Merry After-Christmas!

I hope your Christmas was lovely. I missed mine, unfortunately, slept right through it. I was planning to get up early and post a Christmas greeting, but when I got up I immediately became upchuck-sick. Out of the blue. Did that for awhile, then promptly passed out and slept all day long. I was so drousy, I couldn't even answer my Hubs asking me if he could help me. I think I remember just dozing off listening to him.

Anyway, I'm feeling better but still not back to normal. Thought I'd pop in and post a YouTube video of Ancestry.com's that is getting some buzz. Watch this and tell me who you think the actor is who is playing Santa:

There is apparently a bit of an argument or debate over who this actor is. A number of people say it is Seth Rogan, and a few say it is Joel McCrary. Still others say Mike Teutel.

So I google imaged all those guys....looked closely at their eyes. And....my vote goes to Joel. Hands Down. I'd bet a couple thousand on it, actually.

So, what do you think? Isn't it wonderful how people can waste time in such interesting ways????? hehehehe

Texans Love...

CONGRATULATIONS TO AFC SOUTH DIVISION CHAMPS HOUSTON TEXANS!!!!!

(and take THAT, Mr. Bud Adams!)



Pilgrim, We're All Muckrakers Now!

With 2 years under my belt of taking out our big blue plastic bin to our curb each Friday filled to the brim with empty water bottles, cardboard packaging, newspapers and the occasional glass bottle, I am beginning to feel positively planet-friendly and a little partiotic to boot. I recently read in my local yocal news upcoming plans to extend our city's recycling program to stage 2: cutting down garbage collection from twice a week to one, and swapping out blue bins from the present size to one a whopping cavern 3 times its size, so big it comes with its own wheels on the bottom.

Then, as I was preening in Do-Good-Glory, I read this:
Recycling Is ... Garbage: Rinsing out tuna cans and tying up newspapers may make you feel virtuous, but recycling could be America's most wasteful activity

Now, I've been spot-on smart at calling out how the Clean Energy Movement underplays the pollution created by their energy sources of choice and overplays the energy sources they hate. I'm on the job 100% not letting myself be sucked into believing that we can actually DO something about climate change, because the facts clearly indicate that changing our entire economy and society to combat it is a pipedream theory at best.

But I guess I under-estimated the ability of Reduce Reuse Recycle to ingratiate itself into my life. It is after all a frugal thing to do. It plays well with my art. And I've heard over and over how it helps lessen the growth of waste dumps by forcing that which can be recycled and repurposed back out into the consumer cycle of manufacturing, marketing, mind control and materialism.

At any rate, I'm at a loss as to what to do next, especially now that I might be breaking the local law by not recycling. Your thoughts on the article? I'd love to hear.

Edited to Add (to my post about Ohio)

I've got a few additional thoughts to add to my previous post. As often happens with me, I have to write down what my initial thoughts are in order to move forward with my thinking. Within minutes of posting, it hit me that these weird incidents represent larger paradigms.

Stay with me here. What if this means that Ohio, like a lot of other places, is moving away from its quaint communities that seem frozen in time? That it may speak to a larger discontent and upheaval in America? Or that things will stay the same, but more and more crime is invading them, like a lot of other places.

It hit me that the exotic animal incident are somehow be connected to property rights, the Amish thing to customs and cultures, and the Craigslist murders scheme connected to the assault on our trust in other people.  For some reason, they just seem weird to be happening where they are, in quick succession.

I wouldn't be surprised to see this happening in Texas, a place with twice the population and 3 times the land. In California or New York, it's light fare for the month. Last year, all sorts of weird crap happened in Arkansas, as I recall. Utah's had their time to shine as well. Back in history, Kansas gained a rep for being contrary. During the Civil War, Missouri was a radical oddball. I guess it's just Ohio's time.

What the Heck is Up in OHIO?

Muskingum County sheriff deputies were forced to kill 48 wild animals including bears, lions and endangered Bengal tigers after their owner, Terry Thompson, 62, threw open their cages on Oct. 18 and then killed himself on his farm.

Jefferson County Sheriff Fred Abdalla says Sam Mullet -- father of 18 children, grandfather to 85 and patriarch of a community of 100 -- is behind a series of attacks in four Ohio counties in which members of his group, including three of his sons, have cut the beards from Amish leaders in symbolic assaults meant to degrade them.

The discoveries of two new bodies near Akron could bring to three the death toll from a Craigslist ad that police say lured victims to Ohio and into a lethal robbery scheme.

I had been hesistant in talking about this before, but dang, 3rd time is a charm, as they say. And that's just what has hit the national news recently, since October 18.

Now, I'm the first to agree that I might be picking on one state when there is crime happening in the other 49 as well, but these incidents in Ohio are no ordinary crimes. They are straight-up weird-ass, creepy, kinky acts of strange being committed smack dab in the heartland of middle America. How can that be ignored, or be called comparatively normal?

The first of these 3 incidents, the exotic animal escape, can be explained away by citing Ohio's laws allowing exotic animal ownership, the most lenient laws in the country. So, while it probably could only have happened in Ohio because of the laws, I didn't think it particularly odd at the time. I thought the Ohio laws were quite odd. Years ago, I had a friend down here who kept a lion in his yard in a rural area and was very upset when the county confiscated it. I tried in vain telling him that people just cannot keep dangerous animals as pets when they live anywhere around other folks. So I figured those Ohio folks were a lot like my friend.

Then, the Amish action went down, and I know they are a bit different as a population, but not that way. Heck, we have rebel Mormon sects down here, but even in West Texas when their compound was infiltrated, there was no violence. I began to wonder, is there some kind of weird-ass whoopass in Ohio's water?

Finally, when I heard about the Craigslist crimes, I just had to check into it. I emailed a few friends of mine who live there. One was completely defensive about it, so I knew I wouldn't be getting an objective input there. The other two enlightened me, as long as they are correct about many of their neighbors. One friend feels that Ohioans are caught in a type of rural evolution. She thinks that rural life there is being assaulted by today's fast pace and fast morals, whereas it has been able to avoid being affected in the past. Why? She had no idea, really. Lots of things. In short, a general and non-specific answer.

My third friend says she blames it on new people moving there and changing the demographic. This might have some meat on it as a viable answer, if I could research the perpetrators' bios to determine if they were lifelong Ohioans and new implants. So far, I haven't been able to locate the resources.

Out of frustration more than anything else, I emailed a fourth friend of mine from my campaign volunteer days, who has lived in about 20 different states since graduating from college 17 years ago. She'd just spent 2 years working in Columbus for a Congressman. She told me she lived in a nice suburb and really liked it at first. But she was quick to tell me that people there are different. She said there is a pride that borders on my way or the highway, and she never could really ever figure out why except for tradition, and that many folks just do not know any other way to be. (She thinks that Iowans are also that way. I suspect there are ALOT of states filled with people like that, but as I have not lived in 20 states, I will defer to her. I also know that 30% of the population is German and another 15% is Irish...two ethnicities who have been accused of being prideful and stubborn to a fault. Just sayin'...maybe.)

I'm even more confused than ever now. Perhaps it is just 3 random crazies randomly concentrated in one place. I have heard Ohio (and a few other places) described as The Land That Time Forgot. Apparently this does not apply to some of their more special people.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Image courtesy of Karen's Whimsy

Somewhere over the rainbow...

Do you ever feel like Dorothy must have? Like you are living in an other-wordly place that you don't know anymore? You woke up today and nothing is like it was yesterday?

Yep, that about describes the way I've felt for quite a while. And I've traveled this way to several other-worlds since. I get somewhat familiar and used to the new world, then I wake up and I'm in yet another new one.

I'm connected almost 24/7, by tv, radio, internet, cellphone, and real live humans. Yet, that damn world keeps getting kidnapped and replaced by another! I think the nasty little problem is that I have a memory, bad as I think it is most of the time. I remember when it didn't used to be this way, and well, I want that back!

It's like Moore's Law met All The Other Laws, and they mutated into a virtual world in which we are all forced to live in.

"Technology is advancing ‘exponentially’ or faster. This means that the bulk of the change in knowledge and capacity needed to precipitate the singularity will occur within the last year [or two] before the event. [Translation: most of us won’t see it coming.]"

~~ Dan Clemmensen, 1996

 

We may be moving headlong into a time or era in which we can no longer predict even the near future, no matter how mundane or predictable the behavior of the thing we want to predict. The heads of chaos theorists must be spinning on hyper. We may already be there. It is the opinion of at least a few that the Crash of 2008 was one of those nonpredictables.

Gulp.

This would definitely explain why I'm feeling the way I am. Unsettling. Like you are on a roller coaster all the time, with only very short rest periods. I'm thinking that guessing will become the hot new job skill. Once predicting becomes obsolete, what else do we have?

In an interview for his book, Timeline, Crichton laments that an appreciaton and knowledge of history is the first casualty of periods involving accelerating change. Here is a favorite quote from him:

"Historians generally agree that all history is contemporary history. That is, every generation remakes the past into some form that suits the present time. But this means that all our understanding of history, like all our understanding of science, is provisional. It's likely to change. It does change." ~~ Dr. Michael Crichton

Such good food for thought.

"The [biological] evolution we have experienced for 10 billion years is reaching a state beyond which it cannot proceed without a fundamental and radical change of direction, form, mechanism, and nature. [Due primarily to our recent ability to generate meaningful information much more readily than our biological forms can process it]." ~~ Richard Coren, 1998

I get a headache just trying to consider the applications and implications of Coren's quote. I am convinced he has said something big and important here, but ... what? The first application I thought of was climate change, or rather, how the pro-CC people propose to fight it, because I don't think there's any real question that climate change does indeed exist (and yes, I believe that man has accelerated it to some degree).  That last sentence of his reminds me of the late great Dr. Michael Crichton's very astute observations about a culture that expects to be entertained all the time.

Odd Couples

The thing about odd couples is that when they share a common cause, they are no longer odd, and the odds are in their favor .

A few articles caught my eye recently. All have to do with new potential problems America faces thanks to our financial sector. Here are the articles:

1.   Occupy Wall Street Compared to Other Protests

2.   Obama, Geithner and the Next Financial Crisis

3.   Ron Paul Catches Cain in a Lie over Fed Audits


Seems like same old same old, what else is new, right? And it seems when people speak or protest, they get made out to be crazies or irresponsible or terrorists. On both sides now.


I am intrigued by the idea of the Tea Partiers joining in Occupy Wall Street with the 99%-ers. I think it would go a long way to bringing us all together in common cause. We hardly have anything anymore in common politically. I believe that we MUST begin working together in order to move forward, so this could be a start.


I loved what the first article quoted from Imanuel Ness, a professor of political science at Brooklyn College and the editor of the Encyclopedia of American Social Movements. "The messaging is directed at working people," he said. "Both the tea party and Occupy Wall Street are arguing that something needs to change. The question is, What is the source of the problem?"


A former 60's student protest leader notes this: "We are the 99 percent' is a clear message," he said. "It is unfair and in fact disgusting that the American political economy is run for the benefit of a plutocracy. I don't see how that can be misunderstood."


And look at this, on the GAO website (Government Accounting Office, the best federal governmental agency we have). They audited the Fed (Federal Reserve Bank). This speaks to Ron Paul's biggest complaint, that it is such a secretive agency. So secret that they would not even disclose how much in bailout money they gave to the big banks. Until now.


The list of institutio­ns which received the most money from the Federal Reserve can be found on page 131 of the GAO Audit and are as follows:


Citigroup: $2.5 trillion($­2,500,000,­000,000)

Morgan Stanley: $2.04 trillion ($2,040,00­0,000,000)

Merrill Lynch: $1.949 trillion ($1,949,00­0,000,000)

Bank of America: $1.344 trillion ($1,344,00­0,000,000)

Barclays PLC (United Kingdom): $868 billion* ($868,000,­000,000)

Bear Sterns: $853 billion ($853,000,­000,000)

Goldman Sachs: $814 billion ($814,000,­000,000)

Royal Bank of Scotland (UK): $541 billion ($541,000,­000,000)

JP Morgan Chase: $391 billion ($391,000,­000,000)

Deutsche Bank (Germany): $354 billion ($354,000,­000,000)

UBS (Switzerla­nd): $287 billion ($287,000,­000,000)

Credit Suisse (Switzerla­nd): $262 billion ($262,000,­000,000)

Lehman Brothers: $183 billion ($183,000,­000,000)

Bank of Scotland (United Kingdom): $181 billion ($181,000,­000,000)

BNP Paribas (France): $175 billion ($175,000,­000,000)


When you see just how much they were given without any real accountability or limits or benchmarks for use, it is difficult to say the least to argue that our financial system is not run for the benefit of the plutocracy.


Just sayin'.


I know it is a longshot, but if, just if the two groups marched together for this, it would inform both sides, both factions, both parties that business as usual must end now. Both sides seem to be stuck in the past, back when we could afford business as usual...or we at least thought that we could. The sooner we get to working, cutting the gangrene, the sooner we can heal. We have to find common cause.


And I'll leave you with some great news, at least for all of us Gumby fans. He's on the Google homepage this week...as the animated Google Doodle! It's to honor his creator, clay stop motion pioneer Art Clokey, whose 90th birthday would have been today. And, how old is Gumby? He's a year older than I am. He first appeared in 1955. Many a Sunday during my childhood was spent watching Gumby and Clokey's other famous claymations, Davey & Goliath.

So many mixed messages

I've wanted to post an entry more than once this last week, but I've been so confused by all the mixed messages out there that I haven't been able to digest them down to any coherent conclusions. Finally, the last 24 hours have been kinder to my addled brain. Things are beginning to make some sense. And I had zero help from the media. In fact, they've been part of the problem.

I'm talking about two issues, mainly: this Occupy Wall Street movement, and the GOP primary race.

To understand the Occupy Wall Street protest movement, you need to go a couple of places first. First, go here, to the We Are The 99 Percent website and read as many one-page testimonies as you can stomach.

Then, go over to Occupy Wall Street's website. Read the front page. In case you have heard on the news about a list of demands that OWS has, you should read THIS. OWS says they do not have an official list. What the front page says is pretty light on details, more of a general disgust for what exists in our financial infrastructure and that they want change.

They appear to me to be mimic'ing the Tea Party movement as a reason to exist, which I cannot really find any reason to be against. What's good for the goose, yadayada. And, I basically think Wall Street should hurt and be ridiculously regulated and restricted from this very second on, as I follow the old axiom Burn Me Once, Shame On You. Burn Me Twice, Shame On Me. And the first time was 1929, lest anyone forget.

So, I'll be following this. I'm remembering Van Jones talking in a speech about a month ago about the Left needing to take lessons from the Tea Party. Then, suddenly, this movement. So, is there a connection? Or, is it that others can have the same thought and go with it?

On to the GOP primary race. Herman Cain is having his moment now, and even though I really do not think I can support him for president because of his social positions, I'm still plenty happy for him and find myself thinking, go Herman go. If he would call a moritorium on the social stuff as part of his platform, I'd be happy. We do have one huge economics problem, after all. Plenty to deal with right there.

Perry seems to be dissed by the media left and right, and by Santorum, Bachmann and Cain (together with Perry, they are the evangelical Christian candidates), but since there have been no debates, it's like it's all in limbo. He does seem not to be able to catch a break, though. A reader emailed me to ask why I was so open to supporting him, and I realized that I think that the biggest reason (other than what I've said previously, that he hasn't caused me much trouble at all in 10 years being my Governor) is that if the Bushes keep control over who the GOP nominates, that means defeating Perry. So, supporting Perry means defeating the Bushes influence. And I am ALL FOR THAT. So, that is pretty much it. My support is that thin. Still, it would really be nice to get those Bushies out of power.

Political Perry-noia Abounds

A recent collage I created...

Well, I apologize for being gone from here so long. Suffice it to say, LIFE got in the way, although it was a pleasant obstruction. More often than not when that happens, it is anything but pleasure, so I am grateful.

At any rate, where was I? Oh, right, debate review. I ended up being gone so long I think they've had 2 or 3 more by now. I lose count, but Perry's honeymoon period has come and gone, and I'm quickly losing patience with all of this adherance to the far Right's cultural PARANOIA that is all landing on Perry like shit on a stick -- hence, PERRYNOIA has been born.

I really need to get this off my chest about Bachmann: I have noticed a very annoying and cheap trick in her political bag, that of spreading gossip about her opponents. And, that combined with me not agreeing with her far-right Christian Conservative social and personal beliefs, has turned me off her completely. Not that I ever was a fan, but I was willing to give her an open mind and I did for awhile, until she reminded me of every other socially sheltered immature person in my life who has chosen righteous stubbornness for their bubble-view tunnel vision over a search for enlightenment, balance, tolerance and reason within the larger world. I am glad to have seen the Florida straw voters turn against her.

Bachmann oozes good girl evangelical in her decision-making, and at first I tried to look for it being a facade, as in, is there maybe a rational secular pragmatist inside there just pretending to be what her core base wants to see? I even found myself wishing it were so, but now I know she is as much at home sending secret code to her following as she is speaking to the "rest of us". That is disappointing at best. We do not want a president who speaks to "his/her" true believers in code (some say we already have one right now), and Bachmann has been doing that. Imagine needing your president to come to your aid and instead being told no because you do not believe as you should. Bachmann IS what Palin's opponents accuse her of being. Without getting into an argument about how far you can throw that kind of thing, suffice it to say that the president should be someone for the people, all the people. Bachmann is of her people only, and a true believer of that.

On to veep choices. I believe Rubio will be the strategic winner on this for two reasons: he's handsome and he's latino. The latino thing will seal the deal. The GOP needs to gain inroads with this demographic worse than Texas needs rain, and having one of their own on the ticket will do that better than attracting flies with a honey-coated stick. However, in the (unlikely) event that Rubio doesn't agree, I think going with Cain will prove to be a good sound choice. For Romney. I do not think Cain would accept a slot with Perry. Plus, Perry has a bit of a bromance with Rubio in real life. They are besties.

So, sit there and picture Romney with Cain and Perry with Rubio. Then, try to picture Paul with anyone.  LOL, not so much, eh? This illustrates something for me: Paul will not be the GOP nominee. But that won't stop him from running third-party, though. And I believe he just might. But his running mate will probably be someone most of us don't even know. Or maybe it'll be Gary Johnson. Choices to chew on.

I like what that scenario might do the more I think about it. I really think a Paul third-party candidacy will hurt Obama more than the GOP candidate. Humor me for a bit: let's say Perry gets the GOP nomination and he goes with Rubio. That puts it as a 3-way race between Obama/Biden, Perry/Rubio and Paul/Paul (let's fun it up and have his son Rand run with him). This would be a great result to my way of thinking, which is that we need to be as centrist as we can in our politics right now in order to maintain the magic of American capitalistic democracy. And such an array of choices gives us this, as crazy as it seems.

This should indicate to you that I truly haven't made up my mind yet. Obama is also still in my choices, believe it or not. I try to keep an open mind. Although, that is getting harder by the moment, because at present I'm halfway through the book, Confidence Men by Ron Suskind.  I completely agree with this NYT Book Reviews assessment of the book. To me, it's like, DUH. This is why I did not vote for Obama, hello? Still, the vote for president is a choice, most of the time between two evils, hardly ever a choice for the person of your dreams, ya know? This is the only reason Obama remains in my stable of realistic choices, because as bad as he is, he may end up being the best choice in 13 months. Anyway, an eye-opening book, highly recommended.

On Anniversaries (and Debates Next Time)

Yesterday was the tenth anniversary of 911 for America, but it was also the 50th anniversary of Hurricane Carla for my local area as well. We spent the entire weekend commemorating both.

Our town had a 911 memorial gathering at our central park on Saturday. It was a first time thing, and while many showed up, the mood was somber among everyone, understandably. There was a military program including a salute of guns and canon, and a choir and orchestra, but we spent our time with friends we saw there, reminiscing the where were you on 911 stories.

I have to say, I don't like fully recalling my memories of that morning...that afternoon...that week...that month. I did give in and watch a documentary or two, and it took me right back to my mixture of intense horror and sympathy for those in close proximity, my feelings of helplessness, my strong fear that the ship channel I live near would be hit next...the anthrax mailings...just the utter chaos that a hole ripping open your collective chest might cause. So, I think that seeking out friends and hunkering down was about all I could do.

Yesterday afternoon we went to a bbq given by a group of folks who lived in a subdivision on one of the bays that Carla battered and flooded. My parents helped them do clean up, as did dozens and dozens of others, and every ten years a bbq has been thrown and everyone invited to gather again. We've missed the last couple so it was fun to go to this one.

I was 5 when Carla struck and yet I remember it like I can recall every second even though I know that is impossible. It was most likely the first time I'd ever paid sustained attention to anything. My dad moved my mattress out to the den floor where the tv was and it's scratchy test pattern kept me company as Carla struck in the dead of night. I lost power long before the electricity gave out, so to me we never lost it. I awoke the next morning as the eye was passing over and again, I recall it vividly. Kids were outside playing in the waist-deep water in the streets (our yards were like on little hills, so the water only came up halfway into the yards), and I remember I was quite mad at my parents as I was the only kid not allowed to do that. I had to watch all my friends have a blast.

I recently read up on Carla, and discovered it was quite a huge and damaging storm. It's funny how a kid remembers things. It was spooky, not scary. It was my parents' first big hurricane as well as mine, since we moved from Arkansas in 1959. There had been one tiny one that year, and people tend to think the first one they survive is how they all are, so my parents were in shock at Carla's fury. But they managed to shield all that from me. I also remember the day or two after being very hot, sweaty, humid and uncomfortable. We must not have gotten power restored for a few days. I asked my dad, but he can no longer remember for sure.

One of the other main memories our family has of Carla was retold at the bbq. My mom had been cleaning out someone's closet and came face to face with a water mocassin. Literally face to face. She managed to bat it with her broom and it retreated into the caked piles of mud. Understandably, that was the end of her work that day!

The GOP Debate PreGame

I write this as the latest GOP debate begins. I wanted to log a few thoughts now and then come back later tonight with my impressions about the "show". There are many variables at play that might make this debate either a real snoozer or a real eye-opener. One thing I do know is that as you watch it, rest assured you will get a liberal talking head take because the host is MSNBC. I'm watching the Hardball crew carefully for veiled insults and zings, and I'm betting I won't be disappointed.

Today, my empathies are up on Romney, mainly because he cared enough to unveil a detailed plan yesterday. I believe the Wall Street Journal or the NYT has read it and analyzed. And I still need to find that and read it. I've already heard that the big criticism is Romney's position to go after China hard competitively in negotiating trade and monetary deals. Think Donald Trump here, from what I've heard. I'll let you know once I've read it.

I just saw Ron Paul's attack ad on Perry, and my first thought is, c'mon Ron, that was 20-30 years ago, dude. IS THAT ALL YOU GOT? For those who haven't seen it, it shows old photos of Ron and Reagan together, and then photos of Al Gore running for president in 1988 on the platform to undo the tax cuts, along with his "Texas Cheerleader" and then-fellow Democrat Rick Perry, who ran Gore's state campaign. A little side-note to this is that Texas used to be a different kind of 2-party politics: Dems and conservative Dems. Republicans were kind of an extinct and endangered species.

And in the Democratic party, if you were a conservative...a populist conservative...you could stay a Democrat pretty easily because the only folks who ever won were Democrats. So, knowing that, also know you'd have to be an idiot not to be a Democrat. So I don't blame Perry one wit for starting out as a Dem, because when he began his political career he was a bonafide Texas Democrat. My only regret is that we didn't stay that way in Texas, because we got good conservative government. And one could argue that it was Reagan who made that impossible to continue. The Democrat party in Texas went left considerably in response to the Reagan Revolution, and as soon as that happened, Perry became GOP as hundreds of other politicians did. End of story. Move on, nothing to see here. Like I said, is that all you got, Ron?

But back to detailed plans to handle the problems we have right now. Props for Romney. None for Paul (he's always had a general list of should-be's, but no targeted strategy for the current ills). And no props for Perry, either, on this. I know Perry has had the wildfires to contend with, but frankly, he should have a detailed plan as well, and should have had one before even jumping out of the gate. The wildfires didn't just start 2 weeks ago. Romney is climbing up my Likey Pole.

I'll be back later for more chit chat...

Good Nite, Irene and Hello, What?

Photo borrowed from my friend Elizabeth's blog

Of all the many heartbreaking photos captured from this destructive event, this one touches me the most. These folks lost their historic beach house on the Outer Banks of NC, and in a bittersweet move of sorrow, gratitude, respect and sadness, they chose to wade out to the front steps (all that remained) and watch one last sunset together. It's just very poignant to me and captures the loss eloquently. One day, they will be glad to have the photo to remember how they honored their memories there.

Well, as Neil Young said, Rust Never Sleeps. We are looking at another 2 storms this week, one of which is headed into the Gulf of Mexico and my neck of the woods. And no one can say what it's gonna do yet. They are guessing right now we will either get rain from a storm this weekend or nothing. For an area in drought, this is kind of cruel, don't you think? Last week, my dad commented he wished we'd get a good tropical storm come through and I told him, hush your mouth and don't invite trouble. Just sayin'...if we get a hurricane, it is all his fault!

What About Rick?

Rain, rain, glorious RAIN!!!

SPLISHSPLASH my ducks are takin' a bath...

It rained here Thursday morning! A light, steady soaking miracle. Of course, it was steaming and sunny and up over 100 before the day was done but last night was not the usual sauna. I enjoyed and appreciated it. Our neighborhood ducks took the opportunity to take baths and noodle around in the little rivers at our street's curbs. It was so cute to watch.

And call me crazy, but like a mama bear who always responds to a baby bear's cry, I have maternal hurricane attention disorder (mhad)...I cannot quit watching any channel covering Irene as she approaches. Guess it's in my blood from living down here so long and going through several myself. Part of me even falls back to thinking Irene's gonna hit here, until I remind myself that is not the case. I told Hubs my entire weekend is probably shot, I might as well give it up to watching Irene.

And then my Ike memories always come back -- check out the link of those memories.

And then my thoughts go to what a waste and tragedy it is that stimulus money was not spent in a more coordinated way federally to put electrical lines underground all over this country, particularly on the coasts. Damn, I truly sometimes believe that I could do a better job as president! Especially when it comes to thinking up solutions to what we out here in the real America need and don't need. I imagine the East Coasters will be learning up close and personal just how good it would have been to have had their utils put underground already. Cuz, I've said this a million times but it's still true: It ain't so much the storm that sucks, it's the aftermath.

So, speaking of governors who let me down by using our stimulus dollars to build fricking highway visitor centers on our borders:

I took Chris Cellizza's quiz, How Much Do You Know About Rick Perry? -- and my score was:

Your Results:
Wow. You are a Rick Perry expert. You got 9 questions right out of 9 (100%).

So, that must make me an expert, right? Ha-ha. I actually blamed Perry's opponent, former Houston mayor Bill White, last election for the lack of underground lines more. I mean, he was mayor during Katrina, Rita and Ike, so he more than anyone would have known how our quality of lives would have improved. But noooo. Nobody can think up the good stuff until it's too late, if at all. EYEROLL.

Back to Perry. I guess he's gone and done it now. I have all kinds of mixed feelings about it, too. But I am often finding myself mentally defending him, so I've had to examine my real feelings. And I've discovered that I'm a bit pro-Perry. It's more of a gut feeling at present. I cannot tell you exactly why, but I do recognize a great source when I see it.

If you want a reasonably objective listing of Rick Perry's facts, accomplishments, problems and criticisms, go HERE. It's a blog called The Pesky Truth, and after reading his last few blog posts about Perry, I have to say he's done a pretty good job ironing it all out without a lot of persuasion or any manipulation of facts that I could see. And this guy is a Republican from Dallas who has voted for Perry the last 3 elections.

I am a recovered Demacraholic-turned-Independent who has even less desire to join the GOP and I only voted for Perry in 2010 in order to send Team Obama the message that Texas is not in play for 2012. See above: my vote was also really more against Bill White for being same old same old when he could have really made a little difference for the good. So my point is, if I feel I can trust this info, you can too. Go read what Pesky Truth guy has to say.

I also want to speak up for Rick on something. You may have heard the uproar about his trying to force a Guardasil vaccination into every 6th grade female student in Texas. Turns out that evangelical Christian conservatives are completely over the top histerical about it. Here's the deal on it. First off, being a mom of one of those girls, I THANK RICK PERRY for making us all aware of this vaccination, and AT NO TIME was my daughter ever in a position to not opt-out of it. We made the decision to vaccinate her, and we are already thankful. A few weeks ago, her grandmother was diagnosed with cervical cancer and her doctors believe it's the kind caused by one of the strains of HPV that the vaccine protects against. When you get that kind of karma message, it hits home. Any protection is better than none.

Yeah. You don't hear that story too often, but there are many Texans who feel thankful like myself. Plus, never once did I or my husband ever worry about sending our daughter a message condoning promiscuity by vaccinating her. GIVE ME A BREAK! Geebus. Let me tellya, though, that is the real reason why the evangelical CC's were and are so hot about it. Just the other day, on a popular political blog, I tried in vain to defend Perry on this and I got run out of town (figuratively) by those people. I was all but called a jezebel mom for allowing it.

My eyes were really opened as to the vehement behavior of some of these people. It's hideous. And really wrong-minded, too. I tried reaching them by posing, what if it were an AIDS vaccine? I KID YOU NOT, THEY ALL SAID IT WOULD DO THE SAME THING, SO NO THANKS.

WHAT????????

Unbelievable. Not only do I have personal knowledge that the vaccine does not lead to promiscuity, which is ridiculous, condemning your child to death by AIDS for disobeying you once is a REAL IDIOT THING to do. This completely reinforced my previous belief that the far right fringe is every bit as looney and bad as the far left fringe. They are like matching bookends. And it's not so much their beliefs themselves, because I'm always willing to let everyone believe what they want, it's the making me have to believe it too and thinking it is okay to impose those beliefs because you think it is your divine duty or something, or even worse, you feel cornered and have to lash out so aggressively. Believe what you want, but do not expect or fight to make the law of the land a codified image of your weird-ass fringe beliefs.

Now, the far left fringe (and the far religious right fringe) will have you think that Perry will crack down and end freedom and yadayada. Oh yeah? I haven't seen him do it here, and he's had over ten years to try. A couple times when he's believed in something, he has tried to execute it into law, but when the people rose up and told him no, he backed off and said fine. Dang, wouldn't it be nice to see this done nationally (Obamacare)?

What I do not like about Perry is his communication skills, or lack of. The little greet line video of the boy being prompted by his mom to ask Perry why he hates science is a great example of what I mean. Perry said we teach both evolution and creationism in Texas and that is true. We teach both and let the student decide. I'm fine with that. Gridlock over, move on. But what Perry missed was an opportunity to say, I'm not anti-science. I use it all the time. Last month, I had experimental back surgery using my own stem cells to grow new nerves. I believe in good sound science so much that I used myself as a guinea pig for it. (it is true, he really did have that surgery and his own stem cells were used).

He is very good at rehearsed choreographed stuff and not so good at off the cuff stuff. And I wish that were not true, because thinking up those kinds of ways to put in some good info is what he needs to do in order to calm a lot of the rhetoric going around about him.

Dang, ok, first I have to be president, and now I gotta be Perry's advisor. Geebus, my life is suddenly so busy. WINK WINK

Immigration Reform for Dummies

Behold a scan of my immigration reform plan, which came to me while thinking about our current political gridlock, in light of real stuff we need to happen right now, like jobs and revenues.


My ridiculously simple T-account chart for compromising a deal on Immigration Reform...

This is really so easy and simple a plan that even a fifth-grader could have come up with it. Plus, it's already been done once, back in the 1980's. Reagan promised amnesty as the revenue to save Social Security (which it did, rendering it back in the black less than a decade later), in exchange for a fence to appease conservatives. The amnesty part worked wonderfully. Congress didn't follow through on the fence, however (and since it has had GOP leadership more than once since then, they could have corrected that and never did).

Before we get to the present-day gridlock that currently mars reform, let's explore a bit more. The fence was originally agreed to by Reagan on the grounds that it would stop the increase in illegal immigration once built. The amnesty would make all illegals already here citizens, thereby wrapping up the whole problem with a pretty bow tied round it.

Only problem was, the Dems, who had regained Congressional control before the whole thing became law, wanted amnesty and no fence, so that is what the law ended up being. (And, neocon corporatist GOP's wanted open borders as well, for cheap labor and global capitalism.) This produced, to this day, a taste in anti-corporate anti-neocon Republican mouths so bad that were they to eat some, they would either throw it up or die of indigestion.

And this is where I get frustrated. I cannot figure out why the GOP cannot lay the blame for this at the Dems' feet of the guilty charged with implementing it instead of aiming their blame at the concept of amnesty, probably the only good thing I think Reagan, their idol, ever did. Inconsistent much? Why must they now count it as a mistake Reagan made? Clearly it wasn't one, not as originally intended. The only mistake was the lack of Congressional follow-thru. The law was not actuated as designed. More importantly, this current position backs the GOP into the corner of supporting something shadowy and impossible to enforce (green cards, work permits, employer policing), in order to...what? Be against what the Dems are for?

Anyway, if you look at my chart, you see that I've assumed the Dems want Amnesty and No Fence. And the GOP wants a Fence and No Amnesty. I believe these assumptions are pretty irrefutable. What I do in this chart is show that Congress can produce immigration reform by forcing each side to choose one thing each wants the most and giving up on the other one. Merge the two first choices and voila! Instant legislation and reform. How is that even remotely difficult? And why hasn't it been done yet????

A few more things: it is imperitive for the Fence to be built first. Why? #1. Because it wasn't done the first time around. End of discussion. This one fact accounts for a LOT of the anti-amnesty opinion. Some things are just done because they are the right thing to do, and this is one of them. Yes, it's expensive, but if it is infrastructure and done as a jobs program, that cost becomes more palatable and money well-spent.

But, if that is not enough, here's #2. The Fence is no longer a structure iconized to represent keeping Mexicans out of the country. That's so yesterday. The Fence is now a representation of National Security, and it became that around the time that John McCain changed his mind about it, because he changed his mind about it because the people of his state became increasingly in danger of terrorist invasion, that's why. (You can always tell a way-too-partisan person by him calling that a flip-flop.) But, I digress. The point of #1 and #2 is that they are the arguments to be used to persuade Dems and to justify it to GOP'ers.

Now, let's go to the Amnesty arguments. Let's tackle No Amnesty first. YadaYada, yes, we all agree in the dark recesses of our souls that it's not quite right to give all of those party crashers a free ride and let them stay here and be citizens. But, let me ask everyone who says no way to letting them stay: do you have any idea how much money it would cost to round up each and every illegal and send them back? Do you? How about just an estimate? No??? Well, let me suggest to you that no amount is high enough. And that is assuming that we have all the money in the world available to throw at it, which is completely not the case now.

And the other assumption that's wrong is that even if we could pay for it, it would be impossible to do. A complete waste of money, time and energy. Take it from someone who lives in a city that has been completely transformed in numbers by the underground illegal. Officially, hispanics make up 30% at most, yet unofficially, we are at least 55% hispanic. The difference is the legal status of hispanics. How do we know this? The official numbers are the city's own stats. The unofficial percentages are the school district's, which have to educate all children and therefore include the illegal numbers.

I explain this because my city has a sophisticated and effective Mexican underground...not as in mafia or violence. I'm talking about a separate economy, whatever it takes for the illegals to live. About 15 years ago when I and my school volunteer mom friends first discovered it, we were offended and shocked. But gradually we all had to begrudge it some respect, as it worked like a finely oiled machine. Now, we all just accept it and wished our own institutions worked as well. We also got to know more and more Mexican parents thru school, work, neighbors, etc. And we now know they are just people, too, like us, wanting a better life. And they are by and large willing to work their butts off and then some to get it. Which I happen to think is admirable and is an example this country needs to see more of.

But my main point is still this: you cannot make any law that will root them out. They are entrenched and will just burrow deeper underground the harder you try to find them by limiting our freedoms more and more toward a police state. We will lose our freedoms long before we erdicate America of all illegals, mark my words. I know. I live among them. The only thing that will cause them to come out into the sunshine is amnesty and citizenship, for as confusingly as we have treated them, they still dream of becoming American citizens.

So, conservatives: why continue to cling to this impractical and impossible principal of rooting them out and telling them to get in the back of the line? Because it's the right thing to do? Its ineffective expense makes it just as frivolous as massive Obamacare reforms right now, and so not the right thing to do. Plus, there is a little matter of us accepting responsiblity for OUR part of this problem. How did they get over here, anyway? That fence was never built, remember? We closed our eyes or looked away, and they came over. We shouldn't have looked away if we didn't want them to come, so we don't get to decide it's not right after the fact. Accept the fact that we failed at policing our border, that these folks are here now, have been here for years, and we need revenues, so make them taxpayers and let them help us out!

But first, build that fence and enact one humongous JOBS package. Let's invest in some infrastucture and kill several birds with one stone. Liberals must recognize and accept that if a poor persecuted Mexican can make it over, so can an evil-minded terrorist. Every day that we leave that border open is one more day for terrorists to invade us. And those drug cartels are terrorizing our citizens on the border right now. Each side of this argument gets something, and each side has to give something up. The solution I've detailed is just crying out to be legislated and enacted. We need more taxpayers to create more revenues out in the open and officially, we need jobs, we need border security, we need to save Social Security again for a while (until our government's general fund manages to steal the profits from it like the 3.1 trillion dollars they have in IOU's so far).

But most of all, we need some LEADERSHIP on this issue. Why isn't Obama pushing for this right now? He needs something like this, badly. Independents would find this admirable and he would get some much needed props from them, and maybe a softening toward him for their vote in 2012. And if he got gridlock flack from the far left and far right, as he will initially because both of them want all their demands, he could paint them both as jobs-denying, Social Security-killing, national security-failing obstructionists.

Today I saw an article quoting Eric Cantor advising his GOP House colleagues "to avoid brinksmanship in spending fights". Being that Mr. Cantor was painted as a Tea Partying rebel in the debt ceiling kerfuffle, this can only mean that GOP'ers are taking the polls seriously, that the vast middle of America wants them to quit fussing and fighting and start solving stuff.

Well, NOW is the time to solve this! Perhaps Compromise can once again be a noble endeavor. We're not doing anything else that would be such...

Fortune cookie wisdom

Yes, but with my luck it's not carried by my cable company...

Get up and stretch!

Today I'm sharing some links to get help you get up off the couch or out from underneath the air conditioner vent! And because you may not be in shape or used to exercising right about now (heat makes exercising even more challenging, so many people just give up on doing it until the temps fall some), these exercises are really little more than stretching. That's manageable, right? In fact, if that is all you do while the summer heat rules, you will be doing yourself more good than you realize. So, if you have given up the exercise ghost, how about just stretch?

I googled stretching exercises for seniors free online videos and got a bunch of good links. If you are not a senior or that annoys you somehow, then re-google without the word. But it never hurts to do those kinds of exercises, at first, if you haven't been active in a while. And if you have any physical limitations, this filter might actually be better for you to begin activity.

If you grow tired of just stretching, then google for what you think you can handle next. You can also just go to YouTube and search. If you have Netflix, which is not free but is quite affordable, did you know that they have workout videos available for instant tv access? Check out the Genres tab, then click on Sports & Fitness. Most of the videos are in the Workouts subsection, but there's 10-Minute Kickboxing under the Martial Arts subsection. What I usually do is one of the many "dancercise-type" videos for aerobics, as well as their yoga videos. The basic beginner yoga positions are merely isometric stretches and nothing more. Just do the ones you can, but do them again and again. Soon you'll be able to handle more complicated positions.

I plan to explore Netflix's many pilates videos very soon, but for now I'm happy with these two beginning exercise types of yoga and dance. For me, the yoga videos are a precursor to the pilates, because of my body's limitations. Your mileage may vary, of course, as I am physically hampered by my five Arthurs (arthritises).

In my Dr. Weil newsletter today, I found this article:
"It doesn't take much exercise to help reduce your risk of heart disease. A new review of 33 earlier studies on the benefits of exercise found that people who get 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week reduce their risk of heart disease by 14 percent compared to inactive people (150 minutes comes out to 30 minutes a day, five days a week). Of course, more is better, and with additional physical activity (five hours of exercise per week) you can lower your risk by as much 20 percent (again, compared to inactive folks). The review found that women benefit more from exercise than men, but the researchers aren’t sure why and have suggested that the difference may be due to a statistical quirk. You might also achieve an additional risk reduction of five percent if you're up for exercising 12.5 hours per week, but the researchers conceded that the extra five percent may not be worth all that added effort. The study was published online August 1 in Circulation."

The evidence grows that you don't have to push yourself to extremes to reap health benefits from physical activities. Just with what I have shared with you, there is now no excuse to stay on that couch, people!

I'll leave you with this thought: we live in stressful times. Our problems cause us stress to think about them, yet they cause us stress not to, as well, whether we admit it or not. If you avoid the stress by unplugging from current events (The Ostrich Effect), perhaps all you need is a little stress-busting activity to handle that stress. Things always feel less negative when the endomorphins kick in. You can engage in the responsiblity of citizenship AND be happy. My friends, trust the expert:

Elle advises: "Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy."

Gangs of London

I ask you, what is up with London lately?

I, like many people around the world, have seen the videos and photos online and on television over the last several days, of the rioting and looting going on. I'm also aware of the many attempts to pigeonhole this nightmare of events as a reaction to a police shooting of an innocent man as opposed to a reaction to the UK's recent austerity reform measures , which I find a bit hair-splitting.

I mean, how do you explain the comment of a rioter who, when asked why they were doing this, replied that they were showing "The Rich" (shop owners) that the rioters could do anything they wanted.

If these recent riots were not a reaction to getting weaned off the tit of UK socialistic cradle-to-grave welfare programs, then wouldn't the rioting be aimed at their government? Instead, they are being aimed at their own who have managed to rise a bit above a government check for survival.

True, one may have fermented the other, but to delineate the two with a brick wall of rationalization is in my opinion ridiculous. I think it is the American Leftist way of attempting Slight of Hand. In other words, pay no attention to that man behind the curtain, this is not what happens when the State provides cradle-to-grave subsidy, creates the addiction, and then takes it away.

But, it most certainly does. People, any people, get used to what they are given. Just look at the en masse rejection on the part of the American people to the idea of cuts in Medicare and Social Security. They come to expect it, gosh darnit, especially as Time makes an ally of the expectation. In America, a program that was created to be catastrophic insurance against old-age destitution is now considered a right by all retired Americans whether they need it or not to avoid the poor house.

Sobering reality, isn't it? Don't kid yourself. That is one version of our future we are watching unfold over in London.

A 2012 Advantage?

Is it beginning to sound like there's an echo?
Debt ceiling raised...through 2012.
Interest rates kept near zero...through 2012.

People, this goes against anything I've seen in my life. It almost seems like *UNFAIR* to the max (no one's beating down my door to ask my opinion, although that never stopped me yet). Nevertheless, I'll just ask: when does anyone get the right to have key parts of the economy jiggered with to help him win an election? Cuz, you know it sets a precedent. Yes, I know, cue the protests and cheeky comments, like, 'yeah, that has never been done before.' But it really hasn't...not out in the open and blatantly like this. Just sayin...

Well, so okay, so where's OUR 2012 advantage then? Maybe we'll have to make our own. Stay tuned, I might think up some possibles.

In the meantime, where is the Budget? Mr. Obama did submit one, finally, after 2 years, which was quickly and decisively voted down earlier this spring....like maybe on cue? It was weird when that happened. Now, I'm wondering if it was choreographed...to purposefully not have one. So, no Budget, no plan to have to stick to. That means "things" can evolve as needed, but only as needed by those powerful enough to get it, like Mr. Obama's administration (appointees' rulings, executive orders, negotiated legislation). This, too, is unprecedented in the increased range of its scope if not its contents, and in the tendrils that connect these unprecedented things.

I was talking with a neighbor recently, who voiced what I hear ALOT of people say, that they do not pay any attention to politics and what all's going on, because it is too negative. Historically, I've abided this without comment, but I'm beginning to sincerely believe that this is a bunk attitude that I need to call out. An attitude not worth bunk. A copout. More importantly, though, it is just what the pols want you to do, stick your head down your hole and leave them alone to screw things up the way they want to. This kind of attitude is fast becoming part of the problem, people. Instead, you -- we all -- need to be part of the solution. A solution that we need to not be quiet about.

For now, I've got my solution. Unless and until I see something better (something realistic, as opposed to clinging to the fantasy that Hillary will challenge Obama once more), I'm supporting Ron Paul. He's the only one out there right now in whom I can trust, I know fairly well what to expect, and whether we like what he's selling or not, it would be good for us. Who damn well cares if people accuse him of being nuts? That's a commonly used psychological tactic used to damage an opponent. And, as more and more of what Paul has been warning us about has come true right before our eyes, the tactic has been backfiring louder than a '54 Chevy in dire need of a tuneup.

Still, Team Obama continues to use the tactic shamelessly. Remember them painting McCain as confused and irrational? Those were code words for OLD. And for those under the rock star spell of Obama, it worked, on just enough swing voters who took the chance on Obama. Remember how McCain was painted as not expecting to survive a presidential term because of his cancer returning? One of my favorite things to do around those I know who bought into that is to greet them when I see them with something like, hey, imagine that -- McCain's still alive!!! They usually blush and mutter something like, yeah, okay, point taken. hehehe It never gets OLD for me. And when these same Koolaid drinkers gripe about how Obama has not turned out as expected, especially the lack of balls and conviction, I love to point out the many ways that illustrate that McCain has more of that in his little finger than Obama does in total. The most recent example I cannot wait to bring up is how he went right into a town hall meeting back home and refused to apologize for the hobbit remark -- LOVE THAT.

And while I'm on the subject of Team Obama's code word tactic, I saw yesterday that they are starting it up against Mitt Romney already. Romney's apparently WEIRD. This is their code word for Mormon. Hide and watch. I'm thinking, my word for that is LAME.

Anyway, back to Ron Paul. If and when he becomes a threat on Team Obama's radar, look for them to paint Paul as confused and irrational. It is just too damn easy, and Team Obama is lazy and not afraid to use these tactics blatantly and repeatedly. They do have balls in the campaigning dept. Too bad it doesn't spill over to governance.
Now, we are hearing that next Saturday, we may have a new entrant in the 2012 Presidential Circus, and I may have to reassess my choice of Paul, because as much as I've kind of not taken Governor Rick Perry seriously, really, the entire time he's been in office, lately I've realized, he is not that bad. He's got balls and he's not afraid of the Bushes, having already made himself an enemy of them by refusing to endorse someone they wanted him to. They have not been besties for several years now. The media is currently leading you to think he is the darling of Christian Conservatives, but do not be fooled. Perry's been persona non grata with many of them ever since he issued an executive order for Guardacil vaccination. The opposition is pretty intense. Guess ya just have to live here in Texas to know the real stories. I'll save it for a future blog post if he really jumps into the race.

For now, though, I'm waiting and watching the situation. Comparing Paul and Perry may leave me still in Paul's corner. For instance, this interest rate proclamation of Bernanke's that came out today. Paul would never agree to this because the market should determine interest rates in his view, and we all know that hasn't happened in like 20 years. This latest move, though, strikes me a bit like messing with DNA. I do not like it. Why that long of an artificial muzzle on them? Other than a political move to help Mr. Obama, please let me know what other reasons would cause this. Seriously, I would like to know. (But please, don't write to tell me it is to fight inflation. First, inflation will happen whether Bernanke wants it to or not, and Two, raising our interest rates, or allowing them to rise naturally, FIGHTS inflation. So, you can see the error in that  idea.)

A guy whose blog I read over at Seeking Alpha wrote the other day that he wondered what was causing interest rates to remain low, and his theory was that Bernanke must be constantly printing more money. That's just great. It's bad enough to have the dollar devalued, but to do it to ourselves? Again, one thing I do know is that Paul would never let this be done.

What do we have to look forward to indefinitely? Depressed real estate prices (some would say slashed, crashed, I do not disagree). Depressed stock market values. And increasingly, deflated currency. Great, just great. Are depressed Americans far behind?

I'm a big believer in leaving it up to God, which is why I have such a problem with all the Christians who don't do that, instead wanting to do the judge jury and executioner thing because they think that God wants and calls on them to do that. You know, the Bible says to render to Caesar what is Caesar's. It doesn't say, go take Caesar's job away from him and do it yourselves in God's or Jesus' name.

So, here is an idea for our advantage, the peoples' advantage in 2012. What if all the campaign money in the world (Obama is expected to raise record amounts), and all the political advantages of incumbency and government policies jiggered to his benefit, does not produce a win? Wow, wouldn't THAT be an amazing thing? Not for the incumbent, admittedly. But, it would do wonders for our political system. Perhaps a candidate's ideas and history and message would prove more important. I'd be happy with that advantage...

Proof is in the Email

I get an email every month from the Government Accounting Office called the GAO Month in Review. It is self-described as "a comprehensive list of all reports, testimony, correspondence, and other publications issued by GAO during the previous month, grouped according to topic."

Below, you will find the latest email I received. I am sharing it to impress upon you, dear readers, just how HUGE our government is, that the department charged with holding the government accountable prepares and issues this many reports...EVERY MONTH. Please do not confuse the message with the messenger. The GAO is awesome, and probably the ONE department our government has that earns its money. The problem is not the GAO. The problem is how immense our government has become.

When you create a monster that is so big that you cannot longer afford to feed it at the rate it wants to eat, what do you do? You put it on a diet!
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Top 10 list: http://www.gao.gov/press/topten.html
Learn more about our Topics:
http://www.gao.gov/subscribe/topicdescriptions.html
* * * AGRICULTURE AND FOOD * * *
USDA Systems Modernization: Management and Oversight Improvements Are Needed, GAO-11-586, July 20 (47 pages)  http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-586
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11586high.pdf
* * * AUDITING AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT * * *
Air Force Working Capital Fund: Budgeting and Management of Carryover Work and Funding Could Be Improved, GAO-11-539, July 7 (41 pages) Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11539high.pdf
American Battle Monuments Commission: Improvements Needed in Internal Controls and Accounting Procedures - Fiscal Year 2010, GAO-11-577R, July 28 (18 pages)
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-577R
Bankruptcy: Complex Financial Institutions and International Coordination Pose Challenges, GAO-11-707, July 19 (143 pages) Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11707high.pdf
Cost and Legal Authority for Selected Financial Literacy Programs and Activities, GAO-11-781R, July 13 (10 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-781R
DOD Financial Management: Numerous Challenges Must Be Addressed to Achieve Auditability, GAO-11-864T, July 28 (23 pages) Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11864thigh.pdf
DOD Financial Management: Numerous Challenges Must Be Addressed to Improve Reliability of Financial Information, GAO-11-835T, July 27 (23 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11835thigh.pdf
Federal Reserve System: Opportunities Exist to Strengthen Policies and Processes for Managing Emergency Assistance, GAO-11-696, July 21 (266 pages) Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11696high.pdf
Improper Payments: Reported Medicare Estimates and Key Remediation Strategies, GAO-11-842T, July 28 (30 pages) Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11842thigh.pdf
Proprietary Trading: Regulators Will Need More Comprehensive Information to Fully Monitor Compliance with New Restrictions When Implemented, GAO-11-529, July 13 (62 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11529high.pdf
Troubled Asset Relief Program: The Government's Exposure to AIG Following the Company's Recapitalization, GAO-11-716, July 18 (97 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11716high.pdf
* * * BUDGET AND SPENDING * * *
Air Force Working Capital Fund: Budgeting and Management of Carryover Work and Funding Could Be Improved, GAO-11-539, July 7 (41 pages) Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11539high.pdf
Defense Department Cyber Efforts: Definitions, Focal Point, and Methodology Needed for DOD to Develop Full-Spectrum Cyberspace Budget Estimates, GAO-11-695R, July 29 (33 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-695R
Information Technology: Continued Attention Needed to Accurately Report Federal Spending and Improve Management, GAO-11-831T, July 14 (18 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11831thigh.pdf
* * * BUSINESS REGULATION AND CONSUMER PROTECTION * * *
Children's Television Act: FCC Could Improve Efforts to Oversee Enforcement and Provide Public Information, GAO-11-659, July 14 (42 pages) Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11659high.pdf
Residential Appraisals: Opportunities to Enhance Oversight of an Evolving Industry, GAO-11-653, July 13 (60 pages) Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11653high.pdf
Residential Appraisals: Opportunities to Enhance Oversight of an Evolving Industry, GAO-11-783T, July 13 (12 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-783T
Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Program: Preliminary Information on Actions Taken by Agencies to Address Fraud and Abuse and Remaining Vulnerabilities, GAO-11-589T, July 28 (13 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11589thigh.pdf
Troubled Asset Relief Program: The Government's Exposure to AIG Following the Company's Recapitalization, GAO-11-716, July 18 (97 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11716high.pdf
* * * ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT * * *
Burma: UN and U.S. Agencies Assisted Cyclone Victims in Difficult Environment, but Improved U.S. Monitoring Needed, GAO-11-700, July 26 (82 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11700high.pdf
Department of Commerce: Office of Manufacturing and Services Could Better Measure and Communicate Its Contributions to Trade Policy, GAO-11-583, June 7 (45 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11583high.pdf
Economic Development: Efficiency and Effectiveness of Fragmented Programs Are Unclear, GAO-11-872T, July 27 (15 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-872T
FEMA and the Corps Have Taken Steps to Establish a Task Force, but FEMA Has Not Assessed the Costs of Collecting and Reporting All Levee-Related Concerns, GAO-11-689R, July 29 (15 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-689R
FEMA Has Made Progress in Managing Regionalization of Preparedness Grants, GAO-11-732R, July 29 (42 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-732R
Millennium Challenge Corporation: Compacts in Cape Verde and Honduras Achieved Reduced Targets, GAO-11-728, July 25 (124 pages) Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11728high.pdf
* * * EDUCATION * * *
Cost and Legal Authority for Selected Financial Literacy Programs and Activities, GAO-11-781R, July 13 (10 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-781R
Disadvantaged Students: School Districts Have Used Title I Funds Primarily to Support Instruction, GAO-11-595, July 15 (58 pages) Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11595high.pdf
Financial Education and Counseling Pilot Program, GAO-11-737R, July 27 (19 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-737R
School Improvement Grants: Early Implementation Under Way, but Reforms Affected by Short Time Frames, GAO-11-741, July 25 (48 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-741
* * * EMPLOYMENT * * *
Federal Workers' Compensation: Questions to Consider in Changing Benefits for Older Beneficiaries, GAO-11-854T, July 26 (15 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-854T
Securities and Exchange Commission: Existing Post-Employment Controls Could Be Further Strengthened, GAO-11-654, July 12 (38 pages) Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11654high.pdf
* * * ENERGY * * *
Biofuels: Challenges to the Transportation, Sale, and Use of Intermediate Ethanol Blends, GAO-11-513, June 3 (57 pages)  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11513high.pdf
* * * EQUAL OPPORTUNITY * * *
Coast Guard: Civil Rights Directorate Can Enhance Workforce Restructuring Efforts, GAO-11-718, July 18 (45 pages)  http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-718
* * * FINANCIAL MARKETS AND INSTITUTIONS * * *
Bankruptcy: Complex Financial Institutions and International Coordination Pose Challenges, GAO-11-707, July 19 (143 pages) Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11707high.pdf
Cost and Legal Authority for Selected Financial Literacy Programs and Activities, GAO-11-781R, July 13 (10 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-781R
Dodd-Frank Act: Eleven Agencies' Estimates of Resources for Implementing Regulatory Reform, GAO-11-808T, July 14 (20 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-808T
Federal Reserve System: Opportunities Exist to Strengthen Policies and Processes for Managing Emergency Assistance, GAO-11-696, July 21 (266 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11696high.pdf
Mortgage Reform: Potential Impacts of Provisions in the Dodd-Frank Act on Homebuyers and the Mortgage Market, GAO-11-656, July 19 (83 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11656high.pdf
Mutual Fund Advertising: Improving How Regulators Communicate New Rule Interpretations to Industry Would Further Protect Investors, GAO-11-697, July 26 (58 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11697high.pdf
Person-To-Person Lending: New Regulatory Challenges Could Emerge as the Industry Grows, GAO-11-613, July 7 (78 pages)  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11613high.pdf
Private Fund Advisers: Although a Self-Regulatory Organization Could Supplement SEC Oversight, It Would Present Challenges and Trade-offs, GAO-11-623, July 11 (31 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11623high.pdf
Proprietary Trading: Regulators Will Need More Comprehensive Information to Fully Monitor Compliance with New Restrictions When Implemented, GAO-11-529, July 13 (62 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11529high.pdf
Residential Appraisals: Opportunities to Enhance Oversight of an Evolving Industry, GAO-11-783T, July 13 (12 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-783T
Securities and Exchange Commission: Existing Post-Employment Controls Could Be Further Strengthened, GAO-11-654, July 12 (38 pages) Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11654high.pdf
Securities Fraud Liability of Secondary Actors, GAO-11-664, July 21 (47 pages)
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-664
Troubled Asset Relief Program: The Government's Exposure to AIG Following the Company's Recapitalization, GAO-11-716, July 18 (97 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11716high.pdf
* * * GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS * * *
American Battle Monuments Commission: Improvements Needed in Internal Controls and Accounting Procedures - Fiscal Year 2010, GAO-11-577R, July 28 (18 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-577R
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands: Status of Transition to Federal Immigration Law, GAO-11-805T, July 14 (21 pages)  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11805thigh.pdf
Criminal Cartel Enforcement: Stakeholder Views on Impact of 2004 Antitrust Reform Are Mixed, but Support Whistleblower Protection, GAO-11-619, July 25 (76 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11619high.pdf
Data Center Consolidation: Agencies Need to Complete Inventories and Plans to Achieve Expected Savings, GAO-11-565, July 19 (106 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11565high.pdf
Department of Veterans Affairs: Issues Related to Real Property Realignment and Future Health Care Costs, GAO-11-877T, July 27 (11 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-877T
DHS Science and Technology: Additional Steps Needed to Ensure Test and Evaluation Requirements Are Met, GAO-11-596, June 15 (61 pages)  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11596high.pdf
Dodd-Frank Act: Eleven Agencies' Estimates of Resources for Implementing Regulatory Reform, GAO-11-808T, July 14 (20 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-808T
Emergency Preparedness: Agencies Need Coordinated Guidance on Incorporating Telework into Emergency and Continuity Planning, GAO-11-628, July 22 (43 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11628high.pdf
FEMA and the Corps Have Taken Steps to Establish a Task Force, but FEMA Has Not Assessed the Costs of Collecting and Reporting All Levee-Related Concerns, GAO-11-689R, July 29 (15 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-689R
FEMA Has Made Progress in Managing Regionalization of Preparedness Grants, GAO-11-732R, July 29 (42 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-732R
Foreign Assistance: The United States Provides Wide-ranging Trade Capacity Building Assistance, but Better Reporting and Evaluation Are Needed, GAO-11-727, July 29 (65 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11727high.pdf
Information Technology: Continued Attention Needed to Accurately Report Federal Spending and Improve Management, GAO-11-831T, July 14 (18 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-831T
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11831thigh.pdf
Interagency Collaboration: Implications of a Common Alignment of World Regions among Select Federal Agencies, GAO-11-776R, July 11 (40 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-776R
Social Media: Federal Agencies Need Policies and Procedures for Managing and Protecting Information They Access and Disseminate, GAO-11-605, June 28 (90 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11605high.pdf
Space and Missile Defense Acquisitions: Periodic Assessment Needed to Correct Parts Quality Problems in Major Programs, GAO-11-404, June 24 (63 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11404high.pdf
* * * HEALTH CARE * * *
Antibiotic Resistance: Data Gaps Will Remain Despite HHS Taking Steps to Improve Monitoring, GAO-11-406, June 1 (66 pages) Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11406high.pdf
Child Maltreatment: Strengthening National Data on Child Fatalities Could Aid in Prevention, GAO-11-599, July 7 (57 pages) Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11599high.pdf
Department of Veterans Affairs: Issues Related to Real Property Realignment and Future Health Care Costs, GAO-11-877T, July 27 (11 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-877T
EPA Health Risk Assessments: Sustained Management and Oversight Key to Overcoming Challenges, GAO-11-824T, July 14 (11 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-824T
Fraud Detection Systems: Additional Actions Needed to Support Program Integrity Efforts at Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, GAO-11-822T, July 12 (14 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-822T
Fraud Detection Systems: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Needs to Ensure More Widespread Use, GAO-11-475, June 30 (49 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11475high.pdf
Improper Payments: Reported Medicare Estimates and Key Remediation Strategies, GAO-11-842T, July 28 (30 pages) Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11842thigh.pdf
Medicare Part D: Changes in Utilization Similar for Randomly Reassigned and Other Low-Income Subsidy Beneficiaries, GAO-11-546R, June 22 (21 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-546R
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: Contracts Awarded and Consultants Retained by Federal Departments and Agencies to Assist in Implementing the Act, GAO-11-797R, July 14 (21 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-797R
President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief: Program Planning and Reporting, GAO-11-785, July 29 (44 pages) Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11785high.pdf
Safe Drinking Water Act: EPA Should Improve Implementation of Requirements on Whether to Regulate Additional Contaminants, GAO-11-254, May 27 (146 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11254high.pdf
Safe Drinking Water Act: Improvements in Implementation Are Needed to Better Assure the Public of Safe Drinking Water, GAO-11-803T, July 12 (24 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-803T
VA and DOD Health Care: First Federal Health Care Center Established, but Implementation Concerns Need to Be Addressed, GAO-11-570, July 19 (46 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11570high.pdf
Value in Health Care: Key Information for Policymakers to Assess Efforts to Improve Quality While Reducing Costs, GAO-11-445, July 26 (52 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11445high.pdf
World Trade Center Health Program: Administrator's Plans for Evaluating Clinics' Capabilities to Provide Required Data, GAO-11-793R, July 15 (33 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-793R
* * * HOMELAND SECURITY * * *
Aviation Security: TSA Has Enhanced Its Explosives Detection Requirements for Checked Baggage, but Additional Screening Actions Are Needed, GAO-11-740, July 11 (64 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11740high.pdf
Aviation Security: TSA Has Taken Actions to Improve Security, but Additional Efforts Remain, GAO-11-807T, July 13 (20 pages) Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11807thigh.pdf
Coast Guard: Action Needed As Approved Deepwater Program Remains Unachievable, GAO-11-743, July 28 (86 pages)  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11743high.pdf
Coast Guard: Civil Rights Directorate Can Enhance Workforce Restructuring Efforts, GAO-11-718, July 18 (45 pages)  http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-718
Combating Nuclear Smuggling: DHS has Developed a Strategic Plan for its Global Nuclear Detection Architecture, but Gaps Remain, GAO-11-869T, July 26 (14 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-869T
Combating Terrorism: Additional Steps Needed to Enhance Foreign Partners' Capacity to Prevent Terrorist Travel, GAO-11-637, June 30 (44 pages) Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11637high.pdf
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands: Status of Transition to Federal Immigration Law, GAO-11-805T, July 14 (21 pages) Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11805thigh.pdf
DHS Science and Technology: Additional Steps Needed to Ensure Test and Evaluation Requirements Are Met, GAO-11-596, June 15 (61 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11596high.pdf
Homeland Security: DHS Could Strengthen Acquisitions and Development of New Technologies, GAO-11-829T, July 15 (14 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-829T
Homeland Security: Protecting Federal Facilities Remains a Challenge for the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Protective Service, GAO-11-813T, July 13 (18 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11813thigh.pdf
* * * HOUSING * * *
Mortgage Reform: Potential Impacts of Provisions in the Dodd-Frank Act on Homebuyers and the Mortgage Market, GAO-11-656, July 19 (83 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11656high.pdf
Residential Appraisals: Opportunities to Enhance Oversight of an Evolving Industry, GAO-11-653, July 13 (60 pages) Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11653high.pdf
Residential Appraisals: Opportunities to Enhance Oversight of an Evolving Industry, GAO-11-783T, July 13 (12 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-783T
* * * HUMAN CAPITAL * * *
Securities and Exchange Commission: Existing Post-Employment Controls Could Be Further Strengthened, GAO-11-654, July 12 (38 pages) Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11654high.pdf
* * * INFORMATION MANAGEMENT * * *
DOD Task Force For Business and Stability Operations: Actions Needed to Establish Project Management Guidelines and Enhance Information Sharing, GAO-11-715, July 29 (34 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11715high.pdf
Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Dating Violence, and Stalking: National Data Collection Efforts Underway to Address Some Information Gaps, GAO-11-833T, July 13 (13 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-833T
Information Sharing Environment: Better Road Map Needed to Guide Implementation and Investments, GAO-11-455, July 21 (80 pages) Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11455high.pdf
Social Media: Federal Agencies Need Policies and Procedures for Managing and Protecting Information They Access and Disseminate, GAO-11-605, June 28 (90 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11605high.pdf
* * * INFORMATION SECURITY * * *
Cybersecurity: Continued Attention Needed to Protect Our Nation's Critical Infrastructure, GAO-11-865T, July 26 (20 pages) Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11865thigh.pdf
Defense Department Cyber Efforts: Definitions, Focal Point, and Methodology Needed for DOD to Develop Full-Spectrum Cyberspace Budget Estimates, GAO-11-695R, July 29 (33 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-695R
Defense Department Cyber Efforts: DOD Faces Challenges In Its Cyber Activities, GAO-11-75, July 25 (79 pages)  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d1175high.pdf
Social Media: Federal Agencies Need Policies and Procedures for Managing and Protecting Information They Access and Disseminate, GAO-11-605, June 28 (90 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11605high.pdf
* * * INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY * * *
Data Center Consolidation: Agencies Need to Complete Inventories and Plans to Achieve Expected Savings, GAO-11-565, July 19 (106 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11565high.pdf
Defense Department Cyber Efforts: Definitions, Focal Point, and Methodology Needed for DOD to Develop Full-Spectrum Cyberspace Budget Estimates, GAO-11-695R, July 29 (33 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-695R
Defense Department Cyber Efforts: DOD Faces Challenges In Its Cyber Activities, GAO-11-75, July 25 (79 pages)  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d1175high.pdf
Information Technology: Continued Attention Needed to Accurately Report Federal Spending and Improve Management, GAO-11-831T, July 14 (18 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11831thigh.pdf
Information Technology: DHS Needs to Improve Its Independent Acquisition Reviews, GAO-11-581, July 28 (65 pages)  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11581high.pdf
USDA Systems Modernization: Management and Oversight Improvements Are Needed, GAO-11-586, July 20 (47 pages) Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11586high.pdf
* * * INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS * * *
Afghanistan: Actions Needed to Improve Accountability of U.S. Assistance to Afghanistan Government, GAO-11-710, July 20 (48 pages) Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11710high.pdf
Burma: UN and U.S. Agencies Assisted Cyclone Victims in Difficult Environment, but Improved U.S. Monitoring Needed, GAO-11-700, July 26 (82 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11700high.pdf
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands: Status of Transition to Federal Immigration Law, GAO-11-805T, July 14 (21 pages) Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11805thigh.pdf
Department of Commerce: Office of Manufacturing and Services Could Better Measure and Communicate Its Contributions to Trade Policy, GAO-11-583, June 7 (45 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11583high.pdf
Foreign Assistance: The United States Provides Wide-ranging Trade Capacity Building Assistance, but Better Reporting and Evaluation Are Needed, GAO-11-727, July 29 (65 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11727high.pdf
Interagency Collaboration: Implications of a Common Alignment of World Regions among Select Federal Agencies, GAO-11-776R, July 11 (40 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-776R
Millennium Challenge Corporation: Compacts in Cape Verde and Honduras Achieved Reduced Targets, GAO-11-728, July 25 (124 pages) Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11728high.pdf
Pakistan Assistance: Relatively Little of the $3 Billion in Requested Assistance Is Subject to State's Certification of Pakistan's Progress on Nonproliferation and Counterterrorism Issues, GAO-11-786R, July 19 (18 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-786R
President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief: Program Planning and Reporting, GAO-11-785, July 29 (44 pages)  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11785high.pdf
The Democratic Republic of the Congo: Information on the Rate of Sexual Violence in War-Torn Eastern DRC and Adjoining Countries, GAO-11-702, July 13 (39 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11702high.pdf
* * * JUSTICE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT * * *
Bankruptcy: Complex Financial Institutions and International Coordination Pose Challenges, GAO-11-707, July 19 (143 pages)  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11707high.pdf
Child Maltreatment: Strengthening National Data on Child Fatalities Could Aid in Prevention, GAO-11-599, July 7 (57 pages) Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11599high.pdf
Combatting Illicit Drugs: DEA and ICE Interagency Agreement Has Helped to Ensure Better Coordination of Drug Investigations, GAO-11-763, July 28 (57 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11763high.pdf
Criminal Cartel Enforcement: Stakeholder Views on Impact of 2004 Antitrust Reform Are Mixed, but Support Whistleblower Protection, GAO-11-619, July 25 (76 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11619high.pdf
Fraud Detection Systems: Additional Actions Needed to Support Program Integrity Efforts at Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, GAO-11-822T, July 12 (14 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-822T
Fraud Detection Systems: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Needs to Ensure More Widespread Use, GAO-11-475, June 30 (49 pages)Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11475high.pdf
Missing Children: DOJ Could Enhance Oversight to Help Ensure That Law Enforcement Agencies Report Cases in a Timely Manner, GAO-11-444, June 21 (35 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11444high.pdf
Securities Fraud Liability of Secondary Actors, GAO-11-664, July 21 (47 pages)
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-664
* * * NATIONAL DEFENSE * * *
Air Force Working Capital Fund: Budgeting and Management of Carryover Work and Funding Could Be Improved, GAO-11-539, July 7 (41 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11539high.pdf
Army and Marine Corps Training: Metrics Needed to Assess Initiatives on Training Management Skills, GAO-11-673, July 28 (31 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11673high.pdf
Ballistic Missile Defense: Actions Needed to Improve Training Integration and Increase Transparency of Training Resources, GAO-11-625, July 18 (44 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11625high.pdf
Coast Guard: Action Needed As Approved Deepwater Program Remains Unachievable, GAO-11-743, July 28 (86 pages) Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11743high.pdf
Defense Acquisitions: DOD Can Improve Its Management of Configuration Steering Boards, GAO-11-640, July 7 (37 pages)  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11640high.pdf
Defense Department Cyber Efforts: Definitions, Focal Point, and Methodology Needed for DOD to Develop Full-Spectrum Cyberspace Budget Estimates, GAO-11-695R, July 29 (33 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-695R
Defense Department Cyber Efforts: DOD Faces Challenges In Its Cyber Activities, GAO-11-75, July 25 (79 pages)  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d1175high.pdf
Defense Logistics: DOD Needs to Take Additional Actions to Address Challenges in Supply Chain Management, GAO-11-569, July 28 (52 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11569high.pdf
Defense Logistics: Oversight and a Coordinated Strategy Needed to Implement the Army Workload and Performance System, GAO-11-566R, July 14 (37 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-566R
Defense Management: Actions Needed to Improve Management of Air Force's Food Transformation Initiative, GAO-11-676, July 26 (49 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11676high.pdf
DHS Science and Technology: Additional Steps Needed to Ensure Test and Evaluation Requirements Are Met, GAO-11-596, June 15 (61 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11596high.pdf
DOD Civilian Personnel: Competency Gap Analyses and Other Actions Needed to Enhance DOD's Strategic Workforce Plans, GAO-11-827T, July 14 (19 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11827thigh.pdf
DOD Financial Management: Numerous Challenges Must Be Addressed to Achieve Auditability, GAO-11-64T, July 28 (23 pages)   Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11864thigh.pdf
DOD Financial Management: Numerous Challenges Must Be Addressed to Improve Reliability of Financial Information, GAO-11-835T, July 27 (23 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11835thigh.pdf
DOD Task Force For Business and Stability Operations: Actions Needed to Establish Project Management Guidelines and Enhance Information Sharing, GAO-11-715, July 29 (34 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11715high.pdf
Military Readiness: Navy's Report to Congress on the Impact of Training and Crew Size on Surface Force Material Readiness, GAO-11-746R, July 7 (11 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-746R
Space and Missile Defense Acquisitions: Periodic Assessment Needed to Correct Parts Quality Problems in Major Programs, GAO-11-404, June 24 (63 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11404high.pdf
VA and DOD Health Care: First Federal Health Care Center Established, but Implementation Concerns Need to Be Addressed, GAO-11-570, July 19 (46 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11570high.pdf
* * * NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT * * *
Abandoned Mines: Information on the Number of Hardrock Mines, Cost of Cleanup, and Value of Financial Assurances, GAO-11-834T, July 14 (13 pages) Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11834thigh.pdf
Climate Change Adaptation: Aligning Funding with Strategic Priorities, GAO-11-876T, July 28 (18 pages) Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11876thigh.pdf
Drinking Water: Unreliable State Data Limit EPA's Ability to Target Enforcement Priorities and Communicate Water Systems' Performance, GAO-11-381, June 17 (74 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11381high.pdf
EPA Health Risk Assessments: Sustained Management and Oversight Key to Overcoming Challenges, GAO-11-824T, July 14 (11 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-824T
Safe Drinking Water Act: EPA Should Improve Implementation of Requirements on Whether to Regulate Additional Contaminants, GAO-11-254, May 27 (146 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11254high.pdf
Safe Drinking Water Act: Improvements in Implementation Are Needed to Better Assure the Public of Safe Drinking Water, GAO-11-803T, July 12 (24 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-803T
* * * RETIREMENT SECURITY * * *
Federal Workers' Compensation: Questions to Consider in Changing Benefits for Older Beneficiaries, GAO-11-854T, July 26 (15 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-854T
Retirement Income: Ensuring Income throughout Retirement Requires Difficult Choices, GAO-11-400, June 7 (79 pages) Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11400high.pdf
Social Security Statements: Observations on SSA's Plans for the Social Security Statement, GAO-11-787T, July 8 (25 pages) Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11787thigh.pdf
* * * SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY * * *
DHS Science and Technology: Additional Steps Needed to Ensure Test and Evaluation Requirements Are Met, GAO-11-596, June 15 (61 pages)
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-596
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11596high.pdf
Nextgen Air Transportation System: Mechanisms for Collaboration and Technology Transfer Could Be Enhanced to More Fully Leverage Partner Agency and Industry Resources, GAO-11-604, June 30 (41 pages)  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11604high.pdf
Space Research: Content and Coordination of Space Science and Technology Strategy Need to Be More Robust, GAO-11-722, July 19 (31 pages)  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11722high.pdf
* * * SPACE * * *
NASA Needs to Better Assess Contract Termination Liability Risks and Ensure Consistency in Its Practices, GAO-11-609R, July 12 (18 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-609R
Space and Missile Defense Acquisitions: Periodic Assessment Needed to Correct Parts Quality Problems in Major Programs, GAO-11-404, June 24 (63 pages) 
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11404high.pdf
Space Research: Content and Coordination of Space Science and Technology Strategy Need to Be More Robust, GAO-11-722, July 19 (31 pages)
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-722
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11722high.pdf
* * * TAX POLICY AND ADMINISTRATION * * *
Criminal Cartel Enforcement: Stakeholder Views on Impact of 2004 Antitrust Reform Are Mixed, but Support Whistleblower Protection, GAO-11-619, July 25 (76 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11619high.pdf
Investment Management: IRS Has a Strong Oversight Process but Needs to Improve How It Continues Funding Ongoing Investments, GAO-11-587, July 20 (47 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11587high.pdf
Tax Preparer Regulation: Improving Tax Return Accuracy Depends on IRS's Use of New Requirements, GAO-11-868T, July 28 (13 pages) Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11868thigh.pdf
Value-Added Taxes: Potential Lessons for the United States from Other Countries' Experiences, GAO-11-867T, July 26 (14 pages) Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11867thigh.pdf
* * * TELECOMMUNICATIONS * * *
Children's Television Act: FCC Could Improve Efforts to Oversee Enforcement and Provide Public Information, GAO-11-659, July 14 (42 pages)  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11659high.pdf
Defense Department Cyber Efforts: DOD Faces Challenges In Its Cyber Activities, GAO-11-75, July 25 (79 pages)  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d1175high.pdf
* * * TRANSPORTATION * * *
Aviation Security: TSA Has Enhanced Its Explosives Detection Requirements for Checked Baggage, but Additional Screening Actions Are Needed, GAO-11-740, July 11 (64 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11740high.pdf
Aviation Security: TSA Has Taken Actions to Improve Security, but Additional Efforts Remain, GAO-11-807T, July 13 (20 pages) Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11807thigh.pdf
Nextgen Air Transportation System: Mechanisms for Collaboration and Technology Transfer Could Be Enhanced to More Fully Leverage Partner Agency and Industry Resources, GAO-11-604, June 30 (41 pages)  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11604high.pdf
Traffic and Vehicle Safety: Reauthorization Offers Opportunities to Extend Recent Progress, GAO-11-866T, July 27 (21 pages)   Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11866thigh.pdf
* * * VETERANS * * *
Data Center Consolidation: Agencies Need to Complete Inventories and Plans to Achieve Expected Savings, GAO-11-565, July 19 (106 pages)  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11565high.pdf
Department of Veterans Affairs: Issues Related to Real Property Realignment and Future Health Care Costs, GAO-11-877T, July 27 (11 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-877T
Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Program: Preliminary Information on Actions Taken by Agencies to Address Fraud and Abuse and Remaining Vulnerabilities, GAO-11-589T, July 28 (13 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11589thigh.pdf
VA and DOD Health Care: First Federal Health Care Center Established, but Implementation Concerns Need to Be Addressed, GAO-11-570, July 19 (46 pages)
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11570high.pdf
* * * WORKER AND FAMILY ASSISTANCE * * *
Child Fatalities from Maltreatment: National Data Could Be Strengthened, GAO-11-811T, July 12 (9 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-811T
Child Maltreatment: Strengthening National Data on Child Fatalities Could Aid in Prevention, GAO-11-599, July 7 (57 pages)  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11599high.pdf
Disability Insurance: SSA Can Improve Efforts to Detect, Prevent, and Recover Overpayments, GAO-11-724, July 27 (48 pages) http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11724high.pdf
Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Dating Violence, and Stalking: National Data Collection Efforts Underway to Address Some Information Gaps, GAO-11-833T, July 13 (13 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-833T
* * * LEGAL PRODUCTS: DECISIONS AND OPINIONS * * *
Ahtna Facility Services, Inc., B-404913,B-404913.2, June 30 (12 pages)
http://www.gao.gov/products/B-404913,B-404913.2
American Physical Security Group, LLC, B-405059, July 25 (5 pages)
http://www.gao.gov/products/B-405059
A1 Procurement, JVG, B-404618.3, July 26 (5 pages)
http://www.gao.gov/products/B-404618.3
Birdstrike Control Program, B-404986, July 15 (8 pages)
http://www.gao.gov/products/B-404986
Contract for Legal Services, B-322147, July 6 (6 pages)
http://www.gao.gov/products/B-322147
D'Andre Insurance Services, LLC, B-405046, July 21 (6 pages)
http://www.gao.gov/products/B-405046
Explo Systems, Inc., B-404952,B-404952.2, July 8 (11 pages)
http://www.gao.gov/products/B-404952,B-404952.2
Intermarkets Global, B-400660.12,B-400660.13, May 6 (10 pages)
http://www.gao.gov/products/B-400660.12,B-400660.13
KGL Food Services, WLL; Intermarkets Global--Costs, B-400660.7,B-400660.8, June 20 (4 pages)
http://www.gao.gov/products/B-400660.7,B-400660.8
KNAPP Logistics Automation, Inc.--Protest and Costs, B-404887.2,B-404887.3, July 27 (5 pages)
http://www.gao.gov/products/B-404887.2,B-404887.3
L-3 STRATIS, B-404865, June 8 (11 pages)
http://www.gao.gov/products/B-404865
Mission Essential Personnel, LLC, B-404218.2,B-404218.3, June 14 (6 pages)
http://www.gao.gov/products/B-404218.2,B-404218.3
National Labor Relations Board--Recording Obligations for Training and Court Reporting, B-321296, July 13 (8 pages)
http://www.gao.gov/products/B-321296
One Largo Metro LLC; Metroview Development Holdings, LLC; King Farm Associates, LLC, B-404896,B-404896.2,B-404896.3,B-404896.4,B-404896.5,B-404896.6,B-404896.7, June 20 (20 pages)
http://www.gao.gov/products/B-404896,B-404896.2,B-404896.3,B-404896.4,B-404896.5,B-404896.6,B-404896.7
Re-Engineered Business Solutions, Inc.--Costs, B-404214.4, July 14 (3 pages)
http://www.gao.gov/products/B-404214.4
Rod Robertson Enterprises, Inc., B-404476, January 31 (4 pages)
http://www.gao.gov/products/B-404476
SafeGuard Services, LLC, B-404910, June 28 (6 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/B-404910
SHG National, LLC, B-404613.3, July 20 (6 pages)
http://www.gao.gov/products/B-404613.3
* * * LEGAL PRODUCTS: FEDERAL AGENCY MAJOR RULES * * *
Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service: National School Lunch Program: School Food Service Account Revenue Amendments Related to the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, GAO-11-792R, July 6 (4 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-792R
Department of Energy: Energy Priorities and Allocations System Regulations, GAO-11-789R, July 1 (4 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-789R
Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration: Required Warnings for Cigarette Packages and Advertisements, GAO-11-841R, July 26 (4 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-841R
Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Secretary: Administrative Simplification: Adoption of Operating Rules for Eligibility for a Health Plan and Health Care Claim Status Transactions, GAO-11-838R, July 21 (4 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-838R
Department of Health and Human Services: World Trade Center Health Program Requirements for Enrollment, Appeals, Certification of Health Conditions, and Reimbursement, GAO-11-821R, July 15 (4 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-821R
Department of Housing and Urban Development: SAFE Mortgage Licensing Act: Minimum Licensing Standards and Oversight Responsibilities, GAO-11-817R, July 14 (5 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-817R
Nuclear Regulatory Commission: Revision of Fee Schedules; Fee Recovery for Fiscal Year 2011, GAO-11-818R, July 15 (4 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-818R
Securities and Exchange Commission: Family Offices, GAO-11-816R, July 14 (4 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-816R
Securities and Exchange Commission: Rules Implementing Amendments to the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, GAO-11-862R, July 28 (4 pages) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-862R
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