Last One To Leave Turn Out The Lights

Everyone knows that the economy is bad, but here in Michigan it's really bad. Every day there is another story on the news about a factory closing or laying off workers.

In a small town it's not just fifty or sixty jobs lost, it's a dozen other jobs that depend on those people to spend money in the area.

Sure part of it is the fact that a lot of those factories make things for the auto industry,but part of it is the fact that we live in a big state that's made up of two peninsulas. The simple fact is that the further north you go in the state the more it's going to cost you to ship your raw materials and finished products. Why keep making things up north if you have another plant where it's cheaper to do business? As a result we depend on the tourist trade to keep our economy alive, and if people don't have the money to spend they aren't going to travel.

True the price of gas is coming down, but if people don't have the extra cash they are going to cut back on those trips up north to ski, snowmobile, ice fish, etc... and without them the restaurants, bars, motels, and everyone else that does business with them will have to lay off people because they can't afford to pay them.

It has gotten to the point that other states are coming here to recruit workers because they know we have the work force and they are looking for jobs.

Things will get better but before they do they will undoubtedly get worse. So like I said in the title "last one to leave turn out the lights".

Gone To The "Dawgs"

The city of Big Rapids, Michigan has gone to the "dawgs". Thirty five bulldogs, each three foot tall by four foot long, have been sponsored by local groups and businesses in the Big Rapids area. More information can be found at their web site http://www.yearofthedawg.com/ .

For those who do not know, the bulldog is the mascot for Ferris State University which is located in Big Rapids. F.S.U. and the city have had a love hate relationship for a long time, after all this is a company town and F.S.U. is the company. Take away the students and the sidewalks roll-up.

Like all good things done to promote unity between the university and the city,someone had to mess things up. The "dawg" located by the courthouse was taken by a person or persons unknown. Sure enough it turned up on the porch of a fraternity house. Whether put there as a prank or not,it was something that didn't need to happen. Just one more thing done as a joke over the years, from missing flags to loud parties that show that there are students out there who don't get-it. When these things happen they make whole school look bad.

I am trying to get photos of all thirty five "dawgs". They will be on my Flickr page. just click on the link on the left side of the page.