Unbelievable

		Dear Reader, Don't Let Big Coal Destroy Bryce Canyon National Park! Alton Coal is threatening one of our national treasures -- Bryce Canyon National Park. Right now they're planning on building a 3,500 acre coal strip mine next to the park's stunning vistas and rock spires to keep Los Angeles running on dirty energy even though the city's sunny weather makes it an ideal spot for solar energy. If built, it would turn southern Utah into an industrial zone -- jeopardizing the park, tourism, and the health of local residents. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is accepting comments on this dirty proposal until January 27th. We need to flood the BLM's inbox with 20,000 messages in order to save Bryce Canyon. Send your comment today. Tell the BLM to stop this dirty, dangerous proposal and protect the Bryce Canyon region for future generations. Bryce Canyon is truly one of our nation's treasures. It's home to over 100 species of birds, dozens of mammals, and thousands of plant species. Every year, more than 1.2 million visitors come to the park to experience its beautiful and valuable landscape. Mining would pollute the region's clean water and air, flood Bryce Canyon's world-famous dark night skies with light, destroy habitats, create noise disruptions, and generate toxic coal dust from hundreds of trucks.  Volunteers in Utah and Los Angeles are working hard to protect the air, water, wildlife, and natural wonders of Bryce Canyon. Support their efforts -- tell the BLM to deny Big Coal's proposal to put a coal strip mine next to our national park! Instead of destroying a national park to create dirty energy from coal, the sun-drenched city of Los Angeles should create its own solar energy. There are only a two weeks left to submit comments opposing the strip mine. Help us send 20,000 comments to the BLM before it's too late.   Take action before its too late. Send a message to save Bryce Canyon National Park today! Thanks for all you do to protect our environment. Sincerely, Mary Anne Hitt Director, Beyond Coal Campaign Sierra Club P.S. We need to get as many messages to the BLM as possible. After you take action, forward this message or spread the word on Facebook and Twitter by clicking our handy share buttons below:

Sierra Club
85 Second St.
San Francisco, CA 94105

UPDATE: New England Winter Weather for Thursday?

Connecticut Quietly Laying Plans For a Bear-Hunt Lottery

By MATTHEW STURDEVANTThe Hartford Courant

6:49 p.m. EST, January 10, 2012

Connecticut wildlife officials have quietly drafted plans for a bear-hunt lottery — a way of deciding who gets to kill a limited number of the animals — and the plan is being reviewed this week by Gov.Dannel P. Malloy's office.

The plan could be the first volley in a fight that would ensue long before the first bear lopes into the crosshairs of a rifle scope. Animal activists vow to fight any development that would inch the state closer to a hunt.

Hunters say this is an opportunity to raise money and help solve the problem of bears menacing humans by plundering trash cans, bird feeders, beekeepers' hives, compost piles and other attractive food sources.

The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection insisted that there was no proposal for a bear hunt after The Courant reported Friday that the agency was weighing the option as a way of culling a burgeoning population.

"What this proposal aims to do is just give us a tool that might be useful in the future when we come to, or if we come to, a point where we determine a bear hunt is a direction that we would want to go," said Bill Hyatt, chief of the DEEP's wildlife division.

The bear-lottery system does not, in and of itself, create a bear hunting season, DEEP spokesman Dennis Schain said. DEEP's draft of how a bear lottery would work was among several proposals reviewed Monday by the state Office of Policy and Management and Malloy's office.

A hunting lottery is used in states such as Maine, where the demand to hunt moose exceeds the number of animals targeted for killing. Hunters pay a nonrefundable fee to be entered into a draw for a chance to hunt — DEEP is recommending $25 for the bear lottery.

Winning hunters would then have a right to buy a permit to hunt the bear, at a cost of $50 under DEEP's plan. Hunters would also need to pay for a hunting license.

Before a bear hunt could occur, DEEP would have to draft plans for how a season would work — where, when and how extensive — which would be a public process that ends with a decision by the state Legislative Regulation Review Committee. A lottery, however, would require a bill's passing through the legislature.

Booming Bear Population

At issue is a ballooning bear population and increasing accounts of the animals wandering into yards looking for something to eat. If a bear season is enacted, it would be the first time that the animals have been legally hunted in Connecticut since 1840. Bears' woodland habitat vanished in the 19th century to make way for farmland, and many bears were shot for sport or to protect livestock.

Connecticut now has between 500 and 1,000 bears, and the population will double every five to seven years at its current trajectory, Hyatt said. DEEP is improving its methods of monitoring the bear population, which involves reported sightings, radio collars on bears, monitored breeding and survival rates, among other methods.

"We've, right now, been in discussions with the University of Connecticut to contract with scientists at the university to collect data that will fill in some of the gaps in the information that we have," Hyatt said. "Whatever we end up doing, and I'll stress that that hasn't been finalized yet by any stretch of the imagination, but whatever we end up doing, it needs to be based in solid scientific data."

DEEP's proposal says, "As black bear populations have expanded throughout the state, the incidence of private property damage and threats to human health and safety have escalated."

State law allows the DEEP commissioner to promulgate regulations to manage black bear through hunting seasons, but the department doesn't have a provision to charge a fee for hunting bear. That's where the lottery proposal comes in.

Connecticut wildlife officials have tried curbing the behavior of problem bears by educating the public about removing trash and other suburban goodies that lure the animals to backyards. They've also tried scaring the bears and transporting them away from the places where they snatch trash or bird feeders.

"But as the bear population expands, those tools become increasingly less effective," Hyatt said.

"So, what we have to do is look down the road and say, 'What are our options in the future?'" Hyatt said. "And one of those options, and it certainly hasn't been decided yet, but one of those options is a hunt. It's a tool that's employed in all of the other Northeastern states except Delaware and Rhode Island."

Wild West

Animal rights activists say the so-called nuisance bears that snoop around neighborhoods and ravage trash cans or bird feeders are better managed by eliminating the food source or making it inaccessible. Bear-proof trash cans, electrical fencing around beehives and out-of-reach bird feeders are a few suggestions.

Hunting is cruel and ineffective, animal rights activists said this week.

"It's definitely a bloody way to make money," said Nancy Rice, outreach coordinator for Friends of Animals, a nonprofit advocacy group in Darien. "Where are we going? Is this the Wild West?"

Nicole Dao, a spokeswoman for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, said that bears often don't die quickly when hunted.

"When adults are killed, young animals will succumb to starvation, dehydration and attacks by other animals," Dao said. "Also, more bears will simply move in to fill the void left by those who were gunned down. The only permanent solution is for residents to eliminate artificial food sources. Trash must be secured, and pepper-based repellents should be applied to landscaping."

Sportsmen's groups say that a hunt would bring in money as people pay for a chance to shoot a bear, not to mention separate fees for a bear tag or big-game license, however it is managed. That says nothing of taxidermy business, people buying hunting equipment, or money spent on food, lodging and other expenses.

Chris Marino owns Autumn Gun Works Inc. in Goshen and is secretary of the Northwest Connecticut Sportsmen Council, which is a consortium of hunting clubs that represents about 7,000 people. He believes that the state could attract out-of-state hunters if there was support for such a plan.

"We have some huge bears roaming around Connecticut," Marino said. "DEEP has captured and tagged bears upward of 600 pounds. The only thing they have to fear in Connecticut is an automobile. So, they're living to a ripe, old age. There's plenty of food. They're doing very well."

New Jersey has reinstated a bear hunt in recent years after various legal battles and protests from animal rights' groups. However, Marino thinks that Connecticut residents are likely to view a hunt as their peers do in northern New England, where hunting is commonplace. Marino doesn't expect that a bear hunt would engender the same animosity here that is has in New Jersey.

"I think the citizens of Connecticut have a little more common sense," Marino said.

Rice has a different view.

"We are watching," she said. "They are not going to get this one without a huge fight."

SOURCE

Walmart's "free" offer could come with a price

CONSUMER BEWARE!

Mon, Jan 09 2011 18:16 PM EST

By Mitch Lipka and Jessica Wohl

(Reuters) - As tax season begins, a decision by Wal-Mart Stores Inc to offer some free and discounted tax preparation in conjunction with its check-cashing services at more than 3,000 U.S. stores is less about giving back and more about bringing in, experts cautioned.

"No company does anything altruistically," Morningstar analyst Michael Keara said.

Now that the holiday shopping season is over, the retailer is looking for new revenue sources, he said. The company's latest offer allows consumers to have their tax refunds deposited for "free" onto a Walmart cash card. In addition, the company is working with major tax preparation firms to provide free "assisted" form 1040EZ filings.

It will take a while to see how lucrative the new service will be, given that some people will choose to pay down debt from their previous round of spending with their tax refunds, Keara said. Either way, it's going to put more money into Walmart stores and is another play to reach millions of Americans who don't use traditional banking services.

"It just locks in that they'll spend their rebate checks at Walmart," Keara said. "It's pretty smart."

Walmart already is a big player in the marketplace to cash checks for those who don't use traditional banking services and who often face steep check cashing fees. Walmart charges a flatrate price of $3 or $6 (depending on the size of the check) rather the 3 percent to 5 percent fees at check cashing services. For a $500 check, that means paying $3 at Walmart or $15 to $25 at a check cashing service.

The new program, which kicked off on Monday, come as Walmart tries to reach "unbanked" consumers, who typically don't have credit cards, either. About 85 percent of transactions at Walmart stores are paid with cash.

Some 2,800 Walmart U.S. stores have a Jackson Hewitt location, and another 250 or so stores feature H&R Block Inc.

Those providers will offer free 1040 EZ filings with tax preparation consultants in Walmart stores, said Daniel Eckert, head of Walmart financial services. Prices for other tax preparation services will be about 7 percent to 10 percent lower than at both companies' other locations, he added.

Jackson Hewitt and H&R Block already offer free basic tax return preparation through their offices and websites. It also is free to file the simplified 1040EZ on your own, or even through one of the online services, such as Intuit's TurboTax.

More than 60 million Americans do not use traditional financial services such as credit cards and checking accounts, Eckert said. Last year, these consumers paid billion of dollars in fees and interest to financial services providers. Within the next few months, they will be looking to cash more than $31 billion in tax refund checks and many could pay up to $90 for such check cashing services, he said.

"It's money that we want to make sure ends up in the right place, which is back in their pocketbooks," Eckert said.

Walmart, whose core customer has a household income of $30,000 to $60,000, has been trying to stand out to those with limited financial means. The world's largest retailer brought back holiday-season layaway on toys and electronics, letting shoppers pay in installments for a modest fee, a move that appears to have been a success.

Tax preparation is just one offering in Walmart's "MoneyCenter." The retailer also offers Walmart credit cards and money cards, money transfers, money orders along with $3 check cashing.

Ed Mierzwinski, consumer program director for U.S. PIRG, cautioned consumers to look at skeptically at Walmart's proposition.

"Consumers who are considering the Walmart offer should understand that Walmart is not your friend," he said.

One area of concern is the company's offer to allow consumers to have their tax refunds deposited for "free" onto a Walmart cash card, which Mierzwinski pointed out comes with a lot of fees. Some of the fees include $3 if $1,000 isn't added to a card in a given month, $2 to withdraw cash from an ATM, $1 to check your balance and $3 to replace a lost or stolen card.

"You put your refund on their card, so you're more likely to spend your refund at their store than save your refund," he said. "And you're more likely to be an impulse shopper." (Editing by Lauren Young and Beth Pinsker Gladstone)

NH Presidental Primary Election Results

FULL election results

Snow And Rain In Forecast For Thursday Commute « CBS Boston

Snow And Rain In Forecast For Thursday Commute « CBS Boston

Fire whom? Romney draws flak before N.H. primary

January 10, 2012, 05:00 AM By David Espo and Kasie Hunt The Associated Press

NASHUA, N.H.  — Republican front-runner Mitt Romney stumbled down the homestretch of the New Hampshire primary on Monday, declaring, “I like being able to fire people who provide services to me” as his rivals intensified already fierce criticism. “Gov. Romney enjoys firing people. I enjoy creating jobs,” said former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, who has staked his candidacy on a strong showing in Tuesday’s primary and has shown signs of gaining ground in recent polls. Adding insult to any injury, Texas Gov. Rick Perry posted a ringtone to his campaign website that consisted of Romney saying, “I like being able to fire people,” over and over. Romney is the odds-on favorite in New Hampshire, and Huntsman as well as other Republicans who are contesting the state have generally been content to vie for second place in hopes of emerging as his main rival in the South Carolina primary on Jan. 21. “Second place would be a dream come true,” said former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, as he raced through a final full New Hampshire campaign day that began before sunrise and stretched for more than 14 hours. The former Pennsylvania senator finished a surprising second in last week’s Iowa caucuses, but without money for television ads he has appeared to struggle as he seeks to convert that into momentum. Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, won in Iowa by eight votes. A victory in New Hampshire would make him the first Republican in a contested presidential nomination battle to capture the first two races of the campaign since Iowa began leading off for the GOP in 1976. The battle has grown increasingly rancorous in recent days — both in New Hampshire and next-up South Carolina — with Santorum, Perry and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich escalating their attacks on Romney’s claim that a background in business uniquely qualifies him to help create American jobs. At the same time, an organization that backs Gingrich has spread the word that it intends to spend $3.4 million on television ads in South Carolina that are expected to attack Romney with gusto. “Now we’ll see if he has the broad shoulders and can stand the heat,” said Gingrich, relishing the battle ahead as the nominating campaign wheels South. Romney’s remark about firing people was the second jarring moment for the front-runner in the span of less than 24 hours. On Sunday afternoon, the millionaire businessman told an audience that he understood the fear of being laid off, adding, “there were a couple of times when I was worried I was going to get pink-slipped.” His aides refused to provide details. On Monday morning, addressing the Nashua Chamber of Commerce, he said he wants individuals to be able to choose among different health insurance policies as they seek coverage. “That means the insurance company will have an incentive to keep you healthy. It also means if you don’t like what they do, you can fire them,” he said. “I like being able to fire people who provide services to me. If someone doesn’t give me the good service I need, I’m going to go get somebody else to provide that service to me,” he added. A few hours later, in a previously unscheduled appearance before reporters, Romney emphasized he had been talking about insurance companies. “Things can always be taken out of context, and I understand that’s what the Obama people will do. But as you know I was speaking about insurance companies and we need to be able to make a choice and my comments entirely reflected that discussion.” As for once fearing he would be fired, he said, “I came out of school, and I got an entry level position like the other people that were freshly minted MBAs, and like anybody that starts at the bottom of an enterprise you wonder, when you don’t do so well, whether you’re going to be able to hang onto your job.” Romney has made his career in business the core credential of his candidacy, saying that his firm, Bain Capital, created 100,000 jobs on balance as it started some firms while taking over, remaking and then spinning off others. Gingrich told one interviewer during the day that Bain Capital “apparently looted the companies, left people totally unemployed and walked off with millions of dollars.” He wasn’t asked to provide details. But Perry, campaigning in Anderson, South Carolina, was — and did. “If you’re a victim of Bain Capital’s downsizing, it’s the ultimate insult for Mitt Romney to come to South Carolina to tell you he feels your pain. Because he caused it,” he said. ‘I have no doubt that Mitt Romney was worried about pink slips — whether he’d have enough of them to hand out.” He cited Holson Burns Group Inc. of Gaffney, S.C., where he said 150 workers who made photo albums lost their jobs. “They looted that company,” Perry said, referring to Bain Capital. Santorum’s message in New Hampshire was the same as it had been in Iowa. “Give us an opportunity to be the conservative alternative,” he said. He sidestepped questions about his proposal to reduce or eliminate Social Security benefits for wealthier beneficiaries, saying efforts by reporters to obtain specifics were “gotcha games.” Even though he runs second in some of the New Hampshire polls, Texas Rep. Ron Paul campaigned lightly in the state. He unveiled a new television ad in South Carolina that took aim at Santorum. It notes the former senator’s votes against right-to-work legislation and in favor of increases in the federal debt ceiling. “Rick Santorum, a record of betrayal, another serial hypocrite who can’t be trusted,” it says. Protesters with Occupy and Paul signs swarmed events in Manchester hosted by Gingrich and Santorum. Outside a sports bar, they pushed toward Santorum as he made his way to his car, surrounded him and at times jostled his children. Police stepped in to get the Santorums to their cars. Gingrich canceled an appearance at his state campaign headquarters after about 40 protesters gathered at its entrance. His spokesman, R.C. Hammond, said the former House speaker’s private security detail had security concerns. ———————— GOP rivals turn Romney’s jobs record against him AP Photo NHCD110, NHCD106, NHCD109 Eds: Corrects that S.C. ads from pro-Gingrich group have not started airing. With AP Photos. By KASIE HUNT and CHARLES BABINGTON Associated Press NASHUA, N.H. (AP) — Mitt Romney’s Republican rivals accused him Monday of exaggerating his successes and coldly laying off thousands of workers while heading a profitable venture capital firm, an effort to turn the presidential front-runner’s biggest asset into a liability. The heightened focus on the firm Bain Capital threatens to slow Romney’s cruise-control campaign because it goes to the heart of his No. 1 appeal to voters: the claim that he knows far more than President Barack Obama about creating jobs. Romney’s takeover-and-restructuring firm “apparently looted the companies, left people unemployed and walked off with millions of dollars,” former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said on NBC’s “Today” show. A group friendly to Gingrich is preparing to air TV ads of laid-off workers denouncing Romney, who interrupted his time at Bain to serve as Massachusetts governor. Texas Gov. Rick Perry joined in. He cited South Carolina companies that Bain bought and downsized, and he practically dared Romney to ask for voters’ support there in the name of easing economic pain. “He caused it,” Perry said in Anderson, S.C. Romney points to thousands of jobs created at companies that Bain bought, invested in or restructured. But he struck a discordant note Monday, just as attention to the Bain jobs history was spiking. Speaking of insurance options before a New Hampshire audience, Romney said, “I like being able to fire people who provide services to me.” He remained favored to win Tuesday’s New Hampshire primary. But his rivals might improve their hopes of halting his momentum in South Carolina’s Jan. 21 primary if they can persuade voters that his jobs legacy is not what he claims. Thanks to millions of dollars from a Las Vegas casino owner who supports Gingrich, TV ads in South Carolina will try to do just that. Like many attack ads they are emotional, one-sided and not subtle. They show angry victims of layoffs from Bain-controlled companies, according to excerpts shown to reporters. “We had to load up the U-Haul because we done lost our home,” a woman says. On the campaign trail, Romney rarely mentions his four years as governor unless asked. But he constantly touts his time in the private sector, asking voters to trust his instincts and experience in creating jobs. The claims rely on Romney’s career at Bain, a Boston-based private equity firm that poured investors’ money, and Bain executives’ expertise, into more than 100 companies in the 1980s and ‘90s. Some of the companies thrived and expanded. Some took on unsustainable debt and went bankrupt. Some became leaner or were broken into various parts, shedding jobs and improving profits. In a recent debate, Romney repeated his claim that the Bain-run companies netted a total increase of 100,000 jobs. Studies by The Associated Press and other news organizations conclude that the claim doesn’t withstand scrutiny. That alone, however, hardly suggests Romney was an unsuccessful business executive. He became wealthy, a hero to many entrepreneurs, and the leader of the much-praised 2002 Winter Olympics. The 100,000 jobs claim comes from activities at only three companies, all of them successes: Staples, Domino’s and Sports Authority. However, it counts many jobs that were created after Romney left Bain in 1999. And it ignores job losses at many other firms that Bain invested in or took over. The Wall Street Journal, which examined 77 businesses that Bain invested in during Romney’s tenure, concluded Monday that the record is mixed. Twenty-two percent of the companies closed down or filed for bankruptcy reorganization within eight years, “sometimes with substantial job losses,” the Journal reported. “Bain produced stellar returns for its investors,” the paper reported. But 70 percent of the profits came from 10 deals. A separate AP analysis found that at least 4,000 workers lost their jobs at 45 companies bought by Bain between 1984 and 1994, according to company reports, news releases and news coverage. The tally probably is higher, because it does not include other jobs lost in bankruptcies and other store and factory closings. Like any venture capital company, Bain’s main purpose was to generate profits for investors, not to create jobs. So it is easy for political campaigns to find dazzling success stories and heartbreaking plant closures in the company’s history. A new 28-minute film, “King of Bain,” portrays Romney as a profit-driven predator. A pro-Gingrich super PAC bought the film and plans to use excerpts for the attack ads in South Carolina. The group says it will post the entire film online. Gingrich’s struggling campaign has been helped by $5 million given to the super PAC by casino owner Sheldon Adelson. Obama’s campaign aides have long considered the Bain record to be Romney’s weakest spot, more damaging than his much-discussed flips on abortion and other issues. Romney told reporters Monday in New Hampshire that the attacks from Gingrich and Perry surprised him. “Free enterprise will be on trial” in the 2012 election, Romney said. “I thought it was going to come from the president, from the Democrats, from the left. But instead it’s coming from Speaker Gingrich and apparently others, and that’s just part of the process. I’m not worried about that.” Romney’s record at Bain has both helped and hurt his political career for nearly two decades. Bain was a pioneer in the often lucrative practice of “leveraged buyouts,” which involve heavy borrowing against the assets of a just-purchased company, and sometimes aggressive restructuring. Romney’s role there is generally lauded in corporate circles. But in his unsuccessful 1994 Senate bid, Democrats ran ads featuring a worker who lost his job after Bain bought and restructured American Pad & Paper. According to The Wall Street Journal, the deal generated $102 million in investment gains. But Ampad filed for bankruptcy protection in 2000. ——— Babington reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Stephen Braun in Washington and Brian Bakst in South Carolina contributed to this report.  Press writers Brian Bakst, Thomas Beaumont and Jim Davenport in South Carolina and Holly Ramer, Shannon McCaffrey, Philip Elliott and Beth Fouhy in New Hampshire and Stacy A. Anderson in Washington contributed to this report. Espo reported from Washington. SOURCE

Victory! Grand Canyon Protected from New Uranium Mining!

Thank Secretary Salazar! Dear Reader, Victory at the Grand Canyon! Thanks to supporters like you, Department of the Interior Secretary Ken Salazar has decided to continue the ban on new uranium mining claims on more than one million acres of public lands surrounding Grand Canyon National Park! This tremendously important decision will not only preserve the integrity and incredible views surrounding the park, but also prevent uranium mining pollution from contaminating the Colorado River, which supplies drinking water to 25 million people.  Take Action: Show your appreciation for Secretary Salazar’s decision by thanking him for continuing the ban on new uranium mining claims near the Grand Canyon. Victories like this could not happen without the continued support from people like you. It's up to all of us to ensure that national treasures like the Grand Canyon are protected for future generations. Thank you for helping make this victory possible and thank you for taking the time to let Secretary Salazar know that his action is greatly appreciated. Sincerely, David Nimkin Sr. Regional Director, Southwest Share this on Facebook    Share this on Twitter This message was sent to drpeatfield@yahoo.com by the National Parks Conservation Association. E-mail us at TakeAction@npca.org, write to us at 777 6th Street, NW, Suite 700, Washington, DC 20001, or call us at 800.NAT.PARK (800.628.7275). Can't see this message? View it on the NPCA Website. NPCA | 777 6th Street, NW | Suite 700 | Washington, DC 20001 | 800.NAT.PARK | npca@npca.org

NH Voter Information

Everything you need to know about voting in NH: Make it count

No More Twinkies?

Hostess Brands Preparing for Chapter 11 Filing

By MIKE SPECTOR And JULIE JARGON

Hostess Brands Inc. is preparing to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as soon as this week, said people familiar with the matter, a move that would mark the second significant court restructuring for the Twinkie and Wonder Bread baker in the past several years.  

The privately held Irving, Texas, company, which employs roughly 19,000 people and carries more than $860 million in debt, has been facing a cash squeeze amid high labor costs and rising prices for sugar, flour and other ingredients, according to people familiar with the matter. Those costs together have proved higher than the company's roughly $2.5 billion in annual sales, creating losses and cash shortfalls, they said.

Hostess also currently owes more than $50 million to vendors, which have been demanding payments on shortened timeframes after delivering goods because of Hostess's financial condition, one of the people said.

Hostess's filing would mark what's known as a "Chapter 22" in restructuring circles, since the company had already sought bankruptcy protection once before. Hostess, before called Interstate Bakeries Corp., slashed debt and costs during a four-year stint in bankruptcy court that began in 2004. The company has struggled since emerging from bankruptcy proceedings in February 2009.

The company's private-equity owner, Ripplewood Holdings, invested $40 million in Hostess last year to no avail. Hedge funds Monarch Alternative Capital, Silver Point Capital and others loaned the company $20 million late last year, but Hostess continues to have cash problems.

Hostess has lined up around $75 million in so-called debtor-in-possession financing to keep the company afloat during bankruptcy proceedings, the people said. Monarch, Silver Point and some other investors have agreed to extend the bankruptcy financing, with an option for other senior creditors to provide parts of the loan, the people said.

Once in bankruptcy court, Hostess will try to reduce debt and renegotiate labor contracts, many of them with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union, the people said. Hostess plans to file court papers soon threatening to reject or modify labor contracts under applicable bankruptcy rules, the people said. Such moves provide troubled companies a bargaining chip to try and get concessions from unionized workers.

A Teamsters spokesman declined to comment. A spokeswoman for Hostess's other main union didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

Sales of Hostess's signature Twinkies have recently declined a bit while the overall bakery snacks category has been about flat. Nearly 36 million packages of Twinkies were sold in the year ending Dec. 25, down almost 2% from a year earlier, according to data from SymphonyIRI Group, a Chicago-based market research firm. The data captures sales from supermarkets, drugstores, mass-market retailers and convenience stores, but excludes sales from Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and club stores.

Even so, Hostess has had trouble attracting consumers who have migrated away from white bread to whole grains and other healthier foods. Hostess released a whole-grain bread called Nature's Pride, but it hasn't sold well amid a small presence on shelves.

In addition, Hostess kept prices relatively high, making it harder to charge even more as costs for ingredients and fuel rose.

Hostess's bankruptcy filing would join the ranks of other companies forced to seek bankruptcy protection a second time in recent years. Between 2007 and 2011, more than 50 companies commenced "Chapter 22" bankruptcy cases, according to the most-recent data compiled by Edward Altman, a New York University finance professor.

One of Hostess's challenges will be to avoid liquidation, the fate of some other companies seeking bankruptcy protection a second time. In the past several years, for instance, Hollywood Video chain owner Movie Gallery Inc. and Polaroid Corp. have gone out of business after seeking bankruptcy protection a second time.

Others have survived multiple bankruptcies, including auto supplier Hayez Lemmerz International and Pliant Corp., a packaging company acquired after its second reorganization.

One sticking point for the baker: It pays about $100 million a year into so-called multi-employer pension plans that cover workers at a wide array of companies, the people said. Hostess, whose pension plan is underfunded by about $2 billion, wants to rescind its obligations to that plan and start paying into a plan that only covers its own workers, one of the people said.

Overall, Hostess carries hundreds of separate labor contracts that the company believes imposes cost burdens, people familiar with the matter said; the company also wants to reduce benefits costs.

The company also hopes that in bankruptcy it can attract new capital to bring production and distribution operations up to date, one of the people said.

Interstate Baking Co., the name Hostess used to go by long ago, was formed in 1930. Some brands Hostess still sells, including Drake's cakes, predate the company. In its infancy, the company made loaves of bread for grocery stores to sell.

In the 1960s and 1970s, the company grew by acquiring several other baking outfits across the U.S. By 1995, the company had changed its name to IBC, and purchased its largest rival, Continental Baking Co., for $330 million, maker of Wonder Bread.

Hostess is being advised by law firm Jones Day and financial services firm Perella Weinberg Partners. Hostess creditors are being advised by investment bank Lazard Ltd.

More information: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204124204577151211961572458.html

The Gingrich Jobs and Growth Plan

My commentary first:
Dave Peatfield  January 09, 2012

As a solid Independent  in the State of New Hampshire, it is a deliberate choice I have made and not indecision that led me there.  I listen to all candidates very carefully and choose my future by having all the facts necessary to make an informed choice!  Committing ones self to one party is narrow minded and not always the best choice in all instances.  

Our country has been dramatically impacted by the divided thought process of going with the "best argument" instead of the right agreement.  Working together is the foundation of every success story, and our nation is far from a success story at this moment in history.  I believe we have lost our focus on "one nation."  

A contract with America is a sound plan.  Hold Senator's and Congressional Leader's accountable for their actions and work from a PLAN instead of a personal agenda.  When a business is deviating from it's goals a critical path is developed to help steer it in the right direction.  A set of common goals is what our country needs to be successful.  After all, you and I have plans and goals that need to be met in our careers and everyday lives, why shouldn't the people that govern us be monitored and measured to an acceptable standard of a passing grade or lay THEM off.  It is high-time they be held accountable for their actions on a daily basis.   

Put the pledge of allegiance back into our schools before our children forget it as well.

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

I pledge!  Do you?

- Dave Peatfield

The Gingrich Jobs and Growth Plan

America only works when Americans are working. Newt has a pro-growth strategy similar to the proven policies used when he was Speaker to balance the budget, pay down the debt, and create jobs. The plan includes:

1. Stop the 2013 tax increases to promote stability in the economy. Job creation improved after Congress extended tax relief for two years in December. We should make the rates permanent.
2. Make the United States the most desirable location for new business investment through a bold series of tax cuts, including: Eliminating the capital gains tax to make American entrepreneurs more competitive against those in other countries; Dramatically reducing the corporate income tax (among highest in the world) to 12.5%; Allowing for 100% expensing of new equipment to spur innovation and American manufacturing; Ending the death tax permanently.
3. Move toward an optional flat tax of 15% that would allow Americans the freedom to choose to file their taxes on a postcard, saving hundreds of billions in unnecessary costs each year. This optional flat tax system will preserve deductions on charitable giving and home ownership, and create a new personal deduction of $12,000 for every American. This deduction is well above the current poverty level, ensuring that this new system does not unfairly target the poor.
4. Strengthen the dollar by returning to the Reagan-era monetary policies that stopped runaway inflation and reforming the Federal Reserve to promote transparency.
5. Remove obstacles to job creation imposed by destructive and ineffective regulations, programs and bureaucracies. Steps include: Repealing the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, which did nothing to prevent the financial crisis and is holding companies back from making new investments in the U.S; Repealing the Community Reinvestment Act, the abuse of which helped cause the financial crisis; Repealing the Dodd-Frank Law which is killing small independent banks, crippling loans to small businesses and crippling home sales; Breaking up Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, moving their smaller successors off government guarantees and into the free market; Replacing the Environmental Protection Agency with an Environmental Solutions Agency that works collaboratively with local government and industry to achieve better results; and Modernizing the Food and Drug Administration  to get lifesaving medicines and technologies to patients faster.
6. Implement an American energy policy that removes obstacles to responsible energy development and creates jobs in the United States.
7. Balance the budget by growing the economy, controlling spending, implementing money saving reforms, and replacing destructive policies and regulatory agencies with new approaches.
8. Repeal and replace Obamacare with a pro-jobs, pro-responsibility health plan that puts doctors and patients in charge of health decisions instead of bureaucrats.
   
9. Fundamental reform of entitlement programs with the advice and help of the American people. Read an extended white paper on this here.

OTHER VIDEO'S OF INTEREST:
(Be informed and make an informed decision in 2012 our country's future depends on it!)





Gingrich takes on Romney in NH debate


Newt Gingrich on New Hampshire, South Carolina and Mitt Romney


Newt Gingrich Mocks President Obama-Hilarious!

America vs Big Oil

Dear Reader, Thank President Obaam for standing up to Big Oil and urge him to reject the Keystone XL oil pipeline!   In 2011, we were truly inspired by President Obama's bold decision to delay and reevaluate the dirty, dangerous Keystone XL tar sands oil pipeline. But we now face attacks from greedy oil companies and their cronies in Congress who want to rubberstamp this project, all in the name of greater profits for Big Oil. Tell President Obama we stand strong with his decision to delay the dirty Keystone XL tar sands oil pipeline and that we will fight together in 2012 to reject the project once and for all. President Obama did the right thing by putting the brakes on this dangerous 1,700 mile oil pipeline that would run from Canada through America's heartland and put our land, climate and drinking water at risk. Now the President can put American families ahead of Big Oil profits by rejecting Keystone XL. 2012 will be a seminal year in our fight to move our country Beyond Oil. Big Oil and their cronies in Congress know this as well. And they're in a panic. We're already starting to see a barrage of misinformation. Republican House Majority Leader John Boehner and the other Big Oil allies in Congress are trying to scam the American people with an expensive, unnecessary and dangerous tar sands pipeline to deliver billions in profits to oil companies. Thank President Obama for his bold leadership on Keystone XL and tell him he has your support standing up to Big Oil. The pipeline will not help with energy security, it will create far fewer jobs than promised, the oil brought to the U.S. will be shipped overseas tax-free and there are huge risks to our waterways, farmland and climate - TransCanada's earlier pipeline spilled 14 times in the first 12 months of operation. 2012 will be the year we decide where we stand as a country on moving Beyond Oil. Will you start 2012 by taking a stand against Big Oil? Support strong leadership from President Obama, support his bold decision to stand firm against Big Oil and their cronies in Congress on Keystone XL. Email the President today! Thanks for all that you do to protect the environment, Sarah Hodgdon Sierra Club Conservation Director P.S. After you take action, be sure to forward this alert to your friends and colleagues! Sierra Club 85 Second St. San Francisco, CA 94105