PLN 16

In the article “Shocking numbers” by the Rocky Mountain News what matters is how we are going to survive the crashing economy. The article explained the nation’s unemployment rate has increased to 6.7%, with 533,000 jobs lost in the month of November. That’s the highest jobless rate in 15 years. My brother lost his job a couple months ago as the company he worked for went out of business literally just closed its doors. My uncle was laid off from his job three months ago, and at my dad’s office they laid off one employee last week. The Rocky Mountain News was put up for sale last week but is likely to be shut down. So there are another 500+ employees whose jobs are in jeopardy. I live on a cul-de-sac street. There are approximately 30 homes on the street each with two working people. As I look down the row of houses, I can figure that about 4 people on my street are unemployed. The unemployment rate is up 42% from a year ago, and it seems to me it’s going to get a lot worse before it gets better. President elect Obama is quoted in the article as agreeing with that prediction. Yet President Bush and President elect Obama cannot come up with any solutions to this problem. Therefore it is up to us. So what can we do? We all need to have some compassion for each other. Help each other out how ever we can. Now more than ever we should observe one of the greatest commandments and love our neighbors. During the great depression the only way people survived was by relying on those around them and helping when they could. The economy now is nearly as bad as it was then but there are still quite a few people who are struggling. I heard a story of a woman who went to a place where they were auctioning off foreclosed houses a bought one of them in full then simply gave it back to the family that was living there. Not every one has that much money to spare however every little bit helps. And by pulling together and helping each other we will all be able to make it through the bumpy times.

PLN 15

In the article Teacher Sells Ads on Test Papers by 2 cents worth what matters is how this school is problem solving and therefore giving their students more opportunities. In the article it talks about how a teacher has sold advertising space on the bottom of tests. The advertising helps pay for printing and basic supplies, leaving more money for other things. It is good that the school has figured out a way to help pay for what they need. By figuring out how to make extra money they have opened up new possibilities, and with the extra money they can fund new programs. Other schools should followed their example then kids all over would have more opportunities. If more schools problem solved like this one did our education system would be much better off because with extra opportunities kids have a greater chance of being prepared later on in life. This school sold advertising on their tests solving the problem of not enough financing, creating new opportunities and setting an example for other schools.

PLN 14

In the article Man found dead outside Colorado Springs home what matters is why the man is dead. The police haven’t figured out why the man died however they plan to perform an autopsy to try to figure out what killed him. This article worries me because I have a brother that lives in Colorado Springs. It makes me wonder how safe he is down there he was already nearly shot when a gun man showed up at his church about a year ago. Even though my brother wasn’t killed or even injured in this shooting it greatly affected him. Everyone in the church had a hard time because they now knew that it could have been them that were killed. This guy could have died of natural causes, or he could have been killed by someone who is now still on the loose in the city. If somebody did kill him then it would be dangerous for everyone in the city to have someone like that still running around the city. I think that people these days have to much access to many ways of killing others and it has become so common that it is hardly a big deal when someone dies. It is unfortunate that this man died, hopefully it was of natural causes because if it someone did kill him then everyone in Colorado springs could be in danger.