Advice for Fresh Graduates During Tough Times

These are some good suggestions, being aware of your priorities is always the best way to go. I am just sharing some insight. Take care.

Taken from: Yahoo! Finance
By: Ben Stein

One of the great pleasures of my life is speaking to college and university students. My speeches are rarely political and mostly just the sharing of my experience, strength, and hope, to borrow a famous phrase. Lately I have been speaking a great deal about the economy, about which I know a bit, since I am an economist in real life as well as in movies and on TV. In my youth I also worked on economic policy matters in a small way at the White House.
As you might guess, the main issue today's students have in mind is what they can do in the currently difficult -- very difficult -- job market. What do I recommend to them to trump the problems so many young people are having getting started in the labor market?
Herewith, I offer a few suggestions. These are taken not just from my experience but from what my parents and their friends told me about graduating from college in the middle of the Great Depression, when unemployment was incomparably higher and times incomparably tougher than they are right now.
Learn a Genuinely Useful Skill
First, learn a genuinely useful skill. Abstract art and conceptual sculpture are great if your parents are wealthy. But if times are lean, as they are for most of us, learn to do what people need done: medical care of all kinds (the shortage of nurses gets more acute every week, and wages are skyrocketing), accounting, engineering that is used in defense, and any kind of work connected to the criminal justice system (crime is an ever-growing menace).
Second, and closely tied to the above, learn who is hiring. Right now, the main eager employers are in health care, education in urban and extremely rural schools, and above all, government. During the Depression, the main employer was government. Under the Obama administration, there will be immense new hires in most areas of federal government, but especially in the areas Mr. Obama has picked as his favorites: "green" power, education, and environmentalism.
Tailor your education and your skills to where the hiring is. You can always change your skill set and move to another area if you do not find government work or some other form of work appealing.
Never Enough of the Best People
Third, be the best at what you do. This is vital. My father often told me that, even in 1935, there was a shortage of top flight people in almost every field. "There are never enough of the best people," he used to say. If you are at the top of your class, you will have a vastly greater job vista than people in the middle or at the bottom.
I know some smart aleck will now say, "Well, Ben, we cannot all be at the top of our class." True enough. But you don't have to worry about the others. Just worry about yourself right now -- and have the best record you can have.
Learn great work skills. Learn to show up on time, to look neat and well-groomed, and to do whatever is asked of you with a willing attitude. Be up to date on all relevant computer skills and happy to learn new ones. Have a super positive attitude. Now is not the time for troublemakers and whiners. Your job is to produce some value for your employers greater than the cost of employing you. Make sure you do just that and do not create "negative utility," which means you destroy more value for your employers than you create -- by complaining, distracting workers, not getting your work done, and requiring a lot of supervision.
The Value of Thrift
Be thrifty. You will be far ahead of the game if you can live on much less than what you earn. Then you can have savings and build them up for the time when you move to a new city or a new job and require "starting-out money." It is just a great feeling to not be desperate.
Make every good connection you can. Almost all good jobs are gotten by who you know at least as much as by what you know. When people are hiring in both government and the private sector, a recommendation from a friend or colleague means more than test scores. Make and expand your web of friends and colleagues from the earliest possible moment, including high school. Your colleagues are a form of capital as real as money, even if not as liquid.
Imagine you are an employer looking at your whole college class. Would you hire you? If not, make yourself better. You can be a rebel later. For now, do what you need to do to get a job.

A guide for New Immigrants in the United States

I was searching for some information from the Departmen of Homeland Security. Yeah, The Immigration Department in the U.S. You know, my legal side is always working... so, I was reading the new immigrant guide that they have put together in Spanish. This guide helps new immigrants to access local, state and federal services, and shows immigrants about how they can participate in the politics of this great country. It is grammatical correct, which is a difficult thing to do for non-spanish speakers, so I should say they did a marvelous job.

Guia para Nuevos Imigrantes en Los Estados Unidos de America , Version en Espanol http://www.uscis.gov/files/nativedocuments/M-618_sp.pdf

Immigrant Guide, English Version http://www.uscis.gov/files/nativedocuments/M-618.pdf

Please enjoy!

Discussion of Intellectual Property

My friend Anthony sent me this article. I thought It might benefit some people, especially if you are the author of intellectual property, and you might benefit from getting royalties for your work.

Be sure to read it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/04/books/04google.html?_r=1&pagewanted=2&emc=eta1

Get Your Passport

This was taken from an article from AAA

I am just posting for your information.

Full implementation of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) will begin on June 1. On taht date, U.S. Citizens MUST have a passport or other WHTI-compliant document to enter the U.S. by land or sea.

Children under age 16 may continue to use birth certificates.

I hope this helps you to ensure you have everything you need before you pack your bags. Stay Informed.

If you need more information please check this website: http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738_2.html

Love Always,

Blanca

" A Raising in the Sun"

Oh, I forgot to mention that I have finished reading a play called "A Raising in the Sun" by Lorraine Hansberry. Also a theatrical performance.

This is a play that portraits a Black family life in the inner city, and their struggles in an age of racial and social injustice. I love the end, because Walter, who is one of the characters, finds a way to Manhood - standing for his family, for his father's honor, and for himself as a man. Redeeming himself and his family honor for generations to come.

It is a short play, you will laugh, and will definitely have a great time, while you learn from our past and rich history.

Discovering Freedom: Blanca's Blog: Today's Broadcast with Steve Green

http://www.haventoday.org/

Today's Broadcast with Steve Green

Sorry, I have been a little bit too busy studying for my classes, writing, and trying to stay current with my finance class - present value, future value, blah, blah, blah.... I know, I promise that when I am done, I will write more often.

In the mean time, you can listen to my favorite radio program. Of course, you can podcast the program, if you decide to go running, do not forget to bring along your ipod so you can listen while exercising. Oh, and Please do me a favor, while you are listening to the program, browse through any subject that catches your eyes, or your interest.

God Bless!