I like that all the "research" links are blank, myself.

http://mccain.senate.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=Newscenter.ViewPressRelease&Content_id=597


STATEMENT OF SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN ON THE CONFERENCE REPORT FOR H.R. 3064
The District Of Columbia, The Departments Of Labor, Health And Human Services, And Education Appropriations Bill For The Fiscal Year 2000
For Immediate Release
Tuesday, Nov 02, 1999

Mr. President, I regret that I was unable to be here for the vote but I want to thank the conferees for their hard work on the conference report that provides federal funding for the District of Columbia, the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), and Education. I am very disappointed that this report includes wasteful, locality-specific, pork-barrel projects, legislative riders, and budget gimmicks such as "forward funding" and a 1-percent cut in government spending across-the-board. Therefore, I cannot support this bill.



...Earmark of $1,000,000 for the Center for Literacy and Assessment at the University of Southern Mississippi....

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http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/openlaw/DVD/dmca/cr19no99s.txt

[Congressional Record: November 19, 1999 (Senate)]
[Page S14986-S15059]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:cr19no99pt2-163]

... Mr. GRAMS. ... Instead of streamlining federal spending, we have thrown in more
money to please big spenders without the needed analysis to ensure the
spending will help us solve problems. Like last year's bill, this bill
looks like a Christmas tree full of pork projects. Many are added in
the last minute negotiation. But we don't know exactly what they are
and how much they cost, because again we have not been given enough
time to review this bill. Here are a few examples as identified by
Senator McCain:

An entirely new title is included in the legislation during last
minute negotiations, the ``Mississippi National Forest Improvement Act
of 1999,'' which had not previously been considered in the previous
Senate or House bills. A half million dollars is added for the Salt
Lake City Olympic tree program. It earmarked $2 million for the
University of Mississippi Center for Sustainable Health Outreach and $3
million for the Center for Environmental Medicine and Toxicology at the
University of Mississippi Medical Center at Jackson. An earmark of $3
million is added for the Wheeling National Heritage Area and $3 million
for the Lincoln Library. It earmarked $2 million for Tupelo School
District in Mississippi for technology innovation. It includes an
earmark of $3 million for the Southwest Pennsylvania Heritage Area. It
also earmarked $1 million for the completion of the Easter Seal
Society's Early Childhood Development Project for the Mississippi River
Delta Region and $1 million for the Center for Literacy and Assessment
at the University of Southern Mississippi. It also includes an increase
of $3.6 million for Washington State Hatchery Improvement....

info wrote:

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$1 million for the Center for Literacy and Assessment at the University of Southern Mississippi.

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"My biggest fear, Mr. President, is this omnibus spending legislation may allow Congress and the President to spend some of the Social Security surplus by not imposing an adequate across-the-board spending reduction."

Is McCain referring to the Social Security surplus to which I have contributed? Not with mine, you don't.

 

Note the comment by Mr. Grams: ". . this bill looks like a Christmas tree full of pork projects. Many are added in the last minute negotiation. But we don't know exactly what they are and how much they cost, because again we have not been given enough time to review this bill. Here are a few examples as identified by Senator McCain . . "

Frightining, folks, udderly frightening.

 

The major player in this "Center"'s grab at the money was Thad Cochran (with some help from Trent Lott) - go walk the hall sometime when it's in "session". The absence of activity is startling.

However, from this Board I heard that Dana's Solitaire skills are becoming well-honed - that might have been when I googled her name and Robert Campbell's June 15 blog pulled up in Libery & Power.

http://hnn.us/blogs/comments/12468.html

 

 

Do we smell pork barrel all over the place? What is Pierce's "deal" anyway? Does he own a spine?

previous message concerning....One of the missions of this center appears to be helping college students become literate. This is a bunch of baloney.

The research link on the center's website is embarrassing.  First, there is no original research listed.  Second, the research of other's that is listed is a hodgepodge of references that are mostly dated.  In no way does that link provide a viewer with any evidence that the center is producing research and it certainly does not provide the viewer with information related to cutting edge research in the area of literacy.

I spend a lot of time partnering with local schools (e.g., Forrest County, Petal) and can tell you that the center does not have a presence in those schools.  One might think that with a million dollars, a center could produce research and establish itself in the schools.  That is clearly not the case here.

The reason for it being such a sad report on research is obviously due to it being an outdated link in this thread. The one now available on the CISE web page is
http://www.usm.edu/cise/center%20for%20literacy.htm

That said, what is the reason that there seems to be no research in the new pages either.   Hmmmm, no progress in 2 years? Fine use of tax dollars.

O.M.

My comments were based on visiting the site less than one month ago.

Unlike true peer reviewed and competitive grant funding mechanisms (not a few Senators from adjoining states hashing it out after, maybe, a softball review by insiders), marks seem to have a life of their own and can survive on fluff progess reports. What most folks here don't realize is that who gets to eat at the trough at USM is controlled, in part, by the VP Research and ED. My department has been told to pick up some pork dollars, but the VP's office has not been very helpful or enthusiastic about this when approached. CISE therefore gets the first and biggest bite from Thad Cochrane's office, and others get the crumbs. So, the Prez and Provost have nailed us for this lack of sufficient engagement in this area, while his kid hogs this source of bucks. Go figure.    

"Burge retires as has been stated" -- this is news.  Stated where?  Btw, I know nothing about Dr. Burge, just interested in seeing who in the current administration goes where.

Arnold Ziffel wrote:

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... will this curtail the proliferation of pork projects in "certain areas?"

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Simple answer: No.  And if MDS doesn't pursue USM's fair share of the fatted, um, pig, she's not doing her job!