News and Issues
If You're Looking For A Link To the Mueller Report, Look No Further
Editor's Note:
We're not downloading the entire Mueller report, but here is the Justice Department URL to read the report at:
Report On the Investigation Into Russian Interference In The 2016 Election, Vol I and II; Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller, III
https://www.justice.gov/storage/report.pdf?_ga=2.80421777.744576135.1555603755-461170982.1555603755
Mueller received the following military awards and decorations:
Four Individuals Indicted on Wage Fixing and Labor Market Allocation; Conspiracy Aimed at Suppressing Pay for Essential Workers During COVID-19 Pandemic
“Early in the pandemic, Maine made additional resources available to ensure that seniors continued to receive in-home care and that essential workers would be able to afford personal protective equipment,” said U.S. Attorney Darcie McElwee for the District of Maine. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is proud to partner with the Antitrust Division to protect essential workers from the type of conduct alleged in the indictment returned by the grand jury.” “PSS workers and other essential workers risked their health caring for others at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The indictment in this case alleges that the employers of these workers colluded to deprive them of opportunities to earn better wages. The Antitrust Division and our partners will investigate and prosecute this conduct to the fullest extent of the law. more »
Jo Freeman Reviews The Chancellor: The Remarkable Odyssey of Angela Merkel
Jo Freeman writes: "Early on Marton asks if the most powerful woman in the world was a feminist. By the end she concludes: kind of, maybe. Kohl appointed Merkel as the Minister for Women and Youth in 1991, but not because she wanted the job. She was rather indifferent to it, though she did champion an equal rights law. However, she liked the company of women, especially strong women in important jobs, and wanted girls to have more opportunities. Marton says that by the end of her tenure she had quietly transformed a patriarchal political culture into one that was more accepting of women." more »
Indoor and Vertical Farming May Be Part of the Solution to Rising Demands for Food and Limited Natural Resources
"Imagine walking into your local grocery store on a frigid January day to pick up freshly harvested lettuce, fragrant basil, juicy sweet strawberries, and ripe red tomatoes – all of which were harvested at a local farm only hours before you’d arrived. You might be imagining buying that fresh produce from vertical farms where farmers can grow indoors year-round by controlling light, temperature, water, and oftentimes carbon dioxide levels as well. Generally, fresh produce grown in vertical farms travels only a few miles to reach grocery store shelves compared to conventional produce, which can travel thousands of miles by truck or plane." more »
Federal Reserve Issues FOMC Statement Signaling a March Interest Rate Hike as Well As Reducing the Size of the Fed's Balance Sheet
"The Committee seeks to achieve maximum employment and inflation at the rate of 2 percent over the longer run. In support of these goals, the Committee decided to keep the target range for the federal funds rate at 0 to 1/4 percent. With inflation well above 2 percent and a strong labor market, the Committee expects it will soon be appropriate to raise the target range for the federal funds rate. The Committee decided to continue to reduce the monthly pace of its net asset purchases, bringing them to an end in early March. Beginning in February, the Committee will increase its holdings of Treasury securities by at least $20 billion per month and of agency mortgage backed securities by at least $10 billion per month. The Federal Reserve's ongoing purchases and holdings of securities will continue to foster smooth market functioning and accommodative financial conditions, thereby supporting the flow of credit to households and businesses." more »