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Youre probably in as much debt as the Greeks are
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Greece is worse off than the US was during the Great Depression. But when you look at the two countries today, they're a lot more similar than you may think. - photo by Herb Scribner
Greece hasnt exactly had an easy go of things lately. The country, which has been riddled with debt throughout the last decade, according to Vox, has needed bailouts and assistance from countries like Germany just to stay afloat and avoid total financial collapse.

Most recently, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras made a request for more bailout funds. Depending upon what happens with that request, Greece could either receive some reprieve from its lenders or see its banking system collapse, which would mean it no longer would be able to use the euro for its currency, according to The Associated Press.

Though the crisis in Greece is a world away, this may be something that Americans can empathize with, given that Greeces financial troubles are eerily similar to modern American poverty issues and one of Americas darkest periods, the Great Depression which shows that Greece and the United States may not be all that different after all.

But when you compare Greece's current crisis to the Great Depression, Greece may actually be worse off than the U.S. was during that time, according to The New York Times.

Greece is in its own Great Depression. But unlike the United States, it won't be able to get back on its feet as quickly, Jacob Funk Kirkegaard, an economist at the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington, told The New York Times. The country is shackled by onerous rules and regulations, an aging population and a dysfunctional domestic political system sharing important elements of sovereignty with its own creditors.

Greece cant afford to pay its bills, which was something that America, conversely, could afford to do because of World War II and military spending, according to The Times.

Similarly, America encouraged its people to seek employment and poured billions of dollars into public jobs, The Times reported. Meanwhile, Greece still has a 28 percent unemployment rate as of last year, with no signs of slowing down.

Greeces stock market is also worse than Americas was back then, The Times reported. The market spiraled down to -89 percent during the the Great Depressions later years in 1932, while Greeces hit a low of -91 percent in June 2012.

But while Greeces financial situation looks more troublesome than Americas did during the Great Depression, today's Americans appear worse off than the Greeks because of the United States' high amounts of debt and inability to get rid of that debt, according to Fortune.

Whatever happens, Fortune reported, the average American may be worse off than Greece.

In fact, Americans may have more debt based on income earned than the European country, Fortune reported. Greeks owe 1.77 euros for every euro they earn. Meanwhile, Americans owe $204,992 for every $55,192 they earn, Fortune reported. So while Greeks have a debt-to-income ratio of 177 percent, Americans sit at a whopping 370 percent, Fortune reported.

And Greeces debt can be forgiven, unlike the debt of an average American. Fortune reported that if Greece gets rescued from lenders and exits the eurozone, then Greeks wont have any more debt. Meanwhile, Americans, even when they declare bankruptcy, still hold onto some debts, like student loans and housing debt.

Greece can also print its own money, assuming it has to leave the eurozone, according to Fortune. Though this could cause inflation in the country, it will allow them to avoid a financial crisis and survive in the meantime, Fortune reported. But indebted Americans cant print their own currency, which means U.S. citizens always have to pay back their debt.

All of this points to the fact that the United States and Greece today have a lot in common, according to USA Today's editorial board. More than just their debt similarities, both countries have aging populations and irresponsible banks lending to irresponsible borrowers, USA Today said.

Greece, though, is just a few years ahead of the United States. If America doesnt realize these similarities, the United States could soon face a tragedy much like Greeces in the future, USA Today said.

America is heading for its own debt crisis, USA Today said. It won't be complicated by whether it should drop out of a currency union. And it might be delayed by a vibrant and innovative private sector. But it could arrive in as little as a decade. And then everything will seem Greek to us.
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How to avoid 'sharenting' and other paparazzi parenting habits
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A recent study revealed parents often spend up to two hours staging a single photo of his or her child to post online. - photo by Amy Iverson
Before having kids, some people just dont appreciate their friends baby posts. But after having a child of their own, three fourths of new parents jump right on the parental social media bandwagon. If you have become a member of this group, there are some rules to follow for posting responsibly.

Much of a parents worry is how to teach their children to use social media responsibly. We talk with our kids about privacy, oversharing, and setting restrictions on their devices to keep them safe. But parents themselves need to look in the digital mirror once in a while. Before having children, it doesnt take as much effort to think about what to post online. Its up to us to decide what we share about our own lives. But once you become a parent, there are many questions to think about regarding what is appropriate to post about your kids on social media.

In a recent survey, kids clothing subscription company Mac and Mia surveyed 2000 new parents to find out how they are documenting their kids lives on social media, and what concerns they may have.

First of all, people without children seem to feel a bit differently about the onslaught of baby pictures online than those who are parents. 18 percent of people say before they had kids, they were annoyed by their friends baby posts. But after having children of their own, 73 percent admit they post progress pictures of their little ones every single month.

Not only are new parents letting the world know each time their baby is a month older, but they are posting about their kids every few days or so. Men and women report they post 6-7 times per month about their baby.

And while 70 percent of new parents say the benefit of using social media is how easy it is to help family and friends feel involved, there are some downsides. Here are a few tips to avoid the pitfall of becoming paparazzi parents.

Dont miss the moment

In the Mac and Mia survey, some parents admitted to spending up to two hours to get the perfect shot of their baby. That seems a little extreme. New and old parents alike should be careful about spending so much time taking pictures and videos that they dont enjoy the moment. Years ago, I decided to never live an experience through my phone. A study by Linda Henkel, a psychology professor at Fairfield University in Connecticut, found that when people took pictures of objects in an art museum, they didnt remember the objects as well as if they simply observed them.

This photo-taking impairment effect can happen to parents as well. If we are so consumed by getting the perfect photo, we can miss out on the moment all together, and our memory of it will suffer.

Dont forget about privacy

60 percent of couples say they have discussed rules and boundaries for posting their babys photos, according to the Mac and Mia survey. Even so, men are 34 percent more likely to publish baby posts on public accounts. If parents are concerned about their childrens privacy, keeping photos off of public accounts is a given.

In the Washington Post, Stacey Steinberg, a legal skills professor at the University of Florida, and Bahareh Keith, a Portland pediatrician, wrote that sharing too much information about kids online puts them at risk. They write that all that sharenting can make it easier for data thieves to target out kids for identity theft. Check that your privacy settings are where they should be and never share identifying information like full names and birth dates.

Dont be paparazzi parents

36 percent of parents say they take issue when their childs photo is posted online by someone else. Responsible social media users will always ask permission before posting a photo of another child. But parents should also think about whether their own children will take issue with their own posted photos a few years down the road.

When parents are constantly snapping pictures and throwing them on social media, it can be easy to forget to pause and make sure the post is appropriate. I always use the billboard example with my kids. I ask them to picture whatever they are posting going up on a billboard in our neighborhood. If they are okay with that, then their post is probably fine. Parents should ask themselves this same question when posting about their children. But they should also ask themselves if their child would be OK with this post on a billboard in 15 years. If it would cause embarrassment or humiliation, it might be best to keep it private.

Once children reach an appropriate age, parents should include them in the process of deciding what pictures are OK to post. Researchers at the University of Michigan surveyed 10- to 17-year-olds and found children believe their parents should ask permission more than parents think they should. The kids in the survey said sharing happy family moments, or accomplishments in sports, school and hobbies is fine. But when the post is negative (like when a child is disciplined) or embarrassing (think naked baby pictures or messy hair), kids say to keep it off social media.
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