Crossroads

It has been my pleasure to bring my readers information on personal finance, economics, and current events surrounding us globally. However, tonight, I am not reporting any current event. Nor am I providing any advice or tips on how to better your future. I am here to talk about my future, and what has been going on in my head the past few weeks as I have approached my decision. Let me take you back to my last semester at Seton Hall. I was locked in as an accounting major and career as a CPA. I was intrigued by the ability to earn a high salary while having the run of Wall Street. I landed a decent finance internship this summer as a freshman, a feit that few have accomplished. I thought I was at an all time academic high. But I still heard the persistent whispers about accounting. "You're doing accounting? Are you crazy that is so boring!". "You're going to hate your job trust me the days are so long". I had firmly believed that my six figure salary would squash any concerns or negativity about my job. I kept telling myself that I had to be an accountant, and I gave myself little room to venture. It was not until I started working at my internship that I realized how different the work environment actually is. 9-11 hour work days are not fun or humerous, they are draining and slow. I soon became to realize that if I was going to pour hours into my job, I would have to be doing something that I love and look foward to doing. I dreamt of my accounting future, and it did not look too happy. The stress of Wall Street and the lost time with my family were haunting me.

As many of you know, I am an avid sports fan. I religiously follow the New York Knicks, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Eagles, and Kansas Jayhawks. I can memorize sports statistics like it is my full time job, often quoting starting lineups, where they attended college, and the salaries that each player earned. Although I stopped playing organized sports at a young age, it was definately my passion and true love. As I have been following the LeBron James free agency sweepstakes, it brought me back to the days where my dream was to be a sports agent. I thought I could pull off the Scott Boras personality, or more interestingly, Ari Gold status. I had originally looked into becoming a sports agent, but the industry was hard to crack into. I pushed my dreams aside for a more promising future in accounting.

The only advice I am going to give tonight is to follow your dreams. I understand now why my mom became an Italian teacher. She loved teaching the language she had learned in her native country to Americans aspiring to become fluent. Teaching italian was her calling, just like becoming a sports agent is mine. I am here to declare that I will be forgoing my accounting career-effective immediately. I may still major in accounting because having a business background is a good start for a sports agent. However, I plan to enroll in law school upon my graduation, and fully commit myself to pursuing my dreams. You guys will be seeing me courtside, not as a Goldman Sachs employee, but as an agent representing the likes of Derrick Rose, John Wall, and whoever else may be a future star. Nothing is holding me back, because I will be chasing what I love most, sports. Go Knicks.

Kyleigh's Law

Most young adults who are under the age of 21 are probably furious with the most recent New Jersey law that was put into effect May 1, 2010. Termed "Kyleigh's Law", the newest motor vehicle law requires any driver under the age of 21, who holds a permit or provisional driver license, to purchase two $4 decals at the Motor Vehicle Commission and place the decals on both the front and back license plate. The decal is intended to identify the driver's age to police so they may target possible law-breakers more easily. The overall reaction to this new law has been mediocre. Most teenagers believe it is profiling to single out all drivers under the age of 21. The law was put into place after Kyleigh D'Alessio, a 16 year old, was struck and killed by another teen who was driving. With the decal having to be displayed on both the front and back of the license plates, many New Jersey residents believe criminals and sexual predators may be on the lookout for these cars, knowing that they are being driven by young, defenseless drivers. I personally believe that the negatives outweigh the positives in Kyleigh's Law. I don't really see the need for these decals, as it just draws even more attention to teenagers who are already under close watch by police. Unfortunately, if you do not comply with Kyleigh's Law, police will slap you with a $100 fine. Although this was brought about for a good cause, I think the law needs to be scrapped. Stayed tuned tomorrow to find out what I think should be New Jersey's next biggest mission!

Summer Job Search

It's already been a few days into summer, and it is time to get serious about finding a summer job. I admit I should have started my search back in March or April, but it was hard to imagine summer being so close. Most college students return home from school in May and work for the most of summer to earn some spending money for the school year. However, due to the state of the economy, summer jobs are hard to come by. Most positions are already filled, and qualified workers are being forced to take the jobs that most college students look for in the summers. According to CNNmoney.com, unemployment among 16-24 year olds stands at 20% heading into summer, which has doubled from the pre-recession summer of 2007. Not included in these numbers are companies who no longer offer internship positions, or if they do, they are all unpaid. So, you may ask, what can we do now to find work? My advice is to look EVERYWHERE and ANYWHERE. Most companies and stores post positions online, so that is always a good place to look. A friend of mine Stephen Kressaty (got to give him his shoutout) informed me of Craigslist.com as a potential website for finding summer work as they have a plethora of random type jobs. Also, be aggressive. Just because there isn't a hiring or help wanted sign in the window, doesn't mean you still can't inquire about a posiition. You never know what they will say and you may impress a worker with your personality. When there aren't many jobs, its time to be creative! Best of luck in your job search and I will keep you all posted with my search as well.

End of the Semester Outlook

The blog is back! I apologize to my loyal followers who have been anxiously waiting for the end of my hiatus, but I am prepared to fully commit myself 100% to this blog, to bring young adults and teenagers breaking news, advice, and tips for success in the future. I want to reflect on my second semester, and some of the things I have learned after completing my freshman year at the HALL.

1. College is about finding yourself: FACT! This goes especially to those who dorm. We are basically given complete freedom to do as we please with our time. We can study all night, or drink until sunrise, or smoke on the top of the parking garage. There is really no one telling you what you can or can't do, what you should or shouldn't do. After finishing my first year, I really felt like I found myself. I found myself as the person who I want to be. I never really knew what I wanted out of life, I mean I had an idea in my head, but being at school really clarified it all. I now know the person that I am, the person that I want to become, and the person that I will always want to be. You really have to avoid things like peerpressure and trying to fit into a certain crowd because at the end of the day thas not being true to yourself.

2. A whole new world: Now that I have been in college, it does not even compare to high school. There are even more people, all of whom you do not know, and they all have a different story. My eyes really opened this year after meeting students from around the world. Their experiences and stories are like no other, and I have really learned to accept other people's views because of that. I am more tolerant of things like religion, sexual orientation, and the overall view on life that people have. I realize that just because we do something this way in America, does not mean that it is the only way to do it. Different people do different things, and we cannot criticize them for it.

3. Real life: For most, real life is only a few years away. As much as we would like to, we can't be in college forever. Start thinking about your future. What you want to do, what your career goals are. If you don't have a major, seriously start giving some thought to it. You don't want to be living with your parents when your 28 years old, earning minimum wage at BestBuy, especially if you have a college degree.

4. Make a Difference: Past Presidents have always said this; that we are the future of the country. We have the most potential in life, as young adults. We can do whatever we choose to do, and be whoever we want to be. It is time that we start realizing what's going on in life. Pick up the newspaper, watch the world news. Things like the financial crisis and terrorism are affecting us all, whether you realize it or not. Draw an opinion on a particular issue, and make sure you VOTE. Voting is one of the greatest rights we have as citizens, and not enough people take advantage of it. Make sure your opinions are being heard.

Guys & Gals, Keep Your Bodies To YOURSELVES!

Something that has been hitting the news recently has been athletes and celebrities being overexposed, in a very bad way. A couple of weeks ago, Portland Trailblazer Greg Oden experienced a PR nightmare when pictures surfaced of his "male parts" (for lack of better words) all over the internet. Oden was embarrassed, and said the pictures were for an old girlfriend, and somehow, were spread on the net. Another kind of situation like this occured when San Antonio Spurs guard George Hill appeared in nude photos on a website, and the pictures seem to have been taken from his mobile phone. There are cases like this everywhere, with the most popular being Kim Kardashian and rapper Ray-J's self made sex tape that surfaced a couple of years back. This caused both stars public embarrassment, and tons of endorsement. Celebrities just can't seem to get away from the camera, and it is a shame! If they don't want creepy middle aged men and young teenage girls treating their bodies like an amusement park, simply quit the dirty play. It's about being thruthful to yourself and having self respect. I'm sure these celebrities don't want the entire world knowing what they have underneath their clothing, so they should probably take my advice.

On a more local level, things like this have happened in high schools. Girls would take photos for their boyfriend, and once they broke up, the boyfriend would show all of his friends what kind of goodies his girl was hiding. This is downright disgusting and should not be tolerated. My word to the wise, BE SMART! Don't let it happen to you. There is no need to send pictures via email, facebook, text message, etc. If only Kim took my advice....

GQ News = CLAV Taking Flight

A few months back, I stressed the importance of networking, especially in the business field. Getting a job is straying away from what you know and focusing more on who you know. If you have a connection or an in somewhere, it could lead to many opportunities. I have a perfect real-life example to discuss. A friend of mine here at Seton Hall, Connor Laverty, had the opportunity to pose for GQ Magazine because one of his friends knew someone who worked for the magazine. Without that contact, Connor would still be playing pickup basketball games hoping for something exciting to happen. As you can see by the picture, Mr. Laverty is a good looking man. Look for him in the April Issue of GQ Magazine. Connor is the next up and coming model!

CONNOR IS THE MALE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE PHOTO.

Obama's New 2011 Budget

Today, US President Obama proposed his 2011 Fiscal Year budget he will send Congress. Here are some of the details regarding the $3.8 trillion budget for next year:

Still a little extra in your paycheck
The Making Work Pay tax breaks would be extended for a year. These were part of last year's stimulus and resulted in slightly higher paychecks for 110 million families, the White House said.

More money for education
Obama wants $3 billion more for elementary and secondary education programs and $1.35 billion for his Race to the Top program. Pell grants, which help students pay for college, would increase by $17 billion.

Big-shovel items
The president is seeking more than $100 billion for state and local infrastructure projects and $4 billion for national and regional infrastructure work.

Debt reduction
The president's budget would reduce the nation's debt by $1.2 trillion over the next 10 years. Obama would let the Bush tax cuts expire for high-income families, impose a "financial crisis responsibility fee" on large banks and end fossil-fuel tax subsidies for oil, gas and coal companies. Discretionary spending that is not defense-related would get a three-year cap, saving $250 billion over the next 10 years.

Big incentives for small business
Small businesses would get a $5,000 tax credit for every net new employee hired this year. Startups launched this year would be eligible to halve the tax credit. Businesses also would be reimbursed for Social Security taxes they pay on increased payrolls this year. Companies could earn the credit by raising pay or increasing hours worked.

Defense
To pay for wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, Obama is seeking $33 billion in supplemental funds for this budget year and $159.3 billion for next year's. Funding for military families would increase 3 percent to $8.8 billion. The president would appropriate in advance $50.6 billion for veterans' medical care.


Proposed budget savings
• Discontinue the program to build a repository for nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. Savings in 2011: $197 million

• End oil and gas company tax preferences. Savings in 2011: $2.6 billion. Over 10 years: $36.5 billion

• End coal subsidies. Savings over 10 years: $2.3 billion

• Terminate program to develop an alternative engine program for the Joint Strike Fighter. Savings in 2011: $465 million

• Terminate production of C-17 transport. Savings in 2010: $2.5 billion

• Cancel the Constellation Systems program intended to return astronauts to the moon by 2020. Savings per year: $2.5 billion to $5 billion Read more

• Eliminate subsidies to student loan providers and increase the Department of Education's capacity to make loans directly to students. Savings over 10 years: $43 billion

• Terminate program to build EP-X manned airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft. Savings in 2011: $10 million

• End grants to manufacturers of worsted wool. Annual savings: $5 million

• Eliminate grant program for inter-city bus security. Annual savings: $12 million

• End competitive grant program for local communities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Savings in 2011: $10 million

• Terminate the Navy's Next Generation Cruiser. Savings in 2011: $46 million

• End Corps of Engineers low-priority construction projects. Savings in 2011: $214 million

• Terminate Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation, aimed at fostering "new discoveries in all fields of endeavor for the benefit of mankind." Savings in 2010: $1 million

Roder Shoots Abortion Provider

As I was typing a post about my reactions to Obama's State of the Union Address from Wednesday night, I came across an article in the Wall Street Journal about a man, Scott Roeder, who shot and killed an abortion provider, George Tiller, in church last May. Roeder is making headlines again as his trial has been ongoing the past few days. As he admitted cold-heartedly to the murder, he supported himself by saying he was doing it to protect the innocent lives of the "babies" that Tiller was aborting. Roeder is extremely anti-abortion and felt it was only necessary to kill Tiller in order to get his message across. Today, the jury found Roeder guilty of murder, however his sentencing has not been announced as of now.

My first reaction to this story was wow, I never thought the conflict of abortion could lead to a murder like this. I am torn in the abortion debate, as I do not think it is right to just kill fetuses, but I believe these teenage mothers should be given a second chance at a life where they do not need to care for a child at such a young age. In my ethics class, we learned about how each culture believes that there morals are correct because they practice them and they would only do what is good. Other cultures may have different morals and practices, and they too believe that they are doing the right thing. However, it is CRUCIAL to understand that there is no right or wrong, we must respect each culture for what it is worth. Some people believe in abortion, others do not, but that does not mean they are right or wrong. You have to look at something from both angles, and see why a certain group of people feel a certain way about an issue such as abortion. Unfortunately, Roeder did not do this, and acted out unjustly.

President Obama to speak, US to listen

Yes, that time of the year has come, and Americans should be eagerly waiting President Barak Obama's State of the Union Address tonight at 9pm EST. I believe it is important that every American, no matter what age, should sit down and at least listen to the first 10-15 minutes of President Obama's speech to see what he has in store for our country this year. We are going through a critical time, our country finances in shambles, terrorism a high risk, and the healthcare situation a mess, Obama will look to answer most of those questions. Some key points to listen to are:

1. Economy- After one of the most biggest financial disasters in our time, Obama will look to address the economy. What about job creation? The housing situation? And Wall Street's refusal to consider main street? What do we do to fix all of this? These are critical quesitons that need answers.

2. Healthcare- With Obama's newest healthcare bill receiving public and government criticism, it should be interesting to see what he plans next. Healthcare is a huge problem in this country, and should be a major priority for the President.

3. Terrorism- After the botched attack on Christmas to blow up an airline with explosives, America needs to take a second look at its security measures. What can be improved? Bin Laden's latest video claimed responsibility for the plotted attack. Is Al-Quadea still a threat?

4. The War in Iraq & Afghanistan- Obama's plan to send 30,000 troops to Afghanistan could be risky. In a mountaneous region and with little protection, our troops are in danger. What about Iraq's progression as an independent nation?

One of the biggest State of the Unions that I can think of, I am excited to see what comes of it. I'll be blogging tomorrow with my reactions and opinions.

Big Name Stores in Trouble for 2010

Some of the following stores may be in danger of permanently shutting down after poor performances in 2009. The list includes:
Blockbuster
Borders
Starbucks
Zales
KB Toys


For more information visit http://shopping.yahoo.com/articles/yshoppingarticles/334/whos-closing-stores-in-2010/

Got Noise Team A

A close friend of mine Ramy Youssef has been working on a project with musical talent Usher for the past few months. He, along with a handful of other selected film students, flew out to Los Angeles to shoot Usher's next music video. The students were divided into two teams, A & B, respectively. Each team shot a different music video with Usher, and now it is time to vote for the better video. The selected one will become the official music video of Usher's latest song. Voting ends February 1st, so it is important that you do so immediately. I am endorsing Ramy's TEAM A, and I am calling on my readers to please visit www.got-noise.com and vote for TEAM A as many times as you can! Thank you.

College Textbooks

You pay tuition and textbooks aren't even included?!?!?! What an outrage you say! Well, even though this is muttered all across the country, it is true. Most colleges and unversities do not cover textbook costs, so it is up to you to purchase them! They do not come cheap, however. Here I have listed a few options the student has in purchasing (or not) their textbooks for the semester:

1. Buy them from the bookstore- This is the worst case scenario in my opinion. The school bookstore tends to overprice EVERYTHING, so you will most likely be paying between $100-160 for a textbook, new or used. Consider this a last resort of you cannot follow my other suggestions.

2. Rent them off of Chegg- Surprisingly, not many people know about this method, even though it is quite simple. My spanish teacher from highschool (shoutout to Senora Rodriguez) turned me to this website, called chegg.com The idea is easy, just pay a fraction of the price you would pay to buy a textbook to instead RENT it for a semester. You are given up until the end of May to return the book for the Spring Semester, and it saves you a boatload of money. Students have saved over 100 million dollars since the site opened, and Chegg plants 1 tree for every book you rent! Look at that, they even help the environment! Renting saves you hundreds of dollars a semester, and I highly recommend this method. The only downside is you cannot write or highlight the book.

3. Buy/Borrow from a Friend- If you know someone who has taken the same class, simply ask if you can buy or borrow the book from them!

4. Purchase USED from Barnes and Nobles- Barnes and Nobles usually gives good deals on USED books. This method is cheaper than buying from the bookstore.

New Year, New Semester, New Start

I would like to begin by wishing everyone a happy and healthy 2010! It really has been quite some time since I have last updated my blog, but with classes beginning today, I will be posting here almost regularly. For most of the college world, we are back to reality. Back to the times where we dreaded waking up in the morning, to showering with flip flops, to getting sick of your school's food by the 3rd week back, to using what little free time we have to catch up on sleep. Yes, it has arrived, our Spring Semester. And although there is the warm weather and SUMMER to look forward to, we can not lose focus of what is infront of us. For some of us, our classes will be more difficult, for others, it will be a little easier. Hopefully by this time you have found a routine that works for you. Studying habits, note taking abilities, and other methods to get by your days. In essence, this semester should be less stressful and easier to adjust than last. It is a new year, and a new start. FOr those of you who were in the gutter last semester, it is time to turn the knob and get focused.

As the cold months are coming to a close, and with Spring on its way, college students should take this time to begin to think of a summer job. Yes, I know it is 4 or 5 months down the road, but with the economy the way it is, and businesses expected to hire less teenagers to work, we really need to start thinking now about the future. For college freshmen, begin to create a resume`, which include items such as GPA, previous work experience, any leadership, and involvement in clubs/activities on campus. Employers like to see well rounded students, and it helps if you can say you were part of a club or you played an intramural sport. Think about WHERE and WHAT you want to do for work. Is it at the mall? Or in an office? Or at a restaurant? These are the typical teenage jobs, all that require minimal experience but come with minimum pay. Thinking about a summer job now can allow you to perhaps choose where you would like to work, instead of having to take a job you do not like because you waited too long to look for one.

As a final note, I would like to take a moment to remember those who died in the 2000 Boland Hall Fire here at Seton Hall University, as today marks the 10 year anniversary. My prayers go out to the victims and their loved ones.

"Some situations we cannot control. It is our human nature and to get down, and beat ourselves up. But those who rise from the rubble,and remain poised, will ultimatey be leaders, and leaders create change."