Tax Benefits for the Middle Class

       President Obama, has been hard at work ensuring our nation will rise to success and finally get out of the economic turmoil that we are suffering through. Reported by The New York Times, the senate brought a vote on the tax cut deal between President Obama and the Republicans.

But a hefty portion of the $858 billion tax package will benefit middle- and upper-middle-income Americans — precisely the demographic that felt neglected the last two years as the White House and Congress focused on the major health care law and on helping the unemployed and people facing foreclosure.

These new tax breaks are in addition to the cuts Mr. Obama had always planned to maintain on all but the highest incomes, and they could pay big political dividends to Mr. Obama and other Democrats in 2012 — a point that the president and some senior advisers are counting on, and one reason that they were willing to give in to Republican demands to extend all Bush-era tax rates.

Since our nation is mostly made up of the "middle class" it would only make sense to benefit those who are in it. President Obama, however is convinced that there is no economic benefit to lower taxes on the highest earners. The middle class would also benefit from one year payroll tax cut which will reduce Social Security income dramatically. The middle class has always been neglected when it came to major income changes. Now, for a change they can finally benefit from this tax paycuts.

Teen Idol has Gone Wild

   


     The young Miley Cyrus has made it big for herself in the last couple of years. Appearing on her own t.v. show, signing a Disney contract, and even writing/producing her own music. The teen star, turned into a young adult is a true icon to the young children everywhere. Its unbelievable how we could see Miley in the state of being high. While watching this video, it was saddening because she was completely unaware of the condition she was in. However she did bring this upon herself, and I know she will be taking a major hit in her success.

One of the Top World Power Could Possibly be Deteriorating...

     Through out all the economic turmoil, China was one of the very few who rose above it all. However, could all their success come to an end? Many are speculating, that China will endure a downfall to their economy. Reported by The New York Times, China could possibly face a major threat to their future...

But a growing number of economists now worry that China — the world’s fastest growing economy and a pillar of strength during the global financial crisis — could be stalled next year by soaring inflation, mounting government debt and asset bubbles. 

Two credit ratings agencies, Moody’s and Fitch Ratings, say China is still poised for growth, yet they have also recently warned about hidden risks in its banking system. Fitch even hinted at the possibility of another wave of nonperforming loans tied to the property market.

Naturally attracted to mass produce products, China may steer its economy towards domestic consumption, in hope to create a more balanced and sustainable growth. However, could this lead to their own demise? Inflation is being to take over, showing grave signs of a decrease in China's power. Not only is this a worry some thought for China's future, but to our future as well. Since China is the main supporter and keeper of the United States Treasury debt, any slowdown would also hurt American companies. China is always in constant demand for various resources, and this threatening outlook on their future could only lead to a problematic economy. 

Young Entrepreneurs Create Their Own Jobs

   After graduating from New York University, specializing in a film degree, and thousands of dollars stored away, the young Scott Gerber was motivated to create his own new-media and technology company. However, uncertain of marketing strategies, his company did not survive. Even after the shocking defeat of not having his company rise to success, Mr Gerber did not give up. New York Times presents, Mr. Gerber's inspirational story of how he started a company with almost nothing...

Still in debt, Mr. Gerber considered his career options. His mother kept encouraging him to get a “real” job, the kind that comes with an office and a boss. But, using the last $700 in his bank account, he decided to start another company instead.

Five years later, Gerber isn't considered to be a "millionaire" but he's managed to establish a stable life for himself. His long standing determination is what inspires many young graduates today. Its interesting how many students can come straight out of college and become an instant millionaire, merely by creating ground breaking new technology or product that attract many people today. Although, his success is something to celebrate, I feel students these days are finding an easier way out to becoming wealthy. It seems many of them don't work their way through jobs and steadily build an income. However, with that being said, it does take some brains to come up with a hot selling product, business or company (whatever it may be) that the world will love.

The Stockholm Bast

        As two explosions hit the city-center in Stockholm, Sweden it was known to be nothing but a terrorist attack. As the New York Times report, The Prime Minster was led to believe anger had arise from the anti-Islamic cartoons and the war in Afghanistan.

The police said that a car parked near the busy shopping street of Drottninggatan exploded first, shortly before 5 p.m. Stockholm time, and that the wreckage of the vehicle included gas canisters. A second blast followed minutes later, and about 200 yards from the first. A man’s body, with blast injuries to his abdomen, was discovered after the second explosion.

 A country that prided itself on creating a safe and protective environment for there people was now in shock.
The rise in Muslim immigration has escalated, causing the Swedish to panic. Over the past year, crime rates have increased in Sweden, with Muslims to blame.Would this eventually create an outbreak war between the Swedish and the Muslims? I suppose we will just have to find out what the future holds for those two nations...

Cutting Military Programs

      As we know our country is suffering from a massive debt that we must somehow overcome. Considering that our biggest disposal of money goes into war, it would only make sense that we start saving more. Even though I personally think saving money from going into the use of war is a good idea, it could potentially raise our taxes. However, would we being willing to take that risk? Stated in the NewYork Times,

Taken together, the reports are likely to intensify pressure to reduce Pentagon spending and cancel troubled weapons programs as part of a broad effort to reduce federal budget.

But the proposals, which would cut back on expensive planes like the F-35 fighter and the V-22 Osprey, represent only the start of what could be a long debate. And it is already clear that many of the suggestions will be hotly disputed in Congress.

 Risking machinery like planes could be the start of a good plan, but it really depends on if Congress would agree to it. There would be a five-year Pentagon spending placed in the military department. This would ultimately stop all spending for five-years, which would actually save us a lot of money. Now whether congress is willing to agree is entirely up to them.

Medicating Children

Would allowing mild "drugs" given to children, be considered a safe option for curing complex illnesses? Just i personal opinion, it really depends on the type of illness needed to be treated and the drug used.

Cutting Down Our Deficits

  In the past, the late 1990s was never a time when federal governments ran big surpluses. It was not something we as a country would worry about. As stated in the New York Times,

As late as 1998, the Congressional Budget Office was predicting a deficit for 1999. In fact, Washington ran its biggest surplus in five decades.

Previous republican presidents in the past have tried to resolve the debt problem by raising taxes in 1980. It was expected that the increased tax rate should be able to give us more money to pay off the deficits, however it proved to be inaccurate. 

Today’s looming deficits are almost surely too large to be closed exclusively with growth. The baby boom generation is too big, and the rise in Medicare costs continues to be too steep. Yet growth could still make an enormous difference. 

There are two ways to go about this issue. One of them being not engaging each other in a over using deficit plans by raising and spending money quickly. Second reason being we should actually think about spending more in the future. The plan was to use a one year pay roll tax. The big question is, could this possibly work? I believe it is worth a shot, and I recommend saving back more money.

Meg Whitman Declines the Offer of Abandoing Negative Ads

     At the Long Beach Convention Center, the republican gubernatorial candidate, Meg Whitman sparked negativity in a major women's gathering on Tuesday, October 26th, after declaring to her Democratic Opponent, Jerry Brown she would refuse to withdraw negative television advertisements. Joined by Arnold Schwarzenegger, the three of them attended California's First lady, Maria Shriver's annual Woman's Conference. Mentioned in the San Francisco Chronicle, host Matt Lauer, surprised the candidates when he challenged them to drop their highly personal attack ads and replace them with positive ones. Lauer begins to say,

"End the negativity," he said, to cheers from the crowd. "Pull your negative ads and replace them with positive ads," he added, to give California voters "a break."
Brown, the state attorney general, said, "If Meg wants to do that, I'll be glad to do it. ... I'll pledge that right now."

In response, Meg Whitman answered uncomfortably that she fell victim of campaign "character attacks" and openly refused Lauer's proposition. Immediately she was "boo-ed" in front of millions of viewers for her decision. I believe this could potentially hurt Whitman's campaign all together, because it was a bad public speaking move. She should have stated a reason for not agreeing to create positive ads before flat out refusing it.

Panicked Indonesians flee volcano

This past week, Indonesians have suffered back to back tragic fate, first with the 7.5 earthquake and now a volcanic eruption. Indonesia is known for its earthquakes and volcanic activity due to its location on the
so-called, "Pacific Ring of Fire". Lets hope that everyone recovers safely.

Propostition 19

    After many weeks of controversy, the legalization of Marijuana has come to its final week of voting. If Prop. 19 passes, it will allow Californians over the age of 21 to be able to grow marijuana within an area up to25 feet and have ability to possess up to one ounce of it for personal use. Mentioned in the New York Times, since many Californians are in favor of prop 19, it may lead to its own stable business.

A state report puts the value of California’s marijuana crop at $14 billion, dwarfing even the wine industry. Robert Jacob, who operates the Peace in Medicine medical marijuana dispensary in Sebastopol, said that entrepreneurs of all types were jostling to get a piece of the action.

With several buyers and sellers in California, the government will dramatically change because they have the ability to place a tax on weed. Therefore, we could have a possibility of making large amounts of money as people steadily consume the product. This would not only aid us economically, but it would ensure our funds to be stable.

However, the only health concerns that I have, is what if Marijuana becomes a "social trend"? As seen in smoking and drinking. Due to peer pressure, some only feel the need to drink or smoke because others around them are doing so, not because they actually enjoy it. If this same concept occurred with Marijuana, would it be a potential risk to those who use it?

Mental Health Break

 

Human accomplishments that go down in history...

As the Cost of Rupes Rises, Exports are Damaged...

In the southern city of India, Coimbatore, known as the capital India's textile industry, began abolishing old textile industries in order to make room for the "Alliance Mall". With more than million square feet of retail space, a hotel, condominiums, and offices is being built by an Indian developer with a financial aid from a British retail company. As seen in the New York Times, India is williing to let their rupee prices skyrocket.

The Indian rupee is soaring — up 9 percent against the dollar in the last 16 months. That has taken a toll on exports like textiles by making them more expensive on the world market. And the strong rupee poses longer-term threats of overheating the economy.

 Indian financial companies are so eager for foreign investment that they are willing to endure the damage of stronger rupee inflicts on exports.However the big question is, will their economy take a hit because of this tactical move? Some believe, by doing so they will create a modern consumer economy as time progresses. Seeing as this could be a potential threat to the country, many people are still willing to go through it because they know the influence of the captial has helped 9 percent of the annual growth in the economy. Whether it is a good move or not, India is going through with it.

Preventing Unknown Charges on Cell Phones...

 

    Reported from Washington, the F.C.C (The Federal Communications Commissions) purposed a rule on Thursday, to have mobile companies alert their customers when  they have reached monthly usage plans or incur extra charges. Found in The New York Times, Julius Genachowski, the F.C.C chairman proposes,

...what he calls the commission’s consumer empowerment agenda, aimed at ensuring that users of new technologies do not have to worry about hidden costs, confusing billing practices and what the commission calls “bill shock.”

 I believe this new rule will benefit many to decrease their payments as well as gain a new respect for their mobile company because they are not just in it to drain money from their customers. However, not surprising that mobile companies strongly oppose this rule, claiming that Genachowski rarely brings a commission vote without the majority of the board to vote. However, Genachowski has evident proof that mobile companies receive many complaints about charges they were unaware of. Hopefully, with a little more persuasion, this rule will pass.

U.S Attacks Increase on Taliban to Force a Deal to be Made.

      In Kabul, Afghanistan American Air strike have raised their attack power over the last 4 months hoping they can put an end to this war. American pilots bombed Taliban with 21,000 bombs or missiles from June to September. 700 in September alone. Stated in the New York Times, American plans to end this nine year war,

The stepped-up air campaign is part of what appears to be an intensifying American effort, orchestrated by Gen. David H. Petraeus, to break the military stalemate here as pressure intensifies at home to bring the nine-year-old war to an end. In recent weeks, General Petraeus has increased raids by Special Forces units and launched large operations to clear territory of Taliban militants

 It is clear that his plan is to somehow persuade the Talibans to make peace with the Afghan government.However, Talibans have not rejected the idea of peace, they prefer communication should take place, rather than more violence between the two nations. Will we be able to end this war after all? Afagan leaders seem to believe the two-track stretgy is flawed,

that bleeding the Taliban may actually make the insurgents less inclined to negotiate. Matt Waldman, an independent analyst who has worked extensively in the region, said that it was unlikely that many Taliban leaders could order their men to stop fighting.

That question still remains arguable, however this new strategic plan created by Petraeus seems to be a bit doubtful. The idea of killing off insurgents is risky because they have infinite amount of captivity to regenerate. I suppose all we can do now is just wait and see what will happen next...

Don't Ask, Don't Tell Ruling...

     In Washington, many would appeal the ruling to strike down the law that forbids gay men and lesbians from serving openly in the United States military. The Obama Administration has requested an emergency stay of the injunction. Presented in the New York Times, many were not surprised by the governments actions, seeing that it continuously breaks promises,

Mr. Obama campaigned against the “don’t ask, don’t tell” law and has asked Congress to repeal it. But his efforts have been criticized by supporters of equal rights for gay men and lesbians as too slow and insufficient, and the lawsuit has put his administration in an awkward political position. 

Obama did make a crucial mistake in backing out of his word when it came down to the last minute. He was persuaded by the rest of his Administration to repeal it. This could potentially hurt his political position in the long run. Gays and Lesbians should be given equal rights as everyone else. How can we not? They are not threatening or harmful to the rest of our nation, so I don't understand why we shouldn't grant them their freedom. Obama should have stuck with his gut feeling about this entire ordeal, not be persuaded by everyone else. After all, Obama does have the power to make that choice unlike anyone else.

Obama's Dilemma

As seen in the Daily Dish, author,editor and political conservative commentator, Andrew Sullivan, discusses the fundamental problems that Obama faces today.Obama made an opening speech evaluating what needs to be done to our country in order to succeed,

Given how much stuff was coming at us, we probably spent much more time trying to get the policy right than trying to get the politics right... I think anybody who's occupied this office has to remember that success is determined by an intersection in policy and politics and that you can't be neglecting of marketing and PR and public opinion.

 Even though I do like Obama as president, some of his choices haven't been the best. However, unlike the rest he acknowledged his errors and he is determined to make some necessary changes.He is able to speak publicly of his flawless, unafraid of self-criticism. At this moment, he is the best thing we have, and we are fortunate to have him. However, Sullivan does point out the chaos Obama has to face, uninterested in his people,

Politically, he had to deal with a GOP gone insane, and a propaganda machine of such virulence and relentlessness that you can see he is where he is. But although he is right that he lost the connection to us, his supporters, I don't think he could have kept up the hope and change inspiration indefinitely.

Even though this form of action would be profoundly ridiculed, Obama himself has proved to be doing very well politically, out beating others before him. Overall, Obama might actually have what it takes to turn our economy around. 

Which Political Party Are You?

Take the quiz for yourself and see what you are...


The Quiz (my results)

The following are your scores. They are based on a gradual range of 0 to 12. For instance, a Conservative/Progressive score of 3 and 0 will both yield a result of social conservative, yet 0 would be an extreme conservative and 3 a moderate conservative

Conservative/Progressive score: 8
You are a social moderate. You think the progressive movement is overall well meaning, but sometimes it goes too far. On issues like abortion and affirmative action, you see the negatives of both extremes on the issue. You probably value religion, but at the same time you think it should still stay separate from the government

Capitalist Purist/Social Capitalist score: 4
You are a Moderate Capitalist. You support an economy that is by and large a free market, but has public programs to help people who can't help themselves or need a little help. Pretty much you believe in the American economy how it currently is.

Libertarian/Authoritarian score: 8
You're a Moderate. You think that we all have certain inalienable rights that must be protected, but that sometimes laws need to be made to protect the majority's lives or quality of lives. You might think that the 2nd amendment isn't necessary anymore because letting everyone a gun is extremely dangerous to the community. You might also be against illegal drug use or public pornography because of its possible harmful effects to society.

Pacifist/Militarist score: 3
You're a Pacifist. You are angered that the United States thinks it should dominate the world through its military force. You think that the only time war is necessary is when we are in direct danger of being attacked. You also believe the US spends way too much of its money on defense, as we can practically cut it in half and still easily defend ourselves, and use that money to fix all our economic problems.

First Miner to be pulled out of Chilean Mine

      On August 5th, The San Jose mine in Cuba, producing copper and gold, collapsed leaving thirty-three men unaccounted for. Trapped under half a mile of rock for more than two months, they managed to survive on their own with barely any resources. On October 10, 2010, the first man of many was rescued out of the trench. After seventeen days of drilling, rescuers made contact. The discovery of all thirty-men, fully alive and intact, captivated the world.

New treatment for Multiple Sclerosis has been discovered!

     Finally, after awaited decades, a new treatment was found for the rare chronic disease of Multiple Sclerosis (M.S). A swiss drugmaker in the German company, Novartis gained approval for its pill, Gilenya, by the American regulators. The Food and Drug Adminstration supported Gilenya, which has said to treat the common form of the disease, relapsing M.S. Stated in the New York Times, Novartis claims,

Gilenya reduced the frequency of M.S. relapses and helped to slow the advance of some of he physical problems caused by the disease, and the drug had a well-studied safety and tolerability level.

I'm sure this new revelation has brought hope to many people who suffer with this unbarable disease. What's benefical about this very pill, is that the drug will slow down the physcial effects of the disease, which intially could lengthen the lifespan of those who suffer from M.S. This proves to be the first small step of many to find a cure for M.S and finally help those who are in need of it. Although it is a rare condition, primarly found in women rather than men, it causes grave liabilty for families who take care of these patients. The victim of the disease are not the only people that suffer from it. Hopefully in the near future, America will unlease a cure for this small, but life threating disease.

Living Up to Social Standards Calls For Dramatic Changes in the Afghan World

     Near the outskirts of Afghanistan, the small town of Kabul, an intrigued young girl is driven to discover the endless possibilities the world has in store for her. The ambitious Mehran Rafaat, daughter of Azita Rafaat; who works for the Afghan Parliament. Each morning Azita prepares her four daughters for school, as The New York Times states,

Mehran’s sisters put on black dresses and head scarves, tied tightly over their ponytails. For Mehran, it’s green pants, a white shirt and a necktie, then a pat from her mother over her spiky, short black hair. After that, her daughter is out the door — as an Afghan boy.

Generations in the past often describe female relatives, family or friends growing up has the opposite gender. Afghan traditions have always held a high regard for males, and are the only ones that can inherit the fathers wealth and family name. Families without boys, suffer a fate of pity and disdain, thus subject to face the social pressure of having a male heir and possibly economic needs. This rarity of girls mascaraed as boys is not only found in Afghan culture. Many have witnessed it in Chinese and Japanese cultures as well. The favoritism between genders seems like an bias disrespect to young children and the level of equality needs to be in balance. Families should learn to except the gift of their child for who they are, not for what the needs of parents. The social beliefs should not dictate family decisions when it comes to children. They are individuals just like the rest of us, and they need to have a voice of who they want to be. Perhaps this aspect of the Afghan religion should be questioned....

 

World's First Cyborg!

It seems technology has advanced itself to new heights that could possibly embed human characteristics into machinery. Kevin Warwick takes us into the world of robotics, hoping for a beneficial change in our everyday life.Could machinery be a replacement to the human race?

Car Bomb Explodes in Russia Causing 16 Deaths.

     In Moscow, a car loaded with explosives detonates in a small market located in Russia's North Caucasus Region. Authorities believe it was a suicide attack, killing 16 and wounding 100 people. Stated in The New York Times,

The blast occurred in North Ossetia, a mostly Orthodox Christian area where major acts of violence have been rare in recent years compared with majority Muslim republics in the region, like Chechnya or Dagestan, where just last weekend a suicide bomber killed three people at a military installation.

Russia's Prime Minster, Vladmir V. Putin claims the bombing occurred for only one purpose. The small community of Muslims living in Russia celebrated the end of the holy month Ramadan by oppressing the ethnic disorder that was presented to them. It seems almost every nation has developed a revolt against Muslims. Prior weeks Russia witness more suicide attempts. However, no one will take responsibility for such crime. To this date, the detonation of the vehicle is the deadliest attack North Ossetia has gone through. Will the man behind the scheme ever be caught? Only time will tell.

San Bruno Homes Burned to the Ground After a Massive Explosion

     Reported on CNN channel 5 at 6:00p.m, residents living in San Bruno, California suffer a devastating fate as they watched their homes light on fire. Also discussed in The New York Times, writer Anahad O'Connor updates us all on what occurred during the hour long fire consumption.

A tremendous explosion apparently fueled by a ruptured gas line tore through a San Francisco suburb Thursday night, destroying about 20 homes and critically injuring a number of people, the authorities said.

The blast occurred in San Bruno, about 8 miles south of San Francisco, and was so loud and devastating that some officials initially suspect that a plane had smashed into the neighborhood. Towers of flames shot 50 feet into the sky and a plume of ash-colored smoke hovered over the area. Aerial footage showed multiple cars on fire and several homes completely consumed by a blazing fireball that stretched across an entire street.

 As I sat down and watched the news, I was devastated. This particular event was broadcast on every informational news channel. The flames itself, from the fire were so strong that it was nearly impossible to put out. Thankfully everyone was safely evacuated from their homes and immediately rushed to the hospital. It was a tragedy that many suffered the loss of their home, especially during these days when everyone is struggling through the economy. The big question that still remains, what will happen to those that lost their home?

Abstinence Program in China

     China has undergone several changes in the recent decades, modernizing the traditions in their culture, solving solutions for divorce rates and putting immense pressure on families. One of the discussed topics our world faces in the near future is over population. Reported by The Washington Post, China is now educating and forcing their children to follow a strict discipline of practicing Abstinence.

 In Yunnan schools this year, teachers are being trained with a sex education curriculum created by the conservative Christian group Focus on the Family. The agreement with the Yunnan ministry of education is a milestone for Focus on the Family, which has struggled for four years to make inroads on abstinence in China.

It is also the result of a narrow confluence of interests: Evangelical Christian groups want an entree into China. And Chinese authorities, despite the country's official atheism, want help with controlling population growth and managing the society's rapidly shifting values.

     Now of course, China has already started to see some of the effects, due to the fact that it has the largest population count in the world. Many have questioned some solutions to prevent this rising issue before it gets out of hand. Author of "Hot, Flat and Crowded", Thomas L. Friedman discussing the possible outcomes of not only America's future, but the entire world. Perhaps educators enforcing young children the importance of abstinence may seem a bit dramatic, however I believe  it should taught to educate the children on what is occurring recently today, but the decision they make is up to them.

New Technology Aimed for India's Web Security.

     Google and Skype has now effectively gone global and due to our modern technology today we can now manage and run companies in other countries without being a resident. As seen in The Washington Post, technology has evolved in huge business corporations, while India tries to manage security.

MUMBAI, India -- India has widened its security crackdown, asking all companies that provide encrypted communications - not just BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion - to install servers in the country to make it easier for the government to obtain users' data. That would likely affect digital giants like Google and Skype.

People who operate communication services in India should (install a) server in India as well as make available access to law enforcement agencies," Home Secretary G.K. Pillai told reporters. "That has been made clear to RIM of BlackBerry but also to other companies.

India, to ensure safety, set up an encrypted communication code to obtain information faster from one country to another. Thomas L. Friedman, author of "Hot, Flat and Crowded"  discussed how technology has reshaped the way we interact with one another, causing us to be connected even across vast oceans. Mumbai now faces with reconfiguring its software to simplify the use of information that is being traveled to the Government as well as the entire world.

Shallow-water Platform Fire Raises Questions on Oil Safety.

     As we all know about the Gulf of Mexico oil spill that recently occurred in August, it has now started to formulate whether the approach to shallow water drilling is safe. The Washington Post did a report on this matter, discussing the possible effects of shallow water drilling.

In the hours afterward, both the White House and the petroleum lobby offered little comment. But others - in Congress and in environmental groups - rushed out statements that raised wider questions about oil safety.

'"This is a shallow-water platform, and that's the key here. Since the beginning of this crisis, the Obama administration has attempted to limit the crisis to deep-water drilling and to suggest that shallow-water oil drilling is safe," said Kieran Suckling of the Center for Biological Diversity, an environmental group. "I'm not in the least bit surprised that we have a big shallow-water drilling explosion right now.

     The Obama Administration and representatives from The Center of Biological Diversity argue whether they should consider limiting the shallow-water drilling. However, the Obama Administration strongly believes that shallow-water drilling poses a very minor threat to the endangerment of the environment. As Thomas L. Friedman would say, considering he strongly believes in saving our environment; that Kieran Suckling had a point that needed to be recognized because we as a nation need to be more aware of preserving our natural resources instead of destroying them. Also we need to break away from this non stop oil addiction.