Tuesday, August 11, 2009
The navies and air forces of Turkey, US, Israel, to hold joint military exercises dubbed "Reliant Mermaid X" in the Mediterranean
The exercises are scheduled to be held next week from August 17 to 21 with the objective to practice coordinated emergency search and rescue operations, the Israeli army said in a statement on Tuesday.
Eight ships, four helicopters and three search and rescue aircrafts will take part in the maneuver. This is the tenth such exercise Turkey will be hosting in the eastern Mediterranean.
Israel and the US among all other motives are linked by a strategic cooperation agreement. Turkey is Israel's principal ally in the region and both countries have close economic ties following a military cooperation agreement in 1996.
Second Taiwanese village buried in mudslide
NaturalNews.com | Today's Featured Stories - August 11, 2009
| Phthalates Danger: Chemicals in Plastics Put Unborn Babies At Risk (NaturalNews) Chemicals called phthalates are frequently used in vinyl and other plastic products, including personal care products, children's toys, and medical devices -- despite the fact research has suggested these compounds can play havoc with... |
| The Sweet Art of Healing Jerome, a 53-year-old high school teacher, was in the hospital awaiting amputation of his left leg. He'd been receiving IV antibiotics to treat a diabetic ulcer, a wide, oozing open wound on his ankle, but this didn't halt the steady advance... |
| Vitamin D Key to Healthy Brain (NaturalNews) Sufficient vitamin D intake may play a critical role in maintaining brain function later in life, according to a study conducted by researchers from the University of Manchester and published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery... |
| Ron Paul Introduces Three New Bills Designed to Restore Free Speech to Health In recent years, numerous companies have been targeted, raided, and even shut down by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for making health claims about the products they sell. These federal agencies... |
| Alert: The End of Food as We Know It If the Hippocrates maxim that "food should be considered as our first medicine" is right, we are on the brink of some really bad medicine. Recently, Obama selected as his "Food Czar", a former Monsanto executive and FDA manipulator, Michael... |
| Coconut Oil Can Promote Metabolism Naturally With all the dangers associated with... it's no wonder a growing number of people shy away from them. This leaves us to wonder if there is a way to boost the metabolism naturally without resorting to... |
| Depression: Detoxification Outweighs Drugs Columbia researchers recently announced that ten percent of the U.S. population are on drugs for depression. Doctors quoted by a HealthDay reporter thought this was an improvement because more people are seeking help when they are... |
| Fish Oil Relieves Joint and Back Pain, Reducing Need for NSAIDs Fish oil contains two naturally occurring fatty acids, EPA and DHA. These fatty acids stimulate the body's anti-inflammatory processes and help relieve joint pain, much the same as NSAIDs and COX-2 inhibitors, but without the side effects... |
| Now is the Time for Your Fall Garden Plans When gardeners get to late summer, they begin to think about their harvest and winter time plans. Often overlooked by the home or hobby gardener, though, is the fall garden. This can be one of the most productive times for a garden, rather... |
| NaturalNews Calls for Boycott on Kindle, iPhone and Other Big Brother DRM Technologies (NaturalNews) Two weeks ago when Amazon.com remotely deleted copies of books that customers had purchased for their Kindle devices, it was a wake-up call for many consumer. "Huh? They can delete stuff I already bought?" Welcome to the world of DRM technology... |
The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (11 August 2009)
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/
* Drought in Texas
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=39756&src=eoa-iotd
* Slow-Moving Typhoon Morakot Inundates Taiwan
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=39747&src=eoa-iotd
* Aorounga Impact Crater, Chad
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=39727&src=eoa-iotd
* Prospect Park, Brooklyn
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=39723&src=eoa-iotd
* Typhoon Morakot
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=39720&src=eoa-iotd
* Relative Amounts of Bad Ozone Ingredients Across the U.S.
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=39715&src=eoa-iotd
* Bloom in the Norwegian Sea
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=39703&src=eoa-iotd
* Chernobyl, Ukraine
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=39679&src=eoa-iotd
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NASA News:
* NASA Goes Inside a Volcano, Monitors Activity
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/view.php?id=39730&src=eoa-nnews
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India will soon be largest borrower from US government's (Executive Branch's) Export-Import Bank (EX-IM Bank)
Our Bureau
New Delhi, Aug. 10
In the next two or three years, India is slated to be the largest borrower from the US Export-Import Bank (US Exim Bank), according to Mr Raymond J. Ellis, Vice-President, Strategic Initiatives Division, US Exim Bank.
Mr Ellis was speaking in context of the Government’s massive infrastructure spending plans in the 11th Five-Year Plan at an interaction with industry representatives, organised by FICCI.
Currently, at an exposure of $7.2 billion, India is the third largest borrower for the bank, he added. He further added that the US Exim Bank has already approved $2.45 billion in medium and long-term funding to nine Indian financial institutions under the India Infrastructure Facility.
“The largest amount at $800 million will go to the Power Finance Co, while the other eight institutions would get funds in the range of $100 to $250 million,” Mr Ellis told Business Line. The other approved institutions include the ICICI Bank, State Bank of India, Punjab National Bank, India Infrastructure Finance Company Ltd, IDFC and IL&FS.
The US Exim Bank is the US Government’s official export credit agency which provides an assurance of credit, or a loan guarantee, for goods and services provided by the US personnel, said Mr Ellis. “Our main advantages are lower interest rates and longer repayment periods,” he said.
The bank assists exporters by guaranteeing long-term financing to creditworthy buyers, in both the private and public sector, for the purchase of US goods and services. With the bank’s guarantee, buyers can obtain competitive term financing from lenders, where otherwise finance is not available or the interest rates are unviable. According to Mr Ellis, on medium and long-term guarantees the bank can finance up to 85 per cent of the project cost, while the buyer needs to make a cash payment of the remaining 15 per cent.
The bank also charges an exposure fee determined by parameters such as the country risk, repayment period, credit risk of borrower, percentage of cover.
The exposure fee, which is a percentage of the financed portion, is around 5 per cent in a standard finance model, said Mr Ellis.
Moreover, the bank also has a Direct Loan facility, where it directly gives fixed-rate loans to creditworthy international buyers for purchase of US products.
According to Mr Ellis, the bank already has a major footprint in India. It has already financed Air India's purchase of Boeing aircraft at an exposure of $3.67 billion, besides providing guarantees for Reliance Infocomm's purchase of CDMA infrastructure and the upgrade of Reliance's Jamnagar refinery.
Novartis CEO calls the arsonists that burned his holiday home and desecrated the graves of his relatives 'terrorists'
"When you try to terrorize people and you burn their houses, when you desecrate graves and when you make death threats, to me that is way beyond activism and I would call this clearly terrorism," Daniel Vasella said in an interview on CNBC television. more by Daniel Vasella - 2 hours ago |
Loud "Boom" heard in Gatesville, Texas | Baylor Astrophysics Dept - "Space Junk" falling to earth
GATESVILLE - News Channel 25 has confirmed the Gatesville Police Department and Coryell County Sheriff's Office have received several calls reporting a loud "boom" in the Gatesville Area.
Coryell County deputies say they contacted the Astrophysics Department at Baylor University who reported the boom could have been caused by "Space Junk" falling to earth.
Deputies and civilians in Bosque County also reported hearing the boom.
SteveQuayle.com | Hot Headlines - August 11, 2009
Two More Major Quakes Strike Asia in Less Than 15 Minutes – Stan nails them!
7.1 Earthquake Strikes Japan Coast
Stan Deyo's Latest Shaker Hits
Typhoon Kills 29 in Taiwan, China; 1M Evacuated; 13 Die in Japan
Climate Change Excuse for US Military Intervention?
Tension on Israel-Lebanese Border Rises as Iran Sends Hizballah Upgraded Missiles
Town Hall Tension: Meeting Turns Ugly Over Health Care
Obama Connected Group Calls for Brownshirt Tactics Against Healthcare Opponents
U.S. SS Death Camp Plans
Obama Arrives in Mexico for Start of Summit
Do Seed Companies Control GM Crop Research?
Hunger Hits Detroit
Having Children Bad for the Environment? – STEVE NOTE: Now you understand the rush to give kids lethal vaccines
Is Surrogates Movie Getting Closer to Reality?
Common Insect Repellent Affects Nervous System: Study
Blackwater Chief is a Super Villian: Ex-Employees
FBI Whistleblower Sibel Edmonds Subpoenaed, Set to 'Break' Gag Order Unless DoJ Intercedes
British Writer Discovers the Pharaohs’ Lost Underworld
Lucifer’s United Nations
Dionysus: The Psychotic Aspect of the Demon Apollo/Osiris – Pt 18, Pt. 1 starts here
Like the Fist of an Angry God
Kepler Shows Exoplanet is Unlike Anything in Our Solar System
Is a "Hypercane" - A Mega-Katrina Possible? MIT Expert Says "Yes"
Geology.com | Latest Headlines - August 11, 2009
Fossil Spiders Revealed by 3D Imaging Posted: 10 Aug 2009 09:37 PM PDT “Scientists at Imperial College London have created detailed 3D computer models of two fossil spiders that lived about 300 million years ago. The study reveals some of the physical traits that helped them to hunt for prey and evade predators.” Quoted from the Imperial College London release. |
| Federal Government is Sitting on Leases Posted: 10 Aug 2009 09:12 PM PDT The federal government has been sitting on millions of dollars worth of oil and gas leases and refuses to release them for drilling. They have been holding some of them for several years. |
| In Tough Times Drillers Avoid “Frontier” Areas Posted: 10 Aug 2009 09:06 PM PDT An article on the RigZone website explains why oil companies tend to drill in “known” areas when the economy is uncertain and avoid the “frontier” areas. |
| Rig Count Up Three Weeks in a Row Posted: 10 Aug 2009 09:00 PM PDT The number of oil and gas rigs operating in the United States was up to 966 at the end of last week. This is the third consecutive week of increase after a long series of declines from the high of 1606 in September of 2008. The Baker Hughes website has lots of [...] |
| Saturn’s Rings To Disappear on 8/11 Posted: 10 Aug 2009 06:44 PM PDT Saturn’s rings will “disappear” on August 11 as it performs a “ring plane crossing”. This occurs when the ring plane of the planet is level with a line of sight from earth. This happens just once about every fifteen years. |
| Posted: 10 Aug 2009 06:21 PM PDT A 7.6 Magnitude earthquake occurred in the Andaman Islands, located in the Indian Ocean south of Myanmar and about 700 miles east of India. A tsunami watch was issued for countries surrounding the Indian Ocean (India, Myanmar, Indonesia, Thailand and Bangladesh) but it was cancelled. The earthquake was felt in all of the [...] |
| Posted: 10 Aug 2009 03:47 PM PDT The US Army Corps of Engineers has awarded a contract for rebuilding a portion of the floodwall that protects New Orleans from the waters of Lake Pontchartrain. |
| E. coli Bacteria in Beach Sand Posted: 10 Aug 2009 03:18 PM PDT “USGS scientists have discovered that concentrations of E. coli bacteria in beach sand are often much higher than those in beach water. Although beach water is monitored for E. coli as mandated in the Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health Act (BEACH Act 2000), beach sand is not currently monitored for contamination.” |
| Japan Earthquake: 6.4 M Off Honshu Posted: 10 Aug 2009 02:11 PM PDT A 6.4 magnitude earthquake occurred off the south coast of Honshu. The USGS “Did you feel it?” map is getting reports up to VI and VII intensity. USGS shake map and population exposure estimates are below. |
Docuticker.com | Daily update of new reports from government agencies, ngo’s, think tanks, and other groups. - August 11, 2009
Index insurance and climate risk: prospects for development and disaster management
Source: International Research Institute for Climate and Society (Climate and Society)
Climate and Society No. 2 takes a fresh look at the effectiveness of index insurance for reducing poverty and better managing climate risk. Case studies and pilot programs show that index insurance can effectively target a range of critical climate/poverty issues – from national-level food insecurity response to farm-level credit availability. These projects show great promise. They also have uncovered significant questions, that, if ignored during implementation, could lead to failure and even increase overall vulnerability. Climate and Society No. 2 captures these questions, examining current case studies, relying on expert scientific opinion to delineate the advances, opportunities, pitfalls and limitations faced in scaling up index insurance. In particular, the following questions are examined:
- How should index insurance be targeted to have the greatest impact on poverty?
- What are the hurdles to scale-up, and how can they be managed? Can climate science and information help overcome hurdles associated with climate change and basis risk?
- What are the roles of governments, NGOs and donors in scaling up index insurance for poverty reduction?
+ Full Document (PDF; 2.1 MB)
Is Personal Insecurity a Cause of Cross-National Differences in the Intensity of Religious Belief?
Source: Journal of Religion and Society
In conclusion, the current analysis ties together and explains two apparent paradoxes. First, the observation that modernization, in terms of average material wealth, appears linked to secularization in some countries but not others. The key to this paradox is that it is not simply average wealth, but also the distribution of wealth and the degree to which wealth is used to improve average personal security, which in large part determines religiosity. Second, the observation that religion, although generally believed to have a pro-socializing effect on the individual level, is associated on the macro level with societal ill health. This is most likely because personal religiosity is in part a response to adverse social environments, but that aggregate religiosity does not significantly ameliorate them.
School Meal Program Participation and Its Association with Dietary Patterns and Childhood Obesity
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service
This study used data from the School Nutrition Dietary Assessment III Study to examine the dietary patterns of school meal program participants and nonparticipants and the relationship between school meal participation and children’s Body Mass Index (BMI). School Breakfast Program (SBP) participants ate more low-nutrient energy-dense (LNED) baked goods and more calories at breakfast than did nonparticipants. National School Lunch Program (NSLP) participants had lower intake of sugar-sweetened beverages and a lower percentage of calories from LNED foods and beverages than did nonparticipants. Overall, NSLP participation was not significantly related to students’ BMI, although participants were less likely to be overweight or obese than nonparticipants among Black students but more likely to be so among “other race” students. SBP participants had significantly lower BMI than did nonparticipants, possibly because SBP participants are more likely to eat breakfast and eat more at breakfast, spreading calorie intake more evenly over the course of the day.
+ Full Report (PDF; 819 KB)
See also: The School Breakfast Program: Participation and Impacts
Buy Local? The Geography of Successful and Unsuccessful Venture Capital Expansion (PDF; 189 KB)
Source: Harvard Business School Working Papers
We document geographic concentration by both venture capital firms and venture capital-financed companies in three cities-San Francisco, Boston, and New York. We find that firms open new satellite offices based on the success rate of venture capital-backed investments in an area. Geography is also significantly related to outcomes. Venture capital firms based in locales that are venture capital centers outperform, regardless of the stage of the investment. Ironically, this outperformance arises from outsized performance outside of the venture capital firms’ office locations, including in peripheral locations. Outperformance of non-local investments suggests that policy makers in regions without local venture capitalists might want to mitigate costs associated with established venture capitalists investing in their geographies rather than encouraging the establishment of new venture capital firms.
Mexican Immigrants: How Many Come? How Many Leave?
Source: Pew Hispanic Center
The flow of immigrants from Mexico to the United States has declined sharply since mid-decade, but there is no evidence of an increase during this period in the number of Mexican-born migrants returning home from the U.S., according to a new analysis by the Pew Hispanic Center of government data from both countries.
The Mexican-born population in the U.S., which had been growing earlier in the decade, was 11.5 million in early 2009. That figure is not significantly different from the 11.6 million Mexican immigrants in 2008 or the 11.2 million in 2007.
The current recession has had a harsh impact on employment of Latino immigrants, raising the question of whether an increased number of Mexican-born residents are choosing to return home. This new Hispanic Center analysis finds no support for that hypothesis in government data from the United States or Mexico.
+ Full Report (PDF; 363 KB)
Understanding Why Terrorist Operations Succeed or Fail
Source: RAND Corporation
Understanding why terrorist attacks succeed and fail is important for homeland security and counterterrorism planning. Delving into the literature on the topic, the authors make the contention that the past success or failure of a terrorist operation — or the likelihood that a future attack will succeed — can be best understood by thinking about the match or mismatch between three key sets of characteristics: (1) terrorist group capabilities and resources, (2) the requirements of the operation it attempted or is planning to attempt, and (3) the relevance and reliability of security countermeasures. They conclude that focusing attention on a small set of practical relationships will help to guide analysis of why past terrorist operations went as they did, and, more importantly, to help to identify opportunities to shape the chance of success or failure of future operations.
New Report - Asian Companies’ Thirst for African Oil
Source: Chatham House
A new report on the activities of Asian oil companies in Africa exposes the flaws in many general assumptions about Asian engagement with Africa. Thirst for African Oil: Asian National Oil Companies in Nigeria and Angola analyses the impact of these companies in the two leading oil producing countries in sub-Saharan Africa, and contrasts the stability and policy consistency that are features of the Angolan system with a more insecure and unstable system in Nigeria.
The report finds that fears in Western capitals about an Asian takeover in the Nigerian and Angolan oil sectors are ‘highly exaggerated’ - the oil majors still dominate production and hold the majority of reserves. Indeed, in Angola, there is growing fatigue among officials about the West’s fixation with China’s engagement with Angola.
Thirst for African Oil concludes that neither Nigeria nor Angola fits the stereotype of weak African states being ruthlessly exploited by resource hungry Asian tigers. In Nigeria’s case, a cash-hungry political class sought to profit from its Asian partners’ thirst for oil whilst in Angola the relationship with China was nurtured in a pragmatic, disciplined way to the mutual advantage of both countries.
The report also compares the experiences of Chinese companies with those of India, South Korea and Japan and assesses the growing competition between China and India where China’s deeper pockets have put a brake on India’s ambitions.
+ Full Report (PDF; 1.7 MB)
New/Recently Updated CRS Reports — International Relations (PDFs)
Source: Congressional Research Service (via OpenCRS)
+ Afghanistan: U.S. Foreign Assistance
+ Canada’s Financial System: an Overview
+ East Asia’s Foreign Exchange Rate Policies
+ Ghana: Background and U.S. Relations
+ Guinea’s 2008 Military Coup and Relations with the United States
+ Human Rights in China: Trends and Policy Implications
+ Iran-Libya Sanctions Act (ILSA)
+ Iraq: Oil and Gas Legislation, Revenue Sharing, and U.S. Policy
+ Kyrgyzstans Closure of the Manas Airbase: Context and Implications
+ Latin America: Terrorism Issues
+ Long-Range Ballistic Missile Defense in Europe
+ North Korea’s Second Nuclear Test: Implications of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1874
+ Panama: Political and Economic Conditions and U.S. Relations
+ Peru: Current Conditions and U.S. Relations
+ Russia’s Economic Performance and Policies and Their Implications for the United States
+ Saudi Arabia: Background and U.S. Relations
+ Science, Technology, and American Diplomacy: Background and Issues for Congress
+ Sudan: Humanitarian Crisis, Peace Talks, Terrorism, and U.S. Policy
+ Tax Havens: International Tax Avoidance and Evasion
+ U.S. Accession to ASEAN’s Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC)
Post Office and Retail Postal Facility Closures: Overview and Issues for Congress (PDF; 269 KB)
Source: Congressional Research Service (via OpenCRS)
In common parlance, “post office” is used to refer to a wide variety of facilities operated by the United States Postal Service (USPS). In administrative practice, the USPS differentiates among several categories of postal facilities. Regarding one category of its facilities, the USPS announced in May 2009 that it was considering the closure of 3,105 of its 4,851 post office branches and stations. These facilities provide the public with postal services, such as stamp sales, post office boxes, and package shipping. Since the original announcement, the USPS has indicated that the number of possible closures may be more than 3,200.
This report provides (1) information on this recent announcement; (2) historical data on the number of post offices and other retail postal facilities; (3) an explanation of the legal authorities relevant to retail postal facility closures; (4) a review of the retail postal facility closure processes, including data on public appeals of closures, and H.R. 658’s proposed alterations to the processes; and (5) a concluding discussion that suggests observations and possible issues for Congress.
The USPS has cited financial duress as a reason for its proposed closure of up to 64% of its 4,851 post office branches and stations. According to the USPS, the post office branches and stations under consideration for closure are located in metropolitan areas. The USPS has not indicated whether any employees would lose their positions. Most postal employees are protected from layoffs by collective bargaining agreements.
As of FY2008, the USPS had 36,065 retail postal facilities, including post offices, post office branches and stations, community post offices, and contract postal units. This is 16.3% fewer than existed in 1970 when the USPS was established as an independent establishment of the executive branch. The closure of 3,105 branches and stations would reduce the current number of retail postal facilities by 8.4%.
By law, the USPS does not rely on appropriations to fund its operations. It must support itself through the sales of postal services. Congress has given the USPS considerable discretion to decide how many post offices to erect and where to place them. The USPS also is obliged to provide the public with adequate access to postal services.
Both federal law and the USPS’s rules prescribe a post office closure process. The U.S. Postal Service must notify the affected public and hold a 60-day comment period prior to closing a post office. Should it decide to close a post office, the public has 30 days to appeal the decision to the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC). Between FY1998 and FY2007, 25 of the approximately 676 post office closures were appealed to the PRC. The USPS uses an expedited version of this process to close post office branches, stations, and community post offices. On January 22, 2009, Representative Albio Sires introduced H.R. 658, which would require the USPS to employ the more lengthy post office closure process on all retail facility closures, and expand the current statutory public notification requirements.
Federal law requires the USPS to arrange its delivery and service network to most efficiently serve the public. However, the proposed closures may raise a number of issues, including public participation in the closure process, the effects on postal workers, and the possible effects of closures on communities. Congress may wish to consider a variety of measures to address these possible issues.
This report will be updated to reflect significant legislative action.
See also: The U.S. Postal Service and Six-Day Delivery: Issues for Congress
CBO’s Long-Term Projections for Social Security: 2009 Update (PDF; 828 KB)
Source: Congressional Budget Office
From CBO Director’s Blog:
Today, CBO released an update of its long-term Social Security projections. The projections are qualitatively similar to those in previous CBO reports: Social Security’s annual revenues currently exceed its annual outlays, but as the baby-boom generation continues to age, growth in the number of Social Security beneficiaries will pick up, and absent legislative changes, outlays will increase much faster than revenues.
Total outlays (benefits plus administrative costs) equaled 4.4 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2008, whereas the program’s dedicated revenues—from payroll taxes and from income taxes on the Social Security benefits of higher–income beneficiaries—equaled 4.8 percent of GDP. In the absence of legislative changes, spending for the program will climb to 6.1 percent of GDP by 2033, CBO projects.
The current recession is resulting in lower earnings and therefore lower Social Security revenues than would otherwise have occurred, but is not having as large an effect on benefit payments. Consequently, for the next few years, Social Security’s annual surpluses will be smaller or deficits larger than they would have been if economic growth had remained steady. In the long term, the recession will have little effect on revenues and outlays as a percentage of GDP, but the trust funds’ balances will be permanently lower. Primarily because of the worsened short-term economic outlook, CBO’s projection of the 75-year actuarial imbalance in the program is 0.5 percent of GDP, rather than the 0.4 percent we projected in 2008. As a share of taxable payroll, the projected shortfall is 1.3 percent. In other words, CBO estimates that if the Social Security payroll tax rate was increased immediately and permanently by 1.3 percentage points—from the current rate of 12.4 percent to 13.7 percent—the trust funds’ balance at the end of 2083 would equal projected outlays for the subsequent year.
Without changes in law, CBO expects that the Social Security trust funds will be exhausted in 2043. If that point is reached, the Social Security Administration will not have the legal authority to pay full benefits and the amounts that could be paid would be about 17 percent less than those scheduled under current law.
Annual 401(k) Benchmarking Survey: 2009 Edition
Source: Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu
Against the challenging backdrop of the economic downturn, the results of this year’s annual 401(k) Benchmarking Survey reveal that plans are bent, but not broken. Employers continue to be concerned regarding employees’ financial preparations for retirement, sufficiently supporting their plans, and considering them important tools in overall benefit program design. However, the ongoing effects of the economic downturn are a source of anxiety for employers and employees alike. Combined with the uncertainty of what recovery will eventually mean to participants, it is understandable that both employers and employees are taking a “wait and see” approach to their 401(k) plans.
The Survey results offer a detailed snapshot of the 401(k) policies, features, objectives and expectations of hundreds of diverse employers. A total of 606 companies responded to the survey, representing a wide distribution of employers in terms of geography, size, and industry and ownership structure (publicly or privately held). Among the notable findings:
- 17 percent of plan providers surveyed indicated an uptick in deferral rate changes, hardship withdrawals, loans, and other similar activities.
- A third (38 percent) reported their employees decreased their deferral rates for 2009, with the majority (60 percent) holding steady at their current level of contribution.
- 12 percent of employers surveyed indicated an upswing in opt-outs from auto-enrollment programs.
- Almost one-fifth (19 percent, up 2 percentage points from last year) of plan sponsors believe “very few” of their employees will be financially prepared for retirement.
- More than three-quarters (79 percent) of employers surveyed are still fairly confident that their plan is effective for recruiting talent, and 68 percent say it helps with retention.
The survey sheds light on the collective “frame of mind” of employers. For the majority, plan designs have remained relatively consistent from last year. This comprehensive survey offers a detailed examination of 401(k) policies and practices, and how plan sponsors and participants intend to utilize these powerful retirement savings instruments.
Hat tip: PW
New GAO Report (PDFs)
Source: Government Accountability Office
1. International Trade: Four Free Trade Agreements GAO Reviewed Have Resulted in Commercial Benefits, but Challenges on Labor and Environment Remain
Highlights ||| Full Report
The Peak Oil Debate
Source: Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta Economic Review
For the past half-century, a debate has raged over when “peak oil” will occur—the point at which output can no longer increase and production begins to level off or gradually decline. Determining how long the oil supply will last has become even more pressing because the world’s energy supply still relies heavily on oil, and global energy demand is expected to rise steeply over the next twenty years.
This article seeks to bring the peak oil debate into focus. The author notes that a number of factors cloud the energy outlook: Estimates of remaining resources are typically given as a range of probabilities and are thus open to interpretation. Variations also occur in estimates of future oil production and in the ways countries report their reserve data.
+ Full Document (PDF; 1.6 MB)
New State-by-State Reports Show How Health Insurance Reform Will Benefit All Americans
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today released Stable and Secure Health Care for America, a series of new state-by-state reports outlining how health insurance reform will improve health care for all Americans. Sebelius announced the availability of the new reports as part of a Webcast — “Health Insurance Reform: What’s In It For You?” — where Sebelius and top HHS officials took questions from the American people and discussed the importance of health insurance reform. The new reports are available at www.HealthReform.gov.
“These reports show how health insurance reform will help Americans save money, get better care, strengthen their insurance if they already have it, and afford insurance if they don’t,” said Sebelius. “Every American will benefit when we pass health insurance reform.”
The reports released today show reform will:
- Lower health care costs;
- Increase health care choices by protecting what works and fixing what’s broken; and
- Assure quality, affordable care for all Americans.
Joyce Riley's THE HOUR OF POWER HOUR NEWS | August 11, 2009
Government Prepares for “unwillingness to follow government orders” -- The International Swine Flu Conference is being held in Washington D.C. next week. Read the agenda for the breakout sessions, especially the session on “psychological issues” (Session #2) and the topic heading: “Unwillingness to follow government orders.” Also note session #6, which includes “Control and diffuse social unrest & public disorder” and “Isolate prisons and other facilities.” Read the entire Swine Flu Conference Brochure at: http://www.new-fields.com/ISFC/brochure.pdf
8 cities in US line up for swine flu vaccine test including St Louis -- Hundreds of Americans in eight cities are lining up for experimental swine flu shots in a race to get a vaccine out in case the new flu virus regains strength this fall and winter. About 2,800 people will participate in the government-led studies. Saint Louis University will test 200 adults and 200 children. Also under way are separate studies by five flu vaccine manufacturers under contract with the government.
57 Trillion Reasons To Murder 100 Million Americans With Poisonous Vaccinations by Leonard G. Horowitz -- The fact is, you are worth more dead than alive to Obama's ilk, because in reality, there is a WARRANT FOR YOUR DEATH THAT CARRIES A REWARD OF $189K, and rising. Now you would never believe this is true. But do your "homework" and learn the FACTS - Read More...
Flu drugs 'unhelpful' in children -- Research has cast doubt on the policy of giving antiviral drugs to children for swine flu. (Sent to us by our friend Mike Tawse in the UK....thanks Mike)
Zombie Subdivisions and "Pig In The Python" Shadow Inventory -- These idled, “zombie” subdivisions can be found across metro Atlanta, but they’re most prevalent in outer-ring suburban areas. Selling them has proven tough, with some properties sitting on the market for months on end without even a nibble.
A Few things You Should Know About Offshore Banking in 2009 -- The Swiss emerged from those early conflicts wise enough to know that war was a messy, violent and costly affair…especially for whoever was waging war against them. So it comes as no shock that Switzerland hasn’t been at war internationally since 1815.
Deaths from avoidable medical error more than double in past decade, investigation shows -- Preventable medical mistakes and infections are responsible for about 200,000 deaths in the U.S. each year, according to an investigation by the Hearst media corporation. The report comes 10 years after the Institute of Medicine's "To Err Is Human" analysis, which found that 44,000 to 98,000 people were dying annually due to these errors and called for the medical community and government to cut that number in half by 2004.
Banks make $38bn from overdraft fees -- US banks stand to collect a record $38.5bn in fees for customer overdrafts this year, with the bulk of the revenue coming from the most financially stretched consumers amid the deepest recession since the 1930s, according to research. The fees are nearly double those reported in 2000.
Eunice Kennedy Shriver, JFK's sister and Special Olympics founder, dies -- President John F. Kennedy's sister Eunice Kennedy Shriver, a champion for the rights of the mentally disabled and founder of the Special Olympics, has died. She was 88.
Air Force Used Twitter to Track Public Backlash to Statue of Liberty Flyover -- Although the Pentagon has warned of the security risks posed by social networking sites, newly released government documents show the military also uses these Internet tools to monitor and react to coverage of high-profile events.
Spokane VA Center Miscounted Suicides -- The number of Spokane, Wash.-area veterans who killed themselves in a one-year period is far greater than the Spokane Veteran Affairs Medical Center knew at the time, a VA investigation has found. The VA's Office of Medical Investigations discovered that from July 2007 through the first week of July 2008, at least 22 veterans in the Spokane VA service area killed themselves, and 15 of them had contact with the medical center.
Amputee Private Matt Woollard plans return to fight Taliban -- A BRITISH soldier who had part of his leg blown off by a landmine is preparing to return to Afghanistan to settle “unfinished business” with the Taliban. The army expects him to pass fitness tests and he could return as early as next year.
Morrison & Foerster and DRA to Present Appeals Argument Against Department of Veterans Affairs on Behalf of 900,000 Veterans -- Non-profit group Veterans for Common Sense (VCS) and co-plaintiff Veterans United for Truth (VUFT) are asking Court of Appeals judges to reverse the lower court’s ruling, which lacks the authority to order VA to provide timely medical care and disability benefits to hundreds of thousands of waiting veterans. The lawsuit was filed in July 2007 on behalf of all veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI), conditions impacting more than 600,000 U.S. service members sent to the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
Canada Finds Possible US Plane Lost in 1942 -- Nine people were aboard the PBY-5A Catalina, which was based at Presque Isle, Maine. Four crew members survived. Five others died inside the aircraft. Their bodies have yet to be recovered.
Neutralizing A TASER Gun Assault -- A simple body armour can be nothing but a piece of tin foil worn under the clothes. That would short out the electrical currents even if the darts pierce through it. Two or three layers of the foil would even be better if the dart probes pierced it and would provide small holes so the taser electrical arcs would short out more and faster. Even a piece of cardboard or heavy cloth wrapped in tin foil would do the trick.
VIDEO: An Interview with Gerald Celente
'Buy American' won't endanger Canadian trade says Obama -- U.S. President Barack Obama on Monday downplayed the threat to Canadians posed by Buy American policies while rejecting the notion that Canada should be seen as a health-care "bogeyman." The Buy American policy, which requires that U.S. suppliers use American-made materials in economic-recovery projects, has cast a chill over Canadian exporters and provoked fears of U.S. protectionism.
Big Brother Britain has more CCTV cameras than China -- Britain has one and a half times as many surveillance cameras as communist China, despite having a fraction of its population, shocking figures reveal. There are 4.2million closed circuit TV cameras here, one per every 14 people.
Obama fights back as bid to reform US healthcare stalls -- President Barack Obama has become mired in a frenzied fight over US healthcare reform as Republicans scent a devastating political victory that could hobble his presidency. Obama yesterday lashed out at critics of his ailing push to provide coverage for America's 46 million uninsured people by saying that his critics were resorting to "outlandish rumours" and "misleading information" to scupper his plans.
Breaking News and Commentary from Citizens For Legitimate Government | Breaking News
March of the state spies: One in 78 adults came under state-sanctioned surveillance last year 10 Aug 2009 Britain's extraordinary march towards a surveillance state is revealed today by shock new figures. They show that one request is made every minute for officials to spy on someone's phone records or email accounts. The number of Big Brother snooping missions by police, town halls and other public bodies has soared by 44 per cent in two years.
One in 78 under surveillance 10 Aug 2009 Big Brother requests to snoop on the public were made on average once a MINUTE last year, it was revealed yesterday. One in 78 people came under surveillance. Councils, police and the intelligence services asked more than half a million times - an average of 1,500 times a day - for permission to access private email, phone and text message data. All the requests were approved.
'Snoop' power is used 1,400 times a day to intercept private data 10 Aug 2009 Britain has "sleepwalked into a surveillance society", it was claimed last night after figures disclosed that public bodies had obtained access to private telephone and e-mail records about 1,400 times a day. Council, police and other organisations made more than half a million requests for confidential communications data last year. The statistics constitute a 44 per cent rise in requests over the past two years.
Another 45,000 US troops needed in Afghanistan, military adviser says 10 Aug 2009 The United States should send up to 45,000 extra troops to Afghanistan, a senior adviser to the American commander in Kabul has told The Times. Anthony Cordesman, an influential American academic who is a member of a team that has been advising General Stanley McChrystal, now in charge of Nato forces in Afghanistan, also said that to deal with the threat from the Taleban the size of the Afghan National Army might have to increase to 240,000.
Afghan 'drug suspects' on US hitlist --Fifty Afghans suspected of drug trafficking placed on Pentagon list of targets to be killed or captured 10 Aug 2009 Fifty Afghans suspected of drug trafficking and having links with the Taliban have been placed on a US target list to be captured or killed as part of a significant shift in Washington's counter-narcotics strategy, it emerged today... Those with known links to the insurgency had been put on the "joint integrated prioritised target list". That means they have been given the same target status as 'insurgent' leaders, and can be captured or killed at any time, according to the newspaper. The move will be disclosed in a report this week by the US Senate foreign relations committee.
U.S. to Hunt Down Afghan Drug Lords Tied to Taliban [How about the ones tied to CIA? There's a lot more of them.] 10 Aug 2009 Fifty Afghans believed to be drug traffickers with ties to the Taliban have been placed on a Pentagon target list to be captured or killed, reflecting a major shift in American counternarcotics strategy in Afghanistan, according to a Congressional study to be released this week. United States military commanders have told Congress that they are convinced that the policy is legal under the military’s rules of engagement and international law.
US top official wants more troops in Afghanistan 10 Aug 2009 The United States government is likely to announce another troop surge for Afghanistan. US national security adviser General Jim Jones has said he will not rule out the option of sending more American troops to bolster the other nations which are contributing to the effort, including the UN and NATO.
3 more Camp Lejeune Marines killed in Afghanistan 10 Aug 2009 The U.S. military says three more Camp Lejeune Marines have died in Afghanistan. All were killed in separate incidents in combat in Afghanistan over the weekend. They were all assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division. The number of U.S. and international troops killed in Afghanistan has soared this year. At least 16 deaths were Marines stationed at Camp Lejeune.
Afghan war will exceed cost of Iraq, say experts 10 Aug 2009 As the US expands its involvement in Afghanistan, military experts are warning that it is taking on security and political commitments that will last at least a decade and a cost that is likely to eclipse that of the Iraq war. This assessment follows comments on Saturday from the new head of the British Army, General David Richards, who believes stabilising Afghanistan may take as long as 40 years. Since the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 the US has spent $US223 billion ($267 million) on war-related funding for that country, according to the Congressional Research Service. 'Aid' spending, excluding the cost of combat operations, has grew from $US982 million in 2003 to $US9.3 billion last year.
Iraqi Officials Concerned About Threat of Swine Flu From U.S. Troops 10 Aug 2009 Iraqi officials expressed concern on Sunday that more than 100 American soldiers in Iraq may be infected with swine flu, fearing they could spread the disease in the country. The United States military said Sunday that swine flu had been diagnosed in 51 American troops in Iraq and that it suspected that 71 others were carrying the virus. Members of Parliament have expressed alarm that United States troops could be introducing the disease into Iraq, particularly among members of the Iraqi military with whom they patrol.
At Least 50 Killed in Bombings in Iraq 11 Aug 2009 The entire village was gone. The latest wave of sectarian bombings struck northern Iraq and Baghdad on Monday, killing at least 50 people, wounding hundreds more and leveling the village, near Mosul. Nearly 100 people in Baghdad and the northern city of Mosul have been killed in attacks since Friday, raising serious concerns about the Iraqi government’s ability to maintain security. [Oh, gee - better have the US mercenaries stay in Iraq to 'clean things up,' right? That's why Xe is killing everything in sight - to show that Xe is 'needed.']
Briton may hang for killings in Baghdad 10 Aug 2009 A British guard working for a mercenary company inside Baghdad’s fortified Green Zone was arrested yesterday after two of his colleagues were killed and another wounded in a reported alcohol-fuelled rampage. Danny Fitzsimons, who fled the scene with a pistol, was held after a shootout and handed to Iraqi police. A judicial official in Baghdad said that Mr Fitzsimons could face the death penalty.
Pay Is Scrutinized at U.S. Contractors --KBR Inc., will be asked about its executive compensation billing policies. 11 Aug 2009 Executive pay at government contractors is drawing scrutiny from federal auditors, who have questioned some companies about compensation and pensions they have charged taxpayers. The questions come amid a broader examination of executive pay, especially at financial companies receiving taxpayer-funded bailouts. Contractors also receive government money, though until recently the question of how much of it has gone to executive pay hasn't been a big issue for lawmakers or auditors.
Americans' entry into Iran linked to vote unrest: MP 10 Aug 2009 A leading Iranian lawmaker said on Monday the illegal entry of three detained U.S. citizens into the country may have been related to unrest that erupted after Iran's June presidential election. "Their illegal entry cannot be altogether unrelated to the post-election unrest ... What mission were the three pursuing in Iran? Why did not they apply for Iran visas?" said Mohammad Karamirad, a member of parliament's Foreign Affairs and National Security Committee, the official IRNA news agency reported.
Iran will strongly resist West vote interference: official 10 Aug 2009 Iran accused the West on Monday of "meddling" in its state affairs for criticizing its mass trial of moderates charged with spying and trying to topple the clerical establishment after the disputed president vote. "Do we interfere in other countries' state matters? Why should they interfere in ours? Iran will strongly resist such meddling," senior official Hassan Qashqavi told a weekly news conference.
Lebanon army on high alert as Israel moves forces 10 Aug 2009 Lebanon's army has put its forces on high alert after Israeli forces made advances toward the area of Shaba farms amid heightened tensions with the Hezbollah movement. Lebanese army sources said Sunday that three armored Israeli vehicles, accompanied by a civilian car, advanced toward Shaba farms, along southeast borders with Lebanon on Monday, the Israeli daily Haaretz reported.
Benjamin Netanyahu says lands will never go back to Palestinians 09 Aug 2009 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told Jewish settlers they can stay in the occupied Palestinian lands. Speaking on Israeli public radio, he pledged he would never evict Jews from the West Bank.
Close 'loopholes' allowing war criminals into UK, Straw told 11 Aug 2009 Proposals from the justice secretary, Jack Straw, to change the law to enable the prosecution of overseas war criminals and torturers living in Britain for crimes dating back to 1991 fail to go far enough, according to a committee of MPs and peers. A report from parliament's joint human rights committee published today says the 1991 cut-off date and a requirement that only residents in the UK should face prosecution will leave an "impunity gap" which will allow international war criminals to visit and stay in Britain without fear of prosecution.
Mexican cartels tied to stolen oil sold in U.S. --Head of Houston oil company pleads guilty to conspiracy, U.S. officials say 10 Aug 2009 U.S. refineries bought millions of dollars worth of oil siphoned from Mexican government pipelines and smuggled across the border, the U.S. Justice Department told The Associated Press -- illegal operations now led by Mexican drug cartels expanding their reach. Criminals tap remote pipelines, sometimes building pipelines of their own, to siphon off hundreds of millions of dollars worth of oil each year, the Mexican oil monopoly said. At least one U.S. oil executive has pleaded guilty to conspiracy in such a deal.
Vaccine trials off to fast start for pandemic flu 10 Aug 2009 Early Monday, Nicholas Sarakas, 25, rolled up his sleeves for an injection in each arm, becoming one of dozens of adults enrolling in an unprecedented flurry of fast-track flu vaccine trials that will grow to include 11,131 adults and 5,740 children, with more trials planned... Studies of several thousand volunteers aren't big enough to detect more subtle [!] side effects such as Guillain-Barré syndrome.
8 cities in US line up for swine flu vaccine test 10 Aug 2009 Hundreds of Americans in eight cities are lining up for experimental swine flu shots in a race to get a vaccine out in case the new flu virus regains strength this fall and winter. Sharon Frey, who is leading the government-funded testing at Saint Louis University, said scientists have been working late nights and weekends to organize the studies and recruit volunteers.
Flu drugs 'unhelpful' in children 10 Aug 2009 Research has cast doubt on the policy of giving antiviral drugs to children for swine flu. Work in the British Medical Journal shows Tamiflu and Relenza rarely prevent complications in children with seasonal flu, yet carry side effects. Although they did not test this in the current swine flu pandemic, the authors say these drugs are unlikely to help children who catch the H1N1 virus. The government has stuck by its policy of offering them to anyone infected. [See: Donald Rumsfeld makes $5m killing on bird flu drug 12 Mar 2006 Donald Rumsfeld has made a killing out of bird flu. The US Defence Secretary has made more than $5m (£2.9m) in capital gains from selling shares in the biotechnology firm that discovered and developed Tamiflu.]
Senate probe: SC gov broke law on state travel 10 Aug 2009 South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford broke state law when he charged taxpayers for more expensive business and first-class flights, according to the chairman of the legislative committee investigating Sanford's international travel. State Sen. David Thomas, whose budget committee investigated Sanford's flights following reports last month by The Associated Press, sent evidence to Senate leaders Monday arguing the Republican governor violated state laws requiring the cheapest travel possible.
AP: SC gov's plane use questioned 09 Aug 2009 South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford used state aircraft for personal and political trips, often bringing along his wife and children -- contrary to state law regarding official use, an Associated Press investigation has found. Records reviewed by the AP show that since he took office in 2003, the two-term Republican has taken trips on state aircraft to locations of his children's sporting events, hair and dentist appointments, political party gatherings and a birthday party for a campaign donor.
Banks make $38bn from overdraft fees 09 Aug 2009 US banks stand to collect a record $38.5bn in fees for customer overdrafts this year, with the bulk of the revenue coming from the most financially stretched consumers amid the deepest recession since the 1930s, according to research. The fees are nearly double those reported in 2000. [Thanks, Bush!] The finding is likely to increase public hostility towards the financial sector, which has been under political pressure to ease the burden on consumers by increasing credit availability and lending more fairly after being bailed out by taxpayers.
'Death Panel' Palin dangerously irresponsible --Sarah the Quitter incites mob violence and national disunity by 'making stuff up' By Keith Olbermann 10 Aug 2009 Because the birther movement touches another essential part of the defective soul -- the need for an excuse. For they need to convince themselves of an immense conspiracy, and place that conviction as a barrier between their actions, and the sad reality that they are not the victims of intricate machinations against freedom, but are just garden-variety, ordinary, racists -- that they can handle the most limited of integration only in theory. They will take anything that will let them pretend that -- when they burst into tears and cry that they want their America back -- they are not asking for White Power, not asking that somebody make the black man in the White House go away.
Vast expanses of Arctic ice melt in summer heat 09 Aug 2009 The Arctic Ocean has given up tens of thousands more square miles (square kilometers) of ice on Sunday in a relentless summer of melt, with scientists watching through satellite eyes for a possible record low polar ice cap... By this weekend the ice edge lay some 80 miles (128 kilometers) at sea.
Baxter not to provide anti-swine flu vaccine to Czechs --Czech Health Ministry: Baxter unable to guarantee vaccine is safe, won't be responsible for its side-effects 03 Aug 2009 The U.S. pharmaceutical firm Baxter which manufactures a vaccine against the swine flu in its Czech branch will not ensure the vaccine for the Czech Republic in the case of a pandemic, Baxter media representative Jana Cechova told CTK today. "No contract for the delivery of the vaccines A(H1N1) between Baxter and the Czech Republic has been concluded," Cechova said. The server tn.cz writes that the Czech Health Ministry has explained its stopping the talks with Baxter by the firm's inability to guarantee that the vaccine is safe and who will bear the risks for possible side-effects. [See: Baxter: The 'Lucky Larry' of swine flu Baxter Vaccine 'Oddities' 17 Jul 2009.]
Afghanistan could take 40 years, says new army chief --General Sir David Richards says UK involvement will last decades 08 Aug 2009 The new head of the British army warned today that the UK's involvement in Afghanistan could last for up to 40 years, as the Ministry of Defence announced that three British soldiers working with special forces had been killed in a roadside ambush. The latest military losses in Afghanistan came as the army's incoming head, General Sir David Richards, predicted that British involvement in the country could last up to 40 years. Richards, who will become Chief of the General Staff later this month, told the Times: "I believe that the UK will be committed to Afghanistan in some manner – development, governance, security sector reform – for the next 30 to 40 years."