| Sadler signs for Hornets
WATFORD have signed Birmingham City left-back Mathew Sadler for a reported £750,000 with the fee potentially rising to £900,000. The 22-year-old has penned a three-and-a-half year deal at Vicarage Road and is expected to make his debut in the FA Cup fourth round tie against Wolves on Saturday. Sadler has represented England in several youth age groups and was a product of the Blues' Academy set-up. He enjoyed a successful campaign in 2006-7 when he made 41 starts for Birmingham and he agreed a new contract last summer. Sadler's arrival will increase the pressure on Jordan Stewart and provide some much-needed competition for him. .
Straight Shots
At Monday's practice for the Creston seventh-grade boys, coach Mike McCabe pulled his squad into the dressing room after practice and had a little chat about the Lewis Central senior, and the inspiration his story can provide.Earlier in the day, they had attended a presentation at school by Mount Everest climber Charlie Wittback, so they were primed for the lesson. Wittback had spoken about obstacles he'd encountered, and how they were overcome. His message was, "What is Your Everest?"Wittback suggested setting attainable, smaller goals along the way. Then you can build on positive moments as you make your way to the top.McCabe applied those lessons to Lindsey, as chronicled in an article in the Omaha World-Herald the day after the win at Harlan. He handed copies of selected paragraphs to each player, with his own notation:"Never give up! Set your goals and go get them!"The passages noted how Harlan was down three in overtime, and ended up fouling Lindsey.
Federal Reserve Plays Russian Roulette with US$
In an age where governments of every political stripe distort data to promote their own self interests, it's hardly surprising that they present inflation data in a manner that is best suited to their particular needs. By the same token, it's entirely natural for official inflation data to be wildly at odds with the reality that is faced by consumers and businesses, and to be regarded with utter disbelief. So it wasn't shocking to hear Federal Reserve officials insist last week, that inflation in the United States is under control, before telegraphing another tidal wave of liquidity injections into the US economy in the months ahead. "Stable inflation expectations give the Fed a lot of room for maneuver. If the evidence suggests that substantial policy easing is appropriate, I don't think we're going to face a risk of adverse inflation consequences," said St Louis Fed chief William Poole on Jan 9th.
Clinton Turns to Economic Issues
Party leaders nixed the idea, reflecting their fears of attacks from antitax Republicans. Many of Mrs. Clinton's proposals are familiar, but they have been packaged into what she calls "a new economic blueprint for a 21st century economy." Initiatives on savings, mortgage and college aid are new. Among the retread initiatives are several to spur technological innovation, including a proposed $50 billion Strategic Energy Fund financed by oil companies to underwrite research on energy alternatives. Mrs. Clinton's economic emphasis coincides with that of the Republican presidential candidates, who meet today in Dearborn, Mich., for a debate on the subject sponsored by The Wall Street Journal, CNBC and MSNBC. The confluence of events underscores the two parties' different approaches to addressing the public's growing sense of economic insecurity.
Unshackle Upstate offers sensible ideas for tax reform
The cost of doing business in New York is the second-highest in the nation, according to the Milken Institute's annual index. It ranked the 50 states according to wages, tax burden, the cost of power and rents. When the states were compared, New York was 31 percent above the national average. Ouch! That sorry news came in a week when the Unshackle Upstate coalition announced its ambitious policy agenda for 2008. This coalition of more than 60 organizations wants Albany to focus on tax relief, economic development policies and regulatory reform. Unshackle Upstate's agenda for tax relief offers several ideas that make sense, especially to small business. These are the businesses that are more likely to stabilize upstate's economy in the long run, since the days of the company town are long gone here.
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