Serious-Time Thursday

Lesbihonest, this blog is mainly fluff - mentions of movies & television programs I find enjoyable, adorable animal photos, travel day-dreaming, funny viral videos, etc.  I try really hard not to let it become a venue for too much ranting or complaining (believe me, it could) and to keep things light and positive.  But I feel compelled to share some fairly serious items today, simply because I feel that the more people exposed, the better.

Let me begin with this article from Esquire.  There are a lot of facts here that I was unaware of prior to reading.  For example, the first paragraph under the heading "How to Disenfranchise a Generation" explains how "voting reform" is making it increasingly difficult for young people to vote, which I didn't realize was an issue at all.  

Here's the thing:  I don't live at home.  My life is not entirely consumed by debt.  I've been completely self-sufficient since graduation.  So I suppose I'm not the exact "younger American" referred to throughout the article.  However, it is still definitely hard for me to feel optimistic about the future when I consider the statistics presented:

- The federal gov't spends $480 billion on Medicare and $68 billion on education; $62 billion on prescription drugs, $8 billion on Heat Start.

- An estimated 85% of college graduates moved back home in 2010 with $25,250 in debt.

- Social Security will dry up by 2036.

- Only 58% of Boomers have more than $25K put aside for retirement.  The rest will need to be provided for by the government or their families.

One particularly poignant quote:

Nobody wants this. The Boomers did not set out to screw over their kids. The wind just seemed to blow them that way. But no matter what their motivations, a painful truth grows truer with every passing year: Through its refusal to act, the generation in power is willing to do what other generations before them would not — sell their children's birthright for a mess of their own pottage.



I feel like this applies to all aspects of life, not just financial status.  Look at the state of our environment, look at our dependency on oil.  *SIGH*  I don't mean to be a total Debbie Downer, I just think it's important that we know where we stand.

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On a totally unrelated note, I think everyone should watch this video from The Black Fish:

If you, like me, enjoy a good sushi dinner every now and again, click here for a pocket guide detailing which items are best and worst choices when selecting from the menu.

Also, this one from Sea Shepherd (warning: graphic images):

Per Sea Shepherd, shark populations are facing extinction in every part of the world; an appetite for shark fin soup being the #1 demand causing the the over-fishing of this apex predator.  Here is one of many petitions related to this issue that Sea Shepherd is asking people to take action on - please sign.

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Thanks for indulging me.  I promise I'll be back tomorrow with a more fun and lighthearted post.