LARSON WEEKLY REPORT - December 8, 2011

Senator Chris Larson - 7th District

Another Attack on Women's Health
Republican legislators have resumed their assault on women's health by recently introducing Assembly Joint Resolution 77. This resolution would change Wisconsin’s Constitution by providing full legal rights to an egg from the moment it is fertilized by sperm.

The repercussions of this amendment would have devastating consequences for women’s health as it could prevent a woman with a life-threatening pregnancy from getting the care she needs, allow the government to intrude into private doctor-patient relationships, and criminalize even common forms of birth control, such as the pill and IUDs. It will also devastate stem cell research in Wisconsin, which has blossomed into a billion dollar industry that helps drive our economy.

Limiting Women's Health
Family planning services are vital to our state and have proven to be effective by saving Wisconsin over $500,000 annually by helping to prevent unintended pregnancies. Furthermore, investing in basic reproductive health care and family planning services shows a commitment to Wisconsin's working families.

This resolution would end many of our state's existing family planning services, by making even common forms of birth control, such as the pill and IUDs illegal and thus inaccessible to women across the state. Furthermore, this resolution would also ban abortion in the case of rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother.

The government should not have the right to intrude on family planning matters as this is a very personal issue and is different for every family. Unfortunately, this is what all families should expect if Assembly Joint Resolution 77 is adopted.

Punishing Couples Who Cannot Conventionally Conceive
In addition to directly affect women's health, Assembly Joint Resolution 77 would also punish couples struggling with infertility. Infertility is a growing issue that many couples face. It currently affect 6.1 million American couples, which is 10% of American couples of childbearing age. As a result of this increasingly common problem, many couples are turning to technology, such as In Vitro Fertilization, to make their dreams of a family a reality.

According to the American Pregnancy Association, there are generally five steps associated with In Vitro Fertilization:

1. The woman takes fertility medications to increase egg production
2. Eggs are retrieved from the woman
3. Sperm are acquired from the man
4. The sperm and egg are combined and placed in incubators to enable fertilization creating embryos
5. On average, no more than four embryos are then transferred into the woman's uterus

This process can often result in excess embryos being created as a contingency has to be made to account for the fact that not all eggs retrieved from the woman will actually reach fertilization and it is dangerous to place more than four embryos into a woman's uterus. Therefore, current processes used to assist couples that are unable to conceive conventionally may be considered illegal and in violation of the constitution if this resolution were to pass.

Prohibiting Life-Saving Research, Damaging Our Economy
Another area that would be adversely affected by Assembly Joint Resolution 77 is Wisconsin's research and development sector. Wisconsin has grown to become a leader in the companion fields of stem cell research and regenerative medicine. This road to success began in 1995 at the University of Wisconsin-Madison with the first successful culturing of embryonic stem cells from non-human primates, and later with the isolation of the world’s first human embryonic stem cells.

According to the National Institutes of Health, stems cells may be the key to curing many degenerative diseases, including cancer, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injuries. Through its research, UW-Madison aims to treat debilitating diseases by discovering new medicines and uncovering the fundamental processes that lead to such diseases. As a result, many people across the state, throughout the country and around the world who are or know someone suffering from one of these diseases are counting on Wisconsin's continued progress in this field.

In addition to making landmark discoveries, Wisconsin has lead the way in transforming cutting edge research into high-paying jobs. Experts predict the
stem cell industry sector will reach in excess of $10 billion over the next ten years.

Moving Wisconsin in the Wrong Direction
Assembly Joint Resolution 77 is moving our state in the wrong direction. Thus, if this legislation comes to the Senate, I will vote in a way that reflects Wisconsin’s commitment to women’s health, privacy, and freedom. This legislation is so extreme that I am even joined in opposing this joint resolution by our state’s largest anti-abortion group, Wisconsin Right to Life, which has publicly stated that "a personhood amendment strategy is not necessary, risky —and just plain wrong for Wisconsin."

CLICK HERE to view a copy of Assembly Joint Resolution 77.

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

In the Public Square w/Mary Glass - Philanthropy for HIRE

PHILANTHROPY - according to Dictionary.com
altruistic concern for human welfare and advancement, usually manifested by donations of money, property, or work to needy persons, by endowment of institutions of learning and hospitals, and by generosity to other socially useful purposes.
==================================

December 8, 2011

MILWAUKEE - According to my observation and RESEARCH, it is evident that some DONOR organizations engage in activity that they call "goodwill partnerships"; but, they are DONOR-for-hire working relationship - quid pro quo arrangements.

In other words, they will give, if you do this. Rather than seeing a cause/NEED of the public square that match the Mission of the Donor organization; and, thereby guidelines for a successful partnerships are based on customer care, transparency, principle-centered leadership, improved quality of life and sustaining economic development for ALL.

Problematic Examples
In the City of Milwaukee there is a significant amount of donor-giving, inside and outside of the city/state. We have recently noted/seen public-private-religion based higher education sites, such as Marquette University, Medical College of Wisconsin and the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, receive $MILLIONS.

The donor gifts have buildings springing up on campuses - law library, dormitories, research centers, business centers, health-related centers, and seed-money for growing projects.

The prequisites discussed and agreed upon are intertwined with elected officials on various levels for bills, resolutions, matching funds, special bonds, "special funding", land use, multi-annual permits, etc.

The trophy requests include the giver's name on building (s), public relations, trips abroad with local power brokers, real estate acquisition, research park, donor pet projects and even specific business ventures that will galvanize revenue for the donor organization - such as water, energy and green projects.

This is seen by some as just-doing-business.

I feel it is a quid-pro quo, conflict of interest, discriminating and monopolizing tactic used by the well-connected and privilege to con the people with the appearance of Goodwill. It is how the well-connected work to beat-the-system, perpetuate greed and cream the assets of the City of Milwaukee.

What is an outcome?
The initial outcome is the newly constructed buildings that gives the appearance of greatness and success.

For the well-connected, privileged and employed, primarily Caucasian; they have access-literacy-fluency. For the masses in Milwaukee, African American-other People of Color and the Work Challenged, they are deprived of access-literacy-fluency and therefore see NO CHANGE for the overall empowerment of the half-million people that make up the population.

What can be done?
Milwaukee Professionals Association supports All Hands on Deck, WE, Not Me Initiative. That requires a NEW paradigm of "thinking and doing". It calls for the discovery and creation of "hidden talent and opportunities" at the neighborhood level. The creation of the PIPELINE staffed with the huge hidden pool of 21st Century citizenry is to be wedded to educational-technological-research self-sustainability.

Therefore, the citizenry of Milwaukee are NO LONGER compromised, overawe, intimidated, pitted against each other, uninformed; and, put at a disadvantage to grow at a competitive rate.

Each serious, non-quid pro quo DONOR organization need to Call for the following:
-- internal audit of gift-giving in Milwaukee
-- fulfill your responsibility as a donor to ensure an appropriate outcome - do not leave it to a board-staff and paper reports for accountability
-- train/inform decision makers at donor headquarters for paradigm shift
-- rate results based on the review from neighborhood-level citizenry
-- visit the site and meet with citizenry-of-focus population - before, during and after proposed funding
-- require members at the neighborhood level to be in "critical mass" in the strategic planning, implementation and outcome reports
-- if re-funded, must show where previous efforts now show "pipeline" creation.
-- host focus group review
==========================



We are identifying and posting those DONOR groups/organizations/foundations that are contributing to the problem as well as to support those that see a benefit in empowering at the neigborhood level.

Tis the SEASON of Election 2012 - MILWAUKEE PROFESSIONALS ASSOCIATION Kick-Off for ALL HANDS on Deck Election 2012

December 6, 2012

WISCONSIN - January 23-26, 2010, Milwaukee Professionals Association launched ALL Hands on Deck, WE, Not Me Initiative - an Action Plan to re-define, re-brand and un-trap hidden talent and opportunities at the neighborhood level. Milwaukee has 190 neighborhoods.
================================

Today is the Kick-off Day of ALL Hands on Deck Election 2012.

It is acutely noted for voters in the iconic City of Milwaukee, over a half-million population, mired in disparities/Enduring Concentrated Poverty, yet $MILLIONS are received by and on behalf of Milwaukeeans, they remain hopelessly TRAPPED.

By-Design
It is also noted that the 2005-2010 Smart Growth Signature Plan observation conducted by Mary Glass, Chair/CEO, Milwaukee Professionals Association, discovered that elected/appointed/hired/volunteered/donor representatives were individually and collectively responsible for the "lack of employed", "lack of neighborhood-level business development", "lack of citizen participation", "lack of management", "infrastructural discrimination" and "failed enforcement of laws and public policies" that would prevent same.

They were elected/hired/appointed/volunteered/donor representatives that were primarily Caucasians with African American and other People of Color as "gatekeepers". Gatekeepers were those put in place (seen and unseen) to maintain and/or create the status quo.

The predominate population of Milwaukee that brought into Milwaukee federal government funding and the ones "by-design" left out and discriminated against were:

-- African American
-- American Indian
-- Asian
-- Latino

Elected officials
We also noted that elected officials (federal-state-local) were:

-- sleep-at-the-wheel (were not up-to-date with information)
-- did not outreach to constituents with problem solving in mind or opportunities
-- followed to-the-letter leadership and outsourcing of resources per MMAC/Milwaukee Metropolitan Association of Commerce-GMC/Greater Milwaukee Committee/Milwaukee 7/MEDC - Milwaukee Economic Development Corporation)
-- failed to honor election pledges and Oath of Office
-- assisted in furthering SEGREGATION and DIVISIVENESS of Caucasian and People of Color by non-inclusion
-- ARROGANT
-- became angry when accountability was called for
-- pitt one member of the neighborhood at or against another
-- provided information to some selected constituents
-- refused to attend meetings
-- failed to returned call-after-call
-- members of staff ARROGANT and uninformed
-- appointed to committees but never or hardly ever attended
-- turning a blind eye to wrongdoing of the Department of City Development (commissioner and deputy), Department of Public Works (commissioner-city attorney), Department of Neighborhood Services, Public Library administration and board, Assessor's office, Emerging Business Department, Community Development Block Grant office, committees within DCD, BOZA/Board of Zoning and Administration, BID Districts, Neighborhood Strategic Planning organization, HUD/Housing, selectiion of city personnel, agreeing to huge special projects withdrawals from the public coffers (i.e., MANPOWER, MANDEL, GRUNAU, PABST/ZILBER, DISCOVERY WORLD, MILWAUKEE MUSEUM, LAKE EXPRESS, HARLEY DAVIDSON, ROUNDY'S, CAPITAL STAMPING, IRGENS DEVELOPMENT) without the support of the citizenry
-- supporting monopolies of non-profits (i.e., BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS, YMCA, YWCA, UNITED WAY, HUNGER TASK FORCE, SAFE & SOUND)
-- DISRESPECTFUL to the entire African American population with broad-brushing statements lacking intellect, sensitivity and civility.

City of Milwaukee
We kick-off with focus on City officials and the PETITION-in-play-to-RECALL Governor Scott Walker. Scott Walker was Milwaukee County Executive for about 8 years.

The elected officials of Milwaukee are:

Mayor - CEO, Tom Barrett
Common Council President - Alderman 17th District, Willie Hines (see common council photos)
Alderman District 1 - Ashanti Hamilton
Alderman District 2 - Joe Davis
Alderman District 3 - Nik Kovac
Alderman District 4 - Bob Bauman
Alderman District 5 - Jim Bohl
Alderman District 6 - Milele Coggs
Alderman District 7 - Willie Wade
Alderman District 8 - Bob Donovan
Alderman District 9 - Robert Puente
Alderman District 10 - Michael Murphy
Alderman District 11 - Joe Dudzik
Alderman District 12 - James Witkowiak
Alderman District 13 - Terry Witkowski
Alderman District 14 - Anthony Zielinski

2012 Election
Milwaukeeans have a huge opportunity to change the generation-after-generation downward spiral. They have the numbers to vote, they definitely have the reasons for voting (quality of life and economic development issues).

We are determined to provide Leadership, Citizenship and Problem Solving during this great moment of harmony-building with the voters.
==============================

Reminders
-- January 3, 2012 - city Candidates file papers to Election Commission
-- January 17, 2012 - Government of Accountability Board - Recall Walker/Kleefisch petitions

LARSON WEEKLY REPORT - December 1, 2011

WI Senator Chris Larson - 7th District

Today's date: December 6, 2011

Saving Lives One Step at a Time


This week I introduced legislation to take a significant step towards making Wisconsin’s streets safer. This proposal will strengthen our state’s drunk driving laws through increased use of ignition interlock devices (IIDs). The proposal already enjoys bipartisan support. Our lax drunk driving laws and record number of binge drinkers has thrust Wisconsin into the national spotlight keeping us ranked as one of the worst states for drunk driving offenses in the country.

Wisconsin’s drunk driving laws have failed to protect the safety of Wisconsin’s drivers and passengers. According to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT), alcohol-related crashes killed 238 people and injured nearly 4,000 in Wisconsin in 2009. Additionally, approximately 45 percent of all fatal traffic crashes in Wisconsin in 2009 were alcohol-related. These staggering statistics do little to give our driver’s peace-of-mind while on the road.

In the past, the solution has simply been to take away the driver’s licenses of convicted drunk drivers. However, we know that doing this does not prevent them from driving. DOT estimates for 2010 show that over 32,000 people were convicted of driving drunk in Wisconsin. Of these, nearly 32 percent were repeat offenders. IIDs, on the other hand, have forced offenders to change their behavior by separating drinking from driving. Individuals with an IID installed will be prevented from starting their vehicle if their blood alcohol content (BAC) is above .02. IIDs are supported by drunk driving prevention advocates as they are proven to reduce drunk driving recidivism by 67 percent, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Legislature expanded the use of IIDs to first-time offenders with a BAC of .15 or higher and all repeat offenders during the 2009-2010 Legislative Session. Unfortunately, over the past year we have learned of cases around the state where first-time OWI offenders successfully plea bargain their BAC level below .15 in an effort to avoid the installation of IIDs.

It is time that we do more to stop the fatalities, injuries, and property loss caused by drunk drivers. The legislation I introduced is another step in the right direction towards making our streets safer for all Wisconsinites by requiring that all first-time convicted drunk drivers install an IID in their vehicle.

There is growing support in the Legislature for strengthening Wisconsin’s drunk driving laws through greater monitoring, treatment and enforcement. I am calling on members of the Legislature to whole-heartedly support this bill that will serve as a significant step towards reducing drunk driving in Wisconsin and in-turn increase public safety. However, legislation is not passed by legislators alone. Therefore, I also would like to encourage our fellow Wisconsinites to contact their state senator and representative and urge them to support this life-saving legislation.

To view a copy of this bill, please CLICK HERE.

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

Schacknow - TODAY'S PRIMER, December 6, 2011

Peter Schacknow, Senior Producer, CNBC Breaking News Desk

U.S. investors seem to be taking the potential S&P downgrade of European nations in stride: the news that it might happen did take the steam out of a strong rally Monday, but the major averages did finish the day higher and futures are indicating a higher open so far this morning.

That action leaked during the trading day and became official after the closing bell.
Among the market responses seen this morning to the news: a drop in both oil prices and the value of the euro.

The European debt crisis will undoubtedly get the bulk of Wall Street's attention today, with the calendar lacking any major economic releases, and with Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner arriving in Germany this morning for talks with euro zone officials.

The earnings calendar is also light today, with AutoZone (AZO) among the very few companies of note out with earnings this morning.

Leap Wireless (LEAP) will be a stock to watch in today's trading, following the news of a spectrum exchange deal with Verizon Wireless aimed at beefing up its presence in the Chicago area. The stock first rose in after-hours trading on the news, then slipped more than 5 percent.

Royal Dutch Shell (RDS) has announced a major discovery of shale gas in China, a market which currently has no commercial shale gas production.

Southwest Airlines (LUV) is also on our watch list, following comments by CEO Gary Kelly that the company's labor costs are too high. The comments were made in a letter to employees and are notable because Southwest has historically enjoyed lower labor costs than its larger competitors.

Ford (F) told CNBC that a Wall Street Journal story on possible successors to CEO Alan Mulally is "false". The story says the automaker has begun a broad search for a Mulally replacement because he's expected to leave the company within two years.

Patricia Dunn, the former chair of Hewlett-Packard's (HPQ) board of directors, has passed away at the age of 58. Dunn's tenure was marked by a scandal involving boardroom leaks, which saw her step down from the board in 2006 and a California
court dropping charges against her a year later.

CEPR/Center for Economic and Policy Research HAITI update

Friday, 02 December 2011 15:06
CEPR research assistant and HRRW contributor Jake Johnston writes in The Hill's Congress Blog

Following the devastating earthquake in Haiti on January 12, 2010, the U.S. launched an unprecedented relief effort, eventually totaling over one billion dollars. But the lead agency in the immediate aftermath was not the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), as is typically the case when our nation provides humanitarian assistance, but the military. Just after the earthquake, the U.S. had over 20,000 troops in Haiti. Of the $1.1 billion in humanitarian funding from the U.S. in 2010, nearly half was channeled to the Department of Defense.

As has been the case in Iraq and Afghanistan, relief efforts have relied heavily on contractors, a number of which have a history of waste, fraud and abuse. An analysis of federal contracts has revealed that Kuwait-based Agility Logistics (formerly PWC Logistics) -- currently under indictment for overcharging the U.S. military by up to $1 billion -- has benefited from over $16 million in funding awarded in the aftermath of the earthquake.

With so much on the line, the U.S government, across the board, must step up its oversight of contractors to ensure taxpayer dollars are not wasted on companies with poor track records.

SEE more

Alvin Ailey's Holiday Gift to YOU

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President Nicholas Sarkozy and Chancellor Angela Merkel step up Leadership effort

L-R: Chancellor Angela Merkel, Germany and President Nicolas Sakozy, France

Monday, December 5, 2011

PARIS — The two primary leaders of the euro zone, Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany and President Nicolas Sarkozy of France, shared lunch and called for amendments to provide better economic governance for the 17 countries of the euro zone.

Mrs. Merkel said France and Germany wanted to see "structural changes which go beyond agreements".

Mr. Sarkozy said the shared Franco-German wish was for "a forced march toward re-establishing confidence in the eurozone".

FOR MORE, C L I C K

Urban and Rural Stewardship - Odorous gases in Milwaukee

The Urban/Rural North America Neighborhood Level Impact of Water Sustainability and Stewardship.

December 4, 2011

MILWAUKEE - recently there was an alert of a sewage smell in Shorewood related to gasoline fumes. Over the years, sewer smells have been reported relative to leakages that threaten safety. Milwaukee has had scares relative to flooding, drains, sewage back-up, untreated sewage, death from Cryptosporidium, Asian Carp, rain and ground water.

This is a wake-up call for Milwaukeeans to be more involved and know what your dollars are paying for - where your dollars are going and for what - to what organizations and do they represent Milwaukeeans.

The government representation for your review (click below) are:
-- Department of Natural Resources

-- Wisconsin Department of Health Services

-- Milwaukee Health Department

-- City of Milwaukee Department of Public Works

-- Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewage District/MMSD.
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Shorewood Officials Hope Soil Samples Will Reveal Gas Spill Source - Milwaukee News Story - WISN Milwaukee

Gas leak in Shorewood - October 7, 2011 - Channel 12, WISN video
==============

Riverwest
Vince Bushell, publisher, Riverwest Currents article, What's the smell? Or Things to know about sewers, dated December 2011 speaks about the recent "rotten egg" smell emitting from along the Milwaukee River and possibly in some homes.

"Sewers create sewer gas, as part of the normal operation, although you should not be smelling it in your home, said Bushell. "In November the Michels construction was hired by the City of Milwaukee to repair a large sewer main that follows the Milwaukee River along Riverboat Road. The municipalities own most of the sewer pipes. MMSD, the Metropolitan Milwaukee Sewerage District is in charge of the larger collection tunnels and overseas the sewerage treatment plants. Michels uses a method developed in the mid 1970;s called Cured In Place Piping or CIPP."

For more, CLICK
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On November 4, 2011, Milwaukee Professionals Association/MPA, sent notice to Wisconsin legislators of the NEW efforts of Urban and Rural stewardship being forged over the next year by MPA due to the DISCRIMINATORY practices of:
-- University of Wisconsin School of Freshwater Sciences
-- Milwaukee Water Council
-- THE Water Conservancy.

Problem: African American, People of Color and the Work Challenged - the majority population and true stakeholders, were left completely OUT. However, government resources were not.

The Alliance for Water Stewardship was established about two years ago to build the first global water certification program for businesses, cities and other major water users and managers.

Locally, UW-Milwaukee, our urban and state-supported university partnered with Milwaukee Water Council and THE Water Conservancy and excluded the majority stakeholders, yet staged an afternoon presentation that was labeled as "public involvement". The behavior was discovered by Mary Glass.

Glass immediately went to the drawing board and launched efforts that would include all paths/platforms related to water use, rights and privileges, cost, proprietary claims, funding, entrepreneurship, drains, environmental hazards, sewage, Great Lakes, etc.
====================

"Because of the Enduring Concentrated Poverty and history of "by-design" exclusion of the majority stock-/stakeholders of Milwaukee (African American, other People of Color and the Work Challenged); we are scrutinizing transparency, outreach to Milwaukeeans for business development and employment, customer care, issues of quality of life and economic development," said Mary Glass, Chair/CEO, Milwaukee Professionals Association. "Right away we see the continued over-saturation of partnerships of Michels Construction and We Energies with the City of Milwaukee."

Milwaukee Professionals Association list Code of Conduct for Milwaukee Delegation to erase Enduring Concentrated Poverty

CLICK photo to ENLARGE

2008 Federal Reserve and Brookings Institution Case Studies - 16 Cities in the USA identified as Enduring Concentrated Poverty cities
Milwaukee was identified as one.


December 3, 2011

The City of Milwaukee has over a half-million people.
It is the iconic urban city of Wisconsin - largest city. It garners $$MILLIONS each year based on its population.

It has "hidden talent" that is by-design left out of INNOVATION and state of the art technology employment and neighborhood-level entrepreneurship.

It has been named time-and-time again for its disparities, yet it gets $$MILLIONS annually that are placed in pet projects, outsourced to neighboring suburbs-contractors, and to payback well-connected groups formed by and led by Caucasians.

The population of Milwaukee is majority African American, Latino, American Indian and Asian.
===============

Milwaukee Professionals Association observation from 2005-2010 revealed a pattern of behavior of outsourcing of wealth by those elected-appointed-hired-volunteered and Donor-for-hire.
===============

Milwaukeeans have a right to:

-- A viable - safe, comfortable, clean environment that promotes sound opportunities of quality of life and economic development.

-- A courteous and knowledgeable Milwaukee delegation of elected officials from city, county, school board, state and federal government.

-- A Milwaukee delegation that do their homework, know the desires of their constituency and represent their district-city with state-of-the-art knowledge and ethical behavior.

-- A Milwaukee delegation that appoint/hire/bring-to-the-table Milwaukeeans that will represent the People, that take seriously the position, that work and report to the people for solutions and keep the elected/appointed representatives informed.

-- A Milwaukee delegation with a high TRUST level in representation of stock/stakeholders' well-being and their resources - land use, real estate, taxes, and public policies.

-- A Milwaukee delgation that promotes education-technology-research attainment of each Milwaukeean with a 2020 competitiveness.

-- A Milwaukee delegation that makes government services accessible to all the citizenry with constant enforcement and upgrades using the in-the-neighborhood/from the neighborhood strategic planning groups.

-- A Milwaukee delegation that seeks and respect the citizenry to guide and monitor uses of HUD/Housing and Urban Development, Department of Transportation, Department of Education, Department of Health Services, Department of Justice, Department of Department of Labor, Environmental Protective Agency and other federal funding resources rather than at-will gifts to cronies, pet projects and election paybacks.

-- A Milwaukee delegation that recommend/appoint/hires and TRAIN Milwaukeeans, especially critical mass of African American, other People of Color and the Work Challeged (un-, under-employed; un-, under-degreed and certificated; un-, under-financed neighborhood-level business; disabled; and re-entry - especially those returning from WAR, INCARCERATION, BOOMERANG EMPLOYMENT, BOOMERANG RETIREMENT and DEGREED students without employment).

-- A Milwaukee delegation that provides a prompt response to inquiries.

-- A Milwaukee delegation that RESPECT the citizenry and promotes high standards in customer care.

-- A Milwaukee delegation that review annually all cabinet employees with decision making departments that provide services at the city, county and school board level - that the evaluations are equal to the review process of the budget selections for the mayor, common council president, county executive, chairman supervisor, and school board president.

-- A Milwaukee delegation that RENEW appointed positions in timely timeframes to help avoid Conflict of Interest.

-- A Milwaukee delegation that HONOR the Oath of office.

-- A Milwaukee delegation that help to ensure that they "self-evaluate" for ethical conduct.

-- A Milwaukee delegation that comes together annually to review common cause, state statutes and Enduring Concentrated Poverty.

Inside County w/Harold Mester

For Immediate Release December 2, 2011

Contact: Harold Mester, Public Information Manager
414/278-4051 or harold.mester@milwcnty.com

PREVIEW OF DECEMBER 4, 2011 EDITION OF INSIDE THE COUNTY BOARD
County Board’s public affairs program airs Sunday on News/Talk 1130 WISN

Milwaukee, WI – The latest edition of Inside the County Board airs Sunday at 9:00 p.m. on News/Talk 1130 WISN radio in Milwaukee. The lineup includes:

• From the County Board floor: Final report on the 2012 County Budget and the vetoes from the County Executive (includes in-depth discussion on paramedics funding)

• Special feature: Milwaukee County Historical Society with Supervisor Jim “Luigi” Schmitt

• Sentencing youth offenders to Shakespeare as an alternative to incarceration

Hosted by the County Board’s Public Information Manager, Harold Mester, Inside the County Board airs the first Sunday of every month at 9:00 p.m. on News/Talk 1130 WISN. The first and only program of its kind in the Milwaukee area, Inside the County Board gives listeners a more in-depth analysis of action taken by the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors.

More information can be found at county.milwaukee.gov/insidethecountyboard, where listeners can hear archived audio from previous shows. The audio from Sunday’s show will be available by Tuesday, December 6.

###

LARSON WEEKLY REPORT - December 1, 2011

Senator Chris Larson, 7th District

December 2, 2011

Proper Notice for Changes to Health Safety Net

Just last month we learned that the Governor and his administration opted to cut $554 million from Wisconsin's health safety net that children, working families and seniors desperately need. Gutting funding from this vital state program will trigger an immediate and unexpected health care catastrophe for many Wisconsinites. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) anticipates that almost 65,000 Wisconsinites, including almost 30,000 pregnant women and children, will lose their health care coverage through BadgerCare as a result of these cuts.

BadgerCare is a program that was created with bipartisan support under former Governor Tommy Thompson. Currently, about one out of five Wisconsin residents rely on BadgerCare or Medicaid for their health care needs. The number of individuals enrolled in the state's Medicaid programs has been steadily increasing in recent years due to the ongoing recession and increased health care costs, making it one of the worst times to consider additional cuts to our health safety net.

Under current law, the Department of Health Services must provide a Medicaid or BadgerCare beneficiary only 10 days notice before implementing any changes to their coverage, which is simply not enough time for individuals to make alternative arrangements. I am co-sponsoring LRB 2407, legislation that will require the Department of Health Services to provide 60 days notice, in writing and in clear language, before any changes can be made to a beneficiary’s coverage.

If the Governor insists on making sweeping changes, endangering those who rely on BadgerCare and other Medicaid programs, the least we can do is provide adequate notice. In the face of these tough economic times, we should do whatever possible to ease the burden on Wisconsin families who depend on these safety net programs. For this reason I will be strongly supporting LRB 2407.

CLICK HERE to view a copy of this bill.
============================

Email: Sen.Larson@legis.wi.gov

Office Phone: (608) 266-7505
Toll-free Phone: (800) 361-5487

Mailing Address:
State Capitol
P.O. Box 7882
Madison, WI 53707

Web Site:
SenatorChrisLarson.com
============================

Milwaukee Professionals Association ask that you support this BILL by letting your representatives (local-state-federal) know that you want them to support this BILL.
Also, give a holler to Senator Larson of your approval for his "leadership" in the public square to provide BETTER CUSTOMER CARE to Wisconsinites.

News Wrap: Lawmakers Butt Heads Over Payroll Tax Cut Extention

December 2, 2011

WASHINGTON — Kwame Holman, PBS Reporter, gives News Wrap December 1, 2011.

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VITAMIN D - Who Should Take a Supplement?

December 1, 2011
Sarah B. Weir
Yahoo blogger

Vitamin D provides a wide range of health benefits.

It is effective in preventing rickets and treating other bone diseases such as osteoporosis.

According to the Mayo Clinic, getting enough vitamin D may prevent high blood pressure and protect against certain types of cancer. It may also promote weight loss for women. A growing body of research links heart health to sufficient vitamin D. Most recently, a large-scale study in the American Journal of Cardiology discovered that boosting vitamin D levels in heart patients who were deficient cut their risk of death by 60%, among other significant findings.

For MORE
Related link: 6 Heart disease risk factors
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Urban Health wellness is supported by Milwaukee Professionals Association.

Schacknow - TODAY'S PRIMER, December 1, 2011

Peter Schacknow, Senior Producer, CNBC Breaking News Desk

Wall Street stock investors can only hope the new month begins like the old one ended - with a spate of bullish news propelling the Dow to its biggest one-day gain since March of 2009. That last-day rally also managed to put the Dow in positive territory for November.

Economic data will compete with the European debt crisis for attention today, with a number of key reports on the calendar. Both automakers and retail chain stores are out with their monthly sales numbers for November today, with both being watched as a gauge of consumer spending enthusiasm as the holiday season begins.

At 8:30am ET, the Labor Department is out with its weekly report on initial jobless claims, which will get close scrutiny ahead of Friday's government employment report for November. Economists expect initial claims to drop to 390,000 from last week's reading of 393,000.

At 10am Et, the Institute For Supply Management will issue its monthly manufacturing index for November, with consensus forecasts calling for a rise to 52.0 from October's 50.8.

October construction spending figures are out at the same time, with economists looking for an increase of 0.3% following September's rise of 0.2%.

The earnings calendar is relatively light once again, with supermarket operator Kroger (KR) the only company of note issuing quarterly numbers this morning, and tax preparation giant H&R Block (HRB) headlining today's after-the-bell reports.

Costco (COST) is a stock to watch today, as it reports November same-store sales rose by 9%, above analyst estimates.

Dow component Walt Disney (DIS) may see some buying interest this morning, after the company raised its annual dividend by 50% to 60 cents per share. The opposite could be true for another Dow component, Hewlett-Packard (HPQ), which saw its debt rating downgraded two notches by Standard & Poor's.

Clorox (CLX) also makes the watch list, as investor Carl Icahn reduces his stake in the company to 5.38% from 6.89%.

We'll also keep Yahoo (YHOO) on our perennial watch list, as the latest reports say Blackstone and Bain Capital will join Alibaba Group in planning a bid for the entire company. The most recent rumors had a variety of parties considering bids for only part of Yahoo.

And for stocks not yet ready to watch: Sources tell CNBC Zynga will likely price its IPO on December 15, with trading to begin the following day. The source says the price range is likely to be $8 - $10 per share.

December 1, 2011 is WORLD AIDS DAY

Milwaukee, WI - December 1, 2011 is WORLD AIDS DAY.
See video below.

Milwaukee Professionals Association supports ALL HANDS on Deck, WE, Not Me Initiative, which calls for everybody to do his/her share to make the world - their household/neighborhood a better place to live.
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Milwaukee Professionals Association ask that we REFRESH our social consciousness and help make a difference - It is later than we think.

Travels of La Frisko Lewis - Toronto, CANADA

La Frisko Lewis is an adventurer during the off seasons of academic study. A regular traveler - as often as allowable-affordable. He is a sophomore at University Wisconsin -Milwaukee, majoring in Business.

He just returned from 3 days (Thursday-Sunday) in Toronto, Canada.
We will share his travel and share information about the largest city in Canada.
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The trip started off with a border check on the USA side/Michigan (went by quickly), followed by a lengthy and strict Canadian Border Patrol check (30-40 minutes). The lengthy, strict and seemingly biased check appeared to be racially and age-motivated since he was the only African American. There was an African female but she was not delayed - others seem to go right through.

La Frisko felt that he was singled out due to his race, gender, dreadlock/hair style, color of skin and age.

His advice to others is to be sure you come with identification with your present address, proof of where you stay/live in the USA(i.e., utility bill, pay stub), address on ID must match supporting documentation, if you have parking tickets or any other violation in the system, be sure to have with you proof of compliance, have a roundtrip ticket to show planned departure; and, justify cash availability with time of stay. In other words, you will need to have funds to show that you can sustain your basic needs while visiting.

He was considered suspect by stereotypes, therefore he encountered an unnecessary delay which spoiled his trip.

"You will always have people who will profile you", said La Frisko.
"It happens all the time - not just there."
"I will be better prepared the next time and I will tell others so they will know before traveling."

The plan was to do a lot of foot travel during the day - sightseeing, and studying at night. Even though La Frisko did some sightseeing, it was much less than he had planned. Unfortunately, many of the online Google searches for places to see and go went un-obtained this time. However, he had an adventure, made the most of his visit, fulfilled some pre-thoughts, enjoyed seeing the various cultures and hearing the constant speaking of the French language. He did not sample the French cuisine - McDonald's took the break each day.
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Toronto is located on Lake Ontario, one of the Great Lakes. Its population is over 2.5 million - the 5th largest city in North America. Toronto is one of the top financial centers of the world. It is Canada's economic center - Toronto Stock Exchange and home of 5 of the largest Canadian banks. Canada is a member of the G-7 (United Kingdom, United States, Germany, France, Italy, Canada and Japan) - meeting of finance ministers from industrialized nations.

Toronto's leading economic sectors include finance, business services, telecommunications, aerospace, transportation, media, arts, film, music, television production, publishing, software production, medical research, education, tourism, engineering, and sports industries.
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We look forward to La Frisko's next trip.

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La Frisko is a member of Milwaukee Professionals Association Safety Matters Exploratory Team - college students with a focus on Leadership, Citizenship and Problem Solving.

URBAN HEALTH CARE IN MILWAUKEE - ALL HANDS on DECK

CLICK photo to Enlarge

November 29, 2011

Twenty-first century “In-the-neighborhood access” to primary and specialty care for Milwaukeeans is equal to a third world country.

We have the funds, we have the educational sites and we can have a growing medical talent pool; but, they are not coordinated for better customer care, transparency, best practices, health wellness customized for Milwaukeeans health care needs, affordable cost due to education attainment for care-givers and ongoing education to the end-users with best practices on both sides, best use of funding – research-education attainment-health care facilities, employment and business development at the neighborhood-level.

ALL HANDS on Deck, WE, Not Me Initiative-Plan-Project sees HEALTH CARE as a primary focus of change for its BOTTOM-up Recovery - economic affluence and BETTER-BEST sustainability at the neighborhood-level.

Our densely populated neighborhoods on the north and south side have chronic health challenges that can be overcome with proper due diligence (education-communication-access-connectivity-solidarity in message-strategic planning and buy-in from the Get-go, creating networks for tracking records, access to “trained” and “sensitive” health care providers) and maximizing our resources.

The total population through all methods of neighborhood-level outreach (individual, adults, youth-young adults, mothers-fathers-siblings-relatives, schools, churches, neighborhood businesses, private and public organizations with community services must be educated and in a neighborhood network of sharing information. No one is exempt.

We call for every man-woman-child, no one is exempt, to support the removal of obesity, high blood pressure, heart attacks, diabetes, AIDS, cancers, childhood illnesses, low-birth weight infants, drug addiction, alcohol addiction, mental health illnesses, and other befalling illnesses from becoming older and through negative practices.

WE see EDUCATION OUTREACH to the people, of what-who-where-when-how as Step 1.

NEIGHBORHOOD-LEVEL TOOLKIT NETWORK
WE see MESSAGE-CARRYING at all Child care sites, Milwaukee Public Schools and all other schools (public-private-elementary-secondary, 2- and 4-year) as the first-line of defense and health intervention.

WE see the health department of Milwaukee as our built-in catalyst authorized to provide connectivity and basics to all end-users. It is ground zero for planning and coordinating FOR/by the people for BUY-IN, review and updates; ONLY if, the stakeholders are at the table for initial through post planning; and, practitioners during the the implementation.

It is to be a "home-grown" process for long-term sustainability.

WE see the newly funded Columbia St. Mary’s site (Bill 514) as the Milwaukee Urban neighborhood training center and HUB for volunteers from the neighborhoods, care providers planning and overall training facility with state-of-the art conferencing for academic-technology-research attainment. It is to mobilize the stakeholders in the neighborhood and utilize hidden talent of resource-sharing. The school IS TO BE a one-stop shop that provide CASE LEARNING and on-the-job training.

WE see a Milwaukee Urban Health think tank made up of neighborhood volunteers, neighborhood strategic planners, end-users, care providers, insurance providers, pharmacy representatives, health care administrators and research representatives from UW-Milwaukee Helen Bader School of Public Health and other higher education health focus sites.

WE see UW-Milwaukee as our built-in catalyst for working directly with the neighborhood-level end-users in research, education attainment of care givers, education/training of public workers of the neighborhood and development of specifics that empower the Urban Health Collaborative.

WE see large organizations such as Aurora, Columbia St. Mary’s, St. Joseph, Froedtert , Medical College of Wisconsin and health insurance companies as part of the day-to-day consortium that must adopt a NEW method of “MAXIMIZING” major health services, cost savings, partnerships with in-the-neighborhood quality services for customers in the City of Milwaukee. To help provide incubators, clinics and real estate parks WITHIN the City of Milwaukee for accessibility.

WE see all health providers for end-users in the City of Milwaukee registering and participating in the growth, soundness and critical health prevention and intervention of the City of Milwaukee.

WE embrace strongly the University of Chicago ideas of patients having a “MEDICAL HOME”, “NON-EMERGENCY USE FOR PRIMARY HEALTH CARE”, “HOLISTIC HEALTH CARE” and training the next generation of practitioners to serve in the urban neighborhoods.

The Urban Health Initiative (UHI) is a partnership among the University of Chicago Medical Center and public leaders, community groups, health care providers and community residents. Together, these groups are working in the areas of patient care, research and education to improve the long-term health of the more than one million people on the South Side of Chicago. Video of Chicago Urban Initiative: CLICK.

MPA supports the 2020 challenges of Education Attainment and Technology that President Obama has put forward. We equally support the following in his reform for Health:

-- Health reform will make health care more affordable

-- make health insurers more accountable

-- expand health coverage to all Americans

-- make the health system sustainable

-- stabilize family budgets

-- improve the Federal budget and the economy.

For more about Health Care Reform – the White House Issues, go to:

WHITE HOUSE HEALTH CARE
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ALL HANDS on DECK, WE, Not Me Initiative-Plan-Project is the work of Milwaukee Professionals Association [MPA] and th brainchild of Mary Glass, Chair/CEO.

CNBC.COM - TODAY'S PRIMER - November 29, 2011

Investors are closely watching Europe once again today as Euro zone finance ministers prepare to meet, but they are breathing a mild sigh of relief this morning: Monday's gains were the first in eight sessions for the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq, and only the second in eight sessions for the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

November, however, is on pace to register sizable losses, with the potential monthly drop representing the sixth in seven months.

The latest home price data is on the way this morning at 9am ET, courtesy of the latest Case-Shiller report.

Economists think home prices in the largest 20 cities will register a year over year drop of 3.1% for September, compared to a 3.8 percent decrease for August.

At 10am ET, the Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index is seen jumping to 45 for November from October's 39.8.

Retailer Tiffany (TIF) is the only earnings report of note out this morning, and there are no major companies set to release earnings after today's closing bell.

Sovereign debt ratings are in the news this morning on several fronts: Fitch affirmed the AAA rating of the U.S. after Monday's closing bell, though it did drop the outlook to negative.

And a report in La Tribune today says Standard and Poor's may cut its outlook on France's AAA credit rating to negative within the next 10 days.

The debt rating of Netflix (NFLX) is also in the news, with S&P downgrading Netflix to BB- from BB, with a stable outlook.

Seagate Technology (STX) is a stock to watch this morning, rising after-hours on an upbeat outlook for this quarter and next.

Yahoo (YHOO) remains in the news on multiple fronts: All Things Digital reports that Marc Andreesen is considering a possible leadership role, as part of the effort by Silver Lake Partners to buy part of the company.

And Reuters reports that Thomas H.Lee Partners is interested in buying Yahoo's U.S. operations.

We'll also keep an eye on shares of battered Research In Motion (RIMM), as it introduces security software designed to work on phones that compete with RIM's BlackBerry.

One stock we can't yet watch is Facebook, but the Wall Street Journal is now reporting that the social media giant is now targeting dates between April and June of next year for its initial public offering.

In the Global Round w/Mary Glass - NEW blog talk radio

Monday, November 28, 2011

MILWAUKEE, WI - Milwaukee Professionals Association is opening another PLATFORM window for COMMUNICATION. It is through BLOG TALK RADIO - another social network for sharing, this time through a LIVE talk show.

BlogTalkRadio is the largest and fastest growing online talk radio network. A truly democratized medium, BlogTalkRadio has tens of thousands of hosts and millions of listeners tuning in and joining the conversation each month. Many businesses also utilize the platform as a tool to extend their brands and better communicate with the people that are most important to their business.

"We are constantly looking at how we can approach a larger audience with "common cause", this is one of two we have reached out to in the last two weeks, said Mary Glass, Chair/CEO, Milwaukee Professionals Association.
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In the Global Round w/Mary Glass is the name of the show.
We will air our first show in the next 7 days.

Dryhootch - Xmas in the Country Sale

December 2-4 - Dryhootch will sell "Marine Mud" coffee as a fundraiser during the Xmas in the Country Sale - a nationally known folk and fine art boutique will feature juried, and original works of artists across the country.

Place: Cedar Creek Winery and WI Museum of Quilts and Fiber Art
W50 N5050 Portland Avenue

Admission: $3.00 (good for both places)

Trolley travel between the two sites.
Holiday foods, wearable art, jewelry, ornaments and home decor.

More Info, CLICK
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For gallery and others,
Visit: mychristmasinthecountry.com/
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Milwaukee Professionals Associations supports Dryhootch.org - a neighborhood organization supporting VETERANS.

PUBHUB Alert - November 28, 2011

Improving Patient Experience: A Hands-on-Guide for Safety-Net Clinics
California HealthCare Foundation
Fisher, Tammy; Hunter Gatewood

Provides step-by-step guidance for clinics and small practices on identifying areas for improvement and preparing for, making, and sustaining and spreading improvement in patient-provider relationships and patient access to primary care appointments.

Published: October 2011
Funder(s): California HealthCare Foundation
Subject(s): Health; Health, Healthcare Access/Reform
CLICK
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Crossing the Finish Line: A National Effort to Address Near Completion
Institute for Higher Education Policy

Offers a framework for reengaging students who leave higher education when they are close to obtaining degrees, highlights early findings from regional and national efforts to help near-completion students graduate, and presents promising strategies.

Published: November 2011
Funder(s): Carnegie Corporation of New York
Subject(s): Higher Education; Education
CLICK

News8000.com - Monday, November 28, 2011

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National and World Headlines
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Stocks perk up in holiday-shortened week

U.S. stocks rose Friday, after spending several back-to-back days in the red, as
investors returned from the Thanksgiving holiday for a shortened, and likely
quiet, trading session.

Gunman on loose at Chicago hospital

Police at the University of Illinois at Chicago have taken a person into custody
in the shooting death of a woman in a hospital garage, the school said Friday.

Police say a man killed his girlfriend in the garage, prompting a lockdown for
much of the ...

Poll: Nearly 25% will shop on Black Friday

Heading out for some shopping on Friday morning? You'll have some company.

19 killed in Basra blasts

At least 19 people were killed and 67 others were wounded Thursday in three
explosions in the southern Iraqi city of Basra.

Chicago's former first lady dies

Maggie Daley, the wife of a former Chicago mayor, died Thursday night after
battling breast cancer. She was 68.

North Korea threatens 'a sea of fire'

North Korea's military threatened "a sea of fire" upon the South's presidential
office a day after military exercises.

Syria faces Friday deadline

Syria has until Friday to agree to let Arab League observers into the country to
monitor the government's response to civil unrest or else face economic
sanctions from its neighbors.

Egypt's PM back after decade

Shortly after Kamal Ganzouri stepped down as prime minister more than a decade
ago, Egypt's state-run al-Ahram newspaper ran a story in which various party
and government officials accused him of being arrogant, autocratic and corrupt.

Iraq, Turkey end bans on flights

Iraq and Turkey have agreed to allow flights between their countries, ending a
mutual ban that began with a dispute about how an Iraqi government oil company
owed millions of dollars to Turkey.

Occupy protesters celebrate Thanksgiving

Occupy protesters across the country celebrated Thanksgiving on Thursday,
bringing all the trimmings of a traditional meal to the unlikely location of a
demonstration.
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For More, CLICK

LARSON Weekly Report - November 23, 2011

Senator Chris Larson - 7th District

Happy Thanksgiving!



This upcoming Thursday marks the beginning of the holiday season with Thanksgiving. Take time to enjoy the day and reflect on everything you have to be thankful for with family, friends, and neighbors.

Our community hosts an array of activities to help us celebrate the holiday season. Continue reading to see a list of family-friendly holiday events taking place throughout our neighborhoods.

Remembering and Being Thankful on this THANKSGIVING!

Thursday, November 24, 2011
MILWAUKEE - Another Thanksgiving is upon us.

May WE remember those in far away lands "on guard" for our freedom and well-being.
May their families be comforted in email, tweets, telephone calls, family and friends.

May WE remember those who are homeless and do not know where the next meal will come from.

May WE remember in prayer all of the people confined in the mind, hospitals and prisons.

May WE remember with fondest memories our loved ones that are no longer around us.
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May WE remember and be thankful.

LARSON Weekly Report - November 17, 2011

Senator Chris Larson - 7th District

Protecting Our Great Lakes
Rep. Cory Mason and I sponsored a briefing for the Great Lakes Caucus, a group of Wisconsin legislators that represent communities surrounding or impacted by the Great Lakes. This briefing was on the recent landslide in Oak Creek. The agenda focused on recounting what occurred, addressing efforts being made to minimize environmental damage, and ensuring similar events do not happen in the future.

I am reassured that extensive efforts are ongoing to safeguard the public's health and am relieved to learn that substantial progress has been made in resolving this situation. Long-term monitoring will be ongoing to safeguard water quality. While the immediate environmental impacts of this event are being managed, our community was fortunate that serious environmental and health problems appear to have been avoided. As we move forward, this event will serve as a reminder of the importance of environmental and health impact studies when pursuing future projects.

I will keep you updated and informed on any new developments as we monitor the response to this situation and will share lessons we learned to help protect against future events like this.
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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

Schacknow - TODAY'S PRIMER, November 22, 2011

Peter Schacknow, Senior Producer, CNBC Breaking News Desk

Wall Street's mood has turned decidedly bearish, with the Dow coming off its lowest close since October 20, and the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq finishing at their lowest levels since October 7.

The major averages are also now on pace for their sixth month of losses in the past seven.

Neither of the factors that weighed on markets Monday - the European debt crisis and the failure of the deficit-cutting "Super Committee" - show signs of fading today, though U.S. stock futures are currently pointing to a much calmer opening than yesterday.

Among the economic reports set for today: a second look at third quarter GDP, with economists projecting a 2.3 percent annual growth rate for the U.S. economy, compared to last month's estimate of 2.5 percent. That number will be out at 8:30am ET.

At 2pm ET, the Federal Reserve will issue the minutes from the most recent FOMC meeting.

The Treasury is set to sell $35 billion in 5-year notes today, with the results of that auction available shortly after 1pm ET.

Dow component Hewlett-Packard is a stock to watch today, beating estimates for its fourth quarter but issuing a fiscal first quarter outlook well below current street estimates.

Brocade Communications (BRCD) saw a 6 percent jump in after-hours trading after beating estimates with its fiscal fourth quarter profits and forecasting a strong first quarter.

We'll also watch shares of Netflix (NFLX), after the company announced it had raised $400 million in fresh capital through a sale of debt and equity.

Bank of America (BAC) is also on the watch list, as the Wall Street Journal reports that the bank has been warned to strengthen itself or face a public enforcement action.

Among today's earnings reports: food makers Campbell Soup (CPB) and Hormel Foods (HRL), along with medical products maker Medtronic (MDT).

Those will all be out before the opening bell, while TiVo (TIVO) is among the handful of companies set to issue their numbers after the closing bell.

And Americans are quick to point a finger at the acts of others in other countries

UC-Davis - The officer of UC-Davis managed to set back his organization big time with his stroll-and-pepper-spraying of the students while they set on the ground. It was if he was spraying his garden for pests or watering the roses during a dry spell.

It also reminds me of the unforgivable way the southern officers treated African Americans who sought "equal rights" in the 1960's- right to eat in public restaurants, right to use public bubblers, right to vote and right to stay in public accommodations. We were terrorized - just as those students were.

We do NO justice by such acts of terrorism. It sends the wrong message. It sends the wrong message.
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Let see what good/better public policy can come from this very barbaric behavior that shows disregard for human life and RESPECT for our laws - not to mention ridicule and disrespect for law enforcers.

Alvin Ailey - About Home

The bold hip-hop choreographer returns to the Ailey company to create a new work set to a soul-lifting score of gospel house music and inspired by the stories of people living with or affected by HIV.

CLICK

TODAY'S Public Hub Alert - November 21, 2011

Monday, November 21, 2011

2011 Otis Report on the Creative Economy Report of the Los Angeles Region
Otis College of Art and Design

Examines the combined economic impact of the arts, design, and entertainment industries in Los Angeles and Orange counties, including trends in employment, salaries, revenues, and nonprofit arts groups. Offers projections for 2015 and industry snapshots.

Published: November 2011
Funder(s): Ann and Gordon Getty Foundation
Subject(s): Arts and Culture; Social Science; Community Improvement/Development

For report PDF Link, CLICK

In the Public Square with Mary Glass - Addressing Racism and Overawe

MILWAUKEE, WI - From time-to-time, we will address the noun, Racism. For I find that it is a powerful contagion of influence - on how a person is valued. Yes. valued. How a person, group/race are valued and then addressed or not addressed with dignity and worth. How the behavior of distributed low expectation becomes commonplace and perpetuates low expectations and less than available successes.

It is a main culprit of ECP/Enduring Concentrated Poverty. ECP is at the root of the disparity of African American, People of Color and the Work Challenged.

Racisim
Racism is defined by Random House Dictionary as:
1. a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to rule others.

2. a policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination.

3. hatred or intolerance of another race or other races.
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Recently, I commenced the evaluation of a project in Milwaukee with a questionnaire to an energetic stakeholder in a neighborhood-level project. It was clear that the Respondent was proud of her role and involvement.

I introduced the measurement of "discrimination", "bias", "respect" and "inclusion". My discovery was the stain of No. 2 - A policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination, and No. 1 - a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to rule others.

Overawe
To my enlightenment, the energetic and pleased Respondent was complicit without knowing it. The excitement to finally have change in the neighborhood that addressed one of the lagging poverty disparities of the neighborhood was rehabilitating and seemingly enough for the Respondent. However, the level of quantitative and qualitative results sought in our measurement were vastly lacking.

The Respondent was expressively co-dependent and beholding, even though comments of involvement were contradictory at key qualitative and quantitative points and therefore revealed "tainted comments of intimidation" - overawe.

The comments indicated a desire to be forthcoming but the nature of the question forced honesty that the Respondent was not comfortable in replying to.

Therefore, rather than speak the truth to the question, the question was generalized with the Respondent's "personal belief" rather than what actually was exhibited by the institution. In this instance, the Respondent chose to not give a "negative truth" in order to support the institution. It is believed the Respondent felt safer and not at risk of some type of retribution.

The problem with the "do-good" of this response is, it allows the institution, who has reported through its Mission, proposal, grant compliance, business case the opposite of behavior with this group of stakeholders. It most assuredly allowed bad behavior and violations to get swept-under-the-rug and the group/race of the Respondent demonized and penalized as a group/race of people it is working for and have received heavy government funding.

It allowed the institution to exploit the group/race of people and perpetuate "less than" in transparency, customer care, principle-centered leadership and accountability in the public square - government reports - videos, press releases, etc.

It also allowed the Respondent and neighborhood stakeholders to receive less than and not have a true barometer of what they should have received and/or obtained.
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Glass Truism - Co-dependency and intimidation/overawe due to one's perceived power can and do perpetuate racism and poverty; such as what is perceived in this neighborhood-institution ongoing evaluation.