Jobless claims rise in the last week

The number of people of filing for unemployment benifts are increasing and it is on the rise. It has hit an all time high for the past nine weeks in a row. By the end of March 21 over 652,000 filied for the benifts, it is up over 8,000 for the week before. The Labor Department recorded that at March 11, it rose from 122,000 to 5,560,000 people the highest since we started keeping track in 1967. Also adding to the mess Americans can't find work because employers arn't hiring.

I think that it is horrible that so many people are losing their jobs. They have families that they need to support and can't do it without a steady income. Because of the loss of the job, they can't pay for the house that they are living in and will end up in debt or living on the streets. The rate is isn't all that close to what it was during the depression,but it is creeping uo their, and without the money, they can't get the food to feed themselves or the family. This new bill that President Obama is working on, i think really needs to focus on the unemployed, and instead of semi-projects make more longer lasting projects that give people a part time job at least. That way they can make some money and provide for the family.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090326/ap_on_bi_go_ec_fi/economy

Resients Race to fill sandbags as flooding threatens North Dakota

For a while know many people in the Fargo Moorhead area are being threatened by the rising waters of the Red River. Over 6,000 homes are being threatened by the rising waters, and it not done yet. Officals say that the river should creast on Saturday at about 40ft, and flood stage is at 17 ft. Volunteers have helped fill over 310,000 on monday, with more coming the in the following days. This is some of the worst flooding that the Fargo area has seen sice 1997 and in 2001. The weather over the week will determine how much more the water will rise. Hopefully the sandbags will hold back the water so the homes that are in danger are saved.

I love the fact that people from all over are coming to volunteer to help fill sandbags and make barriers between the water and the homes. This is really a comunity effort and help is coming in of all ages. On Tuesday the group seniors from Alex went to help out and it was hard work but it payed off. They stuffed over 200 bags and hour and help save someones home. It is good that the kids wanted to go and help out, many could have said that it wasn't their problem, but every little thing helps out. What happens affects the lives of many people who live and work in that area, so to make it almost a state effort shows that the "Minnesota Nice" is really in effect. This is horrible and to know that we are making a differnce in a city that we don't live in and to help out where we can is just great.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/weather/03/23/dakota.flooding/index.html?iref=newssearch

Tents on wheels give homeless people roof and pride

Starting in L.A. the EDAR (Everyone Deserves a Roof) is giving away tents to the homeless people. It is 7ft peice that looks like an over-sized shopping cart and it is on wheels. So they can take it with them. Almost everyday Peter Samuelson would ride his bike past the homeless and would stop and talk to them. He talked to 62 people, who all mostly said that all they wanted was a roof over their head. Inside the tents, there is a bed with a sleeping bag, flame-retardent and it would keep the people dry when it rains. They all come with a chain and padlock to prevent anyone from steeling their home.

I agree with Marit, this is an excellant idea. Everybody should have the chance at a home, and this is a little step to make sure that this is going to happen. It is sad to drive through some major cities and see almost every corner have some type of homeless person. They sleep on the concrete or the park benchs. So for them to have a bed to sleep on, for them, is the best thing that could happen to them. I am a little surprised that this took so long to take any action. I mean this is good, but why didn't someone start this sooner, all it takes is one good idea to change something. What if we started this five years ago, how many of the tents would be there today? How many people would have shelter during the rain? All it took was one man to stop and talk to the homeless.

http://marit-blog.blogspot.com/

Source: Mullen offers Obama update on Mexico

Obama was briefed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen about the drug wars going on in Mexico over that last few months. He was also thinking of ways that the U.S. can help out the Mexican military leaders. Mullen called the recent drug wars in Mexico a crisis. So far this year around 1,000 people have been killed and last year over 6,000 people killed. Both Canada and the U.S. say that with the wars happening so close to the U.S.-Mexican border that there is some cause for alarm. Also just last month, in the U.S. there were 700 people arrested, they were linked to Mexican drug cartels.

I agree with Liz on this issue. We don't need to send our military to handle this, but we could help them by giving them so pointers on how to handle this in Mexico. The U.S. can't afford to be in two different wars, one in Iraq and the other in Mexico. It would be better if we stayed out with the military. But we can have some people go and talk to the Mexican government and help them figure out how to handle it. As Liz said, so many U.S. citizens travel to Mexico for vacation and we don't want them to get mixed up in something like this. Because they border us we need to make sure that the people here and in Mexico who are U.S. citizens are safe, and not dead. You never know what will happen if you are traveling in the heart of Mexico. We also need to protect the states that are bordering Mexico, some of the drug leaders can come up and start one right in our country.


http://liz-flynn.blogspot.com/

College for all: Is Obama's Goal Attainable?

President Obama is saying that everyone should go on to a college after high school. But just because you have a high school degree doesn't mean that you are ready for the college work that is going to come. Kati Haycock, president of the Education Trust, say that instead of just preparing the brightest students for college, instead we should prepare everyone for it, and not let the ones who do the drugs slide by. Richard Vedder says that not everyone can or is able to go to college because they lack the motovation and can't handle the college work load. Nicole Hurd, executive director of the National College Advising Corp, says that everybody is capable of going futher than high school.

I agree with Richard Vedder. I think that everybody should go to college, but i don't that everybody can because they lack the motovation to go the harder route in life. In high school you can choose to take the easy way and only graduate with just enough or you can take the harder way and take the college classes. That will help you out, it saves you money to take those classes, the more you do in high school the less money you are paying in college. But some people don't see it like that, they think of college as party time, finaly away from your parents to tell you what not to do. It is supposed to be hard and challenging so why try the classes in high school then it is only one semester other three. It is the choice of the student, whether they want to go the easy why or the hard way.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29445201/