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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">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">This is the Employee I Want!</font></h2>
<h3 class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"> </h3>
<p class="MsoNormal">We�re all looking for that perfect employee. We�re looking
for someone who has those core, functional skills to do the job we want done.
Wouldn�t it be great if every employee we hired was really that good? But
sometimes we may have the person with those great skills but find that we�re
still not happy with the results. Sometimes even a good performer is such a pain
in the neck that no one wants to work with him or her. Sometimes that good
performer has so many negative traits that we wonder if they outweigh the good
results.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Having people with what are called the �Hard Skills� is no
longer enough for a company that wants to be successful for the long run.
Research suggests that as companies become more successful they begin to see
that the value of �Soft Skills� can be just as important. �Soft Skills� refer
to that cluster of personal qualities, habits, attitudes and social graces that
when combined with good functional skills can make someone a good employee and
compatible to work with. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Kate Lorenz, editor of Careerbuilder.com, has identified
the �Soft Skills� that she feels companies should be seeking in the candidates
they interview. In addition to having the ability to perform the job, these
�Soft Skills� can produce what comes pretty close to the perfect employee:</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Strong Work Ethic:</b> He is motivated enough to get
the job done no matter what. He is conscientious and does his best.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Positive Attitude:</b> She�s optimistic and upbeat. She
generates good will and good work.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Good Communications Skills:</b> He�s both verbally
articulate and a good listener. He can make his case and express his needs in a
way that bridges with colleagues, customers and vendors. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Time Management Abilities:</b> She knows how to
prioritize tasks and work on a number of different projects at once. She uses
her time on the job wisely.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Problem Solving Skills:</b> He is resourceful and
capable of creatively solving problems that arise. He takes ownership of
problems and doesn�t leave them for someone else.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Acts as a Team Player:</b> She works well in groups and
teams. She�s cooperative and takes on the leadership role when appropriate.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Self confidence:</b> He truly believes he can do the
job. He projects a sense of calm and inspires confidence in others. He has the
courage to ask questions that need to be asked and truly contributes his ideas.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Ability to Accept and Learn from Criticism:</b> She is
able to handle criticism. She is coachable and open to learning and growing as a
person and as a professional.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Flexibility and Adaptability:</b> He is able to adapt to
new situations and challenges. He embraces change and is open to new ideas.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Works Well Under Pressure:</b> She can handle the stress
that accompanies deadlines and crises. She�s able to do her best work and come
through in a pinch. </p>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: Times New Roman">When interviewing
people for your job opening, ask them to tell you a story of how they handled a
crisis or a challenge at any of their previous jobs. Look for those hard-skill
clues and look just as closely for those soft-skill clues. Do your part well and
you may find the employee you want.</span><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.25in"> </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 200</font></b></font><b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="4" color="#FF0000">9</font></b></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="2454">
<tr valign="top">
<td width="100%" height="2438" align="left">
<blockquote>
<div align="center">
<div align="left">
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: center"><b>
<font size="5" face="Verdana">2/3 of American HR Professionals
Expect To Keep Existing Workforce In 2009</font></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana">Over 700 HR professionals
were surveyed by Right Management to determine whether their
companies intend to lay off employees in 2009. 33 percent said they
were planning layoffs while 67 percent said they are maintaining all
workers. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana">Here are some of the
hottest occupations:</font></p>
<h3><b><font size="4" face="Verdana">25 Recession Proof Jobs </font>
</b></h3>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana">Jobs that are least likely
to be laid off during a recession<b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt">.</span></b></font></p>
<ol>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: -.25in">
<font face="Verdana">Sales Representative / Business Development</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in">
<font face="Verdana">Account / Customer Service</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in">
<font face="Verdana">Accounting Staff</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in">
<font face="Verdana">Counseling / Social Work</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in">
<font face="Verdana">Software Design / Development </font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in">
<font face="Verdana">Administrative Assistant</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in">
<font face="Verdana">Networking / System Administration</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in">
<font face="Verdana">Nursing</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in">
<font face="Verdana">Mechanical Engineering</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in">
<font face="Verdana">Sales Executive</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in">
<font face="Verdana">Project / Engagement Management</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in">
<font face="Verdana">Finance Staff</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in">
<font face="Verdana">Accounting / Finance Executive</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in">
<font face="Verdana">Electrical Engineering</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in">
<font face="Verdana">Senior Executive Assistant</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in">
<font face="Verdana">Technology Executive</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in">
<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7.0pt; font-family: Verdana"> </span><font face="Verdana">Restaurant
manger (Front)</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in">
<font face="Verdana">Medical Administrative Services</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in">
<font face="Verdana">Retail Banking</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in">
<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7.0pt; font-family: Verdana"> </span><font face="Verdana">IT
Security</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in">
<font face="Verdana">Recruiting / Staffing</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in">
<font face="Verdana">Higher Education (Faculty)</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in">
<font face="Verdana">Product Management</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in">
<font face="Verdana">Store Management</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-indent: -.25in">
<font face="Verdana">Human Resource Generalist</font></li>
</ol>
</div>
<table border="4" width="50%" id="table17" cellpadding="2" height="102" bordercolor="#000000">
<tr>
<td valign="top" height="85"><font face="Verdana"><i><b>�Take risks, Chance is always powerful. Let your hook always
be cast in the pool. Where you least expect it there will be a fish�</b></i></font><p align="right">
<b><i><font size="3" face="Verdana">Ovid</font></i></b></td>
</tr>
</table>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: left">
<font face="Verdana"><b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt">15 Jobs with
The Most Openings</span></b></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><font face="Verdana">Jobs that
will have the most openings over the next ten years. These are also
the only jobs projected to have more than 50,000 openings.</font></p>
<ol>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: -.25in" align="left">
<font face="Verdana">Retail Salespersons</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in" align="left">
<font face="Verdana">Cashiers</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in" align="left">
<font face="Verdana">Waiters and Waitresses</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in" align="left">
<font face="Verdana">Customer Service Representatives</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in" align="left">
<font face="Verdana">Registered Nurses</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in" align="left">
<font face="Verdana">Office Clerks</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in" align="left">
<font face="Verdana">Combined Food Preparation and Serving
Workers (includes Fast Food)</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in" align="left">
<font face="Verdana">Laborers and Freight, Stock and Materials
Movers</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in" align="left">
<font face="Verdana">Janitors and Cleaners</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in" align="left">
<font face="Verdana">Postsecondary Teachers</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in" align="left">
<font face="Verdana">Child care Workers </font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in" align="left">
<font face="Verdana">Bookkeeping, Accounting and Auditing Clerks</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in" align="left">
<font face="Verdana">Elementary School Teachers</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in" align="left">
<font face="Verdana">Truck Drivers, Heavy and Tractor-Trailer</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-indent: -.25in" align="left">
<font face="Verdana">Personal and Home Care Aids</font></li>
</ol>
<table border="4" width="50%" id="table18" cellpadding="2" height="102" bordercolor="#000000">
<tr>
<td valign="top" height="85"><font face="Verdana"><i><b>�The average American worker has fifty interruptions a day of which
seventy percent have nothing to do with work�</b></i></font><p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="text-align: right">
<font face="Verdana"><b><i>W. Edward Deming</i></b></font></td>
</tr>
</table>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: left">
<font face="Verdana"><b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt">Top 10 �Most
Wanted� Professionals and Their Salaries</span></b></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><font face="Verdana">Professions
that are thriving and will continue to be in demand for the
foreseeable future. They are consistently the highest in demand and
the most difficult to fill. </font></p>
<ol>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: -.25in" align="left">
<font face="Verdana">Software Design / Development ($95K
to$105K)</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in" align="left">
<font face="Verdana">Nursing ($35K to $45K)</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in" align="left">
<font face="Verdana">Accounting / Finance Executive ($65K to
$75K)</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in" align="left">
<font face="Verdana">Sales Representative / Business Development
($65K to $75K)</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in" align="left">
<font face="Verdana">Administrative Assistant ($35K to $45K)</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in" align="left">
<font face="Verdana">Corporate Finance ($75K to $85K)</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in" align="left">
<font face="Verdana">Networking / System Administration ($75K to
$85K)</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in" align="left">
<font face="Verdana">Intelligence ($75K to $85K)</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in" align="left">
<font face="Verdana">General Accounting ($45K to $55K)</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-indent: -.25in" align="left">
<font face="Verdana">Technical Customer Support ($45K to $55K)</font></li>
</ol>
<table border="4" width="50%" id="table19" cellpadding="2" height="102" bordercolor="#000000">
<tr>
<td valign="top" height="85">
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: center">
<i><font face="Verdana"><b>�Ability is what you�re capable
of doing.<br>
Motivation determines what you do<br>
Attitude determines how well you do it�</b></font></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="text-align: right">
<font face="Verdana"><b><i>Lou Holtz</i></b></font></td>
</tr>
</table>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: left">
<font face="Verdana"><b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt">Top 10 �Most
Overpaid� Jobs</span></b></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><font face="Verdana">On a recent
article in �<u>CareerJournal.com</u>� writer Chris Pummer notes that
HR consultants and executive headhunters agree that some jobs
command excessive pay that cannot be explained by the compensation
setting normal factors.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><font face="Verdana">Stock fund
managers can earn $500,000 to $1 million a year even though they
only beat the market 33% of the time, says Pummer. Second on his
list are �washed-up pro athletes in long-term contracts. While he
says that athletes at the top of their game deserve to be rewarded,
it�s those �sign-whopping, long term contracts after a few strong
years, and then find their talents vanish, who reap unconscionable
sums of money. Plummer lays much of the blame on players unions for
�refusing to negotiate contracts based on performance, and driving
up the cost of tickets unaffordable for the average family. Here
then is his list of the �Ten Most Overpaid U.S. Jobs� with his
comments.</font></p>
<ol>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: -.25in" align="left">
<font face="Verdana">Mutual Fund Managers (See above)</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in" align="left">
<font face="Verdana">Washed-Up Pro Athletes in long term
contracts (See above)</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in" align="left">
<font face="Verdana">CEOs of poorly performing companies.
�These long term losers draw multimillion-dollar severance
packages as a reward for their failed stewardship�</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in" align="left">
<font face="Verdana">Orthodontists. �This isn�t brain surgery;
Orthodontists simply manipulate teeth in a growing child�s
mouth�and often leave adjustment work to assistants whose
handiwork they merely sign off on�. </font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in" align="left">
<font face="Verdana">Ex-Politicians on the lecture circuit.
�When former Presidents can take millions of dollars for making
a few speeches, it�s hard to see how that�s reasonable pay.�</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in" align="left">
<font face="Verdana">Real Estate Agents selling high-end homes.
�While most agents hustle tail to earn $60,000 a year, those in
affluent areas can pull down $200,000-plus for half the effort,
courtesy of the fatter commissions on pricier listings. Even for
moderate priced homes in the $500,000 range for which agents
charged $35,000, is it reasonable to charge more than the
average American�s salary for selling one house? </font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in" align="left">
<font face="Verdana">Skycaps at major airports. Many of the
uniformed managers who check in luggage at curbside at the
busiest metro airports pull in $70,000 to $100,000 a year - and
mostly in cash�. </font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in" align="left">
<font face="Verdana">West Coast Longshoremen. Unlike their East
Coast union brethren who compete with non-union ports in the
South and Gulf of Mexico, the West Coast Stevedores have an
iron-fisted lock on Pacific ports. Given their rare monopoly,
they can disrupt U.S. commerce and command exorbitant wages.
And when federal, state and local governments require that
companies doing work with the state must be union companies, it
creates unfair competition�. </font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in" align="left">
<font face="Verdana">Major Airline Pilots. The pilot�s unions
are the most powerful in the industry. In what amounts to a
per-passenger commission, the larger the plane the more they
earn, even though it takes little more skill to pilot a jumbo
jet�.</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-indent: -.25in" align="left">
<font face="Verdana">Wedding Photographers. �Photographers earn
a national average of $1,900 for a wedding, though many charge
$2,500 to $5,000 for a one-day shoot, client meeting and
processing time that runs about 20 hours and the cost of
materials. It�s really all a part of the fleecing of the
bride�.</font></li>
</ol>
<table border="4" width="50%" id="table20" cellpadding="2" height="102" bordercolor="#000000">
<tr>
<td valign="top" height="85">
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: center">
<b> <i><font face="Verdana">�The bigger a man�s head is, the
easier it is to fill his shoes�</font></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="text-align: right">
<font face="Verdana"><b><i>Henry A. Courtney</i></b></font></td>
</tr>
</table>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: left">
<font face="Verdana"><b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt">11 States
Raise The Minimum Wage Rate Above The New Federal Rate</span></b></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><font face="Verdana">The federal
government raised the minimum wage rate to $6.55 per hour on July
24, 2008 and will increase it again on July 24, 2009 to $7.25.
However, nine states have now tied their minimum wage rate to COLA.
That is to say that, whenever the cost of living increases, the
minimum wage in that state will automatically be adjusted. Here are
the nine states with their new minimum wage rate effective January 1<sup>st</sup>
2009.</font></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: 41.85pt" align="left">
<font face="Verdana">Arizona - $7.25</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: 41.85pt" align="left">
<font face="Verdana">Colorado - $7.28</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: 41.85pt" align="left">
<font face="Verdana">Florida - $7.21</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: 41.85pt" align="left">
<font face="Verdana">Missouri - $7.05</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: 41.85pt" align="left">
<font face="Verdana">Montana - $6.90</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: 41.85pt" align="left">
<font face="Verdana">Ohio - $7.30</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: 41.85pt" align="left">
<font face="Verdana">Oregon - $8.40</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: 41.85pt" align="left">
<font face="Verdana">Vermont - $8.06</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: 41.85pt" align="left">
<font face="Verdana">Washington - $8.55</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: 41.85pt" align="left">
<font face="Verdana">Nevada - $6.55 - Will be raised on July 1.
The state notifies employers of the determined new rate on April
1<sup>st</sup>. Employers who do not provide their workers with
health insurance must pay a higher wage rate than employers that
do. </font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: 41.85pt" align="left">
<font face="Verdana">Connecticut - $8.00 - Connecticut�s rate is
not tied to COLA.</font></li>
<li>
<p class="ListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-indent: -.25in; margin-left: 41.85pt" align="left">
<font face="Verdana">New Mexico - $7.50 - New Mexico�s rate is
not tied to COLA.</font></li>
</ul>
<table border="4" width="50%" id="table21" cellpadding="2" height="102" bordercolor="#000000">
<tr>
<td valign="top" height="85">
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: center">
<b> <font face="Verdana"><i>�Good leadership consists of
showing average people how to do the work of superior
people.�</i></font></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="text-align: right">
<font face="Verdana"><b><i>John D. Rockefeller</i></b></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: center">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; color: #5A5A5A"> </span></b></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="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"> <b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u>
December
2007</u></font></b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><br>
$17.70</font></td>
<td width="25%" height="50">
<p align="center">
<u><font size="-1"><b>December</b></font></u><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.</font><font size="-1">36</font></td>
<td width="25%" height="50">
<p align="center">
<u><font size="-1"><b>December</b></font></u><span style="text-decoration: none"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b><u>
2007</u></b><br>
</font>
</span> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
$598.</font><font size="-1">26</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">
<b><u>
2008</u></b></font></span><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u><br>
</u>$611.</font><font size="-1">39</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, 2009, IRS mileage allowance:</u><br><br>Business Purposes: 55 cents per mile<br>Medical or Moving Purposes: 24 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="37%" 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>
</center>
<td width="63%" style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1">
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="37%" style="border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">1 oz.</font></td>
<td width="63%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">.42</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="37%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">Each additional ounce</font></td>
<td width="63%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">2
oz. .27</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="37%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1"><i>Postcards</i></font></td>
<td width="63%"><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">
December
2007</font></u></b></font></td>
<b>
<td width="12%" align="center">
<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> 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">
153,836,000</font></td>
<td width="12%" align="center"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">154,447,000</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">145,294,000</font></td>
<td width="12%" align="center"> <font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">
143,338,000</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">8,784,000</font></td>
<td width="12%" align="center"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
11,108,000</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 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">5.7%</font></p>
</td>
<td width="12%" align="center">
<p><font size="-1">7</font><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">.2%</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 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
<b>
200</b><font size="-1"><b>8 2nd Quarter</b></font></font></span></td>
<td width="68%">
<span style="text-decoration: none">
<font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">+3.6%</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 3rd Quarter</b></font></td>
<td width="68%">
<span style="text-decoration: none">
<font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">+1.3%</font></span></td>
</tr>
</table>
</font></span></td>
</tr>
</table>
<p><font face="Verdana" size="2">� William J. Cook</font></p>
</body>
</html>