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US-Counterfeiting-Laws Money is a very precious resource that everyone spends a lot of time trying to get. After all, this is why everyone goes to work five days a week. It is safe to assume that if people weren’t getting paid, then they wouldn’t go to work. That being said, money isn’t easy to get, but everyone needs it to pay bills, purchase food, and hopefully have some leftover for something fun. Since money can be so difficult to earn, some people try to take shortcuts in order to get more for themselves. One particular way that they do this is by making their own money. This seems like such a simple thing, a person printing their own money, but as many correctly assumed, it is very illegal.

Why Counterfeiting Is Bad

The idea of simply making more money so everyone can have enough sounds like a simple solution to poverty, however, it is not that simple. Basic economics shows that the more of something there is, the less valuable it is. This is why dirt is considered worthless, because it is available everywhere, while diamonds are so valuable. The same holds true for money. The more bills that the US Treasury prints, the less valuable they become. This devaluing is why the US Treasury only prints so much money. This is also why it is illegal for someone other than the US Treasury to print US money.

US Law On Counterfeiting

The crime of money counterfeiting is made illegal under 18 US Code § 471. This law states that anyone who intentionally makes, forges, counterfeits, or alters any obligation or security of the United States is guilty of counterfeiting. In this description, security is used to mean money. It, combined with obligation, also has the added benefit of including other valuable pieces of paper, including:
  • Treasury bills,
  • Federal Reserve notes,Bonds,
  • Other financial instruments issued by the federal government.
18 May, 2020 /

California’s Laws on Possession of Controlled Substances For years now, schools have and other government agencies have been working hard to send the message to kids that drugs are bad. Drugs can mess with a person's body and mind in all sorts of harmful or damaging...

30 April, 2020 /

California Labor Laws That Employees Should Know About Most people work their butts off to make the money that they do. They need it to pay for groceries, gas, bills, and anything else they might want to purchase. Money is a precious commodity that...

27 April, 2020 /

Not All Snitches Get Stitches When people spend a lot of time together, they will inevitably upset one another. It is only natural. What is not okay is when someone upsets another person and then begin hurting them for it. While most people don’t stoop to...

27 April, 2020 /
dont-get-scammed-out-of-your-stimulus-check

Don’t Get Scammed out of Your Stimulus Check

As the world practically shuts down in response to the spreading COVID-19 Pandemic, many people are now finding themselves stuck at home. For some, this time away from work can be very welcome. For others, however, not making any money is very stressful. Millions of people across the country have either had their jobs shutdown and are receiving no paycheck, or were laid off entirely. This is a pretty big deal for those who were living paycheck to paycheck. To counteract the lack of income, and to keep the economy from crashing entirely, the US government agreed on a $2 trillion stimulus plan. All of this money would go to places it was needed most, such as the pockets of American citizens trying to pay their bills. As great as this plan sounds for many Americans, it sounded even better for a shady group of people. Scammers heard news of the stimulus plan being approved and immediately began creating schemes. There has been a very noticeable uptick in scams revolving around the stimulus checks that will soon be going out to people.

What Is the Stimulus Plan?

The approved stimulus plan will be issuing checks of up to $1,200 to eligible Americans across the country. People who are eligible for these checks include:
  • People making less than $75,000 a year.
  • Couples making less than $150,000 a year.
  • Disabled veterans.
  • People who receive social security.
16 April, 2020 /
when-can-children-be-left-home-alone

When Can Children Be Left Home Alone?

Parenting is rarely an easy task at the best of times. When times get tough, like they have recently, parenting can get even tougher. With schools shut down all over the country, many parents have suddenly been reminded of just how tough parenting is. This is only made worse when some parents are still working, meaning their kids have to be left home alone. Parents of younger kids can be left in a very tough spot. They need to work, but they also need to keep an eye on their children at home. They worry that their children may not be old enough to be left home alone. Then they wonder at what age a child can legally be left home alone in California.

It Depends on the Child

Deciding to leave a child home alone is not an easy decision to make. Most parents spend hours agonizing over that decision the first time. They may search online for answers, but unfortunately, there is no easy answer to this question. The one nice thing is that there is no law here in the state of California that states when a child can be left home alone. When it comes to leaving a child home alone, things vary from kid to kid. This is one of the main reasons why the state doesn't set an age limit to when a child can be left home alone. Some kids mature faster than others, and so an 8-year-old may be ready to take care of herself for an hour or two while a 9-year-old may still need constant supervision. The state can't make exact guidelines for this kind of thing and so refer to the parent's expertise on their child. To help parents make a truly informed and well thought out decision, the state does provide parents with a list of questions to ask themselves regarding their child on the California Department of Education's website. These questions include:
  • Can he creatively solve problems?
  • Do you live in an isolated area without close neighbors?
  • Does he always let you know where he is going and when he will return?
  • Does your child become bored easily?
  • Is a neighbor home to help if needed?
  • Is he easily frightened?
  • Is she responsible?
  • Is your neighborhood safe?
  • Will you or another adult always be available to your child in case of an emergency?
  • Would caring for the younger sibling restrict the older child’s activities?
  • Would she be at home with an older brother or sister? Do siblings get along?
  • Would she spend her time responsibly?
  • Would the older sibling resent caring for the younger one?
  • Would your child rather stay home than go to a child care or after-school program?
13 April, 2020 /
are-you-being-safe-online

Are You Being Safe Online?

In the modern age, people are always being reminded of different ways to be safe while traversing the internet. A person never knows what they will run into online, or what private information they may be risking. While the majority of the most popular websites are safe and secure, every once in awhile someone manages to hack their way through the safety features. As more and more people are forced into working or going to school from home, more people are on the internet for longer periods. With so much more free time on their hands and so many more targets, hackers are hard at work trying to find ways to mess with people. One form of trolling that is gaining popularity is referred to as zoombombing and it is greatly disrupting ongoing efforts to educate people during this pandemic.

What Is Zoombombing?

Zoombombing is the act of hacking into a private meeting and then disrupting said meeting with:
  • Foul language
  • Racist remarks
  • Pornographic imagery
  • Threatening violence
13 April, 2020 /
happy-easter

Don’t Give Up on Easter

It is a little hard to believe, but Easter has arrived. March somehow managed to simultaneously take its time and disappear in a flash thanks to all of the lock-downs. Weeks ago there had been hope that the lock-downs would be gone come Easter, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. Now, most Easter celebrations have been canceled to ensure that everyone stays safe. This is a real bummer for a lot of people, especially kids. Easter celebrations can be a whole lot of fun and missing out on them is disappointing. Luckily, there are still ways for people to celebrate Easter without breaking any lock-down rules.

Tips for Celebrating Easter on Lock-down

The ongoing pandemic and lock-downs can make celebrating Easter a bit harder this year, but that doesn’t mean people shouldn’t try. This is especially true for people with kids who honestly need some fun at this point. Heck, everyone could use a break from the stress right about now. To help with that, here are some ideas on how to celebrate Easter safely this year while under lock-down.
  • Dress up. Even if you aren’t going anywhere, dressing up can still be fun, so go ahead and do it anyway. Doing so will be a nice change of pace, and there will be no one there to judge you on it anyway.
  • Create a playlist. Putting on music can always make things cheerier. You can put on worship music or whatever you feel like so long as you enjoy it, it helps lighten the mood, and it feels Easter-y to you.
  • Create homemade cards. Have the family sit down and create homemade cards to send to friends and family members to let them know you are thinking of them this holiday.
  • Dye eggs. If you can safely get a hold of some white eggs, nothing is stopping you from keeping with this tradition. If you can't get a hold of eggs, don't worry. You can make paper eggs and decorate those instead. Then they can be placed all over the house and you don't have to worry about them going bad and stinking up the place.
  • Have an egg hunt. Again, this one may be a bit tricky due to the quarantine, but nothing is stopping you from going into your backyard and hiding plastic eggs. If you can't get plastic eggs, you could hide the paper eggs you decorated. It won't be the same as finding candy-filled eggs, but the joy of the search will still be there. If you are stuck in an apartment, then just hide the eggs around the house.
  • Set the table. Just because you aren't going out and no one is coming over doesn't mean that you can't use your nice dinnerware. Set up the table and enjoy being fancy for a meal or two.
  • Meet loved ones online. There are plenty of video calling apps that can allow you to see your friends and family members for the holiday without breaking quarantine. Just be sure to set up the proper privacy settings. If everyone else dressed up, then you could even have a mini-fashion show to show off everyone's outfits.
  • Go to church online. Thanks to the modern age, many churches can host their services online. This means that you do not have to miss out on the holiday service just because you are stuck at home.
  • Create something new. Don't look at it as the virus is keeping you from doing something that you'll miss. Instead, use this as a chance to create a new tradition that you can look forward to for years to come.
10 April, 2020 /

What Is California’s Shelter in Place Order? Over the last few weeks and months, Californians have seen a drastic change in their lifestyle, just like millions of others across the world. The pandemic caused by the COVID-19 Virus, more commonly referred to as the Coronavirus, has...

01 April, 2020 /

What Is Price Gouging? Anyone who knows about economics and the concept supply and demand knows that as demand goes up and supply struggles to keep up, prices can rise too. The more people want something, and the less of it there is, the more expensive...

30 March, 2020 /
what-counts-as-looting

What Counts as Looting in California?

Whenever an emergency strikes, people are bound to panic. This is only natural as systems that people have been able to rely on for their day to day lives begin to shut down. This is exactly what is happening as the COVID-19, Coronavirus pandemic spreads across the world. In response to this virus, many non-essential systems have been shut down to reduce the spread of the disease. Combine this with the fact that thousands, if not millions, of people have been panic stockpiling all kinds of resources, making it harder for everyone to get even the essentials, a lot of people are scared. For most people, this just means staying at home and avoiding going into public, which is what everyone should be doing anyway. Unfortunately, there are people out there that see the deserted shopping centers and decide to use that to their advantage. These people figure that if no one is around to stop them, they can do whatever they want without fear of repercussion. However, that is not the case. Law enforcement agencies are still operating and enforcing the law. If they catch anyone looting, there will be consequences.
30 March, 2020 /

When people are looking to move, they always want to make sure that the place they are moving to is safe. Figuring out if a particular city is safe or not requires a lot of work, more than the average individual can do on their...

19 March, 2020 /