14 Aug 2012

Glenn Beck's Live Debate "Unelectable 2012" in Movie Theaters Nationwide on Sept. 20

By Fathom Events
This election season, media personality Glenn Beck brings his own political comedic debate to movie theaters nationwide with "Glenn Beck's Unelectable 2012 Live" on Thursday, September 20 at 8:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. CT / 7:00 p.m. MT (tape delayed) / 8:00 p.m. PT (tape delayed); followed by a second showing in select theaters on September 25 at 7:30 p.m. local time. Beck will unleash his no-holds-barred political commentary when he faces off against Brian Sack, host of The B.S. of A., and his "say anything to get elected" candidate character. NCM Fathom Events and Mercury Radio Arts present this live broadcast event from the Majestic Theater in San Antonio, TX.
Tickets for "Glenn Beck's Unelectable 2012 Live" are available at participating theater box offices and online at www.fathomevents.com.
Glenn Beck's Unelectable 2012 Live will be playing at the following theaters in your area on September 20 (click here for a full list of participating theaters):
RAVE Davenport 53 18 with IMAX 3601 E 53Rd St Davenport IA 52807 7:00 P
14 Aug 2012

Smith and Grassley: How Will DHS Prevent Fraud and Abuse in Amnesty Program?

By Grassley Press

Washington, D.C. - House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) and Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) today sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano expressing concern about the Department's plan to grant deferred action and work permits to illegal immigrants, particularly with regard to how the President's directive will be implemented without a serious plan to combat fraud and abuse.  Both Chairman Smith and Ranking Member Grassley have repeatedly asked for more information on how the Department will detect fraud and verify documents provided, but no assurances have been provided to Congress thus far.

Below are excerpts from the letter to Secretary Napolitano. To read the full letter, click here.

"We are very concerned about the Department of Homeland Security's plan to grant deferred action to individuals here illegally, particularly with regard to how the President's directive will be implemented without a serious plan to combat fraud and abuse. While potentially millions of illegal immigrants will be permitted to compete with American workers for jobs, there seems to be little if any mechanism in place for vetting fraudulent applications and documentation submitted by those who seek deferred action ... It's distressingly clear that the administration plans to press the replay button for the large-scale fraud from the 1986 amnesty.

"Department officials indicated to Committee staff that they would not use fraud prevention and detection measures that you consider "too expensive" or "time consuming", or that would "unduly impact" USCIS's other responsibilities.  This attitude blatantly demonstrates that the Department has little regard for preventing fraud, especially since the law allows the Department to impose fees for the benefit of deferred action.  The illegal immigrants themselves, rather than the American taxpayer or legal immigrants, should bear any expense associated with the program.

"For the sake of preserving the integrity of our immigration system and ensuring that the process is not riddled with fraud, we would like to understand the Department's rationale for not placing in removing proceedings illegal immigrants denied deferred action and for attaching confidentiality provisions."

###
14 Aug 2012

Accountability, Frugality Driving Pay for Performance PR Trend

By Ginny Grimsley
Non-Retainer Approach Challenges Top Public Relations Firms

The recession has fueled a growing trend in the public relations industry - and not everyone's happy about it.

More and more top public relations firms are moving away from the traditional retainer-plus-billable-hours fee structure to "pay for performance."

Business leaders have been noting the increasing numbers of these non-retainer agencies for about 15 years, with a sharp uptick since the recession began in 2008. But no one seems to know exactly how many there are.

"We don't have any hard numbers. A lot of what's out there is anecdotal," says Arthur Yann, a vice president of the Public Relations Society of America. "The first of these I can recall started in the early '90s."

Pay for performance agencies promise certain actions or quantifiable results, such as media placements, for a fee. Some agencies offer refunds if they don't perform; others guarantee quantifiable results. The approach appeals to companies with slimmed-down marketing budgets, individuals and smaller businesses that want pay-per-click-style accountability. The agencies say more clients leave satisfied - and come back for more.

Retainer firms tend to be disparaging. These firms usually charge clients a monthly retainer fee and then bill for time actually spent working on a campaign. That simplifies billing for everyone, they say, because there's no way to measure the value of every action they take and every result they get.

Among the nation's pay for performance pioneers is Marsha Friedman, who launched EMSI Public Relations in 1990. Back then, she says, hers was one of only four such agencies that she knew of in the nation.

"Since it was such a new concept, I had to figure things out as I went along," she says. "It's still an evolving frontier; even the definition of 'pay for performance' differs from one agency to another. Some define it as the action or service they provide, 'We'll write a marketing piece and you'll pay X for that.'

"At EMSI, our definition is getting actual media exposure. In radio, for instance, a client may pay a per interview fee to get booked on 15 talk shows within a given period of time. If we get them only 12 shows in that time, they can get a refund for three. With TV appearances, we book first and then bill. In social media, we guarantee a certain number of connections each month. In print, we measure in terms of circulation, or visitors per month for online publications."

To address the issue of value, back in the '90s, Friedman developed a complicated grid system in which she set prices according to the placements EMSI obtained. For instance, when the agency got a client mentioned in a newspaper, he paid based on variables such as the paper's size and the extent of the mention.

"You can imagine, when we got great placements, some clients had serious sticker shock. They'd say. 'Stop! I can't afford this!' '' Friedman says. "That was a problem. We wanted to get the best placements for our clients, but a great campaign could quickly blow their budget. You don't want to be in a position where your goals are in conflict with your client's goals."

So she abandoned the grid after just six months, but she notes many newer agencies - and those switching over to pay for performance - use similar price structures. She advises businesses exploring pay for performance options to make sure they understand up front exactly how they'll be charged.

"Our goal is to get the most we can and the best we can get so that you will re-sign with us, which is why we contract for quantity," she says. "But we aim for quality because that's what gives us repeat customers and referrals."

That approach is especially appealing to startups and businesses that have been struggling to maintain profit margins during the recession, notes ActSeed, a resource for entrepreneurs and startups.

"How much budget can we afford without some certainty?" wrote ActSeed CEO Bill Attinger.

"At the very least, a PR professional that lives by this model signals their confidence in bringing you material value.''

About Penny Carnathan

Penny Carnathan is the Creative Director/Writer at EMSI Public Relations (www.emsincorporated.com) and a journalist with 30 years experience as a national award-winning editor, reporter and columnist at The Tampa Tribune in Tampa, Fla.  She is currently also a weekly columnist for the Tampa Bay Times in St. Petersburg, Fla.

14 Aug 2012

Gov. Branstad sends letter supporting welfare work requirements to Sec. Sebelius

By Office of Governor Terry Branstad

(DES MOINES) - Today, Gov. Terry Branstad sent a letter to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius expressing his concerns over the weakening of work requirements for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.

In the letter, Gov. Branstad states, "I am concerned that your Department has watered down the most powerful element of the welfare reform efforts - a clear expectation that those who get temporary help from their fellow citizens must become self-sufficient through work in a timely manner."

Gov. Branstad, along with Govs. Thompson of Wisconsin and Englar of Michigan, helped lead a bipartisan effort to reform welfare in the mid-1990s. Together, they worked with Congress and President Clinton to pass the landmark legislation.

Gov. Branstad continued: "The work requirements in TANF have been successful in Iowa. In 1996 when work requirements were implemented, Iowa had more than 86,000 Iowans on TANF. Today, Iowa has just over 43,000 Iowans on TANF. Work requirements have been instrumental in serving Iowans in this program."

The governor also wrote, "Simply put, we believe the work requirements have led to greater long-term success for Iowans and the management of our TANF program."

Gov. Branstad in releasing the letter said, "I understand President Obama while an Illinois State Senator opposed the Federal welfare reform efforts. The success of the reform efforts is evident across Iowa and the nation. However, that success did not prevent President Obama's administration and HHS from diminishing the power that clear work and training expectations can play in improving peoples' lives."

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14 Aug 2012

Use a Gasoline-Powered ATV Wheelchair to go into the Outdoors

By John Phillips

When Chet Dyreson crashed his motorcycle in a motocross race and injured his T1 through T5 vertebrae in his spinal cord, he became paralyzed. Once he realized he would have to spend the rest of his life in wheelchair, he was devastated. However, Dyreson was not a man made for self pity. Little did he know then that his accident would enable him to free many outdoor enthusiasts from their wheelchairs and give them the ability to take themselves into the outdoors and participate in outdoor sports.
After his injury, Dyreson began to build gasoline-powered all-terrain vehicle (ATV) wheelchairs that would cross creeks, climb mountains, travel through mud and snow and take a wheelchair outdoor enthusiast into the back country to hunt and fish. Dyreson explains, "Because I'd been riding motocross bikes most of my life, I understood how much power and speed small gasoline engines could deliver. When I built my first ATV wheelchair, I used a 250cc Kawasaki engine designed and built for a John Deere ATV to power it."

But, what Dyreson didn't know was how-much gas mileage he could get out of the engine, how reliable these small engines could be, and how fast they could push a wheelchair. "Reliability is the first priority a person in a wheelchair needs to consider if they're planning to go off-road," Dyreson says. "We can't just hop out of our wheelchairs and walk back to camp.

To test the dependability of the ATV wheelchair with all-terrain tires, Dyreson decided to take a road trip from Perris, California, to Washington D.C. and learned:

  • his ATV wheelchair would get 100 miles per gallon with a range of 350 miles;
  • his ATV wheelchair could run-up to 55-miles per hour on the highway. "That's the speed a highway patrolman clocked me at, before he pulled me over," Dyreson says.
  • a gasoline-powered wheelchair running on major interstates and highways was not illegal; and
  • he could make a 4,000-mile trip in his ATV wheelchair without a single breakdown.

 

 

To learn more about this amazing man and the ATV wheelchairs he creates for adventures in the outdoors, go to Chet Dyreson's website at  www.wheelingtocuresci.org.

To read more stories about amazing people who have overcome their injuries, get the new Kindle eBooks, "Moving Forward: The Stories of Hometown Heroes" and "Courage: The Stories of Hometown Heroes," both by John E. Phillips. Go to http://www.amazon.com/kindle-ebooks, type in the names of these books, and download them to your Kindle and/or download a Kindle app for your iPad, Smartphone or computer.

 


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14 Aug 2012

Governor Quinn Takes Bill Action Monday, August 13, 2012

By William Palmisano

CHICAGO - August 13, 2012. Governor Pat Quinn today took action on the following bills:

 

Bill No.: HB 4029

An Act Concerning: Education

Expands the selection criteria for school boards in order to enable them to consider factors such as student safety and comfort, rather than just cost, when awarding transportation contracts.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediately

Bill No.: HB 4615

An Act Concerning: Housing

Clarifies that existing caps on operating expenses for distributing Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) grants are annual caps, and establishes caps on operating expenses if grants are awarded for multiple years.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Jan. 1

Bill No.: HB 4665

An Act Concerning: Residential Construction

Creates the Radon Resistant Construction Act to mandate that all new residential construction in Illinois include passive radon resistant construction. The law also changes reporting requirements for the Task Force on Radon-Resistant Building Codes as outlined in the Radon Industry Licensing Act.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: June 1

Bill No.: HB 4689

An Act Concerning: Business

Changes the definition of "gift certificate" to include credit slips issued for returns.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Jan. 1

###

14 Aug 2012

Scott County Auditor Roxanna Moritz to Address Board of Supervisors About Plans to Investigate Voting Fraud Allegations from Secretary of State

By Roland Caldwell
Scott County Auditor Roxanna Moritz will inform Supervisors about the status-to-date of the recent allegations of possible voter fraud made by Iowa Secretary of State Matt Schultz. She has requested that Secretary Schultz release the names of up to 180 individuals from Scott County who are under state investigation so that her staff can begin the process of locally investigating the named individuals and retrieving voting records out of storage. As of Monday afternoon the Auditor's Office had not received any records from the Secretary's Office.

Moritz will also review the efforts of her office for maintaining accurate voting records and registration lists. She will highlight the balance between ensuring the right to vote and guaranteeing only those eligible to vote have access to the ballot.

Following her report to the Board of Supervisors she will be available for questions from the news media in the lobby of the Scott County Administrative Center.
13 Aug 2012

Durant's Keppy Snags Double Honors in FFA Market Swine Competition

By Lori Chappell

DES MOINES, IA (08/13/2012)(readMedia)-- Jake Keppy of Durant captured the Grand Champion Market in the FFA Market Swine Show judged Thursday and Friday at the 2012 Iowa State Fair. Keppy's hog first won the Champion Purebred Market Pig banner on the drive to the championship.

Earning the Reserve Grand Champion title this year was Chelsea Schminke of Van Horne.

Alexis Delaney of DeWitt claimed the Reserve Champion Purebred Market Swine award.

The judge had his hands full selecting champions out of 547 hogs brought by 266 exhibitors vying for the Grand Champion banner.

Division winners in the FFA Market Swine Show included:

Light Weight Barrow Champion: Jacklyn Keninger, Ackley

Light Weight Barrow Reserve Champion: Kole Wilson, Newton

Medium Weight Barrow Champion: Austin Lane, Spragueville

Medium Weight Barrow Reserve Champion: Ben Jacobsen, Dows

Heavy Weight Barrow Champion: Chelsea Schminke, Van Horne

Heavy Weight Barrow Reserve Champion: Jacklyn Keninger, Ackley

Light Weight Gilt Champion: Callie Greiner, Keota

Light Weight Gilt Reserve Champion: Kolton Greiner, Keota

Medium Weight Gilt Champion: Ryan Schneider, Riverside

Medium Weight Gilt Reserve Champion: Chelsea Keninger, Ackley

Heavy Weight Gilt Champion: Jacklyn Keninger, Ackley

Heavy Weight Gilt Reserve Champion: Amanda Anderson, Algona

Bershire Champion: Brandon Reedy, Ottumwa

Bershire Reserve Champion: Austin Lane, Spragueville

Chester White Champion: Brandon Reed, Ottumwa

Chester White Reserve Champion: Brandon Reed, Ottumwa

Duroc Champion: Samuel Bair, Elkhart

Duroc Reserve Champion: Maggie Miller, Ames

Hampshire Champion: Kelsey Brecht, Marengo

Hampshire Reserve Champion: Kelsey Brecht, Marengo

Spotted Poland China Champion: Alex Umbaugh, Adair

Spotted Poland China Reserve Champion: Clara Goddard, Letts

Yorkshire Champion: Jake Keppy, Durant

Yorkshire Reserve Champion: Alexis Delaney, DeWitt

All Other Breeds Champion: Zach Caslavka, Muscatine

All Other Breeds Reserve Champion: Ashley Olson, Atkins

Keppy's and Schminke's title holders, as well as 12 other livestock champions, will be auctioned in the prestigious Sale of Champions on Saturday, August 18, at 2 p.m. in the Penningroth Media Center of the Cattle Barn. The event is sponsored by the Iowa Foundation for Agricultural Advancement, a non-profit organization established to encourage the pursuit of agriculture-related careers by Iowa's youth.

"Nothing Compares" to the 2012 Iowa State Fair, August 9-19. The Fairgrounds are located at East 30th and East University Avenue, just 10 minutes east of downtown Des Moines, and are open 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. each day of the Fair. Exhibit hours may vary. For more information, call 800/545-FAIR or visit iowastatefair.org.

* * *

13 Aug 2012

Matthew West's Into the Light Tour Coming to the Adler!

By Adler Theatre
Contemporary Christian singer-songwriter Matthew West, with special guests MIKESCHAIR, Lindsay McCaul and Everfound, will perform at the Adler Theatre on Saturday, September 29 at 7:00 p.m.  You are invited to purchase your tickets before the general public beginning on Tuesday, August 14 at 10:00 a.m. until Thursday, August 16 at 10:00 p.m.  Click on the orange "Find Tickets" button below and enter in the pre-sale password LIGHT.  Reserved tickets ($19 & $30 Artist Circle) go on sale to the public this Friday, August 17 at 10:00 a.m.  MatthewWest.com
13 Aug 2012

Electric Vehicle Safety Standards Summit slated for Detroit

By Lorraine Carli

NFPA and SAE International team up to advance discussions on EV safety

 

August 13, 2012 - The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and SAE International are co-hosting the 3rd Annual Electric Vehicle Safety Standards Summit to be held October 18, 2012 at the COBO Center in Detroit. The program addresses electric vehicle safety issues related to codes and standards and is aimed at planning for improved safety as the number of these vehicles continues to increase on roadways. A reception will take place on the evening of October 17th which includes admission to the SAE Convergence 2012 Exhibition.

"Stakeholders have made significant progress in addressing safety issues and making improvements based on discussion points of the two previous summits, but there is still more work to be done," said Christian Dubay, P.E., NFPA vice president of codes and standards, and chief engineer. "The collaborative efforts expected at this year's forum and the follow up from it will once again move the needle in the direction of safer implementation of electrical vehicles."

Speakers and attendees with a shared interest in improving safety attend this event, including vehicle manufacturers, governmental agencies, standards developing organizations, and first and second responders. The program focuses on safety codes and standards and other key areas aimed at improving awareness and knowledge of electric vehicles and supporting their successful integration into society.

"In today's world of advanced technology, much quicker progress can be achieved by collaborative efforts. We look forward to this next Summit and continuing cooperative work with NFPA in the area of battery safety by engaging a wealth of SAE engineering expertise," said Jack Pokrzywa, director of ground vehicle standards for SAE International.

NFPA has a long history of commitment to electrical safety as developer and publisher of the National Electrical Code® (NEC®) since 1911. The NEC sets the standard for the safe use of electricity and electrical installations. NFPA also coordinates the Electric Vehicle Safety Training project, a nationwide program to help firefighters and other first responders prepare for the growing number of electric vehicles on the road in the United States.

For more information and to register, visit http://www.sae.org/events/nevss/ or www.EVsafetytraining.org/summit. (NFPA page being updated.)

About SAE

SAE International is a global association of more than 128,000 engineers and related technical experts in the aerospace, automotive and commercial-vehicle industries. SAE International's core competencies are life-long learning and voluntary consensus standards development. SAE International's charitable arm is the SAE Foundation, which supports many programs, including A World In Motion® and the Collegiate Design Series. Visit SAE International's website for additional information.

 

About the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

NFPA is a worldwide leader in fire, electrical, building, and life safety. The mission of the international nonprofit organization founded in 1896 is to reduce the worldwide burden of fire and other hazards on the quality of life by providing and advocating consensus codes and standards, research, training, and education. Visit NFPA's website at www.nfpa.org for more information.

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