The Rock Island Argus from Moline, Illinois • 10

Editor: David Hcftt 786-6441 lmttzdavki9qconiine.com im I ii i inn i ii ii ti'-. PwMdrand Itw Rath Man Him WMnMdw.Junt4.3pp3 A10 Mu ia 4 Mlairarfrlf MflYMlCVl McCain, R-ArtL, said opposed fogUadon to overtmi die is to hear testimony Wfedrasdey -v. to any major FCC action is approximately 100 percent. said Blair Levin, official who is an analyst with die Legg Mason investment He said BTheinffifisoouritaproviskii of die national cap from the 19B0B left untouched by die FOU The discount allows companim to count -only half cf vtewen forUHF dona toward national limit WASHINGTON CAP) Newly relaxed rules goterning ewnership of newspapers and TV and radio stations foot a gantlet of challenges in the courts and in Congress. The eased restriettans approved by Idie RepublicateoontroOed Federal Communications Commission allow companies to own television stations reacning nearly half the nation's viewers and to own newspapers and TV and radio stations in the same dty rule changes, dley are going to push for Congress-to overturn (aH Kimmebnan, public, policy director for Consumers Uhian, which publishes Consumer Reports magazine.

Several lawmakers have proposed legislation to counter the changed rules, particularly one that now permits a single company to own TV stations that reach 45 percent of US- house- -holds, up ftbm 35 percent There dearly now is going tp be an orgy of mergers and acquisitions," said Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N-U, amemberef die Sownfo fVimimmm, fwnmWo, 1 South Carolina Sen. Ernest Rollings, tjie committee's ranking Democrat and Mississippi Sen. Trent. Lott the fanner Republican leader; Joined Dorgan in threatening congressional action to block the initiatives.

Committee Chairman Sen. John media companies wanting even more deregulation are expected to fight the rules. FCC Chairman Michael Powell said after the-vote that the rules needed an overhaul so they wouldn't be swept away by lawauite, leaving no restrictions on media companies. Many of the agencys past attempts to update ite ownership rules were thrown out by court decisions. I am quite confident the vast majority of what weve dene will survive in court, Powell said inan interview Critics already are campaign-ingto roll baCk the changes.

As more and more Americans find out about the FCC cyder and eaaed regulations; sayingdecades-did restriefions hindered dieir ability to grow aiid compete in a maritet changed by cable TV satellite broadcasts and die Internet Critics said that despite Mondays 3-2 vote, they would keep fighting changes they say could put a few giant companies in. control of what most people see, hear and read. The likrilhood of achallenge 00B Labor foreman Chuck Coles is the boss right-hand man Malcolm Berko War not ilbearthat has little impact ni the economy and I should not expect it to -v grow stronger after the conflict in Iraq is over Instead. I hear that the economy will get How could this be? Military spending employs hundreds, thousands. If not millions of pectdalhesepeolde -work for Raytheon Lockheed Martin Corpt, Boeing Ca and so on.

I believe that whenourboysetarf toreturn home the stock market and the. economy will prosper because of toe billions of dollars spoil on military hardware and equipment Please explain if I'm wrong. M.ML, OUaheaM City Dear M.WL: Military spending has a much less significant effect on the economy thanam-sumer spending. die military buys a pickup, that vehicle is not used to produce or create new goods and services. In a very real sense, that pickup only has one purpose, which is to move peo- pie or materials ftnrn point A to point B.

The use and purchase -of that vehicle does not add value to Us activities or create a new economic benefit However, when Mike Wilson -buys a will use it to haul lumber, nail, Sheetrock and fixtures from Home Depot and use dune products to' upgrade a twobedroam house, which he expects to sell for a 96400 profit Mike'S purchase of the pickup and the subsequent sale of that house have created the following economic benefits: He has improved the value of a piece of real estate. Because die value has increased so has its tax base, allowing the municipality to collect additional real-estate taxes that aroused to pur-chase more good and services. 2. Mike made a 96400 profit, which increases the amountof personal income taxes he has to pay Mike may use 92400 of that profit to purchase a Dell Computer; and DeD Computer Corp has to keep someone employed to build the machine Meanwhile, Mike win use diat The government adopted die ownership rules between 1941 and 1975 to encourage competition and prevent monopoly control cf the media. The commissimis IMinrwh Wmfhun AiiatehUn nnj Mirfiad Copps, said the changes give too much power to media giants.

Copps said die decisions were flawed and legally vulnerable. Ruts of the new rules that may The national ownership can which could he challenged from two directions. Hie major TV net- .1 wogKswameqgeiniimateqqiQr ly Consumer groups, small broadcasters and die- National edtokeepthecapatSS percent. Gary JVambach in Rock islaid, works a fork Chuck Cotes Oeexpattexi Lsborfora Beal part of Jote Gettir paid. Thats the best part Wmi 90 degrees cutand you're 1 hoveling thatsancL And theres nowincLAod you stUi (ot to be here.

You -hereto get done" Im foe right-hand guy for the earn yoarheepi TTTnff witter Stephse gteell mi be reached at 78SS441, exL 247, or by efflaHat sediottWpconHneom. SAN FRANCISCO CAP) Federal authorities Tuesday arrested a third range and reach Consumer groups argue the UHF exemption effectively doubles the natvroi limit and is outdated because cable and satellite services canylocalUHFstationstodievast limits on range and dear reception. Radio market changes tocor- pies to exceed ownenhipftntts in some areas. jOanpautae do not bare to sell off stations that exoeed caps in redefined markets, butQear Channel, the- country largest radio dxdnwifh 1400 statkxxi bra indicated it will ocnaida-atawsuit. OaflM XabPCC: httptowwfoOigMi on assessment NEW YORE (AP) An 'upbeat economic by Federal ReaerveChairman Alan Greenspan prompted Investors to bid-stocks higher.

Tuesday resist the urge to takejjrof-tts from weeks cf rallies. comments the c.o helped- the', market shake, off -earlier losses, which had followed news of afed- eral investiga- tionintoIBMB hnnkhuming lan The Gresnspan Jaws industrial average doSed UP 25.K hf 04 percent at 842245. according to preliminary calculations. On Monday the Dow gained 4745 to reach its highest dosing level since Nos 27, when it stood at 8,93148. The markets broader gaiign also higher; The.

Nasdaq composite index bn 1241, or 04 percent, to 140346. The Standard A Poor's 500 index advanced 446, or 04 percent, to 97146.: The gains were surprising given IBMs bad new andtthe fact that analysts said the market is due for some profit taking fallowing weeks of rallies. -All three of the major gauges have climbed higher in foturof the past five weeks due to companies reporting better-than-expected first-quarter profits and economic news turning mote positive. Analysts credited Tuesday's gains to Greenspan, who spok before top central bankers in' Berlin, saying that he sees indi-' cations of. a' fairly marked turnaround in the US.

economy with May data suggesting it has stabilized." That adds to file bullish tea-timent. The undertone of -the market remains ptrmnuiy strong," skid Peter Cardlllo, president and chief strategist of Global Partner Securittes Inc. -Among Tuesday's winners on Wall Street, Brocade Communications row 81-22 to 87.28 after Merrill Lynch upgraded the networier to bujr from ueu-traL Intel advanced ft etete to 921.10 ahead of the midquarter update the chipmakar is Steted to deliver on Thursday crisis. The two otiw in October and Storney wee accused of concocting a acheme known aa Ping Fong designed to evade federal price cape on California energy He wHahoafieged- oud toexpkdt weaknesses in California energy management TTinno Imlixil 1 Ixn gsw areutteriv willmutmark 1 ssUMskasyegEManMim phyTieiinentonvinlkat- InghimBdf to fronts a jury The enogydrtjade bankrupted a major California utility and wflUsavs cog- BETTENDORF -days, Chuck Coles iq working in 90-degree heat, mixing mor tar with nota breeze to be found. 'Other days, Me Colra, a labor foreman with Laborers Union Local 309 in Rode Island, is setting up scaffolds and using a high-reach lift truck to take thousands pounds of block toworkers three stories above him.

Onttejojb In baseball, he would be something like a utility man, doing different Jobs during the day As a labor foreman, he works hard, and instead of a ball cap, he wears a hard-hat. Youve got to know what everybody wants to do Mr. Coles said from his current worksite at the new RJt Boars Restaurant off 53rd Street and Utica Ridge Road ih Batten-. dorl "1 came here 10 years -ago with 92,000 in my pocket I was living in a hotel in Molina Then, 1 got this Job, rented an apartment from my boas. Then I bought a condo, sold it, then met my Wife.

We bought a house together and I fixed it Up ih Davenport Today my main project is keeping my wife happy Thats the hobby Making aura the wife is happy On his Job, he will work anywhere from8 to 10 hours a day But after an 8-hour day he said it can be pretty rough. A lot of times, youre working 6 days a week, sometimes seven, when you pul up the scaffold, he raid. When you build scaffolds, you're putting together the planks, the safety rails, everything has to be ip compliance. The job of a latforeris not without its rewards. As Mr Coles stands by his pickup truck, tool box attached to the bade, be talks of different buildings or projects he has been a part of in the Quad-Cities.

He speaks with pride. When its hot, and you're shoveling sand and mixing Chuck Coles, a jabor foreman with Laborers Union Local 309 lift at the RJ. Boars construction stteln Bettendorf, mortar, theres no shade sometimes, and thesunsjust beating on you, be said. And, you still got tobe here. Youhave to get it dona, The Job has to be done." Ih bard 110111,11111 in nqr Mftion, I cel to do every-thing.

I do ddlwift pul for the briddayers. Im the right-hand guy for the boss. You earn yonr keep. Chuck. Coles, labor foreman Prior to living in the Quad-Cities, Me Coles was a car penter down in Florida.

He waked hard, and lived in the Florida Keys for a time. Adventure, though particularly thelevel of adventure that Me Coles embarked upon is for the young, he aid. Back to hie currant Job; Me Cotes Hid Me wok tent one for the timid. There ere times bricklayerswant a thicker or lighter mix of mortar for their work. There may be some yelling back and forth, because, be said, time is This building here.

We -should be done in two more wedn, maybe even sooner if we start working on Saturdays," he nid. ItS hard wok, but in my position, I get to do everything. I do deUrery pull trailers, pick up the Mock for Brief form cost analysis or search for better prices on building materials, making him more efficient. Mike may deposit another 92400 in his savings account, which provides his bank with new capital to lend to others. Finally Mike may spend 9500 on new dothea and use the remaining 91400 to pay tans on his higher earning X.

The family that bought 1 Mikes bouse certainly had to secure a mortgagefrom a bar. They probably punkaeed new appliances from Beet Buy new drapes from Bed Bath Beyond and new paint fhom Sears, Roebuck andCa Each of these purchases contributes to die value of their home and main. tains an employment opportunity the manufacturer and retailer Yes, military spending does increase the Gross Domestic Product and it does require the purchase of raw materials and employment of peopla But in the main, military equipment Is not used to produce things, it is used primarily to destroy things. WhatS the creative economic benefit of a bomb, bullet, tank or warhead? Economists will suggest that it takes between 98 and 910 of military Spending to create the same economic ripple effect as would 91 of consumer spending. A look through the lens of history tells us that war spending does not lead directly to a robust econotny After the end of two Wsrid Wars, the ecopomy suffered severe economic gyrations.

Unemployment rose significantly after the United States signed the armistice in 1953, which ended the Korean War Alter the end of the Vietnam War, the economy had to adjust to a severely weakened dollar and then sharply higher oil prices. At the end of the first Gulf War, oil prices collapsed, the real-estate bubble began to hurst and we were on the cusp of a banking crisis. The weak economy plus a 7A percent Jobless rate cost George H.W Bush a second term ln'1992. Not made at home of work tmplaytdirt munultauringlntthcted diannri, hosalil Ownoqv. ship of Ouuuid 36 hu been transferred to Iowa Puldic Television.

Viewers may nwd to shortly reposition their UHF antenna and possibly reset their autoprogram so that Channel 24 is part of tiie lineup, Mr Best said. Cahle users will see no change on WQPT since Mmllaww tfutmHi WQPT to their subscribers using the channel 24 signaL TTw station abo is con- allegedly manipulating California's energy market in a scheme that led to rolling blackouts across the state two years agot. John M. Stormy 41, was accused of being the ardd- Channel 24 halts operation of KQCT WQPT-Qunnd 24, Quad Cities PuMlc Television, has ceased ooeratina its auxiliary channel KQCT Channel 36, because it no longer nee it KQCT wa a low-power repeater oTWQPTS main signal, UHF Channel 24. When WgpT built KQCT 10 yeara ago, it was intended to fin in some knrfying areas that werent served by 1 WQPTs signal, which at the time; came from a short tower cntiie Black Hawk College campus, said Rick Best WTY general manager 1 Since tiioi, WQPT repeated its main channel 24 r-transmitter to tatter towernear Orion, lessening tfae need for a duplicate 1060 2002 CanadaCZlffl2S QS9 Japan Germany 8wsdsnC UMtetfr Kingdom F- naWKwaowxreMi'rep JL drive up Californias oacigy prices between I960 and 200L Storney who lives in Upper Arlington, Ohio, is the third energy trader who worked at Enron power trading office in Portland, to be gy as required by foe eral Communications Commission.

The conversion is about a 83 million project. It was not financially feasible to convert channel 36 to digital, Mr Best said. WQPT is a broadcast service cf Black Hawk College. see BaritebAll ed to California energy.