Creating Jobs While Fightng Obesity

CNN published an article today talking about a couple that created a line of kids gym equipment to help fight obesity and make some extra cash in the process. It started as a way for Ernest Ebio and his wife, both fitness enthusiasts, to include their daughter in their workout adventures but turned into an entrepenurial opportunity. "Ebio partnered with his brother David Catanghal to launch WOD Toys, which produces kid-sized barbells, medicine balls, and even kettlebells for infants and toddlers," says the article. People who start their own businesses are helping decide their fate during these hard economic times and we need more people like this who are not only starting businesses and making money but doing it for a greater good as well, like obesity. Ebio says, ""As she grows up, we hope she associates exercising with something fun and positive and develops a love for fitness."

Degrees for McDonalds

http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&sa=N&biw=1366&bih=622&tbm=isch&tbnid=dTgBOjarGzRYnM:&imgrefurl=http://mittromneycentral.com/category/political-cartoons/page/4/&docid=ATNDRBhlSA0THM&imgurl=http://mittromneycentral.com/uploads/mcdonalds.gif&w=450&h=326&ei=zfS-T7HuEouOsALUuODJCQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=731&vpy=132&dur=56260&hovh=191&hovw=264&tx=146&ty=148&sig=112977297125447972870&page=1&tbnh=108&tbnw=149&start=0&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:18,s:0,i:139

With more and more workers in need of jobs in the failing economy a lot of college graduates are finding it harder to enter the workforce, which the political cartoon above displays. As many companies downsize some people have no choice but to work in at places like fast food chains and such. And some college graduates are finding that some of their majors have led them to no immediate career. When you combine both you get competitions for jobs that normally just high school workers would qualify for. Until our economy boosts back up and more jobs become available for everyone involved this will continue to be an issue.

Is the US becoming Japan?

As our country trudges through one of its worst economic downfalls since the Great Depression a CNN article compares the America's current condition to that of Japan, a once strong and wealthy nation. Japan experienced a stock market crash about 20 years ago and since then has suffered from ever increasing debt. Sound familiar? The CNN article written this morning warns about letting debt sit unhandled for too long, the conssequences which Japan has had to endure. The main problem that America is facing right now is the growing polarization of political parties that has led to government gridlock. This has left the leaders of our country at a stalemate unable to decide how to proceed with the ever increasing debt.

Vikings Stadium

One of the popular topics in Minnesota news right now is the building of a new Vikings stadium. Governor Mark Dayton recently signed off on the deal and football fans are pumped for the prospect of a new stadium. One detail that has been over looked however is who's getting stuck with the bill. And that would be us-the taxpayers. The Huffington Post said in an article over the matter on May 22 that "most fans are hurt by such deals because they lead to increased taxes and higher prices." If we start throwing out numbers the stadium costs roughly 975 million dollars. About 150 million dollars of this comes from Minneapolis through new city sales taxes. Is it worth it? It will be up to the city of Minneapolis to decide if the cost of their taxes underweighs the benefit of this great new stadium.

The Keynes Approach to Economics

http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&sa=N&biw=1366&bih=622&tbm=isch&tbnid=RaAqn843X7n_sM:&imgrefurl=http://leftycartoons.com/category/economics/page/2/&docid=YoflnLW0uNGLfM&imgurl=http://www.leftycartoons.com/wp-content/uploads/keynes.png&w=650&h=632&ei=nuu-T-WGMOKK6QHO6ty-Cg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=413&vpy=69&dur=2540&hovh=221&hovw=228&tx=145&ty=155&sig=112977297125447972870&page=1&tbnh=118&tbnw=121&start=0&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:2,s:0,i:105

This political cartoon here argues the Keynes theory of economics and how it's taken for granted during this time period. The Keynesian approach to economics involves the government regulating the economy, whereas it's counter-approach, supply side economics suggests that there should be little government involvment in the economy. This cartoon explains that America doesn't always agree with Keynes theory and that it's 'old school' but in times of a recession or a poor economy the country looks to the government for help and Keynesian economics comes in handy. As soon as the economy has regained it's strength however the cartoon suggests that America goes back to arguing why that approach doesn't work.

Exporting Jobs: Beneficial or Boneheaded?

Each year many of the American bigshot companies send the job of creating their products to countries overseas. Why do this if the problem right here on our soil is the need for more jobs? Well apparently these companies have come to the conclusion that the opportunity cost of giving jobs to unemployed Americans doesn't quite exceed the money that they are making by having foreign workers do the job for a smaller salary. Should the rest of us agree with them? I say yes. The products that are being made overseas are being brought back to my local stores and slapped with a price sticker much lower than it would be if someone in this country had been hired to make it. Lets face it: unemployed or not most Americans think they are better than working under the conditions and wages that some of these foreign workers do wouldn't want to take a job like that. And if it means that the next laptop I buy for college is a little easier on my wallet, I'm okay with that.