Anders �stberg
January 17th, 2005, 07:15 AM
Thanks guys!
Bob, I'm clueless on portrait photography, but they look very good to me! :)
As far as the games is concerned, I try to keep the shutter speed at 1/500 or maybe 1/400 if necessary, to freeze motion reasonably well. There's still movement visible on sticks and pucks, but that's fine IMO. The arenas I've been to so far (small local areans for lower divisions) generally have poor lighting so... I usually get f/2-f/2.8 and 1/500 or thereabouts, and I'm still underexposing slightly. Use larger apertures and too much is OOF, the DOF is too shallow as it is. I'd love to try hockey in better light.
EDIT: Forgot the lenses... most good ones seem to come from 300/2.8 (mostly from the seats as it's on the long side), 135/2 (best results so far) and 85/1.8. My 70-200/2.8 is a bit of a disappointment, it is nowhere near as good as the 135/2 when used wide open. I've also started playing around a bit with wide-angles, it can give you some unusual action shots as long as you have the nerve to remain by the boards when the players come storming by. :)
Bob, I'm clueless on portrait photography, but they look very good to me! :)
As far as the games is concerned, I try to keep the shutter speed at 1/500 or maybe 1/400 if necessary, to freeze motion reasonably well. There's still movement visible on sticks and pucks, but that's fine IMO. The arenas I've been to so far (small local areans for lower divisions) generally have poor lighting so... I usually get f/2-f/2.8 and 1/500 or thereabouts, and I'm still underexposing slightly. Use larger apertures and too much is OOF, the DOF is too shallow as it is. I'd love to try hockey in better light.
EDIT: Forgot the lenses... most good ones seem to come from 300/2.8 (mostly from the seats as it's on the long side), 135/2 (best results so far) and 85/1.8. My 70-200/2.8 is a bit of a disappointment, it is nowhere near as good as the 135/2 when used wide open. I've also started playing around a bit with wide-angles, it can give you some unusual action shots as long as you have the nerve to remain by the boards when the players come storming by. :)
wellwisher02
04-09 05:39 PM
IV is meant for discussing topics/issues related to employment-based green cards. I am not sure if we can discuss any other extraneous topic here. :confused:
up_guy
09-01 08:53 PM
Please reply someone..
take care
manish
take care
manish
desi485
12-02 07:46 PM
Thanks for sharing this news. Here is the link (http://www.immigration-information.com/forums/showthread.php?p=25832).
This news is very encouraging and thanks to Ron Gotcher for publishing it on his web site. Guys, please continue sending the letters, if you have not done it so far.
We are working on 2nd phase of our campaign.
pd_recapturing, this is encouraging indeed. People should not fear using EAD, specifically in this economy EAD gives you much better chance to survive than an H1B.
Regarding campaign, please share some updates, news with IV community.
This news is very encouraging and thanks to Ron Gotcher for publishing it on his web site. Guys, please continue sending the letters, if you have not done it so far.
We are working on 2nd phase of our campaign.
pd_recapturing, this is encouraging indeed. People should not fear using EAD, specifically in this economy EAD gives you much better chance to survive than an H1B.
Regarding campaign, please share some updates, news with IV community.
more...
mallu
12-18 08:30 PM
Govt. has stipulated some wage while doing LCA. I think these activists should go after the govt. to raise that wage if they feel if it is low.
serg
07-16 05:33 PM
Sent I-140 on October 2nd. Status showing as it's recd. Anybody's I-140 approved in that range?
Thanks,
GK
Oct 16, 2006, still there, no updates
Thanks,
GK
Oct 16, 2006, still there, no updates
more...
EADQuestion
08-14 12:21 AM
My EAD expiring on September 9th, 2010. I applied June 16th 2010, Notice date 23rd June 2010.
I have not received anything so far. I have India travel planned on August 27th.
My worry is if I receive Finger printing notice when I am in India, what will I do?
USCIs expedite request denied because 75 days not over yet.
What are my options? Losing my sleep over this. Pls answer..
I have not received anything so far. I have India travel planned on August 27th.
My worry is if I receive Finger printing notice when I am in India, what will I do?
USCIs expedite request denied because 75 days not over yet.
What are my options? Losing my sleep over this. Pls answer..
amsgc
02-22 08:34 PM
Paskal,
You mentioned that if one has a J1, the 2 Yr. HRR applies. I am not sure if it is true for all "categories" of J1 visas.
A friend of mine has come on a J1 visa for six months (research scholar), and on her DS2019, the visa officer has noted that the 2Yr. HRR is not applicable. Also, her visa does not say that she is subject to INA 212(e).
Could you please throw some light on the following:
- Inspite of the visa officer's determination, is she still "a marked man"?
- If you are subject to the 2 Yr. HRR, is mentioned on your visa?
By the way, her research:
- Is not funded by any govt. agency
- Has nothing to do with medicine
I will really appreciate your thoughts.
Thanks.
you cannot apply for an H4 until your waiver is complete
does not matter how long you are on a J1, once you get one, you are a marked man.
similarly there is no question of filing a 485, even if you could file it there cannot be an approval till the waiver is done, likely will be rejected.
do please ask an attorney though.
You mentioned that if one has a J1, the 2 Yr. HRR applies. I am not sure if it is true for all "categories" of J1 visas.
A friend of mine has come on a J1 visa for six months (research scholar), and on her DS2019, the visa officer has noted that the 2Yr. HRR is not applicable. Also, her visa does not say that she is subject to INA 212(e).
Could you please throw some light on the following:
- Inspite of the visa officer's determination, is she still "a marked man"?
- If you are subject to the 2 Yr. HRR, is mentioned on your visa?
By the way, her research:
- Is not funded by any govt. agency
- Has nothing to do with medicine
I will really appreciate your thoughts.
Thanks.
you cannot apply for an H4 until your waiver is complete
does not matter how long you are on a J1, once you get one, you are a marked man.
similarly there is no question of filing a 485, even if you could file it there cannot be an approval till the waiver is done, likely will be rejected.
do please ask an attorney though.
more...
vxg
11-02 03:34 PM
It takes 60 days from the RFE received date to make a decision on your AP. If dec 31st passes and if you don't hear anything from USCIS, you may need to call them.
If it is an emergency travel and cannot wait for their approval, you need to visit the local USCIS office with an appointment.
I am on the same case, waiting for USCIS reponse. Thanks.
The RFE notice says minimum 14 days however USCIS standard answer is 60 days. On i saw folks who got approval after 7 days form submitting RFE so let's hope for best.
If it is an emergency travel and cannot wait for their approval, you need to visit the local USCIS office with an appointment.
I am on the same case, waiting for USCIS reponse. Thanks.
The RFE notice says minimum 14 days however USCIS standard answer is 60 days. On i saw folks who got approval after 7 days form submitting RFE so let's hope for best.
looneytunezez
07-31 06:47 PM
i see dead applications.....
more...
here4gc
04-09 02:44 PM
call or check with them...you can ask to be on the phone also..so that you can get any questions answered..
I am sure a lot of cases will happen this way...especially people who have no LUD nothing from past 9 months...
Goodluck!
I am sure a lot of cases will happen this way...especially people who have no LUD nothing from past 9 months...
Goodluck!
kisana
09-02 11:11 AM
As amitkhare77 mentoned that you need to inform the your payroll department. probably you needto file the I9 again. Please consult some lawyer.
more...
Hong12
02-06 01:49 PM
Thank you very much for your help. I really appreciate it. I actually tried to fill out the Forms DS 156 and DS 157 and got totally lost. The following is my background. I worked at the company A in US as an Electrical Engineer until May, 08 (the end of my 6 year H1). Then, I went back to Malaysia and worked on my family business as a store manager and business owner, selling electrical appliances. My PERM is currently pending over one year now. Accordingly, I got an approval for 1 year and 2 months on my H1. I will now come back to work at company A in US, starting March 5, 09 (the same US company that I worked until May, 08).
I have questions that I am unsure about the Forms DS 156 and DS 157 as the followings:
Form DS 156
- Question 28 (who will pay for your trip): does the trip need to be paid by the US Employer? Can I pay it myself? My concern is I am not sure if I have to pay it myself because of my H1 Status. Pls advise.
- Question 20 (Name and Address of Present Employer or School): I think this should be my current company. In this case, please advise if this should be Company A that I will be start working in March or my family business in Malaysia.
- Question 21 (Present Occupation): should this be Electrical Engineer or Store Manager (Business Owner) for my family business? I actually worked as an Electrical Engineer for over 8 years. I only worked on my family business as a Store manager (Business Owner) for one year. Please advise which one I should put.
- Question 25 (Name and Telephone Numbers of Person in US Who You Will Be Staying With or Visiting for Tourism or Business): I will go back to work at Company A in US, and my brother lives in the same area that I will be working. So, I�ll be staying at my brother�s place. In this case, should this Item be the company A�s address or my brother�s address? Otherwise, should I put �None�?
- Question 29 (Have you ever been in US?):
For How long?: would this be (6 year � 2 months) since I spent 2 month vacation outside US during this past 6 year H1?
Enter Additional Visits to US here: I made 3 trips to Malaysia and 2 trips to Canada during this past 6 years of my H1B. I also made one trip to Canada during my F1 visa. In this case, I�m not sure if this should be the date I returned back to US from my trips to Malaysia and Canada. Should I mention only the trips during my 6 year H1 or mention all the trips, including the period of my F1 Visa?
DS 157
- Question 12 (Not Including Current Employer, List Your Last Two Employers): I worked at company B in US till Jan, 07 and then moved to Company A in US until May, 08 (the end of my 6 year H1). Then, I came back to work on my family business till now. I will go back to work at Company A again in March, 09. I am not sure if my present company is my family business in Malaysia. My future company is Company A that I will start working in March, 09. My two previous companies are Company A that I worked from Jan, 07 to May, 08 and also Company B that I worked before Jan, 07. In this case, should I put Company A (Jan, 07 to May, 08) and Company B (before Jan, 07) as the last two companies? Please advise.
Another issue is that I worked on my family business as a Store Manager (Business Owner) for almost one year. This is not engineering work. Would this cause me any problems for my visa application because I will go back to work with company A as an electrical engineer? Note that I still get work from company A from time to time, but I just did not get pay during this time that I stay in Malaysia. Please advise.
Please help�. I am totally confused and need to use these two forms for the visa interview. Thank you very much.
I have questions that I am unsure about the Forms DS 156 and DS 157 as the followings:
Form DS 156
- Question 28 (who will pay for your trip): does the trip need to be paid by the US Employer? Can I pay it myself? My concern is I am not sure if I have to pay it myself because of my H1 Status. Pls advise.
- Question 20 (Name and Address of Present Employer or School): I think this should be my current company. In this case, please advise if this should be Company A that I will be start working in March or my family business in Malaysia.
- Question 21 (Present Occupation): should this be Electrical Engineer or Store Manager (Business Owner) for my family business? I actually worked as an Electrical Engineer for over 8 years. I only worked on my family business as a Store manager (Business Owner) for one year. Please advise which one I should put.
- Question 25 (Name and Telephone Numbers of Person in US Who You Will Be Staying With or Visiting for Tourism or Business): I will go back to work at Company A in US, and my brother lives in the same area that I will be working. So, I�ll be staying at my brother�s place. In this case, should this Item be the company A�s address or my brother�s address? Otherwise, should I put �None�?
- Question 29 (Have you ever been in US?):
For How long?: would this be (6 year � 2 months) since I spent 2 month vacation outside US during this past 6 year H1?
Enter Additional Visits to US here: I made 3 trips to Malaysia and 2 trips to Canada during this past 6 years of my H1B. I also made one trip to Canada during my F1 visa. In this case, I�m not sure if this should be the date I returned back to US from my trips to Malaysia and Canada. Should I mention only the trips during my 6 year H1 or mention all the trips, including the period of my F1 Visa?
DS 157
- Question 12 (Not Including Current Employer, List Your Last Two Employers): I worked at company B in US till Jan, 07 and then moved to Company A in US until May, 08 (the end of my 6 year H1). Then, I came back to work on my family business till now. I will go back to work at Company A again in March, 09. I am not sure if my present company is my family business in Malaysia. My future company is Company A that I will start working in March, 09. My two previous companies are Company A that I worked from Jan, 07 to May, 08 and also Company B that I worked before Jan, 07. In this case, should I put Company A (Jan, 07 to May, 08) and Company B (before Jan, 07) as the last two companies? Please advise.
Another issue is that I worked on my family business as a Store Manager (Business Owner) for almost one year. This is not engineering work. Would this cause me any problems for my visa application because I will go back to work with company A as an electrical engineer? Note that I still get work from company A from time to time, but I just did not get pay during this time that I stay in Malaysia. Please advise.
Please help�. I am totally confused and need to use these two forms for the visa interview. Thank you very much.
guy03062
03-17 11:08 AM
Great job, Jay!
more...
radhay
08-21 04:33 PM
Hi, I am in the exact same situation. USCIS approved my H1B but didn't issue I-94. Along with the H1B approval letter there was explanation why they can't issue me 'H1B status' and also suggesting me to leave country and apply for H1B visa at the consulate using the approved petition.
I didn't leave the country as my lawyer suggested this is a matter of grey area and every thing rests on Immigration's officer's interpretation and judgement. Didn't want to take chance.
The solution? we filed 'nunc-pro-tunk' petition with the proof that it was a honest mistake on part of employer and I shouldn't be penalized for that. Now I am waiting for the USCIS decision.
I have an EAD and pending 485 so I am continuing to work. In your situation if you have 485 pending/EAD you shoud be OK.
I didn't leave the country as my lawyer suggested this is a matter of grey area and every thing rests on Immigration's officer's interpretation and judgement. Didn't want to take chance.
The solution? we filed 'nunc-pro-tunk' petition with the proof that it was a honest mistake on part of employer and I shouldn't be penalized for that. Now I am waiting for the USCIS decision.
I have an EAD and pending 485 so I am continuing to work. In your situation if you have 485 pending/EAD you shoud be OK.
GCVoice
12-20 11:46 AM
Yes. she has a valid H4 Visa stamping till Jan 10. and she is landing in Dec last week.
Thanks in advance
Thanks in advance
more...
canmt
12-06 07:59 AM
Hello I opened 2 SRs 4 weeks ago. Yesterday I got two notices from USCIS.
My wife got finger printing notice but my notice says that "USCIS will notify me of biometrics when the appointment is available". Its so weird. I'm the prime applicant. Anybody any ideas? My lawyer said wait for 1 month. I spoke to USCIS customer service and they said wait for next month and open another SR.
My case was filed at NSC , then went to CSC and then transferred to NSC.
Anybody any ideas? Have they heard of cases where dependants are getting FP while Primary is waiting.
I have heard many cases where in the dependant gets their EAD faster than the prime applicant. My guess would be that USCIS is prioritizing H4 to get the EAD faster since the prime applicant already has the H1. That does not mean you won�t get your EAD ever but it looks like it is not a higher priority.
My wife got finger printing notice but my notice says that "USCIS will notify me of biometrics when the appointment is available". Its so weird. I'm the prime applicant. Anybody any ideas? My lawyer said wait for 1 month. I spoke to USCIS customer service and they said wait for next month and open another SR.
My case was filed at NSC , then went to CSC and then transferred to NSC.
Anybody any ideas? Have they heard of cases where dependants are getting FP while Primary is waiting.
I have heard many cases where in the dependant gets their EAD faster than the prime applicant. My guess would be that USCIS is prioritizing H4 to get the EAD faster since the prime applicant already has the H1. That does not mean you won�t get your EAD ever but it looks like it is not a higher priority.
HRPRO
02-22 02:10 PM
snathan - How different is different enough for USCIS/DOL to be okay with it? Would the num of years of experience be helpful if it was different.
I guess I am trying to figure out if I should let go of this position and wait for another one to come around if it's the current one is not worth pursuing due to potential issues during I140 stage.
Thanks
One more thing to take ino consideration is during the audit, along with your HR department DoL will review similar jobs within your organisation and check the requirements for those jobs. They will have to be similar, else you will have an issue.
I guess I am trying to figure out if I should let go of this position and wait for another one to come around if it's the current one is not worth pursuing due to potential issues during I140 stage.
Thanks
One more thing to take ino consideration is during the audit, along with your HR department DoL will review similar jobs within your organisation and check the requirements for those jobs. They will have to be similar, else you will have an issue.
Sunx_2004
10-04 10:32 PM
Sorry for opening a new thread, Please point me to the thread if this issue is already addressed in some other thread and delete this thread.
I filed my I-485 in July, Still waiting for receipts, Now my company got acquired by another company. My questions are-
Any actions required from my side? What will happen to my I-485 which is already filed, Do I need to re-file with new company?
If I get EAD in next few weeks can I use that EAD after 6 months of filing I485?
Thanks
I filed my I-485 in July, Still waiting for receipts, Now my company got acquired by another company. My questions are-
Any actions required from my side? What will happen to my I-485 which is already filed, Do I need to re-file with new company?
If I get EAD in next few weeks can I use that EAD after 6 months of filing I485?
Thanks
Sakthisagar
12-01 02:44 PM
Issues facing the 2010 lame-duck session of Congress - The Washington Post (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/lameduck/index.html)
1. Tax cuts
The most pressing issue in the lame-duck Congress sounds, at first glance, like a typo.
The federal government spends more money than it takes in. The two parties both agree that this is bad. Here�s what they can�t agree on: How much less should the government take in, in the years to come?
The debate is about income tax cuts, passed under President George W. Bush, which are due to expire Dec. 31. If that happens, a single person earning $46,000 a year might see his or her taxes jump $400, according to the nonprofit Tax Policy Center. A married couple earning a total of $440,000, on the other hand, might see an increase of $20,000.
Most Democrats want to extend tax cuts covering up to the first $250,000 that a family earns in a year. Republican leaders want to keep all the tax cuts, including those on income above $250,000. In a recession, they say, it doesn�t make sense to cut anyone�s taxes.
Congress and the president could agree to a temporary truce, extending all the tax cuts for a few years only. Or, as some Democrats have suggested recently, they could agree to keep tax cuts on incomes less than $1 million.
2. The New START treaty
The point of this U.S.-Russia treaty, signed but not yet ratified, is to continue the slow nuclear stand-down that has followed the Cold War. The two nations would agree to cut deployed long-range nuclear weapons by up to 30 percent and to allow each other to inspect the remaining stockpiles.
The prevention of nuclear armageddon still enjoys wide support on Capitol Hill.
But this treaty does not.
New START must be ratified by two-thirds of the Senate. That was no problem for two past treaties: the first Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, signed in 1992 by President George H.W. Bush, and the �Moscow Treaty,� signed in 2003 by President George W. Bush.
But now, Sen. John Kyl (Ariz.), the chamber�s second-ranking Republican, has held up the treaty�s passage. Kyl has said he wants more guarantees that the government will properly maintain the nuclear weapons that remain. He also thinks that the lame-duck session is too short a time to consider the issue.
The White House is now trying to work around Kyl to win over nine other Republican. If it can�t, there will be more Republicans � and perhaps more support for denying Obama a foreign policy win � in January.
3. �Don�t ask, don�t tell�
This 17-year-old rule, which bars gay men and lesbians from serving openly in the military, has been under attack all year. This fall, a federal judge ruled the ban unconstitutional and ordered it scrapped. A higher court reinstated the ban while it considers the matter on appeal.
And on Tuesday, a Pentagon report concluded that ending the ban would pose a low risk to military readiness. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said that the repeal of the rule �should be done.�
But �don�t ask, don�t tell� isn�t dead yet and could outlive the lame-duck session.
Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) could bring it up for a vote on the floor this month. But the ascendant GOP is in no mood to cooperate. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) says he�s still worried about the effect on morale, and other Republican leaders say the whole issue is a distraction from their top priority � job creation.
4. The �Continuing resolution�
A continuing resolution (known in Hill jargon as a �CR�) is a bill that�s introduced when Congress can�t agree on a full budget for the federal government.
Instead, it passes a bill to temporarily �continue� funding federal agencies at their present rates.
Congress must pass a new continuing resolution before Friday. If it doesn�t, the government will shut down � as it did in 1995 during a budget showdown between President Bill Clinton and congressional Republicans.
The sticking point is Republican demands to shrink federal spending back to 2008 levels. But a shutdown still seems unlikely; while a lot of voters want smaller government, very few seem to want no government.
Signs from the Hill indicate legislators will beat Friday�s deadline and pass a resolution good for another few weeks, at least.
5. Unemployment benefits
Another looming deadline. On Tuesday, emergency unemployment insurance � he federal checks given to the jobless � expired. If nothing is done to extend the benefits, advocates say as many as 3 million people will see their checks cut off by the end of January.
Some Republicans have voiced concerns about the high cost of these benefits. In the middle of last month, the House failed to approve a plan to extend them, with all but 11 Democrats voting for it and all but 21 Republicans voting against it.
6. Childhood nutrition
On Wednesday, House Democratic leaders plan to call a vote that could be a measure of the muscle they�ve got left. At issue: a bill that would feed schoolchildren better food.
If they can�t win on that, it could be a long month.
The bill is intended to give more poor children access to subsidized meals at school. It also would improve the quality of those meals and give more federal money to school districts that comply with higher nutrition standards.
�Kids that have food insecurity learn at a slower rate than their peers,� House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) told reporters Tuesday. �Food insecurity� is Washington-speak for �hunger.�
The bill passed the Senate unanimously. But it will face some Republican opposition in the House from members who say it will impose more costs on struggling school systems.
7. The DREAM Act
This bill is aimed at illegal immigrants who came to this country as children. If they go to college or join the military as adults, it would give them a chance to obtain legal residency.
As attitudes toward illegal immigrants have hardened, support for the bill has collapsed among Republicans and many Democrats. To them, it looks like a kind of amnesty for lawbreakers.
On Tuesday, Reid could promise only a �test vote� on the issue: he would bring the issue to the Senate floor, and take his chances. The implicit message was that Reid might lose � but lose in a way that showed Hispanic voters he was trying.
1. Tax cuts
The most pressing issue in the lame-duck Congress sounds, at first glance, like a typo.
The federal government spends more money than it takes in. The two parties both agree that this is bad. Here�s what they can�t agree on: How much less should the government take in, in the years to come?
The debate is about income tax cuts, passed under President George W. Bush, which are due to expire Dec. 31. If that happens, a single person earning $46,000 a year might see his or her taxes jump $400, according to the nonprofit Tax Policy Center. A married couple earning a total of $440,000, on the other hand, might see an increase of $20,000.
Most Democrats want to extend tax cuts covering up to the first $250,000 that a family earns in a year. Republican leaders want to keep all the tax cuts, including those on income above $250,000. In a recession, they say, it doesn�t make sense to cut anyone�s taxes.
Congress and the president could agree to a temporary truce, extending all the tax cuts for a few years only. Or, as some Democrats have suggested recently, they could agree to keep tax cuts on incomes less than $1 million.
2. The New START treaty
The point of this U.S.-Russia treaty, signed but not yet ratified, is to continue the slow nuclear stand-down that has followed the Cold War. The two nations would agree to cut deployed long-range nuclear weapons by up to 30 percent and to allow each other to inspect the remaining stockpiles.
The prevention of nuclear armageddon still enjoys wide support on Capitol Hill.
But this treaty does not.
New START must be ratified by two-thirds of the Senate. That was no problem for two past treaties: the first Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, signed in 1992 by President George H.W. Bush, and the �Moscow Treaty,� signed in 2003 by President George W. Bush.
But now, Sen. John Kyl (Ariz.), the chamber�s second-ranking Republican, has held up the treaty�s passage. Kyl has said he wants more guarantees that the government will properly maintain the nuclear weapons that remain. He also thinks that the lame-duck session is too short a time to consider the issue.
The White House is now trying to work around Kyl to win over nine other Republican. If it can�t, there will be more Republicans � and perhaps more support for denying Obama a foreign policy win � in January.
3. �Don�t ask, don�t tell�
This 17-year-old rule, which bars gay men and lesbians from serving openly in the military, has been under attack all year. This fall, a federal judge ruled the ban unconstitutional and ordered it scrapped. A higher court reinstated the ban while it considers the matter on appeal.
And on Tuesday, a Pentagon report concluded that ending the ban would pose a low risk to military readiness. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said that the repeal of the rule �should be done.�
But �don�t ask, don�t tell� isn�t dead yet and could outlive the lame-duck session.
Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) could bring it up for a vote on the floor this month. But the ascendant GOP is in no mood to cooperate. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) says he�s still worried about the effect on morale, and other Republican leaders say the whole issue is a distraction from their top priority � job creation.
4. The �Continuing resolution�
A continuing resolution (known in Hill jargon as a �CR�) is a bill that�s introduced when Congress can�t agree on a full budget for the federal government.
Instead, it passes a bill to temporarily �continue� funding federal agencies at their present rates.
Congress must pass a new continuing resolution before Friday. If it doesn�t, the government will shut down � as it did in 1995 during a budget showdown between President Bill Clinton and congressional Republicans.
The sticking point is Republican demands to shrink federal spending back to 2008 levels. But a shutdown still seems unlikely; while a lot of voters want smaller government, very few seem to want no government.
Signs from the Hill indicate legislators will beat Friday�s deadline and pass a resolution good for another few weeks, at least.
5. Unemployment benefits
Another looming deadline. On Tuesday, emergency unemployment insurance � he federal checks given to the jobless � expired. If nothing is done to extend the benefits, advocates say as many as 3 million people will see their checks cut off by the end of January.
Some Republicans have voiced concerns about the high cost of these benefits. In the middle of last month, the House failed to approve a plan to extend them, with all but 11 Democrats voting for it and all but 21 Republicans voting against it.
6. Childhood nutrition
On Wednesday, House Democratic leaders plan to call a vote that could be a measure of the muscle they�ve got left. At issue: a bill that would feed schoolchildren better food.
If they can�t win on that, it could be a long month.
The bill is intended to give more poor children access to subsidized meals at school. It also would improve the quality of those meals and give more federal money to school districts that comply with higher nutrition standards.
�Kids that have food insecurity learn at a slower rate than their peers,� House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) told reporters Tuesday. �Food insecurity� is Washington-speak for �hunger.�
The bill passed the Senate unanimously. But it will face some Republican opposition in the House from members who say it will impose more costs on struggling school systems.
7. The DREAM Act
This bill is aimed at illegal immigrants who came to this country as children. If they go to college or join the military as adults, it would give them a chance to obtain legal residency.
As attitudes toward illegal immigrants have hardened, support for the bill has collapsed among Republicans and many Democrats. To them, it looks like a kind of amnesty for lawbreakers.
On Tuesday, Reid could promise only a �test vote� on the issue: he would bring the issue to the Senate floor, and take his chances. The implicit message was that Reid might lose � but lose in a way that showed Hispanic voters he was trying.
Anders �stberg
March 4th, 2004, 02:07 AM
I don't think the spiral staircase shot ever gets old. Each one has its own characteristics and the varied tones and depths always make for interesting B&W shots. I'm sure it's a rare day that an office stairwell makes a good color shot. ;) I vote that you work the shot from every angle and show us what you came up with.
Gary
There's a least three different views, this one is from the top floor where the railing is different (no continuation upwards) from all other floors, and there's one possible view looking up from the bottom floor as well. I'll see what I can do... :)
Gary
There's a least three different views, this one is from the top floor where the railing is different (no continuation upwards) from all other floors, and there's one possible view looking up from the bottom floor as well. I'll see what I can do... :)
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