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Okay, so more than 19 percent of Americans are underemployed-which means either unemployed or looking for full-time work. For the first time, Gallup has endeavored to discern how underemployed people feel about their situation. It's not surprising there are more discouraged people without jobs than there are hopeful people. Rather, it's in the survey's details where Gallup's findings become interesting.

During the State of the Union Address late last month, President Barack Obama announced that he will work with Congress to revise the U.S. Military's Don't Ask, Don't Tell (DADT) policy, which has been in place since 1993. The law acknowledges that gay and lesbian personnel can be dismissed from the military should their sexual preference be revealed.

Gabrielle Bernstein has paved her path to success by sharing her life strategies with others. Not your typical self-help guru, she is a life coach and motivational speaker for the next generation. This month Bernstein launches her self-transformational book, Add More ~ing to Your Life - A hip guide to happiness. In her book, Bernstein guides the reader through her dynamic "~ing Equation," a method of sharpening one's intuitive senses and activating untapped inspiration.

When I lived in South India, at 5:30 each morning my neighbor's rooster or the guy hawking traditional South Indian breakfast foods or the guy offering to sharpen people's knives from the back of his bicycle would wake me up.

On Saturday night, dissident republicans attempted to detonate a 400 pound bomb outside the Policing Board's Headquarter's in Belfast, Northern Ireland. On the very same day police foiled an attempt to assassinate a Catholic man who had joined the Police Service of Northern Ireland. Five individuals have been questioned in connection with the plot.

There is something in development circles called Community Driven Development. At its worst, it's a buzzword that helps bureaucratic development banks feel warm and fuzzy for a moment or two. But outside the context of development jargon, it can be the key to a community thriving.

Much has been made about the similar circumstances surrounding Obama and Clinton's White House entrance, including a failed Bush presidency, eight-plus years of Republican reign, and a country hungry for change. As it turns out, both also had similar challenges their first year in office--strong opposition to a stimulus plan (though Obama was able to pass his, while Clinton wasn't), foreign policy critiques (on Somalia for Clinton and Afghanistan for Obama), and a country disgruntled over a "politics as usual" approach.

"Anyone in the development world has heard the mantra, 'there is no such thing as a natural disaster.' Yes, earthquakes are outside the realm of human control, but vulnerability and resilience are not. In a recent article, Oxfam America, which is currently responding in Haiti, writes that recovery from this earthquake will be "especially [hard for] a nation saddled with deep poverty and minimal infrastructure.""

A post-secondary degree has become increasingly essential for success in the current economy. However, given that financial aid has not kept pace (pdf) with the skyrocketing costs (pdf) of higher education, getting that college degree has become much more challenging. The government has a clear role to play in making higher education accessible for all qualified students. In addition to providing the funds, the government can also help students manage (and insure against) the risks presented by post-secondary school.

The news that the lauded Editor & Publisher (E&P) has been sold and will survive to fight another day was officially announced last week. E&P, which has undergone many incarnations, mergers and forms since its founding in 1884, was in danger of dying. Fortunately, the E&P magazine and Web site were bought by an Irvine, California-based company called Duncan McIntosh Co. Inc. Well, maybe it was fortunate-it's hard to say so early on.

Winter has arrived and whether you plan on making the most of the snowy season at a popular ski resort, escaping to a warmer destination, or attending a winter festival, you'll definitely want to get the most from your travel budget. And with the holiday travel price hikes behind us now is a great time to find some deals when you book your winter getaway.

Deployed in Iraq I was deployed in Iraq in September 2009 for my first four-month rotation flying missions with my new unit. Multiple holidays and a birthday missed with not a single day off. No such thing as a fun Friday night, a lazy Sunday morning or even a Wednesday to think, "I'm halfway there." Everyday is a no frills Tuesday--the same day over and over again. Same uniforms, same chicken and rice to eat, same routine. There are only the rare tell-tale signs to offer any concept of time: pizza being served in the chow hall so it must be Friday, or a football game on TV so it must be Sunday. But it doesn't matter that it is Sunday because business must be done, a mission must be flown. The games are missed. (God bless those ground pounders who go for a year at a time.)

Year after year, the popular spring break destinations are predictable--Mexico, Florida, California, Vegas, the Caribbean, and for those who can afford it, Europe. But why not try a new spot and combine your spring break travel with a little volunteering? It can be a great resume builder in this grim job market, and can help cut down the costs of travel at a time when budgets for many are tighter than usual.

When Alex Yates, a marketing consultant, relocated two years ago to the Chicago area from San Diego he joined a running club. He had been a member of a track club in San Diego, and eyed the Chicago Area Runners Association, or CARA, as a way to integrate into his new community.

In celebration of Women's History Month, YPNation is profiling notable women from history this week. These women come from different backgrounds and professions, but all achieved success or a notable accomplishment in their respective fields when they were in their twenties or thirties.

As with any bill jerked around for half a year in the democratic process and packed with side-deals, last week's momentous health care legislation has its perks and its flaws. There's still no public option, but recent college graduates will soon be able to ride their parents' insurance until they turn 27. Meanwhile, the pro-choice movement made no headway when it comes to a woman's right to have an abortion--if anything, they lost ground.

In late 2008, Shannon Varney, now 27, found himself in a difficult place. He had just lost his job as a financial analyst at Goldman Sachs--a casualty of the economic crisis that had settled in--and prospects looked bleak. But his misfortune would take him down an unexpected path to an entirely new career.

With the entrepreneurial spirit teeming on university campuses across the nation, it's no wonder many schools have begun to offer student entrepreneurs the resources they need to move their business ideas forward. And Gen Y students are taking advantage of these business incubators turning their fresh and innovative ideas into moneymakers.

I first want to say how excited I am to be writing the personal finance blog for YPNation. Since I received the nod to write my first post I have been racking my brain for a good topic to begin with. Literally hundreds of ideas ran through my head and, needless to say, I will not be at a loss for topics down the road. But I have decided to start with some general thoughts on managing money--something many young people do not spend enough time thinking about.

Noticed a number of "For Rent" signs on your block recently? If so, you wouldn't be alone. Apartment vacancies have been at record-high levels in the past year and many apartments are empty because young renters have sought alternatives to renting on their own during the recession.