While many people prefer the security and consistency associated with having a job with a company, others venture forth into the world of freelancing, taking the chances and reaping the benefits of working on your own time and having your own customers. There are definitely challenges – if there weren’t, more people would do it. In the end, it can be fun.

Or can it?

One of the biggest challenges associated with freelancing is the lack of benefits. Companies often offer their employees incentives beyond a paycheck, including insurance, retirement, and paid vacations. These are hard to come by for freelancers. Another is the credit aspect. It’s often difficult to buy a home or vehicle with less stability in pay.

“It’s getting easier for freelancers to buy vehicles,” said Terrance Marley at Albuquerque Chevrolet. “The internet has forced finance companies to realize that people can make strong, consistent livings from their home. As long as they can prove their income is consistent, they can get a loan more easily than before.”

While many would say that the ideal solution would be to ride a bike, it’s simply not practical for everyone. The rise in gas prices has seen a spike in recent months that has people fearing for their future. What can people do?

They can always get a more gas-economical car. Nothing wrong with that. The challenges there stem with large families, large bills, and an inability to purchase vehicles. The other alternative – work with what you got.

The United States would like to be known as “the country that helps.” It’s not an official stance, but our actions over the past half-century under most presidents has indicated that we are willing to offer foreign aid when needed.

Or do we?

This infographic by our friends at GOOD breaks down US spending on both military and foreign aid. Are we truly a peace-loving nation or not? You decide.

If you haven’t heard, there’s a big wedding today. Despite the fact that few outside of their country (which country is it?) care about the wedding, it’s interesting to compare this spectacle to other spectacles of the recent past.

In light of Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding, our friends at Confused looked at how their big day compares with some other notable royal weddings. They have taken into account the overall cost, as well as some of the more interesting details.

Let’s face it. Geeks are cool. It isn’t that the people became cooler, but rather that technology has allowed it to where someone doesn’t have to have pocket protectors and an IQ in the 150s to be classified as a geek. The techies of the modern age are geeks based upon interest rather than uncoolness.

The “modern era” of techies really started in the 1990s when availability of personal computers, third generation gaming systems, and gadgets galore started creeping into everyone’s dorm room, not just those who looked like the cast of “Revenge of the Nerds.”

There are certain advantages to being born to celebrities such as Sylvester Stallone or Nicholas Cage. The money, the fame, the privilege – coming into this world with an instant leg up can make life easier. There are certainly drawbacks to being in the spotlight before knowing what a spotlight even is, which is why we wonder why so many celebrity babies have names that nobody would ever want to borrow, let alone own for their entire life.

Stallone may be a timeless icon who has played well-named characters such as Rocky and Rambo, but why would he name his son Sage Moonblood? Cage was once rumored to be up for the part of Superman. He didn’t get it, but he did name his son Kal-El.

What were these (and the other 115 silly celebrities on the list) guys thinking?

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