• Categories

  • Post Archives

  • Twitter Updates

      > Follow us on Twitter

    • Latest Posts

    • Meta

    Archive for October, 2011


    By: coral@rockthevote.com

    NEWS ROUND-UP: MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2011

    Monday, October 31st, 2011

    In today’s news, Herman Cain has been accused of sexually harassing two women while head of the National Restaurant Association; online hackers threaten to expose Mexican drug cartels; and Apple and Android apps claim to cure acne with lights emitted by smartphones. In entertainment news, Amy Winehouse has one last CD, and the world sees the birth of its 7 billionth baby.

    From everyone at Rock the Vote… Happy Halloween!

    Coral + Caitlin

    CRUCIAL

    U.S. Seeks Aid From Pakistan in Peace Effort, http://nyti.ms/vmLQ6M
    Only a month after the United States accused Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Agency of supporting the terrorist group Haqqani, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is asking the agency to take the lead role in Afghani peace talks. Clinton called the approach “Fight, Talk, Build.” It will continue strikes against the Taliban and Haqqani network, while at the same time pushing the ISI to get both groups to the negotiating table. The plan is, however, being met with skepticism by the ISI and the Obama administration.

    Dozens of Occupy protesters arrested in Texas, Oregon, http://bit.ly/s7hP2r
    In Austin, Texas and Portland, Oregon, police arrested Occupy protesters for trespassing and violating city rules. Police arrested more than two dozen people who refused to leave a park in northwest Portland after warnings that the park closed at midnight. Police also arrested 38 people in Austin who had set up a table with food and other items outside of City Hall two days after the city issued a rule that food tables must be put away between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. When the group was asked to leave, the 38 people refused and were arrested.

    American Identified as Bomber in Attack on African Union in Somalia, http://nyti.ms/s0VeMD
    On Sunday, American Abdisalan Hussein Ali’s suicide note was posted online by an Islamist militia aligned with Al Qaeda. Ali is the third American to become a suicide bomber for Somalia’s Shabab rebels. He is said to have blown himself up in an attack on African Union troops in Mogadishu. Shabab claims the attack killed several peacekeepers even though the exact number has not yet been confirmed. Ali was one of 30 Americans that the FBI believes has joined Al-Shabab, with at least 20 of them coming from Minneapolis. He was a caseworker at a prestigious law firm and a pre-med student at the University of Minnesota before disappearing in 2008.

    Phoenix flight attendant found dead in Mexico City, http://yhoo.it/vfmlcs
    American authorities are investigating the homicide of a US Airways flight attendant, based in Phoenix, who was found dead in a Mexico City hotel room while on a layover. Nick Aaronson, 33, was found early Saturday in his room at a downtown Hilton with his hands tied behind his back and evidence of him being beaten and choked. Prosecutors said no drugs, weapons or messages were found in the room.

    (via CNN News) Crime, punishment, and the shame of being a Madoff, http://bit.ly/w3iQdc: When news broke that Bernard Madoff had swindled thousands of people out of billions of dollars, many assumed that his family must have known all along. But Madoff’s wife Ruth and son Andrew tell Morley Safer they were blindsided when Madoff finally confessed that he’d been running a giant Ponzi scheme.

    Some college students feel targeted by TN voter ID, http://bit.ly/ulk6PI
    Tennessee’s new voter identification law allows most state and federally issued IDs to be used to vote, including work IDs issued to the faculty of state-run colleges. But the student IDs issued at those same schools are specifically prohibited. This has caused Tennessee students to feel like they have been targeted by the law. “I think this is intended to keep in check the main people who voted our current president in,” Christopher Martin, vice president of Tennessee Federation of College Democrats and a junior at Tennessee State University, stated.

    2 women accused Herman Cain of inappropriate behavior, http://politi.co/v0borN
    While Herman Cain was the head of the National Restaurant Association in the 1990′s, two women complained to colleagues and senior association officials about sexually suggestive behavior by Cain. They ultimately left their jobs at the trade group after accepting a payout. On Sunday, a reporter asked Cain, “Have you ever been accused, sir, in your life of harassment by a woman?” After being asked the question three times his only response was, “Have you ever been accused of sexual harassment?” Later today, Cain said he was falsely accused of the claims and has no knowledge of any settlement.

    FTC obtains court orders against two acne-fighting apps, http://lat.ms/sNG6S7
    The FTC has obtained a court order against AcneApp and AcnePwner from making acne-treatment claims. The apps were sold on Apple’s iTunes store and the Android Market and claimed to treat acne with colored lights emitted from phones. The app sold for $1.99 on iTunes and 99 cents on the Android marketplace. Nearly 15,000 people paid for the app.

    ‘Angry Birds’ Creator Will Open Its First Retail Stores in China This Year, http://bloom.bg/sfxsxE
    Rovio Entertainment Oy, the creator of the “Angry Birds” mobile-phone games, will open its first retail stores this year in China, which is its fastest-growing market. The company aims to gross $100 million in sales during the first year of store operation.

    Online hackers threaten to expose cartel’s secrets, http://bit.ly/v9Tt0h
    A group of online hackers called Anonymous are demanding that Mexican drug cartels release one of their own kidnapped from a street protest. Anonymous is threatening to publish the identities and addresses of members of the drug group, Zetas associates. Anonymous has implied that the group will expose mainstream journalists who are in cahoots with Zetas and write negative articles about the military, which is the country’s biggest fist in the drug war.

    CULTURAL

    Natalie Jennings asks, “Obama and young voters: Why all the love lost? ” http://wapo.st/upsOvv

    David Sessions tells us, “The World According to Michele Bachmann” http://bit.ly/upTsmy

    Lauren Bravo wants to know, “Slutty Halloween: Why Can’t Women Just Wear Normal Fancy Dress?” http://huff.to/seDHWp

    Amy Winehouse’s secret new album, http://bit.ly/vQxEtF

    ‘Puss in Boots’ takes Halloween weekend title, http://usat.ly/rXQrhd

    World’s ‘seven billionth baby’ is born, http://bit.ly/sqTaSH

    Justin Bieber: Klobuchar should be ‘locked up’ http://bit.ly/vT5e6U

    JK Rowling reveals she nearly killed off Ron Weasley, http://bit.ly/u2bmLV

      coral@rockthevote.com
      Bio: Coral is the Marketing Intern at Rock the Vote

      Email the author at: blog(at)rockthevote.com

      Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
      Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off


      By: Nicolas Hockenberry

      What Do President Obama’s Student Debt Plans Really Mean?

      Friday, October 28th, 2011

      Young people need more opportunities for employment and income. 5.8 million of us are burdened with student debt and once out of school, it’s a very scary reality to be unemployed and already in the negative. Making money is so easy for some people. Why isn’t it for young people? We’ve asked this question many times. We’ve complained, we’ve “occupied,” we’ve blogged, we’ve tweeted. We’ve made our discontent clear. Is the government finally listening?

      Wednesday at University of Colorado’s Denver campus, President Obama announced new plans to ease student loan debt and to make the repayment process easier to understand. The plans, executed through executive order, will include an accelerated implementation of a Congress approved “pay as you earn” program that caps monthly student loan payments for borrowers with low incomes. This means that, starting in January, post-2011 college graduates can cap their federal student loan repayments at 10% of their monthly income. Also, all remaining debt will be waived after twenty years, which is five years earlier than the current law.

      In addition, the government will now allow student loans from more than one federal program to be consolidated into one. So, borrowers will only have to write one lump sum repayment check instead of making multiple payments to different lenders for differing amounts. This may make it easier for post-2011 college grads to navigate bill paying in the real world, but what about undergraduates? Well, The White House will also release a “Know Before You Owe” fact sheet that will allegedly outline all of the information students need when paying for college.

      According to President Obama, these new plans could save 1.6 million student loan borrowers hundreds of dollars a month, and the consolidation plan will lower interest rates in some cases. Keep in mind that these new rules only apply to federal students loans, so loans from private lenders will not apply.

      I can tell you personally, the new income based plan reduces my payments from $297 to $37 a month. Additionally, I work full-time for a public service non-profit. After 10 years of monthly payments – while I’m employed full-time in public service – my entire balance of my student loans will be forgiven. This creates a huge incentive for students who want to work in public service but are hesitant due to lower salaries in that sector.

      Obama’s student debt plans are meant to make school, money, and maybe just life in general easier for young people. With tuition at an all time high, according to the College Board, President Obama’s announcement this week could not have come at a better time. Only a couple of months ago, we took to the streets griping, yelling, and asking about wealth distribution and the affordability of a decent quality of life. It looks like this week, President Obama squarely acknowledged our demographic and offered an immediate token of help. It may not be every thing young people need; but hey, saving hundreds of dollars a month and being able to afford an education is definitely a step in the right direction.

        Nicolas Hockenberry
        Bio:
        @Nhockenb
        Email the author at: blog(at)rockthevote.com

        Tags: , , , ,
        Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments »


        By: Caitlin Maguire

        News Round-Up: Friday, October 28, 2011

        Friday, October 28th, 2011

        Riots break out after Tunisia’s first free election; most big banks plan to stay away from debit card fees; the Royal Family’s primogeniture rule has been overturned; Herman Cain raises $3 million in October; and Samsung bypasses Apple as the world’s largest smartphone vendor. Meanwhile, the Cardinals stun the Rangers by forcing a World Series games 7, and Charlie Sheen’s new sitcom will air on FX.

        Coral + Caitlin

        CRUCIAL:

        Tunisian town hit by post-poll protests, http://goo.gl/k5TFE
        Protests broke out at Tunisia’s first free election after members of the Popular List had a number of its seats taken away due to campaign-finance violations. In Sidi Bouzid, the town where the uprising that overthrew Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali began, protestors burned down the mayor’s office and the court and then attempted to attack the regional government’s headquarters. The Islamist Ennahdha party won the election with 41.5 percent of the vote.

        Big Banks Blink on New Card Fees, http://goo.gl/USQEU
        After the uproar over Bank of America’s decision to charge a $5 monthly debit card fee, other big banks are deciding not to implement the same type of system. JP Morgan Chase, U.S. Bancorp, Citigroup, PNC Financial Services, and KeyCorp have all said they will not install fees. “I generally think customers don’t want to be nickled and dimed,” said the head of retail products at PNC. Wells Fargo is still testing a $3 fee monthly fee in five states.

        Centuries-old rule of primogeniture in Royal Family scrapped, http://goo.gl/yPDWv
        The 16 nations of which Queen Elizabeth is monarch unanimously decided that “female members of the Royal Family are to be given equality with men in the rules of succession to the throne.” This means that if Kate Middleton and Prince William’s firstborn is a girl, she will become fourth in line to the throne. This privilege was denied to Princess Anne, the Queen’s second child, whose younger brothers proceeded her in line for the monarch.

        Cain campaign reports more than $3 million raised in October, http://goo.gl/MUAY3
        Herman Cain’s campaign has raised $3 million in the month of October, nearly doubling its entire funds from July to September. The money comes from 65 donors. Cain’s chief of staff, Mark Block, attributes the raise in funds to the campaign’s grassroots activism.

        President Obama and young voters are no longer a love match, http://goo.gl/NzuWo
        President Obama’s campaign is working over time to woo young voters as it did in 2008, when 66% of young people supported the president. New polls show President Obama’s popularity slipping below 40% with the youth voting bloc. Other polls show him head-to-head with Mitt Romney as far as youth support goes. The president’s campaign staff is confident they can lure young people to the polls on Election Day, recognizing that 18-29 year-olds are focused not only on student debt, but jobs as well.

        (via Bloomberg Businessweek) Samsung Electronics Co. overtook Apple Inc. in the last quarter to become the world’s largest smartphone vendor amid a widening technology and legal battle between the two companies. Samsung shipped 27.8 million smartphones in the last quarter, taking 23.8 percent of the market, Milton Keynes, U.K.- based Strategy Analytics said in an e-mailed statement today. Apple’s 17.1 million shipments, comprising 14.6 percent of the market, http://goo.gl/k75ES

        Nicolas Sarkozy: Greece should have been denied euro, http://goo.gl/9c5sr
        One day after agreeing on a deficit plan, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said that letting Greece use the Euro was a mistake, as it used false economic data to apply for it. He also noted that this new EU deal will force banks holding Greek debts to take a 50% loss and will give Greece $100 billion euros, saving the country and the rest of the Europe. “If Greece had defaulted, there would have been a domino effect carrying everyone away,” Sarkozy said. In response, Greece said it should not be the scapegoat for Europe’s financial problems.

        CULTURAL:

        Cardinals stun Texas, force World Series to Game 7, http://goo.gl/q9rMF

        Charlie Sheen sitcom ‘Anger Management’ lands at FX, http://goo.gl/DwvFr

        The Knux Rock the Vote at W Los Angeles – Westwood, http://goo.gl/wjIcV

        Marie Osmond Taken to the Hospital After Vegas Show, http://goo.gl/WBqUb

          Caitlin Maguire
          Bio: Caitlin is the Marketing & Operations Manager for Rock the Vote
          @caitlinmagu
          Email the author at: blog(at)rockthevote.com

          Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
          Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off


          By: Caitlin Maguire

          Q&A with Ron Lieber on President Obama’s New Student Loan Programs

          Thursday, October 27th, 2011

          The New York Times’ Ron Lieber has answered some frequently asked questions about the student loan plans President Obama announced yesterday. Check out the helpful Q&A to see how the new programs affect you. The full article can be found here: http://goo.gl/9IM9f.

          Q. Who is eligible?

          A. People with at least one federal loan that they borrowed directly from the federal government and at least one that originated with a bank or other lender. If you have a bunch of bank-issued federal loans but no loan directly from the government, you can consolidate them under an older federal program, but it won’t save you as much money.

          The PLUS loans that some graduate students have taken out in recent years are eligible. Perkins Loans and many federal loans for people entering health professions are not eligible. And again, private student loans are not part of the mix here either.

          Also, if you’re in default on the loans, you won’t be eligible.

          Q. How do I know what kind of loan I have?

          A. Don’t be embarrassed to ask, since many people have forgotten or never knew in the first place. Call your lenders now and ask them. The Education Department plans to inform all eligible borrowers in January as well. If you haven’t heard from them by the end of that month, call them at 1-800-4FEDAID (1-800-433-3243) and ask.

          Q. Is there a limit to the number of federal loans I can consolidate?

          A. No.

          Q. What will I save if I consolidate under the new program?

          A. It depends, and the formula for calculating your new interest rate is complex.

          First, you’ll subtract 25 basis points (a quarter of a percentage point) from the interest rate of your federal loan that a bank or other lender originated. You can also subtract another 25 basis points for both those bank loans and any loans that came from the federal government directly if you agree, once the loans are consolidated, to let the federal government (which will be the new lender of record) pull the payment automatically from your bank account each month.

          The new rate will then be a weighted average of the two (newly discounted) rates from the two different types of loans, based on the balances of each loan.

          Q. When can I sign up, and for how long?

          A. Enrollment should begin in January and is scheduled to end on June 30, 2012.

          Q. Can this help me make more of my federal loans eligible for forgiveness if I work in certain public service jobs?

          A. Yes. The only federal loans that are eligible for that forgiveness plan are ones in the federal direct program, which is where you end up when you consolidate your federal student loans in this fashion. By consolidating, older federal loans that banks originated for you would then become eligible.

          Q. What if I recently consolidated? Can I unconsolidate to take advantage of this new discount?

          A. No.

          Q. Who is eligible for these income-based repayment plans in the first place?

          A. Eligibility is based on something known as “discretionary” income, which the federal government defines as anything above 150 percent of the poverty level. The poverty level depends on your state and the size of your family. The big idea here is to only allow people to qualify whose income makes it hard to afford their full federal student loan payments. (Private loans do not factor into income-based repayment.)

          All of this is outlined in plain English on IBRinfo.org, a Web site maintained by a nonprofit group called the Project on Student Debt. Your lender or the company servicing your loan will decide whether you’re eligible.

          Q. What is changing with these programs as a result of Wednesday’s announcement?

          A. Currently, people who qualify pay no more than 15 percent of their discretionary income toward federal student loan payments each month. You only have to make payments for 25 years, even if there’s still a balance left.

          The new plan will lower the cap to 10 percent of discretionary income and waive any balances after 20 years of repayment. (Again, better deals are available for people who are working in certain public service jobs.)

          Q. Any other catches?

          A. Yes. This new income-based plan is not available to people who graduated in 2011 or earlier and have no plans to take out any new federal loans. Instead, you must have at least one federal loan from no earlier than 2008 and also take out one more in 2012 or later to qualify.

          Graduate students are eligible, too, but you have to have taken your first loan out no earlier than 2008 to qualify, in addition to taking out at least one more in 2012 or later. So if you’re a sixth-year doctoral student, this might not work for you. That said, you might be eligible for the older, less generous plan.

          Also, here too, your loans can’t be in default. This was disappointing to Robert Applebaum, the founder of forgivestudentloandebt.com. His two-year-old movement along with the petition he started on the White House’s Web site helped inspire the adjustments to the federal loan programs.

          “Income-based repayment is fantastic if all you have are federal loans and are current on your repayments,” said Mr. Applebaum, 37, who lives on Staten Island and is current on his own student loans. “But people are drowning in debt and penalties, and the government has made it so that first you have to get your head above water. Another step could have been to eliminate that requirement, and they didn’t.”

          Q. What if I still have questions?

          A. The financial aid ace Mark Kantrowitz of finaid.org has posted his take on the announcement on the Choice blog. Otherwise, call the Education Department and keep an eye on studentaid.ed.gov and the Project on Student Debt’s Web site for more details as they become available.

            Caitlin Maguire
            Bio: Caitlin is the Marketing & Operations Manager for Rock the Vote
            @caitlinmagu
            Email the author at: blog(at)rockthevote.com

            Tags: , , , , ,
            Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off


            By: Caitlin Maguire

            News Round-Up: Thursday, October 27, 2011

            Thursday, October 27th, 2011

            The EU has agreed on a debt deal; Ruth Madoff reveals how she and her husband attempted suicide; the US deficit supercommittee is at odds; China will implement strict regulations on the country’s television and internet; a group of service members will file a suit against the Defense of Marriage Act; and Blackberry users are suing RIM. Meanwhile, items from Blackbeard’s ship have been uncovered, and Halloween will see a multitude of Nicki Minajs.

            Coral + Caitlin

            CRUCIAL:

            Europe crafts debt deal that pleases markets, http://goo.gl/cqq7Y
            European leaders have finally agreed to a deficit deal. The plan focuses on three points: “a significant reduction in Greece’s debts, a shoring up of the continent’s banks, partially so they could sustain deeper losses on Greek bonds, and a reinforcement of a European bailout fund so it can serve as a euro1 trillion ($1.39 trillion) firewall to prevent larger economies like Italy and Spain from being dragged into the crisis.” The Institute of International Finance, which negotiated on behalf of the banks, has said even though it’s committed to working out a deal, it may be difficult to have private bondholders follow suit.

            Competing supercommittee plans reveal chasm, http://goo.gl/1fg4A
            Republicans and Democrats on the deficit supercommittee have exchanged plans, and their dissimilarities are causing some worry. The supercommittee’s goal is to cut $1.2 trillion from the deficit. The Democrats have proposed a plan that cuts $3 trillion through tax increases and cuts to programs like Medicare and Medicaid. The Republicans’ plan decreases the deficit by $2.2 trillion through cuts to programs and increased government fees for Medicare.

            China Reins in Liberalization of Culture, http://goo.gl/j4oY9
            As part of the Communist Party’s new efforts to cut down on “excessive entertainment and vulgar tendencies,” China will regulate television stations to two 90-minute entertainment shows per week. The government will also be monitoring social networks, including punishing people who perpetuate “harmful information.” Authorities may also force microbloggers to register accounts with their legal names and identification numbers.

            Ponzi Scheme Perpetrator Bernie Madoff and Wife Attempted Suicide, http://goo.gl/Yp7bm
            On October 30, “60 Minutes” will air an interview with Bernie Madoff’s wife, Ruth. In the interview, Madoff details how she and her husband attempted suicide together by mixing sleeping pills and anti-anxiety medication.  “I don’t know whose idea it was, but we decided to kill ourselves because it was so horrendous what was happening,” Madoff tells 60 Minutes correspondent Morley Safer. Ruth and Bernie Madoff’s son, Mark, committed suicide in 2010.

            Gay troops to file suit challenging Defense of Marriage Act, http://goo.gl/Lj6dJ 
            A group of gay service members is filing a suit against the Defense of Marriage Act in a Boston federal district court today. The service members are claiming that the federal ban on gay marriage prevents them from receiving benefits from the Pentagon and the Department of Veterans Affairs. The court where they are filing the suit ruled last year that the Defense of Marriage Act is unconstitutional.

            RIM hit with consumer lawsuits over BlackBerry outage, http://goo.gl/KNTEs
            A group of Blackberry users are suing RIM, on behalf of all Blackberry users, for the four-day service outage that occurred earlier this month. The suit charges RIM with breach of contract, negligence, and unjust enrichment. It claims that RIM makes $3.4 million a day in service revenue.

            Blackbeard’s cannon salvaged from North Carolina shipwreck, http://goo.gl/KNTEs
            Researchers have uncovered a 2,000 pound cannon from a ship that belonged to the pirate Blackbeard. Other discovered items include gold dust, prisoner shackles, African jewelry, and small weaponry. The ship was originally meant to be a slave-trading vessel, but Blackbeard had stolen it before running it aground near North Carolina. The cannon will be studied at East Carolina University lab, where scientists will research the weapon and barnacles covering it.

            CULTURAL:

            Nicki Minaj Is Most-Searched Celeb Halloween Costume, http://goo.gl/hDlYE

            Michael Lohan tries to flee cops, jumps off balcony, lands in tree, http://goo.gl/fnlkS

            Steven Tyler talks tumble: Fall in the shower or fall off the wagon?, http://goo.gl/IVhV6

            Bruce Willis and Wife Are Expecting!, http://goo.gl/19yVm

              Caitlin Maguire
              Bio: Caitlin is the Marketing & Operations Manager for Rock the Vote
              @caitlinmagu
              Email the author at: blog(at)rockthevote.com

              Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
              Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off

              « Older Entries