Putting IT in the Hands of Milwaukeeans - Affordable Healthcare Law

MILWAUKEE (MPA) - The Affordable Health Care Law is the method by which Milwaukeeans, Wisconsinites and Americans are entitled and finally getting a better quality of life, starting with their HEALTH.  Already many sigificant programs and savings are being realized.

Your personal health care system.

Intel’s taking some serious steps into the medical world with its just-FDA-approved Intel Health Guide, an 8lb gadget that functions as a personal health care system. The Health Guide includes a small touch-screen PC running Windows XP and a web portal that helps connect patients and doctors. The computer can be used to remind patients to take their medications, facilitate live video conferencing with doctors, and even check and collect their vital signs.

Are you a Behaviorial Health Provider? 

Milwaukee Professionals Association supports channel development and will work with the NEW programs of "patient-centered" health care of the USGov Health and Human Services to engage those receiving medicare, medicaid, social security and other government funded health care as well as those who offer and provide health care services. 

Milwaukee Professionals Association promotes getting the patient/customer and providers involved at the neighborhood-level, businesses, home, school and church level can provide safety nets for the patient, improve customer care, provide cost-saving, improve outcomes and put more people in the "available-for-work" category.  It will at the same time, jumpstart NEW areas of employment, refine our patient home care, to break down barriers, educate and navigate the systems that are already providing hands-on services.

We are using the initiative, All Hands on Deck, WE, Initiative - Putting IT in the Hands of Milwaukeeans, to help remove barriers, delays  lack of health care in the Milwaukee area.  We must talk to each other, learn about what the Affordable Health Care Law has put in place and take advantage of them.  We will provide leadership, said Mary Glass, Chair/CEO, Milwaukee Professionals Association.

Stay tuned.

Parents deported, what happens to US-born kids?

Associated Press/Jessica Hill - This Aug. 14, 2012 photo shows Rony Molina holding a photo of his wife in his home in Stamford, Conn. Molina's wife, Sandra Payes Chacon, was deported to Guatemala in 2010, leaving …more Molina alone to care for their three children, all American citizens. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

By HELEN O'NEILL | Associated Press

STAMFORD, Conn. (AP) — Alexis Molina was just 10 years old when his mother was abruptly cut out of his life and his carefree childhood unraveled overnight.

 

Gone were the egg-and-sausage tortillas that greeted him when he came home from school, the walks in the park, the hugs at night when she tucked him into bed. Today the sweet-faced boy of 11 spends his time worrying about why his father cries so much, and why his mom can't come home.

 

Sandra Payes Chacon

 

"She went for her papers," he says. "And she never came back."

 

Alexis' father, Rony Molina, who runs a small landscaping company, was born in Guatemala but has lived here for 12 years and is an American citizen. Alexis and his 8-year-old brother, Steve, are Americans, too. So is their 19-year-old stepsister, Evelin. But their mother, Sandra, who lived here illegally, was deported to Guatemala a year and a half ago.

"How can my country not allow a mother to be with her children, especially when they are so young and they need her," Rony Molina asks, "and especially when they are Americans?"

READ MORE

ALL HANDS on DECK, WE, Initiative - Putting ITin the Hands of Milwaukeeans

MILWAUKEE (MPA) - Mary Glass, Chair/CEO-Protagonist, Milwaukee Professionals Association, has been busy 'shaking the bush' this past week for notice of the IT/Information Technology initiative for Milwaukee end-users - customers and providers. 

The bi-directional flow of "data Apps" is seen as the "surge of power" for maximizing the use of government funding and providing an "infrastructure framework" for sustainability.   The initiative is called: 

All Hands on Deck, WE, Initiative - Putting IT in the Hands of Milwaukeeans.

The initiative supports a robust flow of "Apps/Applications" to harness bi-and multi-directional data that will improve customer care, improve transparency, improve trust, improve turnaround, improve partnership, improve knowledge-base, improve research, to improve quality of life and economic development issues that are at the heart of Enduring Concentration of Poverty in Milwaukee.

USGOV HHS Focus
Glass took a page from USGOV Health and Human Services National Coordinator for IT Health Dr. Fazard Mostashari at the 2011 IT Summit, "We recognize that the patient should be at the center of everything we do.  We believe, all of us, that information is power".

All Hands on Deck, WE, Initiative - Putting IT in the Hands of Milwaukeeans will expand the name to "End-user" to put the focus on ALL stakeholders.  We will focus on efficiencies for quality of life and economic development - education and technology attainment, gainful employment, affordable housing, safety preparedness, crime intervention and financial wherewithal. 

T & A
Transparency and accountability for best practices will help ensure that standards, expectations and policies are at the forefront of implementation.

 MPA's goal to re-defne, re-brand and UN-trap hidden talent, especially those who have by-design been left out calls for highlighting sites for education, securing partnerships, data gathering and research, maximizing federal-state-local funding; and, jumpstarting a bottom-up economy for sustainability.

" I am more than excited", said Glass.

The Campaign Trail - Who Was Paul Ryan’s 71 Year Old Victim?

                                                                             photo - Associated Press
Candidate for Vice President Paul Ryan then jokes, “I hope he’s taken his blood-pressure medication”, and the room laughs with him.

The Whitnall Rotary Luncheon in West Allis, WI.

What is a Rotary Club?
Rotary is a Club for your town’s active professionals to build trusted friendships and community through regularly scheduled meetings with speakers, charitable and service activities, and social events.  Boston Rotary Club

The article and video is well-worth reading, viewing and SHARING.

CLICK for Video
CLICK for article

(As Congressman Paul Ryan cracked a joke about him, Tom Nielsen found himself face down on the floor being handcuffed by police. The 71-year-old retired plumber from Kenosha was thrown to the ground, placed in handcuffs, and arrested for trespassing and resisting arrest after objecting to Ryan's plans to gut Social Security and Medicare during his congressman's only public appearance scheduled during the August recess -- a $15 Rotary Club luncheon in West Allis on Tuesday)
Crooks and Liars - John Amato

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Candidate Ryan had a different spill while visiting in Florida with his mother by his side.

Lawson Report - August 23, 2012

Office Phone: (608) 266-7505
Toll-free Phone: (800) 361-5487
Email:   Sen.Larson@legis.wi.gov

Mailing Address:
State Capitol
P.O. Box 7882
Madison, WI 53707
  
Web Site: 
 SenatorChrisLarson.com

August 23, 2012

Dear Friend,

Given that the first day of class is  just around the corner, this week's newsletter will focus on the reality our children, their parents, and neighborhood teachers will face this school year.

Sincerely,
Chris Larson
State Senator, District 7

 ================

Back to School
Our neighborhood schools are gearing up for the 2012-2013 school year. For students, teachers, and parents this means buying new school supplies, planning the upcoming classroom curriculum, or ensuring parent-teacher conferences are on the family calendar. But with the release of state aid numbers for our local schools, we have also been given a stark reminder of just how different this school year may be compared to years past.
  
According to the Wisconsin Department   of Public Instruction, 10 of Milwaukee County's 18 schools are bracing   themselves for additional cuts to their state aid funding. These cuts have been estimated to total $7,415,941 for the 2012-2013 school year.   Included in the schools that are expecting cuts are two school districts in our community--Milwaukee Public Schools and the St. Francis School District. The cuts for these two school districts alone are expected to reach $3,740,377.
  
This trend is not limited to our schools here in Milwaukee County, but can also been seen across Wisconsin. The Department of Public Instruction has released state aid statistics for all of Wisconsin's public schools, which show that 267 of   the state's 424 school districts, or 63% of Wisconsin school district, will face cuts to their education aid. This will amount to cuts of   $79,443,087 for our children's schools.
  
Support for our children's education was put on the back burner during this legislative session as funding from our neighborhood schools was slashed in order to give away these   taxpayer dollars to special interests and corporations. Under the Republican budget approximately $1.6 billion was stripped from education statewide. These decimating cuts hit some communities harder than others   and have been especially detrimental to children in Milwaukee and the surrounding area. Below are results from the Wisconsin Association of School District Administrator's annual survey:

• Wisconsin lost 4,000 educational  jobs, leaving schools understaffed and children underserved
• 4 in 10 students attend a district  with larger class sizes in grades K-6 - 40% of students are in districts that eliminated sections or increased class size for core  subjects--English, Math, Science, and Social Studies
• Districts are offering fewer art, music, physical education, Advanced Placement, and foreign language classes
• The biggest cuts were to special education programs, which are followed by library and media center staff, reading coordinators, programs for at-risk youth, and drug and alcohol abuse programs

Similar results can also be seen right here in our own community. Here is how Milwaukee County's 18 school districts have been negatively impacted by sweeping education cuts:

• Milwaukee County was left struggling with 1,719 fewer teachers, aides, and administrators in the most  recent school years as compared to 2010
• 1/2 of Milwaukee County school districts reported increased class sizes and higher student-to-teacher ratios
• Cuts to support services, such as special education, were made in five of our 18 Milwaukee County School districts

The choices we make regarding education in Wisconsin will play a  significant role not only in the success of our children, but also in determining the economic success of our state and local businesses.   Attacks on education do not represent Wisconsin's values and runs counter to our aim of increasing job creation and economic vitality. It is time that we work together on initiatives that invest in all levels of education and ensure that those education dollars are being spent wisely. As a member of the Senate Committee on Education and Corrections, I will continue to monitor the state of our community schools to ensure that we have a realistic, fact-based, and truthful understanding of how the success of our children and our local economy are being affected by continual cuts to education.

ALL HANDS ON DECK, WE,Initiative adds CASE METHODING for students

MILWAUKEE (MPA) - Today, Milwaukee Professionals Association announced another way of excitement and engagement with the "citizen-centered" All Hands on Deck, WE, Initiative - Putting IT in the Hands of Milwaukeeans. 

Case Method
Case Method learning will allow a special bonus of excitement and hands-on learning using students of all ages.   Residential, commercial, industrial and social practitioners at the neighborhood-level will be asked to exchange with academic students from the classroom to create synergy, ideas, data Apps and spontaneous learning for all.

"We must be as Innovative and Inclusive as possible in launching and engaging the citizenry on all levels of innovation for an IT infrastructure for sustainability.  We are talking about tools-training-behaviors-customized ways-actions-research-data-policies-quality of life-economic development-financing-workforce/business development-Apps for a better Eco system in the iconic and urban environment of the city of Milwaukee.  It is about re-defining, re-branding and untapping with the magical world of IT, said Mary Glass, Chair/CEO, Milwaukee Professionals Association.

Stay tuned.

Schacknow - Today's Brief, August 23, 2012

Peter Schacknow, Senior Producer, CNBC Breaking News Desk

The most recent FOMC minutes are serving to emphasize what U.S. investors are concentrating most on in the short-term – another round of quantitative easing.  The hints that this may occur sooner rather than later helped bring the major averages well off the lows during the Wednesday session, with the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq managing to edge their way into positive territory before the end of the trading day.  That notion is also helping to lift stock index futures higher this morning.

It’s the busiest day of the week for economic reports, beginning with the Labor Department’s weekly look at initial jobless claims at 8:30am Et.  Economists are looking for 365,000 new claims for the week ending August 18, compared to 366,000 the prior week.

At 10am ET, forecasts call for July new home sales to have risen by 2.9% to an annual rate of 360,000, compared with the prior month’s 8.4% drop.  At the same time, the FHFA will release home price data for the month of June and for the second quarter.

At 10:30am ET, the Energy Department is out with its weekly assessment of natural gas inventories.
Retailer Big Lots (BIG) and foodmaker Hormel (HRL) are among the companies set to release earnings this morning, while tech companies Autodesk (ADSK) and Salesforce.com (CRM) are on the after-the-bell release agenda.

Dow component Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) leads our list of stocks to watch.  HP earned $1.00 per share for its third quarter, two cents above estimates.  But revenues were on the light side and its full year EPS forecast of $4.05 - $4.07 per share is partially below or at best equal to consensus forecasts of $4.07.  CEO Meg Whitman says the company is still in the early stages of a multi-year turnaround.

Chipmaker Rambus (RMBS) is cutting about 15% of its workforce as part of a restructuring that will save up to $35 million annually.  The cuts will begin in the next few weeks and will be completed during the fourth quarter.

Guess (GES) has lowered its full year guidance for the second time in three months, with the apparel maker cutting full year forecasts to $2.15 - $2.30 per share.  That’s below consensus estimates of $2.53.  Guess cites continued weakness in Europe and falling sales in North America.

Krispy Kreme Doughnuts (KKD) reported a second quarter profit of $0.12 per share, excluding certain items, well above consensus estimates of $0.05.  It also raised its yearly earnings forecast by one cent, now expecting to earn $0.22 to $0.25 per share.  Krispy Kreme is being helped by a rise in domestic same store sales.

Facebook (FB) could get a boost today after the FTC closed its investigation of the company’s deal to buy Instagram.  The FTC took no action, meaning the $1 billion deal can now proceed as planned.

Nasdaq OMX (NDAQ) is under harsh criticism from Citigroup (C ), which is calling on regulators to reject Nasdaq’s plan to compensate for losses related to Facebook’s IPO.  Citi says Nasdaq was “grossly negligent” in its handling of the offering, and that it should be entitled to recover all losses.  Nasdaq has so far declined comment.

Jurors are continuing their deliberations today in the Apple (AAPL) vs. Samsung patent case.
Experts are not expecting a quick verdict in the extremely complex case, which involved 109 pages of instructions to the jury.

Diageo (DEO) has raised its full year dividend by 8%, with the world’s biggest spirits maker expressing confidence about growth in its African and Asian markets.

Blackstone Group (BX) and market-maker Getco have sold some of their holdings in Knight Capital Group (KCG) to Scottrade, according to Reuters.  The two were among those involved in the recent rescue of Knight Capital after its recent $440 million software glitch-related trading loss.

Micron (MU), SanDisk (SNDK) and other memory chipmakers could be affected by reports that prices for DRAM chips are falling at a faster rate.  Japan’s Nikkei business daily says prices have dropped 9% from their late June highs.

All Hands on Deck, WE, Initiative - Citizen-Centered Services

MILWAUKEE (MPA) - Milwaukee Professionals Association has taken on the role of IT Neighborhood level change agent for "citizen-centered" engagements in IT/Information Technology in the city of Milwaukee.

We will tap into the residential, industrial, social and entrepreneurial spirit to place IT as the DNA in the quality of life and economic development infrastructure of customer care and self-sustainability.

We see CDFI/Community Development Financial Institutions, other financial institutions and health wellness leading the charge for the citizen-centered framework building.

We have taken a page from Dr. Farzad Mostashari's, National Coordinator for Health IT, US Health and Human Services - 2011 Health and Human Services Summit.

Namely, we will take a leap of faith during the next 45 days to jumpstart the Milwaukee 2012-2013 Challenge.  Our intentions include:

• Announcements
• Apps
• Change the "paradigm"
• Create collaboratives
• Create "empowerment"
• Create standards
• Establish protocol - model privacy and security
• Excitement/synergy
• Issue Challenges and a Pledge
• Liberate "human capital"
• Policy updating
• Savings
• Show the way
• Team forming
• Unblock differences
• Unleash  "hidden talent"

Stay tuned - Here we go.

We will start in a few weeks to begin the engagement and unleash the power of e-quality of life and economic development.

Mary Glass, Chair/CEO, said, "The city of Milwaukee can flourish BIG TIME with engagement of data sharing to improve their e-infrastructure of quality of life an economic development.  We are focusing on Milwaukeeans that are a composite of an individual(s) that live, work, raise families, go to school, invest in, pay taxes, rent, buy homes, create businesses and worship in Milwaukee."

HIDDEN TALENT - All Hands on Deck, WE, Initiative

MILWAUKEE, WI (MPA) - Today's spotlight is on:

                                                              TANZANIA SEWELL
                                     University:  MSOE - Milwaukee School of Engineering

Major: Biomedical Engineering

Class: 2012

Hometown: Milwaukee, Wis.

Type of scholarship(s): Joseph W. and Ouida Wald Zwisler Endowed Scholarship

Job: I am currently a GE Healthcare EID (Early Identification Program) intern. This summer I am working with the Global Sourcing and Initiatives Team to facilitate the integration that followed the announcement of the Healthymagination initiative in May of 2009. I have been working to update, document and create processes and tools that will be instrumental in GE Healthcare’s vow to reduce the cost of their products by twenty-percent in the next six years.

Why did you choose MSOE?
My reason for choosing MSOE was simple: I wanted to be challenged more than I was in high school. MSOE’s reputation for having a rigorous curriculum having a challenging biomedical engineering program interested me. However, what sealed my decision was the sense of community. I did not pick up on this sense of community at any of the other colleges I visited. It’s almost as if each student recognizes that we are all in this together and whatever can be done to help each other will be done. I knew that college would be a transition and I knew that the strength of community on campus would help me to transition smoothly.

MORE
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The Campaign Trail - August 21, 2012

PHILADELPHIA, PA - August 20, 2012
At a meeting with the “Moms For Mitt” group yesterday outside Philadelphia, PA, Ann Romney was asked her opinion on Lilly Ledbetter and equal pay for equal work regarding women’s employment. Without hesitation she responded with another question that seemed to shock even the most staunch conservatives in the room.

“Why should women be paid equal to men? Men have been in the working world a lot longer and deserve to be paid at a higher rate. Heck, I’m a working mom and I’m not paid a dime. I depend on my husband to provide for me and my family, as should most women… and if a woman does work, she should be happy just to be out there in the working world and quit complaining that she’s not making as much as her male counterparts. I mean really, all this wanting to be equal nonsense is going to be detrimental to the future of women everywhere. Who’s going to want to hire a woman, or for that matter, even marry a woman who thinks she is the same, if not better than a man at any job. It’s almost laughable. C’mon now ladies, are you with me on this?”

FOR MORE

Schacknow - Today's Brief, August 20, 2012

TODAYS PRIMER                            
Peter Schacknow, Senior Producer, CNBC Breaking News Desk

U.S. stocks continue to enjoy a positive August — against historical trend — with the Dow and S&P 500 now riding a six-week winning streak. Friday’s left the Dow just four points short of its highest close since December of 2007, while the S&P 500 was about a point shy of its own multi-year closing high.

This may well be a “news vacuum” week for the markets in terms of economic numbers, with none out today and relatively few this week. The earnings calendar is similarly light, though investors will be paying close attention to this morning’s report from home improvement retailer Lowe’s (LOW) following an upbeat report from rival Home Depot (HD) last week. After today’s closing bell, retailer Urban Outfitters (URBN) is among the handful of reports set for release.

Coventry Health (CVH) leads our list of stocks to watch, with the Wall Street Journal reporting that it’s struck a deal to be acquired by Aetna (AET) for $5.7 billion in cash and stock. The price of $42.08 per share is a more than 20 percent premium to Coventry’s closing price on Friday.

Best Buy (BBY) could be influenced by two pieces of news: one, that buyout talks between the electronics retailer and founder Richard Schulze have broken down, with Best Buy saying Schulze had rejected its due diligence offer. Schulze has offered to buy the company for between $24 and $26 per share. Separately, the Journal reports that Best Buy has selected Hubert Joly as its new CEO to replace interim chief Mike Mikan. Joly is former head of privately held travel company Carlson.

Facebook (FB) remains on the watch list, both because of its ongoing price decline, and following a ruling involving its “sponsored stories” advertising program. A judge has rejected a proposed legal settlement over charges that Facebook violated its members’ rights through that program.

Flight attendants at AMR Corp.’s (AAMRQ) American Airlines have accepted the company’s contract offer, voting nearly 60 percent in favor. That means AMR will not go to court to attempt to void a prior pact with that group as it unsuccessfully tried to do with its pilots.

Google’s (GOOG) Motorola Mobility unit has filed a new claim with the International Trade Commission against Apple (APPL), saying Apple infringed seven of its patents. Those patents include those for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch.

Netflix (NFLX) CEO Reed Hastings tells the Sunday Telegraph that his company will attempt to outbid BSkyB for the premium rights to movies from Hollywood’s six biggest studios. BSKyB current holds those rights. Netflix launched in the U.K. and Ireland in January and has more than one million customers there.

Coming - All Hands on Deck, WE, IT RED BUTTON Movement

                   ALL HANDS ON DECK, WE, IT Movement

MILWAUKEE (MPA) - August 19, 2012, Milwaukee Professionals Association, late media release, the announcement of the advent of ALL HANDS on DECK, WE 'IT' Movement.  It is bringing IT/Information Technology to Milwaukeeans in a hands-on day-to-day engagement.

 It is engaging  IT/Information Technology at the neighborhood level to drive citizen-centered signature data, access to financial institutions funding, other institutions funding and health care.

"Over the next 10-12 months we will work with the neighborhood level citizenry, funders, care givers and intergovernment policy makers with an emphasis of connecting electronically the end-user, Milwaukeeans.   

We want to “infrastructurally” DIGITIZE and transform citizen engagement - to transform best use of CDFI/Community Development Financial Institution funding, other community government funding and health care services by providing the residential, commercial, social and industrial stakeholders at the neighborhood level with data they need to become engaging managers.  To collaboratively build STATE OF THE ART economic engines and health care data for the promotion of self-sustainability care.

Stay tuned.

Using IT data @ the Neighborhood level to provide better customer care and maximizing federal fund use

MILWAUKEE (MPA) - August 18, 2012, Provider issues and customer care integration of IT - Information Technology is paramount for better cost and efficient government services.

Milwaukee Professionals Association this weekend has linked federal funding sources to Milwaukeeans in the areas of:  federal institution funding and federal health care funding.

Three (3) areas of start are:

•  CDFI/Commuity Development Financial Institution
•  other financial institutions and links.
•  Health Care

Smartphones

The discussions will center around education and technology engagement of the consumer-customer views, behavior signatures and bi-directional data sharing that is secure.

"We are excited about our recent INNOVATION discussions with providers and the upcoming syndication of fine-grain IT ideas/data and Apps for a Milwaukee design model that will be successful", said Mary Glass, Chair/CEO, Milwaukee Professionals Association..

Dryhootch Brady St Anniversary - August 25, 2012

Time: August 25, 2012 from 1pm to 8pm

Location: 1030 E Brady St
Street: 1030 E Brady Street
City/Town: Milwaukee

Organized By: Dryhootch Coffee House
===============================

Stop by and help DRYHOOTCH.ORG enjoy the 2nd anniversary of Dryhootch on Brady St, the first "hootch"!

Ceremony starts at one o'clock, great food, music and conversations!
===============================

Milwaukee Professionals Association supports Dryhootch.org and Vets Place Central, neighborhood veterans organizations.

Milwaukee Professionals Association - Pass it On

Milwaukee Professionals Association LLC is a privately owned business that is committed to robust channel development for infrastructural growth of residential, commercial, social and industrial hidden talent and vetted individuals at the neighborhood level.  We have an expressed INNOVATION interest in the city of Milwaukee 190 neighborhoods - 15 aldermanic districts.

WE aggressively address the public square with issues around principle-centered leadership that are in sync with self-sustainable outcomes in quality of life and economic development.  We see outcomes of success for Enduring Concentration Poverty to be:  access, literacy, fluency - planning, citizenry hands-on decision making, transparency, customer care, best practices, action behaviors, accountability and self-sustainability pipelines.

OUR target stakeholders/shareholders/taxpayers/partners are Milwaukeeans, especially African American, other People of Color and the Work Challenged (un-, under-employed; un-, under-graduated; un-, under-financed neighborhood-level businesses; the disabled and re-entry stakeholders (those returning from WAR, INCARCERATION, boomerang employment, boomerang retirement, and students who graduate w/out potential employment opportunities).   They make-up over 3/4 of the population of Milwaukee.

OUR SIGNATURE PLAN (solution) is to re-define, re-brand and un-trap Milwaukeeans (half-million population) through the All Hands on Deck, WE Initiative (launched January 23, 2010).  We work to ensure that education and technology attainment are essential planks to the framework of all design models and action endeavors for our 2010-2020 global competitive timeline.

Affordable Health Care - FIRST GENERATION
Our 2011-2012 agenda added the AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE law.  Milwaukee Professional Association LLC is the premier organization for Affordable Health Care in the city of Milwaukee.

We are NEW to the health care arena but not new to the conditions and practices of individuals that get federal funds and other resources but have no real appreciative changes in our Enduring Concentration Poverty.  They control the funds, along with cronies (public and private) and maintain exclusivity.  They also use tactics like divisiveness, take-over (if possible of ideas and projects) and ensure favors to gatekeepers that are appointed, assigned task, ensure funding, etc.  It is a racket.

President Barack Hussein Obama, Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, her staff and the federal government will honor their "promise(s)" if we hold them to it.  We plan to do just that.

Our Pledge is to provide state-of-the-art options for self-sustainability and encourage always to engage.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES - WISCONSIN Department of Natural Resources

Permanent job openings
Listed below are current permanent and/or project job openings. Click on the job title to view the entire job announcement and just follow the "How to Apply" instructions. 

Updated: August 17, 2012

Title	Job Code	Deadline Date
Facilities Management Section Chief	12-02866	August 17, 2012
Water Supply Specialists	12-02061	August 20, 2012
Wastewater & Water Resources Management Specialist	12-02063	August 20, 2012
Program Manager	12-02506	August 21, 2012 See MORE

Schacknow - Today's Brief, August 16, 2012

August 16, 2012

TODAYS PRIMER                            
Peter Schacknow, Senior Producer, CNBC Breaking News Desk

Wall Street’s latest trend is one of very little movement in either direction: the Dow is coming off two straight days of single-digit moves and narrow trading ranges, while the S&P 500 has moved less than a tenth of one percent in three of the past six sessions, and not much more in the others.

It’s another busy day for economic numbers, with the government out with both initial jobless claims and housing starts at 8:300 a.m. New York time. The Labor Department’s weekly report is expected to show 365,000 new claims for the week ending August 11, compared with 361,000 the prior week. Housing starts are expected to register a 0.5 percent drop for July after jumping 6.9% in June.

At 10 a.m., the widely watched Philadelphia Fed Survey index is seen coming in at -6.5 for August, according to consensus forecast. That would be a less negative reading than the -12.9 registered a month ago.

At 10:30 a.m., the Energy Department will be out with its weekly assessment of natural gas inventories.

Retailers are once again prominent in this morning’s earnings reports, with Dow component Wal-Mart (WMT) leading the way. Dollar Tree (DLTR), Sears (SHLD), Gamestop (GME), and Ross Stores (ROST) will also issue quarterly numbers this morning. Gap (GPS) will be out with its quarterly numbers after today’s closing bell.

Dow component Cisco Systems (CSCO) leads our stocks to watch this morning, after beating estimates with its latest earnings and boosting its dividend by 74 percent. Cisco earned $0.47 per share for its fiscal fourth quarter, two cents above estimates, and raised the quarterly payout to $0.14 per share from $0.08.

Applied Materials (AMAT) earned $0.24 per share for its third quarter, two cents above consensus, but its current quarter forecast of $0.00 — $0.06 falls below estimates of $0.12. The maker of semiconductor manufacturing equipment had warned of a slowdown in business when it slashed its full year forecast a month ago.

Facebook (FB) will be in the spotlight today, as the lockup period for insider stock sales expires.
Limited Brands (LTD) earned $0.50 per share for the second quarter, two cents above estimates. It’s forecasting current quarter profit of $0.15-$0.20 per share, falling below current analysts forecasts of $0.24.

Agrium (AGU) has met with Jana Partners, the hedge fund that has a less than 5 percent stake in the Canadian fertilizer producer. Jana wants Agrium to spin off its retail operations, but Agrium says the move would not be in the best interests of the company or its shareholders.

A judge has ruled that American Airlines parent AMR (AAMRQ) cannot scrap its existing pilots union contract as it tries to make its way out of bankruptcy. The pilots had rejected a new contract offer from the airline last week.

Chinese internet company Sina (SINA) reported a tripling of its second quarter profit, but says earnings will be weak for the rest of the year as it confronts rising expenses and tighter government restrictions.

Coinstar (CSTR) is reportedly considering a potential sale, according to the New York Post. The paper says the maker of coin counting machines and parent of the Redbox DVD rental service has been in talks with an unnamed private equity firm for several months. Coinstar would not comment on what it calls “rumor and speculation”.

Congratulations and Kudos - Winners and "until the next time"

L-R: 

Top down - Nikiya Harris - State Senator District 6; Sandy Pasch - State Representative District;  10;  L-R:  Bottom Row - Evan Goyke - State Representative District 18; La Tonya Johnson - State Representative District 17; Mandela Barnes - State Representative District 11

MILWAUKEE (MPA) - August 15, 2012, the state-wide election on August 14, 2012 has come and gone.

Milwaukee Professionals Association Congratulates ALL of yesterday's winners.  We quickly support and encourage those who missed their mark to start now for your next charge to WIN.  The great news is that you have an experience tool chest by which you can chart your next Run. 

Thank you for engaging in representation of the people at the state level of Wisconsin.

As for the Winners moving to November election, Great fight.
Your job has just begun to the winning circle.  Serious, sensitive, clear, neighborhood-level focus is needed.  So,,just get more excited and run-to-victory.  Congrats.

For the Harris, Pasch, Barnes, Johnson and Goyke election campaigns, we will support LEADERS with principle-centered values that mirror the needs of their constituents.  We strongly recommend a basic rule is to remember why they are being elected and to stand up for the district you are provided the honor of serving.
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Updated:  This article was updated with the appropriate addition of Candidate La Tonya Johnson.
August 15, 2012

Updated:  This article was updated with the appropriate addition of Candidate Sandy Pasch,
August 16, 2012

The error was made when the 10th District tallying of votes given by the Milwaukee Election Commission was assumed to have been the total for the candidates of the 10th District.  The tally was taken from the Election website and verified on August 15, 2012 by talking with an Election staff member. 

The tally did not reflect the votes from Shorewood wards and did not state the total posted was a partial count.   In Milwaukee the numbers were Millie Cody = 1,890 and Sandy Pasch = 1,618. 

A call to the GAB - Government Accountability Board further clarified the process.  For the future, we will have a better handle on the process.  There are 26 wards in Milwaukee and 12 wards in Shorewood.  The two municipalities elect the state representative for the 10 District (the redistricting created the inclusion of both Shorewood and Milwaukee).
 
The state canvassing certification by the GAB office will be made by the 3rd Wednesday after the primary.  It is thought that the certification will be ready within two weeks.  This is when the election voting will be posted official.

In addition to the verbal recommendation, Mary Glass, Chair/CEO will go on record with an email to the GAB, Milwauke Election Commission and the Shorewood Election Commission, that the policy of posting results should include an (*), asterick by the names of candidates that are tallied in more than one municipality.  Additionally, election staff giving en out tallies should be told to advise of the other votes that are tallied in other municipalities.  It would help cut down and/or eliminate errors such as this one.  We ask your forgiveness of our error.

Schacknow - Today's Brief, August 15, 2012

TODAYS PRIMER                            
Peter Schacknow, Senior Producer, CNBC Breaking News Desk

With the month at the midway point, U.S. stocks have a chance to do something they don’t usually do: rise in August. That hasn’t happened since 2009, and over the past 20 years, this month has been, on average, the worst of the year for the S&P 500.

Investors will have plenty of economic stats to consider during today’s trading session, beginning with the July consumer price index at 8:30 a.m. New York time. Economists look for a 0.2 percent rise following June’s flat performance, with the so-called “core” rate seen matching June’s 0.2 percent increase.

At 9:15 a.m. New York time, the Federal Reserve issues July industrial production and capacity utilization figures. Consensus forecasts call for a 0.6 percent increase in industrial production and a 79.3 percent utilization rate, compared with June figures of +0.4 percent and 78.9 percent respectively.

At 10 a.m., the National Association of Home Builders will be out with its monthly sentiment index for August, which is seen remaining steady at 35.

Weekly reports out today include the Mortgage Bankers Association’s look at mortgage applications at 7 a.m., and the Energy Department’s assessment of oil and gasoline inventories at 10:30 a.m..
Retailers are prominent in this morning’s scheduled earnings reports, with Target (TGT),

Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF), and Staples (SPLS) all set to report. We’ll also hear from heavy equipment maker Deere & Co. (DE). Dow component Cisco Systems (CSCO) leads the list of companies set to report after the closing bell, joined by Agilent (A), Applied Materials (AMAT),
Limited Brands (LTD), NetApp (NTAP), and PetSmart (PETM).

Quarterly 13F filings — detailing second quarter portfolio changes for hedge funds and significant investors — may help move a number of stocks today. Some highlights:

Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway (BRKA) has taken new stakes in Phillips 66 (PSX) and National OIlwell Varco (NOV), while selling off chunks of its holdings in Kraft Foods (KFT) and Procter & Gamble (PG).

Paulson & Co. has taken new stakes in Cablevision (CVC) and Hillshire Brands (HSH), while selling stakes in Medco Health (MHS) and MetLife (MET).

Bill Ackman’s Pershing Square took a new stake in Procter & Gamble (PG), while selling stakes in Kraft (KFT) and Family Dollar (FDO).

David Einhorn’s Greenlight Capital took new stakes in Aetna (AET) and Chipotle Mexican Grill
(CMG), while dissolving stakes in Dell (DELL) and HCA (HCA).

Facebook (FB) is among the stocks bought by both SAC Capital and George Soros.

Other stocks to watch:
Carlyle Group (CG) is near a deal to acquire privately held Getty Images, according to multiple reports. Sources say the transaction could be worth more than $3.5 billion.

JDS Uniphase (JDSU) earned $0.15 per share for its fourth quarter, three cents above estimates. The maker of networking equipment also says chief financial officer Dave Vellequette is stepping down at month’s end.

Sirius XM Radio (SIRI) is one step closer to being controlled by John Malone’s Liberty Media, which has raised its stake to 48 percent.

The New York Times Co. (NYTA) has named BBC chief Mark Thompson as its new CEO. He’ll start his job in December after moving to New York from the U.K.

UPDATE - All eyes on Penn State's Warning from Accreditation body

Middle States Commission on Higher Learning

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Penn State has been put on notice by an accrediting organization that says the university's status is "in jeopardy" based on recent developments in the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal.

The Middle States Commission on Higher Education, which accredits universities in the Mid-Atlantic region, cited information in the school's internal investigation led by former FBI director Louis Freeh and the severe penalties imposed by the NCAA over the school's handling of molestation allegations against the former assistant football coach, who was convicted in June of 45 child sexual abuse counts.

FOR MORE

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                                 Higher Learning Commission

 

Milwaukee Professionals Association is waiting for a response from its communication of July 31, 2012 to the accreditating commission of the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee..

We sent a heads-up Letter of Notification regarding the Call for Investigation by the United States Department of Justice to Dr. Sylvia Manning, Higher Learning Commission, 230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500 • Chicago, IL 60604 . 

"The University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee and WI Board of Regents have engaged in a Code of Conduct that could impact the 2014 Acceditation.   The failure to take responsibility regarding wrongful behavior/culture is similar to the governing body of Penn State.  We seek a thorough investigation of all responsible - This would include Dr. Manning and her organization", said Mary Glass, Chair/CEO, Milwaukee Professionals Association.
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Update - August 15, 2012, the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee is up for review in 2014.  This is right around the corner.

Digitizing Neighborhood End-Users for Infrastructural Innovations

MILWAUKEE (MPA) - August 14, 2012, Milwaukee Professionals Association continues to seek ways for improving the "infrastructure" to "re-define", re-brand" and "UN-trap" Milwaukeeans - hidden talent, vetted business development and create pipelines for self-sustainability.

Digital Provide
MPA sees quality of life and economic development issues as avenues for "super-growth" with tooling, financial wherewithal, education and technology attainment.  We see communication of information  (verbal, data and programs) in the hands of end-users is optimum to bridging the gaps of havenots and building a bottom-up economy.

August is the month for COMMUNICATION at Milwaukee Professionals Association.  During this month watchout for announcements, get involved.

STEP 2 - CDFI 2012/2013 Accountability Success Notice

MILWAUKEE (MPA)  - August 14, 2012, Mary Glass, Chair/CEO, Milwaukee Professionals Association has contacted the office of Director Donna Gambrell, CDFI/Community Development Financial Institutions Fund - U. S. Teasury office for her office support in maximizing the CDFI funds announced on August 6, 2012 in Milwaukee from the end-users perspective.  

Milwaukee Professionals Association program design is embodied in the ALL Hands on Deck, WE Initiative launched January 23, 2010.

Glass shared an introduction of cause and effect relative to aggregated negatives.  However, the emphasis of Milwaukee Professionals Association Project CDFI Design is a citizen-generated information network to maximize CDFI efficiencies and encourage consumer-friendly ways for self-sustainability.  It is the teach "how to fish" infrastructure rather than continuous giving of the fish; and/or, give with new partners in the pipeline from the neighborhood and successes in mind for growth.
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Milwaukee Professionals Association subscribes to ALL Hands on Deck, WE involvement.

Schacknow - Today's Brief - August 14, 2012

TODAYS PRIMER                            
Peter Schacknow, Senior Producer, CNBC Breaking News Desk

Wall Street is coming off a partial resumption of its recent Monday funk, with the Dow falling for the 10th time in 11 Mondays. However, stocks did finish well off their session lows, and the Nasdaq managed to inch into positive territory by the end of the session. It’s now riding a three-session winning streak, although one of extremely modest proportions.

Two key economic reports will be out this morning before the open, with the government issuing July figures for both producer prices and retail sales at 8:30 a.m. New York time. Economists look for a 0.2 percent rise in retail sales following June’s 0.5 percent increase, and predict the producer price index will register a 0.3 percent increase on top of June’s 0.1 percent rise.

At 10 a.m. New York time, June business inventories are seen up 0.1 percent, after a 0.3 percent increase in May.

Dow component Home Depot (HD) leads this morning’s list of earnings releases, with Estee Lauder (EL), Dick’s Sporting Goods (DKS), and TJX (TJX) also out. After today’s closing bell, we’ll get the latest quarterly numbers from JDS Uniphase (JDSU).

Today we’ll also see quarterly 13-F filings released, detailing changes in the holdings of significant investors. Some will come out during the trading session, others after the bell.

Groupon (GRPN) is a stock to watch this morning, after sliding to an all-time low (for its brief public history) in after-hours trading. The daily deals provider did earn $0.08 per share for the second quarter, five cents above estimates. But its revenues were short of consensus, and its current quarter revenue projection is on the cautious side.

Coinstar (CSTR) president and chief operating officer Gregg Kaplan is leaving the company. Kaplan was the founder of Coinstar’s Redbox video rental unit, and is leaving to pursue new opportunities.
Agrium (AGU) could get a boost today, on a Wall Street Journal report that hedge fund Jana Partners has taken a little less than 4 percent stake in the Canadian fertilizer producer.

Pfizer (PFE) is paying $250 million to AstraZeneca (AZN) for exclusive global rights to an over the counter version of AstraZeneca’s best-selling heartburn drug Nexium. Pfizer cut its full-year profit forecast to reflect the deal, while AstraZeneca raised its outlook.

Changing of MEDIA Guard for Milwaukee County Supervisors

MILWAUKEE (MPA) - August 13, 2012, Milwaukee County Public Information Manager position.

Harold Mester has been the Public Information Manager for the last 6 years.  He moves on to his NEWLY created position with the county as the Airport Marketing & Public Relations Manager at Mitchell International Airport.  He will work on marketing locally and nationally.  Mester is a licensed pilot.

He will report to Pat Rowe, the present airport marketing and public relations manager at Milwaukee’s General Mitchell International Airport.

We wish him well.
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We WECOME Velia Alvarez as the NEW Public Information Manager.

She comes via recent employment at Newsradio 620 WTMJ-AM and her own business.  Her transition to Milwaukee county dates back around July 19, 2012.

We wish her well.

Walk/Run for the Fallen, SUNDAY , August 19, 2012

Time: August 19, 2012 from 10am to 12pm

Location: Milwaukee VA, Lake Wheeler Area
Street: 5000 W National Ave
City/Town: Milwaukee WI
Website or Map: http://www.beingtherereaching…
Event Type: run/walk
Organized By: www.beingtherereachingout.org/
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Sunday, Aug. 19^st, 2012 at 10:00 am

Milwaukee VA Medical Center

Meet at LAKE WHEELER

Being There – Reaching Out, Inc., a Wisconsin non-profit 501C3 all volunteer support group for the Wisconsin Families of our Fallen Armed Forces, is having an informal “1-mile “Walk/Run for the Fallen” at 10:00am on Sunday, August 19^st at the Zablocki VA Medical Center Milwaukee beginning at Lake Wheeler and ending at Wood National Cemetery. We will conduct a brief Memorial Ceremony to honor all our Fallen Armed Forces and those who are laid to rest at Wood National Cemetery. This will be followed with a Great Cook-Out for “ALL” back at Lake Wheeler Pavilion.

We are encouraging anyone, wherever they are, to go out and walk/run one mile for a Fallen Service Member killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Our goal is to again have all 50 states participate. Last year, there were over 8,300 participants in 45 states and two countries, walking and/or running a combined total of over 49,000 miles. Help us to continue to “Honor and Remember” our Service Members, bringing people and communities together.

Together, let us Walk/Run for the Fallen.

Official website of the Run for the Fallen: www.Runforthefallen.org Preview this Video “To Them That’s Gone”: http://www.tothemthatsgone.com

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MILWAUKEE PROFESSIONALS ASSOCIATION supports Dryhootch.org and Vets Place Central, neighborhood level organizations for veterans.

ALL Hands on Deck, WE Communication Month - August 13, 2012

MILWAUKEE (MPA) - August 13, 2012, Milwaukee Professionals Association has designated August as "COMMUNICATION month".  We are conducting outreach for customer care engagement, programming, partnerships, solidarity, improved public policies, information sharing and just-to-say-HI.

Today thru  Friday, August 13 - August 17, 2012, we are focusing on political hot spots, women's organization and CDFI/Community Development Financial Institution.

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• We seek common causes by which to hang our hats on for networking.
• We are using the excitement of the 2012 Presidential campaign to support common issues.

We know that we and our counterparts, those seeking a better environoment for all, are more successful with INFRASTRUCTURAL sustainability tenets.

Have we contacted you yet?  If not, contact us @:  mpapublicpolicyreview@gmail.com.

If we have contacted you and you have not responded, do so now.
Thanks a bunch

Privatization of Voting Machines - Were you present, did you know

E S & S Unity 3.2.00 Rev 3 Voting System

MILWAUKEE (MPA) - August 13, 2012, Thanks to "Lovely Lady Forward", we have Notice of a two-day sales briefing held by the WI Government Accountability Board on Electronic Voting Machines.

In a communication to the WI Government Accountability Board, Jim Mueller, Co-Founder and Director - Wisconsin Counts, wrote these comments:

In Wisconsin, as elsewhere in the nation, there has been a concerted push by corporate interests to eliminate the public counting of votes. This privatization of our election processes has been advanced by laws and rules that:

1) Require the use of electronic voting systems (the systems were lobbied for by the private organizations that manufacture, sell, program and maintain them),

2) Permit the programming to be kept secret,

3) Prevent sworn election inspectors from auditing the tabulated results.

4) Make it impossible for Citizen Audits to occur before results are finalized.

5) Prevent a manual counting of votes in a recount.

With the use of electronic voting systems there have been reports of mistakes and many more reports of improbable results. Numerous studies including several from major universities and other credible organization have demonstrated the vulnerability of the electronic voting systems (see http://dvice.com/voting/machines.php for a few examples).

Under Wisconsin Statute 15.607, you as the Administrator of the Election Division appoint the members of the Wisconsin Election Administration Council. You presently have 13 government officials/employees, 3 members representing special needs voters and 2 members representing organizations that advocate for public interests (League of Women Voters of Wisconsin and Citizen Action of Wisconsin). To my knowledge neither of the two public interest groups has focused on the election integrity issues surrounding the use of electronic voting systems.

FOR MORE

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To get WI Government Accountability Board notices, email:  reid.magney@wi.gov.