| Daschle on Obama’s appeal: Hope versus fear
Blah, blah, blah. Never a substantive complaint about how he might personally suffer if the Democrats assume control. Tuesday night he called for a long visit and it became apparent he has had an epiphany. He suddenly realized that his greatest prosperity came during the Clinton years and that his seven figure pension was lost and his company bought out by an uncaring competitor because of rules changes initiated during the GWB presidency. He has voted as a social conservative for years, but last night said" It is unconscionable that any one in the richest country in history has to pay for health care or higher education. And I don't see why we haven't done something to get free of that damned foreign oil. And I don't think one more American boy should die for oil!" The thing is, he starts to draw Social Security in a couple of months, and there isn't a defined benefits pension plan any more so he really needs SS to be solvent so he can make it, and he sees privatization as his own road to ruin.
TN legislators want to get more serious water fight
Over development and disregard for our precious resources will lead to shortages and worse. I'm sorry, but you don't need a perfect gulf course lawn. Let's encourage the planting of native species that are drought resistant and other conservation efforts. .
N.H. inns prepare for civil union guests
If the rainbow-painted deck chairs, fluttering rainbow flag and purple shutters don't make it clear, the Highlands Inn's toll-free number, 877-LES-B-INN, leaves no doubt as to whom this White Mountains resort caters to.Innkeeper Grace Newman began hosting commitment ceremonies at this self-proclaimed "lesbian paradise" — in the 1980s. Newman says she has lost track of the number of commitment ceremonies that have happened there; she estimates about 300 couples have honeymooned at the inn after getting civil unions in Vermont or marriages in Quebec, Canada, both short drives away.In 2008, the inn's 25th anniversary coincides with another milestone: legal recognition of civil unions by New Hampshire beginning Jan. 1. Newman, veteran host and overseer of many a union, isn't wasting any time. Two New Hampshire couples have agreed to get civil unions during the inn's annual New Year's Eve dance after the clock strikes 12.From the North Country to the Statehouse steps, other gay couples are making similar plans."It would be pretty easy to take a little break from the party and celebrate some civil unions," said Newman, who plans to get her own civil union with longtime partner Maria Doyle in September at the inn.The new law plants another rainbow-colored flag in New England, which has grown increasingly gay-friendly since neighboring Vermont became the first state to legalize civil unions in 2000.
Enabling Animal House: America Needs to Create Rational Higher Ed ...
America needs to invest more financial resources to help address a looming shortage of college graduates needed for the high-tech economy of tomorrow. Or do we? Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano, current chair of the National Governor's Association, used her 2008 State of the State address to call for doubling the number of college graduates in Arizona by 2020. Napolitano proposed paying the tuition for students who graduate high school with a B average to accomplish this goal. “We must recognize that higher education is something that all Arizona children will need to succeed," stated Governor Napolitano. In the Carnegie Foundation's publication Change, Paul Barton wrote that the notion that the U.S. has a dire need for an ever increasing number of college graduates is a myth.
African violet wins popularity contest
This plant soon became a popular house plant in Germany and other European countries but it did not come to North America until 1926. The California firm of Armacost and Royston imported seeds in 1926 from British and German greenhouses that were known for African violets. Their work led the way for the development of strains and hybrids suitable for home gardening. Today, the African violet is considered the world's most popular house plant and they are a $30 million a year industry. But back to the seeds. According to Dorothy Parker Adams, "It all started with a package of 100 seeds." The 100 African violet seeds grew into 134 plants, and as they say, the rest is history. .
Chow & Tell: Taste Buds at Blue Adobe Grille
Along with our dip, we chose a small cup of red chile pork posole soup with spicy mixes of roasted pork and hominy in a red chile broth ($5.25). The red chile pork posole could be an elixir for the ill in small isolated villages. Our server graciously brought us a sample of the green chile chicken corn chowder ($3.50). The chowder was thick and creamy enough to comfort our taste buds. Do you see a theme here? Staying true to the New Mexican cuisine, green/red chile is used in almost every dish at Blue Adobe. The lobster dip was delicious although we would have preferred to enjoy it with tortilla chips instead of the deep fried flour crisps. As for the soups, we liked the red chile pork posole better. The spices and flavor hit the spot. For dinner Jennifer picked the chorizo stuffed chicken ($16), which was a pecan-grilled chicken breast stuffed with chorizo, green chiles, fontina cheese and smothered with anamaretto mushroom cream sauce.
Redpine Signals' Lite-Fi(TM) Ultra Low Power 802.11n Wi-Fi(R) Solution ...
BARCELONA, Spain, Feb. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- GSMA Mobile World Congress -- Redpine Signals, Inc., a leading developer of ultra low power multi-standard OFDM and MIMO silicon-based solutions, today announced the achievement of breakthrough power and performance of its recently released Lite-Fi(TM) RS9110 for 802.11n. The RS9110-based reference design is the world's first and only fully 802.11n Draft 2.0 Wi-Fi CERTIFIED(TM) SDIO card solution, and includes certifications for WMM-PS (providing power savings for time critical voice and video services) and WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Service(TM), easing set-up between client devices and access points). The RS9110 provides voice-over-Wi-Fi (VoWiFi) connectivity with a power profile of over 200 hours of talk time using a 800 mAH battery, and remains associated with a wireless network while consuming less than 1 mW of power -- giving an unsurpassed power advantage for mobile handsets over current solutions.
What's on in the UK in 2008
Chester's renaissance as a 21st century City extends into the retail sector too. Work began in September 07 on the £280 million Northgate Development, which will change the face of the area around the Town Hall. The new scheme will regenerate 25% of the area within the ancient City Walls and create a new, purpose-built performing arts centre seating audiences of up to 1000 people, 60 new Rows-style shops, a department store for House of Fraser; a new indoor market; library and multi-storey car park. The 19th century, Gothic-style Town Hall will become a freestanding building for the first time in over 100 years. www.chesterrenaissance.co.uk Press contact for further details: Caroline Hoppe (Visit Chester & Cheshire) tel: 01244 405622/ email: c.hoppe@visitchesterandcheshire.co.uk The Grand Arcade Cambridge, Cambridgeshire Full open Spring 2008 This exciting new development will bring a 21st C.
Illegal visitors cost Australia $20m in airfares
TAXPAYERS spent more than $20 million on airfares for 5000 people who broke Australia's immigration rules and were kicked out last year. Tourists who overstayed their visas, people who breached working conditions and students who failed their courses were among those deported. Almost 1600 tourists who had overstayed were put in detention centres before being deported. Department of Immigration and Citizenship figures, compiled for The Sunday Mail, show 5056 people had their airfares funded, and where required had escorts, at an average cost of $4081 each. Airfares were only a portion of the detention-and-removal costs billed to deportees, and just a fraction of the cost is recovered by the Department each year. "In 2006-07, DIAC recovered $902,159 from people who had previously been removed from Australia," a Department spokesman said.
Farah seeks loophole
WESTS Tigers' hooker Robbie Farah is considering flying halfway around the world for a game of football that could ruin his dream of playing State of Origin for NSW. The Tigers yesterday gave Farah permission to play for Lebanon this Wednesday in a World Cup qualifying match against Samoa in England. Should he play, he will be barred from turning out for Australia and NSW for two years. Farah was yesterday told of the controversial eligibility ruling moments after booking his flight to the UK. Farah last night said that he would travel to the UK in the hope that an exception can be made. "I found out yesterday that the Tigers would let me play,'' Farah said. "I messaged a few of the boys and told them I would be on the plane. "I was pretty happy, but then I was told about this rule.
Serbs refuse to accept Kosovo's declaration of independence
Bush for supporting Kosovo's independence bid, saying the U.S. leader's name would go down in black letters in Serbian history. In Kosovo, Serbs in Kosovska Mitrovica defiantly flew the Serbian flag as they tried to ignore ethnic Albanians' raucous celebrations just hundreds of meters away. The Serbian government _ which steadfastly opposed full statehood for Kosovo during internationally mediated talks last year _ said it has a secret action plan for Kosovo. It says the plan does not include military action, though officials have said Serbia will seek to retain control of areas in northern Kosovo inhabited by Serbs. Serbia also warned that it will downgrade relations with any foreign government that recognizes Kosovo's independence. Tadic urged international organizations to immediately annul this act, which violates the basic principles of international law.
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