EXCLUSION + EXCLUSION by FEMA Serino and University of WI - Milwaukee

February 28, 2013

Deputy Administrator Richard Serino

MILWAUKEE - (MPA-PPR) - Today Deputy Administrator Richard Serino, FEMA/Federal Emergency Management Agency engaged in a continuation of EXCLUSION of African American and other People of Color of the City of Milwaukee in an event on behalf of FEMA.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from and mitigate all hazards.

"We are calling upon ACCOUNTABILITY based upon FEMA's national promise, his Oath of Office and the citizenry expectation of the federal office he represents".

"His presence today is quite revealing especially given the 'Caucasian only'
 discriminatory FEMA Kick-Off Think Tank held in the Fireside lounge of the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee in early 2012.   "There were individuals invited in Wisconsin and the exclusivity of the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee Helen Bader School of Social Work -  dean with students highlighted, said Mary Glass, Chair/CEO, Milwaukee Professionals Association LLC.

FEMA & UNIVERSITY OF WI - MILWAUKEE
DISCRIMINATION

REPETITION
Last year, Deputy Administrator Richard Serino hosted the FEMA Think Tank Kick-off webinar at UW-Milwaukee.

Glass, as a happenstance walk-in citizen, made a Preparedness comment during the Webinar Q&A that said the event was inappropriate and sent the wrong message due to the absence of African American and People of Color engagement from Milwaukee.  It was the lack of Preparedness of African American and other People of Color in the famous Katrina flood - so many died - so many suffered needlessly - FEMA erred.

The FEMA Think Tank Webinar was taped and placed on the FEMA website.  It was minus the comments by Glass of inappropriateness and lack of African American and other People of Color.

Milwaukee is 3/4 African American and People of Color.

If this was in reverse, 3/4 Caucasian and NO Caucasian was invited and present, I do not think Caucasians would find that in line with our expectation of citizen participation and inclusiveness.

Serino claimed it was not intentional.  However, Glass questioned his response due to her research - he had visited for previous meetings in Milwaukee "planning the event" with University of WI-Milwaukee administrators, students and representatives as well as the city of Milwaukee.

Further, research revealed that UW-Milwaukee alumna and FEMA representative Desiree Matel-Anderson
- working with Steven Fronk, City of Milwaukee, was also part of the UW-Milwauke and FEMA partnership orchestration.  Matel-Anderson was surprisingly moved to the Department of Finance with the City of Milwaukee after Glass inquiry.

FEMA KICK-OFF - 2012
(L-R) UWM alumna Desiree Matel-, Anderson; Stan Stojkovic, dean of
Helen Bader School of Social, Welfare; Stephanie Sikinger; FEMA,
Deputy Administrator Richard Serino and Andrew Boese.

2013 FEMA SUMMIT
Fast Forward to February 28, 2013, University of WI - Milwaukee, you find another meeting with FEMA Administrator Serino present for smiles, photo opportunity, Memorandum of Understanding signing and questionable comments of stewardship and TRUST.

Again, a room of Caucasians - city of Milwaukee African American and other People of Color EXCLUDED/discriminated against.

It is fair to say, the Wisconsin public higher education URBAN school - University of WI - Milwaukee, continues to log-in on the side of DISCRIMINATION and exclusion of the citizenry of Milwaukee, especially African American.

Chancellor Michael Lovell has made it crystal clear with his $176 million EXCLUSION of African American and other People of Color in the procurement, contracting, employment, academic staffing of the School of Freshwater Science, School of Nursing, Wauwatosa Innovation Park and his 6506 miles to China trip in 2011 to get students but fail to provide academic and technology leadership and interaction for pathways and pipelines for Milwaukeeans 2.1 mile from the campus on Dr. Martin Luther King Drive.

Event Purpose:

According to the information packet for the event, the UW-Milwaukee & FEMA Partnership Summit is to kick-off the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding/MOU between UW-Milwaukee and FEMA, which will be signed by Chancellor Michael Lovell and Deputy Administrator Richard Serino.  In addition, the summit is designed to promote conversations regarding possible future initiatives between FEMA and UW-Milwaukee.  FEMA is seeking a collaborative relationship that builds on the strengths of the agency and the university to address emergency preparedness issues.

Today's participants are ALL Caucasian looking students and/or staff as hospitality, a room of Caucasian looking participants and speakers as well as some of the questionable participants in 2012, i.e.,  Desiree Matel-Anderson, JD.  It appears that Ms. Matel-Anderson has added a legal degree.  That should more than ever speak to her Code of Conduct - Oath of Office and commitment to the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

"I found FEMA Deputy Administrator Richard Serino involvement in such EXCLUSION of African American and other People of Color with University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee Helen Bader School of Social Work in 2012 discriminatory and unacceptable.  I feel that his repeat in-your-face performance and Chancellor Michael Lovell today, February 28, 2013, has risen to a higher level that begs a formal complaint against him and FEMA.  It must have the involvement of the scrutiny of the Court of Public Opinion, 2014 Accreditation of the University of Wisconsin and legislators," said Glass.  

To be continued . . .
==============

Scribd.com EXPANDED Version

SCOTUS - SHELBY County v. Holder, Wednesday, February 27, 2013

They don't call the Supreme Court the highest court in the land for nothing. NYU professor Kenji Yoshino, the Goldwater Institute’s Nick Dranias, Yale’s Akhil Reed Amar, and the NAACP’s Sherrilyn Ifill talk about what’s at stake in the upcoming Shelby County v. Holder case.   CLICK Section 5.

Melissa Harris Perry Show
February 23, 2013
===========================

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Today's Primer - By CNBC's Katy Barnato

TODAYS PRIMER

*CNBC.com

U.S. stock index futures signaled a higher open on Monday, despite market jitters as Congress reconvenes to decide on the $85 billion in automatic spending cuts due to take
 effect on March 1.

Wall Street analysts say it is increasingly unlikely that Democrats and Republicans will agree to a deal on the sequestration issue this week.

"A major effort to short-circuit the cuts does not seem in train for the coming week," Michael Moran, chief economist at Daiwa Capital Markets America, wrote in a note on Friday afternoon.

However, Moran said commentators were exaggerating the negative impact of the sequester, with potential cuts to big-ticket items being spread over several years, rather than undertaken immediately.

"The Congressional Budget Office estimates that actual spending in the current fiscal year will decline by $44 billion (less than 0.3 percent of GDP)," Moran said.

"Certainly, the economy would be better without this added drag, and the balance of the cuts to spending authority will have to be absorbed in the future, but the sequestration does not warrant a major adjustment to the economic outlook for 2013," he added.

Nonetheless, Moran said the prospective cuts will barely touch entitlements, which he described as the "primary" source of long-term budget problems.

Meanwhile, shares in both Asia and Europe were boosted on reports that Japan's government is likely to nominate Haruhiko Kuroda, an advocate of aggressive monetary easing, as the next Bank of Japan chief. Investors expect that Kuroda, currently the president of the Asian Development Bank, will push for further unorthodox monetary policy measures to achieve the 2 percent inflation target adopted last month.

The Japanese yen slumped more than 1 percent against the dollar on the reports, falling to its lowest level since May 2010, while the benchmark Nikkei index soared 2 percent.

Pan-Asian shares were boosted despite soft growth data from China, where the HSBC flash purchasing managers' index (PMI) showed growth in the country's manufacturing sector slipped to 50.4 in February, its lowest level in four months. (PMI index readings above 50 signal an increase or improvement on the prior month, while readings below 50 indicate a decrease.)

In the U.K., markets digested news of the country's downgrade by Moody's Investors Service after the European closing bell on Friday. The U.K. lost its prized triple-A credit rating due to weakness in the country's medium-term growth outlook, and an increasing debt burden.

Britain's finance minister, George Osborne, said the downgrade would not change his austerity program, which has been blamed in some quarters for the country's weak growth outlook.

"Far from weakening our resolve to deliver our economic recovery plan, this decision redoubles it," Osborne said, after the downgrade.

Meanwhile, Italians headed to the polls on Sunday to vote in a national election. Polling will close on Monday at 2 p.m. London time.

Despite a closely-fought race, analysts at Citi forecast only a 7 percent chance of an inconclusive result or "hung parliament", an outcome which could cause instability in the markets. Milan's FTSE MIB traded 0.85 percent higher in early trade on Monday.

In the U.S., companies posting earnings before the start of trade on Monday include home improvement chain Lowe's and auto rental firm Hertz.

In addition, the U.S. Treasury is set to auction $35 billion of 2-year bonds on Monday. The Treasury will auction a total of $99 billion in 2-year, 5-year and 7-year notes by the end of the week.

No major economic reports are due on Monday; the Chicago Federal Reserve's national activity index for February will be released at 8:30 a.m. New York time.

Later in the week, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke will deliver his semiannual testimony on monetary policy to the Senate Banking Committee on Tuesday, followed by an appearance before the House Financial Services Committee on Wednesday. Traders say leaked reports that Bernanke has downplayed worries that quantitative easing is spawning asset bubbles helped lift markets last week.

Bernanke’s Stimulus Spurring U.S. Employment in Housing

Bloomberg
By Joshua Zumbrun & Steve Matthews - Feb 24, 2013 6:16 PM CT 

Photographer:
 Joshua Roberts/Bloomberg


Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke has something to tout before Congress in hearings this week: job growth in the auto and housing industries.

Consumers rely on loans to buy cars and homes, so these segments of the economy are among the most responsive to Bernanke’s strategy of holding interest rates low and pressing on with bond purchases of $85 billion a month.

“The rate-sensitive sectors, most notably housing and autos, are kicking into a higher gear,” said Mark Zandi, chief economist for Moody’s Analytics Inc. in West Chester, Pennsylvania. “This reflects the Fed’s aggressive monetary policy and resulting rock-bottom interest rates,” along with “working off the excesses of the boom and bubble.”

MORE

Today's Primer by Barnato - February 22, 2013

TODAY'S PRIMER
*CNBC.com

- By CNBC's Katy Barnato
U.S. stock index futures signaled gains on Wall Street on Friday, as shares in Europe traded higher, reversing Thursday's sharp losses.

Asian stock markets also rebounded on Friday, helped by a 0.7 percent gain in Australian shares. But weak economic growth in Europe and worries the U.S. Federal Reserve might scale back its quantitative easing (QE3) program capped gains.

Minutes from the Fed's meeting in January, released on Wednesday, showed policymakers were growing concerned about the impact of quantitative easing, suggesting the Fed may taper off its $85 billion per month purchases earlier than forecast.

"We overreacted to the Fed news in the last two days, though a healthy correction between 2 and 5 percent would be what investors would want to get back into the market," said Art Hogan, managing director at Lazard Capital Markets, on Thursday.

Paul Dales, U.S. economist at independent research firm Capital Economics, said Thursday's soft CPI (consumer price index) data indicated the Fed's asset purchases weren't stoking inflation.

"Consumer prices were flat last month… largely due to a 3.2 percent month-on-month fall in gasoline prices, more than offsetting a 0.4 percent rise in electricity and gas prices," wrote Dales in a note on Thursday afternoon.

"The rise in gasoline prices seen this month will boost the overall CPI by at least 0.4 percent in February, but that would still leave headline inflation below the Fed's 2 percent target."

In Europe, investors remained cautious ahead of Italy's general election this weekend, although Milan's FTSE MIB was up 0.85 percent, after falling 2.9 percent on Thursday.

Campaigning has heated up in recent months and front-runner Pier Luigi Bersani and center-right candidate Silvio Berlusconi face a challenge from comedian Beppe Grillo, who may grab the protest vote with his "5 Star Movement".

Technocrat Mario Monti is in fourth place, but is expected to be approached by Bersani to form a coalition. However, Grillo could overtake Berlusconi to move into second place, analysts say, which could upset the coalition plan.

Friday will be a quiet day for fourth-quarter earnings, with Abercrombie & Fitch and the Washington Post posting results before the start of U.S. trade.

In Europe, shares of Air France-KLM and A.P. Moeller-Maersk rose around two percent after both companies posted better-than-expected results. Shares in Alcatel-Lucent also rose after the French telecoms company appointed Michel Combes, the former chief executive of Vodafone Europe, as CEO.

U.S. President Barack Obama will meet with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Washington on Friday. Abe is expected to seek support for the hyper-easy monetary policies he has instigated to revive Japan's ailing economy.

Germany reported fourth-quarter gross domestic product declined 0.6 percent, in line with the flash estimate, on Friday. However,Germany's Ifo business climate index posted its biggest monthly gain since July 2010 in February, suggesting the country is rebounding after its weak fourth quarter.

Schacknow - Today's Brief - February 20, 2013

TODAYS PRIMER

Peter Schacknow, Senior Producer, CNBC Breaking News Desk

The major averages continue to push to multi-year highs, with the Dow now less than 1 percent away from its October 2007 record close, and the S&P 500 coming off its highest close since that same month, about 2 percent from its record high. The Nasdaq is at its highest since November 2000.

Investors will get a look at two key economic reports at 8:30 a.m. New York time, with the government issuing January figures for both producer prices and housing starts. Economists expect a 0.5 percent rise in the Producer Price Index following December's 0.2 percent decline, while housing starts are seen declining to an annual rate of 925,000 units from December's 954,000 units.

The Federal Reserve will issue the minutes of the most recent FOMC meeting at 2 p.m., with investors looking for more clues on possible exit strategies from the current accommodative policies and on timing of such moves. This comes on the same day that two Fed officials – St. Louis Fed President James Bullard and San Francisco Fed President John Williams – give separate lunchtime speeches in New York on monetary policy.

Garmin (GRMN), Dish Network (DISH), MGM Resorts (MGM), Six Flags (SIX), Devon Energy (DVN) and SodaStream (SODA) are among the companies issuing quarterly earnings this morning, while Cheesecake Factory (CAKE), Croc (CROX), Denny's (DENN), and Fluor (FLR) are on today's after-the-bell schedule.

Boeing (BA) leads our list of stocks to watch for two separate stories: its engineers have accepted a proposed new contract, while its technical workers have rejected the latest proposed pact. And Reuters reports that the jetmaker has identified a fix for the battery problems that have grounded its 787 Dreamliner.

Dell (DELL) reported fourth quarter profit of $0.40 per share, one cent above estimates, with revenues also beating consensus. Most of the attention on Dell, however, remains focused on the attempt by CEO Michael Dell – along with Microsoft and Silver Lake Partners – to buy the company for $13.65 per share.

Bank of America (BAC) CEO Brian Moynihan earned $12.1 million in 2012, up 73 percent from the prior year, due to increased stock awards. His salary was $950,000 with no cash bonus, with an increase to $1.5 million for 2013.

Apple (AAPL) may lose its case against investor David Einhorn, though a judge did not make an immediate ruling on Einhorn's attempt to halt a vote on a new procedure for issuing preferred stock shares. He did say he is likely to rule in Einhorn's favor when the ruling is handed down.

Analog Devices (ADI) earned $0.44 per share, excluding certain items, for its fiscal first quarter, one cent below estimates, with revenues also falling short. The chipmaker continued to see weaker demand, especially in its automotive business. The company did raise its quarterly dividend to $0.34 per share from $0.30.

Demand Media (DMD) is looking into the possibility of splitting its domain name service from its media business. The company is examining a tax-free distribution of new publicly traded stock, with a nine to 12 month timeline.

Millennial Media (MM) is under pressure this morning after saying it expects first quarter revenue of $48 - $50 million, well below estimates of $56.2 million. Its fourth quarter revenue also came in below expectations. Millennial Media is the largest independent mobile advertising firm.

Michael Kors (KORS) founder Michael Kors is selling three million of his shares in the company as part of a 25 million share secondary offering. This comes following an all-time high for the stock and an increase in the fashion house's full year sales and profit forecast last week.

Herbalife (HLF) is raising its 2013 forecast after reporting fourth quarter profit and revenues that beat estimates. The provider of nutrition products is at the center of a battle between investor Bill Ackman, who has a large short position and calls the company a "pyramid scheme", and Carl Icahn, who has taken a 13 percent stake. Herbalife also says the SEC has requested information regarding the company's business and financial operations.

Marriott (MAR) earned $0.56 per share for the fourth quarter, one cent above estimates, with revenues also above consensus. The hotel chain was helped by higher rates and an increase in international bookings.

BHP Billiton (BHP) CEO Marius Kloppers is retiring in May after more than five years on the job. He'll be replaced by BHP executive Andrew McKenzie, who jumped from rival Rio Tinto in 2008.

La-Z-Boy (LZB) reported fiscal third quarter profit of $0.28 per share, five cents above estimates, with revenues also above Street expectations. The recliner maker saw increased sales, and its retail segment returned to profitability.

The Stench of Cover-up - Hurts All of us NOW and in the Future

When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.
Maya Angelou
============

The more things a man is ashamed of, the more respectable he is.
George Bernard Shaw
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MILWAUKEE - (MPA-PPR), February 20, 2013, Mary Glass, Chair/CEO, Milwaukee Professionals Association LLC conducted an observation study for five years in the city of Milwaukee to trace why for decades African American and Other People of Color were victimized with "poverty".   Why so many census tracts had third world poverty.  Why hard-working men and women seeking the American way kept going backwards.  Why $$$Millions would come every year for those in the census tracts for empowerment but the People, Milwaukeeans, People of Color, became poorer and were more disenfranchised as a "whole".

The finished observation is called:   Smart Growth Signature Plan (2005-2010)

Fraud and Corruption
The observation revealed many things, but one repetitive truth centered around injustices and unethical practices related to "power grabbers".  Those in power, "by-design" used the tools of discrimination, bias, disparity, outsourcing, false promises of employment, false promises of education attainment, demonizing, incarceration, unauthorized proxy, monopoly and oligopoly to control the masses - especially People of Color.

To ensure reign of power, the power grabbers, used "cover-up" to stay in power. 

This included using People of Color to be part of the ruse.  This has and is allowing wrong behavior of those we have in elected, appointed, hired, volunteered and donor for hire positions to get away literally with murders.

One of the most telling trend/pattern to injustices in the city of Milwaukee, was the link to state and federal levels of cronyism - protecting friends, donors, real estate barons, family and associates who may be engaged in conflict of interest, discrimination, segregation, violation of law and violation of Oath of Office.  Another damning reality observed is how callous the perpetrators are in sowing their wrongful seeds.  In other words, they operate "right in the public".  However, the "public" does not mean that everything is easily seen or found.  It does not mean that they can easily be requested, i.e., public information requested.

In some circles, "it was seen as business as usual", especially with the very entrenched and cancerous monopoly and oligopoly organizations - the real power grabbers.

Outcomes

We saw how this behavior cripples/stifles growth in the city of Milwaukee.

We saw how African American and Other People of Color were the regular recipients of the violations.

We saw how individuals took, "that's government bureaucracy" and the "join them" philosophy.

We saw how the wrongdoing was given a "blind-eye" and therefore, corruption was able to manifest and concentrate year-after-year; and, election-after-election.
=====================

CLICK for INFO



In 2008, the Federal Reserve and Brookings Institution completed a poverty study across the U.S.A/  Milwaukee was one of 16 cities in America that was cited as an Enduring Concentrated Poverty city.

Every year, several reports are shared (researchers, public policy sites, magazines and special data sheets) annually that puts the city of Milwaukee in a negative and continually negative light.

======================

Milwaukee Professionals Association LLC subscribes to All Hands on Deck, WE CAN initiative to identify and assist hidden talent and vetted businesses.

CLICK for INFO
MPA ALL Hands on Deck - Call to Action by ALL - REVITALIZATION of Milwaukee

To be continued . . .

============

CLICK - Scribd.com posting

MILWAUKEE PROFESSIONALS ASSOCIATION LLC approves "Lobbying" Efforts

MILWAUKEE (MPA-PPR) - February 18, 2013, Chair/CEO Mary Glass approved lobbying efforts today for Milwaukee Professionals Association LLC to improve the business efforts of support for Milwaukeeans in the full implementation of the Affordable Health Care law as well as to strengthened opportunities for hidden talent and vetted for-profit businesses at the neighborhood level.

 "We are very pleased to take another step forward in providing quantitative and qualitative services that is competitive and will go right to the source for 'due diligence' and direct sharing of quality of life and economic development of the city of Milwaukee Infrastructure for education attainment, technology attainment and health care", said Glass.

QUOTES on Presidents Day USA - February 18, 2013

PRESIDENT'S DAY USA - February 18, 2013
Quotes for today.

A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
=========================

I was extended secret service protection during my presidential run in 1984, when I received the most death threats ever made toward a candidate.
Jesse Jackson
=========================

What if Barack Obama established a Presidential Advisory Committee that would meet once every couple of months, bringing together the former presidents for a conference in order to seek their collective wisdom? There is a wealth of experience in former presidents that generally goes untapped.
Tony Campolo
=========================

When I joined Bill Clinton's start-up presidential campaign in 1991, I was confident that women would play an ever more important role, but I never gave a minute's thought to what would happen if we won. When we did - and I became the first woman to serve as White House press secretary - it changed my life. But it didn't change the world.
Dee Dee Myers
=========================

It would be a much better country if women did not vote. That is simply a fact. In fact, in every presidential election since 1950 - except Goldwater in '64 - the Republican would have won, if only the men had voted.
Ann Coulter
=========================

I perfectly understood President Obama's attitude throughout the French presidential campaign. He had no reason to distance himself from Nicolas Sarkozy. It's the basic solidarity that leaders who worked together owe to each other.
Francois Hollande
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I think we may be seeing the beginnings of a resurgence of civic-mindedness in this country. Hopefully the younger generations, which came out in record numbers during the last presidential election, will pass their enthusiasm on to their children.
Sandra Day O'Connor
=========================

I chaired the 1982 Democratic Party Commission on Presidential Nominations that created certain automatic delegates to the Democratic convention - the 'superdelegates.' It was a good idea then, and it is still a good idea.
Jim Hunt
=========================

Ronald Reagan, of course, was a Republican governor of California who went through a painful defeat in the 1976 presidential race before winning four years later.
Michael Medved
=========================

Four years in the White House and two presidential campaigns is an awful long time. In politics, every year in the White House is like dog years, six years off your life.
George Stephanopoulos
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During my 2004 presidential campaign, I was fond of saying that it was high time for the Christian right to meet the right Christians.
Al Sharpton
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I am now a member of the private sector. I'm happy. I've got a little foundation. You never say never, but I may have had my last race and that was the Presidential race. I think that you only get one shot.
Bill Richardson
=========================

In a presidential campaign, you can't lie. You can't hide what you are and what you want. You can't hide what kind of President you'll be. You can't keep on talking about nothing indefinitely and committing to nothing, you can't keep running away from debate, masking the challenges.
Nicolas Sarkozy
=========================

No candidate can win a presidential race advocating gay marriage and opposing the military action in Iraq.
Dick Morris
=========================

As someone who is in awe and grateful every day to be in a country where freedom of the press, free speech and free elections are a way of life, I am wowed, amazed and excited by the opportunity to moderate a 2012 presidential debate.
Candy Crowley
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Kaiser Foundation - The Story of Medicare: A Timeline

The Story of Medicare: A Timeline

Did you take notes?
Rewind, take notes and share with someone else the facts.

Thanks a bunch!
==============

Below is another video if you have not seen our blog with the Kaiser Foundation video on

Health Reform Hits Main Street.  CLICK 

Happy Valentine's Day - February 14, 2013

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Schacknow - February 14, 2013

TODAYS PRIMER

Peter Schacknow, Senior Producer, CNBC Breaking News Desk

Wall Street is in an indecisive stretch, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average alternating between gains and losses for six straight sessions, and the major averages all virtually at breakeven for the week despite new setting new multi-year highs at various points. History points to today as a losing session, with the S&P 500 up only about 39 percent of the time on Valentine's Day.

Today's most prominent economic report will come early, with the Labor Department issuing its weekly look at initial jobless claims at 8:30 a.m. New York time. Economists are looking for claims to slip by 6,000 for the week ending February 9 to 360,000.

At 10:30 a.m., the Energy Department is out with its weekly look at natural gas inventories, and the Treasury will be selling $16 billion in 30-year bonds. The results of that sales will be available shortly after 1 p.m.

PepsiCo (PEP) is among the companies set to issue quarterly earnings this morning, along with Waste Management (WM), Molson Coors (TAP), Discovery Communications (DISCA), DirecTV (DTV), and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (REGN). CBS (CBS) will be out with its quarterly numbers after today's closing bell, as will Agilent (A) and Brocade Communications (BRCD).

Dow component Cisco Systems (CSCO) leads our list of stocks to watch, with the company reporting fiscal second quarter profits of $0.51 per share, three cents above estimates. Revenue also came in slightly above Street expectations. CEO John Chambers says the company is seeing signs of improvement in its European business.

Whole Foods (WFM) reported fiscal first quarter profit of $0.78 per share, one cent above estimates, with revenues essentially in line. However, the grocery chain also lowered its 2013 same-store sales growth outlook to 6.6 - 8.0 percent from the prior 6.5 - 8.5 percent.

Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD) is revising the terms of its proposed $20.1 billion takeover of Mexico's Grupo Modelo, in hopes of winning U.S. government approval for the deal. The amendment includes the sale of the Piedras Negras brewery to Constellation Brands (STZ) and grant it perpetual rights to Corona and other Modelo brands within the U.S.

Applied Materials (AMAT) reported fiscal first quarter profit of $0.06 per share, excluding certain items, three cents above estimates. Orders were up from the prior quarter, but the maker of semiconductor manufacturing equipment continues to see weak demand from its industrial customers.

Mondelez International (MDLZ) earned $0.36 per share for the fourth quarter, two cents below estimates, with revenues short of Street consensus as well. However, the snack maker did raise its 2013 earnings outlook to $1.52 - $1.57 per share. The shortfall came in part because of its lowering of coffee prices in Europe.

MetLife (MET) beat estimates by $0.07 with fourth quarter profit of $1.25 per share. Revenues was also above analyst estimates, though the insurer's overall profit was down 90 percent from a year earlier on derivative-related losses.

NetApp (NTAP) reported fiscal third quarter profit of $0.67 per share, 11 cents above estimates, and the maker of data storage equipment is also forecasting earnings for the current quarter above Street consensus. However, the company did say it still has concerns about Europe and that it needs to be mindful of a tough global economy.

Zillow (Z) earned $0.02 per share for the fourth quarter, better than analyst forecasts for a breakeven performance. The real estate website operator also forecast current quarter revenue above expectations as its average monthly unique user numbers grow substantially.

Nvidia (NVDA) saw its fourth quarter come in four cents above estimates with profit of $0.28 per sharebut the chipmaker's current quarter revenue forecast is short of analyst consensus. Nvidia is trying to shift its focus to the tablet market as PC demand softens, but it faces more difficult competition in that area.

TripAdvisor (TRIP) earned $0.29 per share for the fourth quarter, two cents above estimates, with revenue also beating consensus. But the company also says its costs will rise faster than revenue this year as it invests more in marketing.

Skechers (SKX) surprised analysts with a fourth quarter profit of $0.08 per share, versus forecasts for a loss of $0.11 per share. Revenues of $396 million swamped estimates of $338 million on a sizable jump in sales for the company's casual and fitness shoes.

Barnes & Noble (BKS) says its Nook e-reader business will perform more poorly for the current fiscal year than the company had previously forecast. The company is contending with slower sales of e-readers and books, as well as rising costs.

ASH WEDNESDAY, February 13, 2013

MILWAUKEE (MPA-PPR) - Today is the first day of Lent.
What did you do today relative to this special day?
Is it a day you celebrate - engage in?

Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent in the Western Christian calendar. Occurring 46 days before Easter, it is a moveable fast that can fall as early as February 4 and as late as March 10.
According to the canonical (conforming to accepted principles or standard practice) gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke; Jesus spent 40 days fasting in the desert, where he endured temptation by Satan.  Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of this 40-day liturgical period of prayer and fasting. Of the 46 days until Easter, six are Sundays. As the christian sabbath, Sundays are not included in the fasting period and are instead "feast" days during Lent.
Ash Wednesday derives its name from the practice of placing ashes on the foreheads of adherents (supporters) as a reminder and celebration of human mortality, and as a sign of mourning and repentance to God. The ashes used are typically gathered from the burning of the palms from the previous year's Palm Sunday.

This practice is common in much of Christendom (christian countries), being observed mainly by Catholics, Anglicans, Lutherans, and Methodists.   Wikipedia
=========================

I am Catholic.
Today I decided to make my rememberance a "strengthening time for me" by working on and letting go of IMPATIENCE - annoyed at waiting, intolerant - this includes allowing more patience with me when there are deadlines. I am curious to how well I will do, especially in some situations I know I will have to walk through.

Good Luck with your choice - if Lent will be part of your daily consideration for the next 40 days.

SOTU - introduced Check and Balance for Higher Education - How about Sequestration to get the attention of sites like UW-Milwaukee

"Now, even with better high schools, most young people will need some higher education. It’s a simple fact the more education you’ve got, the more likely you are to have a good job and work your way into the middle class. But today, skyrocketing costs price too many young people out of a higher education, or saddle them with unsustainable debt".

"Through tax credits, grants and better loans, we’ve made college more affordable for millions of students and families over the last few years. But taxpayers can’t keep on subsidizing higher and higher and higher costs for higher education. Colleges must do their part to keep costs down, and it’s our job to make sure that they do". (Applause.)

"So tonight, I ask Congress to change the Higher Education Act so that affordability and value are included in determining which colleges receive certain types of federal aid. (Applause.) And tomorrow, my administration will release a new “College Scorecard” that parents and students can use to compare schools based on a simple criteria -- where you can get the most bang for your educational buck", said President Barack Obama, February 12, 2013 - State of the Union Speech.

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SEQUESTRATION may be an option for Higher Education to get the attention of those who have taken the attitude that the citizenry do not count.  That engagement of planning, design and implementation of funding excludes African American, other People of Color and the Work Challenged.  That only power grabbers are brought to the table to craft various economic projects for themselves and cronies, using federal funding brought to the Urban city of Milwaukee for empowerment of the population in dire need of education attainment, technology attainment and business research and development.

SEQUESTRATION imposed on Higher Education is one way to began to correct discrimination-exploitation-bias that depletes engagement of Urban stakeholders in the city of Milwaukee, especially those of Color.

Mary Glass, Chair/CEO, Milwaukee Professionals Association LLC, said, "I was very proud to hear President Obama, in his State of the Union speech, push the door open for 'check and balance' for funds being given to 'higher education'.  It send the signal of oversight, transparency, accountability and trust are pre-requisites for receiving the mega funding.  That the higher education act will help ensure the taxpayers of more accountability of the funds sent and spent.  We will see that specifics of 'discrimination-bias-exploitation' in the Urban University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee is known for scrutiny by the federal government and oversight organizations, i.e., Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association  and American Council on Education.

Squawk Box - Health Law Impact on Aetna, February 13, 2013

CNBA SQUAWK BOX - (MPA-PPR)
The State of the Union Speech
Becky Quick speaks with Aetna's Chairman/CEO/President

Mark Bertolini, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of Aetna, weighs in on the President's comments last night about the state of the nation's health care system, and how to bring down health care costs.

SOTU - February 13, 2013, President Barack Obama delivers State of Union Speech

President Barack Hussein Obama - 44th President

L - Vice President Joseph "Joe" Biden, Jr.

R- House Speaker John Boehner

WASHINGTON, DC
State of the Union Speech

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Remarks by the President in the State of the Union Address

U.S. Capitol
Washington, D.C.

9:15 P.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT: Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, members of Congress, fellow citizens:

Fifty-one years ago, John F. Kennedy declared to this chamber that “the Constitution makes us not rivals for power but partners for progress.” (Applause.) “It is my task,” he said, “to report the State of the Union -- to improve it is the task of us all.”

Tonight, thanks to the grit and determination of the American people, there is much progress to report. After a decade of grinding war, our brave men and women in uniform are coming home. (Applause.) After years of grueling recession, our businesses have created over six million new jobs. We buy more American cars than we have in five years, and less foreign oil than we have in 20. (Applause.) Our housing market is healing, our stock market is rebounding, and consumers, patients, and homeowners enjoy stronger protections than ever before. (Applause.)

So, together, we have cleared away the rubble of crisis, and we can say with renewed confidence that the State of our Union is stronger. (Applause.)

But we gather here knowing that there are millions of Americans whose hard work and dedication have not yet been rewarded. Our economy is adding jobs -- but too many people still can’t find full-time employment. Corporate profits have skyrocketed to all-time highs -- but for more than a decade, wages and incomes have barely budged.

It is our generation’s task, then, to reignite the true engine of America’s economic growth -- a rising, thriving middle class. (Applause.)

It is our unfinished task to restore the basic bargain that built this country -- the idea that if you work hard and meet your responsibilities, you can get ahead, no matter where you come from, no matter what you look like, or who you love.

It is our unfinished task to make sure that this government works on behalf of the many, and not just the few; that it encourages free enterprise, rewards individual initiative, and opens the doors of opportunity to every child across this great nation. (Applause.)

The American people don’t expect government to solve every problem. They don’t expect those of us in this chamber to agree on every issue. But they do expect us to put the nation’s interests before party. (Applause.) They do expect us to forge reasonable compromise where we can. For they know that America moves forward only when we do so together, and that the responsibility of improving this union remains the task of us all.

Our work must begin by making some basic decisions about our budget -- decisions that will have a huge impact on the strength of our recovery.


Over the last few years, both parties have worked together to reduce the deficit by more than $2.5 trillion -- mostly through spending cuts, but also by raising tax rates on the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans. As a result, we are more than halfway towards the goal of $4 trillion in deficit reduction that economists say we need to stabilize our finances.

Now we need to finish the job. And the question is, how?

In 2011, Congress passed a law saying that if both parties couldn’t agree on a plan to reach our deficit goal, about a trillion dollars’ worth of budget cuts would automatically go into effect this year. These sudden, harsh, arbitrary cuts would jeopardize our military readiness. They’d devastate priorities like education, and energy, and medical research. They would certainly slow our recovery, and cost us hundreds of thousands of jobs. That’s why Democrats, Republicans, business leaders, and economists have already said that these cuts, known here in Washington as the sequester, are a really bad idea.

Now, some in Congress have proposed preventing only the defense cuts by making even bigger cuts to things like education and job training, Medicare and Social Security benefits. That idea is even worse. (Applause.)

Yes, the biggest driver of our long-term debt is the rising cost of health care for an aging population. And those of us who care deeply about programs like Medicare must embrace the need for modest reforms -- otherwise, our retirement programs will crowd out the investments we need for our children, and jeopardize the promise of a secure retirement for future generations.

But we can’t ask senior citizens and working families to shoulder the entire burden of deficit reduction while asking nothing more from the wealthiest and the most powerful. (Applause.) We won’t grow the middle class simply by shifting the cost of health care or college onto families that are already struggling, or by forcing communities to lay off more teachers and more cops and more firefighters. Most Americans -- Democrats, Republicans, and independents -- understand that we can’t just cut our way to prosperity. They know that broad-based economic growth requires a balanced approach to deficit reduction, with spending cuts and revenue, and with everybody doing their fair share. And that’s the approach I offer tonight.

On Medicare, I’m prepared to enact reforms that will achieve the same amount of health care savings by the beginning of the next decade as the reforms proposed by the bipartisan Simpson-Bowles commission. (Applause.)

Already, the Affordable Care Act is helping to slow the growth of health care costs. (Applause.) And the reforms I’m proposing go even further. We’ll reduce taxpayer subsidies to prescription drug companies and ask more from the wealthiest seniors. (Applause.) We’ll bring down costs by changing the way our government pays for Medicare, because our medical bills shouldn’t be based on the number of tests ordered or days spent in the hospital; they should be based on the quality of care that our seniors receive. (Applause.) And I am open to additional reforms from both parties, so long as they don’t violate the guarantee of a secure retirement. Our government shouldn’t make promises we cannot keep -- but we must keep the promises we’ve already made. (Applause.)

To hit the rest of our deficit reduction target, we should do what leaders in both parties have already suggested, and save hundreds of billions of dollars by getting rid of tax loopholes and deductions for the well-off and the well-connected. After all, why would we choose to make deeper cuts to education and Medicare just to protect special interest tax breaks? How is that fair? Why is it that deficit reduction is a big emergency justifying making cuts in Social Security benefits but not closing some loopholes? How does that promote growth? (Applause.)

Now is our best chance for bipartisan, comprehensive tax reform that encourages job creation and helps bring down the deficit. (Applause.) We can get this done. The American people deserve a tax code that helps small businesses spend less time filling out complicated forms, and more time expanding and hiring -- a tax code that ensures billionaires with high-powered accountants can’t work the system and pay a lower rate than their hardworking secretaries; a tax code that lowers incentives to move jobs overseas, and lowers tax rates for businesses and manufacturers that are creating jobs right here in the United States of America. That’s what tax reform can deliver. That’s what we can do together. (Applause.)

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MARDI GRAS - A Call for RETURN on BILL 514 INVESTMENT in the University of WI-Milwaukee for “URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE growth - African American and other People of Color Engagement

February 12, 2013

MILWAUKEE - (MPA-PPR)

It is Mardi Gras - Shove Tuesday - celebration and confession. 

Mardi Gras

Milwaukee Professionals Association LLC recognizes in celebration the commitment and leadership of the 1st Chancellor, Dr. Johannes Martin Klotsche for overseeing that the University of WI-Milwaukee be an "URBAN UNIVERSITY".

The University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee was founded in the belief that "if metropolitan Milwaukee was to be great, it would need a great urban public university".  Pressed by the growing strong demand for a large comprehensive public university that offered graduate programs in Wisconsin's largest city, the Wisconsin state legislature passed a bill in 1955 to create the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. UW-M history/Google.

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The chancellor that took Milwaukee State Teachers College to Wisconsin State College (1951) to present University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee (1956) was a scholar of History and as a visionary created history.

1st Chancellor J. Martin Klotsche, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, 1956-1973



Dr. Johannes Martin Klotche - 1st Chancellor, University of WI - Milwaukee

J. Martin Klotsche, or Joe, as everyone called him, had a career that paralleled that of UWM. A native of Nebraska, he earned his Ph.D. in history from the University of Wisconsin and came to Milwaukee in 1931 to teach at what was then Milwaukee State Teachers College. He became president of the college in 1946 and oversaw its renaming as Wisconsin State College in 1951 and eventually as the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 1956. After his retirement as chancellor in 1973, he remained on the faculty of the history department until 1978.

J. Martin Klotsche helped to define UWM as an urban university, a subject on which he wrote extensively, including the books "The Urban University and the Future of Our Cities" and "The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee: An Urban University."

He saw UWM’s mission as a unique opportunity to give “new meaning to the quality of urban life".

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University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee
University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee was founded with the belief that Milwaukee needed a great public university to become a great city.

In 1955, the Wisconsin state legislature passed a bill to create a large public university that offered graduate programs in Wisconsin's largest city; the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee was established in 1956, as a result of the merger of the Wisconsin State College of Milwaukee and the University of Wisconsin's Milwaukee extension, a UW branch that had been offering graduate degrees in Milwaukee. The new university consisted of the WSC campus near the lakefront and the University of Wisconsin extension building downtown Milwaukee.

The first commencement of the new University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee was held on June 16, 1957. On June 13, 1958, Socialist mayor Frank P. Zeidler was the first person to receive an honorary doctorate from the university.

In 2006, UW–Milwaukee was ranked as the ninth best “Saviors of Our Cities” by the New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE), because of its strong positive contribution of careful strategic planning and thoughtful use of resources that have dramatically strengthened the economy and quality of life of Milwaukee, and was voted by the public as one of the top ten "Gems of Milwaukee" .

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Dr. Michael Lovell, 8th Chancellor - University of WI - Milwaukee

In Confession, MPA LLC calls on the present and 8th Chancellor, Dr. Michael Lovell, to honor the Mission and provide a return on investments for the city of Milwaukee - Urban population, especially African American and People of Color. The "Education Funding Volume" represents huge monetary resources with NO return to the human capital - "densely populated" city of Milwaukee, over a half-million people.  They include the 514 bill, approved by both the Wisconsin State Senate and Assembly, released state capital building funds for four different UWM expansion projects at a total anticipated cost of $176 million (2010):

 

-- Construction of a School of Freshwater Sciences research building ($50 million) Targeted for the downtown Milwaukee waterfront, this building will be the home for the UWM School of Freshwater Sciences that the State Legislature and Governor Doyle approved in 2009.

-- Construction of a Kenwood Integrated Research Building ($75 million) To be located at or near the northwest corner of Kenwood Boulevard and Maryland Avenue, this five- or six-story building will house facilities that advance science, technology, engineering and math education; research; and outreach.

-- Acquisition of the Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital campus ($31 million) UWM remains engaged in negotiations to acquire and redevelop the 11-acre hospital property adjacent to the university’s current 93-acre campus.

-- Purchase of a replacement for the Neeskay research vessel ($20 million) A 120-foot research vessel capable of hosting larger scientific crews, conducting extended operations, and navigating research sites using dynamic positioning and state-of-the-art handling capabilities is proposed to replace the university’s Korean War-era transport-tug boat.

Our dragnet includes the massive amounts of funding and partnerships geared toward UW-Milwaukee Master Plan.  The Master Plan also EXCLUDED "urban" stakeholders in the design and planning, by-design.

Questions for Chancellor Lovell

1. What are the "emerging markets" linked to funding from Bill 514 you have identified through collaborative "research, business development and procurement" that show promise for Urban Milwaukee?
2. What are your identified "long-term" targets at the neighborhood level in Urban Milwaukee for long-term growth and Infrastructure sustainability?
3. What are the clear "targets" in Urban Milwaukee, at the neighborhood level, and with African American and People of Color that have grown over the last 3 years (2010, 2011, 2012) - 12 quarters?
4. What collaboratives have taken place between the city of Milwaukee urban population and nearby suburbs - West Allis, Wauwatosa, Glendale, Shorewood, Whitefish Bay, South Milwaukee and Cudahy?
5. What collaboratives have taken place between the TRIFECTA of public schools (Milwaukee Public Schools, Milwaukee Area Technical College and University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee) for technology attainment and education attainment?
6. What collaboratives have taken place for Urban Milwaukee for assistance in the Affordable Health Care implementation in 2014?
7. What impact (percentage) can you cite in procurement, new programs, employment (UW-Milwaukee and Metro area - Metro area is not Greater Milwaukee or 7 county region) -  staff-faculty-deans, committee heads, steering committees, foundations, and office of equity/diversity?
8. What is UW-Milwaukee portfolio of growth for Urban Milwaukee from BILL 514?
9. What is UW-Milwaukee portfolio of growth for Urban Milwaukee from the Master Plan, Wauwatosa Innovation Park, and the NEW Union project?
10. What role has Urban Milwaukee, especially African American and other People of Color businesses, seen in INNOVATION, product portfolio and supply chain related to NEW School of Freshwater Science, Milwaukee Council on Water, Zilber School of Health, Columbia St. Mary's Hospital, and Bader School of Social Welfare?

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Unemployment, education attainment, technology attainment, health care, business research and development and environmental justices are yet part of the SOCIO-ECONOMIC "head winds" that loom over the Urban city of Milwaukee and doom its stakeholders/taxpayers to risk continuous in the direction of Enduring Concentrated Poverty.

Millions of dollars are pumped into our midst/city that go un-check for transparency, accountability and best practices. 

This is the first of many MARDI GRAS (celebration and confession), "funding/revenue/outcome" check and balance, that will ask for and comment on for verification of spending - especially funds that are earmarked to empower African American, other People of Color and the Work-Challenged (un-, under-skilled; un-, under-employed; un-, under-financed neighborhood-level businesses; disabled; and re-entry - those returning from WAR, INCARCERATION, boomerang employment, boomerang retirement and college-certificated graduates unemployed) stakeholders. 

We want to see how the funds are targeted and making a difference. 
We want to see how the funds are being spent to impact fair share - or, if the funds are being averted to the well-known monopoly and oligopoly business model that has been formed by Caucasian power grabbers and their cronies with NO real concern to their wrongful act or how they disenfranchise and/or exploit the masses within the city of Milwaukee - The Urban city.



Press conference video - May 13,  2010
Notice that the term is mentioned by ex-Governor Jim Doyle - premier "URBAN Research University"
This event took place right before the departure of the 7th C hancellor Carlos E. Santiago.

Transparency through evidence based data, specific head counts in consultants, contractors, architects, real estate companies, partnerships (alumni-public-private), employment (hired staff-faculty-deans-consultants-human resource recruiters, advertisement ) and the many levels of procurement through the mega funding of Bill 514 and the Master Plan for building developments.
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Stay tuned.

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