"New Era of Responsibilty"

President Obama is referring to how people act in times of crisis.
Nationally, I think that we're starting to do an "every man for himself" sort of thing.
People dont seem to care about unemployment rates, just as long as they don't lose
their own job. And if they do, then they begin to care because they're adding on to the
major crisis in America right now. They consider themselves victims.
Locally, I think it's similar. I mean, colleges and high schools are cutting employees, classes,
and anything else they can to save money. Apparently Shasta County's unemployment rate is 13%, and boy is it beginning to show. Favorite stores are closing down, people are losing their homes and getting further and further in debt. Gas prices, although lower, still aren't helping anything. High school students are beginning to sweat because they already have a ditch in the road they're trying to pave to success. It's hard to pay your insurance when taco bell drops you because they can't afford you anymore. And it's hard to pay your cell phone bill when rates are going up because they're going under too. So far i've seen Circuit City, Mervyn's, Ben Franklin's,
and other places close down because of lack of business.
Personally, I'm quite worried about getting into college and being able to support myself, i'm afraid that I might have to live with my parents longer than i expected. I keep promising myself that i'll get a job, but its hard to promise that when the economy won't help you. I'm watching my parents, friends and boyfriend fret about losing their job, getting their hours cut, or having to dip into savings to pay the rent.
Honestly i think that this is happening because people are getting too comfortable with depending on their government to make things happen. America has slowly become more and more spoiled, and people have gotten lazy. We have also adapted more "necessities," Cell phones plans, sattelite/cable TV, Internet, and the like. All of those things have added a pretty penny to the already expenisve living standards of the average middle-class American. I haven't supported Obama since the beginning, but I will say that i'm curious to see what he will do for the country. Although JFK died young, he already showed that he was going to make a big difference.

School's Life lessons

Douglas Soccio's article really hit home with me. I've always felt inside that
school had many life lessons, and that attending has helped me to grow not only
intellectually but emotionally. I've developed relationships with so many people,
and i've learned to appreciate anything i can about a class, whether its the subject, the people in the class or the opportunities i get in the class.
Ive met so many valuable people and realized what it is in them that i like about pretty much all of society, whether its kindess, generosity, understanding, open-mindedness.
I feel like school itself is a miniature society. I have really loved my school experience because i've realized so many things about life itself. Making mistakes is how one learns, and how sometimes you have to take time out for yourself, and people will understand. That maybe trying your hardest doesn't mean that things come out the way you hope, but you still reward yourself for the effort, which is just as good. People in school appreciate life so much more, like when a student dies there is always a memorial and an assembly and people mourning, and even though that's sad, its so wonderful that people realize that life isn't just life, its a gift.
You learn time management, and you learn it quickly. Failure isn't an option, because even if you get a big ol' F on a report card, you still hav to try again to succeed.