The 2,583 businesses in the U.S. Virgin Islands’ economy generated $19.5 billion in sales and employed 35,300 people, with $1.1 billion in annual payroll, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2007 Economic Census of Island Areas: Geographic Area Series for the U.S. Virgin Islands. Retail trade sales increased 15 percent to $1.4 billion between 2002 and 2007.
The U.S. Virgin Islands is a U.S. territory in the Caribbean. The economic census ― conducted every five years ― profiles the territory as a whole, and the three islands (St. Croix, St. John and St. Thomas) and towns individually for businesses with paid employees. The 2007 Economic Census included the petroleum refinery industry, which was excluded in the 2002 Economic Census.
Other findings:
-- Retail trade employment over the same period increased 2 percent to 6,773 in 2007. Payroll increased 14 percent to $146.1 million in 2007.
-- In 2007, the largest share of retail sales was found in clothing and clothing accessories stores (30 percent of total retail sales), and in food and beverage stores (18 percent of total retail sales).
-- Clothing and clothing accessories store sales increased 3 percent, from $403.5 million in 2002 to $414.0 million in 2007.
-- Food and beverage store sales increased 14 percent, from $217.3 million in 2002 to $246.8 million in 2007.
-- Businesses in St. Croix reported $16.1 billion in total sales — 83 percent of U.S. Virgin Islands total sales in 2007 — while St. Thomas reported $3.1 billion in total sales.
-- The U.S. Virgin Islands had 109 businesses with 50 or more employees, representing 4 percent of all businesses. These businesses accounted for 84 percent ($16.3 billion) of total sales.
---
Community News You Can Use
Follow us on Twitter: @gafrontpage
www.FayetteFrontPage.com
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
www.PoliticalPotluck.com
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
---
Showing posts with label gwinnett. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gwinnett. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Welfare Watch - July 07, 2009 - Budget Shortfalls Threaten Services
While Georgia is faring better in this economic crisis than most other states, we still face significant budgetary issues as we move forward into FY10 and FY11. The Governor has called for more cuts last month of more than $274 million for the 2009 fiscal year or 25% for the month of June in order to complete fiscal year without a deficit. He did not want to pull money from the reserve fund in order to balance the budget. This still may be a possibility because the shortfall in FY2009 may be greater than projected.
We enter a new fiscal year with not much hope for an improving picture for the economy or the State's budget. According to an estimate by Georgia State University, the 2010 budget shortfall may be as great as $800 million. If reserve funds from the State are not used, revenue estimates may be needed to be lowered by $1 billion. This picture gets even bleaker in FY2011. According to a report by the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute, as Georgia enters FY2011(which begins June 30, 2010), it may have to use the State Fiscal Stabilization Funds that have been set aside for FY 2011 to help close the FY 2010 deficit. If this happens, we could face a deficit of more than $1.5 billion.
The GBPI warns that to avoid crippling cuts over the next two years to state services, which include education, healthcare, public safety and social services (85% of the State's budget), the Legislature and Governor will need to take a hard look at not only expenses but revenue. Georgia is 49th in per capita spending by state governments and according to a recent study, the 8th best managed state in the county. Georgia is neither wasteful nor excessive in its spending. We have a revenue problem. Georgia just does not have enough money to cover the legitimate expenses of state government.
These are hard decisions that the Legislature and Governor will have to take up in the next session. They have been here before, made some very good decisions about enhanced revenue sources, tax cuts and elimination of tax breaks and incentives that mitigated some of the pain that all Georgians are experiencing today.
Welfare Watch, an email newsletter of the Georgia Association of Homes and Services for Childrenas a public service.
http://www.gahsc.org
---
Community News You Can Use
Follow us on Twitter: @gafrontpage
www.FayetteFrontPage.com
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
www.PoliticalPotluck.com
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
---
We enter a new fiscal year with not much hope for an improving picture for the economy or the State's budget. According to an estimate by Georgia State University, the 2010 budget shortfall may be as great as $800 million. If reserve funds from the State are not used, revenue estimates may be needed to be lowered by $1 billion. This picture gets even bleaker in FY2011. According to a report by the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute, as Georgia enters FY2011(which begins June 30, 2010), it may have to use the State Fiscal Stabilization Funds that have been set aside for FY 2011 to help close the FY 2010 deficit. If this happens, we could face a deficit of more than $1.5 billion.
The GBPI warns that to avoid crippling cuts over the next two years to state services, which include education, healthcare, public safety and social services (85% of the State's budget), the Legislature and Governor will need to take a hard look at not only expenses but revenue. Georgia is 49th in per capita spending by state governments and according to a recent study, the 8th best managed state in the county. Georgia is neither wasteful nor excessive in its spending. We have a revenue problem. Georgia just does not have enough money to cover the legitimate expenses of state government.
These are hard decisions that the Legislature and Governor will have to take up in the next session. They have been here before, made some very good decisions about enhanced revenue sources, tax cuts and elimination of tax breaks and incentives that mitigated some of the pain that all Georgians are experiencing today.
Welfare Watch, an email newsletter of the Georgia Association of Homes and Services for Childrenas a public service.
http://www.gahsc.org
---
Community News You Can Use
Follow us on Twitter: @gafrontpage
www.FayetteFrontPage.com
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
www.PoliticalPotluck.com
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
---
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Milk or Water Still Best Thirst Quenchers
With so many sports drinks, vitamin waters, energy drinks and specialty teas on the market, consumers may wonder which is best for them. An expert with University of Georgia says to be wary of them all and that milk and water are still the best thirst quenchers.
“These special drinks are loaded with calories, and we don’t need it,” said Connie Crawley, a nutrition expert with UGA Cooperative Extension. “There is a time and place for some of these drinks, and having one as a lunch beverage is not appropriate.”
Sports drinks
Athletes and exercisers who spend more than an hour working out and sweating profusely may need a boost of electrolytes from a sports drink.
“A teenage boy practicing football for three hours a day may need a sports drink, but a child riding a bike for an hour does not,” Crawley said. “It is not uncommon for an athlete to lose one to two pounds of sweat at practice. This is water weight, and they need to replenish what they’ve lost. But, they shouldn’t continue drinking these salted and sugary beverages for several hours after practice.”
Even juice is not the best choice. It is easy to consume several hundred calories from juice if you drink more than a small glass. Instead, eat the fruit during practice or exercise.
Vitamin water
Vitamin waters and enhanced teas offer extra doses of vitamins and minerals. Drinking a bottle of water with added vitamin C will not ward off a cold, Crawley said. These marketing ploys aren’t based on science.
“There is a misconception that the more vitamins you get the better,” she said. “You need vitamins, but for the most part you can get all you need from what you eat if you eat a balanced diet. For a few nutrients, you can actually get too much.”
Fluoridated water is the only mineral water needed. Fluoride helps to build strong teeth and bones. Most bottled water lacks fluoride, so drink water from the tap if your city water is fluoridated. Fluoride supplements are also available from your child’s doctor.
Energy boosters
Store shelves offer an array of energy-boosting beverages loaded with caffeine. Once you start drinking these regurlarly, more is needed overtime to feel the boost.
“To increase the effect of these beverages, limit them,” Crawley said. “Caffeine is more effective if you drink it only occasionally.”
When we take in extra calories through drinks, our brains don’t process them like calories from foods, she said. So we don’t feel full. We still want to eat the same amount of food, or calories, at our meals and snacks.
“Our bodies are programmed not to metabolize fluid calories the same way as food,” Crawley said. “As a method of self preservation, we continue to drink so we don’t get dehydrated and die. If fluid calories made us feel full, we might not drink enough to keep us hydrated.”
Milk and water
Milk and water are still the best drinks. Adults need about eight 8-ounce glasses of liquid a day. If those come from water and two or three cups of milk, you limit the empty calories going into your body.
In 1994, the average teenager consumed 64.5 gallons of soft drink per year. In 2002, consumption had decreased slightly, but teenagers were still drinking 21 ounces of soda each day and only 11 ounces of milk. Teenage girls were drinking even less milk, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.
Children, especially girls, need to drink at least 16 ounces to 24 ounces of milk a day. Once a person reaches adulthood, bones store less calcium. So, kids need to build strong bones during their childhood and teenage years, Crawley said.
Set a good example for your kids and give up sodas and specialty drinks.
“Cut out 100 calories a day of empty calories from sweet drinks and you will lose 10 pounds a year, as long as you don’t add the calories somewhere else,” she said.
Also look at the nutrition labels. Be aware that some cans and bottles actually hold two to three servings inside. If you drink the whole can or bottle, you will be getting double or triple the calories and sugar listed.
(Author April Sorrow is a news editor with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.)
---
Community News You Can Use
Follow us on Twitter: @gafrontpage
www.FayetteFrontPage.com
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
www.PoliticalPotluck.com
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
---
“These special drinks are loaded with calories, and we don’t need it,” said Connie Crawley, a nutrition expert with UGA Cooperative Extension. “There is a time and place for some of these drinks, and having one as a lunch beverage is not appropriate.”
Sports drinks
Athletes and exercisers who spend more than an hour working out and sweating profusely may need a boost of electrolytes from a sports drink.
“A teenage boy practicing football for three hours a day may need a sports drink, but a child riding a bike for an hour does not,” Crawley said. “It is not uncommon for an athlete to lose one to two pounds of sweat at practice. This is water weight, and they need to replenish what they’ve lost. But, they shouldn’t continue drinking these salted and sugary beverages for several hours after practice.”
Even juice is not the best choice. It is easy to consume several hundred calories from juice if you drink more than a small glass. Instead, eat the fruit during practice or exercise.
Vitamin water
Vitamin waters and enhanced teas offer extra doses of vitamins and minerals. Drinking a bottle of water with added vitamin C will not ward off a cold, Crawley said. These marketing ploys aren’t based on science.
“There is a misconception that the more vitamins you get the better,” she said. “You need vitamins, but for the most part you can get all you need from what you eat if you eat a balanced diet. For a few nutrients, you can actually get too much.”
Fluoridated water is the only mineral water needed. Fluoride helps to build strong teeth and bones. Most bottled water lacks fluoride, so drink water from the tap if your city water is fluoridated. Fluoride supplements are also available from your child’s doctor.
Energy boosters
Store shelves offer an array of energy-boosting beverages loaded with caffeine. Once you start drinking these regurlarly, more is needed overtime to feel the boost.
“To increase the effect of these beverages, limit them,” Crawley said. “Caffeine is more effective if you drink it only occasionally.”
When we take in extra calories through drinks, our brains don’t process them like calories from foods, she said. So we don’t feel full. We still want to eat the same amount of food, or calories, at our meals and snacks.
“Our bodies are programmed not to metabolize fluid calories the same way as food,” Crawley said. “As a method of self preservation, we continue to drink so we don’t get dehydrated and die. If fluid calories made us feel full, we might not drink enough to keep us hydrated.”
Milk and water
Milk and water are still the best drinks. Adults need about eight 8-ounce glasses of liquid a day. If those come from water and two or three cups of milk, you limit the empty calories going into your body.
In 1994, the average teenager consumed 64.5 gallons of soft drink per year. In 2002, consumption had decreased slightly, but teenagers were still drinking 21 ounces of soda each day and only 11 ounces of milk. Teenage girls were drinking even less milk, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.
Children, especially girls, need to drink at least 16 ounces to 24 ounces of milk a day. Once a person reaches adulthood, bones store less calcium. So, kids need to build strong bones during their childhood and teenage years, Crawley said.
Set a good example for your kids and give up sodas and specialty drinks.
“Cut out 100 calories a day of empty calories from sweet drinks and you will lose 10 pounds a year, as long as you don’t add the calories somewhere else,” she said.
Also look at the nutrition labels. Be aware that some cans and bottles actually hold two to three servings inside. If you drink the whole can or bottle, you will be getting double or triple the calories and sugar listed.
(Author April Sorrow is a news editor with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.)
---
Community News You Can Use
Follow us on Twitter: @gafrontpage
www.FayetteFrontPage.com
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
www.PoliticalPotluck.com
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
---
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Record Number of Consumers Call FCC's Help Line for Assistance in Response to DTV "Soft Test"
Atlanta Media Market Ranked 8th in the Top 10
A coordinated nationwide “soft test” designed to encourage consumers to take immediate action to prepare for the June 12 digital television (DTV) transition prompted a record number of calls to the Federal Communications Commission’s national help line Thursday, including 389 calls from consumers in the Atlanta media market and 1,571 from the State of Georgia.
More than 125 of the nation’s broadcast markets participated in the soft test, including at least one station in each of the top 30 broadcast markets. As a result, the Commission’s toll-free help line, 1-888-CALL-FCC, received 55,374 calls from consumers Thursday, a dramatic increase from the average of 15,000 per day the Commission had been receiving since May 1.
Calls from the Atlanta media market focused primarily on the following:
1. Seeking information about the government’s program providing $40 coupons for the purchase of DTV converter boxes (53% compared to 51% nationally);
2. Expressing concern about general reception issues in their area (15% compared to 15% nationally); and
3. Expressing concern about receiving a specific station (13% compared to 8% nationally).
“This soft test did exactly what it was supposed to do,” said Acting FCC Chairman Michael Copps. “It was a wake-up call for consumers who are unprepared, alerting them to the fact that they need to take the necessary steps before the June 12 DTV transition.”
The FCC’s help line provides consumers with a wide range of services, including instructions on how to install converter boxes and information on local DTV education events and the availability of in-home installation services. In addition to calling the FCC’s toll-free help line, consumers can find help at the FCC’s web site, http://www.dtv.gov/, and by visiting walk-in help centers being set up across the country or attending a DTV transition event. Information about local events also can be found on the web site.
A “soft test” simulates to a degree what unprepared viewers will experience when the DTV transition occurs. Instead of completely cutting off the analog signal, during a soft test broadcasters interrupt the regular programming of viewers receiving analog signals to warn them the interruption indicates they are not prepared for the transition. Such viewers – other than those connected to a subscription TV service such as cable or satellite (which in some cases still utilize a broadcaster’s analog signal) – must take immediate action to avoid a complete loss of service on June 12. Digital broadcasts are available now and are not interrupted by soft tests.
Nationwide, Nielsen estimates that about 3.3 million households – 2.9 percent of U.S. households with TVs – remained unready for the transition as of May 10. In the few weeks remaining before the transition, the FCC is gearing up its ongoing consumer assistance efforts to ensure consumers are prepared for the end of analog broadcast service for full-power television stations.
The switch to digital will reward most viewers with better sound, a better picture, more channels and more programs and will make room for the future by clearing airwaves for advanced mobile Internet services. The transition will also help save lives by freeing up airwaves for better first-responder radio service.
---
Community News You Can Use
Follow us on Twitter: @gafrontpage
http://www.fayettefrontpage.com/
http://www.georgiafrontpage.com/
http://www.politicalpotluck.com/
http://www.artsacrossgeorgia.com/
---
A coordinated nationwide “soft test” designed to encourage consumers to take immediate action to prepare for the June 12 digital television (DTV) transition prompted a record number of calls to the Federal Communications Commission’s national help line Thursday, including 389 calls from consumers in the Atlanta media market and 1,571 from the State of Georgia.
More than 125 of the nation’s broadcast markets participated in the soft test, including at least one station in each of the top 30 broadcast markets. As a result, the Commission’s toll-free help line, 1-888-CALL-FCC, received 55,374 calls from consumers Thursday, a dramatic increase from the average of 15,000 per day the Commission had been receiving since May 1.
Calls from the Atlanta media market focused primarily on the following:
1. Seeking information about the government’s program providing $40 coupons for the purchase of DTV converter boxes (53% compared to 51% nationally);
2. Expressing concern about general reception issues in their area (15% compared to 15% nationally); and
3. Expressing concern about receiving a specific station (13% compared to 8% nationally).
“This soft test did exactly what it was supposed to do,” said Acting FCC Chairman Michael Copps. “It was a wake-up call for consumers who are unprepared, alerting them to the fact that they need to take the necessary steps before the June 12 DTV transition.”
The FCC’s help line provides consumers with a wide range of services, including instructions on how to install converter boxes and information on local DTV education events and the availability of in-home installation services. In addition to calling the FCC’s toll-free help line, consumers can find help at the FCC’s web site, http://www.dtv.gov/, and by visiting walk-in help centers being set up across the country or attending a DTV transition event. Information about local events also can be found on the web site.
A “soft test” simulates to a degree what unprepared viewers will experience when the DTV transition occurs. Instead of completely cutting off the analog signal, during a soft test broadcasters interrupt the regular programming of viewers receiving analog signals to warn them the interruption indicates they are not prepared for the transition. Such viewers – other than those connected to a subscription TV service such as cable or satellite (which in some cases still utilize a broadcaster’s analog signal) – must take immediate action to avoid a complete loss of service on June 12. Digital broadcasts are available now and are not interrupted by soft tests.
Nationwide, Nielsen estimates that about 3.3 million households – 2.9 percent of U.S. households with TVs – remained unready for the transition as of May 10. In the few weeks remaining before the transition, the FCC is gearing up its ongoing consumer assistance efforts to ensure consumers are prepared for the end of analog broadcast service for full-power television stations.
The switch to digital will reward most viewers with better sound, a better picture, more channels and more programs and will make room for the future by clearing airwaves for advanced mobile Internet services. The transition will also help save lives by freeing up airwaves for better first-responder radio service.
---
Community News You Can Use
Follow us on Twitter: @gafrontpage
http://www.fayettefrontpage.com/
http://www.georgiafrontpage.com/
http://www.politicalpotluck.com/
http://www.artsacrossgeorgia.com/
---
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Increase in Unmarried Childbearing Also Seen in Other Countries
The proportion of births to unmarried mothers in the United States has risen steeply over the past few decades, consistent with patterns in other countries, a report from CDC's National Center for Health Statistics shows.
In March, CDC reported that about 4 in 10 births in the United States in 2007 were to unmarried mothers. While a great deal of focus has been placed on births to unmarried teens, 6 out of 10 births to women between the ages of 20 and 24 were among unmarried women in 2007.
The trend in unmarried childbearing was fairly stable from the mid-1990s to 2002, but has shown a steep increase between 2002 and 2007. Between 1980 and 2007, the proportion of births to unmarried women in the United States has more than doubled, from 18 percent to 40 percent.
The report, "Data Brief #18: Changing Patterns of Nonmarital Childbearing in the U.S.," includes a section on international comparisons. The section shows the U.S. percentage of out-of-wedlock births falls into the middle range among the countries studied (data for Iceland, France, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain, and Canada are for 2006).
* Iceland (66 percent), Sweden (55 percent), Norway (54 percent), France (50 percent), Denmark (46 percent) and the United Kingdom (44 percent) all have higher proportions of births to unmarried mothers than the United States
* Ireland (33 percent), Germany and Canada (30 percent), Spain (28 percent), Italy (21 percent) and Japan (2 percent) have lower percentages than the United States.
* The Netherlands (40 percent) has the same percentage of out-of-wedlock births as the United States but its percentage is 10 times higher than in 1980, when only 4 percent of Netherlands' births were to unmarried mothers.
* All countries examined showed substantial increases in the proportion of births to unmarried mothers between 1980 and 2007. The countries with the biggest increases, after the Netherlands, are Spain (4 percent to 28 percent), Ireland (5 percent to 33 percent), and Italy (4 percent to 21 percent).
The report also looks in depth at U.S. birth rates among unmarried women by age, race and ethnicity.
* Birth rates among unmarried U.S. mothers are highest for women in their early 20s (80 births per 1,000 unmarried women aged 20-24), and lowest for teens under 18 and for women over age 35.
* Birth rates among unmarried mothers are highest for Hispanic women (106 births per 1,000 unmarried Hispanic women), followed by non-Hispanic black women (72 per 1,000) and non-Hispanic white women (32 per 1,000).
* The overwhelming majority of births to teenagers are nonmarital. Among teens aged 15-17, 93 percent of births were nonmarital in 2007, while among teens aged 18-19, 84 percent of births were nonmarital.
* In 2007, 45 percent of births to women in their 20s were to unmarried women. Sixty percent of births to women aged 20-24 were nonmarital in 2007, up from 52 percent in 2002. Nearly one third of births to women aged 25-29 were nonmarital in 2007, up from one fourth in 2002.
The full report is available at www.cdc.gov/nchs.
---
Community News You Can Use
Follow us on Twitter: @gafrontpage
www.FayetteFrontPage.com
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
www.PoliticalPotluck.com
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
---
In March, CDC reported that about 4 in 10 births in the United States in 2007 were to unmarried mothers. While a great deal of focus has been placed on births to unmarried teens, 6 out of 10 births to women between the ages of 20 and 24 were among unmarried women in 2007.
The trend in unmarried childbearing was fairly stable from the mid-1990s to 2002, but has shown a steep increase between 2002 and 2007. Between 1980 and 2007, the proportion of births to unmarried women in the United States has more than doubled, from 18 percent to 40 percent.
The report, "Data Brief #18: Changing Patterns of Nonmarital Childbearing in the U.S.," includes a section on international comparisons. The section shows the U.S. percentage of out-of-wedlock births falls into the middle range among the countries studied (data for Iceland, France, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain, and Canada are for 2006).
* Iceland (66 percent), Sweden (55 percent), Norway (54 percent), France (50 percent), Denmark (46 percent) and the United Kingdom (44 percent) all have higher proportions of births to unmarried mothers than the United States
* Ireland (33 percent), Germany and Canada (30 percent), Spain (28 percent), Italy (21 percent) and Japan (2 percent) have lower percentages than the United States.
* The Netherlands (40 percent) has the same percentage of out-of-wedlock births as the United States but its percentage is 10 times higher than in 1980, when only 4 percent of Netherlands' births were to unmarried mothers.
* All countries examined showed substantial increases in the proportion of births to unmarried mothers between 1980 and 2007. The countries with the biggest increases, after the Netherlands, are Spain (4 percent to 28 percent), Ireland (5 percent to 33 percent), and Italy (4 percent to 21 percent).
The report also looks in depth at U.S. birth rates among unmarried women by age, race and ethnicity.
* Birth rates among unmarried U.S. mothers are highest for women in their early 20s (80 births per 1,000 unmarried women aged 20-24), and lowest for teens under 18 and for women over age 35.
* Birth rates among unmarried mothers are highest for Hispanic women (106 births per 1,000 unmarried Hispanic women), followed by non-Hispanic black women (72 per 1,000) and non-Hispanic white women (32 per 1,000).
* The overwhelming majority of births to teenagers are nonmarital. Among teens aged 15-17, 93 percent of births were nonmarital in 2007, while among teens aged 18-19, 84 percent of births were nonmarital.
* In 2007, 45 percent of births to women in their 20s were to unmarried women. Sixty percent of births to women aged 20-24 were nonmarital in 2007, up from 52 percent in 2002. Nearly one third of births to women aged 25-29 were nonmarital in 2007, up from one fourth in 2002.
The full report is available at www.cdc.gov/nchs.
---
Community News You Can Use
Follow us on Twitter: @gafrontpage
www.FayetteFrontPage.com
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
www.PoliticalPotluck.com
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
---
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Military Office Director Resigns in Wake of New York Fly-by
The director of the White House Military Office has submitted his resignation in the wake of an April 27 aerial photo shoot with a presidential aircraft over New York City.
Louis Caldera, who served as secretary of the Army during the Clinton administration, resigned his office effective May 22.
"I have concluded that the controversy surrounding the Presidential Airlift Group's aerial photo shoot over New York City has made it impossible to effectively lead the White House Military Office," Caldera wrote in his letter of resignation.
President Barack Obama has accepted the resignation, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said.
"The president has asked his deputy chief of staff, Jim Messina, and Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates or his designee to jointly review the organizational structure of the White House Military Office and the reporting relationship of its components to the White House and the Air Force, and to make recommendations to him to ensure that such an incident never occurs again," Gibbs said in a written release.
On April 27, a 747-200 aircraft that often carries the president flew over lower New York. An F-16 fighter followed and took photos of the aircraft with iconic structures such as the Statue of Liberty in the background. The aircraft flew as low as 1,000 feet, and many New Yorkers believed they were seeing a repeat of the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, that killed 3,000 people at the World Trade Center.
The flyover caused much consternation on the ground, with many people in Lower Manhattan and across the river in New Jersey evacuating their buildings.
A review of the incident by the White House counsel's office found "structural and organizational ambiguities" within the White House Military Office and urged a comprehensive study of the organization.
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
Related article:
Air Force One Flight Causes New York City Confusion http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=54097
---
Community News You Can Use
Follow us on Twitter: @gafrontpage
www.FayetteFrontPage.com
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
www.PoliticalPotluck.com
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
---
Louis Caldera, who served as secretary of the Army during the Clinton administration, resigned his office effective May 22.
"I have concluded that the controversy surrounding the Presidential Airlift Group's aerial photo shoot over New York City has made it impossible to effectively lead the White House Military Office," Caldera wrote in his letter of resignation.
President Barack Obama has accepted the resignation, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said.
"The president has asked his deputy chief of staff, Jim Messina, and Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates or his designee to jointly review the organizational structure of the White House Military Office and the reporting relationship of its components to the White House and the Air Force, and to make recommendations to him to ensure that such an incident never occurs again," Gibbs said in a written release.
On April 27, a 747-200 aircraft that often carries the president flew over lower New York. An F-16 fighter followed and took photos of the aircraft with iconic structures such as the Statue of Liberty in the background. The aircraft flew as low as 1,000 feet, and many New Yorkers believed they were seeing a repeat of the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, that killed 3,000 people at the World Trade Center.
The flyover caused much consternation on the ground, with many people in Lower Manhattan and across the river in New Jersey evacuating their buildings.
A review of the incident by the White House counsel's office found "structural and organizational ambiguities" within the White House Military Office and urged a comprehensive study of the organization.
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
Related article:
Air Force One Flight Causes New York City Confusion http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=54097
---
Community News You Can Use
Follow us on Twitter: @gafrontpage
www.FayetteFrontPage.com
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
www.PoliticalPotluck.com
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
---
Doctor Confronts Maternal Mortality in Afghanistan
KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan: The young Dari interpreter standing by the desk translates the words of the American doctor to the young woman, as she sits quietly. An examining table stands against one yellow wall in the small room. Various tools and medical equipment are positioned around the room.
Thickly lined with black eyeliner, the young woman's brown eyes light up. Her soft smile widens, and she leans forward in her seat. Her husband will not take another wife. After three barren years, she is finally pregnant.
Army Col. (Dr.) Kathryn L. Hall-Boyer treated women and children on separate visits April 14 and 21 to the Afghan National Army Kandahar Regional Hospital women's clinic at Camp Hero as part of Operation Hearts and Minds. Hall-Boyer is the Joint Sustainment Command Afghanistan surgeon here.
"[The mission's purpose] is to provide ongoing medical care to women and children who have limited alternatives to receive medical care," Hall-Boyer said.
Hall-Boyer, an assistant professor in the emergency medicine department at Emory University, Georgia, has worked in the medical field since 1979. She provided care in similar clinics while deployed to Bosnia.
"This clinic people can keep coming back to every week," she said. "There is continuity for the women here."
Air Force Col. (Dr.) David Lannen of Task Force Phoenix Assistance Group contacted Hall-Boyer and told her that the clinic, established in June, needed female doctors.
The clinic provides laboratory services, X-ray and ultrasound. Hall-Boyer provided predominantly women's health services and family planning.
"Women in Afghanistan have one of the highest mortality rates in the world," she said. "It's because they don't receive medical care during their pregnancy."
Most women arrived with several children in tow. As the clinic staff and visiting physicians examined their mothers, the children received cookies and coloring books from female U.S. soldiers in the waiting room.
"For the children who came, it was predominantly checking for acute illnesses," Hall-Boyer said. "Colds, coughs and diarrhea are most common."
In spite of the work of the clinic staff and visiting physicians, not all needs can be met for the 55 to 85 women and children who arrive, on average, for treatment.
"One patient had a gynecologist problem that she really needed a specialist for," Hall-Boyer said. "Families don't really have money to spend on girls. They have limited resources to seek help elsewhere."
Another concern at the clinic is the lack of medical records.
"People have no idea what they've been treated for," Hall-Boyer said. "So I may give them the same treatment that's not working for them."
Although the physicians and staff cannot always cure every illness, the positive influence of coalition forces in Afghanistan can be seen when some women arrive for a second opinion.
"Some patients have seen Afghan doctors," Hall-Boyer said. "But they want to hear from American doctors."
Future visits as a continuation of Operation Hearts and Minds are planned.
By Army Pfc. Elisebet Freeburg
Special to American Forces Press Service
Army Pfc. Elisebet Freeburg serves with Joint Sustainment Command Afghanistan
---
Community News You Can Use
Follow us on Twitter: @gafrontpage
www.FayetteFrontPage.com
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
www.PoliticalPotluck.com
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
---
Thickly lined with black eyeliner, the young woman's brown eyes light up. Her soft smile widens, and she leans forward in her seat. Her husband will not take another wife. After three barren years, she is finally pregnant.
Army Col. (Dr.) Kathryn L. Hall-Boyer treated women and children on separate visits April 14 and 21 to the Afghan National Army Kandahar Regional Hospital women's clinic at Camp Hero as part of Operation Hearts and Minds. Hall-Boyer is the Joint Sustainment Command Afghanistan surgeon here.
"[The mission's purpose] is to provide ongoing medical care to women and children who have limited alternatives to receive medical care," Hall-Boyer said.
Hall-Boyer, an assistant professor in the emergency medicine department at Emory University, Georgia, has worked in the medical field since 1979. She provided care in similar clinics while deployed to Bosnia.
"This clinic people can keep coming back to every week," she said. "There is continuity for the women here."
Air Force Col. (Dr.) David Lannen of Task Force Phoenix Assistance Group contacted Hall-Boyer and told her that the clinic, established in June, needed female doctors.
The clinic provides laboratory services, X-ray and ultrasound. Hall-Boyer provided predominantly women's health services and family planning.
"Women in Afghanistan have one of the highest mortality rates in the world," she said. "It's because they don't receive medical care during their pregnancy."
Most women arrived with several children in tow. As the clinic staff and visiting physicians examined their mothers, the children received cookies and coloring books from female U.S. soldiers in the waiting room.
"For the children who came, it was predominantly checking for acute illnesses," Hall-Boyer said. "Colds, coughs and diarrhea are most common."
In spite of the work of the clinic staff and visiting physicians, not all needs can be met for the 55 to 85 women and children who arrive, on average, for treatment.
"One patient had a gynecologist problem that she really needed a specialist for," Hall-Boyer said. "Families don't really have money to spend on girls. They have limited resources to seek help elsewhere."
Another concern at the clinic is the lack of medical records.
"People have no idea what they've been treated for," Hall-Boyer said. "So I may give them the same treatment that's not working for them."
Although the physicians and staff cannot always cure every illness, the positive influence of coalition forces in Afghanistan can be seen when some women arrive for a second opinion.
"Some patients have seen Afghan doctors," Hall-Boyer said. "But they want to hear from American doctors."
Future visits as a continuation of Operation Hearts and Minds are planned.
By Army Pfc. Elisebet Freeburg
Special to American Forces Press Service
Army Pfc. Elisebet Freeburg serves with Joint Sustainment Command Afghanistan
---
Community News You Can Use
Follow us on Twitter: @gafrontpage
www.FayetteFrontPage.com
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
www.PoliticalPotluck.com
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
---
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Commerce Secretary Gary Locke Appoints Morial to Lead 2010 Census Advisory Committee
Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke has named National Urban League President Marc Morial as chair of the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2010 Census Advisory Committee, which provides advice on the design and implementation of the 2010 Census.
“Marc has extraordinary experience in working with national organizations and advocating on behalf of diverse communities,” said Commerce Secretary Gary Locke. “His expertise will help to ensure a complete and accurate count during the 2010 Census.”
Twenty organizations are represented on the 2010 Census Advisory Committee, including data users and experts in the statutory and constitutional uses of decennial census data. The committee membership also includes ex-officio members representing the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives.
“The 2010 Census Advisory Committee provides important advice and guidance to the U.S. Census Bureau and we look forward to working with Marc Morial,” said Census Bureau Acting Director Tom Mesenbourg. “His leadership and experience will be vital as we approach the 2010 Census.”
Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League since 2003, leads the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organization. Morial served two terms as mayor of New Orleans from 1994 to 2002 and was also president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors from 2001 to 2002. He made Ebony Magazine’s list of the150 most influential people in 2009.
The Census is mandated by the Constitution. The questionnaire for the upcoming 2010 Census will be one of the shortest in history: just 10 questions that will take only about 10 minutes to complete. All responses are kept strictly confidential. The Census data are used to apportion the seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. Census data are also used to distribute more than $300 billion in federal funds each year.
Links about Morial:
http://www.bayoubuzz.com/News/Louisiana/Politics/
New_Orleanss_Marc_Morial_Obama_Urban_League_Economic_Plan___8256.asp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marc_Morial
http://www.nul.org/marchmorial.html
http://marchmorial.com/
http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2008/04/convention_center_change_upset.html
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/m/marcmorial375047.html
---
Community News You Can Use
Follow us on Twitter: @gafrontpage
www.FayetteFrontPage.com
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
www.PoliticalPotluck.com
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
---
“Marc has extraordinary experience in working with national organizations and advocating on behalf of diverse communities,” said Commerce Secretary Gary Locke. “His expertise will help to ensure a complete and accurate count during the 2010 Census.”
Twenty organizations are represented on the 2010 Census Advisory Committee, including data users and experts in the statutory and constitutional uses of decennial census data. The committee membership also includes ex-officio members representing the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives.
“The 2010 Census Advisory Committee provides important advice and guidance to the U.S. Census Bureau and we look forward to working with Marc Morial,” said Census Bureau Acting Director Tom Mesenbourg. “His leadership and experience will be vital as we approach the 2010 Census.”
Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League since 2003, leads the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organization. Morial served two terms as mayor of New Orleans from 1994 to 2002 and was also president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors from 2001 to 2002. He made Ebony Magazine’s list of the150 most influential people in 2009.
The Census is mandated by the Constitution. The questionnaire for the upcoming 2010 Census will be one of the shortest in history: just 10 questions that will take only about 10 minutes to complete. All responses are kept strictly confidential. The Census data are used to apportion the seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. Census data are also used to distribute more than $300 billion in federal funds each year.
Links about Morial:
http://www.bayoubuzz.com/News/Louisiana/Politics/
New_Orleanss_Marc_Morial_Obama_Urban_League_Economic_Plan___8256.asp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marc_Morial
http://www.nul.org/marchmorial.html
http://marchmorial.com/
http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2008/04/convention_center_change_upset.html
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/m/marcmorial375047.html
---
Community News You Can Use
Follow us on Twitter: @gafrontpage
www.FayetteFrontPage.com
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
www.PoliticalPotluck.com
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
---
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Census Bureau Reports Security and Commodity Exchange Revenue Nearly $9 Billion in 2007
(A CDC two-fer on Georgia Gallimaufry!)
Securities and commodities exchanges employed 8,852 people with nearly $1.4 billion in annual payroll and more than $8.9 billion in revenue in 2007, according to new data released by the U.S. Census Bureau as part of the 2007 Economic Census Industry Series.
These latest figures outline the finance and insurance sector and provide data on the number of establishments, revenue, payroll, number of employees, value of product lines revenue and other data items at the national level by industry.
Other findings include:
-- Security and commodity contract trade fees represented more than 55 percent ($4.9 billion) of the total revenue of this industry. Payment clearing and settlement fees represented an additional 15 percent ($1.4 billion).
-- Annual payroll per employee for securities and commodities exchanges was $156,363 in 2007, and revenue per employee was $1,010,737.
Industry Series data are available only on the Census Bureau’s American FactFinder. This online system allows data users to access, filter, manipulate and extract data. Data from the 2007 Economic Census for additional finance and insurance industries will be released through December 2009.
The 2007 Economic Census only includes businesses with paid employees. Information on businesses without paid employees is released as part of the Nonemployer Statistics data files.
---
Community News You Can Use
Follow us on Twitter: @gafrontpage
www.FayetteFrontPage.com
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
---
Securities and commodities exchanges employed 8,852 people with nearly $1.4 billion in annual payroll and more than $8.9 billion in revenue in 2007, according to new data released by the U.S. Census Bureau as part of the 2007 Economic Census Industry Series.
These latest figures outline the finance and insurance sector and provide data on the number of establishments, revenue, payroll, number of employees, value of product lines revenue and other data items at the national level by industry.
Other findings include:
-- Security and commodity contract trade fees represented more than 55 percent ($4.9 billion) of the total revenue of this industry. Payment clearing and settlement fees represented an additional 15 percent ($1.4 billion).
-- Annual payroll per employee for securities and commodities exchanges was $156,363 in 2007, and revenue per employee was $1,010,737.
Industry Series data are available only on the Census Bureau’s American FactFinder. This online system allows data users to access, filter, manipulate and extract data. Data from the 2007 Economic Census for additional finance and insurance industries will be released through December 2009.
The 2007 Economic Census only includes businesses with paid employees. Information on businesses without paid employees is released as part of the Nonemployer Statistics data files.
---
Community News You Can Use
Follow us on Twitter: @gafrontpage
www.FayetteFrontPage.com
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
---
Census Bureau Releases Data Showing Relationship Between Education and Earnings
The U.S. Census Bureau announced today that workers with a bachelor's degree earned about $26,000 more on average than workers with a high school diploma, according to new figures that outline 2008 educational trends and achievement levels.
The tables also show that in 2008, 29 percent of adults 25 and older had a bachelor's degree, and 87 percent had completed high school. That compares with 24 percent of adults who had a bachelor’s degree, and 83 percent who had completed high school in 1998.
Educational Attainment in the United States: 2008 is a series of tables containing data by characteristics such as age, sex, race, Hispanic origin, marital status, occupation, industry, nativity, citizenship status and period of entry. The tabulations also include historical data on mean earnings by educational attainment, sex, race and Hispanic origin.
In 2008, 29.4 million women and 28.4 million men 25 and older had a bachelor's degree or higher. Women had a larger share of high school diplomas, as well as associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees. More men than women had a professional or doctoral degree.
Other highlights:
-- Workers with a high school degree earned an average of $31,286 in 2007, while those with a bachelor's degree earned an average of $57,181.
-- The race and Hispanic origin data show that 53 percent of Asians in the U.S. had a bachelor's degree or more education. For non-Hispanic whites, it was 33 percent; for blacks; it was 20 percent; and for Hispanics, it was 13 percent.
-- Among younger adults (age 25-29), 88 percent had completed high school, and 31 percent had completed college. Among adults 75 and over, 73 percent had completed high school and 17 percent had completed college.
The data in Educational Attainment in the United States: 2008 are from the Current Population Survey's Annual Social and Economic supplement, which is conducted in February, March and April at about 100,000 addresses nationwide.
---
Community News You Can Use
Follow us on Twitter: @gafrontpage
www.FayetteFrontPage.com
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
---
The tables also show that in 2008, 29 percent of adults 25 and older had a bachelor's degree, and 87 percent had completed high school. That compares with 24 percent of adults who had a bachelor’s degree, and 83 percent who had completed high school in 1998.
Educational Attainment in the United States: 2008 is a series of tables containing data by characteristics such as age, sex, race, Hispanic origin, marital status, occupation, industry, nativity, citizenship status and period of entry. The tabulations also include historical data on mean earnings by educational attainment, sex, race and Hispanic origin.
In 2008, 29.4 million women and 28.4 million men 25 and older had a bachelor's degree or higher. Women had a larger share of high school diplomas, as well as associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees. More men than women had a professional or doctoral degree.
Other highlights:
-- Workers with a high school degree earned an average of $31,286 in 2007, while those with a bachelor's degree earned an average of $57,181.
-- The race and Hispanic origin data show that 53 percent of Asians in the U.S. had a bachelor's degree or more education. For non-Hispanic whites, it was 33 percent; for blacks; it was 20 percent; and for Hispanics, it was 13 percent.
-- Among younger adults (age 25-29), 88 percent had completed high school, and 31 percent had completed college. Among adults 75 and over, 73 percent had completed high school and 17 percent had completed college.
The data in Educational Attainment in the United States: 2008 are from the Current Population Survey's Annual Social and Economic supplement, which is conducted in February, March and April at about 100,000 addresses nationwide.
---
Community News You Can Use
Follow us on Twitter: @gafrontpage
www.FayetteFrontPage.com
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
---
Friday, March 13, 2009
Clayton State’s Culural Shock Week
Clayton State University’s Department of Campus Life will host “Cultural Shock Week,” a week-long, campus-wide event that will celebrate cultural differences and promote cross-cultural interaction, from Mar. 26 through Apr. 2. Cultural Shock Week was developed by Lakeisa Cantey, assistant director of Campus Life.
The week will begin with a presentation by Jabari Asim, Editor-in-Chief of NAACP Magazine "The Crisis" and author of "The N Word" at 7 p.m. on Mar. 26 in Student Activities Center Ballroom located on the Clayton State University. Asim will speak about his upcoming book, "What Obama Means…For Our Culture, For Our Politics, For Our Future.”
Next, “Safe Zone Space Training” will be held on Mar. 31, from 11 a.m. to1:30 p.m. in the Student Activities Center Ballroom C. Twenty-five seats for Clayton State faculty, staff and students are available. The Safe Space program is a national movement to increase the visible presence of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) student allies and places that are “safe” for LGBT students across college campuses and school environments. An ally is a member, often of the majority group, who works to end oppression by supporting and advocating for the oppressed population. Attending the Safe Space training is one way to serve as an ally and can provide you with a chance to learn about yourself and others and to create a campus climate that is accepting of all people, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, race, ethnicity, nationality, religion or other differences.
Following “Safe Zone Space Training,” individuals are invited to come out and be inspired and empowered by a talented group of poets. “Brave New Voices All Stars” will take place Apr. 1, at 7 p.m. in the Student Activities Center Café located on the Clayton State University Campus.
The Brave New Voices All Stars is a group of young, diverse, creative and intelligent slam poets from various areas within and beyond the borders of the United States. Between the ages of 18 and 25, each member has gathered attention in the national arena, from showcases on HBO's Def Poetry, to feature articles in Teen People and Newsweek. Brave New Voices All Stars brandishes both Hip Hop sensibility and immaculate writing.
Finally, to end the week long celebration of diversity, “CulturalFest” will take place on Apr. 2, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in University Center Quad.
Individuals are invited to come out and taste different dishes from all over the world and learn about other cultures. The event will also feature a Capoeira performance, which is an Afro-Brazilian dance form that incorporates self-defense maneuvers, at 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. In addition, students will be able to create a Birthday Chronicle that features the actual headlines from the day and year they were born.
“I hope students will understand the significance and importance behind this celebration. Hopefully, students will step out of their comfort zones and enjoy learning about and interacting with other cultures,” Cantey says. All of the events, except the Safe Zone Space Training are free and open to the public.
A unit of the University System of Georgia, Clayton State University is an outstanding comprehensive metropolitan university located 15 miles southeast of downtown Atlanta
---
www.FayetteFrontPage.com
Fayette Front Page
Community News You Can Use
Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
---
The week will begin with a presentation by Jabari Asim, Editor-in-Chief of NAACP Magazine "The Crisis" and author of "The N Word" at 7 p.m. on Mar. 26 in Student Activities Center Ballroom located on the Clayton State University. Asim will speak about his upcoming book, "What Obama Means…For Our Culture, For Our Politics, For Our Future.”
Next, “Safe Zone Space Training” will be held on Mar. 31, from 11 a.m. to1:30 p.m. in the Student Activities Center Ballroom C. Twenty-five seats for Clayton State faculty, staff and students are available. The Safe Space program is a national movement to increase the visible presence of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) student allies and places that are “safe” for LGBT students across college campuses and school environments. An ally is a member, often of the majority group, who works to end oppression by supporting and advocating for the oppressed population. Attending the Safe Space training is one way to serve as an ally and can provide you with a chance to learn about yourself and others and to create a campus climate that is accepting of all people, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, race, ethnicity, nationality, religion or other differences.
Following “Safe Zone Space Training,” individuals are invited to come out and be inspired and empowered by a talented group of poets. “Brave New Voices All Stars” will take place Apr. 1, at 7 p.m. in the Student Activities Center Café located on the Clayton State University Campus.
The Brave New Voices All Stars is a group of young, diverse, creative and intelligent slam poets from various areas within and beyond the borders of the United States. Between the ages of 18 and 25, each member has gathered attention in the national arena, from showcases on HBO's Def Poetry, to feature articles in Teen People and Newsweek. Brave New Voices All Stars brandishes both Hip Hop sensibility and immaculate writing.
Finally, to end the week long celebration of diversity, “CulturalFest” will take place on Apr. 2, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in University Center Quad.
Individuals are invited to come out and taste different dishes from all over the world and learn about other cultures. The event will also feature a Capoeira performance, which is an Afro-Brazilian dance form that incorporates self-defense maneuvers, at 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. In addition, students will be able to create a Birthday Chronicle that features the actual headlines from the day and year they were born.
“I hope students will understand the significance and importance behind this celebration. Hopefully, students will step out of their comfort zones and enjoy learning about and interacting with other cultures,” Cantey says. All of the events, except the Safe Zone Space Training are free and open to the public.
A unit of the University System of Georgia, Clayton State University is an outstanding comprehensive metropolitan university located 15 miles southeast of downtown Atlanta
---
www.FayetteFrontPage.com
Fayette Front Page
Community News You Can Use
Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
---
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Shampoo Marketing
Recently, I needed shampoo. Now, for the last 44 years my wife has been the procurer of all things shampoo; not that it is a difficult task, but she just gets it while she’s shopping. (And besides, it’s in her job description.) However, this time I happened to be in our local RiteAid drugstore, and realized “I can do this.”
So, I found the aisle where shampoo is located, ready to make a hasty selection and move on, when I came face-to-face with a myriad of selections I never conceived possible. I found shampoo for straight hair, for curly hair, for dry hair, for women’s hair, for men’s hair, for thin hair (I couldn’t find any for “fat hair.”), for color-treated hair, for baby’s, for African American’s. They even had shampoo for “normal” hair. Imagine that.
I got so confused by all these choices, and being of a technical persuasion, I decided to make a market research project out of this kaleidoscopic mass of merchandising facing me. So, I started counting. I counted the top row, and the second row, the next row, and the bottom row. There was a total of 94 different varieties of shampoo! Now, mind you, this is just “varieties;” I counted two sizes as “one” variety.
Then, just when I was shaking my head in amazement, I turned around and noticed that the shelves behind me had even more shampoo! People walking by must have wondered why a gray-haired gentleman was on his hands and knees pointing at bottles of shampoo. But I didn’t care, I was on a mission!
By the time I finished, I had counted 278 distinct varieties of shampoo! 278! Now, why would a store need to requisition, purchase, stock, code, check and count 278 different styles of … shampoo? That is American consumerism gone nuts! Are the manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers really making money? ‘Beats me. I just know that from now on, I’m going to continue letting my Chief Procurement Officer buy shampoo for me.
So, after all this “research,” what shampoo did I select? Why, the one with Apple Pectin & Cucumber, of course. And how did I come to that decision? Just like any red-blooded American male would … because it was the cheapest.
by J.D. Holmes
POSTSCRIPT: The above research project occurred about a month ago. Just this morning inside the plastic wrap surrounding the Sunday newspaper came a free sample from Gillette of a new and improved, deep-cleaning shampoo possessing 75% more cleansers than the leading men’s shampoo, with an “all day clean you can feel.” Wow! 279 choices!
---
www.FayetteFrontPage.com
Fayette Front Page
Community News You Can Use
Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
---
So, I found the aisle where shampoo is located, ready to make a hasty selection and move on, when I came face-to-face with a myriad of selections I never conceived possible. I found shampoo for straight hair, for curly hair, for dry hair, for women’s hair, for men’s hair, for thin hair (I couldn’t find any for “fat hair.”), for color-treated hair, for baby’s, for African American’s. They even had shampoo for “normal” hair. Imagine that.
I got so confused by all these choices, and being of a technical persuasion, I decided to make a market research project out of this kaleidoscopic mass of merchandising facing me. So, I started counting. I counted the top row, and the second row, the next row, and the bottom row. There was a total of 94 different varieties of shampoo! Now, mind you, this is just “varieties;” I counted two sizes as “one” variety.
Then, just when I was shaking my head in amazement, I turned around and noticed that the shelves behind me had even more shampoo! People walking by must have wondered why a gray-haired gentleman was on his hands and knees pointing at bottles of shampoo. But I didn’t care, I was on a mission!
By the time I finished, I had counted 278 distinct varieties of shampoo! 278! Now, why would a store need to requisition, purchase, stock, code, check and count 278 different styles of … shampoo? That is American consumerism gone nuts! Are the manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers really making money? ‘Beats me. I just know that from now on, I’m going to continue letting my Chief Procurement Officer buy shampoo for me.
So, after all this “research,” what shampoo did I select? Why, the one with Apple Pectin & Cucumber, of course. And how did I come to that decision? Just like any red-blooded American male would … because it was the cheapest.
by J.D. Holmes
POSTSCRIPT: The above research project occurred about a month ago. Just this morning inside the plastic wrap surrounding the Sunday newspaper came a free sample from Gillette of a new and improved, deep-cleaning shampoo possessing 75% more cleansers than the leading men’s shampoo, with an “all day clean you can feel.” Wow! 279 choices!
---
www.FayetteFrontPage.com
Fayette Front Page
Community News You Can Use
Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
---
Monday, March 9, 2009
Pass Go and Collect $20,850 at the 2009 Monopoly National Championship Tournament
If you’ve ever advanced to ‘Boardwalk,’ taken a ride on the ‘Reading,’ or breathed a sigh of relief landing on ‘Free Parking,’ you know the emotional ups and downs of making a deal and owning it all while playing the world’s most popular board game, MONOPOLY. Whether you’re the undisputed MONOPOLY champion in your home or just enjoy making a mint while building a hotel on Pennsylvania Avenue, you may have what it takes to become the next MONOPOLY National Champion!
MONOPOLY players of all skill levels across the country are invited to enter the competition to qualify for the 2009 MONOPOLY United States National Championship tournament. For more information on how to qualify for the National Championship, players should visit www.monopoly.com before March 12, 2009.On April 15, 2009 – better known in the United States as “tax day” – players will compete in the MONOPOLY National Championship at Washington, D.C.’s historic Union Station. The top player will earn the prestigious title of MONOPOLY U.S. National Champion, $20,580 (the equivalent of the “bank” in the MONOPOLY game), and the honor of representing the country at the MONOPOLY World Championships in Las Vegas in October 2009.
“We’re excited to bring together game players from across the country to compete in the ultimate fast-dealing property trading game using play money for the chance to earn real money,” said Matt Collins, Vice President of U.S. Marketing for Hasbro Games. “This year, we’re hoping that we will find a National Champion who will reclaim the world title that has not belonged to the United States since 1974.”
Fans of the game will be invited to take a qualifying multiple-choice quiz on www.monopoly.com
that tests their knowledge of the game and game-playing strategy. High scorers will be asked to answer five MONOPOLY-themed essay questions. Twenty-four players will be invited to compete in person in Washington, D.C. at the MONOPOLY U.S. National Championship. For official rules and qualification information, please visit www.monopoly.com. To be eligible, a player must be at least 21 years old on April 14, 2009, and be a citizen of the United States. For the first time in tournament history, players will play with the MONOPOLY speed die, a new die now included with the traditional game that increases the pace of game play. Players will continue the tradition of competing on the classic MONOPOLY game board based on the streets of Atlantic City, from Mediterranean Avenue to Boardwalk.
The first MONOPOLY World Championships took place in Washington, D.C., in 1973. Since then, 12 MONOPOLY tycoons have earned the title of World Champion. World Champions have hailed from 10 different countries, including Spain, Italy, Japan, Ireland, United Kingdom and the United States. The last champion, Antonio Fernandez of Spain, earned the title in 2004 at the World Championship in Tokyo.
In 2009, Hasbro will release a new edition of MONOPOLY that will keep aspiring tycoons on their toes. MONOPOLY Family Game Night: Championship Edition introduces tournament rules and scoring to the home, inviting families to run their own nail-biting competitions. The game includes a customizable MONOPOLY trophy for the at-home champion. The Championship Edition will be available in Fall 2009 for an approximate retail price of $19.99.
---
www.FayetteFrontPage.com
Fayette Front Page
Community News You Can Use
Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
---
MONOPOLY players of all skill levels across the country are invited to enter the competition to qualify for the 2009 MONOPOLY United States National Championship tournament. For more information on how to qualify for the National Championship, players should visit www.monopoly.com before March 12, 2009.On April 15, 2009 – better known in the United States as “tax day” – players will compete in the MONOPOLY National Championship at Washington, D.C.’s historic Union Station. The top player will earn the prestigious title of MONOPOLY U.S. National Champion, $20,580 (the equivalent of the “bank” in the MONOPOLY game), and the honor of representing the country at the MONOPOLY World Championships in Las Vegas in October 2009.
“We’re excited to bring together game players from across the country to compete in the ultimate fast-dealing property trading game using play money for the chance to earn real money,” said Matt Collins, Vice President of U.S. Marketing for Hasbro Games. “This year, we’re hoping that we will find a National Champion who will reclaim the world title that has not belonged to the United States since 1974.”
Fans of the game will be invited to take a qualifying multiple-choice quiz on www.monopoly.com
that tests their knowledge of the game and game-playing strategy. High scorers will be asked to answer five MONOPOLY-themed essay questions. Twenty-four players will be invited to compete in person in Washington, D.C. at the MONOPOLY U.S. National Championship. For official rules and qualification information, please visit www.monopoly.com. To be eligible, a player must be at least 21 years old on April 14, 2009, and be a citizen of the United States. For the first time in tournament history, players will play with the MONOPOLY speed die, a new die now included with the traditional game that increases the pace of game play. Players will continue the tradition of competing on the classic MONOPOLY game board based on the streets of Atlantic City, from Mediterranean Avenue to Boardwalk.
The first MONOPOLY World Championships took place in Washington, D.C., in 1973. Since then, 12 MONOPOLY tycoons have earned the title of World Champion. World Champions have hailed from 10 different countries, including Spain, Italy, Japan, Ireland, United Kingdom and the United States. The last champion, Antonio Fernandez of Spain, earned the title in 2004 at the World Championship in Tokyo.
In 2009, Hasbro will release a new edition of MONOPOLY that will keep aspiring tycoons on their toes. MONOPOLY Family Game Night: Championship Edition introduces tournament rules and scoring to the home, inviting families to run their own nail-biting competitions. The game includes a customizable MONOPOLY trophy for the at-home champion. The Championship Edition will be available in Fall 2009 for an approximate retail price of $19.99.
---
www.FayetteFrontPage.com
Fayette Front Page
Community News You Can Use
Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
---
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
