2011 Veteran’s Day Free Meals and Discounts

Posted on November 9, 2011 by Administrator

2011 Veteran’s Day Free Meals and Discounts.

Posted in U.S. Military, War | Tagged , | Leave a comment

My Heart and Prayers Go Out to Jim Calhoun, a Major Victim in the Sandusky Crime Spree

Posted on November 7, 2011 by Administrator

By Patricia L Johnson

There has always been a special place in my heart for Veterans, partly due to being brought up to believe how extraordinary the men and woman who fight for our country are, and partly due to interactions through the years with Veterans.

We live relatively close to a Veterans Affairs Medical Center and over the years I’ve met many who have sought treatment at this facility and you cannot help but laugh when they tell you stories of waiting in line for hours upon hours just to get a change of clothes, or a meal or any other number of necessities. If they were in the U.S. and had to wait for hours for the same services it would be on the front page of every newspaper, but because they’re off in some distant country that most of us couldn’t spell, much less find on a map, it’s chalked off as part of the ‘experience’ and the vets joke about it on a regular basis.

When they talk about the atrocities of war, the twinkling in their eyes disappears, the smile is gone and the sadness in their hearts is reflected in detail, on their faces and in the distant, weary look in their eyes.

In the fall of 2000, our victim, Jim Calhoun, was working as a janitor at Penn State University. Jim, while performing his job duties, witnessed Gerald Arthur (Jerry) Sandusky, the defensive coordinator of Penn State’s Division I collegiate football program, performing oral sex on a young boy in the showers of the Lasch Building. Note: Any person charged with a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Jim immediately went to other members of the janitorial staff and explained what he had witnessed.

Employee Ronald Petrosky was also working that evening and it was his job to clean the showers which were empty due to the fact the football players were at an away game. Petrosky could not see who was in the assistant coaches’ shower room, but he heard the sound of running water and could see two pairs of feet. Coach Sandusky and a young boy, between the ages of 11-13, eventually exited the shower with their hair wet. Petrosky then observed the coach holding hands with the boy as they were walking down the long hall leading out of Lasch Building.

As he was cleaning the shower that Sandusky and the boy had used, Jim Calhoun came up to Petrosky and was noticeably upset and crying. Jim, visibly shaking, told Petrosky he “fought in the [Korean] war….seen people with their guts blowed out, arms dismembered…I just witnessed something in there I’ll never forget.” Jim went on to explain to Petrosky that he saw Sandusky (at the time, he did not know the coach’s name) holding the boy up against the wall and licking on him.

There was only one employee working that evening who had any length of service at the college and that was Jim Calhoun’s immediate supervisor, Jay Witherite. All other employees were relatively new. Jim’s peers were eventually able to talk Jim into reporting the incident to Jay Witherite, but were afraid to accompany him, in support, for fear they would lose their own jobs.

Witherite observed that Jim was “very emotionally upset” and “distraught” to the point Witherite “was afraid the man was going to have a heart attack or something the way he was acting.” while he was explaining how he had observed Jerry Sandusky performing oral sex on the young boy [that same evening Sandusky was parked in his vehicle in the parking lot and Calhoun was able to point him out to Witherite].

Witherite attempted to calm Jim and went on to explain to him who he should contact to report the incident – if he chose to report it.

“If he chose to report it”?? – how about dialing 911!

No report was ever made by Jim Calhoun – We’ll rephrase that statement and say there is no report on file made by Jim Calhoun. We can’t confirm or deny whether he made a report by talking to Jim Calhoun because this poor man is considered ‘incompetent to testify’. He is currently suffering from dementia and living in a nursing home.

The identity of the young boy has never been determined.

How much of Jim Calhoun’s dementia can be attributed to the atrocity he witnessed back in the year 2000? How long can a fragile mind cope with the knowledge that a wrong has been committed by a person in power and know that nothing will be done to protect others from the same thing happening to them? From the few comments he made about his tour in Korea, it’s obvious that Jim Calhoun suffered some degree of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. He went to a foreign country to fight for freedom and 45 years later sees a child on U.S. soil being sexually abused by a powerful man. How many years of torment did Jim Calhoun go through before his mind finally snapped?

The attitude of Penn State towards the despicable acts performed on their campus is readily seen in their willingness to pay the legal fees of Athletic Director Timothy Mark Curley and Senior Vice President for Finance and Business, Gary Charles Schultz, who were both charged with perjury and failure to report. Schultz’s position includes oversight of Penn State University Police Department.

When this Veteran’s Day rolls around say a special prayer for Jim Calhoun, the one man that tried to come forward and fight for what’s right.

© 2011 Patricia L Johnson

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How Much Do You Know About the Bush Tax Cuts andTheir Impact on our Deficit and National Debt?

Posted on October 29, 2011 by Administrator

By Patricia L Johnson

Each year the bipartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) completes a projected budget for the next decade.

The CBO projection in 2001 for the 10-year period of 2002 through 2011 indicated budget surpluses totaling $5.6 trillion dollars1  This projection was based on the fact we had three straight years of surpluses; 1998, 1999 and 2000, for the first time since the 1920’s and federal revenues were at a high rate of 20 percent of GDP.  Federal Revenues had been rising for a period of several years due to the tax increases put in place by the Clinton administration.

President George W. Bush and the 107th Congress felt excess taxes should be returned to the taxpayers2 therefore the first, of a series of tax cuts was passed.  H.R. 1836, Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001, EGTRRA, P.L. 107-16, was signed into law by President George W. Bush on June 7, 2001, with retroactive provisions applying to taxable years after December 31, 2000.

EGTRRA incorporated a group of tax cut bills3 into one and the finished product contained more than 80 different tax cuts and changes to the existing tax rates.  In addition to adding a new 10 percent EGTRRA reduced tax rates in the top four brackets over a period of time:

The tax cuts in EGTRRA were so dramatic that by the time the CBO completed their 10-year projection in January of 2002 [for the period of 2003-2012] the surplus had dropped from $5.6 trillion to $1.6 trillion.  Although the $4 trillion dollar reduction was made up of several items, the major factor affecting this reduction was the EGTRRA tax act alone, reducing the projected surplus by $1.275 trillion dollars.4

Tax cuts effect budget projections in three separate ways.  They reduce the amount of revenues going into the treasury, they increase the amount of outlays, and if there is a deficit they increase the amount of interest to be paid by increasing the deficit, also known as debt service.

How do they increase outlays?  Many tax cuts include what is known as a tax credit, meaning the taxpayer can reduce the amount of taxes owed by the credit, or if no taxes are owed the treasury sends a tax refund to the taxpayer.

Why did this one tax bill have such a major impact on the deficit?  The tentacles of this one tax act stretched far and wide from simple tax rate percentage changes for the average Jane and John Doe to excise tax relief, to changes in tax treatment of restitution payments to Holocaust victims, to major tax loopholes for the ultra-wealthy.

EGTRRA contains nine major sections as follows:


Due to the fact this particular tax bill was deficit financed; this one bill alone added an estimated $1.4 trillion dollars to the deficit [the difference between the $1.275 deficit estimated indicated by the Congressional Budget Office and the $1.352 deficit indicated by the Joint Commission on Taxation is the different time periods].

When a tax law is enacted it goes into effect on a specific date and it may or, may not, have an expiration date.  EGTRRA had expiration dates, but were extended as part of the agreement on increasing the debt limit.  As a result of these extensions, EGTRRA continues to add to the national debt each and every day and this law is just one of many.  During the 107th Congress [January 2001-January 2003] alone there were more than 10 different bills passed affecting our tax laws, our budget deficit and subsequently our national debt.

Understanding the impact these laws have on our lives is difficult at best, due to the complexity of the issue, and the fact these taxes went into effect over a decade ago.

The following chart is based on estimated deficit data from the Joint Commission of Taxation estimates for the period of 2001 through 2012, based on implementation of EGTRRA.  Please note that the highest revenue deficit was estimated to be in 2010, two full years after Bush left office, and a full nine years after the implementation of EGTRRA.

We already know that EGTRRA was estimated to increase the budget deficit by $1.4 based on the report by the Joint Commission on Taxation.  The $1.4 trillion is broken down as follows; the deficit increased by $864 billion from the period of 2001-2008 and by $488 billion from the period of 2009 – 2012.

In other words, when Congress passed this law back in 2001, they knew a few things, first that one of the provisions would not even become effective until 2010, second that it would continue to increase the deficit long after President Bush left office, and third that if the tax expiration dates were ever extended; EGTRRA would continue to create deficits indefinitely.

© Patricia L Johnson

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The Effects of Tax-Financed Spending v. Debt-Financed Spending

Posted on October 26, 2011 by Administrator

By Patricia L Johnson and Richard E Walrath

President Clinton was voted into office in 1992 and served for eight years. When he took over the office of President we had three tax rates, 15%, 28% and 31% and the country had been running deficits that added to the national debt for decades.

During his first term in office; the income tax rates in this country were raised by adding two additional categories, 35% and 39.6% for high earners. The tax increases turned the entire system around and by the time Clinton left office we had a $236 billion dollar surplus for FY 2000.

The first thing President Bush did when he entered office was reduce tax rates, mostly benefiting the rich and big business until we reached the current low rate of 10% and high rate of 35%. These rates are scheduled to stay in effect until the end of 2012 due to the fact our Republican controlled congress refuses to increase taxes on the wealthy.

*Republican controlled congress refuses to increase taxes on wealthy.

Whether the various tax increases/decreases were initiated under Republican and/or Democratic Presidents is not as important as the results achieved by the changes.

In the area of Jobs

Under higher taxes 23.1 million jobs were added to the economy during the eight years of the Clinton administration. Under lower taxes approximately 3.0 million jobs were added during the eight years of the George W. Bush administration. On a per year basis, Clinton created more jobs per year than 10 other presidents, from George W. Bush, through Harry S. Truman.

In the area of the National Debt in real numbers and as a percentage of GDP

The National Debt after Clinton’s two terms in office, with higher taxes, stood at $5.7 trillion. When Clinton went into office the debt as a percentage of GDP was 66.1 percent. When he left office eight years later, debt as a percentage of GDP was 56.4 percent or an eight-year decrease of 9.7 percent.

The National Debt after Bush’s two terms in office, with lowered taxes, stood at $10.0 trillion. When Bush went into office the debt as a percentage of GDP was 56.4 percent. When he left office eight years later, debt as a percentage of GDP was 63.5 percent or an eight-year increase of 7.1 percent.

In the area of Defense

The two wars started in 2001 and 2003 by President George W. Bush will end up costing U.S. taxpayers an estimated $1.3 trillion dollars through FY 2011, as estimated by Congressional Research Service in September of 2010.

This is the first time in the history of the United States that we have gone to war without increasing taxes to provide funding to cover the war costs. Instead of increasing taxes to fund not one, but two separate wars, we lowered base tax rates, increased exemption amounts, increased deduction amounts and added one loophole after another.

The first time taxes were raised to cover expenses due to a war was in 1917 when the War Revenue Act of 1917 raised the top tax rate from 15% to 67%. One year later, the top tax was raised again from 67% to 77%. Whenever this country had additional costs from any war and/or any type of unusual expenses, taxes were raised to cover the extraordinary expenses. In instances where tax rates were not raised to cover the additional costs of war, a surcharge was put in place. During 1944 and 1945 the top tax was raised to a record 94% to cover the costs of World War II.

Raising taxes for high income earners, isn’t some sort of punishment for the wealthy due to accomplishments they have achieved in life, it’s the right thing to do. It’s the way this country has been run since inception. The first tax rate ever imposed on U.S. taxpayers was a low rate of 1% and a high rate of 7%. Using that same logic, our current tax rate for the wealthiest of wealthy should be at 70%, and we are currently taxing the rich at ½ that rate.

Cutting our budget to the bone isn’t going to change the fact that the primary reason our country is teetering on the edge of collapse is greed. The next time you hear one of our politicians telling you tax cuts create jobs, encourage investment and are the answer to all our fiscal prayers, check their net worth on www.opensecrets.org

John Boehner, Eric Cantor, Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan besides being legislators that are proponents of tax cuts all have something else in common. They are exceptionally wealthy.

Government spending, financed by a tax increase on the rich, gets “more bang for the buck” because it uses money that was not being efficiently and effectively used, while costing the government little or nothing. The cost of borrowing when the spending is deficit financed must be added to the national debt as well as the amount borrowed.

© Patricia L Johnson and Richard E Walrath

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Thank You All!

Posted on October 22, 2011 by Administrator

By Richard E Walrath and Patricia L Johnson

Special thanks to all our readers, viewers and comment writers who over the years, have become part of Articles and Answers.

Without them, A&A would be just another blog. Instead, A&A is one in a million–maybe even millions.

Posted in News and politics | 2 Comments

What Would Steve Do? Jobs, That Is

Posted on October 20, 2011 by Administrator

By Richard E Walrath and Patricia L Johnson

Steve Jobs came back to his company just in time to save it. Apple was floundering around like a fish out of water. The company lacked focus, a sense of purpose, but what it needed most was someone who could see what needed to be done. Steve Jobs put people to work doing what he saw needed to be done. That’s what this country needs today–get busy on all the things that need to be done.

Some people are spending their time scratching their heads and wondering what to do about the deficit. More than 20 million, unemployed and under-employed, are scratching their heads and worrying about how to get a job and something to eat.

By this time, most people, hopefully, know that GDP is made up of consumer spending (70%). That leaves just 30% for the rest of the components–business investment, government spending, and trade (exports less imports). We import more than we export, so that actually reduces GDP.

Business firms instead of investing are sitting on over $2 trillion dollars waiting for the economy to become more certain. The rich have everything they could possibly want or need, and haven’t been spending the way they were. The answer, clearly, is more jobs. If more people were working, incomes would be higher, people would be spending more and GDP would be growing.

Banks are sitting on hoards of money as a result of bailouts and aren’t lending to small businesses.

Cutting the deficit by reducing government spending also reduces GDP, which makes the situation worse.

We hear over and over again from the Republicans that “we have a spending problem.” No, we don’t. Where we have a deficit is in the revenues. There are dozens of companies that pay their executives more in salaries than the companies pay in taxes.

The chart below represents revenues for fiscal year 2011. Individual income taxes comprise the largest percentage, while social insurance [employment taxes] is second. Trailing in third place is corporate taxes.

While social insurance taxes [employment – FICA and SECA] have jumped from 10% of revenues in the 1950’s to between 35 and 45 percent in recent years, corporate and excise taxes have dropped significantly. In the 1950’s corporate taxes represented 30 percent of federal receipts, while excise taxes were 19 percent.

Investment spending is the immediate answer which can be achieved by companies and banks spending the funds they are currently hoarding. The long term solution, of course, is reviewing the tax loopholes that allowed taxes from corporations to drop from 30 percent of revenues in the 1950’s to a mere 8.3 percent of revenues in 2011.

© Richard E Walrath and Patricia L Johnson

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Are Tax Cuts the Driving Force Behind Job Creation and Economic Growth?

Posted on October 11, 2011 by Administrator

Republican Presidential candidates would have us believe increasing taxes stifles job creation and economic growth in this country, but what does an analysis of economic indicators before and after tax cuts indicate?

Proponents of supply-side economics believe economic growth is achieved by reducing taxes.  They believe tax reductions provide workers with an incentive to work harder, encourage businesses to hire more workers and invest more.  They further believe lowering capital gains tax rates and reducing regulations benefits consumers by providing lower prices.

This supply-side economic theory was the driving force behind the major tax cuts that were put in place under the Bush administration.  Most of you are familiar with two, of the ten, tax cuts that were passed during the administration of President George W. Bush as the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001, EGTRRA, P.L. 107-16, and the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003, JGTRRA P.L. 108-27.

Comparing data before and after tax cuts from one year to another during any administration is difficult when everything is not equal during the entire administration, therefore the Congressional Research Service removed the recession years from their analysis as well as the years when the tax cuts were not fully implemented.

The end result of this analysis follows:

Data Source:  Congressional Research Service – CRS calculations based on data from BEA and BLS.

The economy performed better in seven of the nine categories before the tax cuts, than after the tax cuts.

While the annual average unemployment is indicated as 5.2% for both Clinton and Bush, unemployment dropped from 6.9% in 1993 to 4.0% under the higher tax rates of the Clinton administration.  If 2008 had been included in the Bush calculations, the variance between the two annual figures would have been significant due to the number of jobs lost in 2008 [3.6 million].

From a job creation standpoint alone, it’s well documented that 20 million more jobs were created during the administration of William J. Clinton than during the administration of George W. Bush.

The number that is most noteworthy is Business Investment Growth at an annual rate of 10.3 percent under high taxes v. 5.6 percent with lowered tax rates.  The 10.3 percent under Clinton is almost double the investment growth under Bush.

It is obvious, from the CRS comparison,  that tax cuts do not grow the economy.  In the case of the Bush tax cuts, it would be fair to say they have almost destroyed the economy.

Under certain conditions short-term tax cuts are necessary to stimulate the economy, even when they are deficit-financed, which is what President Obama is currently requesting from Congress.

© Patricia L Johnson

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How Many Legs does Herman Cain’s 9-9-9 Tax Plan Have?

Posted on October 9, 2011 by Administrator

By Richard E Walrath

Cain states his 9-9-9 plan would replace the current IRS tax system with a flat 9 percent income tax, 9 percent corporate tax and 9 percent consumption tax.

Various news reports have stated Herman Cain’s new found popularity is due to the simplicity of his 9-9-9 tax plan and my question is how many people actually know what his 9-9-9 plan is? If they did they wouldn’t like it. A 9% National Sales Tax is bad for 50% at least, of the households in this country. A 9% income tax added to the National Sales Tax = 18%. That’s higher than they’re paying now. This form of taxation is extremely harmful to the poor and middle class in this county and it’s not the end of the story. There is nothing simple, or fair, about Cain’s 9-9-9 Tax Plan.

Reminds me of a story I once heard about President Lincoln.

Lincoln was in court and asked his opponent,

“How many legs does a dog have?”

“Why, four of course”, was the answer his opponent provided.

“And how many legs does a dog have if you call his tail a leg?” Lincoln asked.

“Why, five, of course” was the answer from his opponent.

“No, the answer is still four”, said Lincoln. “Calling a tail a leg doesn’t make it a leg”.

Calling Cain’s tax plan fair and simple does not make it either fair or simple.

Herman Cain is first and foremost a former CEO and as a former CEO his first and primary concern will always be the corporate bottom line – what can be done to improve corporate profits. His interest in the poor and middle-class can be summed up in one sentence “Don’t blame Wall Street, don’t blame the big banks, if you don’t have a job and you’re not rich, blame yourself!”

© 2011 Richard E Walrath

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U.S. Disasters Stretch from Alaska to Hawaii

Posted on September 25, 2011 by Administrator

Photo FEMA/Jace Anderson – August 18, 2011

By Patricia L Johnson and Richard E Walrath

FEMA funding has been a news topic for the past week due to the failure of Congress to come to an agreement on funding levels. The U.S. House vote taken on September 21 for stopgap funding failed by a vote of 195-230. This vote was to extend Federal funding until November 18, 2011 but due to a dispute over funding for disaster relief, the bill failed.

The hold-up this time around is the Republicans failure to pass a A running smoothly. Democrats want an additional $7 billion dollars added to the FEMA budget, while Republicans want the current FEMA budget reduced as well as additional cuts to offset any increased funding provided for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, with the spending cuts to come directly from EPA budget allocations.

If the two houses of Congress cannot come to an agreement, the government will not be funded past next Friday, September 30. It wasn’t too long ago the words “government shutdown” were being used in conjunction with the failure of Tea-Party members to agree to raising the debt limit, a political ploy that backfired by costing this country our AAA credit rating with Standard and Poor’s. Did they learn from their mistakes? Only time will tell.

In the meanwhile FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, is close to running out of funds. They have $175 million in the disaster relief fund and it could reach zero by 9/27 or 9/28/2011. According to FEMA spokesperson, Rachel Racusen if the balance is allowed to reach zero, disaster recovery and assistance operations will be temporarily shut down. [according to 9/24/2011 article in The Hill]

“Under law, FEMA would be forced to temporarily shut down disaster recovery and assistance operations, including financial assistance to individuals until Congress appropriated more funds. This would include all past and current FEMA recovery operations.”

A disaster declaration is a statement sent by the Governor of a particular state and directed to the President of the United States via the local FEMA office, advising that his/her State/County requires Federal assistance in dealing with one of the following potential disasters: Chemical, dam failure, earthquake, fire or wildfire, flood, hazardous material, heat, hurricane, landslide, nuclear power plant emergency, terrorism, thunderstorm, tornado, tsunami, volcano or winter storm. Upon receipt FEMA personnel work together with the State’s emergency management agency to prepare a preliminary assessment of damages. This data is then returned to the Governor, as support, for determination as to whether or not he/she should process a request for assistance based on whether or not the damage exceeds the ability state and local resources have to pay for the damages.

The total number of disaster declarations for 2011 to date is 84. Since 1953 there have an average of 34 per year. As you can readily see, we’ll already 50 over the average of 34.

The top six states for disasters since 1953 have been: Texas, California, Oklahoma, New York, Florida and Louisiana. In 2011 Texas declared two new disasters, California – two, Oklahoma – four, New York – four, Florida – zero and Louisiana – one. What is interesting is the number of disasters that are still active in these six states, the total is 14. Two in Texas, one in California, three in Oklahoma, three in New York, none in Florida and five in Louisiana.

So what would the Republicans like to cut – would they like FEMA to stop helping out with the current wildfires in Texas or would they prefer to cut funding for Missouri?  See photo above.

The following map indicates the only two states in the United States that have not had a Disaster Declared for their state; Michigan and West Virginia in blue.   All the other states in the union have experienced some sort of disaster. All of the states in grey have had at least one MAJOR disaster declared for their state. The six states depicted with flames have not yet declared a major disaster, but all have requested fire management assistance from the Federal government.

Some states have requested both fire management assistance and have had their state declared a Major Disaster, Texas is a prime example. During 2011 alone there have been over 50 fire management assistance declarations requested for the State of Texas.

© Patricia L Johnson and Richard E Walrath

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USDA Class I Recall – Texas Firm Recalls Ground Beef Due To Possible E. Coli O157:H7 Contamination

Posted on September 24, 2011 by Administrator

Texas Firm Recalls Ground Beef Due To Possible E. Coli O157:H7 Contamination.

Palo Duro Meat, an Amarillo, Texas, establishment, is recalling 40,000 pounds of frozen fine ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.

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USDA Class I Recall – New York Firm Recalls Chicken, Beef, Veal and Pork Products Due to an Undeclared Allergen

Posted on September 22, 2011 by Administrator

New York Firm Recalls Chicken, Beef, Veal and Pork Products Due to an Undeclared Allergen.

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Today’s News

Posted on September 15, 2011 by Administrator
ABC News ajc.com Al Jazeera
Army Times BBC News Bloomberg
Boston.com CBS News Chicago Tribune
CNN.com Dallas News.com Drudge Report
FT.com Fox News Investors.com
Los Angeles Times MSNBC News Navy Times
NBC News New York Daily New York Post
New York Times Philly.com Reuters
Roll Call Scoop The Hill
The Huffington Post Time.com U.S. News.com
Wall Street Journal Washington Post Washington Times
Wired News World News Network

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Daily Press Briefing – September 13, 2011

Posted on September 14, 2011 by Administrator

Daily Press Briefing – September 13, 2011.

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Impact of Credit Downgrade on Oil Prices

Posted on September 14, 2011 by Administrator

Impact of Credit Downgrade on Oil Prices.

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OSHA News Release: US Labor Department’s OSHA cites 50 safety violations, proposes $917,000 in fines against Bostik Inc. following Middleton, Mass., explosion [09/13/2011]

Posted on September 14, 2011 by Administrator

OSHA News Release: US Labor Department’s OSHA cites 50 safety violations, proposes $917,000 in fines against Bostik Inc. following Middleton, Mass., explosion [09/13/2011].

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Congressional Budget Office, CBO – New Releases

Posted on September 14, 2011 by Administrator
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FRB: Press Release–Federal Reserve Board issues enforcement action with Pinnacle Bank Holding Company–September 13, 2011

Posted on September 14, 2011 by Administrator

FRB: Press Release–Federal Reserve Board issues enforcement action with Pinnacle Bank Holding Company–September 13, 2011.

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Federal Register Notice Clarifying Previous Sanction Announcement (Taken Question)

Posted on September 14, 2011 by Administrator

Federal Register Notice Clarifying Previous Sanction Announcement (Taken Question).

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Defense.gov: Contracts for Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Posted on September 14, 2011 by Administrator

Defense.gov: Contracts for Tuesday, September 13, 2011.

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Navy.mil the Official Web Site of the United States Navy

Posted on September 14, 2011 by Administrator

Navy.mil the Official Web Site of the United States Navy.

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Congressional Record – 112th Congress (2011-2012) – THOMAS (Library of Congress)

Posted on September 14, 2011 by Administrator

Congressional Record – 112th Congress (2011-2012) – THOMAS (Library of Congress).

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VA Observes Suicide Prevention Week – Public and Intergovernmental Affairs

Posted on September 14, 2011 by Administrator

VA Observes Suicide Prevention Week – Public and Intergovernmental Affairs.

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American Jobs Act

Posted on September 13, 2011 by Administrator

American Jobs Act.

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Navy.mil the Official Web Site of the United States Navy – News September 12, 2011

Posted on September 13, 2011 by Administrator

Navy.mil the Official Web Site of the United States Navy.

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Defense.gov News Release: DOD Identifies Army Casualty – September 12

Posted on September 13, 2011 by Administrator

Defense.gov News Release: DOD Identifies Army Casualty.

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This Day in History — History.com — What Happened Today in History – September 13

Posted on September 13, 2011 by Administrator

This Day in History — History.com — What Happened Today in History.

September 13: General Interest
1814: Key pens Star-Spangled Banner

“On this day in 1814, Francis Scott Key pens a poem which is later set to music and in 1931 becomes America’s national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner.” The poem, originally titled “The Defence of Fort McHenry,” was written after Key witnessed the Maryland fort being bombarded by the British during the War of 1812. Key was inspired by the sight of a lone U.S. flag still flying over Fort McHenry at daybreak, as reflected in the now-famous words of the “Star-Spangled Banner”: “And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.”

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Defense.gov News Release: DOD Identifies Army Casualty – September 12

Posted on September 13, 2011 by Administrator

Defense.gov News Release: DOD Identifies Army Casualty.

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Defense.gov: Contracts for Monday, September 12, 2011

Posted on September 13, 2011 by Administrator

Defense.gov: Contracts for Monday, September 12, 2011.

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Defense.gov News Release: DOD Identifies Army Casualty – September 12

Posted on September 13, 2011 by Administrator

Defense.gov News Release: DOD Identifies Army Casualty.

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THOMAS Top Ten for 9/11/2011 – THOMAS (Library of Congress)

Posted on September 13, 2011 by Administrator

THOMAS Top Ten for 9/11/2011 – THOMAS (Library of Congress).

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The Associated Press: Clinton: Kabul attackers will be dealt with

Posted on September 13, 2011 by Administrator

The Associated Press: Clinton: Kabul attackers will be dealt with.

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Congressional Budget Office – Estimated Impact of Automatic Budget Enforcement Procedures Specified in the Budget Control Act

Posted on September 13, 2011 by Administrator

Congressional Budget Office – Estimated Impact of Automatic Budget Enforcement Procedures Specified in the Budget Control Act.

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Gripes and Grumbles – September 13

Posted on September 13, 2011 by Administrator

By Patricia L Johnson

When the 112th Congress failed to come to an agreement on funding for the Federal Aviation Administration the funding expired on July 23, 2011 and 4,000 federal workers were furloughed, but FAA workers didn’t just walk off the job and leave everyone stranded. Key personnel continued to work and they continued to work without pay for a two week period of time, with some paying their associated expenses out of their own pockets. On August 5 the FAA was temporarily funded through September 16, 2011 (three days from now).

When government workers are furloughed Congress must provide authorization for back-pay for government workers furloughed during a shut-down.

They were told they would receive back-pay and an earlier version of the bill included back-pay, but according to a GovExec September 12, 2011 article the latest draft of the bill does not include this provision.

Another ploy to force President Obama to kowtow to their demands?

Do you have an opinion?  Contact your elected officials:

U.S. Representatives

U.S. Senators

Posted in Elections 2012, Government, Gripes and Grumbles, News and politics, Safety and Security | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

IAEA Board of Governors� September Meeting Convenes

Posted on September 13, 2011 by Administrator

Board of Governors� September Meeting Convenes.

“The Agency is increasingly concerned about the possible existence in Iran of past or current undisclosed nuclear related activities involving military related organizations, including activities related to the development of a nuclear payload for a missile, about which the Agency continues to receive new information. In the near future, I hope to set out in greater detail the basis for the Agency’s concerns so that all Member States are fully informed.”

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Economic Releases – Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Posted on September 13, 2011 by Administrator

Gross Domestic Product by Metropolitan Area
Note: Release time is at 10:30 a.m.

Monthly Treasury Statement (The Monthly “Budget”)
Note: Release time is at 2 p.m.

U.S. Import and Export Price Indexes

Commercial Paper

Federal Reserve Board (updated daily)

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FBI — Mark F. Giuliano Named Executive Assistant Director of the National Security Branch

Posted on September 13, 2011 by Administrator

FBI — Mark F. Giuliano Named Executive Assistant Director of the National Security Branch.

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ManpowerGroup | Manpower Employment Outlook Survey – Global – 4th Qtr 2011

Posted on September 13, 2011 by Administrator

ManpowerGroup | Manpower Employment Outlook Survey.

“According to the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey of global hiring trends released today, employers in 21 of 39 countries expect the fourth-quarter hiring pace to soften from the third quarter. However, Net Employment Outlooks remain in positive territory and are stronger than they were last year at this time in the majority of countries and territories that ManpowerGroup surveys. Other findings include:

  • Employers in Brazil, Taiwan, India and Singapore report the strongest job prospects, while hiring plans are weakest in Greece and Italy. Employers in Israel and Slovakia are surveyed for the first time this quarter.
  • Job prospects in the Asia Pacific region remain strong, despite expectations among employers in India and China to slow hiring from three months ago.
  • In Europe, labor market trends follow the same mixed results seen throughout 2011, with positive hiring activity expected in 18 of 23 countries surveyed.
  • In the Americas, employers in Brazil report the most optimistic hiring intentions for the quarter ahead. In contrast, U.S. employers expect to continue their cautious hiring approach through the end of the year.”
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Tony Hayward in line for multimillion windfall after Iraq oil deal | Iraq Business News

Posted on September 13, 2011 by Administrator

Tony Hayward in line for multimillion windfall after Iraq oil deal | Iraq Business News.

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This Day in History — History.com — What Happened Today in History

Posted on September 12, 2011 by Administrator

This Day in History — History.com — What Happened Today in History.

1940: Lascaux cave paintings discovered

Near Montignac, France, a collection of prehistoric cave paintings are discovered by four teenagers who stumbled upon the ancient artwork after following their dog down a narrow entrance into a cavern. The 15,000- to 17,000-year-old paintings, consisting mostly of animal representations, are among the finest examples of art from the Upper Paleolithic period.

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Killing of Syrian Human Rights Activist Ghiyath Mattar

Posted on September 12, 2011 by Administrator

Killing of Syrian Human Rights Activist Ghiyath Mattar.

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Defense.gov News Release: DOD Identifies Navy Casualty – September 11

Posted on September 12, 2011 by Administrator

Defense.gov News Release: DOD Identifies Navy Casualty.

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Readout of Secretary Clinton’s Call With Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr

Posted on September 12, 2011 by Administrator

Readout of Secretary Clinton’s Call With Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr.

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Congressional Record – 112th Congress (2011-2012) – THOMAS (Library of Congress) – September 9, 2011

Posted on September 12, 2011 by Administrator

Congressional Record – 112th Congress (2011-2012) – THOMAS (Library of Congress).

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Mosque Attacks in the West Bank – U.S. Department of State

Posted on September 12, 2011 by Administrator

Mosque Attacks in the West Bank.

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Defense.gov News Release: DOD Identifies Army Casualties – September 9

Posted on September 12, 2011 by Administrator

Defense.gov News Release: DOD Identifies Army Casualties.

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Defense.gov: Contracts for Friday, September 09, 2011

Posted on September 12, 2011 by Administrator

Defense.gov: Contracts for Friday, September 09, 2011.

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GAO, Government Accountability Office Reports – September 9, 2011

Posted on September 12, 2011 by Administrator

SEP 9, 2011

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China Economic Review – CPI

Posted on September 12, 2011 by Administrator

Chinese inflation slows in August

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) in China rose 6.2% year-on-year for August, down from a 6.5% increase in July, MarketWatch reported. CPI is a main gauge of inflation published by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). The results were in line with expectations published by Reuters, and just above a 6.1% forecast from Dow Jones Newswires. The country’s Producer Price Index (PPI), a measure of wholesale inflation also compiled by NBS, increased 7.3% in August compared to a year earlier. This was higher than forecast, but still lower than the 7.5% rise in July. Economists now predict that Beijing is likely to ease up on tightening policies intended to rein in growth. “There will be no big macro policy change in the near future, unless economic woes in the U.S. and Europe deepen and hurt the Chinese economy significantly,” said Standard Chartered economist Li Wei.

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Two Decades of Spills

Posted on September 12, 2011 by Administrator

New York Times
BUSINESS DAY

Two Decades of Spills

Published: September 9, 2011

Since 1990, more than 110 million gallons of crude and petroleum products have spilled from America’s pipeline network.

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/09/09/business/energy-environment/pipeline-spills.html

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Vets Worry About Future of New GI Bill

Posted on September 12, 2011 by Administrator

Vets Worry About Future of New GI Bill.

In 2009, riding a wave of pro-military sentiment, several influential veterans groups convinced a few strong voices in the Senate to sponsor legislation that ultimately became the Post-9/11 GI Bill, the most generous military benefit since the original GI Bill was created in the wake of World War II.

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Economic Releases – Monday – September 12, 2011

Posted on September 12, 2011 by Administrator

Euro Area Securities Issues Statistics
Note: Release time is at 4 a.m.

Foreign Exchange Rates (H10)
Note: Release time is at 4 p.m.

Long-term Interest Rate Statistics for EU Member States
Note: Release time is at 4 a.m.

Manufacturing, Mining, and Wholesale Trade (Quarterly)
Note: Release time is at 10 a.m.

Selected Interest Rates
Note: Release time is at 4:15 p.m.

Commercial Paper

Federal Reserve Board (updated daily)

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Congressional Record – 112th Congress (2011-2012) – THOMAS (Library of Congress)

Posted on September 12, 2011 by Administrator

Congressional Record – 112th Congress (2011-2012) – THOMAS (Library of Congress).

Daily Digest – September 8, 2011

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Medical News: Panel Endorses Xarelto for Stroke Prevention – in Cardiovascular, Strokes from MedPage Today

Posted on September 12, 2011 by Administrator

Medical News: Panel Endorses Xarelto for Stroke Prevention – in Cardiovascular, Strokes from MedPage Today.

“ADELPHI, Md. — An FDA advisory committee has voted 9-2, with one abstention, to recommend that the FDA approve the direct oral factor Xa inhibitor rivaroxaban (Xarelto) to prevent stroke in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation.”

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AFP: GM’s China sales hit record for August

Posted on September 12, 2011 by Administrator

AFP: GM’s China sales hit record for August.

SHANGHAI — US auto giant General Motors said its sales in China hit 205,885 units in August — a record for the month — up 13.4 percent from a year ago due to strong growth in passenger car purchases.

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Update – VBIED Attack in Sayed Abad Fails to Disrupt Operations | ISAF – International Security Assistance Force

Posted on September 11, 2011 by Administrator

Update – VBIED Attack in Sayed Abad Fails to Disrupt Operations | ISAF – International Security Assistance Force.

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This Day in History — History.com — What Happened Today in History

Posted on September 11, 2011 by Administrator

This Day in History — History.com — What Happened Today in History.

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September 11, 2001, Documentary Project – (American Memory from the Library of Congress)

Posted on September 11, 2011 by Administrator

September 11, 2001, Documentary Project – (American Memory from the Library of Congress).

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Arkansas Firm Recalls Ground Turkey Products Due to Possible Salmonella Contamination

Posted on September 11, 2011 by Administrator

Arkansas Firm Recalls Ground Turkey Products Due to Possible Salmonella Contamination.

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9/11 Attacks — History.com Interactive Maps, Timelines & Games

Posted on September 11, 2011 by Administrator

9/11 Attacks — History.com Interactive Maps, Timelines & Games.

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Today’s News

Posted on September 10, 2011 by Administrator
ABC News ajc.com Al Jazeera
Army Times BBC News Bloomberg
Boston.com CBS News Chicago Tribune
CNN.com Dallas News.com Drudge Report
FT.com Fox News Investors.com
Los Angeles Times MSNBC News Navy Times
NBC News New York Daily New York Post
New York Times Philly.com Reuters
Roll Call Scoop The Hill
The Huffington Post Time.com U.S. News.com
Wall Street Journal Washington Post Washington Times
Wired News World News Network
Posted in News and politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

How to Contact Your Elected Officials

Posted on September 9, 2011 by Administrator

Contact Elected Officials

Call, e-mail, or mail U.S. state and federal elected officials and government agencies.

· President Barack Obama and VP Joe Biden
· U.S. Senators
· U.S. Representatives
· State Governors
· State Legislators
· Tweet a Message to Your Representatives
· Contact Your Government, by Agency
· Contact Your Government, by Topic

Courtesy of USA.gov
www.usa.gov

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This Week In Petroleum – September 8, 2011

Posted on September 9, 2011 by Administrator

This Week In Petroleum.

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OSHA News Release: US Department of Labor’s OSHA cites Florida manufacturers and distributors of hair products containing formaldehyde for health violations [09/08/2011]

Posted on September 9, 2011 by Administrator

OSHA News Release: US Department of Labor’s OSHA cites Florida manufacturers and distributors of hair products containing formaldehyde for health violations [09/08/2011].

Posted in Health and wellness, News and politics | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

An Analysis of the Obama Jobs Plan

Posted on September 9, 2011 by Administrator

An Analysis of the Obama Jobs Plan.

Posted in Economy, News and politics | Leave a comment

Defense.gov News Release: DOD Identifies Unit for Upcoming Afghanistan Rotation

Posted on September 9, 2011 by Administrator

Defense.gov News Release: DOD Identifies Unit for Upcoming Afghanistan Rotation.

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Defense.gov: Contracts for Thursday, September 08, 2011

Posted on September 9, 2011 by Administrator

Defense.gov: Contracts for Thursday, September 08, 2011.

Posted in News and politics, U.S. Military | Leave a comment

FactChecking the Reagan Library Debate | FactCheck.org

Posted on September 9, 2011 by Administrator

FactChecking the Reagan Debate | FactCheck.org.

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Geithner Op-Ed: ‘What the world must do to boost growth’

Posted on September 9, 2011 by Administrator

Geithner Op-Ed: ‘What the world must do to boost growth’.

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GAO – General Accounting Office Reports and Testimonies – September 8

Posted on September 9, 2011 by Administrator

Reports

1. Nuclear Nonproliferation:  U.S. Agencies Have Limited Ability to Account for, Monitor, and Evaluate the Security of U.S. Nuclear Material Overseas.  GAO-11-920, September 8.

http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-920

Highlights – http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11920high.pdf

2. Environmental Health: Action Needed to Sustain Agencies’ Collaboration on Pharmaceuticals in Drinking Water.  GAO-11-346, August 8.

http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-346

Highlights – http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11346high.pdf

Testimonies

1.  Department of Homeland Security: Progress Made and Work Remaining in Implementing Homeland Security Missions 10 Years after 9/11, by Gene L. Dodaro, comptroller general of the United States, before the House Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.  GAO-11-940T, September 8.

http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-940T

Highlights – http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11940thigh.pdf

2. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families:  Update on Families Served and Work Participation, by Kay E. Brown, director, education, workforce, and income security, before the Subcommittee on Human Resources, House Committee on Ways and Means.  GAO-11-880T, September 8.

http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-880T

Highlights – http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11880thigh.pdf

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Library of Congress – U.S. House, September 8

Posted on September 9, 2011 by Administrator

H.Res.392

Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 2218) to amend the charter school program under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, and providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 1892) to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2012 for intelligence and intelligence-related activities of the United States Government, the Community Management Account, and the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System, and for other purposes. (09/08/2011 legislative day)

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FRB: Speech–Bernanke, The U.S. Economic Outlook–September 8, 2011

Posted on September 9, 2011 by Administrator

FRB: Speech–Bernanke, The U.S. Economic Outlook–September 8, 2011.

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VA Announces Expansion of Virtual Lifetime Electronic Record – Public and Intergovernmental Affairs

Posted on September 9, 2011 by Administrator

VA Announces Expansion of Virtual Lifetime Electronic Record – Public and Intergovernmental Affairs.

Posted in Computers and Internet, Government, Health and wellness, News and politics, U.S. Military | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Economic Releases – Friday, September 9, 2011

Posted on September 9, 2011 by Administrator

ECRI Weekly Leading Index
Note: Release time is at 10:30 a.m.

Employer Costs for Employee Compensation*

Monthly Wholesale Trade: Sales and Inventories (MTIS)
Note: Release time is at 10 a.m.

Commercial Paper

Federal Reserve Board (updated daily)

*Note: Annual and other releases without published, scheduled release dates are issued the following business day

Source: NBER

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Congressional Budget Office – Budget and Economic Outlook: An Update

Posted on September 9, 2011 by Administrator

Congressional Budget Office – Budget and Economic Outlook: An Update.

“The federal budget deficit totaled $1.23 trillion through the first 11 months of fiscal year 2011, CBO estimates–$28 billion less than the deficit incurred in the same period last year. Revenues were about 7.6 percent higher through August than they were at the same point last year, and outlays were 3.7 percent higher. In its most recent budget projections, published in August in The Budget and Economic Outlook: An Update, CBO estimated that the deficit for fiscal year 2011 (which will end on September 30, 2011) will total $1.28 trillion, about $10 billion less than last year’s shortfall.”

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U.N. chief urges world to redouble efforts on climate talks – AlertNet

Posted on September 9, 2011 by Administrator

U.N. chief urges world to redouble efforts on climate talks – AlertNet.

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Fact Sheet: The American Jobs Act | The White House

Posted on September 9, 2011 by Administrator

Fact Sheet: The American Jobs Act | The White House.

Posted in Economy, Employment, Government | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Address by the President to a Joint Session of Congress | The White House

Posted on September 9, 2011 by Administrator

Address by the President to a Joint Session of Congress | The White House.

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For those that need a smile to start/end their day!

Posted on September 8, 2011 by Administrator

$5.37!

That’s what the kid behind the counter at Taco Bell said to me. I dug into my pocket and pulled out some lint and two dimes and something that used to be a Jolly Rancher. Having already handed the kid a five-spot, I started to head back out to the truck to grab some change when the kid with the Elmo hairdo said the hardest thing anyone has ever said to me.  He said, “It’s OK. I’ll just give you the senior citizen discount.”

I turned to see who he was talking to and then heard the sound of change hitting the counter in front of me. “Only $4.68” he said cheerfully.

I stood there stupefied. I am 56, not even 60 yet? A mere child! Senior citizen?

I took my burrito and walked out to the truck wondering what was wrong with Elmo. Was he blind? As I sat in the truck, my blood began to boil. Old? Me?

I’ll show him, I thought. I opened the door and headed back inside. I strode to the counter, and there he was waiting with a smile.

Before I could say a word, he held up something and jingled it in front of me, like I could be that easily distracted! What am I now? A toddler?

“Dude!  Can’t get too far without your car keys, eh?” I stared with utter disdain at the keys. I began to rationalize in my mind.

“Leaving keys behind hardly makes a man elderly! It could happen to anyone!”

I turned and headed back to the truck. I slipped the key into the ignition, but it wouldn’t turn. What now? I checked my keys and tried another. Still nothing.

That’s when I noticed the purple beads hanging from my rear view mirror. I had no purple beads hanging from my rear view mirror.

Then, a few other objects came into focus. The car seat in the back seat. Happy Meal toys spread all over the floorboard. A partially eaten doughnut on the dashboard.

Faster than you can say ginkgo biloba, I flew out of the alien vehicle.

Moments later I was speeding out of the parking lot, relieved to finally be leaving this nightmarish stop in my life. That is when I felt it, deep in the bowels of my stomach: hunger! My stomach growled and churned, and I reached to grab my burrito, only it was nowhere to be found.

I swung the truck around, gathered my courage, and strode back into the restaurant one final time. There Elmo stood, draped in youth and black nail polish. All I could think was, “What is the world coming to?”

All I could say was, “Did I leave my food and drink in here”? At this point I was ready to ask a Boy Scout to help me back to my vehicle, and then go straight home and apply for Social Security benefits.

Elmo had no clue. I walked back out to the truck, and suddenly a young lad came up and tugged on my jeans to get my attention. He was holding up a drink and a bag. His mother explained, “I think you left this in my truck by mistake.”

I took the food and drink from the little boy and sheepishly apologized.

She offered these kind words: “It’s OK. My grandfather does stuff like this all the time.”

All of this is to explain how I got a ticket doing 85 in a 40. Yes, I was racing some punk kid in a Toyota Prius. And no, I told the officer, I’m not too old to be driving this fast.

As I walked in the front door, my wife met me halfway down the hall. I handed her a bag of cold food and a $300 speeding ticket. I promptly sat in my rocking chair and covered up my legs with a blankey.

The good news was I had successfully found my way home.

Pass this on to the other old fogies on your list.

P.S. Save the earth…… It’s the only planet with chocolate!!!!!

Author Unknown

Posted in Entertainment | Leave a comment

Can Small RNC Rule Change Affect GOP Race? : Roll Call Opinion

Posted on September 8, 2011 by Administrator

Can Small RNC Rule Change Affect GOP Race? : Roll Call Opinion.

Posted in News and politics | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Rules Committee

Posted on September 8, 2011 by Administrator

H.R. 2218 – Empowering Parents through Quality Charter Schools

&

H.R. 1892 – Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012

September 7, 2011

 
Bill Summaries H.R 2218: Reauthorizes and modernizes the Charter School Program under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.  The bill would increase the number of charter schools available to students and families, ensure charter schools share their best practices with all public schools, and improve access to charter schools for all students, including students with disabilities and English language learners.

H.R. 1892: Authorizes U.S. intelligence and intelligence-related activities within the jurisdiction of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI), including the National Intelligence Program (NIP), and the Military Intelligence Program (MIP).

 
Type of Rule The rule provides a structured rule for consideration of each measure.  Reported by voice vote.
Amendments
H.R. 2218

Republican

Democratic

Bipartisan
Submitted

1

9

2
Withdrawn

0

0

0
Made in Order

1

5

2
H.R. 1892

Republican

Democratic

Bipartisan
Submitted

4

15

0
Withdrawn

0

6

0
Made in Order

3

6

0
 

Other Elements of the Rule
  • Debate Time: Provides each measure one hour of general debate equally divided and controlled by the chairs and ranking minority members of the Committee on Education and the Workforce (H.R. 2218) and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (H.R. 1892).
  • Provides 10 minutes of debate for each of the 17 amendments made in order.
  • Provides each measure a motion to recommit with or without instructions.
  • Floor Managers: Foxx/Polis
Floor Action Expected The rule and the bills are expected to be debated on the floor: September 8 and 9, 2011.
Posted in News and politics | Leave a comment

Defense.gov News Transcript: Charlie Rose “PBS” Interview with Secretary Panetta

Posted on September 8, 2011 by Administrator

Defense.gov News Transcript: Charlie Rose “PBS” Interview with Secretary Panetta.

Posted in Government, News and politics | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Business Council Status (Taken Question)

Posted on September 8, 2011 by Administrator

Business Council Status (Taken Question).

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U.S. Court of Appeals, 4th District, dismisses both health care cases

Posted on September 8, 2011 by Administrator

The 4th District of the U.S. Court of Appeals dismissed both the following health care cases:

102347.P Liberty University v. Timothy Geithner

111057.P Commonwealth of Virginia v. Kathleen Sebelius

 

Posted in Government, Health and wellness, Health, Uninsured, News and politics, U.S. Courts | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Defense.gov: Contracts for Wednesday, September 07, 2011

Posted on September 8, 2011 by Administrator

Defense.gov: Contracts for Wednesday, September 07, 2011.

Posted in Government, News and politics | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

The White House – September 8, 2011 – 7:00 PM EDT – President Obama Speaks before Joint Session of Congress on Jobs

Posted on September 8, 2011 by Administrator

The White House.

Posted in Economy, Employment, News and politics | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

A Comment for U.S. House members Rep. Joe Walsh (R-IL) and Rep. Paul Broun (R-GA)

Posted on September 8, 2011 by Administrator
Opinion by Patricia L Johnson

Somewhere a line has to be drawn between what you believe in and what is proper and fitting for a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
You represent the people in your individual districts and to arbitrarily state that you WILL NOT attend the September 8, 2011 Joint Session of Congress to hear President Obama’s speech is inexcusable. Have both of you contacted each and every member of your district to ask your constituents their opinion on your refusal to attend this meeting?
Whether a person is a Republican, a Democrat or an Independent they need to recognize that the office of the President of the United States is the highest office in this country and appropriate respect should be given to the office and the man, especially by members of Congress.
Would you invite a person to your home and leave before the appointed time of the meeting? That’s no different than what you plan on doing tonight. CONGRESS invited the President of the United States to speak before them at 7:00 pm EDT on Thursday, September 8, 2011.
There is no doubt that everyone in this country feels the economy is the most important issue facing our country. When the President of the United States is going to speak on an issue as important as jobs, before the U.S. Congress, it is your JOB to be there to listen to every word he says. If you don’t want to do your jobs, then you should both resign.
This isn’t a moment in time when you take a stand on how you feel about this president, this is a speech on issues that affect constituents in your districts and you need to be sitting in your seats listening with both ears.
© 2011 Patricia L Johnson

Posted in News and politics | Leave a comment

MSHA News Release: US Labor Department’s MSHA announces $8.44 million in mine health and safety training grants to 47 states and Navajo Nation [09/07/2011]

Posted on September 8, 2011 by Administrator

MSHA News Release: US Labor Department’s MSHA announces $8.44 million in mine health and safety training grants to 47 states and Navajo Nation [09/07/2011].

Posted in Government | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

The News Media & The Law

Posted on September 8, 2011 by Administrator

The News Media & The Law.

Posted in News and politics, U.S. Courts | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Treasury Targets Three Senior Al-Qa’ida Leaders

Posted on September 8, 2011 by Administrator

Treasury Targets Three Senior Al-Qa’ida Leaders.

Posted in Government, News and politics, Safety and Security | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Economic Releases – Thursday, September 8, 2011

Posted on September 8, 2011 by Administrator

Consumer Credit (G19)
Note: Release time is at 3 p.m.

Employer Costs for Employee Compensation
Note: Release time is at 10 a.m.

Factors Affecting Reserve Balances (H41)
Note: Release time is at 4:30 p.m.

Money Stock Measures (H6)
Note: Release time is at 4:30 p.m.

Quarterly Services Survey
Note: Release time is at 10 a.m.

U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services

Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report (Initial Claims)

Commercial Paper

Federal Reserve Board (updated daily)

Source: NBER

Posted in Economy, Government, News and politics | Leave a comment

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Analyzing Financial Products Tailored to Servicemembers

Posted on September 8, 2011 by Administrator

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Analyzing Financial Products Tailored to Servicemembers.

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FBI — FBI Releases Bank Crime Statistics for Second Quarter of 2011

Posted on September 8, 2011 by Administrator

FBI — FBI Releases Bank Crime Statistics for Second Quarter of 2011.

Posted in Government, U.S. Courts | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

FBI — Medicare Fraud Strike Force Charges 91 Individuals for Approximately $295 Million in False Billing

Posted on September 8, 2011 by Administrator

FBI — Medicare Fraud Strike Force Charges 91 Individuals for Approximately $295 Million in False Billing.

“WASHINGTON—Attorney General Eric Holder and Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced today that a nationwide takedown by Medicare Fraud Strike Force operations in eight cities has resulted in charges against 91 defendants, including doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals, for their alleged participation in Medicare fraud schemes involving approximately $295 million in false billing.”

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Library of Congress – Congressional Record Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Posted on September 7, 2011 by Administrator

Congressional Record Latest Daily Digest for Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Latest update was Tuesday, September 6, 2011

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Panetta Says Threat of Another 9/11 is Real

Posted on September 7, 2011 by Administrator

Panetta Says Threat of Another 9/11 is Real.

“NEW YORK — After a decade of war with al-Qaida the potential for another devastating terrorist assault “remains very real,” Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Tuesday following a somber visit to ground zero of the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center”

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Cops: Teen arsonists sought over Texas wildfire – Weather – TODAY.com

Posted on September 7, 2011 by Administrator

Cops: Teen arsonists sought over Texas wildfire – Weather – TODAY.com.

“Police in Texas were hunting three teenagers after a wildfire caused $1.4 million in damage in an Austin suburb, officials said.”

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Why $200bn in US trades are failing each day – FT.com

Posted on September 7, 2011 by Administrator

Why $200bn in US trades are failing each day – FT.com

“$200bn is a big number. Yet it is also the number of trades failing to settle on average per day in the US market. The equivalent figure for Europe is unknown – highlighting what some say is a worrying hole in the back office of the world’s financial system.”

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Obama to Propose $300B to Jump-Start Jobs – National Journal staff – NationalJournal.com

Posted on September 7, 2011 by Administrator

Obama to Propose $300B to Jump-Start Jobs – National Journal staff – NationalJournal.com.

“In his prime-time speech Thursday night to a joint session of Congress, President Obama is expected to propose $300 billion in tax cuts and federal spending to boost employment, according to a person familiar with the deliberations.”

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Obama administration moves to save debt-ridden Postal Service from default – TheHill.com

Posted on September 7, 2011 by Administrator

Obama administration moves to save debt-ridden Postal Service from default – TheHill.com.

“The Obama administration will include a financial blueprint for the nearly bankrupt U.S. Postal Service (USPS) in a deficit-reduction package that will be submitted to Congress, an administration official told lawmakers Tuesday. “

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This Day in History — History.com — What Happened Today in History

Posted on September 7, 2011 by Administrator

This Day in History — History.com — What Happened Today in History.

“On this day in 1813, the United States gets its nickname, Uncle Sam. The name is linked to Samuel Wilson, a meat packer from Troy, New York, who supplied barrels of beef to the United States Army during the War of 1812. Wilson (1766-1854) stamped the barrels with “U.S.” for United States, but soldiers began referring to the grub as “Uncle Sam’s.” The local newspaper picked up on the story and Uncle Sam eventually gained widespread acceptance as the nickname for the U.S. federal government.”


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