Life | Juxtaposed Unity

Democracy: Kazakhstan is Getting There

Democracy is gaining rapidly on the world, and Kazakhstan is a part of it. The Kazakhstani president, Nursultan Nazarbayev, made an unprecedented decision that demonstrates the true values of the democracy that Kazakhstan aspires to be.

The newly formed Kazakhstan democracy was a very popular idea to the locals. Early this year, a citizens group scheduled a referendum to allow the president to remain in office for ten more years, for a total of fifteen years. It would have caused two succeeding elections to be unnecessary, saving the independent state big money.

Instead, Nazarbayev vetoed the referendum and called for the election to go on a year early, moving it up from the 2012 date. He announced that the people should decide how long he stays in office, like in a true democracy. Nazarbayev won with a landslide of 95.5% of the vote.

During the Russian struggle over Vladimir Putin’s length of term, the Kazakhstan president stated that he didn’t think it was right for a successful leader to quit at what may be the height of his career. He may be taking that philosophy partially into account, being more determined than ever to foster democracy in Kazakhstan under his guidance. Nazarbayev seems to blend with his power a real feeling for his people and their best interests, and he knows how a democracy works. Stepping down and turning over power after the democracy is firmly in place doesn’t seem too much to ask.

Filed Under: Life

Financial Responsibility When Having a Family

Balancing a single financial plan comes with its own set of challenges. When you find yourself having a family, a new set of challenges arise. As your household expands, your financial needs change. Your financial responsibility shifts greatly from a plan for one, to a family household budget.

Whether you are adding to your existing family, or embarking on new territory, having a child comes with joys and challenges. Easy pay day loans and personal loans are ways to help your financial needs. By being aware of the possible areas that will need extra fiscal cushion, you can be ready for what may come on the horizon.

Raising a child from birth to the age of 17 can topple over $254,400, not considering the cost of college. Everything from clothing, braces, and the cost of renting a tux at senior prom is fair game. Tracking your spending with a budget goes a long way toward keeping your finances balanced. Preparing a budget doesn’t have to drive you crazy. Simply assemble your financial statements, list each source of monthly income and start listing those expenses. Make sure to add a plan of action for expenses that do not change, as well as those that will fluctuate.

You can’t foresee every cost that your family will need throughout the years. However, by keeping a solid budget intact, you can be ready for any responsibility that may arise. Teaching your teens to create their own budget helps them in their current phase, as well as in the long run.

Filed Under: Life, Personal Responsibility Tagged With: Budget, Family, Finance

Mealtime Traditions from Mexico

Image by zenia_nunez via Flickr

Thanks to the onslaught of Tex-Mex cuisine, many Americans have a poor understanding of “real” Mexican cooking. That isn’t to say that Tex-Mex cuisine isn’t a great cuisine in its own right; but it’s no more Mexican than “Italian-American” dishes like pasta alfredo are Italian. Here’s a beginner’s course to the world of mealtime Mexican traditions.

Corn Tortillas

Americans are most familiar with the northern cousin of the corn tortilla: the flour tortilla. Flour tortillas may be easier to make, but traditional Mexican cuisine uses a corn tortilla that is cooked on a griddle called a comal.

Tacos

Tacos are actually quite popular in Mexico, though you must forget anything you’ve ever eaten at Taco Bell before you try one. A good American analogy for the Mexican taco would be the sandwich. A thousand different varieties abound and many regions have their own particular variety.

Salsa

The key to a wonderful Mexican salsa is fresher-than-fresh ingredients. Salsa is served at most restaurants in Mexico. Servers will often bring you many varieties ranging from salsa vera cruda to the traditional pico de gallo. A “salsa verde” is made with tomatillos instead of traditional red tomatoes.

Beans

Since Mexican dishes are so spicy in nature, most families serve beans (called frijoles) to balance the spicier entrees. Either pink or black beans are served with every meal. They’re prepared simply to match the multi-flavored entrees. Leftover beans from a meal are then turned into refried beans and served for another meal.

Filed Under: Life, Personal Responsibility Tagged With: Mexican cuisine, Mexico, Tortilla

Inside the Most Expensive Resort in the World: Nygard Cay Beach Resort

Image by Striking Photography by Bo (Busy Season) via Flickr

The world is filled with luxury hotels. In your travels, you’re apt to find all sorts of lodging experiences; be it an ice palace, wooded hideaway, or a tropical treetop cabana. However, there’s one pricy resort that tops them all: the Nygard Cay Beach Resort.

Inside the Resort

Nygard Cay was designed by Peter Nygard in the late 1980′s. Nygard set out to build his own personal Robinson Crusoe-esque resort, and he succeeded beyond his wildest imagination.

Staying at Nygard Cay is like owning your own personal island paradise.The island hosts 10 bedrooms, a home theatre, and a disco club– but that’s not all. The island also boasts private volleyball and tennis courts, two pools, five whirlpools, and over 20 tropical cabanas. Nygard also built replicas of ancient Mayan temples, water slides, and a human aquarium. Of course, the resort’s on an island, so the beach is always only feet away.

Nygard Cay Beach Resort also hosts a private yacht with two staterooms. Counting the yacht’s lodging capabilities, the island can host up to 24 people– though 600 people can come to the island for the day if you’re hosting a special event.

The Cost of Staying in Paradise

Expect to drop a whopping $40,000 for a week in paradise at the Nygard Cay Beach Resort. Of course, for that price, you can make use of the island’s 20-person staff, vehicles, and Nygard’s personal Boeing 727, which can shuttle your party off to the island– assuming it’s available, that is.

Filed Under: Family & Relationships, Life Tagged With: Island, Lodging, Resort