Oil Spill/Leak Disaster

This is a picture I found online. At first glance, it can very well be a picture of a painting - oil painting, maybe? It's OIL alright but it's not a painting. It's a picture of the oil spill in the Gulf. It's now about a month and a half - 45 days to be exact - since the oil spill. Sadly, even after numerous tries to fix it, there seems to be no end to this disaster.

Here in the sunshine state, the people are bracing themselves because the oil is expected to reach the white beaches in the panhandle as early as tomorrow - Friday, 4th of June. Thousands of tar balls are on their way to mar some of the most beautiful beaches in the state. If and when that happens, they're saying that those beaches that will be affected will never be the same again. I hope not....

Irresponsible?

Video from: The Washington Post

Cute. Amusing. These are the 2 words that came to mind when I heard this audio recording of a child directing flights in one of the busiest airport in the US - JFK airport in NY.

After getting over the 'cuteness' of it, reality sets in. Did that really happen? Did a child [probably younger than 10 years old] just directed flights from the air traffic controls towers? Apparently it happened and it's now making headline news around the country [world?]. The father who is a certified air traffic controller and his supervisor are now suspended pending an investigation of this particular incident.

The pilots listening to the little child's direction were obviously amused by it since they went along with it...and even praised the 'junior' traffic controller at one point.

I have a feeling the person/s responsible for this will be in the spotlight for quite sometime following this controversy. I can't wait what he has to say as to why he let his child take the reigns and allowed him to direct air traffic.

Best Part - Time Jobs

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With the news that more than 600, 000 people lost their jobs during the month of February, unemployment is now at its highest at 8.1 % since early 1980s. This brings the number of unemployed people to almost 2 million in a span of 3 months.

Not long ago, one of the companies I work for has filed for bankruptcy. I've been working for this company since early 2002 so I feel bad about it closing. This also makes me a direct casualty of this ongoing recession. Now I am trying to find something I can do to replace that job I lost...but it's proving to be a difficult task.

As I was browsing the news yesterday, I came across an article titled: 7 Best Part-Time Jobs. Of the 7 in the list, I did 3 of them already. Private Tutoring, Substitute Teaching and Copy Editing.

Here's the list I lifted from the article:

1. Tax Preparer
Thousands of people need help every year to file their returns. Part-time tax preparers are often accountants who know their way around deductions and forms, and who want extra income. Though the job typically peaks in the spring, many clients choose to retain their tax professional as a year-round personal accountant and adviser.

Salary: Set your own fee. H&R Block typically charges anywhere from $100 to $200 for their services, so you can probably charge up to $80 and still offer a bargain.

2. Substitute Teacher
Many states offer substitute teaching positions without requiring a teaching degree. Often, anyone with a bachelor’s degree is eligible, provided they pass a background check and interview. The length of employment varies and you should be flexible for days when you get a frantic last-minute call at 6 a.m., but it’s a good way to put your education to use while aiding in the education of others.
Salary: Varies depending on the state. In Oregon, for example, substitutes get about $150 a day.

3. Private Tutor
Jeremiah LeBrash started tutoring in college as a way to make some extra income. He’s now making enough money for it to be his full-time job. “I started out teaching SAT prep for Kaplan, but I was only making $20 an hour,” he says. “I realized I could do it on my own, give my students one-on-one attention, and charge twice as much.” LeBrash now charges $80 an hour for test preparation and $60 for general math and science help.
Salary: Companies like Kaplan and The Princeton Review pay tutors anywhere from $20 to $60 an hour, depending on the test they teach and the size of the class. Private tutors, like LeBrash, can set their own fee.

4. Part-Time Receptionist
Answering telephones and receiving packages may not be the most glamorous job, but according to career counselor Judith Gerberg, it’s a great opportunity to network. Gerberg, president of the Career Counselors Consortium, knew a laid off radio DJ who ended up working as a receptionist for a law firm. She soon became acquainted with a filmmaker client who loved her music knowledge so much, he hired her as an associate producer. “Lawyers and small businesses always need administrative help,” says Gerberg. “You might be making minimum wage, but keep your ego under wraps. You never know who will walk through the door.”
Salary: Varies, but can be in the $20,000-a-year range.

5. Computer Technician
Gerberg says there is an increased need for tech support, as more people move their businesses home. Computer technicians make basic repairs, set up wi-fi and perform other jobs. Companies are also looking for individuals who can build websites, which makes this a no-brainer for anyone with a little creativity and HTML experience.
Salary: Set your own fee. Tech support rates vary according to the job, rates can be around $30 an hour or more.

6. Copy Editor
“Copy editing is proofreading,” says Rachel Goldman, who took her skills honed in her day job as an online news producer and used them to score part-time work as well. In addition to checking texts for spelling, punctuation, grammar and formatting errors, "I also help the person brainstorm and flesh out their work,” says Goldman. Although she started out editing essays for college students, Goldman is now working on documents such as patent applications and television scripts as well.
Salary: Goldman’s fees vary based on length and subject matter, but she estimates that she makes about $100 per document.

7. Direct Seller
Companies such as Amway and Avon allow people to make money on their own time, while offering incentive programs like discounted insurance. And while the recession may have curbed consumer spending, Avon recently reported earnings that were above expectations. “Our products are selling well because it’s affordable luxury,” says Lindsay Blaker, an Avon spokesperson.
Salary: Blaker says she’s seen reps make anywhere from a few hundred dollars a month to six-figure annual salaries. “I met someone who went from a corporate setting to becoming a full-time seller because she was making just as much money staying at home,” she says. “People love the flexibility of the job.”

from Yahoo News & Mainstreet.com

Baby Daddy....

Photo from MomLogic

Yes, a baby having a baby of his own! Shocking is probably an understatement. Yeah yeah... I know that in the old days, a lot of younger people used to have kids. But that was then, and this is now. In this day and age, parents should be more responsible. And when I say parents, I didn't mean the 13 year old boy and his 15 year old girlfriend. I meant...THEIR parents!!

Look at him! You can tell by just looking at his angelic face that he does not know what he is doing! Yes, I applaud them for choosing to keep the baby instead of aborting early on....that's because I'm pro-life.

At 13, I didn't even know how one gets pregnant....seriously. But that was a long time ago. Kids now are well informed so it should be expected that they should know better. In a lot of schools today, students are asked to bring home a doll that has baby-like qualities and take care of it for days. Yes, the doll cries....at any given time....day or night. The 'doll' has to stay close with its 'mother' or it will throw a fit...or something like that.

I honestly feel scared for these new parents and their daughter. How will they survive? Will they live together now that they have a child? I read somewhere that the girl still lives with her father and siblings and the baby daddy has been spending a lot of time there as well. Let's just hope that they wait a while before having another one.

Oh, I just read in the news that the local police there are not pressing any charges against anyone. If it were up to me, I'd probably be looking at the adults looking after these children. It's their responsibility after all considering these kids are just minors.

Octuplets Mom...

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It's all over the news. If you haven't heard about her and her growing family [read: 14 children], then get out from under that rock...LOL...

At first, she was being hailed. Imagine carrying 8 babies in your womb! I only carried one and I thought it was heavy...but 8? People thought what she did was incredible...until more information came out.

First, that she's already a mother of 6 children. Second, that she's actually living with her parents. Third, that she doesn't have a husband or a partner to help raise the kids. Added to these, she's not working. So the big question is: How is she going to support her 14 children?

Then she went on TV and was interviewed by the Today Show. I didn't watch the interview myself so I have no idea how she fared there...but I read a lot of criticisms. as a result of that interview. Apparently, she said some things in the interview that are not really accurate. One of which is her denial of getting any kind of help from the state. She's actually getting food stamps...which is given by the state of course.

Now she has a website where visitors can only do 2 things. Leave a comment and donate! Kinda' fishy, isn't it? I was also surprised to find out that she hired a publicist and an agent. Just like a movie star, eh? If rumors are true, she's actually shopping for a TV show. So yes, just like a movie star....