Jobless rates have stabilized somewhat in the United States, and the Obama administration contends the year-old American Reinvestment and Recovery Act stimulus package deserves part of the credit. But recent analyses are revealing that the recovery isn’t reaching some of the communities hardest hit by the great recession.

In fact, a February 2010 report (.pdf) by the Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity found that  the African American unemployment has been rising while the jobless rate for members of other groups are starting to fall.

“More recent trends show that the White unemployment rate has decreased each month since October of 2009, while the rate for Blacks continued to climb for most of that period (see Table 2). A further breakdown (shown in Chart 3) reveals that the unemployment rate for Black men (17.6%) is almost twice that of White men (9.1%), and that the unemployment rate for White youth is 23.5%, compared to 37.2% and 43.8% among Latinos and Blacks (see Chart 4).2″

The Kirwan Institute study also found that businesses owned by women, blacks and Latinos have been awarded a disproportionately small percentage of the federal contracts awarded under the stimulus.

“An overall look at Federal ARRA contracting reveals noticeable inequality. Despite the fact that Women-owned, Latino-owned, and Black-owned businesses account for 28.2%, 6.8%, and 5.2% of all U.S. businesses respectively,3 as of February 1, 2010 they had only received 2.4%, 1.6%, and 1.1% of the value of Federal ARRA contracts that have been procured (see Table 3).4 “

The report doesn’t  report whether the demographic backgrounds of the applicants for the recovery grants was closer to the overall population.

Titania Kumeh at Mother Jones noted the report’’s recommendations, including: investments in community infrastructure, targeting low-income communities for green job programs and jobs programs for ex-offenders. These suggestions are consistent with recommendations made by the National Urban League in December, 2009. Their six-point jobs plan also includes a call for direct job creation in communities with the highest jobless rates and the expansion of the Small Business Administration’s Community Express Loan Program to increase the credit available to entrepreneurs in communities with the highest unemployment rates.

In a Feb. 8 New York Times article, Pres. Obama rejected the idea that he should push for policies that specifically address African American concerns:

“I can’t pass laws that say I’m just helping black folks. I’m the president of the United States. What I can do is make sure that I am passing laws that help all people, particularly those who are most vulnerable and most in need. That in turn is going to help lift up the African-American community.”

About the same time that article was published, NUL president Marc Morial, (pictured above, left) , the Sharpton (below, right) and NAACP president Ben Jealous met with Pres. Obama to talk about the impact of the economic crisis on African Americans. No one knows what was discussed, but critics such as Johns Hopkins political science professor Lester Spence isn’t the only person to wonder why the President would hold a meeting about economic issues without having economists and public policy experts at the table.

But  Joel Dreyfuss, a veteran financial journalist who currently edits TheRoot.com, argues that Obama’s race actually makes it harder for him to address issues of particular concern to black folk. In an interview with Michel Martin for her show, Tell Me More, Dreyfuss said:

“I think ironically if [Obama] were white, he would be much freer to address these issues and tackle specific problems with the black community. Remember that it was Nixon who started supporting black entrepreneurship, for example, you know. I cant imagine Obama now creating a program just to support black entrepreneurship, it wouldn’t happen.”

This analysis is brought to you by the broker of the ShortSalesASAP company, who specialize in short sale negotiations, marketing and sales here in Buena Park. This article will report the statistics for Active for Sale and Sold standard listing properties, as compared to short sales. Currently, there are 195 detached homes listed for sale in Buena Park , California. The median price of these homes for sale is $399,900 and the average price per square foot is $272.  40 of these active listings are short sales, which represent 26% of the total inventory of detached homes for sale. The median price of these short sale properties is $400,000 and the average price per square foot is $246.

There are now 21 condominiums listed for sale in Buena Park . The median price for these listed condominiums is $299,900 and the average price per square foot is $228 . Of this total, 9 are short sale listings. The median price of these short sale units is $280,000 , and the average price per square foot is $212 . The ratio of short sale condo listings to the total listings is 43% .

For homes under contract, there are 115 detached homes in escrow on this date, and the median price is $360,000 . Of this total, 65 are short sales in escrow, which is 57% of the total detached properties in escrow in Buena Park , and the short sale median price in escrow is $345,000 .

For condominiums in escrow, there are now 30 attached units under contract, with a median price of $285,000 . Of this number, 21 are short sales, which calculates to be 70% of the total pending units, and the median price is $280,000 .

In the past 3 months, there have been a total of 91 detached homes that have sold and closed escrow in Fullerton . The median price was $385,000 and the average price per square foot was $274 . Of this total were 24 were short sale properties in the city of Buena Park in the past 3 months. This number of sold short sales is 26% of the total. The median price was $325,000 , and the average price per square foot was $230 .

In the past 90 days, there have been a total of 11 condo sales with a median price of $329,000 , and an average price per square foot of $240 in Buena Park . Also, there were 1 short sale condos sold, which was 9% of the total number of units sold in this period. The median price of the sold short sale condos was $329,000 , and the average price per square foot was $239 .

In my never-ending search for perfect motorcycle visibility, I happened to come across the website for LEDtronics, a Torrance, California based firm that makes LED’s (light emitting diodes) in just about every shape and size anyone would ever need.  I was mulling over the idea of buying a handful of LED’s to enhance the brake light on my 1986 BMW R65 motorcycle when I found the LEDtronics 1156 LED brake light replacement — it is way too expensive, but I just had to give it a try.

I have some LED motorcycle brake light enhancements on my other motorcycle, a ‘94 BMW K75, and I’m pleased with the way they’ve been working (see the article “Improving the Brake Light Visibility of a BMW K75″ on the wBW Technical Articles page).

LED’s draw very little current; are very bright; they cycle on and off extremely fast compared to incandescent bulbs; and they have a very long service life.  This is important for motorcycle applications.  They are also much more resistant to failure from vibration, which makes them potentially useful on motorcycles.

The downside is that the LED lights throw light that is very directional.  They must be viewed at almost a direct angle in order to realize their increased brightness (more on this later).

By the way, did I say they can be very expensive?  The LEDtronics 1156 replacement in red costs $48.50, and it cost me $5.35 for shipping to the east coast via UPS ground.  Yep, I’m embarrassed! But hey, at least the money was spent in the spirit of webBikeWorld knowledge sharing….

I read an article that was linked from the LEDtronics website that was written by the owner of a Yamaha R1 about his use of an LED light replacement.   The owner was searching for a brighter LED light to replace the Asian-sourced LED unit on his bike’s custom tail treatment.

It is apparent (confirmed by other sources) that some lower-quality LED lights from overseas can produce very low levels of light, enough to make them fairly useless for brake light applications.

The owner was pleased with the brightness of the LEDtronics replacement light, and there are some photos on the site that illustrate some of the differences between his stock LED light and the LEDtronics 1157. I was convinced that a lighting replacement would do the same for my R65.

Breast enlargement is a surgery that gives the patient fuller ones. It can restore the volume after weight loss or pregnancy. Enhancement procedure is a personal choice that should be carefully researched before proceeding. Any surgery has risks; a board certified surgeon should perform the procedure to reduce any mistakes.

The ASPS has a list of surgeons around the country that are trained in all areas of plastic surgery. Before it is scheduled, a surgeon will sit down with the patient to discuss why the surgery is needed, medical conditions, previous surgeries and family history of breast cancer. During the consultation the surgeon may examine the patient’s breasts, take photographs and discuss the risks. During the method a small incision will be made under the breast. The incision size is based on the size of the implant.

The types of implants used for an enhancement are saline and silicone. Saline implants are filled with sterile salt water. In case of a leak, the saline can be easily absorbed by the body.

Silicone breast implants are filled with a gel like substance. If this implant leaks, you should seek medical attention immediately. The saline will not be absorbed into the body. The implant is placed either in front of or behind the pectoral muscle. The placing of the implant depends on body type or the size that is desired. The incision will cause swelling. This will be less noticeable over time.

A similar method is a Breast Lift. In this procedure the boobs are raised and firmed. This does not require an implant. The surgeon will remove excess skin and tighten what is already there. This is for a woman after childbirth or a woman who has lost an excessive amount of weight.

Recovery time will vary from individual. The general rule is that most patients will be on light activity for about 48 hours. The soreness and swelling is likely to last a few weeks. A speedy recovery is based on the willingness to follow the hospital’s orders. If a patient experiences any complication, contact the hospital immediately.

The procedure can give a woman new found confidence. The right physician can put you at ease about the decision. It can give the mother back her figure or the lady that lost weight a new lease on life. Whatever the reason be, it should be performed by ASPA certified professionals.

“There is an inherent uncertainty in determining which substances are safe and which are not, and when their risks outweigh their benefits. Toxicity studies are difficult, because BPA and other, similar chemicals can have multiple effects on the body. Moreover, we are exposed to scores of them in a lifetime, and their effects in combination or in sequence might be very different from what they would be in isolation. In traditional toxicology, a single chemical is tested in one cell or animal to assess its harmful effects. In studying environmental hazards, one needs to test mixtures of many chemicals, across ranges of doses, at different points in time, and at different ages, from conception to childhood to old age. Given so many variables, it is difficult to determine how harmful these chemicals might be, or if they’re harmful at all, or what anyone can do to avoid their effects.”

That doesn’t, however, mean that harm assessment shouldn’t be done. Groopman discusses BPA, the oft-debated chemical found in hard plastic bottles and can linings, presenting the evidence for and against its supposed malign involvement with certain types of cancer and developmental and reproductive issues and calling for further research given existing studies that show “worrisome” results. And, he writes, “policymakers must create a better system for making decisions about when to ban these types of substances.”

Chemical bonus: The Los Angeles Times also takes a closer look at the cancer panel’s report, including some ways to reduce cancer risk by both cutting exposure to potentially harmful substances and practicing healthy lifestyle habits.

If there was a positive to come from the global recession, it’s that some of the jobless it created began working on solving social ills. They either took on new professions with non-profits, started their own social business, or used the time between jobs to volunteer.

From the Sacramento Bee, writer Stephen Magagnini profiles some of the new philanthropy start-ups in the area. Magagnini says there are more non-profits in the Sacramento area than ever before.

The battle to save the world often is launched from checkbooks in Roseville, Granite Bay, Folsom or Davis, whose residents have consistently ranked among California’s most generous in recent years, based on IRS reports.

While the recession has cut into a steady rise in charitable contributions seen through 2008, experts say more out-of-work Americans are joining the fight.

The real estate crash spurred West Sacramento “eco-urban” developer Levi Benkert and his family to move to Ethiopia in May 2009 to rescue orphans.

The value of his development projects had declined so much “that investors and lenders were not willing to continue to put money in when there was no prospect of profit,” Benkert, 28, said via e-mail. “It felt like the whole world was crashing in on us.”

So Benkert went on a reconnaissance mission to Ethiopia and learned of the plight of orphans there. On his return to Sacramento, he created the nonprofit Drawn From Water and partnered with the Rock of Roseville church. Then Benkert, his wife, Jessie, and children – Nickoli, 9, Luella, 6, and Ruth, 3 – moved to the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.

From there, they drive 17 hours south of the capital to an orphanage in Jinka, a town of about 30,000, to immerse themselves for two to three weeks at a time in the daily lives of the orphans. They are working on arranging U.S. adoptions for some, which Benkert said will start in June.

At first, the family was overwhelmed.

“When you pick up a new child who’s severely malnourished and might not make it through the night it affects you in ways you never knew back home,” Benkert said via e-mail.

So far, the family has helped rescue 21 children from remote tribes that Benkert said thought they were cursed and needed to die. He said tribal leaders agreed to send the children to the orphanage.

“Emotionally it’s taxing, but rewarding like nothing else on earth,” Benkert wrote. “Our kids are attached to the children in the orphanage and we love them all like they were our own. That feeling is something I wish everyone in the world could experience.”

Honda Motor Co., Ltd. will showcase an experimental model of a walking assist device which could support walking for the elderly and other people with weakened leg muscles, at the International Trade Fair on Barrier Free Equipments & Rehabilitation for the Elderly & the Disabled (BARRIER FREE 2008) which will be held at Intex Osaka, Friday, April 25 through Sunday, April 27, 2008.

Designed for people who are still capable of walking on their own, Honda began research of a walking assist device in 1999 with a goal to provide more people with the joy of mobility. Currently, the device has entered into the feasibility stage.

The cooperative control technology utilized for this device is a unique Honda innovation achieved through the cumulative study of human walking just as the research and development of technologies was conducted for Honda’s advanced humanoid robot, ASIMO. Applying cooperative control based on the information obtained from hip angle sensors, the motors provide optimal assistance based on a command from the control CPU. With this assist, the user’s stride will be lengthened compared to the user’s normal stride without the device and therefore the ease of walking is achieved.

The compact design of the device was achieved with flat brushless motors and a control system developed by Honda. In addition, a simple design to be worn with a belt around the hip and thigh was employed to help achieve overall weight as light as approximately 2.8kg. As a result, the device reduces the user’s load and can be fit to different body shapes.
The research of this device is being conducted by the Fundamental Technology Research Center of Honda R&D Co., Ltd. in Wako, Saitama, Japan.

By choosing to think and say positive affirmations as true, the subconscious is forced into one of two reactions – avoidance or reappraisal. The bigger the issue the bigger the gap between the positive affirmation and the perceived inner truth and the more likely that one is going to experience resistance. This is where the subconscious finds it easier to stay with its perceived inner truth and avoid the challenge using any means at its disposal to avoid examining the issue. You will recognise this reaction by a strong negative feeling inside as you state the positive affirmations. Equally if your experience a sense of joy and well being, your mind is instinctively responding to something it believes to be true. When you get this emotion, you know your affirmations are working!

Continually repeating affirmations with conviction and passion will chip away at even the strongest resistance. However there are a number of additional techniques you can use that will super-charge your affirmations and magnify their effectiveness many fold. I will outline these techniques for you later. Once the resistance is broken, your subconscious is able to re-examine the core belief and patterns you have been working on. The effect can be startling and things can change very quickly as the dysfunctional beliefs get identified and replaced by your own new inner truth. Depending on how deep into your consciousness these beliefs lay, every other learned pattern and belief that relied on the original belief as a premise, becomes unfounded. The subconscious has to re-examine them all, this can lead to a period of introspection. If you find yourself experiencing serious resistance or have identified an area of trauma in your life, I strongly urge you to seek professional support, the journey you are embarking on will release you from the past but having proper support around you as you go through the process will make it so much easier.

Because affirmations actually reprogram your thought patterns, they change the way you think and feel about things, and because you have replaced dysfunctional beliefs with your own new positive beliefs, positive change comes easily and naturally. This will start to reflect in your external life, you will start to experience seismic changes for the better in many aspects of your life.