Miss Joy’s Neighborhood

via Center for American Progress
Census Shows Most Poor Adults Are Women, Particularly "Women on Their Own"

Elderly, unmarried women—many of whom are widows or divorced—are particularly susceptible to poverty, particularly as retirement funds dwindle in the recession.

By Liz Weiss  | September 10, 2009

New data released today by the Census Bureau shows a statistically significant increase in the national poverty rate in 2008. Most adults (18 and over) in poverty are women; 59 percent of adults in poverty are women; and 13 percent of all adult women are in poverty. Three-quarters of these women are women on their own—widowed, divorced, separated, or never married—despite being less than half (47 percent) of the population of adult women. These unmarried women have appreciably higher poverty rates than married women—20.8 percent versus 6.2 percent. Yet unmarried women live in a variety of situations—they may be living with partners, they may be mothers, they may be elderly—and each group has unique circumstances and needs. Indeed, poverty rates vary greatly for women by family status, age, and race.

In 2008, 39.8 million people—13.2 percent of Americans—were in poverty, a statistically significant increase from 2007 (12.5 percent), and a marked increase since 2000 when poverty was at 11.3 percent—its lowest level in a generation. Unfortunately, we know that the poverty picture has worsened in 2009, and these new numbers reflect only the first part of the current economic downturn. Unemployment in August 2009 was at 9.7 percent nationwide and nearly 12 percent for unmarried women (seasonally unadjusted). What’s more, long-term unemployment has grown considerably and food stamp participation increased by more than 20 percent between June 2008 and June 2009.

Women are more likely even in better economic times to face poverty than men, and unmarried women have higher poverty rates than married women. Yet the marital disparity has worsened since early in the decade. The poverty rate of unmarried women was 13.4 percentage points higher than married women in 2000, but it was 14.6 percentage points higher in 2008. The risk of poverty for women of color is even greater, especially for those who are unmarried. Thirty percent of unmarried black women and 29.5 percent of unmarried Hispanic women—of any race—were poor in 2008, compared with 18.5 percent of unmarried white women.

• 08:28 Thinking about making pancakes for breakfast. I wonder if I have any syrup. #
• 10:06 @peavesfamtravel what class are you taking? #
• 19:38 Think of all tye chocolate you eat @sacentrepreneur! The average chocolate bar has 8 insect legs in it. #omgfacts (via @OMGFacts) #
• 23:10 Trying to figure out what to watch/fall asleep to. #
• 23:32 So. Cold. #

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From Wired:

COOKIE!!!

Cookie Monster is no doubt the least good-for-you part of Sesame Street but it was always my favorite. And then there’s Oscar the Grouch, who’s already been the subject of a Geek Dad post.

One of us.

Likely the Cookie Monster is the favorite of many others too, since Google placed him on their homepage to celebrate the show’s 40th anniversary, which is Tuesday, November 10, as new segments will begin airing on PBS stations.

Elmo on Google

There are preview clips available at the official website linked above but, be warned, there is video that turns on instantly, so if you’re not in the mood for Ernie, you might want to hit the mute button.

Realizing Sesame Street is 40 years old is a bit of a shock to me, because having watched it as a kid, it  reminds me that I’m old, or at least growing older.

But in addition to my own memories of the show, I also have memories of watching the show with my kids, which, in a way, marked my turning point into true adulthood.

Though the kids are currently of the age where they wouldn’t be caught dead admitting they loved anything about Sesame Street,  I did pry from my teenage daughter an admission that, yes, she watched and that, yes, Cookie Monster and Oscar the Grouch were her favorites.

My twins also had a couple of favorites that I wanted to recommend. The first, Sesame Songs: Sing Yourself Silly, is great from an early age and still makes me smile today. I used the video when my kids were overtired but refused to nap. It mellowed them out and allow me some peace for a little while. The second, Elmo Saves Christmas, is more recent, and especially good for the Christmas holiday, if you don’t have it.

I like this movie because it tells kids why you can’t have Christmas every day.The kids liked it because they were entertained by Santa, reindeer, and Elmo and they didn’t mind the lesson with it.

Which, come to think of it, is Sesame Street in a nutshell.

Which character is your favorite?

http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2009/11/sesame-street-celebrates-40th-anniversary-with-premiere-on-november-10th/

A few weeks ago PS posted on her FB status that she has a bad experience talking to the customer service officer from Citibank... and I can only agree with her... I always hated calling them... anyway today I just make a call to them to cancel all my card with them, since I realise that I have stopped using them for a while...

anyway, I was quite happy when my phone was picked up at the 1st ring.. cos in the past when I called them, I probably will be put on listening to their music for a good 15 minutes before a customer service officer is available to talk to me... so I'm kinda of happy that I have got luck today... but my happiness was short lived..

as I have 2 cards to cancel, I called and state the number of the first card... and problem one happened... they need all the verification which i gladly told them... until it come to the part of the credit limit.... i can't remember and i had to login to my internet banking to check... and to my horror, after i state the amount to the CSO, he told me it was wrong... and he even told me that the credit limit for each card is the same.. i mean WTF, you think i'm some idiot or something? i can't read what is on  the screen.... and I'm stupid not to know what is credit limit?? and I told him off that I'm looking at my electronic bill right now and this is the amount stated.. does he need me to print it out and fax it to him to verify that is what is showing on my screen? i think that pisses him off a little and he tries to cut in to what i was saying... *rude* of him...

anyway he asked for my mum maiden name for another verification... which i told him and he told me the amount reflected on his screen... and i gave him another round of "lecture" saying that there is some problem with their system.. it clearly stated on my screen that its not the amount he mention... so he blah blah blah and went on to "process" my cancellation... and told me it has been done...

and the 2nd problem came.. i told him to cancel off my Citibank SMRT card too... and apparently i think he is unable to find that card under my name... and he asked me what card is it? hello, i just told you its the SMRT visa platinum card right? do you have that much SMRT card??? then he asked me is it under my name? o.m.g.... does he really think that i'm some blur f**k.....

i volunteered the number of my SMRT card... and i think he manage to "find" it in his system... and best part? he asked for the number of the first card again!!!! and he repeated the cycle of all the verification again!!! i tot for the SMRT card, but no! it was for the 1st card and also the SMRT card... *o.m.g*.....

my guess? i think there were two "accounts" of my card in their system.. one is the old old one which he first found... and later when I provided my SMRT card number, he manage to trace to the latest "account"... how did that happen in the 1st place I'm not too sure... but i'm sure their system sucks... i'm just glad i have already cancel all my card with them and I do not have a savings account with them... i wonder will their system mix up the money inside too...

That day, he asked me whats on Keitsu's mind.... cos I haven't been updating my blog for a long long time... i guess mostly because office is still blocking vox... and also I'm so drained of energy these days... when I'm back home I just do the routine things... and I will be in bed early early.... no energy to blog... no energy to read books... no energy to do much things....

Anyway some updates...

We celebrated Mum's bday yesterday at Pu Tien restaurant.... Although I see my parents every week... but yesterday I kinda of suddenly realise that my parents have aged alot... there were so much white hair on their head.... I got kinda of emo... but yah I know its normal.. since they are already 60 and 57.... and I'm also approaching my 30s.... I'm just glad that they are still healthy and hope that they will remain so for more years to come...

And we caught a movie on Friday.... its been like months since I last stepped into the theatre.... we watched the "Astroboy Movie".... I would say it was pretty good.... I cried at the part where he realise that he was a robot and his "father" didn't want him any more... *awwwww*... and the part where his friends realise that he was a robot and didn't "want" him.... i came out of the theatre with red eyes... :P

Work have been progressing well so far... had my appraisal done for 2009... and some of the things my PM told me set me thinking.... what should be my priority... i guess i can't find the answer right now... and can't come to a conclusion.... with the unknown being unknown I guess I can only take it one step at a time.... leave the worries for the future? can i even plan or prep myself for it in the 1st place? mentally possible.. but without being there doing it, whatever mental preparation is only very limited....

I dunno why... I have been thinking about New Zealand these few days... probably because the pple around me are all going on holiday... :P I dunno why... i'm not thinking of going other countries but back to New Zealand... it wasn't a fantastic trip.. probably because I just miss the pace of life there?

anyway X'mas is coming!!! i really like this time of the year.... but I'm on a tight budget this year... and with my project team growing, its really difficult to get a gift for everyone... but again I really appreciated their help over the one year... so i'm still contemplating what to do... I have tot of baking some cookies for them.... but I know some of them don't really eat cookies... or maybe I should just leave it to my PM for the gift exchange... :P this year I didn't get my sis friends to make any scrapping stuff... so I guess I have to start shopping around for gifts le... :P I wonder if the mafians are holding any celebration this year...

Thats for now... I wonder when will i blog again?

Today was Mike's funeral. I went to the pre-cemetary memorial service, in a church. I like churches, for the most part, they have art and architecture and in their best light are a gathering place of people. Today the people were in shades of grey and black, somber for the most part. Some attendees treated it like a reunion, there were fleeting jovial moments tempered by the memory of what brought everyone together. Pictures of Mike in various stages of his recent life surrounded the entryway to the interior of the church: Mike and his helicopter, Mike in his uniform, Mike working on the helicopter, Mike and his wife Anita and their son Riley.

Riley is C's age. He meandered around but was never far from his mother. The gravity of the occasion may have tempered a typical "boy" reaction but at the same time he wasn't particularly teary. The occasional grin and introduction to some family friend or relative you could tell he hadn't seen in years peppered his pre-funereal experience.

I spent the ceremony crying quietly. Ween didn't cry all that much but, as she told me, she did her crying the last few days. I think she's numb, and I think she's probably got some more cry in her.  Me, I hadn't cried yet. I cried and cried and cried, as his friends talked about their "Monty" (our "Mike") and brought up all of the traits we remembered him having way back when: the quick reply, the sense of honor, the expectations he had of himself and others that could not be compromised. All I could think about was here is his wife and child, who would not have him in person ever again. They would have pictures, they would have memories, they would have tokens of "honey" and "daddy".

A funeral is for those left behind; Mike is either in a blackened oblivion or in a happy afterlife (and never do I get closer to wishing I had the capacity for religion as when I want there to be an afterlife for those departed). His wife is left behind and his son is left behind and now the question is how their life will change, irretrievably and irrevocably.

It makes me look at all of my daily problems and classify them as petty and stupid.

I came home and decided I would not go to book club. I cleaned a bit, which I find a sense of comfort in, and I sewed a bit (a Luke Skywalker costume I'm making for the C). 

I'm enjoying, and appreciating, the quiet. 

I admit to being a Denise Austin fan. Even though she never shuts up. And she always lies. But you get used to that. I now know that when she says

just one more

She doesn't really mean just one more. She means just that one more then a few more after that.

I've been doing the Fat Blasting Yoga dvd. Its pretty strenuous. And just when you think its over she brings out the stability ball and does another 15 minutes.

When I first started doing it a few weeks ago my legs would be wobbling and shaking from the effort but now I'm pretty good. My thighs feel like they're packed with cement actually. Jem was feeling them the other night and said I'll be able to crack coconuts with them. Which I guess could come in handy someday.

And I've lost 5 kilos which is also pretty handy. 4 more to go. But my aim is really firmness. I want to firm up all those bits that start going soft after 40. You know where they are. Triceps, back fat over the bra, thighs, well lots of places really.

And I made this magnet a couple of years ago when I was trying to lose weight and I think its time to put it back on the fridge to help the cause. Because she's 52 and looks pretty damn fine. And firm. Thats my aim. To be fitter at 50 than ever before. So I have 5 years up my sleeve.

Denise-austin

I have to leave soon to bring my ailing Ruby to Ben's to see if he can't figure out what is wrong with her. But before I go, I had to wish a heartfelt congratulations to Dabysan and CarrieNation, who are getting married today.