and framed in the foyer, the graduated is now staring at a 9% unemployment rate, and in-deferrable monthly college debt payments.

The system in place is NOT set up for us to succeed. The odds are against every student in/and or heading to college. With this thought floating around, there’s not much we can be positive about, especially pertaining to our future. Of the things: remain ambitious, persevere, make obtainable goals, live to capture happiness, and always have faith. Thank you.

Photo

Thu, 04 Aug 2011 02:15:24 -0400

Photo

Thu, 04 Aug 2011 02:08:17 -0400

Strategy

Thu, 04 Aug 2011 02:07:00 -0400

inspiredmotivator:

The 5 P’s

Purpose - have a goal
Persistence - have drive
Passion - have heart
People - have a team
Perseverance - have strength

trevorgriffin: yes.

Wed, 03 Aug 2011 20:29:31 -0400

trevorgriffin:

yes.

Why is ok for football players to collectively bargain, but if teachers do it, it's frowned upon?

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 01:41:42 -0400

technocraticus:

Photo

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 01:31:41 -0400

whiporwill: The average high school kid today has the same...

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 01:30:38 -0400

whiporwill:

The average high school kid today has the same level of anxiety as the average psychiatric patient in the early 1950s

Over the last several decades, both through good economic times and bad, the United States has transformed into the planet’s undisputed worry champion. Around the turn of the millennium, anxiety flew past depression as the most prominent mental health issue in America, and it’s never looked back: With more than 18 percent of adults suffering from an anxiety disorder in any given year, the United States is now the most anxious nation in the world, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Stress-related ailments cost the nation $300 billion every year in medical bills and lost productivity, while our usage of sedative drugs keeps skyrocketing; just between 1997 and 2004, Americans more than doubled their spending on anti-anxiety medications like Xanax and Valium, from $900 million to $2.1 billion. And this anxious strain hits us well before we reach college.

Photo

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 01:28:20 -0400

samanthamaryelizabeth: “Remember, you cannot be both young and...

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 01:26:40 -0400

samanthamaryelizabeth:

“Remember, you cannot be both young and wise. Young people who pretend to be wise to the ways of the world are mostly just cynics. Cynicism masquerades as wisdom, but it is the farthest thing from it. Because cynics don’t learn anything. Because cynicism is a self-imposed blindness, a rejection of the world because we are afraid it will hurt us or disappoint us. Cynics always say no. But saying “yes” begins things. Saying “yes” is how things grow. Saying “yes” leads to knowledge. “Yes” is for young people. So for as long as you have the strength to, say “yes’.”

- Stephen Colbert

usagov: Image description: An F/A-18C Hornet breaks the sound...

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 16:04:51 -0400

usagov:

Image description: An F/A-18C Hornet breaks the sound barrier during an air power demonstration over the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson.

Image from Official U.S. Navy Imagery on Flickr.

Compare the Cost of Colleges

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 15:03:47 -0400

usagov:

If you’re considering going to college, visit the Department of Education’s College Affordability and Transparency Center to learn more about the cost of higher education.

You can search for schools with the highest and lowest tuition prices and see which tuitions are increasing at the fastest rates. You can also find out how much career and vocational programs costs.

Understanding the cost of college can help you make better decisions as you pursue higher education.

Photo

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 18:20:17 -0400

The 14-21 age group (or whenever someone decides its time to...

Sat, 02 Jul 2011 15:46:23 -0400

The 14-21 age group (or whenever someone decides its time to finally grow up) is in severe trouble, as is our children during that age, any hopefully not (yet probable) our grandchildren. During this time and even before children are soaking in every minuscule of every detail of any/every thing happening around them; perfect paradigm of being a product of one’s environment. In effect, this subgroup is NOT making intellectual gains whatsoever. How can we excel, when we’re all the same? These young “adults” have a primary goal which strictly concerns appealing to the masses. If they’re not doing, listening, wearing, saying, thinking, etc. the same as their friend group, cheer team, football team then they are deemed DEVIANT from society. However, this subgroup would never use such a word, it’d be more along the lines of ‘loner’, if they even graced you with a breath to mention you. No matter the descriptor, it’s still a young male/females worst fear. Subsequently, this same fear is the explanation for America plateauing, while other countries across the globe are exceeding quotas, breaking barriers, shattering records, and inching closer to the powerhouse/police officer U.S.A. The inconvenient truth (no I don’t believe in Al Gore or Global Warming) is that the mass here in America is not that smart or driven for success. It’s the DEVIANT, LAME, and AWKWARD kids who would rather learn how much the national debt has risen in one year, than how much their alcohol tolerance has risen in one year. Be different, stray from the path, remain driven, follow your heart, and be the best you possibly can be at everything you do. Thank you.