Week 9

                This weeks article "As Good as it Gets" was interesting, comparing the Netherlands with the US and talking about major differences involving taxes, benefits, retirement, and health care. It was  looking at different ways of doing things.

             I believe that Americans are greedy. I think that everyone wants a piece of the pie and are always thinking about how they can improve THEMSELVES, THEIR homes, and THEIR families. It doesn’t make them bad people but that’s just how our country works, it is how we are influenced. Americans don’t want the government to tax us and take money out of our checks to go towards taking care of other people. It seems wrong to take their hard earned money away from them. Welfare for example is state money given to assist people. Lots of people disagree with this concept it seems absurd to them welfare recipients are not drug tested while the American tax payer is drug tested in order to work and earn money, that is later taken out of their pay check. There are also people in America that would like to be more like the Netherlands and have high taxes so that when they retire or they are hurt they don’t have to pay so much money for heathcare. Me being one of them.  With having said that the article also informs us of how the different countries look at responsiveness. In the US people want something in return immediately. People like to SEE change quickly, they want results. Everything is high paced and high stressed with the hussle and bussle of life you need immediate care it has become what is expected.

Week 4

I was curious about the article, “Is There Love after a Baby”. Being divorced with two kids I could see just how the candle burns out over the years. However there are different views on the subject. Some couples think having a baby will solve all their problems but studies have shown that men and women are more likely to be depressed after having a kid.

Having a kid is a huge responsibility and you are pretty much surrendering your body for 9 months. You will be eating for two, you will be tired constantly, you will be tired constantly… and that’s just the pregnancy. Having a kid is stressful even in the best situations so it’s really a hard thing to go through if your relationship is on the rocks.

 I believe the biggest thing to have in mind is to make sacrifices for each other. If both parents are giving things up for the good of their family and showing they want things to work you’re in good shape. Attitude is everything and you also have to do things to remind each other of love.