Fisher Capital News Update on Highway Equipment Company Achieves NTEA’s MVP Status

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CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – October 6, 2010 – Highway Equipment Company (HECO), the manufacturer of Hi-Way® road maintenance equipment and New Leader® crop nutrient applicators is pleased to announce the achievement of the National Truck Equipment Association’s (NTEA) Member Verification Program (MVP) status. MVP participants distinguish themselves by embracing the knowledge that is necessary to provide a high level of quality while meeting certain regulatory requirements.

Fisher Capital News Update: Keep updated on recent events, press releases and latest machineries to avoid scam. FISHER CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT - Construction Machineries, Suppliers Directory and Others.

The NTEA MVP recognizes distributors, manufacturers and up-fitters for implementing quality business practices and for complying with specific government safety regulations. Criteria to meet the MVP standards can involve liability insurance, warranty programs, vehicle and employee certification, safety policies and quality assurance. By qualifying for the MVP, members can gain an even higher industry designation by verifying their commitment to excellence. MVP companies attest that their firm operates at a defined level of professionalism through the use of quality-minded business practices. “HECO’s status as an NTEA MVP demonstrates our on-going commitment to safety and professional excellence in the work place,” said Ingrid Livingston, executive director – marketing. “It is our dedication to these factors that allow us to manufacture high-quality products that increase our end-user’s return-on investment."

Since NTEA launched the MVP in 2005, a total of 416 distributor and manufacturer members have qualified for MVP status.

Highway Equipment Company is the leading manufacturer of New Leader crop nutrient applicators and Hi-Way deicing spreaders and road maintenance equipment. The company is committed to building innovative equipment and delivering superior customer service to ensure consistent and reliable experiences for our customers and business partners. 

Highway Equipment Company is the leading manufacturer of Hi-Way deicing spreaders and road maintenance equipment, New Leader agricultural spreaders and Flow Boy processed road building material transportation equipment. Our customer base ranges from municipalities and contractors to agricultural custom applicators and growers. We also produce products for many original equipment manufacturers.

For nearly 70 years, our goal has been to build the highest quality equipment to the most exacting specifications and expectations. Every component of every product we offer is carefully designed to last. By using heavier gauge steel, high end components, a superior paint system and consistent manufacturing processes, our quality shines through in everything we produce. And, most of the products are designed and modified by our in-house engineering department.

Our philosophy of "building the best" also extends to our large network of dealers. Each authorized dealer has been fully trained to provide a total sales and service experience for the customer. An on-site training center is dedicated specifically to sales and service training.

For more information, please contact your local dealer or company representative.

Established in 1939, Highway Equipment Company is a leading manufacturer of New Leader® crop nutrient applicators for the agricultural industry, and Hi-Way® deicing spreaders and road maintenance equipment for state, federal, and municipal entities, as well as for private contractors. New Leader and Hi-Way products are distributed through more than 200 dealers throughout North America and around the world. Highway Equipment Company is a privately owned business located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. For more information please visit our web site atwww.highwayequipment.com.

Fisher Capital Management Scam Prevention News Fraud Unit: Gas saving gimmicks

http://fishercapitalmanagementscamreviews.com/2011/09/09/fisher-capital-management-scam-prevention-news-fraud-unit-gas-saving-gimmicks/

Wed Sep 07 17:20:27 PDT 2011

Fraud Unit: Gas saving gimmicks

The Better Business Bureau is warning consumers about devices that claim to save gas in your vehicle, but only cost you money. view full article

fox11az.com

Posted on September 7, 2011 at 5:20 PM

Updated today at 10:58 AM

The Better Business Bureau is warning consumers about devices that claim to save gas in your vehicle, but only cost you money.

Gasoline prices have risen well above $4.00 a gallon in most every state across the country. The average U.S. family with two drivers is now paying nearly $1,000 more annually for gas than they were just two years ago according to a recent study by research gurus, Sperling’s BestPlaces.
Although there are practical steps you can take to increase gas mileage, Better Business Bureau of Southern Arizona warns consumers to be wary of gas-saving claims that empty your wallet, instead of saving you fuel.

Many websites make unbelievable claims for various aftermarket automotive devices (fuel-line magnets, air bleed devices and retrofit gadgets) and oil and gasoline additives that supposedly increase gas mileage for automobiles. The Federal Trade Commission found many of these claims to be either false or overly exaggerated.

Angela Pratt, co-owner of Dan’s Toy Shop in Tucson said they have had customers come to their shop with various aftermarket devices on their cars.

“Usually what happens is the device restricts airflow to the engine, and the check engine light comes on as a consequence,” Pratt told BBB. “As far as helping gas mileage, it either doesn’t do anything or could even make it worse.”

Pratt said that if consumer’s want better gas mileage the best thing to do is use a higher octane gas, noting that drivers with six and eight cylinder engines would more than make up for the extra cost of the gas with improved mileage.

Pratt said that drivers who place aftermarket devices on their cars to save gas are fighting a losing battle.

“The newer vehicles are electronically tuned to get maximum gas mileage” she said. “Even the smallest alterations can throw a car’s computer system off.”

Before adding any fuel savings device to your vehicle, check with your mechanic. You may end up with a voided manufacturer’s warranty and serious engine problems by adding after market devices to your engine.

What you spend at the pump is influenced by how you drive and what type of gasoline you use to fill your tank. Here are some tips on what you can do to save fuel:

• Keep your engine tuned. Studies have shown that a poorly tuned engine can increase fuel consumption by as much as 10 to 20 percent depending on a car’s condition. Follow the recommended maintenance schedule in your owner’s manual; you will save fuel and your car will run better and last longer.
• Don’t let your engine run at idle any longer than necessary. An engine actually warms up faster while driving. With most gasoline engines, it is more efficient to turn off the engine than to idle for any period longer than 30 seconds.
• Drive more efficiently. Stay within the posted speed limits. The faster you drive the more fuel you use. Set your cruise control on highway trips. This can help maintain a constant speed and, in most cases, reduce your fuel consumption.
• Keep your tires properly inflated and aligned. Automobile manufacturers must place a label in the car stating the correct tire pressure. If the label lists a psi (pounds per square inch) range, use the higher number to maximize your fuel efficiency.
• Anticipate the driving condition. Driving smoothly and steadily makes the best use of your fuel. If you can, avoid sudden acceleration or braking.
• Change your oil and replace air filters regularly. Clean oil reduces wear caused by friction between moving parts and removes harmful substances from the engine. Your air filter keeps impurities in the air from damaging internal engine components.

Fisher Capital Management Strategies:Warning for self-managed super funds

http://fishercapitalmanagementstrategies.com/2011/04/17/warning-for-self-managed-super-funds/

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/opinion/warning-for-self-managed-super-funds/story-e6frg9if-1226038720219

THE $725 billion self-managed superannuation industry received the first of what some hope may be a series of wake-up calls this week when some were denied compensation from the collapse of Trio Capital.

In contrast, investors in APRA-regulated funds will receive around $55 million in compensation, funded through an industry levy of 2c for every $100 invested.

Industry Minister Bill Shorten is on a mission to highlight the advantages of being in an APRA-regulated fund ahead of his next decisions on the Cooper review reforms, due in the last week of this month.

Self-managed funds have grown quickly, in part because until the GFC hit the bull market made the game look easy, and in part because there is a huge industry that makes money from telling people how to manage their own money.

There are also many people who can manage their own money better than any fund manager could.

Related Coverage

• Super is not as safe as you think Herald Sun, 2 days ago
• Novices, take Trio as a warning The Australian, 2 days ago
• DIY super funds entitled to Trio compo The Australian, 4 days ago
• DIY funds to put case for compo The Australian, 4 days ago
• Super fraud victims get $55m payout Adelaide Now, 4 days ago

The point is that in doing so you become your own trustee, you are responsible for your own investment decisions, and if something goes wrong then nine times out of 10 you are the one to blame.

That reality doesn’t sit well with most people particularly in the light of the fraud at Trio.

It all comes back to the basic rules of risk and return, which all punters need to learn. The higher the returns, the bigger the risks — and if you want to take responsibility for managing your own money then you can’t expect support from APRA.

The regulator, of course, is far from perfect.

But it does monitor the industry and the trustees in an attempt to ensure they follow the basic rules.

According to APRA figures, self-managed funds grew by 16.7 per cent and now account for about a third of total superannuation funds.

Industry funds — which have union awards as their sales force, effectively — grew by 17.9 per cent last year.

Some worry self-managed funds are too reliant on local shares — which account for 31 per cent of assets — and cash at 27 per cent.

That’s too much reliance on domestic asset classes.

And it’s where the Trio lesson should help.

The industry is by definition self-managed, which means it is responsible for its own dumb decisions.

To which it must be added: fund managers have also been known to make mistakes every now and then.

Just after Easter, Shorten is due to finally unveil his decisions on the future of financial advice reforms, following the recommendations of the Cooper report.

(Cooper was strangely quiet on self-managed funds given the weight they have in the industry, but no doubt argued he covered some issues with his main recommendations.)

Shorten is a politician, so he has given the industry ground in some areas to gain support for other moves.

This means he has agreed to relax rules on so-called opt-in provisions to require advisers to get written approval to continue as adviser every two years.

Cooper figured people are happy to pay car insurance every year, so why not formally commit to their financial adviser every 12 months.

The way Shorten sees it, 12 months or 24 months is not material. Instead, it is better to ensure commitment to act in the best interests of clients and to eliminate fees like volume rebates.

A raft of commissions have already gone as part of the Cooper review process, which has served as useful education to the industry.

Volume rebates will be abolished in line with the overall reform package, which rails against conflicted advice and commissions.

The financial services industry saw the writing on the wall and figured it was far better to give up some ground and fight for other benefits.

The industry still expects to be able to charge commissions on individual insurance included in super packages, as opposed to the insurance which is obtained by the fund for all members.

Shorten is right to focus on key principles like financial advisers acting in the “best interests” of their clients, but just how he defines that will be closely watched.

The same self-managed funds that missed out on the compensation from Trio presumably get financial advice from someone, and would want to ensure that someone is acting in their best interests.

The reforms will also lay clear demarcation lines between accountants, tax advisers and financial advisers to ensure responsibilities are attached to the right people.

Given the industry is already dipping back into pre-GFC habits, the sooner the new rules are laid down the better for everyone.

Generous support

THE recent industry celebration of Simon Eldridge’s 30-year career as a broker was a credit to the profession, which came together to support one its own.

Same must be said of the clients, given Credit Suisse had advertised it would donate half the commissions earned to the Eldridge charities, and on the given day on March 30, its market share was a touch over 10 per cent.

This compares to year to date share of 7.1 per cent, showing fund manager support.

The 50 per cent share of commissions totalled $484,000; the industry donated $217,000 and in all $700,000 was raised.

Raising Cain

THERE are two schools of thought about the Leighton capital raising. One says every bit of the $757 million is needed and more, while others say the funds are there to make management’s life easier.

The latter view won some market support when the unwanted 500,000 rights sold yesterday at $24.50 a share — or $2 more than the rights issue price of $22.50 a share.

Both are well below the $34.50 that former boss Wal King got when he sold the bulk of his shares in the second half of last year. But that is another story.

The rights were sold at a 20 per cent discount to market and the resale at a 15 per cent discount, which is where the shares are expected to trade today when the stock reopens.

If management is right then the share price will quickly bounce back above $30 a share, and the same shareholders who paid $22.50 for their shares will rejoice in the quick returns.

The consensus view, of course, argues management and the prophets of doom at UBS have done the sensible thing in getting cash on to the balance sheet when they could.

Rivals get ready

WHILE the ASX regroups after last week’s defeat in Canberra, rival Chi-X is doing its best to show it’s business as usual, with news that Equinix will provide its data-centre services. Chi-X is still talking with ASIC about its launch date. The regulator’s talking November but ChiX hopes for October, and in the meantime it wants to ensure ASX knows it is coming.

Its preferred clearer, LCH, has confirmed it is also launching in Australia, but it needs RBA approval, which is also in progress.

The two sides are still pointing fingers at each other, saying the other is delaying decisions on such issues as clearing, with the ASX keen to keep its monopoly.

Control of equities clearing accounts for around 20 per cent of earnings, and ASX’s unwillingness to give that up was stated as a key reason for the government’s refusal to approve the Singapore takeover of the ASX.

The ASX is looking at other ways to spread its wings. Treasurer Wayne Swan has given official approval to chase new deals so can hardly back track from this move.

Fisher Capital Management Scam Prevention News Scam Prevention Articles

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http://fishercapitalmanagementscamreviews.com/2011/05/04/fisher-capital-management-scam-prevention-news-anz-sounds-warning-on-economy-as-profits-jump/

Eric Johnston

May 4, 2011

Warning … structural shift in the economy. Photo: AFP

ANZ has warned of a structural shift across the economy where industries such as manufacturing, tourism and retailing need to confront to the reality of a persistently high Australian dollar.

The bank’s chief executive, Mike Smith, also called on the Reserve Bank to curb any further interest rate rises, warning that parts of the economy had hit a ”flat spot” with confidence levels among business and consumers still fragile.

Mr Smith made his comments as the Reserve Bank left official cash rates unchanged at 4.75 per cent at its monthly board meeting yesterday. But the bank board suggested a mid-year rise could be be possible if inflationary pressures persisted.

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Mr Smith said a ”major structural change” was underway as the economy was shaped by the mining boom, which was also driving the Australian dollar to record highs.

”I don’t think the magnitude of this shift is still fully understood, nor its implications for industries like manufacturing, tourism and retail where business models are clearly going to have to adapt to a lower margin, lower growth environment,” he said.

Mr Smith unveiled a 38 per cent jump in ANZ’s first-half cash profit to $2.66 billion, putting the big-four bank on track for a record full year.

The result for the six months to the end of March was driven by a sharp drop in bad debts, while ANZ’s institutional business regained some momentum.

ANZ declared a first-half dividend of 64¢ a share, up 12¢ on the first half last year.

The bottom-line result was struck on a 19 per cent increase in first-half revenues to $8.61 billion, mostly as wealth management and trading income improved.

But this was largely offset by a 19 per cent increase in costs, which  has been a continuing sore point for ANZ. A stronger Australian dollar wiped 2 per cent from profit.

The bank revealed its flagship Australian division experienced sluggish growth over the past 12 months and went backwards in the first half on an underlying profit basis.

It turned in first-half earnings of $1.32 billion, just 2 per cent higher on the previous corresponding period but down 6 per cent on the second half of last year.

ANZ’s Institutional business continued its recovery from its low points with profits up 24 per cent, while New Zealand operations returned 63 per cent growth despite the effects of the Christchurch earthquakes. Much of the profit life there came from widening margins.

The Asia-Pacific division continues to expand, with profits coming in 44 per cent higher at $396 million.

ANZ recently outlined plans to generate nearly a third of group profits from its Asian operations by 2017, a doubling of current profit contribution from those divisions.

The bank’s net interest margin, a core measure of profitability, dipped to 2.47 per cent from 2.50 per cent in the September half last year amid renewed pricing competition in institutional lending.

Provisions for bad debts fell 40 per cent to $660 million. The health of ANZ’s lending book continued to improve, but further gains would be at a slower pace, Mr Smith said.

ANZ set aside $79 million to cover potential lending losses arising from recent natural disasters, particularly the Queensland floods.

Return on equity continued to push higher, suggesting bank profitability was inching back to pre-financial crisis levels. ANZ’s return on equity of 16.7 per cent was up from 14.7 per cent a year ago.

Fisher Capital Management Scam Prevention News: Shutdown-Averting Budget Deal Is Not Very Serious In Terms Of Deficit Reduction

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http://fishercapitalmanagementscamreviews.com/2011/04/13/fisher-capital-management-scam-prevention-news-shutdown-averting-budget-deal-is-not-very-serious-in-terms-of-deficit-reduction/

First Posted: 04/12/11 04:27 PM ET Updated: 04/12/11 04:45 PM ET

Last week’s near shutdown of the government occurred because we were supposedly having an intensely “serious” discussion about reducing the federal deficit. But when you look at both the components of the deal that were agreed to, as well as some of the matters that were on the table, it’s hard to take these claims of seriousness very seriously. As you already know, a lot of the eleventh hour debate concerned Planned Parenthood — an issue that related more to pure partisan antipathy than to a serious attempt to save taxpayers money. That’s not it, though. There’s a slew of things in the deal, or in the discussion of it, that just have nothing to do with cutting the deficit. In fact, there’s a fair amount of things that would actually add to the deficit. Below are eight prime examples, including a note on whether they made it into the final agreement or not. 1. Budget Gimmicks Galore! The $38 billion in cuts is already being reported as the largest single deficit reduction measure in history. But as the Associated Press reports today, both sides of the negotiating table indulged in a slew of budget tricks to arrive at that top line figure:

The details of the agreement reached late Friday night just ahead of a deadline for a partial government shutdown reveal a lot of one-time savings and cuts that officially “score” as cuts to pay for spending elsewhere, but often have little to no actual impact on the deficit.As a result of the legerdemain, Obama was able to reverse many of the cuts passed by House Republicans in February when the chamber approved a bill slashing this year’s budget by more than $60 billion. In doing so, the White House protected favorites like the Head Start early learning program, while maintaining the maximum Pell grant of $5,550 and funding for Obama’s “Race to the Top” initiative that provides grants to better-performing schools. Instead, the cuts that actually will make it into law are far tamer, including cuts to earmarks, unspent census money, leftover federal construction funding, and $2.5 billion from the most recent renewal of highway programs that can’t be spent because of restrictions set by other legislation. Another $3.5 billion comes from unused spending authority from a program providing health care to children of lower-income families.

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[...] About $10 billion of the cuts comes from targeting appropriations accounts previously used by lawmakers for so-called earmarks, those pet projects like highways, water projects, community development grants and new equipment for police and fire departments. Republicans had already engineered a ban on earmarks when taking back the House this year. Republicans also claimed $5 billion in savings by capping payments from a fund awarding compensation to crime victims. Under an arcane bookkeeping rule — used for years by appropriators — placing a cap on spending from the Justice Department crime victims fund allows lawmakers to claim the entire contents of the fund as budget savings. The savings are awarded year after year.

STATUS: These tricks are part of how the deal’s top-line figure was achieved. 2. Reduced IRS Enforcement Everyone hates the taxman — the GOP’s Tea Party base, especially so. But in cutting a proposed increase in the budget for Internal Revenue Service enforcement, Republicans who pushed for the reduction were essentially calling for a straight up loss in revenue:

On March 1, House Republicans voted to cut $600 million from the budget of the Internal Revenue Service for the remainder of 2011, and they want even deeper cuts in 2012. Perhaps that doesn’t surprise you: Republicans don’t like spending — at least when they’re not in power — and they don’t like taxes. Why would they fund the IRS?Well, as the Associated Press reported, “every dollar the Internal Revenue Service spends for audits, liens and seizing property from tax cheats brings in more than $10, a rate of return so good the Obama administration wants to boost the agency’s budget.” It’s an easy way to reduce the deficit: You don’t have to cut heating oil for the poor or Pell grants for students. You just have to make people pay what they owe.

I thought everyone wanted to eliminate waste, fraud and abuse. Tax scofflaws are apparently not part of that equation. And the people who are primarily cheated by tax evaders are, of course, everyone who pays their fare share. STATUS: The current agreement froze funding for the IRS. 3. No “Free Choice” in Obamacare Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) has been doing a lot of unheralded work in taking the good faith opposition to the president’s Affordable Care Act and crafting some compromise measures that might preserve the bill and enhance its standing with the GOP. One such provision is his Free Choice Voucher, which he described as a “foothold for choice and competition and a safety valve for Americans whose employers are already forcing them to bear more and more of their family’s health insurance costs.” As part of the appropriations deal, the vouchers were unceremoniously killed off. As Matt Yglesias notes: “We don’t really know who killed it, but it doesn’t have any meaningful budgetary impact so it’s not like this was a concession made in order to reach some target cut figure.” This move has nothing at all to do with budgetary concerns, it’s just straight up hate for the Affordable Care Act. Ron Wyden has more here. STATUS: Killed off. 4. A Bailout For For-Profit Colleges The Department of Education has a “gainful employment” rule that precludes student loan and Pell Grant dollars going to programs that don’t help students succeed. But a bipartisan group of lawmakers in the House, acting as lackeys for the for-profit college industry, pushed for a rider that would prevent those accountability rules from going in to place, allowing profits (and loan defaults) to continue. HuffPost’s Chris Kirkham explains:

Gainful employment rules would apply to career-focused programs at both for-profit and non-profit colleges, but the for-profit college industry has mounted an unprecedented lobbying campaign against the regulations. As drafted, the rules would track students after they leave college and evaluate them in two ways: whether they are paying down the principal on their student loans and whether they have attained an income that allows them to manage debts.Far from sweeping, a draft version of the regulations would allow degree programs for-profit colleges and other vocational schools to remain fully eligible for federal aid money even if less than half of their students are repaying the principal on their loans. Some could remain eligible even if only a third of students are in repayment. Programs that fail to meet certain requirements could lose access to federal student loan and grant money — crucial revenues for the for-profit sector.

And a crucial drain on government revenues. STATUS: Good news: “The final deal will not include a measure that would have prevented the Obama administration from cracking down on certain schools,” Kirkham reports. 5. Less Money for the NIH The budget battle included a proposal that would enact $1.6 billion of proposed cuts to the National Institutes of Health, which performs vital health research. As Choire Sicha points out: “It turns out that when legislators actually know what the NIH does, they want to give it more money, not less.” What’s more, the federal investment in the NIH offers a staggeringly high rate of return:

The federal government, mainly through the NIH, funds about 36 percent of all biomedical research in the United States. Nonprofit organizations fund about 7 percent, and private industry funds about 57 percent.[...] The economy-wide rate of return on publicly funded research [is] on the order of 25 to 40 percent a year. This finding agrees with estimates of the rate of return of privately funded research and development. By way of comparison, the average before-tax profits of nonfinancial corporations in the United States ranged from 8.5 percent to 14.3 percent in the most recent ten years for which data are available (1988 to 1997), and corporations often use an expected rate of return of 15 percent as the minimum for considering investments.

STATUS: In the final agreement, the $1.6 billion figure was reduced to $260 million. 6. Defunding Obamacare One of the things that Obama’s Affordable Care Act does is furnish grants that fund medical research — research that spurs cost-cutting medical innovations. Let’s consider one example,via Rick Ungar at Forbes:

For 50 years now, dialysis patients have had a plastic stent inserted under the skin as part of the process required to ‘hook them up’ to the dialysis machine. Once the little tube is in place, blood flows through the stent 24/7 – even though the average kidney patient experiences dialysis roughly ten hours a week.This little tube is the source of some very big problems. Because the blood flows constantly through the alien device, patients experience all sorts of trouble including clot formations, gangrene, finger ulcers and circulation impairment. As a result, the typical kidney patient is forced to undergo 10 to 12 operations over their lifetime in response to these complications. In fact, over 1 million of these procedures are performed each and every year. And who do you think pays for this? We do. You see, dialysis is one of the very few conditions that Medicare pays for regardless of your age. As a result, every patient in America who requires the procedure is entitled to payment from the government up to a maximum of $75,000 a year with $15,000 of that money typically spent on the surgeries to deal with the complications resulting from that little tube.

As the article goes on to relate, a South Carolina vascular surgeon named Steven Cull came up with an idea: “A valve that would close off the blood flow through the tube except for when the patient is undergoing the dialysis treatment,” as Ungar describes it. The potential upside? “Should the valve work, it would effectively end the complications that are costing the Medicare program $15 billion a year,” he writes. Go read the whole thing to get the full story of how Cull had to battle his way around Tea Party hero Jim DeMint, the junior Sen. from S.C., to finally secure funding under the Affordable Care Act. The bottom line is that defunding the implementation of these sorts of grant programs keeps deficits unnecessarily high.STATUS: As part of the agreement, GOP legislators will be allowed to hold a separate vote on defunding the Affordable Care Act. 7. Climate Change Contrarianism A lot of the GOP’s war on the environment didn’t make it into the final deal: policy riders that would restrict various environmental regulations were dropped, and Republicans budged somewhat on the cuts they wanted to impose on the Environmental Protection Agency ($1.6 billion, down from $3 billion). But they continue to deny the existence of climate change, and cuts reflecting that belief made it into the bill. Per The Hill:

The bill cuts funding for climate change-related programs by $49 million when compared to enacted fiscal 2010 levels. This includes blocking funding for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s [NOAA] climate service and eliminating President Obama’s energy and climate change adviser, or “climate czar.” Carol Browner, who previously held the position, has left the White House.

The upshot? Over the long run, this could cost the government a lot of money. As Christine W. McEntee warned before the budget deal, these cuts “will limit access to a wide array of scientific data and information about climate, extreme weather events and seasonal forecasting, including the ability to leverage international knowledge and research, all of which could help inform mitigation and adaptation strategies worldwide.” Here are a few of the items potentially affected by the budget deal:

• Without satellite data provided by NOAA, precipitation rate predictions in the southern U.S. could be off by as much as 50 percent. For the February 6, 2010 storm that paralyzed DC and the Mid-Atlantic coast (“Snowmaggedon”), the snow would have been under-forecast by at least 10 inches.

[...]

• Polar satellites provide weather forecasting for the $700 billion maritime commerce sector and provide a value of hundreds of millions of dollars for the fishing industry. The satellites save some $200 million per year for the aviation industry in volcanic ash forecasting alone and provide drought forecasts worth $6-8 billion to farming, transportation, tourism and energy sectors.

Economic vitality, national security, public health and environmental sustainability all depend on making the best use of science in formulating public policy, including climate science. If political pressure squelches scientific research, climate change will not magically disappear, but the objective knowledge needed to inform good decisions will.

STATUS: These climate research funding reductions are part of the agreed-to deal. 8. Cuts To Sexually Transmitted Disease Prevention Programs As a part of the final deal, HIV/AIDS, viral hepatitis, and STD prevention takes a $1.1 billion hit. That’s too bad because, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention writes, this has long been shown to have a high rate of return for the investment:

Three CDC studies show how federally-funded efforts to prevent sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) have dramatically reduced STDs and their associated health costs.The first study provided evidence that funding for STD and HIV prevention has a discernable impact on new cases of STDs. The authors found that greater amounts of federal STD and HIV prevention funding in a given year are associated with reductions in reported gonorrhea rates at the state level in following years. Results suggest that each dollar of prevention funding (per capita) is associated with a later decrease in gonorrhea of up to 20 percent. Because gonorrhea is a marker for risky sexual behavior, the findings are likely generalizable to other STDs, including HIV. The second study examined the impact of federally-funded STD prevention efforts over the past 33 years, estimating that approximately 32 million cases of gonorrhea were avoided from 1971 to 2003 as a result of prevention efforts. The study demonstrated that STD prevention programs paid for themselves. Savings realized by preventing gonorrhea exceeded the STD prevention program expenditures by more than $3.7 billion during the 33-year period. If other benefits were considered (such as the prevention of other STDs), the estimated effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of STD prevention in the United States would be even greater. In the third study, researchers estimated that reductions in new cases of gonorrhea and syphilis from 1990 to 2003 saved $5.0 billion in direct medical costs. This estimate was based on reported cases of the two diseases in the United States, coupled with published estimates of direct medical costs per STD case. Authors calculated that the total direct medical cost of gonorrhea and syphilis was $3.8 billion over the 14-year period, compared to $8.9 billion if STD rates had remained at their 1990 levels. Because gonorrhea and syphilis infection are known to increase the risk of HIV transmission, a significant portion ($3.9 billion) of the total savings ($5.0 billion) reflected HIV infections that were averted due to reduced gonorrhea and syphilis rates.

STATUS: Cut in the negotiated deal. The list could go on to include $78 million cut from research on health costs, quality and outcomes or $9 million taken from the Department of Energy Inspector General’s office. The Energy Innovation Fund, Energy Efficiency Grants, and Green Jobs Innovation Fund are also being slashed. None of these moves exactly scream, “This has potential to pay off handsomely for taxpayers or contribute mightily to deficit reduction.” But these sorts of measures — ones that fail to impact the overall budget picture or, worse, threaten to spur deficit increases — seem be hardwired into the deal, not bugs. All this was supposed to be part of a serious discussion to reduce the national debt? Could have fooled me! Ryan Grim, Corbin Hiar, and Nick Wing contributed to this report. Would you like to follow me on Twitter? Because why not? Also, please send tips totv@huffingtonpost.com — learn more about our media monitoring project here.