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<h2 class="MsoBodyText2" align="center" style="text-align:center"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">ARE
YOU A PROACTIVE OR A REACTIVE MANAGER?</font></h2>
<p class="MsoBodyText3"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">This
isn�t a trick question, although it would seem that the desired answer is obvious.
Most of us want to be proactive managers.</font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">But
there are two questions we should consider first.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .5in"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">1<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span>Why are most of us reactive managers?</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .5in"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">2<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span> What�s the difference between proactive and reactive managers<span style="font-size: 16.0pt">?</span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt"> </span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>1.
Why Are Most Of Us Reactive Managers?</b></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Because
that�s where the applause comes from. That�s how heroes are made.
When we�re knee deep in alligators the person who swings in and pulls us out
is our champion. But another reason is that it takes a lot more brainpower
and patience to prevent the problem before it occurs. Why didn�t someone
figure out ahead of time how to keep the people out of that alligator infested
swamp?</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>2.
What�s The Difference Between Reactive And Proactive Managers?</b></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>A.
Reactive Managers</b> solve problems when they arise. That�s a good thing.
It�s a management style that�s admired for its ability to quickly get the resources
back into production, whether those resources are machines or people.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">If
you�re good at reactive management you are:</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .3in"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">�<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span>Decisive and able to think and act quickly </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .3in"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">�<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span>Able to identify the root causes of problems</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .3in"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">�<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span>Creative and resourceful with an ability to develop many solutions</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .3in"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">�<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span>Calm and in control in the face of crisis.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">So,
someone who is good at reactive management is able to remain calm, quickly analyze
the problem, find the root cause and be decisive in activating the solution.
This is clearly a desirable set of skills for a manager to have. But,
however valuable, the reactive style is not really the best style.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>B.
Proactive Managers</b> focus on reducing or preventing the problems before they
occur. You could also call this the predictive style. The more problems
that can be predicted and prevented, the less you will need reactive management
later. Beyond dealing with problems and emergencies, proactive managers
are people who don�t wait to be told to get things done. They look and
act ahead. That works here too.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">If
you are good at proactive management you are:</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .3in"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">�<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span>Thoughtful and analytical</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .3in"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">�<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span>Not spending much time in panics and crisis</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .3in"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">�<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span>More focused on what�s important than on what�s urgent</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .3in"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">�<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span>Able to identify patterns in data including patterns in failures</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .3in"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">�<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span>More focused on <u>why</u> something failed than on <u>what</u> to do
about fixing it</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .3in"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">�<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span>Able to keep the big picture in mind when working through the details</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt"> </span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">So,
someone who is good at proactive management is sufficiently detached from the
urgent pace or current emergency, to identify the problems that are important
and install procedures to reduce or eliminate them. Rather than being
focused on the immediate crisis, proactive managers are able to compare current
conditions to earlier information and predict which problems might occur and
when. The more problems that can be prevented through proactive management,
the fewer resources will be spent on reacting to them when they pounce on us
later. Proactive management does not replace reactive management but its
almost always less costly and it reduces the need for it.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Both
management styles are of value. We often refer to our daily panic as �putting
out fires�. That�s a good analogy. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Reactive
managers are firemen putting out fires.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Proactive
managers are fire inspectors preventing them from happening.</font></p>
<hr>
<h2 style="margin-left:.75in" align="center">
<font face="Verdana" color="#008000">Have an employment question?</font></h2>
<h3 style="margin-left:.75in" align="center"><font face="Verdana">Send it to
<a href="mailto:[email protected]?subject=From HR On The Job">
[email protected]</a></font></h3>
<p style="margin-left:.75in" align="center"><b><font face="Verdana" size="2">
Please include Company Name and Association in your e-mail. Company
identification will be kept confidential.</font></b></p>
<hr>
<h2 align="left"><b><u><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Hitchhiking on the Information
Highway</font></u></b></h2>
<p align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><font
size="4" color="#FF0000">Dateline: January 2007</font></b></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">Note. Although we attempt to provide the HRU update on the first
of each month, we are normally delayed awaiting the release of several
monthly government statistical reports. We will hereafter update the information
as each report becomes available without waiting for all of them to be
released.</font></i></p>
<p> </p>
<table border="0" width="100%" height="3729">
<tr valign="top">
<td width="100%" height="3702">
<blockquote>
<div align="center">
<h2 align="center" style="text-align:center"> <span style="font-size: 18.0pt">Poison
Pills Should Require Clear Labeling</span></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">When
companies find themselves defending a hostile takeover they often
use lots of dollars and many tools to prevent someone from taking
over their company. They often create defensive mechanisms to
scare off the attacker. One of these mechanisms is called a
�Poison Pill�. It goes something like this.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Company
�A� finds that company �B� is trying to acquire a controlling share
of their stock in order to take over control of company �A� (although
a takeover, it is often called a merger). </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Company
�A�, in defense, creates a new internal policy that it hopes will
frighten company �B� away. Something that will make company
�A� less desirable to them.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">They
might create a very bountiful severance package for all employees
who may be downsized in a takeover. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Therefore,
if Company �B� takes over (merges with) Company �A� and begins to
�downsize� by terminating Company �A� employees, they will have to
pay them exorbitant severance packages. This severance package
is known as the �Poison Pill�. If Company �B� takes over they
will have swallowed the �Poison Pill� and will have to pay out the
big bucks to terminated employees. Often this will scare them
off and they will end their take-over battle.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">And
that�s exactly what happened to an Iowa company (company �A�) when
it created that very �Poison Pill. It successfully stopped company
�B�s� takeover attempt. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">However,
after the heavy expense of the take-over battle, company �A� found
that it had to do some cost cutting. So they merged a number
of their offices and departments and found that they had to lay a
number of people off. Those employees pulled out the recently
written �Poison Pill� policy and requested those big severance packages!
</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">The
courts agreed that although it was clearly the company�s intent to
use the policy solely as a tool to prevent the take-over, the wording
in the policy was not worded clearly enough to exclude <i>them</i>
from their own �Poison Pill�. Another example of defective labeling
on poisonous containers.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ignore: vglayout"> </span><span style="mso-ignore: vglayout"> </span></p>
<table border="1" width="50%" id="table17" cellpadding="2" height="102">
<tr>
<td valign="top" height="78">
<h3 class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center">
<b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">�That�s
okay, some of my best friends are ignorant�</font></b></h3>
<h3 class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>-Nick
Galifianakis</b></font></h3>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<h1 align="center" style="text-align:center"> </h1>
<h2 align="center" style="text-align:center"> <span style="font-size: 18.0pt"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Employee
Empowerment And Government Mandates Can Run Amuck</font></span></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Employee
empowerment has been a good process for management. Putting
the people doing the work in more control of the work they�re doing,
opening up lines of communication, molding the employee and the employer
into a more unified and effective team and retaining good employees
are all part of the advantages of this modern management method.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Government
mandates have also had their advantages. Some companies would
still be using the draconian work rules of the 1920s if government
mandates had not begun in earnest in the 1930s. OSHA brought
safety onto every job-site; EEO made room for minorities, women and
the handicapped in the workforce and DOL has brought forth many new
laws benefiting both employees, employers and the country. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">However,
most of us can tell stories about the harm that can come when these
good things go to extremes and hurt all parties.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Most
European countries have moved very heavily toward both of these philosophies.
Some feel that the move has been so zealous that it becomes anti-business
in nature. That�s one of the main reasons that they rank so
low in productivity and so high in unemployment (France, Germany and
England unemployment stuck at around 9% + for many years compared
to the USA at 4.5% and a long-range continuous rise in productivity).
</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">On
extreme example of these two philosophies running amuck occurred in
England a few weeks ago where the law mandates 30 minute rest breaks
for all ambulance crews working over six hours. When a 73 year-old
man suffered a heart attack, a paramedic called 999 (the UK equivalent
of our 911) for an ambulance that was five minutes away. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">The
crew was on their mandated 30-minute break and refused to respond.
The paramedic made calls to another community who were also on their
mandated 30-minute break. Then another call before he connected
to a community whose crew was not on break and responded 20 minutes
later. The man died on the way to the hospital. Lots of
finger pointing is now underway. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Taking
the brains and the humanity out of our laws and our work in order
to win popularity is not good for anyone.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p>
</div>
<span style="mso-ignore: vglayout">
<div align="center">
<table border="1" width="50%" id="table19" height="87">
<tr>
<td height="81" valign="top">
<h3 class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center">
<b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">�All social
change seems to go to it�s extreme before it requires another
social change�</font></b></h3>
<h3 class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>-WJCIII</b></font></h3>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
</span>
<div align="center">
<h2 class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b> <span style="font-size: 18.0pt"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Talk,
Talk, Talk. Are You Doing Your Share?</font></span></b></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">In
some industrialized countries, almost everyone owns a cell phone.
Judging by the number of automobile drivers with cell pones in their
ears, it�s a safe bet that that the USA would be number one in cell
phone usage. Right? Actually we�re small potatoes in the
talk-a-thon world. In some European countries the number of
cell phones actually outnumber the people!</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">The
countries with the most mobile phone subscribers per 100 inhabitants
are:</font></p>
<div align="left">
<table border="0" width="45%" id="table22">
<tr>
<td width="37"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">1.</font></td>
<td width="132"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
Luxembourg </font> </td>
<td><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
120 per 100 inhabitants</font> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="37"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">2.</font></td>
<td width="132"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
Sweden </font> </td>
<td><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
108</font> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="37"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">3.</font></td>
<td width="132"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
Italy </font> </td>
<td><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
107</font> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="37"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">4.</font></td>
<td width="132"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
Czech Republic </font> </td>
<td><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
103</font> </td>
</tr>
</table>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">The
Counties with the fewest subscribers per 100 inhabitants are:</font></p>
<div align="left">
<table border="0" width="47%" id="table23">
<tr>
<td width="36"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">1.</font></td>
<td><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
Turkey </font> </td>
<td><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
45 per 100 inhabitants</font> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="36"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">2.</font></td>
<td><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
Poland </font> </td>
<td><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
57</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="36"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">3.</font></td>
<td><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
USA </font> </td>
<td><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
59</font> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="36"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">4.</font></td>
<td><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
France</font></td>
<td><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
68</font> </td>
</tr>
</table>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Do
your part for America, buy another cell phone.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><span style="mso-ignore: vglayout"> </span></font></p>
<table border="1" width="50%" id="table20">
<tr>
<td valign="top">
<h3 class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center">
<b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">�If people
had been so politically correct in centuries past as they are
today, Ivan the Terrible would have been Ivan The Inappropriate�</font></b></h3>
<h3 class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>-Thomas
Sowell</b></font></h3>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<h2><span style="font-size: 18.0pt"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Lo
Tech Jobs Make A Comeback</font></span></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Two
long-lost occupations from another era are returning with a flourish.
And these are jobs many of us aspired to in our youth. Pirates
and cowboys. With the price of beef going up again a fattened
cow can bring in around $1,000. So thieves are rustling cattle
off ranches, herding them onto long trailers and driving them to out-of-state
auctions. More than $8 million worth of cattle were cowboyed
off the range last year. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">But
the real money is going to pirates. During the American-Russian
cold war, the seas were teaming with military vessels and armed crews
from both sides year-round on all seas and in almost all ports.
With the end of the cold war almost all of those ships and crews were
sent home. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">That�s
when pirates began venturing out into those unprotected waters. And
like the pirates of old, they began to attack ships, rob the crews
and passengers, rape, kill, kidnap, steal the cargo and sink the ships.
It�s become a $16 billion industry with over 30 piracies reported
each month. The maritime authorities report that the actual
number is more like 300 piracies per month but the ship owners are
reluctant to report incidents. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Although
these two lo-tech jobs are making a comeback, they�re using state-of-the-art
hi tech tools to do the job. Could we soon be seeing the buggy
whip makers back on the job?</font></p>
<table border="1" width="50%" id="table21">
<tr>
<td valign="top">
<h3 class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center">
<b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">�If at
first you don�t succeed, failure may be your style�</font></b></h3>
<h3 class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>-Quentin
Crisp</b></font><br>
</h3>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</div>
<blockquote>
<hr width="75%">
<p></p>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
<span style="text-decoration: none"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
<table border="0" width="33%">
<tr>
<td width="64%" valign="top">
<div style="border-style: solid; border-width: 1; padding-left: 4; padding-right: 4; padding-top: 1; padding-bottom: 1">
<p align="left"><font size="-1"
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>Minimum Wage:</b></font></p>
</div>
</td>
<center>
<td width="100%" valign="top">
<h3><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">$5.15/hr.</font></h3>
</td>
</center>
</tr>
</table>
<table border="0" width="99%">
<tr>
<td width="13%" valign="middle" style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1; border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1"><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>Average
Income:</b></font></td>
<td width="67%" style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1">
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" width="100%" id="AutoNumber4" height="76">
<tr>
<td width="100%" height="76">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" width="100%" id="AutoNumber5">
<tr>
<td width="50%" align="center"><b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Hourly</font></b></td>
<td width="50%" align="center"><b><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Weekly</font></b></td>
</tr>
</table>
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" width="100%" id="AutoNumber6" height="50">
<tr>
<td width="25%" height="50">
<p align="center"> <b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u>
December
2005</u></font></b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><br>
$16.35</font></td>
<td width="25%" height="50">
<p align="center"> <b>
<span style="text-decoration: none"><u>
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
December</font></u></span><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><span style="text-decoration: none"><u>
2006</u></span></font></b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u><br>
</u>$17.04</font>
</td>
<td width="25%" height="50">
<p align="center">
<span style="text-decoration: none"><b><u>
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
December</font></u></b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u><b> 2005</b></u><br>
</font></span>
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
$552.63</font>
</td>
<td width="25%" height="50">
<p align="center">
<span style="text-decoration: none"><b><u>
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
December</font></u></b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u><b> 2006</b></u></font></span><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u><br>
</u>$577.66</font>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</td>
<td width="20%" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<table border="0" width="99%" height="96">
<tr>
<td width="100%" height="40" colspan="2">
<h3 align="center"><span style="text-decoration: none"><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>Federal<br>
Poverty Level:</b></font></span></h3>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="50%" height="48">
<p align="center"><b><u><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">One
(1) Person<br>
</font></u></b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">$10,160</font>
</td>
<td width="50%" height="48">
<p align="center"><u><b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Family
of Four</font></b></u><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><br>
$19,806</font>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<hr noshade color="#000000">
<hr noshade color="#000000">
</font><table border="0" width="100%">
<b></b><tr>
<b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
<td width="37%" style="border-style: solid; border-width: 1">
<p align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1"><b>IRS Mileage Allowance :</b></font></p>
</td>
</font></b><center><b></b><td width="63%" style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1">
<div align="left"><b>
<font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">48.5</font><font face="Verdana" size="-1">
cents</font><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
per mile</font></b><b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1"><br>
</font></font></b></div>
</td>
</center>
</tr>
</table>
<table border="0" width="100%" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<tr>
<td width="32%" style="border-style: solid; border-width: 1">
<p align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1"><b>Postage:</b></font></p>
</td>
<center>
<td width="68%" style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1"> </td>
</center>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%" style="border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">1 oz.</font></td>
<td width="68%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">.39</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">Each additional ounce</font></td>
<td width="68%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">.24</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1"><i>Postcards</i></font></td>
<td width="68%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">.24</font></td>
</tr>
</table>
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
<hr noshade color="#000000">
<b>
<p>
<table border="0" width="38%" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
</table>
<table border="0" width="98%">
<tr>
<td width="34%" style="border-style: solid; border-width: 1">
<p align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1"><b><u>Population:</u></b></font></p>
</td>
<center>
<td width="82%" style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1"> </td>
</center>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="34%" style="border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1"><b>World</b></font></td>
<td width="82%">
<p align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">6.5 Billion</font>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="34%" valign="top"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1"><b>U.S.</b></font></td>
<td width="82%" valign="top">
<p align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">300
Million</font>
<p align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><i>One
birth every 8 seconds<br>
One death every 13 seconds<br>
One new immigrant every 30 seconds<br>
Net gain = 1 person every second</i></font>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</b>
<hr noshade color="#000000">
<table border="1" width="99%" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<tr> <b>
<td width="48%" style="border-style: solid; border-width: 1">
<p align="left"><b> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">U.S.
Workforce</font></b></p>
</td>
</b>
<center>
<td width="12%" align="center"> <b>
<span style="text-decoration: none"><u>
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
December</font></u></span></b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><u><font size="-1">
2005</font></u></b></font></td>
<b>
<td width="12%" align="center"> <b>
<span style="text-decoration: none"><u>
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
December</font></u></span></b><u><span style="font-weight:700"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
</font></span> </u><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u>
<b> 2006 </b></u></font></td>
</b>
</center>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="48%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">U.S. Civilian Workforce</font></td>
<td width="12%" align="center"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">150,113,000</font></td>
<td width="12%" align="center"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">152,775,000</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="48%"><font size="-1">Number Employed</font></td>
<td width="12%" align="center"> <font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">142,782,000</font></td>
<td width="12%" align="center"> <font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">
145,926,000</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="48%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">Number Unemployed</font></td>
<td width="12%" align="center"> <font size="-1">7,331,000</font></td>
<td width="12%" align="center"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
6,849,000</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="48%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">Unemployment Rate</font></td>
<td width="12%" align="center">
<p><font size="-1">4.9</font><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">%</font></p>
</td>
<td width="12%" align="center">
<p><font size="-1">4.5</font><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">%</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<hr noshade color="#000000">
<table border="0" width="100%" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="96">
<tr>
<td width="43%" style="border-style: solid; border-width: 1" height="38">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><font size="-1">2005
Absentee Rates </font></b></font></td>
<center>
<td width="56%" align="center" valign="top" height="38"> </td>
</center>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="44%" style="border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1" height="31">
<font size="-1"><span style="text-decoration: none"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Men
</font></span> </font></td>
<td width="56%" align="center" valign="top" height="31">
<div align="center"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">2.5%</font></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="44%" style="border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1" height="27">
<font size="-1"><span style="text-decoration: none"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Women</font></span></font></td>
<td width="56%" align="center" valign="top" height="27">
<div align="center"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">4.4%</font></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="44%" style="border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1" height="23">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>Total</b></font></td>
<td width="56%" align="center" valign="top" height="23">
<h4 align="center"><font size="-1"><b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">3.3%</font></b></font></h4>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<hr noshade color="#000000">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" width="100%" id="AutoNumber3" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<tr>
<td width="100%">
<h4><b><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">PRODUCTIVITY
OF THE AMERICAN WORKFORCE</font></b><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br>
(The amount of goods produced, divided by the number of work hours
it took to produce it)</font></h4>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<p>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" width="100%" id="AutoNumber2" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<tr>
<td width="32%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>1992</b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="68%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">3.7%</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>1993</b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="68%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">0.5%</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>1994</b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="68%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">1.3%</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>1995</b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="68%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">0.9%</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>1996</b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="68%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">2.5%</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>1997</b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="68%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">2.0%</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>1998</b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="68%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">2.6%</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>1999</b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="68%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">2.4%</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>2000</b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="68%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">2.9%</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>2001</b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="68%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">1.1%</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>2002</b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="68%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">4.7%</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>2003</b></font></td>
<td width="68%"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">4.5%</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%"><font size="-1"><b>2004</b></font></td>
<td width="68%"><font size="-1">4.0%</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%">
<span style="text-decoration: none">
<font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>2005</b></font></span></td>
<td width="68%">
<span style="text-decoration: none">
<font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">2.6%</font></span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%">
<span style="text-decoration: none">
<font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>1st
Quarter 2006</b></font></span></td>
<td width="68%">
<span style="text-decoration: none">
<font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">+3.7%</font></span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%">
<span style="text-decoration: none"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
<font size="-1"><b>2nd</b></font><b>
Quarter 2006</b></font></span></td>
<td width="68%">
<span style="text-decoration: none">
<font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">+1.6%</font></span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%">
<font size="-1"><b>3rd</b></font><span style="text-decoration: none"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>
Quarter 2006</b></font></span></td>
<td width="68%">
<font size="-1">Stable - No Change</font></td>
</tr>
</table>
</font></span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="100%" height="21"> </td>
</tr>
</table>
<p><font face="Verdana" size="2">� William J. Cook</font></p>
</body>
</html>