U.S. Archives - Foreign policy

Moving Trends in the U.S. for 2020

Published on May 24, 2020June 2, 2020

U.S.

The U.S. is a big country with millions of people. When you have a country that big, you also have a lot of options as far as where you are going to live goes. From one coast to another, you can choose from thousands of big cities and small towns. And a lot of people take advantage of that. That is why there are many moving trends in the U.S. and we are here to tell you all about them.

Why is moving so popular in the U.S.?

Firstly, let’s talk about why moving is so popular in the U.S. Having so many different states in a country that big means there are plenty of cities. And they are all different. Each state has its charm and each is unique in its own way. Some states have snowy winters with mountains and some just have sunny and warm days. There are states that are more suitable for young people than for the elderly. You just have to know what you are looking for. That’s exactly why moving is so popular. People are moving in hope to find something that suits them much better than where they used to live. And the reasons are different. Some are searching for cheaper housing, some are searching for better schools, some for more fun things to do. Just depends from one person to another.

What are the moving trends in the U.S.?

How do people move?

Most of the times, people hire movers to help them move. Luckily, there are plenty of moving companies around the state. Each bigger city has a few of its own moving companies. New York, for example, has many but the one that stands out is Big Apple Movers Brooklyn NYC. They have a lot of work throughout the whole year.

DIY moves are also very popular but we don’t recommend you have a DIY move unless you have moved before already. Conducting a successful move by yourself isn’t easy and a lot of things could go wrong. You could even hurt yourself. That is why we believe that it is always best that you hire movers and not worry too much.

Are the moves local or interstate?

When moving became so popular, a lot of people started to move interstate. And now, almost 70% of moves are interstate. Like we already said, people are looking for something that suits them much better than where they were before. Local moves are happening in states such as Florida, Maryland, New York, North Carolina. That is usually when people rent a truck for moving as they are not moving far away from where they are now. Local moves are much easier to conduct so that is when hiring movers isn’t necessary.

What cities are people moving to?

Atlanta, Georgia is at the top of the list of the most popular cities that people are moving to. Atlanta is a beautiful city that is evolving each day and becoming much better and safer than it was before. They have great schools, great job opportunities and there is plenty of things to do in the city. Chicago, IL is the next city on the list. Brooklyn, Los Angeles, Charlotte NC, New York. All of these cities are very popular moving destinations.

What about international moves?

International moves are very complicated and they take a lot of time but that doesn’t stop people from having them. You can always follow a few tips on how to have a stress-free move. A lot of people from the U.S. decided to move to Europe because of so many reasons. Europe just seems much better. And it is mostly young people who just finished some universities who go to live and work in Europe. It’s not that there aren’t enough job opportunities in the U.S., it’s just the quality of life. Germany and England are the most popular destinations for U.S. citizens. Canada is the USA’s neighbor and it is also a very popular destination.

When are people moving?

June, July, and August are peak months for moving. That is when children aren’t going to schools so it’s much easier for families to move. Also, the weather is much nicer everywhere during those months so it is much easier to move interstate. December and January are when the moving companies have the least work so that is when they lower their prices to attract more people to move during that period of time. That is usually when senior citizens are hiring movers. So if you are on a short budget, moving during winter is possible but it is more dangerous.

Popular moving reasons

Students are moving to study at a certain college or university.
A lot of young people are moving for a job opportunity.
Families with children move to find better housing and better schools.
Senior citizens are moving to states with no tax or lower tax, Florida and Nevada for example.
Moving to safer cities is very popular.
Moving because of weather conditions.
Living in the suburbs became popular.
Downsizing.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are plenty of moving trends in the U.S. because moving is so popular. We told you all you need to know about them so now it’s up to you to decide whether you will follow them or stick to your own plan. Whatever you do, have in mind that you can always move again and again untill you find what you are searching for. You just need money.

This is Currently the Safest Space in the United States

Published on April 20, 2020April 20, 2020

Coronavirus/U.S.

One small city in the United States is successful in the fight with the coronavirus outbreak, mostly because of its geographic position. That city is Point Roberts, which is placed on a small peninsula close to Vancouver.

This is the safest place from the pandemic in the whole United States, mostly because it is isolated geographically, and it is land connected only with Canada. Since the border with Canada is closed, this city is now like an island in quarantine, which helped its 1300 citizens to keep away from every possibility to get infected with COVID-19.

This small city in Washington is probably the safest place in the whole country, and the main reason for that is the small number of tourists, with an average of few thousands of people who were coming here on weekends before the outbreak, which is now less than a hundred.

When we look at it from an economic perspective, it is devastative for the community, but the situation is the same globally. However, the fact that fewer people are coming here made this place more protected from the pandemic.

This place represents a rare place that is not struggling with the coronavirus in the United States, where there are already near 800,000 people infected, and more than 40,000 casualties reported.

The Smartest and the Least Smart US Presidents by IQ

Published on April 19, 2020

U.S.

Can you achieve a significant success even though you are were not the smartest kid in the classroom? One of the best examples can be seen in the IQ scores of ex-presidents of the United States. According to the research conducted by the University of California, who investigated the IQ ratio of ex-presidents based on their biographies, their leadership, and overall academic brilliance. We’ve decided to present you with the 5 smartest and 5 least smart presidents of the US.

Smartest Presidents

John Quincy Adams (1825-1829) – IQ Score: 168.75

The sixth president of the US studied law at the famous Harvard University. He is famous for his brilliant presidential mandate achievements, such as ending the war with the United Kingdom with the Treaty of Ghent, Buying the state of Florida from Spain, and established the border with Canada.

Thomas Jefferson (1801-1809) – IQ Score: 153.75

Thomas Jefferson is probably the most intellectual president of them all because of his knowledge of architecture, mechanics, several languages, mathematics, and being a talented surveyor. His achievements are establishing a peace treaty with France, developing the American trade, and he doubled the territory of the United States.

John F. Kennedy (1961-1963) – IQ Score: 150.65

JFK is one of the most loved US presidents ever, mainly for his charm and for his tragic end. He was responsible for steering the country during the Cold War era and he managed to achieve some exceptional things for his country like Equal Pay Act (1963) and proposing the blueprint for the future Civil Rights Act (1964).

Bill Clinton (1993-2001) – IQ Score: 148.8

42th American President had a really rough childhood that had a lot of family drama; however, he didn’t let these to prevent him to succeed in life. Before he became a US President, he worked at the University of Arkansas, where he lectured law and he was the Governor of Arkansas.

Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921) – IQ Score: 145.1

Even though Woodrow Wilson wasn’t such a great law student, he ultimately managed to pass the bar exam in the state of Georgia. He was the US president during the crucial years after World War I, and he had a significant influence on the future look of the European continent after the war.

Least Smart Presidents

Andrew Johnson (1865-1869) – IQ Score: 125.65

Andrew Johnson was the 17^th president of the US, who emerged from a poor family and he didn’t receive an official education. He will be remembered as the total opposite of Abraham Lincoln’s presidency, and he wasn’t remembered well by the people.

George W. Bush (2001-2009) – IQ Score: 124.88

Described as a traditional man, George W. Bush was the second US president from the Bush family. His presidency evolved around criticism of the Iraq War and bad response to Hurricane Katrina, which hit states of Louisiana, Florida, and Mississippi.

Warren G. Harding (1921-1923) – IQ Score:124.13

Before Warren Harding became the US president, he was the co-owner of a moneymaking newspaper. His presidency is often described as one of the worst in the history of the US by historians.

James Monroe (1817-1825) – IQ Score: 124.13

James Monroe was an ambassador of the US in France, where he didn’t have a lot of success, before becoming a president. However, he did a good job of being a president and he had numerous achievements, but, the most prominent is that he found colonies for freed slaves in Africa. The capital of Liberia, Monrovia got its name after him.

Ulysses S. Grant (1869-1877) – IQ Score: 120

The former general that fought in the Civil War is believed to have the lowest IQ Score among all Presidents involved in the research. Even he was a successful general, he wasn’t the best in his new role as a president, and he didn’t have any success with battling depression in the late 1800s which ended in bankruptcy of many American citizens, as well as him.

USA in Wake of Its Second September 11

Published on April 6, 2020April 6, 2020

U.S.

Jerome Adams, Surgeon General of the United States has stated that the next week will be the most difficult and devastating for the U.S. amidst the coronavirus outbreak which is currently spreading like wildfire.

Also read: Boris Johnson in an Intensive Care

He claims that it is going to be a big blow for Americans like the Pearl Harbor or the Twin Tower attacks, except that it isn’t going to happen at just one spot. He added that we are still able to change the course of the pandemic and that there’s still hope of avoiding the worst outcome if people oblige the advice given by experts and stay indoors.

He expressed his hope for the Americans to realize that this scenario is preventable if they do their part in this fight by staying at home. He also approved of the decision that each American state should have its own legislation regarding the state of lockdown because state-wide regulations have a greater impact effect.

Because of the Coronavirus Arch Enemies are Going to Reconcile: Russia is Prepared to Help the USA

Published on March 25, 2020March 28, 2020

Coronavirus/Russia/U.S.

Moscow offered its help to Washington in the fight against Coronavirus.

Also read: Novak Djokovic Donated $1 Million to his Country to Fight Coronavirus

The ambassador of Russia in USA Anatoly Antonov said that Russia is there to help the USA if help is needed. He also said that the Russian tests showed effectiveness in China and Iran and were also sent to Italy.

He reminded the citizens of the US that Russia helped when the wildfires occurred in California and that in this situation, it will assist and continually offer their help. In times like this, politics are put aside, and the only important thing is to stop this virus.

How is the USA affected by Coronavirus?

To this day, the total death toll in the United States of America is 700 people. Only yesterday, 163 people died.

The World Health Organization declared and has warned that the United States could be the next hotspot of Coronavirus if they don’t act on time.

What is the current situation in the world?

This deadly virus has been confirmed in 170 countries/regions, 425,493 people have been infected, and 18,963 people have died from it around the world.

Why Home Warranties Are Getting Big in the USA

Published on October 10, 2019

House/U.S.

Home warranties already are a $2 billion industry, reports IBISWorld.com, and that number is steadily growing. These businesses are booming all across the USA, although they are most popular in the south. Is this because they provide truly high value or is it just very good marketing?

What are home warranties and why are they popular?

Home warranties are a type of service that covers your home appliances and systems and will pay for whole or part of the repair cost in case they break down. The idea is similar to insurance, but instead of your home, it covers individual appliances and systems like plumbing and electrical wiring.

Homeowners pay a set amount in annual premiums (about $600 on average) and for this, if any of the covered items break down, they get assistance and compensation from the home warranty provider. The assistance is as valuable as the compensation for some people because home warranty companies serve as a middle-man between the homeowner and contractors. This means that you have only to contact the company if something happens and they take care of everything else.

The point of this protection is to help homeowners avoid big unexpected repair bills, which can throw your budget or severely dent your emergency fund. The majority of home warranties only pay for a fraction of the bill, but it’s usually enough to take off the bulk of the financial strain that can occur if some expensive appliance breaks down.

As the number of such appliances increases and the costs of repair for them climbs up, it’s not a surprise that home warranties are becoming more popular in America. Frontdoor, the owner of the biggest home warranty provider, reports a 9% rise in profits in 2018. The most lucrative areas for these businesses are the southern states.

That’s because more people in the south of the country own their houses, and those houses are bigger. For example, Arizona is one of the “hottest” states for home warranties. According to ReviewHomeWarranties.com, 64% of the state’s residents own their own homes in Arizona, and the median size of a single-family home is 2.598 sq. feet states Money.CNN.com. Now, consider the fact that new houses in Arizona are bigger than the national average.

Moreover, the majority of them are equipped with expensive AC systems, fans, refrigerators, and freezers. Many of those houses also have a variety of modern appliances. Plumbing and electrical systems go without saying.

All those things run the risk of breaking down. In fact, it’s higher in the south because the environment puts more strain on appliances and even house integrity. But repair services aren’t easily available in some more remote communities.

Enter home warranty companies, which do not only help reduce the cost of fixing expensive home systems and appliances. These companies also provide a quick connection to all contractors. They serve as a single point of contact for homeowners who get to save time and money because they don’t have to look for a suitable contractor on their own.

The situation is similar in Texas, and in California, there’s also the issue of extremely high contractor fees. Considering all these facts, it becomes obvious that home warranty companies strive in the southern states because they offer the most value there. However, they offer high value everywhere else as well, and that’s why this industry is getting bigger every year.

Are home warranties infallible?

Home warranties are useful, there is no doubt of that. However, they aren’t infallible. In fact, companies providing them often face criticism and some of them were even involved in major scandals. For example, the Wells Fargo and Trucoat scandals where AHS was involved, or a $780,000 settlement that Choice had to pay for misleading advertisement.

Consumer forums are full of stories from angry homeowners who were failed by their warranty providers. The most common complaints from them are:

The company not honoring its promises.
Many a customer has suffered from the home warranty company not paying out the money they should have. The providers are creating contracts with loopholes and using other tricks to avoid paying both legally and not so much. That’s why it’s essential to choose the provider carefully and research their reputation online. You should study independent reviews as well as consumer portals like Yelp and Google Reviews to understand is the company can be trusted.
Bad contractors.
Home warranty companies work with specific contractors, so you won’t be able to choose experts who will repair your appliances. Objectively, sometimes these contractors won’t be the best skilled or affordable. Prior research will help you learn what exactly you can expect when buying a warranty from a specific provider.
Avoidance of replacements.
While your home warranty plan might cover appliance replacement, you should prepare that the chance of it actually happening isn’t big. Replacements are expensive and home warranty providers want to save money whenever they can. It will be more cost-efficient for them to pay for contractors to fix some recurrent issues every few months than to replace an expensive appliance.

You also need to be aware that all home warranty contracts have a maximum payout limit. This means that this plan won’t cover expensive repair in its entirety. You should research which parts of your appliances are most likely to break down and how much the repair will cost. Then, make sure that the warranty you buy has a high enough limit to pay for this.

And most importantly, study the contract to the letter. Hiding some hidden fees or clauses in the fine print is a common issue for this industry. This means that you should be on the lookout for the most honest and transparent home warranty provider you can find. They might not offer the best terms, but trustworthiness is a priority in this business.

With the rising popularity of home warranties, the number of companies offering these services is growing as well. It’s getting harder to choose the best and most reliable option as many new providers have very little public information. Customers should be extremely careful when buying plans from these businesses. Being a veteran of the industry is a good endorsement for home warranty providers.

Is America doing enough to protect itself from cyber-attacks?

Published on June 24, 2019

Russia/Technology/Triumph/U.S.

The political world is an ever-evolving beast that can see new threats or issues crop up regularly. Within the politics of any one country, foreign affairs is always an area in which this is felt keenly. This is especially true for a superpower such as America, which has allies to foster close links with around the globe but also enemies.

It is the enemies that naturally take up the most column inches in the media and also the most time within the White House. As these can represent an actual threat to America in both physical and economic terms, the foreign secretary will spend a lot of time outlining policy for these nations with the president. One big threat that America is certainly having to factor in here is cyber-attacks. This is becoming an increasingly popular way for countries hostile to the US to try to breach its defenses and cause it harm.

Russia and US relations key

To say that relations between the US and Russia have been shaky for a long time now is somewhat of an understatement. Although the period after the Cold War ended seemed to bring both nations closer, this has now been reversed under Vladimir Putin.

Russia now is well-known for using cyber-attacks on other nations, and the US is reported as one victim of this tactic. During the 2018 midterm elections, for example, US sources revealed that internet access had been denied to a Russian company called the Internet Research Agency. This was the same company that had been suspected of committing a cybercrime against the US in the 2016 presidential election.

This situation shows just how common cyber-attacks are becoming as a tool that other nations will use against America. It is in many ways a simple update of the Cold War for the 21st century but with no physical agents having to be risked. Many believe that one way of combating this is to involve more foreign policy experts on Russia to help. Angela Stent is one well-respected expert on Russian-American relations and someone who many believe could provide the advice needed. By involving people like her, America could well head off any future Russian cyber-attacks and have more knowledge on how relations could be improved between the two.

Cyber-attacks from Russia, not the only issue

Russia is not the only nation that is beginning to use cybercrime against nations such as the US to get the sensitive information it wants. China is also very active in this area and is another nation that America needs to be very careful of in terms of protecting its IT infrastructure. Of course, the burning question for many Americans is whether the US is doing enough to stop Russian and Chinese cybercrime.

More urgency needed from policymakers

While steps are being taken to deal with cyber-attacks on American networks and systems, many feel that the policymakers in Government are being too slow to react. As the cybercrimes that are being targeted against the US become ever more sophisticated, many fear that not enough is being done now by those in power to head them off. It would seem that the US could be doing more in terms of the policy to fight this kind of crime from outside its borders. It is apparent that nations such as Russia have made cyber warfare a key tenant of their foreign policy – maybe America should make cyber-defense a key part of theirs?

More vigilance is needed

Many people involved in this area also feel that America is not showing enough vigilance around cyber-attacks. This is not only in terms of government policy but also how the average citizen feels around cyber-attacks from external nations. The potential that these have to impact negatively on everyday life is immense and something that does not seem to be on a lot of people’s agendas. Many cyber experts feel that more awareness should be raised of how critical this issue is, and people should start to be much more vigilant around cyber-attacks in their workplace or home.

Could more resources be put into fighting cyber-attacks?

When it comes down to staying safe from cyber-attacks on American systems or businesses, a lot comes down to resources. If the American Government is serious about stopping this kind of threat, then it must put more resources into training people to fight it online and developing more robust systems to protect the US IT infrastructure. By doing this, it will give the cyber-defense sector in the US the money and people it needs to properly see off any external threat.

America could step it up

Since the scandal around the 2016 US presidential election, cyber-attacks have certainly been higher on people’s agendas in Washington. The main question is whether it is high enough and enough is being done to really keep America safe into the future. While there have been steps made towards this, many believe that more could be done to keep the US safe from digital attacks.

Strange Sleep Habits of 5 American Presidents

Published on May 30, 2019

Barack Obama/Donald Trump/George W. Bush/Politics/U.S.

Being the president of the United States is honorable as it is tasking. The word POTUS, (President of the United States), is no doubt one of the most respected names in the world.

Apart from being the most important and feared leader in the free world, the POTUS also happens to be human, not superhuman. To manage all the weight of the world, they require the recommended 7 – 8 hours of sleep to function normally, but this is not always the case.

From waking up earlier than sunrise to jumping from meetings around the world, it’s not a surprise that past and present American Presidents have had to manage peculiar sleeping habits. Here we look at the strange sleeping habits of five American Presidents.

Surviving On Little Sleep

To make sure that all the daily business is attended to promptly, American Presidents, like President Barack Obama, are known to have stayed up until the early hours of the morning. Of course, Obama was not the first POTUS to do this, but he had an interesting way of keeping up with this routine like clockwork. He never set the alarm while in the White House, thanks to the everyday wake-up call he received from the White House phone operator at 7am, after retiring around 1am.

Waking up earlier than the medically suggested 8 hours can take a toll on just about any person, let alone the POTUS with more responsibilities. No wonder many presidents finish their tenure in the office looking older than their peers.

Popping Sleeping Pills

Having a sleeping disorder and being the POTUS is rarely heard in the same sentence, but as shockingly as it may sound, past American Presidents have a history of popping sleeping pills to get a decent amount of sleep.

Img Source: articulatingideas.blogspot.com

William Taft, the 27th president of the US, had sleep apnea, which caused him to snore loudly and he was rumored to doze off during meetings. To keep this sleep disorder in check, he had to rely on sleeping pills.You can find out more about this sleep disorder, and safer treatment methods here.

When it comes to sleeping pills, President George W. Bush also used them to squeeze in hours of rest whenever he could, especially during flight time. He was reported to take naps while on Air Force One, but he may have had some help with sleeping pills. Of course, there is no way of telling if Bush was just sick of the torturous long-haul flights or he merely took advantage of the quietness of thousands of miles above sea level to catch up on his beauty rest.

Snoring Loudly

All Americans loved president Theodore Roosevelt for his policies and character; however, he will undoubtedly go down in history as a notorious snorer. There is no evidence proving that Roosevelt had sleep apnea or used pills to control his snoring. The job of POTUS is very stressful, and stress is a symptom of snoring. So, you can understand if President Roosevelt couldn’t help but let his symptoms show.

Once, he was transferred to a separate floor at the hospital because his loud snores were keeping every other patient awake.

Regular Napping

If there are any benefits linked to taking naps, then President Ronald Reagan benefited greatly. Napping is known to increase creativity, alertness, reduce stress, and several other advantages anyone would want to have. Ronald Reagan might have taken this practice a tad bit to the extreme; though, he was not the only president with a knack for regular naps.

President Calvin Coolidge was reported to get more than 11 hours of rest every day, way more than most adults manage to get – president or not! Even though Coolidge seemed to have enjoyed his time subconscious rather than awake, he also lost his 16-year-old son. There would be no telling if he slept so often due to depression.

While the lack of proper sleep can cause you to be in a depressive state, it is not the only factor to cause depression. Constant deprivation of sleep will accelerate your risk of getting depressed, causing a drop in your energy level. Depression causes hypersomnia (excessive sleepiness), which was common with President Coolidge.

Super Early Starts

If you ever wondered how President Donald Trump seems to have extra time on his hands replying to every Tweet directed at him, then you should also know that it may be thanks to Trump’s daily routine of getting out of bed very early. He is reported to manage only about 4 hours of sleep. No! President Trump does not rely on coffee or energy boosters to run the country, but he is always so full of energy and vigor.

Caffeine can boost your performance in several ways, but it can also destroy your internal body clock. So while you can depend on a cup of coffee to keep you away from sleeping, ensure that you don’t rely on it and the recommended amount of daily sleep.

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