Grumpy Editor

U.S. buys Russian helicopters for Afghanistan’s air force

Despite cries for more U.S. jobs, one of the strangest deals has American taxpayers footing the bill for almost two dozen Russian-built helicopters for use by the Afghanistan air force, notes Grumpy Editor. 

Other than Bloomberg News three months ago and this week’s issue of Bloomberg Businessweek, little has been reported by U.S. media about the unusual transaction.

Newspaper editorial page writers should get somewhat excited over this, especially during the summer doldrums.  

Bloomberg Businessweek writers Danielle Ivory and Kathleen Miller point out, “Since May 2011, the Pentagon has paid Rosoboronexport $411 million for 21 Mi-17 helicopters.” 

Rosoboronexport is the state-run arms trader that Congress says is arming Syria. 

Kazan Helicopter manufactures the medium twin-turbine transport at two Russian plants. 

The Bloomberg Businessweek writers also reveal the “Pentagon didn’t solicit bids from any other company for the helicopters.” They add that Sen. John Cornyn (R., Texas) --- leading 17 U.S. senators seeking to cancel the deal --- says the no-bid order “seems just plain stupid.” 

Back on May 8, Bloomberg News writers Tony Capaccio and David Lerman reported, "The Pentagon says it’s in a bind, with nowhere to turn for helicopters needed by Afghanistan’s air force except Russia."

The Mi-17 choppers, they added, "include full Western avionics, navigation, communications and situation-awareness capability.” 

Cost of the 21 helicopters three months ago was pegged at $375 million.  That’s $36 million below the price tag noted this month. 

What’s noteworthy about this close to half a billion dollar Pentagon-spurred deal that benefits Russia is that talk in Washington includes deep cuts in the defense budget --- for the U.S.

 

IRS lacks Olympic spirit, slaps high tax on U.S. winners

Many publications, in their heavy coverage of the 2012 Olympics in London, are missing how the Internal Revenue Service is “licking its chops” --- cheering especially for more U.S. gold medal winners --- so it can collect hefty taxes, notes Grumpy Editor. 

Under U.S. tax law, winning athletes must add the value of their Olympic medals and honorariums to taxable income. 

The IRS slaps a 35 percent tax rate on winners. 

That’s pretty rough on some athletes who are teenagers and still going to school. 

The U.S. Olympic Committee awards athletes $25,000 for gold medals, $15,000 for silver and $10,000 for bronze.

Americans for Tax Reform Foundation calculates a gold medal winner will pay the IRS up to $8,986, while silver medal winners face a tax up to $5,385 and bronze medal winners are nicked with a tax up to $3,502. 

Noting this, some Washington lawmakers are coming to the rescue to exempt U.S. medal winners from paying taxes on their Olympic achievements. 

Sen. Marco Rubio, (R., Fla.) last Wednesday introduced such a plan in the Senate, calling for a tax code overhaul “to aggressively fix ridiculous tax laws like this tax on Olympians’ medals and prize money.” 

In the House, cosponsoring a bill seeking to exempt U.S. medal winners from paying taxes, are Reps. Mary Bono Mack (R., Calif.) and G.K. Butterfield (D., N.C.).

"Only the U.S. tax code can turn the 'thrill of victory' into the agony of victory,” they declare in a statement. 

 

Poll: Public ranks ‘high confidence’ in press near bottom

The press still has much work to do in elevating its near bottom “confidence” ranking with the American public, notes Grumpy Editor after reviewing a new Harris Poll. 

Utilizing its Harris Confidence Index, the poll --- of those saying “a great deal of confidence” --- gives the press an 11. 

That ranks slightly above Wall Street, with a 7, and Congress, at the bottom, with 6. 

Highest press ranking in the past decade: 16 in 2002. 

Television news, meanwhile, gets 17 in the poll conducted by Harris Interactive between April 9 and 17.  That rank compares with a high of 24, also in 2002. 

So which institutions rank highest in the latest poll of 2,060 adults? 

The military tops the list with 55. 

Small business follows with 50. 

These are well ahead of third-place medicine with 34.

 

Lengthy Medicare paragraph features a load of ( )s

If you think some newspaper paragraphs run too long, just try to follow what’s going on with this Medicare provision, as pointed out in the Wall Street Journal, urges Grumpy Editor. 

As unearthed by WSJ writer Joe Palazzolo in Friday’s WSJ:

"In the case of a plan for which there are average per capita monthly savings described in section 1395w–24 (b)(3)(C) or 1395w–24 (b)(4)(C) of this title, as the case may be, the amount specified in this subparagraph is the amount of the monthly rebate computed under section 1395w–24 (b)(1)(C)(i) of this title for that plan and year (as reduced by the amount of any credit provided under section 1395w–24 (b)(1)(C)(iv) [2] of this title)."

Clear enough?

Nothing simple with many government texts.

Makes one think the writers get paid by the word --- or symbol.

Palazzolo also points out the Dodd-Frank financial law runs 2,300 pages while President Barrack Obama’s health-care law fills more than 900 pages.

Perhaps, in efforts to keep word volume shorter, more former tabloid newspaper staffers --- brought up to “write tight” --- should be called on to assist with authoring legislation.

 

Energy Secretary Chu doesn’t drive to work, but…

Facing a House Subcommittee on Energy and Power on a budget request yesterday, Energy Secretary Stephen Chu --- after mention of a battery-run Chevy Volt ---  revealed he didn’t drive a car and added, “I don’t own a car at the moment,” observed Grumpy Editor.

It sounded like he was doing his best to go green.

That got a lot of coverage on radio and television news, including some comments that Chu is trying to save energy, namely gasoline consumption.

On one TV network, it was suggested that perhaps Chu walks to work.

But few bothered to check further to uncover how he reaches his desk.

CNSNews.com did.

Craig Bannister, director of communications for CNSNews.com, pointed out that while Chu technically may not own a car, an Energy Department spokesman confirmed that Chu’s transportation to work is provided by a security detail.

And that his wife owns a car.

Far from being a Chevy Volt, however, a source identified the vehicle as a BMW 325i that requires premium gasoline. 

Stars and Stripes move from Washington raises questions

Military budget cuts have now spread to Stars and Stripes, the 150-year-old U.S. military newspaper that is slated to be kicked out of Washington, D.C. headquarters, finds Grumpy Editor. 

Distributed worldwide, the newspaper started by 10 Union soldiers during the Civil War, has been ordered to move 30 miles from D.C. to the Fort Meade military base.

The cost-cutting effort was directed by Defense Secretary Leon Panetta who figures the move, affecting 80 newsroom and business staffers, will save $1 million a year in rent by leaving the National Press Building.

Moving operations to an Army base, staffers feel the location will cause loss of journalistic independence.

The distance from Maryland also will make it a bit difficult to cover Capitol Hill.

Over many years, the daily newspaper, now with an estimated 350,000 readers, has angered Pentagon and military leadership by printing beefs from military personnel. 

Douglas B. Wilson, assistant secretary of defense for public affairs, said the decision to relocate the newspaper to Fort Meade “is not a matter of reducing independence for Stars and Stripes. It is a matter of reducing rent costs to the taxpayer.” 

But raising his eyebrows, Sen. Carl Levin (D., Mich.), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, wrote to Panetta.  He said questions of editorial independence for Stars and Stripes were “well-placed, and should lead to a review of possible alternatives to this decision.” 

Levin asked, “If this move is based on cost savings, were other alternatives considered, including other government spaces and other leased locations? 

“If Stars and Stripes is moved to Fort Meade, what will the department do to ensure that the actual and perceived independence of the important service provided by Stars and Stripes is preserved?”

 

NBC seeks to stifle applause in GOP presidential debates

The day after Newt Gingrich’s Monday night participation in a Republican presidential debate on NBC, the former House speaker said he disagrees with moderator Brian Williams’ asking the Tampa audience to withhold applause until the commercial breaks, observes Grumpy Editor. 

NBC’s rules, Gingrich said in a Fox News interview, amount to stifling free speech. 

“I think (Williams) took them out of it because the media are terrified that the audience is going to side with the candidates against the media, which is what they’ve done in every debate,” Gingrich said. 

“The media don’t control free speech,” Gingrich added.  “People ought to be allowed to applaud if they want to.” 

Grumpy Editor agrees, citing ratings-conscious NBC (and its advertisers) wouldn’t like it if Burbank audiences were told to hold up on applause for Jay Leno’s banter on “The Tonight Show” until commercial breaks. 

It’s noteworthy that when NBC, along with other networks, cover --- live in most cases --- President Barack Obama making speeches today and tomorrow, facing workers and constituents in Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Chandler, Ariz.; Las Vegas, Nev.; Denver and Detroit, those attending will not be asked to hold applause until the next break.

Meanwhile, Gingrich is rolling up his sleeves for another Republican presidential debate in Florida tomorrow night on CNN --- which said it will allow applause.

 

 

Congress takes off more in 2012, finds Grumpy Editor

Wonder why there are a lower number of  Washington datelines in newspapers?  Congress has been quiet, mostly out of town.  But some action resumes today with a call of the House at 6:30 p.m., Eastern, notes Grumpy Editor.

But House members are only scheduled for six days in session this month while the Senate convenes next Monday. 

On the way to fewer sessions this year despite pressing matters, don’t look for any solid month of action in the House. February, the shortest month on the 2012 calendar (despite being Leap Year), will see the House active the most days:  14.  Among the leanest months, the House is scheduled to meet only eight days in April, three in August and five in October. 

The Senate, meanwhile, schedules a number of “state work periods” that allows members more time to spend with constituents in their home states --- and for “fact finding” trips.  For the House, time spent in home districts is called “constituent work week.” 

Despite the many days off, Washington press corps’ reports will imply that just about every day --- even during holiday periods --- carries a full slate of pursuits by lawmakers busy in the nation’s capital.

( House and Senate calendars, below.)

2012 Senate schedule, 112^th Congress, 2^nd session

Jan. 23 - Senate convenes

Non-legislative days

Feb. 20 – 24, state work period

April 2 – 13, state work period

April 30 – May 4, state work period

May 28 – June 1, state work period (Memorial Day, May 28)

July 2 – 6, state work period (Independence Day, July 4)

Aug. 6 – Sept. 7, state work period (Labor Day, Sept. 3)

Oct. 8 - Columbus Day federal holiday

Nov. 12 -  Veterans Day federal holiday

Adjournment date to be determined

 

2012 House schedule, 112^th Congress, 2^nd session 

Legislative days

Jan. 17, 18, 23-25, 31

Feb. 1-3, 6-9, 14–17, 27–29

March 1, 5-8, 19-22, 26-29

April 16-19, 24-27

May 7-10, 15-18, 30, 31

June 1, 5-8, 18-21, 26-29

July 9-12, 17-20, 23-26, 31

Aug. 1-3

Sept. 10-14, 19-21

Oct. 1-5

Nov. 13-16, 27-30

Dec. 3-6, 11-14

 

Schedules are subject to change.

 

Republican candidates’ 2 TV debates miss opportunities

Television viewers saw a total of three and a half hours of Republican candidates’ debates from New Hampshire over the weekend and only once was there a mention of rogue North Korea --- with zero discussion of the Communist nation pushing ahead with a nuclear weapons program under a new leader --- and no talk about global warming (rebranded climate change), the illegal immigrants situation in the U.S. and China’s military buildup while the U.S. chops its defense budget, observes Grumpy Editor. 

But everyone --- questioners and other candidates --- targeted Mitt Romney. 

An inordinate portion of Saturday night’s two-hour debate on ABC was consumed with commentator George Stephanopoulos asking Romney, “Do you believe states have the right to ban contraception, or is that trumped by a constitutional right to privacy?” 

That discussion spread to other candidates. 

Ten hours later, NBC expanded its normal one hour “Meet the Press” to 90 minutes to bounce questions off the same six GOP candidates.  David Gregory helmed that debate --- seen “live” in the east but on tape in the West. 

A tape delay for the West also came with the Dec. 10 debate on ABC. 

The problem with delayed viewing in the West is that alert debate followers already have heard sound bites on radio and TV news before viewing the replay.  In addition, Web sites already had covered details and sparring among quizzers and candidates. 

Fifteen minutes before the end of yesterday’s NBC debate, a quickie mention was made about North Korea --- but no questions or discussion followed. 

One plus for the NBC taped-for-the-West version vs. ABC’s delayed release on Dec. 10:  Unlike ABC’s misleading white-on-red LIVE “bug” above its logo in the bottom corner of the screen, NBC did not have that.

 

Kiplinger’s future lighting story skips toxic CFLs mention

A glowing story in the January issue of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine on the upcoming replacement of the long-used traditional incandescent light bulbs overlooked mention that compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs, one type of substitute, contains toxic mercury that can pose problems, notes Grumpy Editor.

Under the headline, “Incandescents Take the Heat,” CFLs, Halogen bulbs and light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are cited as replacements when new energy standards go into effect next month. 

But the main concern, not touched on in the article, focuses on the replacement CFLs, produced mostly in China.  They are being promoted in efforts to go more "green” and conserve energy.

A few vigilant newspaper editorial writers in recent months have alerted readers to problems with CFLs which entered the future lighting picture when Congress four years ago passed an energy bill that essentially banned the traditional incandescent light bulb that received a major thrust in 1878 from Thomas Edison’s research. 

Many officials apparently remain unaware that when a CFL bulb (a small glass tube twisted into a spiral) shatters, mercury escapes as vapor that can be inhaled, and as a fine powder it can settle into carpet and other textiles.

A Scientific American posting three years ago was among the first to point out highly toxic mercury is especially harmful to the brains of both fetuses and children. 

The director of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Hazardous Waste Minimization and Management Division at that time recommended opening windows and stepping outside, then quickly ventilating the room when a CFL bulb breaks. 

"Get all the people and pets out of the room for 15 minutes and let the room air out,” was the warning.  

In July, U.S. House efforts to repeal use of CFLs fell short of the two-thirds majority vote needed for passage --- without a peep from the current EPA.