06
Jun
2001
• The Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center (MVRBC) and Southeast Iowa Blood Center this week merged their operations to create the largest not-for-profit blood center in Iowa, with service to 25 hospitals in 23 counties throughout eastern and southeastern Iowa and western Illinois. Together the centers will collect more than 71,000 pints of blood and platelets annually, operate nine fixed donation sites, work with more than 700 blood-drive sponsors, and maintain a donor database of about 41,000 people. Both centers will retain their individual community focus and accountability, including direct service to hospitals, patients, and donors. The centers will also continue regular nationwide resource-sharing after meeting all local blood needs. Headquarters for the merged organization as well as all blood- and component-testing will be located in Davenport. You can find out more about the MVRBC and donating blood by looking at the organization's Web site at (http://www.bloodcenter.org) or by calling (563)359-5401.
• Nearly 170 million people were probably murdered by governments from 1900 to 1987, more than four times those killed in combat in all international and domestic wars during the same years. The term for people murdered by their government is democide. There is a Web site devoted to democide, war, and other forms of collective violence that can be found at (http://www.hawaii.edu/powerkills). There are literally thousands of references - books, articles, data, analyses, tables, pictures, and figures - on the Web site, and while some sections can be a bit difficult to understand because of the mathematics involved in statistical modeling, what it has to say is quite astounding.
• US. Representative Ron Paul (R-Texas) has introduced what he hopes will become the 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: HJ116, the Liberty Amendment. The amendment would prohibit the federal government from participating in activities not specifically authorized in the Constitution, essentially strengthening the 9th and 10th Amendments while repealing the 16th Amendment, which allowed for the collection of income taxes. The Liberty Amendment has evolved over a period of years, beginning in 1952 with its introduction by Representative Ralph Gwinn of New York. The amendment, or a form of it, has been supported by more than a dozen members of Congress over the years. You can find out more about the Liberty Amendment and Representative Paul at his Web site at (http://www.house.gov/paul/).
• Teacher shortages in Iowa were a controversial subject in the last legislative session. Ted Stilwill, director of the Iowa Department of Education, has said he will ask lawmakers to introduce a proposal allowing holders of a bachelor's degree in subjects with teacher shortages to take an instruction course and obtain a teaching license. The proposal is similar to a measure passed by the legislature but vetoed by Governor Vilsack. Critics of the measure say allowing mid-career professionals to become teachers would lower the quality of teaching.
• The full ramifications of the Democratic takeover of the Senate two weeks ago still aren't clear, but the change will affect Iowa's two senators. One big change is that Democrat Tom Harkin might be put in charge of the Senate Agriculture Committee. Harkin is a vocal critic of the 1996 "Freedom to Farm" law that loosened controls on farms and lowered price supports. He is facing what looks to be a tough re-election campaign and needs to make a name for himself. Harkin has promised "significant changes" in farm policy, including many new conservation measures. Meanwhile, Republican Charles Grassley will lose his chairmanship of the powerful Finance Committee but will probably maintain a significant influence because of his close relationship with chairman-in-waiting Senator Max Baucus (D-Montana).
• Individual and business taxpayers in 18 Iowa counties that have been declared federal disaster areas have until August 15 to file a federal tax return or pay federal taxes normally due in April. Taxpayers affected by the flooding may claim their casualty-loss deduction from property damages on 2000 or 2001 tax returns. Those who have filed a 2000 return may file an amended return to get any refund on the casualty deduction this year. The filing and payment extension doesn't include federal tax deposits of withheld income or Social Security tax made by employers, but penalties on payroll taxes may be abated.
• Need something to do this summer, but don't want to shell out a lot of money? Consider a day on Museum Hill. From now through Labor Day, admission to the Davenport Museum of Art, the Family Aquatic Center, Fejervary Park Children's Zoo, and the Putnam Museum of History Natural Science will be discounted when two or more of the four are visited on the same day.
• New rules go into effect August 1 to crack down on high-interest "payday" loans in Illinois. The restrictions include a $400 cap on the size of loans, or $2,000 for those secured by a motor vehicle. Also, customers may not get any more than one payday loan within 15 days and will not be able to re-finance loans more than twice. Customers can only re-finance a loan if its balance has been reduced by at least 20 percent. The rules were written last year under a broad law that gave state regulators power to enact regulations to protect consumers. The payday-loan lobby claims the new rules will cause widespread bankruptcy and job layoffs in their industry.
• A local computer organization, Quad Cities Linux Users Group (QCLUG), is holding a Linux Demo Day to introduce interested parties to Linux, a free operating system for computers. The scheduled date is Saturday, June 23, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Duck Creek Mall. During the Demo Day, members of QCLUG will answer questions about Linux and display available applications for the operating system. QCLUG includes both experienced and inexperienced Linux users and is intended to offer support for the system and its users. All are welcome to attend, and there is no fee. QCLUG's Web site can be found at (http://www.qclug.org).
• Nearly 170 million people were probably murdered by governments from 1900 to 1987, more than four times those killed in combat in all international and domestic wars during the same years. The term for people murdered by their government is democide. There is a Web site devoted to democide, war, and other forms of collective violence that can be found at (http://www.hawaii.edu/powerkills). There are literally thousands of references - books, articles, data, analyses, tables, pictures, and figures - on the Web site, and while some sections can be a bit difficult to understand because of the mathematics involved in statistical modeling, what it has to say is quite astounding.
• US. Representative Ron Paul (R-Texas) has introduced what he hopes will become the 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: HJ116, the Liberty Amendment. The amendment would prohibit the federal government from participating in activities not specifically authorized in the Constitution, essentially strengthening the 9th and 10th Amendments while repealing the 16th Amendment, which allowed for the collection of income taxes. The Liberty Amendment has evolved over a period of years, beginning in 1952 with its introduction by Representative Ralph Gwinn of New York. The amendment, or a form of it, has been supported by more than a dozen members of Congress over the years. You can find out more about the Liberty Amendment and Representative Paul at his Web site at (http://www.house.gov/paul/).
• Teacher shortages in Iowa were a controversial subject in the last legislative session. Ted Stilwill, director of the Iowa Department of Education, has said he will ask lawmakers to introduce a proposal allowing holders of a bachelor's degree in subjects with teacher shortages to take an instruction course and obtain a teaching license. The proposal is similar to a measure passed by the legislature but vetoed by Governor Vilsack. Critics of the measure say allowing mid-career professionals to become teachers would lower the quality of teaching.
• The full ramifications of the Democratic takeover of the Senate two weeks ago still aren't clear, but the change will affect Iowa's two senators. One big change is that Democrat Tom Harkin might be put in charge of the Senate Agriculture Committee. Harkin is a vocal critic of the 1996 "Freedom to Farm" law that loosened controls on farms and lowered price supports. He is facing what looks to be a tough re-election campaign and needs to make a name for himself. Harkin has promised "significant changes" in farm policy, including many new conservation measures. Meanwhile, Republican Charles Grassley will lose his chairmanship of the powerful Finance Committee but will probably maintain a significant influence because of his close relationship with chairman-in-waiting Senator Max Baucus (D-Montana).
• Individual and business taxpayers in 18 Iowa counties that have been declared federal disaster areas have until August 15 to file a federal tax return or pay federal taxes normally due in April. Taxpayers affected by the flooding may claim their casualty-loss deduction from property damages on 2000 or 2001 tax returns. Those who have filed a 2000 return may file an amended return to get any refund on the casualty deduction this year. The filing and payment extension doesn't include federal tax deposits of withheld income or Social Security tax made by employers, but penalties on payroll taxes may be abated.
• Need something to do this summer, but don't want to shell out a lot of money? Consider a day on Museum Hill. From now through Labor Day, admission to the Davenport Museum of Art, the Family Aquatic Center, Fejervary Park Children's Zoo, and the Putnam Museum of History Natural Science will be discounted when two or more of the four are visited on the same day.
• New rules go into effect August 1 to crack down on high-interest "payday" loans in Illinois. The restrictions include a $400 cap on the size of loans, or $2,000 for those secured by a motor vehicle. Also, customers may not get any more than one payday loan within 15 days and will not be able to re-finance loans more than twice. Customers can only re-finance a loan if its balance has been reduced by at least 20 percent. The rules were written last year under a broad law that gave state regulators power to enact regulations to protect consumers. The payday-loan lobby claims the new rules will cause widespread bankruptcy and job layoffs in their industry.
• A local computer organization, Quad Cities Linux Users Group (QCLUG), is holding a Linux Demo Day to introduce interested parties to Linux, a free operating system for computers. The scheduled date is Saturday, June 23, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Duck Creek Mall. During the Demo Day, members of QCLUG will answer questions about Linux and display available applications for the operating system. QCLUG includes both experienced and inexperienced Linux users and is intended to offer support for the system and its users. All are welcome to attend, and there is no fee. QCLUG's Web site can be found at (http://www.qclug.org).
