Syracuse area unemployment rate stays record high

According to an article by The Post-Standard, the state department of labor said the unemployment rate for Oswego, Madison and Onondaga counties was 9 percent last month.  This is half a point higher that last February's unemployment rates.

"It's stabilizing a little bit, but we're still at historically high levels," Karen Knapik-Scalzo, an economist with the labor department, said.

The unemplyment rate is still lower than the state's, 9.3 percent, and the nation's, 10.4 percent.

There were an estimated 5,500 fewer jobs in the area last month, than there were last Feb..  That's a 1.7 percent drop in the area's jobs.

Health care bill threats continue

CNN.com said shots were fired at a congressman's campaign headquarters, windows smashed at Democratic offices all over the country and even a coffin was placed on a lawmaker's front lawn.

These are just some of the incidents that have occurred since the house passed the health care bill on Sunday night.  The health care bill has unleashed anger from those who are worried about government involvement in health care.

James Leach, the National Endowment for the Humanities, said that even though these acts are protected under the First Amendment, it still doesn't make them right.

Bulldogs or Underdogs?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cusegoyle/ / CC BY 2.0

After two games in the unfamiliar role of a higher seed, Butler is back where the Bulldogs are much more accustomed to being, the underdogs.  The Bulldogs face top-seeded Syracuse on Thursday night in the West Regional semifinals, according to Syracuse.com.

The Bulldogs may eventually shed this image, but they don't seem to be in much of a hurry to do so. Actually, they really don't seem to care either way.

"You don't ever look at the seed or the number next to the team's name, otherwise, you'll let that become a factor in your mind," Butler coach Brad Stevens said.

Butler is unbeaten in the NCAA tournament as the higher seed. But that has only happened four times and the Bulldogs (30-4) are quite comfortable playing as one of the tournament's lesser-known teams.

The No. 5 seed is the highest for the school in its 10 NCAA tournament appearances, matching the Bulldogs' position in 2007, when they also reached the regional semifinals before losing to eventual champion Florida.