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The Party You Can Afford
Ross Douthat and Reihan Salam's Grand New Party contemplates a future GOP coalition anchored around the working class. In the past, I've been a bit skeptical of this idea. But with #dontgo, Drill Now, and the current economic situation, I'm starting to think that activating such a coalition may be possible -- and in a way that doesn't require the Republican Party to expand government.
Those seeking a coherent narrative of the two parties can find it in something deceptively simple: the politics of price. Republicans want the things you pay for everyday to cost less. Democrats would make them cost more.
Want cheaper energy? Drill now, expand refinery capacity, go nuclear, and diversify into renewables. Republicans want energy sources that are cheap, reliable, and abundant. Democrats want higher prices to force us off fossil fuels to address environmental concerns first, and affordability concerns last.
Want cheaper consumer products? Fight protectionism and forced unionism.
Want cheaper food? Get rid of ethanol subsidies.
Want cheaper health insurance? Get rid of irrational regulations and frivolous lawsuits, and let people buy health insurance across state lines. The left scoffs at more affordable plans that make sense for cost-conscious Gen Y Obama supporters.
Want cheaper government? Cut spending.
Want cheaper tax bills? This is self-explanatory.
Most of this is not new. However, Republicans have largely been unable to capitalize on wanting things to cost less because the country was relatively prosperous and inflation has not been a real concern for a generation. With the country now facing tangible inflation in the food and fuel sectors, an affordability agenda for the working class is now much more salient.
This recession is particularly prone to pro-Republican messaging. Just compare past recessions to this one. The 1980, 1982, and 1990-91 recessions were employment recessions. Unemployment rose to double digits, then 7.5% in 1992. (We are now at 5.5%, pretty close to the 5% "full employment" mark.) The "solution" in those recessions was protectionism to save the auto and steel industries, more unemployment benefits, and jobs programs. 2001-02 was weird because it coincided with shocks to the system like 9/11 and Enron. Economically, this led to policy monstrosities like steel tariffs and Sarbox (which precipitated a decline in U.S. public securities markets).
In 2008, the recession is all about consumers -- be they consumers at the pump, homeowners, or at the grocery store. The recession is hitting all of us a little (rather than just some of us a lot, through lost jobs). This makes it psychologically more damaging, but also more open to a free market populist agenda centered around lower prices for goods in the private economy.
If we can get out from under the dead weight that is 28% Presidential approval, the economic issue environment can be turned against the progressives. Liberalism is built around sacrificing lower prices for social goods like the environment, health care, or economic equality. (If this seems charitable, this is because this is how liberals themselves would describe it.) This is the underpinning of their hatred of low-cost Wal-Mart, their thinly-veiled sense of satisfaction with high energy prices, and their consistent opposition to lower taxes.
An gold-plated agenda that might seem semi-plausible in good times appears laughable in leaner ones, particularly with public attention to prices high as it is.
This is why the reaction to something like domestic oil drilling has been unexpectly strong. The public wants to do something, anything to bring down the price at the pump. This is also why every other ad on the Olympics is about hybrid cars or other kinds of green technology. It's not that the public is greener per se. It's that oil is getting to be so darned expensive that people are looking for alternatives. Hybrids or electric cars will take off once they are demonstrably cheaper than their CO2-spewing counterparts, not when the public has some altruistic environmental epiphany. Why do people buy CFL bulbs? Not because of the environmental benefits (which have always been there) but because of the advertised savings. The American people will not willingly pay for things that cost more.
It's about Quality
Nice post Patrick. It is always nice to hear the perspective from the other side and this is well-thought out. But I'll reframe it for you from my liberal perspective. I'm sure you won't agree with the framing but I hope you find it interesting.
That reframing is this is an election about quality. Republicans don't much care for quality while Democrats are all about Quality.
Want better, more efficient energy that doesn't hurt the environment or cause wars or extremism, then go with the Dems who will work to make us more efficient users of energy and develop better, cleaner sources.
Want better jobs with better benefits than vote for stronger unions and workplace protection along with a higher minimum wage which ripples up the wage structure.
Want better healthier food that won't make you sick. Then vote Dem. We'll stop E Coli breakouts and promote healthier sustainable and local agriculture. (And the ethanol subsidies aren't much of a partisan issue. It is "I am a Midwest farm state issue". You won't find too many liberals supporting ethanol subsidies.)
Want better health insurance that sticks with you even if you lose your job? Then look to the Dems who want to insure everyone and are always looking to protect the consumer. And your example of letting states compete is the perfect example of a race to the bottom and a complete loss of quality. Read Jonathan Cohn's book "Sick" for some incredible examples and numbers on how the loss of regulation causes havoc for many people while prices for everyone increase.
Want better government? This is obvious after the past 8 years. I think FEMA is the perfect example of Republicans running a gov't organization into the ground followed by a Democrat revitalizing it and then a Republican running it even further into the ground. Quality matters.
You got us on the taxes, at least in terms of rhetoric. But I would be a bit nervous about the fact that Obama's tax plan cuts taxes more for the bottom 90% or so than McCain's plan. If Obama can drive that home, it could neutralize this natural advantage you all have. Also people realize that when you buy cheap shit you often get cheap shit so running on cheap doesn't always work so well.
Dems care about reframing
and want to sell the same old socialistic cr*p in new packages. Republicans care about their country and doing things right. Hence the GOP opposition to tax hikes that hurt the economy, support for the troops in war, and support for profamily policies.
There is no 'quality control' in the Democrat party, or you wouldnt have let unqualified hacks like Pelosi and Obama lead them! More Dem spin with zero substance.
" You got us on the taxes, at least in terms of rhetoric. "
That's where you are wrong. It's philosophy not rhetoric. It's not 'quality' that is making the Cali Democrats demand billions mroe in taxes. It's a desperation for bigger govt. There is a substantive different between the higher taxes more govt and lower-taxes-less-govt parties. To pretend the downside of more govt just 'rhetoric' is pure intellectual arrogance/stupidity. but I guess it takes some degree of self-delusion to be a liberal democrat these days, despite the clear proof that lower taxes means a better economy.
Want better, more efficient energy that doesn't hurt the environment or cause wars or extremism, then go with the Dems who will work to make us more efficient users of energy and develop better, cleaner sources.
Nuclear power is power that doesn't hurt the environment or cause wars or extremism (and btw coal and nat gas also 'dont cause wars') yet the Dems oppose nuclear power.The Dems will "make us more efficient users of energy " while they stop us from drilling, stop coal plants (eg veto in Kansas) even though coal is now very clean, stop nuclear, stop refineries, etc. Democrats are in hock to environmentalist extremists who think we need higher energy prices and less energy. It is anti-energy. Its a bankrupt flawed and outrageous policy that hurts all Americans. The Dems deserve to lose power because they really dont respect the American people and their ability to choose for themselves (eg how much energy to use).
Um, thanks for the response
I have to laugh at the fundamentalism inhereit in statements like "despite teh clear proof that lower taxes means a better economy". I realize you believe this but you actually have no evidence of this. It's taken for granted on the right but even a cursory look at our recent past illustrates that it is much more complicated than that. The counter-examples are extensive and quite simple really. The most common is the fact that the first Bush and then Clinton raised taxes in the early 90s and that decade was probably the best growth decade we've ever had. Also Reagan cut taxes in 1981 and in December of 82 unemploment reached 11%. He then enacted a series of tax increases and the economy soared for years. Perhaps taxes were too high and he overshot in 81 and he and congress corrected appropriately. Of course the other counter example is the simple fact that most developed nations have tax rates much higher than us yet manage to grow at comparable rates in terms of GDP. How on earth do you explain that one away?
As for nuclear power, I have nothing against it. I just don't think we should give out government welfare to power companies to pay for it when better options exist. But if a power company wants to build one, its superior to coal or natural gas. Here's a guy from the Cato Institute on Nuclear Power explaining how expensive and risky it is:
The reason we hear politicians like John McCain talk so much about the need for the federal government to promote nuclear power is because investors in the private sector take one look at the economics and run screaming for the hills. Investment banks tell utilities who want to borrow money to build these things that not one red cent will be coming their way unless and until the federal taxpayer guarrantees that the entire loan will be repaid in case of default. If nuclear power were such a good economic bet, those taxpayer guarantees would not be necessary.
I don't really think many liberals are against Nuclear, but we aren't really for it when we'd rather explore renewables and conservation. You might call that anti-choice but I think it is about better options. Certainly we'd all be better off right now if we had implemented higher CAFE standards earlier this decade and our new cars were getting 3-5 more miles to the gallon. That's what I mean by being more efficient users of energy. It doesn't happen unless we all decide to make it happen.
if the subject is "quality"
Could you point to a Democratic adminstration offering this elusive product?
David Paterson?
Rod Blagolovich?
Jennifer Granholm?
Deval Patrick?
I'm also not quite sure people associate stronger unions with quality... Even in "price is no object" nabes like Marin County and Nantucket where this argument might have salience.
It is quality
I'm not really interested in playing a partisan game of failed governors as my list would be as long as yours. I don't think Jesus himself could have done much with Michigan's economy.
As for the union comment. I'm pretty certain all the people in unions who have higher wages and better benefits compared to their non-unionized peers would disagree quite vigorously with you. Here's the bureau of Labor Statistics on it. Hard to argue with the quality of those higher paychecks.
Union vs. Nonunion: Wages (2004)
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Union v. Non-Union: Median Weekly Earnings in 2004
All |
Private |
Public |
Male |
Female |
Construction |
Manufacturing |
Transportation and Warehousing |
Utilities |
Healthcare and Social Assistance |
Wholesale Trade |
Retail Trade |
Service Occupations |
Those are useless statistics
There are fawer and fewer unionized industries and they simply are not growing. The realities are companies don't like unions and are fleeing those regions of the country that protect union corruption. Look here:
www.nilrr.org/files/Job-Growth Advantage -- 1997-2007 Fact Sheet.pdf
This is especially true of Right-to-Work states which as the above report shows have had a lot more job growth than non-right-to-work states.
Consider the fact that the Michigan Big 3 auto industry that is under the thrall of the UAW is currently in it's deaththroes. Meanwhile right-to-work Tennessee has a growing auto industry. The first Nissan of America plant opened there in the early '80s and just last year Nissan moved all of its operation to Nashville from socialist California. Just recently VW is planning not only to build its first US plant in 20 years (when it closed its Pennsylvania plant, a non right-to-Work state) but also to locate its entire North American operations there. The state is becoming a regional industrial hub to service the BMW plant in Alabama, the Toyota plant in Mississippi, the Kia plant in South Carolina and the Ford, GM and Toyota plants in my home state of Kentucky (a non right-to-work state that has really started to suffer in competition with its southern neighbor).
Its not just the auto industry that is prospering Union-free, but conside the western coal mining industry in places like right-to-work Wyoming compared to the Appalachian coal mining industry under the thumb of the United Mine Workers. In fact the most heavily unionized industries such the old landline telephone, steel and airline industries have all gone down the shi**er in the last 20 years. Hell here in my own area the Wal-Marts are hell of a lot cheaper to shop at then the Kroger and Meijer stores that are represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers.
The only unionized "industry" that is growing is government workers and public school teachers. That is because they are outside the free-market and have nothing but contempt for it. They believe that if government actually spent less than the previous fiscal year then somehow we would all be reduced to being naked savages roaming the country-side. That is why unions have become nothing more than cheerleaders for bigger and more intrusive government.
Unions, if they are to compete, will have to reform. That means they can not act like friends of organized crime and emulate their organizing tactics off those same criminal organizations. They will have to respect the wishes of non-Democrat members not to spend their dues on political candidates they don't support and in fact stop trying to be the fundraising arm of the Democrat party. They must recognize that the National Labor Relations Act needs to be completely revised, if not altogther scrapped, in order to recognize the realities of today's workplace which as significatly changed over the last 70 years. And most importantly allow people the right to choose weather or not to join a union if they take a job in a unionized frim and certainly not to try to take away the secret ballot when a company's workforce chooses to join a union.
How can you hate unions?
First off the NILRR is about the least reliable source on pretty much anything outside of Sean Hannity or Larry Kudlow. Union growth actually increased in 2007 with big gains in construction and private health care fields. And right to unionize states tend to be much more economically developped than their counterparts with much higher wages and better benefits. It's not suprising that businesses would race to the wage bottom to cut costs and not having to deal with organized labor makes it easy to underpay your employees. I could easily fashion all your evidence into an argument for why we need more labor unions just by concentrating on the wage issue.
And that's why I don't understand the hatred on the Right for unions. Philosophically, we should all be for unions. You and your fellow workers banding together to negotiate a higher share of the pie. These organizations are inherently messy but it's a stretch to assume they are more corrupt than the ownership they are fighting. They both take part in dispicable behavior at times and should be punished for it. And as it stands it is difficult to unionize because employers routinely threaten termination for anyone who takes part in organizing especially if they look like they might be successful. Management knows that less of the profit made will go to their salaries and stockholders and more to the workers if unionization is successful. I prefer the worker get more in most cases and think that for the past 30 years or so wage growth for the middle class has undeperformed.. In fact I would think that Conservatives could get behind unions for the simple reason that it is a market based approach to increased wages and overall economic equality without redistributing income through tax policy.
I can actually agree with some of your last paragraph but you need to realize that the employers aren't angels here. Do you have a counter-proposal to ensure a living wage and health benefits for workers? How do you stop aggressive efforts by employers to stop unionization. Wal-Mart is especially bad at this and their punishment when caught is ludicrous (See here for an example). If you hate card-check because it tips the scale too much in favor of unions then perhaps you can at least be for 10 fold increases in punishment and fines so there isn't an incentive to break the law by employers like there is now.
My chart above is far from useless. Higher wages are real and conservatives ignore them at their own peril as they seek out cheaper this and cheaper that. You get the nation you pay for just like with anything.
There are more consumers than unionized workers
Don't higher prices or higher taxes have to be charged to offset the higher wages? Hello?
I would also suggest if the Democrat want to campaign on the great efficiency of the unionized workforce they are going to be met with guffaws
As for Michigan's economy, I think this guy is bit too fat to walk on water, but he did better than Jenny(put the economy up) on the block.
Engler's economic policies have helped to create more than 800,000 jobs in Michigan, cutting the state's unemployment rate from over 9 percent the year he took office to 3.4 percent in 2000 - the lowest annual level ever recorded.
To reverse it
Uh, hello, don't lower prices need to be offset by lower wages? Trading one for the other is hardly a win-win situation. Quality jobs have decent wages, no?
And I'm sure Engler sent Clinton a thank-you note for the superb American economy his state was part of.
"the good of the many"
a few people get the higher wages. Everyone gets the higher prices.
Checked out how the UAW is doing of late, and what the Big Three's market share is?
Democratic Philosophy
As a resident of CA all anyone has to do is look at the mess this state is in....the spending never stops no matter how much revenue increases then throw in all the nanny state laws and all the union backed legislation....this is what the Democratic Party is really about nationally but it outdoes itself in CA....and if you do NOT toe their party line they don't just move you to a closet for your office they move you out of the Capitol itself....the current Speaker in the CA Assembly had a Dem Assemblymember moved after she refused to vote for the Dem budget plan which included more spending and a hefty tax increase....she was disloyal so was punished....so as much as you believe what you wrote about "quality" and the Democratic Party it just doesn't give most warm fuzzy feelings about "quality" government....and after Speaker Pelosi closed the House for summer recess to go on her book tour the Republicans stayed and beat up the entire Democratic Party on energy costs and drilling....that worked very well for the Dems didn't it? So as much as you think the Democratic Party=Quality the reality is it equals hypocrisy and do what I say not as I do.
Patrick shows his international, big business roots
Of course, Parick in bowing to his big business, insdie the beltway masters, ignores cheaper housing. If you want cheaper housing, if you want public schools to improve, if you want to making commuting cheaper, and if you want to lower the costs of crime and insurance, then the Republicans have to support much lower immigration and controlling the borders,
Of course controlling the borders would also make energy cheaper and would make health care cheaper but I doubt that Patrick's future employers in the irrevelant Republican Party are willing to give up cheap dry wall and low paid restaurant workers in order to get it.
support education for children, not 'public schools'
" if you want public schools to improve"
That's a liberal way to state it.
As a parent, I know the CORRECT way to state it is: "If you want to improve education for children ...
... support school choice, higher standards in schools, bring back Washington's birthday as a holiday celebrated in schools and study more of the Founding Fathers, increase emphasis on math and science, etc.
And BTW, last I checked the Republicans overall are much much better at controlling borders and immigration than the Democrats. If you want to send that particular message, support Lou Barletta for Congress (PA 11th I believe), and re-elect Bilbray (CA).
The New GOP
All good points. Just a few comments:
Want cheaper government? Cut spending. AND REDUCE GOVERNMENT
Want cheaper tax bills? This is self-explanatory. YES, REDUCE GOVERNMENT
(as we are about to find out---ultimately you cannot continue to reduce or hold the line on taxes unless you reduce or limit government).
Oh, and by the way: Stay out of peoples personal lives and quit trying to supervise their relationship to God.
See folks, this New GOP would really look like the GOP envisioned by Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan (as opposed to the disaster created by Bush & Rove)
Price vs. costs
The disconnect between what Patrick wrote and what KJ wrote, has to do with the fact that with hidden subsidies and unaccounted externalities, the price of an item may be artificially depressed below its true equilibrium market price. It may even be depressed below cost.
The oil and nuclear power industries have been the recipient of numerous direct and indirect subsidies that keep the prices of those energy sources below what they should otherwise be. And consumers have gotten used to those artificially subsidized low prices. That's not a conservative free-market approach.
The Price-Anderson Act limited the financial liability of nuclear power companies in case of an accident, and provided cheap no-fault Government-backed insurance. I can't begin to list all the tax breaks that the oil industry has gotten from Congress. The U.S. Navy is paid to keep the sea lanes open in the Persian Gulf, without which supertankers couldn't transit safely there and oil couldn't be shipped cheaply from there. When the smog from your polluting SUV gives a child down the street an asthma attack, you're not required to pay for his medical treatment. And so on.
If the GOP is going to promote low prices by promoting abundance (in accordance with the law of supply and demand), then I'm all for it. But if the goal is to lower apparent prices to the consumer by giving tax breaks and subsidies to oil and coal and nuclear energy producers, and blithely ignoring the externalities like the negative health effects of pollution or the consequences to the planet from global warming, then I'm against it.
That means the Price-Anderson Act and all other special tax breaks and subsidies to the oil and nuclear industries should be repealed. Nuclear power should be required to stand on its own as a cost-effective energy source, without these indirect Government subsidies. If nuclear power is as safe as its proponents say it is, it doesn't need Government legal protections anymore, not after 60 years of experience. The oil companies that drill in the Middle East should be required to pay a higher tax specifically to protect the sea lanes in the Persian Gulf, or else stop drilling in the Middle East.
Govt does not subsidize oil and nuclear
The oil and nuclear power industries have been the recipient of numerous direct and indirect subsidies that keep the prices of those energy sources below what they should otherwise be.
1. Oil is the most heavily TAXED commodities out there. The majority of the money you pay for oil goes to one Government or another. " I can't begin to list all the tax breaks that the oil industry has gotten from Congress." Of course you can't because any attempt would be swallowed up by the hundreds of billions paid in gas and oil taxes. the 'subsidies' are the usual and necessary depletion allowances that stop a producer for paying tax on an illusory gain.
"When the smog from your polluting SUV gives a child down the street an asthma attack, you're not required to pay for his medical treatment. " 98% reduction in emissions in the past 20 years, SUV buyers already pay for that reduction by paying extra money for regulated low emissions vehicles. such scaremongering is wrong.
2. "The Price-Anderson Act limited the financial liability of nuclear power companies in case of an accident, and provided cheap no-fault Government-backed insurance." A completely bogus talking point. The US Government does not subsidize this at all, but instead requires payments from the nuclear power industry to support this forced-pooled-insurance scheme. Here's more on te facts from NEI:
The Price-Anderson Act provides no-fault insurance to benefit the public in the event of a nuclear power plant accident the Nuclear Regulatory Commission deems to be an "extraordinary nuclear occurrence." The costs of this insurance, like all the costs of nuclear-generated electricity, are borne by the industry, unlike the corresponding costs of some other power sources. Risks from hydropower mishaps (dam failure and resultant flooding), for example, are borne directly by the public. The 1977 failure of the Teton Dam in Idaho caused $500 million in property damage, but the only compensation provided to those affected was about $200 million in low-cost government loans.
Under the Price-Anderson framework, the public has paid nothing, while insurance pools have paid roughly $200 million in claims and the nuclear power industry has paid $21 million to the federal government in indemnity fees. The act has proven so successful that Congress has used it as a model for legislation to protect the public against potential losses or harm from other hazards, including faulty vaccinations, medical malpractice and toxic waste.
Current Coverage Exceeds $10 Billion
Congress passed the Price-Anderson legislation in 1957 as an amendment to the Atomic Energy Act. President Eisenhower signed the measure into law shortly thereafter. It requires nuclear power plants to show evidence of financial protection. Licensees must provide a total of more than $10 billion in insurance coverage to compensate the public in the event of a nuclear accident. No portion is borne by taxpayers or the federal government.This protection consists of two tiers. The primary level provides $300 million in liability insurance. This first-level coverage consists of the liability insurance provided by two private insurance pools. The pools are groups of insurance companies pledging assets that enable them to provide substantially higher coverage than an individual company could offer. If this amount is not sufficient to cover claims arising from an accident, secondary financial protection applies.
For this second level, each nuclear plant must pay a retrospective premium equal to its proportionate share of the excess loss, up to a maximum of $100.6 million per reactor per accident. This includes a $95.8 million premium and a 5 percent surcharge that may be applied, if needed, to legal costs. Currently, all 104 operating nuclear reactors are participating in the secondary financial protection program.
Unlike for example FDIC, where the Government is backing something gratis, the nuclear power industry is required to bear the cost of the insurance by an assessment on every nuclear reactor. The Government has ALSO required a fee for nuclear waste, and collected more billions from that fee than they spent on their (not yet opened) facility. The Government has been making money off the nuclear power industry. When you add to that the significant property taxes, utilities taxes and corporate income taxes (eg Excelon), the Government is raking in billions from nuclear power.
"That means the Price-Anderson Act and all other special tax breaks and subsidies to the oil and nuclear industries should be repealed." -
No, it means you have no clue what the real purpose and benefit of Price-Anderson Act is, you have no clue of the real economics of energy, and are spouting bogus talking points fed to you by the liberal special interest anti-energy eco-extremists.
We can reduce energy costs by decreasing the price we are paying for energy, if we stop bogus subsidies and stop the anti-energy policies. Such policies, like no drilling offshore and in ANWR, like no refineries and no LNG facilities, is the cost of environmental stupidity. Like the $10 trillion America gives up in oil resources? Will environmentalists pay the rest of us the $10 trillion they are taking from us? What about the billions wasted on ethanol and bio-fuels boondoggles? What about the billions on hybrid subsidies, billions on solar, billions on other alternative energy research and subsidies that hasnt panned out?
All of these costs are loaded on us by the eco-extremists, the anti-energy fools and the left-liberals.
Reduce costs AND improve quality
Conservative ideals are common sense and American ingenuity is legendary. The limiting mindset of simply moving wealth around rather than growing ourselves into new opportunities is a sure path to mediocrity. I would love for the Conservative movement to regain its voice for smaller government, fewer taxes, decreased deficits and unabashed free market practices to foster new creative ideas that also improve the quality side of the coin. I am convinced this is possible if we return to our roots in philosophy and apply to our current era. This is not just about technique; this is about principle. As one commentator/political figure (Gov. Jindal?) said, "Republicans should not just be a cheaper version of Democrats."
Democrats Want High Prices So They Can Be Our Savior
What Democrats do (intentionally in my opinion) is make things so expensive that there is a public outcry for the government to either take over or get involved.
Take health care, for instance. With all the litigation involved, health care has become unaffordable for more and more Americans. Instead of attacking the main problem of the increased costs, wrangling in litigation by trial lawyers (who are, not surprisingly, the biggest fundraisers for the Democrat Party) the Democats only encourage it so health care will become more expensive, so they can push for socialized medicine.
Another example, look at energy costs. The Democrats have made the cost of oil prohibitively expensive by not allowing more domestic production. That high costs have more people needing public transportation, people demanding heating oil subsidies, and many Democrats want to even nationalize sectors of the oil industry. This "problem" could easily be solved by simply allowing more oil production in the U.S., but the Democrats would rather have the solution come from government, earning them more dependent constituents.
There are many examples of this, liberals want to engineer for the private sector to fail, so they can take over and call the shots in as many areas of our lives as possible.
Liberals want all solutions to come from the government, and if there isn't a problem, they'll make one up so the government can solve it. (like global warming) This cause and effect needs to be pointed out to those Americans that get pinched the hardest by these Democrat schemes. I think the jig is up for Democrats on energy solutions. Americans instinctively understand that environmental nonsense is really hurting their way of life. Republicans really have a winning issue, and should look for more ways that Democrats "tax" the American way of life.


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Friday, July 29, 2011
Sunday, July 24, 2011
New garage style boogie remix of Klaus Weiss
Faces & Superfriends first in a new series of Klaus Weiss remixes, focusing on turning them into modern dance floor material. Source material is taken from the Time Signals LP.
This is currently available through the usual channels, on 12" format.
Mix Containing the Tom Noble "Drum Crazy" side in pretty much it's entirety.
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Why MGM Resorts (MGM) Could Reach $30
Story updated at 9:55 a.m. to reflect market activity.
NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Shares of MGM Resorts (MGM - Get Report) could rise as high as $30 according to analyst firm Credit Suisse.
MGM Resorts gained 3.2% to $26.58 in morning trading Thursday.
The analyst firm maintains its "buy" rating for the casino operator. Credit Suisse also increased its earnings estimates for MGM Resorts given the strength of its Macau and Las Vegas operations.
-------- Separately, TheStreet Ratings team rates MGM RESORTS INTERNATIONAL as a Hold with a ratings score of C. TheStreet Ratings Team has this to say about their recommendation: "We rate MGM RESORTS INTERNATIONAL (MGM) a HOLD. The primary factors that have impacted our rating are mixed -- some indicating strength, some showing weaknesses, with little evidence to justify the expectation of either a positive or negative performance for this stock relative to most other stocks. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its revenue growth, solid stock price performance and increase in net income. However, as a counter to these strengths, we also find weaknesses including generally higher debt management risk, disappointing return on equity and weak operating cash flow." Highlights from the analysis by TheStreet Ratings Team goes as follows:- The revenue growth came in higher than the industry average of 4.2%. Since the same quarter one year prior, revenues slightly increased by 9.2%. Growth in the company's revenue appears to have helped boost the earnings per share.
- Powered by its strong earnings growth of 81.08% and other important driving factors, this stock has surged by 91.75% over the past year, outperforming the rise in the S&P 500 Index during the same period. Regarding the stock's future course, our hold rating indicates that we do not recommend additional investment in this stock despite its gains in the past year.
- MGM RESORTS INTERNATIONAL reported significant earnings per share improvement in the most recent quarter compared to the same quarter a year ago. This company has reported somewhat volatile earnings recently. But, we feel it is poised for EPS growth in the coming year. During the past fiscal year, MGM RESORTS INTERNATIONAL swung to a loss, reporting -$3.61 versus $5.56 in the prior year. This year, the market expects an improvement in earnings (-$0.24 versus -$3.61).
- The debt-to-equity ratio is very high at 3.06 and currently higher than the industry average, implying increased risk associated with the management of debt levels within the company. Along with the unfavorable debt-to-equity ratio, MGM maintains a poor quick ratio of 0.83, which illustrates the inability to avoid short-term cash problems.
- Return on equity has greatly decreased when compared to its ROE from the same quarter one year prior. This is a signal of major weakness within the corporation. Compared to other companies in the Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure industry and the overall market, MGM RESORTS INTERNATIONAL's return on equity significantly trails that of both the industry average and the S&P 500.
- You can view the full analysis from the report here: MGM Ratings Report
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This is an uncredited news snippet from The Gun Guys, an anti gun group. Since 2 LEOs were gunned down OUTSIDE their Police station, the Fairfax County PD and Board of Supervisors want VA's laws rewritten to prihibit CCW INSIDE Police stations.
I don't have a whole lot of heartburn over this, but the rationale is killing me!
Stung by the shooting deaths of two officers outside a western Fairfax County police station in May, county officials want to push the Virginia General Assembly to ban the carrying of guns into law enforcement buildings by anyone other than authorized personnel.
State law bans weapons in courthouses. But the absence of any prohibition on weapons inside police stations or jails places officers at risk, county officials say. At the request of Fairfax County Police Chief David M. Rohrer, the Board of Supervisors has included a ban in a draft of its legislative program for the 2007 Virginia General Assembly.
The county has made numerous attempts to keep firearms out of government buildings, only to see the initiatives languish in a state legislature loath to restrict the rights of gun owners. But the issue has gained new urgency since the May 8 shootings at the Sully District station in Chantilly.
Michael W. Kennedy, a mentally ill 18-year-old, drove to the rear parking lot of the station and fired more than 70 shots with an assault rifle and other weapons. Detective Vicky O. Armel, 40, died that day, along with Kennedy. Officer Michael E. Garbarino, 53, died of his wounds nine days later.
Want to tell the powers that be what you think?
Police Chief of Police 703-246-2195
Board of Supervisors Chairman 703-324-2321 http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/gov/bos...c_feedback.asp
Board of Supervisors Braddock 703-425-9300
Board of Supervisors Dranesville 703-356-0551
Board of Supervisors Hunter Mill 703-478-0283
Board of Supervisors Lee 703-971-6262
Board of Supervisors Mason 703-256-7717
Board of Supervisors Mount Vernon 703-780-7518
Board of Supervisors Providence 703-560-6946
Board of Supervisors Springfield 703-451-8873
Board of Supervisors Sully 703-378-9393


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The boycott against photo sharing site Instagram just got the support of two big institutions, each spanning the spectrum of the old and new: National Geographic, and the hacktivist network Anonymous.
National Geographic has posted an image on its photo feed saying it was "suspending new posts to Instagram. We are very concerned with the direction of the proposed new terms of service."
via Instagram Boycott Now Includes National Geographic And Anonymous – Forbes.
Related articles
Content Curator Tom George
Founder and CEO of Internet Billboards. A futurist and serial entrepreneur, as well as a professional fitness trainer, martial artist, and business strategist. Helped to develop inbound advertising. An avid content curator who enjoys finding those digital gems out there in cyberspace and sharing them with others.


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Rates of flu-like illness remain elevated in Massachusetts as noted in the latest weekly flu report. But even though flu season is definitely upon us there is still time to protect yourself and your family by getting a flu shot. There is still plenty of flu vaccine …Continue Reading Weekly Flu Report, January 10, 2014
In Massachusetts we've come to recognize and appreciate that when emergencies happen, our local communities band together to respond. And these community-level responses are exemplified by the work done by local Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) units. The Medical Reserve Corps is a national network of …Continue Reading Building Capacity at the Local Level to Respond to Emergencies
The agenda for today's monthly meeting of the Public Health Council included a pair of Determination of Need requests from area health care facilities, and informational presentations and updates from two programs within the DPH Bureau of Health Care Safety and Quality. The meeting began …Continue Reading Highlights of the January 8th Public Health Council Meeting
Did you know that many birth defects are preventable? Every January, the National Birth Defects Prevention Network makes that message loud and clear by promoting January as Birth Defects Prevention Month. It's important information to know, since birth defects are: · Common: 1 in every …Continue Reading You Can Prevent Birth Defects!
The first weekly flu report of the new year shows that rates of flu-like illness continued their upward climb in the past seven days. This is consistent with how flu season tends to play out in this part of the country. If history is any guide, …Continue Reading Weekly Flu Report, January 3, 2014
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Biographical and Playing Info
Given Name: Mark Andrew Guthrie
Born: Buffalo, NY, USA, in 1965
School: Did not attend college.
Primary Position: Pitcher
Batted: Right Threw: Left
Major League Games: 766
Primary Team: Minnesota Twins
Played For
Minnesota Twins (1989-1995)
Los Angeles Dodgers (1995-1998)
Boston Red Sox (1999)
Chicago Cubs (1999-2003)
Tampa Bay Devil Rays (2000)
Toronto Blue Jays (2000)
Oakland Athletics (2001)
New York Mets (2002)
First major league game: 7/25/1989
Final major league game: 9/28/2003
Hall of Fame Voting
No Hall of Fame elections.
See his complete statistical record at baseball-reference.com


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Shooting near NC State campusA shooting near the NC State campus early this morning has left one man dead in an apartment complex. Disclaimer: Comments posted on this, or any story are opinions of those people posting them, and not the views or opinions of WWAY NewsChannel 3, its management or employees. » |
Recent comments


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16 October 2012, Department of Interior and Local Government Region IX
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Region IX in coordination with the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center successfully hosted a one-day Regional Orientation-Workshop on Public-Private Partnership conducted last October 9, 2012 at the Celebrity Hall, Grand Astoria Hotel, Zamboanga City.
Participants to orientation-workshop were the Planning Development Coordinators, Designated Local Economic Investment Promotions Officers (LEIPOs) of the Provinces of Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga Sibugay, Cities of Zamboanga, Dapitan, Dipolog, Pagadian and Isabela, and the municipalities of Zamboanga Peninsula.
Key functionaries in attendance were DILG Region IX Assistant Regional Director Pedro G. Cuevas, Jr., Zamboanga City Administrator Antonio G. Orendain, Jr., NEDA IX OIC-Assistant Regional Director Vicente S. Fabian and Director Eleazar E. Ricote, Capacity Building and Knowledge Management Service, PPP Center, respectively, among others.
The activity aimed at apprising the local government units (LGUs) of the objective, significance and importance of the concept of public-private partnerships in realizing the national goals and objectives, among other considerations.
Further, it aims to provide capacity building initiatives and enhance the technical capacities of LGUs in terms of implementation of development and other infrastructure projects consistent to national government thrusts.
In his message during the opening program, ARD Cuevas, representing Regional Director Paisal O. Abutazil, emphasized the importance of forging and strengthening partnerships and collaboration between the government and private sectors to concretize efforts and implement strategies geared towards the improvement of lives of the people in the community.
"Public-Private Partnership is an effective mechanism in ensuring progress and development at all levels of governance. Collaboration between these sectors is an effective measure in order to realize our goals and objectives," ARD Cuevas said.
Among the subjects discussed during the activity were the Philippine PPP Program, its Legal Framework, Processes and Cycle and the PPP Monitoring and Evaluation.
Following the lectures and presentations was the workshop session and the open forum whereby participants were provided the opportunity to be clarified on PPP issues and concerns.
This PPP initiative, a joint undertaking of DILG and the PPP Center, an attached agency of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) is supplemented by a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) duly signed by the concerned parties.
PPP Center
Press Release
15 October 2012
53 local government units (LGUs) from across the Zamboanga Peninsula participated in the region-wide Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Orientation-Workshop organized by the PPP Center at the Grand Astoria Hotel, Zamboanga City last October 9, 2012.
A total of 104 participants composed mostly of Planning and Development Coordinators (PDCs) and designated Local Economic Investment Promotion Officers (LEIPOs), and some local chief executives were present during the workshop.
Aimed at providing LGus the basic understanding of the PPP option for local infrastructure and development projects, the workshop for Region IX was conducted in partnership with the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) IX and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) IX with the support of the Philippine Councilor's League Zamboanga Peninsula (PCL-ZamPen) Chapter.
The Department of Finance's Municipal Development Fund Office (MDFO) also joined the Center in the conduct of the regional workshops to promote the PPP Fund. The PPP Fund, sourced from the Municipal Development Fund-Second Generation Fund (MDF-SGF), is a PPP financing window which LGUs can tap to support pre-investment studies that will ensure the viability of their infrastructure development projects.
The next Regional PPP Orientation-Workshop is set for the Ilocos Region on October 22 at the Diego Silang Hall, La Union Provincial Capitol, San Fernando City, La Union.
The PPP Center have also partnered with the League of Municipalities of the Philippines- Leyte Chapter to conduct a region-wide Seminar and Project Matching with municipalities in the Eastern Visayas this October 25-26 at the Oriental Hotel, Palo, Leyte. Â The Center will discuss with various local chief executives the PPP program and how projects can be effectively implemented locally.
In all workshops with the PPP Center, participating LGUs are provided free copies of the three-volume LGU PPP Manual which includes discussion on the PPP concepts and framework, project preparation and development processes, and a compilation of template documents and sample PPP project templates for shopping center and public market, government administrative center, and water supply system.
PPP Center
June 22, 2012
An orientation workshop on local public-private partnership (PPP) project development has been set in September 2012 by the Philippine PPP Center for the local governments in the Zamboanga Peninsula Region of Mindanao.
"The PPP Program vigorously pursues capacity building for local governments to enable them to develop PPP options for local development projects," said Eli Ricote, PPP Center Director for Capacity Building and Knowledge Management.
In collaboration with the NEDA and DILG Regional Offices in Zamboanga, the training will provide LGUs in the region basic understanding and practical knowledge in selecting and developing viable PPP projects. During the training, the PPP Center will also discuss its services aimed at helping LGUs pursue local PPPs. Aside from trainings, the Center can also provide project development support to selected LGU projects through technical assistance or the Project Development and Monitoring Facility (PDMF).
The PDMF is a revolving fund that finances pre-investments studies, including preparation of feasibility studies, drafting of bidding documents, and assistance during the bidding process until financial close. Given the revolving nature of the PDMF, the cost of the project preparation would have to be reimbursed by the winning project proponent.
To date, the PPP Center has conducted seven regional trainings on PPPs. It has also developed a LGU PPP Manual that includes three volumes on PPP concepts and framework, project preparation and development, and a compilation of template documents and sample projects on PPPs at local level. Sample project templates featured are shopping center and public market, government administrative center, and water supply system.


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The BigPack 1290 HDP II large square baler from Krone runs faster and produces more 3 x 4' bales at a higher density than its predecessor, says a grower and custom harvester who tested it.
Nick Mussi, Stockton, CA, offers a good frame of reference. His family now owns not only the newest Krone high-density press (HDP) model, but also a standard 1290 HDP and three other BigPack balers.
Mussi; his brother, Nathan; and cousin, Garrett, run Triple M Custom Farming as well as harvest the acreage on their family's farm, L & R Mussi Farms. Their five balers produced 75,000-plus bales of alfalfa, teff grass, rice and oat straw, cornstalks, sudangrass and winter forage last year.
Everything about the new baler is bigger than the regular HDP, Mussi adds. "You can make a lot more bales per hour with the HDP II. In cornstalks, we got 117 bales per hour; with the HDP, it was 70 bales."
"It's definitely a big machine," he says. "It has eight knotters so you can put more tension on the bales, which allows for more weight."
Adding weight to straw bales helps growers pack more product per bale and shave transport costs. The standard HDP, developed nearly a decade ago, did increase bale weight by 25%, says Krone bale specialist Niklas Beindorf.
But the HDP II produces bales 10% more dense "while maintaining the same ground speed," Beindorf says. Straw 8' bales produced by the HDP generally weigh 1,140 lbs; the newer model puts out 1,254-lb straw bales.
To produce those heavier bales, most of the machine's components are larger.
"The gearbox is huge. It has to handle 1,600-1,700 horsepower each time when the plunger plunges against the bale. We also have two cylinders in the back and top that will give 50% more force in the bale chamber."
The HDP II, compared to the HDP, features a flywheel that spins faster, at 1,180 rpms vs. 1,000 rpms; has a 30% higher compression force and an increase in plunger strokes to 45 vs. 38 strokes/minute.
An eight-knotter system was needed to hold the dense bales together, and a constant air stream keeps the knotter table clean, the Krone specialist adds. Twine storage was also increased from 32 spools on the HDP to 54 on the HDP II.
"This baler can hold 27 balls on each side. It holds enough for a long working day." One grower testing the machine sent Beindorf a photo of his monitor. It showed that he'd baled 3.6 hours that day, producing 371 oat-straw bales.
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The baler's variable filling system was made 18% larger than the standard HDP's, he adds. It was designed to have only four strengthened packer bars with larger bearings in the cam track. The cutting system floor was also lowered, making for easier cleaning when plugged. An active sensing rake was added to adjust the amount of material fed into the system.
The baler monitors how many flakes are made and their thickness. "That gives you a good idea if your material is dry or not, how heavy your bales are," Beindorf says. With the optional moisture tester kit and the standard bale scale, growers have a good idea of their bales' quality as they're produced, he adds.
The HDP II that Mussi and his partners bought this past June is "a big improvement" over the prototype they tested. "Anything that we found wrong with it, they improved on with last year's model." The knotter system, for instance, is completely different from the one Krone started with, he says.
"It does take a larger tractor with more horsepower to run it," Mussi points out. "We had it on the JD 8360R, which has a 360-hp engine. The other balers we can run on 190- to 200-hp tractors.
"And it uses more fuel, but we're getting production on it." He estimates he made 20,000 bales with the HDP II by the end of harvest.
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Joe Orrach
Come and enjoy a high-powered evening of drama, music and movement. Having earned rave reviews in San Francisco, veteran performer Joe Orrach, a Saint Mary's College Liberal Education for Arts Professionals (LEAP) program graduate, brings his autobiographical solo show IN MY CORNER to Saint Mary's College on September 22, 8 PM in LeFevre Theatre.
IN MY CORNER is the tale of a Puerto Rican / Italian kid growing up in a family dominated by a violent ex-boxer father. His coming of age story is one in which he makes his way out of chaos and violence through his discovery of dance (he is an incredible tapper!). Orrach's fast-paced narrative riffs shift seamlessly into boxing sequences and driving tap dance numbers. This moving and transformative work delivers a powerful punch guaranteed to leave audiences breathless. Born into a family dominated by a line of Puerto Rican boxers and sweetened by Italian food, gesture and song, Joe, described as "a consummate showman and vulnerable, soul-bearing soloist" by the SF Bay Guardian, tells his energetic story to the accompaniment of a jazz ensemble , led by musical director and world class pianist Matthew Clark. This dramatic solo performance, fun and full of life, comes to Saint Mary's after sold-out runs in San Francisco.
Actor, performer, dancer, singer and US Air Force welterweight boxing champion, Joe Orrach has performed worldwide on stage, television and in motion picture features. Joe started on the streets of New York City, at 72nd and Broadway, where Gregory Hines found him two decades ago. Joe has performed with Gregory Hines, Savion Glover and has appeared in films by Woody Allen, James Mangold and others. California audiences had the pleasure of seeing Joe as one of the "power acts" at San Francisco's Teatro Zinzanni from 2000 to 2006.
$15 general admission; $10 Seniors (65+) and non-SMC students and $5 for Saint Mary's faculty, staff and students. Please call (925) 631-4670 for reservations.
(925) 631-4670
Maps & Directories
Mailing Address
Saint Mary's College of California
1928 Saint Mary's Road
Moraga, CA 94575
(925) 631-4000
Google Map | Campus Map | PO Boxes


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"Red Clover is a very common plant with bright pink blossoms and is renowned for its fertility-enhancing properties. The leaves and blossoms are rich in B vitamins, calcium and protein and also helps to detoxify the blood." Womenfitness.net
by Kristen Hart
A delicate blossom on a hardy, nourishing plant could be the natural fertility booster that you are looking for. Red clover is known as a hardy plants that enriches the fertility of the soil its planted in. Natural wisdom has proven that it gives a tonic and enhancing effect to human fertility as well.
A tonic is something taken regularly to enrich health. Red clover blossoms are a tonic herb. Taken regularly they provide superior nourishment to the reproductive system. Susan S. Weed, author of the Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year calls red clover blossoms "the single most useful herb for establishing fertility."
Red clover is widely useful as a "purifying" herb. It helps to rid the body of mucous and aids the body in efficient waste elimination. It's also a blood booster and has long been used as a gentle cough remedy for children.
It truly shines as a fertility boosting herb because of its nourishing properties. It has large amounts of vitamins and minerals. Most trace minerals are found in red clover blossoms. Calcium and magnesium are abundant and very available – so much so that Susan Weed states it is "exceedingly absorbable."
"Modern scientific tests have shown that red clover contains isoflavones, plant-based chemicals that produce estrogen-like effects in the body. Isoflavones have shown potential in the treatment of a number of conditions associated with menopause, such as hot flashes, cardiovascular health, and osteoporosis. However, as researchers have become aware of the side effects of taking estrogen, there is also some concern about the safety of isoflavones." University of Maryland Medical Center
These minerals are useful for supporting the blood and bones, as well as the reproductive system. A gentle red clover tonic makes all these nutrients available to the uterus and other reproductive organs. They also help to relax the reproductive system and allow it to work at maximum efficiency.
Red clover also has an alkalinizing effect on the whole body, which creates a more sperm-friendly environment within your body. Combined with peppermint to make a tasty brew that also stimulates the sex drive it is a perfect drink to prepare for conception.
Enjoy a glass or two of red clover blossom infusion every day for several months. The high protein content will help your body prepare to build your little one. Abundant vitamins and minerals will enhance your health and your reproductive system. And you'll be secure knowing that you are gently making your body ready to conceive your bouncing baby.
"It may be that the isoflavones in red clover have an estrogenic effect when consumed as a staple part of the diet. We still have much to learn about isoflavones, but it seems logical that they may prove useful in conditions associated with very low estrogen levels (menopause, chronic miscarriage, some cases of infertility) and should be avoided in cases of estrogen excess (uterine fibroids, endometriosis, breast cancer). Red clover has been a traditional folk therapy for infertility and chronic miscarriage, both of which can be due to insufficient estrogen." Howstuffworks.com
Buy Organic Red Clover Tea or Red Clover Capsules
About the Author
Kristen Hart is the owner of http://www.getting-pregnant.com, a website devoted to empowering couples to enhance their fertility naturally. Visit the site to subscribe to an entire article series on natural fertility. Also visit Kristen's review of Susan Weed's Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year.


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Have you heard of crackslaw? You might have if you've been kicking around a low carb lifestyle for a while, I know I have come across it on a few occassions but I NEVER have cabbage so it's not a recipe I have tried nor has it come to mind while making the grocery list. A few days ago our supermarket had both cabbage and lean ground beef on sale and I thought sure why not, maybe I can make some deconstructed cabbage rolls with it or something so I picked both up…and there they sat in my fridge all week. ENTER Sunday night, we are running behind in our day and I haven't even thought about dinner so I open the fridge and see this beef and cabbage staring at me and I went to dismiss it because there isn't enough time to cook down tomatoes for deconstructed cabbage rolls when crackslaw enters my brain…
GOOGLE show me the crackslaw! and this is the Recipe that pops up Crackslaw. It has to be legit right? I mean the website domain is crackslaw.com, you don't even need to keep searching when what you are looking for is the domain name of the website…that's a fat kid fact. Anyway, I halved the recipe when I made it and it was pretty darn tasty, in fact I kind of wish I had made more so that it could be dinner tonight too….which is why I'm sharing the recipe with you because it's just too good not to.
- 1 lb ground beef
- 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- 3 sliced green onions
- 14 oz coleslaw mix (I used shredded cabbage)
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Sauce Ingredients:
- 1/4 teaspoon white sugar or sweetener (I used splenda)
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger paste (I just grated some fresh ginger)
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar (I used Rice Wine Vinegar)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce (I used Chili Garlic paste)
- Brown the ground beef in a skillet and season it with salt and pepper to taste.
- While the meat is browning combine hot sauce, soy sauce, sweetener, vinegar and ginger
- Remove the beef from the pan and set aside. Drain off the fat.
- Heat up the sesame oil and sauté the garlic, onions and cabbage, until the cabbage is cooked to the desired tenderness.
- Stir in the sauce.
- Add the ground beef back in and mix well to combine.
- Serve hot and enjoy.
This dish was super tasty and was easily made in about 15 minutes adapted using ingredients I had on hand. It was slightly overly salty and next time I might add coconut aminos instead of soy sauce just to see if that chills out the salt factor but it is also what kind of made it so good…Anyway I give this two fat kid thumbs up because it was super quick, I could see it being super adaptable using different meats etc and super yummy.
One Response to "Crackslaw"
That recipe sounds amazing and can't wait to try it! Where do you find your coconut aminos? I live in the middle of nowhere, Alberta and am having a hard time finding them.


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Archbishop provides background on decision made by Holy See
But before I explain the process, and why Pope Benedict XVI chose Bishop-elect Manuel A. Cruz to serve this local Church of Newark in a new ministry as auxiliary bishop, I think it is important to speak about the role of an auxiliary bishop.
An auxiliary bishop is a bishop whom the Holy See assigns to assist the resident bishop or archbishop in the pastoral care and administration of a diocese. The auxiliary bishop has the fullness of Holy Orders, can administer the sacraments, especially Confirmation, and serves as the bishop's representative at various functions.
In a large archdiocese such as Newark, an auxiliary bishop often is responsible for a defined territory, such as a county, or may be responsible for a special area of ministry.
Because a bishop is supposed to be the head of a diocese, every auxiliary bishop is given what is called a "titular diocese," a diocese that at one time in the history of the Church existed, but that is now part of a larger diocese in a different part of the world. In the case of Bishop-elect Cruz, for example, his titular diocese is called Gaguari, which is in Asia.
The majority of the auxiliary bishops of the archdiocese over the years have come from the local presbyterate of Newark, but not always. For example, Bishop Joseph Francis and Bishop David Arias had been in ministry in other parts of the country when they received the call to serve in Newark. Both also were priests of religious communities, rather than diocesan priests. Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha is a member of a religious community, although his entire ministry has been within the archdiocese.
Two years ago I petitioned through the Office of the Nuncio-the Holy See's representative to the United States-for the Holy Father to name an auxiliary bishop, so that each county of the archdiocese would have a regional bishop who could serve the needs of the people in that region. At that time, we had only three auxiliaries.
Rome granted me that permission and I submitted to the nuncio the names of three priests, including then-Msgr. Cruz, and the reasons why I felt they were worthy of consideration for the office of bishop. The nuncio's office forwarded my request to the Congregation for Bishops, the administrative department of the Roman Curia responsible for matters dealing with most bishops of the Latin Rite. During this office's review, it was possible that the names of other worthy priests could be considered.
At the end of its review, the congregation agreed with my request and presented it to the Holy Father to consider. The Holy Father had the option of accepting the nomination, naming someone entirely different for the office, or declining the request. We received word in May of this year that the Holy Father indeed had accepted my request to elevate Msgr. Cruz to the office of auxiliary bishop.
Since becoming Archbishop of Newark seven years ago, I have had the privilege to seek four new auxiliary bishops and each of them-Bishop da Cunha, Bishop Thomas A. Donato, Bishop John W. Flesey and now Bishop-elect Cruz-had been my personal choice to serve in this special, critical ministry. In addition to service in different parishes within the archdiocese, each has worked in specialized ministry-in developing vocations, in pastoral care, in ethnic ministry, in education-and the Holy See shares my conviction that the archdiocese is richer because of them.
When I first announced this past June that Bishop-elect Cruz was to be our newest auxiliary bishop, I said that, throughout his life as a priest, he has continued to provide the very real presence of Our Lord at times when it is most needed. I feel similarly about each of our four auxiliary bishops. They are exceptional priests and teachers of the faith. In all that they do, they embody the words of Saint Francis of Assisi, who said: "Preach the Gospel; use words only if necessary." In their every action and thought, they seek to be true successors of the Apostles and servant leaders to the Church and her people.
As we take this time to celebrate the episcopal ordination of our newest auxiliary, Bishop Manuel Cruz, let us rejoice that this great archdiocese continues to foster deep and abiding vocations to the priesthood, and many good and faithful priests worthy of the office of bishop.


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High Enforcement of Aggressive Traffic
In July of 2009, the MnDOT Office of Traffic Safety and Technology, Department of Public Safety Offices of Traffic Safety and the Minnesota State Highway Patrol partnered to develop an aggressive driving education and enforcement campaign – High Enforcement of Aggressive Traffic. The HEAT program will run for three years and aims to improve roadway safety through education and heightened traffic enforcement. Each partner plays an important role in the success of the HEAT program.
MnDOT Office of Traffic Safety and Technology will provide:
- Data analyses to identify road segments with high incidents of aggressive driving related crashes as candidates for high enforcement zones.
- Ongoing analyses of roadway speeds and citation data inside and outside HEAT enforcement zones.
- Market research survey of public attitudes toward aggressive driving behaviors in order to develop messages that are appropriate for intended audience.
Minnesota State Highway Patrol and local law enforcement agencies will:
- Provide additional enforcement in the HEAT enforcement zones.
- Collect data regarding number and types of citations issued during HEAT enforcement.
Department of Public Safety, Office of Traffic Safety will:
- Coordinate public education and media campaigns to promote safe driving behaviors.
Minnesota drivers have the choice to make their roadways safer through their own driving behaviors. Ultimately, this program intends to reduce the number of severe injury and fatal crashes on Minnesota's roadways by:
- Educating drivers about the consequences of non-compliance with traffic laws, including the posted speed limit.
- Increasing driver compliance with traffic laws, including but not limited to the posted speed limits, through heightened traffic enforcement within identified high incident zones.


text:
The model of economic development that we are currently pursuing is unsustainable. Our energy consumption per unit of GDP is seven times that of Japan, six times that of America, and even 2.8 times that of India. China's labour productivity is less than 10 per cent of the world total, and yet our emissions are over 10 times higher than the global average.
by Pan Yue deputy director of China's State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA). Part of a new generation of outspoken Chinese senior officials, Pan has given rise to a tide of environmental debate, attracting enormous attention and controversy.


text:
with the last thin well-wishes of the sun
our eyes are glazed and our mouths are wet
in anticipation of fruitful boughs
and the satin-soft earth keeping the warmth of day
all the beasts named in this fenceless paradise, save one:
the dark creature coiled in leafy ideas,
tight as a tourniquet around its nest of cool knowledge
so, inviting it into our arms, we ask of its skin
"What is your name?" and ask of its whispers,
"What is your purpose?" but it slips away like a flower's face
through the night's frozen teeth
we know with each day the plentiful gifts of this love are gathering dust,
are in need of repair, and are groaning of our misuse and neglect,
but we are running barefoot through this shallow dream
and now that the fire we lit to protect us
from the darkening world has died down to a glow
we are careful to be silent
so as not to disturb the flock of leaves in their roosts,
the sighing pack of stones huddled together for warmth,
or wake the slowly rocking herd of hills
all slumbering under the same roof of stars


text:
Wigan have reportedly agreed a fee with Barnsley for highly-rated full-back John Stones and hope to secure him before the transfer deadline.
The 18-year-old has been tracked by a host of Premier League clubs, but Wigan look to have secured a deal for his services.
A fee believed to be in the region of £3million has been agreed and now the player is set for talks with Wigan.
Latics boss Roberto Martinez has been eager to bolster his defensive options, and Stones will give him options at both full-back and centre-half - if they secure his signature before the 11pm deadline.