Would you want me to have a gun at school?

“The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun.”
Facepalm. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/22/us/nra-calls-for-armed-guards-at-schools.html

Oh Google...

Interesting Op-Ed on Google. I kind of wish there was a "dumbed down for middle school" version of this so I could show my middle schoolers why they shouldn't use Google for everything in their life.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/19/opinion/why-google-has-too-much-power-over-your-private-life.html

Guess what? Walmart's corrupt

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/18/business/walmart-bribes-teotihuacan.html


I know. I am as shocked and surprised as you are. Corruption by Walmart? In Mexico?
All I know is that I'm so glad that when I go visit the pyramids in Mexico I can also easily purchase my very much needed Dr. Thunder at the closely and conveniently located Walmart.

I know, I know...

So it's been forever and a day. Trust me, this teaching thing is no cake walk. Though occasionally there is cake. So that helps.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/18/nyregion/silent-since-shootings-nra-could-face-challenge-to-political-power.html

So, with everything that has happened in CT- do we actually think something will change? The optimist in me hopes so, but there is a part of me that thinks nothing will change. Ah apathy. Nothing says holiday spirit quite like it, right?

It is refreshing to hear many pro-gun government folks come out saying that some things do need to change; and it's good to have the discussion started about how we treat mental illness in this country- I just hope that for once, something actually comes of it. Only time will tell I suppose...maybe once we fall off the fiscal cliff and/or the world ends on Friday?

https://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/07/23-0
Read this. Forget complacency and apathy. Fight the good fight. That is all.

Do you think this is too extreme? Too many Nazi/genocide comparisons? But honestly, if all we did with our lives was sit back, only concerned with ourselves and our own well being, this world is going to shit. Oh wait...that's already happening.

College Woes...Again

So I recently had a conversation with a friend about how I find myself less and less reading the editorial section of the NY Times. Not that it's awful, but many times it's either saying something that isn't of much importance in the grand scheme of things or just telling me something I already know/think/etc. That being said, I still enjoy "Room for Debate" immensely and every now and then find an editorial that sparks my interest:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/26/opinion/fixing-college-through-lower-costs-and-better-technology.html?_r=1&hp&gwh=7C37C0C6AC0C407B5EF21DD2A23D8CD3

I don't know how many times it needs to be said, but let's keep saying it until it happens: the price of college needs to decrease dramatically. There are many ways to do so, many option available to try- so there's no excuse for college to cost as much as it does in today's world.

Dang Worthless Librarians...

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/30/us/new-digital-divide-seen-in-wasting-time-online.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all


So this article is slightly old (May 29) and I remember skimming over it and having some snarky conversations with myself. I didn't post it, but since there has been some backlash/uproar since this article came out, I thought it might be appropriate to post.

So...the FCC wants to create a task force to teach literacy skills? Here's a thought- maybe if libraries of all kinds were better staffed, this could help the problem. But with budget cut after budget cut, public, academic, school, etc libraries are strateching their professionals thin and using people that aren't trained to do more library related work. While I have mentioned many times that I'm still unsure of the total value of my Master's, it did give me a better understanding of the importance of information literacy, the role that libraries play in the community- these are things that on the job training wouldn't necessarily give me. But when you have people who don't have extensive training (because most libraries are hiring people without a Master's to save money but not training them much to, again, save money) doing a good amount of work in a library- our constituents are not getting the best service. But time and again, budgets are slashed over and over, with libraries somehow having to get by on bare bones while usage goes up every year.

It just seems counterproductive of the FCC to want this task force. Why not put that money towards funding/grants for libraries? More staff who are better trained would be able to provide this assistance with the skills the FCC wants to develop.

This article really had me thinking about school librarians. In an ideal world, I would have loved to have gotten my Master's and certification to be a school library media specialist. It combines all the things I love- working with students of different ages, information literacy, books, collaborating to improve education. But when it came down to it I would have had to spend more money to take extra classes, plus the costs of student teaching- in this economy and especially since school librarians have an even more unstable job market compared to other librarians- it didn't seem like a worthwhile risk. It makes me sad that I had to make such a decision, but that's life. But imagine if this money was funneled towards hiring more professionals to be in school libraries, the impact it could have on our education, specifically digital/information literacy could be amazing. Now I'm not usually a proponent of, as many stereotypical GOP'ers say "throwing money at the problem to fix it". But I don't think that is the case here. It would be hiring professionals, who have been trained, done research and are filled with ideas- to come and better the community. But you'd have to pay them real money- and sadly, I think that's what it comes down to.

The Education Black Hole

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/12/us/politics/in-romneys-voucher-education-policy-a-return-to-gop-roots.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&hp&gwh=9DF88BEF89F75A2FBC7D6A28E15921E6

Education really is turning into a black hole...and every Tom, Dick and Harry has their own solution. There was No Child Left Behind- which had some good ideas, and some really shitty ones too. Obama has sort of taken a hodgepodge approach- a little bit of testing, little bit of charter schools, little bit of helping struggling schools get better, etc. Romney wants to do quite an overhaul- essentially turning education into a voucher system- because he claims it will foster competition and make schools better overall. When you take it at face value, Romney's plan sounds great, seems simple and seems like it would succeed. And I can't say it would be a complete failure. But in further reading about it, about how kids will get to choose whatever school they want- public, private, charter- how will success be deemed? I haven't heard much from him about that. And if Romney decided to get rid of the Dept of Education- who will oversee to make sure that schools are spending the money wisely...who will provide oversight?
Would marketplace dynamics help education? Because it's failing. We all know that. And floundering is not helping. What went wrong? Everyone has an answer to that question as well. I personally like Obama's approach of trying to fix schools but also change our views towards education. I don't agree with every aspect of his education policy, but if we fail to look at how our society views education, nothing will change. We need to get people to care about school again, we need to groom parents who are involved in their child's education, we need to groom students who take their education seriously. Ok, now I'm grandstanding a little.

A blog you should be reading

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/tag/suleika-jaouad/

Not a funny blog. No funny pictures of cats. Just a heartfelt blog through the NY Times chronicling the journey of a 23 year old cancer patient. It'll give you some food for thought, and maybe even a little perspective.
Yes, it's sad. But it's not depressing. And it doesn't try to make you feel guilty. It just gives a honest look at what it's like to be a young adult with cancer- a group of cancer patients that don't usually get much attention.

Sucks to be a recent grad...

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/05/opinion/the-class-of-2012.html?_r=1&ref=opinion?hp

I like this editorial until the end when it gets all political. I figured it would happen, but it's part of the problem. If either side keeps blaming the other for something like this, we'll never get anywhere. Mindsets need to change- students shouldn't feel that they have to go to college. Students who want to go to college shouldn't feel the stigma of going to a community college the first 2 years. It just makes me angry to see how this generation is getting the short end of the stick- and it's not their fault. We're still living in a country where if you don't have a college degree, you're passed over. So these kids continue to go- incur debt, get low paying job they're overqualified for and then are told they are lazy and entitled because they have trouble paying back loans.

Sigh.

Privacy? What is it good for?

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/23/technology/google-privacy-inquiries-get-little-cooperation.html?pagewanted=1&hp&gwh=77883A123200D8E57071F073AF98EBEA

Privacy is treated very differently in the US vs Europe. I figured anyone that reads this already knew that. But it's still interesting to learn about. There's been some recent hubbub regarding Google and their cars and the information they have supposedly been gathering (well, it's not so supposed...).

So it got me to thinkin' about privacy, how much it has changed in the last 20 years, how willingly we give it up. It's definitely tied to the generations who have grown up with technology- I have 18-19 year old cousins who are much more willing to give up certain aspects of their privacy than me- look at what a difference even 10 years makes.

The thought has also crossed my mind about the Patriot Act. Would todays college aged students have been as up in arms as I was when that was passed? Could it be because they feel (whether rightly or not) that they are not threatened? Obviously when someone doesn't feel threatened they are more willing to give up privacy rights (Shout out to Facebook- holla!).

Could Europe's handling of privacy be tied to their history? Nazis, Communists, totalitarian regimes loved breaching privacy to get what they wanted. Ends justifies the means- right, Machiavelli? We have this innate ability of sweeping hard parts of our past under the rug here in the US. Could be because of how we teach or don't teach history...but that's a whole other can of worms.

Alcoholism and Native Americans

http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2012/05/16/how-to-address-alcoholism-on-indian-reservations
Another interesting "Room for Debate"...I'm telling you readers, it's worth checking out every week just to see what they've covered. Sometimes it's dumb (I'm allowed to say that because I read the NY Times every day), but I'd say on average once a week there's a good one.

So here's the back story: the town of Whiteclay, Nebraska is very close to the Pine Ridge reservation (also in Nebraska). Pine Ridge is one of the largest reservations in the country and coincidentally, bans alcohol. Whiteclay is considered a gateway town where over 4 millions units of alcohol (cans, bottles, etc) are sold yearly. What's its population? 10. The tribe can do nothing under the law with Whiteclay because it's out of their jurisdiction. Pine Ridge covers counties in Nebraks and South Dakota and sadly, one of the counties in South Dakota has the same life expectency as living in Afghanistan.

So, what to do? Do we blame the reservation for not doing enough? Do we blame companies that make/distribute alcohol? Do we blame the U.S. government (and in a sense, U.S. society as a whole) for where centuries of oppression have led these people?

There are no easy answers. Many Native American activists are calling for Anheuser-Busch to have to pay some sort of restitution, since a majority of the products sold in Whiteclay are made by them. The Oglala Sioux has also brought lawsuits against the company as well as other distributors and retailers. Some want the government to extend the tribe's boundaries to include Whiteclay, thus making the alcohol sales illegal. Oh, and Anheuser-Busch? They haven't said a damn thing.

On a tangent, what saddens me about this is that people get all up in arms about where the money at Komen goes or doesn't go. We complain about our tax dollars going to this or that. We worry about a lot of complex things. But I really doubt that a lot of people are worried about this. These are people we've put in the worst situation we could possibly think of. And then we take our sweet time in offering any help or solutions. I really hope something comes of this.

Mladic's Trial

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/17/world/europe/mladic-bosnian-serb-leader-faces-war-crimes-charges.html?ref=world&gwh=A638265057AECC27FFBFE48CFD1D7127
So Ratko Mladic's war crimes trial is finally starting. If you don't know who he is, here's the crash course: big player in the massacre at Srebenica and all around ethnic cleansing in Sarajevo. So all in all, not the greatest guy.

In college I took a class on global human rights and one question we discussed I would like to pose: is it better that we have these war crimes trials, or should the justice be swifter, considering that most times a trial is at The Hague, the evidence is stacked against them. Also, for trials such as this, should the death penalty apply?

Partisan Psychology

Interesting article/audio from NPR about how it is actually painful for partisans to hear facts that challenge their pre-existing views.
In other news- stop saying that Obama can do anything about gas prices and that he's politicizing killing Bin Laden. It's hurting me.
It's hard to analyze this article- because anything I say could be skewed as my reaction as a supposed partisan.
But thinking about how our minds deal with challenging facts is quite interesting. Do you think one side or the other is more adept at hearing facts that challenge their beliefs? Or is it both sides, so partisan and polarized these past few years that despite facts staring them in the face that are contrary to their beliefs they stick to their guns? And, why are we electing people like that? We want politicians who have strong beliefs but are able to ebb and flow with the times and their constituencies- I mean, as a die hard Dem, I still would rather have politicians who can reach across the aisle and make things work.

The Bear is Back!

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/08/world/europe/vladimir-putin-returns-to-presidency-in-russia.html?_r=1&ref=world

I figured since it's been a while since I've blogged (Grad School Finals= no fun), what better to come back than to talk about Putin getting the presidency back! Sometimes...I don't understand Russia. I understand it's very corrupt. I understand people have been rioting for a few days now over Putin regaining the role of President. So what will having Putin back as president bring? Increased animosity towards the U.S.? A plethora of photos of an unsmiling Putin, sure to give any child a nightmare? Better economy? Guess only time will tell...

China v US

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/03/world/asia/chinese-insider-offers-rare-glimpse-of-us-china-frictions.html?_r=1&ref=world

All I can say about this is: isn't this old news? And hasn't China been "beating" us for quite some time.

Suicide and War

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/04/02/a-burden-too-heavy-to-bear/

Interesting short article about how far we've come to understanding the perils of war and the toll it takes on those who fight it. This article focuses on suicide, which mostly happened in the South, during the Civil War.

I know...because you want to hear more about Kony

http://m.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/03/the-white-savior-industrial-complex/254843/

So by now we've all heard/seen this Kony video and the uproar it caused. Is Kony bad? Yes. Does the video do much besides advocacy? I say no, but it's debatable. Not to sound like a big old cynic, but I just didn't see what the big deal with this video was. I've known about Invisible Children for a few years now as well as Kony. Anyone who actively keeps up with world news would know who he is. So for all of you folks who follow/enjoy my New York Times posts take heed- you might actually be getting something out of it! Should there be justice? Of course. Anyone who is criticizing this video, the charity, etc is not ok with Kony or anything he does or did in the past.

Teju Cole didn't care for it. He's a New York writer, every now and then you'll see his stuff in the New York Times and the New Yorker. After this whole Kony blow up, he posted 7 Tweets that are quite interesting to check out in the link. He brings up the issue of white priveledge and the white savior. They are good points to bring up, but hard to talk about, since most people don't think they're racist. As a white person, while I know that I don't actively promote racism or support it in any way, I am racist. I benefit from a society where being white is better. I remember an amazing training I had while I was in AmeriCorps and what they told us in a nutshell: white people in the U.S. are, in some way in the life, racist. We may not know it, but it's there. And the best thing we can do is to actively fight for "the other team" to combat the way our society operates.

We have had this vicious cycle/relationship with the African continent for centuries. At first we enslaved them. Then we had them loyal to our governments, or if they formed their own governments- the leaders needed to be Europe/American friendly. We pushed our religion, our culture and our ideals on people whether they liked it or not. We exploited their people and their land for natural resources. So I can see why a Nigerian American writer is frustrated that people think giving money to Kony and getting a bracelet and posting on their Facebook/Twitter is the golden ticket to solving Africa's problems. Cole is right when he says "Feverish worry over that awful African warlord. But close to 1.5 million Iraqis died from an American war of choice. Worry about that."- he's not saying Kony is bad, but he is saying that Americans bring this upon ourselves- these countries are so reliant on the outside world to the point where it's very easy for somehow like Kony to get power- the people are so beaten down, uneducated and apathetic they don't know what else to do. We cause these problems, and then they get so bad and we're shocked, disgusted! Saddam Huessein is awful. But we didn't always think so- we contributed to the problem in so many ways.

So, now that I've incited a race war and hated on soldiers (because talking this like will get me labeled as such, even if I am the daughter of a veteran)- thoughts?

House Schmouse

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2012/02/the-end-of-ownership-why-arent-young-people-buying-more-houses/253750/

Article from The Atlantic- why don't young people want to buy homes? Because they'll suck the life out of us! Well, not really...unless the house was built on top of an Indian burial ground. Then you're screwed.

Many of us young folks (pretty soon I won't be able to call myself that...) are struggling with developing a new view of our world. We grew up seeing/hearing/etc that being successful meant owning a home. But today, I think I'd rather rent and save for retirement and pay off my debts before I think about that. We've seen an economy tank- so of course we will be cautious. We can't find decent jobs that will last a lifetime (honestly, I can probably count on 2 hands how many people I think will stay in the job they have now for the rest of their lives). I feel like I'm hustlin' through life- just trying to find something so I can get by.

I guess I look at the prospect of owning a home and all the money it takes to do so, and it doesn't excite me as much as it "should". I have anxiety attacks thinking about my student loans- handling those with a mortgage? Uh...no.

But once/if the economy bounces back, will we just fall back into the old routines, the old ways? Or is there a fundamental culture shift going on right now that is causing many young people to re-evaluate the importance of home ownership? Is there shame in renting for much of your life? Is there shame in raising a family while renting? I think these are questions many young people are trying to answer.

Oh Russia...

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/06/world/europe/observers-detail-flaws-in-russian-election.html?_r=1&ref=world

Seriously, sometimes I wonder why we bother with Russia. And don't get me wrong- I'm very fascinated by the country, it's history, it's culture, etc. But they're regressing. And what better way to do it than by electing Mr. Bear himself, Vladimir Putin? I just don't know how much that country wants democracy the way the Western world does...it's not for everyone. But obviously it's not working there. People are unhappy, starving and of course there's Chechnya.

Mooching

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/17/opinion/krugman-moochers-against-welfare.html?smid=FB-nytimes&WT.mc_id=OP-E-FB-SM-LIN-MAW-021712-NYT-NA&WT.mc_ev=click

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/12/us/even-critics-of-safety-net-increasingly-depend-on-it.html?pagewanted=1&gwh=C936D2209D3A66F6E62DB42157E85370

I know- it's halfway through February and I haven't posted a thing. I guess the news was making me too mad to blog (I'm looking at you, Komen...and you too, Catholic Bishops).

I randomly came across the first link. It's short and sweet, much like an editorial should be. The second link is much longer and much more interesting and is referenced in the editorial.

It's really interesting to read of this new trend, where area where majorities of people receive some sort of government assistance are turning more Republican. I don't quite understand it. Reading a quote from one man who depends on Medicare says that the problems with these entitlement programs is on the shoulders of the younger generations (yay us?) because he was paid what he was told and wants what he was promised. Baby boomers. Sometimes I don't understand them. Mostly because my parents are baby boomers, but a little more hippie-ish and life long Dems. They didn't have the burdens of past generations on their shoulders while trying to make a life- so they have no idea what it's like to grow up in what's considered the "prime" of your life knowing that if things don't change, you will be paying a lot for a program that will be sucked dry when the time comes for you to use it. Yes, the Boomers paid their dues- and I haven't? I will pay as much or more into Medicare and Social Security and I honestly don't know if they'll be around when I'm 65.

As a society, when did it become ok to feel such entitlement? When did it become the norm to use government programs yet criticize them in the next breath?

If it weren't for government programs- I don't know if my family would have been able to get by the way we did. We didn't prosper by any means, but we got by. Social Security and the VA were a huge part of it. And what I really respect in my parents (or any person) is that they recognized the help and want to make sure others can benefit from these programs. The second story has many Minnesota residents who use government programs and are very ashamed and think they could get by with less...but they don't. And apparently won't unless the government cuts funding (they dislike government involvement, yet won't make personal changes until the government mandates it so. This makes no sense to me). I understand that these government programs are around as a safety net- for unexpected happenings. Yes, there are people that abuse the system.

I wonder if we need to become ok with the fact that there will always be people who will try and sometimes be successful at abusing the system. Maybe we should focus on an overhaul that closes some of these loopholes- instead of just slashing and burning.

I have benefitted from government programs. I'm ok with that. Social Security gave money to my parents for as long as I was their dependent. And trust me, if you knew how much they give...it ain't much. When I was in college my parents used those Social Security checks to pay for my books. I think they got the better end of that deal...and when I did AmeriCorps- serving my country for $700 a month- I used food stamps. I didn't want to at first, but couldn't make it. And I was very happy to find a job and not have to use that program, knowing that the $$ could be passed on to another person needing some help. So it's really hard to wrap my mind around that there are people who use government programs and benefit from them, but would rather that others don't get the same benefits they do. Is it noble to read that there are those who would pledge to make do within cuts to govt programs? Of course. But why aren't they doing so already?

Ok...I could keep going, but I think a point has been made.

Food Stamp Fingerprinting

http://www.npr.org/2012/01/30/145905246/the-clash-over-fingerprinting-for-food-stamps?sc=fb&cc=fp

This is always a hard subject for me to have a distinct stance on. On the one hand, there are many people who would probably play the system and fraud the government to get more money in Food Stamps. These are the people that are the stereotypes and what uninformed people think of when they think of Food Stamp recipients- people who intentionally don't work, have too many children, etc etc. But I would say most (and no, I don't have a statistic to back it up) people who use Food Stamps actually do need them for many different reasons- low paying job, unemployment, AmeriCorps, disability, etc.

In Minnesota, the process is considered not as harsh as in other states. But I don't know if people can truly understand how demeaning it feels- how you feel like a failure, how all the employees (whether intentional or not) make you feel like you're an awful person. Your time isn't valued at all- I remember when I was in AmeriCorps and was applying- I had to go in for a face to face interview with my mountain of paperwork. But I was assigned a team number and had to interview with my team. I got there at opening time and waited an hour and a half for someone from my team to show up. I remember being very thankful that I was in a position to wait that long- I couldn't imagine being a single parent or someone who's job wasn't so understanding.

But I am truly on the fence- I know something needs to be done so that people aren't so easily able to fraud the system. But I also know I don't want to live somewhere where people feel like convicts just to get some help with food.

What do black people think of "The Help"?

http://acriticalreviewofthehelp.wordpress.com/2011/08/28/what-do-black-people-think-of-the-help/

This is from another blog, and it's kind of long but a pretty fast read. Since "The Help" is getting award buzz, I thought this was timely although the book and movie have been out for a while. And I'm probably one of the few who haven't read the book or seen the movie. I'll probably eventually see the movie version, some night when I'm bored and I want to stream a movie on Netflix. It's sad that I can categorize my interest in movies as such: will pay full price, will wait until it's at a second run theater or wait until I'm bored and it's on Netflix. It's not that I think I'll dislike the movie...but from what I've heard, while it's moving, it completely ignores a large part of what living in the South was like for African Americans pre Civil Rights. I know the claims that for once, it gives the black characters a voice...but it seems like it also trivializes. I'll never claim to ever be able to come close to understanding the life of a domestic worker, then and now, all over the world, no matter the race (though if you want a brief peek into the life of domestic workers, there's a few chapters on it in the book "Global Woman: Nannies, maids and sex workers in the new economy") and I don't want to say that a white woman cannot write from the point of view from another race. That's absurd. I just don't know whether she did a good job or not...I know many people have said that at the heart of the story is the idea of female love and female empowerment...but I imagine that would be a hard pill to swallow when the African American characters are placed in stereotypical situations (much like past literature/cinema, while the character Skeeter claims to be helping the African American characters, they are in fact helping her achieve her dream of being published).
I just wonder if this book failed because it wasn't able to overcome the period in which it took place. More thoughts when I actually see the movie or read the book.

West Memphis 3

http://tv.nytimes.com/2012/01/12/arts/television/paradise-lost-3-purgatory-on-hbo-review.html?ref=arts

The West Memphis 3 has been a case I've been following since high school, mainly because of these documentaries that were aired on HBO. I'll be interested to see this final installment, as well as two full length movies that are slated to be made (one's by Peter Jackson!). Want to see the failure of the justice system- look at what happened to these 3 guys.

Obesity Campaign

http://www.npr.org/2012/01/09/144799538/controversy-swirls-around-harsh-anti-obesity-ads?sc=fb&cc=fp

Interesting campaign in Georgia against childhood obesity. Should the govt be intervening on eating habits? Is that crossing a line? C'mon libertarian friends- let loose!

It's an interesting approach- using the same approach as anti tobacco and anti meth ads. Maybe to some it may seem extreme- but maybe we just want to ignore how dire the obesity epidemic really is. It's kind of weird...because as someone who tries (somewhat) to live healthy (stupid diet and exercise...I want pizza!) seeing these awful habits start early and translate into such awful health situations upsets me. But I also know many people in my life whose weight adversely affects their health- and I don't hate them and I'm not mad at them. Hate the addiction, not the addict, I suppose...

Land of Opportunity

http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2012/01/08/is-the-us-still-a-land-of-opportunity

You should be well aware for my affinity for Room For Debate with the NY Times. Lately there have been some good topics after a dry spell of just ho hum stuff. This one focuses on upward mobility and whether the US still provides the opportunities we love to look back on so fondly in our history.

It's an interesting thing to ponder- I would say most folks in my age group grew up with our parents wanting us to "have it better than them." Of course that can mean many different things. For my parents, it meant going to college for better job security. And I guess in that sense, I have succeeded. But I'm pretty sure my parents never imagined how out of control student loans/college costs and healthcare would become. And for my parents, they're somewhat an exception for their age group- my mom and dad have excellent healthcare and aren't faced with increasing costs as they age (at least not as much compared to others in their age bracket). My dad being a veteran and my mom a nurse means they luckily get coverage and taken care of when they're ill. If my dad wasn't a vet, my parents would be drowning in so much more debt from just medical bills. Ok...let me get back on track.

I honestly don't see myself getting much more "upward" in the class sense. Yes, I have a college degree and an advanced one at that- but that doesn't mean what it used to. The Master's is the new Bachelor's, and the Bachelor's is the new high school degree. Until we can correct this change, I don't see how young people can expect to move upward in society- not with the debt that will beset most of them.

But could it also be that there is a new attitude? I know many people who are in my age group who would rather live less extravagant but debt free than be upwardly mobile but have debt. Could it be that the idea of moving upward in society isn't as appealing (kind of in a frontierism historiography sense- look it up or ask me to further explain) as it used to be? I certainly don't ascertain to live some sort of high life. I just hope to be able to pay off my debts and be able to have a roof over my head and a job that I enjoy. The rest- family, possessions, etc.- are all perks. Could today's young people be realizing that minimalist lifestyles are more suitable for them?

So I went on a mini hiatus/vacation/celebrating those holidays. The Iowa Caucuses have come and gone- my only comment about that would be this: I totally called the Romney win, months ago. And I totally called the Bachmann fail. Santorum? Eh, flash in the pan.

I've also recently been experiencing the wonderful world of tenant rights. Have flooding happen in your kitchen will do that. So far being a squeaky wheel has worked to my advantage and they're making the repairs I asked for. I still plan on bringing in a city inspector after they're done to see if there's more that needs to be done. Big thing I've learned from this- (obviously this is different state by state, city by city) in the City of Minneapolis, if you feel that your apartment landlords/owners aren't making proper repairs after you asked/complained, you can bring in a city inspector free of charge. If they find anything that needs repaired, they can cite the company to force them to make the repairs. If anything, this experience is definitely an educating one- and if you can come out of them learning something, I take that as a success.

Hopefully this week and next I'll be back into the swing of things- posting news from the fringe and offering my un solicited insight!