Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts

Thursday, May 28

Setting Up Your Google Plus Profile For Success



This was Showoffs, a popular community of mine on G+ in 2014. This is another article from Google past.

Setting Up Your Google Plus Profile For Success

So I just got my account on G+ and now I’m going to post!
Stop right there!

Your profile is one of the most important things you can spend time on and it will make a difference in how fast you gain followers and who you meet. Take the time to fill it out it’s your introduction to anyone and everyone. You will hear about Google being top-notch at helping you sell your product and if you think of yourself as” your product” no one can stop you!
I don’t want to tell people about myself if I don’t know them!
Of course, you don’t and who says you have to tell but a few well-placed facts about yourself and the things you would like to share online are a must. When you hit the G+ stream and start to add people to your first circle others will be adding you and before they do they will look at your profile.

What does yours say about you? If you have a blank profile they will pass you up and if you want to make friends or network this is a big negative.

You don’t have to put your address or enable location but people will want to know where you’re from and talk to you about it. They like to know what you are interested in and that can’t hurt. You don’t have to put where you work but you can put your vocation. Use common sense and be clever.

It’s up to you how much you want to divulge or express but the more information the better when it comes to people deciding whether to follow you or not. Remember, it’s not how many people in your circles it’s how many people follow you.
Why should I use a picture on my profile?
Profiles without pictures are called "Blueheads" and it puts a person off right away when they see no picture. People like to “see” who they are following and a headshot will help you reach more people.
My profile is filled out why include a photo? People will read about how cool I am it shouldn't matter?

If you have an excellent profile but no image people may not look you up meaning you have already lost. People online may seem like they have all the time in the world but they are busy and when looking up people to follow they would rather see a picture. I would probably not be looking you up without one.
Some things to think about including on your profile.
Okay so you don't have a lot to add yet but here’s what you should include and remember if you have interests you’d like to share with others online this is where you list them.
  • Name/Username 
  • At least last place you worked or not 
  • Any education if you think it important to your online goal 
  • A photo of you or something to represent you 
  • If you have websites, YouTube, Facebook, etc. add the links so people can find and follow you there 
  • What you want from your online experience 
  • What others can expect from you 
  • A good (keep it short) tagline and change it often 
  • An image for your profile cover photo that represents your interests or tastes
You will want to set up your profile so you can update it easily without changing it too often so your friends will recognize you when they “see” you online.
An awesome feature of G+ that no other network has is that you can use animated Gifs for your profile photo/cover photo if you wish. How great is that?

Of course, filling out a profile is not rocket science but if you want to meet people this is the way to ensure that when you interact with someone and they like how it went they will look you up and circle you. Repeat many times over and soon you will be accumulating followers and be on your way. You are now a product people will want to “buy into” so relax and enjoy it.

Filling out profiles is not for everyone but blank profiles and no profile pictures are used every day by hackers and trolls on G+ that people have to block. This fact alone is a good reason to have a filled out profile. If you don’t want to do it know that your online experience will be an upward battle.

Social Networking Etiquette


We've come a long way baby and how we interact with other people online has become extremely important whether it be on social networks, video calls, or hangouts. One thing is certain if you spend any amount of time online you will be judged by how you act online. 

There is no doubt about it the social networking giants are all the buzz. A research report I read today on the internet says that 51% of online Americans have joined a social network. Another 73% are consuming some form of social content on a regular basis on networks like Sony’s PlayStation. People are connecting with, listening to, following, and collaborating with each other online at an amazing rate.

We are sharing just about everything with each other these days. Photos, recipes, plans, and even locations just to name a few of these things. Business people are using social networks to build their careers, promote themselves, their websites, and their reputations. Networking is the social norm.

Some of the most popular social networking sites are Google Plus, Facebook, and Twitter with LinkedIn catching up fast. Each one of those sites is uniquely positioned and serves a particular population or purpose. There are other online networking sites, numbering in the thousands, so at this point, they shall remain nameless.

After researching social etiquette I specially wrote these tips with Google Plus in mind. It’s no wonder people get confused we receive this technology quickly and it changes so much that we forget how to play nice with others while keeping up.

Social Network Etiquette-Community=Google Plus

1. Give more than you receive. If you want attention from others online you have to be willing to give it first. Become a good commenter and stay positive. If you’re in a bad mood stay offline!

2. Don’t be a keyboard gangsta. The worst thing about the Internet is the keyboard trolls. They’re the people who have to talk trash to everyone they meet. They say things online you would never say to a real person’s face. If you are this person I bet you’ve been blocked already. Get a clue.

3. Add value to the community at large. This means not posting things nobody cares about and not constantly promoting your own brand. Before you post anything to a social media site ask yourself; “Does this really add value to the community?” If not, reconsider posting it.

4. Don’t start arguments and sabotage others efforts. Drop all of your e-beefs and hatred. Don’t try to bury others just for the sake of getting ahead. Making enemies on social online media sites will get you nowhere and you reap what you sow.

5. Remember that cheaters never win. Sure, you might be able to get somewhere by cheating but eventually you’ll get caught. Once everyone sees you for the cheater you are, you can’t take it back ever. This applies to people who use more than one profile or websites that look good but are made to stay anonymous and cause trouble or spam.

6. Build quality relationships and get to know your friends online. People are more willing to help those who they really know. Remember relationships require the participation of both parties and you’ll always have someone in your corner and a network of useful people. To get help you should give always give it back.

7. Stop pushing the Envelope. One of the fastest ways to alienate people online is to constantly flood them with requests for helping you out. Whether you’re constantly asking people to comment on your blog or shouting your content, eventually, everyone will lose patience with you. People will learn to tune you out.

8. Respect the community. This is one of the most important rules of social media etiquette. Show respect to the people in the community. Just make sure you don’t step out of line and always treat others the way you want to be treated.

9. Listen to others. It’s easier to tell someone they are wrong than to take the time to listen to what they’re really saying. Understand where the people who comment on your post are coming from. You don’t know everything and you can learn from others if you’re a good listener.

10. Be accountable for your actions. Because of the anonymity the Internet allows, there is hardly any accountability online. Instead, try to be honorable by taking responsibility for your actions. People will respect you whether they agree with you or not. People want to be trusting, give them the opportunity.

11. Don’t step on other people’s posts. Repost responsibly and people will admire you for it. If you have a link to share do it on your own post and if you don’t like what you see instead of leaving a negative comment pass that posts up. You catch more flies with honey than you do vinegar.

12. Use a photo for your profile picture and put some information on your profile. If you’re joining a social network why not be social? When a person sees a blank profile and no picture at all they don’t make any connections about you and don’t want to deal with you. At least use some other image if you don’t want to show your mug online.

13. Be polite to one another. If you can’t be nice be civil and remember the common courtesy's you give people in your offline life and apply it online. One of these days you might be talking to someone who will give you your next job online and you don’t want to blow that! Can’t we just all get along?
This is my equation and I believe it works! Credibility+trust=Followers on Google Plus

Social media and online etiquette give you a rough guideline on how you can communicate to online audiences without irritating anyone. When you operate above these minimum ethical requirements, you will gain credibility and trust among people.

Sources: Google Plus, Facebook, Windows Live, AOL, Tagged, Linked In, My Space, (to name a few of the social network’s I’ve belonged to in the past,) Wikipedia, Google Search, and Internet

Friday, April 19

Guns For All The Wrong Reasons



The military needs the right tools for the job and I don't have a problem with them having the guns they need especially during war although I'm against violence. I have 2 uncles whom were proud Marines so I know what they went through and I respect the military because of them. Unfortunately even military weapons of all types have filtered down to be had by the general public through illegal means and that includes sniper rifles and automatic weapons. President Kennedy's death comes to mind and he isn't the only one to die from a sniper's bullet

All you have to do is look at the news reports. Guns and the stupid people using them are causing more deaths of innocent people in the U.S. than ever before. Most states are practically handing them out to the public and countless non-military people even obtain permits to carry that gun until it is pried out of their cold dead hands. Even if you don't own a gun I bet you know someone, a family member or friend (not in a job that requires a gun) that does. There are more guns than people to shot them.

With a permit to carry a person can take their gun on airplanes, buses, trains anywhere they go in this country in any public venue. All they need is their gun and a permit to carry. Don’t fool yourself when you get on an airplane there are more people carrying guns then the cop on the plane and it’s all legal.

I personally know too many gun-toting Americans including people in my own family. Not only are they proud of it they have more than one gun to their name and a lot of them have never gone to a shooting range to practice shooting these guns.

My father was killed by a handgun in 1990 in my hometown. Right after my father was killed the Indiana police were quick to hand that same gun over to my brother who took it back to Florida. The Indiana police should have destroyed that gun. If a gun is just handed over to another person where is the gun control there and this was a murder! The cops do this all of the time when someone dies with a gun and TV lies.

Criminals have been caught with all kinds of illegal guns with silencers and guns that have been altered. The police (who are sometimes the problem) can't keep up and the murder rate caused by guns has gone up alarmingly. Handguns can be bought very cheaply on the street with the serial numbers ground off, ready for a new crime.

After the parent’s of the children killed at the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School petitioned the government to support common-sense legislation to reduce gun violence. Despite a 90% backing of this legislation, it was voted down by the lawmakers this week. Now children in grade schools will need armed guards because the government is afraid to go up against the NRA lobbyists giving them even more power than they had before.

They should be ashamed of themselves. At least the parent’s from Sandy Hook tried and they have a lot of courage to have gone through what they did and then have this happen.

We must not forget the 20 first- and second-graders at Sandy Hook Elementary School, along with six of their brave educators, who gave their lives in the Newtown Shooting. Change must happen to honor their memories! In tribute to them, and to the many other individuals who lost their lives in other horrific mass shooting in America, we are inviting our members and friends to take an active role right now in the battle to secure common sense legislative solutions to growing gun violence in America. We will deliver this petition to leaders in the U.S. Congress and to the Governors of all 50 states. Your contact information will not be shared publicly. Please forward to your friends and invite them to sign as well. Now is the time for action!

My father was one of these gun enthusiasts who always said his guns would protect him. He had been a champion tag-team wrestler in his time and got killed in his own home while sleeping on the couch with his own handgun. I was outraged at the time and the police were no help. If there were no guns allowed in this country he’d still be with me. Those kids would still be with their parents.

Gun laws vary widely by country. The UK and China both ban private ownership of guns. Many other countries enforce laws that make it extremely difficult to own a gun, especially if you have a criminal record. Some countries with strict gun control include Australia, Japan, Singapore and Canada.

In Canada for example, "handguns must be registered and potential buyers must undergo training, a personal-risk assessment and a criminal background check; supply two references; and have their spouses notified before purchase" (Source: Washington Times)

In the United Kingdom, the right to private gun ownership is not guaranteed by law. Police in the UK don't generally carry a gun. In the UK, citizens are "not allowed to possess semi-automatic and automatic firearms, handguns or armor piercing ammunition"

There was a plan to stamp serial numbers on bullets for more control that would make it harder to commit crimes with all guns. I think that's a great idea. 

Better yet, if there were no guns allowed then people would have to fight hand to hand which I feel would be a lot fairer. If someone attacks you without a gun at least you have a better chance of survival. People might think twice about attacking one another and deaths caused by guns would go down. Or maybe I'm just dreaming of a better less violent world without guns?

Keep On Bloggin'!

Friday, December 2

Some Helpful Tips For Blogging Success



I have been blogging for over 10 years, my first website Bekkie In Wonderland (this very website), was started at Windows Live Spaces and later moved to Blogger after Live Spaces ended. My biggest problem was writing posts that engaged my readers' encouraging comments and discussion.

Doing research on popular blogs I came to the conclusion that if I wanted to be successful at blogging I needed to do more than just talk about myself and my day. It takes hard work, clever planning, a sense of humor, brilliant writing, and the right moves to become a successful blogger. We can always improve, can’t we?

Remember it's not just what you write either. Do the extra work and make your site something to look at. Make it entertaining and fun. Do some research on using color and movement to engage your readers. Watch what fonts you use for your site what looks good to you might be hard for others to read which would ruin the whole idea of having people read what you have to say.
Most of all, you should have fun with it and look forward to it. If you aren’t enjoying yourself maybe blogging isn’t for you.

Tips For Blogging Success

  • Publish Consistently
Daily posts are important! Content should be consistently posted because readers like predictability and will look forward to new posts from you on a daily basis. Figure out a publishing schedule you can live with and stick to it. Once a week or twice a month, whatever your blogging time permits stick to it. You are only as good as your last post.
  • Co-Blog with A Partner
Regular posts for blogs can be a hassle for some bloggers to manage solo. If you know you will not have the time to blog yourself, invite a co-worker or a friend who shares the same passion and dedication as you and ask them to co-blog. It keeps your regulars on your website instead of looking elsewhere and a different perspective never hurts.
  • Get Your Site On The Search Engines
When you start a blog fifty is a magic number in blogging terms. I don’t know why the number 50 was picked but after 50 posts your website will start to be picked up by the search engines and the page views will begin to increase. The page views will grow exponentially with the increase in search engine queries. The more searches your site shows up in the better. 
  • Use Original Photos Or Images
It has been reported that blogs with original photos earned twice the number of page views than those articles with license-free images. Take the time to pick the right images to complement your blog content and your blog will bring even more page views. I find that using animated GIF files grab people's attention immediately.
  • Use Keywords In Your Titles And Captions On Photos
Keywords (or labels) help people find your posts through your photos and captions give an extra anchor for readers because humans are naturally visual animals. It’s a little extra work but before you upload a photo for your blog, title each image with a keyword or label. It ensures that the search engines optimize these keywords so your website can be found by either the photos or posts on your blog. Do a search on yourself to see how you’re doing.
  • Comment On All Comments
Be social and grateful to your readers that leave comments. Most readers will not respond to blogs, even if they like them. I receive a lot more page views than comments because readers take the information and move on. So when you get a comment respond promptly. Address them by name, add to the discussion and invite them back. Thank them for their time and readership.
  • Read And Comment On Other People’s Blogs
Following someone’s blogs isn’t enough. You expect your Followers to read and comment on your blogs so it’s only fair play to visit, read, and comment on your Followers blogs. Do this on a daily basis and they will return the favor.
  • Publish An Honest, Complete Profile
When you like a website the first thing you wonder about is who's writing this stuff? Websites introducing some facts about the author's work or life you're Following seem more legit than those with a frivolous profile page. People like to know things like where you’re from, your interests, around what age you are, where you live, etc. Don’t be shy, I can tell you from experience that an honest profile with a real picture of yourself goes a long way.
  • Guest Bloggers
Find a blogger that you think is brilliant? You can learn from them by asking them to guest blog on your site. Ask them to write about a certain subject or leave it up to them. Thank them for participating, give them credit and a link back to their website. Guest bloggers can help you with exposure. When you link to that blog, many of their Followers will come to check out your site. Depending on the number of readers they have it’s a great way to boost your page views or find new Followers yourself.
  • Be Interesting
Readers want to find fresh, valuable, entertaining and remarkable information. Make an effort to deliver more than just the facts. Make it about your subject matter, not you. It doesn’t hurt to be personal but avid blog readers won’t find blogs that talk about the weather everyday sound that interesting. Just like you, they want some meat on those bones.
  • Get Your Point Across
Style, grammar, spelling, layout, all count for nothing if your audience doesn’t get your meaning. Make yourself clear and understood. Watch your spelling and use a friendly font on your posts that's easy to read.
  • Hold On To Passion
Keep the fires burning, don’t let your blog subject turn into a chore. It’s important to recognize when you need to scrap a blog too, sometimes they just aren’t good enough to post. Learn the difference.
  • Make A Good First Impression
Do new visitors know what your blog is about in under 10 seconds? Can they navigate your website easily? Make sure your blog is set up professionally so that your readers can clearly understand your subject matter and find what they are looking for.
  • Build Momentum And Optimize Your Posts
Keep posting daily and take advantage of popular subjects that your readers like. It's not easy to do but pick a writing schedule you can deal with and keep it up. If you tell your readers to expect daily posts about a certain subject in the future and they don't show up that's a bad thing. It takes less effort to keep going than to stop and start again. Your readers are what makes your website popular so do what you can to keep them coming.
  • Look Good And Be Unique
Appearances count, in terms of your blog design and your posts. Make your content stand out by using the template designer in the advanced mode and make it your own. Make your color and font choices easy to see and read. Pick great images or better yet supply your own artwork.
  • Using Blogs Of Note For Ideas
Look at your Blogger Dashboard for “Blogs Of Note” and check out the blogs there. These blogs are the crème of the crop and have loads of Followers on them. Find the ones that interest you or are similar to your blog and learn from them.
  • Monitor Your Stats
Stats tell you the health of your blog and where the traffic is coming from. Keep an eye on your statistics to make sure you are writing content that brings new readers in while keeping your old ones. Your stats will also tell you if your blog strategy is solid or if you need to make some changes.
  • Communication Fascination
If you love your subject matter then let your readers know it. If you share your enthusiasm it becomes contagious and makes your readers excited about it too. Give them a reason to want to leave a comment.
  • Explore And Experiment
Blogs that make an effort to stretch, to break the mold or provide something unique are the blogs people flock to, chat about, and return to. Be inspired to have your blog under “Blogs Of Note.”
  • Poll Your Readers
Run different polls, the results are newsworthy and fun. Have a fixed date for the poll to be finished and blog on the results. Find out what your readers think about the subject you pick. Make your poll fun and interesting so your readers take part in it and want to know the outcome.
  • Join Forums
Break out of your blogging bubble. Network by meeting potential readers online, discuss cool subjects and make new friends. You can learn a lot depending on the forum you are taking part in and you may find something awesome to blog about at the same time.
  • Get More Experience And Develop Expertise
Do new things, broaden your horizons, practice your writing and stretch your limits. Practice makes perfect. In no time you will learn what works for you and what doesn’t. You will develop a good idea as to what to write about to bring the readers to your website (blog).
  • Toot Your Own Horn
You worked hard for it, your blogging success will grow as you do and you’ll have more Followers then you ever imagined. Good for you!

As I've said for years. Keep On Bloggin’!

Saturday, February 12

Ten Worst Places To Live In America


Times are tough right now and everyone is feeling the pinch. The housing market is still weak and families that can't afford a home are stuck living in one bedroom apartments if they're even that fortunate. Unemployment remains high and the amount of people who have never owned a home keeps rising. Dabbling in the stock market is not for the weak of heart and most people are using their meager earnings just to put food on the table. You don't need the U.S. *Misery Index to tell you that things are bad in the U.S. with some very real indicators that we are heading toward a double-dip recession. But you can thank your lucky stars because things could be worse if you live in one of these 10 cities, which face the highest unemployment in the country, corrupt money grabbing city officials and sky-high foreclosure rates. Although this is an unofficial list of the 10 worst cities to live in, you will see why these cities were picked as you read on.

1. El Centro, California-Population: 41,241

Lose your job in El Centro and it may be quite some time before you find another one. One in four people here are out of work and the city holds the not-so-distinguished honor of having the highest unemployment rate --27.5%-- in the country (close behind is Yuma, ., with 27.2% unemployment). The desert city, which is located in Imperial County just across the border from Mexicali, has a jobless rate triple the national average of 9.5% thanks to the seasonal fluctuations of field laborers. Fieldwork is the county's third-largest employment sector after government, transportation, and utilities. "Its location across the border from a much larger Mexican city means that there is a large floating labor force," Jim Gerber, an economics professor and director of the international business program at San Diego State University, told AOL News. "The data for Imperial County is skewed by this, such that the layoffs and out-of-work laborers are not actually counted correctly." Even with the ebb and flow of its working population, things are still pretty bleak in El Centro. Last year, the city's cemetery went into foreclosure.

2. Cleveland, Ohio-Population: 431,363

LeBron James isn't the only person leaving Cleveland. The U.S. Census estimated that 2,658 people left the city in 2009, the largest numerical drop among America's major cities. Forbes also put Cleveland atop its list of most miserable U.S. cities, factoring in its high unemployment (although at 9.1% it's below the national average), high taxes, lousy weather, political corruption and lousy sports teams -- and that was before LeBron decided to leave. Weather is a big factor. Located on the south shore of Lake Erie, Cleveland gets hit by lake-effect snow, averaging almost 60 inches of the stuff every winter. Its frigid winters help produce an average annual temperature of only 50 degrees, 10 degrees below the average of the 50 cities measured by Forbes. Nicknamed the "Mistake by the Lake," Cleveland ranked near the bottom when looking at corruption on the Forbes list. "Northern Ohio has seen 309 public officials convicted of crimes over the past 10 years," according to the Forbes story, which cites data from the Justice Department. "A current FBI investigation of public officials in Cuyahoga County (where Cleveland is located) has ensnared more than two dozen government employees and businessmen on charges including bribery, fraud and tax evasion." Cleveland also ranks in the top third of all metro areas for foreclosure rates. The city has thousands of abandoned homes, in part because it provided down payments through the federally-funded Afford-a-Home program to many people who could not afford their mortgage payments.

3. Detroit, Michigan-Population: 871,121

Detroit is America's most dangerous city, with 1,220 violent crimes per 100,000 people, according to violent crime statistics from the FBI's latest uniform crime report, issued in 2008. Its heavy reliance on the stumbling auto industry hasn't helped matters much. Motown also boasts high foreclosure and unemployment rates. As a result home prices have nosedived. Just last year you could buy a home in Detroit for $10,000. Foreclosures in metro Detroit were up 35% in the first six months of this year, compared to the same time in 2009. Vacant homes and blight are so bad that the city recently imposed a new ordinance requiring banks and homeowners to register their property with the city for a $25 annual fee. Even the city's office vacancy rate is high, with a 30% rate that leads the nation. While Forbes names the Detroit metro area (which has a 13.7% unemployment rate) as one of the worst spots to find employment, job growth is expected to rebound as the auto industry starts to recover. Finally, some good news for the people of Detroit.....if anyone is left.

4. Las Vegas, Nevada-Population: 552,539

Las Vegas was one of the hardest hit cities when the housing bubble burst. In fact, the metro area was at the epicenter of the mess, with the highest foreclosure rate in the country in 2009, according to a report by RealtyTrac. So many homes are empty that some neighborhoods either have no one around or one lone resident. That doesn't make for much of a neighborhood block party. Nationwide, 2.21% of housing units received a foreclosure filing in 2009, compared to 12% in Las Vegas. Those who have hung onto their homes are likely underwater on their mortgages; meaning their mortgages are worth more than their homes. During the first quarter of 2010, home prices in Las Vegas continued to fall. Prices in the metro area have fallen more than 50% from their peak in August 2006.

5. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma-Population: 560,332

Oklahoma City is the unhealthiest city in the country, as measured by the American College of Sports Medicine's annual fitness index. The index looks at 30 fitness indicators, including obesity and exercise rates, the death rate from cardiovascular disease, acres of parkland, number of primary care physicians per capita and percentage of residents who bicycle or walk to work. The index compares the 50 largest metro areas on a 100-point scale; Oklahoma City received a score of 24.3, making it the most sluggish city in the U.S. The obesity rate is 30.2%, four points above average. It has an exercise rate of 71% and has half as many baseball diamonds, recreation centers, and dog parks in most cities. Detroit and Las Vegas also performed poorly on the fitness index.

6. Los Angeles, California-Population: 3,849,378

If you don't really care about breathing, Los Angeles is a great place. The metro area that stretches from Long Beach to Riverside has the worst ozone pollution in the country, according to the American Lung Association's State of the Air report for 2010. Along with being tops in ozone pollution, L.A. is ranked third in year-round particle pollution, and fourth in short-term particle pollution. Ozone is the byproduct of pollutants released by cars, chemical plants, refineries, and other sources. It exists naturally in the upper atmosphere of the Earth, but when emitted at ground level, it's considered a harmful outdoor pollutant. Inhaling ozone can cause wheezing, coughing, chest pain, throat irritation, congestion, and can make people more susceptible to respiratory illnesses such as bronchitis and pneumonia, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Think about that next time you drive in Los Angeles, which also lays claim the worst traffic in the country.

7. Phoenix, Arizona-Population: 1,512,986

If Arizona's tough immigration laws get through the courts, Phoenix is going to be a much more difficult place for immigrants (or really anyone of Latino origin) to live in. The law would allow police officers to ask people for proof of their legal status when stopping them for another violation. Charges of racial profiling and discrimination can quickly turn a city into one of the worst places to live and it's already sparking huge protests and impacting Arizona's already-fragile economy. Beyond the controversial immigration measure, Arizona's housing market still remains a mess. According to RealtyTrac's latest foreclosure report, Phoenix and its surrounding area remain among the top 10 worst metro markets when it comes to foreclosures. However, in May, foreclosure activity in the city was down 9% from May 2009, offering a tiny sliver of hope. Phoenix also ranks poorly among metro areas in per capita income growth. Between 2007 and 2008, the city's income growth shrank 1.4%, the nation's worst one-year loss. And let's not forget about being able to breathe in Phoenix. For year-round particle pollution from freeways, power plants and other sources, Phoenix is the worst city in the country.

8. Newark, New Jersey-Population: 281,402

Where to start for one of the worst cities in America? Newark has been likened to Detroit, but with its own political and social dysfunction. More than a quarter of its population lives below the poverty line, the state has the most Superfund toxic-waste sites in the nation, and Newark Mayor Cory Booker is trying to close a $70 million budget deficit by cutting items like toilet paper. Non-uniformed city workers will soon start working four-day workweeks, which won't make it the first city to cut employee hours, but at least Booker has said he won't raise taxes. Booker has brought the city a long way since being elected in 2007, but he still has a long way to go. While crime in the city has been reduced, it still remains a major issue. A recent spate of shootings has reminded residents of the city's long history of violent crime.

9. Miami, Florida-Population: 362,470

Detroit is listed by Children's Health magazine as being the worst place to raise a family, but right behind it is Miami. If a city isn't a good place to raise a family, that likely means its also a terrible place to live. Factors the magazine used to come to its conclusions, included crime and safety, education, economics, housing, cultural attractions, and health. According to RealtyTrac, Miami has seen close to 40,000 foreclosures, making it one of the most active markets when it comes to people abandoning their homes. Crime is also a problem. Neighborhood Scout reports that Miami has one of the highest crime rates in the country, with a one in twelve chance that a resident will become a victim of a property or violent crime. Making things even worse, the city not only has some of the worst drivers in the country, but it also has some of the worst commuting times.

10. Memphis, Tennessee-Population: 670,100

Memphis has one of the worst violent crime rates in the country and was ranked third by Forbes in its list of miserable cities for corruption by city officials. According to stats released by the Federal Bureau of Investigations, the city had the second-worst rate of violent crime. NeighborhoodScout, which tracks crime and other factors in various cities and neighborhoods said "One's chance of becoming a victim of either violent or property crime here is one in 10. Within Tennessee, more than 90% of the communities have a lower crime rate than Memphis." As for political corruption, reportedly nearly one public official per month over the last decade has been charged with public corruption. Recently, a former city administrator used a city account that was supposed to be for auto parts to buy big screen televisions.

No matter where you live or what your job is (if you're lucky enough to have either,) it's not exactly a picnic these days is it? My roommate who works for Sony in Foster City, California told me his Boss owns a home and from outward appearances looks like his family has an upscale lifestyle. Yet just the other day his boss confided to him that he is now going without cable TV or an Internet connection in an attempt to make ends meet.

No Internet? I'd rather be homeless! Tee hee! All kidding aside though, it has gotten to the point where you can't go to any city in America and not see an increase of these types of problems. Unfortunately, the people who were voted into public office by us to deal with these issues are more interested in voting themselves pay raises and job security rather than tackling the problems we all must face if we are ever to get a handle on this. If you do happen to live in one of the 10 cities mentioned I'd love to hear your comments on living there and what you think your situation is like.

* The misery index was initiated by economist Arthur Okun, an adviser to President Lyndon Johnson in the 1960's. It is simply the unemployment rate added to the inflation rate. It is assumed that both a higher rate of unemployment and a worsening of inflation both create economic and social costs for a country. A combination of rising inflation and more people out of work implies a deterioration in economic performance and a rise in the misery index.

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