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Support the US Marines with this great Marine Corps Brotherhood tee shirt. The front of this shirt has the Marine Corps Globe and Anchor logo with the words Brotherhood and Semper Fidelis. The back of this Marine Corps t-shirt has a group of Marines with the Marine Corps Logo with the words All Men Are Created Equal...and Then They Become Brothers. You'll be impressed with the high quality print and the soft cotton used in this black short sleeve military tee. Pick up your Marine Corps Brotherhood t-shirt today.
Please note, this shirt is made to order and ships within 1 to 2 business days separate from other items ordered via complimentary USPS regardless of the shipping method chosen at checkout.
Show your patriotism with this USMC Military t-shirt today!
Harry's Army Surplus: Serving Dearborn and Metropolitan Detroit with army navy surplus, uniform gear, boots, army surplus and work clothing since 1950.


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Be careful what you ask for, MINI ; your wish just might come true.
The lovable and quirky brand has issued a challenge to Porsche . They have challenged them to a good, old fashioned race with the MINI Cooper S going fender-to-fender with Porsche's 911 Carrera S at Road Atlanta on June 21. Mismatch on paper? Well, MINI doesn't think so.
MINI USA President Jim McDowell, who, incidentally, spent eight years in Porsche, laid the throwdown to his Porsche counterpart Detlev von Platen to meet him at Road Atlanta with a driver of his choice to race his 911 Carrera S against McDowell's hand-picked driver, who will sit behind the wheel of the Cooper S. In the event Porsche wins, McDowell tells von Platen that he will wear a t-shirt on his next public appearance that says, "We Did Not Beat Porsche". Should MINI end up victorious, McDowell will proudly wear a different shirt that says, "We Beat Porsche".
Somewhat surprisingly, Porsche looks to be getting warm on the idea of accepting MINI's bold challenge so there's a growing possibility that this challenge could very well be answered.
Like we said before, MINI better know who their barking at because just by looking at the tale of the tape - MINI comes into the race with 172 horsepower on the Cooper S while the 911 Carrera S comes in with double that at 385 horsepower - it doesn't look like the Cooper S has a remote chance of keeping pace with the 911 Carrera S.
Watch Jim McDowell's challenge after the jump

subset: commoncrawl


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High Noon Book Club
Published on Thursday, March 11, 2010 - 1:11pm
"Matters of the Heart" by Danielle Steele
The High Noon Book Club's next meeting is on April 5, 2010 at 12 noon. We will be discussing Matters of the Heart by Danielle Steele.
Come join in and discuss this exciting book about a photographer who must escape the grip of a sociopath in London. Danielle Steele has written more than 70 books, many of which you can find at the D.C. Public Library.


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Nude Celebs in HD - Emily Blunt
Brandy Robbins Measure Her Big Boobs
Amanda Klassen Is Hotter Than Arson!
2 Naughty Teens Flashing Their Boobs
Teresa Moore Bikini Body
Dakota Rivers (Playboy's Fresh Faces)
7 Awesome Youtube Videos Using the Term Amazing Body
Melany Sexy and Hot
Lesbians Gone Wild!
Rosie And The Football
September 22, 2014
Miley Cyrus Topless Back Stage
September 17, 2014
Sharni Vinson Topless on Beach in Hawaii
September 08, 2014
Miley Cyrus Topless Pasties in New York
September 02, 2014
Shailene Woodley Topless Outtakes
August 27, 2014
Lara Bingle Caught Topless on the Beach
August 20, 2014
Laura Cremashi Loses Her Top in the Ocean
August 13, 2014
Italian Star Naike Rivelli Butt Naked on Vacation
August 11, 2014
Amy Willerton Topless on a Yacht
August 05, 2014
Millie Mackintosh Caught Topless on the Beach
July 30, 2014
TOWIE Jessica Impiazzi Caught Topless
July 29, 2014
Toni Garrn's Topless on Vacation
July 25, 2014
Nora Segura Changes Her Bikini Top... Oops
July 17, 2014
Elisabetta Canalis Loses Her Bikini Top in the Ocean
July 16, 2014
Rumer Willis Braless in See Through Top
July 14, 2014
Karolina Kurkova Caught Topless on a Photoshoot
July 11, 2014
Josie Gibson Adjusts her Bikini Top & Reveals Boobs!
July 10, 2014
Ashley Benson Caught TOPLESS Sunbathing
July 08, 2014
Elisabetta Canalis Topless Sunbathing on a Yacht
July 01, 2014
Ashley Roberts Caught Topless Sunbathing
June 26, 2014
Dakota Fanning Butt Ass Naked in the Surf
May 29, 2014
Scout Willis Topless on the Streets of New York City
May 29, 2014
Catlin Stasey Posts Topless Pic on Twitter
May 21, 2014
Coco Austin Topless at her Burlesque Show
May 08, 2014
Lady Gaga Naked for V Magazine
May 05, 2014
Irina Shayk Topless Photo Set on the Beach
April 29, 2014
Rihanna Topless & Bottomless for Lui Magazine
April 23, 2014
Scarlett Johansson Butt Naked in 'Under The Skin'
April 18, 2014
Heidi Klum Topless on the Beach Round 2
April 17, 2014
Emily Didonato Topless in Mesh Top
April 16, 2014
Heidi Klum Goes Topless at the Beach
April 15, 2014
Toni Garrn Topless on the Beach
April 09, 2014
Edita Vilkevicuite Butt Ass Naked at the Beach
April 07, 2014
Nina Agdal Leaked Personal Naked Pic in Bed
April 04, 2014
Is This A Demi Lovato Topless Leaked Photo???
April 03, 2014
Miranda Kerr Topless for GQ Magazine
April 01, 2014
Miley Cyrus Topless on Top of a Horse
March 31, 2014
Cara Delevingne Topless on Vacation with Michelle Rodriguez
March 19, 2014
Bella Knox Tries Stripping in NYC
March 18, 2014
Cameron Diaz Topless on the Beach
March 18, 2014
Taylor Momsen Butt Naked for her Album Cover
March 17, 2014
Pamela Anderson Poses Nude for Purple Magazine
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It doesn't seem very long ago that former SEC chairman Arthur Levitt was speaking on behalf of the NHL's owners, explaining that the league was on a "treadmill to obscurity" and that a drastically different financial model was needed to ensure the league's survival.
In service to that concern, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman canceled the entire 2004-05 season in dogged pursuit of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with the NHLPA. With a salary cap based upon league-wide revenues, it appeared (at least to some observers, if not this one) that the desired "cost certainty" had been attained, if at a very steep price.
"I want the fans in every market to think, at the beginning of the season, that their team has a chance," Bettman told the Edmonton Journal back in 2003. "I don't want fans — you pick the market — to think, well, this team over there is spending three times as much, how can we compete with them?"
Unfortunately, only six years later it's painfully clear that the current CBA is every bit as flawed as the one that preceded it, and probably even worse.
For where a cash-strapped team could have tightened the purse strings in order to remain profitable, teams are required to spend a minimum of $48 million on players in the 2011-12 season. For many of the small-market teams, that represents a serious financial hardship, and it flies in the face of the CBA's purported objective. Indeed, the payroll minimum has risen by a shocking 100% (from $24 million) in only six years.
By forcing every team to spend a minimum of $48 million, every team will have no choice but to ice an expensive roster. But with this year's free agent pool one of the thinnest I've ever seen, it's unlikely that the forthcoming spending spree will actually do precious little to alter the balance of power.
The biggest star available is Brad Richards, a very talented 31-year-old center whose history of head injuries should give every potential suitor serious cause for pause. But with a lack of comparable alternatives available, look for the bidding to be fast and fierce for Richards, with the final contract numbers likely coming in somewhere around five or six years and $40 million. Moreover, those teams struggling to reach the payroll minimum will also find it difficult to remain in their current city.
So while the CBA might be attempting to enforce competitiveness, it's also likely going to force some teams to relocate to markets where they can actually turn a profit. With that in mind, the league probably made a huge mistake in preventing RIM billionaire Jim Balsillie from purchasing the Phoenix Coyotes.
Back in January, Bettman told the Toronto Globe & Mail that the lockout was his biggest regret as commissioner: "I wish we didn't have to go through the lockout. We had no choice. And as a result of the things that were accomplished coming out of it, we're in a much stronger place than we were. But to have to have to have gone through that was extraordinarily painful for everybody associated with the game."
"We burned a year for nothing," concurred Sean Avery in an interview with the Los Angeles Times following the lockout. "We didn't win anything. We didn't prove anything. We didn't get anything. We wasted an entire season."
All true. And now, essentially one year from the CBA's expiration, there's good reason to believe that the NHL is about to go through the same exact thing all over again.
By forcing teams like the Florida Panthers and Nashville Predators to spend $48 million on players, the league is making it virtually impossible for those teams to turn a profit. And because the cap is based upon league-wide revenues, the movement of the Atlanta Thrashers to Winnipeg means that overall league revenues will spike higher while teams like the Panthers and Predators see no real benefit. Instead, their cost of operation – based upon the current CBA – will rise.
When the Philadelphia Flyers signed the Buffalo Sabres' Daniel Briere to an eight-year, $52 million deal back in the summer of 2007, it was a clear sign that the current CBA wasn't potent enough to allow the Sabres to compete with the likes of the Flyers for top-tier talent. That front-loaded deal will see Briere earn $47 million through the first six years of the deal, but his cap hit will remain constant throughout the duration of the contract ($6.5 million per year).
What that means is that in 2003-14 and 2014-15, Briere might well be the most highly-coveted asset in the entire league. For a team struggling to meet the payroll minimum, it will cost only $5 million to be credited with $13 million. In other words, a cash-strapped team like the Panthers would probably be willing to surrender a coveted young asset or a high draft pick just to add Briere to their payroll, even if he won't have much to offer on the ice at that point in his career. Likewise, whatever team holds the rights to the Montreal Canadiens' Scott Gomez in 2012-13 and 2013-14 will essentially save $4.6 million over the course of those two seasons.
All the talk leading up to the July 1st free agent spending spree has focused around Richards, but the real story is likely to be Tampa Bay Lightning forward Steven Stamkos. A restricted free agent, Stamkos is unquestionably one of the league's top talents, the kind of player around whom virtually every NHL club would like to build. If a bidding war ignites around Stamkos, the Philadelphia Flyers are likely to be a suitor. But they shouldn't be alone.
The Colorado Avalanche – before the lockout one of the league's most aggressive spenders – are currently $16 million under the payroll minimum with 15 players under contract. Would it be out of the question for them to offer Stamkos an eight-year deal worth $100 million? Such a move would not come without risk, but it would unquestionably accelerate the team's efforts to rebuild into a legitimate Cup contender.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are on a desperate quest to regain relevance, and perhaps no move (other than an unlikely acquisition of Sidney Crosby) would accelerate that process more quickly than the signing of Stamkos. With $18 million in cap space and 18 players already signed for 2011-12 – and with very few "untouchable" assets on their roster – Toronto is a very possible destination for Stamkos. And perhaps most importantly, playing in Toronto would likely make Stamkos – already the cover athlete for EA Sports' popular NHL video game title – the undisputed king of hockey endorsements within 1-2 years.
The New York Islanders have 18 players under contract already, and they're $10 million beneath the payroll minimum. The franchise's future depends upon an August 1st vote to ratify a deal made between Isles owner Charles Wang and Nassau County officials to replace the decrepit Nassau Coliseum. Wang hasn't been afraid to throw big money around (see: Alexei Yashin, Michael Peca and Rick DiPietro). With the opportunity to land one of the NHL's top five players, might Wang offer up a deal worth $12 million per year? Even if the move doesn't spur excitement enough to turn the arena vote the Isles' way, the acquisition of Stamkos would increase the franchise's value, something Wang will no doubt also be considering.
All of this, of course, is predatory discussion, with the potential gains in Philadelphia, Denver, Toronto, or Uniondale coming at the expense of the Lightning. With over $45 million committed to 16 players, the Lightning would be pushed into a very precarious position should they match a big-dollar offer for Stamkos. There's no guarantee that they'd be able to unload Vincent Lecavalier ($7.8 million/year through 2019-20) to make room for Stamkos. Another prospective suitor also provides an instructive look at the league's past, a past it's clear no one's learned very much from.
The Winnipeg Jets are $12 million under the minimum (also with 15 players under contract). Aside from Evander Kane, there isn't a single player on their roster for whom they must save space, so add them to the list of potential suitors. It's unclear whether a player of Stamkos' caliber would want to relocate to Winnipeg, but moving from Tampa to a hockey hotbed (even one in Manitoba) would also mean a significant surge in endorsement opportunities (though not on the level a move to Toronto would generate).
Back in 1995 (not long after a lockout that cut the 1994-95 season to 48 games), the previous iteration of the Jets (now the Phoenix Coyotes) saw their RFA (and team captain) Keith Tkachuk sign a 5-year, $17 million deal with the Chicago Blackhawks that included a $6 million salary for the 1995-96 season. That $6 million salary made Tkachuk the game's third-highest-paid player, behind only Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier.
The Jets, desperate to keep their fans aboard an obviously sinking financial ship, made the ill-advised decision to match the offer, and were sold and moved less than one year later. It wouldn't be too far-fetched to imagine this scenario playing itself out in reverse, with the (at least currently) well-heeled Jets bidding up Stamkos to a level that ultimately forces the Lightning to sell and relocate.
Once again, here are Bettman's pre-lockout words: "I want the fans in every market to think, at the beginning of the season, that their team has a chance."
Looking at this landscape, it's clear that the Lightning have a chance to compete on the ice. They did, after all, reach the Eastern Conference Finals. But it's also clear that their best player is probably not long for their roster, and if they take the steps likely needed to keep him, it's a good bet that the fans in Tampa soon won't have a team to root for. In other words, damned if they do and damned if they don't, and that's what this tragically flawed CBA is all about.
With Donald Fehr now heading up the NHLPA, it's a fait accompli that the union won't be pushovers in the forthcoming labor negotiations. And with it now abundantly clear – look no further than the Thrashers/Jets and Coyotes for proof – that small-market teams are suffering badly under the current CBA, it's clear that the owners will be asking for more givebacks from the players' union. In other words, a battle is brewing and it probably won't be pretty.
It's all well and nice that the league got a 10-year television deal with NBC/Comcast, but it's important to note that Comcast also happens to own the Flyers. In other words, the league and its television partner are in a sense now one and the same, so don't expect that deal to have any effect on the negotiations.
The prior CBA created a scenario where large-market teams consistently raised the cost of doing business, leaving small-market teams to choose between trying to remain profitable and trying to compete. The current CBA forces small-market teams to compete whether they can afford to or not, and the league's revenue-sharing plan doesn't level the playing field enough to ensure profitability (or even solvency) for those teams.
Needless to say, things aren't looking very rosy right now, and they won't look any better if a team like the Jets or Islanders poaches Stamkos for an earth-shattering deal worth a maximum 20% of the cap (over $12 million per year).
Here's hoping that sanity prevails, and that rather than attempting to slightly alter the current CBA, the league and its players instead take a good hard look at both the past and the future and come up with a CBA that will ensure that it's possible for teams in all market sizes to not only compete on the ice, but also to survive (and thrive) in their current location.
It won't be easy, but it's unquestionably necessary.


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To the girls who don't support giving head…
This should go without saying: but if you want to keep your man, you need to give head. No disrespect, but I'm truly wondering how grown women could not want to give their one and only the pleasure that keeps him happy. If you're in a relationship and don't give you man head, but he gives it to you, then you're SELFISH!Grow the fuck up. Ok ok I sound angry but it's 2012 and to me this is a big issue. Sex is better with head at the start. The appetizer to the main course. The hot pocket when the oven is out of service. If your woman is on her period and you can't have sex with her, some head is the best plan B without cheating coming to mind. Nooooooooo! This is not me bashing females because if you're my girl and we're serious I have no problem giving you the greatest head however and whenever: from the front, back, in the shower or wherever my freak takes me.
To me, a girl that gives head shows that she is loyal. And no I'm not talking about a girl who gives head to everyone, there's a difference. Hoes dont get wifed anyway in my book, so I'm speaking for the quality females out there who fear sucking their mans dick. You will get cheated on, you're boring grow up! Don't shoot the messanger, I'm tryna help y o u out. I'm not talking young love but if you consider yourself grown and tell your man "no" when he asks for head, especially after you have gotten your pussy ate numerous times, that's a big issue.
I have dealt with a few females on a serious level who do not support giving head. True, sex is just one part of a relaitonship so it wasn't a big deal until you realize how boring things can get. What's the point of calling me yours when I can't have all of you? Wifey has to have a classy and dope personality with an inner freak for just the person who she is dealing with, not the whole world.
To the females who don't give head, tell me what the problem is .. Tell me why you can't return the favor after you have been spoiled, are there still some of y'all females out here? I would hope not lol
I used to think eating pussy was nasty and that if I did the female would think she owns me haha. But then I realized that it's an art, it's beatiful licking the clit, hearing her moan, while playing with her titties in the process I love that shit.
Ladies come out be real, be reasonable, be open with your man and keep him. Don't limit the freaky ways and I bet it would help keep him around. Fellatio, head, bop, top, neck, blow job, dome whatever you call it, be inspired by Nike and JUST DO IT.— PATisDOPE
"I love how I hear this song in my head when I think of her. I love how she makes me feel, like anything's possible, or like life is worth it." ~Tom, 500 days of summer
"Brake" Lyrics
Written By Scott Mescudi
This is Chris Paul's game 4 against the Los Angeles Lakers in last year's first round of the NBA playoffs. His stat line at the end of the game reads: 27 points, 13 rebounds and 15 assists. This is how you play point guard in the NBA.


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Team Ratings
Portland Timbers
D. Ricketts
Commanded his box with some key punches, though he perhaps could have been more authoritative on the sequence leading to Yedlin's goal.
P. Kah
Was his usual pesky self, winning aerial challenges and denying service to Seattle's forwards. Didn't let a first-half yellow card hinder his aggressiveness.
M. Danso
Made a perfectly timed late run into the box before nodding home Portland's third. Was solid defensively until Johnson beat him in the air for Seattle's second.
M. Harrington
Got forward well and helped keep possession. Seattle did start finding space on his side in the dying stages, though.
W. Johnson
Distributed well, tackled aggressively and clogged passing lanes, coming up with the interception that created Valeri's tally. Sent Gspurning the wrong way while confidently converting his penalty kick.
D. Váleri
Was dictating Portland's attack from the beginning, teeing up Wallace and Chara for early opportunities that weren't converted. Capped a beautiful buildup on the Timbers' second goal with an incisive run into the box and finish.
D. Chará
Did well to contain Dempsey, though he did receive a yellow card for an unnecessary foul with Portland enjoying a four-goal aggregate lead. Won second balls and got into the attacking third more than usual.
J. Jewsbury
Picked up right where he left off in the first leg, burning Seattle's compact diamond midfield by taking the space out wide. Earned the penalty kick with one bold run into the box, then helped set up Valeri's goal with another.
R. Wallace
Had to be kicking himself after pushing a golden early opportunity wide, but found redemption when he slipped in Valeri on Portland's second and hit the cross to Danso for goal No. 3.
D. Nagbe
Was nearly flawless in possession, picking out his passes and attacking pockets of space on the dribble. Always a dynamic threat.
Seattle Sounders
M. Gspurning
Returning from suspension, Gspurning wasn't directly at fault on any strike but could have done better on the second and third Portland goals.
M. Burch
Didn't fare much better than Leo Gonzalez, who had his own struggles at left back in the first leg. Was lucky not to receive a pair of yellow cards for reckless challenges.
D. Yedlin
Was the only Seattle defender to turn in a decent performance, ending the shutout with a goal at the far post before setting up Johnson's tally with an exquisite cross.
J. Hurtado
Was slow to react on Valeri's goal, then got caught woefully out of position when a quick restart led to Danso's strike.
D. Traoré
Called for a penalty kick when he needlessly flung his arm at the ball in the corner of his box, then failed to react as Danso beat him to a cross for Portland's third goal.
A. Moffat
Struggled mightily for the second straight game on the left flank of Seattle's diamond midfield, conceding acres of space wide for Portland to expose. Also had a bad giveaway that led to the Timbers' second strike.
E. Johnson
Was denied service for most of the match but he made his mark late, setting up Yedlin's goal with a flick-on header before emphatically nodding home a strike of his own.
O. Alonso
Sprayed a few nice passes but didn't control the game to the best of his ability. Isolated deep in the diamond midfield, Alonso was over-matched by the Chara-Johnson duo.
B. Evans
Produced some fine moments pinching inside from his role on the right flank. Maintained his aggression even as the deficit continued to grow, and set up a goal with a long throw for the second straight game.
S. Joseph
Couldn't rediscover the magic of 2009, when the career holding midfielder thrived up top. Looked thoroughly uncomfortable before being lifted shortly after halftime.
C. Dempsey
Again showed a few creative flourishes and put himself in some good spots, but didn't have the final touch. We'll have to wait until next year to see what Dempsey is truly capable of in a Sounders jersey.
M. Rosales
Came on in the 58th minute and again sparked Seattle's attack with some creativity and dangerous set piece service.
O. Martins
Was a lively attacking influence after coming on in the 50th minute. One wonders what difference a fully fit Martins would have had on Seattle's playoff fortunes.


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Book Two of Nina Munteanu's Splintered Universe Trilogy, "Inner Diverse" was released today by Starfire World Syndicate with cover art done by Costi Gurgu.
In Book Two of this metaphysical space thriller trilogy, detective Rhea Hawke continues her quest for truth and justice in a world that is not what it seems. Rhea's relentless search takes her to the far reaches of the known universe from the treacherous Boiling Seas of the Weeping Mountains of Horus to the blistering deserts of Upsilon 3. Amidst the turmoil of an imminent extra-galactic war, Rhea holds the key even as those she trusts betray her. No one is what they seem in this fast paced second of three books.
"Nina Munteanu is not only a master of metaphor, she is a creator of fantastic worlds and cultures. She combines her biological background with the infinite possibilities of the cosmos and turns an adventure story into a wonderland of alien rabbit holes. When the action starts it goes into hyper-drive, and her protagonist, Rhea Hawke, is a fresh and multi-faceted heroine. A fascinating and enthralling read."— Craig H. Bowlsby, author of Horth in Killing Reach and creator of Commander's Log
"Hawke is a maverick in the Wild West tradition, up against the world; and a genetic mystery with lethal powers. As always, Munteanu sticks to science in her storytelling, and clips along a brisk pace."—Lynda Williams, author of the Okal Rel series.
"Am supposed to be recording some pick ups today and working on some accents for three of the audiobooks I'm finishing up but instead I get myself sucked into book two of Nina Munteanu's Splintered Universe trilogy!"—Dawn Harvey, voice artist.
For more on Costi Gurgu, the impeccable artist of the Splintered Universe Trilogy, see my interview with him on The Alien Next Door.
Here is an excerpt about the cover design for Outer Diverse:
SFgirl: You came up with a "Triptych" design for the Splintered Universe Trilogy. What inspired you to come up with it and what do you like about it?
Costi: "There is the danger of spoilers in this answer. The fact is that your main character, Rhea, undergoes a certain evolution from a regular human being to… let's just say something else. And that evolution has three parts, one for each book of the trilogy and it also has a touch of divine. So, the triptych design, so often used for religious paintings, fits like a glove on the entire concept."
Costi was a finalist for the Aurora Prix Award, Canada's top award for works in the genre of the fantastic, in the category of Best Artist for his work on Book 1 of the trilogy, Outer Diverse.


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Scottsdale City Hall employees were puzzled when an exotic bird started hanging out outside their offices. Turns out the bird was in dire need of rescue – and the employees are looking for its owner.
He's a rose breasted cockatoo. A loveable and social companion, according to Mark Clark, the public information officer for the Scottsdale Police Department.
"He was on the ground on the grass, someone actually saw him there the night before and they thought it was a pigeon because it's kind of gray to the back and then they saw it there the next morning."
Clark has been bird sitting for the now nameless feathered friend, in hopes his owner will come forward and claim him.
"He's been chased a lot, he's kind of skittish and it took a couple of days for him to calm down."
Employees spotted the bird by city hall on North Drinkwater Blvd last Tuesday night. The following day they caught him and brought him inside.
He was dehydrated and didn't have the strength to fly.
"He needs a big cage, he needs someone who is going to be around all the time and give him a lot of attention and he is like he is just as gentle as can be for a bird that has been traumatized so much."
Clark is hopeful someone will see the bird and come forward, but until then is happy to lend his home and take care of the cockatoo.
Clark says they will work with a rescue next week to try to find the bird a new home if the owner doesn't come forward.
Anyone with any information on the bird or the owner is asked to contact Scottsdale city officials.
KTBC FOX 7119 East 10th StreetAustin, TX 78701Phone: (512) 476-7777Fax: (512) 495-7001


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Mandatory informational sessions will be conducted to share information and answer questions regarding the Respiratory Care Program.
Pre-registration is not required.
The following subjects will be discussed:
Dates: All dates are Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.
Lincoln Land Community College
Logan Hall, Room 1115 (*room may change; please check website near the date of the meeting for updates)
5250 Shepherd Road
Springfield, Illinois
Online Information Conference:
If you are unable to attend one of the above sessions or would prefer to view the Information Conference online, please click on the link below. The Information Conference will take approximately 45 minutes to complete.


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Don't ignore your Social Security statement
The benefit estimates in your statement can help you plan for retirement.
This post comes from partner blog The Dough Roller.
I just received my Social Security statement in the mail and thought it would be a good time to write about this important document. Mailed once a year to workers and former workers 25 and older, a Social Security statement provides information that can help you plan for retirement.
It also provides information about disability and death benefits that many don't realize they have through Social Security.
A quick tour
The Social Security statement provides two important pieces of information. First, it includes a history of taxed Social Security earnings. In my case, it goes all the way back to my sophomore year in high school when I earned $673! Social Security benefits are based on your earnings, so the accuracy of this information is critical.
- Calculator: Magic number for retirement
Second, the Social Security Administration provides an estimate of your retirement, disability and death benefits. Social Security actually provides three different estimates of retirement benefits -- your benefits at your full retirement age, at age 70, and at age 62.
Your full retirement age depends on when you were born. For those born in 1960 or later, full retirement age is 67. It can be as low as 65 if you were born in 1937 or earlier. You can, however, begin receiving retirement benefits as early as 62, but the amount of your benefits will be reduced. Wait until age 70, and your monthly benefit increases.
- Calculator: Life expectancy
The statement also provides an estimate of benefits should you become disabled, and death benefits for your family should you die. You can also estimate your retirement benefits online at the Social Security Administration's website.
What to do with your statement
When you receive your annual statement, there are a couple of things to take note of:
- First, the benefit estimates in your statement can help you plan for retirement.
- Second, check your statement for the reported earnings to make sure there are no errors. If you find an error, you can contact the Social Security Administration at (800) 772-1213. You should have your W-2 and tax return in hand when you make the call.
When you review your statement, keep in mind that there is a limit to the amount of earnings subject to Social Security taxes each year. In 2009, for example, the limit was $106,800.
As a final sobering thought, Social Security is heading toward insolvency. On the front page of every Social Security statement you find the following:
In 2016 we will begin paying more in benefits than we collect in taxes. Without changes, by 2037 the Social Security Trust Fund will be exhausted and there will be enough money to pay only about 76 cents for each dollar of scheduled benefits. We need to resolve these issues soon to make sure Social Security continues to provide a foundation of protection for future generations.
- Calculator: Will you have the money you need?
For this reason, many do not factor Social Security benefits into retirement planning. While I suspect there will be some level of benefit when I retire in about 25 years, I take the conservative approach and exclude Social Security benefits from my planning. Either way, your Social Security statement should still be checked for errors each year, and used for retirement planning if you so choose.
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BEMIDJI, MN (LEARFIELD-WSAU) The Wisconsin women's hockey team blanked Bemidji State on the road yesterday, 6-to-nothing. The game was scoreless for almost 25 minutes before Karley Sylvester put the second-ranked Badgers in front to stay.
Brittany Ammermann and Katy Harding each had two goals and a assist for Wisconsin, which has now won seven of its last eight. The Badgers improved to 14-3-2-and-1 in the W-C-H-A and 18-3-and-2 overall.
Bemidji State fell to 6-10-1-and-1 in the conference, and 9-12-and-2 overall.
The two teams will close out their weekend series this afternoon in northern Minnesota.


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Monthly contributions are the most effective way possible of supporting the High Line. Your gift will be charged automatically each month to your credit or debit card, and will allow us to dedicate more of your valuable support to caring for the park, and less to administrative expenses, saving paper and resources.
- Special Offer! Join the Highliners today and receive our limited-edition Highliner stainless-steel water bottle as a special thank-you for your commitment to the High Line.
- Immediate membership in Friends of the High Line, and all benefits associated with membership (if you are not already a member)
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- Access to our dedicated monthly supporter liaison who can answer your questions about the monthly giving program, and cancel or change your monthly commitment at your request
For your protection and privacy, this form is protected by a 128-bit security certificate.


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MADISON, WI (WSAU) An inside source says wide receivers coach Zach Azzanni will be leaving the University of Wisconsin and moving to Tennessee. The Volunteers of the SEC haven't confirmed the deal yet.
Azzanni's hard-driving style won the hearts and minds of his players this year and he had made a strong impression, but it is becoming increasingly difficult for members of the Badger coaching staff to stay in Madison with the increasing uncertainty of the security of their jobs.
Azzanni reportedly will join new Tennessee coach Bud Jones, a head coach he served under at Central Michigan from 2007 to 2009.


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The Strongsville City Schools Board of Education has filed an unfair labor practice charge against the Strongsville Education Association, according to David Frazee, board president.
There is still no deal in place for Strongsville schools, and a potential teachers strike is just days away.
Both sides did sit down with a mediator, but no word of any progress.
According to a press release from Strongsville schools, the charges filed relates to SEA's behavior at the negotiation site in Independence, Ohio. It indicates that around 9:30 PM on February 25 approximately 100 SEA members gathered in the parking lot outside the offices of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service.
The unfair labor practice charge also states that the teachers' actions on February 25 were a clear violation of SEA's duty to bargain in good faith. This bad-faith bargaining is in violation of O.R.C. 4117.11 (B) (3), according to the charge.
Teachers plan to walk out on Monday if they do not get a new contract. The district says classes will go on.
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text: Rogue Status at Tillys.com! Rogue Status Background: Rogue Status, born and raised in Los Angeles, CA, has established itself as a premiere lifestyle brand. Through organic growth and a fiercely independent spirit, Rogue Status Clothing has acquired a loyal consumer base. Rogue Status' following is everywhere. Rogue Status Clothing have been seen on MTV (recently, on Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory) and on Entourage, as well as on some of the world's biggest hip hop and rock stars. So update your status with Rogue Status shirts, Rogue Status hats, and Rogue Status accessories.The above information is from Rogue Status.


text: On April 17, 2012, Dr. Chad Gaffield, President of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), visited Queen's University. After spending the day with researchers and students, he engaged in a Public Dialogue at the Ban Righ Fireside Room to a full crowd. Dr. Gaffield discussed the increasing public recognition of the value of the social sciences and humanities.


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Phoenix Police need your help finding a trio of thieves who hit a gun shop and made off with 13 military style rifles -- and it was caught on camera.
The owner of C-3 Arms says he thought he had a pretty tight security system, with surveillance cameras and everything, but the three guys who pulled this burglary off Sunday night did it in about two minutes.
"It's a good security I'm blown away, two minutes is all it takes to defeat it," says Eric Francis, owner of C-3 Arms.
Take a good look at this surveillance video. It shows how quickly the three men worked -- prying open the front doors then cutting a security cable and removing 13 pricey assault rifles.
"We're estimating the guns at $12,000 and an additional $12,000 for damage to other guns in the store," says Francis.
Each gun had a serial number etched onto it.
"They're the kind of guns everybody likes to target, they're not dangerous in the right hands but any gun is dangerous in the wrong hands."
It's hard to make out their identities in the video. Bandanas and T-shirts cover their faces. Police say they drove off in a white Chevy pickup.
Investigators are asking the public for tips, and are offering a $6,000 reward to get these guys and the guns off the street.
"They're a risk to the community, number one their contraband because they're stolen, but also the stolen guns will probably be used in crimes for years to come," says ATF Special Agent Bernard Zapor.
Anyone with information in this case is asked to call Silent Witness.
WJBK-TV | Fox 2 16550 West Nine Mile Rd.Southfield, MI 48075Main Station: (248) 557-2000Newsroom: (248) 552-5103


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JAMESTOWN, N.D. (AP) -- Jamestown College says that men's head soccer coach Phillip Bohn is leaving the school.
Athletic Director Lawrie Paulson says Bohn has resigned after four seasons with the Jimmies.
The team in 2012 won a school-record 16 games, including a first-ever NAIA tournament victory.
The squad won the A.I.I. Tournament Championship at San Marcos, California and Bohn was named the A.I.I. Coach of the Year.
Bohn also served as head women's soccer coach from 2009 to 2011.
The school says a search is underway for his successor.


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Last May Jennifer Aniston was heartbroken after her much loved companion Norman passed away. The actress even got a tattoo of his name etched on her right foot.
It seems now the star has adopted a dog to follow in the well-loved paw prints of Norman. Aniston reportedly traveled to Best Friends Animal Society in December to find a new addition to her family. No news on the name or breed of the pup, but it will be joining her other dog Dolly, a German Shepherd mix.
We reported back in December that Aniston told her friends and family in her Christmas card that donations were being made to charity. Knowing now that she was adopting a pooch from Best Friends, it makes sense that they were on the receiving end of her generosity.
Congrats to Jennifer and her new family member, one of the luckiest dogs in the country.
About Ali BermanAli Berman is a writer, teacher and activist. She works as a humane educator for HEART teaching kids about issues affecting people, animals and the environment. Ali is also a fiction writer. Her published work can be found on her website at aliberman.com. In early 2012 Ali co-founded flipmeover, a production company with the mission to use media to raise awareness of social issues.
View all posts by Ali Berman →


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Red wines that are more fruit-forward and lighter in tannin and body.
Medium bodied reds that go down easy, with smooth tannins and supple fruit.
Wines where earthy and/or spicy dominate the flavors – typically medium to full body.
Full bodied wines that have concentrated fruit and are higher in alcohol and/or tannins. Some need age.
The source for the wines is the historic Napanook Vineyard, one of the oldest vineyards in the Napa Valley that has been in production since the late 19th century. Located at the heart of the Napa Valley, the vineyard benefits from warm days but is kept cool by the breezes that pass over the Mayacamas Mountains.
"Made in a more masculine style, the 2008 Dominus has all of that along with bigger body and more structure, fat, density and texture. Both are brilliant wines and they represent the finest back-to-back vintages for Dominus since 2001 and 2002 or 1990 and 1991. Both the 2007 and 2008 Dominus should drink well for 25-30 years."
99 Points
The Wine Advocate
"This is very pure fruit for Dominus. This will be interesting to see how it develops in the future. 2008 was a very small crop. Very perfumed and beautiful, with currants, flowers, and notes of mint. Full bodied, with round velvety tannins that lead up to a chocolate and ripe berry finish. This is showing great fruit, and a great finish. Structurally this is like a 2005 La Mission. This will be out in May 2011. "
95 Points
James Suckling
"Very Bordeaux-like in its makeup and structure, this firm wine has good acidity and tight tannins, offering complex loamy earth, vivid dried currant and berry, with anise and mineral sprinkled in. This is my favorite young Dominus of late. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2022."
94 Points
Wine Spectator
In the late 1960s, while attending the University of California at Davis, Christian Moueix fell in love with the Napa Valley and its wines. Son of Jean-Pierre Moueix, the famed wine merchant and producer from Libourne, France, Moueix returned home in 1970 to manage the family vineyards, including Chateaux Petrus, La Fleur-Petrus, Trotanoy in Pomerol and Magdelaine in Saint...Read More About Dominus
It's hard not to think of Napa Valley when thinking of California wines. The region is, after all, the one that brought world recognition to California wine making. The area was settled by a few choice wine families in the 1960's who bet that the wines of the area would grow and flourish. They were right. The Napa wine industry really took off in the 1980's, when vineyard...Read More About Napa Valley
Bordeaux Blends The Fab Five With so much history under its belt, it's no wonder that Bordeaux has figured out the recipe to produce amazing wines. Centuries of making (and drinking) wine led to the blend that has become synonomous with Bordeaux. Winemakers in the New World replicate this formula to create successful blends in their respective regions - you may see Bordeaux blends...Read More About Bordeaux Red Blends
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Stonington - Two local women are hoping to change the town's zoning regulations so homeowners on lots of 20,000 square feet and more can raise up to six chickens.
Currently, zoning regulations only permit chickens to be raised on lots of more than three acres and limits residents to just two fowl.
In her letter to the Board of Selectmen, Peg Moran, who is heading up the effort with Helen Jankoski, said "the town classifies chickens as grazing animals and places them in the same category as horses, cows, sheep and goats."
"If small flocks are legal in New Haven, Hamden ... and New York City ... why not Stonington!" she wrote.
Moran, who could not be reached for comment, said in her letter that in 2011 a small group of residents who want to change the ordinance formed a group called Chicken Lovers Urge Change (CLUC*K). Since then they have discussed the idea with friends and neighbors, collected 50 signatures of people who support the idea as well as $200 in donations at local farmers markets.
That is short of the $560 fee the town charges for zoning text applications. So CLUC*K has teamed with the nonprofit Eastern Connecticut Community Gardens which is requesting the fee waiver from the Board of Selectmen. That decision is pending.
Dave Fairman, the president of the gardens association, said in a letter to selectmen the money raised so far would instead be used to provide public education about raising hens and to purchase educational materials at the Stonington Free and Westerly libraries.
The two organizations say the change will help improve food security and nutrition in the region. For residents worried about sleep, no raising of roosters is proposed.
- Joe Wojtas
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Camp Kostopulos hosts annual Family Fun Day
The Salt Lake TribuneFirst published Jun 02 2012 03:30PM
Camp Kostopulos on Saturday hosted its annual Family Fun Day and Open House, welcoming families with children who have special needs.
The camp, operated by the Kostopulos Dream Foundation, is a residential summer camp in Emigration Canyon that provides outdoor experiences such as horseback riding, swimming and camping to children, teens and adults with disabilities.
Its Travel Trip Adventures program also offers five-day camping trips to places such as Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Yellowstone Park, Colorado or Jackson Hole.
For more information on Camp Kostopulos or to make a donation, go to www.campk.org.


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I founded Hi-Tech Housing , 20 years ago, not by choice, but by necessity as I was unable to find a manufacturer that was ready, willing and able to provide the truly custom designed and quality built structures that I needed, and continue to need for my development business. It has always been my philosophy and practice to build whatever the customer wants, and not to limit ourselves to what we think the customers should want. I am confident that Hi-Tech can provide you with any of the products, including customized structures, you may desire and we welcome the opportunity to discuss how we may be of service. Our sales are customer driven, with our sales and engineering staff collaborating with each customer to design the structure they want.
Temporarily, the best way to learn more about our new products will be to use the email link below. Please bear with us while we make these adjustments.
Chuck Fanaro
Hi-Tech Housing, Inc.
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Art and Fashion Meet in Milan
Vionnet's Goga Ashkenazi and W's Stefano Tonchi hosted an opening party in Milan last night for Thayaht: Between Art and Fashion. Ashkenazi recently acquired a collection of illustrations Thayaht made of dresses designed by Madeleine Vionnet between 1919 and 1925. Famous for inventing the bias cut, the French couturier never sketched; rather, she draped all of her pieces on eighty-centimeter mannequins. Originally hired to design the house's logo, Thayaht, an Italian futurist artist and industrial designer, born Ernesto Michahelles (he liked the palindromic qualities of his nom de paint brush, apparently), became her collaborator and documentarian. "There's nothing more graceful than seeing the garment float freely on the body," Vionnet once said. Thayaht's drawings would seem to confirm that; some of the dresses look startlingly modern, despite being made nearly a century ago. Among the sixty sketches in the collection, a few include the name of the client for whom the dress was made. "They put the idea of body types in perspective, because the drawings were about the client, not about the idealized woman," Tonchi told Style.com. "One of Vionnet's big revelations was to eliminate the waistline," he added. There's some debate about who, exactly, freed women from the corset—Poiret, Chanel, or Vionnet—but Ashkenazi has her answer. "Vionnet—she made us all comfortable."
Thayaht: Between Art and Fashion is open at Milan's Museo Poldi Pezzoli until February 25.
Photo: Courtesy Photo


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What if all of Malden read the same book?
Malden Reads is a community reading program that seeks to answer that question. Organized by community groups, city leaders, and residents, in collaboration with the
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"The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks"
has been chosen as the feature selection for Malden Reads 2014.
We encourage you to use this website as our electronic meeting space, as we curl up to a good book and then meet our neighbors, young and old (in person) to share what we read!
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Why The Economist Is Wrong on Apple
Shmulik is a member of The Motley Fool Blog Network -- entries represent the personal opinion of the blogger and are not formally edited.
The well respected newspaper, The Economist, wrote an interesting article on Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) on Jan. 29. Its main theme was that the mighty technology company will probably not crumble, but that its shares have certainly seen their peak. The newspaper provides two reasons why Apple will not return to its former self. First, Steve Jobs, Apple's founder and creative genius is dead, and his successor, Tim Cook, has yet to prove himself capable of bringing new breakthrough products. Second, the high profit margins in the industry attract stiff competition from fierce rivals such as Samsung. This is bound to shrink Apple's share in the market over the next few years.
A somewhat bruised apple
The Economist isn't writing such a doomsday- like piece on Apple for nothing. Shares of this mighty company have taken a strong hit over the past six months, plunging from a record $705 to $455 as of this writing. It is a whopping 35% decline. Take a look at the graph below.
Why the newspaper is wrong
I believe The Economist is wrong, for the following reasons:
Attributing the death of Jobs for the stock's decline is a fallacy. Steve Jobs died on October 2011. Following his death, shares of Apple have experienced one of their best performing times, climbing from $360 to $700 in a little less than a year. It is hard to argue that the stock market is mourning over his death when the stock sky rockets by almost 100%.
Technology is a high profit margin industry. This, in turn, attracts competition, and not only from Samsung. Apple currently competes head-to-head with Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) in the PC market, and with Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN) in the market for tablets. It also competes with Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) in the smartphone arena, and lately, Nokia (NYSE: NOK) also joined the party with its Lumia 920 smartphone.
But competition isn't a bad thing, and it's certainly not a sufficient reason to erase $250 billion from the company's market cap competition also means that Apple is expanding to new territories in search of new profit engines which is a very good thing.
In addition, competition alone cannot explain why Apple's shares were expensive and deserved such a trim. Shares of Apple traded at a P/E of 15x only 6 months ago (currently at 10x). Google, Microsoft and Nokia are now trading at P/Es of 24, 15 and 22, respectively. Amazon, for instance, trades at a staggering P/E of 3,000x. The same is true when you compare another value metric such as price/sales. Google, Microsoft and Amazon trade at a price/sales of 5, 3.2 and 2. This is in line with Apple's price/sales of 2.5. In other words, all of these players are now much more expensive than Apple was 6 months ago.
It's all about expectations
There is only one basic truth why the market suddenly fell out of love with Apple, and that is exuberant expectations. The market expected Apple to grow at a double digit rate, each and every year. This, of course, is unsustainable. Because fear and greed are such dominant emotions in the market, a little sense of disappointment quickly turned into aggressive selling. It has nothing to do with the business or spirit of the company; it has everything to do with the minds and emotions of investors.
shmulikarpf has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Amazon.com, Apple, and Google. The Motley Fool owns shares of Amazon.com, Apple, Google, and Microsoft. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Is this post wrong? Click here. Think you can do better? Join us and write your own!


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Don't Mint the Platinum Coin, Solve the Real Problem
It makes sense that the only way to solve an absurd problem like the debt ceiling crisis is with an equally absurd solution. This week that solution took shape in the form of a $1 trillion platinum coin. Neil Irwin at the Washington Post, explains the proposal:
"To avoid running into the debt ceiling in the next couple of months, the Treasury secretary could exploit a legal loophole, create a platinum coin, assign it a value of $1 trillion or some other very high number, and deposit it at the Fed, thus enabling the government to carry out its previously promised tax and spending policies without broaching the legal cap on debt issuance."
Crazy right? Well maybe not. The blogosphere has spent this week coming to a consensus on some of the challenges to this proposal. First, the action seems to be within the legal rights of the Treasury secretary as explained by the law's creator, Mike Castle former Senator from Delaware. It is clear, however, that this action would be exploiting a loophole on a bill that was passed to allow the treasury secretary to mint currency for collectors. For some reason it is important to explain, for the sake of Fox News among others, that a $1 trillion dollar platinum coin would not actually exist in the form of $1 trillion of platinum. A penny does not cost one cent to make and a ten-dollar bill is not made of more valuable material than a five-dollar bill. Finally, most have concluded that the production of a platinum coin would not affect inflation unless investors saw this move as an admission by the government that they it had defaulted on the debt. The platinum coin could hold the answer to an end to our short term problems.
To take a step back, it is important to remember that the only reason the platinum coin is being contemplated is because congressional Republicans have demanded that any increase to the debt ceiling be paired with decreases in spending, even though the two have nothing to do with each other. Even if the President raises the debt ceiling, Congress still has the power to authorize every dollar spent by the government. Republicans, for the last few years now, have manufactured the ideal hostage situation: they threaten major consequences to the economy if Democrats do not agree to cut spending immediately. The debt ceiling problem is not a spending or debt problem, but rather a political problem.
The platinum coin has the power to neutralize the Republican Party's demands on the debt ceiling, but I don't think this road leads the President to where he would like to end up. The debt ceiling must obviously be raised by the February deadline in order to prevent harmful effects to the economy, but more important, some consensus must be reached on what level of debt is sustainable to hold at this time. This debate over the debt may be the most prominent disagreement between today's two parties. While this impasse may never be broken, there needs to be a willingness by politicians to listen to the other and compromise when possible, or parties will continue to resort to the scorched earth politics of default., government shutdown, and all of the other maneuvers.
While minting the coin may prevent the short-term effects of the debt ceiling and thus delay one crisis, it will force the President to admit that the only effective tools he has in his arsenal come from exploiting loopholes. If the president wants to lead, and remove this issue from his second term he must force the levers of power and convince Americans that Republicans are fighting a losing battle. He must argue that what America needs now is more stimulus, more jobs, and better infrastructure in order to build a society that is in a firm place to begin paying back its debt. This strategy should be paired with willingness to compromise with Republicans on cuts we are going to have to make anyway down the road. Entitlements are going to need to be reformed at some point, so why not take the lead instead of being forced to do it the Republican way later?
Public opinion polls are with the Democrats now. Now is not the time to give up and mint the coin. Now could be the best time to double down on message, while also engaging in modest entitlement reform. If Republicans still don't budge, the President should just evoke the fourteenth amendment and ignore the debt ceiling. If he and Democrats do not engage in both of the crises head on, though, Republicans will continue to feel they have license to link spending cuts to the debt ceiling, and these self-imposed debt ceiling fights will dominate the President's second term.
Image Credit: http://www.mining.com
Why Republicans Lose the Next Fiscal Cliff Fight
The "fiscal cliff" bill passed by the House is really a stopgap measure that only prevents painful sequestration from taking affect for two months. Taxes will probably still go up for middle class Americans because of a failure to include a payroll tax extension in the final deal, and no debt reduction was including in this bill. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the bill will add $4 trillion to the debt over the next ten years. All of this means that an almost identical debate will commence on Thursday at the open of the 113th Congress. Without minimizing the relief tonight's vote will provide to most Americans, this vote was really about gaining the most leverage for upcoming votes on spending and revenue, and by failing to endorse the bill as a party, Republicans will lose leverage on these upcoming fights.
There is much that will be different during the upcoming debate over averting the sequester. Both chambers of congress will have more Democratic votes, a consequence of the decisive 2012 election. The President will also have the advantage of a State of the Union Address in January to communicate his position with the nation. For Republicans, Speaker Boehner will be reelected Speaker of the House and may be more willing than he was this last week to make bolder moves in negotiation. In the last few years Republicans have demanded spending cuts in exchange for an increase of the debt ceiling, and tying the debt ceiling fight to the sequester could also provide leverage for Republicans. It seems that both parties felt that all of these factors would provide them a better bargaining position in 2013 than they had in 2012, leading to passage of tonight's deal.
The most substantial change in leverage may be based on the substance of tonight's deal. The CBO has made clear that the cleared legislation does not cut spending in any substantial way. Republicans will say that this means the next deal must include spending cuts and serious entitlement reform. Speaker Boehner has already tweeted tonight, "Now the focus turns to cutting spending". The President has, in turn, made it very clear that any further deal must also be balanced between revenue increases and spending cuts. This disagreement will be the basis of all debate over the next eight weeks. I think Democrats will win this argument, because of the failure of the Republican leadership to get a majority of their caucus to vote for tonight's bill.
We saw Rep. Paul Ryan lose leverage in a similar way when running for Vice President. Rep. Ryan tried, in his convention speech, to use Simpson-Bowles grand bargain plan as an example of both parties coming together to make tough choices. What was most embarrassing for Ryan, however, was that he sat on the Simpson-Bowles commission and voted no on the proposal. Rep. Ryan had lost all credibility as an advocate for grand compromise. In a similar way, Republicans will not be able to use tonight's bill as evidence that only spending cuts are still needed as part of a compromise. A future Republican bill that only cuts spending will look like a power grab and not the second half of a grand compromise, as the Speaker would like it to be.
Tonight the White House finds a minor victory in passing a bill that raises taxes on the wealthy, while still holding onto leverage they will need to finish averting the sequester. The main take away tonight, though, is that the work to avert both the self-imposed fiscal cliff and the self-imposed debt ceiling crisis is still to come. Unless the President is ready to propose concrete entitlement reforms, these debates will monopolize his entire second term, time he would like to devote to important legislation like Immigration reform and new energy policy. Also, if Republicans do not find ways to break their no tax pledge and raise rates, they will continue to lose the battle of public opinion and find themselves on the losing side of many future legislative fights.
Image Credit: motherjones.com
Political Capital Can't Hold up These Dangerous "Fiscal Cliff" Negotiations
Most likely a newspaper near you will devote its top story tomorrow to a compromise made between Republicans and Democrats in an effort to avoid the effects of the "fiscal cliff". Already the President and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell have congratulated themselves on a compromise that has been made on taxes, extending the Bush tax cuts for roughly 98% of Americans when everything is finalized. Perhaps New Year's Day will now be a break for members of congress and the President. Speaker Boehner, who emphatically removed himself from the negotiations, will be reelected speaker by his caucus despite his inability to unite them over the last few weeks. As markets close tomorrow and everyone takes a deep breath, one thing will be clear: while "A" deal may have been reached, "the" deal is still far away leaving dangerous austerity cuts in place all because no politician is willing to spend the political capital on a grand bargain proposal.
A little history: legislators invented the "fiscal cliff" as part of the Budget Control Act of 2011 to serve as a powerful mechanism requiring them to cut spending and raise revenue. The cliff would, in lieu of a compromise on spending and taxes, impose automatic sequestration, or spending cuts evenly divided between both defense and discretionary spending that both Democrats and Republicans value. Today with no deal beyond the compromise on taxes, these austerity cuts are still in place.
Furthermore, the extension of the Bush Tax cuts negotiated today, would not ensure that taxes will not rise for middle class Americans. Without an extension of the payroll tax credit, a tax that both parties have refused to include in their proposals, the payroll tax holiday will expire and the payroll tax will jump from 4.2% to 6.2% starting in January. To be clear, all negotiations have failed, and now dangerous austerity cuts will be implemented and taxes will be increased for 160 million Americans . Any politician celebrating the compromise made today is only trying to save face, preparing for the oncoming political backlash. A final deal will have to be crafted as soon as possible in the coming weeks to provide relief for Americans and to cut spending in a responsible way instead of through reckless sequestration.
Most troubling, is that leaders in both parties have already made public their concessions, but no one will provide these concessions in the context of a concrete deal. The President is ready to make large cuts to Social Security by adjusting the way inflation is calculating. Speaker Boehner and many other Republicans have made it clear that they are ready to break the Grover Norquest tax pledge they signed and will raise rates on Americans making over $1 million. The grand bargains that the President and Speaker Boehner proposed last week are very similar in structure, and any remaining questions are not about the structure of the deal but about the final numbers. Both parties know the harm caused by inaction, but no politician is ready to take responsibility of carrying the deal to the finish line.
The "Fiscal Cliff" talks have transformed from a negotiation over austerity to a negotiation over political capital. It is amazing that both parties will be able write identical advertisement about their opponents cutting social security if any politician takes ownership of this compromise deal. Perhaps this is a call for the electorate to remind their legislators that they want pragmatic leaders and not partisan ideologues, but that's the long-term problem. In the short-term we need our legislators to "come together", but not in the way that most pundits and CEOs have been writing about. I do believe that Democrats have showed much more willingness to compromise than Republicans who have not been able to unite their caucus behind any deal. Legislators must come together in sharing the political backlash that is inherent in making difficult concessions in a fiscal deal. The President's "pep rally" press conferences, and the Speaker's unwillingness to pass a deal with a fractured Republican caucus are tactics made not to get the best deal, but rather to save the most political capital. Maybe a bipartisan press conference would show that both sides are ready to accept the consequences of a tough deal. The real stakes on inaction seem high enough to spend that political capital this far away from any elections. There will be more fights to be won, more opportunities to beat the other side. It's time to stop playing with this fire, and let everyone start the New Year with a sense of certainty.
Don't Yell at the NRA, Ignore Them
In the aftermath of the mass shooting in Newtown, Connecticut last week, outrage toward the National Rifle Association has served as a rallying cry for pro-gun control advocates. This criticism is not completely justified in its current form. To be perfectly fair, a lobbying organization is only as powerful as its donors, members, and supporters. No one elected the NRA to best solve the country's' problems; their purpose is only to protect the rights of gun owners and the profits of gun manufacturers. Like many other lobbying organizations, the NRA has become instrumental in writing new state and federal laws and helping deregulate those that already exist. While there is national outrage over NRA Executive Vice President Wayne Lapierre's remarks last week regarding school shootings, outrage should not be directed directly at Wayne Lapierre, but at a politics that centers public discourse influenced by legislation written by a lobbying organization. The NRA's aggressive tactics and their unwillingness to engage in open problem solving prevent them from being respected as a major player in a conversation about preventing homicide.
Two aspects of the NRA's approach are most objectionable. Amazingly, the NRA has the audacity to propose limiting first amendment freedoms while basing the crux of their pro-gun arguments on the second amendment. Lapierre explains:
"1,000 music videos…portray murder as a way of life. And then they all have the nerve to call it entertainment. But is that what it really is? Isn't fantasizing about killing people as a way to get your kicks really the filthiest form of pornography? In a race to the bottom, many conglomerates compete with one another to shock, violate, and offend every standard of civilized society, by bringing an even more toxic mix of reckless behavior, and criminal cruelty right into our homes. Every minute, every day, every hour of every single year."
Within Lapierre's comments there is a serious societal question that should be addressed. Does the violent culture of mass media lead to increased violence in society? The American Psychological Association seems to say so here (see link), and American society has overwhelmingly agreed, placing restrictive ratings on movies, music, and video games that are deemed too violent for children. The courts have decided that governments have the right to limit first amendment freedoms in order to forward important societal interests. This legislative process should only be respected though, if it can apply to other amendments as well (not to mention the fact that there is no constitutional right to all kinds of arms). If state governments ban assault weapons and high capacity magazines does that really fully infringe on a citizen's right to protect him or herself by other means? Organizations like the NRA are important in advocating for constitutional protections in their purest form, but if society and elected officials begin to adopt their talking points as policy solutions, we will never be able to secure the greater societal interests that we demand in the spirit of the Constitution as a whole.
Second, the NRA claims to be an organization that can work with government to provide school safety nationally, but it looses credibility by continuing to wage a campaign that puts a choke hold on gun research. Garry Gutting writes in the New York Times:
"It's not that scientists are uninterested in gun research or don't know how to study guns' connection to violence. It's rather that the N.R.A. has blocked most efforts at serious gun research, going so far as to restrict access to the highly informative data available from Justice Department traces of guns used in crimes. As The Times reported, "Scientists in the field and former officials with the government agency that used to finance the great bulk of this research say the influence of the National Rife Association has all but choked off money for such work."
Knowledge will never infringe on citizen rights. The more we know, the better we can save lives and create sound policy. Any research that is released should be scrutinized in a most serious matter to ensure its objectivity and accuracy, but limiting funding for research prevents governments from making the the most informed choices. By limiting research the NRA says, we want you to support our position regardless of its basis in truth. This is a tactic of a ruthless advocate, not of a compassionate problem solver.
On gun control, the wrong discussion is being had. Gun control should not only be about taking away guns, which in most cases have not been responsible for the school shooting tragedies cited. The debate should be a comprehensive conversation that uses all possible information available to create a cocktail of public policies that best prevents homicide everywhere. Lobbying organizations that want to have a say in the crafting of these policies can't put a stranglehold on the information necessary to begin the problem solving. Those who do peruse these tactics can have their national spotlight during a press conference, but should find themselves on the other side of the door when serious; life saving legislation is being crafted.
Photo Credit: http://www.thenation.com
Rejection of UN Convention Forshadows Bumpy Road Toward Fiscal Cliff Deal
There was something ominous about Tuesday's vote to ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of Disabled People that may be telling about upcoming fiscal cliff legislation. The convention, which affirms principles of equality and makes international recommendations based on the United State's Americans with Disabilities Act, failed to gain the 66 votes needed for ratification in the Senate. The convention received support from all Senate Democrats and a handful of notable Republicans including Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) , Sen. Dick Lugar (R-IN), and others but opposition by Conservative Republicans proved too substantial to overcome.
Opponents of the bill, who were lobbied by Conservatives including Former Senator Rick Santorum, claimed that the treaty infringed on the rights on parents who homeschool their children, infringed on rights to ban abortion, and threatened American sovereignty. These claims were all made despite the fact that the convention has no impact on United States law in any way. Sen. Chris Coons (D-CT) did explain on the Senate floor that many homeschooling families called his office to express opposition to the convention, a sign of a Conservative constituency that was able to galvanize around the issue. Despite the support by prominent Republican Senators including former Republican Majority leader Bob Dole, who sat in his wheelchair on the Senate floor, the convention to publically affirm America's commitment to equality, was not ratified.
The defeat is not such a huge blow on its own. The convention will be reintroduced for ratification during the 113th Congress in January, and the influx of additional Democratic senators may provide the majority needed for passage. The vote does, however, provide insight into the state of the 112th Congress, which now must pass legislation to avert the fiscal cliff by December 31st. It is clear based on remarks by speaker Boehner and the president that any form of a deal will include raising revenue through taxes with perhaps an increase of tax rates, and serious cuts to entitlement spending. No senator is happy about the sacrifices that will need to be made. If conservatives like Rick Santorum are still influencing a large bloc of Republican senators, it seems unlikely that they will find the political courage to accept moderation and vote for a 'grand bargain' deal.
Furthermore, a vote like this only plays into the Democratic bargaining position. So far, President Obama has used the mandate provided by his reelection effectively, offering the first version of a deal and changing the public discourse to a conversation about taxes instead of spending cuts. Republicans lost an unexpected number of senate seats because their candidates were too Conservative, especially on social issues. Most notable were two republican candidates, Richard Murdoch and Todd Akin, who virtually gave away their races after comments made about the nature of rape and abortion. When Republicans talked about the economy and the President during the election, they gained ground. When the campaigns became dominated by social issues people began to see a side of the Republican Party they knew is no longer representative of America. To me a vote not to ratify a UN convention of this nature displays a party still catering to a shrinking faction of Conservatives while losing hold of a defendable economic message which a growing number of Americans support. The country already rejected Rick Santorum for President, why would the Senate now follow his lead?
This vote on the UN convention vote proves the lack of available moral courage to get a deal on the table. These distractions could also give the President the leverage he needs to push Speaker Boehner's hand. Regardless of the votes ramifications for the fiscal cliff fight it is a sad day when the United States Senate can only provide a mixed message at best in support for equal rights for those with disabilities. If there is so much bad in the world we are unable prevent, why not put support something meaningful that spreads American ideals through the world and encourages equal rights for the marginalized. Can't we all agree on that?
Romney, Obama, 2012: Making Lying Cost More
George Washington did not want Democracy to be facilitated by political parties. Washington believed that the President should be a man of exceptional character, who the electorate could trust would make the best decision for the general welfare. This view assumed that our President would somehow exist on an elevated ethical plane, making the difficult decisions society could not and maintaining peace through the authority of his exceptional moral standing. Washington did not have time to study behavioral economics between crossing the Delaware and creating his cabinet, but he felt that our President would need to be an anomaly to these rules, a person of strong courage and even stronger resolve.
Does Washington's ideal still remain an essential factor in electing a President? Obviously, no one heeded his warning about political parties, but is the electorate still looking for the leader of their party to show an exceptional commitment to virtue? The current political landscape, where candidates have been calculating the political costs of being not virtuous seems to prove otherwise. The American electorate has abandoned the Washington ideal and has adopted a more Machiavellian creed, do what you must to maintain power: showcase the good and hide the bad.
We can admit that our politicians are not Marvel Superheroes .Our politicians are normal Joes (or Baracks) like us. I am OK with conceding this, since once we know what we can expect from our politicians, we will have a much easier time creating laws to make the system work best. For example, if we know that Democrats and Republicans can't truly compromise on a mutually beneficial debt solution, we may need to create more commitment devices like the budget sequester to make the cost of inaction too high for them to resist. A good-government group called No Labels, which I will post about in the future, has been circulating a bill suggesting that members of Congress should not get paid unless they are able to pass the budget on time. These solutions might be the only way to make government work.
What is most frightening is that as an electorate we need to put a system like this in place, without fully understanding the ins and outs of government procedure. How can we create the mechanisms for our politicians to act honestly, if we are depending on these same politicians to explain their work to us? Systems to make politicians compromise and be productive will solve our legislative problem, but the system we must focus on most now is the communication of an honest public discourse by our politicians. If the electorate is being outright lied to, there is no hope that citizens will be able to support crucial 'good-government solutions. With this need in mind, it has baffled me how the media continues to insist on polarizing the electorate in their headlines, rather than demanding honesty from our politicians' public remarks.
Much of the media has spent a lot of time covering the potential 'coded racism' that may exist in Mitt Romney's welfare issue ads last month. Perhaps by implicitly evoking the image of Regan's "welfare queen", or Newt Gingrich's "food stamp President", Romney is pitting a majority of the electorate against this constructed 'lazy American who lives off the government', and Romney will become President of the United States. This criticism while, perhaps true, does not matter to me so much in the grand narrative of the election. Is it not President Obama who implies in each of his speeches that the most successful among us are somehow cheating in the American game? A columnist could argue: perhaps President Obama is trying to pit poor Americans against the wealthy who create new consumer products, life-saving medication, and run the banks that finance our college educations, small businesses, and U.S. government. The notion that candidates are evoking class warfare to solidify support is true and tragic, but it is happening from both directions. Our candidates are human beings, and it will be difficult to end attacks like these without the 'good government' reforms I mentioned above. What should be addressed immediately, however, is the honesty of our candidate's statements.
So this brings us to the biggest offense of the campaign so far. There is no less flagrant way to say this: the Romney campaign has been lying in its television ads about welfare. Politifact a trusted division of the Tampa Bay Times, and the fact checkers at the Washington Post have each given the statements made in these advertisements their highest rating of non-truth. Why are we still worried about the class warfare argument either of the candidates is making? The top headline of every newspaper should read: 'AMERICA, YOU ARE BEING LIED TO'. This is not the explicit fault of the Romney campaign. They are some of the smartest people in the country, and they know what is true and what is not. They also know the difference between right and wrong. But as Americans, as the free press and the electorate, we have created a system where the cost of lying in a campaign is so low, that politicians in both parties will continue to commit the crime time after time. Maybe we don't completely agree with President Washington's analysis of how our candidates should behave, but do we really want to elect a liar?
How do we begin to fix these problems? It is going to take a two-tiered approach. First, we are going to need to continue to support organizations that are committed to independent fact checking. The electorate does not know all of the facts behind each statement candidates make, so we need to have someone we can trust to be our referee. News organizations that do not simply repeat what candidates say, but ensures that they are being truthful is a demand we must have of all 21st century media. Maybe the organization will not be able to get their story published first anymore, but they will get it right. What could be nobler in journalism? Second, we must stop covering our ears when we know politicians are not telling the truth. We must demand that our candidates trust us enough to paint an imperfect argument with accurate facts, rather than the facade of a perfect argument held together by faulty information. As both campaigns get desperate to squeak out this victory, let's make sure we can be proud of the ticket we elect. If we can't, how can we be proud of how they govern?
"Truth will ultimately prevail where there is pains taken to bring it to light."
Romney at NAACP: If Only He Could Explain
It becomes apparent that your free press is not covering policy this election cycle when the top headline of the week is "After Romney Is Booed, Biden Is Cheered At NAACP" (NPR), but It's also difficult to blame the media for turning the election into an applause contest. In this week's ABC/Washington Post News poll, the candidates are tied with 47% of the vote respectively, leaving only six percent of the electorate undecided. Furthermore, about 85% of Romney supporters and 93% of Obama supporters say it is very unlikely that they will change their vote. All this means for the campaigns, is that they no longer need to focus on the small portion of undecided voters, but rather should focus on turnout numbers among their highly partisan bases, especially in critical swing states.
With this in mind, both campaigns addressed the 103rd convention of the NAACP, in Houston, Teaxas. Obviously, Vice President Biden was cheered and Former Gov. Mitt Romney was booed. As Romney admitted at the top of his remarks, 90% of African Americans are registered as Democrats. Measuring the effectiveness of Romney's rhetoric by the applause he received is fruitless. Romney should really be judged by his platform, a platform that contains a serious fallacy.
Though it came off as incredibly humorous to most observers, I will take Romney at his word when he explains," if it were possible to fully communicate what I believe is in the real enduring best interest of African-American families, you would vote for me for president." Biden's alarmist remarks, that imply that Romney would be outright dangerous to the African American community, are not fully supported. Romney does not mean to say this, but when he says that he cannot communicate his plans for helping the African-American community, it is because if he truly did, it would undermine the central argument of his campaign.
Allow me to grossly oversimplify for a minute. Romney believes, on a most basic level, that providing tax cuts for the wealthy and the job creators among us will lead to a more certain economy and a quicker recovery. This will provide jobs for members of minority communities who are disproportionately unemployed. Romney's problem, though, is that he is outlining a long-term economic plan, which will take more than one term to fundamentally change the long-term outlook of the economy. Logically, it is impossible for Romney to be able to declare President Obama's short-term economic policy a failure, while replacing it with a long-term economic plan of his own. Romney must now pick a direction. Does he critique the President's short-term actions and explain that his would have been much more effective, or does he criticize the overall direction of Obama's long-term economic plan and explain that he can construct a more concrete plan for the future? Romney is choosing to argue both points, and together they are fallacious, and do not outline a plan that can help the African American community. How can you talk about repealing Affordable Care Act, which would make 9 million African Americans once again uninsured according to Biden, and in place propose tax cuts to the top 1% in society? Yes, Romney could argue that in the long term his plan will provide better health care for these Americans, but this has nothing to do with President Obama's recovery now.
Biden cannot claim to be much more effective. President Obama's record on helping the African American community is almost blank during this term. The White House has not been very loud on state's voter disenfranchisement; it waited a very long time to put Richard Cordroy in charge of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau; and it has already expanded the Bush tax cuts during this term. The Obama campaign's best bet is to point to proposals like Obama's American Jobs Act and blame the lack of progress on the Republican House of Representatives.
Biden was cheered. Romney was booed. Neither of them really deserved it. With the African American community hurting so disproportionately, the NAACP should demand a politician who will lay out a true plan for recovery. Most troubling though, is Romney's inability to communicate his ideas to the NAACP without collapsing his entire campaign. If he can't express these policies now, how could he ever enact them in his first term as President in this hyper partisan climate?