Tuesday, October 28, 2008

More Visitors

I lucked out once again this month with a visit from Valerie and her husband Alfie. Valerie and I use to work at GAO. Valerie is also the reason why I have friends in London! Before I moved here, she introduced me to her sister Jessica who I talk about on the blog. So Valerie was in town visiting her sister and I got to tag along!

Here is Jessica and Valerie sharing a pint. Val was not use to drinking a pint, so she was drinking half pints all night.


Here is Alfie and Valerie at a lunch place in London.


Of course the group photos are on Val's camera! It was a great visit and I hope to see them soon.

As for other things, I am off to the US for the Coro National Gathering. I will be blogging again when I get back in two weeks!

Sunday, October 26, 2008

It is Officially Over!

My report finally came out this week...almost 2 years after I started working on it.

**********************

GAO REPORT AGAIN FINDS "SIGNIFICANT DEFICIENCIES" IN CIVIL RIGHTS AT USDA

WASHINGTON, D.C. - A report released today by the independent investigative arm of Congress, the Government Accountability Office (GAO), says that the civil rights efforts overseen by Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of
Agriculture are marked by "significant deficiencies" and recommends new accountability structures to correct ongoing failures.

Specifically, GAO found that USDA fails to track and adjudicate civil rights complaints, fails to provide accurate data regarding minority participation in USDA programs, and fails to adequately undertake strategic planning with respect to civil rights. The report was
conducted at the request of U.S. Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA), Richard Lugar (R-IN) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and U.S. Representatives Joe Baca (D-CA) and Edolphus Towns (D-NY). The lawmakers asked the GAO to focus especially on the performance of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, a position created in the 2002 Farm Security and Rural Investment Act and tasked with directing civil rights efforts across USDA.

Earlier this year, the lawmakers protested directly to USDA when reports surfaced that the Department obstructed and temporarily shut down the GAO investigation. According to GAO, USDA officials delayed providing information and, in some cases, instructed USDA employees not to comply with GAO.

"I am disheartened to learn that, despite Congressional direction, USDA continues to fail in its civil rights performance," said Harkin. "And even more disappointed by USDA's rejection of key recommendations offered by GAO. It's time for a new approach on this issue, and I'm
grateful to GAO for providing a set of specific recommendations for the consideration of the committee."

"More of the same from USDA in the area of civil rights is not acceptable," Grassley said. "The new report from GAO validates and even expands what other assessments have found about decades-long problems. The leadership of the Department of Agriculture needs to make the GAO recommendations a priority and do everything in the agency's power to make measurable improvements to the way it handles civil rights issues."

"After we held hearings on this matter in the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, Congress created the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the USDA and tasked that position with resolving long standing discrimination concerns. In 2006 we asked the GAO to provide us with an objective analysis. The findings of this report are troubling. After six years, improvements still have not been good enough," Lugar said.

USDA has a long history of failing to enforce civil rights laws and to ensure that minority farmers and ranchers are able to access assistance and benefits under USDA programs. In the 2002 farm bill, Congress included several initiatives to strengthen civil rights enforcement and
to assist minority farmers and ranchers. First, to create new accountability for civil rights compliance across USDA programs and offices, Congress created the position of Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, tasked by statute with "ensuring compliance with all civil rights and related laws....coordinating administration of civil rights laws within the Department....and ensuring that necessary and appropriate civil rights components are properly integrated into all
strategic initiatives of the Department and agencies of the Department (7 U.S.C. 6918(d))." Second, to track progress over time, Congress also required the Department of Agriculture to report annually on the participation rate of minority farmers and ranchers in Department of
Agriculture Programs.

To determine whether, as a result of this legislation, the Department of Agriculture has improved its civil rights performance, Senators Harkin, Lugar, and Grassley, as well as Representatives Baca and Towns, asked GAO to investigate USDA civil rights actions since the 2002 farm bill, including the actions of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights in 1) resolving discrimination complaints, 2) reporting on minority participation in USDA programs and, 3) strategic planning for ensuring USDA's services and benefits are provided fairly and equitably.

A copy of the GAO report is available by clicking here
<http://harkin.senate.gov/documents/pdf/GAOReportUSDA.pdf> .

Saturday, October 25, 2008

This is too funny!

Thanks Monica.....I have already voted!!!

Check out the video below to see people yelling at me!!!!

http://www.cnnbcvideo.com/index.html?nid=QTElUIVDJ3X40gYcQR2XITM3NzEyNDI-&referred_by=9408993-BP76Z_x

Friday, October 17, 2008

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Wee Trip to Scotland

This past week, I headed to Scotland for a 2-day business trip. The Council that I work for has a call center in Scotland. Almost all businesses in England that have a call center, have a call center in Scotland. About 10 years ago, someone did a study and they say that the Scottish accent is liked the best (even if you can't understand it!).

We flew out on a few clear day. Here is a shot from the plane and you can see the River Thames weaving through London.

Here is another shot of the west coast of England. The sun is reflecting off the ocean.

Here is a photo of us about to land in Scotland. Lots and lots of farm land. I was told I was really lucky as it is almost always cloudy here.

We landed in Inverness, Scotland. It is on the top half of Scotland, about 30 minutes from Loch Ness.

My boss and I were headed to Dingwall, a small town where the call center is located. Here is a picture of our upgrade...a mini van!

Here is a picture in the car as we fly by hay rolls next to the ocean...wild.

Lots of sheep in the distance.

We stayed the night at a castle if you can believe that! Here is a picture.

Another photo from the side of the castle.

When we arrived, they had messed up our room reservation. Since they had no more rooms, they gave us the loft in the back of the castle. Here is a picture of the stairway we had to walk up to our room.
The place was enormous with 2 bedrooms, full kitchen, and a living room.



My boss laughing about the size of the place.

After settling in, we meet up with some of the people who run the call center for dinner. Here we are sitting around the fire after dinner.

Funny enough, I did not take a picture of the call center! I was too excited to be in Scotland that I forgot I was on a business trip. Oh well, I guess I will just have to visit again.

Saturday, October 4, 2008

A New Home!

So I have finally moved into my new place! Last weekend, two friends helped me load up a mini-van cab and I drove to my new home in Clapham, London.

Here is the photo from outside. The double door is my place. The location is in an old mews (horse stable) that was converted to a piano factory. After the factory closed down, the area was made into loft apartments.

Once inside, I have a nice size living room. The TV, weird artwork, and all the furniture came with the place. I love furnished flats in London.

Here is another shot from the double doors. It is one long studio apartment, but it is broken up into 3 different areas for living.

Here is my bedroom.

My hallway.

Behind my closet is the kitchen. It is broken up into two sections. One area for my range/oven...(yes, that is my new lettuce plant on my college size frig)....

And then there is the sink area, which nicely has my washer in it.

Today, I am waiting at home for my first delivery....a microwave and a few odds and ends for the place. Tomorrow, I hope to head to Ikea to pick up some pillows and maybe buy a chair for the living room. I love being an adult again and having my own place!

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Totally On the Money!

Click on the image to read it better.

I have to give total credit to my cousin who found this and posted it on facebook. Too funny!