Ohio to review if Wal-Mart reneged on tax deal

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Economic development officials in Ohio say they will check whether Wal-Mart Stores Inc. violated terms of a tax agreement by closing an optical lab near Columbus.

Ohio gave the world's largest retailer a $1.8 million job-creation tax credit in 2001 on the condition that the company create and maintain jobs there.

Wal-Mart on Friday announced that it will close the lab, cutting 650 jobs. The lab makes eyewear for vision centers in Wal-Mart stores.

Kelly Schlissberg, a spokeswoman for the Ohio Department of Development, says the agency is reviewing its agreement with Wal-Mart to determine if the state can recoup money.

A message seeking comment was left Saturday for a Wal-Mart spokesman.

March 28, 2009

Geoffrey Dunn: Palin Pallin' Around with Scientologists: Todd & Sarah & John & Greta

Geoffrey Dunn: Palin Pallin' Around with Scientologists: Todd & Sarah & John & Greta

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While there's something ironic about Alaska's most famous evangelical Christians pallin' around with a couple who believes that 75 million years ago an entity named Xenu brought billions of people to Earth in spacecraft resembling DC-8 airliners, it's all been good for Van Susteren's ratings. It's also expanded her television profile from the narrow confines of legal journalism to broader national political commentary. She's ridden Palin's conservative steed into an entirely new level of public exposure.

Some Good News For a Change

From The Wilderness Society: [March 25, 2009 -link to homepage above]

Tremendous news! Congress has finally passed the monumental piece of wilderness legislation that you've been helping to push forward.

Thank you for making this dream a reality! I cannot tell you how huge today is for wilderness history. The passage of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act provides the largest expansion of our wilderness system in some 15 years. It means protection for more than 2 million acres of special wild lands, rivers and cultural sites throughout the nation, and it makes the National Landscape Conservation System official.

Our staff members have sunk their hearts into working on various components of the legislation for years, and we could not have been successful without your support!

Typical American too busy watching TV to be bothered:

Don't piss off the French workers!
PARIS – French workers burned tires, marched on the presidential palace and held a manager of U.S. manufacturer 3M hostage Wednesday as anger mounted over job cuts and executive bonuses. [click on title above for full text of article].
By Emma Vandore, Ap Business Writer – Wed Mar 25, 3:05 pm ET

John Ridley: Obama v. Palin: America Picked the Right Family

John Ridley: Obama v. Palin: America Picked the Right Family

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Winners Fly Aboard Air Force One !!

Today's online Reuters blogger is Larry Downing, who has been part of the Air Force One press pool since 1978. His post today is captivating, and accompanied by some excellent photos.

Click on the title above to link to the blog post.

An excerpt: "The exterior colors are visually hypnotic. Every angle is eye candy. First lady Jackie Kennedy chose it all when she resided at the White House."