2 Million Minutes: Click and Watch ( we will be watching this and discussing this in class-- this is not a reading)

I recently watched this youtube clip called 2 Million Minutes, on another blog. This clip is simply the trailor for a documentary. This documentary is focusing on our Education system in the United States and possibly could instead be talking about our economic system. It is looking at how important education is in today's World Economy. One book I recently read was called, The World Is Flat, ...suggests the world is "flat" in the sense that globalization has leveled the competitive playing fields between industrial and emerging market countries.



The April 1983 government report “A Nation at Risk*” warned us that if we didn’t improve math and science education in the U.S. we would be at risk of falling behind our global competitors. Having reached the twenty-fifth anniversary of the report, a provocative new documentary film, Two Million Minutes, vividly reveals that American students are no longer “at risk” of falling behind -- they are now clearly behind even Third World students in India and China, in addition to being in 24th place among developed countries.

You will spend 2 million minutes in high school. How will you use your minutes? Watch this clip and think about the effort you give high school, homework, and listening and working in class.

Summer Reading 8: Anatomy of a Meltdown: The Credit Crisis

The Washington Post recently posted this 3 part article on the housing bust. You will have to click on the three different days and read each part to understand what has happened with first the boom and finally the bust. Good article. Will take you time to look at it, but you will walk away with a better understanding of what has happened. How has your family been effected? What do you think about this crisis?

Summer Article 7: Toughest Summer Job This Year Is Finding One

We just recently had our graduation ceremony for MHS; one of the things probably not said, was that they are stepping out into the worst job market in 50 years. The current economic problems are not just effecting your parents, they are directly impacting teenagers. Read this article and see how great the impact is. Are you working? Did you have problems finding a job?

Summer Article 6: Economy Makes Bottled Water Out, Tap In

Okay, admit it, many of us choose to pass on the soda's and energy drinks and opt for just plain ole bottled water (minus the fact that I do have "Dew" attacks on some days).... problem, a economy that is struggling. So, now what? What else is this slow economy going to effect in our lives? Is bottle water worth purchasing or do we opt for the trusty tap water that comes much cheaper? What will your family do? Tell me what you learned from this article? What do you believe will be the future for bottled water?

Summer Article 5: How the floods will hurt the economy?

What else can go wrong? Inflation, high gas prices, home prices drop and now rain, rain and more rain.....result floods. So, what does flooding have to do with the economy? Great question. Read this article and find out what kinds of products will be effected, from this article list, how will it have an impact on you?

Summer Article 4: What Inflation? Some Items That Actually Cost Less

All we seem to hear is the bad news....high gas prices, home's losing value.... etc. Have you heard the positives? What did you learn from this article? Have you made any of these purchases?

Summer Article 3: Is the American Dream dead or alive?

"House values are plummeting, food and gas prices are rising, the unemployment rate is up and no one in power can agree on how to make things better.

All this as thousands of new college graduates across the country are starting to look for work.

Is the American Dream dead? We want to hear from you. Are you living a better life than your parents did? Will your children achieve a better life than you? Share your story." http://www.ireport.com/ir-topic-stories.jspa?topicId=34365