Given the timing of when Sen. Obama and Sen. McCain will be giving their nomination acceptance speeches, I want to explain how we will handle coverage of those events.

Sen. Obama is scheduled to give his speech just after 9pm Thursday, while Sen. McCain will deliver his address at the same time next Thursday, Sept. 4.

We would normally air Fox 11 News at Nine during that time. For these two dates, however, we will air special Fox News coverage starting at 9pm, and then air full, hour-long newscasts after the speeches are over, rather than try to squeeze the speeches within the show. This will allow to cover their entire speeches and the rest of the news of the day as well.

One other programming note: "Inside the Huddle with Donald Driver" returns on Tuesday, Sept. 2 at 5:30 pm.

Because of the Labor Day holiday next week and the Monday night game the following week, the first two weeks the show will air on Tuesdays. On Sept. 15, the show returns to its regular Monday timeslot.

The show is aired live from The Bar on Holmgren Way. Tickets or reservations are not required.

It happens in the middle of every baseball season: The trading deadline approaches and rumors fly about pitching aces and All-Star sluggers getting sent to contending teams for a playoff run.

Deals are made - and others fall through - as the final hours of July tick away. Then that's it. No more trades until the season's over.

Except that, it turns out, there can be a LOT more trades before the season's over.

A reader's curiosity about how baseball trades can happen after the trading deadline inspired one of three questions in this edition of "Ask AP," a weekly Q&A column where AP journalists respond to readers' questions about the news.

If you have your own news-related question that you'd like to see answered by an AP reporter or editor, send it to newsquestions@ap.org, with "Ask AP" in the subject line. And please include your full name and hometown so they can be published with your question.

=====

About three years ago I read about a new type of atomic energy plant that produced not only electric power but also, as a byproduct, large quantities of hydrogen that could be used to fuel autos. I thought that would be an excellent answer to much of the energy problem.

I assumed there would be a lot in the news about this innovation, but I have heard nothing. Is there something to it?

Robert Van Antwerp
Beaverton, Ore.
---

A 2005 energy bill signed by President Bush gave the OK for building a new type of nuclear reactor that, in theory, will reach temperatures high enough to make hydrogen production more efficient.

Hydrogen is the most abundant substance on earth, but it's never found alone and likes to bind with other substances. Right now it can be isolated using hydrolysis or several other methods, such as mixing natural gas with steam, and a nuclear reactor isn't essential to make that happen.

But most of the processes use giant amounts of heat, and since nuclear plants happen to have lots of heat on hand, producing hydrogen nearby - and in a relatively environmentally friendly way - is a logical choice.

The current problem is that today's reactors can reach temperatures of only about 572 F. That's more than enough to cook your steak, but can be grossly inefficient for producing hydrogen.

The next-generation nuclear plant should be able to reach temperatures of 1,292 F to 1,652 F.

Scientists at the Idaho National Laboratory are working with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Department of Energy on the new reactor's development. They've set a 2021 deadline.

Paradoxically, much of the hydrogen produced in the U.S. is used to sweeten heavy crude oil for the transportation sector, or for other chemical uses. Less than 1 percent of the produced hydrogen is used for fuel.

Ernest Scheyder
AP Energy Writer
New York

=====

Why do you hear of so many baseball trades being made after the so-called "trading deadline"?

Adam Broida
Teaneck, N.J.
---

There are, in fact, two trading deadlines.

First up is July 31 - that's when to look for blockbuster deals. Until then, teams can make whatever trades they want - Manny Ramirez from Boston to the Dodgers, for example.

After that, it becomes tricky. To be traded, a player must pass through waivers - baseball's system that gives almost every team a chance to get the player being traded. Many potential deals between Team A and Team B get blocked when Team C files a claim. When that happens, the player being traded typically is pulled off waivers and rejoins his old team.

The other trade deadline is Aug. 31. Teams must acquire players by then for them to be eligible in the postseason.

Ben Walker
AP Baseball Writer
New York

=====

What ever happened to Betty Currie, President Clinton's former personal secretary?

Michael Logan
Milwaukee
---

Betty Currie is retired and living in Hollywood, Md.

Currie is remembered for picking up from Monica Lewinsky gifts that the former president had given the White House intern in 1997. Currie later testified during investigations into Clinton's affair.

These days, the 68-year-old Currie is involved with area nonprofit organizations and the county Democratic group, and serves on the Alcohol Beverage Board of St. Mary's County.

Socks, the Clintons' cat during the White House years, still lives with the Currie family, according to her husband, Bob. The cat is nearly two decades old.

"He's slowed down a lot," he said. "The squirrels catch up with him; he doesn't catch up with the squirrels."

Betty Currie also stays busy with family, travel and visits with old Democratic Party friends in Washington. Bob Currie says once the party convention is over his wife will help with the campaign locally.

Nafeesa Syeed
Associated Press Writer
Mid-Atlantic Bureau, Washington

=====

Have questions of your own? Send them to newsquestions@ap.org.

i believe that the drinking age should be changed. you are a lleagal adult when you turn 18. you can even smoke at the age of 18. so why can't you drink at 18.

Just six months before September 11, 2001, Fox aired a pilot episode to the X-Files spin-off, "The Lone Gunmen". Obviously, the following was just an eerie coincidence.

McCain Exposed

Volk Field, over in Camp Douglas near Wisconsin Dells, held their open house & air show this past Saturday.  The last time they had one was 2006, which was on the same day that one of the Appleton based units came back from Iraq.

This time it was a smaller air show with a smaller crowd.  There were only two flying demonstrations along with a dozen or so planes on the ground.  The flying was an F-16, a P-38 (World War 2 era), and then a Heritage flight with both in formation.

Although the Madison based 115th Fighter Wing had a couple of F-16s on show, the flying was handled by the Viper West demo team.  "Viper" is the common nickname for the F-16.  Back in 1976 when the F-16 first went into service, they held a naming competition and the winning entry, as selected by top Air Force brass, was "Fighting Falcon".  But the runner-up, "Viper", was much more popular with the fighter pilots & crews so the plane became known officially as the "F-16 Fighting Falcon" but on the street its nickname remains Viper.

Air Force demonstrations of fighter jets are handled by teams for each aircraft.  The F-16 has two, since it has the busiest air show schedule: Viper East (based at Shaw AFB in South Carolina) and Viper West, which is the one that did the Volk Field demo.  Although they normally only handle air shows west of the Mississippi, they're on a midwest tour through Volk Field, Alpena Michigan, and Cleveland Ohio before heading back home.

Viper West is based at Hill AFB in Salt Lake City.  The members of the team come from regular units - these guys are part of the 388th Fighter Wing at Hill - and are selected for assignment to the demo team - there's a Lead Pilot (Capt. Russ "Spicoli" Piggott), Crew Chief (Ssgt. Ryan Douglass), maintenance crew, and backup/safety pilots.    All of the fighter jet demo teams bring two aircraft to each show (one as a backup) and the demo consists of a single ship flying.  Of course there is also the famous Thunderbirds team, which consists of 6 planes and is a little more prestigious.  However, Its kind of an honor to be selected for any of these demo teams because these guys get the "rock star" treatment everywhere they go and their mission is basically to be the face of the Air Force to the public.  The demo team lead pilots are also certified to fly in Heritage Flights.

A Heritage Flight is a formation consisting of a modern fighter jet together with one, two, or three older "warbirds" or former Air Force fighters,  such as the P-51 Mustang, F-86 Sabre - basically planes from the World War 2, Korean, and Vietnam era.  The USAF began doing these formations 10 years ago and it has proved to be extremely popular.  The warbirds are privately owned and are flown by specially trained civilian pilots.  For example at Volk Field there was a Lockheed P-38 Lightning named "Ruff Stuff" which is owned by Ron Fagen of Minnesota.  Fagen's company did a full restoration on it back in 2007, and it was flown in this formation by Kevin Eldridge.  Eldridge is a civilian pilot but no stranger to warbirds:  he holds an unlimited license for all makes and types of high performance piston-powered aircraft; is a winning racer in the National Air Races; and is a member of the Screen Actors Guild which allows him to fly stunt planes in movies ("Executive Decision", "Con Air", and others).  There are only 6 or 7 P-38s left in the world that are airworthy,  so for such a rare aircraft you wouldn't trust it to just anyone!  All of the Heritage Flight civilian pilots are specially selected by the Air Force for these formations because it requires special training to fly in formation with a modern fighter jet.

Heritage Flgihts aren't limited to just the Air Force - there is a Naval version in which they fly an F-18 Hornet along with older ex-naval fighters.

Among the planes on the ground was a KC-135 from the 128th in Milwaukee, several trainer jets, a Chinook helicopter from the Iowa ANG and a Blackhawk from the Wisconsin ANG in Madison.  I found it interesting that the KC-135 seems to have a sponsor now.  There's a Briggs & Stratton logo on the nose as well as in the cockpit on the seatbacks and control yokes and in other places - all of them in high-visibility areas for photos.  My cockpit photo has at least 3 Briggs & Stratton logos visible in it!  Doesn't that kind of cheapen the image a bit?   I'm ok with nose-art but I think this is a bit too much.

All in all, it was a long drive over there for a small photo opportunity but at least the weather was perfect!

EPA on HOW TO CLEAN UP A NEW LIGHTBULB.

Humans use mercury in a variety of manufacturing processes and products such as thermometers and fluorescent bulbs. If you improperly dispose of products with mercury in them, they may break and release mercury vapors which are harmful to human and ecological health.

• Dispose of used mercury-containing items properly.
• Clean up mercury spills properly and report them to the proper authorities when necessary.

---

Spills What Never to Do with a Mercury Spill

• Never use a vacuum cleaner to clean up mercury (but see the "What to Do if a Fluorescent Light Bulb Breaks" section below for more specific instructions about vacuuming broken fluorescent light bulbs). The vacuum will put mercury into the air and increase exposure.

• Never use a broom to clean up mercury. It will break the mercury into smaller droplets and spread them.

• Never pour mercury down a drain. It may lodge in the plumbing and cause future problems during plumbing repairs. If discharged, it can cause pollution of the septic tank or sewage treatment plant.

• Never wash clothing or other items that have come in direct contact with mercury in a washing machine, because mercury may contaminate the machine and/or pollute sewage. Clothing that has come into direct contact with mercury should be discarded. By "direct contact," we mean that mercury was (or has been) spilled directly on the clothing. For example:
  • if you broke a mercury thermometer and some of elemental mercury beads came in contact with your clothing, or
  • if you broke a compact fluorescent bulb (CFL) so that broken glass and other material from the bulb, including mercury-containing powder, came into contact with your clothing.

  You can, however, wash clothing or other materials that have been exposed to the mercury vapor from a broken CFL, like the clothing you happened to be wearing when you cleaned up the broken CFL, as long as that clothing has not come into direct contact with the materials from the broken bulb.

• Never walk around if your shoes might be contaminated with mercury. Contaminated clothing can also spread mercury around.

Top of page

What to Do if a Fluorescent Light Bulb Breaks

Compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) are lighting more homes than ever before, and EPA is encouraging Americans to use and recycle them safely. Carefully recycling CFLs prevents the release of mercury into the environment and allows for the reuse of glass, metals and other materials that make up fluorescent lights.

EPA is continually reviewing its clean-up and disposal recommendations for CFLs to ensure that the Agency presents the most up-to-date information for consumers and businesses. Maine's Department of Environmental Protection released a CFL breakage study report on February 25, 2008. EPA has conducted an initial review of this study and, as a result of this review, we have updated the CFL cleanup instructions below.

Pending the completion of a full review of the Maine study, EPA will determine whether additional changes to the cleanup recommendations are warranted. The agency plans to conduct its own study on CFLs after thorough review of the Maine study.

Fluorescent light bulbs contain a very small amount of mercury sealed within the glass tubing. EPA recommends the following clean-up and disposal below. Please also read the information on this page about what never to do with a mercury spill. Before Clean-up: Air Out the Room

• Have people and pets leave the room, and don't let anyone walk through the breakage area on their way out.
• Open a window and leave the room for 15 minutes or more.
• Shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning system, if you have one.

Clean-Up Steps for Hard Surfaces

• Carefully scoop up glass pieces and powder using stiff paper or cardboard and place them in a glass jar with metal lid (such as a canning jar) or in a sealed plastic bag.
• Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder.
• Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes. Place towels in the glass jar or plastic bag.
• Do not use a vacuum or broom to clean up the broken bulb on hard surfaces.

Clean-up Steps for Carpeting or Rug

• Carefully pick up glass fragments and place them in a glass jar with metal lid (such as a canning jar) or in a sealed plastic bag.
• Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder.
• If vacuuming is needed after all visible materials are removed, vacuum the area where the bulb was broken.
• Remove the vacuum bag (or empty and wipe the canister), and put the bag or vacuum debris in a sealed plastic bag.

Clean-up Steps for Clothing, Bedding and Other Soft Materials

• If clothing or bedding materials come in direct contact with broken glass or mercury-containing powder from inside the bulb that may stick to the fabric, the clothing or bedding should be thrown away. Do not wash such clothing or bedding because mercury fragments in the clothing may contaminate the machine and/or pollute sewage.
• You can, however, wash clothing or other materials that have been exposed to the mercury vapor from a broken CFL, such as the clothing you are wearing when you cleaned up the broken CFL, as long as that clothing has not come into direct contact with the materials from the broken bulb.
• If shoes come into direct contact with broken glass or mercury-containing powder from the bulb, wipe them off with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes. Place the towels or wipes in a glass jar or plastic bag for disposal.

Disposal of Clean-up Materials

• Immediately place all clean-up materials outdoors in a trash container or protected area for the next normal trash pickup.
• Wash your hands after disposing of the jars or plastic bags containing clean-up materials.
• Check with your local or state government about disposal requirements in your specific area. Some states do not allow such trash disposal. Instead, they require that broken and unbroken mercury-containing bulbs be taken to a local recycling center.

Future Cleaning of Carpeting or Rug: Air Out the Room During and After Vacuuming

• The next several times you vacuum, shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning system and open a window before vacuuming.
• Keep the central heating/air conditioning system shut off and the window open for at least 15 minutes after vacuuming is completed.

• Have everyone else leave the area; don't let anyone walk through the mercury on their way out. Make sure all pets are removed from the area. Open all windows and doors to the outside; shut all doors to other parts of the house.

• DO NOT allow children to help you clean up the spill.

• Mercury can be cleaned up easily from the following surfaces: wood, linoleum, tile and any similarly smooth surfaces.

• If a spill occurs on carpet, curtains, upholstery or other absorbent surfaces, these contaminated items should be thrown away in accordance with the disposal means outlined below. Only cut and remove the affected portion of the contaminated carpet for disposal.

• Cleanup Instructions

  1. Put on rubber, nitrile or latex gloves.

  2. If there are any broken pieces of glass or sharp objects, pick them up with care. Place all broken objects on a paper towel. Fold the paper towel and place in a zip lock bag. Secure the bag and label it as directed by your local health or fire department.

  3. Locate visible mercury beads. Use a squeegee or cardboard to gather mercury beads. Use slow sweeping motions to keep mercury from becoming uncontrollable. Take a flashlight, hold it at a low angle close to the floor in a darkened room and look for additional glistening beads of mercury that may be sticking to the surface or in small cracked areas of the surface. Note: Mercury can move surprising distances on hard-flat surfaces, so be sure to inspect the entire room when "searching."

  4. Use the eyedropper to collect or draw up the mercury beads. Slowly and carefully squeeze mercury onto a damp paper towel. Place the paper towel in a zip lock bag and secure. Make sure to label the bag as directed by your local health or fire department.

  5. After you remove larger beads, put shaving cream on top of small paint brush and gently "dot" the affected area to pick up smaller hard-to-see beads. Alternatively, use duct tape to collect smaller hard-to-see beads. Place the paint brush or duct tape in a zip lock bag and secure. Make sure to label the bag as directed by your local health or fire department.

  6. OPTIONAL STEP: It is OPTIONAL to use commercially available powdered sulfur to absorb the beads that are too small to see. The sulfur does two things: (1) it makes the mercury easier to see since there may be a color change from yellow to brown and (2) it binds the mercury so that it can be easily removed and suppresses the vapor of any missing mercury. Where to get commercialized sulfur? It may be supplied as mercury vapor absorbent in mercury spill kits, which can be purchased from laboratory, chemical supply and hazardous materials response supply manufacturers. Note: Powdered sulfur may stain fabrics a dark color. When using powdered sulfur, do not breathe in the powder as it can be moderately toxic. Additionally, users should read and understand product information before use.

  7. If you choose not to use this option, you may want to request the services of a contractor who has monitoring equipment to screen for mercury vapors. Consult your local environmental or health agency to inquire about contractors in your area. Place all materials used with the cleanup, including gloves, in a trash bag. Place all mercury beads and objects into the trash bag. Secure trash bag and label it as directed by your local health or fire department.

  8. Contact your local health department, municipal waste authority or your local fire department for proper disposal in accordance with local, state and federal laws.

  9. Remember to keep the area well ventilated to the outside (i.e., windows open and fans in exterior windows running) for at least 24 hours after your successful cleanup. Continue to keep pets and children out of cleanup area. If sickness occurs, seek medical attention immediately. View information on health effects related to exposures to vapors from metallic mercury. For additional information on health effects, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) provides a Mercury Fact Sheet that also presents information on health effects related to exposures to vapors from metallic mercury.

  Recommendation: If there are young children or pregnant women in the house, seek additional advice from your local or state health or state environmental agency.

  Top of page

  Spills of More than the Amount in a Thermometer, but Less Than or Similar to Two Tablespoons (One Pound) Cleanup Instructions

  1. Have everyone else leave the area; don't let anyone walk through the mercury on their way out.
  2. Open all windows and doors to the outside.
  3. Turn down the temperature.
  4. Shut all doors to other parts of the house, and leave the area.
  Don't vacuum.
  5. Call your local or state health or environmental agency.

  Top of page

  Spills of More than Two Tablespoons (One Pound)

  Any time one pound or more of mercury is released to the environment, it is mandatory to call the National Response Center (NRC). The NRC hotline operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call (800) 424-8802. Note that because mercury is heavy, only two tablespoons of mercury weigh about one pound.

• HOW IS THIS BETTER????   ANYONE?

• www.poedpatriot.blogspot.com

• new

They work on farms, at construction sites and in office buildings. They attend public schools, get treated at hospitals and receive help from police officers and firefighters. In some cases, they pay taxes; in others, they don't.

Illegal immigrants are deeply entrenched in the U.S. economy. But what's greater: the amount they contribute or the amount they cost?

A reader's curiosity about illegal immigrants and the economy inspired one of three questions in this edition of "Ask AP," a weekly Q&A column where AP journalists respond to readers' questions about the news.

If you have your own news-related question that you'd like to see answered by an AP reporter or editor, send it to newsquestions@ap.org, with "Ask AP" in the subject line. And please include your full name and hometown so they can be published with your question.

=====

A recent AP article said that "an average of 24 percent of hip fracture patients age 50 and over die within a year of the fracture." What do they die of?

Don Sweet
Oregon
---

It's not the broken hip itself that kills patients. It's the cascade of events that follows the fracture, stressing and weakening bodies that sometimes are frail to begin with.

Most patients who break their hips are elderly people who have other health problems before the fracture. The injury and the treatment - including surgery and rehabilitation - are added hardships.

Up to one in four older adults who lived independently before a hip fracture have to stay in a nursing home for at least a year after their injury, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Some never recover their balance and strength to walk. "They may have been borderline (able to walk) before the fracture. Then this really sets them back," said Dr. Greg Erens, an orthopedic surgeon on faculty with the Emory University School of Medicine.

Life becomes more difficult, both physically and psychologically. Depression, dementia or other psychiatric problems can contribute to a fatal, downward spiral, some studies suggest.

But what actually kills hip-fracture patients? A variety of causes.

Some die from pneumonia and postoperative infections. Some are killed by congestive heart failure, heart attack or stroke. Other deaths stem from blood clots that form in veins in the leg, break off and then go the lungs to cause a fatal blockage known as a pulmonary embolism.

Mike Stobbe
AP Medical Writer
Atlanta

=====

I hear so many conflicting stories on illegal immigration. Please tell me if you can how much the illegal immigrants contribute to the economy and how much they use in free services. If they all got deported, how would it affect our economy?

Cindy Garcia
Vista, Calif.
---

It's tough to say how many people are in the U.S. illegally, let alone how many are working or using public resources. Every study uses rough estimates. Still, we do have some clues.

Illegal immigrants contribute to the economy whenever they pay sales tax and, indirectly through rent payments, real estate taxes.

Also, those who use false Social Security numbers pay taxes into the system they don't get back, since people here illegally aren't eligible to receive Social Security payments. In 2003 alone, the government received Social Security taxes on $57.8 billion from wage reports that couldn't be matched to the person filing.

Illegal immigrants are excluded from most federal and state entitlements like subsidized housing or food stamps, and a 2007 congressional report found they appear to contribute more than they use in services. But the money they contribute often goes to federal and state coffers, while many services they benefit from, such as health and law enforcement, come out of local government budgets.

Several studies show more than half of the country's estimated 12 million illegal immigrants are uninsured (out of a total of 47 million uninsured people in the U.S.) and thus likely to use public emergency rooms that treat everyone regardless of ability to pay. It's difficult to calculate the amount of free health care - or, for that matter, free public-school education - they benefit from, since it simply isn't known what proportion of these services go to people who are in the country illegally.

Another cost of illegal immigrants: Their willingness to accept low wages drives down wages in some industries. Then again, if immigrants didn't take these jobs, some of them might get outsourced overseas.

Using Pew Hispanic Center and U.S. Census statistics, the independent economic research firm the Perryman Group concluded that if all illegal immigrants were deported, agriculture would lose nearly a quarter of its workers, the building maintenance industry would lose 17 percent and the construction industry would lose almost 15 percent.

Laura Wides-Munoz, Miami
Jacques Billeaud, Phoenix
Suzanne Gamboa, Washington
Associated Press Writers

=====

I have noticed that the figures for "weekend" box office totals are publicized on Sundays in the early afternoon. These are the same totals that are listed on Monday mornings. Sometimes when two movies are very close in dollars there will be a revised figure, but it is most often the same amount.

How do the actual Sunday afternoon and evening showings get figured in?

Ed Leboeuf
Enterprise, Kan.
---

Hollywood studios report three-day estimates for their weekend box-office grosses on Sunday morning. These include actual revenues provided by theaters for Friday and Saturday and estimates for how the movies will perform on Sunday.

Studios take many factors into account to estimate Sunday figures, including the genre of a film, how similar movies did in the past, how well the grosses held up from Friday to Saturday and how audiences earlier in the weekend rated the film in exit polls.

On Monday, studios revise their numbers with actual grosses for all three days. While Sunday estimates generally are rounded off, Monday final figures are quite precise, down to the last dollar.

The numbers usually are very close to the Sunday estimates, though the final figures sometimes can vary by as much as a few million dollars for top-earning movies.

David Germain
AP Movie Writer
Los Angeles

=====

Have questions of your own? Send them to newsquestions@ap.org.

There was an interesting post on the blog today - which I'll repeat here - and then I'd like to offer a few comments because it asks about our coverage of the war in Iraq.

First, the post:

"I don't understand why all you report about is just the reserve units that go to war. My son is in the Air Force and completed one tour in Iraq and is going back in a couple of weeks for a second tour. When he came home their was no news people at the air port no newspaper reporters or supporters, nothing but his mom and brother, sister and grandmother. When he left it was the same. Their are more then just reservists that are fighting over their part time. My son is in it for the long haul. He even reenlisted on 9/11/07. Where is the fan fair for the rest of our troops? My future son in law is getting shipped out next week as well and he is in the Marines. Start reporting about all our kids and not just the ones that make a big deal about going over. They get to lead their lives and get paid by the government until they are needed. Then they come home and get their jobs back. My sons job is with the Air Force every day. He did not even get to come home for his beloved Grand fathers funeral. You also report about the two parents in the reserves that both get the call. Poor things they got kids. Then give the money back if you are not going to fulfill you obligation. You knew the risk when you signed up and accepted the money for doing this job. Yes I feel sorry about everyone going over their, but report fairly about all the kids not just the reservists."

And now, my observations:

* First, I'd like to extend a "thank-you" to everyone that serves or has family members who serve in the military. My brother was a Marine and I understand the emotions that are attached to such situations.

* The blogger is right: reserve and National Guard units have tended to get a majority of the coverage, especially in terms of unit activations, departures and returns. I think there are a few reasons for this. One, they tend to be larger events - with dozens or even hundreds of people at the same time. Assignments of 'regular' members of the armed forces tend to be individual items - and many times happen after they have already enlisted and left the area. Also, their departures often are from military bases around the country - and we don't have any such installations in Northeast Wisconsin.

* That said, we have covered many airport homecomings for regular members of the military. We can't get to all of them, of course - and we have to know about them ahead of time, which happens by family members calling us. The military does not tell us when such events are. (Incidentally, we don't always get notices from the military regarding reserve or National Guard units, either.)

* I don't know if this is fair - or even valid - but I think some people have a different perception of the reserve or guard units. I am not saying one brand of soldier is better than another. However, since reservists and guard members live and work in the community - whereas regular, active duty members of the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marines usually have left the community after enlistment and live/work elsewhere, there may be more of a community connection, if that's the right phrase, to the reserve and guard units - and that translates to different coverage. The 432nd Civil Affairs Battalion, for example, is based here, with hundreds of members, whereas an individual serviceperson might be assigned to an unit at an army base in Texas, Marine camp in San Diego, Air Force base in North Dakota or Navy shipyard in Virginia.

Again, it is not our intention to slight anyone in the armed forces for their work. We will continue to do stories on a variety of individuals and units, their activities, their families and their sacrifices. And, hopefully, we will not have to cover any more funerals.

I don't understand why all you report about is just the reserve units that go to war. My son is in the Air Force and completed one tour in Iraq and is going back in a couple of weeks for a second tour. When he came home their was no news people at the air port no newspaper reporters or supporters, nothing but his mom and brother, sister and grandmother. When he left it was the same. Their are more then just reservists that are fighting over their part time. My son is in it for the long haul. He even reenlisted on 9/11/07. Where is the fan fair for the rest of our troops?  My future son in law is getting shipped out next week as well and he is in the Marines.  Start reporting about all our kids and not just the ones that make a big deal about going over. They get to lead their lives and get paid by the government until they are needed.  Then they come home and get their jobs back. My sons job is with the Air Force every day. He did not even get to come home for his beloved Grand fathers funeral. You also report about the two parents in the reserves that both get the call. Poor things they got kids. Then give the money back if you are not going to fulfill you obligation. You knew the risk when you signed up and accepted the  money  for doing this job. Yes I feel sorry about everyone going over their, but report fairly about all the kids not just the reservists.                .

A few people have asked if FOX 11 will be carrying any of the New York Jets games this season.

The short answer is "no."

And here's the explanation:

In general, for interconference games, the network of the visiting (NFC on FOX, AFC on CBS) team airs the contest. Each team hosts two such contests each season.

Some, of course, could end up on national television - such as being a game on Sunday night, Monday night, or NFL Network. That's not the case, however, for the Brett Favre-led Jets' games against NFC teams.

However, both times the Jets host NFC teams (Arizona on Sept. 28 and St. Louis on Nov. 9), those games are the same time as Green Bay Packers games on FOX. Our obligation, as a home market team, is to air the Packers games, of course.

Okay, so I have made it absolutely clear  in my blogs, how disgusted I am with the way management supposedly treated Favre.

Going by what I have heard, all fingers point at Thompson and McCarthy for shoving Favre out the door, so Rodgers could be the starter, just to satisfy and quantify their bloated and inflated egos.

If they are betting their careers (and egos) on last night's game against the Bengals, good luck!  Gentlemen, this is only pre-season, and remember, you played the Bengals. Up against a tougher defense, if Rodgers goes down, the inflated egos will go down as well, with a hiss and a pop.

It's one of the central issues in the debate over U.S. energy policy - and, recently, in the presidential campaign: where oil companies should be allowed to drill.

But as oil producers seek the right to expand their operations to huge new swaths of Alaska and areas off the nation's coasts, are they sitting on millions of untapped acres that they're not bothering to explore for oil?

That's one of three questions in this edition of "Ask AP," a weekly Q&A column where AP journalists respond to readers' questions about the news.

If you have your own news-related question that you'd like to see answered by an AP reporter or editor, send it to newsquestions@ap.org, with "Ask AP" in the subject line. And please include your full name and hometown so they can be published with your question.

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There are occasional news stories about the mysterious reduction in the honeybee population. The articles always warn of dire consequences to fruit and vegetable production if the honeybees were not to survive. What are the predicted consequences? Will there be no more apples, oranges, grapes, etc.? Or just a reduced output?

Gary Wagner
Morton, Ill.
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A mysterious die-off of U.S. honeybees killed off between 30 and 90 percent of some beekeepers' hives in the winter of 2006. Scientists are still trying to figure out what caused this to happen.

The high fatality rate is bad news for U.S. farmers who grow fruit and nuts and depend on bees to pollinate their flowering crops. Modern honeybee keepers travel from state to state with their portable hives, releasing bees to pollinate vast orchards at each stop.

Luckily, the problem has not yet been significant enough to interrupt U.S. food production, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The USDA says honeybee populations remained sufficient throughout 2007 and into this year.

But if the problem persists, it could add to food costs by raising the rates on honeybee rentals.

The USDA estimates honeybees contribute about $15 billion in value to the production of about 130 crops.

Christopher Leonard
AP Business Writer
St. Louis

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I keep hearing from politicians, mostly Democrats, about how oil companies are sitting on 68 million acres of federally approved and leased lands and they're not doing much drilling on these lands, while at the same time asking the government for more offshore drilling and drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Is this really true? Why would anyone want to spend the extra money to go out hundreds of miles offshore and under thousands feet of water if they could get as much oil underground on land?

Kevin Nguyen
Houston
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The 68 million acres cited by many congressional Democrats is part of nearly 2 billion acres overseen by federal agencies that have potential for oil and gas exploration. The bulk of the 2 billion acres is strictly off-limits to drilling.

The 68 million acres - both onshore and off - are under lease to oil companies, and some members of Congress claim they have potential reserves to nearly double U.S. oil production and increase natural gas output by 75 percent.

So why the lack of activity? That depends on your definition of "activity."

Even after it has a lease, an oil company can spend several years securing the permits and other approvals it needs to begin exploration and production. While that takes place, tens of thousands of acres can sit idle.

Leases also can get tied up in court, often over environmental concerns. Again, while court proceedings take place, leases sit idle.

An oil company also can determine that developing a particular tract doesn't make economic sense. Those acres, even though they're under lease to a particular company, would be listed on the government's books as "non-producing."

John Porretto
AP Business Writer
Houston

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Why aren't the candidates and commentators pushing the idea of a nationwide 55 mph speed limit? It would save gas, and perhaps lives! Who knows ... it might even get people to "slow down and smell the flowers"!!!

Jeri Johnson
Pawleys Island, S.C.
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Neither John McCain nor Barack Obama has suggested returning to the national 55 mph speed limit that was imposed in 1974 in response to an oil shortage, and repealed in 1995. The simple fact is that most people didn't like it then, and it hasn't shown any sign of political appeal today.

Sen. John Warner, R-Va., recently suggested that Congress look at the idea again, saying it would save both gasoline and lives. He hasn't had much response.

John Townsend, a spokesman for AAA, said motorists are slowing down to conserve fuel because of high gas prices, but they don't want to be saddled by a 55 mph limit everywhere - especially on long, rural interstate highways.

"There's no clamor for it," Townsend said. "Drivers remember what it was like."

H. Josef Hebert
AP Energy Writer
Washington

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Have questions of your own? Send them to newsquestions@ap.org.

http://www.happynews.com/news/862008/walk-freedom-trave
rses-wisconsin.htm

Sam Lowry
Updated: 8/7/2008

Effort Promotes Constitutional Government

On August 11, 2008, a group of "latter day Paul Reveres" will step forward and take a "Message of Freedom" directly to the people of Wisconsin and Minnesota. Displaying undaunted commitment to the restoration of Constitutional government in America, these self-described "patriots of the 2nd American Revolution" will traverse 280 miles in 21 days to arrive in Minneapolis for Congressman Ron Paul's "Rally for the Republic" on September 2nd.

The group feels that the fundamental principles of the Constitution are no longer being followed in America today. "We have lost our way. We have a government of men, not a government of law. We're talking about the restoration of Constitutional government and the rule of law", says John Zwengel, one of the group's organizers and a computer graphics artist from rural Illinois.

Educate and Organize
The organizers are quick to point out that The Great American Walk for Freedom is not a protest or a demonstration. "This is a campaign of outreach, education and organization", says Los Angeles resident Steven Vincent. "In each town we pass through, with every American we meet, at every farmhouse and every crossroads, we will educate the people about the condition of the country and the solution to its troubles: the principles of Liberty and the Constitution. "

A fleet of rented RV's will serve as mobile dormitories, mess halls, bathrooms and supply vehicles. The RV's will be decorated to advertise our message as they travel and will serve as housing in Minneapolis as well.

Taking the "Case for Freedom" to the People
The group plans on distributing thousands of copies of the U.S. Constitution and "USA Tomorrow" newspapers and will hold Town Hall Meetings in some 24 locations along the route. "We will cut a swath across two States and leave a trail of Freedom in our path" says Michael Maresco, who hails from Hawaii. "Samuel Adams spoke of "setting brushfires of Liberty in the minds of men. That's what we aim to do."

At these meetings the group will give a presentation entitled: "The Case for Freedom: The Constitution is the Way Forward for America". Jim Azzola, an online bookseller from New Hampshire said, "We will also encourage dialogue about the Constitutional issues raised by the presentation. We intend to spark thought and discussion giving voice to the People on the most pressing matters facing the nation today."

Vincent feels that "Americans are ready to hear the message of Freedom" and notes that "the response from the people of Wisconsin has been tremendous. We have Town Hall Meetings scheduled at High Schools, Public Libraries, American Legion Posts and Churches. The responsive participation we are receiving is exemplified by the leader of a Boy Scouts troop who, upon learning of the upcoming meeting, offered to distribute flyers to all the parents and scouts at their next gathering. He also volunteered to place the flyer on public bulletin boards around town and place an ad in the town newspaper."

The organizers say that several returning Iraq War veterans will be joining their Walk for Freedom and that Wisconsin veterans organizations have been among the most interested in hearing their message. Harry, an 81 year old WWII and Korean War veteran from rural Illinois, contacting VFW and American Legion Posts about the Great American Walk for Freedom. Harry feels that something has gone wrong with the country and feels compelled to act. "I can't believe what this country is becoming. It's sure not what I went to fight for".

We The People
The organizers emphasize that it is a non-partisan effort. The Freedom Walkers are an odd assortment of Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians, Independents and others whose basic agreement is that the Founding Fathers gave America a governing rule book to follow and that it is no longer being followed. "I always say, if you don't have rules, then you're going have rulers." says Steven Vincent. "Someone is going to decide. If it's not the unbiased law, then it's going to be men with a self interested agenda".

The Great American Walk for Freedom will have a big "Kick Off" from Lambeau Field in Green Bay on Monday, August 11th at the Packers home opening game. Their first stop from there will be Pulaski, Wisconsin.

To find the complete schedule of stops and Town Hall meetings, visit www.Walk4Freedom.com. To participate in the Walk for Freedom, set up a Town Hall Meeting, make a donation or otherwise support this effort, contact: freedommessage @ sbcglobal.net or leave a message at 414-256-1307.

The final part of my 4 day visit to Airventure this year - Saturday, Aug. 3.  This was somewhat of a short day, at least for taking pictures.   I was at the flightline for the demonstration of Cirrus' new jet, which they had brought in earlier in the week. This time they flew a few passes before heading off back to Duluth.  Then there was the F-22 Raptor followed by the heritage flight...THEN came the aerobatic acts.  Wait a sec....the military demo (Raptor) was supposed to be at the end of the show!   They had to shuffle the schedule,  but no one was told.  The printed programs that people had bought still had it listed as 4:30.  Oh well..

As the aerobatic acts were taking off I met up with my friend David, his wife, and a friend of theirs who were all up here from Huntsville, Alabama for 2 days.  Later, we all piled into their rental car and went over to the Seaplane Base on Lake Winnebago.  This is an area that is part of Airventure,  set aside for planes with floats to land on the water and dock.  I usually visit there once during Airventure;  there aren't too many photo opportunities but still,  its something different.  The 4 of us ended the day, and thus ended my visit to Airventure 2008, with dinner at Bostons in Appleton.

My overall impression - I was slightly disappointed this year.  The new military Osprey was supposed to fly according to the daily schedule, but I didn't see it.  There were other military jets on the schedule to be displayed such as the E-6, but apparently they never came.  Granted....military participation is subject to change,  but they should have updated the website.  Also, the Saturday schedule switch with the Raptor being at the top of the air show - there may have been people who planned to be up at the flightline by 4:30,  they would have missed it.  I was also disappointed at the Dreamlifter,  although opening the tail requires a special rig which they don't have at Oshkosh.  Perhaps a drawing type of thing could have been held to give a few people a look at the inside?  I was disappointed in the appearance of John Travolta's jet.  This was not listed anywhere on the schedule; however, it was placed on display.  If they decided to display it so prominently there should have been some sort of notice.  There wasn't much on the Airventure website about it either.  I am lucky that I caught the couple pics of it that I did.   This is a fairly historically significant plane - I don't know why they didn't spotlight it more.

Airventure is really aimed at the people who come to spend the week.  Its hard to decide on a certain day.  I get people emailing me from my pictures and ask me,  "what's the best day to come to Airventure?"  and I have to say, it depends on what you like.  There isn't an overall theme - almost each day they have a different showcase it seems.  Monday was the concert; Tuesday the Dreamlifter; Wednesday was jetBlue; Thursday was (unannounced) John Travolta; Friday and Saturday the warbird showcase.  For people who can't come every day it makes the choice difficult.

Bringing an airline aircraft like jetBlue was a neat idea...but what worries me is that, at least from what I have read, the idea itself was that of the Captain.  He approached the EAA about it.  The idea didn't come from the EAA folks.  In order to keep Airventure fresh every year the EAA folks need to come up with interesting ideas like that and then make the contacts.

Next year, I really hope that they can get Boeing to bring the 787.  First flight is expected later this year and they'll be test-flying it around most of next year in advance of commercial service.  In 2010, NASA is going to permanently retire the Space Shuttle fleet.  Since NASA is a big supporter of the EAA,  I would really like to see one of the Shuttle Orbiters displayed here before they go into a museum.  NASA has the 747 Shuttle Carrier aircraft which can ferry the orbiter around.  Now THAT would be a major, major headline!  But the EAA needs to work on stuff like this.

It was fun for me though, and I did get some nice pics which I am in the process of putting online.  You can see the entire gallery here.

The people who say they are now jets fans and not packer fans apparently were never packer fans.  While I agree that the Favre saga went badly and ended worse my loyalty is still with the TEAM and not the individuals involved.  To you jets fans that are season ticket holders, please give up your tickets so I can move up the list.

well folks seems people want to rant and rave over farves  going to the jets   WHY??  he played a game with the management of greenbay and lost now hes going to get to see how   and what its like to live in the big apple 

SO many of you folks  speak of farves accomplishments like hes done it all himself and   had NO  help  well now  we shall see how well he does  WITHOUT a good front offensive line bet he drops to under 500 average  WHO are you going to blame then? Are you still going to blame the packers for farves down hill slide even though hes playing  for the jets?  or will ya all wake up and realize  what I have been saying for  weeks   that farve is nothing  but a  mear QB who cant  do anything with out a GOOD TEAM

ONTO My next gripe

 im not originally from the state of wisconsin I am from Pa  and  moved her several years ago   I am also disabled  due to cancer and other medical issues

 I came here seeking a better life  and a chance to  live in peace and quiet away from all the crime and grime  that  was  coming into Pa

 I come to find out and am appalled at the treatement that the elderly and the disabled get in this state  I asked for help that I need in order to  live (im on a fixed income)  and was basically told  to  drop dead    let me explain  more 

I  wanted to buy a house or get into a house  of my own  I felt as though being im on a fixed income  this would be best as i would  1 better myself  AND  not  need the services this state offers   you see back in Pa   if you disabled liek me you can go to certian services  like weaherization and like programs and they will come in and fix your  place up so you are safe and warm. well I would rent a home have these serves  come in  it would  cost the state  say 3000.00$ to do what needed to be done

 well as soon as they were done  the landlord would come in and jack up the rent to the point i couldnt afford it  and id have to move and do the SAME thing all over again costing the state AND  tax payers MORE money and making it so someone else couldnt get the same services  I said NO MORE  and when I moved here I had a plan

I figured  I could move here BUY a home have the services come in and  do what needed to be done and I wouldnt have to worry. well I called habitat for humanity atleast 50 times and THEY never called me back    i called a place called urban housing   for low income folks ( its a state program that helps folks with middle to lower income get a house) they told Me because  I had a medical bill on My credit report THEY wouldnt help Me 

now correct me if im wrong here but  if I had steller credit I wouldnt NEED to beg for help  to make a long story short  I  bought a house  on My own (little did i know i was one of the ones who got hit with a bad lender)   I begged everyone I knew   of for help and was told no its My fault  I was also told by a lady in the local tax office  where I live that because Im disabled I SHOULDNT even be allowed to own a home  GO FIGURE

now the president stepped in  and decieded to help   which is great  but because  I was foreclosed on before the gov decieded  to step in I lost everything  now the home i had had a special heating and cooling system in it so I could  breath  now im back to  having to suffer   the thing that REALLY makes me mad is  the fact that I am a born  american citizen and cant get ANY form of help yet  this state and other states BEND  OVER BACKWARDS  to help illegals   whats wrong with that picture?

 

im done ranting

It's about time Favre went away. If he was truely a Packer, he would still be here! He never wanted to come back to Green Bay, that was his sole purpose. I hope the AFC welcomes him real good!!!

ted is a very smart man on drafting good players...very good.But he made a error in not getting moss for bret...one touch down short in the last game with the giants...bret was right...he wanted moss as well as the fans...ted ...good luck to you bud....but you shiped the best fotball player i have ever seen out of town.. he loved the game,greenbay,the fans....and spoke from the heart,wore it on his shoulder........bret see you in the hall of fame, your going to rock newyork. I cant wait to read your book on this when your done....And I would bet Ted wont be giving your induction into the hall of fame spech....this was worst then that tony mandrich pick...the fans wont forget this one...ouch it hurt

IM DONE WITH THE PACKERS MY TV WILL GET TURNED OFF DURING PACKERS GAMES, LIKE THEY DID TO FAVRE IM THROWING THEM OUT?  YOU DONT DO THAT TO THE BEST FIRE TED  AND WHAT WOULD HAVE  RON DONE. THE PACKERS LIE TO MUCH FAVRE SAID HE OFFERED MONEY TO GET MOSS TED SAYS HE DIDNT .FAVRE DIDNT LIE TO US FOR 17 YRS I GUESS ILL WATCH THE JETS GOODBYE TO THE PACKERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!