President   

George W. Bush
3.0 million (Jobs created)
135.5 million (Jobs at end of term)
2.3% (Payroll expansion)
375,000 (Jobs created per year in office)
22.0 million (Population growth)
7.7% (Percent change in population)

Bill Clinton
23.1 million (Jobs created)
132.5 million (Jobs at end of term)
21.1% (Payroll expansion)
2,900,000 (Jobs created per year in office)
25.2 million (Population growth)
8.9% (Percent change in population)

George H.W. Bush
2.5 million (Jobs created)
109.4 million (Jobs at end of term)
2.3% (Payroll expansion)
625,000 (Jobs created per year in office)
12.5 million (Population growth)
4.8% (Percent change in population)

Ronald Reagan
16.0 million (Jobs created)
106.9 million (Jobs at end of term)
17.6% (Payroll expansion)
2,000,000 (Jobs created per year in office)
17.3 million (Population growth)
7% (Percent change in population)

Jimmy Carter
10.5 million (Jobs created)
90.9 million (Jobs at end of term)
13.1% (Payroll expansion)
2,600,000 (Jobs created per year in office)
9.8 million (Population growth)
4.3% (Percent change in population)

Gerald Ford
1.8 million (Jobs created)
80.4 million (Jobs at end of term)
2.3% (Payroll expansion)
745,000 (Jobs created per year in office)
5.1 million (Population growth)
2.3% (Percent change in population)

Richard Nixon
9.4 million (Jobs created)
78.6 million (Jobs at end of term)
13.6% (Payroll expansion)
1,700,000 (Jobs created per year in office)
12.3 million (Population growth)
5.7% (Percent change in population)

Lyndon Johnson
11.9 million (Jobs created)
69.2 million (Jobs at end of term)
20.8% (Payroll expansion)
2,300,000 (Jobs created per year in office)
11.3 million (Population growth)
5.6% (Percent change in population)

John F. Kennedy
3.6 million (Jobs created)
57.3 million (Jobs at end of term)
6.7% (Payroll expansion)
1,200,000 (Jobs created per year in office)
8.2 million (Population growth)
4.3% (Percent change in population)

Dwight Eisenhower
3.5 million (Jobs created)
53.7 million (Jobs at end of term)
7% (Payroll expansion)
438,000 (Jobs created per year in office)
23.3 million (Population growth)
12.8% (Percent change in population)

Harry Truman
8.4 million (Jobs created)
50.2 million (Jobs at end of term)
20.1% (Payroll expansion)
1,100,000 (Jobs created per year in office)

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FILLING IN FOR ST. PETER

Saint Peter had a terrible cold and fever and didn't think he would last the day minding the Pearly Gates of Heaven. So he phoned Jesus to ask for the day off.

"Why, Peter," Jesus said. "You know your health is my first concern. Take as much time as you need."

As Jesus pondered who he might use to replace Peter, he decided to handle the job himself. It was a very slow day and no one approached the Gates until late in the afternoon, when in the distance, Jesus saw a bent, white-haired old man slowly making his way up the path with the aid of a gnarled cane.

As the man neared, Jesus said, "Good afternoon, sir. How may I help you?"

"Well," replied the man, "I was hoping to enter the Gates of Heaven."

"We would certainly love to have you," said Jesus, "but we do have certain rules as to who can enter Heaven. Tell me, what have you done to deserve such an honor?"

"Actually, I have done nothing so wonderful myself," said the man. "I lived in a small town and led a simple life as a carpenter. But my son," he continued, "now HE was special !"

With pride in his voice he said, "I raised him to be a carpenter like myself and did my best to teach him right from wrong. And when he grew older, an amazing transformation overcame him and to this day he's known throughout the world and loved by all alike."

As Jesus listened to the story, a sense of recognition came to him. With a lump in his throat and a tear in his eye, he threw open his arms and cried, "Father!"

Emotional at this outburst, the old man threw open his arms and yelled, "Pinocchio!!"

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Does anyone know what the laws are regarding donating unused food from restaurants etc. to shelters? I thought that there were laws that release donor organizations from liability and encouraged donations.

I was in Walmart not long ago at the deli counter and the attendant there explained to several of us in line that she has to throw away an excess meat sliced when filling an order. They are not allowed to save it and use it to make sandwiches to give away or to give it away as is to an organization that feeds homeless and hungry people. Instead she has to weigh it and create a ticket for the amount of meat thrown away. I see this as a huge waste of food that could be used in a charitable way. Just imagine at all the Walmarts alone how much is thrown away and counted as a "loss". Maybe this is just a Walmart policy--if so, it is a bad one.

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WTF are these other two comments re: Teach For America? Also, I don't want to become a "member" of the effin Washington Post (just kill me) in order to learn more about a "takedown" - by the way, what happened to informed criticism? - anyway, I have encountered several of the dreaded TFA folks who are suspected of advancing someone's agenda. These are without doubt the best and brightest (if you don't think so, apply to be one) and have only the agenda of their students at heart and in mind. I live in the second poorest county in the second poorest state in Amerika, and if you think TFA is hurting your country, bub, then come and do a better job.

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I can't say what the laws are NVR but, I had a friend in the 70s-80s who owned a donut shop. At the end of the day his leftover goods went to the sheriff's office as snacks for the deputies or prisoners. No other customers got freebies.

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More MF Global: "Report says Obama campaign, DNC return Corzine contributions" -

http://thehill.com/blogs/on-the-money/bank…

Drip, drip, drip... more fallout coming soon.

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Our church has a bread ministry where we pick up bread left at closing time from bakeries and restaurants, and donate it to homeless shelters and organizations that feed the poor. Given that, I doubt that there is a law that says Wal-mart can't donate those meat trimmings to charity.

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Kudos to David Koon for his informative and entertaining “Best & Worst of 2011” piece in the December 21 edition of Arkansas Times. Among the accounts, some of which I’d previously been oblivious:

◘ The two Garland County inmates who got into a fistfight over which was worse: the prison system in Arkansas or the prison system in Louisiana.

◘ Pulaski County Circuit Judge Barry Sims who hopped off the bench in his robe and chased down a defendant who fled his courtroom. His Honor “managed to deliver several applications of judicial discipline upside the guy’s head with his gavel before bailiffs were able to subdue the suspect.”

◘ The Fayetteville driver who, disoriented due to low blood sugar, ran a red light and hit another car, killing the passenger in the other car. The passenger in the other car? His wife who was out searching for him with her son after a call from her husband saying he was feeling dizzy and needed help.

◘ The high school math teacher in Little Rock who, trying to help ends meet after falling on hard times, was put on administrative leave after getting caught up in a prostitution sting.

◘ A 72-year-old Fort Smith man’s obituary that proudly noted he was an Air Force veteran, an avid fisherman, and had been circumcised with his dad’s pocketknife.

Ah, The Natural State with all its tales of wonder: Wouldn’t live anywhere else. No kiddin’.

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Durango, here's some more snippets from Ark's past-

Smith's Alternative Arkansas History on this date:

26-Dec 1859 Birthdate of Joseph Albert Booker at Portland, Ashley County. First President of Arkansas Baptist College, 1887-1926.

26-Dec 1875 Birthdate of William Frank McCombs at Hamburg. Campaign manager for Woodrow Wilson in 1912 presidential campaign and Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, 1912-1916.

26-Dec 1925 American Association for Advancement of Atheism incorporated in New York by Charles Lee Smith, native of Fort Smith.

26-Dec 1945 Otha Williams killed striking Food, Tobacco and Agricultural Workers Union worker Walter Campbell on picket line at Southern Cotton Oil Company plant in Little Rock.

26-Dec 1991 Berryville School Librarian Pamela Moore denied unemployment compensation after her refusal to remove Stephen King’s “Cujo” from the library led to a restrictive contract and her resignation.

26-Dec 2005 Daisy Outdoor Products at Rogers offered the classic Red Ryder® air rifle, first introduced in spring of 1940, for sale online at $44.99.

--by Stephen Smith, PhD

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NVR, it's worse than that at my local Walmart, which I avoid at all costs. They throw all returned food products into the trash, even canned goods.
Hope all of you had a great Christmas filled with love, friendship, family time, and food.
Happy Holidays from our house to yours.
Kiz

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“Maybe [throwing away excess meat] is just a Walmart policy--if so, it is a bad one.”

NVR,

Don’t know about meat scraps, but I have personally seen the truckloads of canned and packaged foods Walmart regularly donates to the Arkansas Foodbank. Anybody who doubts this can call Phyllis Haynes, CEO of Arkansas Foodbank. (501) 565-8121.

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Durango--that may be true but it seems like there is an opportunity to do even more. While I was there (behind several other customers), there was probably at least a pound or more of meat thrown away. That was over about a 10 minute period so if that is the average, that is 5 lbs per hour or more than 100 lbs in a day. Even if we assume only 1/2 of that at this one store, that amount of perfectly good sliced meat could easily provide meat for several hundred sandwiches at a local shelter.

I know some restaurants participate in a program where excess food is directed towards shelter so why doesn't Walmart? No matter how much they give, there is always more need. We hear stories about that all of the time. Is the tax write-off for "loss" more important?

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Durango, I hope my local store participates in that effort to donate food items to food banks.
They probably do.
I am talking about returned items. Obviously they can't do anything with food that might have been contaminated except throw it into the trash, but canned goods??
Anyway, Durango, hope you had a good holiday and that 2012 will be a great year for you!

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NVR, I think what you are fishing for is Potluck. It was started in the '80's by The Junior League of Little Rock. They go to restraunts and grocery stores and pick up food that is donated to them and they feed a ton of folks. I see their truck once or twice a week headed to Fresh Market. Look them up as I think what they recieve is much more than WalMart throws away in its deli.

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NVR,

Perhaps Phyllis could tell you why Walmart does not donate excess fresh meat trimmed in its stores to charitable organizations like hers. Could there be state or federal health rules and regs prohibiting distribution of store-trimmed meat? I don’t know.

I do know that Walmart donates frozen meats, the 2,100 pounds of frozen turkey it gave to a regional foodbank in Alma for Thanksgiving, being one example.

http://goo.gl/kwgeY

In recent weeks, I’ve seen other accounts of Walmart doing the same thing elsewhere in the state.

I’d also be interested in knowing what Kroger, Target, Fresh Market, Food Giant, Hestand’s and other grocery retailers do in the way of contributing meat to foodbanks, be it fresh or frozen.

I’d add that ALL of us could and should pitch in to help feed the hungry. I’m not looking for a medal, but during Thanksgiving and Christmas, we donated several frozen hams and turkeys to the AF.

Kizzy, I knew you were talking about returned items, and kudos for making it clear, again, to anybody who might have missed it in your first post. All the best to you, my friend. I think of you often.

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I don't necessarily mean to single out Walmart but I became aware of the situation in their store. What they do may be standard practice at Kroger and other stores mentioned. And it may be regulated by the health dept or USDA etc. I understand why they can't give food that has been returned that Kizzy mentioned. I just thought it was a giant waste to dispose of meat that could easily be put into a plastic bag like they give a customer. It could then be refrigerated as it accumulates throughout the day and then be picked up by an organization like Potluck that Goof mentioned.

Goof--thanks for mentioning Potluck. I went to their website and found this quote in their November 2011 newsletter--

"Recent data from the USDA indicates that about 264 million pounds of excess, edible and nutritious food is thrown away in all sectors of the food industry each and every day…enough to provide nearly 1.5 tons of food during the year to every man, woman and child who is hungry in the United States."

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Ease up on Walmart folks. They are the biggest customer (in 48 mainland states) for Quest a recycling company based in Dallas. Meats go to zoos and large animal shelters, so they only look like they go in the trash. Produce is made into animal feed. The company started small (with meats) but has mushroomed and now recycles most wastes. Google Quest.

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