Spending Money Wisely

In the current state of the hurting economy, making financially irresponsible decisions are not as uncommon as we wish them to be. On yahoo there is a story about the money lessons that we as Americans tend to forget. A lot of these lessons we learn about money are the ones we learned when we first started getting an allowance. When push comes to shove though, many of us tend to forget to take money as seriously as it should be.

            The article cites five different lessons that many adults tend to overlook when handling finances. These are: Knowing what you can afford, use savings as a priority and not an afterthought, know how to use credit cards, deal with debt as soon as possible, and knowing to ask about anything we didn’t learn.

            When it comes down to how average Americans regard finances, a lot of them are not very wise upon the matters. Dealing with debt is one of the tips I found most interesting. As a college student, getting debt is usually just a way of life. Many people cannot afford the money to pay for college up front. Many students are not eligible for scholarships. When you live in the middle class you live in the state of having enough money to get in debt, but not enough to earn many scholarships. As a transfer student only attending a college for two year, I am still wondering how I may manage to pay the debts for my education.

            Savings is another topic that was very interesting in the article. The article talks about how savings is mandatory and needs to be part of our life. Putting a percentage of our paycheck in savings account can be a good back-up just in case if any hardships occur. I tend to forget to save my money. As a student, it is hard to save money. My generation spends very much money on entertainment. We do not save as much as we should. When I used to work retail, I used to spend my money so quickly. The money would go towards things like movie tickets, fast food, music, DVD’s, and new guitar gear. I regret not saving a percentage of every pay check for any unexpected emergencies.

            It is easy to forget some of the basic skills that we learned as a child. When I was 8 years old and got my first allowance I was told by my parents to only buy what I could afford. This meant I had to plan ahead and think what else I may need to pay for as the week goes by. Learning to spend money responsibly is more of a discipline you polish over time. It is not something you learn to do in a flash and then are perfect at in a blink of an eye.

            Though there a few other points worth mentioning from the article, it is good to note that these money spending points are worth keeping track of. Spending money wisely has always been a subject of challenge to me.

http://financiallyfit.yahoo.com/finance/article-112592-9401-3-money-lessons-we-should-have-learned-in-childhood?ywaad=ad0035

St. Louis Tornado

On Friday the 22^nd of April, a tornado pillaged throughout the region of St. Louis. The tornado was remarked to be one of the regions worst since 1967. The storm was so strong that it closed down the city’s Lambert International Airport. This news was alarming, because it showed that there is not one place in this world that is completely safe for weather.

            Thankfully there were no recorded deaths during the storm. No fatal injuries were yet recorded as well. Tough lives were not as affected, the level of damage was intense. It shattered thousands of homes and knocked out power for over 50,000 residents. The rocky weather and incidents made for a turbulent Easter weekend for the this citizens of St. Louis.

            The overall damage was not due alone by the works of a twister. It was also accompanied by a thunderstorm that ravaged within an 85 mile range Missouri terrain. This added more strength for damage. National Weather service registered the twister in the EF-4 category.

            Though this was not the most devastating natural disaster recorded in the region, it still brings up talks about the current situation of natural disasters in our world we live in. The world is continually shaking due to one fact. It is a fallen world. We do not live in a place that is immune to such damages. It will continue to get worse.

            After two days of the damage from the disaster, the city is recovering with its airport. The airport is working at 60% capacity. The city showed some better preparation compared to previous natural disasters that have hurt the country. The airport hopes to bring up all of the flights at the right schedule by mid week. The twenty-four hour shutdown of the airport set beck many flights. The ceiling and windows of the main terminal which was most affected by the storm is currently under construction.

            It could have been worse. It also could have been more surprising. Devastating tornadoes are more notable to attack the dead center of the country. This area is know as tornado alley. The states most attacked by tornados are Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. However, weather is not as easily predicted as many would wish it to be.

            The state of Missouri is nearby tornado alley. This does not mean that the strong tornadoes are not specific to only being visible in the main six states. Certain weather patterns can have the tendency be found in other areas nearby.

            Hopefully, St. Louis will recover from the damage as soon as possible. With all that is occurring in the world with earthquakes and natural disasters it is easy to ask the question of when it will end. We just need to place more trust in God. This world is not permanent.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gaT0VrZjXo7JZYf8yEvN9GyLTuBw?docId=bc96cb4c1aae4c82bff403803a3f2a0a

            

Adding More Life

Sometimes living longer can be something that can be adjusted by simple health habits and lifestyle practices. According to Men’s Health there is study that has been done to help anyone to live longer.

            Making relationships last longer, living at higher altitude, brushing teeth frequently, breathing cleaning air, and being accepting towards your age were all listed as ideas that could help someone to live longer. Though some of these ideas seem un-relatable, their results are mentioned to help affect anyone in a positive manner.

            The most random topic of the five I saw was living in higher altitude helping to add to a longer life. The article said that many people who live in the altitude region of Switzerland have a 22% less chance of getting Coronary Hearth Disease. On the other hand, I think there is the trade-off of health defects when people live in high altitudes. People in high altitudes have a higher chance of obtaining Hypoxia, a disorder the body gets when the body is deprived of enough oxygen.

            As opposed to the prior, brushing teeth and breathing clean air seem like obvious picks that could help someone live longer. They are both related to one’s physical health. These both can seem as such little things when they are ignored every so often. In a fast paced lifestyle, these can both be rushed so very often. Most big cities lack the proper clean air. Many people who live in big cities live fast and forget to do the little things such as brushing one’s teeth.

            Not taking care of teeth can lead to plaque build up in arteries as well as contribute to bigger consequences. When breathing polluted air, bacteria and other pollutants can add to contribute to cardiovascular disease. These little things that we tend to disregard can contribute to a bigger danger. Living in Riverside has added to faster lifestyle as well as breathing the dirty air. Being from Oceanside, I live a more low-key lifestyle and breath cleaner air near the beach. In Riverside at school I’m always on the go. Both of these environments have contributed to changing the outcome of my health. Though I cannot change the Riverside air, I can still adjust the amount of time I spend outside.

            Acceptance of age and keeping lasting relationships can contribute to the emotional state of health as much as physical. Many people can find ways to neglect these ideas, since they are not completely intertwined with the physical health side of people.

            Making relationships last, including keeping involvement in a community is said to add up 3.7 years in life expectancy. I can see this being true, since being psychologically healthy leads to less stress. Many people in our culture value their life upon how many friends they have. Maintaining the true friendships helps many feel that they are wanted by others.

            Acceptance of age is the last tip to cite that can contribute to a good life expectancy. We live in a world that consistently put value in those that are young. They forget that many with the most experience wisdom are older. People learning to understand that their age is normal were studied and seen to live 2 years longer.

            It is the little things that can make life expectancy go up. Being psychologically, emotionally, and physically healthy can give one many years on life’s journey.

http://health.yahoo.net/rodale/MH/5-ways-to-cheat-death

Extinction of the East Cougar

Throughout settlement and colonization, many animal's habitats have been threatened. Just recently, the Eastern Cougar was declared extinct by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Since it has been an endangered species since the 1970’s, the species has been struggling to survive its habitat.

            According to the article, researchers have been trying to find out whether or not the cougar had been making its home in the Eastern U.S. It can be easy to say that many official declaration of the species extinction was long overdue. Many have found that it has been hard to find sighting of the creature since 1973.

            In the article, there is a picture of the last known researched cougar from 1938 along with a biologist. The article does not give an exact reason why it has gone extinct. Theories can be speculated. When I took a Biological Anthropology class at my former junior college, I learned from my professor that over 95% of animals that have ever lived have gone extinct. This is natural in many cases. Some animals have a harder time adapting to changing environments that occur. Some have an easier time doing so.

            On the other hand, it is up to us as followers of Christ to take care of the Earth. Adam was given the task to name every animal. Like Adam, we must learn to take care of the animals. God gave us the earth to live on as well as take care of. We were never meant to neglect and forget about God’s creation.

            The problem today leads to ignorance of the matter. Many Christians tend to overlook the idea of taking care of our planet as well as shaking heads at theories that the earth is hurting. Sometimes they may grow even apathetic and believe there is no reason to take care, due to ideas of Jesus Coming back. Yes, Jesus may come back, but he will come like a thief in the night, just as the second letter of Peter said. This is something we as Christians should not worry about.

            I truthfully think that the extinction of the Eastern Cougar is halfway caused by industrialization as well failure of adaptation to a changing environment. Lately I have been seeing post of many other species that are becoming extinct.  The extinctions affect a chain of events as well. When species goes, its predators and prey are affected as well.

            Though it has been declared extinct, the other animals of the same subspecies  have been a subject of research. Some researchers claim to say that are about 120-160 Florida Panthers in the region of south Florida are on the verge of extinction. There is a trend to see that many of these creatures are facing pressure in their own habitat as they only live in 5% of what used to be their normal habitat.

            Let’s be honest, we live in a fallen world. Many things that live are going to face harsh trials. We need to take action though. Donate to wildlife cause. There are many options out there to help. 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41871301/ns/us_news-environment/

The Progression of Camera Lights

According to yahoo news, there is a study that shows that red light cameras have been helping to reduce the number of car crashes. This study was conducted by the Insurance institute for highway safety.

            A lot of drivers who drive around through intersections with camera lights tend to be much more cautious then if there was no camera present. This is simply due to the face when these lights take a picture of the car’s license plate, the driver is then mailed a ticket that goes to straight to his/her house. Running yellow lights that are about to turn red is becoming much more rare when camera lights are present in the scene.

            In the past few years I have seen a great jump in camera lights that are present in many busy intersections. The only problem with these intersection with lights is the fact that many of these locations are extremely busy during rush hour. This makes the drivers much more nervous about when to go and when to stop. They already know that they are not allowed to block an intersection, but sometimes it is hard to predict the possibility of a an intersection clearing up in time for the green light.

            According to the article there is signs that show that red light cameras can cost less money than a police officer who is there to enforce the rules of stoplights. This does not cost the government as much money as they used to. This costs less many and makes it easier for cars speeding through intersections to be caught by an always on patrol camera.

            However there is still the other side of argument. Some groups such as the ACLU, claim that the cameras do not act as well as an officer since it is not a human but a computer instead. These cameras do not show mercy. There is no grace to those who speed ahead. I have seen many people in my town slam their breaks before an intersection right when they saw the lights turn yellow. It can be quite stressing for many drivers.

            I still try to find many ways away from crossing the intersections of the camera light intersections where many of these camera light intersections do exist. The fine for getting your license plate pictured is unbearable to handle with accordance to all the other expenses I have to pay right now.

            Though many are saying that camera lights are helping traffic go smoother in the intersections, I do think it gives many drivers more stress and anxiety while driving in rush hour. Sure many people try to run red lights, but that does not mean that people who follow the rules should be penalized as well.

            Camera lights are still being built more and more as the years go by. We are relying more and more upon technology. There may be a day where all intersections have camera lights. For now though, I am just going to try to find detours away from those annoying intersections.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110201/ap_on_re_us/us_red_light_cameras_fatalities;_ylt=Amb4tiB6fAc9cSKklwzu7bZH2ocA;_ylu=X3oDMTQyZDlmazhiBGFzc2V0Ay9zL2FwLzIwMTEwMjAxL2FwX29uX3JlX3VzL3VzX3JlZF9saWdodF9jYW1lcmFzX2ZhdGFsaXRpZXMEY2NvZGUDbXBfZWNfOF8xMARjcG9zAzYEcG9zAzYEc2VjA3luX3RvcF9zdG9yaWVzBHNsawNzdHVkeWZpbmRzcmU- 

Best Cars of 2011

The age of the SUV is long gone in minds USA citizens. The American Car consumer has been changing for quite some time. With the rise in oil prices and inflation, the economical car consumer is looking for much more than looks in a car. They an overall stable and well rounded vehicle to purchase. Just recently the truecar.com has made a list of the cars that are found to be the best cars for the money.

            According to US News, truecar.com compiled a list of the top 5 cars for 2011 for American Auto consumers. These five in no particular order were the Ford Taurus, Honda Civic, Mazda MX-5 Miata, Chevrolet Traverse, and the Chevrolet Silverado. Though not all of these cars are the best at a good MPG rate, they do well for the price it is sold.

            Much of this list is not too surprising. Cars like the Honda Civic have been helping everyone including poor college students. They have gas mileage, the cargo space, and even the affordable price tag. Its win all situation. All types of people could enjoy this car to the fullest without worrying at the gas pump or while paying those school debts.

            The five brands that the site listed as the best cars for the overall value were Mitsubishi, Kia, Hynudai, Toyota, and Honda. This comes as not surprise. American car companies are having a challenging time trying to carry their weight across the US. These American Car companies have spent much time trying to create SUV’s. Brands like Kia and Hyundai are now being looked at as companies worth taken seriously due to their durability and affordability.

            Due to the economic climate, many car owners are holding onto their cars much longer than they used to. Expendable income is harder to find these days. Many are just trying their best to make it to the end of the week.

            Some luxury company cars are not doing to well with the American audience though. Companies like Lexus and BMW are not selling as well as they used to. People are now starting to find value in practicability at opposed to luxury and add-ons. Many consumers are approaching the mindset of thinking what could get them from point A to Point B. All else is just detail and unnecessary.

            The concept of the American Highway is starting to take a change as the times have changed. The sport of Driving for recreation is not as popular as it used to be. People cannot simply afford it as they used to. Road-trip costs more than twice as much as they used to. This leads to the term ‘Staycation’ when gas reached the peack of $4.50 a gallon in 2008 in San Diego, CA.

            Value in a car has changed dramatically. The consumers have spoken. Truecar.com shows foreign cars leading the race. America cars need to step it up soon before they are gone for good. Only time will tell how long they may last.

http://autos.yahoo.com/articles/autos_content_landing_pages/1705/best-car-for-the-money-awards-2011/

Stockholm Bomb Blast

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20101212/wl_nm/us_sweden_blast;_ylt=Ah9gIo_SwmNyqvmwFIl.4Ft0bBAF;_ylu=X3oDMTJtaHVzMDZrBGFzc2V0A25tLzIwMTAxMjEyL3VzX3N3ZWRlbl9ibGFzdARwb3MDMTIEc2VjA3luX3BhZ2luYXRlX3N1bW1hcnlfbGlzdARzbGsDc3dlZGVuY2FsbHNz

                    Europe has been no stranger to Middle Eastern terrorist conflict. This weekend on Saturday night in Stockholm, Sweden, there was a pair of bomb blasts in the center of the city. Muslim extremists set two bombs off. This ended up killing one citizen and wounding two. This is was soon declared as a legitimate terrorist attack by the Stockholm police.

            The Swedish News Agency TT believes this was due to the fact that they had a relevant military presence in the country of Afghanistan as well as having previously done a caricature of the prophet Muhammad. However, the latter was a case that happened a few years ago.

            The explosions that occurred in the town center featured two different car blasts. These blasts were later declared by the local police to be cause by gas canisters. Though these kinds of attacks have occurred through out Europe, this presence of anger does not calm the citizens of many European nations.

            There is much prejudice in many European countries due to the culture clashes of Western Civilization and Muslim culture. Many of these people choose best not to speak to each other, due to their intolerance of each other. These attacks are not helping theses prejudices, but just lighting the fire even brighter.  

            European countries have faced intense attacks by Muslim culture in the past. Some of these significant events happened in countries including France and England. Through the ages, it seems like these attacks will only develop more and more. This is relevant due to the fact that many experts have seen that the Muslim population in Europe has doubled in nearly thirty years. Though not all people of this religion are radical, there are still many that do wish have a harmful effect upon those that do not agree with them.

            The main question to ask due to these Europe bound terrorist attacks is asking what we can do next. As reported in the article, Sweden has not done anything drastic to elevate their level of national security. However, The United Kingdom has been in contact with them while keeping current updates. Though, like many attacks it is hard to find a way to predict or find a way to be prepared for it. Any place can be a victim site for terrorist bombings. The site that was bombed was just a busy shopping area where many were probably just minding their business shopping during the Christmas season.

            Like many of the European nations, American has had its fair share of threats from extremist Muslim groups. USA, however is not as vulnerable due to its location. On the other hand, it only takes a small group of individuals to make a huge shocking impact.

            Prayer is continually needed for these nations. They are hurting by this conflict. Prayer is powerful, and we tend to underestimate its power. The future will only get worse for these countries if we do nothing now. We must pray that these countries develop a better means of security to help their country defend those who are defenseless.