Salmon fishing had been closed to fishermen off the California coast for the past two years. This has been detrimental to their ability to make a living. Biologists had predicted more Chinook Salmon this year and have opened more of the West Coast to fishing.

However, there are those in the California Department of Fish and Game who dispute the predicted large increase in salmon. There are some who believe the increase in numbers of the salmon in the Sacramento River and its tributaries to be too high an estimate.

Consumers would welcome an increase of high quality salmon on their menus and commercial fishermen could be working again, if the projections of increased salmon is accurate. The estimate of last year for increased salmon was too optimistic. Many believe this year’s predictions are also too optimistic on the number of salmon, leading many to believe, the pressure from commercial fishermen to get back to work is having an effect on the numbers.

The executive in question who has been drawing 1 million dollars a year in salary from the Charity has actually been closing down the Charities Clubs due to lack of funding. He not only got 1 million a year in salary but there was funding available for him to spend over 4 million in travel expenses, almost 2 million in conferences and nearly 600,000 dollars for lobbyists, who, by the way, might be working for the fellows who fund the Charity.

Astonishment was voiced by Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa, one of the esteemed top Republicas of the Senate Finance Committee who said when that information was revealed to him that, “The question is whether or not a very top heavy organization might be siphoning off Federal dollars that should be going to help kids.”
That remark has to be the years most ambivalent way of circumventing obvious fraudulent use of federal dollars.

The dignitaries of the Senate are currently moving on a bill that will give these million dollar a year philanthropists of our boys and girls another 425 million dollars of Federal money to tide them over for the next five years and to help them in closing down unprofitable Boys and Girls Clubs.

What is even more confusing is the Senate telling us, the taxpayers whose money they freely spend, that the Charity posted a loss of revenue. Is The Boys & Girls Clubs of America a Charity or a paid for profit funded by the Federal government corporation.

The number of banks with poor troubled assets ratio was listed as 389. If a bank’s ratio of troubled assets rises above the 100 rating, there is a problem. The troubled assets ratio means that there are more bad loans on the books of the banks, than can be covered by money set aside for such an eventuality.

The FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation), closed 140 banks in 2009. This corporation guarantees ordinary savings and Certificates of Deposit. They did not insure Money Market Funds until the present banking crisis hit.

Banks are again getting involved in risks that caused the problem the country is going though. This might be due to the ‘moral hazard’ situation. The banks are still under the impression that they will be bailed out. Nothing so far in the way of legislation has dispelled that rumor. Legislators want to again separate depositor money from the funds the banks use for risky investments.

The new rule is set to go into effect on April 29th. The rule states that an airline could be fined $27,500 for every passenger on the flight if the delay on the tarmac goes over three hours. Officials at JetBlue and Delta have said that with the Boeing 757 that could result in a fine as high as $3.5 million dollars.

While the main runway at JFK is not due to reopen until July, there are three smaller runways that service the facility. With May and June being the start of the peak traveling season, JetBlue and Delta officials are worried that delaying for smaller aircraft could have them face the possibility of long delays on the tarmac. The FAA is stating that there should be no problem and that the longest delay during the temporary closure should be no longer than an hour.

Douglas Schantz, 54-year-old president of Sequent Energy Management, disappeared shortly after he was seen on surveillance video stumbling up the plank of a docked riverboat. He was in New Orleans to make $25,000 scholarship donation to Tulane University; this is the college that his daughter attends.

Steps of Schantz were traced all over New Orleans from Bourbon Street, where he and several colleagues had been drinking until the early hours of the morning, to the Mississippi River where he was caught on video jumping over a fence and walking under the gangway of the riverboat Natchez. It should be noted that there are signs posted warning people not to climb or sit in that area as it is very dangerous.

His body was later found underneath the dock at the Toulouse Street Wharf where the riverboat, Natchez, was docked. His body had all of his clothing intact and none of his jewelry missing. Though officials believe his death was due to an accidental drowning and that no foul play was involved, a coroner will perform an autopsy to determine the cause of death, police said.

The number of families that are in the ultra-millionaire or worth more than five million dollars increased by 17 percent. Although, these figures are considerably lower than the highs in 2007 it is a sign that some are bouncing back.

Analysts attribute the steep rise in millionaires to the stabilizing of the stock market from the lows in 2008. The real estate market is certainly not responsible as that is still in a downward spiral.

This new report has been released one year after the massive drop in stocks a year ago. The stock market was at its lowest in 12 years sparking many investors to get in while the prices were low.

Unfortunately, for the average citizen, the numbers are not quite as promising. The higher number of millionaires coincides with a high unemployment rate. Employers have cut costs and raised productivity with fewer individuals employed. The average unemployment rate has remained around ten percent during this economic turmoil.

What seemed to be the perfect solution for new mothers has become a nightmare for some. Baby slings are used to sooth new babies and keep them warm in an environment much like the womb. The device is worn around the neck and straps across the parent’s chest to keep the baby cocooned in a warm fabric sling. Another big seller for this product was that it allows parents to carry their baby and free up their hands and arms.

Consumer Reports raised concerns two years ago about these slings, particularly SlingRider by Infantino, because of the potential for injury if the child were to fall out of them. They also warn that the shape of these products causes newborn babies, who have very little control of their heads and necks, to bury their heads in their chests which can restrict their ability to breathe. They worry, too, with the child being suffocated by the parents clothing if they were to turn their heads toward the parent’s chest.

In 2007, Infantino’s SlingRider was recalled because of its plastic sliders on the slings strap, but none have been recalled due to suffocation issues.

James Sikes, the 61-year-old owner of a blue 2008 Toyota Prius, called 911 at 1:30 pm Monday to report that his car’s accelerator was stuck and that he couldn’t slow it down. The car was racing over 90 miles per hour eastbound on Interstate 8 near San Diego and the driver could do nothing to stop it.

The ordeal was quite a dramatic one with a highway patrolman racing next to Sikes talking with him over a loudspeaker about how to stop the car. Sikes reported that he could not turn the engine off or even put the car in neutral. During the incident, Sikes reported reaching down to the gas pedal and the floor mat was not in the way of the pedal. After Sikes was directed to use the brake and parking break, the highway patrolman had to put his patrol car in front of the Prius and slam on the brakes in order to slow the car down. The car finally came to a stop, after a 20 minute ordeal, without any injuries.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has sent an investigator to look at the car and Toyota sent their private investigator as well.

AGL Resources and the Sequent Energy Management Unit have been working with local and New Orleans law enforcement to find Schantz. They all hope Schantz will return safely home.

Family statements say they will do anything for the safe return of their loved one. Money is not an issue if we can get Doug back, is a statement made by Michael Schantz, Dougs son.

Currently Peter Tumminello the executive vice president is acting as president until the safe return of Schantz.

The whole staff at AGL and Sequent Energy Management extend our prayers and intensions to the family of Douglas Schantz. We all would like to see a speedy and safe return of our executive to his Houston home and eventially our office.

If you have any information about the disappearance of Douglas Schantz please contact your local authority.

In addition, the U6 employment rate of part-time workers who want full-time work is up in the 16% range. The method the government uses in determining its statistics has changed over the years, always to put a better face on the unemployment situation.

Productivity is going up, which tends to point out that employers are having their employees do more work. This points to the idea that no hiring will be done anytime soon. Additionally, with employers uncertain about the effect of health care reform and other laws which will affect businesses, hiring is on hold.

The rise in the jobless rate or its remaining steady had been blamed on the bad February weather. Employers report the statistics via computer, therefore, this excuse should be examined closely. Not taken into consideration are the fundamental changes that employers are initiating. This would entail doing with less workers and conducting more of their business abroad.