WTH?!

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I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one
I hope some day you'll join us
And the world will be as one  ~ John Lennon

I just didn't know what else to say but WHAT THE BLOODY HELL!!!? As I was scrolling thru my daily routine of Google news. I came across this: 5-year-old boy shoots 2-year-old sister in Ky.

I am aware that the gun-nuts reaction to this statement would be "Guns don't kill people. People kill people" And I'll stay up all night to argue otherwise except in this incident alone only because this 5 year old was taught how to use a deadly weapon, but not about it's real danger and the permanence of death. The gun was KEPT loaded and accessible to an unattended boy, age 5, who is innocent, no matter what happened.

It seems people these days have this low level of mental awareness, lack of intelligence, and generally neglectful behavior than to be permitted to own guns. How many you ask? At least one, and that is TOO MANY!

But yet what does our law says; we need more guns in the hands of people like these parents, so that in case the tyrannical government comes after their guns, they can shoot each other before the tanks arrive!!

I personally am convinced that it is a sin to claim that people who are diagnosed as mentally ill need more help to prevent gun violence. It is nothing but a huge cash cow for the stunningly powerful and wealthy lobby groups for therapists.

To begin with, people diagnosed as mentally ill are not statistically more likely to be violent. It is especially amazing that this is the case, because increasingly, when someone is charged with a violent crime, therapists are brought in to diagnose them as mentally ill, so there is an apparent but actually artifactual (alleged), increasing correlation of being diagnosed with committing violence.

So, do we assume people who are upset, bereaved, frightened, etc., by life events as mentally ill? No. Only by a therapist's diagnosis! It is crucial to be aware of the fact that to reduce violence, we cannot allow the money of the NRA, the drug companies, and the mental health lobby groups to dictate what we do! Period!!!!

"Imagine all the people living life in peace" and "Nothing to kill or die for. - John Lennon

WTH?!

Posted by : Jegan

Date :Wednesday, May 1, 2013

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Tag : CNN, Culture, I  Perspective, Perspective, Support Obama

Students?

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Al right folks, as promised here is my view on the Student loan legislation that Obama signed recently. Before that just sharing something that I think about student loans; I feel that like the current mortgage fiasco we are dealing with, this is another big big problem that the US is going to have to deal with at some point, likely sooner rather than later. But that's another topic... The real issue is that the "loanees" (AKA students AKA generally young and naive and with generally little true financial acumen) carry a burden that few other borrowers face - the inability to discharge your debt via bankruptcy. So my point; no loan is a good loan! Trust me I know!! I am dealing with a few myself.

Basically this legislation takes away the student loans from banks and funds it directly. So many would be happy to know that the money borrowed from in college will be the lenders they pay every month to. No need to worry about loans being sold and resold. But like are any other legislation's obviously there are good and bad. So, let look at the Pros first:

Basically all schools starting this 2010 summer will be offering "direct lending" which cuts out the corporate lending middleman, meaning a lower interest rate! This legislation also reduces IBR (Income-Based Repayment) to 10% of above-line income instead of 15%, and forgives non-PI (Private Investor) loans after 20 years instead of 25... but this part will only apply to loans initiated after July 1, 2014. Nobody currently in or applying will benefit from this part of the reform (although it will definitely benefit the future generations). This makes me sad face, as a few I care about are currently in schll.. lol

Now the bad part; The biggest losers obviously would be the middleman, banks. So banks' easy profit off of these student loans while the government bears the risk would now be gone. Which also means there is no competition. It also means banks would now be down in profits that is used to lend back to the community. So this might create a slow but a clear way for a few banks to go down.

So the bottom line; though waste will decrease, I doubt and will be very surprised if the program becomes more efficient and has less problems. Here is another perspective for you guys to think about; How are college graduates supposed to juggle student loan payments with the realities of an imploding job market and family members too caught up in their own financial turmoil to help out? With all the attention focused on failing banks and government bailouts, the very legitimate panic felt by such graduates risks getting lost in the shuffle.

There you go my two worthless pennies ;)

Students?

Posted by : Jegan

Date :Friday, April 9, 2010

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Tag : Education, Essential, I, Perspective, Share, Support Obama

From the White House

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The post below by Kal Pen representing the White House triggered enough interest to be re posted here :) I will be posting my view about it soon.. till then read on..



Making Higher Education More Affordable
Posted by Kalpen Modi on March 30, 2010 at 12:00 PM EDT

The President believes that for America to compete in the 21st century, we’ll need a highly educated workforce that is second to none. But one of the things holding us back from this achievement is soaring tuition costs at colleges and universities around the country. Too many students and families struggle to make ends meet just to fulfill the dream of a college education. And when students are unable to afford access to higher education or graduate with a degree, our economy suffers.

That’s why President Obama signed today a historic piece of legislation that delivers real reforms and critical investments to our higher education system. By strengthening the Pell Grant program, investing in community colleges, extending support for Historically Black Colleges and other Minority Serving Institutions, and helping student borrowers manage their student loan debt, we will make college more affordable and enable more Americans to earn a college degree.

Lifelong educators like Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, know how important these reforms will be to our higher education system.

This legislation means $40 billion more dollars in the Pell Grant program to ensure that eligible students receive an award, and that awards increase to keep pace with rising tuition. And a $2 billion investment over four years for community colleges to develop, improve, and provide education and career training programs. Students will be able to choose to limit their student loan payments to 10% of their income, with any remaining balance forgiven after 20 years. And public service workers can have their loans forgiven after 10 years.

Because special interests have been benefiting from taxpayer subsidies for too long, we’re cutting out the middlemen by ending government subsidies currently given to banks and other financial institutions that make guaranteed federal student loans. According to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, ending these wasteful subsidies will free up nearly $68 billion for college affordability and deficit reduction over the next 11 years. So these investments are not only paid for, but they’ll reduce the deficit in the long run.

Because of the legislation enacted today, we’re finally undertaking meaningful reform to our education system and making college more affordable and accessible.

For more information on these federal student aid programs, please go to http://www.studentaid.ed.gov/, or call 1-800-4FED-AID.

Kalpen Modi is an Associate Director for the Office of Public Engagement

From the White House

Posted by : Jegan

Date :Friday, April 2, 2010

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Tag : Education, Essential, Perspective, Share, Support Obama

State of the Union!

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So, I watched the State of the Union address in its entirety, this being the first one of my adulthood that I could stand to listen to and look at without getting angry!! I'll keep this highly biased, flag-waving post with my first State of the Blog. It is shorter than the President's.

Ladies and gentlemen:
I have always supported Obama for various reasons. I think he is a brilliant speaker. And last night's speech is a testimony, his speech should be a model for presidents to follow: be informal and colloquial, come out swinging, don't be afraid to ad-lib, point out your successes, point out the other side's failures, and lay out a specific, short-term agenda. However I was not in agreement to a few things one of which as follows;

"To make college more affordable, this bill will finally end the unwarranted taxpayer subsidies that go to banks for student loans. Instead, let’s take that money and give families a $10,000 tax credit for four years of college and increase Pell Grants.

And let’s tell another 1 million students that, when they graduate, they will be required to pay only 10 percent of their income on student loans, and all of their debt will be forgiven after 20 years, and forgiven after 10 years if they choose a career in public service, because in the United States of America, no one should go broke because they chose to go to college."

OK, let’s take away any incentive for banks to give student loans. That makes complete sense only if you want to ensure that government is the only place where you can get one (hint, hint). But what floored me the most was that if you take a student loan, you don’t have to pay back more than 10% of your income. Suppose I get my degree in social work and work primarily pro bono for the first ten years, then become a politician! FREE EDUCATION!!!!! Your debt will be forgiven? Really? We will tell banks that if they make a loan, they get no perks from government, and on top of it, after a certain period of time, the students will not be required to pay the bank back! BRILLIANT. Talk about a socialist sentiment.

Anyway, I believe Obama has real integrity. For one thing, he has been triying to run a decent presidency. Some tactics that could be considered underhanded are probably impossible to avoid, but I really believe he is committed to the mush needed change.

Thank you!

State of the Union!

Posted by : Jegan

Date :Friday, January 29, 2010

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Tag : Digital Impression, Education, Essential, Perspective, Share, Support Obama

Stop!

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Let the man bring about the change that is much needed in this world!!!

Common kids!!! It's time to grow up. It's time to stop taking sides and pretending that your favourite side is innocent. It's time for peace. Mostly it's a time for an end to the religious stupidity and shortsightedness that has plagued our world.

Stop!

Posted by : Jegan

Date :Thursday, November 19, 2009

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Tag : Perspective, Religion, Support Obama