Arizona has one of the highest rates of foreclosure in the United States. A few weeks ago, Obama visited Phoenix to start a plan to help homeowners keep their homes. As teenagers, we have no control over what happens with our parents’ finances, and, for a lot of Arizonan teenagers, that means losing their home because their family can’t afford it. Obama’s plan to fight against foreclosure only applies to some families, not all. There are applications that families have to qualify for, and many households who need the money and help won’t get it because of restrictions. Even if the family does get help, a few years down the road, they could be in trouble again because this plan only keeps the bank off their back for a short period of time. In all reality, this isn’t helping the problem; its prolonging it.

So what do teenagers do to help out? They drop out of school and get a job to help pay the mortgage. Teenagers should finish high school and go on to college if they so desire. There are plenty of millionaires and billionaires in the world who could donate a few million dollars to help people get out of debt, and they could go on living their rich lives as if nothing happened. However, they sit back and watch the country crumble to pieces instead. This is exactly why other countries think that we, the United States of America, are selfish, and they have good right to think that.

So maybe Obama’s plan won’t exactly get Arizona’s homeowners out of debt, but there are sure others who could help. Why not campaign to major league athletes to donate money to help save a family? Or why couldn’t a movie star film half of their next movie for a fund to fight foreclosure? How hard would it be for them to pay a few hundred dollars extra a month? Apparently its extremely hard, because they would rather have their Hummer 3 Limos run about and waste all of our natural resources. So until the athletes, superstars, and billionaires of the world decide they have money to spare, I guess all we can do is hope and pray that our parents can pay for our homes.

-ceeturtle92

Myspace has come and gone, and now the new fad is Facebook. What’s the main draw to Facebook? Why is it so easy to spend hours on end flipping though different applications and friend’s pages? Who really knows why Facebook is so addicting? The answer is people want to be social.

Any time that I am on or near my computer, my Facebook page is pulled up. Sometimes I have my Facebook open and don’t even realize it. I know I’m not the only Facebook addict, because I know a few people who do the same thing. The draw to Facebook for me is purely social. If I’m on Facebook, people know that I am available to talk. Status messages let me express myself in a way that others can see, if its my mood, a funny saying, or lyrics to a favorite song. The whole point of Facebook seems to be to find friends, keep in touch, and keep updated on current ongoings between friends. Aside from the social aspect, there are many games, activities, and applications for people to play with for entertainment. A popular application is Bumper Sticker, where friends can send funny pictures to each other. There really is no point to this application but it gives people something to do when they’re bored. There are classic games such as Scrabble, Tetris, and Jetman in which friends can compete against each other for the top score.

But what makes Facebook so much greater than Myspace? Facebook has original ideas. Myspace is just copying things that Facebook has because they are realizing how well Facebook is doing. Facebook is also more entertaining. Until recently, Myspace didn’t have games, or applications, or even status messages. Facebook seems more social. Myspace is “all about me” which is great if you want to show yourself off, but more people are on Facebook to add a new social aspect to their life and actually talk to friends rather than brag about themselves. More people talk to each other on Facebook than they do on Myspace. Most people find that Facebook is a more mature version of Myspace. There is less drama on Facebook because I know a few people who have come to Facebook to get away from the Myspace drama. (I’ve never understood what creates Myspace drama anyway.) Sure, Facebook may be a bit plainer, but it is user friendly and seemingly safer than Myspace. Some may beg to differ, but this is what I, personally, have found.

All this sounds great, but some people will argue that Facebook is an easy way to stalk people. But honestly, why would you add someone as a friend if you didn’t want them to know how you were feeling at a particular moment, or if you didn’t want them to know when you broke up with your boyfriend/girlfriend? Why would you add someone if you didn’t want them to read your profile, or see who you are friends with? Why would you add someone if you didn’t want them to be able to read your Wall posts or see your Bumper Stickers? Use street smarts because the common answers to the above questions would be: “You wouldn’t.” A profile is personal, and you shouldn’t put something in it that you wouldn’t want just a classmate to see.

Honestly, more people have Facebook than Myspace now days anyway. People who don’t have Facebook are really missing out on a new social key to our generation. But what makes it so popular might never be fully understood.