Pakistan Anti-American feeling in the Pakistani military and government is seriously hampering aid efforts, reports the New York Times: Continue reading
Monthly Archives: December 2009
Unemployment and COBRA running out December 31
Unless Congress acts, unemployment compensation benefits for many workers will end December 31. Government subsidies for COBRA health insurance extensions for unemployed workers will also end. Continue reading
Filed under news
T-Paw vs. teachers
Education Minnesota, the teachers’ union, said it can’t support Governor Tim Pawlenty’s proposal for $200 million in federal “Race to the Top” stimulus money for schools. Continue reading
Filed under news
Stopping by New Hampshire On A Snowy Evening
© Stasys Eidiejus - Fotolia.com
With apologies to Robert Frost, local bloggers Sally Jo Soroensen and Robin Marty have adapted his poem to talk about T-Paw’s travels. Continue reading
Filed under news
Teen drugs of choice
Pills are more popular than pot, and meth and booze use are trending down among teens, according to a study released Monday by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, part of the National Institutes of Health. The study was done by the University of Michigan for NIDA. Continue reading
Filed under Uncategorized
Colin Peterson, Dick Day, election updates
Despite a push from the Republican National Congressional Committee urging him to retire, Minnesota Rep. Collin Peterson is still running for another term, reports Eric Black in MinnPost. Why the RNCC thought they would/could/should have any influence on the 10-term Democratic representative, who currently chairs the House Agriculture Committee, is a mystery to me. Continue reading
Filed under Uncategorized
Census jobs – where?
© edbockstock - Fotolia.com
The census will hire 1,000 temporary workers in the Shakopee area, reports AP in the Pioneer Press and on MPR. Why is Shakopee such a key area? Continue reading
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Update: For-profit schools, student debt, and worse
Dole - Fotolia.com ©Dole
For-profit educational institutions are ripping off students and taxpayers, according to an important report in Washington Monthly.
Yesterday (December 15), I wrote about recently-released federal numbers showing that for-profit schools have the highest default rate on student loans. Continue reading
Filed under news
Texas firm screwed up – so it sues Minnesota
Minnesota state government contracted with Lookout Services, a firm in Texas, to E-verify the immigration status of new employees. E-verify is a system much loved by immigration opponents and widely criticized by others as inefficient and prone to errors. Lookout, however, had a different problem. The company was inept enough that the personal information of 500 employees became available to anyone who knew how to operate a mouse. Obviously, that’s a no-no, so Minnesota severed all ties with the company, after MPR turned up the story.
Instead of slinking away, hoping no one would sue for invasion of privacy or breach of contract, Lookout Services is suing the State of Minnesota, and maybe MPR, too. The Minnesota Independent quotes an E-Verify statement: “[L]imited portions of the company’s proprietary software may have been illegally compromised by The State of Minnesota and Minnesota Public Radio.” Apparently they think that going to the company website and noticing that they have left personal info hanging out is illegal – but leaving said info accessible is not.
Filed under Uncategorized
Borrowing from Peter to pay St. Paul
Governor Tim Pawlenty’s latest budget-balancing trick is to “borrow” money from the Minnesots State Colleges and Universities to help with the state’s cash flow problem. The state is also delaying payments to the University of Minnesota, and payments of corporate and sales tax rebates. Continue reading
Filed under Uncategorized
Mary Turck