SEC. 342. TEMPORARY FINANCING OF SHORT-TIME COMPENSATION PAYMENTS IN STATES WITH PROGRAMS IN LAW

(a) PAYMENTS TO STATES.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (3), there shall be paid to a State an amount equal to 100 percent of the amount of short-time compensation paid under a short-time compensation program (as defined in section 3306(v) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as added by section 341(a)) under the provisions of the State law


This is an example of how burdensome this recession has been.  The states will provide the payments to their recipients and then receive reimbursements as the State Secretary calculates the increase.  This is a fiscal nightmare for the states and the federal government if they are going to be accountable.  There is no action by government that should not be accountable, these are the people's monies.  


So, for the federal government to account for their disbursements, they will receive statements/invoices from the states and reimburse their costs.  That means the states has to have the cash flow to start the program in the first place and not all states have the same credit rating of the federal government.  So, if a state has to borrow money in order to carry out the program it may be at a higher rate than the federal government would pay.  That reeks havoc with budgets and politics, but, the people will be better off in the long run, so it has to go forward.  But, none of these people elected into office asked to be 'electorate sandpaper.'  These provisions are necessary, but, can be costly.  When Wall Street was supplied with a $700 billion fund for their lousy business model, they didn't even skim the surface of the damage they did to this country when they touted how they paid it back.  The problems these governments now have in protecting people from this collapse is on going.  The costs are enormous and the people innocent.  Buoy.

e. Such estimates may be made on the basis of such statistical, sampling, or other method as may be agreed upon by the Secretary and the State agency of the State involved.

That is not as terrible as I thought.  The estimates should never be wrong though.  A state could get in trouble if they are over estimating.  They might borrow far more than they will get in reimbursement and that would lead to abuse and potential an audit with repercussions.  So, the state officials have to know what they are doing to get the most accurate estimate.  I would decrease the amount by 10 to 15 percent and then return for more reimbursement once the figures were actual instead of estimated.

(3) LIMITATIONS ON PAYMENTS.—

(A) GENERAL PAYMENT LIMITATIONS.—No payments shall be 

made to a State under this section for short-time compensation paid to an individual by the State during a benefit year in excess of 26 times the amount of regular compensation (including dependents’ allowances) under the State law payable to such individual for a week of total unemployment

These provisions do not apply to employees from seasonal, temporary or intermittent jobs. It would be abuse.  There is too much fluctuation in the nature of those jobs to be able to predict the outcome for payments and then recipients would get in trouble if they knew they were getting monies they really should not have.



(b) APPLICABILITY.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Payments to a State under subsection (a) shall be available for weeks of unemployment—
(A) beginning on or after the date of the enactment of this Act; and
(B) ending on or before the date that is 3 years and 6 months after the date of the enactment of this Act.



(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section


Nothing strange or unusual.



SEC. 343. TEMPORARY FINANCING OF SHORT-TIME COMPENSATION 
AGREEMENTS.
(a) FEDERAL-STATE AGREEMENTS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Any State which desires to do so may enter into, and 
participate in, an agreement under this section with the Secretary provided that such 
State's law does not provide for the payment of short-time compensation under a shorttime compensation program (as defined in section 3306(v) of the Internal Revenue Code 
of 1986, as added by section 341(a))


Participation by states is not mandatory nor does it have to be perpetual.  As a state recovers they can terminate this provision.
............................................
Kim Jong Il is dead.  I guess Governor Richardson will be traveling.  Dog gone it, its Christmas.  

The death of Kim Jong Il, North Korea's enigmatic leader, was announced by the state television from Pyongyang (click here)

He was only 69 years old.  His son needs to come to terms with the fact longevity in North Korea is poor compared to other nations in the world.  He is younger and should appreciate longevity for himself and his people and work on the quality of life in North Korea and not military capacity.  Military capacity has its own way to shorten lives if wrongfully applied.  I am sorry he is dead.  I don't believe, by demonstration of power within the last few years, his son will be better for the North Korean people.
.........................................


There is also a disincentive for employers to invoke their furlough option.  It costs the employer monies to have employees receive unemployment.



(3) EMPLOYER PAYMENT OF COSTS.—Any short-time compensation plan 
entered into by an employer must provide that the employer will pay the State an amount 
equal to one-half of the amount of short-time compensation paid under such plan. Such 
amount shall be deposited in the State’s unemployment fund and shall not be used for 
purposes of calculating an employer’s contribution rate under section 3303(a)(1) of the 
Internal Revenue Code of 1986.


The state also gets reimbursed their entire 50% for benefits by the federal government.  Good.  The states are having enough problems.

(2) TWO-YEAR FUNDING LIMITATION.—States may receive payments under this section with respect to a total of not more than 104 weeks.

There is a disqualifier for states that legislate their own program that has a different definition of short-time compensation under section 3306(v) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as added by section 341(a),...  The state has to adhere to the intentions of this law to qualify for reimbursement.

(f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:


SEC. 344. GRANTS FOR SHORT-TIME COMPENSATION PROGRAMS.
................................


In regard to North Korea and other nations that are not the five nuclear nations, there is a reason why they play brinkmanship.  There is a reason they have opposed any disarmament.  It is due to the over aggressive nature of the Right Wing leaders in USA.  The invasion into Iraq set the 'trustworthiness' of the USA back decades.  Back to the Cold War when it comes to nations such as North Korea.  


Kim watched how Saddam's Iraq was disarmed and then saw the death of the dictator.  The same happened with Libya.  First it was disarmed and then the rebels were provided assistance with their revolution.  The leaders of these nations now see themselves and their country falling into the same fate as Iraq.  There are a lot people dead in Iraq and Saddam had nothing to do with their deaths.  


It is too dangerous to let these countries continue their nuclear programs, it hurts the quality of life of their people, but, when these leaders reflect on the deaths in Iraq and the continued struggle now, they don't see disarmament as a method to peace, so much as a method to suffering.  That reality resulted from actions by the USA.  Iraq should not have happened.  The UN Inspectors were doing a superb job.  There was no WMD.  It has taken more than eight years to be able to leave Iraq after that huge blunder.  


What form of diplomacy is going to be effective if the American people continue to have leaders that act in aggression outside an understanding of 'legal war.'  The actions of Bush and Cheney nearly makes the State Department a place mute rather than empowered by national security policy.  To be honest, I sincerely don't expect Kim's son to be less of a military dictator so much as more of one.


I'll read more of this act tomorrow.  I'll start with SEC. 344. GRANTS FOR SHORT-TIME COMPENSATION PROGRAMS on page 110.


end

Okay. There was an email from Joe Walsh. He is a sorry legislator, between all his town halls ...

...and now he is co-hosting some kind talks show.  What was the name of it?  Oh, yeah, "Big ? Tod ?"  No.  It was "Big John and Amy Show."  Walsh is never doing his job.  The man plays all the time with the power afforded him.  Isn't he from Illinois?  He can't hold a candle to President Obama.  Oh, well...about the American Jobs Act.  Page......341.  No section 341 on page 106.


This is a new section all together.  This is IRS Code again.  I'll read through it quickly to see if I can simply write a brief synopsis.

PART III – SHORT-TIME COMPENSATION PROGRAM
SEC. 341. TREATMENT OF SHORT-TIME COMPENSATION PROGRAMS.
(a) DEFINITION.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 3306 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 3306) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: “(v) SHORT-TIME COMPENSATION PROGRAM.—For purposes of this chapter

This is about furloughs.  This is when employees are basically sharing their jobs with each other so no one is laid off, but, they don't maintain the same number of work hours.  Those employees that maintain work hours from 41% of their full time job and 90% can receive unemployment.

“(3) such employees whose workweeks have been reduced by at least 10 percent, and by not more than the percentage, if any, that is determined by the State to be appropriate (but in no case more than 60 percent), are eligible for unemployment compensation

This is a difficult position to be in, not that unemployment will help, but, a recipient will have to maintain all the standards someone completely unemployed has to meet.  I don't think it realistic.  I want to explain that further, because, the reality today is that people sharing work hours to keep from being laid off can find themselves receiving less and less time at work as a company marginalizes their labor force.  So this is difficult, but, such employees never know where they stand.


All the rules for reporting job searches to the unemployment office applies here.  Yet, they are still working.  What happens if a person is offered yet another job that would require leaving their first employer?  The people sharing work hours are hoping they will be hired back full time, keeping all their benefits and the like.  But, how does a person discern whether that is realistic to expect?  At one point will someone performing a job search to receive benefits know they can leave their employer because they would have lost their original job anyway?


I think these people are in a difficult situation, because, if an unemployment recipient is offered a different job from their job search they can't really refuse it otherwise they loose their unemployment benefits.  There has to be some kind of relief from that dynamic.  I don't believe it is fair, no matter how prudent it might be.

“(6) eligible employees may participate, as appropriate, in training (including employer-sponsored training or worker training funded under the Workforce Investment Act of 1998) to enhance job skills if such program has been approved by the State agency


Here again, how are unemployment recipients still working going to be able to discern if they need job training?  Then there is the conflict of interest with their work hours.  If a person wants added training but it conflicts with work hours will their benefits be effected?  If not, then what transpires when they do receive work training and they are still working and hoping to return full time?  It is a very odd position to be in and it is almost mental cruelty.  There has to be some anguish with these folks due to the fluid circumstances they find themselves.  Yet, it is better to have at least a portion of work hours than none at all.


The way these people are paid unemployment is by the portion of LOSS of their normal work hours.  If a person has lost 25% of their work hours, then unemployment payments are based on that percentage.


The Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (click here) is at the Department of Labor Website.  This provision does not quote an exact statement in the act, so I am not going to try to find the particular place to read.  But, the link is noted above.


And for those that might read this as if the government is doing everyone a favor to paying  unemployment benefits, my reply is "Excuse me?"  Employees pay into their benefits for all the years they work.  Employees have a right to them.  Got it?  I hope so.

“(7) the State agency shall require employers to certify that if the employer provides health benefits and retirement benefits under a defined benefit plan (as defined in section 414(j)) or contributions under a defined contribution plan (as defined in section 414(i)) to any employee whose workweek is reduced under the program that such benefits will continue to be provided to employees participating in the short-time compensation program under the same terms and conditions as though the workweek of such employee had not been reduced or to the same extent as other employees not participating in the short-time compensation program, subject to other requirements in this section;

This is what makes it difficult to be this person.  The benefits invested over years can become a real problem when or if all that stops, especially to take another job.  I suppose if recipients find a job that might be more SECURE, they could receive a severance package, but, that probably doesn't happen.  I betcha those employees that move on due to their job searches are considered resigned and not terminated even though their circumstances have exposed them to that dynamic.  There is a degree of unfairness here.  Any employee that is working reduced hours, but, find other work due to the job searches they are required to make, should be considered a special case and given a severance package as if terminated or laid off.


I am sure this provision works out well for many people and may be a relief to finding new work, but, in all honesty these folks are kind of in a meat grinder.  They didn't ask for reduced work hours, but, yet due to receiving unemployment compensation they are required to have a second job looking for work.  There is inequity here.  I appreciate the generosity of proving monies to close the gap of income, but, at the same time these people are in a catch 22 of sorts.  Looking for a new job might be emotionally draining while they are still working their other job.  I just can't imagine feeling good about looking for work from a job I still have, have enjoyed and did well with along with peers and friends.  It is a difficult circumstance for these people and I believe the unemployment agency could be asking too much of them, unless they know they will be laid off eventually.


That is not something that is discussed either.  The 'work culture' an employee is leaving behind when they are partially or fully laid off.  They are leaving friends, social contacts, peers.  There isn't any support group for that either.  Being unemployed is difficult enough from a financial perspective, but, that emotional separation from others has to be significant.



“(9) in the case of employees represented by a union as the sole and exclusive representative, the appropriate official of the union has agreed to the terms of the employer’s written plan and implementation is consistent with employer obligations under the applicable Federal laws; and


(9) is a good thing.  It is better to have a union to be sure there is equity and people are treated fairly.  I like that.  Employers have to work with unions in these decisions.


I was just looking for a picture online of my slippers.  They really aren't slippers, they are camp boots that I used on the Juneau ice fields.  They are made by "SOREL."  If ever anyone wanted a pair of slippers that are actually shoes to wear outside, these are it.  They are so comfortable and their sole is about an inch and a half thick to elevate the foot off the ice and snow.  They have treads on the bottom.  I can't find the exact pair. 

 This is close but isn't exactly the ones I have.  Mine are paler in color and there is no orchid, but they are lined with fleece.  The treads are right.  I can walk easily across ice in these.  There is no bear on them.  Mine have the name SOREL with a Canadian leaf inside the letter O.  The seam on the toe goes all the way around with a single piece of fabric.  There is no angle.  These are by far the most comfortable, warmest and most durable shoes I have ever worn.  No lie.  If I can't find another pair should these wear out, I am really going to be bummed about it.

(3) TRANSITION PERIOD FOR EXISTING PROGRAMS.

President Obama wrote a time frame for states already providing this form of compensation.  This Act is suppose to enhance their capacity, so they are allowed to live within the law while the necessary changes are made.

...such amendment shall take effect on the earlier of—
(A) the date the State changes its State law in order to be consistent with such amendment; or
(B) the date that is 2 years and 6 months after the date of the enactment of this Act


In some states it might take this long, too.  It is no different than the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act and how it took years to get the monies into the economy.  Take for instance Texas where they only meet a portion of the year, every other year.  If this Act were to be passed, it could take potentially two to three years to see this implemented.  First the law has to be changed and in an off year that would not happen for a long time, then the Comptroller has to modify the states procedures to provide for the law.  It could take a long time for these monies to actually received the unemployed and by then the people could be destitute or working a new job, hopefully.


I bought those shoes on sale at a outdoor supplier called "Moosejaw (click here)."  Now that I think about it, it might have been a style that was being discontinued.  But, they are great shoes.  No lie.  I also receive rewards from Moosejaw for what I purchase.  Those rewards can accumulate for two years.  I just cashed mine in before I lost them on December 31st.  A Christmas present from Moosejaw to me.  Nice.

(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—

(1) INTERNAL REVENUE CODE OF 1986.—

(A) Subparagraph (E) of section 3304(a)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code 

of 1986 is amended to read as follows: ...

I betcha it gets rather strange for these folks.  On one hand they are still paying into unemployment while collecting.  Weird.  There are probably some interesting conversations these people have as they work reduced hours and receive benefits at the same time.  Hm.


(2) SOCIAL SECURITY ACT.—


(3) UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION AMENDMENTS OF 1992.—


That is a worry, too.  A person is paying SSI, I guess the official name is FICA.  Is that right? So, they are working reduced hours, paying into SSI, but that is going into their SSI account with less accumulation than if they were working full time.  That is difficult to accept.  You know, that would really make me upset and angry.  This Great Recession really is nasty to people.  Wall Street isn't hurting though.  This is lousy with a capital L.


This lousy collapse has created enormous problems for this country's government.  This is not fair from any angle.



Continued in next entry.

I will cover the American Jobs Act starting where I left off on October 19th. (click title to entry - thank you)

On October 19, 2011 the next section to be read was Section 341 on page 106.  I'll start there and finish tonight at the top of page 116, Section 346(b) Funding.  I have some emails to address, so I'll begin after that and I get my warm slippers out.


I think this will be a better activity for the holidays as well as any commentary.  Some of the more interesting aspects of the President's jobs bill is in the second half.  


I'll be back.

Does Santa Claus have a new sled?

COWLEY COUNTY, KANSAS -

Residents (click title to entry - thank you) in Cowley County, Kansas are still talking about a mystery craft, seen being towed down US 77 Monday.

Sitting inside Lindly's Appliance Store, Kammi Root is used to seeing large machinery towed down US 77. But what she saw Monday afternoon is something she won't soon forget.

"There was this funny sphere that went through on this big trailer and my first thought was, 'That looks like a UFO,'" said Root.

A huge 32 foot craft, wrapped in tarp, was as mysterious as the transport company who called Sheriff Don Read for help.

"They told us that it was an aircraft and that they had explored other ways to transport it but this was the best way for them to do it and they asked us not to say a whole lot about it," said Read.

After all, the massive load's shape would certainly draw enough attention on its own....

Are there UFOs? 

Possibly.






How do they travel at the speed of light undetected?

Researchers (click here) rely on numerical simulations to visualize the structure of the heliosphere and its interaction with the Local Insterstellar Cloud. Solar wind data from the SWOOPS instrument on the three-dimensional structure of the inner heliosphere provide important constraints on heliospheric models.


On Electro-Magnet Currents and solar winds (ionic charged particles from the sun.  It is why they can hover motionless one minute and be gone the next.  All they have to do is reverse their polar direction.

Fairly simple to understand when one accepts the idea it is possible.


I am sure all those that have attended school in The West understand how electricity can create magnetic fields.  There is no need for nuclear powered or hydrogen powered anything when physics is applied correctly.  If a ship were able to maintain polarity through minimal electrical conduction and harnessed it anything would be possible.

The TransCanada Folly is supposed to end at the Valero refineries in Texas.

The reason the Tax Cut and Unemployment Benefits were renewed for two months, is as a threat to the President and still another political 'hot potato.'  


See, the Republicans don't care about people unless they have oodles of money they throw at them and their elections.  So, the only reason the House passed the bill was not for the benefit of the people, but, to insure there would be a pipeline.


Follow yet?


Simple really, so long as the citizens commit themselves to understand they are meaningless to the Republican agenda.


The Tax Cut and Unemployment Insurance extension is not really the issue.  If the Republicans had done their jobs they would have passed it for another year.  But, there was a crony having trouble with the White House.  So, the Corrupt Republican House and Senate fashioned a bill that would bring both the pipeline and the tax cut and unemployment insurance to the forefront at the same time.  President Obama after signing the bill to benefit the Working Class, Middle Class and Poor of the USA will  have to make an Executive Decision regarding the folly of TransCanada.  


If I were President Obama I would defeat it, because, in two months time after it has been defeated (And the argument can easily be made it was set up to be defeated as there isn't enough time) the Republicans are going to attach it anyway regardless of the harmful and wasteful nature of the project.  They will demand to pass the pipeline along with the extended tax cuts and unemployment benefits after it is defeated by the White House; proving once again who actually OWNS THE REPUBLICANS.


TransCanada is a folly because the British markets are now closed to their garbage grade oil and sludge and I sincerely doubt Venezuela will allow an ally of the USA sales into Latin American and South America.  I don't really care, because, I think TransCanada is a garbage stock anyway.


So, there it is.  The Dirty Garbage Politicking of the GOP.  I know who I am voting for across the board in 2012 and there won't be one Republican among them.


Oh, yeah.  I won't be purchasing not one drop of Valero gasoline from any station anywhere in the USA.


Indeed, Valero's (click title to entry thank you) September 2011 presentation to its investors clearly shows how the company plans to export diesel and jet fuel from its Gulf Coast refineries, while importing gasoline from its Pembroke refinery in the U.K.


The 2011 Presentation has been removed from an online access.  There is a lot of propaganda, especially by Murdoch's Wall Street Journal.  The propaganda is necessary to keep the investors committed to this disaster.

Liz knew how to take care of herself and those that surrounded her life.

Star: Liz Taylor,(click title of entry for more photos and video - thank you) who died earlier this year aged 79, is pictured here enjoying tea and a cake in her dressing room in 1950

Princess Zinaida Yusupov wearing the La Pelegrina Pearl as a head ornament surmounted by the La Regente

Characteristics of the "La Pelegrina Pearl" (click here)

The older "La Pelegrina Pearl" with a history of over 350 years is a natural pear-shaped white pearl, with high quality silvery luster and a weight of 133.16 grains. The pearl undoubtedly has all the desirable characteristics under GIA's seven pearl value factors :- size, shape, color, luster, surface quality, nacre quality, and matching.

Socio-economic choices for women. - From the New Zealand Herald.

...Meanwhile, (click title to entry - thank you) one in 10 45-year-old women in 2010, when the information was collated, had four or more children, compared with one in five women born in 1938.

According to the figures, women born in the 1960s and 1970s had fewer children by age 30 than previous generations as more and more opted into higher eduction, delayed marriage and established careers.

Those born in 1965 had 1.18 children on average by their 30th birthday, compared with 1.86 for women born in 1938.

And those women born in 1980 had 1.03 children on average by their 30th.

Future projections suggest that the percentage of women having just one child will rise from 13 per cent among women born in 1965 to 18 per cent for these born in 1970 and 1975....

While in the USA the political right wing wants to define an embryo as a citizen and prohibit birth control to insure they have enough people for their military aspirations.

The Congress is ineffectual. They can only agree on a two month bill for the tax cut and unemployment benefits? That is nothing short of sad.

The Republicans have anchored their bids for re-election and presidential hopefuls on being "The Party of NO!" When a Congress is this divided the nation is unsuccessful. The Republicans do no respect the election outcomes of 2008 and 2010 with a spirit of cooperation and commitment to recover the USA as soon as possible.


The Republicans are 'power players' with obstruction as their 'wedge' to inhibit forward movement of vital legislation for the country.  They snubbed the President's "American's Job Act" and in doing so they snubbed the American people.


The Republicans refuse to tax the wealthiest after their bailout and the money to fund effective change and government remain out of reach for the Middle Class and Poor. The proof of the draconian intent of the Republicans is revealed in the fact over a third and nearly one half of the nation's populous is at poverty level or just above it. The SHAME belongs to the Republicans as Americans face yet another new year of deprivation.  The Republicans have no moral compass, they have no conscience, only wallets bulging with Wall Street money.


I think I'll return to reading the American Jobs Act to conclusion as there remains about half to finish.

...Those talks (click title to entry - thank you) are still continuing and Reid said he still hoped they would succeed.

But with lawmakers hoping to leave town soon for the holidays, negotiators are working on shorter version they would revisit when Congress returns next year.

The bill would also avoid cuts in Medicare reimbursements to doctors that would last two months....

Kindly donate to the "Bradley Manning Support Network" - Click title to entry, thank you

Army Pfc. Bradley Manning, left, is escorted out of a courthouse in Fort Meade, Md., Friday, Dec. 16, 2011, after the first day of a military hearing that will determine if he should face court-martial for his alleged role in the WikiLeaks classified leaks case. Manning is suspected of being the source in one of the largest unauthorized disclosures of classified information in U.S. history. (AP Photo/Cliff OwenCliff Owen / AP


I wonder if he could be considered a journalist?


By Nancy A. Youssef
McClatchy News Service

FORT MEADE, Md. -- A hearing (click here) to determine whether Army Pfc. Bradley Manning should face charges of illegally releasing thousands of classified U.S. military documents opened Friday with the defense questioning the presiding officer’s objectivity....

The hearing Mr. Manning is facing is a military hearing and his attorney sees the first approach as a conflict of interest.  Mr. Manning's attorney, Dr. David Coombs states the presiding officer, Lt. Col. Paul Almanza, as someone who cannot remove himself from a pre-determined outcome.  When asked to recuse himself the Colonel saw the request as preposterous.


The Manning Family has been overseeing Bradley's return to the USA and vigilant to his wellness and treatment.  Kindly support the family and bring justice to Bradley.  

Christopher Hitchens Dead at 62; Prolific Columnist and Author Succumbs ...

My deepest sympathies to his family, friends and colleague journalists.  He was rather an incredible personality.  The world will be less colorful and insightful.

Before the House and Senate gets too bent out of shape regarding the Oil Sands of Canada as there are facts few know.

The Keystone Pipeline is the work of corrupt lobbyists.  That is already known, but, the really incredible aspect to this monstrosity is the fact there will few American jobs that will out live the actual building of the pipeline.  I am not even sure if Canadians will be building it actually.  I don't believe there is any guarantees to the expertise needed.


Once the pipeline crosses the USA with all the unnecessary risks that comes with it, including imperiling the world's most productive farmland when (not if) a spill and/or explosion will occur, the oil in it is being shipped abroad.  Not a drop in the refineries in Texas will benefit the USA.  The USA is simply a "Right of Way" for Canada.  The refined oil will be shipped to Central America and Europe.  So, thanks to Republicans all the risk lies with the USA with none of the benefits.


The jobs with longevity if the pipeline is built will be in Canada and Texas at the refinerie.  There won't be any sustainable employment until there is a rupture or explosion of some kind.  Then the USA will have to send out crews to rescue the area, including potential human deaths if there is a significant enough explosion.


In the application by TransCanada it states:

Existing markets for Canadian heavy crude,(click here) principally PADD II, are currently oversupplied, resulting in price discounting for Canadian heavy crude oil.  

Access to the USGC via the Keystone XL Pipeline is expected to strengthen Canadian crude oil pricing in PADD II by removing this oversupply. This is expected to increase  the price of heavy crude to the equivalent cost of imported crude. Similarly, if a surplus of light synthetic crude develops in PADD II, the Keystone XL Pipeline would provide an alternate market and therefore help to mitigate a price discount. 

The resultant increase in the price of heavy crude is estimated to provide an increase in  annual revenue to the Canadian producing industry in 2013 of US $2 billion to US $3.9 billion. 

The pipeline has absolutely NOTHING to do with the USA's energy costs.  Nothing.  This is a Canadian company seeking to make a ton of money via Texas.


Not only that, but, the drought ridden Texas is now coveting water from all the other fifty states, when they need to be building desalination plants.

...The proposed pipeline (click here) could also be used to pump water from the Ogallala aquifer in the U.S. Midwest, one of the world's largest, to the badly parched states in the arid southwest such as Texas, currently suffering its worst drought in history. 

Pipeline industry officials often say pipelines like Keystone can be easily used to transport water, said Maude Barlow, chairperson of the Council of Canadians, a large environmental NGO....

The Texans are willing to dry up the nation because they don't care about environmental controls and carbon dioxide emissions.  At one point, Bush, when it was in office was looking to pump water out of the Great Lakes, so this is no surprise.


...Therefore, "Keystone XL poses a double threat to the Ogallala through contamination from a pipeline leak or by pumping water that is already being overdrawn," Barlow said in an interview with Tierramérica. 

Spills from pipelines are not rare. Another Canadian pipeline company spilled 3.2 million litres of thick tar sands crude into a river in Michigan only a year ago, she noted. 

Despite massive clean-up efforts, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) officials say it may be years before the work in the Kalamazoo River watershed is completed, largely because the heavy tar sands crude, called bitumen, is heavier than water and contains more heavy metals.... 


The demands by Republicans to include this pipeline in a Tax Cut Bill is about corruption and cronies.  There is no reason for this to occur.  Whatever happened to State's Rights where the people don't want this pipeline for all the reasons here and more?  It doesn't matter if states don't want the pipeline, it only matters that Wall Street is served.


Secretary Jackson at the USA EPA is a wonderful administrator of the laws of the USA and the right of the Executive Branch to protect the states, the food supply of the world when the world is not able to feed itself and the air and water we breath and drink.  The Republicans are trying to prove to their FINANCIER from Wall Street they are more powerful than any state in the union and citizen alive.  It is just that simple.  It is corruption beyond any imagination.


Ask yourself if you feel you've been deceived and lied to by Wall Street and the Republicans YET AGAIN !


Oddly, Europe has doesn't even want the lousy stuff.  I hadn't seen this before.  The truth is TransCanada's market for its tar sands oil is diminishing by the day.

Nobody Even Wants Keystone's Tar Sands Oil

Wednesday, October 05, 2011
In a victory for Connie Hedegaard,(click title to entry - thank you) the EU's climate change commissioner, the commission has decided to back a new directive on fuel quality. This will set minimum environmental standards for a range of fuels, including tar sands, coal converted to liquid and oil from shale rock. Hedegaard said: "With this measure, we are sending a clear signal to fossil fuels suppliers. As fossil fuels will be a reality in the foreseeable future, it's important to give them the right value.'' ...The proposals have now been sent to EU member states who will meet in four to six weeks to vote on the proposal. It will then go to the European parliament for final approval. ...The commission has proposed that tar sands be ascribed a greenhouse gas value of 107 grams per megajoule of fuel – this compares with 87.5 grams per megajoule for ordinary crude oil, on average. Producers will also have to cut the carbon footprint of their fuels by 6% in the next decade....


While Bush and Cheney were in office, they worked closely with the UK and Canada to push through technologies that produce huge amounts of carbon dioxide through 'conversion' processes.  Tar sands and 'liquid from coal' are the two technologies.  The sad truth is that these technologies produce high amounts of carbon dioxide in the process of conversion fuels.  The final product has carbon dioxide emissions no different than gasoline.  I don't even know if the final product can actually be added to gasoline enhancements to increase cleaner fuels and/or mileage.  By cleaner I mean sulfur, lead, ozone, nitrogen and the list goes on.  If one burns gasoline without additives, it is fairly nasty stuff and causes acid rain.


But, these technologies when they were introduced were controversial in all circles of environment, conservation and human health.  These aren't just tree huggers.  They are highly qualified people able to level opposition.  


What TransCanada wanted to do with the Keystone XL pipeline was to increase demand for the oil extracted from the tar sands.  I hadn't seen this information before, evidently the UK has decided the country is not going to create incentives for the use of the technology and demand for the product.  With this decision from the UK it may very well be that TransCanada will loose its shirt while demand will not increase by diminish while costs escalate.  There are no guarantees this Tar Sand oil, which is a very poor quality oil, will have a market even after it reaches Texas.  The Latin America countries receive their oil frrm their own oil wells within their borders, Venezuela and Mexico.  I doubt if they are going to take an interest in this mess even after it reaches the Gulf Coast.  


Bold Nebraska (click here)

...Jane Kleeb, director of the anti-pipeline group Bold Nebraska, said research hasn't shown the effects of the tar sands oil on land, water or human health if a pipeline were to leak. Kleeb noted that the state hasn't enacted laws to shield landowners from oil-spill liability or dealt with the prospect of eminent domain if they oppose a company's offer to buy land for a project.

"Our concerns have not been addressed, and the opposition is not going away," Kleeb said. "We do not know the proposed route. We have no idea if the pipeline will cross the heart of the Ogallala aquifer, or areas where the pipe sits in the water table."...

From the Atlanta Journal Constitution :

The Keystone pipeline will NOT create 20,000 new jobs (click here)

12:09 pm December 14, 2011, by Jay

And that, of course, is false, and Lugar and McConnell have good reason to know it is false. The Keystone XL Pipeline, the centerpiece of the latest standoff in Washington, will not produce 20,000 shovel-ready jobs. Even TransCanada, the company pushing the pipeline’s construction, now acknowledges that it is false.

The number that the company likes to throw around is now 13,000 direct construction jobs, but that too is misleading. When challenged, the company acknowledges that it is counting what you might call “job years.” In other words, TransCanada believes the project will produce 6,500 jobs that last for two years.

Six thousand five hundred jobs is a far cry from 20,000. And even the 6,500-job estimate is much too high. According to an independent assessment by Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations, the project would produce between 2,500 and 4,650 construction jobs, and could even end up costing the country jobs, for reasons that we’ll get to below....


Wall Street.  Blackrock is a Wall Street equity firm.  They are going to try to turn oil sands in to their own form of liquidity.  This is a CASH COW for Blackrock, IF, anyone purchases the product.


Transcanada Corp. (NYSE:TRP): On 06/30/2011, BlackRock, Inc.(click here) reported holding 13,548,085 shares with a market value of $593,948,048. This comprised 1.17% of the total portfolio. On 09/30/2011, BlackRock, Inc. reported holding 15,061,561 shares with a market value of $609,842,630. This comprised 1.38% of the total portfolio. The net change in shares for this position over the two quarters is 1,513,476....


TransCanada is a failing company.  The pipeline mentioned in this article is a gas pipeline that is losing money.

Pipeline caught in ‘death spiral’ of rising costs (click here)

Published On Fri Dec 16 2011

John SpearsBusiness Reporter

TransCanada Corp.’s main gas pipeline is caught in a “death spiral” of a dwindling customer base and negative market forces, according to some of its customers.

And those customers – who include some of Ontario’s new natural gas-fired generating stations – say they’re being whacked with soaring tolls in the pipeline’s struggle for survival.

Those costs are passed on to consumers....


And commodity prices are dropping for the products TransCanada produces.  Oh, well.

Canadian Gas Declines on Higher-Than-Normal U.S. Stockpiles (click here)

By Gene Laverty
Dec 15, 2011 4:54 PM ET


...Gas traded on the exchange is shipped to users in Canada and the U.S. and priced on TransCanada Corp.’s Alberta system. NGX Alberta gas has slipped 21 percent this year....

Where does it look as though TransCanada will make money?  Ready?  ALTERNATIVES.  Particularly Wind Energy.

TransCanada Corporation: Cartier Wind Energy Delivering Additional Power to Quebec (click here)

Nov. 29, 2011, 10:04 a.m. EST

CALGARY, ALBERTA, Nov 29, 2011 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- TransCanada Corporation  (TransCanada) today announced the completion of the Montagne Seche project and phase one of the Gros-Morne wind farm. Combined, the two projects are capable of producing 159 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy, enough to meet the needs of over 17,000 homes.

"We're pleased to add these two additional projects to our diverse energy portfolio as it demonstrates our commitment to increasing the supply and availability of clean, renewable energy," said Russ Girling, TransCanada's president and chief executive officer. "With the successful start-up of these projects, we have taken another step towards realizing our vision of becoming the leading energy infrastructure company in North America. Looking forward, we are positioned to complete another $12 billion of new projects that are expected to come into service by 2014."...

Another Wall Street Company.

Transcanada Corp: Genworth Financial’s Biggest Utilities Stock Position in Q3 (click here)

By Dave Friedman

Wall St Watchdog reveals information regarding Genworth Financial’s top holdings in the Utilities sector for the quarter ending September 30th, 2011. The firm held 19 stocks in the Utilities sector at the end of the quarter with an aggregate market value of $40.734 million.

I don't need anymore to know this company is best off staying in Canada to supply the energy sector there.  They have no solid basis for expansion, the CEO is finding monies in equity firms and portraying a HOPEFUL outlook.  I would no more purchase this stock than shoot myself in the foot.  I don't own a gun.