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<p align="center"><img border="0" src="hronthejob.jpg" width="504" height="54"></p>
<h2 align="center"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">10 RULES
FOR WRITING BUSINESS LETTERS</font></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">When
you or your HR professional writes a policy statement, sends an offer of employment,
prepares a promotional letter for your products or services, or merely writes
a business letter, how often do you later wish you could reword it or even that
you had not sent it? Did it miss the point? Did it show too much
of your personal feelings or did it simply not communicate the message you were
trying to send? </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">HR
professionals have a great interest in being good communicators and to develop
the communications skills of all employees.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">At
a Chicago seminar, Joe Vitale, communication expert, gave us the following 10
rules for writing business letters that get results.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>1.
Know What�s In It For Your Reader.</b></font></p>
<blockquote>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Get
out of your ego and into the ego of your reader. Focus on the benefits
to your reader.</font></p>
</blockquote>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>2.
Write A Headline That Telegraphs That Benefit.</b></font></p>
<blockquote>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Even
if you�re not adding a headline to your letter, write it out for yourself
as a guideline to keep you on track. Write a headline that focuses on
the benefit and purpose of this letter. </font></p>
</blockquote>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>3.
Be Brief.</b></font></p>
<blockquote>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Say
only what you have to say in terms of the readers self interest and then shut-up!
This does not necessarily mean a short letter. It means that the letter
is not rambling; it�s not over explanatory and is interesting to this reader.
People will read any length of copy, as long as it is interesting to them.
</font></p>
</blockquote>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>4.
Always Use A PS.</b></font></p>
<blockquote>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Always!
Why do Copywriters, who charge up to $15,000 to write a sales letter, always
use a PS? Because they are always read, ALWAYS.</font></p>
</blockquote>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>5.
Look Good.</b></font></p>
<blockquote>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Visual
appearance counts for 70% of your letters impact. Use short sentences,
short paragraphs, bulleted points, indented paragraphs etc. Some people
will only skim your letter. These tips will help reach them instantly.</font></p>
</blockquote>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>6.
Outline First.</b></font></p>
<blockquote>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Identify
the purpose of this letter, outline the structure. (i.e. introduction, message,
support, final statement). If the outline you follow makes sense, so
should the letter.</font></p>
</blockquote>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>7
Write First, Edit Later.</b></font></p>
<blockquote>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Write
with your message in mind not your dictionary. Get your thoughts out
and down on paper (or screen) first. Then edit and rewrite later.</font></p>
</blockquote>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>8.
Ask For Something</b>.</font></p>
<blockquote>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Why
are you writing? Do you want a response? Do you want understanding?
Do you want an order, a change? Then say so. Ask for something.</font></p>
</blockquote>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>9.
Get A Reader.</b></font></p>
<blockquote>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Find
one person to read your letter OUT LOUD, in front of you. Wherever he
or she has trouble reading the letter, or wrinkles their brow, or stops to
re-read a sentence, re-write those places. DON�T SKIP THIS STEP.
It�s the secret of many professional writers.</font></p>
</blockquote>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>10.
Rewrite Your Letter.</b></font></p>
<blockquote>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Is
this the best you can do? Does it do the job? If not throw it
away and call the person instead or have someone else write it for you.</font></p>
</blockquote>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>PS:</b>
Not every rule applies to every letter, but you did read this PS, right?</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>
<table border="0" width="91%" height="376">
<tr>
<td width="100%" height="370">
<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: May 2004</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>
<h3><b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; text-decoration: underline"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">OVERTIME
REGULATIONS ARE CHANGING</font></span></b></h3>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">The
controversial question of who gets paid overtime in your company is about
to change. After a year of wrangling between unions, politicians
and businesses, the Department of Labor (DOL) released their �final� version
of the new overtime rules on April 23. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Although
there is a 90-day comment period, the regulations are expected to become
law on August 23, 2004.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt"> </span></p>
<h3><u><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>Salary Guidelines</b></font></u></h3>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">The
most noticeable change is in the salary guidelines. The new regulations
require that all employees who earn less than $23,660 annually ($455 per
week) are considered non-exempt and must be paid overtime. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><i>Almost</i>
all employees who earn $100,000 per year or more will be considered exempt
and overtime will not be required.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt"> </span></p>
<h3><u><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>Work Type</b></font></u></h3>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">�Blue
Collar� type workers, who perform repetitive, physical functions and non-management
employees in construction, maintenance and production work will be considered
non-exempt regardless of how highly paid they are.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Police
officers, firefighters, paramedics and other �first responders� including
detectives, deputy sheriffs and state troopers are non-exempt and must
be paid overtime.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Executives
and managers are exempt even though they may spend more than 20% of their
time doing non-exempt work. (That 20% maximum is now removed) </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Business
owners who own at least 20% of the business must be actively involved
in the management of the company or they will be classified as non-exempt.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt"> </span></p>
<h3><u><font face="Verdana"><b>Docking Pay From Exempts</b></font></u></h3>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">There
is a new rule regarding pay deductions. If you �dock� an exempt�s
wages for missing hours in a day or make any other such improper deductions
from an exempt employees pay, you will lose the exempt status for the
entire class of such employees working for that manager. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">The
DOL estimates that more than half of all employers have incorrectly classified
their employees under the Federal Labor Standards Act (FLSA). They
stated that one complaint is sufficient for them to investigate the entire
company�s classification process. Everyone is expected to be in
compliance by August 23.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="text-decoration: none"><b><u>QUOTES
OF THE MONTH</u></b></span></font></h2>
<span style="text-decoration: none"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
<p class="MsoNormal">�If you don�t stop to think, then it doesn�t matter
whether you�re a genius or a moron�</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<i> Thomas Sowell</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">�If you want to build a ship, don�t drum up the men
to gather wood, divide the work and give orders. Instead, teach
them to yearn for the vast and endless sea�</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<i> Antoine-Marie-Roger de Saint Expury</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">�He�s got a few parts on order that just never came
in�</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<i> Jack Rafferty</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">�The big shots are only the little shots that kept
shooting�</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<i> Christopher Morely</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">�The policy of the American government is to leave
its citizens free, neither restraining them nor aiding them in their pursuits�</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<i> Thomas Jefferson</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">�Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were
a member of congress. But I repeat myself�</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<i> Mark Twain</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2"> </font></p>
<hr width="75%">
<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"><font size="-1"
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">$5.15/hr.</font></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"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u>April
2003</u><br>
$15.25</font>
</td>
<td width="25%" height="50">
<p align="center"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u>
April2004<br>
</u>$15.59</font>
</td>
<td width="25%" height="50">
<p align="center"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
<u>April 2003</u><br>
$524.58</font>
</td>
<td width="25%" height="50">
<p align="center"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
<u>April 2004</u><br>
$525.38</font>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</td>
<td width="20%">
<table border="0" width="99%" height="78">
<tr>
<td width="100%" height="40">
<p align="center"><font size="-1"
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><u>Family of<br>
Four</u></b></font>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="100%" height="30">
<p align="center"><font size="-1"
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">$64,000 (annual)</font>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="13%" bgcolor="#C0C0C0" style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1; border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1"><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>Federal<br>
Poverty Level:</b></font></td>
<td width="67%" bgcolor="#C0C0C0" style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1"> </td>
<td width="20%" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<p align="center"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">$17,650 (annual)</font>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<hr noshade color="#000000">
<table border="0" width="99%">
<tr>
<td width="100%" style="border-style: solid; border-width: 1">
<h3><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1"><b><u>Benefits <br>
</u></b><i>as a Percentage of Payroll</i></font></h3>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<table border="0" width="100%" height="275" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" cellpadding="2">
<tr>
<td width="31%" height="45" valign="top" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>1997</b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="5%" height="45" valign="top" align="left" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>24.8%</b></font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="31%" height="46" valign="top" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<p><font size="-1"><b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">
1998</font></b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="5%" height="46" valign="top" align="left" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>23.4%</b></font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="31%" height="46" valign="top" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<p><font size="-1"><b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">
1999</font></b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="5%" height="46" valign="top" align="left" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>22.8%</b></font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="31%" height="46" valign="top" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<p><font size="-1"><b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">
2000</font></b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="5%" height="46" valign="top" align="left" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>26.1%</b></font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="31%" height="46" valign="top" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<p><font size="-1"><b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">
2001</font></b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="5%" height="46" valign="top" align="left" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>27.1%</b></font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="31%" height="46" valign="top" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<p><font size="-1"><b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">
2002</font></b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="5%" height="46" valign="top" align="left" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>
30.0%</b></font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="31%" height="46" valign="top" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<span style="text-decoration: none"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
<b><i> In 2002, employee benefits represented 30% of the total compensation
an employee received.</i></b>
<p><b><i> Those benefits ranked are:</i></b>
</font></span>
<p>
</td>
<td width="5%" height="46" valign="top" align="left" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="31%" height="46" valign="top" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<span style="text-decoration: none"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">
Health Care Benefits</font></span></td>
<td width="5%" height="46" valign="top" align="left" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<span style="text-decoration: none"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
11.5%</font></span>
<p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="31%" height="46" valign="top" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<span style="text-decoration: none"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">
Paid Time Off</font></span></td>
<td width="5%" height="46" valign="top" align="left" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<span style="text-decoration: none"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
10.4%</font></span>
<p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="31%" height="46" valign="top" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<span style="text-decoration: none"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">
Retirement Savings Plan</font></span></td>
<td width="5%" height="46" valign="top" align="left" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<span style="text-decoration: none"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
8.1%</font></span>
<p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="31%" height="46" valign="top" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<span style="text-decoration: none"> <font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>Total
Benefits (As a percentage of total compensation)</b></font></span></td>
<td width="5%" height="46" valign="top" align="left" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<span style="text-decoration: none"> <font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>
30%</b></font></span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="31%" height="46" valign="top" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
</td>
<td width="5%" height="46" valign="top" align="left" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<hr noshade color="#000000">
<b>
<table border="0" width="100%">
<tr>
<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>
<center>
<td width="63%" style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1">
<div align="left"><font size="-1"><b>37.5</b> </font><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">cents per mile<br>
</font></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">.37</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">.23</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">.23</font></td>
</tr>
</table>
</b>
<hr noshade color="#000000">
<b>
<p>
<table border="0" width="38%" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<tr>
<td width="100%" style="border-style: solid; border-width: 1"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1"><b>Where Uncle Sam got his money in 2003:</b></font></td>
</tr>
</table>
<p align="center"> <img border="0" src="../graphics/2003usrevenue.gif" width="630" height="371"></p>
<hr noshade color="#000000">
<table border="0" width="38%" bgcolor="#C0C0C0" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<tr>
<td width="100%" style="border-style: solid; border-width: 1"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1"><b>Where your federal tax dollar went in 2003:</b></font></td>
</tr>
</table>
<p align="center"> <img border="0" src="../graphics/2003usbudget.gif" width="632" height="402"></p>
<hr noshade color="#000000">
<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">6.3 Billion</font>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="34%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1"><b>U.S.</b></font></td>
<td width="82%">
<p align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">292.3 Million</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">April
2003</font></u></b></font></td>
<b>
<td width="12%" align="center"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u><b>
March 2004 </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">145,925,000</font></td>
<td width="12%" align="center"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">146,741,000</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">137,424,000</font></td>
<td width="12%" align="center"> <font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">138,576,000</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" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">8,501,000</font></td>
<td width="12%" align="center"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
8,164,000</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">5.8%</font></p>
</td>
<td width="12%" align="center">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">5.6%</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<hr noshade color="#000000">
<p><b>COMPARATIVE WORLD UNEMPLOYMENT RATE FOR MID-YEAR 2003:</b></p>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" width="100%" id="AutoNumber7">
<tr>
<td width="40%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">France</font></td>
<td width="60%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">9.2%</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="40%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Germany</font></td>
<td width="60%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">9.2%</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="40%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Canada</font></td>
<td width="60%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">7.0%</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="40%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Sweden</font></td>
<td width="60%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">6.1%</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="40%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">United
States</font></td>
<td width="60%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">6.1%</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="40%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Japan</font></td>
<td width="60%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">5.5%</font></td>
</tr>
</table>
<hr noshade color="#000000">
<table border="0" width="98%" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="96">
<tr>
<td width="25%" style="border-style: solid; border-width: 1" height="48">
<p align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1"><b>Absentee Rates (annualized)</b></font></p>
</td>
<center>
<td width="10%" align="center" valign="top" style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1" height="48"><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b><u>1997</u></b></font></td>
<td width="10%" align="center" valign="top" height="48"><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b><u>1998</u></b></font></td>
<td width="11%" align="center" valign="top" height="48"><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b><u>1999</u></b></font></td>
<td width="11%" align="center" valign="top" height="48"><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b><u>2000</u></b></font></td>
<td width="11%" align="center" valign="top" height="48"><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b><u>2001</u></b></font></td>
<td width="11%" align="center" valign="top" height="48"><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b><u>2002</u></b></font></td>
<td width="11%" align="center" valign="top" height="48"><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b><u> 2003</u></b></font></td>
</center>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="25%" style="border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1" height="48">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Men equal
approximately 1/3 of all absenteeism<br>
Women approximately 2/3</font></td>
<td width="10%" align="center" valign="top" height="48"><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">2.0%</font></td>
<td width="10%" align="center" valign="top" height="48"><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">2.6%</font></td>
<td width="11%" align="center" valign="top" height="48"><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">2.4%</font></td>
<td width="11%" align="center" valign="top" height="48"><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">2.9%</font></td>
<td width="11%" align="center" valign="top" height="48">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">2.1%</font></p>
</td>
<td width="11%" align="center" valign="top" height="48">
<p><font size="-1">3.6</font><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">%</font></p>
</td>
<td width="11%" align="center" valign="top" height="48">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">3.3%</font></p>
</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%"><b><font size="2">2003</font></b></td>
<td width="68%"><font size="2">4.5%</font></td>
</tr>
</table>
</font></span>
<h3 align="center"> </h3>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<p><font face="Verdana" size="2">� 2004 William J. Cook</font></p>
</body>
</html>