It's News to Me

The economy blows and unemployment is clearly an issue affecting almost everybody ... you probably at least know someone who was laid off. Doom and Gloom are angry storm clouds hanging over everyone's heads; hopelessness covers the faces of soon-to-be-graduates trying to enter the market, and veteran workers who are causalities to consolidation.

But it's not all dismal despair! Some people out there are trying to "get unemployed people psyched that they're unemployed" - and not in a callous way.

According to an Associated Press article an optimistic soul held an "Unemployment Olympics." His only goal was to bring some light to the darkness.

There were such events as Pin the Blame on the Boss (like Pin the Tail on the Donkey) and "those who missed the target sometimes hit other options scrawled on the colorful sign: The War, ARMs (adjustable rate mortgages), Consumer Spending, The FED and The Economy."

To compete, participant-hopefuls even had to go the "Employment Office" to prove they were in fact unemployed.

It might just be the fact that my job forces me to read all the big news every day, but I really do feel we are inundated with such negativity in terms of the economy. I know we're in a horrible place right now, believe me. But I love this idea. These people aren't trying to ignore or diminish the importance of their situation, but they are trying to deal with it in a way that can maybe bring a smile to someone's face.

(Also fantastic, and points for creativity, the pinata was stuffed full of PayDays)

For Maria Tapia the games were "a welcome relief from the anxiety that accompanied her layoff in January."

"I never knew that I wanted a job this bad until I didn't have a job," Tapia said in the article.

Stay strong!!

--- Brianna

Only in Pennsylvania would an overturned 18-wheeler leave a truck driver facing a whopping $37,554.54 traffic violation fine.

According to The Associated Press, the driver and owner failed to get the proper "super load" designation for the vehicle in order to legally haul its cargo.

The truck, which was carrying a 213,000-pound steel cylinder (where on earth was that going, anyway?), tipped over in Bethlehem, Pa., on March 12. It wasn't removed until April 1 because a new route, proper permits and a police escort took so long for officials to plan, according to the AP.

One of the most interesting parts of this story, to me at least, was the town from which the trucker himself hailed. He's a resident of Middletown, Ohio, the very same ex-steel-town where most of my mom's side of the family lives. It's not a surprise, either -- if you think trucks are a common sight on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, you should see the highways around Middletown.

But the real moral of the story is: Don't complain about your $300 speeding ticket, because it could be a lot worse.

- Leslie

Dear State College Weather,
We are sorry to inform you that your substandard performance has been called to our attention and we are initiating an investigation into allegations of below average temperatures and ridiculous wind chills immediately. As a result, all forecasts must go through our services to be approved by a manager before implementation. For example, tomorrow's forecast is completely unacceptable and must be revised immediately.


Should snow fall on State College tomorrow, you will be in breach of your contract to provide Spring-like weather to the valley. While "spring" may include a range of temperatures and weather conditions, snowfall is not within the appropriate weather description for this time of year as laid out in the employee handbook. As we near the mid-April mark, please note that the handbook states, "70 percent of days from April 15 through April 30 must be flip-flop or rainboot appropriate days, with the average temperature remaining in the mid-50s. Only 30 percent of days for the same period may contain rain for varying periods of time, with only 2 percent of those having rain constant throughout the day."
Failure to comply with these regulations will result in a visit from Jack Bauer, who will "coerce" you to abide by the guidelines.
Sincerely,
Kat

UPDATE 11:32PM
We have been monitoring the situation and talking with agents in the field and have sequestered this report.

If this snow does not cease within the hour, we will have no choice but to move on your location and send in Jack Bauer at the head of our interrogation team. This is your final warning.

There are certain times when random electronic malfunctions are just a little too random.

According to Philadelphia Daily News, a Bucks County woman called Comcast to complain that her Good Friday televised Mass was interrupted by something decidedly unholy: a Girls Gone Wild infomercial.

The even weirder part, I think, is that this accidental interruption occurred at 2 a.m.
Who watches mass at 2 a.m. anyway -- when clearly this is the time to watch reruns of Law & Order and accompanying debt relief commercials.

Comcast said the unfortunate occurrence resulted from an automatic channel redirect because of an Emergency Alert System test. The poor pious woman just happened to be redirected to the raunchy infomercial.

Seriously, though, what are the chances? One might even call it divine intervention.

- Leslie

As a snowboarder, I know the insanity required to strap yourself to a board and go careening down a mountain. That said, the more insanity is involved usually means the more fun is involved.

Snowboarding has nothing on the newest rage in extreme (read: crazy) sports, however. As The New York Times' Laura Siciliano-Rosen reports, adventure seekers are now pursuing one of the awesome past times I've heard about in a while: volcano boarding.

You read that right -- volcano boarding. The sport began at Cerro Negro, an ominous charcoal-black volcano in western Nicaragua. Enthusiasts like Darryn Webb, who helped develop the sport, hurtle down the active volcano's bald, steep slope atop a sledlike piece of plywood at speeds of up to 50 mph.

The thrill of careening down the mountain, of course, is amplified by the risk of an active volcano actually bursting. Nothing like a little lava to light a fire under your board (literally).

So if you're feeling up to an extreme adventure, or if you just have a death wish, head to the Bigfoot Hotel in Nicaragua. It sounds like a hell of an experience.

- Leslie