since the late 1850s, the Chicago Transit Authority has provided those in the Chicagoland area with fast, reliable service. however, in recent years, the true asshole has certainly come out. with constant construction, slow zones, and service cuts, the CTA is fast becoming notorious for bad service. now, as we approach yet another series of mass cuts and route eliminations, I began to wonder, where exactly all the money the RTA receives goes. so, as always, ill give you some facts.
Bus ridership averages 1.4 million riders every weekday, while trains average about 3/4 of a million each weekday. these stats do not include weekends, holidays, and summer increases.
the 150+ routes travel 2,517 route miles,and a total of 221,350 miles per day.
after the mass layoffs of 2008, and the 11 employees fired for cell phone use and the 4 blamed for the Green Line derailment a few weeks ago, the CTA still employs nearly 11,000 employees (i couldnt find anything that says whether these are just operators and servicemen or if it includes board members).
none of the railcars being used were built after the 1960s, although several new models of buses are introduced every few years or so. in addition, there are nearly 2,000 buses in use.
these are the stats. now lets take a look at the cuts
9 express buses (X3, X4, X9, X20, X49,53AL, X54, X55, X80) willbe completely eliminated (anyone notice where these buses run? hmm)
the bus routes that ramain will all have reduced services. some will either start later and/or end earlier, have less frequent service during the day, or all of the above.
in addition,all of the train routes will have reduced service with slightly longer wait times.
now heres the math
with the weekday average bus ridership alone, nearly 3 million dollars is made DAILY
with the weekday average train ridership alone, $1,687,500 is made DAILY
so just counting weekdays, the CTA makes roughly $1,218,750,000 annually.
additionally, Mayor Daley signed a bill in 2008 giving the CTA $227 million for repairs and services
now of course these statistics dont come from the transfer savings, however, the savings wouldnt really effect the CTA's bottom line. actually. there shouldnt be too much that messes with the CTA's bottomline. there is entirely too much money being made for themto be in a deficit, which, in 2008 was $58.1 million. all of the rail cars run on electricity, and the buses that do get used fill up MAYBE twice per day (depending on the route), and if the bus is one of the new hybrid models, its even less than that. even if 10% of the employees made 100k per year, that still wouldnt justify how the CTA has been orchestrating its plans.
Chicagoans are dependent on the buses and trains and the CTA knows that. think about all of the elderly people, the high school children, single parents, and your average joe who ride the CTA everyday. even the suburbanites who commute to work. when they get off the metra (who isnt making service cuts (no surprise there)) they still may have to jump on the bus or train. now i do admit, with the schizophrenic tendencies of gas prices, and the ridiculous cost to park downtown, taking public transportation is the cheaper way to go. however, anyone who spends as much time out and about as i do knows that in Chicago, Time is indeed money. these service cuts are going to be bad across the board.
more layoffs are inevitable (i foresee 2,000 minimum), which isn't good for the economy. people who do use public transit are going to have less time to do get things done throughout the day. and you know what the saddest thing about it is? the service cuts were used as an alternative for a fare hike, however, sources say that a fare hike will still come by the end of the year.
why should we stand for this? even those who have cars, have needed to take the CTA at some point. why should they be allowed to do what they please, while the riders continue to suffer the consequences? what would they do if, just for a day, no one took the buses or trains? they would get the message after the riders gave them something they really had to worry about. we should take a page out of the book of Birmingham. maybe it's time Chicagoans took a stand, not because of racial division, but because of an organization thathas continuously walked all over the people. We've settled for the worst, and even though we complain amoungst ourselves, we dont come together to put our foot down and say "no. this is not ok"
and until that day comes, CTA will call the shots.
Till next time.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Vol. 39: The War At Home
In the wake of the disaster in Haiti, many americans, and im sure people world wide wonder why so much emphasis is being brought to help Haiti while Americans still all across the country are homeless, sick/dying, unemployed and uneducated.
As I said in a previous entry, over 10% of americans are unemployed.
anywhere between 700,000 and 2 million americans will sleep on the streets on any given night, the latter making up less than 1% of the total population according to a poll conducted in July 2008. this statistic does not include all citizens living below the poverty threshold (which is roughly 12% as of 2004). the average annual income of an American is $50,233.
it is thought that more than 1 million Americas are living with HIV. the Measles and Polio were completely eradicated decades ago. under five mortality ranks 151st in the world (about 34,000 annually). there are 5,815 registered hospitals, and 2,923 not for profit community hospitals (i.e. clinics). these hospitals and clinics are staffed 2.4 million registered nurses, 531,000 nurse practitioners alone.
by comparison...
Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere(not a good sign already). i dont think my words can do the country justice, so here is an overview of the haitian economy according to the CIA Factbook....
Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere with 80% of the population (7.824million people) living under the poverty line and 54% in abject poverty(having no basic means of survival i.e. clothing, shelter, heating, etc). Two-thirds of all Haitians depend on the agricultural sector, mainly small-scale subsistence farming, and remain vulnerable to damage from frequent natural disasters, exacerbated by the country's widespread deforestation. While the economy has recovered in recent years, registering positive growth since 2005, four tropical storms in 2008 severely damaged the transportation infrastructure and agricultural sector. US economic engagement under the Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement (HOPE) Act, passed in December 2006, has boosted apparel exports and investment by providing tariff-free access to the US. HOPE II, passed in October 2008, has further improved the export environment for the apparel sector by extending preferences to 2018; the apparel sector accounts for two-thirds of Haitian exports and nearly one-tenth of GDP. Remittances are the primary source of foreign exchange, equaling nearly a quarter of GDP and more than twice the earnings from exports. Haiti suffers from high inflation, a lack of investment because of insecurity and limited infrastructure, and a severe trade deficit. In 2005, Haiti paid its arrears to the World Bank, paving the way for reengagement with the Bank. Haiti is expected to receive debt forgiveness for about $525 million of its debt through the Highly-Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) initiative by mid-2009. The government relies on formal international economic assistance for fiscal sustainability.
in a country with over 9 million citizens, there are just 25 hospitals, mostly in the western region; in and near port-au-prince. 2.2 percent of the population lives with HIV/AIDS. the polio vaccine was first distributed in 2004. Haiti is 47th in the world in under-5 mortality with a like expectance of 61 years. is everyone beginning to see why they need our help?
Homelessness and poverty are certainly plaguing our society.But there are resources out there to support and aid them. countless shelters, soup kitchens, and other opportunities (such as selling Streetwise) are at the disposal of the impoverished. Haiti doesn't have that. they don't have cell phones, and laptops, and video games, and fast food restaurants, and other luxuries that we bitch about when we go without it.
in no way at all am i trying to guilt anyone or single anyone out for questioning the government's decision to act--in fact, i encourage it. doubt is life for debates. im merely trying to enlighten doubters on just how bad the diaspora in Haiti is. so, before anyone begins to compare poverty with Haiti, ask yourself, "do i give a dollar to every homeless person i see?"
till next time.
As I said in a previous entry, over 10% of americans are unemployed.
anywhere between 700,000 and 2 million americans will sleep on the streets on any given night, the latter making up less than 1% of the total population according to a poll conducted in July 2008. this statistic does not include all citizens living below the poverty threshold (which is roughly 12% as of 2004). the average annual income of an American is $50,233.
it is thought that more than 1 million Americas are living with HIV. the Measles and Polio were completely eradicated decades ago. under five mortality ranks 151st in the world (about 34,000 annually). there are 5,815 registered hospitals, and 2,923 not for profit community hospitals (i.e. clinics). these hospitals and clinics are staffed 2.4 million registered nurses, 531,000 nurse practitioners alone.
by comparison...
Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere(not a good sign already). i dont think my words can do the country justice, so here is an overview of the haitian economy according to the CIA Factbook....
Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere with 80% of the population (7.824million people) living under the poverty line and 54% in abject poverty(having no basic means of survival i.e. clothing, shelter, heating, etc). Two-thirds of all Haitians depend on the agricultural sector, mainly small-scale subsistence farming, and remain vulnerable to damage from frequent natural disasters, exacerbated by the country's widespread deforestation. While the economy has recovered in recent years, registering positive growth since 2005, four tropical storms in 2008 severely damaged the transportation infrastructure and agricultural sector. US economic engagement under the Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement (HOPE) Act, passed in December 2006, has boosted apparel exports and investment by providing tariff-free access to the US. HOPE II, passed in October 2008, has further improved the export environment for the apparel sector by extending preferences to 2018; the apparel sector accounts for two-thirds of Haitian exports and nearly one-tenth of GDP. Remittances are the primary source of foreign exchange, equaling nearly a quarter of GDP and more than twice the earnings from exports. Haiti suffers from high inflation, a lack of investment because of insecurity and limited infrastructure, and a severe trade deficit. In 2005, Haiti paid its arrears to the World Bank, paving the way for reengagement with the Bank. Haiti is expected to receive debt forgiveness for about $525 million of its debt through the Highly-Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) initiative by mid-2009. The government relies on formal international economic assistance for fiscal sustainability.
in a country with over 9 million citizens, there are just 25 hospitals, mostly in the western region; in and near port-au-prince. 2.2 percent of the population lives with HIV/AIDS. the polio vaccine was first distributed in 2004. Haiti is 47th in the world in under-5 mortality with a like expectance of 61 years. is everyone beginning to see why they need our help?
Homelessness and poverty are certainly plaguing our society.But there are resources out there to support and aid them. countless shelters, soup kitchens, and other opportunities (such as selling Streetwise) are at the disposal of the impoverished. Haiti doesn't have that. they don't have cell phones, and laptops, and video games, and fast food restaurants, and other luxuries that we bitch about when we go without it.
in no way at all am i trying to guilt anyone or single anyone out for questioning the government's decision to act--in fact, i encourage it. doubt is life for debates. im merely trying to enlighten doubters on just how bad the diaspora in Haiti is. so, before anyone begins to compare poverty with Haiti, ask yourself, "do i give a dollar to every homeless person i see?"
till next time.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Vol. 38: There's a Med For That
whats the deal with antidepressants? why is everyone so sad?
im lonely
people dont like me
my hair hurts
that dog growled at me
that 12 year old teased me
grow the hell up. it seems that people are so sensitive, they cant handle reality, so they need a pill for it. word to the not so wise, when that pill wears off, your problems are still going to be there waiting for you. life doesnt stop because you have a bad day. the world doesnt wait for your self esteem to kick in. life goes on, even when youre doped up. besides, i bet you if you kicked that 12 year old's ass, you'd feel a whole lot better than if you popped zoloft like skittles.
we've become drones (slaves, if you will) to the pharmaceutical industry. they have us so convinced that we have screws loose, having a mini Walgreens is a common practice. i mean, just for antidepressants, there are 4 subcategories:
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)- increases the level of serotonin available to bind with the neurotransmitter. used mostly to treat depression, anxiety disorders, and personality disorders.
Selective-norepinephine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs)- increases the level of serotonin and norepinephrine available. used mostly for mood disorders (ADHD, OCD, FMS, and PMS)
MonoAmine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs) - for the really fucked up. MAOIs are only perscribed when other antidepressants are ineffective. but if combined with foods containing tyramine, and certain other drugs, MAOIs can be fatal. MAOIs block the enzyme Monoamine oxidase,which breaks down the neurotransmitters dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine
Tricyclics - a psychoactive drug (a drug that acts on the central nervous system) affecting mood, behavior, and perception. Tricyclics are not widely used as an antidepressant, but more so recreationally for spiritual purposes.
and then there is the ever popular "other" category,forthe really, really fucked up.
all of these categories have one thing in common. they alter brain functionality by inhibiting the reabsorption of neurotransmitters,thereby (theoretically) increasing the levels. however, recent studies show that many of these perscriptions are not as effective as they claim to be.
"The magnitude of benefit of antidepressant medication compared with placebo increases with severity of depression symptoms and may be minimal or nonexistent, on average, in patients with mild or moderate symptoms. For patients with very severe depression, the benefit of medications over placebo is substantial."
basically, you have to be suicidal on an hourly basis for antidepressants to have a real effect. it's hard to believe that 10% (18 million) of americans over the age of 18 are on some form of antidepressant medication. even more unnerving is the fact that over a million preschoolers are diagnosed as clinically depressed.
the rate of increase of depressive conditions among children is 23%.
30% of women are depressed,and 41% of them are too embarrassed to seek help
92% of black males do not seek treatment, while 80% of the depressed population dont.
Charles Barber wrote in the Febuary 2008 issue of Scientific American that there are two factors for the rise of antidepressant prescriptions.
1. doctors associate conventional sadness (such as death of a loved one) with the condition of clinical depression
2. a change in the standard diagnostic guide,which caused milder mental ailments to fall under the label of "disorder"
did you know that up until about 5 years ago, doctors were given special benefits by pharmaceutical companies based on the number of prescriptions they issued? does anyone else think that this may be the cause of this once rare condition?
so what makes someone depressed? apparently everything according to the new guidelines. im not saying that depression and anxiety disorders dont exist; i know someone who does have panic attacks. but they dont let it hold them down. she doesnt complain about how much her life sucks. she captures the blessings that she does have, and lives her life like any other person. and shes someone who has a real reason to stress and worry. if she can do it, why cant others remember the good in life, rather than using medicine to forget the bad. love, money, friendship. those are fleeting things. they can be gone tomorrow, so why become so engulfed by them that they upset you if they are absent? dont allow the little things to overshadow whats important -- life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, something that many of us have allowed ourselves to forget.
till next time.
im lonely
people dont like me
my hair hurts
that dog growled at me
that 12 year old teased me
grow the hell up. it seems that people are so sensitive, they cant handle reality, so they need a pill for it. word to the not so wise, when that pill wears off, your problems are still going to be there waiting for you. life doesnt stop because you have a bad day. the world doesnt wait for your self esteem to kick in. life goes on, even when youre doped up. besides, i bet you if you kicked that 12 year old's ass, you'd feel a whole lot better than if you popped zoloft like skittles.
we've become drones (slaves, if you will) to the pharmaceutical industry. they have us so convinced that we have screws loose, having a mini Walgreens is a common practice. i mean, just for antidepressants, there are 4 subcategories:
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)- increases the level of serotonin available to bind with the neurotransmitter. used mostly to treat depression, anxiety disorders, and personality disorders.
Selective-norepinephine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs)- increases the level of serotonin and norepinephrine available. used mostly for mood disorders (ADHD, OCD, FMS, and PMS)
MonoAmine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs) - for the really fucked up. MAOIs are only perscribed when other antidepressants are ineffective. but if combined with foods containing tyramine, and certain other drugs, MAOIs can be fatal. MAOIs block the enzyme Monoamine oxidase,which breaks down the neurotransmitters dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine
Tricyclics - a psychoactive drug (a drug that acts on the central nervous system) affecting mood, behavior, and perception. Tricyclics are not widely used as an antidepressant, but more so recreationally for spiritual purposes.
and then there is the ever popular "other" category,forthe really, really fucked up.
all of these categories have one thing in common. they alter brain functionality by inhibiting the reabsorption of neurotransmitters,thereby (theoretically) increasing the levels. however, recent studies show that many of these perscriptions are not as effective as they claim to be.
"The magnitude of benefit of antidepressant medication compared with placebo increases with severity of depression symptoms and may be minimal or nonexistent, on average, in patients with mild or moderate symptoms. For patients with very severe depression, the benefit of medications over placebo is substantial."
basically, you have to be suicidal on an hourly basis for antidepressants to have a real effect. it's hard to believe that 10% (18 million) of americans over the age of 18 are on some form of antidepressant medication. even more unnerving is the fact that over a million preschoolers are diagnosed as clinically depressed.
the rate of increase of depressive conditions among children is 23%.
30% of women are depressed,and 41% of them are too embarrassed to seek help
92% of black males do not seek treatment, while 80% of the depressed population dont.
Charles Barber wrote in the Febuary 2008 issue of Scientific American that there are two factors for the rise of antidepressant prescriptions.
1. doctors associate conventional sadness (such as death of a loved one) with the condition of clinical depression
2. a change in the standard diagnostic guide,which caused milder mental ailments to fall under the label of "disorder"
did you know that up until about 5 years ago, doctors were given special benefits by pharmaceutical companies based on the number of prescriptions they issued? does anyone else think that this may be the cause of this once rare condition?
so what makes someone depressed? apparently everything according to the new guidelines. im not saying that depression and anxiety disorders dont exist; i know someone who does have panic attacks. but they dont let it hold them down. she doesnt complain about how much her life sucks. she captures the blessings that she does have, and lives her life like any other person. and shes someone who has a real reason to stress and worry. if she can do it, why cant others remember the good in life, rather than using medicine to forget the bad. love, money, friendship. those are fleeting things. they can be gone tomorrow, so why become so engulfed by them that they upset you if they are absent? dont allow the little things to overshadow whats important -- life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, something that many of us have allowed ourselves to forget.
till next time.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Vol. 37: The Reality of Things
A little while ago, someone sent me a link to this image. Seeing as how today hasn't been one in my favor, I've been venting via Call of Duty. Ironic thing though. The moment I died is when the link was sent to me. As I watched my dismal destruction on the tv, i clicked the link and read the quote attached to the picture.
And it really struck me (enough to right a MILF anyway) if you read the quote on the attached picture, skip the next paragraph.
Look at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. Everyone you love.Everyone you know. Everyone you ever heard of. Every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. the aggregate of our joy and suffering. Thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every "superstar", every "supreme leader", every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there -- on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.
people complain. people lie, cheat, steal, and manipulate others for their own selfish whims, but when you get right down to it, we are all equal. it doesn't matter how much money you make, or fame you attain; none of that goes with you when you leave this life. so why does it matter? sure all of that stuff is great on the surface -- it leaves you with security for you and future generations. But why does that make one person better than another? why should you look down on someone who earns a living when your wealth was given to you.
i understand living life to the fullest,but when it's all said and done, everyone (basically) gets put into the same ground. Donald Trump is going 6 feet under just like Joe the Plummer. just like P. Diddy, and Gucci Mane, and Kim Kardashian (and i very well may be in there with her lol).
the point is, we strive so much to be above everyone, we forget that we are all human. made pretty much exactly the same. skin color, cars, and money don't change that. it's we that put that type of pressure on ourselves. to be the thinnest woman in the world. to be the highest paid athlete in sports. and the realityof it all is that the people we tend to emulate and throw ourselves at lead unfulfilling lives, because they realize money cannot buy happiness.
no scratch that. money buys happiness.but it doesn't buy satisfaction. Take Gilbert Arenas for example. Or Michael Vick. Both of these athletes are two of the best. they came from humble beginnings and reached stardom. But in the wake of all of the fame and glory, they weren't satisfied. they needed an edge, so to speak. they needed something that would give them a little vitality....and look how they ended up.
Vick was locked up and now is a back up quarterback who rarely sees action.
Arenas has been suspended indefinitely.
and for what? they didn't want for anything. Gilbert was guaranteed $80 million over the next 5years! there was a void that needed to be filled, and no amount of money, or cars, or women could fill it.
now im not saying that people shouldnt strive to be the best. i still have every intention of moving to florida with a house on the canal and a yacht chilling in the water, with a beautiful family that loves me. i still plan on owning my own business,and taking my children to hawaii and paris. but i would never allow them to think that they were better than the cashier at Old Navy or the stock boy at Jewel. my kids wont be snobs who expect to get what they want when they want, and look down on others who aren't as well off as they are. I'll take them out to volunteer at soup kitchens during the holidays. not as a punishment, but as a valuable life lesson to appreciate the blessings they have; to be willing to help others,even if its just helping an old lady with her groceries.
this is what it means to be human. not the cold, heartless, power hungry people you see in movies, tv,and music. i bet you that when my time comes, i will die with a smile on my face, even if its tonight, because in my heart i know that i was the best that i could be. so many people say they are afraid to die. why? it's an inevitability so that can't be the case. i think those who fear, don't fear death, but the reality of a failed existence. knowing that you never left a real mark on an individual's life has to be the most terrifying, gut-wrenching realization.
so tell me Facebook.....
are you afraid?
till next time.
And it really struck me (enough to right a MILF anyway) if you read the quote on the attached picture, skip the next paragraph.
Look at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. Everyone you love.Everyone you know. Everyone you ever heard of. Every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. the aggregate of our joy and suffering. Thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every "superstar", every "supreme leader", every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there -- on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.
people complain. people lie, cheat, steal, and manipulate others for their own selfish whims, but when you get right down to it, we are all equal. it doesn't matter how much money you make, or fame you attain; none of that goes with you when you leave this life. so why does it matter? sure all of that stuff is great on the surface -- it leaves you with security for you and future generations. But why does that make one person better than another? why should you look down on someone who earns a living when your wealth was given to you.
i understand living life to the fullest,but when it's all said and done, everyone (basically) gets put into the same ground. Donald Trump is going 6 feet under just like Joe the Plummer. just like P. Diddy, and Gucci Mane, and Kim Kardashian (and i very well may be in there with her lol).
the point is, we strive so much to be above everyone, we forget that we are all human. made pretty much exactly the same. skin color, cars, and money don't change that. it's we that put that type of pressure on ourselves. to be the thinnest woman in the world. to be the highest paid athlete in sports. and the realityof it all is that the people we tend to emulate and throw ourselves at lead unfulfilling lives, because they realize money cannot buy happiness.
no scratch that. money buys happiness.but it doesn't buy satisfaction. Take Gilbert Arenas for example. Or Michael Vick. Both of these athletes are two of the best. they came from humble beginnings and reached stardom. But in the wake of all of the fame and glory, they weren't satisfied. they needed an edge, so to speak. they needed something that would give them a little vitality....and look how they ended up.
Vick was locked up and now is a back up quarterback who rarely sees action.
Arenas has been suspended indefinitely.
and for what? they didn't want for anything. Gilbert was guaranteed $80 million over the next 5years! there was a void that needed to be filled, and no amount of money, or cars, or women could fill it.
now im not saying that people shouldnt strive to be the best. i still have every intention of moving to florida with a house on the canal and a yacht chilling in the water, with a beautiful family that loves me. i still plan on owning my own business,and taking my children to hawaii and paris. but i would never allow them to think that they were better than the cashier at Old Navy or the stock boy at Jewel. my kids wont be snobs who expect to get what they want when they want, and look down on others who aren't as well off as they are. I'll take them out to volunteer at soup kitchens during the holidays. not as a punishment, but as a valuable life lesson to appreciate the blessings they have; to be willing to help others,even if its just helping an old lady with her groceries.
this is what it means to be human. not the cold, heartless, power hungry people you see in movies, tv,and music. i bet you that when my time comes, i will die with a smile on my face, even if its tonight, because in my heart i know that i was the best that i could be. so many people say they are afraid to die. why? it's an inevitability so that can't be the case. i think those who fear, don't fear death, but the reality of a failed existence. knowing that you never left a real mark on an individual's life has to be the most terrifying, gut-wrenching realization.
so tell me Facebook.....
are you afraid?
till next time.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Vol. 36: Reality CheckMILF heads! did you miss me? It's certainly been a long time since my last entry (august to be exact). But I am back in full eff
MILF heads! did you miss me? It's certainly been a long time since my last entry (august to be exact). But I am back in full effect after an extended slump in writing, motivation....pretty much life.
But that's another story. What's relevant is what I'm bringing to you today. with the holiday season (including Thanksgiving) on the back burner, life is slowly but surely returning to normal. Unfortunately, the condition normality for Americans remains to be economic turmoil. unemployment, inflation, and taxes continue to cripple the tranquility set forth by the Clinton Administration. So called professionals downplay the state of the economy, trying to reassure everyone that the recession, which "officially" began in December of 2007, is over. I'll break this down for you
An Economic Recession is defined as a general slowdown in economic activity. I'll come back to this in a minute.
Last month, The Bureau of Labor Statistics (bls.gov) released a report of the work experience of the population. according to this report, of the 157.5 million able bodied,non-student laborers, 21.2 million experienced unemployment at some point in 2008, an increase of 6.1 million from 2007. things only got worse in 2009, with rapid declines in construction, manufacturing, and information employment. These declined not because of inexperience of workers, but (at least in my belief) because of outsourcing.
Construction: many new homes on the market were pre constructed and brought to the lot.
Information: remember the last time you called State Farm or Dell? did the rep sound like Apu from the Simpsons?
Manufacturing: do me a favor. Go look at your iPod/iPhone, motorola or nokia cell, Wii, xbox, and/or PS3. Don't worry I'll wait................... Made in China right? BMW: Germany (sorry Susie); Nissan: Korea. Chevys: yup--windows from Milan, powrtrain from Germany and tires from South America.
what's even worse is the effect outsourcing has on the next generation of laborers (basically everyone reading this blog). among 16-24 year olds, only 46.1% are employed, the lowest percentage since the government started recording this data in 1948. 1 in 10 adults between 18 and 34 have been forced to move back in with their parents because they cant afford to live on their own. additionally, 15% of adults under 35 have postponed getting married and 14% having a baby.while they may not seem to be, having children and marriage do add greatly to the market (marriage means, new house, insurance, taxes, etc).
so lets do some math
outsourcing = increase of unemployment and underemployment (i.e. CEOs becoming bartenders)
un/underemployment = increase in welfare and public assistance/boomerang kids
increase of public assistance = increase in local and federal taxes (this is a condensed version of course)
increase of taxes + un/underemployment = less individual income
less individual income = decline in individual spending (on houses, cars, clothing, dining out, groceries, etc)
decline in individual spending = downsizing = increase in unemployment/underemployment
wait. was that the beginning of the cycle? i believe it was
in no way am i writing to instill fear in the hopeful. rather to educate, as i always do. i want everyone to realize that the professionals are right. The recession is over...because it's become a depression. a depression is defined as an economy that is in a recessional state for 3 consecutive quarters. January 2010 was the beginning of the 5th. So I'm urging everyone, don't believe the doubt. its not a recession to wall street because it doesn't effect them. it effects the working class. the people who wake up everyday at 4:30 in the morning to get to work. it effects the cops, firemen, small business owners, nurses, and even the meat cutters. It effects us. the people who were forced into a predicament brought on by a greedy and thoughtless Administration (yes, that was a shot at the GOP). and although things may finally be beginning to turn around, we are still a long way off from economic peace. So spend wisely, readers, before you become part of the statistic.
cant wait till the fall....ECON MAJOR BABY!!! lol
till next time, peace, love and eternal jazzyness.
But that's another story. What's relevant is what I'm bringing to you today. with the holiday season (including Thanksgiving) on the back burner, life is slowly but surely returning to normal. Unfortunately, the condition normality for Americans remains to be economic turmoil. unemployment, inflation, and taxes continue to cripple the tranquility set forth by the Clinton Administration. So called professionals downplay the state of the economy, trying to reassure everyone that the recession, which "officially" began in December of 2007, is over. I'll break this down for you
An Economic Recession is defined as a general slowdown in economic activity. I'll come back to this in a minute.
Last month, The Bureau of Labor Statistics (bls.gov) released a report of the work experience of the population. according to this report, of the 157.5 million able bodied,non-student laborers, 21.2 million experienced unemployment at some point in 2008, an increase of 6.1 million from 2007. things only got worse in 2009, with rapid declines in construction, manufacturing, and information employment. These declined not because of inexperience of workers, but (at least in my belief) because of outsourcing.
Construction: many new homes on the market were pre constructed and brought to the lot.
Information: remember the last time you called State Farm or Dell? did the rep sound like Apu from the Simpsons?
Manufacturing: do me a favor. Go look at your iPod/iPhone, motorola or nokia cell, Wii, xbox, and/or PS3. Don't worry I'll wait................... Made in China right? BMW: Germany (sorry Susie); Nissan: Korea. Chevys: yup--windows from Milan, powrtrain from Germany and tires from South America.
what's even worse is the effect outsourcing has on the next generation of laborers (basically everyone reading this blog). among 16-24 year olds, only 46.1% are employed, the lowest percentage since the government started recording this data in 1948. 1 in 10 adults between 18 and 34 have been forced to move back in with their parents because they cant afford to live on their own. additionally, 15% of adults under 35 have postponed getting married and 14% having a baby.while they may not seem to be, having children and marriage do add greatly to the market (marriage means, new house, insurance, taxes, etc).
so lets do some math
outsourcing = increase of unemployment and underemployment (i.e. CEOs becoming bartenders)
un/underemployment = increase in welfare and public assistance/boomerang kids
increase of public assistance = increase in local and federal taxes (this is a condensed version of course)
increase of taxes + un/underemployment = less individual income
less individual income = decline in individual spending (on houses, cars, clothing, dining out, groceries, etc)
decline in individual spending = downsizing = increase in unemployment/underemployment
wait. was that the beginning of the cycle? i believe it was
in no way am i writing to instill fear in the hopeful. rather to educate, as i always do. i want everyone to realize that the professionals are right. The recession is over...because it's become a depression. a depression is defined as an economy that is in a recessional state for 3 consecutive quarters. January 2010 was the beginning of the 5th. So I'm urging everyone, don't believe the doubt. its not a recession to wall street because it doesn't effect them. it effects the working class. the people who wake up everyday at 4:30 in the morning to get to work. it effects the cops, firemen, small business owners, nurses, and even the meat cutters. It effects us. the people who were forced into a predicament brought on by a greedy and thoughtless Administration (yes, that was a shot at the GOP). and although things may finally be beginning to turn around, we are still a long way off from economic peace. So spend wisely, readers, before you become part of the statistic.
cant wait till the fall....ECON MAJOR BABY!!! lol
till next time, peace, love and eternal jazzyness.
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