Hello
Your agnostic positive dish under the cut.
US Troops In Iraq At Lowest Level Since The Invasion
BAGHDAD — The American military says the number of boots on the ground in Iraq has dropped below 100,000 for the first time since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion.
Army 1st Lt. Elizabeth Feste told The Associated Press that as of Tuesday there are 98,000 troops in Iraq.
That's a significant drop from the roughly 140,000 troops in the month after the invasion, and a decline of about 70,000 since the height of the 2007 surge in which tens of thousands were deployed to fight the insurgency.
The declining number of troops signals the U.S. is sticking by its plan to steadily reduce its number in Iraq to 50,000 by the end of August.
*
*
*
Tthe president announced more than $8 billion in loan guarantees for two new nuclear reactors. I hope people would actually take the time to listen to what he's saying.
*
*
*
As part of an attempt to restore warm relationship with the US - Relationship that, how unsurprising, got very cold during Bush' days, Spain agreed to accept five Guantanamo detainees:
...The Obama administration has resettled 24 detainees, including 15 to Europe, two of whom are awaiting trial in Italy. Nine European countries have taken in detainees in the past year.
The administration has also repatriated 24 detainees to Yemen, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and elsewhere.
...The administration has also received commitments from other European countries, including Latvia and Bulgaria, to take detainees. Other announcements might be forthcoming, an administration official said recently...
...There are 192 detainees being held at Guantanamo Bay. Approximately 110 have been cleared for resettlement in a third country or for repatriation....
...Obama last year named veteran diplomat Daniel Fried as a special envoy to work with other nations to accept Guantanamo Bay detainees. His efforts have had some success -- he had met recently with Spanish officials -- despite fears that other countries will not accept detainees for resettlement if the United States is unwilling to do the same.
U.S. officials said some countries are nonetheless eager to be seen to help Obama, and many share his commitment to close the facility at Guantanamo Bay.
...In the case of Spain, the government of Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero wants to restore good relations with the United States. Ties had frayed after Zapatero withdrew Spanish troops from Iraq in 2004, a decision that infuriated the Bush administration.
*
*
*
Since the mainstream media won't do the job, the president is sending his Cabinet across the country, to tell the truth about the effect of the Recovery Act, in its first anniversary:
Obama's fellow Democrats planned to tout programs putting people back to work under the $787 billion spending bill. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius was touring a medical center in Atlanta on Tuesday; Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano was promoting stimulus projects in Virginia and Texas the same day.
In all, senior administration officials are scheduled to visit 35 communities before Friday to counter Republican claims the massive deficit-spending program has failed. Obama plans to surround himself at the White House on Wednesday with people who have jobs because of the stimulus plan, then travel to Colorado and Nevada.
...Although voters have soured on the stimulus spending, individual components have fans across party lines.
The tax cuts Democrats included in their bill have the backing of 70 percent of the public, according to a CNN poll last month. Another 80 percent support the infrastructure investments, such as the water projects Environmental Protection Agency chief Lisa Jackson plans to tout in Columbus, Ohio, on Thursday.
Even so, 56 percent of the public opposes the broad plan, according to the CNN poll.
*
*
*
From the WH blog, few more details about the terrific Students lawn reform Obama proposing (And will probably die in congress)
We are proposing to make federal student loans more affordable by limiting a borrower’s payments to 10 percent of the income he or she has left over after covering basic expenses. Here is an example: The monthly payment for a single borrower earning $30,000 who owes $20,000 in loans would be $115 a month, compared to $228 a month under the standard 10-year repayment plan.
Our proposal has been praised by a number of student aid experts. According to Dr. Michael Lomax, the President and CEO of UNCF, this change "will decrease the loan payments of hundreds of thousands of low-income borrowers with significant student loan debt, lightening the load of many Americans and enabling them to get the education they need, and our nation needs them to have."...
...In addition to lowering monthly payments, we are proposing to keep the total cost of loan repayment manageable by forgiving all remaining debt after 20 years of payments, or 10 years of payments for those in public service work...
...This initiative complements other key pieces of the Administration’s agenda, like extending the American Opportunity Tax Credit for college expenses and passing legislation, which is currently before the Senate, to reform student lending to eliminate tens of billions of dollars in wasteful subsidies to banks. The savings will be used to expand Pell Grants and invest in community colleges. Together, these proposals will make it easier for millions of Americans to pursue their college dreams.
*
*
*
Manufacturing in New York Area Expands at Faster Pace In Four Months
Feb. 16 (Bloomberg) -- Manufacturing in the New York region expanded in February at the fastest pace in four months as companies boosted payrolls in anticipation of accelerating orders and sales.
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s general economic index rose to 24.9 this month, higher than anticipated, from 15.9 in January
...The New York Fed’s gauge of employment increased to 5.6 in February from 4 last month. Measures of the six-month outlook for new orders and shipments increased. The gauge of orders rose to 55.6, the highest since February 2006, from 52. A measure of sales also increased to 55.6, the highest since January 2006.
*
*
*
**************************************************************************
*
*
*
President Barack Obama, with Sean Myers, right, look over a Motor Control Panel as they tour a jobs training center during his visit to International Brotherhood of Electricians (IBEW) Local 26 headquarters in Lanham, Md., Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2010. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
President Barack Obama and Sean Myers, right, look over a Motor Control Panel as they toured a jobs training center at the International Brotherhood of Electricians (IBEW) Local 26 headquarters in Lanham, Md, Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2010. From left are Charles E. 'Chuck' Graham, Business Manager of (IBEW) Local Union 26, Energy Secretary Steven Chu, the president and Myers. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
US President Barack Obama listens to Ralph Neidert explaning power management in the Programmable Logic Controller classroom during a visit to the jobs training center at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 26 headquarters on February 16, 2010 in Lanham, Maryland. AFP PHOTO/Mandel NGAN (Photo credit should read MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images)
President Barack Obama pulls a fire alarm during a demonstration while touring a jobs training center at the International Brotherhood of Electricians (IBEW) Local 26 headquarters in Lanham, Md.,Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2010. With Obama are Charles E. 'Chuck' Graham, Business Manager of IBEW Local Union 26, center, and Rhett Roe, right. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
President Barack Obama greets trainees during his tour of a jobs training center at the International Brotherhood of Electricians (IBEW) Local 26 headquarters in Lanham, Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2010. The president is accompanied by Energy Secretary Steven Chu, right, and Charles E. 'Chuck' Graham, Business Manager of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local Union 26, left.
President Barack Obama signs a blank wall during his visit to International Brotherhood of Electricians (IBEW) Local 26 headquarters in Lanham, Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2010. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
President Barack Obama smiles as he reacts to pulling a fire alarm during a demonstration while touring a jobs training center for the International Brotherhood of Electricians (IBEW) Local 26 headquarters in Lanham, Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2010. Shutting down the alarm system is Rhett Roe. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Jaden Bubolz of Suring, Wisc. looks upon a $300,000 wax replica of Barack Obama while visiting "The Oval Office Experience" at Madame Tussauds Wax Museum in Las Vegas on Monday, Feb. 15, 2010. The exhibit opened on President's Day at the Venetian Hotel and Casino. (AP Photo/Laura Rauch)
A float called "Yes we can be ecologist" depicting U.S. President Barack Obama, parades during the 126th edition of the Nice Carnival, Saturday, Feb. 13, 2010, in Nice, southern France. The carnival's theme this year is "King of the Blue Planet." (AP Photo/ Lionel Cironneau)
A carnival float representing U.S. President Barack Obama, with the words 'Obama as liberator' on his shirt, is pictured during the traditional Rose Monday carnival parade in the western German city of Duesseldorf February 15, 2010. The Rose Monday parades in Cologne, Mainz and Duesseldorf are the highlight of the German street carnival season. Reuters Pictures.
Bob Dylan shakes President Barack Obama's hand following his performance at the "In Performance At The White House: A Celebration Of Music From The Civil Rights Movement" concert in the East Room of the White House, Feb. 9, 2010. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
President Barack Obama and the First Family join the performers on stage in the East Room of the White House as they sing "Lift Every Voice and Sing" at the conclusion of "In Performance at the White House: A Celebration of Music from the Civil Rights Movement, " Feb. 9, 2010. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
President Barack Obama walks to the gym at the Physical Fitness Center at Ft. McNair in Washington Sunday Feb. 14, 2010, to play basketball. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
***************************************************************************
*
*
Finally The White House plans to hold the South Lawn's healthiest Easter Egg Roll in 132 years:
"The President and First Lady announced today that this year’s White House Easter Egg Roll will be held on Monday, April 5, 2010, with the theme of ‘Ready, Set, Go!’ promoting health and wellness. The event will feature live music, sports courts, cooking stations, storytelling and, of course, Easter egg rolling. All of the activities will encourage children to lead healthy and active lives and follow the First Lady’s ‘Let’s Move!’ initiative, a national campaign to combat childhood obesity. The White House will open its South Lawn for children aged 12 years and younger and their families...".