Will the Real Welfare Queens Please Stand Up

by | Jul 11, 2012

I saw this on Facebook yesterday and had to post it. This is likely going to cause a lot of controversy but I am beyond caring at this point.

All my life I’ve heard the complaints of the so-called Patriots of America and listened to them spew their venom out on the poor. They claimed the welfare moms, mostly single moms, were living off the system and getting free handouts. They complained about welfare programs and consistently try to pass legislation that will greatly reduce or end programs for the poor.

There has been a campaign to further denigrate widows (single moms), orphans, and the elderly. The very people that need the most help. Yet they refuse to hold men in their own ranks accountable for the plight of the downtrodden. How did a single mom or orphan come to be? Did it happen magically? I think not. A man was involved in some way, shape, or form. Too many men look the other way when women and children are mistreated and try make sure their hands aren’t caught in the cookie jar. But I digress.

The real welfare queens are the big corporations and the wealthy that do not pay taxes and have their hand out for more government money.

I compared the spending for Welfare, Family and Children in particular in fiscal year 2011 compared to spending for the US Bank Bailout

Spending for Families and Children totaled $102 billion compared to $3.3 TRILLION for the US Bank Bailout. It’s clear who gets to wear the Welfare Queen crown. So the next time you get into a conversation with a hater show them the numbers. This proves women and children on welfare do not overburden the system. They never have. With defense spending, pork barrel projects, and bank bailouts, the working class and the poor do not even compete with the spending that happens in the upper echelons of society.

I’ve heard people complain that moms on welfare don’t use the money correctly and they need to be put in jail for what is basically described as misappropriation of funds. These same people will support crooked politicians and money mongers spending millions on persons homes, trips, and blackmail (aka lobbying).

I’m over the hype and propaganda. The reality is single moms and others who need welfare for a short time in their lives are

[Video] Single Mom Depression, Anxiety and Stress Relief Naturally

by | Jul 9, 2012

Depression and single motherhood seem to go hand in hand, am I right? I lived with depression, anxiety, and stress for a lot of years. Sometimes I still feel stress but I think that’s part of life. But when it gets to severe levels it becomes a problem and affect your quality of life.

I won’t go into all the reason why we experience depression but I have learned there are ways to get better without medicine and years of expensive therapy. I’ve used both methods to treat my symptoms but they did not give me (more…)

Comparison Shop for Financial Services

Comparison Shop for Financial Services

by | Jul 5, 2012

Just as you would do for any major purchase, look at what is being offered by your bank and a few competitors, then try to find the best deal to meet your needs. For instance, with a mortgage, credit card or other loan, you may be able to negotiate the interest rate and other terms. This can save hundreds or thousands of dollars over several years.

Start by comparing the Annual Percentage Rate (APR) on a loan or credit card. The APR is the cost of credit expressed as a yearly rate, including interest and certain fees. “Many people looking for a loan only focus on the dollars they’d pay each month instead of the APR and, because of that, they don’t realize how much the loan will cost and they could pay too much,” said Rae-Ann Miller, special advisor on consumer issues in the FDIC’s research division. For example, she said, payday loans (unsecured loans that borrowers promise to repay out of their next paycheck or regular income payment) and car-title loans (secured by the borrower’s car) “may be quick and easy sources of cash, but they also have an APR as high as 300 to 400 percent.” This is legal robbery. Avoid at all cost!

Also, for a mortgage, consider a fixed-rate loan even if adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) carry a lower initial interest rate or lower monthly payments at the start. “If you are thinking about an ARM, before you commit to one, make sure you know how much the monthly payments could go up and be comfortable with those higher payments,” cautioned Janet Kincaid, Chief of the FDIC’s Consumer Response Center. “Don’t let a low teaser rate lure you in; you may be surprised later.” I was lured into an ARM when I bought my first house a few years ago. It was all fine and dandy until the interest rate adjusted after two years. It increased my mortgage rate and I eventually lost my house because I could not keep up with the payments. :-(. Never let anyone talk you into a ARM. Insist on a fixed-rate loan and keep your peace of mind.

When you consider opening checking and savings accounts, compare the Annual Percentage Yield (APY) offered by several financial institutions. The APY expresses the annual interest rate you will earn on a deposit account, depending on the frequency of compounding. However, keep in mind that fees — such as those for ATM withdrawals, account maintenance and checks returned because of insufficient funds — aren’t factored into the APY. Fees can make a big difference in how much you actually earn from money you have on deposit.

10 Tips for a Healthy Summer Vacation

by | Jul 1, 2012

Whether your vacation plans involve domestic or overseas travel, general health and safety measures can help you and your family prevent illness and injury.

1. Watch What You Eat. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics offers these healthy eating suggestions while you are on vacation:

  • Sample small amounts of high–calorie foods. You do not have to avoid these foods entirely; just reduce the amount that you eat to a few bites.
  • Share large portions. Many restaurants serve very large portions, so do not hesitate to split orders.
  • Space meals throughout the day. It can be easy to “graze” while on vacation. Try to set meal times and stick to them.

2. Drink Plenty of Water

  • Children become dehydrated more easily than adults, so pay extra attention to children.
  • Drink bottled water, especially if you are in a foreign country where tap water may not be safe to drink.
  • If the tap water is not safe to drink in the area you are visiting, do not use it to make juice, to rinse fresh fruits and vegetables or to brush your teeth.

3. Wash Your Hands Often

  • According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one of the most important ways to reduce infectious disease transmission is to wash hands carefully and frequently with soap and water.
  • Carry antibacterial hand wipes or alcohol–based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol for situations in which hot water and soap are not available.

4. Get Adequate Sleep

  • When you sleep well, you wake up feeling refreshed, alert and ready to enjoy the day.
  • Do your best to stay on a regular sleep schedule. Being awake and alert can help you get the most enjoyment out of your trip.

5. Pack a First–aid Kit. Include the following items:

  • Bandages, sterile gauze pads, instant cold packs, a thermometer, scissors, tweezers, a needle, moistened towelettes, blister pads, assorted sizes of safety pins and latex gloves.
  • Antiseptics, over–the–counter pain relievers, anti–diarrhea medication, antacid, a tube of hydrocortisone cream for itchy skin reactions, allergy relief, cold and cough medicine, motion sickness medication.
  • Syrup of Ipecac (used to induce vomiting if advised by the Poison Control Center), a laxative, petroleum jelly or other lubricant and a cleansing agent/soap.

6. Protect Yourself from Insect Bites

  • Be sure to use insect repellent that contains DEET (30 to 50 percent) or picaridin (up to 15 percent) whenever you are outdoors in areas where disease–carrying insects are active.

7. Protect Yourself from the Sun

  • The sun’s peak hours are from 10 AM and 4 PM.
    Liberally apply a broad–spectrum, water–resistant sunscreen of at least SPF 15 thirty minutes before going outdoors. Sunscreen should then be re–applied every two hours or after physical activity.
  • Loose–fitting, tightly–woven fabric offer the best protection from UV rays. Sunglasses that block 99 to 100 percent of both UVA and UVB rays offer the best eye protection.

8. When Traveling Internationally

  • See your doctor or specialist six weeks prior to your trip. Most vaccines take time to become effective and require more than one dose in a series.
  • Take a list of U.S. embassies and consulates with you in case of an emergency and find the hospital or medical care facility that is located closest to your destination. Remember, when you leave the United States, you are subject to the laws of the country that you are visiting.
  • Carry a written copy of your medical history and check with your health insurance provider to see if you are covered for medical care and medical evacuation while on vacation.

9. Be Aware of Recreational Water Illnesses (RWIs)

  • RWIs can be found in swimming pools, lakes, rivers, hot tubs, decorative fountains and in the ocean; and can be spread by swallowing, breathing or coming into contact with contaminated water.
  • Take your children on bathroom breaks often. Change diapers in a bathroom and not near the pool or shoreline. Germs can spread to surfaces and objects in and around the water.
  • Avoid swimming in the ocean for at least 24 hours after a heavy rain. Storm–water runoff from the streets and drainage areas may wash pollution into the water.

10. Traveling With a Health Condition

  • Keep your medications in their original prescription bottles and keep all medications with you in your carry–on luggage. Pack copies of all of your prescriptions, including the generic name of each medication.
  • If you are carrying a controlled substance and/or injectable medication, be sure to have a note–on letterhead–from the prescribing physician indicating that you are allowed to have them in your possession.
  • You should also leave a copy of your prescriptions at home with a friend or relative.