A more important question is what should be done now.  If we wish to have a more deregulated financial sector, this will likely lead to higher average economic growth accompanied by a higher probability of financial crisis.  If we wish to live in a less regulated world, investors must face the consequences of their asset allocation decisions.  More regulation may slow economic growth over the long run, butif the regulation is effective and wisely implementedwill reduce the probability of financial crisis.  If the federal government is liable to bail out failing financial institutions, regulations must be tighter; otherwise financial institutions will suffer from moral hazard and invest in overly risky asset.  
Now we are in the worst of both worlds.  Government regulation was lax, but instead of letting investors eat their losses, the government is bailing them out.  
What would happen if we did not bail out Fannie, Freddie, Bear Sterns and AIG?  The truth is, no one knows.  Financial markets could have stabilized; or financial markets could have gone into a tailspin.  The one thing we do know:  Joe Taxpayer has a large bill coming in the mail.

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Viking Age is the term denoting the years from about 700 to 1066 in European history. During this period, Scandinavians sailed the whole of the North Atlantic and discovered Iceland and Greenland, and settled parts of England, Scotland, Ireland and Normandy. The reasons for this extraordinary outpouring of peoples from Scandinavia have been debated ever since the Viking Age. Researcher James Barrett, deputy director of Cambridge Universitys McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, comes with an answer for the century old question. According to his new research, the young warriors were driven to seek their fortunes to better their chances of finding wives. He argues that selective killing of female newborns in the Scandinavian society led to a shortage of women in the first place, resulting later in intense competition over eligible women.

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When I was six years old my parents got me a dog. We named him Buster. He was a mutt, not sure of his breeds. To me he was the best dog in the world. He was very friendly, he never growled or bit at anyone, he was the perfect dog to have as a child. I loved to take Buster for walks, he loved playing tug-a-war with his dog toy, which was a rope tied at both ends. He loved to sleep in my bed with me at night; it made me feel so safe. This dog was seriously my best friend. When we would go out for ice cream we always took Buster, he loved their doggy treats. He always went camping with us, pretty much anywhere that allowed dogs Buster was there. When Buster turned 8 he started having problems walking, and with time he just got worse. Sadly we had to put him down on my 14th birthday. But I feel as if Buster is here with me everyday protecting me.

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The name of our modest little website suggests that we promote conservative ideas.  Even dumb liberals can figure that one out.
Just because a politician calls a proposal doesnt necessarily mean that it is.  For example, the legislature in 2006 passed Act 388, which shifted the tax structure for school funding from local property taxes to a statewide penny increase in the sales tax.
The motive for attacking this problem was laudable.  In some parts of the state, reassessment sent property taxes soaring.  The legislature essentially was trying to fix problems created by local bureaucrats and slap stupid council people.
But there are serious unintended consequences of the legislation.  Legislators said it was a conservative move.  But was it?  Independent studies suggest that businesses are taking it on the chin.  In fact, this year alone business will shoulder an additional $250 million in sales taxes $409 million by the end of next year.  Whats conservative about shifting the tax load to businesses?
Thats the kind of tax policy youd expect from Obama.
Economics 101 says that every dollar business carries in additional costs eventually makes its way down to the consumer. Just look at the effects of gas prices on trucking, shipping, the cost of food, and extra baggage fees for airlines.
The South Carolina Policy Council, in a recent study of the Act 388 tax swap by the Beacon Hill Institute, noted that the additional tax burden on business will stifle the creation of nearly 6,600 new jobs and $852 million in investments over the next two years, while personal income will fall by $321 million and real disposable income per capita by $79 by 2010.
A stable tax system must have the broadest base of taxable entities, each with the lowest rates possible. According to that philosophy, Act 388 may not have been the best move for tax reform in SC.
The Palmetto Institute, an independent research foundation in Columbia, proposes creation of a broad-based, independent tax study commission to review the states tax structure top to bottom.
Had an independent tax study group been in place, it could have not only looked at the short-term economic impact of Act 388, but also look at long-term budget forecasting for the state.

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Republican women are having a field day on the issue of sexism. It seems to be their new pet project.

Many who read this blog are women, and of course only the smartest of men do also and moved way beyond sexism years ago. It was that or face the frying pan. I joke of course. No decent woman cooks.

We all know sexism is real, it exists, just like racism, homophobia and all the other social malfeasance and phobias that somehow pass as one ism or another. And the results of these isms are tied to crimes: hate crimes, domestic crimes of violence in all its egregious forms, and crimes of power including rape.

This whole Palin sexism thing honestly has me puzzled. Not because I buy into it, but because others do.

Here's a few statements, and a question, help me out here:

I'm a hockey mom. Okay, no problem.

Pitbull with lipstick. And that isn't sexist? It identifies tough with female, no problem there. It calls out gender. Problem. Why not just skip the sexist joke and BE a pitbull? (I hate this whole analogy and it wouldn't be any better if you used 'shark'.)

I'm a governor, and a hockey mom, I have five kids, one pregnant and a special needs child that is six months old that I am nursing, and am pitbull with..., and can be the vice president of the United States 24/7.

In that sentence, there are so many balls in the air, obvious and not, I cannot even count them.

This is where I don't just get off, I leap off the bus and hit the ground running in the opposite direction. This is the stuff of clown shoes for me.

We all make judgements from our own perspective, and I am making mine. Maybe it is wrong.

I have always been an extremely busy person. I have been pulled every which of a way to help with things. Only now have I asked that people use me only when absolutely necessary, but always keep me in the (oy!) paperwork loop.

I was at a meeting tonight (after a private preliminary meeting on Saturday) for this very purpose. It was a good thing I was there. The county was lying through their teeth.

And it was a really good thing we had the preliminary meeting. After the three hour preliminary meeting, and some good solid information, another just took the bone and ran with it... did an excellent job! (And I mean excellent and I almost never able to use that word in this context.)

It's not about the fact Palin is female. It is about the fact she, as a human, has made life decisions and commitments and is a mere mortal. And because Palin is running for Vice President, it is about her capabilities. And for me, it is also about whether she can actually reasonably see her limits.

I was reading through some Alaskan news archives yesterday and came across something I am not certain the press has tangled with--perhaps because she is female (meaning, sexism). Palin was absent from the Alaskan capital so often, legislators started wearing buttons reading, "Where's Sarah?" Palin was away from the capital sleeping in her very own bed some ten hours away for 300 of the year's days. Yikes. I think I would be wearing the button too!

Perhaps the question isn't so much where was Sarah, but why wasn't Sarah where she was expected to be.

She was in Wasilla, preferring to live there v. the capital because it was, after all, her home thus the now-present flap over her taking daily allowances for 300 of the year's days while sleeping in her own bed. It is strange no matter how you look at it.

So, what do I draw from all this? I draw that she is over extended, woman or not. Sexist? Nope. I don't think so.

Joe Biden's wife and daughter were killed in 1972 in a terrible car accident while Christmas shopping. His two young sons were in the hospital, in critical condition for months. He was sworn in at their bedsides after deciding--and being talked out of--resigning his newly won senate position.

After this, and apparently for a period of time, Wikipedia indicates that Joe was not up to the job at all, would not come in (he was tending to his family) and they were taking bets as to how long he would last until he resigned. He never did.

Joe must have had huge resolve. For years, and to this day, he rides the train to DC, and home again every night--a trip that is 1.5 hours, one way on top of complex and long days. He wanted to take care of his two remaining boys.

Am I wrong in seeing a difference here? He was a senator, she is a VP candidate--basically in custody of the US gov 24/7 no matter what.

So why do I feel that it is too much for Palin? Is it? Am I wrong? Am I actually, as a woman, a sexist?

There is an old saying that if you want something done, ask a busy person. It implies that they know how to manage time, juggle the unimaginable and manage to keep things together. It is true, often. But there IS a tipping point. I know. I am a really busy woman.

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Charlie is a regular at Mike's Tavern and is very particular about the level of his hat. He told me he used to carry a carpenter's level in his pocket to make sure his hat is straight. I thought he was joking until I got this email:

I didn't much care fer either one of those pics ya took of me, Charlie wrote. It's not that there's anything wrong with em per se, it's jus that I didn't like that "jaunty" angle of my lid. I don't do"jaunty" y'dig? I always strive to keep my brim angles level, y'know what I mean. I likes em straight and low.
So he sent me the above picture to replace the offending one. Laura, Mike's "bar maid," as Charlie calls her, is pictured next to him. Being a regular means Charlie doesn't run out of pictures of himself at Mike's Tavern.
He bought that gold medallion around his neck a year ago. "I always wear some kinda necklace," Charlie told me. "I'm afraid sometimes that it looks too garish. Too ostentatious. That's not me." He glanced around. "If my friends saw me getting interviewed about fashion, they'd laugh and laugh."
At least you're not getting caught at a jaunty angle, Charlie.

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While his speech may seem "post-partisan" at first glance, read it again to see what Obama is really saying. He's actually placing the blame for this crisis directly where it should be: on the failed Reagan-Bush-McCain "supply side, trickle down, laissez-faire" philosophy of governance. For decades, the GOP has scared us with their "tax and spend lib'rul!" dogma while they've practiced a "Reverse Robin Hood" way of stealing from the working class to bequeath upon the oligarchs.

Even during President Clinton's years in the White House, the Republicans were sometimes able to scare him into submission by using cheap political tactics to get their way and deregulate the market even more. And ever since Bush II has been in office, too many Democrats have still been too afraid to actually challenge him on his economic record. So for Barack Obama to actually stand up and call out the Republicans for what they've done to cause this crisis, good on him.

I just hope we don't see Obama lose his voice ever again this year. If he wants to win, he needs to continue pointing out how McCain is more of the same economic failure, and how Obama will bring about real change that will not only undo what Bush broke, but also bring about economic justice by restoring our middle class and the safeguards that protect it. Obama's on the right track now, and I hope this is only the beginning.

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. Who hasn’t wondered whether small children lugging oversized, heavy backpacks to-and-from school might be risking serious injury to their growing spines and will one day suffer from serious back pain?











Apparently, there is real cause for concern.











According a recent U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission study, more than 75% of students ages 8-12 suffer from increasing back pain inflicted by carrying their schoolwork and supplies in backpacks or similar totes.











“I’ve been saying since the second grade that too much homework is bad for a student!” said a smiling Dr. Robert Wrieden when contacted about the study. “On a serious note, some of our younger elementary school students are literally carrying one third their body weight for prolonged periods of time and distance. That puts a lot of stress on a body in the midst of development,” added Dr. Robert Wrieden, whose chiropractic offices are located in .











And, the heavy burdens are not just affecting those students small in stature.











Student back injuries are now widespread. 96% of the pupils monitored regularly haul much too heavy a pack on their back. In 2001 alone, 7,000 children went to emergency rooms for backpack-related injuries. And, 60% of orthopedic doctors contacted regarding the study reported that they have treated children suffering from back pain caused by their heavy bags.











The study alluded to this startling calculation: A child carrying a 12-pound backpack, and lifting it 10 times per day for the entire school year, has carried and lifted a combined load of 21,600 pounds — the equivalent of 6 mid-sized cars.











“Children should not carry backpacks that exceed more than 10% of their body weight — which translates into a 5 to 10-pound load for elementary students,” noted Dr. Robert Wrieden.











“Even with the continued progression of electronic learning – which one would think leads to fewer books – the backpack has become a survival kit for the action-packed lives that today’s children lead during and after school hours. Parents and teachers have to take an active role in limiting what we literally load onto these children. If were don’t address it now, the picture of a child carrying numerous books – which many have seen as a sign for a bright future – could foreshadow a painful outlook as well,” concluded Dr. Robert Wrieden.























Editor’s Note:





Those seeking additional information regarding this study may contact Dr. Robert Wrieden directly at . 607-336-7030 or by email link on this page, please take a moment to leave your comments.











Reference Material:





“Backpack-Related Injuries Send 7,000 to ER,” , .

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SACRAMENTO, CA – The California Legislature today adopted a resolution aimed at preventing California health professionals from engaging in coercive interrogations of detainees at Guantánamo and other U.S. military prisons.



Senate Joint Resolution 19 instructs the state’s licensing boards to inform California doctors, psychologists and other health professionals of their obligations under national and international law relating to torture. The boards will warn the licensees that they may one day be subject to prosecution if they participate in interrogations that do not conform to international standards of treatment of prisoners.



“The resolution calls attention to the intolerable dilemma that torture presents when those who are supposed to be the healers in our society are involved in the abuse of prisoners,” said Eisha Mason, associate regional director for the American Friends Service Committee, one of the organizations that sponsored the resolution.



State Senator Mark Ridley-Thomas (D-Los Angeles) introduced the resolution in response to evidence that – despite the medical oath to “first, do no harm” – some physicians, psychologists and other health personnel have been complicit in abusive interrogations of detainees by the military and the Central Intelligence Agency.



“As professional licensure and codes of ethics are regulated by states, California has the obligation to notify members of laws concerning torture that may result in their prosecution,” said Ridley-Thomas.



SJR 19 aims to protect the integrity of the health professions and individual practitioners by informing them of their legal and ethical obligations, and giving them a legal reference to remove themselves from abusive situations should they have to contravene the orders of a military superior.



A survey of medical students conducted by the Harvard Medical School, published in the October, 2007 issue of the International Journal of Health Services, found that one-third of the respondents did not know that under the Geneva Conventions, they should refrain from participating in coercive interrogations.



“This is an important advance, not just in the U.S., but internationally as well,” said Dr. Steven H. Miles, professor of medicine and bioethics at the University of Minnesota. “More doctors abet torture than treat its victims, and it is time for them to be called to the mission of medicine—not to practice torture—and to be reminded that they will be held accountable to international law.”



“No government has the authority to legalize torture,” Miles added.



The resolution further requests that the Department of Defense and the CIA remove California-licensed health professionals from participating in coercive interrogations.



“This has been an effort for almost three years,” said Dr. Jose Quiroga, himself a torture survivor and now medical director of Program for Torture Victims, a sponsor of the resolution. “The California Legislature is sending a message to the Federal Government that they are wrong, and I hope that other state legislatures will begin to do this.”



The passage of SJR 19 makes California the first state in the nation to officially condemn the use of torture since the beginning of the “War on Terror.” A measure currently under consideration by the New York State Legislature, which would prohibit the state’s health professionals from participating in the torture or improper treatment of detainees, is expected to pass later this year.



“California’s adoption of the resolution sends a clear message that we are going to live by the principles that this country is founded on,” said Martha Dina Argüello, executive director of Physicians for Social Responsibility – Los Angeles, another of the resolution’s sponsoring organizations. “We will not let fear erode our civil liberties and we will hold health professionals accountable to ethical and legal standards.”



The California State Senate gave final approval to the resolution in a 21-13 roll call vote. On Tuesday, it passed the Assembly 45-31.



“Torture is much more than a political issue,” Ridley-Thomas said. “It is an ethical, moral and spiritual issue that has not only become a shame, but it is an evil in our midst.”



The Los Angeles offices of the American Friends Service Committee, Physicians for Social Responsibility, and Program for Torture Victims coordinated the campaign in favor of SJR 19. The resolution had the additional support, through petitions and testimony, of numerous faith, human rights and medical groups including the California Medical Association.





Press Contacts



Martha Dina Argüello, Executive Director, Physicians for Social Responsibility – Los Angeles
Cell: (310) 261-0073, arguello@psrla.org



The Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR) was founded in 1961 as a non-profit advocacy organization. Aimed at creating a peaceful and just world through the education of the medical community, PSR serves as a strong reminder of the moral and legal responsibilities of practicing physicians on a national level.





Eisha Mason, Associate Regional Director, American Friends Service Committee – Pacific Southwest

Cell: (310) 528-4229, Email: emason@afsc.org



Founded in 1917, the AFSC has established itself as a successful service oriented peace and justice organization. Founded on principles of the Quaker faith, the American Friends Service Committee has dedicated nearly a century to providing a voice for communities while confronting social injustice through peaceful activism.



Dr, Steven H. Miles, Professor of Medicine and Bioethics, University of Minnesota

Cell: (612) 396-6156, Email: miles001@umn.edu



Dr. Miles has been a strong advocate and leading expert on medical ethics and human rights for the entirety of his career. As a Professor of Medicine at the University of Minnesota, Dr. Miles is also a faculty member on the University of Minnesota’s Center for Bioethics. The author of three books, Dr. Miles’ Oath Betrayed: Torture, Medical Complicity, and the War on Terror (2006) served as one of the first public accounts of physician’s roles in the continuation of United States torture methods used in detainee camps. Based on meticulous research, Miles was able to unearth the truth regarding the systematic torture of detainees by US military medical practitioners. For his extensive work and commitment to ethical inquiries, Dr. Miles has received the Distinguished Service Award of the American Society of Bioethics and Humanities.





Dr. Jose Quiroga, Medical Director and Founder, Program for Torture Victims

Cell: (818) 943-0598, Email: jquirogamd@aol.com



The Program for Torture Victims served as the pioneer of medical and social services aimed towards torture victims. The organization advocates for the advancement of anti-torture legislation, and has created a safe environment for those who are often alienated and forgotten after trauma and abuse. Dr. Quiroga was originally a cardiologist and the personal physician for Chilean President, Salvador Allende. After the military coup led by August Pinochet, Quiroga was detained and subject to horrific treatment. He managed to escape to the United States in 1977, where he founded the Program for Torture Victims.





Dr. Steven Reisner, Adjunct Professor in Clinical Psychology, Columbia University and Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Psychology, New York University Medical Center

Cell: (646) 415-1413, Email: sreisner@psychoanalysis.net



Dr. Reisner is a psychoanalyst, a Supervisor at the International Trauma Studies Program, and a consultant to the United Nations on stress and trauma. As a leading activist calling for a ban of psychologist’s participation in interrogations at United States detention centers, Reisner is also currently running for the presidency of the American Psychological Association. He is heavily involved in socially aware theater arts programs, and is the director the Theater Arts Against Political Violence. Reisner’s active stance on socially conscious work has made him an invaluable asset to the California Campaign to Stop Torture.





State Senator Mark Ridley-Thomas

Office: (916) 651-4026, Email (Communications Advisor Fahizah Alim): fahizah.alim@sen.ca.gov



Senator Mark Ridley-Thomas was elected to the California State Senate in November, 2006 after serving two terms in the California State Assembly. Ridley-Thomas also served on the Los Angeles City Council for nearly twelve years. He attended the University of Southern California and received his doctorate in Social Ethics and Policy Analysis. He introduced SJR 19 in the California State Senate.





The American Friends Service Committee is an international peace and justice organization founded in 1917 and governed by the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). Its programs of peace, relief, reconciliation and development are based on nonviolence and belief in the inherent goodness of all persons. In 1947, AFSC accepted the Noble Peace Prize on behalf of all Quakers worldwide. Its Pacific Southwest Regional Office is located in downtown Los Angeles.

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SEC. 132. INCENTIVES FOR ELECTRONIC PRESCRIBING.

(a) INCENTIVE PAYMENTS.—Section 1848(m) of the Social Security Act, as added and amended by section 131(b), is amended—
(1) by inserting after paragraph (1), the following new paragraph:
(2) INCENTIVE PAYMENTS FOR ELECTRONIC PRESCRIBING.—

(A) IN GENERAL.—For 2009 through 2013, with respect to covered professional services furnished during a reporting period by an eligible professional, if the eligible professional is a successful electronic prescriber for such reporting period, in addition to the amount otherwise paid under this part, there also shall be paid to the eligible professional (or to an employer or facility in the cases described in clause (A) of section 1842(b)(6)) or, in the case of a group practice under paragraph (3)(C), to the group practice, from the Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund established under section 1841 an amount equal to the applicable electronic prescribing percent of the Secretary’s estimate (based on claims submitted not later than 2 months after the end of the reporting period) of the allowed charges under this part for all such covered professional services furnished by the eligible professional (or, in the case of a group practice under paragraph (3)(C), by the group practice) during the reporting period.

(B) LIMITATION WITH RESPECT TO ELECTRONIC PRESCRIBING QUALITY MEASURES.—The provisions of this paragraph and subsection (a)(5) shall not apply to an eligible professional (or, in the case of a group practice under paragraph (3)(C), to the group practice) if, for the reporting period (or, for purposes of subsection (a)(5), for the reporting period for a year)—
(i) the allowed charges under this part for all covered professional services furnished by the eligible professional (or group, as applicable) for the codes to which the electronic prescribing quality measure applies (as identified by the Secretary and published on the Internet website of the Centers for Medicare Medicaid Services as of January 1, 2008, and as subsequently modified by the Secretary) are less than 10 percent of the total of the allowed charges under this part for all such covered professional services furnished by the eligible professional (or the group, as applicable); or
(ii) if determined appropriate by the Secretary, the eligible professional does not submit (including both electronically and nonelectronically) a sufficient number (as determined by the Secretary) of prescriptions under part D.
If the Secretary makes the determination to apply clause (ii) for a period, then clause (i) shall not apply for such period.

(C) APPLICABLE ELECTRONIC PRESCRIBING PERCENT.— For purposes of subparagraph (A), the term ‘applicable electronic prescribing percent’ means—
(i) for 2009 and 2010, 2.0 percent;
(ii) for 2011 and 2012, 1.0 percent; and
(iii) for 2013, 0.5 percent.’’;
(2) in paragraph (3), as redesignated by section 131(b)—
(A) in the heading, by inserting AND SUCCESSFUL ELECTRONIC PRESCRIBER’’ after REPORTING’’; and
(B) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following new subparagraph:

(B) SUCCESSFUL ELECTRONIC PRESCRIBER.—

(i) IN GENERAL.—For purposes of paragraph (2) and subsection (a)(5), an eligible professional shall be treated as a successful electronic prescriber for a reporting period (or, for purposes of subsection (a)(5), for the reporting period for a year) if the eligible professional meets the requirement described in clause (ii), or, if the Secretary determines appropriate, the requirement described in clause (iii). If the Secretary makes the determination under the preceding sentence to apply the requirement described in clause (iii) for a period, then the requirement described in clause (ii) shall not apply for such period.

(ii) REQUIREMENT FOR SUBMITTING DATA ON ELECTRONIC PRESCRIBING QUALITY MEASURES.—The requirement described in this clause is that, with respect to covered professional services furnished by an eligible professional during a reporting period (or, for purposes of subsection (a)(5), for the reporting period for a year), if there are any electronic prescribing quality measures that have been established under the physician reporting system and are applicable to any such services furnished by such professional for the period, such professional reported each such measure under such system in at least 50 percent of the cases in which such measure is reportable by such professional under such system.

(iii) REQUIREMENT FOR ELECTRONICALLY PRESCRIBING UNDER PART D.—The requirement described in this clause is that the eligible professional electronically submitted a sufficient number (as determined by the Secretary) of prescriptions under part D during the reporting period (or, for purposes of subsection (a)(5), for the reporting period for a year).

(iv) USE OF PART D DATA.—Notwithstanding sections 1860D-15(d)(2)(B) and 1860D-15(f)(2), the Secretary may use data regarding drug claims submitted for purposes of section 1860D-15 that are necessary for purposes of clause (iii), paragraph (2)(B)(ii), and paragraph (5)(G).

(v) STANDARDS FOR ELECTRONIC PRESCRIBING.— To the extent practicable, in determining whether eligible professionals meet the requirements under clauses (ii) and (iii) for purposes of clause (i), the Secretary shall ensure that eligible professionals utilize electronic prescribing systems in compliance with standards established for such systems pursuant to the Part D Electronic Prescribing Program under section 1860D–4(e).’’; and (3) in paragraph (5)(E), by striking clause (iii) and inserting the following new clause:
(iii) the determination of a successful electronic prescriber under paragraph (3), the limitation under paragraph (2)(B), and the exception under subsection (a)(5)(B); and’’.
(b) INCENTIVE PAYMENT ADJUSTMENT.—Section 1848(a) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w–4(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

(5) INCENTIVES FOR ELECTRONIC PRESCRIBING.—

(A) ADJUSTMENT.—

(i) IN GENERAL.—Subject to subparagraph (B) and subsection (m)(2)(B), with respect to covered professional services furnished by an eligible professional during 2012 or any subsequent year, if the eligible professional is not a successful electronic prescriber for the reporting period for the year (as determined under subsection (m)(3)(B)), the fee schedule amount for such services furnished by such professional during the year (including the fee schedule amount for purposes of determining a payment based on such amount) shall be equal to the applicable percent of the fee schedule amount that would otherwise apply to such services under this subsection (determined after application of paragraph (3) but without regard to this paragraph).

(ii) APPLICABLE PERCENT.—For purposes of clause (i), the term ‘applicable percent’ means—
(I) for 2012, 99 percent;
(II) for 2013, 98.5 percent; and
(III) for 2014 and each subsequent year, 98 percent.

(B) SIGNIFICANT HARDSHIP EXCEPTION.—The Secretary may, on a case-by-case basis, exempt an eligible professional from the application of the payment adjustment under subparagraph (A) if the Secretary determines, subject to annual renewal, that compliance with the requirement for being a successful electronic prescriber would result in a significant hardship, such as in the case of an eligible professional who practices in a rural area without sufficient Internet access. ‘

(C) APPLICATION.—

(i) PHYSICIAN REPORTING SYSTEM RULES.—Paragraphs (5), (6), and (8) of subsection (k) shall apply for purposes of this paragraph in the same manner as they apply for purposes of such subsection.

(ii) INCENTIVE PAYMENT VALIDATION RULES.— Clauses (ii) and (iii) of subsection (m)(5)(D) shall apply for purposes of this paragraph in a similar manner as they apply for purposes of such subsection. ‘

(D) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this paragraph:

(i) ELIGIBLE PROFESSIONAL; COVERED PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.—The terms ‘eligible professional’ and ‘covered professional services’ have the meanings given such terms in subsection (k)(3).

(ii) PHYSICIAN REPORTING SYSTEM.—The term ‘physician reporting system’ means the system established under subsection (k).
(iii) REPORTING PERIOD.—The term ‘reporting period’ means, with respect to a year, a period specified by the Secretary.’’.

(c) GAO REPORT ON ELECTRONIC PRESCRIBING.—Not later than September 1, 2012, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to Congress a report on the implementation of the incentives for electronic prescribing established under the provisions of, and amendments made by, this section. Such report shall include information regarding the following:

(1) The percentage of eligible professionals (as defined in section 1848(k)(3) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w– 4(k)(3)) that are using electronic prescribing systems, including a determination of whether less than 50 percent of eligible professionals are using electronic prescribing systems.

(2) If less than 50 percent of eligible professionals are using electronic prescribing systems, recommendations for increasing the use of electronic prescribing systems by eligible professionals, such as changes to the incentive payment adjustments established under section 1848(a)(5) of such Act, as added by subsection (b).

(3) The estimated savings to the Medicare program under title XVIII of such Act resulting from the use of electronic prescribing systems.

(4) Reductions in avoidable medical errors resulting from the use of electronic prescribing systems.

(5) The extent to which the privacy and security of the personal health information of Medicare beneficiaries is protected when such beneficiaries’ prescription drug data and usage information is used for purposes other than their direct clinical care, including—

(A) whether information identifying the beneficiary is, and remains, removed from data regarding the beneficiary’s prescription drug utilization; and

(B) the extent to which current law requires sufficient and appropriate oversight and audit capabilities to monitor the practice of prescription drug data mining.

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JOINT UN-AFRICAN UNION MISSION IN DARFUR STEPS UP PRESENCE AT TROUBLED CAMP New York, Sep 3 2008 4:10PM The joint United Nations-African Union peacekeeping mission in Darfur is stepping up its presence in and around a camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs) where dozens of people were shot dead last week during clashes with Sudanese security forces.The mission, known as UNAMID, reported yesterday that its police will be present at the Kalma camp in South Darfur state until a joint force of mission police and military officers can be permanently deployed. Daily military patrols by UNAMID have also been reinforced.The presence was stepped up after a UNAMID patrol in Nyala, the capital of South Darfur, observed an increased Sudanese police presence near Kalma, with more tents being erected on Monday at a location about five kilometres from the camp.A sheikh from the camp also told the mission that Sudanese Government forces were planning another attack on the camp in the near future, and that tensions were mounting among Kalmas residents estimated at around 80,000 as a result.UNAMID has said it has evidence that at least 31 people were killed at Kalma on 25 August when Sudanese military and police forces raided the camp to execute a search warrant for illegal weapons and drugs.The Sudanese forces said they only returned fire after gunshots were directed at them from behind a human shield of women and children, but UNAMID issued a statement saying excessive and disproportionate force had been used given the camp residents carried sticks, knives and spears.While the alleged presence of weapons in the Kalma camp is a real security concern for the Government of Sudan authorities, the actions taken to address it are a clear violation of the Darfur Peace Agreement, UNAMID stated. UNAMID strongly condemns the excessive, disproportionate use of lethal force by the Government of Sudan security forces against civilians, which violated their human rights and resulted in unacceptable casualties. However, the statement also stressed that the presence of weapons voids the status of IDP camps granted to them by international humanitarian law and exhorts the IDP community and its leaders and representatives to ensure that their camps are, and remain, weapons-free zones. UNAMID Deputy Joint Special Representative Henry Anyidoho visited Kalma today to assess the situation and to meet with mission officials in civil affairs, human rights and humanitarian affairs.Meanwhile, the mission reported that its radio unit this week began a one-month journalism training and capacity-building programme for 10 local radio journalists in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state.The first in a series of planned courses to be conducted for local journalists in El Fasher and Khartoum between now and December, the training course aims to develop the capacity for a fully-fledged UNAMID radio broadcast operation for Darfur.
2008-09-03 00:00:00.000 For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/newsTo change your profile or unsubscribe go to:
http://www.un.

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are a microscopic structure that forms in many agriculturally useful plants, notably grasses. Theyre a little blob of carbon, which is not that unusual in biological structures. However, what makes them interesting is that they have an external skin of silicon - rather tough, hard, and durable stuff. Because of this, the carbon in a phytolith is effectively locked away for a very long time - thousands of years, according to the story. It doesnt matter if the land use changes, or careless agricultural practices are used. The carbon is effectively taken out of the biosphere. And according to the story, its easy to measure the quantity of carbon thus sequestered. Quantifiable, long-term biological sequestration - sounds all good, doesnt it.

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Only 2% of GOP National Delegates are Young Voters
Young People comprised 15% of DNC Delegates Young Republicans will comprise less than two percent of all delegates attending the GOP Convention. A meager 42 young Republicans will participate in a convention with 2,380 total delegates, according to initial reports. By comparison, 631 young Democrats comprised 15 percent of the 4,234 total delegates at last week's Democratic National Convention. Republicans are paying the price for failing young Americans over the last eight years. Exploding deficits, an unending war and rising costs in everything from gasoline to tuition have driven young people away from the Republican Party. Republican failure to attract young voters has consequences at the ballot box. Young voters overwhelmingly preferred Democrats in the 2006 mid-term elections. In elections for the House of Representatives, voters aged 18-30 preferred Democratic candidates over Republican opponents 58 percent to 38 percent. In Senate races, Democratic candidates won the young vote 60 percent to 33 percent and in gubernatorial elections Democrats won 55 percent of the young vote compared to only 34 percent for Republicans.

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St. Louis City:
Central Reform Congregation
Rabbi Susan Talve
Rabbi Randy Fleisher
Community Church of God
The Rev. Douglas Parham
Compton Heights Christian Church
The Rev. Jacqueline Foster
Epiphany United Church of Christ
The Rev. Mary Albert
Holy Trinity Catholic Church
Fr. Richard Creason
Lane Tabernacle CME
The Rev. James T. Morris
Liberation Christian Church
Pastor Dietra Wise
Mount Airy MB
The Rev. Charles Brown
MasJid Qooba
Pilgrim Congregational United Church of Christ
The Rev. Cindy Bumb
St. Johns Episcopal Church
Pastor Teresa Mithen
St. Marks Epsicopal Church
The Rev. Lydia Speller
The Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet
Diana Oleskavich
Westside Missionary Baptist
The Rev. Ronald Bobo
St. Louis County:

Arlington United Methodist Church - Bridgeton
The Rev. Mary Harvey
Church of the Open Door - Webster Groves
The Rev. Dr. Susan Forbes
Ethical Society of St. Louis - Clayton
Kate Lovelady
Evangelical United Church of Christ
The Rev. Katie Hawker
Greater St. Mark Family Church
The Rev. Tommie Pierson/The Rev. W. Audrey Hollis
Masjid Daar-ul-Islam - Manchester
Imam Mufti Minhajuddin Ahmed
Northminster Presbyterian - Jennings
The Rev. Carlton Stock
Shaare Emeth - Creve Coeur
Rabbi Andrea Goldstein
Jefferson County:
New Hope United Methodist Church - Arnold
Rev. Mark Harvey
St. John Lateran Catholic Church - Imperial
Fr. Steve Robeson
Columbia:
Rock Bridge Christian Church
The Rev. Maureen Dickmann
Saint Louis Faith Organizations:
Aquinas Institute of Theology
Jews United for Justice
New Life Evangelistic Center, Inc.
Labor in the Pulpits / on the Bimah / in the Minbar is coordinated nationally by Interfaith Worker Justice, www.iwj.org.

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From North Alaska to the Pacific Islands, the phenomenon of climate change is threatening the lives and livelihoods of people.
At first glance, human rights and climate change appear to be disconnected, but as the world increasingly experiences climatic devastation, the human rights of people, particularly the poor and marginalized, will be adversely affected.
There is no doubt that climate change will have immense human consequences. Looking at climate change through the human rights lens reveals the extent of human suffering that is a product of our treatment of the environment.

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As for the proposal to pay for it. Workers would have to pay a mandatory 45 cents per week payroll tax, which according the the Business Council of New York, was inadequate to pay for the program's costs.
The Buffalo Newseditorialized when the bill failed: Hopefully, that will be the end of it in New York. The question to ask is if this proposal will add to private-sector job growth. The answer is NO! New York State can hardly afford to be in a situation in which workers will automatically receive a maximum of 50 percent of their regular weekly pay, up to a maximum of $170 per week. Offering Cadillac benefits places New York at a disadvantage when businesses choose to locate, an even greater issue in struggling areas upstate and western New York, especially where the competition is Pennsylvania and Ohio.
Only Washington, California and New Jersey have paid family leave programs and only California's is operational. Lawmakers in our state haven't found a palatable funding source pay for our program. It will be an issue in the 2009 legislative session in Olympia and AWB is pushing them to revisit the whole issue to determine the real costs, who pays and who benefits.
In place of the new law, AWB believes flexible leave policies where employers and the people who work for them work out family leave arrangements is the way to go. It has worked for employers AWB talks with and it keeps from adding a whole new layer of costly state bureaucracy. This is not just an issue with private sector employers, but many school districts and public employers have the same concerns about costs and potential abuses.
It is the unintended consequences which sink good intentions.
Don C. Brunell, President (DonB@awb.

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cautioned against the idea there would be a large sustained bounce for the Obama-Biden campaign because the attention immediately shifts to the Republicans with their VP announcement and convention and because the audiences for these events have shrunk significantly over the last few decades.
I still think those reasons have merit and if, 10 days from now, you arent seeing the Obama lead you expect, I think that will explain part of why. Nevertheless a few things have changed in the last 30 hours.
1. That was some speech by Obama tonight. We knew it would be good but that exceeded my expectations.
2. A reader alerted me yesterday to TV ratings which have been far higher that 2004. That year many stations chose not to air the convention on Tuesday night so only 5.9 million saw it. This year it was 26 million. Wednesday brought 24 million viewers, also a large increase over 2004.
3. Those increased viewers are significant just for the extra eyes and ears but they also heard from Hillary and Bill who strongly endorsed Obama and if even 1 or 2 percent of the electorate votes for Obama as a result (or even better switches from McCain) then the significance is magnified.
4. The big night is always Thursday and I expect 2008 will once again exceed 2004. Obama does have a lot very enthusiastic supporters and (hopefully) a significant number of undecided voters tuned in to help make a decision.
5. Hurricane Gustav. Oh the delicious irony. A hurricane bearing down on the gulf coast just as the Republican convention gets underway and on the 3-year anniversary of Katrina. I hope nobody gets hurt and New Orleans doesnt reflood but I hope its a very near miss (and then fizzles). At any rate, if you thought the Republican mishandling of Katrina would go by unnoticed I think this makes that very unlikely. (Oh and memo to the Bush Administration: THERES A HURRICANE COMING! ITS COMING AND YOU NOW HAVE ADVANCED WARNING! Get Dick Cheney to an undisclosed location immediately. Chickens.)
All of this adds up, in my mind, to the potential for a real bounce. Before I saw things going back to the 3-4 point national lead Obama had for most of the summer. Now I expect that may go higher. The question will be, can the campaign sustain it.

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