| Contractor loses La. scholarship account data dating back to 1998
BATON ROUGE, La. -- A Boston-based contractor hired to store and safeguard state scholarship and college savings account data lost most of those records _ including bank account numbers and student and parent Social Security numbers _ during a move, officials say. "We certainly don't want to create any panic. But people should be aware and take the necessary steps," said Melanie Amrhein, executive director of the Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance. "This is backup data off of a mainframe that contains sensitive personal information." Special equipment and software and "sophisticated computer skills" would be needed to get the compressed records from the TOPS scholarship program, START Saving Program, and Free Application for Federal Student Aid, according to a notice posted on the Internet.
50,000 to file IT returns again
Setting a record of sorts, traffic cops challaned nearly 1,600 violators in the Feroze Gandhi market here in the last one month. As per rough estimates, total revenue generated was around Rs 16 lakhs. The market is one of the busiest in the city, with a large number of business houses, commercial offices, banks and finance companies located here. Police sources said the market had recently become quite sensitive due to its proximity to the mini-secretariat, police headquarters and the CIA office. Vehicles parked dangerously close to the secretariat wall were a major threat, so vigil in the area was increased. SI Mukesh Kumar got the distinction of challaning nearly 1,000 vehicles. SSP R.K. Jaiswal, who had specially ordered increased monitoring in the market, has awarded him with a commendation certificate given by IG Zonal.
BUSH'S LEGACY OF SHAME
But as Bush basks in the glow of his own fantasy, the suffering in Gaza, one of the world's worst humanitarian disasters, along with the savage occupation of Iraq, continues to fuel widespread anger and rage. Bush has spent his time in office bolstering the Middle East's most despotic regimes, including that of Gen. Hosni Mubarak in Egypt. He approved a $20-billion arms package for these states. He has backed efforts to crush mainstream Islamic groups that have electoral legitimacy and popular support. He has stood by as these regimes have stifled democratic dissent, and he has, with Israeli encouragement, isolated governments, even friendly governments, in the Middle East that raised feeble protests. But his day is past. There is open revolt. Opinion polls show that two-thirds of Palestinians, and three-fourths of Israelis, do not believe Bush can affect events in the Palestinian territories.
Families, businesses share money worries
Families, businesses share money worries More than half of Marylanders polled believe the economy is bad and getting worse Rising gasoline prices are part of the problem that is forcing up the cost of nearly everything, which has caused a general pessimism and expectation of recession. (Sun photo by Monica Lopossay / January 16, 2008) .
Bill Graves: Costa Rica is billfishing paradise
Our first day was good, several "lookers" and four sailfish caught, but tune in next Saturday for some odd happenings and further excitement during my two remaining days fishing along the Costa Rica coast. Costa Rica is often referred to as the poor man's Hawaii. There's something to see or experience that will please and entertain every tourist. Sun and white sand beaches; rain forest tours featuring a wide array of unique birds, amphibians and mammals; wonderful fresh seafood and tropical libations with little umbrellas, and of course some of the finest saltwater angling in the world. Check out this Web site: www.costaricadreams.com online for info and wonderful photos or call 732-901-8625(x46) in the U.S. or 011-506-637-8942 direct to Gerard or Aristotle at the CR Dreams office in country to ask questions or to book a boat.
Text of Napolitano address
There was no plan to give Arizona's children the early start they need and deserve. Teacher pay was lagging, and we weren't doing what was necessary to support our new teachers and keep our best educators in the classroom. Phoenix was the largest city in the nation without a university-based medical school and our state was not graduating enough students with college degrees to keep up with our growth.Fast-forward to today. We've created a new grade level by making full-day kindergarten available to every Arizona family. We've made historic investments in early childhood education and in teacher pay. We've broken ground on an all-new medical campus, tripled our contribution to student financial aid, and built up our universities.This is progress, and it is precisely where we needed to go.Now, we must move quickly this year to implement the voter-approved initiative aimed at early childhood.
The Global Threat The News Media Ignore
Even in turmoil-wracked Kenya, Business Day Africa picked it up. But here? A few specialized environmental news groups took notice. The Voice of America broadcast overseas about it. But there was hardly a whisper out of The Washington Post, or the New York Times, or the Los Angeles Times, or any other major U.S. news outlet.
One is tempted to say that we Americans, collectively, are holding our heads in the sand, aroused by mortgage market woes and a brewing recession, preoccupied by a presidential election, yet largely oblivious to the mega-global issues on which our entire survival may depend.
The core problem: We still believe in the prevailing economic calculus of the past two centuries — that natural resources, from water and air to energy, are limitless.
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