The federal minimum wage today goes from $6.55 to $7.25 an hour.  Some states have their own minimum wage.  Most states have minimum wage rates higher than the federal wage. 
  CNN story on Minimum wage hike.   Wikipedia on: List of U.S. minimum wages. 

This is a list of the minimum wages (per hour) in each state and territory of the United States, for jobs covered by federal minimum wage laws. If the job is not subject to the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, then state, city, or other local laws may determine the minimum wage. A common exemption to the federal minimum wage is a company having revenue of less than $500,000/year while not engaging in any interstate commerce.

Under the federal law, workers that receive a portion of their salary from tips, such as wait staff, are only required to have their total compensation, including tips, to meet the minimum wage, so often their hourly wage, not including tips, is less than the minimum wage.

In addition, some counties and/or cities within states may observe a higher minimum wage than the rest of the state in which they are located; sometimes this higher wage will apply only to businesses that are under contract to the local government itself, while in other cases the higher minimum will be enforced across the board.

Currently, Washington has the highest minimum wages of all 50 states, followed by Oregon and Vermont. Kansas for many years had the lowest state approved minimum wage, set at $2.65, but that will change to $7.25 starting on January 1, 2010. Only 20,000 workers in Kansas are currently paid less than the federal minimum wage.^[3] Five states have no minimum wage enacted under state law. In these states, the current federal minimum wage applies for most jobs. Out of the entire country, states or cities, Santa Fe has the highest minimum wage at $9.92 as of January 1, 2009.

(CNN) -- “President Obama said that police in Cambridge, Massachusetts, "acted stupidly" in arresting a prominent black Harvard professor last week after a confrontation at the man's home.

"I don't know, not having been there and not seeing all the facts, what role race played," Obama said Wednesday night while taking questions after a White House news conference.

Cambridge authorities dropped disorderly conduct charges against Henry Louis Gates Jr. on Tuesday.

Obama defended Gates on Wednesday night, while admitting that he may be "a little biased," because Gates is a friend…”

  It was not smart of the police to arrest the home owner when they responded to make sure someone was not breaking in and stealing from the guy.  Soon as they knew who he was they should have moved on… We all know what took place…
  Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr has a chip on his shoulder.  He IS a “VIP” and he is just the sort of person that no one likes because he believes he is important.  He wants you to treat him like he is important and he wants people to know he is special.  
   I have seen a lot of people like him and I never liked any of them black or white.  I have known a lot of people that were VIPs and they never acted like it and never demanded or asked for special treatment and I respected them. 
   Professor Gates treated the police like they were crap.  I bet he treats everyone that way.. the people that work a KFC and the people that wait on him places…He treats them like crap because he makes more money.. It treats them like crap because he has  big house…He treats them the way a master  treated his slaves.
    Professor Gates is not so smart…IF Professor Gates were smart…He could deal with people and not cause events like this to take place.  If he was a smart man he would not have yelled at the police…He would not have told them that he was important…He would not have told them that he knew the mayor and the chief of police.. He would not have told them that he was going to get their badge and get them in trouble.
    I have never met Harvard University professor Henry Louis Gates Jr.  I know the type.  I had dealing with that sort of person in the past many times.  I don’t like that sort of person. 
    Professor Gates needs to take a good look in the mirror.  If he is a smart man I think he will see that he needs to change.  He needs to be a better person.
     People do not like overbearing people.  He is an influential person and I hope people get an education the way he has got an education but I hope they do not act like him.
     I have met a few important people.  I met the governor of Kansas one time.  He was so nice and so simple and easy going I was very impressed with him.  The same week I met a guy that was running for some state office and he pulled up with a drink in his hand and a bunch kiss ass people with him…He was in a big fancy limo and he was a prick.  I watched him make a election adv and he was being a prick with the TV staff but when it was all done in the adv he looked good.  But when the election took place he lost big time.  I think he showed his real self to a lot of people like me.
     

      A lot of black people …the first thing out of their mouth is …how come you are picking on me.. It is because “I am black…”  I have seen it hundreds of time.  Someone is lost and you say “Sir can I help you find something.”  They will start that shit…It is because I am black.  I worked at one hospital and the front doors were locked at 9 PM.  They would park in the front lot after 9 PM and get out of their car and I would go over and say can I help you.. Their answer would be something like.. “NO NO.. leave me alone.. Your just stopping me because I am black.”  So they would walk to the door and then they could not get in…then I would walk slowly to the door.. and then say “Sir can I help you NOW.”  I had a few people say “NO” and get in their car and drive to a different door and I would be their waiting for them.  If they did find the one door they could get in I would be there.
     
      I wish President Obama had just not said anything about this event…But he did say “…I don’t know, not having been there and not seeing all the facts…”   President Obama said Henry Gates was his friend.  I feel sorry for President Obama. 

  The following is from Yahoo! News and they got it from AP.

“GREAT FALLS, Mont. – Walter Breuning learned to read by kerosene lantern, remembers his grandfather telling him about fighting in the Civil War, and cast his first presidential ballot for Woodrow Wilson.

The 112-year-old resident of Great Falls, Mont., apparently became the world's oldest man when 113-year-old Henry Allingham of England died Saturday. Breuning was born Sept. 21, 1896.

Now living at the Rainbow Retirement Home, Breuning takes one aspirin and eats two meals a day. He strolls the halls wearing a suit and tie and still walks the ramps to his second-floor apartment.

Breuning said he's more grateful for his health than he is for a world title.

"If you're in good health, you've got everything there is," he told the Great Falls Tribune…”

  Breuning credits his longevity to keeping busy and practicing moderation.  I think he is correct.  I been telling my kids “moderation in all things” for years.  I think that is one of the key things in all factors of life. 

Miami has a nude beach, Haulover Beach, and people come from around the world to visit the beach. Will Key West get a nude beach?

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