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May 2009 Archives

Assorted Links 5/29/09





The Labelizers - Bonus Clip (Carrie Nation returns!)
also see "Calorie-Count Menu Laws - A Load Of Bologna"





"Bach Bach Revolution"




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May 29, 2009 07:37 AM   Link    Caught Our Eye    Comments (0)

Glossary of Legislative Terms: "Conferees"

Conferees: Representatives from each chamber who serve on a conference committee; also referred to as managers.

Congressional Deskbook

This definition is from the Glossary in our Congressional Deskbook.

Perfect reference tool of Congressional jargon and procedural terms.

Congressional Deskbook: The Practical and Comprehensive Guide to Congress, by Michael Koempel and Judy Schneider.

TheCapitol.Net offers training and a Certificate in Congressional Operations and Federal Budgeting. We show you how Washington and Congress work. TM


May 28, 2009 07:37 AM   Link    Tips and Terms    Comments (0)

Assorted Links 5/27/09 - Special homemade musical instruments edition





Big Can & Cigar Box - Robert S. Hilton & Brother Yusef





Variety of instruments from jamilgiudice





Rubber Glove bagpipe





Introduction of handmade vegetable musical instruments





How to Make a Filled Tambourine With Rice & Beans





The Squarepent - Homemade Tuba (Serpent)





Bubble Organ by Aaron Wendel




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May 27, 2009 06:47 AM   Link    Caught Our Eye    Comments (0)

Assorted Links 5/26/09





A Public Service Message From Reason.tv: If You Want Health Care Coverage, Go Out and Get Some!





Video: Slow Motion Lightning Filmed From An Aircraft




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May 26, 2009 06:37 AM   Link    Caught Our Eye    Comments (0)

Apprentice seaman training - Merchant Marines

This is a WWII poster from the Northwestern University archives.

Apprentice seaman training
Apprentice seaman training

More



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May 25, 2009 09:17 AM   Link    Art    Comments (0)

Glossary of Legislative Terms: "Point of Order"

Point of Order: Objection to a current proceeding, measure, or amendment because the proposed action violates a rule of the chamber, written precedent, or rule-making statute.








Congressional Deskbook

This definition is from the Glossary in our Congressional Deskbook.


Perfect reference tool of Congressional jargon and procedural terms.


Congressional Deskbook: The Practical and Comprehensive Guide to Congress, by Michael Koempel and Judy Schneider.


TheCapitol.Net offers training and a Certificate in Congressional Operations and Federal Budgeting. We show you how Washington and Congress work. TM


May 23, 2009 08:57 AM   Link    Tips and Terms    Comments (0)

Assorted Links 5/22/09





Trailer for The Invisible Hook




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May 22, 2009 07:37 AM   Link    Caught Our Eye    Comments (0)

Assorted Links 5/20/09





Bonus Footage - Frankenstein Fats - "how the misguided fears over saturated fats gave us the Frankenstein fats we consume today."





Traffic Safety Film of the Week




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May 20, 2009 06:57 AM   Link    Caught Our Eye    Comments (0)

The original Capitol Hill Workshop from Congressional Quarterly (CQ) and TheCapitol.Net

The original Capitol Hill Workshop from Congressional Quarterly (CQ) and TheCapitol.Net.

Congressional decision-making is driven by politics, policy and process. In this 3-day workshop, Washington-based experts discuss these 3 P's and help you understand the complete policy-making process.

This training conference is sponsored by TheCapitol.Net - Exclusive provider of Congressional Quarterly Executive Conferences.

** Space is limited. **

WHERE: See web site for location in Washington, DC

WHEN: June 10-12, 2009, 8:30 am to 4:00 pm all three days

Registration Fee: $1295

For more information about this Workshop and secure online registration, see

CapitolHillWorkshop.com

or call our Registrar at 703-739-3790, ext. 112.


May 19, 2009 02:47 PM   Link    Capitol Hill Workshop    Comments (0)

May - June 2009 Legislative, Communication, and Media Training from TheCapitol.Net

Our latest email update:
http://www.thecapitol.net/PublicPrograms/email2009/email_2009_May19.html

If you don't have time to attend our live training, see our Capitol Learning Audio Courses.

TheCapitol.Net, Inc.
>> Exclusive provider of Congressional Quarterly Executive Conferences.
>> Non-partisan training and publications that show how Washington works. TM

May 19, 2009 07:37 AM   Link    Training    Comments (0)

President Obama’s Management Agenda

The Obama administration will overhaul the Bush administration’s methods of evaluating program performance of federal agencies according to recently released budget documents. Contained in the section, “Building a High-Performing Government” of the analytical perspectives volume of the fiscal 2010 budget, the Obama administration set forth its plan to replace the Performance Assessment Rating Tool (PART) with a new performance improvement and analysis framework.

This framework will switch the focus from grading programs as successful or unsuccessful to requiring agency leaders to set priority goals, demonstrate progress in achieving goals, and explain performance trends.

In developing this approach, the administration will engage the public, Congress, and outside experts to develop a better and more open performance measurement process that improves results and outcomes for federal government programs while reducing waste and inefficiencies.

As stated in the analytical perspectives, the administration will work with agency leaders and the Program Improvement Council (PIC) in the coming months “to develop options for:

  • Establishing a comprehensive program and performance measurement system that shows how Federal programs link to agency and Government-wide goals;
  • Reforming program assessment and performance measurement processes to emphasize the reporting of performance trends, explanations for the trends, mitigation of implementation risks, and plans for improvement with accountable leads;
  • Streamlining reporting requirements under GPRA and PART to reduce the burden on agencies and OMB;
  • Improving the communication of performance results to Congress, the public, and other stakeholders through better data display in agency reports and the ExpectMore.gov website; and
  • Launching a comprehensive research program to study the comparative effectiveness of different program strategies to ensure that programs achieve their ultimate desired outcomes.”

SOURCE: Government Executive.com, “Obama Team Outlines Its Management Agenda” by Elizabeth Newell, May 11, 2009.

If you would like to learn more about these reform efforts, TheCapitol.Net offers “Advanced Federal Budget Process: Integrating Performance and the Budget.” See www.BudgetProcess.com for more information.

Also see "The Age of Debt: Barack Obama's first budget promises 'fiscal responsibility'--and delivers the opposite."




From Political Math


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May 18, 2009 05:27 PM   Link    Budget ~   Executive Branch    Comments (0)

Assorted Links 5/18/09





Budget Visualizations: "Two YouTube videos help put proposed budget cuts and our growing debt into perspective."
One of them from Political Math






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May 18, 2009 09:07 AM   Link    Caught Our Eye    Comments (0)

Assorted Links 5/16/09





Nat Hentoff on Thought Crimes




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May 16, 2009 12:37 PM   Link    Caught Our Eye    Comments (0)

Glossary of Legislative Terms: "Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute"

Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute: Amendment that seeks to replace the entire text of the
underlying measure. The adoption of such an amendment usually precludes any further amendment to that measure.

Congressional Deskbook

This definition is from the Glossary in our Congressional Deskbook.

Perfect reference tool of Congressional jargon and procedural terms.

Congressional Deskbook: The Practical and Comprehensive Guide to Congress, by Michael Koempel and Judy Schneider.

TheCapitol.Net offers training and a Certificate in Congressional Operations and Federal Budgeting. We show you how Washington and Congress work. TM


May 15, 2009 08:07 AM   Link    Tips and Terms    Comments (0)

Assorted Links 5/14/09





YouLaw: "Aw Shucks" Lawyer Achieves What You Cannot




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May 14, 2009 07:57 AM   Link    Caught Our Eye    Comments (0)

The Federal Budget Process: A description of the federal and congressional budget processes, including timelines



The Federal Budget Process

The Federal Budget Process: A description of the federal and congressional budget processes, including timelines

Budgeting for the federal government is an enormously complex process. It entails dozens of subprocesses, countless rules and procedures, the efforts of tens of thousands of staff persons in the executive and legislative branches, and the active participation of the President, congressional leaders, Members of Congress, and members of the executive branch. This analysis shows the various elements of the federal budget process including the President’s budget submission, framework, timetable, the budget resolution, reconciliation, the "Byrd Rule," appropriations, and budget execution.

Table of Contents

Softcover, 2009, 192 pages, $27.50
ISBN: 1587331519 ISBN 13: 978-1-58733-151-0

Complete Table of Contents, sample pages, and online ordering here.

May 13, 2009 07:27 AM   Link    Budget ~   Publications    Comments (0)

Assorted Links 5/12/09





What is the Right Amount of Swine Flu Coverage?




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May 12, 2009 07:47 AM   Link    Caught Our Eye    Comments (0)

Assorted Links 5/10/09





Waves in slow motion




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May 10, 2009 02:07 PM   Link    Caught Our Eye    Comments (0)

Glossary of Legislative Terms: "Appropriation"

Appropriation: Provision of law providing budget authority that permits federal agencies to incur obligations and make payments out of the Treasury.

Congressional Deskbook

This definition is from the Glossary in our Congressional Deskbook.

Perfect reference tool of Congressional jargon and procedural terms.

Congressional Deskbook: The Practical and Comprehensive Guide to Congress, by Michael Koempel and Judy Schneider.

TheCapitol.Net offers training and a Certificate in Congressional Operations and Federal Budgeting. We show you how Washington and Congress work. TM


May 9, 2009 04:10 PM   Link    Tips and Terms    Comments (0)

Assorted Links 5/8/09





The Gypsy - Revisited




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May 8, 2009 07:47 AM   Link    Caught Our Eye    Comments (0)

This war will be over some day - don't get caught with your pants down.

This is a WWII poster from the Northwestern University archives.

This war will be over some day - don't get caught with your pants down.  Buy G.I. bonds. $7.50
This war will be over some day - don't get caught with your pants down. Buy G.I. bonds. $7.50




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May 7, 2009 08:07 PM   Link    Art    Comments (0)

Assorted Links 5/6/09





Reason TV on Obama & DC School Vouchers




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May 6, 2009 08:17 AM   Link    Caught Our Eye    Comments (0)

Assorted Links 5/4/09





Countless Wonders




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May 4, 2009 08:07 AM   Link    Caught Our Eye    Comments (0)

Glossary of Legislative Terms: "Cluster Voting"

Cluster Voting: Allowance for sequential recorded votes on a series of measures or amendments that the House finished debating at an earlier time or on a previous date. The Speaker can reduce the minimum time for the second and subsequent votes in the series to five minutes each.

Congressional Deskbook

This definition is from the Glossary in our Congressional Deskbook.

Perfect reference tool of Congressional jargon and procedural terms.

Congressional Deskbook: The Practical and Comprehensive Guide to Congress, by Michael Koempel and Judy Schneider.

TheCapitol.Net offers training and a Certificate in Congressional Operations and Federal Budgeting. We show you how Washington and Congress work. TM


May 2, 2009 10:27 AM   Link    Tips and Terms    Comments (0)

Assorted Links 5/1/09





New Homes Demolished in Victorville, CA




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May 1, 2009 09:27 AM   Link    Caught Our Eye    Comments (0)