"When the Stork Carries a Pink Slip"

So, this article discusses how pregnant women do not have much luck with job security in this country. It is against the law to lay off a pregnant woman, lay off a woman on maternity leave, or not hire a woman because she is pregnant. The only problem is that an employer can easily create an unrelated reason to layoff a pregnant woman or a woman on maternity leave. It is terrible that the law can be broken so easily.

I guess you are wondering how this relates to me..... you guessed it, I'm pregnant. I just found out on Monday, and here I am looking for something to write about and I found this article in the New York Times. From reading some of my earlier blogs, you already know that I'm unemployed at the moment. Obviously my job search just got a lot much harder.

I've been really worried ever since I found out the news on Monday. I've had all of these questions about how I'll be able to pay for everything. How can I afford a good doctor to aide me through my pregnancy? How will I find a job? Will I have to lie about being pregnant? All I can do is try my hardest and wish for the best. Hopefully everything will work out.

"Two Words for Fall: Toughen Up"

There is an article in the New York Times with the headline that I have put above. This article discusses designs for fall fashion. It appears that the recession has inspired designers in a positive way. It says that the designs are more "sober" and more wearable. The designs of of people in New York are matching up to those in Paris and Milan for once.

Because of the recession, designers created less styles than normal. Because they didn't make as many styles, the designs that were seen on the runway had to be perfect. The designs were made to be sharper and more precise.

As a designer, this makes me feel like I might come out of this slump I've been in. I haven't been designing like I should, but maybe I should be letting my troubles be my inspiration. I guess it would be a way for me to turn lemons into lemonade. I have to play the hand that I was dealt, so why not make the best of what I have?

"Another Byproduct of the Recession: A Flood of Ex-Convicts"

I found this article on Time Magazine's website. In New York, the corrections department is the largest agency. They employ more than 31,000 people. That's just in the state of New York. Because of the recession, the government is going to have to let some of these employees go. Not only will they have to let go of some employees, but also some inmates. Since there won't be enough employees to watch over the inmates, it only makes sense to let some of them go too. The plan is to let about 700,000 every year so by 2012 one third of inmates will be released from all of prisons.

So what does that mean for our communities? Will they be safe? Are all of the ex-cons rehabilitated? If they aren't, then our communities will not be safe. They could be letting murderers, pedophiles, and thieves run free. What if these are rehabilitated ex-cons? If they are, what are they going to do for work? It's already hard to get a job, and I don't know from experience or anything, but I do here that it's harder to get a job when you have a record.

For our communities, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little scared. I grew up in a bad community and I know what it is like living with people like that running free (not because they were let go, because they were never caught). I feel like you shouldn't have to live in fear. Also, I feel sorry for those who are rehabilitated. They are being released into a country where the unemployment rate is 8.1% and growing. They really want to do the right thing this time, and might find themselves drug dealing again just to make it. It's really sad. But what is the government to do if they can't afford to keep them?