Government

IMMIGRATION REFORM

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US Congressman Joe Crowley (D-Queens, the Bronx), Vice Chair of the Democratic Caucus has signed a discharge petition to force House Republican leadership to allow a vote on comprehensive immigration reform legislation.

The discharge petition would force a vote on the House floor on H.R. 15, the bipartisan Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act, if 218 members of Congress sign on. A recent study by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office concluded that H.R. 15 would reduce the nation’s deficit by $900 billion.

ARE YOU PREPARING FOR AGING?

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According to research statistics compiled by Pew, over the next decade, more than 10,000 baby boomers will reach age 65. The aging of this huge cohort of Americans of which 26 percent of the total U.S. population are Baby Boomers will dramatically change the composition of this nation.

Currently, just 13 percent of Americans are ages 65 and older. By 2030, when all members of the Baby Boom generation have reached that age, fully 18% of the nation will be at least that age, according to Pew Research Center population projections. But don’t tell Baby Boomers that they are old. The typical Boomer believes that old age does not begin until age 72, according to a 2009 Pew Research survey. Also, while about half of all adults say they feel younger than their actual age, fully 61 percent of Boomers are feeling more spry than their age would imply. In fact, the typical Boomer feels nine years younger than his or her chronological age

Most folks are probably already doing a lot to ensure they stay in good health and are able to enjoy their golden years: eating right, exercising, getting checkups and screenings as recommended by your physician. But it also makes sense to have some contingency plans for the bumps in the road that might occur.

Adapt your home. Stairs, baths, and kitchens can present hazards for older people. Even if you don’t need to make changes now, do an annual safety review so you can make necessary updates if your needs change.

Prevent falls. Falls are a big deal for older people — they often result in fractures that can lead to disability, further health problems, or even death. Safety precautions are important, but so are exercises that can improve balance and strength.

Consider your housing options. You might consider investigating naturally occurring retirement communities (NORCs). These neighborhoods and housing complexes aren’t developed specifically to serve seniors — and, in fact, tend to host a mix of ages — but because they have plenty of coordinated care and support available, they are senior-friendly.

Think ahead about how to get the help you may need. Meal preparation, transportation, home repair, housecleaning, and help with financial tasks such as paying bills might be hired out if you can afford it, or shared among friends and family. Elder services offered in your community might be another option.

US NEEDS $3.5 TRILLION FOR INFRASTRUCTURE

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Now that the Sochi Olympics are behind us, you may feel as though you've had enough of winter, given this year’s record temperatures and snowfall in cities across the country.

This winter weather has destroyed roads across the country. Some cities are running out of salt, and pothole-dodging could be an Olympic sport, while finding places to mound all that snow has been a challenge.

The American Society of Civil Engineers is committed to improving USA public infrastructure.

TUTOR PERINI WINS $145 MILLION CONTRACTS

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There is no stopping Tutor Perini Corporation. The civil and building construction company, which is building City Island's new hundred plus million dollar bridge has announced four new projects in New York City for its subsidiary, WDF, Inc., collectively valued at more than $145 million. WDF is a leading specialty contractor in the New York region, providing mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection systems design and construction services to government agencies and commercial clients.

CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice – Haaren Hall Renovation Project

GIVE: AGAINST GUN VIOLENCE

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GIVE Initiative Builds On More Than A Decade Of Crime-Fighting Successes Through Operation IMPACT and is said to makes New York safer.

Governor Andrew Cuomo says 17 counties will compete for more than $13 million to fund efforts to reduce firearm-related crimes, shootings, and homicides through the state’s new Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) initiative. The initiative is designed to build upon the crime-fighting successes those jurisdictions experienced while participating in Operation IMPACT.

DONT DRINK OR TEXT AND DRIVE

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New York State Police will join other law enforcement agencies, across the state, in a special effort to crackdown on impaired and distracted driving during Super Bowl Weekend. The statewide STOP-DWI and Texting-While-Driving Crackdown efforts will start on January 31st and will run through February 3rd. The New York State Police will be collaborating with County Sheriff and municipal law enforcement agencies across the state in this coordinated effort to reduce the number of alcohol related and distracted driving injuries and deaths.

POSTAL RATE HIKES

The U.S. Postal Service is making another proposal, but not the kind Americans dream of.

By January 26 the price of shipping rates could go up as much as 2.4 percent.

Check out the proposed price changes. Save up for the price hike or research ways to ship for less. Our relationship with U.S.P.S. may be about to change.

Even in an increasingly digital world, the Postal Service remains part of the bedrock infrastructure of this nation’s economy, serving its people and businesses and binding the nation together.

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INCREASE MINIMUM WAGES

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Employees at stores and fast food restaurants went on strike last year expressing their financial difficulties as a result of the minimum wage. The minimum wage is not high enough to cover basic costs of living in this country. Residents in NYC, Chicago, Detroit, LA, Boston, and St. Louis displayed their frustrations by picketing and or by striking.

ARE YOU FEELING SAD?

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The winter blues seems to get inside some people affecting their moods as well as their days. Known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD), this form of depression affects about 1% to 2% of the population. Although it strikes all genders and ages, women are more likely to develop SAD than men, and young people are more likely to develop it than older people.

SAD seems to be triggered by decreased exposure to daylight. Typically, it arrives during the fall or winter months and subsides in the spring. Symptoms are similar to general depression and include lethargy, loss of interest in once-pleasurable activities, interpersonal problems, irritability, inability to concentrate, and changes in sleeping patterns, appetite, or both.

Experts don’t fully understand the cause of SAD, but leading theories place the blame on an out-of-sync body clock or on improper levels of either the hormone melatonin or the neurotransmitter serotonin.

Depression is more than a passing bout of sadness or dejection, or feeling down in the dumps. It can leave you feeling continuously burdened and can sap the joy out of once-pleasurable activities. Effective treatment can lighten your mood, strengthen your connections with loved ones, allow you to find satisfaction in interests and hobbies, and make you feel more like yourself again.

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