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Ethiopia: Land of Blood or Land of Corruption?
Alemayehu G. Mariam
Portrait of A Poor Country
Lately, the portrait of Ethiopia painted in the reports of Transparency International (Corruption Index) and Global Financial Integrity shows a "Land of Corruption". That contrasts with an equally revolting portrait of Ethiopia painted in a recent broadcast of a fear-mongering three-part propaganda programentitled "Akeldama" (or Land of Blood) on state-owned television. The program aired on November 26-28 was intended to be a moral, and to some extent legal and political, justification of dictator Meles Zenawi's "anti-terrorism law". The program begins with a doleful narrator setting a doomsday scenario:
Terrorism is destroying the world. Terrorism is wrecking our daily lives, obstructing it. What I am telling you now is not about international terrorsim. It is about a scheme that has been hatched against our country Ethiopia to turn her into Akeldama or land of blood. For us Ethiopians, terrorism has become a bitter problem. In this regard, I have three consecutive programs prepared for you my viewers.
Displaying photos of alleged terrorist carnage and simulated blood droplets falling from the title of the program — dead bodies of babies and little children lying on the ground, fly-infested corpses of adults oozing blood on the asphalt, severed limbs scattered in the streets, burned vehicles, bombed buildings, doctors treating injured victims, a crowd of wailing women mourning at a gravesite, an old man crying his eyes out over the death of his wife at the hand of "terrorsits" and footage of the imploding Twin Towers in New York City on September 11, 2011 and on and on — the narrator accuses "ruthless terrorists" for having "destroyed our peace" and "massacring our loved ones". In a plaintive tone the narrator exhorts:
"Let's look at the evidence. In the past several years, there have been 131 terrorist attacks; 339 citizens killed; 363 injured and 25 kidnapped and killed by terrorists.
By displaying grisly spectacles of acts of alleged terrorist atrocity, cruelty, brutality and inhumanity from years past and by describing those acts with deceitful, deceptive and distorted narrative, "Akeldama" hopes to tar and feather ALL of Ethiopia's opposition elements, inflame public passions and offer moral justification for Zenawi's recent crackdowns and massive and sustained human rights violations.
The propaganda objective of "Akeldama" cannot be mistaken: Zenawi aims to vanquish from the active memory of the population any traces of popular support or sympathy for his opposition and critics by demonizing, brutalizing, dehumanizing, "villainizing" and virtually cannibalizing them. He wants the population to view the opposition as bloodthirsty gangs of conspirators blowing up defenseless babies, children, women and innocent citizens and unleashing terror and mayhem in every street corner in Ethiopia. The revolting and gruesome scenes and sequences of carnage and destruction stitched into the video are intended to lump together all of Zenawi's opponents with Al Qaeda and Al Shabbab terrorists in Somalia.
"Akeldama": Dictatorship, Lies and Videotapes
On the surface, few inquiring minds would disagree that "Akeldama" is sleazy melodrama. It has an exalted hero, dictator Meles Zenawi, the knight in shining armor, waiting in the shadows armed and ready to impale the wicked terrorists with his piercing lance. There is a damsel in distress, Lady Ethiopia. There are an assortment of scheming villains, conspirators, mischief-makers, subversives, foreign collaborators, and of course, terrorists who are cast in supporting roles as opposition leaders, dissidents and critics. It has a sensational and lurid plot featuring cloak-and-dagger conspiracies by neighboring countries, clandestine intrigues by Diaspora opposition elements, sedition and treason by local collaborators, and of course terrorism. Naturally, in the end, good triumphs over evil. Sir Meles Zenawi, knight errant, political wizard, archer and swordsman extraordinaire, delivers Lady Ethiopia from the clutches of the evil and sinister Al Qaeda, Al Shabbab and their minions and flunkeys, namely Ethiopia's opposition leaders, dissidents and critics. Hollywood's worst horror shows have nothing on "Akeldama".
It is easy to dismiss "Akeldama" as dimwitted and ill-conceived horror melodrama. But that would be a mistake because as lame and as cynical as it is, its manifest propaganda aim is to present a morality play for the masses in an attempt to drum up support for Zenawi and preempt, prevent or stall the dawn of an "Ethiopian Spring". Careful review of "Akeldama" suggests that Zenawi aims to accomplish a number of propaganda objectives: 1) tar and feather all who oppose him as terrorists, terrorist sympathizers and fellow travelers, war mongers, blood-letters and genocidal maniacs, and inflame public passions, promote hatred and incite distrust and suspicion against them; 2) create a climate of fear, loathing and intolerance and trigger mass hysteria against the opposition by concocting a crude propaganda brew of mass deception, mass distraction and mass demoralization; 3) divert the attention of the population from the pressing economic, social and political issues of the day by feeding their fears, accentuating their anxieties and concerns and encouraging them to passively accept Zenawi's rule, and 4) provide justification why Zenawi has a moral imperative to ruthlessly crackdown and clampdown on his opposition.
The fact of the matter is that every major international human rights and other independent organizations dedicated to good governance has condemned Zenawi's regime for gross human rights violations, corruption, lack of transparency and accountability and suppression of press freedoms. Zenawi understands that he has no moral legs to stand on and that he is running out of options. He rules by fear, intimidation, lies and deceit. Lacking any moral standing and little public support in the country, Zenawi now seeks to capture the moral high ground by presenting a pathetic and cynical melodrama.
His strategy is simple: To canonize himself, he demonizes his opposition and critics. By casting the opposition in the moral sewer, he hopes to capture the moral commanding heights. By portraying the opposition as bloodthirsty terrorists and baby killers, he hopes to mask his own bloody hands. By showing gruesome pictures of alleged atrocities by his opponents and by creating a message of fear and loathing, he aims to manipulate and frighten the population into supporting him. Ultimately, he hopes to create the public impression that all of the crackdown and clampdown on dissent, the violence against opponents and the complete closure of political space is morally defensible and necessary as measures needed to protect the population from "terrorism that has destroyed our daily peace" and "killed our loved ones". Simply stated, "Akeldama" is Zenawi's slick moral justification for his two decades of dictatorial rule, shutting down every independent newspaper and exiling journalists, jailing dissidents, muzzling critics and thumbing his nose at the rule of law and international human rights conventions.
The Strategic Use of Propaganda by Dictators
Hateful depiction of opposition elements by dictators is nothing new. In fact, all dictatorships in modern history have employed the media — everything from posters and newspapers to films, radio programs and now internet technologies — to moralize and pontificate about their rule while demonizing and mobilizing against their opposition, dissidents and critics. Joseph Goebbles, the grand master of propaganda, undertook a massive media campaign of fear and smear against the Jews which led directly to the Holocaust. The communists used "agitprop" (agitation and propaganda using drama, film, art, music) to win the support of the masses and to rail against the evils of liberal democracy ("neo-liberalism"), capitalism, human rights and so on. Agosto Pinochet's coup against Salvador Allede in 1974 was followed by massive media propaganda campaigns depicting the liberal opposition as a bunch of communists and terrorists. Over 130 thousand Chileans and foreigners were tortured, imprisoned, killed or disappeared by Pinochet's security forces.
For decades, South Africa's Apartheid regime successfully used a slick propaganda campaign against the African National Congress (ANC) by "convincing" Western governments that the only choice to be made was between ANC communists and terrorists and freedom-loving Apartheid racists. Both John Vorster and P. W. Botha had the mindboggling audacity to portray the Apartheid system as a victim of terrorism, turning logic and facts on their heads, in their efforts to build and maintain Western support. They succeeded for a long time, but in the end their propaganda effort to delegitimize the ANC by legitimizing their illegitimate Apartheid system failed totally. "Akeldama" is no different. Zenawi portrays his regime as the victim of terrorism unleashed by the opposition, neighboring countries, Al Qaeda and Al Shabaab to bolster domestic and international support. He undertakes a fear and smear campaign aimed at tarring and feathering specific journalists, opposition party leaders, critics and dissidents as terrorists and enemies of the state while seeking to conceal and absolve himself of any culpability for massive and comprehensively documented human rights violations over two decades.
Dictators and Propaganda
But why do immoral and amoral dictators seek moral redemption? Political psychologists who have studied dictators point to a number of factors. One major reason is that all dictators are self-delusional and narcissistic (afflicted by morbid self-absorption and an over-inflated sense of self-importance). They believe their own PR (press release). They conveniently "convince" themselves that they are loved and venerated by their people, destined by Providence to save their nations and usher in a new era of freedom and prosperity (some call it a "Renaissance"). Gadhaffi swore until his last breath, "They love me. All my people with me, they love me. They will die to protect me, my people." Gadhaffi was so narcissistically delusional that he declared, "I am the creator of tomorrow, I am here, I am here, I am here…. Libya is my country. I created it, and I can destroy it." Rarely, if ever, was it about Gadhaffi's love for Libya or Libyans.
All dictators see outside conspiracies being hatched against them every day. If there are protests, it is not because "my people no longer love me" or "they have come to outright hate me", rather it is because outside agitators are making them do it. Gadhaffi was so detached from reality that he claimed the young people protesting against him were doing so because they were taking drugs. Mubarak, Gadhaffi, Ben Ali, Assad and Gbagbo claimed the protests in their countries were guided and manipulated by evil outside forces. Before his swift fall from power, Mubarak appeared on state television and accused foreign journalists, human rights activists, and foreign hands for fomenting the unrest. Assad in Syria blamed "saboteurs" backed by foreign powers for fomenting widespread civil unrest and chaos. He claimed the unrest were the result of "conspiracies designed outside and perpetrated inside Syria." Gbagbo accused foreign envoys of seeking to turn the military aganist him. Ali Saleh of Yemen accused foreign agitators for protests that were taking place in the country. In a speech on Libyan state television, Gadhaffi declared al-Qaeda was responsible for the uprising in Libya. Likewise, Zenawi's message in "Akeldama" is that the people love him, and the mischief-makers are primarily outside agitators, namely Diaspora opposition leaders, neighboring countries, Al Qaeda and Al Shabaab terrorists and their local minions and collaborators.
As I have previously argued,
Dictators see only what they want to see; and to avoid what they don't want to see, they create their own convenient world of illusions cut out of the whole cloth of their personal beliefs, opinions and fantasies. As they continue to abuse power without any legal restraints and convince themselves that they are above the law and accountable to no one but themselves, they transform their world of illusion into a world of delusion. In their delusional world, they become both the "lone ranger" of the old American West "cleaning up bad towns and riff-raff" and the only custodians of the Holy Grail, with miraculous powers to save their nations. In their delusional world, there is room only for themselves and their cronies….
"Akeldama" II: Let Us See All of the Evidence of Atrocities Committed in Ethiopia
If "Akeldama" is indeed an accurate depiction of Ethiopia as the "Land of Blood", it is manifestly lacking in evidence. That is why we MUST follow the exhortation of the narrator in "Akeldama" to take a "look at the evidence in the past several years." It may be true that there were "131 terrorist attacks in which 339 citizens were killed; 363 injured and 25 kidnapped and killed by terrorists." But is that all the body count? Let us really look at the evidence — not in bits and pieces, not in slivers and shreds, not in fragments and scraps — but the whole body of evidence, the totality of the evidence. Let us have an "Akildama II" and examine
the evidence of post-2005 election massacres of June and November 2005, documented by the Inquiry Commission appointed by Zenawi, in which at least 193 persons were shot and killed, 763 wounded and 30,000 imprisoned by security forces under the direct command and control of Zenawi;
the December 2003 massacre, 8 years to the month, of the Anuak in Gambella in which 424 persons were massacred and some 16,000 displaced to the Sudan.
the extra-judicial killings in the Ogaden including reprisal "executions of 150 individuals" and the killings of at least 37 others in Labiga, Faafann Valley and Hunjurri, and the burning of the villages of Daratoole, Qamuuda, Neef-Kuceliye, Laanjalelo, Aado, Jinnoole among many others in 2007; the October 2006 alleged terrorist deaths of three individuals;
the status of numerous detainees in three documented secret jails where they were held without due process of law and in flagrant violation of international human rights conventions;
the Treatment of "desperado terrorists" in 2009;
the use of foreign aid as a weapon of oppression and starvation of the opposition into submission;
Etc., etc.
Let the truth be told about ALL atrocities committed in Ethiopia, without exception. Let the chips fall where they may!
Never Missing an Opportunity to Miss an Opportunity
Instead of wasting time and resources hate-mongering and demonizing the opposition, critics and dissidents, Zenawi could have used the opportunity to highlight and brag about his achievements and accomplishments over his two decades at the helm. Instead of showing mayhem, dismembered bodies, dead babies and destruction, he could have showed the people what he is doing (and has done) to bring down inflation and eliminate economic privation. Instead of promoting national enmity by depicting brutality, he could have used the opportunity to promote national unity. Instead of spreading a propaganda of hate, he could have been a peace and reconciliation advocate. Instead of demonizing his opponents, he could have humanized them. He could have showcased all of his achievements in eradicating extreme poverty and hunger, establishing universal primary education, promoting gender equality and empowerment of women, reducing child mortality, improving maternal health, combatting HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases and ensuring environmental sustainability. Exhibition of such achievement could discredit any opposition claims and actions to legitimacy than the display of gratuitous horror, carnage, mayhem and destruction. But it seems Zenawi never misses an opportunity to miss an opportunity to do good, the right thing, the moral thing, the compassionate and humanistic thing.
It is not clear if "Akeldama" is the first in an endless series of melodramas calculated to demonize and dehumanize the opposition. It would be great to have an "Akeldama II". But that is unlikely. There is little evidence to show that the lame and cynical piece of propaganda has gained any traction in the public. There is substantial anecdotal evidence which suggests most viewers in Ethiopia and the Diaspora are turned off by the gory scenes and deceitful exhortations of "Akeldama". Even friends of Zenawi are said to have raised eyebrows by the excessive and extravagant display of gratuitous violence in the program.
At any rate, Tamagn Beyene's masterful review of "Akeldama" delivers a totally devastating critique by pointing out numerous lies, factual errors, wholesale fabrications, distortions, exaggerations and fallacies. But credit must be given where it is due. Zenawi has once again succeeded in distracting us all from the real issues. Now, can we get on with the discussion of the issues that really matter such as of inflation, corruption, arbitrary detention, intimidation, maladministration, truth adulteration, balkanization, and the need for better collaboration, improved harmonization, effective communication and, most of all, genuine reconciliation….?
Land of Corruption or Land of Blood?
This past Summer, Zenawi, responding to an interviewer's question about his feelings concerning the use of the word "famine" by the Oxford Dictionary synonymously with Ethiopia, said:
It is a mixed up situation. On the one hand, like any citizen, I am very sad. I am ashamed. It is degrading. A society that built the Lalibela churches some thousand years ago is unable to cultivate the land and feed itself. A society that built the Axum obelisks some 2-3 thousand years ago is unable to cultivate the land and feed itself. That is very sad. It is very shameful. Of all the things, to go out begging for one's daily bread, to be a beggar nation is dehumanizing. Therefore, I feel great shame.
It is a crystal clear situation for me. I feel great shame that a society that built the magnificent Lalibela churches (one of the great wonders of the ancient world) and the obelisks of Axum should be known throughout the world not only as a "beggar nation" but also as land of corruption, land of blood, land of famine and land of living lies.
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Ford introduced a new Fusion, the next generation of more expressive vehicles. It is the first sedan that offers gasoline, hybrid and plug-in hybrid motor. The 2013 Fusion also will come with such key technologies as lane keeping, adaptive cruise control, active park assist, blind-spot information and the revamped MyFord Touch system. Ford said Fusion's 1.6-liter EcoBoost engine will deliver 26 mpg in city driving and 37 mpg on the highway, while the Fusion Hybrid, with a new 2.0-liter gasoline engine and a lithium-ion battery pack, will return 47 mpg in the city and 44 mpg on the highway. Ford Americas President Mark Fields said that it will have a base price close to the current Fusion, which starts at $20,200.
credit: Autoviva.com

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text: Nor had the administration submitted final regulations to the Congress to implement those amendments. I drafted and introduced H.R. 5181 because of those failings of the Office of Education. I am pleased to say that as a result of H.R. 5181 being introduced the Office of Education has finally produced some statistics and has sent final regulations on impact aid to the Congress. But both of these things were done on Monday of this week which is less than 85 days until the new amendments are to go into effect. We are here today to see what various witnesses have to say about these actions and about H.R. 5181. [Text of H.R. 5181 follows:] [H.R. 5181, 94th Cong., 1st sess.] A BILL To amend the Education Amendments of 1974 to delay the effective date of certain amendments to the Act of September 30, 1950 (Public Law 874, Eighty-first Congress), and for other purposes Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That (a) section 3 (b) of the Act of September 30, 1950 (Public Law 874, Eighty-first Congress) is amended by striking out "July 1, 1975" and inserting "October 1, 1976". (b) Section 304 (c) (3) of the Education Amendments of 1974 is amended to read as follows: "(3) The amendments made by this subsection shall take effect with respect to the fiscal year ending June 30, 1975, and the fiscal year ending June 30, 1976, and with respect to the period beginning July 1, 1976, and ending September 30, 1976.". SEC. 2. (a) The paragraph which immediately follows the amendments made by section 305(a) (3) of the Education Amendments of 1974 is amended by striking out "The amendments made by paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (a) shall be effective on and with respect to appropriations for fiscal years beginning on and after July 1, 1975," and inserting in lieu thereof "The amendments made by paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (a) shall take effect on and with respect to appropriations for fiscal years beginning on and after October 1, 1976,". (b) The first sentence of subparagraph (B) of the paragraph (2) which immediately follows the paragraph immediately following the amendments made by section 305 (a) (3) of the Education Amendments of 1974 is amended by striking out "July 1, 1978" and inserting in lieu thereof "October 1, 1978". SEC. 3. (a) The amendment made by subsection (b) shall take effect on the date of enactment of this Act with respect to appropriations for fiscal years ending prior to October 1, 1976. (b) Section 5(c) of the Act of September 30, 1950 (Public Law 874, Eightyfirst Congress) is amended to read as follows: "(c) (1) If the sums appropriated for any fiscal year for making payments under this title are not sufficient to pay in full the total amounts which the Commissioner estimates all local educational agencies will be entitled to receive under this title for such year, the Commissioner shall "(A) (i) determine the part of the entitlement of each such local educational agency which is attributable to determinations under subsections (a) and (b) of section 3 of the number of children who reside on, or resided with a parent employed on, property which is part of a low-rent housing project assisted under the United States Housing Act of 1937, section 516 of the Housing Act of 1949, or part B of title III of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, and (ii) pay to each such local educational agency an amount which bears the same ratio to $63,000,000 of such sums as the part of the entitlement of that local educational agency determined under subclause (i) bears to the total amount of the parts of the entitlements of all the local educational agencies determined under subclause (i); "(B) in the case where such sums are in excess of $63,000.000, shall allocate such excess, other than so much of such excess as he estimates may be required for carrying out the provisions of section 6, among sections 2, 3, and 4(a) in the proportion that the amount he estimates to be required under each such section bears to the total estimated to be required under all such sections, except that the Commissioner shall not take into consideration any part of any entitlement determined under subclause (i) of clause (A). The amount so allocated to any such section shall be available for payment of a percentage of the amount to which each local educational agency is entitled under such section. Such percentage shall be equal to the percentage which the amount allocated to a section under this clause is of the amount to which all such agencies are entitled under such section. For the purposes of this clause, in determining the amount to which each local educational agency is entitled under section 3, the Commissioner shall include any increases under paragraph (4) of section (c) thereof, and shall exclude any part of any entitlement determined under subclause (i) of clause (A); and "(C) in the case where the sums available for allocation under clause (B) for any fiscal year exceed the amount necessary to fully satisfy entitlements for which allocations will be made under such clause, pay to each local educational agency an amount which bears the same ratio to such excess as the part of the entitlement of that agency determined under subclause (i) of clause (A) which remains after the payments under subclause (ii) of such clause bears to the total amount of the parts of the entitlements of all the local educational agencies determined under such sublcause (i) which remain after the payments under such subclause (ii). "(2) The Commission shall determine that part of the entitlement of each local educational agency for each fiscal year which is attributable to determinations under subsections (a) and (b) of section 3 of the number of children who reside on, or resided with a parent employed on, property which is a part of a low-rent housing project assisted under the United States Housing Act of 1937, section 516 of the Housing Act of 1949, or part B of title III of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, and the amount of the payment to each such agency which is so determined shall be used for special programs and projects designed to meet the special educational needs of educationally deprived children from low-income families. SEC. 4. (a) The amendment made by subsection (b) shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act with respect to appropriations for fiscal years ending prior to October 1, 1976. (b) Section 3 (c) of the Act of September 30, 1950 (Public Law 874, Eightyfirst Congress) is amended by adding at the end thereof the following new paragraph: "(6) (A) The amount of the entitlement of any local educational agency under this section for any fiscal year with respect to handicapped children and children with specific learning disabilities for whom a determination is made under subsection (a) (2) or (b) (3) and for whom such local educational agency is providing a program designed to meet the special educational and related needs of such children shall be the amount determined under paragraph (1) with respect to such children for such fiscal year multiplied by 150 per centum. "(B) For the purposes of subparagraph (A), programs designed to meet the special educational and related needs of such children shall be consistent with criteria established under subparagraph (C). "(C) The Commissioner shall by regulation establish criteria for assuring that programs (including preschool programs) provided by local educational agencies for children with respect to whom this subparagraph applies are of sufficient size, scope, and quality (taking into consideration the special educational needs of such children) as to give reasonable promise of substantial progress toward meeting those needs, and in the implementation of such regulations the Commissioner shall consult with persons in charge of special education programs for handicapped children in the educational agency of the State in which such local educational agency is located. "(D) For the purpose of this subparagraph the term 'handicapped children' has the same meaning as specified in section 602 (1) of the Education of the Handicapped Act and the term 'children with specific learning disabilities' has the same meaning as specified in section 602 (15) of such Act." SEC. 5. The paragraph which immediately follows the amendments made by section 305 (a) (3) of the Education Amendments of 1974 is amended by inserting "(b) (1)" immediately before the first sentence thereof. Chairman PERKINS. Our first witnesses will be representatives of the impact area schools. I want to call around at this time Dr. H. David Fish, special projects director, San Diego City schools, accompanied by Mr. Thomas Bobo, director of Federal programs, Montgomery, Ala., public schools, Mr. Sam Husk, Council of the Great Cities Schools and Mr. Frederick J. Weintraub, Council for Exceptional Children. Come around to the table, all of you. You start out, Dr. Fish. [Prepared statement of H. David Fish follows:] PREPARED STATEMENT OF DR. H. DAVID FISH, PRESIDENT-ELECT, AND DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL PROJECTS, SAN DIEGO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT On behalf of Impact Area Schools, I want to thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today to offer comments on H.R. 5181 and its relationship to Public Law 93-380 and the Impact Aid Program. Efforts over the years to reform the Impact Aid Program were rewarded only last year with the passage of Public Law 93-380, the Education Amendments of 1974. The rewording, however, appears to be a mixed and unknown blessing because the Amendments have brought confusion to school administrators, misinformation and unreliable data to both this Committee and the U.S. Office of Education, and concern to many on what the actual effect will be on local school districts. The program has been extended to two major student classifications, those living in low rent housing and handicapped students from military families participating in approved programs. Neither of these groups has been completely counted before. School districts can conduct surveys next year which will supply information as accurate as the current count of federally connected students; but, it must be remembered that many districts have never reported low rent housing students and that many more districts with low rent housing have never participated in the Impact Aid Program. Guidelines have not yet been published on these categorical programs and other parts of the program as modified by P.L. 93-380, so school districts do not know how the funds can be used. Adding these important programs in FY 1976 is as much change as the program can manage at the state and federal levels. The reform also removed or changed many minor but extremely important sections of Impact Aid. On a national scale the changes seem insignificant; however, to school districts affected the result can be financially disastrous. As an example, Section 2, a special program for districts that lost a substantial portion of their tax base to federal installations, would cost only an estimated $11 million in FY 1976; however, for the districts involved the loss of funds for next year is a major immediate problem. Also while the provisions for school districts experiencing a sudden increase in federal activity may apply only in a few limited cases, the people in those communities may really regret the disappearance of this very minor section from the program. Finally, there is some question whether early or emergency payments can be made to those heavily impacted districts which need Impact Aid funds to begin the school year. These real difficulties: taken together show dislocations that may be just the most obvious problems. Other serious inequities may become apparent only when the new law goes into operation, because the data have not been developed prior to implementation. The current acute financial condition of school districts allows no room for experimentation. Putting the law into effect and then waiting for the results to surface as fiscal problems could create terrible local situations. We do not claim that we have found all of the problem areas nor do we presume to suggest corrections at this time. The main point, we believe, is to indicate the need for the one-year delay of certain of these Amendments to allow the U.S. Office of Education to adequately advise Congress of the effects on local school districts. The local school districts do not know how to estimate income under the new law. We have found a great amount of confusion among school administrators as they attempt to compute the amounts that will be due their districts in the coming year under the various categories as defined by P.L. 93-380. The attached data, using FY 1975 as a comparison base, was compiled from worksheets filled in by local school districts. In a majority of cases correction adjustments had to be made because of misunderstanding of rates, authorization amount and appropriation sums as they relate to the new categories and the tier system of funding. Some districts are enclosing letters of distress with the returned worksheets. Comments range from outright disbelief that Congress really intended so drastic a cutback to expressings of the extreme corrective action required at the local level to either replace lost funds or reduce educational programs. Many local districts are very hard pressed as the combined effects of inflation on what they purchase and recession on local tax income are forcing them into deficit positions. The data attached to this statement was compiled with the help of the office of Education which supplied correct marking lists and adjusted local contribution rates as well as administrative guidance required to secure correct information. School districts returned worksheets to Lance Eldred, president of the Impact Area Schools, for review and correction using FY 1975 ADA and FY 1975 local contribution rates. The total cost of education used is also FY 1975. The recap includes data received prior to April 2, 1975, and is listed by state and congressional district. Scanning these statistics will show that the losses far outnumber gains in the "difference" column when the "New Law Tier 2" is compared to the "Old Law" present level of funding. No so-called "hold harmless provisions" have been applied as each requires a separate calculation based on additional information. In some of the cases the losses will not appear too great when compared to the total cost of education; however, in today's tight education budgets any loss of federal income will directly affect the quality of education through reductions in personnel hired and books and supplies purchased. The column labeled "Administration 5% Reduction on T.C.E." reports the estimated reduction in Impact Aid funds if the Administration's proposal for further changes in the Impact Aid Program were to be enacted into law. We have used the last column to compare to the column labeled "New Law Tier 2" as an indication of loss to each district and have placed an asterisk next to each sum in the last column if that district is entirely eliminated from Impact Aid under the 5 per cent proposal. We believe that we have sufficient data from the school districts to warrant support of the bill now before you. Surely the delay of one year can only show that this Congress is concerned about the orderly and non-destructive adjustment of the Impact Aid Law. The author of the bill has seen to the protection of the new sections providing for handicapped programs and low rent housing children. The addition of these new programs should go forward; but, implementing them will take a major effort. At the present time we do not believe that the SAFA office in the Office of Education has been provided the resources to accomplish the new tasks. Although, at first glance, it might appear that this bill is taking the most costly provision of the new and old versions of Impact Aid, we want to point out some unique features of the new law. The basic appropriation must include two of the "hold harmless" provisions-the small one relating to military base closings and the one providing for an orderly phase down or out of districts that are dependent on funding for students ineligible under the new program. At this time we are very dubious of any estimate of the cost of funding this Tier 2 and "hold harmless" combination. We know that the low rent housing statistics have been derived only from districts that have participated in the Impact Aid Program in prior years and many reporting districts in our survey have informed us that their estimates are extremely rough. Also the accounting of handicapped students and the related categorical provisions have not been made. These factors are important because any beginning miscalculations are compounded as the various "hold harmlesses" are computed. We believe that in estimating the cost of the new law we are looking up a mountain whose top cannot be seen. Unfortunately for all impact aid school districts unless enough money is appropriated to get a certain point, then they fall all the way back down to a much lower level. (Under the 93-380 provisions unless all of the second tier of payments are funded, none of it can be paid.) School districts cannot afford the gamble of insufficient funding at the Tier 1 level. Even with Tier 2 funding and the 90 or 80 per cent "hold harmless" protection, most school districts will be taking income losses that will result in layoffs at a time of high unemployment. The bill before you, however, provides even a more just compromise in that final congressional determination on the Amendments in Public Law 93-380 shall not go into effect until the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare has provided data sufficient enough for Congress to insure that its true intent regarding federal aid to these programs is accomplished. We urge your favorable action on this proposal. Thank you for your consideration. If we can be of further assistance, we are ready to do so. Thank you. |


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Hi All,
we are closing few sites down and so some sites would like to buy certain equipments that the sponsor bought for the site e.g. spirometers, digital cameras as we are not allowed to provide these things to the site due to sunshine act or corporate governance. The sponsor will then need to put a price on these equipments as second hand to sell to the site. I am asking for guidance or if anyone came across this before, I looked up everywhere to see if there is anything in the Regs/guidances that can support us to put a price on it. it will be great help if anyone can provide any feedback
thank you


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Next year the FCC will conduct the first-ever "Incentive Auction," which will harness market forces to reallocate valuable low-band (below 1 GHz) spectrum from television broadcasters who voluntarily choose to relinquish their channels in exchange for incentive payments, to wireless providers who will bid against each other to buy those frequencies to provide mobile broadband services.
The low-band spectrum we will auction is particularly valuable because it has physical properties that increase the reach of mobile networks over long distances at far less cost than spectrum above 1 GHz. It also reaches deep into buildings and urban canyons.
Today, however, two national carriers control the vast majority of that low-band spectrum. This disparity makes it difficult for rural consumers to have access to the competition and choice that would be available if more wireless competitors also had access to low-band spectrum. It also creates challenges for consumers in urban environments who sometimes have difficulty using their mobile phones at home or in their offices.
To address this problem, and to prevent one or two wireless providers from being able to run the table at the auction, I have proposed a market based reserve for the auction.
Any party desiring to bid on any license area will be free to do so.
When the Incentive Auction commences, all bidders will be bidding and competing against each other for all blocks of spectrum. We expect a fulsome bidding process. There will be no "reserved" spectrum during this initial stage of the auction.
When the auction reaches a "trigger" point that the Commission will set in advance of the auction – largely based on meeting a price threshold – wireless providers with a dominant low-band position in a license area will be constrained from bidding on a few "reserved" spectrum blocks. The exact amount of "reserved" spectrum available will depend on how much spectrum non-dominant providers are actively bidding for at the trigger point, but in no instance will the reserve exceed 30 megahertz.
Those "reserve-eligible" bidders who are still actively bidding at the trigger point will then begin bidding for reserved spectrum against only other eligible bidders, and not against bidders who already hold a dominant low-band position in that license area. Of course, all bidders will be able to continue to bid on all of the "unreserved" spectrum.
Bidders who are not eligible to bid on reserved spectrum will continue bidding for the unreserved spectrum blocks. The auction will end only when all bidding stops.
The net effect of the market based reserve, therefore, is to promote a robustly competitive auction with all parties vying to establish a fair market price. Only when the auction reaches the trigger point will bidders split into two groups. Those without much low-band spectrum will complete against only each other for a limited amount of reserved spectrum, and competitive bidding for unreserved spectrum will also continue for those bidders who already hold a lot of low-band spectrum.
As a result of this design, it will not be possible for one or two bidders to sweep the auction. At the same time, we will maintain a vibrant and competitive bidding process to assure the spectrum is priced at a realistic market valuation.


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The Black Matte Copper Medallion Mug holds 15oz of your favorite beverage and features a Copper Medallion with an South Carolina graphic located on drinkers right side of the mug. The black matte mug must be hand washed and is not microwave safe, dimensions are Height 5 inches, Width 3.25 inches and Depth 3.25. Weight is 1lb 4oz..
South Carolina Copper Medallion Black Mug
The Americaware Black Matte Medallion Mug is a stylish sleek design, featuring a smooth, more subtle, handle. The black finish helps make the pure copper medallion really stand out, and allows the iconic graphic to really pop. This mug is a perfect addition to any coffee lovers mug collection.


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Browse by letter: "T"
Tadalis SX is a form of Cialis and it is used for erectile dysfunction treatment.
Tadapox includes two medications combined for an even more effective approach of the problem of erectile dysfunction. The first one, Tadalafil, is a mighty restorative agent that reverses a male's inability to achieve a satisfyingly firm
Tadora is a relatively new medicine designed for prevention of the erectile failure. It contains the same active ingredient as the majority of other drugs used in current medicinal practice – Tadalafil, though its mechanism of action is n
Tegretol is an anticonvulsant. It is used to treat epilepsy, trigeminal neuralgia and bipolar disorder by decreasing nerve impulses.
Tenormin is in a group of drugs called beta-blockers. It is used to treat angina and hypertension. Also is used to treat or prevent heart attack.
Terramycin is a tetracycline antibiotic which is used to cure certain bacterial infections.
Tetracycline is an antibiotic that fights bacteria in the body and delays the increase of sensitive bacteria.
Theo-24 Cr causes dilation of the bronchial tubes by relaxing bronchial muscle. It is effective against chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases such as asthma, pulmonary emphysema, and bronchitis.
Thorazine is an anti-psychotic medication in a group of drugs called phenothiazines. The medicine is used to treat psychotic disorders.
Tinidazole is an antibiotic that fights bacteria in the body. It is used to treat certain infections caused by bacteria, such as infection of the intestines or vagina.
Zanaflex (tizanidine) - the drug with an antispastic effect in increased muscle tone, relieves spasms and clonic convulsions.Assign with painful muscular spasms associated with static and functional spine lesions (cervical and lumbar syndro
Tofranil is a tricyclic antidepressant (TCA) which is used to treat depression (also known as clinical depression) in adults.
Topirame is an anticonvulsant approved for use in treating epilepsy and migraine headaches in children and adults.
Toradol - tablets containing 5 and 10 mg of ketorolac tromethamine as an active substance. It has a pronounced analgesic, as well as antipyretic and anti-inflammatory action, the mechanism of which is associated with inhibition of the synth
Trandate is a beta-blocker which is used to treat high blood pressure by blocking the action of epinephrine on the heart and blood vessels.
Trazodone is an antidepressant, a thiazolopyridine derivative. It also has a timoleptic, anxiolytic, sedative and miorelaxing action. Has a high affinity for some subtypes of serotonin receptors, inhibits the reuptake of serotonin; The neur
Trecator SC - an anti-TB drug (antituberculous), contains Ethionamide as a basic substance, the drug is prescribed for the treatment of multidrug-resistant type of tuberculosis, with the mycobacterium tuberculosis susceptible to it.
Trental is used to treat chronic circulation disorders of the arms and legs, such as intermittent claudication (peripheral arterial disease) or ulcers.
Tricor is used to treat high cholesterol and high triglyceride levels by increasing enzyme that breaks down fats in the blood.


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Gembrook Football Ground
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Gembrook Football Ground
Emerald Primary School
4-10 Heroes Avenue
Emerald VIC 3782
We acknowledge that we meet on the traditional country of the Wurundjeri and Bunarong People, the Traditional Owners and Custodians of this land as a part of the Kulin Nation, and pay respect to elders past and present. This continent is home to hundreds of different nations whose knowledge has helped to shape and evolve our understanding of land and seas. |
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