New York Stock Exchange Euronext, Deutsche Boerse merger details find approval by board members

A merger of New York Stock Exchange Euronext Liffe, by German-run
Deutsche Boerse, has met with board approval, Tuesday February 15. European and U.S. regulators must approve unnamed trade group before the deal is solidified. Upon approval, it will be the world's largest holder of equities and derivatives.

European markets rose to its highest since 2008  but U.S. markets declined in the wake of dismal sales data and the fact that Exxon says it is running out of places to find oil.

According to an article on Businessweek.com, the newly formed structure, regarding futures market share, mirrors the Chicago Mercantile Exchange Group and U.S. options would be larger than the Chicago Board of Exchange, Inc. The article also said the merger may spur other securities exchange mergers. Financial industry insiders speculate that globally, mergers of established exchanges will fend off competition from upstart exchanges. The article went on to speculate that the CBOE and Nasdaq may be the next merger candidates. These mergers have the potential to positively impact long-term growth.

Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing Ltd. is today's largest securities exchange in the world and even it wants to keep merger options open.

The response to the news of the merger was tremendous. There were
over 400 comments on the MSNBC news web site, Sunday morning, as a details of the deal were being hammered out. However, many commentators were skeptical of the merger's implications. Some led with conspiracy theory ideas and others expressed concern with regulatory limitations.

"Peter17" explained that profits from stock exchanges belong to the
shareholders not the countries in which they are formed. "If the NYSE
continues to make a profit in the U.S. they will pay taxes in the U.S.," was
the comment left on Friday, when the article was posted.

"Saxon" suggested to investors to buy assets and not to hold (USD) dollars.
More than one commenter said they could not appreciate the full scope of the
merger but felt that it would have an impact. Some even speculated about a
New World Order--reminiscent of chatter three decades past.
On the minds of commentators is globalization and the possibility of a new
United States currency, the Amero, which exists in theory.

"Mygirl1" said the U.S. is making its way toward trading in the theoretical
"Amero"--as the Europeans utilize the Euro in Europe. This commentator also
worried that the world's bankers would head up a "new world order" and
control the world's finances.

But more than a new world order, the newly formed entity will have to title itself to show equity among the participants although Deutsche Boerse will hold 60 percent of the newly-formed merger, the Businessweek article said.

"TruePatriot-445959" said because financiers have always worried about oil-
rich countries trading oil in currencies other than the U.S. dollar, this
merger is helpful and will introduce more regulation and consistency into the
market which is helpful to the United States.

One commentator,"smeagol likes raw fishes," said the merger may fail in that
Frankfurter Boerse has been outbid before in a takeover. However, that was not the case in this instance. Deutsche Boerse was outbid by NYSE Group, in an attempt to acquire the London Stock Exchange in 2006. Frankfurter Boerse is the world's oldest securities exchange--created in the 1500s--and is one of eight owned by Deutsche Boerse.

If the deal is deemed legal by domestic and international regulators, Deutsche Boerse AG (XETRA:DB1) and NYSE Euronext (NYSE:NYX) will combine to create the largest venue for capital raising and equities trading. The combined group will offer clients global scale, product innovation, operational and capital efficiencies, and an enhanced range of technology and market information solutions, according to a press release on the Euronext web site. The profit in the merger is found with the structure's ability to trade futures and options, industry experts claim.

According to a released statement by Euronext, the transaction is structured as a combination of Deutsche Boerse and NYSE Euronext under a newly created Dutch holding company, which is expected to be listed in Frankfurt, New York and Paris. On the NYSE Euronext side, this will be effected through a merger of NYSE Euronext and a US subsidiary of the new holding company in which each NYSE Euronext share will be converted into 0.4700 of a share of the new holding company. On the Deutsche Boerse side, the new holding company will launch a public exchange offer, in which shareholders of Deutsche Boerse may tender their shares of Deutsche Boerse for an equal number of shares of the new holding company.

Following full completion of the contemplated transactions, the former Deutsche Boerse shareholders would own 60 percent of the combined group and the former NYSE Euronext shareholders would own 40 percent of the combined group on a fully diluted basis and assuming that all Deutsche Boerse shares are tendered in the exchange offer. The transaction is expected to close at the end of 2011.

Principal financial advisers to Deutsche Boerse are Deutsche Bank and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC. Principal financial advisers to NYSE Euronext are Perella Weinberg Partners, and BNP Paribas. Legal advisers are Linklaters to Deutsche Boerse and Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, Stibbe N.V. and Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP to NYSE Euronext. Further financial advice is being provided by Credit Suisse, Goldman, Sachs & Co., Morgan Stanley & Co. Inc., and Societe Generale.

The release also said the group will have dual headquarters, in Deutsche Boerse’s newly built green tower near Frankfurt and in New York, at 11 Wall Street, home to the New York Stock Exchange trading floor, and will take advantage of its existing global operations. The Company will be led by a one-tier board with 17 members –15 directors plus the Chairman and the CEO. Of the 15 directors, nine will be designated by Deutsche Boerse and six by NYSE Euronext. Reto Francioni will be Chairman, and will also be responsible for group strategy and global relationship management. Duncan Niederauer will be Chief Executive Officer and will lead an Executive Committee with an equal number of current Deutsche Boerse and NYSE Euronext executives.

The four NYSE Euronext executives are Niederauer as CEO, based in New York, Dominique Cerutti as Head of Technology Services & IT, based in Paris, Lawrence Leibowitz as Head of Cash Trading and Listings and John K. Halvey as General Counsel, both based in New York. The four executives coming from Deutsche Boerse are Andreas Preuss as Head of Derivatives, based in Frankfurt, Jeffrey Tessler as Head of Settlement & Custody, based in Luxembourg, Frank Gerstenschlaeger as Head of Market Data & Analytics and Gregor Pottmeyer as Chief Financial Officer of the combined group, both based in Frankfurt.

Andreas Preuss will assume the role of Deputy CEO and President. Dominque Cerutti will assume the role of President, and Lawrence Leibowitz will assume the role of Chief Operating Officer.

The combined group will have 2010 combined net revenues of EUR[1] 4.1 billion/US$ 5.4 billion, and 2010 EBITDA of EUR 2.1 billion /US$ 2.7 billion, thus becoming the world’s largest exchange group by revenues and EBITDA. Based on 2010 net revenues, the combined group will earn approximately 37percent of total revenues in derivatives trading and clearing, 29 percent in cash listings, trading and clearing, 20 percent in settlement and custody, and 14 percent in market data, index and technology services.


Sources:
Businessweek.com
Euronext.com
MSNBC.com
The Chronicle U.S.A.
MSNBC.com

Deal for the World's Largest Trading Powerhouse in the works

Nearly two decades of trades, buyouts, mergers and takeovers leads to deal, financial world abuzz

A "planned takeover" of New York Stock Exchange Euronext Liffe, by German run
Deutsche Boerse, is in the works this week. Board members began gathering
Sunday, February 13, 2011 to hammer out the details, according to a news
report on the MSNBC web site.

The response to the news of the potential takeover was tremendous. There were
over 400 comments on the MSNBC news web site, Sunday morning.
"Peter17" explained that profits from stock exchanges belong to the
shareholders not the countries in which they are formed. "If the NYSE
continues to make a profit in the U.S. they will pay taxes in the U.S.," was
the comment left on Friday, when the article was posted.

"Saxon" suggested to investors to buy assets and not to hold (USD) dollars.
More than one commenter said they could not appreciate the full scope of the
merger but felt that it would have an impact. Some even speculated about a
New World Order--reminiscent of chatter three decades past.
On the minds of commentators is globalization and the possibility of a new
United States currency, the Amero, which exists in theory.

"Mygirl1" said the U.S. is making its way toward trading in the theoretical
"Amero"--as the Europeans utilize the Euro in Europe. This commentator also
worried that the world's bankers would head up a "new world order" and
control the world's finances.

"TruePatriot-445959" said because financiers have always worried about oil-
rich countries trading oil in currencies other than the U.S. dollar, this
merger is helpful and will introduce more regulation and consistency into the
market which is helpful to the United States.

One commentator,"smeagol likes raw fishes," said the merger may fail in that
Frankfurter Boerse has been outbid before in a takeover.
Frankfurter Boerse is the world's oldest securities exchange--created in the
1500s--and is one of eight owned by Deutsche Boerse.
Deutsche Boerse was outbid by NYSE Group, in an attempt to acquire the London
Stock Exchange in 2006.

Sources:
http://deutsche-boerse.com
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41536645/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NYSE_Euronext
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41536645/
http://business.newsvine.com/_news/2011/02/11/6034595-german-takeover-of-new
-york-stock-exchange-seen-next-week#comments
http://financial-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Frankfurter+B%c3%b6rse
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurex
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NYSE_Euronext_Liffe
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NYSE_Euronext
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASDAQ
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_currency_union

Editorial: Our Presidential Challenge

On Thursday, President Barack Obama put a challenge to the American People. He said Egypt is in an up rise. Their people have stood up, in the face of slight.

The unspoken question is, have we stood up, American People? Do we write our congressmen, en masse or hold public rallies? If we have done so, do we utilize social media appropriately to announce these societal challenges?

No, for the most part.

The people of Egypt appear to be a common-sense, old-world type of people. If you had a home to be in, wouldn't you be in it? They camp out because they no longer have a place to be. Their homes and families were intact but that is no longer true. Youth can't get jobs and start families. When their family structure is threatened--the people fight to stop it. Women are in a place where they mostly reproduce. They have a big generation of people now to force the issue and have voice.
But the main point is that many of them are homeless. They have no food or water. Many businesses are not open or don't have money to operate and their everyday way of life has been disrupted. The people there fight against this. They were relived temporarily when banks opened but then that apparently has stopped. If they were able to live their everyday life, I think that they would. Without basics like food and water, it becomes dire and impossible. Their whole country is in an uproar. The entire Egyptian class system is shaken. Pharaohs have ruled for thousands of years. The people fought for change and got change, it appears.

"But what is absolutely clear is that we are witnessing history unfold.  It’s a moment of transformation that’s taking place because the people of Egypt are calling for change.  And they’ve turned out in extraordinary numbers representing all ages and all walks of life, but it’s young people who’ve been at the forefront -- a new generation, your generation, who want their voices to be heard," Pres. Barack Obama said at the start of a speech delivered in Michigan Thursday afternoon, February 10.

I guess the American People handle things differently. If it doesn't show up in the news stream, we won't search for it, lest we be characterized and pointed out as a nut. Okay. (because we know those nuts are the only ones dumb enough to keep up and speak out--no regular people do this.)

Anyway anyone wanting to pay attention, speak up and stand out, please be advised to keep the reading level at sixth grade. Our communication purpose should be to inform, not to impress strangers with our verbal prowess.

Let us take a look at the meaning of the country, Egypt's, name: "home of the ka (soul) of Ptah", the name of a temple to the god Ptah at Memphis.

Ptah is Patron of: creation, craftsmen, artisans.

Appearance: A man with a punt beard, wrapped up like a mummy, but with his hands free which grip a great staff made up of the symbols for life, stability, and power. Sometimes he wears a skullcap crown and stands on the hieroglyph for Maat.

Is this why the mummies in the museums were attacked? Were they trying to wake up the gods?
I dunno.



Source: Tour Egypt

Remarks by the President on Egypt, National Wireless Initiative in Marquette, Michigan

February 10, 2011

Before I begin, I just want to say that we are following today’s events in Egypt very closely. And we’ll have more to say as this plays out. But what is absolutely clear is that we are witnessing history unfold. It’s a moment of transformation that’s taking place because the people of Egypt are calling for change. And they’ve turned out in extraordinary numbers representing all ages and all walks of life, but it’s young people who’ve been at the forefront -- a new generation, your generation, who want their voices to be heard. And so going forward, we want those young people and we want all Egyptians to know America will continue to do everything that we can to support an orderly and genuine transition to democracy in Egypt.

THE PRESIDENT: Have a seat, have a seat. It is wonderful to be here in the Upper Peninsula with so many Yoopers. (Applause.) How many of you are Green Bay fans, too? (Applause.) I’ve been seeing too many Green Bay fans lately. (Laughter.)

It is great to be here. It is great to be at Northern Michigan University. We’ve got some wonderful guests here that I just want to mention. First of all, somebody who is as good a public servant, not just good at what he does but good at heart and works tirelessly on behalf of the entire state, your senior senator, Carl Levin, is here. (Applause.) Now, his partner in the Senate could not be here because she’s actually leading a Democratic caucus retreat, but she’s been fighting for manufacturing, for broadband, for a lot of things that we’re talking about here today. So I just want to acknowledge Debbie Stabenow, who deeply cares about the work that you do up here. (Applause.)

I want to thank the great hospitality of Mayor John Kivela, who has been showing me around town. Thank you so much, Mayor Kivela. (Applause.) The President of Northern Michigan University, Dr. Les Wong, is here. (Applause.) And all of you are here. (Laughter.) And you guys are pretty special. Absolutely.

Now, as we watch what’s taking place, we’re also reminded that we live in an interconnected world. What happens across the globe has an impact on each and every one of us. And that’s why I’ve come to Marquette today -- not only because it’s beautiful, and the people are really nice -- which is true. (Applause.) But I’ve come here because in the 21st century, it’s not just the big cities where change is happening. It’s also in towns like this where the jobs and businesses of tomorrow will take root, and where young and talented Americans can lead. It’s towns like this where our economic future will be won.

Now, in the short term, the best thing we can do to speed up economic growth is to make sure families and businesses have more money to spend, and that’s exactly what -- got a little applause there. (Laughter.) That’s exactly why we passed those tax cuts in December. That’s what it’s doing. Because Democrats and Republicans came together, Americans’ paychecks will be a little bigger this year and businesses will be able to write off their investments and companies will grow and they’ll add workers. But we’ve got more to do.



Our measure of success has to be whether every American who wants a job can find a job; whether this country is still the place where you can make it if you try. In a world that’s more connected and more competitive, other nations look at this moment as their moment, their turn to win the jobs and industries of our time. I see things differently. I see this as America’s moment to win the future, so that the 21st century is the American century just like the 20th century was. (Applause.) Yes we can. (Applause.)



But to do this, we’re going to have to up our game, Marquette. We got to up our game. To attract the best jobs, the newest industries, we’re going to have to out-innovate, out-educate, out-build. We’re going to have to out-hustle the rest of the world. (Applause.) That means investing in cutting-edge research and technology, like the new advanced battery manufacturing industry that’s taking root right here in the state of Michigan. It means investing in the skills and training of our people, just like it’s taking place at this university. It means investing in transportation and communications networks that move goods and information as fast as possible.



And to make room for these investments, we’re going to have to cut whatever spending we can do without. We’ve got a real issue with debts and deficit, and so we’ve got to live within our means. And that means that we’ve got to cut out things that aren’t adding to growth and opportunity in order to invest in those things that are.



And that’s why I’ve proposed that we freeze annual domestic spending for the next five years. That will reduce the deficit by more than $400 billion over the next decade. It will bring spending to the lowest share of our economy since Eisenhower was President. That’s a long time ago. Even I wasn’t born then. (Laughter.)



So government has to do what American families do every day: live within our means. But even as we do so, we can’t sacrifice our future. I’ll just give you guys an analogy. If you’re trying to cut back in your family, you might decide, we’re not going to go out to dinner so often; maybe we’ll skip the vacation; we’re not going to remodel the kitchen. But you wouldn’t stop saving for your child’s college education. You wouldn’t stop saving for your own retirement. If your boiler was broken or your roof had a leak, you’d still go ahead and make those investments.



Well, the same is true with our country. We’ve got to cut out the equivalence of eating out and vacations. I know there may be some restaurant owners here -- go eat at their restaurants -- (laughter) -- but I’m just making a general point. Even as we cut out the things we can afford to do without, we got a responsibility to invest in those areas that will have the biggest impact on our future, and those things are innovation, education and infrastructure.



And that last area –- infrastructure -– is why I’ve come here today. Connecting a country of our size has never been easy. Just imagine what Americans experienced when they fanned out from 13 colonies to settle a continent. If you wanted to get from one coast to the other, it would take you months; it would cost you a small fortune. If you settled in the heartland, you were an island, with no real market to sell your goods or buy what you needed. You might have to wait until the traders came by before you stocked up.



So we decided to build a railroad to span a continent -– one that would blast through mountains of granite and use thousands of miles of steel, and put to work an army of citizens and immigrants to work. It was an endeavor that would also require support of our government. It didn’t just happen on its own. As General William T. Sherman said, “Uncle Sam is the only giant I know who can grapple the subject.”



So even as President Lincoln tried to hold the North and South together, he was determined to see this railroad unite East and West. And private companies joined the charge, racing one another to meet in the middle. And eventually, a telephone operator -- a telegraph operator sent out a simple message to the cheers of a waiting nation. The telegraph just said: “Done.” Done. Now, if he knew that we were still talking about it today, he might have come up with something more inspiring. (Laughter.)



But overnight, the transcontinental railroad laid the way for a nationwide economy, not a bunch of local economies, but a nationwide economy. Suddenly, a cross-country trip was cut from months to days. The cost to move goods and mail plummeted. Cowboys drove cattle to railcars that whisked them back East. Entrepreneurs could sell anything, anywhere.



After the railroad was completed, a newspaper proclaimed: “We are the youngest of peoples. But we are teaching the world to march forward.” Teaching the world to march forward.



That’s who we are. We are a nation that has always been built to compete. And that’s why, decades later, FDR set up the Rural Electrification Administration to help bring power to vast swaths of America that were still in darkness. Companies said that building lines to rural areas would be too costly. I mean, big cities already had electricity. But they said, it’s too costly to go out into remote areas. It’s too costly to come up into the Upper Peninsula.



So Americans in these towns went without refrigeration or running water. If you wanted a glimpse of the larger world, your town might run a movie off a small diesel engine. It might not even last the full film.



Once power lines were laid down, electricity flowed to farms across the country, transforming millions of lives. There’s a well-known story of a Texas family returning home the first night their farmhouse was hooked up, and a woman thought it was on fire. And her daughter said, “No, Mama, the lights are on.” Think about that. That wasn’t that long ago, and government was there to help make sure that everybody -- everybody, not just some -- but everybody -- not just those who folks could make an immediate profit off of -- but everybody had access to electricity.



So years later, as our nation grew by leaps and bounds, we realized that a patchwork system of back roads and dirt paths couldn’t handle the biggest economy in the world. So President Eisenhower helped make it possible to build an Interstate Highway System, and that, too, transformed the nation -- as much as the railways had.



And finally, we could ship goods and services to places that the railroads didn’t reach. It meant that we could live apart from where we worked. We could travel. We could see America.



Each of these achievements -- none of them just happened. We chose to do them. We chose to do big things. And every American benefited -– not just from new conveniences. Not just from the jobs created by laying down new lines or tracks or pavement. We benefited enormously from new economic growth -– from the scores of businesses that opened near each town’s new train station, or new power line, or new off-ramp.



So this is a new century, and we can’t expect tomorrow’s economy to take root using yesterday’s infrastructure. We got to think about what’s the next thing, what’s the next big thing, and make sure that we’re at the forefront -- just like we were in the last century.



Today, new companies are going to seek out the fastest, most reliable ways to move people, goods and information, whether they are in Shanghai or in Chicago. So if we want new jobs and businesses here in America, we’ve got to have the best transportation system and the best communication network in the world. It’s like that movie, Field of Dreams: If we build it, they will come. (Laughter.) But we’ve got to build it. We’ve got to build it.



Over the last two years, we’ve begun rebuilding for the 21st century. This is a national project that has meant thousands of jobs for the hard-hit construction industry. And I’ve now proposed redoubling these efforts. We want to put more Americans to work repairing crumbling bridges and roads. Within 25 years, our goal is to have 80 percent of Americans with access to high-speed rail, which could allow you to go to places in half the time it takes by car. Within five years, we want to make it possible for businesses to put high-speed wireless services in reach of virtually every American.



And that last part, high-speed wireless, is why I chose to come to Northern Michigan University today. (Applause.) Now let me give you some context. Today, more than 90 percent of homes in South Korea subscribe to high-speed broadband. They just have better networks than we do. In America, the nation that created the Internet -- by the way, because of government investment; it didn’t just happen by itself magically -- because of government R&D, we created the Internet, but yet only 65 percent of households here in America can say the same. When it comes to high-speed Internet, the lights are still off in one-third of our households. One out of every three households in America don’t have that same access. For millions of Americans, the railway hasn’t showed up yet.



For our families and our businesses, high-speed wireless service, that’s the next train station; it’s the next off-ramp. It’s how we’ll spark new innovation, new investment, new jobs.



And you know this here in Northern Michigan. That’s why I showed up, in addition to it being pretty and people being nice. (Laughter and applause.) For decades now, this university has given a new laptop to every incoming student. Wi-Fi stretched across campus. But if you lived off-campus, like most students and teachers here, you were largely out of luck. Broadband was often too expensive to afford. And if you lived a bit further out of town, you were completely out of luck, because broadband providers, they often won’t build networks where it’s not profitable, just like they wouldn’t build electrical lines where it wasn’t profitable.



So this university tried something new. You partnered with various companies to build a high-speed, next-generation wireless network. And you managed to install it with six people in only four days without raising tuition. Good job. Good job, Mr. President. (Applause.) By the way, if you give me the name of these six people -- (laughter) -- there’s a whole bunch of stuff in Washington I’d like to see done in four days with six people. (Laughter.)



So today, this is one of America’s most connected universities, and enrollment is near the highest it’s been in 30 years.



And what’s more -- and this is what makes this special -- you told nearby towns that if they allowed you to retrofit their towers with new equipment to expand your network, then their schools, their first responders, their city governments could use it too. And as a result, police officers can access crime databases in their cars. And firefighters can download blueprints on the way to a burning building. And public works officials can save money by monitoring pumps and equipment remotely.



And you’ve created new online learning opportunities for K-12 students as far as 30 miles away, some of whom -- (applause) -- some of whom can’t always make it to school in a place that averages 200 inches of snow a year. (Laughter and applause.) Now, some of these students don’t appreciate the end of school [snow] days. I know Malia and Sasha get really excited about school [snow] days. Of course, in Washington things shut down when there’s an inch of snow. (Laughter.) But this technology is giving them more opportunity. It’s good for their education, it’s good for our economy. In fact, I just came from a demonstration of online learning in action. We were with Professor Lubig and he had plugged in Negaunee High School -- (applause) -- and Powell Township School in Big Bay. (Applause.) So I felt like the guy in Star Trek. I was being beamed around -- (laughter) -- across the Upper Peninsula here. But it was remarkable to see the possibilities for these young people who are able to, let’s say, do a chemistry experiment, and they can compare the results with kids in Boston.



Or if there’s some learning tool or material they don’t have immediately accessible in their school, they can connect here to the university, and they’re able to tap into it.



It’s opening up an entire world to them. And one of the young people who I was talking to, he talked about foreign policy and what we were seeing in places like Egyptian. And he said, what’s amazing especially for us is that now we have a window to the entire world, and we can start understanding other cultures and other places in ways that we could never do without this technology.



For local businesses, broadband access is helping them grow and prosper and compete in a global economy. In fact, Marquette has been rated one of the top five “eCities” in Michigan for entrepreneurship. (Applause.) That’s right.



So here’s a great example, Getz’s Clothiers. (Applause.) The Getzes are here. Where are the Getzes? They’re around here somewhere. There they are right there.





This is a third-generation, family-owned, Marquette institution. They’ve occupied the same downtown store for more than a century -– but with the help of broadband, they were recently listed as one of America’s 5,000 fastest-growing companies. Now how did they pull that off? (Applause.)



Obviously they’ve got great products, great service. But what’s also true is online sales now make up more than two-thirds of their annual revenue. Think about that. You got a downtown department store; now two-thirds of its sales are online. It can process more than 1,000 orders a day, and its workforce has more than doubled. So you’ve got a local business with a global footprint because of technology.



Now, if you can do this in snowy U.P. -- (laughter) -- we can do it all across America. In fact, many places already are. So in Wagner, South Dakota, patients can receive high-quality, lifesaving medical care from a Sioux Falls specialist who can monitor their EKG and listen to their breathing -- from 100 miles away. In Ten Sleep, Wyoming -- I love the name of that town, Ten Sleep -- it’s a town in Wyoming of 300 people. A fiber-optic network allowed a company to employ several hundred teachers who teach English to students in Asia over the Internet, 24 hours a day. You’ve all heard about outsourcing. Well, this is “insourcing” -- where overseas work is done right here in the United States of America. (Applause.)



So we want to multiply these stories -- we want to multiply your story -- all over the country. We want to invest in the next generation of high-speed wireless coverage for 98 percent of Americans.



This isn’t just about faster Internet or being able to find a friend on Facebook. It’s about connecting every corner of America to the digital age. It’s about a rural community in Iowa or Alabama where farmers can monitor weather across the state and market across the globe. It’s about an entrepreneur on Main Street with a great idea she hopes to sell to the big city. It’s about every young person who no longer has to leave his hometown to seek new opportunity -- because opportunity is right there at his or her fingertips. (Applause.)



So to make this happen, we’re going to invest in research and development of emerging technologies and applications. We’re going to accelerate breakthroughs in health and education and transportation, and deploy a new nationwide, interoperable wireless network for first responders -– making sure they’ve got the funding and the frequencies that they were promised and that they need to keep us safe. (Applause.) It’s important. By selling private companies the rights to these airwaves, we won’t just encourage private investment and expand wireless access; we’re actually going to bring in revenues that lower our deficits.



Now, access to high-speed Internet by itself won’t make a business more successful, or a student smarter, or a citizen more informed. That takes hard work. It takes those late nights. It takes hustle. It takes that quintessentially American drive to be the best. That’s what’s the most important ingredient for our success.



But we’ve always believed that we have a responsibility to guarantee all our people every tool necessary for them to meet their full potential. So if they’re willing to work hard, they can succeed. And in a 21st-century economy, that has never been more important. Every American deserves access to the world’s information. Every American deserves access to the global economy. We have promised this for 15 years. It’s time we delivered on that promise. (Applause.) It’s time we delivered on that promise.



So connecting our people. Competing with the rest of the world. Living within our means without sacrificing what’s required to win the future. We can do all this because we’ve done it before.



In 1960, at the height of his presidential campaign, JFK came to Michigan. And it was a moment similar to this one. Other nations were doing their best to try to take our place at the top. And here in Michigan, he made it clear that if we wanted to keep from being knocked off our perch, there could only be one goal for the United States. It could be summed up in one word: “first.” First.



“I do not mean first, but,” he said. “I don’t mean first, when. I don’t mean first, if. I mean first -– period.” And “The real question now,” he continued, “The real question,” he continued, “is whether we’re up to the task –- whether each and every one of us is willing to face the facts, to bear the burdens, to provide the risks, and to meet our dangers.” That was 50 years ago. But things haven’t changed in terms of what’s required to succeed.



And we were up to the task then. I believe we’re up to the task today. Time and again, whether westward or skyward, with each rail and road that we’ve laid, in every community, we’ve connected with our own science and imagination, and we forged anew our faith that we can do anything. We do big things. That’s who we are. And that’s who we’re going to have to be again -– a young nation that teaches the world to march forward.



That’s what you’re doing up here in U.P. That’s what you’re doing here at Northern Michigan University. That’s what we’re all going to do together in the months and years to come.



Thank you. God bless you. God bless the United States of America. (Applause.)



END



2:07 P.M. EST

GDP rises to 3.2 percent | Orlando Business Journal

GDP rises to 3.2 percent | Orlando Business Journal

National Prayer Breakfast | The White House

National Prayer Breakfast | The White House

Your Interview with the President 2011 | The White House

Your Interview with the President 2011 | The White House

Remarks by the President on the Situation in Egypt | The White House

Remarks by the President on the Situation in Egypt | The White House



Buy the book! Buy the book Eighteen Months and Short Stories, Real Life today!

2011 State of the Union Address Aimed at the American People

President Obama at October 31, 2008

 

campaign

 rally in Highland, Indiana.

Speech Highlights Pres. Obama as Common Sense Leader and Unifier

"The idea of America endures. Our destiny remains our choice..." 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama, during his 2011 State of the Union Address

The 2011 State of the Union speech addresses rough economic times from the standpoint of everyday Americans. Pres. Obama stresses planning for the future of America, tackling the debt and using our freedoms responsibly.

In spite of strong phrases and talking points from either side of the process, President Obama, in his 2011 State of the Union address, explained that vigorous debate is a part of our American democratic process. It is normal and healthy and shows that our process is working. He explained that change is coming in the country and the American people have to be a part of new jobs and industry taking root in our country.

As president, Obama is exposed to information in which the public is unaware. The fact that business and industry may take root in other countries is not new. The president has been saying that all along but have we been listening? When anyone repeats information over and over to the public, it is because it is crucial the idea becomes rooted in the brain of the American people. The point: times have changed, please change with it. Evolve, people.

"At stake is whether new jobs and industries take root in this country, or somewhere else... to win the future, we'll need to take on challenges that have been decades in the making...the rules have changed. In a single generation, revolutions in technology have transformed the way we live, work and do business. Nations like China and India realized that with some changes of their own, they could compete in this new world. And so they started educating their children earlier and longer, with greater emphasis on math and science. They're investing in research and new technologies," the president said during his speech.

This is the president as Chief Economic Officer-in-chief and he is telling the employees/the American people that we need to improve our skills, education and knowledge base and our hiring process for new employees and we need to close more deals. In other words, "always be closing"--in everything we do. And the president is serious. He has repeated this mantra countless times and we will hear it again and again until we begin to change. Schools have to change the way they educate students. School curriculum has to be refined to reflect the needs of the future. Parents have to change for the better, child rearing practices.

We have to re-prioritize our needs. Most of this change will be slightly uncomfortable and will require a spirit of cooperation on local levels where we will find ourselves talking to each other again, communicating ideas and debating which way to go.

There will be frictions and hurt feelings and bruised egos but this is the process a freed man and woman growing and changing in a modern America must engage. We cling to our democratic process and our freedoms but with those freedoms comes a cost--temporary personal discomfort. Our forefathers spilled their blood for those freedoms, so how much more of the burden of freedom should we, the beneficiaries of the fight, bare? All of it because we live free today.

And truth be told, we all hate that feeling. We are out of our comfort zones and we have to speak civilly to each other and we may complain bitterly all along the way but we know it has to get done as this is our American Way. We must even take up the slack from those who refuse to cooperate as they are selfish and ignorant.

This country is up against countries that do not have vigorous debate--they tell the people what they are doing after they start doing it. They don't ask permission as they are not democracies and the people do not have freedom. America is the sharpening stone, the measuring stick in which world leaders use to show their progress. As they gain, they say in effect, their form of government is better than our democratic nation. This is the foreign attitude the president combats everyday. What they don't say is how the people hurt as individuals because they do not live in a democracy. However, we do and must prove our system of government is best by keeping up.

This process, as the president has said many times, is not Democrat or Republican or Independent or Green. It is American, red, white and blue. Those stripes are wide and those stars are big and blue is everywhere. We all fit in it. We are fashioned in a circle and it is time to take up the yoke of our forefathers and fight for our existence in this modern, changing world. The fight is with ourselves and within ourselves and not with each other. We are angry because the road will be tough and we have grown soft--some of us.

"Many people watching tonight can probably remember a time when finding a good job meant showing up at a nearby factory or a business downtown. You didn't always need a degree, and your competition was pretty much limited to your neighbors. If you worked hard, chances are you'd have a job for life, with a decent paycheck, good benefits, and the occasional promotion. Maybe you'd even have the pride of seeing your kids work at the same company. That world has changed. And for many, the change has been painful," the president said during his speech.

However, Americans don't back down from a challenge. We still have the largest and most prosperous economy in the world--$14.6 trillion compared to the Chinese $5.7 trillion Gross Domestic Product.

We will win the future, he said, by investing in biomedical research, information technology and clean energy technology. Common sense moves. Our funding will go to scientists and engineers to solve problems. We will embrace electric vehicles and eliminate taxpayer support of big oil companies. By 2035, wind, solar, nuclear and natural gas energy technologies will power our economy and we need to be prepared educationally.

President Obama, as King Solomon the wise leader of Biblical times, asked us to turn away from our present adolescent, hedonistic ways and grow up.

"Tonight, let's agree to make the effort," he said.

The president said investing in infrastructure improvements like roads and bridges will put Americans back to work but Congress has to work together and approve legislation introduced to them that will make this happen. This is what "bipartisan effort" means. Building high speed rail and Internet will aid the economy. Technology companies that depend on fast moving information understand that we are running out of bandwidth.

This can have a detrimental impact on the American economy but those still living in the Industrial Age don't quite get it because high speed rail and the Internet may not be a big part of their lives--or so they think. If everyone around you uses it to help you with health care, the way you get paid, learn, train and many other ways, is it less important because the individual who knows very little about it doesn't understand?

In other words, there are people who do not share the same priorities as the president who are standing in the way of progress because they do not and won't gain understanding. They want to cling to the past and fail to meet future challenges and then find some scapegoat to blame.

The president also said lowering the corporate tax rate will spur business creation and growth without adding to the deficit. Cutting tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans, doubling exports and enforcing trade agreements will also aid economic growth. However, "bipartisan support" is needed from our legislators.

A spending freeze on annual domestic spending, removing unnecessary business regulations while upholding consumer safeguards and tackling the National Debt will cement the American economic future success.

The president also said America can't win the future with a government of the past, asking for a cut of outdated agencies and bureaucracy.

Improving student curriculum and education will prepare the country for future success.

A domestic spending freeze will help cut the National Debt.

President Barack Obama uses common sense leadership stratagies to illustrate America's future.

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http://ping.fm/hgalK
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Atlanta Housewives Season Finale: Charges of Financial Abuse against Peter by mom of Cynthia, sister

The show opens with Lawrence performing "Closet Freak," a song Kandi wrote for him. The performance was good. Ne Ne started out talking about not having anything to do with Kim. All of the ladies were fierce at the show. (There was an unidentified lady in the audience that had half-blonde and half-black bob--that was cute.)
All the drama was quietly at Cynthia's house. She is short on money and the bridesmaid dresses ain't even thought of since the bride's dress comes first. Cynthia said she doesn't do broke well. It's two days before the wedding.
Then her sister put it out there: How is Peter contributing to the relationship? Cynthia can still work. Peter says he is born to be a restaurant. (since closing the restaurant)
She asked her dad to help her out financially with the wedding. He said he can't swing it.
Mini-cliffhanger!
Phaedra's baby Aden is sooooo cute with the fattest, sweetest cheeks. Momma is going back to work after an eight-week maternity leave and she cried. It's tough leaving baby for work. Every mom knows that.
Kim is so thin. Kandi announces she is touring with Fantasia. She addressed the issue of Kim once again, going around Kandi on the money tip over one of the songs she wrote and details of their business relationship.
They decided to let Kandi's manager and Kim's attorney handle the business end so that they could remain cool. Kandi said distribution for "The Ring Didn't Mean A Thing," will not happen if the details aren't worked out because as it stands, Kandi and her people own the rights to the song.
Whoo. Good girl Kandi--handle it!
Sheree is auditioning for a film, "If These Hips Could Talk."
Sheree is learning to take direction well. Terri Vaughn was on the panel. (secretary on Steve Harvey Show) She seemed to express frustration. Sheree was supposed to portray an angry black woman. She seemed to deliver that. Ms Vaughn seemed to sit up and notice.
Ne Ne, Ne Ne, Ne Ne. Whoooooooo. The list of things-to-do for her son Bryson was involved (for a teen). Teens don't understand. Being momma is tough. You end up saying the same thing over and over and over again. She said Bri-Bri needs a job.
Comes the nuptial countdown. Cynthia's mom paid the last minute, down-to-the wire $3,000 for the open bar at the venue. Phew.
Cynthia's sister questions why the sadness and stress from sister Cynthia. Duh, money problems. Mal, Cynthia's sister, is worried about her sister and the stress made Mal cry! Her mom broke it down: she thinks Peter is financially abusing Cynthia and that he lies.
"Allow him to give," she tells her daughter, because a man will do whatever you allow him to do, she said.

Back to Ne Ne. She and Greg talked over glasses of wine. Greg essentially apologized but Ne Ne said he is always apologizing, so she didn't care.
"It doesn't change anything," she said, adding he needs to change his behavior. They still plan to put parenting first.

Reason number one why Cynthia should not marry Peter:
OK DAMN--PETER DIDN'T GET THE WEDDING BANDS AND IT WAS ON HIS LIST OF THINGS TO DO.
What does that say about the wedding?
Anyway, Cynthia’s dress was amazing in platinum silver. It was an original and it was everything.
Kim is bringing to the wedding, Kroy Biermann, of the Atlanta Falcons football team--who she met at one of the many functions they attend. She said it’s serious but she has been keeping it quiet so that it can last. The big reveal will be at Cyndi’s wedding.
Peter shows to his wedding up full tilt asking for vodka and cranberry.
Last wedding cliffhanger: they forgot the marriage license and are not sure where it is.
It’s official: mom and sis do not want Cynthia to marry. They hijacked the marriage license so when she does marry it won’t legal? Dunno about that one, she does have a license but it just not presented to the pastor. I know he does have to sign the thing.
Anyway.
All the ladies looked fab at the wedding. Kim brought her own bottle because she said Cynthia couldn’t afford good wine if she was, “whining about the honeymoon.”
Ne Ne said Kim is invisible to her.
Well, Sheree said she could see where “they cut corners.” (no abundance of flowers)
Meow. Dang. Kim, Sheree and Phaedra had the claws out for this one!
Anyway, Cynthia was beautiful--like a work of art in that dress--and the ceremony went forth Peter in spite of his imperfections. Ahhh, love. (remember that her mom and sis hid the license so I am not clear if it is legal or not--whooo--because Mal was visibly upset as if she felt guilty about her involvement in the whole thing. Whooo.
The full-skirted, tucked dress (with toile petticoat beneath) had a crease-pleat, choker-collar and huge side bow, also at the neck. Accompanied by large drop earrings, an up do and evening makeup, Cynthia glowed.
Okay, the wrap-up: Dwight and Ne Ne made up at the reception and danced after he presented her with some of the flowers from the wedding arrangements.
P.S. Ne Ne will be on the Apprentice in March. Looks fun! And Kim is preggers, due in June! Whooo!
Source: Atlanta Housewives, Bravo Channel
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Why men act out against women - CNN.com

Why men act out against women - CNN.com
CNN.com explains that "TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to 'Ideas worth spreading,' which it distributes through talks posted on its website. Anthony Porter is co-founder of "A Call to Men," a national organization addressing domestic and sexual violence prevention and the promotion of healthy manhood. "

President Obama Signs Critical Legislation to Prevent Child Abuse and Domestic Violence | The White House

President Obama Signs Critical Legislation to Prevent Child Abuse and Domestic Violence | The White House
In 2008, 772,000 children were victims of abuse and neglect. Nearly 2,000 of those children died. By providing states and local communities with new tools to identify and treat abuse and neglect, CAPTA-funded services will continue to protect children across the country. Prevention efforts will help parents by addressing high risk-factors like substance abuse, mental illness and domestic violence.
Domestic violence still affects 1 in 4 women in states and territories across the country.

31 cities’ tap water has cancer-causing hexavalent chromium, study says - Yahoo! News

31 cities’ tap water has cancer-causing hexavalent chromium, study says - Yahoo! News

How leaks affect you :: Local News :: Post-Tribune

How leaks affect you :: Local News :: Post-Tribune

Leaking underground containers can cause cancer and poison groundwater. Click to read the article.

The White House Blog | The White House

The White House Blog | The White House

101210-tax-relief-african-americans.pdf (application/pdf Object)

101210-tax-relief-african-americans.pdf (application/pdf Object)
Commentary: imadeamesss.com

The Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010:
A Win for African American Families
The agreement announced by the President not only secures vital tax relief and investments in
our workers that will create jobs and accelerate economic growth, it contains specific policies
that provide targeted support for African Americans. In addition to extending unemployment
insurance for 13 months, the bill builds off the gains made in the Recovery Act. The agreement
will extend key provisions such as the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the Child Tax
Credit (CTC) that disproportionately help African American families and children.
• An estimated 2.2 million African American families will benefit from the expansion
in the EITC and CTC that are extended in this agreement. These credits help roughly
4.7 million African American children or almost half (44%) of all African American
children.
• The extension of Unemployment Insurance will benefit 1.1 million African
Americans. That is why the National Congress of Black Women praised the President
for giving the unemployed a “new lease on life” and a “survival line” through the next 13
months.
Illustrative Example: Working African American mother with three children making $20,000.
This family will:
• Receive a tax cut of more than $2,100 from extending recent expansions in the EITC and
Child Tax Credit as part of this agreement.
• Receive a $400 tax cut from the new payroll tax cut.
• Compared to the Republican alternative, this family will receive a total tax benefit of
$2,500 next year.
HIGH IMPACT, JOB CREATING TAX CUTS FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN FAMILIES
Economic studies consistently find that lower-income households are the most likely to spend
additional money, creating jobs and helping overall growth. That’s why the Congressional
Budget Office has concluded that “policies aimed at lower-income households tend to have
greater stimulative effects.”
Beginning in the Recovery Act, the President has demonstrated his commitment to extend
benefits and tax cuts to struggling families as the right thing to do for family security and our
economy. According to a study released last year by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities,
seven policies included in the Recovery Act have kept 1.4 million African-Americans above the
poverty line.
1
1
Sherman, Arloc “Stimulus Keeping 6 Million Americans Out of Poverty in 2009, Estimates Show.” Center on
Budget and Policy Priorities, September 2009.
Page 2
Three of these policies are continued in the current bill, including Unemployment Insurance, the
EITC and the Child Tax Credit.
Earned Income Tax Credit
The EITC in the Recovery Act:
The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) supplements the wages of low income workers, lifting
more children out of poverty than any other single program or category of programs.
Under the Recovery Act, the EITC was expanded to reduce the marriage penalty and to create a
“third tier” of the EITC for families with three or more children. This means larger families now
receive up to $1,040 more than they would have under the old system.
By extending the EITC in the agreement:
• About 4.1 million African American children will benefit from an expanded EITC tax
credit. Without this agreement, their families could lose up to $1,040.
Child Tax Credit
The Child Tax Credit in the Recovery Act:
The Child Tax Credit helps low-and moderate-income families with children. The credit allows
families to reduce their federal income tax by a certain amount for each qualifying child under
the age of 17 in a household. In 2001, the Child Tax Credit was expanded to $1,000 per child,
but was unavailable to millions of low income families because the minimum amount of earned
income used to calculate the credit was set at about $12,500 in today’s dollars.
In the Recovery Act, the Administration and Congress secured an important expansion in the
Child Tax Credit for lower income families by lowering the minimum amount from about
$12,500 to $3,000.
By extending the CTC with the $3,000 minimum threshold in the agreement:
• 2.7 African American children will benefit from a larger CTC.
• For many families, extending the minimum threshold in the CTC will result in thousands
of dollars in additional tax benefits that would have otherwise been lost. For example:
o A married couple with three children making $23,000 will receive $3,000 in child
tax credits compared to about $1,540 if only the 2001/2003 tax cuts were
extended – an increase of about $1,460.
Page 3
o A single mother with two children making $17,000 will receive $2,000 in child
tax credits compared to about $640 if only the 2001/2003 tax cuts were extended
– an increase of about $1,360.
American Opportunity Tax Credit
The American Opportunity Tax Credit in the Recovery Act:
• The Recovery Act expanded the AOTC so that it now provides up to three times more
relief than was previously available under the Hope Credit and Lifetime Learning Credit
and is refundable for low-income students for the first time.
• The AOTC gives working families and students a $2,500 per year partially refundable tax
credit to help students and their families cover the cost of college tuition.
The American Opportunity Tax Credit in the agreement:
• This deal fully extends AOTC for two years, ensuring that more than 8 million students
will continue to receive this tax benefit to help them afford college.
Unemployment Insurance
Extension of Unemployment Insurance is especially helpful for African Americans
• The unemployment rate among African Americans was 16% in November 2010. It has
increased 7 percentage points since the beginning of the recession in December 2007.
• Young African Americans face extremely high rates on unemployment, with 28% of
those ages 16-24 in unemployment in November 2010.
• African Americans also face longer durations of unemployment. For example, 47% of
unemployed African Americans have been unemployed for 27 weeks or more, compared
to 43.8% for all unemployed (not seasonally adjusted). The median African American
unemployed worker has been unemployed for almost a month longer than the median
unemployed worker.
The agreement secures an extension of unemployment insurance for an additional 13 months.
Without this extension, 330,600 African Americans looking for work would have lost their
benefits this month alone, and through the end of next year over 1.1 million unemployed African
Americans would have lost their benefits.
• Extending unemployment benefits provides crucial economic security to American
families. A recent report by the Council of Economic Advisers found that while 14
million people received federally supported unemployment insurance benefits through
Page 4
October 2010, an additional 26 million people living in their households benefitted
indirectly.
• About 42 percent of these recipients have, or live with, children. As of October, 2010
10.5 million children had benefitted from this provision.

UPDATE: INDIANA BABY GETS LIFE SAVING OPERATION!

UPDATE: BABY GETS OPERATION!
 Non-profit MDwise pays for baby Seth's operation!


After budget cuts, Indiana baby denied life-saving treatment - Yahoo! News

Black, Native American Farmers Get Their Due

President Obama Signs the Claims Resolution Act of 2010 | The White House

Today I have signed into law H.R. 4783, the "Claims Resolution Act of 2010." This Act, among other things, provides funding and statutory authorities for the settlement agreements reached in the Cobell lawsuit, brought by Native Americans; the Pigford II lawsuit, brought by African American farmers; and four separate water rights suits, brought by Native American tribes.

Elected Officials: Be Like Barack and Take a Punch for the People

Obama facing tough sell in own party on tax deal - Yahoo! News

"We're not going to play Russian roulette with the lives of the American people, with all the millions of people that are going to lose their unemployment insurance right now without this bill going forward," Axelrod said in an interview on ABC's "Good Morning America."

Moveon.org has a commercial featuring so-called average Americans asking the president not to negotiate with the Grand Old Party on tax cuts. Our president is a lawyer. Most lawyers are negotiators as it is a part of what they do. The president negotiated a deal that will allow people who are struggling to make ends meet, have an unemployment benefit check to spend on the holidays--though I expect most of those who are unemployed and struggling to pay their ongoing monthly bills and not buy extravagant gifts with it. The gift for many this year will be food, clothing and shelter. No one else gave a damn about the unemployed except President Obama and the only voice I hear is the chatter I always hear on the news. No real people get a voice there, especially on this matter. Personally, I'm saying thanks Mr. President. Good looking out.

Who are these people who do not understand need and lack of funds? They are so far removed from average Americans that they should not be allowed to speak for average Americans. I cannot believe the Democratic Party is willing to sacrifice those people who are already at a disadvantage because they are not working by allowing the benefits to expire during this holiday season. The potential win against the Republicans and not allowing high earners to see a tax cut, was worth destroying yet another poor, struggling American family. I have always been told that cutting one's nose to spite the face is unwise. However, I never thought I'd see the day when seemingly intelligent people who are our nation's leaders would gladly cut their nose to spite their face as a way of life.
The President did the right thing by cutting a deal for the working people, the struggling people in our country and extending the tax cuts. The wealthy who appreciate these tax cuts should speak up for themselves.

I have always wondered why if the American people are so concerned about the deficit, why can't everyone decide to give a dollar when paying their taxes or getting that tax refund? If everyone gave a dollar, it would make a difference. However, I am not so naive as to believe the average American cares about the deficit because they do not. Special interest groups use that deficit argument as a bargaining chip. Anyone paying attention can look at our society and understand it takes a highly educated populace to care about the country's future and not get into the mess we are currently in.Where were all of the caring deficit people when we were getting into the situation? People right now are caring about making it everyday, not the quality of education, the deficit etc. Anyone angry about the deal the president cut is not hurting for a dime. They have money and are making more money by the minute. They could care less about food banks running out of food or families going on food stamps to survive. (These things have been occurring for some time and these facts have been widely reported.) These well-to-do-people should watch an episode of Downsized to reconnect with the people and understand the poverty that is staring many of us in the face. President Obama seems to be the only one on Capital Hill who understands poverty and the struggle to stay out of its grip.

I'm glad I voted for President Obama and cannot wait to cast my vote for him in 2012. The rest of those greedy, ignorant, uncaring, social climbing so-called public servants can go to hell. GO TALK TO THE PEOPLE ABOUT BEING POOR. DO YOUR JOB!

The answer to poverty is not jobs but that discussion is for another time and another blog.

Police warn of rise in home break-ins :: Lake County :: Post-Tribune

Police warn of rise in home break-ins :: Lake County :: Post-Tribune
Indiana State grad and Gary Indiana police chief, Gary O. Carter, offers tips on staying burglar-free this Christmas season. He and
Det. Keith Richardson head up a special burglary task force that investigates and sometimes stop the often late-morning break-ins. Last week, a local high school student was arrested for attempting to break into a home in his neighborhood.
WHERE ARE THE TRUANT OFFICERS?! Make the students stay in class! Limit hall passes and out-of-classroom time for at-risk students. Explain to them that trust is earned, not automatic.
Parents, do not encourage your children to steal. Pay attention to them and what they do and say.

Here are some other holiday safety tips offered by Indiana State Police:

Holiday Shopping Safety Tips

The holiday shopping season is upon us with the busiest days yet to come. Many shoppers will begin their day in the darkness of the early morning hours and end in the late evening hours, leaving shoppers vulnerable at times to potential criminal activity. To protect yourself this holiday season, the Indiana State Police offer the following safety tips and reminders:

• Stay alert and be aware of what's going on around you.
• Park in a well-lit area and be sure to lock your car.
• Use extra caution when walking to and from your car; walk with a friend.
• Avoid carrying large amounts of cash; pay with a check or credit card whenever possible.
• Deter pickpockets and purse-snatchers. Don't overburden yourself with packages. Be extra careful with purses and wallets. Carry a purse close to your body, not dangling by the straps. Put a rubber band around your wallet and place in the inside coat or front pants pocket.
• Do not leave purses unattended in shopping carts.
• Place gifts and other valuables in the trunk of your car.
• Keep your car doors and windows locked at all times.
• Make sure your car is good mechanical condition.
• Carry a fully charged cell phone with you.
• Shopping with kids? Teach them to go to a store clerk or security guard if they get separated.
• If you notice suspicious activity, contact store security or the nearest police agency, especially if you notice person or persons loitering around your vehicle.
• Remember, the most important tip is to know who and what is around you at all times. This includes driving to and from your shopping ventures.

FYI:
Seniors, expectant mothers and vulnerable citizens should avoid shopping alone and late night. If you have to travel out-of-the way to a safer shopping district, then do so. Also, after gift shopping, take the packages home discreetly and then go out for lunch. Watchful eyes may be in the mall parking lot waiting for you to leave gifts unattended in a parked car at a restaurant. Don't be a superhero this Christmas, be alive--the best gift ever!

Anti-earmark Tea Party Caucus takes $1B in earmarks (Exclusive to Yahoo! News) - Yahoo! News - Yahoo! Buzz

Anti-earmark Tea Party Caucus takes $1B in earmarks (Exclusive to Yahoo! News) - Yahoo! News - Yahoo! Buzz

BLACK & INDIAN FARMERS FINALLY GETTING JUSTICE « Breaking News & Scoops To Chat About on Media Quicky

BLACK & INDIAN FARMERS FINALLY GETTING JUSTICE « Breaking News & Scoops To Chat About on Media Quicky

YouTube - West Wing Week: 11/12/10 or "OCONUS"

YouTube - West Wing Week: 11/12/10 or "OCONUS"

Target Trots Out $3 Appliances on Black Friday

Find out about $3 toasters and sandwich makers on Yahoo! Finance - Financially Fit .
Target is pulling out all of the stops as well as Walmart for deep, deep Black Friday discounts.
Black Friday is the the day after Thanksgiving and the official start of the holiday shopping season. It is a day when retailers hope to be in the black as far as their bottom line is concerned. It's a day when they hope to make a profit.
This is the perfect time to buy that flat panel television or that stand mixer.

New House power duo: Ryan and Issa - Nov. 2, 2010

New House power duo: Ryan and Issa - Nov. 2, 2010

Banneker Middle School Recycling Contest

The Green Team of Banneker Middle School is sponsoring a weekly recycling contest every Tuesday to promote emvironmental awarness and reduce the amount of materials being sent to the the landfill. We need your help. Please support our efforts by saving recyclable materials and bringing them to the Banneker school parking lot near the yellow and green recycle container.

First Tuesday of the month: Newspaper

Second Tuesday of the month: Aluminum cans, uncrushed

Third Tuesday of the month: Plastic Bottles (2 liter, pop and water bottles only.)

Fourth Tuesday of the month: Electronics and Batteries

Vote Early, Vote Democrat

Early Voting started Monday October 4. Please vote early in the Midterm Election on November 2. Early voting will continue until November 1. Election Day is November 2. If you don't vote early, please make sure to vote Democrat November 2.
Vote early, vote straight Democrat.
Vote early at:

100 Broadway
Lake County Court Bldg.
9 a.m. to 3 p.m

Lake County Courthouse, normal business hours
Crown Point, Indiana

Also
Volunteer at the Indiana Democratic Headquarters, 201 E. Fifth Ave.(across from the fire station), Gary to help the Democratic Party win November 2. When you show up, ask for "Shae."

Hours:
9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday; 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday; Noon to 7 p.m., Sunday.

Call for more information:
219-405-2038
219-405-2041
219-687-0040

1 in 5 Gay Men in Big Cities Have HIV | News | Advocate.com

1 in 5 Gay Men in Big Cities Have HIV | News | Advocate.com

NAACP Promotes One Nation Working Together on October 2, Upload 2 Lift online Voter Registration App

By now you have heard about One Nation Working Together, the historic March on Washington scheduled for 10.2.10. The NAACP will lead a broad coalition to bring America together and put America back to work. But 10.2.10 is just the beginning. The next step comes in November.

Are you registered to vote yet? Are your friends and family?

This year's elections are shaping up to be as crucial as 2008. As some media pundits attempt to turn back the clock by reopening the "debate" over the Civil Rights Act, the 14th Amendment and affordable health care, we need to stay strong and focused. Most importantly, we need to vote.

If you are not registered, you can do it right here, right now. The NAACP has developed Upload 2 Uplift, a new initiative to empower voters with the click of a mouse. Our online tool enables people to register to vote on the web and spread the word to family and friends who are not yet registered:

http://action.naacp.org/Upload2Uplift

Since its inception, the NAACP has been committed to bringing the fundamental right to vote to every member of the black community. And despite huge strides in voter turnout during the Presidential election, only 69% of African Americans are currently registered to vote, compared to 75% of non-Hispanic whites.

Our goal is to register every last voter, to verify every last voter, to mobilize every last voter, and to protect the rights of every last voter because in close elections, every vote counts.

But to achieve this goal, we need your help. Tell your networks about Upload 2 Uplift so that this innovative technology can reach the millions of remaining unregistered voters.

Once you are signed up for Upload 2 Uplift, a mobile messaging feature will remind you to vote on Election Day. Make sure your voice counts and get started now:

http://action.naacp.org/Upload2Uplift

We must stay strong and focused. In the last speech Dr. King gave he said, "Nothing would be more tragic than for us to turn back now." We have come too far to turn back. Join us in Washington, DC on 10.2.10 and, most importantly, register to vote.

For more than 100 years the NAACP has been working to facilitate change, but it's up to you to make sure change starts at the polls.

Thanks for your support,

Ben Jealous
President and CEO
NAACP

"A CNBC Town Hall Event with President Obama"

"A CNBC Town Hall Event with President Obama" was good. Very good. The encore presentation on CNBC airs 7 p.m. Central, 8 p.m. Eastern.

If you are undergoing a personal financial crisis, you should watch.
It seems to me that the very wealthy should lend a hand- up to those below them in the economy. If they would work with the president to help the middle class grow, then we would be a much happier country. (and no one would expect much else from you.)

There are people who cannot put food on the table right now and they have these big car note payments and mortgages and a questionable jobs future. They want to save face too. And, they have been struggling with this for some time--before President Obama won the election.

The ones at the top, who are in charge of hiring and firing should take a really good look at what they would lose and gain by helping the president achieve his goal for America. Right now, they are not spending money on job creation and instead fighting like they have a problem keeping food on the table and that couldn't be farther from the truth.

These people at the top should ask themselves, what would you really be giving up? One lavish party per year? One less outing on the yacht? No one is discounting your hard work and right to enjoy your riches but at what cost to others? (you spend more time showing off and one upping each other in your class group--according to some prognosticators--and don't involve yourselves with the struggles of the commoner.)To much is given much is expected. What you are being asked to relinquish is not very much at all. Pitch the fk in.

If poor people and the working poor could be of help, they would be made to help society. However, to ask disabled individuals, widows, orphans and veterans to take a meal off of the table and literally starve to death pitching in to help America is insane. Don't be greedy. Don't take too much. Every one else is cutting back on their consumption because their budgets have gotten smaller. Top Dogs in business and finance should do the opposite and spend--spread the wealth. Call your friendly Senator and Congressman or Congresswoman and ask them to vote with the president. You won't notice a change in your budget worth mentioning.

It's like the rich men in the Bible. Those are good examples. While God said the poor would always be among us, he didn't say kick them when they are down or take food out of their mouths while they watch you at the feast. Wow, one less suckling pig on the table. What a sacrifice!

Most of these people pushing against the president are trying to save financial face. They are one step away from not being a millionaire anymore and surprisingly, I can understand that pain. Try thinking about the situation from another viewpoint. You may temporarily not be technically considered a millionaire or billionaire but many of your friends are in the same boat so there will not be a class difference that is noticeable. These people are far from broke and struggling they are not in survival mode and working hard to keep food on the table. Small sacrifices from the wealthy will quiet the rumble in the tummies of the poor and we can all move forward as one nation in peace.

Remember, people who do not have much to lose don't have far to fall but much to gain, are very dangerous to those who do have a lot to lose.

Danita Johnson Hughes: Turnaround expert, speaker & author

Danita Johnson Hughes: Turnaround expert, speaker & author
"Among a classroom of 30 students, I could have easily been lost in the crowd. After all, every student had needs. I wasn’t that special. How could one teacher touch every child in a way that matters?"

Teachers are very special and wonderful people who help form our future.

Tractor is slow, but so is justice regarding settlement, black farmer says - CNN.com

Tractor is slow, but so is justice regarding settlement, black farmer says - CNN.com

Quran burning only suspended talks on moving NYC mosque only 'preliminary,' imam says

Quran burning canceled; talks on moving NYC mosque only 'preliminary,' imam says
Breaking news:

Quran burning only 'suspended,' pastor says now, alleging imam 'lied' about mosque deal

End of an Era: Daley won't run for re-election: 'I have done my best' - Chicago Breaking News

Daley won't run for re-election: 'I have done my best' - Chicago Breaking News

'I have done my best'-Daley

Buy the book! Buy the book Eighteen Months and Short Stories, Real Life today!

The Root: Which Votes Really Matter In Arkansas? : NPR

The Root: Which Votes Really Matter In Arkansas? : NPR
"Pigford II occurred after the USDA admitted that thousands of other black farmers' claims from the 1990s went uninvestigated."

Obama To Birthers: “I Can’t Spend All My Time With My Birth Certificate Plastered On My Forehead” « Alan Colmes' Liberaland

Obama To Birthers: “I Can’t Spend All My Time With My Birth Certificate Plastered On My Forehead” « Alan Colmes' Liberaland

millions-of-american-taxpayers-make-money-off-federal-taxes: Personal Finance News from Yahoo! Finance

millions-of-american-taxpayers-make-money-off-federal-taxes: Personal Finance News from Yahoo! Finance
This person apparently does not know any middle class people. Look at how he degrades the middle and working class people.

"To some, they are low-income Americans benefiting from smart and targeted welfare run through the tax code. To others, they are unacceptable free riders, contributing net zero or worse to the federal government...the IRS as 'Sugar Daddy.'"

He is directing his "freeloading" comments to anyone who gets a tax refund. Can you believe this? Hardworking people, those who are under-employed, have to take a tongue lashing from this MF? Please. Go have a kid, then raise it instead of being selfish and too stupid and cheap to hire a CPA and get some tax shelters.

Participate in Share Your Story of the Dream

NAACP | Share Your Story of the Dream

The 47th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s March on Washington is just days away.

Thanks to stories from men and women all across the country, the NAACP social media history campaign to remember that historic day has been an incredible success.

Each story we receive stands as a reminder of the challenges we have overcome and our perseverance to carry on. And although each story was unique, they were all powered by the same four words: I have a dream.

Do not miss out on this opportunity to be a part of history. Tell the NAACP how Dr. King's epic speech inspired you:

http://action.naacp.org/yourstory

Last week, to commemorate Dr. King, a woman named Gloria wrote in to tell us her story. Her words really inspired me:

"On August 28, 1963, I was sitting in my all black class room with my fellow students glued to the TV. I was feeling very important that day not just because of my turning twelve years old, which was a big thing for me, but also because I was experiencing something that I was to carry with me for the rest of my life.

"When Dr. King's time to speak finally came I was hooked, I knew that my place and my purpose was to hear and to experience the soul of a Dream. That fateful day would not only define the struggle of a people, my people, it would forever create in me the proud Black person, woman, wife, mother, and grandmother that I am today. I will always remember the day August 28,1963 as the day I vowed to always make my people's struggle mine. Thank You Dr. King for helping us strive for the Reality."

When you shared your thoughts you proved something that I have always felt: that the dream is still alive and we are all a part of it.

This movement is so much bigger than one person or one speech. It is the culmination of centuries of struggle triumphing over oppression, forging the path toward equality. And every story brings us one step closer to achieving that dream.

Share your story with the NAACP today:

http://action.naacp.org/yourstory

My deepest thanks,

Ben Jealous
President and CEO
NAACP


P.S. -- This Saturday I will be walking the streets of DC with the National Action Network for "Reclaiming the Dream." The event will commemorate the anniversary of the March on Washington with proper respect. If you're in the DC area, please join us:

http://action.naacp.org/reclaimevent

This Is It

Celebrate Michael!

Come celebrate Michael Jackson's Annual Birthday Tribute at 2300 Jackson St. Gary, IN from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, August 28th.
The block party-style celebration is free and features live entertainment and birthday cake, according to advertisement about the event.
Questions? Contact the Mayor's Office of Special Events at 219-881-1314.

Poison Samonella Eggs–Return to Store for Refund–Do Not Eat

Wright County Egg Conducts Nationwide Voluntary Recalls of Shell Eggs Because of Possible Health Risk



August 13, 2010 - The following statement was released by officials of Wright County Egg regarding the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) on-farm records review and egg testing for Salmonella.

Wright County Egg of Galt, Iowa is voluntarily recalling specific Julian dates of shell eggs produced by their farms because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. Salmonella is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections, endocarditis or arthritis.

Eggs affected by this recall were distributed to food wholesalers, distribution centers and foodservice companies in California, Illinois, Missouri, Colorado, Nebraska, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa. These companies distribute nationwide.

Eggs are packaged under the following brand names: Lucerne, Albertson, Mountain Dairy, Ralph’s, Boomsma’s, Sunshine, Hillandale, Trafficanda, Farm Fresh, Shoreland, Lund, Dutch Farms and Kemps. Eggs are packed in varying sizes of cartons (6-egg cartons, dozen egg cartons, 18-egg cartons) with Julian dates ranging from 136 to 225 and plant numbers 1026, 1413 and 1946. Dates and codes can be found stamped on the end of the egg carton. The plant number begins with the letter P and then the number. The Julian date follows the plant number, for example: P-1946 223.

There have been confirmed Salmonella enteritidis illnesses relating to the shell eggs and traceback investigations are ongoing.

Wright County Egg is fully cooperating with FDA’s investigation by undertaking this voluntary recall. Our primary concern is keeping Salmonella out of the food supply and away from consumers. As a precautionary measure, Wright County Egg also has decided to divert its existing inventory of shell eggs to a breaker, where they will be pasteurized to kill any Salmonella bacteria present.

Consumers who believe they may have purchased these shell eggs should not eat them but should return them to the store where they were purchased for a full refund. This recall is of shell eggs only. Other egg products produced by Wright County Eggs are not affected. Consumers with questions should visit www.eggsafety.org.

Our farm strives to provide our customers with safe, high-quality eggs – that is our responsibility and our commitment.





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Jones gives back with extreme workout :: Sports :: Post-Tribune

Jones gives back with extreme workout :: Sports :: Post-Tribune
That's my uncle ya'll.