The Nigerian Awakening

Now that the Nigerian government has suddenly enforced the fuel subsidy removal policy, the Sleeping giant of Africa is finally waking up from her slumber. The cost of transportation and other services and goods have expectedly risen astronomically. The nation is paralyzed by strike and protesters have taken over the streets. The Nigerian awakening is here and the masses are making a plethora of uncoordinated demands.

Some have asked that the president be impeached, others that he should resign. Majority have insisted on the return of fuel price to 65 naira, some have argued that it should even sell for less than that. Only a few have seen the opportunity that these protests presents us to address some of the even more fundamental and critical challenges that we face as a nation.

The boko haram crisis and the senseless killings in the north for instance have claimed scores of lives since January 1st 2012 when the fuel subsidy removal took off. How many lives have been lost so far to the fuel subsidy removal? Yet, there hasn`t been much talk about the former. In fact, there are reports that Christians in the north have been asked to evacuate and the evacuation is going on en-masse.

Many have welcomed the national assembly`s condemnation of the fuel subsidy removal and some legislators participation in the protests but they have not asked themselves, how much does these legislators earn in total salaries and allowances? Why can`t they also give up a reasonable percentage of these ridiculous largesse? And how distant are these legislators from the oil cartel that is benefiting from oil subsidy or are they one and the same?

The reactions of Nigerians of the Igbo ethnic nationality however have been instructive. There has been a relative silence on the issue of fuel subsidy removal among Igbo`s. Instead, the Igbo`s are demanding an end to the killing of Christians in the north (mainly Igbo`s). This however is a demand that cannot be settled at a round table. Neither can protests alone solve that crisis. It is neither a matter of policy reversal nor a question of commodity price control. Much more diplomatic steps will have to be taken.

An emergency meeting of church heads had concluded 'that the pattern of the killings does suggest a systematic ethnic and religious cleansing and the Christian leadership resolved to work out a means for Christians to defend themselves against the senseless killings' - This is according to pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria.

Similarly, there are indications that Southerners may be preparing for counter attacks. Reports are widespread about Hausa`s fleeing the south already. Some ex-militants are also planning to re-group in other to react.

Meanwhile, infrastructures remain dysfunctional, political office holders get the larger part of our budget while an oil cartel claims an even larger amount as non-budgeted subsidy grants. All these have been going on for years without any major reaction from Nigerians who seem to be well suited to the situation.

It has taken the president's decision to remove oil subsidy to finally bring out the fury in Nigerians. All the same, it is yet to be seen how these protests will evolve.

One can only hope that we somehow find a way to make use of these protests to get this government to:

1. Slash the over subsidized legislative and executive largesse in allowances and basic salary including presidential feeding allowance, bullet proof car vote etc. by up to 75%

2. Reduce the over bloated cabinet of fat cows by 50%

3. Pass the petroleum Industry bill at once

4. Pay the new minimum wage

5. Start the mass transit program and functional rail system

6. Start a well mapped out deregulation process

7, Privatize the refineries I the next few months

8. Privatise PHCN in the next few months.

9. Continue to implement the 2011 budget until march and start implementing the 2012 budget in April as proposed originally, meaning that fuel price would go back to sell at 65 naira until the budget as passed by the House, when it is passed, decide if and how subsidy is to be removed, in which case, protests can be discontinued on the streets but there will be need to "OccupyNASS" and state assemblies until all our conditions are met.

If we are serious, these protests will be sustained at the level of NASS in the next one year or more. We have so much catching up to do, so many changes to make. In other to reduce the ethno-religious friction amongst us while retaining a one Nigeria and avoiding a descent to Naijanistan, we must have a new constitution that allows us to practise a well-adapted kind of federalism that allows for the independent evolution of major ethnic groups, otherwise we will simply need to split.

As for the removal of fuel subsidy in itself, it is doing the right thing under the wrong circumstances and in the wrong way. We should not be satisfied with a mere price reversal to 65 naira. That alone will not help us in the long run. A well-informed, well planned holistic approach is necessary. Fuel price is the least of our problems; we should seize this opportunity to tackle real issues.

Thus, I consider the above as an appropriate course of action as we "OccupyNigeria"

Over and above all these, we should now begin to realise, that mankind today stands in spiritual judgment and purification. All that is wrong and evil will be brought out and swept away; all that is right and good will be uplifted. Let he who has ears, let him hear "Everything must become new."

By
Charles Adeyemi

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Why Did Americans Turn Off Their Minds?

The other day, I was talking to an acquaintance and I asked a simple question; "Why did Americans turn off their minds?" and then I thought to myself, did Americans knowingly do this or were those minds turned off for them? In other words, is it a fault of the media, the political structure, their employment, the education system, or the proverbial; all of the above? Okay so, let's talk about this for a moment shall we?

The other day, I was discussing this philosophical thought with a fellow thinking, John Altmann, and I had inquired in our dialogue; "Don't you feel as if we have a dummying down in our society, and that folks are less-than capable of thinking - isn't that one of the problems that society is so easily led astray in the first place?"

You see, we were discussing philosophy, and it seems everyone should be interested in these topics, it is the foundation of human society, and yet, they don't seem to understand, or even care - how can this be? It's almost scary when you think about it. Indeed, I told John that "I am enjoying this conversation and dialogue. I also enjoyed the essay he wrote which we later dissected thoroughly.

Later, I noted that some might be offended by such an intellectual dialogue and discourse, or essay of the same vein due to their mind-numbing brainwashing; TV + school + political advertising. Still, that doesn't mean they shouldn't hear such points of contention, if nothing more than to make them think and challenge themselves and those who indoctrinate them.

I guess folks have a choice, and it's not for me to make, but it is for them to decide, either they use their minds for what they are for, or they don't and let them rot, it appears folks have made that decision by failure to consider the choice in advance, now it's too late for them. Maybe more philosophical writing in the right places could wake a few of them up? That would be excellent, if we could get Americans to think again.

There was an old television commercial for a Channel in Los Angeles which stated; "Tune into KABC because there is more to life than news, weather, and sports." Indeed, they were capturing the essence of what folks were thinking at the time, this was the early 80s, but today, no one seems to even realize that there is more to life than FaceBook, Twitter, Obama, Oprah, the National Inquirer, People Magazine, Jerry Springer, Dancing with the Stars, and their iPhone. But I assure you there is.

Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative series of eBooks on Future Concepts. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net/

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Making Money Is Not Enough

I want to widen the conversation about business & work. As I've posted earlier, my CV has far more than details of work and skills achieved. My CV includes being active in addressing important social, environmental and health needs in my community. This 'work' [in my view this is real work] is significant for me, and for the outcomes that improve other's lives.

My life has to be about more than money, and what I want for myself - because I am connected to you - wherever you are by virtue of our shared humanity, and by the living planet that we share. I have been gifted certain talents and abilities not just for myself, but to use for the sake of others as well. These are foundational philosophical and Christian values that have real meaning for me.

Example no.1 - We lived in an area where human waste was not kept separate from the play areas for children. Yes, such appalling situations exist in Western societies these days because of politics!

The liquid waste from septic tanks would become mixed with surface water in our wet season. Families would have human excrement rising-up inside their houses. So the adults would pump the excess liquid into the streets and backyards where children played. The adults shifted the problem out of their houses, to somewhere else [their backyards and the street]. Unfortunately, children's hands go into mouths from contaminated soil. When this happens you soon have kids screaming in pain, being rushed off to hospital!

Fifteen years earlier prominent local councillors had tried to change the human waste management system, but hadn't linked it to the danger to children's health. They failed to move the politicians. They gave up after years of effort.

However, six months before a state election I began a media campaign to highlight the problem. I told the story about the human waste management - but from the perspective of the life threatening sickness and the cycle of infection for children. I managed to get the leading candidates to both agree to change the waste management system if they won the seat in Parliament. In this way it didn't matter to me who won! The winner DID get these significant changes made. Now the children play safely in winter and don't get dangerously sick. Hundreds of children can now play safely in their backyards and in the parks and playgrounds.

Through our business want to help improve human lives through all of our activities. We would love to help you if we can.

I have been working as a senior financing consultant for 12 years. I have specialised in large projects in emerging economies. I have also been energetically involved in social entrepreneurialism and local environmental concerns - with some success! With my wife, we write business plans that give peace of mind to business people by addressing the most prevalent cause of the failure to attract funding from International Investors. That failure is caused by not knowing the due diligence standards Investors use. See articles to help you in business, and other resources at http://gpcbusinessplans.com/

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2011's Ten Biggest, Most Memorable Events

What was the biggest event of 2011? The Japanese tsunami, the US or European debt crises, or the deaths of Osama bin Laden, Kim Jong-Il, Muammar Gaddafi, or even Steve Jobs? Or was it something else?

In a year where the world's population reached 7 billion (October 31), Gregorian Year MMXI has revealed no less hype, drama and tragedy than we're used to seeing. Perhaps in terms of enormity the following ten events can be considered (in reverse 'countdown' order of importance) the biggest, most memorable:

NUMBER TEN - NASA's Space Shuttle Program Concluded

Atlantis' last, Flight STS-135, concluded the final mission of NASA's Space Shuttle Program when it lands back at the Kennedy Space Center on July 21. 135 missions were flown between 1981 and 2011. Besides its launching of space probes, satellites, and work with the International Space Station, the Program's most memorable legacy might, unfortunately, be the 1986 Challenger and 2003 Columbia disasters.

NUMBER NINE - Twin Terrorist Attacks in Norway

The world is shocked when it learns of the 76 people killed in simultaneous attacks in Oslo and the island of Utoya on July 22. What is designed by the terrorist to divide the country actually unites it-in its grief. It compels many democracies to reconsider their approach to justice for such situations.

NUMBER EIGHT - Steve Jobs' Death

Whilst the death of Steve Jobs (October 5) pales into insignificance when compared with other critical world events for the year, there is no question the impact such a death, and therefore his life, had over the world. Millions of tributes are written as the world laments the passing of a technological genius.

NUMBER SEVEN - Horn of Africa Famine

Somalia, Ethiopia, and Kenya are entrapped in a famine affecting the livelihoods of nearly 15 million people; the worst in 30-60 years. Various aid agencies work together in the troubled regions to assist as they can, and to promote the plight of these ultra-poor to the comparatively rich Western world. This crisis sickens several seasoned social justice commentators for the sheer size of the famine and resultant desolation and the comparative apathy of the world's response.

NUMBER SIX - Muammar Gaddafi Killed

Reports of the October 20 death of the Libyan dictator stream into lounge rooms. It is a win not only for the local people, but for democracy and hope for the wider region and more global world. Just two months earlier, during the Battle of Tripoli, Libyan rebels ousted Gadaffi's regime.

NUMBER FIVE - North Korean "Dear Leader" Kim Jong-Il Dies

On December 17, North Korean dictator, Kim Jong-Il dies of a heart attack aged 69. News breaks slowly over national television and filters into the international community within 48 hours as many brainwashed North Korean nationals enter into severe mourning. Soon the mooted successor emerges: Kim Jong-Il's youngest son Kim Jong-Un. This event causes widespread interest and concern for regional and global threats because of political instability. A one million strong genocide and a one million strong army are the legacies of Kim Jong-Il.

NUMBER FOUR - US Debt-Ceiling Crisis

In late July, the culmination of 30 years of growing debt, together with the consequences of the Global Financial Crisis of 2008, sees the United States days from bankruptcy; as a result President Barack Obama engineers the Budget Control Act, 2011, into legislature. The US government bond is downgraded for the first time in the nation's history.

NUMBER THREE - Osama bin Laden Killed

What is arguably the biggest event of 2011, for the sheer magnitude of one terrorist's destructive legacy, perhaps the biggest influence over worldwide affairs in the first decade of the 21st century, is finalised on May 1. Bin Laden's death brings an outpouring of emotion worldwide, significantly months before the 10th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, attacks.

NUMBER TWO - Impending Collapse of the Euro

The economies of Greece and Italy, among others, severely stretch the sustainability of the Euro. Momentous political and economic reforms are made as the Euro system teeters on the brink of collapse, which threatens to drag the world into a prolonged recession.

NUMBER ONE - Japan Earthquake and Subsequent Tsunami

The March 11, 14:46hrs (Japan Standard Time), 9.1 Magnitude Tohoku undersea megathrust quake, with an epicentre 70 km from dry land, at a relatively shallow underwater depth of 32 km, hits the mainland of Japan, via a tsunami, shortly after. The biggest secondary impact is on Sendai and the Fukushima nuclear power plant, initiating a protracted national nuclear emergency. At an estimated economic cost of US$235 billion, the World Bank rates it the most expensive natural disaster on record. Almost 16,000 people die, almost 6,000 people are injured, and some 3,600 are listed still missing, from 18 prefectures. Significantly, this earthquake shifts earth minutely off its axis.

© 2011 S. J. Wickham.

Steve Wickham is a Registered Safety Practitioner (BSc, FSIA, RSP[Australia]) and a qualified, unordained Christian minister (GradDipBib&Min). His blogs are at: http://epitemnein-epitomic.blogspot.com/ and http://inspiringbetterlife.blogspot.com/

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Cops Can't Afford to Confuse Hesitation With Patience

As part of a recent DOJ censure of some of the nation's big city police departments, reviewers assessed cops as too quick to move to force, and determined that when they do use force they use too much. How they arrived at this conclusion no one knows. The DOJ's not saying.

Critics say cops should be more patient. They assert it especially applies when dealing with people who are mentally ill, drunk, or high. Because we all know these groups represent a more mellow and predictable type of person, right? Give me a break. We need to look at some serious ramifications of this assessment. Ramifications that will get cops, citizens, and the criminals they care so much about, hurt.

Most cops I know are very well acquainted with patience. You won't last as on the streets if you can't summon at least a little. Cops understand that patience is necessary in many, actually, most situations. If patience can help to avoid physical action, then by all means, cops should be as patient as safety allows. As safety allows.

However, there comes a time when hesitation can be confused with patience. If the time comes when the officer must act, the action must come swiftly and without hesitation. Could there be a danger that rookies, or even veterans confused about what exactly his or her leaders expect these days, might hesitate in the name of trying to be patient? Is this a risk cops can afford to take? Well, not if officers want to go home safely at the end of their watch. It's actually one of their favorite things in life.

Action oriented professionals such as police officers, firefighters, and those in the military, will tell you hesitation can mean death. To you or someone else. There's a long held tenet that you will be praised for a good decision, forgiven for a bad decision, but you will be condemned for no decision. No decision is the excrement of hesitation.

How can city and police leaders simply roll over and let people who haven't a clue as to how to do real police work on the streets, dictate how police officers do their job? There are random cases of officers over-stepping their bounds, but that doesn't mean the public should buy the radical left's, and as it seems the DOJ's, narrative that we're still living in 1950's Selma, Alabama.

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Southern Hospitality

In the United States it has been said that the southern states are the most hospitable. When you visit a southern state in this great country you are sure to be met by more than one person who extends hospitable greetings and follows some of the southern hospitality etiquette.

The southern states were the states that had all of the big plantations in the years before the Civil War. At these big plantations it was expected that when a visitor came to call they would be treated in certain ways. The visitor would be offered food and drink upon their arrival. They would also be offered lodging for the night if it was late in the day when they arrived.

The people of the plantation would gather around the visitor and listen intently to the stories they had to tell. They would keep the dink of the visitor refilled and they would be very polite when they spoke to their guest. Southern hospitality relied on the people of the south having excellent manners.

The southern people were taught to say "yes ma'am", and "yes sir", to all people who were older than them. They also were taught to say thank you and to say please.

Southern gentlemen would never enter the home of another individual with their hat on their head. Their hat was removed and held in their hand until the homeowner told the visitor to "put your hat on", or "let me take your "hat". A gentleman also removed his hat when he encountered a lady. Even if they were in town when a gentleman approached a lady they would tip their hat in a greeting, or if they were going to speak to the lady they would remove their hat and hold it in their hand.

When a visitor was present at a plantation home children were expected to be seen and not heard. That meant when the children were allowed to be present in the room where the adults were gathered they were to remain quiet unless they were asked a question.

Young ladies were taught to curtsy, and young men were taught to kiss a ladies hand in a show of respect. Ladies were often quoted as saying "well, bless you're heart" in the south. To this day ladies in the south still use this phrase frequently. Some people say that when a lady says this she is politely telling you to shut up.

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The Watchdogs

Think back to some of the best news stories you've ever read or watched. What were they? Most likely, those stories exposed something that wouldn't have been known if it weren't for the media organization that worked to bring it to your attention. In-depth stories that create change and shift public opinion are not made overnight. A journalist could put in weeks, sometimes months, of work on a story that just doesn't pan out. The only way to produce ground-breaking news is to work at it, and hard.

When I got my start in journalism I wanted to make a difference. A positive difference. Media more than a decade later is a much different landscape which includes media organizations that are more concerned about promoting its news and attracting viewers and readers rather than letting the news quality speak for itself. A good product, no mater how little it is promoted, will eventually get the kind of attention that will carry years if not decades. That's why in many markets, TV stations that rank #1 usually keep that rank for years to come. The media organization proves itself and the public not only takes notice but keeps coming back for more.

As a news "customer", what do you expect from your news? Do you know what to look for in a fair and ethical media organization? In the fast-paced information world we live in today, sometimes you have to force yourself to ask the tough questions of the media you are exposed to.

WHAT CAN YOU DO

First, take a sheet of paper out. Figure out what kind of media gets your attention. Do you like news on sports, entertainment or politics? Do you prefer to get your news from national outlets as opposed to local? Further, do you find yourself getting most of your news online or through traditional platforms like print, radio and TV? Once you have identified what kind of news grabs your attention and which platform it comes from, you can better determine what kind of ethics those organizations adhere to.

Second, once you have identified your news niche, take note of the kind of stories that your media organizations are covering. Do they provide background information? How much are those stories promoted or teased? Are all sides of the story equally reported? If there is overbearing self-promotion, sensationalism (through the description of events, not the reporting of them) or one-sided angles, you know right away the promotion and shock value of the news story is more important than the story itself.

Third, did the media organizations try to get to the root of the issue the story addresses? Maybe the story is about a murder. But what was the motivation? What drove the people in the story to do what they did? In every story, even features, there is always a root that the story is attached. An ethical news organization will not only cover a story, but also keep it in context with how the story came to be.

Finally, how well does your news niche do at following-up the stories it covers. If a media organization is going to cover a story on a crime and suspect, that media organization also has an ethical responsibility to provide updates as the case moves forward.

A BIG TASK AT HAND

As a single news "customer" you may not think you have a lot of influence over the way the news you get is covered. That is why it is important to start taking notes of the news you are watching. Collectively, society is always in a position to drive the ethical nature of media. The more the public's demand for ethical news erodes, the more media will follow suit giving its audience what they want or what they can accept.

Jason Lanning Tampa is a journalist operating his own website addressing his experience with irresponsible media and the consequences.

Published articles and Jason's website not sponsored by or affiliated with any media organizations.

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2011 Tornado Season: A Devastating Lesson

2011 was a tornado season for the record book. Monster storms plagued much of the Midwest and South Eastern United States with severe weather and killer tornadoes. An astounding number of lives changed forever as a result of this unprecedented past severe weather season. In the coming years, there will be a number of articles, books and documentaries released that will revisit different aspects of the 2011 tornado season. I would like to submit my contribution.

As a storm chaser, I wait with unbridled anticipation for the spring severe weather season. My passion for understanding the power of nature in its purest form has always come with an understanding that with this power also brings death and destruction. I, along with all other storm chasers, watched in horror as these tornadoes claimed the lives of men, women and children in the spring of 2011. Unfortunately, this was the tornado season I feared was inevitable. The number of stories relating to the 2011 tornado season could fill multiple books, and each is unique. I will cover the tornado outbreak occurring the week of April 27th, and the Joplin tornado as these were the most devastating storms from the most devastating tornado season in at least 30 years. I will then review some basic tornado information.

Throughout the week of April 25th-28th, 2011, an unparalleled tornado outbreak swept throughout the South Eastern United States, causing cataclysmic destruction. An unfortunate series of meteorological ingredients blended to create an explosive tornado environment. Instability resulting from a cold front plowing into warm humid air lingering over the South Eastern US aided by a powerful jet stream providing spin resulted in a super tornado outbreak not seen since 1974. This event would produce some 353 tornadoes that caused 346 deaths and left an immeasurable amount of damage to affected regions. Perhaps the most notable tornado from this outbreak occurred in Alabama on April 27th. This monster tornado was caught on film by multiple television stations as it marched across the city of Tuscaloosa, and later Birmingham. Many watched in awe as secondary or multiple vortices snaked from the ominous black core as it churned across the city. This giant EF4 wedge tornado left a path of damage more than 80 miles long, and was measured to reach widths of more than one and a half miles wide. Film evidence shows the monstrous storm tearing through factories and metropolitan areas alike, leaving 43 people dead and more than 1,000 injured. Although the Tuscaloosa tornado was not the strongest tornado to strike that day, it has become the visual stamp of this fateful week. The 24-hour-period from 8:00 a.m. April 27 to 8:00 a.m. April 28 would be the fifth deadliest tornado day in United States history. States of Emergency were declared in Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee and Oklahoma. The destructive weather and subsequent flooding forced President Obama to declare a federal state of emergency in Alabama. The series of storms would leave entire cities and regions without power. Largely affected were the customers of the Tennessee Valley Authority, which lost most of the power on their grid as destructive weather and winds left transmission towers damaged.

Less than a month after the super outbreak in the South Eastern United States, the epic tornado season would produce yet another tragedy that left many in shock. The city of Joplin, a small town in Missouri near the border of Oklahoma and Kansas would be struck by a EF 5 tornado on May 22nd 2011. Although severe weather events are a common occurrence in Joplin, the residents were not prepared for the destructive EF5 wedge tornado that ravaged the city from 5:34pm to 6:12pm on that fateful day. The tornado had a base estimated at one mile wide, blasting winds estimated at 200 to 250 miles per hour, and left a path of destruction that would total some $3 billion. Sadly, an estimated 161 lives were lost in the Joplin tornado alone. The St. John's Regional Medical Center in Joplin endured a direct hit from the tornado, and Dr Kevin Kikta was on duty that day. Below is an excerpt from Dr Kevin Kikta's personal blog recalling that day. A link to the full blog is listed below.

"At 5:42 pm a security guard yelled to everyone, "Take cover! We are about to get hit by a tornado!" I ran with a pregnant RN, Shilo Cook, while others scattered to various places, to the only place that I was familiar with in the hospital without windows, a small doctor's office in the ED. Together, Shilo and I tremored and huddled under a desk. We heard a loud horrifying sound like a large locomotive ripping through the hospital. The whole hospital shook and vibrated as we heard glass shattering, light bulbs popping, walls collapsing, people screaming, the ceiling caving in above us, and water pipes breaking, showering water down on everything. We suffered this in complete darkness, unaware of anyone else's status, worried, scared. We could feel a tight pressure in our heads as the tornado annihilated the hospital and the surrounding area. The whole process took about 45 seconds, but seemed like eternity. The hospital had just taken a direct hit from a category EF5 tornado".

The 2011 tornado season could be a once in a lifetime event. We may or may never see (in our lifetime) such a destructive set of circumstance come together as was witnessed in the spring of 2011. We do however know that each spring tornadoes will strike. Some will be weak only affecting rural areas of the Great Plains, but some will be strong, deadly and affect urban areas. Much of the public is fascinated by tornadoes, but the many do not understand these killer storms. What is a tornado? Where does a tornado form? What can I do to protect myself?

A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud.
Tornadoes have appeared everywhere on earth save Antarctica, are most common in North America and are especially common in the United States. Tornadoes in the U.S. are most likely to occur in a block of land in the middle of the country, from about North Dakota to mid-Texas. This area of land is often referred to as Tornado Alley. Texas gets the most tornadoes per year, followed by Kansas and Oklahoma. On average 1300 tornadoes are recorded in the U.S. every year and kill about 60 people.

Tornadoes can't really be predicted and can only be minimally prepared for. Powerful ones routinely uproot even large trees, toss cars around, destroy buildings and leave behind so much debris that roads and railroads are impassable. Some tornadoes are weak and may be only a few feet across, while large tornadoes can span a mile or more in width and travel hundreds of miles on the ground. However, most tornadoes are about 500 feet wide, are in contact with the ground for about five miles and only last about ten minutes or less, though if a person's in the path of one, that's a very long time! Most tornadoes arrive late in the afternoon or the early evening. Generally, they move from west to east, but some have been known to switch direction, or even double back on themselves. Peak season in the U.S. is from April to July, but tornadoes have been recorded at all times of the year.

There are a few species of tornadoes. Multi-vortex tornadoes have more than one funnel that swirl around a common center. Waterspouts occur over water, and land spouts are associated with storms that aren't as strong and land spouts don't last as long as classic tornadoes. For all its weakness, a land spout can still do considerable damage.

It's easy enough to see tornadoes coming, if it's visible in the first place. Some tornadoes aren't visible due to being wrapped in rain, or they come at night where they are difficult to see. Most people hear tornadoes only when they are dangerously close and describe the noise as being like a freight train rumbling by at close range. If a person sees a tornado approaching they should immediately seek shelter. If you are outdoors you should lie in the nearest ditch or piece of land that is lowest in elevation with your arms over your head. If you are indoors, you should take shelter in a basement or the lowest level of the structure. If there is no basement, you can take shelter in the most interior room available such as under stairs or in a bathroom. Some people believe that the doors and windows facing away from the storm should be opened to equalize air pressure, this is false. Taking precious time to open windows will likely get you killed. Many of these old wives tales are still believed to be true and have been perpetuated by the internet. If you are in a vehicle as a tornado approaches, never try to out run the storm. You should evacuate your car immediately and locate the nearest ditch to take shelter in. Never seek shelter under an over pass, as the tornado passes the overpass will create a wind tunnel and you could be sucked out. Mobile homes are not able to withstand even the weakest tornado and should also be evacuated as the tornado approaches. Every home and business should have an emergency plan in place in the event that a tornado warning is issued. In the event that the electricity has gone out, it is advised that each home and business should own a battery operated weather radio. This type of radio is inexpensive and can be purchased at any electronics store. Always take a tornado watch and a tornado warning seriously. A tornado watch means the environment exists for the development of tornadoes. A tornado warning means that a funnel or tornado is visible via radar or eye witness and is moving towards your location.

In hindsight, the tornado events of 2011 have brought tornado safety to a new light, but the average lead time on a tornado warning is a paltry 13 minutes. As technology and awareness grows it is believed that this warning lead time can be increased. We still do not fully understand tornadoes, and storm chasers, meteorologists and scientists are working feverishly to get a better idea of why these monsters can be weak or strong and leave one block unscathed while destroying the next. As fascinated as I am with tornadoes and weather, I do not enjoy the death and destruction that they bring. So please, stay up to date on severe weather by staying tuned to the National Weather Service.

Link to Dr Kevin Kikta's blog- http://www.mercy.net/joplin/stories-of-mercy/45-seconds

Zach Roberts is owner and lead storm chaser at Mr Twister. Zach has extensive experience with tornado chasing, and tornado genesis. Follow Mr Twister on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/FollowMrTwister and http://www.chasingthetornado.com/. Mr Twister provides tornado and severe weather video and photography, live storm chasing camera and storm chasing tours.

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The Rise of Incivility

We all witness uncivilized behavior on a daily basis, whether on the highways, in gyms, offices, airports, or supermarkets. Is it getting worse and, if so, what has caused the rise in incivility?

I took my 14-year-old son to the airport to catch a flight (alone) to visit his older sister in Florida. Because of his age, I accompanied him through security to the gate. We got to the airport with time to spare and I suggested he get a sandwich so he wouldn't be hungry (always hungry) on the 3+ hour flight. He walked up to a sandwich counter, with no customers, and stood politely at the cash register. Two employees were working behind the counter finishing an order for someone standing off to one side. Along comes a 40-something man who picks up a pre-made sandwich and chips, squeezes in front of my son - actually brushing against him to push him back from the counter - and calls out can I get a large coke to go with these. One of the employees turned around and said, did you say a large coke?

This guy is the very reason I didn't want to send my son off at security - which is all that was required. I asked the guy, is there a reason you chose to butt in front of my son who was waiting to be served - do you have kids? He replied, well I was in a hurry and I thought he was just waiting - yes I have kids. I replied, well I hope when they travel alone they don't have to experience such rude behavior as yours! (I truly wanted to smack this guy up the side of the head - but chose the high road!) He just glared and walked away. The sad part of this story is that I doubt he would have done this to me or another adult, but had no problem muscling in on a defenseless kid.

There is an ancient Chinese proverb I practice, if you are patient in one moment of anger, you will escape a hundred days of sorrow.

What I cited above is a trivial matter - though, when it's your child, it can make you very angry. I'm not even going down the path in this article of road rage, which kills thousands on our highways each year, or of text messaging where we recently read of a 19-year old driving a pickup crashing into the back of a tractor truck. This was the beginning of a chain collision, involving two school buses and killing two and injuring 38 other people. Investigators learned the driver (who was one of those killed) had sent 11 texts in the 11 minutes before the crash.

But let's look at the act of one United Airlines passenger who smacked a fellow flier over a seemingly innocuous but unwelcome seat recline. The Washington Post reported, Air Force fighter jets escorted the Ghana-bound United flight back to Washington Dulles International Airport after the fight broke out after takeoff Sunday night. â?¨Sources told the Washington Post that not long after departing the airport, a passenger lowered his seat into the space of a fellow passenger and a fight followed. A flight attendant and another passenger tried to break up the scuffle, the report said.â?¨ Airport police met the flight at Dulles and determined that charges were not warranted. The flight was delayed until later on Monday.

The United wide body jet with 144 passengers on board had to dump its fuel over the Atlantic, fighter jets were scrambled, all of these people lost a day of their travel plans let alone others scheduled for the next flights on this jet - because of the incivility of two people. Neither was charged for any crime (which makes you wonder if this encourages more uncivilized behavior), but think of the costs of dumping fuel (let alone the environmental damage), scrambling fighter jets, and disrupting air travel plans for hundreds of people.

There's also the Black Friday Wal-Mart incident where a woman used pepper-spray on fellow shoppers in her rush to get a "good deal" on a Xbox 360.

What's causing this incivility? Is it over crowded cities, malls, highways, and airports? Could it be technology has made us less personable and less able to work out differences - a theory published in several books recently? Or is it that we are becoming much more narcissistic and self-centered? I'm writing a book on this subject and I'd like to hear your thoughts and incidents of incivility you've witnessed or read about. Please contribute at http://theriseofincivility.blogspot.com/ Thank you in advance.

Richard S. Pearson is the Author of 5 Necessary Skills to Keep Your Career on Track 2nd Edition, available on Amazon. He has held vice-president positions with four multibillion dollar travel industry companies and three Internet early stage companies. He has a BA degree from Regis University in Organizational Development. His experience has given him a unique perspective on how to navigate the organizational structures of both large and small companies. He has hired and trained hundreds of employees from frontline salespeople to vice presidents, and coached many through their careers. He is currently working on facilitating the large increase of travel between the US and China, which is taking place. http://www.5necessaryskills.com/

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Memories of Early Years

Mohamed Muhsin, who also served as Vice President and CIO at the World Bank, fondly remembers his days at Trinity College, his first assignment as a teacher at Trinity and his days as a journalist.

The Boy at Trinity College
Born in Kandy, M.V.Muhsin attended the elite Trinity College at Kandy, a school providing primary and secondary education and founded by the Anglican missionaries.

While at Trinity, he got involved with the Social Service Union by offering his services at a dispensary run by Trinity at Mahiayawa, which treated the poor and underprivileged. The seeds of working towards human development were first sown at Trinity.

At Trinity, he was also was the Head Prefect and was also awarded the Ryde Gold Medal (an annual award for the best student) in 1962. He was also the editor of the school magazine. Mohamed Muhsin wanted to pursue a career in medicine which eventually did not come to light. After his secondary education, he took up a teaching career with Trinity for a year.

Passion for Journalism
Being urged by his mother to pursue further studies, he migrated to Colombo to study Accountancy. Mohamed Muhsin is a Chartered Accountant and a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka.
As he pursued his career in Accountancy, M.V.Muhsin also became extremely passionate about journalism. Journalism, according to Mohamed Muhsin, brings into us a discipline - a discipline of analysis, a discipline of meeting deadlines and a discipline of being balanced and of verifying your facts. He recollects his teaching career and life in journalism as the most satisfying periods in his life. He wrote articles for the Times of Ceylon. An incident worth recollecting is, when, the then Minister of Sport K.B. Ratnayake, changed the cricket team players after reading reviews from one of his sports columns.

Orator and Philanthropist
Mohamed Muhsin is involved in foundations which globally promotes the use of computer-related techniques to share knowledge. He is also the Vice Chairman of World Links, a global organization, which promotes computer literacy in schools in the developing world. Muhsin envisage a time when computers in Sri Lanka can be of great help to both children and the farmer.

Mohamed Muhsin is an eloquent speaker and has been a highly favored keynote speaker at global IT conferences. His speeches and articles have been great sources of inspiration to students, parents and teachers alike.

His love for cricket has led him to write several newspaper columns in Sri Lanka's National newspapers. Supporting the anti-tobacco campaigns in his article, To smoke or not to smoke, that is the question, he has provided specifics and the sentiment of people around the world towards the campaign. Another of his thought provoking articles Beg No More to a daily gives novel ways on poverty reduction.

M.V.Muhsin now lives in Washington DC., with his wife Sithy. She is an alumnus of Ladies' College, Colombo. Sithy runs a school in Sri Lanka. They have two children - daughter who is in New York and a son in San Francisco. He also has three grandsons. He takes part in philanthropic activities, some of which are in Kandy. Mohamed Muhsin is deeply religious and believes that the role played by humans in human development and economic development is God's own work.

Read more about Mohamed Muhsin.

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Prophecies and Predictions for 2012 - When and What Will Happen?

Experts in the scientific community of the world predict that a few months from now, all life on Earth may come to an end. Some are saying it will be humans that start the beginning of the end. Others believe a natural event or catastrophe will set the end of the world in motion. Many religious experts claim it will be God himself who stops the world. The following common prophecies and predictions for 2012 are just a few likely arguments why the world would end.

#1 - The Mayan Calendar
It is commonly accepted the first culture to predict 2012 as the end of the world was the Maya civilization. The Maya civilization was a bloodthirsty race located on the South American continent. They excelled at two things in particular. First and foremost, they created highly accurate astrological devices out of stone. Second, they loved to make ritual blood sacrifices.

Mayan astrologers managed to very accurately calculate the length of the lunar moon cycle. Mayan monuments with lunar data inscriptions suggest the Mayan formula was 81 moons = 2,392 days. Or, one lunar cycle per 29.53086 days and that is accurate to within 7 minutes per year! Modern science calculations put the lunar cycle at 29.53059 days.

#2 - The Sun's Solar Storms
Around the world, solar experts monitoring the Sun have made a surprising discovery. Our solar system's Sun is in an epic struggle. Like most things in nature, the energy output of our Sun is cyclic. After a period of relative stability, the Sun is about to enter a period of turbulence when it will generate massive solar storms.

Solar storms bombard the Earth with a lot of energy in the form of radiation. Recent storms, and past, have been known to knock out power grids, destroy satellites, and bring down cellular phone networks. Over time, these storms erode layers of Earth's protective magnetic field. NASA recently predicted this activity will reach a deadly peak sometime in 2012, and has warned the public, "to get ready for a once in a lifetime solar event."

#3 - The Atom Smasher
In Europe, scientists built the world's largest particle accelerator. The particle accelerator is essentially a 16.7-mile tunnel designed to smash atoms together to discover how the universe works. The ultimate prize would be to confirm the existence of the hypothetical Higgs Boson particle that is supposedly responsible for giving mass to all particles.

Not surprisingly, this enormous gadget has raised serious concern with some scientists and is the subject of lawsuits. Some scientists suggested that it is probably a bad idea to even turn it on in the first place. They predict all kinds of deadly results might occur, including mini black holes that could eat the Earth. The accelerator was turned on for the first time in 2008 and caused an explosion. It was fixed and the first experiment performed in 2009, but no planet-gobbling black holes have been created...yet.

#4 - The Bible Says So
If a scientist warning us about the end of the Earth is not bad enough, religious scholars and zealots are telling us the same thing. The Christian Bible does not specify an exact date, but its writers emphasized that it draws nearer every day. Some interpretations of the Bible reveal the date for Armageddon, the last battle between good and evil, has been set for 2012. The Chinese Book of Changes, called the I Ching, says the same thing, as do sections of the Hindu teachings.

#5 - Super Volcano
A national park in the United States, Yellowstone, is famous for its thermal springs and its Old Faithful geyser. These amazing geological artifacts occur for one simple reason - springs and geyser are sitting on top of the world's largest volcano. Geologists estimate the volcano at Yellowstone has a pattern of erupting approximately every 650,00 years, and we are many years past due. When this super volcano erupts again it will fill the sky with ash, blocking the Sun and plunging our world into a winter that could last for up to 15,000 years. Geologists say the Yellowstone volcano is steadily building pressure, and some claim that 2012 is the likely year for an eruption.

#6 - The Physicists
Physicists specialize in an area of science that is very much based on mathematics and statistics. Some physicists have determined that the Earth is long overdue for a major catastrophic event. Worse yet, they claim the calculations prove that we will all die as a result very soon. The physicists also state their predictions come with a 99% certainty, and their best guess as to when this event will occur - 2012.

#7 - Earth's Magnetic Field
The majority of people know a magnetic field surrounds the Earth, and it shields us from most of the Sun's dangerous radiation. Only a handful of people know that the magnetic North and South poles have a nasty tendency to swap places about every 750,000 years. We are about 30,000 years overdue for a swap.

Scientists who study these things have noticed the poles are drifting apart at a rate of about 12-19 miles each year. This is much faster than ever recorded before, and it points to a pole shift coming in the near future. When the pole shift is under way, the magnetic field disappears and some believe it could disappear for up to 100 years. Without the magnetic field, the Earth is fully exposed to the Sun's UV radiation. There will be enough UV outside to cook your skin in seconds, and the radiation will kill everything it touches.

Conclusions
The prophecies and predictions for 2012 are diverse and interesting, for sure. But, what does it all REALLY mean? Maybe more importantly, what will happen to you?

Seth Leonard is an information technology professional who loves to study ancient history, astrology, religion, and metallurgy. The I Ching prophecies... Mayan calendar... Hopi Indians teachings... Aztec calendars... On what subject are they in sync? This might blow your mind.

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Michigan Bill Would OK The Sale and Possession of Stun Guns

A measure working its way through the Michigan Legislature would make the state the nation's 45th to allow residents to carry stun guns as a means of self defense. Wisconsin became the 44th on November 1.

Stun guns, which discharge an electrical current between two frontal prongs to temporarily disable an attacker when they make contact is differentiated by Tasers, which shoot out a pair of electrically charged probes up to 15 feet, more like a handgun. The Taser has more often been in the news stemming from lawsuits resulting in death, but proponents insist they are far less dangerous than firearms.

According to Sen. Rick Jones, a Republican from western Michigan, who is introducing the legislation, he states that "You could use it when you could use a gun, and you must have all the training that goes into a concealed pistol license. I think it's just common sense that someone would rather use electricity rather than a gun when they can."

The Michigan Senate approved the measure 35-3 in October. The House, which holds a 63-47 Republican edge, has referred it to a judiciary committee. Jones said he doesn't foresee organized opposition to it in the House or from Republican Gov. Rick Snyder.

Hawaii, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island are the other states that make it illegal for residents to possess stun guns, along with Illinois and the cities of Annapolis, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and the District of Columbia which impose tight restrictions.

"Taking down a ban is very difficult and very challenging," said Steve Tuttle, spokesman for Taser International. "That's why it's significant that Wisconsin did it."

Many strongly oppose the legalization. "We feel a great number of questions need to be answered," said Mark Fancher, staff attorney for the Michigan Civil Liberties Union. "We are concerned about these devices, period."

Most states ban them from schools and courts, and some have other restrictions such as limiting their use to homes and businesses, or requiring a permit to carry one in public. All 50 states allow law enforcement to carry them.

Law enforcement and the military buy about two-thirds of the Tasers sold, Tuttle said, and the rest are bought by the public. A typical Taser price for consumer models can run from over $900 for the Taser X26, to around $400 for the Taser C2. By comparison, handheld personal stun guns car vary from batons and flashlights to disguised cell phones and lipstick applicators, and run anywhere from $29 to $99.

One feature standard with Taser devices is that they discharge confetti marked with serial numbers that can be used to trace where the cartridge was purchased and by whom. Taser says this function prevents people from using them carelessly.

Ron Sass is the founder of The Covert Eye ( http://www.thecoverteye.com/ ), which is dedicated to watching over your home, family, and business when you're not there. Along with offering the latest in personal protection items at an affordable price, they also carry a complete line of security gear, hidden cameras, Nanny Cams, home and personal alarms, GPS tracking units, listening and recording devices, as well as many "How-To" articles pertaining to securing your home or office, keeping track of your teens, how to watch over your children when you're not there, safeguarding your valuables and possessions, and how to protect yourself against an attacker.

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Oil Maggedon

You know... these continue to be REALLY interesting times... I mean, news with sizable economic impact seems to be on tap almost every day - Arab Spring, a dictator-free Libya, Occupy Wall Street... Greece and now Italy, And very recently, a most bizarre addition - a failed attempt by one major oil producing Islamic nation, Iran, to assassinate the ambassador to the U.S. of another major oil producing Islamic nation, Saudi Arabia, right here on U.S. soil.

Here's the plot, and frankly, while it's comically amateurish in its ineptness, it's also extremely scary in its ramifications, including for your way of life and portfolio... so here's what happened: the Iranian government has a covert operations force called the Quds (KODS) Force whose mission is to conduct sensitive covert operations abroad (think of them as perhaps a much more sinister version of our CIA). Now, Iran and Saudi Arabia are locked in a vehement tug-of-war for influence over other Islamic nations... so to tilt the scales in its favor, Iran decided to have its Quds Force take out the Saudi ambassador to the U.S. - right here in Washington D.C. The comically amateurish part is that, in its search for an assassin, Quds ended up speaking to an undercover U.S. agent thinking he was a member of a violent Mexican drug cartel, and offered him $1.5 million to assassinate Adel Al-Jubeir, the Saudi Arabian ambassador to the United States. And that's how the plot unraveled, luckily for the Saudi ambassador.

The scary part is that had the Iranians succeeded, Saudi Arabia and Iran would surely have either gone to war, perhaps dragging the U.S. in too, or tensions would have escalated to a point of no return, with each nation on edge and severe jockeying in the Islamic world. This is scary because Iran and Saudi Arabia are major oil producing and exporting nations, and any war between them would have been disastrous for world oil markets.

Here's why: Each time an oil producing nation goes to war, its oil exports shrink... from a combination of the following two main factors - 1) its own demand for oil skyrockets so it exports less than it did before the war; 2) its oil rigs and installations are vital strategic targets and immediately come under attack from the enemy - more so for a nation like Saudi Arabia whose entire economy and influence is based on oil.

In fact, if you look at the most recent example of Libya. Its oil production dropped from 1.6 million barrels per day (BPD) in 2010 before the unrest started, down to 96 million barrels per day as of September 2011 - that's a drop of 40%. To put this in perspective: at its peak, Libya's oil production was less than 2% of the 82 million BPD of global world oil supply; yet, crude oil prices jumped $10 to $15 per barrel.

By comparison, Saudi Arabia produces 9.2 million BPD and Iran produces 3.6 million BPD, for a combined 16 percent of world supply. Add to that, the expectation that any war between these two major Islamic nations will severely polarize the Arab world and could easily escalate with other Islamic block oil-producing countries taking sides... and you start to see why this is so scary... because it literally could spike oil prices to unprecedentedly high levels - perhaps driving prices higher by $100 per barrel or more.

The other scary part is that Iran has set in motion events that Saudi Arabia is unlikely to ignore, and even if Saudi Arabia is restrained by its global allies, Iran - which has seriously lost face over its botched assassination attempt - may plot more seriously to escalate tensions. And that would really spook world markets, jack up the price of oil, severely impact global GDP growth, and perhaps even result in unmanageable inflation because oil is a vital raw material that drives prices on all manner of consumer and non-consumer goods.

And what exacerbates a drop in oil production is that it takes many, many years for production to return to pre-war levels - anywhere from 5 to 15 years. So, in a worst case scenario of war with multiple oil producing Islamic nations involved, oil will likely reach devastating highs and stay there for several years before a return to normalcy.

So, while I love telling stories, my point with this one is that you must prepare yourself for this oil-spike eventuality or possibility. If we are lucky, things will defuse before they get much worse, but the current fire with the Arab Spring may just light other, less desirable flames. If things get worse, I'd like you to protect yourself by...perhaps making sure you have some oil in your portfolio, most easily accomplished by buying a large cap mutual fund, ETF or purchasing one of the major oil companies outright, like exxon or chevron. In fact, some of you may remember an earlier piece I did - Impact of Rising Oil Prices on U.S. Stocks - where too I advocated investing in oil companies as a hedge against rising oil prices... so now you at least know that I am consistent. If you're more adventurous and sophisticated, you can buy and exchange traded fund that tracks oil prices such as the iPath S&P GSCI Crude Oil TR Index (NYSE: OIL). Everything has its risks and possible rewards, so make sure you understand the pros and cons before making any investment. Speak to your investment advisor on how you can prepare your portfolio for the very real possibility of a crazy spike in oil prices. And if you get in on this and do well, hopefully, you'll allow me to tell you that you heard it first on my show!

Visit http://onthemoneyradio.org/ for weekly commentary and money advice that covers the entire financial spectrum which also airs on my weekly radio show, "On The Money!"

You may also want to visit http://blog.slpomeranz.com/ and SUBSCRIBE to my weekly commentary via Email and SUBSCRIBE to my weekly podcasts on itunes!

Steven L. Pomeranz, CFP is a 29 year investment management veteran and host of "On The Money!" which airs on NPR station, WXEL in South Florida. He concentrates on serving high net-worth individuals and has been named one of the Top 100 Wealth Advisors 2007, by Worth magazine (October 2007 Issue), honoring America's premier financial and wealth strategists.

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Future Generations Expected to Be Less Well Off Than Their Parents

Over the course of the last few generations each generation has had more disposable income, relatively speaking, than the last. This trend could soon change though. Those currently in their 30's and 40's are expected to follow this pattern and be better off than their parents, but their children are, on average, expected to be less well off.

According to a PWC study, those born in 1993 will be 25% poorer when they retire than those born in 1963.

Those born in 1963 were able to buy a home earlier, at the age of 29 on average, and benefited from rapid increases in the value of their homes. They had no student debt and many are likely to be able to retire early.

Those born in 1993 are likely to have a higher real income but they are also likely to spend more. The PWC study states that it is expected they will be able to buy their first home by the age of 35 on average. This could be higher, though, as the average is already more than that now. Many of those born in 1993 will have student loans to pay off. They will also live longer so their retirement pot must last longer.

So why is the trend of each generation turning? The wealth gap between each generation is already narrowing in relative terms. Pensions and property could be two key factors.

Pensions are getting worse. Fewer people are paying into a pension fund at all, and this problem is increasing with people living longer. So while bigger pension pots are needed, pension contributions are actually going down. This is already a problem for some who have retired and will likely get worse in the future unless something is done to revert this.

Property has risen sharply in the last few decades. With each generation benefiting more, each generation has become wealthier than the last. It has been easier to obtain a mortgage than it is likely to be in the future. Many house prices have now got to a stage where they have become unaffordable to many young people so getting on the housing ladder is become harder. Increases are also likely to be less in the future so future generations may make less on the property market.

A current issue is that wages are not rising comparably to inflation. So things are costing more relative to what people are earning.

Each generation since world war two has been wealthier than the previous, but this difference is becoming less. The tide is turning and those born now are likely to be less well off as adults than their parents.

Can parents help protect their children from what could be a decline in living standard? The answer is yes, if parents have disposable income they could save it on behalf of their children. The best way to protect against inflation could be to invest it, for example in a Junior ISA. The Junior ISA is the new savings scheme for children, whereby parents can make investments on behalf of their children where gains will not be taxed.

Andrew Marshall ©

The Junior ISA is a good way to financially assist your children in the future.

Click here for the PWC study mentioned in this article.

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Various Community Development Volunteering Programs

The term volunteering refers to the act of working on behalf of others for some specific cause. The individuals involved in it are not paid. Earlier, the activity was performed only for improving human quality of life but today it is practiced for a number of reasons including skill development, making more contacts, fun, etc. Today, more and more individuals are found interested in this activity.

There are many professional companies providing interested individuals with different volunteer programs as per their wish. Community development is a major area for volunteering these days. It provides individuals with a wide range of programs allowing one to reach almost any section of society. Starting from public health care, opening schools, providing electricity, potable water, sanitation and permanent shelter to poor communities, opening daycares to roads development, there are a number of causes for which a person can work.

Some of the prominent programs that fall under the community development volunteering services include:

Health and wellness programs

This section involves a number of programs including:

• Educating children, teens, adults, pregnant women regarding personal hygiene, nutrition and healthy lifestyles.

• Distributing medical supplies to poor families.

• Running a blood pressure stand.

• Writing and producing informative flyers.

• Organizing exercise sessions for poor individuals who cannot afford to pay for gym and other health centers.

• Supplying health and food products, first-aid kits, etc. to needy families.

• Developing special workshops for making individuals aware of different health related troubles and ways of staying away from them.

Youth programs

This is another major kind of community development volunteering program that involves working towards the betterment of youth. It involves:

• Organizing recreational and educational activities

• Working on a wide range of administrative tasks

• Organizing various workshops of songs, photography, drawing, writing, drama, dance, exercise, art, languages, etc. for skill development.

• Providing informal teaching lessons.

Looking after elderly in nursing homes, providing daycare for toddlers, etc. are some other programs that fall under this category.

Thus, it becomes clear from the above discussion that community development area provides a wide range of volunteering service opportunities for the keen individuals. They can be a part of a number of programs available under this category.

For individuals interested in volunteering, many professional companies offer a number of opportunities. You can contact a reliable company for getting volunteering work in the area you are interested to work.

In this regard, internet offers a plethora of options to the customers.

Go Voluntouring is an organization known for providing Volunteering services to customers. There are plenty of volunteering programs available for the individuals where they can work towards the welfare of society.

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Immigration Reform Act 2007

The overriding positive of S.1348, Comprehensive Immigration Reform, is that it provides an earned path to legal residency for the 12 to 15 million immigrants illegally present in the in U.S. before 2007.

(See quick-reading summary of major provisions of S.1348, Comprehensive Immigration Reform, at page one of this article.)

Poverty-stricken immigrants and their families were lured by illegal jobs at U.S. corporations and in the agricultural industry. In their home countries, they were usually unemployed and destitute.

And undocumented workers, grateful for any job, have worked for below-market wages, minimal or no benefits and under poor working conditions, therefore enabling employers to make higher business profits.

The Clinton and Bush administrations turned a blind political eye to illegal immigration practices as a means to support corporate America. (For more info, see Why the U.S. Allows Illegal Immigration.)

Undocumented workers and their families live in constant fear of apprehension, mistreatment and imprisonment, which affects every aspect of their lives, from housing and medical care to education, transportation and even grocery shopping.

Freedom from Fear and Mistreatment

S.1348 would set these immigrants free from fear, to emerge from the back alleys and shoddiest housing in America and beyond the reach of smugglers, blackmailers, human traffickers and harassers.

Like the African-origin slaves set free by Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, this heavily Latino underclass of unskilled, poorly-paid U.S. workers would be freed from the shackles of unequal treatment as a human beings.

And that is what America’s noble ideals of freedom and equality are all about.

On May 17, 2007, Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA) proudly proclaimed of this bill, "Politics is the art of the possible, and the agreement we just reached is the best possible chance we will have in years to secure our borders, and bring millions of people out of the shadows and into the sunshine of America."

Problem is... the negatives of S.1348, Comprehensive Immigration Reform, are so numerous and so virulent, that they may cause Congress to fail to pass this legislation.

Below are a few of the most egregious negatives of S.1348 .

Guest Worker Program

S.1348 sets a guest worker program for low-skilled labor that creates a separate class of workers with few protections granted to other U.S. workers and little hope for permanent residency.

The New York Times dubs S.1348's guest worker program as "massive indentured servitude."

And the guest worker program includes provisions that are overly onerous to fulfill. One is a mandate that between the 3 renewable 2-year visa periods, the worker must return for a year to his home country where he may have neither job nor home.

Another is the severe limitation on workers' ability to bring spouses or minor childen with them while they labor in the U.S.

An amendment sponsored by Sen. Jeff Bingman (D-NM) was passed to reduce to reduce the annual cap on workers from 600,000 to 200,000. An amendment by Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND) to strip it from S.1348 was defeated by a vote of 64-31.

Retention and Internment Facilities

S.1348 provides “resources” for the daily detention of 27,500 illegal immigrants.

Internment centers are privatized warehouses for immigrants awaiting wrongful detention appeals or pending deportation proceedings. Like the hotel industry, the corporations running the centers make profits by keeping the centers at full occupancy.

While in internment centers, immigrants have virtually no rights. Like slaves in pre-civil War days, detainees are usually unable to communicate with children and spouses. Identification is often stripped from their possession.

Reports abound of denials of medical care, overcrowding, unsanitary conditions, lost ID documents, lack of access to info, and callous treatment. (For more info, read Lost in Detention published by The New Mexican on May 20, 2007.)

Impossible Path to Citizenship

S.1348 creates an unachievable path to citizenship for the majority of formerly illegal immigrants, resulting in millions of low-wage earning U.S residents without voting rights.

The legislation requires upfront payment of $5,000 in fines plus $2,000 in “processing fees,” unthinkable sums for poverty-level earners. It requires the head of household (usually the wage earner) to return to their home country, and then reenter the U.S. Few could afford to return to their home countries, and, if they did, they would likely lose their jobs.

And even if all these and other conditions are met, the waiting period is estimated to be 8 to 14 years.

In early June 2007, S.1348 is mired in U.S. Senate backroom negotiations, and the bill hotly debated in the media and public forums.

No one knows whether or not S.1348 will pass both houses of Congress, despite the urgings of President Bush and a determined bipartisan band of senators led by Sen. Kennedy and Sen. John McCain (R-AZ).

Another vital area of contention that must be resolved is the proposed new U.S. approach to selecting future immigrants.

Past Immigration Goal: Family Unification

In the past, America immigration policy was tied to the humanitarian goal of family unification.

The 14th amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1868 in reaction to the abolition of slavery and its abuse of families, declared all children born in this country of illegal immigrants to be U.S. citizens. This was reconfirmed by the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965. As a result, parents of children who are U.S. citizens often stay in this country as legal residents (i.e. green cards holders).

Currently, there is no limit on the number of green cards that can be issued to foreign spouses and children of workers holding U.S. work visas, or for foreign-born parents of minor children.

S.1348 Immigration Goal: Support Corporations, Not Families

S.1348 radically shifts U.S. immigration to skills-based from family-based goals, and places a cap on all permanent residency green cards issued annually.

Objecting to this change, Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) wryly commented to the media, “For those who often speak about family values, this is your opportunity to match your rhetoric with your action.“

Briefly, the cap for H-1B visas, used by corporations and universities to import higher wage-earning scientists, computer specialists and the like, will be raised from 65,000 to as much as 180,000 annually.

The remainder of green cards would be issued based on a point system that places highest values on graduate and post-graduate education; achievement in technology, science and math; areas of high labor demand; and English language proficiency.

Family ties would be given scant consideration, and then, mainly for spouses and minor children. Under S.1348, even U.S. citizens would encounter difficulties bringing elderly, foreign-born parents into the country.

At this writing, Sen. Clinton and Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE) have introduced an amendment to eliminate limits on the number of green cards for spouses and minor children of legal immigrants.

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New Mexico in 2012 Elections

This article presents a snapshot of voters, issues and trends in battleground state New Mexico that will influence who and what wins and loses in the 2012 elections.

How New Mexico Votes: Red State or Blue State?

In 2008, Hispanic voters, who then comprised 41% of New Mexico's electorate, cast a whopping 69% of their ballots for Democrat Barack Obama, causing him to win New Mexico.

Also, of the 55% of 2008 voters in New Mexico who cited the economy as their top concern, 60% voted for Obama.

In the last four presidential elections, New Mexico voted as follows: 2008 - 57% for Democrat Obama, 42% for Republican McCain 2004 - 50% for Republican Bush, 49% for Democrat Kerry 2000 - 48% for Republican Bush, 48% for Democrat Gore 1996 - 49% for Democrat Clinton, 42% for Republican DoleIn 2011, New Mexico boasts a Republican governor and lieutenant governor, Susanne Martinez and John Sanchez respectively. Both U.S. senators, five-term Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall, are Democrats. Sen. Bingaman, who has served in the Senate since 1982, is retiring from office by not running for reelection in 2012.

Prior to his 2008 election to the Senate, Democrat Udall was a five-term Congressman from New Mexico, and the former state Attorney General for eight years. Sen. Udall is an avid supporter of wilderness areas and wildlife, and has been consistently awarded a 100% rating by the League of Conservation Voters.

Summary of Top Issues in New Mexico

New Mexico residents enjoy much lower unemployment and foreclosure rates than the national averages, although both remain relevant influences on Land of Enchantment voters.

About 46% of New Mexico residents claimed Hispanic ethnicity in the 2010 census, the highest state percentage and far ahead of California and Texas at 37.6% each. Spanish is the primary spoken-language of 29% of New Mexicans.

As a result, immigration reform is a top New Mexico concern, especially support by most Republican presidential candidates of an armed, U.S.-Mexico border fence. However, the nation's Hispanic population is also deeply disappointed by President Obama's failure to actively support or enact reform of immigration laws.

Another top issue is healthcare coverage. From 2005 through 2011, approximately 21% of New Mexico residents had no health care insurance, including 23% of Hispanics and 28% of Native-Americans. Republicans candidates for both the White House and Congress have pledged to repeal President Obama's reform of healthcare that provides insurances to all U.S. citizens and legal residents.

Since New Mexico ranks only 31st among states in senior citizen population, Social Security and Medicare reductions pushed by Republicans are not major issues among the electorate.

Because New Mexicans hold deep reverence for their state's majestic natural beauty, conservation and preservation of the environment are important statewide values. Raves a state government website, "New Mexico is home to 25 magnificent scenic byways. In fact, eight of the 126 America's Byways are right here in our state!"

Most New Mexico political leaders, both Democratic and Republican, support pro-environment legislation and agendas.

New Mexico Economic Facts and Voter Demographics

Unemployment Rate as of June 2011 - 6.8%, well below the national unemployment rate and 38th among all states.

Foreclosure Rates as of June 2011 - 1 in 1254 homes, significantly lower than the state average of 1 of 583 home in foreclosure, and 29th among states.

State Residents Living Below Poverty-Level Income - 17.1%, which is 5th highest among all states, and concentrated in New Mexico's Native-American population.

Hispanic Population - 46.3% of New Mexico residents are of Hispanic origin, the nation's highest state Hispanic population percentage.

Labor Union Membership - New Mexico is home to 94,000 labor union members, representing 11.6% of the state's workforce.

Senior Citizen Population - 13.2% of New Mexico's total population, ranking 31st among states.

Women as a Percentage of New Mexico's Population - 50.6%, which is 29th in the nation.

African-American Population - 2% of New Mexico's resident population, ranking 39th among states, tied with Hawaii and Oregon.

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Issue - National ID Cards in Canada

At the request of Denis Coderre, the Canadian Minister for Citizenship and Immigration, the House of Commons Committee on Citizenship and Immigration is examining the possibility of a secure national identity card for Canadians. The minister has made it very clear that he himself is in favour of a Canadian national ID card that would use some type of biometrics, such as an iris scan, facial recognition or fingerprints.

The Minister of Citizenship and Immigration seems to have two major reasons for the intensified interest by the federal government in a secure national ID card for Canadians: an increasing demand for a secure identity document for international travellers, especially to meet changing and more stringent requirements from the U.S. Government growing concern over rapid increases in identity theft in Canada

The House of Commons Citizenship and Immigration Committee has asked for comments on a range of questions related to the possibility of national ID cards in Canada. Some of the items on their list are: what are the problems with current Canadian identity documents? which levels of government in Canada would be responsible for a new national ID card? should a Canadian national ID card be mandatory or voluntary? what personal information and which secure technologies should be used for national ID cards?

Still at the preliminary discussion stage.

The most vocal supporter of a secure Canadian national ID card using biometrics is the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration. Some of the reasons the minister gives are: Canada needs a national identity system. Right now the federal government issues citizenship and immigration documents and the provincial and territory governments issue birth and death certificates. a national ID card is just a tool that lets people prove they are who they say they are a national ID card is an important element of both personal and collective security a secure national ID card would help prevent identity theft it would improve the integrity of Canadian travel documents

Objections to the introduction of a national ID card include: Canadian Privacy Commissioner George Radwanski sees a secure national ID card as part of a recent Canadian federal government trend to intrude on the privacy of Canadians. Radwanski also points out that a national ID card would be useless as an anti-terrorist device, since anyone would be able to get one, and those on short visits to Canada would not need to get one. Some technology experts say that there is absolutely nothing secure about biometric ID cards unless the papers required to get them are equally secure. Morris Manning, a Canadian constitutional lawyer, says a biometric ID card could violate the Charter of Rights. Many are concerned about the costs, especially after huge cost overruns with existing federal government databases, the most recent example being the gun registry. There is also concern that a national ID card could lead to racial profiling.

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Hillary Clinton - Fundraising Statistics & Info for 2008 Presidential Race

The following fundraising statistics and contributor data for the Hillary Clinton for President Exploratory Committee were taken from the most recent Federal Election Commission quarterly report, which is as of March 31, 2008.

Cash on hand, at March 31, 2008 - $29,666,453

Unpaid campaign debts, at March 31, 2008 - $19,480,893

Contributions, net total to March 31, 2008 - $172,767,416

Contributions for Jan 2008 - $14 million Contributions for Feb 2008 - $34 million Contributions for Mar 2008 - $20 million Contributions for Apr 2008 - $21 million

Celebrity-Activist Contributors

Deepak Chopra - $4,600 Danny DeVito - $2,300 Fran Drescher - $2,300 Joely Fisher - $4,600 Tom Hanks - $2,300 Hugh Hefner - $2,300 Billie Jean King - $4,600 Tobey Maguire - $4,600 Marla Maples - $1,000 Rosie O'Donnell - $2,300 Rhea Perlman - $2,300 Anne Rice - $4,600 Pauly Shore - $1,000 Martha Stewart - $4,600 Ben Stiller - $4,600 Lily Tomlin - $2,000 Rita Wilson - $2,300

Top Employers of Contributors

D.L.A. Piper, law firm Cablevision, cable broadband services Kirkland & Ellis, law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, law firm Proskauer Rose, law firm Perry Capital, hedge fund investments Credit Suisse, financial services Morgan Stanley, investment banker Cushman & Wakefield, real estate investments The Clinton Foundation

Hillary Clinton in 2008 News and Info Center

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Obama on AIDS & Faith

Frustrated by Bad Science

That's why it was so frustrating for me to go to South Africa, and see the pain, and see the suffering, and then hear that the country's Minister of Health had promoted the use of beet root, sweet potato, and lemon juice as the best way to cure HIV.

Thankfully, the South African government eventually repudiated this, but it's impossible to overestimate how important it is for political leaders like this to set a good example for their people.

We should never forget that God granted us the power to reason so that we would do His work here on Earth - so that we would use science to cure disease, and heal the sick, and save lives. And one of the miracles to come out of the AIDS pandemic is that scientists have discovered medicine that can give people with HIV a new chance at life.

We are called to give them that chance. We have made progress - in South Africa, treatment provided to pregnant women has drastically reduced the incidents of infants born with the infection.

Only 1 in 5 Receiving Treatment for HIV

But despite such progress, only one in every five people with HIV around the world is receiving antiretroviral drug treatment. One in every five. We must do better.

We should work with drug companies to reduce the costs of generic anti-retroviral drugs, and work with developing nations to help them build the health infrastructure that's necessary to get sick people treated - this means more money for hospitals and medical equipment, and more training for nurses and doctors.

We need a renewed emphasis on nutrition. Right now we're finding out that there are people who are on the drugs, who are getting treatment, who are still dying because they don't have any food to eat. This is inexcusable - especially in countries that have sufficient food supplies. So we must help get them that nutrition, and this is another place where religious organizations that have always provided food to the hungry can help a great deal.

And even as we focus on the enormous crisis in Africa, we need to remember that the problem is not in Africa alone.

Alarming AIDS Rise Outside Africa

In the last few years, we have seen an alarming rise in infection rates in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, the former Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, and the Caribbean. And on this World AIDS day, we cannot forget the crisis occurring in our own backyard.

Right here in the United States, AIDS is now the leading cause of death for African American women aged 25-34, and we are also seeing many poorer and rural communities fail to get the resources they need to deal with their vulnerable populations - a problem that unfortunately some in Congress are trying to address by taking money away from larger cities that are still facing enormous problems of their own.

Kudos for Bush Effort Against HIV & AIDS

Now let me say this - I think that President Bush and this past Congress should be applauded for the resources they have contributed to the fight against HIV and AIDS. Through our country's emergency plan for AIDS relief, the United States will have contributed more than $15 billion over five years to combat HIV-AIDS overseas.

And the Global Fund, with money from the United States and other countries, has done some heroic work to fight this disease. As I traveled throughout Africa this summer, I was proud of the tangible impact that all this money was having, often through coordinated efforts with the Centers for Disease Control, the State Department, foreign governments, and non-governmental organizations.

Three AIDS Priorites for Congress

So our first priority in Congress should be to reauthorize this program when it expires in 2008.

Our second priority should be to reassess what's worked and what hasn't so that we're not wasting one dollar that could be saving someone's life.

But our third priority should be to actually boost our contribution to this effort. With all that is left to be done in this struggle - with all the other areas of the world that need our help - it's time for us to add at least an additional $1 billion a year in new money over the next five years to strengthen and expand the program to places like Southeast Asia, India, and Eastern Europe, where the pandemic will soon reach crisis proportions.

Of course, given all the strains that have been placed on the U.S. budget, and given the extraordinary needs that we face here at home, it may be hard to find the money. But I believe we must try. I believe it will prove to be a wise investment.

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Rating the 2008 Candidates

Gov. Bill Richardson

For cumulative ratings on the 2008 candidates, see Cumulative Scorecards for the 2008 Democratic Debates.

Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico

(See cumulative ratings at Rating Bill Richardson - Cumulative Scorecard for the 2008 Debates.)

If I was forced to cast my vote today, in February 2007, for the Democratic 2008 nominee, based on the candidates' presentations at the DNC Winter 2007 Meeting, I would cast it (to my surprise) for Bill Richardson.

While the 7-term Congressman and former U.N. ambassador is always well-spoken and personable, the newly trim-and-fit Gov. Richardson made an brilliant case as to why he should be the nominee.

His rapport with the Democratic faithful was warm and instant and he effused friendly goodwill toward the Democratic candidates.

Richardson reminded us why Americans tend to elect governors, rather than senators, to the presidency. As governor, acclaimed international diplomat, and as Energy Secretary under President Clinton, Bill Richardson lays claim to:
* brokering international agreements
* understanding the Middle East
* balancing budgets
* expanding health insurance access
* significantly raising teacher pay
* creating 80,000 new jobs in New Mexico
* decreasing unemployment to its lowest level since 1978
* passing state legislation to protect the civil rights of same-gender couples

Gov. Richardson spoke at length about the Iraq War, proclaiming that "We've done in Iraq what we said we would do... It's time for our troops to leave with honor."

And Richardson lamented, "I don't know how any president could be so blind to the hurt and anguish in this country, and so blind to the will of the people... "

Richardson, the nation's only Latino governor, made no reference to his ethnicity (Caucasian father, Latino mother) and no specific appeal to Latino voters. Instead, he opted to state that Democrats need a candidate who can be victorious in "every region of the country"... which could exclude Hillary Clinton (several parts of the country) and Barack Obama (the South), at least.

The Verdict on Richardson: Leader of the middle-tier candidate, with an excellent chance to break-out into the top tier, especially if Clinton, Obama and/or Edwards falter.

Bill Richardson's strengths are his superlative track record. Based on experience, he's doubtlessly the most qualified of the 10 candidates for the 2008 Democratic run for the presidency.

Richardson has 2 challenges: He's not as well-known nationally as the frontrunners, and he has a reputation for living grandly and large, which occasionally bothers the frugal crowd.

Former Gov. Tom Vilsack of Iowa

Like Gov. Richardson, Gov. Vilsack's speech and resume reminded me again why the last 2 Democrats elected president were both governors: experience, deep and wide.

During Mr. Vilsack's 8 years as Iowa's governor, he:
* balanced 8 budgets, and left a surplus for his predecessor.
* built, from nothing, a renewable energy industry.
* greatly expanded health insurance access.
* pushed legislation that granted targeted tax relief.

Tom Vilsack has none of Gov. Richardson's diplomatic or foreign affairs experience, though, and little of Richardson's charisma, but Vilsack received a passionate response for his powerful, plain-spoken speech in which he declared:

"Our policies have been directed by fear. Fear of special interests. Fear of foreign governments. Fear of the unknown. No family can live in fear. No government can be run in fear. And the American dream can never be renewed by fear. the time has come in this country to replace fear with courage... "

And on Iraq, he took no wishy-washy, poll-tested stance:

"The war must end, and our troops must be brought home now. Congress has a constitutional responsibility and a moral obligation to do it now!"

The Verdict on Vilsack: A middle-tier candidate with longshot potential to break-out into the top tier.

Tom Vilsack's viability as a 2008 possibility is a pleasant surprise. His drawbacks, of course, are that he's a virtual unknown nationally, and he lacks national political and U.S. foreign policy experience at a time when such experience is desperately needed.

Former Sen. Mike Gravel of Alaska

(See cumulative ratings at Rating Mike Gravel - Cumulative Scorecard for the 2008 Debates.)

Mike Gravel, a 2-term U.S. Senator from Alaska during the Vietnam War era and Democratic thorn-in-the-side to President Nixon, gave a barn-burner of a speech roundly condemning the Iraq War and every Democrat who voted for it in 2002. He orated above the Democratic din:

"The Democrats controlled the Senate in October 2002, and provided cover for the President to invade Iraq... Political calculations trumped reality, and the Middle East was set ablaze. It was politics as usual.

"Anyone who voted for the war on October 11, 2002, based on what President Bush presented to them, is not qualified to hold the office of President of the United States."

And his tough talk grew even tougher... to the undisguised delight of the room.

No word on what energetic 76-year-old Mr. Gravel has been doing since he left the Senate in 1981, or what qualifies him to be president now. But he certainly packs a powerful wallop of a speech.

And by staying in the race and participating in the debate, he threatens to derail the candidacy of anyone who voted for the Iraq War in 2002, which is Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, Joe Biden and Chris Dodd. Barack Obama must love this guy.

The Verdict on Gravel: Bottom-tier candidate, and not likely to rise in public ratings. But Mike Gavel promises to keep the race lively and focused.

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Hoyer: Make It in America agenda

Wall Street reform will create an important new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and make sure that borrowers and lenders live up to common-sense standards of responsibility and honesty. It ends TARP. And it ensures that the costs of any future financial crisis will be borne by the financial industry—keeping taxpayers off the hook for future bailouts. Wall Street reform will remove an important source of economic uncertainty, helping to free up the $1.8 trillion in cash sitting on the sidelines in corporate America. That is private sector cash poised to be redeployed into job-creating investments—the kind of investments that led to the chip and the tech boom in the 1990s. The more we strengthen the integrity and transparency of our financial system, the more we rebuild the confidence needed to encourage investment in America, and the more our financial system gets back toward its core purpose: helping allocate capital to families investing in their future and entrepreneurs investing in job creation. Moving Forward After Lost Decade All of those policies have a common thread: After a lost decade, middle-class Americans now have a Congress and administration that is helping it make up the lost ground and building for future prosperity. All of that work has helped move our economy back toward strength — though, for too many people, that is still not their reality. With millions of Americans still out of work, no one claims that we’ve reached success — and Congress can’t rest. QUESTION TWO: What Remains to be Done? So the second question is: what remains to be done? Democrats are fighting for the middle class. Republicans— as much as they want to use the economy as a political weapon — are looking to go back to the very same policies that caused many of the problems the middle class confronts today. In fact, the NRCC chair, Congressman Pete Sessions, summed up his party’s approach last weekend: ‘We need to go back to the exact same agenda’ of the Bush Administration. By almost all indications, it was an agenda that failed. Democrats, on the other hand, are putting forward new ideas to drive our recovery, particularly when it comes to our vital manufacturing sector. "Make it in America" Agenda That’s why House Democrats are launching the Make it in America agenda: a strategy to boost American manufacturing. For generations, Americans have looked to our manufacturing sector as a source of economic vitality, a source of good-paying jobs, and a source of pride: America has always been proud to be a country that makes things. Some worry that those jobs and that pride are a thing of the past — but Democrats are committed to regaining America’s manufacturing edge. The Make it in America agenda will include bills to encourage investments in industry, improve manufacturing infrastructure and innovation, strengthen the American workforce, and create a level playing field for American manufacturers that compete worldwide. These bills are just a start: more are to come, and many House Democrats are coming forward with ideas that can contribute to a manufacturing revival. All of these efforts will bolster President Obama’s plan to support 2 million more jobs by doubling U.S. exports in five years — a plan that is already showing success, with exports up significantly over last year. (See President Obama's National Export Initiative.) And they will build on the impact we’ve already had: since the beginning of this year, our private sector has actually created 136,000 new manufacturing jobs. I hope that Republicans will join us in strengthening our manufacturing sector. I’m glad that many of them supported the Manufacturing Enhancement Act and the SECTORS Act in the House. But the fact remains that Republicans have an 18-month pattern of standing, with near unanimity, against every measure to create jobs for the middle class. A wide range of job-creating ideas are waiting to be enacted, but they continue to face partisan obstruction — even though many of those ideas have won strong bipartisan support before. For instance: We would help businesses develop and bring to market new technologies to increase productivity. We would further invest in science, technology, engineering and math education. We would encourage entrepreneurship and investment by letting businesses deduct start-up expenses and exempting small business capital gains from taxation. We would establish a new fund, without increasing the deficit, to help community banks lend to small businesses — because 45 percent of small businesses seeking loans were turned down last year. We would extend the R&D credit.We would also end tax breaks that encourage corporations to outsource American jobs overseas. Republicans are fighting to keep that loophole open; Democrats want to close it and keep more jobs here. Republican obstruction has even extended to unemployment insurance — at a time when there are still five applicants for each new job. Unemployment insurance is one of the most effective ways of stimulating demand, because it’s quickly spent. Moody’s Economy.com found that it produces $1.63 in economic stimulus for every dollar spent. View the original article here