movfR3ak — May 08, 2010 — University of Oregon's male a cappella group gives Gaga a run for her money
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Friday, May 7, 2010
Mother's Day And State Department Leave Policy For New Parents
Happy Mother’s Day to all of the proud parents of the State Department. We honor and thank each of you for the sacrifices you have made in order to serve our country while raising your family.
Hillary Rodham Clinton message to all Mothers
I know how challenging it can be to balance the demands of work and family. Whether you're welcoming a new baby, juggling soccer practice and piano lessons, or even helping plan your daughter's wedding - parenting can be more than a full time job.
So today I’m recommitting the State Department to do all we can to support parents, especially new mothers and fathers. We will continue to do all we can to advance paid sick leave to new mothers recuperating from childbirth, family members caring for the mother, as well as those caring for a newborn with a serious ailment or disability, and the employees that are in the process of the adoption efforts that I know can be so difficult.
We will do all we can to support requests for advanced annual leave to care for and bond with a newborn or newly adopted child. Many of you have been taking these steps for years on your own, but I want to encourage all of you to ask for and grant this time - time that I hope will help make you and your families healthier and happier.
We can and should do more to provide public servants with the same maternity and paternity leave benefits that many private sector employers already offer. They’re standard for many other governments around the world. It’s not enough to just talk about the importance of family - our policies must reflect our commitment and our values.
This is something I have worked for over my entire career and I am proud that President Obama shares this goal. And while we work with Congress to take additional steps - steps that are overdue - the State Department will do what we can for you and your families.
Together we are working all over the globe to ensure that children have the health, support and the chance to live up to their God-given potential. Well of course we want the same thing for all the children in the State Department family as well, from Washington to our posts around the world. We say it all the time, but boy we sure do believe it and are reminded of it every day - they are our most precious resource and responsibility.
So once again, thank you to all the parents and I wish all of you a safe and happy Mother’s Day.
###
I know how challenging it can be to balance the demands of work and family. Whether you're welcoming a new baby, juggling soccer practice and piano lessons, or even helping plan your daughter's wedding - parenting can be more than a full time job.
So today I’m recommitting the State Department to do all we can to support parents, especially new mothers and fathers. We will continue to do all we can to advance paid sick leave to new mothers recuperating from childbirth, family members caring for the mother, as well as those caring for a newborn with a serious ailment or disability, and the employees that are in the process of the adoption efforts that I know can be so difficult.
We will do all we can to support requests for advanced annual leave to care for and bond with a newborn or newly adopted child. Many of you have been taking these steps for years on your own, but I want to encourage all of you to ask for and grant this time - time that I hope will help make you and your families healthier and happier.
We can and should do more to provide public servants with the same maternity and paternity leave benefits that many private sector employers already offer. They’re standard for many other governments around the world. It’s not enough to just talk about the importance of family - our policies must reflect our commitment and our values.
This is something I have worked for over my entire career and I am proud that President Obama shares this goal. And while we work with Congress to take additional steps - steps that are overdue - the State Department will do what we can for you and your families.
Together we are working all over the globe to ensure that children have the health, support and the chance to live up to their God-given potential. Well of course we want the same thing for all the children in the State Department family as well, from Washington to our posts around the world. We say it all the time, but boy we sure do believe it and are reminded of it every day - they are our most precious resource and responsibility.
So once again, thank you to all the parents and I wish all of you a safe and happy Mother’s Day.
###
Happy Mother’s Day to all of the proud parents of the State Department. We honor and thank each of you for the sacrifices you have made in order to serve our country while raising your family.
Hillary Rodham Clinton message to all Mothers
I know how challenging it can be to balance the demands of work and family. Whether you're welcoming a new baby, juggling soccer practice and piano lessons, or even helping plan your daughter's wedding - parenting can be more than a full time job.
So today I’m recommitting the State Department to do all we can to support parents, especially new mothers and fathers. We will continue to do all we can to advance paid sick leave to new mothers recuperating from childbirth, family members caring for the mother, as well as those caring for a newborn with a serious ailment or disability, and the employees that are in the process of the adoption efforts that I know can be so difficult.
We will do all we can to support requests for advanced annual leave to care for and bond with a newborn or newly adopted child. Many of you have been taking these steps for years on your own, but I want to encourage all of you to ask for and grant this time - time that I hope will help make you and your families healthier and happier.
We can and should do more to provide public servants with the same maternity and paternity leave benefits that many private sector employers already offer. They’re standard for many other governments around the world. It’s not enough to just talk about the importance of family - our policies must reflect our commitment and our values.
This is something I have worked for over my entire career and I am proud that President Obama shares this goal. And while we work with Congress to take additional steps - steps that are overdue - the State Department will do what we can for you and your families.
Together we are working all over the globe to ensure that children have the health, support and the chance to live up to their God-given potential. Well of course we want the same thing for all the children in the State Department family as well, from Washington to our posts around the world. We say it all the time, but boy we sure do believe it and are reminded of it every day - they are our most precious resource and responsibility.
So once again, thank you to all the parents and I wish all of you a safe and happy Mother’s Day.
###
I know how challenging it can be to balance the demands of work and family. Whether you're welcoming a new baby, juggling soccer practice and piano lessons, or even helping plan your daughter's wedding - parenting can be more than a full time job.
So today I’m recommitting the State Department to do all we can to support parents, especially new mothers and fathers. We will continue to do all we can to advance paid sick leave to new mothers recuperating from childbirth, family members caring for the mother, as well as those caring for a newborn with a serious ailment or disability, and the employees that are in the process of the adoption efforts that I know can be so difficult.
We will do all we can to support requests for advanced annual leave to care for and bond with a newborn or newly adopted child. Many of you have been taking these steps for years on your own, but I want to encourage all of you to ask for and grant this time - time that I hope will help make you and your families healthier and happier.
We can and should do more to provide public servants with the same maternity and paternity leave benefits that many private sector employers already offer. They’re standard for many other governments around the world. It’s not enough to just talk about the importance of family - our policies must reflect our commitment and our values.
This is something I have worked for over my entire career and I am proud that President Obama shares this goal. And while we work with Congress to take additional steps - steps that are overdue - the State Department will do what we can for you and your families.
Together we are working all over the globe to ensure that children have the health, support and the chance to live up to their God-given potential. Well of course we want the same thing for all the children in the State Department family as well, from Washington to our posts around the world. We say it all the time, but boy we sure do believe it and are reminded of it every day - they are our most precious resource and responsibility.
So once again, thank you to all the parents and I wish all of you a safe and happy Mother’s Day.
###
What is National Women's Health Week?
NWHW starts in 2 days!
find events find events
National Women’s Health Week is a weeklong health observance coordinated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office on Women’s Health (OWH). National Women’s Health Week empowers women to make their health a top priority. With the theme “It’s Your Time,” the nationwide initiative encourages women to take simple steps for a longer, healthier, and happier life. During National Women’s Health Week, communities, businesses, government, health organizations, and other groups work together to educate women about steps they can take to improve their physical and mental health and lower their risks of certain diseases. Important steps include:
- Getting at least 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate physical activity, 1 hour and 15 minutes of vigorous physical activity, or a combination of both each week
- Eating a nutritious diet
- Visiting a health care professional to receive regular checkups and preventive screenings
- Avoiding risky behaviors, such as smoking and not wearing a seatbelt
- Paying attention to mental health, including getting enough sleep and managing stress
- Send a free e-card.
- Find events in your area.
- Take the National Women's Checkup Day Pledge!
- Join the Woman Challenge!
- View all proclamations.
- Use our interactive screening chart and immunization tool to learn about the tests and vaccines you may need!
Republican Derivatives Amendment Would Not Bring Transparency To The Market
One of the more contentious parts of the financial regulatory reform debate currently occurring on the Senate floor is over derivatives regulation, after Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) surprised many people by offering legislation that not only brings derivatives out of the dark, but would force commercial banks to place their derivatives trading operations under a separate roof that is independently capitalized.
Currently, a lot of derivatives trading occurs “over-the counter,” meaning it’s between two parties, without public information. Lincoln’s bill would place all standardized derivatives trades onto public exchanges (like the stock exchange), so that both investors and regulators can see what is going on in the market. It would also employ clearinghouses to act as the middlemen between trades, ensuring that both parties have sufficient collateral on hand should the deal go bust.
This approach would help to avoid another AIG-type situation, in which a party is making derivatives trades with nothing to back them up. Republicans, however, are not happy with Lincoln’s legislation. Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), along with Sens. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Richard Shelby (R-AL), have crafted an amendment that not only gets rid of the exchange trading mandate entirely, but gives regulators vast discretion to exempt trades from going through clearinghouses:
The 218-page Republican amendment differs from the Democratic bill by exempting more end users from requirements to send trades through clearinghouses. It would let regulators decide which derivatives would need to pass through clearinghouses…Unlike the Democratic bill, it would not mandate exchange trading for swaps.According to Shelby, the bill will simply stipulate that “transactions will be ‘made known’ to regulators,” whatever that means.
At its core, the amendment is an attempt to leave the derivatives market as is: opaque, with a lack of information for investors looking for fair prices and regulators looking to enforce the rules. As the Roosevelt Institute’s Mike Konczal wrote, “the first axis by which to judge the financial reform of derivatives is to what degee derivatives are required to trade in clearinghouses…The second axis measures to what degree derivatives are required to trade in exchanges.” The GOP plan fails on both measures.
When it comes to complex financial instruments, the more information that investors and regulators have, the better the market is. The wide use of exchanges and clearinghouses will drive down prices, increase competition, and prevent the huge derivatives market from building up systemic risk.
Even former Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson feels this way, telling the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission today that derivatives should be standardized and put on exchanges, and anything that is not standardized should have onerous capital requirements. “Such regulations will encourage standardization, promote transparency, and penalize excessive complexity with capital charges, thereby restoring these products to their proper function — mitigating, not enhancing, risk,” he said.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
There are a dozen videos on the 2008 Banking, Mortgage and Financial Downfall of Wall Street
2008 financial crisis and banksFormer Bear Stearns executives testified about the 2008 collapse of Bear Stearns, financial markets, and the "shadow banking system." They contended that media reports and rumors in financial markets played a large role in the company's demise, but also said that the company had taken on too much risk to handle severe market disruptions. Hearing was joined in progress approximately 7 minutes into the start of the panel.
Programs
Former Bear Stearns executives testified about the 2008 collapse of Bear Stearns, financial markets, and the "shadow banking system." They contended that media reports and rumors in financial .. Read More
233 views2 hours, 38 minutes
Former Bear Stearns executives testified about the 2008 collapse of Bear Stearns, financial markets, and the "shadow banking system." They contended that media reports and rumors in financial .. Read More
33 views
2 hours, 9 minutes
2 hours, 9 minutes
Former federal financial regulators testified about the 2008 collapse of Bear Stearns, financial markets, and the "shadow banking system." Among the topics they addressed were the types of .. Read More
142 views
2 hours, 51 minutes
2 hours, 51 minutes
Criminal Prosecutions for Financial Fraud
Legal experts testified about potential legal means to prosecute Wall Street brokers for fraud when they act against the interests of clients. Following their testimony, Assistant Attorney General Lanny Breuer testified about Justice Department operations and current Wall Street fraud cases.
County Health rating check out your county in your state
Video: Introducing the 2010 County Health Rankings
Image:
How healthy is your county? What do the Rankings mean? How can you use the Rankings to improve health in your community? Join County Health Rankings researchers and RWJF President and CEO Risa Lavizzo-Mourey for a video spotlight answering these questions and telling the story of how one county used the Rankings to inspire action and improve health.
Snapshot 2010: Lancaster
| Lancaster County | Error Margin | Target Value* | Pennsylvania | Rank (of 67) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health Outcomes | 8 | ||||
| Mortality | 15 | ||||
| Premature death | 6,360 | 6,102-6,618 | 5,962 | 7,465 | |
| Morbidity | 4 | ||||
| Poor or fair health | 11% | 10-13% | 11% | 14% | |
| Poor physical health days | 2.9 | 2.5-3.3 | 2.7 | 3.5 | |
| Poor mental health days | 3.3 | 2.8-3.9 | 2.7 | 3.6 | |
| Low birthweight | 6.2% | 5.9-6.4% | 6.6% | 8.1% | |
| Health Factors | 9 | ||||
| Health Behaviors | 13 | ||||
| Adult smoking | 20% | 17-23% | 18% | 23% | |
| Adult obesity | 27% | 24-31% | 25% | 28% | |
| Binge drinking | 15% | 12-17% | 12% | 17% | |
| Motor vehicle crash death rate | 13 | 12-15 | 12 | 13 | |
| Chlamydia rate | 289 | 80 | 341 | ||
| Teen birth rate | 31 | 30-32 | 17 | 31 | |
| Clinical Care | 4 | ||||
| Uninsured adults | 14% | 12-15% | 10% | 12% | |
| Primary care provider rate | 114 | 148 | 119 | ||
| Preventable hospital stays | 54 | 53-56 | 60 | 81 | |
| Diabetic screening | 87% | 86-88% | 88% | 82% | |
| Hospice use | 48% | 46-51% | 36% | 30% | |
| Social & Economic Factors | 8 | ||||
| High school graduation | 82% | 94% | 83% | ||
| College degrees | 23% | 22-24% | 32% | 26% | |
| Unemployment | 4% | 4-4% | 5% | 5% | |
| Children in poverty | 13% | 11-15% | 11% | 16% | |
| Income inequality | 41 | 39 | 46 | ||
| Inadequate social support | 17% | 14-20% | 16% | 21% | |
| Single-parent households | 7% | 7-8% | 6% | 9% | |
| Violent crime rate | 189 | 110 | 427 | ||
| Physical Environment | 53 | ||||
| Air pollution-particulate matter days | 13 | 0 | 5 | ||
| Air pollution-ozone days | 18 | 2 | 9 | ||
| Access to healthy foods | 43% | 55% | 36% | ||
| Liquor store density | 0.9 | 1.4 | |||
Note: Blank values reflect unreliable or missing data
Snapshot 2010: Polk
| Polk County | Error Margin | Target Value* | Florida | Rank (of 67) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health Outcomes | 34 | ||||
| Mortality | 37 | ||||
| Premature death | 9,204 | 8,911-9,496 | 6,978 | 7,933 | |
| Morbidity | 27 | ||||
| Poor or fair health | 19% | 16-22% | 13% | 16% | |
| Poor physical health days | 3.5 | 2.9-4.2 | 3.0 | 3.5 | |
| Poor mental health days | 3.6 | 3.0-4.2 | 2.8 | 3.5 | |
| Low birthweight | 8.2% | 7.9-8.4% | 7.3% | 8.4% | |
| Health Factors | 46 | ||||
| Health Behaviors | 45 | ||||
| Adult smoking | 22% | 19-26% | 18% | 21% | |
| Adult obesity | 30% | 27-34% | 21% | 24% | |
| Binge drinking | 10% | 8-13% | 8% | 14% | |
| Motor vehicle crash death rate | 28 | 26-29 | 16 | 19 | |
| Chlamydia rate | 344 | 149 | 318 | ||
| Teen birth rate | 72 | 71-74 | 35 | 46 | |
| Clinical Care | 42 | ||||
| Uninsured adults | 24% | 22-26% | 18% | 24% | |
| Primary care provider rate | 66 | 119 | 100 | ||
| Preventable hospital stays | 82 | 80-83 | 52 | 69 | |
| Diabetic screening | 82% | 81-83% | 83% | 80% | |
| Hospice use | 36% | 34-38% | 50% | 44% | |
| Social & Economic Factors | 45 | ||||
| High school graduation | 63% | 75% | 64% | ||
| College degrees | 17% | 17-18% | 30% | 25% | |
| Unemployment | 7% | 7-7% | 4% | 6% | |
| Children in poverty | 19% | 17-21% | 14% | 17% | |
| Income inequality | 42 | 41 | 47 | ||
| Inadequate social support | 24% | 21-28% | 16% | 21% | |
| Single-parent households | 10% | 9-11% | 7% | 9% | |
| Violent crime rate | 519 | 293 | 714 | ||
| Physical Environment | 43 | ||||
| Air pollution-particulate matter days | 4 | 3 | 4 | ||
| Air pollution-ozone days | 4 | 0 | 2 | ||
| Access to healthy foods | 42% | 60% | 50% | ||
| Liquor store density | 0.5 | 0.7 | |||
Note: Blank values reflect unreliable or missing data
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
SenatorMenendezNJ — May 04, 2010 — Senator Robert Menendez discusses his new legislation the Big Oil Bailout Prevention Act which would help ensure that oil companies are not off the hook for economic damages from spills.
DailyPuglet — April 16, 2010 — http://dailypuglet.com : Pug sorts paper from plastic, rides mass transit, swaps carrots for cows and a whole bunch of other stuff that proves being green is totally easy!
** Song is Ray Charles' rendition of Kermit's 'It's Not Easy Being Green' **
Obama Supreme Court pick could come this week
By Patricia Zengerle
Reuters
updated 3:28 p.m. ET, Tues., May 4, 2010
U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens poses for an official photograph with the other Justices at the Supreme Court in Washington, September 29, 2009 file photo. REUTERS/Jim Young
WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama could announce his second nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court as soon as this week, administration officials said, although they declined on Tuesday to say how many names were left on his short list of candidates.
Obama has been expected to decide quickly on who he would like to fill the seat being vacated by retiring Justice John Paul Stevens, with critical congressional elections looming in November.
Elena Kagan, the U.S. solicitor general; Diane Wood, a U.S. appeals court judge in Chicago; Merrick Garland, an appeals court judge in Washington, D.C.; and Sidney Thomas, an appeals court judge in San Francisco, are the four names most generally considered as favorites for the pick.
Administration officials have confirmed that all are on Obama's short list of candidates, and that Obama has interviewed at least some of them in person. They had said the short list included about 10 names.
Stevens is the Supreme Court's leading liberal. The Democratic president's pick is not expected to shift the ideological balance of the closely divided court, which now has five conservatives and four liberals.
Republicans have had little to say about any of Obama's potential picks since Stevens announced his retirement last month, which could be a sign that there will not be an intense confirmation battle on Capitol Hill.
White House officials had said they expected a tough confirmation fight with Republicans in Congress, no matter whom Obama nominates.
Stevens is known as a consensus builder whose intellect and persuasiveness have in some cases helped move the conservative-leaning court toward his opinions.
Administration officials say Obama is seeking a liberal of intellectual heft who also possesses consensus-building skills.
Obama has said he wants to announce his pick by the end of May, so the confirmation process can be finished in time for the new justice. He announced his first Supreme Court nominee, then-appeals court Judge Sonia Sotomayor, on May 26, 2009, and she was confirmed in early August.
Other names on Obama's short list are: Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano; Martha Minow, the dean of Harvard Law School; Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm; Ann Claire Williams, a judge on the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals; and Leah Ward Sears, who retired last year as chief justice of the Supreme Court of Georgia.
Copyright 2010 Reuters. Click for restrictions.
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