The Society of Chemical Manufacturers and Affiliates (SOCMA) recently held its 5th Annual Washington Fly-In in D.C. At the day and a half event, members heard from Congressional speakers, networked with fellow SOCMA members, and had the opportunity to directly voice their concerns on Capitol Hill. Over 30 SOCMA members met with approximately 60 Congressional offices, educating members of Congress and their staff about the batch, custom, and specialty chemical manufacturing industry.

I've worn glasses since I was in the second grade. I have very poor eyesight. Indeed, I was the only 7-year-old with bifocals in my class. I'm so fortunate that my teachers and parents realized at an early age that I needed help seeing the world around me. Without the visual aide of glasses, I surely would have fallen behind in school and life.

Last week, the National Maritime Security Advisory Committee (NMSAC) announced that it will be holding a partially closed public meeting on May 15-16, 2012 in Washington, D.C. The Committee will meet in closed session on Tuesday, May 15 from 9 am to 11:30 am and in open session from 1 pm to 5 pm. On Wednesday, May 16, the Committee will meet from 9 am to 12 pm.

Day 1’s agenda will include a discussion of the following topics:

The American Chemistry Council will be hosting its ChemSecure security event in Houston, Texas on June 11-13, 2012.

Through both general and breakout sessions, ChemSecure will cover a variety of topics including the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS), cyber security risk assessments, global supply chain security, and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) chemical industry outreach.

The Congressional Research Service (CRS) recently issued a report on U.S. pipeline safety and security. The report suggests that Congress should assess how the various elements of U.S. pipeline safety and security fit together in the nation’s overall strategy to protect transportation infrastructure.

We recently revealed our findings from the 2012 Salary and Job Satisfaction Survey. As many folks know, a good job is much more than the money. Being proud of the work you do is equally rewarding.

The application deadline for FY2012 funding under the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA’s) Port Security Grant Program (PSGP) is approaching.

Applying for FY2012 PSGP funding is a two step process: first, applicants must complete and submit Standard Form 424 to grants.gov to determine eligibility. The deadline to submit Form 424 is April 27, 2012. Once FEMA confirms that the applicant is eligible, the applicant can proceed to step two, which involves submitting a full application. The submission deadline for the full application is May 4, 2012. Application forms and instructions are available at www.grants.gov.

In today’s economy, people and businesses alike are uber conscious about where they spend their hard-earned money. I’m no exception to that. Nowadays, any purchase I make, whether it be a baby stroller or a high-definition TV, I make sure I get the most “bang for my buck.” I factor in whether the company I purchase from is reputable, I consider the quality and responsiveness of customer service, and I scour the web for product reviews.

I love Reader's Digest. There, I said it. I love a digest magazine that attracts an older demographic. I've loved it for a long time. For as long as I can remember my mother has had a subscription and as a gift several years ago, she ordered me my own subscription. I read every single page of the magazine, but never in order. I poke around and find something that piques my interest at any given moment. I can read about 50 secrets my vet, waitress, carpenter, or dentist won't tell me. I can read about Life In These United States. I can test my word power.

The case of Khalid Ali-M Aldawsari, the Saudi college student arrested last year in Texas on suspicion of attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction, is set for trial on April 30. Employees at both the chemical supply company where Aldawsari attempted to purchase Phenol and at the shipping company asked to deliver the chemical identified the transaction as suspicious. The employees tipped off the FBI, thwarting Aldawsari’s plans to build bombs to blow up critical infrastructure.