Last week, a federal appeals court ruled that the U.S. discriminates against the blind by producing currency that is not user-friendly for the visually impaired. A host of other countries incorporate shapes, colors and textures to help people identify denominations.
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Pay attention: The Earth is Changing and we are the last generation positioned to do anything about it. “As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.”
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Congo Highlights Safety in Search for Mine Operator
Congolese warriors used to smear a mineral all over their bodies before going into battle. It made them glow and frightened their enemies at night. Unfortunately, the mineral was radioactive. Congo's uranium deposits later became crucial to the Manhattan Project. Nowadays, the mining site is closed--or are they?
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Obama says he will fight McCain for western states
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama set his sights on the West on Tuesday, saying he will fight for states there that narrowly voted Republican in the last presidential election four years ago.
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Loan Auditor: Supervisors Covered Up Bad Loans
Millions of people are facing foreclosure because they got loans that should not have been approved. A big unanswered question is whether Wall Street banks knew they were selling garbage loans to investors. One former worker whose job was to catch bad loans says her supervisors covered them up.
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As gas goes up, driving goes down
At a time when gas prices are at an all-time high, Americans have curtailed their driving at a historic rate.
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Humanitarian workers take advantage of impovershed children
According to the charity "Save the Children", children told researchers they were too frightened to report the abuse, fearful that the abuser would come back to hurt them and that they would stop receiving aid from agencies, or even be punished by their family or community.
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Billionaire set for biggest tax refund payout--Post-Trib.com
When Gov. Mitch Daniels ordered Lake County to distribute property tax rebate checks to the low-income taxpayers of the county, he presumably did not have Dean White in mind.
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Homeland Security Grants to secure nations ports, transit
Release Date: May 16, 2008
For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
Contact: 202-282-8010
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced today more than $844 million in grant awards as part of its Infrastructure Protection Activities (IPA) grant program.
Grant awards will strengthen security at ports and enhance transit, trucking and intercity bus systems. Funds provided will be used to prevent, protect against, respond to and recover from terrorist attacks, major disasters and other emergencies.
“With this year’s funding, the department will have provided roughly $3 billion in grants for securing the nation’s critical infrastructure and transportation systems,” said Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. “As capabilities mature, we’re encouraging state and local governments and the private sector to prioritize IED prevention and protection, communications capabilities, information sharing, and regionally based security cooperation.”
Fiscal Year 2008 IPA awards represent a 29 percent increase from last year. They include:
Port Security Grant Program: $388.6 million
The Port Security Grant Program (PSGP) supports sustainable, risk-based efforts to enhance access control and credentialing, protect against an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) and other non-conventional attacks, and conduct exercises for disaster-response scenarios. The seven highest risk port areas that comprise Group I will receive $220.9 million, which is a 26 percent increase from last year. There are 40 Group II port areas that will receive a total of $138.1 million, and 16 Group III port areas will be awarded $17.3 million. Other port areas will receive a total of almost $9.9 million, and five ferry systems will be awarded more than $2.4 million. DHS has provided nearly $1.5 billion in PSGP grants since 2003.
Transit Security Grant Program: $380.1 million
The Transit Security Grant Program (TSGP) supports sustainable, risk-based efforts to protect critical transit infrastructure, particularly against explosives and non-conventional threats that could cause major disruption to commerce and significant loss of life. The eight highest risk Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) Tier 1 awardees will receive a total of $333.2 million, which is a 46 percent increase from last year. There are 23 UASI Tier II awardees that will receive a total $16.9 million. They will also have an opportunity to re-compete for another $8.5 million. DHS has provided roughly $921 million in TSGP grants since 2005.
Freight Rail Security Grant Program: $4.9 million
The Freight Rail Security Grant Program (FRSGP) provides awards to railroad operators that transport security-sensitive materials through high-density population areas. This is the first year of funding for the FRSGP, which will prioritize the development of vulnerability assessments and security plans, as well as security training of railroad front-line employees.
Intercity Passenger Rail Program: $25 million
The Intercity Passenger Rail Program (IPRP) will fund the National Passenger Railroad Corporation (Amtrak) to harden underground and underwater track and tunnels against IEDs, train key employees in counter-terrorism, and expand visible deterrence activities. DHS has provided more than $50 million in IPRP grants since 2005.
Intercity Bus Security Grant Program: $11.2 million
The Intercity Bus Security Grant Program (IBSGP) provides awards to operators of fixed route intercity and charter bus companies serving one or more defined UASI jurisdictions. Funding priorities include: IED prevention and detection; protection of high-risk/high consequence assets; antiterrorism training and preparedness exercises; visible, unpredictable deterrence activities; and the development of vulnerability assessments and security plans. There are six awardees providing extensive service to UASI Tier I jurisdictions that will receive $6.2 million. The remaining $5 million will be allocated to UASI Tier II eligible recipients. DHS has provided more than $71 million in IBSGP grants since 2003.
Buffer Zone Protection Program: $48.5 million
The Buffer Zone Protection Program (BZPP) provides grant funding for security and risk-management capabilities at state and local levels to bolster pre-designated UASI Tier I and Tier II critical infrastructure sites, such as chemical facilities, financial institutions, nuclear and electric power plants, dams, stadiums, and other high-risk/high-consequence facilities. DHS has provided more than $236 million in BZPP funds since 2005.
Trucking Security Grant Program (TSP): $15.5 million
The Trucking Security Grant Program (TSP) provides an award to a single grantee selected through a competitive process. The funding will support: participant identification and recruitment, planning, training, communications, and information analysis and distribution. DHS has provided nearly $78 million in TSP grants since 2003.
IPA grants reinforce the department’s approach to risk-based funding and commitment to regional planning and security coordination. The department considered the threat, vulnerability and consequences of an attack on critical infrastructure as well as the effectiveness of proposed solutions in making grant determinations. The risk-based methodology is consistent across IPA programs and is aligned with methodology used to determine eligibility for core DHS state and local grant programs.
For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
Contact: 202-282-8010
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced today more than $844 million in grant awards as part of its Infrastructure Protection Activities (IPA) grant program.
Grant awards will strengthen security at ports and enhance transit, trucking and intercity bus systems. Funds provided will be used to prevent, protect against, respond to and recover from terrorist attacks, major disasters and other emergencies.
“With this year’s funding, the department will have provided roughly $3 billion in grants for securing the nation’s critical infrastructure and transportation systems,” said Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. “As capabilities mature, we’re encouraging state and local governments and the private sector to prioritize IED prevention and protection, communications capabilities, information sharing, and regionally based security cooperation.”
Fiscal Year 2008 IPA awards represent a 29 percent increase from last year. They include:
Port Security Grant Program: $388.6 million
The Port Security Grant Program (PSGP) supports sustainable, risk-based efforts to enhance access control and credentialing, protect against an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) and other non-conventional attacks, and conduct exercises for disaster-response scenarios. The seven highest risk port areas that comprise Group I will receive $220.9 million, which is a 26 percent increase from last year. There are 40 Group II port areas that will receive a total of $138.1 million, and 16 Group III port areas will be awarded $17.3 million. Other port areas will receive a total of almost $9.9 million, and five ferry systems will be awarded more than $2.4 million. DHS has provided nearly $1.5 billion in PSGP grants since 2003.
Transit Security Grant Program: $380.1 million
The Transit Security Grant Program (TSGP) supports sustainable, risk-based efforts to protect critical transit infrastructure, particularly against explosives and non-conventional threats that could cause major disruption to commerce and significant loss of life. The eight highest risk Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) Tier 1 awardees will receive a total of $333.2 million, which is a 46 percent increase from last year. There are 23 UASI Tier II awardees that will receive a total $16.9 million. They will also have an opportunity to re-compete for another $8.5 million. DHS has provided roughly $921 million in TSGP grants since 2005.
Freight Rail Security Grant Program: $4.9 million
The Freight Rail Security Grant Program (FRSGP) provides awards to railroad operators that transport security-sensitive materials through high-density population areas. This is the first year of funding for the FRSGP, which will prioritize the development of vulnerability assessments and security plans, as well as security training of railroad front-line employees.
Intercity Passenger Rail Program: $25 million
The Intercity Passenger Rail Program (IPRP) will fund the National Passenger Railroad Corporation (Amtrak) to harden underground and underwater track and tunnels against IEDs, train key employees in counter-terrorism, and expand visible deterrence activities. DHS has provided more than $50 million in IPRP grants since 2005.
Intercity Bus Security Grant Program: $11.2 million
The Intercity Bus Security Grant Program (IBSGP) provides awards to operators of fixed route intercity and charter bus companies serving one or more defined UASI jurisdictions. Funding priorities include: IED prevention and detection; protection of high-risk/high consequence assets; antiterrorism training and preparedness exercises; visible, unpredictable deterrence activities; and the development of vulnerability assessments and security plans. There are six awardees providing extensive service to UASI Tier I jurisdictions that will receive $6.2 million. The remaining $5 million will be allocated to UASI Tier II eligible recipients. DHS has provided more than $71 million in IBSGP grants since 2003.
Buffer Zone Protection Program: $48.5 million
The Buffer Zone Protection Program (BZPP) provides grant funding for security and risk-management capabilities at state and local levels to bolster pre-designated UASI Tier I and Tier II critical infrastructure sites, such as chemical facilities, financial institutions, nuclear and electric power plants, dams, stadiums, and other high-risk/high-consequence facilities. DHS has provided more than $236 million in BZPP funds since 2005.
Trucking Security Grant Program (TSP): $15.5 million
The Trucking Security Grant Program (TSP) provides an award to a single grantee selected through a competitive process. The funding will support: participant identification and recruitment, planning, training, communications, and information analysis and distribution. DHS has provided nearly $78 million in TSP grants since 2003.
IPA grants reinforce the department’s approach to risk-based funding and commitment to regional planning and security coordination. The department considered the threat, vulnerability and consequences of an attack on critical infrastructure as well as the effectiveness of proposed solutions in making grant determinations. The risk-based methodology is consistent across IPA programs and is aligned with methodology used to determine eligibility for core DHS state and local grant programs.
Monday, May 26, 2008
IAEA: Iran may be withholding information in nuke probe
VIENNA, Austria - Iran may be withholding information needed to establish whether it tried to make nuclear arms, the International Atomic Energy Agency said Monday in an unusually strongly worded report.
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