Ross Myers

via (Yahoo!)

On a party-line vote, a Republican-run U.S. House of Representatives committee voted to cut food stamps by $844 million on Friday, just hours after a new U.S. Agriculture Department report showed more Americans are struggling to put food on the table.

"This is not a giveaway program that results in windfall profits," said North Carolina Republican G.K. Butterfield in opposing the cuts. "That is not moral. That is not American."

North Dakota Democrat Earl Pomeroy complained that 40,000 children would lose free meals at school because of that provision.

"You have not even come clean that kids are going to lose school breakfast and school lunch under this," he said.

We had an oppurtunity to sit down a talk with the Deputy Director of the Food Stamp Program, Clarence Carter when he was in Greensboro not to long ago for a Faith Base Conference. You can view the video interview here.

  Yipee!!!! Zap2it says that a remake of "Logans Run" may be in the works.

"Looking forward, Silver holds out hopes for his remake of "Logan’s Run," a sci-fi epic Bryan Singer was supposed to direct before he was lured away by the Siren call of "Superman." Singer is still involved and the team is still waiting on script drafts from Oscar winner Christopher McQuarrie."

This is one of my favorite sci-fi movies of all time and I’ve said for years that it would be great remake fodder with todays enhanced special effects capabilities. The first time I saw this movie was as a child in the theater when it was released and it really stuck with me. The movie also inspired a short run TV series.

Of course, not everyone is as excited as I am about the announcement.  

Two years ago to the day Greensboro was shown where the jobs were.  Why aren’t they here already?

Looking at the fastest growing occupations a reasonable argument can be made that 8 out of 10 bear a direct realationship to the Creative and Weblog Industry, which is experiencing a growth of over 100,000 new blogs launching daily.

Fastest Growing Occupations, 2000-2010

                                                                                   Employment    Change

Computer software engineers, applications

Computer support specialists 

Computer software engineers, systems software

Network and computer systems administrators

Network systems and data communications analysts

Desktop publishers 

Database administrators

Personal and home care aides

Computer systems analysts 

Medical assistants

Of course if one attracts the higher paying jobs in the Fastest Growing Sector, the service jobs in the Largest Growing Sector naturally follow.

So where are the business models headed that create these jobs? The latest has headed to Virginia.  PaidContent.org posted recently that Northern Virginia based BackFence.com has received a $3 million dollar first round of Venture Capital. This announcement comes on the heels of other internet blog properties moving, Weblogs, Inc. and Weblogs.com.

Reports like this touting a 26% growth in internet advertising revenue may have sparked a bit of a boom, but are we feeling it here? As the dollars begin to flow thru the blogosphere, where’s Greensboro?

Sadly, it’s lead of years, faded to 30 seconds, and now it’s behind.  Local start-up companies with National aspirations, like Greensboro101, TriadBlogs, EpiCourier and BlackCache who have been uniquely posistioned to capitalize in their respective market niches may just miss the curve. Companies not prepared with the needed resources to develop the management, content, audiences and roll out a national footprint to distribute too, will lose out on opportunities like, the political advertising market of 2006, that will be crucial to their ability to compete against MSM and survive.

How can Greensboro regain its lead or maintain it present market opportunities?

It needs to break free of the manufacturing based economy mentality and "find some love" from the local investor community. It needs to translate the community support given to ConvergeSouth into a long term investment strategy. It needs to be shown how the business of Creative Industry directly relates to the Mid-Atlantic Fed Ex Hub and how it will be  the two working together that will bring the future jobs to our community, to our children.

Our company’s business plan has not called for VC, but if the recent Shopping Spree continues we may consider looking for a "little love" ourselves for some of our internet properties. I just hope we don’t have to go to Northern Virginia to find it.

But, if it comes to it, you know what they say, "Virginia IS for Lovers."

Click on banner to find out more.

Dan Romuald has assumed the posistion of CEO of Policlicks.com LLC, he replaces Tara Sue Clark, who leaves the post to pursue expanded oppurtunities.

Tara Sue is passing the responsiblity of our company’s next stage of growth on to very good leadership. Dan has been with us since December of last year and has established himself as a crucial team member in developing the incrediable potential of our products and services. Dan has a strong grasp on where we are as a company and where we need to be and we believe with him at the helm we will get there.

On behalf of the Policlicks Team, we wish Tara Sue great success as she tackles her next endevor and we would like to thank her for the leadership and personal sacrifice she provided our company over the last three years, without which we would not be here today.

And to Dan, you the man, and we’re with you all the way.