Help Wanted: Federal agencies look to hire nearly a quarter of a million workers from now through Fall of 2012
Aon Consulting Offers Keys to Securing a Federal Position
The federal government is hiring tens of thousands of new employees, according to a report titled “Where the Jobs Are 2009: Mission-Critical Opportunities for America,” released by the nonprofit Partnership for Public Service and cosponsored by Aon Consulting, the global human capital consulting organization of Aon Corporation .
The report represents job data from 35 federal agencies (employing more than 1,000 people), and found that from October 2009 through September 2012, these employers plan to hire approximately 273,000 workers in mission-critical roles (positions considered crucial by agencies to fulfill their essential obligations to the American people)*. This represents a 41 percent increase, compared to the three previous fiscal years.
“For job seekers motivated by a desire to make a difference and improve the lives of Americans, there are no better possibilities than those provided by our federal government,” said Max Stier, president and CEO of the Partnership for Public Service. “This report confirms that the job opportunities are there. People need to seize them.”
The majority of new federal hires are expected to come from five professional fields, led by jobs in the medical and public health category, as well as in security and protection. The number of medical and public health openings projected from now through fall of 2012 is 53 percent higher than from 2007 through 2009, while the demand for security and protection positions show an estimated increase of 46 percent during that timeframe. Other top categories include compliance and enforcement, legal occupations, and administration and program management.
“It’s important to note that while there has been considerable growth in mission-critical jobs, the government is not growing significantly larger in historical terms. By the end of 2012, with all new hires, our nation’s workforce will still be smaller than it was in 1967,” said Stier.
The largest increase in new hires from 2010 through 2012 will come at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). From 2007 through 2009, the VA needed about 30,000 new workers, but the department plans to recruit 48,159 new hires in the next three years. The Department of Homeland Security projects a jump from almost 48,000 hires in the previous three-year period to an estimated 65,730 new job openings between 2010 and 2012. The Department of Defense (including the Army, Navy and Air Force) estimates it will hire 43,514 new employees, an increase from the 35,000 it needed in the 2007 through 2009 timeframe.
Getting Hired by a Federal Agency
Many federal agencies will receive an unprecedented number of resumes for each of their job openings, including several from candidates who are applying for a public sector position for the first time. While standing out from the crowd is important in pursuing all jobs, there are a number of keys in doing so for the federal sector. Aon Consulting offers the following tips:
1. Start by visiting www.usajobs.com, which is the official jobs site for the U.S. Federal Government. Much like private sector job sites, you can review openings by keywords and set up job alerts. Review job postings carefully, including qualifications, assessment processes, job location and application closing dates. This information is important in customizing a cover letter and communications, as well as in completing applications and online questionnaires.
2. If you haven’t held a public sector job in the past, demonstrate your interest in the position by highlighting appropriate experience in serving your community, town, school board, etc. In many cases, the skills and commitment to public service will translate, based on this experience.
3. Follow up on your application within the first two weeks after the closing date. With the number of candidates vying for these positions, research and follow up are critical to landing the new role.
4. Stay current on federal news that may impact your search by subscribing to the Federal News Daily e-newsletter at www.federaldaily.com, which is a news and resource site for federal employees.
5. Remember, you don’t need to live in the Washington, D.C., area to work for a federal agency. Nearly 85 percent of federal jobs are outside Washington, D.C. In addition, there are several international postings, if those are of interest. According to the Where the Jobs Are 2009 report, more than 44,000 federal employees are currently working abroad.
“This hiring surge comes at a time of high national unemployment and a renewed enthusiasm for public service,” said Cecelia Evans, leader of the Federal Sector Practice for Aon Consulting. “This means there will be fierce competition for federal jobs, offering the government a chance to select high-caliber talent, reinvigorate civil service and build a workforce for tomorrow.”
For a copy of this report, please visit www.aon.com/federal.
*The projected 273,000 openings in the next three fiscal years do not include every single job that will be available in our government, just those designated as permanent, full-time, mission-critical positions. Separately, the Partnership for Public Service estimates that during the full four years of President Obama’s term, new hiring for all types of federal government positions will reach nearly 600,000 people or almost one-third of the current workforce.
Source: Aon Corporation
U.S. auto industry’s image showing signs of improvement in the eyes of America’s youth
Among Participants, Automotive Jobs and American-Made Vehicles are Areas Showing Real Progress
If the largest generation since the baby boomers has its way, Generation Y, at 75 million strong, might just be the group to help jump start the automotive industry in the United States, according to a new survey from Deloitte. In collaboration with The Eli Broad Graduate School of Management at Michigan State University, the Deloitte survey indicates Gen Y consumers may have an increasingly positive view of everything from auto jobs to American-made vehicles.
As a follow-on to last year’s Deloitte’s survey, “Connecting with Gen Y: Making Cars Cool Again,” this new analysis takes a deeper look at Generation Y’s attitudes and perceptions of vehicles and the auto industry. The survey, “Gen Y: Making the Short List,” offers unique insights into what may capture the attention and shape the opinions of this generation.
One of the most promising indicators that perceptions may be improving is the shift in Gen Y responses regarding jobs in the auto industry. In last year’s Deloitte Gen Y survey, nearly 70 percent of respondents were not interested in working in the automotive industry. In this year’s survey, only 50 percent of Gen Y respondents said the idea of working in the U.S. auto industry was not appealing, showing a significant change in perception year to year.
“A 20 point shift over a year may be indicative of a change in perception of the industry,” said Michelle Collins, vice chairman and U.S. automotive sector leader, Deloitte. “Among the list of challenges facing companies in the current economic environment, recruiting and retaining the best workers is vital to supporting growth initiatives today and in the future.”
Economic challenges sent shockwaves throughout the automotive industry in 2009 and the impact could be felt as consumer perceptions changed concurrently. Gas mileage and vehicle affordability emerged as the most important considerations for Gen Y respondents purchasing cars, as opposed to a year ago when data showed safety as the number one decision-making factor.
Manufacturers affected by economic challenges certainly felt the effects of belt-tightening across the country as federal bailouts and bankruptcies made headlines throughout 2009. The resounding impact of these challenges made a lasting impression on Gen Y respondents, too, with 44 percent preferring to purchase a vehicle from a brand that did not accept federal bailout funds. Similarly, only 36 percent reported they would consider buying a vehicle from a company that is, or has recently been in bankruptcy.
Gen Y consumers may also be taking the value proposition of used cars versus new cars a lot more seriously. According to the survey, approximately 63 percent of Gen Y respondents believe used cars are a greater value than new cars and they’re more than three times as likely to purchase used cars over new. “Generation Y is typically a group that thinks ‘newer is better,’ but as the economy is slow to recover and jobs are hard to find, this generation may help reshape the car buying process,” said Collins.
Another theme emerging from the survey results is that the Gen Y respondents are particularly loyal when it comes to automobiles — loyal to brand and loyal to country. The survey showed that the “Made in the USA” label still carries a lot of weight. More than 50 percent of Gen Y respondents stated it’s important that the vehicle be manufactured in an American factory regardless of the brand. Additionally, nearly half (42 percent) of respondents reported they expect to be driving the same vehicle brand in five years, and that’s up a little more than 15 percent from last year’s survey in which only 27 percent indicated that they expected to be driving the same brand in five years.
Though the responses suggest the make of the vehicle Gen Y drives won’t be changing, the model they drive will likely change drastically over the next five years. According to the survey, SUVs are making a comeback. As the economy slowly rebounds and the price of gas remains lower than 2008, the demand for SUVs is increasing. Nearly one in four (23 percent) respondents see themselves driving an SUV in five years, up from only 11 percent last year.
While bigger may be making a comeback, one thing is certain to the respondents: green is here to stay and they are willing to pay more for it. The majority of respondents (64 percent) stated they were willing to pay more for a vehicle that was either environmentally friendly or one that saves money on energy costs. Nearly three-quarters (73 percent) of respondents declared the environment as an extremely important factor when purchasing a vehicle, and almost half (49 percent) believe the type of vehicle they drive “makes a concrete difference in addressing global and local concerns about the environment.”
Some interesting trends also emerged about Gen Y’s likes and dislikes when it comes to vehicle shopping. Social media sites and blogs may be one of the most popular ways for Gen Y to communicate, but they may not help sway purchasing decisions when it comes to automobiles. According to the Deloitte survey, nearly 60 percent of Gen Y respondents reported they do not look for advice or information on blogs or social media forums before purchasing a vehicle.
Gen Y car buyers tend to turn to on-line search engines to find information on vehicles and they most trust auto manufacturer sites. When it comes to physically going into a dealer, Gen Y respondents are largely unsatisfied with the overall dealership experience. No-haggle is their preferred method of doing business. The survey showed that 85 percent of respondents would prefer to know the final selling price upfront and more than 60 percent stated they would prefer to skip pricing negotiations altogether with a salesperson. Additionally, the majority indicated they are anxious when a dealership salesperson approaches them and prefer to have the sales process occur over the internet without any face-to-face interaction.
“We worked closely with many Gen Y students over the course of this survey and have gained some valuable insights that we hope the automotive industry will hear,” said Collins. “This consumer group accounts for 25 percent of the marketplace, so it’s certainly important that we do all we can to make sure we take their preferences into account.”
For a more in-depth look at the survey and other insights on Gen Y please go to www.deloitte.com/us/genyconnection.
The survey was developed and administered by Deloitte in cooperation with the Marketing Department at The Eli Broad Graduate School of Management at Michigan State University and included 1,100 participants age 18 to 30 (born between 1979 and 1991). Respondents were randomly drawn from a panel of individuals who agreed to participate in online surveys and the random sample was evenly dispersed across geographic regions.
Source: Deloitte
U.S. Government rejoins worldwide consensus on reproductive health
Health and Development Groups Applaud Clinton Speech; Call for Action
A broad coalition of organizations representing millions of Americans applauded statement by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that the United States unequivocally supports the worldwide consensus that achieving universal access to reproductive health is critical for individual health, family well-being, broader economic development and a healthy planet.
In a speech today at the State Department, Secretary Clinton declared the U.S. government’s renewed support and dedication to reaching the health and development goals laid out in the International Conference on Population Development and other related UN agreements, including the Millennium Development Goals.
The Secretary said that “women’s health is essential to the prosperity and health of all people,” and that the U.S. has rejoined with all governments to “make the access to reproductive healthcare a basic right.”
During the groundbreaking 1994 United Nations International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) held in Cairo, 179 nations laid out an ambitious plan of action to improve health and achieve sustainable development by focusing on individual health needs and human rights, especially for women and girls.
Countries agreed to achieve universal access to reproductive health services by the year 2015, a target reaffirmed in the Millennium Development Goals. Reproductive health services include voluntary contraception that is affordable and safe, sex education programs to prevent unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV/AIDS, and programs that improve maternal and child health.
“The United States was a major architect of the 1994 Cairo agreement, but U.S. funding for international family planning programs, a major component of reproductive health services, has fallen 23 percent in real dollars since its high in 1995,” said Suzanne Ehlers, Interim President of Population Action International. “Today’s statement by Secretary Clinton marks a return to U.S. leadership on international family planning.”
Investments in reproductive health programs have saved lives and delivered real results. In Mexico, the infant mortality rate fell by 70% between 1970 and 2005, as the use of modern contraceptives nearly doubled. Similar results have been seen in Bangladesh, Egypt, Thailand, and elsewhere.
Conversely, inadequate funding for reproductive health and family planning programs hold grave consequences for women and families. One woman dies needlessly in pregnancy or childbirth every minute of every day, and six million more suffer injury, illness or disability. Each year, between 70 to 80 million unintended pregnancies occur in the developing world.
To meet the unmet need for family planning and achieve the goal of achieving universal access to reproductive health, the coalition of non-profit organizations calls on the Obama Administration to:
– Ensure that the new Global Health Initiative retain a strong focus on interventions to prevent unintended pregnancy, promote women’s health and save women’s lives.
– Ensure that greater access to contraception and reproductive health care remains a high priority within any restructuring of the U.S. government’s foreign assistance program so that women, men and youth can access a comprehensive range of reproductive health services no matter where they are accessing care.
– Work with the U. S. Congress to fund international family planning programs at $1 billion, to reverse a decade of inadequate funding, and eliminate punitive legislative restrictions that continue to tie-up the U.S. contribution to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
“Poll after poll has shown that a majority of Americans across the ideological divide support family planning programs and proven investments in women’s health,” said Tamara Kreinin, Executive Director of Women and Population at the United Nations Foundation. “I hope that Secretary Clinton’s speech is a signal to everyone that the U.S. government is done with political theater and instead will focus on the important work of saving lives.”
Source: CEDPA
Survey reveals roadways increasingly filled with unsafe drivers distracted by their cell phones
72% of Survey Respondents Say Current and Upcoming Texting While Driving Bans by States Will Not Alter Their Use of a Cell Phone While Driving According to Cellcontrol
cellcontrol announced a new study that shows a majority of drivers still use cell phones while on the road even though its proven to be more dangerous than driving while intoxicated. The study was conducted by odbEdge, the creator of cellcontrol, during the week of December 14, 2009, to learn about views on driving while distracted. From a pool of 100 respondents, 88 percent of drivers admitted to using their cell phone to text, email, surf the Web or have a conversation in the past 12-months. However, nearly 75 percent of the same group agreed that driving while intoxicated and texting are equally dangerous. While this shows an increased awareness of distracted driving as a problem, drivers still fail to realize that Distracted Driving is 23 times more dangerous than Driving While Intoxicated.
While great progress has been made with laws in place and awareness campaigns, the study shows that 72 percent of drivers still continue to drive and be distracted by their cell phones and other mobile devices regardless of state cell phone usage while driving bans. Solutions like cellcontrol, which works by plugging into a car’s on-board computer and uses a downloadable application and Bluetooth technology to pair to your phone, is an option to help keep drivers safe on the road and curb the habit of driving while using a cell phone.
“Cell phone use and driving is still a safety problem on our roadways and that’s why at cellcontrol our main objective is to help parents, friends, employers, etc., protect those they care about with technology that is easy and simple to use,” said Leigh Gilly, Director of Business Development of cellcontrol. “We are aimed at preventing driving while distracted to help reduce the over 500,000 injury-resulting accidents each year caused by mobile phones and other technologies used while driving.”
While cell phone use when driving spans across all age groups, teenagers draw the most attention to this national problem. If given the choice, the study shows 65 percent of parents would put their worries to rest with technology to prevent their children from driving while using their cell phones. More than 60 percent of parents would purchase a particular cell phone if they had the ability to control distracted driving as a feature option. In addition, more than 75 percent would use technology to restrict use of mobile devices while driving if they received a discount on their automobile insurance premium.
Survey questions/results included:
In the last 12 months, have you engaged in distracted driving caused by any of the following cell phone activities: texting, emailing, surfing the Web or talking on your phone?
Yes – 88.4%
No – 11.6%
If given the technology to block the use of cellular phones while operating a vehicle, on which of the following would you use the technology:
Yourself – 26.8%
Spouse or significant other – 23.2%
Children – 65.2%
Employees – 27.7%
None of the above – 17.0%
What do you consider to be more dangerous?
Driving while intoxicated – 17.0%
Driving while texting – 9.8%
They are equally dangerous – 73.2%
Has the passing of new laws prohibiting distracted driving changed the way you use your cellular phone while operating a vehicle?
Yes – 27.7%
No – 72.3%
Are you aware of any accidents in the last 12 months involving yourself, family or friends that was caused by distracted driving?
Yes – 27.7%
No – 72.3%
In purchasing cellular phones for your children or employees, would you consider the ability to control distracted driving on a specific phone type as an important feature in the buying decision?
Yes – 60.7%
No – 8%
Maybe – 31.3%
Besides cellular phones, which of the following mobile devices do you currently have or use in your personal or work vehicle?
Laptop – 28.8%
Handheld ordering device – 2.7%
MP3 player – 27.9%
GPS system – 45.9%
DVD player – 32.4%
None of the above – 27.9%
In regards to automobile insurance: Would you use technology to restrict your use of a mobile device while operating a vehicle if you received a discount on your premium for doing so?
Yes – 75.9%
No – 24.1%
In regard to automobile insurance: Would you be willing to change insurance carriers if a different carrier offered a discount that ultimately saved you money for the use of technology to stop distracted driving?
Yes — 53.6%
No – 46.4%
Source: cellcontrol
National study finds Americans are hopeful for 2010 Decade after learning from past ten years
OfficeMax Survey Uncovers How Consumers Really Feel About Past and Future Decades
With one decade concluding and another on the horizon, Americans are gearing up for 2010 by learning from the past and making plans for a better decade ahead. According to a nationwide survey from OfficeMax® Incorporated Americans have high hopes for the approaching decade with clear plans for their personal lives and heightened focus on family and personal wellbeing while embracing change and opportunity. When referring to the 2010 decade, nearly four in ten (38%) Americans prefer to use the phrase “the twenty-tens” over other popular terms that include “the oh-tens” (16%), “the tens” (14%) and “the teens” (11%).
Moving forward, Americans predict that family, personal development and self-discovery will define the next ten years. Many believe they will spend more time with family (64%) and reconnect with old friends (42%). Others plan to nurture themselves by grabbing the reins on their health (62%) and finally creating a work-life balance (38%). Over half (57%) of Americans believe the next decade will be about discovering what’s most important in life, while others think they’ll laugh more than ever before (47%).
As Americans consider the advancements and transformations they hope to achieve during the next decade, it’s fitting that nearly three in ten people think “Changes” by David Bowie (28%) is the song title that best represents their outlook on the approaching decade. Others selected “I Can See Clearly Now” by Johnny Nash (13%) to demonstrate their optimism while some shared their apprehension choosing “Help!” by the Beatles (16%) and “Bad Moon Rising” by Creedence Clearwater Revival (12%) to illustrate their future outlook.
Gearing up for the next decade, Americans plan to learn from the past and incorporate these lessons into the future. Demonstrating the importance of action in 2010, a large number of Americans selected the expressions – “action speaks louder than words” (73%) and “talk is cheap” (67%) – to illustrate what they learned over the past decade. Nearly seven in ten people selected “knowledge is power” (69%) and “don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched” (67%) to describe their hopes for smarter, more calculated decisions in the future. With the touch economic times, personal finances were also top-of-mind for most Americans, which is perhaps why phrases like “a penny saved is a penny earned” (66%) and “money makes the world go round” (50%) are what many will use as a springboard for the new decade.
“Everyone has the chance to start fresh in 2010 with a new decade ahead of them, and we’re excited to learn through this national survey that consumers are ready to take the express train to a brighter, more prosperous future,” said Bob Thacker, SVP of Marketing & Advertising for OfficeMax. “At OfficeMax, we’re kicking off the year by celebrating positive achievements and helping people do their best work at home, the office, or on-the-go. It’s going to be a delightful decade as we focus more on what’s important and improve on the past ten years.”
The national survey of 1,000 consumers was conducted by Kelton Research in December 2009 using Random Digit Dialing of listed and unlisted phone numbers. Quotas were set to ensure reliable and accurate representation of the total U.S. population ages 18 and over.
Consumers Energy: Clean coal plant project reaches major milestone with air permit
Consumers Energy’s clean coal power plant reached a major milestone today with the issuance of an air permit for the $2 billion-plus project.
The 830-megawatt plant is expected to create 1,800 construction jobs, about 2,500 indirect jobs, and then more than 100 permanent jobs after it is operating in 2017. Overall, the plant is projected to provide a $1.2 billion economic boost to Michigan.
“The issuance of the air permit for our new clean coal plant is good news for Michigan. This permit moves our project a step closer to creating badly needed jobs and boosting the state’s economy,” said John Russell, Consumers Energy’s president and chief operating officer.
“It also provides best-in-class protection for the environment with an offset for carbon dioxide emissions from the new plant and a substantial net reduction in overall emissions from our coal-fired generating fleet. It also will allow us to fully implement our balanced energy plan and provide customers with reliable, competitively priced electricity in the future.”
The new plant is part of Consumers Energy’s Balanced Energy Initiative. That comprehensive plan calls for a portfolio of diverse energy resources to meet the power needs of the utility’s 1.8 million electric customers over the next 20 years.
A recent analysis of the plan details how two-thirds of the projected new energy resources needed to serve customers through 2018 will be provided by renewable energy sources, energy efficiency and demand side management (reducing customer usage during peak periods).
The utility launched its energy efficiency initiative in July with programs to help business and residential customers save energy and save money. In its first six months of operation this initiative has benefited more than 170,000 Michigan homes with energy-saving measures.
Consumers Energy plans to invest more than $1.2 billion to build 450 megawatts of wind generating capacity and has secured wind development easements for more than 57,000 acres in Mason, Tuscola and Huron counties. The utility already is the largest supplier of renewable energy in Michigan, with more than 4 percent of the power that it supplies to customers coming from renewable sources.
The air permit for the new clean coal plant includes a commitment from Consumers Energy to retire up to seven of its older, less efficient coal units after the new unit begins operating at the company’s Karn/Weadock Generating Complex, near Bay City. Five of these older units will be retired following operation of the new unit, with retirement of the additional two older units dependent on customer need. The utility has the oldest fleet of coal plants in the nation with an average age of 50 years.
Russell said the plant retirements are consistent with the company’s Balanced Energy Initiative and will substantially reduce overall emissions from the company’s coal-fired fleet. The Balanced Energy Initiative approach – the new plant plus the eventual retirements of some existing plants and expanded renewable energy and energy efficiency – is expected to provide emissions reductions by 2018 from the current levels from the company’s existing coal fleet. Emissions are expected to be down as much as 91 percent for sulfur dioxide; 83 percent for nitrogen oxides; and 81 percent for mercury.
“The new coal plant will use state-of-the-art technology and be one of the cleanest coal power plants in the world. We’ve said all along that building the new unit would have an environmental benefit because it would allow us to retire some of our older units and result in emissions reduction,” Russell said.
The new plant will be designed to utilize carbon capture and storage technology once it becomes commercially and economically viable. Consumers Energy has been working with Western Michigan University scientists to evaluate the suitability of the geology surrounding the plant site to store carbon dioxide. Preliminary analysis indicates that the geology surrounding the plant site looks promising for carbon sequestration.
The next major step for the project is filing a certificate of necessity application with the Michigan Public Service Commission. The company expects to file that application in 2010.
“The certificate of necessity process is new for Michigan and was established in the state’s new energy law, put in place last year. With that process, the Michigan Public Service Commission conducts a comprehensive evaluation of the new power plant and evaluates alternatives. It also gives all stakeholders the opportunity to analyze and comment on the project,” he said. “This forward-looking regulatory process is one of many public policy improvements made in the state’s new energy law.”
The Balanced Energy Initiative is a key part of Consumers Energy’s Growing Forward strategy, which calls for investing more than $6 billion in the utility over the next five years. That includes significant investments in energy efficiency, renewable energy, environmental and customer service enhancements, and new power generation.
The substantial investments make Consumers Energy one of the largest – if not the largest – investor in the state of Michigan. Those investments will help the utility maintain and improve service to customers, create jobs, boost the state’s economy, and expand the state’s tax base.
Source: Consumers Energy
10,000 companies prepare to start low carbon diet plans on Jan. 1
President Obama and the EPA are gearing up to put the nation on a low-carbon diet and their strategy would do Weight Watchers proud: Count first, cut later.
The counting begins on Jan. 1, 2010 when some 10,000 companies and other entities, including municipalities and even some universities, must start measuring their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
And while it’s uncertain when mandatory cuts will be announced – and whether Congress or the EPA will act first – the law firm of Plunkett Cooney said today that polluters might want to start dieting sooner rather than later because their GHG emissions, down to the plant level, will become part of the public record after March 31, 2011.
“New regulations to reduce carbon emissions are coming but public scrutiny will come first,” said Plunkett Cooney Senior Attorney. “Companies need to understand that from the standpoint of government regulation and public opinion, the debate about global warming is over. That means it’s time for them to develop sustainability plans and carbon reduction strategies before regulators, environmental advocates, shareholders and other groups force them to act.”
According to Mikalonis, entities that annually generate or emit at least 25,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents, which includes gases such as methane, nitrous oxide or several fluorinated gases, must measure and report their emissions to the EPA or face fines of up to $37,500 per day for each violation. The reporting threshold is equivalent to the annual GHG emissions from approximately 4,600 passenger vehicles.
Entities covered under the new rules include fossil fuel-fired power plants, landfills, fuel production facilities, chemical plants, steel and aluminum works, cement factories and large livestock operations. Data collection for motor vehicle and engine manufacturers begins in 2011.
“The reporting rules will drive a lot of transparency and allow company-to-company and plant-to-plant comparisons,” Mikalonis pointed out. “They will create public relations issues and potential legal problems for some companies, especially if they have been marketing themselves as ‘green’ when the emissions report says otherwise. But they also may speed up the adoption of energy-saving technologies, which can flow straight to the bottom line.”
In Michigan, carbon dioxide accounts for the vast majority of GHG emissions, which are due in large part to burning fossil fuels for transportation and electricity. Methane is the next largest contributor, mostly from the anaerobic decay of solid waste in landfills. Nitrous oxide, the third largest contributor, comes chiefly from agricultural soil management and mobile source combustion.
In 2002, a study conducted for the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality estimated per capita GHG emissions in Michigan were 6.2 million metric tons of carbon equivalents (MMTCE), which is slightly below the national average.
In terms of mandatory GHG cuts, Mikalonis said new rules are a fait accompli now that the EPA has said that rising levels are a danger to present and future populations. Companies must therefore decide how they want to influence the regulatory process.
“The EPA is obligated to enact rules to drive down greenhouse gas emissions if Congress does not act,” Mikalonis said. “Congress must decide if it is willing to compromise on issues like carbon cap and trade and energy taxes, or accept the risk that EPA may implement ‘command and control’ solutions. Businesses may prefer a mix of voluntary and legislative solutions and that approach should inform their overall sustainability strategy.”
Source: Plunkett Cooney
Top-grossing films and publisher successes mark 2000-2009 as decade of the Pulps
Pulp fiction is back as entertainment, according to box office and publishing reports.
America’s fascination was evidenced with Hollywood’s top-grossing films for the first decade of the 21st century, of which 8 of the top 10 were either stories written during fiction’s golden age in the 1930s, 40s and 50s like Lord of the Rings or based on heroes from that time as in Batman: The Dark Knight, Spider Man 1 and 2 and Star Wars Episode 3, garnering well over $3,200,000,000 in the US alone. While in publishing, L. Ron Hubbard’s multi-genre pulp fiction series, “Stories from the Golden Age,” Walter Gibson’s “The Shadow” and Lester Dent’s “Doc Savage” all saw marked increases in distribution and sales in traditional and non-traditional outlets.
Pulp classics date back to the 1930s and 40s – the time known as the Golden Age of Pulp Fiction and the last period that America faced both an economic collapse and multiple wars.
Hollywood-based Galaxy Press alone reported a 500% sales increase spurred by a strong domestic demand from the library, education and transportation markets since the launch of its line of 80 pulp fiction print and audio books by pulp master L. Ron Hubbard.
“It’s clear that these audiences are looking for high-action entertainment with a broad appeal to readers of all ages – including readers who need to see the story take off right away,” said John Goodwin, president of Galaxy Press, publishers of the Stories from the Golden Age (www.goldenagestories.com) book series.
“During the 1930s and 40s, America was going through the Great Depression, war had just finished, and another was looming,” Goodwin said. “Americans needed an escape and the pulp writers – at least the very good ones like Hubbard, Gibson, Dent and Burroughs – provided that desperately needed outlet.”
Pulp fiction characters, like the stories, were bigger than life and that is what appealed to the 30,000,000-plus readers caught in harsh economic times. America needed and wanted heroes and the pulps provided them. Adventure House publisher, John Gunnison, a Maryland-based republisher and distributor of pulp fiction (www.adventurehouse.com), understands why Hollywood is so enamored with pulp fiction, stating, “There’s no better heroes than the pulp heroes.”
“For a few decades,” Goodwin added, “Americans didn’t need their heroes with America’s global expansion, housing, technology and Internet booms – who needs a hero to save you if you’re not in danger?”
Based on film success and publishing numbers, America’s love for heroes and desire to see them win has definitely returned.
For more information on L. Ron Hubbard and Stories from the Golden Age go to www.goldenagestories.com.
Source: Author Services, Inc.
The Worst Scandal of 2009: Big money in Politics
What was the biggest scandal of 2009?
Blagojevich trying to sell a Senate seat? Senators, governors, and their mistresses? Allegations that lobbyists were lining up defense earmarks in exchange for straw donations?
No, the biggest scandal of 2009 was that the entire pay-to-play system that dominates Washington and occupies Congress’ time and attention sidetracked bold policies.
One year after President Obama was swept into office on a ticket of change, a wall of big money from the health interests, banks, and Big Oil thwarted, slowed, or deep-sixed legislation in Washington. Special interests were on track to spend $3.3 billion to shape policy outcomes, according to a recent story in Politico. Despite the voters’ mandate for change, the underlying problem of Washington – what author and Washington Post reporter Robert Kaiser calls “too damn much money” – remained unaltered and in many ways, more powerful than ever before.
The bottom line is that America will not see the significant change that a majority of people are demanding until we change the way we pay for political campaigns by getting special interests out of the business of paying for our elections.
“Yes we can” has been blocked by “no you don’t.”
Here are some facts to consider:
The health care debate is a perfect example of all that is wrong.
Everyone agrees health care must be made more affordable, and that more people need coverage. But with the health care industry spending more than $1 million a day this year to lobby for their bottom line, and contributing more than $200 million to candidates for Congress in the 2008 election cycle and first nine months of 2009, it’s not a surprise that reform proposals were watered down.
At the beginning of December, the U.S. House passed legislation to reform the financial regulatory industry.
The vote came fifteen months after the collapse of the financial sector and the $700 billion bailout of Wall Street banks. Reform of Wall Street shouldn’t have been so hard — these firms exploited a weak regulatory regime to wreak havoc on our economy — but throughout 2009, financial, real estate, and insurance interests poured $85 million in campaign contributions into Washington, D.C. They succeeded at watering down sections of the House bill, and have declared all out war on the Senate bill.
As the climate change conference in Copenhagen comes to a close, President Barack Obama’s hands were tied not just by China and India’s unwillingness to negotiate far-reaching agreements.
He was also hemmed in by the politics of passing climate legislation through the U.S. Senate – and the stranglehold that Big Oil and coal companies have over our elected officials. The energy sector has contributed more than $4.5 million to Senators just this year – an off-election year. Senators like Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) have declared that any action on climate change in the Senate faces an uncertain future. Inhofe has received more than $1.2 million in contributions from oil and gas interests during his career.
The swamp of special interest money is rising in Washington and Congress needs a way out.
The Solution: The Fair Elections Now Act
One year later, it’s become clear that change doesn’t come simply with the election of a new president or new members of Congress. To dramatically change the way Washington works we need to change the way campaigns are financed in this country.
It’s time for the Fair Elections Now Act (S. 752, H.R. 1826), legislation that would sever the ties between big money campaign contributors and members of Congress. With Fair Elections, candidates would be able to run a competitive race for congressional office with a blend of small dollar donations and limited public funds. Sponsored by Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.), this voluntary system would put people in office unencumbered by special interest influence. In addition to Rep. Larson, the House bill has the broad bipartisan and cross-caucus support of 124 members.
There have been a lot of political scandals and intrigue in Washington this year, but the worst of them all is the sordid impact of money in our political process. The scandal is what is legally permitted day in, day out, in Washington, D.C. It is time to change the system and pass the Fair Election Now Act.
www.fairelectionsnow.org.
Source: Common Cause and Public Campaign
NASA selects New Jersey teacher Peloquin to inspire next generation explorers
Corey Peloquin, Coleman Middle School teacher in Tampa, N.J., has been awarded a fellowship with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The Endeavor Science Teaching Certificate Project was created to allow teachers an opportunity to carry back to the classroom a greater understanding of NASA discoveries to inspire a next generation of explorers, scientists, engineers and astronauts.
“Through the program, educators learn how to deliver cutting-edge science into the classroom, promoting science, technology, engineering and mathematics education,” said Joyce Winterton, assistant administrator for education at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “This includes proven NASA and NASA-sponsored educational resources to meet specific learning goals.”
The program provides workshops and online graduate courses with NASA content and materials with a focus towards students in K-12 classrooms. NASA is also working in partnership with state departments of education to ensure program participation is accredited towards state certification requirements.
Project fellows will earn graduate credit and a certificate of completion in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) from Teachers College, Columbia University, N.Y.
The project is administered by the U.S. Satellite Laboratory Inc., of Rye, N.Y. Funding for the program is provided through the NASA Endeavor Teacher Fellowship Trust Fund, in tribute to the dedicated crew of the space shuttle Challenger.
For additional information about the Endeavor Science Teaching Certificate Project and other NASA education programs, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/education
Source: NASA