Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Student loan forgiveness continues to evolve as a combination of legal and policy changes impact debt relief eligibility and timelines under several Biden administration programs. Here are three important updates that borrowers should be aware of. Supreme Court to Hear Arguments on Biden’s Student Loan Forgiveness Plan This Month President Biden unveiled a massive, one-time student loan forgiveness initiative last fall. Under the plan, up to 40 million borrowers could be eligible for $10,000 or $20,000 in student loan debt relief. Millions of borrowers were approved for student loan forgiveness across all 50 states . But shortly after the application portal went live, the program was inundated with legal challenges, and two federal courts ended up blocking relief. Now, the Supreme Court has agreed to consider appeals from the Biden administration. Last week, the challengers filed legal briefs with the court … [Read more...] about 3 Student Loan Forgiveness Updates For 3 Critical Initiatives
5 flaws that kill student loan
When The College Of Last Resort Is A Resort
Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin My grandmother Estelle Craig was a remarkable woman. She was a journalist in the 1940s; a letter to her from J. Edgar Hoover hangs on my office wall. In the 1950s she founded a travel business – World Adventure Tours – that marketed tours via celebrity talks on exotic locales; a signed photo of Sir Edmund Hillary hangs right above J. Edgar. When the Duke of Bedford came to town – presumably to sell tours of Bedford and environs – she got media attention by starting a rumor that he was planning to buy Toronto’s only castle . She loved travel, hobnobbing, and making trouble, in that order. She was also generous. Before she passed away at the age of 103, my kids would send her thank you cards for birthday gifts. Even at that remarkable age she was as sharp as a tack, but had trouble seeing and hearing. My son Leo liked to type his on an electric typewriter, leading to this exchange: Leo: Dad, should I type her thank you … [Read more...] about When The College Of Last Resort Is A Resort
Reforming Higher Ed Regulations Benefits Everyone
One of the most underreported stories today is the aggressive attack on private college education and efforts to limit education choice for students and their families. The administration and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos are diligently working to reverse or end regulations that were specifically imposed to put many private colleges and universities out of business. Secretary DeVos is dismantling many of these harmful rules with the goal of giving women, minorities, veterans, and non-traditional students an opportunity for a college education and meaningful employment. Regulations implemented under President Obama and advocated by education elitists increased education costs and decreased options for career-focused higher education. The “Gainful Employment” rule tops the list of bad regulations that should end. Gainful Employment arbitrarily defines how much debt a student can incur based on a chosen degree. If a student graduates with a degree in culinary arts or cosmetology … [Read more...] about Reforming Higher Ed Regulations Benefits Everyone
2023 Layoffs: Okta Slashes 300 Jobs As DraftKings, FedEx Cut Staff
Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Topline Identity management company Okta announced plans on Thursday to lay off roughly 300 employees, one day after FedEx, DraftKings, cloud data company NetApp and automaker Rivian all announced major rounds of layoffs—the latest U.S. companies to implement job cuts as recession fears continue into 2023. Timeline February 2 Okta CEO Todd McKinnon unveiled plans to reduce the tech company’s workforce by 5% (roughly 300 positions) in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing on Thursday, citing a period of over-hiring over the past several years that did not account for the “macroeconomic reality we’re in today.” February 1 NetApp , a San Jose, California-based cloud data company, announced plans in an SEC filing to lay off 8% of its staff ( estimated to affect 960 employees) by the end of the fourth fiscal quarter of 2023 “in light of the macroeconomic challenges and reduced spending environment.” … [Read more...] about 2023 Layoffs: Okta Slashes 300 Jobs As DraftKings, FedEx Cut Staff
A Beginner’s Mind: Ocasio-Cortez’s Key To Cracking A Political Victory
Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin “In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, in the expert's mind there are few,” writes Shunryu Suzuki in Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind . This idea is anathema to most politicians, for whom the very idea that a 28-year-old woman from a minority with no political experience could beat out a well-funded, high-ranking politician with legitimate aspirations to become Speaker of the House was outrageous. Until this past Tuesday, that is. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez beat out the Democratic incumbent Joseph Crowley in a defeat few saw coming. As the 28-year-old challenger who was outspent 18-1, she enjoyed a crushing victory over the long-time incumbent who was twice her age, with 57% of the vote. In a sense, age was also a real protagonist in this election. Ocasio-Cortez demonstrated that age does not have to define — or limit rather — what you can accomplish. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the winner of a … [Read more...] about A Beginner’s Mind: Ocasio-Cortez’s Key To Cracking A Political Victory
VICTOR DAVIS HANSON: Race Everywhere
Recently an unarmed 29-year-old African American, Tyre Nichols, was brutally beaten to death by five Black Memphis police officers. They were charged with murder. All belonged to a special crime unit known as “Scorpion.” Both the victimizers and victim were black. The Memphis police chief is black. The assistant police chief is black. Nearly 60 percent of the police force is black. The white population of Memphis is about 25%. The now-disbanded Scorpion unit of mostly black officers was created as a response to grassroots appeals to stop spiraling crime in mostly black neighborhoods. The death of Tyre Nichols could be attributed to many things: a basic lack of humanity on the part of the officers, poor police training, lax administrative supervision, and lowered hiring standards. Instead, no sooner was the beating death announced than accusations of “systemic racism” surfaced. Van Jones, the former Obama Administration green czar and recent recipient of Jeff Bezos’ … [Read more...] about VICTOR DAVIS HANSON: Race Everywhere
Expats should be able to share in the government’s tourism incentive programs
by Expat Life Newly elected President of the Thailand Hotels Association and Vice President of Sukosol Hotels, Marisa Sukosol, was asked what her thoughts were about the Thailand Together government travel stimulus campaign. Although close to 5 million people have registered, only 600,000 hotel rooms have been booked at this stage, well below initial estimates. “The project would have more bookings if it allowed expats to utilise the privilege as well. There are up to 500,000 expat residents in Thailand. More bookings will benefit the hotels naturally. Instead of travelling abroad or to neighbouring destinations, Thailand has a host of second-tier destinations that can offer a variety of unique experiences”. “There are also certain conditions in the Thailand Together campaign that can be changed such as 3 days advance booking rules. Domestic and even short-haul travellers book at the very last-minute.” Related news All aboard the sushi terror … [Read more...] about Expats should be able to share in the government’s tourism incentive programs
The 10 Best Movies Added To Netflix In February 2023
Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Of all the streaming platforms, Netflix NFLX is by far the most active. Almost every day, the world’s most viral streaming service adds lots and lots of new movies to its digital library. And this past week was no different. Which makes choosing a movie...well. Difficult. But hopefully I can help. I scoured through every new movie that’s new to Netflix so far in January—updated with movies that were added this week—and picked out the ten best options. In this article, I’ll go through each one of them. If you’d like to read my thoughts on many of Netflix’s offerings and where they place on my all-time movie rankings, then check out my ever-growing list . True Spirit A tenacious Australian teen chases her dreams — and faces her fears — as she sets out to become the youngest person to sail solo around the world. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring The future of civilization rests … [Read more...] about The 10 Best Movies Added To Netflix In February 2023
French ‘mafia’ boss extorts money from foreigners in Pattaya, claims ties with Big Joke
Police arrested a wanted French ‘mafia’ boss in Bangkok on Tuesday after a group of farangs in Pattaya , eastern Thailand , claimed he extorted money from them in exchange for police protection . The fraudster claimed to have ties with “ Big Joke .” Yesterday, high-profile police officer Pol. Lt. Gen. Surachate “Big Joke” Hakparn revealed that police arrested 58 year old Herve Christian Robert Leonard of French nationality – wanted on several arrest warrants – at a condominium in the Lat Phrao area of Bangkok. A group of foreigners in Pattaya complained that Leonard extorted money from them by claiming to have connections with influential Thai police officers, including Big Joke. The Thai police would protect the foreigners in exchange, claimed the fraudster. To substantiate his claims, Leonard showed foreigners pictures of him with Thai police, and driving a Tourist Police car, from when he worked as a volunteer to help Thai police. Related news … [Read more...] about French ‘mafia’ boss extorts money from foreigners in Pattaya, claims ties with Big Joke