Kazakhstan Foreign Minister and OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Kanat Saudabayev discussed several OSCE concerns with Georgia during his visit last February 17, 2010. With Kazakhstan holding the chairmanship of the OSCE, Kanat Saudabayev gave a recap of the organization’s plans to support the Geneva Discussions, as well as its support for the democratic reform processes.

According to Saudabayev, finding solutions to resolve protracted conflicts such as that of South Caucasus is considered as one of the main priorities of Kazakhstan. After meeting up with Foreign Minister Gregory Vashadze, Kanat Saudabayev shared the OSCE’s commitment to continue its efforts of attaining a peaceful resolution of the conflict. Kanat Saudabayev also believes that the similarities between Kazakhstan and Georgia’s history will serve as an important factor in achieving progress.

Saudabayev noted Georgia’s commitment in resolving the problems within the outline of the Geneva Discussions. The Geneva Discussions; which involves the EU, UN and OSCE co-chairs; has been taking place since October of 2008. The OSCE Chairman says that maintaining the ongoing dialogue is important and probably the only way to attain a peaceful resolution. With this, the Kazakh foreign minister revealed that Georgia’s constructive approach to the dialogue is warmly welcomed.

In addition to this, Saudabayev also calls for the resumption of the activities initiated by the IPRM, or the Incident Prevention Response Mechanism. This, according to him, will help resolve Georgian Ossetian issues. Holding regular IPRM meetings is important in promoting communication, as well as in lifting tensions from both territories. Saudabayev also believes that the OSCE can provide a big help to the IPRM.

Finally, the Kazakhstan OSCE chairman also gave assurance that the OSCE is ready to support Georgia whenever it goes through the democratic reform process, especially for its municipal elections this May.

Saudabayev knows that Georgia’s municipal elections is crucial as it will give Georgia the chance to show its commitment to free and fair elections and political pluralism.

Warsaw – The body of Poland’s late first lady was met by an emotional welcome when it was flown home from Russia on Tuesday, April 13. On the same day, the Parliament organized a special event dedicated to their president and the rest of the lawmakers who were killed in the plane crash.

Resting in a wooden casket covered with Poland’s white and red flag, Maria Kaczynska’s body arrived at Warsaw’s Okecie airport at 10:30 am. Her remains were aboard a military CASA plane and were met by Marta, her only child, and by the late president’s twin, Jaroslaw Kaczynski.

The late first lady’s body was taken to the Presidential Palace inside a Mercedes Benz hearse, the same way her husband’s remains were ferried on Sunday, April 11.

Although Tuesday was a workday in Poland, hordes of Warsaw residents lined the road to the palace while gently tossing bouquets of flowers on top of the vehicle.

The coffins containing the first couple’s bodies will be placed on view to the public at large in the Columned Hall of the Presidential Palace, so that people can pay their respects.

The Tu-154 crashed while it was trying to land during foggy weather at Smolensk in Russia. Everyone aboard was killed, including President Lech Kaczynski and several other military, religious and political leaders of Poland.

In Washington on March 8, 2010, US President Barack Obama and Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou met and discussed economic issues concerning Greece’s attempts to surmount a severe debt crisis. The Prime Minister arrived in Washington after visits to France and Germany as part of efforts to generate support for his economically crippled nation.

In his initial address to the public during his arrival, Papandreou called on the U.S. to clear out on speculators submitting to reports that some US funds have placed big bets against the euro currency. The European monetary unit has come under market pressure since it was revealed that Greece’s public debts have increased to €300 billion, or $408 billion, over its yearly financial output.

Papandreou revealed that the consequences of any speculative attacks on the euro would also be damaging to the United States. The Prime Minister said that both nations must proclaim that “enough is enough” to parties that constantly focus only on instant returns without considering the effects on the larger economic front, specifically on issues relating to foreclosed homes and job loss.

PM Papandreou met with President Obama at the Oval Office on March 9. Economic issues took the spotlight during their meeting.

Papandreou is doubtful to request for financial assistance from the United States although his Socialist government has proposed it could petition to the International Monetary Fund for help if they are snubbed by the European Union.

After talks with the Greek leader on March 8th, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton confirmed that neither the prime minister nor the country has requested anything from the United States. Clinton further said that Papandreou wished for the United States to petition for economic reforms in the emerging nations.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, on the other hand, assured the Greek leader that the United States will stand by Greece in its most critical period.

As the global economic recession is believed to have finally met its end, the United States economy has grown at its fastest pace in the fourth quarter of 2009 as most businesses aggressively boosted their spending and held on to their inventories longer. This growth in the country’s Gross Domestic Product or GDP has pleasantly surprised many economists.

The growth was also seen as a positive sign that the economy is headed in the right direction and is moving towards sustainable growth before the government stimulus budget dry out. On Friday, January 29, 2010, the US Commerce Department revealed that the GDP expanded at a 5.7% annual rate. It was a good and strong ending for 2009, which saw the US economy shrink by 2.4%, its worst recession since after the Second World War.

According to Stuart Hoffman of the PNC Financial Services Group based in Pittsburgh, the information shows that the change from government stimulus to private sector is important for the country’s economic expansion.

The growth is primarily a result of many companies significantly lowering their inventory turnover, which is still not the way that many observers would have wanted the growth to occur. Many analysts wanted an upsurge in demand, but several of them still think that the news is very good for the country.

Getting the economy stable again after being rocked by the worst recession since the Great Depression has been one of the main agenda points for the Obama administration since he took over the White House in January of 2009. In his first State of the Union Address, President Obama again stressed the administration’s efforts in creating jobs and further nurturing the US economy.

As a result of this positive news, US stocks rallied in the opening of the stock markets, but dwindled and struggled at the end with the news of credit troubles in Europe greatly affecting the market surge. Despite this, the US dollar rose against other major currencies upon closing on Friday.

The government released its job report for January on Friday, February 5th 2010.

For the fourth month in a row, the US manufacturing sector has inevitably shown signs of growth. Although the progress is at a rather slower pace, the manufacturing sector has definitely shown signs of slight recovery from last year’s recession.

The housing market has also shown signs of improvement despite having overspent on construction in October. The Institute of Supply Management has recently made a report about its national factory activity index. For the month of October, the Institute of Supply Improvement has reported a 53.6 decrease in the index of national factory activity. Reuters has surveyed a number of economists and an average of 70 has predicted an activity index of 55.0 for November. According to these experts, an index of 50 or above indicates an expansion in the manufacturing sector while those that go below 50 indicates contraction.

According to the chairman of the ISM manufacturing business survey in Georgia, Norbert Ore, the Institute of Supply Management has been through four months of weak recovery. According to him, it would take some time before the improvement spreads to 18 manufacturing industries.

However, the report made by the ISM was rather unexpected according to Tom Sowanick, the chief investment officer for the Omnivest Group in New Jersey. He says that although the report was unexpected, the figures were still strong when added to the earlier monthly levels that went above 50. In addition to that, Tom Sowanick has added that the China ISM has also experienced an increase in its index. This, according to him, signifies a global recovery.

On the other hand, the ISM employment index for the manufacturing industry was reported to have decreased from 53.1 in October to 50.8 in November. So far, the change has been the strongest since 1996.

No it’s not the opening of the next Harry Potter movie. Instead it was a political figure that excited fans today.

The Associated Press is reporting that hundreds of people lined up to for a chance to get former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to sign a copy of her new book, “Going Rogue: An American Life,” in Grand Rapids, Mich.

The article reports that some people even waited overnight to be among the first in line at a Barnes and Noble store at the Woodland Mall. Palin was there for a three-hour signing as part of her book promotion tour.

The book was released officially on Tuesday, Nov. 17.

Palin appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show Monday, Nov. 16 where she skirted questions about a possible presidential bid in 2012 and also said she was not to blame for the Republican Party’s loss in the 2008 election.

In Oprah’s interview with Palin, the former vice presidential candidate talks about her daughter’s teenage pregnancy, her experience on the campaign trail, her decision to resign as governor of Alaska and, of course, her new book.

Watch a clip from the show:

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said last week that it told about 30 manufacturers of alcoholic drinks that contain caffeine they would have to prove the beverages are safe for consumption.

“The increasing popularity of consumption of caffeinated alcoholic beverages by college students and reports of potential health and safety issues necessitates that we look seriously at the scientific evidence as soon as possible,” said Dr. Joshua Sharfstein, principal deputy commissioner of food and drugs, in a statement.

Of the combined use of caffeine and alcohol among U.S. college students in the few studies on this topic, the prevalence was as high as 26 percent, according to the FDA.

If the manufacturers cannot prove the safety of their products, the FDA threatened to remove the items from marketplace shelves promptly.

The drinks typically combine malt liquor or another type alcoholic drink with caffeine and fruit juices. These can be up to 10 percent of alcohol concentrations.

The FDA alerted manufacturers to the fact that the agency is considering whether caffeine can lawfully be added to alcoholic beverages. The agency said it is unaware of the basis upon which manufacturers may have concluded that the use of caffeine in alcoholic beverages is “generally recognized as safe” or prior sanctioned.

To date, the FDA has only approved caffeine as an additive for use in soft drinks in concentrations of no greater than 200 parts per million. It has not approved caffeine for use at any level in alcoholic beverages.

The companies warned have 30 days to produce evidence, with supporting data and information, to conclude that the use of caffeine in their products is safe.

In late September, the FDA received a letter from 18 Attorneys General and one city attorney expressing concerns about caffeinated alcoholic beverages.

According to the official White House blog, President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama travelled to Killeen, Texas on Veteran’s Day where they met with families of the fallen soldiers from the Fort Hood tragedy that occurred Nov. 5.

Here are some excerpts from the President’s speech.

“We come together filled with sorrow for the thirteen Americans that we have lost; with gratitude for the lives that they led; and with a determination to honor them through the work we carry on.

This is a time of war. And yet these Americans did not die on a foreign field of battle. They were killed here, on American soil, in the heart of this great American community. It is this fact that makes the tragedy even more painful and even more incomprehensible.

For those families who have lost a loved one, no words can fill the void that has been left. We knew these men and women as soldiers and caregivers. You knew them as mothers and fathers; sons and daughters; sisters and brothers.

But here is what you must also know: your loved ones endure through the life of our nation. Their memory will be honored in the places they lived and by the people they touched. Their life’s work is our security, and the freedom that we too often take for granted. Every evening that the sun sets on a tranquil town; every dawn that a flag is unfurled; every moment that an American enjoys life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness – that is their legacy.

Neither this country – nor the values that we were founded upon – could exist without men and women like these thirteen Americans. And that is why we must pay tribute to their stories.”

Photos from the event can be found here. Watch the speech here.

Vice President Joe Biden released the following statement after the Nov. 5 attack.

“Jill and I join the President and Michelle in expressing our sympathies to the families of the brave soldiers who fell today. We are all praying for those who were wounded and hoping for their full and speedy recovery. Our thoughts and prayers are also with the entire Fort Hood community as they deal with this senseless tragedy.”

Unemployment has hit 10.2 percent in the United States, according to an article in the New York Times.

This is the highest it has been in 26 years.

The United States Labor Department reported on Friday, Nov. 6 that another 190,000 jobs were lost in October.

In the United States, one out of every 10 people of the workforce are unemployed.

While economists say things are getting better, employers will likely still be wary to hire for at least into the middle of next year and perhaps longer.

According to the article, Republicans speculate that increased joblessness is a result of the Obama administration’s $787 billion stimulus package aimed at jump-starting the economy. At the same time, some Democrats are calling for another round of spending to help create more jobs.

An economist commenting on National Public Radio this week, said the unemployment rate is really more like 16 percent when you include people who are unemployed that have not filed for unemployment or who are “underemployed:” those who wish to work full-time but can only get part-time work.

“People are hurting, but if you can get past the sticker shock of the unemployment rate and look at the guts of the report, they are still very consistent with a recovery,” said Michael T. Darda, chief economist at the research and trading firm MKM Partners in the New York Times. “We’re getting very close to the peak unemployment rate.”

Military psychiatrist Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, 39, shot and killed 13 people on Nov. 5 News at Fort Hood, Texas and injured 31 others.

After being first reported dead as a result of gunfire with an officer, Hasan is unconscious and hospitalized, NPR is reporting.

It was first believed that at least three people were involved in the shooting, but police now say there was only one, Hasan.

Hasan, a U.S.-born Muslim, was a psychiatrist at Walter Reed Army Medical Center for six years before being sent to Texas in July. Reports say he was upset about an upcoming deployment overseas.

Fort Hood, located near Killeen, Texas with about 40,000 troops, is home to the Army’s 1st Cavalry Division and elements of the 4th Infantry Division, as well as the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment and the 13th Corps Support Command.

Despite repeated calls from the international community to reinstate ousted Honduras President Manuel Zelaya, coup leaders have remained defiant, even announcing its withdrawal from the Organization of American States (OAS).

The June 28 Honduras coup which ousted President Manual Zelaya triggered international condemnation. The United Nations have called upon the OAS to “take a leadership role to find the peaceful solution to that issue whereby the constitutional order can be restored.”

In the United States, there are mixed reactions from observers and political analysts, some insisting that the U.S. support the coup while some hinting that the U.S. is playing neutral and has no serious intention of resolving the impasse.

Honduras military officials responsible for the coup claims it based its actions on a Supreme Court ruling nullifying Zelaya’s plans for an extended term through constitutional change.

Roberto Micheletti, the speaker of Congress, replaced him as interim President.

John Thomson of the National Review Online insists that the U.S. should support the coup, arguing that Zelaya’s comeback would only be a victory for Hugo Chavez, whom the deposed leader supports. Thomson views the Honduran crisis as “a battle between democracy and leftist autocrats who have manipulated themselves into permanent power in their countries and want to add Honduras to the list.”

Barry Grey and Rafael Azul of Global Research claim that the U.S. is taking a neutral position on Honduras despite its public condemnation of the coup. They opined that after an unsuccessful attempt to back attempts to unseat Chavez several years back, the U.S. could not publicly support the coup, but it was well aware of it. It also observed that the official US line post the coup was that “it attempted unsuccessfully to convince the Honduran military not to proceed with the coup, amounting to a tacit acknowledgment that Washington was well aware of the coup plans.”

Presently, the Honduras crisis is at a stalemate.

During a White House gathering of representatives of nonprofit programs all around the U.S., President Barack Obama praised grassroots organizations for a job well done and vowed governmental support for their efforts.

“Solutions to America’s challenges are being developed every day at the grassroots. And government shouldn’t be supplanting those efforts, it should be supporting those efforts,” Obama told over 100 members of the nonprofit community.

Obama made these remarks after the project presentations of four nonprofits – Bonnie CLAC (Car Loans and Counseling), a New Hampshire organization that helps people own fuel-efficient, reliable and low-cost vehicles; Harlem Children’s Zone, which helps children acquire a good education; Genesys Works, a Houston-based nonprofit that trains and assists low-income high school students get entry-level work in major corporations; and HopeLab, a California program that helps chronically ill young people.

Obama called on big business, foundations and philanthropists to become involved in what he calls a “new kind of partnership between government and the nonprofit sector.”

“If we work together, if we go all-in here, think about the difference we can make,” the President added.

He pledged his administration’s support for grassroots initiatives, citing two examples that have already been included in the economic stimulus package: the $650-million “What Works” fund launched by the Education Department that will be invested in high schools and communities; and a new project by the Health and Human Services Department that will send nurses and health care professionals to provide services to troubled homes.

Mr. Obama has recently signed into law a $50-million Social Innovation Fund which is managed by the Corporation for National and Community Service. This fund will provide financial support to community nonprofit organizations. He announced that White House officials, led by domestic policy adviser Melody Barnes, will comb the country in search of the “the most promising nonprofits in America” that will be awarded grants.

Finance analysts recommend bank stocks as the smart play investors should make a move on. Ever since the U.S. Treasury Department ordered stress tests in May, the banking industry has accumulated a total of $16 billion in equity, which places them in a more stable position to deal with expected surge in commercial real estate-related losses.

Last month, bank stocks were among the highest gainers. Bank of America shares rose 9.9% to $11.73. JPMorgan Chase & Co. shares gained 6.7% to $37.26. Shares of Citigroup Inc. also rose 16 cents to $3.64. State Street shares gained 8.5% or $3.28, raising it to $41.79.

According to Richard Green of the Lusk Center for Real Estate at the University of Southern California, the latest surge in bank valuations are enticing but they are not without risk. The challenge for investors is to distinguish which names are most likely to rebound.

Banking analyst Anthony Polini of Raymond James (RJF) sees Bank of America as one of three banks to prevail and benefit from slow growth until 2010. Together with JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo, the three banks combined control a third of consumer bank deposits in the U.S. With slow economic growth, borrowing rates will remain low. Weaker banks who face capital deficiencies will give these three banks pricing power to charge higher interests on new loans.

With recession recovery moving at a slow pace, Green observes that banks need to prepare for the imminent problem that will come down as commercial real estate loans mature in the next two or three years. He estimates the amount to be at $350 billion.

This aside, Standard & Poor’s Erik Oja cautions weary investors that “if they wait to see commercial loan default rates or losses peak before putting money into bank stocks, they will probably miss the boat on some good opportunities.”

In a round table discussion of more than a dozen prominent American CEOs last November 2008, it became eminent that the recession has made a clean sweep through even the top tier companies.

Fred Smith of FedEx was one of the most vocal about how big a reality this crisis is. John Byrne, BusinessWeek.com’s Editor-in-chief, asked Smith how tight of a knot the economy is in right now. As the FedEx CEO replied, considering his extensive 35 years in the industry, this would considerably be the worst he has seen.

Smith goes on to describe how traffic across the Pacific has been crashing for quite a while already. All retailers had to do a double take as well, he points out. This claim is proven by how even some of FedEx’s high-end retailers experienced a sales downturn by 25%. The only positive spark in the situation is that with low inventory levels, the turn-around when it does happen will be transpire and conclude quickly.

The question of whether FedEx will be able to ride the recession has been raised by many. But as to asking who will lead them through the crisis, there has never been any doubt. Frederick W. Smith, founder and CEO of Federal Express, continues to serve as the beacon of light for his entire corporation. Ever since its establishment on June 18, 1971, the company and its leader have become synonymous with service. This is made evident by its consistent ranking as one of the top 10 on Fortune Magazine’s World’s Most Admired Companies and on the exclusive America’s Most Admired Companies list, year after year. His business acumen, resiliency and indomitable spirit are captured best in one of the most well-known anecdotes in business history.

When Smith reportedly turned in his paper that presented the business idea of FedEx, his Yale professor gave him a “C” because of feasibility issues. Undeterred, Smith went on to build his empire after his service with the U.S. Marine Corps. FedEx became the first overnight delivery company in the world. Fred Smith virtually revolutionized the industry. Today, FedEx remains the largest overnight delivery company in the U.S. It provides jobs to around 275,000 employees and earns over $32 billion in revenue.

Official site of Federal Express.

Fortune magazine has a video of Fred Smith’s ”Recession Proof Plan” for Fedex.

Fedex cuts CEO pay, freezes hiring.

On Jan. 23, 2009, Geron Corporation was granted clearance by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to start its human clinical trial of GRNOPC1, a human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-based therapy for the treatment of acute spinal cord injury. This trial is said to be the first in the world.

Geron Corporation considers this development as one of its most significant accomplishments so far because through this, they are now able to conduct the world’s first federally approved study of hESC-based therapy for humans. If successful, this will be a major milestone not just for the company but also for the fields of embryonic stem cell research and medical therapeutics.

According to Geron Corporation president and CEO Dr. Thomas Okarma, the clearance of the GRNOPC1 trial serves as a gateway to a new level of healing wherein restoration of organs and tissues is achieved through the injection of healthy replacement cells. Dr. Thomas Okarma added that the goal for the use of GRNOPC1 is “to achieve restoration of spinal cord function by the injection of hESC-derived oligodendrocyte progenitor cells directly into the lesion site of the patient’s spinal cord.”

The initial phase I study will focus on the safety of the cell therapy, although researchers will also try to find signs whether the therapy works. The company has selected seven medical centers to participate in the trial, with the study subject to approval from their internal review boards.

Geron Corporation is an American biotechnology company that specializes in the development of biopharmaceuticals designed to treat cancer and chronic degenerative ailments including heart failure, diabetes, and spinal cord injury. Headquartered in Melo Park, California, Geron Corporation was founded by Dr. Michael D. West. It was incorporated in 1990 and began its operations in 1992. Geron Corporation is considered to be the leading embryonic stem cell developer in the world as it holds exclusive rights on several cell types. Since its incorporation, Geron Corporation has been granted more than 260 patents.

The corporation also helped fund the researchers at the University of Wisconsin when human embryonic stem cells were first isolated in 1998.

Geron Corporation has subsidiaries, namely: Geron Bio-Med Limited, which is wholly owned and located in Edinburgh, Scotland; and TA Therapeutics, Limited in Hong Kong, which is majority-owned.

Geron Corporation is centered on the creation of drugs based on telomere and stem cell research. Geron Corporation is currently advancing an anti-cancer drug (GRN163L) that inhibits the enzyme telomerase. Geron Corporation is also conducting multiple trials at Duke University Medical Center in its efforts to develop a telomerase vaccine (GRNVAC1) for the treatment of prostate cancer in patients. Additionally, Geron Corporation is developing cell-based therapeutics derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESC) to treat different health conditions associated with cell aging, injury, and degenerative diseases. Moreover, Geron Corporation is engaged in the initial development of telomerase-based treatment for HIV named TAT0002 and taken from Astragalus plant.

Due to Geron Corporation’s advancement in telomerase drugs, the pharmaceutical company Merck invested considerably in the biotechnology corporation in 2005.

• Official site of Genron Corporation.
• Forbes profile of Dr. Thomas B. Okarma.
• The National Institute of Health offers some basic facts on stem cell research.

On Jan. 24, 2009, the politics section of FoxNews.com released a report that outlined several pieces of the plan laid down by U.S. President Barack Obama in his commitment to revive the nation’s struggling economy.

Taking a look into the current U.S. economic situation, 1 in 10 homeowners are at risk of foreclosure; manufacturing is at a 28-year low; and the value of the dollar is on a downward slope. Another devastating fact is that the nation lost 2.6 million jobs in 2008, the highest amount in any single year since World War II. President Barack Obama’s economists also speculate that unemployment could reach 10% before the recession stops.

In the hope of helping President Barack Obama reverse the economic slide and fulfill his campaign pledges, the Democratic leaders in the House of Representatives earlier proposed an $825 billion economic stimulus package that includes spending and tax cuts. On Friday, January 23, 2009, President Barack Obama met with lawmakers, Republican and Democratic alike, urging them to support the stimulus package. Citing details from an article by the Associated Press, the pending economic stimulus package will combine approximately $550 billion in federal spending and $275 billion in tax cuts. Energy-related proposals would include over $20 billion in tax cuts and $32 billion to upgrade the electrical distribution system.

President Barack Obama also made sure that voters would comprehend the rationale behind his economic plan, thus early on Saturday, January 24, 2009, the White House released President Barack Obama’s 5-minute address over the radio and Internet. According to President Barack Obama, his economic plan will double the nation’s renewable energy capacity within three years, increase security at 90 ports, and add 3,000 miles of electrical lines. President Barack Obama stressed that “a bad situation could become dramatically worse” if actions would not be taken boldly and swiftly. Additionally, in his manner of setting realistic expectations, President Barack Obama reminded the audience that results would not happen instantly.

In addition, President Barack Obama’s economic team released a report that sketched out the benefits of the plan and thus bolster support. Some pieces of the plan will include:

* Shifting to electronic medical records and investing in preventive health
care by providing health care coverage for 8.5 million Americans.
* Increasing the federal portion of Medicaid and children’s health insurance so
that state would no longer need to turn away any of the 20 million children.
* Creating 3 to 4 million jobs over the next years.
* Upgrading 10,000 schools and advancing learning among 5 million students.
* Tripling the number of undergraduate and graduate fellowships in science.
* Saving $2 billion each year through making federal buildings energy-
efficient.
* Doubling the amount of energy generated from renewable resources within three years.

Based on the plan, at least 75% or over $600 billion will be used up within the first 18 months, injecting a huge amount of money to support either infrastructure projects as proposed by Democrats or tax cuts preferred by Republicans.

A report from Reuters released on Jan. 22, 2009 states that gasoline prices have climbed for three consecutive weeks now, rising 6.3 cents per gallon.

According to the federal Energy Information Administration, the average national price for regular unleaded gasoline is $1.85 per gallon. This is said to be the highest since November 24; however, this figure was down $1.17 a year earlier.

Based on the agency’s weekly survey, gasoline price was at its highest on the West Coast jumping 7.5 cents at $2.02 per gallon since the last half of January. San Francisco had the highest city price at $2.06, up 4.9 cents while Los Angeles was at $2.04, up 7.6 cents.

The Rocky Mountain States had the lowest regional price at $1.61 per gallon, which was up 4.4 cents. (At $1.61 a gallon, Denver had the lowest city pump cost but also suffered an increase of 7.9 cents.) Gas prices in other states seemed to soar as well. Miami was at $1.97 per gallon, up 9.6 cents while New York City was at $1.78 per gallon, up 4.7 cents. Chicago was at $2.01 a gallon, up 4.5 cents while Cleveland was at $1.91 per gallon, down 0.6 cent. Boston was at $1.74, up 5.5 cents.

According to a Boston Globe report dated January 24, 2009, data obtained from AAA Southern New England and the Department of Energy Resources have revealed that the gasoline price in Massachusetts now averages at $1.75 per gallon, up 12 cents in the past two weeks.

Meanwhile, diesel prices seemed to have swerved to the opposite direction when the average price for diesel dropped 1.8 cents at $2.30 per gallon, which was down 97 cents from the previous year. The Gulf Coast region had the least expensive diesel which went down 1.7 cents at $2.23, while the New England states had the most costly diesel at $2.61 a gallon, down 0.8 cent.

The government explained that the price jump is due to higher crude oil costs. (Note that crude oil price usually determines the price of gasoline.) However, in an article from Boston Globe, Arthur Kinsman, spokesman for AAA Southern New England, stated that crude oil prices have stayed low in general, despite the recent fluctuations that can be seen on the New York Mercantile Exchange. With this said, the relatively low crude oil price in the world market does not seem to match with the current rising trend of gasoline prices in the nation. A

n article from Times News confirms this scenario as it illustrates the situation in Tennessee, wherein despite the low demand for gasoline and the moderate gains in crude oil prices, gasoline prices still continue to increase; an unlikely trend as mentioned by Don Lindsey, spokesman for the AAA East Tennessee.

Still in the same article from Boston Globe, it was reported that crude oil price rose to $2.80, up 6.4%, following reports regarding plans to cut production from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

On June 21, 2009, the Senate confirmed Hillary Rodham Clinton as the 67th United States Secretary of State. It was the first day in office for President Barack Obama and while he was busy engaging himself in several affairs, Hillary Clinton’s nomination for the post as Secretary of State was finally confirmed in the full Senate by a vote of 94-2.

The two senators who opposed the confirmation were Republicans David Vitter of Louisiana and Jim DeMint of South Carolina. Prior to the confirmation, hearings before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee commenced on January 13, 2009. By January 15, the said body voted 16-1 to approve Hillary Clinton.

Both Republicans and Democrats in general share the same sentiment that such prompt confirmation was essential for the new president to be able to start with his work in dealing with the current major and critical foreign policy issues such as Iran’s nuclear threats and the increasing violence in the Middle East, particularly the wars in Gaza and Iraq.

As a result of the confirmation from the Senate, Hillary Clinton was sworn in as the 67th U.S. Secretary of State in her office, which is located in the Russell Senate Office Building. Present at the private ceremony was her husband, former President Bill Clinton, and her Senate staff. On the same day, Hillary Clinton resigned from the Senate, submitting her resignation letters to Vice President Joe Biden, president of the Senate; and New York Governor David Paterson.

A few Republicans expressed their concerns over conflicts of interest that may arise considering that the fundraising efforts for Bill Clinton’s foundation included donations overseas. Nevertheless, both parties in Congress greatly supported Hillary Clinton for the post.

Hillary Rodham Clinton was born on October 26, 1947 in Chicago, Illinois. She attended Maine East High School and then entered Wellesley College from where she graduated in 1969 with a B.A. degree in political science with departmental honors. Hillary Clinton then obtained her Juris Doctor degree from Yale Law School in 1973. Back in Yale, she served on the editorial board of the Yale Law Review and Social Action, worked for the Yale Child Study Center, interned with Marian Wright Edelman, and met Bill Clinton, whom she married in 1975.

Following graduation, Hillary Clinton practiced law, working as a staff attorney for the Children’s Defense Fund in Cambridge, Massachusetts and as Consultant to the Carnegie Council on Children. She also joined in the impeachment inquiry staff advising the House Committee on the Judiciary during the Watergate scandal. In 1975, she taught at the University of Arkansas Law School and then joined the Rose Law Firm in 1976. In 1978, President Jimmy Carter appointed her to the board of the Legal Services Corporation. She held the title “First Lady of Arkansas” for twelve years (1979–1981, 1983–1992) when her husband Bill Clinton became governor of the said state twice. Hillary Clinton was First Lady of the United States from 1993 to 2001; she then served as a U.S. Senator from 2001 to 2009. Hillary Clinton was a leading candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in the 2008 election but lost to Obama.

• Official State Department biography of Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton.
• Secretrary Hillary Clinton faces a tough job in securing Mideast peace process.
• Hillary Clinton criticizes George W. Bush on North Korea policy.

An article from USA Today presented a full account of Barack Obama’s first day as the 44th President of the United States of America.

In the face of an ongoing recession, wars in Iraq and Gaza, the threat of terrorism, and at this desperate time when America has duly entrusted its fate to this man, Barack Obama is sending a clear message that there is certainly no time to waste. Barack Obama’s first day as president was indeed a chock-full of must-dos reflecting his commitment of bringing change to America.

*January 21, 2009, Wednesday, 8:35 a.m. – Newly inaugurated President Barack Obama walked into the Oval Office and spent 10 minutes alone to contemplate. He read a personal note left behind by his predecessor, George W. Bush. The note was placed inside an envelope inscribed with “To: #44, From: #43.” White House staff, however, did not disclose its content. The note was a presidential tradition that started when Ronald Reagan left a note for George H.W. Bush.

After a quiet moment alone, President Barack Obama was ready for a full day of carrying out his presidential duties.

*Morning Service and Open House. The President, along with his wife Michelle, attended the National Prayer Service, a tradition following the Inauguration Day that started when George Washington took office. The couple was seated in front, joined by Vice President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, as well as former President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton. In the afternoon, the first couple greeted 200 selected guests, in their effort of making White House accessible to the public.

*Executive Orders. President Barack Obama signed several executive orders in his first day of office. One was to freeze the salaries of around 100 White House staff members who make $100,000 a year or more, for the duration of the financial crisis. The President also imposed strict ethics rules such as banning lobbyists from giving gifts to any member of his administration, and staff members being barred from becoming lobbyists for two years after leaving his administration. President Barack Obama also issued another executive order to promote transparency by limiting the ability of past presidents to obstruct the release of records of their administrations. He also had his aides disseminate a draft executive order that would close the Guantanamo Bay detention center in Cuba within a year as well as suspend military trials of terror suspects who have been held in the said facility, pending a review of the military tribunals. On January 22, 2009, President Barack Obama signed the executive order that would close the said prison.

*Middle East Diplomacy. President Barack Obama called four Middle East leaders from Israel, Jordan, Egypt, and the Palestinian Authority, and informed them that his administration will address serious peace issues among Israelis, Palestinians, and Arabs. President Barack Obama also expressed his commitment to prevent arms smuggling to Hamas fighters and to help in the reconstruction effort for Palestinians in Gaza. The President then met with his military advisors over the issue of Iraq, reiterating his intention to withdraw combat troops from Iraq in 16 months.

• Official White House biography of President Barack Obama
• Article about Barack Obama’s years at the Harvard Law Review.
• A current anaylsis of the President’s economic stimulus package.

President Barack Obama’s $787 billion stimulus package, approved by Congress and signed by the president into law on Feb. 17, 2009, includes federal funding for research and development – a reason for Bay Area research universities to celebrate.

The stimulus plan is said to allocate $21.5 billion for federal research and development to be invested within two years, for which most of the support will be directed to climate research, biomedical matters, and energy. This funding is the realization of President Barack Obama’s promise of restoring science to its rightful place.

After years of sluggish funding for basic research in various sciences, local research universities in Bay Area, San Francisco acknowledged that the financial aid coming from the stimulus plan would bolster education, research, and future businesses. Bay Area research universities, principally Stanford University and the University of California-Santa Cruz, stated that they are the leading candidates for funding, based on their notable track record for research grants secured. They added that several under-funded projects have suffered in the recent years.

The government has been funding majority of scientific research except for studies on some specific diseases and embryonic stem cells. However, funding has been sluggish and inadequate over the years and a number of labs were forced to stop their work and close. One concrete example is the gravity reference sensor project of Stanford University that could have been utilized by future space missions. The project lost funding and had to be stopped. Another example is Stanford chemistry department chairman Richard Zare’s research project involving the creation and destruction of chemical bonds, whose progress had slowed down since he could not secure federal funding for six months in 2007.

With the funding on hand, a brighter future awaits the world of science, especially since these local research institutions will be able to use the money on renovation of facilities, equipment, financial aid, new construction, research support, and new technological advancements in local laboratories. According to Bruce Margon, vice chancellor for research of the University of California-Santa Cruz, the research university is recognized in the 21st century to be “just as important as the steel mill to the economic strength of our country.”

Research and development funding included in the stimulus plan consists of $140 million for the U.S. Geological Survey for natural science research and $1.3 billion for facility renovation and purchase of equipment. In addition, it also allocates $1 billion for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; $1.6 billion for Department of Energy’s Office of Science; $3 billion for the National Science Foundation for fundamental science and engineering research; and $8.2 billion to the National Institutes of Health for biomedical research.

Related Sources:

An MSNBC article features President Barack Obama’s signing of the economic
stimulus package into a law.

Stanford University is featured in an article in The Time Herald.

The New York Times features details of the final economic stimulus package
passed by Congress.