The economy is getting on my last nerve!

I know complaining about the economy isn't going to change anything... but my heart is breaking as this economic crisis continues.

I've spent the evening getting caught up on the news from my hometown of Grand Forks, ND... only to find that one of the best downtown bars, with the best drink specials, The Cuckoo's Nest, is closing. It had recently gone smoke free, and that may be a reason less people are going there... but to me, that's a GOOD thing! Unfortunately, the bar closing isn't.

Another closure... Boston's Gourmet Pizza restaurant... home to the best BBQ chicken pizza i've ever had! Huge beers, not so good of service, but excellent calzones... unfortunately, it's turning into a Space Aliens.

Photo courtesy of Ryan Schuster, Grand Forks Herald.

Grand Forks doesn't need a Space Aliens... it needs places with nice, big, beer mugs.

And last... but certainly not least... and most important to me... The University of North Dakota School of Communication is being "reorganized".

After the holidays, there will be no more Comm. department! The teachers are going to be in different departments, still teaching Comm. classes... and they say everything will be fine... but in all reality, if you think about it....

No Comm. department, means they won't be attracting many Communication students. Those students will look elsewhere for the program, and eventually they won't have enough students to even keep the comm. classes going anymore.

I think that's their final plan, to completely get rid of the program and its devastating to the teachers, to those of us who have graduated from the program... or even those who might not get that chance.

What is next? Something needs to be done. The economic crisis is reaching places that I never thought it would in a million years. When I learned of the Great Depression in 11th grade history, I never thought I might be facing the same situation.

Usually, i'd just start a petition and rally a bunch of people to help make this better... but I am completely helpless... and it sucks.

9/11

"Freedom itself was attacked this morning by a faceless coward and freedom will be defended."

- President Bush, Sept. 11, 2001.

It's been three days since the 7th anniversary of 9/11... and on the History Channel right now, there have been several documentaries airing.

The one i'm watching right now is of amateur video of everything that happened that day... and it reminds me of why we went to war. That can't happen again. This anniversary is a good reminder of why were are in a War on Terror--

"Make no mistake: The United States will hunt down and punish those responsible for these cowardly acts." - President Bush, Sept. 11, 2001.

We can't stop until the job is done.

Take a look at the following pictures-- and use them as a reminder of why we are at war. All the lives lost so far, will have been for nothing if we don't finish what was started 7 years ago.

Never forget.