automakers ask for more federal help

General Motors and Chrysler LLC said Tuesday they could need an additional $21.6 billion in federal loans between them because of worsening demand for their cars and trucks. GM said that by 2011 it could need a total of $30 billion, which includes the $13.4 billion in Treasury loans it has already received. GM will for sure need $9.1 billion in additional loans and could require another $7.5 billion in the next two years if auto sales don't improve. Chrysler said it now needs a total of $9 billion, up from the $4 billion Treasury loan it received in December. GM also said that it would eliminate 47,000 jobs over the course of 2009. The company said it would cut about 20,000 jobs in the United States, or nearly 22% of its left over U.S. staff. The company said it plans to close another five additional U.S. plants by 2012, in addition to the 12 planned closings announced in December. The plants that will be closed have not yet been identified. Experts have said that the request for additional money is not a surprise, given how bad auto sales have been since the December plea for help.

holocaust intro and conclusion

Holocaust
The holocaust was a gruesome and terrible experience for millions. It started in 1933 when the German Nazis invaded other European countries to gain control of as much land as possible. While they expanded territory they tried to make a single superior race, which of course would be blond-haired, blue-eyed Germans, or Aryans as Hitler called them. Their leader, Hitler, was himself a Jew which was incredible because he was murdering millions of Jews.


Hitler the leader of the Nazis was killing not only Jews but Christians and other religions as well. He built concentration camps and started to starve and gas all that got in his way of his single race. Hitler’s actions were inexcusable and when the Americans started to take back control Hitler committed suicide. When Americans got to the concentration camps they could not believe what they have seen. The holocaust was truly a terrible thing that happened.

is anyone watching what u are doing

Dec. 25--It's an article of almost every faith that religion makes us better people. But through the years there has been little scientific support for this widely held belief -- until now. After analyzing 30 years of research, Canadian scholars have concluded that religion can make people more honest while inspiring them to help people they don't know, even when that exacts a personal cost. studies that have found that people are nicer and more honest when they believe they are being watched, whoever the watcher might be.

gender

I read a short story on (and called) Joan of Ark. This short story talks about how Joan was able to overcome the gender boundries of her time and rise to command the entire French Army during the Hundred Years War between France and Britain. Most women during this time had very few roles other than doing housework, helping their husbands out in the fields, and working as servants. Yet, somehow (most people think that their was some sort of divine influence in her), she was able to convince the Dauphin, the leader of France, to let her command the armies and begin retaking France from the British. Her first major victory won here the hearts and loyalty of the entire army. Oh, and by the way, she was only 14 when she received command under the Dauphin. There wouldn't be another female general in any army for several centuries to come.

African farmers

Farmers in West Africa are dependant on high food prices. These farmers invested all of their money and much of others money to create their fields. Just like in Nectar, these farmers invested thier lives into their crops. In order for the farmers to make a profit the 11o pound bags of rice need to be 20$, right now it is at 22$. The food prices were very high last year, and senegal relied on imports from other countries. When they couldn't afford any more there was no internal source of food. The president offered discounts on farming equipment for people to start working in the fields. The conditions for making rice in that area are perfect it is hot, large water supply, and a huge unemployed work force. This area of Africa is now dependant on a good harvest which could make or break this country.2 pagesPolgreen, Lydia "West African Villagers stake their fortunes on the future price of rice". N.Y. Times. 25 January 2009.

Arrested for starting rumors

Rumors regarding Monday's destructive earthquake in China's mountainous Sichuan Province have been started by chinese bloggers in online chat rooms. According to some of them, there were many signs that nature gave that could have saved thousands of people if the government had taken serious consideration to them. Ponds inexplicably drained, cows flung themselves against their enclosures and swarms of toads invaded the streets of a town that was later decimated by the quake. One online writer asked “Why did the government ignore the signs? Did they not care?” The Chinese government has been arresting people who started such "rumors" and said they would punish them. However, the government did not say what the punishments would be.