Boeing 747-8i Ready To Fly Around The World

Everett, WA – This past Sunday Boeing did not just add new colors to the first Boeing 747-8i, now Boeing’s newest and largest Jumbo Jet, but a whole line of new features.  The new features in the new 747 will include, though no limited to, a new cockpit, new wings as well as new engines.  [...]

Boeing-747-8i Boeing-747-8i

Mubarak Departs

Cairo, EGYPT – After more then two weeks of rioting the now former President of Egypt, Hosni Mubarak, stepped down from power today.  Hosni Mubarak made the announcement that he would step down via his days old Vice President Omar Suleiman earlier this morning EST.  However, the announcement did not come until he left the [...]

mubarak mubarak

Suez Canal Remains Open During Current Egypt Uprising

Suez, EGYPT – The Suez Canal in Egypt will remain open for the time being and has not had any major delays as a closure of the canal seems to be unlikely.  Due to raging protests in Egyptian cities like Alexandria, Cairo and Suez trying to oust President Hosni Mubarak it has been feared that [...]

suez canal suez canal

U.S. Diplomat Kills Two In Pakistan In Robbery Attempt

Lahore, PAKISTAN -  Today the the main United States Embassy for Pakistan in the city Islamabad (the capital of Pakistan) has ordered that a diplomat, imprisoned for murder charges be released.  According to law enforcement officials in Pakistan the diplomat murdered two men in Lahore a city in eastern Pakistan.  However, the U.S. says that [...]

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Egypt Riots Cause Fuel Prices To Rise

Cairo, EGYPT – As the cost of oil is already hitting new highs and hitting our pocket books even harder, today it was given even more ammo.  The violence in Egypt as well as in other oil producing countries is the main reason for surging oil prices today.  Thousands of protesters rushed into the streets [...]

costs rising costs rising

Wisconsin Anti Union Bill Passes Amid Protests

February 26th, 2011 Greg Parks

Madison, WI – A Wisconsin bill passed in the State Assembly today, which among other things, will limit the collective bargaining rights for public workers unions in the state.  The bill’s very proposal set off harsh protests mainly from the Teacher’s Union.  After three days of debate on the Assembly floor the bill’s future is still uncertain as Democrats in the state Senate (where the bill heads next) did the most “childish” thing… fled the state.  Republicans, the ones in charge of the Senate chamber, ordered that state troopers be sent to look for all the runaway Dems yesterday, however, none could be found

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker made mention to the effect, he wants to subdue the estimated $3.6 billion shortfall Wisconsin faces this year.  Gov. Walker stated “If the bill does not pass by Friday, the state will miss a deadline to refinance $165 million of debt and will be forced to start issuing layoff notices.” According to sources Wisconsin spends $8.65 billion on Education and 30% of that is spent on teachers alone.  The average teacher in the state of Wisconsin has a salary of $46,390 up 21.5% in ten years.  In contrast, at minimum wage a person working 10 hours a day for 365 days a year would earn only $26,462 and have almost none of the pensions or health care benefits provided to a public worker.

However, this is not just about how much the teachers in the Teachers Union get paid, but more how they have handled this situation.  In an undercover investigation by Fox News many teachers got sick notes from doctors just so they could protest.  Let’s take a look back at the repercussions of this.  Schools closed because not enough teachers showed up for their taxpayer funded jobs.  Because schools closed, a single minimum wage person had to stay home to take care of their duties and forfeit a day of pay.  If teachers are going to act like that maybe they should be fired.

But what Gov. Walker’s bill actually means for teachers and other public workers is: It mandates that public employees in the state of Wisconsin arwisconsin anti untion protestse to contribute just under 6% of their salary to their defined benefit pension plan.  Prior to the bill’s passing teachers contributed less then 1% of their salary.  Under the former system, for every dollar contributed by a public employee to his/her own retirement, the taxpayers throw in over $57 more.  For what it is worth teachers are taxpayers, however even that does not make the current pensions plans that Wisconsin pays for sustainable.

Boeing-747-8i

Boeing 747-8i Ready To Fly Around The World

February 15th, 2011 Greg Parks

Everett, WA – This past Sunday Boeing did not just add new colors to the first Boeing 747-8i, now Boeing’s newest and largest Jumbo Jet, but a whole line of new features.  The new features in the new 747 will include, though no limited to, a new cockpit, new wings as well as new engines.  Because of this new plane, Boeing will reclaim its’ once lost  title of manufacturing the worlds’ largest jetliner since the title was taken by Airbus in 2005 when they launched their Airbus A380.

Not only is the new Boeing 747-8i going to be larger then its’ predecessor, the 747-400, but more fuel efficient as well, having less of an impact on the environment.  According to Boeing the 747-8i will have 16% better fuel economy, 16% less carbon emissions, will be 30% less noisy and over all should be 12% less costly to operate.  Thus, making the new 747 the  lowest seat-mile cost of any large commercial jetliner.

The 747-8i can hold 467 passengers, 51 more passengers then previous 747 models with 18.3 more feet on the bottom deck  and 13.3 feet on the top deck means there is also more space per passenger.  So, not only do the passengers aboard have more space, but due to lower operation costs  they should also save more money.

Already 25 of the new Boeings have been ordered, 20 by Lufthansa an airline out of Germany who wants to replace older Boeings in rapidly growing markets and 5 by Korean Air wanting to do the same.  Both of the airlines state just about the same thing: The new 747-8i will supply markets that were not busy enough for the the 525 passenger Airbus A380 and markets left to dry from the mere 416 seats of the 747-400.  Boeing has scheduled the first delivery of the new plane to Lufthansa sometime in the year 2012.

airlines

Airlines Flying Again – But At What Cost?

February 13th, 2011 Leo Kent

Atlanta, GA – As the country pulls out of a recent economical recession, that for many, has been the survival of the fittest.  The rising cost of fuel and Americans with less money has been no help at all for the airline industry.  Since December of 2007, 11 airlines have filed for bankruptcy, 7 of which discontinued operations altogether.

However, according to a recent government report Americans have once again been returning to the skies.  Airlines have seen low passenger numbers in the last couple of years as the recent passenger air travel decline has been at its’ worst since 9/11, but seems to now be improving.  Passenger air carriers in the United States for domestic flights as well as international ones have been showing a positive passenger increase since November of 2010.

The Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), a sub-department of The United States Department of Transportation (DoT), stated that over 58 million passengers going to domestic as well as international destinations flew in the month of November 2010 alone.  Those numbers show an upward increase by some  6.1% from the same time in 2009.

Still, passenger traffic in many airports nationwide is not what it used to be.  For example, the Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL), the busiest airport in the world by total passenger traffic, had only 74.9 million passengers in 2010.  That is far lower then the 88.0 million in 2009 or the 90.0 million ATL had in 2008.  Despite the dwindling numbers ATL still had the most domestic travelers in 2010 at over 60.0 million and the John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) serving New York City, NY had the most international passenger traffic at about 15.5 million.

pro-life

Federal Money For . . . Abortions?

February 12th, 2011 admin

The Students for Life of America published their latest investigation which shows over 44% of college as well as universities have health care programs which include elective abortions.  Looking at the health care plans for numerous schools many plans state that the cost of the extra abortion coverage is added in automatically to each student’s tuition, all without a students knowledge or consent.

However, this goes farther then a student being forced to pay more for their tuition just to fund another students’ abortion, but to the United States tax payers as well.  Though the Hyde amendment forbids federal money from being used to fund abortions it still does, in more ways then one.

One of the biggest ways that federal money is used to fund abortion is via the Federal Student Aid Program.  Because, as mentioned above, the health care programs in certain colleges and universities automatically include abortion coverage in a students’ tuition, any federal money used to pay for that tuition will pay for an abortion if the student so chooses.

Though President Obama and “pro-life Democrats” adamantly reaffirm that the Hyde Amendment is enforced to its’ full extent it took the Republicans to kick and scream for federal funding for abortion to be taken out of the Obamacare bill. However, even before the health care law came on the scene, groups such as Planned Parenthood raked in millions of taxpayer dollars to fund their many services which includes abortions.  In 2010 alone over $360 million in federal money (first belonging to the taxpayers) was grated to Planned Parenthood which is an openly pro-abortion organization.

As bleak as things may seem now all is not lost for Pro-life supporters.  The 2010 November elections produced many new pro-life Republicans, several of whom have superseded ousted Democrats who had the same claim but still voted for the Obamacare bill which supported abortion.   Furthermore, along with the politicians, the American people are becoming more pro-life as well.  According to a poll by Fox News in January of 2011, 50% of Americans support life, quoting Fox News “That’s an all-time high for pro-life identification.”   However, this is not simply a matter of opinion, it is whether or not federal law is being followed and enforced.

mubarak

Mubarak Departs

February 11th, 2011 admin

Cairo, EGYPT – After more then two weeks of rioting the now former President of Egypt, Hosni Mubarak, stepped down from power today.  Hosni Mubarak made the announcement that he would step down via his days old Vice President Omar Suleiman earlier this morning EST.  However, the announcement did not come until he left the capital of Cairo to go to his summer home.

In the announcement today, Mubarak did not give power to the Vice President as many thought he would, but to the military which is a highly respected institution in Egypt.   However, not just to the military as a whole but, to the Armed Forces Supreme Council which is a group made up of Egypt’s top generals.

Yesterday, when many thought the then President Mubarak would step down, he actually handed some power over to Vice President Suleiman, who was named as Vice President just days before.  It is not clear if Suleiman will retain the power he was giving yesterday or if that too was handed over to the military.

More then once Mubarak said he planned to hold on to his power until the elections were to be held in September of 2011.   However, each time he made such an announcement extra fuel was added to the deadly protests, which were sometimes right outside the gates to the Presidential Palace, his then home, in Cairo.

The protests started 18 days ago on January 25th following the successful ousting of the Tunisian president by the Tunisian people in January of 2011.  Starting in the Capital city of Cairo the protests soon spread to other major cities including, though not limited to, Alexandria and Suez.  At one point there was even talk the Suez Canal might close due to the unstable civil climate.  Fortunately, for consumers around the world that did not happen.

The news that Mubarak had stepped down sent great celebration throughout Tehrir Square in Cairo where the largest protests occurred.  Tens of thousands of people who had been rioting are now breaking out in song and jubilation. As another oppressive regime meets an end at the hands of a foe that all regimes fear the most, whether they admit it or not: The power of their own people.  It seems that in Egypt the people have finally won, but at a great cost, as the latest tally states that over 300 people lost their lives in the riots.

As good as things may appear to be right now, there is still one very big question that must be answered; and that is, what will the military do with the new power that has been given to them?  Will Egypt become a military state or will the military, as they claim, make sure that a fair and democratic election is held in a reasonable time frame?

ATT

Verizon: ATT’s New Rival

February 4th, 2011 Brad Street

The largest cell phone service provider in the United states, Verizon Wireless, has issued a warning to its’ customers that there is a possibility it is going to place penalties on excessive usage of its’ mobile internet services.  This announcement was released on the heals of the Apple iPhone being released to Verizon customers, something that has been looked forward to for many who are tired of AT&T’s monopoly of the iPhone.

Verizon is expected to profit deeply from the selling of the iPhone and give users a choice that they never had.  It is expected that many current AT&T iPhone subscribers are going switch to Verizon and those who want to get iPhones may finally take the plunge.  As AT&T was voted the wost mobile service provider by Consumer Ratings Magazine, many who do not want to bother with switching hope AT&T will treat them better with competition lurking.

Though it was going to be a good selling point is seems, based on Verizon’s latest statement, unlimited data services for a flat monthly fee of $30 will not be available.  Verizon was most likely going to go on with the unlimited data service plan to try and compete with AT&T’s original offer for the same.  However, AT&T stopped offering it to new costumers last year.

In the course of the initial day in the internet marketing of its’ long sought after  iPhone, Verizon made the appearance of being unprepared for the high volume of people rushing online for the phone.  In the end Verizon’s website pulled through even as costumers trying to make purchases of the iPhone reported getting error messages.

Govenor-of-New-York-Cuomo

Proposed New York Educational Spending Cuts

February 3rd, 2011 Leo Kent

Albany, NY – the Governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo, voiced a recommendation that administrators in the Public Education Department as well as educators themselves agree to a salary freeze this fiscal year which starts on April 1st 2011.   However, this is no joke, as Gov. Cuomo proposed this plan in an effort to place a $1.5 billion hit to the projected $10 billion budget deficit this year, up from over $6 billion in 2010′s fiscal year.

This plan for education which Gov. Cuomo has laid out is going to slash the state’s education expenses down to $19.3 billion.    This $19.3 billion figure is no small number however, as compared to the $20.9 billion that was spent on education last year, it is a start.

Though, like in all things that are political, not everybody is in support of this plan.  Still, in an effort to bring some peace, Gov. Cuomo.  stated that no one will be laid off due to his budget  cutting proposal that he made public Tuesday in the New York capital city of Albany.

With cuts to state spending on the education system, the NY governor has also proposed a plan to cut Medicaid spending by almost $2.8 billion.   If  Gov. Cuomo’s plans for education and Medicaid cuts work then the state’s projected budget deficient will drop $4.3 billion or 43%.

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