Maria Talks Crap

Heard about this website on the radio today. I just had to check it out. MariaTalks.com

So this site receives $100,000 a year from the state of Massachusetts.

Unbelievable.

Did I mention this site is set up from a teenage girl's point of view and specifically designed for teens?

The worst part is how the website defines abortion.

"An abortion is when the contents of the womb (uterus) are removed, so that the uterus goes back to how it was before a woman got pregnant. Abortions can happen naturally (sometimes referred to as a spontaneous abortion or miscarriage) or can be done with medications or surgery."

Let's try a more accurate definition shall we?
(from the Merriam Webster English Dictionary)
"The termination of a pregnancy after, accompanied by, resulting in, or closely followed by the death of the embryo or fetus." Notice the words death and embryo and fetus?

Let me go even further and correctly define the TYPE of abortion this website is talking about in the first place (not a miscarriage!)... "induced expulsion of a human fetus."

Also, the way they are comparing an induced abortion to a miscarriage makes an induced abortion seem rather... natural, which is completely false.

Take a look at the site's info on Abortion for yourself:
http://www.mariatalks.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=72&Itemid=92

What the controversy is about:
http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1332044&position=0

I must make fun of the phone# for the website before I finish this post...
(877) MA-SEX-ED
I am sorry, I know it means Massachusetts, but it just sounds bad when said aloud.

Needs vs. Wants

"Forcefully rejecting Republican budget cutting plans, President Barack Obama on Wednesday proposed lowering the nation's future deficits by $4 trillion over a dozen years with a package that includes reducing spending on politically sensitive health care programs and raising taxes on high-earning Americans."

When will people realize that raising taxes is not the way to reduce the nation's debt? First of all the rich old farts that have all the money employ MILLIONS of regular people like us! If they have to pay more taxes, then obviously they won't have as much money to pay their middle class employees. Or perhaps they won't loan their money or invest in other businesses as much. Something to think about.

It's time we cut spending in areas we don't really NEED. If American families expect this of the government then they must do the same. Figure out your own budget. If more people in our society decide to be responisble with their own money, it will have a profound effect on our government spending, economy, and happiness.

In order to continue helping the poor, sick, and needy in our country as well as in other countries we need to work on our spending and cut way down on things that don't matter. Seriously.

Birth Control & Families

WOW.
So for some reason the ideas about having a baby have become something entirely different than the realities of having one.

For the record, women, having a baby does not make the following impossible or even improbable:
a)buying a house
b)finding a husband (besides, having a long term relationship with someone you wouldn't want to father your children isn't usually the best idea in the first place)
c)going on vacation
d)earning a degree

In fact, in my experience, having children has led me to many more opportunities and friendships than I would have had otherwise.

Being a mother is unlike any other calling, job, education, learning experience, or joy you will ever feel. It is hard. It is time-consuming. It is so worth it! I feel like the pennies I pay are nothing compared to the millions I receive in return.

At first this commercial didn't even strike me as awful. I just kinda thought, what a lame Ad. The more I thought about it, the more i realized: this commercial is very disturbing.

I am definitely not against birth control. I believe that planning a family is very important, and will benefit everyone involved. I also believe if you are not of age or with someone you don't wish to spend your life with, birth control is a very appealing option. I can attest that the pill is only 99% effective even if it is taken as directed. I have 2 children to prove that 1%.

However, this commercial and others like it tend to lean towards selfishness and avoiding things like... consequences and responsibility. I am very aware that attitudes like the ones presented in this ad affect teens and young adults. I only wish they knew this was false advertising. Birth control will not always stop you from having a baby. It will not make you happy and successful. It will not make your relationships more stable or more fun. If you choose not to have kids because you are afraid you will miss out on life, you are sorely mistaken in this idea!

The Federal Budget

"A budget tells us what we can't afford, but it doesn't keep us from buying it."
— William Feather


A little bugged by government spending?
Yep. A lot of people are.
What is the congress approval rate?

http://www.gallup.com/poll/145238/congress-job-approval-rating-worst-gallup-history.aspx

http://www.gallup.com/poll/146567/congressional-approval-back-below.aspx

http://www.gallup.com/poll/146948/Americans-Give-Equally-Low-Ratings-Parties-Congress.aspx

Ok so... we have a $3.5 trillion federal budget
We have $14.2 trillion in national debt
How can the U.S. afford to cut only a few billion from the budget?
hmmm... this is kind of how I see it.
Let's say I make $2000 a month.
Yet I set my budget @ $3000.
That doesn't follow right?
I obviously have to use the old credit card...
When my debt gets to be too high i decide to cut back.
Let's cut a few dollars off this year, honey...
By a few I mean like $2. the end.

*Check out these websites to find more about the federal budget, deficit, budget cuts, and what is going on in Washington.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/politics/budget-2010/
http://www.federalbudget.com/ http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42467884/ns/politics-capitol_hill/?GT1=43001 http://www.treasurydirect.gov/govt/reports/pd/histdebt/histdebt_histo5.htm