State Wide Tornado Drill March 9.

March is Severe Spring Weather Preparedness Month in Missouri because the weather transitions from snow to rain, tornadoes and flooding. The National Weather Service, the State Emergency Management Agency and local emergency management offices will conduct the 36th annual state tornado drill at 1:30 p.m., Tuesday, March 9. The weather service will initiate the drill. If Missouri is experiencing statewide severe weather conditions, the drill will be moved to Thursday, March 11 at 1:30 p.m.

"The state tornado drill reminds citizens, schools and businesses to practice taking shelter when a tornado warning is issued. Last May, 38 Missouri counties were included in a federal disaster declaration for severe weather and tornadoes. Those storms were responsible for seven fatalities and 21 serious injuries," said State Emergency Management Agency Director Paul D. Parmenter. He noted that a May 2008 tornado was responsible for 16 fatalities and more than 200 injuries in Newton, Jasper and Barry counties. An April 2006 tornado destroyed and heavily damaged structures in Caruthersville, Braggadocio and Deering in Pemiscot County.

Inside the Administration’s Deal with the

Pharmaceutical Lobby

by Sebastian Jones, ProPublica

Last August, the Los Angeles Times reported that a deal had been reached between the White House and the lobbying group Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA). The pharmaceutical industry promised to deliver $80 billion in cost savings and to run television ads supporting the health care reform effort. In exchange, the White House would prevent Medicare renegotiation of drug prices and the re-importation of drugs from abroad.

Now, in a methodically researched report drawing on public records and press accounts, the Sunlight Foundation has gone back and forensically examined how the deal came to be.

Here are a few of the key findings:

• The process began last March 4, with Billy Tauzin, the former congressman who is PhRMA’s CEO, indicating an interest in supporting health care reform [3] a day before the first major White House meeting with industry leaders on the topic.

• By mid-April, a White House deputy chief of staff, Jim Messina, and Sen. Max Baucus’s chief of staff, Jon Selib, had convened a meeting with industry representatives at the headquarters of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, resulting in PhRMA’s funding of two nonprofits designed to campaign on the reform effort’s behalf. The Sunlight Foundation writes that "the two groups spent $24 million on their advertising campaigns; the contract to produce and place ads went to White House Senior Advisor David Axelrod’s former firm, AKPD, which owed Axelrod $2 million." AKPD also employs Axelrod’s son as director of research.

• In June, Sen. Baucus announced that he had secured $80 billion in cost savings from the pharmaceutical industry. At the time, Tauzin said of the agreement: "Today marks an important first step toward our shared goal of providing high-quality, affordable health care to everyone in America. We applaud President Obama and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Baucus for their commitment to comprehensive health care reform."

• During a July 7 meeting involving Rahm Emanuel, Messina, Selib and pharmaceutical lobbyists, the terms of the deal were laid out in clear language. A memo summarizing the meeting, obtained by the Huffington Post a month later, outlined how the industry would generate a package of cost savings "of up to $80 billion, but not more than $80 billion." In exchange, the White House agreed to "oppose importation" and "oppose rebates in Medicare Part D," among other things.

• The Sunlight Foundation also examined the defeat of Sen. Byron Dorgan’s drug re-importation amendment, introduced last December and heavily opposed by the pharmaceutical industry. "Dorgan’s amendment was defeated with numerous Democrats previously in support of re-importation switching to "no" votes," the Sunlight Foundation noted.

Recently, in the aftermath of Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown’s election, Tauzin announced that he would step down as CEO of PhRMA. As ProPublica has reported, when Tauzin was in Congress, he was at the forefront of crafting Medicare Part D, "the prescription drug program for seniors that has produced billions of dollars of profits for pharmaceutical companies." A short time later, he had retired and was at the helm of PhRMA, earning as much as 10 times his salary as a lawmaker.

Used ta be three basic hair cuts. Burr (natural), Flat top (Butch Wax), and long (Brylcream). Made things a lot easier on barbers I suppose. But I’ll bet the barber shops had a hay-day retrainin’ when the newer styles came along.

‘Course the big problem some have expressed with the Butch Wax was the girls couldn’t run their fingers through their fingers through their hair like the Brylcream commercials always talked about. Never figured that one out either, why that gal on the commercial liked ta get her hands all greasy like that. Bet she had trouble hangin’ on to her lipstick after that.

It was a catchy little phrase though, "a little dab’ll do ya." Seems like it otta fit into "Does eat oats" somewhere. Oh well, hair today, gone tomorrow.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

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artCentral

ART NOTES from Hyde House

by Sally Armstrong, Director of artCentral

What a great new year’s beginning! Our first exhibition for 2010 opened last Friday night with both record crowds and record sales, and I first want to thank those members of my board who "pinch hit" for me in the kitchen and at the front. Miriam Putnam stood in as the lovely drink pourer, and both Sara Ross and Jackie Boyer lent their assistance as well for most of the evening both in the kitchen and at the front. I couldn’t have done it without them! Several times the crowd coming in the front door was so steady that I could not see past them to the porch. I am thrilled to boast that we received several new memberships from this opening and sold nine original paintings and a number of prints to this enthusiastic group. Thanks to good weather and six artists who brought their friends and families, the night was a great success. Now, if you did NOT get out to the opening, never fear. The gallery will be open for the next two weekends under a bit calmer circumstances, so come by and view this beautiful collection of over 48 paintings, from artists Kristin Huke, Jesse McCormick, Debbie Reed, Margie Moss, Sue Dixon and April Davis. There are a number of subjects, sizes, and styles --- something to delight each viewer. I was pleased to have the new banner in place for the front porch entrance in time for the opening, and thank once again board member and commercial artist Kristin Huke for her great original design. The large banner will remain hanging throughout 2010 and will be a great addition to our façade, to greet visitors. Once again, we had folks Saturday and Sunday who have never visited us before, and thanks to their GPS systems found the location easily. Love that modern technology! Be looking too for our new anniversary poster that I have begun passing out to members and businesses. This is a full color poster that includes our new anniversary logo as well as the entire schedule for 2010 and a lot of great art and photography that says "artCentral". I hope that we can get these hung in many of our local business and offices in support of our 25th Anniversary year. Come see us!