From the DRUG WAR CHRONICLE: In a notice dated last Friday, but posted in the Federal Register Wednesday, US Surgeon General Regina Benjamin has determined that needle exchange programs constitute a form of drug treatment, which means that NEPS can qualify for funding under the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment block grant programs.
Month: February 2011
SUNDAY NEWS
Commenting on how middle class ‘real’ incomes have remained “flatlined” over the past three decades, columnist Gil Smart observes in “Turning us all into plebes”:
“This stunning acquiescence to economic serfdom is a mark of how thoroughly we’ve internalized the propaganda of the past 30 years…
INTELLIGENCER NEW ERA
Article “Panel rules against PAM in pledge case” reports: “Arbitrators say two major contributors do not have to turn over to Pennsylvania Academy of Music the remaining $150,000 of the $240,000 they originally pledged to it in 2004.” WATCHDOG: The arbitrators did their job and the executives of the Pennsylvania Academy of Music did theirs. For […]
Hospital infections still a problem in Pennsylvania
From the TIMES-TRIBUNE: Health care-associated infections across the state dropped 12.5 percent from 2008 to 2009, reflecting a renewed focus among hospital officials and policymakers to identify causes of preventable infections and implement strategies to reduce them. A report released today by Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council examined the number of health care-associated infections […]
Should LCCCA sue Stevens and Lee?
Perhaps the law firm of Stevens and Lee, the LCCCA and Penn Square Partners should be sued for the following reasons:
1. Stevens and Lee and the LCCCA obviously did not negotiate with Penn Square Partners on the Convention center in the best interests of the public for whom they both had fiduciary and ethical duties to do so. This is “obvious” by the substance of the resulting agreements, which placed a greatly disproportionate share of the costs and risks on the public and the potential benefits to Penn Square Partners.
INTELLIGENCER NEW ERA
Article “PAM, back with a bang: Pianists join percussionists for ‘Latin Fiesta’: reports”: “The second concert in the 10-part series will be held Saturday at the Stahr Performing Arts Center. ” ‘Two-Piano & Percussion Latin Fiesta!’ features pianists Ioannis Potamousis and Ju-Ping Song and percussionists Steve Goss and James Armstrong. “ ‘The rest of the […]
Eliminating municipal boundaries would control costs
Note that once a law enforcement officer or firefighter retires, they will never receive a cost-of-living increase; whatever they receive when first received will be the amount they collect for the rest of their lives. And neither is eligible for Social Security benefits on their earnings while in uniform. The only way to bring the […]
Palm Beach lake front homes symbolic of our times
Twenty-five years had passed since the Watchdog had last vacationed at Palm Beach, Florida and he looked forward to strolling some miles along the macadam bicycle path that snakes between Lake Worth and stately multi-million dollar homes and estates.
There was only one noticeable change, but a big one. In the past, front yards of the homes were separated from the path by low walls or hedges, allowing cyclists, joggers and pedestrians to admire the houses and for the owners and their guests to gaze across the lake.
Inquirer Editorial: Corbett: Acres of drilling
Gov. Corbett is turning out to be consistent – and consistently bad – on the topic of natural-gas drilling. Corbett came into office vowing not to impose a production tax on drillers, in spite of Pennsylvania’s status as the only major gas-producing state that doesn’t charge this tax. Now he’s reversing the belated policies of […]
Hungary’s Roma: The case for affirmative action
2010 was the European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion. And yet Europe’s estimated 8-10 million Roma found themselves poorer and more socially excluded than ever after the Italian and French governments demolished “illegal” Roma settlements and deported thousands of Roma in clear violation of their rights as citizens of European Union member states…
European actions make poor pay and undermine recovery
6 Key Messages
• The social impact is getting worse, as Governments’ austerity measures make the poor pay and undermine a sustainable recovery.
• The social impact is being systematically under-assessed and ignored.
• NGOs are gravely weakened and their fundamental contribution to society is at stake.
• The crisis was not inevitable and was a result of deregulation and increasing inequality, not public sector spending.
• Another, fairer way is possible – towards prosperity for all.
• The EU must restore the core values of the European Project, and use Europe 2020 to drive an ambitious social and sustainable vision.
‘Massacre unfolding in Libyan capital’
ALJAZEERA: Residents of the Libyan capital say ‘armed mercenaries’ have gone on a shooting spree, carrying out a massacre in Tripoli, a report says. Armed African mercenaries landed from helicopters in some neighborhoods in the capital and opened fire on ‘anyone in the streets,’ causing a large number of deaths, AFP reported on […]
Military to investigate claim that psy-ops team was used to influence U.S. senators
WASHINGTON POST: The top U.S. military commander in Afghanistan intends to order an investigation into whether a three-star general responsible for training Afghan security forces inappropriately used members of a psychological operations team to influence visiting U.S. senators into providing more funding for the war. The U.S. command in Kabul issued a statement Thursday saying […]
Americans favor compromise over budget shutdown by 2-to-1 margin
GALLUP: — Americans are closely divided over whether the Republicans in Congress (42%) or President Obama and the Democrats (39%) are doing the better job in the current efforts to agree on a new federal budget… This finding comes from a new USA Today/Gallup survey conducted Feb. 22 as the two sides of the aisle […]