Los Angeles

There is a price for making it big in Hollywood – and, from the look of the traffic situation in L.A., this may be it. The metropolitan area is widely considered the worst in the country. You’ll need to remember safe drivers have auto insurance discounts if you experience the stressors that such high volume of traffic brings here.

New York City

The City That Never Sleeps is quite appropriate for the second spot on the list. According to Forbes.com (2010 list), it has 94 weekly hours of congestion, which beats all others in this statistic. If you drive in New York City, you might want to make sure the iPod is loaded and ready; or, “Take the ‘A’ Train” instead.

Chicago

Aside from being a major city, Chicago is in the tri-state area (Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin), which adds to travelers and commuters of all kinds. As with other major cities with a lot of traffic, there are plenty of alternatives to driving in Chicago. A wonderful city to explore on foot – but think twice about manning your own 4 wheels.

Washington D.C.

Yes, you can insert your joke relating lack of progress on the roads and in the Nation’s capital. As another major city with devastating traffic, planning is key. While most other cities are at their worst on Friday at 5 p.m., sporadic D.C. traffic requires you check traffic reports before leaving home.

Dallas-Fort Worth

Still offering many weekly hours of congestion (43 here), the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the U.S. From 2010 stats, it may seem like all 1.2 million are on the road if you need to get anywhere in this area. Don’t expect quick travel times during peak hours in this part of Texas.

Houston

1. Congenital Insensitivity to Pain

What would it be like to live without pain? It may sound like something you’d prefer, but if you think about it, pain is useful. It tells us when something is wrong. What would happen if you touched a burning pot, but couldn’t feel the pain? You may be burned badly before noticing. Those with congenital insensitivity to pain do not feel pain. This causes the need for constant supervision while young and vigilance as an adult. Many die at a young age because of this rare disease.

2. Human Werewolf Syndrome

This condition causes lanugo, the hair that newborns have at birth, to persist. Typically, this hair falls off within a few months of birth, but with this disease, it continues to grow, causing the person to be covered in hair except on their hands and feet. Over time, it may eventually disappear, or it could get worse, depending on the case.

3. Elephantiasis

This condition causes one member of the body (arm or leg) to grow out of proportion to the rest of the body. It is caused by various parasitic worms that are transmitted by mosquitoes. Because of the mode of transmission, this disease shows up primarily in third-world countries. Public health practices, like the use of mosquito nets, are being put into place to reduce the transmission of these parasites.

4. Methemoglobinemia, or Blue Skin Disease

How would you like to have blue skin? It may sound alien to you, but it’s an actual condition that is caused by the blood having too much methemoglobin. This increased methemoglobin makes it difficult for the blood to release oxygen into tissues, causing the skin to look blue. The most famous example is the Fugate family of Kentucky. Because of genetics, this condition had been passed down through the Fugate family since the 19th century.

5. Foreign Accent Syndrome

This happens when someone’s natural accent changes so that their native language sounds like it’s being pronounced with a foreign accent. Typically, it’s caused by some type of trauma to the brain areas that control linguistic patterns. In one case, a British woman began to speak with a Chinese accent after a severe migraine. Other cases have been caused by severe head traumas or strokes.

These are just a few of the most fascinating diseases around the world. Have you heard of any other rare diseases that should be added to this list?

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What did the war on Iraq give the U.S? Did they discover the weapons of mass destruction. Or did they find Saddam Hussein in a hurry? Or did they by chance find Osama thinking he was hiding in Saddam’s palace?

As per public opinion the war on Iraq was a misadventure. America went to Iraq to save the world, but now it had to save its face. The shame it had brought to its people by the activities of its military were disturbing. People were not convinced by the killings of innocent people.

A lot of American lives were lost as well. Soldiers lost their lives not fulling knowing whom they’re fighting and for what purpose.
The Federal Government justified its actions stating that millions of people were freed from oppressive rule. Another thing was that a stable government was in Iraq was a stimulant for regional peace. But again, people ask, how is America concerned about peace in that region?

A lot of justifications are doing the rounds. The war on Iraq was supposedly looked at with great need by Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Both countries have a cordial relationship with the U.S. Now given the penchant of U.S. to support its allies, this was no surprise. But would U.S do it without a purpose? Why is the U.S. not getting the scruff of rogue Pakistan which is snapping at the heels of America’s good friend India?

A lot of questions have to be answered, and a lot of questions are yet to be raised.

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Different countries have taken dominance over different phases of time in the history of the world. Once the Roman empire reigned supreme. Later the Ottoman empire took over control. After the fall of the Ottoman empire there were lot of European countries vying for this position. Which eventually led to the World War 1.

The U.S came in then. Charged with liberated economic practices, and robust industrial growth, it was automatically the next heir. When building its economy, America made sure that a culture of innovation was embedded in the core consciousness of every citizen. It was like an ultimatum – You innovate or lose out.

Somehow people feel that the age of America is drawing to a close. As per the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the United States is only years away from losing its economic power status to America. By the next presidential elections, the president of the United States would have to listen to the Chinese president.

IMF published its findings in the World Economic Outlook journal. 2016 is the year when China will start to come into prominence. At this time, the U.S GDP line will come close to China’s growth line – graphically speaking.

By the year 2016, China’s GDP would have touched nineteen trillion dollars. And the U.S would trail behind by a couple of trillion dollars. Thus making China the economic superpower. But industry analysts say statistics are of no use when it cannot even predict a recession. Although all is not lost for the U.S the indications are clear. The U.S has to act.

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Af-Pak is something that has been created by the U.S. You could say it is a neologism. Over the years much of America’s problems have been coming from this region. America has recognized that Afghanistan and Pakistan are areas that have come under focus during the past terrorist events.

The U.S has a special policy for Af-Pak. Under the Obama administration this policy is developing every day. The main aim of the policy is to disable the infrastructure and resources with which the terrorists operate.

As per Obama, the future of Pakistan is somehow linked to the future of Afghanistan. Since 9/11, Afghanistan-based terror organizations have permeated into Pakistan. This has given rise to a regional-stability issue. Pakistan has a potent nuclear arsenal. And with the terrorists close-by, all hell can break loose.

Obama has categorically stated that even if it were not an American problem, it is a threat to international peace. Very soon even America could become a victim to it. The issue is not national, it is global. Just like global warming.

Another aspect of Af-Pak policy is to bring stability to Afghanistan. The people of Afghanistan as per the U.S. are not ready for a Taliban rule again. A Taliban rule means getting the country back to brutality. The U.S does not want this to happen.

Obama made it clear that the Af-Pak policy is not to control Afghanistan or Pakistan. It is designed to control the situation in the world, before it becomes a global threat.

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A U.S. military probe into the deaths of eight American soldiers that died during an attack in northeastern Afghanistan concluded that the deaths could have been prevented if commanding officers had heeded warnings and not left the troops exposed. In addition to the eight deaths, 22 of the other 45 soldiers stationed at the remote outpost of Combat Outpost Keating were injured in the attack when more than 200 Afghan insurgents advanced on the vulnerable troops with rocket-propelled grenades, mortars and guns in October 2009.

It took more than 18 months for U.S. Central Command to complete the investigation report, which recommended that four officers - a captain, a major, a lieutenant colonel, and a colonel – be punished with official letters of admonition or reprimand for their part in putting soldiers from B Troop, 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry in a “tactically indefensible position” with an “unclear mission.” The names of the officers were rescinded in a public copy of the investigation report.

According to survivors, many of the Afghan soldiers that were stationed at Combat Outpost Keating with American troops ran or hid during the attacks, which may have led to an worse loss. Other contributions to the attack included too few soldiers stationed at the outpost and the lack of barriers and other defenses built there. The outpost had been scheduled to close previously.

The eight soldiers who died in the attack were: Sgt. Justin T. Gallegos, Spc. Christopher T. Griffin, Pfc. Kevin C. Thomson, Spc. Michael P. Scusa, Sgt. Vernon W. Martin, Spc. Stephen L. Mace, Sgt. Joshua J. Kirk and Sgt. Joshua M. Hardt.

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Forty years after a leak brought parts of the Pentagon Papers to light in the New York Times, the papers, officially called “United States – Vietnam Relations, 1945–1967: A Study Prepared by the Department of Defense,” were declassified and released by the National Archives in June 2011. At the time they were leaked, the Pentagon Papers became a catalyst for both general knowledge of U.S. political and military involvement in the Vietnam War and a coup in the legal matter of burden of proof for prior injunction.

The Pentagon Papers showed that the Johnson administration, the Kennedy administration and even prior administrations had been involved in escalating the conflict in Vietnam without alerting the U.S. Congress, the American public or even U.S. military allies.

While many of the secret details that are within the papers are already known because of the eventual publication by dozens of newspapers of the most interesting details, the release of the 7,000 page document is historic because of both the legal and cultural ramifications the original leak and subsequent attempt to stop the press from publishing it had on the American landscape. A little more than 30 percent of the report was never published or released anywhere else but can be read now.

The Pentagon Papers leak back in 1971 was considered the Wikileaks of its time. Daniel Ellsberg, a private foreign policy analyst, had copied pages of the report that he removed from a safe each night and then replaced in the mornings until he had enough to hand over to the New York Times. Now everyone has access to the papers.

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The Department of Defense is paying $35 million to extend the National Guard mission along the U.S. – Mexican border for another three months. That will allow the National Guard to continue to support border control along the border through the end of the federal government’s fiscal year, which means it’s likely that the program will be funded in next year’s budget and the extension of funds just means that there won’t be an interruption in their service.

President Barack Obama authorized the National Guard’s mission to provide up to 1200 active duty troops to support to Customs and Border Protection agents and officers since August 2010. However, no more than 560 National Guard members have ever served during the mission and less than 560 are currently serving at the border. According to Department of Homeland Security spokesman Matt Chandler, the National Guard has been a “critical bridge” to bringing more people, technology and barriers to the border. They have also been effective, helping to catch more than 7,000 illegal immigrants and make seizures of more than 14,000 pounds of marijuana as they serve in their observation posts throughout the Arizona desert.

Providing an extra set of eyes and ears to assist Customs and Border Protection agents is part of the administration’s border security plan, along with the president’s call for Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform. However, some critics – namely both of Arizona’s senators, Republicans John McCain and Jon Kyl – have criticized the program, saying that Obama isn’t providing enough security at the border. They’ve repeatedly called for 6,000 troops on the U.S. – Mexican border.

 

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The US has been involved in several wars since its formation. Every war has its impact on the social, economic and political make up of the country. Most of the time, the repercussions of the wars were directly correlation to the power that the opposition held. However, the Vietnam War was different. Although fought against a relatively underdeveloped nation, the war cost America dearly in both, monetary terms as well as the number of lives lost.

The Vietnam War was the result of America’s support for South Vietnam and it’s so called socialist government against the communist government of North Vietnam. The South Vietnamese government, however, was corrupt and dealt with the common public with tyrannical methods. Hence, the general public of South Vietnam supported the North in what they considered was an American War against their homeland.

Fought between 1957 and 1975, the war was expected to be a one sided affair. The South Vietnamese government was supported by the well armed American troops. Although the North Vietnam troops were aided by Chinese intelligence and weapons, they mainly fought a guerilla war. This is where America lost the war. Battles were fought in forested terrain not known to American soldiers. Even though techniques such a Napalm bombing was used by US forces, it resulted in too many civilian deaths when compared to military casualties.

The US administration faced several public protests at home as questions were raised about the motive behind the war with millions believing that the war was an unnecessary interference in foreign affairs. After America lost the war, even the veterans returning home didn’t receive a hero’s welcome until much later.

History of Child Abuse

In America, the first court case of child abuse was in 1874 when a girl, Mary Ellen, was found shackled to her bed, malnourished and beaten. The courts refused to do anything until the ASPCA argued that Mary Ellen was a member of the animal kingdom and therefore had the same rights to protection as dogs and other animals. She won this case and was placed in foster care.

Early Years of Recognized Abuse

Although Mary Ellen was rescued, it was not until the early 1960′s that physical abuse was really taken seriously and prosecuted. It still took quite a bit to get a case to court. Children were killed before the parent was prosecuted. Sexual and emotional abuse took even longer to reach the courts.

Child Abuse Today

In today’s world, in America especially, child abuse is seen differently. Cases of neglect, sexual abuse and even emotional abuse are tried openly. The need for civil attorneys is increasing as more cases are recognized and handled. One of the problems, however, is when you find yourself on the other side with a wrongful accusation. Children have been taken away because of a vindictive spouse or spouse’s family. The state has removed children, causing emotional harm because of wrongful accusations. Some have been convicted for life on false evidence. Good representation is essential when dealing with unfair treatment from the law.

 

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Vietnam was controlled by the French during the pre-World War II era. After the French were defeated in 1940 by the Germans, they formed a coalition with Japan to rule colonies of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. However, the Viet Minh was formed in 1941 to seek independence from France and later took up the same cause against the Japanese. They were supported in this struggle by America and China who wanted to alleviate the region from the control of the Axis Powers. Japan assumed full control in 1945.

This was followed by a period of extreme famine caused by natural conditions as well as gross exploitation at the hands of the Japanese administration. Over 1 million of the 10 million Vietnamese population died of starvation between 1944 – 1945. The Viet Minh’s popularity and its numbers grew. The Ho Chi Minh led group attained freedom for Vietnam on 2^nd September 1945 and this was supported by the Japanese.

The Allied powers, US, UK and the Soviet Union agreed that the region should be under French control. The ousted Viet Minh began a guerilla war and were strengthened with weapons in 1949 by China. The US government, convinced of that the region was at the center of a communist expansion, began aiding French Vietnamese soldiers.

By 1954, the United States had supplied 300,000 small arms, spent US$1 billion and was shouldering 80 percent of the cost of the war. The French eventually lost and Vietnam was granted independence in 1954. However, Vietnam was temporarily divided as North Vietnam (Communist) and South Vietnam (Anti-communist) with elections to form a unified government to be held in 1956.

 

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The Vietnam War lasted for 30 years and had dire consequences for both, America as well as Vietnam. However, these consequences where not short lived. Some had long lasting effects on the society, economy, politics and foreign policy. The war led thousands of Americans to question their own countries approach towards conflicts on foreign shores as well the level of risk it takes when partaking in such wars. It also raised several questions on how these wars were conducted and the morality of troops sent to fight wars on foreign soil.

The war changed the way people thought of their own troops and the effects a war had on the well being of the soldiers and their families. The death toll of its own troops or the scores of civilian deaths has not prevented the US from intervening in international conflicts. The government struggles to balance the economy and appease tax payers, it also continues to wage wars on foreign shores. As President Bush jr. aptly named the American warfare method of ‘Shock and Awe’, the US avoids using ground troops in combats, preferring massive, if inaccurate, air strikes to eliminate.

Civilian casualties incurred during such strikes continue to be called collateral damage. Billions of dollars continue to be spent on developing weapons and defense technology that could as easily be used in an offensive. In all likelihood, the primary focus of warfare in the future will be North Korea, Iran and Pakistan, with an increasing Neo-Cold-War with China. American involvement in the Middle East crisis will remain at the same level, if not increase, over the next few years.

The process of booking the car online is very simple and easy. You need to fill an online form giving details about your journey, pick up and drop down location along with the age of the driver. Within a few minutes they will provide you with the list of car models along with the prices, you can select on based on your requirements and budget. I have used this websites quiet number of times and I every time I found it be outstanding. The car was delivered at right time and the drivers employed by them are educated, professional and well trained. I am grateful to site as it offered the best services at much lower prices. I found this site very useful and strongly recommend this site to all of you.

So when I visited the web page the first thing that attracted me was the multi-lingual navigation feature where I was able to translate the page to English with a single click. I read the terms and conditions and got convinced with their crisp and clear rules and regulations. Then I filled the next page with my age and name details along with rental duration, time of pick up place of pick up drop off details etc.

Then I was asked to choose from a list of cars and I chose my dream BMW car at affordable price. I paid for accident, theft and damage waiver insurance along with taxes for airport, local tax and parking charges. All these made my trip convenient, comfortable and safe when I took my car at Heathrow Airport. Thanks for this carrentals for making my trip memorable.

1. Natural Great Blacks in Wax Museum

Founded in 1983, this Baltimore Museum shows images that details the life and legacy of African-American history and heroic figures. Some of the displays include a full-sized model ship depicting the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade and civil rights hero Rosa Parks.

2. American Jazz Museum and Negro League Baseball Museum

Located in Kansas City, these museums feature exhibits of jazz greats like Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald, and baseball players inducted into Major Leagues Baseball Hall of Fame. The museums show collections of rare audio-visual presentations of historical events in black baseball and jazz.

3. National Underground Railroad Freedom Center

This Cincinnati Museum has five permanent exhibits that chronicles the black slaves in America journey to freedom. The museum also offers interactive and family-based programs to educate people on the many sufferings of this time in American history.

4. Birmingham Civil Rights Institute

This museum is recognized as one of the best civil rights museums in the country. Exhibits include life in Birmingham from 1920 to 1954, during the era of segregation and violence, and events like the Montgomery Bus Boycott during 1955 to 1963.

5. Stax Museum of American Soul Music

This Memphis museum is the only one of its kind in the world. The museum is located at the famous Stax recording studio that produced musicians like Issac Hayes and Ottis Redding. The museum has over 2,000 interactive exhibits that includes films and memorabilia.

• Decline in Unemployment Rate

The local CBS station in Detroit issued a report in February 2011 where it states that unemployment rate in February went down from the previous month. The unemployment rate for Detroit in February was 9 percent. The average unemployment rate for the U.S. in February dropped to 8.9 percent. Detroit’s unemployment rate is very close to the national average which shows that the city may be heading for brighter days.

• More Contract Job Opportunities

Auto manufacturers are turning to contract workers for more flexibility and lower pay rates. Manufacturers like Chrysler have increased its U.S. contract labor force by approximately 150 percent in 2010. Many of these contract workers are hired through staffing agencies. As a result, local staffing firms are seeing an increase in profits, which contributes to the economic growth of Detroit.

• Revitalization of Mortgage Lenders

A non-profit organization called Southwest Housing Solutions has taken on the huge task of getting people interested in buying and refinancing homes in Detroit. With grant funding from government and private institutions, Southwest plans to use its own money to assist potential buyers.

The city of Detroit may be down but it’s not out. There is still hope for the economic recovery of Detroit.

• How to Apply

Almost all federal jobs are posted on usajobs.gov which is the central job website. The best way to search for jobs on this website is to go to the advanced section and select an occupation instead of using a specific keyword or job title. Searching by occupation broadens your search results and increases your chances of finding a postion that best matches your unique skills.

• Understanding the Pay Grade

The federal pay grade scale ranges from GS-1 to GS-15. GS stands for general schedule and is the level of pay an employee qualifies for based upon education and work experience. Within each grade are 10 steps and each step has a higher pay rate. Most federal positions require at least one year of experience in the previous level to qualify. For example, to qualify for a GS-10 position you must have at least one year of GS-9 work experience.

• Understanding Job Titles

The way in which the federal government classifies a job can be very different from the private sector. The private sector is more narrow and specific with job titles while the federal government is more broad. For example, a technical writer job title in the private sector is specifically for the fields of science and computer, while this title in the federal government can relate to anyone with specialized writing experience in any field.

1. Get People on Your Team

Gather people who are interested about your cause and willing to sacrifice a moment of their time to bring public awareness. A good place to recruit for protesters are at universities.

2. Plan a Route Schedule

Once you have your group together, the next step is to plan a route for your protest. This involves the day, time and locations you plan on covering during your march. The most ideal route would be high traffic areas where your group can get the most visibility.

3. Get Legal Permission

Most cities will require you to obtain a permit for protest. Getting the permit will involve you filling out an application that list your expected number of protesters, the time, date and routes you will be taking. A fee is usually charged for this permit.

4. Notify Police

Once you are granted a permit, you must notify your local police department and provide the time, date and route for your protest. The police can assist your group by setting up blockades at certain sections along your route. Notifying the police ensures that you are not trespassing on certain properties and blocking entrances of business buildings and traffic.

5. Advertise & Notify the Media

Advertisement is the best way to get large numbers of people to show up for your protest. Another way to get more attention is to notify your local news station.

Follow these steps and your peaceful protest can make a change.

• Low Interest Rates

According to Freddie Mac’s weekly primary mortgage survey for the first week of March 2011, the national average interest for a 30 year fixed-rate mortgage was 4.87 percent and 4.15 percent for a 15 year fixed-rate mortgage. These interest rates have been on a consistent decline for almost a month. With these rates you can lock-in an affordable mortgage payment before the economy becomes a sellers market.

• More Affordable Prices in Affluent Neighborhoods

The foreclosure crisis has affected even the rich. Many affluent neighbors all across the country in suburban towns near cities like San Francisco, Washington D.C. and Chicago, have homes availalbe for prices way below market value. A local Chicago brokerage owner Paul Stepanovich said that “the foreclosure crisis has crept into the homes of affluent households as big corporations laid off their top executives.” Now may be the perfect time to purchase your dream home in that wealthy neighborhood you always had your eye set on.

• Good Market for Lanlords

If you have the cash or good credit rating, purchasing a home up for foreclosure or auction is the perfect opputunity to become a landlord and earn extra income. Since it’s still a buyers market, the best thing to do is to rent or lease your property and sell when the market improves.

With benefits like these, you can make good use of a bad economy to be your stepping stone to affordable home ownership and prosperity.

• Dunn’s River Falls

Dunn’s River Falls is perhaps the most famous tourist attraction located in the city of Ocho Rios. You will have fun climbing the 600 feet cascading waterfalls. Don’t worry, the climb is pretty easy to do. You can even take breaks along the way by relaxing in several mountain carved pools and let the water rush down your back.

• Dolphin Cove

Right next to Dunn’s River Falls is the family-friendly Dolphin Cove. You can enjoy swimming with the dolphins or participate in shallow water touch sessions. If you are feeling adventurous you can do the foot push, where a dolphin use its nose to push your feet and launch you into the air.

• Kool Runnings Water Park

This water park located in Negril is a top destination for families and all those who are a kid at heart. The park offers several water slides, a kids area with pool and fun water rides, and a non-aquatic section featuring a tight rope trampoline and go-kart track.

• Blue Mountain

Blue Mountain is the longest and highest mountain range in Jamaica. There is a seven mile hike to the peak of the mountain that has an altitude of 3000 feet. The best time to visit is between December and April before the rainy season begins. Blue Mountain offers hundreds of plant, flower and bird species, and is world famous for it’s coffee.

• Doctor’s Cave Bathing Club

Montego Bay is home to the popular Doctor’s Cave Beach and Bathing Club. The waters maintain a consistent temperature of 80 degrees fahrenheit making is very comfortable and soothing. Doctor’s Cave is best known for snorkeling where you can enjoy the vibrant colorful fishes along the coral reef.

If your “normal” French vacation isn’t enough in seeing some of the wonderful sights, a fantastic option is found in skiing. You can find great deals on ski-related vacations. If you have ever wanted or are looking to ski France is a great place.

It is not surprising based on what France has to offer. The French Alps alone have a number of very large ski areas, such as the Portes du Soleil and Paradiski, which combine for over 500 slopes. There are many fun ski resorts and areas in the Pyrenees as well.

Even if you don’t know how to ski, you can take skiing lessons on your vacation. Don’t worry about knowing how to ski before you get there – you can still have a great time in the beginning steps of your skiing adventures. Skiing is fun for beginners, and you will have a great time with the French scenery and its other attractions that you can include in your trip.

Staying in a ski resort in the Pyrenees is a blast as well. Some ski resorts include restaurants, day care facilities for young children, and other amazing features. You may not be comfortable leaving the resort to see some of the great sights in the country, or beyond.

A skiing vacation in France is a great option for any type of group. It can also be combined with other activities that are found in the country – a country filled with vacation spots unrelated to skiing. Take some time to consider a fun skiing vacation in France.

There are indeed ways to travel for cheap or even for free. A person just needs to know these ways and how to go about using them effectively in their favor whenever journeying. One of the most obvious of all means is to seek airlines that are low-cost or budget in price. These fares also apply to bus and train if not going via a plane. However, if you are using an airplane for your vacation or travel excursion, some of the budget airlines include Jetstar and EasyJet to name two.

These same budget airlines do tend to offer free flights to different destinations at times too. Only just another reward of using a budget flight option to begin with for your trip. Two of the best ways to secure budget airfare tickets is to go to the airline websites to check out their prices and to seek out any deals/ special rates for booking flights at travel websites.

How to travel cheaply in this economy can happen in many ways. Some ways a person can also buy airline tickets at the last-minute at a discount airline ticket website online. Another course of action to get low airline ticket costs is to buy tickets on unusual dates for travel. Making yourself open to traveling on any dates when other travelers are unlikely to fly is a sure-fire way to get tickets that are much lower in price.

Each of us can do our own parts to stimulate and help keep the economy healthy as it can be. Small businesses are the thing that make the economy a true economy. Therefore, one of the first things is to support small business, and this can be done by buying products directly from small businesses. This is something that can help to stimulate the economy in a big way. Small businesses are stand alone in that the government does not bail them out directly or lend them large sums of money as a loan. Companies that are much bigger in size do tend to qualify for things that smaller businesses do not. So a person that cares about making a difference in the economy can and will by purchasing items or services from any of the small businesses out there.

There are a number of things. You can do both at home and for your whole community to help boost the economy. One of the most obvious of these things is to be the best that you can be at your job. Giving it your all at your career will help the company that your work for and keep it thriving from a profit standpoint. Volunteering your time for a good cause in your community is something that will bring personal satisfaction and thanks to you for all that. You are fortunate to have in your life.

That’s not including the children that end up on the streets, either by running away from home or being kicked out. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration estimated in 2004, about 1.6 million kids slept on the streets during a year span. The number has grown, now in the range of 2.8 million. Many of the children are teens running from abuse, often times physical, sexual, or both. Others, including adults, have mental disorders and no one to help care for them. Shelters these days fill up quickly and can’t help every homeless person that comes in. The Obama administration hopes the tax breaks and redistribution of wealth can lower the percentage of people living on the street or those about to lose their homes. The results won’t happen soon according to a report by the National Center on Family Homelessness. 1 in 50 children are homeless, a good percentage of them being African and Native American.

“Tent Cities”, so called because of the homeless setting up tents in abandoned lots to live, are popping up across the nation. A major one was found in Sacramento and more are forming every day. The estimated numbers are close to 20,000 people living in that squalor. The government recognizes the problem as dire but still struggles to find a positive solution amidst bigger issues of economy and war with the Middle East. The Obama administration believes when the economy is stable again more jobs will be available which would lead to more workers and less homelessness.

That vision is hard to see for those sleeping on street corners or huddled in an abandoned building not fit for human conditions.

• Creating The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was a step in the direction towards healthier living. The Act allocates about $80 billion towards clean energy research, finding new energy sources, advancing vehicle and fuel technology, and building a better electric grid.
• There are stricter energy efficient standards on everyday appliances, as well as efficiency and emissions standards for vehicles.

One state that has been the forefront for research in clean energy is California, containing 12, 000 clean energy companies and 500,000 green jobs. Bill Clinton is one of the biggest advocates for the Clean Energy bill and feels, in addition to retrofitting buildings particularly in poorer neighborhoods, he wants a federal loan set up to ensure this could happen. The opposition believes it may too much to ask in a struggling economy and too high a risk but Clinton disagrees. The environment can improve by changing the way things are done, focusing on cities like Nevada that has much potential to be self-sufficient. Just by adding windmills and placing solar panels in the ceilings of hotels there is a start. These projects open the door for more jobs, especially in urban areas where everyone can get involved including kids who need summer or after school jobs.

The real research towards finding better sources for energy happens through the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Energy. Forbes stated last month that the government granted the agency $45 billion to fund the research, education, and science of clean energy for the next three years. Obama hopes by 2020, America will be living clean and green.

There are numerous debates about whether they should be given citizenship or kicked out of the country all together. There is the argument they take good jobs away from American citizens while demanding the same rights. This is a valid claim as lower class citizens who search for jobs are being passed over by illegal immigrants who will work for less. The beneficiaries of this influx of illegals are the middle and upper class because they save money by hiring immigrants for much less pay than a citizen who would demand better wages.

Another issue is the toll it takes on the economy, particularly the money the government pays to protect the US-Mexican borders. As of 2007, there are over six thousand Nation Guard troops patrolling the Border and costing the government an excess of $750 million.

Obama plans to change that by creating a way to secure border control and make it easier for immigrants to become citizens. In 2009, the New York Times reported the meeting between President Obama, the President of Mexico, and the Prime Minister of Canada. Obama agreed with President Felipe Calderon that the one thing needed is to fight against the drug cartels that are using immigrants to carry drugs across the border and murder innocent people in the process.

The President’s immigration plans are in the works but no news of the official date it will be enforced or if it will help the situation.

By 2009, the epidemic reached corporate levels with millions of people being laid off due to corporations “downsizing”. People who held Masters degrees and once worked as Engineers, IT workers, and especially those in banks now searched for any job available no matter how menial the work.

The recession began due to various factors.

• The crash of the stock market hurt wealthy and middle class citizens since they held a majority of the stock. Due to this, thousands of Wall Street jobs disappeared, leaving those who once helped the flow of income stay constant, flounder on its own.
• Government spending is a huge part of a recession. Misused funds can result in higher taxes and lower wages. Living standards suffer with loss of wages and salaries.

CNN Money reported that, between April 2008 and March 2009, a little over 7 million people were laid off from the low to high class. Analysts are saying 800,000 more jobs disappeared in this past year alone, raising the loss to 8 million. They don’t see a significant hike in jobs for at least three to five years, even though the economy is slowing making its way to a better place.

Why are jobs still scarce even with the upswing in economy? Businesses are uneasy of whether it will take a dive again so are postponing hiring thousands of workers. If it fails again, they would only have to fire more people and the vicious cycle will begin all over.

Obama plans to raise the estate taxes on the rich to 55 percent and increasing taxes on all families who earn over the $250,000 income bracket. His stance is there should be a better distribution of wealth among Americans. Those families under that income bracket won’t see a rise in taxes and less will be taken out of their checks also. One middle class woman interviewed was delighted to see the increase in her check simply because less money was taken out.

Fox Business news reported one negative some people are stating is a tax raise will hurt consumer spending and business owners will lose faith in the government. It is the company owners who feel the major squeeze as they have to release more cash they’ve been hoarding since the recession. On the plus side, only 3 percent of small business owners would see an increase. Then again, small businesses collectively earn about $400 billion.

Wall Street Journal says advisors to Democrats are unsure whether now is the right time to renew the tax cuts since the economy comeback seems to be slowing. Many believe it would hurt U.S citizens more than heal them. As decision time gets closer, the debate continues to rage across the nation.

NAFTA was extremely controversial because there were so many negative effects.

• Thousands of Americans could lose their jobs if U.S. companies started working out of other countries, like Mexico
• The U.S may not come out on the better end of deals with other countries. Example, the high ratio of Korean cars being sold in America as opposed to American cars being sold in Korea.

Optimist hoped the Free Trade would create more middle class jobs and raise the U.S income by billions.

As with all things in life, nothing is ever black and white. The FTA does result in more affordable goods and higher profits, but many Americans lost their jobs when their factories moved their business out of the U.S. The major countries corporations outsource from now are Mexico and Asia, creating “sweat shops” where workers get less pay and unhealthy work conditions.

On December 4, 2010, Obama renewed the FTA agreement with South Korea stating this new plan focused on protecting worker rights and health standards. Whether conditions in these sweat shops will improve is up for debate but one thing is for sure: Free Trade Agreements will continue to be made and used.

According to the International Trade Association, America now has FTA’s with 14 countries across the world which accounts for over 42 percent of U.S exports.

In 2008, Fortune Magazine predicted around 78 million senior citizens would claim social security in the next 17 years. The cost of programs such as health care, along with the debt the U.S is in may bankrupt the country. As it is now, the government has borrowed upon the surplus account and spent most of the money. Due to that, by the year 2015, they will be able to start borrowing on other tax programs to make up the difference.

NASI (The National Association of Social Insurance) conducted a poll among Americans concerning Social Security. 90 percent of the people asked wanted Congress to take action to save Social Security in the next two years. U.S citizens don’t mind paying more taxes for their benefits because they its value. Especially during the recession when everyone noted how unstable the stock market could really be.

Social Security affects so many different people. From the disabled, to senior citizens, to children of disabled parents who need money for college, and for parents who need time off to care for their kids. If things continue as they are, by the year 2037 the debt against the Social Security fund will be an estimated $4 trillion. The statistic for beyond that year only get worse and have everyone thinking, will I be able to get the help I need to enjoy my old age?

In Los Angeles, over 6,000 city teachers were fired. This was part of a statewide mandate to layoff 22,000 teachers in California. Teachers and students alike flooded the streets in protest as the budget cuts spread to Arizona, New York and other cities around the U.S. The reason for these layoffs was the recession everyone dealt with. School districts get their funds from the revenue of local property taxes and state funds. Those revenues have been down because of the recession and the government stimilus funds meant for next year are almost used up.

The New York Times reports that, in addition to teacher layoffs, districts are planning to close schools, cut programs and shorten the school day, week or year. The real victims of this aren’t the teachers, but the students trying to get an education.

• Students may get less class instructions time due to increase in class sizes and lack of teacher’s assistants.
• Students who need extra help in subjects will get left behind as teachers have no time to tutor them.
• With less money for books and technology needed to further education, students don’t learn as much as they could.

This loss of education in schools affects the families of students, as well. Parents now have to set aside extra time to help children with their studies. Help the children haven’t received in the classrooms. People are no longer eager to be a teacher when they see the lack of funds and jobs available.

Unfortunately, many believe there will be no end in sight for at least three more years.

When Obama first gained office, he made a promise to have thousands of US troops pulled out of Iraq by August 31, 2010 with the remainder of the troops coming home December 31, 2011. In a speech he gave at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina he stated, “By any measure, this has already been a long war. It is time to bring our troops home with the honor they have earned.” Motivational words that every American wants to hear but many don’t believe.There are a few things that have people doubting his claim.

1. Obama still plans to leave 50,000 troops behind who are being called “support troops”. These troops will help reestablish a secure military in Iraq so the country will be strong enough to protect itself. At least, that’s the idea behind it.
2. Though Obama states he will pull troops out of Iraq, there is no concrete mention of whether he will deploy more troops to Afghanistan. Last year August, twenty two soldiers were killed by insurgents in four days.
3. There is no guarantee Iraq will end up better when all the U.S military is pulled out. If it isn’t, some people will wonder if there could have been another answer to the conflict instead of war.

The war with Iraq has wounded over 30,000 and killed more than 4,000 soldiers, the numbers growing more every week. Only time will tell if the plan set by Obama will be kept and if the soldiers will stay home or be sent out again.

Obama had a plan to change that which he implimented in the healthcare reform law last year. The concept lies in “cutting out the middle man”. Originally, private companies made the loan and the government subsidized and guaranteed it. By taking the private companies out of the equation, Obama believes to save taxpayers billions in subsidies.

CNBC Correspondent Scott Cohn still sees fault in this, stating the money saved is barely putting a dent in the cost of college nowadays. In 2008, the cost of a non-profit private college overshot financial aid by $26,000 dollars. Things haven’t changed by much, even with Obama’s new bill. Students are getting government student loans as well as privately funded loans to make the difference.

The ideology behind Obama’s plan is an admirable one as he tries to save money in one arena and funnel it in to another one, improved education. The downside is the government customer service is lacking so, if any student has a question about their loan, expect to wait awhile before getting an answer. This is opposed to a private lender who is more available and particular about its lending program.

The student loan debt hits even harder for students in the medical and law field who attend school for often ten years at a time. Will the reform bill hold a positive outcome for students in the future? For now, it’s too early to tell.

One woman interviewed stated she hasn’t had health insurance in years due to her epilepsy and the expensive medicine she needs. She now has to go through a city hospital for assistance instead of being able to choose her doctor and get her medicine at an affordable rate.

On the other end of that, Virginia District Judge Henry E. Hudson believes the new bill is unconstitutional because it forces Americans to purchase healthcare. His theory is some people don’t have it because they may not need it or just can’t afford it, no matter how affordable it is.

As with most things in life, nothing is ever black and white. Many people don’t know all the facts behind the bill. Not surprising as it’s over a thousand pages long. Here are a few highlights, as well as pros and cons of the health care law.

1. Everyone will be required to have health insurance by the year 2014. As of now, only children are entitled to health insurance despite pre-existing orders. Adults will not have that right for another two years.

• Pros of that is the reform would push costs down while tightening the reins on medical inflation.
• Cons is the chance that hospitals providing Medicare may back out as they would lose money when the bill fully goes in to effect.

2.   Employers must ensure health care is provided to their Employees.

• Pros is more workers will be secure knowing their medical needs are covered.
• Cons is employers have to pay a fine if they don’t offer coverage.

Whether you are a critic or a believer, this debate will continue for years to come.

For those who don’t know, 401k is a type of savings account set up by Employers and the Government to assist Employees in their retirement plan. 401ks are kept tax free until the funds are withdrawn and workers choose a variety of mutual funds, mostly stocks and bonds.

Herein lies the problem.

1. Mutual funds are tied to the stock market which, in 2008, took a hit when the economy dropped. Due to the fact, the money employees spent years saving began disappearing.

2. 401k holders have less control over their funds than those with IRA accounts. A 401K investor can only make mutual funds trades a few times a year, whereas there is more flexibility with an IRA account. Though a person makes more money with a 401, there is a tendency to invest conservatively. Higher risk means higher loss.

The real victims of this crisis are senior citizens or those months away from retiring. The money they thought would give them a comfortable life after retirement was gone. Years of savings were wiped out in a matter of weeks. Holders now put off retiring just to keep their fixed income and survive.
In 2010, the IRS revealed they would be decreasing contributions to 401k accounts making it even harder for workers over 50 years old to make a profit.

The US News and World Report states that, while the stock market is improving and returns are up, it’s still not high enough. The median Vanguard dropped 31% in 2008, but rose 33% in 2009. That’s just a 2% difference-not enough to match the extensive losses people experienced.

Unfortunately, it may be several years before some holders see their portfolios balance rise to it’s original state.

Despite the increase in 21 states in November, the Labor Department did report a decline in unemployed residents in 15 states. The Labor department also reported that 14 states unemployment rate remained steady. Currently the overall national rate is up about .2 percent to 9.8 percent, which is relatively similar to what it was last year at this time.

The states that are struggling the worst with unemployment right now would include Georgia, Idaho and Colorado. Georgia’s unemployment rate was 9.8 percent and currently it’s 10.1 percent. Idaho is up to 9.4 percent from 9.1 percent. Colorado was 8.4 percent and currently it is 8.6 percent.

A number of states saw an improvement in their unemployment numbers recently. Those states would include Michigan, Pennsylvania, Alabama and South Carolina. Michigan was at 14.4 percent a year ago and now is at 12.4 percent. Pennsylvania is down from 8.8 percent to 8.6 percent. Alabama went from 10.9 percent a year ago to 9 percent this year. South Carolina went from 12.3 percent last year to 10.6 percent this year.

For some, these numbers are promising for others they are bleak. While analyst watch the numbers intently the unemployed worry about the longevity of their benefits and whether or not they will in fact find steady employment before their benefits run out. For those who have already been booted from unemployment benefits the news of unemployment numbers fluctuating is just another reminder of their struggle.

The one thing that we all know right now is that it is hard to get a job in current economy. The new tax bill guarantees unemployed workers in every state 99 weeks of unemployment benefits. While this may seem like welcome news, it hardly is considering the fact that long-term unemployment is at an all time high. In fact, right now about 10 percent of the people who are unemployed have been out of work and seeking employment for close to two years.

Another loser of the new tax bill, our national deficit. Extending the tax cuts only serves to increase our countries growing national deficit. President Obama has also taken a lashing from the new tax bill. The new tax bill has led many to view the President as weak for not sticking to his campaign promises regarding tax cuts for the wealthy. In addition to this, the democratic left now also appears as weak in the eyes of many for the same reasons.

Just who the really loses out when it comes to the new tax bill truly is a matter of opinion. One could argue the opposite of many of these points, but one things for sure the extension of the Bush tax cuts and the new tax bill have got everyone talking. Whether or not the tax cuts are a detriment to our economy, our president, our deficit or the masses of unemployed; only time will tell.

The new tax bill has extended the tax cuts established by George W. Bush. That means everyone, the highest and lowest earners. The six federal income tax rates stay the same. Plus, itemized deductions are still permissible.

The AMT, or alternative minimum tax is something many of us gloss over on our tax forms. However, more than 20 million tax payers won’t have to pay this tax, which is commonly referred to as the wealth tax. The bill raises the amount of income exempt from the AMT tax to $47,450 for an individual, and $72,450 for couples. The bill also calls for the income exempt to be raised again for the 2011 tax year to $48,450 for individuals and $74,450 for couples.

The American worker also gets a break with the new tax bill. Social security payroll tax will be 2 percent less for one year. The bill also extends the increase in the child tax credit and reduced-earnings threshold.

For the 2011 and 2012 tax year the estate tax will be reinstated. However, the bill calls for an increased exemption level of $5,000,000. The bill also calls for a lowered top rate of 33 percent. The bill also allows everyone to keep the low investment tax rate for the next two years.

Most notably, the bill actually mentions the unemployed. The tax bill allows the unemployed to get a 13 month extension. This guarantees 99 weeks of benefits

Do your job and do it well. Make sure you follow instructions to the letter. Take the initiative and get things done correctly and efficiently. Pay attention when you are being trained, or taught a new task, so you don’t do something incorrectly, or have to ask unnecessary questions.

Always show up for work on time. Avoid having to leave work early if at all possible. Spend your work time wisely. Don’t waste your employers money, by wasting their time, avoid goofing off or socializing when you are on the clock.

Be flexible. Make sure you give your employer all your availability. Try and make your schedule as flexible as possible. Don’t be afraid to volunteer for over time or extra hours when they are available.

Be a team player. Help others with their job if you can. Get along with your co-workers. Take an active interest in your company and your job. Make sure your employer is aware of your desire to be hired on permanently and make sure they know you intend to stay with the company long-term. Show a desire to advance within the company beyond your current position.

Don’t be afraid to admit to yourself and to others if a job isn’t your forte. Temporary employment gives you the ideal opportunity to test drive an employer, company and even a new career. Leaving on good terms if you don’t like a job is better for your long-term career aspects.

3. Cut out jobs from more than 10 years ago if you have enough relevant experience from the past decade. If you don’t have enough relevant experience within the past decade it is okay to go back 15 years. Going back any further may make your skills seem outdated.

2. Focus on skills that are relevant to the career path you are pursuing. There is no need to put jobs or job skills on your resume if you won’t be using them. If you need to add jobs unrelated to your field of employment to fill time gaps, keep the details of them brief. Only list the employer name, timeframe in which you were employed and any skills relevant to your career path. If no skills were relevant, list just the basics.

1. If jobs you had in the past overlapped get rid of jobs that were short-term. There is no need to list employers you worked for short-term if leaving them off does not leave an employment gap on your resume. Only list short-term jobs if they were an internship or provided clinical experience needed for your current career path. This is particularly necessary if you are just entering the workforce

The Small Business Administration wants to streamline the process of applying for loans under $250,000. The SBA has first shortened the application for loans under $250,000 to just two pages. Secondly, they made it possible for applications to be approved within minutes of applying. At longest applicants will be informed of their loan approval or denial within 10 days.

The idea behind the Small Business Administrations new loan process is to get money in the hands of companies that need it quickly. Quicker access to funds will allow small businesses to grow and give them the ability to hire and pay new and current employees. Naturally, this helping hand to small businesses could mean a big boost to the suffering economy and job market.

The fact is, small businesses have the ability to heavily impact their local economies, but they are often limited by financial barriers. As of recent it has been difficult because banks have been hesitant to lend despite the fact that credit availability has eased the worldwide financial crisis. In fact, during the fist half of 2010 most of the businesses that applied for credit were denied, or offered very little. With access to funds being made easier small businesses with growth potential will be more likely to expand and thrive. More than 630 banks are working with the Small Business Association on this new initiative.

Washington D.C. and the surrounding metro areas in Virginia and Maryland boast the highest median family income in the country right now. In this region the average family earns $102,340 annually, which despite the current economic down turn is an increase from recent years. The area also has a lower unemployment rate than the rest of the nation at 5.9 percent locally opposed to the 9.2 percent national average.

Coming in second was Greenwich, Connecticut and the surrounding areas of Bridgeport, Stamford and Norwalk. Despite a 6.7 percent drop from last year the area still has a average family income of $98, 118.

If west coast living is your thing consider San Jose, California. San Jose did see a 6.5 percent drop in the median family income, but they still rank pretty high with the average family earning $96, 443. San Francisco also rates high nationally despite a 3.7 percent drop in the average family income to $90, 734.

All things considered these areas are doing well. Especially when you take into consideration that the overall national average for a family income, which is $70,354. Likewise, statistics show that the average family income has not increased significantly in a decade. The declines and stagnant numbers are largely contributed to the current economy. Plus, the struggling job market and high unemployment rates also affect a families overall ability to earn and increase income.

5. Using coupons can really help you save on dining out. Most chain restaurants both dine-iin and fast food establishments have coupons you can find on the Internet. Even many local eateries post coupons online. The key is to do an Internet search with the name of the place you want to eat and the search term “coupon code” or “printable coupon”. You can also check the newspaper and mail ads for paper coupons.

4. Save money on beverages. Getting water with your meal can knock a good chunk of change off your bill especially if you have a large party. You can also have alcoholic drinks at home after dining out because wine, beer and other alcoholic drinks are usually the priciest on the menu.

3. Get the combo. If you are getting fast food the combo is often the cheapest way to go because you are getting a discount on the total of the drink, side and main course. Also check the dollar menu. Sometimes the sizes are smaller, but you can get a side, drink and main course for $3 plus tax opposed to nearly $5 plus tax on the combo menu.

2. Go out early. Once the menu switches from lunch to dinner both the portions and prices increase. Consider going to eat a late lunch/ early dinner.

1. Consider going out for appetizers only. If you get a drink and just get some finger foods you will save a lot of money not ordering main course dishes.

Do the routine maintenance. Having your vehicle tuned up and inspected can help prevent issues with gas milage because you are replacing spark plugs, filters and ignition parts that are worn. Oil changes also help keep your car clean and high functioning.

Never ignore engine lights. The light isn’t always coming on for something expensive. If the engine comes on for something small and you address the problem you may save yourself a lot of aggravation long term because ignoring it can lead to a bigger problem later.

Take care of your tires.Tires that are properly inflated can improve your gas milage by 30 percent and they will last longer. Rotating your tires is also important. Every 5,000 to 7,000 miles have your tires rotated and get your alignment checked.

Check your battery, along with hoses and belts. Making sure your battery connections are free of corrosion and testing it periodically to see if it holds a charge is wise. Checking your belts and hoses for wear and having them replaced is also wise. All these things are inexpensive and can prevent the need for roadside assistance.

Drive safely. Excessive braking, rapid acceleration and regular idling is bad for your car. Be mindful of bad driving habits can save you big because you may not need to replace your brakes, and tires as often. Plus, you will save gas money.

5. Never, ever send money for a work from home opportunity. Whether it is for supplies, a kit or a book. Legitimate work at home jobs do not charge you for supplies, they tell you what you need to get on your own.

4. Promises of big income should always be avoided. Most home based work opportunities pay modestly. If it sounds to good to be true it probably is.

3. Investigate the company. Before you give a company any personal data search them online. Look at their web presence. Look for forums where people are discussing them. Has anyone been scammed by them before? Are you able to find people talking about them as an employer?

2. Never apply for jobs that are unsolicited. If they e-mail you without you contacting them first chances are good they are scamming you. Be wary of jobs that want you to process claims, tuff envelopes, make crafts, recruit other employees or ship things abroad.

1. Know you skills. Real work at home jobs are looking for employees with skills. Look for jobs that give you an edge because of your previous work experience. Common at home jobs would include, customer service jobs and transcription jobs. Tech jobs for web savvy individuals are also plentiful. Do skill specific searches.

Stay away from the $1 menu. It can be tempting to scrape up your change and buy a few cheeseburgers to fill up the family, but that is a huge mistake. Those cheap items can contribute to obesity, diabetes and high cholesterol. It is better to get a box of whole wheat pasta and a jar of tomato sauce and feed the family for a few dollars.

Consider buying your produce canned or frozen. Fresh produce is often pricey and many people avoid buying it because of that. Getting your fruits and veggies is important to your health, but they can also help fill you up. Plus, they are less fattening than many of the alternatives you might replace them with.

Get your protein from a less expensive source than meat. Beans, eggs and peanut butter all have protein. Plus, if all you can afford is a cheap, fatty piece of meat, alternative protein sources are much healthier. If you can’t afford lean meat cuts you are better off eating beans, eggs or nuts for protein.

Stop drinking your calories. Soda, juice, coffee and tea can be high in calories. Consider drinking more water. Not only is water essential to human health, but it is better for your waistline and it doesn’t cost a thing. Rather than buying bottled water you can save a small fortune installing a point of use water filter on your sink.

1. Dress warm. before you turn the heat up on your thermostat, insulate your body and use your own heat to get warm. Put on socks and a hat if necessary. wear a sweater over your clothes. Add a blanket to your bed at night.

2. Take advantage of heat from other sources. Get warmed up in the kitchen when the oven is being used. Take a hot bath or shower. Only use ventilation fans when needed, otherwise allow they heat and steam to warm the kitchen, bathroom or surrounding areas.

3. Keep your house sealed up. Don’t let heat escape out of open windows and doors. Close the flue on your chimney when it is not in use. Put draft dodgers near windows and doors to absorb cold air.

4. Replace your analog thermostat with a digital. You can get one for less than $30 and you can be more precise with your heater settings. Plus, you can program it to come on less when you are not home.

5. Get you heater serviced each year. Before you turn it on have a repairman check the unit and clean it. Replace filters frequently to prevent drag and excess wear on the heater. Every 2 to 3 years get your ducts cleaned to remove dust, dirt and debris.

1. Buy early. If you get to the college bookstore first you are more likely to find a used copy of the book you need. If you wait till the last minute new will be your only option and new books can add up in cost.

2. Comparison shop. Right down the ISBN numbers for the books on your list. Go online with the ISBN numbers and see if you can get them cheaper at and online retailer.

3. Don’t be afraid to go paperless. Oftentimes, books are available in a digital version to use on your computer. These ebooks are often far less expensive than the paper format.

4. Rent books. There are a number of sites that allow you to pay a subscription and rent the college textbooks you need. Just like a movie rental service, you return the book when you are done with it. However, like movie rentals late books have late feed. Stay on top of returns to avoid excessive charges.

5. Exchange books with your buddies. Ask around to see what books people have that you need and swap books. You can even start a book swap with multiple people in which everyone brings the books they don’t need. The more people the more likely it is everyone gets what they need.

Buy used. Don’t always assume your kids need new sport equipment. Used stuff in good condition is often just as good. Plus, your kid will likely treat the equipment roughly anyway. Used sports equipment is discounted around 40 percent the cost of new equipment.

Sell your old equipment. When your kids grow out of there equipment or loose interest in one sport for another sell the equipment they are no longer using. The money you make selling the used equipment can be used to buy what they need now.

Price comparison shop. Don’t always assume that buying from the resource you are directed to by a coach is required. If you are allowed to buy elsewhere you can save big by shopping in catalogs or on the Internet. You may even be able to get other parents to in together for a bulk discount.

Don’t assume you are getting a deal on group travel for sports. Price shop online when your child’s team has to go overnight to an away game. Look for hotels that offer free breakfast to cut that expense from your travel budget.

Make your child responsible for some of their equipment cost. Have them do chores to earn money. Choose chores that actually save you time or money such as yard work or laundry. This will help them learn how to be responsible with their equipment.

Go old school. Take your kids to the park or the library. The park is ideal because it is free and there are often other kids for them to play with. The library is ideal because you can get free books to occupy them at home and they even lend movies at some libraries. Some libraries even have free story or craft hours.

Family game night. Instead of taking your kids to an arcade have a family game night. You can play board games or even video games. Playing games at home cost nothing if you use games you already own. Plus, it is a great way to bond as a family and create memories together.

Make play dates. Rather than going out and trying to entertain your kids schedule play dates at home with their friends so they can entertain each other. You could even go back and fourth with another mom so you have the kids and she is free for a few hours and vice versa for you the next time. Then, you save baby sitting money too.

Look for free activities for kids. Check the local paper and online family websites. Many places have free kids events with activities on weekends. You can get your kids out, expose them to culture and create family memories without spending a dime.

Get the gift receipt. If you are lucky they will give you the gift receipt without you having to ask. If you don’t get the gift receipt you may have to do a little leg work. Either come right out and give a non-offensive reason for needing to return a gift, or at least find out where they got the gift in a discreet manner. If you don’t have a gift receipt you many still be able to return it if you know where they bought it.

Leave the tags on the item. Try not to throw away any packaging or tags until you know if you are keeping the gift. If an item is out of the package or opened it may not be returnable. Even if it is you may be assessed a open box fee.

Re-gift or sell it. If you get a gift you don’t like and you have no hope of returning it save money elsewhere by either selling it online, or giving it to someone else. If you choose to re-gift it make sure you give it to someone who is unacquainted with the original gift giver. On;y give it to someone who will actually like or need it. You may also consider donating them item to charity or a gift drive for charity. If you normally give a gift to charity this may save you the expense and time of finding another item.

For more than 100 years The Salvation Army’s red kettle fundraising drive has been a holiday staple. Holiday shoppers are all familiar with the sound of the ringing bells and request for change and cash donations when coming and going from stores. The donations they collect each year help fund the organizations charitable efforts including their efforts to feed, house, rehabilitate and teach needy individuals. Less money means less rehab, foods, shelter and job skills classes for the homeless.

This year The Salvation Army has set their fundraising goal at $250,000, but thus far they are behind schedule for meeting. The Salvation Army blames the lack of donations on a combination of the economy being tough and people shopping less because they have less spending money. The organizations stresses that every penny counts, so they urge people to drop change in the red kettle if that is all they have.

Times being tough has forced The Salvation Army to look toward the future when it comes to fundraising. The group hopes to feature cashless machines in there fundraising campaigns within the next five years. The machines will allow shoppers to donate money with their debit and credit cards if they don’t have cash. The company is also encouraging donations online via the website, which features a red kettle online campaign.

1. Clean your home with common household products. Things like baking soda and vinegar are just as effective at getting your home squeaky clean as the expensive commercial cleansers you buy at the store. You can use baking soda to deodorize and scour. Vinegar can disinfect, lift stains and even act as fabric softener.

2. Buy things secondhand. Thrift stores and consignment shops are filled with clothing and household goods that are still in new condition. Not only can you save tons of money when you shop at secondhand stores, but it is also more environmentally sound.

3. Stop buying new books and DVDs. The library is an ideal place for you to get the latest page turner. Plus, libraries often have a section where you can borrow DVDs. Not to mention the fact that most libraries have an annual sale at which they sell used books and DVDs for a fraction of the retail cost.

4. Don’t eat out. Cooking your own meals is far more economical. This is particularly true if you plan your menu around sale items. Not to mention the fact that home cooked meals allow you to focus more heavily on healthy eating.

5. Save your change. Putting your spare change in a jar can really add up. When the jar gets filled take it to the bank and deposit into your savings account. Many banks have counting machines now so you don’t have to wrap or count the loose change.

5. Communities that have a higher voter turnout get more attention from politicians. So, registering to vote and showing up puts your community and its needs on the radar.

4. You need to show politicians that your demographic cares. Whether you are a man, woman, minority or young voter if you expect politicians to do something about the issues important to your demographic you need to make sure your demographic is represented well at the polls.

3. People fought for our democracy. Whether you are of a minority that once lacked the right to vote or not, voting is a right not everyone has. Standing up and having your voice heard is luxury not everyone in the world has.

2. It gives your argument a foundation. If you don’t vote people will be less likely to respect your opinions when you discuss political matters. Once you cast your ballot, you can complain about taxes, health care, education, the war and nobody can tell you you don’t care or your opinion doesn’t matter because you are being represented and your opinion is counted.

1. When all else fails it does come down to the actual votes. Let’s not forget what happened with Florida when George W. Bush was elected. When push came to shove they went back and looked at all the individual votes, even the mail in ballots.

The Red Cross reports that civilian casualties, resident displacement and access to health care are all worsening problems in the embattled country. The group has had a presence in the country for more than 30 years, since the Soviet invasion. The Red Cross maintains dialogue with all parties in the conflict, which gives them a unique ability to assess conditions in the country.

The Red Cross reports that admission of civilian war casualties to hospitals in the country are up by about 25 percent this year alone. A startling amount of these wounds come as a direct result of roadside bombs. In fact, more than 2,650 injuries were from roadside bombs. In addition to this, people that have left their homes to flee conflict has also risen by 25 percent since last year.

What has the Red Cross even more alarmed is the things they are not seeing. The group has reported that they have been unable to access certain areas of the country. Naturally, this means that the possibility for more civilians in need is substantial. The group is concerned that a whole mass of civilians may be in need of aid and have no means to seek it. The group hopes the press conference will bring the problem to the forefront of American politics and encourage an increase in international aid to the war torn country.

Recent elections have highlighted a widening divide of the population and how they perceive the future of America. The American party system consists of three groups that make the decisions regarding the philosophies that will shape our nation. The interesting facts are based on the differences of these groups. The major parties of the United States political system are the Democrats and Republicans. Those who identify themselves as independents do not associate themselves with a particular party and instead vote for the individual who aligns with their beliefs.

Democrats are identified as possessing liberal beliefs. These individuals are supportive of government initiated social and economic programs. Members of the Democratic party are in favor of more government control of societies issues. Democrats believe that government intervention improves upon the quality of life and creates equality among the citizens of the United States.

Republicans are not opposed to the reasoning behind social or economic programs but are against the costs associated with many programs. Republicans seek a limited role of government in society. Members of the Republican party tend to be conservative in their beliefs. They support pro business initiatives and encourage the personal responsibility of American citizens.

The Democratic support of more taxes to support services for the public is a direct contrast to the Republican view of less taxes and spending. These viewpoints have caused a great divide between those who believe that we should take from the rich and give to the poor versus the opposite belief that individuals are responsible for achieving their own place in the world.

In the current political climate there has been an increased impact to election outcomes based on the independent party votes. The span of two years in the election process has seen the support by independents shift their votes from one party to the next. Future elections may prove to be a result of more independent action by society.

The elections of 2008 introduced increased use of technology to secure positions in government. Citizens dissatisfied with the policies of Bush administration caused a shift towards the change promised by President Obama. Independents, minorities and young voters contributed to the success of the Obama campaign. The first two years of the Obama administration presented an America in economic crisis. The change promised in 2008 brought unwelcome changes not anticipated by many citizens of the United States. The election cycle of 2010 highlighted the political unrest of America as governmental candidates witnessed the tremendous loss of seats to the opposite side of the aisle.

The American citizens have awakened to the effect that political offices have on their day to day living. Apathy has been replaced with active involvement in the political process. A look forward to the 2012 elections may present the largest involvement of the public in our political system ever witnessed. The elections of 2012 will bring out the politically alert, youth, minorities along with regular committed voters. The impact of the Tea Party movement during the 2010 elections has opened the eyes of members of the current political system regarding the seriousness of listening to the voters. The next two years will show if Americas political system has comprehended what they have been told.

Are you a liberal or a conservative? Although not all members of each group agree with every part of a liberal or conservative stance on a particular subject; the majority of each group holds tight to the philosophies they identify with. People who support the liberal ideals tend to be members of the Democratic party and those who associate themselves with conservative ideals identify themselves as Republicans in most cases. Members who identify themselves as independents consist of both conservatives and liberals. These individuals choose to elect candidates who have a viewpoint similar to their own.

Conservatives do not support same sex marriage or abortion but do support the death penalty. Conservatives believe in a free market system which provides economic growth. Economic growth produces more jobs and more jobs support a higher standard of living for the American public. Conservatives do not advocate increased taxes. These individuals believe that individuals are responsible for improving their quality of life.

Individuals who identify themselves as liberal are supportive of both abortion and same sex marriage. They oppose the death penalty and favor increased taxes on the wealthy. Liberals support programs that highlight social responsibilities which attempt to create economic equality among members of society. Liberals favor governmental intervention and oversight of the free market system in order to promote equality.

The viewpoints of each party are polar opposites of the other. These extreme points of view may explain the difficulties that are being experienced by our political parties in today’s time. Members of each group who are passionate about their belief systems will stand strong against changes they cannot accept. This type of situation can stymie progress from both sides and create dissension among United States Citizens. Our future depends upon both liberal and conservative group members coming to a consensus that each can accept.

The continuation of the recession in the United States has had many lasting ramifications, so that even when we’ve reached the point where it is considered safely in the past, its effects will still be felt.

The threat of unemployment strikes fear in the heart of any working individual, especially if they have a family to provide for. The recession has forced many businesses to cut back benefits, lay off employees and mandate hiring freezes. Some employees have been forced to transfer to other company branches located in other cities or states. Yet, even when faced with a long commute, the majority consider that to be favorable as opposed to having no job at all. Businesses find themselves caught in a rough and seemingly never ending cycle. Budgets tighten, and consumer spending has dropped, as families do whatever they deem necessary to make ends meet.

Some Americans feel that the former president George W. Bush is to blame for the economic struggles, and much hope has been formed on the current administration of Barack Obama. With the current presidential term just past its halfway point, questions still remain of if there is time for the country to be pulled out of the depths of recession before the leadership changes in the year 2012. While many agree that Obama has taken great steps to improve the county’s economic condition, no one can argue that there is still much work to be done, and a lot of progress yet to be seen.

The upcoming holiday season should provide many telltale signs regarding the overall health of the economy whether or not a brighter outlook is ahead. If consumer spending shows signs of improving through the year’s final quarter, that is a promising indicator for the weeks and months ahead that comprise the close of this year and beyond.

In a creative way to cope with the recession, some shoppers decided to nab their Black Friday sales by logging onto each company’s website rather than standing in line at a physical store. Although previous years have seen the Monday following Thanksgiving (also known as “Cyber Monday) as more responsible for online sales, several merchants including Kohl’s, Old Navy, Aeropostale and New York and Company offered their Black Friday deals online as well as in stores. Target even elected to have special “online only” deals beginning on Thanksgiving that were as enticing as a digital camera and memory card package for just $99.

Stores that do not have a physical presence at all, such as Overstock.com and OnlineShoes.com got into the fun as well, by offering special Black Friday e-mail alerts, and often using the perk of free shipping. Kohl’s even offered an online shopping list function that enabled users to both sift through the online deals to find those that were most relevant, as well as print out a paper list that would help them find the most appropriate deals in the store itself.

According to the Associated Press, online shopping brought a 16 percent revenue increase to those merchants who decided to offer it beginning on Thanksgiving Day. The spending hike was part of an overall 33 percent rise in online shopping for the holiday, which complemented larger than usual crowds seen in stores as well.

The spending data collected over the weekend so far seems to be a promising sign for beleaguered retailers who’ve been hit hard because of the economic recession. Indeed, President Barack Obama has been doing his best to encourage consumers to find confidence in spending again, but the healthy Black Friday sales figures are one of the first clear indicators that the American public is beginning to take his words to heart.

The economic downturn in the United States has been felt by a majority of its citizens. A recession occurs when employment falls and unemployment rises, housing prices decline and businesses do not grow. Each of these issues have presented themselves to the current condition of America. All of the issues have led us to America’s current economic crisis. The United States financial institutions contributed to our economic situation with their use of poor lending practices. These lending practices led to failures in the housing market. All of these incidents have devalued the United States housing market and limited credit availability.

The American citizen has reacted to the economic crisis by reducing their spending practices in favor of paying down debt. United States businesses have faced economic challenges by reducing the employment and limiting costly expansions. These reactions have slowed economical growth and expanded the effects of the recession. The most significant impact of Americas current economic crisis is the rise in unemployment rates. In addition there is also the issue of underemployed citizens. The unemployment rate is at an all time high and without a change in current business practices will continue to grow. Continued high unemployment will limit consumer confidence and reduce the chances of economic recovery.

Positive current trends indicate that corporations are making record profits and employment opportunities will become more widely available. As businesses become more confident in the United States market they will begin expanding and increase their staff. This will provide welcome new to the unemployed individuals currently searching for a job. The opportunities that have presented themselves during this dark period in Americas history include an increased pursuit of educational advancement and a renewal of the American entrepreneurial spirit. America can come out of this crisis with a greater understanding of financial responsibility and renewed interest in what made us great.

Suddenly, the desire to adopt frugal spending habits is becoming more and more prevalent, being mentioned everywhere from consumer spending blogs to morning talk shows. Some high end brands are even listening to the trends by offering coupons to further encourage their target audience to spend their disposable income on specific products. Clipping paper coupons is no longer required, since there are several companies that allow users to download scanner-friendly coupons straight to their mobile phones.

Certainly the employment outlook plays a large role in the amount of consumer spending, too. Studies have shown that the economic recession has not only meant fewer job openings, but also fewer people quitting a current job to switch to a new one. Commonly the attitude to “tough it out” in regards to an undesirable job is seen as much better than not having a job at all. These two realities make the job market even harder to navigate for recent college graduates. Whenever a job opening is discovered, a recent graduate will often have a harder time convincing the hiring manager that they are suitable for the job simply because they cannot always prove that they have the motivation and experience needed to succeed against other more experienced applicants

Finally, since people are having to settle for increasingly lower wages, this makes it much more difficult for people to begin building a retirement fund, since they often have to put every bit of income they have into just paying the bills. Although many people are hopeful that current president Barack Obama can turn things around and get the economy back on the right track during the rest of his time in office, there is still a long way to go.

The Tea Party movement has proven to be a force to be reckoned with. This political movement was a result of several unpopular government actions including the hotly protested health care bill. This group has no centralized leadership and consists of several small groups. Individuals who are supportive of the tea party movement want to see lower taxes and a cut in wasteful spending. They believe that the government should react to our federal deficits in the same manner that is expected of any member of society managing a personal budget. Members of the tea party agree that government has become bigger than necessary and needs to have a more limited scope. The name of this movement was selected in association with the Boston Tea Party incident that occured in the 1700s. This incident involved the destruction of British tea that they were taxed to purchase. The Boston Tea Party movement was based on the belief that there should be no taxation without representation. Current political actions by the government of the United States are being compared with the attitudes prevalent during the time of the Boston Tea Party.

Attempts to quell and negate the growing influence of the Tea Party have been unsuccessful. The spreading impact of the Tea Party has grown rapidly since the first Tea Party protest in 2009. The Tea Party movement demands fiscal responsibility from a reduced government. Tea Party ideals are closely aligned with Republican politics but members of the movement are quick to point out the failures of the Republican party. The voice of Tea Party members was heard loud and clear in the 2010 elections. The pick up of five senate seats, sixty three house seats and seven gubernatorial seats by Republicans reflect the strength of the Tea Party movement and the impact of activism.

With the midterm elections just barely in the past, this has been somewhat of a tumultuous few months for many Americans.

Many retailers remain hopeful that the economy is starting to recover, as consumer spending has begun to slightly increase recently. Although, a more reliable indicator will be the upcoming holiday season, even if retail sales are strong, there is no mistaking that the American economy still has a long recovery process ahead. Unemployment still remains high, and when jobs are at risk, spending drops because of the need to consider financial self-preservation measures.

Although the war outlook seems to be brightening thanks to troop withdrawals, there are new and existing threats on the global front that cause doubts to linger in the hearts of soldiers and in America overall.

Government approval rates are constantly fluctuating, and especially so with the recent elections. Many Republicans won back positions of power that had been previously lost, leading to an overall shake up within Congress. Such shifts in power are cyclical though, and will not likely result in any major issues until the next presidential election in 2012. President Obama and his administration have done much to inspire the American youth to get involved in the broad grassroots movement of inspiring change within the American people. However, it remains to see if the momentum of the movement can linger through until it is time to elect new leadership.

Although Obama has taken steps to encourage the recovery process, it is a long and hard road, and he is meeting the resistance of many who expected him to work miracles the moment he stepped into office. The United States is a nation that has seen itself through many challenging times, and with time and effort, will be able to emerge from these current difficulties, too.

The economic recession in America has forced individuals and families alike to restrict their spending habits, as well as find creative ways to save money and make their dollars stretch further than before.

Merchants are becoming increasingly sensitive to these realities as they work towards creating spending incentives that are attractive to consumers, as well as kind to the merchant’s bottom line.

Coupons are being used by everyone from mothers to college students to middle class families. The days of laboriously clipping coupons are in the past though. Although such coupons can still be found in Sunday morning newspapers and through direct mail, there are several companies that allow consumers to log onto specific websites and choose only those coupons that are most relevant to them, and then choose to have the coupon sent directly to their mobile phone in a scan-friendly format.

Even concert promoters are adjusting their offers to make them more attractive to those hit by the economic recession. Concert giant Live Nation recently introduced certain days that enable users to purchase concert tickets without the addition of pesky service fees. Since such fees have risen greatly in the past few years, this benefit can often mean that users have the ability to save ten dollars or more with each ticket purchase. This perk works well for those who are interested in saving a bit of money but are not willing to completely sacrifice the pleasure afforded by having a social life.

In a recent speech in support of a congressional candidate, President Obama cautioned that change can take a long time to occur fully. The American public seems well aware of this fact, but seemingly content to go about exercising their ingenuity and resourcefulness to weather the economic recession in the best way that they know how.