<HTML><HEAD> <META charset=UTF-8 http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=utf-8"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1276" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff"> <DIV> <DIV>In a message dated 1/25/2004 9:59:31 AM Eastern Standard Time, debsian@pacbell.net writes:</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid"><FONT face=Arial>that, for example funding at the US Dept. of Education is up <BR>70%. EPA as well, though not by that much!</FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV> <DIV>Kind of misleading.  The budget mey be up, but congrtional set-asides amkes it so that there is actually about 20-30% less operating budget.  We can't get $ for travel or training and we are cutting contracts like crazy just to keep the FTEs we have. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Sergio</DIV></BODY></HTML>