Budget plan would leave deepest hole since 1945

WASHINGTON — President Obama on Thursday delivered to Congress a $3.6 trillion spending plan that would finance vast new investments in health care, energy independence and education by raising taxes on the oil-and-gas industry, hedge-fund managers, multinational corporations and more than 2 million of the nation's top earners.

The blueprint, meanwhile, would overhaul federal programs to strengthen assistance for millions of people who have borne the consequences of what Obama called "an era of profound irresponsibility," helping them pay for college, train for better jobs and save for retirement while taxing less of their earnings.

The agenda for the fiscal year that begins in October would not come cheap. This year's budget deficit, swollen by spending to combat a severe recession, would hit a record $1.75 trillion, or 12.3 percent of the overall economy, the highest since 1945. While Obama inherited the bulk of that gap, his budget would allow for a fresh round of spending to prop up troubled financial institutions that could hit $750 billion.

Next year's deficit would approach $1.2 trillion. But Obama proposes to cut that figure roughly in half by the end of 2012, in large part by levying nearly $1 trillion in new taxes on the highest earners, defined as families with gross income of more than $250,000 a year.

In unveiling the outline of his spending priorities, Obama acknowledged his proposal would "add to our deficits in the short term to provide immediate relief to families and get our economy moving." But he argued that the economic crisis should not be used as an excuse to delay costly investments intended to modernize the economy, enhance the work force and, ultimately, reduce government spending.

"What I won't do is sacrifice investments that will make America stronger, more competitive and more prosperous in the 21st century, investments that have been neglected for too long," Obama said. Citing the need to "break free" from foreign oil, reduce "crushing health-care costs" and improve public education, Obama said: "These investments must be America's priorities, and that's what they will be when I sign this budget into law."

Source seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008791874_budget27.htm

Pulau Kapas

Relatively isolated from the hustle and bustle of the mainland, this island is the perfect getaway for those looking for some blissful relaxation.

It is a lovely small island with beautiful, quiet, unspoiled sandy beaches; cool and clear blue waters, swaying coconut trees and caves with swallows’ nests. Its waters are home to beautiful marine life such as fish, turtles, corals and others.

Making it a must-visit destination, especially for discerning divers and snorkellers, is the incredible variety of hard and soft corals, seashells, fish and turtles.

The laidback atmosphere gives a perfect excuse to do nothing. Still, if you are feeling restless, there are plenty of activities to keep you occupied. Take your pick: diving, swimming, snorkelling, windsurfing, kayaking, boating and even fishing.

Pulau Kapas is difficult to access during the monsoon (November - March).

Accommodation varies from deluxe and budget chalets offering air conditioned or fan.

Russian Leaders Examine Nursing Education in Bemidji

Russian leaders participating in the Open World Program will spend November 9 - 17, 2008, in Bemidji, MN examining Nursing Education processes and programs. North Country Regional Hospital will host the delegation. Managed by the independent Open World Leadership Center at the Library of Congress, Open World is designed to enhance understanding and capabilities for cooperation between the United States and the countries of Eurasia and the Baltic States by developing a network of leaders in the region who have gained significant, firsthand exposure to America’s democratic, accountable government and free-market system.

While in Bemidji, the delegates will engage in a professional program that will include the levels of nursing education in the US, funding and administration of programs, how technology is used in the classroom and distant learning classes, nursing skills demonstrations, and numerous other topics related to nursing education and the nursing profession.

The visiting delegates, all educators of nurses in Russia, are Inna Bespalova and Zoya Silich of Tomsk, Russia; Natalya Biryukova, Svetlana Melanich and Aleksandr Ovsyannikov of Balakovo, Russia. Tatyana Reva from Kursk, Russia, a teacher of English at the Kursk State University, will accompany them as a facilitator.

While in Bemidji, the Open World delegation is scheduled to attend work sessions with the Northwest Technical College and Bemidji State University Nursing faculties, attend a community Rotary meeting, tour classrooms and clinical sites utilized by the NTC and BSU nursing programs, attend activities to acquaint them with the Native American culture, attend an ITV (interactive television) meeting with other Wisconson nursing faculty and Russian nurses visiting LaCrosse, Wisconson nursing programs the same week, learn about student/campus life and many other professional and social activities.

Homestays will allow the Open World delegates to experience American family life. They will also take part in several cultural and community activities, including optional attendance at a city council meeting, tour at Concordia Language Villages, shopping at the local mall, grocery stores and attendance at local church services.

The Open World Leadership Center has awarded a grant to World Services of LaCrosse, Wisconson to administer this and similar exchanges in 2008. Alice Thompson, RN, BSN, BSCS and retired NTC nursing educator is the local community program coordinator. Mary Auger, Lactation Specialist at NCRH, assists with the program activities.

The U.S. Congress established Open World in 1999 to enhance understanding and capabilities for cooperation between the United States and Russia. In 2003, Congress made all post-Soviet states eligible for the program. Thanks to Open World, some 13,000 current and future Eurasian leaders have experienced American civil society and have been exposed to new ideas and practices that they can adapt for use in their own work. Open World also promotes partnerships and continued communications between delegates and their American hosts and professional counterparts. Open World currently operates exchanges for political and civic leaders from Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.

$1.4 Billion to be Available to Pay Bills Before the New Year

CHICAGO – Because the national recession has negatively affected Illinois’ revenue and caused a $2 billion fiscal year 2009 budget deficit, the State will be selling $1.4 billion in general obligation certificates to infuse the General Revenue Fund with much needed cash to pay vendors and providers who urgently need payment.

“We are pleased to be taking this step to help the state speed payment to many organizations and agencies that have provided care for seniors, healthcare to children, or other critical services and have been waiting to be paid. Together with the Comptroller’s, Treasurer’s, and Attorney General’s offices, we are able to fulfill our commitment to these organizations,” said Ginger Ostro, Director of the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget.

The Office of the Governor, the Office of the Comptroller, the Office of the Treasurer, and the Office of the Attorney General have worked together on this short-term borrowing transaction which would immediately put cash into the State’s accounts so that the Comptroller can pay bills more quickly.

In addition to the state receiving less revenue than the budget projected, the state also has an uneven cash flow. This means that more dollars will come into the state during March, April and May. The short-term borrowing will allow the state to pay many bills now that have been pending, rather than waiting for this spring when additional money comes in. While short-term borrowing will not solve the budget deficit, the state needs to pay vendors and manage the uneven cash flow.

In May 2003, the state borrowed $1.5 billion to pay Medicaid assistance, medical providers of long term care, the refund fund, and state aid payments to K-12 schools. Short-term borrowing has been used in other years since to manage cash flow and ensure the state’s payment obligations are met in a timely manner.

Illinois is not alone in facing a FY09 budget shortfall due to lower than projected revenues. At a recent meeting with President-Elect Barack Obama and the nation’s governors, Chairman of the National Governors Association, Governor Ed Rendell of Pennsylvania, said 43 of 50 states currently face budget deficits.

Earning the Government's ENERGY STAR

Desktop and notebook (laptop) computers, game consoles, integrated computer systems, desktop-derived servers and workstations are all eligible to earn the ENERGY STAR. Those that come with the label are more efficient than ever. When purchasing a new computer, be sure to look for the ENERGY STAR before making your final decision. You should be able to find the label on the products and packaging as well as in product literature and on websites to make it easy for you to choose.

EPA has strengthened the requirements for earning the ENERGY STAR to meet energy use guidelines in three distinct operating modes: standby, active, and sleep modes. This ensures energy savings when computers are being used and performing a range of tasks, as well as when they are in standby. ENERGY STAR qualified computers must also have a more efficient internal power supply.

Since computers are in use more hours per day than they used to be, power management is important to saving energy. ENERGY STAR power management features place computers (CPU, hard drive, etc.) into a low-power “sleep mode” after a designated period of inactivity. Low-power modes for computers reduce the spinning of the hard disk, which decreases power consumption. Simply hitting a key on the keyboard or moving the mouse awakens the computer in a matter of seconds.

Strategic role for SPT chair

SPT Chair Alistair Watson has been appointed to a government think-tank on transport.

The newly-created stakeholder group will advise the Scottish Government on its National Transport Strategy.

The group met for the first time on 1 September and will gather in Edinburgh three times a year until its findings are reviewed in 2010/11.

It will provide the government with evidence-based advice on issues such as transport integration, congestion and the environmental and social impacts of travel.

Councillor Watson said: "I am delighted SPT is using its expertise to help the Scottish Government deliver the best possible transport outcomes for the people of this country.

"I look forward to advising Ministers on important matters such as increasing public transport usage and reducing CO2 emissions, which are at the heart of SPT’s values."

Group membership also includes representatives from Transport Scotland, consumer and environmental groups, business development agencies, universities and trades unions.

EASTERN REDCEDAR - Juniper virginiana, Linn

THE FRENCH CALLED IT baton rouge or red stick; we call it redcedar; actually it's a juniper. Redcedar will grow on almost any type of soil from the river bottoms to the barest rock bluff. It is found over most of the eastern United States including all of our state. Many variations in form, growth habits and coloration, plus its hardiness, have made it an ideal tree for ornamental purposes. There are many varieties which have been isolated and propagated as ornamentals. An old Ozark superstition says that when any cedar tree which you planted grows tall enough to shade your grave, you will die. So commonly has cedar been planted as ornamental in cemeteries, it is sometimes called graveyard tree.

An easy way of identifying this tree is by crushing the foliage and smelling the attractive juniper odor produced by the flat, scale-like leaves. The outer needles and needles on the new growth are sharp. On older twigs or deeper in the crown they are rounded and smooth. Redcedar trees, with the help of the birds scattering the seed, are quick to invade abandoned or poorly managed pastures. Their round, tear and column shapes stand out like ghosts on a bright landscape on a moon-lit night. In summer, these trees have a deep emerald green color, but in winter outer branches and exposed trees turn a copper yellow to rusty brown color.

Bright waxy-blue berries are borne on female trees. The sexes are separate on all junipers. Oil from these berries is used to flavor gin.

Fragrant oils permeate the rich, red-colored wood. Since this odor repels moths and adds a welcome woodsy fragrance to clothes, redcedar is widely used for cedar chests and closet paneling. Some cedar is used for furniture. Cedar novelties are almost trademarks of the Ozarks. Missouri is the leading producer of cedar novelties which are shipped all over this country and exported to some foreign countries. Because of its durability many cedars are used for fence posts. In the past, when it was more abundant, it was widely used for fence rails and later for pencils.

Redcedar's versatility extends still further. It is an excellent wildlife tree. Berries are sought as winter food by many songbirds. In turn the birds spread the seed when it passes through their digestive tracts. Farmer often struggle to keep it out of fence rows and pastures where the birds later roost. Doves and other birds seek the protection of the heavy foliage for their nests. Many animals use it both as food and shelter in the cold winter months, even deer browse on it heavily in winter. Wildlife plantings should include red cedar, for as a windbreak tree it is hard to beat.

Like all junipers, red cedar is an alternate host to the cedar-apple fungus disease. On wet spring days the orange, jelly-like fingered balls become apparent on many cedars. These are the spore forming organisms of the fungus. In theory, no cedars should be planted within a mile of apple orchards. However, it is usually necessary to spray apples anyway and any good fungicide will control the disease.

Cocoa-Rich Products

Cocoa powder contains more beneficial antioxidants than several other popular chocolate products made from cocoa beans, ARS analyses have shown. A study funded in part by the American Cocoa Research Institute, using samples provided by manufacturers, also showed processing of the beans lowers antioxidant content.

ARS scientists at the Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center and the Beltsville (Md.) Human Nutrition Research Center scrutinized what's known as the total antioxidant capacity, and the levels of procyanidins—the cocoa bean's most prevalent antioxidants—in natural unsweetened cocoa powders, Dutch-processed cocoa powders, unsweetened baking chocolate, semisweet chocolate baking chips, dark chocolates and milk chocolates.

Why the interest in cocoa and chocolate antioxidants? Changes in food processing procedures or cocoa and chocolate factory formulations might make it possible to boost the antioxidant values of tomorrow's cocoa-bean-derived beverages and confections. That would be sweet news indeed, because antioxidants are thought to help prevent cancer, heart disease and stroke.

Conflict Diamonds

"As a result of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme, diamonds are among the most monitored and audited of any natural resource in the world. This system has proven to be an essential and effective tool in combating the scourge of conflict diamonds." by Eli Izhakoff, Chairman World Diamond Council.

The Kimberley Process was launched in 2003 to control and monitor the trade in rough diamonds. In just three years, the international community has made remarkable strides to certify the $30 billion annual international rough diamond trade by creating a documentary record of rough diamonds from mine to polishing. Rough diamonds must be shipped in sealed containers and exported with a Kimberley Process Certificate which certifies that the diamonds are conflict free.

Forest Harvesting

The harvesting operation are carried out based on scientific principles of forestry. The trees, which are to be felled are marked in the coupes which are due for felling. Marking is an act of identifying and numbering suitable trees. It is done in accordance with marking rules prescribed. This work is performed by Territorial Forest Divisions. After marking, the coupes are handed over to the by Production Divisions for felling.

The felling operations are undertaken in the coupes observing all precautions. Felling normally commences in the month of September/October. After the felling of trees, logging, dragging, stacking etc. is done in coupes. Thereafter, the forest produce like timber, poles, fuel, bamboo and khair are brought to the respective depots of the divisions for sale and disposal. Newly harvested material normally starts arriving in the depot during October.

Types of Investment Companies

Legally known as an "open-end company," a mutual fund is one of three basic types of investment companies. While this brochure discusses only mutual funds, you should be aware that other pooled investment vehicles exist and may offer features that you desire. The two other basic types of investment companies are:

Closed-end funds — which, unlike mutual funds, sell a fixed number of shares at one time (in an initial public offering) that later trade on a secondary market; and

Unit Investment Trusts (UITs) — which make a one-time public offering of only a specific, fixed number of redeemable securities called "units" and which will terminate and dissolve on a date specified at the creation of the UIT.

"Exchange-traded funds" (ETFs) are a type of investment company that aims to achieve the same return as a particular market index. They can be either open-end companies or UITs. But ETFs are not considered to be, and are not permitted to call themselves, mutual funds.

FDI

Foreign investment is essential for the long-term health of the UK economy because of its contribution to creating and underpinning British jobs, as well as boosting local and regional economies.

International investors are some of our biggest and most innovative manufacturers, and service providers, bringing enormous benefits to the UK. These include not only job and wealth creation, but also an injection of innovation to process, product and organisational structure, adding to UK capacity in output, R&D and exports.

International investment allows companies to achieve growth and economies of scale that domestic markets alone would not allow. This makes them more productive and profitable with greater capacity for job and wealth creation. The expansion of high productivity businesses helps strengthen competition within the economy as companies are exposed to new ideas and practices.

Lead-Based Paint

Lead has long been recognized as a harmful environmental pollutant. In late 1991, the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services called lead the "number one environmental threat to the health of children in the United States." There are many ways in which humans are exposed to lead: through air, drinking water, food, contaminated soil, deteriorating paint, and dust. Airborne lead enters the body when an individual breathes or swallows lead particles or dust once it has settled. Before it was known how harmful lead could be, it was used in paint, gasoline, water pipes, and many other products.

Old lead-based paint is the most significant source of lead exposure in the U.S. today. Most homes built before 1960 contain heavily leaded paint. Some homes built as recently as 1978 may also contain lead paint. This paint could be on window frames, walls, the outside of homes, or other surfaces. Harmful exposures to lead can be created when lead-based paint is improperly removed from surfaces by dry scraping, sanding, or open-flame burning. High concentrations of airborne lead particles in homes can also result from lead dust from outdoor sources, including contaminated soil tracked inside, and use of lead in certain indoor activities such as soldering and stained-glass making.

IBM Plans 'Brain-Like' Computers

IBM has announced it will lead a US government-funded collaboration to make electronic circuits that mimic brains.

Part of a field called "cognitive computing", the research will bring together neurobiologists, computer and materials scientists and psychologists. As a first step in its research the project has been granted $4.9m (£3.27m) from US defence agency Darpa. The resulting technology could be used for large-scale data analysis, decision making or even image recognition.

"The mind has an amazing ability to integrate ambiguous information across the senses, and it can effortlessly create the categories of time, space, object, and interrelationship from the sensory data," says Dharmendra Modha, the IBM scientist who is heading the collaboration.

"There are no computers that can even remotely approach the remarkable feats the mind performs," he said. "The key idea of cognitive computing is to engineer mind-like intelligent machines by reverse engineering the structure, dynamics, function and behaviour of the brain."

The Water Cycle

Earth's water is always in movement, and the water cycle, also known as the hydrologic cycle, describes the continuous movement of water on, above, and below the surface of the Earth. Since the water cycle is truly a "cycle," there is no beginning or end. Water can change states among liquid, vapor, and ice at various places in the water cycle, with these processes happening in the blink of an eye and over millions of years.

Although the balance of water on Earth remains fairly constant over time, individual water molecules can come and go in a hurry. The water in the apple you ate yesterday may have fallen as rain half-way around the world last year or could have been used 100 million years ago by Mama Dinosaur to give her baby a bath.

Skin cancer

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. The two most common types are basal cell cancer and squamous cell cancer. They usually form on the head, face, neck, hands and arms. Another type of skin cancer, melanoma, is more dangerous but less common.

Anyone can get skin cancer, but it is more common in people who
* Spend a lot of time in the sun or have been sunburned

* Have light-colored skin, hair and eyes

* Have a family member with skin cancer

* Are over age 50

You should have your doctor check any suspicious skin markings and any changes in the way your skin looks. Treatment is more likely to work well when cancer is found early. If not treated, some types of skin cancer cells can spread to other tissues and organs.

Botanic fruit and culinary fruit

Many true fruits, in a botanical sense, are treated as vegetables in cooking and food preparation because they are not sweet. These botanical fruits include cucurbits (e.g., squash, pumpkin, and cucumber), tomato, peas, beans, corn, eggplant, and sweet pepper, spices, such as allspice and chillies.Occasionally, though rarely, a culinary "fruit" is branded as a true fruit in the botanical sense. For example, rhubarb is often referred to as a fruit, because it is used to make sweet desserts such as pies, though only the petiole of the rhubarb plant is edible.In the culinary sense, a fruit is usually any sweet tasting plant product associated with seed(s), a vegetable is any savoury or less sweet plant product, and a nut any hard, oily, and shelled plant product.

Although a nut is a type of fruit, it is also a popular term for edible seeds, such as peanuts (which are actually a legume) and pistachios. Technically, a cereal grain is a fruit termed a caryopsis. However, the fruit wall is very thin and fused to the seed coat so almost all of the edible grain is actually a seed. Therefore, cereal grains, such as corn, wheat and rice are better considered edible seeds, although some references list them as fruits.Edible gymnosperm seeds are often misleadingly given fruit names, e.g. pine nuts, ginkgo nuts, and juniper berries. A Folk taxonomy is a vernacular naming system which describes how non-scientists categorize items.

Google Abandons Deal With Yahoo

Google has decided to abandon its advertising partnership with Yahoo to avoid having a "protracted legal battle" with regulators.

The deal involved Google providing some of the advertising around Yahoo's search results and would have been worth $800m (£494m) a year to Yahoo.

It was originally announced in June but has faced anti-trust objections.

Yahoo said in a statement it was disappointed that Google had decided not to fight for the deal in court.

Yahoo was relying on the deal with Google to help to placate shareholders angry about Yahoo rejecting Microsoft's takeover offer.

Google said it would not allow the prospect of a legal battle to distract it from its core mission.

"That would be like trying to drive down the road of innovation with the parking brake on," Google said in a blog.

Martial arts

Martial arts are systems of codified practices and traditions of training for combat. While they may be studied for various reasons, martial arts share a single objective: to defeat one or more people physically and to defend oneself or others from physical threat. In addition, some martial arts are linked to spiritual or religious beliefs/philosophies such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Daoism, Confucianism or Shinto while others have their own spiritual or non-spiritual code of honour. Many arts are also practised competitively most commonly as combat sports, but may also be in the form of dance.

The word 'martial' derives from the name of Mars, the Roman god of war. The term 'martial arts' literally means arts of war. This term comes from 15th century Europeans who were referring to their own fighting arts that are today known as Historical European martial arts. A practitioner of martial arts is referred to as a martial artist.

Study in India

For all those who have dreams and aspirations for quality education, India is the perfect destination. With 343 universities and 17000 colleges, India offers a wide spectrum of courses that are recognised globally. Apart from undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral courses, there are many training and diploma-level institutes and polytechnics that cater to the growing demand for skill-based and vocational education.

Studying in India, the second largest higher education network in the World, is an enriching experience in itself. A welcoming atmosphere, non-discriminative approach and an assured educational and career growth is what attracts students from all over the world to India. There are universities focusing on the study of medicine, arts & language, journalism, social work, business, commerce, planning, architecture, engineering, and other specialised studies. Most Indian universities teach in English Medium and conduct special language classes for those weak in English.

The Quality education that India offers is within the reach of every income-group considering the reasonable fee structure. With 66 distance education institutions functioning in 60 universities besides 11 open universities, India has an enlarged outreach of distance education as well. So, visit India and be a part of an educational system that lives on the values of quality, growth and truthfulness