Mr. Albers: January 2012

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

How We'll Eliminate the Federal Debt - YouTube

How We'll Eliminate the Federal Debt - YouTube:

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Monday, January 30, 2012

RECIPE

Bacon Explosion

Time: About 3 hours

2 pounds thick-cut sliced bacon

1 1/2 pounds Italian sausage, casings removed

3 tablespoons barbecue rub

3/4 cup barbecue sauce.

1. Using 10 slices of bacon, weave a square lattice like that on top of a pie: first, place 5 bacon slices side by side on a large sheet of aluminum foil, parallel to one another, sides touching. Place another strip of bacon on one end, perpendicular to the other strips. Fold first, third and fifth bacon strips back over this new strip, then place another strip next to it, parallel to it. Unfold first, third and fifth strips; fold back second and fourth strips. Repeat with remaining bacon until all 10 strips are tightly woven.

2. Preheat oven to 225 degrees or light a fire in an outdoor smoker. Place remaining bacon in a frying pan and cook until crisp. As it cooks, sprinkle bacon weave with 1 tablespoon barbecue rub. Evenly spread

sausage on top of bacon lattice, pressing to outer edges.

3. Crumble fried bacon into bite-size pieces. Sprinkle on top of sausage. Drizzle with 1/2 cup barbecue sauce and sprinkle with another tablespoon barbecue rub.

4. Very carefully separate front edge of sausage layer from bacon weave and begin rolling sausage away from you. Bacon weave should stay where it was, flat. Press sausage roll to remove any air pockets and pinch together seams and ends.

5. Roll sausage toward you, this time with bacon weave, until it is completely wrapped. Turn it so seam face down. Roll should be about 2 to 3 inches thick. Sprinkle with remaining barbecue rub.

6. Place roll on a baking sheet in oven or in smoker. Cook until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees on a meat thermometer, about 1 hour for each inch of thickness. When done, glaze roll with more sauce.

To serve, slice into 1/4-to- 1/2-inch rounds.

Yield: 10 or more servings.

Obama's Lean, Mean SEAL Machine - The Daily Beast

Obama's Lean, Mean SEAL Machine - The Daily Beast:

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Oklahoma Leads on Income-Tax Repeal - Phil Kerpen & Stuart Jolly - National Review Online

Oklahoma Leads on Income-Tax Repeal - Phil Kerpen & Stuart Jolly - National Review Online:

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Iraqi vice president predicts return to sectarian violence - CNN.com

Iraqi vice president predicts return to sectarian violence - CNN.com:

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Million-dollar mile: Expensive section of trail provokes varied reactions | The Columbian

Million-dollar mile: Expensive section of trail provokes varied reactions | The Columbian:

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Clinton: U.S. condemns uptick in Syrian crackdown - Washington Times

Clinton: U.S. condemns uptick in Syrian crackdown - Washington Times:

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Local News | How much change would state's gay-marriage bill really mean? | Seattle Times Newspaper

Local News | How much change would state's gay-marriage bill really mean? | Seattle Times Newspaper:

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Obama's Latest Stimulus Blunder Is Another Clean Energy Company - Investors.com

Obama's Latest Stimulus Blunder Is Another Clean Energy Company - Investors.com:

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‘Buffett Tax’ and truth in numbers - The Washington Post

‘Buffett Tax’ and truth in numbers - The Washington Post:

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Food Aid to Developing Nations May Increase Armed Conflict - Real Time Economics - WSJ

Food Aid to Developing Nations May Increase Armed Conflict - Real Time Economics - WSJ:

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Mark Mills and Julio Ottino: The Coming Tech-led Boom - WSJ.com

Mark Mills and Julio Ottino: The Coming Tech-led Boom - WSJ.com:

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Email from Maria Cantwell

Home Meet Maria News Issues & Legislation Constituent Services Contact Maria

My fellow Washingtonian:

My thoughts go out to those of you who have experienced power outages, property damage and flooding due to the recent snow and ice storms.

Our website includes a resource page with links to local emergency management contacts, the latest weather information, and tips to protect yourself, your family and your property. Learn more here. If you are having trouble getting your questions answered, please contact one of our regional offices where staff will be able to assist you.

An OPEN Internet:

Thank you to the thousands of Washingtonians who raised your voices last week to support an open and free Internet. Thanks for your phone calls and emails to our office regarding the PROTECT IP Act.

Like you, I believe that America’s economy thrives on innovation and freedom of speech. The Internet allows entrepreneurs in Washington state and around the world to create ground-breaking companies and fuel economic growth. We cannot afford to rush an Internet policy that could trample on our innovation economy.

That’s why I opposed the PROTECT IP Act in the Senate from the beginning, and have offered an alternative – the OPEN Act. We need to protect creative content on the Internet from piracy by rogue foreign websites, but we must do so in a way that also protects freedom of speech, innovation and security on the Internet. Read more about the OPEN Act here, or read the full bill text here.

Stronger Ports, More Jobs:

Earlier this month, I traveled across the state visiting three ports – the Port of Pasco, the Port of Vancouver and the Port of Seattle – to highlight the importance of investing in our freight infrastructure to keep our ports competitive and support job growth.

Click here to watch a video from our Washington Port Jobs tour.

Senator Cantwell with workers at Lampson International at the Port of Pasco’s Big Pasco Industrial Center

More than one million jobs in Washington state are in freight-dependent industries. When we ship wheat, apples or wind turbines, we support good jobs for Washington families and see our freight network in action.

In 2010, more than $533 million tons of freight moved in Washington. By 2040, that number is expected to grow by up to 86 percent. That’s an incredible opportunity to create jobs, but only if we seize the opportunity and make the right investments today.

Click on a link below to read news coverage from our Washington Port Jobs tour earlier this month:

“Cantwell wants to modernize freight transportation infrastructure,” Tri-City Herald, January 10, 2012.

“Cantwell touts freight bill at Port of Vancouver,” The Columbian, January 11, 2012.

“Sen. Cantwell in Vancouver to push Freight Act,” KGW, Portland TV News, January 11, 2012.

“Cantwell: ‘Friend of Freight,’” seattlepi.com, January 16, 2012.

Senator Cantwell with Larry Paulson, Executive Director of the Port of Vancouver

At each port, I highlighted the potential impact of freight legislation I introduced with Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) that is now before the Senate. These freight measures could pave the way for investment in job-creating projects statewide.

I also called on Senate leaders to take up key provisions of our legislation, called the FREIGHT Act, and pass them before the end of March when the current surface transportation reauthorization expires.

If enacted by Congress, these freight provisions would do three things:

1. We would establish the nation’s first strategic plan for freight that would identify cargo bottlenecks and reduce delays and increase our multimodal system’s reliability.

2. We would give freight the prominence it deserves at the U.S. Department of Transportation by better coordinating and planning our freight network of highways, rail and other forms of transportation.

Senator Cantwell with Larry Paulson, Executive Director of the Port of Vancouver

3. We would create a new freight infrastructure program to invest in key job-creating freight mobility projects, like the ones I toured earlier this month.

With so many jobs and businesses at stake, we can’t wait to act. Freight bottlenecks and other forms of congestion cost the U.S. economy about $200 billion each year. More than 27,000 jobs and $3.3 billion in economic output could be lost in Washington state if congestion increases by only 20 percent, according to a new study commissioned by WSDOT and conducted by WSU.

Other nations are investing in their infrastructure. Canada, for example, has invested $1 billion in its rail, road and port infrastructure. As Seattle Port Commission President Gael Tarleton so effectively put it to the Seattle P-I: “Cargo is like water: It will take the path of least resistance.” Washington state, and America, must maintain its edge in a global economy. This requires a 21^st century system for transporting and shipping to and from our great state.

With so many opportunities on the horizon, Washington’s workers and businesses simply can’t afford to not have a strategy in place to plan, prepare and invest in the rail Senator Cantwell at the Port of Seattle with Steve Stivala
(right) of
MacMillan-Piper

Senator Cantwell at the Port of Seattle with Steve Stivala
(right) of
MacMillan-Piper

lines, ports and highways that connect our businesses to the world.

Freight means jobs to Washington businesses. Let me give you three examples from my recent tour:

PASCO – I heard from Bill Lampson of Lampson International, who employs 85 people at a crane manufacturing company. Bill’s business depends on efficient freight transportation infrastructure, which is why it is so important that the Rail Hub Development at the Big Pasco Industrial Center is completed.
VANCOUVER – Tony Flagg of United Grain Corporation, which directly employs 55 workers and supports another 25-45 longshoremen jobs, told me that the West Vancouver Freight Access Project and the Columbia River Channel Deepening are enabling his company to expand and take on more business to meet the growing demand in Asia.
SEATTLE – Steve Stivala of MacMillan-Piper (pictured [right] with Senator Cantwell at the Port of Seattle) said his company is looking at an expansion that would help increase its business by 20 percent – but that growth depends on efficient freight infrastructure.

It’s freight mobility projects like these that are so important to economic growth. My freight provisions would support these projects across the state and the nation.

With the right investments, Washington state can stay ahead of the competition and seize this opportunity to grow our robust trade economy and create tens of thousands more family-wage jobs for the future.

As always, feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns or for help I can provide. You can also consult my website for more information.

Warm regards,

Friday, January 27, 2012

Economic fairness eludes the GOP, but not Obama - The Washington Post

Economic fairness eludes the GOP, but not Obama - The Washington Post:

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EDITORIAL: Obama's crony capitalism - Washington Times

EDITORIAL: Obama's crony capitalism - Washington Times:

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Nation & World | Behind slick Apple products lurk gritty facts about human costs | Seattle Times Newspaper

Nation & World | Behind slick Apple products lurk gritty facts about human costs | Seattle Times Newspaper:

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Markey: Two Years of Pipeline Accidents Highlights Need for Overhaul of Safety - The House Committee on National Resources - Democrats

Markey: Two Years of Pipeline Accidents Highlights Need for Overhaul of Safety - The House Committee on National Resources - Democrats:

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PHMSA: Stakeholder Communications

PHMSA: Stakeholder Communications:

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PHMSA: Stakeholder Communications

PHMSA: Stakeholder Communications:

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PHMSA: Stakeholder Communications

PHMSA: Stakeholder Communications:

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pipeline explosion.MOV - YouTube

pipeline explosion.MOV - YouTube:

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List of pipeline accidents - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

List of pipeline accidents - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

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Jobs, Jobs and Cars - NYTimes.com

Jobs, Jobs and Cars - NYTimes.com: "the famed Mittelstand — provide to each other via shared suppliers and the maintenance "

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Thursday, January 26, 2012

Daily Presidential Tracking Poll - Rasmussen Reports™

Daily Presidential Tracking Poll - Rasmussen Reports™:

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College Credit Programs (AP, CLEP, IB) | WSU Vancouver Student Affairs

College Credit Programs (AP, CLEP, IB) | WSU Vancouver Student Affairs:

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President Obama: State of The Union Speech 2012 (Higher Education Highlights) - YouTube

President Obama: State of The Union Speech 2012 (Higher Education Highlights) - YouTube:

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Double-Dutch Chocolate Holiday Cookies -

Double-Dutch Chocolate Holiday Cookies

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 Double-Dutch Dark Cocoa
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1-1/4 cups red and green milk chocolate M&M's
1/3 white baking chips

1. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. In a 1-qt jar, layer the flour mixture, cocoa, sugar, brown sugar, M&M's, and baking chips. Cover and store in a cool, dry place for up to 1 month.

Yield: 1 batch (5 cups of mix) that makes 36 itty bitty cookies

And then to make them....

3/4 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. In a large bowl, beat the butter, egg, and vanilla until well blended. Add contents of jar and stir until combined.
2. Drop by rounded tablespoon fulls two inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes or until set. Remove to wire reacks to cool. Store in an airtight container.

Currant Scone Mix

4 cups all-purpose flour (we did half whole-wheat pastry and half all-purpose)
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup nonfat dry milk powder
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup shortening
1-1/2 cups dried currants or raisins (we used cranberries)

*my family also likes a bit more spice, so we added more cinnamon and then allspice, nutmeg, and cloves...we never measure how much spice we add in exactly, we just eyeball it...so basically put in as much as you want!

1. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, milk powder, cinnamon, and salt. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add currants. Divide mix into two batches; store in airtight containers in a cool, dry place for up to 6 months.

Yield: 2 Batches (6 cups mix) that make eight scones per batch

And then to make them...

1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup water

1. In a large bowl, combine contents of scone mix, egg, and water until moistened. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead 5-6 times
2. Transfer to a greased baking sheet and pat onto a 9-inch circle. Cut into eight wedges (do not separate). Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm

We also sent them a jar of yummy jam because that always tastes good on anything, well, almost anything!

Hope there weren't any typos...that would really ruin the recipes! And if you really want to know the measurements of the extra spices, I can give that to you...enjoy!

Desi