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Video - Forehead: The Pope, Prophet and Buddha of the GOP Wants to Sabotage Economy - Rush Limbaugh rushlimbaugh.com/videos#uri=cha?Il y a environ 6 heuresvia Tweet Button
President Barack Obama speaks about the payroll tax cut at the White House in Washington, on Friday, Dec. 23, 2011. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
President Barack Obama speaks about the payroll tax cut at the White House in Washington, on Friday, Dec. 23, 2011. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
President Barack Obama waves as he boards Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., Friday, Dec. 23, 2011. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)
WASHINGTON (AP) ? President Barack Obama's re-election campaign and the Democratic Party have set a combined fundraising goal of $60 million for the final three months of 2011, an amount that would help them surpass $200 million for 2011.
Obama's campaign and the Democratic National Committee have collected $156 million through the end of September and would easily push past $200 million if the goal is met. The campaign and DNC raised about $70 million from July through late September.
The campaign and DNC have not yet met the fundraising goals but the president is not expected to participate in any fundraising events for the remainder of the year, a campaign official told The Associated Press. The official spoke on condition of anonymity and was not authorized to speak publicly.
Obama told top fundraisers recently that his re-election is not a "slam dunk" because many people are grappling with unemployment and the aftermath of the housing meltdown. He said his campaign would put forth a "vision that is truest to our history and most representative of the core decency of the American people."
Campaign officials expect the eventual Republican nominee to be competitive with Obama on fundraising, given the role of super PACs, independent groups that may accept unlimited donations but are not supposed to directly coordinate with candidates. Leading Republican contenders Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich have not yet outlined fundraising goals for the quarter.
Obama headlined 15 campaign fundraising events in October through December, about half the number of events he participated in during the first three months of his re-election campaign. The campaign has offered a "Dinner with Barack and Michelle" to boost campaign contributions online, allowing donors the chance to enter a drawing to have dinner with the first couple. The move followed a "Dinner with Barack" promotion earlier in the year.
Obama departed Washington on Friday to begin a delayed vacation in Hawaii.
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Most likely! Its a tourist attraction!! YUCK RT @GFunkDJ: @euphonik Think that ball of cotton is still on Florida road? LOLIl y a environ 3 heuresvia HootSuite
???? Kansas Democratic leaders are hoping to put more Kansans to work by encouraging casino development in southeast Kansas, thus creating additional jobs. ???? The casino proposal was part of a 14-bill package aimed at retraining unemployed workers, repairing local streets and helping small businesses weather tough economic times. ???? Lawmakers authorized state-owned casinos in four zones, including southeast Kansas, under the 2007 expanded-gaming law. Casinos are either open or close to opening in three of those zones ? including southwest Kansas ? but the state has failed to attract a qualified developer in the southeast zone. "There's very strong support in southeast Kansas for a casino project, and the Legislature needs to make some changes to the gaming law that would lower the investment threshold so we can get a project going in that area," House Minority Leader Paul Davis said during a conference call with Kansas reporters and editors. ???? He said lawmakers should reduce the minimum investment required for that zone from about $200 million to $100 million. ???? The proposal would also amend the expanded-gaming law to allow slot machines at horse and dog tracks around the state. ???? Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback told the Topeka Capital-Journal recently that he would discourage lawmakers from reopening the gaming debate in 2012, since their agenda is already full. ???? But House Minority Leader Anthony Davis of Topeka said he thought lawmakers would support efforts to attract a casino developer to southeast Kansas. ???? "I feel like there will be strong interest, particularly from the southeast Kansas legislators, to have their zone activated so they can also enjoy the economic benefits of a casino in their part of the state," he said. ???? Under the proposal, the state would earmark 20 percent of its annual casino revenues to help cities and counties repair streets and make other improvements. Another 50????? percent would be used for deferred maintenance projects at the state's Regents schools. ???? Other elements of the 14-bill package include: ???? ? The Hire Kansans First Act: Contractors or subcontractors working on state projects worth at least $100,000 a year would have to make sure that at least 70 percent of their employees on the project are Kansas residents. ???? The bill would not apply to city or county contracts. ??? ? Jobs training: This bill would offer individual income tax credits to students enrolled in post-secondary classes. Students who receive federal tax credits would also receive credits equaling 10 percent of that amount on their state income tax returns. ???? Other job training bills would offer tax credits to companies that offer apprenticeships and provide full funding for technical education programs. ???? ? Measures barring discrimination against unemployed job-seekers and forbidding employers from rejecting candidates based on their credit history. ???? ? The Kansas Immigration Accountability Act: This bill would require all state agencies, cities and counties to verify the immigration status of all workers using the federal E-Verify system. ???? Any contractor or subcontractor working on public projects would also have to use E-Verify. ???? ? A bill cracking down on businesses that misclassify their employees to avoid paying certain taxes, providing workers' compensation insurance or paying minimum and overtime wages. ???? The Legislature may take up the package when lawmakers convene Jan. 12 in Topeka.
???? Reach Eric Swanson at (620) 408-9917 or email him at eric.swanson@dodgeglobe.com.
New EPA air quality rules outweigh costs and provide major health and environmental benefits Public release date: 21-Dec-2011 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Stephanie Berger sb2247@columbia.edu 212-305-4372 Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health
A report by researchers at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health provides an expanded review of six new air quality regulations proposed or recently adopted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA). These include the first national standards for reducing dangerous emissions of mercury and other toxic pollutants from power plants. Though the cost of implementing the new regulations is estimated to be about $195 billion over the next 20 years or so, the economic, environmental and health benefits amount to well over $1 trillion, considerably outweighing the control costs, according to the report, which was issued by the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, a non-profit think tank based in Washington, D.C.
Patrick L. Kinney, ScD, professor of Environmental Health Sciences and director of Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health's Program on Climate and Health, and MPH candidate Amruta Nori-Sarma also examined the role that environmental justice issues play in the development of EPA regulations. The researchers further analyzed the findings in light of a recent poll conducted by the Joint Center on climate change, health and conservation behaviors.
Building on the data from EPA, the report finds that six new air quality regulations would offer benefits and savings in doctors' visits, hospitalizations, and a reduction in cases of bronchitis, respiratory illness, and aggravated asthma particularly for African American populations and residents in vulnerable communities. The rules analyzed include the Heavy-duty Vehicles Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Standards, the 2017-2025 Model Year Light-Duty Vehicle GHG Emissions and Caf Standards, the Utility Air Toxics Rule, the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule, the Boiler MACT, and the standards of Performance for Petroleum Refineries
The paper highlights the importance of the two motor vehicle rules, since urban air pollution tends to be dominated by motor vehicle emissions. The most beneficial of these rules is the light-duty vehicle rule, which will cost an estimated $140 billion but bring about $561 billion in benefits that include billions of barrels of oil saved, reduced emissions, and the health benefits related to non-greenhouse gas pollutants over the lifetime of vehicles sold between 2017 and 2025. According to the analysis, these will yield net societal benefits of $421 billion.
The findings also show that Cross-State Air Pollution Rule will provide significant health and environmental benefits to low income, minority, and tribal individuals in both rural areas and inner cities in the regions affected by the rule.
The poll, which surveyed 1500 African American adults in Atlanta, Cleveland and Philadelphia, asked respondents about issues related to air quality, climate change and the need for new regulations.
Among the poll's key findings:
A solid majority (59%) of African Americans polled in the three cities believe that global warming is causing serious problems
84% of respondents want the federal government to take strong action to deal with global warming
80% support EPA's Toxics Rule
40% described the air quality where they lived as excellent or good, while 59% said the air quality where they lived was fair or poor
83% believe that environmental factors such as air pollution play a major role in causing asthma in children
The authors believe that the close correspondence between public opinion and analytical findings pointing to the health and economic benefits of further air quality improvements should provide a strong mandate for action by the federal government.
###
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
New EPA air quality rules outweigh costs and provide major health and environmental benefits Public release date: 21-Dec-2011 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Stephanie Berger sb2247@columbia.edu 212-305-4372 Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health
A report by researchers at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health provides an expanded review of six new air quality regulations proposed or recently adopted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA). These include the first national standards for reducing dangerous emissions of mercury and other toxic pollutants from power plants. Though the cost of implementing the new regulations is estimated to be about $195 billion over the next 20 years or so, the economic, environmental and health benefits amount to well over $1 trillion, considerably outweighing the control costs, according to the report, which was issued by the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, a non-profit think tank based in Washington, D.C.
Patrick L. Kinney, ScD, professor of Environmental Health Sciences and director of Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health's Program on Climate and Health, and MPH candidate Amruta Nori-Sarma also examined the role that environmental justice issues play in the development of EPA regulations. The researchers further analyzed the findings in light of a recent poll conducted by the Joint Center on climate change, health and conservation behaviors.
Building on the data from EPA, the report finds that six new air quality regulations would offer benefits and savings in doctors' visits, hospitalizations, and a reduction in cases of bronchitis, respiratory illness, and aggravated asthma particularly for African American populations and residents in vulnerable communities. The rules analyzed include the Heavy-duty Vehicles Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Standards, the 2017-2025 Model Year Light-Duty Vehicle GHG Emissions and Caf Standards, the Utility Air Toxics Rule, the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule, the Boiler MACT, and the standards of Performance for Petroleum Refineries
The paper highlights the importance of the two motor vehicle rules, since urban air pollution tends to be dominated by motor vehicle emissions. The most beneficial of these rules is the light-duty vehicle rule, which will cost an estimated $140 billion but bring about $561 billion in benefits that include billions of barrels of oil saved, reduced emissions, and the health benefits related to non-greenhouse gas pollutants over the lifetime of vehicles sold between 2017 and 2025. According to the analysis, these will yield net societal benefits of $421 billion.
The findings also show that Cross-State Air Pollution Rule will provide significant health and environmental benefits to low income, minority, and tribal individuals in both rural areas and inner cities in the regions affected by the rule.
The poll, which surveyed 1500 African American adults in Atlanta, Cleveland and Philadelphia, asked respondents about issues related to air quality, climate change and the need for new regulations.
Among the poll's key findings:
A solid majority (59%) of African Americans polled in the three cities believe that global warming is causing serious problems
84% of respondents want the federal government to take strong action to deal with global warming
80% support EPA's Toxics Rule
40% described the air quality where they lived as excellent or good, while 59% said the air quality where they lived was fair or poor
83% believe that environmental factors such as air pollution play a major role in causing asthma in children
The authors believe that the close correspondence between public opinion and analytical findings pointing to the health and economic benefits of further air quality improvements should provide a strong mandate for action by the federal government.
###
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
In the Warring States period, China?s industry, agriculture, commerce, transportation, and other aspects were not affected by the war. The various vassal states were in the situations of mutual promotion and development, such as the Dujiang Weir, Zhengguo Canal, Honggou and other well-known water conservancy project did not only boost the development of agriculture, and bring benefit to the future generations as well. Furthermore, in terms of culture and ideology, all schools of thoughts contended for attention, bringing forth resplendent pre-Qin culture and leaving a great impact on later generations. The bronze sculpture sculptures were also produced in large numbers.
To the Warring States Period, the handicraft had made a great advancement and the level of the industries like smelting iron, Chinese bronze casting, lacquer, and silk had significantly improved. The production of bronze sculptures wielded founding, welding, lost wax and the craft of mix-inlaying gold and silver, leading to the crafts like the gold gilt and painting gold and engraving. The shapes tend to be thin and smart while the patterns meticulous and elaborate, of excellent technical and artistic level. Although due to popularity of the iron causing less and less bronze tools, still there are plentiful of Chinese bronze sculptures produced.
Overview of the Chinese bronze
Warring States period was the era that Chinese society experienced a dramatic change. The productivity had been rapidly improved and culture underwent unprecedented prosperity. At this point, the sacrificial Chinese bronze statue in the Shang and Zhou declined, but the daily utensils attained universal development, like the bronze mirror at leas was widespread in the ruling class. Ancient literature has recorded many about the ancients using bronze mirrors. For example, Strategies of the Warring States and The Songs of Chu all mention about the bronze mirror in the daily life. The big progress of the bronze mirror in the Warring States greatly relies on two points. First, the application of the iron tools in manufacturing the bronze sculptures supplies favorable conditions to the more detailed division of labor within the workshop and creation of new technology. Second, after evolution of the Shang and Zhou, the proportion of the alloy of the bronze mirror had tended to be scientific and stable, greatly increasing the practical effect. By the virtue of standardized shape and beautifully decorated ornaments, the bronze mirror of the Warring States marked that the ancient chinese bronze mirrors have headed from youth to maturity.
The Chinese bronze dragon during this period are characterized by various shapes and involve a lot of categories like the decorative art and handicraft, mainly including the design, calligraphy, painting, sculpture and so on. To put it in another way, they are the arts epitomize various schools of crafts. The application of patterns on the Chinese bronze grew up a number of decorative techniques with regularity in the long process of practice, making full use of the contrast, symmetry, empty and solid contrary, rhythmic changes in density, the repeated use of curves and arcs as well as highlighting the sense of direction and movement and so on. The utilization of calligraphy primarily finds expression in the inscriptions on Chinese bronze sculptures. During this period, the bronze sculptures were more made by the feudal lords, so the scripts varied and the character pattern was either fat or thin. Some followed the ones in Shang and Zhou as well as the inlaying gold characters and inscriptions in the form of birds or insects. Through these inscriptions engraved in bronzes we are able to get a glimpse of the calligraphy.
The paintings in the Warring States access to us are very limited, but we can get some knowledge of the painting achievements by means of the patterns on the bronzes to some extent, which is one significant feature of the bronze sculptures in the Warring States. Of which, some can be used to enjoy as painting artworks, such as the ones picturing the wars, hunting, feast, chariots, architecture in the society, simple in composition and plain in the lines as skillful as to the extent of the unity of form and spirit. Besides, animal statues and human sculptures cast by copper also turned up, which tied countless with the Chinese bronze sculptures now.
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) ? Law enforcement agencies are seizing increasing amounts of suspicious cash in Puerto Rico, an apparent sign that more drug proceeds are flowing through the U.S. island territory and the Caribbean as a whole, officials say.
Large seizures of money, ranging from the tens of thousands of dollars to more than a million, have become routine in Puerto Rico, where traffickers can take advantage of frequent air and ship traffic to and from the continental United States to move both drugs and money, according to law enforcement officials in the region.
There has been an increase in the U.S. Virgin Islands as well, though the amount confiscated is much less.
The two main agencies involved in drug cash seizures, Homeland Security Investigations, a division of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, both reported increased seizures for the year.
Homeland Security reported seizures of cash rose 68 percent to nearly $2.4 million for the 12 months that ended Sept. 30. The DEA says its seizures more than doubled, to about $18 million, for the period. That is just a fraction of what is seized along the U.S.-Mexico border, but it is enough activity for the Department of Justice to label Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands a "major bulk cash movement center" in a recent report.
"Mexico continues to be the No. 1 country for placement of illicit proceeds, but for being a small jurisdiction, comparatively, we're not that far behind," said Angel Melendez, deputy special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Puerto Rico, in an interview Monday.
The money flowing through the territory reflects a surge in drug trafficking on the island, with a sharp increase in drug seizures and drug-related violence. Puerto Rico has set a record for homicides this year, with more than 1,100 people killed so far. The island's representative in Congress, Resident Commissioner Pedro Pierluisi, pleaded for more aid during a recent hearing in the House Representatives, saying "We are in a crisis in the Caribbean."
Authorities can only guess at the amount of bulk cash being shipped out of the U.S., with the DEA estimating it at anywhere between $13 billion to $47 billion each year. Criminal networks ship the money overseas to be deposited in countries with weaker financial and government regulation where it is harder to track. For much of the money passing through Puerto Rico, officials say, the destination is usually the nearby Dominican Republic.
Pedro Janer, the acting special agent in charge of the DEA's Caribbean division, said smugglers are likely moving more drugs and money through the region because of increased enforcement along the Mexican border as a result of the Merida Initiative and other anti-drug efforts.
"Every time we put a major squeeze at the border they have to go someplace else," Janer said in an interview. "Well, the second preferred route is the Caribbean. They are always going back and forth."
Most of the money that arrives in Puerto Rico is smuggled in cargo, very little of which is searched, or by couriers on commercial planes. Officials say it is shipped out in ferries and flights, as well as on private yachts, fishing vessels and cruise ships.
The largest single seizure of the year in Puerto Rico occurred in April, when Customs agents found $1.35 million in the door panels of a Jeep Grand Cherokee that had been shipped from Philadelphia on a cargo ship. Melendez said there have been no arrests but the case is still under investigation.
In January, police in a tourist district stopped the owner of a San Juan ice cream shop with nearly $1.2 million in cash in a water cooler and three suitcases in the back of his pickup truck. The man later told investigators he had been paid $10,000 to transport the money by someone he knew only as "Juan." Drug-detection dogs picked up the scent of cocaine from the money, according to court papers.
The driver, who had no criminal record, was never charged, which is common, Janer said. Authorities have little interest in prosecuting couriers, only in obtaining a court order to seize the money and using it to investigate the traffickers.
"It's up to the person who owns the money to come back and tell us how he got it, if he gained the money through legitimate means," he said. "For the most part, once we pull guys over and we take the money away they deny any knowledge of it."
The ice cream shop owner has tried at least to get his truck back. His lawyer argued in court papers that the vehicle wasn't obtained through drug proceeds and the owner had no knowledge of the origins of the money. A judge has not yet ruled on the request.
Video - Forehead: The Pope, Prophet and Buddha of the GOP Wants to Sabotage Economy - Rush Limbaugh rushlimbaugh.com/videos#uri=cha? 
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Public release date: 21-Dec-2011
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