text:
calendarA program that enables you to record events and appointments on an electronic calendar. Computer calendars act like datebooks, but they have several advantages over traditional datebooks:
Calendar software is part of a more general category of software known as PIMs (personal information managers). A special type of calendar, called a scheduler, enables groups of users connected to a network to coordinate their schedules.
If hackers get their hands on your company's data, they can wreak havoc on customer relationships and cause tremendous damage to your brand and... Read More »Windows XP: Move Along, There's Nothing to See Here
After more than 12 years of holding the title of most popular operating system in the world, Windows XP is taking center stage for its final... Read More »Report: The Role of Big Data in the Marketing Industry
According to a new study from Infogroup Targeting Solutions, we can expect to see companies spend heavily on big data marketing initiatives in... Read More »
Creating desktop shortcuts to a websites is useful. When you double-click the icon from your desktop it automatically launches the browser and... Read More »Flash Data Storage Vendor Trends
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Keeping track of big data trends, research and statistics gives IT professionals a solid foundation to plan big data projects. Here are 15... Read More »
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school resources
teacher resources
school finance & grants
Testing / Accountability
student assessment & ratings
standards, college prep & programs
data, statistics & research
News & Events
communications & calendars
ARRA/Ed Jobs
stimulus, stabilization, & ed jobs
The State Board of Education (SBOE), an elected 15 member board, and the Commissioner of Education oversee the public education system of Texas in accordance with the Texas Education Code.
These links provide more information about the SBOE and its activities.
Email the State Board of Education about revisions to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills curriculum standards at firstname.lastname@example.com. Contact the State Board of Education about general issues at email@example.com.
Open records requests involving the State Board of Education should be emailed to firstname.lastname@example.com or faxed to (512) 463-9838.
Page last modified on 3/21/2014 11:57:22 AM.
Copyright Texas Education Agency (TEA) 2007-2012

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Elmira Free Academy
Elmira, NY USA
Class Reunion Websites - No Ads, No Spam, No Pop-Ups, No Fees.
If you have an original photo of the school, please send it to firstname.lastname@example.com.
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"You've done a great job designing this and can be proud of your work. Thank you all so much."
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You can also read manga online try the Boku no Suki na Sensei manga!
You're reading Boku no Suki na Sensei 21 online. You can try some of the related manga below or try some other manga from our manga list.
Users who read Boku no Suki na Sensei also read Ai ga Areba Toshinosa Nante, Afuresou na Pool, Innocent Blue, Bed Room Tour!, Bokudake no Peach Sapuri and Deep Flower.


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NEC ViPowER USB 2.0 SmartDOCK Free Driver Download
USB, hdc
See details of driver package which includes support for this device.
Device Name
ViPowER USB 2.0 SmartDOCK
Supported Operating Systems
Windows 98, Windows 98SE, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows 2003, Windows ME, Windows Vista
Uploader Notes
Windows 98/98SE driver for the Bytecc ME-320-X USB enclosure.
Unzip to a temp folder and read the README.DOC file.
Uploaded By
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A quick-hit edition:
The Wall Street Journal reports that the two "are buying seven shopping centers from Regency Centers Inc. for more than $300 million," according to people familiar with the talks.The newspaper says it couldn't be determined which centers Blackstone and DDR are buying from Jacksonville-based Regency, which holds stakes in 348 centers. The deal, valued at $300 million to $400 million, is expected to close by the end of April, according to The Journal.It is unknown what percentages Blackstone and DDR each will take in the seven-center portfolio they are buying, "though the EPN deal indicates that DDR tends to take a minority stake and manage the purchased properties," the newspaper reports.DDR has worked with Blackstone previously, the story notes. Last December, DDR bought the Carolina Pavilion shopping center in Charlotte, N.C., from Blackstone for $106 million. Earlier in 2012, Blackstone bought a 95% stake in 46 big-box centers from EPN Group in a deal valued at $1.4 billion. DDR, which managed the properties before and after the deal, bought the other 5% stake.


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Superstar Shahrukh Khan shares a great bond with choreographer turned filmmaker Farah Khan and he very often showers precious gifts on Farah and this time the superstar has gifted a black Mercedes to Farah. Shahrukh is well known for showing gifts on his friends and colleagues. Farah Khan
Swades Foundation Launch
farah khan News
With a number of films making their way to the 100 crore club, this figure has become an old yardstick when measuring the success of a Bollywood film. Enter Happy New Year directed by former choreographer Farah Khan. The film is rumored to be heading for a tot
Bollywood star Deepika Padukone and superstar Shah Rukh Khan and a host of other B-town celebs were spotted at the birthday bash of Karim Morani on Sunday, March 24. The elegant actress took time out off from her busy schedule with the ongoing shooting of 'Happy New Year' and was seen arriving at


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Center for Ethics and Public Life Lecture: Chris Martenson
|Sunday, October 21, 2012
|7:30 pm
|Valders Hall of Science—Room 206
The Crash Course: Why Your Future is at Risk
Dr. Chris Martenson is an economic researcher & futurist specializing in energy and resource depletion. He is the founder and editor of the website ChrisMartenson.com, as well as its popular video seminar, The Crash Course.
Chris is in the dot-connecting business. A former scientist and Fortune 300 executive, he studies macro trends through his proprietary analytical framework based on the interdependence of the "Three Es" - the Economy, Energy & the Environment - and uses this lens to assess the probable impact of current developments in the marketplace.
Sponsor: Center for Ethics and Public Life
Contact: Greg Jesson, 563-387-1273


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Style: Straight
Material: Human Hair Blend
Length: Short3" front; 9 1/2" crown; 7" upper back; 6 1/2" top; 4" sides; 1/2" nape.
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I wrote a review once..
By My My My
from Livingston, AL
About Me Beauty Conscious
Comments about Marissa HH Blend Wig by Especially Yours:
This wig is awful..I washed it once according to the instructions..changed the texture of the hair as a result changed the hair style..threw the thing in my closetEspecially yours, do better or will take my business somewhere else
Bottom Line No, I would not recommend this to a friend
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By Queen Diva
from NC
Did not look anything like the Catalog, sending back.
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This wig was o.k. up until i washed..the texture of the hair changed which in returned change the styleI do not wear it anymoreEspecially yours, do better or i will started shopping on another site
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text: What kind of help do you need? (Example:"Panda AdminSecure", "2093 error") Tweet Error 1287: There is another instance of the WalTest local process running Information applies to: Products Panda Cloud Office ProtectionPanda Cloud Office Protection AdvancedSymptomsError 1287 integrating or sending status information to the server. The message displayed is:The process is in executionCauseThe error occurs because another instance of the WALTest local process is already running.In theory, this is not dangerous, as the error is returned when two executions of the local process coincide.However, if the server has not received status information for a long time, and the local process log files indicate that the error has been occurring in all executions for a long time, it could be an indication of blocking in the local process. Type of errorInformation. It will be displayed only in the Waltest log file.SolutionRestart the Panda Endpoint Administration Agent service. To do this:Go to Start >> Run and write: services.msc. Press Enter.Find the Panda Endpoint Administration Agent service, place the pointer on this service, right-click and select Restart. If the service does not stop, go to the Task Manager, select the process WAHost.exe and stop it. Then restart the Panda Endpoint Administration Agent service.Help nº- 20130103 501287 EN Help us improve our service by letting us know your opinion. Your suggestions will help to resolve your questions more quickly and effectively. Have you resolved your query with this article? YES NO Thanks for your answer How would you improve this article? Do you want to contact TechSupport?


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Conservatively Speaking
State Senator Mary Lazich (R-New Berlin) represents parts of four counties: Milwaukee, Waukesha, Racine, and Walworth. Her Senate District 28 includes New Berlin, Franklin, Greendale, Hales Corners, Muskego, Waterford, Big Bend, the town of Vernon and parts of Greenfield, East Troy, and Mukwonago. Senator Lazich has been in the Legislature for more than a decade. She considers herself a tireless crusader for lower taxes, reduced spending and smaller government.
Southern states lead the way in percentages of income tax "nonpayers"
One of the biggest news stories around tax deadline time this year was the growing number of Americans that don't have to pay federal income taxes.
The nonpartisan Tax Foundation in
Here's an astonishing fact. The Tax Foundation reports, "There are millions of other Americans who have some income but not enough to be required to file a tax return. The
Read more from the Tax Foundation.
Troubling tracking
After hearing from local law enforcement in Senate District 28 that I represent, I opposed a provision in the 2009-11 state budget that requires law enforcement throughout
One of the departments I heard from was the Franklin Police Department through the Franklin Common Council.
As feared and predicted, the tracking requirement will be costly. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports:
"Plans released last week by the state Office of Justice Assistance show the cost to the state to gather the data would be $757,000 next year - costs that would be paid through an additional $1.50 fee on traffic tickets, other civil fines and some court filing fees.
That wouldn't include the costs for local police departments, which have to ensure the data is collected and forwarded to the state. The easiest method for officers on patrol would be to use a modified version of an existing data system called Badger Tracs that already is used by the state and some local police departments to track tickets. That system, which automatically could forward the data to the state, uses special laptops installed in squad cars at a cost of $5,000 to $8,000 each.
Good luck, boys and girls!
The 2010 WIAA Girls Softball and Boys Spring Baseball Tournaments begin today. The following schools located in state Senate District 28 will be competing.
New Berlin
Best of luck to all!
UPDATE: Scores from Tuesday:
Waterford forfeited to Burlington
Kenosha Tremper 4
Mukwonago 3
Franklin 21
Milwaukee Bay View 0
Greendale 11
Racine Horlick 1
Whitnall 2
Waukesha South 1
New Berlin Eisenhower 5
New Berlin West 0
Greendale Martin Luther 12
Racine St. Catherine's 2
Waterford 10
Racine Horlick 5
Greendale Martin Luther 10
Racine St. Catherine's 0
UPDATE: Scores from Wednesday:
Greendale Martin Luther 3
Kenosha St. Joseph 2
(9 innings)
UPDATE: Scores from Thursday:
Greenfield 4
Racine Case 3
South Milwaukee 7
Franklin 2
Kettle Moraine 16
The 2009-10 general legislative session review: Promi$e$, promi$e$
A disturbing trend permeated the 2009-10 general legislative session: Despite a nagging recession, state government foolishly kept making bold promises via expansion or creation of programs that are unaffordable.
The Washington Times reports dependence on government programs is at an all-time high. Using February 2010 data from the Commerce Department, the newspaper concludes, "For the first time since the Great Depression, Americans took more aid from the government than they paid in taxes." The Times says there has been "an extraordinary flood of government spending." Any blip in the economic recovery is being attributed to this avalanche of public expenditures. However, economists concur this type of remedy is unsustainable. Record borrowing was used to pay for the record spending that has resulted in record debt.
The Heritage Foundation reports, "Our current national debt stands at $12.5 trillion, or nearly $42,000 for every man, woman, and child in the country." Moody's is threatening that if the
During March 2007, then-US Comptroller General David Walker appeared on CBS' "60 Minutes" and said: "I will argue the most serious threat to the
History demonstrates repeatedly that government programs are always more expensive and less effective than advertised. Our state cannot afford current programs let alone brand new ventures. Repealing a costly government program or service is next to impossible.
Throughout history, American sustenance has been predicated upon innovation and entrepreneurship. American way of life has seen a total reversal with a complacent dependency on the public sector. High taxes lead to abandoning long term planning and more short term oriented philosophies. We spend and borrow to achieve gratification today, pushing the bills and hard decisions to our children and grandchildren.
Government should maintain its primary functions of defense, public safety, courts, and caring for the neediest. Government becomes destructive when it over-taxes and over-spends through unaffordable program expansion, i.e. promises we cannot keep. Shuffling the fiscal responsibility off to future generations is immoral. A better headline for the Washington Times report could be that reliance on the American taxpayer is at an all-time high. The well is on the verge of going dry. The proper solution is to shut off the tax and spend spigot.
Let's look at how
During October 2008, the state reached an agreement with the federal government allowing
The 2009-11 state budget, crafted and approved by legislative Democrats and signed into law by Governor Doyle reduced funding for the state's Medical Assistance (MA) program by $600 million. Ironically, Department of Health Services (DHS) was instructed to find the necessary savings. I heard from medically fragile MA constituents dreadfully concerned about the MA funding reductions and the health care rationing they are expecting as a result of the nearly $600 million funding cut. Instead, BadgerCare Plus was expanded, and a few months later, enrollment was suspended (more on that later in this blog).
Despite a massive cut to MA in the 2009-11 budget, the state, at the time, made the decision to maintain eligibility standards and benefits for Medicaid and BadgerCare Plus recipients at their current levels.
Follow the political gamesmanship. Governor Doyle promised to put a Rolls Royce under the Christmas tree on a Ford budget. He created a tremendous demand for residents seeking health care and residents rush forward to enlist. The problem: The state can't pay for the Rolls-Royce. Governor Doyle and the Democrats promised MA and BadgerCare Plus and cannot pay for either. However, the governor seems to believe the federal government can pay for it. Since he can't keep his promises, he expects others to keep them for him.
When interest surges far beyond what the state can affordably provide, the governor then pulls the rug out from underneath innocent and unsuspecting citizens. After offering false hope to thousands of health care seekers, what is the governor's solution? The state will establish another program to offer limited coverage to people who, for now, have had the door shut in their faces and must keep their fingers crossed while on a waiting list. The governor made another promise: the new program will be created without cost to taxpayers. Do you believe it?
So……despite limited resources and continuing serious problems with delivery of social service program benefits, the state surged forward with plans to expand existing programs like BadgerCare. I formally asked the co-chairpersons of the Joint Committee on Audit that I serve on to request that the Legislative Audit Bureau conduct a full review of the BadgerCare program.
Where there's smoke, there's fire. We are still trying to figure out all the things that went wrong with Wisconsin Shares, and we still haven't learned our lessons from the food stamp debacle a few years ago. Writer George Santayana is most famous for his quote, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." Santayana's historic words are especially true applied to recent controversies in Wisconsin health programs.
Warning signals that could and should have prevented scandals of today were apparent years ago. During 2003, the Audit Bureau reported that "Wisconsin's food stamp benefit payment error rate…has been at an historical high of 4.4 percentage points above the national average. Since FFY 1993-94, the federal government has imposed a total of $10.6 million in sanctions as a result of Wisconsin's high error rates. Wisconsin had the third-worst error rate in the nation during these two years (FFY 2000-01 and 2001-02). Only California and Michigan had higher error rates than Wisconsin."
Serious errors occurred in the food stamp program, followed by fraud in Wisconsin Shares. A Milwaukee Journal Sentinel investigation turned up astounding levels of fraud in Wisconsin Shares, identifying nearly $750,000 in suspicious child care disbursements. Since then, the Audit Bureau has estimated that fraud and errors cost Wisconsin taxpayers $16.7 million to $18.5 million during 2008 alone.
During 2009, the state created BadgerCare Plus Core, an extension of the BadgerCare Plus program to include adults that don't have children. The state Senate Health Committee that I serve on was informed the waiting list for BadgerCare Plus Core had ballooned to about 7,000 people. The earliest the waiting list applicants would be eligible for insurance would be March 2010 and by then the waiting list could grow to over 20,000.
There was a flood of applicants to BadgerCare Plus Core, causing backlogs for the new food stamp program, FoodShare, resulting in thousands of people waiting months for benefits. The US Department of Agriculture views Wisconsin's backlog of cases among the worst in the country. Failure to process applications and distribute or deny benefits in a timely manner could have meant federal sanctions issued against the state.
Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) Secretary Karen Timberlake supplied data reported by the Journal Sentinel that the state received more than 46,000 applications for FoodShare from June 15 to October 19, 2009. Over 29,000 applicants waited more than 30 days to either obtain a debit card to purchase food or have their enrollment rejected. Wait times over the telephone to receive information about FoodShare applications are lasting over an hour.
The fiscally irresponsible pattern starts with the mantra that people need coverage followed by the argument that people are under-covered. Programs keep getting bloated, never getting smaller. Government falls further and further behind in its attempts to keep promises and then makes the injudicious decision to make more promises, create more programs, and spend more money it does not have.
Keep in mind the governor and legislative Democrats cut about $600 million from Medical Assistance. DHS continues to struggle with making up for the cut. Their answer is to develop more programs the state can't afford or administer appropriately. To consider such new programs given our current fiscal and human service delivery problems is mind-boggling.
In a letter I sent to Joint Audit Committee co-chairs and the state Auditor requesting an audit of the BadgerCare program, I wrote, "My intent is not to cast blame, or to scapegoat, it is to have the Audit Bureau identify inefficiencies or problems that the Department of Health Services can utilize to assist more individuals properly and effectively. A BadgerCare audit by the Wisconsin Legislative Audit Bureau is preventative medicine to ensure the state does not repeat previous scandals. The outstanding Audit Bureau can make sure the state does not." We owe it to the taxpayers to ensure their money is being spent as wisely and efficiently as possible.
So again…. strong signs indicate that the recent proliferation of government health care in Wisconsin causes a crisis. The recent expansion of state BadgerCare government insurance caused an abrupt stoppage of enrollment during October 2009. During January 2010 enrollment was 63,644. The projected enrollment was 24,900. How is Governor Doyle's Department of Health Services paying for health care for 63,644? The answer the legislature got was to create another version of BadgerCare for those that were cut off from enrolling.
In the very same budget that expanded BadgerCare to more population, the Doyle administration's Department of Health Services was directed to reduce medical assistance spending by $600 million. On top of that, the state has been late making Medicaid payments to hundreds of providers of care to the frail elderly and those with serious disabilities.
The BadgerCare debacle, cutting $600 million in government health care expenditures, and the $955 million Family Care Program are three known medical assistance problems. Yet, a state audit of Medical Assistance requested by Republican state Senator Rob Cowles and I is being stopped at every turn by Democrats.
In addition, an audit by the Legislative Audit Bureau found a $109 million shortfall in the Injured Patients and Families Compensation Fund, the state's medical malpractice fund. To balance the 2007-09 state budget, $200 million was raided from the Injured Patients and Families Compensation Fund to balance the 2007-09 state budget.
I sincerely wish the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel or any other news outlet would duplicate the Journal Sentinel's award-winning reporting on the Wisconsin Shares program that led to an audit of the state subsidized child care program. This time, the focus should be on the $6 billion state Medical Assistance program. Imagine the amount of fraud and waste that could be uncovered by investigative reporters.
The State Legislative Audit Bureau published a scope statement for an audit of Medical Assistance. The co-chairs of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee scheduled two meetings to approve a Medical Assistance audit. At both meetings Democrats obstructed the audit. The Joint Legislative Audit Committee that I serve on should, as I have requested, schedule an audit of Medical Assistance to determine the scope of inefficiency in one of the state's largest programs. A full-blown audit by our outstanding Legislative Audit Bureau would provide clear answers. Ongoing problems with unaffordable programs that the state continues to expand must stop.
The budget
Global warming
Sex education
Releasing felons early
The Democrat-approved auto insurance increases are now in effect
A question for
At any time during the first six months of 2009, during the 2009-11 state budget deliberations, did you contact Governor Doyle, your state Senator, and/or your state Representative to voice concern that your auto insurance premiums were too low and state government should take action to make your premiums increase?
As you chuckle and scoff, let me just say, I didn't think so.
And yet, Governor Doyle and the Democrat-controlled Legislature decided to include a provision in the current state budget that mandate higher auto insurance premiums that officially increase today, June 1, 2010.
On March 3, 2009, I blogged:
"The Wisconsin Insurance
The WIA says the new limits would mean some motorists could experience cost increases ranging from 33-45 percent with the largest dollar increases affecting
The WIA worries the increased rates will result in the dangerous scenario of more uninsured motorists on
I agree with the WIA that the issue of auto insurance rates is not an appropriate matter to be dumped into the state budget and should be debated as a separate policy item."
Then on June 17, 2009, I blogged:
"I offered an amendment to remove a provision that would increase your auto insurance premiums by mandating motorists take on additional coverage.
I have talked with agents in the insurance industry and they assure me that auto insurance rates will increase. They explain consumers are beginning to pay their premiums in installments due to the poor economy and are likely to drop their auto insurance, creating great risk.
Why would we want to encourage motorists to do away with insurance?
This provision penalizes decent people paying their bills and continuing to have coverage.
We are fortunate in
Increases were approved by legislative Democrats in both the state Senate and state Assembly and signed into law by Governor Doyle.
Making matters worse, after the budget became law, word started to spread and consumers started to get angry. Democrats falsely claimed that insurance companies lobbied for the increases.
On November 2, 2009, I blogged, "Your auto insurance is going up and here's why." Here is an excerpt:
Where do we stand today?
Effective June 1, 2010, the insurance hikes mandated by Democrats in their 2009-11 state budget are in effect. The Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance (OCI) reports:
"Effective June 1, no one may operate a motor vehicle in Wisconsin unless the owner or operator has a motor vehicle liability policy in place covering that vehicle that has minimum liability limits of $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident for bodily injury and $15,000 for property damage. Drivers are also required to have proof of the vehicle's liability coverage in their possession if they are asked to produce evidence of coverage by law enforcement officials."
Again, did you Wisconsin residents demand these changes?
The automatic increase in auto insurance premiums is part of the more than $3 billion increase in taxes and fees approved by Democrats in the 2009-11 state budget, according to the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance.
Statement re: New Berlin City Center Controversy
From the very beginning, I have vehemently opposed a planned multifamily and senior housing development for the
On March 3, 2010, I was contacted by Dan Kassis, Project Manager for MSP Real Estate, Inc. Kassis informed me that MSP was applying to the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) for use of low income housing credits. Kassis asked me to sign a letter of support for the project and supplied two sample letters to consider. I refused to sign the letters and refused to support the project.
About one week later, I learned that state Senator Fred Risser (D-Madison) and state Senator Jon Erpenbach (D-Middleton) had also been approached by MSP and sent letters of support for the project to WHEDA. It angers and concerns me deeply that the developers, upon failing to garner sufficient local support, would turn to Democrats from
Good luck, girls!
The 2010 WIAA Girls Soccer State Tournament begins today with regional games. The following schools located in state Senate District 28 will be competing:
Audit: Emergency Management
The Legislative Audit Bureau (LAB) has completed a review of
Federal funding can be used to prepare for, prevent, respond to, and recover from terrorism and other disasters. Most of the federal funding
However, the LAB has concerns about communications and preparing for emergencies in
The LAB reports the state does not have "an interoperable communications system that would allow all emergency responders statewide to communicate with one another during a large-scale emergency." Four regional interoperable programs have been created. The Office of Justice Assistance (OJA) that disburses most of the Homeland Security funding the state receives is establishing a statewide interoperability plan with the anticipation that a statewide system could be operating during 2011. Initiation radio coverage will be provided to 95 percent of the state, but, as the LAB reports, "only for in-vehicle radios with strong antenna ranges." That means many local units of government will need to buy equipment capable of gaining access to the system. The costs are unknown.
Local governments contacted by the LAB worry that the system depends on the VHF band that does not penetrate buildings as well as other radio bands and can be difficult to use in urban areas with heavy radio traffic. The portable radios used by emergency responders lack strong antenna ranges and may not be able to gain access to the system from all locations. Since costs are unknown, local government officials worry the future cost will be significant.
Another LAB concern relates to planning for emergencies. Wisconsin Emergency Management (WEM) has yet to complete the Wisconsin Emergency Reponses Plan and share it with all county and tribal emergency management departments. WEM has also failed to establish an electronic system for tracking all emergency management resources statewide that could be beneficial during emergencies involving multiple counties. WEM intends to implement the system sometime this year.
The LAB also reports:
"While the State and local governments have made progress in improving some aspects of emergency preparedness, responses to two recent and significant natural disasters indicate that additional efforts are needed, particularly to achieve interoperable communications among all responders to large emergencies."
Here are the details about those two natural disasters:
"In February 2008, a severe winter storm stranded hundreds of motorists for more than 12 hours on Interstate 90 in Dane and Rock counties. The Adjutant General's March 2008 written assessment of the response noted that county staff and Wisconsin National Guard units were unable to communicate with one another during the storm, state emergency management officials lacked an accurate and timely assessment of the incident's magnitude, and the public was not adequately informed about the ongoing incident.
In June 2008, flooding resulted in the declaration of a state of emergency in 30 counties in southern
needed between the State's emergency operations center in
In response to the difficulties that hindered the responses to these two emergencies, the State has taken steps to improve its preparation for emergencies. DOT updated its procedures so that
Insurance agents scrambling to help confused motorists
It was bound to happen.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports:
"The new rules and confusion over them have caused customers to flock to insurance offices statewide. Several agents said they've had double or triple the normal number of calls and visits about auto insurance this week.
Agents also have to explain the terminology of auto insurance and the types of coverage to customers who have never had it before. (
To add to the potential confusion, agents in some cases are telling drivers that the new state minimum coverage rules don't really do enough to protect them."
Here are details about the new law from the Wisconsin Insurance Commissioner's Office.
No more raids? Let's ask the voters
During three consecutive biennial state budgets, Governor Doyle raided the state's Transportation Fund. Here is the history, provided by the Legislative Fiscal Bureau (LFB) in an informational paper it published during January 2009:
"The 2003-05 budget act used a combination of direct appropriations from the transportation fund for general fund programs (shared revenue and K-12 education aids) and a transfer of revenues from the transportation fund to the general fund, for a total of $675.0 million."
First raid = $675 million.
Back to the LFB:
"The 2005-07 biennial budget act made a transfer of $427.0 million from the transportation fund to the general fund, but did not make any direct appropriations from the transportation fund to general fund programs."
Second raid = $427 million.
Again, the LFB:
"The 2007-09 budget act (Act 20) and the 2008-09 budget adjustment act (Act 226) together resulted in a transfer of $155 million from the transportation fund to the general fund. "
Third raid = $155 million.
The six-year total of transfers and appropriations from the transportation fund = $1.257 billion.
The LFB reports the use of replacement bonds offset the transfers ($865.5 million), however the debt service paid from the transportation fund during the 2003-05 biennium ($43.9 million) adds to the loss.
The LFB concludes, "Therefore, the total loss to the transportation fund over the six years equals $435.4 million."
That's $435.4 million unavailable for the use it was intended: road projects statewide.
The raids have triggered a call for counties to hold advisory referenda this fall asking for an end to the transfers. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports:
"A coalition of groups is pushing for advisory referendums this fall in counties statewide to urge lawmakers to change the state constitution and keep their hands off the transportation fund in response to $1.2 billion being drained from the account.
Time to audit UW funding of abortion training
The Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) is recommending the state Legislative Audit Bureau (LAB) investigate whether the
The Associated Press reports, "
Assistant Attorney General Kevin Potter wrote a letter to the LAB May 25, 2010 that reads, in part:
"Wisconsin law provides that 'no funds of this state or of …any agency of this state…shall be authorized for or paid to a physician or surgeon or a hospital, clinic or other medical facility for the performance of an abortion."
Although we have not yet concluded that UWCHA has violated section 20.927, the information contained in the April 16, 2010, letter (sent from Alliance Defense Fund to Attorney General Van Hollen) does raise concerns that we believe should be brought to your attention. Because e a violation of section 20.927 is not, in and of itself, a criminal offense, the Department of Justice has limited authority to investigate the matter. The Legislative Audit Bureau, on the other hand, is charged with financial oversight of state operations to insure compliance with applicable law."
Assistant AG Potter then suggests the LAB examine the following: Records reflecting the activities performed by UWCHA residents assigned to Planned Parenthood facilities or other facilities abortions are performed; a copy of all contracts, agreements, memoranda of understanding, or similar documents between UWCHA and any organization that performs abortions or operates a facility that performs abortions; and internal UWCHA records pertinent to this matter.
As a member of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee, I wholeheartedly support the DOJ request for this audit.
Read the letter from the DOJ to the LAB and the Associated Press article.
"Paper or plastic? That'll be 25 cents"
One has to wonder how this idea got by Wisconsin Democrats.
It's called the bag tax. Fifteen states have proposed charging for paper, plastic bags or both ranging from five cents in Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Virginia to 25 cents in Hawaii and the city of Baltimore.
The rationale offered by the bag taxers is that the additional charge will lead more consumers to reject paper and/or plastic and a cleaner environment will result. Like most good-intentioned policies, this one comes up short.
The Tax Foundation in
How is the
Because the intended use of the bag tax is being altered, that makes the additional charge per bag, by definition, a tax as opposed to a fee. Proponents of the charge have preferred spinning it as a fee, claiming those paying stand to benefit. However, revenue collected and results have both been minimal. So the fee is actually a tax, just another means of seeking general revenue.
One of the consequences of a bag tax has consumers rushing to buy paper or plastic bags in bulk. In essence, as the Tax Foundation emphasizes consumers will "purchase products that have the same chance of ill effects as grocery bags." In
Proponents can be their own worst enemies. Seattle bag taxers oversold the concept, making ambitious pitches that the extra revenue would lead to reduced greenhouse emissions, reduced landfill deposits, and less street and ocean litter.
I suspect that despite the many question marks, bag tax proposals will surface across the country. Read more from the Tax Foundation.
The 2009-10 legislative session by the numbers
The nonpartisan Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance (WISTAX) has crunched the numbers from the 2009-10 general legislative session that ended during April 2010 to determine the extent of legislative activity. Here are some of the findings:
"Legislators made 8,987 requests for bills, amendments, and resolutions to be drafted in statutory language in 2009-10.
A total of 412 bills passed the legislature this session, up from 243 in 2007-08 and the fourth-highest number in the last 10 sessions.
The assembly convened and took a roll call 36 times in 2009-10, up from 29 times in 2007-08, but down from sessions in the 1980s and 1990s when session days often exceeded 60.
As has been the case in recent years, the senate convened slightly fewer days (31) than the assembly, but numbers in both houses could grow if lawmakers were yet to meet in special session."
Some observers base their legislative activity barometer on total number of bills approved. Others argue that the Legislature could inflict too much damage by passing too many bills that create too many taxes, fees, spending, rules, regulations, bureaucracy, and bad policy. This past session is a perfect example.
Read more from WISTAX.
Free ride indeed
What did Governor Doyle expect?
After announcing the Wisconsin Covenant, a program designed to offer financial aid to high achieving students attending an in-state public institution, parents anticipated a free ride.
The Covenant is a perfect example of a government program with lofty promises that cannot be kept, especially during a downturn in the economy.
Other states also have merit-based scholarship programs similar to the Wisconsin Covenant and are considering major changes.
That was then. Several problems are forcing
The struggling economy
Reduced lottery proceeds that fund HOPE
Rising tuition costs
Booming enrollments
The result is
States like
Cut the scholarship amounts
Cut the number of students eligible
Increase academic standards for eligibility
Put an income limit on those eligible
None of the options would be popular.
The first round of Wisconsin Covenant students are scheduled to attend class in the fall of 2011.
Welcome home, Steve Warner!
On behalf of my entire family, I extend a warm, loving welcome home to my son-in-law,
Steve is stationed in the U.S. Navy at
Steve's wife, our daughter, Rhonda and their two children, Kaytlyn and Madyson stayed with us in
We miss Rhonda, Katie, and Maddy immensely. However, we are overjoyed that Steve, Rhonda, Kaytlyn and Madyson are safely reunited.
Steve's return was delayed several times. We were at
Here are some photos of the family. The first two photos are Katie waiting for Daddy, holding a flag I gave her for her Daddy's happy homecoming.
Welcome home, Steve! We are so happy to have you home safe! God bless you and thank you for your service to
Could New Berlin City Center case end up in court?
Constituents have been asking me questions about possible lawsuits in the wake of new developments in the
The concern is that the developer of proposed housing might sue the city of
A similar story unfolded recently in
At this link you may read about the
One cannot assume that the
However, the
At this point, any discussion about potential lawsuits is pure conjecture.
Letter to WHEDA: Deny New Berlin City Center development financial request
Famous flag still missing for almost 10 years
"It's a piece of history. I don't think the average citizen knows it's missing."
Shirley Dreifus, referring to an American flag that flew at Ground Zero.
September 11, 2001.
Six hours after the
When the three arrived at Ground Zero, they found a long pole, attached Old Glory, and raised the Stars and Stripes, unaware that photographer Thomas Franklin of The Record newspaper in
Oil spill scammers
Oil continues to spew from the massive spill in the Gulf. Patches of oil from the Deepwater Horizon spill are seen from an underwater vantage in the Gulf of Mexico south of
AP photo.
Every day, the news media conveys pictures showing the effects of the disaster. At the
LA Times photo
Naturally, good-hearted Americans want to help. Unscrupulous scammers are highly aware and are trying to take advantage.
The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) is warning consumers to use caution before making any charitable donations. DATCP writes, "Scammers will use e-mails, websites, and telephone calls to make contact and solicit money - claiming they're raising money for environmental causes or other fraudulent services relating to the oil spill."
Read tips about avoiding spill-related scams from DATCP.
Wisconsin economic performance near the bottom
When a new economic report is issued about
The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) has released its 2010 edition of "
From the ALEC report:
"To give you a more in-depth look at which states are asking more from taxpayers—and in the process making their states less competitive— we have put together our very own top 10 list of biggest state losers for 2010.
Co-author of the report and highly-regarded economist Dr. Arthur B. Laffer said in an ALEC press release, "Tax and economic policies are essential to the competiveness of our states. Most actions being taken in state capitals today—and practically all actions from
"The tax-and-spend attitude in
According to the release, the authors "found that states with a high and rising tax burden are more likely to drive away individuals and business, while those with lower and falling tax burdens are more likely to attract businesses and create jobs."
The solution for the states: Reasonable spending limits. The report says, "If states would have simply allowed their spending to grow at the rate of population plus inflation (PPI) growth, they would (almost without exception) be sitting on budget surpluses instead of facing deficits."
Some states have actually cut taxes.
ALEC concludes that
Here is the ALEC report and the ALEC press release.
DPI issues emergency rule about mascot law
"Plain language analysis:
2009 Wisconsin Act 250 allows a school district resident to object to the use of a race-based nickname, logo, mascot, or team name by the school board of that school district by filing a complaint with the state superintendent. If a complaint objects to the use of a nickname or team name by a school board, the state superintendent must immediately review the complaint and determine whether the use of the nickname or team name by the school board, alone or in connection with a logo or mascot, is ambiguous as to whether it is race-based.
The CPR challenge
The American Heart Association (AHA) has embarked on a campaign to have 1 million people learn about CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and AEDs (automated external defibrillators). Less than 1/3 of individuals that suffer cardiac arrest, whether it occurs in the home, at work, or in pubic receive immediate, life-saving CPR from someone nearby.
The AHA has made it easier for people to learn the procedure and has worked to address the concerns of bystanders who fear they may act inappropriately.
Read more about the AHA campaign here and watch the following public service announcement.
WRTL Urges Officials to Determine if UW is Violating Abortion-Funding Law
Wisconsin Right To Life (WRTL) has sent the following memo to the co-chairs of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee that I serve on, expressing concerns about the possibility that the UW Hospital and Clinics Authority Board is violating
"June 7, 2010
Senator Kathleen Vinehout, Joint Legislative Audit Committee Co-Chair
Representative Peter Barca, Joint Legislative Audit Committee Co-Chair
Dear Senator Vinehout and Representative Barca,
I am writing on behalf of Wisconsin Right to Life to request that the Joint Legislative Audit Committee to look into whether the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics Authority (UWHCA) is in compliance with section 20.927 of the
In a letter to State Auditor Janice Mueller dated May 25, 2010, Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen encouraged the Legislative Audit Bureau to look into the possibility that UWHCA is violating section 20.927 by using its funds to pay medical residents for performing abortions at Planned Parenthood.
In his letter, Attorney General Van Hollen outlined the information from UWHCA that would be helpful in determining whether UWHCA is in violation of the law.
Mopeds, too
From the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT) website:
"Do I need a license to drive a moped?
A driver license is required.
They (moped drivers) can operate a moped with a Class D regular or probationary license. However, it is not legal to operate a moped with only a valid instruction permit.
A moped is:
Any of the following vehicles (excluding a tractor) capable of speeds not more than 30 mph, with 150 lb. Rider on a dry, level, hard surface with no wind, a power source as an integral part of the vehicle, and a seat for the operator:
State Patrol advises slowing down
Every 46 minutes in
During 2009, more than 200,000 speeding citations were issued in
Speeding is the State Patrol's "Law of the Month" for June.
Wisconsin No Call List sets record
The new Wisconsin No Call List that goes into effect July 1, 2010, will include more than 2.1 million phone numbers.
What area code has the most phone numbers enrolled? Read more from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.
If you think things are bad in Washington.....
Most Americans would assuredly agree that our debt dilemma is out of control. The debt clock looks like something in a
A Supermarket of Veterans Benefits
The state of Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs is reminding veterans to attend a one-stop shop event to learn about available benefits. It's called the "Supermarket of Veterans Benefits" and is scheduled to be held soon in
The Supermarkets were designed to put representatives from federal, state, and local agencies that provide services to veterans and their families in a single location. Information is available about the following areas:
VA health care
VA disability compensation/pension
Congratulations, Hales Corners!
Hales Corners has been named one of the most affordable suburbs in the
Here are the details.
Federal spending by the numbers
Mind-boggling numbers and data highlight the Heritage Foundation's 2010 edition of "Federal Spending by the Numbers." The staggering report authored by UW-Madison graduate Brian Riedl, the Heritage Foundation's lead budget analyst, outlines out of control taxing and spending in Washington D.C. with fiscal irresponsibility reigning.
Stop and smell the roses in Hales Corners
The Wisconsin Department of Tourism has published its list of the "Top 15 Places to Stop and Smell the Roses, Lilacs and Other Blooming Wonders."
An absolute must to be included on the list is the lovely Boerner Botanical Gardens located in Senate District 28 in Hales Corners.
Read why it makes the list here.
Wisconsin life jacket requirements
The Wisconsin Rapids Tribune calls state life jacket regulations some of the weakest in the nation.
Department of Natural Resources recreation safety warden Jeff Dauterman told the newspaper the use of life jackets by boaters is a matter of common sense.
You can read
Tax credits approved for New Berlin City Center development
Jsonline.com is reporting the controversial housing development at the
State Representative Mark Gundrum and I had requested the developer's request for tax credits be denied.
Joint Finance Committee meets this week
The Legislature's Joint Finance Committee will meet under s.13.10 Wednesday, June 23, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. in Room 412 East in the State Capitol. Here is the meeting agenda.
Your tax dollars at work: $1 Billion for abortions
Common fiscal sense would dictate that when the federal debt is over $13 trillion, every aspect of
The amount of taxpayer subsidization of abortion is astounding. According to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, since 2002, six organizations that promote or perform abortions spent nearly $1 billion ($967.1 million) in taxpayer money during fiscal years 2002-2009.
Elisabeth Meinecke reports on Human Events about the stunning numbers from one of those organizations: "Planned Parenthood's 2006-2007 annual report, for example, states the organization performed 289,750 abortions in 2006 alone—a year it spent $100 million of taxpayer's money. It performed 306,310 abortions in 2007, when it spent $97.6 million of federal funds."
Is this Hillary Clinton's definition of keeping abortions "rare"?
The Heritage Foundation reported during March 2010, "A CNN poll taken shortly after the House vote (on federal government health care) found that 60 percent of Americans oppose public funding of abortion. One month later, a
Rita Diller, the national director of Stop Planned Parenthood (Stopp), also dug into the GAO report and discovered this eye-opener, written in a column in the Washington Times:
"Planned Parenthood Federation of America's (PPFA) audits show the organization spent just $657.1 million between 2002 and 2008 from federal government grants and programs, but the abortion behemoth's own annual reports show that it took in $2.3 billion from government grants and programs during the same time period.
Since 2009, at least five nationwide polls have confirmed that a majority of Americans consider themselves pro-life. Someone, then, needs to explain to all those people why $2.3 billion in tax dollars have been doled out to an organization that admits to systematically having killed more than 1.8 million pre-born babies between 2002 and 2008 and then reports it only spent $657.1 million in federal dollars."
The time has come to eliminate all federal funding for abortions.
Here is the GAO report.
My sincere appreciation to Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan who was one of the members of Congress that requested this information from the GAO.
Everything you wanted to know about fireworks in Wisconsin
The law pertaining to fireworks just might be the most confusing in
The Attorney General's office has issued an advisory memo to local law enforcement that summarizes current law and addresses common questions and misunderstandings. You can read the memo here.
UPDATE: Joint Finance Committee meets this week
The Legislature's Joint Finance Committee will meet under s.13.10 Wednesday, June 23, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. in Room 412 East in the State Capitol. Here is the meeting agenda.
Here are the Legislative Fiscal Bureau issue papers about the agenda items.
Another analysis shows WI property taxes are too high
A startling reminder from the Tax Foundation in Washington D.C. Considering property taxes as a percentage of property value,
Using Census Bureau data, the Tax Foundation calculated the median real estate taxes as a percent of median home value for all 50 states. The
The key to reducing property taxes is to control spending. Wisconsin property owners certainly have paid more than their fair share.
License plates could be going high tech
Many policy ideas, good or bad, tend to originate in
The thought out west is that if we have electronic ads on big billboards, why not on automobiles
The Associated Press reports:
"The device would mimic a standard license plate when the vehicle is in motion but would switch to digital ads or other messages when it is stopped for more than four seconds, whether in traffic or at a red light. The license plate number would remain visible at all times in some section of the screen. In emergencies, the plates could be used to broadcast Amber Alerts or traffic information. Interested advertisers would contract directly with the DMV, thus opening a new revenue stream for the state. Any cost associated with the initial research would be borne by the company, not the state."
Thus far, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and the California Highway Patrol are neutral on the proposal.
A major concern by some about electronic license plates could be what the Associated Press calls, "the next frontier in distracted driving." Even so, the California Senate has already approved the concept and the California Assembly is taking up the matter. Other states are also considering the plates.
Read more here.
Could electronic license plates come to
Audit: State Fair Park
Wisconsin law requires the Legislative Audit Bureau (LAB) perform a yearly audit of
First, some good news. During fiscal year 2008-09, revenue exceeded expenditures by $828,000 thanks to increased attendance at the Wisconsin State Fair that led to increased admissions, concessions, and parking revenues. The result is
The bad news is the deficit reduces funding opportunities for other state programs and reduces the state's ability to raise revenue from investment earnings. The LAB says
Concerns were raised by the LAB about in-kind support, "businesses providing goods or services to
The LAB examined 122 in-kind agreements from the 2008 and 2009 Wisconsin State Fairs and wrote about its findings:
"In nine instances, a formal written agreement did not exist; instead, the details of the transaction were agreed upon verbally or informally by e-mail. Further, there were inconsistencies between the number of main stage concert tickets provided to businesses and the numbers included in agreements. For example, for the 2008 fair we found that a total of 3,238 main stage concert tickets had been distributed, but documentation in the in-kind support agreements indicate that only 1,450 were to have been provided."
Another LAB concern: the combination of in-kind support with procurement transactions may have resulted in bidding processes where all businesses may not have had an equal opportunity to participate; in other words, there may have been favoritism. The LAB offers this example:
There are problems with managers distributing State fair tickets. The LAB found that "department managers did not submit ticket request forms to the ticket office as required; ticket request forms were not available in 12 of the 22 ticket disbursements reviewed; procedures were not in place to verify the number of tickets requested to a written agreement or other supporting documentation to ensure tickets are being distributed for appropriate purposes; the spreadsheet used to track tickets distributed by managers does not include the business purpose for providing these tickets, limiting its usefulness as a monitoring tool; and accounting staff were unable to reconcile the tracking spreadsheet to the electronic ticket system for the 2008 Wisconsin State Fair.
Improvements were made to the process, and the LAB determined there was an unreconciled difference of $1,600 remaining it reviewed the 2009 Wisconsin State Fair.
Recommendations made by the LAB:
State Fair Park should report to the Joint Legislative Audit Committee by March 1, 2011, on steps being taken to improve controls and better monitor the use of in-kind support, steps to improve controls and better monitor the distribution of Wisconsin State Fair tickets by managers, long-term plans for managing the Milwaukee Mile racetrack, and the status of Wisconsin Exposition Center operations.
I commend the outstanding LAB for another thorough review. You can see the full audit here.
Have a special veteran in mind?
The Wisconsin Board of Veterans Affairs wants nominations for its Veteran Lifetime Achievement Award. The award will be presented at a meeting August 20, 2010 in
Congratulations, Tudor Oaks!
I am proud to represent Tudor Oaks, a high quality, full-service Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC), located at
The newly redeveloped Tudor oak community was featured as a special insert in last Sunday's Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. You can see the informative insert here.
Congratulations to Tudor Oaks on your thrilling expansion, and thank you for over 35 years of outstanding service to seniors and their families!
Tanning salons victims of Obamacare
September 12, 2008,
Why is Wisconsin so much fun?
You tell the Wisconsin Department of Tourism and you could win prizes in the Miles of Fun Giveaway.
Here are the details.
LAB letter: Fraud, Waste, and Mismanagement Hotline
During the 2007-08 regular legislative session, I co-sponsored legislation that was approved and signed into law that created a toll free telephone number with voice mail maintained at the Legislative Audit Bureau's office to receive reports of fraud, waste, and mismanagement in state government.
Editorial supports my suggested state transparency web site
Monday, I released a column renewing my call for the creation of a state government transparency web site. I intend to introduce transparency web site legislation during the next legislative session.
The Appleton Post-Crescent has editorialized in support of the idea:
"Wisconsin is one of just 14 states that don't have a transparency website, where the public can go to track state government spending…..somehow, 36 other states have figured out a way to do it — and not spend millions in the process.
You can read the entire editorial here.
New poll numbers on mass transit
The results of a new poll indicate declining public support for high-speed rail, commuter rail, and a sales tax-subsidized regional transit authority.
The Milwaukee Business Journal has the details.
How you could spend $13 trillion
I have blogged in the past about the never-ending, ever-growing out of control U.S. Debt Clock, now at an astounding $13.1 trillion.
How much is $13 trillion? What does it mean?
MSN Money puts the astronomical figure in perspective with ways the money could be spent:
"With $13 trillion, Americans could buy nine 32-gigabyte iPhones (the 3GS model) for every one of the 6.8 billion human beings on the planet, with a little money left over.
At $101,500 apiece, $13 trillion could buy Tesla Roadsters for 128 million lucky people. That's roughly the population of
Four years at Yale, including room and board, cost about $190,000 at today's prices. For $13 trillion, 68 million students could be sent to
Thirteen trillion dollars could buy every person in the
There's more.
How will your pie stand up to Judge Lazich?
I am pleased to once again be a judge in the pie bake off during the annual New Berlin Fourth of July Activities. The judging takes place July 3, 2010, at the Schoeneck Containers Family Tent at
Good luck and see you on July 3!
Here are more details:
Alaska needs to be like Wisconsin
Some states require parental notification but do not require parental consent.
A campaign is underway to have a measure put before
Naturally, Planned Parenthood is fighting the measure. The Susan B. Anthony List puts it succinctly, "If Planned Parenthood had their way, a 17 year old would need a parent to get acne medication, but a 13 year old girl would need no parental notification or consent whatsoever to get an abortion. It's time to stop Planned Parenthood's war for unlimited, unrestricted abortions."
Read more here.
Great Lakes Compact hearings scheduled
Public hearings are scheduled around the state late this month about rules to implement the
Here are details from the DNR.
Photo ID for FoodShare
During 2009, the state created BadgerCare Plus Core, an extension of the BadgerCare Plus program to include adults that don't have children. The state Senate Health Committee that I serve on was informed late last year the waiting list for BadgerCare Plus Core had ballooned to about 7,000 people. The earliest the waiting list applicants would be eligible for insurance would be March 2010 and by then the waiting list, committee members were told, could grow to over 20,000.
There was a flood of applicants to BadgerCare Plus Core, causing backlogs for the new food stamp program, FoodShare, resulting in thousands of people waiting months for benefits. The US Department of Agriculture views
The debit cards themselves are problematic. The Racine Journal Times has editorialized in support of a photo ID requirement for Food Share recipients:
"While the cards are stocked with a monthly stipend so they can be used much like the debit cards that banks issue, there's one key difference. Recipients of FoodShare aid can only use the money for food — not toiletries, medicine, cigarettes or alcohol. So some people sell the cards for cash, finding willing partners who pay less than the value on the card.
Earlier this month, after county officials announced they were looking into 'rampant' fraud among card users here, we wrote that the state must place a keener eye on the program while resisting the urge to punish the law-abiding recipients with cutbacks in assistance. Since then, leaders have suggested a quicker, easier fix that we fully support: photo identification.
Requiring recipients to show ID wouldn't eliminate these problems, but would certainly reduce them. The four-digit personal identification numbers currently in use can easily be passed from person to person. A face can't."
The newspaper was informed by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services that the federal government will not allow a photo ID provision for FoodShare recipients. Even so, the editorial
says such a requirement makes sense. To prevent fraud, I agree.
A handy summer guide
Courtesy of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection, here is the list and entertainment schedule of this year's state fairs across
DMV offices closed Friday
Friday is a furlough day for many state offices.
Beware of "Storm Chasers"
Mark Zangl walks through the debris of the Tess Corners Fire Department Station 3 roof blown onto an adjacent property. Last week's storm damaged roofs at the fire station, the Post Office building and a unit in Freedom Square Condominiums north of
When disaster strikes, part of the ugly pattern is unscrupulous scam artists referred to as Storm Chasers crawl out of the woodwork hoping to take advantage of victims. Some good advice for property owners that sustained damage from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection: be cautious about the workers you hire.
Here are important tips.
While you're here, Mr. President …
President Obama makes a visit to
He should also schedule a stop in
Great news!
The state Supreme Court has upheld
November 7, 2006,
A smoking alternative?
Don't forget,
What's a smoker to do? The answer could be e-cigarettes, described by the Green Bay Press-Gazette as "battery-powered devices that use liquid nicotine to imitate a cigarette's taste and effects. Made to look like cigarettes, electronic cigarettes do not use tobacco. The battery heats the nicotine when the user inhales, creating a vapor that gives the appearance of smoke."
The Brown County Tavern League is getting demands for e-cigarettes from all across the state.
Read more here.


text:
Defeat Diabetes
150 153rd Ave,
Suite 300
Madeira Beach, FL 33708
Chemicals in Cosmetics Linked to DiabetesPosted: Saturday, April 21, 2012
Serum levels of phthalate metabolites are linked with the development of type 2 diabetes in the elderly.
Researchers P. Monica Lind, PhD, from Uppsala University, and colleagues noted that, "Phthalates are found in numerous household products, such as food packaging, furniture, and toys, and in medical devices, such as tubing and intravenous bags."
After adjustment for sex, diabetes was significantly associated with the presence of monoethyl phthalate (MEP), with an odds ratio of 1.30 (95% CI 1 to 1.69, P=0.049) as well as with detectable monoisobutyl phthalate (MiBP), with an odds ratio of 1.25 (95% CI 1.07 to 1.46, P=0.006).
After further adjustment for cholesterol, triglycerides, body mass index, smoking, exercise, and education, MiBP remained significantly related to diabetes (OR 1.30, 95% CI 1.10 to 1.55, P=0.0025), Lind and colleagues they found.
Phthalates also are commonly found in cosmetics and pharmaceutical products, and concerns have been raised about potential adverse health consequences associated with exposure. Phthalates can bind to certain receptors involved in homeostasis of fats and lipids known as nuclear peroxisome proliferator-activator receptors (PPARs), and PPAR antagonists are used to treat type 2 diabetes.
To explore a possible relationship between these chemical metabolites and diabetes, the investigators analyzed data from a prospective study of 1,016 elderly residents. They sought to measure serum levels of 10 phthalate metabolites, but only levels of MEP, MiBP, monomethyl phthalate (MMP), and mono(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP) were detectable at levels of 0.2 ng/mL in most study participants. Glucose tests were done after an overnight fast, and diabetes was identified in 119 individuals.
Analysis showed that patients in the highest quintiles of MEP, MiBP, and MMP levels had double or more the risk of diabetes compared with the lowest quintiles, with odds ratios ranging from 2 to 2.50. But the highest risk was for individuals with MEP in the third quintile (OR 2.87, 95% CI 1.37 to 6.03, P=0.005). Both MEHP and MiBP had significant associations with elevated proinsulin-to-insulin ratios, while MEP and MMP were related to a high insulin resistance index.
The researchers noted that MEP, MiBP, and MMP all are metabolites of related compounds that are most commonly used in personal care products, while the use of MEPH is primarily to increase the flexibility of plastic.
They hypothesized that the mechanism by which phthalates contribute to diabetes was probably through effects on PPARs.
"Because phthalate metabolites are known ligands to PPARs, receptors known to influence glucose homeostasis, impairments in PPAR-signaling pathways are most likely to contribute to the actions of phthalates on glucose metabolism and diabetes development," they explained.
Practice Pearls:
Source: http://www.diabetesincontrol.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=12662&catid=53&Itemid=8, Lind P, et al "Circulating levels of phthalate metabolites are associated with prevalent diabetes in the elderly" Diabetes Care 2012; 35: 1-6; DOI: 10.2337/dc11-2396.
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As a woman, you know that your health depends on much more than just obstetric and gynecological services.
The caregivers at Women's Health know that as well. Although women have special health needs, they also suffer from many of the same diseases and conditions that affect men. That's why we have expanded the concept of women's health to include virtually every medical specialty.
That's why Women's Health serves as both a destination and a gateway to our full range of medical services and the largest most diverse team of physicians in the CSRA.
Don't limit your health care options. Call 706-721-CARE (2273) or 800-736-CARE (2273) today to forge a partnership with a physician who understands the complexity of women's health and encourages wellness in the fullest sense of the word.


text: darksunbowl By Tricia October 23, 2011 7:23 PM Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Category: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter More Leave a comment Send to a friend! Print this page Pin it! Reddit This! Share on Tumblr! More from KISS-FM Student Film Selected for Cannes Festival To Be Screened at UTEP El Paso's Weekly Concert Update – Beck, Future Islands + More Set List Released for One Direction's El Paso Concert El Paso Zoo Summer Camp Holds Registration [LINK] Best of the Web


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The Evolution Deceit
Allah's Miracles In The Qur'an
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17. World Book Encyclopedia, 2003; contributor: Kenneth Brecher, Ph.D., Professor of Astronomy and Physics, Boston University.
18. Bilim ve Teknik (Science and Technology Journal), July 1983.
19. "Effects of Rotation (Coriolis Effect)," The Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation; www.woodrow.org/teachers/esi/1998/p/weather/Corriolis.HTM
20. Michael Pidwirny, "Atmospheric Layers," 1996, http://royal.okanagan.bc.ca/mpidwirn/atmosphereandclimate/atmslayers.html
21. "Numerical Prediction Models used by NWS," Integrated Publishing; www.tpub.com/weather3/4-27.htm
22. "The Incredible Design of the Earth and Our Solar System;" www.godandscience.org/apologetics/designss.html
23. "The Quran and Modern Physics;" http://webhome.idirect.com/~alila/Writings/Physics.htm
24. "Inside the Earth;" http://pubs.usgs.gov/publications/text/inside.html
25. Prof. Zighloul Raghib El-Naggar, "The Miraculous Qur'an;" www.wamy.co.uk/announcements3.html
26. Carolyn Sheets, Robert Gardner, and Samuel F. Howe, General Science, (Newton, MA: Allyn and Bacon Inc., 1985), 305.
27. www.beconvinced.com/science/QURANMOUNTAIN.htm
28. Frank Press, and Raymond Siever, Earth, 3rd ed. (San Francisco: W. H. Freeman & Company, 1982).
29. M. J. Selby, Earth's Changing Surface, (Oxford: Clarendon Press: 1985), 32.
30. Sheets, Gardner, and Howe, General Science, 305.
31. Powers of Nature, (Washington D.C.: National Geographic Society: 1978), 12-13.
32. "Press Release," Swedish Institute of Space Physics (IRF), March 9, 2001; www.irf.se/press/press_010309eng.html
33. "Solar Wind Blows Some of Earth's Atmosphere into Space," NASA; http://science.nasa.gov/newhome/headlines/ast08dec98_1.htm
34. Ibid.
35. Kazi, 130 Evident Miracles in the Qur'an, 115.
36. John Noble Wilford, "Ages-Old Icecap at North Pole Is Now Liquid, Scientists Find," New York Times, August 19, 2000; www.planetwaves.net/polar_NYT.html
37. "Earth Fact Sheet;" http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/factsheet/earthfact.html
38. "Arctic Explorers," June 23, 2000; http://tea.rice.edu/schauer/6.23.2000.html; Tetsuzo Seno, Satoru Honda, "Mantle Convection and The Global Sea Level: When Did Plate Tectonics Begin on The Earth?;" www.eri.u-tokyo.ac.jp/seno/sealevel_abst.html; "Mantle Convection," http://theory.uwinnipeg.ca/mod_tech/node195.html; Prof. Zaghloul El-Naggar, "Scientific Signs in the Qur'an: Examples from the Area of Earth Sciences;" www.nekkah.com/Main/EngPage/Scientific_Signs_in_the_Quran.htm include ('../../../footernew.inc'); ?>


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New streetlighting on its way for Four Marks
Wednesday, 15 May 2013
Hampshire County Council's street lighting replacement programme will be arriving in Four Marks in June 2013, improving local streetlights with the latest energy efficient equipment.
Much of the county's lighting stock is over 30 years old and needs replacing. As part of the improvement programme, 150,000 street lights, illuminated signs and bollards across Hampshire are being replaced or upgraded with the latest technology in energy saving lamps and dimming controls. Hampshire's new street lighting will also comply with Government targets for carbon reduction.
The new lighting in Four Marks will see the replacement of approximately 29 lanterns and a further 105 lanterns and posts. The majority of the work will focus on improving lighting along the A31.
This long term investment will help improve the county's energy efficiency, reduce energy costs and cut carbon emissions. As well as replacing older lighting columns which are coming to the end of their life, the new lamps will improve lighting levels on the ground, reduce light pollution at night and help make people feel safer in town centres and residential streets.
The preparation and planning for the Street Lighting programme aims to keep disruption to a minimum by coordinating work with other schemes and ensuring that work on key roads is planned to take place outside of rush hour periods.


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Installing a central vacuum system in a new or pre-existing home is an easy process in most cases that can be completed in one or two days. Adding a central cleaning system to a residence not only makes cleaning more efficient and convenient, but also adds value to the home that is often 2 - 4 times the initial cost of equipment. Central cleaning is the choice for ... http://www.vacdepot.com/article/132
SUCTION BLOG: SCAM ALERT - MOTOR PROTECTION VALVESAuxiliary "motor protection" or "suction relief" valves sold by some online dealers are unnecessary, and will likely cause more harm than help. These products are a cheap attempt of some dealers trying to make a few extra bucks.
VISIT THE SUCTION BLOGSUCTION! is the official Vacdepot blog with all of the latest news and info from our team of bloggers. Important articles, product information, system updates and special opinion articles about vacuum cleaning systems and the floorcare business. If you have ever wondered what vacuum-geeks find fascinating, it is all in the SUCTION blog. http://www.centralvacuumsystems.com/


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Receivers & Amplifiers
Sangean DT-110 Digital Pocket AM/FM Stereo Receiver
PLL synthesized digital tuning with up to 24 presetsStereo headphone jackDigital LCD display90-minute automatic shut-offFeatures deep bass boostRotary volume controlRequires 2 AAA batteries (not included)
Sangean SR-3 AM/FM Pocket Size Receiver
AM/FM stereo radio and stereo/mono switchBuilt-in speaker with deep bass boostDimensions: 2" W x 3 5/16" H x 11/16" DUses 1 AA battery (not included)Includes earbuds trailing antenna and neck strap
ReallyCool Waterproof Keyboard-Wht
The Really Cool is a water-resistant and contaminant proof keyboard with tactile feedback keys. The sealed and rigid surface is ideal for industrial marine and medical use as well as other applications where moisture cleaning and durability are a consideration. Because the Really Cool is also quieter than "standard" keyboards they are great for applications where noise generated from ...


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It is sickening that great legislation that would have positively impacted the lives of hundreds of thousands of animals was ruined by the act of one committee pandering to an animal abusing special interest group.
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In Defense of Animals, located in San Rafael, Calif., is an international animal protection organization with more than 85,000 members and supporters dedicated to ending the abuse and exploitation of animals by protecting their rights and welfare. IDA's efforts include educational events, cruelty investigations, boycotts, grassroots activism, and hands-on rescue through our sanctuaries in Mississippi, Mumbai, India, and Cameroon, Africa.
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Apple Cupcakes
An apple on a teacher's desk is too cliche. Give your teacher something they'd much rather sink their teeth into. These apple cupcakes are the perfect afternoon treat.
Designed by Duff Goldman®
Material List
- Duff Cake Mix (Chocolate, Red Velvet)
- Duff White Buttercream Frosting
- Fondant (Brown, Green)
- Sanding Sugar Sprinkles (Red, Green)
- Sprinkles (Black) or Fondant (Black)
- Cupcake Pan
- Cupcake Liners (optional)
Project Instructions
Start by baking the cupcakes using chocolate or red velvet Duff cake mix.
After the cupcakes have cooled, frost half with white icing, then immediately sprinkle them with red or green sanding sugar sprinkles. Mold green and brown fondant to create stems and leaves. Place on top of cupcake.
To create a bite mark, scoop off a little icing and add black sprinkles or black molded fondant for seeds.


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Grosvenor House, London | Built in the Roaring Twenties, this iconic England hotel was named after one of the original landowners dating back to the late 1600s. In time, it went from being London's first hotel with private bathrooms and running water to one of the most well-known landmarks in the city. Its location on Mayfair's Park Lane overlooking Hyde Park is a testament to its prestige. Before a 92-room add-on in the 1950s, the Grosvenor House served as the largest mess hall in England for U.S. officers during WWII. Travelers today can enjoy the results of the most recent restorations to the exterior and interior of the Grand Dame of Park Lane.
Hôtel Ritz, Paris | One of the most luxurious establishments in France, Hôtel Ritz is a destination in itself. The hotel was established by César Ritz of the prominent Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C., at the turn of the 20th Century. Like the Grosvenor House, this Parisian inn was a pioneer in modern conveniences, offering its guests electricity, telephones and separate bathrooms. Coco Chanel, Ernest Hemingway and other greats have spent time at the Hôtel Ritz and earned suites named after them. You may be hard-pressed to find the means to stay in the Imperial Suite, however - listed as a French national monument of its own.
*The hotel is currently undergoing a massive renovation that has temporarily closed the doors to guests, meaning you might have to shelve your plans to stay here until its slated reopening in 2014.
Hotel Adlon Kempinski, Berlin | Nearly devastated by a fire that started during the final days of WWII, Hotel Adlon would not be the historic landmark it has become today without its colorful past. The hotel can be found on one of the main roadways in Berlin, Unter den Linden. At the time it opened in 1907, Hotel Adlon offered the most contemporary amenities available in Germany, like hot and cold running water and on-site laundry services. Its neoclassical and Baroque Revival architecture made the German hotel an elegant meeting place for social events attended by celebrities and public figures throughout the eras, such as Thomas Edison, Franklin Roosevelt and Albert Einstein. Today, it has remained a five-star escape for weary travelers.


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View Objects on land and in space!This Maksutov-Cassegrain optical system allows you to clearly view objects in both the sky and on land. Configured for clarity and minimal residual errors, the scope includes features of both refractive and reflective telescopes. Image quality is as advanced as those of large apeture scopes. The lightweight, compact design also makes for easy transport. Focal length: 880mm, focus ratio: 12.5, and eyepieces 30x 90x zoom.
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"Believe and act as if it were impossible to fail." – Charles Kettering
"Believe and act as if it were impossible to fail." – Charles Kettering
Julia Roberts proves it — one crazy eye is scarier than two. Yikes. SIDE NOTE: the image on the left is what Sarah Palin sees when she envisions herself at the 2016 Inaugural Ball. Only in the version in her head, she's wearing her Miss Alaska tiara and there's a Winchester bolt-action hanging from the belt.
The rest of the night's worst dressed in the gallery above!
My favorite dresses from this year's Golden Globes were Adele Exarchopoulos' midnight blue Miu Miu silk gown and Lupita Nyongo's bright-red Ralph Lauren Collection cape dress. They weren't just dresses, they were works of art. The gradient crystals at the hem and the Jean-Paul Gautier-esque darts at the bust of Adele's dress are perfection, and Lupita looks like some kind of alien high queen (and I mean that as a compliment here). We should all bow down at such a perfect construction!
I liked Margot Robbie's bejeweled Gucci dress, but I don't like Margot Robbie. She's unsettlingly beautiful, like something dreamed up by eugenicists and government scientists in an underground lab. She's probably one of those "socially integrated cyborg assassins" the neighbor's dog is always telling me about.
Awards season is upon us, but before we get to the Golden Globes or the Oscars, we have to muddle through the lesser and more pointless awards shows first. Like the People's Choice Awards. Nobody really brings their red carpet A-game to the People's Choice Awards. It's sort of a practice round. Jessica Alba, Queen Latifah and Jennifer Hudson looked good in simple monochrome, and I didn't love Allison Williams or Sandra Bullock's dresses, but I didn't hate them, either. It was just kind of "meh." I think the best thing I can say about the 2014 People Choice Awards' best dressed is at least none of these ladies look like they need to be milked or they're gonna have an accident."
There was really only one big trend on the People Choice Awards' red carpet last night — well, two big trends, if we're being specific. Tsk, tsk! I thought Downton Abbey and Duck Dynasty were supposed to be ushering a new era of British reserve and Bible Belt restraint on the red carpet. There's nothing refined or elegant about any of these dresses. You can call it "décolleté" all you like, Malin Akerman, but to everyone else it's just a boob window.
The rest of the worst dressed in the gallery above!


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