For 18 days in early 2011 the world watched from far away as the common Egyptian fought against the repressive system in the hopes of creating a brighter, freer Egypt.

I had been living in Egypt prior to this for about a year and a half. We always “joked” that the country needed a revolution and although we laughed it was actually a real desire any compassionate person wanted. The common Egyptian didn’t live, they survived.

When rumours that a large protest against the repressive government were being planned for January 25th 2011, we all believed it would be a day of active protest until the police violently broke it up and then everyone would go home and life would continue as it did before. Us foreigners and the rich 1% of Egyptians would continue lives of comfort. The majority of the 90-or-so-million people would continue struggling with day to day life.

I want to talk about that day and the crazy journey I experienced. The beginning of a forever changed Egypt and a forever changed me.

Despite our pessimism about the outcome of the protests and the fear of police violence my partner Lara encouraged me to attend the protest with her. In a country where any planned gathering of more than a few people was supposed to receive prior government approval, a large scale protest was a very rare and unique event.

So on the morning of 25th of January 2011 we left our house in our tree lined suburb of Maadi, 8 miles from Central Cairo, jumped in a Taxi and asked to head downtown. The driver didn’t want to go the normal way along the River Nile, due to road closures related to the protest, so he dropped us off on the back route at a place called Midan Opera (Midan is Arabic for square). It was around midday.

The sun was shining as per normal and life was bustling as per normal. All seemed well, as well as it could in the overcrowded neglected capital.

We learned from Twitter that some of the protests were set to start at the High Court and then people would be marching down towards the now famous Midan Tahrir for the main event. Nothing was out of the ordinary as we headed down the bustling and crazy streets towards the High Court. Then we turned the corner from Sharia Talaat Harab, in-front of us gathered a few hundred Egyptians, mostly young men but a peppering of women and children. A police line stood firm and the crowd chanted against President Hosni Mubarak and the Regime. Of course, at this point the general noise of the 25 million strong city had hidden this little corner of resistance from us, we didn’t hear the chants or have any evidence that a crowd of joyous discontent that was building.

The air had a tingle to it, just like the feeling before an electrical storm. This feeling charged Lara and her excitement was being worn for all to see on her face. For me, I was overcome with fear. An ominous feeling that the Regime would not be shown up like this.

A few back and forth tustles started with the police while we stood on the sidelines and occasionally had to run down a side street away from mini stampedes. Nothing particularly different from a heated protest back home. After a while, we tried to get ourselves away and up into the Carlton Hotel that overlooked the area. A worker in the well-known drinking establishment told us nonchalantly that they would not open until five, as if everything was normal!

So, we started to walk with the crowd. The march to Tahrir had started. For the next few hours we moved in and out of a few marches, heading down various streets all towards the Midan.

The crowd could have been demanding a banana for president and you would have felt pride for their passion. The electrical in the air was heightening and the numbers were swelling. Pride for Egypt standing up for itself and pride for the normally fearful public taking a very direct stance. The message was clear: Hosni Mubarak must step down.

As we approached Midan Tahrir we could see plumes of water rising into the air in front of the famous Mogamma Government Administrative Building. The police were shooting water cannons.  The Mogamma is symbolic. A place where you wait and wait and wait in lines upon lines in front of tiny little windows for all manner of bureaucratic reasons with no certainty that your needs will be addressed. Have you ever seen the movie Brazil, when Arthur visits the ministry to try and correct a spelling mistake on a form marking him as a terrorist? That is the Mogamma, but with the same thing happening to thousands of people all at once. You can understand why this imposing building, sitting on the edge of Midan Tahrir was symbolic. Midan Tahir is not only the central Cairo square, it was also renamed after the 1952 revolution and in English translates as Liberation Square. How fitting!

The numbers were really starting to grow. Shock, fear and amazement all rolled together in not just me, but each and every person in the area.  Carried along like leaves flowing down a river we floated on down to the midan.

The above video shows one of the small marches in the early afternoon heading towards the High Court from Talaat Harab Street.

We finally accumulated into Midan Tahrir around 16:30.

If the feeling in the air back at the Court House was electric than Midan Tahrir felt like I was receiving constant electric shocks that I learned to enjoy. Men, Women, Children, Egyptians and bewildered foreigners chanted, drummed, shared food and all dreamed together. The people had spoken. The Regime must go.

Organised chaos ensued as people milled around rolling in and out of chanting groups to sit down and refresh as the police battled on the frontline with young men trying to break their barricades to reach Qasr El Aini street towards the central parliament and government buildings. The injuries were increasing, the batons were swing. However, at this point, the shocked and much under-trained, underpaid police were showing surprising restraint.

To our amazement, we bumped into someone we knew. A young 20-something fiancé of one of Lara’s friends. He was exhilarated. He felt change was coming for his country and he actively wanted to be a part of it. We meandered back to the relatively calm part of the square and in an unbelievable turn bumped into others we knew, friends and colleagues. We ended up hanging with a 50 year old man whom I had shared beers with on a few occasions. He had worked much of his younger life in the tourist zones and now made a living renting out various apartments he owned. In Egyptian terms, he was comfortable but he still felt the pressure of the Regime and was down in the midan to join his people for the occasion.

He explained to us in a very matter-of-fact way (the way Egyptians often explain things) that the protests would stay strong for a few more hours, then people would return home after the police clear out the midan and life would be back to it’s depressing norm tomorrow.

I was starting to wear my anxious fear and Essam suggested we get out of the action and make our way to the top of one of the buildings.

This was our first visit to Number 1 Midan Tahrir.

Essam helped us into the entrance to the huge 10 story building right on the corner of the midan next to the American University’s Palace and with clear views of all the action.

We talked with the bowab (doorman) who was oddly named Mubarak. Essam arranged for him to take us up in the elevator. On the way up he joked that Gamal, Mubarak’s son, and he were in business together and were striking it rich with land deals. No matter what is going on, Egyptian’s often keep their sense of humour, something I sorely miss!

Most buildings in Cairo and across Egypt have a bowab and his family. The bowab is first and foremost a doorman, but they deal with so much more. Often living in cramped conditions on the ground floor they are the security, building maintenance, delivery service, and general help.  Bowabs have intricate networks often hanging outside chatting with each other during downtime and are often in the know about anything and everything that is happening in their neighbourhood.

We arrived on the roof and joined the company of around 20-30 others. Some journalists, a few protesters relaxing from the excitement below and some bewildered tourists and expats, like ourselves.

From the roof you could really see the whole picture. The clear lines of police arranged (I remember counting 8 strong lines) all the way down Qasr El Aini Street. The mass crowds covering every corner of the square.  The calm Nile with it’s picturesque sail boats flowing along in the distance.

We watched for a while as the frontline faced off against the police. The chants could be heard as if they were being blasted into our ears through speakers.

The resilience and bravery of the largely unarmed protesters against riot police was astounding. I managed to capture the power of the people in a video below.

The call to prayer started and throughout the day the police had been allowing the protesters to stop and pray out of respect. This time though they disrespectfully used it as a time attack.

Police began shooting tear gas canisters directly at the crowd. They beat and chased people away from Qasr el Aini street back into the main square and then regrouped to form a solid line. This is when the people struck back, shouting ‘Allah Akbah’ (“God is great”). They pushed the police back several blocks past their own water cannons. It was a truly amazing moment.

Essam noted that with the rising aggression from the police, the clear out had begun and all would be done and everyone at home in a few hours. The tear gas eventually rose up 10 storeys and hit us hard. It was time to leave.

That was my first tasted the bitterness and burning sensation of tear gas. My eyes streamed. The pain was calmed only by sniffing onions handed to us by caring residents as we descended the stairs. We also discovered a new use for Coca Cola as soaked rags also helped tame the burning and bring us back into the real world. I have no idea how people stayed on the frontline with this stuff being fired directly at them.

Along with Essam, we slipped away from Midan Tahrir through the back streets. We decided to grab a quick beer in the famous El Horreya bar on Midan Falaki. This is where I had first met Essam through a mutual friend. It seemed appropriate before we parted ways.

Located about a mile East of Midan Tahrir El Horreya is a well know expat haunt. It’s been in that building for around 100 years serving up juices and beers to many a traveler and local. The place is brash because of it’s strip lighting. If you look up you’ll see the ornate plaster work on the ceiling and around the walls vintage (and likely genuine) drinks adverts. Branded throughout with the famous Egyptian Stella beer insignia that is the most common drink of choice, although to be honest there isn’t much more choice in the beer department. The only other choice is Sakarra, also made by Stella’s parent company Heineken! One half of the cafe has large open windows and serves juices, the back half, the busiest part, has big blocked off windows and is hidden from view via a screen. Here you’ll find beer and conversation flowing all hours of the day and night. This cafe / bar, and the others like it, seem to be very unique to Cairo. It wasn’t uncommon to see Muslim men and women, not drinking due to their faith, sharing time and conversations with drinking friends.

It was 22:00 when we finished. Essam couldn’t hold his curiosity and said he wanted to wander back down to the midan and just take another look. We left towards the Tahrir with the belief that the protests would be more or less dispersed and over.

When we arrived back, the numbers were down but the noise louder. Essam lit up. Pessimism left his body like an exorcised ghost. He was beaming from ear to ear, full of excitement, off he ran into the crowd. We then amazingly bumped back into the same friend from earlier. Hurt, but not deterred.  He received a phone call and when he hung up, he told us we should definitely leave. The rumour mill had spoken and the police were gearing up to use live ammunition.

Lara and I agreed to go back to Number 1 Liberation Square to watch things unfold away from the eye of the storm.

Mubarak, the bowab, was dealing with a crowd at the elevator, he acknowledged us,  extending permission for us to head up via the stairs. So up we went.

At this point there was still around 10-15 people on the roof, some familiar faces from earlier, some new. I got talking to a man with impeccable English, a man named Mahmoud. He didn’t really agree with the protests, but found himself stuck on the roof because he needed to go to his office in a language school he owned which was in the building. He only came to grab his CV for a meeting and intended to be 10 minutes. I can’t help thinking of the line from Kevin Smith’s movie Clerks, “I wasn’t even supposed to be here today”.

The night was drawing on and the protest just kept raging but in essentially in a very peaceful fashion, the overwhelming majority of violence and force was coming from the police side of the barricades. It seemed like every time the police showed more aggression, 1000 more people flooded into the square. Each push by the police sent a wave of phone calls out to friends and families calling for them to re-join, or join for the first time. The people were angry and the veil covering their fear had fallen off.

Then about Midnight, the familiar warning sirens boomed once again. Plain clothed men fell back from the crowd and lined up behind the police. They stood in rows warming up as if ready to fight for the heavyweight boxing title belt.

Many of these men sported a Sadaam Hussein mustache, a leather jacket and an impressive belly. They were the Baltigaya, the thugs, the secret police. Hired by the government to mostly watch over Egyptians in day to day life, they were present in every coffee shop, every town square and anywhere where people may have been capable of deviance against the Regime. Today, they had been in the crowds inciting violent behaviour, throwing things at the police in order to justify any brutality the police threw back, a common Regime trick.

However, this was the last push. Hosni must have waved his arm and made the order. The people have had their fun and they must go home.

A forward sweep of police cleared the square within what seemed like minutes. Any straggling protesters were repeatedly beaten and thrown into meat wagons. Rubber bullets, batons, tear gas and even fast moving vehicles were used directly on the people.

By around 1am the square was completely clear and in came the little bugs.

The square buzzed with little bugs, these bugs were little cleaner vehicles, cleaning up the square as if to polish over the ‘little’ protest and return Cairo to it’s normal self before the dung Beetle rolled the sun up for yet another day. Another day in paradise, another day in Regime imposed obedient paradise.

Then all was quiet.

The silence, utter tiredness and waning adrenalin was hitting us. As the police were still hanging around the edges we thought it best to wait. Being mistaken for a protester and carted off to a Egyptian police station to have a metal bar rammed up our (i’ll let you imagine the rest) was not on any of our agendas.

So we waited for 15-20 minutes and then decided it was time to go home back to our cozy tree lined suburb. Back to Mohammed, our bowab and his smiling little girl who would scream ‘Hello’ at us. Back to our life of Western priced restaurants that would charge us a weeks Egyptian wages for some wine and pasta. Back to the security and first class citizen status enjoyed at that time by each and every Foreigner in the sandy city. We were foreign, so the likelihood was that the police would have let us pass without trouble at this point.

We descended down the stairs with the remaining roof top viewers. I don’t remember how many of us exactly.

We arrived at the fourth floor. Hurried ‘shhhh’ sounds quietened us. A crowd of battered looking men and women were huddled on the stairs under a window. A whispered announcement informed us that Mubarak, the bowab, was dealing with a few policemen at the main door, telling them the building was empty. No protesters hiding on the stairs four floors up, no people on the roof. Lying to the police was a very very brave act in that Egypt.

So we waited again. My survival mechanism was starting to cough off it’s dust and whirl into action. Plans and scenarios were rushing through my head.

Mahmoud, the man who didn’t even want to be there today, spoke. He said it was God’s will that he was there today and we must all head up to his school and hide until it was safe. He could not let the police get a hold of us or the protesters on the stairs. He could not be responsible for what the police would do to them when he had a chance to save them from that fate. It was very likely that us foreigners in the group could have slipped away unharmed but that would have called the bowab out as a liar and opened up the possibility that people were indeed hiding in the building.

So we crept up to the fifth, slowly in silence, and Mahmoud opened up his school for us.

We sat, shattered and whispering. Arabic, Spanish, French and English could be heard amongst the tense group. Some chatted, some tried to sleep, some made tea. The group was varied including young fired-up Egyptians, mothers who wanted a better future for their children, and journalists. For all our different backgrounds and different reasons for ending up huddled and stuck behind school desks, we all shared emotions. The overriding being that we all wanted to go home!

Mubarak, the bowab, knew we were up there and sneaked up to inform us that the police would soon be searching the building, going door-to-door and searching any properties that displayed signs of life.

As we sat frozen for what totaled 4 hours, we could hear the boots of the police clicking up and down the stairs fading in and out. They swept up and down the buildings 10 floors, knocking occasionally. In one room Nuria, an Independent Spanish journalist, sat in front of a glowing screen filing her exclusive story of the day’s events. Her story of our night, stuck in a language school at 1 Liberation Square, was published the next day and can be read here: The 20 Club. This was my first and maybe only ever mention in a Spanish newspaper!

As the morning light started to peak over the horizon, Mubarak, the bowab, came knocking on the door. The police presence had dwindled and a few people were back on the streets for another normal day. He arranged for us to leave two-by-two to avoid attention.  We arranged a lift home from a fellow accomplice. Lara left with his friend and 10 minutes later I left with him.

Before we departed, a photograph was arranged and 16 of the 20 participated. It can be seen below. Nuria (the Spanish Journalist) is missing as she took the photo. Her partner Miguel, an amazing photographer (see an article about his pictures in the NYT), is seen top right . I’m the guy in the front row sporting the ‘I really need to sleep’ eyes and blue shirt. Lara has her best ‘badass’ mouth curl in the green behind me. Mahmoud, the man who owned the school, is 2nd from the right, at the back, looking dapper and trimmed in black.

Class of January 25th!

As we left the building, police dressed in full riot gear were fast asleep on the floor lining the back streets, the only real hint at what had happened the night before. The streets were actually cleaner than normal. The bugs had swept in and erased all traces apart from a few smashed windows and trashed chain restaurants!

We met near our new friend’s car. He drove us home and we fell into deep sleep.

Of course, the next day was not just another day in Cairo, another day in Regime run Cairo. The peoples’ spirit had not been swept back under the carpet, even if the surface evidence of the protests had. For the next 17 days, they fought to overthrow the Pharoah. Ultimately after much blood shed, death and pure people persistence (plus a little help from the army), President Hosni Mubarak stepped down.

How I think the revolution changed Egypt and changed me

The overthrowing of Hosni Mubarak was monumental. The self imposed Pharaoh ruled with an increasingly strengthened iron fist for over 30 years as the rich got richer and the poor had to work harder to survive.

Eventually the middle class were dragged into the game of survival. Hosni’s pseudo democracy run by greased palms wasn’t very sensible with it’s people management skills. He brought the uprising on himself.

Sadly, the army had to be a part in his stepping down. Chants of “the people and the army are one hand” and even people getting married on tanks were common after the 18 days, but that has dwindled as for many people the army have carried on more or less where the Regime took off. Tourism is down, a large part of the economy, and life is harder in general.

Some freedoms have come from the tough times and it is apparent that the once banned Muslim Brotherhood is a very popular choice with the majority.

Whether we like it or not, as foreigners, we need to respect the majority and allow Egypt to choose it’s democratic future. Sadly, it looks as if the hands of the old Regime are still strong enough that when Egyptian’s go to the polls this week Amr Moussa, Mubarak’s Foreign Minister, may miraculously be selected as the next president. Whether this is the will of the people or the choice of the underlying Regime we may never know. If the brotherhood wins, that again could also have been orchestrated to allow the people to believe they chose.

However, Egypt and Egyptians have changed. Although many are sick of the revolution and the even harder hardships it has brought, many young faces are still ignited by the glimpse of change they’ve made. I believe through small movements they will keep the fight up and change will improve over time.

I take away so much from my time in Egypt, and particularly this day. I saw and felt the lifting of fear from a repressed mass of people. The realisation that they could help shape their future despite the forces against them. My troubles in life are like a grain of sand compared to all the sand in Egypt’s black and white desert, but I know the same rules apply to me in every situation life throws at me.

People are the same where ever you step. Some good hearted, some twisted with pain and seemingly bad, many not clear cut in their intentions but almost all majorities just want their freedom of expression, freedom to believe what they want and freedom to wake up without a day of hardship ahead. If we can’t connect on anything else, we should be able to connect on that one will.

Everything you believe in is worth fighting for and you can make a difference, often small but sometimes overwhelmingly huge.

Let’s all remember what Egypt did and celebrate that. Let’s wish them well in the upcoming elections and hope that they continue the fight for genuine change.

Please do take the time to comment and thank you so much for reading this lengthy post.

Have you read Frugal Zeitgeist recently? I say recently as in the last year?

A lot of people have passed by and left very quickly.  A few people stick around but I am not sure why! I have to put my hands up and say quite honestly that it has been awful. I’ve written a lot of content but much if it easily forgettable, much of it off-topic and some even on topics I know very little about.

I have to say I am very sorry. I’m not after forgiveness though.  You reap what you sow.

So what am I going to do about it?

I fully intend to turn over the field, re-plant the seeds and get the crop back to it’s full health. If I don’t take action the blog will die a slow death and my pride in my work will too.

New posts are going to be of a much higher and well thought out quality with subjects I enjoy writing about and that are close to my heart as well as things I have properly researched rather than hashed together.

Old posts that have potential will be updated, sometimes republished as new. A lot of the completely irrelevant content is going to be taken down bit by bit.

I intend to get back to interacting a lot more with you all, rather than just throwing a link on Facebook and calling myself a social media user! I want to engage and give this small corner of the huge net some kind of purpose.

Here are some areas I expect to be working on:

• Talk on sustainability
• Minimising and downsizing
• More saving money posts from my perspective
• Travel tips and thoughts
• Recipes
• More video and graphical content in general
• Featured reader businesses and high quality guest posts

What can you do?

I don’t deserve anything from you, but if you could find some kindness in your heart I would love your help.

Let me know where you want the blog to go, things you would find interesting and just spur me on, correct me, keep me on my toes and of course keep (or even start) reading.

Thank you.

755 Restaurant Corporation Georgia Franchise Has 32 Restaurants - 755 Restaurant Corporation was founded by Hank Aaron and his wife in 1995 and opened for business January 1, 1996 with 32 restaurants in total. The corporation has in its portfolio 18 Popeyes Louisiana Kitchens, 12 Burger Kings, and 2 Krispy Kreme Doughnuts.

755 Restaurant Corporation Georgia Franchise Has 32 Restaurants

The baseball great is an incredible example of how truly successful people just never stop. Hank Aaron has a legacy of an incredible baseball career that not only broke homerun records but also broke social barriers. And yet after he retired, he decided not to stop going. He and his wife Billye Aaron opened the 755 Restaurant Corporation in Georgia because it meant something to them. Said Aaron:

“… little did I know that one day I would come back [to Atlanta] to be awarded this franchise. It’s something that I’ve dreamed about.”

The Corporation is made up of a series of the aforementioned franchises. They have 32 restaurants in total. It’s called “755″ because that was the number of homeruns hit by the baseball legend and he is often remembered for breaking the homerun record set by Babe Ruth. He signed to the Major Leagues in 1954 when he joined the Atlanta Braves and was an all-star every year from 1955-75.

Aaron isn’t the only celebrity to have an entrepreneurial inclination. Many people, once their career is winding down, decide to start a new professional adventure. In reality this is best thing anyone can do for their mental and physical health– studies have shown that people who retire young are more likely to die within 10 years that people who continue working.

Hank Aaron has it right. It’s good to keep going– no reason to ever stop, no matter what your age may be.

755 Restaurant Corporation Georgia Franchise Has 32 Restaurants

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755 Restaurant Corporation Georgia Franchise Has 32 Restaurants

Lost Credit Cards What to Do – If you’ve lost your credit cards and you’re not sure what to do, it’s imperative that you take action immediately! There’s no worse feeling in the world than losing your wallet and/or credit cards but by no means should you let this feeling overwhelm you to the point that you don’t act. The longer you wait to take action, the more difficult it can be to get your money back.

Lost Credit Cards What to Do

Let’s go over the steps of what you must do if your credit card gets stolen and then we’ll review how to protect yourself from identity theft in the future.

If your credit card is stolen…

1) Gather your information.

- When did your card go missing? What happened? Are there fraudulent charges? Make sure that you’re as clear on everything as you can be.

- Have your account information/number ready.

- Confirm when your last valid purchase was.

2) Contact your card issuer.

- Every card issuer has a specific phone number for reports of lost/stolen credit cards. If you’re not sure which extension to dial call customer service or explain to whoever you can get a hold of about what’s happened. They’ll be able to connect you to the right source and you can report your card lost/stolen.

3) Follow up with a letter.

- Make sure you also send your card issuer a letter after you hang up the phone, reiterating that your card is lost/stolen and that you called (provide the date) and made a report. Include as many details as you can.

4) Deal with fraudulent charges.

- Federal law protects you from paying all charges made to your card after you report it missing and most of the charges made that you claim were fraudulent. Your card issuer is allowed to dispute up to $50 of the charges, so if there’s a problem you’re entitled to contact the Credit Bureau about your rights under the Fair Credit Billing Act.

5) Prevent future theft.

- It’s important that you protect yourself from further theft in the future. Figure out how your card information was taken from you and consider changing your passwords, and boosting up security in whatever ways possible.

I originally wrote these steps in an article on The Random Forest.

Most Common Identity Theft Schemes:

- Going through your trash : If you don’t shred your mail and personal information, it becomes available for thieves to piece together who you are and where your credit card and bank information is.

- Stealing your mail : Even though it’s a federal offense, that won’t stop some of the scum bags out there who will steal mail at any given opportunity. Consider switching to online banking and set up as many passwords and protection methods as possible.

- Skimming : Identity theft criminals carry devices that read the magnetic strip on the back of your credit cards. There are protective cases available that can prevent skimming, but also make a point of only carrying cards when you need them and checking your credit card statements regularly.

- Phishing : Phishing is the broad term used for computer identity theft. Phishing can be performed by the perpetrators through email, social networks, text messages and mediums.

How to protect yourself from identity theft schemes:

- Minimize how much personal information about you and your accounts is available : Do as much as you can online and try not to leave any paper trails. Try to minimize how many cards you carry or even have, it’ll be easier to keep track of your money.

- Shred everything: Make sure it’s near impossible for anyone to read anything about you or your money

- Trust no-one : No one should ever ask for your credit card information. Ever. Except if you are purchasing something safely online, like a plane ticket.

- Check  your accounts regularly: The easiest way to catch identity theft and get all of your money back is to recognize it early on. Make a habit of checking your accounts several times a week to make sure that all of the purchases are your own.

Keep yourself safe by being cautious! There are a lot of bad people out there looking to steal from anyone they can.

Lost Credit Cards What to Do

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Lost Credit Cards What to Do

Recent reports from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) have shown that the top 1% keep getting richer over the years. The middle and lower classes, however, haven’t been so lucky.

Stated the CBO:

“Over the past three decades, the distribution of income in the United States has become increasingly dispersed — in particular, the share of income accruing to high-income households has increased, whereas the share accruing to other households has declined.”

The report found that for the 1% of wealthiest Americans, the average inflation-adjusted household income grew by 275%. The rest of wealthiest 1/5th of the population, (not including the top 1%), saw household income grow by 65% during that time, far faster than the rest of the population. And the poorest people in America, the bottom 1/5th, have only seen an 18% increase over the past 30 years.

275% increase of annual income in the already richest 1% of the population compared to the 18% increase for the poorest segment of the population. How on Earth did this happen?

The CBO report offered some explanation, although not really enough of one.

“The rapid growth in average real household income for the 1% of the population with the highest income was a major factor contributing to the growing inequality in the distribution of household income between 1979 and 2007. Shifts in government transfers and federal taxes also contributed to that increase in inequality.”

Others point to the fact that climbing the economic ladder– aka the American Dream– has becoming increasingly difficult.

Perhaps one of the best qualities about U.S. society has been lost– recent research has indicated that Americans are less economically mobile than ever. Could it be? The the land of opportunity, where rags-to-riches stories make up our citizenry’s landscape may be on the verge of extinction?

Occupy Wall Street seems to have shown a spotlight on the issue. With an emphasis on the “we are the 99%”, it has become painfully clear that the disparity between the rich and wealthy has reached extreme levels. But does that mean that mean the possibility for a Jefferson ‘s experience of “movin’ on up to the East side” is no longer within the average Americans reach?

Related: Summer Jobs and Tough Competition

Jason DeParle thinks so. Back in January the journalist penned an article for the New York Times entitled “Harder for Americans to Rise from Lower Rungs“. In it, he argues that the evidence for America’s lack of economic mobility is staggering:

“A project led by Markus Jantti, an economist at a Swedish university, found that 42 percent of American men raised in the bottom fifth of incomes stay there as adults. That shows a level of persistent disadvantage much higher than in Denmark (25 percent) and Britain (30 percent) — a country famous for its class constraints.”

The study also found that 62% of men and women raised in the top 5th of incomes stay in the top 2/5ths. Likewise, 65% of men and women born in the bottom 5th stay in the bottom 2/5ths. This lack of mobility is not shared by Canada and Western European countries.

Between unfair taxation and a less mobile society, it’s no wonder that the rich continue getting richer and the poor, poorer.

How Much Should Preschool Cost – You might be surprised at just how much the cost of preschool is compared to what you think it should be. Taking naps, coloring– sounds pretty simple and yet it somehow costs thousands of dollars a year.

Apparently, however, some preschools stand out from the rest. According to Baby Center a good preschool should have the following:

- A good reputation

- A stimulating curriculum

- A qualified, caring staff

- Established ground rules

- Clean, safe facilities

- A current license

Sounds pretty good to me. I can’t imagine anyone trying to pass off anything less for people’s kids. Then again, I’m sure there are plenty of parents with horror stories. But back to pricing– how much should a preschool cost if it’s met the above standards?

How Much Should Preschool Cost

According to The National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies:

• Full-time preschool averaged $3,800 -$10,900 in 2006.  The average annual cost of a 4-year-old in preschool care varies by state, according to a ranking prepared by USAToday.com. The most affordable states are Alabama, $3,000, and Nevada $3,200. The District of Columbia leads the pack at$10,900, followed closely by Massachusetts with an annual average of $10,700.
• Parents home schooling preschoolers use a combination of “park” time with other children and at-home projects to socialize and teach the child. Everything preschool.com offers tips and project ideas to keep preschoolers engaged.

How Much Should Preschool Cost

How Much Should Preschool Cost

This might sound ridiculous but the number of times I’ve filled out job applications and messed it up are far too many. In the past I had a tendency to be careless and unprepared and as a result I feel like I ended up not getting the job.

After all, there’s tough competition out there when it comes to employment. Even with easy, part-time summer jobs. The market is cutthroat and you need to stand out from the pack. Preferably not by having the worst spelling.

The following are some tips I feel like I sorely needed when I filled out job applications in the past:

#1) Do it right. The worst thing you can do when filling out a job application is to do it in a half-assed way. The less effort you visibly put into it, the less serious you will come across to your prospective employer. Come with your reference/employment information ready or take the application home.

#2) Start with pencil. I can’t tell you how many times I started filling out a job application in pen before realizing that I somehow really screwed it up, in pen! The worst is crossing something off in pen or even white-out looks kind of cheap. I say, start with light pencil you can either erase or write over. Or write everything out on a separate paper before putting in your final draft.

#3) Take your time. If you rush filling out an application it probably will appear so or you’ll get some information wrong. Take some time and do it right– it’ll pay off.

#4) Write legibly. Does your handwriting stink? Try writing slowly, or print as best you can when filling out an application. It’ll make you appear more professional. Or get someone with good handwriting to do it for you.

#5) If you’re not sure how to spell a word– look it up. There’s nothing worse than poor spelling to make you look unemployable. Get it right.

#6) Don’t lie. It’ll come back to haunt you.

#7) Double check your work. Take a few minutes to re-read everything and make sure you’re happy with your responses and that all your references are correct.

Once you’re done filling out your application, put in a folder so that it doesn’t get beat up or coffee spilled on it. Then head off to your prospective employer and hand it to someone in management. Ask for the manager, shake their hand and let them know that you’ll be checking in with them soon.

Congratulations! You’re one step closer to becoming gainfully employed.

Do You Have Any Tips for Filling Out Job Applications

2012 Summer Job Prospects in the U.S. + Tough Competition – Summer 2012 is right around the corner and with it comes the tough competition that many U.S. teens and college students must endure when trying to get a job.

The already tough job market makes it exceptionally difficult for many young people to land a 3-month summer job. Last year the numbers were particularly bleak with the U.S. Department of Labor reported that summer employment among kids was around 24%.

Why was the competition tougher than ever?  The combination of employers are offering fewer position along with the high levels of unemployed people looking to land any sort of paying gig– full time or summer.

2012 Summer Job Prospects in the U.S. + Tough Competition

That’s not to say that all hope is lost. A new study that came out last month shows evidence that opportunities for summer teen employment are going to start increasing soon and 2012 might just be the beginning. HuffPo reports:

“The report, which was released by employment network Snagajob, surveyed more than 1,000 hiring managers and found a six percent increase in the number of managers who think that teens now have a more even playing field in the job market. Thirty percent of hiring managers surveyed also believe it will be easy for teens to secure a job this summer, up nearly 10 percent from two years ago.

Others are not as optimistic about the teen job market. CNN Money reports that while the national unemployment rate has fallen to 8.3 percent, the rate for youth has remained above 20 percent for 40 consecutive months.”

If you’re looking to beat the rush and get a good summer job, it’s important to remember that the clock is ticking. According to report, 79% of all of the summer jobs are taken by the end of May. As of right now, roughly 45-60% of summer jobs prospects are already taken.

So, how can you beat the tough competition? According to MoneyLand, employers are looking for the following qualities in the summer employees:

• Flexibility This tops the list for the first time. One in three hiring managers say it is critical that summer help be able to work when and wherever they are needed.
• Positive attitude This one is a staple. Can-do spirit is important in any job interview.
• Job experience It’s always helpful to have experience but not always necessary. Still, returning employees will fill 65% of summer jobs.

Other things to consider to improve your chances when dealing with the competition:

- Tap into every resource/network available: teachers, friends, neighbors, relatives

- Consider taking on multiple jobs throughout the summer

- If it’s getting late (end of May, early June) don’t be picky. Take the paying job, no matter how un-fun it is.

- Get an unpaid internship– worst case scenario, it’ll look good on your resume.

It is still disputed whether or not things are looking up for 2012 summer employment, but if you hit the ground running and really reach out to all of your options there’s a good chance you might be able to snag a paying-gig before they’re all gone.

2012 Summer Job Prospects in the U.S. + Tough Competition

Tree Houses for Rent – If you’re planning a fun, different kind of vacation this summer, why not rent a tree house? There are some amazing structures out there among the treetops that are just waiting for you and your beloved. Finally! A chance to hang with the squirrels.

All I wanted to do as a kid is live in a tree house. I think it was watching Swiss Family Robinson too many times. Anyway, I composed a list of some of the most popular tree houses out there that are available for rent.

Tree Houses for Rent

Turns out lots of people want to try sleeping out in a tree house, even as adults!

Out’N'About Treehouse Treesort – Oregon

“This bed & breakfast resort offers several treehouse accommodations to choose from, with prices ranging from $120 for the 2 person “Serendipitree” to $250 for the 4 person “Schoolhouse” treehouse. All prices include breakfast.”

Alaska’s Treehouse B&B

“This bed & breakfast resort offers several rooms in the treehouse, which is located two hours south of Anchorage. Off-season (Oct 1-April 30) rates are $80 to $125. In-season (May 1-September 30), rates range from $125 to $145. All prices include breakfast.”

Hana Lani Treehouses

Hawaiian Treehouse rental for the eco-friendly traveler.

“These treehouses are bare bones. No electricity, no running water, partially open roof areas. So why would anyone want to rent them? Because they sit in the middle of a Hawaiian jungle on the island of Maui, with views of the ocean, that’s why. Rates run $250 to $400, depending on the size of the treehouse.”

Outa-The-Woods Treehouses

Located in B.C. and for only $150 a night, these beautiful tree houses can provide the ultimate romantic get away. Your accommodation will include:

• spacious 2-sided front deck with barbeque,
• main floor with dining area, kitchen, bathroom and lounge,
• loft bedroom with walk-out balcony and double hammock,
• propane kitchen with a full set of pots, pans, dishes and cutlery,
• An attractive propane fireplace,
• solar electric outlets for low amp appliances,
• 3 piece bathroom with all bath, bed and kitchen linens supplied,
• Queen bed in loft, queen futon on main floor,
• running hot and cold water, and solar powered lights

If all of this is sounding really good, but you’re not sure if taking a big trip to rent a tree house is worth it, despite whatever childhood dreams you too might have, consider building a tree house! Then you can sleep outside whenever you damn well please.

Tree Houses for Rent. Source : Wikipedia

Who are the Richest Celebrities – Every year Forbes announces who the richest celebrities are in the world. Not surprisingly, most of these individuals make regular appearances on the “richest” list. Either because they have built an empire for themselves that just won’t quit or have products that will get bought again and again, forever!

Who are the Richest Celebrities

Let’s take a look at who the richest celebrities are by how much they’re “worth”– this isn’t how much they have liquid, sitting in their bank account.

1. Oprah Winfrey - $290M
2. U2 – $195M
3. Tyler Perry - $130M
4. Bon Jovi - $125M
5. Jerry Bruckheimer - $113M
6. Steven Spielberg - $107M
7. Elton John - $100M
8. Lady Gaga - $90M
9. Simon Cowell - $90M
10. James Patterson - $84M
11. Dr. Phil Mcgraw - $80M
12. Leonardo Dicaprio - $77M
13. Howard Stern – $76M
14. Tiger Woods – $75M
15. Dick Wolf – $70M
16. Jerry Seinfeld – $70M
17. James Cameron – $70M
18. Paul McCartney - $67M
19. Rush Limbaugh - $64M
20. Black Eyed Peas - $61M

It’s not surprising that Oprah is number one on the list. I mean, it’s Oprah! She will reign supreme forever and ever! I am surprised that U2 is worth so much money. What have they done recently?

Anyway, a lot of celebrities don’t just get big, fat paychecks from movies and magazine sales, but rather from product endorsements. Tiger Woods has essentially made all of his money from endorsing products like Nike.

Tiger Woods has made over $1 billion in endorsements since his career started back in 1996. Says Wikipedia:

“Woods has been called the world’s most marketable athlete. Shortly after his 21st birthday in 1996, he began signing endorsement deals with numerous companies, including General Motors, Titleist, General Mills, American Express, Accenture, and Nike, Inc. In 2000, he signed a 5-year, $105 million contract extension with Nike. It was the largest endorsing deal ever signed by an athlete at that time.“

Michael Jordan is another example of a celebrity who has made a killing from product endorsements. His deals have included Nike, Coca-Cola, Chevrolet, Ball Park Franks, Wheaties and Hanes. His annual income for endorsements is still about $40 million a year and it’s estimated that he makes Nike $1 billion.

Oprah doesn’t peddle any products besides her own media, but that’s not to say she doesn’t have clout when it comes to affecting the sales. Her “Oprah’s Book List” can put books on the New York bestsellers list and an offhanded comment on her show about beef several years ago made sales plummet. And of course Dr. Phil has made some good money off of his buddy Oprah, and yet I still find it surprising that he made the top 20 richest list.

Who are the Richest Celebrities

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