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So, the kids are out of school and getting restless and the hot weather has got you looking for something to do that’s cool. It may be time to grab a cool drink, a tub of popcorn and settle in for a great movie! Here’s a list of the best Movies of 2014…so far.
In HBO’s new series, Silicon Valley, quirky billionaire Peter Gregory (played by the late Christopher Evan Welch) tries to convince college students to drop out of school with a promise of $100,000 to pursue their own ideas. The show is a comedy, but Gregory’s message is painfully close to reality. College students are graduating in greater numbers than ever, with
higher debt than ever and with fewer job options than ever. They are going to college seeking the American Dream and are instead graduating into an economic mess.
College is a given for the wealthy in America but, for the poor and working class, obtaining a college education is a struggle. There was a time when college was worth the sacrifice because it was a ticket out of poverty; it meant being able to get a better job and live a better life. Going to college became one of the great pillars of the American Dream and, for working class families, it was a symbol of success and achievement. Generations of parents worked hard and sacrificed in order to see their children have that better life.
Yes, college is still worth the sacrifice; it’s just that nowadays, it takes a lot more sacrificing. Decades ago, politicians began to see college education as a means to get votes among the working class. In campaign after campaign they promised tuition assistance, grants and low-cost loans – popular items that helped seduce votes from parents who wanted better futures for their children. Before then, banks had never viewed college education as a cash cow because the rich didn’t need to borrow to send their kids to school. But, as the ranks of poor and working class students swelled over the years, the banking industry began to see opportunities. Using well-funded lobbyists, the banking industry pushed Congress for reductions in government funding and increases in private, government-backed student loans. For the banks, it was a win-win scenario; they made money on interest and were exposed to little risk. The lobbying didn’t stop there however. During the 1980’s and 1990’s the banking industry pressured Congress to pass legislation preventing student loans from being discharged in personal bankruptcies.
The banking industry however, is not alone in this student loan shakedown. Colleges themselves are complicit too. During the last 40 years, the message that college is required for success has been steadily hammered into the American consciousness while, during that same time, the average cost of college tuition has risen by 
1,120% according to Bloomberg News. CNN Money says that the average college graduate today is about $30,000 in debt. The impact of this enormous debt will have far-reaching consequences as graduates begin their adult lives and careers. Even with the better job that a college degree may deliver, most graduates will find it financially daunting to get married, buy a home, buy cars, have children, and save for retirement which, ironically, are many of the key attributes associated with achieving the American Dream.
Additionally, the U.S. birthrate has been declining for decades and, with so much student loan debt, millions of graduates are expected to put off starting families for years while they struggle to pay bills; a trend that will have a devastating impact on the Social Security system since fewer and fewer people will be paying into it.
Winning the lottery aside, the only financial relief for many graduates may come from inheriting their parents’ estates when they depart. But, not so fast; banks have set their sights on these too. In recent years, the banking industry has ramped up one of its newer money-making schemes: “reverse mortgages.” A reverse mortgage allows retirees to borrow the equity out of their homes and use it to pay bills. In exchange, the bank owns the home when they die. Yes, the banks are now offering to lend your parents their own equity so, when they are gone, their home won’t go to the kids, it will have already been signed over to the bank.
So what is a student to do in this depressing and bleak landscape? If you’re determined to go to college and pursue the American Dream, here’s a few real-world tips that may help you avoid the student loan swindle:
Yes, big name schools can be more fun, but if your goal is to have fun, go to Disney World. If you want an education, pick a school that will provide you with an education that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. In many areas of study, your local community college can deliver the same education as a big box school at half the price! And, if you’re worried about prestige, don’t be. Most employers want legit degrees but seldom care what school they are from.
with a strip across the bottom that reads “This establishment is proudly helping –your name here- with college tuition.” Now, go around to all the mom and pop businesses in your area and ask if they will gift $100 to help you pay for school. You’ll be surprised at how many may agree. Give them your portrait and let them display it where customers can see it. If they are suspicious, have them make the check payable directly to the school. Businesses love supporting good causes – especially when they get promotional value out of it. It’s a win-win! Stay in touch with them as your education continues. Show them your grades. They are likely to make an additional gift each year if you keep them up-to-date on your success.
Now that Edward Snowden has finally granted an audience to an American media outlet, the Snowdensphere is all aflutter with talk and opinions about whether Ed, if that is his real name, is a patriot or a traitor. I have to say that I’ve spent the last year or so schizophrenically trying to balance my deep disapproval of the NSA (or any other agency) spying on or surveilling American citizens against my disapproval of Edward Snowden’s actions. As this story has evolved, I have gradually leaned further and further toward the “Snowden is a traitor” side but, when the NBC interview aired, I watched intently, like a juror in a courtroom, hoping that Mr. Snowden would shed some light on his mission and motives that would help convince me that his actions were somehow justified.
After watching the interview, I’m more convinced than ever that Snowden is guilty of espionage against the United States of America. Here’s why:
Any further release of documents will only belabor a point already made so why would Edward Snowden want to keep releasing more documents? Perhaps he intends to blackmail his way into amnesty with the U.S. government by holding the unreleased documents hostage to a deal. Maybe Russia or China or some other nefarious entity is influencing Snowden to release more documents – perhaps in exchange for money or asylum or maybe his life.
My opinion is that Snowden simply can’t stop releasing documents. He is addicted to his fame like a drug addict to drugs. For Snowden, the thought of slipping back into obscurity is as frightening as a drug addict having to face sobriety. Some patriot.
Maya Angelou was the unflinching voice of conscience, reason and hope for millions around the world. She is a true American Treasure.
The Veterans Administration “appointment gaming” scandal is the buzz right now. What most people don’t realize is that the VA has been underserving our veterans for decades. Even before there was a VA, American veterans were frequently forgotten after their service. Within a few years of the Revolutionary War, angry veterans, who had not been paid for their service, participated in Shays’ Rebellion. Civil War veterans were left to return to their lives, often penniless and in poor health. Many wound up in jails and insane asylums. Unemployed World War I veterans formed the “Bonus Army” and marched on Washington in 1932 demanding immediate payment for their service in the war. They had been given IOU’s awarding them bonuses for their service, but these certificates couldn’t be redeemed until 1945!
In the VA era, Vietnam veterans were often forced to accept inadequate care and had to endure long waits to see healthcare providers. Many complained of symptoms caused by exposure to Agent Orange but the VA wouldn’t even recognize Agent Orange exposure as a covered illness until 1991 – nearly 20 years after the war had ended. Ironically, by 1991, the first Gulf War veterans were reporting symptoms of what would eventually be known as Gulf War Syndrome; a disease for which the VA’s response was to stonewall again.
Ask any veteran from any conflict and they’ll tell you that navigating the VA bureaucracy is challenging. The New York Daily News reported recently that the average wait time for resolving first time claims in New York is 642 days. In Reno, Nevada, vets wait an average of 681 days! America’s treatment of its veterans is so poor that numerous charities have emerged to try to help out. One of these charities, the Wounded Warrior Project, airs TV commercials showing snippets of injured and disfigured veterans to elicit donations; commercials that seem painfully similar to ASPCA commercials.
While the Wounded Warrior Project’s intentions may be noble, the idea that America has abandoned its veterans to the point where they must now depend on charitable donations to receive care is reprehensible. No veteran should ever have to worry about care.
When young men and women volunteer to serve in the military, they believe they are entering into a contract with America and that contract is: If you risk your life to defend America, to defend democracy, to defend freedom, and to uphold the American way of life, then America will not forget you. Tens of millions of veterans living today have proudly upheld their end of this contract yet America seems to be suffering from a severe case of VA; otherwise known as veterans amnesia.
Congress should pass a law, better yet, there should be a constitutional amendment, that America may not enter any war or conflict unless it can guarantee, in advance, the complete and expedient care of those Americans injured in that conflict. In other words, if we can’t care for our vets after the war, then we shouldn’t go to war at all.
Yes, there may be unavoidable wars in the future – like World War II when America was attacked – but that’s still no excuse not to care for our vets. War is not over when combat ends. War is only over when every last veteran is made whole again by the country he or she fought to defend.
Cambridge Dictionary definition of culture:
the way of life of a particular people, esp. as shown in their ordinary behavior and habits, their attitudes toward each other, and their moral and religious beliefs.
Come along as I examine the very best and worst that our culture has to offer! My purpose is to provoke thought and instigate discussion. There are many points of view and yours is welcome – just keep it civil!
Cultureosity 