Archive for February 27th, 2009

Ryanair Could Make Passengers Pay For Toilets

Friday, February 27th, 2009

Is a bathroom an optional extra when you’re at 30,000 feet?

Going to be flying in the near future?  Those of you who go abroad and make use of flying Ryanair may soon be forced to pay to use the bathroom onboard the plane.  Unfortunately Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary has made that proposal to his customers.  No one is certain if he is serious or not, but he did pioneer charging airline customers to check bags, to use a check-in desk, and even to use a credit or debit card to make an on-line booking.

read more…

Bishop Offers Apology for Holocaust Remarks

Friday, February 27th, 2009

Bishop Richard Williamson is known as a Holocaust denier.

Bishop Richard Williamson was one of four traditionalist bishops whom Pope Benedict revoked his excommunication last month.

“In an interview broadcast on Swedish television several days before that, Bishop Williamson denied the existence of the Nazi gas chambers and the scope of the Holocaust.”

“In a statement published by the Zenit news agency on Thursday, Bishop Williamson said, “I can truthfully say that I regret having made such remarks, and that if I had known beforehand the full harm and hurt to which they would give rise, especially to the church, but also to survivors and relatives of victims of injustice under the Third Reich, I would not have made them.””

“He added, “To all souls that took honest scandal from what I said, before God I apologize.””

read more…

Jobless Angry at Possibility of No Benefits

Friday, February 27th, 2009

Why would the governors of nine mostly southern states consider rejecting millions of dollars in federal stimulus money for increased unemployment insurance?  The jobless in those states are growing more and more angry that they could be left out of a significant government benefit.

“For people like Henry Kight, 59, of Austin, Tex., the possibility that the money might be turned down is a deeply personal issue.”

“Unable to draw jobless benefits, he and his wife have taken on thousands of dollars in credit-card debt to help make ends meet.”

read more…

A Bold Plan Sweeps Away Reagan Ideas

Friday, February 27th, 2009

http://forcechange.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/president-obama.jpg

Has Robin Hood reappeared?  Not exactly.  He’s not robbing from the rich to give to the poor.  He’s changing the tax structure so that the rich will pay their fair share and level the playing field for all Americans.  About time.

“The Obama budget released Thursday — a bold, even radical departure from recent history, wrapped in bureaucratic formality and statistical tables — would sharply raise taxes on the rich, beyond where Bill Clinton had raised them. It would reduce taxes for everyone else, to a lower point than they were under either Mr. Clinton or George W. Bush. And it would lay the groundwork for sweeping changes in health care and education, among other areas.”

“More than anything else, the proposals seek to reverse the rapid increase in economic inequality over the last 30 years. They do so first by rewriting the tax code and, over the longer term, by trying to solve some big causes of the middle-class income slowdown, like high medical costs and slowing educational gains.”

read more…

Higgins Applauds New National Commitment to Fight Cancer

Friday, February 27th, 2009

Congressman Invites President to Visit Roswell/Buffalo Medical Campus

In a letter to President Obama, Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-27) applauded the commitment made in the President’s address to the nation to ‘launch a new effort to conquer a disease that has touched the life of nearly every American by seeking a cure for cancer in our time’ and he encouraged the President to personally witness the great work happening at Roswell Park Cancer Institute and the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus when he visits the Western New York Area.

“Under the previous administration, there were $250 million in proposed cuts to the National Institutes of Health over the last five years,” said Higgins. “This was irresponsible from an ethical standpoint and a financial perspective.  Cancer costs America more in one year – an estimated $300 billion in health and lost productivity – than the federal government spent to fund NIH research over the last 15 years.   Today’s research leads to tomorrow’s cures.  With a serious national commitment to funding research those cures are within our reach.”

Congressman Higgins praised the allocation proposed in the President’s budget, “I am thrilled with the news that the President proposes doubling funding for cancer research, an increase of $6 billion.  We are on the cusp of developing the medical means to reach the goal of eliminating all suffering and death due to cancer but that goal won’t be met without funding for research, technology and treatments.  This budget demonstrates a new and long overdue commitment to this cause.   “This is great news for the millions of Americans who suffer from cancer and their families and promising news locally for Roswell Park Cancer Institute here in Western New York whose employees work tirelessly every day toward the goal of ending suffering due to cancer in our lifetime.”

In addition to the funding included in the proposed budget, the Recovery Act included $10 billion dollars in additional funding for the National Institutes of Health which will help Western New York by increasing grant dollars to find new treatments for cancer at Roswell Park Cancer Institute, and support the important work at the University of Buffalo and the Hauptmann-Woodward Research Institute.  This research will lead to the next generation of high-tech jobs and small businesses in the region.

Men today have a one in two likelihood of developing invasive cancer in their lifetime; women have a one in three chance.  Last year more than one million new cancer cases were diagnosed and 500,000 people died from cancer.  Thirty years ago, fewer than fifty percent of those with cancer lived five years beyond their diagnosis date.  The survival rate today is sixty-five percent for adults and eighty percent for children.

Eggertsville Community Center, Dan Ward’s Dream, Did Come True

Friday, February 27th, 2009

The public is invited to the Grand Opening of the Eggertsville Youth and Community Center on Sunday, March 29th from 1:50-4:00pm.  The site is located at 4110 Bailey Avenue.  Refreshments, entertainment and tours will be offered.  A dedication and ribbon cutting will be held at 2:30pm.  For more information, please contact the Amherst Youth Board at 631-7215.

http://www.amherst.ny.us/graphics%5Cstaff%5Cward.jpg

Dan Ward, who is running for re-election this year for the Amherst Town Board, is very proud the concept of an Eggertsville Community Center first originated with him, as early as his  first campaign for Town Board in 1988.

Before that no one was talking or even thinking  about much of anything for Eggertsville, save a place to send the tax bill for improvements and projects built elsewhere.

It took Councilman Ward a long time, but along with a lot of other fine people, especially in ECO (of which Ward was a co-founder) they were able to overcome political opposition and finally get the project done.

Dan considers it one of the most significant accomplishments the people of Eggertsville and Dan (he is one of them) have achieved.

Higgins to Announce $87,500 for West Side NHS

Friday, February 27th, 2009

Congressman Will Join Agency in Announcing Mortgage Check Up Program Available for Homeowners

Program will Offer One-On-One Reviews Aimed at Foreclosure Prevention

Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-27) will join West Side Neighborhood Housing Services (NHS) Executive Director Linda Chiarra and announce $87,500 in federal Neighbor Works Funding which will be used toward the essential neighborhood programming offered by West Side NHS.  Department of Housing and Community Renewal Buffalo Regional Director Thomas Van Nortwick will also be on hand to announce $216,000 for a new Mortgage Check Up Program offered at the center and in the community.

Who:               Congressman Brian Higgins

West Side NHS Executive Director Linda Chiarenza

Dept. of Housing & Community Renewal Regional Director Thomas Van Nortwick

What:              The Congressman and West Side NHS will announce federal funding for services provided through West Side NHS.

Where:           West Side NHS

359 Connecticut Street, Buffalo

When:            10AM – Friday, February 27, 2009