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Wednesday, February 3, 2010

By the People: The Election of Barack Obama

I watched them write the speeches, I heard them flesh out the words. I relived every moment of that magnanimous night–that time we as Americans made our voices heard. Then they flashed a photo of the 44th President of the United States: Barack Obama.


You must see, "By the People: The Election of Barack Obama." I will remind you of why you vote. I got my copy from Netflix–no late fees involved–however, I will purchase a copy to have permanently.

I never want to forget the campaign. I cried and relived every moment. We have to remember as a nation, as a supporter, as voters, who we voted for and why. Don't believe the spin on the nightly news. It is not always true.

I entered the campaign after the Iowa win. Up until that point, I thought Barack Obama would follow in the footsteps of the Rev. Jesse Jackson and rack up some votes and yet again prove a point but not win the presidency. I didn't know Barack Obama then and was prepared to vote for Hillary Clinton. At best, I would have voted for John Edwards. I just didn't know any better and that is so sad. Then, during my nightly routine, I saw him during the Iowa Caucus victory speech and then I believed.

I saw that he thought as I thought, he believed as I believed. He had my voice and he has carried it to the highest seat in our nation. He was me and so I voted for myself. I never in my life thought I would hear someone echo my thoughts about my country and society the way our president did as he campaigned. I was astonished but I knew if I voted for Barack, then I would be voting for myself. This DVD helped me relive all of that. Don't miss it! Get it today.

Sunday, January 31, 2010

Gary art lover walking to Indy to retrieve painting :: Local News :: Post-Tribune

Gary art lover walking to Indy to retrieve painting :: Local News :: Post-Tribune
A local guy has been tracking priceless artwork said to belong to the city for years. Somehow, it was sold by auction or just disappeared from walls over the years, Jim Nowacki claims. He is now walking from Gary to Indianapolis  Indiana to retrieve a found piece. If anything, Jim is dedicated.

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Magnesium: Why Your Heart is Begging You for More of This Essential Nutrient

Magnesium: Why Your Heart is Begging You for More of This Essential Nutrient
I just found out that adults need more than 380 grams of Magnesium a day! Deficiencies in this mineral can lead to tingling extremities, nausea and abnormal heart rhythm.

Monday, January 25, 2010

President Obama and Vice President Biden Preview Initiatives for Middle Class Families

Discussion Previews a Key Theme for State of the Union Address

Washington, DC – Today, President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden will hold a meeting of the Middle Class Task Force, where they will lay out key investments for middle class families. Today’s discussion will preview one of the key themes of the President’s State of the Union address, which include creating good jobs, addressing the deficit, changing Washington, and fighting for middle class families.

President Obama said, “We are fighting every single day to put Americans back to work, create good jobs, and strengthen our economy for the long-term. The additional steps laid out today focus on easing the burdens on middle class families who are struggling in this economy, and providing the help they need to get ahead.”

“Every day, middle class families go to work and help make this country great. For a year, our Task Force has been hearing that they are struggling with soaring costs and squeezed family budgets. These common sense initiatives will help these families cope with these challenges,” said Vice President Biden.

After traveling across the country the past year talking with families, caregivers, educators, students, seniors, as well as policy makers and experts, Chair of the White House Task Force on Middle Class Families Vice President Joe Biden will join President Obama to announce several recommendations of the Task Force. These initiatives, borne out of the meetings, travel and work of the Task Force, are aimed at helping middle class families afford soaring child care costs; care for their aging relatives; cope with the challenge of saving for retirement; and pay for their children’s college tuition.

Since its creation one year ago this week, the Middle Class Task Force has held 11 meetings around the country and at the White House. At these meetings, Vice President Biden heard from parents who were grappling with the costs of child care; students coming out of college drowning in debt; children of elderly relatives struggling to care for them; and workers who were barely able to pay their mortgage, much less save for retirement.

As a result of these meetings, conversations and feedback from around the country, the Vice President and the Task Force will propose several policy initiatives to help middle class families:

Nearly Doubling the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit for middle class families making under $85,000 a year. This is accomplished by increasing their tax credit rate from 20% to 35% of qualifying expenses. The value of the tax credit nearly doubles for all families making under $85,000 a year, and every family that makes under $115,000 will see their tax credit increase.
Additionally, for families struggling to join the middle class, the administration will provide a $1.6 billion increase in child care funding, the largest one-year increase in 20 years, to help an additional 235,000 children.
Limiting a student’s federal loan payments to 10 percent of his or her income above a basic living allowance. This will lower payments for hundreds of thousands of students, who are struggling to make ends meet coming out of college.
Creating a system of automatic workplace IRAs, requiring all employers to give the option for employees to enroll in a direct-deposit IRA.
Expanding tax credits to match retirement savings and enacting new safeguards to protect retirement savings, making it easier for families to plan for retirement.
Expanding support for families balancing work with caring for elderly relatives, helping them manage their multiple responsibilities and allowing seniors to live in the community for as long as possible.
The Task Force’s final report, and full recommendations, will be released in February.
About the Middle Class Task Force: The Task Force, Chaired by Vice President Joe Biden, is a group of top-level administration policy makers, charged with the mission of focusing on developing policies aimed at raising the living standards of middle-class, working families in America.

Since its creation on January 30, 2009, the Middle Class Task Force has held 11 meetings around the country and at the White House:

February 27, 2009: Green Jobs (Philadelphia, PA)
March 17, 2009: American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and Middle Class Families (St. Cloud, MN)
April 17, 2009: College Affordability (St. Louis, MO)
May 26, 2009: Green Jobs (Denver, CO)
June 23, 2009: Manufacturing in the 21st Century (Perrysburg, OH)
July 10, 2009: Health Reform Roundtable (The White House)
July 16, 2009: AARP/Health Care Reform Discussion (Arlington, Virginia)
September 9, 2009: Access to College (Syracuse, NY)
October 19, 2009: Middle Class Recovery Through Retrofit (The White House)
November 5, 2009: Roundtable with Policy Experts (Washington, DC)
December 16, 2009: Roundtable with Leaders in Manufacturing Sector (The White House)
Members of the Task Force include: Vice President Biden, Chair; the Secretaries of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, Energy, Treasury, Commerce, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, and Agriculture; the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency; as well as the Directors of the National Economic Council, the Office of Management and Budget, the Domestic Policy Council, and the Chair of the Council of Economic Advisors.

To read reports released by the Middle Class Task Force, please visit: www.WhiteHouse.Gov/AStrongMiddleClass.

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Did You Know?

CANNED BEER'S 75TH
Profile America -- Sunday, January 24th. One of the more American of inventions -- and a staple of television advertising -- is having its 75th anniversary this week. The first canned beer was put on sale in 1935 as a marketing test in Richmond, Virginia, by the Gottfried Krueger Brewing Company of Newark, New Jersey. Experiments with putting beer in cans had taken place as early as 1909, but the technology of the time couldn't stop the beer from interacting with the metal of the can. Then, Prohibition delayed further development. Now, cans are the preferred container for beer in the U.S. American adults drink an average of nearly 22 gallons of beer a year, down about 2 gallons from 1980. You can find these and more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau, now preparing for the 2010 Census on April 1st.

Sources: Kane's Famous First Facts, 2671
Statistical Abstract of the United States 2009, t. 207



Profile America is produced by the Public Information Office of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at www.census.gov (look under the "Newsroom" button).

Sunday, January 17, 2010

USAID Haiti Earthquake Fact Sheet #5

WASHINGTON, Jan. 17 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --
KEY DEVELOPMENTS

-- As of 1700 hours local time on January 17, U.S. Urban Search and
Rescue (USAR) teams had rescued 30 individuals from collapsed
buildings, including one individual rescued at approximately 1615
hours local time and three individuals rescued overnight from the
Caribbean Market. To date, international USAR teams have rescued a
total of 62 individuals throughout Port-au-Prince.

-- On January 17, USAID/OFDA, in coordination with the U.S. Department of
Defense (DoD), facilitated the delivery to Port-au-Prince of 9,600
10-liter water containers to serve 19,200 people, 3,840 hygiene kits
to benefit 19,200 people for two weeks, and 200 rolls of plastic
sheeting to meet the shelter needs of 10,000 people.

-- To date, USAID/OFDA has provided nearly $63.3 million in humanitarian
assistance to Haiti, including a total of $22 million committed on
January 17 to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the
U.N. World Health Organization (WHO), and the U.N. World Food Program
(WFP) to support emergency relief supply distributions, emergency
health interventions, and humanitarian air service and logistics.

-- On January 17, a ship carrying 2,100 metric tons (MT) of P.L. Title II
emergency food assistance provided by USAID's Office of Food for Peace
(USAID/FFP) arrived in Port-au-Prince. USAID coordinated closely with
the U.S. military to ensure safe passage of the vessel through the
port and to provide security for the vessel and crew.
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Telegraph Barack Obama

Video - CNNMoney.com

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