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Need a Job? Would You Work in a National Park?

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Now with President Barack Obama talking about reinvigorating the econony and the job market, there's been a resurgance of an idea of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's: bringing back the Civilian Conservation Corps, the first "emergency agency" that he established. Now there's talk in Congress of bringing it back as part of Obama's economic stimulus plan, according to the LA Times.

Back then, it put 3 million men to work in the national parks system, and today's version of the bill has $2.25 billion earmarked for projects--the Senate is expected to debate it today. And hey, look at that, there are plenty of "shovel-ready projects" waiting for funding and with the money, 50,000 jobs could be created, says to the the National Parks Conservation Association.

About the Photo Gallery: We all know about Joshua Tree National Park (see photos from our most recent journey there), but there are plenty of other national park lands available to us within a few hours of Los Angeles; so here are a few of them, some that you may have not been aware of. And, of course, don't forget about the one in the middle of the city. Regional national parkland not mentioned here include Death Valley National Park, Lake Mead National Recreation Area and--we'll stretch "regional" for this one--Yosemite National Park.

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