Women in the Cabinet

Obama’s Cabinet-level composition has only three women. Gov. Bill Richardson's announcement that he will not be taking the Commerce Secretary slot leaves an open position to fill, and one more chance for diversity.

Whereas the presidents of Chile and Spain, also elected as change candidates, appointed women to half of their Cabinet seats, Obama has named (including Richardson), 12 men to the 15 Cabinet-level department head positions. Leaving his team very diverse in terms of race and ethnicity – but not in gender. This is a diminished representation from both Bush presidencies and the Clinton administration.

The U.S. is ranked 27th on the World Economic Forum’s Gender Gap Report and 71st in terms of women’s representation in Congress.

Does this bother anyone?

State Energy Policy Discussion

State business and industry leaders will gather at 1 p.m. Tuesday, January 6, at the SC State House to discuss the need for a statewide energy policy and the need for ongoing local and state support for reliable, affordable energy for residents and businesses alike.

Accprding to the press release, projections for the need for new facilities indicate that significant new capacity needs to be on line by 2014. Santee Cooper is in position to meet that timetable with its proposed new Florence County facility. Additionally, SCANA and Duke Energy are working tirelessly to develop four new nuclear reactors in South Carolina.

S.C. Manufacturers Alliance, South Carolina Chamber of Commerce and Pee Dee Supporters for Progress leaders have called this press conference to start this new year and a new legislative session with a clear message. Those that produce the jobs in South Carolina today and those who will do so in the future need additional sources of energy. "We must see these new plants be built over the next decade, or South Carolina will begin this new century much as it did the last – standing idly by as other parts of the country embrace the new possibilities of a new time. This generation of private and public leaders must emulate previous generations and make the wise choices that will secure our energy security for the next 50 years."

Jan. 19: Day of Service

The Presidential Inaugural Committee has announced Monday, January 19, 2009 as a National Day of Service.
Individuals and groups across the United States will be conducting and participating in service activities and events. Many Democratic county parties will host various community service projects across the state. Click here to learn more.

See the official government site here.

Sheehan Finds Her Voice

Online, Cindy Sheehan has found a voice. Her new one-hour radio show Cindy Sheehan's Soapbox debuted today. I heard it on Green960AM

For more information contact: tiffany@CindySheehansSoapbox.com

Will post more when I find a youtube or link to the audio or the first show.

Sermons on Obama Wanted

The Associated Press reports that the American Folklife Center Collections wants churches, synagogues and mosques to submit audio, video and text or the sermons being prepared for and delivered inauguration week. The American Folklife Center provides online access to selected portions of their collections. It creates online presentations on various topics and the American Memory project provides additional online access to selected collections. Online content may include audio samples of music and stories, digital images of rare letters and photographs, and video clips.

Please send these inauguration-week sermons to The News & Press as well to be featured in a possible upcoming story. Mail to PO Box 513, Darlington, SC 29532 or email them here with the subject line OBAMA SERMON.

Also, feel free to post comments and questions for President-Elect Obama here or in a Letter to the Editor.

Everyone needs to participate in our democracy. That means more than just voting every 2-4 years. Write or call your elected officials, writer letters to the editor and make your voice heard. Individual citizens don't have lobbying firms with millions of dollars to catch officials' ears. We have to work harder to get our wishes known.

News Site to Check Out

Interested in hearing news you won't find on the 15-min. Headline rotation?
Check out truthdig.com and alternet.org.

Regardless of your political affiliation, both sites cover a range of topics in depth in a way not seen in the corporate MSM.

Top Travel Destinations

Top 10 Domestic Destinations: 2009
1 – Las Vegas, NV – 61.4%
2 – Orlando, FL – 60.8%
3 – Kahului (Maui), HI – 39.9%
4 – Honolulu, HI – 36.3%
5 – New York City, NY – 31.3%
6 – Phoenix/Scottsdale, AZ – 19.0%
7 – Anchorage, AK – 15.9%
8 – Washington D.C. – 15.0%
9 – San Francisco, CA – 14.8%
10 – Chicago, IL – 13.6%

From Travel Leaders

Do you plan on making a trip to any of these destinations this year? Are you planning a vacation at all?