WHEN WILL THIS END?

“Unemployment could hit 12.2 percent by Dec. 31” (Dailynews.LA)

The time has come for an overhaul of our economy. Every business school graduate knows that if the supply and demand curve can’t find its “equilibrium” then the economy will continue to tank; Jobs will continue to be loss; and, Wall Street will continue to “talk” its way around the fact that we are in a Depression. Jobless rate is at a 26-year high of 9.7 percent. And,.... check this out, on Tuesday, September,15, 2009, on “Good Morning America” Treasury Secretary Geithner said that a economic rebound depends on a strengthening job market. “REALLY!” …. Might I ad, that “jobs” have to pay beyond the average cost of living to have an impact.

See, the transition issue America faces in its movement towards a service economy is that the old formulas of recovery don’t apply. And, the sooner this is realized by the power players, the sooner American’s will feel a recovery, and not just hear or read that one is occurring. It's like the old saying…”don’t piss on me… and tell me it's raining…” What do I mean? You ask. Well, on Tuesday (9/15/09) the Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said in reference to the Recession, “very likely over at this point”. And you know what, he’s right… The recession is over….WE are now in a Depression.

The Blueprintforjustice believes that the necessary economic policy for recovery is a mandatory federal “living wage”. This is not lefty progressive at all. It's required to sustain the American way of life in a “service economy”.

11.9% UNEMPLOYMENT..... WHAT?

WHAT YOU GONNA DO BUT HUSTLE ! .....

11.9% UnEmployed + 22.3% Under-Employed = A REAL BIG MESS !

THE ECONOMY

Unemployment in California hits post-World War II high

The state's rate jumps to 11.9% in July as the U.S. rate declines to 9.4%. Job losses have an outsize effect on Latinos in the state as work in the construction and hospitality sectors vanishes. (LA TIMES 8/22/09)

Thanks for following my blog, but really. First, over 33% of the LA county population have NO reference to WWII. I mention this because the reference point of WWII is used in the article to emphasize the impact of the state's unemployment rate, however, If WWII has no tweet on your twitter, then this serious issue just blows in the wind. However,. . . this is some important stuff. We need for newspapers to hold relevance to our day to day lives, but I guess you get what you can get.....So in my attempt to relate to those most affected by the 11.9% unemployment rate in Cali.... here are some post Vietnam War references..

Sybase Adaptive Server Enterprise Version 11.9; Logitech QuickCam Software Informer version 11.9; WinHex Software version 11.9;Wave MP3 Editor software Informer version 11.9.... now with these references, this generation of workers understand the impact.... just ask a post Vietnam War Californian what it means to have a software package advance to its 11.9 version....

Or, to place the severity of California's unemployment rate in comparison to countries of which many Californians have family, California's unemployment rate is higher than that of Colombia 11.1%; Bulgaria 11.5% ;Bolivia 7.50%;Brazil 8%; Chile 7.5%; El Salvador 6.40%;Guatemala 3.20%.

.... I could go on with the point that it's bad in Cali... however, talking about what everyone can feel, doesn't get us anywhere, so here's a BLUEPRINT for JUSTICE suggestion to well known issue of unemployment in Cali....

-"BOOST COMMUNITY SERVICE JOBS for 'EDUCATION TUITION FEE CREDITS'" redeemable at any university or college in California. I mean let's take the situation of "not working" and turn it into building a more humane, just, and fair society, while ensuring that American workers become the more literate, hence building the opportunity for our country to become a leader again in world innovation.

Stay tuned as I highlight on my next blog how this works.....

California Budget Cuts: Equal JobLessness...

The red circle(s) indicate(s) "job lost" California's job loss is so large....... it falls off the chart!

I know this, "the budget cuts" = job loss= high unemployment= lost tax revenue = more budget cuts = more job loss= more unemployment = more lost revenue...... getting the picture

       $250 million in 2009-10 General Fund ($546 million total funds) cut from IHSS

It's Time for the BLUEPRINTforJustice:

What are your thoughts for creating jobs ?

Hit me up !

I asked my "mom" this question and she agreed to share our conversation with you....(I will share it during my next blog.) 

Food vs. Fuel

As this week's topic comes to a close on Tuesday. I felt it important to provide some interesting facts to a debate of which I am sure will continue. The BLUEPRINT is dedicated to raising one's intelligence on issues that have an impact on the poor.

Here are some facts regarding our GROCERY bills relationship to GAS Prices :

Fact#1

Ethanol is commonly made from sugar, but it can also be fermented from starch in crops like corn, wheat, canola and sorghum and then blended with existing oil-based fuel. It's one of the key alternatives being introduced around the world to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.

Fact #2

By 2028, world demand for oil is expected to increase by a whopping 70 per cent. The price, supply and climate change implications are enormous. But the scramble for solutions is creating new concerns as more and more food is diverted into the fuel chain. In the United States, up to a third of the corn crop is now being used to make fuel.

My Commentary:

The food-vs-fuel argument shows no signs of going away. The latest contribution to this debate comes from Oil World, the global oilseed analyst. “A downward adjustment or a postponement of higher biofuel targets appears indispensable. If this does not happen, more social unrest due to escalating food prices is to be expected,” it asserts. It is, therefore, high time for governments promoting the use of crops for energy purposes to rethink their policies. If such a process starts, it could indeed trigger a sharp setback in prices of vegetable oils and oilseeds. But as long as the targets are maintained, there will be little downward scope for prices, it has pointed out. “When millions of people are going hungry, it’s a crime against humanity that food should be diverted to biofuel,” said finance minister Palaniappan Chidambaram in an interview in Washington recently. While many are worrying about filling their gas tanks, many are struggling to fill their stomachs, and it is getting more and more difficult every day. Food or GROCERIES. the BLUEPRINT.

Grocery Store Nightmare !

Ever get that sinking feeling when your food is running over the grocery store scanner and that price total keeps going up and up? And then you give them that silly club card and it only saves you a couple cents, but only AFTER you take that ice cream back to the frozen food section and the rib-eyes back to the cooler? And then you have to put up with all that targeted junk mail they send to you as a result of being in that not-so-exclusive club?
Millions of Americans are experiencing that sinking feeling these days. What happened to the price of milk? Is corn really that expensive? How come rice ain’t so cheap anymore?
The economists say it’s all about supply and demand. That’s true, but it doesn’t tell the whole story, which is that the SUPPLY is being distorted by an unholy alliance of big agribusinesses interests and their lobbyists and a bunch of Midwest congressmen trying to buy votes. It’s time we DEMAND a change in policy, because it has helped to result in a huge transfer of wealth from the poor, who spend more of their money on consumption, to the corporate interests at home and the oil cartels overseas.
Because of federal mandates, they’re throwing tons of corn and wheat into the production of energy, which has sent the costs of these basic foodstuffs soaring. Supply and demand. There is less food for human consumption because it is being consumed as energy. For the first time, the cost of energy and the cost of food is linked directly, so when oil goes up, food goes up. The basic well-being of our citizenry is at the whim of the commodity traders who make their buck whether the price goes up or down.
How did this happen? Why are we kidding ourselves that using food for energy is a good thing when it (1) prolongs our dependence on oil at the expense of moving toward alternatives, (2) creates a cash crunch for the poor, who get hit at the grocer AND at the gas station and (3) increases instability overseas by sending those huddled masses into hysteria due to a lack of staples like rice and corn?
We’ve got to develop the BLUEPRINT !