SPECIAL EDITION - UNEMPLOYMENT DAY 2

The weather here is killing me, pain in my knees is unreal - so I took a nap.

UPDATE 1:22pm MDT

I watched the vote via CSPAN - the bill HR 5618 did NOT pass as previously stated - the vote was 261-155 and we needed 2/3 vote for passage. Please continue phone and fax campaigns!
I will post the voting records as soon as they are available online.

UPDATE 6:40pm MDT

Senators Reid, Baucus Unveil New Unemployment Measure - http://senatus.wordpress.com/2010/06/29/reid-baucus-unveil-new-unemployment-measure/


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I was woken up by my phone ringing and news of HR 5618, a stand-alone unemployment bill going through the House of Representatives. This bill has passed through the House.

Now all those faxes need to keep going to the Senators who voted NO on the original bill HR 4213. We need to push them to a YES vote! Please remind them all that THEIR JOBS are on the line should they vote NO! Use the line - We'll Remember in November!

House of Representatives

At this link from the CURRENT HOUSE FLOOR PROCEEDINGS, LEGISLATIVE DAY OF JUNE 29, 2010, 111TH CONGRESS - SECOND SESSION - http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:H.R.5618: - the text of the bill has not been posted yet - here's the text found there - The text of H.R.5618 has not yet been received from GPO Bills are generally sent to the Library of Congress from the Government Printing Office a day or two after they are introduced on the floor of the House or Senate. Delays can occur when there are a large number of bills to prepare or when a very large bill has to be printed.

At this link- the main link for Current House Floor Proceedings for today June 29, 2010. http://clerk.house.gov/floorsummary/floor.html browse down to the page to the time of 1:12pm - click on HR 5618 for more information. (in addition, see below for the information that is posted)

H.R.5618
Title: To continue Federal unemployment programs.
Sponsor: Rep McDermott, Jim [WA-7] (introduced 6/28/2010) Cosponsors (1)
Latest Major Action: 6/28/2010 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Open Congress

At the Open Congress website: http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-h5618/show read what they reported on - H.R.5618 - Restoration of Emergency Unemployment Compensation Act of 2010.

Huffington Post

From the Huffington Post - Unemployment Benefits: House To Vote On Standalone Bill
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/29/unemployment-benefits-hou_n_628627.html

As more information on this bill is received, it will be posted. Please check back for updates. I will also use my Twitter account: ElaineM925 to report updates with #unemployment.

On one of these sites, I had read, but can't believe until the bill text is out, that the extra $25 per week that we have received in addition to our regular unemployment will no longer be available in the "extension". That's $100/month! Please wait before broadcasting that until the bill text can be read.

After Downing Street

House to Vote on Stand-Alone Unemployment Insurance Bill Today - http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/node/53573

Total Bankruptcy

Congressional Disputes Hamper Unemployment Extensions - http://www.totalbankruptcy.com/blog/congressional-disputes-hamper-unemployment-extensions/

Rep Sander Levin - article and video

Rep. Sander Levin formally introduces standalone federal unemployment benefit extension bill - http://www.mlive.com/michigan-job-search/index.ssf/2010/06/rep_sander_levin_formally_introduces_sta.html


Please do your part by calling both Representatives Jim McDermott (D-WA-7) and Sander Levin (D-MI-12) for reintroducing the "extenders bill" under stand-alone HR 5618.

Rep Jim McDermott: Phone: (202) 225-3106, Fax: (202) 225-6197

Rep Sander Levin: Phone: (202) 225-4961, Toll Free: (888) 810-3880,
Fax: (202) 226-1033

STAND UP AND BE HEARD!

Please feel free to leave comments! They are encouraged and welcome!

Mexican laws - worse than Arizona

Today was another beautiful day in the neighborhood. A little bit of rain fell but otherwise, sun shining, blue skies and warm.

Notes from the Home Front

Today, I realized that a trellis is needed to hold the gladiolas up, I'm very sure that I can make one cheaper than buying one. When I do, of course, I'll take pictures of it. A trellis might also work well once the cucumber plants start sprawling out of their planters.

Tonight, I found this funny television show on CBS "I Get That A Lot". Celebrity guests act like regular workers in an assortment of stores. I think it's hysterical! Anyone else watch it?

World News

What you may have never known about Mexico's laws, but will now!

The following is an excerpt from the article: "Under the Mexican law, illegal immigration is a felony, punishable by up to two years in prison. Immigrants who are deported and attempt to re-enter can be imprisoned for 10 years. Visa violators can be sentenced to six-year terms. Mexicans who help illegal immigrants are considered criminals."

How about that? Read the whole article explaining how Mexican President Felipe Calderon denounced as "racial discrimination" the Arizona Law - click here.

So tell me - WHO has tougher laws on Illegal Immigration? Of course, I, personally, wouldn't ever think of going to Mexico to live there or even try to. Would YOU? All in all, I STILL applaud Governor Jan Brewer of Arizona and hope that SB1070 wakes up our government in Washington DC to act upon closing/securing OUR borders.

Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico

In other world news, what do you think should be done with BP? Why wouldn't the Coast Guard, a US of A entity not hand over the tapes of the oil spill since the day it happened? This is classic for our government and it REALLY bothers me. It is also my opinion from watching the tapes on Katie Couric's CBS report that there is a barely a difference between the oil spewing from the original break in the pipe and now that it is semi-plugged. If you've seen it, you'd know that you don't have to be an expert on the subject.

Unemployment News

Florida

Some people in Florida are happy tonight and actually might know where their next meal is coming from, others were not so fortunate. Continue to read the article entitled: Florida extends unemployment benefits, but not all are eligible, here.

Tier 5, Senator Reid and Passage of HR 4213

Quoted from the article: "The Tax Extenders bill (H.R.4213) that is likely to come before Congress sometime over the next week is the vehicle that will extend unemployment eligibility till the end of 2010. While that’s good news for millions who will benefit from knowing their unemployment won’t be ending till year’s end, it’s of little condolence to the millions who have and will exhaust their benefits."

Please read the whole article by clicking this link.

Representative Levin Predicts Action on Extenders by Week's End

The following is a quote from the article: "If the Republicans want to filibuster a jobs-tax extender bill that contains an extension of unemployment insurance, contains COBRA benefits, that provides reimbursements for the doctors that take care of Medicare patients, I'd like to see that," she said. "I'd like to see that debate on the floor of the Senate and I think that we do ourselves a disservice by not standing up and calling their bluff."

Read the entire article by clicking on this link.

My Weekly Phone Calls

Instead of making my regular phone calls today, I decided to take a different approach. Yesterday, on each Senators or Representatives page on facebook or in reply to a tweet by them, I commented and tweeted about the percentage rate of Colorado unemployment. I suggest we start taking more direct and drastic measures. In addition to commenting on their pages on facebook, I also posted a question for the television stations on their walls. Although, I wonder why The Denver Channel - ABC channel 7 - no longer has a wall to post on. I did find another way to post to them and received a comment from them in reply.

Tomorrow, I start on the newspapers!

In a way, I'm forcing them in public to report on this VERY important issue.

You've heard of Unemployment and Employment - Now we have Infoployment!

Today, in the midst of reading tweets, I came across a blog site named: iBlog |The Infoployment Blog, they are a Job Search and Interview Information Services Company. You might find them interesting, so click here and read. Tell them I sent you!

Local News

Yahoo Buys Denver Based Associated Content

According to the article, Associated Content was listed as being a creation of Luke Beatty in either 2004 or 2005 - the one article lists 2004 and another link from it listed 2005.

Associated Content is an online presence that offers freelancers a chance to telecommute while submitting original text, video, images and audio to their content website. Who knew? You can read about the sale and what Associated Contact is all about here.

Tech News

Online Privacy

Have you ever wondered about what information others can obtain on you? Check out your results by searching at www.spokeo.com. I checked out my personal information there. Some of it is correct while much more of it is incorrect.

What will they think of next?

Consumer News

Verizon Wireless

After I receive a phone call tomorrow from the Corporate Office, I will expose the difficulties I have had with Verizon over a few weeks time.

Apple

While tweeting today, one of my fellow Tweeps was having an issue with their Mac Book and iPhone. This person tweeted about having a problem. I suggested that she call customer service back and ask for a technical supervisor, which she did. Yes, her problem was solved. YAY!

Never allow a customer service representative or anyone from "corporate america" push you around when you are calling them with an issue. Start a log, write down the date and time you called, and person's name. Write down why you called them, what happened on the phone call and if you were satisfied. Keep this log for future reference, you may need it in case the issue reappears. If you continue to get the "run-around", ask for a supervisor, and log it! If you still aren't satisfied, go higher to the Corporate Office as they might have an Executive Services department that WILL solve your problem. One thing that is VERY important to remember is that YOU the customer are contributing to the salary of the person who is a representative of the company you called. Don't let them forget that without you, there would be no job for them!

That wraps up another day of blogging -

As always,

STAND UP AND BE HEARD!