Washington, U.S.A. — A new report from the Center for Immigration Studies provides a detailed picture of immigrants (legal and illegal) in the United States and in Nevada. Using the Census Bureau data from 2010 and 2011, the study reveals Nevada’s immigrant population as one of the fastest growing of the top immigrant receiving states.

The report is online at http://cis.org/2012-profile-of-americas-foreign-born-population.

• Nevada Immigrants:

Nevada’s immigrant population (legal and illegal) grew 61 percent (192,000) from 2000 to 2010. Nationally the immigrant population grew 28 percent over the same period. Immigrants accounted for 19 percent of Nevada residents in 2010, the fifth largest share in the country. Immigrants are 23 percent of workers in the state.

Of Nevada immigrants and their U.S.-born children (under 18), 20 percent live in poverty compared to 13 percent of natives and their children. Immigrants and their U.S.-born children (under 18) account for 25 percent of the state’s overall population and 34 percent of all persons in poverty.

Of Nevada immigrants and their U.S.-born children (under 18), 31 percent lack health insurance, compared to 18 percent of natives and their children (under 18).  Immigrants and their children account for 37 percent of those without insurance in the state.

Nevada immigrants’ home ownership rate of 53 percent is similar to the 58 percent for natives. Of households headed by immigrants in Nevada, 25 percent used at least one major welfare program, primarily food assistance and Medicaid, compared to 18 percent of native-headed households.

The lower socio-economic status of Nevada’s immigrants relative to natives is not because most are recent arrivals. Their average length of residence in the United States is 20 years. One of the primary reasons immigrants in the state tend to be poor than natives is a large share arrive in the U.S. as adults with relatively low levels of education.

Of adult immigrants (25 to 65) in the state 30 percent have not completed high school, compared to 7 percent of natives. The share of immigrants in the state with at least a bachelor’s degree (21 percent) is lower than the 27 percent of natives.

In 2010, more than one third of public school students in Nevada were from immigrant households. Overall, 34 percent of public school students in the state speak a language other than English at home.

• Illegal Immigrants in Nevada:

Our best estimate is that slightly less than half of Nevada immigrants are in the country illegally. Illegal immigrants and their U.S.-born children (under 18) account for 12 percent of the state’s overall population, 20 percent those in poverty, 24 percent of the uninsured and 22 percent of the school age population.

Image Courtesy of   spirit of america / Shutterstock.com

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If you are in need of a getaway anytime of the year, Las Vegas is the place to go. Las Vegas shows their tourist the lifestyle everyone expects in the United Sates; “you want it, we have it” opportunities. The city is full of hotel-casino combinations that allow you to have all you could need within a small radius. The sun is always shining (average 300 days of sunlight per year), but if it’s cloudy no worries, the city lights will be bright enough for you.

Las Vegas caters to all types of people, whether you are into theater, music, art, gambling, shopping, fine dining, business conventions, or just being entertained. All sorts of bars, casinos, restaurants, or venues are in Las Vegas, either on the Las Vegas strip or not too far away.

Although Las Vegas is a huge tourist attraction, there are a great number of residents who find the city and surrounding area home. According to www.lasvegasnevada.org, the city of Las Vegas’s population 606, 656 while Clark County as a whole is home to 2,036,358 residents.

Do not let “CSI: Las Vegas” scare you about violence and crime; there are a few statistics to help you feel relief. According to www.neighborhoodscout.com, Las Vegas is safer than 16 percent of cities in the United States.

Meanwhile, www.lvrj.com posted a news article this year stating that due to the police departments’ 2009 Domestic Violence Lethality Assessment program, the police have been able to reduce local crime in five major categories, including homicides, robberies, auto thefts, traffic fatalities, and sexual assault, and all hold a positive outlook for the future.

The people of Las Vegas want the tourists; they will try and keep your visit the safest and greatest experience yet. www.clsearch.com produced a document in 2010 ranking the quality of life of Las Vegas and Nevada compared to the United States. With the United States holding a consistent 100 ranking, Las Vegas and Nevada are comparative.

Las Vegas had a ranking of 174, while Nevada was 120 compared to the U.S.’s 100. While having a greater number for the quality of life, the two also held higher for the quality of amusement. No surprise there, Nevada held 176 while Nevada was 135 compared to the 100 of the United States ranking. The index just goes to prove how Nevada is a place to go to have fun and enjoy life; specifically in Las Vegas.

The Strip holds a lot of entertainment and accommodations, as do the surrounding areas. The Strip is four miles long, so walking is the best transportation option and creates a very convenient way to see all the drastically different casinos along the street. Just like the variety of venues and entertainment, there is a variety of types of transportation too.

There are 29 casinos along the 4 mile stretch, while there are 77 total in Las Vegas.

Coming soon, Toonari Post will be covering a number of these attractions, including venues on the Las Vegas Strip and surrounding area.

Image Courtesy of   littleny / Shutterstock.com

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Las Vegas, U.S.A. – National Graphite, formerly Lucky Boy Silver, has announce that further to its acquisition of 65 claims of 60 hectares each for a total of over 9,600 acres in Lochaber Township in Quebec, Canada, management has applied and received approval to change the Company’s name to National Graphite to better represent the overall direction of its major exploration and development program.

The Company will commence trading under its new symbol NGRC on Wednesday June 6, 2012. The Company has a newly expanded website under construction which will reflect its mineral Graphite projects with the domain name of www.nationalgraphitecorp.com.

Graphite occurs in metamorphic rocks as a result of the reduction of sedimentary carbon compounds during metamorphism. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), world production of natural graphite in 2008 was 1,110 thousand tonnes (kt), of which the following major exporters are: China (800 kt),India (130 kt), Brazil (76 kt), North Korea (30 kt) and Canada (28 kt).

The rise of the Lithium-ion battery has caused great excitement in the graphite industry in recent times. Demand for batteries (primarily nickel-metal-hydride and to a lesser extent Li-ion) caused a surged in graphite demand in the late 1980s and early 1990s – driven by portable electronics such as the walkman and power tools. Batteries are the fastest growing end use for graphite.

The advent of the laptops, mobile phones and the Apple iPad and iPhone products has increased the demand for batteries. But it is electric vehicles that hold the potential to see graphite demand boom. For example, the Li-ion battery in the fully electric Nissan Leaf contains nearly 40 kg of graphite.

Continued development of Nevadasilver and gold claims

The Company’s Candelaria silver properties are located in the Walker Lane Mineral Belt in westernNevada. The Walker Lane is a major northwest-southeast-trending zone which displays right lateral fault movement that ranges from 30 to 40 miles in its central portion, and hosts a variety of precious metal and base metal mineral deposits (as well as geothermal activity) along its length.

The mineralization on the Candelaria prospect is primarily silver mineralization with some gold, lead and zinc exposed at the surface and trending east-west across the northern edge of the claims.

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Reno, U.S.A - Every year, thousands of people who were reported missing are saved by specialized search and rescue (SAR) teams. With high-tech navigation tools readily available, many people are able to self-evacuate from remote areas. But the critical skills of SAR are still essential to saving lives. That’s why the BSA is announcing its first Search and Rescue merit badge at the 2012 National Search and Rescue Conference hosted by the National Association for Search and Rescue (NASAR) and the Mountain Rescue Association (MRA) in Lake Tahoe, Nevada.

Scouts aiming to earn the Search and Rescue merit badge will first learn the important differences between a search and rescue. A search is an emergency situation requiring a team of trained searchers to locate, access, stabilize, and transport a lost person to safety. A rescue is an emergency situation where the person’s location is known but he or she must be removed from danger and returned to safety. The term SAR is used together because rescues are often required after the person is found. Scouts will learn the fundamentals of SAR, but the badge will not qualify a young person as a trained searcher. While the BSA seeks to equip young people with relevant and useful skills, the organization stresses that Scouts should never attempt a search or rescue on their own.

“The Boy Scouts of America’s motto is ‘Be Prepared’—which sometimes translates to knowing how to respond in an emergency,” said Bob Mazzuca, Chief Scout Executive of the Boy Scouts of America. “While we are not encouraging our Scouts to practice these new skills independently, we do want them to be ready to lend a hand to the community, and to each other.”

To meet the requirements of the Search and Rescue merit badge, Scouts must complete a series of nine requirements relating to SAR fundamentals such as:

• The process and safety methods of working around specialized teams such as aircraft, canine, and aquatic rescue teams
• Identifying differences between search and rescue environments, such as coastal, wilderness, rural, and urban landscapes
• Determining when Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) and latitude and longitude (Lat/Lon) should be used

As an active SAR volunteer and former associate director of program (once responsible for backcountry operations) at Philmont Scout Ranch, one of the BSA’s four high-adventure bases, Doug Palmer fully understands the importance of learning these skills. “One of the main missions of Scouting is to introduce the thrill of the outdoors to young people,” Palmer said. “However, we recognize that outdoor adventure comes with some element of risk. Our job is to make sure young people are able to enjoy the environment safely.”

One of the most significant lessons Scouts can learn by working toward the Search and Rescue merit badge is how to “stay found” if they lose their way and keep themselves from becoming the subjects of an SAR. “Staying found” is both a simple and easily learned concept … and it can be a lifesaving one,” said Dan Hourihan, NASAR president.

Image Courtesy of  daveblume

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Washington, U.S.A. - Latino leaders from across the United States gathered to announce that they are taking on Carlos Slim, the world’s richest man, by exposing the alleged predatory, monopolistic practices with which he has amassed his fortune.

The growing coalition point to the fact that Mr. Slim’s wealth has come at a huge cost to the people of Mexico and that his business practices have crippled economic development in Mexico and throughout Latin America.

“We have come together to speak out on behalf of the people in Mexico and Latin America who do not have recourse to speak out for themselves,” said Juan Jose Gutierrez, one of the coalition leaders and affiliated with Vamos Unidos USA.

“Carlos Slim’s monopolistic practices have imposed significant costs to the Mexican economy and burdened the people of Mexico and Latin America. We are exposing his abusive practices so that the harm he has caused can be rectified and that those who might throw praise and honor at this man might know the truth.”

In the first of many planned actions, Two Countries One Voice announced it was calling on George Washington University to sever ties with Carlos Slim and demanded that George Washington University officials disinvite him from the graduation commencement ceremonies on the National Mall and revoke his honorary degree.

Two Countries One Voice will announce additional actions against other American institutions and corporations with strong ties to Slim in the coming weeks.

“It would be a travesty for a respected American institution like George Washington University to honor a man who is a modern day robber baron. His empire has helped keep millions in poverty while he has lined his own pockets,” said Andres Ramirez, one of the coalition leaders who is based in Nevada. “We can not ignore how Slim has made his billions and this is why our first action is to call on George Washington University to sever ties with him immediately.”

Carlos Slim’s power and fortune is made up primarily from his monopoly in the Mexican telecommunications system.  According to the independent and highly respected Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Slim’s company, America Movil, which controls 80% of the total Mexican telecom, cell and internet industries, charges exorbitant prices and provides inadequate services.

Their report also shows that Mexico’s phone industry dominated by Slim’s companies’ overcharged customers a total of $13.4 billion a year for basic telephone and Internet service from 2005 to 2009.  The OCED report points out that those specifically and most profoundly affected by these business practices are rural and poor communities.

Last week, Slim and his company admitted to overcharging under pressure from a proposed one billion dollar fine. The Mexico’s CFC (Federal Competition Commission) had unanimously ruled that one of Slim’s companies, Telcel, holds too much power. Earlier this year the antitrust agency also served Telcel close to a billion dollar fine for “monopoly practices.”

The impact of Carlos Slim’s monopoly has resulted in Mexico ranking LAST in public investment in telecommunications compared with the 33 other OECD countries while Slim’s company Telemex had a profit margin of 47% - one of the highest of the OECD countries.

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In the barren Black Rock Desert of Nevada, people and resources are scarce. But once a year, thousands of participants join together for the annual Burning Man Festival. 2011’s Burning Man took place from August 29 to September 5, where nearly 50,000 people from around the world created a temporary city in the desert, making it the most populous community in the county for that time.

Burning Man is not your ordinary festival with headlining performances by famous musicians. It is a distinct festival because there are no rules, aside from keeping the community safe and clean. Stepping into the temporary society of Burning Man is a unique experimental experience.

Burning Man has set foundations in creating a community where one has not existed before. Thousands of people come together with their own resources and supplies they will need to survive throughout the week in the desert. Participants in Burning Man camp out in the desert during the duration of the festival and rely on themselves as well as other people in the community.

People are encouraged to participate in the makeshift community as much or as little as they want, knowing that their own contribution to Burning Man has an impact on the festival as a whole. Strong bonds are formed and self exploration is highly encouraged.

Burning Man has strong roots in self expression and art. Each year, the festival has a theme for the artwork presented. For 2011’s Burning Man, the theme  was Rites of Passage. All across the temporary community, art installations are presented and people are often inspired to create their own art as well.

The Rites of Passage theme was chosen to signify the change people go through while attending the festival, as well as the emotions that surface when people loose cherished loved ones.

Based on the Rites of Passage theme, participants are known to dress up in costumes throughout the festival in forms of self expression. Art installations pop up around the temporary city as people enjoy their new forms of extreme reliance on themselves and one another to survive throughout the week long period. There are performances and theme camps, as well as dramatic sculptures.

The Center Camp Café is one of the popular spots where performances are ongoing. Musical performances by the participants of Burning Man usher in a wide variety of genres, including jazz, marching bands, and experimental music. The overall energy of the Café is geared to inspiring people with their talents and bringing a positive, social environment for all who wish to join in.

Comedy shows, spoken word performances, and even magicians are also highlights of the artistic acts that express their talents at the Center Camp Café.

The Fire Conclave is another key component of the dominant self expression theme throughout Burning Man. A group of people perform a scheduled fire show that signifies the spirit of life. People who attend Burning Man gather around the massive fire ceremony to dance and play drum beats while the performance goes on.

Participation in this event  are  said to bring together the community and to strengthen the bonds of its members. Burning Man takes a strong stance towards assuring that the Black Rock Desert is not negatively harmed by pollution. Burning Man believes in being a Leave No Trace Event.

Even though thousands of people come together for a week in the harsh desert, there is no trace of them once they leave. Participants of Burning Man believe in protecting the environment by continuously recycling and taking sustainable measures to make sure the Black Rock Desert remains just the way they found it.

The week long journey into Burning Man is one full of conscious awareness of the environment, ongoing art performances, and extreme self expression. Experiencing Burning Man is a unique way to participate in a festival that is truly one of a kind.

Image Courtesy of  http://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelholden/

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According to a new report, over 11 million homeowners owe more than their homes are worth.  This number rose at the end of last year, further distressing an already weak housing market.  The number of underwater mortgages had risen during the previous three quarters of 2010, but that was likely because many homes had already fallen into foreclosure.

Approximately 11.1 million households, or 23.1 percent of all mortgaged homes, were underwater in the October-December quarter, according to report released Tuesday by housing data firm CoreLogic. That represents an increase from 22.5 percent, or 10.8 million households, in the July-September quarter.

When home prices fall, underwater mortgages typically rise.   Home prices in December hit their lowest point since the housing bust in 11 of 20 major U.S. metro areas. In a healthy housing market, about 5 percent of homeowners are underwater.

Roughly two-thirds of homeowners in Nevada with a mortgage had negative home equity, the worst in the country. Arizona, Florida, Michigan and California were next, with up to 50 percent of homeowners with mortgages in those states underwater.  Oklahoma had the smallest percentage of underwater homeowners in the October-December quarter, at 5.8 percent. Only nine states recorded percentages less than 10 percent.

In addition to the 11 million mortgages underwater, another 2.4 million homeowners are getting close to being underwater as well.  When a homeowner owes more than the home is worth, they cannot qualify for refinancing.  Although home prices began to stabilize last year, they have begun to fall again because of ongoing unemployment and record number of foreclosures.

Underwater mortgages also slow down home sales.  Homeowners often don’t want to take a loss or get the bank to agree to a short sale, so they may hold onto a property that otherwise they would sell.   Home sales have been weaker in areas where there are a large number of homeowners with negative equity. The total amount of negative equity increased to $751 billion nationwide, up from $744 billion in the previous quarter.

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