Germany recently reduced its compulsory military service to six months. And now the country is considering doing away with the draft all together. The possibility of ending the draft would be a significant change for a country that began universal conscription so it could fight off Napoleon and the French army in the early 19th century.
Click on the following for more details: Germany debates ending conscription | WBEZ
(AP) — An undetermined number of McDonald's employees at a northeastern Ohio franchise received handbills in their most recent paychecks suggesting they vote for three Republican candidates.
The fast food chain's corporate headquarters in Oak Brook quickly condemned the action by the Canton, Ohio, restaurant, saying it was not reflective of the company's position.
Allen Schulman, an attorney representing one of the employees, said Friday he had forwarded the paycheck insert to Canton's city law director, citing an Ohio law against corporate advocacy in elections.
The handbill recommended votes for Republicans John Kasich for governor, Rob Portman for Senate, and Jim Renacci for Congress. It said that employee raises and benefits would continue only if the "right people" were elected
Ohio McDonald's franchise slips voting advice in paychecks | Consumer | Crain's Chicago Business
Great article on what we should learn from Japan—Is there a Republican who read it?
The lesson is that there is a proper sequence for pulling a nation out of a financial crisis,” said Heizo Takenaka, an economist who was the architect of the successful cleanup of Japan’s banking system in the early 2000s. “First, you restore growth before worrying about deficits.”
feature of Japan’s experience that may already be visible in the United States: the paradox of a stagnant economy that is awash in cash
In a healthy economy, banks typically lend out more money than they have on deposit
velocity of money has dropped to about a third the level of the United States, according to figures from the Mizuho Research Institute in Tokyo.
American approach to economic adjustment is “shock treatment,” said Edward J. Lincoln, director of the Center for Japan-U.S. Business and Economic Studies at New York University, while “Japan favors stability and the corporate ocialization of the pain.” …“Deep down inside, as an American,” Mr. Lincoln said, “I tend to think that the United States’ approach makes for a healthier economy in the long run.”
Click on the following to read more: U.S. Hears Echo of Japan’s Woes - NYTimes.com
The $230 million grant was announced Monday by U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Tom Harkin, D-Iowa. That was in addition to $10 million awarded by the Department of Transportation last week for the construction of an intermodal station in downtown Moline. An intermodal center combines rail service with other transportation options, such as buses, taxis, rental cars, water taxi and even bicycles.
Although not high-speed, the route from Chicago to Iowa City through the Quad-Cities is expected to be completed to Moline by 2013 and Iowa City by 2015.
commitments of $45 million from Illinois and $20 million from Iowa.
Brady, who has used the state's $6 billion in unpaid bills as a campaign issue against Quinn, denied his campaign had any financial problems and was visibly perturbed by an ABC7 producer's question about the management of his campaign.
"Now wait a second, no one said we didn't pay our bills...we paid our media buyer, he's the buyer, don't put words in anybody's mouth," said Brady.
The sales department at ABC7, which canceled 23 Brady commercials Thursday, reports the campaign paid what it owes the station late Thursday afternoon. Ads purchased by Citizens for Brady will be back on the air Friday.
Click on the following for this newer story on the Brady ads: Brady Campaign: Accounting glitch impacts ads | abc7chicago.com
person of interest is being held on charges of obstruction of justice and unlawful possession of a motor vehicle. Extradition is pending. Officials did not release details about the arrest.
Click on the following for more details: NIU Homicide/ Missing student case: Person of interest held in murder of NIU art student Antinette 'Toni' Keller | abc7chicago.com
Will the Bill Brady ads end this Friday?
A number of Chicago television stations, including NBC 5 and ABC 7, and at least one station downstate in Peoria, began pulling Bill Brady campaign ads Thursday for nonpayment.
project director Rebecca Kiessling. "We've pulled out from certain areas and we've changed things around," she said, insisting that the decision to not pay certain bills was merely a method of changing the buy.
Pat Quinn, suggested the entire episode called into question the Republican's financial acumen.
"Sounds like they need to pay their bills," Quinn said at an afternoon appearance. "If you're running for governor, that's a good way to show the people you know what you're doing is to pay the bills."
Click on the following source for more information: http://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/ward-room/Bill-Brady-Says-Campaign-Ads-Pulled-for-Non-Payment-a-Simple-Mix-Up-106133339.html#ixzz13hREoZ8L
