Most often I don’t miss my weekly write-up, particularly while being out of the valley. So, out here in US I religiously stuck to my weekly writing schedule for first four weeks. However, the pressure of working on my course, schedule of evaluation and assessment robbed me even of my weekends (the most prized period in tight scheduled US) let alone the pleasure of writing. So, I missed the fifth week. For the last many weeks beyond my course work I learned much about America— its people, social structure and its economic trends and most interestingly the American rising unemployment rate. In a recent release US American labour department  revealed that in January 2013 Unemployment rate in this country rose to 7.9 percent from 7.8 percent in December last year. In a country like ours it is not a considerable rise but for Americans a rising trend is a trend to be considered seriously, how little it may be.
The way major companies, particularly the consumer and other small and middle scale establishments in America have resorted to extensive automation and overseas outsourcing the employment scenario in near future  in no way is going to show some optimistic results. But we should bear in mind that in this country common man is not left at the mercy of his fate, but both state and federal authorities take timely and well designed steps to rescue the needy. Federal Government schemes like social security, unemployment benefits, food stamps, student loans and many other social schemes cover more than forty percent of Americans who do not come under the ambit of income tax. However outsourcing has hit the American employment sector very hard. Here at every outlet or departmental store almost all consumer goods are mostly made in China excepting few ready-made garments being imported from countries like Vietnam, Indonesia and Srilanka; Cottons from Bangladesh and Egypt and most of the denims, cookies and daily use confectionery from Mexico. China is dominating each and every sphere of American consumer market with malls full of Chinese goods ranging from screw drivers to Chinese assembled high-end electronic gadgetry. But again here the command of quality control lies exclusively with American companies and quality control authorities. Unlike India where China has invaded the huge Indian consumer market with cheap and substandard goods and spoiled the whole consumer sector, here that aspect has been seriously taken care of by the American regulatory authorities. A huge quality difference between consumer items of the same brand imported from China in Indian market and the US market is fairly visible. This implies of strict quality control measures and implementation of law in almost all sphere of American life.
A friend of mine back home asked me of uniqueness about America and Americans that attracts the most of emigrants to this country from all over the world. And I said, ‘America is just one more country gracing the spectrum of countries on this planet—Earth, except for this country has a strict law enforcement system and an appropriate sense of living ’. A simple example of garbage management can be taken as a case study to differentiate sense of living in our continent and in America along with many other developed countries. Every American on personal level behaves the way we behave. He has a brain to assess and decide and has a heart to express the feelings the way we express. He has same levels of Nationality running through his blood as we have; he demands the amenities in the same manner as we strive for. But unfortunately on responsibility front each and every American makes us to feel belittled. Management of Garbage does not involve some most improved technology and huge capital investment; instead dedication and attitude make a lot of difference. As simple as anything, the behavior and responsibility of people, way of collection at source, transportation and honest disposal makes America one of the most efficient garbage management countries. We are no less than any country or race in the world but what we lack is dedication and a little touch of responsibility. The day we as a nation learn to manage our garbage honestly, we can stand as a rock to face every challenge of life.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 6 Feb 2013 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 6 Feb 2013 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 7 Feb 2013 00:00:00 IST