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Cinco de Mayo President Obama (Spanish for “5th of May”) declare:
Weekly Address: Ensuring Every Child Gets a Great Education
Cinco de Mayo (Spanish for “fifth of May”) is a celebration held on May 5. It is celebrated in the United States and in Mexico, primarily in the state of Puebla, where the holiday is called El Día de la Batalla de Puebla (English: The Day of the Battle of Puebla).Mexican Americans also often see the day as a source of pride; one way they can honor their ethnicity is to celebrate this day. The date is observed to commemorate the Mexican army’s unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, under the leadership of General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín. In the United States, Cinco de Mayo is sometimes mistaken to be Mexico’s Independence Day—the most important national holiday in Mexico—which is celebrated on September 16 Events leading to the Battle of Puebla. Fifth of May has its roots in the French occupation of Mexico, which took place in the aftermath of the Mexican–American War of 1846–48 and the 1858–61 Reform War. The Reform War was a civil war and it pitted Liberals (who believed in separation of church and state and freedom of religion) against the Conservatives (who favored a tight bond between the Roman Catholic Church and the Mexican State). These wars left the Mexican Treasury nearly bankrupt. On July 17, 1861, Mexican President Benito Juárez issued a moratorium in which all foreign debt payments would be suspended for two years.In response, France, Britain, and Spain sent naval forces to Veracruz to demand reimbursement. Britain and Spain negotiated with Mexico and withdrew, but France, at the time ruled by Napoleon III, decided to use the opportunity to establish a Latin empire in Mexico that would favor French interests, the Second Mexican Empire. French invasion Main article: Battle of Puebla Late in 1861, a well-armed French fleet stormed Veracruz, landing a large French force and driving President Juárez and his government into retreat. Moving on from Veracruz towards Mexico City, the French army encountered heavy resistance from the Mexicans close to
Puebla, at the Mexican forts of Loreto and Guadalupe.The 6,000-strong French army attacked the much smaller and poorly equipped Mexican army of 2,000. Yet, on May 5, 1862, the Mexicans managed to decisively crush the French army, then considered “the premier army in the world”. Mexican victory The victory represented a significant morale boost to the Mexican army and the Mexican people at large. In the description of The History Channel, “Although not a major strategic win in the overall war against the French, Zaragoza’s success at Puebla represented a great symbolic victory for the Mexican government and bolstered the resistance movement.” As Time magazine remarked, “The Puebla victory came to symbolize unity and pride for what seemed like a Mexican David defeating a French Goliath.” It helped establish a much-needed sense of national unity and patriotism. Events after the battle The Mexican victory, however, was short-lived. A year later, with thirty thousand troops, the French were able to defeat the Mexican army, capture Mexico City, and install Emperor Maximilian I as ruler of Mexico. The French victory was short-lived, lasting only three years, from 1864 to 1867. By 1865, “with the American Civil War now over, the U.S. began to provide more political and military assistance to Mexico to expel the French”. Upon the conclusion of the U.S. Civil War, Napoleon III, facing a persistent Mexican guerilla resistance, the threat of war with Prussia, and “the prospect of a serious scrap with the United States”, retreated from Mexico starting in 1866.[26] The Mexicans recaptured Mexico City, and Maximilian I was apprehended and executed, along with his Mexican generals Miramón and Mejía, in the Cerro de las Campanas, Querétaro. “On June 5, 1867, Benito Juarez finally entered Mexico City where he installed a legitimate government and reorganized his administration.” Significance The Battle of Puebla was important for at least two reasons. First, although considerably outnumbered, the Mexicans defeated a much
better-equipped French army. “This battle was significant in that the 4,000 Mexican soldiers were greatly outnumbered by the well-equipped French army of 8,000 that had not been defeated for almost 50 years.” Second, since the Battle of Puebla, no country in the Americas has subsequently been invaded by any other European military force. Consequences to the United States Further information: France in the American Civil War Cinco de Mayo dancers greeted by U.S. President George W. Bush Donald W. Miles states, “At the time, there were fears in the United States that the French would use Mexico as a base to back the Confederacy, so President Lincoln and his Secretary of State went out of their way to appear ‘neutral’ in the Mexican situation. They did not want to take on the French and the Confederates at the same time”.Dr. Miles goes on to explain that “Napoleon III had hesitated to take on the United States directly, but now the news of the Civil War changed everything”. It meant that the Americans would be occupied with their Civil War for some time. Upon hearing the Spaniards and the British had sailed off to grab the customs house in Veracruz to start collecting their duties, Napoleon decided he would not only send the French navy, but would also start looking for someone to place as emperor in Mexico. He would then use Mexico as a base to help the Confederates win their war against the United States. Napoleon saw this as an opportunity not to be missed. Historian Justo Sierra has written in his Political Evolution of the Mexican People, that had Mexico not defeated the French in Puebla on May 5, 1862, France would have gone to the aid of the Confederacy in the U.S. Civil War and the United States’ destiny could have been very different. Ignacio Gonzalez wrote, “Some scholars, including José Antonio Burciaga, believe that had the French defeated México at Puebla, France would have aided the South in the American Civil War in order to free
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President Obama declare: Weekly Address: Ensuring Every Child Gets a Great Education By: David Hudson In this week’s address, the President reiterated his commitment to expanding access to education, and to spreading the joy of reading to more children and young adults. Earlier this week, the President announced two new efforts that, building on the progress already made by his ConnectED initiative, will do just that: a challenge to mayors, libraries, and school leaders to help every student get a library card;
and commitments from libraries and major publishers to provide more than $250 million in free e-Books for low-income students. In his address, the President also previewed his upcoming commencement speech at Lake Area Tech, in Watertown, South Dakota, where he will discuss his plan to make two years of community college as free and universal for every American as high school is today. The President is working to ensure every child has the access to the education and resources they need to be successful.
Baltimore reacts after officers charged
Clockwise from top left: Sgt. Alicia White, Lt. Brian Rice, Officer William Porter, Officer Edward Nero, Officer Garrett Miller and Officer Caesar Goodson
United States Presidential Primary Candidates
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OPINION
The DC Hispanic Contractors WE, THE COMMUNICATION TOOLS… Association (DCHCA) To those of us who proudly speak Cervantes’s language and support our culture and our language in the Castilian manner of these times, I have the pleasure of greeting you with respect and admiration and proudly address all the Spanish speaking ORBISNEWSPAPER readers. Because of the gigantic progress experienced by education in the world and the fact that the most intensive process of technical evaluation in human history have lead to the present, where the media and communication tools are enjoying an extraordinary participation at all levels in our society. It is of great relevance to note how influential these communication tools are in our culture, politics, society and economy in the world, in Latin America, and especially how these tools are used in the Washington DC Metropolitan Area, Maryland and Virginia, where there are vast opportunities in the polítical, society and economic fields giving that provide a great advantage and relevance in the world, in Latin America. This is where I find myself now, thoroughly enjoying these opportunities and dynamism. The freedom and pluralism enhances our social and political environments. These are fundamental values vital for the work on the information área, the culture, entertainment promoted by entities such as ORBIS NEWSPAPER. Contemporary economies, especially the vast commercial field in this country and in Latin America, support in a very decisive manner their ability to influence the communication entities as the transformers for culture and social progress. The communication tools and the media have a huge role in orienting and modifying values, behavior, opinions and social progress. Needless to say this is the main role that the news and media have, there is no other way. A world of “paper with no content” is no history, it is only ink on a piece of paper. It is only proper to mention the
By Armand Oseguera from Washington D.C.
great power that is transmitted by the communication entities to society so that they in turn, look to harmonizes the freedom of expression with social responsibility. This responsibility, that communication entities have when providing the citizens, government and public servants with an objective information and a civility level to strengthen public opinión and the respect to human dignity covering ethics and humanity. The media’s responsiblity is also oriented to expand moral values, civics thus leading to the family and society cohesion and strengthening the spirituality of the individuals. We now know that this responsiblity covers the content that fortifies society’s, nature, human rights, and a more understanding population. This is the role of the free and associated press, their ability to work these objectives is the best contribution we can give to build a road to respect and civility so that we can enjoy our efforts in a better and healthier future towards a peaceful existence.
The new immigrant groups arriving in the United States are more and better educated, have a better intellectual preparation and profesional experience, thus demanding that the newsmedia offers them outstanding content, information and technology together with decentralized news. The newsmedia in the Washington DC Metropolitan Area, Maryland and Virginia, from where I am writing this, together with the social expectations that they may offer, makes them develop new marketing strategies and more reliable information sources with the CREDIBILITY in the context for a solid journalism. I am now managing Orbis News AGENCY Corporation, an entity in the United States with similar links, values and duties, who wants to open links with global institutions, governments, and with the productive forces in our ever changing society for a new type of
GRAPHIC NEWS that will open its gates to new talent and journalists that possess a solid formation, creativity and are geared to the online communication as the arbiter or mediator for these purposes.
IF WE WOULD NOT CONSIDER ANY ASPECT OF SENSACIONALISM AS AN INFORMATIVE STYLE BECAUSE IT CORRUPTS THE SOUL OF THE SOCIETIES, HENCE THE MEDIA SHOULD TAKE THIS VALUE AS THE ESSENCE OF THE POPULATION. SERIOUS JOURNALISTS HERE IN MARYLAND AND IN THE WASHINGTON DC METROPOLITAN AREA AND VIRGINIA, and in all of Latin America, we should, at all times: Value every single moment of our lives because we live in a very supportive society, and should include the public opinion as the builder of communities from the point of freedom of expression within a more multi-cultural, ethnic and multi-racialaspects because society is constantly changing and evolving. The free and associated press has a lot of work to do on these new changes and challenges as demanded by society providing them with truth and transparency with other important social groups such as the AfroAmerican communities and the minority groups here in the United States giving them full support and respect for the law. In Mexico, our total trust for the freedom of expression that it is the support of our modern and civil society where the government and the community would correct mistakes for once and for all, it is this huge and invaluable country where I grew up and was part of a good part of my life, and finally, as Machado, one of our greates poets said in one of his well known poems that I will never forget, which I am now paraphrasing: “Tras el vivir y el soñar... está lo más importante :: ¡Despertar!” (After living and dreaming… there is something very important: To Wake Up!)
ON THE IMMIGRATION REFORM
By Armand Oseguera from Washington D.C.
There are more than 20 million undocumented immigrants who have been anxiously waiting for President Obama’s promise of an “immigration reform”, done more than three years ago while on his last election campaign, that would adjust their immigration “status”. This promise is far from being a reality and thus makes them have conflicting feelings that range from patience to resignation, far from the political and social reality in which the American citizens live on a day to day basis, challenging other problems related to the national priorities, we have the following questions: • Is the immigration reform a topic in which the immigrants can be involved regarding the future of the country? • In line with the truth, we could say that the actual antagonism and backward mentality of conservatives and enemies of the immigrants, the real situation is marked by a total isolation of community leaders and activists, who besides organizing marches or groups to voice their feelings have their ideology face to face with their frustration and desperation. • When would this “promise” for legalization, adjustment of status is going to take place? As stated by President Obama, it will have to wait until June this year when the topic is brought back to the consideration of the Senate and of the House of Representatives here in Washington, in spite of the petition by the State of Texas demanding that this legalization for the undocumented immigrants should not be considered while this topic is a popular one in the 52 States demanding an answer as it has been for several decades and it
could be considered as a new SOCIAL EMANCIPATION. Even though it is true that the American citizens have learned from the times of the civil wars at the end of XVIII and XIX Centuries as well as from the victory by the Allied Forces in World War II in 1945, that “Unity is Strength” and that the United States is a country of immigrants, the need of labor and the forces the immigrants bring is nothing new. History tells us that for decades there was immigration from Europe and Africa and huge communities were created, also a large African community was established in the 1960s, and the laborers or “Braceros” of the 1930s and 1940s. We can cite an example in the action taken by the City of Detroit, in the State of Michigan, where they are inviting the immigrants to come, reside and work in this city, after the city declared bankruptcy in 2009. We also have the States of Oregon, Washington and Montana, where the need for labor is evident, especially for the agricultural and livestock areas and it would make a marked difference on the local business groups of different nature looking for labor hands at the work centers and finding none. Another example are the DACA and MAVNI Programs giving an opportunity to those who qualify, to enlist in the armed forces and obtain their legal status. We should keep in mind that even though we are fighting wars in foreign countries with the thought that “Unity is Strength”, that immigration is a vital topic for the Executive Federal Power, because of history and tradition. History is written every day believing
that this country is still the country of opportunities and that together with the legal immigration we will be able to see the difference in the growth of this country preparing the path for future generations. Who has not forgotten the sacrifices of the enlisted immigrants in the battlefields of Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya and now facing the Islamic States (IS) in Syria? The continuous efforts of these immigrants in defense of this nation which in the end has only one flag. Let us think positively on the social aspect of the immigration reform that will be part of the Presidential Agenda. Republicans, Democrats, Independent and high level politicians in the United States should recognize the need to give legal status to those undocumented aliens who qualify, who, once out of the shadow will be able to legally blend in the economic system of the country, pay their taxes, create jobs, and demographically have an important role in this NEW SOCIAL EMANCIPATION. We are almost at the end of the first half of 2015 and need to find positive answers for the topic of immigration. It is true that there is a lot of opposition, there is also a lot of support in the thought that with a just immigration reform, the economic growth will be greater and we will be able to live in this country enjoying prosperity, better business and educational opportunities and will not have an economic recession because the immigrants will be very important for the challenges and this nation faces.
MISION - The DC Hispanic Contractors Association (DCHCA) is a group of business entrepreneurs, created to promote the success among Hispanic-owned construction businesses, while seeking contracting, development and real estate opportunities, in the District of Columbia. OBJECTIVES • Provide a platform for the Hispanic & Immigrant Contractor’s community to set forth their aims and ideals. • Create a forum for the expression of Hispanic & Immigrant Contractor’s interests and concerns. • Influence the city as it relates to opportunities for the advancement and well being of Hispanic & Immigrant Contractors. Services
private sector projects.
DCHCA SERVICES: Technical Support through Education:
Contracting Opportunities: DCHCA offers information about construction contract opportunities so members con participate in the bidding process. DCHCA also makes possible contact referral and matching services. Networking Opportunities DHCA host events for it’s members to ensure business and procurement opportunities. Some of the events include: Membership Meetings,Legislative Breakfasts,Family Outings fundraisers and Banquets Marketing and Promotion Members of DCHCA receive complementary advertisement at DCHCA website: www.dc-hca. com and exposure at the membership directory. Contact us: 1841 Columbia Rd, suite 614. Washington DC 20009 202-203-0120 info@dchispaniccontractors.com
DCHCA TRAINING: Sessions are designed toimprove the skills of new construction businessmen and women. Classes include: Blueprint Reading – Cost Estimating – Project Bidding – Safety: OSHA 10 & 30 Management – Financing – Minority Certification – Contract Interpretation – Bonding – Insurance – Other. Business Development Services for New Businesses: Services include: Company Incorporation – Business License – Tax ID – Minority Certification – Accounting – Estimating Forms – Invoices – Other. Promote & Advocate for increased business opportunities for membership in public and
Advocacy: • Become active in the legislative process of the District of Columbia as it pertains to membership interests. • Stimulate greater participation by Latino and Immigrant owned businesses in DC government contracting and all aspects of the business life of our city and region. • DCHCA works in partnership with the National Hispanic Construction Association (NHCA) to help address state and federal construction related laws and issues at the pertinent government levels.
Secretary Lew Sends Letter to Congress on Trade Promotion Authority Bill and Currency Provision WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Jacob J. Lew today sent the following letter to House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch, and Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, the bipartisan sponsors of the “Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015: The Honorable Orrin G. Hatch Chairman Committee on Finance United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 Dear Chairman Hatch: I am writing to express strong support for the Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) legislation introduced last week. The Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015 is a critical step toward delivering high-quality trade agreements like the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (T-TIP). The Administration shares the concerns of many in Congress about the currency policies of some of our major trading partners. We know that unfair and inappropriate currency polices have hurt our workers and firms. This is why the Treasury Department remains strongly engaged with our trading partners, both bilaterally and through the G-7, the G-20, and the IMF. These efforts are showing real results: in particular, China’s exchange rate is up nearly 30 percent on a real effective basis since 2010, and Japan has not intervened in the foreign exchange market for more than three years. Many Members of Congress and various stakeholders have made a strong case in favor of addressing currency in the context of trade agree-
ments such as the TPP, and we support the current draft of the TPA that includes a strong currency negotiating objective. We are committed to continuing to work with you and with other Members of Congress to best address currency concerns through approaches that complement our ongoing engagement on currency issues and help to expand U.S. exports and the high-quality jobs associated with trade. In light of the currency objective that is included in the current TPA legislation, we began formal consultation with our TPP partners and had a number of these conversations last week during the Spring Meetings of the IMF and World Bank. Our partners indicated a willingness to constructively discuss our concerns about inappropriate currency policies, providing an opportunity to work with them to develop an historic new approach to promote greater accountability. Nonetheless, all of the partners consulted have made clear that they will not support the introduction of enforceable currency provisions in the context of trade agreements, and specifically, the TPP. Our partners fear that a trade agreement with an enforceable currency discipline could constrain the ability of their monetary authorities to conduct appropriate macroeconomic policies, and that is a risk they are unwilling to take. We have a serious concern that in any trade negotiation other countries would insist that an enforceable currency provision be designed so it could be used to challenge legitimate U.S. monetary policy, an outcome we would find unacceptable. Seeking enforceable currency provisions would likely derail the conclusion of the TPP given the deep reserva-
tions held by our trading partners. As such, any amendment to TPA legislation requiring that the Administration only seek enforceable currency provisions as a principal negotiating objective would undermine our ability to successfully conclude a TPP negotiation. We also oppose the current legislation that would use the countervailing duty process to address currency undervaluation. The legislation raises questions about consistency with our international obligations, and other countries might pursue retaliatory measures that could hurt our exporters. Taking such a unilateral step would be counterproductive to our ongoing bilateral and multilateral engagement, as well as to our efforts to promote greater accountability on currency policies in the context of the TPP. We look forward to working with you to effectively address the currency issue in the context of our trade agreements. The passage of bipartisan TPA legislation will allow us to enter into trade agreements that expand opportunities for American businesses, create high-quality jobs, and further unlock the macroeconomic gains from expanded trade and investment. Reducing trade barriers and securing reforms abroad through well-crafted trade agreements benefit both U.S. economic competitiveness and global economic prosperity. Sincerely, Jacob J. Lew Identical letter sent to: The Honorable Ron Wyden The Honorable Paul Ryan cc: The Honorable Sander M. Levin
The Economic Growth The economic growth of the United States prepares to pick up during the second quarter, although the dollar’s strength could take away momentum and add arguments so that the Federal Reserve begins to raise its key interest rate later this year, a Reuters poll showed. Growth slowed severely in early 2015, since the economy was affected by the harsh conditions of the boreal winter, weak global demand and a labor dispute at US West coast ports, now resolved. The activity was also impacted by the dollar, as well as prices lower power, which have cut corporate profits. The survey 85 economists expected that the gross domestic product of United States will
BI-WEEKLY - May 08 - May 21
expand at a pace of 3.1 percent in the second quarter. The figure compares with the estimate of a 3 percent growth in March. The survey also showed that the estimated growth for 2015 remains at 2.8 per cent. REUTERS
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EDITOR / CAPITAL Yemen: Saudi-Led Strikes Continue amid “Catastrophic” Situation
EDITORIAL THE UNITED STATES, A COUNTRY OF IMMIGRANTS The vital importance of adopting an immigration reform, is becoming easier to understand in the eyes of the new generations in the United States, it is no longer a taboo topic. Decades ago, this country went through an immigration flow by the so-called “Brazeros”; then in the late 19th Century there was another flow of European and Chinese immigrants which gave place to the formation of territorial settlements, and the “Chicanoism” as a social and cultural phenomenon in this country, all this strengthens the need to approve the amendment. History clearly demonstrates that the United States of America is a country populated by immigrants, with great traditions, making it very solid with a lot of diversity.
About two decades ago, the Republican Government headed by Ronald Reagan in 1986 approved an amnesty immigration reform giving an opportunity to tens of thousands of immigrants and laborers, whose “dream” became” reality with the approval of the reform and it was also the source of changes 1990s and for the decade that started in the year 2000. Today almost 11 million undocumented residents in this country still have hopes of an immediate approval to legalization; this is no longer a forgotten project. It can be foreseen that by passing this immigration reform, large companies and institutions will benefit from the change. Proof of this is sectors such as construction and the industrial infrastructure, where immigrants contribute to the workforce of transnationals companies. The private and trade sectors where thousands of workers make strong contributions to industries such as hospitality, food and small and medium-sized enterprises. There is also a large number of corporations that depend strongly on the immigrant population and this why it is so difficult to understand the reasons behind the postponement by the Federal Executive Power of the adoption of immigration reform until last November 2014. The “third party” political pressure and constant boycotts by the enemies of this reform, suggest that President Obama had not complied with his promise and had taken a step behind his commitment during his 2013 campaign, as well as his
full support to the process of legalization.
WHAT IS NEEDED TO APPROVE THE REFORM? NOTHING! EVERYTHING HAS BEEN DONE. The paperwork, the entrenchments of pro-immigrant marches and the political lobbies, are a variety of comedy-like actions for those who oppose and are not interested in its success. The decision is now in the hands of the legislators who with the history in their hands need to accept that legal immigration will give the United States more strength and inject dynamism to the economy; of course, the reinforcement of the border would also be necessary without militarizing it. Our country faces constant and intense changes in foreign policy, participation wars, that is why the immigration reform is and must be considered a matter of priority. If we take into account that those immigrants who would qualify will have access to learning English, improving their education, paying federal and state taxes, and strengthening of the economy. As expressed by their feelings and understanding the disappointment would be plenty. Their constant mobilization and the constant push for immigration reform should land the following points: • Not everyone will be able to qualify for immigration reform; • Those who qualify must learn English and be up to date with their Federal and State taxes; • Immigrants must understand their duties and obligations and obey local, State and Federal laws. • Legal immigration is a matter of status and must not be insulated because it is a matter of national priority. Therefore, and I say this with all due respect and plurality that the adoption of the immigration reform will make this country more inclusive, modern, and will meet the needs of all its residents. We need the participation of all of us to form the strong arm of an economy that must re-emerge since; the country needs it.
Equal Pay Day Women still earn 78 cents to the man’s dollar and women of color make even less. Equal Pay Day marks how far into the year women must work to earn what men earned in the previous year. This year, the Women’s Bureau examined one of the factors contributing to wage inequality: gender differences across occupations. Women’s Bureau Director Latifa Lyles introduced three longtime champions in the fight for working families to a packed house on Equal Pay Day at the department’s headquarters in Washington. House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Senior Advisor to the President Valerie Jarrett and Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut joined Secretary Perez.”When women succeed, America succeeds,” proclaimed Jarrett during her remarks. “We need equal pay now.” In Chicago, Deputy Secretary Chris Lu participated in a roundtable discussion with tradeswomen from Chicago Women In Trades to discuss issues women encounter gaining entry into skilled trades. We also participated in a lunchtime gathering in Daley Plaza with a crowd of over 150 people. In New Brunswick, NJ the Women’s Bureau
Deputy Director Joan HarriganFarrelly served as a panelist at an event that educated college students and young alumnae from Rutgers University on the existence of the wage gap. Roughly 30 enthusiastic Massasoit Community College students, faculty, and interested residents gathered for a Roundtable in Brockton, MA. In Buffalo, NY Regional Administrator Grace Protos addressed the pay gap with an audience of professional women at a power breakfast and a roundtable for local employers. In Philadelphia, we participated in a panel with representatives from Pathways PA, the Women’s Law Project and the Coalition of Labor Union Women. The panelists discussed policy changes in Pennsylvania including paid leave, equal pay, women’s health and eliminating occupational segregation. We held a discussion on the gender wage gap and the laws that are in place to counteract discrimination to students and staff at University of Texas at Dallas.In Kansas City, we addressed more than 150 students at the University of Missouri, Kansas City about the significance of Equal Pay Day and the gap women still face. We also hosted a brown bag
lunch at Kansas City Kansas Community College (KCKCC) that focused on salary negotiation. In San Francisco, Regional Administrator Kelly Jenkins-Pultz joined advocates for a press conference that highlighted the city’s equal pay data collection ordinance, called for more action to eliminate the wage gap. We also engaged college students and faculty at San Francisco State University for a discussion about how increasing women’s participation in nontraditional jobs, sharing family responsibilities more evenly and targeting outright and inherent biases in employment can all help improve women’s wages. In Washington state, we met with the Washington State Labor and Industries Apprenticeship Council of Joint Recruitment and Resource Committee to promote more recruitment of women in apprenticeships.
Japan: Radioactive Drone Lands on Roof of Prime Minister’s Office COURTESY DEMOCRACY NOW
Authorities in Japan are investigating the appearance of a drone containing possible radioactive material on the roof of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s office. Radioactive cesium was detected in the area after the drone was found carrying a bottle of liquid bearing the symbol for radioactivity. The drone’s discovery came as a Japanese court approved the restart of a nuclear power station as part of Prime Minister Abe’s push to return to nuclear power following the Fukushima meltdown in 2011.
Original info:US . Deparment of Labor Press release U.S. Department of Labor Women’s Bureau - 200 Constitution Ave., NW - Washington, DC 20210 202.693.6710 (telephone) 202.693.6725 (fax) - website: www.dol.gov/wb/
BI-WEEKLY - May 08 - May 21
COURTESY DEMOCRACY NOW Warplanes from the Saudi-led coalition struck the Yemeni cities of Aden and Ibb early today despite a previous claim by Riyadh that it had ended its nearly month-long operation. Saudi officials said Wednesday they will limit their military role in Yemen but continue to respond to Houthi attacks. Human Rights Watch, meanwhile, reports Saudi Arabia appears to have deliberately bombed a humanitarian aid warehouse run by Oxfam that contained supplies to facilitate access to clean water for thousands of households. The International Committee of the Red Cross has warned the humanitarian situation in Yemen is “catastrophic.” We’ll have more on Yemen later in the broadcast.
Report: European Plan Would Deport Most Migrants COURTESY DEMOCRACY NOW In the European country of Malta, 24 unidentified migrants who died in the worst migrant boat disaster in the Mediterranean have been laid to rest. As many as 850 people drowned after their boat capsized while headed to Europe from Libya. In Britain, protesters climbed into body bags and lied on a beach to protest the migrant deaths. Karla McLaren of Amnesty International said European leaders need to take stronger action. Karla McLaren: "Today, Amnesty International is remembering the people who’ve lost their lives in the Mediterra-
nean, and we’re sending a really, really clear message to David Cameron and the other EU leaders that they need to act decisively and quickly in response to this crisis, and that means restarting search and rescue in the Mediterranean." European leaders are gathering in Brussels today for an emergency meeting on the migrant crisis. A leaked draft of the summit statement obtained by The Guardian shows only 5,000 refugees would be offered the chance to resettle in Europe. At least 150,000 others would be deported.
South Carolina: Tr a n s g e n d e r Teen Wins DMV Settlement
New York: Environmentalist Swims Polluted Gowanus Canal
COURTESY DEMOCRACY NOW
South Carolina: Transgender Teen Wins DMV Settlement In South Carolina, a transgender teenager has won the right to wear makeup in her driver’s license photo after suing the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles. Chase Culpepper said DMV employees forced her to remove her makeup to “look male” for her initial picture. Under the terms of a settlement, the DMV will allow people to be photographed however they typically appear. Culpepper called the settlement a major victory for transgender rights.
Chase Culpepper: “I’m thrilled to be standing before you announcing this historic settlement with the South Carolina DMV. From day one, all that I wanted was to get a driver’s license that looks like me. And now that I can finally have my photo taken with makeup, my new license will reflect that. I brought this case because what happened to me was wrong. It was hurtful to be singled out for being transgender.”
COURTESY DEMOCRACY NOW
And here in New York, an environmentalist marked Earth Day Wednesday by swimming the Gowanus Canal, one of the most polluted waterways in North America. The Environmental Protection Agency has declared the canal a Superfund site, saying years of runoff, sewer outflows and discharge from industrial plants left it roiling with heavy metals, coal tar wastes and other contaminants. Christopher Swain spent nearly an hour swimming in the canal wearing a protective suit. He said his goal is to accelerate efforts to clean up the canal. Christopher Swain: “This is a no-joke, big, difficult clean-up. So, what I’m here to say is, even though it’s discouraging and even though it’s difficult, let’s find the courage to do it anyway, whatever it takes. I’m also saying, let’s define cleanup differently. Let’s not clean it up part of the way. Let’s not make it sort of not bad. Let’s make it sparkle. Let’s make it a diamond. Let’s make it a jewel. Let’s make the standard of clean safe enough to swim in every day.”
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SPORTS
History of FIFA Foundation
History of FIFA - The first FIFA World Cup™ The success of the Olympic Football Tournament intensified FlFA’s wish for its own world championship. Questionnaires were sent to the affiliated associations, asking whether they agreed to the organisation of a tournament and under what conditions. A special committee examined the question, with President Jules Rimet the driving force. He was aided by the untiring Secretary of the French Football Federation, Henri Delaunay. Following a remarkable proposal by the Executive Committee, the FIFA Congress in Amsterdam on 28 May 1928 decided to stage a world championship organised by FIFA. Now, the organising country had to be chosen. Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden submitted their candidatures. Right from the start, Uruguay was the favourite and not simply for its Olympic gold medal wins in 1924 and 1928 - the country was celebrating its 100th anniversary of independence in 1930 at great expense. Moreover, its national association was willing to cover all the costs, including the travel and accommodation of the participating teams. Any possible profit would be shared, while Uruguay would take on the deficit. These arguments were decisive. The FIFA Congress in Barcelona in 1929 assigned Uruguay as first host country of the FIFA World Cup ™. The other candidates had withdrawn. With Europe in the midst of an economic crisis, not everything went to plan during the countdown to these first finals. Participation did not only involve a long sea journey for the Europeans; the clubs would have to renounce their best players for two months. Consequently, more and more associations broke their promise to participate and it took much manoeuvring by Rimet to ensure at least four European teams - France, Belgium, Romania and Yugoslavia - joined him on the Conte Verde liner bound for Buenos Aires.
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) was founded in the rear of the headquarters of the Union Française de Sports Athlétiques at the Rue Saint Honoré 229 in Paris on 21 May 1904. The foundation act was signed by the authorised representatives of the following associations: Present at that historic meeting were: Robert Guérin and André Espir (France); Louis Muhlinghaus and Max Kahn (Belgium); Ludvig Sylow (Denmark); Carl Anton Wilhelm Hirschman (Netherlands); Victor E Schneider (Switzerland). Sylow also represented the SBF while Spir performed the same function for the Madrid Football Club. France - Union des Sociétés Françaises de Sports Athlétiques (USFSA) Belgium - Union Belge des Sociétés de Sports (UBSSA) Denmark - Dansk Boldspil Union (DBU) Netherlands - Nederlandsche Voetbal Bond (NVB) Spain - Madrid Football Club Sweden - Svenska Bollspells Förbundet (SBF) Switzerland - Association Suisse de Football (ASF) When the idea of founding an international football federation began taking shape in Europe, the intention of those involved was to recognise the role of the English who had founded their Football Association back in 1863. Hirschman, secretary of the Netherlands Football Association, turned to the Football Association. Its secretary, FJ Wall, did accept the proposal but progress stalled while waiting for the Executive Committee of the Football Association, the International FA Board and the associations of Scotland, Wales and Ireland to give their opinion about the matter.
the Union des Sociétés Françaises de Sports Athlétiques and a journalist with Le Matin newspaper, did not want to wait any longer. He contacted the national associations on the continent in writing and asked them to consider the possibility of founding an umbrella organisation. When Belgium and France met in the first official international match in Brussels on 1 May 1904, Guérin discussed the subject with his Belgian counterpart Louis Muhlinghaus. It was now definite that the English FA, under its president Lord Kinnaird, would not be participating in the foundation of an international federation. So Guérin took the opportunity and sent out invitations to the founding assembly. The process of organising the international game had begun. The first FIFA Statutes were laid down and the following points determined: the reciprocal and exclusive recognition of the national associations represented and attending; clubs and players were forbidden to play simultaneously for different national associations; recognition by the other associations of a player's suspension announced by an association; and the playing of matches according to the Laws of the Game of the Football Association Ltd.
The first FIFA World Cup opened at the brandnew Estadio Centenario in Montevideo on 18 July 1930. It was the beginning of a new era in world football and the inaugural event proved a remarkable success, both in a sporting and a financial sense. Of course, the organisers were disappointed that only four European sides had participated. The anger in Montevideo was so intense in fact that four years later, world champions Uruguay became the first and only team to refuse to defend their title. When the Congress convened in Budapest in 1930, it thanked Uruguay for staging the world championship for the first time in difficult conditions. It also noted its regret at seeing only a minimum number of teams participating from Europe. The significance of the new tournament only increased following the setback FIFA suffered in the lead-up to the 1932 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. After failing to settle differences of opinion over the amateur status of footballers with the International Olympic Committee re-
Each national association had to pay an annual fee of FF50. Already then there were thoughts of staging an international competition and Article 9 stipulated that FIFA alone was entitled to take over the organisation of such an event. It was decided that these regulations would only come into force as of 1 September 1904. Moreover, the first Statutes of FIFA were only of a provisional nature, in order to simplify the acceptance of additional members. On the day of foundation, the Deutscher Fussball-Bund (German FA) sent a telegram confirming that it would adhere to these Statutes in principle.
Guérin, secretary of the football department of
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garding the amateur status of football players, plans to organise the Olympic Football Tournament were abandoned. FIFA chose Italy ahead of rival candidates Sweden to host the second FIFA World Cup and this time it took qualifying matches to arrive at the 16 finalists. Unlike in 1930 there were no groups and only knockout rounds, meaning Brazil and Argentina went home after playing just one match each. Once again, the home team prevailed, Italy winning the Final against Czechoslovakia in extra time. For the first time, the Final was transmitted on the radio. Four years later, Rimet saw his wish fulfilled when the third FIFA World Cup took place in France, his home country. Again not everything ran according to plan: Austria had disappeared from the scene and so Sweden did not have an opponent in the first round. Uruguay still did not wish to participate and Argentina withdrew. This is why the national teams from Cuba and the Dutch East Indies came to France. This time, there was no home victory and Italy successfully defended their title. The FIFA World Cup should have taken place for the fourth time in 1942 but the outbreak of World War Two meant otherwise. Although FIFA maintained its Zurich offices throughout the conflict, it was not until 1 July 1946 in Luxembourg that the Congress met again. Thirty-four associations were represented and they gave Rimet, who had been President for a quarter of a century already, a special Jubilee gift. From now on, the FIFA World Cup trophy would be called the Jules Rimet Cup. As the only candidate, Brazil was chosen unanimously to host the next FIFA World Cup, to be staged in 1949 (and postponed to 1950 for time reasons). At the same time, Switzerland was given the option for 1954.
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SPORTS
BI-WEEKLY - May 08 - May 21
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LOCAL / DMV
COMMUNITY REPORTER
by: Gerardo Orellana
Good afternoon my name is Gerardo alive in the area deLangley Park Maryland, for 15 years. I am only writing to report to the authorities neglect and lack of care of many homeless people than deanbulan in the streets of the neighborhood; It is a sadness! __mire you, see these people borrow money and give pity because nobody helps them,
many of them are senior citizens, African American and Hispanic people who survive in conditions of extreme poverty. Many of them are seen consuming drugs, intoxicants and sometimes assaulted the passers, it should be noted that they have been established in “Islands” on the way public, giving a look, sad and bleak, many also in unhygienic situa
tions already to Relizane physiological Street needs creating focus of infection to the inhabitants of the area. I believe that it is time that the authorities of the County of Prince George, Maryland, put measures on the issue, taking all those people to special places and treatment. It is a real pity that you when you walk exactly at the intersection of University Blvd. with Newhamphire avenue see these people borrow money, belongings filled with garbage, fecal matter and nothing done or the policiadel County. I am a resident of the area and it is very sad to see them. They are humans who are not well of his mental faculties and deserve a chance. I hope Sir can put this note in the newspaper to raise awareness of the problem and call on human rights organizations to support these people. Currently in this place “Langley park”, are established approximately about 4 people in the corners and honestly give a bad appearance. It should be clarified that I seen that when pedestrians not to give “limosna+ellos offend them and sometimes want to agreder. Please if someone can cooperate with this problem, do something. Thank you.
Requirements for obtaining driver’s licenses for undocumented in Maryland: In order to improve the road safety by ensuring that it handled only qualified drivers, administration of Maryland Motor vehicle (MVA, for its acronym in English) today announced that it is already programming quotes for undocumented immigrants who wish to apply for a driver license or identification card (ID) that does not meet the requirements of the law’s Real identity *. You can make an appointment online at www. mva.maryland.gov/ license. Appointments will be available on January 2, 2014. The new process is made possible by the adoption of the law of safety on the roads of Maryland in 2013.
“Thanks to the leadership of our elected officials to approve the law on security on the roads in Maryland, we can strengthen our highway safety efforts to make sure that you only handle qualified drivers”, said John Kuo, the MVA administrator. “It is important that every driver know traffic laws and get license because safety is the number one priority of the MVA on the roads of Maryland.” new law opens the passage so that applicants submit foreign documents, without having to submit documents of the citizenship and immigration services of United States, to obtain a driver’s license or Maryland identification card. To apply for a driver’s license or ID of Maryland, applicants must: 1 have or request a personal taxpayer identification number through the Federal internal revenue service; 2. obtain a letter from the Office of the Comptroller of Maryland indicating that it has presented Maryland tax returns during the previous two years (must complete these steps before go to
the MVA). For more information about the certifications of taxes of the MVA, customers can head to the web site of the contralor:http://bit. ly/16AyAVx; 3. to request and obtain documents of identity, such as a valid foreign passport; and 4. obtain two documents showing that he is a resident of Maryland, as a contract of lease, utility bill or bank statement. Once the applicant has completed these four steps, must make an appointment to apply for a driver’s license or identification card of Maryland through the process of appointments online at the web site www.mva.maryland.gov/ license. The MVA also recommended that applicants read the Maryland driver Handbook and then take the course of examination of the driver online to prepare for the theoretical examination of the driver, which must approve all applicants. Additionally, it recommends to review the video test driver of the MVA and detailed instructions to take the theory test and the practical. The workshop’s online driver test and examination of driver video found on the web site of the www. mva.maryland.gov MVA. The MVA warns applicants that anyone who offers to help you get your driver’s license or ID in Exchange for money does not work for the MVA. If someone asks you for money in Exchange for this service, report the incident through the line of integrity free of al1-800-296-4709 MVA. Be very careful with third parties that try to help you.
The Virginia Coalition of Latino Organizations (VACOLAO) Community Organization.
The Virginia Coalition of Latino Organizations (VACOLAO) Community Organization. VACOLAO’s mission is to serve as a working alliance among organizations in Virginia that serve or support the interest of the Latino communities in order to empower the community and secure equal treatment, equal opportunity and equal representation for Latinos/Hispanics in Virginia. (VACOLAO) is a coalition of non-profit organizations serving and supporting the Latino/Hispanic immigrant communities in Virginia. Since its foundation in 2002, VACOLAO have been advocating for the rights of Latino immigrant in the Commonwealth. VACOLAO works to empower, secure equal treatment, opportunity, and representation for Latinos/ Hispanics. To achieve this mission VACOLAO has provided
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leadership for education and advocacy for Latino immigrants and immigrant advocate supporters. Our work is in different subjects: PRINCIPLES FOR IMMIGRATION REFORM e believe that true reform should: • Offer a short and direct path to citizenship for all aspiring citizens already in the United States; • Respect the dignity of every individual and end the mass detention and deportation of immigrants; • Reunite and strengthen families through the elimination of immigration backlogs; • Build trust between immigrant communities and local police by limiting state and local enforcement of federal immigration law; • Strengthen our economy by protecting workers’ rights, and meeting Virginia’s need for a
trained workforce by providing access to education for all; and, • Honor our history as a nation of immigrants by welcoming, celebrating, and promoting the full economic and political integration of this most recent generation of immigrants. The Virginia Coalition of Latino Organizations – VACOLAO – is a coalition of Latino rights organization working to empower our community and secure equal treatment, equal opportunity and equal representation for Latinos in Virginia. VACOLAO is very concerned about the potential for discrimination against the voting rights of Latino voters in Virginia now that the preclearance requirement has been struck down. Virginia’s new voter ID bill was signed into law this March and is set to take effect in 2014. The law requires government issued photo ID for all voters. We are concerned that the new ID requirements will suppress the Latino vote due to the unnecessary imposition of an administrative burden on voting including the imposition of the “cost” of the ID on the right to vote. While the law does provide for free photo IDs to those who qualify, it is unclear how this will be funded or implemented. We are also concerned about future voter redistricting efforts without federal oversight. Virginia has experiences redistricting mischief in the past and we will be watchful to make sure that the Latino vote is not diluted due to racially discriminatory voting districts.
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TECHNOLOGY OF THE FUTURE
10 future technologies that will revolutionize our planet before the year 2030 The Futurist George Dvorsky claims that research to produce the following inventions not only have already begun, but will be ready and will be a fact of life in the vicinity By: George Dvorsky of the year 2030. The Futurist George Dvorsky - who describes his work as a prediction about the possibilities of science rather than as a letter of good wishes - says that over the next 15 to 20 years we will see some progress which, like the Internet for the current generation, will revolutionize fields such as health, hunger and ecological catastrophe. In the English series Black Mirror, Dvorsky imagine the likely evolution of the current state of technology and proposes the following 10 inventions as imminent before the year 2030. 1. personal assistants with Artificial Intelligence The Siri program for the latest models of Apple will only be the ancestor of the personal assistants of the next generation of devices and custom computer. Ubiquitous, able to adapt and understand the precise needs of users, these assistants will be able to behave as we would answer emails and arranging appointments, carrying an agenda for themselves and informing us about it, as a real personal assistant. Dvorsky warns, however, that we must take care what degree of autonomy we give our virtual clones. 2. computers, computers everywhere
the difference is that computers will take autonomous decisions (how to set the size of the garment, such which can be seen in the film Back To The Future 3), so its presence will be almost imperceptible. 3. virtual animals with digital minds Although emulate a human brain is still far above the capabilities of today’s technology, current projects as OpenWorm seek to scan the brains of a worm, so it soon will begin experiments to emulate the neuronal functions of more complex organisms, such as mammals. Digital minds of animals could be “uploaded” to a robotic interface, revolutionizing our relationship with pets and enabling us to better understand the evolution of the species. 4.the first large-scale geoengineering projects As climate change becomes more dramatic, science will have to begin to find practical solutions to maintain how stable conditions of life on Earth. Some of the most controversial geoengineering techniques range from artificial trees and fertilization of the oceans to climate control projects to offset carbon in the Earth’s atmosphere.
The notion of a fully computerized world is not only the argument of a futuristic novel, but something that we already started to see in cars and many household appliances. This phenomenon is described as “everyware”: computers will be present in our clothes, our fashion accessories and even contact lenses. We will communicate with them through an interface based on natural touch gestures and vocal everyday language; However,
5. interplanetary internet
By: Elaine Buckberg High quality and reliable infrastructure is essential to our economy and to our daily lives. We need to continually modernize and maintain our roads, bridges, and water systems to ensure that the United States remains an attractive place for companies to do business and for Americans to live, work, and travel. That’s why President Obama has called on Congress to increase federal investments in our nation’s infrastructure, especially our transportation system. Earlier this year, the President sent Congress the GROW AMERICA Act, a six-year, $478 billion proposal to increase funding for highways, roads, bridges, transit, and rail systems around the country.
initiative, the Treasury Department is releasing a white paper that explains new ways to share risks and profits between state and local governments and potential investors in public-private partnerships, or PPPs. By suggesting new frameworks for PPP design, the paper aims to help attract more private investment in infrastructure, and in turn, spur economic growth and create opportunity for hardworking Americans. Years of underinvestment in our public infrastructure have imposed massive costs on our economy. We can more easily meet our nation’s infrastructure needs by expanding sources of investment and using those dollars as effectively as possible to advance the public’s interest. Other advanced economies, including Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom, rely heavily on PPPs to secure private financing for infrastructure. Based on our research and engagement with stakeholders, significant private capital could be mobilized for infrastructure investment, even though few PPP projects are currently being executed in the United States.
Manned missions to Mars will be a reality for the 2030, whether in exploration projects of NASA or interplanetary colonization, like the MarsOne project of the Virgin company, which plans to take a civilian crew on the red planet. However, communication between Mars and the Earth also can be seen as the first form of interplanetary contact ever undertaken by man, so there will be
crowd of technical needs that resolve. 6.the first truly effective antiaging treatments Gerontology advances at a rapid pace, and while age remains an unavoidable condition, this branch of medicine is exploring what is what makes the genetic code of populations or centenarian families to achieve the longevity and perpetuate the health. Some of these projects to overcome old definitely include therapies to recharge the mitochondria of cells and map the genetic code of especially long-lived individuals. 7. autonomous military machines Although it might seem a fantasy type Terminator, today already there are systems not controlled with humans having potential military, tactical and strategic. The Aegis Combat System, which is already in operation, has a system monitored by operators human which automatically detects enemy missile launches to intercept and destroy them, as well as the REDOWL system, which is responsible for search and eliminate sniping enemies in war zones. Naturally concerns come out ethical rather than technical, although military technology has historically been one of which they progress faster and which enables the technological might of a country or group on others. 8. organ transplants for all Personalized medicine based on the particular genes of persons and the possibility of producing, through biotechnology, independent human organs made tailored to patients, again possibly irrelevant figure of donor organs. 2030
we produce organs and tissues from stem cells of each person, which would diminish almost in its entirety the risk of organs to be rejected by the body. 9 in each House 3D printers As happened with TVs in the 50 or personal computers for the past 30 years, 3D printers follow the same cycle of slow adoption and overcrowding. Having a machine that can produce anything we need will radically change our habits of buying and the way in which companies market their products: instead of offering objects ended up in a physical store, brands will offer three-dimensional maps to download and use in our 3D printers. In addition, the first attempts to “print” food in these devices already is underway, and there are plans to produce “printed” vaccines in 3D, that, during a pandemic, people would not even need to leave their homes (for which the zombie apocalypse or “Z-Day” would be definitely cancelled). 10 heal the thirst of the world with sea water Today already there are major projects to desalinate sea water and use it as drinking water. By 2030, these projects will grow on an industrial scale, making use of the resources of renewable energy for its operation, such as solar energy and photovoltaic cells. Experts say that deficits of drinking water in large areas of the planet will be history by the end of the Decade of 2030. It is likely that our understanding of what should be the future of our civilization is less related to search terms in mass of flying cars and focus on solutions of health and nutrition that allow life on the planet as we know it.
Expanding the Market for Infrastructure Public-Private Partnerships Economy
While there’s no replacement for public investment, private capital can play an important role to supplement public spending. That’s why in July 2014, President Obama also launched the Build America Investment Initiative (BAII) to increase public-private collaboration in infrastructure investment and spur economic growth. Today, as part of that
Executed well, PPPs harness private sector capital and management expertise to address the challenges of modernizing and more efficiently operating infrastructure assets. Under a PPP, a government contracts with a private firm to design, finance, construct, operate, and maintain an infrastructure asset on behalf of the public sector ― or to take on some but not all of those roles. Taxpayers can benefit through lower long-term project costs, improved service quality, and faster completion of infrastructure projects. By contracting with private partners that support strong labor standards, PPPs can also provide local economic opportunity and create good, middle-class jobs that benefit current and aspiring workers. Our white paper, “Expanding the Market for Infrastructure Public-Private Partnerships: Alternative Risk and Profit Sharing Approaches to Align Sponsor and Investor Interests,” explains how PPPs can allow for profit-sharing. For example, the private partner may transfer a portion of its earnings directly to the government, creating opportunities for more
infrastructure investment, or the private partner’s cost savings may lower the price of using the infrastructure, thus sharing those savings with consumers. Profit-sharing on a toll bridge operated as a PPP could translate into lower tolls for drivers. Or, in a PPP-operated water system, it could mean more investment to replace aging pipes. By expanding the options for sponsors and investors to consider in PPP negotiations, the risk- and profit-sharing approaches discussed in the paper have the potential to increase the number of PPP deals and improve the odds of the projects’ long-term success. These projects will build on the progress our economy has made by helping small businesses to expand, manufacturers to export, investors to bring jobs to our shores, and lowering prices for goods and services for American families. Elaine Buckberg is the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy Coordination at the U.S. Treasury Department Posted in: Economic Policy
BI-WEEKLY - May 08 - May 21
Westerlund 2 Science Team Celebrating Hubble’s silver anniversary Copyright NASA
Copyright NASA, ESA, the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/ AURA), A. Nota (ESA/STScI) and the Westerlund 2 Science Team Celebrating Hubble’s silver anniversary 23 April 2015 This glittering tapestry of young stars exploding into life in a dramatic fireworks display has been released today to
particles contained in their stellar winds. These etch the enveloping hydrogen gas cloud in which the stars were born, resulting in a fantasy landscape of pillars, ridges and valleys. The pillars, composed of dense gas and dust, resist erosion from the fierce radiation and powerful winds. These gaseous mono-
celebrate 25 incredible years of the Hubble Space Telescope. The NASA/ESA Hubble was launched into orbit by the Space Shuttle on 24 April 1990. It was the first space telescope of its kind, and has surpassed all expectations, providing a quarter of a century of discoveries, stunning images and outstanding science. The anniversary image is bursting with silver anniversary fireworks, showing off a giant young star cluster known as Westerlund 2, sparkling with the light of about 3000 stars. The cluster resides in the prolific stellar breeding ground called Gum 29, some 20 000 light-years away in the constellation of Carina. The stellar nursery is difficult to observe because it is surrounded by dust, but by combining images from Hubble’s Advanced Camera for Surveys in the visible and the Wide Field Camera 3 at near-infrared wavelengths, astronomers were able to peer through the dusty veil and gain a clear view of the cluster. Hubble’s sharp vision resolves the dense concentration of stars in the central cluster, which measures only about 10 light-years across. Hubble 25 The giant star cluster is only about two million years old, but contains some of the brightest, hottest and most massive stars ever discovered. Some of these are carving deep cavities in the surrounding material through their intense ultraviolet light and the high-speed charged
liths are a few light-years tall and point to the central cluster. Other dense regions surround the pillars, including dark filaments of dust and gas. Besides sculpting the gaseous terrain, the brilliant stars may also help to create the next generation of offspring. When the stellar winds hit dense walls of gas, they create shocks, which can generate a new wave of star birth along the wall of the cavity. Many of the red dots scattered throughout the landscape are newly forming stars that are still wrapped in their gas and dust cocoons. These stellar embryos have not yet ignited the hydrogen in their cores to light up as stars. However, Hubble’s near-infrared vision allows astronomers to identify these fledglings. Meanwhile, the brilliant blue stars seen throughout the image are mostly in the foreground. This image is a testament to Hubble’s observational power and demonstrates that, even with 25 years of operations under its belt, its story is by no means over. Hubble has set the stage for the James Webb Space Telescope – scheduled for launch in 2018 – but will not be immediately replaced by this next-generation observatory, instead working alongside it. Now, 25 years after launch, is the time to celebrate Hubble’s future potential as well as its remarkable history.
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AUTOMOBILE
Teens Say They Tech trends 2015: What’s coming to Change Clothes your next set of wheels Carmakers are racing to provide gee-whiz-bang gadgets in their newest vehicles, but car And Do buyers are telling research firms like J.D. Power that the promise of technology is better than the reality. So, what’s next? We cover all the highlights. Homework While Driving
Daily News Auto
While most teenagers recognize that texting while driving is a bad idea, they may be less clear about the risk of other activities – like changing clothes.
Twenty-seven percent of teens say they sometimes change clothes and shoes while driving, a study finds. They also reported that they often change contact lenses, put on makeup and do homework behind the wheel. “We were pretty surprised at the changing clothes bit,” says David Hurwitz, an assistant professor of transportation engineering at Oregon State University who led the study. “Teens are busy, I guess.” The good news is that awareness campaigns about texting while driving are working, Hurwitz says; in his survey, around 40 percent of the teenagers said they texted behind the wheel, which is lower than in earlier studies. I’m not really texting. I’m checking my homework assignments. SHOTS - HEALTH NEWS Teens Say They Don’t Text Or Drink While Driving “But there are all sorts of other distractions and teens have no awareness of the risks,” Hurwitz notes. Talking on the phone, changing radio stations and adjusting the GPS setting can be just as distracting – and dangerous – as texting, he says, and driver education programs should focus on teaching kids to avoid any sort of multitasking behind the wheel. Distracted driving is a leading cause of accidents among drivers of all ages. The researchers also asked the teens surveyed to participate in an interactive drivers education class in high school in Oregon, Washington and Idaho. To help kids understand the
risks of distracted driving, the researchers had try multitasking in less potentially lethal locales, like the classroom.
For example, instructors asked students to try writing down numbers on a chalkboard while having a phone conversation. “This was just a scenario to demonstrate that having a distraction can really prevent you from doing basic tasks,” Hurwitz says. After participating in the 20- to 40-minute course, the study found that students were slightly better at recognizing the risks of multitasking behind the wheel. The results were published Monday in the Journal of Transportation Safety and Security. You can do it. But your 16-yearold can’t. Teens were more likely to have accidents while eating or talking in the car. SHOTS - HEALTH NEWS When Teen Drivers Multitask, They’re Even Worse Than Adults “This study seems promising,” says Bruce Simons-Morton, a behavioral scientist with the National Institutes of Health who researches adolescent driving and accident prevention. “There really hasn’t been much research on how you can convince teens to alter their behavior through classroom interventions,” he notes. “So this is a good start.” Other research shows that parents also play an important role in nudging teen drivers toward safety, he adds. While cell phones are the biggest distraction for both teens and adults, Simons-Morton notes, “doing anything that requires the driver to take his or her eyes off the road is dangerous. So the most important message they need to hear is ‘Keep your eyes on the forward roadway.’ “
According to the latest J.D. Power Multimedia Quality and Satisfaction study, people want high-tech features in their new cars, trucks, and SUVs, but at the same time they are increasingly dissatisfied with how the technology works. Sound familiar? This isn’t a new story. Technology is complex, and the key to success is to make it exceptionally simple to the end user. If you’ve had a chance to use some of the high-tech features in the latest crop of new cars and trucks, you know that some car companies get it right, and some car companies get it wrong. Regardless, time and technology march on, and every automaker is trying to figure out where to go next. In the next year or so, we anticipate a dramatic expansion of existing tech, combined with the introduction of new systems designed to make getting from Point A to Point B easier, safer, and in an even more entertaining fashion. Or so the theory goes... Laser Headlights No sooner does Toyota make LED headlights standard on every new Corolla then do luxury automakers - such as Audi and BMW - get serious about bringing laser headlights to market. Smaller, more powerful, and more efficient than LED headlights, laser headlights are not approved for use on American roads, but the reason isn’t because you can’t look at them. Laser headlights employ diffusion techniques designed to retain their very bright and very white illuminating power while making them safe to view. Laser headlights are smaller and more efficient than today’s LEDs - but for the moment, they’re not legal here in the U.S. ABDRUCK FUER PRESSEZWECKE HONORARFREI Laser headlights are smaller and more efficient than today’s LEDs - but for the moment, they’re not legal here in the U.S. Rather, federal regulations that originally set standards for headlamp brightness way back in 1968 are to blame. Though Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard “Number 108” (to be exact!) has been updated over the years in order to account for new technologies, for now, laser headlights don’t meet this standard. Lane Change Assist In 2015, more vehicles are adopting lane change assist technology. This is different from a lane departure warning system that warns a driver when his or her car is unintentionally drifting from the intended lane of travel, or a lane keeping system that uses autonomous braking or steering to nudge a drifting vehicle back toward the center of the lane. What lane change assist technology does is identify when traffic is approaching from behind at a rapid rate of speed, and then warns the driver when the signal is given to change lanes. The 2015 Subaru Outback can determine when it’s safe to change lanes, and advise against a maneuver if it detects another car rapidly approaching. SUBARU The 2015 Subaru Outback can determine when it’s safe to change lanes, and advise against a maneuver if it detects another car rapidly approaching. For example, let’s say you’re driving your new 2015 Subaru Outback in the center northbound lane of a freeway, you’re going 70 mph, and you catch up to a slow-moving truck that’s going 55 mph. You check your mirror, you see there’s no traffic in the next lane, and you signal to change into the left-most lane of the freeway. Blind spot detection is just part of the new car technology that will keep you safer when changing lanes. SUBARU Blind spot detection is just part of the new car technology that will keep you safer when changing lanes. Now, let’s say somebody is barreling along in that left-most lane of the freeway at 85 mph. When you checked your mirror, this guy appeared to be far behind. But now it is clear that he’s catching up fast. What the Outback’s lane change assist system does is to monitor approaching traffic in the adjacent lanes, identify much faster drivers that are within 230 feet of the vehicle, and then flash an alert on the mirror advising against the lane change. Find a Space, Find Your Car We live in an increasingly app-driven world. New technologies are allowing drivers to find empty parking spaces in crowded cities and then, later, when the owner forgets where he parked, help to locate the car. The Volvo “Autonomous Parking Test Vehicle” makes hunting for a parking spot a thing of the past.
BI-WEEKLY - May 08 - May 21
VOLVO The Volvo “Autonomous Parking Test Vehicle” makes hunting for a parking spot a thing of the past. Drivers can sign up with companies like ParkMe or SpotHero to find, reserve, and pre-pay for parking near their destination. Systems like Volkswagen’s Car-Net telematics service provide Last Parked Location service to help owners remember where they left their VeeDub. Autonomous Parking Once you’ve arrived at your (pre-paid) parking space, your new car might have an autonomous parking feature. What’s this? Thanks to cameras and sensors, some vehicles can steer themselves into a parallel or perpendicular parking space while the driver operates the transmission and the foot pedals. Yep, we were skeptical, too. Then we tried the technology in the new 2015 Lincoln MKC crossover SUV. It works, and brilliantly. Plus, the MKC can extract itself from a space, which is helpful if you return to the SUV and other vehicles are sandwiched tight to the MKC’s bumpers. Wi-Fi Hotspots While Audi, BMW, Chrysler, Mercedes-Benz, and other automakers have started offering Internet access in selected models, General Motors has effectively mashed the technology accelerator to the floor for 2015. Your new car can often serve as a mobile hotspot. General Motors has taken the lead in equipping nearly all of its new cars and trucks with 4G LTE Wi-Fi. TOM ROCHE{ ROCHE ROCHE} Your new car can often serve as a mobile hotspot. General Motors has taken the lead in equipping nearly all of its new cars and trucks with 4G LTE Wi-Fi. For the upcoming model year, nearly all of its cars, trucks, and SUVs will be equipped with the latest OnStar services technology, which includes a 4G LTE Wi-Fi Internet connection. So equipped, everything from the tiny Chevy Spark to the gigantic Cadillac Escalade ESV is transformed into a mobile hotspot supporting up to seven different devices. Not all GM models get the new technology for 2015, but most do, and they provide three months of service and/or three gigabytes of data for free. After that, you’ve gotta pay to play, however. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto Both of these new smartphone integration platforms not only connect your device to an onboard infotainment system, but also transform that infotainment system into a version of the smartphone’s operating system. That way, what the user sees on the in-dash screen is just like what they see on their smartphone’s screen, making it more intuitive in terms of use. Dashboard displays, like the one in the new Volvo XC90, are becoming more and more similar to what you see every time you use your smartphone. VOLVO Dashboard displays, like the one in the new Volvo XC90, are becoming more and more similar to what you see every time you use your smartphone. Let’s say you’ve got an iPhone 5S, and you’ve also got a vehicle supporting Apple CarPlay, like a 2015 Honda Civic. Connect your phone, and CarPlay, in combination with Siri Eyes Free voice recognition technology, provide you with access to your phone’s most useful features, from getting directions and surfing your music collection to voice texting. Wait. Voice texting? Didn’t this used to be known as making a phone call? And if All This Stuff Simply Ain’t Enough… Here’s another new technology, one that debuted on the 2014 Mercedes-Benz S-Class. It’s a perfume atomizer, included as standard equipment. Owners buy fragrance atomizers from the dealership, and available scents include Nightlife Mood, Downtown Mood, Freeside Mood, and Sports Mood. The cutting-edge cabin of the 2014 Mercedes-Benz S-Class luxury sedan includes a perfume atomizer. MERCEDES-BENZ/WIECK The cutting-edge cabin of the 2014 Mercedes-Benz S-Class luxury sedan includes a perfume atomizer. Given how bad some people’s cars smell inside, this type of technology might just prove most useful – and appreciated – of all.
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The 17 Best New Cars of 2015
Get excited. Because if you like cool cars and trucks, the next 18 months are going to be a good time to be alive.
edges that not everyone wants their driving machine to be one-dimensional. 2015 Cadillac ATS-V
Below is a list of cars that make us remember why we got into this business. These are cars and trucks that show promise in their respective segments. Some — like Jaguar’s XS sedan — are all-new. And some — like the Ford F-150 — are mainstays that show promise in concept form. Others (like just about everything from GM on this list) deserve acknowledgement for either risk-taking or simple segment leadership. In no particular order, then, we present 17 groundbreaking, silly-fast or simply cool machines hitting the market in or around 2015. Acura NSX Acura NSX Though it will likely be a 2016 model, Acura’s NSX will go on sale in 2015 and that’s good enough for us. Acura promises that the NSX will be a dynamic demon in spite of its hybrid powertrain. That shouldn’t be a problem, as it will combine a twin-turbo V6 with three additional electric motors, two of which will drive the front wheels individually. It should fill the original’s shoes in spirit if not in execution. 2015 Audi S3 Sedan 2015 Audi S3 Sedan With nearly 300 hp, Quattro all-wheel drive and a six-speed transmission, the S3 is the small sporty sedan most of us here would choose. Its perfect balance of performance, comfort and technology acknowl-
2015 Cadillac ATS-V Don’t mess with Cadillac. Because it plans to jam the 420-hp V6 from its CTS Vsport sedan into the compact ATS in order to make the smaller sedan a genuine V model. This is serious business. The ATS is small and light, so it will haul ass with this much power. And that’s really, really cool. 2015 Cadillac Escalade 2015 Cadillac Escalade It’s all about the interior with the 2015 Cadillac Escalade. Stitched, perforated leather and real wood trim take center stage in an upgrade that significantly departs from the Suburban-Yukon twins on which it’s based. Expect 420 hp and 460 pound-feet of torque from the Escalade’s 6.2-liter direct-injected V8. Two- or four-wheeldrive models will be available. 2015 Chevrolet Colorado 2015 Chevrolet Colorado The combination of a stagnant midsize segment and the fact that many truck buyers want to buy domestic leaves Chevy in a position to strike while the iron is hot with its all-new Colorado. This truck’s good looks, three powertrain options (including a turbodiesel for 2016) and three body configurations won’t hurt, either. If there was ever a sure thing in truck sales, this appears to be it.
Very little is known about the first performance model based on the C7 platform. Even its name remains unconfirmed. What we know for sure is that the car will be shown at the Detroit auto show in January 2014, which means it will likely go on sale later in the year as a 2015 model. Expect all the C7’s goodness to carry over into a car that actually fills its fenders with huge rubber and big brakes. We think it will be powered by a normally aspirated direct-injected V8 displacing more than 6.2 liters and generating between 530 and 570 horsepower. 2015 Ford F-150 2015 Ford F-150 New styling, a broad range of engine options and better fuel economy should help the 2015 F-150 retain its position as America’s best-selling truck. When it comes to trucks there’s a fine line between groundbreaking and bank breaking, and Ford appears to be walking that line carefully with the new F-150. Expect a truck that’s better in every way. Don’t expect one that’s new in every way. 2015 Ford Mustang 2015 Ford Mustang Fully redesigned for 2015, all Mustang styles will get independent rear suspension. The big news, however, is the likely addition of a 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder to the lineup, possibly to replace the V6. The 5.0 V8 will, of course, remain the iconic engine of the brand.
Chevrolet Corvette Z06
2015 Hyundai Genesis Sedan
Chevrolet Corvette Z06
2015 Hyundai Genesis Sedan
All-wheel drive will be an option for this popular sedan when it hits showrooms next year as a 2015 model. Otherwise, the news is mostly about styling, which is striking and makes the previous-generation Genesis sedan look conservative by comparison. Both the 3.8-liter V6 and the 5.0-liter V8 will remain — at least in the first year.
calls it the RC 350 Coupe for 2015. Expect power to come initially from the IS 350’s 3.5-liter 306-hp V6 followed by a 2.0-liter turbo-4. A 450-plus hp V8 will come later, allowing the RC Coupe to go head to head with BMW’s M4. 2015 Lincoln MKC
2015 Jaguar XS Sedan Though it’s unclear exactly when this car will be unveiled, it’s certain that Jaguar intends to go toe to toe with the Audi A4 and BMW 3 Series. Expect a rear-drive-based powertrain with at least two engine options: a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder and a 3.0-liter supercharged V6. Both engines will almost certainly be backed by a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission.
2015 Lincoln MKC There are piles of money to be made in the compact luxury crossover segment. Ask BMW. Or Mercedes. And that’s exactly what Lincoln would like to do with the Ford Escape-based MKC. Because its fundamentals are already in place, Lincoln will have to rely on striking styling, an outstanding interior and flexible chassis tuning to make the MKC a hit. But it’s been done before. A 2.0-liter EcoBoost four coupled to a sixspeed automatic is the most likely powertrain. All-wheel drive will be optional.
2015 Jaguar F-Type Coupe
2015 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
2015 Jaguar F-Type Coupe Jaguar’s F-Type convertible is a strikingly beautiful car. And it only gets better with a hardtop. Base supercharged V6 engines will retain 340- and 380-hp ratings, while the supercharged 5.0-liter V8 bumps from 495 to roughly 550 hp in the F-Type R Coupe. ZF’s eightspeed automatic is still paired with every engine. Expect to see the coupe at dealers in the spring of 2014.
2015 Mercedes-Benz C-Class With the wildly popular CLAClass taking the C-Class’ spot as entry-level Benz, the priorities have changed for Benz’s breadwinner. First, it’s getting bigger. Five inches will be added to the C-Class’ total length, which will noticeably increase rearseat legroom. A new 2.0-liter turbocharged four will be the base engine, while a 2.1-liter diesel remains a very real possibility as the upgrade engine. An eight-speed automatic will be the go-to transmission and all-wheel drive will be optional.
2015 Jaguar XS Sedan
2015 Lexus RC Coupe 2015 Lexus RC Coupe This is what’s called a no-brainer in the car industry. Lexus shaves two doors and the roof line off the IS 350 sedan and
SALES@ORBISNEWSPAPER.COM BI-WEEKLY - May 08 - May 21
2015 Nissan Titan 2015 Nissan Titan Expect the 2015 Nissan Titan to
come out swinging, because it needs to. This truck has, since its introduction, been an alsoran. Unlike Ford, which can rely on a solid reputation for building serious trucks, Nissan has an image to build. And the first-generation Titan didn’t get the job done. Expect a new V6 to join the once-standard V8 along with an all-new 5.0-liter Cummins diesel V8 engine. That kind of powertrain portfolio might get truck buyers talking. And that’s exactly what Titan needs. 2015 Subaru WRX 2015 Subaru WRX Subaru’s new WRX is stiffer, lower, longer (in wheelbase) and more powerful than the car it replaces. It comes standard with a six-speed manual transmission, and a performance-tuned CVT (no, seriously) is optional. Though its styling is far more conservative than that of the concept shown earlier this year, a new WRX is always a good thing. Expect the STI to follow shortly. 2015 Tesla Model X 2015 Tesla Model X Tesla’s Model X will (according to Tesla) go on sale in 2014. All-wheel drive will be optional and Tesla claims it will enable sub-5.0-second 0-60 times. After our experience with the Model S, we expect the Model X to be more of the same: groundbreaking, innovative, fraught with technology and remarkably refined. Also, it’s an SUV with really cool doors. Like the Model S it will be available with either a 60 or 85 kWh battery.
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COMMUNITY / REPORTER
Megabus.com expands service PURPLE LINE in Philadelphia and from nine Benefits & cities of the Northeast Goals
Maryland Transit Administration
The daily express bus service offers 10,000 free seats from the second Center of the Northeast PHILADELPHIA (June 10, 2010) - starting from $1, Megabus.com, a bus company long-distance express expand its daily service to and from Philadelphia - a second Center of Northeast - since July 21. Philadelphia residents can now travel to Atlantic City, N.J.; Baltimore; Boston; Buffalo, N.Y.; Harrisburg, Penn.; Pittsburgh; State College, Penn.; Syracuse, N.Y.; and Toronto. Added five trips to the current route from Philadelphia to Washington, which causes that the games are carried out every two hours approximately. Passengers may begin to book your travel today at www.megabus.com for travel from July 21st forward. Megabus.com will offer 29 daily items from their location of arrival and departure in the South side of John F. Kennedy Boulevard, near North 30th Street and the entrance to West of 30th Street Station. To celebrate this great expansion of service, megabus.com offers 10,000 free seats for travel from July 21st forward. Free seats will be available for all outputs of megabus.com to and from nine cities in expansion of Philadelphia and Washington. Passengers must use the LUVPHL promotion code when booking their tickets at www.megabus.com (subject to availability on the dates and selected routes). “The popularity of bus travel continues increasing since passengers are looking for affordable options and quality service,” said Dale Moser, President and COO of megabus.com. “The excellent price of trips offered by megabus.com gives Philadelphia residents a great opportunity to travel frequently and do more in their final destinations: arrive on time for a game, visit friends and family, a little expensive business trip or planning weekend getaways”.
Megabus.com, a subsidiary of Coach USA, was launched in April 2006 and has served more than 5 million passengers. In addition to the low fares, megabus.com offers passengers added value including double-decker buses that protect the environment, with 81 seats, free Wi-Fi, power outlets and bathroom. Suggested passengers to book in advance to be sure rates from $1. “We are excited to see that megabus.com continues to find success in this region and that you have selected to Philadelphia as his second centre of the Northeast,” said Jack Ferguson, Vice President Executive/incoming President of the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau. “These new routes without a doubt will be of interest to passengers who have been looking for easy and economical ways to explore this part of the United States. Philadelphia will become a central city where passengers will begin and end their vacation when they explore the Northeast”. “The additional service Megabus.com increases accessibility to the regionf the metropolitan area of Philadelphia, a destination five hours for 25% of the population of the United States,” said Meryl Levitz, President and Executive Director (CEO) of Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation. “The accessibility of Megabus.com transforms it into a means of popular transport, especially for the young tech-savvy passengers. And with the points for pick up and drop passengers in the Centre, at the 30th Street Station in Philadelphia, passengers have easy access to other transport systems, such as Amtrak and SEPTA, or are close to Center City and University City”. See www.megabus.com for more information on services, schedules, times of arrival and departure and rates.
LAYDA HERNARDEZ MISS CUBA AMERICAN Cherry Blossom Parade 2015
The NCSS in Washington DC, organizers of the beloved Cherry Blossom Festival in the Nation’s Capital, extended an invitation to Layda Lissy Hernandez, who currently holds the title of Miss CubanAmerican 2015 to partake of all the official Cherry Blossom festivities; her participation is particularly appropriate since the USA-Cuba relationship is being reestablished; one of her desires as the Ambassador of Culture is to promote a healthy US-Cuba relationship just as the Cherry Blossom Festival did with the US-Japan post-World War relationship. She is a representative with the unique opportunity to show the world another face of Cuba, one that has been hidden to the world, one that
Representatives from Senator Marco Rubio’s Office - Ted Sacasa my escort to the Congressional Event. BI-WEEKLY - May 08 - May 21
Benefits: Montgomery and Prince George’s counties are changing, with steadily growing numbers of residents and jobs. Creating the Purple Line, an east-west public transportation link between Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, will address the growing congestion on the roads by providing an alternative to driving and providing more options to the large number of people in the area who already rely on transit. The Purple Line will create a more efficient transportation system by: Providing more reliable and rapid east-west travel Improving the overall dependability of the transportation system within the study area Providing easier access to the Metro lines and other transportation services The Purple Line will encourage economic development by: Connecting people to jobs Supporting the revitalization that many areas are experiencing/planning Complementing the over $400 displays the beauty and intelligence of young ladies such as Layda Hernandez, who is a very accomplished 22 year old young woman with a Degree in Psychology and who is currently an assistant to the Honorable Mayor of Miami Beach Honorable Philip Levine. Miss Cuban-American got the opportunity to meet with Jackie Reyes the Director of DC’s Office on Latinos Affairs and presented the Mayor’s office with the Mayor pin sent by Miami Beach Mayor to the honorable mayor of the District of Columbia Muriel Bowser; she also met with congressman Marcos Rubio (FL), the honorable ambassador of Japan Kenichiro Sasae and with other members of Central and South America embassies. Mr.
million in renovations and new construction that are being invested in Silver Spring Connecting major economic centers and key activity areas Goals: Provide better, faster transit service in the corridor Make it easier to get to Metrorail, commuter rail, and local bus services Serve people who rely on transit Minimize and mitigate impacts to the natural and human environment in the corridor Provide a safe and attractive transit service that fits in with the local community character Ensure that the overall benefits of the transitway justify the cost of building and operating it Support local, regional and state policies and adopted Master Plans Increase the potential for Transit Oriented Development where planned at existing and identified stations in the corridor Make it easier to get to existing and planned shopping and business areas in the corridor
Evar Sandoval and Blanca Bermudez was very instrumental in the orchestration of this particular moment of history in the making. by Eve Rivera
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DACA - History Carla Mena, a young aspiring American living in Raleigh, North Carolina, who received Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) in 2012, continues to be a committed and engaged member of her community. She is a sitting member of the Wake Health Services Board of Trustees and spends most of her spare time empowering youth through her work on the Youth Council at El Pueblo, Inc. This NCLR Affiliate taught Carla about the importance of helping Latinos achieve positive social change by building
COMMUNITY / REPORTER
By Yamid A. Macias and Janet Hernandez, NCLR a permanent employee, Carla enjoys an array of benefits including, among others, health insurance and a well-deserved salary increase. With these benefits, she can not only increase monetary contributions to her family but also contribute more to the local economy. These opportunities, however, wouldn’t have been possible had it not been for her new status resulting from DACA. Carla recalls that she first learned about DACA on June 15, 2012. This date had a special significance to her and her family, as it marked the 10th anniversary of their arrival to the United States. “I had recently graduated from college, and learning about this opportunity was a relief,” she said. “The first question I had was, when can I apply? My family and I hugged and cried from the emotion and the opportunity that this represented.” Today those memories are bittersweet, particularly because Carla fears that her parents—as well as thousands of other parents in the same situation—cannot join her in living the American Dream. Although Carla’s story represents the reality that hundreds of thousands of young DACA recipients currently face, it also corroborates an undeniable fact: DACA works. This program’s effectiveness suggests that the implementation of Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) could have an even greater impact on our country’s economy and workforce.
consciousness, capacity, and community action, a belief that has been part of their mission for over 20 years. Most recently, thanks to her hard work and determination, Carla was promoted to Bilingual Project Coordinator, a full-time position at Duke University’s Global Health Institute. Now that she is
DAPA would provide opportunities for millions of skilled immigrants to work in fields where they can earn and contribute more. If DACA recipients have demonstrated in just three years what this program can do for communities like Raleigh, perhaps it’s time to consider something more stable. As Carla puts it, “Temporary programs are helpful, but a more permanent and more inclusive solution could be better.” Carla’s story attests to the social and economic benefits of administrative relief, however, the overhaul of our immigration policies remain a critical task that congress must undertake.
“Shark Tank” Barbara Corcoran’s Advice on Mortgage http://www.onesmartpenny. com Stop giving away your hardearned money... At least that’s what Barbara Corcoran, millionaire and star of ABC TV show “Shark Tank” thinks you’re doing by sitting on your current mortgage rate. According to the expert, she thinks “not shopping the market...is like giving money away” when mortgage rates are low. 1 Known as “New York’s queen of real estate” who famously turned $1,000 into a multibillion dollar real estate business,2 you should listen to her. With today’s mortgage rates at near rock-bottom lows, millions of homeowners are spending tens and thousands of dollars more than they need to.3 By refinancing their homes to today’s low rates, homeowners saved on average of $250 a month on their mortgage payments.4 This translates into $3,000 a year, which you could use to pay off debt, go on your dream vacation, or even pay your children’s college education. TIP: These low rates won’t last long. Freddie Mac predicts rates to rise this year,5 so now may be your best and only chance to save on your mortgage. There’s absolutely no cost to see low rates available today. If homeowners could save
However, time is running out for homeowners to save money through this program. Set to expire this year, it is vital you act now. The good news though is once you’re approved, you’re locked into the lower rate.
thousands of dollars a year (and potentially even be mortgage-free by the time they retire), why are they not actively jumping on this opportunity? What the Banks May Be Hiding from You Do you think that banks want you paying a lower interest rate, which means less money for them? You can bet that they do not. They would rather keep you at the rate you financed years ago so you can continue giving your money away to them. They also know that you could start shopping around for the lowest rates, which means they could lose your business to another lender. Homeowners may be shocked at the extremely low rates available to them, especially when multiple lenders are fighting and competing for your business.
The Home Refinance Plan That Has Banks “On Edge” There is also a little-known government program that was not widely publicized by the banks called the Home Affordable Refinance Plan (HARP). During the economic downturn in 2009, the US government designed HARP to help middle-class Americans reduce their mortgage payments and put more money in their pockets. But again, many banks kept this from homeowners because they want to take your money .Through HARP, the government relaxed refinance guidelines and “it doesn’t appraise your house which allows so many more people to actually refinance the high interest they have on their loan,” Barbara says. If you owe less than $625,000 on your mortgage, you may be able to qualify for this terrfic HARP program.
With average savings of $250 per month4, you could use the extra $3,000 a year for expenses, pay off your credit card debt, and even begin your road to a mortgage-free retirement. But it is important you act now before this opportunity passes. Where Do I Start? With hundreds of mortgage lenders and brokers available, it can take consumers hours to simply contact each one separately and request a quote. To cut through the clutter, Barbara Corcoran suggests that a great place to start is online9. There are services that could help you save time and money by comparing multiple lenders at once. Services such as The Easy Loan Site10 has one of the biggest lender network in the nation. There’s no obligation to homeowners, and The Easy Loan Site offers easy and fast comparisons. It takes about five minutes, and the service is 100% free. You have nothing to lose, except for your money problems!
Casinos in Atlantic City New. Jersey closed and dozens of workers are unemployed. Por:AP
The troubled Atlantic City Casino Revel still is hoping to auction your property, but need to close soon to stop its massive losses, said one of its managers. Lawyer John Cunningham said Monday in the bankruptcy court, in Camden, which the casino is losing more than one million dollars every week. “We still hope to achieve a good auction, but perhaps it will be necessary to pass some time after the official closure” he said. Casino wanted to close already on Monday, but State officials ordered him to remain open until the labor day weekend. The bankruptcy court must approve a sale, but an auction scheduled for last week was canceled. Judge Gloria Burns set a hearing for Sept. 2, the day that the casino will close completely, to approve a sale if it is that an acceptable buyer emerges. The closing of the casino of $ 2.4 billion will leave 3,100 people out of work. A lawyer representing the restaurants that operate inside the casino demanded a more transparent sales process. “If they were to leave only two casinos opened in Atlantic City, this should be one of them” alleged lawyer Warren Martin. Hotel Revel will close at 11 a.m. on September 1, while casino closed at 5 a.m. on September 2. The Revel is one of the 3 casinos will be closing its doors in the coming weeks. The Showboat, will close on August 31, and the Trump Plaza will close on September 16. The Revel was opened in April 2012 as the newest casino in Atlantic City, after the opening of the Borgata nine years ago, and was seen as a hope of reviving the commercial life of the city, already in decline; but the casino was never acceptable profit levels since
it opened. Atlantic City used to be the second facility in the country after Las Vegas, but its gaming market fell from 5.2 billion dollars in 2006 to 2.8 trillion last year, and the city has lost thousands of jobs to new casinos have opened in other cities in the Northeast. Another boost to the decline of Atlantic City happened Tuesday, when a State Senator introduced a bill that allows game machines to four racetracks of New Jersey, a bet by which the owners of the horse racing industry have pressed long.
They said that in Pennsylvania work the “Racinos” - long hipodromo-casinos-, and complained about not obtain licenses. Today, with 4 of the 12 casinos in Atlantic City next to close, lobbyists increased pressure to obtain the permit and expand the places of the game to other parts of the State. Polls have shown seemingly broad support for the construction of a casino in Meadowlands which seems to be very promising. Tuesday morning Meadowlands leading traders to their plans put day in that, they hope, New Jersey Authority approve permits to build a casino at the great sports complex on the outskirts of New York. The project includes two hotels, a Convention Center and a monorail to move the public among several attractions, including the downtown shopping and entertainment “American Dream”, formerly known as Xanadu. The group estimated the cost of the entire project at approximately $ 1.2 trillion.
“Social fabric in El Salvador torn by the history of migration’’ I wonder that our fellow nationals decided to leave el Salvador or are forced to go outside? A little history: who does not remember... El Salvador had experienced a civil war in the 1980s, and in 1992 the peace treaties were signed, however no sufficient investments were made to rebuild the social fabric and create better living conditions for the population which had been affected by the violence of the war. “Is a Republic Center American which has been lead by the corruption, impunity, social injustice, then came organized crime to more high level in all the social religious and political spheres then consequently came the migration, separating families and overflowing the fragile social fabric already existing and pseudo political entrepreneurs have no interest of having a social investment to improve the country therefore there isn’t a future vision for” the society in general. Thousands of compatriots are currently forced to an inevitable exodus. The policy that is developed both by the Governments of the right as those on the left have not favoured the population, only to the stubborn economic hierarchy “casicazgo” style or the ‘ feudal style “regardless of flag or political
Cinco de Mayo Fifth of May Southern ports of the Union Blockade. During this time, Confederate General Robert E. Lee was enjoying success, and French intervention could have had an impact on the Civil War.” History of the holiday United States Fifth of May performers at the White House According to a paper published by the UCLA Center for the Study of Latino Health and Culture about the origin of the observance of Cinco de Mayo in the United States, the modern American focus on that day first started in California in the 1860s in response to the resistance to French rule in Mexico. “Far up in the gold country town of Columbia (now Columbia State Park) Mexican miners were so overjoyed at the news that they spontaneously fired off rifles shots and fireworks, sang patriotic songs and made impromptu speeches.”A 2007 UCLA Newsroom article notes that “The holiday, which has been celebrated in California continuously since 1863, is virtually ignored in Mexico.”TIME magazine reports that “Cinco de Mayo started to come into vogue in 1940s America during the rise of the Chicano movement.” The holiday crossed over from California into the rest of the United States in the 1950s and 1960s but didn’t gain popularity until the 1980s when marketers, especially beer companies, capitalized on the celebratory nature of the day and began to promote it. [It grew in popularity and evolved into a celebration of Mexican culture and heritage, first in areas with large MexicanAmerican populations, like Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston and San Jose. In a 1998 study in the Journal of American Culture it was reported that there were more than 120 official U.S. celebrations of Cinco de Mayo, and they could be found in 21 different states. An update in 2006 found that the number of official Cinco de Mayo events was 150 or more, according to José Alamillo, professor of ethnic studies at Washington State University in Pullman, who has studied the cultural impact of Cinco de Mayo north of the border. In the United States Cinco de Mayo has taken on a significance beyond that in Mexico. On June 7, 2005, the U.S. Congress issued a Concurrent Resolution calling on the President of the United States to issue a proclamation calling upon the
BI-WEEKLY - May 08 - May 21
By: Eugenio Espinoza © affiliation really there is no future for our country since is kidnapped by a group of corrupt despots single mind to your personal interests. Therefore do not care that more than 2 million of undocumented immigrants residing in the United States keep sending remittances since they mean 80% of GDP (gross domestic product) national and is for that reason that the policy towards our compatriots is psychological pressure and ridden causing an exodus to the style of the 1980s in period of war. In general the policy of El Salvador is to follow auto of carrying its citizens to swell the (GDP) national and that way not to stop the corruption that exists in the three organs of the State account it is paying the town children arriving only at the border south of United States hoping and believing in democratic politics and human rights looking for a new future since staying and living in el Salvador is not an option survival; “Better try to reach the southern border or die trying” as a consequence the country needs a reconstruction at all levels of society by promoting a new legal framework for the institutions eradicating the power vacuum and punishing all those responsible for these crimes under the law. “A people that choose to corrupt, is not victim is an accomplice... POPULAR VOICE
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people of the United States to observe Cinco de Mayo with appropriate ceremonies and activities.To celebrate, many display Cinco de Mayo banners while school districts hold special events to educate students about its historical significance. Special events and celebrations highlight Mexican culture, especially in its music and regional dancing. Examples include baile folklórico and mariachi demonstrations held annually at the Plaza del Pueblo de Los Angeles, near Olvera Street. Commercial interests in the United States have capitalized on the celebration, advertising Mexican products and services, with an emphasis on beverages, foods, and music. Mexico On May 9, 1862, President Juárez declared that the anniversary of the Battle of Puebla would be a national holiday regarded as “Battle of Puebla Day” or “Battle of Cinco de Mayo”. Although Mexican citizens feel very proud of the meaning of the Anniversary of the Battle of Puebla, today it is not observed as a national holiday in Mexico. However, all public schools are closed nation-wide in Mexico on May 5.The day is an official holiday in the State of Puebla, where the Battle took place, and also a full holiday (no work) in the neighboring State of Veracruz. Elsewhere Events tied to Cinco de Mayo also occur outside Mexico and the United States. As in the United States, celebrations elsewhere also emphasize Mexican cuisine, culture and music. For example, Windsor, Ontario, holds an American-style “Cinco de Mayo Street Festival”, some Canadian pubs play Mexican music and serve Mexican food and drink, and a sky-diving club near Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, holds a Cinco de Mayo skydiving event.In the Cayman Islands, in the Caribbean, there is an annual Cinco de Mayo air guitar competition. and at Montego Bay, Jamaica, there is a Cinco de Mayo celebration.The city of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, holds an annual Mexican Festival to honor the day, and celebrations are held in London and New Zealand.American-style celebrations of the day can also be found in Paris.Cinco de Mayo is celebrated in Tokyo, Japan in Yoyogi Park Event Space as a celebration of all the Americas and not just Mexican culture.