WASHINGTON, Feb. 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) today announced that Todd S. Mann has joined the association as its chief operating officer. Mann, a certified association executive, will have full oversight responsibility for ABC's financial, administrative and program activities. In addition, he will oversee its operational divisions and serve as the chief internal advocate for ABC national and chapter staff.

Before joining ABC, Mann served as senior vice president of business development for the National Restaurant Association in Washington, D.C., where he was responsible for increasing revenue, directing membership, business partnerships and sponsorship fundraising.

Conservation can carry load

The Dept. of Energy (and other government agencies, and most economists) live in la la land, where "demand" magically creates supply. Once upon a time a group of economists were thrown in a dungeon, with no food. They were worried, until one of them said: "Let's create a free market here between us, and supply each other with sandwiches". Sorry, but the "invisible hand" is about to slap us in the face. The planet is round, i.e., finite, and endless "growth" is an impossibility. BTW, note that the article did not suggest shutting down the nuke plant - but predicted that electricity prices will rise significantly regardless. A rising price is how supply and demand meet: demand will be depressed to meet available supply. Same as is now happening with oil.Posted: Thu Nov 15, 2007 11:23 am .

Paparazzi Arrested in West Hollywood

We've been saying for a long time that law enforcement needs to crack down, that they've closed their eyes to a lot of dangerous things happening," said Levin. "The danger is blowing lights, running people off the road. ... This was not one of those situations."

Coastal Post Online

The OSU researchers say the region has not yet fully recovered from last year's historic hypoxia.
(NEWPORT, Ore. ) - A team of Oregon State University scientists monitoring near-shore ocean conditions off Oregon says that oxygen levels in the lower water column have plummeted, thrusting the region into a hypoxic event for the sixth consecutive year.
Hypoxia can lead to significant marine die-offs, the researchers say, depending on the severity, duration and location of the low-oxygen zone.

Although conditions this summer have not yet duplicated the severity of the historic hypoxic event of 2006, the outlook for the remainder of the summer and early fall is uncertain.

Measurements taken by the OSU scientists in late June mirrored those of last year, but a shift to a southerly wind pattern in mid-July pushed the mass of low-oxygen water away from the shoreline.

Extra! UIdaho Student Found Shot to Death

Even what little projects are left will REQUIRE tax increases in the future. The Idaho Transporation Department has been gutted. Idaho's entire transportation system has been uprooted and set back years because of this disaster known as GARVEE. What the Legislature should do tomorrow is tell Idaho they made a mistake 2 years ago that has cost too much. They need to gut it completely and ask Governor Otter and ITD to spend the next few months getting things back on track, making transporation the issue of 2008. Meanwhile, the "consultants" who were the beneficiaries of these so-called GARVEE bonds (the people got nothing--NOTHING--from this deal, even though millions have been spent!) can go back to the drawing table. Shame on the Legislature 2 years ago for letting this thing happen when they were put into a corner by our then governor at the last minute, without sufficient information! It was such a scam! Shame on them.

CES Dispatch--Toshiba's HD DVD Response

If gadgets could look forlorn, Toshiba's three new HD DVD players looked just that sitting on stage ahead of the executives' speeches. Jody Sally, vice president of digital audio/visual equipment, which includes Toshiba HD DVD player lineup, looked on the verge of tears during her truncated three-minute presentation in which reports of HD DVD's sales progress became moot following Warner Brothers decision to exclusively support the rival Blu-ray high definition DVD format later this year. Sally tried to put on a good game face, though, noting that HD DVD unit sales over the holiday shopping period accounted for 49.3% of the market. What she didn't note was that the figure would then translate to Blu-ray capturing the majority of sales of standalone players despite heavy Toshiba discounting.