This is the June 2009 edition of Houston Business Connections Newspaper published by Aubrey R. Taylor Communications. Houston Business Connections Newpspaper is published as a series of special ediitions. This newspaper has a diverse readership comprised of people from all walks of life and political affiliations. For more information or to advertise in Houston Business Connections Newspaper call 832.212.8735.
he National Corn Growers Association recently thanked President Obama for his statement that advanced renewable transporta- tion fuels will be one of the nation’s most important industries of the 21st Century, and that corn-based ethanol must remain viable to achieve this vision. “With oil prices on the rise, ethanol’s crit- ical role in the U.S. economy, especially pro- moting energy security, is more important than ever,” NCGA President Bob Dickey said. “We are pleased to hear the president’s clear statement of corn-based ethanol’s pivotal role in the nation’s future energy strategy, and we will continue to make sure the Administration understands the current and future value of corn ethanol.” In a recent letter to the Governors’ Biofuels Coalition, President Obama noted that improved energy efficiency combined with biofuels provide “the primary near-term option for insulating consumers against future oil shocks and for lowering the transportation sector’s carbon footprint.” “The president clearly believes first-gen- eration biofuels have an important role to play in meeting our energy needs,” Dickey said. “This also reinforces his previous position that artificial barriers to market expansion need to be addressed in order for large volumes of renewable fuels to find a place in America's transportation fuels system.” The ethanol industry has experienced robust growth, and today produces 10 billion gallons of clean, renewable ethanol while pro- viding more than $20 billion in economic activity and supporting or creating nearly 500,000 jobs here in the United States. Increasing yields and record corn crops on the nation's farms have made this ethanol growth possible while continuing to service all its customers in the feed, food, and fuel markets both in the United States and abroad. DOWNLOAD THIS ISSUE ON THE WORLDWIDE WEB BY VISITING: WWW.PEOPLEDOINGBUSINESS.COM B USINESS C ONNECTIONS Aubrey R. Taylor’s Published By Aubrey R. Taylor • Serving The Houston Community Since 1998 • Email: [email protected] • PROMOTIONAL ISSUE! B USINESS C ONNECTIONS www.peopledoingbusiness.com www.peopledoingbusiness.com RECKLESS: Gates Calls North Korea’s Actions ‘Reckless, Ultimately Self-destructive’ President Calls Biofuels One of U.S.’s Most Important Industries President Barack Obama T DON’T MISS OUT: If you missed getting your hard copy of Aubrey’s Quarterly Magazine, you may still download a copy online at: www.peopledoingbusiness.com. Our next issue will be released this month. Call (832) 212-8735 for inclusion. There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things. — Machiavelli QUOTE HOMEPAGE Aubrey R. Taylor’s ON PAGE TEN: Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, center, shakes hands with Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada, left, and South Korean Defense Minister Lee Sang-Hee as they prepare for their trilateral meeting on the side- lines of the “Shangri-La Dialogue” Asia security summit in Singapore. In some of his strongest words on the subject to date, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today said the United States will not accept North Korea as a nuclear weapons state and promised to defend U.S. allies in the region. DoD photo by Air Force Master Sgt. Jerry Morrison EVENTS KRBE 104 FM presents David Cook live in concert at the Moody Gardens Outdoor Amphitheater on Sun., July 5th!
Transcript
he National Corn GrowersAssociation recently thankedPresident Obama for his statementthat advanced renewable transporta-
tion fuels will be one of the nation’s mostimportant industries of the 21st Century, andthat corn-based ethanol must remain viable toachieve this vision.
“With oil prices on the rise, ethanol’s crit-ical role in the U.S. economy, especially pro-moting energy security, is more importantthan ever,” NCGA President Bob Dickey said.“We are pleased to hear the president’s clearstatement of corn-based ethanol’s pivotal rolein the nation’s future energy strategy, and wewill continue to make sure the Administrationunderstands the current and future value ofcorn ethanol.”
In a recent letter to the Governors’Biofuels Coalition, President Obama noted
that improved energy efficiency combinedwith biofuels provide “the primary near-termoption for insulating consumers against futureoil shocks and for lowering the transportation
sector’s carbon footprint.”“The president clearly believes first-gen-
eration biofuels have an important role to playin meeting our energy needs,” Dickey said.“This also reinforces his previous position thatartificial barriers to market expansion need tobe addressed in order for large volumes ofrenewable fuels to find a place in America'stransportation fuels system.”
The ethanol industry has experiencedrobust growth, and today produces 10 billiongallons of clean, renewable ethanol while pro-viding more than $20 billion in economicactivity and supporting or creating nearly500,000 jobs here in the United States.
Increasing yields and record corn cropson the nation's farms have made this ethanolgrowth possible while continuing to serviceall its customers in the feed, food, and fuelmarkets both in the United States and abroad.
DOWNLOAD THIS ISSUE ON THE WORLDWIDE WEB BY VISITING: WWW.PEOPLEDOINGBUSINESS.COM
BUSINESS CONNECTIONSAubrey R. Taylor’s
Published By Aubrey R. Taylor • Serving The Houston Community Since 1998 • Email: [email protected] • PROMOTIONAL ISSUE!
BUSINESS CONNECTIONSwww.peopledoingbusiness.comwww.peopledoingbusiness.com
RECKLESS:Gates Calls North Korea’s Actions ‘Reckless, Ultimately Self-destructive’
President Calls Biofuels One ofU.S.’s Most Important Industries
President Barack Obama
T
DON’T MISS OUT: If you missed gettingyour hard copy of Aubrey’s QuarterlyMagazine, you may still download a copyonline at:www.peopledoingbusiness.com.Our next issue will be released thismonth. Call (832) 212-8735 for inclusion.
There is nothing more difficultto take in hand, more perilous toconduct, or more uncertain in itssuccess, than to take the lead in theintroduction of a new order ofthings. — Machiavelli
QUOTE
HOMEPAGE
Aubrey R. Taylor’s
ON PAGE TEN: Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, center, shakes hands with Japanese Defense Minister YasukazuHamada, left, and South Korean Defense Minister Lee Sang-Hee as they prepare for their trilateral meeting on the side-lines of the “Shangri-La Dialogue” Asia security summit in Singapore. In some of his strongest words on the subject todate, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today said the United States will not accept North Korea as a nuclearweapons state and promised to defend U.S. allies in the region. DoD photo by Air Force Master Sgt. Jerry Morrison
EVENTS
KRBE 104 FM presents David Cook live in concert at the Moody GardensOutdoor Amphitheater on Sun., July 5th!
know I don’t have to remind you of the importance ofpreparing for the 2009 Hurricane season. You are alreadyprepared. Right? However, it never hurts to make youaware of the fact that one of the most dreaded times of the
year is here. With this in mind, please be aware that the FederalEmergency Management Agency (FEMA) continues to work withour great state; our local leaders; and its federal partners toincrease preparedness and coordinate response and recovery in thecase of a hurricane or disaster. FEMA is urging all Americans touse the annual start of hurricane season as a reminder to assessyour personal readiness to respond to emergencies.
Note from FEMA: “If you live a hurricane prone area,ensuring your family is prepared is common sense,” said CraigFugate, FEMA Administrator. “We never know where the nexthurricane or disaster will strike, but we know that the more wedo now to prepare, the better the outcome will be. FEMA willcontinue to work with our state, local, and federal partners toensure that we are prepared, but it is also important that allAmericans take the necessary steps now- like developing afamily disaster plan - before a hurricane or disaster strikes.”
Everyone, even, those living outside of hurricane-risk areas,should check personal preparations such as emergency kit sup-plies (enough to last at least 72 hours), note messages from localemergency officials, and rehearse emergency evacuation routes.
Please be safe this hurricane season. And enjoy this issueof our newspaper!
ENTREPRENEURS CREDOI do not choose to be a Common manIt is my right to be UNCOMMON...If I canI seek Opportunity - not SecurityI do not wish to be a kept citizen, humbled and dulledby having the state look after me.I want to take the “Calculated Risk” toDream and to Build,to fail and to SUCCEED.I refuse to barter incentive for a dole.I prefer the challenges of Life to the“Guaranteed existence”,the thrill of fulfillment to the stale calm of Utopia.I will not trade FREEDOM for Beneficencenor my dignity for a handout.I will never cower before any master norbend to any threat.It is my heritage to stand erect,proud and unafraid,to think and act for myself,to enjoy the benefit of “MY CREATIONS” and to face the world boldly and say:“This with God’s help, I have done. All this is what it means to be a ENTREPRENEUR”
Houston Business Connections Newspaper is published byAUBREY R. TAYLOR. All right reserved. No articles may be copied,rewritten, published, or otherwise distributed without the prior writ-ten approval of the publisher. For special requests please call:832.783.1113 or call the publisher directly at: 832.212.8735.
Are You ReadyFor The NextDisaster: MakeYour PropertyMore Flood AndWind Resistant
Hurricane season and thepotential for considerable windand flood damage is here, so donot wait to make your homemore hazard resistant.
It’s important to begin with a plan. Walk around yourhome or business and take note of possible causes ofdamage or vulnerability. Contact your local emer-gency manager to find out about the 100-year floodlevels and where you are in the floodplain.
Here are some tips from Federal EmergencyManagement Agency (FEMA)’s Mitigation experts.
Protect your homeagainst flood damage
* Raise Electrical Boxes, Major Appliances, andHVAC components at least one-foot above the 100-year flood level.
• Circuit Breaker Boxes - Short circuits inflooded systems pose a significant fire danger. Thelikelihood of a flooded electrical system can bereduced by raising all electrical components.
• Appliances - Washers and dryerscan be elevated with pressure-treated lum-ber, or moved to a higher floor; and
• HVAC - Exterior HVAC equipmentshould be elevated by a professional contractor.
• Anchor fuel tanks - When floodwaters movean unanchored tank, the supply line may tear.Additionally, filling and ventilation tubes need to beabove flood level so that water cannot get inside thetank. Anchor inside and outside tanks with properlysized ground anchors. For safety's sake, consult localofficials and building professionals about the bestmethods for anchoring fuel tanks.
• Install sewer backflow valves - Flooding cancause sewer lines to back up into houses throughdrainpipes. Backflow valves are designed to blockdrainpipes temporarily and prevent flow into thehouse. Have a licensed plumber or contractor installthe valves.
Reinforce VulnerableAreas to MinimizeWind Damage
• Strengthen Entry Doors and Windows -Install storm shutters over all exposed windows andglass surfaces. If replacing an entry door, use anapproved, impact-tested door and install a dead boltlock long enough to penetrate the 2X4 framing of thedoor. Also ensure the strike plate is installed withscrews long enough to penetrate the door frame.
• Brace garage doors - A garage door can bereinforced by adding braces across the back of thedoor and by strengthening the glider wheel tracks. Ifyou are building a home, consider purchasing a garagedoor built to withstand high winds.
• Gable End Walls - Anchor and brace the bot-tom of the gable end's triangular wall to the ceilingjoists or ceiling framing. Strengthen the gable endwall studs and brace the top of the gable end wall bytying it to the rafters or tops of the trusses.
• Keep Outdoor Gear from BecomingWindborne Missiles - Securely anchor all storagesheds and other outbuildings, either to a permanentfoundation or with straps and ground anchors. Boltoutdoor furniture and barbecue grills to decks orpatios, or attach them to ground anchors with cablesor chains. Secure trash cans with cables or chainsattached to ground anchors or to wood posts firmlyembedded in the ground.
• Trees and Landscaping Tips - Proper care oftrees can also prevent storm damage. Plant trees at thecorrect depth by making sure the roots are at the soilsurface. Trees planted too deep could snap off at thestem-girdled point during forceful winds. Avoidwounding trees by banging them with a lawn moweror cutting them with a weed trimmer. Wounds lead todecay, a condition that leads to storm-damaged trees.Prune trees to correct defects such as multiple leadersand weak branch attachments.
It is important to insure all reconstruction workmeets state and county building codes. A professionalhomebuilder, architect, contractor, or building supplyretailer may provide valuable information.
Go online to FEMA’s “How To” series atwww.fema.gov/plan/prevent/howto/index.shtm ororder copies by calling 800-480-2520. Florida resi-dents can also find helpful tips at www.floridadisas-ter.org and www.disastersafety.org. Another source ofhelpful information is available from the FederalAlliance for Safe Homes - FLASH Inc. atwww.flash.org.
U. S. Small Business Administration (SBA) dis-aster loans are the primary form of federal assistance
for non-farm, private sector disaster losses. Disasterloans from SBA help homeowners, renters, busi-nesses of all sizes, and non-profit organizations
fund repair and replacement of disaster damagedreal and personal property. These disaster loans coveruninsured and uncompensated losses and do not dupli-cate benefits of other agencies or organizations. Forinformation about SBA programs, applicants may call800-659-2955 or go online at www.sba.gov.
When disasters occur, federal, state, and localgovernments along with non-profit disaster-relieforganizations help many people, but residents shoulddo their part to prepare. Making homes and businessesmore resistant to wind or flood damage and havingflood insurance can help you in any future wind orflooding events.
FEMA leads and supports the nation in a risk-based, comprehensive emergency management systemof preparedness, protection, response, recovery, and mit-igation, to reduce the loss of life and property and pro-tect the nation from all hazards including natural disas-ters, acts of terrorism, and other man-made disasters.
or years, many conservatives havebeen pleading for
limits on how long peoplecan serve in office. They are tired of the rampant corruption, theinfluence of money, andthe “cronyism” pervasivein politics today and theyfeel the need to dosomething...anything.Term limits are amongthe most popular of promoted “solutions.”
It seems to make sense, keeping peoplein office for a limited period of time, instead ofthem becoming too comfortable, complacentand, most importantly, too powerful. We havepoliticians who have money in the freezers,with bridges to “no where,” and inappropriaterelationships with interns. Something has gotto change. On the surface, term limits seemslike a brilliant proposition. However, this ideamandates that we dig a little deeper. Termlimits are a fairly simple concept. Members ofthe US House would likely serve up to fourterms, according to most term limit propo-nents (eight years), while US Senators wouldserve two, six year terms. According to thetheory, these politicians would serve theirtime and since it is short, they would hurried-ly run back to their home town and go backto contributing to their communities andeconomies. Unfortunately, the theory doesn'tseem to hold up against the harsh realities. When I use to work for Senator GordonHumphrey (R-NH) back in the 1980s, I had asurprising experience one day that humor-ously displays how difficult it is to get tractionas a legislator in Washington. I was busyaway typing a response to a constituent'squestion when an exasperated RudyBoschwith (then, a Senator from Minnesota),flew into the room and with a dazed look,asked where the rest room was. He lookedshocked and he acted as though he wasgoing to a public rest room. It wasn't, but oneof the many ones in the offices of USSenators for their staff. He was a Senator, Iwasn't going to correct him, but the story hasdrawn many a laugh from other Hill stafferswho have enjoyed their own new Memberstory. What is most amazing is that this hap-pened in 1983. Boschwitz had been in theSenate for five years and still didn't knowwhere the rest rooms were.
I know tons of stories like this. There isthe new Congressman who told M. StantonEvans how much he enjoyed his articles withRobert Novak (wrong Evans). I also cannotforget the member who insisted on not wear-ing her Congressional pin and expected everymember of the Capital Hill police to recognizeher. The list continues. My contention is sim-ple, Congressional bureaucrats would ruleCapitol Hill and Members of Congress wouldlargely blindly follow. The stock of those whorepresent us would crash, while the unelectedbureaucrats would grow in influence.
An even bigger problem is its potentialimpact on government spending. Take thelowly citizen (whom we will call "Mr. Smith")who decides to run for his state's legislature.It takes an enormous amount of time, energy,and money to get elected. Upon getting tothe House, he realizes he wants to do moreand help more people, and do it without thepressure of having to run again every twoyears. He gets elected to his state Senate
and before he knows it, Smith wants to puthis sights on the US House in Washington,DC. Once he gets there, he notes the newterm limits and he knows that eight years willbe here in no time and he immediatelybegins to focus on statewide office... the USSenate, Governor, or other office. In order tohave “a name” through out the state andfavors to bear, Mr. Smith will send pork to theentire state from day one. As candidates feelforced to run for higher office, they will feelforced to share the wealth.
Instead of solving the "power problem"common in Washington, term limits will likelymake it worse. Since the problem is power,solutions should be found in the way theygovern. This could be seen in "super majori-ties" required for new taxes and spending,sunset commissions that require all spendingbills to be reevaluated every two years,required changes in both committees andchairmen over certain time frames (this wouldcertainly disrupt the influence of lobbyists).Most importantly, such reforms wouldaddress the real problem, which is power andnot the length of time they are in office.
Power limits, not term limits, is the rightanswer to government out of control. Theyshould be the priority for anyone who is seri-ous about getting government under control.
Kevin Price is Host of the Price ofBusiness, the longest running show on AM650 (M-F at 11 am) in Houston, Texas and onAOL Radio. Eric Bolling of Fox News and FoxBusiness says that Price's Blog “is very influ-ential and moves the blogosphere.” SteveMoore of the Wall Street Journal calls Pricethe “best business talk show host in thecountry.” Find out why and visit his blog atwww.BizPlusBlog.com and his show site atwww.PriceofBusiness.com. You can also findPrice on Strategy Room at FoxNews.com.
Free CE Seminar for Realtors onCredit, plus Great Information onMarketing and More
Kevin Price, Host of the Price ofBusiness (M-F at 11 AM on CNN 650 on AOLRadio) announced a free seminar forRealtors to receive two CE Credits on thefirst week of June. Jay Pirrote of Ball ParkMortgage will provide a two hour seminar onhow Realtors can help clients improve theircredit scores. In addition there will be shortpresentations by Kevin Price (marketing),Wanda Reyna (title insurance), EONBusiness Line of Credits, and others. Formore information [email protected]. Women are the Focus in New PanelIn the next two weeks we are formallyannouncing our new Women in BusinessPanel and this new segment of our show willbe an important contribution to our program.Our members include entrepreneurs, market-ing executives, financial advisors, and more.
Two of our new panelists include MargoP. Geddie, a Senior Vice President for WealthManagement at Smith Barney and DinaMcCain, a professional marketing consultant.Both of these women have decades of experi-ence in their respective industries and listen-ers will enjoy their knowledge, insights, andexperiences that they will bring to each pro-gram. Detailed biographies of both of thesewomen will be released in the next few weeks.
If you are a woman in business andbelieve that you can make a contribution toour program, we want to hear from you.Email [email protected] put “Women in Business” in the subjectline. We want to hear from you.
Know Where to Find Your Next Job?
HoustonBusinessJobs.com is waiting for you.With over 1.5 million jobs and over 8,000 in theHouston area alone, HoustonBusinessJobs.comis the place to go to find a job or to find anemploy-ee. Nowis a
with Kevin PriceMonday Through Friday at 11 AM
on CNN 650 and AOL RadioSponsored by the Bank of Houston
Your Business Wants You to Listen!Some of the leading personalities you will find at Price of Business and
PriceofBusiness.com• Kathy Bowersox of QuantumLeapSuccessCoach.com • Rick Ray at
WealthDesignGroup.net • Quincy Long of theEntrustGroup.com• Ron Delo of ThePublicAdjusters.Biz • And many others!
Kevin Price’s BizPlusBlog.com Sponsored by Swiss America, “Surviving the Financial Storm”Kevin Price's articles on BizPlusBlog are syndicated on Reuters.com,Chicago Sun Times, USA Today, and other national publications. Find
out why by visiting Business Plus Blog!• Check out HoustonBusinessDaily.com for the best in business
articles, video, audio and more, including Rick Ray's newdaily market update done through avatar technology.
Visit Houston's Premier Job Board atHoustonBusinessJobs.com. Over 1.5 million
jobs available each and every day in Houstonand Around the world.
Don't forget to tune into past shows at the site's archive, sponsored by:
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Show Remote at www.PriceofBusiness.com.
Term Limits are not a Panacea
The PRICE of Business
F
continued on page, P.6
COMMENTARY LISTEN TO THE PRICE OF BUSINESS
By Jim GaramoneAmerican Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obamarecently held up Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.,as an example for America to follow towardenergy independence.
The air base - a huge facility outside LasVegas best known as the “Home of the FighterPilot” - also is the site of the largest solar elec-tric plant of its kind in the WesternHemisphere, and the president would like tosee more such facilities around the country.
The array has more than 72,000 solarpanels built on part of an old landfill. Thefacility provides about a quarter of the elec-tricity for the 12,000 people who live andwork at the base. “That’s the equivalent ofpowering about 13,200 homes during theday,” Obama said. “It’s a project that tookabout half a year to complete, created 200jobs, and will save the U.S. Air Force, whichis the largest consumer of energy in the feder-al government, nearly $1 million a year.”
The Nellis facility reduces harmful car-bon pollution by 24,000 tons a year - the
equivalent of removing 4,000 cars from theroads, Obama noted. “Most importantly, thisbase serves as a shining example of what'spossible when we harness the power of clean,renewable energy to build a new, firmer foun-dation for economic growth,” he said.
Nellis’ system covers 140 acres ofland, including 33 acres of capped land-
fill. The array comprises more than 72,000solar panels that track the sun to maxi-mize renewable solar energy.
Obama said he would like to see thistechnology - and others that harness wind andgeothermal energy - duplicated around theUnited States “because in this case, what hap-pens in Vegas should not stay in Vegas.”
“We’ll invest in the developmentand deployment of solar technologywherever it can thrive,” he said, “andwe’ll find the best way to integrate solarpower into our electric grid.”
The Nellis solar power system is a jointventure among the Air Force, RenewableVentures, SunPower Corp. and N.V. Energy.
great time to look for a new job. Peoplesimply don't know if there job is secure, itcan make good sense to go seek compa-nies that are actively hiring rather thanmerely wait to see if you have a jobtomorrow. In addition to postings, read-ers will also find great tools, includingcurrent salaries for many positions andthe means to learn how to get yourresume in front of decision makers.
Currently there is a five part series onthe job search at HoustonBusinessDaily.com.
Price of Business Launchesnew Lifestyle Program
For several months the Price ofBusiness, in cooperation withLookingSuccessful.com, has been devel-oping a new, lifestyles oriented radioshow. Kevin Price, Host of the Price of
Business (M-F at 11 am on CNN 650)said “that my daily show has becomeincreasingly more hard news, business,and politics oriented, but the need forlifestyle programming is huge! We foundit odd that on one segment we would bediscussing the economy crashing or inno-vative techniques of networking, and thentalking about the need for watching yourdiet. Although this is common on someprograms, we felt it made sense to sepa-rate it from the larger business and poli-tics show.” This new show will be onSundays at 2 PM on CNN 650. The titleof that show has yet to be announced.
This will be a huge boost for thenew show's title sponsor,LookingSuccessful.com. This healthand beauty website has been looking foran excellent branding opportunity and itfeels that this is a powerful vehicle - at anexcellent time - to increase audienceawareness. “On the weekends, peopleare thinking more about their lives,
homes, health, and beauty. It is theperfect time for a program such as thisand I could not be more excited aboutit,” Price said.
The new program’s name will beannounced within the next week. In spiteof the new show, some lifestyle relatedprogramming will remain on the Price ofBusiness because Real Estate, hurricanerecovery, and other issues that transcendbeyond lifestyle. Furthermore, news isnews, and some of the things that willhappen on our new weekend program,will need to be covered on the Price ofBusiness. Think you have great informa-tion you would like to contribute to thisshow? Or are you interested in moreinformation, if so, send an email to:[email protected].
Kevin Price to Launch Web Based TV Show
Kevin Price will be launching a new web
based TV show starting in July with avery unique politics and business per-spective. Kevin Price, Host of the show,said the “program is similar to StrategyRoom on FoxNews.com meets HappyHour, with a political and main streetemphasis.” The comparison doesn't endin style; Price will have personalities fromthe Fox Business Network. Eric Bolling,David Asman, Cody Willard, RebeccaDiamond, and Brian Sullivan are some ofthe personalities that have been onPrice's radio program and they promiseto be on this web project as well.
Price said that “I am a huge fan ofthe Fox Business Network and amdelighted to work with them in such adirect role.” Furthermore, Price will workwith numerous leaders in the Tea Partymovement as well in providing a highquality program that empowers the audi-ence and provides them a voice. Keepup to date on the show’s progress by vis-iting PriceofBusiness.com often.
Term Limits are not a PanaceaCOMMENTARY LISTEN TO THE PRICE OF BUSINESS
Obama Touts Solar Power at Air Power Hub
Statement of theAttorney General onMurder of DoctorGeorge Tiller“The murder of Doctor GeorgeTiller is an abhorrent act of vio-lence, and his family is in ourthoughts and prayers at this trag-ic moment. Federal law enforce-ment is coordinating with locallaw enforcement officials inKansas on the investigation ofthis crime, and I have directedthe United States MarshalsService to offer protection toother appropriate people andfacilities around the nation. TheDepartment of Justice will workto bring the perpetrator of thiscrime to justice. As a precau-tionary measure, we will alsotake appropriate steps to helpprevent any related acts of vio-lence from occurring.”
6565 West Loop South, Ste. 114A I Bellaire, Texas 77401
FFor those of us who are
unaware, margin tax is a tax on thegross income of legal entities. Themargin tax is relatively new, as itwas signed into law on May 18,2006. The first taxable period forthe margin tax began on January 1,2007 and ended on December 31,2008, resulting in the first returnsbeing due as of May of 2008. Generally, any legal entity doingbusiness in the state of Texas withsome form of limited liability pro-tection must pay the margin tax.Therefore, corporations, limitedpartnerships (LPs), limited liabilitycompanies (LLCs), limited liabilitypartnerships (LLPs), banking cor-porations, savings and loan associ-ations, business associations, pro-fessional associations, and somejoint ventures may be subject tothis tax. In contrast entities, doingbusiness without limited liabilityare not subject to margin tax.
Therefore, sole proprietorshipand general partnerships only hav-ing natural persons as partners donot have to pay margin tax. Other exempt entities include, enti-tles with gross receipts of$300,000 or less (inflation adjust-ed), entities that owe less than$1,000 in franchise tax, tax-exemptentities, grantor trusts where allparties are natural persons, estates,escrows, family limited partner-ships that are passive entities anddo not operate a business, insur-ance companies, non-profits, realestate investment trusts (REITs),and real estate mortgage invest-ment conduits (REMICs). In addi-tion passive entities that meet thefollowing requirements areexempt: 1) are a general or limitedpartnership, or a trust other than abusiness trust where 2) at least90% of federal gross income mustarise from a specific list ofsources, and 3) no more than 10%of the entity's federal gross incomecan be received from conductingan active trade or business. A par-ticular interesting fact about theTexas margin tax is that eventhough your entity may be exemptunder federal law it still may besubject to the Texas margin tax. After figuring out whether or notyour business is subject to the mar-gin tax, you may be wonderinghow it is calculated. Margin tax iscalculated based on your “taxablemargin.” Taxable margin is thelower of total revenue minus costof goods sold, total revenue minusemployee compensation and bene-fits, or 70% of total revenue. Aftercalculating the “taxable margin” itis apportioned by the percentage ofthe entity's gross receipts frombusiness done in Texas. For exam-ple if your business operates in atleast two states, one being Texas,you would take your Texas grossreceipts and divide them by yourtotal gross receipts, which yieldsthe margin percentage.
If this is not confusingenough, different types of busi-nesses are taxed at different rates.The tax rate for retail and whole-
sale trade is a half of a percent.For all other entities it is one per-cent. If the entity has less than $10million in revenues the tax may becalculated at .575% of revenuewith no deduction allowed, which
is known as the EZ method. Inaddition, there are discounts avail-able based upon the size of thebusiness and deductions for smallbusinesses. This article is onlymeant to serve as a basic guide to
the Texas margin tax, if your entityis not in good standing please oryou are delinquent on your margintax please consult a licensed pro-fessional.
Aaron Gabriel Adams is a practicingattorney in the Houston area focusingon Business, Intellectual Property, andReal Estate Law. Have a margin taxquestion? or Do you have a generalLegal Question? Contact him at [email protected] or his officeat 713-566-1990.
Recently, the comptroller has been mailing to legal entities delinquent taxstatements as related to margin tax. If you have received one of thesenotices your entity is no longer in good standing. To check to see if yourlegal entity is in good standing visit the Texas State Comptroller’s TaxableEntity website at http://ecpa.cpa.state.tx.us/coa/Index.html.
In some of hisstrongest wordson the subject todate, DefenseSecretary RobertM. Gates todaysaid the UnitedStates will notaccept NorthKorea as anuclear weaponsstate andpromised to
defend U.S.allies in theregion.
“We will not stand idly by asNorth Korea builds the capability towreak destruction on any target inthe region - or on us,” Gates said atthe opening of the “Shangri-LaDialogue” Asia security summit here.
This comes on the heels of yetanother reported missile test byNorth Korea yesterday. North Koreareported conducting both nuclearand missile tests this week andthreatened to attack U.S. and SouthKorean warships.
The secretary called NorthKorea's quest for nuclear weaponsand intercontinental ballistic mis-siles “reckless, and ultimately self-destructive.” The United States, hesaid, would not bend under the pres-sure or provocation of North Korea.
“North Korea’s nuclear pro-gram and actions constitute a threatto regional peace and security,”Gates said. “The transfer of nuclearweapons or material by North Koreato states or nonstate entities wouldbe considered a great threat to theUnited States and our allies. And wewould hold North Korea fullyaccountable for the consequences ofsuch action.”
On the military flight here,Gates told reporters traveling withhim that there are no plans for mili-tary action against North Korea andthat diplomatic measures are thefirst option for dealing with thecountry's developing nuclear threat.He said he hopes any sanctions,however, would target the country’sleaders and not strike at its impover-ished people.
In coming weeks the UnitedStates will send senior officials totalk with leaders of South Korea,China, Japan and Russia. All areoriginal members of the Six-PartyTalks, put in place to attempt a
peaceful resolution to the securityconcerns of North Korea’s nuclearweapons program.
The talks have been stalledsince the United Nations SecurityCouncil condemned North Korea inApril for a failed missile test.Following the condemnation, NorthKorea expelled U.N. inspectorsfrom the country.
The talks will center on devel-oping a unified approach to NorthKorea’s actions, and will includediscussion of military posturing
should diplomatic sanctions fail, asenior defense department officialsaid, speaking on background.
Gates recently met with topdefense officials from Japan and SouthKorea, the first time he’s met withthem simultaneously. Customarily, Japanand South Korea havemet with the UnitedStates separately, but Gates is reachingout for more multilateral approaches tosecurity issues in the region.
He also met briefly with a sen-
ior military official from China, thecountry that Gates says has the mostinfluence on North Korea.
Significant international coop-eration is needed to pressure NorthKorea into abandoning its nuclearweapons program, and the conse-
quences of a militaryconflict in region are“enormous to contem-
plate,” the secretary said. At thispoint, however, North Korea'snuclear program does not pose adirect military threat to the United
States, he added.“I think what is central to mul-
tilateral efforts ... is to try andpeacefully stop those programsbefore they do in fact become ... aclear and present danger,” Gatessaid during the question and answersession after his speech.
“If they continue on the paththey’re on,” he said, “I think theconsequences for stability in theregion are significant, and I think itposes the potential ... for some kindof an arms race here in this region.”
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Gates Calls North Korea’s Actions‘Reckless, Ultimately Self-destructive’
The Center for TransportationTraining and Research will host the2009 Houston Area NationalSummer Transportation Institute forhigh school students June 8 - July 3at Texas Southern University. Thepurpose of this institute is to createawareness and stimulate interest in
high school students to take fulladvantage of the opportunities thatexist in the transportation industry.The four-week program is sponsoredby the Federal HighwayAdministration and is an extremelyintense and structured learningopportunity for youth in the high
school systems of Texas.The curriculum will expose stu-
dents to new frontiers and adventuressuch as highway design, transporta-tion of people and cargo, intermodal-ism, laws, regulation, safety, envi-ronmentalism and career opportuni-ties. In addition, students will partic-
ipate in academic enhancementactivities, field trips and student proj-ects. Approximately 18 rising 9th,10th and 11th-grade students willreceive full scholarships to partici-pate in the four-week summer pro-gram. Scholarships will includetuition, equipment and supplies, trav-
el (field trips), workshops and hand-outs, facility usage and speakers.
Applications are now beingaccepted. Space for this extremelyintense learning opportunity is limitedto the first 18 qualified applicants. Formore information call Tasjah Hall,project coordinator, at 713-313-1959.
TSU Host Transportation Institute for High School Students
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Rare Opportunity
Students from the Cyviaand Melvyn Wolff Centerfor Entrepreneurship, thenation's top-ranked under-graduate entrepreneurialprogram at the Universityof Houston C. T. BauerCollege of Business, weregiven the chance of a life-time when one of theworld’s most respected andsuccessful investors -Warren Buffett - extended ahighly coveted invitation toBerkshire Hathaway Inc.headquarters in Omaha, Neb.
The Center’s namesake, MelvynWolff (BBA '53), is Chairman of StarFurniture, a Berkshire Hathawaycompany. Twenty-seven studentsfrom the program, along with a selectgroup of students from Harvard, MITand other top universities were invit-ed to spend time with Buffett April16 and 17.
The Wolff Center was named thebest undergraduate program forentrepreneurs in the U.S. by ThePrinceton Review and Entrepreneurmagazine. Buffett’s invitation is yetanother indication of how highlyregarded the program is, said DanielSteppe, Director of WCE.
“This was an amazing opportu-nity for the students, and I know theyleft a wonderful impression withBuffett and everyone else who wasthere with their enthusiasm, skills andentrepreneurial spirit,” Steppe said.“The students already grasp what ittakes to be a successful entrepreneur,but this opportunity to talk withWarren Buffett about some of thechallenges he's faced and the deci-sions he has made is somethingthey'll learn from and rememberthroughout their lives.”
UH Bauer students had theopportunity to visit some of theBerkshire Hathaway subsidiaries andparticipated in a Student Q&ASession with Buffett during the two-day visit. Other schools invitedinclude Harvard, MIT, Columbia,University of Chicago, NorthwesternUniversity, and the University ofMinnesota. According to Steppe,most schools invited are businessgraduate programs, making WolffCenter one of the only undergraduatebusiness programs to be included.
Some of the topics students pre-pared for Buffett included the bestentrepreneurial opportunities in anegative business cycle, maintainingintegrity in business, the global out-look during this downturn, his viewson the nationalization of the autoindustry and his projections for aWall Street recovery.
About the University of Houston
The University of Houston, Texas'premier metropolitan research andteaching institution, is home to morethan 40 research centers and institutesand sponsors more than 300 partner-ships with corporate, civic and gov-ernmental entities. UH, the most
diverse research university in thecountry, stands at the forefront ofeducation, research and service withmore than 35,000 students.About the Bauer College of Business
The C.T. Bauer College ofBusiness has been in operation formore than 60 years at the Universityof Houston main campus. Through itsfive academic departments, the col-lege offers a full-range of undergrad-uate, masters and doctoral degrees inbusiness. The Bauer College is fullyaccredited by the AACSBInternational - the Association toAdvance Collegiate Schools ofBusiness. In August 2000, Houstonbusiness leader and philanthropistCharles T. (Ted) Bauer endowed the
College of Business with a $40 mil-lion gift. In recognition of his gen-erosity, the college was renamed theC.T. Bauer College of Business.
Wolff Center Students Go toOmaha to Visit Warren Buffett
UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON PROUD: Ernesto Manrique and Lauren Valinoti not only get a photo oppor-tunity but also a meeting of a lifetime with Warren Buffett.
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Pursley LawFirm was glad tosee justice for aretired Navymachinist withmalignantMesothelioma.The man wasawarded $12.1million dollars ina lawsuit settledrecently inCalifornia.
HOUSTON – Pursley Law Firm, aleading Houston law firm for mesothe-lioma and asbestosis cases, waspleased to see courts around the coun-try continue to award just settlementsto victims of employer negligence.Because of being exposed to asbestosduring the course of their regularemployment, millions of people nowsuffer from mesothelioma, which canonly be caused by exposure to thetoxic fibers. Law firms like Pursley arefighting to help victims hold employ-ers accountable and reclaim the dam-ages that they deserve.
In this case, Mr. CharlesCundiff, a retired United States Navymachinist, brought suit against thecompany that had supplied and man-ufactured a product containingasbestos. While working at PugetSound Naval Shipyard, the machinistwas repeatedly exposed to toxicasbestos fibers and was never warnedof the danger. The company that sup-plied the materials was Lone StarIndustries, and the manufacturer wasJohn Crane, Inc. Both were found tohave failed Mr. Cundiff by not pro-viding information crucial to hishealth and safety while working withasbestos.
Mr. Cundiff was involved in therepair of gaskets in engine roomsaboard vessels, in particular the USSKitty Hawk. While working aboardthe Kitty Hawk, he was repeatedlyexposed to toxic asbestos dust andfibers, but was unaware that any pre-cautions needed to be taken. He woreno protective equipment and didnothing to stop ingestion or inhala-tion of the asbestos.
Unfortunately, Mr. Cundiffdeveloped malignant mesotheliomaas a result of this exposure.Mesothelioma is a rare cancer thatdevelops almost exclusively due toasbestos inhalation. Malignantmesothelioma is very aggressive andincurable. It affects the body'smesothelium, which is the liningbetween skin and around organs.Tumors grow, impeding function andcausing pain. Because of the way theillness develops, mesothelioma is
typically dormant for years after theexposure, leading to lawsuits that goto trial decades after the incident.Nevertheless, with diligent research,lawyers are usually ableto recover fair compen-sation for those injuredby asbestos exposure due to compa-ny negligence.
“I am always glad to see courtsdealing fairly with the victims ofasbestos exposure. We believe infairness, and we are always pleasedto see settlements awarded that rec-ognize the serious harm mesothe-
lioma causes for victims and theirfamilies,” said Jack Pursley, FirmManager of Pursley Law Firm PLLC.
Pursley Law Firm has some ofthe top Houston per-sonal injury attor-neys, including many
who specialize in mesothelioma andasbestos. The firm also offersHouston truck accident lawyers, per-sonal injury attorneys, businesslawyers, and more. They serveclients in the state of Texas, but alsothroughout the United States. TheirHouston divorce lawyers and other
attorneys all share a sense of dedica-tion to fairness for the client.
That’s why the law firm was soglad to see Mr. Cundiff receive fairtreatment from the California court.“Whenever there is a mesotheliomacase, the ultimate goal is for it to befair. It doesn't matter who's involved,or where it takes place. You alwayswant the victim to get fair treatment,”concludes Pursley.
About Pursley Law Firm:Pursley Law Firm is a top Texas legalconsulting agency offering a team of
premier Houston personal injuryattorneys, truck accident lawyers,divorce lawyers and more. PursleyLaw Firm offers free initial consulta-tions to help determine whether ornot your case can go to court.
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What does it mean to be your-self? For me, it means being con-scious of the past and not allowingthe negativity toaffect who you aretoday. There is some-thing within us that stops that fromhappening, I call - “The Critic”.There are a number of accusationsthat come from “The Critic” thatare just waiting to trigger you intoaction. The moment someone ques-tions your character, The Critic
wakes up. The moment there issomeone hitting on your significantother, “The Critic” jumps into
action. The momentthat a person mocksyou, laughs at you,
or insults your pride, “TheCritic” is there.
Hold up, who is “The Critic,”you might be asking. “The Critic” isthe part of yourself that you havesubconsciously hired as a guard tobuild a fortress around your person-
ality and heart. However, the cost ofdeconstructing that fort is expen-sive, so it remains, guarding youwith the old values, beliefs and
expectations that you assigned to“The Critic” a long time ago. Eachtime someone questions your indi-vidual self, “The Critic” is there tolet that person know that you are notafraid of defending yourself.
Each one of us holds onto aparticular set of standards thatmakes up the person we know to be“ME”. The moment somethingcauses us to take a footstep outsideof those standards, “The Critic”jumps in. Suddenly, we have to
defend ourselves to ourselves forsurvival – the sense of being “ME”that must be defended at all costs.
We have to understand that“The Critic” can be our greatestfriend or our greatest enemy. Trustyourself. If you can’t trust who youare – the naturally valuable, bril-liant, unique and magnificent per-son you were born to be – whyshould anyone else?
True freedom lies in simplybeing yourself. – Michelle
THE PRICE OF BEING YOURSELF
Ann Anthony Antoinette Authur Brandi Bree Bridget Bruce Candace Carl Chloe
Chris Craig
Daniel Danielle
Darrell David
Denise Diane
Doc Donn
Endia Endria
Eric Eric
Garnett Gary
Jalene Zoe
COMMENTARY
Aubrey R. Taylor submitted the followingquestions to both candidates in the June 13, 2009 runoff to become the City ofHouston District HCouncil member
TAYLOR: How does it feel to beone step away from possibly becom-ing the Houston City Councilmemberrepresenting District H?
CANDIDATE WELSH: I amvery proud of the work we havedone in our campaign. I have per-sonally blockwalked every neigh-borhood in District H. I feel that it isimportant for a candidate to go intoneighborhoods himself in order totruly represent the people. This is agrassroots campaign that is about put-ting people above politics. The resi-dents of District H are tired of busi-ness as usual and are ready for some-thing new and I totally represent that.
TAYLOR: Can you tell my readersand your potential constituents a lit-tle about you and why you want toserve on Houston’s city council?
CANDIDATE WELSH: I ama former public high school Historyand Government teacher that suc-cessfully taught in two majorDistrict H schools. I am also the for-mer president of the City's largesthistoric district and my neighbor-hood association in addition to hav-ing served as a Chief of Staff at CityCouncil. I know that I have theexperience necessary to hit theground running for District Hbecause of my hard work ethic andestablished relationships with theMayor, City Controller, CityCouncil Members, and CityDepartment Heads. I have had alifetime of public service and wouldbe honored to serve the residents ofDistrict H on Houston City Council.
TAYLOR: In the special electionyou gained approximatedly 26.9percent of the vote to make yourway into the upcoming June 13thrun-off. However, we both know thevoter turnout was extremely low.Why do you think the turnout was solow? And what are you doing tochange that?
CANDIDATE WELSH: As aformer public high schoolGovernment teacher I found the lowturnout to be appalling. I believe theturnout was low because of the factthat this is a May/June special elec-tion and there were large parts ofDistrict H that had no access toearly voting locations. I absolutelybelieve that every communityshould have full access to early vot-ing locations. My campaign is doingeverything we can to make sure thatevery person is informed about andvotes in this election.
TAYLOR: If you could speakdirectly to the voters in District Habout the importance of turning outon June 13th what would you say tothem in one sentence?
CANDIDATE WELSH: Don'tvote if you are happy with businessas usual and the status quo; vote forme if you are ready for change andwant somebody with new ideas anda passion for ALL of the neighbor-hoods of District H.
TAYLOR: What do you think isyour greatest strength?
CANDIDATE WELSH: Mygreatest strength is that I care aboutevery community in District H. Ibelieve that a City Councilmanshould represent everyone and notjust favor certain communities. Mycareer as a teacher at JeffersonDavis High School in the Northsideand Reagan High School in theHeights gave me a chance to workin many of the great neighborhoodsin District H. I know this district, Ihave taught in this district, and Iknow I will do a great job represent-ing this district.
TAYLOR: This is my final ques-tion. What do you hope to accom-plish for the people of District Hbefore the November (2009
Citywide) election when you willhave to do this all over again?
CANDIDATE WELSH: As aCouncilman for District H I planon using my experience as a highschool Government teacher to con-duct town halls all over the districtin order to learn what the concernsof residents are. I have beenblockwalking in all of the neigh-borhoods of District H for monthsand people have told me that theyfeel like their voices haven't beenheard in a long time. I want to lis-ten to the residents of the districtand fight for them. I absolutelyhope to be an agent of change forimproving public safety, the quali-ty of our schools and neighbor-hoods, and making sure that everycommunity in District H has aCouncilman that cares.
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ELECTION DAY IS JUNE 13TH!
Texas BusinessAlliance AnnouncesOfficers and Board of Directors
HOUSTON – The TexasBusiness Alliance (TBA), a smallbusiness development nonprofitorganization, announced its 2009-2010 officers and board members.
“I’m delighted with the energyand expertise our officers and boardmembers bring to the Texas BusinessAlliance,” said TBA Founder andCEO Jeffrey L. Boney. “The board isdedicated to the mission of TBA anddelivering results for the organiza-tion’s members and supporters.”
Leading the board is ChairmanTimothy L. Smith, principal of ThePlaid Group.
The 2009-2010 officers andboard members are Vice ChairAndrea D. Smith, CPMS, CSMS,ITEC, CEO, AbiDawn HolisticTherapies, LLC; Secretary SharonPhillips, president and CEO,MultiCultural Connections;Treasurer Tracy Taylor-Smith, presi-dent and CEO, Taylor SmithConsulting, LLC; AssistantTreasurer Rajiv Bhavsar, vice presi-dent lending and branch manager,United Central Bank;Parliamentarian Mark LeCrone,Southern Texas sales consultant,Lightspeed Technologies; GeneralCounsel Jeffery K. Malonson, part-ner, Vinson & Elkins; and boardmembers Winston Labbe’, vicepresident community developmentlending, AmegyBank and George N.Wyche Jr., executive vice president,ConcordisRyland.
To guide achievement of theTBA mission and vision, the boardhas developed the organization’sfive-year strategic plan and 2009-2010 plan of action slated for roll-out to the public in summer 2009.
New Director toOversee StateComptroller’sProperty TaxAssistance Division
AUSTIN – Texas ComptrollerSusan Combs has named DeborahCartwright the new director of theProperty Tax Assistance Division(PTAD). Cartwright will overseeongoing changes in the way the statemonitors local property taxes, helpslocal governments comply withproperty tax laws and informs prop-erty owners about the tax process.
“Deborah shares my commit-ment to make property taxes moretransparent for the hardworkingTexans who pay the tax and the localgovernments that appraise propertyand set tax rates,” Combs said.
Cartwright is an attorneywhose background includes work-ing with the Legislature, the BexarAppraisal District and theComptroller’s office from 2002-06.She returned to the Comptroller’soffice as assistant director of theProperty Tax Assistance Division inJanuary 2009. Cartwright earned abachelor's degree from HowardPayne College in Brownwood, amaster’s degree from the Universityof Texas LBJ School of PublicAffairs and a law degree from theUniversity of Houston.
Cartwright replaces PropertyTax Assistance Division DirectorArt Cory. Cory was the longtimechief appraiser for the TravisCounty Appraisal District. He came
out of retirement to help theComptroller implement changesin PTAD operations, launch newlocal outreach efforts and pushfor legislative changes in theproperty tax system.
“Art’s experience and expertisein local property tax issues havebeen invaluable,” Combs said. “Iam very grateful that he agreed towork with us.”
County Judge EdEmmett holds NewsConference ToDiscuss HurricanePreparedness Updates
HOUSTON – Harris CountyJudge Ed Emmett and representa-tives of the Office of EmergencyManagement and the FederalCommunications Commission
recently met with the news mediato discuss updates in the wayHarris County and its residentsneed to prepare for this year's hur-ricane season.
Judge Emmett had this to say:“Although forecasters with theNational Oceanic and AtmosphericAdministration have projected anear-normal season for 2009, thoseof us who live along the Texas GulfCoast know it only takes one hurri-cane to create a disaster,” Emmettsaid. “A recent poll showed that 55percent of those living in hurricane-prone areas had no family disasterplan. While it’s true that we can’tcontrol the weather, we can - andwe must - prepare for it.”
Tom MelsheimerNamed Among BestLawyers in Texas
DALLAS - Noted Dallas triallawyer Thomas M. Melsheimer, themanaging principal for the Dallasoffice of Fish & Richardson P.C.,has again been named among thestate’s top attorneys in the 2009 edi-tion of Texas’ Best Lawyers.
The Texas’ Best Lawyers listingcomes from the annual BestLawyers in America guide. The2009 edition marks the third consec-utive year that Mr. Melsheimer hasbeen included in the prestigious list-ing of the nation’s top attorneys incommercial litigation.
Mr. Melsheimer, who DMagazine described as one of thecity's top “courtroom fighters,”has several times been named inthe magazine’s annual round-up of“The Best Lawyers in Dallas.” In2008 he was named one of thebest defense attorneys in NorthTexas by the Dallas BusinessJournal and the legal publicationLawDragon has previously named
him to their list of the nation’sTop 500 lawyers.
Mr. Melsheimer’s trial prac-tice includes complex civil andcriminal litigation in state andfederal courts, emphasizing intel-lectual property, antitrust, andFalse Claims Act litigation. Heserved as an Assistant UnitedStates Attorney for the NorthernDistrict of Texas from 1990 to1993, and during his tenure washonored by the JusticeDepartment as one of thenation’s top prosecutors.
Representing 78 specialtiesof law in all 50 states andWashington, D.C., the annualBest Lawyers list is compiledthrough a survey in which thou-sands of the top lawyers in theUnited States confidentially eval-uate their professional peers.More than two million detailedevaluations are reviewed in mak-ing the selections.
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Dr. Ken Diestlerof the AnimalClinic inGalveston, hasearned The GoodSamaritan Awardin the Visionarycategory, recog-nizing his effortsas a first respon-der duringHurricane Ike.
For two weeks, Dr.Diestler, along with his veteri-nary technician Lucy Click,took refuge at the clinic withno electricity, no gas and norunning water. For food, theyate instant meals distributedby military personnel and theAmerican Red Cross. The twoveterinary professionals drovearound Galveston searchingfor lost or sick animals. Theyalso gave out free bags offood, flea control, medicationsand examinations, only reply-ing to payment inquiries with,“If you can,” because so manyhad lost so much.
Aside from his aide dur-ing Hurricane Ike, Dr. Diestlerhad already had a longstandingrelationship with the city of
Galveston. He's done volunteerwork in the veterinary commu-nity there, he serves on the2008-2009 Board of Directorsfor the Texas Veterinary MedicalAssociation, and has served aspresident of both the GalvestonCounty Veterinary MedicalAssociation and the GalvestonIsland Humane Society of whichhe has been a board member formore than 20 years.
The Good SamaritanProgram is an annual awardsprogram put into place by theTexas Veterinary Medical
Foundation to recognize thosewho do exceptional things foranimals, the community, andthe profession of veterinarymedicine.
Through this recognition,the Foundation intends to edu-cate the public about veterinarymedicine, teach animal ownerresponsibility, and use the pro-gram as a public relations vehi-cle. The persons recognized aregiven the opportunity to namean animal charity of theirchoice to receive a $5,000 con-tribution in their name.
ABOUT THE FOUNDATION:-------------------------------------
The Texas VeterinaryMedical Foundation wasestablished in 1978 as a chari-table and philanthropic organi-zation. The Foundation is ded-icated to promoting the healthand well being of animalsthrough owner education pro-grams, veterinary studentscholarships and emergencyfunds, and continuing educa-tion programs, which isdescribed in the Foundation’sMission Statement.
Sonar Used ToDetect HurricaneIke Debris In TexasBays And Lakes
TEXAS CITY, Texas – With most of thedebris removed from public roads and high-ways in areas affected by Hurricane Ike, thepush now is to complete cleanup operations inbays and lakes along Texas’ upper Gulf Coast,officials from the Federal EmergencyManagement Agency (FEMA) and theGovernor's Division of EmergencyManagement (GDEM) said Friday.
When Hurricane Ike blasted GalvestonIsland and Bolivar Peninsula on Sept. 13, 2008,countless volumes of debris ended up floating orsubmerged in the Galveston Bay system and arealakes, including splintered wood, chunks of con-crete and broken glass from homes and business-es. Also deposited in the water were stoves,refrigerators and other household appliances;beds and mattresses; vehicles, boats, barges andmuch more.
“You only have to look at a map, and theplacement of communities affected by Ike, to seewhy so much debris from Galveston Island andBolivar Peninsula ended up in the bays,” saidKelly Huck, supervisor of FEMA’s DebrisGroup. “Anything you can imagine in a house-hold went into the water.”
A good deal of the debris became embed-ded in the silt and mud of the bays' floors,including a 70-foot steel-hulled shrimp boatthat crews will attempt to free near GoatIsland - once they locate equipment capable ofhandling such a job.
To expedite the cleanup mission, state con-tractors are using technology to pinpoint sub-merged debris. Utilizing side-scan sonar, thestate’s contractors are mapping sunken debristhroughout the Galveston Bay system as well asin Clear Lake and Sabine Lake.
In all, the state is scanning more than357,000 acres of submerged land for Ike-created“wet debris,” debris of any kind that is floatingor below the water’s surface. Using sonar, thecontractors can search large areas quicker thanthey could with divers alone, while not puttingdivers at unnecessary risk.
FEMA’s debris specialists are working sideby side with the Texas General Land Office(GLO), which has jurisdictional authority overthe state’s submerged lands and thus is the pri-mary applicant for FEMA Public Assistancegrants to help pay for the cleanup work. TheFEMA specialists also are monitoring the opera-tions on land and on the waterways.
“Cleaning up wet debris from our bays andlakes is a massive, time-consuming and costlyundertaking,” said Joan Haun, the GDEM’s statecoordinating officer for the Ike recovery effort.“Federal grants for this work will provide vitalfinancial assistance to the state.”
To date, nearly 85 percent of the 357,000acres has been surveyed and 55 percent of theidentified wet debris has been removed. (TheGLO has said the removal of wet debris fromareas eligible for federal assistance in the Gulf ofMexico is complete).
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineerscleared federally maintained navigable chan-nels such as the Intracoastal Waterway andthe area ship channels within weeks of thedisaster, while the U.S. Coast Guard and theEnvironmental Protection Agency tookcharge of the swift cleanup of hazardousdebris in area waters.
Meanwhile, debris removal is progressingin Galveston Bay, Trinity Bay, East Bay andWest Bay, as well as the two large lakes.
“FEMA strongly supports the state’s effortsto ensure eligible waters are cleared of debris assoon as possible and no longer present a healthand safety threat to the public,” said FederalCoordinating Officer Brad Harris.
FEMA leads and supports the nation in arisk-based, comprehensive emergency manage-ment system of preparedness, protection,response, recovery, and mitigation, to reduce theloss of life and property and protect the nationfrom all hazards including natural disasters, actsof terrorism, and other man-made disasters.
Galveston Veterinarian Honoredwith Good Samaritan Award
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HOUSTON, Texas - StanleyConsultants, Inc., provider of engineering,environmental, and construction servicesworldwide, has opened an office inHouston, Texas. Located at 3200 SouthwestFreeway, Suite 3300, the office will providea local presence to clients, as well as accessto the nationally-recognized engineeringfirm's full spectrum of services.
Stanley Consultants has been provid-ing engineering services in Houston since1998, primarily through the company'sAustin office. An increasing volume ofwork at the Texas Medical Center and otherhigher education, health care, and industrialclients, created the demand for a permanentoffice. This also facilitates an expansion ofpower, energy, infrastructure and landdevelopment services to Eastern Texas.
John Goetzmann is the office manag-er. He brings over 35 years of profession-al experience to his role, includingmechanical engineering and project man-agement. “Houston is such a vibrantplace,” says Goetzmann. “The city's met-ropolitan nature and Stanley Consultants'worldwide experience fit together hand-in-glove. I'm thrilled to be a part of thisexciting new venture.”
Stanley Consultants, Inc., a StanleyGroup Company, provides engineering,environmental, and construction servicesworldwide. Offices are located in Austin,Texas; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Boise,Idaho; Chicago, Illinois; Denver, Colorado;Des Moines, Muscatine and Iowa City,Iowa; Houston, Texas, Las Vegas, Nevada;Minneapolis, Minnesota; Naples, Sarasotaand West Palm Beach, Florida; Phoenix,Arizona; Salt Lake City, Utah; St. Louis,Missouri, and San Juan, Puerto Rico, aswell as select international locations.Since 1913, The Stanley Group has suc-cessfully completed more than 23,000engagements in all 50 states, U.S. territo-ries, and in 98 countries.
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“Never doubt that a smallgroup of thoughtful citizens canchange the world. Indeed, it isthe only thing that ever has.”
– Margaret Mead
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not care for politics and sit on thefence do indeed side for a politi-cal party: The ruling party.”
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entered a stage where we areall dependent on each other. Noother country or nation shouldbe regarded in total separationfrom another, let alone pittedagainst another.”
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The Person to See lives his/her life with an attitude of gratitude.
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