How would you suggest your town save money?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Times are very tough in cities and states across the country. High unemployment means dwindling tax revenues... which is forcing local governments to make cuts in lots of places in order to keep things running.
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/03/12/art.chicken.catcher.jpg caption="When Miami residents were overrun with loose chickens the city added a full-time Chicken Buster to the payroll."]
CNNMoney.com highlights some of the quirkier services that are being cut:
- Miami is cutting the position of "chicken catcher"... Apparently the city was overrun with loose chickens four years ago, so they added a full-time Chicken Buster to the payroll.
- Chicago is toning down its annual July 4th fireworks presentation
- Detroit is outsourcing the traditional yellow school bus service to private companies. Some school districts have even cut bus service altogether - and parents now have to transport their kids
- Henderson, Nevada, is doing away with a free coffee program for seniors
- St. Louis is considering charging residents for once-a-week trash collection
- Colorado Springs is turning off the city's least efficient street lights... and they're grounding two police helicopters
- Speaking of police, San Diego is getting rid of its horse-mounted patrol after nearly 3 decades.
- Los Angeles, which is drowning in debt, wants to take the zoo off the city's books... they're negotiating with a non-profit group to take over operations.
- North Las Vegas will quit offering free medical exams to city council members
- and some Utah lawmakers want to make the 12th grade optional
Here’s my question to you: How would you suggest your town save money?
Tune in to the Situation Room at 7pm to see if Jack reads your answer on air.
And, we love to know where you’re writing from, so please include your city and state with your comment.
What kind of reception for Tiger if he returns at Masters?
FILE PHOTO: Tiger Woods poses with his trophy after the final round of the 2009 Australian Masters on November 15 in Melbourne. (PHOTO CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES)
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
After months of hiding out, the implosion of his personal life and squeaky clean reputation... and lots and lots of therapy - Tiger Woods might soon play golf again.
The AP reports Woods will likely play for the first time at the Masters in April - and there are other reports he could play at Bay Hill in the Arnold Palmer Invitational later this month. His agent says "no decision has been made yet."
But just imagine the TV ratings if he returns. In the past couple weeks - Woods has been practicing near his Florida home, including work with his swing coach.
Woods hasn't played in a tournament for four months - since November 15th - when he won the Australian Masters. Less than two weeks after his 82nd career victory - he crashed his SUV into a tree near his home in the middle of the night... which launched an avalanche of creepy revelations about his infidelities.
When Woods made his first public appearance last month in that tightly scripted, awkward event at PGA Headquarters... he said he would play golf again and didn't rule out this year.
Meanwhile - it's more than his golf swing that needs work. Tiger is also working on him image - which was more badly damaged than his SUV. He has lost a boatload of valuable sponsors not to mention the respect of many fans. There are reports that Woods has hired former Bush White House press secretary Ari Fleischer, who owns a PR sports firm, to help plan his comeback.
And the Masters may be a pretty good place to do it... Tiger has won there four times... plus it's the only tournament where the media aren't allowed inside the ropes.
Here’s my question to you: If Tiger Woods returns at the Masters, what kind of reception will he get?
Tune in to the Situation Room at 5pm to see if Jack reads your answer on air.
And, we love to know where you’re writing from, so please include your city and state with your comment.
Why does divorce make men more suicidal than women?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
It's no secret divorces can be ugly, messy and uncomfortable in so many ways... but now there's research that suggests divorce is also one of the top reasons for suicide among men.
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/03/11/art.depression.jpg caption=""]
AOL News reports that the stress and sadness associated with divorce take a much tougher toll on men than women.
Experts say suicide rates are higher among divorced men - and lowest among those who are still married. Single men fall in between.
One sociologist who studies family structure and suicide rates says divorced men are almost 40 percent more likely to commit suicide than those who are still married. That number jumps to 50 percent for a man who is widowed.
Yet for women there's a statistically insignificant difference when it comes to the risk for suicide among those who are married, divorced or widowed.
Some think it's because marriage provides a support system that men rely on much more than women. There are also studies that show married men take fewer risks and are healthier - less likely to smoke, drink or use drugs.
Another reason why women might be less suicidal is because of the children. Women often remain the primary caretakers for kids after divorce; and research shows that for every additional child in a home, the adult is less and less likely to commit suicide.
Overall - men in this country are four times more likely than women to take their own lives.
Here’s my question to you: Why does divorce make men more suicidal than women?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Walmart selling black Barbies for less than white ones?
(PHOTO CREDIT: FunnyJunk.com)
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Walmart is under fire for selling black Barbie dolls at nearly half the price of white ones - in at least one store.
Photos first appeared on a Web site called FunnyJunk.com showing Mattel's Ballerina Barbie - the white doll - with a price tag of almost $6.
These dolls are on the shelf right next to Ballerina Teresa - the black doll - with a reduced price of $3.
The photo was apparently taken at a Louisiana Walmart store.
Walmart says this was a business decision... telling ABC News that the price reduction was meant to clear shelf space for new spring inventory. They say many items are marked for clearance, adding "both are great dolls... one was marked down due to its lower sales to hopefully increase purchase from customers."
That reasoning works for lots and lots of products, but maybe not in this case. Not everything can always come down to a business decision.
Critics charge Walmart should have been more sensitive when it came to these dolls - they say that even if it's not intentional, the chain is sending a message that "we value blackness less than whiteness."
One sociologist says that when white dolls sell more than black dolls - it is because black parents are more likely than white parents to buy a doll of a different race for their kids. She suggests Walmart should have kept the dolls at the same price in order not to reinforce any "ugly inequalities."
Here’s my question to you: What message does it send when Walmart sells black Barbie dolls for less than white ones?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
How will health care reform affect Pres. Obama's legacy?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
"The time for talk is over. It's time to vote."
So says President Barack Obama about Health care reform, which has consumed almost the entire first year of his presidency.
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/03/11/art.obama.jpg caption=""]
As this thing moves toward some sort of resolution - one way or another - it seems it will leave an indelible mark on Mr. Obama's legacy.
After nearly a year of debates, town hall meetings and angry Tea Partiers, closed-door meetings in Washington, thousands and thousands of pages of legislation, and a televised day-long summit - it's not clear if the Democrats have the votes to turn the president's signature issue into law.
Even though Democrats are poised to use a procedure called reconciliation in the Senate - where they need only a simple majority - it's far from a done deal. Over in the House - Nancy Pelosi may not have the necessary votes either, with some Democrats worried about abortion and others just worried about getting re-elected.
Critics say President Obama left too much power in the hands of Congress; he didn't step in early enough and assert his leadership. Instead he waited until the bill had become a mangled mess with everybody's fingerprints on it, except his.
Now the president is out there nearly every day giving campaign-style speeches... but it might be too little too late. A large majority of Americans don't want the current bill.
There are still more than two years until the president would be up for re-election; and it's worth pointing out that although Bill Clinton failed to pass health care reform during his first term... he went on to be re-elected.
Here’s my question to you: How will the fate of the health care reform bill ultimately affect Pres. Obama's legacy?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
$10 billion spent on cosmetic procedures despite recession
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
What recession? Despite record unemployment, rising health care costs and sinking home values - Americans shelled out more than $10 billion on cosmetic surgery and other procedures last year.
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/03/10/art.botox.jpg caption="A woman receives a Botox injection. "]
The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery says there were almost 10 million surgical and non-surgical procedures done in the U.S. in 2009, that's down only two percent from the year before. At least we want to look good for the coming collapse.
About 85 percent of the procedures were non-surgical - things like Botox - which are cheaper than surgery. In total there were 2.5 million Botox injections, more than one million procedures with other chemical fillers and 1.3 million laser hair removals done.
As for surgery, the most popular procedure was breast augmentation. There were 300,000 of those surgeries - followed by liposuction and eyelid surgery.
Some insist there's a direct connection to the lousy economy. One plastic surgeon says a lot of people have cosmetic procedures done to increase their chances of finding a job; he says people think if they look better, they're more likely to get work, and beat out someone who doesn't look as good.
He says even the unemployed are getting work done: "That's their stimulus - spending money trying to get into the workforce."
What a country. As we told you yesterday in the Cafferty File - almost half of Americans have less than $10,000 saved for retirement, but millions of us are running off to the plastic surgeon.
Here’s my question to you: What does it mean that despite the worst recession since the Great Depression, Americans spent more than $10 billion on cosmetic procedures last year?
Tune in to the Situation Room at 7pm to see if Jack reads your answer on air.
And, we love to know where you’re writing from, so please include your city and state with your comment.
Do PETA's euthanasia rates make them hypocritical?
A domestic shorthair cat waits to be adopted. (PHOTO CREDIT: ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images)
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Here's something about PETA - People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals - that might surprise you.
AOL News reports that the organization euthanizes more than 90 percent of the dogs and cats sent to its Virginia headquarters. According to state records, PETA euthanized more than 2,300 dogs and cats in 2009 - or 97 percent of all those brought in. It adopted only eight.
By contrast - in 2008, the Norfolk SPCA adopted 86 percent of its dogs and cats while euthanizing only five percent. And the Norfolk, Virginia city pound euthanized about half of its dogs and cats last year.
Critics are fuming, saying PETA's numbers can't be "ethically rationalized." They insist shelters should only euthanize those animals that are too aggressive or have health issues. They shouldn't put them down merely because they don't have room for them.
But PETA tells a different story. They say the Virginia facility is not an adoption center but rather a "shelter of last resort," taking in those animals that other shelters reject. PETA says its "euthanasia program has never been a secret" and that it is only one of the many things they do to alleviate suffering of animals.
PETA says that it is worse for animals to be caged up in over-crowded shelters. They put the blame on breeders and pet shops that create six to eight million shelter animals every year, which is why they also promote spaying and neutering of pets.
The irony is PETA has a reputation for instantly jumping all over any group or individual who they consider guilty of poor treatment of animals. And some people might think putting animals to sleep falls into that category.
Here’s my question to you: Do PETA's euthanasia rates for animals make the group hypocritical?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Less likely to buy foreign car after Toyota scandal?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Finally some good news for Detroit. With Toyota recalling more than eight million vehicles worldwide - a new poll out suggests that fewer Americans are set on buying foreign cars.
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/03/10/art.toyota.jpg caption=""]
The Gallup Poll shows just six percent of those surveyed say they would only consider foreign brands when buying a car. That number is down from 15 percent in December 2008, when the government first considered a bailout of the U.S. auto industry.
Meanwhile the percentage of people who would consider only American cars stands at 36 percent.
Young adults represent the biggest drop in a preference for foreign cars. 18-to-34-year-olds used to be the most likely to say they would only buy foreign cars. Also young adults are now much more likely to say they would only consider American brands. And that's a good sign for the so-called Big 3 American car manufacturers - since these people will be buying cars for many years to come.
The Gallup poll also finds older adults are the most loyal to U.S. car companies.
There could be many reasons why people are less interested in buying foreign cars these days - from safety issues at Toyota to a renewed support for American makes after the bailout.
But whatever is behind the trend, new car sales at Ford, Chrysler and GM were all up last month compared to a year ago - when the industry was on the brink of collapse.
Here’s my question to you: In light of the Toyota scandal, are you less likely to buy a foreign car?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Pope silent on Uganda’s 'kill the gays' bill?
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/03/09/art.popebenedict.0309.cf.gi.jpg caption =" What’s the message if the Pope remains silent on Uganda’s “kill the gays” bill?"]
From CNN's Jack Cafferty:
There's a deafening silence coming from the Vatican.
When Pope Benedict the 16th recently met with Catholic leaders from Uganda, he made not a single mention of the nation's medieval-sounding anti-gay bill.
Something nicknamed "kill the gays" legislation is making its way through Uganda's parliament. It calls for life imprisonment for homosexuals - and in some cases, even execution.
People around the world have protested the bill, with Western nations and human rights groups expressing outrage. Pres. Obama has called it "odious" and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says she's called Uganda's president to express her "strongest concerns."
According to the UN, the law would prohibit sex between people of the same sex and wouldn't recognize homosexual relations as an acceptable lifestyle. It even carries prison sentences of up to three years for anyone who doesn't report a gay person, not to mention life in prison, or potentially the death penalty, for homosexuals.
But the Pope said not a word about any of this, instead calling on Uganda's bishops to encourage catholic’s to "appreciate fully the sacrament of marriage."
It's possible the Pope didn't touch the issue in his wide-ranging speech because the bishops asked him not to, or because of concerns that his weighing in could backfire and lead to the passage of the bill.
Baloney. The Pope is supposed to be the moral authority for Catholics around the world. His counsel is sought and his office respected by people and governments both inside and outside the church. Compassion for human rights and the sanctity of life are supposed to be corner stones of Catholicism.
Even the archbishop of Uganda's capital says the bill "does not pass a test of a Christian caring approach to this issue." There's an understatement.
Here’s my question to you: What’s the message if the Pope remains silent on Uganda’s “kill the gays” bill?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
FULL POST
43 percent have less than $10,000 saved for retirement
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/03/09/art.retirement.0309.cf.gi.jpg caption =" What does it mean that 43 percent of Americans have less than $10,000 in savings for retirement?"]From CNN's Jack Cafferty:
They're supposed to be the golden years, but retirement is becoming more and more difficult for millions of Americans.
A new survey shows that the percentage of workers with virtually no retirement savings grew for the third year in a row.
Forty-three percent of those surveyed say they have less than ten thousand dollars saved for retirement, excluding the value of homes and pension plans.
The annual Retirement Confidence Survey also finds that 27 percent of workers have less than one thousand dollars in retirement savings.
One thousand dollars.
It's a glaring picture of the decline in our quality of life. Only 16 percent of Americans say they're confident they can save enough for a comfortable retirement - that's the second lowest percentage in the 20-year history of the poll.
Job losses and mortgage problems are partly to blame here - but not entirely. Some people weren't saving even when the economy was stronger. And, a lot of people don't want to think about retirement - until it's too late.
For many Americans, the new reality is working longer and retiring later in life. Financial planners say that retirement savings - including Social Security and pension - should provide about 80 percent of your pre-retirement income. For most people – that means they should be saving close to 10 percent of their salary.
But with millions unemployed, rising care health costs and decreasing home values - among other things - saving that much just isn't possible.
Here’s my question to you: What does it mean that 43 percent of Americans have less than $10,000 in savings for retirement?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
FULL POST
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