Posted by Linda H on 3:42:00 PM
As nearly anyone who has adopted a pet from a shelter can attest, there’s something special about a rescued animal; it’s as if they can sense they’ve been given a second chance at life. That’s certainly the case with Juno, a Belgian Malinois who was adopted just days before she was to be euthanized. But since coming to live with her family in Alcoa, Tenn., she now has taken on the role of rescuer to a dying boy whom experts believed was not suited for any service dog.
Four-year-old Lucas Hembree suffers from Sanfilippo syndrome, an inherited, metabolic disease that causes children to lose the ability to speak, walk and eat. The disease also causes severe neurological damage that leads to aggressive behavior, hyperactivity and seizures.
Posted by Linda H on 3:25:00 PM
SAN FRANCISCO – The overhaul of California’s high-speed rail project could bring the Bay Area $1 billion to electrify Caltrain and lay the path for bullet train service between San Francisco and San Jose sooner than anticipated.
The San Francisco Chronicle has learned that officials with Bay Area transportation agencies are in negotiations with each other, and with the rail authority, to craft an agreement that would fund installation of an advanced train-control system, electrify the rails on the Peninsula and eliminate some of the rail crossings – perhaps as soon as 2016, five to 10 years earlier than earlier estimates.
“There’s a lot of work that needs to happen, and a lot of moving parts, but this is the closest we’ve been to seeing some real, tangible benefit to Caltrain from the high-speed rail project,” said Seamus Murphy, a Caltrain spokesman.
Posted by Linda H on 3:03:00 PM
Posted by Linda H on 11:56:00 AM
Posted by Linda H on 11:54:00 AM
Posted by Linda H on 9:18:00 AM
President Barack Obama told donors in Los Angeles that improving the nation’s image abroad was one of the accomplishments he is most proud of in his first term. He also warned them the 2012 re-election campaign will be a tougher fight than the 2008 race for the White House.
“Its not going to be easier this time; it’s going to be harder this time,” Obama said to about 1,000 supporters who were gathered last night on the grounds of the Spanish-style estate of soap opera producer Bradley Bell and his wife, Colleen. “As tough as things are, the changes we’ve made are remarkable.”
Posted by Linda H on 6:30:00 AM
President Barack Obama today announced a new initiative to boost our nation’s community colleges and help workers attain the skills they need to earn middle-class jobs. President Obama’s Community College to Career Fund would invest $8 billion over the next three years to boost partnerships between community colleges and regional employers. This initiative, jointly administered by the Departments of Education and Labor, aims to train 2 million workers for careers in high-growth industries such as health care and advanced manufacturing.
Posted by Linda H on 6:30:00 AM
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) -- Hold the mystery meat: Military mess halls soon will be serving more fruits, vegetables and low-fat dishes under the first program in 20 years to improve nutrition standards across the armed services.
First lady Michelle Obama and Pentagon officials announced the effort Thursday during a visit to Little Rock Air Force Base in Arkansas, where the military has been experimenting with ways to improve the quality and variety of foods served on base. The first lady toured a gleaming cafeteria line, then announced the program in a dining hall filled with service members whose plates were overflowing with salad greens, broccoli and whole grains.
"You all look really good, really fit," she told the airmen. "Thank you for eating your vegetables. We need you strong."
Posted by Linda H on 6:05:00 AM
A coalition representing Northern and Central California contractors and union construction workers launched a radio campaign this week applauding the state's proposed high-speed rail system.
The group's 60-second spots, narrated by comedian
Will Durst, are running at least twice daily -- during morning and evening commutes -- on six Sacramento and nine Bay Area radio stations.
The group's push to rally public opinion comes at a time when the planned high-speed rail system is coming under increasing criticism, sparking efforts to kill it in the wake of a state auditor's report that questions its financing and ridership projections.
Posted by Linda H on 6:05:00 AM
First lady Michelle Obama on Wednesday unveiled tougher nutrition
standards that school meals will have to meet starting this year.
The new standards were required by the 2010 school nutrition bill that increased funding for school meals. The new regulations, according to the Department of Agriculture, will:
Posted by Linda H on 5:05:00 AM
The U.S. Army plans to buy fewer trucks and terminate a handful of smaller procurement programs to meet its budget targets for the next five years, the service announced Feb. 13. At a briefing at the Pentagon, the Army unveiled its $185 billion budget request for 2013, which represents 30 percent of DoD’s requested $613 billion.
With the 2013 budget, the Army plans to finish its buy of Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTVs), built by Oshkosh. The Army is requesting $377 million to procure 1,471 FMTVs in 2013.By finishing its buy early, the Army will save $1.4 billion, according to Bonessa. The program will be “significantly restructured this year, with termination in 2014,” she said.
Apple Needs to Make it in America
