We can fix our own economy!

The unemployment rate is back up to 9.2 percent, according to news reports. The media and republicans alike usually blame it on the president, as if he could actually create jobs, jobs that are being lost because American corporations continue to lay people off so they can send those positions over to India and China.
We allow this to happen by continuing to insists that cheaper is better, and not caring about the consequences of what happens when we buy products made elsewhere.
We do have the power to change things but we must make the conscious effort to look for and buy American products; you may pay a little more, but in the long run this will improve our own economy, because those products bought here will create jobs here.

I am dedicating this place to write about this, Not because I want to profit out of this, in fact I make no money here, none, zero. If however I can convince a few people in the long run to make the effort to improve our own economy, helping others get and keep a job, then I will have made some kind of difference. Americans complain and then point fingers at others for the status our country is in, but we the people have within our power to change things. Do not wait for anyone else to change things, corporations only care about profit, well, they will no profit from me unless they make a conscious effort to keep jobs here, in the U.S..
with that in mind, I will periodically post places that sell American products. Will you join me in making a difference? I hope you will.

What can you do for your Country?

http://www.allamericanclothing.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=SFNT&Store_Code=AAC&Affiliate=StillMadeinUSA

Just another ordinary Sunday

Its the end of another weekend, not much to write home about, just another typical weekend with rain, and even some snow in the nearby hills. I understand that the snow level was down to the 500 foot level, which made it a very cold few nights.
Although we did get rain the valley, (San Fernando Valley) it did not get to snow in my town of Mission Hills.

Uninterested students

More and more there is a push to punish teachers for students not performing in the classroom. If a person under performs in a job, he or she may get fired, but somehow, high school students are exempt from any blame for coming to school, yet not do any work, and the teacher will be at fault. In the end, more and more teachers leave the classroom for other jobs because they do not get support from either parents, administrators or the public in general. Even president Obama, which I consider a most favorable president, has been poorly advised regarding how teachers are treated. Teachers do an incredible job given the circumstances. They are surrogate parents, since they spend more time kids than their parents do.They have to act as counselors, our school counselors are extremely overwhelmed with the number of of students they now handle, so teachers are doing a big portion of that job.

Teachers have to discipline students, since parents are hardly involved, many do not even show up to parent/teacher conferences, and some simply could not care less if their kids pass a single class. To them, its to late, they don't feel its their job to educate their kids, and they leave everything to the schools.

Now, with budgets being cut dramatically, specially in California, many teachers are being laid off or they are warned that they must take a 12 to 14 percent pay cut or face layoff. It seems that teachers who by the way are highly educated, and are responsible for all other educated citizens of this country are not getting a fair shake. They sacrifice their time after school, on the weekends, yet they get little respect.

Teachers are the most educated, yet the least compensated, they are required to work from 10 to 12 hours per day, including weekend. Much of the work is done during off hours, after school, during the weekend, when they are on vacations.

If you want better teachers, you will find that you already have very good teachers out there, and that much of the hoopla going around is nothing more than political posturing by public officials who seem to use this issue to further their political careers, and make it seem like they are doing something productive.

Well, back to the classroom. I was not a happy camper, I did not get to teach the classes that I want, but then again, I don't remember getting my choice in some 9 years.I had fired a letter to the administrator in charge as to the mistake with my classes, but after a week of waiting, I resigned myself to the schedule I've gotten, believing that given that I am no longer happy with teaching, feeling pretty much, well disenchanted with this teaching bit.The morning started like any other day, except I didn’t care. Hey, it’s a job, I said, just go, do your job, go home and enjoy your time after work.The first bell rang and everywhere students started rushing to class before the tardy bell rang. I did the same, trying not to spill my morning coffee. I have to drink coffee before my first class, or my day will not go well.I stood by the door, students came in, and I started the big decision. Where are they going to sit? I told them, this is your advisory; it really didn’t matter for now.Then this one student came over with her mom, I didn’t know she was her mom, she kissed her daughter and said "see you later". The mother turned to me and said, Mr. Camarena, do you remember me?I said, er.. not really, I get about 120 students per semester. She told me that she had been my student some 14 years ego, and that I had called her mom on her.I did? I said. She told me that she was pregnant and she was going to drop out of school, and I had called her mom and told her that she could not, and should not drop out, because she was one of my smartest students in my math class, and had lots of potential to do well in college. She told me she didn’t drop out, after having her baby, she went back to school, and went to college. She also told me, she never got the chance to thank me. I didn’t know what to say, I told her, kiddingly how old I was feeling right then, but truthfully, I was almost ready to break down and cry, cause here I thought that my job was completely meaningless, and this former student, now a grown woman, was telling that somehow I had made a difference in her life, and her daughter was now my student in my class.After this, my day went surprisingly well.....

Ultimate Fathers Day

My fathers day experience was one of the best I've had. I am a father three times over. But there is nothing more special than being waken by my young eight year old, because I was taking to long to get out of bed. She has been waiting for this day for some time. Apparently she did some arts and crafts and could not wait any longer to give them to me.

She stumbles out of bed, barely awake herself, and in her hand was this gorgeous tie she pasted and cut onto a construction paper, and a cute memo pad she had printed herself for me on a school computer.

Nothing else in the world can surpass the love a child has for her or his dad. I am for ever grateful for her small but priceless gift. I love you Jamie, Your dad.

Bougus winnings!!

Once more I got the very common e mail from some foreign organization, usually from South Africa, and lately from England.
"You have been selected to win one million pounds in the state lottery". And it continues, "just send us your name, address, social security number, and bank account number so we can deposit your winnings as soon as possible."
They must think I was born yesterday, unfortunately many people actually fall for such tactics and do send their information only to realize that their back account has been drained of funds, and their identification stolen.
One has to be careful and weary of anything being given away. There is no such thing as winning something for nothing. No free rides, what you end up getting is being taken for a ride to the poor house.
Never answer any of those e mails from anyone, and I mean anyone. It is a dog eat dog world out there, and you must be on your toes at all times.
good luck.

Tredmill miles

Recently I have made the commitment to walk at least fifteen miles per week. So far I have fallen a little short, not because I wanted to slack off, or laziness, but because of blistering feet. However, I did find a temporary solution to that, stationary bike. The treadmill still hurts my blisters to the point where I can't walk half a mile before I start limping. To get the calorie burning effects of the treadmill, I replaced that with the elliptical machines, which by the way works out all muscles of the legs for an excellent cardio-workout.
But my mileage is suffering, since I can't calculate number of miles walked on it, but calories burned are calories burned, if I burn about 600 calories per hour walking, it really makes no difference how you get those 600 calories burned, whether its walking, running, or via the elliptical machine, you still burn 600 calories.
Not since it takes about 3500 calories per pound of fat, it means I would have to burn about 1200 calories per day for at least 3 days to get rid of a pound of undesired fat tissue, or as some books name it, adipose tissue. I should call it cellulite, but heck, there is nothing lite about it, fat is fat, and nothing can change that.