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<p align="center"> <img border="0" src="../graphics/hronthejob.jpg" width="504" height="54"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b> <span style="font-size:16.0pt"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">The
Beatings Will Continue Until Morale Improves!</font></span></b></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">What
happened to all those smiling, eager faces that used to populate your
workplace? If it seems that �You�ve Lost That Lovin Feelin�, that glow
of high morale and don�t know how it happened, you might be asking, �Is it them
or is it me?� People in charge often don�t realize the influence
they truly have over their employees. They don�t really believe that their
words and deeds have a deep and lasting impact on the people they work with,
even decades later. In fact, managers are almost always in control of
how employees feel. Not being aware of this, mangers sometimes find
that they are often the de-motivators. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Even
in tough times, going to work can be a good experience. Yes, high morale
often does mean that people look forward to being there every day. Surveys
show that employees are far more productive and stay longer where their work
is accompanied with high morale. But high morale is the �Holy Grail� almost
all of us seek. We don�t always find it, but once you acknowledge that
your company�s success is due largely to your employees, it makes employee satisfaction
and morale a priority. Give the proper tools and a clear picture of your
goals to a group of people who <i>want</i> to make a difference, and they will!</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Companies
like �Google� give their employees free gourmet meals, laundry service and on-site
volleyball courts, but material perks are just one way, and not the best way,
to express employee appreciation and keep morale high. There are only
so many �Free Donut Fridays� that can motivate a person to work at their potential
if the environment is insufferable. So what can you do? </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Here
are five small gestures detailed below to show your employees how much you value
them and do wonders for morale:</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .25in"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><span style="font-family: Symbol">�<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span><b>Do As You Say</b>: �The most destructive thing in an
organization is hypocrisy by leaders� says Annie Devero, President of management
consulting at �The Devero Group�. If employees pay is dependent on performance
and they don�t receive a bonus, the boss shouldn�t either. The same goes
for rules and procedures. As a manager you should hold yourself accountable
just as you do your employees; otherwise, be prepared to lose your employee�s
trust and eventually your employees.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .25in"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><span style="font-family: Symbol">�<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span><b>Reflect On The Good</b>: In high stress environments,
it�s easy to overlook the good things and focus on the negative. But simply
taking a few minutes to help employees focus on their positive experiences alleviates
some of this tension. Keep your employees focused on possibilities rather than
problems by asking them �What are the most exiting potential opportunities you
experienced this week?� Also, creating an open dialogue keeps you in tune
with your employees and any problems they may be having with their jobs, the
workload, their co-workers or the management. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .25in"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><span style="font-family: Symbol">�<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span><b>Celebrate The Small Things</b>: Acknowledge your employees
accomplishments by giving performance awards, mentioning their names at staff
meetings, posting a note on the bulletin board or sending an interoffice e-mail.
A simple �nice job� or �thank you� goes a long way in showing an individual
that you appreciate the value in their work. Don�t wait for completion
of the project. Acknowledge the effective steps a person or team is taking along
the way. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .25in"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><span style="font-family: Symbol">�<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span><b>Create Goals</b>: When individuals realize the effect
that they and their work had on the entire organization, they gain confidence
in their abilities, which in turn boosts their willingness to work. When
assigning work, take strengths and development interests into account.
Tell individuals why you selected them for an assignment, reinforcing the fact
that their work matters. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .25in"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><span style="font-family: Symbol">�<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span><b>Avoid Trying to Be Everyone�s Buddy</b>: The fictional
boss from the TV show �The Office� is notorious for trying so hard to be his
employee�s buddy that he forgets how to be their boss. While employees
need someone to relate to on a personal level, they more-so need someone to
manage them on a professional level. �Beware trying to be you�re your
employee�s buddy� advises Eric Herrenkohl, a Pennsylvania based management consultant.
�People want their bosses to act like an adult and take responsibility� Otherwise
employees start to feel like no one is in charge and the ship begins to look
rudderless�. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">As
a young apprentice, my journeyman instructor began our first lesson saying �The
worst I can wish on my worst enemy is that when he gets up in the morning he
just can�t stand the thought of going in one more day�. And
Billy, the best I can wish for you is that when you get up in the morning you
just can�t wait to get in here to work another day with me�. </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: October 2008</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="3030">
<tr valign="top">
<td width="100%" height="3075" align="left">
<blockquote>
<div align="center">
<div align="left">
<h2 class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b>
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Union Intimidation;
Mexico Says No, </font></b></h2>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>
U.S. Says Maybe We�ll Try It.</b></font></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">This
month the Mexican Supreme Court ruled that workers have a right
to a secret ballot when voting on whether or not they want to join
a union. Up until now when Mexican workers voted in union
representation elections, union officials intimidated and threatened
workers to assure that the union won those elections. Violence
often broke out at such elections. Mexican workers seeing
that U.S. workers had the right to a secret ballot successfully
fought to gain it in Mexico as well. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">No
more union intimidation�..in Mexico.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">However,
here in the U.S., there is a strong push to pass the facetiously
named �Employee Free Choice Act� again. This bill also
allows union officials to see how workers voted in union representation
elections. It has been brought up before but couldn�t get
passed. Unions seem confident that they can get it through
after the November elections. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">California
has its bill AB 2386, which also denies the secret ballot and has
been vetoed once already. A similar bill is being prepared
for after the elections. It has a new twist; if the employee
requests a secret ballot he can have it, However, the union gets
to know who requested the secret ballot. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </div>
<table border="4" width="50%" id="table17" cellpadding="2" height="102" bordercolor="#000000">
<tr>
<td valign="top" height="85">
<h3 class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center">
<b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">�The only
thing necessary for the triumph of evil</font></b></h3>
<h3 class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>is for
good men to do nothing�</b></font></h3>
<h3 class="MsoNormal" align="center"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><i>
-Edmund Burke</i></font></h3>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<h1 align="center" style="text-align:center"> </h1>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Where
Are All those Millions of Drug Addicts? </font></b></h2>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>
There at Work Every Day.</b></font></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">A
2007 survey report by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
determined that there were approximately 16.4 million illegal drug
abusers and approximately 15 million heavy alcohol abusers that hold
full time jobs. Most of them work for companies that do not
drug test.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">The
highest rates for <u>drug abusers</u> were among:</font></p>
<table border="0" width="50%" id="table21">
<tr>
<td>
<ul>
<li>
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
Food service workers
</font></li>
</ul>
</td>
<td align="left" valign="top">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
17.4 %</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<ul>
<li>
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
Construction workers </font></li>
</ul>
</td>
<td align="left" valign="top">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">15.1 %</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<ul>
<li>
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
Art, entertainment, sports and media reporters</font></li>
</ul>
</td>
<td align="left" valign="top">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">12.4 %</font></td>
</tr>
</table>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">The
highest rates for <u>heavy alcohol abusers</u> were among:</font></p>
<table border="0" width="50%" id="table22">
<tr>
<td>
<ul>
<li>
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Construction, mining, excavation and drilling workers </font></li>
</ul>
</td>
<td align="left" valign="top">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
17.8 %</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<ul>
<li>
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Installation, maintenance and repair workers </font></li>
</ul>
</td>
<td align="left" valign="top">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">14.7 %</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<ul>
<li>
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Food service workers </font>
</li>
</ul>
</td>
<td align="left" valign="top">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">12.1 %</font></td>
</tr>
</table>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Drug
and alcohol abusers have the highest levels of absenteeism and are
frequent job changers. They normally miss one to three days
per month and claim illness and accidents more than do non-abusers.
Are you the employer of choice for drug and alcohol abusers?</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<span style="mso-ignore: vglayout">
<div align="center">
<table border="4" width="50%" id="table19" height="87" bordercolor="#000000">
<tr>
<td height="109" valign="top">
<div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid white 1.0pt;
border-left:none;border-bottom:solid white 1.0pt;border-right:none;padding:
10.0pt 0in 10.0pt 0in">
<h3 class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center">
<b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">�Everything
that is happening at this moment </font></b></h3>
<h3 class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>is a
result of the choices you�ve made in the past�</b></font></h3>
<h3 class="MsoNormal" align="center"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><i>
-Deepak Chopra</i></font></h3>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</div>
</span>
<div align="center">
<h2 class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Show
Me The Money!</font></b></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">A
new report by IBISWorld named the �Golden States� with the highest
average annual wages:</font></p>
<table border="0" width="50%" id="table23">
<tr>
<td align="left" valign="top">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">District of Columbia </font></td>
<td align="left" valign="top">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">$64,150</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" valign="top">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Massachusetts </font></td>
<td align="left" valign="top">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">$49,070</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" valign="top">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Connecticut </font></td>
<td align="left" valign="top">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">$47,680</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" valign="top">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">New York </font></td>
<td align="left" valign="top">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">$47,610</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" valign="top">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">New
Jersey
</font></td>
<td align="left" valign="top">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">$47,100</font></td>
</tr>
</table>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .5in" align="left">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><span style="font-family: Symbol">�<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span>District of Columbia
$64,150</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .5in" align="left">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><span style="font-family: Symbol">�<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span>Massachusetts
$49,070</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .5in" align="left">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><span style="font-family: Symbol">�<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span>Connecticut
$47,680</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .5in" align="left">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><span style="font-family: Symbol">�<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span>New York
$47,610</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .5in" align="left">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><span style="font-family: Symbol">�<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span>New Jersey
$47,100
</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"> </p>
<table border="4" width="50%" id="table20" bordercolor="#000000">
<tr>
<td valign="top">
<h3 align="center"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">�The
inherent vice of Capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings; the
inherent virtue of Socialism is the equal sharing of miseries�<font size="-1"><i> </i></font></font></h3>
<h3 align="center"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><i>-Winston
Churchill</i></font></h3>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Top
Seven Pet Peeves at Work</font></b></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">This
report from the Delaware Employment Law Blog on the top seven pet
peeves from office related employees:</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .5in" align="left">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><span style="font-family: Symbol">�<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span>Raiding someone�s food from the fridge (Number one gripe
by far!)</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .5in" align="left">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><span style="font-family: Symbol">�<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span>Bad hygiene</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .5in" align="left">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><span style="font-family: Symbol">�<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span>Drinking on the job</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .5in" align="left">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><span style="font-family: Symbol">�<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span>Wastefulness with paper (Who knew?)</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .5in" align="left">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><span style="font-family: Symbol">�<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span>Swearing in the office</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .5in" align="left">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><span style="font-family: Symbol">�<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span>Cooking smelly food on the office microwave</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: .5in" align="left">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><span style="font-family: Symbol">�<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span>Using Blackberry devices in meetings</font>
</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="47%">
<tr>
<td width="37%" 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>Federal Minimum Wage:</b></font></p>
</div>
</td>
<center>
<td width="61%" valign="top">
<h3 align="left"><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">$6.55/hr. </font></h3>
<p align="left"><i><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Increases
to $7.25 on 7/24/09</font></i>
</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"> <u><font size="-1"><b>September</b></font></u><b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u>
2007</u></font></b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><br>
$17.57</font>
</td>
<td width="25%" height="50">
<p align="center">
<span style="text-decoration: none"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
<u><font size="-1"><b>September</b></font></u></font></span><b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><span style="text-decoration: none"><u>
200</u></span></font></b><u><font size="-1"><b>8</b></font></u><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u><br>
</u>$18.06</font>
</td>
<td width="25%" height="50">
<p align="center">
<span style="text-decoration: none"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
<u><font size="-1"><b>September</b></font></u><b><u>
2007</u></b><br>
</font>
</span> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
$593.87</font>
</td>
<td width="25%" height="50">
<p align="center">
<span style="text-decoration: none"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
<u><font size="-1"><b>September</b></font></u><b><u>
2008</u></b></font></span><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u><br>
</u>$610.51</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">$10,400</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>
$21,200</font>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<hr noshade color="#000000">
<hr noshade color="#000000">
</font>
<table border="0" width="100%">
<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>
<td width="63%" style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1">
<div align="left"><b> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u>January
1, 2008, IRS mileage allowance:</u></font></b></div>
<div align="left"> </div>
<div align="left"><b> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
Business Purposes: 58.5 cents per mile<br>
Medical or Moving Purposes: 27 cents per mile<br>
Charitable Purposes: 14 cents per mile</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="34%" style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1"> </td>
</center>
<td width="34%" style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>May
12. 2008</b></font></td>
</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="34%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">.41</font></td>
<td width="34%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">.42</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">Each additional ounce</font></td>
<td width="34%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">.17</font></td>
<td width="34%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">2
oz. .27</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1"><i>Postcards</i></font></td>
<td width="34%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">.26</font></td>
<td width="34%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">.27</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">305
Million</font>
<p align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><i>One
birth every 7 seconds<br>
One death every 13 seconds<br>
One new immigrant every 29 seconds<br>
Net gain = 1 person every 9 seconds</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">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><u><font size="-1">
September
2007</font></u></b></font></td>
<b>
<td width="12%" align="center">
<b>
<span style="text-decoration: none">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
<u>September</u></font></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> 2008</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">153,506,000</font></td>
<td width="12%" align="center"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">154,732,000</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">146,260,000</font></td>
<td width="12%" align="center"> <font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">
145,255,000</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">7,246,000</font></td>
<td width="12%" align="center"> <font size="-1">9</font><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">,477,000</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="48%"><span style="text-decoration: none"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">Persons Who Currently Want A Job</font></span></td>
<td width="12%" align="center"> <span style="text-decoration: none">
<font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">4,728,000</font></span></td>
<td width="12%" align="center"> <span style="text-decoration: none">
<font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">4,997,000</font></span></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">4.7</font><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">%</font></p>
</td>
<td width="12%" align="center">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">6.1%</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<hr noshade color="#000000">
<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>2006</b></font></span></td>
<td width="68%"> <span style="text-decoration: none"> <font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">3.0%</font></span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%">
<span style="text-decoration: none"> <font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>2007</b></font></span></td>
<td width="68%">
<span style="text-decoration: none">
<font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">1.9%</font></span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%"> <span style="text-decoration: none"> <font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>
200</b></font></span><font size="-1"><b>8 1st Quarter</b></font></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>
200</b></font></span><font size="-1"><b>8 2nd Quarter</b></font></td>
<td width="68%">
<span style="text-decoration: none">
<font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">+4.3%</font></span></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>
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