Archive for October, 2008

Sen. Hillary Clinton Onboard With Dan Ward Alternative Energy Ideas

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton made the following statement after Exxon Mobil reported the largest quarterly profit ever by a U.S. corporation, $14.83 billion:

“Exxon Mobil and other oil giants continue to run up record profits to maintain the status quo even as Americans struggle to pay the high costs of heating their homes, fueling their cars, and meeting the mounting challenges of a growing economic crisis. And too many in Washington have stood in the way of the changes we need to chart a new energy strategy for our nation that breaks our dependence on foreign oil, reduces global warming pollution, and creates millions of new green collar jobs. I have proposed that we eliminate the tax breaks for big oil companies like Exxon Mobil and use that money to establish a Strategic Energy Fund to speed development of clean energy technology, put more efficient cars on the road, create new jobs, and provide immediate energy relief for the middle class as we head into what could be a difficult winter. It’s time we stop borrowing billions from foreign governments like China to fund our addiction to foreign sources of oil.”

On August 18, 2008 Dan Ward made this press release and announced a 9:00AM Press Conference to be held the following day (19th) at the University at Buffalo CNG fueling station. It said:

Daniel J. Ward, Democratic candidate for New York Senate, 61st District, will call for an immediate pledge from his Democratic opponents, the Amherst Democratic Committee, and the Erie County Democratic Committee to join him in refusing direct or indirect oil industry political contributions.It is imperative that this latest round of fuel problems be the last. It is time our fuel needs be firmly dealt with. Ward will call for conversion of all government owned and operated vehicles be replaced with energy efficient alternative or hybrid fuel vehicles. Any roadblocks that currently exist which result in restricting research and development of alternative fuels, or the production of such fuels and vehicles within New York State, Erie County, and on the local level need to be eliminated.

“We need to make a serious commitment to solving our energy crisis by the utilization of all kind of alternative, particularly renewable, forms of energy. We have to take a hard look at use of hybrids, CNG, Electric, Hydrogen, Compressed Air, etc. type transportation systems for individual and mass transit use We need to begin developing a state tax policy that encourages implementation today, not tomorrow or down the road.

I have routinely advanced concepts of electric cars and solar-paneled buildings while in the County Legislature. I played a part in the Town of Amherst decision in 1996 to provide $30,000 in seed money for the development of this Univ. at Buffalo CNG fueling station. In the interest of the residents of the 61st State Senate District and Western New York, the time to act is now. We cannot afford to grow complacent again.”

Well, other than the Supervisor of the University Fleet Maintenance Dept. and myself no one form the local media attended and all were invited. I know. I invited them. No one from the Amherst Democratic Committee attended. Does that come across as lack of social, economic and political interest?

Now that Ms. Clinton has expressed her opinion on oil profits and the need for energy independence it has become news and is worth disseminating. That should lead the reader to believe that plenty of good ideas die, in New York State and around the country, because we are not as much interested in the message as we are in the messenger.

Federal Charges for Ex-C.E.O. at Meatpacker

When an illegal alien is arested should his/her employer face charges?  In Postville, Iowa, about 400 immigrant workers were arrested in a raid in May.  Nothing happened to their employer until Thursday.

“With the arrest of the former chief executive, Sholom Rubashkin, federal authorities extended their criminal prosecution to the highest level of management at Agriprocessors Inc., the nation’s biggest kosher meatpacking company.”

“Mr. Rubashkin and his father, both Lubavitch Hasidic Jews, built Agriprocessors into a kosher giant. Kosher consumers faced meat shortages since the raid, and the scandal fueled a debate about kosher ethics.”
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School’s Success Gives Way to Doubt

Can a school in a poverty ridden neighborhood transform from one of the worst schools into one of its best?  That’s what happened in South Carolina, or did it?  Now investigators are digging into the case to see if the higher than normal number of erasures on standardized tests indicates fraud.  The improvement seemed almost too good to be true.

“MiShawna Moore has been a hero in the worn neighborhoods behind this city’s venerable mansions, a school principal who fed her underprivileged students, clothed them, found presents for them at Christmas and sometimes roused neglectful parents out of bed in the nearby housing projects.”

“Ms. Moore, who has denied any wrongdoing, has taken a job out of state, leaving behind hurt feelings and wounded pride in a city of race and class divisions as old as the time-mellowed neighborhoods in this Old South shrine. The public schools here are 98 percent African-American, and nearly 20 percent of the city’s population was below the poverty level in the 2000 census.”
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UPDATE From PoliticsNY.net

“Joe, Contrary to the County Executive’s baseless claims, the Comptroller has never stated, suggested or called for any property tax increase, let alone a 20% increase.  Our detailed 40-page budget analysis, an analysis which should be noted was performed by a number of staff members who have served under prior comptrollers and are anything but political, points to serious risks and gaps in the proposed 2009 budget and four year plan - gaps the County Executive has not refuted. The Comptroller is ready, willing and able to assist the County Legislature in enacting a balanced budget, and in that regard, will be appearing tomorrow morning before the Legislature to discuss the findings in our report.” ###

 

The war of words between County Executive Collins & the Comptroller became almost nuclear Wednesday. Collins has two concerns:

 

1) “The negotiation to mitigate the County’s exposure to a $16M Medicaid reimbursement has been compromised because of Poloncarz inability to keep a confidence”, says Collins.

 

2) Collins tells PoliticsNY.NET in an exclusive one on one interview that Poloncarz has put on his “politician hat & is stirring the pot.” The framework of the agreement was not concluded until the 24th of October. The agreement if it comes to fruition will break new ground.

Collins says his “stated budget” is a “work in progress”  based on realistic assumptions. He believes his assumptions are correct with the caveat in any budget that is a stated “work in progress” things change on both the revenue & expense side; which has been the case in Erie County.

 

I asked if he met his target of $70M in reserves would he consider using part of that the $20M over & above the Charter mandate of 5% to meet general fund obligations?

Friday, October 31 is The Scariest Day Of The Year. It’s Halloween

History of Halloween in the United States and Canada

Halloween did not become a holiday in the United States until the 19th century, where lingering Puritan tradition restricted the observance of many holidays.

American almanacs of the late 18th and early 19th centuries do not include Halloween in their lists of holidays.[29] The transatlantic migration of nearly two million Irish following the Irish Potato Famine (1845-1849) finally brought the holiday to the United States. Scottish emigration, primarily to Canada before 1870 and to the United States thereafter, brought the Scottish version of the holiday to each country.

 The main event for children of modern Halloween in the United States and Canada is trick-or-treating, in which children disguise themselves in costumes and go door-to-door in their neighborhoods, ringing each doorbell and yelling “trick or treat!” to solicit a gift of candy or similar items.

Scottish-American and Irish-American societies held dinners and balls that celebrated their heritages, with perhaps a recitation of Robert Burns‘ poem “Halloween” or a telling of Irish legends, much as Columbus Day celebrations were more about Italian-American heritage than Columbus per se. Home parties centred on children’s activities, such as apple bobbing, and various divination games often concerning future romance. Not surprisingly, pranks and mischief were common as well.At the turn of the 20th century, Halloween had turned into a night of vandalism, with destruction of property and cruelty to animals and people.[31] Around 1912, the Boy Scouts, Boys Clubs and other neighborhood organizations came together to encourage a safe celebration that would end the destruction that had become so common on this night.[32] School posters during this time called for a “Sane Halloween.” Children began to go door to door, receiving treats, rather than playing tricks on their neighbors. This helped to reduce the mischief, and by the 1930s, “beggar’s nights” had become very popular. Trick-or-treating became widespread by the end of the 1930s.

Traditions

The commercialization of Halloween in the United States did not start until the 20th century, beginning perhaps with Halloween postcards (featuring hundreds of designs) which were most popular between 1905 and 1915.[33] Dennison Manufacturing Company, which published its first Hallowe’en catalog in 1909, and the Beistle Company were pioneers in commercially made Halloween decorations, particularly die-cut paper items.[34][35] German manufacturers specialised in Halloween figurines that were exported to the United States in the period between the two world wars.There is little primary documentation of masking or costuming on Halloween in the United States or elsewhere, before 1900.[36] Mass-produced Halloween costumes did not appear in stores until the 1930s, and trick-or-treating did not become a fixture of the holiday until the 1950s.In the 1990s, many manufacturers began producing a larger variety of Halloween yard decorations; before this a majority of decorations were homemade. Some of the most popular yard decorations are jack-o’-lanterns, scarecrows, witches, orange string lights, inflatable decorations (such as spiders, pumpkins, mummies and vampires), and animatronic window and door decorations. Other popular decorations are foam tombstones and gargoyles.Halloween is now the United States’ second most popular holiday (after Christmas) for decorating; the sale of candy and costumes are also extremely common during the holiday, which is marketed to children and adults alike. According to the National Retail Federation, the most popular Halloween costume themes for adults are, in order: witch, pirate, vampire, cat and clown.[37] Each year, popular costumes are dictated by various current events and pop culture icons.On many college campuses, Halloween is a major celebration, with the Friday and Saturday nearest October 31 hosting many costume parties.The National Confectioners Association reported in 2005 that 80 percent of American adults planned to give out candy to trick-or-treaters,[38] and that 93 percent of children planned to go trick-or-treating.[39]Madison, Wisconsin, home of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, hosts one of the more infamous annual Halloween celebrations. Due to the large influx of out-of-towners crowding the State Street area, riots have broken out in recent years, resulting in the use mounted police and tear gas to disperse the crowds.[40]Anoka, Minnesota, the self-proclaimed “Halloween Capital of the World”, celebrates the holiday with a large civic parade and several other city-wide events. Salem, Massachusetts, also has laid claim to the “Halloween Capital” title, while trying to dissociate itself from its history of persecuting witchcraft. At the same time, however, the city does see a great deal of tourism surrounding the Salem witch trials, especially around Halloween. In the 1990s, the city added an official “Haunted Happenings” celebration to the October tourist season.. Nearby Keene, New Hampshire, hosts the annual Pumpkin Fest each October which previously held the record for having the greatest number of lit jack-o’-lanterns at once. (Boston, Massachusetts holds the record as of October 2006). In Atlanta, Georgia, the Little Five Points neighborhood hosts the Little Five Points Halloween Parade on the weekend before October 31st each year.Rutland, Vermont has hosted the annual Rutland Halloween Parade since 1960. Tom Fagan, a local comic book fan, is credited with having a hand in the parade’s early development and superhero theme. In the early 1970s, the Rutland Halloween Parade achieved a degree of fame when it was used as the setting of a number of superhero comic books, including Batman #237, Justice League of America #103, Amazing Adventures #16 and The Mighty Thor #207.Ubu Apocalypse, a presentation of over-sized papier-mâché masks at the Village Halloween Parade in New York City.New York City hosts the United States’ largest Halloween celebration, known as The Village Halloween Parade. Started by Greenwich Village mask maker Ralph Lee in 1973, the evening parade now attracts over two million spectators and participants, as well as roughly four million television viewers annually. It is the largest participatory parade in the country if not the world, encouraging spectators to march in the parade as well.Barbara Ehrenreich, in her book on collective joy mentions this as an example of how Halloween is transitioning from a children’s holiday to an adult holiday and compares it to Mardi Gras.In many towns and cities, trick-or-treaters are welcomed by lit porch lights and jack-o’-lanterns. In some large and/or crime ridden areas, however, trick-or-treating is discouraged, or refocused to staged trick-or-treating events within nearby shopping malls, in order to prevent potential acts of violence against trick-or-treaters. Even where crime is not an issue, many American towns have designated specific hours for trick-or-treating, e.g., 5-7 pm or 5-8 pm, to discourage late-night trick-or-treating.Those living in the country may hold Halloween parties, often with bonfires, with the celebrants passing between them. The parties usually involve traditional games (like snipe hunting, bobbing for apples, or searching for candy in a similar manner to Easter egg hunting), haunted hayrides (often accompanied by scary stories, and costumed people hiding in the dark to jump out and scare the riders), and treats (usually a bag of candy and/or homemade treats). Scary movies may also be viewed. Normally, the children are picked up by their parents at predetermined times. However, it is not uncommon for such parties to include sleepovers.Trick-or-treating may often end by early evening, but the nightlife thrives in many urban areas. Halloween costume parties provide an opportunity for adults to gather and socialize. Urban bars are frequented by people wearing Halloween masks and risqué costumes. Many bars and restaurants hold costume contests to attract customers to their establishments. Haunted houses are also popular in some areas.

In Western Canada, fireworks displays and a civic bonfire are part of the festivities.

AFT News

October 30, 2008 

  • Social Security Announces 5.8 Percent COLA for 2009
  • AFT ‘Your Voice, Your Vote’ Bus Tour Rolls Oct. 30
  • Seniors Moving to Obama
  • Faltering Economy Causing More To Skimp on Medical Care
  • New Wrinkle in Collecting Social Security Benefits
  • Reliable Credit Counseling from AFT+ Member Benefits
  • Quote of Note: Major Alaska Paper Endorses Obama
  • Web site of the Week: http://www.aft.org/campaign08
  • Correction: The Gas Cap Isn’t Where We Thought It Was

SOCIAL SECURITY ANNOUNCES 5.8 PERCENT COLA FOR 2009
Monthly Social Security and Supplemental Security Income benefits for more than 55 million Americans will increase 5.8 percent in 2009, the Social Security Administration announced Oct. 16. The 5.8 percent increase is the largest since 1982. Social Security and Supplemental Security Income benefits increase automatically each year based on the rise in the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) from the third quarter of the prior year to the corresponding period of the current year. The 5.8 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will begin with benefits that over 50 million Social Security beneficiaries receive in January 2009. In addition, the maximum amount of earnings subject to the Social Security tax (taxable maximum) will increase to $106,800 from $102,000. Eleven million of the estimated 164 million workers who will pay Social Security taxes in 2009 will pay higher taxes as a result of the increase in the taxable maximum.

AFT ‘YOUR VOICE, YOUR VOTE’ BUS TOUR ROLLS OCT. 30
The AFT’s “Your Voice, Your Vote” bus will be rolling into key battleground states Oct. 30-Nov. 1, with AFT president Randi Weingarten, secretary-treasurer Antonia Cortese and other AFT leaders talking to members about the new leadership Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. Joe Biden will bring to the nation and our communities. Prominent political leaders, including Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.), Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm and Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), will join AFT leaders at various stops. “We have to turn around the economic damage that eight years of the Bush administration has produced,” Weingarten said. “AFT members, like many Americans, are excited about the Obama-Biden ticket and are confident about the steps they will take to strengthen the economy, our nation’s public schools and our healthcare system.” The bus tour kicks off Oct. 30 in Detroit with a get-out-the-vote rally at the Detroit Federation of Teachers. Later that evening, the tour moves on to Toledo, Ohio, where Weingarten will join AFT activists in making phone calls to fellow union members. On Oct. 31, the bus continues through Cleveland, with a get-out-the-vote rally at the North Shore Labor Council, then rolls on to Cincinnati for another rally. On Nov. 1, the tour ends in Pittsburgh, where Weingarten and others will go door-to-door speaking with union members. The tour wraps up with a large labor rally organized by the United Steelworkers, which is scheduled to feature several other international union presidents, Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney, Steelers players and others.

SENIORS MOVING TO OBAMA
According to a variety of recent polls, more and more seniors–a key voting bloc–are now supporting U.S. Sen. Barack Obama for president. With less than a week remaining before Election Day, Obama holds a 6-point lead over U.S. Sen. John McCain among all likely voters in an average of the most recent national polls, according the Web site realclearpolitics.com. A recent Newsweek poll found that voters 65 and older choose Sen. Obama over Sen. McCain 48 percent to 42 percent. Sen. Obama is now within single digits among white voters age 50 to 64 as well as seniors, according to the most recent Pew Research poll. He is also the choice of 44 percent of white voters, a higher percentage than any Democratic presidential nominee since Jimmy Carter. No Democrat has won a majority of white voters since Lyndon Johnson in 1964. Until the stock market swoon in mid-September, Sen. Obama had never reached 40 percent among white voters. More than eight in 10 white working-class Democrats now back him, roughly a 20 percentage point rise compared with the week before the Democratic convention. It remains to be seen if Sen. Obama’s polling numbers among whites translate into support within the privacy of the election booth.

FALTERING ECONOMY CAUSING MORE TO SKIMP ON MEDICAL CARE
Many Americans are now skipping doctor visits, skimping on medications and putting off mammograms, Pap smears and other tests, according to a survey released Oct. 21 by the Kaiser Family Foundation. The report found that 36 percent of U.S. residents have delayed medical care in the past year because of cost, up from 29 percent in April. About three in 10 say they have skipped a recommended test or treatment. In addition, a July survey conducted by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners found that 11 percent of residents have reduced the number of medications they take or have decreased the dosage because of cost. According to an analysis conducted recently by IMS Health, a healthcare research and consulting firm, U.S. prescription drug sales decreased by 0.4 percent in the second quarter of 2008, the first time that sales have not increased in at least the past 12 years. Dick Clarke, president of the Healthcare Financial Management Association, said that elective surgeries, diagnostic tests and outpatient procedures in recent months have decreased by about 1 percent to 2 percent at many hospitals, compared with the 2 percent to 4 percent annual increase expected as the population ages. At the same time, hospitals have reported an increased number of patients–many of whom lack health insurance– who seek care in emergency departments, Clarke said.

NEW WRINKLE IN COLLECTING SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS
Seldom in life is it possible to change your mind about a major financial decision. That’s not true about Social Security retirement benefits, according to a recent New York Times article. Under a longstanding but little-known part of the law, retirees who decide to start collecting benefits are permitted to change their minds and start over, reaping the progressively higher payments brought by deferral until age 70. In other words, an individual can start collecting at age 62, saving and investing that money, and then at age 70 file a withdrawal application and still get the maximum benefits accorded to those who wait to start collecting. The big caveat is that the recipient has to repay an amount equal to the benefits collected up to that point (plus any money withheld for Medicare premiums). The repayment can either be deducted from federal income tax returns or taken as an income tax credit for taxes paid on benefits. But for obvious reasons, very few have exercised this option—only 164 people of full retirement age in the first months of the current government fiscal year. A major risk is that a retiree could die after repaying many tens of thousands of dollars. “I’ve heard of cases of people paying $100,000 or more back to do this,” said Mark Lassiter, a Social Security spokesman. “The risk that they are taking, of course, is that they walk out the door on the way back home and get hit by a bus.” The Social Security system allows workers to begin collecting reduced benefits at age 62, the option chosen by about half of applicants. Those who wait until full retirement age, now 66 for retirees born after 1942, get some 30 percent higher monthly benefits than they would have at 62; those who wait until 70 get about 60 percent more. By actuarial projections, lifetime benefits are about equal, whether taken early or late. But by waiting to collect a higher benefit, individuals acquire more longevity insurance—something experts increasingly recommend. Although calculating whether it’s worthwhile for a recipient to repay involves many interrelated considerations, the process itself is simple. Just go to the Social Security Web site, and download Social Security Form 521, Request for Withdrawal of Application. The form asks the reason for applying, but approval is almost assured, according to the Times.

RELIABLE CREDIT COUNSELING FROM AFT+ MEMBER BENEFITS
In times like these, managing your money is more important than ever. To help union members in financial difficulties take a positive first step, AFT+ Member Benefits and the AFL-CIO’s Union Privilege have created the Union Plus Credit Counseling program in conjunction with Money Management International (MMI), a respected organization with 46 years’ experience in credit counseling. Certified consumer credit counseling advisors work together with union members to create a successful program to help you eliminate your debt. You can get a free credit counseling session, budget analysis and advice to get back on the road to financial recovery. Your free session covers: a complete financial review and budget analysis; assistance in budgeting or advice on sources of additional income; advice on how to work with creditors and a written Action Plan that summarizes your financial situation, provides a budget and timeline for reaching goals. After the initial session, if you need additional assistance to eliminate debt, your counselor will develop a customized debt management plan for you. You’ll receive a 33 percent union-member discount on the set-up fee for the plan. To find out more, click here or call 877/833-1745.

QUOTE OF NOTE: Major Alaska Paper Endorses Obama
“Gov. Palin’s nomination clearly alters the landscape for Alaskans as we survey this race for the presidency—but it does not overwhelm all other judgment…[D]espite her formidable gifts, few who have worked closely with the governor would argue she is truly ready to assume command of the most important, powerful nation on earth. To step in and juggle the demands of an economic meltdown, two deadly wars and a deteriorating climate crisis would stretch the governor beyond her range?

“The election, after all is said and done, is not about Sarah Palin, and our sober view is that her running mate, Sen. John McCain, is the wrong choice for president at this critical time for our nation.“

Sen. Barack Obama, the Democratic nominee, brings far more promise to the office. In a time of grave economic crisis, he displays thoughtful analysis, enlists wise counsel and operates with a cool, steady hand. The same cannot be said of Sen. McCain.

“Since his early acknowledgement that economic policy is not his strong suit, Sen. McCain has stumbled and fumbled badly in dealing with the accelerating crisis as it emerged?His behavior in this crisis—erratic is a kind description—shows him to be ill-equipped to lead the essential effort of reining in a runaway financial system and setting an anxious nation on course to economic recovery.

“Sen. Obama warned regulators and the nation 19 months ago that the subprime lending crisis was a disaster in the making. Sen. Obama better understands the mortgage meltdown’s root causes and has the judgment and intelligence to shape a solution, as well as the leadership to rally the country behind it. On the most important issue of the day, Sen. Obama is a clear choice.

“It is Sen. Obama who truly promises fundamental change in Washington.”

Anchorage Daily News
Oct.25, 2008

WEB SITE OF THE WEEK: http://www.aft.org/campaign08
Before you vote, check out the candidates’ positions on the issues important to AFT members, read reports from the field, brush up on your rights as a voter, volunteer for AFT-endorsed candidates and much, much more.

Council Member Schratz Is Still Against The Benderson Project As It Stands

Shelly Schratz has made it clear she will stick to the statement she made at the last Town Board meeting, Monday, Oct. 20.  

 

Schratz told me she will not introduce a new resolution concerning the Benderson Gun Club Project.  Her vote will remain ‘NO’ to their new plan which includes movie theaters and a parking ramp.                                                                                                                                

Roundabout Safety Reminders

With the new double roundabout recently installed at Harlem, Kensington, and Wehrle it’s important to remind motorists and pedestrians of some important safety aspects, said Guy Marlette, Amherst Councilman and Traffic Safety Liaison.  It’s important to remember that a roundabout is essentially a circular intersection with no traffic signals, said Marlette.  Here are 10 very important facts to remember:

1. MOTOR VEHICLES – When approaching the roundabout, SLOW down and yield to pedestrians/bicyclists in the crosswalk. DO NOT BLOCK THE CROSSWALK.

2. MOTOR VEHICLES – Look to the LEFT for traffic. 3. MOTOR VEHICLES – All traffic in the roundabout has the right-of-way and never pass a bicyclist in the roundabout.

4. MOTOR VEHICLES – When preparing to exit the roundabout you must use your right turn signal to indicate your intention.

5. MOTOR VEHICLES – When entering or exiting a roundabout you must yield to pedestrians and you are required to use your turn signal.

6. PEDESTRIANS – Cross only at designated crosswalks when traffic is clear and/or you are sure that vehicles are yielding to you.7. PEDESTRIANS – Never cross to the central island and remember to always pay attention, watching for cars.

8. BICYCLISTS – When entering a roundabout remember that just like a car you must yield to traffic already in the circle and try to maintain the speed within the circle.

9. BICYCLISTS – When exiting the roundabout you must use your right hand signal.

10. BICYCLISTS – If you are unsure about using the roundabout, dismount and walk your bike as a pedestrian at the designated crosswalks. ** visit https://www. nysdot.gov/main/roundabouts for more information **

The new double roundabout at Harlem, Kensington, and Wehrle is designed to provide for a smoother flow of traffic and for a much safer intersection for both cars and pedestrians. Please take the time to become comfortable with the new roundabout and enjoy the businesses located in the area.

The Decided Go in Droves to Vote Early

Early voting is going on in 32 of our 50 United States.  No, not here in NY.  Experts expect about 35% of registered voters in those states to vote early.  That’s up from about 20%.”“I thought I might as well do this,” said Rhonda Woolcox, 83, who came to a community center here on Monday to cast her presidential vote for Senator John McCain of Arizona. “I wasn’t about to change my mind.””

“Others seemed to view early voting as a leap of faith.”

““I was afraid that if I voted early our votes wouldn’t be counted,” said Glynetter Prather, 44, who nonetheless cast her ballot in Florida for Senator Barack Obama of Illinois. “I mean, there’s enough time to lose these ballots. And I hate to say that, but that’s Florida’s signature.””
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Army and Agency Will Study Rising Suicide Rate Among Soldiers

The suicide rate of our armed forces is going up dramatically.  The Army is facing this issue head on and will work closely with the National Institute of Mental Health in an ambitious five-year project to identify the causes and risk factors of suicide.

“The Army will make thousands of soldiers available to researchers for interviews and will provide access to its many databases, including those with medical, personnel, criminal and deployment histories. Researchers will draw from a cross section of the Army and will include soldiers who have just joined the service or are training for war and those who have returned from war.”

“Rather than wait until the study is completed, the National Institute of Mental Health will provide the Army with new information as researchers find it in the hopes of preventing soldier suicides.”
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