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Top 10 anime and manga series based on video games
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Devil May Cry (Anime)
Dante's anime adventures are an interesting beast as they find Dante setting out on various adventures you wouldn't normally see him tackling in-game, but that's what makes the MADHOUSE-produced anime so gripping. Dante takes up jobs as a bodyguard, frequents a local diner, and meets up with suspicious characters on the regular, including one who insists he ran with Dante as a small child. Dante's mercenary work is spotlighted in each serial, and though it's hard to say whether or not these episodes are considered canon for the Devil May Cry universe, it's an interesting alternate look at a familiar series.
Pokemon: The Electric Tale of Pikachu (Manga)
Otherwise known as the Pokemon manga series most of us remember as the first one available in America during the Pokemon craze, this four-volume series followed Satoshi (Ash) on his journey to become a Pokemon Master throughout some decidedly adorable situations, many of which include Clefairies in space, seeing Shigeru (Gary) traveling with Satoshi at the beginning of the tale, and it rocked a completely different vibe than the anime series or games -- for that reason, it's worth checking out if you like a healthy mix of shonen and shoujo action in your manga.
Xenosaga: The Animation (Anime)
If you haven't the time to rush through the excellent Xenosaga RPG trilogy, the anime series can rush you through the first game's overall plot in its first few episodes, getting viewers up to speed with the greatest of ease and putting things in perspective. It follows the games quite closely save for a few specifically rewritten scenes here and there, and ADV's dub is surprisingly competent.
Viewtiful Joe (Anime)
If the game itself weren't completely over-the-top and insane, the anime series more than makes up for that. Joe busts out the "Henshin-a-go-go, baby!" across a whopping 51 episodes. The subbed version is of course preferable to the English dub riddled with Joe's "witticisms," but following the adventures that unfold in the actual games themselves is the main draw here, especially if your main reason for picking up the games themselves were their frenetic nature and reference to "sentai" media.


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Calendar of Events
Buxton Banner – Town Meeting 2013March 10th, 2013 | Be the First to Leave a Comment!Posted in Uncategorized
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Legislative Update #3February 15th, 2013 | Be the First to Leave a Comment!
Dear constituents,
The last two weeks have flown by! Committees are working hard with an eye on "the clock" already. March 15th is the crossover deadline this year. "Crossover" means that bills that have a chance of making it into law this year must have passed from one body (House) into the other (Senate) by that date. Some exceptions to the rule exist, but that's it in a nutshell.
Anxiety surrounding the budget and taxes is palpable. Veteran legislators (from both parties) are remarking that this is the hardest year they can recall for making cuts and considering revenue. After four years of conservative budgets, there isn't much left to cut. All government programs are receiving a thorough review to determine their efficiency and efficacy. I've pasted an interesting op-ed on the issue, written by one of my colleagues, at the end of this email.
As of this week, with nearly 90% of schools reporting their proposed budgets, it looks like state education spending is up $73 million, or 5.8%. You have probably heard that the legislature is looking to raise the education portion of the property tax $.05. It's important that voters understand that the legislature's vote to increase the property tax is not a discretionary one. The increase is SOLEY linked to what voters approve in their school budgets on Town Meeting day. We have a long tradition of local control, and this is where the rubber meets the road. If Vermonters vote in an additional $73 million in education spending, the legislature adjusts the tax rate in order to meet our commitment to fund local school. (If the legislature does nothing, the tax rate revert back to $1.10 rather than the proposed $0.94.)
Last week, a Burlington republican (Kurt Wright) and I cosponsored a bill that seeks to stop the "revolving door" in the executive branch. It was, largely, in response to the recent employment of Karen Marshall (former chief of ConnectVT) with VTel just days after she participated in the Vermont Telecommunications Authority decision to award VTel a $5 million grant. Here's a link to the story: http://vtdigger.org/
A few other big stories this week… The Senate passed the Death with Dignity bill in a drastically different form then was introduced. After 6 years of public debate on the bill, the House will now review the "new" version. I don't expect we will vote on this before town meeting day. I'm currently leaning toward supporting the bill, based on the 75% favorability voiced by your responses to my survey last fall. I can't fully commit until I study the new version and hear what the committees of jurisdiction report. Here's the bill as it passed the Senate: S.77
More buzz surrounds the proposal to tax sugar sweetened beverages. You can read about it here: http://vtdigger.org/
I am the lead sponsor of a comprehensive pre-k bill that would expand access, clarify oversight, and create a simplified payment system throughout the state. Over the last decade, advances in neuroscience have confirmed that a child's brain develops critical cognitive functions between birth and 5 years old. Research is conclusive about the value of providing children with age-appropriate educational instruction during this time. National studies and Vermont experience support our efforts to provide more children with early education because of cost savings over time (remediation, special education, etc.) and because the current inequity in access to pre-k offends our social contract with all of Vermont's children to ensure they are college and career ready by adulthood.
In short, the current bill under consideration in my committee (H.270 ), requires that school districts pay for up to 10 hours/week of high-quality prekindergarten education for 3 and 4 year olds. Parents are not required to enroll their child and school districts are not required to establish new programs. Parents may choose to enroll their child in either a public or private program, so long as it meets the quality criteria (STARS) established by DCF and AOE. Finally, children will not be required to attend a program in their district – and important consideration since many parents work far away from their home district and the lack of available "slots" in some regions is quite troublesome.
A statewide tuition rate, subject to regional adjustments, will be established to aid programs, parents, and school districts in predicting costs and revenue. When school districts fund a pre-k student, they may include an additional .5 FTE (full time equivalent) student in their ADM (average daily membership). In most cases, adding to a school's ADM will decrease the tax rate. (Note: The education tax rate is anything but simple! Many other factors could influence the equation and prove the preceding statement to be wrong.)
This bill takes the first step in strengthening the state's commitment to early childhood education. It respects the valuable role that private providers play in creating high-quality, accessible education and establishes a simplified payment and oversight process. The committee has made our work on this bill a top priority for the next few weeks.
I know the rest of this email might seems long. Feel free to scroll around to the topics that interest you.
As always, please help me grow my email list by forwarding this to a friend or sending me an email asking to be put on the list! Thanks.
General, Housing & Military Affairs
General, Housing & Military Affairs spent a portion of the last two weeks preparing for the interviews for the position of the Adjutant General. Michael Hoyt from Legislative Council gave a statutory overview that provided a firm understanding of the role and requirements for the Adjutant General. The committee formulated precise questions for the candidate interviews in the House Chamber on Thursday night. The hearing offered good information regarding all four candidates seeking the position of adjutant general. The election will take place in a joint session of the House and Senate on Thursday, February 21st at 10:30 am.
The committee heard extensive testimony on H.99, an act related to equal pay. The bill has three major sections: it strengthens the equal pay provisions in current law; establishes a right for employees to request flexible working arrangements and a duty for employers to consider them; and forms a commission to study paid family leave. The committee heard testimony from the Human Rights Commission, commissioners for labor and human resources, law professors, business entities, labor, and many other stakeholders. We were privileged to hear testimony from former Vermont Governor, Madeleine Kunin, who is always a champion of women's rights. The bill passed out of committee and is now in House Judiciary.
Human Services
The House Committee on Human Services is continuing to take testimony regarding the Governor's budget recommendations. Testimony this week focused on the changes to Reach Up and Developmental Services.
The committee heard from the administration that caps on the amount of time a family can be in Reach Up are necessary to get some participants to move from the program to employment. A Senior Fellow at the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, a non-partisan research and policy institute based in Washington D.C., advised us that the potential unintended consequences of instituting caps as proposed could cost us more in future budget years than the savings we gain in FY 14. In Washington State, such a policy led to increased homelessness and increased out of home placements of children. She also indicated that loss of income for a family results in significantly poorer outcomes for children, both short term and longer term. We heard from several Reach Up participants who are concerned with how the proposed changes would affect their households and specifically their children.
The HHS committee began taking testimony on the Developmental Services budget. The Administration outlined its budget recommend, and the committee heard from several advocates in the developmental disability community. The committee has come to no decisions regarding Reach Up or Developmental Services yet.
House Institutions and Corrections
The Institutions and Corrections Committee has been, almost exclusively, focused on Institutions as it dives deep into the Capital Bill and figures out how to manage needs substantially in excess of the $153,160,000 recommended debt authorization.
Even without the demands of the reconstruction of the Waterbury State Complex–which is estimated to be $124,655,000–there are enormous pressures on the Capital Bill. The $43 million price tag on the facilities required for the reconfigured and reconstructed mental health system of care, the $30 million replacement of the 50+ year old health department lab, the $5.5 million continuation of public safety barrack improvements and almost $8 million for substantial work on the courthouse in Lamoille County, are just part of the overall picture. And then there is another $30+ million for our ongoing obligations to school construction, wastewater
The particular challenge the committee has is making decisions without final figures on funds from either insurance proceeds or FEMA for the storm damage in the Waterbury Complex. The only certainty is that we won't get this information for a while and the funds will not be enough to cover the gap we are facing. The committee has more or less completed testimony and will begin the process of constructing the bill next week.
The one non-capital bill item they have recently taken up is H.76, an act relating to preservation of the Vermont State Hospital cemetery. There is concern that with reconstruction of the Waterbury Complex and the move of the state hospital from the complex that the cemetery and all it represents not be lost–either figuratively or literally. The committee learned that this cemetery, which is about two miles from the core of the complex, is now part of the Putnam State Forest. It has a marker and has been quietly and respectfully maintained by the Department of Forests and Parks–as they do for all such sites within their jurisdiction.
Ways & Means
First, a thing about fees: Fees and taxes, while both bring revenue to the state, are quite different. A fee funds the activity it is related to – it is directly and specifically linked to funding a service. For example: Dept. of Motor Vehicles or Fish & Wildlife are almost exclusively funded by fees. But as the committee reports, every department and the Judiciary have their share of fees.
A tax is designed to raise general funds to support services and programs for the common good. We raise a tax, as our Vermont Constitution says, when it "ought to appear evident to the Legislature to be of more service to community than the money would be if not collected". No matter the Governor, the administration loves to blur the line between fees and taxes. It is our job to hold the line.
This week, the House passed the Fee Bill unanimously. Each year, the fee bill addresses particular parts of government and this year, it addresses fees in agriculture, professional licensing, corporate and business regulation, current use, crime victim services and restitution, liquor control, and workers compensation. Overall, most fees are going into existing special funds and the committee is proposing a slight reduction in liquor fees from what was brought to us by the Department of Liquor Control.
There was a controversial component that would levy a small fee on hobby and commercial apiaries to pay for the State Apiarist, who travels across the state providing technical support and inspection to reduce the spread of disease. While it was clear the protection of the honeybee population presents value to our apiaries and overall agricultural base, the fee was pulled so the Bee Keepers Association, Agency of Agriculture, and others can work on coming to agreement to fund this important service, with intent to return with a proposal in the future.
There was also considerable concern over a proposal to raise the tobacco and second class liquor license fee on 'mom and pop' stores from $100 to $260. This was reduced to an increase of $30, going from $100 to $130.
Last week was Human Services week in Appropriations, beginning Monday afternoon with Secretary Doug Racine giving an overview of his Agency. This budget contains the two most controversial proposals in the Governor's budget, the decreased time that one can stay on General Assistance and the increase in child care slots to be paid for with a decrease in Vermont's Earned Income Tax Credit. More on these in a minute.
The total Human Services budget, including revenues from all sources, is proposed to be $3.4 Billion, of which the Administration is requesting $596.2 million in State Funds, representing 43.3% of the General Fund budget. The requested increase in the GF budget is remarkably small at just $1.6 million for approximately three tenth of one percent increase, excluding the new expenditures for childcare, proposed to increase by $16.7 million.
The week continued with each of the Department Commissioners coming to committee, most of them for at least a half a day each. Some will be returning for a encore presentation as the amount of information presented and follow-up questions from Committee members was extensive — Appropriation committee members are a nosey bunch.
AHS department budget submissions included increasingly sophisticated presentations of data, shown not just in narrative but in charts and graphs that measure the results of their efforts, showing how those efforts circled back to their goals. It is our hope that this process will evolve into the ability to determine funding priorities, to make real informed choices about how to spend taxpayer's money. Two Departments, Corrections and the Department of Health, did an exceptionally good job, and we invite those of you who are interested in seeing what Results Based Accountability looks like to come to room 42 for a look at those budget submissions.
The Commissioner of Children and Families, David Yacovone, walked through the Administration's controversial proposals for limiting the time clients can stay on Reach Up (Vermont's name for the General Assistance program know Federally as TANIF) and the increase in subsidized child care slots, funded by a decrease in the Earned Income Tax Credit, and helped us understand how they are linked together. One of the greatest ingredients to holding a job for any parent is trusted childcare. How the proposals are resolved will require the work of policy committees and the body as a whole.
The Interim Mental Health Commissioner, Mary Moulton, gave an update on how the new Mental Health system is evolving and the work yet to be done. Dr. Craig Jones, Director of the Vermont Blueprint for Health; Anya Rader Wallack, Chair of the Green Mountain Care Board; Mark Larson, DVHA Commissioner also testified. Hearing from the Departments focusing on the evolution of our Health Care system does help us to understand just how complex it is undertaking the new system, while at the same time maintaining and paying for the existing system.
Natural Resources and Energy
The House passed H 131, "an act relating to harvesting guidelines and procurement standards," which sets out a process for the development of voluntary harvesting guidelines by the Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation to promote forest health and sustainability. We require a public participation process in the development of those guidelines, and we repeal the requirement that those guidelines be followed for lands in the current use program. The committee voted unanimously and on a bipartisan basis to support the bill.
Last week also saw the introduction of H.216, our thermal efficiency bill. This legislation grew out of last year's mammoth endeavor by the Thermal Efficiency Task Force to map out a way to weatherize as many Vermont homes as possible in order to meet our 2009 goal of improving 80,000 homes in the next seven years. This is a vital statewide need, as thermal efficiency will save Vermonters significant money (currently spent to heat leaky structures with fossil fuels imported from out of state). Per-household savings from retrofitting can be as much as $1,000 a year, and weatherization grows good, local jobs and slices into our greenhouse gas emissions. H. 216 suggests a long list of ways to deliver and pay for weatherization services, and it sets up "one-stop" access to efficiency knowledge and expertise. Among other things, the bill takes the first steps to labeling buildings as to their energy use, improves existing code enforcement, and encourages development of an expert workforce to meet stepped-up demand. The bill suggests using the existing gross receipts tax, which currently funds low-income weatherization, to raise more money for the same program. Bolstering low-income weatherization will in turn help us to maximize LIHEAP assistance, which currently sends money to heat low-income homes that are so leaky the dollars are effectively heating the outdoors.
The committee also plans to take up our a Vermont Yankee decommissioning bill, a statewide land-use plan, and conservation easements.
Fish, Wildlife and Water Resources
FWWR continues to investigate water quality issues, the impact of yearly million dollar flooding events and monumental billion dollar weather events such as Irene. Past and present Irene Recovery Officers Sue Minter and David Rappaport, along with Ben Rose, from Vermont Emergency Management reported that 90% of the FEMA dollars have been collected and for this part, they were pleased and appreciative of federal response. The remaining 10%has proven more troubling, and this was echoed by representatives from the towns of Westminster, Sharon, Mendon and Grafton. These towns did the right thing, using river science to rebuild bridges and culverts to science-based standards, reducing the likelihood of future impact while protecting (and improving) habitat. Due to a glitch in interpretation of state standards, FEMA is willing only to pay to bring historically failing structures back to failing standards, leaving small towns in the lurch for hundreds of thousands of dollars. The committee also heard from Senators Leahy and Sander's offices that the culture of Congress and the timing of Sandy undid a senate bill that would have provided more relief to Vermont as a result of Irene.
Work completed last year in Act 138 should help set plans for future catastrophic events. The committee continues to look at areas in the statute that will align best with FEMA and the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). We continue to look for money to do this.
Last week FWWR took testimony on a number of issues. Two bills, H.52 and H.72, both deal with municipal plans and zoning, and the impacts on flood resiliency and flood hazard areas. Currently towns with zoning cannot enact bylaws that prohibited accessory structures (such as "mother-in-apartments"). This proposed legislation (H.72) would allow towns to regulate or prohibit the same when part of a flood hazard area. H.52 proposes to expand the regional commission's directives to plan for flood resilient communities. New development will be encouraged so as to minimize flooding and fluvial erosion while protecting floodplains and upland forest areas. If infrastructure is to be built in those areas susceptible to flooding and erosion, construction methods and materials should be so as to withstand those stresses and not exacerbate the flooding. Furthermore, towns will be encouraged to develop flood resiliency plans, and possibly enact policies and strategies to protect those susceptible areas. The committee will probably combine these two bills.
Several bills involving the fish and wildlife were introduced (H.101, H.102, and H.110). These bills are partly house cleaning revisions dealing with posting interpretations, hunting by permission signs, shooting restrictions from highways and driveways, moose permits and wild hogs. Finally, a provision for a group therapeutic fishing license is proposed for groups in long time care residences.
House Ag continues to hear testimony about the productive and proactive investments the state has made in endeavors such as the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund; the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board; UVM Extension; Farm to Plate; and especially the Working Lands Enterprise Board. These efforts are paying dividends and proving integral to a holistic approach to economic development, land stewardship and healthier communities.
After more than a decade of deliberation and frustration, the diverse array of stakeholders in the "puppy mill"/pet merchant/dog breeder story appear to have settled upon an agreement to regulate the humane breeding and sale of dogs in Vermont, thanks in no small part to the mediation of Rep. John Bartholomew of Hartland, himself a retired NIH veterinarian. H.50 will close the pet exemption loophole, clarifies licensing and inspection requirements, and sets expectations for animal care and inspection parameters for the business of breeding and selling dogs.
Taking up deliberation of H.112, we witnessed a presentation by Dr. Michael Hansen, Senior Scientist at Consumers Union (Consumer Reports), of the evidence and reasoning behind efforts to require the labeling of genetically engineered foods. In the opinion of Dr. Hansen, who has spent decades working on the issue nationally and internationally, the measure would be legally defensible and scientifically justified. Inadequate regulation, imprecise science, and uncertain health effects, he testified,qualifies a legitimate state interest for enacting common sense food safety measures for the people of Vermont.
On Tuesday Feb.5th the House Commerce and Transportation committees visited the Jay Peak/Newport economic development expansion projects associated with the federal EB-5 funding program. (EB-5 , or the Immigrant Investor Program, is an incentive program, allowing overseas investors and their families to obtain visas to live and work in the U.S. and eventually become full citizens.)
It is clear the role transportation infrastructure has on the area's economic success. They heard from developer, Bill Stenger and held a public hearing at the Career Center to listen to area citizens. Many are preparing for the change and none more than shop owners, schools and career centers. The committees visited the Newport airport that will be receiving a massive upgrade to accommodate the coming needs. This $19million upgrade is coming through EB-5 funding. There is an application in process that would allow for the creation of a foreign trade zone. Area business owns expressed the positive impacts this zone would have on their businesses and the future. The future of the Northeast Kingdom seems bright.
VTrans directors gave the Transportation Committee a presentation on how the Agency develops a budget. The Agency uses many of the aspects of Results Based Accountability (RBA) in producing a budget to prioritize the State's transportation projects.
Several members from House Transportation and Commerce committees again joined efforts on Wed. and attended the first conference on "Strengthening Vermont's Economy by Integrating Transportation and Smart Growth Policy." A large cross section of stakeholders from Vermont aim to work on VTrans policies and programs that connect smart growth and that transportation. The purpose is to strengthen the Vermont economy and support the vision of a safe, efficient and multimodal transportation system.
Commerce and Economic Development
This week, the House passed H.51, An act relating to payment of workers' compensation benefits by electronic payroll card. Recipients would retain the right to receive their benefits by check or, in the alternative, could request in writing that their benefits be paid by the electronic cards. Payment could safely be made directly to a debit card; however payroll cards or other electronic prepaid benefit cards must provide protection consistent with the Electronic Fund Transfer Act primarily that which limits liability to $50 when a card is lost or stolen. The cards would only be used in remitting the regular weekly payment of benefits and would not be used for lump sum awards. This is just one more step toward getting more and more of our financial services into an electronic format.
The House also passed H.57, a bill to create a self-employment assistance program. Up to 35 individuals eligible for unemployment benefits would be selected and supported in efforts to develop a business plan for self employment. During the period that individuals were eligible, they would continue to be able to file their weekly claim for their unemployment benefit. This bill helps individuals receiving unemployment to stabilize their financial situation while working to start a business. Should the business become successful, it would not only provide an income stream for the individual, it might grow to employ others.
An example might be a master electrician who was laid off. Once accepted into the program, the electrician would develop the business plan (perhaps with the aid of the Small Business Development Center [SBDC]) outlining the proposed endeavor. This could involve such things as financial projections; identifying equity and loan needs; filing with the Secretary of State; obtaining tax IDs; learning how to manage billing, accounts receivable and accounts payable, etc. etc. The details will be worked out by the Department of Labor with the Commissioner having the right to suspend the program with approval of the Secretary of Administration and notice to the appropriate committees. The bill sunsets in 3 years, providing us with an opportunity for review of performance.
The intent would be to give a track to a business that would provide income and help an individual to get off unemployment to complement the existing track to a job to provide income and get off unemployment.
Health Care Committee
The ACA (Affordable Care Act) offers 100% federal match for states to extend Medicaid coverage up to 138% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) and as such, it presents a great opportunity for most of the United States. In Vermont, we already offer Medicaid coverage up to 185% and a subsidized Catamount health insurance product up to 300% FPL. For Vermont, the ACA presents a retraction of Medicaid coverage. Because of this, our director of health care reform felt we had a good case for getting federal match for the money VT would need to support lower income families heading into Vermont Health Connect. When the Governor proposed the health care budget for 2013, the state subsidy for premium and out-of-pocket costs was built on an assumption that Vermont would get favorable word on federal match for the money Vermont put into both those types of state subsidy.
Last week we learned that the feds denied Vermont's request for match for the out-of-pocket portion of our subsidy. This is a tough blow for Vermont as we face budget challenges in many areas. The committee took a straw pole early this week in favor of constraining spending to the budgeted amount proposed by the administration. We continue to look at the best models for supporting low income Vermonters heading from VHAP and Catamount into Vermont Health Connect insurance products with recognition of the limitations due to the many pressures in this years state budget.
The committee is continuing its work on a Good Samaritan bill that would grant limited immunity to people who try to get medical help for someone overdosing on illegal drugs. They are also working on an omnibus bill addressing opiate, meth and prescription drug use by hearing from drug counselors, pharmacists, recovering addicts, substance abuse counselors, the Medical Society, law enforcement and others. They held joint hearings with House Human Service Committee (HSC) as there is overlap in jurisdiction. Like many public health issues, there must be a comprehensive, holistic approach.
In the area of opiates and pain the committees heard from: Cy Jordan, Medical Director, VMS Education & Research Foundation: Safe and Effective Treatment of Chronic Pain in Vermont, Dr. Carl "Trey" Dobson, Chair of the Emergency Department, Southwestern Vermont Medical Center, Carlos Pino, M.D.Director Pain Medicine Center, Fletcher Allen Health Care Gilbert Fanciullo, MD, Director, Pain Management Center, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Zail S. Berry, MD, Pain Medicine Specialist, Cy Jordan, Medical Director, VMS Education & Research Foundation: Safe and Effective Treatment of Chronic Pain in Vermont.
The House passed H.41, an act related to civil forfeiture of retirement payments to public officials convicted of certain crimes. The bill stemmed from recent controversy surrounding at Vt State Police trooper who padded his timesheet and is set to still collect a higher retirement benefit based on his last 3 years of pay.
Government Operations
Government Operations has begun sorting out H.205 OPR (Office of Professional Regulations) Bill. Each year various professions come forth with requests for changes or re-writes of their perspective professions. These could be a change in fees, the number of hours of Continuing Education to meet minimum standards of competence and possibly requesting a change in the scope of practice, among other things.The following list includes the professions that are in the 2013 bill from whom we will hear testimony: dental examiners; chiropractors; professional engineers; nurses; osteopaths; pharmacists, real estate brokers and salespersons; psychologists; private investigators and security services; real estate appraisers; tattooists and body piercers and auctioneers.
The committee received the summer study report on Search and Rescue and has begun working on draft legislation.The study set forth an interim protocol until legislation is in place. The legislation will include a Search and Rescue Coordinator and a Search and Rescue Council to provide oversight and review.
Work on H.54, an Act relating to Public Records Act Exemptions is ongoing – it is a three-year project. The committee has one more year to complete its charge to review the requirements of the Public Records Act and the numerous exemptions to that act in order to assure the integrity , viability, and purpose of the act.
The following is an article Rep. Ann Manwaring wrote for her local paper.
To the Editor,
This session of the Vermont Legislature has for me a distinctly different flavor than others that I have been part of. Maybe it is just because we are still in the early days and issues haven't had a chance to settle into focused solution yet. Maybe it is because we are once again jamming all our work into a compact session to adjourn by date certain, which we do primarily for economic reasons. It costs about a quarter of a million dollars for every week we are in session. While many readers think this is a good thing – we have less time to make trouble for citizens – please remember that what we do in these hallowed halls is driven by actions, wants and needs of citizens. Not all citizens have the same wants and needs at the same time – that would be way too easy, but that is where citizens become community. And that is where the tension between rights and elbows enters.
This year's budget presented by the Governor on January 24 is full of issues that have no easy solutions. Would that budgets were just a matter of math and balancing the bottom line. But every one of the numbers in that document has every day meaning for one and all Vermonters. Do we squeeze here to make investments there? Whom do we squeeze, tax payers or citizens who benefit? Where do we come down on the line between fairness and the need to sustain a vibrant economy, good health and a robust education for everyone?
Yet here in our very Vermont public document, our annual effort to put money behind our beliefs, is a conundrum – to rob peter to pay peter. I cannot argue with efforts to enhance early childhood supports as a growing body of research – as well as common sense – tells us that early intervention benefits not just the individual child, but we as a community as well. By most all accounts enabling more families to afford child care for young children is a good things on so many levels. Yet we legislators, and by extension all Vermonters, are asked to support paying for this investment in our future by curtailing yet another well regarded program that lifts families out of poverty, the earned income tax credit.
We are asked in this budget to recognize the unsustainable public cost to support the growing number of people qualifying for public assistance, in Vermont called Reach Up, by shortening the time frames in which this benefit is available. Some will cheer this effort, some will rue the weakening of our safety net. The budget does recognize the need for programs to ease the "fiscal cliff" families face when they do get a job, but one which all too frequently pays too little to allow for the essential life ingredients to hold a job, such as child care and transportation.
This isn't just another year of making budget by moving the chess pieces around to find bottom line balance, as we have done since the start of this recession. I believe I am now seeing the struggle in our State budget to make the investments that will shape our future, a struggle that has no choice but to accommodate not only the sluggish revenue growth in Vermont but the uncertainty of Federal action, the prospect and reality of ever more draconian cuts in Federal supports for all kinds of programs important to life in Vermont.
And why have we been put in this conundrum in the first place. Why has the collective we allowed our national politics to paint every poor person as a bad actor, a feeder at the public trough? Why has the collective we allowed an economic system to emerge that results in an ever growing number of families who simply can't make it despite their best efforts – where even two or thee jobs in the family won't lift them above poverty levels? If we continue on this path we will become a nation of a few living behind gated walls and the rest of us a swirling mass of cold, hungry people making all kinds of trouble for those behind the gates. Whose vision of America is that?Posted in Uncategorized
Legislative UpdateJanuary 28th, 2013 | Be the First to Leave a Comment!
Dear friends and neighbors,
The NEA's Executive Director called the amount of emphasis the Governor placed in his plan on how to make Vermont the education state "stunning," noting that it's the first time in his over 20-year tenure he has heard the head of the executive branch focus solely on education in an inaugural address. The VSA's Executive Director drew a parallel between the Governor's call rallying the troops to give our state's children a world-class education that will brighten Vermont's economic future and America's successful initiative 43 years ago to put a man on the moon. The heads of all four associations agreed that if we are tenacious about improving our education system from pre-kindergarten to higher education and focus our resources we WILL have a world-class education system in Vermont.
A day after the inaugural address, at a press conference the VSA and VSBA held to announce their five-point agenda for overhauling our education system, the organization's leaders noted that many of the priorities the Governor articulated are aligned with their key goals. Their plan included providing pre-kindergarten to all students; engaging parents more in their children's education; attracting committed, creative teachers; changing the teacher preparation and licensure system to better meet the needs of contemporary education; and ensuring all students have access to modern technology. Some of the proposals would cost more money; others could be implemented by changing the way current education funds are spent.
Last week, our committee met with executive committee members of the Vermont Principals Association, including South Royalton's vice-principal, Jeff Moreno. Principals from across the state described the need for state investment in infrastructure and community-based health and welfare resources. One principal called attention to the shortage of mental health facilities equipped to handle the needs of elementary and high school students, describing how her elementary school "houses" a child on a waiting list for the Brattleboro Retreat in the school's planning room during the school day. Another described the increase of students with disabilities and autism, some of whom are "acting out" and posing a danger to staff. The need to lift the moratorium on construction aid so schools can upgrade everything from roofs on the verge of collapse to safety-related infrastructure were also addressed. A principal from a district with 60% free-and-reduced-price lunch students (with a rate of child abuse that is 2.5 times the state average) described how difficult it is for children to learn when they are hungary, lack adequate physical and mental health care, and live much of their lives in fear of their own safety. This
Several school board chairs testified before our committee this week, highlighting their optimism about the Governor's education agenda and willingness to work with our committee to make it a priority. Similarly sentiments were echoed at Thursday's meeting with superintendents from around the state. This week, we will be hearing from Secretary Doug Racine about expanding the free lunch program, all of the presidents of Vermont's state colleges, the president of the Vermont Business Roundtable (about their support for new education initiatives), the Director of the Sustainable Jobs Fund, experts on technology integration and virtual learning, and the directors of early education division from the Agency of Education. On Wednesday, our committee will take a day-long field trip to visit several elementary, middle, and high schools in central Vermont.
Here are just a couple of highlights that have been the subject of much speculation while awaiting the Governor's budget address.
- First, no tax on home heating fuel was proposed. Instead the expansion of thermal energy efficiency, plus new LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program) base funding, plus money for the Clean Energy Development Fund are all slated to be funded by a charge on "break open" tickets. Please see news stories for a much better description of this type of previously unregulated gaming product than can be discussed here.
- All the pre-K – 12 education proposals the Governor talked about in his inaugural address are paid for in FY14 with General Fund dollars, not Education Fund money (which is linked to property taxes), as many had feared.
- The budget also contains funding to ameliorate the much-reported health care cost impact on low income Vermonters moving from Vt. Health Access Program (VHAP) and Catamount into the Health Care Exchange. VHAP is Vermont's Medicaid program and Catamount is Vermont's health care premium assistance program, both of which will disappear when the Exchange is implemented.
- The changes in Human Services, including tightening up the rules for Reach Up and the change in the EITC (Earned Income Tax Credit) to fund expansion in child care services, are complex and will be the subject of discussion in several Committees.
As you know, the Administration has proposed raising the property tax rate by five cents based on current school budget projections. The committee is exploring a number of ways to reduce that impact on taxpayers. They have begun work on the "Fee Bill," which, this year, addresses fees in agriculture, professional licensure, corporations and business regulation, current use, crime victim services and restitution, liquor control, and labor. The Miscellaneous Tax bill includes a number of provisions the Governor proposed in his Budget Address – two prominent ones being reducing the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) to fund childcare and using break-open ticket revenue to fund LIHEAP, the Clean Energy Fund, and weatherization. A great deal of testimony is needed in order to better assess these proposals.
This week, a joint hearing with the House Health Care Committee was held on the Administration's health care financing proposals for the implementation of the Exchange, as well as the current estimates of costs and savings in implementing a single payer health care system.
Here are several links you may find helpful:
1) EITC http://www.brookings.edu/~/
2) Thermal Efficiency Report: http://publicservice.vermont.
3) Health Care Financing Power Point: http://hcr.vermont.gov/sites/
The committee found:
- Sales tax revenue in Vermont (and nationally) has eroded due to purchasing patterns shifting from goods to services, the proliferation of online sellers that we are unable to tax, and the increasing number of exemptions over time.
- The inability of the sales tax to grow sufficiently directly shifts the cost of government to income and property tax sources.
- Vermont loses $40 million in sales tax revenue annually in online purchases.
- The tax treatment of cloud-based services is being grappled with nationally, with about half of states applying the tax to one or more cloud-based services and about half exempting or not taxing them.
- Reasons not to tax included the promotion of economic development, future uncertainty about cloud transactions, and the complexity of these transactions. Reasons to tax included concern for declining sales tax revenue and the impact on the property tax, neutral treatment of comparable cloud and non-cloud transactions, and the fact that it is a consumer tax not paid by software developers.
- Taxation of cloud-based software will require increased clarity and certainty so businesses can anticipate their tax costs and responsibilities.
The committee recommends:
- Not expanding the sales tax base to include services at this time due to concerns about interstate competition and a lack of ability to significantly reduce the rate.
- Exercising significant caution before creating additional exemptions to the sales tax base, which accounts for an estimated $595 million in forgone revenue.
- Continue to pressure Congress to pass legislation enabling states to collect remote and online sales taxes.
- Continue to exercise due diligence in the evolving area of cloud-based services and remotely accessed software and apply the principles of good tax policy.
- Not applying the sales tax to prewritten software accessed remotely, as passed in last year's Miscellaneous Tax Bill.
Once again, the issue of genetically engineered products in our food system will be addressed by the legislature, with the Senate also working on a labeling bill this year. Genetically modified food is a complex issue with far-reaching implications and should be given a thorough vetting by lawmakers. We will have to decide whether the health of Vermonters is at risk and if the ability to know what we're eating can stand up to fairly substantial obstacles on the legal and business fronts.
Transportation: Vermont's transportation system has faced some extraordinary challenges in recent years, with four federally declared disasters in 2011, including spring floods followed by Tropical Storm Irene. This year we face different transportation challenges – both challenging the transportation fund. One more immediate and another reaching far into the future.
Long Term challenge: As Vermonters drive less and shift to more fuel-efficient vehicles, state revenues from gas taxes have steadily declined. These state fund reductions are combined with federal uncertainties such as highway trust funding and possible federal transportation reauthorization reduction. With this in mind, one can begin to see that Vermont's long-term transportation funding stability is seriously at risk.
A summer funding study committee worked to determine the annual gap between available state transportation revenue and the cost to meet basic transportation needs. They have reported the Vermontgap is estimated at more than $240 million per year, each and every year. The needs estimate includes the cost to preserve the state's existing transportation system in a state of good repair. It assumes that preserving the functionality of the road network is fundamental to meeting basic travel needs of people and goods. It does not include major roadway expansion beyond projects already in the pipeline.
Short term challenge: The $657 million, FY2014 transportation budget presented by the Governor assumes the Legislature is able to identify a revenue package that enables Vermont to maximize all its available federal funds. Federal formula funds require a state dollar match. If Vermont is unable to provide this match, then federal formula funds must be returned and projects delayed and/or suspended.
The additional funding needed to fully fund the proposed FY2014 transportation budget program is $36.53 million in state funds. Without action, we place at risk our ability to match all the available federal transportation dollars and would require cutting $123 million dollars in projects from this coming years budget.
The Agency of Transportation has proposed the following to achieve the immediate funding gap:
- TIB (transportation Infrastructure bond) proceeds of $9 million, after issuance costs and debt reserve yields $8.3 million).
- Decrease current per gallon gas tax by 4.7 cents from 19 cents to 14.3 cents per gallon. This reduces the transportation fund by $15.32 million.
- Index per gallon gas tax to inflation. (revenue neutral first year). This action assists in a small way with the long-term structural funding problems mentioned earlier.
- Sustain gas tax revenues by adding a 4% assessment on retail sales price. (yields $43.56 million) – assumes $10.89 million for each one percent based on $3.79/gallon price estimate.
Combining all the recommended funding options obtain the $36.54 million needed to fully access and maximize Vermont's federal funds. They are a starting point, and the House Transportation Committee will be discussing, hearing testimony and evaluating all options.
Judiciary: House Judiciary held a joint hearing with the Government Operations Committee on the administration's bill on the forfeiture of public employee pensions when the public employee has been convicted of a crime. They heard from the Secretary of Administration, Treasurer, Attorney General, and the Governor's counsel. The bill applies to all public employees and changes the ground rules with regard to their pensions. Currently, there isn't any authority for a court to order forfeiture or restitution if an employee is convicted of certain crimes. Our laws also don't address recourse from the taxpayer. In short, this is shaping up to be a public trust issue because we expect conscientious public service.
In particular, the committee is challenged to be sure there is successful implementation of Vermont Health Connect (exchange). Members will be paying close attention to the development of education and outreach to enroll people in Vermont Health Connect. The committee understands that Vermonters will be faced with many new choices in insurance through Vermont Health Connect and that the outreach and support given to small business owners will not look the same as outreach to a family with young kids.
The committee is also focusing on payment reform and cost containment efforts. It's undisputed that at current rates of growth, the cost of providing health care the way we do is not sustainable. The committee is pressing the Green Mountain Care Board, DVHA and the Department of Health to save health care dollars by adapting our health care delivery system so that it improves quality and keeps people healthy.
The committee will give careful consideration to the cost of health insurance for Vermonters who were on VHAP and Catamount Assistance who will move to Vermont Health Connect (the exchange). This population includes working Vermonters who used to be eligible for some of Vermont's health care coverage expansions who will need to move to a private insurance product with federal tax credits and/or premium subsidies. The federal benefits will leave many of these people with much higher out of pocket costs in health care. The committee will consider the governor's proposal of how to keep these low income Vermonters from facing huge sticker shock in Vermont Health Connect.
Commerce: This week House Commerce and Economic Development committee finished most of its oversight review of agencies and departments and started working on bills starting with proposals that passed the House last year but did not see final action in the Senate. First up is a bill to allow workers compensation benefits to be paid by an electronic payment card similar to a debit card on a voluntary basis and with no fees to recipients, (H.51). If such a system had been in place during Irene, workers would have continued to receive their payments without interruption and added expense all around. The bill will likely pass out of committee next week.
The committee is also working on a bill (H.57) that would set up a pilot program allowing some workers on unemployment to start their own businesses and while working to do so, would be relieved of job search requirements. A few other states offer this program and participants have been successful in launching new businesses often employing many others. The bill proposes starting out with a small number of individuals– up to 35– and would give the Commissioner authority to suspend the program if warranted. The Committee is working carefully to balance the need to keep us on track to solvency in the UI (Unemployment Insurance) trust fund while looking for innovations such as a self-employment mechanism.
The committee heard from the Vermont Employee Ownership Center about their work with companies in transition that might go out of business, often because family members no longer are able to continue. Employee ownership preserves employment; encourages new thinking for a company; and are much less likely to move. A Vermont example of an employee owned company is King Arthur Flour in Norwich. They are now the second largest flour company after Pillsbury in the US.
This week the committee held a joint meeting at the Statehouse with House Judiciary and House Transportation on high gas prices, especially in Northwest Vermont. They learned that out of 400 gas markets in the US, northwest Vermont is currently ranked eleventh for profitability. The reasons are hard to fathom since prices are currently at least twenty cents less forty miles away in Middlebury or Montpelier and operating costs not necessarily that much higher in the Burlington area. They heard from gas pricing experts and from gas dealers on all sides of the issue. The Attorney General's office has identified possible reporting measures the legislature could require that would allow us to see if anti-trust violations are occurring. Only a few owners control the majority of gas stations. For a deregulated market to work, there needs to be vigorous competition.
The Committee started the session by taking testimony on issues in several areas of the Agency of Human Services Budget Adjustment requests. They do this at the request of the Appropriations Committee so that we can provide feedback to them on those requests. We supported most of the Administration's requests. One of the upward pressures in the Department for Children and Families (DCF) is a good news/bad news situation. The good news is that an initiative called STARS (STep AheadRecognition System) to promote high quality in child care programs has been very successful. The downside to this is that it is costing more than anticipated because so many programs are participating. But this is the kind of bad news we actually like to hear because this investment will pay valuable dividends in the long run.
In beginning to learn about the child care portion of the Governor's Initiative on Education, we heard from Doug Racine, Secretary of the Agency of Human Services. 72% of Vermont children under the age of six have both parents in the workforce, a fact that makes access to high-quality childcare critically important. The committee will be looking at all of the investments that the State makes to assist children in getting the best possible start in life and to move families out of poverty.
The committee weighed in with the Appropriations Committee on the request for $2.2 million to enable motel placements for the balance of FY13. While this figure is staggering, the prospect of people sleeping outside during the winter is simply unacceptable. At the same time, the committee is concerned about safety and habitability problems with motels. They look forward to hearing plans from the Department of Children and Families this session regarding more sustainable emergency housing in FY14.
Much creative work is being done by Vermont's exemplary housing network. Affordable, structurally sound alternatives to our older mobile homes are being designed, as new mobile home park coop ownership structures are actively explored. Treasurer Pearce is especially interested in creative ways to finance housing development. Efficiency Vermont is advancing energy efficiency initiatives. While representatives of Senators Leahy and Sanders report severe housing impacts from the federal budget, Vermont continues to experience lower foreclosure rates than most other states.
Gen. Tom Drew, the interim Adjutant General of the Vermont National Guard, spoke about the state of the Guard. Current enrollment is 2,820 members of the Army National Guard and 1,094 members of the Air National Guard. Members are staying on longer and full enrollment is expected in 2013. Expansion of the Vermont Office of Veterans Affairs' service officer program is needed to support claims for federal Veterans Administration claims. In addition, the committee heard from representatives of the American Legion, VFW, Vietnam Veterans Association, and other veteran's service organizations about their programs and legislative agendas.
Natural Resources and Energy: The Natural Resources and Energy Committee is taking up a "land use" bill that would ultimately provide a statewide lens on development patterns. The current practice is developer-led, with each proposed project considered in a vacuum. They also anticipate taking up a thermal heating bill (linked above in "Ways & Means") that would make it easier and more cost-effective for Vermonters to weatherize their homes lower their heating bills. Heating our buildings currently costs us $600 million a year, twice what it cost ten years ago. This is a looming crisis as well as an opportunity for economic development and an increase in disposable income.
Wishing you all a warm, healthy, and prosperous week!
Survey Results and Legislative Session PreviewJanuary 5th, 2013 | Be the First to Leave a Comment!
Happy New Year! I'm starting off 2013 with a strong resolve to communicate more effectively. In the spirit of keeping my resolutions, here is your first legislative update of 2013. (If you know of people would like to be on this list, drop me an email with their address. Thanks!)
(2) Decriminalization of Marijuana. Under federal and state law, it is illegal to possess marijuana. If the state were to decriminalize possession, it would likely apply only to very small amounts (2 oz or less). This change would not "legalize" marijuana, nor would it change the federal government's power to prosecute. A person found in possession of small amounts of marijuana would likely face a civil ticket (similar to a traffic ticket) instead of criminal charges.
75% Support 19% Oppose 7% Neutral
(3) Death with Dignity. Over a decade ago, Oregon passed a law that permitted a physician to provide terminally-ill patients with medication to end their own life. A similar bill was proposed in Vermont last session, but it limited the types of patients who may receive the medication (e.g. less than six months to live, several waiting periods, multiple requests, second opinions, no mental health diagnosis, etc.). The same bill, or one that is very similar, will probably be introduced next session.
74% Support 15% Oppose 7% Neutral 2% Blank
(4) Public Funding of Independent Schools. Towns that do not maintain a public school must pay tuition for their students to attend a public or independent school elsewhere. Public schools must comply with numerous state regulations, including an obligation to provide an education for students of all abilities. The law isn't clear about what independent schools must provide for students with special needs. Potential legislation would require that any school receiving public dollars be certified in a minimum number of special education areas.
58% Support 25% Oppose 11% Neutral 6% Blank
(5) Immunization Exemptions. Vermont physicians are reporting an alarming rise in the number of pertussis ("whooping cough") and other infectious diseases (e.g. measles) in Vermont's kids. At the same time, immunization rates are dropping. We will likely see a bill to eliminate the philosophical and/or religious exemption that a parent may currently claim in order to enroll their child in school without the required vaccinations.
57% Support 29% Oppose 9% Neutral 5% Blank
(6) Gun Safety. Vermont is heralded as having the least restrictive guns laws in the nation and still boasts a relatively low crime rate. In recent years, there have been several cases of accidental death or injury of a minor with a firearm. Advocates for gun safety are likely to propose a bill that holds a gun owner responsible for injury of a minor if the firearm used was loaded and stored negligently.
75% Support 14% Oppose 7% Neutral 4% Blank
(7) Raising Taxes. Vermont's income tax structure is already progressive. That is, people who make more money pay income tax at a higher rate. In 2011, 1% of Vermont's richest taxpayers were saved from paying over $100 million in taxes because of federal tax cut extensions. There will likely be legislation seeking a one-year surcharge – or a permanent tax increase – on the very wealthy so that Vermont could access that tax revenue. Low and middle-income earners are unlikely to be affected.
67% Support 20% Oppose 9% Neutral 4% Blank
(8) Prescription Drug Abuse. In 2006, Vermont created a database of pharmaceutical drugs prescribed in the state. Access to the database is largely limited to health care professionals. Despite opposition from civil liberties advocates, law enforcement officials are likely seek increased access to the database in order to investigate and prosecute cases of illegal use.
51% Support 30% Oppose 13% Neutral 5% Blank
(9) Broadband & Cellular Service. Do you have access to broadband internet (don't count satellite service) and can you receive a reasonable cell phone signal at your home?
Note: I collected this information in a case specific way. I'm using this feedback in a report I'm submitting to the Vermont Telecommunications Authority (VTA) to press for service expansion.
Legislative Preview (*my own predictions)
Vote Sarah BuxtonOctober 25th, 2012 | Be the First to Leave a Comment!
Letter about easing property tax burden on seniorsSeptember 30th, 2012 | Be the First to Leave a Comment!
In a recent "Buxton Banner," I stated that the legislature took action to address the property tax burden on seniors. A few weeks ago, a woman asked me to give her more information. I thought it would be helpful to others if I posted my response here. Sarah
"Several weeks ago, you asked me for more detail about what the legislature did to ease the property tax burden on seniors. I looked into the bill we passed (H.782) and found more specific information.
As you may know, our property tax system permits two options for payment – one based on income and one based on a set tax rate. Most people use the tax rate because, unless you own an enormous amount of land, it is less costly. A person's tax assessment under the rate formula also takes into consideration the household income. The tax department explained to me that the driving consideration in calculating household income is to determine a person's "ability to pay."
In general, the household income form gives preference to those who receive "earned income" rather than investment income. The theory is that those who derive their income by working are usually less able to pay their full property tax. More accurately, they tend to have less access to accumulated wealth from which to pay. But in recent years, many seniors have come to depend on interest and dividends from past and current investments as their income. Acknowledging that the source of income is no longer as accurate of a predictor of a person's ability to pay, we altered the law. Now, interest and dividend income over $10,000 is no longer "double counted" for claimants 65 or older. Check with your tax preparer to see if this will affect you.
In addition, we did a few other miscellaneous things in favor of seniors. Here are a few:
- Amended the definition of veteran for the purpose of the veteran's property tax exemption so that it will apply to more veterans
- Gave the state's taxpayer advocate the authority to assist an individual taxpayer in resolving disputes with the department of taxes, and established a process for the taxpayer advocate to recommend cases to the commissioner for extraordinary relief
- Excluded payments made into health savings accounts from the definition of household income for the purpose of property tax assessment
We also created a civil action against those who abuse, neglect, or exploit vulnerable adults.
I hope I answered your question. As always, feel free to contact me with any concerns."Posted in Uncategorized

subset: commoncrawl


text:
How We Build
First, Why Build with a Modular Building System?
Simply stated, using a modular building system enables you to get a better-built home for less money, in a more timely manner, without sacrificing anything!
Because your modular home is constructed at our manufacturing facilities, we have the advantage and buying power of purchasing the best materials and components in large quantities at a substantial savings which is a savings we pass along to you.
Modular is becoming the preferred building method for many homebuyers. Since the early 90s modular housing production has increased substantially. In the last few years as people have come to realize the advantages of modular building systems and the naturally Green attributes and energy efficiency of the product it is becoming even more popular. In some countries, including Japan, modular enjoys the same market share as in the U.S. yet cost substantially more thanm on-site building. Modular and site-built homes are both built to the same state, regional and local codes wherever they are built.
Manufactured homes, on the other hand, which R-Anell does not build, are constructed according to the Federal Construction Safety Standards Act (HUD/CODE). They must be constructed on a non-removable steel chassis and, as a result, are forbidden in many communities.
Builders like modular building systems because it saves the headaches, coordination problems and extra expense of working with multiple contractors. Our buying power means lower costs and, because assembly takes place in the factory, builders avoid costs associated with weather damage, waste and theft as well. And, of course, the superior quality and shorter punch list reflects well on the.


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Simple, light, and delicious! Add Sliced Mushrooms and a red bell pepper to round it out.
Chicken Pasta Primavera
Quentin Bacon
To save time, batch-cook the pasta and use precooked or rotisserie chicken for this easy, fiber-packed dish. Use a vegetable peeler to make the zucchini ribbons.
Resistant Starch: 2g
Yield: 2 servings (serving size: 3 1/2 cups)
More From Health
Recipe Time
Cook Time:
Prep Time:
Total: 20 Minutes
Nutritional Information
Amount per serving
- Calories: 410
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated fat: 2g
- Monounsaturated fat: 3.5g
- Polyunsaturated fat: 1g
- Protein: 28g
- Carbohydrate: 61g
- Fiber: 12g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
- Sodium: 480mg
- 1/2 cup uncooked whole-grain rotini
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup (4 ounces) cooked skinless, boneless chicken breast, sliced into 1/2-inch strips
- 1 onion, vertically sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups chopped tomato
- 1 zucchini, sliced lengthwise into ribbons
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain.
- 2. Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add chicken; cook 5 minutes.
- 3. Add onion, garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, and tomato to pan; cook 8 to 10 minutes.
- 4. Combine chicken mixture, pasta, and zucchini ribbons; toss gently. Top with Parmesan cheese.
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Chicken Pasta Primavera Recipe at a Glance
- COURSE: Main Dishes
- MAIN INGREDIENT: Pasta, Poultry
- PUBLICATION: Health
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Marmot Men's PreCip JacketItem Number: 11021402
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Rated 5 out of 5�by Trikevy Marmot precip jacket rocks my marmot jacket rocks. Came on a day that was hot and raining. Versatile arm zippers kept me from overheating. Lots of jazzy colors too. Now I need them for the whole family! June 12, 2013
Rated 5 out of 5�by Skier Well designed light shell This is my second, as I found one on clearance. I am very pleased with my first. I bought it as a light shell for skiing and use it when temperatures rise. It is well vented. Only complaint is it could use an interior pocket. Wore it out in a very hard downpour and it kept me quite dry. June 12, 2013
Rated 5 out of 5�by eagle 1 Very happy with purchase A very good buy! Love Marmot's quality. This is the 1st product that I have bought from them; certainly won't be the last. June 5, 2013


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WordPress is my platform of choice for blogging. My husband and I use WordPress on our self-hosted site Pastukhova-Floeder, and on my casual blog Matroschka: Im Osten viel Neues (hosted at WordPress.com) as well.
Vimeo Short Code is the one plugin I have built so far.


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The Golden Era of Defensive Stocks
Shmulik is a member of The Motley Fool Blog Network -- entries represent the personal opinion of the blogger and are not formally edited.
For the past few years, some analysts warned against investing in defense contractors. Their thinking is that the U.S. government will "get religion" and reduce spending… even on the defense industry, which is in enough foreign wars that it should be called the "offense industry." So it's time to sell defense stocks and jump into sectors offering better growth prospects, right?
Wrong. Unless you like taking risks, having the equities of big military suppliers in your portfolio is almost always a smart move. Although politicians love to bash the defense industry, its stocks offer unique characteristics that most investors can't obtain any other way. And it shows in the performance of defense stocks.
The market has spoken
The chart below displays the performance of "offense" contractors Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOC), Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) Elbit Systems (NASDAQ: ESLT) over the past 12 months. These companies produce things like jet fighters, missiles, radar systems, and unmanned aerial drones. They rely almost entirely on government spending. Last year, Northrop got 90% of its business from the U.S. government. For Lockheed, that number was 82%. Together, these two companies alone raked in more than $60 billion in government money last year.
The red line above shows the performance of Northrop, the blue line shows the performance of Lockheed, and the green line stands for Elbit. For Comparison purposes, I added the S&P 500 in purple to serve as a benchmark. As you can clearly see, over the past year - it's been highly profitable to play defense. All three defense stocks have climbed by 30% to 40% a year, easily besting the S&P. Last week, these three stocks broke out to their highest levels in more than four years. Despite claims to the contrary, no cutbacks are affecting these stocks.
The unique traits of the defense industry
Let's take a look at three reasons why defense stocks are now booming and are more than likely to continue their uptrend.
Counter - cyclical
Right now, China and Europe are slowing down and the possibility of another Middle East war looms as Israel prepares to attack Iran's nuclear complex. If Israel strikes, that will probably lead to Iranian missile launches, action in the Strait of Hormuz, spiking oil prices and other developments that depress the shares of most commercial companies. But not defense shares. When war looms, demand for the goods and services of military suppliers rises. That's why defense stocks are regarded as counter- cyclical.
Always in demand
Within the domestic defense market, industry has evolved in a way that makes it highly resilient to softening demand. When the Cold War ended, the top tier of the sector consolidated into a handful of military conglomerates that do business with all the military services in both hardware and services. Waning demand in any particular market segment presents little threat to these sprawling enterprises. The industry is so concentrated that there often are only one or two qualified suppliers of key military items, and politicians usually are determined to keep it that way.
Cutbacks or no cutbacks
The defense sector is usually immune to budget cutbacks. That's because the safety of lives always comes first. Everything else - consumer spending, interest rates and health insurance - all come later. Also, politicians hate the thought of being blamed for being negligent with American lives. The best way to avoid that is not to cut back spending on defense.
Going forward
Shares of all three companies appear ripe for further gains in the near- term future. Northrop has just delivered the first of four AQS-24A airborne mine-hunting vehicles to the Japanese Maritime Forces. This deal represents a major milestone in the development of Japan's military capabilities. A successful transition is likely to lead to further additional orders for Northrop. At a price-to-earnings of only 10 and price-to-sales of only 0.8, the market hasn't priced any upside potential in Northrop's shares.
When it comes to Lockheed, the future also seems rosy. The company just secured a $28 million contract from the Pentagon, maintaining software aboard Air Force C-5 Galaxy transport aircraft. At only 0.7 times book-to-price, Lockheed seems to be suffering from the same discount mispricing at its rival, Northrop.
Elbit, the smaller of the three, hasn't seen its best days. Israel is currently funneling all ot its F-35 aircraft orders through it. With the middle east looking the way it looks today...only more orders from Elbit are likely to follow.
The Fool plays defense
Very often, we tend to think of defense stocks as boring and uninteresting. The truth of the matter is that defense companies have immense barriers to entry, they are virtual monopolies and they enjoy a ongoing stream of government spending. In this uncertain economic environment, I believe that defense stocks are place to be.
Shmulik Karpf has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Is this post wrong? Click here. Think you can do better? Join us and write your own!


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Map It
Map City Services
Metro Newsroom
LouisvilleKY.gov Links
Wednesday March 31, 2010
Family & Children's Place, the area's leading child abuse prevention and treatment agency, is launching a month-long "Building Brighter Futures Community Challenge" campaign during April. Based on the premise that protecting children from abuse and neglect is every adult's responsibility, the campaign will urge every area resident to make a pledge to do at least one thing during Child Abuse Prevention Month to stop the mistreatment of infants, youngsters and teens in the community.
"We, as an agency, know how to prevent child abuse," said Dan Fox, president of Family & Children's Place. "We, as a community, must learn the simple things each of us can do, and then make a pledge to do them. The Building Brighter Futures campaign is a launching point for a new era in community involvement to prevent child abuse in the Greater Louisville area. During April, we will be offering residents daily tips, free sexual abuse prevention classes, online information and a mid-month rally to encourage them to make and carry out their pledges to the children who are our neighbors and, thus, our responsibility."
One of the first things residents can do is learn the facts about abuse, Fox said, noting that it happens to tiny infants, toddlers, youth and adolescents in every zip code, at every socioeconomic level, from every faith and of every ethnic background in the community. Unexplained injuries are not the only signs of abuse, he added, saying that behavior changes also often signal mistreatment.
In 2007, nearly 15,000 of the 88,292 reports of child abuse and neglect in Kentucky were confirmed by authorities. And 30 of those children died. In Indiana, there were 24,808 confirmed cases of abuse and neglect, and 36 deaths. A 2007 study by Prevent Child Abuse America estimated the direct and indirect costs of child abuse at $103.8 billion a year.
"Beyond these monetary costs, the physical, psychological, behavioral and societal consequences of child abuse can last lifetimes, if not generations," Fox said.
Daily Tips:
Beginning April 1, Family & Children's Place will be providing daily child abuse prevention suggestions and tips for area residents. The tips will be available daily online at www.familyandchildrensplace.org and www.facebook.com/familyandchildrensplace. Twitter users can get daily tips and other information by following @IStopAbuseINKY.Making the Pledge:
Mayor Jerry Abramson and First Lady Madeline Abramson will kick off the Building Brighter Futures Community Challenge by being the first to sign pledge cards at an April 1 event. Thereafter, the agency encourages every other area resident to complete a card to show their commitment to preventing child abuse. "We're asking everyone to pledge to do their part to stop another child from being abused or neglected," Mayor Abramson said. "Madeline and I are proud to make this pledge. And we're doing our part by using our voices to raise awareness as we speak to groups around our city." The pledge cards will be available beginning April 1 at various locations throughout Louisville, including:
Free Sexual Abuse Prevention Training Classes:
Family & Children's Place will host three free sessions of Darkness to Light training, a national program designed to raise awareness of the prevalence and consequences of child sexual abuse by educating adults about the steps they can take to prevent, recognize and react appropriately. These programs are free, open to the community and will be held on:
Space is first-come, first-served, and limited to 30 participants per training session. For more information and to reserve your space, please call Jaime Thompson at 584-8505, ext 218.
Community Rally:
On April 13, members of the community are invited to join child advocates and other residents at a Building Brighter Futures Community Challenge rally hosted by Family & Children's Place at Slugger Field at 11 a.m.
"During the rally, we will highlight the accomplishments of some of those individuals who already have made and carried out their child abuse prevention pledges, and we will encourage and provide more information for those who have not yet done so," Fox said.
Live, Online Discussion:
Family & Children's Place will host a live, online Facebook discussion about recognizing, preventing and reacting appropriately to child abuse and neglect. The discussion will take place at www.facebook.com/familyandchildrensplace on Tuesday, April 13, from noon until 7 p.m. The discussion will be staffed by counselors from Family & Children's Place who will respond online in real time to participants' questions and comments. Counselors also will post resources and tips during the live discussion, which will remain on the agency's fan page indefinitely. Participants may join at any time during the live discussion, or they may submit their questions and comments to the discussion page in advance and review the responses at a later time.About Family & Children's Place:
Family & Children's Place (www.familyandchildrensplace.org) works with thousands of families and children affected by violence, abuse and neglect in Jefferson County and 10 surrounding counties in
Kentucky and Southern Indiana. Services include:
· Child Advocacy Centers: The area's only comprehensive, child-friendly, treatment and evaluation centers for sexually-abused children.
· Children's Program: The area's only nationally accredited, state-licensed early childhood education program for children who have been abused.
· Supervised Visitation: The area's only such program for families separated due to abuse that can accommodate both in-home visits and visits in a secure, neutral space.
· Counseling Services: A broad-based family counseling program with proven interventions that serves child and adult victims of violence.
· HANDS: An in-home visitation program that helps prevent child abuse by teaching nurturing and parenting skills for first-time parents.
· Family & School Services (FASS): Structured school-based services that bring children, parents and school personnel together to help children struggling with attendance, performance and behavior, often due to abuse or other family crises.
· Homeless Prevention and Travelers Aid Services: Emergency support and long term assistance to help families at risk of homelessness achieve stable housing and self-sufficiency.


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Latest News
LaCrosse Talk
Information about and from LaCrosse Talk
LaCrosse's Library Budget for 2014.
This is a page of search results. Click on the "Current Budget Document" result to bring up the PDF.
WI's Do Not Call List or call (866) 966-2255
MN's Do Not Call List or call (800) 921-4110
Federal Do Not Call List or call (888) 382-1222
Charges Faced by Former Municipal Prosecutor Pete Kisken
Collins Sign Company Sold
Unemployment Bennies Not Extended
Federal jobless benefits expired yesterday after a failed attempt in the Senate to extend benefits for a year. Representative Scott Brown of Massachusetts blocked the vote on the measure because it wasn't paid for.
So what does that mean for over 44 thousand Wisconsinites? A horrible, terrible Christmas, according to Wisconsin State AFL-CIO President Phil Neuenfeldt.
He says that congress should pay for unemployment insurance and not tax cuts for the rich and that unemployment insurance creates jobs and does not add to the deficit.
Get Your Flu Shots!!!!!!!
The La Crosse County Health Department-Public Health Nursing Division will be offering a Seasonal Flu Clinic to the public on Saturday from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.; at the Festival Foods in La Crosse.
For those unable to attend the community clinic, appointments can be made Monday-Friday at the La Crosse County Health Department-Public Health Nursing Division.
State Did Not Drop Charges Against Priest Before His Death
The court case has closed, but questions remain about a La Crosse area priest who died this week.
Father Patrick Umberger died of cancer, a few months after being charged with possessing child porn on a computer. The La Crosse Diocese issued a statement, saying the Diocese has not received evidence that the priest broke the law. Umberger's attorney, Keith Belzer, agrees that no evidence of porn possession was found. Belzer cannot confirm a report that the Attorney General's office was prepared to drop the charges against Father Umberger, shortly before his death.
Future Deer Hunts Much Like This One?
For those hoping for a better deer season in La Crosse county this year, a disappointment. Preliminary numbers show this year's harvest during the nine day gun deer season was lower than last year. With the La Crosse county Conservation Alliance, Marc Schultz refuses to publicly judge the DNR on its deer management. But he will say that more local input on deer seasons would be welcomed. Not only from local wildlife managers but from local sportsmen as well. Schultz also suggests the current deer populations may be the new normal for the area from now on.


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Contact us Member login
Cola is one of the most popular forms of soft drink, widely available throughout the world. The precursor to colas, Vin Mariani, was invented by a French pharmacist, Angelo Mariani, in 1863. Modern colas nowadays consists of a blend of carbonated water, sugar or artificial sweetener, caramel for colour, and acid – usually phosphoric acid - to balance sweetness.
Soft Drinks from A > Z
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25 U.S. Code § 2016 - Rights of Indian students
The Secretary shall prescribe such rules and regulations as are necessary to ensure the constitutional and civil rights of Indian students attending Bureau-funded schools, including such students' rights to—
Source(Pub. L. 95–561, title XI, § 1136, as added Pub. L. 107–110, title X, § 1042,Jan. 8, 2002, 115 Stat. 2056.)
Prior Provisions
A prior section 2016,Pub. L. 95–561, title XI, § 1136, as added Pub. L. 103–382, title III, § 381,Oct. 20, 1994, 108 Stat. 4010, related to recruitment of Indian educators, prior to the general amendment of this chapter by Pub. L. 107–110. See section 2014 of this title.
Another prior section 2016,Pub. L. 95–561, title XI, § 1136,Nov. 1, 1978, 92 Stat. 2327; Pub. L. 97–375, title II, § 208(b),Dec. 21, 1982, 96 Stat. 1825; Pub. L. 98–511, title V, § 509,Oct. 19, 1984, 98 Stat. 2397; Pub. L. 99–89, § 7,Aug. 15, 1985, 99 Stat. 383, related to annual reports to Congressional committees and audits, prior to the general amendment of this chapter by Pub. L. 103–382.
A prior section 2016a,Pub. L. 100–297, title VI, § 6210,Apr. 28, 1988, 102 Stat. 427, directed Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Bureau of Indian Affairs to submit to appropriate committees of Congress, the President, and the Secretary by September 30 of every other year a report on education of Indian children, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 100–427, § 27,Sept. 9, 1988, 102 Stat. 1614.
The table below lists the classification updates, since Jan. 3, 2012, for this section. Updates to a broader range of sections may be found at the update page for containing chapter, title, etc.
The most recent Classification Table update that we have noticed was Tuesday, August 13, 2013
An empty table indicates that we see no relevant changes listed in the classification tables. If you suspect that our system may be missing something, please double-check with the Office of the Law Revision Counsel.
|Description of Change
|Session Year
|Public Law
|Statutes at Large
LII has no control over and does not endorse any external Internet site that contains links to or references LII.


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In association with
By Andy Downes -
General news
31 July 2009 14:02
We've got no idea who came up with this short video funny but it certainly made us giggle. We reckon every bike should have one of these must-have gadgets fitted as it makes life so much easier.
Was it your video? If so, get in touch because we'd love to be able to show off the creator and stars of the video.
Zoom & Watch more videos on MCN | TV
Upload stories, photos or videos direct to the site, or email email@example.com.
Or call us on 01733 468842 (+44 1733 468842)
Add your comment – Video funny: Automatic garage door opener (kind of)
Sign in You must be signed in to submit a comment.
04 September 2009 18:55
do your homework
heres the guy that done it
he's taking the piss out this
05 August 2009 01:27
Yeah I got one also, you have to screw it on the bed and it automates most things in the house.
03 August 2009 11:51
I like it. Laughed loads. I do have my own version. This is done from the Phone at work as I leave, I then ride home to find the front gates, the side gates and the garage door open and awaiting my arrival, and as I ride down the drive and turn the bike I can watch the front and side gates closing. Fantastic eh?. I have such a good Family!!
01 August 2009 10:48
There is also an oap version same type of programming but you have to push the button longer and the actual movement of the door opening mechanism is slower but it will operate on a 24 hr basis whereas the newer younger models tend to only operate between 1pm and 3am.
01 August 2009 10:08
Save money by comparing quotes. It's quick and easy
With over 18,000 products, MCN shop is the best place to buy your biking kit
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Lemon drizzle cake
By Tana Ramsay
Cooking timePrep: 15 mins Cook: 45 mins
Skill levelEasy
ServingsCuts into 10 slices
It's difficult not to demolish this classic by Tana Ramsay in just one sitting, so why not make two at once?
Nutrition and extra info
Additional info
- Freezable
Nutrition per slice
- kcalories
- 399
- protein
- 5g
- carbs
- 50g
- fat
- 21g
- saturates
- 13g
- fibre
- 1g
- sugar
- 33g
- salt
- 0.3g
- 225g unsalted butter, softened
- 225g caster sugar
- 4 eggs
- finely grated zest 1 lemon
- 225g self-raising flour
For the drizzle topping
- juice 1½ lemons
- 85g caster sugar
Buy Ingredients
Buy the ingredients for this recipe now via:
Want to know how this works? Read all about it here.
Tana says...
Having put lots of effort into making your gifts, take a bit of time to wrap them up. Sheets of cellophane are great and can be tied together with festive ribbons and decorations. Or look out for reasonably priced jars, dishes and cups, which make any gift look really special and can be used again afterwards.
- Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Beat together 225g softened unsalted butter and 225g caster sugar until pale and creamy, then add 4 eggs, one at a time, slowly mixing through. Sift in 225g flour, then add the finely grated zest of 1 lemon and mix until well combined. Line a loaf tin (8 x 21cm) with greaseproof paper, then spoon in the mixture and level the top with a spoon.
- Bake for 45-50 mins until a thin skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. While the cake is cooling in its tin, mix together the juice of 1 1/2 lemons and 85g caster sugar to make the drizzle. Prick the warm cake all over with a skewer or fork, then pour over the drizzle – the juice will sink in and the sugar will form a lovely, crisp topping. Leave in the tin until completely cool, then remove and serve. Will keep in an airtight container for 3-4 days, or freeze for up to 1 month.
Recipe from Good Food magazine, December 2007
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Comments, questions and tips
I have made this cake several times now and have found that whipping 2 egg whites before adding to the batter makes the sponge even lighter. I've also added in the juice of 1/2 a lemon to the batter for a little sharpness, which was lovely.
I'm also teaching my other half to cook – bless him, he'd burn a sandwich given half a chance – but he managed this on a day off of work last week. Was a very nice surprise!
I'm not an experienced baker but thought I'd try this recipe as it looked relatively simple. The result was fantastic!! After reading previous comments I added extra lemons and baked for 1 hour, which worked perfectly. The icy topping also worked well, ( I added this straight from the oven). All in all, it went down very well with the family and I will definitely be doing this one again.
Amazing recipie, was delighted how it turned out. I used an extra lemon for the rind and used the juice of two lemons and found the flavour perfect. Some people complained that the topping was not crisp - I poured the mixture on when the loaf was just out of the oven and it crispped up beautifully, not sure if this was the reason but might be worth a try?