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Politics : PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Kevin Rose who wrote (134731)	4/2/2001 4:53:03 PM
From: greenspirit	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 769667

U.S. Economy: Manufacturing Index Suggests Recovery By Siobhan Hughes quote.bloomberg.com Washington, April 2 (Bloomberg) -- An index of U.S. manufacturing unexpectedly rose in March for the second straight month, suggesting factory weakness is a diminishing threat to the economy's record-long expansion. The National Association of Purchasing Management's factory index rose to 43.1 last month from 41.9 in February. In January, the index fell to 41.2, the lowest level in a decade, as manufacturers cut production to reduce overstocked inventories. March's index was also the first since December to be above 42.7, the level that NAPM says historically corresponds to conditions of a recession. ``We're expecting the second quarter to be relatively good,'' Jacques Nasser, president of Ford Motor Co., said in an interview on Bloomberg Television today. ``We are very confident at the moment. Our product momentum is good, our efficiency momentum is good, our balance sheet is strong.'' Ford last month said it would build 1.25 million vehicles in the second quarter, up from 1.06 million in the first three months of the year. Treasury Securities Fall U.S. Treasury securities fell after report, which dimmed investor hopes that Federal Reserve policy makers would reduce interest rates before they next meet in May. Central bankers already have cut the overnight bank lending rate three times this year to keep alive the expansion, which turned 10 years old last month. ``This would argue against a sense of emergency at the Fed,'' said David Orr, chief economist at First Union Corp. in Charlotte. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg News had expected a reading of 41.5. Another area of the economy, housing, continues to show it isn't suffering from a slowdown. Construction spending rose for the fourth consecutive month in February, led by work on single- family houses, the Commerce Department said. The 0.6 percent increase in the value of new construction to $834.2 billion at an annual rate followed a 2.2 percent gain in January. The 10-year note dropped 11/16, pushing its yield up 8 basis points to 5 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 99 points, or 1 percent. The Nasdaq Composite Index fell 5 points, or 0.3 percent. Economy Slows The economy slowed to a 1 percent annual growth rate during the last three months of 2000, the weakest performance in 5 1/2 years, after expanding 6.1 percent in the 12 months from July 1999 to June 2000. Manufacturing suffered the worst from the slowdown as demand dried up, leaving factories and retailers with excess goods in inventory. Since August, the NAPM's index has been below 50, the level that suggests contraction in manufacturing. That led companies to cut production and fire workers. In the first two months of the year, factories lost more jobs than they did for all of 2000. Today's numbers offer a sign that manufacturing may start to rebound. The indexes measuring production, orders and employment all rose. The group's factory inventory index fell for the first time since December. ``We have seen the worst,'' said Sung Won Sohn, chief economist at Wells Fargo Bank in Minneapolis. ``Much of the problem in manufacturing has been in a pile of unwanted inventories, and that is gradually being run down.'' General Motors Corp. also boosted second-quarter production plans last month. The largest automaker plans to produce 1.3 million cars in the second quarter, up from 1.2 million in the first. More Rate Cuts Expected Central bankers are still expected to reduce interest rates further this year. The Federal Open Market Committee has already lowered rates three times since Jan. 3 to revive economic growth. Last week, Delphi Automotive Systems Corp., the world's largest auto-parts maker, said it would eliminate 11,500 jobs by offering early retirement packages. And makers of telecommunications equipment are experiencing a slowdown. Hewlett-Packard Co. Chief Executive Carly Fiorina said in mid-March that a ``quick'' recovery in the U.S. economy is unlikely and that bodes ill for the second-biggest computer maker's sales this year. Cisco Systems Inc. Chief Executive John Chambers has said at least three times this year that sales at the No. 1 Internet-equipment maker were slowing. The slowing economy has kept a lid on inflation. Inflation showed signs of creeping higher. An index of prices paid for raw materials fell to 49.9 in March, the lowest since April 1999.

To: Kevin Rose who wrote (134731)	4/2/2001 4:53:31 PM
From: haqihana	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 769667

Kevin, There is nothing about homosexuality that is good. It is deviant behavior. It goes against the physiology of the human body. And for one that believes, it is an abomination to God, and is clearly so stated in the Bible. Maybe we have to adjust to the fact that it exists, and there is not much we can do to stop it, but we sure as hell don't have to like it, or put up with it being shoved down our childrens' throats in the school systems of this nation. I don't hate homosexuals, but the practice of homosexuality is repugnant to me. ~;=;o --haqi

To: Kevin Rose who wrote (134731)	4/2/2001 4:59:04 PM
From: Srexley	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 769667

"Are are you arguing that having a gay couple adopt a child is not in that child's best interest?" Yes - emphatically. That was my sole point. Sorry if my post was confusing. I thought it interesting that you are fully aware of how mean kids can be and thought you were pretty accurate on how they can be the meanest (gay slurs). On the other hand you must realize that the kid's life will be tough, and the kid's will be merciless. That is a main reason why I think that gay people adopting kids is for the gay couple, not the kid.